This week’s Hotline! includes the following articles:

• VCSU President’s Column: Wellness Center fulfills promise for City and University
• Legislative update
• Da Vinha to speak on political polarization at museum tonight
• Students gather glasses for Kenyan mission
• VanHorn presents at communication conference
• Viking sports update
• What’s happening at VCSU and around Valley City…

The VCSU Hotline! online newsletter is published every Monday during the academic year. Deadline to submit articles (photos encouraged) is 4 p.m. the Friday before publication.

VCSU President’s Column

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

Wellness Center fulfills promise for City and University

Anyone who has met me will know there is one thing I absolutely love to talk about 24/7—Valley City State University and Valley City! I joined a group of Valley City leaders in doing just that on Friday, March 10, when KFGO Radio in Fargo broadcast Joel Heitkamp’s “News and Views” show live from the Gaukler Family Wellness, Health and Physical Education Center.

The Valley City contingent enjoyed the opportunity to talk up our hometown, and I had the distinct pleasure of sharing how the Gaukler Family Wellness Center serves as an active symbol of the long-standing partnership between City and University, and more specifically, how the Charles and Janice Stowman Education Center, located within the building, serve as home to the VCSU Department of Kinesiology and Human Performance (KHP).

I was joined by Diane Burr, KHP Department chair, and two students: juniors Jordan Rau and Marcus Wagner, who are both pursuing a physical education and health education double major and athletic coaching certification.

Diane spoke about how much the Wellness and Stowman centers mean to the department. This facility is a game-changer for our KHP students and faculty—significantly amplifying teaching and learning. As characterized by our faculty, the Stowman Education Center helps us “walk our talk” when it comes to authentic learning by enabling us to provide our students with a facility that exemplifies our commitment to health and wellness. And I love this comment: “We used to educate our students by showing them images on a screen. Now we actually walk them down the hall and show them the real thing!”

From a practical perspective, we now have the space to house the equipment needed to provide our students with a first-class, hands-on education and have even been able to add new state-of-the-art equipment. And speaking of real-life, hands-on experiences, our students are interacting with the community through class-designed projects such as a partnership with Washington Elementary. The children travel to the Stowman Education Center to attend a methods class so that our students have an opportunity to practice their pedagogical skills in the here and now.

Our future is filled with endless possibilities of partnerships, innovation, and impact!

Students Jordan and Marcus echoed much of the faculty sentiment in their own experiences. In Jordan’s words, shared with me previously, “Having a Wellness Center in Valley City is a privilege that benefits the university by providing us with the proper environment to learn about fitness. Now we can actually practice what we’re being educated on in our classes because we have a space dedicated to just that. It also helps with benefiting our overall health because we’re able to exercise right on campus, which makes it easier to merge fitness into our daily schedules. Overall, the Gaukler Family Wellness Center has taken Valley City, as a campus and a community, a step in the right direction towards leading healthier lives.”

I couldn’t agree with Jordan more. I have thoroughly enjoyed my personal use of the facility, and by working with personal trainers Dusty Null and Bailey Goolsby (both VCSU alumni!), I am living a healthier life—physically, mentally and spiritually.

There are so many to thank for this wonderful facility, from the visionaries such as Audrey and George Gaukler and their family; to the planners such as Dick Gulmon, Tyler Jacobson, and the VCSU KHP faculty; to the donors such as Duane Bott, the Stowmans, and the John Deere Foundation; and the VCSU students who supported the student fee referendum. There are so many, many people for whom our hearts are filled with deep gratitude for making this vision a reality—and so many more reasons it is a great day to be a Viking!

Legislative update

SB2196, authorizing VCSU to pursue financing for the activated carbon plant addition to the heat plant, came out of the House Appropriations Committee with a “do pass” recommendation last week. The bill now heads to the House floor for consideration this week.

Da Vinha to speak on political polarization at museum tonight

Luis da Vinha, Ph.D., assistant professor of geography and political science, will present “Political Polarization! How Did We Get Here?” tonight (Monday, March 27) at 7 p.m. at the Barnes County Museum.

Sponsored by the “What in the World Is Going On?” group, the event is open to the public free of charge. The museum is located at 315 Central Ave. North in downtown Valley City.

Students gather glasses for Kenyan mission

Students in Heather Kvilvang’s Education 320: Social Studies for Elementary Teachers course recently gathered eyeglasses to support the mission work of fellow VCSU student Jessica Naslund in Kenya.

The project came about when Kvilvang, assistant professor of education, realized that VCSU graduate student Jessica Naslund and her husband, Brent, were serving as missionaries in Kenya, leading the African Mission of the Bismarck Diocese. Among other work, the mission supports more than 400 AIDS orphans with food, educational needs and medical care.

According to Naslund, “Eyesight shouldn’t be a luxury item; however, if you can’t afford food, you surely can’t afford reading glasses. I am not medically trained, but I sure can tell when someone can’t see!” Enter Kvilvang and her students.

“The students asked optometrists from the Valley City area and their hometowns, family members, and anyone else they could think of for used glasses,” says Kvilvang. The class collected 175 pairs of glasses that will be delivered to the mission when a group from the diocese travels to Kenya in June.

More information on Naslund and the work of the African Mission can be found at bismarckdiocese.com/african-mission.

VanHorn presents at communication conference

Shannon VanHorn, Ph.D., director of distance learning and faculty development, presented at the Central States Communication Association (CSCA) conference held in Minneapolis March 16–18.

VanHorn presented as a member of several panels, including Technology 2.0; Building the Basic Course: Creating Community in Face-to-Face and Online Classrooms; New Media Technologies as Tools for Mentoring and Retention; Aging in Academia: Fermentation of Former Freshman Female Faculty; Trigger Warnings: Creating Balance within Higher Education; Retention and Success of COMM 110 Students; and Traditional Goes High Tech: Creating Learning Opportunities via Technology

She also attended sessions on new media, community engagement, board games as pedagogy, challenges in the basic course, and best practices in communication education.

Communication faculty members Kai Western, Ph.D., and Jonna Ziniel, Ph.D., also attended the conference.

CSCA “is a professional academic organization of primary and secondary school teachers, students, college and university professors, and communication professionals.”

Viking sports update

Baseball
Sunday: Mayville State 4, VCSU 0; Mayville State 5, VCSU 3; VCSU 5, Mayville State 2
The Valley City State University baseball team hosted Mayville State for three games on Sunday, posting a 1-2 record against the Comets. VCSU is now 7-17 overall and 1-2 in conference play. The Vikings host Mayville State for one 9-inning game today at 4 p.m.

Softball
Saturday: VCSU 10, Mayville State 7; Mayville State 8, VCSU 6
Sunday: Mayville State 5, VCSU 3; Mayville State 12, VCSU 1
The Viking softball team went 1-3 this weekend during a four-game series against Mayville State University. VCSU is now 13-19 overall and 4-6 in conference play. VCSU is scheduled to host Presentation College for games this Saturday and Sunday in Valley City.

Track & Field
Viking sophomores Seri Geisler and Mackenzie Huber both delivered national-qualifying throws Saturday as the Valley City State track & field team opened the 2017 outdoor season at Black Hills State University. Geisler (javelin, women's shot put) and Huber (women's shot put) both qualified for nationals in their respective events Saturday, securing their spots at the NAIA National Championships in Gulf Shores, Ala. on May 25-27. It was part of a strong opening meet for VCSU as Viking athletes won three events and had 25 Top 10 finishes against mainly NCAA Division II competition. View results at http://www.vcsuvikings.com/article/2606.php.

Upcoming Events
March 27: Baseball vs. Mayville State, 4 p.m.
March 29: Baseball @ Minnesota-Morris, 2 p.m. (Morris, Minn.)
April 1: Softball vs. Presentation College, 1 p.m. (Doubleheader)
April 1: Baseball vs. University of Winnipeg, 2 p.m. (Doubleheader)
April 2: Baseball vs. University of Winnipeg, 12 p.m. (Doubleheader)
April 2: Softball vs. Presentation College, 1 p.m. (Doubleheader)

What’s happening at VCSU and around Valley City…

Monday, March 27
4 p.m. Viking baseball vs. Mayville State University, Charlie Brown Field
6:30 p.m. Spring Fever Garden Forum, Barnes County Extension Office (or online at www.ag.ndsu.edu/springfever)
7 p.m. “Political Polarization! How Did We Get Here?,” Luis da Vinha, Barnes County Museum

Tuesday, March 28
11 a.m. General student recital, Froemke Auditorium, Foss Hall
noon Rotary Club meeting, VFW

Wednesday, March 29
noon Kiwanis, Skoal Room, Student Center
2 p.m. Viking baseball @ University of Minnesota Morris, Morris, Minn.

Thursday, March 30
7 a.m. Optimists Club meeting, Vicky’s Viking Room
noon Toastmasters meeting, Norway Room, Student Center

Friday, March 31
Payday

Saturday, April 1
April Fools’ Day
9 a.m. Legislative Forum, Skoal Room, Student Center
1 p.m. Viking softball vs. Presentation College, VCSU Softball Complex (doubleheader)
2 p.m. Viking baseball vs. University of Winnipeg, Charlie Brown Field (doubleheader)

Sunday, April 2
noon Viking baseball vs. University of Winnipeg, Charlie Brown Field (doubleheader)
1 p.m. Viking softball vs. Presentation College, VCSU Softball Complex (doubleheader)

Monday, April 3

Tuesday, April 4
noon Rotary Club meeting, VFW

Wednesday, April 5
Student Senate nominations for Teacher of the Year, Student Advocate and Viking Pilot open
noon Kiwanis meeting, Skoal Room, Student Center

Thursday, April 6
7 a.m. Optimists Club meeting, Vicky’s Viking Room
noon Toastmasters meeting, Norway Room, Student Center
7:30 p.m. Student Director Showcase, Theatre 320, McFarland Hall (April 6–8)

Friday, April 7

Saturday, April 8
Viking Track and field @ Al Bortke Open, Bismarck, N.D.
2 p.m. Viking softball @ Dickinson State University, Dickinson, N.D. (doubleheader)
2 p.m. Viking baseball @ Dickinson State University, Dickinson, N.D. (doubleheader)
3 p.m. Jennifer Riemann and Janessa Van Bruggen senior recital, Froemke Auditorium, Foss Hall

Sunday, April 9
Palm Sunday
2 p.m. Viking softball @ Dickinson State University, Dickinson, N.D. (doubleheader)
2 p.m. Viking baseball @ Dickinson State University, Dickinson, N.D. (doubleheader)