Moraine Park Technical College President Bonnie Baerwald has been named the District 3 Pacesetter Award recipient by the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR).
The Pacesetter Award honors a chief executive officer at a two-year community or technical college who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, support and vision in the areas of college communications and marketing. The award places particular emphasis on accomplishments within the past year. The Pacesetter Award is presented annually in each of NCMPR’s seven districts. District honorees are then considered for the national award, which will be announced in March.
President Baerwald earned this recognition through her sustained leadership and significant achievements that have strengthened both Moraine Park and its communities. Her efforts to forge strong partnerships with business and industry, expand and modernize academic programs and drive consistent enrollment growth have elevated the College’s impact across the region. In 2022, she successfully led Moraine Park through a historic $55 million referendum, allowing the College to enhance facilities, expand student opportunities and reinforce Moraine Park’s role as a vital contributor to workforce and economic development.
This past year, Moraine Park achieved significant enrollment growth, a direct reflection of President Baerwald’s ability to position the institution for relevance, accessibility and long-term success. Her advocacy has also elevated the visibility of community colleges at the national level, contributing to key conversations about workforce development, equity and student success. Under her leadership, Moraine Park was named one of the nation’s top 150 community colleges of excellence by the Aspen Institute, earned Best in Class Employer recognition from Gallagher, and received multiple veteran-related awards, most notably the ESGR Pro Patria Award.
A defining example of President Baerwald’s collaborative approach surfaced during the 2022 referendum. Rather than viewing marketing as a support function, she elevated the marketing and communications team as strategic partners from the outset. Her confidence in the team empowered them to lead a successful, community-wide campaign across 10 counties, while also fostering substantial professional growth among team members.
For more than a decade, Moraine Park’s marketing leaders have been actively involved with NCMPR, an organization dedicated exclusively to elevating community and technical college marketing and communications. This long-standing engagement has provided the College with national best practices, emerging trends and valuable peer connections. The resulting strength of Moraine Park’s brand, storytelling and strategic communications is a direct reflection of this participation, and it reinforces the College’s overall success under President Baerwald’s leadership.
Together, these achievements showcase President Baerwald’s exceptional leadership and the meaningful impact she has made across the College and the region. We are proud to have her guiding Moraine Park forward.