2025 Rising Alumni Award Recipient: Amanda Kessel

Amanda Kessel works for the Pittsburgh Penguins and is a professional hockey player. As a student athlete at the University of Minnesota, she guided the Gophers to three national hockey championships, as the Gophers took home top honors in 2012, 2013 and 2016. Kessel was a two-time All-American, the WCHA Player of the Year, the WCHA Rookie of the Year and WCHA scoring champion while with the Gophers. An international star, Kessel played in three Olympic Games, where she won a gold and two silver medals. She also has competed in seven world championships, winning four gold medals.

CEHD Degree: MEd and PhD, learning technologies