Ryan Nelson and Mitch Osland Receive ESGR Patriot Award
Two of MSU Moorhead’s own, Director of Public Safety Ryan Nelson and Patrol Operations Lieutenant Mitch Osland, recently were awarded the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Patriot Award.
The Patriot Award is the first in a series of awards available through the ESGR. According to ESGR’s site, “The Patriot Award reflects the efforts made to support citizen warriors through a wide range of measures including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families, and granting leaves of absence if needed.”
An employee serving in the National Guard or Reserves may nominate individual supervisors who have shown significant support to their employees. Matthew Stubstad, a sergeant in the Army National Guard and MSUM Campus Security Sergeant, nominated Nelson and Osland.
“Ryan and Mitch have always been very supportive of my military service,” Stubstad said in his nomination form. “They even have allowed additional time off to accommodate for travel and rest periods beyond what they’re required to do. They’ve incorporated my military skills, such as being a military instructor and entrusted me with instructor roles in the department. I have heard from other soldiers who have not gotten that kind of support from their employers.”
Nelson and Osland were each awarded a certificate in a Nov. 6 presentation by Lois Robinson, Minnesota ESGR Region Chair 1.
“MSUM as a whole has been very pro-Veteran and pro-service member,” Stubstad says. “I wanted to recognize my direct supervisors and the Public Safety Department.”
