Hotline // February 11, 2026

President's Column: Affordability Matters – And VCSU Delivers

By Dr. Allen Burgad, Interim VCSU President

Throughout my tenure at Valley City State University, I have had the privilege of meeting with countless high school students and families exploring their college options. When I ask prospective students what draws them to VCSU, their answers are remarkably consistent:

• A family member, friend, or teacher attended VCSU.
• Our academic programs stand out for quality and personal attention.
• Students feel welcomed and supported from day one.

But another theme always rises to the top: affordability.

At Valley City State University, affordability is not just a talking point—it is a lived reality. During the 2024–25 academic year, 53 percent of our on-campus students paid zero tuition out of pocket after scholarships and gifted aid. Many others received substantial support that significantly reduced their overall college costs and long-term debt.

Families often begin their college search by comparing published tuition rates, but tuition alone rarely tells the full story. Housing, meals, fees, books, and scholarships all factor into what a college education truly costs.

To put this into perspective, consider a student with a 3.05 high school GPA. At VCSU, that student may receive a $1,500 institutional academic scholarship during the first two years. When combined with VCSU’s lower base tuition, this reduces tuition costs to approximately $5,500, with a total annual cost closer to $14,000 for students living on campus. In addition, students with this academic profile may qualify for the North Dakota Scholarship, further reducing college costs.

By comparison, families often find that attending a four-year public university in a neighboring state can cost approximately $23,000–$26,000 per year once all costs are included. At Valley City State University, our students typically experience significantly lower total costs while still receiving an outstanding academic experience.

At VCSU, affordability reflects our long-standing commitment to putting students first. We believe college should open doors, not create unnecessary financial barriers. We are proud to offer an education that is personal, practical, and accessible—within a campus culture where students feel supported. For many families, that combination of value, quality, and community makes all the difference.

A final note of celebration: I would also like to recognize our Department of Language and Literature and the student editors of The Forge, VCSU’s literary magazine, which was recently named a 2025 REALM First Class magazine by the National Council of Teachers of English. This marks the second consecutive year The Forge has received this national recognition—an impressive accomplishment that reflects the creativity and dedication of our students, along with the guidance and mentorship of faculty advisor Dr. J. Gregory Brister. Congratulations to The Forge team and to all the students, faculty, and staff who contributed their writing and artwork.

Giving Hearts Day this Thursday

Generous donors can once again donate to the VCSU Foundation on Giving Hearts Day.

For the tenth consecutive year, the VCSU Foundation is participating in the region-wide day of giving on February 12 to benefit non-profits.

Donations to the VCSU Foundation can be given online or scheduled ahead of time. They can also be dropped off at the Foundation Office prior to Feb. 12.

Give a Donation Online

These dollars help VCSU students through scholarship support in addition to supporting alumni gatherings, award programs, Homecoming activities and the alumni magazine The Bulletin.

Weber and Hornung Place at Icebox Classic

VCSU Speech Team members Anastasia Weber and Grady Hornung placed Icebox Classic speech meet in St. Cloud, Minn. on Feb. 6 and 7.

Weber was tournament champion in Persuasive speaking. Hornung earned second place in Prose. Persuasive speaking competition is a 10-minute speech written by the student that presents well-researched arguments. Prose competition includes material drawn from items of literary merit.

The team will travel the weekend of Feb. 21 to the state tournament in Minnesota. North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin have combined this year with an event hosted in St. Peter, Minn.

For more information about the team reach out to Coach and Assistant Professor Tammy Jo Taft.

Vareberg Receives 2026 Pearson & Nelson Outstanding New Teacher Award

Kyle Vareberg ’12, ’16, has been selected as a recipient of the 2026 Pearson & Nelson Outstanding New Teacher Award, presented by the Central States Communication Association (CSCA). This honor recognizes early-career educators who demonstrate excellence in teaching and show strong promise as leaders within the communication discipline.

The Pearson & Nelson Outstanding New Teacher Award is named in honor of Judy C. Pearson, a former CSCA president and Hall of Fame member, and Paul E. Nelson, a longtime CSCA life member. The award highlights individuals who are making meaningful contributions in the classroom early in their careers through innovative pedagogy, dedication to student learning and engagement within the field of communication.

Vareberg earned his Bachelor of Science in Professional Communication and English Education from Valley City State University in 2012 and his master’s degree in 2016 and Ph.D. in 2021 from North Dakota State University. He is currently an Assistant Professor at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

Vareberg will receive this award during the CSCA Awards Luncheon at the association’s annual convention in Minneapolis on Friday, April 12.

Founded in 1931, the Central States Communication Association is the largest regional communication association in the United States, serving communication professionals across 13 Midwestern states. Through conferences, publications, and professional programming, CSCA continues to support excellence in communication education, scholarship, and service.

Viking Sports Update

Men’s Basketball
The Valley City State Men had their final trip of the regular season to Montana last weekend. The Vikings lost a heartbreaker to Providence on Friday. Saturday the offense struggled in a loss to Montana State-Northern. The Vikings have two key games this weekend with post season hopes on the line. VCSU plays at Dickinson State on Friday and at Bismarck State on Saturday. Dickinson State and Valley City State are tied for the last spot in the conference tournament with four games to go.

Women’s Basketball
The Vikings Women split the two games this weekend. They did not recover from a slow start in a loss at Providence. They would bounce back nicely with an upset win at Montana State-Northern. The Vikings have two big conference games this weekend. Friday they are at Dickinson State and Saturday they are at Bismarck State. The Vikings are a game behind Bismarck State in for the last spot in the post season tournament with four games remaining.

Bubble Update
The Viking Women and Men’s basketball teams are scheduled to wrap up the regular season next weekend with home games against Carrol College and Rocky Mountain College. The games will be played at the Memorial Auditorium on the campus of Concordia College in Moorhead. On Friday, Feb. 20, the Vikings will play Carroll College with the Women to start at 5 p.m. and the men at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Feb. 21, they play Rocky Mountain College with the women set to tipoff at 3 p.m. and the men at 5 p.m. Saturday will be Senior Day for VCSU. Prior to the women’s game, Hankinson and Washburn boys are scheduled to play at noon.

Baseball
The Viking baseball team hit the road to start the spring schedule. They traveled to Mitchell, S.D. for a four game weekend series with the Tigers. The Vikings split the four games, dropping both games on Saturday. Then swept the two games on Sunday. The Vikings are off this weekend. Next weekend they head to Yankton, S.D. for a three-game weekend series with Mount Marty.

Softball
Valley City State Softball was in Jamestown last weekend for four games at the Nelson Family Bubble. Saturday they played Frontier Conference for Providence and dropped a 13-10 decision. Later that day they played the University of Jamestown and lost a tough 6-2 game to the Jimmies. Sunday, Valley City State played a doubleheader with U-Mary and split the two games with the Division II Marauders. This weekend, Valley City State will be in Sioux Center, Iowa at the American Bank Sports Complex Softball Classic hosted by Dordt University. The Vikings will play Briar Cliff and Dordt on Friday and Waldorf and College of Saint Mary’s (Neb.) on Saturday.

Track & Field
The Vikings were in Fargo this past weekend for the Bison Open. More personal records were attained and the team continues to improve as the conference meet looms a week away. This weekend, the Vikings will be in Brookings, S.D. for the SDSU Classic. This will be the site of the Frontier Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships on Feb. 21 and 22.

What's happening at VCSU and around Valley City...

February 12
11 – 1 p.m. Career Expo, VCSU Student Center

February 16
VCSU Closed – President’s Day

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/