D I C K I N S O N
S TAT E
U N I V E R S I T Y
November 2019
2019 Homecoming
Dickinson State University (DSU) students AARIC SPRING and LISA TOWNSEND were crowned 2019 Homecoming King and Queen during coronation at halftime of Saturday’s home football game Oct. 19. Nominated by DSU Student Senate, Aaric Spring is a senior nursing major from Joliet, Montana. He is the son of David and Lauren Spring. Nominated by the DSU cheer team, Lisa Townsend is a senior history education major from Douglas, Wyoming. She is the daughter of Mark and Tammy Townsend. Congratulations Aaric and Lisa!
2020 Save the Date HOMECOMING OCTOBER 4 – 11
TRADITIONAL DEGREES TRANSFORMING By: Naomi Johnson, instructor of computer science at DSU
VETERANS DAY CEREMONY TO BE HELD AT DICKINSON STATE UNIVERSITY
Technology has created new demands for employee skills. Traditional roles are requiring more and more skills from different educational Dickinson State University is proud to invite the community to attend a Veterstreams. For instance, ans Day Ceremony Monday, Nov. 11, in Dorothy Stickney Auditorium at 11 a.m. secretarial skills have The special ceremony will include an address from Mr. Brian Davidson, pastor changed drastically of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Dickinson, followed by an arrangement of over the years. When musical selections and presentations by the Prairie Rose Chorus. Dr. Richard I first took secretarial Brauhn, former vice president for academic affairs at Dickinson State, serves courses, I needed filon the community organizing committee which has coordinated this year’s ing, typing, English, Veterans Day event. proofreading, and stenography. Then I had to learn machine transcription, which has now morphed into dictation editing (where someone dictates a doc- “The Dickinson Veterans Day Ceremony is a community event honoring area ument and the editor cleans it up). Along the way, I had to learn five word pro- veterans of the armed services and recognizing their service and sacrifice for cessing programs (i.e. WordPerfect, Word), then 2 spreadsheet programs (i.e. their state and country,” said Brauhn. “Dickinson State University has been Lotus 1-2-3, Excel), presentation software (PowerPoint), and eventually data- hosting this event for the last 15 years and is a military friendly university, base and communications software (like Outlook). The former secretary title proud to support the country’s armed services and their veterans.” has morphed until they are now administrative assistants needing business This ceremony has been made possible through the support of the City of and bookkeeping skills as well as project management skills, conflict manage- Dickinson, the Honor Guard of the American Legion Matthew Brew Post #3, the Prairie Rose Chorus, the NEA Big Read and Dickinson State University. ment skills, international diplomacy, etc. This means the educational streams flowing to produce such skilled employ- This event is free and open to the public. ees has had to increase and/or change course. In fact, some secretarial programs I found include web design and web programming courses along with the keyboarding and computer skills, bookkeeping, and English classes. Some included more management courses. Often the local needs determine the coursework. This change in techniques and course requirements is happening at all levels of education. Degree programs are changing to respond to the needs of business and technology. The newly developed Information Analytics degree at Dickinson State University (DSU) is a prime example. The requirements and courses for this degree bridge traditional departmental lines. Students getting this degree take courses from accounting, business, marketing, programming, database management, web design, as well as learning high-level analytical skills. When looking at jobs requiring the Information Analytics (or Data Analysis) degree, I find job responsibilities like these: • Plans, coordinates and monitors development, implementation, evaluation and maintenance of assigned projects. [Project Management] • Manages the impact of new technology e.g. wireless networks, point of You have half an hour to break out. PRICE: care devices, instrument interfaces, and bar coding to ensure fit with $100 for groups of 5-8 people workflow processes. [Computer Tech Management] What: Adult Murder Mystery Escape Room $5.00/child ages 4-11 Where: DSU Klinefelter Hall Rm 106 *Discount for DSU Students* • Ensures privacy and security access according to policies. [Cybersecurity (Email us for information) When: November 16, 1-7 PM Specialist] dsu.trhlp@dickinsonstate.edu Who: 12 years and up! Purchase tickets at: • Ability to translate complex or diverse information into simpler terms and 2019escaperoom.eventbrite.com See if you can pass the test. concepts. Participates in the development of end-user communications, curriculum, training plans and tools. Conducts and supports end-user training using formats appropriate to target audience. [Education] • Demonstrated ability to multi-task and prioritize in accordance with changing deadlines and priorities. Takes part in the testing and on-site support for system activations and upgrades involving 24/7 coverage. [Systems Analysis] • Introduce new devices, tools, processes, structures that assist with develWhere: DSU Klinefelter Hall Rm 108 oping and displaying stakeholder knowledge and management of data on When: November 16, 1-7 pm a website. [Web Designer] Who: 4-11 years old • Ensures accuracy, data integrity and validity of data/analysis in all work. [Database Management] • Works closely with Information Technology Services – both clinical and technical team members through all phases of system configuration, testing, implementation and ongoing support. All this, in addition to the required general education courses, makes a graduate more versatile, flexible, and adaptable to changes in business demands than someone who has a standard computer programming or business degree. I can’t think of a single traditional degree that encompasses all of these skills. Hence, the reason for new degrees to meet the changing demand in skills required. In the past, traditional degrees FREE a encouraged students to take a minor in ornd Op der to be more flexible. There is still a place t o the Pu en and demand for traditional degrees, but blic! education has had to change their delivery methods to keep pace with requirements for those degrees. Thus, keeping a finger on the pulse of business and community input into Dickinson State University has been essential to making these changes and developing degrees. The Information Analytics degree came from one faculty attending a conference and learning of changes in the business community and the need for the degree. The Math 4th Generation Family Farmer and Computer Science Department meets Rural Leadership ND Class VIII annually with members of local businesses to ask for their needs and feedback. They make Highlighting personal experiences changes accordingly. One cannot adapt to of succession planning and unknown changes and requirements. This is expanding into the export market true in life, business, and education. Hence, as a community member, you can influence Senior Capstone education by making known the educational requirements your business need or you as Presentations a student might find that you need for the career you want. Contact an advisor to learn Agricultural Job Fair more about our degrees; contact a department chair with ideas or suggestions for Graduate School Booths that department; join an industrial advisory board; or take a survey to provide input. We Networking Opportunities would love to hear what you have to say! Please help us by completing a survey for Sponsored by the DSU Department of Agriculture DSU’s Introduction to Computers class: 701-483-2185 | www.dickinsonstate.edu/dats | www.facebook.com/dsudats www.surveymonkey.com/r/6X52Q3X.
foR tHe kiDs!
8th Annual
Opportunities in
Agriculture Wednesday, November 20, 2019 Noon-5:00 p.m. MT Biesiot Activities Center 398 State Ave., Dickinson, ND
Keynote Speaker: 2019 Producer of the Year Finalist Chris Adams 2:00 p.m. Mountain Time
AN INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR TIM O’BRIEN On August 31, 2019, Dickinson State University’s (DSU) Dr. Brittany Hirth (BH) conducted an interview with Tim O’Brien (TO’B) in preparation for his visit to campus for NEA Big Read events. The following interview provides insight into O’Brien’s narrative choices for his short story collection, The Things They Carried, conveys his thoughts on contemporary and historical war, and overviews his process for writing. BH: Many of the local high schools and DSU classes are assigning The Things They Carried. The younger students in those classes are likely to be distanced by several decades from the history of the Vietnam War. If students do not have a firm sense of the history, what do you think they will connect to in your collection? TO’B: Wars are going on right now, and America’s involved in them. In many ways [wars now] are very similar but not identical to the Vietnam War. I’m thinking of the Middle East, of course, where the enemy wears no uniform, there is no front, no rear; it’s politically confusing for what the various sides believe in. What is the war all about? There is an absence of solid support for America’s involvement in the Middle East now. Some people think that we should just get out, and others think that we should stay. For a soldier, there are a lot of similarities [between the two wars], as well: it’s a guerilla war going on [in the Middle East] just as my own was. So I would hope that a jump would be made in students’ heads between the history and now. In some ways, the history is repeating itself. And, of course, there are the moral questions: what do you kill for? What do you die for? [These are] age-old question[s], and [they’re] not specific to Vietnam; [they’re] true of all wars. We’re killing a whole bunch of people, [and] the country is divided about their rectitude to the war. I’m hoping the students will make the jump from Vietnam to circumstances now and just deal with the questions. BH: A number of war veterans are likely to attend your NEA Big Read events. For those who read the collection and perhaps had a preconceived notion of what an “authentic” or “realistic” portrayal of the Vietnam War should be, what would you say your stories add that nonfiction or autobiography does not capture? TO’B: That’s a good question; it’s hard to articulate an answer. There are a couple of things that I can say. One is that there is not a single war [experience] that is authentic. For example, if you were a truck driver in Vietnam, then you have gone through a different war than I went through. If you were in the rear area, you went through a different war. If you were a medic, you went through a different war. If you were a general, you went through a different war than I did as a private. If you were up in the north part of the country, you’d be fighting a completely different war than in the southern part of Vietnam in the Delta. If you were a marine, you went through a different kind of war. There are basically as many “wars” as there are soldiers. So when people complain, “Oh wasn’t the war I saw,” that’s inevitable. Everybody has a different war, and you bring to that war your values. […] So to say that there is an “authentic Vietnam War story” is ridiculous; there’s not just one; there’s millions of them depending on your values, where you were [stationed], and what you did [in your rank] when you were there, [and] what period of the war you were there. That’s one answer. The other answer is that my job as a writer is not to be authentic. My job is to tell a good story while trying to be faithful [to the] Vietnam War experience and trying to be faithful to my own values and things that caught [my] attention when [I was] there. The [sort of] things that made you angry and the things that made you sad, and made you grieve, and made you laugh. My fidelity is to my mindset as a human being. Just as Mark Twain tried to be faithful to life on the river, he wasn’t being faithful to everybody’s life on the river but to his own. And, the third thing that I can say is that The Things They Carried is a work of imagination. Impossible things happen in the collection that can’t happen in the world we live in. Dead people can’t talk in the real world, and yet, they do in my book. The object isn’t realism; the object is to try to give a sense to people of the feel of the war but not necessarily as to how it was. To read the full interview, visit bit.ly/BigReadInterview.
The Things They Carried dickinsonstate.edu/bigread SATURDAY, NOV. 2, 12-3 p.m. Klinefelter Hall, Beck Auditorium
The Vietnam War: A Film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick: • Déjà vu (1928-1961) • Riding the Tiger (1961-1963) FILM SCREENING VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 6, Noon Stoxen Library
Global Table: Student Veterans SPEECH AND DISCUSSION
THURSDAY, NOV. 7, 7 p.m. DePorres House of Barbering & Lounge 21+
Dickinson Area Public Library Books and Brews Book Club BOOK DISCUSSION
SATURDAY, NOV. 9, 12-3 p.m. Klinefelter Hall, Beck Auditorium
The Vietnam War: A Film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick: • The River Styx (January 1964-December 1965) • Resolve (January 1966-June 1967) FILM SCREENING VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED
MONDAY, NOV. 11, 11 a.m. May Hall, Dorothy Stickney Auditorium
Dickinson Community Veterans Day Ceremony
SATURDAY, NOV. 16, 12-3 p.m. Klinefelter Hall, Beck Auditorium The Vietnam War: A Film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick: • This Is What We Do (July 1967-December 1967) • Things Fall Apart (January 1968-July 1968) FILM SCREENING VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED
TUESDAY, NOV. 19, 7-9 p.m. Klinefelter Hall, Beck Auditorium
Prairie Public Broadcasting, Inc.’s presentation of Basketball, Water and the Lost City of Elbowoods FILM SCREENING AND DISCUSSION
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 20, Noon Stoxen Library
Global Table: MHA Nations Veterans COLOR GUARD, SPEECH AND DISCUSSION
SATURDAY, NOV. 23, 12-3 p.m. Klinefelter Hall, Beck Auditorium The Vietnam War: A Film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick: • The Veneer of Civilization (June 1968-May 1969) • The History of the World (April 1969-May 1970) FILM SCREENING VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED
ALUMNI S P O T L I G H T
CHRIS GARNEAU ’06
Associate Professor of Sociology University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
Why did you choose to attend Dickinson State University? I moved to Dickinson in the spring of 2000. I had been hired as the morning DJ for 92.1 FM (My radio name was Chris McCade). I decided to go back to school in the spring of 2001 and DSU was local and allowed me to keep my radio job. In what year did you graduate and what degree(s) did you earn? I graduated in the spring of 2006 with a double-major, a Bachelor of Arts in political science and history and a minor in Sociology. Was there a certain professor who made a big impact on your life? Several professors were instrumental in my college career. Keith Fernsler, Michael J.C. Taylor, and David Meier were some of my favorites. Rich Medlar was probably the most important teacher I’ve ever had. I had failed out of college the first time I went and when I started up at DSU, I had a lot of internal doubt about my abilities to succeed in higher ed. Rich instilled a lot of confidence in me. After my first night class with him, my GPA shot up. I give him a lot of credit for my growth in college. His wife Deborah was also a wonderful professor who had a tremendous impact on my college career. What is a favorite memory you have of your time as an undergrad? Definitely the summer of 2004 when I interned for Senator Byron Dorgan in Washington D.C. I took intern credits through DSU and wrote a weekly journal entry about my experiences. It’s fun to look back over them. I learned a lot working in the United States Senate, including my eventual decision to switch from political science to sociology in graduate school. What are you most proud of when you look back at your time at DSU? I loved being the president of college democrat group. I was proud to be nominated as an outstanding senior for the social science department. I was also proud to be selected to present a paper at the Midwest Historical Society meeting in Omaha, Nebraska. More than anything, I was really proud to be the first recipient of the Deborah Medlar Scholarship. She has had a profound impact on me. She used to bring colored sidewalk chalk to class for me to give to my young son at the time. What was the most difficult thing for you as an undergraduate, and how did you overcome it? It was hard getting past the self-doubt that learned in high school. Additionally, I worked nearly full time and had a young son. I was really busy in college. I didn’t get to do the traditional things like live in the dorms and go to football games. But I did learn to work really, really hard. What did you enjoy most about being a Blue Hawk? I just really loved DSU. I loved how small it was. I went to UND briefly during my collegiate career and came back to DSU after one semester. It just fit better. I also loved playing in a rock band all through college. Two of my bandmates were also players for the DSU football team. What would you tell someone who is considering attending DSU? I would tell them that college is what you make of it. DSU offers a lot of great programs for a cost that won’t leave them with a ton of debt. I’m really happy with my education at DSU. I would highly recommend anyone give it a year and see if they fall in the love with the culture on campus. How did DSU help shape your decisions for your path after you graduated? My instructors were so good that I eventually abandoned my plans for law school and shifted my goal to graduate school. I knew I wanted to be a professor. I really admired my professors and saw myself in that kind of position. How did your time at DSU help you to be successful in your later pursuits? The things I learned in undergrad really helped in grad school. More than anything, the way that DSU faculty fostered a love for learning helped propel me through six years of graduate school. What are you doing now? I am currently an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO) in Chickasha, OK. I live in Norman, OK, where my two younger children attend school. My oldest son attends college at USAO. I was granted tenure in 2016 and I absolutely adore my job as a professor. USAO is a public, liberal arts school that offers a traditional liberal arts core curriculum with several core courses that are team taught in an interdisciplinary fashion where two professors from different fields co-teach together. I mostly teach courses in sociology, but I also teach in the psychology and math departments. One summer I even taught a class on audio recording for music majors. I have published several peer-reviewed papers and I always have new ideas for research on the horizon. Do you have any plans for the future you would like to share? I’m working towards full professor right now. I currently play in a rock band based out of Oklahoma City. We play a lot of shows and have released three albums. We are currently writing new material and hope to have a new record out in a year or so.
MONDAY, NOV. 25, 6 p.m. Dickinson Area Public Library
Dickinson Area Public Library Adult Book Club BOOK DISCUSSION
SATURDAY, NOV. 30, 12-3 p.m. Klinefelter Hall, Beck Auditorium
The Vietnam War: A Film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick: • A Disrespectful Loyalty (May 1970-March 1973) • The Weight of Memory (March 1973-Onward) FILM SCREENING VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED
THURSDAY, DEC. 5, 5-7 p.m. Murphy Hall, Thompson Auditorium
War and Trauma: Soldiers and Civilians PANEL DISCUSSION
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DICKINSON STATE UNVEILS UPDATED BEN C. FRANK HUMAN PERFORMANCE CENTER
DICKINSON STATE TO HOST 62ND ANNUAL NORTHERN PLAINS MUSIC FESTIVAL
In a ceremony Friday, Oct. 18, Dickinson State University unveiled a renovation of the Ben C. Frank Human Performance Center, their state-of-the-art weight room. The facility had not been upgraded since 2000, and thanks to generous donors and the University, it was time to enhance the way the Blue Hawks athletics teams grind.
Dickinson State University (DSU) welcomes the public to attend the 62nd annual Northern Plains Music Festival Honors Concert Saturday, Nov. 9, at 4 p.m. in Dorothy Stickney Auditorium. Featuring a women’s choir, mixed choir and concert band, this year’s Honors Concert is guaranteed to excite and impress all in attendance. More than 200 high school students from more than 25 different schools in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana will practice together at various locations on campus Friday, Nov. 8, and perform their selections for the audience the next day. Participating in the festival presents a unique opportunity for students, both to meet other students and professors and to discover options available to them for continuing their education at DSU. “Many of the students come from smaller schools and quite possibly might be the only person in their section,” said Dr. Jeremy Wohletz, associate professor of music and co-chair of the Department of Fine & Performing Arts at DSU. “It is really fun to see all of the students come from various backgrounds, working together to put on a really spectacular performance after only two days of rehearsals.” Dr. Brent Rogers, assistant professor of music at DSU, will conduct the women’s choir, Jeff Stone, assistant professor of music at Bismarck State College, will conduct the mixed choir, and Mark Herold, director of bands at Legacy High School in Bismarck, will direct the concert band. In addition to student rehearsals, high school music directors will be able to attend several workshops for continuing education credit. The public is welcome to enjoy the music of these talented high school students. Tickets for the concert cost $5 for adults and children 17 and under are free. For more information, contact Dr. Jeremy Wohletz at jeremy.wohletz@ dickinsonstate.edu or visit www.dickinsonstate.edu/northernplains.
DICKINSON STATE UNIVERSITY EVENTS Nov 2 Nov 2 Nov 6 Nov 6 Nov 6 Nov 7 Nov 8 Nov 9 Nov 9 Nov 9 Nov 11 Nov 13 Nov 13 Nov 14 Nov 16 Nov 16 Nov 16 Nov 16 Nov 17 Nov 19 Nov 19 Nov 20 Nov 20 Nov 20 Nov 21 Nov 23 Nov 25 Nov 26 Nov 27 Nov 30 Dec 4 Dec 4 Dec 4 Dec 5
8 a.m. Noon Noon 5:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 6 p.m. Noon 1 p.m. 4 p.m. 11 a.m. 3 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 8 a.m. Noon 1 p.m. 1:30 p.m. 1 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 9 a.m. Noon Noon Noon Noon 6 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 7 p.m. Noon 2 p.m. 5 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 5 p.m.
WorkKeys Testing NEA Big Read - The Vietnam War: A Film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick NEA Big Read - Global Table: Student Veterans Women’s Basketball vs University of Jamestown Men’s Basketball vs. Jamestown NEA Big Read - Books and Brew Book Club Volleyball vs. Valley City State NEA Big Read - The Vietnam War: A Film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick DSU Football vs. Mayville State University Northern Plains Music Festival Honors Concert Dickinson Community Veterans Day Ceremony DSU Community Arts and Crafts Show - Reception NEA Big Read – Author Tim O’Brien DSU Campus Crusade Praxis Computer Testing NEA Big Read - The Vietnam War: A Film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick Murder Mystery Escape Room Praxis Computer Testing Bucking Ponies and Bulls Intramural Sports NEA Big Read - “Basketball, Water and the Lost City of Elbowoods” WAC Workshop #3 with Cheryl York McDonough 8th Annual Opportunities in Agriculture NEA Big Read - Global Table: MHA Nations Veterans WAC Workshop #4 with Cheryl York McDonough NEA Big Read - The Vietnam War: A Film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick NEA Big Read - Dickinson Area Public Library Adult Book Club Women’s Basketball vs Rocky Mountain College DSU Campus Crusade NEA Big Read - The Vietnam War: A Film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick The Female Gaze: Jamie Azevedo - Reception Women’s Basketball vs Yellowstone Christian College Men’s Basketball vs. Yellowstone Christian College NEA Big Read - War and Trauma: Soldiers and Civilians
DSU Events - www.dickinsonstate.edu/events
May Hall, room 7 Klinefelter Hall, Beck Auditorium Stoxen Library Scott Gymnasium Scott Gymnasium Dickinson Area Public Library Scott Gymnasium Klinefelter Hall, Beck Auditorium Biesiot Activity Center May Hall, Dorothy Stickney Auditorium May Hall, Dorothy Stickney Auditorium Klinefelter Hall, Mind’s Eye Art Gallery May Hall, Dorothy Stickney Auditorium Klinefelter Hall, Beck Auditorium May Hall, room 1 Klinefelter Hall, Beck Auditorium Klinefelter Hall, rooms 106 and 108 May Hall, room 1 Ag Indoor Arena Wienbergen Gymnasium Klinefelter Hall, Beck Auditorium May Hall, room 301 (TREC) Biesiot Activities Center Stoxen Library May Hall, room 301 (TREC) Klinefelter Hall, Beck Auditorium Dickinson Area Public Library Scott Gymnasium Klinefelter Hall, Beck Auditorium Klinefelter Hall, Beck Auditorium Klinefelter Hall, Mind’s Eye Art Gallery Scott Gymnasium Scott Gymnasium Murphy Hall, Thompson Auditorium
Athletic Events - www.dsubluehawks.com
DISCOVER DSU DAYS December 9, 2019 February 10, 2020 April 6, 2020 AT E A C H D I S C O V E R D S U D AY, T H E R E W I L L B E A D R AW I N G F O R A $500 S C H O L A R S H I P! You must be present to win.
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Dickinson State University recognizes Gooseneck Implement as its Blue Hawk Supporter for the month of October! Thank you for showing your pride in DSU!
DSU NEWS
dickinsonstate.edu/news
The Blue Hawk Bulletin is a publication created by the Office of University Relations at Dickinson State University. dsu.communications@dickinsonstate.edu 701.483.2787 DSU does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs, activities, or employment. Contact the Affirmative Action Officer/Title IX Coordinator for questions (May Hall, Room 309-A; 701-483-2370; dsu.titleix@dickinsonstate.edu)