The Minot State University Development Foundation’s second-annual Giving Day topped nearly every category from its inaugural year as 531 individuals helped raise $202,010 in 24 hours on April 11.

Donor gifts totaling $145,322, paired with matching funds, helped the Foundation surpass the 2018 total by more than $70,000.  In 2018, the first year of the event, the MSU Development Foundation raised just over $130,000 with matching funds.

“Minot State’s second Giving Day was an overwhelming success,” said Rick Hedberg, vice president for advancement and executive director of the MSU Development Foundation. “On behalf of the Minot State Development Foundation and the MSU Advancement team, I want to thank each and every person who participated and made the event what it was. Giving Day had exciting growth in 2019 and we look forward to continuing that momentum into next year.

“Giving Day 2019 was a great day for our campus and for our students.”

Along with raising more overall dollars during Giving Day, the Foundation also saw dramatic increases in faculty and staff giving, with 165 MSU faculty and staff members making a donation in 2019 compared to 118 in 2019 and overall donors with 531 individuals giving in 2019, compared to 445 last year.

Minot State faculty and staff made up 31% of the total donors in 2019 with 26 new faculty and staff donors coming on board during Giving Day. Minot State’s faculty and staff giving is at nearly 60 percent, tripling its percentage from just five years ago.

The Foundation’s 2019 Giving Day had donations from 28 states, helping 53 total projects including multiple scholarship endowments.

The first Minot State University Presidential Speaker Series guest Elizabeth Smart packed Minot State’s Ann Nicole Nelson Hall on April 17. The presentation is still available ONLINE.

The Minot State University Presidential Speaker Series was launched at MSU to bring in high-profile thought leaders to the Minot State campus to share their experiences and expertise. Smart is the survivor of one of the most followed child abduction cases in the United States. She was abducted on June 5, 2002, from her home at the age of 14. Her captors controlled her by threatening to kill her and her family if she tried to escape. Smart was held for nine months before being rescued.

Through her experience, she has become an advocate for change related to child abduction recovery programs and for national legislation. Smart testified before her captor and the world about the nightmare she suffered during her abduction, leading to a conviction. She is the founder of the “Elizabeth Smart Foundation,” and helped promote the National AMBER Alert, the Adam Walsh Child Protection & Safety Act, and other safety legislation to help prevent abductions.

Smart is the author of two books, the New York Times best-selling book, "My Story," and has recently released a new powerful and inspiring book about what it takes to overcome trauma, find the strength to move on, and reclaim one’s life, titled "Where There’s Hope."

She gave an hour-long presentation, met with local Minot media, and attended a social after her presentation at the Northwest Arts Center.

World-renowned Egyptologist Mark Lehner gave a lecture to the delight of a full lower section at Minot State’s Ann Nicole Nelson Hall May 2. Lehner is the director and president of Ancient Egypt Research Associates, Inc. (AERA).

The lecture at Minot State was one part of a weekend of events planned in the Magic City as Lehner spoke at Minot Public Schools and attended Minot State’s annual Alumni Association Gala fundraising event. Lehner gave an hour-long presentation and signed books in the lobby of Old Main at a reception in his honor.

Lehner is a Minot native who graduated from Minot High School in 1968 and attended Minot State University. He went to Cairo in 1973 as a Year Abroad Student at the American University in Cairo where he received his bachelor’s degree in anthropology. He has appeared on television in National Geographic's Explorer program and on the WGBH NOVA series, “Secrets of Lost Empires,” on ancient technology, including “This Old Pyramid and Obelisk.” In February 2019, he was featured on NOVA, “Decoding the Great Pyramid,” and appeared on the Science Channel’s “Unearthed: Secret History of the Sphinx.”

The Minot State University Dome was bursting with Native American traditions on April 26 and 27 during the 30th Annual Spring Honor Dance and Powwow Celebration.

The event began with dancers and drum group registration opening and a Grand Entry, also known as a parade of dancers, offered attendees the opportunity to witness dancers in traditional dress and costume. Following that Grand Entry, Minot State honored Thomas and Judy Fredericks, including a Men's Traditional Dance special. The Fredericks established the Catherine Medicine Stone Fredericks Scholarship Endowment in 2018.

On Saturday, there was a second Grand Entry and a free buffalo supper served by Homesteaders in the afternoon. A third and final Grand Entry and Honor Parade for the Minot State graduating class of 2019, capped the evening off.

Minot State University professor Mikhail Bobylev and seven student researchers attended the 2019 Spring National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) from March 31 to April 4 in Orlando, Florida.

Minot State student Tess Skinner, Minot State’s Student Chapter of the American Chemical Society president and Greenville, Texas native, delivered an oral presentation, while seven research abstracts were published. Six Minot State students presented six posters with their research results along with Skinner’s presentation.

The Chapter presented a poster about activities during the 2018-2019 academic year and while presenting the Chapter poster, the group met with ACS President Bonnie A. Charpentier. The MSU Student Chapter received an honorable mention award for their performance during the 2017-2018 academic year. Attending the meeting representing the Chapter were Stephanie Sundhagen, Tioga; Alexandria Hamm, Minot; Kaytlyn Heick, Bismarck; Amelia Hamman, Carman, Manitoba, Canada; Erin Winterton, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada; and Benjamin Wilson, Surrey, along with Skinner and Chapter advisor Bobylev.

Minot State University is offering Advanced Mathematics for Teachers, a three credit course, for mathematics teachers in grades 9-12 during its Summer 2019 session as a part of the University’s new concentration in secondary mathematics in its Master of Education program.

The concentration fulfills the requirement for high school teachers interested in teaching dual entry/credit mathematics coursework.

Teachers can start the concentration program with the new course offered at Bismarck State College. The course begins June 17 and runs to June 28, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The course will broaden and deepen teachers understanding of the advanced mathematics topics taught in high school courses, enhancing teaching abilities. During the course, individuals will improve skills at incorporating inquiry and reasoning in teaching secondary mathematics, both in the lessons conducted and the types of problems students are given to solve. The course will include appropriate technology and many applications.

Along with the advanced course this summer, Minot State also offers a Master of Education degree at an affordable tuition rate. Most courses for the Master of Education degree are offered online or via interactive video.

Registration is now open for the Master of Education degree with applications accepted until May 15.

Since our first Commencement ceremony in 1914, thousands of graduates, along with their families and friends, have gathered on the Minot State University campus to celebrate the achievements of our academic community. As we welcome you and your guests this year, please use this WEBSITE guide to help plan your graduation day to ensure that it will be a positive experience.

Minot State University's Commencement exercises for master's, bachelor's, and associate degree candidates will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, May 10, 2019, in the Minot State University Dome. We expect to host more than 3,500 guests on campus throughout the day, so please expect to arrive early to prepare for a memorable day. Use hashtag #MinotState19 on all social media platforms.

Friday, May 10

Minot State Dome
Doors Open at 8:30 a.m.
Procession begins at 10 a.m.

The Minot State University men’s and women’s basketball coaching staffs, including head coaches Matt Murken and Mark Graupe, participated in the Samaritans Feet national campaign again in 2018-19, collecting shoes for local youth while coaching in bare feet during a home basketball double header. As a part of the Samaritans Feet campaign, the teams will hand out shoes to each student in need enrolled in Washington Elementary Wednesday, May 15 from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The teams are requesting volunteers to help with the Shoes of Hope event on May 15. Individuals can also help donate to the event by purchasing shoes for $20. For more information or to volunteer for the event, contact Murken by EMAIL.

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. It is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday 1-5 p.m., and by special arrangement. It is closed holidays.

• The Northwest Arts Center presents the 2019 Senior Capstone Exhibition for graduating Minot State University Art Majors. The exhibition showcases graduating Minot State University Art Majors:
  • Abstracts of Nature by Dan Jones
  • Internal Dispute by Mason Kramer
  • Sensory Tables by Alexis Henderson
  • Monsters of My Mind by Jerica Ward
  • Squash and Stretch by Darrel Mahpali
  • Pretty Girl Stupid Dress by Kiah Hove
  • The MetaStasis of Content by Alex Albright
• A public reception with the artists is scheduled for May 9 from 6:30-8 p.m. The event will include a gallery talk and refreshments.

The following faculty presented at the 28th Annual Northern Plains Early British Literature Conference, at Minnesota State University Moorhead, on April 12 and at the National Pop Culture Association Conference in Washington, D.C.:
Northern Plains Early British Literature Conference
Robert Kibler, English and humanities, “Everybody Needs Some Consolation Sometime: Alfred and Elizabeth’s Translations of the Latin Consolatio and What it Tells Us about their Political Agendas"

Christopher Lozensky, English, “Beyond the Honeysuckle and the Hazel Tree: Disentangling the Queer Feminist Potential of Marie de France’s ‘Chevrefoil’”

Eric Furuseth, English and humanities, “Tristram Shandy meets The Trip: Sterne’s Witty Conversation Goes On”

National Pop Culture Association Conference
Sarah Aleshire, English, "A Tourist Trap for the 21st Century: Television Tourism and the Architectural Uncanny”

Neil Roberts, broadcasting & professional communication, was honored with a 2019 Eric Sevareid Award, first place, in Sports Reporting and Audio for his piece titled “New Age Ice Fishing.” He also earned an Award of Merit in Broadcast Writing for “New Age Ice Fishing.”

Christina Paxman, broadcasting & professional communication, received the Outstanding Journal Award from the Central States Communication Association for her work as Editor of the Journal of the Communication, Speech, and Theatre Association of North Dakota and delivered seven panel presentations at the Central States Communication Association conference in Omaha, Nebraska.

Nancy Pearson, broadcasting & professional communication, chaired and delivered three panel presentations at the Central States Communication Association conference in Omaha, Nebraska.

Sean Griffin, coordinator of athletic operations, was named Minot State University Staff Senate's March High Five Award winner.

Kevin Harmon, vice president for student affairs, was elected as a new member of the Town & Country Credit Union Board of Directors and will serve a three-year term. Harmon has been a member of the Town & Country Credit Union since 1978.

Mary Elizabeth Gamas was selected as the CETL Student of the Month for March. She has contributed to the Center for Engaged Teaching and Learning’s programs as a peer mentor.

Hannah Davis earned an Eric Sevareid Award first place in Weather (TV only) category for her work on “Winter Weather Advisory — Weather Forecast.” She earned Awards of Merit in Broadcast Writing for “Winter Words: Thunderstorms,” and Soft Feature for “Peanuts Harvested in North Dakota.”

Members from Minot State’s DECA chapter traveled to Orlando, Florida for the International Collegiate DECA Conference (ICDC) that took place April 13 to 16 with several students winning awards.

• Jonathan Vo, from Orlando, Florida, took first place in National Management Institute
• Asia Pleasant, Fredericksburg, Virginia, and Jameson Hayden, Lancaster, New Hampshire, were Top 10 Finalists in Entrepreneurship – Starting Your Own Business.
• Nicholas Trumbauer, Manheim, Pennsylvania, walked away a Top 10 Finalist and Top 10 in Test in Managerial Accounting as Emily Love, Minot, received the same distinctions in Retail Management.
• Aaron Richard, Minot, was a Top 12 Preliminary Finalist in Professional Sales  
• Kellie Sink, Minot, brought home the Case Study Top Performer Award in Fashion Merchandising.
• Levy Cabatingan, Manila, Philippines, earned an Awards of Excellence in Emerging Technology, Love in Retail Management, Richard in Professional Sales, Sink in Fashion Merchandising, and Trumbauer in Managerial Accounting.