Hotline 3.2.22

Action-packed month…Alumni, Arizona, Athletics, and the Arts

Greetings from Valley City State University!

In all the years I’ve been involved with higher education, the spring semester seems to “fly” by in such a hurry. This has been especially true this semester in managing to pack meaningful and important campus activities into a shortened calendar, all while enduring the challenges of mother nature. In this column, I’d like to address a couple of high points from the past month.

Alumni and Arizona – February began with an opportunity to visit with alumni and friends of VCSU in Arizona. We were happy to be able to re-engage with this tradition since we were unable to do so last year due to COVID travel and gathering restrictions. We met with more than 50 folks in the Peoria and Mesa areas. It was a wonderful time to reconnect to hear stories and understand what an important role VCSU played, and continues to play, in many of their lives.

Athletics – The Valley City State softball team finished a mid-February weekend sweep with a pair of wins over Dakota Wesleyan and Minnesota State University-Moorhead. The Vikings had a 4-0 record during a weekend of games at the Presentation College Dome in Aberdeen.

The Vikings defeated Dakota Wesleyan in a five-inning game decided by run rule. VCSU smashed 18 hits and scored in each of the five innings to take a 13-1 victory. The Vikings then shut out NCAA Div. II school Minnesota State University Moorhead 5-0.

Additionally, Valley City State swept the first edition of the North Star Athletic Association Softball Players of the Week as announced by the conference office. Joelle Lamontagne was selected as the Pitcher of the Week. Jessica Husband was chosen as the Player of the Week. Congratulations to both!

Our track and field athletes enjoyed a positive culmination to the indoor season. Valley City State University athletes won three conference championships, set or tied five school records, and had 13 All-Conference performances during the NSAA Indoor Track & Field Championships contested Feb. 20 in Brookings, S.D.

Zachary Co (shot put), JT Reed (60 meters) and Brooke Malsom (long jump) all won individual conference titles for the Vikings, and both Valley City State teams finished in fourth place out of seven teams at the North Star Athletic Association conference championships.

Co will represent VCSU in both shot put and weight throw at the NAIA National Championships, running March 3-5 in Brookings. He is ranked fourth in the nation in the shot put.

For two consecutive weeks in February, VCSU senior Kevin Schramm was named the North Star Athletic Association Men’s Basketball player of the week. The Viking senior forward scored his 1,000th career point as he posted a 23-point, 15-rebound double-double in a victory against Dickinson State. He becomes the 20th Viking to surpass that mark in men’s basketball.

Both our men’s and women’s basketball teams earned the No. 3 seed for the North Star Athletic Association Postseason Tournament, finishing the regular season with exciting wins over in-state rival Dickinson State. The women ended their season with a loss to Bellevue in the quarterfinal round of the tournament, while VCSU’s men advanced to the semifinal round before falling to No. 2 seed Bellevue University.

Arts – Finally, it was an action-packed first week of activity in the new Center for the Arts with the first-ever art show opening on Feb. 16. The show features the work of VCSU faculty and staff. The first concert performance on Feb. 18 in the new concert hall featuring the talents of our instrumental students and ensembles.

It was a proud and inspiring week of activity for these folks, and a wonderful exhibition of talent. We thank the faculty, staff and students for the preparation and success of both events. If you haven’t had a chance to see the new facilities, gallery space and concert hall, we invite you to put it on your “to do” list for the near future. I think you’ll be impressed!

Finally, I’d like to thank the community for their participation and attendance at events held on the VCSU campus. Your presence is appreciated and noticed by our students, athletes, faculty and staff. We look forward to welcoming you to campus as the snow begins to melt, and we return to a beautiful, green landscape!

Go Vikings!

Mid-winter choral concert this Friday

The first choir concert in the Center for the Arts will take place this Friday, March 4. The Mid-Winter Choral Concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Center for the Arts Concert Hall. The public is invited to attend and admission is free.

The program for the evening includes pieces by Whitacre, Tallis, Melanie Demore, Bart Howard and a staged medley from The Phantom of the Opera.

Three DECA students qualify for ICDC

VCSU DECA chapter members Gina Burtness, Jennifer Keller, Ryan Orner and Kiara Radke competed at the North Dakota Collegiate DECA Competition held in Fargo on February 13. Burtness, Keller, and Radke qualified for DECA’s Competitive Events Program International Career Development Conference (ICDC) to be held in Baltimore, MD, April 9-12.

Burtness placed first in the Management Exam and earned the highest exam score in any category at the state competition. She also placed 2nd in the Human Resource Management with her combined exam and role-play score. She was selected for one of the state’s Outstanding Members awards. Keller was also selected for one of the state’s Outstanding Members award and placed 4th in the Financial Accounting event earning a score that qualifies for ICDC. Radke placed 2nd in Retail Management based on her combined exam and roleplay score qualifying for ICDC. At the Fargo conference, the VCSU DECA chapter received the DECA Collegiate Community Service Award for a community service project completed this past December. The community project was forwarded for possible recognition at ICDC.

Art reception replay

In case you missed the Faculty and Staff Art Exhibition, watch the recap below. The exhibition is on display in the Center for the Arts gallery through March 26. The gallery is open to the public Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Oarsmen online auction is live

Support Viking Football by raising scholarship money through the VCSU Oarsmen Online Auction. Bid on items such as a VCSU Decorative Stone, a VCSU Football Package, and a signed Tony Oliva Jersey, among many other items. The items donated by our football alumni and friends of Viking Football help make this auction possible.

View the online auction and start bidding! https://www.32auctions.com/VCSUOarsmen2022

KHP February newsletter

Students in the kinesiology and human performance department stay busy both indoors and outdoors despite the cold temps!

Check out what they have been up to lately in the February edition of the KHP Newsletter: https://www.smore.com/x46z0

The Forge deadline extended

The deadline to submit entries to The Forge has been extended to Wednesday, March 9 at 12 a.m. midnight.

Each writing entry must be submitted as a Word document. Any images must be attached in JPEG form (at least 300 dpi). Submit entries to theforge@vcsu.edu.

Participants can submit up to 5 entries total. Please include a title page with the following for each submissions: name, title of entry, category of entry. There should be no visible signatures on artworks so they can be judged anonymously.

Submissions have been in the following categories: short fiction, poetry, drama, academic/personal essay, drawing/painting, printmaking, ceramics/sculpture, photography/digital imaging.

William Egan senior recital set for March 11

The VCSU Music Department will host the senior recital of William Egan, baritone, on Friday, March 11 at 7:30 p.m. The program will consist of music by Georges Bizet, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, Frederick Loewe, Stephen Schwartz, and a nine-song set by Gustav Holst. Egan will be accompanied by Sarah Larsen, piano.

The Enderlin, North Dakota native is a senior music and elementary education major studying under Anthony Rohr, assistant professor for music. During his time at VCSU, he has participated in Concert Band, Athletic Band, Wind Ensemble, Concert Choir, Opera Ensemble, and University Singers. He has also performed as a soloist during the VCSU showcase recitals at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. William will student teach in the fall semester and graduate in December 2022.

A livestream will be available to view on the VCSU Music Department’s Facebook page. The recital will be held in the concert hall at the Center for the Arts with a reception afterwards.

Viking Sports Update

Men’s Basketball
Feb. 23: VCSU 86, Dickinson State 71
Feb. 26: Bellevue 72, VCSU 66
The VCSU men’s basketball team advanced to the semifinals of the North Star Athletic Association Postseason Tournament with a playoff win over Dickinson State. VCSU’s season came to an end with a 72-66 loss to Bellevue in the semifinals. The Vikings finish the season with an 18-11 overall record.

Women’s Basketball
Feb. 23: Bellevue 61, VCSU 52
The Viking women earned the No. 3 seed for the NSAA Postseason Basketball Tournament. Valley City State lost in the opening round, falling 61-52 to Bellevue. VCSU ends the season with a 10-15 overall record. 

Track & Field
VCSU senior Zachary Co will compete at the NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships this week in Brookings, S.D. Co has qualified in both the weight throw and the shot put. The men’s weight throw will be held at 12 p.m. on Friday, and the shot put competition is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday. 

Baseball
The VCSU baseball team is scheduled to open its spring season this weekend with a four-game series against Briar Cliff University. The games will be played in Sioux City, Iowa, on Friday and Saturday. The Vikings currently have a 6-2 overall record after playing eight games in the spring. 

Softball
The Valley City State softball team will travel to Tucson, Ariz., for 11 games from March 9-16. The Vikings currently have a 7-5 record after playing 12 indoor games during February. 

Upcoming Events
March 3: Baseball at Briar Cliff, 2 p.m. (Sioux City, Iowa)
March 4: Baseball at Briar Cliff, 12/2 p.m. (Sioux City, Iowa)
March 4-5: Track & Field at NAIA Indoor Championships (Brookings, S.D.)
March 9-16: Softball Spring Break Trip (Tucson, Ariz.)

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

Ongoing

MWF: 1-2 p.m. COVID Community Testing event, Rec Center

This Week

Wednesday, March 2
11 a.m. – 1 p.m. VCSU Wellness Fair, VCSU Student Center

Saturday, March 5
10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Valley City Chamber Coffee and Cocoa Crawl, participating member businesses (call 701-845-1891 for more info)

Save the date

March 7
5 – 7 p.m. Community closet open, Our Saviors Lutheran Church (open to the public, welcome all who are in need of clothing and other household necessities)

March 8
11 a.m. General Student Recital, Center for the Arts Performance Hall
6 p.m. NDWS Chili Cook-Off and Ice Cream Social, NDWS main arena

March 9
8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Tech Wars High School Competition, VCSU Student Center

March 9-13
North Dakota Winter Show
Schedule of events: https://northdakotawintershow.com/wintershow-schedule

March 12
8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Winter Show Hippology Contest, Student Center

March 14
8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Region 2 Vocal Music Contest, Student Center

March 24
8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Regional Science Olympiad, Rhoades Science Center, Graichen Gym, Vangstad Auditorium

March 31
8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Region 2 Instrumental Music Contest, Student Center

April 23
All day, 3 on 3 Bubble Bash, W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse

April 29
27th Annual VCSU Scholarship Auction

Community Club meetings

• Kiwanis – Wednesdays at noon, Valley City Town & Country Club
• Optimist Club – Thursdays at 7 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.