Melanie van Walstijn

John Schwan

Commencement Message,
Schwan Financial Group

John Schwan is the founder and CEO of Schwan Financial Group (SFG), a multi-family private office with focus on financial, estate, business succession, and tax planning based in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

Founded in 1984, John and his team are devoted to helping businesses/owners and professionals protect what matters most while enjoying their life with the confidence of financial freedom. John's passion for helping people has garnered him recognition as a leader in the industry. John and his team have differentiated themselves by focusing on the economics and psychonomics of the planning process.

John is a 1982 graduate of Minot State University where he also participated on the basketball team. He carried his knowledge and appreciation for basketball into a coaching career at Roncalli High School while operating SFG. John has always considered himself a coach, now developing his SFG team and working with financial professionals across the country, teaching them what has brought his company recognition, a system called forward hindsight. This system leads to the transformation from fear-based planning to abundance-based thinking.

He and his wife of 41 years, Laurie, have four adult children and four grandchildren. Kyle, Kevin, and Kory are all active leaders in the SFG business. Outside of spending time with his family, John is active in the development of the Aberdeen community.

Abigail Graves

Master of Education

Abigail Graves is originally from Benson, Minnesota and graduated from Minot State in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in Education degree with a major in elementary education, minors in deaf and hard of hearing and psychology, and a concentration in honors.

While pursuing her undergraduate degree, she worked as a resident assistant and residence hall director in Cook Hall and Crane Hall which prepared her for her current position as the residence life coordinator for Minot State Residence Life and Housing. When she started working full time for the University, she decided to take the opportunity to continue her education by pursuing her Master of Education degree with a concentration in curriculum and instruction. She currently serves on Staff Senate and on the Honors Program Advisory Board which allow her to serve staff and students. She is also the staff advisor to the Residence Hall Association, a club that serves on campus students by addressing specific needs and planning events.

While studying at MSU, Abby had the opportunity to co-present the early stages of her research on college student retention at the national conference for the American Association for Teaching and Curriculum in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Abby enjoys traveling and spent two years teaching English in the Czech Republic and traveling throughout Europe.

Despite her resolve to never teach kindergarten, Abby found herself working in the 4-6-year-old classroom at an English immersion preschool and discovered her love of working with young children. From working with preschoolers to college students, she has found that many problems can actually be solved with a snack and a nap regardless of age.

Abby is a lifelong learner and looks forward to serving students and preparing them for the future in whatever capacity her future holds. She is grateful to her friends, family, coworkers, classmates, and professors for their patience and support during this stressful time of life as she continues her research on perceptions of college retention.

Philip Green

Professional Communication

Philip Green was born and raised in a suburb of Denver. Growing up in Parker, Colorado, he is the son of Craig and Julie Green. Philip has two older siblings, Tori and Paul.

While attending Chaparral High School, Philip earned an athletic scholarship to play football at Minot State. Enrolling in the fall of 2018, Philip joined the broadcasting department, now known as the professional communications department. During his sophomore year, he joined Minot State's honors program and earned a concentration in Honors. Philip is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in professional communication and specialization in production and concentrations in sportscasting, honors, and media services.

During his time at Minot State, Philip participated in several extracurriculars while balancing his studies and athletic requirements. In the spring of 2019, he took over as the sports editor for MSU's campus newspaper, the Red and Green. In his sophomore year, he was selected to be one of football's representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. In February of 2021, Philip was given the opportunity to start his own podcast, hosted at Prairie Sky Bread. His podcast, "Mental Game," discusses the importance's of mental health awareness for student-athletes on Minot State's campus. He has continually participated in the "It's a Slam Dunk Don't Drive Drunk," and "Workout for Wishes" campaigns to help raise money for Make-A-Wish, served as a right-hand man for the North Dakota Miss Amazing pageant for girls with disabilities, helped the honors program bring a United Way chapter to MSU, and assisted with the Dreamcatchers organization. In 2022, he helped write, edit, and produce a multi-episode documentary covering Minot State's baseball team.

In the fall of 2021, Philip was one of 22 college football players selected to the AFAC Allstate Good Works Team. This national award recognizes college football players for their efforts and services in their community. He was also earned the Scheels and United Community Bank Community Athlete Spotlight which recognizes Minot community athletes that show exemplary sportsmanship in their sport. In the spring of 2022, "Mental Game," earned an Eric Sevareid Award of Merit in Series Student Market Television category at the Midwest Broadcasting Journalism Association.

While studying professional cmmunication at Minot State, Philip has worked as the assistant marketing director for MSU's Summer Theatre, running social media and headlining the marketing campaign. He also began working for The Dakotan. Philip has a weekly sports column titled Philled In and writes, edits, and produce media content across the platform.

After graduation, Philip will be staying in Minot to pursue a master's degree in sports management and business management at Minot State while he plays out his final years of football eligibility.

Tim Mihalick

SBHE Representative,
First Western Bank & Trust

Tim Mihalick was appointed to the State Board of Higher Education to fill the remainder of an open term vacated by a previous member. Mihalick was also appointed to a four-year term (2019-2023) beginning July 2019.

Mihalick is employed at First Western Bank & Trust as a senior vice president responsible for business development and facilities. Prior to that, he was part of IRET and its affiliated companies for over 36 years before his retirement. He served as the president and CEO during his last eight years at IRET. Throughout the years, he has been involved in numerous civic organizations dedicated to Minot's betterment. He currently serves on the board of the Minot Family YMCA, is a current member and past chair of the MSU Board of Regents, and a past board member of Trinity Health.

Ohio native Mihalick attended Minot State University and obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration in 1981. During his college career, he played football for four years and participated in track for two. He was inducted into the MSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995 and received the MSU Alumni Golden Award in 2014.

He and his wife, Laura, have been married for 36 years and are partners in their conviction to civic engagement. Laura is a member of the Minot Public School Board. The Mihalicks have two adult children living in Minot.