Six North Dakota and Minnesota high school educators have been selected to receive Distinguished Education Professional awards from NDSU. The honor recognizes area educators who are advocates for access to higher education and who work effectively with the NDSU Office of Admission.
The Distinguished Education Professionals will be honored at an award ceremony during the Discover NDSU event April 21-22.
The recipients were nominated by NDSU Office of Admission staff based on leadership, commitment and excellence in supporting access to higher education and support of NDSU’s recruiting efforts.
"It is an honor for us to recognize individuals who truly believe in the value of education and who place the greatest importance on helping students succeed," said Seinquis Leinen, NDSU associate director of admission. "We enjoy getting to know each of them a little better and showing them all that NDSU has to offer."
The 2016 Distinguished Education Professionals are:
• Micki O'Flynn, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Minneapolis
O'Flynn has served as the college and career counselor at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School for eight years. During her 38-year career in education, she also worked in Guatemala, Amsterdam and Cairo. "Students have high, high energy," she said. "They bring me joy every day."
Her advice to students is "Raise your expectation of yourself. You can achieve what you can believe."
O'Flynn earned her master's degree in conflict resolution at the University of Denver and her master's degree in social work from the University of Michigan.
• Jim Keal, Fargo South High School, Fargo, North Dakota
Keal has been a school counselor at Fargo South High School for 12 years. "My favorite part of working with students is observing and assisting them with their growth," he said. "I also love that every student is different. Each of us has a different background, different supports and different needs. No two days are ever the same."
His advice to students is to never close a door to opportunity. "Take challenging courses in high school and also choose electives that allow you to explore potential careers and the world around you," Keal said.
Keal earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Minnesota, Duluth; his master's degree in school counseling from the University of Wisconsin, Superior; and his master's degree in education leadership at NDSU.
• Michelle Mazanec, Osseo Senior High School, Osseo, Minnesota
Mazanec has been a college and career specialist at Osseo Senior High School for 10 years. In total, she has worked in education for 18 years. "I work primarily with student who have questions about life after high school," she explained. "It's incredibly rewarding to help students discover postsecondary options, learn about careers and create opportunities for them to realize their potential options."
Mazanec began her collegiate years at Anoka Ramsey Community College before transferring to Minnesota State University-Mankato, earning her bachelor's degree in business education. After working at Osseo High School for three years, she earned an MBA. She also has graduate credits from Metropolitan State University, University of St. Thomas and University of North Dakota.
• Susan Farbo, Delano High School, Delano, Minnesota
Farbo has been a counselor at Delano High School for 23 years. Her career in education spans a total of 30 years. "No day is typical for me," she said. "I help students thrive academically, personally and socially, and assist them in exploring their options after high school."
Farbo earned her associate degree from North Dakota State College of Science. She also earned a bachelor's degree from NDSU and Minnesota State University Moorhead, and she has a master's degree in counseling-secondary education.
• Barry Cervenka, Bemidji High School, Bemidji, Minnesota
Cervenka has been a career resource adviser at Bemidji High School for four years. He has worked in education for a total of nine years. "It is rewarding to work with students and parents, and help them develop a solid postsecondary plan to guide them through a process that may seem confusing at times," he said. "I think what I enjoy the most, though, is going the extra mile for students, whether that be drafting letters of recommendation for scholarships or picking up the phone and calling a college admission director to advocate for a student."
Cervanka earned an Associate in Engineering Science degree from St. Cloud State University. During a 25-year career, he worked for a Fortune 500 transportation company and held positions in business management, operations management, human resources and health and safety management. He joined Bemidji Area Schools in 2007.
• Joseph Snowden, Kindred High School, Kindred, North Dakota
Snowden has worked in education for 14 years, serving as the school counselor at Kindred High School for three years. "I love listening and learning from the students," he said.
His advice to students is "Learn how to be a lifelong learner, know who you are, challenge yourself often and accept change."
Snowden earned his bachelor's degree at Concordia College and his master's degree at the University of North Dakota.
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