Torch, Fall 2014, Volume 46, Number 3

WELLNESS CENTER Page 8

A Magazine for Alumni & Friends of the University of Minnesota Crookston

Volume 46, Number 3 FALL 2014

Homecoming 2014

TABLE OF CONTENTS From the Chancellor.....................5 Tim Gagner....................................... 6 New Wellness Center.................. 8 Alumni Social.................................. 12 Adam Coe........................................14 Homecoming 2014........................ 16 Paul Carrier.....................................18 Gladys Worman............................20 Songs of the NWSA.................... 22 Campus Headlines...................... 24 Alumni News.................................. 26 In Memory......................................30

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Front row from left: Chancellor Fred Wood, Athletic Director Stephanie Helgeson, Karla (Thormodson) Isley, Bill Tyrrell, Theresa Helgeson, Wayne Schertler, and Corby Kemmer, director, Development & Alumni Relations Second row from left: Randy Lee, Tony Safranski, Chad Larson, Matt Hovdeness, Aaron Immerfall, Adam Maruska, Jeremy Rademacher, Nate Rasch, and Mark Olsonawski Third row from left: Carl Aho, Jarred Robinson, Nate Hughes, Devin Olson, John Quackenbush, Jason Lindquist, Rob Baumgarn, and Cory Schreifels Back row from left: Mike Nordby, Coach Scott Oliver, Alan Herman, Brian Barberg, Ryan Paul, Brian Grunhovd, Chris Bruggeman, and Nick Kornder

From the Chancellor “What a great day!” was commonly heard on all over campus on Monday, September 22, when we had the opportunity to celebrate the new Wellness Center that will be built on campus west of the Sports Center. Thankfully the weather, something we talk about often up here in northwest Minnesota, was almost perfect.

The long-awaited ceremonial groundbreaking for the Wellness Center was a wonderful event with a number of speakers including University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler, Senator LeRoy Stumpf, Representative Deb Kiel, Regent Tom Devine, and CSA President Justin Goodroad. Following the outstanding speeches, we enjoyed the opportunity for everyone to “dig in” as part of ceremony.

Seeing so many people with shovels in hand was a highlight for me since this really has been a team effort. This could not have occurred without the efforts of Chancellors Emeriti Sargeant and Casey. Nor could it have happened without the efforts of numerous staff members over many years, including Stephanie Helgeson, who has seemingly been there from the beginning. It would not have occurred were it not for the community and business leaders who provided their support.

It also would not be possible without the many letters from staff, faculty, and students, or if the students had not taken many important steps, such as visits to St. Paul and instituting a student fee.

As I said in my remarks that day, this entire effort has been called the model of capital project advocacy – the Crookston Model. I continue to recall the first day of fall semester Les ’58 and June Nielsen join Chancellor Fred Wood and U of M President Eric Kaler at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new instruction in 2012 when a group of students stopped me to wellness center in September. express that a Wellness Center was their top priority, and together we made it happen. I want to again thank everyone for their efforts, large or small, recent or in the past, who helped in this effort.

The opportunity to announce a major gift toward the project and to honor Les and June Nielsen was another wonderful aspect of this great day. The Nielsens share our recognition of the importance of all dimensions of wellness, of improving student success, of creating a community asset for the region, and they sincerely appreciate the critically important role of higher education in making the region, the state, the nation, and the world a better place.

For more information on investment opportunities As native northwest Minnesotans (their families have regarding the Wellness Center, contact Corby been in this region for generations), they understand the Kemmer at 218-281-8434 (ckemmer@umn.edu). importance of this university to the region and of this facility to our students. Due to their long term connections to the campus, they also understand the great value of this small campus in helping students succeed.

Check out the photographs of the groundbreaking in this issue of the Torch, and read about the gift from the Nielsens.

It is truly heartwarming to realize the impact we have as a campus of the University of Minnesota. Consider joining the Nielsons by providing your support to this transformational project. Your gift, of any amount, is an investment in the future of UMC and our students. Contact Corby Kemmer, director of Development & Alumni Relations to see how you can become a part of this exciting endeavor.

As we begin the work on the Wellness Center in earnest next spring, I would like to encourage you whenever you are in the area to visit the campus to see the progress or make plans to join us for the grand opening in fall 2016!

Best regards, Fred E. Wood Chancellor University of Minnesota Crookston 5

“What the Crookston campus gave me was the building blocks for a future career and earning a bachelor’s degree was the next step for me,” Tim Gagner.

Data Driven Career Before students at the University of Minnesota Crookston carried laptops, there were labs on campus filled with computers. Students studied programming and computer systems under the tutelage of Assistant Professor Don MacGregor (1974-93) and others.

Alumnus Tim Gagner ’87, MacGregor’s advisee, enjoyed the camaraderie between students studying in this relatively new field of computer technology. “I enjoyed the smaller classes and the regional feel of the Crookston campus,” Gagner says.

He was part of the Accounting and Computer Club and fondly recalls the club advisor, Jon Rogelstad. His favorite class, taught by MacGregor, was programming in Report Program Generator or RPG, an IBM proprietary, high-level programming language for business application at the time.

While he went to school, Gagner, who is originally from Brooks, Minn., was assistant manager at the Northland Lanes, the bowling alley located in the former Northland Inn—today, the Crookston Inn. Following his graduation, Gagner went to work full time at Northland Lanes. Eventually, he would make a decision to return to school

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Tim Gagner is married to Alumna Brenda (Christensen) and they have two sons and a daughter.

to pursue a degree working with computers. It meant balancing his service in the Army National Guard with work, family, and studies.

“While I enjoyed programming, in reality, it was not my strength,” Gagner says. “I decided to enroll at Minnesota State University Moorhead and earn a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems. What the Crookston campus gave me was the building blocks for a future career and earning a bachelor’s degree was the next step for me.”

His strength turned out to be in the area of analysis and the use of technology to enhance business processes. During his last year at Moorhead, he was offered an internship with Otter Tail Power Company in Fergus Falls, Minn., that turned into a full-time position following his graduation.

At Otter Tail, he worked with various projects including the

automation of business processes and placing personal computers into the division offices. During the decade he spent with them, Gagner became familiar with Oracle’s databases and PeopleSoft applications, which laid the groundwork for the next phase of his career.

When he left Otter Tail, he joined a consulting company where he was employed for two years, followed by a five-year stretch as an independent consultant. His clients included several projects for the University of Minnesota along with work for other companies including Medtronic, United Health Group, and Wells Fargo.

In September 2004, Gagner took a full-time position at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities as a manager in the Office of Information Technology (OIT). His current assignment is as the project director for Infrastructure and Operations, and he is currently

involved with a project known as the Upgrade. This complex enterprise project extends to almost everyone who works at the University system wide. He has been instrumental in leading the Upgrade project, whose main focus is on the system campuses, University units, colleges, and departments with applications or systems outside of the finance, human resources, and student systems that use PeopleSoft data. The Upgrade project has allowed Gagner to visit the system campuses including his alma mater in Crookston.

Gagner’s career has taken him the length of his home state, and each career choice built on the skills and experiences he gained in the one prior to it. Underpinning them all is the foundation he laid when he made the choice to attend the University of Minnesota Crookston, a decision that hasn’t failed him yet.

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New Wellness Center on the Horizon “This project is a testament to a ‘can do’ collaborative partnership,” Fred E. Wood, Chancellor.

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While the real work won’t begin on the new wellness center until spring, a ceremonial groundbreaking was held on a gorgeous afternoon in September. The day started out with a large gathering of faculty, staff, and special guests in the Prairie Room in the Sargeant Student Center for a special announcement.

Chancellor Fred Wood shared the news that Les and June Nielsen have donated $1 million to name the lobby of the new wellness center in memory of their son, Mitch Lien Nielsen.

Education has played a powerful role in the lives of Les and June Nielsen, and it is demonstrated through their generous gift in support of the University of Minnesota Crookston Wellness Center project.

Les, a graduate of the Northwest School of Agriculture—predecessor of the University of Minnesota Crookston—was raised near Euclid, Minn., in a home where reading and studying were encouraged. The Northwest School, established as part of the University of Minnesota’s land grant mission, offered rural Minnesota students a residential, agricultural high school designed to meet the needs of the region.

Along with Les, three of his brothers attended the Northwest School and three went

on to the University of Minnesota: Andrew graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School, and Richard earned a degree in business and worked for the Internal Revenue Service spending years in management. Each of his sisters also pursued education beyond high school.

The educational route Les took may seem rather unconventional. He graduated from high school in 1958 when he was twenty-one years old.

Growing up in a large farm family made it necessary for him to stop his education to earn the money necessary to continue. In many ways, his desire for an education fueled his effort to earn his high school diploma, and then, to go on to earn a degree in business from the University of Minnesota.

Following his graduation from the Northwest School, he married his sweetheart June Lien, a 1958 graduate of Gonvick High School. They moved

to Minneapolis where Les worked for Berman Silo Company building silos in the summer and spent his winters attending the University. While it took Les longer than usual to complete his degree, it made earning a bachelor’s degree all the sweeter.

In 1968, the Nielsens, along with longtime friend, Gene Ellingson from Euclid, started Herc-ULift Incorporated, a forklift truck and material handling equipment distributorship. Les served as the company’s president for thirty-six years and June worked alongside her husband in the business. Today, their son, Brian, also a graduate of the University of Minnesota, is part of Herc-U-Lift and Les remains as the company’s chief executive officer.

The Nielsens are incredibly grateful for what the University of Minnesota has done for them, and, in turn, have established scholarships to benefit students at the University

of Minnesota Crookston. These scholarships are named in memory of their son, Mitch Lien Nielsen, who was taken from them in 1989 in a motorcycle accident.

Following the gift announcement, everyone headed outside to witness the groundbreaking just west of the Sports Center. Before the ceremony, everyone was reminded of the work by so many in the effort to make the wellness center a reality.

Chancellor Fred Wood stated, “This project is a testament to the ‘can do’ collaborative partnership that is the hallmark of this remarkable region, community, and campus. The Wellness Center will assist with student success by helping us recruit, retain and graduate our students. It will strengthen our academic mission and teach our students to be well-rounded individuals.”

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In the photo, left to right, are Chancellors Emerti Donald Sargeant and Chuck Casey, Les and June Nielsen with Chancellor Fred Wood.

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Alumni Gather at TCF Bank Stadium Home of the Minnesota Golden Gohpers, TCF Bank Stadium opened on September 12, 2009. It cost $288.5 million to build and seats 50,300 guests.

Alumni had a great time in early September at a social held in the TCF Bank Stadium at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. The social was held in the Indoor Club Room and some 60 alumni, family, and staff gathered for an informal evening that included a tour of the stadium.

The event was sponsored by the Office of Development & Alumni Relations and plans are under consideration for a Twin Cities alumni gathering next fall. Watch for details in future issues of the Torch.

1950s and 1960s

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1970s and 1980s

2000-2002

2003-2014 13

Teamwork Focused “I gained a core understanding of healthcare management and human resources from my classes at the U of M Crookston,” Adam Coe.

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Teamwork is his mantra, and he learned the importance of it on the ice playing hockey, but Alumnus Adam Coe ’03 believes in the power of teamwork today more than ever.

Coe grew up in Bemidji, Minn., and a high school career class revealed an interest in healthcare. He chose the University of Minnesota Crookston for two reasons— hockey and healthcare. “After playing junior hockey, I knew I wanted to play college hockey and the Crookston campus offered a degree in health management that fit my career goals,” Coe explains.

“I use a lot of what I learned playing on a team, and I was always interested in connecting my class work to a job in the field,” he continues. “I gained a core understanding of healthcare management and human resources from my classes at the U of M Crookston.”

An internship at North Country Hospital in their nursing home facility and working with the elderly gave him a chance to experience another aspect of the field. In 2003, he was hired by the Good Samaritan Society and took advantage of their administrator-in-training program. “Each one in the program was paired with an active administrator, and I even spent a full day experiencing life as a resident,” Coe says.

“The whole training program was great preparation for me.”

In December 2005, Coe became the administrator for the Good Samaritan Society in International Falls, Minn., and by the end of 2006, he was having conversations with the regional director about the state of the fifty-year-old facility.

During the following year, Coe began advocating for a new facility in the northern Minnesota town and the process of writing a business plan to seek approval The new facility is a year old and Coe says from the Good Samaritan Society. A they are still learning to improve workflow healthcare construction moratorium in and find the best way to manage care.

Minnesota made it necessary for Coe to seek approval for an exception. Once he had the go ahead from the Good Samaritan Society, he spent 2008 working to gain approval from the State of Minnesota, which involved writing an RFP, developing a concept for the

Adam Coe ‘03 and his wife, Aubrey, have three children, Austin, Alivia, and Alexandra.

new facility, and building community support.

The economic downturn influenced the timeline on the project, but in 2012, a groundbreaking for the new facility took place. The project was completed in 2013 and included 54 private rooms and an assisted-living building with 24 apartments.

“The project meant a lot to the people who live here,” Coe says.

“But, it also meant a great deal to the community of International Falls. The city rallied and really helped make this place a reality.”

Not everyone has the skill to manage the day-to-day operations of a healthcare facility and a building project of the magnitude Coe has. “It was a lot of work,” he reflects. “It was also a lot of fun and those who thought it couldn’t be done motivated me to move forward.” Coe took a risk, never gave up, and held to his belief that the building was important to residents and to the region, and it has proven to be just that.

He describes his management style as team-focused, highly involved, and supportive of the teams he works with.

The description fits especially when one considers the building project he managed to bring to fruition along with his regular responsibilities as the administrator. He couldn’t have done it alone, and Coe is the first to admit how much he values those with whom he works. “The team approach has helped us reach goals and set a vision for the future,” he says. “It has also taken us through barriers and helped us advocate for change.”

He led the effort, and today, his staff, the residents, and the community are reaping the benefits.

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4 1 0 2 g n i m o c e m Ho

Sweet Taste of Success “I received a great foundation for the work I do when I was a student at the University of Minnesota Crookston,” Paul Carrier.

The best instructors are often those who finds joy in the success of others. For Paul Carrier ’87 and ’97 teaching is deeply satisfying and his rewards reside in the accomplishments of students.

Carrier is an instructor in the culinary arts at the Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC), one of the largest technical colleges in the nation. He has long loved the hospitality industry, and today, he has the opportunity to turn the kitchen into the classroom.

The students in his classes range from non-traditional students who are in the midst of a career change to high school students who are interested in a future in the hospitality industry. “My students may have fallen on hard times and are looking for a short course to help them turn their life around or taking the class for enrichment,” Carrier says. “My classes can serve as a career pathway and students may go on to study culinary arts in college. It depends on what they need.”

Poverty is an obstacle for many of Carrier’s students and he finds that having the class sit down to eat the meal they have prepared is welcome and feeds both the body and the mind.

He came to his current position well prepared. “I received a great foundation for the work I do when I was a student at the University of Minnesota Crookston,” Carrier reflects. The classes he took, along with work in food service, gave him an important foundation followed by an internship at the Douglas Lodge in Itasca State Park where he was the assistant director for food and beverage for three months under the guidance of Associate Professor Sharon Stewart.

Born and raised in St. Paul, Minn., Paul Carrier began his hospitality/culinary experience back in 1979 volunteering at his church’s Minnesota State Fair Dining Hall washing dishes and peeling potatoes. He is pictured here in the top, right corner with a class at MATC.

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Carrier earned his master’s degree in hospitality and tourism administration at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Soon afterward, he began his work as a culinary arts instructor at Milwaukee Area Technical College where he has been working since 1999.

When he came back to campus to pursue his bachelor’s degree in hotel, restaurant, and institutional management, he lived a semester at the local homeless shelter where he cooked 2-3 nights a week in return for his room and board.

A highlight of his college experience was the work he and others did in preparation for Don Sargeant’s inauguration as chancellor. “The one thing I will never forget is the professionalism around that event and how great it was for me to be a part of that whole experience,” he recalls.

He also remembers working with Associate Professor Ken Myers catering a meal for Barb Weiler, who worked in University Relations, and her husband at their lake home. “We cooked and served the meal,” says Carrier. “We had prepared the entire meal beforehand in the lab so we were ready to go that evening.”

For Carrier the memories he has of attending the U of M Crookston are fond ones. He has deep admiration for Myers, who he says “motivated and encouraged me through every challenge.”

“It seemed to me that everyone who worked at UMC cared about students,” Carrier explains. “From Owen Williams in the Library to Jack Bywater in Admissions, it was a great place to learn and it shaped my professional career.”

Today, Carrier is the one molding the lives of students. “We give chances to students at MATC and teach them skills they can take with them into the work place or on to more education,” he says. “It is my chance to help open doors for students the way they were opened for me.”

Alumni Weekend for all former Men’s and Women’s Basketball Players on Saturday, February 7

™

9 – 9:30 a.m.

Women’s Basketball Alumni Game 9:30 – 10 a.m.

Men’s Basketball Alumni Game 10 – 11 a.m.

Women’s Basketball Shoot Around 11:15 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Men’s Basketball Film 12 – 1p.m.

Men’s Basketball Shoot Around 1:15p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Lunch/Coaches Corner (Irishman’s Shanty)-Proposed 3 – 3:30 p.m.

Campus Tour 4 p.m.

Women’s Basketball Game 6 p.m.

Men’s Basketball Game Halftime of Men’s Game: All Alumni Recognized 8:30 p.m.

Alumni Social

Cobblestone Inn & Suites: UMC Rate of $79 per night (includes continental breakfast) Direct questions to Kathleen Brown at 218-281-8423 or brownk@umn.edu.

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Teacher to Many “I would have never had the chance to make so many friendships if I had stayed on the farm,” Gladys Worman.

A heat wave held much of North America in its grip in 1936. It was the height of the Dust Bowl and a time when even Minnesota and North Dakota were experiencing record-setting temperatures.

Following an extremely cold winter, summer brought little precipitation and an ever-deepening drought.

A crop failure in 1936 interrupted what would have been Gladys Worman’s senior year. But, she would return to the Northwest School of Agriculture in the fall to finish high school in 1938 and stay to complete her advanced year.

Growing up ten miles from Crookston, Minn., near Harold Station, Worman walked the mile and a Worman’s 1938 yearbook photo half from home to the District 35 School in Fairfax claims, “Her work has given her a rep, for high ambition and lots of Township. A visit from Rufus Christgau, a teacher pep.” at the Northwest School to their farm convinced her father that Gladys and her older sister should attend the school in fall 1934. The two girls shared a small room in town for $10 a month and walked or rode the bus to campus. They never had the opportunity to live on campus, but this gave the two industrious young ladies plenty of time to concentrate on their studies.

During the year they spent at home, they learned to quilt and hook rugs. They also took part in 4-H Club projects, including a food demonstration to win a trip to St. Paul and the Minnesota State Fair. Back at school the following year, they enjoyed senior English taught by hard working Dorothy Smith, who made Shakespeare come alive, and piano lessons taught by Marian Nelson.

After Worman graduated, she attended a year of teacher’s training in East Grand Forks, Minn., and taught in country schools. She continued to take courses through Moorhead State Teachers College while teaching in Thief River Falls and Ada, both

Nominate a Classmate or Friend!

Do you know an outstanding alumnus or alumna who is deserving of an award for exemplary commitment, achievement, or service? Consider nominating them for Outstanding Alumni, Top Aggie, or for induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame.

Nominations can be made by visiting www.umcrookston.edu/alumni, choose either UMC Alumni Association or Northwest School of Agriculture Alumni Association, and select the appropriate award for your nominee. For nominations for Athletic Hall of Fame go to www. goldeneaglesports.com and choose Athletic Hall of Fame to make your nomination.

Nominations can also be made by sending the name to Rose Ulseth in the Office of Development & Alumni Relations at rulseth@umn.edu or call 218-281-8439.

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Gladys Worman ‘38 attended the Northwest School of Agriculture alumni reunion in June 2014.

in Minnesota. Eventually she completed her bachelor’s degree and took a job teaching in Brea, Calif.

After a year in Brea, she applied to school districts in California and took a teaching position in San Diego.

After six years there, an opportunity to teach outside the country took Worman to Germany for a year. She enjoyed working and traveling while she experienced living abroad. Holidays took her traveling all over Europe and she visited some 21 countries, including North Africa, Yugoslavia, Turkey, and the Black Sea. While in San Diego, yearly trips to Minnesota gave her a chance to see much of the Western United States.

After retirement, while living for fifteen years in Tennessee during the fall and winter, she was able to explore much of the East Coast from Maine to Florida.

Her teaching career spanned 43 years, and the sparkle in her eyes as she recalls students and her life adventures never dims. She has influenced countless elementary school children over more than four decades and remains connected to some of them to this day.

Her days at the Northwest School still hold some of her fondest memories. “I think having girlfriends was the best part of school,” Worman says. “I would have never had the chance to make so many friendships if I had stayed on the farm.”

Torch Volume 46, Number 3, Fall 2014 Torch is a publication of the University of Minnesota Crookston.

Director of Development & Alumni Relations Corby Kemmer 218-281-8434 ckemmer@umn.edu Development Officer Garret Kollin 218-281-8436 koll0131@umn.edu Support Staff Rose Ulseth ‘87 218-281-8439 rulseth@umn.edu Sue Dwyer ‘74 218-281-8401 sdwyer@umn.edu

UMCAA Board Alisha Aasness ‘12 Chris Awender ‘11 Rory Held ‘11 Amy Loomer-Longtin ‘99 Juanita Lopez ‘08 Carl Melbye ‘77 Linda (Knutson) Morgan ’85 & ‘09 Greg Nathan ‘98 Brooke Novak ‘13 Karl Syverson ‘11 Bill Thielke ‘94 Lauralee (Nicholas) Tupa ‘05 NWSA Alumni Association Board Brian Bohnsack ‘66 Jim Chandler ‘67 Don Diedrich ‘56 Jeannette (Love) Filipi ‘57 David Haugo ‘52 Willie Huot ‘63 Bob Kliner ‘68 Berneil Nelson ’42, ex officio LeRoy Sondrol ‘55 Clarice (Olson) Stolaas ‘56 Bruce Stromstad ‘66 Beulah (Stolaas) Vad ‘58

Contact information: Torch Elizabeth A. Tollefson ’02, editor University of Minnesota Crookston 2900 University Avenue Crookston, Minnesota 56716 Phone: 218-281-8432 Fax: 218-281-8440 E-mail: umctorch@umn.edu The University of Minnesota Crookston is a public, baccalaureate, coeducational institution and a coordinate campus of the University of Minnesota. The Northwest School of Agriculture (NWSA) was a residential high school serving students from 1906-68 and the predecessor of the Crookston campus. The Torch is named for the historical passing of the educational torch between the NWSA and the U of M Crookston in 1968.

Layout and design by Amy Chandler Design of Grand Forks, N.D., and printed at Forum Communications Printing in Fargo, N.D.

Printed on recycled and recyclable paper with at least 10 percent post-consumer material using agribased inks.

On the front cover: Students enjoyed the beautiful weather on campus in September.

Note: In the Torch, logos from campus history appear in stories corresponding to the era in which they were in official use according to the years indicated below.

The University of Minnesota is committed to the policy that all persons shall have Golden Eagle logo (1994 to present) equal access to its programs, facilities Trojan logo (1966-1995) and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, Aggie “A” logo (1906-1968) sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status or sexual orientation.

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So let us sing till the Valley’ll ring for the best school in the land!

Mystery and History of the Songs of the Northwest School He is a man of firsts. N.E. Schwartz, preceptor and farm accounts class teacher at the Northwest School of Agriculture, taught from 1910 to 1913. He coached the first basketball team in 1913 and organized the first school band. He also was the author of the first-ever Northwest School of Agriculture school song. The words remain lost to time, but his name would be followed by other Northwest School song writers Rose Polski Anderson, Anne Simley, and Grace Mary Warne.

A school song contest, held in 1926, was open to all students, faculty, and alumni.

The words must be original, but the music could be a well-known march or even a popular tune. No prizes were given to the winner chosen in spring 1927 except the honor of being selected.

The “Valley Aggie” became a popular Northwest School song. The words were written by Miss Anne Simley, who taught English and violin, and the music by Mrs. S. A. Anderson (Rose Polski). It was inaugurated at the homecoming game in the fall of 1927: Oh, Aggies Cheer, Oh, Aggies Cheer, Let’s boost for our A. C., With its vine-clad walls, and its dear old halls, we’re as happy as can be With friends so true and a will to do, For our A. C. we stand, So let us sing till the Valley’ll ring for the best school in the land.

Superintendent T. M. McCall honored Simley and Polski with these words during a school assembly program held October 23, 1939: “It is an honor and a pleasure for me on behalf of the students and faculty of the Northwest School to formally accept this new “Aggie Fight Song.” School songs help build traditions and atmosphere distinctive of the school. School songs typify school spirit. Future generations of students may not recognize or remember the composer, but we have the opportunity of seeing and knowing the composer of this song. We realize today that a rich but intangible contribution has been made to the school in the presentation of this song, the value of which will become

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Minnesota, hats off to thee!

To thy colors true we shall ever be; Firm and strong, united are we, Rah! Rah! Rah! For Ski-U-Mah (Shouted) Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah! for the U of M

Oh, Aggies Cheer, Oh, Aggies Cheer, Let’s boost for our A. C., With its vine-clad walls, and its dear old halls, we’re as happy as can be With friends so true and a will to do, For our A. C. we stand, So let us sing till the Valley’ll ring for the best school in the land. more apparent through the years to come.…”

First mention of the “Minnesota

Rouser” was made in the Northwest Monthly newsletter in December 1935 when classes were preparing for a song contest and were required to sing the school “fight song” as one their selections. The term fight song is a sport term used primarily

by Americans and Canadians and identifies a song with a particular sports team.

On January 31, 1941, Registrar J. W. Mlinar received in the mail a score of music and words for a new school song titled “Shine On, Northwest School.” Accompanying the music were two school cheers submitted by the same enthusiastic individual. The postmark on the envelope was from Baudette and was dated January 29, but no one ever claimed authorship for the song or the cheers. No notations

were found on the sheet of music except the words “with best wishes.”

Perhaps it was the March 15 blizzard that interrupted the search for the songwriter, but whatever the case, the song’s composer remains unknown.

It apparently never replaced the “Minnesota Rouser” as the school song, and over the years, the Rouser became the official song of the Northwest School of Agriculture and the University of Minnesota Crookston. It’s a musical tradition that has been carried throughout our history and is shared by the entire University of Minnesota system.

The word that best describes the way we feel about the school song, its colors, and our campus is simply, SkiU-Mah!

Congratulations to Miss Rodeo South Dakota Kendra Peterson ‘13 Kendra Peterson was crowned Miss Rodeo South Dakota and will begin her reign in January 2015. During the year, she will be traveling across the United States as a spokesperson for the sport of rodeo and to promote the western way of life. In December 2015, Peterson will compete against some 30 girls for the title of Miss Rodeo America.

The accounting major, originally from Sisseton, S.D., currently lives in Huron and is working for the South Dakota Wheat Growers as a scale operator and bookkeeper.

Wishing Kendra the best as she represents South Dakota, the sport of rodeo, and on her quest to be the future Miss Rodeo America!

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CAMPUS HEADLINES Alumni Awards Celebration

This is the 17th consecutive year that the University of Minnesota Crookston has appeared in the top four of the US News Midwest top public colleges.

Two Outstanding Alumni were recognized by the University of Minnesota Crookston during the annual Alumni Awards Celebration during homecoming on Friday, October 17, 2014. Theresa Helgeson ‘96 and Wayne Schertler ‘83 were honored along with the 2014 inductees in to the Athletic Hall of Fame including, ‘97 Football Team; Bill Tyrrell, who was athletic trainer for the Golden Eagles for 18 years and led athletic fundraising for 8½ years; Scott Strohmeier ‘99 (football); and Karla (Thormodson) Isley ‘98 (basketball).

Campus Tops US News Midwest Top Public Regional Colleges

For the second year in a row, the University of Minnesota Crookston ranks number one in U.S. News Best Colleges rankings in the category Midwest Top Public Regional Colleges. The ranking is the 17th consecutive year that Crookston campus has appeared in the top four.

Campus Sees Eighth Year of Enrollment Growth

From official data released at the October meeting of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents, enrollment at the University of Minnesota Crookston for fall semester 2014 is a new campus record of 1,876 undergraduate students. This number exceeds fall 2013’s previous all-time record of 1,813 and continues an eight-year trend in enrollment growth. The official number represents all full- and part-time degree-seeking undergraduate students—those attending courses on campus as well as those pursuing their degrees entirely online—as of the end of the second week of the semester, as per University policy.

The enrollment figure is notable not only because it is another record-setter, but also because online enrollment is now essentially equal to enrollment on campus. Of the degree-seeking enrollment total, 941 students are attending classes on campus and 935 are classified as “online-only” students, a designation which means their entire course load is taken online.

Since 2001, when the U of M Crookston granted its first degree to a student who completed a major entirely online, the growth of both online enrollment and online options has been rapid and substantial. Contributing factors have included the demand for high quality online degree programs by students who may already be employed and looking to complete a bachelor’s degree in order to advance in their career. The option to complete a degree online affords a level of convenience that meets these students’ needs. UMC’s typical online student is in his or her 30s, employed, and enrolled part-time with an average of 9 college credits. Many online students also have children.

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Another factor has been the University of Minnesota brand name and quality. The U of M Crookston’s online classes have earned a number of “best of” and “most affordable” accolades from a wide spectrum of organizations that rank online programs, ranging from U.S.News to OnlineU to the Guide to Online Schools.

UMC’s practice of having faculty teach both on-campus and online courses as a measure to ensure quality in the curriculum is gaining recognition as a best practice.

UMC also takes part in Quality Matters, a nationally recognized, faculty-centered peer review process that helps certify the quality of online courses and instructional materials. This comes at a time when scrutiny is revealing questionable practices, poor outcomes, and high costs among some for-profit online colleges.

An additional factor to the growth in online enrollment is that the U of M Crookston has continued to add the online option for many of its majors. It currently offers thirteen of its twenty-nine degree programs entirely online as well as on-campus.

“We are very pleased by the continued interest in and growth of our online majors,” said Fred Wood, chancellor of the Crookston campus. “As part of our long-term strategic planning, we have set a priority on growing our online enrollment to help meet the changing educational needs of the region and state. I am firmly convinced, as are our faculty and staff, that by offering our programs online as well as on-campus we are fulfilling our long-held commitment as a modern, land-grant university to provide access to educational programs in support of our mission.”

He added, “This is something we embrace, and we hope and expect to continue to see increased growth in our online programs.”

Over the past few years, the number of students attending “on site” on the UMC campus has hovered between 900 and 1100, with 941 this year. The number of incoming freshmen is up roughly 60 from last year, an increase that is especially notable in light of flat or declining numbers of high school graduates and dips in new student enrollment being experienced at other Minnesota public colleges and

universities. This fall, campus residence halls serve as home for just under 600 students, also up from last year.

Wood said, “In addition to our strides in online education, we maintain our commitment to offering a topnotch, robust on-campus experience for both residential and commuter students. A major focus of our long-term strategic planning is to achieve a strong critical mass of students on our campus because we continue to believe in the power of a face to face educational experience that maintains the practice of experiential learning, critical thinking, and the use of technology.”

In addition to those students enrolled in a specific major or taking coursework toward a degree, there are a number of students living on campus who are considered “nondegree” since they are enrolled via an exchange program or other program that will bring them to Crookston for only part of their academic career. For example, the more than 35 new Brazilian students attending UMC this year are enrolled through a one-year exchange program, and several other students enrolled in the English as a Second Language (ESL) program are considered non-degree students because they are taking English courses to prepare for admission into a degree program.

“We definitely have a richly diverse student body in many dimensions,” said Wood. “From international students representing more than 20 countries, to students of color from across the country, to students from both rural and urban backgrounds representing more than 40 states, we are bringing students together from across the globe. It’s another dimension of growth that enriches the experience of everyone at the U of M Crookston.”

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ALUMNI NEWS We Want to Hear From You! To submit an item for the Alumni News Section, send information to: UMC Alumni Relations 115 Kiehle Building 2900 University Avenue Crookston, MN 56716 e-mail: rulseth@umn.edu or complete the form on line at: www.umcrookston.edu/alumni/ keepintouch.html.

Please include your name, address, phone number, e-mail, year of graduation/ attendance and information or news you wish to share (new job, career, family, or achievements, etc.)

This alumni news reflects submissions received by September 21, 2014. News received after that date will be in the next issue of the Torch. The deadline for alumni news for the next issue is April 1, 2015.

E-mail forwarding: If you are interested in reconnecting with a former classmate or acquaintance, the alumni office can help! Although we cannot release e-mail addresses due to privacy issues, we will be happy to forward a message to the person if he or she can be located in our database.

1940s Gloria “Flip” (Filipi) Strandberg ‘49, Oelwein, Iowa, is a member of the Northwest School of Agriculture (NWSA) class who celebrated their 65th anniversary during the NWSA reunion. After earning a bachelor’s degree from Minnesota State University Moorhead, she went on to teach elementary classes in Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. She and her husband, Paul, married in 1961, have lived in Oelwein since 1969. They have three children and four grandchildren and are pictured together as they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2011. Gloria sends greetings to the NWSA alumni.

1970s Kevin Niehoff ’77, Grand Rapids, Mich., successfully defended his doctoral dissertation in April 2014 with publication to follow soon.

Ron Dvergsten ‘79, Thief River Falls, Minn., was recognized as Outstanding Minnesota Agriculture Education Teacher of the Year by the Minnesota Association of Agriculture Educators (MAAE) at their annual banquet. He’s pictured with Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) Executive Board Member Eunice Biel and MFU President Doug Peterson. Ron has been a farm business management instructor and dean of management education at Northland Community and Technical College (NCTC) for the past 24 years.

Prior to coming to NCTC, Ron was a loan officer at Farm Credit Services of Grand Forks [N.D.] and at Crookston [Minn.] High School as a vocational agriculture instructor and FFA advisor.

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Also pictured with Ron are his brothers Roger Dvergsten ’76, Adams, Minn., on the left and Greg Dvergsten ’87, Thief River Falls, on the right,

at the 2014 MAAE awards banquet. Combined, the three have provided over eighty years of agriculture education in Minnesota.

1980s Gerald Landby ‘82, Winona, Minn., recently accepted a position as landscape services and arboretum director at Winona State University. In October he was installed on the executive board for the Professional Grounds Management Society Board of Directors.

Milissa (Skarsten) Van Eps ’01, East Grand Forks, Minn., was recently hired as a worksite account executive in the Noridian Insurance Services, Inc., office in Grand Forks, N.D. She will focus on sales, service, and retention.

She previously worked as a member education consultant for Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota.

2000s John and Tracy Quackenbush, ’01 and ’01, are living in Walworth, Wis., with their daughters, Elizabeth, 13 and Adalynn, 10. John is a swine tech services and sales consultant with Reproduction Provisions. Tracy continues to give horse riding lessons, is involved with 4-H programs, and works for Main Street Country Store.

Shane and Lisa (Detloff) Roers ’01 and ‘01, reside in Dickinson, N.D., with their three boys, Tanner, 9; Parker, 6; and Connor, 2½. They operate Roers West, a general contracting company in western North Dakota with projects that include multifamily, industrial, commercial, and retail. Lisa is president elect of the Dickinson Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors as well as a member of the Home Builders Association. In their spare time, the Roers family enjoys hunting, gardening/ farming, and hockey.

Rhonda (Miller) Graetz ‘05, Fargo, N.D., and Jared Graetz were married August 17, 2013. They met while on a U of M Crookston Pay It Forward tour; Jared was the driver of the bus. Rhonda is an information specialist at North Dakota State University, Fargo, and Jared is a manufacturing engineer at Trail King Industries.

Using skills learned at the University of Minnesota Crookston, Leda (Harris) Mox ’07, Becker, Minn., launched an equine sports massage certification program in 2014. Over 40 people have taken the program in just ten months and Leda is looking forward to the number of horses that can be helped through massage and education.

Campus Social Media Directory Enjoy social media with us! Use the hashtag #UMNC to search for news about the campus or to share what makes you #UMNproud!

Facebook facebook.com/umcrookston facebook.com/umcrookston.homecoming Google+ plus.google.com/umcrookston

Instagram instagram.com/umncrookston

Twitter twitter.com/umncrookston

Linkedin z.umn.edu/umcrookston

YouTube youtube.com/uofmcrookston

Pinterest pinterest.com/umcrookston

Storify storify.com/UMNCrookston 27

2010s

E-mail forwarding: If you are interested in reconnecting with a former classmate or acquaintance, the alumni office can help! Although we cannot release e-mail addresses due to privacy issues, we will be happy to forward a message to the person if he or she can be located in our database.

Desiree Severance ‘10, Wyndmere, N.D., was honored at the North Dakota Association of Agricultural Educators (NDAAE) banquet with the Outstanding Young Member Award. She has been teaching at Wyndmere for the past five years and serves as advisor to a rapidly developing FFA chapter. She is pictured with U of M Crookston alumni from ag education and Professor Lyle Westrom, who teaches in agricultural education and animal science.

Westrom received the NDAAE Outstanding Cooperation Award. Left to right in the photo are Kaitlyn Tollefsrud ’13, teaching in Glen Ullin, N.D.; James Jansen ’09, teaching in LaMoure, N.D.; Desiree Severance ’10; Kasey Okke ’13, teaching in Rugby, N.D.; Amy Lee ’14, teaching in Turtle Lake-Mercer, N.D.; Professor Lyle Westrom; Danielle Hannon ’09, teaching in St. John, N.D.; Billie Jo Armbruster; Brent Arndt ’06, teaching in Park River, N.D., and Allison Noll ’13, teaching at Lake Region State College, Devils Lake, N.D.

Jennifer Hecht ’13, Crookston, Minn., began working at Crookston United Insurance in May and recently became a licensed agent in property and casualty.

Toynell (Delaney) and Brant Moore ’14 and ‘14, live in West Fargo, N.D.

Ben Walsvik ’12, originally from Verndale, Minn., joined the Crookston Police Department as an officer in September. He and his wife, Tiffany (Breth) Waslvik’14, enjoy the area and are excited to make Crookston their home.

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Michelle (Boateng) and Tim Tallman ’14 and ‘14, were married August 30, 2014, in Bloomington, Minn. They make their home in Colorado Springs, Colo., where Michelle is a system engineer at Verizon Communications and Tim is an installation foreman at Peak Structural.

Update from Andrew Nielsen ‘57 Graduate of the Northwest School of Agriculture As a farm boy I was able to attend a six month high school by attending the Northwest School of Agriculture (NWSA). I matriculated to the University of Minnesota, graduating from medical school in 1957. I also met my wife, Thea, at the NWSA where she was the school nurse. Later in 1963-67, I finished a post grad residency in General Surgery Board Certified and Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. I entered the Air Force in 1959 and retired from the Air Force in 1979, followed by a private practice in Childers Bay, Fla., until 1990.

Thea and I have four children and eight grandchildren. The oldest, Mark, attended the Air Force academy, then Medical School at Southwestern Med School in Dallas, with a post grad in urology at the University of Alabama Birmingham. Following active duty in the Air Force, Mark began a private practice in Nacogdoches, Texas, and served in the reserves in the Air Force. He has one child, Matthew, who attended Baylor University, the medical school in San Antonio, Texas, and is now in post grad studies in Norfolk, Va. Renee attended the Air Force Academy, but after two years, left to finish her

industrial engineering studies at San Luis Obispo Caltech University. She worked for a time in off shore oil drilling for Vetco but became a full-time mother and homemaker and home schooled her four children.

Jason graduated from San Luis Obispo with a master’s degree in aerospace engineering and is employed at NASA in Houston, Texas. Teresa graduated from San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and is now pursuing a doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania in biochemistry. Kevin is entering University of California Davis for his last two years and is interested in chemistry related to medicine. Andrew is enrolled at Ventura Community College and has yet to decide on a major.

Tanya attended UCLA earning a Bachelor of Arts in business. Then, she attended the University of Southern California (USC) to earn a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in business and an MBA in real estate management. She worked as vice president of financial and project management for the Disney Music Center development. Later, she worked at USC in real estate development and is

currently with Columbus Pacific Properties in financial and property management.

Eric attended Georgia Tech earning a degree in industrial engineering. He went to Japan on a Mobutu Scholarship where he studied language at the University of Kyoto. After graduating with his master’s degree, he began working in a computer sales position, attended Tokyo University for an MBA, and now works for IBM Japan. He was able to return to the USA for five years at IBM headquarters at White Plains, N.Y., so his children were exposed to the English language in elementary school.

His children, Alexander Trojja attends the University of Tokyo. Maximillian Lai is in high school in Japan, and David Isaac is attending the National Autonomous University of Mexico and at present is in Leicester, England, pursuing a degree in chemistry.

I was followed at the NWSA by my brother, Lester, who established Herc-ULift Inc., and my brother, Richard, who was with the IRS and worked under Secretary of the Treasury Lloyd Bentsen.

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In Memory Silent thoughts of times together Hold memories which will last forever.

Alumni Agnes (Sevald) Rost ’31

James “Jim” Kovar ’64

Crookston, Minn.

July 7, 2014

Oak Grove, Minn.

August 12, 2014

Hazel (Conover) Robitsch ’41

June Shaver ’76 and ’82

Forest Grove, Ore. January 17, 2013

Crookston, Minn.

August 26, 2014

Alice (Pagnac) Bushaw ’42 Adv

Laura (Hawes) Jordahl ex. ’77

High Point, N.C. (formerly of Grand Forks, N.D.) August 14, 2014

James “Dick” Nisbet ’46 Adv Chanhassen, Minn.

July 9, 2014

James Evanson ’47 Puyallup, Wash.

July 24, 2014

William Dennis ’48 Bridgeview, Ill. December 24, 2007

John “Jack” Bywater Leavenworth, Wash.

August 6, 2014

Served as director of admissions at the University of Minnesota Crookston from 1971 to 1996

James “Jim” Carlson

Donald Mykleby ’48 Adv

Ralph Jenson ’53

Ann Evans

Reynolds, N.D. September 8, 2014

David Anderson, Sr ’63 Lakeville, Minn.

June 30, 2014

Alfred Steinke ’63 Rugby, N.D. August 21, 2014

John Drees ’64

Grand Forks, N.D. September 27, 2014 www.umcrookston.edu

Faculty/Staff

Crookston, Minn.

August 18, 2014

Bloomington, Minn.

September 4, 2014

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Park Rapids, Minn.

August 8, 2014

Worked as assistant librarian in the Library for many years at the University of Minnesota Crookston

Crookston, Minn.

September 10, 2014

A member of the food service staff from 1972 to 1981 at the University of Minnesota Crookston

Truman Tilleraas Great Falls, Mont.

July 12, 2014

An assistant professor of animal science in the Agriculture Division from 1969 until his 1988 retirement from the University of Minnesota Crookston

Office of Development & Alumni Relations 2900 University Avenue Crookston, MN 56716-5001 Change Service Requested Find us on Facebook™ facebook.com/umcrookston Follow us on Twitter™ twitter.com/umncrookston Watch us on YouTube™ youtube.com/uofmcrookston

UPCOMING EVENTS

January 12, 2015 ............................................................................... Spring Semester Classes Begin February 7, 2015................................................. Alumni Day for Men’s and Women’s Basketball February 20, 2015.............................. UMC/NWSA Arizona Social, ViewPoint Resort, Mesa May 9, 2015.......................................................Commencement Exercises for the Class of 2015 June 27, 2015..................................................Northwest School of Agriculture Alumni Reunion

Honored classes: 1925, 1930, 1935, 1940, 1945, 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965