Diane Cilengi was honored at the 2026 Student Awards Ceremony on Apr. 24 for her contributions to the University of Minnesota Crookston, where she received both the Peer Tutor of the Year and Inclusion and Belonging Excellence Award.
Cilengi’s journey highlights how students can find growth and purpose by forging their own paths in higher education. Her story also reflects broader efforts by the university to foster a supportive environment for students from diverse backgrounds.
Born in Minneapolis and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, Cilengi identifies as Congolese American. She said her international background has shaped her worldview and appreciation for education. After initially attending UMN Crookston from 2016 to 2019 as a health sciences major, she left before completing her degree but later returned with renewed focus in January 2025.
“I usually just say I’m a global citizen,” Cilengi said. She described how connections on campus influenced her decision: “I fell in love with how small it was… I knew I could build relationships here.”
Her involvement spans athletics—she walked onto the tennis team—and student organizations such as DECA, Multicultural Programming Team, and Black Student Association. Outside campus, she volunteers as a youth minister. “Every practice, every early lift, I loved it,” she said about tennis. On returning as an older student: “I’ve learned not to compare timelines… Everyone is on a different path.”
Cilengi credits mentors like Clayton Redford for helping clarify her goals after earning an accounting degree online during time away from UMN Crookston. She now plans to graduate in May 2027 with a Health Science degree before pursuing further studies at Harvard Kennedy School.
The Agriculture and Natural Resources Department at UMN Crookston functions within the university and promotes social well-being through hands-on experiences that enable students to influence agriculture and natural resources positively, according to the official website. The department focuses on safeguarding food supplies while promoting environmental health and agricultural growth by integrating sustainable practices with new technologies; it utilizes the University Teaching and Outreach Center as its main facility according to its official website.
Additional programs include a Horse Donation Program supporting Equine Science initiatives and outreach events like Agriculture and Natural Resources Activities Day that reach area high school students according to its official website.
Reflecting on her return to UMN Crookston, Cilengi said: “The point of life is to gather knowledge and use it to make things better.” Her experience illustrates both personal transformation through education and opportunities available within smaller academic communities.
