Minot State University is proud to announce the MSU Summer Theatre stage will be named after alumnus Josh Duhamel.

The naming of the stage in Duhamel’s honor is part of the University’s $2.8 million renovation project for the iconic amphitheater overlooking campus. The completion of the project is expected in mid-June, just before the start of its 57th season.

“We are excited to announce the MSU Summer Theatre amphitheater stage will be known as Josh Duhamel Stage. Josh is proud of his Minot State roots, a proud Minot native and North Dakotan, and we are so proud to call him a graduate of MSU,” said MSU President Dr. Steven Shirley. “His generosity and interest in supporting this project is sincerely appreciated, and we are thrilled having Josh’s name attached to this wonderful venue.”

Duhamel spent three years at Minot State, planning on attending dental school and was a member of the MSU football program, but chose to pursue an acting and modeling career in 1996. He later returned to finish his degree at Minot State. Duhamel was named a Golden Award recipient — the MSU Alumni Association’s highest honor — in 2020.

He is a dynamic and versatile actor who, most recently, starred in “Shotgun Wedding,” opposite Jennifer Lopez, as well as “The Lost Husband” and “Think Like a Dog.” Duhamel made his directorial debut at the 2019 Mammoth Film Festival with “The Buddy Games,” for which he co-wrote, co-produced, and starred in. Duhamel is known for his roles as Danny McCoy on the NBC crime drama “Las Vegas” and Captain William Lennox in 2007’s summer blockbuster “Transformers.”

“I am beyond thrilled to be a part of the new Summer Theatre at Minot State University,” Duhamel said. “This will further promote the arts in Minot and encourage the development of all the tremendous talent in our home state of North Dakota.”

Mikhail Bobylev has a history of his organic chemistry students being selected for Posters on the Hill.

Since 2009, researchers under his tutelage have been selected for the event 10 times and today, those students are doctors, pharmacists, clinical scientists, and graduate students at prestigious universities.

“Posters on the Hill is a life-changing event for many of my students. For example, one of them, Kowan O’Keefe ’15, was planning to have a career solely in chemistry until he came to Washington D.C.,” he said. “He saw the machinery of how politics works, he met with senators and congressmen, and decided to go into politics. He now brings science and politics together, which is very important, and is pursuing his Ph.D. at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy.”

North Dakota IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (ND INBRE) and North Dakota Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (ND EPSCoR) provide funding for Bobylev and his students to conduct their research.

Daniela Nardelli, who is slated to graduate May 2023, is the latest Minot State student to present at the prestigious event. She was one of 60 participants, selected from hundreds of applications.

“What we have been working on is one step of the synthesis of ibuprofen medicine,” said Nardelli. “There are several different ways to produce ibuprofen and we focused on one step of a specific reaction that was developed in Germany. This first step of their reaction is really slow, it takes over six hours to complete.

It is that time of the year again. Apple Recycling Program is once again offering free recycling of old electronic equipment, which includes: computers, monitors, laptops, printers, fax machines, scanners, desktop-size copy machines, CD drives, hard drives, TVs, VCRs, projectors, overhead projectors, networking equipment, cables, keyboards, and mice. If anyone has any university-related equipment they would like to recycle, please contact the ITC HELPDESK and put in a work order to have the materials picked up. E-waste will be picked up throughout the summer. This project will run from June 1 through July 29. Help the environment and recycle responsibly. This will be the 14th year that Apple has offered this program. As a university, MSU has recycled over 250,000 pounds of used electronic equipment. Thank you for helping with this project.

The Minot Symphony Association is seeking gardens to be featured on their 28th annual Secret Garden Tour. Whether you have a vegetable garden, flower garden, herb garden, raised beds, a water feature, or unique landscaping, you could have your yard featured on the Secret Garden Tour! The annual tour is scheduled for Wednesday, July 13 from 4:30 – 8:30 p.m. Funds from this annual event help support the Minot Symphony Orchestra, a unique blend of student, community and professional musicians. Please see the full press release HERE.

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.

• Amalgam: The Northwest Arts Center presents the 2022 Senior Capstone Exhibition, ‘Amalgam,’ for graduating Minot State University Art Majors. The exhibition showcases the following artists: Jocelyn Bexell, Jay Gaare, Chesnea Griffin, Alex Jimenez, Agata Mrozik, Hannah Nantt, and Alexa Orozco. The show will be on display through  June 10.  

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.

Emerson Eads released a recording of his composition for piano, "Songs My Father Taught Me," as a single May 1, available on all streaming platforms. Pianist Mallory Bernstein commissioned and recorded the work, and it was released on Eads’ father’s birthday in his honor. Read the news release HERE.

David Rolandson, associate professor of music, and Daniel Conn, associate professor of teacher education, had an article, entitled, "Large Ensemble Teachers' Support for Popular Music Courses in High Schools Examined Through a Framework of Symbolic Violence," accepted for publication in the Journal of Music Teacher Education and will appear in an upcoming volume of the journal. The Journal of Music Teacher Education is a peer-reviewed journal sponsored by NAfME, the National Association for Music Teacher Education.

Dane Schaffer, associate professor of science and chair of science education, was quoted in The Atlantic regarding earth science education in the United States and the lack of respect shown by post-secondary schools and other science disciplines.

Ashley Blake, Registrar’s Office, was named the March winner of the Staff Senate High Five Award. Blake’s main job duties are to set up and update the Academic Requirements Report, check continuing athletic eligibility, and submit records of education to ESPB for teaching licensure in North Dakota.

Annette Mennem, Native American Center director, will present a session called Cultural Awareness and Native American Traditions at the North Dakota Association of Nonprofit Organizations conference June 8-9. There are 574 tribal nations in the United States and eight of those nations are in North Dakota.

Deb Ringham, teacher advisement and field placement, was the April winner of the Staff Senate High Five Award. Ringham has worked with TAFP for almost four years and has been with the University for 15 years.

Doug Tiedman presented at the Teaching and Learning Conference held May 23-24 through NDSU. His presentation, "Best Practices for Incorporating Video in the Online Course Environment," covered the benefits of including video in an online course and demonstrate best practice techniques on how to create and prepare video presentation files for online course delivery that are engaging and user friendly for students.

Please welcome your new Staff Senate officers for 2022-2023: President Katy Allers, Vice President Tiffany Pierson, and Secretary/Treasurer Kelli Marchand. An updated list of senators can be found on the Staff Senate WEBSITE.

Minot State Staff Senate representatives for 2023-2024 include: Jessica Allery, Jennifer Anderson, Nathan Anderson, Lynda Bertsch, Jeremy Feller, Rick Heit, Janese Lehman, Claudia Paulson, Tiffany Pierson, Amber Renz, Tyler Schmaltz, Karina Stander, Deb Wentz, and Tammy Wolf. Thank you to all the staff that have served and to the new staff that will be serving on Staff Senate!

Adonai Crespo was selected as the ASC Student of the Month for April. She has contributed to the Academic Support Center’s programs as a Student Office Assistant.