Fall 2020 BSC Magazine

FALL 2020

NEW PRESIDENT DOUG JENSEN Committed to the Promise of “The Community’s College”

Alumni Award Winners

20-23

Welcoming Students Back to BSC

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EDITOR’S NOTE BSC is open.

We believe that offering our students a true college experience right now is the right thing to do. We’ve worked hard to make sure we have the safeguards on campus and technology in the classroom that will ensure our students can keep moving toward their academic and life goals.

But what does “open” mean as we continue to navigate COVID-19?

Here’s our definition: In the midst of great uncertainty, BSC will provide the best possible in-person classroom and college experience this fall while maintaining a safe and healthy environment for students and our employees.

In practical terms “open” means our students can live and connect with their classmates in our residence halls. It means masks are required on campus, and classrooms now allow for in-person and remote learning at the same time. It means more takeout options in the Mystic Marketplace and livestreamed theater and music performances without audiences. It means our athletes will spend the fall conditioning in small groups until they can play as a team again in the spring. It means our faculty and our staff are laser focused on ensuring our students have the support and information to succeed in this uncertain time.

What else does “open” mean? In addition to a pandemic, our communities and country are grappling with systemic racism, economic hardships and a significant election in November. “Open” is also a state of mind. Right now, staying open to new ideas, hard conversations, learning opportunities and our own fears is as important as wearing masks, washing our hands and keeping our social circles small. I believe that challenging times make us better, kinder and stronger. Let us all stay open to the good things to come.

Stay safe, stay open and enjoy the read.

4 THRIVING AND LEARNING

Pandemic innovation at BSC

6 READY FOR THE FRONTLINES Med lab techs join the fight

7 TECH PROGRAMS PIVOT New paths forged this spring

9 BSC SMART START Back better than ever

14 LEADING US FORWARD Dr. Jensen takes the reins

20 BSC ALUMNI AWARD WINNERS Leaders in action

bismarckstate.edu

Marnie Piehl Editor

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BSC is an equal opportunity institution.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

EDITOR Marnie Piehl

DESIGNER Parker Bachmeier - United Printing

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Cory Wrolstad Erica Staples Kayla Schmidt Kimberly Singer CONTRIBUTORS Dusty Anderson Lacey Lange Juanita Lee Rhea Beto Rita Nodland Witney Nielsen Cole Bernhardt Kamryn Hellman COVER PHOTOGRAPHER Kyle Martin 3

BY KIM SINGER

When BSC and every other college in the North Dakota University System moved to a virtual campus in midMarch, the faculty and staff didn't rest. They adapted quickly to ensure students got the education and support they needed to keep moving forward. The hard work of spring helped shape the highly adaptable experience being offered to students on campus this fall. Read on to see how an abrupt shift led to a Smart Start.

BSC’s campus didn’t close at the end of March, it went virtual. It wasn’t easy with new guidelines being frequently imposed, but professors worked hard to keep students engaged.

Additionally, a couple of surgical technology students took positions with the understanding that they could finish their education as part of orientation.

Leaders established a unified command structure for making decisions. “Every single decision had students at the heart,” said Karen Erickson, dean of Enrollment Management.

Another approach was to use simulators. Now the nursing program is looking to incorporate a similar plan, along with more focus on the online curriculum. “We created scenarios to increase confidence and problem solving. We also focused on lessons about being a patient advocate and taking charge,” said Hixson.

“We purchased software to offer that, and now we’ll use it to increase students’ abilities and confidence in problem solving.”

“Every Monday felt like ‘Groundhog Day’ during this time,” said Carla Hixson, recently retired dean of Current and Emerging Technologies. “Every week, the plan we thought would work, we had to restart and repeat until we got it right.”

BSC leadership came up with creative solutions to change how classes were taught. The goal was to make sure students were able to finish strong and earn their degrees and certificates or be prepared for the next year of their program, no matter their field of study.

One example of a creative way to keep students in school was to allow them to move forward with their education at their jobs.

“We worked with the employers of two students in our HVAC program to ensure that they were doing on the job what they would have done in labs. Then BSC gave them credit for that work. So when they came back to campus to finish, they didn’t have to do as much,” said Hixson.

Students in other programs, such as the paramedic, lineworker and automotive collision programs, were able to do the same.

Faculty for music and art also needed to be creative with their teaching methods. Many, including Doug Klein who teaches guitar lessons, were successful in switching to an online format.

Art students were able to pick up their supplies and work from home, and then connected with faculty and fellow students for online critiques.

“What the move to virtual did show my faculty, for the most part, is that they can harness the power of live course streaming to great effect,” said Amy Juhala, dean of Humanities, Arts and Sciences.

Hixson said that initially some students panicked, but she took the time to get to know them and calm their fears. “I spent a lot of March and April talking them down, letting them know you can do this. We’ll get you back on campus. We’ll make the connection between theory and hands on when we get you back.

We promise.”

BSC leadership delivered on that promise. For the programs that weren’t able to finish on time, students were able to safely attend condensed lab make-up days this past summer in order to complete their certificates and degrees.

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BY KAYLA SCHMIDT

On a college campus, a constant state of transition is the norm.

Most students are balancing their studies with a job, a social life, and a general sense of “figuring it out” before moving onto the next phase of adulthood. A campus provides an in-between zone for those who are living independent of their families for the first time. On March 13, BSC, like every college in the nation, made the decision to close in response to the pandemic. Abruptly, the campus emptied of students and classes transferred to online-only.

“No one really ever admits to being homesick,” says Ashlyn Thompson, a Resident Assistant (RA) for Bismarck State College, “I feel like when COVID started to become real, a lot of parents wanted their kids to come home. When I saw everybody moving out, this family we had built, it was like my children were leaving the nest.”

Ashlyn has lived on BSC’s campus for four years while earning her degree in Elementary Education through the program partnership with Dickinson State University. As an RA, she saw the impact of COVID’s uncertainties play out amongst students caught up in the unexpected changes on campus. “They didn’t really get to say goodbye to their roommates or people they connected with during the year. I think they’ll continue to stay in touch to keep those connections. They saw how easily it was ripped from them.”

The sentiment of abrupt loss was echoed by another RA, Mercedez Fraction. “With the pandemic and everyone leaving and not being able to have a commencement ceremony, it makes you think that when you don’t have gratitude or notice the things you have to be thankful for, anything can come and take it.”

BRADY 2019-2020 RA

ELLIOT 2019-2020 RA

Mercedez graduated this year and will be continuing her Psychology studies in Moorhead. Those who remained on campus throughout the pandemic lived with dueling realities: the sudden halt of normalcy and the stretches of stillness. “Summertime tends to be quiet, but this is different,” said Mercedez, “having BSC closed off to the public was hard to see. BSC has always been an open place for people, for the community.”

“It was extremely busy at times. And at other times, it was the regular daily type of work,” notes Timothy Adams, Resident Hall Coordinator. For Timothy, the main concern was making sure those remaining on campus had the right tools to be safe, but also the opportunity to live as normally as possible. “We wanted everyone to have access to hand sanitizer, masks, and temperature checks.”

Of course, this also meant heavy restrictions on common areas and banning the most hallowed of college leisure activities: pool.

“We had to take the pool cues and balls away.” While this was Timothy’s first year as a Resident Hall Coordinator, he’s confident about the resilience of BSC’s sense of community. “A lot of good things have come from this experience . . . we’ve implemented a lot of things that we can continue indefinitely that are just good practices. New students won’t feel like anything is abnormal. And returning students will take these changes in stride.”

Having weathered the spring shut down, BSC’s resident life assistants and coordinators are optimistic about the future of college campuses, agreeing that the connections made in college are stronger than a pandemic.

MERCEDEZ 2019-2020 RA

S H A LY N 2019-2020 RA 5

BSC TRAINS DESPERATELY NEEDED MEDICAL LAB TECHNICIANS The COVID-19 pandemic has put healthcare workers in the spotlight. BSC’s 40th graduating class of medical lab technicians entered the workforce in December 2019 and January 2020 just in time to help battle the pandemic.

Mari Volk, dean of Current and Emerging Technologies, said many BSC graduates work at hospital, clinic and state health department labs where they help validate test methods, prepare and run tests, and report results to physicians and authorities.

Their work is often done behind the scenes, yet they play a critical role. “The big thing with lab testing is you don’t realize how much of a physician’s decision is based on what we’re doing in the laboratory,” Volk said. “During this time of considerable uncertainty, laboratory professionals, including medical laboratory technicians, work hard to ensure patients receive timely, accurate results.”

As a result of the even greater need for trained laboratory professions during the pandemic, state officials requested technicians come out of retirement to help. Volk responded to the need by volunteering at the North Dakota Department of Health State Laboratory.

Medical laboratory technicians were in high demand prior to the pandemic. “Everybody who’s graduated from this program and wants a job in the lab has one. With baby boomers retiring, hospitals hire even if they don’t have openings, because they will need them,” said Volk. Industry partners have taken an active role in the MLT program by donating supplies and equipment. Sanford Health in Bismarck lends financial support by providing adjunct instructors and the program director.

BY KIM SINGER

Recruiting students for BSC’s program and making it as convenient for working students as possible has always been a priority for Volk and Tracie Seibel, the program’s clinical coordinator. “We have redesigned the program to be more accessible to the working student. Lectures are held with two options for attending – in person on campus or online synchronous. Also, laboratories will be on campus all in one day.”

The program moved to the new BSC Health Sciences building this fall. Volk said the new area emulates a medical laboratory, so students become familiar with the setting prior to their clinical internship. “Our new location is more conducive to learning with a separate laboratory and lecture hall. This will also allow BSC to explore other health care programs, like our diagnostic medical sonography program that will be starting this fall. With this redesign, we will also have dedicated areas for the laboratory specialties, including a phlebotomy area to practice blood drawing skills.”

BSC’s program has a reputation for successfully preparing students for certification. “Employers like to hire our students, because they know they’re well trained, they’re job ready, they are top notch,” said Seibel. For the past five years, BSC medical laboratory technology students have had a first attempt certification exam pass rate of 100 percent. The program has been equipping students well since it began 40 years ago, and has maintained an overall first attempt pass rate of 97 percent.

“I am overwhelmingly proud, because not only can I now be part of this as the dean, I’m part of it as a graduate of a program that has been providing outstanding lab techs to the lab industry for 40 years,” said Volk.

MEDICAL LAB TECHNICIAN: One degree, many possibilities

These are some of the fields graduates can choose from with this versatile degree: • Laboratory medicine • Forensic (crime) labs • Medical or product research • Industrial, pharmaceutical, veterinary and public health labs • Sales and marketing • Consulting • Development • Education

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For more information on BSC’s medical laboratory technician program, visit bismarckstate.edu.

HANDS-ON TECHNICAL PROGRAMS FORGE A NEW PATH DURING THE PANDEMIC

BY KIM SINGER

When BSC’s technical programs switched from hands-on learning to an online format, it meant BSC faculty needed to step into the unknown and forge a new path. That is exactly what they did, so successfully, in fact, that their efforts are attracting students from out of state.

Faculty regularly touched base with students to make sure they used the time away from the classroom and labs efficiently by completing their theory work online and even improving their skills either on the job or on simulators.

WELDING SIMULATOR | PHOTO BY KYLE MARTIN

Even with the changes and delays, most students in technical programs were able to get their degrees and certificates on time or during the summer months. Students were able to make up their lab work in concentrated segments of time. For example, electrical lineworking students were able to complete it in seven- or eighthour days. And they were able to do it safely as the poles were the recommended six feet apart, plus they were working outside.

“Tech students are here to learn to work, not learn to learn,” said Carla Hixson, recently retired dean of Current and Emerging Technologies. The end goal for most students in these programs is to learn skills for high-demand fields where they can get highpaying jobs.

Faculty collaboration with industry leaders was key in making sure students could do on-the-job training when they were not able to complete labs on campus. “The students with job offers were able to go to their employer and complete a workbook with us,” said Kyren Miller, National Energy Center of Excellence department chair, who oversees the lineworker program. The same was true for parts of the HVAC and automotive collision programs.

Miller said he appreciated BSC’s ability to accommodate his students’ needs. Mark Hagerott, Ph.D., North Dakota University Systems chancellor, allowed BSC to open up in special cases for students, such as safely bringing six students on campus in May so they weren’t delayed in getting trained for their commercial driver's licenses.

BSC’s efforts to keep students working on their education was noticed by students in out-of-state programs, even as far away as Washington. With programs on hold in their states, students wanting to complete their certificates and degrees were interested in coming here where they can do it thanks to North Dakota's proactive ND Smart Restart efforts.

Welding students were already pros at following health and safety recommendations, since they wear heavy duty welding masks and gloves and work in individual booths. Nonetheless, when they were no longer able to meet in the classroom, they couldn't complete all of their lab work. However, Lee Friese, department chair for transportation and construction, estimates students were able to get about two-thirds of their lab work done thanks to the use of simulators set up in the student union.

“We pushed to provide the same quality we had in the past,” he said. “I want BSC to set the example of how education can be run.” Three out of the five programs he oversees were able to finish on time.

Friese said that during the pandemic they were able to test out online platforms for the automotive technician program, which proved successful as students remained engaged. As a result, he is looking at the future possibility of having students come to campus for the lab portion of the program a few days a week, while theory is taught online. “This would be convenient for a lot of students from rural North Dakota, such as those who farm and are busy in August and September with harvest. They could delay their labs until later fall.”

Miller also shared that through this challenging time, BSC was effective in coming up with a plan and being proactive. “Everybody stepped up to accommodate student and industry needs. We all learned from this.”

He said he is looking forward to this coming year as the lineworker program will graduate its 50th class in spring 2021. BSC’s is the only lineworker program in the state.

For more information on BSC’s technical programs, visit bismarckstate.edu.

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Virtual commencement brings community

When it became clear that a traditional commencement ceremony wasn’t in the cards, the BSC community invested dozens of hours creating a livestream video event that honored the 970 students who earned degrees, and welcomed Miss America 2018 Cara Mund as the 2020 BSC commencement speaker. A Facebook live watch party on May 15 brought hundreds of people together to cheer on graduates.

Hundreds more have viewed the video since. .

VIDEO EXTRA! Find the video at bismarckstate.edu/livestream

SUPPORTING STUDENTS IN NEED When BSC received the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding from the U.S. Department of Education, the college worked quickly to create a request process that would ensure students with the greatest need could receive the funds necessary to help them through the pandemic.

The funds were provided to all colleges in the nation and designed to help students experiencing hardship due to expenses related to the disruption of campus operations. Often, colleges simply sent a check to each eligible student.

BSC’s process focused on need, inviting eligible students to submit a request for the amount they needed to help them through their hardship. They could use the funds for food, housing, course materials, technology, health care or child care.

BSC received $457,033 from the Department, and has distributed all of the fund to 206 students.

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BSC SMART START:

OPEN FOR FALL, APPLYING LESSONS LEARNED BSC is turning its pandemic challenges into better delivery for student learning this year.

BY KIM SINGER

A MULTI-LAYERED APPROACH Across BSC, students and faculty are required to wear masks and maintain the recommended six feet of separation. Michael Tomanek, associate professor of English, said CAD software was used to map out classrooms to determine the maximum amount of students allowed. “Instructors may use a delivery mode that best suits the individual context, but students will have some amount of regular live interaction.”

STUDENT CONNECTION & TECHNOLOGY "The pandemic forced BSC to adjust and make rapid changes to what the spring semester looked like. The entire college learned how to leverage technology to greater levels in our work with students,” said Daniel Leingang, Vice President for Academic Affairs.

“The fall semester looks as much like the previous fall semester as possible,” Leingang added. “Yes, we've made some adjustments to how we function, but a solid mix of face-to-face, studio and online courses are being offered. We are open. We are prepared.

We will provide the best possible learning environments for our students as they fulfill their educational goals.”

NO REASON TO WAIT In a world of unknowns, BSC continues to offer a high quality education at a low price point. This is becoming more attractive for prospective students who were looking at attending a college or university in a state that’s not fully reopened. Karen Erickson, dean of Enrollment Management, said, “A lot of students have been waiting to see how this is going to end. We’re here. Don’t put your future on hold. For a low investment, BSC can make you highly skilled in order to get you a high-paying job in a highdemand field.”

Prospective students are able to come tour BSC’s beautiful campus in person or via new 360-degree photos online. “We have one of the most gorgeous campuses,” said Erickson. “Plus, BSC can provide people with a skill that will stay with them, and they can do even during challenging times. We’re best positioned to be able to rapidly pivot and serve students as they need these skills, because we’ve always looked at the community needs.”

For up-to-date information on what the fall semester looks like at BSC visit bismarckstate.edu/bscsmartstart

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In July, the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) announced that all close-contact fall sports will be shifted to the spring semester, and the winter sports will have a revised season. This triggered changes in the BSC Mystics volleyball and basketball seasons.

Volleyball, which typically starts practice in August, has been moved to the spring semester. Practice can begin Jan. 11 with the first games on Jan. 29. Games will be capped at 21, with national tournaments to be played April 15-17. BSC advanced to the national tournament last season.

Men’s and women’s basketball teams can also begin practice on Jan. 11. Basketball games can start Jan. 22 with a maximum of 22 games for the season, down more than 10 from a normal year. The seasons will be extended one month with national tournaments starting April 19.

The spring Mystics baseball and softball seasons will remain intact with minor adjustments to dates.

The esports team has a storng roster of 30+ returning and new players, ready to compete in Fortnite, League of Legends, Rocket League, Madden, Smash Brothers, Fifa, Valorant and Overwatch.

"It's going to be a busy spring on campus. Right now we're just thankful there's going to be a season and the kids are going to get to compete," says BSC athletic director Buster Gillis. "We're hoping in January we may be able to have fans. I guess time will tell."

BSC MYSTICS VOLLEYBALL HEAD COACH: KYLE KUETHER – YR 1 HOMETOWN: Bismarck, N.D

HIGH SCHOOL & COLLEGE ATHLETIC CAREER: NDSU Men’s Volleyball Club Team

Kyle

Kuether

COACHING RESUME: BSC volleyball St. Mary’s Central High School | Head Volleyball Coach | 5 YRS | St. Mary’s Central High School | Assistant Volleyball Coach | 4 YRS | Fargo North High School | Assistant Volleyball Coach | 1 YR

BSC MYSTICS MENS BASKETBALL HEAD COACH: JIM JESKE – YR 1 HOMETOWN: New England, N.D.

NEW COACHES, NEW OPPORTUNITIES It’s a year of firsts for the Mystics as new coaches come on board in volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball and softball. Only baseball head coach Michael Keeran returns for his second season.

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HIGH SCHOOL & COLLEGE ATHLETIC CAREER: New England High School Boys Basketball University of Mary Mens Basketball COACHING RESUME:

Jim

Jeske

BSC men's Basketball

Century High School | Head Girls Basketball Coach | 6 YRS | Bismarck State College | Assistant Mens Basketball Coach | 1 YR | Carrington High School | Head Boys Basketball Coach | 8 YRS | 1 Class B Boys Championship | Sargent Central High School | Head Boys Basketball Coach | 3 YRS

BSC MYSTICS WOMENS BASKETBALL & SOFTBALL HEAD COACH: THAI HAGGIN – YR 1

BSC MYSTICS BASEBALL HEAD COACH: MICHAEL KEERAN – YR 2 HOMETOWN: Clear Lake, Iowa

HOMETOWN: Williston, N.D.

HIGH SCHOOL & COLLEGE ATHLETIC CAREER: Williston High School Girls Basketball

HIGH SCHOOL & COLLEGE ATHLETIC CAREER:

THAI

HAGGIN

BSC Softball & Women's Basketball

ND Miss Basketball Finalist University of Mary Womens Basketball 2000 University of Mary NAIA National Championship Team 2005 University of Mary Athletic Hall of Fame Team Inductee 2010 University of Mary Athletic Hall of Fame Individual Inductee

High School AllState Baseball High School AllState Football

Michael

keeran BSC baseball

Waldorf University Baseball 2013-2017 Ozark Generals 2017 MINK League COACHING RESUME: Valley City State University | Assistant Baseball Coach | 1 YR | Grinnell College | Assistant Softball Coach | 1 YR | Bancroft Bandits | Pioneer Collegiate Baseball League | Head Coach | 2 YRS | Albert Lea Lakers | Pioneer Collegiate Baseball League | Head Coach | 1 YR | Clear Lake High School | Head Baseball Coach | 3 YRS

2X All-NDCAC Selection COACHING RESUME: Bismarck State College | Athletic Coordinator | YR 1 | Bismarck State College | Head Softball Coach | YR 1 | Bismarck State College | Assistant Womens Basketball Coach | 3 YRS | Mandan Public School | Boys and Girls Basketball Coach | 18 YRS

BSC MYSTICS ESPORTS HEAD COACH: CASEY MISCHEL – YR 2 HOMETOWN: Mandan, ND

COACHING RESUME: Bismarck State College | Head Coach for Esports Inaugural Season | 2019 | BSC Mystics won 2nd Place NJCAAE Overwatch Tournament

Casey

Mischel BSC ESPORTS

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HEIM EARNS JACK FELLOWSHIP Charlotte Heim, Assistant Professor of Agriculture, Technology and Natural Resources (ATNR) received the 2020 Jack Fellowship from the BSC Foundation Board of Trustees. Charlotte is working toward a Master's degree in Agricultural Education at South Dakota State University.

The fellowship, valued at $25,000, helps BSC faculty and staff further their education, conduct research or pursue other professional development. The late Tom and Peg Jack, lead contributors to BSC's Jack Science Center, endowed the Jack Fellowship in 1999. A committee appointed by the BSC Foundation selects the recipients.

BSC LAUNCHES NEW MEDIA THIS SPRING

CHARLOTTE HEIM

The BSC Blog -- From inspiring stories about alumni, to career ideas to practical tips on how best to stay focused during finals, the blog is a motivating resource for the students we serve. | bismarckstate.edu/blog The BSC Podcast -- BSC: 19:39 -- Join BSC Mass Communications intern Travis Askerooth for 19 minutes and 39 seconds of BSC conversation in honor of the college's founding year – 1939. Each podcast is produced inside the Mystic Media Studios on the BSC campus. Most recently, President Emeritus Dr. Larry Skogen and new president Dr. Doug Jensen joined Travis in the studio. | Bismarckstate.edu/BSC1939Podcasts Check out the rest of our student media at bscmysticmedia.com

PALO ALTO NETWORKS HIRES BSC INTERN Bismarck State College Cybersecurity and Computer Networks student, Riley Mueller, was a top 10 finisher in the first Palo Alto Networks Secure the Future Competition – a grueling months-long national competition against dozens of cybersecurity students from universities across the nation. Other finalists came from four-year universities like Ball State University, Murray State University and East Carolina University.

Additionally, the sophomore was one of five finalists to land a prestigious paid summer internship at Palo Alto Networks corporate headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif.

Mueller is returning to BSC in the fall to pursue BSC’s four-year Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Cybersecurity and Information Technology.

RILEY MUELLER

Read more on the BSC blog: bismarckstate.edu/blog.

PERFECT SCORES FOR CYBER STUDENTS Two Bismarck State College Cybersecurity students scored perfectly on the TestOut Security Pro Certification Exam and the BSC Cybersecurity program had a 95 percent pass rate for those students taking the examination - well above the recent national average of 66 percent.

Chris Cain, Bismarck, N.D., and Samantha Dirk, Mandan,N.D., earned a perfect 100 percent on the exam that measures the ability to perform tasks commonly performed by IT security professionals such as network and systems administrators and IT security specialists. Of the 59 students in BSC Assistant Professor Tanya Taplin’s Computer and Network Security course, 56 passed on the first attempt.

“Passing this exam means that our BSC Cybersecurity students are capable of implementing layered security through group policy objects, access control lists, wireless and wired local area network security measures, and workstation and mobile device security measures,” says BSC Cybersecurity Outreach Coordinator Tammy Heick.

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BONDY HIRED AS VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS Kaylyn Bondy was hired as Vice President for Student Affairs and began her duties on July 1.

Bondy served as the Vice President for Student Affairs at Williston State College (WSC) for the last five years. Before leading WSC’s student affairs efforts, she served as the Registrar and Director for Institutional Research & Effectiveness. Prior to WSC, she led an international English as a second language school in Las Vegas, Nev., and taught ESL abroad in Canada and France.

She is a member of the board of directors for the North Dakota Women in Higher Education Network, and Chair of WICHE’s Western Alliance of Community College Academic Leaders. She was also recently named as a 2020-21 Aspen Institute Rising Presidents Fellows. She will complete her Ph.D. in higher education from the University of North Dakota in 2020.

KAYLYN BONDY

BSC RECEIVES USDA GRANT The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded $458,839 to BSC to support hands-on education opportunities and workforce training for students interested in becoming a custom applicator.

BSC will use the funds for the creation of an online, eight-credit certificate of completion in custom applicator training.

The program will be available to students starting in the fall of 2021.

HAGEROTT NAMED 2020 OUTSTANDING TEACHER Dawn Hagerott, Associate Professor of Music, was named the 2020 Oustanding Teacher of the Year for Higher Education by the Bismarck Mandan Chamber of Commerce EDC.

DAWN HAGEROTT

STUDENT CHAMPS IN MICROSOFT OFFICE Because of their exceptionally high scores on Microsoft Office Specialist exams, two BSC students, John Thomason, from Mandan, N.D., and Markenna Feist, from Wishek, N.D., were named North Dakota Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) champions and selected to compete in the Microsoft Office Specialist U.S. National Championship in June 2021. The 2020 national event was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The highest scoring students compete for scholarships ranging from $750 to $3000 at the national event.

This is the third consecutive year that students in the BSC Administrative Assistant and Information Processing Specialist programs have been named North Dakota MOS Champions.

GRANT USED FOR SONOGRAPHY PROGRAM Bismarck State College was awarded $50,000 through the ND Career and Technical Education’s Perkins V Innovation grant program, leveraging an additional $10,000 in-kind match from Sanford Health. This funding will be used to purchase an ultrasound machine to be used by students in the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program, as well as outreach costs to promote career awareness and recruit new students into the Sonography program.

PROFESSOR NAMED NBEA TEACHER OF THE YEAR Professor of Computers & Office Technology Dr. Lynette Borjeson Painter was named the National Business Education Association (NBEA) Post-Secondary Business Teacher of the Year for her contributions to business education.

DR. LYNETTE PAINTER BORJESON

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BSC WELCOMES NEW PRESIDENT

DR. DOUGLAS JENSEN

D

r. Douglas Jensen officially became president of Bismarck State College on July 1, 2020, but he’d already been on campus two weeks prior, working with former President Larry C. Skogen to ensure a smooth transition and to learn all he could about the college he’ll be leading into its expanded mission as North Dakota’s only polytechnic. To take up the reins of BSC at a pivotal point in its history is challenging enough, then layer a pandemic onto that and you see what a person is made of.

We can rest easy because Jensen is made of tough stuff. He grew up in a blue-collar Pittsburgh neighborhood. His father died when he was 12 and he lost his mother when he was 20. He wasn’t your traditional student. “I didn’t see the value of school. I didn’t see how it could help me,” he says. No one he was close to had attended college. He expected to follow his father into the steel mill and retire after 40 years.

Instead, the summer after he graduated, one of his high school teachers, Miss Fletcher, told him in no uncertain terms that he needed to attend the local community college where she worked in the summers. He enrolled at Community College of Allegheny County, and “the trajectory of my life changed.”

Almost since the day you were hired, you’ve been engaged with BSC – attending meetings even as you wrapped up your presidency at Rock Valley College. Talk about your approach to work.

My commitment to higher ed is more personal than professional.

Education transformed my life, specifically a community college experience transformed my life. Relationships made through community college changed my life. This is a lifestyle more than a vocation or profession for me, and I’m blessed to have had a profession that is so integral to my values and beliefs. If we do our job well, we touch about 12,000 people throughout credit and non-credit classes and events every year. Very few occupations allow you to engage in that many lives. And that’s not counting all the people our students touch. When we educate a nurse, think of all the people that person will serve in the community. The impact of what we do is incredibly humbling.

Why did you pursue this role? Why BSC? I wasn’t looking for a change at this point in my career. In fact, I was happy where I was when a friend shared the posting with me. I have always been very interested in polytechnics, and I have deep experience in the public/private partnerships needed to build one. It was exactly the role I’d set my mind to finding eventually. It felt like a fit then and feels that way now, too.

What about this community and North Dakota appeals to you?

I like the openness of this part of country. When I left the east coast and went to Green Bay, Wis., the lifestyle and culture appealed to me. I saw similar opportunities and values in Bismarck, and felt it would be a good fit, a natural fit.

What are your priorities as a college president?

It comes down to students. Because of my background and how I grew up, attending a community college shaped me as a person and as a leader. You’ll hear me say frequently that a community college is somewhere you go where people believe in you before you’re capable of believing in yourself.

Education is a great equalizer. With the right education you can navigate economic downturns and be ready for job opportunities you may not have had access to otherwise. It is an investment in yourself that no one can take away.

What have you observed to date about the people of BSC? I see a very dedicated and committed college community. I hear people talk about the history of BSC, and quickly realized that this community is proud of BSC, too. Many families have connections here – either they earned degrees, attended continuing ed classes or their family members attended BSC. All those connections

Community college is somewhere you go where people believe in you before you’re capable of believing in yourself.

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FEATURE

15

Education

"Attending a community college shaped me as a person and as a leader."

• Doctorate of Education, Edgewood College, Madison, Wis, • M.S. and B.S., Geneva College,Beaver Falls, Pa. • A.S., Community College of Allegheny County, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Professional Experience • President, Rock Valley College (Illinois) • President, Alabama Technology Network • VP of Economic Development/CEO, Advanced Technology Center, Westmoreland Co. Community College • Chief Academic Officer, Northcentral Wisconsin Technical College • Various roles at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College and Community College of Allegheny County

are why the operative word in “community college” is the word community. BSC is this community’s college. Bismarck-Mandan owns it, built it and nurtures it and with that comes a sense of pride. The community has invested in BSC, and we have the care and custody of their investment.

What has surprised you so far?

I’d say that the more things change the more they stay the same.

The challenges we are facing here, are not different than those faced elsewhere. Opportunities are similar, too. I’ve traveled around the country and I see a lot of commonality and a lot of hopes and aspirations placed on institutions like BSC to meet the needs of the community. We are well positioned to provide that.

Tell us about your family.

I’m blessed with a great partner in life, my wife Karen. We’ve been married 38 years, and we’ve been together since high school. She saw my future, understood what I was about and committed to taking that journey with me. She made professional sacrifices and dedicated her life to providing for our family. I never take for granted what it means to have a life partner willing to move all over and who is as committed as I am to serving students and the people of our community.

We have two grown sons living in Pittsburgh and Rockford, Ill. Both of whom attended community colleges.

Was there a teacher that influenced you?

The person who really changed my focus, was Dr. Barbara Felen at Community College of Allegheny County. I was told to take a biology class and I had a preconceived idea that sciences weren’t for me. Dr. Felen said, ‘take my class and I will help you make it through.’ She didn’t just get me through, she opened my eyes and inspired me. She made me believe in myself, gave me confidence by teaching me how to learn. I became a biology and chemistry tutor. I knew what it felt like to be on the other side of the table, I knew that if I could help those students the way others helped me, they could help themselves. I changed my major and graduated with honors. We are friends to this day.

What motivates you?

I’ve experienced some of the more difficult sides of life. Being in a position to help people through tough times is important to me. I know that there is hope and better quality of life out there – to help people find that is rewarding. I believe in the law of reciprocity – if we put the well-being of others at the forefront of what we do, it will come back to us. Positive creates positive.

What value does a community college bring to its community that’s different than a university?

Our value is in the population we serve. A community college represents the community and more fully reflects the community’s diversity. We serve people aged 9 to 90. We are involved with K-12 students, and adults who are returning to education to change their lives. The average community college student is 25 and female. She might be a single mom looking for a better quality of life for her family, and she is at the forefront for us.

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What do you like about college students?

What are your favorite teams?

They’re open to new things. They’re searching, exploring and, chances are, they’ll make multiple career decisions before they settle in. We can help them find what they need and get to where they’re going.

The Pittsburgh Steelers of course; and the Penguins. I follow collegiate wrestling – especially Penn State. And I’m really looking forward to following and cheering on the Mystics.

What keeps you up at night?

A few things concern me a lot. The massive amount of debt students and families take on for higher education is one. How much society relies on higher ed to address its needs, without providing the funding and commitment necessary to support those institutions. Funding models are developed to maintain the status quo and it’s a struggle for community colleges to position ourselves to meet the needs of the community. I’m concerned about the emotional and mental health of college students – they struggle and experience a lot of challenges. We need to do more to support them and find the services they need.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I really enjoy the openness of this part of country, and the opportunity to enjoy outdoor activities. I like cars, listening to live music and getting out with our dog, Oliver. I’m focused on enjoying life and the simpler things that make lasting memories of family and friends.

What's one thing we'll never see you do?

I hope you’ll never see me compromise my values or principles for any reason. Faith is important to me.

What do you want this community to know about BSC? That we are this community’s college. And that depending on where you are in life, the college has services and educational opportunities for you – for your family, children and friends. BSC is here to meet your needs whether you want to take continuing education classes or get a two or four-year degree. And the community needs to understand that in becoming a polytechnic institution with an expanded mission, they are going to have an asset in this community that is unique to this region.

What do you want the community to know about you?

I enjoy people. I like to have fun. Karen and I are looking forward to building relationships here. We don’t know a lot about North Dakota yet, but we are looking forward to learning. And please, call me Doug.

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CONTINUING ED COURSES GET CREATIVE BSC Continuing Education found clever solutions for providing learning opportunities this summer, while abiding by the CDC guidelines for safe social interaction.

Several classes took place in the great outdoors, including Being Strong Counts at the BSC Community Bowl and Yoga on the Lawn (pictured) at the State Capitol Grounds.

BY KIM SINGER

it to a STEAM program. And Sanford Health partnered with BSC to create a med-adventure camp.

BSC continuing education offers courses for kindergarten graduates through adults who are lifelong learners. All classes are now designed with safety in mind by limiting enrollment numbers, requiring masks and cleaning classrooms between sessions.

Another approach was using online platforms. Through ed2go, BSC was able to offer 10 self-paced online classes free of charge.

This shift will continue in the fall with Mediterranean Cooking, Write Your Novel (At Home) and Introduction to Watercolor Painting moving from being in-person to online.

Even with the challenges presented, five new courses were introduced for kids. BSC added art camps to its science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education, enhancing To see the fall course catalog, visit bismarckstate.edu.

for OLLI

Members share why they love OLLI@BSC Marc and Margaret Fiechtner have been members of OLLI for several years. “We initially signed up for lectures that sounded interesting, soon realizing that many of the lectures we attended were not to be missed! I don’t think that any of the classes were disappointing. We pass the word to all friends and acquaintances whom we think would enjoy being part of OLLI.” Dina Butcher initially joined because her husband was enjoying courses so much. Then, she was invited to share her family’s Holocaust history in a class that the late Herb Wilson, M.D., taught. She was drawn in by the interest of those who attended and the rest of Dr. Wilson’s course. “I love the engagement of fellow participants and the sharing of what their life’s experiences or professional involvement bring to the discussions. And, the

presenters are so enthused about their subject matter. I am among the many Jason Matthews over-aged groupies. There has not been a dud among those I have attended.”

At OLLI there are no examinations or grades. Faculty are experts in their fields and enthusiastic about teaching OLLI members, who bring a broad range of life experiences and knowledge to enrich the exchange of ideas.

To learn more or become a member, visit bismarckstate.edu/olli, call (701) 224-5777 or email bsc.training@bismarckstate.edu.

A Q&A WITH TWO POPULAR BSC CONTINUING EDUCATION INSTRUCTORS Perry Hornbacher, BSC history professor, and Jason Matthews, BSC political science lecturer, not only share their knowledge with college students, they also encourage lifelong learning by teaching continuing education and Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI@BSC) courses at BSC. This Q&A offers insight into their interests and teaching methods.

What do you enjoy about teaching continuing education courses?

PH: The participants have a different perspective than college

students as they are taking the class for pleasure and to better understand the topic we are covering. They often have different life experiences giving me the opportunity to look at the topics from their perspective. Often they share their experiences when dealing with historical topics they lived through.

JM: When I was a child, I was older than my years. I preferred

visiting with adults. OLLI allows me to interact with, what one of my best friends says is, “my target demographic.” Many topics I teach are about American presidents or events OLLI participants have lived through. In my first ‘What in the Hell is Happening?’ course back in 2017, I put together a timeline of significant events from 1960 to 2017 to answer how America arrived at this moment.

One participant said it was the visual equivalent of Billy Joel’s ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire.’ That was one of the highest compliments I could have received. Course discussions often end up educating me, which is pure delight.

How do you pick your topics?

PH: I try to find topics that I would find stimulating and are of

interest to the general public. I want to enlighten people by exploring points and ideas that are not always well understood.

JM: I have always been interested in American history, especially

political history, American politics and the presidency. Most of my courses are anchored in those topics. But I’m also very fascinated by global events. Every now and again, I come across a documentary or have a conversation with someone that piques my interest and I make it into a course, such as the one I taught on Bing Crosby and Johnny Carson.

Are you willing to share any future course topics you’re considering?

PERRY HORNBACHER

JASON MATTHEWS

JM: I’ll be teaching a course on the life, presidency and post-

presidency of Jimmy Carter. His presidency, I think, is a cautionary tale, while his post-presidency embodies many of the best of American virtues. It’s time to assess Jimmy Carter and put his presidency and life into greater context. I also suspect if I teach for OLLI long enough, and if the world makes it through this year, I’ll someday teach a class on 2020.

Why do you feel continuing education is important?

PH: Learning is a lifelong experience and continuing education offers opportunities for those who are always looking to broaden their worlds and education.

JM: It engages your mind, connects you with other individuals with similar interests and sparks the desire to know even more. It's in the discovery that we feel alive.

BSC continuing education and TrainND provide personal and professional courses for all ages, children through senior adults, as well as customized training for business and industry. OLLI@ BSC is a community of adults, age 50 and above, who explore new areas of knowledge and traditional disciplines while meeting new friends through courses, lectures and events.

PH: I am looking at the idea of teaching historical topics using the

media of film. How our perspective of a subject is often shaped or created by the movies or media that have often shaded or altered the general public’s historical perspective, which sometimes have more lasting impacts than the facts.

For more information and a list of classes, visit bismarckstate.edu/continuingeducation.

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BSC ALUMNA OF THE YEAR

BY KIM SINGER

FROM BSC DEGREE TO FOUNDING A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS The 2020 BSC Alumna of the Year is an inventor, entrepreneur and visionary. Kari Warberg Block (‘82) is the founder and CEO of EarthKind, a U.S.-based company that develops and manufactures high-performance, ecofriendly pest control for households and farms. EarthKind products are sold in 35,000 stores across the country, including retail giants, such as Lowe’s, Ace Hardware and John Deere.

Warberg Block earned an associate degree from BSC in hotel, motel, restaurant management. “The education I received while I was there perfectly set the table for where I am today. Receiving a solid grounding in food and consumer science helped me to invent products that are grown on farms and are packaged much like food.”

She was only able to take one class at a time when she later went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in business management from

the University of Mary, because she was also employed full time.

That all of her credits transferred was critical to her success. “I never thought I could, and I always wanted to [get a four-year degree]. Going to BSC made that possible.”

Guided by a motto of “preserve the good, prevent the rest,” her pest control method is to repel and not kill. This eliminates the need for disposing of dead rodents and insects. And, unlike poison, her products are safe around kids and pets. She said that in the U.S., about 6,000 dogs die each year from accidental poisoning.

Warberg Block makes sure her company is true to its name by being mindful of its carbon footprint.

EarthKind currently has a USDA BioPreferred status meaning they are certified at a two percent carbon footprint, but she currently has a goal of getting that down to zero. “We’ve been two percent for a decade, then decided to go for the last two percent this year.” One of the ways she is accomplishing this is with ecofriendly packaging and products.

For example, the Pouch Pod product that holds EarthKind’s Stay Away pest repellent pouches appears to be made of plastic, but is actually created using flax.

Not only is Warberg Block passionate about creating safe, high quality products, she also places a high value on caring for her 42 employees by offering them 100 percent paid health insurance and opportunities to further their education. “It lifts society as a whole when businesses invest in people.”

She’s also inspiring future business owners as she has been featured in college entrepreneurship textbooks and is now writing a book aimed at college students. “It will discuss the importance of value-based decision making as the foundation of

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conscious leadership. And it will demonstrate how making decisions from a place of personal beliefs and strong morals can lead to businesses that are filled not only with financial growth, but also greater potential for social impact.”

Warberg Block has been recognized with many awards for being a trailblazer in business and in caring for the earth and all its inhabitants. Stay Away Mosquitoes has just been named a winner of the 2020 National Parenting Product Awards, an award that was also given to Stay Away Spiders in 2017. She was honored as an Emerging Champion by Global Market Development Center and Winsight Grocery Business in 2019. She was named Mooresville South Iredell Chamber’s Entrepreneur of the Year for 2018 in Mooresville, N.C., the manufacturing home of EarthKind. She was chosen as a 2012 EY Entrepreneurial Winning Woman. In 2013 she was awarded the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Small Business Person of the Year in her home state of North Dakota and made the national top three business people of the year. She is a former member of the National Women’s Business Council, which advises the President, the U.S. SBA and Congress on matters of impact and importance for women in business.

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RISING THROUGH THE RANKS IN NYC

BY KIM SINGER

This year’s Rising Star Alumni Award recipient achieved her goal of working for CNN before age 30 with five years to spare. Lindsey Ellefson (‘11) has continued rising through the ranks, having since been recruited for two other positions working in the fast-paced media industry in New York City.

Armed with an associate’s degree from BSC and a bachelor’s degree in communications with a specialization in broadcast journalism from St. Francis College in New York City, she became an associate producer of social TV at CNN in 2017. Ellefson reported for CNN Politics, Health, Culture and Style. She even interviewed fashion icon Alexander Wang, a piece that earned her a place on a media panel hosted by Edelman PR. In November 2018, Ellefson was recruited to join NY1, New York’s only 24-hour local news channel, as a producer. “While at NY1, I launched the successful digital project #1ThingToKnow, which was mirrored across the country on Spectrum Cable channels and patterned after my original design concept.”

She also did freelance writing on the side for InStyle Magazine, the New York Observer, Daily Dot and Mashable. “My focus was health, especially the mental and physical health of individuals with substance use disorders. I also began a project that documents positive and negative media reference to the opioid overdose crisis and related topics.”

Then in June 2019, TheWrap News, the leading digital-first news organization that reports on the business of entertainment and media, asked Ellefson to be their media reporter, which is her current position. “I’ve gotten numerous scoops and exclusives and my work has been cited at CNN, Fox News and more.”

She said her goal is to continue representing those who struggle with substance abuse in an honest and fair way, reporting on the unique problems they face. “Since moving to New York and expanding my social circle through school, work and other pursuits, I’ve met a lot of people with various substance use disorders who have shown me, very personally, how complicated and nuanced they are and how badly the media lets them down with extremely shallow portrayals.”

Ellefson is grateful her accomplishments are being honored. “It means so much to me to receive this award, because I recognize how special it is. It is a wonderful reminder that my continued efforts to rise in my career and in my associated goal of advocating for and helping others are being noticed. The community of BSC

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means so much to not only me, but my family, so there is an extra layer to how touched I am to receive the award.”

That extra layer of meaningfulness is in reference to her dad, Joe Ellefson, PhD, who is a BSC professor and the coordinator of the BSC Criminal Justice program. “As Lindsey’s parents, Marge and I have always supported her efforts. We couldn’t be prouder of her and find it very humbling that others have also noted her strength and progress by nominating her for BSC’s Rising Star award. To have Lindsey selected was the jewel in the crown! We look forward to what is yet to come for this young woman as she continues to progress in her career.”

2020 BSC LEGACY FAMILY LEROY AND LOUISE WALKER FAMILY A LEGACY OF BSC AND BUSINESS

BY KIM SINGER

In 1933, LeRoy Walker’s father, C.M. (Charles), began Walkers n’ Daughters Jewelers, which now has two locations in Bismarck. Along with carrying on the family business, LeRoy is the patriarch of another family tradition – attending BSC. His four children with wife Louise, and two of their grandchildren are alumni, plus one of their great-grandchildren, Lucas Rasmussen, is a current student.

After graduating from BSC in 1949, LeRoy earned a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Wisconsin. He served in the Army for two years, then worked in Maryland. He was able to move back home thanks to a job offer from the Amoco (now Marathon) Refinery in Mandan. Not long after, he began working alongside his father and expanded the business from being strictly watch repair to selling jewelry as well.

In 1970, LeRoy began taking lessons from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) through the mail, how distance learning happened back then. He passed the courses to earn his graduate gemologist title in record time. He also became a certified gemologist through the American Gem Society. Since then, Walkers n’ Daughters Jewelers has specialized in ideal cut diamonds, which uses a mathematical calculation to create the ultimate sparkle and brilliance.

“Now we are getting into custom design and it’s so exciting to see the transformation of what someone has in their mind to see and hold the finished product. I love it,” said Susan Walker-Weiand (‘77), one of the Walkers’ daughters and a member of the BSC Foundation Board of Directors.

Louise was a stay-at-home mom until her youngest, Sharon (Walker) Hanson (‘80), started school. Then, she worked at the store doing sales and the books. She also became a registered jeweler. “It was because of her we have generational clients. She was very good at listening to customers, who often tell me, ‘I remember coming into the store when I was younger and always being treated so well.’ I hope to continue that,” shared Walker-Weiand, who manages the Kirkwood Mall store.

Years later, the Walkers expanded their business yet again to also specialize in clocks with LeRoy doing repairs. Unfortunately, about a decade ago, he developed macular degeneration and could not see well enough to continue working on them.

With LeRoy and Louise now retired, their children and grandchildren have carried on the jewelry and clockwork business. In addition to daughter Walker-Weiand, their son-in-law, Larry Weiand, is the clock manager performing repairs. Every summer, he travels throughout North Dakota and its three surrounding states to repair grandfather clocks. Their son, Alan Walker (‘73), went on from BSC

LEROY & LOUISE WALKER

to earn his graduate gemology title from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), and performs grading and identifications on gems and diamonds, and repairs watches. Granddaughter Lanette (Weiand) Rasmussen (’00) is a part-time office manager, and granddaughter Jennifer (Weiand) Froehlich (’01) works at the store part-time doing sales in-person and online. Prior to retiring, their daughter, Karen Walker Zimmer (’74), earned a registered jewelers title from the GIA and spent a couple years working at the store.

Attending BSC went hand-in-hand with running their business.

“Growing up, we all took turns working in the store. That’s another reason why BSC was so important to us. We could continue to help at the store while getting a great education,” added Walker-Weiand LeRoy was one of the first Alumni Association board members, but when Walker-Weiand told her parents they had been named the 2020 BSC Legacy Family, she said they were absolutely stunned and so was she. “Wow, this was never expected. We are just quietly living our lives and trying to do what is best and what God wants us to.”

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BSC FOUNDATION

EXECUTIVE CLUB, PRESIDENT’S CLUB & HONORS CLUB The Foundation welcomes new and renewing Executive, President’s and Honors Club members for July 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019, as well as monthly contributors from January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019.

HONORS CLUB - Annual Gifts of $1,000 or more to the BSC Foundation Ronald and Dawn Aberle Aetna American Bank Center American Family Insurance American Resurfacing, Inc. American Transmission Company Tricia Arenz Associated General Contractors of ND Barr Engineering Co. Basin Electric Power Cooperative Benevity Community Impact Fund Bismarck Tribune Lynette Borjeson Painter BlackRidgeBANK Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota Caring Foundation BNC National Bank BNI Energy Border States Glenn Bosch Dr. Attas Boutrous Daryl and Donna Braun Bremer Bank Butler Machinery Company Capital City Construction, Inc. Capital Credit Union Capital Electric Cooperative, Inc. Cass County Electric Cooperative Century 21 Morrison Choice Financial NorthWest Development Group CHS Foundation Cynthia Clairmont-Schmidt CoBank Cofell’s Plumbing & Heating, Inc. Cornerstone Bank Crowley Fleck PLLP Dacotah Paper

Terry Daffinrud Dakota Agronomy Partners Dakota Awards Dakota Community Bank & Trust Bill and Bonnie Daniel Patrick and Mary Dirk Doosan/Bobcat Company Eide Bailly LLP Dr. Marcus and Margaret Fiechtner First International Bank & Trust First Western Bank & Trust Mark and Cindy Fliginger Lee Friese Frontier Precision, Inc. Debra Gallagher Milan and Olivia Ganser Gate City Bank Gateway HealthMart Pharmacy Dr. Kevin Gilchrist Great River Energy Timothy and Joann Haas John Hammer Donald Hastings Joe and Florence Hauer Rose Marie Henke Estate Hess Bakken Investments II, LLC Mike Holman Independent Community Banks of ND Chuck and Carol Iten KFYR-TV Kirkwood Bank & Trust Loren Kopseng and Marby Hogen Kraus-Anderson Construction Company Tim and Shelli Langerud Harold Larson Kevin and Alma LeRohl Darrell Lingle Marathon Oil Corporation

Marathon Petroleum Corp.

Peter and Judy Masset David and Linda McAdoo Thomas and Jana McKee McQuade Distributing MDU Resources Group Montana Dakota Utilities Midwest Motor Express, Inc. Roy and Patricia Mindt Mountrail Williams Electric National Information Solutions Cooperative ND Council on the Arts ND Newspaper Association Jeffrey Nelson Terrance and Zanne Ness Joan Nordstrom North Dakota Guaranty &Title Co. Northeast Louisiana Power Cooperative, Inc. Northern Improvement Northwest Contracting, Inc. Offutt Family Foundation ONEOK, Inc. Jim and Karen Oster Otto Bremer Foundation Dale Pahlke and Cindy Schaaf Jack and Kristen Paris RDO Equipment Co. Brent Reems Larry and Faye Rolfson Paul and Patty Sandness Sanford Health-Bismarck Harold and Karen Schulz Security First Bank of ND John and Mary Shaffer Dorothy Shertzer Dr. Larry Skogen

Starion Bank Berk and Kay Strothman Susanne Delaney Mattheis Charitable Fund Harley and Margaret Swenson Swenson Hagen & Co. The Coteau Properties/ North American Coal The Falkirk Mining Company Cedric and Mary Theel Tom and Francis Leech Foundation Robert and Linda Tonolli True Oil Morris and Irene Tschider Stacy Tschider Thomas and Alicia Uhde United Agronomy, LLC Vickie Volk Chad and Stacy Wachter Walkers n’ Daughters Jewelry Curt and Bev Walth Ken and Gale Welch Tony Welder Wells Fargo Foundation G. Franklin Welsh Stephen Welsh Western Service Corporation, Inc. Mavis Wickstrom Al Wolf Carol Wright Jeff Wuitschick Xcel Energy Xcel Energy Foundation Mark Zimmerman Zuger Kirmis & Smith

PRESIDENT’S CLUB - Annual Gifts of $500 - $999 to the BSC Foundation 4T Construction Gary Anderson Central Power Electric Cooperative Patrick and Mary Ann Durick Dr. George Ellefson Howell Flowers Ray Grabar Rosemary Gunsch

Lee and Sharon Gurke Lane Huber Dr. Amy Juhala Michael Kern Kay Koch Faye Kringstad Dan Leingang Rita Lindgren

Kinda Lysack Mike McCormack McKenzie Electric Cooperative McLean Electric Coop Midway Lanes Francis Miller Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc. Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Rita Nodland Tracy and Jane Porter Prairie Engineering Lon and Jennifer Romsaas Roughrider Electric Cooperative Slope Electric Cooperative Joseph Vuolo Cory Wrolstad

EXECUTIVE CLUB - Annual Gifts of $250 - $499 to the BSC Foundation 3C Construction Kirstin Arthaud Bismarck Mandan Retired Teachers Assn.

Elizabeth Braunagel Gov. Doug Burgum Jeff Churchwell Dave Clark Norman Clark D & E Supply Company, Inc. Cheryl Elsbernd

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Mark Grotbo Wayne Harris Debra Hieb Dale Hoerauf Lisa Hoynes Lee Huber Brian Hushagen Craig Kleven JoDean Knutson Person Thomas Leno

Jason Lueder Deb Mantz Tom Marple Wayne Martian Jay Meier Everett and Bev Miller Kene Miller Reginal Rudolph Bruce Thompson Sean Thorenson

Kirk Trede Scott Tschaekofske Steve and Debbie Van Berkom Pete White Shirley Wilson Joe and Penny Wolfe Colette Zahn Sukut

IN MEMORIAM/HONORARIUM

IN MEMORY/HONOR OF GIVEN BY

Ernest Breznay Dr. Wayne and Ellen Boekes

Elsie Haykel Steve and Judy Nelson

Dennis Meyer Michael Schmitz

Connor Seefeld Kevin Thompson

Vern and Lynne Dosch Jeff Churchwell Mark Grotbo Wayne and Trish Martian National Information Solutions Cooperative Northeast Louisiana Power Cooperative, Inc. Tracy and Jane Porter Reginal Rudolph Kirk Trede Carol Wright

Rose Marie Henke Bismarck Mandan Retired Teachers Association BSC Employees Kari Knudson

Ruth Michels Kari Knudson

Jake and Alex Weiand Charles Weiand

John and Lorraine Nicolai John and Susan Weiss

Howard Wolfe Dr. Wayne and Ellen Boekes BSC Employees Arlyss McCrory David and Margaret Sitte Marjorie Thorne Steve and Debbie Van Berkom

Devon Farrell Marie Cronk Quirin Friese Kari Knudson Harriet Gullingsrud Bismarck Mandan Retired Teachers Association Doris and Vern Hansen Kurt and Linda Falkman Steven H. Harris Wayne Harris

Ingrid Josephson Ellen Gugisberg Frank Koch Kim and Gail Christianson Robert Kuntz Kim and Gail Christianson Harold King Larson Emily Cash Kari Knudson Darrell Lingle Jennifer Paulsrud Crystal Vold Cory Wrolstad Bernadette Lee Bruce Thompson Laura Marquart Bismarck Mandan Retired Teachers Association

Trey Rogers Phil and Lisa Loving Verdun Schauer Ronald and Dawn Aberle Mary Skogen Sheila Bitz Gov. Doug Burgum Janell Campbell Kari Knudson Rep. Bob Martinson and Dr. Jodi Roller Virginia Saiki Daniel and Dr. Jane Schreck Barb Skogen Donny Skogen Leland and Kathryn Skogen Judge Gerald VandeWalle Rev. William Wagner Mark Zimmerman

Donna Zimmer Kari Knudson

EMPLOYEE GIVING Employees support BSC through donations to the BSC National Alumni Association and/or the BSC Foundation from January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019.

Christopher Abbott Dustin Anderson Marlene Anderson Rober Arso Kirstin Arthaud Sandi Bates karen Bauer Cherie Beck Christine Beckler Yellow Bird Dee Bertsch Sheila Bitz Wes Braun Elizabeth Braunagel Deanna Burgard Christina Burns Janell Campbell John Carroll Emily Cash Marko Davinic Craig Dolbeare Dr. George Ellefson Bruce Emmill Theresa Felderman Carol Flaa Howell Flowers

Lee Friese Angie Friez Matt Frohlich James Gable Russell Gilliss Linda Greenstein Kim Gutierrez Jacquelyn Hagel Daphne Hauck Lori Heinsohn Debra Hieb Mike Holman Dr. Perry Hornbacher Lisa Hoynes Lee Huber Lane Huber Brian Hushagen Dr. Amy Juhala Ron Jyring Laura Kalvoda Michael Kern Kari Knudson Lynnette Kraft Michelle Kraft Timothy Kramer

Andrene Krein Deborah Larson Harold Larson Juanita Lee Dan Leingang Thomas Leno Rita Lindgren Jason Lueder Deb Mantz Thomas Marple Jay Meier Carmel Miller Francis Miller Kene Miller Kyren Miller Laurie Niblick Rita Nodland Sheryl Omlid Lynette Borjeson Painter JoDean Knutson Person Marnie Piehl Brent Reems Todd Reidman Courtney Reiswig David Sagsveen

Virginia Saiki Dan Schmidt Aimee Schmit Jane Schreck Todd Seibel Deb Shipman Dr. Larry Skogen Rachelle Smith Erica Staples Danny Stoppler Erin Thomas Sean Thorenson Michael Tomanek Scott Tschaekofske Alicia Uhde Roxanne Van Zomeren Mari Volk Vickie Volk Sara Vollmer Joseph Vuolo Kristina Wells Shirley Wilson Cory Wrolstad Jeff Wuitschick Alison Zarr

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PRESIDENT’S RUN RAISES $6,000 FOR SKOGEN SCHOLARSHIP On July 10, motorcycle and car enthusiasts set out on the open highway for the 13th Annual BSC President’s Run. This year’s event benefitted the Cliff and Mary Skogen Memorial Scholarship established by BSC President Emeritus Larry Skogen in his parents' name to support students from Adams County pursuing an education at BSC. Skogen is a native of Hettinger, ND. The Run began in 2008 when Skogen, a motorcycle enthusiast, became president at BSC. This year, 10 days into his retirement, Skogen was joined by new BSC President Dr. Douglas Jensen, a sports car enthusiast. Jensen and his wife, Karen, made their inaugural President’s Run in their 2003 Indianapolis 500 pace car.

In the 13-year BSC President’s Run history, $88,000 has been raised for BSC student scholarships.

President’s Run Sponsors

First International Bank & Trust McQuade Distributing Co., Inc. Larry and Faye Rolfson BlackRidgeBANK Rainbow Gas Company Puklich Chevrolet

Flash Printing Moritz Sport & Marine Bismarck Motor Company Cornerstone Bank – Parshall BSC Foundation and Alumni Association

2020 BISMARCK STATE COLLEGE PRESIDENT’S CUP GOLF TOURNAMENT The 2020 Bismarck State College President’s Cup Golf Classic marked the 25th year of the annual golf event, which, over its history, has raised more than $270,000 for BSC athletic scholarships.

Twenty-five teams competed, and prizes were awarded to the top three teams in the putting contest, overall net, overall gross, and closest to the pin. The tournament raised $16,000 this year for scholarships. The Hall of Fame social for inductees will be held at next year’s tournament.

Mark your calendar for next year’s event on Friday, June 11, 2021.

President’s Cup Sponsors/Hole, Team and Prize Sponsors American Bank Center Bank of North Dakota Capital Electric Cooperative Dan’s Supermarket Gilchrist Dental

KFYR TV/ West Dakota Fox Starion Bank Image Printing Kirkwood Bank & Trust US Bank

The MDU Resources Team pose on the green. From left to right are golfers Cory Fong, Kelvin Hullet, Dave Goodin, and Dan Kuntz.

Jerome Distributing Inc. MDU Resources Group Lindtech Services, Inc. Mandan Parks & Rec Midtown Dental

Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Cooperative Puklich Chevrolet First Western Bank & Trust North American Coal

ALUMNI NOTES Dr. Duane C. Anderson, a 1966 BJC graduate, was inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Society’s Hall of Fame.

David Kunz, a 2001 BSC graduate in the welding program, attended United Association Instructor Training Program at Washtenaw Community College in Ypsilanti, Mich. Upon completion of the UA five-year training program, David graduated with a UA Certificate of Completion and an Associate of Art degree.

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Love your alma mater?

VICE PRESIDENT FOR COLLEGE ADVANCEMENT AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BSC FOUNDATION Kari Knudson BSC FOUNDATION AND COLLEGE ADVANCEMENT STAFF Gordon Binek Christina Burns Emily Cash Julie Erickson Harold Larson Erica Staples Rita Nodland Cory Wrolstad BSC FOUNDATION PRESIDENT Wade Boeshans BSC FOUNDATION (800) 272-2586 or (701) 224-5700

BSC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Rita Nodland BSC NATIONAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT Woody Barth

Refer a Mystic

BSC offers a great and affordable college experience.

Do you know someone who might be interested in BSC? Refer them to us and we’ll do the rest. And please, while you’re there, take a minute to let us know about your BSC experience, too.

Bismarckstate.edu/onceamystic

Matching donation opportunities – do more with your gift today!

The BSC Foundation is offering matching donation opportunities for a limited time.

Please see details below and contact the Foundation Office at 701-224-5700 to learn more about maximizing your charitable contribution.

Challenge Grant

Career Builders

The BSC Foundation can access a 50% match on endowed gifts through the N.D. Challenge Fund.

Matching funds will be added to your endowment, maximizing your gift to the college. Donations can come in a variety of ways – as a direct gift of cash or pledge (up to seven years), stock, IRA, or a commitment for a future gift through a bequest in a will or life insurance policy. Donations of $5,000 to an endowment are eligible for a 40% state tax credit.

This opportunity provides for a direct scholarship to students pursuing technical programs at Bismarck State College. Donations to Career Builders are matched 100% by the State of N.D. through the North Dakota University System. This program was created to help alleviate workforce needs and keep trained students in North Dakota through a commitment to work in the state for three years following graduation.

Your contributions help us further our mission of offering high-quality education and workforce training that is attainable for everyone!

To subscribe, change your address, or submit an alumni note: Rita Nodland BSC Alumni Coordinator PO Box 5587 Bismarck, ND 58506 rita.nodland@bismarckstate.edu

1-800-BSC-ALUM

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active mind, active life Join a vibrant community of lifelong learners by calling Continuing Education at 701-224-5600 or visit bismarckstate.edu/OLLI.

LLI @

CLR-017-1219

CETI-095-0220

Bismarck State College PO Box 5587 Bismarck, ND 58506-5587