Alex Layne, associate professor, School of Communication, Writing, and the Arts, was named as one of Minnesota State's Educators of the Year in its annual Awards of Excellence. These awards are bestowed upon faculty to acknowledge and reward exceptional professional accomplishment, and to encourage ongoing excellence in teaching. The award proclaims, on behalf of the entire Minnesota State system, the Board of Trustees’ pride in the dedication and accomplishment of its faculty who provide instruction that prepares Minnesota State college and university students for their professional, scholarly, and civic lives.
“Dr. Layne advocates and acts to make sure the students at Metro State have the opportunity to engage in high-impact educational practices that are not always readily accessible to adult and marginalized students,” said Ginny Arthur, president of Metro State University. “She models innovation by letting students take the leadership and responsibility for their learning through the use of learning proposals.” In keeping with her dedication to providing educational opportunity to students, Dr. Layne plans to use her award to pay for the textbooks for any student taking a Technical Communications and Interface Design class in 2022–2023.