This week’s Hotline! includes the following articles:

• President’s Column
• ‘Night on Broadway’ music event to be held April 8
• Russi directs play reading
• Ramos piece featured in Kansas City exhibit
• Viking sports update
• What’s happening at VCSU and around Valley City…
• March and April birthdays

VCSU President’s Column

Tisa Mason, Ed.D., CAE
Valley City State University President

VCSU Viking Heroes Unite: The Story Behind the Scholarship Auction

One of the many highlights of my first year as VCSU president was experiencing the VCSU Scholarship Auction last April. I recall so many people describing the event and the fun that I was sure to experience.

And then I was told about the costumes. Really? Hmmm. It was a moment of decision for me. Did I want to be the respectable, dignified, business-suit president, or the fun, get-into-the-theme (and therefore get into a costume) president? I actually surveyed students, faculty and staff—and in the end I dressed for the theme.

The event was a lot of fun. The Masons won some bids: we went home with pizza for a year, a bottle of wine (okay, two bottles of wine, but not wine for the year), new workout shoes for me (to counteract the wine and pizza), and the coveted parking spot at the Bubble to get as close as possible to the door for the chilly winter basketball games this year (which was, of course, a very mild winter).

The live auction was very exciting (matched only by the exhilaration of our first Winter Show). Bill almost made us “accidental auction winners” when he waved at some neighbors—yikes, that is definitely a lesson for newcomers.

But thanks to our tablemates, we not only met the parents of one of our students, we also had professional help while bidding during the live auction! And I also learned good strategy from Ken Astrup on the silent auction.

We enjoyed visiting throughout the night with our neighbors and many new friends, and, as always, we enjoyed the good food served by the Valley City Eagles Club.

So it is with great anticipation that Bill and I look forward to the social event of the year—the 22nd annual VCSU Scholarship Auction on April 15, 2016, at the Valley City Eagles Club, sponsored by Dacotah Bank.

I love this year’s theme: “VCSU Viking Heroes Unite.” Indeed, that is so descriptive of the real power of and the real story behind this event—our heroes coming together to make an impact for students.

VCSU heroes annually “save the day” by purchasing over 450 event tickets, providing a myriad of contributions of treasure and talent (there is something for everyone—including a stand-up paddle board, a Broilmaster barbecue grill, an electric fireplace, a certificate for carpet cleaning, a Beats Pill wireless speaker, restaurant certificates, and much more), spending a substantial amount of time to plan and implement the event with more than 50 volunteer Viking heroes involved in the effort, and most important, raising $75,000, with the resulting scholarships going to more than 40 students annually!

Those scholarships make a difference for students who might not be able to come to VCSU without financial support—and that difference changes lives.

One does not need a superpower to know that the VCSU Viking heroes uniting this year are the businesses and community members who support our students. I am so grateful for this community.

I eagerly await not only the event but also the opportunity to personally thank those who invest in our students in so many ways. Friday, April 15, will not just be another great day to be a Viking, it will be a superhero day to be a Viking!

(And yes, I will be in costume.)

‘Night on Broadway’ music event to be held April 8

The Dakota Festival of Singing, with support from the Bridges Arts Council, will present “A Night on Broadway” at the Vault Center for the Performing Arts and Coffee Shop in Valley City on Friday, April 8, at 7:30 p.m.

“A Night on Broadway” will feature popular songs and music written for the Broadway and concert stage presented cabaret style. Guest artist Joel Walters, a singer and pianist from Dickinson, N.D., will be joined by VCSU musicians in the performance, hosted by Robin Allebach, VCSU music instructor and artistic director of the Dakota Festival of Singing.

VCSU alumni, faculty and students performing include Brandi Aranda, Michael Bloch, Tyson Eli, Hannah Gress, Bernae Hertz, Christopher Redfearn, Annalicia Reinig, Jennifer Riemann, Lillian Smith, Rochelle Van Bruggen and Kirci Wagner, with Nora Hyde, pianist.

The event at the Vault, 223 Central Ave. North, is open to the public free of charge; goodwill offerings will be accepted at the door.

Russi directs play reading

Jenni Lou Russi directed a staged reading of a new play by Scott Ecker, “The Thaw Center,” at Theatre B in Fargo, N.D., on Friday, March 18.

The reading featured actors from the Fargo/Moorhead area.

Ramos piece featured in Kansas City exhibit

A ceramic sculpture by Armando Ramos, assistant professor and chair of the Department of Art, was featured in the exhibit “Chromaphilia/Cromaphobia” held at the KCAI Gallery at the Kansas City Institute of Art in conjunction with the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) 50th annual conference in Kansas City, Mo., March 16–19.

Ramos’s “Portrait of Puissance” was recognized as the “Outstanding Single Piece in an Exhibition” in cfile’s “Top 10 Guide to NCECA Kansas City.” The piece was also featured on the “Chromaphilia/Cromaphobia” exhibit card.

Viking sports update

Softball
Friday: VCSU 8, Presentation College 3; VCSU 10, Presentation 2
Saturday: VCSU 2, Presentation 0; VCSU 11, Presentation 0
The Viking softball team opened NSAA conference play this weekend with a four-game sweep at Presentation College. VCSU is now 20-5 overall and 4-0 in conference play. The Vikings are scheduled to play at home on Saturday, April 2 against Viterbo University.

Baseball
Sunday: VCSU 5, Waldorf College 0; Waldorf 5, VCSU 4
The Viking baseball team opened conference play with a split Sunday against Waldorf College. VCSU will play the Warriors in another doubleheader today at Forest City, Iowa. The Vikings are now 8-18 overall and 1-1 in conference play.

Track & Field
The VCSU track & field team opened the 2016 outdoor season on Thursday at Black Hills State University. VCSU won five events at the meet and posted 16 Top 5 finishes. View results from the meet at www.vcsuvikings.com/article/2203.php.

Men’s Basketball
The Valley City State University men's basketball team is ranked No. 21 in the final NAIA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll released last week. VCSU finished 22-11 and won its first round game at the NAIA National Tournament for just the second time in school history.

Upcoming Events
March 28: Baseball @ Waldorf College, noon/2 p.m.
April 2: Baseball @ University of Winnipeg, 1/3 p.m.
April 2: Softball vs. Viterbo University, 1/3 p.m.
April 3: Baseball @ University of Winnipeg, noon/2 p.m.
April 3–4: Golf @ Dickinson State Spring Invite, 1 p.m./9 a.m.
April 5: Softball vs. Mayville State University, 3/5 p.m.

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

Monday, March 28

noon Viking baseball @ Waldorf College, Forest City, Iowa (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)
1 p.m. Viking golf @ Dickinson State Spring Invite (April 3–4)

Monday, April 4

Tuesday, April 5

3 p.m. Viking softball vs Mayville State University, VCSU softball complex (doubleheader)

Wednesday, April 6

Thursday, April 7

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

Friday, April 8

10 a.m. General student recital, Froemke Auditorium
7:30 p.m. “A Night on Broadway,” Vault Center for the Performing Arts and Coffee Shop, Valley City

Saturday, April 9

Men’s and women’s track and field @ University of Mary Al Bortke Open, Bismarck, N.D.
1 p.m. Viking baseball @ Mayville State University, Mayville, N.D. (doubleheader)
2 p.m. Viking softball @ Dickinson State University, Dickinson, N.D. (doubleheader)
7:30 p.m. Community School of the Arts chamber recital

Sunday, April 10

1 p.m. Viking baseball vs. Mayville State University, Charlie Brown Field (doubleheader)
2 p.m. Viking softball @ Dickinson State University, Dickinson, N.D. (doubleheader)

March and April birthdays

March
29 Jason Kremer

April
5 Apryl Schroeder
6 Casey Olney
7 Casey Williams
8 Emily Fenster
10 Susan Kilgore
15 Andre DeLorme
16 Robert Rohla
16 Joe Tykwinski
16 Kayla Evenson
16 Derek Burchill
17 Sarah Milner
18 Heidi Lindemann
20 Linda Trzpuc
24 Rose Berger
30 Al Olson