For nearly two decades, Professor Ann Minnick has invested an incredible amount of both her time and her heart into Northwestern, teaching and mentoring students in the ever-changing world of public relations. With unwavering commitment to both her students and the college, Minnick will finish out her time at NW this year, leaving behind an immeasurable impact.
“The students at NW have been a source of great joy to me,” said Minnick. Over the years, she has watched students come into her classroom, unsure of their gifts, potential and future, and eventually leave transformed. She finds great joy in eventually being able to say to her students, “You’re ready. Go, fly, and do good things in the world.” Reflecting on her years of teaching at NW, she says, “…It’s incredible to think of the extension all those students are of me in a way…all serving God in the world.”
Norah Beekhuizen is one of many students that have been greatly impacted by the way Minnick displays and encourages passion in all that she does, going above and beyond for her students. “Ann showed me the importance of pursuing what you are passionate about… I came in as a lost and confused freshman, interested in a Public Relations minor but was unsure of what that entailed, especially with a major completely unrelated to PR,” said Beekhuizen. Now, with Minnick’s invaluable help, Beekhuizen is on track to graduate having gotten to pursue both her major in Elementary Education and a minor in Public Relations.
One of the highlights of Minnick’s career has been working alongside students in real-world projects. Over the last 19 years, she has led students in serving numerous non-profits in the area with work in the public relations realm, such as website design, public relations campaigns, content creation, branding and event planning. “It has been a joy to work with students on client work,” Minnick said. “Through these experiences, I have had the opportunity to meet many people, learn so much about myself and lead students in pretty great projects.”
Although she is an incredible professor, with extensive knowledge and real-world experience in the public relations profession, what really sets Minnick apart is her genuine commitment to getting to know each one of her students. She takes pride in learning each student’s name and making a personal connection with them. “I took to heart the opening theme song from the 1990s TV show ‘Cheers’, which said ‘you want to go where everybody knows your name’,” Minnick recalled. “That concept is really quite profound, and I took it seriously.” Bringing this to her classroom, she has successfully created an environment where everyone is known and valued.
Ellie Karolevitz, a Public Relations major, spoke at length regarding Minnick’s heart for connecting with each student and her commitment to learning their names. “Professor Minnick was one of the first people at NW who helped me realize just how special this place is. Every day I walked into her classroom, I knew I would be greeted with a warm, ‘Hello, Miss Ellie,’ whether I arrived right on time or, more often than not, five minutes late,” said Karolevitz.
Having been a professor at NW for 19 years, it is no surprise that Minnick has a knack for engaging students in the classroom in a way that is both productive and fun. Even more, she is passionate about the success of her students, the entirety of NW and the Orange City community she calls home. “She has just the right balance of professional and caring,” said Nichole Hansen. “She cares about her students and their successes greatly, which I will miss dearly.”
As Minnick prepares to take the next step outside of NW, she looks to return to the realm of public relations and marketing for a non-profit in some capacity. “I’m not sure how that will all look,” said Minnick. “But I want to be at a place which benefits people directly.”
Reflecting on the time that Minnick has spent here at NW, her impact is clear: a legacy of caring for students, fostering growth and serving others. Her unwavering commitment to both her students and the field of public relations has made a lasting influence on the college and the community. As she looks ahead to the next chapter, we can be sure that she will continue to do good things in the world wherever she goes.
Ann Minnick with her family.
