Announcing the 2025 Borealis Award recipients

Join the celebration of these exceptional alumni, students, staff, faculty, and friends of the College at the Borealis Night of Excellence.

March 21, 2025
Student Life
Campus Affairs
Alumni
The Borealis Night of Excellence

The CFANS Borealis Awards Committee is excited to announce the recipients of the 2025 Borealis Awards!

You are invited to join the celebration of these exceptional alumni, students, staff, faculty, and friends of the College. The awards will be presented at the 19th annual Borealis Night of Excellence on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Appetizers and a cash bar will be available during the reception. Professional headshots will be offered during the event for all attendees.

Recipients of the 2025 Borealis Awards 

  • Student Leadership Award (undergraduate student) — Sarah Hagenow (BS ‘25, Agricultural and Food Business Management)
  • Student Leadership Award (graduate student) — Lucas Roberts (PhD ‘25, Applied Plant Science)
  • Exemplary Student Organization (undergraduate) — Gopher Dairy Club
  • Exemplary Student Organization (graduate) — Women in Applied Economics
  • Outstanding Club Advisor — Julie Drechsler (FarmHouse Fraternity)
  • Exemplary Staff Award — Kari Jarcho (Soil, Water, and Climate)
  • Exemplary Faculty Award (less than 5 years) — Debalin Sarangi (Agronomy and Plant Genetics)
  • Exemplary Faculty Award (more than 5 years) — Lee Johnston (Animal Science)
  • Exemplary Post-Doc Award — Josh Havill (Agronomy and Plant Genetics)
  • Little Red Oil Can — Derek Anderson & Bart Purdy (Facilities Management)
  • Cultivating Future Leaders — Luke Becker (BS ‘09, Agricultural Education)
  • Outstanding Friend — Susan Bornstein
  • Community Builder — Kristine West (PhD ‘12, Applied Economics)
  • Alumni Service Award — Joel Reiman (BS ‘99, Animal and Plant Systems)
  • Rising Star — Eric Houdek (BS ‘16, MS ‘19, Animal Science) and Gabriella Houdek (BS ‘17, Animal Science, Agricultural and Food Business Management; MS ‘19, Applied Economics)
  • Distinguished Alumni Award — Gopinath (Gopi) Munisamy (PhD ‘95, Agricultural and Applied Economics)
  • Constellation Award — Robert Herbst, Theodore Hullar, Richard J. Manly, Floyd Rudy, and Richard Waring (All BS ‘57, Forest Resources)
  • Lifetime Achievement Award — Charles Magee (MS ‘73, Agricultural Engineering)

RSVP to the Borealis Night of Excellence

19th Annual Borealis Night of Excellence
Thursday, April 17, 2025
North Star Ballroom, Second Floor, St. Paul Student Center

  • 5:00 p.m. Reception and complimentary headshots
  • 5:45 p.m. Awards program

The 2025 Borealis Awards Committee is chaired by: 

  • Sophie Schneblin — President, CFANS Undergraduate Student Board
  • Abigail Kisch — Chair, CFANS Graduate Student Board
  • Sean O'Mara, '20 — Chair, CFANS Postdoc Board
  • Sierra Williamson, '20, '24 — President, CFANS Alumni Society Board of Directors