The Minot State University Development Foundation celebrated a record year in philanthropic production with a total of $11,694,555 supporting students in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2022.

The philanthropic production total includes $9.8 million in cash, bequests, and gifts in kind.

It was the second-straight year in which the Foundation reached at least $10 million plus in total production, surpassing last year’s then-record of $11,565,261.

These dollars provide crucial support for increased access to education for Minot State students, lessening debt as students pursue their academic dreams.

“Minot State University and the MSU Development Foundation work closely together, and this year’s record philanthropy is all thanks to the incredible generosity of MSU’s supporters, alumni, and friends,” said MSU President Dr. Steven Shirley. “The Development Foundation at MSU is integral to supporting our students — both helping to provide them with important campus opportunities as well as helping maintain educational affordability. It is a wonderful partnership, the foundation of which is built upon the tremendous kindness of MSU’s donors.”

The MSU Development Foundation’s total assets reached nearly $58 million during the fiscal year, more than doubling its total of $25.1 million in 2015. During that time, Minot State’s President’s Club — individuals and companies donating $1,000 or more in the fiscal year — jumped from 263 to 401.

Minot State has also seen steady growth in funds supporting scholarships and programs with 432 total endowments. MSU has averaged 20-25 new endowments a year for the past six years, including an increase of 37 from 2021 to 2022.

Minot State University is saddened to announce the passing of alumnus, professor, and longtime supporter of MSU, Dean Frantsvog, who passed away Saturday at the age of 47. 

“Dean has been an absolute pillar at MSU for the past two decades – educating thousands of students in the College of Business and providing terrific support to Beaver Athletics as our Faculty Athletic Representative,” said Minot State President Dr. Steven Shirley. “I join the entire community of Dean’s colleagues at MSU, along with our students, alumni, and supporters who will sincerely miss Dean and the wonderful presence he added to the MSU campus. Our thoughts and prayers are certainly with Sara, Quaid, Cambry, and the entire Frantsvog family during this very difficult time.” 

Frantsvog was a business law professor in the College of Business over the past 18 years. He graduated from Minot State in 1997 with a degree in criminal justice. He earned his Juris Doctorate in 2000 from Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Earlier this month, the Minot State Athletic Department announced Frantsvog will be inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame in the Honorary Award category. The University will honor its Class of 2022 including Frantsvog during the Beavers’ Homecoming 2022 banquet Friday, Oct. 14.

Frantsvog, along with his wife, Sara, American Trust Center, United Community Bank, and Vibeto Orthodontics, contributed to the Dean & Sara Frantsvog Academic Success Center, opened in 2018 in the Minot State Dome. 

As the Faculty Athletic Representative, Frantsvog also helped review and advise Minot State and the Beaver Athletic department on compliance and policy issues during MSU's transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II competition. He served as the department’s first FAR, beginning in 2010 until this year.

During his years of service to Minot State, he was honored as the Minot State University Professor of the Year in 2018, the MSU Board of Regents Faculty Achievement Award in 2012, the MSU Golden Award for Young Alumni in 2011, and the MSU Vision 2013 Merit Award.

The home field of Minot State University football and soccer is sporting a newly installed FieldTurf playing surface and has a new name as MSU announced a 10-year naming rights agreement with First Western Bank.

Starting this year, the Beavers home will be known as First Western Bank Field at Herb Parker Stadium.

“We are excited to unveil this new playing surface that will enhance the experiences of Beaver athletic teams and our individual student-athletes,” said Minot State President Dr. Steven Shirley.  “With the addition of the air-supported seasonal dome a few years ago, the turf now gets used almost every week of the year — not only by MSU, but also by many community and regional groups. First Western has a long history of partnering with Minot State, and their support of this important campus enhancement is sincerely appreciated.”

“First Western Bank and Minot State University have had a wonderful relationship since the founding of the bank in 1964.  Our founder, Jack Hoeven, was very proud of his involvement with Minot State over the years.  Our efforts to improve the Minot community unites us, and the importance of higher education in the Magic City is immeasurable.  We are excited about this partnership and we are looking forward to many years of athletic excellence on the First Western Bank Field at Herb Parker Stadium,” added Brenda Foster, chairman, president, and CEO of First Western Bank & Trust.

Minot State University reported its first-day headcount enrollment as 2,761 students, an increase of 64 students (2.4%) over 2021 to begin the Fall 2022 semester.

The University had strong enrollment numbers from its freshman and transfer classes. Minot State was up 3.1% in freshmen with 391 new students, the third highest first-day total in the past nine years. MSU also saw an increase of 25 new transfer students for an increase of 10.5%. 

MSU was up 6.7% (115 students) overall in North Dakota and maintained steady growth in online students with its fifth straight increase for a total of 1,629 students taking at least one online class. The official enrollment numbers will change as Minot State’s final numbers are not reported to the North Dakota University System (NDUS) until after the fourth week of classes.

The Minot State University Alumni Association announced four individuals have been chosen for the 2022 Golden Award and one individual will be honored with the 2022 Young Alumni Achievement Award. The honorees include Leslie Coughlin ’01, Jerry Helgeson ’69, Robert Mau ’74, and Mark Sanford ’61. The Young Alumni Achievement Award winner is Veronica Pinnick ’04.

Coughlin, Minot, is currently a member of the Minot State Board of Regents; Helgeson, from Winsor, Colorado, is the president of American Eagle Distributing; Mau, Minot and Islamorada, Florida, is the president and owner of Eagle Operating in Kenmare; and Sanford, from Grand Forks, is a retired school administrator who is currently a member of the North Dakota House of Representatives. Pinnick, Silver Spring, Maryland, is an integration and test manager for NASA.

The MSU Alumni Association will honor the 2022 class at its annual awards dinner on Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 6 p.m. in the Minot State Conference Center. More information on the dinner as well as each award winner will be released later in the fall semester. For more information on the Golden Awards, visit the Alumni Association at MinotStateU.edu/alumni.

The Board of Commissioners of the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) is pleased to announce that, at its meeting on July 19 the College of Business of Minot State University was granted reaffirmation specialized business accreditation for one or more of its business-related degree programs. The College of Business at Minot State University has demonstrated compliance of its business program(s) with the IACBE Accreditation Principles through a rigorous process of self-evaluation and independent peer review. In addition, the College of Business has demonstrated a commitment to continuous improvement, excellence in business education, and advancing academic quality in its business programs and operations. The full news release can be read HERE.

Minot State Student Health and Counseling Services has partnered with Northland Health Centers to provide medical assistance by their staff. Enrolled students will receive a $50 credit per semester for medical services located at 1600 2nd Ave SW, Suite 19, Minot. Call 701-852-4600 to schedule an appointment and provide your Student ID upon arrival. This credit does not apply to dental or behavioral health services, nor does it apply to medical services received elsewhere. Northland Health Center will provide medical staff on campus periodically, please call the Student Health Clinic to schedule an appointment at 701-858-3371.

The Minot State Women's Basketball team will host a Four Person - Par Three Golf Tournament Saturday, Sept. 10 at the Wee Links Golf Course in Minot. The event is sponsored by Magic City Car Wash. There will be three divisions, 3-Pointer (competitive), Free Throw (recreation), and Lay-Up (two adult, two children) with the 3-Pointer Division starting at 10 a.m., Free Throw at 12 p.m., and Lay-Up at 2 p.m. Cost is $50 per player or $200 per team in the 3-pointer and Free Throw divisions and $20 per player or $80 per team in the Lay-Up division. For more information, see attached FLIER or contact MSU women's basketball coach Mike Brant via EMAIL or by phone at 701-858-4261.

The Gordon B. Olson Library will be 30 years old this year so we are having a party. The festivities will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 14 from 2-4 p.m. in the library atrium. We will serve cake, coffee, and punch with live music and a photo display. Everyone is welcome, please stop by and help us mark this milestone.

Western Plains Opera of Minot presents Johan Strauss's "Die Fledermaus (The Bat)" on Friday, Sept. 9 and Saturday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. Visiting professional singers combine with local talent for a fully orchestrated opera experience in Ann Nicole Nelson Hall. The operetta, a comedy in English translation, is a perennial favorite. Tickets are reasonably priced and available at the Western Plains Opera WEBSITE, by calling 858-3191, or at the door. The event poster is HERE.

Join Dan Conn, education professor, on Wednesday, Oct. 12 from 3-4 p.m. on the main floor of the library as he leads a discussion of the book "The Sentence" by North Dakota author Louse Erdrich. Erdrich is the winner of both the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. "The Sentence" is set in Minneapolis during the recent past and portrays the COVID-19 pandemic and the reaction in the Indigenous community to the George Floyd murder. The library has a limited number of free copies of this book. Contact JANE LA PLANTE to secure your copy.

The Wellness Center is hosting the 2022 Club Cup, which is open to all on campus! The Club Cup is a series of events that take place on Wednesday evenings from Sept. 7 through Oct. 5. Students, faculty, and staff can send participants from their club or department to represent their organization each week in the following events: frisbee golf, flag football, spikeball, kickball, and cornhole. Points will be totaled throughout the five weeks and the organization with the most points will earn a trophy and bragging rights for the year! Individual event winners will earn intramural champion sweatshirts. Clubs/organizations may send more than one team to each of the individual events. Sign up on imleagues.com for each event individually! See the FLIER for details. For questions, please email BENJAMIN BAGWELL.

Northwest Arts Center
The gallery is located on the lower level of the Gordon B. Olson Library, with its own entrance on the south side of the library. The arts center is open Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 1-5 p.m., and by special arrangement. It is closed holidays.

• INT'L All Media 2022: The Northwest Arts Center opens the fall semester with the newly renamed "INT'L All Media 2022" annual juried exhibition. From its fall call for entries in 1995, each year the all media competition has brought diverse artwork in all mediums, tradition and experimental, to our community. This year's exhibition features 44 artworks and is on view from Aug. 5-Sept. 16.
• INT'L All Media 2022 Closing Reception: A closing reception and online viewing with juror Sarah Justice is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 15 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Both exhibition and reception are free and open to the public.
• Art Seminar: Sarah Justice: Museum professional and artist Sarah Justice, "INT'L All Media 2022" juror, will be presenting virtually to art seminar students at Memorial Hall Room 114 at 12 p.m. on Sept. 30. Justice earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Georgia State University and her Master of Fine Arts from the University of Montana. She has 25 years' experience in the arts, both as an artist and museum administrator. She is the executive director of the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art in Great Falls, Montana. Her artwork focuses on aspects of the human condition, digging deeply into the emotional and psychological realms of human consciousness throughout time.

Flat Tail Press
Flat Tail Press is an educational printmaking studio at Minot State University. The gallery is located in the landing space on second and third floor of the Minot State Student Center, west entrance. It is open Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-12 a.m.

Mikhail Bobylev has mentored more than 70 undergraduates in his lab with support from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)-funded North Dakota IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE). Thanks to his excellent mentorship in precise, impactful research, and clear communication, 10 of his students over the past 14 years were selected to participate in Posters on the Hill — a prestigious annual event where undergraduates presented their research to lawmakers in Washington, D.C. The NIGMS recently worked with Bobylev, professor of chemistry at Minot State University, on a piece for their blog BIOMEDICAL BEAT.

Nancy Gordon, social work program director, on behalf of the social work program, received grant funding from the Minot Community Endowment Fund to purchase Mindscape Commons, an online resource for immersive and interactive content in mental health. The database includes 294 immersive experiences, as well as games and applications, for teaching and research in social work, addiction studies, counseling, psychology, criminal justice, health sciences, and other related majors. General human interest topics include disability, multiculturalism, human growth/development, psychological disorders, communication, health/well-being, and LGBTQ.

Leisa Harmon has been hired as the director of first-year experience (FYE) starting fall 2022. She is excited to take on this new challenge in support of first-year student success. She will split her time between this position and her faculty position in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

When you see her on campus, please say hello to Lizzy Lerud, new associate professor of rhetoric and American literature, on campus. She is part of the every-improving world of Minot State. She received her doctorate, department of English, from the University of Oregon in June 2017 and her Bachelor of Art in English with honors from Westmont College May 2007.

Erin Anderson has been hired as the international student/SEVIS compliance coordinator in the Office of International Programs. Anderson started her new position on July 20 and she is ready to assist new and continuing international students with their F-1 visa questions!

Nathan Anderson co-presented a session with Sam Unruh, State of North Dakota data scientist, and Kimberli Wray, Williston State College vice president of academic affairs, on Aug. 8 at the U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics STATS-DC Data Conference. Their presentation, “Developing and Implementing a Postsecondary Early Alert Model,” highlighted North Dakota Statewide Longitudinal Data System's (NDSLDS) development and implementation of a statistical model that predicts the probability of retaining incoming freshmen in the spring term. Development methods focused on identifying potential variables for the model and utilizing logistic regression to guide decisions about retaining variables. Implementation methods focused on how the NDSLDS disseminated early alert data sets to postsecondary institutions and how one institution utilized the data to inform decisions about providing supplemental support to students.

Anderson recently published a manuscript in "Evaluation and Program Planning." The article, “Synthesizing Frameworks and Tools to Develop a Plan for Evaluating an Online Data Utilization Curriculum for Teachers,” demonstrates a transferable approach to comprehensive program evaluation. Many professionals in K-12, higher education, and other fields are aware that logic models, theories of change, and project plans serve essential purposes in the development and evaluation of a program. Sometimes, however, relationships between the key elements of these tools may be unclear, which could yield confusion about how to optimize their collective utility in supporting the planning and implementation of quality programming. This article describes relationships between their elements and demonstrates how they were utilized with other tools and frameworks (i.e., five categories of assessment, a program evaluation framework, a metrics spreadsheet, and A+ Inquiry) to establish a plan for evaluating North Dakota’s "Develop Your Data Mindset: Essentials of Educational Data Use" online curriculum for pre-service and in-service educators. Anderson would like to extend special thanks to Central Regional Education Association and the National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education [grant number R372A150042] for supporting this work.

Christopher Lozensky has been hired as the new academic coach in the POWER Center. Lozensky comes to the POWER Center with many years of higher education experience. He will be working closely with students to help them gain important skills to succeed in college.

Abbie Naze has joined the Minot State Development Foundation as a development officer/data analyst. Naze, originally from Minot, previously worked for the Seattle Symphony as a sales representative marketing and selling concert subscriptions. She was also director of music and liturgy at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Seattle, as well as the orchestra director and adjunct faculty at Pierce College in Puyallup, Washington. She began with the Development Foundation on July 25.

Madeline Schorlemmer has been named the July winner of the Staff Senate High Five Award.

Kelli Sem has been hired as the access services coordinator in the Academic Support Center. Sem started at Minot State in 2019 in the POWER Center. She is looking forward to her new role in assisting students and working with faculty to ensure student success!