Hilltopper Honors

Nordica is a graduate of Iowa State University and received her BS (00), MS ('13) and PhD ('15) in Mechanical Engineering. As a tenured Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Richard and Grechen Evans Scholar of Humanitarian Engineering, and Executive Director of Aprovecho Research Center at Oregon State University, she is sharing her philosophies of sustainability and social justice with the next generation of students. Promoting humanitarian engineering allows social, environmental, and economic context into the technical side of solving problems and hopefully inspires others to want to change the world.

Nordica's work at Aprovecho ("I make the best use of" in Spanish) Research Center prior to graduate school included traveling the globe, building capacity in researchers of low and middle income countries. She designed low-cost and user-friendly emissions testing equipment that is now in use in 60 labs around the world, enabling these countries to optimize clean cookstove designs for their own communities. Her contributions to cleaner cookstove designs have been distributed in the tens of millions around the world.

This winter Nordica will be on sabbatical, teaching in New Zealand as a visiting Eskrine Scholar, further extending her belief that one should not just make a good living, but a good life by sharing their gifts with the world.

The Distinguished Alumni Award will be given each year to an alumnus/a who has had a positive influence on their communities and who has been a steward of the school's mission following graduation, embodying its core values of global citizenship, respect, compassion, integrity, self-discipline, and intellectual curiosity. The award will honor alumni who have excelled in their personal achievements, professional lives, or service to society, and whose accomplishments have brought credit to the school.

• 2022 - Michael Jaros '64
• 2021 - Elizabeth (Barry) Sandza '69
• 2020 - Professor Tadd Johnson, Esq. '75
• 2019 - Dr. John Knoedler '69
• 2018 - Joan McNamara '76
• 2017 - Hon. John DeSanto '64
• 2016 - Thomas Miller '54
• 2015 - John Ribarich '53

CB David is a graduate of Reed College with a BA in Mathematics, and of University of Montreal with an MSc and PhD in Computer Science. He currently holds the position of Assistant Professor in Machine Learning and Computer Vision at the University of Cambridge.

David's work centers on reducing the risks that increasingly powerful Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems pose to the global community. He has volunteered as a Career Counselor for students in the field, organized several workshops on the topic, and shared his expertise over 5,000 times through work citations. David's talk on AI x-risk can be seen on ITV's Good Morning Britain, Al Jazeera's Inside Story, France 24, New Scientist, and the Associated Press.

A Distinguished Young Alumni Award will be given each year to an alumnus/a who has received recognition as an emerging leader and shows potential for continued success while additionally having a positive influence on their communities. The Distinguished Young Alumni Award will be given each year to an alumnus/a who has been a steward of the school's mission following graduation, embodying its core values of global citizenship, respect, compassion, integrity, self-discipline, and intellectual curiosity. The award will honor alumni who have excelled in their personal achievements, professional lives, or service to society, and whose accomplishments have brought credit to the school.

• 2022 - CB Baga '08
• 2021 - Misha Kahn '07
• 2020 - Linnea Betzler Mirsch '97
• 2019 - Nathan Olson '04
• 2018 - Alyza Bohbot '04
• 2017 - Carolyn Roby '99
• 2016 - Abby Crisostomo '02
• 2015 - Nora Cross '08

Julia is a graduate of Yale University with a BA in Theatre Studies and German Literature, as well as Hamburg School of Music and Theatre with a BFA in Theatre Directing. She is a Theatre Director for Bard College in Berlin, Germany and credits teachers at Marshall School for encouraging her to follow her passions for theatre and German culture.

Over the last decade, Julia has developed and directed eight professional theatre productions for young audiences. Three of those productions drew attention to the climate change crisis and were produced for Greenpeace, the international network of independent organizations that use peaceful, creative confrontation to explore global environmental problems. Julia's most recent show, BEING THERE, inspired productive and meaningful conversation with young people about finding the courage to confront racism.

Julia is an activist at heart, volunteering for two organizations in Hamburg, Germany that work to promote the arts. She is also a member of Dachverstand Freie Darstellende Künste, a cultural-political organization that works to support freelance artists in Hamburg. Julia holds her philosophy close and lives it out everyday: "small change can lead to big change."

The Global Citizenship Award will be given to a Hilltopper alumn who embodies the call to global citizenship which is a central part of being a Hilltopper. They will have made a distinct and recognizable effort to contribute to global society while carrying out the core tenets of respect, compassion, and integrity.

The Global Citizenship Award is not confined to any geographic region, and nominees' accomplishments and contributions will be considered equally whether they are made domestically or abroad.

• 2022 - Ian Grant '87
• 2021 - Peter Loken '99
• 2020 - Christa Knudsen '92
• 2019 - Hilary Bown '98
• 2018 - Martin Malley '71
• 2017 - Jane Letourneau '77
• 2016 - Perrin Banks '03

David is a 1976 graduate of St. Johns University where he earned a BA in English. Dave spent 36 years at our school as an English teacher, also serving as Athletic Director for 20 of those years and was a Head Coach of five varsity sports during that time. From student to current member of our grounds crew staff, David has been a familiar face in the Hilltopper hallways for nearly 50 years. 

As an athlete, David played in two state tournaments in basketball, one state tournament in baseball, earned All Conference Honorable Mention in football, and was named to Duluth's All Academic Football Team. During his tenure with the school, he coached several teams to conference championships, coached in the girls' state basketball tournament, and created the Topper Tunnel and the Hilltopper Athletic Hall of Fame. His participation with the Minnesota State High School League - as Assembly Member President, Region 7A committee member, and Executive Secretary of the Lake Superior Conference - has provided countless opportunities for thousands of students across the state.

Whether in the classroom, on the grounds, or out in the community, David is one of Marshall's biggest supporters. His commitment to excellence, leadership, and citizenship are values we all should hold. Mentoring young people through academics and athletics continues to be his life's work.

This award, started in 2003, has honored at least one alumnus/coach/athletic director per year since its inception. It was created as a way to celebrate athletes, coaches, and others who have excelled in their athletic and community achievements.

• 2022 - Gregory Cane '79
• 2021 - Brendan Flaherty '82
• 2021 - Anna Ringsred-Beavers '03
• 2020 - Jack Connolly '07
• 2019 - Tyler George '01
• 2018 - Adam Freed '96
• 2017 - Dr. Michelle (Gross) Lilly '97
• 2016 - Joe Benda '23
• 2016 - '65-'69 Hockey Team
• 2015 - Dave Katoski '77
• 2015 - Meghan (Overom) Law '99
• 2015 - Bill McBride '72
• 2014 - Dave Erickson '59
• 2014 - Jack Farrell '58
• 2014 - Dana Grandmaison -Gilligan '98
• 2013 - Mari Casserberg '90
• 2013 - Mitch Corbin '74
• 2013 - Katherine (McGee) Koski '91
• 2013 - Tom Paul '68
• 2012 - Bill Gooder '29
• 2011 - Jake Muhvic '56
• 2010 - Brian Murphy '76
• 2009 - Dave Krmpotich '73
• 2008 - John (Rip) Ribarich '53
• 2008 - Kevin Hoene '68
• 2007 - Bob Kelly '48
• 2007 - Jim Morrissey '49
• 2006 - Tom Cartier '68
• 2006 - Richard (Stitch) Martin '49
• 2006 - Carol (Newman) Barnstorf ' 55
• 2006 - Joe Nowak '46
• 2005 - Phil Letourneau '48
• 2005 - John (Jack) Horner '60
• 2005 - Bob Pokorney '40
• 2004 - Dr. Len Sarvela '41
• 2004 - Leo Spooner '47
• 2003 - Frank Napoli
• 2003 - Bernard Pfeffer '32
• 2003 - John Vucinovich 
• 2003 - Del Genereau