Lydia DeGross, Rachel Marzahn, and North Country Food Alliance receive awards
Seed Coalition has announced the winners of the 2025 President’s and Engaged Campus Awards. This year, 84 awardees were selected from 28 colleges and universities across Minnesota and Iowa. Among the awardees are three members of the Inver Hills Community College campus community, Lydia DeGross, Presidents’ Student Leadership Award, Rachel Marzahn, President’s Civic Engagement Leadership Award, and North Country Food Alliance (NCFA), Presidents’ Community Partner Award.
“In a time when community connections are more important than ever, these awardees are evidence of higher education’s commitment to nurturing collaborative, responsive, and compassionate leadership.” said Seed Coalition Executive Director Rob Barron. “They prove that true learning isn’t only about understanding problems—it’s about taking decisive steps to address them.”
Seed Coalition Presidents’ Awards recognize outstanding contributions in civic and community engagement by students, faculty, staff, collaborative teams, and community organizations. The Engaged Campus Awards recognize great projects, partnerships, and programs related to civic and community engagement. Awards were presented at Hamline University Friday, April 19, 2025.
“I am proud of the work of our students, staff, and community partners, and I am glad to see it recognized,” said Michael Berndt, Inver Hills and Dakota County Technical College president, Seed Coalition Board member-at-large, and ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge Presidents Council member. “Supporting civic engagement has been a long-standing charge of our public colleges and universities, but it is not work that happens without local leadership and commitment.”
Presidents’ Student Leadership Awardee: Lydia DeGross
This award recognizes an individual student or a student organization that models a deep commitment to civic responsibility and leadership, evidenced by initiative, innovative and collaborative approaches to addressing public issues, effective community building, and integration of civic engagement into the college experience.
Lydia started as a senator in Student Senate, but evolved her leadership to work in areas she is truly passionate about, sustainability and environmental responsibility. She leads the Volunteer Club and started the Environmental Club on campus. Her passions led her to a work study position in the Community-Based Learning department focused on environmental initiatives. Her work includes seed sowing for a campus pollinator garden, recycling initiatives, and leading a student petition for a solar array grant. She has done long lasting work for our campus community and is an incredible example of a civically minded student leader!
“Being selected for the award was certainly unexpected, but I felt grateful to be recognized and have the opportunity to hear the speeches of other awardees, which gave me hope and reminded me of the incredible good being done in the world,” Lydia said.
President’s Civic Engagement Leadership Awardee: Rachel Marzahn
This award recognizes a member of the faculty, administration, or staff or for a group (e.g., advisory committee, task force, project team) that has significantly advanced their campus’ distinctive civic mission by forming strong partnerships, supporting others’ civic and community engagement, and working to institutionalize a culture and practice of engagement.
Rachel volunteers to lead our Bee Campus USA committee that commits Inver Hills to reducing pesticides, expanding pollinator habitats, and educating the community on pollinator conservation. Rachel actively works to make sure all campus civic engagement work has a spotlight on campus social media. She runs an antiracist book club on campus. She is willing to work with students on their community projects when her expertise would help.
“Inver Hills is honored to be part of this dynamic coalition and is especially proud of the individuals and partners whose work continues to inspire and strengthen our collective mission,” Rachel said.
Presidents’ Community Partner Awardee: North Country Food Alliance
This award recognizes a community-based partner or organization that has enhanced the quality of life in the community in meaningful and measurable ways and has engaged in the development of sustained, reciprocal partnerships with the college or university, thus enriching educational as well as community outcomes.
North Country Food Alliance (NCFA) is a worker-run nonprofit that takes action to strengthen food sovereignty in the Twin Cities metro area. Their mission is to share healthy, culturally appropriate food; build community gardens; support local farmers; and reduce commercial and local food waste. NCFA provided Student Food and Resource Center at Inver Hills Community College with fresh produce throughout the growing season. This was especially important this past summer when the college’s campus community garden was offline. Inver Hills appreciates their partnership in supporting our students’ health and education through this invaluable resource!
Seed Coalition mission¹
Seed Coalition strengthens the capacity of colleges and universities to fulfill the public purposes of higher education through its coalition of diverse college campuses in the Midwest. We are a place-based organization with a commitment to bettering our communities through civic and community engagement. Our network includes rural and urban campuses, public universities and private colleges, community colleges, and trade schools. Together we move toward a more just and equitable society.
We connect higher education professionals who work in the spaces of community and civic engagement. Our programming includes educating students through community and civic learning experiences, making an impact in communities through reciprocal partnerships that address community-identified goals, creating partnership opportunities, providing quality professional development, and promoting the importance of the civic mission. Learn about our member benefits.
LEARN MORE…
Learn more about Inver Hills Community College’s participation in Seed Coalition by contacting:
Shannon Williams
Coordinator of Community Based Learning
Inver Hills Community College
SWilliams@inverhills.edu
651-450-3244
¹ SOURCE: Seed Coalition: Mission and Values
