Briefs September 2021

Isaiah Curtis honored
High school students from across the state were invited to present research findings and participate in the Minnesota Youth Institute on May 17, 2021, for a virtual educational program hosted by the University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences and the World Food Prize Foundation. Isaiah Curtis from Great River School was among the 100 students from 35 schools to participate in the virtual event.
Curtis engaged with leaders in science, policy and industry to discuss the world’s most pressing challenges in hunger, poverty, and equity.

Mendoza Law expands
Midway-based Mendoza Law, LLC is pleased to introduce Acosta Consulting, a new consulting firm providing litigation technology support services to lawyers and law firms. Acosta’s Lit-Tech™ service will be led by principal consultant, Connie Martin. Martin has extensive experience in the field of litigation support and prides herself on client service. She owned and operated her own litigation support service firm, Martin Litigation Support Services. Martin is a founding member of the Iowa Chapter of Women in eDiscovery and of the Minnesota Association of Litigation Support Professionals.

New chaplain at Hamline
After an extensive search, Hamline University has selected Kelly Figueroa-Ray as university chaplain and director of the Wesley Center for Spirituality, Service and Social Justice. Figueroa-Ray earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of California at Berkeley in international and area studies, completed her Master of Divinity at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. magna cum laude, and her doctorate in religious studies at the University of Virginia. Her focus is on the relationship between scripture and theology as it is lived out in contemporary communities, with a particular interest in multicultural Christian ministries.
She began her position on Monday, Aug. 23, 2021.

Hiway honored
Hiway Credit Union has been honored with a 2021 Louise Herring Philosophy-in-Action Member Service Award sponsored by the Minnesota Credit Union Network (MnCUN) and the Credit Union National Association (CUNA). Hiway was recognized for its numerous DEI initiatives. The organization has a longstanding commitment to addressing issues of social justice, as well as racial, economic and other inequities, both within the company and its surrounding communities.