NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY Aberdeen, South Dakota | SPRING 2015 PREPARING FUTURE TEACHERS page 10 GYPSY DAYS TURNS 100 page 7 NSU STUDENTS EXPLORE AND EXCEL page 12
CONTENTS DESIGNED AND PRODUCED BY NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY RELATIONS FOR THE NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION WRITTEN BY Elissa Dickey EDITOR Greg Smith DESIGN Jennifer Vaughn FOUNDATION PRESIDENT AND CEO Todd Jordre ADDRESS FOR MAGAZINE INQUIRIES: University Relations Northern State University 1200 S. Jay St. Aberdeen, S.D. 57401 ABOUT NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY Northern State University is a premier residential, liberal arts institution characterized by outstanding instruction, extraordinary community relations and unparalleled co-curricular opportunities. In August 2014, NSU was again named by U.S. News and World Report as one of the best undergraduate public schools in the Midwest. For more information about NSU, visit our website at northern.edu. SENIOR CABINET Dr. James M. Smith, President Dr. Alan LaFave, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Ms. Debbi Bumpous, Chief Information Officer, NET Services Mr. Greg Smith, Director, University Relations Mr. Todd Jordre, Foundation President and CEO Mr. Joshua Moon, Athletic Director, University Athletics Ms. Veronica Paulson, Vice President for Finance and Administration Ms. JoEllen Lindner Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management SUBSCRIBE | GIVE A GIFT CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS CONTACT US TWITTER NorthernStateU FACEBOOK northernstateu EMAIL nsualumni@northern.edu FACULTY AND STAFF NEWS........... pages 4-5 NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY HOLDS CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE SIGNING CEREMONY NSU launched its partnership with the University of Jinan, China, on Friday, April 10...............................page 6 GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY HELD FOR NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY GREENHOUSE A new greenhouse will be open this fall on the campus of Northern State University.....................................page 7 DR. ALAN LAFAVE IS NEW NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY PROVOST Dr. Alan LaFave has been named the new provost and vice president of academic affairs..........................page 7 NSU CAMPUS PREPARING FOR 100TH GYPSY DAYS CELEBRATION Northern faculty and staff are busy preparing for the university’s 100th anniversary celebration of Gypsy Days...................................................................................page 7 Q&A: DR. RIC DIAS Dr. Ric Dias, Professor of History............................page 8 NSU ALUM BINA SHARES LIFE WISDOM WITH SPRING GRADUATES Often those you are trying to inspire, inspire and enrich you........................................................................page 9 PREPARING FUTURE TEACHERS Year-long program provides NSU education students with crucial classroom experience................pages 10-11 NSU STUDENTS RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS TO STUDY ABROAD Studying abroad was not part of the plan for Northern junior Matthew Dawn......................................... pages 12-13 FAST PACED NURSING PROGRAM PREPARES STUDENTS FOR CAREER Sarah Hintz was able to continue her education and earn her nursing degree, thanks to the accelerated nursing program.......................................................... page 13 NSU STUDY ABROAD TRIP GETS STUDENTS EXCITED ABOUT RESEARCH An NSU group studied all aspects of aquatic life on San Salvador Island, Bahamas – from sea grass to snails to salt-tolerant trees......................................page 14 NSU STUDENT RESEARCHER STUDYING EFFECTS OF SMALL MOLECULES ISOLATED FROM FRUITS ON MOSQUITOES Stephanie Iverson could help you determine which of the fruits you keep in your kitchen can help keep mosquitoes away in the summertime.................page 14 DR. ANDERSON COLLECTING CHIRONOMIDAE Biology assistant professor tracks water quality by studying aquatic flies under Nora Staael Evert Research Award........................................................... page 15 NSU STUDENT RESEARCHES ONLINE MARKETING FOR BUSINESSES All businesses need an online presence, even if their customer base is local, said NSU School of Business student Ruth Kinyanjui. ........................................... page 15 WOLVES SPORTS UPDATE The Northern State University sports teams competed strong in the NSIC.............................................. pages 16-17 ALUMNI NEWS Class notes, celebrations and memorials... pages 18-19 PAGE 9 PAGE 6 PAGE 10 PAGE 16
NORTHERN TODAY 3 SPRING 2015 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT James M. Smith, President There is so much to share, by way of introduction, about this issue of Northern Today. However, all of these data points can best be represented in a single word: “excitement.” Our campus is moving forward with myriad enhancements that, when combined, are making life at NSU both bigger and better. The Confucius Institute is a prime example of this programmatic expansion. The new institute will allow for the teaching of Mandarin language, but it will also provide students with a unique insight into the business world of China. Given the depth of trade relations and other economic interactions that now exist between the United States and the People’s Republic of China, few can doubt the importance of this understanding, as gained by students who will truly change the world as we know it. As I think about changing the world, that brings me to Dr. Michael Bina’s commencement speech. Holding a selfie stick and utilizing his fingers to represent the hashtag, Mike captured the graduation audience’s attention as he spoke of fun, dedication, and personal/ professional transformation. Virtually no person seated in that audience will forget this talk – hard hat and all! Dr. Bina matched his words with the music backstage in a perfectly executed performance. The fight song became a backdrop for all that Mike shared with those in attendance. What a talk! With Dr. Bina’s hard hat as a continuing point of reference here, we can easily move to the article focused on the recent greenhouse dedication. A large crowd assembled to see this project start its official unfolding. What will soon be a working laboratory for our biological science faculty was seen on the day of the groundbreaking as a large structural hole with possibilities that abound. The words of Dr. Jon Mitchell, assistant professor of biology, best described how this new facility will reach many differing segments of our community: “An on-campus greenhouse additionally provides numerous opportunities to engage area K-12 students, yearlong, through interactive participation. Guided tours of greenhouse operations, plant growth and development, sustainable ecosystems – all involving hands-on and/or online activities, will promote interest, understanding and excitement for students in their future studies surrounding plant biology and their environment. Similar activities can be tailored toward adults (e.g. retirees) who are interested in home gardening, horticulture and farming.” So, please read and review the material contained here with more than a modicum of detailed attention. Our students are studying around the globe, undertaking experiments in Central America, building new lives in the medical field right here in Aberdeen, and learning the full picture of student teaching with a new yearlong approach to this age old internship model. As the world-famous lyricist, Bob Dylan, might easily say after reading this monograph, “The Times They Are a-Changin”! Enjoy the read and, of course, go Wolves! WELCOME TO THE LATEST ISSUE OF NORTHERN TODAY!
DR. COURTNEY WAID-LINDBERG, assistant professor of sociology, published an article exploring the connection between the fields of criminology and sociology. Waid-Lindberg’s article, “A Criminologist’s Journey: Embracing the Sociological Roots of Justice Studies,” was published in Volume 4 of the Annual Review of Interdisciplinary Justice Research. The annual review is published by the Centre for Interdisciplinary Justice Studies, which is housed in the Criminal Justice Department at the University of Winnipeg. DR. ANTHONY WACHS, director of forensics and assistant professor of speech communication, is publishing a book in the prestigious Duquesne University Press Philosophy/ Communication Series. “The Triptych Tetrad: Marshall McLuhan’s Neo-Medieval Communication Theory,” is tentatively set for a late 2015 release. “The Triptych Tetrad” examines the viewpoints held by the late Marshall McLuhan, a media theorist of the 1960s and 1970s. DR. ALAN LAFAVE, dean of fine arts, served as the guest conductor for the 37th Annual Manitoba Senior Provincial Honour Band in Winnipeg, Manitoba. LaFave was invited by the Manitoba Band Association to conduct the 67-member band on Nov. 6-8, 2014. He was the first guest conductor from South Dakota, joining an impressive list of previous guest conductors from prestigious institutions in the United States and Canada. DR. LYSBETH BENKERTRASMUSSEN, professor of English, published a scholarly article that examines the religious concepts behind a Shakespearean play. The article, titled “Faith and Redemption in The Winter’s Tale,” was accepted for publication in Religion and the Arts. Her article was printed in the March 2015 edition of the literary journal, which is a publication of Boston College. SARA CHRISTENSEN BLAIR, associate professor of art, published an article that explores the concepts of home, domesticity and the sublime in contemporary art. Christensen Blair published “More is Less: The Domestic Sublime in Liza Lou’s Kitchen,” in the spring 2014 issue of Parnassus. The national scholarly journal is published by the graduate students of the Hite Art Institute, University of Louisville. DR. GREG BLAIR, associate professor of art at NSU, published “The Way We Get By: Aesthetic Engagement with Place” in the fall 2014 issue of the Journal of Art for Life. Blair also presented research in the Boston area this spring: “PlaceProduced Thought and the Agency of Place” at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, and “The Sounds of Transgressive Geographies” at The Beverly Philosophy Society. He did studio visits at the Montserrat College of Art in Beverly. JOSHUA JOHN FRACHISEUR, assistant professor of theater, and TINA HANAGAN, technical director, were honored for their work on the NSU production of “On the Verge” at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Region 5. “On the Verge” received two Certificates of Merit at the festival, held earlier this year in the Twin Cities. One was for the outstanding scenic design (by Frachiseur) and the other for outstanding lighting design (by Hanagan). DR. ANNE HOLMQUEST, associate professor in communication studies, will publish a book with Kendall-Hunt, a publisher of communication titles since 1940. The book, “Visual Talk: How to Speak Anywhere with Graphics and Rhythm,” is for preachers, teachers, bankers, doctors, fundraisers, executives and administrators. It is for businesses, schools, communities and associations. It uses ideas and examples Holmquest has been working on in what she calls “the verbal-visual dimension.” DR. GREG BLAIR and SARA CHRISTENSEN BLAIR, associate professors of art, participated in the Heart to Heart Exhibit at the South Dakota Art Museum. The exhibit was open Jan. 13-April 26. The Blairs, along with nine other artistic couples with ties to South Dakota, were asked to participate. Each couple submitted a collaborative and an individual piece. NORTHERN TODAY 4 SPRING 2015 NORTHERN NEWS FA C U LT Y AND S TA F F N EWS
DR. GRANT MANHART, professor of high brass, online music and jazz studies, created the event “high school-college student meet and greet” for the International Trumpet Guild Conference in Columbus, Ohio, May 26-30. Manhart also presented at the first-ever William Adam Trumpet Conference at the University of Oklahoma in Norman on June 4-7. Manhart’s presentation was titled “William Adam’s Teachings on Trumpet, Projected into the Creation of Your Musical Life.” DR. ERIN H. FOUBERG, professor of geography and director of the NSU Honors Program, published two college-level textbooks in 2015. The first edition of Understanding World Regional Geography (Wiley, 2015), co-authored with Dr. William G. Moseley (Macalaster College), was released in March 2015. In January 2015, Fouberg coauthored the 11th edition of Human Geography: People, Place, and Culture (Wiley) with Dr. Alexander B. Murphy (University of Oregon). DR. ANDREW RUSSELL, assistant professor of biology, published an article highlighting his plant biology research in the journal Plant Physiology in September 2014. The article was titled, “Evolutionary relationship of disease resistance genes in soybean and Arabidopsis specific for the Pseudomonas syringae effectors AvrB and AvrRpm1.” Russell worked on the research discussed in the article while seeking his Ph.D. in collaboration with colleagues at Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind. DR. STEVEN USITALO, associate professor of history, presented “The Armenian Genocide: Origins, Nature and Consequences” in March at Slippery Rock University. He also gave a talk on Armenian history at Carnegie Mellon’s Center for International Relations and Politics. In May, Usitalo presented a research talk on the Armenian Genocide at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in D.C. In July, he attended the annual meeting of the International Association of Genocide Scholars meeting in Yerevan, Armenia. DR. GUANGWEI DING, associate professor of chemistry, published a scholarly article in the international, peer-reviewed online publication PLOS ONE. Ding published “Impact of Water Content and Temperature on the Degradation of Cry1Ac Protein in Leaves and Buds of Bt Cotton in the Soil” with colleagues from the College of Agriculture at Shanxi Agricultural University in China. In 2014, Ding also coauthored three other papers, which were published in peer-reviewed journals. DR. PETER RAMEY, professor of English, had an article accepted for publication by the journal English Studies. “The Poetics of Caxton’s ‘Publique’: The Construction of Audience in the Prologues of William Caxton” is scheduled to appear in 2016. Ramey’s paper, “The Aesthetics of Wrætlic in the Old English Poems of the Physiologus,” was accepted for the international medievalist conference, the Kalamazoo Medieval Congress. It was presented at Western Michigan University in May. DR. ROBERT VODNOY, conductor of the Aberdeen/University Civic Symphony and professor of strings and music history, was honored as Debut Orchestra Member of the Year at the Aberdeen Community Theatre 26th annual volunteer party. Vodnoy made his ACT debut by conducting the 14-member orchestra in “White Christmas.” DR. SARA SCHMIDT received NSU’s 2014-15 Outstanding Faculty Award. Schmidt, assistant professor of accounting, serves as faculty advisor of the NSU Accounting Club. She is also chairwoman of the NSU Department of Accounting, Banking and Financial Services, Economics, and Finance. Among numerous other accomplishments, Schmidt has worked with students to create quarterly economic reports for the state of South Dakota through a partnership between the NSU School of Business and the office of the South Dakota Secretary of State. NORTHERN TODAY 5 SPRING 2015 FA C U LT Y AND S TA F F N EWS
NORTHERN TODAY 6 SPRING 2015 THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT, if not monumental, step for the university, said NSU President Dr. James Smith. “This will be an opportunity that we won’t forget for many years to come,” Smith said. About 75 people – including local and state dignitaries as well as members of the campus community – attended the Confucius Institute Signing Ceremony. At the event, held in the NSU Beulah Williams Library, Smith and University of Jinan President Dr. Xin Cheng signed documents and unveiled an official Confucius Institute sign. Cheng said the University of Jinan is located in the hometown of Confucius, immersed in Confucius culture and Chinese tradition. “In compliance with Confucius’ policy that ‘Harmony comes first’ and ‘Harmony without Uniformity,’ University of Jinan will conduct close communication with Northern State University, offer necessary resources to support the Confucius Institute, and provide convenience for Chinese language learners at the local community and regions around Aberdeen,” he said. Other guests from the University of Jinan were Mr. Jun Wang, director of Finance and Accounting Department; Dr. Guoxin Sun, dean of School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Mr. Jianbo Yu, director of Culture Center; and Ms. Ruixue Miao, program officer, International Affairs. Cheng also introduced Chen Yan, associate director of the Confucius Institute at NSU, who said she is honored to be part of the ceremony, and proud to be working at the Confucius Institute. “Serving as a role of culture messenger, I promise I will work together with the colleagues of NSU to promote the healthy and sustainable development of the Confucius Institute,” Yan said. Also speaking at the event was South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard, who congratulated NSU on the first Confucius Institute in the Dakotas. Daugaard said he visited Jinan during one of his trade missions to China and said he was grateful for the wonderful hospitality he was shown. “I’m grateful to the University of Jinan and to President Cheng for partnering with Northern State University to make the Confucius Institute a reality,” he said. The skills that NSU students will gain from the Confucius Institute will allow them to compete anywhere in the world, particularly in China, Daugaard said. “The Confucius Institute will also help our two nations build language and cultural bridges that provide mutual benefits of international trade and tourism,” he said. Xu Lin, Confucius Institute Headquarters chief executive, sent a letter of congratulations to Northern State University. “I believe that, through our joint efforts, the Confucius Institute will become an important window for the people from South Dakota, even from the whole nation, to learn about China and Chinese culture,” Lin wrote. Attendees of the April event listened to musical performances by NSU students, viewed Chinese items in the library’s new cultural center; and watched a calligraphy demonstration by Yu, one of China’s most talented calligraphers. Instruction through the NSU Confucius Institute will start this fall. Housed in Lincoln Hall, the institute will offer courses in Mandarin language. There are also plans to offer programs in Chinese culture and business, and to deliver courses online to college level and high school students. Earlier Friday, the Jinan guests toured the Center for Statewide E-learning, which is housed at Northern State University. Smith said NSU will have new students and faculty exchanges because of this partnership. Northern will also have three visiting scholars this summer, for a total of four staff from the University of Jinan on campus. The Confucius Institute will also lead to community enrichment and a deeper understanding of Chinese culture, he said. “We will grasp every opportunity available to us, and we will grasp it with gusto,” Smith said. NORTHERN NEWS Northern State University holds Confucius Institute Signing Ceremony Northern State University finalized its partnership with the University of Jinan, China, on Friday, April 10, officially establishing a Confucius Institute on campus.
NORTHERN TODAY 7 SPRING 2015 NORTHERN NEWS Gypsy Days turns 100 NSU campus community preparing for celebration of the century THE NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY community is busy preparing for the university’s 100th anniversary celebration of Gypsy Days. NSU will celebrate Gypsy Days Sept. 21-26, with many special events planned for the week on and off campus. The week’s homecoming events culminate in the annual Gypsy Day Parade, the largest parade in South Dakota, on Saturday, Sept. 26. This year’s parade theme will be “Cruising through the Decades.” Participants will select a decade from the past 100 years to represent on their float, incorporating the number “100” on their float in some way. Work is ongoing on an online Gypsy Days history project, which will be ready by fall. This project is a digital exhibit of Beulah Williams Library items pertaining to Gypsy Days, including photographs, yearbooks and historic copies of the Exponent student newspaper. Also in the works is an oral history project called Northern Memories. The goal of this project, a collaborative effort between the library and the NSU history department, is to preserve and share memories of the university, including memories of Gypsy Days. Recorded interviews of alumni and former faculty, staff and other members of the NSU community will be made available online at http://nsudigital.org/Northern_Memories/. On social media, NSU will use the hashtag #GypsyDays100 for all Gypsy Days coverage. For more information on Gypsy Days, visit www.northern.edu/gypsydays. The schedule of events for Gypsy Days at NSU includes: MONDAY, SEPT. 21: NSU Faculty Concert, 7:30 p.m., Krikac Auditorium THURSDAY, SEPT. 24: Community Luncheon, 11:30 a.m., NSU Student Center Coronation, 7 p.m., Krikac Auditorium FRIDAY, SEPT. 25: 50 Year Club Luncheon, 11:30 a.m., NSU Student Center Northern Bound Day and All Campus Open House, 2-4 p.m., campus-wide Distinguished Alumni and Hall of Fame Banquet, 5 p.m., Dakota Event Center Volleyball vs. Duluth, 7 p.m., NSU Barnett Center’s Wachs Arena All Decades Men’s Basketball Reunion, 7 p.m., DEC Alumni and Friends Jazz Swing Dance and Welcome Back Gathering, TBA, DEC SATURDAY, SEPT. 26: Gypsy Day Parade, 9 a.m., Main Street Alumni and Friends Tailgate, noon, Clark Swisher Activities Complex Gypsy Day football game vs. USF, 2:30 p.m., Clark Swisher Activities Complex THE STATE-OF-THE-ART facility, which will enhance research and teaching capabilities at the university, is expected to be completed by Aug. 15. A groundbreaking ceremony took place on April 30 at the location of the planned greenhouse, on the southeast corner of NSU’s MewaldtJensen Building. The greenhouse will be connected to Mewaldt-Jensen through a classroom, which will be remodeled to house the greenhouse manager and the mechanical room. The approximately 1,030-squarefoot greenhouse will allow for handson, field-based work for NSU biology and biotechnology students. The greenhouse will also benefit students of all ages throughout the Aberdeen community, as elementary school tours and high school classes could all take advantage of its capabilities. The $750,000 facility will boast new technology that will also make a good recruitment tool for the environmental science and biotechnology programs – especially for a university Northern’s size. Huff Construction is constructing the facility, which was designed by JLG Architects. GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY HELD FOR NSU GREENHOUSE A new greenhouse will be opening soon on the campus of NSU. DR. ALAN LAFAVE IS NEW NSU PROVOST LAFAVE’S APPOINTMENT concludes a national search that narrowed an extensive list of candidates to five finalists. LaFave, who has served as dean of the NSU School of Fine Arts since 2000, took office in June. “Dr. LaFave has had a tremendous career here at NSU,” said Northern State President Dr. James Smith. “His dedication to excellence in the fine arts area and ability to bring that excellence to life has been the envy of his peers throughout the region. I know Al will now bring that focused dedication to the work done as provost, and I look forward to working with him in his new capacity.” The search for a new provost began in December 2014 when Dr. Thomas Hawley announced his retirement from the university. LaFave received his Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music in clarinet performance, both from Arizona State University. He received a Bachelor of Music Education degree in instrumental/vocal music from Northern State College. A native of Onida and graduate of Sully Buttes High School, LaFave joined Northern in 1991. In 1997 he moved into the role of associate dean for the School of Fine Arts and was appointed dean in 2000. Dr. Alan LaFave has been named the new provost and vice president of academic affairs of Northern State University. C E L E BRA T E
NORTHERN TODAY 8 SPRING 2015 NORTHERN NEWS Q&A Professor of History College of Arts and Sciences History and Geography Faculty Dr. Ric Dias Hometown: Eureka, Calif. (a Eureka where kuchen is unknown). Family: Wife, Shelly; stepchildren, Danielle and Matt. My parents live in California; I have one sibling, a sister, who lives in Texas with her husband and kids. My mom’s mom is nearly 100 years old and lives in Oregon. Q. How long have you worked at NSU? A. I arrived in Aberdeen on Aug. 1, 1995, so I’m coming up on a milestone. Q. What brought you to NSU? A. This was my first tenure-track job offer. I received it while finishing my Ph.D. (from the University of California, Riverside), living at the time outside of San Francisco. Jerry Rosonke, department chair at the time, called me with the offer. I remember that conversation in 1995 vividly. Q. What’s the best part of your job? A. That’s hard to say. If I didn’t enjoy Northern students so much I wouldn’t have stayed these 19 years; they have been terrific. Likewise, if I didn’t enjoy my colleagues so much I wouldn’t have stayed either. And for a person like me, who has loved history since youth, I still feel lucky and grateful to get paid to do history. Q. What’s your favorite class to teach and why? A. History 361, The U.S. in the 1960s, which I am teaching this term, might just be my favorite course I’ve taught. It’s a stellar group of young historians in the class, and I’ve integrated 21st Century technology into the class, so I can use TV and movie clips, bits of speeches, music, and still images, all with high-quality audio and visual content, that adds a new dimension to the classroom experience. Q. What is the best career advice you have ever received? A. Jim Kretchman, like Ronsonke an NSU icon, who was nearing retirement when I started here, advised me to enjoy every minute working here, that it could be a great ride, but that it would go by very fast. I’ve tried to “live in the moment,” as they used to say in the ’60s, and he was absolutely correct on how I would feel about my job at Northern. Q. What advice would you like to share with students? A. You don’t have to love your time at college to succeed, but if you can find enjoyment in your classes, make some friends, be receptive to learning, and look for new experiences, your time in college might be life-changing and surprisingly enjoyable. I was so fond of my freshman year in college that I changed my career plans and determined to find a way to never leave college . . . and get paid for it. Q. Are you involved with any organizations outside of work you want to mention? A. The NSU Newman Center has been an important part of my life here. Q. Do you have any hobbies you want to mention? A. I am drawn to things mechanical, so I own two old vehicles that I work on, operate and throw money at: a 1951 Kaiser car and a 1962 International Metro van. I’ve integrated this hobby into my professional writing. I’m crazy about travel, which I do with the lovely Shelly, and this summer we will visit South Korea. And I am obsessed with food, so I judge food at the Brown County Fair and South Dakota State Fair, I frequently cook at home or outside our home for others, and we often have groups of international students come to our house to cook. Q. Is there anything else you want to include? A. My most recent publication is also my first bit of local history. I wrote an article on NSU’s Seymour Hall that appeared in the winter 2014 issue of the journal South Dakota History.
NORTHERN TODAY 9 SPRING 2015 NORTHERN ALUMNI “THIS CAREER has afforded me the opportunity to give to other people, which has truly been enriching,” said Bina, president of the Maryland School for the Blind. Bina, who graduated from Northern State College in 1969, spoke at NSU’s spring commencement in May. He intended to impart similar words of wisdom during his speech, including: “Pay more attention to earning a reputation than a salary. To be happy and reveal life’s true meaning, be useful to others.” FOUND LIFE’S CALLING AT NORTHERN Bina, a native of New Effington, S.D., was a freshman living in Kramer Hall when he got a call from the South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired across the street. The school needed a swimming instructor, and from the very first minute in working with these children, Bina found his life’s calling. “I fell in love with the kids. They definitely captured my heart,” he said. GOOD ROLE MODELS AT NORTHERN Bina began teaching, starting with his days as a boy scout camp counselor. He credits Northern staff and faculty as major influences in his career. “When I was at Northern, everyone from nurse Carol Cramer to NSU’s legendary Clark Swisher were superb role models for giving back, making people feel important and helping others,” he said. “I had incredible support there,” he said, adding, “Coming from a small town, Northern helped me gain confidence. I have always appreciated what Northern did for me in my work with students and their families. I just want to return the favor.” DIDN’T LET FEARS HOLD HIM BACK Bina helped others in many ways, which included working during the summers while he was at Northern as a U.S. Forest Service Smokejumper, parachuting into forest fires throughout Montana, Idaho, California and Alaska. Bina admitted his fear of heights, laughing, “What could I expect — being a ‘flatlander’ from East River of South Dakota.” “Northern taught me to face those fears,” he said. He did 25 jumps with the forest service. He did another 25 after college when he served for three years as a Green Beret Military Intelligence Officer in the U.S. Army Special Forces during the Vietnam era. Bina received the Army Commendation Medal for exemplary performance. After 50 jumps, Bina said he is still afraid of heights. “But I did not let my fear of heights hold me back,” he said. IMPRESSIVE EDUCATIONAL, CAREER BACKGROUND After his military service, Bina earned a master’s degree in special education in 1973 from California State University Los Angeles. He attended the University of Northern Colorado and earned his Doctorate of Education degree in 1980, majoring in special education administration. Bina has worked in special education in states across the U.S., has served on boards for numerous nonprofit agencies, and has written extensively on topics related to education of students who are blind. He has received numerous awards. He was honored by former President Jimmy Carter, and was invited to the White House by President Clinton for the fourth anniversary signing of the American’s Disabilities Act. Bina and his wife, Mary, have three children and two grandchildren. CHALLENGES BRING OPPORTUNITIES He also planned to tell graduates to look for the golden opportunity that may be hidden in each challenge in life that presents itself often as a storm cloud. Throughout his life, Bina has learned that with each adventure come challenges that result in growth. NSU alum Bina shares life wisdomwith spring graduates Often those you are trying to inspire, inspire and enrich you – this is a lesson Dr. Michael Bina has learned in his nearly 50 years working in special education for children and adults who are blind or visually impaired. M I CHA E L B I NA “I had incredible support there. Coming from a small town, Northern helped me gain confidence.”
NORTHERN TODAY 10 SPRING 2015 STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS MEGAN Vockrodt has wanted to be a teacher since childhood. “I’ve always loved learning new things,” said Vockrodt, a Northern State University honors student from Pierre. “I also enjoy helping others, so being a teacher combines the two. Teaching is just something I fell in love with when I was in elementary school.” Vockrodt, a senior elementary education major, learned first-hand what it’s like to be a teacher thanks to her student-teaching experience. As a participant in the NSU Year-long Teacher Residency Program, Vockrodt assisted in Jennifer Phillips’ fourth-grade classroom at Aberdeen’s Lincoln Elementary the entire academic year. “Having a mentor to walk me through the whole school year step-by-step is so nice,” she said. Providing that extra head start for prospective teachers is the purpose of the year-long program. The program is a clinically rich capstone experience that assists the NSU School of Education in reaching its goal of developing teaching candidates with highly effective teaching skills. Preparing future teachers Year-long program provides NSU education students with crucial classroom experience.
NORTHERN TODAY 11 SPRING 2015 STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS NSU launched the program during the 2013-14 academic year. That year, five teacher candidates were involved – three elementary education candidates and two special education majors. A total of 11 students have chosen to complete a year-long experience since the program started. The 2014-15 group included six candidates, all of whom were elementary education majors. Three elementary education teacher candidates will be part of the program starting this fall. HIGHLIGHTS OF STUDENT-TEACHING EXPERIENCE In her student-teaching experience, Vockrodt enjoyed seeing kids have that “lightbulb moment” when they finally understand a concept and can feel a real sense of accomplishment. “As a teacher, that’s what you live for, is moments like that,” she said. Other NSU students who participated in the year-long program praised the valuable experience. “Northern’s residency program allows future teachers to experience the unexpected and the unforgettable,” said Michyl Miller, who student taught in a second-grade classroom at Aberdeen’s Lincoln Elementary. “These experiences become the little things that make an extraordinary difference. The immediate relationships that are built with the students are also incredible.” “I couldn’t imagine heading into my own classroom without this type of experience,” said Justin Lematta, who student taught in a third-grade classroom in the Leola School District. “This has been one of the best choices I have made in my NSU career, and I am very thankful for this opportunity.” PROGRAM BENEFITS STUDENTS AND TEACHERS Area educators who have been involved with the program are also happy with the experience. Holly Mueller, third-grade teacher in the Leola School District, said the residency program benefits all parties involved. “The students have additional help in the classroom. The mentor teacher learns alongside the teacher candidate. The teacher candidates are more prepared when they enter the field of education and have their own classroom,” Mueller said. Kathy Moore, fourth-grade teacher at O.M. Tiffany Elementary, offered a quotation that summarized the benefits of the program. “‘Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.’ This quote sums up the whole of my co-teaching experience so far,” Moore said. “As a mentor teacher, I am learning as much as my teaching candidate.” “The residency experience has been very eye-opening for me. I already know that I will come out of this experience fully prepared and confident for my first year of teaching.” Kaci Maier, NSU Teacher Candidate Kindergarten/2nd Grade, O.M. Tiffany Elementary, Aberdeen “Northern’s residency program allows future teachers to experience the unexpected and the unforgettable.” Michyl Miller, NSU Teacher Candidate 2nd Grade, Lincoln Elementary, Aberdeen
NORTHERN TODAY 12 SPRING 2015 STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS S T UD E N T S T HE HISTORY MAJOR said he has barely even traveled outside the state, calling himself an “armchair historian.” “I am very much a homebody,” explained Dawn, an Aberdeen native. But his plans changed after some encouragement from Dr. Steven Usitalo, who shared his own study abroad experiences with Dawn and other students in his Imperial Russia course. “I stressed to him, over and over again, that now’s the time, when he’s young and with less responsibilities, to take advantage of these study abroad opportunities,” said Usitalo, NSU associate professor of history. Now, Dawn is trading in his “armchair” for an airplane ride overseas. He is studying in South Korea from March to December. For Dawn and fellow NSU junior Michael Lout, studying abroad has been made possible thanks in part to funding from the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program. The program, which is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, supports students who might otherwise be unable to travel abroad. Students are encouraged to choose nontraditional destinations, especially those outside of Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand, according to www.iie. org/en/Programs/ Gilman-ScholarshipProgram. Only a few hundred Gilman scholarships are given each term. Dawn and Lout are two of only four undergraduate students from South Dakota universities to receive the prestigious scholarship award in 2014. CHOOSING SOUTH KOREA South Korea was also the destination of choice for Lout, a business management major with a minor in international business. Lout said he hadn’t considered visiting the country before NSU Study Abroad Coordinator Liz Hannum suggested it, and he decided to give it a try. “I wanted to study abroad because I haven’t been outside the United States,” said Lout, also an Aberdeen native. “If it wasn’t for the Gilman Scholarship, I don’t think I would have been able to go to South Korea.” Lout attended a 2014 summer program in Seoul, studying international management and international marketing at Hanyang University. He said he greatly enjoyed the people, culture and food. “The culture was very interesting, and the Korean people were very helpful when I needed directions,” he said. “One person went as far as showing me to the place I wanted to go. She spent 20 minutes walking with me to make sure I got to my destination.” Lout had such a good experience in South Korea, in fact, that he decided to try another exchange program in Schmalkalden, Germany, for fall semester. He said he greatly enjoyed traveling to Paris, London, Barcelona and Rome as well, seeing landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Stonehenge and London Eye. LEARNING ABOUT ASIA Dawn said he at first wanted to go to Europe, but he realized he already knew European history quite well. He knows less about Asia, and his friends who are NSU international students from South Korea convinced him to go to their home country. Dawn is attending Anyang University for that institution’s spring and fall semesters, studying Korean history, culture and language. The Gilman Scholarship has lessened the financial burden of NSU students receive scholarships to study abroad Studying abroad was not part of the plan for Northern State University junior Matthew Dawn. NSU student Michael Lout pictured in South Korea.
NORTHERN TODAY 13 SPRING 2015 STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS studying abroad, he said, and it might allow him to travel across more of the country. Before he left, he said he was looking forward to seeing the country’s architecture and was most excited for the opportunity to visit an impressive scrolls library located in South Korea. The scrolls library will satisfy his curiosity for Asian artifacts and old written works in general, while also helping him understand the printed history of Korea, he said. Lout thanked NSU and the Gilman Scholarship for giving him the opportunity to travel the world. He encourages other students to talk to Hannum about studying abroad to see what destinations might interest them. “You get to meet new people from all around the world,” he said. GAINING MARKETABLE SKILLS The experience isn’t just enjoyable – it also can help make students more employable. “Studying abroad, particularly to a nonEnglish speaking country, is not only fantastically fun, but it will set you apart in any job interview,” Hannum said. “While other applicants talk about their classroom experiences, you can talk about that time you had to negotiate with a shopkeeper who didn’t speak English or when you took the wrong bus home and had to find your way back. The skills you don’t even realize you are learning abroad because you’re having fun are what employers are looking for in their future hires.” Lout said he’s not sure what he wants to do after college, but studying abroad will benefit his future career because he wants to work for a company that has the opportunity to do business overseas. Dawn is also unsure of his future career, but he is considering becoming a history professor, museum curator or attending seminary in California (his father, David, is a minister). Studying abroad, he said, would help with any of these proposed paths. Visiting South Korea will help him see how perspective on historical events changes based on the cultural and geographic location of those who observe how events unfold. “If I am to call myself a true history professor, I must be aware of how history can be interpreted by different people of different cultures,” he said. If he chooses to become a museum curator, the study abroad experience will help him in a similar way, with the added bonus of improving his ability to identify an artifact from Asia. And if he decides to become a minister, the experience will help by improving his ability to communicate with people. ‘A TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE’ Usitalo said that studying abroad allows students to experience life – trying new foods, meeting new people, hearing and learning other languages, getting to know a different culture – far more than in a traditional classroom setting. “Studying abroad can be a transformative experience,” he said. And now that Dawn has taken his advice, he hopes the experience has a lasting impact. “I’d like him to experience a very different way of living; to talk to people who think far differently than he does, and to appreciate these differences,” Usitalo said. “And when he returns, I hope he’s inspired to see more of the world (and to read more about it as well).” Fast-paced nursing program prepares students for career Northern State University graduate Sarah Hintz was able to continue her education and earn her nursing degree all in the same place, thanks to the accelerated nursing program. “It was one of the best decisions in my life because I was able to get done with nursing school and into the nursing field in such a short amount of time,” said Hintz, of Woodbury, Minn. “With other programs, it would have taken much longer.” Hintz graduated from NSU in May 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in biology and a minor in chemistry. She graduated from the accelerated nursing program – a joint program offered by NSU and South Dakota State University – in December 2014. Hintz now works in the emergency department at North Memorial Hospital in North Minneapolis. She said the accelerated nursing program has helped prepare her for her career in the nursing field. “The fast pace of the program helped me be prepared for my career, because often nurses have to work in fast-paced environments,” she said. “The program also had a lot of hands-on opportunities, which made the transition from student to nurse easier.” Those hands-on opportunities included simulations; open lab times; check offs, where students had to prove their skills; and clinicals. Hintz said she would definitely recommend this program to other students. “Everyone that is involved is amazing and has great knowledge of the nursing field,” she said. “The class size is small, and you get to know your classmates very well. The instructors are your biggest fans and are so supportive the whole way through.” NSU student Matthew Dawn, who is studying abroad in South Korea, is pictured in downtown Seoul near a manmade river (top), and also photographed the Gyeongbok Palace (bottom).
NORTHERN TODAY 14 SPRING 2015 STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS STUDENTS MADE longlasting memories, and they also developed an excitement for research. “It’s cool when students are so excited to be developing and carrying out research,” said Dr. Alyssa Anderson, assistant professor of biology, who led the trip. Students need those research skills, she said – from the ability to think through the scientific process to the ability to write and convince others of the importance of their work. “In order for students to be successful at biology, they need to have a well-grounded research experience as a component of their career,” Anderson said. Eight students went on the March 4-15 Bahamas study abroad trip over spring break. It was the first of its kind at NSU in that it includes an entire four-credit course. Early in the semester, students developed their own research projects and put together proposals for what they would work on while in the Bahamas. While on San Salvador, the students (April Moeller, Cierra Martin, Kate Wollman, Lexy Teerink, Malerie Henschel, Misti Ward, Nathan Roberts and Samantha Bahr) carried out various projects. Anderson and Janne Jockheck Holt led the trip to Gerace Research Centre, which was built as the laboratory component of Anderson’s Marine and Island Ecology course. In addition to their research, the students also identified local flora and fauna that they learned about prior to the trip, and spent time exploring sandy beach communities, sea grass meadows, coral reef ecosystems, inland scrub forest habitats and local conservation issues. They also visited historical sites. Upon return, students analyzed data and presented findings at the NSU Undergraduate Research Forum on April 9. Wollman, a sophomore from Pierre who is double majoring in biology and environmental science, said the whole trip was incredible. “I love to be outside, so this trip was perfect. I enjoyed the hiking and snorkeling every day,” Wollman said. “I learned different ways to conduct research by helping other students on the trip. I have never snorkeled before, so learning about all of the different marine organisms up close was awesome. Learning about the history of the island was so interesting.” Wollman and her research partner studied the diversity of invertebrates in tide pools based on algae cover on San Salvador Island. She said she would definitely recommend this trip to others. “It was such an amazing experience,” she said. “Going to the Bahamas and conducting research is a unique opportunity that students from NSU do not get here in the Midwest.” Wollman said along with relating to biology, the timing of this trip was perfect for her. She hopes NSU is able to offer more study abroad trips over spring break. Also while on San Salvador, Anderson was able to collect some samples of Chironomidae. These tiny aquatic flies are the focus of much of her own research. All of Northern’s science faculty members try to integrate students into research when they can, Anderson said. NSU has an enthusiastic group of faculty members who want to pass along that excitement for research onto students. “If we can move our own research forward with students helping out, that’s a bonus.” NSU study abroad trip gets students excited about research This spring, a Northern State University group studied all aspects of aquatic life on San Salvador Island, Bahamas – from sea grass to snails to salt-tolerant trees. IVERSON received an NSU Undergraduate Competitive Research Grant for her project. Mosquitoes carry various infectious diseases, according to her project abstract, and small molecules play important roles in medicinal practices to fight off these diseases. Iverson is removing fruit peels and extracting the small molecules using simple distillation. She will isolate them, further fraction them down and test them for insecticidal use, with the goal of determining which fruits have insecticidal properties. It’ll be a while until final results are determined. But in her preliminary results, Iverson is seeing that, along with the known deterrents of orange and key lime, mango and avocado are also promising. “A lot of insects just don’t like (the avocado),” she said. “They don’t want to be near it.” She started the project last year and has obtained all the crude extracts, but it will be some time before she’s at the point where she can classify exact molecules. Iverson is working on her own, with the help of Dr. Jon Mitchell, NSU assistant professor of biology, and Dr. George Nora, assistant professor of chemistry. Iverson, a junior, plans to go to veterinary school after she graduates. She’ll start applying soon, and said her top three choices are the University of Minnesota, Iowa State University and Colorado State University. NSU STUDENT RESEARCHER STUDYING EFFECTS OF SMALL MOLECULES ISOLATED FROM FRUITS ON MOSQUITOES A research project by Northern State student Stephanie Iverson could help you determine which of the fruits you keep in your kitchen can help keep mosquitoes away in the summertime. Stephanie Iverson “A lot of insects just don’t like (the avocado),” she said. “They don’t want to be near it.” Left to right: Sam Bahr, Malerie Henschel, Cierra Martin, Kate Wollman, Lexy Teerink, Misti Ward, Dr. Alyssa Anderson, Nate Roberts and April Moeller. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF KATE WOLLMAN
NORTHERN TODAY 15 SPRING 2015 THAT DEXTERITY comes in handy for identifying the cast skins of mosquito-like aquatic flies called Chironomidae by mounting them on microscope slides. This painstaking step is part of a research project for Northern State University’s Dr. Alyssa Ander- son. Anderson won NSU’s 2014 Nora Staael Evert Research Award for her efforts with this project, titled “Analysis of Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera) Diversity and Community Composition in Brown County, S.D.” Anderson, assistant professor of biology, and NSU environmental studies student Nathan Roberts, recipient of an NSU Undergraduate Research Award, are collecting Chironomidae from six sites along the Elm and James rivers in Brown County. Chironomidae, also called non-biting midges, are a good indicator of water quality, and the project seeks to determine the qual- ity of those waterways. Rather than collecting the entire fly, they collect the skins (called exuviae) that are left behind floating on the water’s surface as the fly transitions from the pupal to adult life-stage. Anderson and Nathan Roberts are still in the process of identifying samples. Once they collect them, they have to sort them and divide them into morphological groups. Then comes the slide mounting of the skins, which is key to identifi- cation. They presented preliminary findings at the 2015 annual meeting of the Society for Freshwater Sci- ence in late May. Anderson joined Northern’s faculty in December 2012. A native of Lake Crystal, Minn., she received her bachelor’s degree in biology from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. Anderson earned her Ph.D. in entomology, with a graduate minor in conservation biology, from the University of Minnesota. She currently serves as co-editor of the CHIRONOMUS Journal of Chironomi- dae Research. Separately, Anderson is also working on a methods paper with a video component on collecting Chi- ronomidae skins. She also recently had a paper published in Aquatic Insects on the longevity of the winter-emerging species, Diamesa mendotae Muttkowski. And she is collaborating with colleagues at the University of Minnesota on research regarding the winter diet of trouts. The Nora Staael Evert Research Award, funded through a Northern State University Foundation grant, provides a summer stipend to support faculty engaged in scholarly research projects. The 2015 winner was recently selected: Dr. Abdullah Albizri, assistant professor of man- agement information systems in the NSU School of Business, received the award for his project, titled “Using Large-scale Feature Construction and Selection for Financial Fraud Detection.” Albizri’s project will extend research on financial fraud detec- tion by identifying research gaps and focusing on answering salient research questions, according to in- formation he provided for the award application. The project aims to suggest design guidelines to improve financial fraud detection systems, which will benefit stakeholders such as investors, board directors and auditors. After collecting data and analyzing results, Albizri ultimately plans to submit a paper to a journal. STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS Anderson collecting Chironomidae as part of research award project Ecological research requires a particular set of skills – in some cases, the precision of a neurosurgeon. THE COMMON MISCONCEPTION is that local businesses with local customers don’t need to do online marketing. But that has changed, and customers search for local businesses online, even if they intend to visit them, explained Kinyanjui. If they don’t find your information online, they’ll likely look for another business. “People don’t do window shopping anymore,” she said. Kinyanjui won an NSU undergraduate competitive research grant to dive further into this topic. Her project, “Using Big Data and Business Intelligence to Optimize Digital Marketing for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs),” also won her the runnerup spot in the university’s recent undergraduate research competition. Her mentor is NSU business faculty member Scott Peterson. Kinyanjui’s research aims to determine the best digital marketing practices, competitive strategies and advertising platforms for small to medium-sized businesses that have a local customer base. She’s using data mining to compare social media marketing, search engine advertising, online business directories and private business websites and applications. Kinyanjui will compile her data and develop a model that she will have a few businesses apply, and she’ll follow up to see what’s working and what’s not. She’ll present her findings on campus before ultimately presenting them at the International Business Conference this fall. Kinyanjui will graduate from NSU in December 2015 with a management information systems degree and a minor in computer science. She plans to go to graduate school and pursue a career in technology. Ruth Kinyanjui “People don’t do window shopping anymore.” Assistant professor of biology and environmental studies Assistant professor of management information systems in the School of Business Dr. Alyssa Anderson Dr. Abdullah Albizri NSU STUDENT RESEARCHES ONLINE MARKETING FOR BUSINESSES All businesses need an online presence, even if their customer base is local, said Northern State University School of Business student Ruth Kinyanjui.
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