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Western and Central North Dakota brand of research North Dakota is known for its scenery and open spaces. In the research field, the higher eduction systems in the western and central part of the state also have their own brand of research.
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STEPPING STONE TO A BIGGER VISION: HIT, Inc. expansion project one piece of the puzzle Independence, dignity, and respect.
Western and Central North Dakota brand of research North Dakota is known for its scenery and open spaces. In the research field, the higher education systems in the western and central part of the state also have their own brand of research. ake for example, the Theodore Roosevelt Center that is developing at Dickinson State University in Dickinson, ND. The TR Center is digitizing all of Roosevelt’s documents and creating the presidential library for the 26th U.S. President, according to Clay Jenkinson, Theodore Roosevelt Humanities Scholar. “This will become a major tourist attraction,” he explains. “People will include it on the presidential library and museum circuit. Dickinson mattered to Roosevelt. That is why we want it to be here.” As is true of other presidents who served before the formal presidential library system developed, Roosevelt’s papers TR Center Clay Jenkinson and James Hutson are scattered in repositories
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around the country. It is estimated that more than 250,000 documents are in the Library of Congress and another 75,000 at Harvard University. Then there are an estimated 10,000 at the National Park Service sites related to Roosevelt. The Theodore Roosevelt Center already has formal partnerships with these organizations and has digitized much of their TR holdings. Yet many documents are held elsewhere, Jenkinson says. “In all, we estimate there are more than a million documents to be gathered and cataloged,” he says. Paid personnel and volunteers are organizing and describing the documents to create the digital, national presidential library on the Dickinson campus. The first assortment of fully described and searchable documents will be made available in mid-November of this year. The Theodore Roosevelt Center, when fully developed, will comprise a museum, a convening center, and a Roosevelt reading room modeled after TR’s library in his home at Sagamore Hill, in addition to the intellectual center for organizing and interpreting the digital library. WNDPB
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Clay Jenkinson in Badlands (Photo courtesy of Shanna Shervheim, DSU)
Dr. Paul Gunderson, Director, Dakota Center for Technology-Optimized Agriculture
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Jenkinson also believes that Dickinson State University is the perfect place to house the documents because there is a general research component embedded into the university system. “The Theodore Roosevelt digital library represents a major contribution to research on the part of Dickinson State University,” he says. “We want this to turn into a research magnet.”
agricultural occupational safety and health in cooperative with the University of North Dakota’s Center for Rural Health. The Center and its partner, Agri-ImaGIS Technologies of Maddock and Fargo, ND, have conducted extensive on-farm research into the use of precision agriculture technologies and additional product needs.
PRODUCERS BENEFITING FROM AG RESEARCH CENTER
OTHER RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
Lake Region State College in Devils Lake, ND is the home to the Dakota Center for Technology-Optimized Agriculture. The Center was initially funded with internal resources of Lake Region State College and by the North Dakota Governor’s Center of Excellence Initiative to conduct high end technological research and generate entrepreneurial opportunity for northern high plains agricultural producers and agri-related enterprises. Spearheaded by Dr. Paul Gunderson, the Center’s Director, the Center has created more than 11 jobs within North Dakota’s private precision agriculture industry and developed an application for the world’s first commercially successful on-the-go manure nutrient sensor capable of withstanding the rigors of in-field high plains ag use. In addition, the Center has developed a graduate-level education training program for physicians and nurses in
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Documented need for training of agricultural producers about precision agriculture tools and their integration into operating enterprises. Equipment designs for precision guided slurry manure injection technology. Fabrication of a precision slurry manure injector for high plains producer on-farm use. Precision agriculture training modules for use in Internet-based environments. A first-generation optimizer module for producers wishing to evaluate purchase and use of precision agriculture tools within high plains enterprises. Training materials for assisting agricultural producers with use of office-based computer technology, field-based IPAQ’s/SmartPhones, transfer and usage of large data files, and networking of people, machines, and farm/ranch offices. WNDPB Alan Van Ormer - avanormer@prairiebizmag.com
Stepping stone to a bigger vision:
office@wscfoundation.com | 701-572-9275
HIT, Inc. expansion project one piece of the puzzle Independence, dignity, and respect. hese are the first words you see when you pull up the HIT, Inc. webpage at www.hitinc.org. Their goal is to provide quality, life enhancing services to individuals with disabilities. In a world where disabilities can sometimes seem scary to those who don’t understand it, HIT, Inc. helps bridge the gap and serves as a catalyst so clients can become a part of the community. Their full spectrum services are designed to help individuals from birth to end of life transitions. Some of those services include: Infant development - where they begin working with infants from birth to age three - the age when the school system takes over for special education. Day Services - specifically designed to help individuals develop daily living, social and prevocational skills that may include job placement in the community. This service also provides education to employers so they fully understand the full spectrum of their potential employee’s disability. Residential Services - a spectrum of services that includes in-home support services, residential services to people that live in their own apartments, and group homes. The Headstart Programs in Mandan, Hebron, Hazen, Beulah, Carson, and New Salem encourage low income families to become involved with their children’s education at a very young age. Brain Injury Services - provides speech and occupational therapy, residence, and a transitional program for patients with strong rehab potential. Since its humble beginnings in 1979,
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Frontier Hall*, 3rd Floor Commons In 2010 we built a new career and technology center, residence hall* and started construction on a science addition. Please help us continue the growth at WSC. Donate to the vision online at www.wscfoundation.com.
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Back Row: Bismarck/Mandan Chamber Ambassadors. Front Row: (left to right) John Loerch, HIT Foundation BOD - Dave Afton, HIT Foundation BOD - Paul Myerchin, HIT BOD - Bill Schuh, HIT BOD - Linda Anseth, HIT BOD - Curt Walth, HIT & Foundation BOD - Jane Porter, HIT BOD President - Jim Froelich, HIT & Foundation BOD
HIT, Inc. has grown from seven employees to just over 500 individuals. This growth in staff and clientele is what prompted the need for a 43,000 square-foot multi-million dollar expansion project in northwest Mandan. “This will be the first time that we’ve had a building designed specifically for our needs, rather than making due with what we had,” says CEO Mike Remboldt. Those custom needs include: ■ Eight foot hallways allowing easier mobility for wheelchairs ■ More space to allow for more clients and support staff ■ Windows for daylight ■ State-of-the-art training room for activities and staff training ■ Easier access for families, clients, and staff Located right off I-94 on Sunset Drive, this new expansion will also provide an increase in the economy for the Mandan area.
“We are proud to be a Mandan-based company!” Remboldt exclaims. “Every time we grow, we need more professional support staff to enhance the services provided by the direct support workers. Those employees help the Mandan economy in many ways because they buy lunch, groceries, and even gas over here in Mandan even though they might live in Bismarck.” As a company, HIT, Inc. takes pride in buying supplies locally and hiring staff from the community. Overall community involvement is also highly valued among Remboldt and his leadership staff. They encourage their employees to be active in the community and are frequent participants in organizations such as YPN and the Chamber of Commerce, as well as volunteering at other community events. As the CEO of HIT, Inc., Remboldt has a big vision for his company. An accounting major by trade, his passion stems from a deep love, not only for the non-profit world, but also for the services that the company provides. Over the last three years, HIT, Inc. has successfully helped 16 developmentally challenged individuals transition from a life of institution to a life of community. “We consider those to be huge success stories!” Remboldt says. The new building is the third construction project for the company in the last 12 months. By the time it is completed in July 2012, they anticipate adding up to 50 more employees, which includes direct staff, nurses, and support staff collectively. “In order to have more success stories, we need to make sure our infrastructure is ready for it. I think of this expansion as a necessity,” Remboldt continues, “but it’s also a stepping stone. This building is just one piece of the puzzle.”
WNDPB Mandy Anderson is a Bismarck, ND-based freelance writer. She can be reached at mandy@mandybanderson.com.
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