COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES DEAN Alyssa Kiesow COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES A MESSAGE from the Dean, College of Arts and Sciences Year in Review THIS FALL we sent a survey to solicit feedback regarding how you would like us to communicate with you. The majority of the alumni preferred a “year in review” delivered electronically. We offer you the inaugural “year in review” in response to your request. The College of Arts and Sciences is grounded in the liberal arts. We hold an excellent reputation and are well respected across the region. Faculty are actively engaged in research and scholarship while also delivering an exceptional education to students. For example, our faculty includes nationally and internationally recognized scholars and authors in their fields, Fulbright Fellowship recipients, and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute research award recipient. Further, some faculty have received advanced online teaching training through an online learning consortium and HyFlex certification through our Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. Through their endeavors, faculty strive to create a classroom environment where inclusivity and participation are the norm. Above all, our faculty are committed to the success of our students, now and in the future. Practical experiences, internships, and international opportunities are offered through the College and the university. For example, English students gain invaluable writing and editing experience by working for The Exponent or Northern Lights, two student-run publications mentored by English faculty. In addition, the government program prepares students for legislative internships in Pierre, Sioux Falls, Aberdeen, and Washington, D.C. Many of our present state leaders received their education in history and social science. Faculty establish a connection with students through these opportunities and through actively involving students in research and other classroom activities. There is no better way for faculty to build strong relationships with students than to effectively guide students to academic success. In addition, the College is committed to creating a university-wide community. Faculty in the College coordinate STEM outreach activities, first-year seminar activities, and undergraduate research opportunities. These programs enable students to strengthen their education and allow them to gain a better perspective on their community and of themselves. The College also houses acclaimed student organizations such as Speech and Debate Club, Environmental Club, English Club, and the Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society. Further, the nationally accredited concurrent enrollment program, Rising Scholars, is hosted within the College as is the Center for Public History and Civic Engagement. Students are the foundation of the College, and faculty are dedicated to creating a vibrant intellectual atmosphere in which students can thrive. The College is challenged to continue and grow these efforts each year, and we continue to charge forward and do so. As we navigate new waters with degree options, internships, careers, etc., we will continue to provide updates and information on our progress through the “year in review.” We appreciate your interest in the College of Arts and Sciences. Hi CAS Enthusiasts,
THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES has a working Arts and Sciences Strategic Plan that was prepared by faculty and staff within the College. It is a two-year blueprint for “strategic doing” - an action plan to create a positive, inclusive educational environment and market the College and its unique contributions. Therein, the College’s Mission, Vision, and Values are identified. Please feel free to review the Arts and Sciences Strategic Plan at: https://apps.northern.edu/ flippingbook/cas_strategic_plan/. Mission: To provide students with challenging educational experiences grounded in the liberal arts and natural sciences that develop the capacity to make an impact as critical thinkers, communicators, collaborators, and creators. Vision: To become a community of teacherscholars dedicated to quality studentcentered education, scholarship, and service that fosters professional, personal, and civic success. Values: Integrity, Excellence, Community, Leadership STRATEGIC PLAN The goal of action items in the strategic plan is to identify small, achievable activities to advance the College forward. Most notable of these activities in this past year include the following action items and associated efforts. Action Item: Continue to strengthen alumni and donor relationships in partnership with the university Foundation. The College worked with two partners in the community, which included OneLegged Pheasant and AGP Soybean. With One-Legged Pheasant, students and faculty worked with Dave Welling (owner) to craft a lager on-site called Alpha Lager. This is a collaborative effort to build community partnerships while also create scholarships for students. On the other hand, AGP Soybean came to us with a specific research question, one which our chemistry and biology faculty and students sought to solve. Preliminary research findings are significant. Action Item: Build three committees to oversee activities to build the College, one such committee includes the Recruitment and Marketing Committee. The Recruitment and Marketing Committee conducts activities throughout the year to engage students. Most notable are their efforts in social media. The College of Arts and Sciences has an active presence on all types of social media, including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Posts are generated throughout the year to celebrate academics, special days, interesting individuals, etc. If you would like to link to any of these social media platforms, please follow the link here, https://linktr. ee/nsuartsandsciences, then select your platform of choice. The College of Arts and Sciences podcast – Wolf Trax – is now available on BuzzSprout. A podcast devoted to the amazing faculty Recruitment and Marketing, CAS Scholarship, Revenue Generating Activity – Beer Social Media and WolfTrax Dr. Ken Blanchard recording WolfTrax, a CAS podcast. Dr. Jon Mitchell (left), Kennedy Davis (middle), and Dave Welling, owner of OLP (right), working collaboratively to create unique craft beer for CAS scholarships. in the College of Arts and Sciences at Northern State University, Aberdeen, South Dakota. In each interview your host, Professor Kenneth Blanchard, interviews his colleagues on all things interesting and entertaining. Please link to and share this effort with your friends and colleagues: https:// wolftrax.buzzsprout.com.
STUDENT Excellence Megan Fastenau with her poster at the legislative poster session in Pierre, serving as NSU’s student research representative. Dr. Jon Mitchell (left), faculty advisor, Megan Fastenau (middle), student researcher, and Dr. Susan Citrak (right), coordinator of student research at NSU, in Pierre at legislative poster session. Alex Arndt at the National Collegiate Honors Conference in Texas. Dr. Liz Sills and students Jaeden Shaving, Kenissa Ross and Kristi Schurr MEGAN FASTENAU, a biochemistry major at NSU, shared her research with South Dakota legislators on February 7 at the annual Legislative Poster Session. Her research aims to isolate and purify novel bacteriophages and then annotate its genome. The findings are expected to help further understand bacteriophages and their host specificities, which could, in turn, help to fight disease in humans. Megan is also in the NSU Honors Program and a member of the Wolves soccer team. ALEXANDRIA ARNDT, a criminal justice major at NSU, was awarded first place for her Honor thesis “Addicts to Advocates: How Drug Courts Are Reforming the System” in the Social Justice category at the National Collegiate Honors Conference! Her thesis advisor is Dr. Justin Gus Foote from the Department of English, Communication, and Global Language in the CAS. Megan also serves as the VP for Speech and Debate and is on the softball team. KENNEDY DAVIS, a dual-degree biochemistry and German major, and Simon Bickford, a biochemistry major, along with Drs. Susan Citrak, Jon Mitchell, and John Long conducted research as a part of the student-faculty research team for AG Processing (AGP). Their research integrated life science, industry, and agriculture surrounding the use of soybean hulls in inorganic chemistry and biotechnology/ cell biology. They presented their research at two venues, an AGP convention and the South Dakota Agricultural and Rural Leadership (SDARL) agricultural and environmental science session. GRACE KRAMER, a biochemistry major, and KENNEDY DAVIS, a dual-degree biochemistry and German major, presented research at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) Annual Conference in Seattle, WA with Dr. Jon Mitchell. KENISSA ROSS, an English major with a TESOL emphasis, KRISTI SCHURR, a communication studies major, and JAEDAN SHAVING, a history major, all attended the Lighthearted Philosophers’ Conference with Dr. Liz Sills in Greensboro, NC. Ross won the Eugenio E. Zaldivar Award for Top Undergraduate Paper on her paper about the ethics of the book, “The Inconvenient Indian.” At this conference, Schurr wrote about the standup comedy of Jimmy O. Yang, and Shaving wrote about Sherman Alexie›s “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven.” EH POH, a medical lab science major, HANNAH MIELITZ, a biology major, LILLIAN GREBNER, a dual-degree biology and biotechnology major, and KENSINGTON (ECKHOFF) KRANZLER, a biology major, participated in continued ongoing research with the South Dakota Department of Public Health entitled: “Brown County Mosquito Surveillance”. This collaboration allows undergraduate students to perform internships and field experiences surrounding critical environmental and biotechnology research. Students are expected to present their results at the American Society of Virology Annual Conference in July 2023. JAEDEN SHAVING had his paper, “Let Me Be a Free Man,” accepted the USD Student History Conference, February 23, 2023. SCOTT JOHNSON and HAILEY SMITH wrote research papers for History 476 South Dakota History with Prof. Ric Dias Spring 2022, and won awards from the Brown County Historical Society Research Paper Contest May 2022. The two were Scott Johnson for “The Rising Star and the Lake on the Rising Shells” and Hailey Smith for “The Gold Rush in the Hills.” Both students won a cash award.
SCIENCE EDUCATION ALLIANCE’S PHAGE HUNTERS ADVANCING GENOMICS AND EVOLUTIONARY SCIENCE (SEA-PHAGES), allows science students to immerse themselves in research as a part of a long-term (>5 year), collaborative, research partnership between Northern State University and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), which started in spring 2018. The program involves research surrounding bacteriophage hunting designed to provide undergraduate students (particularly 1st and 2nd year) real-world, publishable, research opportunities. NSU’s competitive acceptance (only school in the state) into the HHMI undoubtedly allows new and far-reaching collaborative interactions from universities and industries on a global scale. It has already led to two previous peer-reviewed publications and with the support of HHMI, it is anticipated to provide peer-reviewed publications for undergraduate researcher each year in the program. The capability enhancement partnering with HHMI elevates NSU to offer and deliver impactful and unique research/educational experiences to our all NSU students; particularly those in the STEAM disciplines. GRACE KRAMER, a biochemistry major, and KENNEDY DAVIS, a dual-degree biochemistry and German major, presented their research at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) conference in Seattle, WA. Grace’s poster won the top prize of $500 amongst >250 posters. Her research title was “Preventing Post-Coital Urinary Tract Infections with Lactobacillus Impregnated Hydrocolloid.” She plans to develop her research into a business with help from faculty in the business school as well as Ms. Joni Ekstrum at South Dakota Biotech Association. Kennedy’s research title was “Selected Cytochrome P450 Transcript Expression Analyses in Candida albicans in Response to Natural Products, Silymarin and Turmeric” (and then attending medical school). She has been accepted at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County to purse a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics. Science Education Alliance’s Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science STUDENT Excellence Grace Kramer with 1st place award from ASBMB conference in Seattle, WA. Kennedy Davis’ poster at ASBMB conference in Seattle, WA. Kennedy Davis (left), Grace Kramer (middle), and Dr. Jon Mitchell (right) at ASBMB conference. GRACE KRAMER, a biochemistry major, and ALEX ARNDT, a criminal justice major, participated in Northern State University and Aberdeen Development Cooperation’s Idea Pitch Competition. Grace took first place with her “eq-UTI” idea, A probiotic infused hydrocolloid material for the use of urinary tract infection prevention. Alex took third and won people’s choice with her “Buddy System Everyone” idea, which is service app with its main function being for the user to FaceTime, call, or text with a hotline member when trying to reach their destination safely, go out at night or just wait for their ride to show up. This app is to benefit the safety of its users by offering numerous functions that promote awareness and security. From left to right: Travis Schaunaman, Joni Ekstrum, Grace Kramer, Mike Bockorny, and Kelly Weaver. From left to right: Travis Schaunaman, Joni Ekstrum, Alex Arndt, Mike Bockorny, and Kelly Weaver.
JON SCHAFF, professor of political science, published a chapter on South Dakota in film for the edited volume “Old Trails, New Roads” put out by the Center for Western Studies at Augie. Dr. Schaff also completed the work as editor for the Humanitas series developed by Classical Academic Press. Dr. Schaff was the central editor for the second volume of the History of America. RIC DIAS, professor of history, published a book, Kaiser Steel of Fontana: Together We Build, by the History Press, its release date was July 4, 2022 and is Dr. Dias second book. GINNY LEWIS, professor of global languages, published the book, The Novels of Zsigmond Móricz in the Context of European Realism, which was released by publisher Peter Lang Group. Dr. Lewis focuses on seven novels by Móricz, analyzing each in chronological order to show the author’s development of themes surrounding agency and greed in modern society. BEN HARLEY, assistant professor of English and rhetoric in CAS and director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL), co-authored “5 Essential Ways of Knowing” with Dr. Mays Imad of Connecticut College. The article was published by Inside Higher Ed on August 10, 2022. RICARDO ROJAS, professor of math, published an article “When Triangles are Similar” in The College of Mathematics journal. The article was published on January 19, 2023. NUURRANTI JALLI , assistant professor of communication studies, published an academic paper, “Blaming Others: Stigmas Related to COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia and Malaysia” as second author in the Malaysian Journal of Communication. Dr. Jalli also published a book chapter “Native FACULTY AND STAFF Excellence Customary Rights Land Titles and Thwarting Deforestation: Digital Acts of Resistance Among Sarawak’s Indigenous Peoples” as first author, in the book New Media in the Margins: Lived Realities and Experiences from the Malaysian Peripheries, eds. Loh and Chin, Springer. Dr. Jalli also spoke at The Brookings Institution alongside other experts on Asia and Democracy, and was invited to speak at Asian Conference for Political Communication 2022 in Singapore, as organized by a German think-tank, KonradAdenauer Stiftung. LYSBETH BENKERT, professor of English, published a poem, Please thank you but why (forthcoming in February, 2024 from Finishing Line Press), which is a poetry collection that struggles with our need for change, seeks help with those transitions, and tries to make sense of those metamorphoses. Over the course of this exploration, its poems ask questions and listen to the voices of archetypes that embody multiplicity: goddesses who stand in doorways, trickster figures, and shapeshifters. Their voices tell us that change—whether ecstatic, exhilarating, terrifying, or chaotic—is as necessary as breathing. PEN PEARSON, professor of English, published four poems in the Fall 2022 issue of South Dakota Review. The poems are from her most recent manuscript, One Wing Should Float, whose overarching theme is the necessity of cultivating hope, not just for one’s own life, but for the planet’s future, despite the absurdities of existence. STEVEN USITALO, professor of history, has a forthcoming publication on Izobretenie Mikhaila Lomonosova: russkii natsional’nyi mif (The Invention of Mikhail Lomonosov: A Russian National Myth) in 2023 by Bibliorossica (St. Petersburg, Russia).
The Exponent The Exponent has been NSU’s student news publication since 1905 and continues to provide valuable experience for students interested in careers in journalism and media relations. Students at The Exponent take on all roles in producing a monthly online and print publication. Our managing editor leads a team of fifteen – twenty students who cover campus, community, cultural, national, and global issues. Our staff includes reporters, writers, photographers, editors, and editorial cartoonists. As media continues to evolve, students at The Exponent are adapting to new trends in journalism. In an effort to produce less waste, stay consistent with professional trends, and maintain fiscal responsibility, The Exponent will eliminate its print format and focus solely on online publication beginning in fall 2023. Our website (exponentnsu. wordpress.com) has received over 53,000 hits since its inception in 2017. A printed flyer of highlights from the online issues will be distributed monthly in our newsstands across campus with this QR code to access the full online publication. Northern Lights Northern Lights will launch its annual magazine of creative writing and artwork by Northern students Wednesday, March 29 at 5 p.m. in the Lincoln Art Gallery. The launch party is an opportunity for the Northern campus and Aberdeen community to celebrate both the students who contributed creative work to the magazine and the students who produced it. This year nearly twenty-five students were involved! Copies of the magazine will be available at the launch party for $8. If you can’t join our celebration, feel free to order your copy by contacting Pen Pearson at pen.pearson@northern. edu. Please also contact Pen if you’re a student interested in joining the editorial staff or submitting work for next year’s magazine. PARTNERSHIPS AND ACTIVITIES NSU Speech and Debate, coached by Assistant Professor of Communication Studies Dr. Justin Gus Foote, successfully navigated a snow-filled competitive season and is gearing up to build next year’s team. The team of Alex Arndt and Ethan Kurtz led off the fall season with a repeat win at the 2022 Jackrabbit Joust at SDSU. They also placed third and eighth, respectively, as individual speakers. Unfortunately, the weather would not cooperate with travel plans, and two tournaments were snowed out this year with another moved online. The team of Kurtz and Jake Swanson competed at the online Valley Forensics League Tournament this spring and placed third overall. Individually, Swanson was awarded third top speaker. Kurtz and Swanson participated in the 2023 Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament in Philadelphia, PA, taking fourth place overall for small schools. NSU’s Speech and Debate team is among the 5th Best in the Nation! Team members have also been active across campus. We have seven members who currently serve on our Student Government Association (SGA). Elinor Sayers serves as the SGA chief financial officer and is a member of the soccer team. Kurtz serves as a writer and columnist for The Exponent as well as an editor for Northern Lights. Swanson revived the NSU Residence Hall Association. Arndt won the Sloane Prize for Undergraduate Research at the 2022 National Honors Conference and starts for the softball team. Additionally, Dr. Foote was selected as Professor of the Year at the 2022 Thunder Awards and Advisor of the Year at the 2022 Wolfy Awards for his role as coach of the Speech and Debate Team. This year, the team is looking forward to building scholarship funds in their NSU Foundation account through support from the annual GiveNDay event. These scholarships will help fund student participation in speech and debate. Ethan Kurtz (left) and Jake Swanson (right) in Philadelphia, PA at the Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament. Ethan Kurtz (left), Dr. Gus Foote (middle), and Jake Swanson (right) in Philadelphia, PA with their fourth place overall awards. Speech and Debate Executive Team – Alex Arndt, Vice President (left), Ethan Kurtz, President (middle), and Elinor Sayers, Communications Chair (right) NSU Speech and Debate Dr. Gus Foote Dr. Pen Pearson
The Northern State University Center for Public History and Civic Engagement (Center) - through programming, research, and archival preservation - encourages public interaction with history and history education while promoting greater civic knowledge of an active citizenry. Dr. Jon Schaff, Center director, said Northern already does a lot in terms of public history and civic engagement; now, the Center formalizes these efforts under an actual institution. The center also promotes the importance of historical and civic knowledge as the foundation for a sound republican form of government, hoping to inspire greater appreciation for American history and American constitutional forms. It does so through the South Dakota State Legislative internship program, sponsored programming such as Constitution Day, National History Day, and campus speakers who promote historic and civic literacy and engagement, and activities in archival work and research on collections such as Germans from Russia, The South Dakota National Guard, and regional Native American history. Constitution Day was celebrated in September 2022 with voter registration, U.S. military recruitment, distribution of free pocket U.S. Constitutions, and displays from the Multicultural Office and Dakotah Prairie Museum in the Student Center. There was also special food at the “Wolves den,” U.S. flags placed around town and on campus, and offices and people decorated across campus, including two dressed as Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty. Northern State University hosted and the Center sponsored the regional judging for National History Day on March 8, 2023. We had visiting our campus 178 middle and high school students from 12 schools who brought 178 projects. In addition to National History Day, the Center also sponsored and invited the following speakers: DR. LEILA BRAMMER, a Northern State University graduate (1988), now an assistant professor of communications at the University of Tampa, spoke on “Reclaiming Public Discourse on Campus and in Civic Life.” PARTNERSHIPS AND ACTIVITIES Uncle Sam and military recruiters celebrating Constitution Day. Dr. Ric Dias (left), a student (middle), and Ms. Dominika Blum (right) celebrating Constitution Day. The Center for Public History and Civic Engagement Dr. Jon Schaff DR. JOSEPH BOTTUM, the director of the Classics Institute at Dakota State University, and DR. LYSBETH BENKERT, a professor of English at Northern State University, both read and discussed poetry. The talk was entitled “An Evening with South Dakota Poets.” MR. LEE SCHOENBECK, the President Pro Tempore of the South Dakota State Senate, spoke to students about careers in the law.
It has been a busy year for STEM Outreach! During the 2022-2023 school year, Dr. Amy Dolan, along with her Graduate Assistant, Ms. Mary Fullmer have overseen the program and delivered over 1,700 hands-on STEM activities. They train undergraduate students–mostly elementary education and science majors–who then lead monthly activities in area 3rd and 4th grade classrooms. This past year, they have worked with approximately 290 elementary students in the Aberdeen, Britton-Hecla, Groton and the Evergreen Hutterite Colony schools. STEM activities have included: • States of matter/Slime • Newton’s second and third laws– balloon car challenge • Scientific Method – Diapers • Solar Energy • Bristle Bots • Hearing/Design A speaker “This program is so much fun,” said Dolan. “The undergraduate volunteers get some valuable, STEM teaching experience and the elementary students get to learn science with fun, hands-on activities. It is a win-win!” Northern is looking forward to continuing this program in the 2023-2024 school year. Together, Drs. Susan Citrak and Amy Dolan have developed a summer workshop for area 3rd -5th grade teachers that utilize six science kits that they have developed. The topics for these kits are soldering, photosynthesis, plant studies, cells, water analysis, and flashlights. Each of the kits includes all the materials required to complete the experiments, experimental procedures, and companion worksheets for the students to complete. The teachers enrolled in the workshop have access to experimental procedures, instructional PowerPoint presentations, and other teacher NSU students delivering STEM content to elementary classroom. STEM kits implemented into additional elementary school classrooms. PARTNERSHIPS AND ACTIVITIES Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Outreach Sigma Tau Delta, International English Honor Society Northern State University’s Xi Gamma chapter of the prestigious Sigma Tau Delta, International English Honor Society, will induct 10 new members this spring. Since the Xi Gamma chapter’s charter in 1932, it has inducted over 1,200 members. Membership is by invitation only and is extended to undergraduate English majors and minors who meet a minimum overall and English course specific 3.6 GPA requirement. Society members are eligible to apply for scholarships and paid internships available only to Sigma Tau Delta members, to receive priority application status with certain employers, to participate in the society’s annual international conference and other society events, and to submit original work for publication in the society’s internationally recognized journals. Dr. Amy Dolan Dr. Susan Citrak resources. During the summer and fall of 2022, the workshop enrolled 12 area teachers who then lead an estimated 450 experiments over the fall semester. Drs. Dolan and Citrak have plans to develop new kits and to hold a teacher workshop this upcoming summer.
NEW FACULTY DR. JESSICA WARNS, assistant professor of biology, joined the department of science and math this spring. She will teach course in the pre-health disciplines with scholarship in developmental biology and genetics. Dr. Warns grew up in Ohio and studied at Muskingum University for her undergraduate degree. She then moved to Grand Forks, North Dakota for graduate work in molecular biology, studying colon cancer progression and obtaining her doctorate in 2018. Upon graduation, Dr. Warns moved to Colorado, working as a post-doctoral fellow for four years at the University of Colorado, near Denver. DR. KRISTEN BROWN, assistant professor of English, joined the department of English, communication, and global languages this fall. Dr. Brown originally hails from Erie, PA. She will teach English courses as well as courses in Indigenous literature. She obtained her Ph.D. in 2020 in English and American Literature at the University of South Carolina, during which she taught composition, literature, and ethics courses. Dr. Brown’s research and teaching turn attention to Indigenous author-activists who leveraged their awareness of colonizing discourse to critique those ideologies and mobilize support against dispossessive frameworks of settler governance. Seeking to center and amplify Indigenous voices, Dr. Brown situates them within an expanding genealogy of Indigenous resilience. Northern South Dakota Science and Math Fair Northern hosts the annual Northern South Dakota Science and Mathematics Fais, showcasing over 200 projects each year from young scientists in grades 6 to 12 from northeastern South Dakota. The event is affiliated with International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Washington, D.C. Between 400 and 500 students are expected to exhibit projects involving biology, botany, chemistry, physics, health and medicine, and more. Top winners will have an opportunity to exhibit at ISEF. Judges are approximately 70 professionals from the Aberdeen area; Northern faculty; and upper-level Northern students. This year marks the 40th annual fair, which will be held on March 30, 2023 in the Northern Barnett Center. Math Contest Northern math professors Scout Mewaldt and Edwin Williamson created the mathematics contest in 1953. Starting with approximately 40 students from eight area schools in attendance, today, more than 600 students from dozens of schools participate. The contest was developed to give area high school teachers an opportunity to compare the mathematical skills of their students with the skills of students from other schools and promote interest in math. Northern State University will host the 68th Annual Mathematics Contest on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. High school students from around the area are invited to participate in one of four divisions: elementary algebra, geometry, advanced algebra, and senior math. PARTNERSHIPS AND ACTIVITIES Rising Scholars Program The Rising Scholars program under the guidance of Ms. Terry Piatz, director of Rising Scholars program, was designed for high school students to earn college credits on-site at their high school. Much like many dual enrollment programs, high school students can earn credit toward high school graduate and a college degree at the same time; however, classes are taught on-site (at the respective partnering high school) by qualified high school instructors who also are adjunct faculty members at Northern. To qualify, instructors must have a master’s degree in the course discipline or a master’s degree plus 18 graduate credits in the course discipline. This academic year, we had 16 different course offerings (in general education) at nine different schools. Schools included Brandon Valley, Canton, Dell Rapids, Mitchell, O’Gorman, Sioux Falls Jefferson, Tea Area, TF Riggs, and Webster high schools. New, this year, we hired an academic advisor, Ms. Rhonda Carda, to assist with admission and advising as it relates to Rising Scholars. Of interest, the NSU Rising Scholars Program is the only dual enrollment program in South Dakota that is accredited by the National Alliance for Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP). The Rising Scholars Program has met NACEP standards designed to ensure quality in the areas of curriculum, faculty, student services, assessment and evaluation. Ms. Terry Piatz Dr. Jessica Warns Dr. Kirsten Brown Ms. Rhonda Carda
After graduation in 2014, I moved to Denver, Colorado and worked as a client implementation specialist for SpinFusion, a medical scheduling software company. My responsibilities were to understand the complex scheduling needs of our customers and translate them into logic I then configured in the software. This was a big step outside my “lane” with a history degree, but the critical thinking and communication skills I honed in that program served me very well. After around 6 months in Denver, Binghamton University in upstate New York offered funding for entry into their MA/PhD program in history, and I decided I had to give my dream of becoming a professor of history a fair shot, so I left and started graduate school. Northern had prepared me well for my graduate studies and I met a very strong group of friends at Binghamton, but I had enjoyed working in the tech field a lot more than I anticipated. I made the decision to leave grad school after my first semester and used Northern’s job search resources to find my next employer, Epic Systems in Madison, Wisconsin. Epic is the largest electronic medical record software company in the country – Epic employs over 10,000 people and over half of the American population has a record in an Epic system. My experience at SpinFusion and the “soft skills” polished at NSU again served me very well as I joined Epic’s quality assurance team in early 2015. I was responsible for trying to break the system so that bugs could be fixed before they were ever seen by the clinicians using Epic while they deliver patient care. In particular, the creative thinking and clear communication skills I learned in my BA were put into use often to break and document bugs. I become a team lead at Epic around 6 months after my hire and moved into people management, ultimately managing up to 12 direct reports. I met my wife at Epic (while we were both on their cardiology application “Cupid”, no less!) and made incredible friends I remain close with nearly a decade later. After about 4 years in quality assurance, I moved internally to their technical services team, where I was assigned to several large healthcare systems across the country as their primary Epic point of contact. I was responsible for creating long term relationships with my customers, understanding their (sometimes very complicated!) individual needs, served as their advocate to Epic’s development team, and served as their technical expert. In this last area, Epic paid for me to take courses in computer science at the University of Wisconsin. My most proud accomplishment at Epic was in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I was one of two individuals responsible for determining and communicating best practices for healthcare systems across the country to track COVID immunization administration, and to assist those systems in prioritizing vaccinating individuals at high risk for COVID complications. Those were very busy, uncertain days at Epic and at health systems, and I credit opportunities Northern offered me to learn to self-prioritize and work through abstract, not-well-defined problems (such as completing my Honors thesis) with the role I played in that very important effort. In 2021, wanting to be closer to my family in Vermont as they aged, I left Epic after nearly 7 years to work for a Federally Qualified Health System in my home town in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. My work there was as overall project manager as they implemented a new medical record system in their home health and hospice division. I was again responsible for understanding the needs of my employer and working with the software company they were purchasing from to ensure they understood and delivered on our needs. As an FQHC, this employer needed its employees to be very flexible and efficient, so I also served on their information technology team more generally, and oversaw the selection and implementation of a new modern IT ticketing system. The home health and hospice software went live successfully in late 2021, and I determined that I wanted to make the move into full time remote work. In November 2021, I started work for Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon, working remotely from Vermont. OHSU is a large academic health system and uses Epic as its medical record system. I joined OHSU’s team dedicated to population health. I am responsible for the implementation of a portion of the Epic software that allows OHSU to understand how well it provides care to specific groups of patients. Through this work, we can identify areas where we can keep patients healthier and act on risks earlier. The Epic experience and technical skills I learned at Epic are of course vital in this work, but so much of success in the modern workplace is the ability to understand complicated concepts, to ask questions, to think critically, and to communicate – and all of these are areas where I owe a debt to NSU. Michael Newman (he/him) Senior System Application Analyst Business Intelligence and Advanced Analytics OHSU ALUMNI Spotlight Michael Newman with his wife, Paige.
TO THE DONORS AND SUPPORTERS OF THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES, we thank you for your continued donations and support. Your efforts ensure the success of the College and allow our students and programs to thrive. The Year-in-Review provides insight as to how your donations and support have helped us grow and thrive as a cohesive educational unit. Thanks again. Sincerely, the College of Arts and Sciences UNDERGRADUATE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS Major Minor Certificate Programs X Allied Health X Biochemistry (New) X X Biology X Biology Education X X Biotechnology (AS only) X X Chemistry X Chemistry Education X Chemistry, Forensic Science Specialization X X Chinese X X Communication Studies X X Criminal Justice (BS and AA) X Creative Writing X X English X English Education X Environmental Science X Geography X X Geographic Information Systems (GIS) X German X German: Germans-from-Russia-Studies (and Graduate Certificate) X Global Language and Culture (New) X X Government X X History X History Education X International Studies X Legal Studies (Pre-Law Track) X X Mathematics (and Pre-Engineering Track) X Mathematics Education X Math for Elementary Education X Native and Indigenous Studies X Organismal Biology X Philosophy X Professional Writing and Rhetoric X X Public History X Public Relations X Quantitative Analytics in Science X Religious Studies X Science Education for Elementary Education X Social Science Education X Social Science for Elementary Education X Social Work X X Sociology X X Spanish X Spanish Education X Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) (and Graduate Certificate) LEADERSHIP AND PROGRAMS DEAN’S OFFICE Dean Dr. Alyssa Kiesow Associate Dean Dr. Elizabeth Haller Senior Secretary Ms. Julie Backous Academic Advisors Ms. Rhonda Carda, Department of History and Social Sciences Ms. Jess Ness, Department of Science and Math and English, Communication and Global Languages DEPARTMENTS History and Social Sciences (HSS) Chair, Dr. Steven Usitalo English, Communication and Global Languages (ECGL) Chair, Dr. Elizabeth Haller Science and Mathematics (SCM) Chair, Dr. John Long CENTERS/PROGRAMS Center for Public History and Civic Engagement Director Dr. Jon Schaff Rising Scholars Program Director Ms. Terry Piatz Academic Advisor Ms. Rhonda Carda
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