Kevin Forde will serve as the next Director of Athletics at Minot State University beginning July 18, 2022, MSU president Dr. Steven Shirley announced Wednesday.

Forde has an extensive history at the NCAA Division II level and within the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Forde spent 10 years in athletic administrative roles at the University of Mary, and earlier in his career was men’s basketball assistant coach at the University of Minnesota Crookston. Kevin earned his bachelor's and master’s degrees from Southwest Minnesota State University where he served as a graduate assistant and student assistant coach. All three universities are members of the NSIC.

He also spent two years as Athletic Director at Wheeling University (W.V.), an NCAA Division II member of the Mountain East Conference, and has been interim Director of Athletics or Associate Athletic Director at NCAA Division II East Stroudsburg University (Pa.), Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Regis University (Colo.), and NAIA St. Xavier University (Ill.). In total, Forde has 13 years of administrative experience in intercollegiate athletics.

He replaces former AD Andy Carter, who left Minot State University in April. MSU Vice President of Student Affairs Kevin Harmon has been serving as interim AD. Forde is the 13th Director of Athletics in school history and just the sixth AD since 1966.

“We are excited to welcome Kevin into the MSU community, and look forward to his leadership with our coaches, staff, and student-athletes in Beaver Athletics,” Shirley said. “Kevin has a depth and breadth of experience in intercollegiate athletics, NCAA Division II, and specifically within the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. It is with great enthusiasm we welcome him to the MSU community and look forward to Kevin building upon his vision for MSU’s athletic programs.

“A special word of thanks to interim AD Kevin Harmon, who also chaired our search committee, and to all committee members for their work in bringing four outstanding finalists to MSU during this search.”

Forde began his duties on the Minot State campus on July 18.

The Minot State Chapter of Phi Beta Lambda competed at the National FBLA-PBL Conference held in Chicago, June 24-27, with the conference theme, “Success Starts Here.”

Over 900 collegiate students from across the country competed, networked, and listened to amazing speakers and engaging presentations. They also enjoyed the flavor of Chicago with bike tours, harbor excursions, and culinary delights.

Congratulations to the following Minot State students for their accomplishments:

• Microeconomics: Kelsey McCloud, first place, National Champion
• Small Business Management Plan: Tanner Thompson, first place, National Champion
• Future Business Executive: Melanie MacPherson, second place
• Personal Finance: McCloud, third place
• Local Chapter Annual Business Report: Thompson, fifth place
• Community Service Project: MacPherson and Jada Clarke, seventh place
• Job Interview: Clarke, seventh place
• Future Business Executive: Thompson, seventh place

The Parade of States during the opening session featured ND Who’s Who in PBL, Thompson, and ND Outstanding Chapter Advisor, Jan Repnow. Minot State received a Gold Seal Chapter distinction. MacPherson and Haley Wood were recognized with Bronze Awards of Excellence. Hannah Heisler, MacPherson, and Thompson were National Leadership Conference Scholarship Recipients. Advisors for the Minot State chapter are Megan Fixen and Repnow.

Come join the adventure with the Minot State University Alumni Association for its first-ever Castles and Cathedrals tour, an enchanted cruise down the beautiful Rhine River through Germany and France.

“The Castles and Cathedrals tour will be an exciting travel opportunity for alumni, friends, and families,” said Janna McKechnie, Minot State director of alumni and engagement. “We can’t thank Viking Travel enough for partnering with the MSU Alumni Association for this experience.

The cruise includes eight days, six guided tours, and four countries in the Castles and Cathedrals tour. The voyage will begin in Amsterdam, Netherlands on Oct. 12 and wind through Germany and France before ending in Basel, Switzerland on Oct. 19.

The cruise package includes all cruise fees and expenses, food and (most) beverage service, six guided tours, and flights and transportation from and to the airport. Packages start at $4,299 per person.

Minot State’s Esports Club’s “League of Legends” team has completed an undefeated regular season in Division C of the GGLeagues Summer 2022 season and will play in the semi-finals on Wednesday, July 20.

Launched in January, the club has already created a winning formula for competition.

“The team has put in a lot of work over the spring semester and during the summer,” said Ethan Valentine, club advisor and Minot State assistant professor of psychology. “This summer, the team has been practicing every Monday and Tuesday for two to three hours, in addition to discussing strategies and reviewing the teams they’re playing against next.

“On top of those scheduled practice times, the team has been meeting after every league match to review footage and discuss ways to improve going forward. In that way, their preparation is pretty similar to what we would see in traditional sports — reviewing film, talking about ways to improve, and implementing those discussions in practice matches.”

The team’s started include team captain Branden Pelzer, Emily Couse, Tam Vu, Clay Mantz, and Brendon Watson with Reid Tarbox and Sawyer Goodwin serving as substitutes.

The Minot State University Alumni Association will again host its annual MSU Alumni and Friends Luau at the Flickertail Gardens at the North Dakota State Fair.

The Alumni and Friends Luau is scheduled for Wednesday, July 27 from 5-7 p.m. and is free to MSU alumni and friends, however, gate admission to the enter the fairgrounds is required.

“We are always excited to host the luau as it is one of the best attended events of the year,” said Janna McKechnie, director of alumni relations and engagement. “It’s fun to have a Minot State event with the atmosphere of the state fair and this is a great opportunity to gather with alumni and enjoy all the fair has to offer.”

The Alumni Association will provide snacks, beverages, and door prizes at the Flickertail Gardens. For questions about this gathering, contact McKechnie by EMAIL or at 701-858-3234.

On Wednesday, Aug. 17 from 12:45-2 p.m., Staff Senate invites you to grab a bag of popcorn and enjoy socializing with fellow Minot State employees! We’d love for you to join us in the Quad; you can see the event poster 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.

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.

Erin Baker, assistant professor of sociology, has started a podcast that features sociological research and would like to share it with the Minot State community. The podcast's goal is to make sociology approachable and interesting to the general public. "Making the Familiar Strange" can be found on www.mtfspodcast.com or on any popular streaming service.

Emerson Eads had multiple songs published by North Star Music LLC. An Evening Poem (Joe’s Song), for both high and low voice. The world premiere was given by baritone, Edward Vogel, in a set of concerts organized by soprano, Laura Strickling, for her 40@40 project, and Calliope’s Call in Boston in May and June of this year. "Word of Hope & Joy" for medium voice. The world premiere was given by soprano Arwen Myers singing from the piano in this LIVE PERFORMANCE in 2020 in the midst of our COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in Portland, Oregon. The score is available HERE. "Patrick's Rune" (Rune of St. Patrick) premiered by soprano Laura Strickling, who is adding it to her 40@40 project where she plans to record and perform it. Learn more about the project HERE. North Star Music has also graciously published the song, available HERE. Listen to Strickling perform the piece HERE.

Ann Beste-Guldborg, North Dakota Inclusive Model Pathways Training (IMPCCT) Consortium director, and Tracey Olson, ASTEP director, recently conducted an invited presentation titled “The Journey to a University-Recognized Credential” at the Annual Think College Program Director’s Meeting in Cleveland Ohio. The interactive presentation assisted other transition and postsecondary education programs for people with intellectual disability across the country to begin thinking about developing their own for-credit university-recognized programs.

Paul Cerbone started July 18 as Minot State’s new human resources coordinator, Paul Cerbone.

Darren Olson, ITC, is Minot State Staff Senate’s June High Five Award winner.

The POWER Center has hired two new academic coaches, Amaura Brandt and Tate Haskins. Brandt comes to the POWER Center from Enrollment Services and Haskins is a recent graduate of Minot State University.