In addition to almost 500 students participating in the Fall 2004 Commencement ceremonies at Winona State University, Gary W. Evans, president and chief executive officer of the Winona-based telecommunications company Hiawatha Broadband Communications, Inc. (HBC), will speak at Commencement, Dec. 17, at 10:30 a.m., in McCown Gymnasium of Memorial hall. Graduating senior, Jenna R. Johnson, organizational communications major, will also speak.
Evans played a key role in the development of Luminet, a city-wide fiber-optic date and  communication link, the precursor to HBC. He joined HBC in April 1998 after 11 years at WSU as Vice President of University Relations and Development.
While at WSU, Evans was involved in many advancements of the university. He contributed to the development of the first and only Composite Materials Engineering bachelor's degree program, helped establish the first Residential College at a public university in Minnesota, and led WSU's effort to gain approval and funding to construct a new library.
Before coming to WSU, Evans spent 30 years in the newspaper business, including 25 years at the Winona Daily News. A community activist, Evans has received Winona's highest awards, the Winona Community Achievement Award in 1987 and the Adith Miller Community Tribute in 1990. He was honored in 2001 as Minnesota Hospital Trustee of the Year, and on Nov. 12, 2004, was honored by the Upper Mississippi Valley Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals as its outstanding volunteer fundraiser for this year.
Evans serves as chairman of the board of Winona Health, the community's health care system; as vice president of the Winona State University Foundation; is a former member of the Greater Rochester Area University Center Board of Trustees; is a past president of the Winona Area Chamber of Commerce; and has held many community civic and church positions. Evans and his wife, Ellen, live in Winona and have two grown children, Greg Evans and Natalie (Evans) Matejka, both of whom live and work in Winona.
The comments of a graduating student are regularly featured as part of the Commencement program at Winona State. The student speaker is chosen through a competitive process supervised by a committee of the WSU Student Senate. After considering applications of interested students, a senate committee listens to an audition speech of the top candidates and selects the student for this honor.
Jenna Johnson, of Anoka, Minn., graduates from Winona State with a  bachelor of arts degree in organizational communications. She chose WSU after a recommendation from a family member, a tour of the university's beautiful campus and a variety of courses and faculty that impressed her. Although unsure of what she wanted to do at first, Johnson took classes in the communications department and found her niche. Her good experience with the curriculum and professors helped her to complete her major in two and a half years.
During her time at WSU, Johnson was extremely involved with her participation in the Communications Club; Lambda Pi Eta Communication Honor Society; Intervarsity, a Christian worship group; and was an orientation leader for freshmen students. Johnson plans to move back to the Twin Cities after graduation and hopes to begin her career as a human resources professional.
"Work hard, don't procrastinate and even when you think you are giving it your all, try just a little bit harder," said Johnson. |
