Celebrating the successes and accomplishments of our NHCC faculty and staff helps us to be more vibrant as a community and more engaged as a college.
In this issue, we highlight the accomplishments of Lisa Whalen, Jack Pope, Maria Vittone, Belinda Armstead, Monte Stewart, and more!
Visiting Author for St. Olaf College Senior Seminar
NHCC English professor, Lisa Whalen was invited to speak about her book, Stable Weight: A Memoir, as part of the psychology department's senior seminar course at St. Olaf College on
April 29, 2026.
Jack Pope is Invited to Present at Yale University
On April 10, 2026, NHCC Computer Science professor, Jack Pope, presented in New Haven, Connecticut, at Yale University's 2026 D Programming Language Symposium. Reflecting on the experience, Jack commented,
"The event at Yale this past week was a good experience. I met interesting people. Attendees came from around the country, and even from Europe. We had interesting conversations and meals. My talk went well. People were interested in the programming language I developed.
The April speaking event was organized by Yale faculty interested in significant works that rely on the D programming language (such as epop).
epop is used as a pedagogical tool in my book, Discrete Mathematics for Data Science, out now. Somewhat structured work on the book, along with the integrated programming language, began in 2021, after roughly a decade of loosely formulating concepts and code. I have long been interested in crafting a means to get students to learn more deeply the concepts underlying data science and related computer dependencies."
Celebrating Maria Vittone’s Impact in Brooklyn Park
We are proud to share that Maria Vittone has been recognized with the Delois Brown Bolden Award by the City of Brooklyn Park. This award honors individuals who demonstrate exceptional, selfless service and create a lasting positive impact in the community. Maria’s work, especially through her “Be Bold, Break the Mold” program, has empowered young women to pursue careers in nontraditional fields by providing mentorship, connection, and real-world exposure. Through strong partnerships with local organizations, including the Brooklyn Park Police Department, Maria has helped students build confidence, explore career pathways, and overcome barriers.
Her leadership reflects NHCC’s commitment to equity, opportunity, and community engagement. We celebrate Maria’s well-deserved recognition and the meaningful difference she continues to make in the lives of our students and the broader community.
Belinda's EARTh Center Institute Experience
In March of this year, NHCC Business professor, Belinda Armstead, was able to attend the EARTh Center Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida.
I recently had the opportunity to represent North Hennepin by participating in the EARTh Center Institute, and it was a truly meaningful experience for me both personally and professionally.
While at the institute, I met and connected with a group of incredible educators and professionals from across the country. One of the highlights for me was presenting an Environmental Justice Framework. It gave me the opportunity to share my ideas and perspective on equity, access, and representation in environmental and STEM spaces.
Overall, the experience strengthened my commitment to continuing to create pathways for students to see themselves in these fields.
Gary Ruschman's Musical Journeys: Spring Premieres and Summer Opera Tour
New choral works: On April 25th, Twin Cities choir Kantorei will present the Minnesota premiere of Gary's "The Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom" (a setting of the Buddhist Heart Sutra text which was originally performed at the Center for Interfaith Relations' 2018 Festival of Faiths) and the world premiere of Gary's hot-off-the-press "Three Pocket Exhortations", setting poetry by the 15th Century mystical poet Kabir for mixed choir, piano soloist, and string quartet. https://www.kantorei.net/spring for details. New opera productions: In late March, Park Square Theater presented Gary Ruschman and Elena Stabile's in-progress "police-procedural" adaptation of Bizet's "Carmen" as part of their Lab Series new works initiative. Gary serves as music director of the summer opera company Mixed Precipitation, who will produce a full version of the opera in a future season. Ruschman will lead Mixed Precipitation's performances of Offenbach's "Tales of Hoffman" across Minnesota throughout August and September, visit http://mixedprecipitation.org for their fun outdoor performances!
Monte Stewart Receives the Advisor of the Year Award from LeadMN
At an early April event, LeadMN surprised our very own Director of Student Life, Monte Stewart, with the prestigious Advisor of the Year Award! Andrea Tritschler, the Communications Director at LeadMN announced the nomination and presented the award to Monte. The Advisor of the Year is an advisor who students have recognized as displaying extraordinary mentorship. Through the work of this advisor, students have been encouraged and enabled to grow and develop, making contributions to their college community and to the larger world around them.
To receive this award, nominees must be one of the advisors at a MinnState institution. LeadMN represents 48+ campuses across Minnesota and more than 100,000 students. It is very special for an NHCC employee to be recognized in this way, and we're so proud of Monte!
ACBSP Region IV Names NHCC Business Faculty as a Teaching Excellence Award Recipient for 2026
We just received word that NHCC business faculty, Michelle Anderson, is the ACBSP Region IV Teaching Excellence Award recipient for 2026!
Dr. Kim Turner-Rush, Dean of Business, Education, Careers, and Workforce Innovation shared a quote with us regarding this nomination,
"Michelle is a sought-after faculty member by every area of academics on our campus. Students seek out her classes and offer anecdotal feedback regarding their love for her on a regular basis. Her open-door policy and communication style offers students access beyond the classroom in a way that maintains consistent and constant positive rapport with our students. Her admiration for students and the challenges they face drives her passion to ensure all students can succeed in college and beyond."
And voilà, that wraps up our faculty and staff accomplishments for the spring semester!
Thank you to the faculty and staff who shared their recent achievements with us! 2026 isn't even halfway done yet. There are so many opportunities within reach, and we can't wait to see what you accomplish next!