COLLEGE OF

Education and Human Development

Rising Alumni Award

The CEHD Alumni Society Board is currently accepting nominations for the 2026 Rising Alumni Award to encourage individuals as they progress in their careers. The Rising Alumni Award recognizes young professionals who earned their degree from CEHD within the last 10 years, have made a significant impact in their profession or community at large and have achieved early distinction as leaders.

 If you would like to nominate a CEHD graduate, please complete this nomination form. Self nominations will not be accepted, and current CEHD staff & faculty are ineligible for nomination. Nominations are due on Friday, February 13, 2026. Recipients will be honored at the CEHD Exceptional Alumni Awards Celebration on Thursday, April 30 at McNamara Alumni Center. 

Please note, this award recognizes CEHD alumni early in their career. If you would like to nominate an alum who is in mid to late career, please nominate them for an Alumni Award of Excellence.
 

If you have any questions, please contact us at cehdas@umn.edu or 612-625-5963.

2025 Rising Alumni Award Recipients

Amanda-Headshot

Amanda Kessel (BS ’16, sports studies)
 

Amanda Kessel works for the Pittsburgh Penguins and is a professional hockey player. As a student athlete at the University of Minnesota, she guided the Gophers to three national hockey championships, as the Gophers took home top honors in 2012, 2013 and 2016. Kessel was a two-time All-American, the WCHA Player of the Year, the WCHA Rookie of the Year and WCHA scoring champion while with the Gophers. An international star, Kessel played in three Olympic Games, where she won a gold and two silver medals. She also has competed in seven world championships, winning four gold medals.

Read the full profile for Amanda Kessel

Lana Peterson (MEd ’14 and PhD ’23, learning technologies)

Dr. Lana Peterson (she/her) is the Director of the Data Practices and Analytics Division for the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE). The Data Practices and Analytics team advances MDE’s mission by supporting meaningful, appropriate, and equitable uses of quality data in decision making. The team co-builds and utilizes state-wide data systems, guides data governance practices and principles, strengthens capacity for appropriate and equitable data usage within schools and MDE program areas, and provides research and data analysis to meet the needs of the department.

Read the full profile for Lana Peterson

Lana Peterson

Previous rising alumni award recipients

    2024 recipients
    2023 recipients
    2022 recipients
    2021 recipients
    2019 recipients
    2018 recipients