Five University staff members were honored by their peers with the Academic Staff Awards on Thursday.
“The honorees are selected for their outstanding service to the University and the community at large,” said Linda Fisher, chairwoman of the Academic Staff Awards Committee.
The ceremony was held in the A.I. Johnson Room at the Gateway alumni center.
Recipients of the annual award hail from the Twin Cities, Morris, Duluth and Crookston campuses.
Roger McCannon, director of the Department of Continuing Education at Morris and a recipient of the award, has been with the University since the 1970s. Through his efforts, the Morris Center has grown from its infancy into a major university and community outreach program. McCannon was also instrumental in the economic development of the western regions of Minnesota.
Carolyn Nayematsu, executive director of the Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence, is being honored for her contributions to multicultural development on the Twin Cities Campus. She played an integral role in the development of the Student Excellence in Academics and Multiculturalism, a conglomeration of 12 learning communities serving 20 to 25 first-year students each year.
Bruce Schelske, director of Student Support Services, was chosen to receive the award because of his role in implementing the General College Commanding English Program, which helps prepare non-native English-speaking students for the transition to college. He has also been active in counseling teenagers in the Twin Cities community.
Colleen Sheehy is director of education for the Weisman Art Museum and is being honored for her dedication to the field. This dedication led to her organizing the international conference “Learning from the Mall of America.”
Kyla Wahlstrom, assistant director of the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement, has won international acclaim for her research on educational issues. She is being honored for her role in forming the Professional Awards and Development committee into a cohesive, well-known organization.

Mike Wereschagin welcomes comments at [email protected]. He can also be reached at (612) 627-4070 x3226.