Blue Hawk Bulletin March 2018

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D I C K I N S O N

S TAT E

U N I V E R S I T Y

March 2018 ONDEKOZA COMES TO DICKINSON STATE THROUGH ARTS MIDWEST WORLD FEST PARTNERSHIP

By: Salena Loveland

DSU’S SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP RECEIVES 2018 LEAD AWARDS The distinguished recipients of the Leadership Excellence and Development (LEAD) Awards for 2018 were named for outstanding achievements in leadership development and programs in the areas of education, corporate, and individuals at the 2018 LEAD event held at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah, Feb. 7-8, 2018. “These prestigious leadership awards salute the world’s top leadership practitioners and programs and highlight their roles in developing their most important asset - their people,” said Debbie McGrath, CEO of HR.com. “For the past 35 years, the LEAD Awards, formerly known as Leadership Excellence Awards, have identified and recognized the top leadership programs and organizations and their strategies and solutions in their yearly ranking.” Dickinson State is pleased to announce that the University’s School of Business and Entrepreneurship (SoBE) was among those recipients in several categories.

Hear the thundering sounds of taiko drums with the world-famous ensemble Ondekoza from Japan. Fusing incredible athleticism, pounding rhythms and peaceful melodies, their performances leave audiences inspired and energized. In March, Dickinson will experience this unforgettable creative force that has captivated audiences across the globe. Formed in 1969, Ondekoza are masters of the world-renowned art of taiko drumming. In a performance that is as much dance as drumming, the thundering taiko style must be experienced live. At the foundation of Ondekoza’s style is a unique combination of physical fitness, running and drumming—a philosophy called sogakuron, where “running and drumming are one, a reflection of the drama and energy of life.” They demonstrated this principle in 1975 in Boston, where, after completing the Boston Marathon, Ondekoza immediately ran onstage for a full concert performance. When not touring the world, Ondekoza members live together in Japan, running and drumming at the base of Mount Fuji. “Taiko” literally means “fat drum,” which speaks to its origins in military usage. A soldier would carry one large taiko on his back while two others pounded on either side. This technique was intended to scare and intimidate the enemy. Eventually, taiko found its way into the Buddhist and Shinto temples and shrines and remains an integral part of religious ceremonies. Until the midtwentieth century, only one taiko was played. In 1951, Daihachi Oguchi created the taiko ensemble (kumi-daiko) made up of a large variety of taiko in many shapes and sizes. This is the style known today as taiko. To share this Japanese art form with the people of Dickinson, Ondekoza will be doing a number of workshops around the city. They will visit Trinity High School, Dickinson Public Schools, the Dickinson Public Library and Dickinson State University (DSU). Dickinson State is in the midst of a two-year partnership with Minneapolisbased Arts Midwest, a nonprofit regional arts organization that promotes meaningful arts experiences throughout the Upper Midwest. During the partnership, four different international ensembles will visit Dickinson spending a week each. The first ensemble, Sofi & the Baladis from Israel, visited last fall.

The SoBE at Dickinson State was nominated for awards in 3 academic categories, including: “Best Certificate with emphasis in HR” for the School’s Human Resource Management certificate, “Best Degree Program with emphasis on Leadership and Organizational Development” for the School’s Business Administration major, and “Best Degree Program with emphasis on HR” for the School’s Human Resource Management major. Additionally, Dr. Holly Gruhlke, assistant professor of business and chair of the SoBE at Dickinson State, was nominated and advanced to the 2018 LEAD Awards’ winner circle in the category “Top Future Leader - 35 and Under.” Gruhlke attended the LEAD 2018 national conference in February on behalf of the University where she conducted three roundtables showcasing the School of Business and Entrepreneurship’s programs in human resources, administration and leadership. “After a challenging two days of round tables, workshops and interviews, I’m thrilled to share we placed third in the HR certificate program and leadership degree program categories, fifth in the HR degree program category, and I received fourth place nationally in the top future leader category,” said Gruhlke. “Competition was fierce, as each category had anywhere from 100-250 nominees and there were many other notable universities nominated, including Harvard, UCLA and Vanderbilt. Not only were we in the top 10 percent, we were in the top 5 percent nationally across the board! This was truly a great day for DSU and the School of Business and Entrepreneurship.” This year’s award winners were published in the February edition of the Leadership Excellence Essentials e-publication. Future issues of the Leadership Excellence publication will also feature interviews from select top award winners in each category. These interviews will outline each program’s unique qualities that made them a LEAD Awards winner. For a full list of 2018 LEAD award winners, visit www.leadershipexcellenceanddevelopment.com/content/lead2018-award-winners.

“The first ensemble visit went well and we’re eager to have another group in town for a week,” said Dr. Jeremy Wohletz, assistant professor of music at DSU. “The groups not only perform a public concert but most of the week they are in the schools and other community locations sharing their culture through workshops. It’s not often smaller communities like ours have the chance to host international ensembles like Ondekoza at all—let alone for a full week,” continued Wohletz. “We’re fortunate. This is a rare opportunity for us to enjoy an authentic slice of Japanese music and culture right here in Dickinson.” Ondekoza will perform for the public Thursday, March 8, at 7 p.m. in Dorothy Stickney Auditorium on the Dickinson State campus. The cost to attend is $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and children, and free for DSU students with a valid ID. Tickets can be purchased at www.dickinsonstate.edu/worldfest or at the door on the night of the performance. The box office will open at 6 p.m. Seating is general admission and is first come first served.

all class reunion June 28-30, 2018

dickinsonstate.edu/centennial

The LEAD event is an annual two-day inspirational leadership conference dedicated to helping organizations create an innovative, high potential and passionate workforce. Both days are action packed with leadership and HR specific roundtables, workshops, networking opportunities and speakers. Participants learn how to take the world’s best corporate leadership practices and concepts and put them into practice, applying them to their organizations. Thirteen keynotes inspire and motivate attendees personally and professionally with their amazing stories about overcoming obstacles, facing adversity and persevering through hardships. The Awards Gala evening celebrates award winning leadership and development programs.


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