Alum continues strong involvement on campus as instructor

A version of this story originally appeared in our 2023 newsletter. View other featured stories

As a student, Claudel St. Jean ’10 was a dedicated member of the Anoka Technical College community in the classroom and beyond. Nearly 15 years later, he’s continuing that commitment as an instructor.

Claudel St. Jean was no stranger to colleges and universities when he showed up at Anoka Tech in 2008. In fact, he already had two associates degrees, a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree when he enrolled in Anoka Tech’s Mechanical Drafting program.

He says an instructor early in his program told him he could expect to be hooked from the start.

“He said, ‘you’ll come here early in the morning and you’ll probably not want to leave at night’,” Claudel says. “Which is true.”

Claudel found himself committed to his coursework and helping develop deep student connections on campus, getting involved with Student Senate and student organizations with a diversity, equity and inclusion focus.

Three credentials and nearly 15 years later, he’s proud to return to campus as an instructor in the Quality Technician program.

Claudel’s professional experience has taken him to positions internationally and across sectors including higher education and manufacturing. He’s proud of the skills and expertise he’s developed in process evaluation and improvement.

“I’m excited to take on this new role,” he says. “I'm looking for a place where I can empty some of what I've learned as well to the next generation to continue in the profession.”