St. Cloud State Magazine Spring/Summer 2025

Spring / Summer 2025

ST. CLOUD STATE MAGAZINE

PREPARED FOR SUCCESS SCSU partnership gives District 742 students valuable work, life experience

MORE INSIDE:

COMMUNITY-ENGAGED LEARNING Honors course helps students find an impactful role in the community

NOTABLE VISITORS

Famous speakers, performers have shared talent and perspectives for decades

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@stcloudstate @scsugrad

Huskies, share your story at scsu.mn/ourscsu

/stcloudstate /scsualumni

/stcloudstate /scsualumni

/school/st.-cloud-state-university /groups/52275 (alumni)

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18 PREPARED FOR SUCCESS For more than two decades, SCSU has joined together with St. Cloud Area School District 742 to offer an effective career preparation program for special education students called the Community Options 2 (CO2) Program.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS FROM THE PRESIDENT 4 SCSU graduates prepared to succeed in life and work

AROUND CAMPUS 6 SCSU professor named an educator of the year by Minnesota State 9 Dance Team earns seventh national championship 10 SCSU places first at Minnesota State Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition

FEATURES 12 #OurSCSU – Alumna Mandy

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Photos Courtesy of Rouse Productions

Thalhuber fueled by her passion for weather 14 #OurSCSU – Gatis Cirulis and Katya Reka look to share joy through creating and teaching art 18 CO2 Program offers District 742 students valuable work, life experience 24 Looking back at the notable performers, speakers who have visited SCSU 30 #OurSCSU — Javelia Morrison-Galimor flourishes in #OurSCSU community; looks to empower fellow Huskies

ALUMNI NEWS 35 Class notes on scsu.mn/ourscsu

FROM THE INTERIM PRESIDENT

SCSU GRADUATES PREPARED TO SUCCEED IN LIFE AND WORK

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In my 50-plus year career in higher education, I have appreciated the joys and rewards of welcoming a steady stream of new college students and watching them evolve through academic discovery and life-altering activities into graduates transformed and prepared to succeed in life and work.

How do I know this lofty claim is valid? Because our graduates and their records of success tell us so. While some skeptics are expressing doubt as to the value of a college education in this changing, challenging economy, the majority of our seasoned and recent alumni are expressing genuine gratitude for their education and its impact on their careers and lives.

Positive feedback is what I commonly hear from SCSU alumni today. While many are concerned about the budget struggles and tough decisions they hear about on our campus, I assure them we continue to have successful graduates, 95 percent of whom get jobs in their field in their first year after graduation. They are hitting the ground running, well-prepared by our strong academic programs and competent faculty and support staff to be responsible employees and citizens.

This spring I attended a gathering of about 50 alumni in Fort Myers, Florida, to socialize and attend a Minnesota Twins spring training game. On my way in, I was met by a couple of stadium greeters who turned out to be Tim ’81 and Jackie ’81 Faber, graduates who retired in Florida from successful careers. They enthusiastically welcomed me and told me how much their SCSU years meant to them and how they intend to visit campus soon.

Once inside the gathering, I talked with many other optimistic alumni, including Pat Sparks ’79, Stillwater, a longtime member of the SCSU Foundation

Board who says SCSU was a wonderful college experience for her – “a great education at an affordable price.” She went on to say her years on campus provided a solid foundation for entry into law school and her professional career, from which she retired as production operations manager of West Academic.

“It’s a continuing honor to support the university that gave so much to me,” she said.

Other alumni I have met in travels and at university events have told me about the outstanding teaching, mentoring and guidance they received in their college years, including experiences of studying abroad at Alnwick Castle in England or Nelson Mandela University in South Africa. They’ve also described gaining leadership skills and lifelong friends in student organizations or volunteer work in the community.

Marisa Adler Vette ’01 ’09 loves to tell the story of studying for a semester at Alnwick Castle during the time the flying class scene at Hogwarts School in the first Harry Potter movie was filmed on the castle grounds. She is now director of communications & community relations for White Bear Lake Area Schools and serves on the SCSU Alumni Association Board.

She believes in the lifelong benefits her college experiences beyond the classroom provided to help give her a well-rounded education.

“There isn’t one specific concert or event that stands out from my time as a student, but the feeling of never being at a loss for things to do certainly sticks with me,” Adler Vette said.

“Whether I was in the audience for a hypnotist event, a popular musical act or a Holocaust survivor speech, there was al-

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ways a place to be or a lesson to be learned on campus.”

Some of the most enthusiastic alumni I have met are putting their education to work on our campus as faculty, staff and administrators. It’s a great compliment to our university and benefit to our students that these amazing, creative, innovative, caring individuals want to give back to their university by applying their expertise in teaching and mentoring to transform new students into lifelong Huskies.

One example among many is Holly Schreiner ’00 ’08, who since 2023 has been director of athletics at SCSU. She started preparing for her career while a student, working at the Hockey Center and moving through several key positions for 18 years before taking on the leadership role in athletics. Schereiner’s pride in her alma mater is infectious.

“I think this is the best place under the sun,” she said. “We should be shouting it from the rooftops!”

I agree with Holly, and I have been gratified to get to know her and the many other amazing Husky graduates working on campus and making our university great.

I believe that with the continuing enthusiastic support of our alumni who are doing great things on our campus, in the community and throughout the world, St. Cloud State will continue to be a force for quality education in Minnesota.

Go Huskies!

Respectfully,

Larry H. Dietz, Ph.D. Interim President, St. Cloud State University

AROUND CAMPUS

10 YEARS AGO (2015)

SCSU WRESTLING WINS UNIVERSITY’S FIRST NATIONAL TITLE The Huskies brought home their first Division II national title in 2015, the first of five team national titles in a seven-year span.

25 YEARS AGO (2000)

WEIRD AL Al Yankovic performs in Halenbeck Hall on Feb. 15, 2000. Read more about historical visitors through the years on page 24.

50 YEARS AGO (1975)

ST. CLOUD STATE COLLEGE BECOMES ST. CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY State legislators Jim Pehler and Jack Kleinbaum smile for a photo during the University Day celebration on Aug. 1, 1975. All four-year colleges in Minnesota State celebrated their official transformations from a college to a university.

75 YEARS AGO (1950)

FIRST COMMENCEMENT IN STEWART Spring 1950 Commencement was the first graduation ceremony held in Stewart Hall’s new auditorium. Often held in Halenbeck Hall and the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in decades that followed, Fall and Spring Commencement are now held in Stewart Hall’s Ritsche Auditorium each year.

100 YEARS AGO (1925)

FIRST HOMECOMING GAME Homecoming was held for the first time, featuring a pep-fest, bonfire, campus tour and a football game between St. Cloud State and Winona on Oct. 31, 1925. Winona won 6-0.

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AROUND CAMPUS

We are a vibrant and growing community of

MORE THAN 10,000 HUSKIES STRONG with a network of

MORE THAN 134,000 ALUMNI WORLDWIDE. 6

St. Cloud State and Affinity Plus partnered to host a Polar Plunge outside of Herb Brooks National Hockey Center on March 21. Nearly 50 plungers raised over $7,000 for Special Olympics Minnesota.

SCSU PROFESSOR NAMED AN EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR BY MINNESOTA STATE St. Cloud State University’s Dr. J. Scott Baker has been named one of the state’s top educators.

Baker, an associate professor of secondary education, was honored by the Minnesota State Board of Trustees Awards for Excellence as a 2025 Educator of the Year in the Excellence in Teaching category.

“My work has always been about uplifting and providing space for preservice teachers to express themselves; this award means that their voices are being heard,” Baker said. “Any successful educator will tell you it is always about the students, and this is exactly how I feel with this recognition. I am grateful for the students, my secondary education colleagues and the excellent work we do at SCSU to elevate our students.”

The Board of Trustees Awards for Excellence acknowledge and provide systemwide recognition for consistently superior commitment to student learning and to encourage the ongoing pursuit of excellence at the colleges and universities of Minnesota State.

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“Scott’s exceptional dedication and innovative contributions to the field of education reflects the mission and historical foundation on which SCSU was built,” added Melissa Hanzsek-Brill, interim dean of the College of Education and Learning Design.

“His willingness to tackle challenging and controversial topics in a way that invites engagement and learning in a supportive environment is truly commendable.”

Baker was one of three SCSU employees to receive awards from Minnesota State.

Dr. Melanie Guentzel, director of graduate student services, was recognized as a 2025 Outstanding Service Faculty recipient. Dr. Jungwon Ahn, associate professor of engineering and engineering technology, was named a 2025 Outstanding Educator.

Award winners were formally honored at a luncheon on April 16 in St. Paul.

Editor-in-chief Brandie Yale, Ph.D. Managing editor Zach Dwyer Content producers Colleen Harrison Marsha Shoemaker Design Marie Madgwick ’91 Contact us: ST. CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY 720 Fourth Ave. S. St. Cloud, MN 56301-4498

1980

First trivia weekend with 49 teams participating

2,300+

Teams have participated over the years

Above, KVSC held its 46th annual Trivia Weekend in February with a theme of Trick-or-Trivia for the 50-hour trivia marathon.

Below, the KVSC Trivia event first began in 1980.

Stefan’s Dream was the team champion for 2025, winning their fifth consecutive contest.

University Communications ucomm@stcloudstate.edu 320-308-3152 stcloudstate.edu/ucomm Alumni Engagement alumni@stcloudstate.edu 320-308-3177 or 866-464-8759 scsu.mn/ourscsu St. Cloud State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, marital status, status with regards to public assistance, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or status as a U.S. veteran. For additional information, contact the Office for Institutional Equity & Access, (320) 308-5123, Admin. Services Bldg. Rm 121.

ST. CLOUD STATE MAGAZINE

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AROUND CAMPUS

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2024 Alumni Survey!

Your feedback is appreciated and will help us to continue connecting with #OurSCSU community.

Above, Holocaust survivor Manny Gabler (center) smiles for a photo with a group from St. Cloud Technical & Community College after speaking in St. Cloud State’s Ritsche Auditorium on Feb. 12. Over 150 people attended the event.

30 YEARS

The Center for Holocaust and Genocide Education has been educating SCSU and the community about the Holocaust and other genocides since 1995, offering relevant programming from survivors and experts.

8 DANCE TEAM EARNS SEVENTH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP The St. Cloud State University Dance Team won their seventh national championship at the Universal Dance Association (UDA) College Nationals on Jan. 19, taking first place in the Open Gameday category.

The SCSU Dance Team has a long standing history of excellence competitively, consistently ranking in the top-five nationally. The 2025 competition marked the 30th year of SCSU competing at the UDA Nationals, where the Huskies have previously won four consecutive UDA Open Gameday national titles from 2020-2023 and UDA Open Pom national titles in 2016 and 2021.

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SCSU had to overcome adversity this year, earning a point deduction in the semifinal round that had them sitting in fifth place heading into the finals. Head coach Brittany Kwallek ’16 ’19 said the young

AROUND CAMPUS

FOREVER HUSKIES More than 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students participated in commencement ceremonies on May 8 and 9.

9 team, with nearly half the members competing at nationals for the first time, pulled together to achieve the incredible result of topping Endicott College by 0.1 points to win the national title.

“Making the jump from fifth place to first is unheard of and is still so surreal,” Coach Kwallek said, who was a dancer on the 2016 Open Pom title team. “I knew from the first practice that this team was special and destined to do great things.”

SCSU also placed fourth in the Open Pom and Open Jazz categories. To commemorate 30 years of competing, the Huskies had connections to historical teams within their routines, like using music in mixes from past years or wearing jazz costumes inspired by the 2011 team.

“This season was nothing short of amazing,” Kwallek said. “Our incredible alumni paved the way to help us get to where our program is. We hope we made them proud this season.”

A NEW TRADITION HONORING OUR FOREVER HUSKIES:

GRADUATION PINS! Launched in 2024, the St. Cloud State graduation pin has quickly become a cherished symbol of achievement and pride.

Each graduate receives this commemorative pin as a lasting reminder of their academic journey and a lifelong connection to #OurSCSU community.

ST. CLOUD STATE MAGAZINE

AROUND CAMPUS

10 SCSU PLACES FIRST AT MINNESOTA STATE COLLEGIATE CYBER DEFENSE COMPETITION St. Cloud State University took first place at the 2025 Minnesota State Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (CCDC) earlier this semester, held by the Minnesota State IT Center of Excellence.

Ten teams from across Minnesota competed at Alexandria Technical and Community College on Jan. 25.

“They were able to successfully apply what was learned in the classroom to a real-world scenario,” CCDC Advisor Dave Keller said, who is a professor of cybersecurity at SCSU. “Their initiative to extend their learning beyond the classroom’s four walls reflects on the very best of what SCSU stands for.”

In a controlled virtual environment, CCDC competitors assume administrative and protective duties for an existing “commercial” network — typically a small company with over 50 users, seven to 10 servers and standard internet services such as a web server, mail server and e-commerce site.

Each team begins the competition with an identical set of hardware and software and is scored on their ability to detect and respond to outside threats, maintain the availability of existing services such as mail servers and web servers, respond to business requests such as the addition or removal of additional services and balance security needs against business needs.

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Throughout the competition, an automated scoring engine periodically verifies each team’s services’ functionality and availability, and traffic generators feed simulated user traffic into the competition network. A volunteer Red Team (Ethical Hackers) provides the “external threat” of all internet-based services, which allows the teams to match their defensive skills against live opponents (hackers).

SCSU’s team was captained by Griffin Davies, who was competing in his third CCDC. Other team members included Naima Mumin, Carl Jenson, Dustin Pollreis, Liam Browning, Kenneth Quinn, Colin Robertson and Ryan Stearns.

“Griffin was competing in his third CCDC, and the painstaking preparation he subjected his fellow team members to was the key to victory as the SCSU team managed to survive the Red Team’s final offensive relatively unscathed,” Keller said.

SCSU also had an alternate team who was able to participate but not have their score counted towards the title. They gained valuable experience and performed well, tallying a score that would’ve placed them third overall.

“The faculty and staff of the Department of Computing, Informatics, and Data Science are very proud of our students,” Department Chair Mark Petzold added.

SCSU finished their season in March by placing sixth at the Regional CCDC in Indiana.

AROUND CAMPUS MEN’S SWIM & DIVE, WRESTLING END SEASONS WITH NATIONAL RUNNER-UP PERFORMANCES The St. Cloud State Men’s Swimming and Diving and Wrestling programs both capped off their seasons with impressive performances on the national stage.

Wrestling was led by 157-pound runner-up Joel Jesuroga at the NCAA Championships, where the team would go on to place third in Division II.

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Top 3 NCAA Championship finishes since 2011 for SCSU Wrestling

Above, Huskies Men’s Swim & Dive team places eighth at the NCAA Division II Championships.

Below, SCSU Men’s Wrestling team finishes third at the NCAA Division II Championships.

The five-time national champion Huskies had five student-athletes earn All-America honors, including senior Nick Novak (165 pounds) and Bryce Dagel (174 pounds) each placing fourth at nationals.

SCSU Men’s Swim & Dive finished in eighth place at the NCAA Division II Championships, their highest finish in program history. Team members achieved 12 All-America performances, also setting five new school records during the meet.

Fifth-year senior Raf Hendricks had the top individual performance for the Huskies, finishing as national runner-up in the 200-yard backstroke. He earned six All-America honors throughout the meet to end his SCSU career with 24 total All-America performances.

Huskies, share your story at scsu.mn/ourscsu

ST. CLOUD STATE MAGAZINE

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Mandy Thalhuber ’08 is a broadcast meteorologist for MPR News.

Alumna fueled since a young age by her passion for weather

BY COLLEEN HARRISON

Scan the QR code to read more #OurSCSU stories

eather has always been fascinating for Mandy Thalhuber ’08.

“I’ve wanted to be a meteorologist ever since I was a little girl. That never changed,” she said. “I was a 5-year-old blonde with pigtails chasing storms in my driveway and staring at the clouds and always giving my parents weather reports.”

For Thalhuber, enrolling at St. Cloud State University to pursue that passion was an easy choice. She wanted to stay moderately close to home — which at the time was about an hour away from St. Cloud, and SCSU was and still is the only option for a meteorology degree in Minnesota.

Thalhuber majored in meteorology and minored in mass communications, finishing her bachelor’s degree in 2008. While on campus she was a resident advisor, worked in admissions giving campus tours and was involved in student media with both UTVS and KVSC. “I really just fell in love with the campus and everything about it,” she said. “I loved giving tours and helping other prospective Huskies choose whether to go there or not.”

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I love that I get to help the public understand the weather — to help them get a visual for the weather and what’s coming and help prepare them.

– MANDY THALHUBER ’08

While Thalhuber has been interested in weather since she was a child, she also enjoys meeting new people and discussing weather as part of her job with MPR News.

13 After graduation, Thalhuber was hired by Weatherology — Weather Eye Radio Network at the time — as a meteorologist and worked there for nearly 15 years before joining MPR News as a broadcast meteorologist.

“I love that I get to help the public understand the weather — to help them get a visual for the weather and what’s coming and help prepare them. Providing severe weather coverage helps keep people safe,” she said. “When weather does turn scary or dangerous even, that’s a highlight of my job — that we effectively save lives.

Maybe not like doctors or nurses, but we save lives and property by covering the storms and making sure people are safe.”

In addition to making people aware of possible weather events, Thalhuber enjoys working with the public.

“I love meeting new people and seeing people who have the same passion for weather ... they light up just as much as I do when I talk about my job,” she said.

Thalhuber said she still sometimes refers to textbooks and notes from her classes at SCSU, and she still reads daily weather reports from Bob Weisman, meteorology professor emeritus.

“I had and I do have such high respect for the professors there and their love and passion for teaching,” she said. “The thing about weather is we’re constantly learning. It’s constantly evolving and changing, so there is so much to learn still.”

While Thalhuber loves what she does for a living, she encourages students and prospective meteorologists to understand what they’re signing up for with a career focused on weather. Covering weather does not entail traditional hours, and severe weather means extra hours and additional stress.

“Your love and passion have to outweigh the constraints there are in the job. Weather is 24/7, 365 days a year. Weather is not a nine-to-five job; it doesn’t know weekends,” she said. “What you want to do with your meteorology degree has to outweigh the fact that you will be working weekends and nights and possibly overnights, depending on the job you pick. It has to be a right fit for you.”

Despite the unconventional schedule her work produces, Thalhuber wouldn’t have it any other way. She urges others to find what they’re passionate about and to follow that path.

“I think my advice for people is just to be proud of where you came from, what school you went to and never forget how far you’ve come,” she said. “I remember days where I’d be crying into my textbooks, thinking, ’What am I doing with my life? This is so hard.’ And then I look at myself now and realize it was all worth it.

Just keep striving for what you want.”

You should never stop learning, so that’s what we plan to do.

– KATYA REKA ’07

Katya Reka ’07

Gatis Cirulis ’06

Couple look to share joy through creating and teaching art

BY COLLEEN HARRISON

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passion and curiosity for art initially led two St. Cloud State University alumni to their alma mater, where they’d eventually find each other.

Gatis Cirulis ’06, originally from Latvia, came to the U.S. after serving in the military. He originally started going to school in Michigan before discovering an interest in art. He started working in St. Cloud before enrolling at SCSU to finish his Bachelor of Fine Arts.

Katya Reka ’07, originally from Ukraine, said her journey to St. Cloud State was a “long, winding path” that ultimately brought her to the right place. Reka and Cirulis met when faculty introduced them in order to work on a web design project. The rest is history.

“It was amazing,” she said. “It was a good decision to come to St. Cloud.”

Reka earned her BFA in studio art in 2007 while Cirulis earned his BFA in art in 2006.

The couple now reside in New Mexico with their daughter. They’ve both made careers of teaching a variety of artistic mediums as well as compiling a long list of freelance clients.

They started Nomadic Circus Studio, which produces book and fiber art, graphic design, letterpress and pieces through other artistic mediums.

Scan the QR code to read more #OurSCSU stories

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Gatis Cirulis and Katya Reka, together, started Nomadic Circus Studio that is housed out of their home. They have multiple projects lined up at any given time, but are looking to collaborate more in the future, especially as their letterpress work has been gaining momentum.

“I started working at an ad agency, and I remember designing things that were meant to be thrown out and kind of rethinking my life choices. But then I thought about design as a designer — people using design for other things than just selling and advertising, and that kept me interested in the field of design,” Reka said. “Then I discovered teaching and that was a big passion. Teaching at a university level, working with young adults, helping them make the choices that I was once helped with.”

“I look for something that gives joy,” Cirulis added. “It’ll be as simple as that quality experience, quality in presenting, quality in creating things and having joy myself in working, as well as giving joy to others.”

While both have taken some time off from teaching in higher education at different stages in their careers, Reka — who has previously been a remote faculty member for SCSU — has started teaching children through her local schools. She has discovered interesting similarities as well as differences between teaching the different age groups.

“Getting to work with younger kids, that’s completely different. I think the impact is even greater because they’re not worried about a job. They’re not worried about money; they’re not worried about making it, so it’s about getting them to make good decisions. I teach technology, so we talk about visual language. We talk about safety online, but we also talk about AI and ownership and

what’s going to happen to their experience with the internet,” Reka said. “Graphic design as a profession, for example, will not be the same completely. I see fifth graders doing the level of work that my 25-year-olds would do in graduate school, so that’s been interesting.

I think impact comes where you know you still have to teach them to ask the right questions ... even if technology changes, the why is still stay human, stay humane. It’s getting back to the roots of it and trying to keep them on the right path. Be kind, be human. So that’s what keeps me going.”

Both Cirulis and Reka have multiple projects lined up at any given time, but are looking to collaborate more in the future, especially as their letterpress work has been gaining momentum.

“More and more we’ve been talking about getting into the studio more together instead of giving each other time to work separately — getting in the studio more together and making a book together,” Reka said. “Maybe a children’s book or something like that, and setting a production schedule for ourselves, a book a year or a book every few months.”

“Get back to that studio experience, where we met,” Cirulis added.

“Talk, grow, experiment. I feel like part of adulting is losing some of that freedom you have as a student,” Reka said. “You should never stop learning, so that’s what we plan to do.”

ST. CLOUD STATE MAGAZINE

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BY ZACH DWYER

Father’s diagnosis leads SCSU student to find impactful role in community O

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livia Simonson knew the Honors College at St. Cloud State spoke to what she wanted out of her college experience.

The Bismarck native connected with their message of students not only being scholars, but also people that interact with their community as outstanding leaders that can represent St. Cloud.

A key part of that hands-on learning occurs in the Honors College’s classes on community engagement, which are a sequence of one-credit courses.

Students begin the first semester researching one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that resonates with them and relates to challenges facing the St. Cloud community.

The following semester they volunteer with a community organization that lines up with their research.

Simonson is majoring in English literature and plans to go into the education field. She originally did her preliminary research on nationwide challenges facing local school districts like St. Cloud Area School District 742, focusing on services being provided for students and their parents.

But then a diagnosis not only changed her research focus.

It changed her life.

SERVICE WITH A PURPOSE Simonson’s father Jeff was given a preliminary diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) last July, which she said immediately shook her family.

“There’s not a cure; you’re going to deteriorate really quickly and your family isn’t

going to be able to communicate with you anymore,” Simonson said.

When it was time to do her volunteer work for the community engagement course, Simonson felt inspired to go a different direction than the education field.

Working with Honors College Executive Director Jennifer Cavalli, she found a new placement at the St. Cloud Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital.

“I wanted to work with the VA because they deal with MS research, and I wanted to advocate for people like my dad,” she said.

Simonson volunteered every Friday for 2-4 hours, helping veterans with mobility issues go to and from appointments.

“My job was to make them feel at home in a place that wasn’t their home,” Simonson said. “I formed such great connections with the patients I had. They’re just looking for someone to talk to during that time and be a positive person in their day. While I wasn’t saving lives, being there for them is just as important as their actual treatment.”

It also helped her realize privileges she takes for granted, especially working with veterans who can no longer walk.

“There was so much I learned from them,” Simonson said. “I want to go back and work with them again.”

Instead of just saying she was there to fulfill a class obligation, Simonson was able to proudly say she was volunteering each week for her dad. Other volunteers were able to share stories of family members dealing with MS, helping her know she wasn’t alone.

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“It was therapeutic; people don’t understand how hard it is not to be the one who’s sick but to watch,” Simonson said.

“It really was a support system, and I can’t thank them enough for that.”

COMMUNITY-ENGAGED LEARNING Impactful service opportunities are exactly what Cavalli had in mind when designing an Honors College curriculum.

“It’s a collaborative effort to improve all of our community members lives,” she said.

“Having Honors be able to make a contribution to that long-term campus-wide effort is a really important thing.”

The executive director knew community research and action is an important component of that mission.

I wanted to work with the VA because they deal with MS research, and I wanted to advocate for people like my dad.

– OLIVIA SIMONSON

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In a non-traditional class like “Approaches to Community-Engaged Learning,” students spent the majority of their semester out of the classroom at volunteer sites. This allows them to see how impactful sustained community outreach can be.

“These courses are about becoming embedded with a partner to help that partner achieve its mission,” Cavalli said. “It’s not about us in the classroom pointing out problems … we’re not solving anything, we’re becoming collaborators in whatever way they need us.

“I’m really grateful to all the students in that class, because they did the work of building what this class can be,” Cavalli added. “They really liked that they had that role.”

The community partners were invited to attend end-of-semester presentations, giving the organizations a platform to share their mission and co-present on students’ experiences.

When Simonson gave her presentation, Cavalli was glad she had tissue in hand.

“Olivia opened her lightning talk with a selfie with her dad; I’m always so proud of my students when they do a public presentation because of the preparation and courage it takes,” Cavalli said. “With Olivia, that level of vulnerability was amplified. She shared her personal narrative as being the driver behind this engagement.

I always feel pride when I hear one of my students present on their learning, but that

moved me in a way I don’t think I’ve been moved before.”

It not only had a lasting impact on the audience, but also for Simonson herself.

“The Honors College is still developing, and to be part of that is amazing,” Simonson said. “It’s being rebuilt into something that involves community, and it helps people like me be a leader in a community where I didn’t know anybody. I’m grateful for that class and to talk about my volunteer experience.”

ST. CLOUD STATE MAGAZINE

BY ZACH DWYER

PREPARED

Olivia Abraham smiles for a photo before preparing breakfast in the Garvey Commons kitchens.

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FOR SUCCESS CO2 PROGRAM OFFERS DISTRICT 742 STUDENTS VA LU A B L E W O R K , LIFE EXPERIENCE St. Cloud State University has origins as a teaching college dating back more than 155 years, always striving to provide education in new and innovative ways.

That goal isn’t possible without strong community partnerships. And for over two decades, SCSU has joined together with St. Cloud Area School District 742 to offer an effective career preparation program for special education students.

The Community Options 2 (CO2) Program is a transition program for special education students ages 18-22, which works to build upon their skills and passions to prepare them to find a job in the community.

Students spend the mornings working an internship at a local business or education facility, followed by classroom learning on SCSU’s campus in the afternoon.

ST. CLOUD STATE MAGAZINE

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We always wanted to be on campus, because this is where young adults are. CO2 is one of our last stepping stones of service before the students move on in life.

– MARY HACKEY, CO2 WORK EXPERIENCE COORDINATOR

“We always wanted to be on campus, because this is where young adults are,” Mary Hackey said, who has been one of the program’s work experience coordinators for 14 years. “CO2 is one of our last stepping stones of service before the students move on in life.”

Community work locations outside of District 742 include CentraCare, Coborn’s, College of St. Benedict’s Gorecki Center, Peter’s Auto, Krillan Printing, Hour Glass Cleaners, Omni, Monumental Sales Inc. and Goodwill.

The Herb Brooks National Hockey Center, Public Safety, KVSC, UTVS and the Miller Learning Resources Center have also provided internships or partnerships on campus over the years.

“They get so many different experiences from their three different work sites throughout the year,” special education teacher Amber Christie said. “It helps them figure out what they like or don’t like, what they’re good at and it helps them build their resume and confidence.

“They make connections and have good references for their resumes, who can speak to how much they’ve grown and what they’re capable of,” she added. “It’s not uncommon for our students to apply for a job or get a job after their internship.”

20

Richard Munoz adds toppings to a pizza in Garvey Commons.

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Leslie Bari (left) helps Olivia Abraham place waffles on a tray in the Garvey Commons kitchen. Bari has been a job coach with the CO2 program for two decades.

Training people takes time; the SCSU employees really invest in our students and their learning, and they are patient with that process.

– MARY HACKEY, CO2 WORK EXPERIENCE COORDINATOR

Hannah Pederson prepares food in Garvey Commons kitchen.

WORKING AT GARVEY SCSU’s dining hall, Garvey Commons, has been the longest-term partner. New groups of students start out every trimester for their internship, working in a variety of food service roles.

Sage Shoutz was one of those students in the fall.

While initially a little hesitant to work at Garvey, she quickly learned to enjoy her new internship site.

“I’ve been working with chefs to dish up food, cut up vegetables and do a lot of prep work,” Shoutz said. “It was a great opportunity; the people I was surrounded by were very pleasant and the environment was really nice.”

Hackey attributes that environment to the Garvey full-time staff, who she has found to be the most accommodating individuals to helping students who struggle.

“We have students that come in with minimal job skills, and they’re just at developing stage,” Hackey said. “Training people takes time; the SCSU employees really invest in our students and their learning, and they are patient with that process.

Chef Todd “Tito” Hart has been working with CO2 students for over 20 years, and he serves as the kitchen supervisor during their shifts.

His goal is to make the students as comfortable as possible, giving them space to grow and learn how to safely prepare food.

21

If you’re in this building with us, you’re part of the Garvey team. Our students really feel like employees when they’re here. They work like a giant family.

– LESLIE BARI, JOB COACH

ST. CLOUD STATE MAGAZINE

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“They’ll bring home what I teach them, and they feel more comfortable working with the equipment after the knowledge we’ve gave them,” Hart said.

Hart works closely with job coach Leslie Bari, who has also been working at Garvey for two decades.

Bari enjoys the difference she is able to make in the students’ lives, seeing them grow and mature from beginners to becoming confident workers. She tries to serve as a bridge for the students, reminding them when to ask questions and helping them re-train on tasks.

“If you’re in this building with us, you’re part of the Garvey team,” Bari said. “Our students really feel like employees when they’re here. They work like a giant family.”

Her work doesn’t go unnoticed. Bari earned a District 742 Educational Support Staff Award in December for helping create a safe, welcoming and enriching space that helps students thrive.

Huskies Dining director Michelle Jacobson has seen firsthand how important job coaches like Bari are to the success of the CO2 program.

“It takes a special type of individual that is passionate about giving people life skills and independence,” Jacobson said. “She works hand-in-hand with the students; she’s not just telling them what to do. She’s a very good partner.”

Huskies Dining has hired several individuals to part-time positions after their time in the CO2 Program. Jacobson said it’s especially rewarding to be invited to their graduation.

“CO2 students teach us more than we teach them,” she said.

“The students teach us patience and how to be mindful of how we communicate with individuals. Here the students feel like they belong to something bigger than themselves.”

CO2 students have pride in helping create what all the students on campus are eating.

It’s very rewarding.

– MICHELLE JACOBSON, DIRECTOR, HUSKIES DINING

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From money to resumes to heath care to work safety, students develop the ability to be as self-sufficient as possible.

– SEAN ROQUETTE, SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER

REAL-WORLD PREPARATION After students work at job sites in the mornings, they eat lunch together in Garvey. Students have the opportunity to have their friends taste food they prepared only hours earlier.

“CO2 students have pride in helping create what all the students on campus are eating,” Jacobson said. “It’s very rewarding.”

Students then spend their afternoons attending classes in Riverview. The building began as a model school for training teachers over 100 years ago in 1913, making it a fitting place to teach the next generation.

Morgan Bissett, who is in her second year of the CO2 program, currently is placed as an office assistant at Quarryview Education Center in Waite Park.

She particularly enjoys Sean Roquette’s classes on personal finances.

“What we need to know about being a responsible adult and the life lessons he teaches are really important,” Bissett said. “Part of independent living is how to manage a budget, that has really helped me understand that aspect of life in a simple but formal way in how he teaches the class.”

The classroom work reinforces CO2’s entire mission: Help students develop their independence and build practical skills that can help benefit themselves and their community.

“From money to resumes to heath care to work safety, students develop the ability to be as self-sufficient as possible,” Roquette said. “We get to celebrate with students as they take steps into adulthood, like when they pass the permit test or get their first job.

We also get to support them on the hard days and help them develop the resiliency and strength they will need in life.

“CO2 has an amazing team of talented, committed staff that walk with students until they are ready to go on their own,” he added. “It is amazing to watch so many incredible people, students and staff alike, sharing their gifts and empowering one another to be their best.”

Sean Roquette explains different types of taxes while he teaches a class on personal finances in Riverview.

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CO2 has an amazing team of talented, committed staff that walk with students until they are ready to go on their own. It is amazing to watch so many incredible people, students and staff alike, sharing their gifts and empowering one another to be their best.

– SEAN ROQUETTE, SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER

WHO’S WHO

BY MARSHA SHOEMAKER

OF PERFORMERS, SPEAKERS CAME TO CAMPUS

BY MARSHA SHOEMAKER

For decades St. Cloud State has welcomed a dazzling array of notable performers who came to share their songs, wisdom, ideals and perspectives with students and the community.

HT TP S://TODAY.STCLOUDSTATE.EDU/MAG | SPRING / SUMMER 2025

A who’s who of musicians, poets, activists, politicians, writers and entertainment figures were brought to campus to enrich and enhance student life as an integral part of their education.

With the average ticket price for a seat at a top 100 concert tour now at around $135 – and in the thousands of dollars for big-name performers – it’s amazing to look back at the list of popular entertainers and luminaries who wowed audiences at St. Cloud State for free or less than $5 a seat.

When Elton John (Photo A), now acclaimed as one of the top five recording artists of all time, headlined a concert at Halenbeck Hall during 1972 May Daze, tickets to hear the now legendary singer and piano man perform early hits like “Tiny Dancer” and “Levon” were $1.50 for students and $3 for the general public.

The prices were kept low in part because student fees covered much of what celebrities charged for the booking, and because these famous visitors were anxious to attract their fans and future followers for far less than today’s going rates.

“It was the way they could sell albums,” said former Atwood administrator Margaret Vos ’72 ’82 of the concert scene that once saw top-tier performers crisscrossing campuses across the country at rates that translated to ticket prices students could easily afford.

“It’s a whole different world now,” she said. “Today’s tickets are far from five bucks.”

A

C

E

D B F

They were usually on their way up.

– PAT KRUEGER ’84

As part of the SCSU’s sesquicentennial celebration in 2019, University Archivist Tom Steman and former Atwood program director Pat Krueger ’84, who was awarded a posthumous alumni award in 2024, went on local radio station WJON to reminisce about the heydays of famous or soon-tobe-hot celebrities Krueger was instrumental in bringing to campus, particularly in the 1970s and ’80s.

“They usually were on their way up; the first time I worked with John Denver (B), we had him in a smaller venue,” Krueger said of the free concert Denver gave in Stewart Hall’s auditorium in 1969. “By the time he did his last show here in 1970, he had filled Halenbeck Hall, much to his delight.”

The return of singer Denver, who was fast becoming a top-selling recording artist of his era with his songs that crossed from folk to country to pop, also delighted his audience.

One of those individuals was future student Diane Moeller, who went on to earn degrees from St. Cloud State in 1977 and 1982. Moeller would go on to receive the distinguished alumni award for contributions to education and has served in Alumni Association and SCSU Foundation Board leadership positions. She recalled the thrill of going to the Denver concert while she was still in high school.

“He sang all the favorites,” she said.

“The audience loved the whole concert, and I remember how personable he was.”

Moeller also has memories of attending The 5th Dimension’s performance in Halenbeck after they had won their Record of the Year Grammy Award in 1969 for the hit song, “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine in.”

Moeller couldn’t remember how much the tickets were to these shows, but she recalls it being affordable.

“I know it was not a lot,” she said. “I was a poor college student working full time at a grocery store while doing a double major.”

MUSICAL ACTS AND THE UNIVERSITY PROGRAM BOARD Other famous musicians who entertained at SCSU included Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong (E), who was a legendary leader in the developing years of jazz and appeared in 1966, two years after winning a Grammy Award for “Hello Dolly,” and a year before he sang his beloved “What a Wonderful World.”

In the 1970s Chicago, Three Dog Night, Ike and Tina Turner, Kansas, Cheap Trick (C) and Hall & Oates were among the popular rock bands to appear on campus.

The country music greats who came to SCSU include the Charlie Daniels Band in 1976 and 1982, Reba McIntire in 1985 and Hank Williams Jr. (D) in 1995. Comedians included Lily Tomlin, Bill Cosby, Bob Hope (F), Louie Anderson and the Smothers Brothers.

ST. CLOUD STATE MAGAZINE

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SCSU IS A VIBRANT CAMPUS, THEN AND NOW

G

Campus life has shifted from the days of all in-classroom academics and the big-name concerts, dances, parades and other hallmarks of 20th Century college days.

Rapidly evolving technology, changing demographics, economic realities and expanded lifestyles have collided to require offering students a new kind of campus environment with resources and opportunities that help them feel supported and connected to university life.

“We’re always trying to figure out what students want and to offer a wide variety of events and activities,” said Carly Frederick ’20 ’22, assistant director of Campus Involvement. “We all agree that students need to feel like they belong, to feel like they are part of it.”

Helping students feel connected has become more of a challenge as fewer live on campus and in the adjacent neighborhood. Of the more than 10,000 students enrolled, a little over 10 percent live in residence halls on campus. More than 25 percent are what’s considered “nontraditional,” older than 25, many with families and jobs. Many are choosing to take classes online. Others are enrolled in post-secondary options, taking college courses while still in high school.

26

H

The Huskies Events and Activities Team is a student-led programming organization planning activities that are entertaining, educational, diverse and mostly free. Events – often with a different food component – include Atwood After Dark, BINGO, Karaoke, Huskychella, Backyard Bash and monthly movies.

Live entertainment includes bands, comedians, hypnotists, magicians and new and different fun off-campus events like an evening at the Skatin’ Place this February during a blizzard, where over 200 attended for a night of roller skating, laser tag and arcade games.

“We are trying to provide high-quality programming throughout the year within budget,” Frederick added. “That budget is still from student fees, but costs of products have almost doubled. The pandemic had an effect, but we’ve rebounded and are trying new collaborations and looking to possibly do events with local businesses. I’d like to see a food truck festival.”

While the types of signature events have changed, St. Cloud State remains a vibrant campus with a mix of traditional and contemporary activities for today’s students.

We’re always trying to figure out what students want and to offer a wide variety of events and activities.

– CARLY FREDERICK, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT

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Television personalities included Bob “Captain Kangaroo” Keeshan (G) and Leonard Nimoy (H), Mr. Spock on the wildly popular original Star Trek series, as well as Jerry “The Beaver” Mathers.

Influential Hollywood film directors Frank Capra and Spike Lee (I) spoke in 1975 and 1992, respectively.

Some of the star performances over the years were part of a homecoming activity or another special event. Bobby McFerrin, who in 1988 won Grammy Awards for both song and album of the year for his global No. 1 hit, “Don’t Worry Be Happy,” was part of a 1995 benefit concert to raise money for the renovation of Stewart Hall Auditorium, later named Kimberly A. Ritsche Auditorium.

McFerrin, whose musical genres include jazz and classical as well as expertise in a cappella vocal techniques, may be the only second-generation musician to entertain at St. Cloud State. His father, opera baritone Robert McFerrin, who was the first African American man to sing at

W H O ’ S

I

W H O

J

K

My experience at UPB was transformational and drove me to be the person, the professional, I am today.

– LAURA ENGELMAN CRAWFORD ’11

the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, performed on campus in 1955.

It was the creative work of staff and students who sought and booked entertainers and organized performances who made it all work, said Vos and Jessica Ostman ’87 ’92, who became director of the University Program Board (UPB) in 1996 and worked in various leadership capacities in Atwood through 2019. They credit Toshi Schwerdtfeger, who ran student activities in the 1980s and ’90s, and Krueger with having the connections and networking skills to land big-name entertainers.

“Nobody was doing the big shows like we were,” Ostman said.

The UPB was an ever-changing group of dedicated students who worked through every aspect of ensuring successful performances.

“They were truly invested in this institution,” Ostman said. “Up to 150 UPBinvolved students might be working at one event; they were so proud to be here.”

While the 1970s and ’80s brought greater numbers of famous musicians and speakers to campus, UPB alumni have great memories of working with exciting performers in the 1990s, and into the 2000s.

In 1997 SCSU hosted one of its most successful concerts when the Wallflowers (J), whose lead singer and frontman is Bob Dylan’s son, Jakob Dylan, came to campus for the first time.

“The Wallflowers was our biggest selling concert in history,” Ostman said. “We couldn’t fit any more into Halenbeck. I thought the bleachers were going to break!”

“It took everybody to pull it together,” Ostman added of the collective efforts of staff and students.

“When [rock band] Bush and [singer and animal rights activist] Moby came in 2000, one of the items listed on their dressing room food list was carrot juice, and we had no idea how to get carrot juice in St.

Cloud,” said Chrissy Hayne Rehnberg Eide ’01 ’14, an alumna of the UPB Concert Committee. “KCLD invited us on the radio, and we asked listeners to bring in juicing machines to make carrot juice to win tickets to the concert.”

“Overall helping with Wallflowers, Bush/Moby, John Michael Montgomery, Semisonic and Weird Al Yankovic (K) were amazing experiences,” Rehnberg Eide said of some of the special guests she worked with. “All UPB members that helped were allowed into the meet and greets for most concerts, which for many of us was our first time to have that opportunity. Long days on the day of the concerts, but always well worth it at the end of the day.”

“My experience at UPB was transformational and drove me to be the person, and professional, I am today,” said Laura (Engelman) Crawford ’11. “I had amazing mentors, friends, and coworkers every year that helped me deepen my connection to SCSU.

ST. CLOUD STATE MAGAZINE

27

W H O ’ S “I became more confident in my own abilities through running committee meetings, working with professional vendors, entertainers and marketing our events,” added Crawford, whose first job working with students after graduation was at the University of Memphis.

Crawford’s favorite visitor during her time in UPB was Lance Bass, former member of the hugely popular boy band NSYNC, since he was a celebrity that she had been a fan of in childhood.

“I remember preparing for the meetand-greet and being in disbelief that we would be in the same room,” she recalled.

But Crawford’s first major and most influential event she was a part of was the Dashboard Confessional concert.

“I learned how to build strong relationships on a personal and professional level, effectively communicate, create succinct and clear processes, and most of all, how to have fun and work hard at the same time.”

28 POETS, ACTIVISTS, POLITICIANS

AND AUTHORS Besides popular musicians, the luminaries who came to entertain and inform students included a wide range of literary giants, activists, politicians and other eminent figures.

One of the first recorded famous visiting presenters on campus was beloved and Pulitzer Prize-winning American poet Carl Sandburg. The Nov. 20, 1931 edition of the Chronicle reported: “Mr. Sandburg is widely recognized as a rare and many-sided individual, a man who has achieved notable place not only as a poet but as a biographer of Abraham Lincoln and as a philosopher and humorist.”

Beat generation poet and activist Allen Ginsberg read poetry at Atwood Memorial Center’s Coffeehouse Apocalypse in 1977.

The event featured Ginsberg reading “Between One Breath and Another” and other works of his poetry.

Maya Angelou (L), widely renowned for her personal and impactful poetry, her

W H O

moving memoir “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” and her civil rights activism, came to campus in 1991 and again in 2003. In ’91 she addressed 500 people, reading poetry and emphasizing the need for America’s citizens to go to the library.

In 2003 she spoke to more than 2,600 in Halenbeck Hall about her life and the people who influenced her, also encouraging listeners to find inspiration in others.

Ray Bradbury, acclaimed author of “Fahrenheit 451,” “The Martian Chronicles” and other works of science fiction spoke to an admiring crowd at the dedication of the James W. Miller Learning Resources Center in 2000.

Another award-winning humanist and author, Margaret Atwood, visited in 2015 to speak to students and community members who packed Ritsche Auditorium about her novel “Oryx and Crake,” which was the year’s Common Reading Program book first-year students were asked to read.

Among the other legendary activists who spoke on campus were Maulana Shaukat Ali, a Muslim leader in India’s independence movement who gave two lectures in 1933; Jesse Owens, African American Olympic track athlete who won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympic games and American Indian Movement leader Clyde Bellecourt in 1973. Christine Jorgensen, who in 1950 in Denmark underwent the world’s first sex reassignment surgery, spoke in 1973.

Among the other high-profile civil rights leaders who came to campus were Julian Bond in 1975, Rosa Parks in 1981, Jesse Jackson (N) in 1985, Cezar Chavez in 1990 and Angela Davis in 2009.

National political figures have also visited St. Cloud State over the years. As the Republican presidential candidate, Dwight D. Eisenhower (M) crowned 1952 homecoming queen Joyce Pearson on an Oct. 4 campaign trail stop in St. Cloud, and then-Democratic Presidential candidate George McGovern visited in January of 1982.

HT TP S://TODAY.STCLOUDSTATE.EDU/MAG | SPRING / SUMMER 2025

L

M

N

AND SO MANY MORE...

Many notable performers, authors and more have visited SCSU. Scan the QR code to visit SCSU's University Archives to browse through the full collection.

Left, Air Supply; below, Larry Linville

We didn’t ever do this to make money. It was to provide students with a range of experiences as part of their education.

– JESSICA OSTMAN

Former Presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump both spoke to capacity crowds at campus venues in 2012 and 2024, respectively. Clinton spoke in the Atwood Ballroom on behalf of President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign two days before Obama’s second-term win, while Trump’s presidential campaign rented the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center for a July rally.

The proactive efforts to bring outstanding public figures and performers to campus reflects the recognition that creative interaction and the enthusiastic exchange of ideas help make for a vibrant campus.

“We didn’t ever do this to make money,” Ostman said. “It was to provide students with a range of experiences as part of their education.”

29

Above, Hunter Thompson; right, George Thorogood and the Destroyers

ST. CLOUD STATE MAGAZINE

I definitely wanted to find a school that supports adult learners. In addition to that, I was looking for a large international community, and I loved the fact that St. Cloud was multiethnic and multicultural ...

– JAVELIA MORRISON-GALIMORE

Student flourishes in #OurSCSU community; looks to empower fellow Huskies

BY COLLEEN HARRISON

Scan the QR code to read more #OurSCSU stories

W

hen considering universities, St. Cloud State University student Javelia Morrison-Galimore knew she wanted to find an institution that was welcoming to nontraditional students as well as international and first-generation college students.

“I definitely wanted to find a school that supports adult learners. In addition to that, I was looking for a large international community, and I loved the fact that St. Cloud was multiethnic and multicultural,” she said. “That’s pretty much what I was looking for, as well as smaller class sizes. I had been out of the classroom for a while, and I did not want to get lost in the crowd.”

Now a sophomore at St. Cloud State, Morrison-Galimore is flourishing in #OurSCSU community. She’s involved in a number of ways across campus, including but not limited to Students United, Student Government Association, Huskies Events, SCSU Women’s Center and Campus Recreation. She founded and is the current president of the Caribbean Student Association as well as Navigate N.E.X.T. (Network for Educational eXcellence and Transformation). Morrison-Galimore is also a certified sexual violence advocate with the Central Minnesota Sexual Assault Center.

Majoring in computer science with a double minor in honors and cyber security, Morrison-Galimore is looking to find a way to integrate her interest in technology with her passion for government affairs and advocacy.

HT TP S://TODAY.STCLOUDSTATE.EDU/MAG | SPRING / SUMMER 2025

Javelia MorrisonGalimore is a sophomore at SCSU majoring in computer science.

I aspire to work at the nexus of technology, cybersecurity policies, social equity and technology accessibility. I want to continue my work in advocacy.

– JAVELIA MORRISON-GALIMORE

“I aspire to work at the nexus of technology, cybersecurity policies, social equity and technology accessibility. I want to continue my work in advocacy. Being in those spaces, I feel so empowered. I feel like this is where I belong, but my love for technology won’t allow me to give that up, either.

I’ll find a way to bring them both together,” she said. “I want to see the responsible use of technology. Post-graduation, I envision myself advocating for policy reforms that support higher education. I want to make sure technology is not just used for corporate gain, but that it serves marginalized communities that are often left behind in technological progress and advancements beyond that.”

Originally from Jamaica, MorrisonGalimore feels it’s important to utilize any opportunity available to her.

“A lot of people coming from where I was raised, they can’t imagine a life beyond survival. It makes me so emotional at times, because I wish they had the opportunity I have right now,” she said. “It may not seem like much to most. It may seem like, ’Okay, you’re just in a new country.

What’s so special about that?’ Everything; especially a country of opportunities like this. I’m just incredibly grateful that St. Cloud State has provided me with that.”

Morrison-Galimore said she would like to establish her own technology firm that would be dedicated to safeguarding vulnerable sectors like nonprofits, educational institutions, mission-driven entities and social organizations from cybercrimes, while still ensuring the responsible use of tech. She looks to pay it forward in the future and hopes to establish a fellowship for students to get hands-on experience in cybersecurity advocacy and policy advocacy.

It’s paramount to Morrison-Galimore that she be able to support others in their goals.

“These are not just a series of tasks for me because I like to keep busy, but an opportunity to really define what success looks like for nontraditional students like myself, and to create ways for understanding and success for students in general

ST. CLOUD STATE MAGAZINE

31

Javelia Morrison-Galimore is the public relations chair, tech fee committee vice chair and graphic design sub-committee lead for SCSU’s Student Government Association, in addition to being part of a number of other organizations across campus.

32

To support and empower students like Javelia, go to scsu.mn/give to make your impact.

— especially those who are still trying to figure it out. I was so adamant that there were certain things that I knew were in me, but just coming here and having the resources, having the support and the platforms and just positioning myself,” she said. “I like to say, ’If you didn’t stop me before, you won’t stop me again.’ I’ve been so empowered to just keep going. Knowing that my family is proud, and I have a lot of people who are relying on me, I owe it to myself, too. It’s my personal commitment to collective responsibility and stewardship. I have not taken for granted the personal investments that have been made in me.”

Part of Morrison-Galimore’s drive to support others is inspired by the support she’s received in her own educational pursuits. She believes the power of philanthropy unlocks more than financial barriers alone.

“It is more than just financial relief. It reaffirms the work that I’ve already started and the potential that is yet to be discovered. It gives me immense joy to know that my hard work in these spaces — the value that I add, the impact that I make — is recognized.

It’s appreciated and it’s rewarded. The financial relief, of course, is amazing, but for me it’s more than that,” she said. “It’s empowering to carry on with the work I have already started and to know that I have the support from this institution and even external entities. It is amazing. It feels like a second chance. I certainly do not take that for granted.

It gives me a lot of hope for what is to come, and that is one of the most rewarding parts of my journey so far. It is definitely a validation of my efforts and my personal commitment to dismantling barriers and challenging the status quo and bridging those gaps.”

HT TP S://TODAY.STCLOUDSTATE.EDU/MAG | SPRING / SUMMER 2025

Chad Germann ’96 ’98

Dr. Laurie Putnam ’19

An entrepreneurial drive, creative mindset and a desire to impact his community led Chad Germann to start his own business.

Putnam, 2025 Minnesota Superintendent of the Year, said the recognition is thanks to not just her, but the team at the St. Cloud Area School District 742 and the community of St. Cloud as a whole.

Marketing firm’s success stems from founder’s roots in advertising and Native American culture

Minnesota’s Superintendent of the Year works to make all students feel welcome

Read more

Read more

GET YOUR

HUSKY PLAZA BRICK

scsu.mn/ourscsu

Purchase an engraved brick for the plaza and add to the more than 650 bricks already purchased.

ORDER YOURS TODAY! Read more

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Holly Schreiner ’00 ’08

Max Matthaei ’25

Alumna proud to be director of athletics for her alma mater

Senior appreciates time with swim team, investment club

Holly Schreiner stepped foot on the St. Cloud State University campus in the fall of 1996 and never left.

Max Matthaei is excited for the future, and credits his time at St. Cloud State University with helping him get there.

scsu.mn/huskybricks

ST. CLOUD STATE MAGAZINE

33

#OURSCSU COMMUNITY #OurSCSU community gathered all over the country as well as internationally in late 2024 and early 2025 — thank you for celebrating with us! Go to scsu.mn/events to see all the upcoming events.

THANKSGIVING AT ALNWICK CASTLE AND WINTERFEST AT SCSU Huskies enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner at SCSU at Alnwick and celebrated winter with fellow Huskies at the #OurSCSU annual Winterfest.

34

REGIONAL ALUMNI GATHERINGS Be Huskies proud!

SCSU alumni all over the country gathered with #OurSCSU community for events in Colorado, Arizona and San Diego. And on campus, SCSU’s planetarium opened its doors and skies for an evening of star gazing.

HT TP S://TODAY.STCLOUDSTATE.EDU/MAG | SPRING / SUMMER 2025

CONNECT WITH US We encourage you to use the following handles and hashtag in your social media messaging:

/scsualumni @scsugrad SCSU AT MINNESOTA TWINS SPRING TRAINING Huskies gathered in Florida to check out the Minnesota Twins spring training. All received SCSU/Twins custom swag.

St. Cloud State University Alumni (groups/52275) /scsualumni #OurSCSU

35

CLASS NOTES Check out class notes online by visiting scsu.mn/ourscsu Share your milestones, changes or recent additions to your family — update your profile and information at scsu.mn/updateinfo

Huskies, share your story at scsu.mn/ourscsu ST. CLOUD STATE MAGAZINE

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SCSU ADVANCEMENT & ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT 720 4th Ave. S., St. Cloud, MN 56301

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SAVE THE DATE

SAVE THE DATE!

Join us on campus Oct. 23-25 to connect with #OurSCSU community.

Bookmark stcloudstate.edu/homecoming to see all the events and details as they are released in the coming months!

NEW! ALUMNI REUNION PINS

Return to campus during your reunion year celebration to collect your pin. This year’s Homecoming reunion will celebrate those who graduated in class years ending in 0 or 5.