Minot State University is launching a new, automatic Hometown Pride Scholarship for area high school seniors.

“We are excited to launch this scholarship opportunity for graduating seniors throughout northwestern North Dakota,” said Minot State President Dr. Steven Shirley. “Minot State is proud of the role we play in educating citizens across the region, and we look forward to welcoming the next class of students to the MSU campus in 2022!”

The $1,000 scholarship is exclusively for May 2022 high school graduates from Minot and regional schools located in North Dakota’s northwestern counties. 

The Hometown Pride Scholarship also comes with additional perks, including the first opportunity to register for classes at an exclusive early access orientation.

Eligible students admitted to Minot State by March 31, 2022 will not need to apply for the scholarship; funds will automatically be applied to tuition, fees, and/or room and board in $500 increments each semester of the 2022-23 school year.

See additional information regarding the Hometown Pride Scholarship, additional benefits, and eligibility, visit www.askMSU.com/Hometown.

Minot State’s exercise science and rehabilitation program has been approved and recognized through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Education Recognition Program (ERP).

By pursuing and achieving NSCA recognition through the ERP, Minot State’s undergraduate degree demonstrates that it meets the requirements to prepare students for the NSCA-Certified Personal Trainers and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist certifications and is committed to quality.

“A special congrats to Heather Golly, coordinator for the new exercise science and rehab program, for acknowledgement in the NSCA Education Recognition Program,” said Terry Eckmann, teacher education and kinesiology chair. “This supports the high quality of our program and the faculty working to make it happen.”

Minot State unveiled the undergraduate program Spring 2020. The Bachelor of Science degree offers seven different tracks for students, ensuring they can choose a route best tailored for their future career path.

“This major gives students more hands-on experiences in rehabilitation both in the classroom and through their clinicals and practicums,” said Golly.

The partnership with NSCA will provide Minot State students the opportunity to join thousands of personal training and strength and conditioning professionals around the world that share the NSCA’s passion for advancing research, education, training, and coaching of athletic performance and fitness. They will also have additional access to various resources includes career guides, exclusive ERP student resources, and NSCA scholarships.

Minot State University will celebrate Homecoming 2021 Oct. 6-9 with several in-person events.

Events begin Wednesday, Oct. 6 with the annual President’s Club Luncheon at 12 p.m. Honoring Minot State donors who have gifted $1,000 or more to the University over the past year, the event will take place in the MSU Dome due to a large class of President’s Club members. 

Later that night, a Community Block Party will take place on the Old Main Lawn from 5-7 p.m.

MSUWell’s annual Homecoming 5K Fun Run/Walk is also Wednesday and will begin at 5:30 p.m., starting at the Wellness Center and ending at the block party. The cost for the run/walk is $30 for community members, faculty, and staff; $15 for all students; and free for ages 12 and under. Participants can register the day of the race at the Wellness Center at 4:30 p.m. or ONLINE. All proceeds benefit the MSUWell Scholarship Fund.

Thursday, Oct. 7 will feature the Golden Awards Dinner beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the Student Center Conference Center. Due to COVID-19 restrictions on large in-person gatherings in 2020, individuals from the 2020 and 2021 classes will be featured.

Honorees from 2020 include Chuck Barney, Josh Duhamel, Terry (Ferebee) Eckmann ’81/’82, and John Schwan ’82. The Young Alumni Achievement Award winner was Joseph Brewer ’04. The 2021 award recipients are Les Anderson ’68, Michael LeBeau ’95, Kevin Neuharth ’74, and Arnold Strebe ’86. This year’s Young Alumni Achievement Award winner is Evan Meiers ’10.

A full day of events will be held on Friday, Oct. 8 beginning with a Beaver Booster Luncheon at the MSU Dome at 12 p.m. Academic Hall of Fame member Tim Henry will be honored during a social scheduled for 3 p.m. with an award presentation at 3:30 p.m. at the Minot State Conference Center. Finally, the Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet, located at the Clarion Hotel, starts at 5 p.m. At 7 p.m., make your way to The Original for the Alumni & Friends Homecoming Social or Herb Parker Stadium as women’s soccer takes on Northern State.

The week will culminate on Saturday, Oct. 9 beginning with the Homecoming Parade at 11 a.m. Beginning in Downtown Minot, the parade will end at the MSU Dome where tailgating will immediately commence on Beaver Boulevard. The Homecoming football game will begin at 2 p.m. at Herb Parker Stadium when the Beavers clash with MSU-Moorhead.

The Minot State University’s Academic Hall of Fame committee is excited to announce Class of 2020 recipient Dr. Tim Henry will be honored during this year’s Homecoming 2021 festivities.

Henry was chosen, along with Dr. Becky Becker, as members of the Class of 2020. Due to COIVD-19 restrictions on large gatherings last year, the ceremony was postponed to this year as part of the 2021 events. Becker, however, will not be able to attend and will be honored at a future event.

The University will present Henry with the award during an event to honor the Class of 2020 on Friday, Oct. 8 in the Minot State Conference Center. A social is scheduled for 3 p.m. with the award presentation at 3:30 p.m.

Originally from Westhope, Henry attended Minot State from 1974-77 before graduating from medical school at the University of California, San Francisco in 1982. He did his internal medicine residency and chief residency at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center from 1982 to 1986 and completed his training as a cardiology fellow, chief cardiology fellow, and interventional cardiology fellow at University of Minnesota in 1991.

Henry has published over 500 manuscripts and book chapters and has served on the Emergency Care Committee for the American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American Heart Association (AHA) Mission: Lifeline Advisory Committee, the AHA Acute Cardiac Care Committee, ACC Interventional Subcommittee, and the Executive Committee for the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions.

The Red and Green, Minot State University’s student newspaper, was recently bestowed a first-place award from the American Scholastic Press Association.

The award was based on Spring 2021 print issues from Feb. 11 and March 11.

“This award is a testament to the editorial team’s hard work and their dedication to covering the campus and community news that matters most to students, even in the face of the pandemic,” said Alison McAfee, Red and Green advisor and professional communication instructor. “It is particularly meaningful to receive this honor during such a challenging time. We are looking forward to another great year under the 2021-22 news team.”

The student editorial team for the semester included Alyson Heisler, editor; Kylie Koontz, assistant editor; Lauren Reeves, features editor; Philip Green; sports editor; and Calli Delsman, social media director.

Staff Senate professional development committee is challenging everyone to get out and get to know your campus and coworkers! Over the next few days staff and faculty will receive a Minot State BUCKET LIST. The objective of the bucket list is to network with colleagues and get to know campus a little more. Try to completed as many items by Dec. 30 to be entered to win a prize. Turn in your card to Lindsey Benson, financial aid. Questions, please email staffsenate@minotstateu.edu.

Pop-up Flu Vaccination Clinics will be back at Minot State and available for students, faculty, and staff. There is a limited supply this year so do not wait. Students will have to fill out a consent form and that will bill their student account $25. If the student has a parent with the MSU Sanford HealthPlan insurance, they need to bring a copy of the insurance card with them in order to receive a flu vaccine.

• Wednesday, Oct. 6, Old Main first floor (across from IT), 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 14, Student Center Atrium, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 27, Student Center Atrium, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

The third COVID-19 vaccination clinic for the 2021-22 school year will be held on Oct. 19 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Conference Center, located on the third floor of the Student Center. The clinic is open to students, faculty, staff, and family members; please bring identification to the event. Future clinics will be scheduled as needed.

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.

• The Northwest Arts Center presents ‘Book of Days: Reflections On Time and Water,’ by artist and painter Susana Amundaraín. On view from Oct. 7 until Dec. 16, her solo exhibition presents mixed media and acrylic paintings that have been revisited - brought back from the past and transformed through more work into the present.
• Opening reception and online viewing for ‘Book of Days: Reflections On Time and Water.’ Meet the artist, Susana Amundaraín, on Thursday, Oct. 7, from 5:30-8 p.m. Scheduled is a live-streamed artist’s talk at 7 p.m. Masks are not required, but individuals who are not fully vaccinated or deemed vulnerable are encouraged to continue to wear masks. The reception is free and open to the public.
• Internationally renowned artist and painter Susana Amundaraín will be presenting in the Art Seminar series at Minot State University's Aleshire Theater at 12 pm on Oct. 8.

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.

• Perspectives: Sallie Mitchell, a Minot State art alumnae, has assembled photos, prints, and drawings from the Northwest Arts Center collection in an exhibition titled "Perspectives." Featured in the Flat Tail Press Gallery, these artworks highlight the various positions and points of view existing around us. Mitchell comments about the show, "this exhibition is an opportunity for you, the viewer, to walk this space, literally 'walk in someone else’s shoes.'"  As visitors move through the gallery, she recommends, "view these works with intent."  "Perspectives" runs from Aug. 26-Oct. 26.

Hartnett Hall Gallery
The gallery provides exhibition space for students, faculty, and community artists, and is located on the second floor on the west side of Hartnett Hall in Room 233. The Hartnett Hall Gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

Christina Paxman presented a paper at the International Food & Communication Conference titled “The role of identity gaps in vegans’ identity management practices.”

Faculty, grad students, and former grad students are presenting at the 27th Annual Conference for the American Association of Teaching and Curriculum in Albuquerque, New Mexico Oct. 7-9. Daniel Conn, associate professor, is chairing the entire conference, and the theme is “Creativity and the Muse." Minot State presentations are listed below and a draft of the program is available HERE and HERE. Minot State is listed along some major universities and organizations from around the world. 

Papers

• Rethinking the Long-Blue Line: Ecology and Curriculum at the United States Air Force Academy"
  • This paper examined the research question how does the implicit curriculum interact with other factors of the school ecology? Using a framework based on Eisner’s school ecology, graduates from the United States Air Force Academy participated in focus groups and an online survey. -- Madison Aiman
• Karuna as Curricular Muse
  • This presentation explores the curricular qualities of meditative practices within yoga and considers its implications in other educational settings. -- Linda Conn
• Straight to the Point or Learning in the Round? Summerhill or the State Pen? What the Movie 'News of the World' Suggests About Education and Human Understanding
  • In this paper, I will outline the vision in "News of the World" and suggest its pedagogical importance to the contemporary creative classroom. -- Robert Kibler
• Modalities and Muses: Interdisciplinary Online Graduate Writing Workshops as Sites for Collaborative Curricular Invention
  • The purpose of this paper is to explore insights and implications of utilizing online courses to facilitate reflective, writing workshops for graduate students. -- Samuel Stinson, Daniel R. Conn, Madison Aiman, Linda Conn, and Laura Zucca-Scott
• 'That's so MHA Nation to give blankets': The Ongoing, Progressive and Cumulative Nature of Lesson-Learning through Institutional Critiques of the Red and Green School
  • This paper presentation aims to share the lessons learned as a nonprofit while developing our first site for community-oriented ecological education (Red and Green School), in a manner centrally aimed at centering the voices of local Indigenous communities acting as collaborative partners (MHA Nation, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa). -- Juria Wiechmann; Ian Clemente, Michigan State University; Blake McCullough, U.S. Army; and  Daniel R. Conn

Panel discussion

• Test scores and GPA requirements as signaling devices: Symbolic capital in education
  • This panel discussion explores what GPA and SAT/ATC requirements, as a signaling device, mean for diversity in teacher education; scholarships based on GPAs and SAT/ATC scores; issues of racism/classism; and a general look at symbolic capital and education.  -- William White, James Madison University; Jenn Gutierrez, University of New Mexico;  Daniel R. Conn; Michelle Tenam-Zemach, Nova Southeastern University; Joseph E. Flynn, Jr., Northern Illinois University
• Unraveling the Assessment Industrial Complex: Book Talk
  • This panel discussion focuses on a recently published book — "Unraveling the Assessment Industrial Complex: Understanding How Testing Perpetuates Inequity and Injustice in America." -- Michelle Tenam-Zemach, Nova Southeastern University; Daniel R. Conn; and Paul T. Parkison, University of North Florida
• Are land acknowledgements ultimately a form of virtue signaling? And other questions about honoring — not exploiting — Native Americans   
  • This panel session explores ways in we can honor — rather than exploit — Native American ways and traditions. -- Annette Mennem; Migizi Gwiiwizens (Alex DeCoteau), Turtle Mountain Community High School and Minot State; Ian Clemente Michigan State University; Alicia Brianna Saxe, University of Denver; and Daniel R. Conn
• Evaluating Teacher-Created Curricula: The Development of The Golden Apples Instrument
  • This panel presentation will share the story of the project and the development of the primary instrument used for curriculum analysis. -- Jason Trumble, University of Central Arkansas; Taryn Robertson, University of San Diego; Bradley Conrad, Capital University; Courtney Berry, Metro State University Denver;  Daniel R. Conn; Jennifer Bartee, John Hopkins University; and Jodie L. Wilson, University of Denver

Ideas and issues

• COVID and Education:  A Perfect Storm Waiting to Happen
  • This ideas session is based on qualitative observations and interviews with K-12 teachers from around the world and how they cared for students during the COVID-19 pandemic. -- Laura Zucca-Scott and Daniel R. Conn
• Children's Voices: A Story Waiting to Be Told
  • Through a series of interviews and class observations, this study discusses the experiences of a group of elementary school children from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities. -- Laura Zucca-Scott
• Exploring Muses (or lack thereof) in Higher Education: “Why Do We All Get Pushed to Getting Degrees When it Doesn’t F$#%ing Matter?”
  • This ideas and issues session will feature a discussion of factors that contribute to student graduation or drop out—which are based on a series of from semi-structured interviews with former college students. -- l.a. cowden and Abigail Graves
• Disrupting the system: Applying antiracism to academia in real and authentic ways
  • This ideas and issues presentation will explore the construct of antiracism and both the possibilities and limitations of applying antiracism in academic settings. -- l.a. cowden

Workshop

• EDHeads: Creating education-based podcasts with a purpose
  • Ever thought about making an education-based podcast? This workshop is based on insights and lessons learned after four seasons of producing the podcast EDHeads. -- Chelsie Terez Hultz and Daniel R. Conn 

Poster

•  From the Golden Rule to the Platinum Rule: Strategies for Advancing Toward Cultural Proficiency for Educators      
  • Educators must make cultural proficiency a lifelong journey of personal awareness, cultivation of empathy, and behavioral adjustments to create inclusive environments for students who come from or identify with culturally diverse backgrounds. We discuss strategies for increasing cultural proficiency at the micro (individual), mezzo (group), and macro (whole schools) levels of practice. -- Rebecca Daigneault and Evan Borisinkoff

Troy Berg, facilities management, was named Minot State University's Staff Senate's August High Five Award winner.

Robert Norman, director of the Center for Extended Learning, represented MSU at the KX News Town Hall: Connecting to Higher Ed in Bismarck.

Elizabeth Sund, international student/SEVIS compliance coordinator, was named Minot State University's Staff Senate's August High Five Award winner.

Winners from Employee Appreciation Week prize drawings are listed below:

• Giant-stuffed Beaver Bingo winner: Penny Lipsey
• 4 Bears marketing package: Deb Wentz
• Assorted coupons, including BWW, Taco Johns, DQ, Slim Chickens, and Marcos: Katelynn Albers, Abby Graves, Jolynn Webster, Zoey Winkler, Danni Reinisch, Lori Braasch, Tricia Houmann, Laurie Weber, James Tiffany, Alexis Clark, Lauralee Dammen, Gina Santaniello, Jolina Miller, Jeni Anderson, Sue Weston, Douglas Teidman, Amanda Duchsherer, Cole Krueger, Cheryl Coyle, Eileen Solberg, Kenyatta Bougard, Keryl Lesmann, Aaron Hughes, and Krista Opstedal.

Khian Lim Foo for being selected as the ASC Student of the Month for August. He has contributed to the Academic Support Center’s programs as a new student programs leader.

Amber Nguyen, Regina, Saskatchewan, earned M. Bryce Fifield ACCESS Scholarship. Nguyen is a first-year graduate student at MSU to become a speech-language pathologist (SLP). She hopes to eventually become fluent in Vietnamese to work in a private practice in Regina where she can help the growing Vietnamese community seek services.

Elizabeth Claire Romanick, Bismarck, earned M. Bryce Fifield ACCESS Scholarship. Romanick is enrolled at Dakota College Bottineau through Minot State University’s ASTEP program to earn a degree in paraprofessional/early childhood education. She is passionate about caring for people with and without disabilities and desires to guide people to be self-determined strong advocates.