Cassandra Tangen is a mathematics instructor and director of the honors program at Peru State College. She is being recognized as the 2026 Teaching Excellence Award winner for her exceptional commitment to teaching excellence, student mentorship, and academic leadership.
Tangen teaches a wide range of courses from college algebra and statistics to upper-level offerings such as introduction to real analysis, advanced statistics, and mathematical modeling—demonstrating both deep disciplinary expertise and ability to make complex concepts accessible to students of all backgrounds.
Formerly known as Cassie Leanord, she graduated from Fairbury High School before earning a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Peru State College in 2014. While at PSC, Tangen was a member of the Bobcat cross country team. She received her master’s in mathematics from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and has been a member of the Peru State College staff since the fall of 2017.
