Gov. Mark Dayton has filled six seats on the Minnesota State Colleges and Universites (MnSCU) Board of Trustees.

Among the new appointees is a former politcal rival: onetime DFL gubernatorial candidate Margaret Anderson Kelliher. Currently CEO of the Minnesota High Tech Association, she will serve as an at-large trustee on the board, which governs the state's largest higher education system.

"I selected these six Minnesotans from a group of outstanding applicants, because of their energy, enthusiasm, and proven commitments to the mission of MnSCU," Dayton said in a statement Tuesday. " They will be strong supporters of Chancellor [Steven] Rosenstone's important new initiatives."

The non-student trustees will serve six-year terms on the board, which oversees a system of 24 two-year colleges and seven state universities.

Dayton also tapped United States Attorney Ann Anaya to serve as the trustee representing the second congressional district.

Dawn Erlandson, president of Aurora Strategic Advisors, Inc., will serve as an at-large trustee.

Alex Cirillo, vice president of community affairs for 3M was named sixth district trustee.

Current student trustee Alfredo Oliveira, a student at St. Cloud State University majoring in international business, will serve a second two-year term as a student trustee, representing the technical colleges in the MnSCU system.

Maria Peluso, who is working toward an associates degree at Itasca Community College, will serve as a student trustee representing the community colleges in the system.

The 15-member MnSCU board is responsible for everything from tuition rates to system planning and academic programs in the system. Members are appointed by the governor.