March 27, 2026
Jeff Granrud, 1996 Mayville State graduate and recipient of the 2025 National Rural Education Association (NREA) National Rural Teacher of the Year award, was at his alma mater to speak with students in a teacher education, as well as Student Education Association students. Granrud made presentations and shared his experiences as an educator on Monday, March 23.
Granrud is a mathematics educator with nearly three decades of teaching experience at Howard Lake-Waverly-Winstead (Minn.) Schools. Over his 28 years at HLWW, he has built a reputation for engaging instruction, a supportive classroom environment, and a commitment to fostering both academic and personal growth in his students.
A Mayville, N.D., native, Granrud was named the recipient of the NREA award in September of 2025. The program honors the very best in rural education across the country. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Mayville State with a major in mathematics and a minor in business administration.