This week’s Hotline! includes the following articles:

• King to speak on VCSU history at museum Thursday
• Unite with VCSU Viking heroes at Scholarship Auction April 15
• Da Vinha presents paper at international studies convention
• Viking sports update
• What’s happening at VCSU and around Valley City…
• March birthdays

King to speak on VCSU history at museum Thursday

Steven King, D.A., associate professor of history, will present “The 125th Anniversary of Valley City State University: The Legacy Continues” Thursday, March 24, at 7 p.m. at the Barnes County Museum.

King will describe the ways in which the university has adapted, adjusted and responded to the ever-changing demands of higher education over the last 25 years. The flexibility and resilience to meet these challenges have made VCSU a leading institution of higher education in North Dakota. This history is a testimony to the hard work, dedication and effort of the staff, faculty and administration to provide a sound education for its citizens in North Dakota, the region and the country.

The lecture, open to the public free of charge, is part of season 18 of the Barnes County Historical Society Lecture Series.

Unite with VCSU Viking heroes at Scholarship Auction April 15

It’s VCSU Scholarship Auction time! VCSU will celebrate the 22nd annual scholarship auction, Friday, April 15, at the Valley City Eagles Club. Our theme for this year’s auction is “VCSU Viking Heroes Unite.”

The social hour and silent auction 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.

Cost is $40 per person and includes both the live and silent auctions, buffet dinner, two drink tickets and five chances to win $100.

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 $80,000 this year for scholarships.

How can you help in the success of the auction?

• Donate a purchased 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.

Da Vinha presents paper at international studies convention

Luis da Vinha, assistant professor of geography and political science, presented a paper at “Exploring Peace,” the International Studies Association (ISA) 2016 Annual Convention held in Atlanta, Ga., March 15–19.

Da Vinha presented “Maps of War and Peace: Rethinking Geography in International Affairs” in the panel on New Approaches to Political Demography and Geography.

The paper questions international relations’ traditional employment of an essentially tangible, immutable and deterministic spatial perspective of geography in its analyses and explanations.

Da Vinha argues that this approach fails to exploit the full potential of geography in explaining international affairs. The paper highlights the contribution of geographic mental maps for international relations, providing a conceptual and theoretical framework for understanding how collective mental maps are continuously (re)constructed and how they may influence decision-making.

The ISA annual convention attracted 4,000 participants and featured over 1,000 panels.

Viking Sports Update

Softball
March 14: VCSU 10, Mount Marty 1
March 15: Minnesota-Crookston 6, VCSU 0
March 17: VCSU 11, Antelope Valley 2; VCSU 20, Antelope Valley 11; VCSU 11, Robert Morris 1
March 19: VCSU 14, Grace University 3; Dakota Wesleyan 6, VCSU 3
March 20: Dakota Wesleyan 3, VCSU 2; VCSU 10, Midland 0

The VCSU softball team played its way to a 6-3 record last week in Tucson, Ariz. The Vikings posted a 9-4 record on the trip and are now 16-5 overall this season.

Baseball
March 14: VCSU 17, Mount Marty 12
March 15: Wayland Baptist 8, VCSU 5
March 17: Antelope Valley 11, VCSU 9
March 18: VCSU 8, Wayland Baptist 7; Minot State 15, VCSU 7
March 19: VCSU 5, Antelope Valley 4 (10 innings)
March 20: Hastings College 13, VCSU 0

The Viking baseball team posted a 3-4 record this week during its spring trip to Tucson, Ariz., including a pair of walk-off wins against Wayland Baptist and University of Antelope Valley—two teams that have a combined 51-17 record this season. VCSU went 4-6 overall in Tucson and is now 7-17 overall this season.

Women’s Basketball
Four VCSU women's basketball players have been named Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes, the NAIA national office announced last week. VCSU's two seniors, Courtney Dixon and Tracie Boehmlehner, earned the national honor along with Georgia Williams and Lexi Lennon. In order to be nominated for the award, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and must have achieved at least a junior academic status.

Men’s Basketball
VCSU sophomore Jayden Ferguson has been named Honorable Mention NAIA All-American, the national office announced last week. Ferguson, a 6'5" forward from Williston, N.D., averaged 16.9 points and 4 rebounds per game this season as he helped the Viking men’s basketball team to a regular season conference championship and a first-round win at the NAIA National Tournament.

Upcoming Events
March 24: Outdoor Track & Field @ Black Hills State University (Spearfish, S.D.)
March 25: Softball @ Presentation College, 1/3 p.m. (Aberdeen, S.D.)
March 25: Baseball @ Waldorf College, 2/4 p.m. (Forest City, Iowa)
March 26: Baseball @ Waldorf College, 12/2 p.m. (Forest City, Iowa)
March 26: Softball @ Presentation College, 1/3 p.m. (Aberdeen, S.D.)
March 28: Baseball @ Mount Marty College, 2/4 p.m. (Yankton, S.D.)

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

Monday, March 21

Tuesday, March 22

5 p.m. VCSU Tuesday, Green Mill Restaurant, Fargo, N.D.

Wednesday, March 23

Thursday, March 24

Men’s and women’s track & field @ Black Hills State Invitational, Spearfish, S.D.
7 p.m. “The 125th Anniversary of Valley City State University: The Legacy Continues.” Steven King, Barnes County Museum
9 p.m. FCA/CRU meeting, Skoal Room

Friday, March 25
Good Friday—no classes; offices closed
1 p.m. Viking softball @ Presentation College, Aberdeen, S.D. (doubleheader)
2 p.m. Viking baseball @ Waldorf College, Forest City, Iowa (doubleheader)

Saturday, March 26

12 noon Viking baseball @ Waldorf College, Forest City, Iowa (doubleheader)
1 p.m. Viking softball @ Presentation College, Aberdeen, S.D. (doubleheader)

Sunday, March 27

Easter

Monday, March 28

No classes
Spring blast week
2 p.m. Viking baseball @ Mount Marty College, Yankton, S.D. (doubleheader)

Tuesday, March 29

Wednesday, March 30

Region 2 High School Vocal Contest at VCSU

Thursday, March 31

Pay day
9 p.m. FCA/CRU meeting, Skoal Room

Friday, April 1

Saturday, April 2

1 p.m. Viking softball vs Viterbo University, VCSU softball complex (doubleheader)
1 p.m. Viking baseball @ University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (doubleheader)

Sunday, April 3

noon Viking baseball @ University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (doubleheader)

March Birthdays

25 Paula Larson
26 Leslie Kalmbach
27 Laurel Westby
29 Jason Kremer