The North Central University Alumni Board is pleased to announce the 2019 Alumni Award winners:
- Dick Brodgen ’92, Ph.D., F.J. Lindquist Award
- Jennifer (Lindeen ’00) Hickle, Ivan O. Miller Award
- Cory Wade ’06, Dr. Roger Sorbo Award
- Ryan Williams ’07, Larry C. Bach Award
The winners will be formally recognized at the 52nd Annual Partners for Progress event later this month.
Jennifer (Lindeen ’00) Hickle, Ivan O. Miller Award
For demonstrating Spirit-filled leadership and excelling in service through career and community.
As an entrepreneur herself, Class of 2000 graduate Jennifer Hickle loves to bring freedom and joy to creative business owners in life and in business. She is a master business coach, strategic marketing coach and consultant, owner and director of Rogers School of Music, and homeschool mom. Together, Jennifer and her husband, Chris, own Never Alone Coaching and Marketing Services, where they incorporate marketing and business strategies into everything they teach. They have assisted with three church plants and love to support missionaries all over the world through a Music for Missions program. The Hickles live in Elk River, Minnesota, and have four children.
Dick Brogden ’92, Ph.D, F.J. Lindquist Award
For demonstrating Spirit-filled leadership and excelling in service through church or church-related ministry, mission, and service
Dick Brogden, Ph.D, co-founder of Live Dead, serving in a quietly dynamic ministry, planting churches and training church planters to reach unreached people groups in the Arab World. He and his wife Jennifer live in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, serving with Assemblies of God World Missions. They have been married for 26 years, and they have two sons. Their focus and that of Live Dead ministry is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and plant a church among every unreached people group in the Arab World and beyond.
Ryan Williams ’07, Larry C. Bach Award
For demonstrating Spirit-filled leadership and excelling in service through fine arts
Ryan Williams graduated in 2007 and is a singer, songwriter, and worship leader who loves the local church. He is the lead worship pastor at River Valley Church based in Minneapolis, Minnesota which has nine Twin Cities campuses and one international campus. Pastoring people, building teams, and writing songs are his passions. Under his vision and leadership River Valley Worship has released five critically acclaimed worship albums, and they have become a worship resource for worship leaders and pastors. He and his wife, Alli, live in Lakeville, Minnesota, and have four children.
Cory Wade ’06, M.Ed., Dr. Roger Sorbo Award
For demonstrating Spirit-filled leadership and excelling in service through arts and sciences
Cory Wade is a third-grade teacher at Hillcrest Community School and one of nine finalists in 2019 for Minnesota Teacher of the Year and was recognized in 2018 as KS95 Radio Teacher of the Week. He is in his 15th year as a teacher in Bloomington Public Schools, where he has served on committees for reading, curriculum technology, equity, learning support, and the Parent-Teacher-Student Association Council. He is co-author of the book “Teaching Self-Discipline” and is a former adjunct professor at North Central University. Wade travels nationally and internationally teaching the Responsive Classroom approach and teaching philosophy. He holds a Master of Education from Saint Mary’s University. Wade appreciates the opportunity to guide students through academic and social growth and values their interactions and creativity. He says he takes the job of teaching seriously because he gets to spend “seven hours every day with somebody’s somebody.”
Celebrating the honorees at Partners for Progress
The honorees or their representatives will be recognized formally at the 52nd Annual Partners for Progress gala on October 24. Tickets for the event are available through October 18.
Nominations for the awards were solicited from alumni and the North Central University community. The Alumni Board reviewed the nominations and final selections were approved by the university’s Senior Leadership Team.
