CAS_Newsletter_Spring_2021

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS Research Awards TERRINA BARNES, a Biology major, has been granted $1,000 in Northern Edge Award for her project entitled “Survey of Western Painted Turtles ( Chrysemys picta ): Population Structure, Efficacy of Trapping Techniques, and Hematological Measures of Stress.” Barnes’ research mentor for this project is Dr. Amy Dolan, Assistant Professor of Biology. PARKER HEGER, a Chemistry major, has been awarded $2,000 in Competitive Research Grant for his project entitled “The Effects of Dehydroabietic Acid on Sirtuin Regulation as a Possible Novel Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease.” Heger’s research mentor for this project is Dr. Andrew Russell, Associate Professor of Biology. NOLAN MCLAUGHIN, a double major in Medical Lab Science and Biotechnology, has been awarded $2,000 in Competitive Research Grant for his project entitled “Genetic Factors of Biofilm Inhibition.” McLaughin’s research mentor for this project is Dr. Andrew Russell, Associate Professor of Biology. EMILY MEIER, a History major, delivered a paper at the 2021 USD Student History Conference. Meier’s paper, entitled “Rebel Grrrls: The Riot Grrrl Movement’s Role in Shaping Punk and Third-Wave Feminism,” was part of a three-presenter panel entitled “Queens, Witches, and Rebels,” delivered February 25, 2021 over Zoom. Meier originally wrote the paper for History 492, History of Rock and Roll, taught by Dr. Ric Dias in the fall of 2020. LAURIE ROGERS, a Biology and Chemistry major, has been awarded $1,000 in Competitive Research Grant for her project entitled “Gene Variations Linked to Sweet Tooth Trait.” Rogers’ research mentor for this project is Dr. Alyssa Kiesow, Professor of Biology. THE HIGHER LEARNING COMMISSION Affirms Northern’s Rising Scholars Program The NSU Rising Scholars Program offers dual credit courses to high school students taught by qualified high school teachers. NSU WELCOMES New Academic Advisors THE PROGRAM began at NSU in 2005, and it is currently working with six high schools: Brandon Valley HS, Canton HS, Dell Rapids HS, Mitchell HS, O’Gorman HS and T. F. Riggs HS in Pierre. There are twelve different courses offered in eight disciplines: Biology, English, Speech, Math, Chemistry, History, Music, and Management Information Systems. Fall 2020 saw the highest unduplicated (or unique) student enrollment of 508 students participating. Next academic year, a Geography course is set to be offered. The NSU Rising Scholars Program was granted accreditation by the National Alliance for Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) in 2017 and is the only such program in South Dakota to hold this accreditation. Northern State University’s accrediting agency, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), recently conducted site visits to two of the Rising Scholars locations (Brandon and O’Gorman) to ensure they met the high standards of “additional locations” for HLC. The HLC reviewer, Dr. Kevin Cole, University of Sioux Falls, found that the high school principals, teachers, counselors and students were very impressed with the Rising Scholars program, the way it is run, and the opportunities it affords the instructors and students. “NSU most certainly has a program to be proud of in its Rising Scholars Program,” Dr. Cole said. The Rising Scholars Program Director, Ms. Terry Piatz, recruits and engages with faculty mentors and Rising Scholar instructors, engages with NSU Admissions and high school counselors to get students registered for classes, and works with many other individuals across campus. Ms. Piatz has put a set of systems in place to ensure that Rising Scholars Program meets not only NACEP standards, but also HLC standards. The Rising Scholars Program is a great opportunity for allowing students to get started on the path to a college degree in an economical way. With the high program entrance requirements, it challenges and motivates the students to excel in their freshmen and sophomore courses so that they are eligible for acceptance into the program as juniors and seniors. NSU looks forward to continued increases in enrollment in this program. For more information about the program, visit the NSU Rising Scholars website. RHONDA CARDA is the new academic advisor for the Department of Fine Arts and the Social Sciences division of the College of Arts and Sciences. Carda graduated from NSU with a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education, with a major in English and minors in Political Science and Library Science. She obtained her master’s degree from SDSU in May of 2019 in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus in Adult Education and English as a Second Language. She has experience with study-abroad opportunities, having traveled to China for two weeks in 2019. Prior to working at NSU, she has had a variety of work experience including interning for Senator Tim Johnson, working as a radio DJ, and teaching English classes. Carda has an interesting connection to NSU through her family. She met her husband, Troy, at what was then Northern State College, and they were married at the Newman Center almost thirty years ago. Her great-grandmother graduated from Northern Normal in 1915, her grandmother graduated from Northern Teaching College in 1943, her mother graduated from Northern State College in 1977, and she herself graduated from the first class of Northern State University in 1989. Her son, Toby, is set to graduate from one of Northern’s graduate program in May of 2022. Carda and her husband Troy have three sons, Toby, Tate and Tucker and two cocker spaniels, Lucky and Beau. In her free time, she likes to read with both dogs at her feet. “I’m so excited to share my work experience and my love of education with the students here at NSU,” she says. “It’s great to be back on campus.” SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AT NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY Visit northern.edu , click on “ Give Now” and select “College of Arts and Sciences” to support the College of Arts and Sciences.