Engineering Dean Receives 2007 Tekne Award

Dr. Ron Bennett, Founding Dean, University of St. Thomas School of Engineering, received the first-ever Community Champion Award at the 2007 Tekne Awards on Thursday, November 1, 2007, at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The Community Champion Award honors an outstanding individual who, beyond a specific innovation or achievement, has helped further technology expansion in this state and contributed significantly to Minnesota's community at large. Along with Dr. Bennett, the finalists were Jim Bensen, President Emeritus of Bemidji State University, and Dale Wahlstrom, CEO of BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota.

The Tekne Awards honor companies, innovations and individuals that positively impact Minnesota's technology-based economy. The Tekne Awards began in 2000, and are presented by the Minnesota High Tech Association (MHTA), in partnership with LifeScience Alley and Minnesota Technology, Inc. The MHTA supports the growth, sustainability and global competitiveness of Minnesota's technology-based economy through advocacy, education and collaboration.

In 1993, Bennett joined the graduate programs faculty. Within a year he started an undergraduate engineering program and, a year later, was asked to lead the graduate programs as well. Under his leadership, the programs were combined into the new School of Engineering in 2004, and Bennett was named Founding Dean. The school offers four Masters degrees, six graduate certificate programs and two undergraduate engineering programs. All are applied, industry-oriented engineering and technology leadership programs.

Two University of St. Thomas students were also honored at the event, which drew more than 1,100 participants. Lanita Gaworski, Junior, Chemistry, and Austin Nelson, Senior, Electrical Engineering and Physics, each received a scholarship from the Minnesota High Technology Foundation (MHTF). The MHTF is a 501 (c)(3) organization that supports math, science and technology education.