Momentum THE MAGA ZINE OF THE UNIVERSIT Y OF MARY
together
RISING Devan Douglas, Class of 2016
SUMMER 2017
L
UMEN VITAE community connections among students, faculty and friends
At the heart of the University of Mary campus, the new Lumen Vitae University Center is nearing completion. The nearly $22 million center will be home to spaces from a grand Founders Hall honoring the work of the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery, featuring a beautiful dining and conference space with stunning river views, to 24/7 student dining, studying and fellowship spaces, a convenience store, bank, student lounges and organization offices, and more. A magnificent Hall of Fame concourse will feature décor honoring some of the generous donors who have supported the project and the school’s athletic teams and accomplishments. The 80,000-square-foot structure will be connected to the current McDowell Activity Center, also under renovation. Lumen Vitae, meaning ‘light of life,’ will foster community connections among students, faculty and friends and be a rich and joyful center of campus life for generations to come. The university center is expected to open in early September.
True education is concerned not only with practical goals but also with values. Our aims assure us of our material life, our values make possible our spiritual life. — Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, German-American architect, 1886-1969
Editor Karen Herzog
Graphic Design Specialist Holly Schaeffer
Graphic Design Specialist Laura Scott
Photographer Jerry Anderson
Contact Momentum Editorial (701) 355-8013 Circulation (701) 355-8262
inside this issue 2
Letter From the President: The Answer is Community
3
Seeking God Together: Sister JoAnn Krebsbach
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From the Ground Up
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A Real Partnership: Dr. Carmelita Lamb
11 Werner earns Chamber’s Teacher of the Year 12 Idea Machine: Colton Shoults 14 God Works It Out: Devan Douglas 15 We Remember: Myron Atkinson
www.umary.edu
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F RO M THE P R E S I DE N T
the answer is ‘
community’ We have all known the long loneliness, and we have found that the answer is community. — Dorothy Day, American journalist and social activist, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic convert
Benedictines seek God together.
Community is … cooperation.
Community … endures.
From St. Benedict’s time to ours, monastics have believed in the mutual strength and support that community offers. A community of dedicated people, working together in faith, can accomplish great things, as our Annunciation Sisters have proven over and over since they arrived on the Dakota prairie in 1878.
Scientists have found that older, bigger trees share nutrients with smaller trees, which later repay them when they have developed.1
The Venice Islands in Italy were built on a foundation of tree trunks and 1,200 years later, those same trunks still support almost all of central Venice. They will stay there for thousands of years more as long as they stay submerged. Because they are not exposed to oxygen, they do not rot. They actually have begun to petrify due to the mineral-rich water. So in another thousand years, they will actually become stone pilings.4
As a university, we owe our values, our mission, our very existence, to this Benedictine community. While we, particularly in the Western world, tend to idolize the rugged individual, the completely self-sufficient soul who goes it alone, we only need to look a little further to see how nature itself teaches us how God has built the blessings of community into the entirety of creation.
Community is … strength and longevity. The oldest living organism on Earth is believed to be the ‘Pando’ (Latin for ‘I spread’) colony of quaking aspen in Utah, known as the Trembling Giant. The colony of trees covers 103 acres and is estimated to weigh nearly 6,600 tons, making it also the heaviest known organism. It is estimated that parts of the interconnected root stock that links the colony together is in excess of 80,000 years old.2 Community is … nourishment. The common English oak can support hundreds of species, including 284 species of insects and 324 kinds of lichens. These in turn provide food for numerous birds and small mammals. The acorns of oaks are food for dozens of species, including wild boar, jays, pigeons, pheasants, ducks, squirrels, mice, badgers, and deer.3
1 Forest ecologist Suzanne Simard and colleagues, University of British Columbia 2 Landscape Architects Network 3 Landscape Architects Network 4 Ancient Origins
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And in the spirit of Benedict, the University of Mary looks beyond itself to support and strengthen other communities as well. In this issue of Momentum, we learn about our School of Education’s relationship with Turtle Mountain Community College through a wonderful scholarship program. This scholarship program is helping to educate teachers and administrators in tribal communities to remain in those communities to infuse into them essential nourishment and growth. This is a marvelous thing — the evergrowing circle of blessings that follows our Sisters’ beautiful commitment to community!
Monsignor James P. Shea President
COMMUNITY
I H O S P I TA L I T Y I M O D E R AT I O N I P R AY E R I R E S P E C T
FOR PERSONS
I SERVICE
Liturgy is like a strong tree whose beauty is derived from the continuous renewal of its leaves, but whose strength comes from the old trunk, with solid roots in the ground. — Pope Paul VI
together
SEEKING GOD W
hile some religious orders were established for a specific task, such as teaching or care of the sick, the Benedictines were not, said Sister JoAnn Krebsbach, a member of Annunciation Monastery. “Our gift to the Church is community,” she said.
in their mission — community, hospitality, moderation, prayer, respect for persons and service.
“We must accept ourselves — then we can accept one another, forgive, and start over.”
The [alphabetically] first value — community — is not separated from the other values, but integrated with and reflected in each of the other five values.
Benedictines take a vow of stability, dedication to a place and a people, being faithful to the monastic life.
“Life is about relationships. We pray together, eat together, recreate together, and serve together, striving with others to carry on the mission of Jesus. We offer hospitality to guests and to each other, and we also have places for solitude.”
“The six values we chose fit under ‘community.’ We pray together. We have respect for one another, love one another. In hospitality we make space for ‘the other.’
“Sometimes, just being here and working together with my sisters in community, I get this deep feeling and may even say out loud, ‘It’s so good to be here!’”
“When someone comes to our monastery inquiring about joining, one of the crucial questions for the community is, ‘Is this person seeking God?’” she said. “As Benedictines, we are seeking God together.” The Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery have identified six values taken from the Rule of Benedict as having particular resonance
“We are committed for the long haul,” Sister JoAnn said.
“We treat the guest like Christ, and we serve one another. “It’s like a family. It’s natural to all help each other. In a Benedictine community, we’re equal. No one is better than the other. Everyone does kitchen service, for example. We’re all here for the same reason. “We have challenges, of course; so do families. Benedict is very down to earth. We treat people according to their needs.
Sister JoAnn Krebsbach www.umary.edu
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Master’s student Michele Delorme at Turtle Mountain Community School. The mural on the school wall behind her depicts scenes from the Chippewa/ Métis culture.
from the
GROUND UP Tribal communities growing their own teachers Community is a sign that love is possible. — Jean Vanier, Canadian Catholic theologian and humanitarian, founder of L’Arche
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ribal schools across our region face chronic challenges in attracting and holding teachers and administrators. Teachers, particularly new graduates, often struggle to adjust to tribal communities remote from the bigger city amenities they are used to. In its teacher education program, Turtle Mountain Community College (TMCC) near Belcourt, North Dakota, is meeting that challenge by educating Native scholars to fill those much-needed positions. Since these local students are already rooted in the community, they have the singular advantages
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of a deep personal understanding of tribal culture and strong community ties. Twelve of these students are earning undergraduate and advanced degrees through a scholarship program in cooperation with the University of Mary. The NAELP (Native American Educational Leadership Program) scholarships will enable these students to become teachers and administrators in their tribal communities for new generations of children.
Momentum traveled to Belcourt to talk with students enrolled in Turtle Mountain Community College’s teacher education program as well as some of the NAELP scholarship recipients. — Interviews with: TMCC juniors
OMENTUM: What was your inspiration for going into teaching? Whittney Blue: My first nephew, Jason Blue III, was my inspiration. I read books to him and he loved it. It was fun to watch him learn. I thought, ‘that’s for me.’ After student teaching, I plan to teach for a couple of years and get a master’s in elementary education special education. I want to go back to the same school
here and work with our Native American students. We know the different backgrounds of our students; we’re more culturally aware. I want to be a model to them of safety, to let them know that their education means as much to me as to them. Shaylee Baker: My grandparents and mom were teachers. In my second year, talking to administrators (here), they said they have a good teaching program. The more I talked about it, the more interested I became. I liked it, so I stuck with it. I want to teach here for a couple of years and go to a higher level. I want to teach the younger generations to become the future leaders. I have some big goals.
Annmarie Decouteau: I always wanted to be a teacher; I always played school. About age 16, I was in and out of Head Start helping my mom. The kids were interested in stories. I helped them with problem solving and I watched their faces light up. After graduation, I want to teach here for a couple of years, then get a master’s, get a higher education. I think it’s important for students to have Native American teachers. We understand where they’re coming from. Michelle Malaterre: I think I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. My mom is a teacher. I have a sister 11 years younger. I played school with her. I really love working with kids. I was set on teaching — I couldn’t picture myself doing anything else. www.umary.edu
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Jennifer Yellow Bird: I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I was a more troubled student, with at-home issues. My teachers were not prepared to teach somebody such as myself. I graduated and joined the military, got deployed, had a family, tried school multiple times. My mom was a social worker working with people with disabilities. So I pondered how I would do better with them. I thought I would be able to make a bigger impact if I started teaching them at a younger age. Those with disabilities deserve to have a better experience. My intent is to give them a better school experience. My long-term goal is to come here and expand the special education department.
community
tied into the
— Interviews with: TMCC seniors
OMENTUM: Your inspiration for becoming a teacher? Josephine Poitra, student teacher, first grade: My kids were my inspiration. I don’t see myself at any other school. We [as Native American teachers] are more socially aware of the culture, what’s acceptable and what’s not acceptable. Our (teaching) program has a pretty good track record, a 100 percent success rate for graduates either hired or at grad school. Todd Allick, student teacher, fifth grade: My kids were also my inspiration. I had been a coach and worked with kids before. I write for the newspaper here, so I know everybody. I felt I would do well at it; I’m tied into the community; now I’m teaching in the same classroom that I was in fifth grade. I know the lifestyles, know if the students have support. We know the lives they come from. Master’s student Jessica Poitra
The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others. — Albert Schweitzer, renowned medical missionary to Africa, Nobel Peace Prize winner
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Marsha Belgard, student teacher, second grade: When I was young, (I) played school and I taught my own kids. They already knew how to read before they went to school. I myself was not the best reader so I knew I could help kids out.
good life’
‘to live a
It’s something I’ve always wanted. I waited awhile, about nine years, for this opportunity to not have any debt.
The following three classroom teachers at Turtle Mountain Community School in Belcourt are earning their master’s degrees at the University of Mary through the NAELP scholarships.
Chantel Desjarlais, third grade teacher: I think (having tribal teachers) is an opportunity for our kids to have representation as a people, since on the outside, the stereotypes are already there. Our jobs are more than being teachers; [to students] we are nurses, parents, we have whatever they need.
Michele Delorme, fourth grade teacher: It’s always been a goal of mine to earn a master’s degree. There is a lot of poverty and suffering, everyday struggles in life. By enhancing my education with my master’s, I’ll be able to address so much more. I’ll better myself as a person and a teacher. Another important thing is to be able to restore some of our (Native) culture in our school system, so students have a positive identity, learning more about who they are as a person — empowering them to succeed as Native people.
“My ambition and passion lies with making a positive difference in the lives of young Native American children that will last a lifetime. My hope for all children is Ji-Mino Bimaadizing (to live a good life).”
I realized if you can change a classroom, you can change a community, and if you change enough communities you can change the world. — Erin Gruwell, American teacher, author, “The Freedom Writers Diary”
Through life, people try to find who they are, because a lot (of our culture) has been lost. It was the same way for me. I was an undergraduate at the University of Montana, and took classes at Salish Kootenai Tribal College. It was a unique experience. I started appreciating the multi cultures out there. Seeing that inspired me to come back for my children and for my students. My heart was always here. That’s what I want to bring to my students, to live and experience life in a good way. The smiles of (children) proud of themselves is worth every minute, all the ups and downs. I have witnessed the struggles in the graduation rate of Native American students. My future plans are driven by my passion to help Native American children to graduate from high school and pursue a career path. Jessica Poitra: I want to work in special education. My heart’s always been in teaching. I always gravitate to special needs students and their innocence and the bright smiles on their faces. I would see them out in public and they would talk to me. Their happiness was really uplifting. Their smiles are genuine — and you put them there.
Master’s student Chantel Desjarlais www.umary.edu
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a real ‘
partnership’ Scholarships will help fill a critical need for tribal teachers
Dr. Carmelita Lamb, associate dean of University of Mary’s Liffrig Family School of Education and Behavioral Sciences. “The need across our state for teachers right now is great and especially on Indian reservations.”
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When Lamb came to the University of Mary to chair its graduate education programs, she said, “I knew we had prepared a number of Native scholars at the undergraduate level and I thought, it’s time for them to step up and take leadership in their programs.”
he North Dakota state school superintendent reported that approximately 136 teacher openings around North Dakota were unfilled in January 2017. The North Dakota Teachers’ Fund for Retirement projects that 3,0003,400 out of the state total of 10,000 teachers will retire in the next 10 years, along with about 90 administrators. At the same time, K-12 public school enrollment has increased by about 10,000, reflecting the state’s population growth, driven largely by oil and gas development. North Dakota’s teacher shortage has been described as ‘critical.’ In 2015-16, the North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board declared the entire state a “Critical Shortage Area” due to severe teacher shortages in all content or degree areas. The state’s tribal schools face the same critical shortages, plus the additional challenges of recruiting and retaining teachers and administrators who are committed to tribal communities. “Our vision of a successful student is one who discovers a passion for learning and transforming their world, while maintaining the student’s unique tribal culture, identity and language,” said 8
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“We are generating teachers here at the university. They are living in Bismarck and used to amenities that urban areas provide. On the reservations … housing is a problem and the lack of things to do makes it difficult.” With a desire to meet the needs of tribal schools, Mary’s School of Education administrators applied for a grant from the Indian Professional Development Program, a division of the federal Department of Education. The university, in partnership with Turtle Mountain Community College, was awarded $981,075 towards improving education of Native American students and promoting high-quality educators to teach in tribal-run schools.
with a tribal school is one of them.” The university’s proposal was really strong, she said. “It was seen (by the grant awarders) as a real partnership (between Mary and the tribes),” she said. “At Turtle Mountain, our [grant] asset was a functioning, vibrant bachelor’s degree for teacher education,” Lamb said. “So how can the University of Mary couple that with our asset, which is really strong graduate education programs? “The award will fund Native American students in a K-12 bachelor’s degree teacher education program at Turtle Mountain Community College and a master’s degree from the University of Mary in Elementary Administration, Secondary Administration, and Special Education,” said Lamb. “The overall goal is to support education in tribal communities and take the lead in supporting advanced degrees in education leadership. This grant award represents the mission of the University of Mary in servant leadership and community outreach. “This grant adds to University of Mary being seen as a place that is welcoming to the Native population. Additionally, six of 16 students enrolled in Mary’s doctoral program in education are Native students, she said.
Mary is one of only 20 recipients nationwide to receive the federal grant and was awarded the second-largest amount.
The scholarships were first awarded in the fall semester 2016 and are allotted over four years.
Other state-supported schools have also reached out to tribal colleges to support the state schools’ grant applications, but it’s not really a partnership because all the grant assets stay with the state school, Lamb said.
“We wrote the grant for seven students and were inundated with applications — 24 applicants,” Lamb said.
“When nontribal schools come into a grant competition, a number of points are awarded for categories, and involvement
So, she said, “I knew that Turtle Mountain has scholarship money available from the tribe and asked them how much they could provide, which was an extra $10,000 per term. Monsignor (James Shea,
“These teacher preparation programs on the reservations generate teachers from there to stay there. So any real continuity is to train their own.
University of Mary president) agreed to a 25 percent Native scholarship program, which allowed us to expand the group. “So we pulled all these monies together to fund a group of 12. If we could have, we would have done all 24, but when the grant rounds come again in two years, we will apply again. By that time, we will have graduates who can testify to the value of the program. We will be able to show success.” Courses are online, because the students are working during the day as teachers in their tribal communities, she said. Most scholarship recipients have children, Lamb said. Tribal colleges are in communities with extended families, Head Start and housing. “Our first graduate school grads will be turned out in the spring of 2019. In the undergraduate part, we had graduates in May,” she said. “When we have those graduates in reservation and tribal schools, they can speak to others and be an example of someone who got their education at the University of Mary.” Those applying for scholarships completed essays as part of the application, Lamb said. “A common thread in the essays was the desire to do more for their school, to do more for their people. They are committed to their community. They intend to stay there. That continuity is what is so important. They seek to train their own because they know they are committed.”
www.umary.edu
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&
peace justice
It’s about the
STUDENTS
D
A
This program is North Dakota’s education and diversion program for those convicted of purchasing prostitution.
Then faculty member Caroline Kozojed in the University of Mary’s Gary Tharaldson School of Business, suggested to him a field that combined both business and psychology — “IO,” or industrial and organizational psychology.
ue to Monsignor James Shea’s work as a member of the North Dakota Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Commission, the Criminal Justice Program at the University of Mary was selected in 2016 to develop the curriculum for the Demand Reduction Program.
In cooperation with law enforcement, mental health, behavioral, and medical professionals from around the region and assisted by the university’s Department of Behavioral Sciences, the Criminal Justice Program conceptualized an ‘umbrella’ structure known as the Healthy Relationships and Communities Initiative. Part of this initiative is the formation of a relationship with Bismarck’s Ministry on the Margins, a community outreach program directed by Sister Kathleen Atkinson, to offer what is being called the Safe References Program. The Safe References Program has two parts. The first is finding university students who are willing to take part in fellowship time at Ministry on the Margins with juveniles making the transition from the corrections system back into the broader community. The second part will be to find a pool of students who are willing to help but can’t attend regular fellowship times. The Benedictine mission of the University of Mary focuses on preparing students to be a force for good in the world and the belief that healing means seeing the humanity of victims of crime as well as the humanity of those accused and convicted of crimes. The university’s Criminal Justice degree is enhanced by the added dimensions of peace and justice and is focused on best practices and current research in the criminal justice field. — Dr. Chad Litton
s a business major at the University of Mary, Isaac Lindquist was intrigued by psychology courses. “I was curious about the human mind,” he said. He began taking psychology classes, “for fun, just to learn more about how human beings work.”
When Isaac explored it, he found it suited him: “This is what I want to do,” he said. After graduation, Isaac’s next educational step will be to earn a PhD in industrial and organizational psychology. He has been accepted at two different schools that offer a PhD program that includes earning a master’s, a five-to seven-year process.
ISAAC LINDQUIST Milbank, SD Graduated April 2017 Major: psychology & business administration
Isaac visited both Kansas State and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. IO programs are not very common, he said, perhaps a couple hundred programs in the nation. Professionals in IO can work as consultants or in human resources in a business setting, Isaac said.
“I played four years of college basketball, studied abroad, got two degrees and was part of a number of organizations. That’s not normal for a four-year university. “Everyone was super supportive.”
Much of the work involves understanding workplace environments that are most conducive to productivity, as well as working on policies and performance appraisals, he said. Eventually he hopes to work for a large consulting firm or in an upper-level human resources position. Companies and employers are realizing the importance of IO to corporate culture, for effective performance appraisals and to reduce employee turnover. Isaac said the faculty support he received at the University of Mary was unbelievable. — Isaac has also received an NCAA post-graduate scholarship.
“I can think of no one more deserving of this award than Dr. Werner.” — Dr. Rod Jonas
Werner earns Chamber’s
Teacher of the Year Dr. Brenda Werner has received this year’s Outstanding Teacher of the Year for higher education by the BismarckMandan Chamber of Commerce. Each year, the Chamber honors five educators for their remarkable accomplishments in their field. In his nomination of Werner, Rod Jonas, Dean of the Liffrig Family School of Education and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Mary, said: “Dr. Brenda Werner has been a fulltime faculty member in the Liffrig School of Education and Behavioral Sciences since 2012, and during that time has taught education courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Dr. Werner is currently the Chair of Graduate Education, but continues to teach undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degree courses.
“Dr. Werner received exceptionally high course evaluations from her students in all her classes and is passionate about teaching and meeting the needs of all of her students. Dr. Werner has dedicated herself to the teaching profession and continually strives to develop new and innovative teaching methods in her classes. “Dr. Werner is highly respected by her colleagues not only in our school, but throughout the university. Dr. Werner has led many teaching development workshops on our campus and throughout the state and is one of the most knowledgeable scholars in North Dakota on the topic of Differentiated Instruction.
Second Doctorate in Education class started in June
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he University of Mary’s second group of doctoral students pursing an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership began their studies in June of 2017. During the two-week summer residency, they received mentoring from advisors as they began selecting a dissertation topic. A unique feature of Mary’s Ed.D. program is that the writing of the dissertation is embedded into coursework each semester so that at the end of three years, candidates are able to finish the coursework and the dissertation. Designed for working educators, the program provides online courses in the fall and spring and blended courses in the summer. Candidates may choose a track in K-12 Leadership or Higher Education Leadership. Applications are now being accepted for the third group, to start in the summer of 2019. The application deadline is Dec. 15, 2018. For more information or to apply, contact Dr. Brenda Werner, Chair of Graduate Education, at 701-355-8318, bmwerner@umary.edu, Jennifer Barry, Graduate Admissions Representative for the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences, at 701-701-3558372, jlbarry@umary.edu, or visit umary.edu/EdD.
“I can think of no one more deserving of this award than Dr. Werner.” www.umary.edu 11
ALUMNI MAKING A DIFFE RE NCE Colton Shoults has put creativity into the look of his railroad-themed place of business. In Grand Junction’s interior, he’s built a ‘railroad track’ running along the ceiling. Since actual railroad ties were far too heavy to install, Colton bought regular 2-x-6 boards, tied them to the back of his truck and dragged them behind to rough them up for the proper aged look. The metal ‘track’ is fabricated and then artfully rusted to match the aged look.
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olton Shoults is an idea machine.
At 27, with more than a decade of entrepreneurial experience under his belt, he continues to spin off ideas at full throttle. Driven by imagination, hard work and a willingness to risk, he’s fulfilling his desire to be his own boss. Originally from Denver, Colton moved to Bismarck in middle school and graduated from Century High School in 2008. At age 16, with a $10,000 loan, Colton bought 500 iPods, repackaged them and sold them on eBay for a profit. After high school, he joined the military and at age 18, when his buddies were buying cars with their National Guard bonuses, Colton bought his first duplex with his. By living in one unit and renting out the other, he was able to leverage Bismarck’s thriving economy to buy another and get into real estate. After attending Bismarck State College and earning his bachelor’s degree from Dickinson State, he earned his Master’s of Science in Business from the University of Mary. Along the way, he’s sold rare coins, worked as a mortgage loan originator and as the project manager for an industrial contractor. After the series of jobs, Colton began considering a franchise. Should it be a turnkey model with less risk, or a new venture with high risk but also the potential for no-limits rewards? He weighed the pros and cons of both – security versus risk, a salary versus the sky’s-the-limit opportunities on his own.
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idea machine He made his decision: “I needed to be my own boss,” he said.
His franchise, Grand Junction Subs in north Bismarck, is the beneficiary of Colton’s desire to grow his business by thinking ahead and outside the box. He’s also in the process of buying other Grand Junction locations as well as the name, with the goal of eventually transitioning from franchisee to franchisor. Even now, while managing 21 employees at Grand Junction Subs and brainstorming more and better efficiencies of doing business, he still asks himself, ‘how can I be proactive?’ So he also buys exotic cars, and then sells them on eBay, giving buyers a good deal at fire sale prices, and using the profits to buy down his loans. He’s developed a relationship of trust with those he buys the vehicles from with this piece of wisdom: “Relationship is everything,” he said. By licensing the Grand Junction name, and proving successful with his
innovative business ideas, Colton is fairly confident that when the other franchisees see the results, they will want to come on board with him. At that point, he can become a franchisor. His goal is different from many other entrepreneurs: “I don’t want to be big. We want to be great,” he said.
By offering delivery and catering services, Colton has created an influx of additional customers, he said. Since he sells a perishable commodity, he has come up with a system of keeping the sandwiches fresh with a combination of smart delivery schedules and keeping hot and cold ingredients separate. It’s been working: the Bismarck location does double the business of any of the other franchises, he said. He’s exceeded even his most optimistic business plan projections by 32 percent. “We are founded on culture and employee turnover is close to zero,” he said. The culture has a generous slice of fun — employees create videos and
‘movie trailers’ that have attracted as many as 20,000 views per video on social media. Colton has returned to the University of Mary to speak to classes and gives high marks to Raquel Jessen at Mary’s Gary Tharaldson School of Business. “Raquel’s been great. She’s been very supportive … someone who cares so much,” he said. Bismarck offers great opportunities for entrepreneurs like him and his family, he said. Colton and his wife, Samantha, have been together since high school and now have a baby girl, Harper. “Bismarck is great. The size is good, and the smaller population means the competition isn’t as fierce. It has the amenities of a bigger city and there’s the river. The opportunities here are great for someone who wants to really go for it,” he said. [Visit GrandJunctionSubs.com or Facebook/Grand Junction Bismarck.]
www.umary.edu 13
‘God ALUMNI MAKING A DIFFE RE NCE
Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.
WORKS IT OUT’
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hen Devan Douglas walked onto the 2016 NCAA Dunk Contest court to compete against the best college basketball dunkers in the United States, the crowd was not sure what to expect from the only Division II player invited to the national competition. But the University of Mary had seen Devan fly towards the hoop every game for years. University of Mary fans knew exactly what kind of power Devan was capable of.
Raised in Clinton, Iowa, Devan came to the University of Mary after playing for two years at a junior college. When Devan came to the University of Mary, he already had the NCAA Dunk Contest in his sights. He told himself “If I go to the University of Mary, I want to be elected to the NCAA Dunk Contest and win it. And wow. Its amazing how you pray and God works it out for you.” His prayers certainly were answered and in more ways than he could ever have imagined. Winning the 2016 NCAA Dunk Contest put an enormous spotlight on Devan’s world-class showmanship. Devan quickly appeared on the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters’ recruitment radar. Then in the second pick in the Harlem Globetrotter’s 2016 draft, Devan was chosen. "We like to think outside the box with our draft, so we look at all different kinds of athletes that could have the qualities of a Harlem Globetrotter," ‘Sweet’ Lou Dunbar, the Globetrotters' director of player personnel and coach, told University of Mary Athletics. "Traditionally we have looked for talent at the annual college slam dunk contest,
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— Golda Meir, fourth Prime Minister of Israel
where this year Devan Douglas certainly stood out for us." While there is no doubt Devan displays the talent of a Harlem Globetrotter, to be a true Globetrotter requires much more than just acrobatic dunks. “We also look beyond the court for those athletes and entertainers that have the qualities of not only being great on the court or the field, but also being a good person off of it," Dunbar added. "Those are the most important traits that make a true Globetrotter." Devan was born with the heart of a Harlem Globetrotter and living out their vision, on and off the court, is what matters most in his career. “It (inspiring others) means everything. The reason it means everything is because I was once a kid and had basketball players come to the gym to do dunks. And I said ‘Man, I want to be something like that’. To actually be in the shoes to do that, inspiring other kids right now, is amazing. I love what I am doing and I want to keep leading these kids in the right way.” Devan has already achieved more in his athletic career than most people do in a lifetime. And his future aspirations are just as bright: “My dream going forward is to be the best Globetrotter I can be, to be the best showman I can be, the best inspiration to University of Mary students as I can be … it gives me the chills even thinking about it.” — By KATRINA GALLIC
2017 ALUMNI COMMITTEE
NICOLETTE BORLAUG, ’09
WHITNEY FAUL, ’07
HANNAH HAYNES, ’15
MOLLY HERRINGTON, ’09
Mandan, Mandan Middle School
Bismarck, Start Bismarck
Bismarck, Kadrmas, Lee & Jackson
JENNA HERZIG, ’12
ANDREW SCHMID, ’11
COLTON SHOULTS, ’15
CHRIS WHALEN, ’97
Bismarck, North Dakota Guaranty & Title
Bismarck, Bjork Dental
Bismarck, Grand Junction Grilled Subs
Bismarck, Fireside Office Solutions
Bismarck, Lewis & Clark Fort Mandan Foundation
NOT PICTURED Ryan Barth, Bismarck Bill Barth Ford-Mazda-Kia
Dubi Cummings, Williston Mercy Medical Center
Dr. Daniel Keith, Bismarck Feil Orthodontics
Karl Lembke, Bismarck Vaaler Insurance
Jana Rakowski, Bismarck Sanford Health
Arik Spencer, Bismarck
LEE WEISBECK, ’05
MARLEY ZACHMANN , ’12, ’14
TRAVIS ZACHMANN, ’09
Mandan, Starion Financial
Bismarck, St. Gabriel’s Community
Bismarck, Lady J’s Catering
KEEP IN TOUCH! HERE’S HOW. As alumni, you are very important to us. We at the Office of Alumni want to keep our relationship with our Marauders’ family strong and vital, forging that lifelong connection that blesses us both. We would be so appreciative if you would fill out the brief form below to help us stay connected with you. Thank you! www.umary.edu/alumni-update
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701.355.3710 Alumni Office University of Mary 7500 University Dr. Bismarck, ND 58504 alumni@umary.edu
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ALUMNI NE WS & NOTES
CAREER & AWARDS ROB PFENNIG, ’96, of Bismarck, recently became a partner with Evoco Partners Ltd. Evoco Partners is a merger and acquisition advisory and consulting firm.
WENDY MOORE (NA ‘16) received the 2016 Founders Award from the Respiratory Nursing Society. Currently, Wendy is the Nurse Manager on Gonda 17 at Mayo Clinic with the Center for Sleep Medicine.
NICOLETTE BERGE was hired as the parttime events coordinator in June 2016 by the Downtown Community Partnership (DCP) in Fargo and has expanded her role to a full time position. Berge will oversee and coordinate all DCPsponsored events downtown. Berge is a business communication graduate of the University of Mary. Her primary focus will be the coordination and execution of the Downtown Fargo Street Fair. In addition, Berge will oversee other signature events such as the Xcel Energy Holiday Lights Parade as well as retailfocused events.
MARIA EFFERTZ HANSON has been added as a communications strategist by AE2S Communications. She will specialize in public relations strategies, community education and engagement, government relations, and crisis communications. Effertz Hanson previously served as the communications director for the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District, communications consultant for the Souris Basin Planning Council, regional 16
MOMENTUM
director for Congressman Rick Berg, and as external relations for Hess Corporation. Effertz Hanson will work out of her office in Velva, ND, to serve AE2S Communications clients in western North Dakota, eastern Montana, and beyond. Effertz Hanson holds bachelor of science degrees in public relations and political science from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, and a Master’s in Management from the University of Mary.
KATIE HORNER (FNP ‘14) has been selected to be a member of the Obesity Medicine Association (OMA) Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant Committee.
JAMIE HAMMER (MSN/MBA ‘12) was appointed by former North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple to the North Dakota Board of Nursing, effective July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2020. STACEY J. ACKERMAN was named by Wells Fargo Private Bank as regional managing director for North and South Dakota and Greater Minnesota, in February 2017.
CO-FOUNDERS OF R. RIVETER FEATURED ON ABC’S SHARK TANK Co-founders of the business R. Riveter, including an alumna of the University of Mary, were featured in an episode of the ABC television show, Shark Tank, in February. The duo, Lisa Bradley and Cameron Cruse, debuted their American handmade bags on the show the year previously and celebrated the growth of the company in their most recent appearance. The women founded R. Riveter to provide employment for military spouses through flexible, mobile work models. Mark Cuban Enterprises invested in their program and R. Riveter grew an impressive 600 percent in the year after it was featured. Bradley, who lives in Minneapolis, is a 2006 graduate of the University of Mary and is married to a veteran Ranger instructor.
SMALL BLESSINGS MICHELLE (KRAMER) FRIEDT, ’12, and Jared Friedt, a daughter, Veronica Rose, March 24, 2016.
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD SHANNON R. EHLERS, MBA, ’10, was married to Kevin Riggle December 18, 2016, in Sheyenne, ND.
Ackerman, based in Fargo, ND, will have overall responsibility in her region for the delivery of private banking, credit, investment management and trust and estate services of through Wells Fargo Bank, NA, as well as insurance and brokerage services through Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. Previously, Ackerman was regional fiduciary manager for The Private Bank in the Dakotas, Nebraska and Kansas. Ackerman received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Rasmussen College, bachelor’s degrees in English and sociology from North Dakota State University and a master’s degree in management from the University of Mary. In addition, she holds CTFA and CFP designations.
RYAN CAPOUCH, ’14 MARRIED MAGGIE (OTLEWSKI), ’15 on May 27, 2017 in Lincoln, NE. Relocated to Providence, RI, Ryan begins his clinical rotations for optometry school through Midwestern (AZ) University. Maggie will be working on her MA in theology at the Augustine Institute.
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We Remember
Myron Atkinson was an iconic leader, an eloquent speaker with a vision that held hope for a future of greater justice and understanding. He believed that leadership was about human interaction, about relationships and energies that would get things done through selfless service. He never tired of striving toward the ideal: a purposeful community with a clear sense of civic responsibility and a caring community where the wellbeing of each member mattered.
“Myron H. Atkinson, Jr. knew better than most that something is going on beyond our narrow selves, that we’re part of a larger and purpose-filled place. Born, raised, and rooted in this place —Bismarck — Myron was son and grandson to generations of Atkinsons who have given leadership to every dimension of Bismarck’s growth. Their family history runs parallel with the history of the city. That sense of humble stewardship lives on today and holds promise far into the future. “Myron Atkinson couldn’t not care. He cared passionately about people and what he did was directed toward making life better for others. Many of us see our lives as ongoing stories, with ourselves as the main character. I dare say that Myron would have skipped the chapter about himself. The main character in his life story was his best friend and loving companion, Marjory. His family moves the plot forward, continuing the Atkinson legacy of giving and sharing with their remarkable engagement in the lives of their children, in the Church, in civic communities, and in the Third World.” — Sister Thomas Welder, President emerita, University of Mary
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here is scarcely a spot on the University of Mary campus that has not been touched by the generosity of Myron and Marge Atkinson.
The Atkinson family has made invaluable contributions to so much of the growth of the campus, including the School of Business, the Student Life Center and Harold Schafer Leadership Center, the Library Technology Center, the Campaign for Excellence: Success 2000. They have funded scholarships and served Mary through trusteeship of the T. Clem Casey Charitable Trust. Myron was a charter member of the President’s Club, a member of the Board of Regents for Mary College and a member of the Board of Trustees for the University of Mary. In 2003, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the university and in 2010, he was the first person named trustee emeritus for the university. He and Marge contributed to Founders Hall, the Center for Christian Leadership and commissioned three bronze statues for the university.
Myron earned a Bachelor of Science in Commerce from the University of North Dakota, and a Juris Doctor from UND Law School. During the Korean War, Atkinson served in the U.S. Army, attaining the rank of captain in the Judge Advocate General Corps. A partner in the law firm of Cox, Pearce, Engebretson, Murray, Atkinson, and Gunness, he went on to serve as general manager of Meyer Broadcasting Co. Atkinson also helped found and was president of the North Dakota Guaranty & Title Company for 36 years. Elected to the North Dakota House of Representatives in 1968, he served until 1976. Most recently, he was actively involved in many projects including the Bismarck Historical Society, Atkinson Nature Park and the restoration of Camp Hancock. Myron and Marjorie (Barth) were married in 1951. They are parents of seven children and have 17 grandchildren.
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lifelong example of generosity and foresightedness, Myron Atkinson continues to bless the University of Mary. Thanks to the Atkinson family’s commitment to the future of this place, the proceeds of several life insurance policies Myron purchased many years ago in the name of the University of Mary have now made a substantial contribution to the university’s endowment. We at the university are profoundly grateful to the Atkinson family for this thoughtful means of ongoing support.
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Once aMarauder always aMarauder
OCT. 13-15, 2017
U NI VERSITY of M ARY
HOMECOMING
Experience an exciting weekend of sport and fellowship as you reconnect with former Marauders and enjoy the company of your University of Mary family. Visit umary.edu/alumni for upcoming details.