Dr. Kristina Ropella, Opus Dean of the Opus College of Engineering, has been named a 2023 Imprint Award winner by Professional Dimensions, a leading women’s professional association in the Milwaukee area. She will be recognized at the annual Imprint Award event on Thursday, March 30, at the Pfister Hotel.
Professional Dimensions’ Imprint Award was created to recognize women who are making a lasting mark in their career, community and collaborations. Honorees are both successful and supportive and truly embody the well-rounded character trait.
“I am deeply honored to be recognized by Professional Dimensions and to share this honor with JoAnne Sabir and many more outstanding recipients over time,” Ropella said. “The work I am able to lead at Marquette and in our community is made possible by countless colleagues, peers and partners who share in a collective vision to develop servant leaders and engineering innovators across Milwaukee.”
Ropella was chosen for her role as a higher education leader, dedicated educator, biomedical engineering researcher and board member. As a trailblazer in the engineering and higher education spaces, she was the first female engineering dean at Marquette and her personal mission is to change the face of engineering by opening doors for diverse representation and promoting servant leadership. She has accomplished this through her initiatives, which include the Excellence in Leadership (E-Lead) development program, as well as her research and publications.
“As Opus Dean of Marquette’s Opus College of Engineering, a dedicated educator, a biomedical engineering researcher, servant leader, board member, and champion of positive change within her communities and fields, Kris’ many imprints are far-reaching with deep impact,” one nominator wrote. “The power of her imprint is not solely in her professional success and through the initiatives she leads, but also in the nature of her leadership, (which) emanates from a deep care for the individuals around her as whole people, welcoming their unique gifts and abilities.
“Ultimately, she believes that empowering others to step beyond her footsteps to leave larger, lasting imprints of their own is much more important than any of her own personal prestige. As a servant leader, she measures her career success by the doors she opens for others.”
Ropella’s professional accolades include the KEEN Outstanding Dean Award, the STEM Forward Engineer of the Year, and both the Milwaukee Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 and Women of Influence awards. She was also named a U.S. Professor of the Year, Wisconsin by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support for Education.