M State Magazine Spring 2014

MAGAZINE Minnesota State Community and Technical College

Volume 2, Spring 2014 Issue

NURSING GRADUATES earn top pass rates

ASPEN INSTITUTE ranks M State in top 150

$2.25 MILLION GRANT targets student success

GOLFERS at the forefront

What’s INSIDE

4 Nursing graduates earn top pass rates

6 Aspen Ins tute ranks M State in top 150

8 M State awarded $2.25 million grant

8-15 Listen to the voices of M State

A letter from the PRESIDENT Dear Alumni and Friends, By nature, two-year colleges must be dynamic in order to respond to the changing needs of the marketplace, the workforce and our students. What lets Minnesota State Community and Technical College successfully adapt to change are the diverse strengths of the college, the people who work for it and the communities that support it.

During the past year, M State has worked to strengthen the college by concentrating on our priorities. Our focus has been on academic program vitality and accreditation; student persistence and success; career placement and transfer success; facilities, enrollment and inancial planning; communications strategies; and external partnerships and resource generation.

Dr. Peggy D. Kennedy President

Our second edition of M State Magazine highlights the progress we’ve made.

You will read about the $2.25 million federal grant awarded to the college, M State’s successful reaccreditation, the exceptional pass rates of our nursing graduates on their licensing exams and the impressive success of both our Spartan golf team (headed to the national tournament for the third year in a row!) and the new Fitness Center on our Moorhead campus.

We share these stories to better highlight the strengths of M State and to showcase how M State profoundly impacts the area we serve – and beyond.

We want to continue partnering with our region’s employers, workers, students and communities. I hope you will continue to support M State in its ongoing efforts to accomplish our mission: Providing dynamic learning for living, working and serving.

Sincerely,

Dr. Peggy D. Kennedy President

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Minnesota State Community and Technical College

10 Golfers at the forefront

12 15-20 Ge ng in shape is no sweat

College news

21 Custom Training is at your service

23 Founda on news

College EVENTS 1 p.m.

M 3 Baude e Electrical Lineworker Commencement 4 p.m.

M 12 Moorhead Nursing Pinning Ceremony 2 p.m.

M 13 Moorhead Campus Commencement 7 p.m.

M 13 Wadena Campus Commencement

M

14 14 15 16 17 30 3 6 17

3 p.m.

Fergus Falls Campus Commencement

M

7 p.m.

Detroit Lakes Campus Commencement

M

6 p.m.

Fergus Falls Associate Degree Nursing Pinning Ceremony

M

6 p.m.

Fergus Falls PracƟcal Nursing Pinning Ceremony

M

1 p.m.

Wadena Associate Degree Nursing Pinning Ceremony

6:30 p.m.

SVolleyball vs.25 Fergus Falls Riverland Community College

6:30 p.m.

O 3 Fergus Falls Volleyball vs. Trinity Bible College

1 p.m.

O 4 Fergus Falls Volleyball vs. Western Technical College 9 a.m.

O 8 Moorhead TransportaƟon Program Showcase

O

11

2:30 p.m.

Fergus Falls Football vs. Minnesota West Community & Technical College

O

22 24

9:30 a.m.

Fergus Falls STEM and Health Care Showcase

6:30 p.m.

O Fergus Falls Volleyball vs. Minnesota West Community & Technical College

Kathleen M. Brock Vice President/Chief Academic Officer

Peter A. Wielinski Vice President of Student Development Services

Carrie L. Brimhall Associate Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs

Dacia A. Johnson Chief Human Resources Officer

Daniel L. Knudson Interim Chief Informa on Officer

Denise A. Laymon Chief Development and Alumni Officer

Dean of Custom Training Services/ Business & Entrepreneurial Services

27 28 29

6:30 p.m.

SVolleyball vs. Ridgewater Fergus Falls College

4 p.m.

Moorhead Campus Open House

O

p.m.

SFootball vs. Dakota2Fergus Falls College at Boƫneau

6:30 p.m.

O Fergus Falls Volleyball vs. Saint Cloud

p.m.

SVolleyball vs. Anoka 6:30 Fergus Falls Ramsey

4 p.m.

O 30 Fergus Falls Campus Open House

(Homecoming)

President

Community and Technical College

4 p.m.

Detroit Lakes Campus Open House

p.m.

Fergus Falls SFootball vs. Ridgewater 20 1:30 College

Peggy D. Kennedy

Patrick A. Nordick

O

7 p.m.

SHomecoming18 Fergus Falls CoronaƟon

College AdministraƟon

1 p.m.

O 25 Fergus Falls Volleyball vs. Rochester

1:30 p.m.

A Fergus Falls Football vs. Central Lakes College

Community College

MAGAZINE Minnesota State Community and Technical College

Technical & Community College

9:30 a.m.

N 5 Fergus Falls Fine Arts Showcase 4 p.m.

Wadena N 6 Campus Open House

Chief Financial Officer

G.L. Tucker

Minnesota State Community and Technical College Magazine is the official magazine of M State. It is published by the college’s Communica ons and Marke ng Department each spring and fall. Ar cles may be reproduced without permission if credit is given to the ins tuiton.

Mary Devine Johnson Director of Communica ons and Marke ng 218.631.7850 | mary.johnson@minnesota.edu

Tina Bartels, Magazine Art Director Content and Graphic Design Coordinator 218.631.7953 | na.bartels@minnesota.edu

Peg Kalar, Magazine Editor Communica ons Specialist 218.736.1538 | peg.kalar@minnesota.edu

Minnesota State Community and Technical College is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universi es system.

Magazine | Spring 2014

3

M State nursing graduates excel Grads have state’s top pass rate on RN licensing exam Nursing graduates of Minnesota State Community and Technical College had two of Minnesota’s highest 2013 pass rates on the professional licensing exams required for both registered nurses and licensed practical nurses.

M State Dean of Nursing Jennifer Jacobson said the pass rate for RNs is especially signi icant because M State’s irst-time pass rate rose at a time when the national licensing exam increased in dif iculty and the overall pass rate declined nationwide and in Minnesota.

Graduates of the M State Associate Degree nursing program, which trains RNs, had a irst-time pass rate of 94 percent on the NCLEX exam, the top rate among all twoyear colleges in Minnesota and the fourth-highest among graduates of all RN (associate degree and baccalaureate) nursing programs in the state. The average pass rate was 80 percent in Minnesota and 81 percent nationally.

One hundred and fourteen graduates of M State’s Associate Degree program took the 2013 NCLEX-

RN exam, which is required for licensure as an RN. The 109 graduates of M State’s Practical Nursing program recorded a irst-time pass rate of more than 98 percent on the 2013 NCLEX-PN exam, the licensing exam for PNs. That was the second-highest rate among PN programs in the state. The average irst-time pass rate for PNs at Minnesota’s two-year colleges was 91 percent, and the national average was 84 percent.

Both the Associate Degree and PN programs are offered on the four M State campuses in Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, Moorhead and Wadena.

According to Jacobson, M State strengthened its eligibility requirements for nursing students in 2013 and adopted an “integrated learning program” that prepares students for the NCLEX exams throughout their entire nursing education. As a result, pass rates in the RN program rose from 74 percent in 2011 to 78 percent in 2012 to the current rate of 94 percent.

The 98 percent pass rate for PN graduates in 2013 is also an increase; the rates were 92 percent in 2011 and 91 percent in 2012.

“These pass rates are a source of great pride both for our graduates and our nursing faculty,” Jacobson said.

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Minnesota State Community and Technical College

Minnesota State Community and Technical Technii c a l College C ollege

PROGRAM SHOWCASES AƩend a program showcase to get hands-on experience and visit with instructors in the Įelds that interest you.

Wednesday, October 8 TransportaƟon Moorhead Campus • 9 a.m.- Noon

Wednesday, October 22 STEM and Health Care Fergus Falls Campus • 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.

October, TBD Human Services and Public Safety Moorhead Campus • 9 a.m. - Noon

Wednesday, November 5 Fine Arts Fergus Falls Campus • 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Tuesday, December 2 Trades and TransportaƟon Detroit Lakes Campus • 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Sign up today!

877.450.3322 Check out minnesota.edu/visit for addiƟonal showcase opportuniƟes.

Wednesday, February 4 Building Trades Moorhead Campus • 9 a.m. - Noon

Friday, February 13 STEM Moorhead Campus • 9 a.m. - Noon

Tuesday, February 24 Trades and Technology Wadena Campus • 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Thursday, March 5 Health Care Moorhead Campus • 9 a.m. - Noon

minnesota.edu A member of the Minnesota State Colleges and UniversiƟes System An Equal Opportunity Educator/Employer. Un Educador/Empleador de Oportunidad Igual.

Detroit Lakes

eCampus

Fergus Falls Moorhead Wadena Magazine | Spring 2014 5

FEATURING M STATE

The best community colleges Aspen Ins tute ranks M State among the na on’s top 150 our work in that area,” said M State President Peggy Kennedy.

M State has campuses in Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, Moorhead and Wadena and its online eCampus. It has been ranked among the nation’s top community colleges twice before by the Aspen Institute, most recently in 2012.

The 150 institutions recognized this year are from 37 states. The other Minnesota colleges eligible to compete for the award are Alexandria Technical & Community College, Central Lakes College, Minnesota West Community and Technical College, North Hennepin Community College, Northland Community and Technical College, Rainy River Community College and Ridgewater College.

Minnesota State Community and Technical College has been named one of the top 150 community colleges in the United States by the Aspen Institute, making M State eligible to compete for the $1 million 2015 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.

Colleges are selected for eligibility based on their student success in three areas: persistence, completion and transfer; consistent improvement in outcomes over time; and equity in outcomes for students of all racial/ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.

The Aspen Institute’s top 150 colleges are chosen from nearly 1,000 community colleges nationwide.

“The bar for the Aspen Prize is intentionally set high in order to identify those institutions that have demonstrated exceptional levels of student success,” according to the Aspen Institute.

“We have implemented some very innovative policies and practices related to student services, so it’s an honor to be recognized by the Aspen Institute for

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Minnesota State Community and Technical College

The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues.

“By focusing on student success and lifting up models that work, the Aspen Institute and its partners aim to further the national understanding of community colleges that strive to increase student success, stimulate innovation and create benchmarks for measuring progress,” according to its website.

Based on the applications submitted, 10 community colleges will be selected to advance to the next round of competition, and the Aspen Institute will conduct site visits to the 10 inalists in the fall.

The winner will be announced in early 2015. The 2013 Aspen Prize was awarded to co-winners Santa Barbara City College (California) and Walla Walla Community College (Washington).

Come to one of the M State campuses on a scheduled 1Stop2Enroll day August 19 through August 22. Events begin each day at 9 a.m. sharp.

Wadena August 19

Moorhead August 20

Detroit Lakes August 21

Fergus Falls August 22

Sign up online at www.1stop2enroll.com or with our SoluƟon Center at 877.450.3322.

With 1STOP2ENROLL you can: • Apply to M State • Get accepted • Take any needed Accuplacer assessment tests • Get Įnancial aid informaƟon • AND register for fall classes, all in one stop!

minnesota.edu A member of the Minnesota State Colleges and UniversiƟes System An Equal Opportunity Educator/Employer. Un Educador/Empleador de Oportunidad Igual.

OPEN

Visit one of our campus open houses and see for yourself why more than 9,000 students

HOUSE minnesota.edu

aƩend M State each year.

Moorhead Campus: 4-8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 27 Detroit Lakes Campus: 4-8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28 Fergus Falls Campus: 4-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30 Wadena Campus: 4-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6

Magazine | Spring 2014

7

SIP grant targets student success $2.25 million grant is the largest in the college’s history A ive-year, $2.25 million federal grant is assisting Minnesota State Community and Technical College in its ongoing efforts to boost student graduation rates, advance campus technology and enhance online learning.

The U.S. Department of Education Title III grant, the largest federal grant in the college’s history, was awarded to M State in September. At the time, M State President Peggy Kennedy said the grant “will bene it our continuing efforts to support students and our communities in substantial ways.”

M State is one of 39 institutions in the nation and the only one in Minnesota to receive 2013 grant funds under the federal Strengthening Institutions Program, a competitive program designed to help colleges improve their ability to serve low-income students. While colleges typically submit repeated grant requests before receiving funds, M State was successful with its irst application, which received a perfect score.

To qualify for the SIP grant, colleges must serve a signi icant number of students who receive needbased federal student aid.

M State requested grant funding for: •

Creating immersive technology classrooms on the four M State campuses

•

Increasing student success and persistence among online and developmental students through faculty development

•

Designing and improving initiatives that support students

•

Increasing the college’s reliance on data-driven decisions

Associate Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs Carrie Brimhall is the project director for

8

Minnesota Minn Mi nnes nn esot es otaa State ot Stat Stat St atee Co Community omm mmun unit un itt y an and nd Te Technical ech chn nica c l Co College ollllege

the grant, which she said “allows M State to focus on the ever-changing needs of our student population while increasing our own ef iciency.”

With recent decreases in state and federal education funding, she said it is imperative for colleges to seek funding through sources such as grants. All the programs that M State will implement with grant funds are crucial to the college’s mission, Brimhall added, “but we wouldn’t have been able to do them within the current budget.”

In the months after the initial award, the focus was on hiring and positioning the staff needed to support M State’s grant projects: a director of institutional research, administrative assistant to handle grant reporting, instructional designer, a “success coach” to work with eligible students and a half-time administrator to cover duties now handled by eCampus Dean Jill Abbott, who will serve as the grant’s activity director.

“We strive to be a success story for every student and stakeholder,” Brimhall said, “and the technology enhancements, professional development opportunities, success coaching for students and data-informed decisions will launch us forward in achieving our mission.”

Work also began during fall semester on creation of the immersive technology classrooms – one on each campus in Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, Moorhead and Wadena. The rooms, identical and built to exacting speci ications, will be used for classes and college meetings and replace what is known as ITV. “With immersive technology, people have actually tried to reach across screens to shake hands,” Brimhall said. “The technology is that amazing. People are life-sized, so you see their facial expressions. It’s a very different experience than what we have now.”

M State of icials estimate that the college will save more than $100,000 a year on travel costs alone

by using immersive technology rather than requiring administrators to travel for meetings – and that doesn’t include lost productivity due to travel time.

enhancing the college’s ongoing efforts to increase completion rates and prepare students to succeed in college and in their careers.

Brimhall said there are “lots of possibilities” for courses that could be offered via immersive technology – both high-demand general education courses and advanced courses in areas such as science and math, where there is typically low enrollment on single campuses.

“The purpose is to increase persistence for the highrisk student populations and to help us meet the challenges of the future,” Brimhall said. “The workforce anticipates large worker shortages in coming years, and we won’t have people to ill the jobs if community and technical colleges don’t start graduating more students with the skills that employers need. We have to get more students to the inish line.”

In coming months, college efforts will focus on researching best practices for designing courses and

VOICES OF M STATE

Engineering her future Riana Kaul was working in the construc on industry as a grade-checker and 3-D model builder when the economic slowdown prompted her to enroll in the Civil Engineering Technology program on the Detroit Lakes campus.

Her goal a er gradua on in May is to work in civil engineering and eventually take online or night classes and earn a four-year degree in civil engineering or surveying.

“At M State, I like the variety of programs offered that are relevant to area industries and demand. You have many op ons for transferring your credits if you plan on con nuing your educa on a er comple ng your associate’s degree.”

“I’m very pleased with everything here at M State. My instructors are very knowledgeable and encouraging, and I have really benefiƩed and grown as a person because of the opportunity to be involved with the Student Government AssociaƟon and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.”

Riana Kaul Magazine | Spring 2014

9

2007-2008 FEATURING M STATE

2008-2009

2010-2011

Golfers at the forefront Spartans making ninth trip to na onal tournament While W Wh hiille it iit’s t ’s ’s ffar ar ttoo ar o early oo ear a ly ly to to talk taalk k of of a gol g l ing go ing dynasty dy dy aatt Minnesota Min inne neso sota so t a State Sta t tee Community Com o mu muni nity ni ty and and n Technical Tecchn niicca Colsays been a llege, le ege Jason Jaso on Retzlaff Rettzzla Re lafff smiles smi miles les when hen n he he sa ays y ““it’s it’ss b it really good run.”

In June, the M State Spartan golfers will head to Chataugua, N.Y., for their third consecutive appearance at the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III golf tournament. The Spartans claimed the national championship in 2012 and inished fourth in 2013, only two shots out of second place and one shot out of third.

Spartan men and women golfers have made a total of eight trips to their national tournaments in the past nine years, including those three team appearances at the men’s tournament, one appearance at the women’s tournament in 2009 and four appearances by individual golfers, including two by Abby Feist in 2011 and 2012.

“We’ve been blessed with some very talented players,” says Retzlaff, “and as we’ve had success, the recruiting becomes easier.”

Retzlaff has been the golf coach for nine years, reviving a program that had been discontinued in the 1990s. Prior to that, M State had a strong program beginning in the 1970s, when it was coached by Retzlaff’s father, Dave Retzlaff.

When the golf program was restored, “it took a while to build a program,” Retzlaff says. “We weren’t very

10

Minnesota State Community and Technical College

2011-2012

2012-2013

good right away. Once we were able to start getting local quality players, it built our credibility.”

Within the region, Retzlaff says M State’s strongest competition comes from Rochester Community and Technical College and Central Lakes College, located advantageously in the Minnesota gol ing mecca of the Brainerd Lakes Area.

But all the golf programs at Minnesota’s two-year colleges have the same foe: Mother Nature. Spring semesters end in early May, sometimes not long after golf courses have opened for the season. For that reason, the two-year college teams have a fall season squeezed into about one month of play.

The national tournaments are in the spring following Minnesota’s regional tournaments, however, so northern teams are competing against teams from colleges where golfers have played throughout the winter.

“Last year we hardly got any practice going into nationals,” Retzlaff says. “We get a lot of comments about that. Most colleges have spring seasons, and some play year-round.”

Recent Spartan All-Americans have included Fergus Falls golfers Taylor Shuck and Lucas Gervais, now gol ing for Division I University of Nebraska-Omaha. Brandon Sletmoen of Hawley, a past All-American who has a chance to repeat with the Spartans at the national tournament in June, is currently being recruited by a number of Division I universities.

Retzlaff, who describes himself as a “student of the game” rather than a top-notch golfer, says he is fortunate to have an excellent coaching staff that includes Jeff Haukos, Aaron Sletten and Brian Shuck. The team’s home course is the Pebble Lake Golf Course, which Retzlaff says has been “fantastic with helping our golf program.”

2013-2014

The Fergus Falls campus also recently began offering a diploma program in golf management, which Retzlaff hopes might interest prospective Spartan golfers.

Spartan scorecard 2007-2008 Kassidy Nygaard and Anna Larson compete at the women’s na onal tournament.

2008-2009 Spartan women place 2nd in the Region XIII tournament.

Kylie Boe, Lauren Heater, Anna Larson and Kassidy Nygaard compete in Florida at the na onal tournament.

2010-2011 Spartan men place 2nd in the Region XIII tournament.

Brandon Haugen and Mitch Thorsen par cipate in the na onal tournament in New York. Abby Feist par cipates in the na onal women’s tournament in Florida.

2011-2012 Spartan men win Region XIII tournament. Tyler Brackey, Lucas Gervais (first team All-American), Alex Miller, Taylor Shuck (second team All-American) and Mitch Thorsen win the na onal tournament in New York. Abby Feist par cipates in the na onal women’s tournament in Florida.

2012-2013 Spartan men win Region XIII tournament, with Lucas Gervais claiming the individual championship.

Gervais (second team All-American), Robert Goff, Brady Robertson, Taylor Shuck and Brandon Sletmoen (first team All-American) place 4th in the na onal tournament.

2013-2014 Spartan men win Region XIII tournament for third consecu ve year, with Brandon Sletmoen winning the individual championship. Jared Cowden, Ma Cowden, Robert Goff, Brady Robertson and Sletmoen will compete at the na onal tournament in June in New York.

Magazine | Spring 2014

11

Getting in shape? No sweat!

Fitness Center works with students to reach their goals pus voted to approve the percredit fee that has supported the center since the fall of 2011; it amounts to $4 per credit for fulltime students. (Staff members and online students pay a $99 per semester membership fee to use the facility.) This spring, the Fitness Center has nearly 500 members and is averaging 75 visitors a day.

Fitness Center is a full-service facility. I want people to look forward to coming in. My philosophy is, ‘If it isn’t fun, why would you want to do it?’ ” When the Fitness Center opened just over a year ago on the Moorhead campus, Minnesota State Community and Technical College became one of the few twoyear colleges in the state with a student-funded itness center.

Kay Wilder K Wild

Don’t make the mistake of calling the Fitness Center a gym.

“A gym is a gym and is associated with the daunting task of exercise,” says Kay Wilder, the center’s manager. “The M State

12

It has all the typical features – free weights, weight machines, cardio equipment, showers and locker rooms. But Wilder is a manager on a mission, developing an array of itness and exercise programs for everyone from committed couch potatoes to dedicated gym rats.

Students on the Moorhead cam-

Minnesota M Mi nnessot ota State Sttaatte C Co Community o m mu om un nit it y aand nd Te Tech Technical chni ch n cal Co ni Coll College llegge

“Many of our students here were never able to be a member of a itness club, perhaps due to inconvenience, the cost or intimidation,” says Angela Mathers, M State’s director of student engagement. “So this is a whole new opportunity for them – now they can take advantage of all that the center offers.”

That includes free personal training for registered students, an equipment orientation for new users, itness assessments and nutrition consultations.

“We have students who have never seen or been on a treadmill,” Wilder says, “and we want them to be con ident. The staff here is all about helping individuals attain their goals.”

The facility’s itness equipment includes weight training machines, treadmills, cardio theaters, ellipicals and recumbents. The group itness classes – 10 each week at varied times to accommodate the hectic schedules of students

VOICES OF M STATE

Cooking Up an Education Beverly Jones began working at age 17, and she was not inclined to quit just because she was approaching 70.

Bev handled payroll at American Crystal Sugar in Moorhead un l the 2011 labor dispute there. During a subsequent visit to the community by Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton, Bev learned she and her co-workers were eligible for state job retraining assistance.

“I thought, ‘Well, that’s interes ng,’” Bev says.

achievement every semester since she enrolled in the fall of 2012.

“It makes me feel good because I can keep up,” Bev says, laughing. “In fact, they’re having to keep up with me. I am thoroughly enjoying it. It’s a busy, busy kitchen.”

Her favorite class has been Quan ty Food Prepara on, where the culinary students prepare the hot sandwiches and blue plate specials that are served daily in the campus cafeteria.

Not ready to re re, she began considering her op ons. Bev earned an AA degree in accoun ng and business management many years before, but for her collegiate encore she opted for the Culinary Arts program on the Moorhead campus of Minnesota State Community and Technical College. And has she enjoyed college?

Although she’s old enough to be the grandmother of many of her fellow students, Bev says the age difference has not ma ered at all.

“Absolutely,” says Bev, who will be 72 when she graduates in May.

A er gradua on, she plans to relax and enjoy the summer – it will be her first extended me off since she broke her knee about 30 years ago – and then consider what she wants to do with her new degree.

On a recent day, she was on a search for a par cular ingredient she needed for the muffins she wanted to make for her ethnic cooking class. She’s on the Moorhead campus from 7 a.m. un l at least 2 p.m. daily, Monday through Friday, and she’s been on the President’s List for academic

– include XaBeat (dance itness), Zumba, Cardio Caliente, Evoluted Pilates, Yoga, Core Synergy and The Big Mix (yes, it’s just what the name implies).

Wilder previously owned a itness studio in Crookston and began her career in the itness industry at the University of Minnesota campus in that community. She also owned a personal training busi-

“I enjoy watching the younger students and learning from them,” she says. “I don’t feel ostracized in any way, shape or form.”

“I’m going to miss (college) when I graduate,” she says. “I really am.”

I enjoy watching the younger students and learning from them. I don’t feel ostracized in any way, shape or form.

Bev Jones

ness in Bismarck, N.D., and was an instructor in health and wellness at Bismarck State College.

They’ve since moved from FargoMoorhead, but the legacy continues in their lifestyle.

She plans a itness event or challenge each semester; last spring, it was an M State version of “Biggest Loser.” It was a big success, with 32 participants. The winner has lost nearly 70 pounds in the past year – and now has her husband on the itness bandwagon, too.

The center’s hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday. In addition to Wilder, the center is staffed by about a dozen M State work study students.

Magazine | Spring 2014

13

FEATURING M STATE VOICES OF M STATE

Article Title

A better living, a better life Jay Kroeze (‘94) says he enrolled in Minnesota State Community and Technical College’s Electrical Lineworker program in Wadena as a way to provide a be er living for his family, and now he’s using his skills to provide a be er life for abandoned children a world way in Port Au Prince, Hai .

Ar cle Sub- tle

“The Electrical Lineworker program at Wadena provided me with excellent training, and the knowledge that I needed to succeed professionally and personally.

Jay Kroeze

Kroeze, who’s a lead lineman for an electric coopera ve in Ge ysburg, Pa., traveled to Hai in December on a mission trip with his church. There, he helped with re-wiring and the installa on of solar panels and windmills at the Source of Life Ministries Safe House, home to 13 children who were abandoned on the city’s streets or le at the home by families that couldn’t afford to care for them.

“Before this, they didn’t have reliable electricity for proper ligh ng or to pump water,” Kroeze said. “They relied on generators and old ba eries – which of course was ineffec ve.

We installed the windmills for electricity if the solar panels don’t provide enough.”

Kroeze was working for Marvin Windows in northern Minnesota when he was encouraged to enroll in Wadena’s lineworker program by a friend in the electrical industry.

“The Electrical Lineworker program at Wadena provided me with excellent training and the knowledge that I needed to succeed professionally and personally,” said Kroeze, who hopes to return to volunteer at the Safe House with his wife, Claudia.

“The children a end school every day and are so grateful and thankful for the help they get.”

M State hosts Sketchbook Project’s traveling library The Fergus Falls campus of Minnesota State Community and Technical College will host a tour stop for The Sketchbook Project, a traveling library of artists’ sketchbooks that’s on what the organization describes as an “annual epic adventure to share sketchbooks with communities far and wide.”

The stop, scheduled for 1 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, is being coordinated by John Charles Cox, M State visual art and art history

14

instructor and the Lake Region Arts Council. They are also coordinating the distribution of 400 free sketchbooks to area artists and schools.

The mission of the Sketchbook Project is to create a collection of work – including writers, poets and photographers – that represents artists worldwide. Anyone from any country is welcome to sign up, get a book and send it back so it can go on tour and be archived.

Minnesota State Community and Technical College

Visual arts students on the Fergus Falls campus have joined thousands of others in the global, traveling art library through their participation in The Sketchbook Project during the past two years.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Lake Region Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.

COLLEGE NEWS

VOICES OF M STATE

eCampus in the High School makes college convenient

Lessons learned

Juniors and seniors from nine area high schools are earning college credit this year through Minnesota State Community and Technical College’s innovative eCampus in the High School program. eCHS is a twist on the more-familiar Post-Secondary Enrollment Options and Concurrent Enrollment programs. In PSEO, high school students travel to campuses to enroll in regular college courses. Concurrent Enrollment lets students earn college credits for classes taught by quali ied high school instructors at their high schools.

But high school students aren’t always able to travel to campus for classes, and high school instructors might not have the credentials needed to teach the college courses that their students want to take. For those students, eCHS allows a group of high school students to enroll in an M State online course (offered through eCampus) at their high school during the school day.

As a high school senior, Katharine Strom (‘10) began voice lessons with Minnesota State Community and Technical College music instructor Teresa Ashworth. That experience convinced Strom to enroll on the Fergus Falls campus, and she went on to perform in nearly every M State theater produc on un l she graduated.

Strom earned a degree in musical theater from North Dakota State University in 2013 and now is pursuing a theater career in the Twin Ci es – with the dream of someday working in New York. Her advice to M State students? “Don’t be afraid to try something new and challenge yourself! Take advantage of the fabulous opportuni es in front of you.”

“My experiences at M State were eye opening. I was challenged in classes as well as in music and theater, but I was also supported by my professors. The instructors at M State are truly interested in the well-being of their students.”

Katharine Strom

Students at each school choose from a list of speci ic courses offered through eCHS, and the schools are responsible for tuition and books. In order to participate, students must meet speci ic academic standards, including a grade point average of 2.8 for seniors and 3.2 for juniors.

“Usually there’s a nice mix of general education and some technical education courses,” said Megan Adamczyk, M State’s K-12 collaboration coordinator.

“And if there’s a great demand for a course that’s not listed, we’re willing to work with the schools.

It’s a great way to bene it everybody.”

The high schools currently participating in eCHS are Underwood, Brandon-Evansville, Lake Park Audubon, Barnesville, West Central Area, Hawley, Parkers Prairie, Sebeka and Ulen Hitterdahl.

For more information, visit minnesota.edu/echs.

Magazine | Spring 2014

15

COLLEGE NEWS

It’s snow much fun planning Polar Fest Not even frigid weather could chill the enthusiasm of Marcus Lacher’s marketing students. In fact, cold temperatures were just what they needed.

Lacher teaches the Events Planning course on the Detroit Lakes campus of Minnesota State Community and Technical College. He’s also a member of the volunteer committee that hosts the community’s annual Polar Fest winter celebration, and he saw an opportunity to combine his two roles.

Midway through the Events Planning course in the fall, his students developed a Polar Fest project they could host during spring semester for the follow-up course, Applied Event Management. They raised the money for prizes and advertised their project: an online snowman contest during Polar Fest, which was Feb. 6-17.

Siblings Emily, Bobby and Jack Moran, picutred with Marcus Lacher, were the winners in the online snowman contest with their Minion snow creatures.

“We had about 20 entries, which was pretty good considering the snow conditions and the challenging temperatures. I’m very happy with the results for an

inaugural event,” said Lacher, who plans to make Polar Fest participation a regular part of his event planning and management courses.

Carnegie Hall appearance a high note for M State choirs Two choral groups from Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Fergus Falls took the stage at Carnegie Hall in February as part of the National TwoYear Community College Festival in New York City.

Thirty-eight singers with the M State Concert Choir and Chamber Chorale, which includes community members, were invited to perform Schubert’s Mass in G with choral groups from ive other community colleges: Lake

Region College (N.D.), Harper College (Ill.), Rhode Island Community College and Muscatine Community College (Iowa).

M State Choral Director Teresa Ashworth said members of the two groups, which included 16 students, had four-hour rehearsals with renowned conductor Dr. Peter Ecklund of the University of Nebraska on Feb. 14 and 15, followed by a dress rehearsal on Feb. 16 and a performance that evening.

Ashworth, who performed along with the choir members, said it’s the third time that M State groups have been invited to sing at Carnegie Hall.

“It’s so amazing to think about all the people who have gone before you onto that stage,” she said.

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Minnesota State Community and Technical College

Need help? eCampus tutors are just a click away Students enrolled in online courses through Minnesota State Community and Technical College’s eCampus can get academic help the same convenient way that they take their classes: online.

M State offers free tutoring for its eCampus students through two online tutoring services, SmarthinkingTM and Eduwizards. Both are available 24-7, so there’s help even when students are stuck on a problem during those 2 a.m. study sessions.

The Smartthinking service has been available for a number of years, said eCampus academic advisor Joni Massie, but Eduwizards was added in the fall to expand options for students.

Each of the providers offers unique services with its tutoring programs – such as voice activation and on-demand services for varied subjects – and the goal of eCampus is to promote online tutoring by providing the best possible combination of resources.

All students enrolled in at least one eCampus course get instructions for accessing tutors for their online classes, but M State has also made the tutoring services available for on-campus students at their request (or at the request of instructors).

Students initially are provided 300 minutes ( ive hours) of tutoring per service, but extra time can be added at no charge to the student. Tutoring options include scheduling a one-on-one tutoring session for any subject, using the drop-in option for a live session with a tutor, submitting writing assignments for feedback or submitting written questions about any subject, Massie said.

Winners

by Design Three M State Graphic Design Technology students won major awards at the American Adver sing Federa on of North Dakota’s ADDY compe on in February. Gold ADDYs went to Angela Ecklund of Oslo, Minn., for Dirt Road Beau ful (top) and Danielle Strahm of West Fargo for the Fat Rat Brewing Co. logo (middle). The Squid the Whale poster (bo om right) designed by Michael Carter of Huron, S.D., was Student Best of Show.

ADDY award winners are (le to right) Angela Ecklund, Michael Carter and Danielle Strahm.

As always, eCampus students also can use the tutoring services available on M State’s campuses in Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, Moorhead and Wadena.

Magazine | Spring 2014

17

COLLEGE NEWS

In their element Laura Chock (le ) and Bekki Newbrough, both members of the F2CO chemistry organiza on on Minnesota State Community and Technical College’s Fergus Falls campus, are pu ng their passion for chemistry to work in an internship at the Green Plains Ethanol Plant in Fergus Falls. The two second-year students are in the Green Plains lab three mornings each week, working on improving the plant’s analy cal method for extrac ng corn oil from the slurry created in the ethanol produc on process. Chock, a na ve of Henning, plans to go on to earn a four-year degree in microbiology. Newbrough, a California na ve, is considering her op ons with a bioscience major. Both will graduate in May.

M State helping health care providers crack the ICD-10 code There will be a massive change behind the scenes in health care in 2015, and Minnesota State Community and Technical College is at the forefront of preparing area providers for the switch.

Next year, the American health care industry is scheduled to begin using a new medical coding system, ICD-10, to submit medical claims for reimbursement to insurance companies and medical programs.

To illustrate the enormity of the change for the health information technicians who manage and organize health information data, Bonnie Peterson and Kimberle Samuelson noted that the number of

18

diagnosis codes will expand from the current 14,000 to 68,000 and the number of procedure codes from 4,000 to 87,000.

Peterson, Samuelson and Carolyn Gaarder are instructors in M State’s eCampus Health Information Technology AAS degree program. In addition to teaching ICD-10 in its courses for current students, M State is offering a series of courses through its Custom Training Services for working health information technicians who need to update their skills from ICD-9 to ICD-10.

Samuelson said the United States is one of the last nations to switch from ICD-9 to ICD-10, with the

Minnesota State Community and Technical College

change driven by the U.S. government’s push to tie medical reimbursement to quality standards.

M State is offering both in-house training and online ICD-10 courses for skill updates by health information technicians who work for physicians, hospitals, dentists, chiropractors and all other health care providers.

“This affects everybody, because everybody puts a diagnosis code on their claims,” Peterson said.

(For information on the ICD-10 training offered through M State’s Custom Training Services, contact Melissa Olheiser at 218.299.6566 or visit minnesota.edu.)

Lake Region grant gives new look to nursing training SimMan already provides nursing students with a high-tech tool for gauging their skills. Now, thanks to a grant from Lake Region Hospital Foundation, the computerized “patient” will be even more valuable for training future nurses on the Fergus Falls campus of Minnesota State Community and Technical College.

With a $23,000 grant from the Fergus Falls medical foundation, the nursing department is installing an audio video system called SimView that will record how students respond to the various medical situations presented by SimMan. The grant from LRH Foundation, which provided the majority of the funding for the original SimMan, will cover the cost of SimView’s needed computer components and their installation, plus training for staff.

Nursing instructor Mary Roers said the new equipment means students can be videotaped while they respond to SimMan, giving both the student and instructor a valuable tool for learning and teaching.

“Lake Region Healthcare appreciates the great partnership we have with M State to train the future generaƟon of nurses to have the skills needed to provide competent and compassionate health care,” said Larry Schulz, president and CEO of LRH. “Evaluation and debrie ing are a very important part of the learning process,” Roers said, “and in the past we’ve needed to rely just on memory.”

RN student Beau Krueger said students bene it from the “realtime feedback to decisions that are made … and the opportunities for students to improve.”

The equipment was installed over spring break and will be used for training nearly 130 students each year in the nursing programs on the campus.

Magazine | Spring 2014 Learn more Contact our SoluƟon Center at 877.450.3322 or visit Minnesota.edu/up2u.

19

COLLEGE NEWS

New M State program is a sign of the times Thirteen students in the new Sign Language Interpreter Preparation program are in the midst of internships this spring and will be the program’s irst graduates in May.

a shortage augmented by demand for interpreters in the many video relay service centers that provide nationwide telephone services for deaf people.

Program coordinator and instructor Kristi Hilton said Minnesota State Community and Technical College developed the program in response to the need for American Sign Language interpreters both regionally and nationwide –

The 65-credit Associate of Applied Science degree program is offered on the Moorhead campus, which also offers a certi icate in ASL Studies. The one-year certi icate program provides the foundation in ASL that students need

to enroll in the Interpreter Preparation program.

In the two-year degree program, aspiring interpreters learn the ASL semantics, linguistics, structure and luidity required for interpreters in education, community agencies and video relay centers. With additional training, AAS program graduates can also become quali ied to work as medical and legal interpreters.

Art takes center stage on Moorhead campus who currently chairs the art group, said its members meet monthly to discuss art on campus and use their annual budget – generated largely by a bi-annual art show auction – to purchase new works. Work on the collection began in about 2006, and it now totals about 100 pieces including painting, pottery and sculptures by numerous regional artists and students on the Moorhead campus.

This photo by Jesse Olson, en tled “The Maple Flower,” is the most recent art acquisi on on the Moorhead campus. Olson is a local ar st and a former M State student who is now studying at Minnesota State University Moorhead.

Art has moved out of the Art Department and onto center stage on Minnesota State Community and Technical College’s Moorhead campus, thanks to the work of a dedicated group of art enthusiasts.

is, in its own words, building “an inclusive collection that values quality and diversity, and that represents the cultural heritages of our community through regional artists.”

The Moorhead Art Work Group

English instructor K.C. Hanson,

20

Minnesota State Community and Technical College

As part of its mission to expand involvement in the arts, the Art Work Group recently collaborated with the Carpentry Department and campus administration to acquire a trailer that can be used to ill the needs of Carpentry and as a platform for the student art group to build loats for local parades.

“Win, win, win,” Hanson said.

The work group also assists with the selection of appropriate art for purchase as the college complies with the state law that requires 1 percent of the cost of building projects be set aside for artwork for the renovated areas.

M STATE CUSTOM TRAINING SERVICES

Custom Training is at your service Op ons available for cosmetology and motorcycle training Minnesota State Community and Technical College’s Custom Training Services has stepped up to ill training needs for area groups as diverse as cosmetologists and motorcycle enthusiasts.

Cosmetology

Beginning Aug. 1, operators and salon managers will need four hours of continuing education credits to renew their operator or manager licenses with the Minnesota Board of Cosmetology. Seeing a need in this area, M State’s Cosmetology department teamed up with CTS, and together they will host training on each of the college’s four campuses, using ITV to reach as many potential clients as possible.

The response from cosmetology professionals has been enthusiastic, since many previous training options have been offered in the Twin Cities – which means the time and expense of travel.

M State will also offer the training online in order to serve an even broader professional audience.

For more information or to register, visit the CTS website at www. minnesota.edu/ctcs > Training Services > Cosmetology.

Motorcycle training

M State is one of the few colleges in the area which offers training for motorcycle permits. CTS works with the Minnesota Department of

Public Safety to provide courses on the Moorhead and Detroit Lakes campuses – motorcycles included – for riders who want to obtain a motorcycle endorsement, a moped permit or advanced training.

Area motorcycle dealers frequently refer customers to M State for the training and pay for or reimburse the fee for new riders who take the Basic Rider course. CTS also sets up custom training services in the area and works with organizations which require riders to have Basic

Rider certi ication before driving a motorcycle onto their property.

CTS also offers a Basic Rider 2 course for experienced riders, who bring their own bikes for a ivehour course than expands their riding skills and motorcycle knowledge. For more information, visit www.minnesota.edu/cts and click on Browse Classes>Motorcycle Safety.

Magazine | Spring 2014

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Ȃ Ȃ

Ǥ

ǣ

ǡ ǣ • Providing accessible and quality educaƟon through scholarship opportuniƟes for students.

• Providing innovaƟve and state-of-the-art classroom resources that allow hands-on learning experiences.

• SupporƟng economic and community progress.

• Planned giŌs can include bequests, life insurance, life estates and stock.

• Ask your employer if your company has an Employer Matching GiŌ program and take advantage of the beneĮts it oīers.

• Annual giving through unrestricted funds allows M State to use donaƟons where the needs are greatest.

• Scholarships assist students with their educaƟonal costs and can be named aŌer an individual donor or business.

• M State accepts in-kind donaƟons of equipment and supplies.

ǯ Ǥ

Denise Laymon

Carolyn Glesne

Mark Altenburg

Lisa Reddick

Detroit Lakes Area College FoundaƟon 900 Hwy 34 East Detroit Lakes Lakes, MN 56501 218.846.3720 denise.laymon@minnesota.edu

Fergus Area College FoundaƟon 1414 College Way Fergus Falls, MN 56537 218.736.1514 carolyn.glesne@minnesota.edu

Moorhead Community and Technical College FoundaƟon 1900 28th Avenue South Moorhead, MN 56560 218.299.6826 mark.altenburg@minnesota.edu

Wadena Area College FoundaƟon 405 Colfax Avenue SW Wadena, MN 56482 218.631.7931 lisa.baymler-reddick@ minnesota.edu

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Learn more at minnesota.edu/alumni

Minnesota Community and Technical College Member State of the Minnesota State Colleges and UniversiƟ es System. An equal opportunity educator/employer. Un educador/empleador de oportunidad igual.

FOUNDATION NEWS

Alumni share M State mission Preparing learners for dynamic living, working and serving Community colleges are centers of educational opportunity. The mission of community colleges across the United States is to provide an affordable and accessible education to all who desire to learn.

Minnesota State Community and Technical College has been providing education throughout the region for more than 50 years in the communities of Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, Moorhead and Wadena. Thousands of men and women have received technical, career and transfer education and gone on to make a difference in their lives and in their communities.

M State is fortunate to have more than 50 employees who are products of the college’s education and training and who are paying it forward by preparing learners for dynamic living, working and serving. You’ll ind alumni in the classrooms and in the board rooms, doing what they

can to provide access to an extraordinary education.

In an ongoing series, the campus foundations will highlight alumni who currently work at the college.

Moorhead Campus If you take a tour through the technologies and trades departments on the Moorhead campus, you will ind instructors who are graduates of M State and happy to be sharing their knowledge with students.

Dennis Miller (’74) found his way to the Moorhead campus from a small dairy farm near Borup, Minn., when the school was known as the Moorhead Area Vo-

cational and Technical Institute. After graduating in automotive repair, Dennis found a job with the Francis Peterson dealership and by 1976 found the time to return to MAVTI to teach night classes for the Community Education program. After teaching in Wahpeton for 25 years, Dennis returned to Moorhead in 2008.

Greg Peterson (’75) graduated from MAVTI with a degree in diesel repair that took him to International Harvester for 24 years. With decades of experience to lean on, Greg returned to M State in 1999 as a diesel instructor. During his tenure, he has seen a tremendous growth in students and supporting programs.

Keith Johnson (’77) graduated from MAVTI in and started work with Ulteig Engineering. After pursuing additional education at both North Dakota State University and Minnesota State University Moorhead and teaching part time, Keith returned to campus in 2002 as a fulltime faculty member.

Keith’s contacts and experience have helped students ind work in their area and prepare themselves for life-long education.

These graduates from the 1970s were in the irst wave of area residents who found good work and a love for teaching and learning after just a few short years on the Moorhead campus. Later genera-

Magazine | Spring 2014

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FOUNDATION NEWS NEE W S Lakes campus, using their M State experiences to help current students as they strive to complete their programs and degrees.

degree. “It is a wonderful feeling that I am able to help students be successful in their educational journey. You never know where your education may lead you.”

tions of learners, including Travis DeJong (’97), have continued this tradition.

Travis graduated from Moorhead Technical College with a degree in Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning.

Travis took his learning into the ield as a commercial and residential HVAC technician in both Grand Rapids and the Fargo-Moorhead area. After 20 years in the ield, Travis came back to M State in 2011 to help revamp the HVAC department as a full-time instructor.

Sheila Moore Jesness (’89 and ’11, Custom Training Services administrative assistant) earned AAS degrees in Accounting and Administrative Management Technology. “I am so thankful that we have a college available to us locally. It has allowed me to stay in the area, continue to work and take care of the needs of my family – all while getting my degree.”

Detroit Lakes Campus In many ways, the students and instructors are the “stars” of a college, but no organization can succeed without the people who make things happen behind the scene. Many of our alumni ill these roles on our Detroit

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Angie Sieling (’07, associate registrar and admissions specialist), earned a Paralegal AAS

Minnesota M Mi nnes nn essota otta State o Stat St ate at te Co C Community m mu mm un nit it y an and nd Te TTechnical Tech ech hni nica call C ca Co College olllleg egge

Wendy Olds (’98 and ’06, director of inancial aid) initially earned degrees in Secretary/ Receptionist and Word Processing Tech Info/ Computer, then returned to complete her AAS Administrative Assistant degree. “I started my educational journey as a displaced worker. At that time the college offered evening classes, which gave me the opportunity to take care of my family during the day and attend classes at night.

Without the lexibility of class schedules and understanding instructors, I never would have been able to earn my AAS. Thanks to M State I was able to achieve my goals.”

Alecia Bement (’90 and ’14, eCampus administrative assistant) completed the Word Processing Technology program and returned for her AAS degree in Administrative Management Technology, which she will receive this spring. “It always has been a personal goal to return to college and obtain my AAS degree. My experience has been a very positive one. I have attended land-based and online courses, which has given me a very good perspective about what our current students go through when taking courses at M State. A quote I like and think of often is that “we grow great by dreams.” I am truly blessed to be obtaining another dream this coming May.” Bonnie Dahring (’89 and ’99, associate director of inancial aid) earned an accounting diploma and an AAS in accounting. “M State was a great place to start. Having the tech-

Magazine | Spring 2014

24

gained from the AAS degree gave me a wonderful foundation to work in the inancial aid of ice on the Detroit Lakes campus, where I meet almost every single student that passes through our doors.” nical skills of the diploma program coupled with the people skills

Nicole Ballard (’06, Business & Entrepreneurial Services ad-

ministrative assistant) earned her AAS degree in Sales and Marketing. “M State was the perfect college for me to start my education.

I graduated in 2006, and I plan on furthering my education. I love everything about M State – the people, the facilities and the college as a whole.”

ǡ Ǩ

Ǥ Detroit Lakes Campus commencement: 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 14, at Detroit Lakes High School Fergus Falls Campus commencement: 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 14, on the Fergus Falls Campus Moorhead Campus commencement: 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, at the Civic Center Wadena Campus commencement: 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, at Wadena-Deer Creek High School BaudeƩe Electrical Lineworkers commencement: 1 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at Lake of the Woods High School

Learn more at minnesota.edu or call 877.450.3322 A member of the Minnesota State Colleges and UniversiƟes System.

Magazine Maga Ma gazi zine ne | Spring Spr prin ing 2014

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FOUNDATION NEWS

Alum remembered through scholarship Kotalik award targets retraining workers and military veterans Just over a year after a Pelican Rapids-area man was killed in a tragic snowmobile accident on Christmas day, a scholarship fund was created in his memory.

“He was hard-working and ethical. His clients told us that,” said Kelsey. “If they called with a boat problem, he would show up at their dock at the drop of a hat. He didn’t want their recreational activity to be disrupted.”

The Jerome Kotalik Endowment has been established through the Detroit Lakes Area College Foundation. Scholarship awards from the fund will be aimed at retraining workers and for veterans seeking training to enter the civilian workforce.

Jerome died on Christmas day in 2012 in an accident at Jerry’s Recreational, the shop he owned and managed north of Pelican Rapids.

He had worked for the former Northwest Airlines maintenance facility in Duluth and later continued in the airline industry in Milwaukee. He enrolled in the Marine Engine Technology program on M State’s Detroit Lakes campus, aiming at a career change that would bring him back to lakes country.

“His love for the outdoors and hunting and ishing encouraged him to ind an alternative career that would allow him to live in a rural area,” said his family in a statement to the foundation. “He loved the lakes area and started his business after earning his certi ication in Marine Engine Technology.”

26 26

JJerome Kotalik K t lik

A Grand Forks native, Kotalik graduated from the University of North Dakota in the aeronautics program and went to work for Northwest Airlines. He was eventually transferred to Milwaukee and worked there for several years.

“He really didn’t like living in Milwaukee,” said his sister, Jeanne Kelsey. “He made the decision to go back to school and earn a degree in small engine and marine technology in order to sustain the lifestyle he appreciated. He loved hunting and ishing.”

He attended M State from 200204 and had been self-employed for about six years at the time of his death, although he also did work on a seasonal basis for Boeing while he was getting his business established.

Minnesota Mi M inn nnesot nne o a State Statte Co Com Community mmun nitt y an aand d Te Technical ech chni chn nical ccaal Co C College ollleg egee

Kotalik worked for several local businesses prior to starting his own small engine and recreational equipment operation, which he launched with the motto “your satisfaction is my success.” The family auctioned off his business assets following his death, and the proceeds largely are funding the scholarship.

“He was pleased with the education he received at M State,” said Denise Laymon, M State’s development and alumni of icer. “We provided him an opportunity at a dif icult time of his life.”

DLACF, a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organiza on, helps students achieve their educa onal goals through student scholarships and support of campus program and equipment needs.

Courtesy of the Pelican Rapids Press

B&M Electric values connection to M State Brenda and Mike Eidenschink, owners of B&M Electric in Detroit Lakes, are no strangers to Minnesota State Community and Technical College.

Their commitment runs strong.

Mike is a 1983 graduate of the Electrical Construction program on the Moorhead campus. In 1982, Brenda was accepted into the Graphic Design program, also on the Moorhead campus, but she opted to enter the workforce instead. Since both her parents had died before she was 15 and grants were not available, her inancial resources for college were limited.

After graduation, Mike worked for a local electrical contractor until opening B&M Electric in 1991. He and Brenda work together in the business, with Brenda supervising of ice operations and serving as executive director of Lake Region Builders Association.

Three of B&M Electric’s ive employees are graduates of the Moorhead and Wadena campuses, and one will soon graduate from the Moorhead campus.

B&M Electric has been proudly serving Detroit Lakes and the region for nearly 23 years. M State is

always pleased to have the opportunity connect our alumni and students in a way that serves both the career goals of our students and the workforce needs of our alumni in the business community.

Phillips’ Spartan spirit abounds Pam Phillips has been encouraging students on the Fergus Falls campus since she joined the M State staff here in 1998. All year long, she is a faithful supporter of Spartan athletics and ine arts events. An alumna herself (197981), she appreciates the students who are active in these rewarding campus experiences and displays her own enthusiasm for the college with her nifty blue and gold Spartan attire.

For many years Pam has funded the Pam Phillips Spartan Spirit Scholarship through her annual donation to Fergus Area College Foundation. She takes great pleasure in providing this annual opportunity to a second-year student who has shown outstanding leadership and integrity through his or her campus involvement.

An avid photographer, Phillips uses her talent to help fund the scholarship. Her stunning photographs of the campus grace the front of greeting cards she crafts and sells in the campus bookstore. All profits are designated to the Foundation to fund the scholarship.

This year, Pam found an even more meaningful and permanent way to support M State students.

In honor of her parents, the late Bob and Lucille Phillips, Pam established the Pam Phillips Spartan Spirit Endowment. The interest from her $20,000 gift to the Foundation will fund an annual scholarship into perpetuity.

We are grateful for Pam’s foresight and planning, which helped make this gift a reality. Her many contributions to the campus – as a faithful employee, an ardent

Pam Phillips, in Spartan Blue, signs the Pam Phillips Spartan Spirit Scholarship agreement with FACF Vice President Gail Childs and Treasurer Brian Boss.

supporter of students and a benefactor to the Foundation – will be appreciated for years to come.

Magazine Maga Ma gazi zine ne | Spring Spr prin ingg 2014 2014

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FFOUNDATION O UNDAT I O N NEWS N EWS

Fergus Area College Foundation More than scholarships seed money for the innovative up2U program, updated infusion systems for the campus nursing lab and travel for ine arts students to Twin Cities art galleries and theaters.

Biology students Kyle Singer of Detroit Lakes (le ) and Gabe Pankonin of Perham examine the skulls acquired by biology instructor Jessica Daniels with a Fergus Area College Founda on grant.

Awarding nearly $140,000 in annual scholarships to more than 100 students on the Fergus Falls campus of M State is an exciting opportunity provided

by Fergus Area College Foundation. Faithful scholarship donors who endow scholarship funds are integral to this successful scholarship program. In addition to scholarships, the Foundation offers a host of other opportunities in all corners of the campus.

Foundation staff also assists faculty in applying for off-campus grants. Recently nursing instructor Mary Roers received $22,665 from Lake Region Hospital Foundation for additional technology in the nursing department (see story on Page 19). Lake Region Arts Council awarded art instructor John Cox $17,000 to bring the Sketchbook Project to the Fergus Falls area in September 2014 (see story on Page 14).

Some Foundation donors designate their gift for a speci ic campus opportunity. This includes a donation to fund the Legacy Hall mural painted by alumnus artist Scott Gunvaldson. This past fall, a generous gift was directed to the M State choral department

Each year the Foundation awards up to $15,000 in grants to faculty and staff who develop unique projects, expand their normal classroom experience or have needs for enhanced equipment. Grants can range from $500 to several thousand dollars and are awarded by a faculty/staff committee.

Biology instructor Jessica Daniels recently received a grant to purchase of a set of nine hominoid skulls for the campus biology lab. “These skulls provide students a direct, hands-on method to study human evolution. By examining skulls of living and extinct human relatives, students are able to investigate and evaluate evolutionary relationships,” Daniels said.

Other recent FACF grant funding includes a new clavichord with mover for the music department,

28

Minnesota State Community and Technical College

Spartan baseball co-captain Pete Gaustad of Fergus Falls (right) and assistant coach Nick Lewis prepared for the team’s spring break trip to Florida, where they played nine games in six days and compiled an 8-1 record. A Spartan baseball alumnus designated his Fergus Area College Founda on gi to help fund the team’s travel costs.

for new concert attire and unique music programming over the next several years. A portion of this gift also helped fund the choir trip to New York in February (see story on Page 16 ).

ties because of generous donors. Their support invigorates our campus and helps us respond to changing needs in education. Thanks to each of you who designate your resources to Fergus Area College Foundation.

A gift from the estate of alumnus Cal Schmidt helped fund new scoreboards in the Spartan Gym (see story on Page 31). Other Spartan athletic alumni have designated gifts to assist the football and baseball programs.

Please consider joining the Foundation as we continue to Give the Gift of Opportunity to both students and staff on the Fergus Falls campus. Contact Carolyn Glesne at carolyn.glesne@minnesota.edu or 218.736.1514.

Fergus Area College Foundation provides opportuni-

Wedum Foundation creates scholarship for single mothers Fergus Area College Foundation is pleased to announce the establishment of the Mary Beth Hagen Wedum Scholarship Endowment with an $85,000 gift from the J. A. Wedum Foundation. This fund will support scholarships for single mothers who attend the Fergus Falls campus of M State and is given in memory of Mary Beth Hagen Wedum, a founder and board member of the J.A. Wedum Foundation.

Mary Beth Hagen grew up in Fergus Falls and graduated from Fergus Falls High School in 1953. As a divorced single mother of two young daughters, she began her college career at Fergus Falls Junior College in the 1960s. She completed her four-year degree at St. Cloud State University. Mary Beth married John A. Wedum, and together they raised their two daughters, Dawn Wedum Downs and Dana Wedum Kennelly.

The Wedums became successful business people and philanthropists, and their success in developing the J. A. Wedum Foundation has enabled them to support scholarships at several colleges in Minnesota.

“How itting that a scholarship fund be established in Mary Beth’s honor at M State - Fergus Falls Campus, her alma mater,” said Rob Bigwood, president of the Fergus Area College Foundation board of directors. “This scholarship will encourage and enable single mothers to pursue their education on the Fergus Falls campus.”

Fergus Falls native Dayton Soby is a member of the J.A. Wedum Foundation board of directors and was instrumental in securing this gift for Fergus Area College Foundation. Dayton’s father, the late B.K.

Ashley Erickson of Fergus Falls and Jamie Vickaryous of Alexandria, both nursing students on M State’s Fergus Falls campus, are two of the four 2013-14 recipients of the Mary Beth Hagen Wedum Scholarship.

Soby, was a founder of Fergus Area College Foundation nearly 50 years ago.

For information on applying for the Mary Beth Hagen Wedum Scholarship or opportunities to participate in the scholarships programs of Fergus Area College Foundation, contact FACF Executive Director Carolyn Glesne at 218-736-1514 or carolyn.glesne@minnesota.edu.

Magazine | Spring 2014

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FFOUNDATION O UNDAT I O N NEWS N EWS

FACF board member completes doctorate in nursing with a solid foundation for their education,” she said. “What an asset to our community to have a college that offers a diverse range of programs. M State also provides job opportunities for our region.

We need to promote and support this college which will result in the growth of programs and services.”

Congratulations to Fergus Area College Foundation board member Brandi Rocholl Sillerud on completing her Doctorate of Nursing Practice from the University of Minnesota in December 2013. Sillerud is currently senior vice president of clinic operation at Lake Region Healthcare in Fergus Falls, and she relishes the challenges of her current position.

“No two days are ever the same,” she said. “I enjoy my colleagues and working with them to address issues and discover solutions to help us all be better at what we do.”

Her M State career began in 1993 while she was a high school student in Fergus Falls. She returned to the campus in 1999 to pursue a nursing degree after completing a bachelor’s degree in zoology and physiology at North Dakota State University. This second time around at M State, she also played basketball for the Spartans, coached by Ann Williams. She has fond memories of the wonderful camaraderie of that team, even though she was several years older than her teammates.

Sillerud completed her Associate Degree in Nursing at M State in 2001, while also working at Lake Region Healthcare. In 2006 she completed her master’s degree through the University of Phoenix.

“I love to learn,” Sillerud said, “and lifelong learning is necessary to keep up with industry changes in the health care profession.”

Sillerud appreciates the M State

30

Brandi B di Rocholl R h ll Sill Sillerud d

nursing instructors who demanded excellence and professionalism, saying, “They set the bar high, and we worked hard. Their inspiration has served me well as I have pursued my career. I treasure my continued relationships with my M State instructors and classmates.”

In the spring of 2007, Sillerud taught a section of Human Biology at M State for her former coach, Ann Williams, who was on medical leave. A memorable moment came when a student returned after the weekend and thanked Sillerud for saving her dad’s life.

Sillerud had taught a lesson about the cardiovascular system, including the potential signs of a heart attack. This student observed those signs in her father over the weekend and insisted he go to the hospital. He indeed was suffering a heart attack.

Sillerud is proud to serve on the Fergus Area College Foundation board of directors. “M State provides the students of our region

Minnesota State Community and Technical College

Sillerud spends her leisure time in competitive barrel racing with her horses. She and her husband, Dave, also enjoy traveling as time allows. We are proud to congratulate Brandi Sillerud, a very accomplished M State alumna.

Tell us your Spartan Alumni Story: Visit www.minnesota.edu/ facf and click on “Your Spartan Story.” Check out stories from your Fergus Falls classmates at this same site. We look forward to hearing from you!

Jerry Hess pictured with 1995 graduates Stacey (Larson) Paulson and Tina (Salo) Bartels during the Outdoor Aqua c Recrea on Boundary Waters trip.

Keeping score, one donation at a time The Spartan Gym on the Fergus Falls campus now sports the inishing touches to a recent upgrade – two bright new scoreboards that were installed in January. Over the past year, new bleachers replaced the old wooden bleachers, the gym loor was stripped and re inished (and the updated Spartan logo was added at center court), and the gym walls were painted from top to bottom.

The incentive for the scoreboard project came from a gift to Fergus Area College Foundation from the estate of Calvin Schmidt, a 1974 alum of M State’s Fergus Falls campus and a former Spartan basketball player. He went on to Concordia College in Moorhead, where he received a degree in hospital administration in 1976.

Schmidt settled in Moorhead and began working at Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota, working in hospital contracting and other positions. He spent his entire career with the company, retiring in 2006.

Before he died in December 2011

The 1972-73 Spartan Basketball Team LeŌ to right: Dave Johnsrud, Dan Olson, Peter Kruize, Kirby Norman, Cal Schmidt (41), Tom Beukens, Dave Baukol, Terry Vipond, Ron Amundson, Curt Seter and Paul Wenino. Front row: Managers Joe Jallo and Greg Heitkamp and Coach Dave Retzlaff.

at age 57, Calvin dedicated a generous bequest to FACF to be used for the Spartan basketball program.

FACF Executive Director Carolyn Glesne and M State Athletic Director Jason Retzlaff partnered to honor Schmidt’s intent. Using funds from Schmidt’s gift and generous sponsorships from area businesses, the project was completed and dedicated Jan. 29.

Thank you for your support: • • • • • • • • • • • •

Calvin Schmidt Estate AmericInn Lodge and Suites Bell State Bank and Trust Viking Coca-Cola Edward Jones-Fergus Falls Advisors – Mike Alt, Gail Childs, Marcus Meder, Brian Vatnsdal and Stephen Vigessa JK Sports Lake Region Healthcare Minnesota Motor Company O er Tail Power Company O ertail Minn-Dakota Coaches, Inc. Service Food Market Taco John’s

Remembering Jerry Hess The Fergus Falls campus community and alumni were saddened by the death of Jerry Hess on Jan. 16 in Fergus Falls.

Jerry, 76, was an instructor and coach on the Fergus Falls campus for 26 years, from 1969 to 1995.

He taught health, physical education and outdoor recreation, and during his tenure he started and coached the football program and coached wrestling and track.

He designed the outdoor recreation curriculum, which included taking students to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area for 25 years, backpacking in the Black Hills and winter camping. He also led alpine ski trips to Montana for 15 years. In 1998 he was inducted into the Fergus Falls Community College Sports Hall of Fame.

“He was an amazing guide and teacher,” wrote one of the many

alumni who shared tributes to Jerry. “He taught us to appreciate the beauty of the outdoors and to realize all of this as a gift … his passion showed. We called him ‘Mr. Green Jeans,’ and he always had a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face.”

Jerry is survived by his wife, Darlys, their ive daughters and their families. Funeral services were Jan. 24 in Fergus Falls.

Magazine | Spring 2014

31

FOUNDATION NEWS

WACF raises money for Electrical Lineworker program supporters and the students who helped work at the events.

Mark your calendars now for next year’s event – it will be Feb. 20 through 22 in Baudette. Don’t miss the fun!

February brought frigid weather and strong winds, but it also brought an opportunity for the annual Holes for Poles fundraising event in the far northern Minnesota community of Baudette.

On Feb. 21 through 23, the Wadena Area College Foundation had its annual Holes for Poles ice ishing event to raise money for scholarships for students in M State’s Lineworker satellite program in Baudette.

Even though harsh weather forced the cancellation of the ishing derby portion of the weekend, we still were able to have the Welcome Celebration on Feb. 21, the ish fry and raf le on Feb. 22 and ice house ishing at Arneson’s Rocky Point on Lake of the Woods on Feb. 23.

The event was well-attended, and we appreciate all the support from the local businesses, the industry

32

Minnesota State Community and Technical College

Get Connected Do you have a two-year degree from our college in Detroit Lakes, Moorhead or Wadena?

If so, we’re looking for you! We’ve changed over the years and so have you, and now we’d like to reconnect. If you a ended or graduated from M State in Detroit Lakes, Moorhead or Wadena — no ma er how long ago — we’d love to know what has happened in your life since then.

Please update us by filling out our online “Stay in Touch” form at www.minnesota.edu/alumni.

For more informa on, contact Director of Advancement Lisa Reddick at lisa.baymler-reddick@minnesota.edu or 218-631-7931. We’re eager to update our records so we can keep you informed about the great things happening on our campuses.

Non Credit Based Courses • QuickBooks This seminar will cover the basics of Intuit’s QuickBooks accounting software. It will teach you how to create your company, setup chart of accounts, complete transactions and run reports.

• 9 a.m. - Noon Aug. 7 - Aug. 28; Thursdays Christine Gray, Balance Your Books Cost: $295

Mini Certificates • Entrepreneur Essentials - Certificate • Entrepreneurial Logistics - Certificate • Professional Sales Skills - Certificate

Credit Based Courses Call 218.844.5420 or email bes.dl@arvig.net to register. For more information, visit www.BESMState.com. Credit cards accepted and payment plans available.

These courses are presented by M State’s Business & Entrepreneurial Services. We reserve the right to cancel class due to low enrollment.

• Business Plan Development • Customer Service 2-2:20 p.m. Aug. 25-Dec 19 Tuesday and Thursday

• Introduction to Entrepreneurship 10-11:20 a.m. Aug. 25-Dec 19 Monday and Wednesday • Introduction to Public Speaking

Meet Your Mentor Professional business mentoring is available at no cost.

Schedule an appointment for one hour of mentoring in the topics that relate to business.

Helping ideas grow into businesses.

• Business Ethics/Professionalism • Opportunity Analysis 2-3:50 p.m. Aug. 25-Dec 19 Monday and Wednesday

• Business plans Noon-4 p.m. Tuesday, May 6 Toni Merdan, US House of Representatives

• Principles of Management • Principles of Marketing 9:30-10:50 a.m. Aug. 25-Dec 19 Monday and Wednesday • Professional Selling

• Business growth and customer service 8 a.m.-Noon Tuesday, May 20 Meet with mentor, Don Thorpe

M|State

Learn more at minnesota.edu/bes Member of the Minnesota State Colleges and UniversiƟes System. An equal opportunity educator/employer. Un educador/empleador de oportunidad igual.

M STATE CUSTOM TR AINING SERVICES Skills and technology ogy training for the future.

Custom Training Services has supported pported business and industry growth in Minnesota for more than 20 years ears by providing regional workforce training.

CerƟĮcates and courses es available: • • • • • • • •

Commerical Vehicle InspecƟon Electrical ConƟnuing EducaƟon Fire Training Health ConƟnuing EducaƟon Industrial Mechanical Maintenancee LEAN principles Precision Machining Safety Training

• • • •

Steam Plant Engineering/Boiler Supervisory Leadership Train-the-Trainer Welding

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Learn more at minnesota.edu/cts

M|State

Member of the Minnesota State Colleges and UniversiƟes System. An equal opportunity educator/employer. Un educador/empleador de oportunidad igual.

Custom Training Services

Discover the M State Diīerence

Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Culinary Arts Biological Sciences Environmental Science Equine Science

M State oīers more than 70 programs and 120 degree opƟons on its four campuses and through online delivery. Tell us which programs interest you, and we can help you get on track to discover your future.

Business Management and Entrepreneurship

If you’re ready to start or advance your career, we have

AccounƟng Business Business Entrepreneurship Business Management Business: Management, MarkeƟng and Sales Business Management/Ownership Entrepreneurship Golf Management Human Resources MarkeƟng Management InformaƟon Systems Sales and MarkeƟng

opƟons that will let you Įnish your educaƟon in two years or less. If your goal is to aƩend a smaller school where you can complete the Įrst two years of your four-year degree, we can help you make that happen.

If you’re looking to start your career or educaƟonal journey at a quality college that’s not

Health Sciences Dental AssisƟng Dental Hygiene Medical Laboratory Technology Nursing Pharmacy Technology Phlebotomy Technician Radiologic Technology

far from home, check out the M State opƟons.

Personal Care Cosmetology EstheƟcs Massage Therapy Manicurist

34

Minnesota State Community and Technical College

Social and ProtecƟve Services American Sign Language Child Care and EducaƟon Early Childhood and Paraprofessional EducaƟon CorrecƟonal Oĸcer Criminal JusƟce Paralegal Fire Department Company Oĸcer Fire Service PreparaƟon Sign Language Intrepeter PreparaƟon

Architecture and ConstrucƟon

Arts, Visual Technology and CommunicaƟons

Architecture Technology Carpentry Civil Engineering Technology ConstrucƟon Electricity ConstrucƟon Management Electrical Lineworker HVAC Plumbing Technology RefrigeraƟon and Air CondiƟoning

Art Digital Photography and Imaging Graphic Design Technology Music Web Development

Computer and Network Technology

Health InformaƟon Technology

Cisco Networking Computer Network Security Computer Programming Health InformaƟonTechnology Specialist InformaƟon Technology IT Systems Support Management InformaƟon Systems Network Technology AdministraƟon Voice and Video Over Internet Protocol Web Development

Health InformaƟon Technology Medical AdministraƟve Assistant Medical Coding and Insurance Medical Oĸce Assistant Medical RecepƟonist Medical TranscripƟon

Manufacturing and Industry Architecture Technology Civil Engineering Technology Engineering Industrial Maintenance Mechanical DraŌing and Design

TransportaƟon Technology AutomoƟve Service Technology Auto Body Collision Technology Diesel Equipment Technology Marine Engine Technology PowerSports Technology

Oĸce Management AccounƟng Clerk AdministraƟve Assistant AdministraƟve Management Technology AdministraƟve Support Virtual Oĸce Professional

University Transfer Degree - Associate of Arts Begin your four-year educaƟon with a focused and economical two-year university transfer degree. Small class size and aīordable tuiƟon give students a solid academic foundaƟon to transfer for future university study.

Learn more at minnesota.edu

Magazine | Spring 2014

35

Minnesota State Community and Technical College OďŹƒce of Communica ons and Marke ng 405 Colfax Ave SW Wadena, MN 56482

Detroit Lakes Campus

Fergus Falls Campus

Moorhead Campus

Wadena Campus

900 Highway 34 East Detroit Lakes, MN 56501-2698 218.846.3700 Fax: 218.846.3794

1414 College Way Fergus Falls, MN 56537-1000 218.736.1500 Fax: 218.736.1510

1900 28th Avenue South Moorhead, MN 56560-4899 218.299.6500 Fax: 218.299.6810

405 SW Colfax Avenue Wadena, MN 56482-1447 218.631.7800 Fax: 218.631.7904

online through

e Campus ecampus@minnesota.edu

minnesota.edu 877.450.3322 Minnesota State Community and Technical College is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universi es System.

An Equal Opportunity Educator/Employer. Un Educador/Empleador de Oportunidad Igual.