summer98

BSUCalendar June 19, 1998

Pabst/SkaarMemorialGolf Tournament,BemidjiTownand CountryClub July 10, 1998

BSUFoundersWalkInduction Ceremony August 7, 1998

LadyBeaverGolfTournament, BemidjiTown&CountryClub August 7-9, 1998

HockeyReunion August 21-22, 1998

BSUAlumniAssociationBoard ofDirectorsAnnualRetreat andBoardMeeting, DavidParkHouse,Bemidji September 21-27, 1998

BSUHOMECOMING1998, “There’sNoPlaceLike Home...coming1998!”

Vol. 13, No. 4, Summer 1998

A Publication for Alumni & Friends of Bemidji State University

BSUHorizons

G r a d u a t e s The Courting S of Graduates

Bemidji State University

BSU Horizons

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hawn Johnson started her job search during winter quarter. After the first three interviews, she stopped looking.

It wasn’t that the senior technical illustration and graphic design major from Bemidji was having a bad experience. It was the opposite; she was weighing offers from each of the firms.

While alumni with memories of soft job markets may find this story unusual, many BSU graduates in 1998 will relate experiences similar to Johnson’s.

“The job market has turned around for students,” said Margie Giauque, director of career services. “We’ve seen a steady increase in interest by employers for BSU graduates, and in the past two years they’ve hit the campus pretty hard. Students are being courted.”

On-site recruitment by potential employers was at an all-time high for Bemidji State last fall, mirroring a phenomenon on colleges campuses across the country. Many businesses, agencies and firms have discovered that waiting until spring is too late, and winter is becoming somewhat problematic for certain majors.

On the teaching side, Giauque noted that the market was tight in Minnesota, but jobs were available if students were open to looking at all opportunities.

The pursuit of both teaching and non-teaching majors has increased. During a job-fair in the Twin Cities sponsored by the state universities, 143 potential employers participated with 20 on a waiting list trying to get in.

At the Minnesota Education Career Fair in Minneapolis, a record 146 school districts were there to look at candidates and many made job offers on the spot.

Experts cite strong economies on the state and national levels as a primary reason for the high demand. Employment rates are also a factor; in Minnesota, the most recent figures showed unemployment at an extremely low 2.5 percent compared to 3.6 a year ago.

Becky Dawley, a BSU alumna who is vice president of information services at Federated Insurance in Owatonna, makes fre-

N

Becky Dawley conducts an interview on campus.

“

earlyallofthepositionsinmyareaprefer acollegedegree,butdon’trequireit.Atthe sametime,thevastmajorityofourpeoplehavea four-yeardegreeandthere’sareasonforit.The employeewithabachelor’sdegreehasabroader perspectiveandagreaterdegreeofmaturity.They haven’tfocusedononespecificarea.” Becky Dawley

quent trips to campus to interview candidates. Specializing in commercial lines of insurance and risk management services, Federated Insurance has 1,300 employees with Bemidji State alumni working in marketing, information systems, loss control, and risk management.

“We see a fit with our company’s values and the students’ values,” Dawley said when discussing her company’s success in recruiting BSU students. “We’re often a good match because the reasons a student was attracted to BSU are the same reasons they’d be interested in working at our company in Owatonna.”

That sentiment was echoed by Ivan Reimer, human resource manager of Solvay Pharmaceuticals in Baudette where approximately 10 percent of the company’s 200-member work force graduated from BSU. It is a fast-growing enterprise with quadruple the sales over the past five years and another 25 percent growth projected for

1998. The plant manufactures drugs for female health, mental health and gastro-intestinal use.

As such, it needs employees with solid science backgrounds.

“The appropriate degree is the one thing we’re looking for in a candidate while a desire to work in this field is another,” he commented. “Beyond those factors, one of the major reasons we recruit at Bemidji State is the type of person who attends the school. They are from Minnesota, understand and know the climate, and are familiar with life in a smaller town.

“We see BSU graduates as having a sound base of knowledge from their chemistry and scientific curriculum. More than anything, they’re eager to get to work.

They seem to have a work ethic that is superior to what I’ve seen in other parts of the country.”

For Tim Shears, president of MNN Radio Networks, his attraction to BSU graduates can be related in two words, enthusiasm and confidence. Shears oversees a firm that runs nine different

networks across the region and operates an all-news station in Minneapolis. Of MNN’s 38 fulltime employees, seven earned degrees at Bemidji State.

“BSU graduates tend to possess good, basic skills,” said Shears, who is a BSU alumnus. “But they also have a level of competency that allows them to survive, which comes from their experiences in the program, and they show passion for the industry.”

The demand for university graduates may be tied to the bachelor’s degree. Although there is a lot of attention paid today to specialist programs that can be completed in one or two years, many employers feel the bachelor’s degree is the degree of choice.

“Nearly all of the positions in my area prefer a college degree, but don’t require it,” said Dawley.

“At the same time, the vast majority of our people have a fouryear degree and there’s a reason for it. The employee with a bachelor’s degree has a broader perspective and a greater degree of maturity. They haven’t focused on one specific area.

“The nature of the responsibilities for our programmers requires them to be general problem solvers and to work with people who have other ideas. The perspectives gained with a four-year degree will lead to better business solutions.”

Reimer indicated that Solvay has not wavered from its requirement for a bachelor’s degree for entry level in many facets of the firm while Shears felt the bachelor’s was even more important for the future.

“Employees and employers need to evolve in this changing economy because the business we’re in today might not be the same business we’re in five years from now,” Shears said. “People will need to be generalists, to be able to do special skills and to articulate ideas, show initiative, think, and have the willingness as well as ability to change.”

With 13 years in the career counseling area, Giauque sees an upside today in the way agencies, companies and school districts are changing to attract candidates.

(Continued on page 7)

Horizons Page2

1998DistinguishedMinnesotan

Bob Bergland

Minnesotan

Distinguished Bob Bergland

Bob Bergland, former U.S. Congressman from Northwest Minnesota and former secretary of agriculture in the Carter administration, has been named the recipient of the 1998 Distinguished Minnesotan Award from Bemidji State University.

Bergland is the 18th recipient of the award, which is annually presented to a current or former resident of the state who has performed exemplary service to the people of Minnesota or the United States. He received the award prior to spring commencement at BSU. The descendant of Norwegian immigrants who settled in the northern part of Minnesota in the 19th century, Bergland was born and raised in Roseau, where he attended public schools and graduated from high school in 1946. He then enrolled at the University of Minnesota where he completed its agricultural program.

After serving a few years as a field representative for the Minnesota Farmers Union, he and his wife purchased a farm in 1950.

When first starting out, he took a variety of jobs to stay in operation amid the fluctuations of good harvests and bad harvests, high crop prices and bottomed-out commodity markets, and the uncertainties provided by the weather. His work experience included stints as a logger, machinery salesman, carpenter and construction foreman.

In 1961 Bergland was named chairman of the Minnesota Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Two years later he was promoted to Midwest regional director of the service.

He ventured into politics for the first time in 1968 by challenging Odin Langen’s 10-year hold on Minnesota’s 7th Congressional District seat. A narrow loss that year was enough impetus to regroup for the 1970 campaign, when he defeated the incumbent Langen by 15,000 votes.

Reelected three times, his greatest margin of victory was 1976 when he won with 73 percent of the total ballots cast. He was assigned to committees on agriculture, small business, and science and technology.

The inconstancy of farming life was instrumental in molding his

approach to life, his politics, and his commitment to making things better for rural communities. He gained a reputation as a defender of higher crop support prices, a grain-reserve plan, and increased food aid for the poor.

By his third term, Bergland became a congressional leader in formulating farm policy and advocating for protections from the boom and bust cycles that plagued small farmers. Known for his regular attendance and firm grasp of issues, he was recognized for his ability to negotiate compromise solutions to complicated and often politically delicate agricultural problems.

He was a congressional adviser to the 17th session of the Food and Agricultural Conference in Rome and was a delegate to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

Following the election of Jimmy Carter as president in 1976, Bergland became the first farmer named as the secretary of agriculture in more than 30 years.

During his four-year tenure on the cabinet, he was seen as an administrator who balanced the needs of the farmer with those of the consumer.

Along the way, he streamlined the department by abolishing over ten percent of agricultural’s advisory committees; revamped the food stamp program to benefit

Mary Welliver (’91) is currently employed as a psychometrician in Brainerd ... Robb Johnson (’90) works as a teacher and coach in Roseau ...

Theresa Leider (’96) is a patrol officer with the Hutchinson Police Department ... M. Elaine Bonnell (‘94) writes that she has the “ideal” job as an ESL teacher at the Warroad Middle School ... Jennifer Sanford (’94), executive director of the United Way of Bemidji, recently commented on the Ninth Annual Volunteer Recognition Awards Luncheon, saying, “ It is important that volunteers be recognized for the work that they do, not only for their sake but so that others will see how important volunteer service is to our community.” ... Michael Jobin (‘95) is living in Proctor ... Karl Knudsen (’96) of Owatonna plans to begin working on a master’s degree this fall ... Devlyn Brooks (’97) started a regional newspaper in Fertile this winter. The Agassiz Shorelander features some Associated Press material and will provide stronger coverage of the Maple Lake area than that given by other newspapers in the area ... Scott Gurtin (’93) of Phoenix, AZ., is a fisheries biologist with the Arizona Game and Fish Department. He conducts research on endangered species including the razorback sucker in the Colorado River ... Eric L.H. Johnston (’94) of Farmington works in sales administration at Ecolab in St. Paul. His hobbies include hockey, golf, softball and snowmobiling ... Mike Lundin (’96) of Cottage Grove plans to attend graduate school at the University of Minnesota this fall.

He is involved with the Minnesota Opera Chorus and Minnesota Chorale ... Allison Kaul (‘93) and Christopher DeLeone (’95) were married Aug. 9 in Bemidji. The couple lives in Vancouver, WA. Allison is employed as a trade show and museums exhibit accounts manager for Exhibitgroup/Giltspur in Portland, OR, and Christopher is a regional manager for Advance Machine Company ... Karla Gransow (’94) of Boone, IA, married Craig Steward, a graduate of the University of South Dakota, last spring.

Karla works as a one-on-one associate at the United Community School in Boone ... Kim Freer (’96) of Ridgecrest, CA, is an elementary teacher for severely emotionally disturbed students at the Sierra Sands Unified School District ... Chean Teong (Alan) (’93) of Worcester, MA, will continue his graduate studies this fall at Hilberry Theatre Graduate Repertory Company of Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. He’s been awarded a full graduate assistantship in costume design ... Brandon Snodgrass (’96) teaches fifth and sixth grades at the Koyuk School in the Bering Strait School District at Koyuk, AK. “I’m at the Arctic Circle and it’s warmer here than in Bemidji,” writes Snodgrass ... Michelle Meerdink (’97) is employed with Bawden Printing in Eldridge, IA, as a senior customer service electronic technical specialist. Meerdink and her husband of two years, John, are building a log home on the Wapsicon River in Long Grove, IA, and she is working on her master’s degree in the evenings.

John is a journeyman lineman for Eastern Iowa

2,500,000 of the poorest people while cutting or reducing benefits to others who were less needy; and promoted better agricultural predictions based on past weather patterns rather than an assumption of normal weather.

After serving the Carter administration, Bergland became president of Farmland World Trade, an international trading arm of Farmland Industries of Kansas City. Two years later he was appointed general manager of the National Rural Electric Co-operative Association and remained active in that post until retiring in 1993.

Now living on the home farm in northern Minnesota, Bergland was elected to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota in January of 1997 and chairs the committee on finance and administration. ■ Bemidji State University

BSU Horizons Vol. 13, No. 4, Summer 1998 Produced by the News and Publications Office and the Alumni Office at Bemidji State University, HORIZONS is published quarterly and distributed without charge to BSU alumni, students, faculty, staff and other friends of the University.

BSU is an equal opportunity educator and employer.

Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Al Nohner Designer . . . . . . . . . . Kathy Berglund Photographer . . . . . . . . . John Swartz President . . . . . . . . . Dr. Jim Bensen Alumni Director . . . . . . . Sue Kringen Contributing Writer . . . . . Jody Grau Editorial Assistance . . Peggy Nohner Editorial Board: Dr. Jim Bensen, BSU president; Dr. David Tiffany, vice president for University advancement; Al Nohner, director of news services and publications; Sue Kringen, director of alumni relations.

Where We Are ... What We’re Doing

ALL CITIES ARE LOCATED IN MINNESOTA UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.

1990s Paul R. Johnson (’95) is employed with Fiskars Inc. in Cross Plains, WI, as a model maker in the company’s research and development department. He builds prototypes for new products ... Stephanie Jasperson (’96) teaches fifth grade at Red Lake Elementary School ...

Lisa Falk (’95) lives in Crookston where she is the director of the junior high band ... Dana (Mord) McCabe (’92) was married in ‘95 and lives in St. Cloud ... Karen Hall (’96) of East Gull Lake is enrolled in graduate studies at St. Scholastica College working toward a master’s degree in nursing with the goal of becoming a family nurse practitioner ... Marlyce Rieck (’93) of New London teaches high school band and middle school music for the New London-Spicer school district ... Ann Marie (Clough) Perreault (’94) of Circle Pines married Barry Perreault in June of 1996 and now teaches first grade in Columbia Heights ... Barry Perreault (’94) teaches sixth grade in Coon Rapids. He married Ann Marie Clough in 1996 and the couple lives in Circle Pines ... Valerie Jones (’92) of Baxter will soon complete her 12th year of employment with

St. Joseph’s Medical Center ... Alyssa Konecne (’96) recently had a daughter ... Nicholas D. Walk (’96) has been employed for three years by Erskine Manufacturing as its purchasing agent and CADD technician. He and Gina Marion plan to be married Aug. 15 ... Garrett W. Lathe (’96) of Bemidji teaches choir at Bagley ... Brad Spry (’92) renovated his State Farm Insurance building in Walker this winter, a project which expanded available office space from 400 to 1,000 square feet. Spry bought the building in 1992. It previously housed an apartment as well as the insurance office ... Kara Bernard (’93) of Coon Rapids currently works for Norwest Bank but plans to return to St. Mary’s University to complete her master’s degree in psychology ...

Rick Berndt (’91) opened his own store, Pet Zone, in Bemidji. The Pet Zone specializes in fresh water and salt water fish ... Brian Schaefer (’96) recently took a position with Pro-West Associates Inc. after spending the previous 18 months working for the Chippewa National Forest ... Brent Oie (’95) and Michelle Nathe (’95) were married in April of 1997 and now live in East Gull Lake where Michelle is employed with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency ...

Light and Power ... Mike Crocker (’91) is moving to Phoenix, AZ., where he will be assisting current church members in the organization of a new church. Since graduating, Crocker has worked as a sports editor in Crookston and at Marshall and then took a position with the Dayton’s Corp. in Minneapolis. ... Patrick Rendle (’95) coached the Hibbing Girls Hockey Team to second place in the 199798 High School Hockey Tournament ... Jason Mack (’94) served as assistant hockey coach at East Grand Forks where their team made a showing at the 1997-98 High School Hockey Tournament ... Sarah Broman (’95) lives in Crystal and just completed her third year of teaching math at Spring Lake Park ... Melissa (Larson) Brelje (’92) lives at Sunfish Lake and enjoys her teaching career ... Anita Jwanouskos (’93) and her husband John Jwanouskos (’94) live in Ruckersville, VA, where Anita is a flight attendant for USAirways and Doug is a custom framer ... Greg Johnson (’90), of Park Rapids, is currently employed at Blueberry Pines Golf Course near Park Rapids. He and his wife, Anita, have four children ... Michael Landberg (’93) lives in Shoreview ... Judy (Niskanen) Hovey (’92) teaches reading and computer in grades K6 at Fairfax Elementary in Herrick, SD ... Curt Nelson (’91) and his wife, Kim, live in Brainerd and are expecting their fourth child in August ...

Jackie Riewer (’93) teaches fourth and fifth grades at Princeton ... Jeffrey L. Parkinen (’93) is a security policeman in the U.S. Air Force. He

T “

his is a natural evolution for our program. Our tradition has endured and prospered since 1947, and this is the dawn of a new era.” R.H. “Bob” Peters

Horizons Page 3

Bemidji State to Join

Hockey

NCAA Division-I Hockey

THE DRIVE TO

D-I BEMIDJI STATE UNIVERSITY

The Bemidji State University men’s ice hockey program will be joining the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I ranks.

The Beaver men’s team will play an independent schedule against NCAA I, II and III teams next season before starting its first full Division I schedule in the fall of 1999.

The BSU varsity women’s team has limited play planned for next winter and will develop a full-schedule for the 1999-2000 campaign. The women’s program will move to Division I as soon as an the opportunity becomes available to them.

The remainder of the BSU men’s and women’s programs will continue to compete on the NCAA-II level and be affiliated with the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

“By recommendation of the Division I Exploratory Committee, we have decided to go forward with our commitment to moving the Bemidji State University men’s ice hockey program to Division I,” said Dr. Jim Bensen, Bemidji State University president. “Based on the results of our fund raising efforts and the response from the community and our alumni, we have every confidence that Bemidji State will have the necessary support to fund a quality Division I men’s ice hockey program.”

The decision by Bemidji State to join the University of Minnesota, the University of MinnesotaDuluth, St. Cloud State University and Mankato State University as the only Minnesota schools with NCAA Division I ice hockey programs was made following a 60-day campaign to raise funds needed to support the move. Since Bemidji State announced its

“Drive to DI” on April 2 with a $175,000 goal, 75 percent of the funds needed have been pledged.

“The response to our fund-raising drive has been overwhelming,” said Dr. Dave Tiffany, vice president for university advancement. “And there are several more contacts to meet with.”

A volunteer committee was organized to assist in the fund-raising efforts, and has agreed to continue working until the goal is reached. Adding to the momentum of the drive has been strong support from BSU alumni, many of whom played hockey, as well as fans. Season ticket reservations are far ahead of schedule, and an estimated 250 reserved seats are still available.

“This is a natural evolution for our program,” said BSU athletic director for hockey and men’s head ice hockey coach R.H. “Bob” Peters. “Our tradition has endured and prospered since

returned to the states recently following a tour of duty in Saudi Arabia ... Scot Parry (’91) and Denise Parry (’91) live in Norwalk, IA, where Scott teaches sixth grade math and coaches volleyball and track at Norwalk Schools and Denise works for Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Iowa. They have two daughters ... Juli B. Serratore (’93) teaches early childhood special education at Redwood Falls ... Dean Halvorson (’91) of Ham Lake works for Anoka County Corrections and coaches baseball at Blaine High School ... Amy Calhoun (’96) lives in Orangeburg, SC, where she works as a certified athletic trainer and is pursuing her masters in nutrition at South Carolina State University ...

Brenda Smuk (’93) has a new job working with homeless and low-income people in Chisholm ...

Paige Lindberg (’96) is teaching in Worthington and plans to take a group of students to Germany during the summer of 1999 ... Jason Saari (’93) is a program analyst for the Department of Trade & Economic Development in St. Paul ... Paul A. Hetland (’95) lives in Stillwater and works as a legislative assistant in the Minnesota House of Representatives. In November he married Mary Kelly, who is also a legislative assistant ... Lisa M. Tvedt (’90) lives in Plummer and works in the service and warranty section of Arctic Cat ...

Jeff Hanson (’93) and his wife, Susan, were married Feb. 16, in Maui, HI ... Deana Kruse (’90) is a support manager for Wal-Mart in Barabou, WI, and has a 16-month-old son ...

Jason Fantz (’90) teaches science, health and photography in Point Hope, AK ... Nicole C.

(Tanner) Harmer (‘95) teaches biology at Brainerd High School. She and her husband, Bart, had their first child, a son, last February ...

Donna Westlund (’96) lives in Strathcona where she is employed as an outreach independent living specialist with Options Resource Center for Independent Living, a position she’s held since August, 1996.

Westlund is a licensed social worker providing service to persons with disabilities in Roseau, Marshall, Pennington and Kittson counties ...

David Rue (’96) of Winsted has been teaching for the past two years ... Shelly Niwobner (’91) of Scribner, NE, was recently married ... Robin Reed (’95) lives in Minneapolis and works as an accountant in Norwest’s employee benefits department. Reed plays with the Robbinsdale City Band ... Jill C. Moe (’95) of Menomonie, WI, received her master’s degree in vocational rehabilitation and is working with the University of Wisconsin-Stout in its Rehabilitation Institute ... Sara Boettcher (’94) lives in Mankato and is a graphic designer at Corporate Graphics Commercial, a large printing company ... Ranae Tenold (’95) is a senior accounting clerk in the facilities accounting department of Carlson Wagonlit Travel Corporate Headquarters. Tenold lives in Coon Rapids and is a member of the North 40 Kikkers Country Dance Team which will compete in May at Star of the Northland Dance Competition at Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake ... Tom Gregory (’97), was recently hired

as Deephaven’s new community service officer after working in the community as an intern for about a year ... Linda James (’94) represented Harmony Co-op Natural Foods at a recent health fair at BSU entitled “A Jennifer Karina Healthy O’Day for a Healthy O’ Life” ... Jennifer Karina (’95) took a position in February with the Area Agency on Aging as information and assistance specialist. Karina has a degree in social work and spent close to a year working as an advocate at the battered women’s shelter in Bemidji.

Karina’s immediate goal is to inform every senior in the organization’s five-county area about the Senior Linkage Line. Because they are so often isolated, a major concern is reaching seniors in rural areas, she said ... Melissa Neppel (’97) of Hawthorne, NV, works as a special education teacher in the fourth and fifth grades.

She is working on her special education license and coaches little league softball ... Karey Lyon (’95) has been named coordinator of a new broad-based community involvement project in Koochiching County designed to reduce adolescent pregnancy by reducing the number of adolescents who engage in sexual intercourse.

1947, and this is the dawn of a new era.”

It was 1947 when BSU hockey player Ed Johnson and head coach Jack Aldrich made school history with the inaugural Bemidji State University men’s ice hockey team.

“I think the move to Division I for Bemidji State is one of the greatest things to happen to the program,” said Johnson, the man who started the Beaver hockey program and played on the inaugural team. “I remember meeting with Jolly (H.J.) Erickson (former BSU football coach and athletic director) over coffee in the student union. I said to him ‘You know what this university needs is a darn good hockey team.’

“It’s tremendous to see how successful the program has become through the years, and how much support there is at this critical point in the program’s history.”

The team persevered through the challenges of a collapsed indoor facility and the slushy confines of a semi-frozen Lake Bemidji for competition before Dr. Vic Weber revitalized the Beaver men’s ice hockey program in 1959 after an eight-year absence. Nine years later, Peters closed out his second season at BSU by capturing the Beavers’ initial NAIA National Championship in the first-ever title game for

small college hockey.

But that was just the beginning.

Peters continued to elevate Bemidji State into a small college national power, guiding Beaver hockey teams to 12 more national titles and 15 conference championships. This decade, the Beavers have competed for the NCAA II National Championship every year since the title series was reinstated in 1993, winning four of the six national crowns.

For most of this decade, the Bemidji State men’s ice hockey team has competed on the NCAA Division II level. However, five of the remaining 12 Division II teams, including Bemidji State, have announced plans for a move to Division I within the next two years.

“The first stage of our move to Division I requires a tremendous amount of work,” Peters added. “I am unequivocally committed to the development of a solid Division I hockey program at Bemidji State.”

The Beavers will continue to play at the John Glas Fieldhouse, with Division I Independent Air Force opening the 1998-99 home season Nov. 6-7. Bemidji State will compete for its final season in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association, closing out an 18-year affiliation with the league. Additional Division I opponents are being explored for the upcoming year, including the possibility of a post-season tournament among the nation’s top four independent teams. ■

Koochiching was awarded one of 24 grants from the Minnesota Department of Health to implement the program called Minnesota Education Now and Babies Later ... Dave Cowlishaw (’95) is the new chief of police in Bertha. He worked as a jailer in Bemidji for three years and then became a deputy sheriff in Kittson County prior to accepting his new position. Cowlishaw said he “always wanted to be either an astronaut or police officer” ...

Nancy Ann Marcotte (’92) plans to be married June 27 to Jeffrey Williams. Marcotte is a school social worker with the Owatonna Public Schools ... Jen Thoen Swenson (’97) has accepted the position of development and alumni director for the Minnesota Daily, the University of Minnesota campus daily newspaper. She will also serve as the executive director for its foundation ... Kim Freer (’96) teaches nine emotionally disturbed boys for the Sierra Sands Unified School District in California. She attends both Chapman University and California State University of Bakersfield in the evenings. After graduation, Freer spent two years working for Bi-CAP in Bemidji with at-risk teens who had dropped out of school ... Scott Kramer (’97) plans to marry Kelly McAllister this August in Nevis ...

Bert Brandt (’96) and Kristin Brandt (’96) recently moved to Wheaton, IL, where Bert is working as a project manager for Paul Davis Systems and Kristin works as a paraprofessional substitute teacher and head

cheerleading coach at Glenbard West ... Julie (Rodenberg) Leppala (’91) of Maplewood is employed as desktop publishing department supervisor at an agricultural manufacturing company in St. Paul and her husband, Randy, works in the water department of an environmental engineering firm. The couple has a oneyear-old son ... Travis Wavrin (’92) is the new president of the Greater Zimmerman Area Chamber of Commerce. He is a personal banker for the Princeton Bank and an investment representative for PrimeVest.

1980s Sarah Aamot-Lundin (’89) of Cottage Grove is finishing her master’s degree in choral conducting at St. Cloud State, sings with Minnesota Choral and teaches private voice lessons ... JoAnn Orpen (’89) of Silver Bay had a baby a year ago and named her Laura ... Dave Haaversen (’86) of Two Harbors announces the addition of a new baby to his family ... Mike Gangl (’81) is employed as a child support officer with Crow Wing County Social Services in Brainerd ... Karla Zellmer (’84) has been working with Russell & Herder Advertising in Brainerd for the past three years. She’s been married to Craig Zellmer for 13 years and the couple has two children, ages 11 and 8 ... Paula Feldt (’87) of Savage has worked for Aetna Health Plans for the past eight years. Her son, Connor, is 2 ... Wanda McNallan (’87) of Coon Rapids works part-time as a therapist and is (Continued on page 4)

Horizons Page 4

Alumni FillUniversity Teaching and Bemidji State University. Mentioning those words in the same sentence brings certain images to the mind.

Perhaps it’s the sight of a person sitting on the floor, surrounded by six-year-olds, and reading a story about the latest escapade of Curious George.

Or it might be the middle school social class where the instructor is running between maps and globes and projected images on the screen to show how the Industrial Age could do the physically impossible — make the world smaller.

Then again it could be the coach, working with a 15-yearold on a spin move in the lane that will one day result in the winning points of a basketball game.

Images that don’t readily appear when relating teaching with BSU are those associated with post-secondary education, the sights involving classrooms and research centers at colleges and universities across the country.

Yet they should.

Bemidji State alumni working as staff or professors on campuses number in the thousands. They encompass all facets of college life, from college presidents to admission counselors. And they are educators, highly respected professionals in their disciplines.

The transition from being the note-taker to becoming the lec-

TeachingRoles turer in the college classroom can take many different turns. The following profiles illustrate three routes. One knew from the start that college was where he wanted to be; another didn’t find out until later in her career that she and the life of a professor were a match; and external forces — a lagging economy — was a factor in directing the third to a role he hadn’t first considered when enrolling at BSU. All three are now successful, considered to be among the leaders in their fields.

Dr. Gary Frazier Frazier currently holds the Richard and Jarda Hurd Chair in Distribution Management in the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He is a specialist in distribution channel management, sales force management and marketing strategy.

In the past 20 years, he has been a leading contributor in journals of marketing and marketing research. He serves on five editorial review boards, is a reviewer for 11 journals, and has authored or contributed to 13 books. As a consultant and executive educator, he has worked with AT&T, General Motors, DuPont, 3M and many other companies.

Frazier started at BSU as a political science major, planning on going to law school and, eventually, into politics. He soon discovered it wasn’t for him and switched to history. Still uncertain, he took a year off to make some money working in customer service and sales.

“I found I was interested in business,” he said. “In the fall of my junior year I took a marketing course and decided this was my life.”

From Pelican Rapids, Frazier graduated with business and history degrees in 1975, a year noteworthy for its soft job market.

“I didn’t have too many interviews because there was a recession,” Frazier remembered. “I thought a master’s might improve my chances, so I hedged my bets and applied to graduate school.

After one semester, I knew I wanted to be a college professor.”

Frazier earned both M.B.A. and doctorate degrees from Indiana University. He taught at the University of Illinois from 1979 until joining the USC faculty in 1984.

“I’m lucky,” he commented. “I like what I do most of the time.

As an academic, I’m constantly balancing the four balls that are part of my work: research, teaching, service to the profession and consulting.

Dr. Gary Frazier

Dr. Dave Czarnecki

“It is a challenge keeping them all in the air at the same time, and you have to be careful how you balance them throughout the year.

But if you do a good job, it’s synergetic; as one improves, they all improve. And every now and then you get the chance to have a very big impact on a young person’s career, and that’s very satisfying.”

cade, he had 36 articles published in technical publications. His major research interest is the diatom, a type of algae that is probably the single most important photosynthetic plant on earth, producing up to 25 percent of the oxygen people breathe.

“I remember exactly when I became interested in this field,” said Czarnecki, who came to BSU from Chicago. “I was taking a water sample through the ice on Lake Bemidji for a limnology class. Under the microscope, I saw this bright orange circle - it was a diatom. It was one of those life changing experiences. I wondered what this was, and how could it survive in those cold waters 30 feet below the ice.”

The diatom hooked Czarnecki and set his career course. Always interested in research and teaching, he knew from the start that he wanted to be on a college campus. After receiving undergraduate degrees in biology and chemistry, he became a teaching assis-

Dr. Dave Czarnecki Czarnecki is a professor of biology at Loras College in Dubuque, IA. At Loras, he is the curator of the school’s diatom culture collection, which is the largest such living collection anywhere. The cultures have been sent worldwide for various research applications and have been used on a two shuttle space flights with a third planned for this fall.

He is a prolific researcher with articles published in journals relating to botany, natural sciences, biology, phycology, limnology and microscopy. In the last de-

Where We Are ... What We’re Doing (Continued from page 3)

expecting her third child in May. Her sons are ages 4 and 5 ... Scott Vogel (’88) has a son, Tristan, who was born Dec. 15, 1995 ... Carla Johnson (’82) is among a group of 20 women from the Bemidji First Lutheran Church which makes quilts for all church members graduating from Bemidji High School. This year the group will complete 40 quilts ... Lil Spilde (’81) witnessed the recent signing of a proclamation for Science Center Carnival Days in Bemidji ...

Jim Scanlan (’82) served as head hockey coach at East Grand Forks for the team that went to the 1997-98 High School Hockey Tournament ...

Dwight Kalvig (’83) lives in Blackduck and is the owner of Kalvig Associates Tax Preparation and Bookkeeping Services. He also coaches youth baseball and softball ... Cindy Davis (’89) of Phoenix, AZ, works as a quality assurance technician at Schein Pharmaceutical ... Sheryl Hartz (’85) teaches seventh grade science at Nacogdoches, TX, and is mother to a two-yearold daughter ... Susan Sack (’81) of Maple Grove works as parish bookkeeper at St. Joseph the Worker Church. She’s lived in Maple Grove for the past 15 years with her husband, Dave, and sons, Kyle and Jason ... Terry Gunderson (’83) lives in Maplewood and is communications director at the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Her second daughter was born in January, 1997 ... Jeff Downey (’89) and Stephanie Downey (’88) live in Bemidji with their two daughters. Jeff, who worked as a social

worker, is retired and Stephanie works at the Gilfillan Center ... Karen Hodgin (’82) lives in Chaska and has two sons ages two and eightmonths ... David Snetsinger (’88) works as a risk manager at the Shooting Star Casino, is chief of the Twin Lakes Volunteer Fire Department and is a Mahnomen County commissioner ...

Jane Harmon (’81) of Pengilly just accepted a presidency at the Adirondack Community College ... Brenda (Evenson) Johnson (’85) has worked for Dayton’s for the past 12 years where she is currently a compensation specialist at the Minneapolis headquarters. She lives in Bloomington with her husband, Keith, and 14month old daughter ... Margaret (Kortes) Bahr (’87) of Bemidji just started a new job as computer site manager at the Red Lake Hospital ... Tammi Brisson (’81) of Browerville teaches in a multi-grade fourth and fifth grade classroom in Staples. She has three children ... Anna Schmierer (’84) of Torrey, UT, gave an art exhibition in July at the Fine Arts Gallery, San Juan College, Farmington, NM ... Deborah (Brisson) VanSloun (’80) is a homebound instructor for the North Branch School District and lives in Forest Lake ... Brian O’Neill (’85) lives in Owatonna where he woks as a claims system project manager at Federated Insurance ... Lucy Derosier Mazzoni (’81) and her husband, Massoni Mazzoni, performed a concert/clinic at Lafayette High School on March 18. The couple lives in Italy and are considered world class musicians ... Julie T. Granlund (’84) of Moorhead is senior

accountant for Lutheran Health Systems in Fargo, ND ... Ken Gagner (’86) is teaching fifth grade and coaching football and basketball in Morris where he lives with his wife, Jill, and three children ... Joseph Dragich (’87) is a teacher and coach at Faribault Public Schools ...

Michael Hedlund (’87) and Paula Hedlund (’86) live in East Grand Forks where Paula is a teacher and coach in the school district and Michael is a sergeant with the Grand Forks Police. The Hedlunds are rebuilding their home which was lost to the flood of ’97. They have two children and a third due in July ... Jeff Sebenaler (’85) of Chanhassen was promoted to sergeant with the Minnetonka Police Department. Jeff and his wife, Andrea, have a son who was born last September ... Marcella Hallan (’80) of Keewatin retired from Itasca County Human Services in 1994 and has been working part-time as a home health aide ... Barb (Witt) Kavan (’80) of LeCenter teaches physical education at New Prague Elementary . She has two adopted sons from Romania, ages 10 and 9 ... John Bahr (’84) has been teaching elementary physical education in Las Vegas, NV, for the past 13 years.

He and his wife, Debbi, have been married for six years ... Becky L. Hanson (’88) of Savage is a quality assurance manager with Supervalu Inc. in Hopkins. She and her husband, Edward, were married in 1990 and have two children ... Rocky Lhotka (’87) recently published a technical book about computers. The hard-cover volume is 614 pages long and is entitled “Professional

Visual 5.0 Business Objects.” It will be used by computer businesses, other businesses that use computers and by college professors. Lhotka is employed with BORN Technology, Wayzata, but he wrote the book on his own time and it was published by WROX Publishing Co. in England ... Jim Minerich (’87) was named Pequot Lakes teacher of the year in March by the Pequot Lakes Education Association. Minerich, a fourthgrade teacher, worked with the Minnesota Science Best Practice Program as a trainer of national and state science standards. He was also a presenter at conventions of the Minnesota Science Teachers Association and the North Central Service Cooperative science workshops. Minerich has worked with the Journey North program, which allows students to track the migration of animals in the world using the Internet and Global Positioning systems. He lives in Breezy Point with his wife Sara ... Francine Fish (’87) bought Lake Country Realty in Warroad in December. Her prior experience includes selling real estate for other companies, a stint as assistant to the Lake of the Woods County zoning administrator and a position with the real estate division of 3M Corporation in Minneapolis ... Candys Heide (’88) was recently hired as a credit analyst with the First American Bank of Breckenridge. She lives with her husband, Gary, and two children on a hobby farm in rural Kent ... Denise Johnson (’89) married Chris Parson in Pine River. Denise is a teacher at Nett Lake School and Chris is assistant foreman for Hill Wood

Products in Cook. The couple lives in Orr ... Jeff Haukebo (’89), CPA, was recently promoted to manager with the accounting firm of Miller McDonald, Erickson & Moller. He manages the Park Rapids office of the company and also serves clients in the Bemidji area. Haukebo and his wife, Betty, have two daughters and live in the Park Rapids area ... Carrie Foster (’84) lives in Colton, CA. She works as a community lecturer on health and nutrition with Loma Linda University ... Jim Schwarz (’82) teaches industrial technology at New Ulm Junior High and coaches junior high and high school baseball. He lives with his wife, Sarah, and three children ... David J. Hoaas (’82) was promoted to the rank of full professor of economics in the Frost School of Business at Centenary College, Shreveport, LA ... Barbara Novak (’80) of Brooks is a technical writer of service manuals for Arctic Cat Inc. ... Wendy (Witmer) Perry (’81) of Omaha, NE, teaches in the Omaha Public Schools and plays violin and viola in a professional string quartet. She and her husband, Joel, have a daughter who is nearly three ... Sally Myrom (’80) of Redwood Falls is chairing a community center task force to build an $8 milllion facility ... Jennifer (Longie) Vollom (’88), her husband, Tom, and two children recently moved to Ramsey. Jennifer continues her employment with the Federal Drug Administration and Tom works with the AnokaHennepin School District ... JudyAppel (’81) of Stillwater has retired from teaching and now

Horizons Page 5 Dr. Linda (Christofferson) Shadiow

Dr. Linda Shadiow

tant at BSU while earning a master’s degree with specializations in plant physiology and aquatic biology. He worked and continued his studies at Northern Arizona University, where he received a doctorate in botany.

He has been at Loras since 1984 and teaches advanced courses in the summer through programs at the University of Minnesota, Iowa State University and other colleges.

“The most satisfying part of my job is watching the light bulbs turn on in some of the kids,” he said.

“On the college level, you also need to be actively engaged in research in your field. Fortunately, the type of research I do doesn’t require a massive institutional investment or a large facility, so I can do it at a small college.

“But I never felt I could strictly do research and I couldn’t be happy just teaching. You have to do the first to know what you’re teaching.”

writes a newspaper column entitled “Teacher, I love you” ... Suzanne Elwell (’83) and Jim Elwell (’83) of Mountain View welcomed their second son into the world on Jan. 22 ... Beth Koenck (’87) works for the Federal Bureau of Prisons at the Federal Medical Center in Rochester as a recreation specialist ... Debra (Morgan) Woodburn (’83) of San Antonio, TX, is the dean of student success at Northwest Vista College. She and her husband, Richard, have a 20-month-old daughter ... Bruce Dahlman (’84) of Olympia, WA, recently became system administrator for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources GIS System ... Diane Sauer (’85) teaches a community education class at Laporte

Shadiow is a professor of educational foundations and English in the Center for Excellence in Education at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. Her research interests include curriculum foundations, postmodern theory, and educational ethics.

A prolific writer, she has book chapters, monograph chapters, articles in refereed journals, book reviews, television shows, and editorial work as part of her credits. As a speaker, she has presented keynote addresses at conferences in 13 different states and was selected to present the address at NAU’s commencement in 1997.

She is on the board of examiners for the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and chairs the code of professional ethics committee for the National Council of Teachers of English. In 1996, she received the university Scholar of the Year Award from the NAU chapter of Phi Kappa Phi. Shadiow’s path to the university classroom went through high schools in Minnesota and Montana, where she taught English, speech and theater.

“I never really thought of graduate school, but enrolled because I wanted to be a better high school teacher,” said Shadiow, who was originally from Hibbing. “After I received the master’s from Montana State, I was ready to go back to high school but my name came up to serve an interim assignment as the K-12 language art supervisor with the Montana Office of Public Instruction.”

on formulating cosmetics at home using allnatural ingredients ... Barbara Anne Thompson (’88) of Las Cruces, NM, is attending college on the GI Bill, having completed a stint with the U.S. Air Force during which she worked as a graphics technician in support of Provide Promise/Deny Flight in 1993-94 and spent 11 months at various airbases in Italy, Germany, Turkey and England ... Carlos Trejo (’83) of Caracas, Venezuela, recently received his graduate degree in financial law ...

Dawn Kalvig (’84) was recently honored along with fellow Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted music educators when they received the 1997 Exemplary Music Award during the Minnesota Music Educators Convention. Kalvig has been teaching music for 14 years ...

Diane Field (’81) is one of three role models honored by the Land of Lakes Girl Scout Council recently as this year’s Women of Excellence. Field is the executive director of the Bemidji Area Arts Council. She has also volunteered many hours to Job’s Daughters, an organization which she said has made a signifcant difference in her life as well as the lives of two of her children.

1970s Diane Sauer (ctr)

Ken Bungert (’77) of Topeka, KS, director of certification and

Shadiow spent two years working at that post in policy and curriculum. Torn between being a school administrator or a teacher, she entered a doctoral program at Arizona State University.

“Once into my graduate work, I found I really wanted to be a professor,” Shadiow commented.

“I realized that the opportunity to be a good teacher as I defined it — keeping up in the field, being widely read, participating in national conversations in the discipline, and teaching fewer yet more intense classes — was available on the college level.”

Shadiow, who was at Montana State prior to moving to NAU in 1985, encourages all teachers to advance their professional abilities with continued studies.

“First of all, the road to advanced degrees is not a long road.

It’s an opportunity to think about the reasons you went into teaching in the first place. Getting the doctorate doesn’t necessarily mean teaching on the college level. I have many friends who earned the Ph.D. and chose to stay on the K-12 level. It just opens up so many more options.” ■

Six Inducted into TeacheroftheYearHallofFame Six alumni were inducted in the Teacher of the Year Hall of Fame during ceremonies on campus last spring.

Sponsored by the BSU Department of Professional Education, the Teacher of the Year Hall of Fame honors educators and administrators who demonstrate excellence in teaching students or Teacher of the Year Hall of Fame Inductees (left to right): Laurie Jo Pieper, Delphine Jacobsen, managing schools. Eli- Kathy Pearson, Jim Wheeler, Patricia Hughes, Neil Witikko. gible candidates must have graduated from Bemidji State and earned a teacher of the year designation or similar honor from a school district or other organization.

The 1998 recipients joined the previous 17 inductees with their pictures displayed in the Bemidji State University Education-Art Building to provide current students with exceptional role models.

The inductees included: Patricia Hughes, a teacher in the Kelliher Public School system for 30 years, instructing both English and German. Delphine Jacobsen, elementary teacher and reading instructor for 35 years in Bloomington, Coleraine and Bemidji. Kathy L. Pearson, an elementary education teacher for 20 years in Bemidji. Laurie Jo Pieper, a fourth-grade teacher at Lake of the Woods Independent School District for the past 16 years. Jim Wheeler, current assistant principal at the Grand Rapids Middle School who has been in education for 21 years, as a teacher for 14 years at Gonvick, Red Lake and Fosston, and as a high school principal in Eveleth, Waubun and Grand Rapids. Neil Witikko, German and English teacher at Hermantown High School. ■

teacher education, was appointed in November to the NCATE Unit Accreditation Board ...

Kathy (Haase) Ungerecht (’79) lives in Bigfork. She recently moved from teaching English to a counseling position and is working toward her sixth year licensure ... Jeffrey L. Galle Jr. (’78) writes to say that the school in which he works, the Southwest Star Concept School at Heron Lake, is now housed in a brand new facility ... Kathleen Louise Eberline (’76) married Kenneth Colin Smith of Sydney, Australia, last December in New York, NY. Following graduation, Eberline was a speech pathologist with the Bemidji School District until 1984. She was later employed as a speech therapist and actress in New York. The groom is a director for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals and is currently working in Hong Kong where the couple currently lives ... Jan Kolles (’78) lives in Minneapolis and is a member of the Minnesota Chorale ... Pete Olson (’79) of Becker has a son and a daughter and is taking graduate classes (“again”) ... Christine Chastek (’77), a member of the Midwest Gang Investigators Association, was the featured guest speaker at a workshop sponsored in February by the Bemidji Chamber of Commerce Retail Trade Council. Chastek brings her own personal experiences to her presentation, having grown up in inner-city Chicago ... Dave Wentzel (’76) lives in Brainerd with his wife and three children ... Ruth Blom (’78) was installed in January as the director of youth and family

ministries at St. Philip’s Lutheran Church, Hastings. Blom served for the past seven-anda-half years as youth director at an ELCA church in East Grand Forks. In her new position, Blom will direct all facets of youth ministry and Christian education for all ages with the goal of getting more families involved in both ... James Thorne (’71) is the new business manager for School District 879 at Delano. Thorne held a similar position in the Park Rapids School District from 1979 until last August. Thorne is married and has two grown daughters and a son in eighth grade ...

Lynae Gieseke (’78) of Eagan recently accepted the position of executive director of the Minnesota Valley Humane Society. She had been an active volunteer in the organization prior to being offered the position and has been a property manager for United Homes Corp. in Eagan. Prior jobs include being self-employed as a small-business consultant; an auditor for American Bank Corp. in St. Paul and with a savings and loan company in Des Moines, IA; a reviewer with Farm Credit Services in St. Paul; and as business manager for her husband’s rehabilitation consulting business ... Roger Weberg (’70) of Bemidji , a Cincinnati Reds baseball scout, has been promoted to an international scout, scouting central Canadian provinces in addition to his stateside duties.

Weberg, a former pro-player, has been scouting for 41 years with several major league clubs ...

Dr. Richard H. Smith (’70), Jamestown (ND) College’s internationally-known choral

director, announced his retirement at the end of this school year. Smith, who underwent kidney transplant surgery in 1997 when his wife, June, donated one of her kidneys, is also one of the longest living liver transplant survivors in the country following his successful surgery in 1981. Smith joined the faculty in 1969 to conduct the choir and teach courses. He served as chairman of the music department from 1973 – 1983. He was named academic dean of Jamestown College in 1983 and was instrumental in supervising the renovation of the college’s science facilities in Orlady Hall in 1988. He resigned as academic dean in 1996. Smith and his wife plan to move to their lake home in Hackensack and to spend more time with their children and grandchildren ... Chuck Scanlon (’75) coached the Apple Valley Girls Hockey Team to the championship in the 1997-98 High School Hockey Tournament ... John Birrenkott (’74), head hockey coach at Anoka, took his team to the 1997-98 High School Hockey Tournament ... Muff Magelssen (’74) served as an adjudicator at the annual keyboardists’ music festival held in February in Park Rapids ... Paul Given (’76) is an executive search consultant with Saxon Associates, Inc. of Scottsdale, AZ, where he lives with his wife, Lisa, and daughter.

Prior experience includes many years in upper management with Northwest Airlines ... Nancy Hagen Staiger (’76) of Moorhead is in the remodeling business, specializing in woodwork.

She is mother of six, three of which are foster (Continued on page 6)

Horizons Page 6

Bixby Added

Founders

toFounders’Walk

T

ams Bixby, one of the early entrepreneurs who helped move Bemidji from a collection of homesteads to a city, will be added July 10 to the Founders’ Walk during 11 a.m. ceremonies at the archway that serves as the entrance to Deputy Hall on the Bemidji State University campus.

Founded in 1993, the Founders’ Walk recognizes individuals who were instrumental in the development of the University. Located on the Alumni Arch that serves as the main entrance to BSU, the Founders’ Walk currently includes A. P. Ritchie, Judge Lloyd Pendergast, Leonard Dickinson, A. P. White, and the Baer family.

Bixby first became interested in the Bemidji area when he served as the secretary to David Clough, the Minnesota governor, in 1894.

He noted that settlers were coming to build homesteads in Beltrami County, and in 1895 he joined with six other individuals in establishing the original townsite.

The seven bought 93 acres of land, extending from Diamond Point to the inlet of the Mississippi River on Lake Bemidji. By 1896 the village of Bemidji was surveyed, platted and incorporated with Bixby serving as the chairman of the board.

The lots were sold for $75 to $100 each. Most commercial lots were for hotels, restaurants, saloons, gambling and gaming houses, and other establishments common to a growing logging town.

At the first stockholder’s meeting, Bixby reported that Beltrami County would split from Becker County and a search was underway for the county seat. To help persuade the legislature, Bixby suggested donating a lot for the new courthouse.

The tactic proved successful, and provided the basis for other donations to attract desirable elements to the growing community. An elementary school, high school, a hospital, a larger courthouse, a jail and a sheriff’s house were all built on donated land.

The ploy was especially important to the establishment of a new

state normal school in northern Minnesota, but not before Bixby would use his influence to put Bemidji in a position to be considered for the facility.

The legislature had voted in 1909 to place the normal school in Cass Lake. Bixby then convinced the governor to veto the bill. When the issue came before the legislature again, Bixby and the Bemidji Townsite Company offered lakeshore property for the new school. State lawmakers then voted to have the Normal School located in Bemidji.

Bixby was instrumental in many other endeavors that proved instrumental to the growth of Bemidji. He was among the founders of the local commercial club to promote economic development and tourism; helped influence the routing of Great Northern and Northern Pacific railways through the community; and persuaded hoteliers to build elegant establishments in the city.

He was also behind one of the great myths of the region. During his early involvement with Bemidji, Bixby often visited Freeman and Betsy Doud on their homestead. He would collect small quartz rocks from a sandy point on the land, and take them

to St. Paul, where newspapers printed articles about precious gems being found in Minnesota’s northernmost village. The land was eventually called Diamond Point.

Aside from this diversion from reality, Bixby was generally considered a forward-thinking entrepreneur. He built a summer home on the north side of the lake and often spoke on his favorite subject.

“Bemidji will become Minnesota’s favorite summer and health resort, and the summer sojourner will find ready, at hand, an infinite variety of ways and means with which to while away the long hours of a summer’s day,” he was quoted as saying at the grand opening of the Markham Hotel.

“The devotee of rod and reel and the chase could scarcely choose a more inviting point than that offered by Bemidji.”

Typically, Bixby then announced that the Townsite Company would work with businessmen to build a new town hall, a fire hall, and an opera house.

While other cities were struggling to move forward, Bemidji’s development was being charted, planned and built to include schools, churches, the opera house, jails, and other things that set the town apart from other northern Minnesota settlements.

The work of Bixby, who died in 1922, and the early Townsite Company helped give Bemidji a standard of quality that influenced the life of the community.

Following the ceremonies at the Alumni Arch and Founders’ Walk, a reception will be held in the David Park House adjacent to the BSU campus. ■

B “

emidji will become Minnesota’s favorite summer and health resort, and the summer sojourner will find ready, at hand, an infinite variety of ways and means with which to while away the long hours of a summer’s day” Tams Bixby

Where We Are ... What We’re Doing (Continued from page 5)

children ... Rosalie Schmith (’74) teaches at Sebeka Public Schools and writes that graduation from BSU seems “only yesterday” ... Michael Bielecki (’78) of Gilroy, CA, is a San Jose Police lieutenant. He has three sons ... Pamela Rodriguez (’78) of Elk Grove,IL, recently began teaching in an MSW program ... Bill Ress (’76) of Corrales, NM, was recently married and is the director of education and training for a health care company ... Marcia Ford (’79) of Coon Rapids is an aquatic coordinator and teacher for Columbia Heights Schools. She has six-year-old twin boys ... Gregg A. Potter (’71) of Missoula, MT, is a landscape and grounds technician for the University of Montana and a private contractor for landscaping and grounds maintenance ... Bob Shadiow (’70) of Flagstaff, AZ, is a counselor at DeMiguel Elementary School ... Bob Sollom (’72) and Cathy (Lewis) Sollom (’72) live in Stafford, VA. Bob works for the U.S. Marine Corps as a total quality leadership coordinator at Quantico, VA, and Cathy works for the Marine Corps as a regional program manager for the Middle East and Pacific region. They have three children ... Connie (Dufault) Ross (’75) of Oakes, ND, works as a child care provider and started a girls T-ball and softball program in her community. She and her husband have four children ... Janet Skinner (’72) of Mountain Iron is enjoying retirement with her husband, Dale, and is an active volunteer ... Denise (Mayasich) Bacon (’78) of Cambridge is a social worker for

Cambridge Medical Center and chairs the Isanti County Caregivers Advisory Board. She is also secretary of the Healthy Seniors Board of Directors. She and her husband, Larry, have two sons ... Tom Harford (’75) lives in Topeka, KS ... Marlene Bowen (’73) lives in Duluth ...

William J. Schneider (’76) of Bemidji retired from a 30-year teaching career in 1996, 24 years of which were spent teaching at the Northwest Technical College ... Rick Koivisto (’74) of Plummer recently became engaged to Janet Berberich. He’s finishing his 24th year of teaching fourth grade in Plummer and has been the girls basketball coach there for 22 years ...

Richard G. Lyttle (’72) of Meeker, CO, is vicepresident of his local historical society and is involved with high school education committees ... Kirk W. Myers (’72) lives in Remer ... Cynthia (Tangen) Johnson (’72) of Prior Lake is teaching special education students in District 917 at Rosemount ... Karen Schrader (’76) lives in Warroad ... David Schimpp (’72) and Jocelyn Schimpp (’71) live in Remer where both hold teaching positions.

David teaches industrial technology at Hill City and Jocelyn teaches kindergarten in the RemerLongville schools ... Roger Lindroos (’77) of Menahga reports that he is retiring on June 30 ...

Donald E. Johnson (’73) of Chetek, WI, has been a teacher in Chetek for 25 years. His son, Casey, won the 112 pound Division 2 weight class at the Wisconsin State Wrestling Tournament as a sophomore ... Linda

1978 Intramural Championship Football Team;Pictured left to right; Front Row 1: Jerry Erdahl, Kent Hauston, Rich Sorem, Jim Erdahl, Mike Militor, Mike Heffernan, Pete Ryan.

Middle Row: Mark Miller, Dave Graber, Bill Wassink, Jery Holforty, Rick Lappi. Back Row: Mark Pannkuk, Jim Wood, Steve Gruber, Jim Tuorila, Dan Devriew, Kurt Persson.

Reunion of 1978 Intramural Championship Football Team. Jim Tuorila is organizing a reunion of the 1978 intramural football championship team. The reunion will take place September 26-27, 1998, during BSU’s Homecoming celebration. Team members, mark your calendars and plan to attend! More information will be mailed to you in the near future!

(Cardona) Kozicky (’76) lives in Chaska and works as a registered nurse at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park. She has three children, ages 14, 13, and 10, and keeps busy with soccer, scouting, baseball and sewing ...

Rosemary (Chianelli) Onstad (’70) of Coon Rapids has been teaching for 28 years at Earle Brown Elementary School in Brooklyn Center.

In 1994 she married Neil Onstad, who is also an elementary teacher ... Dave Schoeck (’74) is teaching in Hancock. He retired from coaching

after Hancock won the ’97 Boys Class A Title ...

Ardele Kimball (’76) ofAitkin retired from teaching after 28 years and now works part-time at her son’s antique shop ... Mary Gross Erickson (’72) is living in Mountain Iron ...

Dave Braaten (’74) has retired from teaching and coaching and recently moved into a townhome on a lake outside of Grand Rapids ...

Jude Boulianne (’71) coached a Lorette High School team to a win at the boys Manitoba High

School Hockey Tournament ... James Tuorila (’79) of St. Cloud would love to see the ’78 BSU Intramural Football champs get together at homecoming this year, the 20TH anniversary of the team’s championship.Craig Thielke (’75) lives in Robbinsdale ... Donald G. Hansen (’77) of Slayton is vice-president of the Currie State Bank. He has three sons, ages 17, 16 and 7 ...

Carol (Finkbiner) Counter (’77) works as an office manager for a computer company and sings with the Gwinnett Choral Guild. The

Horizons Page 7 Commitment to Education Alive for 70 Years Harry Moore’s formal education ended in the fall of 1928 after graduating from high school. He hadn’t planned it to happen that way because he had everything set to go to the University of North Dakota.

Then things changed. The bank in the town of Drayton, North Dakota, where Harry was born and raised, closed its doors, taking with it all of the money Harry had planned to use for college tuition.

Rather than heading to the classrooms on campus, Harry went to work.

While circumstances didn’t allow Harry the opportunity to go to college, he never lost his belief in the value of a college education. He instilled that belief in his four children, and made sure they all got the opportunity he missed.

Two of his children, Pat and Lois, attended Bemidji State University; his son Bob graduated from West Point; and his youngest daughter Margaret graduated from the University of Minnesota after spending her first two years at BSU. Recently, when Harry was making plans for his estate, he again recognized the importance of education by establishing a charitable remainder trust for Bemidji State University. Eventually, the money in the trust will provide scholarships to support students at BSU. A Drayton native, Harry moved to Bemidji in 1947, where he and his late wife Harriet raised their family.

Harry moved to Grand Forks in 1984 when he married his second wife, Elynor. They now split their time between Arizona and Grand Forks, where they are still picking up the pieces after having their house severely damaged in last year’s flood.

Individuals interested in showing their commitment to education like Moore has done through a charitable remainder trust can contact the BSU Foundation at 218-755-2876 or 1-888-234-5718. ■ Harry Moore

group has a Carnegie Hall performance slated for May and performed in St. Petersburg, Russia, two years ago ... Merna Johnson (’73) of Grand Rapids has been retired for 11 years from her position as a social services director ...

Gay Lowth Grimsrud (’75) has worked for the past 20 years as an office manager for a Ford dealership in Townsend, MT ... Vern Boyer (’75) and Linda (Murray) Boyer (’75) live in Laurel, MT, where Vern works for a Kenworth dealership and Linda teaches Spanish at a Catholic High School. The couple has two children, ages 17 and 14, and loves to camp in Montana ... Gregg Hanson (’70) of Willmar is a CEO with Hanson Silo Co. and designed a new Mega-Trac silo unloader. He serves as a director on boards for First American Bank, West Central Youth for Christ, Praise FM Radio and Minnesota Technology ... Michael Hewitt (’79) of Tucson, AZ, finished his Ph.D. at the University of Arizona in 1991 and has since been working as the director of exercise physiology at Canyon Ranch in Tucson ...

Donna (Schultz) Walters (’71) of Sauk Rapids has been teaching physical education for 27 years in the St. Cloud School District ... Laura Gaines (’73) of Mahwah, NJ, is planning a trip to China ... Laurie (Bottem) Kelly (’78) was selected as coach of the year for the state of Montana after her team won the Montana State High School Volleyball Championship. “I accept my award on behalf of the people at Bemidji State University who guided me to all

these adventures in life,” wrote Kelly. Her daughter, Kamber, was selected Montana’s volleyball MVP. She is a high school freshman and a setter on the team ... Mary Lenz (’76) was selected for inclusion in the fifth edition of “Who’s Who Among American Teachers, 1998.” She is a fourth-grade teacher at St. Philip School in Litchfield. Only 5 percent of the nation’s teachers have been selected for this honor ... Doug Bloom (’77) has been named teacher of the year by the North Branch Education Association ... Gary P. Johnson (’74) of Potlatch, ID, works for Washington State University in the Chemistry Department.

He completed a master of sciences degree at the University of Idaho in 1978, taught in Erie, PA, for a year, and has been teaching at WSU since 1979 ... Elaine Love (’72) was selected as teacher of the year by the Frazee Education Association. She teaches fifth-grade ... Ruth Edevold (’70) is one of three role models who were recognized by the Land of Lakes Girl Scout Council recently as this year’s Women of Excellence. She is the first and only executive director of the Northwest Minnesota Foundation. Officed in Bemidji, the organization has more than $20 million in assets and it grants nearly $2 million a year to support charitable activities and to improve the quality of life for people in a 12-county area of northwest Minnesota.

The Courting of Graduates Continued from page 1

In addition to starting the recruitment process earlier, Giauque said that tactics include sponsoring social events for students, enticing them with signing bonuses, and offering jobs on the spot.

Graduates are taking advantage of the high level of attention by preparing well in advance for the career search. They attend seminars on everything from writing a resume to surviving the interview process. Even though job prospects are good, getting the offer with the right company is not a guarantee.

“They know that recruiters are looking for people who are wellprepared,” Giauque mentioned.

“The companies want to hire professionals, and students have to look and act in the appropriate manner.”

Which is one part of the job search process that hasn’t changed over time. ■

IN MEMORIAM Terry Del Monte (’72) Madie Holty (’34) of Bagley Dennis Frederick (’81) of Sauk Rapids Carol Osborne Bentrud (’52) of New Brighton Doug Stevens (’88) of Bemidji Joyce K. Ranger (’42) of Hibbing Sam Sandeen (’54) of Bagley Eloise Segersten (’72) of Crosby Quentin Doty (’34) of Little Falls Thala Anderson (’74) of Zuni, NM Clifford Larson (’32) of San Jose, CA Terry Merfeld (’65) of Ely Verna Clark (’46) of Roscommon, MI Laura Killmer (’33) of Brainerd Edna Stilwell (’31) of Rock Hill, SC Steven Hake (’78) of Bemidji Richard Hill (’73) of East Grand Forks

1960s Clare Elmer Kapphahn (’60) retired in June of ‘95 and lives in Willmar. All three of their sons have attended BSU ... Richard Houtkooper (’68) of Clearbrook has a new granddaughter ... Jim Anderson (’68) and Pat (Collins) Anderson (’68) have been married 30 years and live in Brainerd. Jim worked 20 years with the Holiday Inn and is active in music groups at church and in the community. Pat writes that she is, “still knee deep in dogs and still loves playing percussion.” ... Tom Saterdalen (’64), head hockey coach at Bloomington Jefferson High, took his team to the 1997-98 High School Hockey Tournament ... Gary Zitzer (’68) recently retired from a career with the Crookston Park and Recreation Department where he had worked since ’71.

Zitzer found satisfaction in seeing the development of children as they succeeded through the programs. “I liked working with these kids and watching them grow up into good athletes, good citizens.” ... Dr. James R. Belpedio (’64) of Worcester, MA, is a professor of history, government and humanities at Becker College. He and his wife, Lesta, have four children and are expecting their first grandchild soon ... Anthony Szymczak (’64) and Carol (Fortier) Szymczak (’69) are both teaching fourth grade in Park Rapids. Their daughter, Amy, was recently married, and their son, Ed, is a sophomore in high school ...

Elizabeth Joiner (’68) is a magnet resource

Bemidji State University

FOUNDATION

HeritageClub

The Heritage Club, a newsletter...

.

“How do I make sure the people I care about, like my children and grandchildren, get the benefit of my life’s hard work, not Uncle Sam?” “I know we should have a will, but we’ll get to that sometime soon.

What’s the rush?”

“What is the difference between the gift tax and the unified tax credit?”

“I want to help out the charities that are important to me, but how can I do that and make sure I still have enough income for myself?”

Alumni who have had any of these thoughts need to receive the BSU Foundation’s newsletter, the Heritage Club. It is full of information on estate and financial planning designed specifically for BSU’s alumni and friends. Each quarterly edition contains several articles addressing issues like those raised above.

Individuals who want to be on the mailing list for the Heritage Club newsletter can call the BSU Foundation. Those living outside of Bemidji can call toll free at 1-888-234-5718; the local Bemidji number is 7552876. Don’t delay - there’s free information waiting for you today.

The Heritage Club, a giving club....

The BSU Foundation has a new giving club called the Heritage Club that will recognize people who have made deferred gifts to BSU. Donors providing a deferred gift make provisions for the gift now, but the funds will not come to BSU until sometime in the future.

Deferred gifts include provisions in a will for BSU, insurance policies that have named the BSU Foundation as the beneficiary, charitable gift annuities, and charitable remainder trusts.

Individuals who have made a deferred gift to BSU should inform the BSU Foundation so they can be recognized through this exclusive giving club by returning the form below.

More information on deferred gift options are available by contacting Marla Huss, director of development for the BSU Foundation at 1-888-234-5718 or 755-2876. ■ BEMIDJI STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION

HeritageClub

}

I have made a gift in my will for BSU. I am considering I would like more information about charitable gift annuities that would provide a lifetime income for myself and/or someone else.

I have named BSU as a beneficiary in a life insurance policy..

I have included BSU as beneficiary in a charitable remainder trust.

Name ___________________________________________________________ Address _________________________________________________________ City/State/Zip ____________________________________________________ Daytime Phone___________________Evening Phone _____________________

teacher in the Sacramento City Unified School District in Sacramento, CA ... Mary (Gravel) Budge (’60) is retiring after 35 years of teaching, 29 of which were in the Edina Public School System ... Jerry Riewer (’60) and his wife, Maryann, have three children and six grandchildren and live in Staples ... Doris (Horns) Brown (’61) of Blaine writes to say she’s still living on an acreage in a growing suburb ... Larry Erie (’62) of Pinewood continues volunteering to work with youngsters in the area ... Lois Filla (’69) of Littlefork is retired and enjoys traveling ... Paula Anderson (’65) of Blackduck retired after 33 years of teaching and now enjoys traveling .. David

Ray and Diana Jensen

Lillquist (’66) and Linea (Lindstrom) Lillquist (’68) live in Fayetteville, AR, where David is manager of quality assurance for Vlasic Foods International and Linnea teaches sixth grade at Washington Elementary School. The couple has two daughters ... Rita (Sullivan) Pond (’66) of Waianae, HI, and her husband, Ted, both recently retired from working as real estate brokers and are enjoying golfing and traveling ... Lee Valsvik (’60) and his wife, Pat, live in Ponsford and spend the winters visiting their son in Florida and their daughter in California. Lee retired from teaching in ’93. The couple has three grandchildren ...

John Bianchi (’62), principal at Bloomington Jefferson High School, will end a 36-year career with the school district when he retires at the end of this school year.

He plans to pursue a new career in human resources, media relations, public relations or sales ... Pat Kelly (’69), North Country Health Services Foundation vice president of development at Bemidji, recently was on hand to accept a $5,000 donation from Ottertail Power Company to be used to expand the hospital’s dialysis unit to include a seventh station with isolation capabilities ... Ray Jensen (’62) and Diana Jensen (’59) of rural Solway have been working to turn their 200 acres into a model of good (Continued on page 6)

Horizons Page 8

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE

HOME ...coming September 21-27, 1998

“There’s No Place Like Home...coming, 1998” is the theme for Bemidji State University’s 1998 Homecoming celebration.

It promises to be another exciting weekend with changes to the look of Homecoming. All alumni events will be held on campus in the Beaux Arts Ballroom, including the Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony, the annual Alumni Honors Luncheon, the postgame reception, and the traditional Homecoming dance.

In addition, reunions of the classes of 1948, 1958, 1973 and 1988 are being considered, as is the formal dedication of the Alumni Patio and Foundation Walk.

A major change in Homecoming 1998 will be the dropping of the parade from the schedule of events.

The Alumni Association felt the quality of the parade was diminishing because of a lack of participation by area high school bands. As a result, the decision was made that the association would no longer be responsible for coordinating the parade. Additionally, financial resources are invested by the Alumni Association into the parade and the board of directors felt those dollars could be more wisely invested elsewhere.

More information relating to Homecoming 1998 will be included in the next issue of HORIZONS and brochures will be mailed to all active members of the alumni association.

For additional information, contact the Bemidji State University Alumni Office by calling 755-3989 (local) or 1-888-234-2687 (toll free). ■

(Continued from page 7)

conservation practices. They were recently honored for their efforts by the Beltrami Soil and Water Conservation District, which named them outstanding conservationists for 1997. The Jensens have planted more than 3,500 trees and shrubs on their land, more than 260 different varieties of plants and trees.

Their land is within sight of the Mississippi River in the southwest corner of Beltrami County.

1950s David Thireault (’53) is enjoying life in Blackduck ... Lyle Dally (’54) and his wife, Jeanne, own and operate the Patagonia Market, the only grocery store in Patagonia, AZ, ... Bonnie M. Luedtke (’54) of Mission Viejo, CA, retired from teaching 10 years ago and now enjoys traveling and spending summers in Minnesota on Rush Lake near Perham ... Myron J. Spitzer (’53) of Hebron, ND, enjoys hunting, fishing, gardening and traveling. In fact, he enjoys retirement so much he writes that he “should have retired 50 years ago” ... Travis B. Olson (’50) of Hendrum continues teaching at Norman County West High ... Edna Pearson (’58) of McIntosh is retired and enjoys volunteer work, church and hobbies ... Elroy E. Evans (’59) of Wadena is retired and travels and visits relatives often ...

Charles Broekemeier (’55) of Cross Lake retired in 1991 after teaching for 34 years ...

Ivy (Hanson) Johnson (’56) of St. Charles, IA, enjoys her retirement and keeps busy tutoring two hours daily, skiing in the winter and traveling ... Burt Fisher (’50) of Scottsdale, AZ, was a computer specialist for Motorola for many years before retiring. He now keeps busy hiking the desert and mountain trails in Arizona. He and his wife also enjoy annual visits to two timeshare resorts ... James Jenner (’57) and Marlene (Wrege) Jenner (’56) are retired and live in Sun City, AZ. Jim taught high school history, geography, anthropology, basketball and tennis - from 1957 to 1990. He was inducted into the Teacher of the Year Hall of Fame at BSU in 1995. Today, he enjoys caring for his horses, playing tennis and golfing. Marlene is very active in church activities and the Sun City Singing Group.

1940s Joyce (Dunlap) Doyle (‘49) and her husband spend winters in Sun Lakes, AZ, and summers at their lake cabin at South Haven.

Communiques fromtheAlumniOffice Calling All Outstanding Mass Communication Alumni The good news is that the Department of Mass Communication has mounted an Outstanding Alumni plaque in the second floor hallway of Bangsberg Hall to recognize those alumni so honored. The bad news is that their records are incomplete, and they can’t find the names of several whom they have recognized as outstanding alumni. The names and years they have records of are: Joe Rossi, 1992; Brian Peterson, 1993; Jim Nielsen, 1995; Karl Reichert, 1996; and Carol Russell-Phelps 1998. If you were, or know of someone who was, named Outstanding Mass Communication Alumni for a year other than these five, please send the information to Roy Blackwood, Chair of the Department of Mass Communication, call him at 218/755-3926, or e-mail him at rblackwood@vax1.bemidji.msus.edu. Thanks for your help.

Last Chance for Phase One of Alumni Patio and Foundation Walk Groundbreaking for the long-awaited Bemidji State University Alumni Patio and Foundation Walk is scheduled for this spring. Construction will take place throughout the summer with a formal dedication planned during BSU Homecoming 1998. In order for alumni and friends of Bemidji State University to participate in Phase One of the Alumni Patio and Foundation Walk project, personalized patio pavers must be ordered no later than July 1.

One final wave of brochures describing the project will be mailed out in June. It will include order forms for purchasing a patio paver; pavers can also be ordered through the BSU Alumni Offices for $100 each. For more information relating to the patio and walkway project, contact the BSU Alumni Office at 1-888-234-2687.

1998 BSU Winter Rendezvous a Huge Success On March 15-16, 110 alumni and friends of Bemidji State University convened in Laughlin, Nevada, to participate in the second annual BSU Winter Rendezvous. The event was a huge success because of the hard work of some key volunteers. BSU alumnus, Bill Howe ‘51, coordinated another successful BSU Winter Rendezvous Golf Classic held at the Mojave Resort Golf Club with 12 teams participating. Jack and Joyce St. Martin handled all the arrangements with the Colorado Belle for rooms and banquet facilities.

Other highlights of the event included a jet boat ride down the Colorado River for non-golfers, an energetic presentation by BSU President Jim Bensen, and a visit by an unexpected and entertaining guest, St. Urho (aka: Harvey Westrom). The BSU Spirit Award was presented to Bill Robertson, and Gordie Nei won a door prize donated by Donald and Lani Kassube: a two-day fishing trip in Alaska. The event continues to grow and all participants are eagerly looking forward to the 1999 Rendezvous, which will take place March 14-15. Because they were so accommodating, the group will return to the Colorado Belle.

For further information relating to the 1999 BSU Winter Rendezvous, contact the Bemidji State University Alumni Office at 1-888-234-2687.

LEFT: Taking home first place honors for the second annual BSU Winter Golf Classic were (left to right) Ray Lynch, Bob Kennedy, Chan Bailey and Tom Corrigan.

ABOVE: Bill Howe gives out final instructions prior to the BSU Winter Golf Classic while Jack St. Martin, Chet Swedmark and Wally Solland listen.

Its not too late...

The Annual Fund year closes on June 30, 1998 but there is still time to make your gift to help support current and future BSU students.

Gifts received by June 30, 1998 will be recognized in the Foundation's annual report. We have almost reached our goal but we need your help!

Fill out the following pledge form and mail it back today! Your gift will make a difference!

Yes, I/we want to help make a difference in the lives of BSU students!

I/we would like our 1997-98 gift used as follows: _____ BSU Annual Fund _____ Designated to: _______________________________________ Gift Amount: $ __________

Other

$300

Enclosed is my/our check (Payable to: BSU Foundation) Please charge the above amount to my/our MasterCard

$150

$75

$30

VISA

Card # ____________________________________ Exp. Date ________________________________ Signature ___________________________________________________________________________ Name(s) _______________________________________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________________________________________ City ___________________________________________ State _________ Zip ______________________

1930s Rebecca (Corbit) Stetzler (’37) of Menahga is enjoying a new house and garden. She is involved in Menahga Horticultural Society projects and writes a column in her local newspaper about gardening. This year she took a trip to Alaska. ■

My employer will match my gift.

The matching gift form is enclosed.

Please mail to: BSU Foundation, 1500 Birchmont DR NE DPH, Bemidji, MN 56601-2699 Or Fax to: BSU Foundation, 218-755-4146 Or make your pledge online at: http://info.bemidji.msus.edu/foundation