2019 Winter BSC Magazine

WINTER 2018 – 19

DAVIDSON FAMILY

ALL IN AT BSC PAGE 7

EDITOR’S NOTE A recent newspaper opinion piece by a North Dakota University System faculty member raised the alarm that North Dakota colleges and universities will no longer be able to survive on traditional first year students. From the community college perspective, my response is… duh.

BSC not only saw this coming, we’ve been dealing with it for some time. We constantly evolve to better serve the increasing numbers of part-time working students, and the incumbent workers looking for a change. You’ll see in these pages that we’ve expanded programs to meet demand (see the cybersecurity BAS story on page 14), we’re expanding our mission to become a polytechnic (page 12), and we’ve established satellite campuses for nursing (page 15). All these examples ensure we are meeting our students’ where they are with the education they need.

You’ll also find inspiring stories inside these pages that speak to the role BSC plays as an accessible, affordable and high quality launching pad for the people of this region, and beyond. BSC serves our students well, and I am proud to be part of it.

Thank you for reading.

4 ACHIEVING DREAMS

Professor lands National Geographic gig

6 DOING GOOD Building chairs for Africa

7 COVER

Full-time student family

10 STUDENT SUCCESS Student on the move

12 CAMPUS NEWS Polytechnic pursuit Cybersecurity expansion

17 ALUMNI

Alumni rock magazine Donors give back

Marnie Piehl Editor

22 MYSTICS

Volleyball and basketball

bismarckstate.edu

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INSIDE EDITOR Marnie Piehl DESIGNER DeAnne Billings CONTRIBUTING WRITER Kimberly Singer CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER Witney Nielsen CONTRIBUTORS Dusty Anderson Cole Bernhardt Lacey Lange Juanita Lee Emily Cash Larry C. Skogen PHOTO CREDITS Glasser Images DeAnne Billings

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FEATURE

BSC PROFESSOR ACHIEVES DREAM WORKING WITH NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

BY MARNIE PIEHL

As a kid, Angie Milakovic loved looking through her grandparents’ National Geographic magazines, but it was the family’s Sunday drives that inspired her passion for geography. As they roamed from New Hradec (near Dickinson) to Jamestown to see relatives, Milakovic found her calling by looking out the window.

“I really wondered about buttes, badlands formations, and the rocks and minerals that we would pass that were obviously different than where I grew up. I wanted to know why the landscape formed the way it did, what made it happen? How did it happen? Thus – beginning at age 6 – my love of physical geography and atmospheric science started,” she said.

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Fast forward to college, where Milakovic majored in geography beginning at BSC and then moving on to the University of North Dakota. Between her junior and senior years, she’d hoped to land a coveted National Geographic summer internship.

Competition was tough and she didn’t make the cut.

“I thought then, ‘how could someone like me get a job like that?’”

She went on to a different job – teaching geographic information systems and physical geography at BSC. She became a member of the North Dakota Geography Alliance in 2008 and has been a proponent of North Dakota’s investment in geography education. Milakovic notes that the North Dakota Legislature established a $1 million endowment with the National Geographic Society in 2009 to further geography education in the state.

Then, last winter one of Milakovic’s colleagues encouraged her to apply for a new, part-time role with National Geographic’s Educator Network in North Dakota – Geography Steward for North Dakota.

And that’s how her childhood dream came true.

“I got this email from National Geographic that said ‘congrats, you’ve been awarded this steward position’ – the only one in North Dakota! It was surreal. I couldn’t believe it. And then they sent me a payroll order so they could pay me to work for National Geographic,” she enthuses.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATOR NETWORK National Geographic is committed to teaching students about the world and how it works, ultimately empowering the next generation of geographers, scientists, conservationists and educators: the National Geographic explorers and change makers of tomorrow.

The National Geographic Educator Network connects formal and informal K-12 educators and their classrooms to a host of National Geographic resources and to one another.

This past summer she kicked off her duties by helping to establish a new advisory committee of North Dakota education leaders committed to furthering geographic education in North Dakota. According to Elaine Larson, Regional Director - Educator Network, National Geographic Society, Milakovic is part of a new strategy from National Geographic that gets “boots on the ground” for education outreach. In addition to the committee, Larson says they will work with partners like the North Dakota Geographic Alliance.

“How can we best work with partners and individual educators in North Dakota based on needs identified by the advisory council? We want to make our education outreach personal and direct,” Larson says. “National Geographic is working to provide educators in North Dakota and around the country the opportunity to have in-person and online professional development opportunities and access to classroom resources to inspire their students to learn about geography and the world around them.”

Learn more at NatGeoEd.org/Network.

For Milakovic, working for National Geographic at this point in her life is more rewarding than it would have been in college.

“It means more now than it did then. With life experience, you know how you can make a difference.”

Learn more about BSC’s GIS program at bismarckstate.edu/academics.

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FEATURE

TORGERSON USES WOODWORKING SKILLS TO BENEFIT DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

BY KIM SINGER Earl Torgerson, BSC associate professor of residential construction and sustainability technology, recently used his skill set to teach furniture-making to representatives from nongovernmental organizations (NGO) in Fiji, Ghana, Liberia and Uganda. He participated in a five-day workshop at the Marc Adams School of Woodworking in Whiteland, Ind., titled, From Forest to Final Form: Perpetuating Purpose.

Torgerson is in the process of getting his Master Woodworker Designation at Marc Adams – the largest school of woodworking in North America.

The workshop began after Wood-Mizer, a wood processing equipment manufacturer, donated hundreds of portable sawmills to impoverished countries. That generous contribution identified a gap – the communities lacked the tools and skills needed to turn the wood they harvested into useful products. Funding from the Narrow Gate Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating, inspiring and empowering Christian discipleship, allowed Marc Adams to step in and close that gap.

Because each country in the pilot project needs school furniture (desks, chairs, tables, etc.), the focus of the workshop was to develop furniture prototypes. Attendees split into four groups with three groups developing the prototypes, and the fourth putting together kits of manual tools needed to make the furniture.

Torgerson, who was on the team building chairs, said it was a challenging task because they didn’t use any fasteners, adhesives or power tools. “It’s not that these countries don’t have access to them, but fasteners and adhesives are costprohibitive and electricity is not reliable. It was challenging as we had to adjust our mindset, but also rewarding.”

Once the prototypes were created, pictures were taken and videos were made for each piece to help the NGO representative teach people in the receiving nations how to

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“

When you invest your time in people, it has a high return. It changes lives.

”

– EARL TORGERSON

make them. The NGOs will administer the project on the ground by providing training and determining how best to use the lumber produced by the saw mills and how to distribute the products.

While the workshop was taking place, people in the countries receiving this support sent texts and emails expressing their gratitude. “When you invest your time in people, it has a high return. It changes lives,” Torgerson said.

This isn’t the first time he has given time and energy to assist those in developing countries. He helped set up a carpentry training program at The Scheel Center, a part of the God’s Child Project in Guatemala.

Torgerson said he hopes to remain involved in the From Forest to Final Form project. “It is well-backed and organized. I would love to continue to contribute to the development of it.”

Learn more about BSC’s Carpentry program at bismarckstate.edu/academics.

THE

DAVIDSONS

COVER STORY

Back row: Bridget and Micah Davidson Front row: Meagan, Lexus, Petra and Amanda

A FAMILY OF FULL-TIME STUDENTS At the Davidson home in Bismarck, dinner is on your own these days. It was the first thing to go when all six members of this close-knit family enrolled at Bismarck State College.

“I do miss dinner time,” says daughter Meagan, age 20.

While the “Davidson dorm” may not have a meal plan per se, it has plenty of benefits. The parents take care of the groceries, mom Bridget takes the lead on family laundry most weekends, everyone has their own room, and, with the whole family balancing school and work, camaraderie abounds.

Meagan, Lexus and Amanda are triplets; Petra is the youngest daughter. All of the girls have part time jobs. Bridget and dad Micah both work full time. Bridget is at Legacy High School in Bismarck; Micah works in technology for the Bismarck Public Schools. All six are full-time BSC students.

While the Davidsons didn’t get any BOGO deals at BSC, living at home keeps their costs down, as does the number of family members enrolled. Household income is the biggest factor in determining the financial aid options for a student, but the number of people in the house and the number of people attending college weigh in when it comes to financial aid.

BY MARNIE PIEHL 7

“The more family members in college, the greater grant assistance available – that includes North Dakota grants as well as Pell Grants,” BSC Financial Aid Director Scott Lingen says.

online cybersecurity classes the spring prior, encouraged her.

“I’d tried college when they were young and that did not work.

This does,” he says.

No one in the family has a student loan. The girls have earned a number of scholarships from the BSC Foundation and elsewhere.

All the Davidsons qualify for Pell or other grants. Bridget says her salary is designated to college costs, and Micah’s to living expenses, so “no big vacation plans are on the horizon for probably a couple more years.”

The family’s various studies are a cross section of BSC’s many program offerings – Micah takes online classes in web development and cybersecurity; Bridget is working toward her associate degree, then plans to go on for a business degree through Dickinson State University on the BSC campus; Petra is in BSC’s mass communications program; Lexus is studying early childhood education and will transfer to Mayville State in January; Meagan is in BSC’s graphic design program; and Amanda is studying business at BSC and plans to open a bed and breakfast someday.

The girls agree that paying their own way is both worth it, and a path that ensures they value their education.

“I think it’s better that I’m paying for my own college. I take it more seriously and try harder to get good grades,” says Lexus.

“I feel like you do better if paying for yourself,” says Amanda.

College was not on the radar when Bridget graduated from Shiloh in 1995. “At the time of my high school graduation, college wasn’t a big deal even though I knew my older brother had gone for a little bit.

No one suggested or encouraged me to go,” she says.

Instead, she went to work, then married, and within a couple years was a mother of four little girls. Micah attended college for a year before joining the Air Force, but becoming a father of four in a short timeframe meant earning a living trumped attending college.

When the older three enrolled, Bridget says “I just thought ‘can I go to college?’ It was a new idea for me.” Micah, who had begun taking

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The family agrees that Bridget is the most stressed-out student in the house. “She makes me nervous!” says Amanda who has an Algebra class with her mom. Their teacher, Michael Kern, associate professor of Mathematics, says the mother and daughter are good, conscientious students who always get their work done. “You don’t see a mother and daughter in a classroom very often. It’s cool to see how well they get along.”

The family’s busy and varied schedules mean our campus interview is one of the rare times all six are in one place at one time. They laugh a lot. They discuss their school and work schedules. They make plans. Micah says their driveway looks like a used car lot when everyone is home. One car is in the shop today so Petra and Meagan swap keys. Finally, this family of students goes their separate ways knowing they’ll see each other later, at home.

VIDEO EXTRA! vimeo.com/ bismarckstate/ davidson

BSC FINANCIAL AID BREAKDOWN The most current funding report indicates that BSC students received the bulk of their funding through federal loans and Pell grants, at percentages similar to those seen nationally. In 2017-18 student loans decreased, while grants increased. This is a shift that’s good for students according to Scott Lingen, BSC Director of Financial Aid. “It may be that more students qualify for grants, or that fewer choose debt when the loans are available. Either way is a positive sign for their long-term financial health,” he says.

The generosity of our partners and donors impacts students’ lives on campus, in the workplace and beyond. The effect of your support can be seen every day at BSC. bismarckstate.edu/foundation 701-224-5700

Impact a student's future.

Consider giving.

When it comes to paying those loans back, default rates are decreasing nationally – especially at two-year community colleges. But, as the student loan debt soars to $1.4 trillion nationally, BSC’s student loan default rate is very low.

“We believe our students’ employability is a factor – BSC students easily find jobs after graduation thanks both to the in-demand programs and the region’s job market. It may be that our affordability helps as well – they leave us with less debt than they would in another setting,” Lingen says. The average student loan debt of a BSC student is about $8,000 for those that took loans.

Watch for a full list of our 2018 scholarship recipients and donors in the Spring 2019 issue.

FINANCIAL AID FUNDING TO BSC STUDENTS

STUDENT LOAN DEFAULT RATES 25 20 15 10 5 0

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FEATURE

BSC PROVIDES BRIDGE FOR BULLHEAD

BY MARNIE PIEHL Schea Bullhead knows that the best way to get where he’s going is to find a route where the transitions from small to big, and then to bigger still, aren’t overwhelming. Bismarck State College fit the bill for him.

Bullhead is from Fort Yates, N.D., on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. He graduated from Standing Rock High School with about 40 others in 2016. One of the top three students in his class, he knew he wanted to leave home for college, but also knew that for him, college success was dependent on a move that wouldn’t be too large or too jarring.

He chose BSC, 68 miles to the north, and moved into Werner Hall. He liked his classes, got along with his roommate, and became a Mystic Ambassador. He had excellent grades and was invited to join Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), an honor society. It was the perfect balance – he’d moved out of his comfort zone without moving too far from home.

His professors were pleased. Joe Ellefson, a criminal justice professor, remembers Bullhead as a determined student, quiet but always prepared. Computer Science instructor Deb Mantz calls him “conscientious” and cited his tendency to help others in class.

Bullhead says he definitely improved his people skills that first year – a goal he’d set. Both in PTK and as a Mystic Ambassador, he says he had to talk. “It gave me an outlet to improve how I relate to people.”

Things were going well, but then, the summer before his sophomore year, Bullhead had a severe anxiety attack. He’d experienced minor anxiety in the past, but this time the effects stayed with him.

He returned to BSC, but struggled. He turned to a counselor at the Mystic Advising and Counseling Center, and an outside counselor as well. Together they decided he needed time to heal. He didn’t want to lose his scholarships or derail his academic goals, so he withdrew from school and went home.

Upon his return to BSC in the Spring of 2018, he worried about losing ground and failing to graduate. Because he was familiar with the resources available to him on campus, and knew he’d find the support he needed to succeed, he enrolled in 20 credits in order to stay on track.

“I knew I could do it. I wanted to earn my degree and I didn’t want to mess up what I had in mind for myself. After the third week, I was back to where I was before my anxiety attack.”

He graduated in the spring of 2018 with an associate in arts degree, and today, Bullhead is a junior at NDSU majoring in psychology. He’s a DJ at the campus radio station and joined the Native American Club. He lives near campus, and he’s getting close to deciding on a career path. He’d like to return to Standing Rock someday and “help my people the best way I can. Maybe [I’ll] be a psychologist at the high school. … and help others get to college.”

But, he isn’t going home yet. He really likes Fargo (despite the wind he says), he’s got his anxiety under control, and, after all that conscious effort to spread his wings, Bullhead would like to walk a bit farther down the path he’s on. “I want to experience life away from home a little longer. First that.”

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THE

BENEFITS OF

BSC

[ACCORDING TO SCHEA]

SMALL CLASS SIZES

”I really valued 1:1 time with instructors at BSC as opposed to a bigger college. The only con was that if I missed class, they knew! It made me HAVE to go to any class.”

He said the pros far outweighed that con. “If I needed extra help, I sent an email. I could ask a question unrelated to our topic, too. I could talk to them.”

THE INSTRUCTORS

Deb Mantz for computers; Karen Bauer in Mass Communications, Joe Ellefson in Criminal Justice and Perry Hornbacher in History all received kudos from Bullhead.

CREDITS TRANSFERRED EASILY

Bullhead had always been told his credits would transfer to NDSU, and they did. He was able to enroll as a junior at NDSU.

BSC IS AFFORDABLE

Bullhead received scholarships from the BSC Foundation and elsewhere. “Coming from Standing Rock and speaking as someone from a rural area, I know not everyone can pay for college. At end of the day, a college education is something everyone should get to achieve.

I don’t know why anyone would cut higher ed funding.”

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BSC’S NEXT

BIG MILESTONE BSC PURSUES FOUR-YEAR POLYTECHNIC MISSION

BY LARRY C. SKOGEN, BSC PRESIDENT When I interviewed to become BSC’s seventh president, one of the first questions asked of me was when BSC would become a four-year institution. My response at that time was, why would we? BSC, I argued, is a great two-year school and should continue to focus on that mission.

In most states, two-year colleges outnumber four-year institutions and serve as gateways for students to begin an affordable education close to home, then transfer on to universities. In North Dakota, we have six four-year institutions and five two-year colleges, giving our citizens greater access to four-year institutions than to two-year institutions. Creating another four-year institution (so there would be seven such campuses) while decreasing access to two-year institutions (leaving only four such campuses) seemed to me to be an insurmountable obstacle.

Early in my tenure as president of BSC, I read a report by students in the 2006 Leadership Bismarck-Mandan program (a professional education program for community members) addressing this same question. The study concluded that the Bismarck-Mandan community overwhelmingly supported BSC’s transition to a four-year institution with one caveat: BSC had to continue with all its two-year technical programs.

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One way to do both, without duplicating what is done well at six other existing four-year institutions, was to become a polytechnic four-year institution.

A polytechnic offers bachelor of applied science (BAS) degrees in technical fields – in programs like those already offered by BSC. As a polytechnic, BSC also could provide BAS degrees. If we were to make that transition, however, I knew we’d have to do our homework.

LARRY C. SKOGEN

In 2008 I visited the German Embassy in Washington, D.C., and explained to the German Head of the Cultural Department who we were and that we’d like to visit a German polytechnic. In 2012, I brought a team to Fachhochschule Magdeburg-Stendal, an institution offering a variety of BAS degrees in business administration, engineering, industrial design, communications, healthcare, and water management. During that visit we explored academic and cultural exchanges, internship programs, and study abroad opportunities, but what stuck with me was how Magdeburg-Stendal had developed the right atmosphere for the delivery of bachelor degrees in a polytechnic environment.

In the meantime, a former U.S. Air Force base I was stationed at many years ago was given to the city of Gilbert, Arizona. The city of Gilbert offered the location to Arizona State University, which developed ASU Polytechnic there. In 2016 I accompanied a team of BSC administrators and a SBHE member to the campus to learn more. (Side note: That visit was coordinated with ASU’s Chief Financial Officer, a BSC graduate.)

Even as we explored our options, industry demand for four-year technical degrees was building. In 2008 the SBHE approved a BAS in Energy Management at BSC. This program has been wildly successful with as many as 270 students in any given semester, and nearly 500 graduates. BSC then sought and received permission from the SBHE to offer a BAS in Geomatics.

Unfortunately, permission was granted at the same time as BSC’s budget was cut 20 percent, and so that program remains unfunded. Next, again at the request of industry, BSC received permission from the SBHE to offer a BAS in Cybersecurity and Information Technology. While we didn’t have the appropriated funds needed to standup this program, industry came through – providing $1.85M. The Higher Learning Commission approved launching that program in fall 2019. Students are already enrolling.

The success of our BAS degrees along with our visits to Magdeburg-Stendal and ASU-Poly reinforced that the best path for BSC to become the four-year institution desired by the Bismarck-Mandan communities was to create a unique niche as a polytechnic. As such, for our bachelor degree offerings, BSC would focus on technical areas and incorporate internships into all the programs.

To my great delight, in September of this year, the SBHE approved this change to our mission. There’s much work now to be done. Dr. Dan Leingang, VP for Academics, will lead a task force to explore all that has to be done to make the transition to a four-year polytechnic, including a possible name change.

In the final analysis, we are well on our way to achieving the communities’ desire for a four-year state institution. At the same time, BSC has and will remain true to our roots by maintaining all other programming, technical and transfer. Thus, this new recognition and authority to grant four-year degrees is a value added – with nothing subtracted – from our historical mission.

However this transition plays out, BSC will remain focused on providing students with the best launching pad to their full development as individuals and future leaders. In the end, our communities, North Dakota, and most importantly, the students are winners as BSC moves forward with our new mission.

BSC MILESTONES 1939

Bismarck Junior College opens with 107 students and 12 instructors.

1949

BJC becomes part of Bismarck Public Schools

1955

BJC moves into building on Capitol grounds

1959

Harold Schafer donates land overlooking the Missouri River to the college

1961

Classes begin in Schafer Hall

1965

Werner Hall completed

1968

Library completed

1972 -1979

Swensen Hall, Technical Center, Student Union and Mystic Hall built

1984

BJC joins the North Dakota University System

1987

BJC becomes Bismarck State College

1998

Jack Science Center completed

2007

BSC Mandan Campus opens

2008 -2017

NECE, Lidstrom Hall, BSC Aquatic & Wellness Center, BPS Career Academy, Robert A. Kunz Physical Plant, Gate City Bank Hall, Richie Hall, and LEA Hall built

2013

Enrollment exceeds 4,000 students

2018

BSC pursues new mission as a polytechnic

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MORE BIG INITIATIVES

AT BSC PARTNERS' SUPPORT AND DEMAND DRIVES BSC CYBERSECURITY EFFORTS BSC saw unprecedented support from an array of technology companies this past year that are positioning BSC’s Cybersecurity and Computer Networks Program as a national player in educating the cybersecurity workforce.

In May, BSC President Dr. Larry Skogen, along with North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Chief Information Officer Shawn Riley, announced an educational collaboration with Palo Alto Networks that named BSC as the technical education lead in a comprehensive, statewide approach to cyber with a goal of “every student, every school, cyber educated."

The partnership with Palo Alto Networks, the global cybersecurity leader, enables BSC to scale online and classroom cybersecurity offerings, including a new bachelor of applied science degree by fall 2019.

In June, Great River Energy, Midcontinent Communications (Midco) and National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC) gave generous donations to the BSC Foundation to support the same program.

Midco donated $100,000, and both Great River Energy and NISC donated $50,000 to help BSC train the talent desperately needed in our nation’s hospitals, refineries, technology companies, power plants and more.

Cybersecurity had a zero percent unemployment rate in 2016 and is one of the most in-demand and growing career fields worldwide.

For more information about BSC’s Cybersecurity and Computer Networks program visit bismarckstate.edu/cybercenter.

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BSC DELIVERING ENERGY TRAINING IN MIDDLE EAST Bismarck State College recently became the sole provider of energy training for the National Power Academy (NPA) in Dammam, Saudi Arabia in mid-September. The NPA welcomed its first students to the three-year program run by BSC. The NPA is a public-private training academy backed by leading Saudi power sector companies Saudi Aramco and Saudi Electricity Company as well as international energy companies including General Electric and Siemens. The effort is part of the kingdom’s Vision 2030 which includes initiatives to lessen the kingdom’s reliance on foreign workers by providing internationally accredited and specialized diploma programs for Saudi high school graduates.

BSC was chosen as the provider after responding to a global RFP issued by the NPA. “We are incredibly proud to have been chosen to deliver this training out of a global pool of responders,” says BSC President Larry C. Skogen.

BSC’s energy programs are housed in the National Energy Center of Excellence (NECE) on the BSC campus, and it was a visit to that facility by the NPA partners that secured the deal, according to Skogen.

“When they saw the NECE, they said ‘this is exactly what we want in Saudi Arabia.’ Seeing our state-of-the-art labs, the curriculum and simulations, really cinched the deal for them.”

All programs are delivered in English. NPA students study English, math and basic science for six months, then engage in technical training for 18 months. They complete their training with one year of on-the-job training.

Students attend classes for 32 hours per week, and are sponsored by NPA partners. Students are paid to train for the jobs awaiting them upon completion of the program.

BSC NURSING LAB MAKES BIG IMPACT IN SMALL TOWNS Nursing is one of the fastest growing occupations in the U.S. According to the U.S. Bureau Labors Statistics, there will be more than a million nursing vacancies by 2024. Thanks to a $100,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the BSC Nursing program was able to purchase a roving simulation lab for students training to be nurses in medical centers in Hazen, Harvey, Ashley, Garrison and, starting next fall, Hettinger.

In the past, those students had to travel to Bismarck to take part in the program simulations. Annie Paulson, director of BSC’s nursing program, says this will ensure students at the BSC satellite sites are receiving the same quality of education as the students in Bismarck. By educating students in their hometowns, BSC also hopes to help recruit nurses in rural areas where shortages often exist.

BSC AND DAKOTA NURSING PROGRAM LOCATIONS

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ALUMNI VICE PRESIDENT FOR COLLEGE ADVANCEMENT AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BSC FOUNDATION Kari Knudson BSC FOUNDATION AND COLLEGE ADVANCEMENT STAFF Gordon Binek Christina Burns Emily Cash Janet Dixon Julie Erickson Harold Larson Erica Schaeffer Rita Nodland Cory Wrolstad

BSC ALUMNI BOARD ELECTS OFFICERS The BSC National Alumni Association Board of directors elected Gavin McCollam, ’85, president, Woody Barth, ’81 vice president and Jennifer Schlinger, ’97 past president at its annual meeting in June.

McCollam is Vice President of Engineering & Construction at Basin Electric Power Cooperative. Woody Barth is a Morton County Farmer/Rancher. Schlinger is a program administrator for Home and Community Based Services within the Aging Services area of the N.D. Department of Human Services.

Returning and new board members are John Brammell, ’65; Emily Dalzell, ’08 & ’09; Kyren Miller, ’98; Ben Brick, ’09; Courtney Reiswig, ’13; Mari Volk ’05; and Jordan Schade, ’18, Student Government Association Representative.

Learn more about the BSC National Alumni Association at bismarckstate.edu/alumnifoundation.

BSC FOUNDATION PRESIDENT Norman Clark BSC FOUNDATION (800) 272-2586 or (701) 224-5700

GAVIN MCCOLLAM

WOODY BARTH

JENNIFER SCHLINGER

BISMARCK STATE COLLEGE

ALUMNI

ASSOCIATION

BSC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Rita Nodland BSC NATIONAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT Gavin McCollam To subscribe, change your address, or submit an alumni note: Rita Nodland BSC Alumni Coordinator PO Box 5587 Bismarck, ND 58506 rita.nodland@bismarckstate.edu

1-800-BSC-ALUM

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Keep in touch!

The BSC National Alumni Association would like your help with keeping you connected to your alma mater! If you have moved or know of someone no longer getting their BSC Magazine, keep in touch by submitting an address change and a current email address at bismarckstate.edu/keepintouch Contact the Alumni Association office for more information at bsc.alumni@bismarckstate.edu or call (701) 224-5692.

FOUNDATION NEWS PRESIDENT’S RUN RAISES $4K FOR SCHOLARSHIPS A beautiful North Dakota summer day set the stage for the 11th annual BSC President’s Run, gathering car and motorcycle enthusiasts to take in the sights and sounds of the region. This year, attendees trekked across the border to Lemmon, S.D., via North Dakota Highway 6. Following a cookout at the Petrified Wood Park in Lemmon, well-known metal sculptor John Lopez led a tour of his Kokomo Gallery. The Grand River Museum in Lemmon showcases one of Lopez’s standout pieces, a sculpture of Hugh Glass. Glass, a fur trapper in the early 1800s, was the inspiration for the 2015 Leonardo DiCaprio film The Revenant.

Dr. Larry C. Skogen, President of BSC, rallies the riders before heading out on the run. From left to right are honoree Frank Bavendick’s family members Hailie Hecker, Yvette Bavendick, and Greg Bavendick, along with ride leader Loren Kopseng and Dr. Skogen.

This year’s run was held in memory of Frank Bavendick, a good friend to the college who passed away in March 2018. More than $4,000 was raised from the event, and funding will support BSC student scholarships.

President’s Run Sponsors First International Bank & Trust McQuade Distributing Co. Rainbow Gas Company Moritz Sport & Marine

Puklich Chevrolet BlackRidgeBANK Flash Printing Cloverdale

FRIENDS OF BSC AGAIN GOLF FOR GOOD The BSC Foundation held its 2018 President’s Cup Classic on June 15, at Prairie West in Mandan. Twenty-five teams participated, golfing in a putting contest, alternate shot, and scramble format. Held annually, more than $15,000 was raised this year to support scholarships for BSC’s student athletes.

This year BSC Athletic Director Buster Gillis presented newly established awards in honor of Frank Bavendick, a long-time BSC friend and supporter who lettered in track and field while attending BSC in 1949-50. Hannah Hanson was awarded the Frank Bavendick Leadership Award, and Jaden Scott and Michael Olson each received the Frank Bavendick Sportsmanship Award.

Ride attendees line up for a feast provided by Larry Rolfson, BlackRIDGE Bank, and Cloverdale. Grill master Rolfson has been serving up lunch for the riders for many years.

President’s Cup Sponsors Grand Prize Sponsors Bismarck State College Foundation Richard and Doris Flurer Hole-In-One Prize Sponsors First Western Bank & Trust Roughrider Harley-Davidson Hole, Team and Prize Sponsors Kirkwood Bank & Trust US Bank Fireside Office Solutions Jerome Distributing Inc. Prairie Knights Casino & Lodge iHeartMedia

KFYR TV/West Dakota Fox Eide Bailly Dakota Dust-Tex Starion Bank Townsquare Media American Bank Center Bank of North Dakota Image Printing JLG Architects Cloverdale Dan’s Supermarket Gilchrist Dental Stifel KX News MDU Resources TMI Hospitality Universal Athletic McQuade Distributing Mandan Parks & Rec

For a video of this year’s event, visit vimeo.com/277092344.

And mark your calendars for next year’s event on Friday, June 14, 2019!

Hannah Hanson, a sophomore from Mandan, plays middle hitter for Mystic’s Volleyball. Hanson was a recipient of the Frank Bavendick Leadership Award.

The MDU Resources Team placed first in the Overall Net competition. Team members from left to right are: Dan Kuntz, Jordan Hatzenbuhler, Dave Goodin, and Craig Gaube.

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ALUMNI

GREAT

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GIG, BIG STAGE BSC ALUMNI ROCK VINTAGE GUITAR

BY KIM SINGER

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About 25,000 copies of Vintage Guitar magazine are printed

and distributed all over the world each month. Established in 1986, the subscription-based publication features the companies that build vintage guitars and artists who play them as well as information on new gear, up-and-coming artists and recordings.

This impressive and far-reaching magazine is based in Bismarck and run by a hardworking team of only nine full-time staff members. One-third of them have something interesting in common – they graduated from BSC. Doug Yellow Bird, a ’92 alumnus, started out as the creative director in 1997 and is now the general manager. “I went through the commercial art program at BSC and am a guitar player. I never thought I’d get a gig where the two matched.” He added that it’s especially fortunate considering only five guitar magazines are in print in the country.

Since he now spends his days at a computer doing everything from designing layouts to handling the magazine’s social media efforts, Yellow Bird said he was impressed with and is grateful for the forward-thinking of his BSC professors. “It was the dawn of computers with those little Mac Classics. They were on it.”

While Rachel Handeland was still a student at BSC, she interned at Vintage Guitar. She moved into the role of online coordinator after she graduated in 2015. She entirely attributes her ability to exceed at her job to her time at BSC. “Without them, I wouldn’t know anything to do with this job. The people I met there really helped me get this job.” After earning her associate degree in graphic design, Handeland spent a year and a half taking web design courses at BSC. “The web design program with the HTML coding has helped me as a big percentage of my day involves coding.”

Joan Trygg, ’99 alumna, worked at BSC before she started at the magazine in 2017. After getting her associate in arts degree, she earned a bachelor’s in business administration from Minot State on BSC’s campus through their night program and then a master’s of science in business management online from Minot State. “My second year at BSC, I was working full-time and going to school. It teaches you how to manage your time with everything you need to get done.” As Vintage Guitar’s brand manager, she handles advertising and sales. She also works directly with artists or their publicists. “There are lots of big names, so it’s pretty exciting.”

Yellow Bird agreed that one of the perks of the job are the artists he’s met, such as Zakk Wylde, the guys from Buckcherry, Joe Walsh, Greg Martin and The Kentucky HeadHunters. He says the artists he’s met don’t let fame go to their heads. “They’re all down to earth; I haven’t met any ‘rock stars’ yet.”

Trygg feels the same way about the artists. “I was really impressed when REO Speedwagon was in town, and Dave Amato took the time to show us all his equipment when we did an interview with him. They’re so happy to be included in our magazine,” she says.

Vintage Guitar not only employs several BSC alumni, the staff has collaborated with the college’s graphic design program in the past. Yellow Bird said they would have students design layouts. He would then choose the best one to actually use in the magazine. In addition, Sean Thorenson, BSC associate professor of Graphic Design and Communications, illustrates the art used in the Reader Mail section of the publication each month.

For more on Vintage Guitar magazine, visit vintageguitar.com.

Information on BSC’s Graphic Design and Communications program can be found at bismarckstate.edu/academics.

20 l-r: Joan Trygg ‘99; Doug Yellow Bird ‘92; and Rachel Handeland ‘15.

IN MEMORIAM/HONORARIUM Doreen Heitkamp Kari Knudson

Gary Allard BSC Employees Emily Cash Kari Knudson

Lowell Helgerson Kari Knudson

Pat Bjork Kari Knudson Laura Kalvoda

Raymond Leingang Kari Knudson Adah McFerran Debbie and Steve Van Berkom

Bud Boots Jay Meier Lorna Gross BSC Employees Carla and Dick Bickert Kari Knudson

Blaine Meier Jay Meier

IN MEMORY/HONOR OF GIVEN BY Leon Nesja Bismarck-Mandan Retired Teachers Association DeAnna Smith BSC Employees Rosalie Stromstad BSC Employees Debbie and Steve Van Berkom

Marion Voxland Kari Knudson Charlotte Wachter Kari Knudson Karen Wolf Kari Knudson

Dennis Ulseth BSC Employees

BSC FOUNDATION EXECUTIVE CLUB & PRESIDENT’S CLUB The Foundation welcomes new and renewing Executive and President’s Club members for May 1, 2018 through October 31, 2018.

PRESIDENT’S CLUB

Annual Gifts of $500 or more to the BSC Foundation Andeavor Andeavor Foundation, Inc. Arthur H. Pearson Unitrust Marjory Atkinson Jay Beyer Greg and Bobbie Bigwood Daryl and Donna Braun Michael and Peggy Bullinger Butler Machinery Company Capital Electric Cooperative, Inc. Cass County Electric Cooperative CHS Foundation Corvettes of Dakota Territory Current Events Club Dakota Gasification Company Patrick and Mary Dirk Doosan/Bobcat Company Eide Bailly LLP The Falkirk Mining Company

First International Bank & Trust Frontier Precision, Inc. Milan and Olivia Ganser Gate City Bank Kevin Gilchrist Theodore Gladden Rosemary Gunsch Allan and Peggy Gustin Hess Bakken Investments II, LLC Micheal Holman Hometown Realty HVAC Elements JLG Architects Henry Mahlman McQuade Distributing MDU Resources Foundation MDU Resources Group, Inc. Midwest AgEnergy Group LLC Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc. National Information Solutions Cooperative Obermiller Nelson Engineering ONEOK, Inc. Thomas Porter

SAVE THE

D AT E Join us on the Mekong River in 2020

RDO Equipment Co Tom Regan Larry and Faye Rolfson Roughrider Chevrolet Association John R. Sakariassen Paul Sandness Dennis Schatz Starion Bank Cedric and Mary Theel Morris and Irene Tschider U.S. Bank Debbie and Steve Van Berkom Chad and Stacy Wachter Xcel Energy Foundation

EXECUTIVE CLUB

Annual Gifts of $250 or more to the BSC Foundation Dean and Shawn Anagnost Lee Friese Alan McAvoy

Join BSC President Dr. Larry C. Skogen, historian and Vietnam era veteran, on a Mekong River cruise through Vietnam and Cambodia March 16 - 23, 2020.

Brought to you by the BSC National Alumni Association and OLLI@BSC. Travelers will learn why the people of this region call this river the “mother of water.” Dr. Skogen will offer three lectures during the trip on the history of Indochina, the Vietnam War and the Khmer Rouge.

Contact Lori Heinsohn at lori.heinsohn@bismarckstate.edu for more information.

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MYSTICS VOLLEYBALL WRAP-UP

MYSTICS MEN’S BASKETBALL

BY JUANITA LEE

BY JUANITA LEE

The Mystics volleyball season ended with the No. 2 seeded Mystics battling the top-seeded and 17th ranked N.D. State College of Science Wildcats in the NJCAA Division II Region XIII championship match. The Mystics finished the year with a 27-8 record and the Region XIII runner-up title. Heading into postseason play, the Mystics and had been ranked as high as 13th in the NJCAA Division II rankings earlier in the season, which is believed to be the highest in program history.

After a rash of injuries plagued the Mystics' last season, Mystics coach Buster Gilliss looks to rebound with a roster of healthy players eager to make up for what they lost last year. With two N.D. high school Mr. Basketball candidates – Kyler McGillis, 2018 finalist and KyJuan Johnson, 2017 finalist – bringing leadership, a trio of recruits from Prince George, Va., offering athleticism and offensive skill, six sophomores lending experience, and 11 freshman very eager to prove themselves, the Mystics will continue to play their fast paced, up-and-down-the-court style of basketball.

Sophomores Sam Anklam, libero, and Liza Doppler, outside hitter, were named to the 2018 All-Region XIII Team and Mon-Dak All Conference Volleyball First Team. Doppler was also named the MVP of the Mon-Dak All Conference for the second year.

MYSTICS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

BY JUANITA LEE The Mystics kicked off the season with an all-North Dakota starting five. In fact, 13 of the 15 players on the team are from North Dakota. This year coach Marv Pedersen’s team looks to be pretty deep and includes 12 freshman with considerable talent including the reigning North Dakota high school Region 5 player of the year, Amber Stevahn, and the Region 7 player of the year, Sydney Anderson.

With three veteran Mystics and 12 others vying for minutes, Pedersen says practices are “super competitive.” What the Mystics lack in height, they make up for in quickness, in-yourface defense, and a lineup that can all shoot the three-ball. By November’s end the Mystics were 5-1, with their only loss being a two-point deficit.

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Despite injuries to several key players last season, BSC still ranked in the top five in scoring in NJCAA Division I at 97.3 points per game. With a healthy roster, the Mystics should hold or improve their position on the stat chart.

TOSS DISC GOLF IN THE GROWING LIST OF CAMPUS ACTIVITIES

BY KIM SINGER

Providing beautiful views along the way, the disc golf course goes all the way around BSC’s campus with hole one located north of the Technical Center and the final holes in the field between Werner Hall and the BSC Aquatic and Wellness Center.

“Many people have mentioned how much they love our course because snow doesn’t accumulate on the hills, allowing them to play it year round,” said Amanda Morse, Residence Hall Coordinator and SGA past president. “It brings in a lot of traffic of both students and residents of Bismarck-Mandan.”

In addition to BSC, disc golf courses can be found at General Sibley Park, Lions Park and United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck; Millennium Park in Lincoln and Sunset Park in Mandan.

SGA offers local businesses the opportunity to sponsor holes for $125 each per year.

For more information and to see a map of BSC’s disc golf course, visit bismarckstate.edu, choose “Student Life” then “Get Involved.”

MASS COMMUNICATIONS STUDENT LAUNCHES BSC’S FIRST SPORTS TALK SHOW It’s a sport that goes by several different names – disc golf, frolf and Frisbee golf. Calling it what they will, BSC students can now add it to their list of things to do on campus.

Initiated and implemented by the Student Government Association (SGA), BSC’s 18-hole course was completed in the fall of 2017. The intermediate-level course has been officially registered with the Professional Disc Golf Association, and even hosted the North Dakota Amateur Disc Golf Championship tournament in August. It’s open for use by students and the public from dawn until dusk every day.

Sports Fyx, BSC’s first sports talk show which launched in August, is the brainchild of BSC Mass Communications student Levi Holzer. New episodes air every three weeks on Wednesdays and include Mystics highlights, interviews, wrap-ups and more.

The 15-minute segment airs on Dakota Media Access, is shared via social media, is highlighted on the BSC website and will be shown during the breaks of Mystics live-streamed athletic events.

To watch episodes of

Sports Fyx

VIDEO EXTRA!

or any of BSC’s other student media productions, visit

BSCMysticMedia.com

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Bismarck State College PO Box 5587 Bismarck, ND 58506-5587

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