Hotline // May 20, 2026

VCSU Honors 350 Graduates at 2026 Spring Commencement

Valley City State University recognized the accomplishments of more than 350 graduates at its 134^th Commencement Exercises on Saturday, May 16.

The 351 graduates from the past year represent the largest graduating class in school history and include 53 graduate students earning master’s degrees along with 298 undergraduate students.

“Your time at VCSU has been marked by growth, achievement and meaningful relationships,” VCSU Interim President Allen Burgad ’89 told the nearly 185 graduates who attended the ceremony in front of a standing-room only crowd. “You have helped strengthen the culture and spirit of this university… We are proud of you and thank you for the impact you have had on the university.”

Tara Dahl, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Education and is now teaching music in Glendive, Montana, delivered the undergraduate reflection.

“I learned that we are capable of doing hard things,” Dahl said. “This degree was truly a journey – an adventure all its own. I got to be a part of department-wide music tours, incredible concert performances, and the grand opening for a fine arts building. My time here was filled with remarkable highs and the most beautiful part of them were the moments of quiet, hard work that shaped the public events. That same type of quiet work happened in every corner of campus.”

Michelle Kommer spoke as a representative for the State Board of Higher Education (SBHE), reflecting on the meaningful relationships that students and staff build at VCSU. Lindsey Kiecker ‘23, associate professor of science, delivered the faculty reflection. Kiecker related her college experience and post-graduation job search, encouraging the graduates to identify their passion and pursue it – even if it doesn’t match their diploma or transcript.

View Commencement photos

Watch the 134^th VCSU Commencement Ceremony

View the list of graduates

VCSU also honored select graduating seniors at the annual Senior Awards Ceremony on May 15. A complete list of seniors who were honored is at the link below.

View the Senior Awards List

Watch the Senior Honors Ceremony

Mircsov awarded art residency with North Dakota State Parks

Angela Mircsov, associate professor for art, was awarded an art residency in 2025 with the North Dakota State Parks. She will be at Fort Ransom State Park from June 2-8. During her residency, she will lead a presentation and workshop on June 6. Follow the Fort Ransom Facebook page for the exact time of the presentations. Mircsov will be focusing on creating landscapes and a painting to be donated to Fort Ransom State Park. This art residency program is a project supported in part by a grant from North Dakota Council on the Arts, which receives funding from the state legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Registration Reminder for IgniteND Conference June 2-3 at VCSU

Register for IgniteND Conference

Valley City State University and the AI Institute for Teaching and Learning are partnering with NDIT-EduTech to hold the 2026 IgniteND conference June 2-3 on the VCSU campus.

IgniteND is an exciting two-day conference designed primarily for K-12 teachers, education administrators and technology leaders. The conference offers practical strategies, professional credentials, and hands-on experiences to spark innovation in education and lifelong learning across North Dakota, with artificial intelligence (AI) as this year’s central focus.

Conference attendees will explore practical strategies and hands-on learning in artificial intelligence, computer science, cybersecurity, student data, and essential digital skills. Expert-led sessions, collaborative discussions, and statewide partnerships will equip educators to implement new ideas and technology practices in their classrooms, schools, and districts.

Attendees can also earn professional development credit hours, awarded through VCSU Distance and Continuing Education.

Early-bird registration is currently open for just $50 after a stipend supplied by the VCSU AI Institute for Teaching and Learning. Learn more and register at https://www.edutech.nd.gov/ignitend

IgniteND Featured Presentations

Keynote: “Facing the AI Challenge”

Dr. Mark Hagerott will deliver the keynote presentation – “Facing the AI Challenge” – where he explores how AI reshapes attention, creativity, and decision-making and what that means for the future of education. You’ll leave with clear questions to drive AI discussions in your classroom, practical strategies to integrate tools with students, and concrete insights into how learning is changing with these technologies.

“The Engagement Drop-off”

In “The Engagement Drop-off,” Dieumerci “DM” Christel shows how AI can help teachers discover what interests their students and create stronger classroom connections. You’ll get to see a live demo of an AI-powered classroom game and pick up practical ways to connect with students. Dieumerci grew up in North Dakota, where a teacher’s encouragement made a big difference in his life. Now, he creates tools to support educators everywhere.

Dr. Chuck Gardner

What would it take to bring hands-on cybersecurity training to every student in North Dakota?

Dr. Gardner’s keynote goes beyond theory. It introduces a proven, working model already delivering virtual labs, competitions, and real-world cybersecurity experiences to students, regardless of location. From infrastructure to access to funding, this session focuses on what it takes to make it happen.

Meet Justin Cruz ‘26

Justin Cruz initially came to VCSU with athletics as his main focus. Now, Cruz, alongside his family, found his passion for athletics taking him further into life post-graduation.

Hometown: Pueblo, C.O.
Graduation Year: 2026
Major: Strength and Conditioning & Sports Leadership Management, Minor in Athletic Coaching

What are you involved in on campus?
During my time at Valley City State University, I was involved in football and really enjoyed being part of the athletic community on campus. Being around teammates, coaches, and other athletes helped shape a lot of my college experience and gave me a lot of great relationships and memories.

What or who inspired you to pursue a degree in strength and conditioning?
My background in athletics has played a huge role in inspiring me to pursue strength and conditioning. Growing up around sports and competing myself made me really interested in training and performance, but honestly my injuries also played a big part in it. Going through recovery and learning more about how the body works gave me a whole different perspective on training, mobility, recovery, and injury prevention. A lot of the coaches and trainers I’ve worked with over the years also inspired me and made me realize this is something I could see myself doing long term.

How do you balance athletics and your coursework?
Balancing athletics and school definitely taught me a lot about discipline and time management. There were days where things got stressful, but being an athlete helped me learn how to stay organized and keep pushing through even when things got busy. I’ve also balanced school while being a dad, which has honestly helped me grow up a lot and stay motivated to keep working toward my goals.

Have you been able to apply what you’ve learned in the classroom to your own training? If yes, how?
Definitely. I think one of the coolest parts about this degree is being able to actually use what you learn on yourself. I’ve learned a lot about recovery, mobility, injury prevention, different training styles, and even why certain exercises work better for performance. It’s helped me train smarter and understand my body a lot more instead of just going through workouts without really knowing why.

Why did you choose VCSU?
I originally chose Valley City State University because of athletics first and foremost, but once I got here, I really liked the environment and the people around campus. The coaches, professors, and community made it feel like a place where I could grow both personally and professionally.

What type of athletes or level do you hope to work with and how has your athletic background helped prepare you for this?
I’ve actually become really interested in pursuing strength and conditioning within the military. I like the idea of helping people become stronger both physically and mentally while preparing them for demanding situations and careers. My athletic background has helped prepare me for that because I understand the discipline, work ethic, and mental toughness it takes to perform at a high level. Going through injuries and setbacks has also helped me understand how important proper training and recovery really are.

What’s one accomplishment – athletic or academic – you’re really proud of?
Honestly, one thing I’m really proud of is just making it to graduation. There was a time where I honestly didn’t even think college was something I’d accomplish, so being able to graduate while balancing athletics, injuries, life, and being a dad means a lot to me.What advice do you have for students wanting to pursue a degree in strength and conditioning?
My advice would be to stay open to learning and take advantage of the people around you. There are a lot of great coaches and professors in this field that have real experience and knowledge to share. A lot of learning comes from being hands-on, asking questions, and just getting experience working with athletes and around training environments. If you really care about fitness, performance, and helping people improve, it’s a really rewarding field to get into.

Viking Sports Update

ACADEMIC ALL-CONFERENCE
The Frontier Conference announced the Academic All-Conference honors and Valley City State was well represented on the list. There were 65 Vikings that made Academic All-Conference this Spring.

NAIA SCHOLAR-ATHLETES
The NAIA announced the Daktronics Scholar Athletes for Spring Sports, and like the Academic All-Conference, VCSU was well represented on the list. There were 45 Viking Student-Athletes that were named Scholar Athletes for the Spring semester.

GOLF SCRAMBLE
The Viking golf Scramble is almost here. It’s time to register your team here. The date is June 19 with registration at 9 a.m. and a shotgun start at 10 a.m. This will be the 40th Viking Scramble. The first was June 23, 1985. The only year the scramble did not take place was in 2020 due to COVID-19. Heading into this tournament, former Viking Collin Hoss has been on the winning team the last two years.

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

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/