Hotline // April 16, 2025
This week’s Hotline includes the following articles:
- President’s Column: VCSU Auction Showcases Community Spirit and Generosity
- Juried Student Art Exhibit opens April 21
- VCSU Scholarship Auction Raises $125,000
- VCSU Math Hosts 450 Students for 2nd Annual Math Competition
- VCSU’s Dr. James Boe receives ITEEA’s Highest Award
- Galt and Noteboom earn VCSU Faculty Excellence Awards
- Hesch named ‘Difference Maker’
- Business students visit Bobcat Manufacturing Facility
- Celebrate Earth Week at VCSU
- 2025 Scholar Symposium: call for submissions
- Viking sports update
- What’s happening at VCSU and around Valley City…
President's Column: VCSU Auction Showcases Community Spirit and Generosity
By Alan D. LaFave, President
The Valley City State University (VCSU) community came together for an unforgettable night of generosity, laughter, food, and spirited bidding at the annual VCSU Auction, held April 11 at the Valley City Eagles Club. This year’s event – the largest fundraiser of the year – proved once again that when VCSU calls, the community answers with tremendous support. More than 330 tickets were sold and about $125,000 was raised for student scholarships.
From the moment guests arrived at the wonderfully decorated Eagles Club, the energy in the room was palpable. Themed baskets, unique experiences, memorabilia, and creative contributions lined the auction tables. Each item represented not just a chance to win something special, but a shared commitment to supporting VCSU students and programs.
Many of the attendees fully embraced this year’s pirate theme with creative outfits. Several awards were presented for best costumes, and one entire table of patrons wore custom shirts bearing the likeness of some of our coaching staff, foundation staff, and even the president!
The auction was more than just a fundraiser — it was a celebration of community. Alumni, faculty, staff, students, and supporters gathered to honor the strong ties that connect VCSU to Valley City and beyond. Thanks to the efforts of the auction committee, volunteers, and organizers, the event ran smoothly and offered a fun, engaging experience.
Bidding wars erupted over handcrafted items and unique donations. And while the competition was fierce, it was all in the name of a great cause. Proceeds from the event directly benefit student scholarships through the VCSU Booster Club and V-500 scholarships which help sustain VCSU as a place of excellence, affordability, and opportunity.
As part of the North Dakota University System, VCSU is proud to uphold a tradition of academic excellence and community engagement. Events like the annual auction highlight the unique role regional universities play in connecting local support with higher education goals — ensuring North Dakota students thrive both now and into the future.
A heartfelt thank-you goes out to everyone who contributed — donors, bidders, volunteers, and sponsors alike. Events like these remind us why VCSU continues to thrive — because of the people who believe in our mission and invest in our future. We are indeed fortunate for the incredible support our students receive from alumni and friends in our community and across the state. We are deeply grateful to everyone who donated, attended, and gave so generously.
Go Vikings!
Juried Student Art Exhibit opens April 21
Photo: Serve, by Courtney Fiebiger, won 1st place in the 2024 VCSU Juried Student Art Exhibit.
The VCSU Robinson Center for the Arts Gallery presents the annual Juried Student Art Exhibit, featuring a diverse range of artwork created by VCSU students this academic year.
The exhibit opens to the public on April 21 and continues through May 17. It can be viewed during regular gallery hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday throughout Friday. The gallery is also open to the public on Saturday, May 17 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Awards will be juried by Cole Carpenter, the Director of Education and Exhibition at Jamestown Art Center, and announced at a reception in the CFA Lobby on Friday, May 2, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
A virtual exhibit will be available on the VCSU Art Department’s YouTube Channel.
VCSU Scholarship Auction Raises $125,000
The VCSU Scholarship Auction raised $125,000 for student scholarships during the annual event held Friday, April 11, at the Valley City Eagles Club.
“The support and generosity from our community is greatly appreciated,” said Kim Hesch, assistant director for university advancement. “Thank you to everyone that donated items, attended the auction, and purchased items.”
The VCSU Foundation sold 329 tickets for this year’s auction and raised a total of $125,000 through ticket sales, the silent auction and the live auction. The Scholarship Auction is the largest annual fundraiser for the VCSU Foundation and supports both academic and athletic scholarships for VCSU students.
VCSU Math Hosts 450 Students for 2nd Annual Math Competition
The Valley City State University math department hosted its 2nd Annual Math Competition on April 9, welcoming more than 450 junior high and high school students from 37 different schools.
The competition featured 259 students in grades 7-9 and 195 students in grades 10-12. Students competed as individuals and as teams of four. Awards were given to the Top 3 teams and the Top 10 individuals in each division.
The 3rd Annual VCSU Math Competition is scheduled for April 8, 2026.
2nd Annual VCSU Math Competition – April 9, 2025
Grades 10-12 Team Awards
- 1st – Century Red (294 points)
- 2nd – Dickinson Pi-Rates (277)
- 3rd – Bismarck Derivative Demons (252)
Grades 10-12 Individual Awards
- 1st – Westley Rae, Dickinson (45 points)
- 2nd – Ethan Thurn, Bismarck (39)
- 3rd – Gabriel Ricks, Dickinson (34)
- 4th – Nora Severance, Northern Cass (33)
- 5th – Charles Dobrzelecki, Century (31)
- 6th – Jared Christen, Mandan (29)
- 7th – Ethan Roller, Carrington (29)
- 8th – Riley Bierdeman, Kindred (29)
- 9th – Griffin Taylor, Century (29)
- 10th – Bennett Graff, Mandan (29)
Grades 7-9 Team Awards
- 1st – Horizon 1 (423 points)
- 2nd – Kindred L3 (339)
- 3rd – Bismarck Number Ninjas (331)
Grades 7-9 Individual Awards
- 1st – Daria Raducu, Horizon (55 points)
- 2nd – Tara Prawira, Horizon (50)
- 3rd – Luke Raducu, Horizon (45)
- 4th – Cade Skytland, Kindred (45)
- 5th – Camron Larson, Central Valley (43)
- 6th – Jakob Lindemann, Kindred (43)
- 7th – David Ricks, Dickinson (41)
- 8th – Beau Bubach, Kindred (40)
- 9th – Adam Larsen, Kindred (39)
- 10th – Veronica Mattson, Mandan (37)
VCSU’s Dr. James Boe receives ITEEA’s Highest Award
Dr. James Boe, center, is pictured with wife Natalie and VCSU faculty members. From left: Clayton Mannie, Natalie Boe, James Boe, Lisa Krumwiede and Peder Gjovik.
Dr. James Boe, Dean of Graduate Studies and Extended Learning at VCSU, was awarded with Academy of Fellows Membership at the annual International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA) national conference April 3 in St. Louis, Mo.
The ITEEA Academy of Fellows Membership is the highest recognition bestowed by the ITEEA and is determined by a committee of expert peer reviewers. To be selected for the award, individuals must have gained prominence in and brought honor to the profession of technology and engineering education.
Boe was previously a faculty member and department chair for VCSU Technology Education. He has also held several leadership roles in ITEEA.
“Dr. Boe has been a driving force behind VCSU’s ascension to a program recognized internationally by the technology and engineering education fraternity,” said Dr. Peder Gjovik, chair of VCSU’s department of technology and STEM education. “This award is well-deserved due to his tireless work for VCSU and the technology and engineering education profession throughout his career.”
Valley City State University was also recognized as a STEM School of Excellence during the ITEEA conference, in recognition of a wide range of STEM-related initiatives the university leads or collaborates on.
Dr. James Boe
Boe earned his bachelor’s degree in technology education (Tech Ed) from VCSU in 1991. He taught in North Dakota and Texas public schools and served on the VCSU Tech Ed advisory committee for two years from 1998-1999. In 2000, he came back to VCSU to join the Technology Education program as a faculty member. He completed his M.Ed. in Educational Leadership in 2001 from the University of North Dakota.
Boe was a significant contributor to the adoption of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum and activities to support training teacher candidates in the ITEEA’s Standards for Technological Literacy. Along with embedding STEM in Tech Ed courses, several STEM-based certificate options and graduate degrees were developed at the elementary and secondary levels. He became the chair of the program in 2009 and during that time also completed his doctoral degree in occupational and adult education at NDSU in 2010. In 2014 he became the director of graduate studies at VCSU. He later became the dean of graduate studies and extended learning in 2019 and continues to serve in that capacity.
During his time at VCSU, Boe has been a significant presence in ITEEA serving as the ITEEA Teacher Excellence Awards Chair and received several Outstanding Affiliate Representative awards. In 2011 he received the ITEEA’s Distinguished Technology Educator award. He received the Special Recognition Award in 2013 for outstanding service to the profession. In 2012 he became President-Elect of the ITEEA, served as President during 2013-2014, and transitioned to ITEEA Past President from 2014-2015. He served on the ITEEA Technology and Engineering Teacher editorial board from 2017-2021. Jim received several additional awards following his tenure as president of the ITEEA:
2015—Recognition of Appreciation of Outstanding Leadership
2017—Presidential Citation (awarded for going above and beyond for ITEEA)
2025—Induction: ITEEA Academy of Fellows
Galt and Noteboom earn VCSU Faculty Excellence Awards
Photo: VCSU faculty Dr. Nicholas Galt, center, is pictured with VCSU administrators and employees from the science department.
Valley City State University faculty have named Nicholas Galt, Ph.D. and Benjamin Noteboom, Ph.D. as the recipients of the 2024-25 VCSU Faculty Excellence Awards.
President Alan LaFave and Director for Academic Affairs Larry Brooks presented the awards on Wednesday, April 9, recognizing both Galt and Noteboom for exceptional dedication and commitment to students and the University by outstanding teaching, scholarly activities or university service.
Galt received the Senior Faculty Excellence Award, and Noteboom was honored with the Junior Faculty Excellence Award. The awards are nominated and voted on by fellow faculty members.
Galt is a tenured associate professor and department chair for the science department. He has been a faculty member since 2016 and holds a doctorate in biology from University of Alabama at Birmingham. Galt is also head coach of the VCSU shooting sports team.
Noteboom is an associate professor for the mathematics department. He has been a faculty member since 2022 and holds a doctorate in philosophy from North Dakota State University.
Photo: VCSU faculty Dr. Ben Noteboom, center, is pictured with VCSU administrators along with faculty and students from the math department.
Hesch named ‘Difference Maker’
Kim Hesch, assistant director for university advancement, recently received the ‘Difference Maker’ award for April. She was nominated by Facilities Services.
Her nomination read, “Not only is Kim a great advocate for our department and the work we do, but she is also willing to go the extra step and get her hands dirty – literally. During the summer you can see her helping keep our many flower beds weeded and dead-headed. You will also oftentimes see her picking up trash on her walk up to the main building – or wherever she is going. She has an eye for detail and participates in the Campus Beautification Committee where she shares her ideas on how to keep campus looking its best. Thank you, Kim, for seeing the things we don’t always see and for helping our department mission of keeping our campus beautiful! Thank you for all you do for VCSU, Kim!”
Business students visit Bobcat Manufacturing Facility
Students taking Operations Management, a VCSU Business Department class, visited the Bobcat Manufacturing Facility in Gwinner, N.D.
Back in the 1950s, the Keller brothers built the first small compact machine to clear manure from farm grounds in Gwinner, N.D. After getting more demand for their machinery, the brothers partnered with investors from North Dakota as well and started mass production of machines. The compact equipment industry was born.
The students toured – a total of two miles – different shops within the manufacturing complex, witnessing live operational activities such as welding, manufacturing, robotics in action, laser cutting, assembly lines, quality checks and more. During the tour, the students were accompanied by Dennis Dahl from Product Engineering who explained what was happening at each station.
“Quality management and the importance of precision stood out to me the most on the field trip. They have machines that have further advanced the manufacturing standard by ensuring that parts are meeting these requirements and even getting them as precise as being within 1/4 strand of human hair,” a student commented after the trip. “I found Production and Manufacturing engineering to be the most interesting function. I think that it stood out to me because there is so much that goes into the design of the production line itself and the design of the loaders. Every step to make the loaders is thought out and spread out enough to get done in about a 15-minute time frame per task. This seemed like a very efficient way of doing this,” said another student.
The Gwinner manufacturing complex covers 780,000 square feet (about 13 NFL football fields) and employs approximately 1,500 employees across several departments. Depending on market demand and orders, the facility produces around 120-150 units of loaders and utility work machines every day. The overall facility is basically a one-stop shop. The raw steel is brought in one door and they drive the completed loaders and Toolcats out the other door, ready for the dealer/customer. They have approximately 225 robots, material handling and welding. “A branch of natural gas pipeline supplying the northern US market, was diverted specifically to Gwinner to support the Bobcat facility with energy,” said Dahl. In addition, there is a rail spur line also coming from the Pacific coast specifically to supply the plant with goods and materials.
In the end, the students had lunch with eight of Bobcat employees, from Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and Logistics departments and they had an open discussion about career opportunities and some of the employees’ experiences on the job. “I liked listening about logistics and potential career paths. The other speakers helped reassure me that even though they have an engineering background that doesn’t mean I couldn’t be where they are at even without that specific degree,” a student commented. They also highlighted the importance of internships and that it is a big opportunity for joining as a full-time employee later on.
Celebrate Earth Week at VCSU
The public is invited to attend several free events in honor of Earth Week. The events, sponsored by Valley City State University, Barnes County Historical Society and ‘What in the World is Going On?’, will take place on the VCSU campus and Barnes County Historical Society Museum.
Tuesday, April 22
1-2 p.m. “Soil, Carbon, and Climate Change” by Dr. Rebecca Phillips, director of Ecological Insights, VCSU Rhoades Science Center
2-3:30 p.m. Tables on the Green!, McFarland Lawn (will move to Student Center if cold)
7 p.m. “The Jungle”, an update on Upton Sinclair’s 1906 book on the American meat industry
Thursday, April 24
7 p.m. Patrick Sommer (Dark Sky International) presents the film “Northern Nights, Starry Skies”
For more information, contact Wes Anderson at 701-845-0966 or Madeline Luke at mzlnd@yahoo.com.
2025 Scholar Symposium: Call for submissions
The 2025 Valley City State University Scholar Symposium will be held in the main lobby of the Larry J. Robinson Center For the Arts on Tuesday, May 6 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The annual event allows undergraduate students to showcase their research, writing, and other creative projects developed over the past academic year. Last year’s event featured 65+ student-designed projects representing seven departments across campus, revealing the wide-range of scholarship VCSU students produced individually and collaboratively in more than 20 unique courses.
Student recipients of the SOAR (Student Opportunities for Academic Research) Award and of the EPSCOR (Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) Award presented their advanced research projects, and faculty members from three different departments shared their discipline-specific research and creative scholarship from the past academic year.
Students are encouraged to participate in the Scholar Symposium, as presenters and/or attendees, as this event is designed to showcase and celebrate the individual and collaborative vibrant academic work of VCSU students and faculty across campus.
Contact event coordinator Emily D. Wicktor, associate professor for language and literature, at emily.wicktor@vcsu.edu for more information on the submission process.
Submission forms are due by April 24.
Viking sports update
TRACK & FIELD
Outdoor track and field competed Friday at the NDSU Spring Classic where senior Kendra Odegard took first place in a field of 34 throwers in the javelin. VCSU will host the NSAA Multi Championships on April 15-16.
BASEBALL
VCSU baseball went 1-3 over the weekend against (RV) Jamestown including a 6-0 victory featuring a complete game shutout performance by Takao Cookson. Cookson earned NSAA Pitcher of the Week honors after issuing nine strikeouts, not a single walk, and allowing just three hits in the game. VCSU is now 16-25 overall and 1-11 in the North Star. VCSU will host Mayville State on April 18-19 with its Senior Day recognition on Saturday afternoon.
SOFTBALL
The Viking Softball team took a 12-5 win over (RV) Jamestown to go 1-3 against the Jimmies on the weekend. VCSU is now 17-18 overall and 6-6 in conference play. The Vikings travel to Dickinson State for a 4-game series April 18-19. Due to the weekend forecast, VCSU’s series at (RV) Dickinson State will now be played Saturday, April 19 and Monday, April 21.
GOLF
Four Viking golfers placed in the Top 15 at the Dickinson State Spring Invite played Sunday at Heart River Golf Course in Dickinson. Monday’s round was canceled due to snowy conditions in Dickinson. VCSU will be back in action April 22-23 at the DJGA College Shootout at Riverwood Golf Course in Bismarck.
Upcoming Events:
April 15-16: NSAA Multi Championships, 10 a.m. (Lokken Stadium)
April 18: Baseball vs. Mayville State (DH), 1/3:30 p.m. (Charlie Brown Memorial Field)
April 19: Baseball vs. Mayville State – Senior Day (DH), 12/2:30 p.m. (Charlie Brown Memorial Field)
April 19: Softball at Dickinson State, 1/3 p.m. CT (Dickinson, N.D.)
April 19: Track & Field at UJ Al Cassell Classic (Jamestown, N.D.)
April 21: Softball at Dickinson State, 4/6 p.m. CT (Dickinson, N.D.)
April 22-23: Golf at DJGA College Shootout, 9 a.m. (Bismarck, N.D.)
April 22: Baseball vs. Dakota Wesleyan, 12 p.m. (Charlie Brown Memorial Field)
April 22: Track and Field – Viking Twilight, 2 p.m. (Lokken Stadium)
What's happening at VCSU and around Valley City...
April 21 – May 17
VCSU Juried Student Art Exhibit, Larry J. Robinson Center for the Arts Gallery
April 21
New Student Orientation
April 22 & 24
Earth Week events, VCSU and BCHS Museum
Find out what’s happening at VCSU: https://www.vcsu.edu/news-events/
Find out what’s happening in the community: https://www.valleycitycalendar.com/