Minot State University’s Department of Addiction Studies, Psychology, and Social Work has been selected to receive $4,355,179 over five years from the U.S. Department of Education under the Mental Health Service Professionals Demonstration Program.

The North Dakota School Psychology Service Professional Demonstration Grant (ND SP Service Grant) began on Jan. 1 and provides funding for the support of 28 graduate students.

“This grant will provide meaningful opportunities for MSU graduate students pursuing their degrees in the important field of school psychology,” Minot State President Steven Shirley said. “MSU is a leader in school psychology, and we are so grateful for the support and partnership with our friends in the Turtle Mountain Chippewa community — we had a great visit last fall and look forward to working together with them and their K-12 students over the next five years.”

“There is a nationwide critical shortage of mental health professionals with the applicable training and credentials to provide mental health assessment and service the needs of the U.S. school-aged population,” said Minot State Director of School Psychology and project director Penny Craven. “The shortage and its impact have significantly and disproportionately affected K-12 students in rural areas and those who reside on American Indian reservations.”

Minot State’s K-12 partner on the grant is the Bureau of Indian Education-Turtle Mountain Schools (BIE-TMAS). Craven praised the work of BIE-TMAS in the process, including Education Program Administrator Casey Sovo, along with outreach by MSU, specifically president Shirley; MSU vice presidents Kevin Harmon and Jacek Mrozik; Annette Mennem, director of MSU’s Native American Cultural Center; and Amy Armstrong, director of MSU’s Office of Sponsored Programs.

“Casey Sovo contacted Dr. Shirley and requested we work together on this project after MSU administrators visited their community (in September 2022),” Craven said. “Other North Dakota institutions were interested in partnering, but he chose to work with MSU in part because of the outreach efforts. Amy helped immensely with the budget and other logistical aspects of this grant.”

The partnership with BIE-TMAS will establish a field-based training site for MSU school psychology graduate students. The ND SP Service Grant will seek to recruit and train graduate students from diverse and high-need local educational agency (LEA) communities.

Minot State University announced a total of 474 students were named to the Fall 2022 President’s List, a total of 303 students were named to the Vice President for Academic Affairs’ Honor Roll, and nine students earned a spot on the Engagement Honor Roll.

Students who earned a term grade point average of 3.8 or higher while enrolled for 12 or more credits during the Fall 2022 semester were named to the list. The honor will show on the student’s transcript for the semester it was earned.

“We are proud to celebrate and recognize the achievements of our students earning distinction by being named to the President’s List,” said Minot State President Steven Shirley. “The students honored with this acknowledgment deserve our heartiest word of ‘congratulations!’ for their outstanding academic accomplishment and their pursuit of excellence in the classroom.”

Students who earned a term grade point average of 3.5-3.79 while enrolled for 12 or more credits during the Fall 2022 semester were named to the VPAA list. The honor will show on the student’s transcript for the semester it was earned.

The Engagement Honor Roll is an opportunity for Minot State University undergraduate students to receive recognition for the engagement activities they participate in while a student at MSU, through inclusion of this distinction on their transcripts. Students must complete a minimum of 50 hours, verified by supervisors, in any combination of engagement activities in order to be recognized during any given term.

“Congratulations to all the students on the Fall 2022 Vice President for Academic Affairs and Engagement Honor Rolls. These students showed up, put in the work, and earned the grades. Well done!” said Laurie Geller, Minot State vice president for academic affairs.

For complete lists, see links below:

PRESIDENT'S LIST

VPAA / ENGAGEMENT HONOR ROLL

Minot State University is pleased to announce 20 area students have been selected to participate in the Aspire Scholars program.

The selected students were nominated by their school administrators, submitted essays, and have met the requirements to take college-level coursework.

“In communicating with regional high schools and learning more about their teacher shortage issues, we heard time and again about a strategic interest in trying to ‘grow their own’ teachers,” said Minot State President Steven Shirley. “The Aspire program provides exactly that kind of an approach, and so we are especially excited to welcome this first class of scholar students to Minot State.”

Minot State designed the Aspire program to partner with North Dakota K-12 districts in identifying and training high school students who aspire to be educators. This collaborative effort aims to address shortages in teaching fields in North Dakota.

The program is possible through Minot State’s partnership with the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction and the Bush Foundation PIPELINE (Planning Initiative to Prepare Educators for Licensure in ND {Special} Education) grant. Established in 1953 by 3M Executive Archibald Bush and his wife, Edyth, the Bush Foundation supports organizations and people who think bigger and think differently about what is possible in their communities.

Mark your calendar for the 33rd annual Spring Honor Dance and Powwow Celebration at Minot State University on April 21 and 22.

The two-day celebration, hosted by the Native American Cultural Center and Native American Cultural Awareness Club, will be held at the MSU Dome and feature standard dancing, drumming, and an honor parade for the Minot State graduating class of 2023.

“The University is made up of people doing different things across campus, and the Spring Honor Dance and Powwow Celebration is one of those times each year when the campus comes together to host one of the largest student-led activities at Minot State,” Annette Mennem, Native American Center director said. “Come join us April 21 and 22, when we celebrate the graduating class of 2023.”

The event will also include three Grand Entries over the two days beginning on Friday at 7 p.m. Saturday will feature the traditional entry of dancers at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

While the Spring Honor Dance and Powwow Celebration is free and open to the public, vendors will be on site selling jewelry, clothing, crafts, food, and other items.

A full itinerary of the celebration will be released at a later date.

Minot State athletics has announced the addition of a new mascot mark, exclusively for student clubs and organizations. Additionally, Minot State updated guidance regarding e-mail signatures and campus visual standards. To see the new mascot mark and learn of other updates, review the 2023 Graphic Standards Manual HERE.

Nominations for the Minot State University Board of Regents faculty and staff achievement awards are due in the Office of the President by April 3. There are separate forms, and criteria for each award. In brief:

• Faculty: Nominations may be made by anyone knowledgeable about the achievements and contributions of the faculty member. Self-nominations are allowed. Self-nominations must include an endorsement by a faculty member or supervisor. Nominations must be specific for the area of teaching, scholarship or service and must include a one-page supporting narrative.
• Staff: Nominations may be made by anyone knowledgeable about the staff member. A description of the personal characteristics and accomplishments of the nominee must be provided.

More specific details are contained on the nomination forms. The forms can be found HERE. The awards will be presented at the MSU Employee Appreciation event on May 10.

The MSU Lifelong Learning Institute is looking for anyone who has a passion or a skill that they would like to teach to others. Our target audience is the lifelong learner, the ones who have a zest for learning! We are open to any and all suggestions. Our list of classes has included photography, pickleball, art, ceramics, and podcasting. Please email AMY WOODBECK or call her at extension 3989 to discuss. Deadline to submit proposal is Feb. 15.

The 2023-2024 Minot State General Scholarship Application is now available HERE. The deadline to apply for MSU scholarships is Feb. 15. Please review the scholarship terms and conditions found under the “Apply Now!” red button. Minot State offers a variety of scholarships funded by gifts to the University. Scholarships are based on academic achievements, financial need, and other criteria defined by the donors. The scholarship amounts vary depending on student eligibility and the availability of funds. Some Minot State scholarships available for the 2023-2024 academic year require a separate application form from our general scholarship application. Visit the Other MSU Scholarship and Awards page to locate applications for these scholarships.  For more information, contact the financial aid office at 858-3375 or 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. 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.

• INT'L Paperworks 2023: The Northwest Arts Center opens the spring semester at Minot State with the “INT’L Paperworks 2023” annual juried exhibition. The exhibition is on view from Jan. 13 to Feb. 17 in the Walter Piehl Gallery. From the first call for entries in 1969, the Paperworks competition has brought diverse artwork “on or of paper, traditional and experimental” to the University campus. This year’s exhibition features 29 artworks by artists from the United States, Canada and Germany. The juror for "INT’L Paperworks 2023" is Nicole Soukup. Soukup is the assistant curator of contemporary art and coordinator of the Minnesota Artists Exhibition Program at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
• Perspective+: The Northwest Arts Center presents "Perspective+," an exhibition by Nebraska photographer and "Americas 2021" All Media Best of Show recipient Carlos Herrarte, on view in the Walter Piehl Gallery from Jan. 6 to Feb. 10. Herrarte has always been a photography enthusiast, but he took a step forward in 2016 with a purchase of a Nikon D3300 and it opened up a new view of the world. "Perspective+" is a culmination of Herrarte’s photographic journey, through street photography, specializing in the abstract and all things urban, and more recently, conceptual projects.
• Perspective+ Reception: A public reception with artist Carlos Herrarte is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 9 from 6:30-8 p.m. with an artist talk to begin at 7 p.m.
• Art Seminar: Carlos Herrarte: Join "Perspective+" artist Carlos Herrarte for the Art Seminar Speaker Series on Friday, Feb. 10 at 12 p.m. in Memorial Hall Room 114. Herrarte has always been a photography enthusiast, but he took a step forward in 2016 with a purchase of a Nikon D3300 and it opened up a new view of the world. "Perspective+" is a culmination of Herrarte’s photographic journey, through street photography, specializing in the abstract and all things urban, and more recently, conceptual projects. The exhibition is on view at the Northwest Arts Center from Jan. 6 to Feb. 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.

Mikhail Bobylev, chemistry professor, was a part of a published piece from The National Institute of Health's National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) about NIGMS-funded researchers who emphasize mentoring as part of their work on their blog BIOMEDICAL BEAT. The article features several researchers, including Bobylev.

Holly Pedersen, associate professor of special education; Brent Askvig, professor emeritus of special education; Dionne Spooner, Walden University faculty and former faculty in ASPSW; and Mallory Halvorson, former graduate student in special education, published “Parent perceptions of itinerant services for students who are deaf or hard of hearing” in Deafness & Education International. The piece has been published early online HERE.

Ethan Valentine, assistant professor of psychology, has published an article in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking with colleague Chiahui Yen of Ming Chuan University in Taipei, Taiwan.  Their article, "Building Caregivers’ Social Support on Social Network Sites Through Online Support Groups," explores how groups on social media sites can act as forms of online support, particularly for parents of neurodiverse children.  The paper can be accessed HERE.

Two sabbaticals have been recommended by the Faculty Senate Sabbatical Committee for the 2023-24 academic year, and both have been approved:

• Evan Borisinkoff, special education, Fall 2023: “In Parents Voices: To What Extent Do Practitioners Need to Treat Stereotypical and Repetitive Behavior of Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder?”
• Ernst Pijning, history, Spring 2024: “Opportunistic Friendships: Dutch Relations with Brazil and Portugal in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries.”

Quentin Jones was named the December winner of the Staff Senate High Five Award. He is pictured HERE with MSU President Steven Shirley and Staff Senate President Katy Allers. Jones, who works in MSU security, has been with the University since 2017.

Lutheran Campus Ministry is pleased to announce that Pastor Rachel Simonson has accepted the call to serve as the LCM rostered leader.

Alina Gonzalez and Carson Fettig, College of Business students, have published a senior research project in the Journal of Business, Management, Commerce, & Research. The full-text article, "Exploring the Influence of Media and Political Party Affiliation on Perceptions and Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic" is available HERE.

Noah Ploof was selected as the ASC Student of the Month for December. He has contributed to the Academic Support Center’s programs as a peer review session leader.

Brek Thompson, Minot State freshman, and his team, Team Name, placed third in Division A at North Dakota State University’s Rocket League Club inaugural Dakota Collegiate Rocket League (DCRL) tournament in December. The DCRL season included 72 students representing 10 colleges across North Dakota and South Dakota in three divisions.