The Heritage Magazine - Summer 2019

THE HERITAGE

for alumni & friends Summer 2019

Liggins Heads to the NFL!

INSIDE THIS EDITION Alumni Feature: Decades of Greatest Love Stories 45 Years of the Blue Hawk Mascot Leno AccuPower Donation 2018-2019 Outstanding Graduates

It’s A Match!

And we’re not just talking about our socks

For every $2 you donate to Dickinson State University, the State of North Dakota will match your gift with another $1. $700,000 in match funds are available for academic scholarships.

Campaign ends December 31, 2019.

Contact us to find out more information 701.483.2486 PAGE 2

contact@dsuheritagefoundation.org THE HERITAGE | SUMMER 2019

Letter from the Executive Director

Dear Alumni and Friends,

Ty Orton

Executive Director

WHERE WE HAVE COME FROM…

DSU Heritage Foundation

Mary Nordsven ‘72 President

In the past three and a half years, we have had a tremendous ride. We had the privilege of starting the DSU Heritage Foundation from the ground up, developing a strong board, new policies and procedures, and seven different committees to assist in numerous areas of the Foundation.

Our first three months, we worked out of the President’s conference room while developing the Cornerstone Traditions Campaign which funds our annual academic scholarships. We raised close to $500,000 in six months to initiate scholarships and ease the financial burden from DSU and in turn, our students. To date, this campaign has awarded over $1.4 million in annual scholarships over the last three years.

During those early months, we knew we needed to cover the immediate need, but we also needed to look to the future of the Foundation. With this in mind, we started the College on the Hill Endowment Campaign. We set a goal to raise $3 million over the following three years, knowing endowments do not have an immediate impact on the university, but the long-term investment would stabilize the Foundation.

Currently, we have over $5 million in endowments.

Our final focus area was athletics. We partnered with the Blue Hawk Booster Club and the Blue Hawk Touchdown Club, two tremendous Blue Hawk supporters. With our combined efforts, we have awarded over $1 million in athletic scholarships over the last three years.

Bruce Dolezal ‘77 Vice President

Dale Hansen Secretary

These amazing accomplishments would not be possible without our board who have spent many hours supporting the DSU Heritage Foundation in meetings and interacting with our alumni and friends. We cannot thank them enough.

We also want to thank each and every one of our donors and friends who have supported us over the last three years. This would never have been possible without your dedication to DSU. THANK YOU! WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? We have surpassed many expectations, but our focus remains on scholarships for deserving students who attend DSU. Your continued support for our Cornerstone Traditions Campaign is crucial to our success. We are very fortunate to have the State of North Dakota’s Challenge Grant. This match will provide $1 for every $2 donated. Our goal is to raise $1.1 million over the next 12 months to utilize these match dollars.

We will continue to build the DSU Heritage Foundation and make certain we develop a stronger Foundation every day.

Sincerely,

Ty Orton Executive Director

CONTACT US

230 8th Ave West Dickinson, ND 58601 Phone: (701) 483-2486 Email: contact@dsuheritagefoundation.org

DSUHERITAGEFOUNDATION.ORG

Vince Reep ‘76 Treasurer

Dr. Tom Arnold ‘80 Terrald Bang ‘69 Bob Baumann ‘79 Hank Biesiot Dodie Birdsall ‘92 Rob Bollinger ‘74 Haylee Cripe Steve “Butch” Goodall ‘66 Bob Green ‘71 Grant Haugland ‘03 Val Mack ‘94 Dr. Holly McBee, Ex-Officio Scott Molander ‘88 George Nodland ‘72 Klayton Oltmanns ‘93 Dr. Jim Ozbun Dr. Woodrow “Chip” Poland, Ex-Officio Irene Schafer ‘83 Jim Schwartz ‘74 Pete Stanton ’89, Ex-Officio Deb Zillich ‘75 Dr. Tom Mitzel, Ex-Officio

DSU HERITAGE FOUNDATION STAFF

Amanda Bramhall Alicia Erickson Seth Moerkerke Ty Orton Pam Rudolph PAGE 3

Letter from the Board President If this article lacks clarity and organization it is because I am writing it while suffering from an acute case of jet lag. I spent the last two weeks of June in Norway, the majority of the time traveling above the Arctic Circle in the Land of the Midnight Sun. One of my travel companions pointed out that the “Land of the Midnight Sun” is a misnomer. It more accurately should have been called the “Land of the Midnight Rain.” Our tour guide promised to wake us with a knock on our hotel door if the midnight sun ever made an appearance. That never happened. The most valuable item I packed for the trip was a pink and black hooded rain jacket. I wore it over layers of clothing for not only was Norway wet, but it was also cold.

In every picture taken of me in Norway, I look like a fat sausage stuffed in pink and black casing.

The trip focused on the Samii culture. The Samiis are the indigenous people who inhabit the most northern parts of Norway. As we traveled over, under, and around Norwegian fjords by ferry, tunnel, or steep windy roads, the guides told stories of trolls, sang Samii folk songs accompanied by a drum and lectured us on the history and culture of the Samii and Norwegian people. We ate boiled potatoes, dried cod, and reindeer for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We had lefse made from barley and rye flour, not potatoes, stuffed with goat cheese, cinnamon and sugar for snacks.

This is the first time I have ever returned from a trip where I actually lost weight. You see, I hate potatoes of any kind, am not overly fond of fish, let along dried fish, and felt guilty eating poor Rudolph. The Norwegian scenery was fabulous and the people of Norway illustrated the importance of preserving culture, history, and the environment.

So far in writing this article, I have avoided the topic assigned to me

by Alicia Erickson, Director of Alumni Relations at Dickinson State University. Because I am a member of the Board of Directors and the current President of the DSU Heritage Foundation, Alicia asked that I write on what the Foundation means to me. Addressing that topic, I see the Foundation as being one of the entities that will help assure the continued existence of Dickinson State University. I believe the Foundation’s primary focus and priority should be to raise money for student scholarships.

Scholarships attract students to DSU. Without students, there will not be a Dickinson State University. Enrollment is key to continued existence.

Like my new Samii and Norwegian friends, I believe that if something has been a valuable asset to our history and culture, it needs to be preserved.

I do not remember a time in my life when there was not an institution of higher learning in Dickinson, North Dakota. I was born and raised

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in Dickinson where my father owned and operated the North Dakota Herald, a commercial print shop.

The shop had a strong working relationship with what we then referred to as the “College.” I still routinely refer to the University as the “College.”

Habits in speech are difficult to change.

My family was always aware of events taking place Mary Nordsven at the “College.” My father printed materials for the Foundation Board faculty and staff as well as the student newspaper, President The Western Concept. Students were constantly in and out of the print shop, ostensibly for the purpose of submitting articles and proofing the paper. However, I routinely saw college students lounging over the front desk with cigarettes hanging out of their mouths discussing the politics of the day and other town gossip with my father. My father was an arch-conservative but loved a vigorous debate. Some students, who I remember vividly but not by name, used language and purported to support ideas that caused my father alarm.

Despite their differing opinions and manner of expression, he had great respect for their intellectual abilities and debate skills which he attributed to their education at Dickinson State.

Frequently the family was able to attend plays, programs, and sporting events taking place at the “College.”

Because my parents had twelve children, I am sure the tickets were in trade for printed programs. I still remember clearly, “The Importance of Being Earnest” as it was performed at the outdoor stage behind May Hall by talented college students. I also remember the pride my family had when one of ours, my brother-in-law Irvin Loeb, played on the “College” baseball team. My younger brothers and sisters scaled over or crawled under the baseball diamond fence to watch Irv practice and play. If by chance one of the Dickinson State Coaches allowed them to serve as a batboy or girl, their day was complete.

Eventually, I toyed with the idea of attending Dickinson State. I intended to delay my enrollment in order to save money to pay the tuition. My father thought I could work part-time and still attend school. I finally agreed. The semester had already started when my father placed a call to the registrar, Neil Ableidinger, to see if I could still get accepted. Mr. Ableidinger understood the importance of numbers, and I was in the same day the call was made. I went on to graduate from Dickinson State and later the University of Colorado - School of Law. In doing so, I was always impressed that a small-town college gave me an education that allowed me to compete at a large university. My husband, Randy, also graduated from Dickinson State. The earth science and biology classes he took in Murphy Hall served as a catalyst for a successful career in the oil industry.

Serving on the Foundation, I have heard other directors proudly discuss their prior connections to DSU either as a student or a friend. I believe they all agree that DSU has a value to prospective students and the Dickinson area. It provides an education that allows students to compete and at the same time provides entertainment and cultural opportunities to the community. The preservation of this valuable institution requires a generous gift of our time, talents, and money. Scholarships enable students to attend DSU. With sufficient numbers, they assure its continued existence.

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THE HERITAGE | SUMMER 2019

Alumni -Greatest Love Stories College is a time in one’s life when they experience a lot of firsts. The first time being away from their parents for extended periods of time. The first time having to share a room with someone you may not know. The first time you have to venture out of your shell and make friends. It might also be the first time you get in to a serious relationship. For some, that relationship may lead to a proposal and marriage. We realized that the College on the Hill might have been the start of a lot of great love stories. We sought out some love stories and are pleased to include some of them in this edition of The Heritage.

Editor’s Note: Due to the overwhelming response, we will be making this an annual event. Every February, we will commemorate Valentine’s Day by featuring great love stories. If you met your significant other at Dickinson State and would like to share your love story, e-mail us at DSU.Alumni@dickinsonstate.edu.

Written in the Stars

by Hailey Entze, DSU Heritage Foundation Student Worker Falling in love doesn’t always make sense. We fall in love in the most unlikely places and with the most unlikely people.

For instance, take Josh and Crystal Askvig. When they first met, they really didn’t like each other. “I thought he was a pompous and arrogant jerk. He thought I was a snobby, stuck up cheerleader,” Crystal stated. Even though they didn’t care for each other, they couldn’t get away from each other either.

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Unfortunately, Crystal started to feel sick earlier that night and broke out in hives. Josh didn’t know whether to propose or take her to the ER. Unsure, he finally just said, “Look at the ceiling.” Crystal read the stars and turned around to find him on one knee. Coincidentally, after saying yes, Crystal’s hives cleared up. “I like to say getting engaged was ‘written in the stars’; Josh likes to say that getting engaged is a magic cure for hives,” Crystal said.

Since they were both still in college and very active on campus, they took their engagement pictures using the college as their backdrop. In addition, they skipped the wedding favors for guests and used the money to purchase a brick in the Flag Plaza on campus. That brick has their name and wedding date etched on it so they are forever a part of DSU. The couple got married at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Dickinson on December 20, 2003. That date fell on the first Saturday at the conclusion of the fall semester. Since they were still in college and most of their friends were in the wedding party it made their wedding the best finals week party ever.

They danced to “How Did I Fall in Love with You” by the Backstreet Boys, a song Josh had put on a mixed tape that he gave to Crystal when they were dating. That song still holds a special place in their hearts.

After meeting through friends they continued to run into one another. They were both Student Ambassadors and paired as SOAR (Student Orientation, Advisement, and Registration) leaders for a summer. To top it all off, that same summer they were neighbors in the Altringer Apartments. “Over the course of the summer we became good friends who started pulling pranks on each other and each other’s roommates,” explained Josh. “Eventually we both realized we liked each other and started dating.”

Their first date wasn’t even really a date. One night after a Student Ambassadors meeting, Josh asked Crystal if she wanted to go to Taco Bell. Afterwards, he asked what she wanted to do.

Not ready to go home yet, she blurted the first thing that came to mind. “Let’s drive to Belfield,” she said. Off they went and by the time they turned around to come back to Dickinson they were laughing and holding hands. “I like to tell people that our first date was about as small town North Dakota as it gets…Taco Bell and a gas station in Belfield,” Crystal said.

Josh and Crystal dated for about a year before getting engaged.

Even though the proposal didn’t exactly go as planned. Josh wanted to recreate the night they drove to Belfield, so he snuck into Crystal’s apartment and spelled out “Will u marry me?” in plastic glow-in-the-dark stars that he stuck to the ceiling.

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Fifteen years later, the Askvig family makes their home in Bismarck where Josh is the State Director of AARP. Meanwhile, Crystal is a Licensed Master Addiction Counselor at the Heartview Foundation. They have three kids: McKale (9), Kennedy (6), and Layla (5). The family pets, Oliver and Fitzgerald, make their family complete. According to Crystal, “Our life is rarely dull and our house is never quiet,” Crystal remarked.

Although marriage isn’t always easy, the good and bad times have only made them closer. “Two words: Show up. In the good times and the bad we show up,” explained Crystal. Their marriage isn’t perfect, but it’s real. They try to set that example for their children. Imperfections in life are okay. “There are lots of reasons we shouldn’t still be married, but we both believe in each other and are committed to making it work and last,” stated Josh.

Crystal has a bit of relationship advice for DSU students navigating through their own love story while in college. She will be the first to admit that she went against the norm by saying that sometimes it’s okay to go to bed mad. Sometimes sleep and a break from the disagreement is needed to put the whole thing in perspective. She also suggested keeping a dry erase marker in the bathroom to leave love notes and jokes for each other on the bathroom mirror. Most importantly, have fun together. “Laugh, play pranks, dance in the kitchen, eat gummy bears in bed, go on dates, have hope always and love one another like crazy,” she said.

That advice has lead the Askvigs to the love they have for each other today. Josh considers Crystal the ground wire to his livewire. She is the perfect balance to his strengths and weaknesses. “She loves unwaveringly, even when I probably don’t deserve it. I see it and feel it and am blessed to have her as

A Gold Mine in the Making

by Alicia Erickson, Director of Alumni Relations

A lot of people have found love while attending college at Dickinson State. For two alumni, their love story started a little differently. Tami Hilton and Aric Mines went to college at Dickinson State University at around the same time in the late 1990’s. They knew each other and partied together, but they never actually dated. Aric was on the football team and a few years older than Tami. Tami was a social butterfly and a big supporter of the Blue Hawk athletic teams. They were even neighbors in the legendary “Blues” apartment complex adjacent to the football field.

Fast forward to June of 2015. Aric was at his closing for his home. His closer from North Dakota Guaranty & Title in Dickinson was his old friend, Tami. For anyone who knows Tami, they know she can talk up a storm to anyone including an old college friend. She ended the closing by mentioning that they should meet for drinks sometime to catch up. Well, Aric does what any good guy does and calls her to meet him for drinks.

Everyone knows that in order for a love story to work, the friends must approve. In this case, this couple shared a lot of the same friends. According to Tami, “When people found out that we were dating, everyone was excited and thought it was great!” Aric summed it up pretty well, “Everybody loves Tami!”

Aric also had to impress a few other people. Tami was recently divorced and had three children that needed to approve. Good thing Aric was used to being a big brother type figure from his PAGE 6

years of serving as an assistant football coach because he won the hearts of the kids.

Over time the love of this couple grew. Aric knew he wanted to propose in Deadwood. Anyone familiar with the Black THE HERITAGE | SUMMER 2019

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my partner in life,” he said. Crystal agreed, saying that the fact that they’re polar opposites is what balances them. She also said that Josh’s drive and determination inspires her.

She admires that he pushes himself to get bigger and better at everything he does and doesn’t settle for good enough.

“I always felt that it was so cliché to say ‘when you find the one, you will just know,’ until it happened to me. Josh is my soul mate and my true love,” Crystal stated.

No matter where their journey has taken them, DSU has always stayed in their hearts. It’s where they transitioned to adulthood. It’s also where they began their careers and where they met each other. “[DSU] will always hold a special place in my heart,” Josh said. Crystal added, “I’ll forever be loyal to Dickinson State and am proud to be a Blue Hawk.”

Hills also knows that they are known for their jewelry.

“I knew I wanted to do it in Deadwood but wasn’t exactly sure how I was going to do it. On the way down we stopped at a gas station in Newell and she pointed to a jewelry case with Montana Silver in it and cracked a joke about an engagement ring. Little did she know that I had the ring in my pocket! I made a joke about her deserving the best and that only a Black Hills Gold (Tami’s not a fan) ring would do. I promised her that I would make that happen. Saturday evening I walked into Goldberg’s Jewelry on Main Street in Deadwood and asked for a Landstrom’s box. I proposed to her on a bench on Main Street with that Black Hills Gold box.

She was laughing until she realized that there was an actual ring inside the Black Hills Gold box,” Aric explained.

Aric, Tami, Aidan, Addison, and Henlie became a family on February 17, 2018, in front of family and many friends from their college days. Their colors were none other than the colors of their alma mater - navy blue and gray.

They both state that their marriage is strong today because of the way they approach their marriage. “Communication and most of all lots of laughs and having fun,” stated Tami.

should be giving any relationship advice, but I haven’t screwed this up and it’s been a year, so I guess here it goes. Marry your best friend. Find your “ride or die.” Find someone that you can see yourself growing old with. Find someone that loves you no matter what and doesn’t want to change you or your beliefs. It also doesn’t hurt to find someone that can cook,” exclaimed Aric.

Today, they are both just as active in the Blue Hawk family as they were during their college days. Aric is a proud member of the Blue Hawk Touchdown Club and Tami is active with the Blue Chicks. They can be found at many of the fundraising and athletic events. Just like their love for each other, their love for their alma mater has grown over time. Aric stated, “DSU means family to me. Dickinson State has been a huge part of my life and I am glad that I made the decision to come to school here over 20 years ago.”

As far as giving advice, “I’m probably the last person that DSUHERITAGEFOUNDATION.ORG

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Tim and Yvette Phillips

by Tim Phillips ’88, Proud DSU Alum

In 1986, I was a junior at DSU. On our first day of practice for the cross country team that year, I had the pleasure of meeting the two new freshmen girls on the team. They were both very nice and attractive but something really seemed to click between Yvette and me.

After a couple weeks, I worked up the nerve to ask her out. She surprised me by not turning me down. We didn’t have a meet that weekend, so Friday night it was… My problem was that I had to do a little bit of work in the studio at KDIX late that night. So, it would be either a very quick date or she would have to spend a little time at the radio station while I engineered a football game. Well, most of my previous dates had been VERY quick, so I figured on the former.

We went out to eat at one of my favorite places to go, even though it was a little classier than where I usually ate - Bonanza.

I don’t remember much about it except that I don’t think I dropped my silverware. As far as I know, my manners were good.

The REALLY cool thing for a guy like me who didn’t have many dates… my high school team was in town for the Dickinson High Cross Country Meet the next day. They also ended up eating at Bonanza, so I got to show off “my girl” in front of some of my old teammates. I got to remember to thank Coach Yoakam (also a Dickinson State grad) for bringing the kids there.

Then it was off to the mall. I don’t know that we did any shopping; we just did a lot of walking. You know - just in case the high school team hadn’t noticed how beautiful she was while they were in Bonanza.

By about 8 PM, though, I had to be back at the radio station. So, did she want to go home, or would she sit with me at the station?

I had to take over for Jim Dahl and work the controls at the studio. It wasn’t too tough of a job. I just had to make sure the game stayed on the air and babysit a satellite show afterwards.

She said she would stay with me at the station, so we spent the next few hours talking and playing the old Trivial Pursuit game together.

The night passed pretty quickly, and at midnight I shut down the station and drove her out to her house on the farm. Her parents, Victor & Leah, still live there today. We sat and talked for a few more hours, and finally, with a kiss on my cheek, she headed into the house about 2:30 AM. Well, the next day I called my mom and told her that Yvette was the one I was going to marry. She did what every good parent PAGE 8

does and told me to slow down and take it easy. I remember saying back to her, “But I KNOW she’s the one. She said ‘Yes’ when I asked her out!” I was only half kidding.

Yvette wasn’t ready for a serious relationship.

She told me that she just wanted to be…. friends. Yuck! She told me that on Wednesday, September 17, five days after our first date. Thus began a long, dark, tough time of trying not to try to convince her that we should date seriously.

I don’t know how I made it through those 10 days.

We started officially dating on September 27, 1986. Although no relationship is perfect, we have been blessed to stay together ever since. There were tough times the next year when she went off to NDSU to get her dietitian degree while I had to finish my senior year at DSU. Somehow we managed to stay somewhat connected.

The summer after I graduated in 1988, Jim returned the favor I’d done for him. I’d told him about the job opening at KDIX and that summer he showed me the ad for a job at WDAY in Fargo.

I ended up getting that job and moving there in the fall of 1988.

Yvette and I got married on August 25th, 1989, in Dickinson.

We really didn’t have any time off from our jobs so no big honeymoon…just back to work in Fargo! After she graduated from NDSU in 1990, we moved to Fort Dodge, Iowa. Then it was back to my hometown of Glasgow, Montana, in 1992. We have been here ever since. Raising two boys who have gone on to be fine young men.

Though I’d say that infatuation spark went out within a few months of dating, we’ve been committed to working to grow as people. I guess the first date told us a lot about each other. We don’t need big events or parties to have fun. We are comfortable just sitting at home folding clothes while watching TV on Friday nights. We both have our faults but have tried to work on them as we have matured as people. God’s grace has been on us for sure. Our lives are not perfect, but they have been blessed. I look back and think, “Hmm, how mature was my thought process in trying to find someone?” I consider myself VERY blessed to have someone who I find attractive, has a great sense of humor, is slow to judge but quick to help, who shares the same values that I do, and most of all, a good friend who always has my back.

(Editor’s Note: Tim Phillips is a Program Director at KLTZ in Glasgow as well as the Head Track & Field Coach at Glasgow High School) THE HERITAGE | SUMMER 2019

ories The Trip to Bountiful Love

by Hailey Entze, DSU Heritage Foundation Student Worker Few things cause people to be surprised these days but hearing that a couple has been married for 45 years is one of those things. As of May, Pat and Margaret Barnhart were able to say just that. “We are partners, a team; we enjoy each other’s company more than any other. While life wasn’t always rosy during those decades, love and determination saw us through and we treasure so many wonderful memories,” Margaret said.

If it wasn’t for Dickinson State, those memories would never have been made. In the fall of 1972 Margaret transferred to Dickinson State College from NDSU due to DSC’s strong theatre program and smaller class sizes. It was in one of the first meetings of theatre students and professors in “the green room” that she first met Pat. The next time she saw him was when she was watching a theatre rehearsal in Dorothy Stickney Auditorium. Pat entered the auditorium and walked down the aisle toward the stage. She didn’t notice his eyes or his hair color, instead she noticed how broad and straight his shoulders were.

Though Margaret says it wasn’t love at first sight, “It was friendliness, curiosity, and the fact that we had something in common: our interest in the humanities.” Since they were interested in many of the same things, they started seeing each other more often in groups. Eventually, they began to seek out each other’s company. Their first official date was a gathering of the POETS Club, an informal gathering Friday nights at the Main Bar or The Rock Bar. After dating each other for about a year, they decided to get married. It wasn’t like an engagement you see nowadays. There was no ring tucked in a piece of cake or the infamous question “Will you marry me?” written in rose petals. Instead, it was prompted by a few of Pat’s friends. At the wedding of one of his high school friends the couple was approached by several of his friends who asked, “So when are you two getting married?”

Both Pat and Margaret responded with the go to answer

DSU Heritage Foundation whenever that question is asked in public, “Oh, we aren’t thinking about that yet.” Later on in the evening, Margaret confessed that she had in fact thought about marriage and coincidentally so had Pat. “And the rest, as people say, is history,” stated Margaret.

The Barnhart’s were married on May 18, 1974, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Margaret’s hometown of Richardton.

While the past 44 years haven’t always been easy, Margaret credits commitment, putting the other before oneself, humor, and shared interests with respect for different ones as what makes her and Pat’s marriage so strong to this day.

As for where they are today just look around Dickinson.

Margaret has been a lecturer at her alma mater since 1992.

She is currently teaching for the Department of Language & Literature while pursuing her passion of writing on the side. Pat spent over 30 years as a skilled worker with the Cenex Harvest States Cooperative in Dickinson retiring in 2011. His days are now filled with reading, writing, performing in occasional community plays, and maintaining their house. They have three daughters (April, Robin, and Heather) who all followed in their parents footsteps of graduating from Dickinson State University. They also have been blessed with three wonderful grandchildren that they love beyond all measure: Alexander, Zoe, and Nicholas.

They continue to perform in plays. In recent years, they performed together in The Trip to Bountiful and On Golden Pond. On Golden Pond struck the couple because it’s a love story about a middle-aged couple whose love has been consistent for a lifetime. “We loved doing that play because it was kind of like performing us,” Margaret explained.

It is pretty obvious that Dickinson State University has had a lasting impression on the Barnhart’s life. “At DSU, I found my life partner and my talents, developed my skills, and created my career. [DSU] makes a strong showing in our lives and in our marriage,” stated Margaret.

While the curtains may be closing on this story, they certainly aren’t closing on the Barnhart’s. When asked what Pat means to her, Margaret responded with, “Only everything.”

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Faith, Hope and Love

by Seth Moerkerke ‘18, Annual Giving Coordinator Although the closing of the Dunn Center School in 1963 was upsetting for most students, George ’72 and Kayleen ’67 (Bang) Nodland have this event to thank for their 50 years of marriage. Before the two schools combined, George and Kayleen did not know each other. George was a quiet boy from Dunn Center who was eager to finally get the chance to play football. Meanwhile, Kayleen was a shy girl raised in the Killdeer Mountains. Little did they know that this event would be so significant in their lives. However, they are always happy to share their thankfulness for it now.

Kayleen sat on the right side of their classroom each day, and she found herself gazing to the left through the window toward the Killdeer Mountains. This was just her cover-up because she was actually glancing over at George who sat next to that window. Eventually, they would connect at a Lutheransponsored hayride where George would share his life story with Kayleen. From that moment on, they began “to go together.”

On one beautiful Saturday afternoon, right outside of Dunn Center near Lake Ilo, George proposed to Kayleen. According to Kayleen, “George had an agate ring, which I proudly wore until I received our Killdeer 1963 graduation ring. I wore that ring until I received my engagement ring on October 9, 1965.”

This was right around the time that the Vietnam War was happening, and George was drafted into the war in 1966. He went to basic training and then spent one year in Korea. The plan was to get married during his break in October before he got re-stationed to Texas. During this service time in Korea, they were only able to communicate through letters every couple of weeks. One can imagine how excited they were both getting to see each other and to get married.

However, when George got back to the United States, he got kidney stones and was unable to make it back to Killdeer for the day of the wedding. Since George was stuck in the hospital and only had a few days break before he had to leave again for Texas, their first planned wedding was postponed.

They changed the date to April 6, 1968. George was going to have a longer leave time and this would finally allow him to come back home.

In February of 1968, George’s mother needed surgery. Although it was a routine procedure, there was fear that because of her age she might not survive it. George requested emergency leave and the Army granted it. This allowed George to see Kayleen and her family. The time was short as he had to spend time with his mother and family. Luckily, the surgery went PAGE 10

smoothly. George was called back to his base in El Paso with new eagerness, awaiting the time he would be able to come back home and get married to Kayleen.

The end of March rolled around and Kayleen got a call from George that again put a halt to their wedding plans. George told her that because of the emergency leave he took in February the Army was not going to allow him to come back for their wedding in April.

Wedding date number two was officially not going to happen and would have to be postponed.

Since they had planned two weddings already, Kayleen naturally had already purchased all their wedding invitations with the original date engraved in gold print. She and her mother had also already bought her wedding dress from a local JC Penny’s. A dress that would later be worn by three THE HERITAGE | SUMMER 2019

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other family members – Kayleen’s sister, daughter Camille, and daughter-in-law Duffy.

All that was left for Kayleen to do was wait.

One day at the end of July 1968, Kayleen received the call she had been waiting for. An excited George told her to set the date as they were officially getting married. The only catch was that it had to take place much sooner than expected. “We went together seven years. I wore a ring for almost three years.

We got married literally in two weeks,” Kayleen said with a chuckle.

their honeymoon so much they recreated that stay for their 50th anniversary last summer.

Kayleen and her mother quickly got to work correcting the original invitations with a gold pen. They started preparing the food and decorations for the event set to take place just two weeks later on August 10, 1968. The two women were able to arrange for the ceremony to take place at Killdeer Lutheran Church at 8:30 PM. Kayleen’s mother contacted a local photographer to take the wedding pictures. Kayleen recalls that the photographer only took black and white pictures and that her mother wanted color photos, so she asked them to retake the photos. Coincidentally, George and Kayleen never did go into town to retake their wedding pictures. Instead, they proudly display those black and white portraits from that wonderful day.

Looking back, all of those hurdles became a part of their life story. The hand-fixed invitations, the dress that took a couple of years to get a chance to finally be worn, and those black and white pictures have become sweet symbols of joy amongst George and Kayleen’s family.

Kayleen recalls a surprise “shivaree” party—one where neighbors and friends surprise the new couple with dancing and celebration. The party was filled with lots of music, dancing, and laughter. It was the perfect sendoff for the couple before they left for their honeymoon in Medora. While in Medora, the newlyweds enjoyed their stay at the Roughrider Hotel and taking in the Medora Musical. In fact, they loved DSUHERITAGEFOUNDATION.ORG

After their wedding, George and Kayleen had to quickly travel back down to Texas where George was stationed. Neither of them knew what was going to come from the adventure or how their lives would be challenged and changed because of it. All that mattered was that they had each other. “I think that’s the most important thing that marriages should do is live away from home at first because you need to grow together and communicate,” says George when he looks back on their first few, foundation building, years of marriage.

They will be the first to admit that the time apart those two years made it feel like they married strangers. Having very little face-to-face contact over that two-year span put them in a position where they pretty much had to get to know each other all over again during their first year of marriage. They both admit that it wasn’t easy to do.

Eventually, the couple moved back to Dickinson where they raised their two children. Kayleen taught business classes within the Department of Business & Management at Dickinson State University. Meanwhile, George was employed in banking with American Bank Center and retired as the Senior Vice President. He also explored politics by serving as a Stark County Commissioner from 2000-2008 and the North Dakota Senate from 2009-2012. Today, they enjoy their time together as a retired couple. They continue to volunteer within the community.

With a smile coming from George, Kayleen says, “Marrying him has been very interesting. Oh, the things you do when you are young...” As she trails off, George finishes her sentence with, “And in love.”

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Athletics -Made for the Spo DSU Heritage Foundation

by Seth Moerkerke, Annual Giving Coordinator Born in Memphis, Tennessee, as one of eleven kids in his family, Jay Liggins has oftentimes been referred to as a “superstar” by his family members and friends. Being a twosport athlete in college, and a very good two-sport athlete at that, it’s easy to see why this was the case. As a two time All-American in both track & field and football at Dickinson State University, Jay lives up to the “superstar” name.

On April 27th, this nickname became a reality when Jay received a call from the Philadelphia Eagles announcing they wanted to sign him as an undrafted free agent. Just like most boys growing up, Jay dreamed of one day playing in the NFL, and now, his time has come! The dream of being a “superstar” has become his life.

In the months since that day in April, Jay has been busy training, joining the team for rookie camps and mini camps, and soon, the pre-season.

For Jay, this is simply business as usual. With a confident stature, and still humble spirit he isn’t afraid of the spotlight that has come with this new position in life. It seems he was made for it.

While attending a local Big Sticks baseball game, Jay was

suddenly surrounded by a multitude of young fans of the Eagles and the Blue Hawks, who, upon hearing he was in the crowd, ran straight to him to get a signature on anything they could--including their shoes. “I didn’t expect the whole introduction they gave me,” Jay said, “so that was pretty cool. Then once the kids started asking me to sign things, it wasn’t like I was overwhelmed, but it was nuts! So, I guess this is what I’m doing now,” he added with a laugh. “I’m living every kid’s dream. When you ask one of these kids at the elementary school what they want to be when they grow up they all say, ‘I’m going to be the next Tom Brady or some other athlete.’ So that’s always a great reminder for me when it gets hard that I have a crew behind me, and that I have Dickinson behind me, and my family too.”

No matter the conversation, Jay is always quick to point how much the people around him, especially his family, teammates, coaches, and community have affected him and helped him get to the place he is. Whether it’s crediting his teammates or coaches for the job they did in a game or his career or speaking about the way his family has supported each other, Jay knows what it means to be thankful for all he has. That is evident from the start of any conversation with him.

One person he’s especially thankful for is Pete Stanton.

Stanton, who is the current head football coach for the Blue Hawks, and a former player at DSU, has been a constant support and role model for Jay since he came to campus.

“He’s helped me realize I can always be better. He’s always pushing greatness and he isn’t afraid to call out the older guys if they aren’t walking the talk and I’ve always respected him for that,” Jay says. “The stuff he’s telling you to do, he’s done it or he’s still doing it. There isn’t anything he would tell you to do that he wouldn’t do himself.”

There would be times across his four and a half years of college where Jay would doubt himself, either in school or football, and Stanton would be right there encouraging him every time. “It would be easy for him to think ‘This guy’s never gonna get it’ when I was struggling, but he always stayed on me and never let me give up on myself.”

Although he’s ready for the spotlight, and not afraid of what it means, it’s taking some time to get used to what being a part of the NFL means. “Almost every day I feel like I’m in a crazy situation. I guard Zach Ertz a lot, and he’s one of the best tight ends in the league. It’s situations like that almost all the time where I’ll say, ‘What’s up’ to another player and then I’ll realize, ‘Wow, that’s DeSean Jackson’. It’s crazy to

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realize that I’m kind of one of these guys now, too.”

Still, there are people around Jay who have always believed in him, even when he’s doubted himself. Thinking back to the day of the draft, Jay said his mom was the first person he called after he found out and her response kind of surprised him. “She didn’t pick up the first time I called, so I had to call her back. But it was cool because I told her and she said, ‘You know, I’m not surprised.’ I was like ‘Really, mom? Because I am,” Jay said, laughing. “It was really cool that she had that much faith in me.”

DSU Heritage Foundation

The saying “Once a Blue Hawk…Forever a Blue Hawk” really has proven itself true for Jay. We are excited for all that is to come in Jay’s future, and especially excited to watch him transform from one bird of prey to another, from a treasured Blue Hawk of Dickinson State University to an Eagle of Philadelphia.

He lives by the phrase, “Don’t be scared of the spotlight, and don’t be scared to be great.” I don’t think there is anyone in the world who this phrase could fit in a better way. Jay Liggins has stepped into the spotlight he was made to fill.

It’s the continued belief and confidence coming from the people around him that keeps Jay in pursuit of his dreams.

It’s those dreams that he is currently pursuing that provide the platform for him to shine.

Having played college football in the small city of Dickinson, and now making his way out to the big city of Philadelphia, Jay can only say good things about his time spent in Dickinson. The one thing he loves most is all the friendships he has made. “I love coming back. Every time I come on the horizon and I see Dickinson I get a little more excited because I know everyone I’ve met here has been a true friend.”

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Athletics Stanton Named Athletic Director He’s been a part of the Department of Health & Physical Education since 2000 when he was hired as a professor, assistant football coach, and head track and field coach. It only seems fitting that he takes the reigns as the next athletic director at his alma mater.

Congratulations to Pete Stanton ’89!

Blue Hawk fans do not need to worry as he will continue as the head football coach.

DSU Heritage Foundation

Chapman and Farstveet Earn NAIA Honors Two legendary standouts from the Blue Hawk Football Team were honored in January. Paul Chapman ‘90 and Rory Farstveet ’93 were inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame. It is extremely rare for two athletes from the same school to be inducted the same year. Joining them in San Antonio, Texas, were Pete Stanton, Hank Biesiot, and Pete Leno.

DSU Heritage Foundation Board Member, Irene Schafer, had a great time at the annual Blue Chicks event in June. This event raises money for the DSU Football Team.

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THE HERITAGE | SUMMER 2019

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Students

DSU Heritage Foundation

Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band

by Hailey Entze and Seth Moerkerke

To most, Jerilyn Wiseman might have seemed like just an average student. Little do they know that behind the scenes this recent agriculture graduate from Baker, MT, actually had a busier schedule than most adults. On top of being a student, Wiseman was also on the Blue Hawk Rodeo Team. If rodeo practice and homework didn’t keep her busy enough, she added playing the fiddle for the local band Breaking Eight this year.

Becoming a part of Breaking Eight had never crossed Wiseman’s mind until Beni Paulson ’99 approached her. Paulson is the lead bass player and vocalist for the band. He found out through the DSU Rodeo Facebook page that Wiseman had been playing the fiddle since she was little. While Paulson was helping the college bull riders, he asked fellow DSU alum, Justin Ward ‘18, about Wiseman’s fiddle playing skills. Ward, according to her, lied and said she was really good. It couldn’t have been too big of a lie as she got the job of playing fiddle for the band as well as singing the female vocal parts. She’s been with the band since October of 2018.

Wisemen decided she wanted to learn to play the fiddle when she was around seven years of age after her best friend started taking lessons. “It was really cool until about middle school and then I decided it was pretty nerdy,” Wiseman said. Her younger self never thought that she would ever be playing the fiddle professionally. Her fiddle teacher was in a band on the Grand Ole Opry where he played fiddle, guitar, mandolin, and some other string instruments. He had a select number of students that he wanted to see go on to play professionally, and Wiseman was lucky enough to be one of them. After spending her childhood practicing for four hours a day and taking lessons two to three times a week, she got burnt out. Once she moved to Montana her junior year of high school and found no other fiddle players in sight, she hung up the bow. Wiseman hadn’t played for close to eight years when she was approached by Breaking Eight.

When Wiseman first joined the band, balancing the separate pieces of her life proved to be quite challenging. She was in 23 credits at the time, working at a coffee shop, and practicing for three rodeo events. Add on trying to learn 40 to 50 songs for the band, Wiseman’s days were pretty jam packed. “I’d get to bed by around 1:30 am if I was lucky…but it’s slowed down quite a bit since then,” she admitted.

Out of all those songs she had to learn, Wiseman does have a few favorites. Out of the originals she enjoys playing “Lucky One” written by Ty Taylor who is also an alum of DSU. As far as covers, her favorite to sing is “The Cowboy Song” by Garth Brooks, and everyone else seems to be responding well to it too. “I’m really passionate about Garth Brooks. I know every song,” she said. She also admitted that the crowd’s favorite song is, of course, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” made famous by Charlie Daniels.

Since joining Breaking Eight, Wiseman has gotten the chance to travel all over the region performing with the band. They even got the chance to perform in Las Vegas twice and recently played in Pendleton, OR. Though she enjoys performing in any environment, Wiseman said playing the Professional Bull Riding World Final was her favorite. “That was just a really cool atmosphere,” Wiseman said.

She has even had the opportunity to make a few TV appearances.

One was on the regional NBC affiliate’s Country Morning Today

In an effort of improvement, Wiseman has tried to find out how to get back in touch with her old teacher since joining Breaking Eight. “I’d really like to get back in touch with him and actually have him help me get better or at least back to where I was,” Wiseman said.

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THE HERITAGE | SUMMER 2019

DSU Heritage Foundation as well as Outside the Barrel hosted by Flint Rasmussen, the famous rodeo clown.

After spending the past four years as a Blue Hawk, Wiseman credits everything she’s been able to accomplish to the opportunities that Dickinson State University has presented to her. She said she never would have made her barrel horse if it weren’t for DSU. Since Beni Paulson is an alum, she probably wouldn’t have gotten the chance to be a part of Breaking Eight either. Another opportunity that has changed her along the way is DSU’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes. “The FCA group has been a huge part of my life the past year. If I wouldn’t have had that I probably wouldn’t be the same person I am today, so it’s

just opportunity, big time.”

As for her future in the band she said, “If they don’t kick me out, I’ll stay with the band.” This summer they’re playing in Wibaux and Beach and hope to go back to Vegas. She’s not giving up on rodeo either. Peppy’s young enough that she’s hoping to get a pro permit within the next few years and join the rodeo circuit. Part of the rest of her ten-year plan includes being able to support herself by raising and training horses. With the few colts she has and another on the way, she’s already on her way there. So, whether it’s for her skills in training horses or strumming out fiddle melodies, Jerilyn Wiseman is a name you’ll want to watch out for in the future.

Blue Hawk Rodeo The DSU Rodeo Team was represented at the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) in June

by Jade Boote and Clay Jorgenson. Jade finished her sophomore year as the Reserve Champion of the Great Plains Region in Breakaway Roping. Jade is originally from Binford, ND.

originally from Watford City, ND.

generation Dickinson State University Blue Hawk. His father, Tim ‘83, and his grandparents, Barb ’56 and the late Dale Jorgenson, also attended Dickinson State. Clay is

The Blue Hawks also captured the Great Plains Region Rodeo of the Year honors for the 2018-2019 season.

Clay Jorgenson capped off his senior year as the Great Plains Region Reserve Champion in Bareback Riding. Clay is a third-

Photos courtesy of Austin Stockert Photography and Annika Plummer Photography

Spring Break in Italy

smaller towns as they were travelled from city to city. On these quick adventures, they got to do things like eat the World’s Best Gelato in San Gimignano. After 10 days, this pack of world travelers were sad to say ciao to Italy but excited to return home with great pictures and even better memories.

Over Spring Break, 12 Dickinson State students and faculty members got the opportunity to explore Italy. The trip was headed by Art Professor Greg Walter and open to students and faculty in any department. The participants got to stay in some of Italy’s most historic cities, like Venice, Florence, and Rome.

While there they got to visit some of Italy’s most famous sites, like the Doge’s Palace in Venice, the Uffizi Art Museum in Florence, and the Colosseum in Rome. They also got to stop at

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Blue Hawk Friends

DSU Heritage Foundation

Sunny Arizona in February DSU Heritage Foundation reunited with alumni and friends at their annual trip to Arizona. On February 13th, golf teams enjoyed 18 holes of golf at Painted Mountain Golf Resort.

Following golf, around 60 alumni and friends enjoyed a dinner and an evening of college stories at the resort.

Stay tuned as we will be back in Arizona in February 2020. An exact date to be announced soon.

Blue Hawk Night at the Big Sticks

The evening consisted of 525 fans coming out to cheer on the Big Sticks. In addition, a 50/50 raffle and a silent auction were held. The Big Sticks also threw in $2 for every ticket purchased for the game and presented a check for $1,600 to the DSU Heritage Foundation.

The DSU Heritage Foundation was proud to host the firstever, Blue Hawk Night at the Big Sticks, on Tuesday, June 18.

The foundation invited alumni and friends to join them at the Dakota Community Bank & Trust Ballpark as the Big Sticks took on the Fremont Moos.

The Badlands Big Sticks are one of 10 teams in the Great Plains who are members of the Expedition League, a summer collegiate wood bat baseball league. The regular season play runs from Memorial Day weekend thru the first week of August. 2018 marked the first season of the league in which the Big Sticks were the Lewis Division Champions.

Ty Orton, Executive Director of the DSU Heritage Foundation, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Fans were also surprised by a visit from Jay Liggins of the Philadelphia Eagles who just arrived back in Dickinson earlier that day from rookie camp.

“A special thanks to the Badlands Big Sticks for inviting us out for a special night at the Big Sticks.

We had a lot of fun and hope the fans enjoyed themselves as well,” stated Ty Orton. “We encourage people in Dickinson and the surrounding communities to take in a Big Sticks game this season. It’s a great family environment.”

Proud DSU alum, Dave Ouellette ’92, is the owner of the Badlands Big Sticks.

Future Blue Hawks

Dan ‘07 & Shayla ‘08 Barraclough Colorado Springs, CO

Sam ‘15 & Afton ‘12 Bisson Apple Valley, MN

Denny ‘06 & Navada Phipps Cochrane, AB

Matt ‘08 & Melinda Stentoft Scobey, MT

Brynn Tobi

Paxton David

Baylor Elizabeth Jeanne

Alea Jade

Did you recently have your own baby Blue Hawk? Contact the DSU Alumni Association to receive your FREE Future Blue Hawk onesie. Don’t forget to send a picture of your future Blue Hawk in their new gear. dsu.alumni@dickinsonstate.edu PAGE 18

701.483.2557 THE HERITAGE | SUMMER 2019

Outstanding Graduate Awards The DSU Heritage Foundation is proud to sponsor activities during Finals Week for our graduating seniors. This year, we hosted a Grad Fest Brunch for the graduates at the Foundation House. It was a great way to welcome them to the Alumni Association as well as find out their future plans.

Later that afternoon, we honored the Outstanding Graduate Awards Ceremony. Each academic department selected two individuals who went above and beyond within their major area of study. The students were each presented with a certificate and a gift from the Alumni Association congratulating them on their achievements. The top two candidates were ranked and selected by a committee. They were announced as the 2018-2019 Outstanding Graduates. An honor that shows a culmination of their dedication and achievements during their time as a student at Dickinson State University. The 2018-2019 Outstanding Graduates were Allisha Dworshak and Thomas Sease.

Allisha Dworshak

Allisha Dworshak, daughter of Timothy & Lisa Dworshak, graduated with a double major in accounting and business and a minor in leadership. Raised in the country outside of Dickinson, Dworshak was a wonderful example of a student who successfully used her drive and determination to achieve all things.

While at Dickinson State, Dworshak was a member of the DSU Rodeo Team all four years where she competed in goat tying and barrel racing. Even with the extensive travel during both the fall and spring semesters, Dworshak was a member of the Theodore Roosevelt Honors Leadership Program. She was chosen to present at the 2018 National Collegiate Honors Council Conference.

Perhaps Dworshak’s greatest contribution came in Collegiate Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) where she served as president of the DSU chapter for two years and as the state vice president of operations for one year. She excelled at the state convention capturing first place awards in events in 2017 and 2018 as well as placing in the top three at the national convention in two events in 2018. She received Who’s Who recognition in both 2017 and 2018 for her outstanding leadership as a PBL member and officer. In 2018, she was presented with the School of Business and Entrepreneurship’s Boyd Binde Outstanding Senior in Accounting Award.

In addition, Dworshak also served as a member of Collegiate Farm Bureau, Sigma Beta Delta, Omicron Delta Kappa, as well as Student Senate. Despite her active participation on campus, Dworshak still found time to work as a server at Applebee’s, intern at Mackoff Kellogg Law Firm, and volunteer as a tutor at Dickinson High School as well as area youth mentor in horsemanship activities.

Dworshak plans to pursue the University of North Dakota – School of Law. She hopes to eventually become governor and ultimately be a justice on the Supreme Court of the United States.

DSUHERITAGEFOUNDATION.ORG

DSU Heritage Foundation

“I strive to make the world a better place by having a positive impact on those around me.”

Thomas Sease

Thomas Sease, son of Ted and Shelly Sease of Bismarck, North Dakota, graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Exercise Science. Sease is a firstgeneration college student who made a promise to himself during convocation his freshman year of college that his experience was going to be full of limitless opportunities.

He definitely achieved that and more.

Sease was a dual-sport athlete for the Blue Hawks proudly wearing the blue and gray uniform for both football and track. In football, he was a four-time All-Conference selection and received All-American First Team Honors his senior season. Sease was named the North Star Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 and was a Cliff Harrison Award finalist, an award presented to the NAIA’s Most Outstanding Football Player. He currently holds the school record for tackles in a career and season despite playing two separate seasons with a broken wrist. In track, Sease was a two-time national qualifier. In his senior season he received the Champion of Character A ward from the North Star Athletic Association Conference in track. In addition, Sease received Academic All-Conference and Academic All-American twice in both sports. Sease ended his college athletic career being named the DSU Senior Athlete of the Year in 2018.

Sease has been actively involved academically in research on projects related to substance abuse, personal crisis, and Alzheimer’s disease. He co-authored a publication in the peer reviewed Journal of Conscientiousness: Theory, Research, and Practice.

Even with his busy schedule, he found time to give back to his classmates by serving as a peer tutor in the areas of chemistry, mathematics, and psychology as well as the team tutor for the DSU Wrestling Team. During the 2018-2019 academic year, he served as the president of the Psychology Club. He has also been a swimming lessons instructor, assisted with coaching track at Hagen Middle School, as well as worked as a phlebotomist at CHI St Alexius Hospital.

Sease will be attending the University of Louisiana at Lafayette this fall where he will be taking classes in the departments of psychology and biology with plans to continue his research on substance abuse. His goal is to graduate with a doctorate in clinical psychology. Eventually, he would like to work at a small university where he can continue to research, practice, and mentor the next generation of behavioral scientists.

“I represent those who are willing to go above and beyond out of a pure desire to better ones self in all walks of life.”

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Hawks History

DSU Heritage Foundation

45 Years of the Blue Hawks

anything else, some DSU alumni do remember a time when they were something else. After starting college as a Savage, it was hard though not impossible, to switch to being a Blue Hawk.

For those of us that are recent or current attendees of Dickinson State University, being a Blue Hawk is all we have ever known. We take pride in it. Phrases such as “Hawks Are Up”, “Hawk Day”, and “I’d rather be a Hawk…” are regularly heard around campus and at sporting events. We have a Hawk Rock, Blue Hawk Hub, and the DSU Heritage Foundation’s tailgating vehicle The Hawks Nest. Wherever you go on campus, the Hawk isn’t far behind.

Arlan Hofland was a football player and student during the time of the switch. He said that Dickinson was one of the first university’s to be more aware of the fact that the original mascot name and traditions, while never intending to be, were offensive.

However, even though they knew it had to be changed, students liked the Savages mascot and everything that was associated with it and it took a few years for the Blue Hawk to be accepted.

by Hailey Entze, DSU Heritage Foundation Student Worker

However, it was not until 1974 that this became possible. Up to that point, the college mascot had been the Savages. Decades later, while most Dickinson State students saw no problem with the name and only associated it with fond memories, others who had Native American heritage were uncomfortable with it and the traditions the college had derived from it. After much discussion the controversy was taken to the State Board of Higher Education who decided that the name had to be changed.

On January 19, 1974, a committee composed of students, alumni, faculty, Native Americans, and representatives from the athletic department arrived at a consensus that the new mascot of Dickinson State would be the Blue Hawk. Blue was chosen to represent the already established school colors and the hawk was chosen because of its notoriety of being a fierce bird of the west.

Thus, Buster, the beloved furry blue bird that we know and love, was born. Today, no matter who is asked, Blue Hawk pride runs deep.

To Suzanna Moberg, DSU’s Student Senate President, being a Blue Hawk means family, both figuratively and literally. With her dad being a professor, one sister on campus and another joining this coming fall, the family feel of the Blue Hawk community could not be more prominent. It’s more than just her actual family that makes being a Blue Hawk so special. It’s also the close-knit community derived out of everyone’s love of the Hawks. “This school and the family that has been created here has become known as a place with students, faculty, staff, and community members who support, encourage, and assist each other to achieve success both academically and individually. I am proud to be a member of the Blue Hawk family and the legacy that is created here,” Moberg said.

Hofland mentioned that since he spent his first two years at Dickinson State as a Savage, he’s always had a soft spot for the mascot. “When I get together with old friends, we always still think of ourselves as Savages, but we understand that the name needed to be changed,” stated Hofland.

For some, understanding the need for change was a little harder.

It is with these people in mind that Cherie Roshau created her drawing Transition. This drawing depicts a chief holding a buffalo skull on which a hawk is landing, and it brings together the college’s two mascots.

Cherie, who graduated from DSU in 1972, was asked by one of the athletic coaches back then to create this drawing. For her it was meant to combine the schools two traditions, the Savages and the Blue Hawks, to make it easier for people to make the transition. Losing the Savages traditions was tough on the older generations of DSU alumni and Cherie hoped that this drawing would make it more peaceful.

Meanwhile, longtime football coach Hank Biesiot came to Dickinson State in the last few months of the mascot change.

He spent his first few months here as a Savage. Although that did not mean much to him at the time, he quickly realized that the Savages had a strong and loyal following. However, once the mascot changed, he got to see the Blue Hawk name get the same result. “It was fun to experience both the loyalty that people had to the Savages and the Blue Hawks earning that same loyalty,” Biesiot said.

Now, 45 years later, we remember the Savages of the past and the Blue Hawks of the future. Whether we are one or the other, we can all agree on one thing - Dickinson State will forever hold a special place in our hearts. Once a Savage, always a Blue Hawk. #HawksAreUp

The current quarterback of the Blue Hawk football team, Hayden Gibson, feels much the same way. He chose DSU for the education program and the tradition of the football program.

After being recruited he fell in love with the whole atmosphere of the football team and everything that comes along with that.

“Being a Blue Hawk means the world to me. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life,” Gibson said.

While we love the Blue Hawks and cannot imagine being PAGE 20

THE HERITAGE | SUMMER 2019

Hawks Eye View Leno Lifts the Weight with AccuPower Donation

by Hailey Entze and Seth Moerkerke

A guy who has been a key member of the Ben C. Frank Human Performance Center since day one is Pete Leno. The center was added in 2000 and since then has really lifted the Blue Hawks in the athletic realm to a whole new level. The man behind the scenes of the acceleration program is Leno.

Originally from Kennedy, MN, Leno ended up in North Dakota at Valley City State University to play football. He later received his master’s degree from North Dakota State University where he also coached before moving to Dickinson in 1991. He accepted a position at Dickinson State to teach in the Department of Health and Physical Education and be the offensive line coach of the football team.

In 2001, Leno started working with what would become known as AccuPower Solutions, a software that helps to assess jumps, landings, and balance. The first configuration of the software was more like a stationary forward leg press whereas the newest version is comprised of scale like force plates that measure 40 inches squared and stay in a fixed spot. With this newest version providing more free space it has become possible to evaluate an athlete’s body control.

Force plates have a few different applications.

The biggest thing is trying to establish a baseline performance of an athlete. From there it is possible to look at how an athlete changes over time. The three most common applications from the software are injury risk assessment, readiness recovery, and training efficiency. Though interest is expanding to more skillrelated applications.

Leno has been an owner of the company since 2014 when the group he was working for decided to sell the software. Since then, Leno and his partner have continued to refine the product to make it more convenient for the users. According to Leno, “The sport technology is a wild, wild west landscape, but what’s needed most is a way to translate what seems complicated into something simple and useful.”

Leno and his partner even take AccuPower on the road to professional athlete combines. Some of those relationships have come from the previous owners and others have blossomed from Leno’s own relationships with strength coaches who are primarily responsible to run the NHL Combine. They’ve now taken their equipment to the NHL Combine for the past three years and plan to make an appearance again in 2019 along with presenting it at the NBA Combine as well. They mostly use these appearances to present the equipment, show others how to use it, and then hopefully make some sales. “Some people want to predict things, but with the human body you can’t predict. You DSUHERITAGEFOUNDATION.ORG

DSU Heritage Foundation can only assess risk,” Leno said.

“The sky is not the limit in terms of what [force plates] can evaluate and what you can determine from them, but there is a lot of use and value to them.”

While he now presents AccuPower to future professional athletes and their counterparts, Leno said that he incorporated the concepts in his classroom long before he ever took it to the outside world. His students are given a whole semester to work with the product and create projects to help student-athletes on campus. Their interaction with the concepts of the equipment in turn gives Leno a way to learn how to make it better and more intuitive. A few lucky past Blue Hawks have even gotten to see AccuPower in action when they accompanied Leno to the Army All-American Combine in San Antonio, Texas. “I know our kids are getting a master’s level biomechanics education just because we have access to that kind of technology,” stated Leno.

It’s because of his passion for AccuPower that his 28 years of teaching at DSU has become more than just a job to him. He said throughout all of the changes at DSU over the years, the bond between the people who have walked up its hill are what make it so special. “DSU is the people. The people that I’ve met.

The people I’ve been lucky enough to hopefully influence, and the people that have influenced me too,” Leno explained.

Leno has gotten to know and influence a lot of lives, which are some of his favorite memories from his time here. His favorite part of being a coach is watching a new group of young men come together each year to bond for a common goal. They end up creating friendships that will last for the rest of their lives.

It is probably because of those people and the bonds created over that time that made Leno want to give back to the school by donating an AccuPower Solutions license for the next 10 years. Blue Hawk students and athletes can now use the equipment to grow from and learn something that will be an influence on them for their rest of their lifetime. According to him, “[Dickinson State University] is a collection of people I have been lucky enough to be involved with…when I look back on all the people I’ve been lucky enough to have interacted with that’s pretty special.”

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Hawks Eye View

DSU Heritage Foundation

Dickinson State’s First Exchange Student Visits Campus

Joanna (Zee) Lum visited campus nearly 60 years after she had first arrived. Her son, Wayland, surprised his mom with a trip to North Dakota around Memorial Day weekend so that she could visit the first place she ever came to in America. Joanna enjoyed a morning of visiting with Dr. Carl and Esther ’65 Larson before going on a campus tour. Joanna was a freshman who attended Dickinson State College in 1960-1961. She was the first Chinese student to attend and was one of four international students that academic year. Joanna transferred to a university in California and resided there until this past year when she moved to Texas.

Forever a Blue Hawk Alma Pluth

Ken Kussy

LeRoy Oberlander

L. Ray Wheeler

Arlene Chapinski

Louise Pearson

1927 – 2018

1945 - 2018

1934 - 2018

1940 - 2018

1938 - 2018

1924 - 2019

Fdn & Alumni

Tech & Voc Education

Language & Lit

Language & Lit

Computer Services

Stoxen Library

20 Years

14 Years

33 Years

46 Years

23 Years

13 Years

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THE HERITAGE | SUMMER 2019

DSU Heritage Foundation

Biking For a Cause

The DSU Heritage Foundation hosted their Third Annual Bike-a-Thon on Saturday, March 2 at the West River Community Center. Over $18,000 was raised on a cold winter morning. Twenty teams representing various clubs, organizations, and local businesses participated to raise unrestricted dollars for their group.

The annual event has been scheduled for Saturday, March 7, 2020.

We welcome the new members of the DSU Heritage Foundation Board who joined in 2019

DSUHERITAGEFOUNDATION.ORG

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