Hotline // March 23, 2023
This week’s Hotline includes the following articles:
- VCSU Auction Committee Present “A Night at the Track”
- VCSU Department of Music presents Iakovos Kolanian
- English students to present at MnWE 2023
- Traveling art show coordinated by VCSU assistant professor
- Grueneich selected for Gilman Program award
- Knapp attends Renaissance Society of America conference
- Psi Chi Chapter to be inducted on April 19
- VCSU Wellness Fair rescheduled for April 19
- VCSU Art Department presents High School Student Art Exhibit
- Viking Sports Update
- What’s happening at VCSU and around Valley City…
VCSU Auction Committee Presents “A Night at the Track”
The 28th annual VCSU Scholarship Auction will be held on Friday, April 28 at the Valley City Eagles Club. The theme for this year’s auction is A Night at the Track. The cost to attend is $60 per person and includes admission to the event, buffet dinner and two drink tickets.
The social hour will begin at 5 p.m. A buffet dinner will be served from 6-8 p.m. The live auction will kick off at 7 p.m. This is your chance to bid on some great deals while contributing to a great cause.
The silent auction will once again be available through the Handbid app. It will start on Monday, April 24 at 1 p.m. and will end on Friday, April 28 at 8:30 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 2023” 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 need not be present to win or need a ticket to the event in order to participate.
Scholarships are vital to VCSU’s success and all proceeds from the auction go directly to V-500 and Century Club scholarships. The goal is to raise $115,000 this year for scholarships.
How can you help in the success of the auction?
-Donate a purchased item or handmade item for the live or silent auction
-Donate a bottle of wine valued at $20 or more for the Mystery Wine Table
-Purchase a Ticket
-Attend the Auction
To purchase tickets stop by or call the VCSU Foundation Office at 701-845-7203.
VCSU Department of Music presents Iakovos Kolanian
VCSU Department of Music presents guest musician, Iakovos Kolanian on Sunday, March 26 at 3 p.m. in the Center for the Arts. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend.
Iakovos Kolanian, a well-known international guitarist, with numerous performances in Greece and abroad, ranks among the most prominent artists of his generation. His interpretations, driven by vision and faith, often form a bridge between classical music and the music traditions of the world.
His performances will include pieces by Mikis Theodorakis (1925-2021), a selection of Armenian Traditional Dances as well as Kolanian’s original works.
English students to present at MnWE 2023
Alexa Walby and Cassidy Hoyt, VCSU English students, will be presenting their research papers at the 2023 Minnesota Writing & English Conference (MnWE), March 31-April 1. This year’s theme is “Learning Ecologies: Building, Improving, and Refining Pedagogy.”
The conference takes place at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minn. and over Zoom meeting. View the conference here.
Traveling art show coordinated by VCSU assistant professor
Show includes art from five different North Dakota University System schools
Valley City State University (VCSU) is pleased to announce the 2023 Traveling Art Exhibit for the North Dakota University System (NDUS) was on display at the North Dakota Capitol on Wednesday, March 22.
The show was coordinated by Assistant Professor of Art Angela Mircsov and focused on the cultural heritage of North Dakota.
Five NDUS institutions are participating in submitting artwork and displaying the show including VCSU, Bismarck State College, Cankdeska Cikana Community College, North Dakota State University, and Minot State University. Each institution submitted work from student and faculty artists.
The show will be on display in the following locations:
- Bismarck State College: Feb. 28 to March 21
- North Dakota State Capitol: March 22 for Higher Education Day
- Cankdeska Cikana Community College: April 24 to May 5
- Valley City State University: May 10 to June 20
- North Dakota State University: Fall 2023
- Minot State University is renovating their Art Department space and is unable to host the show.
“Every student and faculty submitted art that reflected what North Dakota means to them,” Mircsov said. “It is a wonderful show that highlights many different aspects of our state.”
For more information about the show, contact Mircsov by emailing angela.mircsov@vcsu.edu or calling 701-845-7564.
For more information about VCSU, contact Tammy Jo Anderson Taft by emailing tammyjo.taft@vcsu.edu or calling 701-845-7227.
Grueneich selected for Gilman Program award
Psychology student Isabel Grueneich ’23, was recently selected to receive the Gilman Program award. Grueneich is one of 452 undergraduate students to receive this prestigious scholarship in the United States.
Gilman scholars receive up to $5,000 to apply toward their study abroad or internship program costs. The program has increased U.S. participation in study abroad, while emphasizing countries and regions where fewer Americans traditionally study.
Grueneich learned about the scholarship from professor, Dr. Kiersten Baughman. Grueneich knew she fit the requirements and had faith that she could write the four essays required to earn the scholarship. With little sleep and much determination, she felt her hard work would pay off for a chance at the scholarship that could support her study abroad trip.
This summer, Grueneich and a group of VCSU students will spend nine days in Argentina from May 18 to May 26, 2023. The focus of the trip, organized in conjunction with Arcos Learning Abroad, is to make cross-cultural comparisons among resources serving domestic violence victims. The trip includes interactions related to the topic and a variety of cultural experiences.
In first grade Grueneich was diagnosed with ADHD and by 7th grade she decided to forego her medication. “Not being on medication affected me more than I thought at the time. ADHD is both a superpower and a disorder that brings limitations,” said Grueneich. College helped her learn how to utilize her superpowers.
Past academic records were always in the back of her mind, proving a difficult barrier to overcome. “I came from a small town where I graduated with 17 other students. I believe I graduated 11th out of 18 students, academically speaking. I stayed average or slightly below throughout my high school career due to a few factors,” she said. However she later realized school was more about realizing her own potential.
“Winning this award is something that helps me do that and value the journey to get here,” said Grueneich. “This award means a great deal to me. The first thing that came to my mind as I received the email that I was selected was my educational history. My high school and even freshman year of college self wouldn’t believe what I’ve accomplished, and I’m not sure I’ve fully comprehended it either.”
Several individuals, including Dr. Kiersten Baughman and Lee Kruger, associate professor for language and literature, were involved in helping her read, review and discuss the essays. Grueneich credits them in her success and hopes she can one day extend her gratitude.
The excitement continues to build as the trip draws near.
“Being able to gain the experiences of traveling to the domestic violence shelters, see different cultures and appreciate the world we live in without having to worry about the finances of it is something that I value beyond the ability to express with words,” Grueneich said.
Knapp attends Renaissance Society of America conference
Travis Knapp, assistant professor for language and literature, attended the Renaissance Society of America conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico from March 9-11. The conference had over 1,400 participants from at least three continents.
In addition to giving a paper based on research on Elizabeth Allde, one of the most productive widow printers in seventeenth-century London, he attended a number of sessions on Renaissance research, teaching the pre-modern period and using library archives. Many of the sessions intersect with his teaching this semester.
Psi Chi Chapter to be inducted on April 19
Psi Chi, The International Honor Society in Psychology, is proud to announce the addition of the Valley City State University Psi Chi Chapter. The Valley City State University Psi Chi Chapter is set to be inducted on April 19. The faculty advisor of the new chapter is Dr. Kiersten Baughman. There are 10 charter members of the chapter.
Psi Chi was founded on September 4, 1929 during the Ninth International Congress of Psychology held at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. The Honor Society’s stated purpose is to encourage, stimulate and maintain excellence in scholarship and to advance the science of psychology. Many of the society’s members have gone on to distinguished careers in psychology, including several presidents of the American Psychological Association (APA) and the American Psychological Society (APS), numerous national and international award winners and various other renowned research psychologists, authors, professors, and practitioners.
VCSU Wellness Fair rescheduled for April 19
VCSU invites you to attend the annual Wellness Fair on Wednesday, April 19 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the Student Center. There will be hands on activities, wellness information and door prizes from 30 different campus, local and state entities!
Participants can try a variety of screenings and testings such as Dermascan and InBody 270 and also have a chance at amazing door prizes such as workout gear, cooking appliances and gift cards.
VCSU employees who attend will also receive a voucher for 3000 points towards their wellness benefit.
VCSU Art Department presents High School Student Art Exhibit
The VCSU Art Department invites the public to attend the High School Student Art Exhibit starting March 13. The show will run through March 31 in the Center for the Arts Gallery from Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. with a reception on March 29.
Viking Sports Update
Baseball
The VCSU baseball team posted a 3-3 record during their spring trip to Tucson. The Vikings are now 5-15 overall and 1-3 in conference play. Valley City State is back on the road this weekend with a four-game series at No. 9-ranked Bellevue University.
Softball
The Viking softball team went 1-7 during its spring trip to Tucson, with three of the losses coming in extra innings. The Vikings now have a 6-14 overall record. VCSU starts conference play this weekend with a three-game series against Dickinson State. Those games will be played indoors at the Minot State Dome.
Track & Field
The Valley City State track and field team is schedule to begin its outdoor season this weekend with a meet in Nebraska. The Vikings will compete at the Wayne State College Wildcat Classic in Wayne, Neb., on Friday and Saturday.
Upcoming Events
March 24-25: Track & Field at Wayne State Meet (Wayne, Neb.)
March 24: Baseball at Bellevue University, 1/4 p.m. (Bellevue, Neb.)
March 25: Baseball at Bellevue University, 5/8 p.m. (Bellevue, Neb.)
March 25: Softball vs. Dickinson State, 3:30/5:30 p.m. (Minot, N.D.)
March 26: Softball vs. Dickinson State, 8 a.m. (Minot, N.D.)