RRCC Staff Report

Rainy River Community College has announced Lucy Nevanen has joined the recruiting staff as a limited-term recruiter for the science and math education programs. Nevanen graduated from Falls High School and Rainy River Community College through the Post-Secondary Enrollment Options  program, transferring to the University of Minnesota to earn her bachelor of art degree in biology, society, and the environment. Nevanen plans to attend graduate school in the fall for public health.

“Lucy’s real-world experience in science education, and her knowledge of transfer-programs such as our SME programs, make her an excellent resource for our current and prospective students; especially those interested in science and math careers,” according to Kelly Sjerven, biology instructor at RRCC.

Nevanen recently accompanied a group of RRCC students to the ribbon cutting ceremony at the NOvA Far Detector Lab in Ash River where they toured the lab and participated in a Q&A session with physicists and the lab director. She has also been working with RRCC faculty and staff to develop an SME Blog, where instructors and students can come together and discuss issues related to STEM teaching and learning.

In June, Nevanen will host approximately 150 students in Upward Bound programs from Grand Rapids, Virginia, and Hibbing. These students, who are in grades 9-12, will travel to Rainy River Community College to participate in fun, science-related activities, as well as visit Voyageurs National Park.

Molly Franz, who graduated from Littlefork High School and attended Rainy River Community College, will join RRCC’s recruiting staff in June. Franz earned her bachelor of arts degree in public relations from the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Minnesota in 2011.

“Molly will be our main ‘road-warrior.’ She will represent Rainy River at college and job fairs, and will visit high schools throughout Minnesota and Canada,” said LeAnne Hardy, student services director. “Her education and experience in public relations and marketing will be a real asset to our recruiting efforts, especially in an era of continuously changing social media.”

Rainy River Community College is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and is an Equal Opportunity employer and educator. The system comprises 31 state universities and community and technical colleges serving the higher education needs of Minnesota and serves more than 420,000 students across the state.