This week’s Hotline! includes the following articles:

• MLK performer Stephon Ferguson to present at VCSU Feb. 26
• DECA members compete at state, qualify for nationals
• Ag Club students attend Northwest Farm Managers annual meeting
• Stenson and VCSU students represent VCSU at River Watch Forum
• VanHorn participates in NCA executive retreat
• Meyers premieres marimba duet at NDSU
• Klein attends Learning Forward 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 3 p.m. the Friday before publication.

MLK performer Stephon Ferguson to present at VCSU Feb. 26

In celebration of Black History Month, Valley City State University will present Stephon Ferguson in a tribute performance recognizing the work and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., on Monday, Feb. 26, at 7:30 p.m. in Vangstad Auditorium on the VCSU campus.

A minister, inspirational speaker and performing artist based in Atlanta, Ferguson will portray Martin Luther King, Jr., and share King’s own words; speak on racial equality in the United States; and participate in a discussion with audience members.

Sponsored by VCSU Diversity and Inclusion, Student Senate, Residence Life and the Office of Student Affairs, the event is open to the public free of charge. Read more at www.vcsu.edu/news/news.htm?id=10611.

DECA members compete at state, qualify for nationals

Eight Valley City State University DECA chapter members competed at the North Dakota State DECA Conference held in Fargo on Feb. 11–12. VCSU participants included Austin Berg, Cheyenne Cole, Michelle Dahm, Mikayla Gustafson, Alyssa Meyer, Reed Oistad, Denise Orthman and Brady Shock.

By placing highly in their respective events, Gustafson, Berg, Meyer, Cole, Dahm, and Oistad qualified for nationals in Washington, D.C., in April.

Gustafson placed first in Advertising Campaign and fourth in Human Resource Management, Meyer placed first in Retail Management, and Michelle Dahm placed first in Travel and Tourism.

Dahm and Gustafson placed second in the Event Planning team event, and Cole and Meyer placed second in the Marketing Communication team event.

Oistad placed fifth in Sales Management Meeting, and Berg took fifth in Banking Financial Services.

Gustafson was also elected to serve as a state vice president during the 2018–19 school year.

At the Fargo conference, the VCSU DECA chapter also received the Collegiate DECA Community Service Award and the Membership Increase Award as VCSU chapter increased membership by 30 percent from last school year. The community project will be forwarded for international award recognition.

Ag Club students attend Northwest Farm Managers annual meeting

Brenda Tyre, assistant professor of business, and six students from the VCSU Ag Club attended the annual meeting of the Northwest Farm Managers held in Fargo on Jan. 31.

Students attending the meeting included Bryce Karl, Tyler Masat, Brittany Roney, Jess Ronning, Bradyn Sand and Aaron Schuster.

The students heard from renowned speakers including Michael Swanson, an agricultural economist and consultant with Wells Fargo; Darin Nelson, a senior analyst with DTN; and Daryl Richison, interim director of the North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network.

The annual meeting provides a great educational opportunity for the students, allowing them to visualize concepts discussed in the classroom at a different level.

Stenson and VCSU students represent VCSU at River Watch Forum

Charlene Stenson, Enrollment Services director, along with two VCSU students, Morgan Berquist and Ben Holen, both fisheries and wildlife science majors, staffed the booth showcasing VCSU’s biology, environmental science, and fisheries and wildlife science programs at the Red River Basin River Watch’s 23rd annual River Watch Forum in Grand Forks, N.D., on February 7.

This was the first year that colleges/universities were invited to attend and partake in a rotation of four 30-minute presentations to students. Most students were in grades 10–12 and came from schools in North Dakota, Minnesota and southern Manitoba.

Berquist and Holen shared a presentation on “How to Age a Fish” (in this case, northern pike), along with their experiences from the various field trips in which they have participated. These two students caught the attention of many high school students and their advisors that day, which was especially evident when one advisor visited the booth each of the four sessions with a different set of students from her high school.

This was an outside-the-box opportunity to provide information to high school students about VCSU.

VCSU enjoys a relationship with the River Watch program in another fashion as well, as the university’s Prairie Waters Education and Research Center serves as the sponsoring agency for four high schools surveying rivers in the area: May-Port CG High School (Goose River), West Fargo High School (Sheyenne River), Montpelier High School (James River) and Linton-Hazelton High School (Beaver Creek). Prairie Waters provide water-monitoring equipment and brings the groups to its Kathryn facilities twice annually for student/teacher workshops.

VanHorn participates in NCA executive retreat

Shannon VanHorn, Ph.D., professor in the School of Education and Graduate Studies, attended the National Communication Association’s annual Executive Retreat Feb. 8-9 in College Park, Md. As chair of the Teaching and Learning Council, she led the group in planning initiatives for the upcoming year. 

She also joined the NCA Executive Board—comprising five council chairs, as well as the organization’s president, first vice president, second vice president and past president—and will participate as a board member in meetings throughout the next three years.

The National Communication Association advances communication as the discipline that studies all forms, modes, media and consequences of communication through humanistic, social scientific and aesthetic inquiry. NCA serves its member scholars, teachers and practitioners by enabling and supporting their professional interests in research and teaching.

Meyers premieres marimba duet at NDSU

Nicholaus Meyers, assistant professor of music, premiered one of his newest compositions, “Just Us,” a duet for marimbas, in recital at North Dakota State University on Feb. 12. The composition, along with other works, will be released on a CD Meyers will record over the next year.

Klein attends Learning Forward conference

Joan Klein, assistant professor in the School of Education and Graduate Studies (SEGS), attended the Learning Forward National Conference in Orlando, Fla., from Dec. 2–5. This professional learning conference featured more than 250 individual sessions for educators, administrators, instructional coaches and team leaders, covering topics on technology, school improvement, professional development, data analysis and high-impact instruction. 
 
Klein targeted sessions focused on personalized learning and mass customized learning. “Schoolwide Supports and Changes to Facilitate Personalized Learning” was the featured session, presented by an administrative team from New Brunswick. She also attended pre-session and conference meetings including “Let’s Talk About It: Facilitating Math Conversations that Improve Learning at All Levels,” “Changing Minds: Coaching for a Mathematical Mindset” and “Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lecture.”

Her interest follows the pilot program that North Dakota has initiated to advance innovative learning modules that promote personalized learning.

Viking sports update

Women’s Basketball
Friday: VCSU 87, Waldorf University 59
The Viking women ended the regular season with a 22-4 overall record and a 13-3 mark in conference play. The Vikings, the No. 2 seed in the NSAA Conference Tournament, will host Viterbo University in the quarterfinals Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Men’s Basketball
Friday: VCSU 83, Waldorf University 73
VCSU’s men ended the regular season with their sixth straight victory Friday night, playing their way into the NSAA Conference Tournament. VCSU (14-15, 7-9 NSAA) is the No. 8 seed and plays at top seed Bellevue University in the quarterfinals this Thursday at 7 p.m.

Track & Field
The VCSU men’s track and field team placed second, and the women’s team took third Saturday at the NSAA Indoor Championships in Brookings, S.D. Valley City State had three individual conference champions (Lenzel Koskela, Bryeann Robertson, Roy Allen), set four school records, and had 18 all-conference performances. Read more at www.vcsuvikings.com/article/2929.php.

Softball
Saturday: Presentation College 3, VCSU 2; VCSU 7, Dordt College 1
Sunday: University of Jamestown 5, VCSU 2; VCSU 6, Presentation College 3
The Valley City State softball team posted a 2-2 record this weekend at the Presentation College Dome Tournament. The Vikings have a 6-2 overall record through two weeks of play. VCSU is back at the PC Dome for conference games this weekend on Friday and Sunday.

Upcoming Events
Feb. 21: WBB vs. Viterbo, 7 p.m. (NSAA quarterfinals)
Feb. 22: MBB @ Bellevue University, 7 p.m. (NSAA quarterfinals)
Feb. 23: Softball @ Presentation College Dome, 4/6 p.m. (vs. Viterbo University)
Feb. 24–25: NSAA Women’s Basketball Final Four
Feb. 25: Softball @ Presentation College Dome, 9/11 a.m. (vs. Dickinson State)
Feb. 25–26: NSAA Men’s Basketball Final Four

What’s happening at VCSU and around Valley City…

Tuesday, February 20
11 a.m. General Student Recital, Froemke Auditorium
12:05 p.m. Rotary, VFW

Wednesday, February 21
noon Kiwanis, Valley City Town & Country Club
7 p.m. Viking women's basketball vs. Viterbo (NSAA quarterfinals), W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse

Thursday, February 22
7 a.m. Optimists, Vicky’s Viking Room
noon Toastmasters, VCSU Student Center Norway Room
7 p.m. Viking men's basketball @ Bellevue University (NSAA quarterfinals), Omaha, Neb.
8:30–10:30 p.m. Vikings for Christ, Student Center Skoal Room

Friday, February 23
Viking softball vs. Viterbo University, Presentation Dome, Aberdeen, S.D.
7:30 p.m. Choir Concert, Vangstad Auditorium

Saturday, February 24
5 p.m. Dakota Valley Fowlers Chapter of Delta Waterfowl Annual Banquet, Valley City Eagles Club

Sunday, February 25
Viking softball vs. Dickinson State University, Presentation Dome, Aberdeen, S.D.

Monday, February 26

Tuesday, February 27
noon and 5:30 p.m. “The Future of Retail,” 30-minute webinar and discussion, The Vault (please RSVP to Chamber@valleycitychamber or 845-1891)
12:05 p.m. Rotary, VFW

Wednesday, February 28
Payday
noon Kiwanis, Valley City Town & Country Club

Thursday, March 1
7 a.m. Optimists, Vicky’s Viking Room
noon Toastmasters, VCSU Student Center Norway Room
8:30–10:30 p.m. Vikings for Christ, Student Center Skoal Room

Friday, March 2
7:30 p.m. Instrumental Concert, Vangstad Auditorium

Saturday, March 3
81st Annual North Dakota Winter Show opens (visit www.northdakotawintershow.com for complete schedule of events)

Sunday, March 4