Hotline // October 5, 2022

President's Column: VCSU leads in education and innovation in teacher preparation

Greetings from Valley City State University!

Wherever I travel in N.D. and surrounding states, one of the most recognized and celebrated centers of excellence on the VCSU campus is the School of Education. With over 1,435 educators serving as teachers and administrators in 336 schools throughout North Dakota, we are proud to be positively known for this excellent program and continue to find ways to lead from the front.

Here are just a few additional data points illustrating the success of our program:

• VCSU was ranked as the top elementary education program in the nation by study.com in 2021.
• Our Rural School Partner Benefit program continues to build collaborations with partner schools to help teachers obtain a master’s degree by offering a 50% tuition waiver to qualified applicants.
• We graduated 115 elementary education students in 2021-22, more than any other North Dakota institution.
• Our collaborative elementary education program with North Dakota State University is providing real-life in-classroom experiences and valuable experiential learning for our students in West Fargo.
• The innovative substitute teacher program provides hands-on experiences for our students at an early stage in their coursework, preparing them for successful student teaching experiences and careers as educators.

The success and placement rates of our graduates are positive performance indicators of the program, but we all know we must do more to encourage, recruit, prepare and retain teachers for the workforce needs of today and future years. With nearly 400 unfilled teaching positions available in North Dakota at the beginning of the 2022 school year, this need is more apparent than ever. Teachers are needed in every grade level and content area.

Under the leadership of Dr. Allen Burgad, Dean of the VCSU School of Education, we were recently chosen as the recipient of a $600K grant from the Department of Public Instruction to provide scholarship assistance and provide a pathway for current paraprofessionals and substitute teachers to obtain their licensure. This grant helps illustrate the confidence that many stakeholders have in our ability to make a difference through this important work. Congratulations to all who helped develop the innovative proposal and secure these funds to address the ongoing teacher shortage.

Those choosing a career path in education have our deepest respect and gratitude for their willingness to join a noble profession and help address one of the most critical workforce needs in our state, region and nation. Valley City State University is dedicated to continuing the important work to which we have been committed since our founding and we pledge to continue leading in this effort.

Go Vikings!

Flu shot clinic set for Oct. 20

VCSU and City County Health District (CCHD) invites students, employees and family members to get your flu shot and/or updated COVID-19 booster shot on Thursday, Oct. 20. The clinic will be held in the Student Center Skoal Room from 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome and no appointment is needed.

The deadline to reserve an updated COVID-19 booster is Oct. 13. Please notify VCSU Health Services by 3 p.m.

Remember, if you have not been vaccinated, it is not too late to start your primary COVID-19 vaccine series! Make an appointment with CCHD to get started or contact Betty Tykwinski at betty.j.tykwinski@vcsu.edu or 701-845-7305 with any questions you may have.

‘Floating as Fanboy’ on display in VCSU Art Gallery

“Floating as Fanboy” by Evin Dubois, visiting artist, is currently on display in the VCSU Art Gallery. The show will close on Oct. 7 with an artist talk on Oct. 6 at 3:30 p.m. in the Center for the Arts Choral Room 177. A reception will follow at 4:30 p.m. with music provided by the VCSU Jazz Combo.

The VCSU Art Gallery shows are free and open to the public.

Fall Choral Showcase set for Oct. 7

The VCSU Music Department presents the Fall Choral Showcase on Friday, October 7. The concert will take place in the Center for the Arts Performance Hall at 7:30 p.m. Concert Choir and University Singers will perform along with guest ensemble, Lyra Trio.

Admission is free and the community is invited to attend.

Reule attends CSTAND conference

Jonna Reule, Ph.D., associate professor for communication arts, attended the Communication, Speech and Theatre Association of North Dakota (CSTAND) annual conference Sept. 15-17. At the conference, she presented on a panel about Communication Apprehension, as well as on a panel entitled “Contemporary Issues in Propaganda: Ethical Argumentation, Good Citizenship, Government Accountability, and Communication Education.” As the first Vice President of CSTAND, Reule chose the conference theme of “CSTAND: Here for you in 2022.” Reule now serves as President of CSTAND for the 2022-2023 academic year.

Staff participate in highway cleanup

Last week, staff members spent the afternoon volunteering their time to participate in highway cleanup. VCSU Staff Senate participates in the Adopt-a-Highway program through the North Dakota Department of Transportation.

Viking Sports Update

Volleyball
Sept. 30: VCSU 3, Dakota State 1
Oct. 1: Bellevue University 3, VCSU 2
Viking volleyball had a good home weekend, defeating Dakota State in four sets and taking No. 14-ranked Bellevue University to a fifth set. The Vikings are now 8-9 overall and 3-2 in conference play. VCSU plays at Mayville State on Wednesday, Oct. 5.

Football
The Viking football team is back home Saturday, hosting Dakota State University for their NSAA conference opener. Kickoff is at 4 p.m. with tailgating beginning at 2 p.m.

Cross Country
The VCSU cross country teams have their closest meet of the season on Friday, Oct. 7, traveling to Jamestown’s Parkhurst Cross Country Course. The meet begins with the men’s 8k at 4 p.m., followed by the women’s 5k.

Baseball
Oct. 3: Jamestown 5, VCSU 4
Viking Baseball is back home Wednesday night for its final home game of the fall season, hosting Mayville State at 5 p.m.

Golf
The Valley City State men’s golf team fired a season-best 306, and each men’s golfer fired a season-best round in the fall season finale Yellowjacket Invitational played Monday and Tuesday. Read more: https://www.vcsuvikings.com/article/4505

Upcoming Events
Oct. 5: Baseball vs. Mayville State, 5 p.m.
Oct. 5: Volleyball at Mayville State, 6 p.m.
Oct. 7: Cross Country at Jamestown, 4 p.m.
Oct. 8: Volleyball at Presentation College, 2 p.m.
Oct. 8: Football vs. Dakota State, 4 p.m.
Oct. 11: Volleyball at Dickinson State, 7 p.m.
Oct. 12: Volleyball at Univ. of Jamestown, 7 p.m.

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

Find out what’s happening in the community on the Valley City Community Calendar: https://www.valleycitycalendar.com/

This Week

October 6
3:30 p.m. Visiting artist talk, “Floating as Fanboy” Evin Dubois, VCSU Center for the Arts (reception to follow)

October 7
7:30 p.m. Fall Choral Showcase, VCSU Center for the Arts Performance Hall

Next Week

October 10
1:30 – 3:00 p.m. Great Plains Food Bank, Epworth United Methodist Church

October 13
4 p.m. Kiowa Six artist talk, VCSU Center for the Arts

Community Club meetings

• Valley City Community Band – every Thursday, VCSU Center for the Arts Room 171 (Find out more about the community band: https://www.newsdakota.com/2022/09/08/area-music-teacher-rekindles-valley-city-community-band/)
• Kiwanis – Wednesdays at noon, Valley City Town & Country Club
• Optimist Club – Thursdays at 7:00 a.m., Vicky’s Viking Room
• Rotary Club – Tuesdays at noon, VCSU
• Sheyenne Valley Friends of Animals – 2nd Tuesday at 5:30 p.m., Our Saviors Lutheran Church
• Barnes County Wildlife Federation – 2nd Wednesday of the month
• Grief Journeys for Adults Support Group – meet virtually, call Hospice at 701-845-1781 to take part

Go to https://www.valleycitynd.org/calendar.php to see more events happening in and around Valley City.