Minot State University continued a long-standing tradition of celebrating its graduating class with the 109th Commencement Exercises on May 10. The tradition dates to the first graduating class in 1914.

The University began the day with a traditional Hooding Ceremony for the completion of a master’s degree in Ann Nicole Nelson Hall. Followed by the Spring Commencement Ceremony at the Minot State Dome.

Guest speakers at Commencement included Brenda K. Foster ’84/’92, who is the Chairman, President, and CEO of First Western Bank & Trust; Lori Nehlsen ’21, a graduate in the Master of Education program; and Olivia Reiser, a recent graduate in exercise science and rehabilitation.

Foster, who gave the keynote address, graduated from MSU in 1984 with an associate degree in legal secretarial studies before going back to school to earn her Bachelor of Science degree in accounting with a concentration in banking and finance in 1992. She has been employed with First Western Bank & Trust since 1981. 

Foster has served the community and state on a number of boards and committees. She currently serves as a member of the MSU Board of Regents, a board member of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve, a State Banking Board member, an advisory Board Member for the Bank of North Dakota, and a current member of the Federal Delegate board for the Independent Community Banks of America as well as a Director at Large. 

MSU awarded 429 undergraduate and 103 graduate degrees in its Class of 2024.

Minot State University is offering AI for Teachers Workshop for all high school and middle school teachers to gain essential skills leveraging generative AI to revolutionize their classrooms.

The AI for Teachers Workshop is June 26 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Hartnett Hall on the MSU Campus. Lunch and snacks will be provided during the event, and no prior experience is necessary. The class is taught by Minot State faculty members Nigel George, associate professor of physics, and Daren Erisman, assistant professor of computer science.

“As teachers at Minot State, we’re watching our own students and colleagues struggling to make good use of this new generation of artificial intelligence,” the MSU professors said in a statement. “We’ve discovered a number of helpful tools and strategies that can make mundane tasks easier while assisting in our teaching and working with students who have many ideas on how to use these advances.”

Along with tools and strategies, attendees can earn one free continuing education credit through Minot State and will receive a free book, “The Ultimate Guide to AI in Education,” by Fitzpatrick, Fox, and Weinstein. The event is sponsored by the Dakota Digital Academy.

Workshop sessions include:

• What is generative AI, and how does it work? Generative
• AI tools in action: Hands-on exploration
• Generative AI for Efficiency: Optimizing Workflow
• Building Your AI Toolkit: Resources & Next Steps

To sign up for the class or for more information, see the online registration FORM or the attached FLIER.

Minot State University honored multiple employees, including its 2023-24 retirees, years of service, and various awards, during its annual Retirement and Recognition event Monday at Ann Nicole Nelson Hall.

MSU announced three awards during the ceremony and recognized its Staff Senate High Five Award winners who earned the recognition throughout the year.

The University’s Board of Regents Award was presented to three faculty members in service, teaching, and scholarship and two staff members. Kathy Hintz, teacher education, was selected for service; MariDon Sorum, special education, was chosen for teaching, and Laura Zucca-Scott, teacher education, was selected for scholarship. MSU staff selected were Linda Conn and Jolina Miller, both from the Center for Extended Learning.

Linda Pettersen and Linda Schaefer, both from the MSU Nursing Program, were named Distinguished Lifetime Educators Award winners. Krystal St. Peter, addiction studies, psychology, and social work, was named Outstanding New Academic Advisor, and Holly Pedersen, special education, was named the 2023-24 Outstanding Academic Adviser.

Minot State’s 2023-24 retirees include: Linda Cresap, Graduate School and business information technology; Shan Haarsager, math and computer science; Marlene Hargrave, business office; Rhonda Holden, facilities management; Kathryn Kilroy, science; Jane la Plante, library; Linda Olson, art and professional communication; Thomas Rakness, Center for Extended Learning; Eileen Solberg, School of Business; MariDon Sorum, special education; Heidi Super, biology; Bonnie Trueblood, advancement; Doreen Wald, design and print services; Terry Wald, facilities management; Michael Wardzinski, criminal justice; John Webster, science; Brent Winiger, administration and finance; and Renae Yale, advancement.

Eleven Minot State employees were recognized for earning degrees or certificates in 2023-24 including:

• KateLynn Albers, accounting and finance, management accountant certification
• Ben Bagwell, Wellness Center, climbing wall instructor – lead certification and CPR instructor certification
• Erica Bailey, special education, national interpreter certification
• Erin Iverson, nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice
• Richelle Johnson, nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice
• Amy Lee, nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice
• Lacey Long, NDCPD, EdD, Educational Leadership and Practice
• Roxanne Mathis, design and print services, Master of Science in Management
• Danielle Reinisch, nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice
• Laurie Weber, financial aid, NASFAA certified financial aid administrator
• Sydney Yale, Wellness Center, CPR instructor certification

MSU’s Staff Senate High Five Award winners, listed in order of month named from April 2023 to March 2024, include:

• Vicki McDonald, administrative assistant, vice president for enrollment, marketing, and outreach
• Eileen Solberg, advisor & student relations, College of Business
• Kristen Striha, payroll & benefits technician, business office
• Jodi Patchen, administrative secretary, NDCPD
• Aaron Hughes, student activities coordinator, student life
• Jeni Anderson, administrative assistant, criminal justice
• Kacey Donamaria, records specialist, registrar’s office
• Brenda Halvorson, accountant, business office
• Rhonda Holden, custodian, facilities management
• Rhonda Lenton, custodian, facilities management
• Elizabeth Krebsbach, visit and events coordinator, enrollment services
• Brian Otto, coordinator of maintenance, facilities management

The University also named its 2023-24 service award recipients for 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, 20 years, 25 years, 30 years, 35 years, and two individuals were honored with 40 years. The list includes:

• 5 Years: Erica Bailey, special education; Kenyatta Bougard, facilities management; Shelby Clark, NDCPD; Linda Conn, Center for Extended Learning; Amanda Duchsherer, advancement; Emerson Eads, performing arts; Rebecca Foster, NDCPD; Chelsie Hultz, teacher education; Quentin Jones, security; Elizabeth Krebsbach, enrollment services; Evan Lawson, facilities management; Janese Lehman, business office; Carrie Lewis, nursing; Lacey Long, NDCPD; Casey Oakland, facilities management; Jessica Reiswig, NDCPD; Michelle Sayler, enrollment services; Greg Vettel, Northwest Arts Center
• 10 Years; Dianna Anderson, performing arts; Kylie Erickson, NDCPD; Gary Huwe, security; Kimberly Johnson, registrar’s office; Kristie Lawson, NDCPD; Aundrey Livingston, security; Heidi Okeson, nursing; Troy Roness, student health; Angela Shaw, NDCPD; Karina Stander, residence life; Tricia Tessendorf, business office; ZoeAnn Winkler, NDCPD
• 15 Years: Lori Braasch, residence life; Kevin Harmon, student affairs and intercollegiate athletics; Korie Huettl, NDCPD; Kathryn Kilroy, science; Brenda Munson, NDCPD; Bryan Schmidt, science; Roger Triplett, athletics
• 20 Years: Erik Anderson, performing arts; Amy Armstrong, NDCPD; Corey Ell, facilities management; Chad Fenner, business information technology; Patti Kurtz, humanities; Cari Olson, institutional research
• 25 Years: Penny Brandt, graduate school; Neil Fulton, IT Central; Jerry Stai, accounting and finance; JoLynn Webster, NDCPD
• 30 Years: Tom Eisenzimmer, facilities management; Eric Furuseth, humanities; Gary Rabe, criminal justice; Neil Roberts, art and professional communication; Tammy Wolf, Academic Support Center
• 35 Years: Renae Yale, advancement
• 40 Years; Lynda Bertsch, Academic Support Center; Donna Weishaar, NDCPD

The Minot State University Development Foundation set another record, raising over $400,000 in 24 hours. This is the foundation's second record-setting event in the past three years.

Donor gifts and matching funds secured $427,558 from 1,752 donors on April 10, topping the previous high of $390,811 in 2022. It’s the third straight year MSU raised more than $350,000 during its annual Giving Day.

“MSU Giving Day is all about supporting the university and our students,” said Rick Hedberg, vice president for advancement and executive director of the MSU Development Foundation. “Our donors, faculty and staff, and friends participated in a big way, and they have made a strong statement that MSU and its students are important to them. We are all so appreciative of the support.  Every dollar raised on Giving Day makes a difference.”

The Development Foundation’s 1,752 total gifts are the second-highest mark in Giving Day history. The University finished with donations from 37 states, including 879 originating in North Dakota. These gifts assisted 73 projects, including multiple scholarship endowments and campus projects.

As has become the tradition, the Development Foundation sponsored various challenges throughout the 24 hours of giving. In total, the top category in dollars raised with MSU’s Have Another Passion category, mainly featuring individual scholarship endowments not listed as feature endowments. The top project was MSU’s Summer Theatre sound system project, finishing with $24,926 raised from 99 donors. Minot State women’s hockey’s jersey fund finished second overall with $17,525 raised from 81 donors.

The academic challenge based on total donors came down to a friendly competition between communication sciences and disorders' portable ultrasound and nursing’s IV sleeves. Communication sciences and disorders finished as the top project with 111 donors, with nursing finishing with 98. The athletic challenge saw MSU softball edge out women’s hockey with 87 total donors.

“I want to extend a gracious thank you to our campus for their support of Giving Day,” Hedberg added. “Virtually our entire campus is involved in some form with Giving Day, either making a gift or promoting the day across various social media platforms.  It’s very important to our success.”

The Minot State University Alumni Association has selected four individuals for the 2024 Golden Award and one individual for the 2024 Young Alumni Achievement Award. 

The honorees include Dan Langemo, Teresa (Kraft) Loftesnes ’07/’15, Dr. Jeffrey Sather ’94, and Julie (Keller) Stavn ’76. The Young Alumni Achievement Award winner is Jazmine (Wolff) Schultz ’11.

“It is an honor to recognize these five fantastic individuals for their outstanding service to Minot State University and the greater Minot community,” said Courtenay Brekhus, MSU’s director of alumni engagement. “The MSU Alumni Association looks forward to celebrating their accomplishments at our Golden Awards banquet and dinner during Homecoming week in September.”

Langemo, a Valley City native who lives in Minot, retired from First Western Bank & Trust in 2015. He is a past chair of the MSU Board of Regents and is currently the vice president of the MSU Development Foundation and the MSU Summer Theatre boards. Loftesnes, from Norwich, retired in 2021 after 42 years at Minot State in various roles, including her last 14 as marketing director.  She earned both her undergraduate and master’s degrees at MSU. Sather, who lives in Norwich, currently serves as the medical director of Trinity Health’s Emergency Trauma Center in Minot. He earned a psychology degree from MSU. Stavn, from Bismarck, is a former teacher and coach in the Bismarck Public Schools, earning multiple state championships and Coach of the Year awards during her 41 years in education. She earned a degree in physical education from Minot State. Schultz, originally from Burlington, is the co-owner of Prairie Sky Breads in downtown Minot. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Theatre from MSU. 

The Golden Awards are the highest award bestowed by the Minot State University Alumni Association. Selections are based on outstanding service to the University, alumni association, or their community and distinguished leadership in the recipient’s career or community. The Young Alumni Achievement Award recipient is between the ages of 21 and 39.

The MSU Alumni Association will honor the 2024 class at its annual awards dinner on Thursday, Sept. 12 at 6 p.m. in the Minot State Student Center Conference Center. 

More information on the dinner, as well as each award winner, will be released later in the fall semester. For more information on the Golden Awards, visit the Alumni Association at MinotStateU.edu/alumni. 

Minot State University alumni and friends are welcome to join us on the Bravera Party Patio at Corbett Field as the Minot Hot Tots take on the Bismarck Larks at 6:35 p.m. on Thursday, June 6. The cost to attend is $25 per ticket including all-you-can-eat food from 5:30 p.m. until the end of the third inning. Adults will receive three free drinks, and kids get free entrance to the Vibeto Fun Zone, a free popcorn, and a Hot Tots baseball cap. Register HERE to purchase your tickets.

The MSUWell committee has organized Food Trucks to come to MSU all summer long. All food and coffee trucks will be parked outside of the north entrance of the Beaver Dam, next to the picnic tables. For more information, see FLIER.

It is that time of the year again! Help the environment and recycle responsibly.  If anyone has any university-related equipment they would like to recycle, please contact the ITC helpdesk HERE and submit a work order to have the materials picked up. The e-waste will be picked up throughout the summer. This project will run from May 13 through July 29. All e-waste must be processed through ITC.  Please help us by submitting help tickets for pickup. Do not deliver your e-waste to the Plant buildings.  Please also refrain from rummaging through our pallets once they have been wrapped and secured.

The 21 Day Step Streak Challenge will run June 10 through June 30. This challenge promotes daily physical activity, consistency, and personal accountability. It encourages participants to make walking a regular part of their routine and cultivate a sense of community and support among coworkers striving towards common goals of improving health and wellness. For more information, see FLIER. Contact Sydney Yale by EMAIL to sign up.

It's that time of year again where we hit the greens for our friendraising golf tour! Golf will be played in a four-person scramble format. Registration begins at 4:30 p.m. with shotgun start at 5 p.m. for each location:

• Velva - Tuesday, June 11           Register for Velva
• Garrison - Tuesday, June 25       Register for Garrison
• Kenmare - Thursday, August 1   Register for Kenmare

Optional meals/refreshments will be available at each course following the scramble. Each participant is responsible for their own green fees and carts. All payments will be handled at the course. Everyone will receive a free t-shirt with chances to win door prizes.

Join us at the Crooked Pint in Fargo on Thursday, June 20, for an alumni and friends social from 6 to 8 p.m. Appetizers will be provided along with a cash bar. To sign up, click the LINK or call the alumni office at (701) 858-3373.

Northwest Arts Center
The gallery is located on the lower level of the Gordon B. Olson Library, with its own entrance on the south side of the library. The arts center is open Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 1-5 p.m., and by special arrangement. It is closed holidays.

• Coalescence: Art Capstone Exhibition: Eight Minot State University art students are exhibiting in the annual senior art exhibition Coalescence: Eva Bloom, Dyana DeCoteau, AJ Gorthy, Carly Johnson, Allie Nelson, Peter Pañales, Maia Robertson, Timmothy Timm. Defined as, “the merging of different elements to form a whole,” Coalescence will be on display until June 7.

Flat Tail Press
Flat Tail Press is an educational printmaking studio at Minot State University. The gallery is located in the landing space on second and third floor of the Minot State Student Center, west entrance. It is open Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-12 a.m.

• Stencil Workshop with Piotr Szyhalski: On view May 15 to Sept. 30.

Michael Nason, assistant professor of criminal justice, has just been notified that his article, "Being There for Each Other After Critical Incidents: A Holistic Approach to Checking Your Six," has been accepted for publication by the Journal of Suicidology. The article delves into the importance of mutual support among law enforcement officers after critical incidents. The article is now available online in the 2024 Volume 19 issue of the Journal of Suicidology. Read the article HERE.

Holly Pedersen, special education professor, has been notified that her and co-author, former teacher, and now colleague Lynae Holmen's article, “Deaf on the Prairie: Combining Contemporary and Traditional Learning Theories,” has been accepted for publication by the American Annals of the Deaf. Pedersen is the first to represent Minot State in this journal, which has been running since 1886. The newest edition is a special issue on Asian American DHH students. Read the latest issue of American Annals of the Deaf HERE.

Kelli Sem, POWER Center academic Coach, was selected as the Minot State Staff Senate April High Five Award winner. Sem is approaching her five-year anniversary at Minot State on July 9. She worked three years in the Power Center as an academic coach and two years as the Access Services coordinator. In her spare time, she likes to craft with her Cricut, camp, go to Bible study, and hang out with friends and family.

Minot State University Staff Senate held its 2024-25 elections in April. Newly elected Staff Senate representatives include: 

• Office of the President: Heather Halverson, Emily Norman, Ryan Miner-Green, Daniel Schuetz
• Academic Affairs: Jeni Anderson, Christopher Lozensky, Tammy Wolf
• Administration & Finance: Corrina Lemer, Aundrey Livingston, Tyler Schmaltz, Renee Tribitt
• Student Affairs: Deb Haman
• Advancement: Pat Slotsve
• Members at Large: Lynda Bertsch, Richard Heit, Eric Pietrza

A complete list of all Staff Senate members is available HERE.

Ricky Apodaca, designated hitter, was voted as an All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference performer by the league’s coaches for the second time in his Beaver career. Apodaca was named to the All-NSIC Second Team as the league announced its All-NSIC performers and All-NSIC Defensive Team.

Jasiah Hambira finished 14th in the nation and earned 2nd Team All-American honors at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships hosted by Emporia State. Hambira set the all-time outdoor school record in the event at Minot State, clearing 7 feet, 0.25 inches.

Hannah Murray, third baseman, and Sara Van Wickler, outfielder, were each named to the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Softball All-Tournament Team following Saturday’s title game, a 9-0 win by Augustana over Minnesota Duluth.

Bart Archdekin, football player; Jennifer (Sundahl) Becker, women’s basketball player; Joe Engler, baseball player; Nolan Taylor, cross country and track runner; and Tina Kirkpatrick, track & field jumper; along with Robert Sando, Special Achievement Award honoree, and the 1972-73 Beaver men’s wrestling team. The Class of 2024 will be inducted into the Minot State Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday, Sept. 13, in a special ceremony at 5 p.m. at the Sleep Inn. The Class of 2024 also will be special guests at the Minot State Homecoming parade on Saturday, Sept. 14, starting at 11 a.m., and will be honored at halftime of the Beavers’ Homecoming game that day with kickoff scheduled for 2 p.m. against Northern State at First Western Bank Field at Herb Parker Stadium.

Taryn Bennett and Hannah Murray, infielders; Lauryn DeGuzman, outfielder; and Gabi Dawyduk and Reegan Floyd, pitchers, are five Minot State softball players who earned honors from the College Sports Communicators for their outstanding performance on the diamond and in the classroom as they were named to the CSC Academic All-District Team. Dawyduk was also nominated for CSC Academic All-American honors, which will be announced on June 18.