Wynes ’83 receives Leadership and Service Award

Cornell College awarded Tim Wynes ’83 with the 2023 Leadership and Service Award.

The Leadership and Service Award is presented annually by the Alumni Association during Homecoming Convocation. Leadership and Service Award recipients have demonstrated outstanding leadership in their careers or professions, their work has contributed to the betterment of their community and its citizens, or their commitment to the college has remained strong for many years.

After graduating from Cornell with a major in political science, Wynes went on to receive a law degree from St. Louis University School of Law. He quickly put his education to use, serving as a prosecutor in Missouri, and establishing a tactical team of police officers, social workers, and therapists to triage cases of sexual assault and other crimes against women and children. 

Wynes earned a faculty appointment at the University of Missouri School of Law while continuing his work with victims of family and domestic violence. Then, he went on to work as chancellor for the Iowa Valley Community College District. He built programs for immigrant populations such as a dual language health career ladder (from CNA to RN) and expanded access to education for underserved students through grants and scholarships. Wynes served as president of Inver Hills Community College and Dakota County Technical College, and most recently retired as president of Black Hawk College.  

Throughout it all, he found time to keep his classmates informed about activities and events at Cornell as a class agent for 25 years. Class agents are responsible for keeping thousands of Cornell alumni connected to the Hilltop and with each other.

Listen to his speech: