winter98

BSUCalendar December 5,6,7,12,13,14, 1997

Madrigal Dinners, Bemidji December 13, 1997

Madrigal Dinners Alumni Reunion December 17,18, 1997

Madrigal Dinners, St Paul Radisson January 16, 1998

Vol. 13, No. 2, Winter 1997-98

A Publication for Alumni & Friends of Bemidji State University

BSUHorizons

Alumni Reception, Alexandria 5 p.m.* January 24, 1998

Beaver Pride Winter Golf Classic on the frozen waters of Lake Bemidji January 31, 1998

BSU Foundation Snow Ball, 6 p.m., BSU’s Beaux Arts Ballroom February 8, 1998

Opera Night, Twin Cities February 13, 1998

Alumni Reception, Brainerd, 5 p.m.* February 13, 1998

MN Music Educators, BSU Alumni Reception February 15, 1998

Opera Night, Bemidji February 21, 1998

Twin Cities Alumni & Friends Dinner, Northland Inn , Brooklyn Park March 7, 1998

BSU Alumni and Student Senators Brunch, Washington, DC* March 15,16, 1998

BSU Winter Rendezvous, Laughlin, Nevada March 27, 1998

Alumni Reception, Hibbing, 5 p.m.*

*Details to be announced

N

Bemidji State University

BSUHorizons

Office of Alumni Affairs 1500 Birchmont Drive NE #DPH Bemidji, Minnesota 56601-2699

NON-PROFIT ORGAN. U.S. POSTAGE

P A I D

Bemidji, MN 56601-2699 PERMIT NO. 9

Penalt y for Private Use

eil Wittiko has been getting a lot of E grades lately.

That’s E for Energetic; another E for Exciting ... or the always popular E for Effort ... and now he can add an E for Exceptional to his report card.

Wittiko, a Bemidji State graduate and teacher at Hermantown High School, was named this fall as the 1997 Minnesota Teacher of the Year by the Minnesota Education Association.

A native of Glenwood, Wittiko graduated from BSU in 1982 with degrees in English and German.

Energetic and exciting were words frequently used by his former students when describing his classroom style and presentations in German, English and television courses. He was known to push students to their limits, compelling them to excel.

“I teach because I really enjoy working with students, and I love my content areas,” Wittiko said.

“I like seeing students succeed.

Nothing is more rewarding than watching students accomplish something that they may never had thought they could do.”

As an example, Wittiko described one of this fall’s projects, the directing of a musical at the high school. At the start of rehearsals, the students couldn’t believe they could sing on a stage, let alone in front of a large audience of family, friends, and theater goers. With hard work, they got it done and did it well.

“It’s amazing what students can do when you empower them and give them the tools to accomplish something worthwhile. These are the real rewards that are built into the teaching profession.”

Wittiko has been capturing those rewards over 15 years of teaching, two years at Olivia High School and two more at Foley High School before joining the Hermantown faculty in 1986. During his career, he has coached track, advised students clubs, worked with student government, and directed drama.

But most of all he’s loved the classroom interaction and the subjects he teaches. He hasn’t allowed his day or his career to fall into a rut as he has been known to have up to five different class preparations in a single term.

Neil Wittiko

Living up to the Grade

W

“Teaching allows to take the steps e, as teachers, should never, never needed to be sucme to work every day in areas that cessful in front of a underestimate the power of what interest me. English, class. Wittiko bewe do. Everything we say or do can make German and drama,” lieves that sharing he commented.“I the intrinsic rewards the difference of a lifetime.” Neil Wittiko love the variety and with prospective the different type of teachers will help teaching schedule it gives me.

“What teachers do is so impor- attract some of the best men and Things are kept moving along tant. I don’t know of another pro- women into the field.

“Too often young people look fairly quickly.” fession where there is so much Fairly quickly also describes potential to affect people’s lives at the dollars when they start the pace Wittiko has had to main- on a day-to-day basis,” he noted. looking to their future,” he tain since learning of his selec- “We can always improve, but we thought. “We need to change that. tion in mid-October. The media already do many things right.

I think teaching is the greatest “Schools need to open their career with more rewards than attention, interviews and phone calls were intense for a couple of doors and let the people see how any other profession. weeks. He was also contacted fre- well teaching is really going.

“Kids today have unlimited quently by old friends, BSU Some of our critics need to get into potential. My job as a teacher is classmates, and colleagues with the classroom and watch the ex- to give the students an avenue to citement and learning take place. open the doors to their lives, escongratulatory wishes.

He had less than a week to pre- We are fortunate that Hermantown pecially in this day and age when pare for the state convention, is a very supportive community everything can be found on the where he was a featured speaker, when it comes to education.”

Internet. It’s a different world, He talks fondly of the prepara- and we have to empower kids to and only a couple more to prepare materials for his nomination tion he received at BSU, one that find the answers they need to be as National Teacher of the Year. gave him confidence, and his stu- what they want to be.

Wittiko has taken this attention dent teaching experience with “And we, as teachers, should and turned it on the profession he BSU alumna Marge Engebretson, never, never underestimate the loves. He feels teachers, espe- who was the 1984 Minnesota power of what we do. Everything cially those in public education, Teacher of the Year. we say or do can make the difBased on his experiences, he’s ference of a lifetime.” ■ don’t get the credit they deserve and that Minnesota’s schools are not hesitant to encourage others among the best in the nation.

“

Horizons Page 2

Solberg Makes Little Moves

Minnesota

inBigWays

legislature E “

ducation can also be seen as a leading economic tool for outstate areas. If government doesn’t provide those tools, you have to look at what else might be lost.”mmmmm Loren Solberg Loren Solberg likes to tell people that he has advanced one whole room in his career since graduating from Bemidji State University and starting his first job.

That may literally be the case, but nothing could be further from he truth in terms of his work and service to the people of Minnesota.

Solberg is one of six members of the Minnesota House of Representatives with ties to BSU. Some have taken courses at the University and others have earned bachelor’s degrees. Solberg is the only one with both under-

graduate and graduate degrees from Bemidji State.

A math major, he student taught in Bovey in 1965 and was hired by the school district as soon as he graduated. He’s been there since, and now teaches in the room next to the one he used as a student teacher.

But a room where he spends a lot of his time lately is located within the capitol in St. Paul, where Solberg has served as a legislator since first being elected in 1982. During his tenure, he has built a reputation as one of the most respected member of the house.

It was Solberg the legislature tapped in 1989 when it formed its first Ethics Committee and was looking for a chair. And it was Solberg who was asked to serve as the chair of a newly created and influential Ways and Means Committee, a post he has continued to fill for three different speakers of the house. ‘“That’s an accomplishment I feel good about,” Solberg said.

“I’ve given all three speakers the opportunity to replace me, as is their prerogative, but they all said I was the person they wanted.”

Solberg feels his longevity within the House structure and as a legislator is due to his ability to look at the big picture of different issues, to balance the often competing interests, and to understand as well as work within the political process and system.

“It is also helpful to be forth-

right and promise nothing you can’t deliver,” he added. “If you lay it all out and are honest with people, they may not totally agree with what you do, but they always understand why you do things.”

One of the most powerful in the House, the Ways and Means Committee is responsible for setting fiscal policy and allocating specific budget targets for policy initiatives and all units of government. Every appropriations bill goes to this committee before it reaches the House floor for a vote.

Solberg has also chaired the Criminal Justice Committee and was the author of the 1992 Omnibus Crime Bill and a court refinancing bill that increased state assumption of public defender and county court costs. His other legislative priorities have included supporting higher education opportunities for youth and adults, making the state’s taconite industry more competitive, diversifying the local economy, and addressing health care.

Solberg recently chaired a special House task force on the state’s response to federal budget cuts, focusing on changes in welfare and health care law.

For the next legislative session, he sees property tax reform as a priority.

“It is going to be a big topic of conversation, even though we set the property tax for two years during the last legislative session,” said Solberg, who is originally from Blackduck. “While there is no immediate need for action, the foundation has been set for reform and action will continue to move in that direction. It will be part of a larger discussion that runs the gamut of who funds what, the relationship the state has with other local units of government,

and issues like levy limits.

“For higher education, the challenge will be to have efficient systems that still provide access to everyone. If BSU had not existed for me, it would have been much harder to get the educational opportunities I did. Still, there will be continued pressure to fund more for the metro area and less for rural Minnesota.

“Education can also be seen as a leading economic tool for outstate areas,” he added. “If government doesn’t provide those tools, you have to look at what else might be lost.”

Despite a strong economy and revenue windfalls, Solberg still foresees tough times in the legislature.

“It’s never easy, because there are many competing interests for the use of money and resources.

Regardless of how much money is available, there is always a legitimate demand for state services that go beyond the capacity to pay.

That’s only made more difficult by the shifting of federal programs back to the state, which puts more pressure on budgets, especially in medical and social programs.

“It may be easier to address issues with more available funds, but you still have to have good debate on the policies and the priorities for state government.”

Solberg has enjoyed the politics and the debates for 15 sessions, and says that he gets the most satisfaction in being able to influence public policy and serving his constituents — whether it is from his classroom just one door down from where he started teaching or from the big room full of power and influence in St. Paul. ■ Bemidji State University

BSUHorizons Other Minnesota State Representatives with Ties to BSU

Vol. 13, No. 2, Winter 1997 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 . . . . . John McRae Editorial Assistance . . . . Peggy Nohner

Kris Hasskamp District 12A / Crosby

Tony Kinkel District 4B / Park Rapids

Bob Ness District 20A / Dassel

Gail Skare District 4A / Bemidji

Torrey Westrom District 13A / Elbow Lake

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.

Horizons Page 3

Finding a Niche

Niche

inLife

Larry Myers

Larry Myers spent a considerable amount of time exploring niche education.

For a while it was English, where his interest in science fiction and writing seemed welcoming.

Then it was the sciences, biology and geology specifically, before that didn’t feel right either.

Three years away from higher education only reinforced the realization that the Nevis High School graduate needed to find something for his future.

He settled on computer science and mathematics, and has parlayed that niche with his training in the other fields to become an award winning software developer in the fast-changing world of amusement park programming.

“So many people complain about all the different kind of courses they have to take in college, but I can’t think of anything I haven’t used in one way or another,” said Myers, who now lives in Orlando, Florida, where he works for Data Service Company of America (DSCA). “I had a year of geology, and learned certain

methodology the geologists use to approach a problem. That can be adapted and benefit a project.

“I also had a year of psychology, and I can talk for hours on how that crosses over. A solid year of English was immensely helpful.”

Myers utilizes his English background every time he writes documentation for the software his company develops. It is a task he does frequently as most of his colleagues prefer to write in code over composition.

The success of the company’s product means Myers spends a lot of time writing both. Last year their “Back Office” product received the first-place award from the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions as the best new revenue and admissions control product.

“Our company really sells the hardware, from cash registers to computers,” Myers explained.

“The hardware just sits there looking pretty without the right programs. You need to have the software to drive the systems, and a lot of people in the amusement

industry buy our products because of the software.”

The software functions as an interface to point of sale systems and admissions control systems, allowing a person to manage the park right from an office.

Ticket prices can be changed and downloaded instantaneously to all gates; templates for new food and beverage costs can be created and distributed throughout the park in a very short time; and statistical analysis is immediately available on how people are moving in and out of the park.

It can even tell who is working on a specific cash register, and make sure no mistakes are being made in customer pricing or cash collection.

“That’s really the whole idea about computers,” Myers said.

“They make mundane things easier so a manager can spend more time on important things.”

The software he worked on is enabling managers across the globe to concentrate on concerns beyond counting coins in the money box. A year ago he spent a month in China installing the system in the American Dream Park outside of Shanghai. Last summer it was the California State Fair, and soon it will be the Baltimore Zoo. “Our company’s product can run everything from mom-andpop fun centers with a couple of registers connected via a PC to the park in China, where a server kept track of 20 turnstiles, 20

ticket booths, 10 office work sta- college education today. A comtions, and 50 cash registers for puter scientist can always be food and beverages,” Myers ex- locked away in a room with the plained. “It was not quite as big machine and turn out software, but as the Magic Kingdom, but it was that may not get you the product you’re looking for. You have to aspiring to be like that.”

Myers has experience with the meet with people and gather inforMagic Kingdom. After graduating mation — from potential user to in 1982, he worked at Sperry installation — to be successful.”

Adaptability also means keepUnivac for eight years before moving on to Walt Disney World for ing up with the software and five years prior to joining DSCA. hardware. Their product is con“Working with a small com- tinually evolving and being alpany has been a lot of fun,” he tered to fit specific client needs. noted.“You’re able to take the cre- And in the future, it might be very ation of a software product from similar to the computer system concept to design through imple- envisioned to run the fictional mentation and maintenance. It’s “Jurassic Park.” completing the whole life cycle of the software, daptation is the key word in which is rare in today’s technological society, today’s comand what I learned at BSU puter world.

Typically you gave me the mindset to approach a work on one problem, the ability to find a solution, thing and pass it and the flexibility to adapt to any off to the next step.” situation.” Larry Myers Myers credits his BSU exIn fact, it’s closer than one perience with helping him fend his way through all facets of the might think.

“Right now we can do that,” process. “Adaptation is the key word in today’s technological Myers admitted. “The ‘Back society, and what I learned at Office’ software can interface BSU gave me the mindset to ap- with just about any control level proach a problem, the ability to system. It’s possible to almost find a solution, and the flexibil- track everything in the park to the extent that was seen in ity to adapt to any situation.

“That’s the greatest value of a the movie.” ■

Middle School yearbook ... Stephanie Daigle (‘97) is a grades 7-12 math teacher at Herman-Norcross School ...

Christine Olds (‘97) has joined the National Steel Pellet Company in Keewatin as an accountant. She resides in Grand Rapids ... Frances Larson (‘97) is an early family support counselor at The Village Family Services Center in Alexandria ... Lisa Doty (‘97) was married on Sept. 13 to Scott Foley in Bemidji. Doty is a registered nurse at the Mayo Medical Center in Rochester, while Scott works at Anderson Consulting in Minneapolis ... Jennifer Thoen (‘97) has been named Shakopee Convention and Visitor Bureau’s sales and marketing manager. She works in advertising promotion, group tour planning, sales and marketing ... Bruce Butterfield (‘97) is a fifth grade teacher at North School in Deer River. Bruce and his wife Ronda have two children ... Nicole Uhlenkamp (‘97) is coordinating programs in peer mediation and conflict resolution for the Cass Lake-Bena School District ...

Jeffrey Zigan (‘97) is the new business manager for the Park Rapids School District. He was formerly business manager of Northwest Technical CollegeBemidji and business services director

with the Cold Spring School District ...

Michael Donat (‘97) began his teaching career this fall as a first grade teacher at Cass Lake-Bena Elementary School ...

Paul Schaefer (‘96) was named recipient of a $1,000 postgraduate scholarship from the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and Sears, Roebuck and Co. Schaefer is currently enrolled in the physical therapy program at the University of Minnesota.

While at BSU, Schaefer was a member of the Red Line Swingers pep band. Each year, Sears and NACDA award a $1,000 academic scholarship to every NCAA Div. I, II, III and NAIA institution that wins a national championship. Recipients are members of the institution’s athletic support staff, such as band members, tutors, trainers, cheerleaders, team managers, sports information assistants and student assistant coaches ... Chari Buhman (‘96) is an EBD teacher for the Cass Lake-Bena School District. She formerly taught at a private church school in Oakley, Michigan ... Marta Underthum (‘96) is a fifth grade teacher at Cass Lake-Bena Elementary School ...

Matt King (‘96) is working at Minnesota Display and Graphics in Edina as a graphic designer ... Kate Funk (‘96) is an intern with River Bend Nature Center in

A “

Where We Are ... What We’re Doing

ALL CITIES ARE LOCATED IN MINNESOTA UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.

1990s Joy Stende (‘97) started her career in education this fall at Renville High School. She is serving as one of the school’s two Spanish instructors. Stende is making her home in Renville ... Tim Walker (‘97) is a second grade teacher at the Orr School. This is his first year teaching ... Mike Tweed (‘97) is teaching sociology and health at the Crossroads Learning Center in Finlayson. Crossroads is an alternative high school with an enrollment of about 100 students ... Nate Dybvig (‘97) has been hired as a reporter for the Brainerd Dispatch. He previously worked at the Bemidji Pioneer, the Askov American and Ely Timberjay ... Rob Strand (‘97) was married Aug. 23 to Michelle Elaine Johnson in Bemidji ...

Kevin Milbrandt (‘97) has been hired as a second grade teacher with the Virginia School District ... Lynn Keller (‘97) is teaching first grade at James Knoll Elementary School in Ortonville. Her

husband Trevor (‘92) also teaches in Ortonville ... Chris Hamilton (‘97) is an industrial arts teacher and varsity football coach with the Laporte School system ...

Jamie Koester (‘97) is a graduate student of music at the University of Iowa and was recently chosen to perform with the University Symphony. It is considered the most prestigious of the student ensembles at the U of I School of Music ... Jennifer Deeds (‘97) was married to Nathan Pochardt in June. The couple resides in Bemidji ... Matt Okeson (‘97) is a seventh grade life science teacher, eighth grade earth science teacher and senior high dance instructor with the Laporte School system ... Tresa Aiple (‘97) is currently living in Bloomington and working for United HealthCare Corporation as a tax associate/stock option assistant in the tax and risk management division ... Aubrey Levno (‘97) is a seventh grade language arts teacher at Fergus Falls Middle School. In addition to teaching, she also serves as advisor of the

Faribault ... Stacey (Grill) Stallard (‘96) was promoted to consumer loan officer/ personal banker at Norwest Bank in International Falls. She’s worked at the bank for eight years, with experience in compliance, auditing, credit underwriting and customer service ... Garrett Lathe (‘96) has been hired as head of the music department at Bagley High School. He previously served as a music teacher for the Red Lake School District ... Rian Heimark (‘96) is a fifth grade teacher in Roseau. He previously served as a paraprofessional and substitute teacher at Cass Lake Elementary and Roseau High School ... Deborah Morrill (‘95) is the coordinator of the Star Adventure Kids Center, a daycare center, in Mahnomen.

The center was recently constructed and serves as many as 200 children ...

Augusta Brandt (‘95) is a teacher at Win-E-Mac School in Erskine. She is engaged to be married in June of 1998 to BSU classmate Chris McLean ... Kristin Johnson (‘95) has been hired as a math teacher for Lakeview Middle School in Cottonwood ... Scott Fadness (‘95) traveled to the Russian Far East to work with the Honnocker Wildlife Institute Inc. to create paintings of the endangered Siberian Tiger. The paintings will be sold (Continued on page 4)

Horizons Page 4

Human Rights

Terrill Tackles Human Rights

A

T yrone Terrill

“

drum major is no good without a band, and a teacher can’t teach unless he has a classroom with students. I need the community to get rid of discrimination, and the community needs to have dialog to face racial questions.”mmmmmmm Tyrone Terrill

Tyrone Terrill may not know which hat he will be wearing on any given day, only that he’ll have plenty of choices.

A graduate of Bemidji State, Terrill was named the director of the St. Paul Department of Hu-

man Rights last spring, overseeing a staff of 16 investigators, compliance officers, and support personnel.

In that capacity, somedays he feels like an enforcement officer, which he is, making sure that the city’s ordinances and laws are being followed.

On other days, he’s a teacher educating people of all ages about the values of diversity and the dangers of prejudice.

Or he might find himself on the pulpit, talking at an area church about the richness and traditions of the civil rights movement.

Regardless, he’ll be enjoying what he’s doing.

“I’m one of the lucky people,” Terrill said. “If I was given the choice of any job I’d want, I would pick the one I have now. Even my mother recognized this. She said I came out of the womb to do exactly what I’m doing now.”

As the director, Terrill oversees the department that enforces the city’s human rights ordinance, handles discrimination complaints, conducts studies and research on equal opportunity or other issues, and creates education programs throughout the city.

“There are a lot of parts to this job,” Terrill commented. “Right now we’re in the midst of a 50 church tour where we’re trying to

build a bridge back to the religious community that was the foundation for the civil rights movement.

We’re connecting with the roots of that movement, explaining what we do and offering assistance to create environments that support positive standards.

“At the same time, I don’t kid myself. This is an enforcement agency, and just like the city has a police chief, I’m the human rights chief who works with the investigators and acts on decisions.”

Terrill feels that the St. Paul city government and community are committed to the provisions of civil rights, equal opportunity and affirmative action. It is support essential to the central goal of the department, to prevent acts of prejudice and bigotry by providing tools to help people promote understanding and respect.

“A drum major is no good without a band, and a teacher can’t teach unless he has a classroom with students,” Terrill explained. “I need the community to get rid of discrimination, and the community needs to have dialog to face racial questions.”

Terrill started working in the field immediately after graduating from BSU 1977 with degrees in physical education and health.

His first stop was as a compliance supervisor at the Minnesota Human Rights Department, where he evaluated affirmative action plans submitted by state contractors and monitored state

or state-assisted contracts for compliance with affirmative action guidelines.

From 1980 to 1987 he was the deputy director of the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights, managing the complaint and compliance division as well as helping enforce the city’s human rights ordinance.

For the 10 years prior to his appointment last April, he operated a consulting firm that specialized in diversity training, affirmative action complaint investigation, and contract compliance for agencies or private companies.

Terrill credits part of his success to his experiences at BSU. As a freshman from Kansas City, Missouri, Bemidji was his first real exposure to small communities and non-Black cultures.

“Bemidji State gave me the best foundation for this job,” he admitted. “The school and the city taught me there are good white people and good American Indian people. Stereotypes were incorrect, and grouping all people into one category is wrong.

“I came to know the difference between good and bad people, and learned you have to judge people individually and not as a group. I would say that Bemidji State played a major role in my development as a person.”

Those are lessons Terrill expects to share regardless of the hat he wears as the human rights leader for St. Paul. ■

Wedin (‘94) is a Title IX instructor for the Indian Education Program in cooperation with Nay Ah Shing School in Isle ...

Sarah Stierlen (‘94) has been hired as life science/biology teacher at Springfield High School. She is also coaching the ninth grade girls basketball team ... Sue Kelling (‘94) is a software engineer for IBM in Rochester. She completed her master of science degree in mathematics/ computer science from Mankato State University in Aug. of 1996 ... Shelly Anselmo (‘94) is one of only six female Department of Natural Resources conservation officers in Minnesota and the only one stationed outside of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. She started working in the McGregor area in May ...

Tracy Lee Peterson (‘94) was married to Robert Russell Hollister on May 10 in Bemidji. Both the bride and groom work for the U.S. Department of Justice and live in Minneapolis ... Richard Hendrickson (‘93) is a math teacher and head football coach at Win-E-Mac High School in Erskine. He’s also the owner of his own small business and lives at Island Lake. He previously taught math and computer classes in Climax ... Cory Lee Hendrickson (‘93) is a fifth grade and junior high reading instructor at Lakeview

Elementary and Middle School in Cottonwood. He previously was a Title 1 instructor in Carlton ... Amy Amundsen (‘93) is a teacher at Children’s World Learning Center in Plymouth and has earned national recognition as an Honors Teacher. The award is given to outstanding teachers who show exceptional instructional skills through developmentally appropriate practices with children.

She has been with the center for three years and serves as the lead teacher for the private kindergarten program ...

Richard Engelstad (‘93) is a health and physical education instructor at Pine City High School ... Christopher Mills (‘93) is the dean of students at Franklin Middle School in Thief River Falls. He previously taught fifth grade in Benson ...

Ling-Pan Wong (‘93) is a medical technologist at National University Hospital in Singapore. She was marred in May of 1996 ... Fang Shi (‘92) is working as a technical staff member at AT&T in Cincinnati, Ohio. He recently received his master of science degree from Ball State University ... Mary Eaton (‘91) has been named vice president of institutional and corporate relations at Northwest Technical College. She was formerly vice president of custom training services. She works out of the Bemidji campus ... Marti

(Klinker) Schroepfer (‘91) is working part time both as an administrative assistant for the Sleepy Eye Chamber of Commerce and a graphic artist for J&L Printing in Sleepy Eye. Marti and her husband Joel moved to the family’s home farm, which they are remodeling ...

Brian Trunk (‘91) is a modelmaker at Excel Models and Prototyping in Minneapolis. He was married in August of 1994 to the former Lisa Schiller. The couple recently relocated back to Minneapolis after spending over two years in Kobe and Tokyo, Japan where Brian was a part time English teacher at three different high schools and several private language schools ... Michael Anderson (‘91) is a U.S. Postal Service mail handler in St. Cloud. Mike and his wife Kathy (Jones) (‘91) have two children ... Gary Zirbes (‘91) is the new superintendent for the Ogilvie School District. He formerly taught in Sebeka, was assistant high school principal in Blackduck and spent 10 years in the Rothsay School District. Zirbes and his wife Charlotte have three children ...

Lana Schultz (‘91) is a licensed social worker and was selected as a presenter at the Ninth Annual Boys Town National Education Conference. She spoke on “Innovative Approaches to Collaborative

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

to support the work undertaken by the institute ... Jennelle Lowes (‘95) is a preschool teacher in early childhoodfamily education in Warroad. She previously served as a substitute teacher in Warroad, Baudette and Rainy River ...

David Cowlishaw (‘95) is a deputy with the Kittson County Sheriff’s Department.

Cowlishaw previously served for five years in the U.S. Navy and was introduced to the field of law enforcement as a member of the Navy’s Shore Patrol. He also previously worked for the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Department. David and his wife Pamela have one child and live in Hallock ... Patricia (Treeny) Wendt (‘95) is a life science/biology teacher with Parkers Prairie Public Schools ... Jenny Moorman (‘95) is working in the computer technology department of Lake of the Woods School. Jenny and her husband Ken have lived in the Baudette area for 27 years ... JoAnn Hovet (‘95) had art work and a story recently displayed at the Touche Gallery at BSU. The display featured 29 gouache illustrations, using colored pencil on colored paper with text. The illustrations and accompanying clay sculptures depicted characters from an unpublished

children’s novel Hovet wrote entitled, “Edgar and the Missing Egg.” ... Rhonda Furuseth (‘95) is a fifth grade reading teacher for the Warroad School System ...

Wendy Haavisto (‘94) is a legislative assistant for the Minnesota House of Representatives’ Republican Caucus.

Haavisto said she is taking a break from working on a master of arts degree in English. She’s making her home in Shoreview ... Dan “Woody” Wedin (‘94) is a Title IX American Indian Program tutor in Isle. This is his first year in teaching ... Jeffrey Birch (‘94) is a first grade teacher at Bagley Elementary School. He previously taught at Eden Valley-Watkins Elementary in Eden Valley ... Deborah Cain (‘94) has been living in Japan for the past three years.

She teaches English at two Japanese junior high schools in Kamisato, about 70 miles north of Tokyo. She is a participant in a Japanese exchange and teaching program ... June (Baumgart) Madurski (‘94) was recently married and moved to Stone Mountain, Georgia ... Richele Bizal (‘94) started teaching this fall at the Academy of Saints Peter and Paul in Loretto. She had been working as a substitute teacher for three years in a variety of school districts and student taught in Tasmania, Australia ... Daniel

Horizons Page 5

Quistgaard Named Acting Vice President Dr. Jon Quistgaard, the Bemidji State University dean of academic services and associate vice president for academic affairs, has been named as the acting vice president for academic and student affairs at BSU. The announcement was made following the selection of Dr. Linda Baer to serve as vice chancellor for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.

It will be Quistgaard’s second appointment as the acting vice president, having served in that capacity during the 1993-94 school year.

Quistgaard has filled a variety of roles since first joining the BSU community in 1979, including dean of academic services and dean of graduate studies. During this tenure, his responsibilities have covered such areas as the library, the School of Integrative Studies, academic policy development, admissions and advising, transfer articulation agreements, and international programming. He has also taught several courses.

A native of Bemidji, he holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in government and a doctorate in political science, all from the University of Arizona. His areas of study included international relations, comparative foreign policy, international law, and American political behavior. ■

Judy Discusses Work and Workers

Richard Judy

Nationally acclaimed economist and author Richard Judy discussed work and workers in the 21st century during the second annual Northern Tier Institute sponsored

by Bemidji State University.

The institute brought together leaders in industry, education, economic development, government and business for a one-day program on prospering in the knowledge age. In addition to Judy’s presentation, other topics explored higher education in Minnesota, the school to work effort, intellectual property, diversity in the workplace, advisory boards, and conducting global business in rural areas.

A co-author of “Workforce 2020,” Judy described the terrain that America’s labor force must traverse in the early 21st century.

Based on the research and observations that form the foundation

for the book, Judy foresees a future where many workers will enjoy previously unheard-of benefits from their careers while others will be stymied by change.

He feels much is already known today about what will divide the hopeful from the anxious at the turn of the century, and this knowledge can help prepare workers for the workforce that will be needed by the year 2020.

Judy also noted that the baby boomers are turning into “geezer boomers,” creating a graying workforce that will have a major impact on society. “The large numbers of baby boomers will certainly affect Social Security and Medicare benefits, which are very likely to be reduced by the time this cohort reaches age 65.”

He also predicted that the gap between the rich and the poor will widen with a well-educated

T

workforce demanding increased wages while low-sill jobs continue to pay less across the world.

“There is global competition for high-skilled, well-educated workers, which creates competition among companies for pay and benefit packages. At the same time, low-paid foreign markets continue to compete directly with low-paid jobs in the U.S. This has the potential of creating serious social problems in the future.”

Judy is one of the key players in developing long-range studies of global as well as American economic and workforce issues for the Hudson Institute, where he serves as a senior research fellow. His conceptualization and research constitute the groundwork for Hudson’s projects to assist companies, industries and regions to evaluate and design their longterm development strategy.

He is Hudson’s chief advisor to the Russell 20-20 Group, an assembly of 40 major U.S. pension funds and money management firms coordinated by the Frank Russell Company.

Judy’s previous work at Hudson involved project direc-

“

here is global competition for high-skilled, well-educated workers, which creates competition among companies for pay and benefit packages. At the same time, low-paid foreign markets continue to compete directly with low-paid jobs in the U.S. This has the potential of creating serious Richard Judy social problems in the future.” ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

torships for studies of economic reform and development in Hungary, the Baltic states, Russia, and Ukraine. He established and heads Hudson’s program to develop indigenous economic policy think tanks in formerly socialist countries.

Before joining Hudson in 1986, he was professor of economics and computer science at the University of Toronto. He also founded and served as the CEO of three companies: Systems Research Group, Inc., a Toronto computer software and consulting firm; Beef Genetics Research Inc., a high-tech agro-business firm; and a string of computer retail stores.

He consults extensively with a client list that features IBM, the World Bank, the U.S. Government, and the governments of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Hungary.

His educational background includes studies at the University of Kansas, Columbia University, and Harvard University, where he earned a doctorate in economics.

Fluent in Russian, he also was an exchange scholar at the University of Moscow.

Prior to “Workforce 2020,” Judy’s most recent book was “The Information Age and Soviet Society,” which he co-authored.

His writings have appeared in the “Wall Street Journal,” the “Washington Times,” “National Review,” “International Executive,” “The World &I,” and various publications overseas. He has also been a frequent commentator on television and radio programs. ■

Dr. Jon Quistgaard

Day Treatment.” Lana is a counseling specialist at the Archdeacon Gilfillan Center’s Day Treatment Program at Horace May Elementary School in Bemidji ... Kris Lutgen (‘91) is teaching computer applications at Canby High School. A new program for the school, it’s designed to reach every student with computer training ... Dr. Dwight Hager (‘90) is the latest health care provider to join the MeritCare Clinic-Bagley. While at BSU, Hager was a prominent member of the track and cross country teams. He completed his residency at the University of Wyoming. He’s a family medicine specialist in Bagley ... Dr. Patrick Rock (‘90) is a physician with the Indian Health Board in Minneapolis. He graduated from the University of North Dakota Medical School in 1994 and spent his three year residency at the Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis ...

Shar Ray Palm (‘90) has been named president and chief executive officer at the LakeWood Health and Care Center in Baudette. She has been employed by LakeWood for 22 years, the last 12 as vice president of Patient Services and assistant administrator for long term care ... Todd Sauer (‘90) has been named elementary school principal in Menahga.

He previously taught in the Cambridge,

Buffalo and Minnewasca school districts.

Todd and his wife Marti have three children ... Brett Kokal (‘90) has been hired as a fourth grade teacher at Hoyt Lakes Boase Elementary School. Brett and his wife Kari, along with their son, live in Aurora ... Carol Buck (‘90) has been named vice president of student affairs and campus operations for Northwest Technical College. Buck is based out of the East Grand Forks campus and responsible for the daily operational management of NTC’s five campuses, in addition to community affairs, admissions, counseling, financial aid and student affairs.

Michael Pratt (‘89) recently received a promotion to assistant principal at Chester Park Elementary School in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The school has a population of 2,500 and is one of the largest on the east Coast ... Craig and Wanda Hegna (‘89) recently welcomed a daughter to their family. The couple also have a three-year-old daughter ... Will Awe (‘88) is teaching eighth grade math and introduction to computers with the International Falls School District ... Jim Hecimovich (‘88) has been named elementary school principal for Hayfield Community Schools. He previously spent three years in the U.S. Army and taught elementary school in the Kasson1980s Mantorville school system ... Larry Patricia Johnson (‘89) recently moved Jallen (‘87) has been named principal of to the Twin Cities with her husband Greg. Onamia Elementary School. He She was hired in August by I.S.D. 15 in previously worked as an elementary St. Francis in the graphic communicateacher, intern principal and assistant to tions department. Her job responsibilities the principal. Prior to then, he was an include assisting in producing school administrator for Bethlehem Steel information publications and a districtCompany in Hibbing for over 10 years ... wide newspaper ... David Lundquist Jim Roo (‘87) has been named head (‘89) joined the Walker-Hackensackhockey coach of Coon Rapids High Akeley High School staff as an English School. Roo was a premier player for the teacher. He previously worked as an Beavers hockey team during his career ...

English teacher with the Laporte School Marilyn Wolfe (‘87) is the executive District and coached several sports ... director of the Northern Lakes Area Chapter of the American Red Cross. The

chapter represents Crow Wing and Cass counties. Wolfe is also an auditor at Grand View Lodge near Brainerd ...

Don Fink (‘87) has been a stockbroker for three years with Norwest Investment Services in Rochester. Don and his wife Julie reside in Rochester ... Kirk Saiger (‘87) and Janelle Fay were married in Stephen in August. Kirk is the owner of Merle’s Steam Clean in Bemidji ...

Rona Bleess (‘85) has been named manager of Hospice and Home Care at Long Prairie Memorial Hospital and Home. She has nearly 25 years of nursing experience with various Minnesota health care organizations ...

Pam Amundson (‘85) has been hired as a fifth grade teacher with Henning Public Schools. She previously taught in Bemidji and Alaska ... Dave Romo (‘85) is a partner/design director at AllbeGreen Presentations and Design in Orem, Utah. Romo married his wife Laura (Hull) in 1990 and the couple have two sons ... Susan Salzer (‘84) recently passed the certified public accountant program. She is employed by Walker, Giroux and Hahne, Ltd. in Virginia as a staff accountant and works on the auditing team ... Mike Porter (‘84) is an account executive for PR Newswire of Minneapolis. Porter

recently completed his master of business administration degree at St. Thomas in marketing. In addition, he recently earned accreditation in public relations from the Public Relations Kristi Arndt Society of America ... Kristi Arndt (‘83) has been named media relations manager of Carlson Hospitality Worldwide in Minneapolis. Arndt is responsible for planning, managing and implementing media relation strategies for the Carlson Hospitality brands, including Radisson Hotels Worldwide, Regent International Hotels, Country Inns and Suites By Carlson and Radison Seven Seas cruises.

Prior to her new appointment, Arndt served as public relations manager for the Aveda Corporation in Minneapolis ...

Melody Tenhoff (‘83) is the new principal of Luverne Elementary School.

She was formerly a middle school and (Continued on page 6)

OUTSTANDING ALUMNIM

Horizons Page 6

Outstanding Alumni Honored

B

Left to right: Dr. Lee Norman, Ozzie Tollefson, and Marge Engebretson

emidji State University graduates were presented with Outstanding Alumni Awards and five individuals received Honorary Alumni recognition during the annual Honors Luncheon as part of Homecoming festivities. The 1997 Outstanding Alumni recipients were: Marge Engebretson, Cass Lake

A 1960 BSU graduate with majors in English and German, Engebretson taught senior high school English and German at Cass Lake-Bena High School until her retirement in 1995. She is widely recognized for initiating and maintaining the school’s Travel to Europe Program, which helped more than 300 students, regardless of their financial status, earn their way

on a two-week study tour of Germany and Austria.

She has won numerous plaudits, including being named Teacher of the Year in 1973 and 1984 by the Cass Lake Education Association; Minnesota Teacher of the Year in 1984, when she was also a candidate for National Teacher of the Year; a recipient of National Teacher of the Year Service Awards in 1986, 87 and 88; and the winner of the 1992 Emma Birkmeier Award, Minnesota’s most prestigious award for the teaching of foreign languages.

In 1995 Engebretson was inducted into the Bemidji State University Teacher of the Year Hall of Fame.

Dr. Lee Norman, Seattle, WA A 1974 graduate in social work, Norman is currently the senior vice president for medical

affairs at Swedish Health Services, a 1,900-physician medical center and health system in Seattle, WA, with an annual operating budget of $450 million. He also is a vice president and director in a medical computer software development firm in Bellevue, WA; is a program moderator for Schorr Communications; and is involved in medical broadcast journalism on both television and radio.

An active researcher and lecturer, his most recent interests include integrated software for preventive health care and innovation in caring for communities; computerized and non-automated approaches to risk management strategies in the outpatient setting; and computer-assisted quality improvement. He is a reviewer for the Western Journal of Medicine and a book reviewer for the Journal of Family Practice.

Ozzie Tollefson, Lebanon, NJ Tollefson earned a bachelor of science degree in speech and theater in 1960 and embarked on a career in education that has touched millions of people. After 15 years of teaching in New Jersey junior and senior high schools, he started Ozzie Alive, Inc., a business that produced educational assembly programs for elementary schools on such themes as the environment, multiculturalism, prejudice, geology, wildlife and habitat, dinosaurs and whales.

In the past 22 years, he has

given over 6,000 performances to approximately 2 million children in 1,500 schools in 17 states and, by invitation, he presented programs at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, the Baltimore National Aquarium, and the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. His work has been featured in the New York Times, on public radio’s “All Things Considered,” and on the “CBS Morning News.” ■

Honorary Alumni Also recognized during the luncheon were individuals named as honorary BSU alumni. They included: Eben Calder, professor emeritus of accounting, a member of the BSU faculty for 31 years; Dr. Jack Downing, professor emeritus of psychology, 32 years as a faculty member and administrator; Dr. Don Dyrhaug, professor emeritus of psychology and counseling center, 28 years at BSU; Ardis Gillett, whose service to BSU includes serving on numerous committees, co-chairing the SnowBall Event, co-chairing the University’s 75th Anniversary Celebration, and co-leading several Senior Hostel Programs; and Tim O’Keefe, board member of Beaver Pride who has been involved in a wide variety of projects supporting the University. ■

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

elementary school principal at Fellmore Central, a media generalist in Hastings and librarian in Cloquet ... Ed Nordskog (‘82) is an investigator with the Los Angeles, California County Sheriff’s Department. He was lead investigator in a case that made national headlines in July.

The department arrested a man in Bel-Air for growing 4,116 marijuana plants in an upscale mansion. The street value of the marijuana was estimated at $22 million ...

Charles Carp (‘81) is a science teacher at Lincoln High School and Franklin Middle School in Thief River Falls. He has 12 years of teaching experience ... Diane Johnson (‘81) has been hired as a music teacher at Challenger Elementary School in Thief River Falls. She previously taught preschool in Dickinson, North Dakota, and taught voice/piano through Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls ... Larry Hutchins (‘81) was named a leadership council member of Federated Insurance Companies. Membership in the leadership council is awarded for superior performance in providing professional insurance service to clients ... Deb Swensson (‘80) moved to Apple Valley with her family two years ago. Deb and

Bank, N.A. in Monticello/Otsego. He previously served as vice president and business banker at the same bank ...

Michael Bielecki (‘78) was promoted to the rank of lieutenant with the San Jose (California) Police Department. He has been employed there for over 17 years and is currently a patrol commander with the Bureau of Field Operations ... Sally Soliday (‘78) has been hired as principal of Echo Park Elementary School in Burnsville. She began her teaching career in 1979 and previously taught at Echo Park ... Ethel Fossand (‘78) recently celebrated her 80th birthday with a 1970s family sponsored party ... Timothy Leister (‘77) recently celebrated 20 years Bernadette Sorenson (‘70) has been of service with the Minnesota Departhired as assistant principal at Fosston High School. Sorenson and her husband ment of Transportation. He currently works in the office of information Ric, who teaches in Fosston, have two resource management as an information children ... Bill and Dee (Dailey) architect. Leister is also working towards Dempster (‘79) live in Nashua, New Hampshire. Bill is currently the technical a master’s degree in management of technology from the University of manager for Kendall-Polyken, having Minnesota ... Ted Heisserer (‘76) has spent 10 years in research/development been named supervisor of business designing corrosion protection systems.

He has three patents and been published services for Frazee Schools. He was formerly the director of business and in over 20 trade publications. Dee is a finance for Northwest Technical College school volunteer, a coach and runs the ... Kathleen Eberline (‘76) will be concession stand for the junior high married to Ken Smith of Hong Kong in wrestling team ... Kevin Doty (‘79) has been appointed president of Marquette

her husband both work in St. Paul and have one girl. She would like to hear from alumni who know anything about Tom Shaffer, who attended BSU from 1976-78 ... Patti Anderson (‘80) has been named principal of Cohasset High School. She previously taught elementary school in Squaw Lake and Grand Rapids, along with Grand Rapids Middle School ... Barb Kavan (‘80) is a physical education teacher with the New Prague School District. She previously taught with the Minnesota River Valley Special Education cooperative.

December. She is currently working in the field of speech pathology and drama in New York City ...

Connie Kampsula (‘76) was a participant in the Fullbright Memorial Fund Connie Kampsula Teacher Program in October. Kampsula, who teaches at Dassel-Cokato Middle School, spent three days in Tokyo, Japan where she received orientation into Japanese life. She then spent two weeks visiting different school sites where she had direct contact with the local schools ... Rich Schieck (‘75) is teaching seventh and eighth grade science in Danube. He formerly taught in Kasson-Mantorville ...

Darlene Schiller (‘75) has been named executive director of the OASIS/Share a Meal program in Little Falls. Schiller previously worked for 15 years as social worker ... Terri Cuppett (‘75) was the subject of a feature story in the Thief River Falls Times newspaper. Blinded shortly after her birth, Cuppett began her

education career as an English as a second language tutor in Bemidji and Thief River Falls. She later taught remedial English in Fort Peck, Montana. She was ordained as a minister in 1992 and worked in both Shevlin and Solway ... Audrey Lucachick (‘74) recently attended the 13th Annual Highlights Foundation Writers Workshop at the Chutaugua Institution in western New York State. Lucachick currently teaches computer classes at the elementary school level in International Falls. She also writes for newspapers and magazines in her spare time ... Ryan Saulsbury (‘74) has been hired as a sixth grade science teacher at Milaca Intermediate School. He previously taught physical science and biology in Sartell ... Greg Ramey (‘74) teamed with three friends to win the four man division of the Minnesota Border to Border Triathlon last summer ... Dennis Larson (‘73) is a graphic arts instructor at North High School in St. Paul and was named the school district’s 1997 Teacher of the Year. He has been teaching in the school district for 24 years ... Judith (Novacek) Hamand (‘73) and her three children have been living in Colorado Springs, Colorado, for the past 17 years.

She worked for Focus on the Family, a Christian ministry, for six years ...

Lonnette (Lindstrom) Whitchurch (‘73)

Horizons Page 7

Center for Research and Innovation

Facility Opens

T “

he potential for such a facility is wide open.

The available space is appropriate for a wide variety of uses, from light industry to new product development, from knowledge-based to materials-based companies.”.mmmmm Dr. Dave Kingsbury mmmmm

The Bemidji State University has opened a Center for Research and Innovation (CRI), a 10,000 square-foot research and development facility to link business and education endeavors.

It is located in the Hills Lone Pine Plaza north of Bemidji on old Highway 71.

Designed to alleviate limitations of Bridgeman Hall on the BSU campus, the center provides additional lecture, computer and lab rooms needed for instruction in industrial technology. It also includes lease space for firms that may be looking to collaborate with the University to promote entrepreneurship and economic development.

“There is growing interest in

higher education to build collaborations outside its normal boundaries in order to increase institutional capabilities and to expand its resource base,” said Dr. Jim Bensen, Bemidji State president.

“Every state technical college, community college and state university is exploring, pursuing and developing joint projects.

“The CRI will provide a vehicle from which the University can actively promote these partnerships and increase campus-wide capacity. These activities will benefit students, Bemidji State and the participating companies.”

The center includes offices, a classroom with teleconferencing capabilities, a fabrication laboratory, a computer room with CAE/

to come up and fish, either summer or winter ... Rick James (‘71) sang the “National Anthem” prior to the Minnesota Twins game on July 25.

He dedicated the performance to a friend who died in an automobile accident at the age of 17 ... Lloyd Styrwoll (‘71) has been principal of Grand Rapids High School since 1992. He was previously involved in education in Onamia, Hallock, Windom and Buffalo ... Dick Lundeen (‘70) was the subject of a feature story in the Detroit Lakes Tribune.

Lonnette (Lindstrom) Whitchurch Business manager of the Detroit Lakes School presently owns four gourmet catering District, Lundeen was named the restaurants in the Tampa Bay (Florida) president of the 1997-98 Detroit Lakes area and is planning to open a fifth Area United Way fund drive. restaurant in Orlando. She lives in 1960s Clearwater, Florida with her husband Gary Borgen (‘69) and Barb Erickson Ron ... Debra Kellerman (‘72) is the owner/operator of Angle Inn Lodge-Oak were married in August in Bemidji. The Island in the Northwest Angle of Lake of couple resides in Bemidji ... Ken Saari (‘67) has been named band director at the Woods. She invites all BSU alumni

CAD capabilities, a conference room, and an area for assembly, finishing and shipping of materials.

Companies leasing CRI space would be able to share much of the facility when conducting business while also accessing BSU faculty, staff and students for support.

“The potential for such a facility is wide open,” said Dr. Dave Kingsbury, a BSU professor of vocational education who also serves as the University’s director of corporate relations. “The available space is appropriate for a wide variety of uses, from light industry to new product development, from knowledge-based to materials-based companies.”

Lake of the Woods High School in Baudette. He previously taught junior and senior high band in South Dakota and K12 music in St. Louis County, Clearbrook and Hinckley ... Mary Allen (‘67) has been named principal of Plainview High School. She previously was principal of Rushford-Peterson Middle School where she also served as the district’s K-12 Special Education Coordinator. Allen also taught in public schools in Roseau, Stillwater and Preston ... Don Sorensen (‘64) recently retired as athletic director of Little Falls High School. He was honored for his dedication to both teaching and athletics in a special banquet in August ... Art Hill (‘63) was recently honored during the 12th Annual Soroptimist Roast in Hibbing. Hill retired as a music teacher in Hibbing in 1996 and during his career led his bands to many prestigious awards in concert, field and parade competitions ... Mary Gappa (‘62) has retired from teaching in Elk River. She was named Teacher of the Year for School District 728 in 1996 ... Terry Maciej (‘61) has retired from teaching with the Hibbing School District after 30 years. He recently illustrated a book, “of Woodsmoke and Quiet Places” and is working on another ... Gale Halvorson

One of the benefits of the facility, Kingsbury noted, was that companies would have a link to appropriate BSU faculty as well as students, who would be available for internships, field study, fellowships, class projects, research activities, and mentorships.

More information on the facility is available by contacting the CRI, Bemidji State University, 1500 Birchmont Drive NE, Bemidji, MN 56601-2699 (218755-4900). ■

E-Mail Addresses Requested All Bemidji State alumni are encouraged to send their e-mail addresses to the BSU Alumni Association, which is working on adding e-mail information to alumni records. This information will provide another dimension to the way alumni stay in contact with their alma mater and their college friends. Alumni can send brief notices to the BSU Alumni Association office via e-mail about promotions, new homes, recent additions to the family, exciting travel destinations, or requests for contact from BSU friends.

When these articles are printed in the “Where We Are, What We’re Doing” section of HORIZONS, they can be accompanied by the e-mail address to make communication among alumni friends even easier.

In turn, the Alumni Association Office can contact alumni electronically with news about Homecoming, events, special projects or other important campus information.

Addresses can be forwarded to the BSU Alumni Association by emailing them to: Alumni@vax1.bemidji.msus.edu. ■

(‘61) has retired as Roseau Elementary School principal after 31 years in education ... Bill Wagner (‘60) has retired from Roseau High School after 37 years of teaching. He taught at all levels of math from seventh grade through calculus, coached boys and girls basketball and was named Roseau Teacher of the Year in 1993. Bill and his wife Helen have two children and two granddaughters ... Richard (‘60) and Margaret (Brown) Carman (‘77) have both retired from teaching. The couple now owns and operates a strawberry farm business in Wadena ... Robert Treuer (‘60) recently won the 1997 Sigurd F. Olson Nature Writing Award for his novel “The Tree Farm: Replanting a Life.” The book chronicles Treuer’s move to an abandoned farm in northern Minnesota, where he and his family began raising trees for lumber and pulp.

The book was originally published in 1977 and was reprinted in 1996.

1950s Keith Mooney (‘52) was the subject of a feature article in the Bemidji Pioneer that chronicled his 30 years as being starter of the Birchmont International Golf Tournament in Bemidji. Mooney is a longtime summer resident of Bemidji ...

Dick Lawrence (‘51) served as grand marshal of the 1997 Eveleth Fourth of July Parade. Lawrence was a teacher, coach and athletic director in Eveleth for 34 years. He’s a member of the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the Minnesota State High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame and the Bemidji State University Athletic Hall of Fame ... Ray Green (‘50) was grand marshal of the 1997 Warroad Fourth of July Parade. Green taught in Warroad for 15 years and put in another 15 in Bloomington before retiring in 1984. At that time, he returned to Warroad with his wife Yvonne and has been very active in community service organizations.

1930s John Schuiling (‘32) was named 1997 Beltrami County Outstanding Senior Citizen. He has received numerous awards over the years and has been actively involved in a number of community activities such as Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce, American Legion, Minnesota Historical Society, Bemidji Community Arts Council and the Bemidji State University Foundation. He also serves as a deacon for his church.

Horizons Page 8

Training Grant

Training Grant

to Assist Northern Minnesota Businesses

B “

Dr. Jim Bensen (left) looks on while state officials and business leaders sign the training agreement.

emidji State University recognizes that a rapidly changing and highly competitive marketplace is dictating new methods of production for Minnesota industries. These worldclass manufacturing processes require firms to be both cost conscious and cost competitive without sacrificing quality.”mmmmmm Dr. Jim Bensen Bemidji State University has received a $170,000 Minnesota Job Skills Partnership Board (MJSP) grant to assist Polaris Industries and Team Industries Group with training to implement an electronic data interchange (EDI) system.

The grant will enable Bemidji State to introduce electronic data interchange between Polaris and three significant Minnesota suppliers as well as create a training component to initiate just-in-time inventory practices between the firms.

The suppliers, Product Research and Development (PRD), Audubon Engineering and Manufacturing, and Detroit Lakes (DL) Manufacturing, are all part of TEAM Industries, which form a single company that represents a multi-level supplier in delivering several products to Polaris.

The project involves the development of training to use EDI to

accelerate communication between the original equipment manufacturer and its suppliers.

Training on implementation methods focusing on quality-first principles, materials resource management, and partnership development will also be delivered The project will initially affect over 330 employees at the four test sites, with the long-range EDI implications that could spread to employees in the 66 Minnesotabased suppliers of materials to Polaris.

Jay Novak, Commissioner of the Department of Trade and Economic Development, stated, “I am pleased that the Job Skills Partnership is awarding this grant to provide training for this important Minnesota industry. This project will allow the companies to maximize productivity, shorten distribution time, and dedicate more resources to product development, labor force training, and process improvement.”

Bemidji State University will be providing training to the industries, all of which are located in rural Minnesota: ■ Polaris Industries of Roseau, a manufacturer of snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, personal watercraft, and a newly announced motorcycle ■ Product Research and Development, Bagley, a supplier of assembled transmissions to Polaris; ■ Audubon Engineering and Manufacturing, Audubon, a supplier of gears for the transmission; and

■ DL Manufacturing, Detroit Lakes, a supplier of die-castings for the transmission.

“Bemidji State University recognizes that a rapidly changing and highly competitive marketplace is dictating new methods of production for Minnesota industries,” Dr. Jim Bensen, BSU president, said of the project.

“These world-class manufacturing processes require firms to be both cost conscious and cost competitive without sacrificing quality.

“We’re fortunate to receive support from the state and the MJSP that will enable us to work with these industries in meeting their corporate goals.”

Project facilitation will be assisted by TeamWorks, a high performance, non-profit training center located in Detroit Lakes that is committed to the development of employment opportunities for the unemployed and underemployed through strategic partnerships with business and educational institutions.

The Minnesota Job Skills Partnership, with administrative support from the Business and Community Development Division of the Department of Trade and Economic Development, provides matching grants to educational institutions to develop and provide training for Minnesota businesses to meet the changing needs of Minnesota’s labor market. ■

Area Academy for Lifelong Learning Established The Area Academy for Lifelong Learning has been established to provide intellectually stimulating activities for older adults living in northern Minnesota.

Coordinated through Bemidji State University, the academy is co-sponsored by the BSU College of Arts and Letters, the Beltrami County Historical Society, First National Bank 55 Connection, and the Headwaters Area Agency on Aging.

The academy will present study groups, lectures and other programs to enrich and enhance the lives of mature audiences.

It will also cultivate an older adult learning community that values the wisdom of the humanities, believes in lifelong learning, and provides leadership in education for adults.

The academy is working with the Minnesota Humanities Commission to develop the series and is hoping to join the statewide Learning in Retirement Network.

The first program of the academy was a series that explored nature writers and the environment and it featured local naturalist Elizabeth Smith and Ruth Stenerson, a professor emerita of English who taught a course on nature writers when she was a member of the Bemidji State faculty.

It was followed by a lecture on “Scandinavian Immigration into Northern Minnesota and Its Impact on the Present” by Dr. Art Lee, professor emeritus of history. ■

Steps to the L ne Horizons Page 9

Steps to the Line

Arnold L. Johnson has turned basketball success into life success, and the Bemidji State University alumnus is doing his part to see that this cycle repeats itself.

The Bemidji State Athletic Hall of Fame Member has funded the Arnold L. Johnson Scholarship, a $1,000 annual award designed to support the Beaver men’s basketball program effective beginning with the 1998-99 academic year.

“Arnold’s (Johnson) contribution comes at a great time for the Bemidji State men’s basketball program,” said BSU head men’s basketball coach Dave Gunther.

“He had an outstanding career at Bemidji State and in professional basketball, and his commitment to the program strengthens our rebuilding efforts for Bemidji State men’s basketball. With his generous support, we can continue restoring the program to the prominent level enjoyed when he played here.”

Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree from BSU in 1942, and although he participated in basketball, football and track for the Beavers, his most notable accomplishments would come on the basketball court.

A native of Gonvick, Johnson was the first Bemidji State athlete to earn All-America status by being selected to the elite squad after the National Intercollegiate Tournament. The three-sport letterwinner also helped the Beaver basketball team to three conference championships in his four-year career while playing under Beaver head coach Dr. Rueben (Jack) Frost.

The Beavers compiled a 47-16 record in Johnson’s final three seasons.

Johnson’s professional career would flourish following graduation as he coached one year for Twin Valley High School, followed by a term with the United

States Air Corps for war duty.

After his discharge, Johnson picked up his basketball career once again, this time on the professional level. In nine years with the Arnold Johnson Rochester (N.Y.) Royals in the National Basketball Association, he would help the team e had an outstanding career at Bemidji to the NBA Championship in State and in professional basketball, and 1951 with a seven-game series victory over the New York his commitment to the program strengthKnicks. He also played for three ens our rebuilding efforts for Bemidji State men’s Rochester Royals Western Division Championship teams in basketball. With his generous support, we can 1949, 1951 and 1952. continue restoring the program to the prominent After leaving the NBA in 1957, level enjoyed when he played here.” Dave Gunther Johnson took up a 20-year career in public relations, including assignments with Genesee Brewing ber of the New York Tramway Co., and Bausch & Lomb, Inc. He Commission, the New York was owner and founder of Swift State Chiefs of Police and the Machines, Inc., in Rochester, American Legion.

Arnold and wife Nancy reside N.Y., before retiring in 1976.

Johnson is still an active mem- in Rochester, N.Y. ■

H “

Nagle Scholarship Fund Started

Photo cour tesy Pat Miller, Bemidji Pioneer

G “

Galen Nagle

Bemidji State University and the Galen Nagle Memorial Fund Committee have established a memorial scholarship fund, in honor of the former Beaver hockey standout, designed to support the Bemidji State hockey program.

Galen Nagle was a goaltender for the Beaver hockey team from 1980-84, and served as a coach and teacher in the state of Minnesota for several years before losing his life to cancer Oct. 18, 1996 at the age of 34.

“Galen exemplified Beaver hockey,” said Bemidji State head hockey coach and athletic director R.H. “Bob” Peters. “Hard work, dedication and loyalty were inherent to his character, and through his efforts, he became a vital part of our team.”

Nagle and the 1984 Beaver hockey team made college hockey history with a perfect 31-0 season en route to the school’s first NCAA II National Championship. An All-

alen exemplified Beaver hockey. Hard work, dedication and loyalty were inherent to his character, and through his efforts, hemmm became a vital part of our team.”kmmmmm R.H. “Bob” Peters

Scholarships

Former BSU Hoops Star

Tournament selection from the 1984 NCAA II Championship, Nagle completed his Bemidji State hockey goaltending career with an 8-1 victory in the title game. He also helped the Beavers to three Northern Collegiate Hockey Association championships.

Initially a walk-on at Bemidji State, Nagle’s determination and willingness to give forged a bond with the team that was very special to teammates and coaches.

“He had certain qualities that endeared his teammates to him,” Peters continued. “He earned the respect of his peers because of his tenacity and work ethic, but more importantly because he was truly a team player in every sense of the word. He was the guy with jumper cables when your car wouldn’t start. He was the guy who picked you up when you needed to get to practice.

“Galen considered it a privilege and an honor to be a part of the team, and conversely, we valued his contribution to the team. He has had a lasting impact on the lives of the people he touched, and we will always remember him.”

A 1984 graduate of Bemidji State, Nagle taught industrial arts at Scotts-Highland Middle School in Apple Valley for several years and coached in hockey programs

at Rosemount, Holy Angels Academy, Richfield, Bloomington, Wayzata and Thief River Falls.

During the summer months, Nagle held goaltending camps and served as the chief goalie instructor for the Bemidji International Hockey Camp each summer at the BSU campus.

Nagle was born to Richard and Marlys June 18, 1962 at Baudette, and he and his family moved to Bemidji in 1979 where he graduated from Bemidji High School in 1980.

Galen Nagle Memorial Fund Committee members include BSU head hockey coach R.H. “Bob” Peters; former teammates Denny Gibbons and Bob Fitzgerald; older brother Arlan Nagle; BSU baseball coach Jim Grimm; and former Beaver hockey players Tom Kaplan and Jerry Phillips.

A fund drive for the Galen Nagle Memorial begins August 7, 1998 with a golf tournament. For information regarding the Galen Nagle Memorial Fund, contact the Bemidji State University Foundation at 218-755-2763, or write the BSU Foundation, David Park House, Bemidji State University, 1500 Birchmont Drive NE, Bemidji, Minnesota 56601. ■

Horizons Page 10

Northern Tier Institute

Explored Prosperity fare as we know it,” into the world of work.

*Return on Investment: the value of a college education;

MnSCU Chancellor Morrie Anderson at the Northern Tier Institute

The second annual Northern Tier Institute explored the task of prospering in the knowledge age through a series of workshops and presentations this fall.

Sponsored by Bemidji State University, the Northern Tier brought together leaders from industry, education, economic development, government, and business for a day-long exploration of a topic that affects all facets of a region along the U.S.Canadian border from the Great Lakes across the Great Plains.

The conference began with the Campus-Community Breakfast program “Making Higher Education Work for You,” presented

by Morrie Anderson, chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) at 7:30 a.m.

That was followed by a status report on the “School to Work” effort by Eugene Piccolo, assistant commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning, and Charles Coskran of the Office of Life Work Development.

A panel then explored intellectual property, specifically looking into provisions of the Economic Espionage Act and use of proprietary knowledge. Panelists included Julie Finch of the Minnesota attorney general’s office; Texas lawyer Dennis Gilstad; Leonard Ruiz of the Sota Foundation; Minnesota state

IN MEMORIAM Irv Nordquist (‘65) of Bemidji Garfield Swanson (‘53) of Scottsdale, AZ Florence Lyman (‘39) of Grand Rapids John Roscoe (‘61) of Two Harbors Adelle Voight (‘67) of Gilbert Agnes Ungerecht (‘63) of Northome Jean Noelke (‘45) of LaCrosse, WI

senator David Ten Eyck; and Dr. Linda Baer, senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs for MnSCU. Completing the program were roundtables held to address six specific topics. *Future Work: jobs, qualifications, and employers; the creators of the on-line site “Minnesota Future Work” examined the future of work through 10 profile areas and what the challenges are for educating students to be prepared for careers that don’t yet exist. *Diversity in the Workplace: from welfare to workfare; staff of the Headwaters Regional Development Commission discussed their programs for integrating a new pool of workers, those created by the goal of “ending wel-

a panel explored the topic in relation to job forecasters who say many jobs won’t require a college education while others contend that the amount of education needed to participate in the modern work force is increasing. *New Entrepreneurs: doing global business in rural areas; representatives from rural businesses, capital formation groups, local and state governments discussed such efforts as the new BSU Center for Research and Innovation, which was formed to provide research services to existing commercial enterprises and help new businesses get started in the northern Minnesota. *The Value of Advisory Boards: internships, shadowing, and curriculum; participants shared their views on the costs and benefits of the direct interaction between higher education and the private sector. *A Virtual University: Minnesota’s electronic academy; panelists addressed the delivery of education at remote sites and the state’s emerging presence in this fast-growing arena. ■

Book Available for Parents who have Lost a Child A member of the BSU Foundation has made available a supportive book for parents who have lost a child.

For Hearts That Had Hopes and Dreams was created by Jeanne Noehring out of her compassion for those suffering a loss.

“I realized how difficult it was for them to find closure for their loss of hopes and dreams and how much they needed a way to acknowledge these very special babies,” Noehring said.

For Hearts That Had Hopes and Dreams is a special book filled with spaces for photographs and keepsakes, pockets to hold cards, and places for friends and family to show their support. The journal portion of this book provides pages for parents to record their thoughts and feelings.

The book comes boxed, and is available without charge from the BSU Foundation. Contact Dave Tiffany at (218) 755-2779 or 1-888-234-5718. ■

New Board Members Elected During the 1997 annual meeting of the Bemidji State University Alumni Association held in conjunction with Homecoming, Joanne Provo, vice president of the association, welcomed the new members to the Board who were recently elected by ballot and a vote of active members.

New members include Harvey Westrom (‘57) who currently resides in Bloomington, and Donald Gross (‘81) living in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Also elected to serve second terms were John Liapis (‘52) of Bemidji, Joanne Provo (‘82) from Minneapolis and Pam Raden (‘86) of St. Cloud.

Appointments to the Board included Melanie Benjamin (‘88) of Isle, MN., who is serving her first term as well as Peggy Marvin Johnson (‘67) from Warroad and Jeff Wallin (‘70) who are both serving their second terms.

Officers elected to serve the next two years include Jeff Wallin, president; Joanne Provo, vice president; Debra Kellerman, secretary/treasurer. ■

BSU Foundation Home Page Revised The BSU Foundation has recently updated and revised their home page.

Come take a look at: http://info.bemidji.msus.edu ■

Communiques from the Alumni Office Annual BSU Winter Rendezvous Set March 15, 16, 1998 Laughlin, Nevada .... Mark your calendars and plan to attend the second annual BSU “Winter Rendezvous” which will take place March 15-16, 1998, in Laughlin, Nevada.

Last year’s event was such a huge success, the event is being expanded to accommodate more alumni and friends of Bemidji State University. BSU President, Dr. Jim Bensen and his wife Nancy, both BSU alumni, are planning to attend the 1998 event.

Harrah’s Laughlin will serve as the host hotel where a cocktail party and “Rendezvous Banquet” will be held. Bill Howe (‘51) has again volunteered to coordinate a golf tournament and, for the non-golfers, a cruise on the Colorado River is being organized.

Registration materials will be sent out at a later date. Those BSU alumni who spend winter months in southern Nevada, southern California or Arizona are asked to forward their winter addresses to the Alumni Office so an invitation can be mailed.

For further information, contact the BSU Alumni Office at 1-888-234-2687 (toll free).

All BSU Alumni The BSU Alumni Association now has a toll free number available to alumni calling from outside the Bemidji Area. It is: 1-888-234-2687 Now it is easier than ever to call your alma mater, and BSU is waiting to hear from you!

File Change of Address Card with Post Office The Alumni Association is now required to verify its addresses at least twice a year against the official database at the Post Office. Every time alumni move, a change of address card should be filed at the post office.

Not only will this ensure that mail is rerouted and delivered to the most current address, but it will also make sure that the Alumni Association has the correct address on file.

Alumni planning to move should file a change of address form at their local post office. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Where Do You Hang Your Hat? Bemidji State University hosts alumni receptions all over the country and doesn’t want any graduate to miss the fun! Please let the Alumni Association know if you have a second address and the approximate dates you are there by filling out this card and returning it to us.

We’d like you to receive HORIZONS, class mailings and reunion news in a timely manner. Would you like your Bemidji State University mail forwarded to your “winter” address? If so, please indicate so below.

Yes, I would like my Bemidji State University mail forwarded.

Dates to mail to my “winter” address: From_________________to _______________________________ Name: _________________________________________________ “Winter” Address ________________________________________ City ___________________________________________________ State______________________________Zip __________________ “Winter” Telephone ______________________________________ Fax ___________________________________________________ e-mail _________________________________________________

Horizons Page 11

BSU Alumni Memories

T

he Madrigal Dinners will be staged in Bemidji for the 29th consecutive year.

In the last issue of HORIZONS, requests were made for Madrigal memories to commemorate during this 75th anniversary year of the Alumni Association. Since that time, Dr. Paul Brandvik, who has directed every Madrigal show at BSU, announced that he will be retiring following this year. So he was asked to share some of his memories.

Thanks goes to all who submitted remembrances, especially Adeline Beltz of Bagley, who will receive two complimentary tickets for opening night.

■ “I remember one time we had flaming cherries jubilee in glass bowls. The flame floated in the center, and worked its way to the end of the bowl. They were cracking and it sounded like gunshots going off one right after another.”

■ “The first Madrigals were really elementary. You could tell they had potential — anytime you’re in music and you sell out three performances in one day, you know it’s promising. We had to hold some of them early so people could go to the hockey game at night. We haven’t had to do that for a while. And we had paper tablecloths. We were glad they didn’t catch fire with the flaming pudding.”

■ “A lot of the characters have been fun, but the jester will always have a special place in the Dinners. The jester started out simply with the stage direction, ‘Tell Jokes.’ Then it evolved into the emcee and special parts were written for the different people who played the role. As for the other characters, unicorns and dragons were always nice to have.”

■ “I’ll always remember our family’s involvement. My wife Mary Lou hand made ninety percent of the costumes and designed every one of them. My daughter has worked on the script for the past two years, and both of my children, Ahna and David, have performed in them.”

■ “Which one is my favorite?

That’s like asking which of your 29 children you like best. My favorite is always the one we’re doing now.”

Scriba Named Acting Dean for the Center for Extended Learning

Joelyn Scriba

Joelyn Scriba has been named as the acting dean of the Center for Extended Learning at Bemidji State University.

An associate professor of nursing, Scriba will serve as the acting dean while Dr. John Quistgaard performs

the duties of the acting vice president for academic and student affairs.

As the acting dean, she will be responsible for leadership in the development and administration of offcampus learning programs, including summer sessions. Specific responsibilities include oversight of the Arrowhead University Center (AUC); shared leadership for cooperative efforts with community colleges; development of distance learning opportunities through various media; and facilitating the conversion of external studies courses and summer sessions to a semester based format.

Scriba joined the BSU faculty in 1982 and served as the chair of the Nursing Department from 1983 to 1995. During that time she coordinated the preparation for accreditation by the National League for Nursing and served as the major writer on the project.

Over the past 15 years, she coordinated several cycles of outreach programming through the AUC; was a member of a system-wide task force on nursing outreach programming; designed and initiated implementation of the RN baccalaureate completion program in collaboration with 14 northern Minnesota institutions; and worked on collaborative ventures with several technical, community and tribal colleges throughout the region.

Prior to her arrival at Bemidji State, she was a faculty member and chaired the Nursing Department at Jamestown (ND) College.

Scriba has a bachelor’s degree from Jamestown College and a master’s from the University of Washington.

She has completed further advanced study in adult and continuing education at Teachers College of Columbia University in New York. ■

Baer Scholarship Established Dr. Linda Baer may be leaving Bemidji State University, but her legacy will live on. The Baer Scholarship has been created in her name. Established within the BSU Foundation, this scholarship will provide a $250 annual award to a student in their junior or senior year with a declared major and a GPA of 3.0 or better.

In addition, in order to be eligible the student must have a leadership position or a strong record of participation in extracurricular activities, either on campus or in the community. Preference shall be given to students who have earned either the Boy Scout’s Eagle Scout Award or the Girl Scout’s Gold Award.

The senior vice president for academic and student affairs at BSU for six years and former acting president, Baer was named last fall as the senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system office.

Interested students should contact the Admissions Office at 1-888-3451721 for more information. ■

Deferred Gift Annuities - Popular at Any Age When it comes to taking advantage of the benefits of a deferred gift annuity, age isn’t a problem.

Deferred gift annuities through the BSU Foundation enable the donor to save taxes twice and get a lifetime income at a designated time in the future while also providing a benefit to Bemidji State.

Deferred gift annuities pay dividends for individuals who want to make a major gift to the BSU Foundation and also want additional retirement income.

By deferring income payments on a gift annuity until a specified future date, the following benefits are available: ■ Higher

charitable deduction for gift value; higher fixed income for life; ■ Reduction of capital gains tax; and ■ Increased retirement income.

■ Deferred

The following example shows how a deferred gift annuity works.

Joe, a 50 year-old banker and BSU alum, decides to increase his retirement income and make a major future gift to the BSU Foundation. He has reached the ceiling on contributions to his Keogh plan and learns that there is no ceiling on contributions to deferred charitable gift annuities. After conferring with the development officer at the BSU Foundation, Joe instructs his broker to transfer $50,000 of stock, which he originally purchased for $10,000, to the BSU Foundation in exchange for a deferred lifetime annuity starting at his retirement. He will qualify for a federal income tax deduction of approximately $28, 536 in the year he makes the gift, and will receive fixed payments annually in the amount of $8,150 which begin when he turns 65. Joe will owe no capital gains tax at the time of his gift. Instead, a portion of the capital gains tax he would have owed, will be spread throughout his lifetime, once the annual annuity payments begin. In contrast, if he were to sell the stocks outright and reinvest them himself, he would owe capital gains tax on $40,000.

For more information on making planned gifts to the BSU Foundation, contact Marla Huss, director of development at 755-2876 or toll free at 1-888-234-5718. ■ Comparison of Immediate and Deferred Gift Annuity Payment Rates Age Immediate Deferred to Age 65 50 6.5% 16.3% 55 6.7% 12.2% 60 6.9% 9.1%

Financial support to Bemidji State University by members of the alumni association continues to increase as demonstrated during Homecoming when Alumni Association Board Member Rose Skyberg presented BSU President, Dr. M. James Bensen, a “check” in the amount of $246,085 which represented contributions made by alumni during the previous fiscal year.

Horizons Page 12 Larkin Named Acting Dean of Professional Studies

Homecoming 1997

BEMIDJI STATE UNIVERSITY

Images from Homecoming celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Alumni Association.

Dr. Dave Larkin, professor of education, has been named acting dean of the College of Professional Studies to replace Dr. Gerald Norris, who resigned last summer.

Larkin first joined the BSU faculty in 1984.

In 1988 he went to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, where he chaired the Department of Teaching and directed the Center for the Education of the Young Adolescent. He returned to BSU in 1990 and a year later assumed duties as the coordinator of the middle level education program in addition to his classroom assignments.

The president of the Minnesota Association of Middle Lever Educators, he has served as co-editor of the Journal of the Minnesota Association of Middle Level Education, the journal Transescence, and Dissemination Services on Middle Grades Education. He was also an editorial board member of the Rural Special Education Quarterly and a reviewer of proposals for funding submitted to the United States Department f Education.

Larkin has made more than 150 presentations at conferences on the local, state and national levels as well as conducted 75 workshops on such topics as managing the middle level classroom, characteristics of young adolescents, humor as a teaching strategy, and improving classroom instruction.

He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, master’s from both the College of St. Thomas and the University of Wisconsin-Superior, and doctorate from the University of Illinois. ■

Annual Winter Golf Classic Set Y E A R S 1 9 2 2 ◊ 1 9 9 7 

Annual Phonathon Underway The Bemidji State University Foundation annual Phonathon is well underway. The Calling Center in the Park House employs approximately 30 students who make calls to alumni, parents of current students, and prospective students. Calling for fall quarter focused primarily on prospective students.

“We will concentrate mainly on calling alumni and parents during winter quarter,” said Tricia Bunten, director of annual giving programs. “We make every effort to contact all alumni at least once a year by phone, but we are unable to reach some alumni.”

Gifts made through the Phonathon help support scholarships, recruitment efforts, special departmental programs and help the Foundation in its mission.

“Gifts from alumni are very important to the University,” said Bunten.

“They not only provide much needed additional funding but also make a strong statement to current students that the alumni of Bemidji State valued their educational experience and want to ensure that current and future students have the same or better experiences.”

If you have any questions about the Phonathon please call Tricia Bunten at 1-888-234-5718.

Name(s) _________________________________________________ Address _________________________________________________ City _______________________ State _____ Zip ________________ Social Security Number _____________________________________ Please accept this gift of: $ ___ Other / ___ $500 / ___ $300 / ___ $100 / ___ $75 / ____ $30 METHODS OF PAYMENT: Check (Payable to BSU Foundation)_____ I would like to be billed in_____installments between now and June 30, 1998.

Please _____ send reminders or _____ charge my credit card._____ Please charge my gift to: _____ MasterCard _____ VISA Credit Card Number __________________________ Exp. Date ________ Signature __________________________________ ____ I work for a matching gift company that will match this gift.

Please mail to: Bemidji State University Annual Fund 1500 Birchmont Drive NE #DPH, Bemidji, MN 56601-2699 ■

Nominations Sought for Outstanding Alumni and Athletic Hall of Fame Awards Nominations are now being accepted for candidates to be considered for the Outstanding Alumni Award or for induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame.

Recipients of these two honors will be recognized during special programs at Homecoming 1998.

Outstanding Alumni Award The Outstanding Alumni Award is presented annually during Homecoming and is the highest honor presented by the Bemidji State University Alumni Association.

The recipients of the award bring much recognition to their alma mater through distinguished and professional achievements.

They are honored for exceptional service and contributions to Bemidji State University and to their community, state and nation.

All nominees must have graduated from Bemidji State no less than 10 years ago. Nominations will be accepted until February 1, 1998, and can be made by anyone except from an immediate family member.

Current faculty, staff and members of the Board of Directors of the Bemidji State University Alumni Association are not eligible for consideration.

A nomination form can be

obtained by calling the Alumni Office at 1-888-234-2687 or 218-751-3989.

Athletic Hall of Fame Nominations for the Athletic Hall of Fame must be in writing and will be accepted until January 1, 1998.

Nominees must have earned an athletic letter at BSU, must have attended BSU for at least two years and not have graduated from another University. They have to have attended BSU no less than 20 years ago. Previous coaches and/or administrators who made significant contributions to the development and success of BSU athletics may also be considered.

Selections will be based on merit in four categories: athletic accomplishments while at BSU; post collegiate professional accomplishments; service and contributions to community, state and nation; service to Bemidji State University.

Further information is available by contacting the BSU Alumni Association Office at 1888-234-2687 (toll free) or 218755-3989 or by calling Bob Peters, men’s athletic director, or Doreen Zierer, women’s athletic director, at 218-755-2940. ■

The 4th Annual Beaver Pride Winter Golf Classic is scheduled for Saturday, January 24, 1998.

The event, 18 holes of golf on the ice of Lake Bemidji, raises funds to support athletics. Teams of two golfers use putters and tennis balls to negotiate the course.

“Winter golf is all about having fun and making the most of our winter weather in Bemidji,” said Tom Faecke, vice president for administrative affairs and co-chair of the Winter Golf committee. “No serious golfing skills are needed in this event. In fact, the team that won the event a few years ago hardly plays any real golf.”

The cost for the tournament is $25 per player and includes green (ice) fees, an official Winter Golf memento, and a burger at Slim’s.

Prizes are awarded to the best and worst scoring teams and to the team that traveled the furthest to attend.

The event had to be canceled in 1997 due to bad ice conditions. The 1996 event drew 75 golfers. The event this year is scheduled earlier when ice conditions are typically better and is one of the activities of Bemidji Polar Daze.

For information or to register for the event, please call 1-888-2345718 or (218) 755-4145. ■

Notice to Parents of Alumni If this publication is addressed to a son or daughter who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Alumni Office at 1-888-234-2687 of his or her new mailing address. Thank you.