SMSU Focus Spring 2016 Edition

SMSUFOCUS A magazine for alumni & friends of Southwest Minnesota State University

Civic Engagement at SMSU: The many ways Mustangs are making a difference

Spring 2016 Edition | Inside: SMSU Students’ Memorial Park Project, pg. 6

SMSUFOCUS A magazine for alumni & friends of Southwest Minnesota State University

SPRING 2016 | VOL. 35, NO. 2

SMSU Ranked Nationally for Affordability Southwest Minnesota State University has been ranked No. 24 nationally in the list of 50 Most Affordable Public Schools for Out-ofState Students by AffordableColleges.com.

At SMSU, students benefit from a 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio. With an average outof state tuition of $6,986, the average financial aid award for qualifying students is $4,637 each year.

SMSU offers in-state tuition to all undergraduate students who apply, regardless of their home state.

AffordableColleges.com was created to help make college more cost-effective for students.

Within the five years ranging from the 200809 and 2013-14 academic years, the out-ofstate tuition on a national average increased by 19 percent, severely limiting a student’s ability to study in a different state.

AffordableColleges.com pulled its initial list of schools to rank from IPEDS and College Navigator. These are both respected sources maintained by the National Center for Education Statistics, an entity of the U.S. Department of Education. From there, equal weight was given to the cost of in-state tuition and institutional financial aid rate.

For more information, as well as a full list of the colleges and universities included in the rankings, go to: www.affordablecolleges.com.

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Table of Contents

SMSU Earns Campus Compact President’s Awards Peace Pole Project Comes to Fruition Mustangs Making a Difference Migrant Voices Painting the Stars in Memorial Park Southwest Stories: Melissa Scholten ’07 Mustang Athletics Alumni Connections Class Notes

President Dr. Connie J. Gores Vice President for Advancement/ Executive Director of Foundation Bill Mulso ’93 Director of Alumni Relations Michael VanDrehle ’08/MBA’10 Focus Editor and Designer Marcy D. Olson ’93/MBA’05 Senior Writer and Photographer Jim Tate

Contributors Greg Devereaux Photography Rita Fonder ’16 Brittany Larson ’14/MBA’16 Kelly Loft ’97/MS’11 Mary Meaden Jon Wood Photography

Send correspondence and story ideas to: SMSU Communications & Marketing, Attn: FOCUS 1501 State Street, Marshall, MN 56258 Contact the Focus Editor: Marcy.Olson@SMSU.edu or 507-537-7374 All cities and towns are located in Minnesota unless otherwise noted. Year(s) after names reference degrees obtained at SMSU. Year of undergraduate degree is listed first. Year of graduate degree is listed after MBA or MS.

Feature stories may be reprinted with the written permission of the editor at Marcy.Olson@SMSU.edu.

Other articles may be reprinted without permission provided that credit is given to SMSU.

FOCUS (USPS 565-770) is published twice each year for alumni and friends of Southwest Minnesota State University by the Office of Communications & Marketing at SMSU. Opinions expressed in FOCUS do not necessarily reflect official University policy.

Southwest Minnesota State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action educator and employer.

A member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. ADA Accessible.

This document can be made available in alternative formats to individuals with disabilities. Request by calling 507-537-6255, 1-800-260-0970, or through the Minnesota Relay Service at 1-800-627-3529.

To make name changes and address corrections, call (507) 537-6266 or email alumni@SMSU.edu.

Visit us online www.SMSU.edu and SouthwestAlumni.com Follow the latest SMSU news at www.SMSU.edu/today

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Three Campus Compact President’s Awards Announced Southwest Minnesota State University, a member organization of the Minnesota Campus Compact, selected recipients of three 2016 President’s Awards.

The President’s Awards are in the categories of Student Leadership, Civic Engagement and Community Partners.

The awards were recognized at an April 7 luncheon at Macalester College. SMSU honorees included: • President’s Student Leadership Award: This award is for the student group Enactus, which is dedicated to entrepreneurship. For the second year in a row, Enactus finished in the top eight at the national competition this past May. Enactus annually engages in projects that help individuals and groups while teaching the benefits of entrepreneurship.

Its “Right Direction” initiative assists individuals with a felony conviction find employment. This is done through a number of ways, including resume writing and interview skills assistance, and assisting with proper clothing for interviews. Various agencies in the Marshall region contact Enactus for assistance in helping these individuals.

Enactus is also involved with a three-year pilot program with the city, Marshall Public Schools and the Southwest/West Central Service Coop to better dispose of compostable waste at Park Side Elementary School and the new Red Baron Arena & Expo.

The President’s Student Leadership Award recognizes a student or student organization that shows a deep commitment to civic responsibility and leadership.

• The President’s Community Partner Award: This award is for a number of events from Jan. 11-21, 2016, that celebrated the life and legacy of Civil Rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The SMSU effort was led by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion; Access, Opportunity, Success; and the Center for Civic Engagement, which collaborated with eight Marshall civic organizations.

Events included a volunteer and service fair; a viewing of the movie “Selma”; a panel discussion featuring Charles McDew and Dr. Rickey Hill; a “Who Am I” performance by SMSU and Marshall High School students who dressed up as various Civil Rights leaders and performed short monologues; a performance by vocalist Kimberly Brown; a performance by storyteller Nothando Zulu; and a MLK Breakfast and Day of Service.

The President’s Community Partner Award is for a community-based organization that has enhanced the quality of life in the community in meaningful and measurable ways.

• The President’s Civic Engagement Steward Award: This recognizes SMSU’s Redwood River Mentoring and Monitoring Project, coordinated by Environmental Science Professor Dr. Emily Deaver.

In its 12th year, this project pairs SMSU students with Marshall Public Schools seventh- and 10th-graders, who then collaboratively monitor the Redwood River water quality at three places as it passes through Marshall. SMSU students train 10th-graders how to test the water and they, in turn, work with seventh-graders to test the Redwood River water. This is done twice a year, in the fall, and again in the spring.

The President’s Civic Engagement Steward Award recognizes those that have significantly advanced their campus’ distinctive civic mission by forming strong partnerships, supporting others’ civic engagement and working to institutionalize a culture and practice of engagement.

“I continue to be impressed by the dedication of our students and faculty to civic engagement initiatives,” said Dr. Connie J. Gores, SMSU President. “SMSU has a strong and enduring commitment to civic

Above: President Connie J. Gores with the SMSU Enactus Team, Right: Kimberly Brown performed during the MLK celebration series.

Below: SMSU student, Chinedu Chineyeze, mentors a Marshall High School student during a water quality test this spring.

responsibility and leadership, as demonstrated by these groups both on campus, in the community, and beyond.”

The Minnesota Campus Compact was established in 1994 with 37 college and university presidents as members. It is affiliated with Campus Compact, a national coalition that includes 35 state affiliates and more than 1,100 colleges and university presidents committed to the civic purposes of higher education.

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SMSU Instrumental in Peace Pole Project A collaboration between SMSU and the city of Marshall has resulted in a Peace Pole being placed near the north entrance to the Highway 23 pedestrian overpass. It was officially dedicated on Earth Day, April 22, 2016.

The phrase “May Peace Prevail on Earth” is written in four languages — Hmong, Somali, Lakota and Spanish — on each side of the pole. Those represent four of the major ethnic groups in the Marshall area.

The Peace Pole was made possible through a grant from the Marshall Community Foundation written by SMSU student Cole Wilson, a graduate assistant in the Access, Opportunity, Success (AOS) office. The city of Marshall made possible the plantings near the overpass down Saratoga Street.

During the dedication, SMSU President Connie J. Gores tied the project in with the theme of her inauguration, “The Prairie, the People, the Possibilities” and said she is thankful that SMSU is able to partner with other parties on community-betterment projects.

Marshall Mayor Bob Byrnes talked about the 84 plantings and how they are a diverse example of bushes and trees that do well in this environment. He compared that diversity to the increasing diversity in Marshall and southwest Minnesota.

Paul Stoneberg, president of the Marshall Community Foundation,

From left: Jefferson Lee IV, Michele Knife Sterner, Paul Stoneberg, President Connie J. Gores, and Mayor Bob Byrnes. discussed the history of the foundation and how the Peace Pole project fits in with its emphasis areas of community improvement, diversity, youth development and wellness.

Michele Knife Sterner, Associate Director of AOS, gave a history of the peace pole, and said there are over 200,000 of them worldwide today.

Director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion Jefferson Lee IV discussed the civic engagement aspect of the project and how the Office of Civic Engagement’s mission melds nicely with the mission of the University.

SMSU Adds Two Exercise Science Agreements The Exercise Science degree at Southwest Minnesota State University will be offered at both Anoka-Ramsey and North Hennepin Community Colleges in the fall semester 2016 following the signing of collaborative agreements with the two in April.

That brings to three the number of Twin-Cities-area community colleges where the Exercise Science degree is offered. In the fall of 2015, SMSU and Normandale Community College began a similar collaboration.

Students complete the general education and Associate of Science in Exercise Science degree requirements from one of the community colleges while also earning credits toward a bachelor’s degree from SMSU. Students may enter the four-year degree program as first-semester freshmen or transfer students.

“We are pleased to partner with Anoka-Ramsey and North Hennepin Community Colleges to provide this distinctive bachelor’s degree program,” said SMSU President Dr. Connie J. Gores. “Many of these students are unable to travel to a four-year college a couple of hours away – some are place-bound, with jobs and responsibilities. This is an opportunity to help them earn a degree they might otherwise not have had the opportunity to pursue.”

Associate Professor of Exercise Science Brent Jeffers was instrumental in bringing the two community colleges and SMSU together. Jeffers is a Minneapolis native and has been affiliated with Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) institutions for almost 40 years, as a student, former coach and current professor.

“Four or five years ago, I thought about the changing nature of education, and how it was a shame that there was not an Exercise Science degree offered by a Minnesota State system institution in Minneapolis. I think this is the most exciting project in my career, and its great to work with people so committed to giving more options to students.”

The arrangement is ideal for North Hennepin student Liz Farist, who

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From left: SMSU President Connie J. Gores, NHCC student Liz Farist, and NHCC President Barbara McDonald. just completed her second year of study there. A married ex-Marine who served two tours of duty in Afghanistan, she plans on transferring her two-year AS degree in pursuit of her four-year Exercise Science degree from SMSU. The collaborative agreement will allow her to earn that fouryear SMSU degree at North Hennepin.

“As a veteran, it can be intimidating and scary to be away from your support system,” said Farist. “I’m not afraid of doing things on my own,” she said, “but it’s important to have your support system close. I am confident I can finish my (four-year SMSU) degree here. It gives me an opportunity to continue working with current faculty, as well as a new group of faculty from Southwest Minnesota State University.”

Mustangs Making A Difference Cleveland Pivotal in Healthy56258 Grassroots Initiative Assistant Professor of Exercise Science Kris Cleveland is helping make Marshall and the region a healthier place.

Cleveland is part of a grassroots initiative called Healthy56258. The group’s aim is to establish and sustain a culture of health and wellness.

Its vision is to improve healthy eating and physical activity through strategically selected projects and programs.

Healthy56258 has an active coalition that consists of a cross-section of community stakeholders who are passionate about creating positive changes toward achieving health in the community where they live, work and play.

Cleveland has been a big part of the planning that has been going on in preparation for the launch of Healthy56258. A grant-funded executive director will be hired, and the work to make Marshall and the region a healthier place will begin.

“There’s been a heightened awareness of wellness in the region in the last four to five years,” said Cleveland. “There are a lot of non-profits in the region who provide services, but we feel people might not know

where to go, specifically. Healthy56258 will be a clearinghouse of information.”

Cleveland believes being proactive is the way to go when it comes to a healthier region. “The focus has been so much on the treatment of disease. It will be better if the focus is proactive and focus on disease prevention.”

Cleveland said health statistics specific to southwest Minnesota show certain areas where improvement could be made. “We rank high in cardiovascular disease, for instance,” she said.

“Education is where it has to start.”

SMSU will be the anchor institution for Healthy56258, and will provide office space and utilities, computer, telephone and wireless access. The Marshall Area YMCA will be the fiscal host.

“There’s been a lot of planning involved with this and we’re close to the launch,” said Cleveland. “Everything is planned, we have a business plan, and we’ll be hiring an executive director this summer.”

Will Thomas, Accounting Students Assist at Free Tax Preparation Clinic SMSU accounting students are making a difference in the lives of low-income individuals by volunteering at the free tax preparation clinic, administered through Western Community Action.

Lori Lerohl, tax site program coordinator for Western Community Action, has seen first-hand how volunteer student help has benefitted clients.

“Last year, there was a mother who was leaving and I asked if she got good news (about a refund). She started crying and said with her return and the money she saved from not having to pay for her taxes being done, she was going to be able to buy her 10-year-old son his first bed, and that there may even be a few dollars left for her to buy a new mattress for herself,” said Lerohl.

“My first year at SMSU, I went to Western Community Action and asked about it, whether volunteering could be a part of the class, and we’ve kept doing it every year,” said Accounting Professor Will Thomas.

This marks the 10th year that students have assisted at the clinic, as part of their accounting capstone class.

Students undergo eight hours of training for the class. The clinic does

take appointments, “but they like to keep space open for drop-ins,” he said.

Thomas feels there’s a big benefit to both clients and students.

“Clients benefit by having their return professionally prepared at no cost. These are fairly straightforward returns for the most part — they do not require complex calculations or detailed schedules. Even so, having someone else prepare their return in a professional setting provides peace of mind many people do not experience when they prepare their own return. It also gives our students practical experience outside the classroom where they can use what they’ve learned to help others,” said Thomas.

Lerohl is grateful for Thomas and his students. “Most of our clients could not pay for their taxes to be prepared. We are able lo help them pay much-needed bills and feel a little more secure about their future.

Without the help of Will and the students, we would not be able to help our neighbors. Ten years is a milestone that deserves to be applauded.”

Four Professors Helping Students Learn English at Marshall High School “You have no idea how much it means to the kids. By committing a few hours a week, they are changing lives.”

That’s how Marshall High School English Language (EL) teacher Vicki Radloff feels about four SMSU faculty members who are helping students better understand and speak English.

“It was formerly called English as a Second Language (ESL),” Radloff explained of the English Language curriculum.

The four SMSU volunteers include Professor of History Dr. Jeff Kolnick; Associate Professor of Sociology Dr. Kerry Livingston; Professor of History Dr. Joan Gittens; and Professor of History Dr. Tom Williford.

“They read with our students, and help with anything we have going.

They are volunteers in the classroom,” said Radloff.

“Sometimes it’s just us talking. I have two students who have fulltime jobs and they wanted to quit. Tom (Williford) talked to them, and encouraged them to keep coming to school.”

Radloff appreciates the connections that have been formed between SMSU and Marshall High School. She annually comes and speaks to Education majors about working with EL students, and many SMSU students do their practicums with her at MHS. “It’s really a nice combination,” she said.

She is especially happy to have experienced educators like Kolnick, Livingston, Gittens and Williford volunteer their time each week.

“They’re very good with the students,” she said. “I’m very grateful for what they’ve done to help the students learn English.”

This semester a new series was launched on the SMSU website. The stories feature SMSU faculty, staff and students who are making a difference outside the classroom. If you know of Mustangs Making a Difference in the community, contact the Office of Communications and Marketing; 537-6256; Jim.Tate@SMSU.edu.

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Mu Mu Aye

MIGRANT VOICES: Students Share the Stories of the Region’s Immigrant Community

SMSU junior sociology major Mu Mu Aye had a unique and very personal perspective when she assisted with the Migrant Voices: The Marshall Area Narrative Inquiry Project this past academic year.

The project was led by SMSU Associate Professor of Sociology Dr. Kerry Livingston and conducted by students in her applied research methods class. Class members interviewed 49 recent immigrants to the region, and sought to tell their stories, and find common threads in those stories. A total of 58 students worked on the project, said Livingston.

SMSU students transcribed the interviews and their stories were were put on posters and featured at last December’s Undergraduate Research Conference.

Aye served as a cultural advisor and interpreter for the project and what she heard during the process brought her painfully back to her six years living in a refugee camp near the Thailand-Myanmar border.

Myanmar is a country formerly known as Burma. It is bordered by India, China and Thailand.

She lived in the camp with her mother and several other family members, and, as someone who was educated in her home country, she made the best of the chaos by teaching.

“I became an official refugee in about 2011,” she recalled. “You can apply for resettlement, and my mom applied. It depends on your situation.”

She left the camp with her mother, two brothers and a sister. Two brothers were unable to join the family due to bureaucratic snafus, and remain in refugee camps today.

They moved to Texas originally, and although they were in her desired country, the United States, it was not a good experience. Wages were

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extremely low, making it difficult to pay rent and basic bills. “I felt like we were living in hell,” she said. “Texas was very tough; we had no relatives and couldn’t speak English. No one told me how to ride the bus, told me about regulations. I went to apply for assistance, but I didn’t understand what they were asking,” she said.

“Then a friend I knew who worked at Turkey Valley (in Marshall) told me they needed interpreters, and that I should apply.”

So with a newborn baby, Andrew, she told her husband Eh Chan that they should move to a part of the country they knew little about. (The two met when Aye crashed into his car in Texas.)

Aye and eight other family members live in Marshall, in a house she purchased. She is living a life she could not have imagined 10 years ago, and empathizes with the new immigrants’ struggles.

“Southwest Minnesota is a welcoming part of the country,” she said.

“The schools are good, and a lot of people want to move here. People are nice, and they are helpful.”

Many of the recent immigrants interviewed for the project “are younger people, younger parents, and they work very hard,” she said.

Perhaps the biggest challenge for the immigrants, she feels, “is learning English. It’s a difficult language,” she said. “I went to the Adult Learning Center (for ESL classes). I studied the internet to get better.”

After working in Marshall for a year, she decided to pursue a college education at SMSU. “I want to get a better job to support my family,” she said. “In Burma, the teachers never talked to me. At SMSU, the professors always talk to me. They treat me like a person, and they know how to teach the way I learn.”

And while she has overcome so much already, the Migrant Voices

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Marly Cid, who served as a cultural advisor for the Migrant Voices project, is shown next to her research poster at the Undergraduate Research Conference.

The Migrant Voices project involved a total of 58 SMSU students, including, from left, Hussein Osman, Honor-Ra Hanson and Stephanie Geier.

project has changed her perspective. “I know everyone in this (immigrant) community, but I was surprised I didn’t know what they’ve been through. Some had children die. Some starved in a forest. Some had Burmese soldiers burn down their houses. I don’t know what they have been through in their heart, and they feel so relieved to be able to share their stories. I am so blessed.”

Aye is committed to the immigrant community in Marshall. She works as a minority advocate for the Marshall Public Schools, where she “helps the parents and students connect with resources,” she said. “I get calls from parents all the time, at 6 in the morning and 10 at night. There are 200 to 300 parents and they do not speak the language, and they feel overwhelmed. In my community, they respect you, and they expect a lot from you.”

She is also a Western Community Action caseworker on a part-time basis, and also helps with the Karen Organization of Minnesota, which has an office in Marshall.

The idea for the Migrant Voices project came to Livingston due to her English Language Learners volunteer efforts at Marshall High School. “It occurred to me that one day maybe (SMSU) students could learn what I’ve been learning through that experience,” she said “We have a growing immigrant population, and it is important we get to know our new neighbors.”

The project was good for students because “we learned about research methodology by going out and doing it. What they took away from the

experience was a new appreciation for some of the struggles immigrants face, especially those related to language. English was their greatest challenge. All of them are working on it, and want more than anything to learn the language.”

The project, she admits, was massive. “I was very proud of the work that the students did,” said Livingston. “There were so many people involved, and everyone followed through like they needed to. It easily could not have gone as well as it did.”

Livingston said the 49 individuals interviewed were all very appreciative of the opportunity to tell their stories. “I am glad the students understood that, it made the experience that much more meaningful for them,” she said. “We had so many people help us get the project up and off the ground and helped us connect with the people.”

She praised the work of Aye and fellow student Stephanie Geier, a research assistant for the project. “They have contributed to the project more than anyone, and have done an exemplary job of representing the other students,” she said.

As for Aye, she wants to get her Sociology degree and help others. “I am learning a lot of things I can utilize and help my community make a change. I can pay back my loans in a few years. I want to help children in my country, and the U.S., go to school to get an education. I want to be an inspiring person.”

The Migrant Voices project has put Aye in touch with her past, and solidified her goal of helping others in the future.

THE MIGRANT VOICES EXHIBIT Migrant Voices: The Marshall Area Narrative Inquiry Project is being featured at the Lyon County Museum in Marshall, Minnesota through the summer.

An opening for the exhibit was held on May 26. The exhibit features some of the posters included in the project. A total of 58 students worked on the project, and several will be assisting at the museum this summer.

In addition, some of the immigrants were contacted and asked to identify a particular object they brought with them from their home country that has significant meaning. Those items

were photographed and, along with a narrative explaining the meaning of each, will be displayed alongside the posters.

The exhibit is located on the second floor of the museum, located at 301 West Lyon Street, across the street from the Post Office in downtown Marshall.

Two students gave an oral presentation on the project at the MnSCU Undergraduate Research Scholars Conference in Winona this past April. “We welcome the opportunity to share our findings with any group,” said Livingston. She can be reached via email at: Kerry.Livingston@SMSU.edu.

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These SMSU students volunteered to paint the stars that are in the bricks surrounding the 9-11 Memorial at Memorial Park in Marshall. They are, front from left: Rachael Kellen, Britney Thompson, Amber Volkmann, Erin O’Brien; back: Breanna Ahlers, Lexie Vande Hoef, Micki Williams, Cassie Mages and Hannah Teply.

SMSU Students Paint the Stars in Memorial Park This spring, one of SMSU’s resident assistants (RA) and her friends have helped improve the 9-11 memorial in downtown Marshall.

Cassie Mages, a junior from Cokato, Minn., is a Resident Assistant in Sweetland Hall, the newest of the residence halls located on the western edge of campus. There is a community service component to being an RA. Mages wasn’t quite sure what that community service part would be, until she happened to be walking with her mother one day in Memorial Park in downtown Marshall.

The 9-11 Memorial Park commemorates one of the most significant events in our nation’s history. The Marshall Fire Department acquired a beam from the rubble of the World Trade Center in New York City. Working with the city, it was decided to build the park around a 9-11 remembrance theme.

The memorial celebrates the nation’s capacity to survive and overcome adversity and symbolizes the renewal and resolve of a nation that came together on that fateful day. It honors the public safety personnel and the civilians who lost their lives.

As Mages and her mother walked near the memorial that day, they

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noticed that the stars etched into the bricks surrounding the memorial were becoming chipped. The stars represent those who died in the 9-11 tragedy — 61 blue stars for policemen lost, 343 red stars for firefighters lost, and 2,596 black stars for civilians lost.

As they talked, it hit her. Why not gather some friends and repaint the stars that need it?

On a rather cool spring day in April, that’s what they did. Mages and her friends showed up and got right to work. They had initially created some templates to put over the stars, “but it seemed to work better just painting them freehand,” she said.

Assisting in the project were Rachael Kellen, Britney Thompson, Amber Volkmann, Erin O’Brien, Breanna Ahlers, Lexie Vande Hoef, Micki Williams and Hannah Teply.

“The 9-11 memorial is a good teaching tool and gets a lot of visitors from near and far,” said Marshall Fire Chief Marc Klaith, a key figure in the park project. “What that group of SMSU students did was tremendous, and shows the respect the students have for what it means, and how important it is to the entire region. I can’t thank them enough for what they did.”

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SOUTHWEST STORIES Melissa Scholten ’07 Comes Full Circle Melissa (Wookey) Scholten has come full circle at SMSU — from student to staff member.

Scholten began her duties as the Director of Career Services on Monday, April 11. She is a 2007 alumna, with a degree in psychology.

She went on to earn a master’s in counseling psychology at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. The Britton, S.D. native comes to SMSU from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where she was manager of Career Services and, before that, coordinator of Undergraduate Career Advising.

“It’s a great position and it’s nice to get back to the Marshall area, and to take on more responsibility and continue my work in career services,” said Scholten.

She begins her duties at SMSU at a time when the face of traditional jobs in the workforce is evolving. “It’s changed a lot over the past 10 years,” she said. “Traditional jobs are still available, but a lot of companies are offering project-based positions.” Technology has changed the traditional job market, too, and “employers today have specific ideas about what they want.”

She will stress to those looking for positions that networking continues to be an underutilized skill by college students today, and though the workforce is changing, it’s still important to have a professional resume and an online presence. “And that can both hurt and help,” she said. Scholten said professional networking sites such as Linkedin are important, but that students also must be aware of what is on their

other social networking sites, as many employers today look there when researching a candidate.

Scholten and her husband, Josh, a 2005 alumnus, met in the residence halls at SMSU when both were students. They have a son, Oliver, 1.

What’s your Southwest Story? We’d love for you to share it with us today at www.SMSU.edu/go/SouthwestStories.

River Monitoring Earns Grant to Expand Testing and are paired with high school and middle Over 3,000 students have participated in the Redwood River Monitoring and school students on testing days.

Mentoring Project over its 12-year history, Each fall and spring semester the students and a new grant will help expand the test the Redwood River water at three locations: the “Wayside Rest” where the river program to include more students. enters Marshall, the 7th Street bridge in the The Redwood River Monitoring and Mentoring Project is a partnership middle of Marshall, and near Skunk Hollow between SMSU, Marshall High School, Road as the river leaves the city. and Marshall Middle School students.

The test results are shared with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and At the college level, the project was the World Water Monitoring website. It is recently expanded to a Freshman Seminar also posted to the environmental science web class. Students, mainly environmental science majors, have the opportunity page. to learn about water quality, why it is Deaver was recently awarded a grant from the Legislative Commission on Minnesota important, what data is measured, what the measurements mean, and how to use Marshall middle and high school students draw water Resources. The grant will allow the University the equipment. SMSU students then teach from the Redwood River for quality testing this spring. to purchase new equipment and broaden the scope of the testing to include Agricultural that information to Marshall High School students. Those students, in turn, work with Marshall Middle School Education majors working with high school FFA members. seventh-graders to test the water.

“It will also add a bacterial component to the testing,” she said. “Right now it’s all chemicals we are testing. The new equipment will help us add “Our SMSU students learn the material so much better by teaching it to others,” said Environmental Science Professor Dr. Emily Deaver, who a microbiology component,” said Deaver.

Testing results can be found on the website: www.SMSU.edu/rrmp. coordinates the testing program. SMSU students oversee the project

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[ athletics ]

Sames earns NSIC Willis R. Kelly Scholar-Athlete Award Southwest Minnesota State University senior volleyball student-athlete Claire Sames was named the 2016 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Willis R. Kelly ScholarAthlete Award recipient. The award—now in its 31st year— recognizes the NSIC’s top female student-athlete. Matt Horan from the University of Sioux Falls was named the Dr. William Britton Scholar-Athlete winner as the top male student-athlete.

It’s the third straight year SMSU has earned the honor and eighth in school history. The eight honorees are the most by an NSIC school since the award was first presented in 1986.

Whitney Burmeister received the award last spring, while Rachel Patnoe was named in 2014. Other past SMSU honorees include Christy Kubat (2002), Janelle Gibbs (1999), Paige Karno (1996), Katy Pivec (1995) and Shauna Wendland (1989).

SMSU has had two male student-athletes earn the Britton award in Bruce Saugstad (1989) and Tyler Fischer (2007 & 2008).

The 32 student-athletes nominated for the NSIC’s two most prestigious awards will also be honored as NSIC Male and Female Honor Student-Athletes of the Year at their respective institutions. Horan and Sames will be recognized July 12 at the NSIC Hall of Fame Banquet at the Best Western Premier in Burnsville, Minn. Both Horan and Sames will receive a $2,500 post-graduate scholarship.

A native of Shakopee, Minn., Sames is majoring in biology and chemistry. A 2012 graduate of Shakopee High School, she holds a 4.0 GPA as a four-year member of the SMSU volleyball team.

Sames was named to the SMSU Dean’s List every semester and is a three-time NSIC All-Academic Team member. She was part of the Mustang volleyball program that boasted the highest team GPA

at the 2014 National Championships where she earned the NCAA Elite 89 Award. Sames is also the recipient of multiple scholarships including the NSIC Butch Raymond Scholarship, while also earning the NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award.

Sames is involved in many clubs and organizations at SMSU. She has served on the SMSU Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and has been a part of the Environmental Awareness Club the past four years. She is also a member of the Biology Club and the Student Health Advisory Council.

On the volleyball court, Sames was a member of four NCAA tournament teams, including the 2014 squad that finished as the NCAA national runner-up. She finished the 2015 season recording 182 kills with 29 blocks, helping lead the Mustangs to a 26-6 record, including 17-3 in NSIC play. Sames played in 94 matches during her career, recording 648 kills, a hitting percentage of .229 and 162 blocks.

Sames has volunteered at the SMSU Rake-a-thon, with Mustang Mail, Highway Clean-up projects, at Avera Medical Center and at the NSIC SAAC Summit. She volunteered with the Boys and Girls Club during the NCAA Championships in 2014 and was named Volunteer of the Month at Avera Medical Center in 2014.

The member institutions of the NSIC nominate one male and one female student-athlete for the awards. The nominees must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better (on a 4.0 scale); show academic excellence beyond the minimum grade point average (scholarship prizes and other academic recognition), play an active role in the life of the institution, and participate in at least two-thirds of the varsity events of their primary sport. The award is voted on by the NSIC Faculty Athletic Representatives.

Koepp and Wilson Named CoSIDA Academic All-Americans Becky Koepp and Cole Wilson have been named to the 2016 CoSIDA Academic All-America® Men’s and Women’s At-Large teams as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Wilson was named second team CoSIDA Academic All-American, while Koepp was named third team CoSIDA Academic All-American.

Wilson and Koepp are the 18th and 19th studentathletes in school history to earn CoSIDA first, second or third team CoSIDA Academic All-America® honors. SMSU has recorded 12 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans since 2009.

Koepp is the only female student-athlete from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference named first, second, or third team Women’s At-Large Academic All-American, while Wilson is one of just two male student-athletes from the NSIC selected.

Wilson, a native of Fairbault, Minn., finished the 2015-16 season with 32 victories and earned NCAA All-American honors with an eighth place finish at the NCAA Championships in March. He was a three-time NCAA national qualifier and closed his career racking up 103 victories, which ranks tied for seventh in program history. He has already earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from SMSU. A native of Belle Plaine, Minn., Koepp compiled a 4.0 GPA, graduating this spring with a degree in exercise science. She played in all 18 rounds during the 2015-16 season and finished with an 84.1 average

with one top five and two top 10 finishes. She had five rounds of sub-80 this season, including a career-low 77 at the Nebraska-Kearney Invite on March 27.

Koepp is a three-time Academic All-NSIC honoree and has also been named to the National Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar team. She played in 66 career rounds with an 87.2 career stroke average.

SMSU’s All-Time CoSIDA Academic All-

Americans include: Baseball: 2003, Brendan Rokke, 2nd Team; 2004, Brendan Rokke, 1st Team; 2009, Greg Laughlin, 3rd Team; 2012, Chris Eichten, 1st Team; 2012, Adam Thygesen, 3rd Team.

Football: 1988, Bruce Saugstad, 1st Team; 1999, Jason Jacobs, 2nd Team; 2015, Davontay Stevens, 1st Team; 2015, Donovan Woods, 2nd Team.

Golf: 2016, Becky Koepp, 3rd Team.

Men’s Basketball: 1980, Jeff Johannesen, 2nd Team.

Soccer: 2011, Kelly Fitzgerald, 3rd Team.

Tennis: 1992, Leslie Jacobsen, 3rd Team.

Volleyball: 2009, Sara Graf, 2nd Team; 2010, Cara Carson, 2nd Team; 2012, Brooke Burmeister, 1st Team.

Women’s Basketball: 2005, Michelle Bruns, 2nd Team, Softball: 2013, Amy Dreessen, 1st Team.

Wrestling: 2016, Cole Wilson, 2nd Team.

Complete Spring Recaps: Baseball / Golf / Softball / Tennis / Track & Field FOR THE LATEST HEADLINES, FALL SPORTS NEWS AND MORE, VISIT SMSUMUSTANGS.COM

8 | FOCUS

[ alumni connections]

Walker ’98 Gives Commencement Address Michael V. Walker, Director of the Office of Black Male Student Achievement for the Minneapolis Public Schools, was the 2016 commencement speaker at Southwest Minnesota State University.

Walker graduated from SMSU in 1998 with a degree in Physical Education and later earned a master’s degree in Counseling at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. He has his administrative licensure from St. Cloud State University.

He began his duties in August 2014. His position is just one of two such positions in the country. “The other is in Oakland,” according to Walker.

Walker’s job is to “change academic outcomes for black males in the Minneapolis Public Schools,” he said. There are approximately 4,500 black males in the district, roughly 13 percent of the student population.

“Black males from across the country are one of the lowest groups when it comes to graduation rates, grade-point-average and test scores, and when you look at behavior and suspensions, it’s the wrong trajectory,” he said.

After much research, he is focusing on three areas: “Engaging with

families and community members; professional development for educators; and direct services for these young men.”

Walker spent his early years in Gary, Indiana and moved to Minneapolis when he was 10. He was a member of the Waldorf College basketball team for part of one year before transferring to SMSU. He was a member of the Mustang team that set a Division II record for biggest turnaround in one season, from one win in 1994-95 to 18 wins in 1995-96. He was a 1997-98 first team all-NSIC selection.

Participating in sports is an important part of his life, and he’s appreciative of the opportunity to have played at SMSU. “Sports have always been consistent in my life,” he said. “You learn life skills, and the coaches (at SMSU) pushed me as a young man.”

He emphasizes the importance of young African American males “overcoming adversity and making grown-up choices at an early age in their lives.” It’s a belief that’s an important aspect of his approach to his job, and one he continues to strive for as he moves forward.

Walker and his wife, Kristine Ramos Walker, have four children: Jaida, 9; Ana, 8; Michael II, 3; and Nylah, 1.

Above: Abbie Allison ’10 (Hospitality Management) gave a presentation to a hospitality class about front desk operations and working for a major hotel chain.

Below: Ryan Jaeger ’08 (Marketing) spoke in St. Louis Park at a Young Alumni gathering talking about Entrepreneurship and time management.

Mustang Speaker Series Puts Alumni Back in the Classroom Are you a member of our alumni community, and want to share your real-world experiences with current SMSU students?

Consider becoming part of the Mustang Speaker Series.

Coordinated by the Alumni Office at SMSU, this initiative puts SMSU alumni in front of classes, allowing successful professionals to discuss their experiences, offer advice and answer questions.

“During the academic year, many alumni come and speak to classes,” said Mike VanDrehle, Alumni Director and himself an alumnus. “Our students give the program high marks, as do faculty, who appreciate having alumni talk about real-life

applications of what the students have been learning in the classroom.”

Since its inception, more than 75 alumni have spoken to over 2,000 students.

“We have a lot of alumni across the country who loved their SMSU experience and who are willing to share what they’ve learned as they move forward in their professions,” said VanDrehle. “Having them talk to our students is a great way for them to stay connected with the university, and it’s a great way for our students to network with our alumni.”

Alumni wishing to participate in the Mustang Speaker Series are asked to contact VanDrehle at 507-537-6257; Michael.VanDrehle@SMSU.edu.

FOCUS | 9

[ alumni connections ]

The 2016 Alumni Award Recipients Announced Each year the SMSU Alumni Association recognizes alumni and friends who have made significant contributions of time, talent or financial resources to help advance and bring positive recognition to Southwest Minnesota State University. This year’s award recipients have been selected and will be recognized during Homecoming at the annual awards luncheon on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016 at noon in the Conference Center Ballroom.

ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Bill Fenske ’84. Bill is the Chief Financial Officer at Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar, Minn.

Jerry ’71 and Ricke ’73 Bly. Jerry recently retired as a Senior Business Representative for BASF SE. Ricke is retired from her career as an elementary teacher at Russell-Tyler-Ruthton School district. They live in Marshall, Minn.

Ann Roemen ’84. Ann is the Executive Director at Independent Healthcare Associates & CEO of AccoCare. She lives in Sioux Falls, SD HONORARY LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP Marilyn Strate. Marilyn is an Associate Professor of Physical Education at SMSU. She lives in Garvin, Minn.

GRADUATE OF THE LAST DECADE (GOLD) AWARD Sara Graf ’10. Sara is Billing Manager for UniPro Foodservice in Atlanta, Ga. To hear their Southwest stories and celebrate the accomplishments of all this year’s award winners, attend the 2016 Alumni Awards Luncheon on Friday, Sept. 30 at noon in the Conference Center Ballroom. The event is open to the public. Tickets will be available online. To read about past award winners, visit:

Angela (Bonczek) Volzke ’08 and Chris Volzke ’05 shared their Mustang Pride at the foothills leading up to Aoraki Mount Cook in New Zealand.

Angela and Chris are the winners of this issue’s Mustang Pride in Amazing Places. They receive a $50 gift card to Barnes & Noble Campus Store so they can get even more brown and gold gear.

Congratulations, Angela and Chris!

You can show your Mustang Pride in Amazing Places! Submit online at www.SouthwestAlumni.com/AmazingPlaces. Winners will see their photo published in FOCUS and receive a $50 gift card to the SMSU Barnes & Noble Campus Store. To be considered, photos must be high resolution, clear, with “SMSU” or a Mustang logo clearly visible. *Digitally manipulated photos will not be eligible.

www.SouthwestAlumni.com/Awards

MUSTANGREFERRAL Share your love of SMSU!

Do you know a student who would be a good match for SMSU?

If so, please participate in our Mustang Referral Program. Referrals are a great source of qualified applicants because of your unique understanding of the type of students who would thrive here at SMSU. Help us showcase the amazing opportunities at SMSU by encouraging them to visit campus!

Referred students who visit campus receive: • • • •

A personal tour of campus Their application fee waived A chance to win a $250 scholarship And, of course, a free SMSU T-Shirt!

Visit: www.SouthwestAlumni.com/MustangReferral 10 | FOCUS

[ class notes ]

Webb ’98

Knochenmus ’00

Dattagupta ’04/’07

Education Specialist for the Minnesota Department of Education.

Dr. Loren Toussiant was promoted to full professor of psychology at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa in February 2016.

Picka ’04

Remiger ’08

2000 Brian Knochenmus was named president of Ralco, Inc. on December 15, 2015.

Ralco is an international manufacturer of animal feed and nutrition products for livestock producers. Brian served as vice president 1973 of Ralco for more than a 1995 Nancy (Bertelson) Marco decade prior to succeeding The Minnesota Football retired after working 40 his father, Jon. years in the medical records Coaches Association Brian Kokos (MS ’03) was departments of two different selected Chad Johnston honored as Blue Earth Area’s as the Class 1A Coach of hospitals. She is now Teacher of the Year. Kokos the Year for 2015. Chad’s doing volunteer work in has been the seventh-grade Worthington, Minn., helping Minneota football team life science teacher at Blue to teach English as a Second defeated Minneapolis North Earth Area for 16 years. in the championship game.

Language.

Brian and his wife, Laura, currently live in Blue Earth 1997 with their two children.

1975 Roxanne Kremer (MS) was After providing 35 years of Christy (Batien) Clark has joined the Ronald chosen as the Minnesota K-5 leadership for the minor McDonald House Charities Teacher of the Year 2016 by league Lynchburg, Va., of Siouxland as its new the VFW. Hillcats’ front office, Paul executive director. Christy Sunwall officially retired.

Jean (Fulton) Weyer (MS) will guide house operations was inducted into the His early roles included and head fundraising and managing concessions, Bemidji State University souvenirs and the clubhouse development efforts. She Professional Education currently lives in Sioux City, Hall of Fame on April 8, for the team, which is affiliated with the Cleveland Iowa, with her husband, 2016. The award honors Kevin, and two daughters, Indians. alumni who have excelled Ana, 3, and Mia, 1. in teaching students or managing schools.

1976 1998 Matsuura Machinery, Tom Webb was named the 2002 an innovator in the development of high-speed new head women’s basketball Sara Granheim (MBA ’04) machining tools, announced coach at SMSU. He married Richard Deering on the appointment of Craig St. previously spent eight years May 28, 2016.

John as the company’s new as head women’s basketball Kelcey Klemm is the president on September 22, coach at Cameron University new Detroit Lakes city in Lawton, Okla. During 2015. administrator and began the 2014-2015 season he led his term on April 11, 2016.

Cameron to one of its best Klemm was previously the 1992 seasons in school history, city manager in Perham, Shawn Mueske, a professor and was named the Lone Minn. Kelcey and his wife, at Ridgewater College, is Star Conference Coach of A.J., have three children: seeking reelection to the city the Year.

Ava, Mackenzie and Asher. council in Willmar, Minn.

Shawn and his wife, Deb, 1999 have four children.

2003 Andrew Stehr is the Jessica Olson works for the circulation services manager Catholic Charities of the 1993 at the Rochester Public Michelle (Liebl) Kamenov Library in Rochester, Minn. Diocese of St. Cloud as a program manager for the received the 2016 Residential Mental Illness Outstanding Friend Award Services division. Jessica, from MAFCS. Michelle is an her husband, Daniel Heinen, 1972 Mark Hassenstab is one of seven new members to join the Forum Readers Board, a group that discusses content and issues relating to the Fargo, N.D., newspaper.

Smith ’10

and their two children, Wyatt, 4, and Elizabeth, 2, live in St. Cloud.

2004 Satyajit Dattagupta (MBA ’07) has been named Vice President of Enrollment Management at Tulane University (New Orleans, La.), effective June 15, 2016.

Katherine (Reed) Henry and her husband, Mike, welcomed their fourth child, Emma Kristine, on January 15, 2014. Katherine has owned and operated her own law firm in Belding, Mich., since 2000 and is currently running for Michigan state representative.

Sandra (Vesely) Picka and her husband, Bill, welcomed a son, Harrison Wesley, on November 2, 2015.

Sanders ’13

Miriam Kinsey, to the Mustang Family.

Mary (Sobiech) McCarthy and her husband, Nick, welcomed a baby girl, Anne Marie, on January 3, 2016.

Molly (Wright) Simon and her husband, Douglas (’94), welcomed Marlee Mae on May 20, 2016.

2008 Tara (Haar) and Ty Brouwer (’07) welcomed Truett James on May 23, 2016.

Matthew Bruzek and his wife, Paula (Leddy), welcomed Natali Maryon May 5, 2016.

Matt Fletcher was recently named the head men’s basketball coach at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, Minn. He and his wife, Aly, are expecting their first child in September.

2005 Beth (Johnson) Folkerts Andrea (Loosbrock) and and her husband, Jeff, Ryan Gosch, welcomed welcomed baby Conor to a son, Sawyer David, on their family on December February 1, 2016.

14, 2015.

Marnie Hicks married 2006 Johnathon Davis on Bryan Ahlers is the November 28, 2015. corporate director of Heather (Piatz) Lynch (MS revenue management for ’13) and her husband, Mitch, Sioux Falls-based KAJ welcomed a son, Bennett Hospitality.

Wilhelm, on December 1, Ryan Crowley married 2015.

Bryttnii Jackson on Nicholas Podell was recently November 30, 2015. hired as the University Kabin Pandey (MBA ’09) of Minnesota Extension married Moon Love Shakya Service 4-H coordinator for on November 26, 2015 in Cass County.

Nepal.

Harrison David Remiger was Katie (Fredrichs) Sauers born to Brieanna (Harris) is the Executive Director and Dan Remiger on and Treasurer of the Stevens December 29, 2015.

County Historical Society Ryan Ross married Sian and Museum in Morris, Cameron on August 5, 2015 Minn. in Scotland.

Angela (Bonczek) and 2007 Chris Volzke (’05) shared Ann (Riippa) Kinsey their Mustang Pride at welcomed a daughter, Ava the foothills leading up

All cities are in Minnesota unless noted.

FOCUS | 11

[ class notes ] to Aoraki Mount Cook in New Zealand. They were married at Wilde Prairie Winery on June 13, 2015. Angela is a graphic designer working in print and magazine design for Michels Communications Corp. in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. (See photo page 10.)

2009 Heather Holmes (MBA ’11) married Brian Malakowsky on June 4, 2016.

Jake Speer and his wife, Stephanie (Lienemann ’13) welcomed a daughter, Emma Linney, on November 30, 2015.

2010 Tim Hutchinson and Tacara King welcomed Ciara Nicole Huchinson on December 3, 2015.

Sarah (Kelly) Smith and her husband, Dustin, welcomed Drake David on December 10, 2015.

Leah Wood married Mike Paulsen on June 5, 2016.

2011 Megan (Lewis) Bonnstetter and her husband, Mike, welcomed Elliot Jane on January 21, 2016.

Melissa Luckhardt married Braedy Lueth on August 30, 2015.

Adam and Kady (Telschow ’12) Magnuson welcomed Drew Grady on September 7, 2015.

Cory Miller married Tricia Helt (’14) on June 14, 2014.

Megan (McFarland) Oeltjenbruns and her husband, Seth, welcomed Kate Ruby into the world on May 25, 2106.

Tyler Twistol married Eunice Reyna Alvarado on January 8, 2016.

Kristi Wersal married Keith Downing on September 21, 2013.

2012 Matthew Aarons and Ashley Kohn were married in August 2015. Matthew is a loan officer at F&M Bank in Olivia, Minn., and Ashley is a teacher at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Bird Island, Minn.

Katie (Vermeer) Bobbin is a communications specialist and digital media contact with the Rochester Public Schools.

Jason Bobbin is a financial analyst with the Mayo Clinic. Jason and his wife Katie live in Rochester, Minn.

Ashtin Feikema married Corrderio Roebuck on May 25, 2013.

Toni Harms is the assistant manager of store operations for Hy-Vee in Sioux City, Iowa.

Derek Klinkner (MS ’14) was named the permanent head wheelchair basketball coach at SMSU in May 2016. He had previously served on an interim basis.

Calvin Kosminskas married Brenna Hul (‘11) on August 23, 2014.

Hope Torma is the Working Together Coalition program coordinator at the Pine River-Backus Family Center in Pine River, Minn.

Rebecca Towne married Gunner Vien on October 12, 2013.

2013 Zachary Bloome married Jenessa Deutz on September 14, 2013.

Leah Elsbecker married Kyle Box on July 20, 2013.

Rebecca Evers was sworn in as an officer of the Prior Lake Police Department on April 11, 2016.

Joshua Fredrickson married Jada Minett on September 26, 2015.

Mary Groth is an analyst at Energy Laboratories, a chemical and environmental analysis company based in Billings, Mont.

Kiriann Lundy welcomed a daughter, Mikiah, in 2014.

Brooke and Robert Morris welcomed a daughter, Brynlie, on December 9, 2014.

Kelly Sanders received the Rising Star Award for her work in the long-term care profession. She works at Prairie View Senior Living in Tracy, Minn.

Amanda Neumann and Parker Weihe were married on September 2, 2013.

2014 Alyssa Carmany married Tyler Leisinger on August 15, 2015.

Kristina Honken married Kenton Howie on August 9, 2014.

Trisha Jerzak married Jordan Fink on July 18, 2015.

Lauren Kinzler married Jay Katz on August 4, 2014.

Victoria Mills (MS) married Ben Albright on June 26, 2015.

Jason Myhre (MS) was recently hired as the Tri-City United activities director.

Kayce Olson and her husband, Cody, welcomed a daughter, Olivia Noelle, on July 20, 2015.

Dana Boerboom married Tyler Peterson (’13) on September 19, 2015.

2015 Kristin Adams and her husband, Kyle, welcomed a daughter, Iris Ilene, on May 30, 2015.

Kristi Eisenbraun is the reigning Miss Wheelchair South Dakota.

Chelsea Fogarty (MBA) presented at the INFORMS Conference with SMSU Management Professor Vinay Gonela. INFORMS stands for Institute for Operations Research and Management Science, an international conference held in Philadelphia, Penn., in November 2015.

Kimberly (Jansen) and her husband, Matthew (’10) Hoefer, welcomed a son, Wyatt David, on September 27, 2013.

Emily Kremer married Devin Jouwstra on April 16, 2016.

IN MEMORIAM Steven Arneson (’93), 47, passed away unexpectedly on February 28, 2016 in Chaska, Minn.

Frank Belmont Jr. (’76) passed away April 23, 2016 at his home in Gurnee, Ill. Charlie Boon, an Honorary Lifetime Alumni Award winner who was the voice of the mornings in Minnesota for nearly 40 years on WCCO-Radio, died on November 22, 2015. He was 88.

John C. Burton (’72) died of prostate cancer on July 23, 2015.

Terry M. Cunningham (’76), 62, passed away on March 19, 2014 in Iowa City, Iowa.

Carolyn Hirmer, former administrative assistant for the English Department, passed away May 10,

The SMSU Touring Ensemble participated in a 10-day trip to Spain during May that included a trio of instrumental concerts. Eighteen faculty, community members, alumni and students were also able to explore several Spanish cities, including Madrid, Toledo, Segovia, Burgos, Salamanca and Avila. They brought along their SMSU banner and posed with it at many of the locations.

All cities are in Minnesota unless noted.

12 | FOCUS

2016. She was employed at SMSU from 1969-1993.

Shannan Marie Kopacek (’07) passed away on Jan. 26, 2016.

Bob Krause, Vice President for Student Affairs from 1975-1983 and Alumni Honorary Lifetime Member, died on December 16, 2015 after a battle with cancer.

Dr. Karen Mullin, Assistant Professor of Sociology from 1995-2000, passed away on April 5, 2016.

Dr. Charles Reinert, Professor of Physics from 1969-1999, passed away on May 6, 2016.

Rev. David Lee Sams (’73), 64, of Redwood Falls, passed away on December 4, 2015.

WHAT’S YOUR STORY? Share news with other alumni: email alumni@SMSU.edu call 800-260-0970 click SouthwestAlumni.com mail SMSU Alumni Office

1501 State St.

Marshall, MN 56258

A GRAND ENTRANCE

The new entrance sign to the campus of SMSU has quickly proven to be a popular photo backdrop for graduates, their families and visitors to the University.

The University Entrance Project began in the summer of 2013 with the construction of a retention pond on the southeast corner of campus, near the intersection of Highways 23 and 19.

The city of Marshall approached SMSU about the possibility of a retention pond at that site. The campus master plan included a pond there, and the two parties began to discuss the

possibilities.

The project is 95 percent completed and is highlighted by a full-sized bronze Mustang. The sculpture was created by John Sterner, an SMSU alumnus and adjunct art instructor, and is 9 ½-feet long, and 6 ½-feet tall. It sits at the apex of the entire project, which includes large, rectangular steel panels with cut-outs of running Mustangs. The steel panels are backlit to give the impression of a herd of running Mustangs. The display is especially impressive at night.

“The sculpture, translated from Dakota, is ‘Our Horse,’ said Sterner.

To learn more about how you can be a part of the Entrance Sign project, visit www.SouthwestAlumni.com/Entrance.

“It’s a community horse. We’re this huge community of people who are Mustangs.”

Deeann Griebel, a 1980 alumna and the Senior Vice President-Investments for Moors & Cabot Investments, Mesa, Ariz., matched the initial $100,000 for the project.

Alumni wishing to donate to help finish the project may do so online at: www.SouthwestAlumni.com/Entrance; call the SMSU Foundation at 507-5376266; or email: Foundation@SMSU.edu.

No aqueous coating on top portion

NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 97 Marshall, MN

SMSU Alumni Office 1501 State Street • Marshall, MN 56258 Change Service Requested

If FOCUS is addressed to a son or daughter who has graduated or no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please email alumni@SMSU.edu to provide the current address or call toll-free 1-800-260-0970 to notify us of the change.

UPCOMING EVENTS

2016 EVENT HIGHLIGHTS June 30 – Alumni Board Meeting, Minnetonka, Minn.

July 16 – SMSU Football Alumni Golf Scramble, Tyler, Minn.

July 29 – Rochester Honkers Game, Rochester, Minn.

August 20 – Smokefest, Marshall, Minn.

October 1 – Homecoming 2016, Marshall, Minn.

For the complete schedule of Alumni events as well as ticket information, visit us online at:

WWW.SOUTHWESTALUMNI.COM