• VCSU Top 10 List (Vol. 5 ... Continued)
• Business After Hours June 13
• Alumnae Boe, Lentz named finalists for presidential teaching award
• Fornes Receives Additional Training in Engineering is Elementary
• What's happening at VCSU and in Valley City...
• May Birthdays

The VCSU Hotline! online newsletter will be published every other week during the summer months beginning May 13. Deadline to submit articles (photos encouraged) is 4:00 p.m. the preceding Friday.

by Dr. Steve Shirley, Valley City State University President

The following article will apepar in the Valley City Times Record the week of June 10, 2013.

As outlined in my last column, this is the fifth edition of the annual VCSU Top Ten List. There was only room for five items in the last column, so here is Part II of the “VCSU Top 10 List of Accomplishments” for 2012-13 (again, these are in no particular order):

6) VCSU enjoyed another strong overall student enrollment in 2012-13. The final Fall Enrollment in 2012 was 1,362 students, representing the third-largest overall headcount in VCSU’s 120+ year history. As we are making final preparations to welcome a new class in Fall 2013, the overall freshmen applications and registration figures continue to look positive indicating yet another solid overall enrollment.

7) In April, we announced the formation of the brand new North Star Athletic Association (NSAA). In 2013-14, VCSU will be one of five charter members in the NSAA, and then the conference will expand by welcoming a sixth member for the 2014-15 year. VCSU Athletics have been affiliated as an NAIA “independent” during the past two years, and so this new conference will provide for the renewal of old rivalries as well as the beginning of new ones. We look forward to being a member of the North Star beginning later this summer!

8) In May, VCSU received final approval and authorization from the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education to add a new academic program with a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering. This is an exciting new major for VCSU, and will certainly help fill high-demand jobs to further fuel North Dakota’s economy. Software engineering comprises the design, development, testing, implementation and maintenance of software systems. It includes aspects of computer programming, mathematics, project management and engineering, with an emphasis on analytical abilities and problem-solving skills.

9) During the 2013 North Dakota Legislative Session, Senate Bill 2003 was passed providing funding for the North Dakota University System. Included in the bill is an appropriation of approximately $3.5 million to renovate the building housing VCSU’s historic Vangstad Auditorium. This building is over 100 years old and in desperate need of a major renovation. These funds will provide the necessary upgrades to the Vangstad building that will certainly improve the overall student experience at VCSU. We look forward to proceeding with the renovation project in the coming year.

10) Several significant milestones were achieved in fundraising efforts to support student scholarships at VCSU. In October, the first-ever “VCSU Rendezvous” was held in support of the V-500 scholarship program. The event was a sellout and a huge success. The Century Club set an all-time record for fundraising in a single year during 2012-13 to support athletic scholarships. The Annual Scholarship Auction in April was a great success as one of the largest single fundraising events ever at VCSU. And, during 2012-13, 96% of all VCSU employees participated in donating to VCSU student scholarship programs, an increase over the participation rates in recent years. A big word of “THANK YOU!” to everyone who helped support VCSU students during 2012-13.

As the ten initiatives in the past two columns demonstrate, 2012-13 was yet another successful and rewarding year for Valley City State University. It is humbling working with such a remarkable group of students, faculty, and staff who are dedicated to the academic mission and purposes of VCSU. We look forward to another busy and productive year in 2013-14!

The Valley City Chamber of Commerce, Valley City Convention and Visitors Bureau, Valley City/Barnes County Development Corporation, and North Dakota Winter Show are hosting a Business After Hours open house at the Rosebud Visitor Center, 250 W. Main, Valley City, on Thursday, June 13, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Tour the building and grounds, learn more about the various groups that work to promote Valley City and Barnes County, and enjoy hot dogs, chips, and beverages. All are welcome.

Natalie Boe ’91, M.Ed. ’07, and Kathy Lentz, M.Ed. ’07, both teachers at Washington Elementary School in Valley City, were recognized as North Dakota finalists in the science category of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

A national selection committee will choose one of the two VCSU alumnae to receive the presidential award and represent North Dakota science teachers at educational events and an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Administered by the National Science Foundation on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the awards are the highest honors that the U.S. government presents to K–12 math and science teachers.

Lana Fornes, instructor in the Technology Department, recently completed additional training in Engineering is Elementary (EiE) -- an integrated STEM Education curriculum for elementary school students -- at the Museum of Science, Boston.

A mixed group of teacher educators and elementary school teachers participating in the three-day workshop provided valuable insights to each other for implementing EiE in the classroom, as well as how to effectively train other teachers for implementing EiE in their classrooms. The experience will be valuable in further development of a new STEM ED course in the Master of Education program at VCSU focused on training teachers in providing hands-on integrated STEM Education in the elementary classroom which focuses on effective implementation of the EiE curriculum.

Fornes will be partnering with Gary Ketterling (STEM education coordinator, Great Plains STEM Education Center) in presenting future professional development workshops in EiE for in-service teachers.

Monday, June 10

Tuesday, June 11

Wednesday, June 12

Thursday, June 13

5:00 pm Business After Hours, Rosebud Center

Friday, June 14

Pay Day
Flag Day

Saturday, June 15

Rally in the Valley summer celebration in Valley City (go to www.hellovalley.com/calendar for details)

Sunday, June 16

Father’s Day

Monday, June 17

Carson and Barnes Circus, ND Winter Show

Tuesday, June 18

Wednesday, June 19

Thursday, June 20

Friday, June 21

First day of summer
2013 Barnes County Relay for Life

Saturday, June 22

Sunday, June 23

Monday, June 24

Tuesday, June 25

Wednesday, June 26

Thursday, June 27

4-H Horse Clinic, ND Winter Show building (June 27-28)

Friday, June 28

Pay Day
First 4 week summer session courses end

Saturday, June 29

4-H Horse Show, ND Winter Show building

Sunday, June 30

4-H Livestock Show, ND Winter Show building

13 Ryan Brohmer
14 Kim Hesch
15 Tilmer Gienger
16 Jack Denholm
17 K.O. Bolstad
19 Jeff Kaminsky
20 Katie Woehl
25 Linda Whitney
26 Tuya Dutton
29 Kathleen Bennett-Zaun
29 Terry Corwin
29 Kathryn Holleque
30 Fred Charnetzki
30 Gary Thompson