Northern State University Honors Newsletter Fall 2023 Honors Student Places First At National Conference A Northern State University student has placed highly at the National Collegiate Honors Council annual conference for the third year in a row. Jaeden Shaving brought home a first-place win in the diversity poster category for his research titled “The Sacred Rites: The Meaning Behind Lakota Spiritual Ceremonies.” Colleges across the United States as well as institutions from six other countries participate in Nationals. Admission to the conference is very competitive, with only 60% of submissions being accepted. For eight of the last ten years, Northern has had a 100% acceptance rate. Shaving said he had a great time networking and discussing his research in Chicago. “One of my judges had worked a lot with Native American literature from the 1960s and 70s–the same era that the American Indian Movement was going on–and we were able to have a very fun discussion about that,” Shaving said. “She asked me some questions about my connection to my research topic and personal life that in trying to answer, gave me a better understanding of why my research mattered to me. Another judge was a historian who had worked with oral societies, and he gave me some helpful advice on unique things about my research to focus on as I continued, that I hadn't even realized were as potentially interesting as he suggested.” Shaving’s inspiration for his research came from his capstone history class with Dr. David Grettler, Northern professor of history. “I started researching the American Indian Movement. As I learned more about AIM, I realized how (at least in my opinion) influenced by traditional Lakota spiritual beliefs they were. I'd been doing a lot of reading about that topic ever since, so when I started working on my Honors thesis last year, it was already on my mind and I knew it would be something I'd have fun researching,” Shaving said. Although Shaving plans to take his research further, it might not be in a professional setting. Shaving, who is set to graduate May 2024 with a major in history and a minor in Native and Indigenous Studies, is still deciding whether he wants to get his master’s to teach history at the high school level or collegiate level.
Honors Newsletter 2 Northern State University Northern State University students attended the National Collegiate Honors Council annual conference in Chicago, Illinois. Honors students who have completed Honors 390 can apply to Nationals. This year, eleven Northern students were accepted into Nationals, and nine were able to go. “Nationals is an amazing opportunity for students to present their undergraduate research on a big stage,” said Kristi Bockorny, director of the Honors program and associate professor of management. “Students see their hard work and dedication pay off. They share what they’ve learned and why they are passionate about a topic with their peers.” The conference also provides an in-depth look at the host city through a program called City as Text. The students broke into small groups to explore different parts of the city and then regrouped to share their experiences. The following were this year’s attendees: Trent Shuey, Jeremy Pasara, Darius Swanson, Jaeden Shaving, John Jacklin, Randi Schuster, Sierra Sweeney, Peyton Melius, BriAnna Linn, and Honors Program Director, Kristi Bockorny. Honors Students Attend National Honors Conference Henrietta Lacks’ Family Members Deliver Common Read Lecture Two of Henrietta Lacks’ surviving family members were at Northern State University’s 2023 Larry and Julie Poeppel Family Common Read Lecture on Sept. 27 to discuss the book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot. The speakers were Veronica Robinson, Henrietta Lacks’ great granddaughter, and Shirley Lacks, Henrietta Lacks’ daughter-in-law. They have traveled around the country sharing their perspectives on the legacy of Henrietta Lacks and her “immortal” cells, named HeLa cells. New Honors Coordinator Laurie Kreber Laurie Kreber has been hired as Honors Coordinator at Northern State University. Laurie is a lifelong resident of Aberdeen and a graduate of NSU. She and her husband, David, have three college-age sons. She enjoys traveling, playing games, and spending time with friends and family.
Honors Newsletter 3 Northern State University Honors Student Accepted To Law Program Through Collaboration Program Northern State University student Kara Sinar has been accepted to law school through the Honors Law Opportunity Program (HLOP). Sinar will graduate in May 2024 with a major in English and a double minor in theatre and philosophy. Originally from Casper, Wyoming, Sinar has been an Aberdeen resident for over a decade. The program is a collaboration between Northern and the University of South Dakota, with the intent to help grow the number of committed, talented lawyers in northeast South Dakota. HLOP guarantees admission for up to five Northern Honors Program students into the USD Knudson School of Law. The partnership with USD is in its third year and seven students have been accepted in the program. Sinar did not originally plan to have a career as a lawyer. “I originally planned to edit professionally, and I found that contract law gave me a narrower focus to do a similar thing. Choosing the right words–expressing oneself clearly and effectively–is incredibly important for legal writings and communications, and I believe that I will be well equipped to help people and businesses navigate the realm of contracts when I become a practicing attorney,” Sinar said. Sinar became interested in law after a semester studying abroad. “When an English language class I had originally intended to take was cancelled, I ended up taking a class in international law at Dankook University in Yongin, South Korea. The professor was amazing; I found that I really enjoyed the material and that I had a knack for it,” Sinar said. “HLOP is a great opportunity for our students who are interested in law school. Through this program, Northern Honors alumni are creating a nice cohort at the USD Knudson School of Law, and we look forward to seeing more Northern students utilize this program,” said Kristi Bockorny, director of the Honors Program and associate professor of management. To qualify for HLOP, Northern students must: • Be admitted into the Honors Program • Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 and ACT score in the 80th percentile (26 or above on the ACT or SAT equivalent) • Demonstrate strong academic achievement and a personal commitment to building South Dakota communities HLOP and Honors are just a couple of the opportunities Northern provides students. “My time at Northern and with the Honors Program has given me opportunities beyond Northern itself,” Sinar said. “I am incredibly grateful for the time I have spent here and for the unique ways in which it has prepared me to further my education and to pursue a career in law.”
Honors Newsletter 4 Northern State Universi- The 2023 South Dakota Honors Showcase was held October 20th at Dakota State University in Madison, South Dakota. Nine students attended and two presented their research. Northern State University Honors students Randi Schuster and Jessica Splichal were able to showcase their thesis research in the Emerging Researcher category of the poster presentation. Randi talked about her research “The Mismanagement of Autism in the General Education Classroom,” which advocates for individuals with autism and aims to elicit better classroom practices for teachers and individuals with autism. In November, Randi also presented her research at the National Collegiate Honors Conference in Chicago, Illinois. Jessica discussed her research, “The Functions of miRNAs within CD34+ Hematopoietic Stem Cells,” in which she characterizes miRNA expression patterns in hematopoietic stem cells and highlights the intricate relationship between miRNA and cell differentiation. Students Present Research At Honors Showcase Jessica will present her research at the American Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Meeting in San Antonio, Texas, in March. She also hopes to attend and present her research at the National Collegiate Honors Conference in Kansas City this fall. The third annual South Dakota Honors Showcase will be held at Northern State University this fall. Pictured below are the attendees: Front row: Kendall Kelly, Kayla Jensen, Samantha Hegge, Abiah George Second Row: Simon Bickford, Braden Freeman, Evelynn Carlson, Jessica Splichal, Randi Schuster, Director Kristi Bockorny
Northern State University Honors Newsletter 5 1. Honors Orientation— almost 50 new members 2. Out of the Darkness Walk for mental health 3. Students vs Faculty Quiz Bowl— runner-up student team 4. Honors Student’s internship leads to scholarship 5. Coat check volunteers at Northern Night 1 2 4 3 5
Honors Newsletter 6 Northern State University Northern State University Honors Newsletter 6 Newsletter is edited by: Honors Coordinator Laurie Kreber, with assistance from Honors student Jessica Splichal, NSU Communications and Marketing Department, and Honors Director Kristi Bockorny. Have a story idea? Send to: Laurie.Kreber@northern.edu Give Now Follow the link https://northern.formstack.com/forms/nsu_online_giving_form Select “Other” under the Designation tab and specify “Honors Program” in the Special Notes tab to support Honors Housing Scholarships, NSU Common Read, and Honors Student Travel. Update your contact information with the NSU Foundation to hear about Alumni events in your area. Contact Information Dr. Kristi Bockorny, Director of NSU Honors Program Kristi.Bockorny@northern.edu December 2023 In Honoribus Graduates 2023 Gypsy Day Parade: Honors Float Won The Northern Spirit Award
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