Hotline // September 9, 2026
This week’s Hotline includes the following articles:
VCSU Alumni Association Announces 2026 Homecoming Honorees
Photo, from left: Wes Anderson, Dave Bass and Curtis Olson will be recognized with awards from the VCSU Foundation and Alumni Office.
More than a dozen alumni and friends of Valley City State University will be recognized with awards during the VCSU Alumni Association’s 2026 Homecoming celebration, scheduled for September 18-19.
The VCSU Foundation and Alumni Office annually recognizes alumni with awards at the Alumni Honors Breakfast and the Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
The Alumni Honors Breakfast will be held on Saturday, September 19, at 8:30 a.m. in the VCSU Student Center. The event provides an opportunity for the Alumni Association to recognize outstanding alumni and friends of the university through its Certificate of Merit, Alumni Service, and Distinguished Alumni awards.
Tickets are $10 per person and may be reserved by contacting the VCSU Foundation and Alumni Office at 701-845-7203 or by emailing kim.hesch@vcsu.edu.
Distinguished Alumni Awards
The Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor bestowed by the VCSU Alumni Association. The award recognizes alumni who have achieved prominence in their chosen profession, earned national or international recognition, and are regarded as leaders in their field.
The 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients are:
- Dave Bass ’77, Valley City, N.D.
- The late Curtis W. Olson ’62, Ivins, Utah
Alumni Service Award
The Alumni Service Award recognizes alumni or friends of the university who have achieved outstanding success in their careers while making significant contributions to VCSU through service, advocacy, volunteerism, financial support, or other efforts that strengthen the institution.
This year’s recipient is Wesley Anderson of Valley City.
Certificate of Merit Awards
Eight alumni will receive the Certificate of Merit Award, which recognizes alumni for professional accomplishments, service, leadership, or other noteworthy achievements.
This year’s recipients are:
- Ashleigh (Crockett) Blikre ’07, Rugby, N.D.
- Lori (Kessler) Demester ’95, New Rockford, N.D.
- Amy (Paulson) Dougherty ’92/’96, Donnelly, Minn.
- Sarah (Pedersen) Lerud ’00, Valley City, N.D.
- Clayton Mannie ’06/M.Ed. ’16, Valley City, N.D.
- Kimiko (Mandt) Milligan ’07, Fargo, N.D.
- Kadie (Anderson) Walls ’19/M.Ed. ’23, Linton, N.D.
- Manix Zepeda ’97, West Fargo, N.D.
Homecoming Events
The public is invited to attend the Alumni Honors Breakfast and join VCSU in celebrating the achievements and contributions of its distinguished alumni and friends.
The Alumni Association is sponsoring a variety of events throughout the 2026 Homecoming weekend. For a complete schedule and additional information, visit vcsualumni.org or contact the VCSU Foundation and Alumni Office at 701-845-7203.
Athletics Hall of Fame
Valley City State University will honor five individuals and one team with induction into the VCSU Athletic Hall of Fame during Homecoming weekend. The Hall of Fame ceremony will be held Friday, September 18, at the Valley City Eagles Club as part of homecoming weekend. For tickets and information, contact the VCSU Foundation and Alumni Office at 701-845-7203.
The 2026 Hall of Fame class includes former student-athletes, coaches, and teams whose accomplishments helped shape the proud tradition of Viking Athletics. Inductees into the VCSU Athletic Hall of Fame include:
- Al Olson ’84
- Andrew Warcken ’99
- Brandon Bata ’07
- Sekani Milligen ’13
- 2012–13 VCSU Men’s Basketball Team
Greg Stemen ’88 will also be inducted into the Osmon Icon Coaches Hall of Fame in recognition of his coaching accomplishments following graduation from Valley City State University.
Summer Vikes on Central Happening Sept. 10
Valley City State University and the Valley City community will come together for a night of live music, games, giveaways, and delicious street food on Thursday, Sept. 10, in downtown Valley City.
The 5th annual Summer Vikes on Central welcomes incoming and current VCSU students to Valley City and introduces them to local businesses and community groups in a fun and relaxing atmosphere on Valley City’s Central Avenue.
The event features live music by Tripwire – an energetic multi-genre band from the upper Midwest playing through five decades of music. Summer Vikes on Central also features numerous food and beverage vendors, inflatable games for all ages, activities, and booths set up by local businesses and organizations. This year’s event also includes a cornhole tournament with a cash payout.
The VCSU freshmen class will join President Allen Burgad at the VCSU footbridge before the event. From there, the VCSU Marching Band will lead the group downtown to join the community celebration. All current VCSU students and members of the campus community are invited to meet at the footbridge at 5:30 p.m. for the march to downtown.
Summer Vikes on Central is a free public event for all ages. The community is encouraged to attend and join VCSU students in the last downtown party of the summer.
The annual event is part of the Summer Nights on Central schedule, which is a series of street dance events held each summer on Central Avenue in downtown Valley City. The events all feature live music, late night shopping, food and beverage vendors and more. Booths and vendors open at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 10 and live music begins at 6 p.m.
Summer Vikes on Central – Schedule of Events
- 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. – Shopping Happy Hour
- Support your local businesses. Head out on the town and shop at your favorite Valley City stores or visit somewhere new.
- 5:30 p.m. – Campus community meets at VCSU Footbridge
- VCSU participants will be led downtown by the VCSU Marching Band!
- 5:30 p.m. – Vendors Open on Central Avenue
- Delicious food vendors open at 5:30 p.m. and will be ready to serve you some amazing meals!
- 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.– Street dance featuring Tripwire
- An energetic multi-genre band from the upper Midwest — four multi-instrumentalists playing through five decades of music on 10+ instruments, with choreography, trampolines & improvised comedy.
- 6:30 p.m. – Cornhole Tournament
Dutton presents at Pan-European Conference on International Relations
Anthony Dutton, Ph.D., professor for social science, chaired a panel on Cognitive Geopolitics of the Post-Liberal World Order and presented his paper titled “The World According to Donald Trump: Historical Resonances in a Disruptive American Presidency.” Fellow panel members included Dr. Luis da Vinha from City St. George’s, University of London, Dr. Raquel Freire of the University of Coimbra, and Jorge Tavares da Silva of the University of Beira Interior. Freire and Tavares da Silva are contributors to a volume Dutton and da Vinha are editing, with an expected release in 2027. Many will remember Luis da Vinha as a faculty member at VCSU through the fall semester of 2019.
The Pan-European Conference on International Relations is organized by the European International Studies Association and was held in Lisbon, Portugal. This year’s conference brought together approximately 2,400 academics for a four-day program.
Viking Sports Update
FOOTBALL
The Viking football team opened the home portion of the schedule on Thursday, September 3 with the 8th Annual Ag Bowl Presented by First Community Credit Union. VCSU came away with a 28-25 win over Dickinson State. It was the seventh win in the eight Ag Bowls for VCSU. Read more. The Viking Varsity team is off this week, but the Junior Varsity will be in action on Saturday. Valley City State will take on Central Lakes College at 1 p.m. at Lokken Stadium. This game is free and open to the public.
VOLLEYBALL
The VCSU volleyball team had its home opening weekend Friday and Saturday. Montana Western and Montana Tech came to Graichen Gym for the weekend. The Vikings lost a tough five-set match to Montana Western on Friday. Saturday, they faced a very good Montana Tech team and dropped a three-set match. Read more about those matches here. This weekend, the Vikings have their first Montana trip of the season. They play Montana State-Northern on Friday in Havre, Mont. Then on Saturday, they take on #7 University of Providence in Great Falls, Mont.
CROSS COUNTRY
The Viking Cross Country team were at the MSUM Dragon Twilight meet in Moorhead, Minn. to open the 2026 campaign. The young VCSU team had a good first meet of the season. Read more here. The harriers are off until September 25 when they head to Sioux Falls, S.D. for the Augustana Invitational.
GOLF
The Men’s and Women’s golf teams will have their first tournament of the season September 14 & 15. The Vikings will be in Dickinson for the Blue Hawks Fall Invite hosted by Dickinson State. It will be part of a busy week for the golfers. They will be in Fergus Falls on Sept. 17 & 18 for the Spartan Invitational hosted by Minnesota Community and Technical College.
SOFTBALL
Viking softball will be in action with a pair of scrimmages this week. They host North Dakota State College of Science at 3 p.m. on Sept. 9 at the VCSU Softball Complex. The Vikings will scrimmage Dawson Community College at 3 p.m. on Sept. 12 at the VCSU Softball complex.
What's happening at VCSU and around Valley City...
September 10
VCSU Convocation
Summer Vikes on Central
September 14
4 p.m. 44th Annual Bill Osmon Fun Run, Lokken Stadium
September 18
1:30 p.m. Alumni Welcome Back Ice Cream Social, Student Center
3 p.m. Campus Tours, Student Center
5 p.m. Hall of Fame Social, Valley City Eagles
6 p.m. Hall of Fame Banquet & Ceremony, Valley City Eagles
7 p.m. All Greek Social, Valley City Eagles
September 19
8:30 a.m. Alumni Honors Breakfast, Student Center Cafeteria
8 a.m. – noon VCSU Bookstore Open, Student Center
10:30 a.m. Homecoming Parade, Central Avenue
noon – 2 p.m. Viking Tailgating, Lokken Stadium
2 p.m. Viking Football vs. Eastern Oregon University, Dacotah Bank Field
5 p.m. Postgame and All-Alumni Social, Valley City Eagles
9 p.m. College Student and Alumni Dance, Valley City Eagles
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/