Winter 2015
INSIDE: Look for a special Arts & Sciences section starting on page 18.
THE KELLEY YEARS
A look back at the tenure of UND’s 11th president as Robert and Marcia Kelley prepare to leave Grand Forks. P. 6
ts ten con
departments
Farewell to the Kelleys.
34 What’s New
News from around campus.
46 UND Proud
Points of pride on the UND campus.
20 When Galaxies Collide
56 Alumni News
Who’s doing what: News about your fellow classmates.
A UND professor and his students have begun an investigation of universal importance.
Find the Flame: We’ve cleverly hidden the UND flame somewhere on our cover (hint: it’s not the one in the Alumni Association logo). Find it for a chance to win a prize! Simply e-mail AlumniReview@undalumni.net and give a detailed description of the flame’s location. Subject line: Found the flame. We’ll let you know if you’ve won.
e m the
ALUMNI REVIEW | VOL. 98 NO. 4 | WINTER 2015
na as ck wn Ni kno . w ow wks Ne s n Ha ith A ND i hting o Sm U il Fig y M B
inside this issue
14
’s s te c t sta fle e rs re th f rs ea elley d o ea y Y K ea e Y ers le ert e h th th ch el ob s th ty. i R h bro mu e K ent e a vers ug ity ed Th sid tim ni ga a u s ro tern xert . e i Pr h ip k H Th i fra e e ota o n g s h uc rs Ch hav Dak fla Ch he da 0s rth By ot am 95 No Br ree L the 1 e in cobs 12 Th from uenc cky Ja fl in y B e B
fea tur es
64 In Memoriam
6
Sasha Heath, ‘05, focused on a liberal arts education before taking to the skies.
22 Alumni Spotlight
a&s
2 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
4 Message from DeAnna
CEO DeAnna Carlson Zink, ’86 Editor Milo Smith Associate Editor Alyssa Konickson, ’06 Designers Sam Melquist Sophia Lawler Contributing Writers Chuck Haga, ‘76, ‘78 Alyssa Konickson, ’06 David Dodds, ’88 Milo Smith Carrie Sandstrom Peter B. Johnson, ’81, ‘82 Emily Aasand, ‘14 Craig Garaas-Johnson
Be the Impact
Contributing Photography Jackie Lorentz Milo Smith Shawna Noel Schill, ’06 Craig Garaas-Johnson
UND ALUMNI ASSOCIATION & FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair Jody Feragen, ’78 Vice Chair Doug Podolak, ’72; Directors: Dean Beckstead, ‘65; Cindy Blikre, ‘91; Steve Burian, ’90, ’92; Marc Chorney, ’81; Kris Compton, ’77; Sara Garland, ‘68, ‘72; Phil Gisi, ‘82; Dr. John Gray, ‘87; Marten Hoekstra, ‘82; Chuck Kluenker; Linda Laskowski, ’72, ’73; Rick Lee, ‘78; Doug Mark, ’86; Rob Mitchell, ‘74; Jennifer Neppel, ’86; Carrie McIntyre Panetta, ’88; Fernanda Philbrick, ’94, ‘96; Cathy Rydell, ’88; Lisa Wheeler, ’75, ’82; and Terri Zimmerman, ’85. Ex Officio: Laura Block, ’81, ’10; Alice Brekke, ’79, ’87; Robert O. Kelley; DeAnna Carlson Zink, ‘86; Tom DiLorenzo; Lori Reesor; Susan Walton and Dr. Joshua Wynne. The University of North Dakota Alumni Review (USPS 018089: ISSN 0895-5409) is published quarterly by the University of North Dakota Alumni Association, 3501 University Avenue, Stop 8157, Grand Forks, ND 58202-8157. Periodical postage paid at Grand Forks, ND 58201 and other offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Alumni Review, 3501 University Avenue, Stop 8157, Grand Forks, ND 58202-8157. For inquiries about advertising, additional copies, reprints, submissions, or general comments, contact 800.543.8764, 701.777.0831 or alumnireview@undalumni.net.
48 A Quarter-Century of Support
Celebrating 25 years of the Champions Club. By Alyssa Konickson
50 Meet a Student
Tatiana Hamilton is one of the many students impacted by the generosity of alumni and friends of UND.
www.UNDalumni.org | 3
DEANNA’S END OF AN ERA
letter
Dear Alumni & Friends,
END OF AN ERA Bob and Marcia Kelley will celebrate their final holiday season in the President’s home this month. It will be a peaceful time before the hustle and bustle of moving following President Kelley’s last day in mid-January. It has been my privilege to work very closely with Bob and Marcia since they arrived on campus in 2008. They have been great partners in our quest to foster connections, inspire generosity and advance the University. President Kelley deserves credit for helping cultivate some very high profile gifts, especially for the Collaborative Energy Complex, Petroleum Engineering and Geology. Bob and Marcia have been strong team players across the University and with our alumni and friends. He is great at talking about all the exceptional things happening at UND and explaining how private support improves the student experience. Part of improving the student experience is providing them new facilities. During the past two years under Bob’s leadership, the University has undergone $200 million worth of renovation and new construction. And the Kelleys have truly enjoyed working with students and helping find ways to improve their lives. They have forged terrific relationships with students over the years. Some of their interactions are very public like attending games or playing in the Pride of the North band or Marcia taking pottery classes and teaching classes within the College of Arts & Sciences; others happen privately as when the Kelleys hosted
4 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
students in their home for dinner. One of the most impactful stories I’ve heard came from one of our female student-athletes who came to UND from a small town halfway across the country. She says it was difficult and she felt very alone at the beginning. But then she met Bob and Marcia and they were so welcoming and so interested in her and concerned about her. She said she never felt alone after that and she thought it was so wonderful to see the Kelleys in the stands during games. Thank you Bob and Marcia, for your leadership and for making a difference at the University of North Dakota.
1969 graduate of this great University, but he received an honorary degree in 2008 and was named a recipient of the Sioux Award in 2009. Ed also served on the UND Alumni Association & Foundation Board of Directors. In addition to eight years as governor of the great state of North Dakota, Ed also served as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture in 2008. He is an outstanding North Dakotan and is the right person to guide UND during this interim period. We look forward to welcoming Ed and Nancy to the UND campus in this new role. Welcome home, Ed and Nancy! We look forward to working with you.
A New Beginning
Presidential Search
As we bid farewell to the Kelleys, I am excited about the groundwork they have put in place to take UND to even greater heights. As we await the naming and arrival of a new president on campus, I’m pleased to be able to work with former Governor Ed Schafer, who has been appointed to the presidency of UND during the interim. Ed is not only a
As Ed takes over in the interim, a committee headed by College of Engineering and Mines Dean Hesham El-Rewini and attorney Grant Shaft, ’86, is deep into the process of finding UND’s next president. Several alumni serve on the committee and I have the greatest confidence that they will forward a list of
President Kelley and DeAnna Carlson Zink pose with Young Alumni Achievement Award recipients Kayla Kleven, ‘05, ‘07, and Greg Pinski, ‘96, during Homecoming 2015. Photo: Shawna Schill
highly qualified candidates for final selection by the State Board of Higher Education. As UND starts building the pool of applicants, we invite you to be actively engaged in the search as well. You might want to make potential applicants aware of this great opportunity and you may also send in names of people that you’d like the search firm to contact. UND has established a search website, www.und.edu/presidentsearch, to keep everyone updated on the process. We will also continue to keep you updated on the search on our website at undalumni.org.
Nickname
As you have most likely heard, UND announced on November 18 that UND’s new nickname will be Fighting Hawks. We greatly appreciate alumni participation in this process: whether it was as a committee member, sharing your thoughts and comments, or casting a vote for the new nickname. For many of our alumni, the end of the
Fighting Sioux name is a painful time. As a 1986 alumnus and a long-time member of the Alumni Association and Foundation team, I have spent many years cheering for the Fighting Sioux. I share your pain. We will continue to honor and respect our legacy as the Flickertails and the Fighting Sioux as we now create new traditions together as the Fighting Hawks.
always happy to spend time visiting with our alumni and friends, especially during the holiday season when warm memories help chase away the chill of winter. Here’s hoping you will enjoy the company of friends and family this holiday season. Sincerely,
Homecoming
As I look back at the fun time had by all during Homecoming 2015, I can’t help but be excited for next year when we’ll celebrate the 100th anniversary of the very first UND Homecoming! Just think of everything that has changed since the first time alumni were invited to return for Homecoming in 1916! We have some special events planned to celebrate this milestone, so mark your calendars and plan on returning to campus October 10-15, 2016. Of course, you are welcome to stop by your alumni home on campus, the Gorecki Alumni Center, any time of the year. We are
DeAnna Carlson Zink, ’86, CFRE UND Alumni Association & Foundation CEO E-mail: deannac@UNDfoundation.org
www.UNDalumni.org | 5
FEATURE
story
THE KELLEY YEARS
y e ll e K YEARS
THE
President Robert Kelley reflects on his time as the head of the state’s flagship university. By Chuck Haga, ’76, ‘78 Photos by Shawna Noel Schill, ’06 6 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
I
n his inaugural address as the University of North Dakota’s 11th president, Dr. Robert Kelley spoke of reading about William Blackburn, the first president, who lasted only a year after squabbling with faculty, staff and regents.
The lesson he took from Blackburn’s experience more than 130 years ago? “Listen to your faculty and staff,” Kelley said in 2008. “Respect the core academic values and abilities that are vested in them and their roles in the university. They have a dedication and commitment to learning and to the university that exceeds your authority.” As his January 14 retirement approaches, Kelley was reminded of those remarks, and was asked how he thought he measured up. “I think I’ve earned an A in that category,” he said.
Governing
His administration has worked toward “shared governance” with faculty and staff, he said, better defining the roles of the senates and improving the University’s relationship with the State Board of Higher Education. While he acknowledges there have been critics on and off campus, especially with regard to his role in the long-running fight over the Fighting Sioux nickname, he gives himself top marks on leadership. “We’ve accomplished a great deal here,” Kelley said. “We’ve done that by pulling the right people together, working with them and establishing agreed-upon goals.” He sought to set a “strong, productive tone” on campus, he said, and he believes that in large measure he succeeded — as evidenced by strides in enrollment, student and faculty quality and major building and program advances (see pp. 8-9). Again, he acknowledges the critics. “I’m not sure what the reason is, but there are some not too happy with the tone on campus,” he said. “So I guess I’d give myself an ‘incomplete’ on that one.” Continued on page 10
www.UNDalumni.org | 7
FEATURE
story
THE KELLEY YEARS
THE KELLEY FILE
The University has seen a number of exceptional achievements and points of distinction added during President Kelley’s tenure Exceptional Achievements • UND surpassed the 15,000 mark in the fall of 2012 with an alltime record enrollment of 15,250. Currently the enrollment is 14,951. • The University recruited its most academically prepared freshman class in 2015, with an average ACT of 23.9 and an average GPA of 3.42. • North Dakota Spirit | The Campaign for UND raised nearly $325 million for student scholarships, faculty endowments, and other support for the University. It was the largest capital campaign in North Dakota history. • UND’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) reached new heights over the last four years, and holds great promise for agriculture and other industries. A UND UAS Training Center at the Grand Forks Air Force Base is an example of how creative innovation and partnerships help build an Exceptional UND. • The first students in the nation to graduate with UAS degrees received their diplomas in spring 2011. UND offered the first — and only, at that time — UAS program in the country. • The School of Medicine and Health Sciences conferred the first Master of Public Health degrees in 2014. This unique graduate program serves North Dakota and the Northern Plains.
8 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
• The Harold Hamm School of Geology & Geological Engineering was established in the College of Engineering & Mines, following a $10 million gift from Harold Hamm and Continental Resources, and $4 million from the State Industrial Commission. • The new Department of Petroleum Engineering was approved by the State Board of Higher Education in 2012. UND offers the only petroleum engineering degree program in North Dakota. The program now enrolls more than 300 students. • The School of Entrepreneurship was established in 2014. Exceptional Spaces During the summer of 2015, the University saw nearly $250 million worth of construction, including the following projects: • The new home of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences is due for completion in the summer of 2016. The $124 million project was approved by the North Dakota Legislature. • The School of Law addition and renovation was completed for the 2015 fall semester with funding from the North Dakota Legislature and donors. • Wilkerson Commons, completed early in the 2015 fall semester through internal funding,
is the region’s premier dining, gathering and service facility for students. • The UND Athletics HighPerformance Center, completed during the 2015 fall semester, is an indoor training center for all UND sports programs and features a football field and an eight-lane, 300-meter track. • Robin Hall, the new home for the Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research, Education, and Training, is funded primarily through private gifts, led by major donors Si and Betty Robin, and the North Dakota Higher Education Challenge Fund. • The Collaborative Energy Complex, the new “front door” to the College of Engineering & Mines, will provide space for interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation among students, faculty and industry. Funded primarily by donors, support for the project also came from the state’s Higher Education Challenge Fund and a $5 million gift from the Hess Corporation. • The Memorial Union has undergone renovation, including the establishment of One-Stop Student Services, a central point for information and services that enables students to register for classes, review grades, accept financial aid, pay bills, and more.
President Kelley speaks at a June 2014 news conference announcing a $5 million gift from Hess Corporation for the Collaborative Energy Complex. The gift was matched with $2.5 million from the North Dakota Higher Education Challenge Fund.
• Classrooms have also been renovated into SCALE-UP (Student-Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs) classrooms, which help produce stronger learning outcomes, expose students to cutting-edge technology, and improve student retention. • Dedicated in 2012, the Gorecki Alumni Center serves as a “front door” to the University not only for alumni but also new students and their parents. It is home to the UND Alumni Association & Foundation and the Office of Admissions. • The expanded and renovated Education Building was dedicated in 2011. Emphasizing UND’s green initiative and good stewardship of resources, it was built to “Silver” LEED standards. Exceptional Recognition • Top 100 Public Schools – U.S. News & World Report
• Top 200 National Universities – U.S. News & World Report • The Best 380 Colleges – Princeton Review • Best National Universities – Washington Monthly • Top 200 Research Universities – Forbes • The Best 296 Business Schools – Princeton Review • Top 100 Programs for rural medicine, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant training and social work – U.S. News & World Report • #1 in the nation for the percentage of medical students going into family medicine – American Academy of Family Physicians • #2 in the nation for rural medicine – U.S. News & World Report • Top 30 Best Online Colleges – TheBestSchools.org
• Top 70 “Best Bang for the Buck” Midwest Schools – Washington Monthly’s The Other College Guide • Ranked #14 for Lowest Student Loan Default Rates – BestColleges.com • Ranked #2 for Best College Rec Centers – Plexuss • Top 16 College Rec Centers – College Raptor • Military Friendly School – GI Jobs and Military Advanced Education magazines • Top 100 Best Colleges for Veterans – U.S. News & World Report • Top 100 Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Producers for Minorities (American Indian students) in the nation – Diverse Issues in Higher Education magazine • Top 200 Schools for American Indians pursuing STEM Degrees – American Indian Science & Engineering’s Winds of Change magazine • Law School is sixth out of 10 law schools whose students graduate with the least amount of debt – U.S. News & World Report • Top 25 Best Online Colleges – Affordable Colleges Online • Top 30 Best Online Master’s Programs – Affordable Colleges Online www.UNDalumni.org | 9
FEATURE
story
THE KELLEY YEARS
The Kelleys enjoyed taking their annual holiday photo with students.
Continued from page 7
Leadership Traits
Curt Stofferahn, professor of sociology and a former leader of the University Senate, saluted Kelley’s support for true faculty involvement in university governance. “What has really impressed me,” he said, “is the dignity, grace and civility that he has displayed even during the height of the nickname and logo controversy when he was made the scapegoat of an often vitriolic and uncivil discourse. Through it all, he remained a gentleman.” Kelley also receives high marks from Melissa Gjellstad, who teaches Norwegian and served as University Senate chair. “His leadership has carried the University through the highs and lows of the past eight academic years,” she said. He has “positioned our university to fulfill its mission as a public research institution at a unique time in North Dakota’s history.” Gjellstad arrived on campus in 2008, at the same time as the Kelleys. “I will miss President Robert and First Lady Marcia Kelley as the presidential pair who bled green to do their best for UND, and I commend the legacy they graciously have shared with us.”
10 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
Accomplishments
Bob and Marcia love cross-country skiing near the Student Wellness Center. A trail along the coulee is named “Marcia Made Me” in honor of Marcia, who created the loop when she ventured off-trail.
Kelley said he is most proud of his “Exceptional UND” campaign to enrich the student learning experience, encourage “gathering” and collaboration, expand the University’s presence in the community and beyond, and enhance the quality of life for all. “I’m very proud of the increased attention to academic programs on our campus, and we’ve done very well at bringing research to another level,” he said. The campus has added major new programs and schools like Petroleum Engineering, Unmanned Aircraft Systems, the Harold Hamm School of Geology and Geological Engineering and the School of Entrepreneurship. The new home of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, with $124 million in funding approved by the 2013 North Dakota Legislature, should be completed next summer. Kelley points to the UND Alumni Association & Foundation raising $324 million in a campaign that concluded in 2013. It was the largest capital campaign in state history. The money will fund student scholarships, faculty endowments and provide other support.
“I’m very proud of that,” Kelley said. “Marcia and I traveled all over North America working with donors, talking about the various programs at the University that needed attention. We are improving our College of Engineering & Mines through philanthropy as an outgrowth of that campaign. Our athletic training facility (the UND Athletics High Performance Center) is an outgrowth of that campaign. “I’m also very proud of the work we’ve done with the Legislature,” he said. “It shows in the appropriations for our medical and law schools, the College of Education and Human Development, and others.” Kelley also praised the North Dakota Higher Education Challenge Fund program as an initiative that has helped UND achieve its goals. Has UND reached “exceptional” status? “We’re getting there,” Kelley said. “This is going to be a work in progress for quite a while. We have focused on the primary mission of the University, seeking excellence in teaching and learning.”
Nickname Controversy
With a final vote in November identifying Fighting Hawks as UND’s new sports nickname, Kelley said he hopes the university can move forward. “It’s been one of many issues during my tenure here,” he said. “What we’ve had to do is follow a lengthy road with individuals and groups expressing their views, sometimes very powerfully.” There have been other challenges over the past eight years involving personnel and policies, including work on new tuition models, a new approach to budgeting, and a new approach to making decisions about how to allocate resources. “It’s a difficult time to be a university president,” he said. “It’s certainly challenging to deal with social issues on your campus. But I feel that this is part of the mission of the University of North Dakota, to provide the environment to try to work through some of these issues.” One such issue, he said, is the “need to walk the line between free speech and protecting the vulnerable.” Some critics allege the university has become too “politically correct” in its empathy for groups and individuals who feel discriminated against or stereotyped, but Kelley disagrees. “Some actions are hurtful to other people,” he said. “We have to, as individuals, take on a great deal of responsibility … When we make the choice to say something or do something, will it be helpful, constructive? Will it contribute to the common good? “There is a great deal of diversity across our country. The mark of an educated, sensitive person is being able to thread the way through that social complexity and come out on the other end in a positive and constructive way.” Kelley said he looks forward to working with former Gov. Ed Schafer, who will take over in mid-January as interim president until a new president is named later next year. In that conversation, he will be “bullish” about the institution he leaves. “I’m very pleased with what this university is becoming,” he said. “And the University will continue to grow. Students will be better prepared. Research and scholarship will continue to develop. The athletic programs will continue to be competitive at championship levels. “We’re on a very positive trajectory.” AR
Marcia Kelley, First Lady:
First Hostess, First Fan, First Friend Marcia Kelley is not one for titles. A few years ago, a candidate for a position asked Marcia about her role at UND. Marcia said she was a speech-language pathologist. It took another individual to later point out her role as First Lady of the University. Marcia has learned to wear the title with grace and aplomb — and infectious good humor. She also learned that she had a role to play at UND, one which included being the First Hostess, the First Fan, and the First Friend of all. “In any group, large or small, Marcia is the person most genuinely interested in other people and what is important to them,” said Susan Walton, UND vice president for University and Public Affairs. During the past seven and a half years, Marcia has been an integral part of the campus and community scene. She takes in every athletic, musical, theatre, and arts and cultural event her calendar allows. She has judged competitions, given speeches to promote events, and helped celebrate students, faculty, programs, disciplines, new buildings, and special activities. In the community, Marcia is most identified with the Community Violence Intervention Center (CVIC), serving this year as president of the board and lending her time, talent and treasure to help make Greater Grand Forks a safer community for all. She has engaged in other community activities as well, such as this past April when she helped kick off a fundraiser for the North Dakota School for the Blind. But Marcia is probably best known for her focus on healthy activities. Cross-country skiing remains one of her favorite pastimes. During the past seven winters, she has cut trails along the English Coulee that gracefully bisects the campus. And she has helped lead cross-country skiing outings, as well as many walks, designed to help students, faculty and staff get active and to enjoy the outdoors. That activism has earned her accolades. “She is a role model for healthy active living. Most importantly, students love her,” said Laurie Betting, UND associate vice president for health and wellness. “I think it is important to recognize that Marcia Kelley has made very important contributions to the University of North Dakota during her time here,” said Dr. Thomas DiLorenzo, UND provost and vice president for academic affairs. “President Kelley often introduces her as UND’s First Volunteer, and that is a very apt description. She has represented UND in the community, the state, nationally, and internationally with grace, intelligence, and a good-natured spirit and downto-earth approach that has served the University very well.” Perhaps Robert Boyd, who served as President Kelley’s first vice president for student affairs, said it best in a letter to the Grand Forks Herald: “Last but not least, no leader is successful without help, and Bob Kelley would be the first to say his wife, Marcia, primarily played that role. Together they are a team. It is not uncommon for them to host or attend hundreds of events and occasions each year. In each case, their smiles and graciousness are always present. “Thank you, Bob and Marcia, for all you have done and will do for UND.” www.UNDalumni.org | 11
FEATURE
story
BROTHERS THROUGH THE YEARS
Brothers Through the Years UND fraternity reunites prominent trio from 1950s. By Becky Jacobs, Grand Forks Herald
12 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
A
Supreme Court justice, a governor and the head of media chain walk into a fraternity house. No, this isn’t a joke. North Dakota Chief Justice Gerald VandeWalle, former Gov. Allen Olson and Forum Communications Chairman William Marcil attended UND together in the 1950s and were all fraternity brothers at Lambda Chi Alpha. The three were honored at a banquet held during Homecoming to mark fifty years in the current Lambda Chi Alpha house. “It’s a way for the group to highlight the history of the chapter and to recognize some of us,” Olson said. “It just happened that the three of us had made a fairly significant mark in North Dakota.” Back in their college days, they said they had no idea that they would aspire to such prominent roles in North Dakota as governor, chief justice and the head of the state’s biggest media company. “It’s always disconcerting to say, wait, how’d they get there?” VandeWalle joked. The three men laugh about themselves 60 years ago and their memories as fraternity brothers. Marcil was often found in the living room of the fraternity reading a newspaper. And VandeWalle remembers a photo of himself dressed in a Little Red Riding Hood costume, dancing in the Flickertail Follies at the Central High School auditorium. “The unique thing about this with the fraternal system is all these people grew up and spent their early formative years as fraternity members,” said Duane Littlejohn, who helped plan the banquet. “But how often does it happen that three very important people in business, law and government would be living in the same frat?”
Campus memories
However, the three men didn’t live in the same house Lambda Chi Alpha has now. The fraternity used to have a three-story house at 303 Oxford St. That house was torn down in the early 1960s. Some of the trio’s old hangouts are gone, too. Marcil and VandeWalle remember going to the Belmont and Riviera, which were bars in downtown Grand Forks. Olson said they were all “hockey freaks” and went to hockey games when the games were held at “the Barn.” Olson said the players didn’t wear helmets back then, and even though they played inside a shelter, it felt like they were playing outside. And VandeWalle said he always visits the law school when he’s back at UND. Olson said what partly bonded the three of them in college was that they were all from small towns. VandeWalle is from Noonan, Marcil from Sherwood and Olson from Sarles, all in North Dakota. Because they were from small towns, they were able to become actively involved in their high schools and continued to be involved at UND, he said. “The membership of Lambda Chi Alpha when we were there had a small-town flavor,” Olson said. VandeWalle attended UND from 1951 to 1958, majoring in accounting in his undergraduate studies before attending law school. Olson attended from 1956 to 1963, majoring in business and public administration before also going to law school. Marcil attended from 1954 to 1958, majoring in business administration. “It seemed at that time that everybody was dedicated to making something of themselves,” Littlejohn said, who was also a member of the fraternity in the 1950s. “And that doesn’t necessarily mean riches, but that means that they wanted to be a success.” www.UNDalumni.org | 13
One of the last photos, taken in 1961, of the original Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity house. Fraternity members gathered during Homecoming 2015 to celebrate 50 years in their current house.
But Littlejohn said the building the men lived in was a “really dilapidated old house.” “People asked, ‘Why do you have to paint the house every year?’ To keep it standing,” Littlejohn joked. VandeWalle said he has “fond memories” of the fraternity and attending football games in Fargo with his fraternity brothers. Olson lived in the house all four years of his studies, and he said he “had the best years of my life at the University of North Dakota.” But it was also “a different time then.” In the 1950s, the fraternity had a TV only tuned into one station. They held a formal dinner every Monday night before the fraternity meeting where everybody was expected to wear suits. And Littlejohn said they had a spring formal where they dressed up in “prom attire” and danced to live band music.
14 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
Long friendships
After graduation, VandeWalle, Olson and Marcil remained close friends their whole lives. “In a small state like North Dakota, people see each other frequently,” Olson said. “There are opportunities frequently to continue friendships and acquaintances.” They even worked together. When Olson was attorney general in North Dakota, VandeWalle was the first assistant attorney general. “It was fun to have him,” VandeWalle said, but he also said he “tried not to emphasize the fact that we were fraternity brothers.” Marcil’s newspapers covered VandeWalle’s and Olson’s progress in their careers, as Marcil’s company grew. Marcil said VandeWalle and Olson didn’t get special treatment in his newspapers’ reporting, but he enjoyed watching them in their careers.
The three refer to each other in much more casual way than their official titles. Vandewalle is “Gerry,” Marcil is “Bill” and Allen is “Al.” And they are quick to compliment each other. Olson commented that “there was no doubt that Bill Marcil was going to be successful in whatever he did.” VandeWalle noted that “you could tell [Olson and Marcil] were leaders.” And Marcil said he always “thought that Allen Olson would get into politics.” Even though the three rose to big careers in the state, with VandeWalle and Marcil even receiving the Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award, Littlejohn said that “when they get back to the fraternity, they are the same guys that they were back in 1956.” AR
WEDDING + EVENT SHOWCASE
THURSDAY JANUARY 14, 2016 5-8 P.M. REGISTER ONLINE: GORECKIALUMNICENTER.COM/GOSHOW
Earn 5,000 bonus points after your first purchase
1
Apply today for the only card that gives a percentage of every purchase back to the University of North Dakota Alumni Association & Foundation. Right now as a special offer you’ll earn $5,000 bonus points with your first purchase, plus one reward point for every net one dollar spent.1 Redeem points for cash back2, travel, gift cards, and more. Use your UND Visa Signature Card for everything from gas and groceries to dining and travel, and watch your points add up!
Apply today! Call 888-327-2265 ext. 94694 Visit usbank.com/94694
Account must be open and in good standing to earn and redeem rewards and benefits. Please refer to your Rewards Program Rules for additional information. Please allow 6-8 weeks after your first purchase for your bonus points to be credited to your Account. 2 Cash back is in the form of a statement credit. Important Note: Points redeemed for a statement credit will reduce the account balance, but will not count toward your minimum payment due.
1
The creditor and issuer of the University of North Dakota Alumni Association and Foundation Card is U.S. Bank National Association, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. Š 2015 U.S. Bank National Association. All rights reserved. P.O. Box 6333, Fargo, ND
FEATURE
story
FIGHTING HAWKS
President Kelley reveals the results of the final round of nickname voting at a November news conference.
Fighting Hawks UND unveils new nickname for UND after extensive public input. By Milo Smith
T
he University of North Dakota has a new nickname — Fighting Hawks. The name was the final one standing after three online votes in October and November. Said UND President Robert Kelley, “We are pleased to be able to announce the selection of a new nickname — Fighting Hawks — and bring this process, in which so many people have participated, to a successful conclusion. We
16 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
especially appreciate the two nickname committees who worked so hard during this past year to make this a transparent, inclusive process that led to a short list of potential nicknames. Now, the voters have spoken, and they have told us that Fighting Hawks should be that new nickname. This is an appropriate choice, as Fighting Hawks symbolizes the competitive spirit of our athletes, the perseverance of the North Dakota spirit, and the continual ascendancy of the University and the state.”
The nickname vote was launched following a year-long effort by the UND Nickname Process Recommendation Task Force and, subsequently, the UND Nickname Committee. The groups were charged with developing a process for nickname selection, and then with developing a short list of potential nicknames for a vote. They facilitated broad public input along the way, including an online survey, a series of regional town hall meetings, and a 30-day nickname suggestion period. More than 1,100 unique, acceptable nicknames were considered by the UND Nickname Committee. The committee eventually whittled the list to five finalists: • Nodaks • Sundogs • North Stars • Roughriders • Fighting Hawks The final vote, held Nov. 12 through Nov. 16, pitted Roughriders against Fighting Hawks. Out of the 27,378 votes cast, Fighting Hawks received 57 percent. “The name underscores the tremendous competitive spirit of our athletic teams, our student-athletes, and the entirety of the University of North Dakota,” said President Kelley, “while expressing our state spirit and the fact that UND continues to aspire to new heights on a daily basis.” “Today’s announcement allows us to build on our North Dakota heritage,” said Brian Faison, Director of Athletics. “We are ‘North Dakota,’ as we’ve always been. Our new nickname is a representation that our student-athletes can carry forward with pride as they compete for our school and our state.” The name was immediately put into use in game notes, game broadcasts and on the UND sports website. Faison says it is gradually being added to public address announcements at games. In 2005, the NCAA placed UND on a list of universities required to stop using Native American nicknames and images. The Fighting Sioux name was retired in 2012. UND teams have played without a nickname since. DeAnna Carlson Zink, CEO of the UND Alumni Association & Foundation, said she knows that acceptance of the name will require some time.
“I understand people’s resistance,” said Carlson Zink. “As an alum and long-time fan of the Fighting Sioux, I know that many hold on to that memory as a part of their passion for the university. “But this really is a historic moment,” Zink said. “It’s only our third nickname in history and now we move forward. We move forward with respect for the legacy and tradition of the Fighting Sioux and even the Flickertails, and look forward to creating new traditions as Fighting Hawks.” Now that UND’s new nickname has been selected, the University will begin the process of developing, selecting and implementing a visual identity to accompany the name. The goal is to have a final logo designed by midsummer. AR — Additional reporting by University & Public Affairs
ARTS &
sciences
FROM THE DEAN
Dean Debbie Storrs
FROM THE DEAN As summer turns into fall across the region, we welcome the beginning of another exciting year of opportunities for students at the University of North Dakota. The flowers and trees change making way for renewed potential in what, at the moment, seems like a distant spring. I think of the seasonal cycle as a metaphor for our students as they engage another year of learning from which they will emerge transformed in the warmth of spring. I was reminded of this transformative experience this fall when I traveled to Winnipeg with a group of remarkable students. Sponsored by the college and the Center for Human Rights and Genocide Studies, the students toured the Canadian Museum of Human Rights. I shared with students their moments of discovery as they connected their classroom learning with the lived experience of those who faced challenges, unfathomable suffering, demonstrated astounding resilience, and displayed profound courage in the struggle for human rights. Enjoying the day with these students, I was inspired by their curiosity to learn and their maturity in grasping the significance of those lives and experiences represented in the museum. They embrace and exemplify the liberal arts educational experience of challenging oneself, striving to understand, and enduring to learn, leading to personal transformation and lifelong discovery. In them, and in so many other students across campus, one can see the influence of the preparation and guidance of our outstanding faculty and the inspiration and hope for the future of the state and every other place these students will impact throughout their lives. In the feature stories in this section, you will see many examples of the impact of our students and alumni on the world as they build on and act through the liberal arts transformation they experienced while students at UND. They are noble, courageous, creative and innovative ambassadors for the University of North Dakota and liberal education more generally. You’ll read about Stacy Meester, the first recipient of the Tom Rand Student Scholarship. After a slow start, Stacy was unsure if she would continue her studies. Today, she is nearing the completion of a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology pursuing her dream of becoming a school psychologist. You will learn about how Professor Wayne Barkhouse, an Associate Professor in the Department of
18 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
Physics and Astrophysics, is working with a dedicated team of students to conduct research on dwarf galaxy clusters to help astronomers and physicists across the world better understand our universe. Sasha Heath ‘05, a young alumna and Air Force pilot, recalls how her UND education and friendships with international students were in her thoughts flying six miles above Egypt. With seven deployments to the United Arab Emirates, and two to Afghanistan, Sasha says she has never lost her appreciation of our planet’s diversity, in part because of the friends and faculty she encountered at UND. Along with these stories, we take a moment to highlight the important role our professional advisors play in student success. We also explore the Oakville Prairie Field Station, which, with several new partnerships and designations, is being transformed from only an educational facility for the Biology Department to a community resource and important bird sanctuary. These students and the entire liberal arts mission of the college are supported by the generous participation of our alumni throughout the year. Many of you support our mission and our students in spirit and in conversations across your communities. Many contribute through providing internship and employment opportunities for our students, and many of you support us through financial contributions. We depend on and sincerely appreciate the myriad ways all of you help us continue to serve the state as the foundation for liberal arts education. I look forward to meeting many more of you and wish you health and happiness in the New Year! Warm regards,
Debbie Storrs
Photo: Craig Garaas-Johnson
Tom Rand
Student Scholarship For 45 years, Tom Rand helped UND students find their way. Now a scholarship in his name continues his legacy.
inning’ is most often conceived of as a victory, as when a team wins a game. Strictly speaking, no one wins a scholarship. By definition, students earn scholarship awards through hard work, dedication, and sacrifice. Stacy Meester, the first recipient of the Tom Rand Student Scholarship, won nothing — she earned the award with her persistence and heart. In 1997, Stacy came to UND just like hundreds of other students in the entering freshman class. She didn’t have a major, and hoped, somehow, the experience of being in college and taking classes would encourage her to commit to her studies. “I didn’t take it seriously,” says Stacy. Things did not go as planned. By the end of the first semester, Stacy was failing all of her classes, except psychology, and felt rudderless. Halfway through her second semester, she left school. This might have been the last UND heard from Stacy. Years later, her husband, Brandin, decided to go back to school for his bachelor’s degree, and watching him, Stacy felt the urge to give college another try. Working as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) at the Sanford Children’s Hospital in Bismarck, North Dakota, she had a chance conversation with a pediatric oncologist. They talked about college and the doctor said to her, “In 10 years, you could be doing what you’re doing now, or you could be a doctor.” Her words lit a fire under Stacy. Life was different now, with three kids, a marriage, and a home, but she saw that changing her life was possible. “Those 10 years are going to pass,” says Stacy, “It’s just what you’re going to do with them.”
Stacy Meester, first recipient of the Tom Rand Student Scholarship, and Tom Rand.
Taking the initiative, and with Brandin’s support, she applied to UND and was readmitted. Stacy intends to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in the spring of 2016. As an online student she has been able to serve as a research assistant, an undergraduate teaching assistant, and even co-authored a poster for a conference. She was also selected as a Student Honor Marshall for the 2015 Summer Commencement. “I never in a million years thought I could accomplish this,” says Stacy. “I didn’t think someone like me would be able to get there.” The Tom Rand Student Scholarship, named for Tom Rand, a former Associate Dean in the College of Arts & Sciences, is awarded to students who show promise, despite past academic challenges. As a young man, while an undergraduate at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, Tom flunked an entire semester. He eventually went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from the University of Minnesota, and a Bachelor of Divinity from Harvard University. In 1969, Tom joined the faculty of UND and spent much of the next 45 years advising students and helping them navigate the university system. Stacy found Tom’s story inspiring. “He didn’t start out at the top, but he got to the top by working hard,” she says. “I thought, ‘I can do that!’ ” Stacy intends to apply to graduate school in psychology, and is determined to be a school psychologist. A&S — Craig Garaas-Johnson
www.arts-sciences.und.edu | 19
ARTS &
Barkhouse and a team of students observed night skies at Kitt Peak National Observatory, just outside Tucson, Arizona.
sciences
When Galaxies Collide
s
What happens when two dynamic galaxies come together? Professor Wayne Barkhouse and a team of student researchers have begun an investigation of universal importance.
ome may find it difficult to comprehend that many of the elements in their bodies come from the hearts of stars. From the nitrogen that allows the body to produce amino acids to the potassium that carries electrical signals, triggering the heart to beat, nuclear fusion in generations of stars, over billions of years, has produced every element between helium and iron on the periodic table. Our intimate relationship with the stars may explain some of our curiosity about the universe. For Wayne Barkhouse, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astrophysics, the love affair began early. “I can’t remember being interested in anything else,” says Barkhouse. Before he ever attended school, he recalls an early fascination with space and astronomy. This lifelong interest
20 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
eventually brought him to UND where Barkhouse studies dark energy, astronomical surveying, and galaxy clusters. Not much is known about how galaxies form into clusters, so in 2014 Barkhouse and a team of student researchers began a unique project aimed at increasing our knowledge of galaxy cluster formation.
The Unknown
Galaxies are groups of stars, gas, dust, and interstellar debris, gravitationally bound together. As with most astronomical measurements, the enormity of the objects being observed is almost unimaginable. Some galaxies might contain a few million stars; others could run into the trillions. The Milky Way, the galaxy of which our solar system is a part, is itself more than 100,000 light years across,
and contains around 200 billion stars. Scientists estimate the known universe contains as many as one hundred billion galaxies. Variation between types of galaxies complicates our understanding of exactly how they form. Galaxies come in many different types, and each type probably has its own way of forming. Not all the variables are known. “It’s an ongoing problem. We don’t know all the physical laws and details at work,” says Barkhouse. “You have material in space that collapses under gravity, there is an associated rotation, and within that material, smaller clumps form and turn into stars.” Astronomers and astrophysicists seek a better understanding of the process leading to galaxy formation, which could then answer further questions about our universe.
Photo: Wayne Barkhouse
Star formation can occur in highdensity regions of space, and these are the areas Barkhouse and his students chose for further investigation. The denser the region, the more heat it generates. In a galaxy cluster, the gas between objects may reach temperatures of 10 million degrees or more. As galaxies come together, over thousands of years, the area where they combine begins to illume. “What we found was when these galaxies in dense regions interact with one another, this hot gas acts like a trigger for star formation,” says Barkhouse. “Stars begin to form and the area lights up like a Christmas tree.”
The Team
The research team, led by Barkhouse, includes: Cody Rude ’15, a former graduate student researching star formation in cluster dwarf galaxies; Prasadh Kalawila, a Ph.D. candidate who is leading the team in the collection and analysis of images of galaxy clusters; Madina Sultanova, a Ph.D. candidate, is developing galaxy morphology software and will use data from the dwarf galaxy survey to create a classificatory system for galaxies. Undergraduate student team members Haylee Archer and Gregory Foote are measuring the alignment of dwarf galaxies in a sample of low-redshift Abell galaxy clusters. Galaxy alignment provides a direct linkage to computer simulations of how galaxy clusters form and evolve. By tracing the impact of a cluster’s gravitational field on galaxies as they fall into the cluster environment, overall understanding of the interaction grows. Students on the team gain valuable experience as they analyze data collected during observations, and also insight into the competitive process of applying for observing time on professional telescopes.
The Research
Astronomers have studied these “collisions” in the bigger and brighter galaxies, so Barkhouse and his team chose to look at smaller galaxies. Dwarf galaxies, as the name implies, are smaller and dimmer than others, and
cannot be seen without high-powered telescopes with long exposure times. Even then, researchers still must limit their observations to nearby galaxies. The team’s theory is as the low mass galaxies fall into galaxy clusters, they experience squeezing of their interior gas due to the pressure of the hot cluster gas. As the interior gas compresses, it triggers star formation. As dwarf galaxies fall into the cluster, this star-forming gas can also be swept out of individual dwarf galaxies, in this case quenching star formation. In order to find examples, the team needed telescope time. Receiving time to use large telescopes is competitive and extremely difficult to come by. Barkhouse and his team applied for and received viewing nights on the 4-meter Mayall Telescope at the Kitt Peak National Observatory, just outside Tucson, Arizona. In fact, their application proved compelling enough that the team received time in both February and June, and a second proposal was awarded additional time in January 2016. This allowed them to divide their sample into groups that could be better observed at different times of the year. Barkhouse, Kalawila, and Archer went to Arizona for the February nights;
Barkhouse, Kalawila and Rude observed in June. “We created a sample of 15 galaxy clusters we will observe for star formation through an imaging survey,” says Barkhouse. Here the process becomes even more technical as the team needed to locate specific emissions, known as H-alpha (Hα) light, which would serve as the fingerprint of star formation in galaxies for these clusters. Calculating and analyzing the ultraviolet light emitted by these galaxies, the team’s results so far indicate that star formation is enhanced in the outskirts of clusters as the dwarf galaxies fall toward the central regions. Despite poor weather for part of the observing time, a total of four galaxy clusters and a background “control field” were observed during the February and June observing runs to a sufficient depth that allows the researchers to measure the star formation activity of the dwarf cluster galaxies. At present, the team is busy analyzing the acquired data and preparing for their next observations in January 2016. A&S — Craig Garaas-Johnson
www.arts-sciences.und.edu | 21
ARTS &
sciences
Alumni Spotlight:
Sasha Heath ’05
s
Photo: Sasha Heath
A liberal arts education can prepare students for anything — even a career in the wide blue yonder.
asha Heath ’05, always wanted to be a pilot. Her father was a Navy pilot, who also flew commercial planes, and seeing his example and being around the aviation industry only fueled her dreams of flying. At 18, she made the decision to pursue her dream in the U.S. Air Force. Sasha applied to UND with the intent of enrolling in classes through the School of Aerospace, but her ROTC scholarship did not cover the additional cost of flighttraining classes. The Air Force had no requirement for pilots that their degree had to be technical, only that pilots must complete a bachelor’s degree. Sasha made the decision to go for ‘depth’, double majoring in french and history and earning a minor in psychology. “It gave me a lot of freedom,” says Sasha. “I didn’t fit the mold of something more technical, and being able to study what I wanted gave me the freedom to explore ideas.” Sasha’s dream of becoming a pilot persisted, and
22 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
she applied and was admitted into Air Force pilot training after graduation. “Most of the slots go to Air Force Academy graduates, then to ROTC students. I now know it is much more difficult to be accepted into pilot training with a non-technical degree.” After graduation, Sasha was commissioned as a second lieutenant, and reported to Moody Air Force Base in Georgia for Undergraduate Pilot Training.
Training & Flying
Arriving in Georgia, Sasha embarked on a year of constant, challenging work. Undergraduate Pilot Training is regarded as some of the toughest in the military. And for good reason — when a pilot gets behind the controls of an aircraft costing millions of taxpayer dollars, they need to be prepared for almost anything. Without a technical degree, Sasha might be thought to be at
a disadvantage, but she persisted. “You know, if you try hard enough, you can make most things happen.” For the first six months students learn about aerospace physiology, aircraft systems, instrumentation, mission planning, and weather. After six months, Sasha transferred to Mississippi where she completed her training. After training, Sasha received her wings and moved to New Jersey to begin training on the KC-10 aerial refueling tanker. The KC-10 is a military version of the DC-10 (no longer in use by civilian airlines), capable of carrying more than 300,000 lbs. of fuel, with a range of over 4,000 miles on a single flight. “They go everywhere, and have many uses,” says Sasha. While stationed in the Garden State, Sasha enjoyed a singular experience when she had to take her tanker to Europe. Growing up, she never had the means to travel abroad, and had never left the U.S. “My first trip out of the country was in the cockpit of my tanker, and I flew to Spain. I was 24.” During that flight, she could not help but think of the things she had learned as a french and history major. “I flew over Egypt and saw the pyramids, and the Nile River, six miles below me. Later, we flew through the Strait of Gibraltar. We were very low and I could see the Rock of Gibraltar. I thought, ‘I’ve studied these things my whole life, and now I’m looking at them from my office.’ I’ve never lost that appreciation.”
‘Seeing’ the World
There is truth in the cliché that many young people join the military to “see the world,” to discover new challenges, and test their mettle. Sasha was such a student growing up in Virginia, both enjoying her beautiful state and feeling the urge to see what else was out there. “I wanted an adventure — to do something different. That’s part of the reason I chose UND,” says Sasha. “It was my experience here that prepared me for what was to come. I had no idea that going to North Dakota would give me the world.” When she arrived at UND, Sasha looked for ways to get involved and happily discovered the International Centre. “I participated in a lot of events and met people from all over the world. Many of them are still my friends.” As a pilot, Sasha now travels the world, and sees some of the places her international friends call home. According to Sasha, her experiences with international students gave her a unique appreciation for the places she sees and the people
The view from Sasha’s “office” as a member of the flight crew for the KC-10 aerial refueling tanker. Photo: Sasha Heath
she meets. “I get to travel the world, and see things most people never see,” she says. “My experience at UND helped me appreciate these places, and people, in ways I’m not sure others do.”
UND Equipped
Liberal arts graduates prepare themselves for a lifetime of learning. This kind of education goes way beyond job training, providing individuals with skills that make them flexible thinkers, capable of teaching themselves new things. Often these graduates find themselves using the skills they developed in pursuit of their degree in unexpected places. “I’m glad I had the opportunity to be a liberal arts student,” says Sasha. “I can’t express how thankful I am for my experience at UND, which has given me this amazing career. I’ll never stop coming back so long as the people I love are still here.” Since earning her wings, Sasha has been deployed nine times, seven to the United Arab Emirates, and twice to Afghanistan. During the latter deployments she flew reconnaissance missions over Afghanistan in a smaller aircraft called the MC-12. She is now beginning a new chapter in her life as a pilot for Delta Airlines. A&S — Craig Garaas-Johnson www.arts-sciences.und.edu | 23
ARTS &
sciences
Coffee for the
College
A new approach to supporting Arts & Sciences students asks young alumni to give up a little to make a big difference.
Corey Mock ‘05, “takes one for the team” in his role as spokesperson for the Coffee with the College campaign video.
d
Photo: Craig Garaas-Johnson
owning more than 400 million cups of coffee each day — 146 billion cups per year — the U.S. is the leading consumer of coffee in the world. And while UND students only account for an infinitesimal fraction of a percent of that intake, there is no question coffee fuels today’s college students much the way it fuels the workplace. If only there were a way to harness this consumption for the public good. Early in 2015, the College of Arts & Sciences reached out to a few alumni asking them for creative ideas to help raise funds and connect with younger alums. Corey Mock ‘08, a member of the North Dakota House of Representatives, came up with a superb solution: a cup of coffee for the College. The plan is simple: ask our newest alums to give what they might otherwise spend on one cup of coffee per month to the College. If each gave a small amount, the combined effect would be stunning. “Our younger alumni remember their UND experience, and know that what happens outside of the classroom can complement what happens inside the classroom,” says Debbie Storrs, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. “When alumni give up a cup of coffee a month, they ensure opportunities to learn outside of the classroom are possible.” According to Corey, no one should underestimate the power of coffee. “Studying always seemed easier with a cup of coffee and a friend nearby,” he says. “My textbook days may be behind me, but there’s always room on my tab for an underclassman working long into the night.” Corey’s contribution to the project also deserves
24 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
special recognition. Serving as the spokesperson for the campaign, he agreed to host “A Coffee for the College with Corey,” a video released on YouTube and the UND home page. In the video, Corey also explains that people can also choose the alternative: “the iced coffee challenge.” Coffee for the College is a small but significant way of supporting fellow Arts & Sciences students following in our footsteps,” says Corey. “And like espresso, a little goes a long way.” As students reach the end of the fall semester, and prepare for finals, coffee consumption is sure to rise. To show our support for those joining the alumni the soonest, Arts & Sciences will send students nearing graduation in December a postcard entitling them to a free cup of coffee on us. While the campaign is aimed at younger alumni, all graduates of the College of Arts & Sciences are asked for their support. Gifts to the College of Arts and Sciences support student scholarships, undergraduate research grants, and allow the college to bring national scholars and speakers to campus. “Your monthly gift matters,” says Storrs. “While you lower your caffeine intake, you can also enable students to participate in field trips, engage in research, present at conferences, and listen to dynamic speakers.” A&S Follow the link below to see Corey in “A Coffee for the College with Corey,” and look for a surprise cameo with one of Grand Forks’ most distinguished celebrities! www.UNDalumni.org/Coffee — Craig Garaas-Johnson
Promoting
Advisors are critical members of the team supporting successful educational outcomes for Arts & Sciences students.
s
Photo: Craig Garaas-Johnson
Student Success
tudents in the College of Arts & Sciences learn more than how to apply field-specific knowledge to an anticipated career path. In fact, for most students, the four years they spend in college are a time of significant, personal growth. To a person, the faculty and staff at UND support students as they adjust to the responsibilities of participating in a higher education community, and one of the most vital members of that team is the College Advisor. As part of a broad effort to continually enhance student success, the College of Arts & Sciences currently has five professional advisors. Two advise students across a spectrum of academic interests, one is devoted entirely to pre-medical students, and two others serve students in the Department of Psychology and the Communication Program. In January of 2015, Karyn Plumm, an associate professor of Psychology, joined the Dean’s Office as Administrative Fellow for Academic Success to provide leadership and coordination in matters relating to student recruitment, advising, and retention. In addition, the College also hired Kayla Hotvedt, an academic advisor with previous experience in the College of Education and Human Development. Both see student success as their mission. Part of this approach involves identifying which departments and programs need the help. “I’m looking at where we need more professional advisors,” says Plumm, “as well as which departments and programs have good faculty advisors and how can we provide better support to them.” Much of the advising students receive comes from faculty members for whom this is an addition to their scholarly obligations. At some institutions this creates a dilemma for faculty balancing teaching requirements and a demanding research agenda. According to Hotvedt, this isn’t as common at UND. “There are more faculty who are truly passionate about advising than I ever imagined. When they’re working with a student they will call, ask questions, and genuinely do their absolute best to help the student in front of them.”
Karyn Plumm (left) and Kayla Hotvedt, provide crucial institutional knowledge and thoughtful guidance to support student success.
Supporting Student Success
Attending any university involves a learning curve, from managing personal responsibilities to adjusting to higher education’s unique terminology. According to Hotvedt, one of the many hats an academic advisor wears is that of a translator or interpreter of higher education. “We can support student success by helping students understand the policies and procedures for a major, by helping them navigate campus, and connect with the right people to answer their questions. Advisors often connect the dots for students, which ultimately helps them persevere.” Research shows students’ first year experiences are crucial to determining whether or not they will return to college the next year or continue their education at all. Academic advisors often become a personal connection for students, an ally, and a key point of contact for academic issues. “Students benefit from having a combination of professional advisors to help students understand academic requirements and faculty advisors to provide mentorship and help students understand potential career paths,” says Plumm. UND students are complex individuals with complex needs, requiring a nuanced understanding of what it means to help sustain them on their academic journeys. This blend of general institutional knowledge and support from academic advisors and in-depth career and field-specific advising from faculty provides a strong base from which students can achieve. The College of Arts & Sciences supports professional academic advisors as part of an overall commitment to student success. As vital members of the student support network in the college, academic advisors serve an integral role in fulfilling the teaching and learning mission of UND, and provide graduates with the best preparation for a lifetime of accomplishments. A&S — Craig Garaas-Johnson
www.arts-sciences.und.edu | 25
ARTS &
sciences
1979
Looking
Back… Times have changed for the College of Arts & Sciences. How many places, spaces, and faces do you recall? A student rests on a temporary dike, taking a breather from fighting the English Coulee Flood of 1979. This was the third largest flood (after the floods of 1997 and 1897) in Grand Forks history.
1973 1996
CJ Hosier prepares for his role as Feer in the Theatre Department’s 1996 production of “The Cherry Orchard.” Hosier died suddenly in 2009, but his contributions to Denver’s theatre community left a lasting impression on those who knew him.
26 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
In 1973, the History Department met with the special guest seated at the head of the table, Lawrence Welk. The famous bandleader was given the Sioux Award, the Alumni Association’s highest award, in 1959.
1952
1990s
Canoeing on the English Coulee? UND students in 1952 dip their paddles for a leisurely glide through campus.
A biology student uses an electrophoresis unit to separate molecules in a solution.
1995
Dr. Kevin M. Fire, professor emeritus in Communication Sciences and Disorders, checks out a young patient in the Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic in 1995. Dr. Fire is currently in private practice at Fire Audiology in Grand Forks.
1960s
Students attend class in the brand new Witmer Hall in the late 1960s. The building was the first on campus named for a living member of the faculty, Robert B. Witmer, Dean of the College of Science, Literature & Arts from 1948 to 1965.
1980s
Do you have a UND Memory you’d like to share? Digital photos can be emailed to Craig Garaas-Johnson at craig.garaasjohnson@ UND.edu
A clarinetist’s perspective from the Wind Ensemble in the 1980s. UND music students learn to play solo, as part of an ensemble, and always strive for excellence.
www.arts-sciences.und.edu | 27
ARTS &
sciences
President Kelley shakes hands with Terry Steinwand, North Dakota Game and Fish Director, at the dedication event.
Prairie
Partnership Photo: Shawna Noel Schill
j
The Oakville Prairie Field Station provides a unique educational environment for students and now a public space for recreation.
ust west of Grand Forks is one of the largest patches of tallgrass prairie in the Northern Great Plains. In fact, most of the 960-acre Oakville Prairie Field Station has never seen a plow. Walking through the long grasses, there’s a sensation of floating, so thick is the bed of vegetation. From a distance the dominant color is a featureless green, ordinary and uninspiring. But up close, when one kneels in the long grass, they discover brilliant colors, bluebells, white clover, against a backdrop of bluestem and buffalo grasses. Every acre is a world beneath one’s feet. Tallgrass prairie was once ubiquitous across the Northern Great Plains. During the 19th and 20th centuries, much of the prairie was transformed into farmland, altering an ecosystem that had flourished for millennia. Today, few examples of untouched tallgrass prairie exist, and many are under the care and protection
28 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
of educational and environmental groups. The Oakville Prairie Field Station represents an exceptional part of the heritage of North Dakota, according to Isaac Schlosser, Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor of Biology and Field Station Director. “These soils and the ecosystem out there support a key part of the North Dakota economy, including agriculture, cattle ranching, and hunting.” About 9,300 years ago, Glacial Lake Agassiz, an inland lake of glacial runoff larger in area than all the Great Lakes combined, receded. So great was the volume of water entering the world’s oceans, geologists estimate sea levels rose between three and nine feet. Left behind were beach ridges. Most of these ridges have disappeared, but two of the Ojata Beach Ridges can be observed at the Oakville Prairie. Also unique to the Oakville Prairie are eight saline seeps, a feature
Professor Kathryn Yurkonis and a biology student caught in a moment of discovery.
of soils with higher concentrations of soluble salts that adversely affect crop plants. The nearly pristine prairie ecology has been the site of research by the Biology Department and others for several decades. “Insights gained from research at this site help us better understand and manage North Dakota’s grassland and agricultural areas now and into the future,” said Kathryn Yurkonis, a Professor of Biology and UND’s Grassland Ecologist.
Celebrating a New Era
In September, more than 100 spectators and guests joined the UND Biology Department and the College of Arts & Sciences to celebrate a fresh chapter in the history of the Oakville Prairie Field Station. The event titled “A New Era for the Grand Forks County Prairie” highlighted several important changes that will provide educational opportunities to generations of students and further preserve its integrity for years to come. “As we understand better the interactions between the systems within our plant and animal worlds,” said President Robert Kelley, who spoke at the event, “it helps us as human beings understand our role in managing and helping to sustain these systems for the benefit of the generations to come.” Going forward, the field station will be defined by a cooperative conservation effort between UND, Audubon Dakota, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, Grand Forks County Prairie Partners, the North Dakota Natural Resources Trust, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Pheasants Forever. According to Schlosser, such partner-driven management efforts will enhance the prairie habitat. “The system, in fact, supports our society today. One of the key things we’re talking about is not only the natural heritage we have, but how we can use that natural heritage to better support North Dakota society,” says Schlosser.
Remembrance
The Biology Department and the College of Arts & Sciences also took the opportunity to dedicate the event to the memories of Vera Facey and Paul Kannowski, longtime members of the Biology Department. Schlosser acknowledged each for making important contributions to the Oakville Prairie Field Station. “Professor Facey was far ahead of her time” said Schlosser, “because she was the one who said this is a unique piece of the heritage of North Dakota and this needs to be protected.” Facey served at UND from 1947 to 1979, and died in 1985. “Paul Kannowski made multiple and very significant contributions to UND and the Biology Department, including a vital role in securing and protecting Oakville Prairie for future generations,” said Schlosser. Kannowski served at UND from 1957 to 1990, and died on September 3.
Photo: Shawna Noel Schill
Managing Wildlife
One of the changes to the Oakville Prairie Field Station is its designation as one of the newest wildlife management areas (WMA) in the state. According to Terry Steinwand, North Dakota Game and Fish Director, partnering with UND on the new WMA offers outdoor opportunities the agency couldn’t provide on its own. “We can always do more together than you can do separately. We just have to keep those kinds of partnerships going, and educate ourselves in the process,” said Steinwand. The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s designation opens the Oakville Prairie to hunting, fishing, and trapping, as well as nature study, hiking, and primitive camping. In addition, the Oakville Prairie will also be identified as a Prairie Chicken Wildlife Management Area. Audubon Dakota also designated the field station site as an Important Bird Area. These areas are identified as those which “provide essential habitat to one or more species of birds during some portion of the year” and include “nesting areas, crucial migration stop-over sites, or wintering grounds,” according to their website. “Currently, there are over 3,000 Important Bird Areas in the U.S.,” said Marshall Johnson, Executive Director of Audubon Dakota. “Important Bird Areas do not offer legal protection, but are meant to become a rallying point for additional conservation. “The sheer volume of songbirds, waterfowl, and other avian species that use this area is just incredible,” said Johnson. “The presence of such abundant bird life speaks volumes about the on-going management and partnerships with private cooperators that make these areas so vibrant.” Thanks to these continuing and evolving partnerships, the Oakville Prairie Field Station can continue to serve as an educational resource for UND, and now a public resource, for years to come. A&S — Craig Garaas-Johnson
www.arts-sciences.und.edu | 29
ARTS &
sciences
Gaining a
Human Rights Perspective
UND students visited the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in October.
Photo: Aaron Cohen/CMHR
o
The UND Center for Human Rights & Genocide Studies provides students and the community with international context on genocide and human rights violations across the world.
n the morning of January 7, 2015, in Paris, two brothers, Saïd and Chérif Kouachi, forced their way into the headquarters of satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo. Armed with assault rifles, the brothers killed 11 people and wounded 11 others after the magazine published cartoon
30 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
images of Muhammad. The attack was shocking for its audacity, but for Americans, it also appeared to be an outrageous assault on one of our most cherished liberties — the freedom of speech. In the U.S., understanding the gunmen’s rationale for violence is difficult. The media can make
comparisons between familiar publications and content we find objectionable in our culture, but the media’s interpretation may lack context that allows us to appreciate a situation’s complexity. In response, on January 29, the UND Center for Human Rights and Genocide Studies (CHARGES) hosted
‘By and large, international events don’t receive a lot of attention in the newspaper.’
Photo: Aaron Cohen/CMHR
a community panel to discuss human rights, religion, and freedom of speech and the press in light of the Charlie Hebdo attacks. Grand Forks may not be an obvious setting for an in-depth public discussion of French blasphemy laws and Islamic terrorism, but for CHARGES it was an occasion for education and thoughtful reflection. Nearly 100 members of the Grand Forks community attended the panel discussion, with many asking questions of the panelists, and staying behind to learn more. “A lot of the things we do are opportunistic,” says Rebecca WeaverHightower, an Associate Professor of English and one of the co-directors of CHARGES. “We’re really trying to keep our finger on the pulse of current events, and if we see a gap
in education we can do something quickly. With the Charlie Hebdo event and recent events in Ferguson, Missouri (where Michael Brown was shot and killed by police officer Darren Wilson, setting off weeks of protests), we thought, ‘people aren’t talking about this and they should be.’” Along with Weaver-Hightower, CHARGES is co-led by Brian Urlacher, an associate professor of Political Science in the College of Business & Public Administration. “By and large, international events don’t receive a lot of attention in the newspaper,” says Urlacher. “The kind of coverage that does happen is focused on some pretty specific things. People are understandably more focused on their everyday lives.” Founded in 2007 by Gregory S. Gordon, a former UND associate professor of Law, CHARGES was initially created to assist Hirut
Abebe-Jiri, an Ethiopian Red Terror torture survivor, create an archive documenting Red Terror crimes. The documents came from the Ethiopian Special Prosecutor’s office, and had been used to try former Ethiopian dictator Mengistu, who oversaw the Red Terror regime’s crimes. While still associated with this project, CHARGES has significantly broadened its range of activities in the last several years.
What are Human Rights?
The question is deceptively simple. Unlike genocide, which has a legal definition, human rights are standards of human behavior enshrined in law, yet variable to the extent that they evolve over time. “Human rights spills into many different areas,” says Urlacher. The Universal Declaration of Human www.arts-sciences.und.edu | 31
If you would like to learn how you can support the Center for Human Rights & Genocide Studies at UND, contact the Center’s co-directors. Rebecca Weaver-Hightower rwh@und.edu Brian Urlacher brian.urlacher@business.und.edu
Photo: Aaron Cohen/CMHR
Rights (UDHR), adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948, is the first global attempt to codify inherent rights to which all human beings are entitled. Though not legally binding, the Declaration outlines progressive measures that have influenced national constitutions and informed aspects of customary international law across the world. “With human rights, there are also issues of cultural traditions. For example, is it a human right to be educated?” asks Weaver-Hightower. “There are lots of places where girls are not considered being worthy of educating. Or is it a human right to have determination over your own body, as in the case with female genital mutilation? Or wearing a veil to express your religion? Some feminists might say that that’s a problem, too.” It might seem a simple thing to define human rights, but criticism of the UDHR by other countries reveals the culture-bound character of the definitional problem. Some countries have argued the Declaration imposes a Western bias and conflicts with aspects of religion that cannot be unraveled. “Because of the way the international law on human rights works, it is so broad, covering social, cultural, economic, and political rights. It runs the gamut from ‘you have the right not to be tortured,’ to ‘you have the right to do artwork.’” says Urlacher. Challenges to human rights can also have a less obstinate origin, says Urlacher. “There are issues like the right to decent healthcare. A government might argue they have economic problems and logistical problems that might complicate delivery of decent healthcare for their population.
32 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
In the end, a government can look to the UDHR and say, ‘these are the goals we’re striving for. These are goals we are trying to realize as we make progress,’” according to Urlacher.
Beyond the Classroom
On October 30, nine students and the CHARGES co-directors boarded a van and left the UND campus for Winnipeg and the newly-opened Canadian Museum for Human Rights. The museum is recognized for its inspiring architecture, taking visitors on a “journey from darkness to light,” as they experience six levels of exhibits and 11 galleries. The stunning construction is designed as a physical metaphor for the progress civilization has made toward greater freedom and increased recognition of human rights around the world. Internally lit alabaster-covered ramps are not only beautiful, but provide access to the entire building for people with disabilities. The subject of human rights could be one that people find challenging. Certainly some of the exhibits take an emotional toll, but this is part of what makes the experience valuable for students. “The scope of what’s covered here is so expansive,” says Urlacher. “There are so many challenges and crises that human beings have wrestled with over the centuries. But there’s also an element of hope and optimism in terms of progress and responding and pushing back. It has this simultaneous overwhelming feel to it, but at the same time, a feeling of hopefulness.” American students do not often see the parallels between U.S. and Canadian culture. In fact, there are many instances where both countries have struggled with
the same issues, sometimes with very different responses. Presenting human rights issues from a Canadian perspective was, for some, an important feature of the museum,. “It’s really interesting to see the Canadian side of human rights,” says Ashley Lushinsky, a senior studying psychology. “They went through a lot of the same things that we went through at the same time, but we don’t often hear about that. To see how a different country handled [these issues] has been really interesting to me.” According to Kaylee Smith, visiting the museum with CHARGES was an extension of the topics she finds interesting in her courses. “In my honors class we talk a lot about diversity issues and oppression that people experience. It’s amazing to see how far we’ve come.” Students spent several hours touring the museum on their own before rejoining the group and boarding the van for Grand Forks. For most of the students, their journey through the Canadian Museum of Human Rights culminated high in the Tower of Hope, a seemingly unfinished space of glass and steel featuring some of the best views of Winnipeg. According to museum staff, the Tower of Hope is intentionally unfinished, just as the work of ensuring human rights is always a work in progress. “Whatever our aspirations are,” says Urlacher, describing the challenges of sustaining momentum in achieving progress in international human rights, “we still have to figure out how to make that work in a real world with real constraints and tensions and fights and differences of views.” A&S — Craig Garaas-Johnson
Alumni Reflection:
Bill Harwood,’68
i
From the Northern Plains to a career in the diplomatic service, Bill Harwood now looks to write about North Dakota success stories. n September 1993, I started work as a press officer for the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. Political upheavals roiled the country, with daily demonstrations by anti-government agitators near our living and working compound in the city. One Sunday afternoon the Russian security forces abandoned their perimeter and left us to the mercy of violent street mobs and of snipers in the apartment overlooking our apartments. About 300 of us Americans and our families took refuge in our underground gymnasium and swimming pool. For three days we feared whether our 12-man Marine contingent could repel an armed attack. One Marine corporal took a bullet next to a carotid artery. Would these rebels end my 16 years as a Foreign Service Officer? When we emerged unharmed three days later, the blue sky sure looked great, and the Marine went home to Philadelphia. Each life-threatening situation in 22 years of living and working in Third World and Soviet Bloc posts recalled the skills and knowledge UND provided me. They helped me thrive in the Army, complete a doctorate in Polish history at the University of Illinois, and pass the qualifying exams for the Foreign Service. There I adapted to a working environment with American diplomats of a mindset quite different from a North Dakota boy’s. What saw me through it all? The UND Honors Program, as well as sensible Midwestern values and a strong work ethic. Small Honors classes and the freedom to choose challenging philosophy and history courses taught me to think and write. Glen Smith guided my senior Honors thesis on the Ku Klux Klan in Grand Forks to my graduation in 1968. Its publication and my Polish fluency led to annual fellowships at Illinois between 1971 and 1977 and a study year in Krakow, Poland, 1974-1975. Hours of researching in three languages came naturally. My trainee classmates for the U.S. Information Agency, the press and cultural division of our Foreign Service, came mainly from the East Coast elites. I didn’t quite fit. How did I overcome the anti-Midwest bias and thrive? At my first post in Bangladesh, the senior officers
generally took class, education at the right schools, and pedigree distinctions quite seriously. Caring more for getting to know Bengalis rather than tennis at “The Club,” I didn’t fully appreciate what values separated me from them. Over the next five years I adapted to new living and working norms, learning the rules of the game in Washington as well as keeping my grounded sense of self. I could not have asked for a better career, tailored to my enjoyments and abilities, in Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Russia, Poland, and Somalia. I worked with American and local universities, cultural groups, and media, all of which I had experienced in full at UND and in Grand Forks. Imagine escorting Kurt Vonnegut and William Styron through Auschwitz. Since 1999 I have performed music and worked with writing coaches to learn to read and write again, leading to my current project to describe my transition from Grand Forks to a bigger stage. Accordingly, the UND Alumni Association & Foundation and dean offices have offered to help me contact you folks to ask how experiences at UND helped you in your lives and careers, to put mine into perspective. Do you have a story, or reflection you want to share on these topics? The skills and attitudes we learned at UND will help flesh out my account of how North Dakotans like Maxwell Anderson, Phil Jackson, Peggy Lee, and Roger Maris prospered elsewhere. How did we adjust? What kind of persons did we become in our working years? A&S — Bill Harwood Contact Bill at: Bill Harwood 61 Chipman Street Burlington, VT 05403 wharw32487@aol.com Williamlharwood.com
www.arts-sciences.und.edu | 33
CAMPUS
news
NEWS FROM AROUND CAMPUS
What’s New
News from around campus A Partnership with the Division of University and Public Affairs
Photo: Jackie Lorentz
Lead donors Mary E. Bazar and Si Robin sign a construction beam at the Topping Off Ceremony for Robin Hall on Oct. 15 as Gov. Jack Dalrymple, President Robert Kelley, Dean Bruce Smith, Sen. John Hoeven and UND Aerospace Foundation Chairman Larry Martin look on. Robin Hall, future home of UND’s ultra-successful and growing Unmanned Aircraft Systems enterprise, is being funded largely by private donations and $1.5 million in matching funds from the North Dakota Higher Education Challenge Fund.
34 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
President Robert Kelley
DEAR ALUMNI & FRIENDS
It is with a mixture of sadness and optimism that I write my last letter for the Alumni Review before I retire on January 14: sadness because Marcia and I have enjoyed our time here at UND and optimism because this great University is poised to become even more exceptional. I want to thank some wonderful people for making this possible. Our students are simply outstanding. Their achievements, spirit and vigor have brought fame to the University and contributed so much to the vitality of our community. Our faculty — the very soul of the University — are widely recognized for their teaching, their scholarship and research, and their involvement. Speaking of involvement, I can’t say enough about our alumni. Their incredible support is fueling efforts to move the University of North Dakota to even higher levels of distinction. I am indebted to the talent and vision of an exceptional team of leaders: Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Tom DiLorenzo, Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean of the School of Medicine Joshua Wynne, Vice President for Student Affairs Lori Reesor, Vice President for Finance and Operations Alice Brekke, and Vice President for University and Public Affairs Susan Walton. Together with the deans, department chairs and the unit directors, they have implemented the goals of our Exceptional UND strategic blueprint and are leading us into its next phase, Vision 2020. They have been supported by the remarkable dedication and spirit of our hardworking staff. Consider just a few examples of what we have achieved in our Exceptional UND initiative: petroleum engineering degree programs, a Doctor of Nursing Practice program, the Healthcare Workforce Initiative, eight new buildings or major additions and renovations, improved student services, programs in Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) that have drawn worldwide attention, a School of Entrepreneurship, full transition into Division I athletics, and much, much more (see pp. 8-9). I am proud to acknowledge our leaders in government for their support: members of the North Dakota Legislature, Gov. Jack Dalrymple and Lt. Gov. Drew Wrigley; our federal delegation; Sen. John Hoeven, Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, and Rep. Kevin Cramer, as well as the delegation that was so helpful to the University during the first part of my presidency; Sen. Byron Dorgan, Sen. Kent Conrad, and Rep. Earl Pomeroy; and our community leaders, including Mayor Mike Brown and the members of the Grand Forks City Council.
I again want to call attention to our alumni and friends, who contributed nearly $325 million to North Dakota Spirit | The Campaign for UND, the largest capital campaign in the state’s history. And just this past year, UND alumni and friends contributed more than $48 million, the second-highest level of annual giving in the University’s history. This generosity is making a huge impact in terms of supporting student scholarships and academic initiatives. It has been my pleasure to work closely with DeAnna Carlson Zink and her team at the UND Alumni Association & Foundation, and with her predecessor, Tim O’Keefe. I also want to extend congratulations and the very best wishes to Ed Schafer, former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and former North Dakota Governor, who will begin serving as Interim President on Jan. 15. Ed and Nancy have always been strong supporters of this University. The institution will be in excellent hands during the interim period. Finally, I want to thank Marcia, UND’s First Volunteer. Marcia has served in the role of First Lady with grace, charm, wit, and engaging good humor. She deserves and receives my undying love and devotion for her tireless work during the past seven and a half years on behalf of the University. Together, Marcia and I say “Thank You” to our alumni and friends for the time, talent and treasure you have shared to make UND even more exceptional. Thanks to you, UND, this Beacon on the Prairie, continues to shine even brighter for the students of today and tomorrow. With great thanks for continued support for UND’s future, sincerely,
Robert O. Kelley President
www.UNDalumni.org | 35
CAMPUS
news
NEWS FROM AROUND CAMPUS
Birds, bears and the Bay UND BIOLOGISTS WORK WITH THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY ON PROJECT TO INTEGRATE UNMANNED AIRCRAFT TECHNOLOGY IN A WILDLIFE STUDY IN THE CANADIAN ARCTIC
i
n a portion of Manitoba, Canada, so remote you have to fly in by helicopter, a research team led by the University of North Dakota and the American Museum of Natural History spent the summer in the polar bear capital of the world deploying the latest tool — Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) — in a nearly fivedecade-old ecological study. As part of the “Hudson Bay Project,” a collaborative research program that includes partners from the U.S. and Canada, the group conducted nearly 90 test flights from Wapusk National Park to show that UAS can be used to noninvasively study the overabundant geese in the region and their impact on the tundra landscape. In addition to combining effectiveness and efficiency, the single unmanned aircraft used by the team generated more than 80,000 detailed images. “This technology has propelled us well into the 21st century,” said Robert Rockwell, a research associate in the Museum’s Department of Ornithology and a senior scientist of the Hudson Bay Project. Rockwell, who has been counting geese in the area since the late 1960s, teamed up last year with UND biologists Susan Ellis-Felege, Robert Newman, Chris Felege, UAS expert Michael Corcoran, and students Andrew Barnas and Sam Hervey to explore the use of UAS at the remote Canadian camp. “We have been able to enhance and extend our geographical coverage, and to do it in a way that precludes potential disturbances of the very ecosystem we are studying,” Rockwell said. “It also helps us avoid confrontation with the ever-present bears, the region’s top predators. The first year’s
36 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
Photo: UND Biology Department
operations were a grand success by any measure, and I look forward to expanding our efforts in 2016 and beyond.”
First permit
The team is the first to be given permits to develop UAS technology in a national park in Canada. The new tool allows freedom to monitor the ecosystem from the air and greatly extends the range of monitoring activity, providing the kind of view and access previously only afforded by helicopters, but with much less noise and expense. The researchers’ vehicle of choice is a 5.5-pound Styrofoam flyer that launches via catapult and is programed to follow transects while taking photos at one-second intervals. The imagery is then stitched together to form a picture of the ground below. From about 250 feet up, the aircraft’s belly camera clearly captures snow geese (blue and white varieties) and their goslings, different types of vegetation and damaged areas, and other bird species like sandhill cranes, tundra swans, bald eagles and herring gulls. To gauge how the local wildlife responds as the aircraft flies nearby, the researchers placed video cameras near goose and eider duck nests. They found that the animals generally ignored the aircraft, even when in close proximity to the launch sites. “Once we’re set up, the birds didn’t seem to pay attention to the aircraft,” said Ellis-Felege. “But to confirm nesting bird responses, we are now reviewing camera footage and sound recordings from the nests to determine if they show any responses to this small aircraft flying above them.” That is important not only to the nature of the work, but
University of North Dakota UAS specialist Mike Corcoran (left), UND graduate student Andrew Barnas (center)and UND biologist Susan Ellis-Felege (right) prepare for the last flight of their summer research season in July along the coast of the Hudson Bay just outside of Churchill, Manitoba.
Photo: Susan Felege
Photo: Chris Felege
A polar bear lounges along the coast, as seen from a helicopter transporting research crews to areas beyond walking distance from the base camp.
also to the park managers and the indigenous people who have a “don’t touch and don’t disturb” philosophy, said Rockwell. “Using UAS allows us to respect those wishes and cultural considerations,” he said. Before starting the study, the team underwent extensive training to receive a Special Flight Operations Certificate. The flights are conducted through the approval of both Parks Canada and Transport Canada. “Flight crews, including the biologists, initially received factory training that instructed them how to professionally operate the air vehicle, and they continue to build their science and aviation skills as the project moves forward,” Corcoran said.
Technology limits
The technology does have limitations: the vehicle must be in sight at all times during flight, so helicopters are still necessary to transport the equipment to areas of interest that are far away from the electric fence-protected camp. But based on their initial
tests, the researchers expect that UAS will be extremely beneficial in learning more about nesting and nest failure in the region — an increasingly important topic as the changing Arctic climate is causing bears to consume alternative food sources like geese and their eggs. Unmanned aircrafts also could be used to study the area’s predators by identifying “day beds,” flattened grass areas that mark where polar and grizzly bears rested on land. Researchers can then go on targeted field trips to collect hair left in the beds for genetic testing that provides details about the local population. Funding for the study was provided by the North Dakota Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program, UND College of Arts & Sciences, UND Office of the Provost, Parks Canada and Wapusk National Park, the Central and Mississippi Flyway Councils, the Arctic Goose Joint Venture, and Anne Via. AR
www.UNDalumni.org | 37
CAMPUS
news
NEWS FROM AROUND CAMPUS
Game Changer HIGH PERFORMANCE CENTER IS KEY TO FUTURE ATHLETIC SUCCESS AT UND
y
ou could see it in the wide eyes and hear it from the mouths of people as they stepped into the massive facility for the first time. Folks with the University of North Dakota’s Athletic Department have become accustomed to it, something they refer to quite simply as the “Wow Factor.” Those reactions were abundant as more than 500 people streamed into the University’s new High Performance Center (HPC) for its grand opening in November. The $13 million, nearly 200,000 square-foot facility now serves as the year-round indoor training center for UND Athletics programs, and eventually will be equipped to host competitions for track and field events. Instead of a traditional ribbon-cutting, the public was treated to UND Athletics’ own brand of facility christening when members of the men’s and women’s track teams ran together and broke the tape at the finish line to signal a new era for the school’s sports programs. “This is the day everything changes,” said UND Track and Field Coach Kevin Galbraith. “We can help our athletes develop and reach their potential in ways that we never could before … This is a game changer — nothing short of it … this is probably the best thing to happen to UND track and field in anyone’s recent memory.” The facility, which sits on the former site of the old Ralph Engelstad hockey arena and is so large it could contain within its walls more than a few of the old Ralphs, features a full-length football field with an eight-lane, 300-meter “Super X” Mondo track surface.
38 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
“(We have) the only track on the planet that has the Super X surface, plus inlaid lane lines,” Galbraith said. “All the markings on this track surface are inlaid; they’re not painted. There is no other track on the planet that has the whole suite of technology that we have. “Our alumni are excited for us, our athletes are excited. Our athletes get out on the track and they get amped up and they just run fast.” UND Head Football Coach Bubba Schweigert also is excited to see the addition of the HPC and can’t help but think about what it will mean for the future of his program. UND sports commentator and Midco Sports broadcaster Dan Hammer joked to Schweigert that the new indoor facility might be bigger than the coach’s hometown of Zeeland, N.D. “You don’t realize how massive the building is until you get inside,” Schwiegert said. “We have a place now that we can add different drills. We can have different types of workouts with our strength and conditioning staff. We have a football field where receivers and quarterbacks can come in and throw the ball, and we know that is so important for them to be on the same page and develop that chemistry … We’re now able to do that stuff more at more times throughout the year.” The HPC also can be used throughout the year by other UND Athletics programs, such as baseball, softball and soccer — all of which were represented by student athletes at the grand opening event. The facility as it stands now represents Phase I of a larger project that after future phases could include spectator seating, an attached sports medicine and athletic training
College of Nursing and Professional Disciplines
Dean’s Corner: New Dean Attends Her First UND Commencement
UND Athletics Director Brian Faison speaks at the HPC grand opening celebration.
center, academic center for student athletes, classrooms, meeting rooms, locker rooms and coaches offices. “This is a very special moment for UND Athletics as we officially open the UND Athletics High Performance Center,” said UND Athletics Director Brian Faison. “I don’t think I can overstate how important the High Performance Center will be for the continuing development of our athletics teams. It has taken a tremendous partnership with alumni and friends to get this project completed. And now our fans will have the chance to see it up close and personal.” Faison emphasized that the facility was built entirely with private dollars. The UND Alumni Association & Foundation has been heading up fundraising for the project, securing major gifts in the process. The leadership gift for the project came from Altru Health System, which provided $9 million. Major funding also came from SCHEELS, which contributed $1 million. The facility was designed by ICON Architectural Group. AR — David Dodds, University & Public Affairs writer
Dear Alumni and Friends, “Back to the Future Day” was October 21, 2015, and marked the 30th anniversary of the day Marty McFly drove his DeLorean into the future in Back To the Future Part II. Although we are not riding on hoverboards, nor has our style sense caught up with the predictions of this classic movie, the College of Nursing and Professional Disciplines (CNPD) has seen great change and advancements in the past 30 years. We certainly are excited about the future of Nursing, Social Work, and Nutrition and Dietetics. I invite you to hop into my DeLorean and take a ride with me as I predict the future role that CNPD will continue to play in rural communities throughout North Dakota and the region. I predict that in the next 30 years the College of Nursing and Professional Disciplines will be the leader in rural health and social services in the region. This year, CNPD welcomed two new online programs that are educating professionals in our rural areas: the Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW) and the Master of Science in Nutrition. The online BSSW program was designed with working students in mind. The first cohort is comprised of students who are already employed in social service agencies in rural areas, tribal communities, and oil-impacted communities throughout the state and region. The MS Nutrition program also provides working professionals with the flexibility to receive an advanced degree and to increase their knowledge base and abilities. Both programs will provide rural areas with educated professionals in social services and the healthcare field. Further, the Nursing program is working to provide students with more opportunities for clinical practicums and learning experiences in rural regions which give students the knowledge and understanding they need to serve these populations both now and in the future. Nursing students will also continue to be educated on the use of telehealth which utilizes technology to connect providers with patients for primary care needs thus increasing access for patients who would normally be required to travel to receive healthcare. Finally, this fall CNPD will welcome Rural Health Visiting Scholar Dr. Angeline Bushy, who will work with faculty to integrate rural content and student experiences across the three areas of curricula. Dr. Bushy is a renowned rural health expert and will be assisting the College in further developing its rural health mission. I hope you will continue to travel with the College of Nursing and Professional Disciplines into the future as we look to the new technologies, healthcare, and services that we will provide for North Dakota and the region’s rural areas. Please feel free to contact me anytime at gayle.roux@UND.edu or 701.777.4200 as I would love to hear your insight regarding the future of CNPD. Sincerely,
Gayle Roux PhD, NP-C, FAAN www.UNDalumni.org | 39
CAMPUS
news
NEWS FROM AROUND CAMPUS
w
New ‘Home’ on Campus NEWLY RENOVATED WILKERSON COMMONS CELEBRATES OFFICIAL REOPENING WITH A DEDICATION AND RIBBON CUTTING
ilkerson Commons is anything but common. The redesigned and renamed Wilkerson Hall was officially reopened in an October dedication and ribboncutting ceremony. “As President Kelley has said, this building may be called ‘The Commons’ but there’s nothing common about it,” said University of North Dakota Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Thomas DiLorenzo. “Fulfilling one of the main tenets of the University’s strategic blueprint, ‘Exceptional UND,’ Wilkerson Commons will provide the University and Grand Forks a beautiful place to gather, study, socialize and share meals.” The space features the first tray-less dining center on campus and expanded food options. The building also boasts an innovation lab with white boards and smart boards for student use, a lounge with a fireplace for socializing, a stage for entertainment events, and meeting spaces that students can reserve. “Wilkerson Commons creates an environment of connection and collaboration, and this physical space enhances student learning and is all about student success,” said Vice President for Student Affairs Lori Reesor. “We are so grateful this day has finally arrived.” Construction on the facility began in 2014 after several years of intensive planning involving different members of University staff and faculty, community members and especially students. Representing student concerns and needs during the process was the Association of Residence Halls, which serves the needs of UND’s residence hall community. ARH President Shane Herman, who has been heavily involved throughout the renovation, noted that the redesigned complex now bears so little resemblance to its former self, that he found himself becoming disoriented as
40 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
to where he was, compared to the former layout. “When I walked through the glass doors for the first time, my jaw dropped,” Herman said. “All I could think was, ‘Wow! We, the students, get to eat here, we get to study here, we even get to pick up our mail here.’” Wilkerson Hall began operations almost 50 years ago, bearing the name of James Wallace Wilkerson, a longtime business manager for the University. The chandeliers and portraits of former university presidents that once graced Wilkerson Hall’s wallpapered walls are nowhere to be found against the clean white walls, abundant outlets for student devices, and the modern design that marks a transition for the facility that has served as a cornerstone for student life on campus for the past five decades. “Thousands of students passed through Wilkerson during its nearly 50-year operation, and it always symbolized more to them than just a dining center,” Herman said. “It was a part of their time as a student at the University of North Dakota, a vital piece of their new home.” And, although the facility has little in common with its predecessor, Herman says there is one thing that has remained the same. “Like many students before me, Wilkerson Hall was one of the first buildings I entered on the UND campus, and it’s one we all spend numerous hours in every week,” Herman said. “Through the many changes, Wilkerson has always been, is currently, and will continue to be a home for students on campus.” AR — Carrie Sandstrom University & Public Affairs student writer
Heart of the
Action
UND NURSING STUDENT SHELBY POITRA KEEPS AN OPEN MIND WHILE DISCOVERING A PASSION FOR RESEARCH IN HER FIELD
u
Photo: Shawna Noel Schill
niversity of North Dakota nursing student Shelby Poitra may not have graduated from college yet, but she’s already making her mark on the field of nursing. This summer, Poitra was one of 12 interns at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation (MHIF) at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis. The only nursing student in the program, Poitra brought a unique point of view to the research-intense, 11-week stint at the MHIF. “I know that the students MHIF likes to select are more the pre-med track — I’m nursing,” Poitra said. “(But) research has always been a huge thing in my life, and I thought, ‘Why not?’ It doesn’t hurt to apply.” During the three months she spent at Abbott Northwestern, Poitra analyzed the records of 50 patients to evaluate the impact of using an Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) machine — a machine that oxygenates blood, bypassing the heart and lungs to allow the organs to rest and heal —on patients with septic shock.
some of her interest in medical research was sparked by a desire to learn more about issues that can disproportionately impact American Indians. Although her heritage helped pique her interests, Poitra has since made researching a vast array of subjects a part of her college career. In addition to her summer research endeavors, she has also been involved in several on-campus studies, including one on Alzheimer’s and one studying addiction in zebra fish. Nursing wasn’t always Poitra’s chosen career track. She spent her first few years at school pursuing a pre-med degree. But in her junior year, with only one class left to finish her pre-med class requirements, Poitra realized she wasn’t happy. Although she had never been thrilled with the idea of going into nursing, she kept an open mind and evaluated her options. “I ended up talking to a nursing student,” Poitra said. “She told me a lot of great things about it and how well respected this program is … everything just sort of went from there.”
Good experience
Making a Difference
The results of her research revealed that patients with septic shock had a lower mortality when treated with ECMO and that ECMO may prolong end-of-life care for fatally sick patients with septic shock. An abstract with Poitra’s findings was accepted by the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization — an international nonprofit consortium focusing on therapies for support of failing organ systems — and a poster with her research was displayed in Atlanta the last weekend in September. “(The internship) was a really good experience overall,” Poitra said. “I didn’t feel like I needed to be a pre-med student to be there and do the things that I did.”
Following graduation, with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in hand, Poitra hopes to continue doing research, and she’s thinking about pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice. For Poitra, the future is all about keeping her mind open. “I don’t like being close-minded about things because it limits you so much,” Poitra said. “There’s a lot out there, and the passion that I have for research, it’s like, if it’s going to make a difference for someone someday and it needs to be researched, I want to be a part of that.” AR — Carrie Sandstrom University & Public Affairs student writer
Change of heart
Poitra grew up in St. John, a small town in north-central North Dakota near the Canadian border, and is a member of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa nation. She says that, initially, www.UNDalumni.org | 41
CAMPUS
news
NEWS FROM AROUND CAMPUS
Fulbright Family
r
ichard Shafer figures he’s taught in more than 100 university settings over his decades-long education career. Sometimes, at least seven or eight — he loses count — he served as a Fulbright Scholar in some of the more remote corners of the world as a teacher or as a Peace Corps volunteer in his younger days. Today Shafer, a professor of journalism in the UND Communication Program, is on another adventure as a Fulbright Scholar. But he’s not alone. He’s joined by his wife, Jill, an assistant professor in UND’s Department of Teaching & Learning, who is on her own Fulbright Fellowship — her first. At UND, Jill heads up the graduate English Learner Education Program. They’re in Rwanda to teach at the University of Rwanda in the capital city of Kigali, and to conduct research throughout the country. They reported for their new duties on Oct. 1, and are expected to spend the next seven-to-nine months in Africa. Jill said that they learned at a recent Fulbright training session in Washington, D.C. that a husband-and-wife team on separate scholarly fellowships to the same area is rare. But there was no way that the Shafers, whose youngest son is college-bound, were going to do it alone. Jill jokingly calls it “empty nest” therapy. Despite it being her first Fulbright experience, Jill isn’t exactly a newbie when it comes to education missions around the world. She and their children often would accompany Richard on his past endeavors. Sometimes she would locate her own work once settling into a country. She’s worked for Doctors without Borders and taught English in Uzbekistan and provided lectures on adult education in the Philippines. Last year, she traveled to Ethiopia as part of the “Ethiopia Reads” initiative with Anne Walker, a colleague in the Teaching & Learning department, part of the College of Education & Human Development. Her Fulbright appointment has her assisting in a massive language transition for a mostly agrarian country that existed for generations under French-speaking Belgian rule. The transition includes Rwanda switching its language of education from
42 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
UND’S SHAFERS HEAD TO RWANDA ON SEPARATE PRESTIGIOUS SCHOLARLY FELLOWSHIPS TO LIVE, LEARN AND TEACH French to English. “It’s basically a national shift that is taking place overnight,” Jill says. Jill, an expert in English teaching and learning, will train some of the 1,000 or so native African teachers who will eventually serve as mentors for Rwanda’s language conversion. As for Richard, for his latest Fulbright appointment, he’s continuing to do what he has done in the past: teach journalism and research the state of the press in yet another new setting. Richard describes the press in Rwanda as “very controlled.” He looks forward to interviewing local journalists in the rural provinces that surround Kigali to get a more accurate sense of what it’s like to be a media professional in that kind of environment. “I might have to be a little cautious about the way I go about things, but interviewing journalists is interesting; they are the easiest people in the world to interview because they are all just waiting for someone to finally ask them a question,” Shafer says. The Shafers started the rigorous Fulbright application process nearly two years ago. Rwanda, a tiny yet picturesque African nation that doesn’t appear on some modern world maps, fits the Shafers’ academic and research pursuits and also spoke to their collective sense of adventure. “There is always work to be done in these countries,” Jill says. “But it will be nice to go over there with a particular purpose already laid out.” Richard and Jill said they are grateful to their academic departments, their deans – Dr. Debbie Storrs and Dr. Robert Hill, and the UND leadership for supporting their fellowships. “UND has always been generous and supportive,” Richard says. “The University is pretty encouraging when it comes to flying the UND flag around the world – it’s built into our academic culture.” AR — David Dodds University & Public Affairs writer
Proving
Ground
DAVE HAKSTOL MAKES HIS NHL REGULAR SEASON COACHING DEBUT, PUTTING HIM IN ELITE COMPANY.
i
Photo: Shawna Noel Schill
t didn’t feel much like a hockey setting for Dave Hakstol on the opening night of the NHL season in Tampa, Florida. That’s where the former University of North Dakota coach made his debut as coach of the Philadelphia Flyers. But on that night, just one game into his professional coaching career, Hakstol became part of history. His Flyers fell 3-2 to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first-ever 3-on-3 overtime game played after the NHL implemented the rule change in the offseason. The crisp autumn surroundings of past season openers at Ralph Engelstad Arena or away games at other northern locales were a distant memory for Hakstol that night as he leveled his focus and menacing stare on the task at hand. And other than the final score, “Hak” wouldn’t have had it any other way.
The real deal
After a lifetime of hockey in the amateur and minor professional ranks as a player and coach, Hakstol is getting his shot under the bright lights of the NHL. It’s the real deal for a coach who, for 11 seasons at UND, molded young men into something bigger than themselves, and, in the process, prepared many of them for the next level as citizens and players. At UND, Hakstol led his UND squads to an astounding 289 -141-13 record, including 11 NCAA tournament and seven Frozen Four appearances. His 2004-05 team finished as the NCAA runner up. The Flyers organization recognized Hakstol’s work habits, determination, and attention to detail at the college level and believed he could transfer those traits to the NHL. The Flyers went head-to-head with UND Athletics, which tried to retain its successful coach, but in the end the call of the NHL, a dream to work at the next level, and a multi-million contract were too
much for Hakstol to turn down.
Impressive list
When he assumed his spot behind the Flyers’ bench, Hakstol officially added himself to a long list of former UND players and coaches who have ascended from the college ranks to be coaches at the pinnacle of their respective sports. There’s little doubt that UND has served these skilled leaders as a sort of proving ground on their way to the top. Hakstol, a native of Warburg, Alberta, joins an impressive collection of top-league field generals in Phil Jackson, Bill Fitch and Jimmy Rodgers in basketball and Dave Tippett in hockey, all of whom played or coached at UND early in their careers. Tippett currently is the head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes. He’s served that role since 2009. Before that, he spent six seasons as head coach of the Dallas Stars. He’s led both of his teams to the NHL conference finals. At UND, Tippett served as a captain of the UND hockey team that won a national championship in 1982. It should also be noted, that another UND alum, Tom Renney, coached in the NHL, though he was never affiliated with the UND hockey program during his time in Grand Forks. He eventually would become head coach of three NHL teams — the Vancouver Canucks, the New York Rangers, and most recently, the Edmonton Oilers. He led his teams to three playoff appearances in his career. AR — David Dodds University & Public Affairs writer
www.UNDalumni.org | 43
1 2 1. We were graced with beautiful weather for the annual Homecoming Parade down University Avenue. The parade had dozens of entries from student organizations, university departments, and local businesses.
44 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
3 6
4 2. The 2015 Homecoming Week began with the second annual Kickoff Lunch in which Homecoming King and Queen candidates, along with UND Student Ambassadors and the UND cheer team, served walking tacos to UND students in the Chester Fritz Library Quad. 3. Sioux Award winners pose for a photo with UND President Robert Kelley and Alumni Association & Foundation CEO DeAnna Carlson
5 Zink (left to right): Dave Veeder, ’61; Jill Cholewa, ’77; Henry Herr, ’68, ’71; and Patrick Dirk, ’71, ’72. 4. Luke Schields and Kylie Idso were elected Homecoming King and Queen. The duo got to pick which student programs would receive the proceeds from t-shirt sales. They selected UND Mortar Board and the UND Women’s Rugby team.
5. Members of the UND Women’s Basketball team were the guests of honor at the Champions Club tailgate tent. They mingled with guests and enjoyed walking around tailgate village with our Big Bubba head! 6. Fans were #UNDproud before Saturday’s Homecoming game. Unfortunately, the Green & White were beaten 37-31 by Idaho State. www.UNDalumni.org | 45
UND
Proud
OF NORTH ITY D S R
A OT AK
UN IV E
HONORING THE EXCEPTIONAL
d u o r P We’re proud of the faculty, staff, and students at the University of North Dakota for all they do to make UND an exceptional public research university. Take pride in your alma mater when you see how it’s being recognized regionally, nationally, and globally.
Cornucopia of Giving
Members of the University of North Dakota’s Introduction to University Life (U-Life) classes spent several weeks this fall collecting food for the Northlands Rescue Mission’s Kids+ Backpack Distribution Program. Four U-Life sections, comprising Aviation majors, were able to fill 138 student backpacks. The remaining nine class sections collected enough food to fill about 30 large boxes and more than 40 grocery bags. “The support and encouragement that students received from the campus community was amazing, so much so, that we plan to continue working with this organization next fall,” said the UND Student Success Center’s Stacey Borboa-Peterson (picture on the left with UND student Raechelle Sickels)
UND has once again been named a
Top Military-Friendly University by Military Advanced Education & Transition.
Ranked
1
46 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
The University of North Dakota has been ranked one of the top online bachelor’s degree programs for communication by SuperScholar.org
UND Program Receives Major Grant Champs
The student supply chain team from UND won the fifth annual General Motors/Wayne State University Supply Chair Case competition in October. UND’s team of seniors (pictured left to right) Travis Olson, Jade Gunderson, John Feichtinger, and Evan McLaughlin beat out more than 20 teams.
The University of North Dakota Recruitment-Retention of American Indians into Nursing (RAIN) program has been awarded $555,000 in funding. The grant money comes from North Dakota’s Three Affiliated Tribes (Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara) and will be used to address the educational and employment needs of tribal members. The RAIN program assists American Indian students from prenursing through the doctoral level by providing guidance, personal and financial counseling, and a “home away from home” for students.
Jeanotte named recipient of Community Scholar Award UND Physical Therapy (PT) students were recognized by the organization that sponsors Physical Therapy Day of Service. UND’s program was said to be one of the “best, brightest, and most motivated” across the country. For this year’s Day of Service, UND PT students volunteered at a Grand Forks nursing home.
Leigh Jeanotte, director of University of North Dakota’s American Indian Student Services for 40 years, has been selected as this year’s recipient of the Paul V. Boswell Community Scholar Award. The Boswell Community Scholar Award recognizes an individual for character that embodies the idea of community, an ethic of care for others, a motivation for social change, and an interest in the success of all students. The award is given in memory of Paul Boswell, who served as director of the UND Native Media Center before his death in 2006.
www.UNDalumni.org | 47
BE THE
impact
CAPITALIZING ON A VISION
A QuarterCentury of Support North Dakota Champions Club celebrates 25 years of giving to University of North Dakota Athletics In the past 25 years, fundraising for University of North Dakota Athletics has come a long way. From its earliest days as the Big Green Club, to the Fighting Sioux Club, and today as the Champions Club, our program has had one mission: to create University of North Dakota champions in the classroom, community, and competition by raising funds for scholarships and program enhancement. We’ve accomplished a lot in the past 25 years. Our success is due to the support of our generous donors. When the Alerus Center and the Ralph Engelstad Arena opened their doors in 2001, it represented a turning point for UND Athletics fundraising, as we almost doubled our support, raising $1.6 million. Nearly every year since, we’ve built on our fundraising success, and in 2014-15, Champions Club supporters gave a record of nearly $2.8 million in annual giving. When the club’s founders started the Big Green Club in 1991, we had 145 members. Today, our membership has grown to 2,718 — and over the years, a cumulative total of 35,645 members have provided more than $33 million to UND Athletics. “Our success wouldn’t be possible without the help of many staff members at the UND Foundation and UND Athletics, golfers at our annual golf tour, gala attendees, season ticket holders, and of course every one of our members. What an impact you all have made.” —Mike Mannausau Executive Director, Champions Club, 2012-present
48 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
Lithia Reaches Legend Status For Roger Johnson, a move to North Dakota began as a business venture, but what he didn’t expect to find was a warm sense of community and a love for college athletics. Johnson recalled walking in on one of his first Saturdays at Lithia Ford Lincoln in Grand Forks to find most of his staff huddled around a television watching a UND football game. It was then he realized he wanted to find a way for his store to get involved with such a community staple. “When I came up here four years ago, I saw how important UND Athletics was to the community and wanted us to get involved, and the Champions Club was the perfect way to do it,” said Johnson, Lithia Ford Lincoln general manager. In 2015, Lithia Ford Lincoln became the first-ever North Dakota Champions Club Legend Club member — a membership that has exclusive availability to one person or business per year. “Having Lithia as our first-ever Legend member is huge,” said Mike Mannausau, executive director of North Dakota Champions Club. “This membership shows Lithia’s commitment to support University of North Dakota Athletics. Student-athletes will be greatly impacted by this sponsorship.” “It’s about giving back to the community and giving back to the students, it really is, and the Legends Club allows us to do so by giving out scholarships to UND student-athletes.” “We’re extremely excited to be involved in the University of North Dakota’s Champion Club,” said Tony Telken, service manager at Lithia Ford Lincoln of Grand Forks. “One of the ways we return the favor of our customers supporting us is by supporting UND and North Dakota Athletics. Probably the biggest attractor for us to do the Legend Club level was being able to offer two full student-athlete scholarships.”
North Dakota Champions Club Legend Club membership benefits include, but aren’t limited to: reserved underground parking space at Ralph Engelstad Arena, leadership session with the UND head coach of your choice, complimentary “Best Seats in the House” for football, hockey, and basketball, named impact scholarship and invitation to champion builders reception, VIP pregame ice level experience for member and guest, free admission to women’s hockey and volleyball, and many others. Along with its Legend membership, Lithia Ford Lincoln has also been a sponsor for the Champions Club annual Golf Tours.
Roger Johnson (left) and Tony Telken at Lithia Ford Lincoln in Grand Forks.
2016 Champions Golf Tour Dates: Park River, N.D. June 2 Fargo (Oxbow) June 13 Detroit Lakes, Minn. July 21 Williston, N.D. July 28 Bismarck August 9 Grand Forks (Country Club) August 22
www.UNDalumni.org | 49
BE THE
impact
CREATE THE FUTURE OF UND
Honoring a Veteran and a Graduate
James Bushaw, ‘75, was both an Army veteran and a graduate of the UND College of Business and Public Administration.
Bushaw family creates a lasting legacy with Army ROTC program.
T
he University of North Dakota Army ROTC Reserve Officers Training Course (ROTC) has a mission to mold young men and women into fine leaders of the United States Army. But over the past several years, the ROTC has experienced significant budget constraints. “Just like any public institution, we always find ourselves either under-manned or under budget,” said Lt. Col. Clarence L. Carroll III, professor of military science. The family of James Bushaw, ’75, responded to those constraints. After James passed away, they established the James Bushaw Army ROTC Endowment to further James’ legacy. The department has used the endowment funds to purchase UND Army ROTC equipment trailer wraps and t-shirts, which were given to new cadre to help distinguish between cadets and key personnel during physical fitness class for any medical emergencies that may arise. In 2015, the endowment was used to help fund ROTC’s mandatory Military Ball. The gift funded a night’s stay for the guest speaker and for the meals for the cadets and their guests. “This endowment is a great thing because it allows us to augment our budget and allow our cadets to do things they normally wouldn’t get to do, or if they were to do them, they would have to fund those expenses themselves,” Carroll said.
Family leaves a legacy
The James Bushaw Army ROTC endowment was first established in 2011. “I chose UND’s Army ROTC because my father was both an Army veteran and a graduate of the UND College of Business and Public Administration with a degree in accounting,” said Richard Bushaw, ’00. “He was active in veterans’ affairs having been a longtime VFW member and a VA hospital volunteer. As a U.S. Army veteran myself, it was my hope that this endowment would further prepare future Army leaders.” The Bushaw family has a longstanding tradition of attending UND.
“I’m a graduate, as is my grandmother, father, all my father’s siblings, my sister, and my wife, so we’re definitely a UND family. We hope to see our daughter join us as a UND graduate in due time.” — Richard Bushaw, ‘00
50 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
In 2015, the James Bushaw Army ROTC Endowment was used to help fund ROTC’s mandatory Military Ball. The gift funded a night’s stay for the guest speaker and for all the meals for the Cadets and their guests.
;For Richard and his family, being able to impact the students in the UND Army ROTC program has been an incomparable way to honor their father’s legacy. “The Army has made a tremendous impact on our lives, and being able to give back and to help students who are following in those same footsteps is an incredible opportunity,” said Richard. “My hope for my father’s legacy is that the ROTC department is able to continue to grow and really help the students who are ready and willing to stand up for their country. Along with that, I hope the program continues to train and inspire people who are passionate about the Army and service to the United States.” “We are definitely appreciative that we have this money, because all that money directly impacts our cadets,” said Carroll. “I am a little biased, but I think I can get a majority to agree with me that my students here in the ROTC program are a little bit different than the other students on campus. We have an ethical program — we teach Army values. They understand a sense of responsibility and a sense of service to the country. So our students are pretty special, and we just appreciate being able to do special things for our special students.” — Emily Aasand
“We would not be able to do many of the things that we do with the budget that we are allotted, so we are very, very thankful to the Bushaw family.” — Trudy Soli ROTC office manager
www.UNDalumni.org | 51
BE THE
impact Will you help enhance the campus that shaped your life?
CREATE THE FUTURE OF UND
Every gift makes a difference in the lives of UND students like Mitchell, and contributes to UND’s great learning environment and distinctive student experience.
“I have a lot to be thankful for. My scholarships have helped me pay for necessary textbooks and tuition, and I’m also thankful for the opportunities that came from my involvement in activities. I cherish the relationships with my peers, and hold dear the advice and guidance I’ve received from faculty. My experiences, friendships and memories will prove to be lasting effects UND has made on my life.” —Mitchell Rufer Airport Management and Air Traffic Control DeForest, Wisconsin Class of 2015
52 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
thank you DONORS
The UND Alumni Association & Foundation sincerely thanks all alumni and friends who have made gifts and commitments to support students, faculty, programs, and places at UND. Thank you for all that you do!
Circle
The following donors reached a new giving circle in the Eternal Flame Society between July 1 and September 30, 2015.
WILLIAM BUDGE
* indicates deceased For more information about the Eternal Flame Society, visit UNDalumni.org/EternalFlame
Advanced Engineering & Environmental Services, Inc.
THOMAS CLIFFORD $100,000 - $999,999
Dr. Philip L. & Sandra Barney Basin Electric Power Cooperative Col. Carlton L. Bjerkaas (RET) Eide Motors Wayne E. Hansen & Sara E. Crewe Hansen Terry & Victoria Kovacevich Bob Mullen
Circle
$1,000,000 - $4,999,999
PRESIDENT’S $10,000 - $99,999
Janie A. Alderson Robert & Peggy Alderson Rev. Gerald & Dr. Gail Bass Laura & Richard Block Crescent Point Energy U.S. Corp. Mary & Philip* Deraney Donna & Joe Farrell Foundation for Community Health Barbara & Gregory Heck Josephine M. McIntosh
Circle
Phase Technology Heidi Rognlie William V. Jr. & Kerry L. Ryan Francis D. White Remington G. Zacher
Meet a Donor
Remington Zacher, ’12, knew he wanted to give back to the University of North Dakota as soon as he was able. His senior year, he heard about a fellow accounting graduate who chose to give back to UND with half of the bonus they received for passing the certified public accountant (CPA) exam. “I remember thinking that was so cool — I would never have been able to pass that exam on my first attempt without UND and the accounting faculty,” Zacher said. “I always knew I’d give back to
UND, but hearing stories like that made me realize I didn’t have to wait to start.” Zacher, originally from Parshall, N.D., was the first in his family to attend the University of North Dakota, and since then, his brother and sister have followed. He’s proud to have forged a family legacy on campus. Even his parents, alumni of North Dakota State University, have begun to cheer for UND hockey. Zacher is a Senior International Tax Consultant with Deloitte in Minneapolis, Minn.
www.UNDalumni.org | 53
BE THE
impact
CREATE THE FUTURE OF UND
Tatiana Hamilton (right) with one of the many friends she’s made at UND.
Tatiana Hamilton Fargo Political Science, ’16
Why did you choose UND?
When I toured the University, I fell in love — it truly felt like it could be my home away from home. I also knew that I eventually wanted to go to law school, so I figured walking by the UND School of Law every single day would motivate me to achieve my dream (it worked!).
What is your dream career? My dream job is to work in a government setting, starting out with
being a State Prosecutor. I want to be able to speak on behalf of those who feel like they don’t easily have a voice and help them feel like they received justice. Later in life, I dream of being a judge.
How is UND helping you realize that dream?
I’ve started the path to my dreams in my undergraduate years here at the University of North Dakota. I came into college knowing what I wanted to do, but UND has provided a push further in that direction. I’ve been lucky to have supportive professors in the Political Science department who are always willing to help me and other students as we need it. I’ve gotten the opportunity to take classes that will be a basis for me to pursue my legal career, something I may not have gotten if I attended a different school. Faculty, the classroom environment, the city — all things that can make or break a college experience, but luckily for me, my experience has been nothing but perfect.
54 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
What else have you been involved with? I’ve been very involved in campus activities. I joined Gamma Phi Beta sorority as a freshman, which has given me various opportunities throughout the Greek community. I’ve served as my chapter’s Philanthropy Chair, a member of the Standards committee, and I was a Rho Gamma (recruitment counselor) this fall! I’ve truly found my best friends and support system in my sorority. At the end of the day, everyone is very supportive of their fellow Greeks through tough situations, regardless of their affiliation. I consider myself very blessed to be a part of this community within UND. I am also involved with Student Ambassadors. I am on the Executive Board with about 10 peers who strive to be great representatives of UND. We plan student activities for Welcome Weekend and Homecoming, so the hours can get very crazy, but it’s overall been an amazing experience for me to grow to be more confident. I’ve had so many networking opportunities through the program, including attending the Sioux Awards this fall. I didn’t know when I went into the program that it would be such an opportunity for me to learn and grow, but here I am! I’ve taken a wide variety of classes in my undergraduate studies. Through careful planning and always working my very hardest, I’ll be graduating a semester early. I’m happy that I’ve gotten such a high-quality education at an amazing university.
Grant Program to Advance UND Research
Platform will introduce faculty to new funding sources. A newly developed grant program is helping the state’s top research university find more ways to fund its groundbreaking research. The University of North Dakota Alumni Association & Foundation Grant Program was created to introduce faculty to nontraditional (nongovernmental) sources of funding for research. It is designed to connect faculty with external funding partners in order to advance mutual goals. Dr. William Caraher, associate professor in history, and Dr. Wendelin Hume, associate professor in criminal justice, were selected as the first recipients of the Grant Program. “I’m thrilled to be one of the firsts; that’s always exciting,” said Hume. “Even more so, when you have a new idea for research or a project and it doesn’t exactly fit neatly into existing government guidelines for funding, I was kind of stumped. So when this opportunity opened up, it was perfect and I knew I had to get this.” Hume is looking to do an initial state-wide crime and victimization survey — something she says a lot of other states have — which will give the state a baseline as it goes forward in annual surveying. “It gives voice to the citizens about how our criminal justice system is doing, since that’s my home department, and that way we can improve or be proud of the job that we are doing,” said Hume. “This will allow us to know a little bit more about what’s going on in our state than just going off police crime data that we have now; it’s from the citizens themselves.” Hume and Caraher will work closely with Dave Gregory, director of corporate and foundation relations at the UND Foundation, to identify foundations that match their projects and interests. “I’m excited to work with Dr. Caraher and Dr. Hume in finding corporations and foundations that will support their research efforts,” said Gregory. “Although competitive, there are funds available. This is an opportunity to partner with UND faculty to
secure nontraditional sources of research funding.” The pilot project consists of three calls for interested faculty members to submit their proposals. The first call was done in July 2015. Nine proposals were reviewed, and the first selection letters went out in August. “The proposals we received during the first call were all really great,” Gregory. “As far as criteria went, we looked at the probability of funding and realistic timetables, those kinds of things.” CEO of the Alumni Association and Foundation DeAnna Carlson Zink, along with Thomas DiLorenzo, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, worked together to establish the Grant Program. Carlson Zink said she will be following the progress of the first two recipients with interest. “This could be the start of a productive partnership between our staff and UND faculty members,” said Carlson Zink. “It is wonderful to see that the Alumni Association and Foundation Grant Program is providing opportunities for faculty, and it is important that we work together to foster faculty development and offer funding for their innovative and exciting research,” said DiLorenzo. “I look forward to seeing Dr. Caraher and Dr. Hume’s progress, as well as the future success of the Alumni Association and Foundation Grant Program.” The second call will be at the end of November, and the last call will be in the fall of 2016. — Emily Aasand
www.UNDalumni.org | 55
ALUMNI
news
UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
DO YOU REMEMBER…
Chester Fritz Library Special Collections coordinator, History professor, and writer Dan Rylance, ’66, picture here with Sen. Milton Young in 1975? Rylance authored books on UND benefactor Chester Fritz and North Dakota political heavyweight Quentin Burdick. Rylance now lives in Wisconsin.
1940s Remember when, in
1945, J. Lloyd Stone was named director of the Bureau of Alumni Relations? Stone would serve as head of the organization until 1974. 1948 Dr. Robert Kyle, ’48, HON ’03, has been granted the most prestigious national award granted by the American College of Physicians. Dr. Kyle is one of the top researchers in the field of multiple myeloma, and, at 87, still works toward a cure.
56 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
1960s Remember when, in
1969, a meal plan for UND students cost $235 a semester? 1961 Richard Walstad, ’61, is retiring as co-chairman of the Fargo AirSho after more than two decades of leading the popular event. 1966 Larry Marshall, ’66, has retired after a 30-year career as a commercial property appraiser with the San Diego County Tax Assessors Office.
1969 Tim Purcell, ’69, has retired after a 45-year career as a stagehand. Purcell spent the last 14-and-a-half years as the stage electrician for the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco.
1970s Remember when, in
1970, famed broadcaster and Velva, N.D. native Eric Sevareid spoke at Parents/Honors Days?
1971 Rev. Ron Baesler, ’71, has published the book “The Good, The Bad and the Holy: Stories and Musings from a Lifetime of Ministry.” The book is based on his work in Brazil, Puerto Rico, North Dakota and California. 1973 Zane Anderson, ’73, ’78, has retired from the bench in North Dakota’s Southwest Judicial District Court. Anderson was first elected in 1990. 1974 Diann (Gusaas) Aberle, ’74, has retired after 41 years in education in the Midwest. She has spent the last 12 years as the superintendent in Milnor, N.D.
Graham Campbell, ’74, is president of Foundation Realty in Winnipeg, Manitoba. David Engen, ’74, has been appointed to serve on the Grand Forks County Commission. Engen is an attorney in Northwood, N.D. 1976 Jeffrey Gilles, ’76, ’78, is an orthopedic surgeon with Sidney Health Center in Sidney, Mont. 1978 John Thelen, ’78, ’81, has been appointed to the Northeast Central Judicial District Court bench in Grand Forks. 1979 Julie (Waxvik) Anderson, ’79, ’96, ’00, is Dean of the School of Nursing and Professor of Nursing for the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minn. Kevin Coles, ’79, is superintendent of the Hot Springs (South Dakota) School District.
1980s Remember when, in
1980, a bronze bust of Arctic Explorer Vihjalmur Stefansson, 1902, HON ’30, was dedicated during Homecoming? 1980 Ronald Fischer, ’80, a partner in the Grand Forks Law firm of Pearson Christensen, PLLP, has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the 22nd Edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Fischer has been listed in Best Lawyers since 2006. 1982 David Oberstar, ’82, has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America. Oberstar is an attorney with Fryberger, Buchanan, Smith & Frederick PA in Duluth, Minn.
1983 Dr. Cory Miller, ’83, ’85, has joined St. Andrew’s Health Center in his hometown of Bottineau, N.D.
Dana Metzger, ’89, ’94, is a doctor of osteopathic medicine who specializes in family medicine with Sanford North Walk-in Clinic in Bismarck, N.D.
1984 Brent Edison, ’84, has joined the Vogel Law Firm’s Fargo office. His practice focuses on civil litigation, trial and appellate practice, professional responsibility and liability and natural resources litigation.
Steven Miller, ‘..89, has been recognized with a Special Achievement Award from the North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. The long-time Bismarck High School boys basketball coach is retiring after amassing a 539-256 record. His teams won six state championships and appeared an additional six times in the state championship game.
Scott Knowlen, ’84, has been recognized with a Special Achievement Award from the North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. Knowlen has retired as wrestling coach at Bismarck (N.D.) High School after leading the Demons to 15 state team championships.
Penny Wilkie, ’89, ’94, is a family medicine physician with Sanford’s Downtown Walk-in Clinic in Bismarck, N.D.
1990s Remember when, in
1995, Grand Forks Herald columnist Marilyn Hagerty donated proceeds from her book “Echoes” to support scholarships for journalism students and student-athletes? 1991 Rick Volk, ’91, an Assistant U.S. Attorney, is the supervisor of the Bakken Strike Force. The Strike Force is focused on quelling organized crime in North Dakota’s oil-producing counties. 1992 Todd Trottier, ’92, is a staffing manager with Labor Masters in Fargo.
1985 Scot Key, ’85, has been appointed to the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy Board. Key is the deputy district attorney for the Twelfth Judicial District Attorney’s Office. He lives in Alamogordo, N.M. 1986 Barbara Vesely, ’86, ’92, co-authored a $1 million grant proposal for the Rehabilitation and Addiction Counseling program at St. Cloud State University. The grant will provide for the training of rehabilitation and addiction counselors. 1987 Duane Borgeson, ’87, is the executive director of Learner Support Services for the Moorhead (Minn.) School District. 1989 Jeffrey Doll, ’89, has been promoted to brigadier general in the Army Reserve. For his first role as a general officer, Doll was selected to serve as commanding general of the Army Reserve Sustainment Command in Birmingham, Ala.
Delta Upsilon Reunion Some fraternity brothers from Delta Upsilon held a reunion in Devils Lake this past summer. Pictured standing (left to right): Charles LaGrave, ’69, John Jacobson, ’69, Tim White, ’70, Paul Goulding, ’70, Paul Simon, ’69, and John McLean, ’69. In the front row (left to right): Lynn Coles, ’69, Howard Myers, ’69, Warren Halvorson, ’70, and Clifford “Kip” Cranna, ’69.
www.UNDalumni.org | 57
ALUMNI
news
UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Kevin Walters, ’92, is a family medicine physician with TriCounty Health Care in Wadena, Minn. 1994 James Haussler, ’94, has been recognized with a Special Achievement Award from the North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. Haussler is the long-time activities director for Bismarck Public Schools. Robert Huschka, ’94, has been named executive editor of the Detroit Free Press. Huschka has been with the newspaper for more than 16 years. Monica (Hoghaug) Murphy, ’94, is an accounting specialist II with Starion Financial in Mandan, N.D.
1995 Beverly (Swenson) Gibson, ’95, ’99, ’08, is a nurse practitioner in the walk-in care department at the Essentia Health West Acres Clinic in Fargo. Barry Wenger, ’95, is the organist and bell choir director for First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest, Ill. Wenger also has a private piano, organ, and harpsichord studio. 1997 Brenda (Grasso) Grant, ’97, has joined PlayCore, a Tennessee-based playground equipment maker, as general counsel. Aaron Heitke, ’97, is the chief patrol agent for the U.S. Border Patrol’s Grand Forks sector.
Melissa (Olson) Nilsson, ’97, ’00, was selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America. Nilsson specializes in family law for Minneapolisbased Henson & Efron. Amy (Tripp) Otterson, ’97, is a human resources director with Bank Forward in Fargo. 1998 Karri (Moe) Lopez, ’98, is teaching kindergarten through second grade at St. Thomas (N.D.) Public School. 1999 Joel Bird, ’99, recently attended the Ameriprise Financial Wealth Management Conference in California. He is a private wealth advisor in Bismarck, N.D. Sherry DeMaine, ’99, ’00, is a 21st century instructional coach in the West Fargo School District. Jennifer (Karels) Gibbs, ’99, is the manager of central sterile with Altru Health System in Grand Forks. Jason Kirchmeier, ’99, recently attended the Ameriprise Financial Wealth Management Conference in California. He is a private wealth advisor in Bismarck, N.D. Erin (Ziegler) Petersen, ’99, ’04, is an instructional coach with the West Fargo School District.
UND Fills Vital Roles Grant McGimpsey, vice president for research and economic development; and Stephanie Walker, dean of libraries & information resources are settling into their positions at the University of North Dakota. McGimpsey began his new position at UND on Sept. 8. He comes to UND after holding a similar position at Kent State University (KSU) in Ohio. Walker assumed her new duties on Sept. 16, and formerly worked as Chief Librarian & Executive Director of Academic Information Technology at City University of New York’s Brooklyn College.
58 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
Darin Schumacher, ’99, is teaching seventh through twelfth grade math at St. Thomas (N.D.) Public School. Cindy Solberg, ’99, is serving as executive director of the Manitoba North Dakota Zero Tillage Farmers Association. She is a communication specialist with Clearwater Communications in Bismarck, N.D.
2000s
Remember when, in 2003, Erin Borgschatz won the 3-meter springboard diving competition at the Division II National Championships? 2000 Cindy (Scott) Sondag, ’00, ’03, ’11, works for Sanford Health in Fargo. She specializes in eating disorders and psychiatry. 2001 Donald Gullicks, ’01, ’10, has received the Golden Stethoscope Award from his employer, Sanford Health. Gullicks practices obstetrics and gynecology at the Sanford Moorhead (Minn.) campus. Jane (Stewart) Laux, ’01, ’05, is a 21st century instructional coach in the West Fargo School District. 2002 Scott Johnson, ’02, is the recipient of a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Awardees receive a citation signed by the President and $10,000 from the National Science Federation. Johnson is a science teacher at Century High School in Bismarck, N.D. Jon Kolberg, ’02, ’09, is a family and sports medicine physician with Sanford Seventh & Thayer Clinic in Bismarck, N.D. JoAnna (Kaspar) O’Neil, ’02, ’04, is a special education teacher in Pequot Lakes, Minn. Michael O’Neil, ’02, ’03, is a middle school principal in Pequot Lakes, Minn.
2004 Justin Ahmann, ’04, has earned his North Dakota Professional Engineer registration from the State Board of Registration. Ahmann is a civil engineer with Ackerman-Estvold in Minot, N.D. Brian Midboe, ’04, ’11, is an anesthesiologist with St. Luke’s Anesthesia Associates in Duluth, Minn. Jason Strand, ’04, is a project engineer in the Minot, N.D., office of AE2S. 2005 Scott McCarthy, ’05, is a sales and account manager at Silicon Plains in Bismarck, N.D.
Jonathan Toews, ’07, won the Mark Messier Leadership Award for the 2014-15 NHL season. Toews is a captain for the Chicago Blackhawks. He was recognized for his commitment and service to charities in his community. 2008 Ryan Clauson, ’08, is a family medicine physician with CHI St. Alexius Health Medical Plaza in Mandan, N.D. Eric Fenstad, ’08, is a general cardiologist with Minneapolis Heart Institute who will see patients at clinics in Baxter, Crosby and Aitkin, Minn.
Pamela Holsinger-Fuchs, ’08, is the dean of enrollment for Saint Martin’s University in Lacey, Wash. Kara Johnson, ’08, is disciplinary counsel with the North Dakota Supreme Court Disciplinary Board. Christopher Lindblad, ’08, is an associate attorney with Kelsch Kelsch Ruff & Kranda in Mandan, N.D. Kylie Swanson, ’08, ’15, is a principal at Larimore (N.D.) Elementary. Swanson has been a second grade teacher and elementary school counselor in the district since 2000.
2009 Jesse Elis, ’09, is the performance physical therapist for professional tennis player Coco Vandeweghe. Alicia Miller, ’09, is a mortgage origination assistant with Cornerstone Bank in Bismarck, N.D. Stacy (Blodgett) Smith, ’09, is an assistant corporate secretary and the executive manager to the chairman, president and CEO at Gate City Bank in Fargo.
2006 Justin Hagel, ’06, ’14, is an associate attorney in the Bismarck, N.D., office of Vogel Law Firm. Ashley (Hughes) Lundin, ’06, ’11, is an ophthalmologist with Sanford Bemidji (Minn.) Eye Center & Optical. Teresa Seright, ’06, ’10, is the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs for the College of Nursing at Montana State University in Bozeman, Mont. 2007 Amanda (Skinner) Dudgeon, ’07, ’11, has been awarded an APEX Award for Publication Excellence. Dudgeon, a nurse practitioner at Altru Cancer Center in Grand Forks, was the co-author of an article published in the American Journal of Nursing. Alex Krigen, ’07, is a chief development officer for University of Nebraska Athletics. He is the lead fundraiser for capital development. Brandon Pittenger, ’07, ’11, is the manager of F-M Title in Fargo. Kari (Flaten) Skauge, ’07, is a personal banking officer with Valley Premier Bank in Moorhead, Minn.
OT Reunion On September 24, 2015, five Occupational Therapy graduates from 1970 met for a reunion in Bloomington, Minnesota. From left to right, they are Carol (Tuminelly) Voukides, Karen (Strack) Wasick, Becky (Burbrige) Maier, Sheila (Baker) Benson, and Laurel Charles.
www.UNDalumni.org | 59
ALUMNI
news
UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
2010s Remember when, in
2011, UND student Andrew Petefish was one of the top three senior Army ROTC cadets in the country? 2010 Richard Bjerklie, ’10, is the superintendent for the Napoleon (N.D.) School District. Matthew Hefty, ’10, is a surgeon with Mid Dakota Clinic General Surgery Department and PrimeCare Surgical Weight Loss Program in Bismarck, N.D.
Margaret Miller, ’10, studied biotic, physical, and cultural forces that affect tropical biodiversity in Costa Rica this past summer. Miller, a sixthgrade teacher at Fertile-Beltrami (Minn.) School District took the graduate course as part of Miami University’s Earth Expeditions program.
2012 Nikolaus Butz, ’12, ’15, is an instructor in the Department of Management in the College of Business and Public Administration at UND.
2011 Eli Rosendahl, ’11, is the goaltending coach for the U.S. Hockey League’s Fargo Force. Previously he’d spent the past 18 months as the head coach of the Hockey Academy at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks.
Katelyn Mari, ’12, is an occupational therapist with Pediatric Therapy Partners in Fargo.
Kaleigh Frey, ’12, is a licensed professional counselor at Project Turnabout in Granite Falls, Minn.
2013 Skye Albert, ’13, ’14, is a social worker in Divide County, N.D. She is the first UND graduate to benefit from a grant program designed to fill a need for child welfare workers in oil-producing North Dakota counties. Christel Croxen, ’13, is an associate attorney with Gjesdahl Law in Fargo. Andrew Diephuis, ’13, is a district sales manager with PostBulletin Co. in Rochester, Minn. Clayton Senyo, ’13, works for Boeing Defense, Space & Security in St. Louis, Mo., as an Electrical Systems Design and Analysis Engineer.
North Dakota Potluck UND alumni have been gathering each spring for more than 30 years for a potluck dinner in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Alumni and spouses from this year’s gathering: Front row (left to right): Robert Hess, ’52; Phyllis (Herigstad) Hess, ..’52; Janice (Hanson) Fisher, ’69; Mary (Hoistad) Ziegler, ’74; and Janice Rudisill. Second row (l – r): John Malpert, ’91; Amy (Bohnsack) Timpe, ’08, ’10; Marci Malpert; Mary Johnson; Dr. Richard “Buzz” Ziegler, ’75; and Alvin Rudisill, ’60. Back row (l – r): Dr. Kent Johnson, ’68, ’75; Dr. James Gilsdore, ’66, ’68, ’69; Brenden Timpe, ’04, and David Fisher.
60 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
2014 Emily Johnke, ’14, is an advertising assistant for Agweek, an ag-focused publication of the Grand Forks Herald. Jacob Kostecki, ’14, is ag operations manager for the Crookston, Minn., District of American Crystal Sugar Co. Bailey Stotts, ’14, is an occupational therapist with Pediatric Therapy Partners in Fargo.
Alexie Traiser, ’14, is an occupational therapist with Pediatric Therapy Partners in Bismarck, N.D. 2015 Brent Noonan, ’15, is an engineer in the municipal group in the Bismarck, N.D., office of KLJ. Emily (Triplett) Butz, ’15, is a first grade teacher at Winship Elementary in Grand Forks. AR The information for Class News is compiled from newspapers, online postings, reader submissions, and the UND AA&F database. If you spot an error, please email alumnireview@undalumni.net.
www.UNDalumni.org | 61
1
2
ADDITIONS 1
Val (Sannes), ’08, ’11, and Jackson Sussex are the proud parents of Baker, born July 24, 2015. The Sussex family lives in Grand Forks.
2
Marty, ’11, and Carissa Johnson are the proud parents of Brynlee Grace Johnson, born July 20, 2015. The Johnsons live in Greenwood Village, Co.
3
Sarah (Haugen), ‘08, and Bailey Nordin, ‘04 welcomed Lennon Elizabeth to their family on May 7, 2015. The family lives in Fargo.
4
Max Allan Mazigian was born February 2, 2015, to Jason, ‘03, and Amy Mazigian. The family lives in Bismarck, N.D.
5
Doriana Jo McCallum was born May 26, 2015, to proud parents Darbie Claus, ‘15, and David McCallum, currently a UND Law School student. The family is living in Enderlin, N.D.
6
Archer Lance Doll was born on March 30, 2015, to Jennifer (Knoop), ‘03, and Marty Doll. The family lives in Plymouth, Minn.
7
Trip and Rafe Medhus were born February 27, 2015, to Jared and Laura (McClaflin) Medhus, ’07. The family lives in Fargo.
8
Taryn Clara Vanyo was born on July 26, 2014, to Tera (Swartz), ’03, and Travis Vanyo. The Vanyo family lives in Grand Forks.
9
Neil , ‘02, ‘05, and Sarah (Kunesh) Kadrmas, ‘05, welcomed their third son, Porter Hayes, on August 7, 2015. The family lives in Washburn, N.D.
10
Jenna (Phibbs), ’09, and Christopher Gorman, ’08, are the proud parents of Jackson Thomas Gorman, born on July 9, 2015, in Lewisville, Texas. The family now lives in Faribault, Minn.
62 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
3
4
5
6
7
9
8
11
Lucille Susan Franklin was born October 9, 2015, to Jake, ’08, and Lana (Hauert) Franklin, ’06. The Franklins live in Grand Forks.
12
Tucker James Dahl was born May 29, 2015, to Alissa (Kempert), ’06, and Grant Dahl. The family resides in Grand Forks.
13
Bill Zeller, ’89, and Kirsten Ovind, ’90, got married on top of Vail Mountain on February 2, 2014. The two met in calculus class at UND and got reacquainted years later at a Frozen Four hockey game. The couple recently moved back to Grand Forks.
14
Mitchell Beck, ’12, and Megan Meyer, ’14, were married August 8, 2015, on the UND campus. The couple currently resides in Gonvick, Minn.
15
Colton Rohrenbach, ’13, and Cassandra Rogness were married October 9, 2015. The couple lives in Farmington, Minn.
10
If you would like your addition or celebration to be included in the next Alumni Review, send a high resolution photo to alumnireview@undalumni.net. We do not accept Facebook or mobile uploads. Photos will be published in the order in which they were received, space permitting, and at the discretion of Alumni Review staff. We look forward to helping you celebrate!
11
12
14
15
13
www.UNDalumni.org | 63
In Memoriam
It is with great honor we dedicate these pages to alumni and friends of the University of North Dakota who have recently passed away. These members of the alumni family helped ignite the spirit of UND, paving the way for a bright future.
1930s Ellen (Lund) Gronvold, ..’35, Orlando, Fla. Ruth (Aageson) Bettendorf, ‘37, Minneapolis
1940s Howard Alphson, ‘41, Santa Monica, Calif. Henry Wildfang, ..’41, Rockport, Texas Richard Westberg, ‘44, Wyomissing, Pa. Dolores (Friesz) Fitzsimmons, ‘46, Billings, Mont. Ruby (Hovet) Latvala, ..’48, Medford, Ore. Dr. Paul Kannowski, ‘49, ‘52, Grand Forks C. Warren Lindgren, ‘49, ‘50, Vista, Calif. Francis Nelson, ‘49, Poulsbo, Wash. Peter Willcox Jr., ‘49, Saint Louis, Mo.
1950s Laura (Calhoun) Hill, ..’50, Modesto, Calif. Ralph Hjelmstad, ..’50, Phoenix, Ariz. Alton Johnson, ‘50, Spring Valley, Calif. Emmett Johnson, ‘50, ‘54, Roscoe, S.D. Paul McKinnon, ..’50, Kennewick, Wash. Mary (Ziegler) Starks, ‘51, Missoula, Mont. Marian (Johnson) Zejdlik, ‘51, Minneapolis G. William Eccles, ‘52, Grand Forks Robert Lovell, ‘52, Anderson, S.C. John Noah, ‘52, ‘60, Fargo Loren Devine, ‘53, Saint Paul, Minn. James Flaa, ‘53, ‘58, Plymouth, Minn. Margaret (Tracy) Hulteng, ‘53, Billings, Mont. Robert Waller, ‘53, Billings, Mont. Duane Williams, ‘53, Lake Zurich, Ill. Thomas Eckroth, ..’54, McPherson, Kan. Dennis Driscoll, ‘55, Las Vegas, Nev. Robert Grant, MD, ‘55, Agoura Hills, Calif. Gerald Rossow, ‘55, ‘56, Hobe Sound, Fla. Emory Solie, ‘55, Minneapolis Arlen Throndset, ‘55, Grand Forks Nancy (Shelley) Burbidge, ‘56, Minneapolis
64 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
Karen (Brett) Griffin, ..’56, Grand Forks
Frank Goeson, ..’66, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Dianne (Smith) Stone, ‘56, Rapid City, S.D.
Dr. Donald Campbell, ‘67, Danville, Va.
Dale Barsness, ‘57, The Villages, Fla.
Ian Vaughan, ..’68, Winnipeg, Canada
Betty (Wagner) Larson, ‘57, McVille, N.D.
William Baron, ‘69, Driggs, Idaho
John Drees, ‘58, Lompoc, Calif.
Lowell Ellingson, ‘69, Richland, Wash.
Earl Lutz, ‘58, East Grand Forks, Minn.
Dr. Dennis Kost, ‘69, Portland, N.D.
Richard Maves, ..’58, Crookston, Minn.
Coral (Western) Pinke, ‘69, Vergas, Minn. Stephen Rendahl, ‘69, Thompson, N.D.
Alvin Siegle, ‘58, Pelican Rapids, Minn. Evelyn (Berglund) Vietz, ‘58, Minneapolis Edvin Erickson, ‘59, Kettle Falls, Wash. Myron Ostlund, ‘59, Atlanta, Ga. Richard Skjerven, ‘59, ‘61, Los Gatos, Calif.
1970s Eric Ahlfors, ‘70, Toledo, Ohio Jerome Keller, ‘70, West Fargo, N.D.
James Stromberg, ‘59, Denver, Colo.
Bernice Markeseth, (Swanson) ‘70, Forman, N.D.
1960s
Joseph Bushaw, ..’71, Grand Forks
Robert Neumann, ‘70, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Gloria (Moser) Annear, ‘60, Devils Lake, N.D.
Dwight Kautzmann, ‘71, Mandan, N.D.
Edward Filiatrault, ‘60, Fort Myers, Fla.
F. Gordon Snyder, ..’71, Waite Park, Minn.
Roland Rorvig, ‘60, Fargo
Teri (Corpron) Behr, ..’72, Grand Forks
Larry Wilkes, ..’60, Minot, N.D.
James Rader, ‘72, Fargo
Donald Hegge, MD, ‘61, Sequim, Wash.
Lawrence Rudh, ..’72, Grand Forks
Thomas Klinkhammer, ‘61, Valley City, N.D.
Dr. S. Richard Gunn II, ‘73, Sioux Falls, S.D. Rose Marie (Pershke) Monteith, ‘73, ‘74,
Howard Wrigley, ‘61, Fargo Charles Askegard, ‘62, Meridian, Idaho Erling Dahl, ‘62, Hettinger, N.D. Laurel Gamache, ‘62, Lisbon, N.D. Scott Girard, MD, ‘62, Bismarck James Graham, ‘62, Warren, Minn. Arlin Schaap, ‘62, Bay Saint Louis, Miss. John Klein, ‘64, ‘65, Ogden, Utah A. Warren Stokes, ‘64, ‘69, Surprise, Ariz. John Decker, ‘65, Marysville, Wash. Orville Fossland, ‘65, Bismarck Dr. William Mitchell, ‘65, Sun City West, Ariz. Ronald Volden, ‘65, North Mankato, Minn. Lt. Col. (Ret) Douglas Wigness, ‘65, Arlington, Texas Nanci (Russell) Agnew, ‘66, Menoken, N.D. Dale Carlson, ‘66, Lake Preston, S.D.
Grand Forks Maureen (Hall) Carlson, ‘74, ‘75, Glenburn, N.D. Mary Jane Crook, ‘74, Oglethorpe, Ga. Raymond Venzke, ‘74, Appleton, Wis. Lonna (Stenerson) Hillis, ‘75, Cavalier, N.D. Patrick O’Brien, ‘75, Mandan, N.D. Beverly (Vettel) Dennis, ‘76, Omaha, Neb. Leo Cariveau, ‘77, Phoenix, Ariz. Elizabeth (Fargusson) Maxwell, ‘77, Richville, Minn. John Whisenand, ‘77, Whitefish, Mont. Larry Haakenstad, ‘78, Kirkland, Wash. Mary (Beachem) Smith, ..’78, Buford, Wyo. Darrell Swanson, ‘78, Morgan Hill, Calif. Lillian (Goodiron) White Temple, ‘78, Bullhead, S.D. Scott Gilbraith, ‘79, Grand Forks
Gorman King Jr., ‘79, Bethesda, Md. Roxanne (Walz) Llewellyn, ‘79, Williston, N.D. Gerald Weiss, ‘79, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
1980s Dallas (Barkman) Dufault, ..’80, Argyle, Minn. Donald Fry, ..’80, Moorhead, Minn. Stacy (Thompson) Ledin, ‘80, ‘81, Joplin, Mo. Jane (Palmer) Messenger, ‘80, Grand Forks Pamela (Halvorson) Franko, ‘81, Winona, Minn. Frank Kahren, ‘82, Danville, Calif. Mary (Honea) Robinson, ‘82, Carver, Minn. Dianne Kays, ‘85, Thief River Falls, Minn. Danny Marquart, ‘85, Lakota, N.D. Patricia Solinger, ‘88, Nortonville, N.D. Norma (Axelson) Anderson, ‘89, ‘93, Loveland, Colo.
1990s
Friends
Thomas Martzall Jr., ‘90, Grand Forks
Darlain Atol, Williston, N.D.
Lea (Bodelson) Brueckner, ‘91, Atlanta, Ga.
Hilda (Heimbuck) Bagstad, Hillsboro, N.D.
Joyce (Boedeker) Ulland, ‘92, Mayville, N.D.
Jane (Winings) Denk, Devon, Pa.
Matthew Skogen, ‘97, Bismarck
Francis Jabara, Wichita, Kan.
2010s
Mildred (Johnson) Kelley, Grand Forks
Brent Bartsch, ‘11, Tianjin, China
Roger Moe, Grafton, N.D.
Taylor Goven, ..’15, Mandan, N.D.
Jeanette (Allen) Varberg, Deering, N.D.
Alan Kenien, MD, Fargo
Jesse Bergmann, ..’15, Winnipeg, Canada Eric McGauvran, ..’15, Thompson, N.D.
Retired Faculty/Staff Teckla Jacobson, Grand Forks Virginia (Weir) Bruski, Grand Forks Claude Myrick, Grand Forks
www.UNDalumni.org | 65
THE
wrap
TIDBITS, NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE UND AA&F
Fall 2015
INSIDE: Find out how to vote on UND’s new nickname. P. 16 ®
P. 28
GUITAR MAN
Brickson to Retire
Mark Brickson, Director of Development for the UND School of Law and the College of Nursing & Professional Disciplines, has announced his retirement at the end of the December. In Mark’s 25 years of commitment to UND, he has served as Director of Student Financial Aid, Director of Career Services at the School of Law, and Director of Development at the UND Alumni Association & Foundation. Over the years, you heard his voice as the public address announcer at UND sporting events and he has served as “The Voice” of UND Commencement exercises. Mark’s leadership has helped to bring the Law School building renovation and expansion project to fruition. Good luck on your retirement, Mark!
66 | Alumni Review Winter 2015
Jeff Huss, ‘81, ‘83, studied law at UND, but his passion for bluegrass music led him to create guitars, not legal briefs. P. 6
Find the Flame Winners!
The flame was extremely well-hidden on the cover of the fall issue. Not only was it hard to distinguish from the other splotches around it, but it was also upside-down. Our three winners, whose names were drawn at random, are Ron Frigstad, Jan Kallinen, and Rachel Brown. If you find the flame on this issue’s cover, email your guess to alumnireview@ undalumni.net and you could win a prize package from the UND Alumni Association & Foundation.
McGimpsey Joins UND AA&F
Margot McGimpsey has joined the UND Alumni Association & Foundation as our Chief Engagement and Communications Officer. McGimpsey comes to us from Kent State University, where she was the Director of Advancement in the College of Public Health. Margot earned her BA from McMaster University in Canada and her MBA from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts. Welcome to the team, Margot!
Pifer’s AUCTION & REALTY and Land Management
Land Auctions • Farm Land Management Real Estate • Machinery Auctions Commercial Auctions • Residential Auctions
“Ranked as one of the largest land auction companies in America,”
- Land Report Magazine
Pifer’s Exclusively Offers Drone Technology for Land Management Profiles! Many farmland owners have hired professional managers to manage their land to achieve their goals and objectives in recent years. This asset class has experienced unprecedented returns. What’s more, farmland owners have decided to capitalize on strong prices by selling their land. For the best results, the firm to call is Pifer’s.
Land Management Pifer’s specializes in managing farmland for individuals, families, retirees and investors. Pifer’s team of farmland managers are seasoned negotiators, astute managers and the best in their field.
Land Sales
Pifer’s, one of the largest land auction companies in America, sells 50,000 acres annually. Call for a free consultation today for a recommendation on selling your land. The hallmark of Pifer’s is to consistently do the very best for its clients.
Kevin Pifer inspects a field of dry land potatoes near Larimore in June.
Call Today for a FREE Consultation! Legend Real Estate Sales - Land Auctions Machinery Auctions - Livestock Auctions
Kevin Pifer, ‘81 kpifer@pifers.com 701.238.5810
Pete Pifer, ‘79
ppifer@pifers.com 720.587.7600
Pifer’s
AUCTION & REALTY
Bob Pifer
bob@pifers.com 701.371.8538
1506 29th Ave S Moorhead, MN 56560
Land Management
WHY CHOOSE PIFER’S?
550,000 + ACRES SOLD
Livestock Marketing Real Estate Sales - Land Auctions
IN THE PAST 13 YEARS At Record Setting Values!
877.700.4099 www.pifers.com
University of North Dakota Alumni Association 3501 University Ave Stop 8157 Grand Forks, ND 58202-8157
Cloisters & Courtyards
May 19 – June 1, 2016 Barcelona to London
Ornate cathedrals, flower-filled courtyards and lush vineyards are just some of the sights that await you on this voyage aboard Oceania Cruises’ intimate Nautica. From Barcelona to London, encounter renowned cities in Portugal, Spain and France as you weave your way through the colorful mosaic of Western Europe.
Majestic Alaskan Beauty July 15 – 25, 2016
Seattle to Seattle
Experience Alaska’s rugged beauty while sailing aboard Oceania Cruises’ graceful Regatta. From Seattle, journey north to the picturesque Alaskan ports of Ketchikan, Wrangell, Juneau, Haines and Sitka, marvel at the magnificent Hubbard Glacier, and explore lovely Victoria, B.C. before returning to Seattle.
TO BOOK YOUR TRIP Call 800.842.9023 or to view all UND alumni travel opportunities, visit www.undalumni.org/alumnitours.