Hotline // November 5, 2025

VCSU and VCHS present combined Instrumental Concert

Valley City State University music and Valley City High School music are joining forces for a Fall Instrumental Concert on Friday, Nov. 7, at the Larry J. Robinson Center for the Arts.

The VCSU Concert Band and VCHS Concert Band will both perform at the event, which begins at 7:30 p.m. inside the main performance hall. The concert is free and open to the public.

The night’s concert is thematic and entitled “Elements”. VCSU’s Concert Band, under the direction of Mr. Jerrold Heide, will play four selections. The VCHS Concert Band, directed by VCSU alum Tedi Dimmer ’24, will perform three selections.

For those unable to attend in person, a live video stream of the event will be available on the VCSU Music YouTube page.

VCSU & VCHS Fall Instrumental Concert

VCHS Concert Band

“Jackson Lake Overture”, Mark Williams

“By Dawn’s Early Light”, David Shaffer

“A River’s Fury!”, James Swearingen

VCSU Concert Band

“Celebration Fanfare”, Bruce Healey

“Undertow”, John Mackey

“Wind”, Darren Jenkins

“Across the Northern Sky”, Michael Sweeney

VCSU Pep Rally Raises Donations for Food Pantry

Sodexo, VCSU Athletics, and Student Affairs hosted a food drive and pep rally for the men’s and women’s basketball games on Tuesday, Nov. 4, in the campus cafeteria. Faculty, staff, and students were allowed to eat for free with a donation of $5.00 worth of food and/or hygiene supplies. Basketball team members and coaches were introduced in front of a packed cafeteria during the event.
All the food and cash that were donated, along with a $2500 check from the VCSU Foundation, were delivered to the Barnes County Food Panty. The food pantry staff was very touched by the generosity provided by VCSU.

They encourage any students with food needs to take advantage of their services by calling 701-845-4300 and making arrangements to pick up a box of food and a voucher to Leevers Foods. The Barnes County Food Pantry is located at 139 2nd Ave. SE, Valley City.

VCSU Arts Gallery announces new exhibit

The Valley City State University Robinson Center for the Arts Gallery presents Uncensored: The Art of Politics, an exhibit exploring expressions of political discourse.

Open through November 28, the exhibit is available for public viewing during regular gallery hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and by appointment.

A virtual exhibit will be available on the VCSU Art Department’s YouTube Channel. Co-curator Reagan Koppelman will discuss his curatorial process and interest in political art in a curator talk at 4 p.m., Thursday, November 20, in the RCFA Choir Room at VCSU.

Uncensored, co-curated by Gratia Brown and Reagan Koppelman, features selected works from a national call for politically themed art. The exhibit showcases a wide range of media including digital art, painting, fiber, and bronze sculpture and presents diverse perspectives on issues such as pedestrian rights, immigration, ecological concerns, and public trust in political institutions. From North Dakota and Minnesota to Massachusetts, Florida, Texas, and beyond, the featured works reflect the complexity and nuance of contemporary political thought.

“As the youngest in a line of politicians, the role of government and the art of politics feature prominently in my life,” said co-curator Reagan Koppelman. “Political artwork allowed me to express myself and my views and become more confident in myself and the world I wanted to see. I openly invite people across the political spectrum to converse with me to ensure my views stay balanced and considerate.”

Featured Artists Include:

Zac Benson (S.C.), Christian Carson (N.Y.), Steve deBruyn (Canada), Reagan Koppelman (N.D.), Steven Labadessa (R.I.), Ryan Lewis (Mich.), Billi London-Gray (Wyo.), B. Lynch (Mass.), Visithra Manikam (Malaysia), Joseph Kyle Mckinney (Ga.), Jeff Musser (Calif.), Timothy Pease (Mo.), Katie Simmons (Colo.), and Mark Zimmerman (S.D.).

VCSU initiates 12 new Kappa Delta Pi members

The Zeta Sigma chapter of Kappa Delta Pi at VCSU was founded in 1950 through 2002 and was reinstated in 2015. On Oct. 28, KDP welcomed 12 new VCSU initiates into our Zeta Sigma chapter at the Historic 1916 Buffalo High School. Special guest and KDP alum, Zachary Baumgartner ’24, reminded us that teaching and learning are full of possibilities waiting to be discovered.

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!

Front Row (left to right): Delana Thomas, Morgan Mostoller, Emma Selensky, Abigail Newton.

Back Row (left to right): Alexis Busch, Alyssa Hoff, Briana Lowe, Sarena Remiger, Ava Baasch.

Not pictured: Olivia Kenfield, Alivia McCulley, Silvia Varela

Student Profile: Dylan Kibel

Name: Dylan Kibel
Hometown: Cortez, Colo.
Major/Minor: Fisheries and Wildlife – focuses on both Fisheries and Wildlife
Graduation Year: 2025

What are you involved in on campus?
On campus, I’ve been involved in fisheries and wildlife labs, taking part in projects that deal with fish ID, habitat work, and wildlife management.

What made you choose VCSU?
I originally came to VCSU to play baseball and even though I no longer play, I stayed because of VCSU’s strong Fisheries and Wildlife program, small class sizes, and hands-on field experience. It’s a close-knit, supportive campus that offers great opportunities at an affordable cost.

What inspired you to choose your major? Was there a certain moment growing up or someone who inspired you?
I chose this major because I’ve always had a deep connection to the outdoors. Growing up in Colorado, fishing made me curious about what goes on beneath the surface, how fish behave, how ecosystems stay balanced, and what it takes to manage those resources. That curiosity turned into wanting a career where I could be part of the conservation side of it.

What has been your favorite project or research experience during your internship?
My favorite experiences have been through guiding and fieldwork. I’ve spent my summers guiding in Alaska and fly-fish guiding in Montana. Those jobs taught me a lot about people, professionalism, and staying sharp in the field. My biggest takeaways are that first impressions last, you get what you put in, and applying a sense of pride, and professionalism whether you’re guiding clients or working with a crew.

How do you envision combining your passion for wildlife, fly fishing, and guiding into a long-term career?
Long term, I want to tie together my passion for wildlife, fisheries, and fly fishing into a career in fisheries biology or resource management, ideally somewhere in Alaska. I’d love to keep guiding on the side too, it’s a great way to stay connected to the water and share that passion with others.

Are there certifications, skills, or experiences you hope to gain before graduating?
Before I graduate, I want to keep building my technical side, especially with electrofishing, GIS mapping, and data analysis. I’m also working toward certifications like boater safety, 6pack, and possibly a captain’s license down the road. The more tools I have to offer a crew, the better.

How can students make the most out of their internships to benefit their future career?

For anyone going into internships, I’d say make the most of every day. Be early, ask questions, and take the initiative to help out beyond what’s expected. People notice effort, and the more you put into it, the more doors you open for yourself down the road. Stay connected and build as many connections as possible within this field, or whatever field you’d like to be in, it’s a very small world.

Viking Sports Update

FOOTBALL
The Viking football team had a well-deserved week off this week. The Vikings have two games left in the regular season, back-to-back Saturdays in Montana. This Saturday, the Vikings are in Havre, Montana to take on the Montana State-Northern. Kickoff is set for 2:00 p.m. Central Time and 1:00 p.m. Mountain Time. Valley City State is 5-3 on the season and 2-2 in the Frontier Conference. They are coming off a big 29-21 win over Dickinson State on October 25th. The Lights fell to Dickinson State last Saturday 37-20.

VOLLEYBALL
The Viking volleyball team is picking up steam heading into the final week of the regular season. Valley City State swept this past weekend with wins at Dickinson State Volleyball wins 3-1 and Richter hits 2,000 digs. And at Bismarck State Volleyball sweeps the Mystics making it three wins in a row. This weekend, the Vikings host Bellevue University at 7:00 p.m. on Friday night and Dakota State at 2:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon. Friday will be Senior Day as the Vikings will be recognizing ten seniors.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
The Valley City State Women’s basketball team opened the season in fine fashion last weekend with two blowout wins over Providence University College. On Friday, the Vikings won 106-47 ( Vikings win big over Pilots). Then followed that up with a 98-51 win on Saturday (Vikings down Providence University College, sweep weekend). The Viking women continued their winning ways with a win over Minnesota-Morris. Women’s Basketball bests Minnesota Morris 77-42. The Vikings are off until November 14th when they host Bemidji State.

MEN’S BASKETBALL
The Viking Men’s basketball team started the season in thrilling fashion with a overtime victory over Minnesota-Morris Viking Men go to overtime, beat Minnesota-Morris in opener. Valley City State travels to Yankton, South Dakota this Friday and Saturday. Friday night they take on Mount Marty University and Saturday afternoon they face Doane University.

CROSS COUNTRY
The Viking Cross Country teams are on the road this Friday for the Frontier Conference Cross Country Championships in Billings, Montana. The harriers have been off since they competed at the Marauder Open in Bismarck back on October 9th. The first race on Friday is at 10:30 a.m.

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

October 28 – November 28
VCSU Art Gallery Presents: Uncensored: The Art of Politics, Larry J. Robinson Center for the Arts Gallery
Gallery Hours: M-F 8 a.m – 5 p.m.

November 7
7:30 p.m. Instrumental Concert, Larry J. Robinson Center for the Arts

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/