A Message From Leadership

A version of this story originally appeared in our 2024 newsletter. View other featured stories

It’s another exciting new academic year at Anoka Technical College, with students and faculty returning to campus full of enthusiasm and ambition for the semesters ahead. A new school year brings new opportunities for our college and the communities it serves, and it is energizing to witness our students jump into these opportunities with a sense of promise about their futures. I am proud to lead Anoka Tech in serving these students, and I have gratitude for our exceptional faculty and staff who work tremendously hard to help every student find success in school and in their careers.

The hard work of our students, faculty, and staff shows in our strong partnerships with industry, in the achievements of our alumni and in our positive enrollment and student success data. We’ve seen significant enrollment growth at Anoka Tech, increasing 20 percent over the last two years. The college also recently celebrated our highest completion rates on record (tracked back to 2005), with 66.5 percent of our students graduating within three years, compared to the state average of 51.8 percent. We are proud of this accomplishment and the knowledge that these students graduated job-ready and connected with industry. Additionally, Anoka Tech received re-accreditation this year from the Higher Learning Commission, signifying the high-quality education our college provides.

Anoka Tech is embracing change in advancing the mission of our college. We are in the process of developing a new strategic plan for the college that will identify big-picture goals and metrics for the next five years. The college also welcomed new administrative leadership this year. Steve Crittenden is serving as the interim vice president of academic and student affairs, transitioning from Anoka-Ramsey Community College to continue a 26-year career in academic and student affairs. Eric Blankenburg transitioned into the role of interim dean of academic affairs, after six years at Anoka Tech as faculty in English. Additionally, Thom Nordin was hired as the dean of community partnerships and student success. Thom also comes to Anoka Tech from Anoka-Ramsey, where he served in various academic and student affairs roles. Steve, Eric and Thom make a strong academic and student affairs leadership team and Anoka Tech is fortunate to have their collective wealth of experience on-hand to propel us forward. You’ll get to know Steve, Eric and Thom a bit better in a feature article in this newsletter.

This issue of our newsletter also provides a glimpse of the many ways Anoka Tech is positively impacting student success and meeting the needs of employers and industry. You’ll meet several alumni who leveraged the skills and competencies they learned at Anoka Tech to become leaders in their fields. You’ll learn how Anoka Tech remains accessible and affordable to our students and how a new program, the North Star Promise, covers the cost of tuition and fees (after financial aid) for eligible students in families making up to $80,000 a year. You’ll also hear about new initiatives in fundraising, and preparations for the launch of a new plumbing program.

Thank you for your continued support of Anoka Technical College and our students. I am excited about the promise of the year ahead and the ways in which our partnerships inspire our students to excel!

Kent Hanson, Ph.D.
President
Anoka Technical College