Hotline 3.30.22

Be the Match event today

The Valley City State University football program is partnering with former Villanova head coach Andy Talley and Be The Match to help save lives by recruiting potential marrow donors.

VCSU Football will have a table set up in the Memorial Student Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 30. VCSU employees, students and Valley City community members are invited to stop by and learn more about Be The Match Registry, which helps match potential marrow donors with blood cancer patients.

People can join the Be the Match Registry online at my.bethematch.org or by stopping at the Student Center on March 30 and visiting with Be The Match representatives and the VCSU football team.

VCSU football is one of more than 160 football and college sports teams across the nation that are participating in the program.

Day of Giving to take place April 7

The Viking Day of Giving, on April 7, is an opportunity for alumni and friends of VCSU to come together on one day to support the scholarship needs at our University.

Your gift can help ensure that our University continues to grow!

Consider making a gift today – no matter the dollar amount. What does matter is the impact you can play in transforming a young person’s life.

Text ‘Viking’ to 91999 or send a check to the VCSU Foundation.

Education students collaborate with 6th graders for math day

Harmony Richman, M.Ed., assistant professor for education, and education students partnered with 6th graders from Hope-Page, taught by Jonah Wolla ‘20, for a day of learning on the VCSU campus. They spent the morning coding Sphero robots with students from the Ed Tech class: Jazmine Hill, Clare Ebsen, Shelby Dietz, Alaina Gleason and Sam Nelson. The 6th graders grew their coding skills by competing in an archery tournament, creatively built and coded through mazes and playfully engaged with a game of Twister.

After lunch, they joined the EDUC 277 course, where students helped build Lego Ziplines which reinforced a variety of math skills, from the Pythagorean Theorem to speed, as they determined the most thrilling ride for their Lego passenger. “I am so proud of my learners from EDUC 277. Their energy was unmatched and they certainly made the 6th graders feel welcome and involved for the entire day. The day was messy and loud, but the interaction and learning with everyone was powerful,” said Richman.

Richman expressed her excitement in working with Wolla to plan this as a yearly event, or even more frequently. “My heart was so full when he emailed me to ask if they could come to campus for the day. I didn’t even hesitate to say yes! This experience simply reinforced the importance of the relationships we are currently building with our learners—they’ll last far beyond graduation.”

VCSU Employees: Take CESS Survey by March 31

VCSU employees have a broad and lasting impact on the success of the institution and are often the best resource for finding better and more inventive ways to accomplish our goals. To facilitate understanding of employee perspectives and concerns, the VCSU Strategic Planning Committee requests responses to the College Employee Satisfaction Survey (CESS), which is a tool that measures employee satisfaction with campus culture, policies, and work environment, while also gathering input on institutional goals and planning. The survey results will be reviewed by the committee and used in the planning process.

VCSU employees are encouraged to take the CESS survey by tomorrow, March 31. The planning committee uses your input to plan the strategic direction for VCSU to 2025. Responses are anonymous and the survey takes about 20 minutes to complete.

Percussion concert this Friday

The VCSU Music Department will present its Percussion Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 1. The event will take place in the Center for the Arts performance hall and will feature the percussion studio’s music majors and minors. The program will consist of music by David Maslanka, John Beck, John Cage, Scott Harding, Cole Porter and Pat Metheny.

“The concert will have everything from large-ensemble pieces to solos,” Dustin Mallory, percussion professor, said. “Concert-goers will hear classical music, jazz, Japanese Taiko drumming, Marimba literature and music from the Great American Songbook. It will be a tour-de-force of percussion expressions from many different genres.”

In addition to the concert, the percussion studio will be hosting an open warm-up in the band room prior to the concert at 6:45 p.m. Percussionists and drummers of any age are welcome to join the students for the warm-up prior to the performance.

For more information, contact Professor Mallory by emailing dustin.mallory@vcsu.edu, or by calling 701-845-7379.

Costa Rican Cuisine Night April 2

The VCSU Global Exploration Club recently participated in a study abroad trip to Costa Rica. They will be sharing their experiences during Costa Rican Cuisine night this Saturday, April 2 at 7 p.m. in the Student Center Cafeteria. The public is invited to attend and free will offerings will be accepted.

Deadline to submit for juried art exhibition approaching

The deadline to submit art for the VCSU Student Juried Art Exhibit is quickly approaching. Students, enrolled in an art class during the 2021-22 academic year, are eligible to submit their work by April 8 at 11:59 p.m. Each student can submit up to 5 pieces of any media type. Artwork can be submitted by filling out the form here: https://myweb.vcsu.edu/art/juried-art-exhibition/

The show will take place from April 20 – May 9 in the Center for the Arts Gallery. Questions about the show can be directed to Angela Mircsov at angela.mircsov@vcsu.edu.

Promote to Recognize by Mitchell Silkman

The VCSU Art Gallery presents Promote to Recognize by Mitchell Silkman starting March 31. The senior art show will run through April 14 in the Center for the Arts Gallery. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The artist talk/podcast will take place April 7 at 1 p.m. with a reception to follow in the Center for the Arts from 2:30-4:30 p.m.

In Silkman’s artist bio he said, “I created my first video for a camp in the summer of 2017. My mom told me that I had a talent and to pursue that gift. Through photography class in college, I realized cinematic videos and the editing process drew my interest more than anything else. I started researching editing and filming techniques in addition to practicing holding a camera steadily and walking with minimal shaking. I now have a job at VCSU as a video production specialist. Working in this position has taught me valuable skills such as producing livestreams, editing highlight videos for sports and other video projects for different departments on campus.”

Pommerer receives Difference Maker award

Susan Pommerer, building services, recently received the Difference Maker award. She was nominated by the Business Office.

Her nomination read, “Susan does a fabulous job taking care of any building she works in. She pays attention to detail and goes the extra mile. We have heard many compliments of her work in McFarland. She is always friendly and VCSU is lucky to have her! Good luck in the Center for the Arts.”

Congratulations, Susan!

Viking Sports Update

Softball
March 27: VCSU 9, Dickinson State 5; VCSU 17, Dickinson 16
March 28: VCSU 17, Dickinson 5; VCSU 11, Dickinson 7
The VCSU softball team opened conference play with four straight victories over rival Dickinson State this past week. The Vikings are now 17-10 overall and 4-0 in conference play. 

Baseball
March 26: Bellevue University 6, VCSU 0; Bellevue 18, VCSU 4
March 27: Bellevue 14, VCSU 1; Bellevue 5, VCSU 4
The Viking Baseball team is now 12-14 overall and 3-5 in conference play after dropping a series at No. 11-ranked Bellevue University. VCSU is schedule to host Viterbo University for a four-game series this weekend. 

Track & Field
VCSU senior Zachary Co and freshman Kendra Odegard both qualified for nationals on Saturday during the Yellow Jacket Spring Open –  VCSU’s first outdoor track meet of the season in Spearfish, S.D. Both Co (men’s shot put) and Odegard (women’s javelin) hit the NAIA ‘A’ Standard in their respective throwing events, punching their ticket to compete at the NAIA Outdoor National Championships, May 25-27 in Gulf Shores, Ala.
Read more: https://www.vcsuvikings.com/article/4360

Upcoming Events
April 2: Track & Field at Minnesota-Morris Open (Morris, Minn.)
April 2: Baseball vs. Viterbo University, 1/4 p.m. (Valley City)
April 3: Softball at Bellevue University, 1/3 p.m. (Bellevue, Neb.)
April 3: Baseball vs. Viterbo University, 12/3 p.m. (Valley City)
April 3: Softball at Bellevue University, 12/2 p.m. (Bellevue, Neb.)
April 4-5: Golf at Hardrocker Invite (Rapid City, S.D.)

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

Ongoing

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

This Week

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

April 1
7:30 p.m. Percussion Concert, Center for the Arts

April 2
7:00 p.m. Costa Rican Cuisine Night, Student Center Cafeteria

Save the date

April 5
All day Region 5 Music Contest, Center for the Arts

April 9
7:30 p.m. Hope Cleveland Senior Recital, Center for the Arts Performance Hall

April 14
Great Plains Food Bank – register to volunteer here: https://www.greatplainsfoodbank.org/

April 21
2:00 p.m. Center for the Arts Ribbon Cutting, Center for the Arts

April 23
All day, 3 on 3 Bubble Bash, W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse
5 p.m. & 7 p.m. Opera Ensemble Dinner and Showcase, Center for the Arts

April 24
2:30 p.m. Opera Ensemble Matinee, Center for the Arts

April 29
27th Annual VCSU Scholarship Auction, Valley City Eagles Club
7:30 p.m. Spring Instrumental, Center for the Arts

May 6
7:30 p.m. Spring Choral Showcase, Center for the Arts

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.