Annual Recognition Awards for 2018-2019
Minot State University honored its 2018-19 Employee Recognition and Retirement award winners at a program on May 8 in Ann Nicole Nelson Hall. MSU recognized the 2018-19 faculty and staff retirees, recipients of the continuous years of service awards, Outstanding Academic Advising Awards, MSU Board of Regents Faculty and Staff Achievement Awards, and the MSU Staff Senate High-Five Award winners.
Faculty Achievement Awards
This program was established in 1985 by the Burlington Northern Foundation. In 1990 the Board of Regents established a second award and now solely supports the awards to recognize outstanding university teaching. The intent of the award is to recognize, reward, and motivate excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service.
Tracey Mays Bio - Service
Dr. Mays has been a university instructor for nearly 10 years, four of which have been here at Minot State University, where she is an Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship. Dr. Mays started the entrepreneurship program at MSU in 2017.
In addition to teaching Dr. Mays has over 15 years of practical experience in leading and managing accounting, finance and budgeting operations in the private and government sectors. She is a Certified Defense Financial Manager (CDFM) and is a certified Entrepreneurship Mindset Profile (EMP)® Practitioner. She is also a Lean Six Sigma Yellow belt and has a certificates in Business Performance Management, Entrepreneurship, and Nonprofit Management and a graduate certificate in Entrepreneurship.
Dr. Mays serves on various boards, including the Minot Public School Board as the Vice- President of the MAFB School Board, St. Joseph's Community Foundation Board, and on the Minot AFB Spouses Club board as the Parliamentarian. She also is diligent in service to Minot State University where she has served on several committees.
In her spare time Dr. Mays enjoys volunteering for her son’s school and teams, traveling, catching a game, listening to live music or just hanging out with family and friends.
Micah Bloom Bio - Scholarship
Micah Bloom is completing his eighth year at Minot State University. He studied Painting and Drawing from the University of Iowa and has been selected for numerous artist-in-residence fellowships. His paintings have been published in literary and art journals, and he has shown work nationally and internationally, including private galleries in China and the Shanghai Museum of Contemporary Art. His multi-media project with Minot’s flooded books, Codex, was exhibited throughout the US and his book was recently received into the Rare Books collection at the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford. Married for 17 years, Micah and his wife Sara, share four daughters and one son, and they all love to make things.
Leslee Thorpe - Teaching
I am originally from the Mohall area and attended UND for my undergraduate degrees and MSU for master’s degree. I have worked in education for 40 years. During these years, I have worked in urban and rural school districts as a regular classroom and Title I teacher, literacy strategist, Reading First Coach, Early Literacy Coordinator, and Head Start literacy coach. I have worked here at Minot State for the past five years in the teacher education department in the areas of reading and early childhood education.
Staff Achievement Awards
The Board of Regents Staff Achievement Award was established in 1991. The Board of Regents established the award to recognize university staff members for outstanding service to the University and the community.
Melissa Fettig
Melissa is the Director of the MSU Student Health Clinic and Counseling Services. She graduated from the MSU Nursing Program in 2006 and recently graduated with a master’s degree in nursing with a concentration in education. She worked in Public Health for 8 years prior to beginning her position at MSU in 2015. The Student Health Clinic and Counseling Services role is to align services to the mission and vision of MSU through the provision of affordable, high-quality healthcare services to students. Melissa’ goals for her and her team are: reduce absences from classes due to mental and physical health, make it easier for students to stay enrolled, and improve over-all academic success.
Gary Orluck
Gary grew up on a farm near Makoti, ND and graduated from North Shore High School in 1981. He graduated from Minot State University in 1985 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. Gary was accepted into the ND Highway Patrol in January of 1986. Gary served in various locations in North Dakota with the ND Highway Patrol from January of 1986 and retired in November of 2014 after attaining the rank of Captain. Gary also served as the Commander of the ND Highway Patrol Canine Division from 2002 - 2014. Gary was awarded the Meritorious Service Award upon his retirement due to his leadership of the canine operations for many years, the 2011 Minot Flood, and the law enforcement challenges brought on by the oil boom in western ND.
Gary began his second career at Minot State University in November of 2014 as Director, Office of Safety and Security.
Rick Heit
Rick Heit is a 2008 Minot State University graduate with a degree in Broadcasting and Professional Communication: Public Relations and Advertising with a minor in marketing. Rick will celebrate his 10th anniversary of working in the Minot State marketing office this August. He is the university photographer, videographer and social media specialist. He also serves as the staff adviser for the MSU Gaming Club.
Outside of work Rick operates Rick Heit Photography, manages a YouTube channel with his kids, volunteered as the regional treasurer for his church and enjoys spending time with his wife and three daughters.
High Five Award Winners Listed in order of months: April 2018 - March 2019
Terry Wald, Jennifer Malachowski, Rick Heit, Gary Huwe, Melissa Cantone, Tricia Houmann, Brenda Munson, Annette Mennem, Cindy Geyer, Tammy Wolf, Doreen Wald, and Sean Griffin.
MSU awarded its Outstanding Academic Advising Awards for 2018-19 to Kim Tiedman, Department of Nursing, and Lisa Borden-King, Department of Teacher Education and Kinesiology.
Minot State retirees include Judith Bacon, Donald Burke, Randy Hartley, Debra Jensen, Terrance Kiser, William Mosser, Harold Nelson, Rebecca Petrik, Sharon Reynolds, and Kristen Warmoth.
Service Awards
In 2018-19, 57 MSU employees were acknowledged for five-year increments of service.
5 Years
Jessica Aga, Amanda Allard, Dianna Anderson, Kylie Erickson, Gary Huwe, Kimberly Johnson, Terrance Kiser, Kristie Lawson, Aundrey Livingston, Heidi Okeson, Katherine Phillips, Troy Roness, Angela Shaw, Karina Stander, Elizabeth Sund, Tricia Tessendorf, Kimberly Vosseteig, and ZoeAnn Winkler.
10 Years
Lori Braasch, Carla Davis, Kevin Harmon, Tricia Houmann, Korie Huettl, Connie Irey, Kathryn Kilroy, Brenda Munson, Heidi Peterson, Rebecca Petrik, Bryan Schmidt, Aili Smith, and Roger Triplett.
15 Years
Erik Anderson, Amy Armstrong, Corey Ell, Chad Fenner, Patti Kurtz, and Melissa Spelchen.
20 Years
Dianne Bossert, Penny Brandt, Neil Fulton, Toni Schwartz-Johnson, Jerry Stai, Kristen Warmoth, and Jolynn Webster.
25 Years
Thomas Eisenzimmer, Eric Furuseth, Gary Rabe, Neil Roberts, and Tammy Wolf.
30 Years
Rhonda Holden and Renae Yale.
35 Years - Lynda Bertsch and Donna Weishaar.
40 Years - Linda Pettersen
50 Years - Harold Nelson
