Hotline 4.12.21

President's column: A tradition of excellence in elementary education

Greetings from Valley City State University!

Good news is always a pleasure to share, and the recent top national ranking of our elementary education program is worth noting.

The VCSU elementary education program was recently recognized by Study.com as the top elementary education program in the nation! Yes – best in the nation! What a tremendous tribute this is to the outstanding work of our faculty, staff, students and alumni. We are all proud of this program and thrilled for the recognition.

VCSU was founded as a Normal School in 1890 with a “purpose to provide instruction in the science and art of teaching to prepare teachers for the efficient discharge of their duties in the public schools of the state.” Our mission to help prepare students to succeed as educators, leaders, and engaged citizens in an increasingly complex and diverse society continues today.

The Study.com ranking methodology considers three main qualities when examining criteria leading to their rankings – affordability, accessibility, and quality and value.

Affordability includes cost of tuition, financial aid support, and availability of alternative tuition plans.

Accessibility includes acceptance rates, educational support and resources, and non-traditional credit programs, including alternative, dual, AP, and transfer credits.

The quality and value criteria examines retention rates, graduation rates, student-faculty ratio, career resources and job placement, and student loan default rates.

With 1,438 education alums working in 157 different communities in North Dakota, we believe the reputation and success of the program is self-evident. We will continue to provide a “student first” approach and we pledge to continue meeting the critical need of providing highly-qualified educators for schools in North Dakota and beyond!

Go Vikings!

Zander Dale to host virtual artist talk April 13

Valley City State University Student Zander Dale will host a virtual artist talk on the VCSU YouTube channel April 13 at 11 a.m., CST.

Dale’s exhibition will be on display April 5-16 in the McCarthy Gallery and will include acrylic paintings and screen-printing artworks.

Zander is Red-Running-Into-the-Water and born for Water’s Edge. He grew up on the Diné Nation in Shiprock, N.M., and graduated from Shiprock High School in 2016.

Starting school at VCSU he first majored in Math and played baseball for two seasons. When the Math major was discontinued, Dale found a new creative outlet through VCSU’s art program. Dale would go on learning and testing different art techniques.

His body of artwork revolves around Native American Pop Art. A movement in the art community that showcases how Indigenous People are making art that doesn’t appeal to a “Southwestern” style or market. To make it more at home, Dale calls his work “Navajo POP,” His art tells Diné traditional stories, contemporary issues, and Diné popular imagery. Much like the famous American Pop Art movement in the 1950’s, Dale aims to share his Diné culture/stories with the same commercial techniques as did the famous Pop Art artists.

After he graduates, Dale plans to further his education by earning a graphic design degree.

Dale said “I would like to give a big Ahéhee’ (thank you) to VCSU and the Art Department for the continuous support and teaching.”

Valley City residents invited to Pilot Project conversation for The Longest Table

The Sheyenne Valley Community Foundation invites Valley City residents to join in a Pilot Project conversation, a precursor to an upcoming community event this summer, The Longest Table.

The Longest Table is a community event featuring a continuous table on Central Avenue welcoming residents to enjoy a free dinner and facilitated conversation. Residents will be seated among new people to foster stronger connections, exchange stories, and share ideas about community innovation. Conversations will cover various community aspects such as: overall image, attractions, engagement, quality of life, and amenities.

 The Pilot Project will be held at Alley Beans on Thursday, April 15. Each conversation is limited to 18 people and registration is required.

CLICK HERE to register for the 8:15-9:30 a.m. conversation. Coffee and treats will be provided.

CLICK HERE to register for the 11:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m. conversation. Lunch will be provided.

The goal of the Pilot Project is to hone in on key issues facing the community. The conversation will then carry over to this summer’s The Longest Table, where residents will be encouraged to have open conversations about those issues and share ideas about community innovation. Contact Andrea Nelson for more information or questions: vdgoffice@hellovalley.com

Fisheries & wildlife and STEM host Montpelier students

VCSU’s fisheries and wildlife program and Great Plains STEM Education Center recently hosted a group of junior high students from Montpelier Public School (Montpelier, N.D.) for various STEM activities.  The students were accompanied by their teachers, Ellen Anderson (science) and Richard Wright (business), both of whom are VCSU graduates.

The students received a tour of the VCSU Science Department and were taught by Casey Williams, Ph.D., associate professor of science, how to age fish using otoliths.  Also, a group of students interviewed Bob Anderson, Ph.D.,professor of science, for their “Samsung Solve for Tomorrow” competition, a grant competition where schools can receive funds to purchase STEM technologies. Montpelier’s team is one of about 70 national finalists in the competition.

The last activity of the day involved students working with Jamie Wirth, Ph.D., and Gary Ketterling, Ph.D., of the Great Plains STEM Education Center, exploring various STEM classroom resources (coding technologies, robotics, etc.) that they will be able to buy for their school from the prize money they won from the competition.

Overall, the students reported that they enjoyed the experience and the teachers reported that they would appreciate the opportunity to bring future classes to VCSU for similar experiences.

DECA chapter has 5 students Qualify for ICDC

VCSU DECA chapter members Gina Burtness, Jennifer Keller, Ryan Orner, and Trevor Kamstra competed at the North Dakota Collegiate DECA Competition held in Fargo on March 22-23. Austin Brummund competed virtually for the competition. All five competitors — Burtness, Keller, Orner, Kamstra, and Brummund — qualified for DECA’s Competitive Events Program International Career Development Conference to be held virtually, April 6-22.

Burtness placed first in the Entrepreneurship Exam, 1st place in the Entrepreneurship Operations Individual Role-play, and 3rd in the Stockmarket Simulation. She was also selected for one of the state’s outstanding members awards. Burtness and Keller placed second in the Financial Analysis Team Decision Role-play event. Jennifer Keller was also selected for one of the state’s outstanding members award. Orner and Kamstra placed 1st in the Sports & Entertainment Marketing Team Decision Role-play event. Brummund’s test score qualified him in the marketing area and he will compete at ICDC in the testing area and Sales Management Role-play event.

At the Fargo conference, the VCSU DECA chapter received the DECA Collegiate DECA Community Service Award for a community service project, Holiday Lights, they completed this past December. The community project was forwarded and chosen for international award recognition.

Pictured are team members (l to r) Trevor Kamstra, Ryan Orner, Gina Burtness, and Jennifer Keller. Not pictured is Austin Brummund who is a virtual student.

VCSU students will compete and attend the virtual conference on April 13-17 with the final awards ceremony “watch party” set for April 22.

The VCSU DECA chapter advisors who were also at the conference and will help prepare students for the International Competition are Kenton Sandfoss and Amber Aberle.

Aberle presents at North Dakota FBLA Conference

Amber Aberle, Ed.D., assistant professor in the School of Education and Graduate Studies, presented at the North Dakota FBLA conference virtually held March 29-April 1. The session titled “Digital Trends in Education” was recorded and provided to North Dakota FBLA advisors who are also North Dakota Business Educators. Aberle was able to interact with participants who left feedback, questions, and comments throughout the conference.

Sandfoss and Aberle judge for FBLA competitions

Kenton Sandfoss, M.B.A., assistant professor of business, and Amber Aberle, Ed.D., assistant professor in the School of Education and Graduate Studies, were asked to judge for the North Dakota FBLA virtual state competition. This year, with the conference being held virtually, the competitions were judged between March 1-March 24. Sandfoss judged the event, Intro to Social Media. Aberle judged the events of Marketing and Web Design. Aberle also assisted the conference as proctor for the Impromptu, Critical Thinking, and Parliamentary Procedure events.

Science department hosts annual Science Olympiad tournament

The VCSU science department hosted the annual regional Science Olympiad tournament on March 23-25. Five middle school teams and 12 high school teams competed in events including Forensics, Disease Detective, Game On, and Ornithology. Only 15-16 events of the usual 23 were held this year due to the virtual format. Three middle school and five high school teams will move on to the virtual state competition through North Dakota State University on April 21-23, 2021.

Middle School Class B Placings
1st place – Central Cass School
2nd place – Dakota Prairie School
3rd place – Northern Cass School

High School Class A Placings
1st place – Red River High School
2nd place – Fargo Davies High School
3rd place – Sheyenne High School

High School Class B Placings
1st place – Dakota Prairie School
2nd place – Central Cass School
3rd place – Northern Cass School

Russi opens for national headliner, Leanne Morgan

Dutton and da Vinha publish book on 21st century presidential foreign policy decision-making

Peter Lang Academic Publishers just published Three Approaches to Presidential Foreign Policy-Making in the Twenty-First Century: the Executive, the Magistrate and the Maverick, by former VCSU social science department member, Luis da Vinha (now of Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia) and current VCSU social science chair, Anthony Dutton. The book examines the advisory systems that presidents Bush, Obama and Trump employed from 2001-2020 to formulate US foreign policy in the greater Middle East, with chapters on decisions relating to Iran, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Egypt. The goal of Dutton and da Vinha’s project is to examine the advisory systems within the framework of presidential management models, and identify how individual leaders structure their system according to their preferences, openness to conflict and cognitive complexity.

COVID-19 testing events this week at the W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse, “The Bubble”

A free COVID-19 testing event for the VCSU and Valley City communities will be held this week from 1-2 p.m. at the W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse, “The Bubble”. Rapid and conventional testing will be offered at these events on April 12 and 16.

These are WALK-IN testing events. If you wish to be tested, please park your vehicle and enter through the west entrance. Handicap parking spaces and access are available at the east entrance. Preregistration at testreg.nd.gov is encouraged; one only needs to register once.

Care19 Alert App

VCSU students and employees are strongly encouraged to download a free smartphone app, Care19 Alert, to help stop the spread of COVID-19 by notifying users of possible COVID-19 exposure while protecting their privacy with technology developed by Apple and Google.

Find more information or download the app here.

Coronavirus Update

Stay informed about campus coronavirus information with the following resources. Click each link to learn more.

• VCSU Coronavirus information
• COVID-19 Dashboard
• COVID-19: Campus Health & Safety Information
• Campus face covering policy
• Required Quarantine/Isolation Procedures for Employees

Vikings sports update

Softball
Saturday: VCSU 9, Bellevue 3; VCSU 7, Bellevue 5
Sunday: VCSU 14, Bellevue 10; Bellevue 10, VCSU 1
The Viking softball team won three out of four games games this weekend against Bellevue University. VCSU is currently in first place in the North Star standings with a 10-2 conference record and a 17-5 overall record. 

Baseball
Tuesday: VCSU 10, Mayville State 1; Mayville 8, VCSU 3
The Viking baseball team split a conference doubleheader against Mayville State on Tuesday. VCSU’s four-game series against Bellevue was canceled due to COVID protocols. The Vikings are now 13-18 overall and 6-4 in conference play. 

Golf
Valley City State University junior Jocelyn Braunberger started the spring golf season with a first-place finish Thursday, earning medalist honors at VCSU’s triangular with Dickinson State and the University of Mary. VCSU freshmen Rory Gentzkow placed second for the Viking men. Read more: http://www.vcsuvikings.com/article/4020

Track & Field
Zachary Co won two events and the Valley City State track and field team recorded 14 Top 4 finishes this weekend during the Red Raider Open. Brooke Malsom set a new school record with a time of 12.55 in the 100 meters. Read more: http://www.vcsuvikings.com/article/4022

Upcoming Events
April 12-13: Golf at Hardrocker Invitational (Rapid City, S.D.)
April 17: Baseball at Viterbo University, 1/4 p.m. (La Crosse, Wis.)
April 17: Softball at Viterbo University, 1/3 p.m. (La Crosse, Wis.)
April 18: Track & Field at Dickinson State Blue Hawk Games, 12 p.m. CT
April 18: Baseball at Viterbo University, 12/3 p.m. (La Crosse, Wis.)
April 18: Softball at Viterbo University, 12/2 p.m. (La Crosse, Wis.)
April 18-19: Golf at Dickinson State Spring Classic

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

Monday, April 12
Ramadan begins at sundown
Viking golf @ Hardrocker Invitational, Rapid City, S.D.
6 p.m. Spring fever garden forum, NDSU Extension Office or online at www.ag.ndsu.edu/springfever/
7 p.m. Candlelight yoga class. Pre-register at www.lisamarie-reflexologyandyoga.com.

Tuesday, April 13
6 p.m. VCBC Public Library activity Cherry Blossom Make and Take Kit. Call 845-3821 for information.

Wednesday, April 14
10 a.m. VCBC Public Library virtual story hour on YouTube, Butterflies: Paper Butterfly. Call 845-3821 for information.
7 p.m. DAV meeting, Valley City Eagles Club

Thursday, April 15
VCBC Public Library virtual Library Board Meeting. Email support@vcbclibrary.org for zoom link.

Friday, April 16
7 p.m. Sons of Norway meeting, Valley City Eagles Club

Saturday, April 17
ND State Eagles Anniversary and awards night, Valley City Eagles Club
42nd Annual Runnin O’ Green, Jamestown, N.D.
10 a.m. City of West Fargo Color Fest on Sheyenne Street, For information visit http://bit.ly/2QFRgDr
1 and 4 p.m. Viking baseball @ Viterbo University, La Crosse, Wis.
1 and 3 p.m. Viking softball @ Viterbo University, La Crosse, Wis.
3 to 5 p.m. District 24 Republicans organizational meeting, Dacotah Pavilion at Chautauqua Park

Sunday, April 18
Viking golf @ Dickinson State Spring Classic, Dickinson, N.D. (April 18-19)
11 a.m. Bethel Lutheran Church chili and knefla dinner, Rogers, N.D.
noon and 2 p.m. Viking softball @ Viterbo University, La Crosse, Wis.
noon and 3 p.m. Viking baseball @ Viterbo University, La Crosse, Wis.
noon Viking track & Field @ Dickinson State Blue Hawk Games, Dickinson, N.D.

Monday, April 19
5 p.m. Kathryn Rural Fire Department Gun Raffle, Kathryn, N.D.

Tuesday, April 20
4 p.m. VCBC Public Library Teen Duct Tape Craft, Library front lawn, weather-permitting

Wednesday, April 21
10 a.m. VCBC Public Library virtual story hour on Youtube, Garden: Gnome Glitter Mosaic. Call 845-3821 for information.

Thursday, April 22
International Earth Day
10 a.m. VCBC Public Library virtual story hour on YouTube, Earth Day Handprint Craft. Call 845-3821 for information.
5 to 7 p.m. VC Eagles Auxiliary Hamburger Night, Valley City Eagles Club

Go to https://www.valleycitynd.org/calendar.php to see more events happening in and around Valley City.