The Northwest Arts Center, located on Minot State University’s campus, will be holding their second annual art auction, ‘Oh, It’s a Holiday Thing,’ this December.

Put on your finest holiday attire and enjoy an exciting celebration, commemorating the year with great food, excellent company, delightful music, and a chance to bid on some magnificent art on Saturday, Dec. 17 with a social beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Stroll through the gallery to take in a final view of “A Creative Life” by Minot State alumna Rosanne Olson, partake in delicious food and drinks, and place bids on silent auction artwork before the live auction kicks off at 8 p.m. The live auction includes artists from across the region and nation, and features artwork by Walter Piehl, Susana Amundaraín, and more.

Silent bidding will open in person and online at MinotStateU.edu/nac on Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 10 a.m. and ends on auction night at 9 p.m. The silent auction features pieces from local artists and Minot State faculty and students. With a variety of medium and styles, that elusive perfect gift is just waiting to be found. Take a work of original art home and be enriched by creativity while supporting artists and local art institutions.

An exhibition of the auction artwork will be on display at the Northwest Arts Center from Dec. 3-17. 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 Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 1-5 p.m., and by special arrangement. The Center is closed on holidays.

All proceeds from the silent and live auctions benefit the Northwest Arts Center and participating artists. Admission is free and open to the public. While masks are not required, individuals not fully vaccinated or deemed vulnerable are encouraged to wear masks.

The Minot Symphony Orchestra presents an evening of familiar Christmas classics with “Holiday Magic” on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. at Minot State University’s Ann Nicole Nelson Hall.

The evening includes holiday favorites featuring music from Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker Suite,” to “The Polar Express,” to “Sleigh Ride,” to “A Christmas Festival” by Leroy Anderson and “Rudolph, Bells & Holly” by Wendel. “A Merry Christmas Sing Along” encourages participation by all.

Special guests Marla Fogderud, Philip Zawisza, and the Minot High School Choir, directed by Lindsay Kerzmann, will join the symphony for Christmas classics including “Te Deum” by Dvořák and “Christmas Day” by Holst.

Fogderud, soprano, is an associate professor of music at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota, where she teaches voice, opera, and music history-related courses. A native of North Dakota, she is a regular performer in the region and will be making her debut with the Minot Symphony Orchestra.

Zawisza returns to the Magic City as he performed music director Efrain Amaya’s operatic excerpts “Lilian and Leo,” "Ghismunda & Guiscardo." and “Carmina Burana” with the Minot Symphony Orchestra and Rossini’s “Barber of Seville” with the Western Plains Opera Theater in 2018. He also played the role of King Melchior in Gian Carlo Menotti’s “Amahl and the Night Visitors” in 2021. Zawisza is an assistant professor of voice at the University of Minnesota.

The Minot Symphony Orchestra is hosting the Minot Area Community Foundation Donation Station to collect items for the Lord’s Cupboard Food Pantry. Products most requested include canned meats, peanut butter, jelly, macaroni and cheese, canned vegetables, canned fruits in juice (not syrup), and nutritional cereal.

Items can be brought to the symphony concert on Dec. 10 at Ann Nicole Nelson Hall beginning at 6 p.m. or placed in the Donation Station outside of Old Main. Donations may also be dropped off at Lien’s Jewelry, 107 Main St. South, during their regular business hours, Monday-Friday 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

If 1,000 lbs. of food are collected, the food pantry will receive $1,000 in addition to the food collected. Everyone is welcome to contribute.

Tickets for “Holiday Magic” start at $30 for adults with active military, senior, and student discounts available. All tickets are available at minotsymphony.com or through the box office at 701-858-4228. Patrons are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance.

There was a sense of validation for Yung-Ju “Ruth” Chen when she first heard she was being honored with the President’s Award from the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (NASPSPA).

Both for her and for members of the NASPSPA Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Task Force.

“It was such an honor. I am very grateful for the recognition,” Chen said. “The EDI task force was formed in 2020 with the goal of improving the equality, diversity, and inclusion of NASPSPA. As a task force, we have made a lot of progress within a short period of time. There was a lot of hard work and time to make good changes happen. We feel happy about the progress and changes we have made and really appreciate NASPSPA validating what we have been doing.”

Chen, originally from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, has been an assistant professor in MSU’s teacher education and kinesiology (TEK) department since 2020. She initially joined NASPSPA as a doctoral student at Ohio State University, using the organization to connect with scholars in motor behavior and sport psychology.

“As a student-friendly organization, NASPSPA really invests in the development of future scholars by providing professional and social support for student members,” she said. “I was able to meet, learn from, and even work with many established scholars in our discipline through NASPSPA. It has a very welcoming and supportive culture. NASPSPA has become one of my home professional organizations.”

While at Ohio State, she was a graduate teaching assistant in the physical education program, teaching many of the same course she presently does for Minot State, along with mentoring high school and undergraduate research projects. Before coming to the United States, Chen tutored at middle schools, instructed multiple types of group fitness classes, coordinated and operated community-based adapted physical activity programs, and interned at a special education school for students with multiple and severe disabilities.

“Although I used to study adapted physical education, I chose to study physical education teacher education for my doctoral degree because I believe all physical educators should have the knowledge and skills to adapt their teaching to all students,” Chen said.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted most aspects of our lives — travel included. After over a two-year hiatus, the Minot State Office of International Programs is excited to welcome back study abroad programs, including a central European tour open for anyone to attend in May 2023.

In March of 2020, 41 students had plans to pursue educational opportunities abroad in places across four continents. Libby Claerbout, Director of International Programs, has navigated the changes in travel policies and restrictions since the beginning and is happy to return to a more normal scope of work.

“It feels amazing that travel in general is opening back up post-pandemic,” she said. “Study abroad provides profound, high‐impact learning that enhances students’ overall university experience. Plus, it is a ton of fun.”

Travel ventures have already taken place within the year with several students completing terms abroad this past summer. One of these students was individualized studies major Alayzia McLeod who attended Veritas University in San Jose, Costa Rica. Focusing in Spanish and premedical sciences at Minot State, she took Holistic Health Approaches, Beginner Spanish for Healthcare Professions which aligned with her degree interests perfectly. She also went rafting, went ziplining, tried lots of local eats, visited Arenal Volcano and La Fortuna Waterfall, and practiced her Spanish with local San Jose residents.

“It was a wonderful experience,” McLeod said. “I loved both classes, I had great instructors, and I learned a lot.”

The University has many opportunities available for future travel plans. The MSU Alumni Association will host an eight-day “Castles and Cathedrals” Rhine River cruise in October 2023 featuring six guided tours across four countries. Read this ARTICLE for more information.

In addition to all of the regular study abroad OPTIONS students have the option to pursue, the Honors Program and the Division of Performing Arts have teamed up with the Office of International Programs to offer a central European TOUR. The tour will visit sites such as Mozart’s home in Salzburg, Austria, the State Opera House and Czech Museum of Music in Prague, Czech Republic, and even an overnight near Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany. Participants will also have several free days and evenings to explore on their own. All students, faculty, alumni, and community members are welcome to attend the tour which will take place May 16-27, 2023. The final application deadline is January 20, 2023.

• Dec 6:  9-11 a.m.
• Dec 8:  1:30-3:30 p.m.
• Dec 9:  1:30-3:30 p.m.
• Dec 13:  9-11 a.m.

The UNIV 110 POWER Up FYE class will be conducting a book talk for their community engagement/service project. The book talk will be presented on Dec. 6 at 2 p.m. in Old Main Room 106A and on Dec 8 at 2 p.m. in Old Main Room 106A. The book to be discussed is "The Energy Bus" by Jon Gordon. Books are available for check out. Please email KATY ALLERS if you would like to participate. Allers and the students will deliver the book to you! All faculty, staff, and students are invited. 

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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.

Dianna Anderson, assistant professor, performing arts, presented: Anatomy of a Piano Recital at the Nov. 29 Conversations with Colleagues at Minot State. The presentation shared the submerged part of the iceberg that culminates in a polished performance.

Joseph Collette, associate professor, geoscience, was awarded EPSCoR funding to acquire LiDAR- and high-resolution imaging-capable UAV with the ability to image up to 40 acres per flight. The instrument was added to the research tools available for geoscience undergraduates at Minot State.

Lizzy LeRud, associate professor of English, has a feature article published at Poetry Foundation HERE. The article centers around a poetry workshop established at Attica Correctional Facility after the horrific prison uprising that took place there in 1971, still the deadliest in United States history. LeRud was fascinated to learn that the incarcerated people and prison authorities both thought a poetry writing class was the way to respond to such violence. Her article, "An X-Ray of the Soul: Remembering the Poets of Attica Correctional Facility," explores why.

Upul Rupassara, assistant professor, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, received funding from the North Dakota Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (ND EPSCoR). The grant award of $5,979.00 was awarded for the proposal to develop online/virtual modules for the recently developed DATA 211, Data Analysis and Visualization course.

John Webster, professor, geoscience, was awarded $32,847 from North Dakota EPSCoR for acquisition of a new precision thin-section machine for both teaching and research applications. The thin-section machine will be used for preparation of standard rock thin sections and grain mounts of unconsolidated sand.

John Apland, facilities management, was named September’s Staff Senate High Five Award winner. He is pictured HERE with MSU President Steven Shirley and Staff Senate President Katy Allers.

Amy Armstrong, director, sponsored programs and assistant director, NDCPD, was named October’s Staff Senate High Five Award winner. She is pictured HERE with MSU President Steven Shirley and Staff Senate President Katy Allers.

Ethan Valentine, assistant professor, psychology, Dan Conn, chair/associate professor, teacher education and kinesiology, and Nathan Anderson, director of institutional assessment, were featured presenters for Conversations with Colleagues on Nov. 8 at Minot State. Valentine’s presentation was “Leveling Up at Minot State: Games as Agents of Cognitive, Social, and Competitive Growth,” while Conn and Anderson’s presentation was CP²R: Finding Your Fit. Descriptions of the presentations are located HERE,

Amy Corfman was selected as the ASC Student of the Month for October. She has contributed to the Academic Support Center’s programs as a Student Office Assistant.