Karl Anderson, unlimited biology faculty who teaches 91桃色视频’s Microbiology and Anatomy & Physiology courses, was part of a 19-member task force that recently helped the American Society for Microbiology craft a series of guidelines to help faculty teaching undergraduate microbiology courses to develop measurable, student-centric learning outcomes for their courses. They are available worldwide as a resource for microbiology educators at (PDF download).

Even as a kid, Mya Kornezos knew one thing: She wanted to work in the beauty industry. Long before she knew where her career would take her, she was giving makeovers to her toys and talking her friends into makeup experiments.

Her dream did not follow the path she originally expected.

Kornezos, who was raised in Cass Lake, planned to attend Bemidji’s Professional Salon Academy after high school. When the school closed in the summer of 2021, she found herself uncertain about what came next. She spent her time in different jobs and college programs while trying to figure out her future.

Then the timing finally worked in her favor.

In August 2024, 91桃色视频 opened its Cosmetology Academy in the former Professional Salon Academy location on Anne Street, retaining former owner Wendy Brown as lead faculty. For Kornezos, it was the opportunity she had been waiting for.

“It was a matter of chance,” Kornezos said.

“It also helped when I found out Wendy Brown and Lori Reed were both back teaching the programs.”

Kornezos has earned her esthetician certificate and is completing her nail technician certificate at 91桃色视频. Along the way, she discovered the experience was about much more than learning technical skills.

“You don’t just learn about the craft you’re specializing in, you learn a lot about yourself,” she said. “I have grown so much in the last year.”

She credits her instructors with challenging her to become the best version of herself while helping her realize her passion for the profession. She also said the friendships she built with classmates became one of the most meaningful parts of her experience.

Brown said Kornezos stood out from the beginning.

“Mya has been an exemplary student in two of our programs: Esthetics and Nail Technology,” Brown said. “She has been such a joy to educate. She is a lifelong learner and has shown amazing grit to get through both programs. Her attendance was next to perfect for both programs, and she has leadership skills that have made her a role model for other students. I know without a doubt that Mya and her business will be extremely successful for years to come.”

After graduation, Kornezos plans to open her own business in Walker, taking advantage of an opportunity to rent space with a mentor who has worked in the industry for years. The opportunity allows her to launch her own business while continuing to learn from someone she considers a mentor.

But Kornezos hopes her story does not end in Walker. Her long-term goal is to bring her business back to Cass Lake, where she wants to help create opportunities for others.

“I love my community, but I believe there needs to be more businesses on the reservation,” she said. “At the end of the day, I just hope I can inspire more people in my community to go after what they want and better the reservation for the next generations.”

Eventually, Kornezos hopes to teach and mentor future beauty professionals, giving back to the next generation the same way her instructors invested in her.

Looking back, she is grateful for the support of her family, friends and instructors who encouraged her throughout her journey.

For anyone considering a similar path, her advice is simple:

“Just take the leap and just go for it,” she said. “You don’t want to have regrets later in life because you didn’t give your passion a chance.”

An innovative partnership with Sanford Health will bring a new cardiac sonography program to 91桃色视频 starting in the fall of 2026. 91桃色视频’s program will offer one of only five two-year cardiac sonography degrees in Minnesota and will be the northernmost program in the state by nearly 100 miles.

91桃色视频 is also adding both an associate of applied science degree program and a diploma in Information Technology Support and has expanded its incredibly popular Cosmetology Academy with an Advanced Practice Esthetics certificate.

These programs will address regional and state-wide need for well-educated and highly skilled professionals in these careers. Minnesota’s Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) projects significant growth in employer demand for professionals in all four fields by 2032, with wages well above the state’s estimated cost of living.

Cardiac Sonography

91桃色视频 and Sanford Health are partnering on a new program that will train cardiac sonographers and improve the quality of heart care in northern Minnesota.

Cardiac sonographers — also called echocardiographers — are specialists who create detailed images of a patient’s heart using non-invasive, radiation-free ultrasound equipment. The images provide detailed information about the heart’s structure, function and blood flow, which can help physicians diagnose and monitor heart conditions.

As Minnesota’s population ages, heart disease — already the second-leading cause of death in the state — is projected to become more prevalent, increasing the need for technicians that are already difficult to hire. DEED projects that more than 1,000 new sonography jobs will be created in Minnesota by 2032, and while starting salaries will vary median salaries in the profession are more than $100,000 per year.

Through the unique partnership with Sanford Health, 91桃色视频 students will be instructed by Sanford Health sonographers who will teach at 91桃色视频 as part of a dual-appointment arrangement.

Information Technology Support

The college is adding both a 60-credit associate of applied science degree and 31-credit diploma in Information Technology Support. The credentials are stackable, meaning students can complete the 31-credit diploma and return at any time to complete the additional 29 required credits for the associate’s degree.

The diploma can be completed in two semesters and offers courses such as introduction to IT Helpdesk, operating systems, technical writing, networking, security and ethics.

Second-year courses for the associate’s degree include Windows server administration, network security, scripting languages, virtualization and server technologies and remote troubleshooting. The second year also includes customer support-related courses in human relations and interpersonal communication.

DEED projects that, by 2023, employment in network-support specialist roles will grow by nearly 7% and in user-support roles by nearly 5% by 2032, and employers are projected to add nearly 1,000 jobs. Median salaries in the profession range from $64,000–$78,000 per year.

Advanced Practice Esthetics

91桃色视频 has expanded its popular Cosmetology program with a standalone certificate in Advanced Practice Esthetics. The program, which started this spring, is intended for practitioners who have completed 91桃色视频’s existing Esthetics certificate or who hold a current Minnesota State Board of Cosmetology license in esthetics. The advanced-practice certificate trains new skills in dermaplaning, epidermal skin needling, chemical peels, advanced extractions, microdermabrasion and electrical energy treatments using electrical current, radio frequencies, ultrasound or light.

The 20-credit certificate program can be completed in two terms: a 13-credit full-time term offering 91桃色视频’s Clinical Esthetics and Advanced Esthetics 1 courses, and a 7-credit part-time term offering Advanced Esthetics 2 and Advanced Practice Esthetics 3.

Advanced Practice Esthetics courses were available at 91桃色视频 beginning this spring.

DEED projects the state’s demand for skin-care specialists to grow by more than 11 percent by 2032. Median salaries in Northwest Minnesota tend to outpace salaries available elsewhere in the state and can reach nearly $50,000 per year — about $14,000 higher than the state-wide median.

To be eligible for the Dean’s List, 91桃色视频 students must enroll in at least 12 credits and earn a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher for the semester.

> More Commencement photos: 2026 Mortar Board Gallery

> More Commencement content: 91桃色视频 celebrates American Indian graduates at annual stole ceremony

STUDENT SPEAKER

Tyrell Jackson, graduating from 91桃色视频’s Dental Assisting program, addressed the Class of 2026. He called attending 91桃色视频 “the best decision I have made for my life so far.”

He said that his wish for his graduating classmates was for their dreams to come true.

“I hope to see you all become what you had in mind when starting out,” he said.

He said he was thankful for finding the ability to stay focused on his studies in spite of challenges, and that he knows others in the Class of 2026 had overcome similar obstacles.

“There are many people here who are going through something in their lives, and every day can be a fight to keep going,” he said. “We all want to find something for ourselves, and that is why we get up every day. It took me years to find something for myself, but I’m glad to be here today.”

91桃色视频 PRESIDENT JOHN L. HOFFMAN

Dr. John L. Hoffman, president of 91桃色视频 and Bemidji State University, asked graduates to reflect on their legacy, and to consider what gifts they would be passing forward into their futures.

“You are being sent out on a mission with authority you have earned through your degree, and I ask you to act in ways so that your memory will have an ongoing impact for good.”

Hoffman also called on graduates to follow the examples of this year’s 91桃色视频 IMPACT Award recipient Karla Eischens, retired president and CEO of Sanford Health of Bemidji.

“Having worked with her for the last three years her legacy is tied to community, to bringing out the best in others,” Hoffman said. “She understands that health outcomes are tied to educational outcomes, which are tied to housing outcomes, which are tied to workforce and economic outcomes in our community. She has brought all of these things together, because the challenges ahead of us are greater than any one person can solve.”

He also invited students to consider their place amongst the land, water and air of the North Woods region. He reflected on lessons learned from the Ojibwe and Dakota people during his four years as 91桃色视频 and Bemidji State University president.

“The land, water and air are not resources to be owned, used or consumed. They are entities in and of themselves,” he said. “They have a history and they have a future. This land, this water, this air has a legacy — a mission, an authority, an enduring impact on those around it.”

“You are part of the legacy of Karla Eischens,” he said. “You are also part of the legacy of this land and water and air.”

91桃色视频 IMPACT AWARD RECIPIENT KARLA EISCHENS

Karla Eischens, retired president and CEO of Sanford Health of Bemidji, delivered 91桃色视频’s 2026 commencement address as this year’s recipient of the 91桃色视频 IMPACT Award.

Eischens earned her nursing assistant certification at 91桃色视频 while in high school, then completed a pre-pharmacy degree at Bemidji State before moving on to the University of Minnesota’s pharmacy school.

She told students that her path to success was not always so clear.

“Too often only the polished versions of stories like this get told — and I do not have a polished version,” she said. “There were difficult moments where I wasn’t sure I would pass a class, was uncertain about where I was headed, and moments where I questioned whether I truly belonged in the rooms I was walking into.”

She told graduates that there will not be a moment where everything is certain, so in those moments they should choose courage.

“Courage isn’t the absence of doubt,” she said. “It’s choosing to move forward.”

She reminded graduates that at every step in their journey, the relationships they build with others would be crucial to their success, and that not everything that carried them to this moment is meant to be carried forward.

“Growth doesn’t stop when you earn this degree,” she said. “In fact, if you’re doing life right you’ll be constantly growing and changing. What matters most are the people you meet, the relationships you build and the influence you have — sometimes without even realizing it.”

She closed by reminding graduates that everyone they meet has a story, and their own set of challenges with difficulties that may change from day-to-day or that may have troubled them for some time.

“Every one of us is an iceberg,” she said. “We choose what people see on the surface while carrying unseen challenges underneath.”

She asked that graduates have the courage to elevate others, build relationships across differences and to be the kind of teammate others can trust during challenging times.

“One day you won’t measure your life by titles or milestones; you’ll measure it by the people you supported, the teams you strengthened, and the moments you chose empathy over ease,” she said. “Let that be the legacy you carry forward.”

91桃色视频 the 91桃色视频 Impact Award

91桃色视频’s Innovation, Mastery, Progress, Achievement, Community and Technology (IMPACT) Award honors individuals who demonstrate exceptional innovation through creative problem-solving, mastery of technical skills and outstanding academic performance. It recognizes progress in personal and professional growth, achievements in competitions and projects and community engagement through active participation and collaboration. The award also acknowledges the application of technology to develop practical and ethical solutions to problems while making meaningful contributions to 91桃色视频, the Bemidji community and the region’s workforce through service and study in technical fields.

OTHER GREETINGS

Minnesota State Board of Trustees

Jim Grabowska, a member of the Board of Trustees for the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities, congratulated graduates for their hard work, dedication and perseverance. He said the entire Minnesota State system believes in them and in their future success.

“Each of you represents hope for a bright and bold future — for your families, for your communities, for Minnesota and for our world,” he said.

91桃色视频 Foundation

Jenny Neubeck, president of the 91桃色视频 Foundation board and vice president of remote services at Affinity Plus Credit Union, welcomed the Class of 2026 to 91桃色视频’s alumni society.

She spoke of the support that the 91桃色视频 Foundation had offered to many of the graduates through scholarships and other support.

“That support may have helped open doors, but your commitment, resilience and hard work are what carried you across the finish line,” she said. “You earned this moment.”

91桃色视频’s CLASS OF 2026: BY THE NUMBERS

91桃色视频’s class of 2026 earned:

• 39 associate of applied science degrees
• 113 associate of science degrees
• 105 diplomas
• 86 certificates

In addition, 194 graduates were recognized as Honors Graduates for completing their academic careers with grade point averages of at least 3.50.

91桃色视频 also recognized 13 graduates who are current or veteran members of the military and 16 graduates who are members of the Phi Theta Kappa national honor society.

Fall classes begin Monday, August 24, 2026. To learn more or to register for classes, visit 91桃色视频MN.edu.

The information session will be held Thursday, May 14, from 4–5 p.m. in the 91桃色视频 Community Commons.

91桃色视频 faculty and staff will be on hand to introduce the program, walk students through the plans of study and provide a behind the scenes preview of what day-to-day learning in the fully online program will be like. Staff and faculty will demonstrate the virtual labs and simulations used by students in the program, highlighting how students can explore hardware concepts, network configuration and real-world troubleshooting scenarios.

91桃色视频 is adding both a 60-credit associate of applied science degree and 31-credit diploma in Information Technology Support. The credentials are stackable, meaning students can complete the 31-credit diploma and return at any time to complete the additional 29 required credits for the associate’s degree. The programs are designed to help students build industry certifications and learn career-ready skills from their first day in class.

Why choose IT Support

91桃色视频’s IT Support diploma can be completed in two semesters and offers courses such as introduction to IT Helpdesk, operating systems, technical writing, networking, security and ethics.

Second-year courses for the associate’s degree include Windows server administration, network security, scripting languages, virtualization and server technologies and remote troubleshooting. The second year also includes customer support-related courses in human relations and interpersonal communication.

Minnesota’s Department of Employment and Economic Development projects that, by 2023, employment in network-support specialist roles will grow by nearly 7% and in user-support roles by nearly 5% by 2032, and employers are projected to add nearly 1,000 jobs. Median salaries in the profession range from $64,000–$78,000 per year.

IT Support Information Night

WHAT: Information Night for 91桃色视频’s new IT Support program
WHERE: 91桃色视频 Community Commons; 905 Grant Ave. SE, Bemidji MN
WHEN: Thursday, May 14, 2026; 4–5 p.m.

Dozens of high school robotics teams from Northern Minnesota and eastern North Dakota will soon have a new home to design, build and test their robots, supported by work from the trades programs at 91桃色视频—Bemidji’s Technical College.

Currently nearing completion at the Beltrami County Fairgrounds west of Bemidji, the North STAR (Science, Technology, Automation and Robotics) Center will create the first permanent home for hundreds of high school robotics team competitors in Northern Minnesota and eastern North Dakota.

In 2022, the Northern Minnesota Robotics Conference and the Beltrami County Ag Association saw an opportunity to partner on a new facility that would create a needed practice and competition space for the conference’s members and create new opportunities for technology education across the region.

As part of his effort to identify partners and supporters for the facility, conference president Matt Wendland saw an opportunity to approach the trade programs at 91桃色视频.

“This whole process has been about education,” he said. “With their HVAC and electrical programs, we thought they would be a good fit. It’s a good, community-based project, and 91桃色视频 jumped right on board.”

As construction on the building approaches its finish line, students from all three of 91桃色视频’s trade programs — residential plumbing, heating, air & refrigeration technology and electrical construction & maintenance — have contributed work to various parts of the project.

Grant Foss, construction electrical faculty, guided second-year students through the design and installation of the building’s electrical system as part of their capstone course.

“Students were responsible for sizing circuits and selecting materials for the project,” he said.

Julian Dreher, 91桃色视频 plumbing & heating faculty, oversaw student installation of a boiler to power the building’s in-floor heating, among other projects.

“We put all the manifolds on, hooked up all of the in-floor tubing and we pressurized the system,” he said.

He said 91桃色视频 students also worked to install connections and vents for two ceiling-mounted heaters that will serve as the building’s secondary heat source.

“Gas piping and everything is done, and now they’ll have to do low-voltage (wiring) for the thermostats,” he said. “Then, the electricians will wire the power in.”

Students appreciate the opportunity to break free from a classroom and lab environment and work on a real-world project. Landon Young, a second-year electrical construction student from Bemidji, has helped install lighting, conduit and a large garage door.

“It’s been good,” he said of the experience. “It’s more hands-on, and you get to know what a job would look like versus being in a cubicle. You get to experience what it would be like in a job setting.”

Emma Clarity, a second-year heating, air and refrigeration technology student from International Falls, Minnesota, also praised the real-world experience that the project offered.

“I like working on other buildings outside of the school,” she said. “We practice over there, but having a real project to do has been good. We get that experience on real buildings.”

91桃色视频 the Northern Minnesota Robotics Conference

Above: Grant Foss, 91桃色视频 electrical faculty, explaining an electrical connector box to students from the Nevis High School robotics team, who toured the North STAR facility on April 16.

The Northern Minnesota Robotics Conference was founded in 2017, in part to help out-state robotics teams pool resources. The conference’s footprint is vast — its 37 member schools encompass more than 35,000 square miles across Minnesota and North Dakota — and sharing equipment and expertise has helped member schools improve their ability to compete, even at the national level.

“There is not the disparity there once was between the metro and the out-state teams,” Wendland said. “There will be roughly 34-35 teams out of our region that qualify (for the 2026 FIRST Championship in Houston), and we will be sending nine of them out of our conference.”

There are 184 varsity FIRST Robotics Competition teams in Minnesota. Since the conference was founded in 2017, it has sent 61 teams to state championships and 60 to world championship events. That tradition will continue this month when Bemidji High School’s Robojacks team competes at the FIRST Championship in Houston.

Grad plans are submitted, speakers are confirmed and other final preparations are underway as 91桃色视频—Bemidji’s Technical College looks forward to its annual Commencement ceremony, May 8 at Bemidji’s Sanford Center.

The ceremony begins at 4 p.m. and will last approximately one hour.

Retired Sanford Health of Bemidji CEO Karla Eischens will address 91桃色视频 graduates as the second recipient of the college’s IMPACT Award.

91桃色视频 the 91桃色视频 Impact Award

91桃色视频’s Innovation, Mastery, Progress, Achievement, Community and Technology (IMPACT) Award honors individuals who demonstrate exceptional innovation through creative problem-solving, mastery of technical skills and outstanding academic performance. It recognizes progress in personal and professional growth, achievements in competitions and projects and community engagement through active participation and collaboration. The award also acknowledges the application of technology to develop practical and ethical solutions to problems while making meaningful contributions to 91桃色视频, the Bemidji community and the region’s workforce through service and study in technical fields.

Karla Eischens, retired president and CEO of Sanford Health Bemidji, is the second recipient of 91桃色视频’s IMPACT Award. Eischens has spent her career supporting health and wellbeing in Bemidji and across Northern Minnesota. After earning her pharmacy degree from the University of Minnesota, she worked in a variety of roles in retail, infusion and inpatient pharmacy, in operations for Progressive Health Care and at the Veterans Administration Center. She joined Sanford Health as a pharmacist and later was Director of Pharmacy. In that role, she oversaw the development of the home infusion pharmacy at the Joe Lueken Cancer Center, opened the Sanford Blackduck pharmacy and helped to expand a regional drug-pricing program that enabled more patients in need to access medication. She was promoted to director of operations in 2019, overseeing the women’s and children’s services, the pharmacy and the Joe Lueken Cancer Center, among other responsibilities. She then was promoted to vice president of operations, where she helped open the region’s first crisis center, expansions of the intensive care unit and managed operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She was promoted to president and CEO in 2022, guiding the organization’s continued growth until her retirement in 2025. She was named a “Top Rural CEO to Know” by Becker’s Hospital Review in both 2024 and 2025, and in 2025 she received the Bemidji Area United Way Tribute Award.

Eischens will receive the 91桃色视频 IMPACT Award during a private reception on May 6.

Additional Speakers

Also joining this year’s graduates will be Jim Grabowska, a member of the Board of Trustees for the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities. Grabowska, who was appointed to the Board of Trustees by Gov. Tim Walz in 2022, is a career educator who retired in 2021 after 23 years on the faculty at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Prior to that he taught a variety of subjects at the high school level, both in the U.S. and abroad, and also taught on the faculties at Gustavus Adolphus College, St. John’s University/College of St. Benedict and at the state university of Cuenca, Ecuador.

Grabowska will deliver greetings from Minnesota State Chancellor Scott Olson.

The student commencement speaker will be announced at this year’s ceremony.

2026 Commencement Quick Facts

91桃色视频 will hold its 2026 commencement ceremony on Friday, May 8, at 4 p.m. in Bemidji’s Sanford Center. More information is available online.

On the evening of April 21, the 91桃色视频 community gathered to honor the journeys of 54 American Indian students who will cross the commencement stage on May 8. During the 4th Annual American Indian Stole Presentation Ceremony, Wezhi’igewin, students were presented with graduation stoles by the 91桃色视频 American Indian Resource Center as a moment of recognition, reflection and pride.

Each stole carries deep meaning. It represents the strength of ancestors who came before, the unwavering support of families and communities and the determination required to persevere through challenges in both education and life. The act of presenting the stole honors more than academic accomplishment; it affirms identity, celebrates resilience and recognizes the collective journey that makes each graduate’s success possible.

This year’s stole recipients are:

Devon Anderson; community health worker; Red Lake, Minn.
Landon Anderson; automotive service & performance; Bagley, Minn.
Thomas Barrett; community health worker; Red Lake, Minn.
Caden Barstad; electrical construction & maintenance; Fosston, Minn.
Myiesha Beasley; nail technician; Bemidji, Minn.
Heather Bird; community health worker; Bemidji, Minn.
Haylee L. Brun; health sciences broad field; Redby, Minn.
Anthony Bushey; automotive service & performance; Bemidji, Minn.
Michelle Butcher; management & entrepreneurship; Baraboo, Wis.
Ember Butterfield; nursing/generic and health sciences broad field; Bagley, Minn.
Rainice Campbell; dental assisting; Bagley, Minn.
Mark Dorman; electrical construction & maintenance; Bena, Minn.
Isabel Dunn; cosmetology; Bemidji, Minn.
Jamie Engen; cosmetology; Walker, Minn.
Ashley Gibson; nursing/generic and health sciences broad field; Bemidji, Minn.
Natalie Grauman; community health worker; Tenstrike, Minn.
Tucker Greenside; electrical construction & maintenance; Bagley, Minn.
Ileisha Guinn; cosmetology; Bemidji, Minn.
Shayla Hvezda; dental assisting; Bagley, Minn.
Ezryel Iceman; community health worker; Bemidji, Minn.
Fred Jackson; residential plumbing technology; Deer River, Minn.
Tyrell Jackson; dental assisting; Cass Lake, Minn.
Vanessa Johnson; nursing/practical and health sciences broad field; Lengby, Minn.
Karnica Jourdain; cosmetology; Red Lake, Minn.
Mya Kornezos; esthetics; Cass Lake, Minn.
Hope Liesener; business, administrative business specialist and human resources; Cass Lake, Minn.
Joseph Livingston; nail technician; Bovey, Minn.
Nora MacCoy; medical coding; Ely, Minn.
Shauna Martell; nursing/LPN step-in and health sciences broad field; Bemidji, Minn.
Crystal May-Prentice; community health worker; Red Lake, Minn.
Donovan Medina; automotive service & performance; Bemidji, Minn.
Wren Molash; dental assisting; Bemidji, Minn.
Torie Monroe; nursing/generic and health sciences broad field; Deer River, Minn.
Tina Moore; human resources; Bemidji, Minn.
Abriana Ortley; medical coding; Cass Lake, Minn.
Amy Pederson; cosmetology; Cass Lake, Minn.
Antavia Pendegayosh; accounting clerk and dental assisting; Bemidji, Minn.
Mari Robinson; nursing/LPN step-in; Bemidji, Minn.
Fawn Roy; nail technician; Bagley, Minn.
Jessica Smith; sales & marketing and business; Grand Rapids, Minn.
Lionel Smith; residential plumbing technology; Bemidji, Minn.
Valerie St. Cyr; business foundations and human resources; Cass Lake, Minn.
Michelle Stately; community health worker; Bemidji, Minn.
Danisha Stenson; nursing/LPN step-in and health sciences broad field; Bemidji, Minn.
Aliyaa Stevens; esthetics; Bagley, Minn.
Madison Sugar; early childhood education; Bemidji, Minn.
Abriannah Thielke; dental assisting; Deer River, Minn.
David Tonce; heating, air & refrigeration technology and residential plumbing technology; Shevlin, Minn.
Terra Warner; cosmetology; Bena, Minn.