26 NORTHERN MAGAZINE 1969 Michael Bina was elected president of the National Smokejumper Association (NSA) Board of Directors in April. The NSA is a 1,500-member nonprofit dedicated to preserving the history and lore of smokejumping, maintaining and restoring the nation’s forest and rangeland resources, and responding to the special needs of smokejumpers and their families. Michael is an NSU distinguished graduate and was a spring commencement speaker in 2017. He retired in 2018 as president of the Maryland School for the Blind but continues teaching part time in North Carolina public schools, working with students who are blind or have low vision. 1979 Ken Bruckner was inducted into the 2023 National High School Coaches Hall of Fame and the South Dakota High School Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame. 2007 Kerry Konda was named the 2024 National Speech and Debate Coach of the Year. 2012 Lu Xu was selected as the artist in residence at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and will be on campus during the 202526 academic year. 2013 Christopher Massa earned his doctorate from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and is now a professor at Creighton University in Omaha. 2016 Kallan (Christman) Massa, became a pilot for Delta Air Lines. 2020 Hiltje Peitz band director at Liberty Middle School in Papillion, Nebraska, receives a $10,000 Manilow Music Project Grant for 2024-25. The project, founded by American singer-songwriter Barry Manilow, supports music education through instrument donations to school districts and scholarships nationwide. The merit- and needbased grants help ensure music education remains accessible in schools across the country. CELEBRATIONS 1975 Michael and Betsy Jones celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Dec. of 2023. 1980 Steven Bruns has retired after 40 years as a university faculty member teaching music theory, including the past 37 years at the University of Colorado Boulder College of Music, where he also served 13 years as associate dean for graduate studies. Before his time at Colorado, he taught at Western Michigan University and Western Kentucky University. 2022 Rosemary Vega joins the Ordway Center’s GreenRoom Fellowship in St. Paul, Minnesota—a paid training program created by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) artists to support underrepresented performers in musical theater. The fellowship welcomes performers of all ages looking to develop their musical theater skills. ACHIEVEMENTS Owen Haber, son of NSU alum Lindsey (2019) and Brandon Haber. Palmer Schwartz, daughter of NSU alums Tyler (2022) and Gretchen (2022) Schwartz. Royce Lorenzen, son of NSU alum Aaron (2009) and Meghan Lorenzen. Sumner DeBoer, son of NSU Alum Caleb (2022) DeBoer and Skye Carter. Sydney Peterman, Daughter of NSU alum Thomas (2010) and Elizabeth Peterman. Truett Baltzell, son of NSU alum Joshua (2008 and 2010) and Lindsay Baltzell. Westyn Geigle, son of NSU alum Calley (2013) and Sid Geigle. Witten Goehring, son of NSU alum Whitney (2014) and Chad Goehring. Wrenleigh Coughlin, daughter of NSU alums Ian (2017) and Jasmine (2019) Coughlin. Recently had a baby? Congrats from the NSU Alumni Association! Get a free “Wolf Pup Onesie” and share a photo of your Future Wolf to be featured in Northern Magazine. Onesies are size 6 months. Submissions must include the onesie. Learn more at northernstatefoundation.com.
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