UND Alumni Review Summer 2011 by UND Alumni Association & Foundation

Alumni Review Summer 2011

Universit y of Nor th Dakota A lumni A ssoc iation

Music

A love for

PLUS:

Groundbreaking

Gorecki Alumni Center will be one of a kind. Pg. 6

contents

Inside this issue ALUMNI REVIEW • Vol. 94 No. 2 • Summer 2011

FEATURES 24

10 A Man and His Guitar Tom Brosseau takes his unique style from Grand Forks to L.A. and beyond. BY MILO SMITH

14 Just Breathe Celeste Krenz takes a well-deserved break from life on the road. BY MILO SMITH

18 Home on the Range, Song in Her Heart Western North Dakota suits Jessie Veeder just fine. BY MIlo smith

departments 4 Message from the Executive Vice President A Place to Call Home

26 What’s New

22 Talent on Deck

News from Around Campus

Ellery Tofte is out to sea and loving every minute of it. BY Bethany Stender

27 President’s Letter

24 A Life at the Opera

36 Campaign News

The San Francisco Opera relies on a UND alum to keep shows humming along. BY milo smith

A Musical Campus Meet Donors and Get an Update on the North Dakota Spirit Campaign

44 Alumni Class News Who’s Doing What: News About Your Classmates

56 In Memoriam

www.undalumni.org 3

Alumni Review Summer 2011

a mESSAGE FROM THE CEO dear alumni & friends, Every workday, along with 35 other dedicated employees of the UND Alumni Association & UND Foundation, I get out of bed with one thing on my mind: The fulfillment of the mission our organizations represent to impact current and future students of the University of North Dakota. To accomplish this, I/we have recruited mostly UND graduates as our colleagues. Virtually all of us are from the state or region, with dirt under our fingernails. To us, it’s much more than “just a job!” Thus, the past few months have been difficult, to say the least. While name and logo debate, issues, etc., have existed virtually my entire adult life, never have I seen emotions rise to the level we have experienced in association with the North Dakota Legislature’s action requiring the University of North Dakota to keep the Fighting Sioux name and logo. As I write this column, the “known” essentially revolves around two facts: 1. By state law established this session in the legislature and signed by Gov. Jack Dalrymple, UND and the State Board of Higher Education are required to keep the Fighting Sioux name and logo. 2. As expected, the NCAA announced in April the sanctions agreed upon in the October 2008 settlement between UND and the NCAA will be enforced on Aug. 15, 2011. To keep up-to-date on the issue, you can visit the UND Nickname and Logo Blog at www.nickname.und.edu/logo. North Dakota Spirit | The Campaign for UND continues toward its $300 million goal. As I write, the campaign total is over $221 million and we will finish the fiscal year on June 30 with record donor commitments! President Robert Kelley and Provost Paul Lebel’s “Exceptional UND” Initiatives introduced this spring highlight the many extraordinary accomplishments occurring every day on our campus, and define critical priorities for the future. These initiatives set out exciting new opportunities and goals in the academic arena. Too often this fundamental element defining a

Ἅ lu m n i R e v ie w | summer 2011

Universit y of Nor th Dakota A lumni A ssoc iat ion

Executive Vice President and Vol CEO . 93 No. 4 • Winter 2010 Tim O’Keefe, ’71 Editor Milo Smith

world-class UND is obscured by the name and logo issue. This is not a time to pull back from UND. There are great accomplishments, academically and athletically, bringing glory to UND. During our May meeting of our Board of Directors, we welcomed three new members to our group of 23, and said goodbye to Keith Reimer, who finished his third, three-year term. Keith has been a terrific board member. The 1973 graduate, who was the pride of Hampden, N.D., has been a mentor to many, a board leader and a generous donor along with his wife, Stephanie. We are excited about our three additions to the board. Marc Chorney, ’81, actually came on the Board of Directors last fall. Marc and wife, Lynn, ’82, live in Hastings, Minn. He was a stellar member of the 1980 UND championship hockey team, and now is the CEO of Rockland Industrial Products in Red Wing, Minn. Carrie McIntyre Panetta, ’88, lives with her husband, Jimmy, in Oakland, Calif., and is an Alameda County Superior Court Justice. Linda Laskowski, ’72, lives in Berkeley, Calif., and is retired after a successful career overseeing phone and broadband distribution. Marc, Carrie and Linda will bring the same passion, loyalty and generosity to our board exemplified by past directors like Keith, and we’re looking forward to working with them! Finally, please read the article on Page 6, regarding one of the most exciting announcements at UND in many years. On May 6, we held a groundbreaking for the Gorecki Alumni Center, the first Platinum LEED project in North Dakota, and the first Platinum LEED alumni center in the country. We look forward to welcoming all of you to our first real “home” on campus in our 128-year history. There is so much to celebrate about our University! I hope to see you on campus soon. Best regards,

Tim O’Keefe, ’71 Executive Vice President and CEO UND Alumni Association and UND Foundation E‐mail: timo@undfoundation.org

Designer Sam Melquist Contributing Writers Alyssa Shirek, ‘06 David Dodds, ‘98 Patrick C. Miller Liza Jones, ‘10 Peter Johnson, ‘81, ‘82 Jan Orvik, ‘95 Contributing Photography Jackie Lorentz Cody Cloud M. Jones Kristen Loken BOARD OF DIRECTORS UND Alumni Association Chair James L. Williams, ’62 Vice Chair Carolyn (Howland) Becraft, ’66 UND Foundation Chair Rick Burgum, ’68 Vice Chair Al Royse, ’72, ’73, ’76 Directors: Alice Brekke, ’79, ’87; Jill Burchill, ’76; Steve Burian, ’90, ’92; Marc Chorney, ’81; Kris Compton, ’77; Patrick Dirk, ’71, ’72; Jody Feragen, ’78; Mark Fliginger, ’74; William Guy III, ’68, ’76; Tim Haas, ’68; Bart Holaday, HON ’06; Robert O. Kelley; Chuck Kluenker; Paul LeBel; Lauris Molbert, ’79, ’83; Jennifer Neppel, ’86; Tim O’Keefe, ’71; Linda Pancratz, ’76; Fernanda (Santos) Philbrick, ’94, ‘96; Keith Reimer, ’73; Cathy (Wilson) Rydell, ’88; and Lisa Wheeler, ’75, ’82. The University of North Dakota Alumni Review (USPS 018089: ISSN 0895-5409) is published in August, November, February and May by the University of North Dakota Alumni Association, 3100 University Avenue, Stop 8157, Grand Forks, ND 58202-8157. Periodical postage paid at Grand Forks, ND 58201 and other offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Alumni Review, 3100 University Avenue, Stop 8157, Grand Forks, ND 58202-8157. For inquiries about advertising, additional copies, reprints, submissions, or general comments, contact 800.543.8764, 701.777.0831 or alumnireview@undalumni.net.

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alumni center update

A Place to Call

Home

UND Holds Groundbreaking for Gorecki Alumni Center

new home for University of North Dakota alumni will rise next to the Chester Fritz Auditorium over the next 16 months. The groundbreaking for the new Gorecki Alumni Center was held on the site in early May. Its stunning facade and location will make it a gateway to UND for alumni, students, their parents and others. “The Gorecki Alumni Center will be a remarkable front door to the campus,” said Tim O’Keefe, executive vice president and CEO of the UND Alumni Association and UND Foundation. “Our community room will host student, faculty, staff and administration functions as well as be available for the community of Grand Forks. The entire first floor of the three-story building is intended for public use, and there will be space to capture the diverse and fascinating heritage of our great University.” UND President Robert Kelley announced at the groundbreaking ceremony that the building will strive to achieve a LEED Platinum designation, the highest level of energy efficiency as recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council. This is a remarkable goal; it will be the first project in the state of North Dakota to attempt to meet the rigorous standards of energy efficiency, sustainability and use of green construction materials and technology. It is also the first alumni center in the country to seek LEED Platinum certification (for information on LEED certification, see Page 8). “I am thrilled that, thanks to the generous North Dakota Spirit of our alumni, the first LEED Platinum building in the state — and the first LEED Platinum alumni center in the United States — will be here at the University of North Dakota,” Kelley said. “The Gorecki Alumni Center will be a symbol of UND’s commitment to energy and environmental sustainability, which will mean cost-savings and operational efficiencies for the building over time.”

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The original plan for the building was to seek a LEED Silver designation, but with the decision to push for Platinum certification, another $1.5 million was required to meet the additional cost of planning, building and furnishing the building (initially, $10.5 million; now $12 million). That amount has been donated by Glen, ’59, ’61, and Janice Gransberg (photo, Page 8) of Grand Forks, who have a strong interest in environmental awareness and stewardship of our planet’s precious resources. The Gransbergs have also made arrangements for the funding of the Gransberg Family Endowment to enhance the Environmental Studies Program at UND. “The Gorecki Alumni Center will be the first LEED Platinum building in the state,” Glen Gransberg said at the groundbreaking ceremony. “It will put UND and North Dakota on the map for sustainability; an essential approach for the well-being of our planet. We are proud to be a part of this endeavor.” “We could not be more pleased to have the commitment from the Gransbergs to pursue LEED Platinum certification for the Gorecki Alumni Center,” O’Keefe said. “Their passionate interest in teaching students about environmental stewardship means the building will be a showcase for the benefits of green construction and energy efficiency.” Those benefits will likely include energy savings of about 30 to 40 percent over traditional buildings, more efficient use of water, cleaner interior air and lower maintenance costs — to name just a few. In addition, the building will act as a symbol of UND’s commitment to sustainability. The namesakes of the Gorecki Alumni Center are Ben, ’62, ’63, and Dorothy Gorecki (photo, Page 8) of Milaca, Minn., who have already donated $4 million to the project. They are longtime supporters of UND and of other educational, civic and health care-related

Illustration courtesy of JLG Architects.

organizations in central Minnesota. “It is very exciting to us that the alumni center will rise on this very spot over the next several months,” Dorothy Gorecki told the crowd at the groundbreaking ceremony. “We could not be prouder to be able to be part of this special groundbreaking ceremony for this much-needed alumni center at the University of North Dakota.”

The Gorecki Alumni Center boasts a nearly 4,000-square-foot community room that will be available to UND administrators, faculty, staff and students. The room will meet a need on campus for this type of warm and inviting space. “We’ll be able to host events that have not happened on campus before, or at all,” O’Keefe said. “This is truly a great opportunity for student gatherings and events,” Kylie Oversen, UND student body president said. “For students, quality space is a very valuable

thing and we are looking forward to expanding the spaces that we have available to the UND community.” Oversen also said the green efforts being put into the building will greatly appeal to environmentally conscious students. “Extraordinary Places” is one of the goals of North Dakota Spirit | The Campaign for UND, which aims to direct $300 million to the University of North Dakota. The Gorecki Alumni Center is the first “extraordinary place” to be funded under the Spirit campaign. Most of the $12 million has already been secured for the project, and the fundraising effort will continue.

“With the type of support we have seen from alumni for the Gorecki Alumni Center, I am very confident we will reach our $50 million goal for ‘Extraordinary Places’ and our entire $300 million campaign goal as well,” O’Keefe said. “These are certainly exciting times on campus.” A grand opening for the 30,000-square-foot Gorecki Alumni Center is planned for Homecoming 2012. AR www.undalumni.org 7

alumni center update

LEED Donors Glen and Janice Gransberg

Namesake Donors Ben and Dorothy Gorecki (above)

Photos by: Jackie Lorentz

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is an internationally recognized green building certification system developed in 2000 by the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). According to the USGBC website, LEED promotes sustainable building and development practices through a ratings system. Developers earn points for meeting certain green initiatives like using alternative energy sources and controlling stormwater runoff. The more points your building earns under the rigorous system, the higher level of certification you can achieve, with Platinum being the highest. There is no guarantee that a building pursuing LEED Platinum status will attain it. An independent group must verify that all criteria have been met before awarding points in each category. The process is so thorough that there are only seven Platinum buildings in Minnesota and two in South Dakota.

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What is LEED? While pursuing LEED Platinum shows UND’s commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility, the effort will pay dividends in other areas as well. Studies have shown that the typical energy savings for a Platinum building is 50 to 60 percent over a traditionally constructed building with a payback on the investment in 10 years. A LEED-certified campus building should use 20 to 40 percent less water as well. The Gorecki Alumni Center will also be a great place to work. LEED Platinum buildings have better indoor air quality, thermal comfort and natural lighting. Studies have shown an improvement in productivity in people working in such an environment. To learn more about LEED, visit the USGBC website at www.usgbc.org.

Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Plato

rom the Music major who will someday teach elementary schoolchildren how to play a recorder to the Biology student who listens to their iPod while they study, music is an important part of life at UND. In the following stories, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll meet UND alumni who turned their life-long love of music into rewarding careers.

www.undalumni.orgâ&#x20AC;&#x201A; 9

feature

A man and his guitar

Tom Brosseau follows his own path from Grand Forks to L.A.’s music scene. by milo smith

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Web Extras Visit Tom Brosseau’s website and blog. Listen to a new song from Tom, “America I can See You Smile.” Tom’s Amazon.com discography can be found here.

Photo by: Cody Cloud

should have known.

I should have seen it coming when I agreed to interview singer/ songwriter Tom Brosseau, ’99, by e-mail. I had read his blog and was aware that his writings have a lyrical, whimsical quality. His posts also tend to meander delightfully, taking their sweet time getting from point A to point B. Sometimes, it appears there is no final destination. True to form, his answers to my questions followed that pattern. One simple question about his time at UND starts out as expected with a discussion of time in the classroom, detours into a story of unrequited love and ends with the

start of the 1997 flood. Not to mention a cameo from the ghost of a long-dead cinematic legend. She had straight shiny black hair. She was tall, beautiful, and smart; her nose would kind of flare when she spoke. I loved that. She was the woman of my dreams. Of course she had no clue I existed. If she did, she did a great job of pretending. So I made a pact: I’m going to make that girl mine. I practiced writing poems. One of the first ones began something like this: The stars are in our favor. It’s just the two of us together. Let’s get out of this town and run away to Mexico.

I mean lame-o. There was nothing in those first poems worth a damn for any girl to want to run away with me. I’d need to step it up a couple levels if I intended to make good on my pact. I wouldn’t be ready until I penned 1,000. Tom relays that he indeed sat down one night to write a poem to get that girl from Prof. Michael Anderegg’s class, “Orson Welles, Shakespeare, and Popular Culture.” Then it was time. I stayed up all night. I burned candles. I summoned the spirit of Orson Welles. O great www.undalumni.org 11

words to answer my questions (for reference, a typical Alumni Review feature story is about 1,200 words.). It’s at this point that I asked Tom if I could put his complete answers online so that you can read them in their entirety. He said yes, and you can find them at www. undalumni.org/alumnireview. Otherwise, I’m going to try to do his answers justice and proceed.

Watch a video of Tom performing “You Don’t Know My Friends.”

GRAND FORKS-GROWN Watch a video of Tom performing with his duet partner Angela Correa.

Photo by: M. Jones

one, son of Wisconsin, I summon you! Your services are required. I need help — now more than ever, just this once. There’s a girl I have to win over. O great one, hear me! Then boom! There was a crash. The candles blew out. A figure appeared in the ether of my room. Just this once, the figure asked. Yes. This once, I had said back. Promise. There was a wicked laugh. The candles relit. Words just poured out of me. My hand could barely keep up. I was drenched in sweat. The next morning I had what I believed to be the mother of all poems. I felt as spotless as a lamb. I neatly folded the thing into a manila envelope and sealed it shut. By now, I imagine you are as caught up in the tale as I. Did Tom get the pretty black-haired girl to notice him with his 12

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Orson Welles-inspired poem? Sadly, the answer is no. But that’s as far it went. The class on Orson Welles got canceled. In fact, all classes at UND were canceled in the spring of 1997. The school shut down completely. The Red River was on the rise — all hands were needed down at Sandbag Central. Remember, what I’ve shown you is just an excerpt of a 550-word answer to this question: Describe your time at UND. In what ways did it contribute to your career? Do you remember any particular classes or professors who had a special impact on you? As I read the imaginative answer to just the first of 10 questions I’d submitted to the Grand Forks-born singer, I began to have a sinking feeling that I may not be up to the task of writing a profile on Tom. He’d obviously outdone himself by writing 3,700

Tom Brosseau grew up in a musical Grand Forks family. He credits his father, James, for his wide-ranging musical tastes and for taking him to concerts. He says, besides playing the tuba, his brother, Ben, was obsessed with music. “I looked up to my brother,” Tom says. “I still do.” Tom’s sister, Carrie, loved to sing along to her tape of “Les Mis.” And his mother, Jolene, encouraged them all to stay involved in music. “For that I am thankful,” Tom says. “No matter how horrible I was at playing guitar, how frustrated Carrie got at sustaining the high notes, or what a drag it was for Ben to have to lug his tuba to practice, our mother was there to make sure we did it.” Add in some musical relatives and the influence of Grand Forks music teachers throughout his formative years and you have an idea of where Tom came by his talent and his love of music. Reading through his list of teachers and others who nurtured his gift over the years also gives you a sense of why he takes so much pride in his hometown (one of his albums is titled “Grand Forks”). “When I’m performing on stage, I always ask if there’s anyone in the audience from North Dakota,” Tom says. “Sometimes people look around at one another as if they’re thinking, ‘Is this guy joking?’”

GAINING FOCUS

When he came to UND, Tom went through the Integrated Studies Program. He calls it a remarkable experience that allowed him to enter college life in a nurturing environment. “I love the Integrated Studies Program,” he says. “It bought me time while I learned how not to get swallowed

Brosseau recently played a tribute show in which he shared the stage with Academy Award-nominated actor John C. Reilly (left).

Photo by: M. Jones

up by the rest of the campus. And I fit in. I belonged.” Tom says he also studied music at UND, but at first he was too shy to play his own compositions. Eventually he was performing at the Westward Ho and Urban Stampede. “I became more focused during my time at UND, though gradually — not right off the bat,” Tom says. “For me, college was about figuring out who I was, what I liked.”

MAKING IT A CAREER

Music was what he liked, and after college he moved to Los Angeles to see if his style of progressive folk would play outside the Midwest. With a voice that National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered” calls “totally earthbound and at the same time sorta out there in the ether” and a style that often evokes the name of Woody Guthrie, Tom found his niche. He has recorded six CDs as a solo artist and one as part of the duo Les Shelleys (a collaboration with Angela Correa), and he is working on his next. “I believe I have something to say. That’s what keeps me going,” he says. He gets nervous thinking about the new effort. He says that’s normal at this stage in the process; having composed a number of songs, but still being unsure of which will make it and which need work. He says the album will be an exploration of modern dilemmas, such as how we love technology, but find it distracting to the point of

frustration. “There have been times I’ve seen the day just slip away from me,” Tom says. “And for what? To post some weird picture of a cloud formation in my coffee that resembles a panda?” He answers his own question: “Yes,” followed by a winking smiley face emoticon. The final product is likely to be vintage Brosseau. Though he has toyed with larger arrangements, he often returns to his roots: his guitar, his voice and his lyrics. The three have done quite well by him so far, which led me to ask this question of Tom: Is the road to success more difficult for a kid from Grand Forks? His answer is one of his shortest of the interview, but it gives insight into how his family, his hometown and his alma mater have influenced him. I’ve succeeded at being nice, staying focused, keeping busy. I’m not sitting on a boatload of cash, my album sales are far from platinum, (and) excessive drugs, alcohol and women have never found their way into the mix. And I’m still on the road. I feel like this is just the beginning. It’s been 10 years. It’s not that I can’t imagine doing anything other than music. Because I can, I do. I picture myself teaching at a college, with a wife, kids, and a blue tick heeler. For now I need to stay focused. I still have work to do. AR

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feature

áź? lu m n i R e v ie w | summer 2011â&#x20AC;&#x201A;

Breathe Just

A Dakota wind blew Celeste Krenz from Williston to Grand Forks to a musical career. Now, she just wants a chance to take a breather. fter performing 150 shows last year, singersongwriter Celeste Krenz, ’90, is enjoying some quiet time at her Nashville home this spring. She’s

by milo smith

been home-schooling her son Sam and taking pleasure in the little things that come as a joy for someone who has spent most of her adult life on the road. “At this point, I just want to spend time with my son,” Krenz says. “I want a house. I want to stay home. I’ve never stayed home in my whole life. I’ve been traveling since I was 18. I want to have a little bit of a regular life.” But Krenz hasn’t given up on music entirely. She’s producing for others, writing music and has not totally turned her back on performing. “I still do occasional shows,” she says.

AN EARLY START

Occasional is quite a break, though, from the breakneck pace Krenz established over the past two decades. It started early for Krenz, who had her first paid gig at age 10. As a teen growing up on a ranch near Williston, N.D., she played in a band. “We weren’t very good, but we thought we were!” she says with a laugh. Between starting and finishing her college career at UND, she went on an 18-state tour as part of a duo. “That’s probably the most I played,” Krenz says. “Then I went back to school.” She ended up with a degree in Communications after dabbling in everything from teaching to English. “I changed my major about six times,” she says.

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Celeste Krenz, ’90, is enjoying her role as teacher to her son Sam.

Despite never working in marketing or advertising as her degree prepared her for, Krenz says her time at UND was well worth it. “I never did get a traditional job doing anything like that,” says Krenz, “but in my music career that really did give me an edge.”

THE BIG BREAK

When she moved to Denver after graduation, she thought she would pursue one of those traditional jobs. Instead, she landed a position as a booking agent at an entertainment company that put together music festivals. Her bosses knew of her talent and soon were using her as an opening act. “That worked out really well because within a year and a half, I was playing big theaters and opening for people like LeAnn Rimes.” 16

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From there the list of talent she worked with grew: Hall and Oates, Chicago, Crash Test Dummies, Leo Kottke and more. The performances led to her first record after an agent from Nashville heard her at a show. Her second album, “Slow Burning Flame,” rose to No. 11 on Gavin’s Americana music chart. “I was up there with Willie Nelson and some really amazing acts,” she says. “And that record also got chosen as the No. 9 indie album (of 1994) and No. 10 of any album on this chart.” Krenz went on to record 10 albums in all. Since that first recording, she has spent a tremendous amount of time on the road. She runs most of her career herself, organizing tour dates and managing all the details, big and small. “For every show you do, you do 20 hours of organizing,” she says.

LESSONS FROM CAMPUS

She credits her time at UND for preparing her for the grind. “That was really learned at school,” she says. “Finishing and showing up. The more independent you are, the more disciplined you have to be.” That discipline was also fostered growing up on a western North Dakota ranch. “It really affected every part of my life and career,” she says. “The ranching community I grew up in. We had chores. We spent a lot of time together. Musically and life lessons and my work ethic are really affected by growing up in North Dakota.” Her signature song for her North Dakota fans would have to be “Dakota Wind,” from her 1998 release “Wishin’.” It has been featured in an energy conservation ad campaign, has been sung at the Medora Musical and appeared on Garrison Keillor’s

‘THE

MORE INDEPENDENT YOU ARE, THE MORE DISCIPLINED YOU HAVE TO BE.’ Celeste Krenz has drawn on her North Dakota roots as inspiration and as a guide for running her career.

“A Prairie Home Companion.” It’s a prime example of Krenz’s style, songwriting and voice; a voice that Robert Oermann of Music Row Magazine called “the purest folk voice I’ve heard in years.” He goes on to write that he “was so enchanted that I practically held my breath.” That voice has captured the attention of big record companies over the years, but Krenz never could bring herself to sign a large recording contract. “If I do that I lose creative control,” Krenz says of her thinking at the time a record company put a contract in front of her. “Maybe I should have done it,” Krenz reflects, “but at the time I was so happy doing what I was doing, creating music. I never played music because I wanted to be famous. I played music because I really love music and I had something to say and I think that really shaped my career.”

REFLECTIONS

When asked to identify a high point of that career, Krenz says it’s more about the journey than any one moment in time. “The highlight of my career is that I did it,” she says. “I actually kind of imagined it and made it happened. The most albums I ever sold was one that sold 20,000. I never had a million seller, but I sold out theaters all by myself. I got to do it within the integrity of my music.” And that feels pretty good as Krenz enjoys a quiet cup of coffee before teaching a math lesson to Sam. Today, the wind just blows through the window, rather than blowing her out the door on another tour. The road may yet call her back, but for now it’s nice for Celeste Krenz, the consummate traveling musician, to just stay put. AR

Watch a video of Celeste’s “Dakota Wind.”

Watch a video of Celeste singing with her duet partner, Rebecca Folsom.

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feature

My father’s pride is in his hat and the dirt caked on his hands generations of a simple, sacred land and his heart shines through a second youth I’d give my voice to go back there just to breathe beneath the prairie air but drifting don’t bring the dollar in and the moon shines through screaming truth — “Heroes Proved”

Ἅ lu m n i R e v ie w | summer 2011

Home on the Range, Song in her

Heart

by milo smith

Jessie Veeder lives the life she’s been singing about since she was a teen.

f you visited any of the coffee shops, bars or hangouts in Greater Grand Forks that featured live music a few years back, chances are you came across a curly, dark-haired college student strumming a guitar and singing songs that called to mind a place that might have seemed distant from the city.

Jessie Veeder, ’05, may have left the family ranch near Watford City, N.D., for a campus in which the freshman class was bigger than the entire population of her hometown, but the ranch never left her. And it still hasn’t. The pull of the Badlands was so strong that Veeder is back on the cattle ranch where she grew up after living the life of a traveling musician for a time.

EARLY INFLUENCES

Genetics may have played a role in Veeder’s love of music. As a young girl, she sang with her father, Gene, ’78, at fairs and festivals. At age 12, her dad showed her some basic chords on the guitar. From there, she taught herself to play. She’d listen to the only radio station they got at

the ranch or to CDs, and mimic the chord structures she’d hear. Soon she was writing her own music; songs that reflected the life of a teenage girl in western North Dakota. “I didn’t write love songs,” Veeder says. “It was me growing up on the landscape out here in western North Dakota. Thinking about college and thinking about leaving. I was really in love with the land. A lot of the songs were about the push and pull of wanting to leave to experience the world.” Veeder then worked up the courage to show them to her dad. “I was so scared to show him these songs,” she recalls, “but I really wanted them out there.” Her dad not only encouraged her songwriting, but showed the songs to some of his musician friends, which helped build Veeder’s confidence. Soon she was in a studio recording an album. “The Road” came out when Veeder was just 16. Veeder says the CD propelled her career because it got her thinking about what she wanted to study in college. While you might think a budding musician would choose a music major, Veeder knew

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Jessie Veeder, ‘05, works cattle from atop her horse.

she wanted to gain experience elsewhere at UND. “I wanted to learn a little more about how to promote myself, about marketing and public relations and all the things that go along with the business end of music,” Veeder says. “Because I had the creative drive, but I wanted to learn a little bit more about how to make money doing it.”

CAMPUS LIFE

At UND, Veeder found a more nurturing environment than she could have imagined by joining the Honors Program. “It was the biggest blessing for my music career,” Veeder says. “You could tailor your education to fit what you wanted to do. They were flexible so I could pursue my recording career.” When she was at UND, she was picked up by a Nashville agency that had her touring around the region. “I had the greatest professors,” Veeder remembers. “I wasn’t touring huge during my college career, but I made enough to get me through college.” As part of her Honors Program thesis, Veeder recorded her second CD at a studio in Fargo. She developed a website, put all of the marketing together and it all counted toward college credit. “It worked out really well for me,” she says. “I learned about the music and I learned about the other side of it and I got to do it all along the way.”

FROM TOWN TO TOWN

When she graduated from college, Veeder’s music took her out on the road. “I was just a girl with a guitar and a Chevy Lumina,” Veeder says laughing. “I drove and drove, hitting up place to place. Didn’t really know where I was going, but met a lot of great people.” Veeder’s hard work paid off — she was able to make money, something not every musician who tries to make a career of it can 20

Ἅ lu m n i R e v ie w | summer 2011

say. She toiled for about two years in that car, driving all over the Midwest to perform. Then “life happened” for the singer/ songwriter. She got married and moved to Montana where her husband, Chad Scofield, finished up his college degree. Veeder gave up the Lumina and microphone for an office chair and a computer when she began working as a fundraiser for the University of Montana. “All of the stuff I learned doing my music helped me get professional jobs,” Veeder says. “It’s been an interesting relationship I’ve had with my music.”

RANCH HAND

Today, Veeder is living the life she sang about and longed for as a teen. She and Chad have moved to the Watford City area. She lives in the very same house where she grew up, and has big plans for the ranch. For one, she believes there’s interest enough to turn it into a tourist attraction.

Veeder and her husband, Chad Scofield, live in the home where Jessie grew up near Watford City, N.D.

“Life has given me the opportunity to be back in the place that I really love,” Veeder says, “and I just promised myself that I would share it with people. I’d get out every day and experience it and share it with other people, so it really inspires me and I want to share it with other people.” One way Veeder shares her ranch life with the world is through her blog, “Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch.” Not only does Veeder write about her daily life, she includes photos of livestock, wild animals

‘I WAS JUST A GIRL WITH A GUITAR AND A CHEVY LUMINA.’

Veeder’s love of Western North Dakota is obvious in her music and on her website. Listen to some of Jessie’s music here.

and scenic views of rugged and beautiful western North Dakota. “I get people from all over the world telling me that they think the area is beautiful. That’s been really rewarding to me as well,” she says. Veeder is back to writing music and says she’s excited to get back into the studio to record another CD, which she hasn’t done since putting out a live album in 2007. “It’s all kind of come together this year; the music, the writing, taking pictures, being in a place that I love,” Veeder says.

Though she is clearly thrilled with where she is today, she still gets questions from friends and fans about what might have been had she followed a different path. “People always ask me, ‘Why don’t you go to Nashville?’ That was never something I ever set out to do. Of course, I wanted people to listen to my music. I didn’t want to give up things that were important to me to pursue music full-time.” Veeder admits that her philosophy doesn’t make sense to a lot of people. She says she wrestled with the thought of going all-out after a music career, but in the end she realized she couldn’t have it all.

“To me it was never about fame and fortune,” Veeder says. “Even when I was a little girl, I remember thinking to myself; if I could just have people listen, if I could have people really like my music, if I could write a really great song or inspire people to do something, that would be successful to me. Staying true to myself was always important to me.” AR

Take your shoes off, feel the ground Come understand this, just stop to look around and you may find it all — “Hush” www.undalumni.org 21

feature

Talent on Deck

Ellery Tofte’s musical career cruises along

Ἅ lu m n i R e v ie w | summer 2011

Ellery Tofte’s pursuit of her dreams has taken her to New York and out to sea.

ork is kind of like a permanent vacation for Ellery Tofte, ’08. It

might be the dream of many people to go on a cruise and get paid for it, but that’s the reality for the UND Theatre major. Tofte is a singer and performer on Seabourn Cruise Lines. Tofte grew up in a musical family. Her father played the saxophone and her mother played the piano. So, it should be no surprise that she has a passion for musical theater. She is the only one in her family, however, to pursue a career as a performer. “I’m the only crazy one,” Tofte says with a laugh. This Broadway baby started singing at an early age. “I’ve been singing pretty much since I started talking,” she says. Her first solo came when she was in first grade and she was given high praise after she finished singing. That was the first time she thought, “Wow, this is a big deal. Maybe this is something I can do.” In high school, she received voice lessons from Maria Williams Kennedy, ’92, a professional opera singer and a lecturer in the UND Music Department. “That was really cool learning from her. It was probably the most meaningful training I’ve ever had,” Tofte says. Once in college, she chose theater as her major at UND, where she studied acting, theater and the philosophy behind them. During her senior year, the theater department brought in someone from New York City to do various workshops with the students. Tofte learned what roles would best fit her and what she should audition for. Later that year, she did a showcase in New York with other theater students. “That really helped to ease me into the craziness that is auditioning in New York. Without that, I wouldn’t have had the guts to go,” Tofte says. Once out of college, her heart led her to New York and she did a series of cattle calls, or open auditions. “I didn’t get any jobs the first stint I spent in New York, but the second trip out, I started getting gigs,” she says. She landed an audition with an entertainment company that places singers on cruise ships with production shows and

worked her way to where she is now. “I trusted the people from UND to help get me here,” she says. When thinking about who she would love to work with, Tofte doesn’t just go for the first famous name off the top of her head. “If you commit to what you are doing as far as theater and have a passion for it, that’s who I want to work with,” she says. “In this line of work, passion is everything.” As a cruise ship performer, she has her own onewoman cabaret show. “There’s a freedom in singing and having your own show. You can throw in songs you’ve always wanted to do, but otherwise might not get the chance to sing,” Tofte says. It may be called a cabaret, but it isn’t all just stage makeup and show tunes. It’s an original show where she combines crowd favorites with songs she enjoys in one performance. “You kind of have to be a jack of all trades. You have to be able to sing, dance and be a comedian,” she says. Working on a cruise ship has other advantages as well. When your shift is over, you might find yourself at an exotic port. “I’m only 26,” Tofte says, “and I’ve seen so many places that a lot of people will never get to.” By Bethany Stender

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feature

A Life at the

Opera traveling production of the “The Barber of Seville” performed in Devils Lake, N.D., had such a profound impact on a young Kip Cranna that he turned his love of opera into a career. “Opera can be kind of an addictive thing,” says Cranna, ’69, the director of Musical Administration at the San Francisco Opera. “You can get hooked on it and it’s sort of incurable after that. People who do get into opera do remember their first experience, and that was mine.” That first exposure to Figaro, Count Almaviva and Rosina in junior high set Cranna on a path to UND, where he immersed himself in music and theater. While getting his Bachelor of Arts in Music with an emphasis on choral conducting, Cranna sang with the Varsity

Ἅ lu m n i R e v ie w | summer 2011

Bards and Concert Choir. He was a founding member of the Bards’ offshoot, the Goliards, and he got involved in theater productions as well. Cranna says some of the performances were quite avant-garde. “This was the ’60s and anything goes in those days in terms of what could be done in a concert,” he says. “Chant music. Random sounds. We’d hand out slips of paper to the audience and they were supposed to jingle their keys or stomp their feet when directed. Lots of weird stuff like that.” After graduation, Cranna joined the Navy and spent time on an aircraft carrier off the coast of Vietnam. He then ended up in Naples, Italy — an opera lover’s dream. When he returned stateside, he enrolled in Stanford University and while finishing his doctoral work

Photo by: Kristen Loken

Kip cranna keeps things running at one of the nation’s largest opera houses

Devils Lake native Kip Cranna helps run the 3,200-seat San Francisco Opera House.

landed a job in the San Francisco Opera’s business office. Soon after getting his Ph.D., he moved to music administration, where he has remained ever since. He describes his job as the “how” and “when” person who manages the music side of the opera. That can mean everything from working with conductors to commissioning new operas to making sure there’s a cannon to fire off during a production. The San Francisco Opera is the secondlargest company in the U.S. in terms of budget and schedule, meaning that wide-eyed junior high student watching “The Barber of Seville” in Devils Lake now works at the top of his profession. “I think about that all the time,” Cranna says of his small-town beginnings. “When I first got the job here, I was really in shock. I would drive by and look at the building and think ‘I can’t believe I’m going to work there!’” And he says he still gets that thrill today. “There are times when it’s a struggle, especially nowadays when the economic climate is tough,” Cranna says. “It’s always a challenge to meet the budget or to cut the budget. But when you have a good show and the curtain goes up and the audience is enjoying it, that’s always a wonderful feeling.” The stature of the San Francisco Opera means Cranna has worked with some of the world’s most famous singers including Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti and Renée Fleming. Cranna says his job “is not the caring and feeding of singers,” but he does get to work with them on various aspects of their performances. “That part is exciting,” he admits. “You find that opera singers, even the very famous ones, are pretty diligent and pretty professional. The idea of the temperamental, hot-headed diva is the exception that proves the rule. They are mostly pros who are hard working, who show up and do their job, and are cooperative — most of the time.” Cranna says when he finished up a “great experience” at UND, he figured he’d end up teaching music. All these years later, he teaches a class on career development at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. “One of the things I tell them is to be aware that their career path will not be a direct line from where you are now to where you expect to be,” he says. “Life presents you opportunities you had no thought of considering and you have to be open to those and take advantage of them when they do.” By Milo Smith

A scene from Wagner’s “The Ring of the Nibelung.”

‘The Ring’ The San Francisco Opera is presenting one of the most challenging operas ever written this summer, and Kip Cranna, ’69, is right in the middle of it all. Richard Wagner’s “The Ring of the Nibelung” is a work of extraordinary scale and complexity; a 16-hour, four-day event. “It’s a daunting experience because the operas are difficult and long and have huge performing resources required — big orchestra, lots of top-notch singers and normally a lot of technical feats of stagecraft that have to be accomplished,” Cranna says. He says many companies have tried to tackle what’s known as “The Ring Cycle” only to give up. The San Francisco Opera, though, is staging it for the fourth time. “We’ll get people flying in from all over the world,” Cranna says of the Wagner fans he calls “ring fanatics.” “They’ll make it their vacation.” On the Tuesdays before the start of the three cycles of “The Ring” at the San Francisco Opera, Cranna will be part of a symposium for those attending. His role is to moderate a session on what aspects of the production are unique to San Francisco. For information on this show or the San Francisco Opera in general, visit www.sfopera.com.

www.undalumni.org 25

campus news

President Robert Kelley plays his trombone.

What’s New News from ARO

Campus

Photo by: Jackie Lorentz

A Partnership with University Relations Whether as an outlet for stress relief or the focus of their studies, music plays an important part in the lives of UND students, faculty and staff. Even President Robert Kelley uses music as a way to relax and connect with students and the Grand Forks community.

Ἅ lu m n i R e v ie w | summer 2011

President’s letter

Musical Campus

DEAR ALUMNI & FRIENDS, Music has long been an important part of my life. In fact, that is my trombone in the photo on the opposite page, and whenever I get a chance, I enjoy playing with the Grand Forks City Band and sitting in with the UND Band. As you read this issue of the Alumni Review, you will notice a strong focus on music. I am enormously proud of our music programs and of the talented faculty and students here at UND. We don’t have space to include every music story related to our great University. But I think you will enjoy these representative examples. Commencement and an Honorary Degree This year I was pleased to bestow on one of our own, Earl Pomeroy, the honorary Doctor of Letters. A graduate of our College of Business and Public Administration and our School of Law, he served as North Dakota’s representative in Congress for 18 years. During that time he was a staunch supporter of the University, particularly of our students. In fact, he was selected by the students at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences to deliver the commencement address in May. We were also honored to have North Dakota’s two current United States senators deliver commencement addresses: Kent Conrad for the general ceremony and John Hoeven for the School of Law. Both have also been strong supporters of the University: Sen. Conrad during his many years in Congress, and Sen. Hoeven through his two terms as North Dakota governor. Also at commencement, I was happy to honor Drs. Joseph Hartman and Wayne Seames with our most prestigious award for faculty, the Chester Fritz Distinguished Professorship. An alum from the early part of the last century, Chester Fritz, gave back to the University in many ways and on many occasions. Gracing our campus, and bearing his name, are the largest auditorium in the upper Midwest and one of the largest libraries in a multi-state area. We continue to be grateful for his generosity.

‘Exceptional UND’ We have much to be proud of at UND. The already highly successful “North Dakota Spirit | The Campaign for UND” is a testament to that. Indeed, we have a great University, one poised to transform itself into an exceptional one. And that is what we intend to do. In April, I launched the “Exceptional UND” initiative, predicated on sustained campuswide conversations last year. What emerged were five strategic priorities: • Enriching the student learning experience • Encouraging gathering • Facilitating collaboration • Expanding UND’s presence • Enhancing the quality of life for faculty and staff As I told the folks gathered for the launch of Exceptional UND, our collective challenge is to define the best approaches to move forward with these priority areas. I invite you to participate as well. Many of you are former students, faculty members or staff members. We are interested in your ideas, too. You can learn more online at und.edu/provost/ exceptional-und. Our best from me and Marcia as, together and with your help, we build an Exceptional UND. Best wishes,

Robert O. Kelley President

www.undalumni.org 27

campus news

A Different Kind of The UND Concert Choir spent Spring Break in the Netherlands.

Spring Break UND Concert Choir tours the Netherlands

t was a Spring Break to sing about. In March, the University of North Dakota Concert Choir made a grand tour of the Netherlands, thanks in part to support from the UND Foundation and several UND offices: President, Provost, Department of Music and University Relations, which helped support the Concert Choir’s blog, written chiefly by UND Director of Choirs Joshua Bronfman. Here are excerpts from that blog:

15 mar

Haarlem and Dokkum, the Netherlands [W]e took a guided tour of [Haarlem, which] ended with a visit to the St. Bavo Church in Haarlem’s market square. It was a beautiful church and we were all quite moved. … Inspired, we decided to sing Eric Whitacre’s “Lux Aurumque.” … I think we were all moved by the sound and the surroundings. [On the bus] to Dokkum, [w]e stopped … to view the dike that separates the Netherlands from the North Sea and protects it from flooding. We went directly to Fontein Kirk (Fountain Church) to meet our host families for our two-night home stays. Tomorrow we will tour Leeuwarden, have our first master class with Geert-jan, and later give an evening concert at the Fontein Kirk.

Ἅ lu m n i R e v ie w | summer 2011

16 mar

Delft and Maastricht [W]hen it came time for the performance, the choir … sang expressively, intelligently, musically, at every turn. The connection between myself, the choir and the audience was deep and meaningful. The audience was enthralled, hanging on the edge of their seats. [Then something happened that] could’ve been in a movie. To save time, and because I was worried about the vocal health of the choir, [I] had cut Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Der Gesit Hilft.” It’s a vocally demanding piece, and we were quite tired. So, we ended the concert, and received an immediate, long, boisterous, standing ovation from the entire house (it takes a lot to get people from the Netherlands out of their seats). They clearly were thrilled with the performance. I acknowledged the choir, and then the house quieted down and we were thanking our hosts and receiving gifts from the church, still standing on stage. At this point a

man, who must’ve been in his 80s or more, began slowly making his way to the front of the stage. Leaning on his walker and speaking in a thick accent, he said, “I would like to [hear] ‘Der Geist Hilft’ unsrer schwacheit auf!” Apparently, as I learned later, he had traveled from Leeuwarden by taxi to hear that piece. [E]veryone smiled at how sweet his request was. I think we all wanted to fulfill his request in a way, but I was focused on moving the show along and getting the kids home so they could get a good night’s sleep. So I said I was sorry, but we had another number that would make up for it. So he returned to his seat and we sang the national anthem of the Netherlands, “Het Wilhelmus,” which went over great. We leave the stage, concert is over, and I am shaking hands and talking to the audience. I turn around, and the choir has all gathered haphazardly at the edge of the stage, directly in front of the old man. I hear, “Bronfman, we’re singing ‘Der Geist Hilft.’ If you want to conduct it you can, but we’re singing it!” And so we did. Very touching. Inspiring. What a great group of kids.

17 mar

Hilversum and Den Haag Quite a day today! Really the past 48 hours have been lifechanging for many of the students. We’ve seen and done so much that will have a lasting profound effect on us all. [W]ords can’t express how we’ve grown.

19 mar

Beek and Maastricht After a clinic with my mentor, Dr. Andre Thomas, on Thursday, we drive to Beek to meet our host families and have dinner. Beek is a small town near the German border. [The next morning we traveled] to the town of Maastricht where [w]e sang “Lux Aurumque” at the Basilisca of St. Servatius in the center of the city. … The concert that evening was in a local theatre. We were performing with two other choirs, the University of Maastricht choir and the Beek men’s choir. [T]he audience that had been waiting in the foyer spilled into the hall. It looked to me to be about 400 in the audience. As with our concert in Dokkum, we got a rousing standing ovation. They were so enthusiastic that they began shouting “Bis! Bis!” which sort of means “more!” and then broke into a unified “One more song! One more song!” For an encore we sang “Het Wilhelmus” again. The response was great. … [T]he students are changing. They have matured on this trip. I’m serious … I can see it. They are talking differently (not differently, as in imitating a Dutch accent, more like talking about things differently), dressing differently (lots of European scarves) and behaving differently. I wish you could be here to see it.

20 mar

Den Haag and Brugge [We] drove to the American School in the Hague. The students attending this elite private school are the sons and daughters of Americans living abroad, or well-to-do locals who want their student to have an American educational experience. We sang all our “crowd pleasers” [and] got an immediate, prolonged, standing ovation. Afterward, [t]wo different people said, “You changed my opinion of North Dakota!” … too funny. I also spoke with a few students who expressed interest in coming to UND!

21 mar

Brugge This morning we sang at Mass in a medium-sized church in the city center. This Mass was our last singing engagement for tour. …

It is quite eye-opening to immerse yourself in another culture. We’ve lived our lives differently here: walking everywhere, taking “coffee” at all hours of the day, communicating in multiple languages, eating different foods, wearing scarves and pointy-toed shoes (well, not all of us are doing that). More than a few kids have said, “Can I just stay, Bronfman?”

22 mar

USA! We’ve successfully navigated passport control and customs, and arrived just in time for our connection to Fargo. Feels good to be home.

24 mar

Emily Burkland, Concert Choir president: “This is my fourth and final year in the UND Concert Choir, and I’ve known ever since that first day as a freshman in the Alto I section that it would be a life-changing experience. What I didn’t know then was that part of that experience would be traveling to Europe to perform concerts, do clinics, live with Dutch families, and have the time of my life with some of my best friends. Individually, every member of this choir (including myself) will walk away with enough memories, inside jokes, and digital photos to last a lifetime. But I believe that it is the choir as a whole that has been changed the most. “Trust is a necessary quality in any choral ensemble, and this year, I feel like I have finally fully come to understand just how crucial it is. Even though we have always put this into practice, going on tour has brought the ensemble to rely on each other more than ever. Traveling in a foreign country where every street sign, menu and newspaper is in another language is challenging enough. Then, throw in performing in unfamiliar spaces with limited rehearsal time and unpredictable audiences, not to mention the extensive time we spent with two different clinicians tearing apart our repertoire mid-tour. Through it all, we still had to work together to present excellent concerts. With all these factors and challenges thrown at us, the ensemble had no choice but to completely trust each other. And even though sometimes it felt a bit like free-falling off a cliff, what resulted were some of our most incredible and most musical performances as a choir to date.” You can find the full blog at http://undconcertchoir.wordpress. com. So, was the trip a success? Perhaps this letter from John Leonard, Band Director at the Shanghai American School-Pudong Campus, provides the answer: I just wanted to share my joy with you and your Choir regarding your stellar performance. … I visit with many juniors and seniors about college choices and what the UND Choir did for me was to strengthen my belief, that students should “… find a school that suits their interests, strengths and will deliver the skills needed that will help them fulfill their passion … and that school may not be one of the ‘name-brand/Ivy League’ schools!” The UND Choir performance was one of the finest examples I could imagine which supports my belief. To support the UND Concert Choir, which celebrates 50 years in 2011-12, visit spirit.und.edu. AR — Peter Johnson, University Relations

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campus news

The Beat

Goes On

Steel Pan Band brings tropical vibe to Grand Forks

The UND Steel Pan Band plays at the Chester Fritz.

f 30

Photo by: Jackie Lorentz

rom filling the Fritz to On Target With the Twins, the UND Steel Pan Band brings a Caribbean flavor to the Upper Midwest. “People really enjoy it,” said Mike Blake, ’74, ’76, director of the band and professor of music. “The music helps them get away from the mundane, the snow, the ice. It’s a taste of the tropics.” This is no ordinary college ensemble. Students wear Hawaiian shirts, sandals and khaki shorts — even in winter. The warm tropical vibe is a perfect fit with Blake’s cheerful, warm personality, and they regularly play to packed houses. Blake got the idea for the band in 1985, when he attended a percussion camp near Green Bay, Wis., and learned to play the steel pans. “I really enjoyed it,” he said. Then, in 1998, he was approached about developing a new instrumental group for the Summer Performing Arts (SPA) program in Grand Forks, which provides arts activities for schoolchildren through senior high. He began teaching a steel pan ensemble for SPA during the summers. The drums, purchased by SPA through the Myra Foundation, were stored at UND after the summer program. He didn’t want the drums to just sit there, so he started a steel pan band at the University. Today, there are two SPA bands. Senior percussionists from UND help teach the kids, and there are more Steel Pan Band aspirants than drums.

Ἅ lu m n i R e v ie w | summer 2011

The band is so popular that Blake has had to turn students away. By 2000, Steel Pan Band performances had moved from the Josephine Campbell Recital Hall on campus to the Empire Arts Center downtown, where they sold out. The next year, they did two shows, with the same results. Now, they nearly fill the 2,300 seats in the Chester Fritz Auditorium each November. The band has been invited to play in Minneapolis at the UND “On Target with the Twins” event Sept. 17. “It’s a lot of fun,” Blake said. He’s had alumni of SPA choose to come to UND just so they can be part of the Steel Pan Band. Pan music is difficult to learn, Blake says, because each drum is different. “It’s not like any western instrument,” he said. “You have to figure out where the notes are.” Still, students love it. Blake also leads the Percussion Ensemble, teaches percussion, and in his “spare” time plays gigs with Jazz on Tap in the area. “I try to live every minute,” Blake said. “I teach all day, and then I play.” Born with a congenital and nearly fatal heart abnormality, he underwent a heart transplant in 1994. “I got a great match, and I’ve been very fortunate,” he said. “I have energy, and I’ll be able to see my daughter get married.” He also enjoys speaking to medical students each year about what a transplant is like from the patient side. But his passion remains learning more about percussion and jazz improv. “I’ll never know it all, but I’ll never lose my passion for learning,” he said. AR — Jan Orvik,University Relations

A Harmonious

Farewell

Dennis and Penny Simons log 38,000 miles in pursuit of Ph.D.

Penny and Dennis Simons, who live in Minot, went to great lengths to attend UND. Photo by: Jackie Lorentz

niversity of North Dakota Ph.D. graduates Dennis and Penny Simons of Minot, N.D., have made the journey back and forth to the UND campus in Grand Forks more times than they care to count. They’ve logged some 38,000 miles together since 2004 in three different vehicles in pursuit of their degrees. The culmination of their dedication and determination was rewarded Dec. 17, 2010, when the couple walked across the same graduation stage to accept their doctoral degrees from the UND College of Education and Human Development. After all those miles and hours spent back and forth on U.S. Highway 2, ironically, it wasn’t until the absolute last trek to Grand Forks — for graduation — that they almost didn’t make it. A wallop of a snowstorm — even by North Dakota standards — forced the Simons to halt their travels and take refuge in a motel in Rugby, N.D., still some 140 miles from Grand Forks. “This was the last time we had to come here, so Mother Nature was showing us what could have happened all of those other times,” Dennis joked, soon after arriving in Grand Forks safe and sound. One day a week for six years, the Simons faithfully commuted 412 miles to attend classes at UND’s education college. This, after they’d already put in time working and teaching classes at Minot State University, where Dennis holds a professorship in Music and is director of the Minot Symphony Orchestra, and Penny is an adjunct instructor in Music. “You arrive (at UND) and you are just really tired, but you still have to be ready for the classes,” Penny said. “It wasn’t the classes that were the biggest challenge; it was definitely the traveling.” Dennis said his experiences at the UND education college have had a profound effect on him as teacher and scholar. “That’s probably what it’s all about,” he said. “It’s helped me be a better teacher and enlarged my perception of what being a good teacher is all about.”

Penny, an accomplished pianist and music instructor who’s performed with internationally famous artists the world over, said she’s enjoyed the time spent with her fellow classmates and instructors, as well as the opportunity to deal in the most up-to-date principles and topics in the teaching and learning field. “It’s been very exciting,” she said. Dennis met his future bride, Penny, when the two were students at the famed Royal Academy of Music in London. Dennis received the Recital Diploma in violin performance from the Royal Academy and has been honored with a fellowship from the Royal Academy — a distinction reserved for only 300 former students at any one time. Penny is noted for winning a scholarship to the Royal Academy at the tender age of 11. She has performed in orchestras and with the English National Theatre Company. Her music also has been heard over the airwaves on the BBC, CBC and NZBC networks. Dennis said there are a number of things about his time at UND that he’ll cherish, from top-notch instructors to the classmates that he now calls friends. He also recalls fondly the summer sessions at UND that allowed the Simons to spend six weeks at a time learning and living on the beautiful campus. “When I look back, those are what I call our really happy times at UND,” he said. AR — David Dodds, University Relations

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campus news

Songs from the

Wind

BJ Rainbow and Will Crawford share their experiences with Native American music.

Will Crawford, ‘11, plays the Native American flute. He was selected UND ‘Student of the Month’ for April. See the video at undalumni.org/alumni review.

Photos by: Jackie Lorentz

hump-thump, thump-thump. Easily mistaken for a heartbeat, the drum is just that, the heartbeat of the people, of Mother Earth. Robert “BJ” Rainbow, ’10, knows firsthand what it’s like to create that heartbeat. In third grade he discovered a talent for singing and learning a melody quickly. He was in love with harmony, but his singing was short-lived when the teacher moved and no one replaced her. But music was never far from Rainbow’s soul. He took up Native American dancing. The songs he had first sung were now his stage; the constant beating of the drum regulated the movement of his feet instead of his vocal cords. Rainbow danced through high school and college, and continued when he was in the Marine Corps. But it was not until he returned home in 2005 that he found his musical voice again. For nearly an hour of singing during a Sundance round, Rainbow sat around a large drum, listening as the first nine men took turns singing spiritual word

Ἅ lu m n i R e v ie w | summer 2011

songs in their native language, Dakota. When it was his turn, the men turned to him, hesitant looks on their faces, wondering if the man who had not sung in years would lead. But something came back to Rainbow from his childhood, and without pause he began to sing. He has been singing ever since. The power of the drum can be bewitching. Rainbow describes the singers as “jolting” from the passion of the music that resonates within. They share that passion with their audience. “The combination of that drum and my spirit and my voice and my emotion, that’s what the drum group radiates out to the people,” Rainbow said. Not all of his performances are in the traditional setting. As a McNair scholar at UND, he attended a conference in Wisconsin. On the last night, teams from about 60 schools stood up one by one and did a school cheer. Rainbow found the eyes of his team turned toward him. With his research on Native American music and his celebrated skills, his group counted on him to produce their tune. To the beat of his colleagues’ hands keeping rhythm on their makeshift drum, the table they sat around, Rainbow sang a melody he had altered only during the time they sat anxiously awaiting their turn. When he finished there was silence. And then the group received the first standing ovation in the McNair banquet’s history. But not all songs rise from pressure. “I’ve heard of songs coming to people when they’re sleeping, in their dreams. I’ve heard of other people, who’ve been at home on a really windy day and the window’s open a little bit and they hear that constant flow of tones; I’ve heard of people making songs from those.”

Robert “BJ” Rainbow, ‘10, says the power of the drum can be “bewitching.”

SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND HEALTH SCIENCES Dean’s Corner:

Primary Care for

Rural North Dakota

Will Crawford, ’11, is more than familiar with this concept, one that’s influenced his own music. Crawford was once inspired to write a song when he came home after a long day and felt sadness settle over him. His fiancée had returned to Japan to finish schooling and the loneliness was overwhelming. But his window was open and that mystical wind was blowing. “I was just sitting there and that wind blowing brought back a bunch of good memories and I just picked up my flute and started playing.” Like Rainbow, Crawford’s musical talent was apparent early. He played trumpet throughout junior high and high school but it was not until he moved to UND that he felt the longing for a connection to his family and his heritage. As a child, Crawford’s home was filled with the sounds of the Native American flute. His father played for almost 30 years and learned to make the striking instrument after discovering how difficult it was to find one. When Crawford returned home from school on break, he asked his father to teach him to play the flute. He soon was performing at events across campus, sparking awareness and pride for his culture. Growing up, Crawford became familiar with the Powwow Trail. His family attended a different celebration every weekend and his father would perform his lilting bird-like music during the supper break. Now as his family looks on, Crawford has the opportunity to showcase his talents. “This weekend (April 9-10) at the Wacipi Powwow is the first time I’ll be playing during supper break,” Crawford said. Both Crawford and Rainbow understand the importance of passing on traditions. Crawford will inherit his father’s craft of carving Native American flutes and Rainbow is teaching his son the art of drumming. On a table worn smooth by elbows and conversation, there is one area pockmarked by tongs. Rainbow’s 5-yearold son wields his fork and continues practicing his shared love of drumming. AR

These are exciting times at the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences. A leader in medical and health science education through the use of a small-group, patientfocused educational model, the School continues to explore ways to improve its already outstanding educational enterprise. North Dakota suffers from a chronic shortage of primary care providers, especially in rural areas. The School is committed to doing something about this problem, and has taken a proactive approach to health care workforce development. The approach that we are embracing encompasses four fundamental goals: a reduction in disease burden; enhanced retention of graduates for practice in North Dakota; expansion of class size; and improved efficiency of our health care delivery system. To stimulate interest in pursuing a health career, we and other partners across the state have implemented a multitude of programs designed to interest children and young adults in the medical field. The various programs are of two basic types: Either we go to the students in their local communities, or the students are brought to a central location to learn about health-care-related career opportunities. Once students decide on a health career, we need to select the right students. Under the guidance of Interim Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Admissions Dr. Nick Neumann, the School has convened a subcommittee to try to pinpoint those characteristics that might identify a student as likely to develop into a primary care provider and eventually practice in a rural region of North Dakota. Growing up in a rural area, for example, correlates with practicing in a rural setting as a physician. Additionally, exciting things are happening with our research enterprise. We recently completed an analysis of our research strengths and opportunities with the help of Kaludis Consulting, an academic medicine consulting firm. Based on their recommendations, we have adopted 10 guiding principles that should lead to even greater research productivity. One of the more important conclusions is that we should merge our basic science departments into one. Another important initiative is to directly couple basic research and clinical programs so discoveries in the research laboratory can be applied in the clinical setting as rapidly as possible. The School has a well-deserved reputation for excellence as a community-based school that excels in education. We plan to build on that solid foundation, remembering that the School serves all of North Dakota! Sincerely,

Joshua Wynne, MD, MBA, MPH, UND Vice President for Health Affairs Dean, UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences

— Liza Jones, University Relations www.undalumni.org 33

campus news

The Best of

Both Worlds

TV producer by day, jazz musician after hours

rowing up in Crosby, N.D., Bob Cary, ’84, remembers watching “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” and being impressed with the NBC Orchestra led by jazz trumpeter Doc Severinsen. When he told his mother he wanted to be a musician, he learned in no uncertain terms that her opinion of the profession was far from favorable. That, however, didn’t discourage him from wanting to play in a band. “She told me that if I went to school and got a good job, I could play all I wanted to,” Cary recalls. “You know what? She was absolutely right.” Today, when Cary’s not heading the video division of the Aerospace Network (ASN) at the University of North Dakota John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, he can often be found playing gigs with Jazz on Tap, a band featuring two fellow UND employees, percussionist Mike Blake (see Page 30) and guitarist Kris Eylands. Although Cary works at ASN, he also shoots and produces videos for the University, including university relations, athletics, the president’s office, the medical school and others. He’s also involved in televising UND football and men’s and women’s hockey. “Every day at UND is an education because of the people I meet, and that’s rewarding,” Cary says. “There’s really no better way to make a point than through the experiences of others. It puts the viewer and the subject on a level playing field, so to speak. It’s just more compelling when people can relate to people.” A self-taught bassist who started out on the trombone playing in school bands and orchestras, Cary’s first break came after high school when he was asked to be the bass player for a local country western band at a wedding dance. “I wasn’t a huge country fan, but I said, ‘Why not?’” he remembers. “I got paid 50 bucks. I’ll never forget that. In 1978, that was a lot of money just to stand up there and play.” Cary took his bass guitar with him to UND and was soon playing in a student band, The Toyz. That led to a contract and

Ἅ lu m n i R e v ie w | summer 2011

Photos by: Jackie Lorentz

Bob Cary, ’84, has been entertaining jazz lovers in Grand Forks for more than 25 years.

the opportunity to tour with a band called The Andrew Grant Plan for a year. The band once played for 31 straight nights without a break. Cary recalls a time they were treated like rock stars, staying in a big house with a swimming pool. The next week, their paycheck bounced and they were living off crackers. After a taste of touring, Cary decided to resume his studies at UND. “I considered that a really good thing and part of my education,” he recalls. “When I came back to UND, I hit the dean’s list right off the bat. My instructors said, ‘What happened to you?’ I went out there and got hungry.” Playing in the jazz band at UND, Cary met Blake and Eylands, and by 1984 the beginnings of Jazz on Tap had taken shape. Before 2000, when the trio began performing together regularly, Cary played with such groups as Mike and the Monsters and the Dick King Classic Swing Band. Jazz on Tap often performs with other well-known musicians from around the region. Cary says the group has played everything from small private parties in living rooms to big stages in concert halls. They’ve recorded their own music, recorded with other artists and even backed up the late rock legend, Bo Diddley. “People thought we were his road band and they’d ask us, ‘How long have you been traveling with Bo?’ I’d tell them, ‘About half an hour now,’” he laughs. While Cary describes his job at UND as “the best TV job in Grand Forks, maybe in North Dakota,” he’s also passionate about his career in music and all he’s learned from Blake and Eylands in the years they’ve played together. “I sometimes wonder what I’m doing here because these guys are fantastic,” Cary relates. “To do this with these guys at this level, I’m very thankful.” AR — Patrick C. Miller, University Relations

campaign news

Nelson Locklear, a third-year UND law student who graduated in May, cuts Autumn Johnson’s hair. Autumn is Nelson’s classmate and an organizer of the 2010 Law School Art Auction. Nelson won the right to cut Autumn’s hair with a bid of $300.

Students put the

‘fun’

in fundraising

by Alyssa Shirek

Annual Law School Art Auction gives back to future generations

or 79 students in the University of North Dakota School of Law, May 7 marked the end of three grueling years of law school studies, late nights and long hours. U.S. Sen. John Hoeven gave the commencement address, and the ceremony was punctuated with a banquet and reception for all of the deserving graduates. But the event would have been all circumstance and no pomp without an event held every fall — the Law School Art Auction.

Each year, third-year law school students at UND organize the fundraiser to pay for their graduation speaker and a banquet for all graduates. But according to Autumn Johnson and Sarah Wilson, organizers of this year’s auction, it blossomed into something more in 2003. That year, the class lost one of their own. As a memorial, they established an endowment so that a student who wished to work over the summer in a public interest job would be able to do so.

Learn more about North Dakota Spirit | The Campaign for UND at spirit.und.edu.

Ἅ lu m n i R e v ie w | summer 2011

2011 graduates of the University of North Dakota School of Law Sarah Wilson, Wyatt Arneson and Autumn Johnson hosted and organized the 2010 Law School Art Auction.

Since then, Wilson says, annual auction funds have run the gamut, from updates to their student lounge to new furniture in classrooms. This year, Johnson and Wilson estimate, the 48 auction items brought in about $22,000-$23,000, including cash donations. As of press time, the class of 2011 had yet to decide where the money left over after graduation would be allocated, Johnson said. But some ideas included new classroom tables, an awards case to display their medals, or iPads or Kindles for the law library. Really, the art auction peddles very little art — but it seemingly has everything else: A football autographed by the 2009 Green Bay Packers, babysitting packages, handmade pottery and hosted dinners (their highest-grossing item, a dinner for 10 with attorneys Bruce Quick, Robert Hoy and Mark Friese, went for $2,200). Oh, and who could forget a night out with the “Blondetourage.”

It’s apparent that these third-year law students (and the “Blondetourage”) aren’t afraid to have a little fun at the art auction. Last year, Johnson said, Law School Dean Kathryn Rand showed off to attendees by doing one-armed pushups to drive up bids on a Workout with the Dean. And Johnson’s classmate, Nelson Locklear, bought the right to cut 10 inches off her hair for $300. Auction proceeds exhibit the true generosity of students and affiliates of the UND law school. On average, graduates of the School of Law leave UND with the second-highest student loan debt on campus. These passionate students give what little they have to those who come after them, and that attitude lays the foundation on which North Dakota Spirit | The Campaign for UND is built. The campaign aims to raise $300 million for the University, and $100 million will go directly to its passionate students. But to Johnson and Wilson, North Dakota Spirit is more than just giving back

so generously to their University through their time and the funds they helped raise through the art auction. “It’s nice that you know people are totally willing to help you out,” Johnson said. “It feels like a community in the law school.” Echoes Wilson: “I’ve met great friends, there are always people willing to help and there’s such a sense of place and community.” “Willing to help.” “Sense of community.” Look to the University of North Dakota School of Law, and see our passionate students living and breathing the North Dakota Spirit. AR

www.undalumni.org 37

campaign news

Bernard Osher

Foundation dedicates $1 million to OLLI@UND

Photos by: Jackie Lorentz

Endowment moves North Dakota Spirit | The Campaign for UND closer to its goal of dedicating $50 million to UND’s innovative programs

n March, the Bernard Osher Foundation dedicated a $1 million endowment to the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI@ UND). The endowment will allow the institute to operate in perpetuity and demonstrates the program’s success in offering quality courses and educational opportunities for members 50 and older. “We are thrilled at this $1 million endowment because there is a definite need for the program in North Dakota,” President Robert Kelley said. “This is a wonderful development for the University, OLLI@UND and its members who so strongly support this unique program. UND will continue developing creative educational programming for mature learners.”

The endowment supports the innovative programs at the University of North Dakota through North Dakota Spirit | The Campaign for UND. UND’s commitment to offer abundant and responsive programs, such as OLLI@UND, captures the spirit of North Dakota’s work ethic. Of the campaign’s goal to direct $300 million to the University, $50 million will go specifically to its innovative programs.

Explore North Dakota Spirit | The Campaign for UND at spirit.und.edu.

Ἅ lu m n i R e v ie w | summer 2011

UND President Robert Kelley announces that OLLI@UND has received a $1 million endowment from the Bernard Osher Foundation. Bismarck State College President Larry Skogen and Robin Thorstenson, Continuing Education, Training and Innovation Program Manager at BSC, join the press conference via video teleconferencing.

“This is a very exciting time for OLLI@UND,” said Lynette Krenelka, Director of OLLI. “The Osher endowment will allow us to continue to lead the way in offering university-quality educational experiences for those who wish to learn for the sheer joy that comes from gathering together with your newfound friends to discuss topics of which you have not yet explored.” “Reaching this goal could not have been possible without the tenacity of its members, the overwhelming support of the University, the generosity of our partners and sponsors, and all of our incredible instructors,” Connie Hodgson, OLLI Coordinator, added. With its first Osher Foundation grant of $100,000 in 2007, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute began the development of communitybased lifelong learning programs for people 50 and older in the Grand Forks area. Continued funding led to statewide growth of OLLI. In 2009, the program expanded to Bismarck through a partnership with Bismarck State College. From an initial offering of a few courses with less than 20 students on the UND campus, the program has grown to more than 580 members who have enjoyed more than 200 courses in Grand Forks and Bismarck. Additional sites will be added to the state; Minot State University has expressed strong interest in the program. By expanding statewide, OLLI is embracing the true North Dakota Spirit of collaboration and growth. “UND and BSC have a long history of relationships, and we look forward to developing more,” said BSC President Larry Skogen. “The OLLI program is excellent for us because it’s part of our strategic plan to connect with lifelong learners.” Learn more about OLLI at 701.777.3000 or www.olli.und.edu/. AR

Take advantage of a new N.D. tax credit! Do you pay taxes in North Dakota? Do you have a desire to make an enduring impact at UND? The North Dakota state legislature has made it even more enticing to consider making a gift to an endowment through the UND Foundation. Endowments build on the University of North Dakota’s investment in students, faculty, programs and places of learning as well as help us achieve new levels of excellence in all college endeavors. Endowments create a legacy with the power to change lives. With a gift of at least $5,000 to an endowment, you could benefit from a federal tax deduction AND an additional 40 percent of the gift on your 2011 North Dakota state income tax. There are three ways to give to an endowment: create an endowment, support an existing named endowment, or benefit one of the “Exceptional UND” endowments. For more information, contact us at donorrelations@undfoundation.org or call 800.543.8764.

‘Exceptional UND’ Endowments The UND Foundation has made it easy for you to take advantage of the new North Dakota tax credit through the creation of the “Exceptional UND” Endowments. This endowment package builds on UND President Robert Kelley’s “Exceptional UND” strategic priorities for the future. The Exceptional Scholars Endowment’s main priority is to enrich the student learning experience while helping the UND Foundation reach its goal of increasing scholarships for our passionate students by $200,000. The Exceptional Initiatives Endowment is a discretionary fund for UND’s innovative programs, extraordinary places and inspirational faculty. Learn more at www.undfoundation.org.

www.undalumni.org 39

campaign news

Campaign EVENTS 1 3 5

4 6 8

7 40

Ἅ lu m n i R e v ie w | summer 2011

1 Linda Laskowski, ’72, ’73, Connie James,

’66, Mati Parres, ’66, Gregg Solem, ’79, and Edward Kramlich catch up Feb. 9 at the home of Lynn Luckow, ’71, in San Francisco.

2 Tim O’Keefe, ’71, and Timour Shah, ’06, ’09, met Feb. 9 at Ignite the Spirit in San Franciso.

3 School of Medicine and Health Sciences

Director of Development Dave Miedema, ’76, Stephanie Wolf, ’98 and Jamie Wolf, ’00 meet up Feb. 5 at Alerus Bank & Trust in Scottsdale, Ariz.

4 Bev Beiswenger Britton, ’85, and UND

Foundation Associate Executive Vice President DeAnna Carlson Zink, ’87, attend the Ignite the Spirit event Feb. 9 in San Francisco.

5 (From left) Yvonne Cronquist, John Cronquist

..’47, Hank Ness, ’81, and Bill Ness, ’60, catch up Feb. 5 in Scottsdale, Ariz.

6 College of Business and Public Administration

professors Mark Jendrysik and Patrick O’Neill attend Ignite the Spirit on March 15 in Washington, D.C.

7 Attendees of the Marco Island, Fla., Ignite

the Spirit event socialize March 26 before the festivities begin.

8 Guests at Carla Christofferson’s home Feb. 10

11 12 13

enjoyed fabulous refreshments.

9 MBA and MPA students and faculty with

the UND College of Business and Public Administration’s economic and political science class pose with UND Foundation Board member Carolyn Becraft, ’66, and her husband, Peter, on March 15 in Washington, D.C.

10 (Left to right) Sean Schneider, Dana

Michael Harsell, Rachel Emmons and Pat O’Neill attend Ignite the Spirit March 15 in Washington, D.C.

11 Tim O’Keefe, ’71, shakes hands with U.S. Sen. Kent Conrad March 15 in the Dirksen Building in Washington, D.C.

12 UND first lady Marcia Kelley, Director of

Development for the School of Aerospace Josh Christianson, ’99, and aviation entrepreneur Si Robin visit Feb. 10 at the Ignite the Spirit event in Los Angeles.

13 UND Alumni Association and Foundation

executive vice president Tim O’Keefe, ’71, Carla Christofferson, ’89, and her son attend Ignite the Spirit on Feb. 10 at Christofferson’s home in Los Angeles.

14 Carole Lefevre, ’59, Russel Lefevre, ’57, ’58, ’07, UND first lady Marcia Kelley and UND President Robert Kelley Ignite the Spirit Feb. 10 in Los Angeles.

www.undalumni.org 41

campaign news

North Dakota Spirit Campaign Goal: $300,000,000 Through May 23, 2011: $221,055,580 $100 MILLION

GOAL

$80 MILLION

TO DATE

$60 MILLION

GOAL

TO DATE

$40 MILLION

TO DATE

$20 MILLION TO DATE

ANNUAL EXCELLENCE

EXTRAORDINARY PLACES

Passionate Students

Extraordinary P laces

One of UND’s highest priorities is increasing the number of private scholarships available to students.

Building and infrastructure priorities include: • Enhanced laboratory spaces • Continued investments in technology • An indoor athletic training complex • An alumni center • A new College of Business & Public Administration

Inspirational Educators Building endowments to support faculty will dramatically strengthen the University’s ability to retain our best and recruit additional, inspirational faculty leaders.

Innovative Pro grams

UND will strengthen programs in energy, life sciences, rural health care and more.

INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS

INSPIRATIONAL EDUCATORS

PASSIONATE STUDENTS

Ἅ lu m n i R e v ie w | summer 2011

Annual E xcellence Annual gifts provide flexible resources to allow the president, deans and department chairs to invest in any of the four campaign priority areas.

thank you donors The University of North Dakota and UND Foundation extend a sincere thank you to all alumni and friends who have made gifts and commitments to support students, faculty, programs, and places at UND since July 1, 2005, when North Dakota Spirit | The Campaign for UND began.

major

$100,000 - $499,999

gifts

Dr. Richard H. Annis

First International Bank & Trust Gary & Helen Hanisch

The following donors made campaign commitments of at least $25,000 between Dec. 31 and March 31. *

indicates deceased

Leadership

$1,000,000 - $4,999,999

gifts

The Estates of Robert & Elizabeth Kratt

Stephen & Aurea Herrick Linda J. Laskowski Swingen Construction Co. Dr. George & Rosalie Talbert *

Whiting Petroleum Corporation

$25,000 - $99,999

Donald & Mary Armstrong Matthew E. Brown

Robert Kratt, ’36, and his wife, Elizabeth, made a

J. Gordon Caldis

gift through trust to the University of North Dakota.

Cecil H. Chally, M.D.

Their legacy lives on through their generosity.

Dr. Manuchair Ebadi

Bernard Osher Foundation In March, the Bernard Osher Foundation dedicated a $1 million endowment to the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI@UND).

Larry J. Zine

Events

Upcoming

North Dakota Spirit | The Campaign for UND seeks to raise $300 million for the benefit of the University of North Dakota. UND Foundation representatives have been holding Ignite the Spirit events across the country since the campaign’s launch in October 2010. Any private donations dedicated to UND’s passionate students, inspirational faculty, innovative programs or extraordinary places county toward the $300 million goal. Upcoming post-launch celebrations and campaign-related events include our Sioux-Per Swing tour, which raises money for Fighting Sioux Impact Scholarships for student-athletes at UND:

Lynne Stenehjem Ebner, Joan & Ryan in memory of Ron Ebner

2011 Sioux-Per Swings

Thomas & Jacquelyn Edwards

June 9: Park River, N.D.

Jim & Christa Kleinsasser Stephen L. Morgan Dennis L. & Dianne R. Olson John C. Palenberg Ron Shaide Family Trust Elaine E. Vig Caldis Mikell B. Wood

Larry Zine, ‘77, ‘79, has made a bequest to the

Boyd Wright & Lillian Elsinga

College of Business and Public Administration,

Xcel Energy, Minneapolis

June 13: Twin Cities June 20: Fargo July 14: Grand Forks July 21: Detroit Lakes, Minn.

the College of Arts & Sciences and the University’s priority needs.

www.undalumni.org 43

alumni news

Lights,

Camera,

Action! In keeping with our musical theme, we found this picture of an early-’60s production of the musical “Carmen.” Can you identify any of the actors in this photo? Send an e-mail to alumnireview@ undalumni.net or call us at 800.543.8764.

Many readers thought they recognized the three cinder block-carrying runners from our spring issue. A number of people identified the middle runner as Dallas Peak. But Daryl Evenson, ’72, says he’s the man in the middle of this action. He e-mailed to say he can’t exactly remember the objective of the race, but he knows that it’s fellow Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity brothers Andy Hager, ’71, on the left and Mike Schneider, ’76, on the right. Mike Schneider e-mailed to say he’s pretty sure he won the race!

Ἅ lu m n i R e v ie w | summer 2011

Remember when, in 1967, the Varsity Bards performed at the opening of the legislative session in Bismarck? 1961

Blayne Helgeson, ’61, and his wife, Carol, are the coaches of the speech team at Breckenridge (Minn.) High School. They currently reside in Breckenridge. 1962

Donald Bartlette, ’62, has been honored by the Chick-Fil-A Christian Restaurant in North Canton, Ohio. Bartlette has been volunteering there for the past 23 years. He and his wife, Julie, reside in Canton. 1964

ons/Chester Fritz Libr

ary.

Mardy Grothe, ’64, has written a book, “Neverisms: Things You Should Never Do, Never Say, or Never Forget.” It is an anthology of nearly 2,000 quotations that all begin with the word “never.” He lives in Raleigh, N.C., with his wife, Katherine.

1971

Gayle Lee, ’71, ’87, ’90, has been awarded the Quarter Century Award from the North Dakota Association of Elementary School Principals. She and her husband, Robert, reside in Harvey, N.D. 1974

Alvin Boucher, ’74, has been recognized as the North Valley Arts Council’s Artist of the Year. He is also a founder and president of the board at Muddy Waters Clay Center. He and his wife, Thomasine Heitkamp, ’75, live in Grand Forks. 1975

George Hilts III, ’75, ’78, ’80, has been included in the Best Doctors in America for 2011-2012 database. Doctors are selected through a peer review survey. Hilts is a Dakota Eye Institute ophthalmologist. He and his wife, Jean (Pederson), ’76, live in Bismarck, N.D.

William Mayo, ’75, ’77, ’79, was named the Outstanding Family Practice Physician in North Dakota by the state Association of American Academy of Family Practice. He has worked for MeritCare Clinic for the past 22 years. He lives in Wahpeton, N.D. 1976

Benedict Roller, ’76, ’80, is an emergency and trauma physician with St. Alexius Medical Center and was recently named to a two-year term on its board of directors. He and his wife, Diane (Hock), ’80, reside in Bismarck, N.D. 1978

Wayne Papke, ’78, is an investment representative for the Investment Centers of America Inc. He and his wife, Christine, reside in Mandan, N.D.

y of Elw Photograph courtes

yn B. Robinson departm

ent of special collecti

1966

Gerald Rustad, ’66, ’69, a longtime judge of the Northwest Judicial District in North Dakota, is retiring. His successor will be his son, Josh, ’95, ’98. He and his wife, Dawn (Duncalf ), ..’69, reside in Williston, N.D. 1967

Frank Scully, ’67, ’70, is now a published author. His book, “Resurrection Garden,” is available in e-book format through MuseltUp Publishing. He and his wife, Mayuree, live in Bottineau, N.D.

1970s

Remember when, in 1974, John A. Klein Jr., cousin to Lawrence Welk and member of the Lawrence Welk Orchestra, was given the Sioux Award from the UND Alumni Association?

Liz Winks The family of Elizabeth Granlund Hacker, ‘05, who died in 2006, has written a book dedicated to her short but impactful life. The devotional book is a compilation of letters and comments the family received after her death from family, friends and strangers who felt a spiritual connection to Liz. Proceeds from this book will support the Liz Granlund Hacker Scholarship Fund. You can purchase the book by contacting lizwinks1@hotmail.com.

www.undalumni.org 45

Please send your news to alumnireview@undalumni.net

1960s

alumni news

1979

Philip Brown, ’79, is the Rector of Theological College, the seminary of The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., effective this summer. Before this, he has served on the faculty of St. Mary’s Seminary & University. Brown resides in Washington, D.C.

1980s

Remember when, in 1986, Tom Peterson, music and medical student, co-wrote the song, “Dakota Land,” about and for the state of North Dakota?

1980

1981

Cordell (Corey) Cleveland, ’80, is the new President of Frandsen Bank & Trust in Grand Forks, where he lives with his wife, Jacqueline.

Richard Haugen, ’81, is the director of budgeting and estimating at Noridian Administrative Services in Fargo, N.D., where he lives.

Jacque Geving Everson, ’66, (center) presents a check to fund the Delta Gamma Foundation/Everson Family Lectureship in Values and Ethics at UND. Also pictured from left to right; Amanda Heubach, Delta Gamma president, Linda Linck, Delta Gamma Foundation Board of Trustees, Geving Everson, Laura Block, ’81, ’10, associate vice president/CFO of the UND Foundation, and Diane Odegard, ’86.

jacque Geving Everson pledges $50,000 to Lectureship at UND The Delta Gamma Lectureship in Values & Ethics is coming to the University of North Dakota. This exclusive lecture series has been known to host prominent speakers such as Maya Angelou, Barbara Bush, Larry King and Colin Powell. UND will become one of just a handful of Delta Gamma sorority chapters in the country to be part of this prestigious series. “Not only will this benefit the girls of Delta Gamma, but it will also help bring students, faculty and the Grand Forks community together,” says Amanda Heubach, Delta Gamma president at UND. “This lectureship series can also help become a major draw for students to UND.” Other distinguished universities that have this program include Purdue and Duke. The implementation of this series would not be possible without the generous donation from UND alumna, Jacque Geving Everson, ’66. She pledged $50,000 to help launch the program. The local Delta Gamma chapter has reached its goal by raising another $50,000 to establish what will be called the Delta Gamma

Ἅ lu m n i R e v ie w | summer 2011

Foundation/Everson Family Lectureship in Values and Ethics. Local organizers say it is critical to push beyond the $100,000 goal in order to host well-known speakers. “Eventually, it would be nice to have some real quality speakers to come in. It would be nice to have it opened up to the campus and the community. I think it could be a big draw,” Everson states. Everson, who graduated from UND in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, is the chair of the International Delta Gamma Foundation and served on the board of the Houston Delta Gamma Foundation. Everson and International Delta Gamma Foundation Board of Trustees member Linda Linck presented the check on Saturday, March 5, in Grand Forks. “It was a very good feeling. It’s a legacy that I can leave to my chapter. It really does feel good,” Everson said. Donations can be sent to: UND Foundation, 3100 University Ave Stop 8157, Grand Forks, ND, 58202. Donations should be made payable to: The Delta Gamma Foundation/Everson Family Lectureship in Values and Ethics. By Bethany Stender

1982

Marten Hoekstra, ’82, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Emerging Global Advisors. He currently lives in New York with his wife, Valerie (Wessman), ’82. 1983

Lori (Ludwig) Tweten, ’83, is the assistant vice president of Gate City Bank. She and her husband, Thomas, ’83, reside in Grand Forks. 1984

Tim Huckle, ’84, has been named chief operating officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota. He was previously vice president of health operations. He and his wife, Joanne (Thielen), ’83, live in Moorhead, Minn. James Johnson, ’84, is a new staff writer for the Traill County Tribune in Mayville, N.D. He worked for WDAZ television in Grand Forks for 22 years before moving into the newspaper business. Johnson resides in Mayville. Scott Mahar, ’84, ’94, has been named assistant vice president of Program Management at CoreLink Administrative Solutions. He and his wife, Michelle, live in Fargo, N.D. 1986

John Harju, ’86, has been appointed to the National Petroleum Council for one term. Members represent all aspects of the oil and gas industries. He currently lives in Grand Forks.

1987

Tom Jacobson, ’87, has been awarded the 2010 Friend of the Chamber award by the Alexandria, Minn., Chamber of Commerce. He served on the Chamber’s board of directors from 2003-2009 and was its president in 2008. He and his wife, Joni (Holm), ’87, reside in Alexandria. Terry Johnson, ’87, has joined Minnkota Power Cooperative in Grand Forks as an environmental engineer in the legal and governmental affairs department. He and his wife, Wendy, live in West Fargo, N.D. Timothy Schutz, ’87, has been appointed to Colorado’s 4th Judicial District Bench. Schutz will serve his term for two years after which voters will decide whether he is retained for a six-year term. He and his wife, Kristi, currently live in Monument, Colo.

Patrick Stevens, ’88, has been appointed administrator of Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources Division of Air and Waste. He resides in Lake Mills, Wis. Mark Vollmer, ’88, current head principal at Minot (N.D.) High School-Magic City Campus, has been appointed as superintendent. He and his wife, Melinda (Quiner), ’90, live in Minot. 1989

Scott Giesinger, ’89, is the district manager of Arc Greater Twin Cities’ Value Village Thrift Stores & Donation Centers. He directs a team of 400 volunteers and employees who work at the four Arc locations. Giesinger currently resides in Champlin, Minn.

1990s

Remember when, in 1993, UND vocal performance graduate, Maria Williams, competed and won the regional Metropolitan Opera audition? 1990

Jon Backes, ’90, received the Minot State University Alumni Association’s Golden Award. He is a 1984 MSU graduate and a 1990 UND Law School graduate. He and his wife, Karla, live in Minot. Steven Lawson, ’90, is the new executive director at Silver Care Center in Silver City, N.M., where he lives with his wife, Lisa.

Lisa (Veneruzzo) Simonson, ’87, a customer service manager at the UND bookstore, recently received the Values in Action Award for 2010 from the Follett Corp. She also received the company’s President’s Values in Action award. She and her husband, Steven, live in Grand Forks. Tamara (Davidson) Sogard, ’87, has been appointed to the Williston State College Foundation Board for a threeyear term. She and her husband, Patrick, ’82, ’86, reside in Williston, N.D. 1988

Robert Foss, ’88, was appointed president and chief executive officer of NorTex Gas Storage Company, LLC. He currently resides in Woodland, Wash., with his wife, Bridgit.

reunion This past summer a group of international students got together in San Antonio, Texas. They are (from L-R): Carlos Fiol, ’86,’88, Maria Teresa Antelo-Fiol, ’87, Michael Kestoras, ’84, ’86, Maria AlarconFurman, ’89, Alicia Bata, ’86, ’99, Sebastian Espindola, ’87, Cecilia Orellana Rojas and Gerardo Enkerlin, ’86.

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Darla Romfo, ’81, has been named one of Newsmax Magazine’s 2010 Heroes for her work with awarding scholarships to low-income children in inner cities. She currently lives in New York.

alumni news

1991

1994

1996

Paula Morin Carter, ’91, ’97, has joined the Center for Rural Health at the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences as a research specialist for the National Resource Center on Native American Aging. She lives in Grand Forks.

Kris Lengenfelder, ’94, is the president of Modern Machine Works in Bismarck, N.D., where he lives with his wife, Rebecca. The family-owned business is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

1992

Monica Mayer, ’95, the chief medical officer and clinical director of the Quentin N. Burdick Memorial Health Center in Belcourt, N.D., has been appointed to serve on a national advisory committee on infant mortality. She lives in New Town, N.D.

Spring Bakke, ’96, is a development coordinator/ officer with the UND Alumni Foundation. She is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations for the chief development officer and assisting in the overall fundraising efforts of the Foundation. She lives in Inkster, N.D.

Kori (Sawyer) Erikson, ’92, was named 2010 Occupational Therapist of the Year by the North Dakota Occupational Therapy Association. This is the second time she has received this honor. She and her husband, Blaine, ’91, reside in Bismarck, N.D. Tony Weiler, ’92, ’98, heads the North Dakota Department of Labor. Weiler graduated with honors from the UND School of Law. He and his wife, Sheila, live in Bismarck, N.D.

1995

Gerad Paul, ’95, is the senior attorney in the legal and governmental affairs department at Minnkota Power Cooperative in Grand Forks, where he resides with his wife, Misty.

Paul Davis, ’96, ’00, has joined Lakewood Health System of Staples, Minn. As a clinical psychologist, Davis works with people affected by a wide range of psychological and behavioral issues.

Heidi (Schoenwald) Gleason, ’96, has joined Medcenter One Rehabilitation as an occupational therapist. She and her husband, James, live in Mandan, N.D. 1997

Darla (McQueen) Miller, ’97, will head business attraction efforts for the Minot (N.D.) Area Development Corp. She will lead efforts to attract valueadded agriculture, knowledgebased businesses and oil companies to Minot. She and her husband, Matthew, reside in Minot.

Kenneth Fischer, ’96, joins Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota, as a medical director of behavioral health in medical management in Fargo, N.D., where he lives with his wife, Eunah.

Dru Sjodin Memorial Scholarship Grace Torguson (left) is the recipient of the seventh annual Dru Sjodin Memorial Scholarship. She is pictured with three previous scholarship winners (from L to R); Seinquis Slater, 2010, Rebecca (Bahnmiller) Grandstrand, 2008, and Alyson Wilhelmi, 2006.

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Daniel Narum, ’99, was selected for the prestigious Henry Toll Fellowship Program sponsored by the Council of State Governments. This fellowship program is one of the nation’s premier leadership development programs. Narum and his wife, Caroline, live in Lamoure, N.D. Barbara (Sherwood) Steadman, ’99, is the new Director of Media Relations at Coker College. The college is located in Hartsville, S.C., where she lives. Tanya Vachal, ’99, has been awarded a place in Prairie Business’ “40 Under 40.” She is the manager of Job Service North Dakota in Williston, N.D., where she lives.

2000s

Remember when, in 2004, music groups, Blues Traveler and Gin Blossoms, played at the annual Spring Concert before exam week? 2001

Maureen Kosiak, ’01, is a physician’s assistant at Medcenter One Occupational Health Clinic in Dickinson. She resides in Bismarck, N.D. Damian Schlinger, ’01, ’10, is a walk-in clinic manager for Medcenter One (Bismarck, N.D.) and was recently appointed by the governor’s office to the North Dakota board of athletic trainers. He is one of five people appointed to the board and will serve a four-year term. He and his wife, Jennifer (Gienger), ’00, ’04, reside in Bismarck.

2003

Rebecca (Moen) Behrens, ’03, ’06, is being inducted into the West Central Tribune (Willmar, Minn.) Sports Hall of Fame. She still holds the single-season scoring record for basketball at UND. She and her husband, Kyle, ’04, reside in Menomonie, Wis. Jason Johnson, ’03, is the chief financial officer for Starion Financial in Bismarck, N.D., where he resides with his wife, Stacey (Mees), ’04. 2004

Justin Ahmann, ’04, has joined Ackerman-Estvold Engineering & Management Consulting Inc. as a project engineer. He and his wife, Jessica (Edwards), ’03, live in Fargo, N.D.

Jon Bogenreif, ’04, is the Manager of Internal Audit at Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota. He has been a member of the company since 2008. He and his wife, Nicole, live in Kent, Minn. Shaun Christenson, ’04, has joined the Neurology Team at Innovis Health in Fargo, where he and his wife, Dana, live. Brian Fisher, ’04, is now a senior manager at Brady Martz and Associates P.C. He and his wife, Amanda (Heth), ’03, ’05, live in Dickinson, N.D. Bradley Johnson, ’04, is a transportation coordinator for Black Gold Potato Sales in Grand Forks. He and his wife, Stephanie, live in Manvel, N.D.

Student Affairs Three “generations” of Vice Presidents for Student Affairs pose together at the Student Government Annual Awards banquet this spring. (From left to right) Dr. Robert Boyd, ’74, ’79, served UND for more than 30 years, Dr. Lori Reesor was recently named as Boyd’s replacement and Dr. Gordon Henry, ’66, ’70, spent 14 years in the position before retiring in 1998.

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1999

alumni news

Judith Roberts, ’04, has been named deputy state director for North Dakota Congressman Rick Berg and will serve as head of his Bismarck office. Cory Steiner, ’04, ’09, is the assistant principal at West Fargo (N.D.) High School and will be named principal, effective this summer. He and his wife, Cindy, live in West Fargo. Michael Stromenger, ’04, writes and directs a murder mystery web series titled “Curtain Call.” He and his wife, Aimee (MacArthur), ’03, reside in Fargo, N.D. Emmett Worth, ’04, is the business development and donor relations manager for United Way of Cass-Clay. He and his wife, Elizabeth, reside in Fargo, N.D.

2006

Adam Dever, ’06, has received the highest award for achievement for his participation in the Dale Carnegie Course, which he completed in Bismarck. The award recipient is selected by the class. He lives in Bismarck, N.D. Scott Meyer, ’06, has joined U.S. Bank as a Mortgage Loan Officer. Meyer lives in Fargo, N.D. Nicole (Anderson) Smith, ’06, has joined the Oakes (N.D.) Public School as the Elementary Counselor and SADD coordinator. She and her husband, Drew, live in Forman, N.D.

Joshua Vallely, ’06, has been selected to serve a two-year term as one of 15 members of the Marine Retailers Association of America’s Young Leaders Advisory Council. He and his wife, Sarah (Holm), ’07, currently reside in Bismarck, N.D. 2007

Carrie Foss, ’07, is a data technology specialist with the UND Alumni Association and UND Foundation. She and her husband, Jeffrey, live in Hatton, N.D. Jessica Magness, ’07, is now an agent with Warner and Co. Insurance in Fargo, where she lives.

Blake Schaan, ’07, is the pesticide enforcement supervisor in the North Dakota Department of Agriculture. He and his wife, Heather, reside in Bismarck, N.D. Chelsea Scott, ’07, has joined Washburn Public School as a speech teacher. She resides in Bismarck, N.D. Breanna Smith, ’07, has joined KK BOLD’s account team. She has three years of marketing and financial planning experience with Target Corp. She resides in Bismarck, N.D. Sandra Voller, ’07, ’10, has joined the Law Office of Smith Bakke Porsborg Schweigert & Armstrong as an associate in Bismarck. 2008

Jessica (Mostad) Foss, ’08, has joined Vogel Law Firm where she practices in the estate planning and probate group. She and her husband, Sean, ’06, live in Moorhead, Minn. 2009

Jaclyn Tenneson, ’09, is now a staff accountant at Kadrmas, Lee & Jackson in Bismarck, N.D.

Do you remember the Kampus Kings? The Kampus Kings, who later became known as the Gene Allyn Orchestra, were a swing band started in the late ‘40s that entertained the Grand Forks community and UND. They played at football, men’s basketball and hockey games, and traveled for parades and party performances. “We never missed a home game,” says Zane Gray, a trombonist in the band from 1947 to 1948. For each dance they played, the student band members were compensated $8 to $10 a person. Their routine when they played a gig was to call out sets of three songs. “It wasn’t

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like now-a-days when you go with one person and dance with them all night. Almost every song, kids would have a different partner,” recalls Gray. Some of the more popular songs included “I Love You Tootie,” “Prisoner of Love” and “1 O’Clock Jump.” And what was the audience reaction? “We were a very good band,” Gray brags. “The students loved us.” What Gray enjoyed most about playing was the camaraderie of all the people in the band. “We took a plane up to Bismarck, and played at the state capital for the inauguration ball for the governor,” Gray recalls of his most fond memory. After his time at UND, Gray studied at Juliard and he eventually became the band director at the University of Connecticut.

Abe Winter, ’09, has written a book, “Memoirs of an Unknown Sportswriter … except in North Dakota.” In the book, the long-time Bismarck Tribune sportswriter talks about his four decades of covering sports in the state and beyond. Winter lives in Coral Gables, Fla., with his wife, Penny. AR

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