Hotline // November 1, 2023

Dutton and da Vinha publish chapter

Anthony Dutton, professor for social science, and Dr. Luis da Vinha, former VCSU Social Science faculty, published “From ‘Nipple’ to ‘Nambia’ and Everything In-between: Donald Trump’s Mental Maps and the Unraveling of the Liberal World (Dis)Order,” in U.S. Democracy in Danger: the American Political System Under Assault. The larger book is part of the Springer Studies on Populism, Identity Politics and Social Justice series, and Dutton and da Vinha’s chapter examines the relationship between President Trump’s mental maps and his administration’s foreign policy.

Dutton and da Vinha previously collaborated on their 2021 book, Three Approaches to Presidential Foreign Policy-Making in the Twenty First Century: the Director, the Magistrate, and the Maverick, published with Peter Lang.

Luis da Vinha currently teaches at Flinders University, in Adelaide, South Australia, where he also directs the Masters of International Relations.

Wicktor awarded workplace innovation grant

Emily D. Wicktor, associate professor of English, has been awarded the 2023-24 Workplace Innovation Grant from the North Dakota United Foundation. Grant funds will be used to support a Department of Language & Literature spring recruitment event focused on the representation of teaching and teachers in film.

This film viewing and talkback event will allow invited local and regional high school students to discuss the value of the writing and language teaching profession and engage with VCSU faculty and students working or studying in the fields of English/English Education and Spanish/Spanish Education.

Students attend Digi-Key Collegiate Computing Competition

VCSU students Camden Schwarzkopf, Jacob Pfeifer, Vegas Dale and Harrison Metz along with their advisor, Dr. Yang Du traveled to the Digi-Key Collegiate Computing Competition in Thief River Falls, Minn. Oct. 19-20.

Teams comprised of four members were given tasks in a spirited competition where they were challenged to work out 25 word problems and write programs to solve 15 short and four long problems in a total of four hours. The 17 teams in the competition came from various colleges in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The team performed well and identified many strategies for next year!

Kappa Delta Pi welcomes 12 new VCSU initiates

Pictured left to right:  Macie Danielson, Grace Bauer, Jessica Klein, Harley Kropuenske, Tylee Loehding, Haylee Barker, Erin Twernbold, Kloe Sauter, Delaney Vilhauer, Torri Muzik, Jamie Kiemele. Not pictured: Halley Thoreson

On Oct. 24, KDP welcomed 12 new VCSU initiates into our Zeta Sigma chapter at the Historic 1916 Buffalo High School.

Kappa Delta Pi (KDP) is an international honor society in education, founded in 1911 to foster excellence in education and promote fellowship among those dedicated to teaching. Offering opportunities for leadership, camaraderie, academic development, and professional resources, KDP supports and advances educators throughout their teaching careers.

Consistently growing for over a century, KDP’s membership exceeds 1.2 million! The Zeta Sigma chapter of KDP at VCSU was founded in 1950 through 2002 and was reinstated in 2015.

Introspection on display in Center for the Arts Gallery

The VCSU Art Department invites you to attend Kay Yturralde’s senior art exhibit, Introspection, will be in the VCSU Center for the Arts gallery from Oct. 24- Nov. 10. Yturralde will discuss her artwork on Nov. 2 at 3 p.m. in the Center for the Arts choir room. A reception will follow in the Center for the Arts lobby from 4-5 p.m. Yturralde’s artist talk will be livestreamed on the VCSU YouTube channel and the VCSU Art Department Facebook page.

Yturralde’s art explores her subconscious and emotions to process life experiences. Her artwork connects her past, her emotional wellbeing and her Latina/Latin American/ Hispanic heritage. Being a tactile learner, Yturralde engages material to create 3-D sculptures that allow her to express her thoughts and feelings.

After graduation, she will return to the American Southwest region to work as a studio artist and in community arts where she can provide creative experiences to those in her community.

VCSU Music presents Guest Artist Recital, Ray Kilburn

The VCSU Music Department presents Guest Artist Piano Recital, Ray Kilburn, Piano on Friday, Nov. 3. The recital will take place in the Center for the Arts Performance Hall at 7:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend this event, admission is free.

Pianist Ray Kilburn has maintained a successful performing and teaching career that has spanned the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, Europe, and Asia. Critics have been unanimous in praise of his outstanding technical abilities and artistic temperament. Kilburn holds four performance degrees: the BM and LM from McGill University where his primary teacher was Tom Plaunt, and the MM and DM degrees from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where his primary teacher was Gyorgy Sebok. Currently on faculty at Ball State University School of Music, his students have distinguished themselves through winning prizes in national and international competitions and obtaining faculty positions at colleges and universities around the world. 

Viking sports update

Football defeats Mayville State
The VCSU Football team went on the road and defeated Mayville State last Saturday, winning 24-7. The Vikings are now 6-2 overall and 5-1 in conference play heading into a showdown at Dickinson State on Saturday, Nov. 4.

Volleyball splits weekend
VCSU Volleyball split a pair of matches this past weekend, sweeping a 3-set match against Dakota State before dropping a match to No. 20-ranked Bellevue University. The Vikings are currently 21-7 overall and 7-3 in conference play.

Cross Country preps for NSAA Championships
The VCSU Cross Country teams will compete at the NSAA Championships on Friday in West Salem, Wis. The top team and the top four individuals not on the winning team will advance to the NAIA National Championships.

Basketball Opens Season
VCSU Basketball opened the season last weekend as the VCSU men went 1-1 and the Viking women started 0-1. The teams host Minnesota-Morris on Wednesday, Nov. 1, for the first doubleheader of the season. Women tip at 5:30 p.m. and the men follow at 7:30 p.m. at The Bubble.

Upcoming Events
Nov. 1: WBB/MBB vs. Minnesota-Morris, 5:30/7:30 p.m. (Valley City)
Nov. 3: Cross Country at NSAA Championships, 10:30 a.m. (West Salem, Wis.)
Nov. 3: Volleyball at Waldorf University, 7 p.m. (Forest City, Iowa)
Nov. 4: Volleyball at Viterbo University, 1 p.m. (La Crosse, Wis.)
Nov. 4: Football at Dickinson State University, 3 p.m. CT (Dickinson, N.D.)
Nov. 4: WBB/MBB at Sanford Pentagon vs. Mount Marty, 5/7 p.m. (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
Nov. 5: WBB/MBB at Dakota Wesleyan University, 3/5 p.m. (Mitchell, S.D.)

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 on the Valley City Community Calendar: https://www.valleycitycalendar.com/

Monday, Nov. 6
5-7 p.m. Creativity for a Cause Arin Lutiker Benefit, Valley City Eagles Club
Arin Lutiker is the child of Michelle Abshire, assistant professor of science at VCSU.