Hotline // March 6, 2024

Viking Fish Fry set for March 15

The annual Viking Fish Fry will be held Friday, March 15, at the Valley City Eagles Club.

Presented by the VCSU Booster Board, the Viking Fish Fry helps raise money for athletic scholarships at VCSU. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the door that night. The meal will run from 5-7 p.m. and includes fried fish, potatoes, coleslaw, garlic toast and a dessert. The Booster Board will also be conducting meat raffles throughout the event.

29th Annual VCSU Scholarship Auction set for April 26

The 29th annual Valley City State University Scholarship Auction Presents: Get Groovy, Vikings on April 26, 2024 at the Valley City Eagles Club. This year’s theme will be 70’s. Auction tickets are $70 each, which includes admission, two drink tickets and a buffet dinner.

“The scholarship auction has become the event of the season for many. We have been very fortunate of donations we have received in the past and for our generous bidders the night of the event,” said Kim Hesch, assistant director for advancement. “Our scholarship auction has raised record-breaking proceeds in past years which in turn has helped the University grow enrollment.”

The social hour will begin at 5 p.m. The silent auction, available through the Handbid app, will start on Monday, April 22 at noon and will end on Friday, April 26 at 7:30 p.m. The app can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play Store. After downloading, participants can follow the prompts to create an account, then choose “VCSU Scholarship Auction 2024” from the list. Users can monitor their winning and losing bids from the dashboard, receive notifications when they have been outbid, and checkout within the app at the end of the night. Participants do not need to be present to win.

As in past auctions, the evening will also feature the popular Mystery Wine Table along with a variety of raffle giveaways.

The buffet dinner will be served at 6 p.m. with live auction to follow at 7 p.m. This is an opportunity to bid on great items while contributing to scholarships, offering some financial relief for future and current VCSU students.

Auction items are currently being solicited for the event. Anyone wishing to donate an item can contact the VCSU Foundation office. As the event approaches, a list of silent and live auction items will be made available on the VCSU Foundation website at vcsualumni.org; click on the “Auction” banner.

For more information regarding the VCSU Scholarship Auction, to purchase tickets or to donate an item, call the VCSU Foundation Office at 701-845-7203.

VCSU Continues to Deliver Affordability with Viking Promise

Valley City State University (VCSU) announces a renewed pledge that ensures tuition is affordable for any student interested in earning an undergraduate degree.

The Viking Promise is a continuous effort from VCSU to alleviate the cost of tuition through financial aid and scholarship support. Currently, 95% of ND, MN, SD, WUE, and MSEP students who are Pell eligible have their tuition fully covered thanks to the combination of financial aid, scholarship dollars, and talent-based awards. Students from these states who are full Pell eligible will have full-time tuition (12-13 credits) covered at VCSU for the ’24-’25 school year.

In addition to FAFSA-related aid, VCSU offers the most attractive and significant scholarship program in ND. This ensures students have the ability to earn a degree at an affordable cost for their college career. These scholarships, partnered with financial aid, currently help 89% of partial Pell grant recipients reach full tuition coverage.

“We want every student to have the chance to earn a meaningful degree,” President Alan LaFave said. “We are committed to helping students navigate college with our Viking Promise. We have one of the lowest tuition rates in the state of North Dakota and it’s exciting to see what financial aid and generous donor support can do to impact our students.”

“We provide strong financial support for our students and will continue to do so,” Executive Director of the VCSU Foundation Cory Anderson said. “This is only possible through the support and generosity of our alumni and friends of VCSU.”

In efforts to keep higher education affordable, VCSU’s tuition rate for the 2024-2025 academic year will not increase for any student. The full-time tuition rate for North Dakota residents is locked in at $6,619 a year.

Students living on campus can also access the Stay-and-Save Program that locks in the housing rate they paid as a first-year student through their graduation. The Stay-and-Save Program ensures students can budget for other costs associated with pursuing a degree.

To schedule an interview regarding the VCSU Viking Promise please contact Tammy Jo Taft by emailing tammyjo.taft@vcsu.edu or calling (701) 845-7227.

Fenster honored by Sheyenne River Valley Chapter (NCTA)

Emily Fenster Ph.D, associate professor for social science, recently received the Sheyenne River Valley Chapter (NCTA) Chapter Honor Award for her dedicated work in 2023.

The award was presented to Fenster by Becky Heise, chapter president and Deb Koepplin, secretary/treasurer, during their annual meeting on Saturday, Feb. 24.

VCSU to host first annual math competition

Valley City State University Department of Mathematics will host the 1st Annual VCSU Math Competition for students in grades 7-12 on Wednesday, April 17.

The online registration form is available at https://vcsu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cN2celJl4bBNBwq. Participants must register by Friday, March 22.

The event will run from 9:30 a.m – 2:00 p.m. Participants and teachers/coaches will receive a VCSU Math t-shirt. Prizes will be awarded for the winners including a $1,000 VCSU Math scholarship to the individual champion of the grade 10-12 division.

Questions? Contact VCSU math department chair, Dr. Jamie Wirth at 701-845-7734 or jamie.wirth@vcsu.edu

High school student art exhibit closes March 15

The VCSU Art Department presents the High School Student Art Exhibit from February 16 – March 15 in the Center for the Arts Gallery. Schools participating in the show include, Hillsboro High School, Northern Cass High School, and Valley City Public High School.

There will be a virtual walkthrough available at VCSU Art Department’s YouTube Channel.

VCSU offers free tax preparation

Valley City State University (VCSU) students will offer free tax return preparation clinics for low-to-moderate income taxpayers from Monday, Feb. 5 to Monday, April 15. This is a basic tax service for qualified taxpayers with income less than $64,000 per year. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is offered by VCSU’s Department of Business.

The clinics begin on Monday, Feb. 5, and will be located on VCSU’s campus in McFarland 122. Walk-ins and appointments are accepted. Appointments can be made online at www.vcsu.edu/vita.

The clinics include face-to-face meetings between students and the tax filer to complete their return. The returns are then reviewed by a faculty member. Filers should bring a government-issued photo identification such as a driver’s license to the appointment. A married couple filing jointly will need photo identification for both the husband and the wife.

“These clinics offer a service for our community and provide students and faculty the chance to work together as a team,” said Brenda Tyre, chair of the VCSU Department of Business. “We are happy to coordinate these clinics to give students the opportunity to develop strong leadership, tax law knowledge, and communication skills. Every student volunteer working in the clinic has passed a tax preparation and code of standards exam to ensure returns are prepared accurately, maintain privacy, and ensure all personal information is secure.”

Dates available on Monday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. include:

Dates available on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. include:

There will be no clinic hours on the following holidays:

• Monday, April 1

To schedule an appointment, visit www.vcsu.edu/vita/ or contact the Department of Business at (701) 845-7508.

Victor the Viking goes to...

Victor the Viking was awarded to the VCSU Football Coaches for the month of March.

This award, sponsored by VCSU Staff Senate, encourages Viking Pride on campus. On the first Friday of every month, the staff member with the most VCSU apparel, as determined by the Staff Engagement Committee, will host Victor the Viking on their desk for the entire month.

Viking sports update

Peraza earns All-American honors
VCSU sophomore Jaiden Peraza earned All-American honors on March 1 as he took fourth place in high jump at the NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships. Peraza successfully cleared the bar at 2.05 meters (6 feet, 8.75 inches) to take fourth place out of 30 competitors from around the nation.

Baseball
The VCSU Baseball team currently has a 3-2 record on its spring break trip to Florida. The Vikings will play six more games from March 6-9 as they conclude their road trip in Orlando.

Softball
The VCSU Softball team is currently 2-4 during it spring trip to Tucson, Ariz. VCSU will wrap up the trip with doubleheaders on Wednesday and Thursday.

Upcoming Events
March 6-7: Softball at Tucson, Ariz.
March 6-9: Baseball at Orlando, Fla.

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

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/