May 12, 2025

Northland Community & Technical College is proud to announce this year’s recipients of the Student of the Year award. Katelynn Kovarik from Fisher, Minn., a graduate of the Physical Therapist Assistant Program, has been named the Student of the Year for the East Grand Forks campus, while Mitchell Christen from Sauk Centre, Minn., a graduate of the Aviation Maintenance Technology Program, has received the same honor for the Thief River Falls campus. Both students were nominated by Northland faculty and will be graduating this month.

Kovarik and Christen chose Northland for different reasons, but both had specific goals in mind when enrolling. Kovarik took advantage of Northland’s Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program, which provided her with an opportunity to experience college life early on.

“I was a PSEO student at Northland,” Kovarik said. “I had a positive experience with the staff and faculty during that time. They were always available to answer my questions and help me navigate taking college courses while still in high school. Northland was also the closest college to home that offered the PTA program, so it was an obvious choice for me.”

Christen was drawn to Northland’s excellent aerospace program with a clear career goal in mind.

“Northland is a unique school because of its aerospace program,” Christen stated. “It is also one of only three schools in the state that offers an Aviation Maintenance Technician course. After touring two other schools, it was clear that Northland had the best facilities, opportunities, and course layout.”

“My future plans,” he continued, “include working at Central Planes Aviation in Sauk Centre, Minn., as a mechanic, with the goal of eventually owning part of the business. While working there, I also plan to obtain my pilot’s license and work towards flying agricultural planes as an aerial applicator.”

Northland’s aerospace program has become a hidden gem in rural Minnesota. Its reputation helps draw students from around the world to Thief River Falls. While Christen recognized the quality during his campus visit, he was still surprised to find himself in a program full of students with diverse backgrounds. 

“I was surprised by the number of students who traveled across the country and the world to attend Northland,” Christen said. “I was not expecting the rural community to have such a high draw to as many non-local students.”

A big reason why these two graduates stood out amongst their peers is their involvement on campus and drive to take advantage of opportunities outside the classroom. The faculty nominations recognized their above-and-beyond work ethic, with Christen’s participation in athletics and the Student Senate, and Kovarik’s student research efforts.

“Katelynn has been a motivated student from day one,” said Justin Berry, Physical Therapist Assistant program director. “She and her classmates successfully completed a research project that was impressive enough to earn them a trip to Houston to present their work. As a community and technical college in rural Minnesota, it is important to highlight these opportunities and the students who take advantage of them, showcasing the quality of our students, programs, and outcomes.”

Christen’s nomination shared a similar theme, focusing on his extracurricular activities. 

“Like many of our students, Mitchell came to Northland with clear career goals,” said Jeffery Krein, Aviation Maintenance Technology instructor. “But he stands out because he took full advantage of every student life opportunity that came his way. He participated in athletics, joined the Student Senate, and even helped organize a weekly Wednesday night softball game with his classmates. Mitchell is a great representative of the complete Northland experience, and I look forward to seeing his aviation career unfold.”

Northland Community & Technical College will hold its graduation ceremonies for the Thief River Falls campus on Thursday, May 15, and for the East Grand Forks campus on Friday, May 16.