For nearly a century, Minot instrumentalists and singers have brought “Messiah” to life for the Minot community.

The cherished tradition will take place on the Ann Nicole Nelson Hall stage at Minot State on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 4 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public, with free-will offerings collected by Minot State University students raising funds for scholarships at MSU.

Many musicians have selflessly donated their time and energy because of their love of music. In response to the increase in demand for musicians’ time and the challenge of assembling an orchestra capable of performing “Messiah,” Minot State’s Department of Fine and Performing Arts has partnered with the MSU Development Foundation to create the Messiah Endowment. The endowment will ensure that musicians are compensated for their work while keeping the concerts free for the community.

Soloists for this year’s performance include students Christina Larsen, Megan Kramer, Kylee Cook, Ethan Pedersen, Evan Putt, and Eric Furuseth, Minot State associate professor of English. Alongside these soloists, the participation of volunteer singers has increased.

Handel’s "Messiah" was originally an Easter offering, first appearing on a Dublin stage in 1742 before becoming the Christmas season tradition it is today. Except for the 1967 blizzard and 2020 COVID-19 restrictions, the "Messiah" has been a fixture of the Minot holiday season for almost a century.

Minot State University student and history major Olivia Bervig will give a public presentation on the history of Dakota Hall on Thursday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m. at the Hartnett Hall Lecture and Recital Hall 106.

Dakota Hall, a residence hall on the MSU campus since the 1930s, is scheduled for demolition in the spring. The presentation will be part of the final steps of an internship in which Bervig is using research conducted on Dakota Hall to construct an overall history of the building.

Bervig originally took interest in studying Dakota Hall’s history after taking HIST 220: History of North Dakota from MSU Professor Bethany Andreasen in Fall 2023. Andreasen’s students researched the history of the building, decade by decade.

MSU decided to close Dakota Hall in 2020 and has determined it is not financially feasible to renovate the nearly 100-year-old building. When Andreasen learned of the demolition, she decided it was important to set up a project to record the building’s history.

The presentation, which is free and open to the public, will include stories and photos shared by alumni and community members after the Minot State History Department reached out following the 2020 closure. Information from the MSU student newspaper, Red & Green, Beaver yearbooks, along with campus directories and campus master plans, were used to compile the history of the building.

Along with the presentation, Bervig and the MSU Department of History will be producing a booklet on the building’s history.

Minot State University Native American Cultural Center, the MSU Diversity Council, MSU Student Affairs, and Sodexo at Minot State collaborated to host events during the University’s Native American Cultural Celebration on Nov. 18-19.

The Native American Cultural Center and MSU Student Affairs partnered with Sodexo at Minot State to host an Indigenous Dinner on Nov. 18 at the Student Center Conference Center. On Nov. 19, Minot State hosted author and speaker James Vukelich in the Hartnett Hall Collaboration Space, and he led a book discussion and signing hosted by the Gordon B. Olson Library.

The Indigenous Dinner was the third-annual event, and the meal was prepared by Sodexo chef Amanda O'Dell and staff. The event also featured music by duet soul band Blood Quantum, featuring Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians citizens, Amari LaRocque, and Clay LaRocque. Blood Quantum played original music and covers during the dinner. For more information on Blood Quantum, see the band's Facebook PAGE.

Vukelich discussed his recent book, “The Seven Generations and The Seven Grandfather Teachings,” during his presentation. The talk presented the traditional teachings of the Anishinaabeg as a means of developing interconnectedness and interdependence. The seven grandfather teachings, the sacred law of the Anishinaabeg, showed us how to lead “Mino-bimaadiziwin,” “the good life,” a life without contradiction or conflict, a life of peace and balance. Learn more about Vukelich at his WEBSITE.

Minot State University’s Concert Choir is accustomed to singing in venues with superior acoustics on international tours.

When looking for something similar in Minot, Emerson Eads, professor of music and the director of choral activities, was surprised to find something right on campus — the rarely used emergency stairwell at the Minot State Dome.

After learning of the space, Eads set out to find the perfect concert to utilize the venue, featuring fewer voices than the traditional full choir.

“In the Darkness of Night: A Concert of Polyphonic Masterpieces for Four Voices” on Nov. 8 featured four Minot State singers: Christina Larsen, soprano; Kaitlyn Pellenwessel, alto; Tyler Irmen, tenor; and Evan Putt, bass. The free concert was a fundraiser for the group’s Spring 2025 trip to Norway.

Pellenwessel, a sophomore from Minot studying music education, likens the space to cathedrals and basilicas she had the opportunity to sing in this past summer. Irmen, a senior music education major from Velva, was uncertain if this was the best place for a concert but came around after the first rehearsal.

While Eads was excited about the event, he was grateful for the partnership with MSU Athletics to utilize the venue.

The Staff Senate Scholarship is given out each spring to an MSU classified employee or their immediate family member who is continuing their education in order to meet their future career goals. The deadline for submitting the application and essay is Dec. 13 at 4 p.m. in the Financial Aid office. View the scholarship criteria HERE and application HERE.

Come with us on an adventure! Our May 2025 trip to Scotland is now open to all students, faculty, staff, and community members. The application deadline is Feb. 14, 2025. If you'd like more information and want to apply, please click HERE. Ye dinnae ken Scotland yet, but you will!

The judges enjoyed all the entries and commented on the difficulty they had making a couple of the selections because of the quality of this year’s entries.

• Student winner: Valeria DeVilla, "A child without a grave"
• Faculty winner is: Laura Zucca-Scott, "Paisà – Countryman"
• Community and Overall selection is: Michelle Nitengale
• SPECIAL RECOGNITION: Middle School entry “To the Veteran”

The Healthy Holiday Challenge (with a twist) will kick off on Nov. 25. The challenge will include 6 different mini challenges each week for 6 weeks. You can choose to do as many as you are interested in, whether that be all or one! Click HERE to view the individual challenges. For questions or to sign up, contact Sydney Yale by EMAIL.

We appreciate your interest in this event and hope you consider submitting photos of your future travels next year since the Global Sights Photo Contest is an annual event held during the month of November every year. Additional details can be found HERE. For questions, please email STUDY ABROAD.  

Student Category

• 1st place: “Swan Lake” by Alexandra Baker taken in Italy 
• 2nd place: “Perspective from below” by Daniel Walker taken in France 
• 3rd place: “Alley Walk” by Diana Aiton taken in Spain 
• Honorable mentions: “Alp’s Salvation” by Shiloh Mende taken in Switzerland and “Bavarian Haze” by Elizabeth Ann Chapman taken in Germany 

Faculty/Staff/Alumni/Retiree Category 

• 1st place: “It’s bright in here!” by Jolina Miller (staff/alum) taken in Sweden 
• 2nd place: “Bonnie Boat” by Kate Famiglietti (staff) taken in Scotland 
• 3rd place: “Carrrick-a-Rede” by Kaitlyn Nieuwsma (staff) taken in Northern Ireland 
• Honorable mentions: “Suncheon Bay Wetlands” by Erin Heit (staff) taken in South Korea and “Santorini Sunset” by Jeri Miltenberger (alum) taken in Greece 

In December, the Student Affairs department will begin a study and discussion format for the book "The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing Mental Illness" by Jonathan Haidt. They have five spots open if you wish to join the study group. They will meet in December, January, and February to read and discuss topics from the book. Contact Kevin Harmon by EMAIL to join the study group.  

The next Conversations with Colleagues is Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 3:30 p.m. in the Collaboration Space on the second floor of Hartnett Hall. Robert Kibler will present “Renaissance Sonnets and the Literary Logical Beauty of Form,” and Amanda Watts will present “Renaissance Italy’s Saints, Artists, and Brawls.” Please join us for conversations, community, learning, and more with your colleagues. For more information, check out the Convos WEBPAGE and Conversations with Colleagues attached POSTER.

The DECA club is holding a bake sale on Tuesday, Dec. 3, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the first floor of Old Main. All treats are only $1! Proceeds from the sale will go toward travel expenses to attend competitions.

Join Katherine McCarville for a fascinating look at North Dakota’s geologic history, including highlights like Dakota, the dinosaur mummy, and the rocks that tell the state’s story, with a focus on the western region on Dec. 4 at 3 p.m. on the main floor of the Gordon B. Olson Library. Attendees can build a pocket-sized geology model to take home.

The event is hosted by the MSU Geology Department and Gordon B. Olson Library. Attendees may bring a rock or fossil for identification before or after the talk. Monetary valuations will not be provided. For more information, see attached POSTER.

Introduction to Public History students will be giving presentations on the local history projects that they completed for the class on Dec. 17, in Old Main 211, from 12 to 1:50 p.m. Topics include socialism in early 20th century Minot, the work of the Army Corps of Engineers in response to the 2011 Minot flood, the Minot Greek community and Orthodox Church, the Great Northern Railway’s effects on Minot, and the Great Northern Railway Roundhouse.

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 on holidays.

• ART? RESPONSE!: What do you get when you combine a gaggle of art students, 300 or so artworks from the MSU Permanent Collection, and multiple Friday afternoons?! The Northwest Arts Center's second pop-up is a student-curated exhibition about looking at and responding to art! Students scrolled through over a hundred images of artworks in the Permanent Art Collection. Several pieces were stricken down as immediate “no’s” with a veto authority, while others remained in the pool to be gone back through a second time, and fewer still were locked in as crowd favorites. The remaining line-up created a tongue in cheek pop-up show about art, critiques, and the collection. 'Art? Response!' will be displayed in the Northwest Arts Center Dec. 5-21. Come check out the show chosen and reflected on by Minot State art students. So, you have something to say about art? Put it in writing!

Hartnett Hall Gallery
The Hartnett Hall Gallery is located on the second floor of Hartnett Hall in the walkway and Collaboration Space. It is open during Hartnett Hall hours.

• Animals in Art: This exhibition is curated by Syndr Bagley and Blaire Engel. This exhibition emphasizes 15 artists’ unique views on the subject of animals. Using different printmaking techniques including, lithography, etching, and intaglio. The exhibition will be displayed in Hartnett Hall from Oct. 13 until Jan. 13.

Flat Tail Press
Flat Tail Press is an educational printmaking studio at Minot State University. The gallery is located in the landing space on the second and third floor of the Minot State Student Center, west entrance. It is open during normal Student Center hours.

• The Truth of Intuition: Christopher Reno studied painting, drawing, and printmaking at Knox College, The New York Studio School, Robert Blackburn's Printmaking Workshop, Flatbed Press in Austin, Texas, and the MFA program of The University of Iowa. He is currently the Gallery Director and assistant professor of art at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa. The exhibition will be on display from Oct. 4-Jan. 30.

Kyle Bittle, assistant professor of computer information systems at Minot State, presented a talk on Saturday, Nov. 23, at the Heartland Association of Fairs, Festivals, and Events annual Convention in Minot. His talk titled “The Power of AI to Save Time and Energy!” explored how Generative AI can be harnessed to streamline the planning and marketing processes for community events. The presentation emphasized practical applications of AI tools, demonstrating how they can reduce workload, enhance creativity, and improve efficiency in organizing successful events.

Evan Borisinkoff, associate professor in the Department of Education and Inclusive Services, recently attended the Standard Celeration Society conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from Nov. 7 to 9. Borisinkoff earned 11 continuing education units (CEUs) to renew his national certification as a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) as well as his ND state license to practice as an Applied Behavior Analyst. Also, Borisinkoff recently had his sabbatical research from the Fall of 2023 approved for publication in the Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals. The article entitled “In Parents’ Voices: To What Extent Do Practitioners Need to Treat Stereotypical and Repetitive Behavior of Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder?” will appear in the Winter 2026 edition.

The Department of Nursing is thrilled to announce it has been awarded full funding through the generosity of the Inspiritus Community Health Foundation, securing a grant of $4,635.96. This grant will fund the addition of sequential compression devices (SCDs) into labs and simulations. This investment will prepare students to effectively use SCDs, which play a critical role in preventing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and other venous thromboembolic conditions. With the addition of this hands-on experience, nursing students will develop the skills needed to deliver high-quality, preventive patient care, aligning with the Inspiritus Community Health Foundation's mission to promote community health and well-being.

Congratulations, Paul Cerbone, the September winner of the Staff Senate High Five Award. He is pictured HERE with Staff Senate President Karla Bredahl, Human Resources Director Sara Abrahamson, and Vice President for Administration and Finance Krista Lambrecht. Cerbone, human resources coordinator, has worked at Minot State for the past two and a half years. Outside of the office, he likes to play pickleball, go to the gym, and play drums and guitar. He owns his own photography business and says you can either find him with a pickleball racquet or a camera in his hand, but never both at the same time!

Siriana Gudino earned her second award from the NSIC this fall. Gudino was named the NSIC Goalie of the Week after making 11 saves in a pair of shutout wins over the weekend, a 2-0 victory over visiting Sioux Falls on Friday when she made 7 saves, then she made 4 more saves in a 2-0 win over Wayne State on Sunday. The senior from Ceres, California, was named NSIC Goalie of the Week back on September 9 after back-to-back shutouts to open the season on the road for Minot State.

Evan Lovett, Minot State running back, helped send his senior teammates off in glorious fashion, a performance that wrote Lovett’s name into the Beaver record books as Minot State rolled to a 56-23 win on Senior Day. He was honored by the NSIC and named the NSIC Offensive Player of the Week for football. Also, the redshirt junior from Tucson, Arizona, is up for another award: The Harlon Hill Trophy as the top player in the nation at the NCAA Division II level. Lovett is one of 43 players up for the award and one of 11 candidates from Super Region 4. Each of the four super regions will vote on the candidates from their region and select two award finalists from the region, who will be announced on Monday, Dec. 2. The winner of the 2024 award will be announced on Friday, Dec. 20. The Hill Trophy is named for the late Harlon Hill - the former University of North Alabama standout - who excelled with the Lions from 1950-53 before going on to fame in the National Football League with the Chicago Bears. 

Manuela Pacheco Martinez, a Minot State midfielder, earned more than just All-NSIC honors. The senior from Bogota, Columbia, who was voted to the All-NSIC 2nd Team, was again recognized by the NSIC as the 2024 Women’s Soccer Elite 18 Award for her achievements in the classroom, as well as her play on the field. Honored prior to the Beavers’ Friday semifinal matchup with Concordia, St. Paul in Mankato, Minnesota, Pacheco Martinez is the second Elite 18 Award winner from the Beaver women’s soccer program, joining Andrea Franco, who won the award in the fall of 2016 and again in 2018. Pacheco Martinez is the eighth NSIC Elite 18 Award winner for all sports at Minot State as she joins Jacob Jensen (2020 and 2021 for cross country), Jordan Will (2020 for football), Andrea Franco (2019-20 for track and field, 2016 and 2018 for soccer), and Caleb Fornshell (2017 for baseball) in earning this distinguished honor. Pacheco Martinez is a graduate of Emilio Valenzuela high school in Columbia and a transfer from Otero College who holds a 4.0 GPA and is majoring in Multimedia Communications. The NSIC Elite 18 award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA participating at the finals site for each of the NSIC’s 18 Championships.

Noah Schmidt, Minot State entrepreneurship student, foundation and CEO of Guardian Safety Nets, was the featured guest at the Minot Area Chamber EDC Start Up Minot event on Thursday, Nov. 14, at the Carnegie Center in downtown Minot. Start Up Minot is designed to invigorate, encourage, and entice entrepreneurs in the Minot region to execute their business idea with a monthly business showcase/networking event. For more information on Start Up Minot, see the Minot Area Chamber EDC WEBSITE. For more information on Schmidt and Guardian Safety Nets, see the University Communications FEATURE and the company's WEBSITE.

Congratulations to Cayden White for being selected as the ASC Student of the Month for October. He has contributed to the Academic Support Center’s programs as a peer tutor. The ASC Student of the Month recognizes the outstanding contributions of the many student leaders working with ASC's programs. Each month, one ASC student leader is selected as the ASC Student of the Month and featured on the ASC website. Anyone may nominate a student; however, a student may only be recognized once during the academic year. Nominations are due by the 1st of each month.

Jay Buchholz, Minot State captain, played like a team leader, scoring at least one point in every game in October for the Beaver men’s hockey team, while senior Paulette Dominguez continued to improve during the month, twice breaking her own school record and earning all-conference honors in cross country. Each was honored for their effort during the month as Buchholz was named the Pinnacle Employee Benefits Male Athlete of the Month for October, while Dominguez was named the Pinnacle Employee Benefits Female Athlete of the Month for October. Pinnacle Employee Benefits became the title sponsor for Minot State’s Athlete of the Month award during the 2021-22 academic year. The award recognizes the outstanding athletic achievements each month of one male and one female Beaver student-athlete. 

Three of Minot State’s star hockey players have earned that honor as Jay Buchholz, Christian Kadolph, and Paige Ackerman, each representing their country as members of Team USA at the 2025 Winter World University Games in Torino, Italy from Jan. 13-23. Minot State men’s head coach Wyatt Waselenchuk will join Buchholz and Kadolph on the bench in Italy as an assistant coach for the men’s Team USA squad. For Buchholz, a senior from Fargo, and Kadolph, a junior from Brainerd, Minnesota, this is the second time they will put on a Team USA jersey as both played for the gold-medal winning team in April of 2023 at the World Cup of Hockey in Romania. This will be the first time for Ackerman, a senior from Minot, playing on the international stage and for Team USA. 

As the Minot State women’s hockey team prepares to compete at the Women’s Midwest College Hockey (WMCH) Showcase this weekend, six of the Beavers players have earned a special honor. Minot State’s Paige Kozak, Krissy Rink, Journey Miller, Paige Ackerman, Makenna Beard, and Haylie Biever all have been named to the WMCH All-Star team and will participate in the WMCH All-Star game on Sunday which concludes four days of action on the ice at the Showcase. This is the second time Kozak, Rink, Ackerman, and Biever have been named to the WMCH All-Star roster as all four played in last year’s inaugural All-Star Game.

Five Minot State football players were named to the 2024 All-NSIC Football Team. Running back Evan Lovett and offensive lineman Aidan Shumate were named First Team All-NSIC on offense, while defensive backs Kevin Speed and Myzel Williams both were named to the First Team All-NSIC on defense. The All-NSIC honor is the first time Lovett, Shumate, Speed, and Williams each have earned All-NSIC recognition. Honored for the second straight year was senior linebacker Carson Cayko, who was named to the Second Team All-NSIC Defensive Team. Cayko also was a Second Team All-NSIC selection in 2023.

The NSIC released the All-Academic Teams for fall sports today, and 32 Minot State student-athletes were honored for their efforts both in the classroom and in competition. Leading the way was the Beaver men's and women's cross-country program as 12 runners were named to the NSIC All-Academic Team, while the Minot State football team had nine players honored, the Beaver soccer team had six players honored, and the Minot State volleyball team saw five players honored. Of those 32 Minot State student-athletes named to the NSIC All-Academic Team, 21 earned special distinction as they were named to the NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence. To be named to the NSIC All-Academic Team, a student-athlete must be an active member of their respective team in at least their second season of competition with their respective Beaver team and maintain at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA. To earn NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence honors, the student-athlete must maintain at least a 3.60 cumulative GPA.

• Earning NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence honored from the men's and women's cross-country teams were Baylee Lura, a sophomore from Carrington; Nikita Neyshtadt, a junior from Richmond Hill, Ontario; Yoni Neyshtadt, a 5th-year senior from Richmond Hill, Ontario; Isaac Rathbun, a junior from Minot; Nicole Reeves, a junior from Anaheim, Calif.; Sidra Sadowsky, a senior from Hettinger; Emery Smith, a junior from North Salt Lake, Utah; and Kaden Vermillion, a sophomore from Henderson, Nev.
• Earning NSIC All-Academic Team honors from the men's and women's cross-country teams were Grayson Bonilla, a senior from Helena, Mont.; Holter Bridwell, a sophomore from Bismarck; Paulette Dominguez, a senior from Alisa Viejo, Calif.; and Peyton Tuhy, a junior from Hettinger.
• Earning NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence honored from the football team were Emmett Espino, a 5th-year senior from Fairfield, Calif.; Erik Palmquist, a graduate student from Yuba City, Calif.; Conner Raetzman, a sophomore from Tucson, Ariz.; DJ Schneibel, a 5-year senior from Rugby; and Josh Will, a junior from Minot.
• Earning NSIC All-Academic Team honors from the football team were Max Bray, a junior from Mesa, Ariz.; Cody Grossinger, a junior from Buffalo, Minn.; Jonathan Noriega, a junior from Yuma, Ariz.; and Tyler Stonebraker, a junior from Castle Rock, Colo.
• Earning NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence honored from the women's soccer team were Morgen Fried, a senior from Sherwood, Ore.; Sierra Haren, a senior from Chandler, Ariz.; Jordyn Knipper, a senior from Cheyenne, Wyo.; Manuela Pacheco Martinez, a senior from Bogota, Colombia; and Maria Pacheco Martinez, a graduate student from Bogota, Colombia.
• Earning NSIC All-Academic Team honors from the women's soccer team was: Leilany Ponce, a sophomore from Mira Loma, Calif.
• Earning NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence honored from the volleyball team were Paulina Kowalska, a junior from Wroclaw, Poland; Viktoria Sedova, a junior from Bratislava, Slovakia; and Sydney Upton, a junior from Minot.
• Earning NSIC All-Academic Team honors from the volleyball team were Bailee Brommenschenkel, a senior from Ada, Minn., and Jaina Macaulay, a junior from Clarkston, Mich.