This week’s Hotline! includes the following articles:

• President’s Column: Inauguration and homecoming recap — Forward Together
• Support the Faculty/Staff Giving Campaign
• “Home” senior art exhibition on display starting Tuesday
• Country club to celebrate life of Paurus Oct. 15
• Tabor receives ‘Difference Maker’ award
• Van Gijssel honored at EMGS meeting
• Larson selected as rodeo pageant judge
• Staff clean up portion of I-94
• ‘Grab An Oar’ signs available
• Viking sports update
• What's happening at VCSU and around Valley City...

The VCSU Hotline! online newsletter is published every week during the school year. Deadline to submit articles (photos encouraged) is 3 p.m. the Friday before publication.

President’s Column: Inauguration and homecoming recap — Forward Together

Greetings from Valley City State University!

On Friday, September 27, I was extremely honored and humbled to be formally installed as the 14th president of Valley City State University. The outpouring of support from friends, family and colleagues, both near and far, provided for a weekend of activity that I will never forget, along with the displays of Viking pride from students, faculty and staff throughout the week. Thank you to all who participated.

(A note about the recital: I must admit that my first public clarinet performance in over a year was a bit daunting, but it was wonderful to be able to share the stage with so many outstanding performers from VCSU and across the country.)

I was pleased and happy to welcome many family and friends to the campus and community of Valley City for the festivities. On stage at the ceremony, I was joined by Margaret Dahlberg, VCSU vice president for academic affairs (who has served twice as interim president); Nick Hacker, chair of the State Board of Higher Education; Mark Hagerott, chancellor of the North Dakota University System; and two of my mentors: Bob Spring, music professor at Arizona State University (where I did my graduate work), and Jim Smith, president of Eastern Michigan University and former president of Northern State University in South Dakota (my undergraduate alma mater and where I served prior to coming to Valley City).

Among the delegates participating in the ceremony were colleagues from across the North Dakota University System and from Northern State University and the South Dakota Board of Regents, joined by representatives from the offices of Senator Hoeven and Representative Cramer, and, of course, leaders and members of the VCSU and Valley City communities. Thank you to all who joined me for this special occasion.

The reception after the ceremony at Epworth United Methodist Church and the homecoming parade Saturday morning were tremendous opportunities to see many of you and thank you for your support of VCSU. My thanks to the homecoming and inaugural committees in developing the activities and structuring the schedule so that so many could participate in the various events.

In my inaugural address, I touched on several of our recent successes and highlights; let me share some of those here as well. We celebrate VCSU’s historic headcount enrollment record of 1,665 students this fall, a 7.6% increase over last year! Our retention rates climbed to 72.8% this year, an increase of 4 percentage points over last year. With those numbers, we’re well positioned for continued success.

We also are proud of the largest scholarship allocation in school history — $1.723 million for students during this academic year. We owe a great debt of gratitude to all who support the VCSU Foundation. Your gifts help make a university education more affordable and attainable for our students.

The latest data from the National Survey for Student Engagement indicate that 21% of our freshmen are first-generation college students. Additionally, 98% of the respondents indicated they would definitely or probably attend this institution again. The freshman class carries an impressive academic profile, including a 3.3 average high school GPA and an average ACT score of 21. These quality indicators are important considerations as we plan for next year’s freshman class and move “forward together” in establishing our enrollment and retention goals for the coming year.

The opportunity to lead VCSU into the future is one which I take seriously and with a tremendous sense of responsibility. Thank you for your participation in the homecoming and inaugural celebrations, and thank you so very much for your continued support of me and our university.

Go Vikings!

Support the Faculty/Staff Giving Campaign

Among the many giving options available for faculty and staff are a variety of “Friends of…” categories — Friends of Business, Friends of CSSE, Friends of the Library, Friends of the Medicine Wheel, Friends of Music, Friends of the Planetarium, Friends of Professional Communication, Friends of the School of Education and Graduate Studies, and more.

Contributing to one or more of these “Friends of…” funds is yet another way you can play an important role in helping our students succeed. For example, through the Friends of Business Scholarship Fund, the Business Department at VCSU can reward students for their hard work and lessen the financial burden of paying for college. Faculty in the Business Department greatly appreciate the Friends of Business Scholarship Fund as it allows them to reward and assist our students.

Of course, there are other options for contributing, and the amount and focus of your gift is entirely up to you. Won’t you consider joining me and supporting our students in their pursuit of their collegiate and career goals?

Please contact the Foundation Office for more information or to complete a donation form. Thank you for your consideration! — President Alan LaFave

“Home” senior art exhibition on display starting Tuesday

Jenny Schrader’s senior art exhibition, “Home,” is on display in McCarthy Gallery through Nov. 7 with an artist talk and reception on Thursday, Nov. 7, at 4 p.m.

Schrader says, “My work focuses on objects and scenery from my hometown. These pictures are near and dear to my heart and is what my home is all about to me.” Her primary medium is acrylic paint. Other mediums use in the exhibition include chalk pastels and colored pencils.

Country club to celebrate life of Paurus Oct. 15

The Valley City Town & Country Club will host a celebration of life event honoring the late Jamie Paurus on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 5:30 p.m. Paurus was chair of the Computer Systems and Software Engineering Department and head golf coach at VCSU; he died unexpectedly June 10, 2019.

The celebration coincides with what would have been Jamie’s 39th birthday. Participants are urged to “bring your favorite stories and laugh while sharing them with everyone who loved a great coach, friend, husband and father.”

VCSU sophomore Hitch wins cybersecurity award

Shane Hitch, a VCSU sophomore from West Fargo majoring in software engineering, was one of 100 students from across the nation — and the only student from North Dakota — named a Cyber FastTrack finalist.

Hitch competed over several months to solve more than 250 cybersecurity challenges. More than 13,000 students completed the first phase of this year’s Cyber FastTrack. Over the course of several months, the competition was narrowed to 2,579 quarter-finalists, then 541 semi-finalists, and finally, 100 finalists, including Hitch, who were selected to receive a full scholarship for advanced cyber skills training through the SANS Technology Institute.

Read more at www.vcsu.edu/news/10783/vcsu-student-shane-hitch-wins-cybersecurity-award.

Tabor receives ‘Difference Maker’ award

Kelly Tabor, maintenance and grounds, recently received the “Difference Maker” award. He was nominated by the Student Center staff.

His nomination read, in part, “He has done such a wonderful job getting the campus looking beautiful and maintaining it. …He takes pride in his work and is always willing to do whatever is needed. He is pleasant to talk to and always has a smile on his face.”

Congratulations, Kelly!

Van Gijssel honored at EMGS meeting

Hilde van Gijssel, Ph.D., professor of science, attended the 50th annual meeting of the Environmental Mutagenesis and Genomics Society (EMGS) in Washington, D.C., Sept 19-24.

Van Gijssel was an invited speaker for the 50th anniversary symposium titled “Celebrating 50 Years of EMGS: A Visionary Idea Continues.” She attended symposia covering the possible genotoxicity of green blue algae, newest developments in measuring germline mutations and personalized medicine in cancer diagnostics.

In addition, van Gijssel received the 2019 EMGS Service Award for her exemplary service to the EMGS and her leadership in the special project titled “EMGS — A Living History.” The award came with a hat especially designed for the occasion.

Larson selected as rodeo pageant judge

Paula Larson, administrative assistant in the Department of Music, recently had the honor of being selected as one of the judges for the Miss Rodeo North Dakota Queen Pageant. The event took place in Minot, N.D., at the RAM Badlands Circuit Finals PRCA Rodeo, hosted by the Minot Y’s Men’s Rodeo Oct. 4-5.

Judges are selected by a committee of the Miss Rodeo North Dakota Pageant Association board members for their expertise in the fields of the competition. They are selected based on their awareness of correct western dress, knowledge about the sport of professional rodeo, and their western-type horsemanship appearance, specifically judging horse events.

Staff clean up portion of I-94

Nine staff members participated in Staff Senate’s fall highway cleanup on Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 1. The volunteers — Brian Bakke, Jerilyn Beckman, Erica Buchholz, Jennifer Larson, Kayla Sorby, Tyler Tufte, Betty Tykwinski, Lacey Undem and Greg Vanney — took a van to VCSU’s adopted section of Interstate 94 a few miles east of Valley City to pick up roadside trash and debris.

The cleanup project is part of VCSU’s commitment to the North Dakota Department of Transportation’s Adopt-A-Highway program.

‘Grab An Oar’ signs available

If you’d like a “Grab An Oar” sign, show your “We All Row” spirit by picking one up from the Foundation and Alumni Office in McFarland 212. Quantities are limited.

Viking sports update

Football
Saturday: Waldorf University 37, VCSU 17
The VCSU football team is now 3-2 overall and 1-1 in conference play after Saturday’s loss. The Vikings are on the road this Saturday for a 7 p.m. game at Presentation College.

Volleyball
Wednesday: Mayville State 3, VCSU 1
Saturday: Presentation College 3, VCSU 1
The Viking volleyball team is now 4-12 overall and 0-6 in conference play. VCSU is back home Tuesday night, hosting Dickinson State University at 7 p.m.

Golf
VCSU’s Tanner Schnathorst and Jocelyn Braunberger won individual medalist honors, and the VCSU men won the team title at the VCSU Invite held Oct. 1 in Mapleton, N.D. It was the final meet of the fall season for the Viking golf teams. Read more and find complete results at the links below.
Men: www.vcsuvikings.com/article/3528
Women: www.vcsuvikings.com/article/3527

Baseball
Saturday: VCSU 4, Morningside College 0
Sunday: VCSU 12, Morningside 6; Morningside 11, VCSU 3
The Viking baseball team closed out its fall schedule with two wins during a three-game series against Morningside College this weekend. The Vikings finish the fall season with a 4-7 record.

Upcoming Events
Oct. 8: Volleyball vs. Dickinson State, 7 p.m.
Oct. 9: Volleyball @ University of Jamestown, 7 p.m.
Oct. 12: Football @ Presentation College, 7 p.m.

What’s happening at VCSU and around Valley City…

Monday, October 7
4-6 p.m. Farmers Market in former Shopko parking lot

Tuesday, October 8
Yom Kippur begins at sundown
12:05 p.m. Rotary, VCSU Student Center
5:30 p.m. Sheyenne Valley Friends of Animals meeting, Our Saviors Lutheran Church
6:30 p.m. In Knots Crochet club, VCBC Public Library
7 p.m. Viking volleyball vs. Dickinson State University, Graichen Gymnasium

Wednesday, October 9
noon Kiwanis, Valley City Town & Country Club
6 p.m. Barnes County Wildlife Federation meeting, Valley City Eagles Club
7 p.m. Viking volleyball @ University of Jamestown, Jamestown, N.D.

Thursday, October 10
7 a.m. Optimists, Vicky’s Viking Room
4-6 p.m. Farmers Market in former Shopko parking lot
8:30 p.m. Vikings For Christ, Student Center Skoal Room

Friday, October 11
7:30 p.m. Fall Choral showcase, Vangstad Auditorium

Saturday, October 12
2 p.m. Rochelle Van Bruggen senior clarinet recital, Froemke Auditorium
7 p.m. Viking football @ Presentation College, Aberdeen, S.D.

Sunday, October 13

Monday, October 14
Columbus Day (observed)

Tuesday, October 15
12:05 p.m. Rotary, VCSU Student Center
5:30 p.m. Jamie Paurus Celebration of Life event, Valley City Town and Country Club

Wednesday, October 16
noon Kiwanis, Valley City Town & Country Club

Thursday, October 17
7 a.m. Optimists, Vicky’s Viking Room
8:30 p.m. Vikings For Christ, Student Center Skoal Room

Friday, October 18
MTNA on VCSU campus all day
5:30 p.m. Viking men’s basketball vs. Brandon University, Jamestown’s Newman Arena
6 p.m. Viking volleyball s. Dakota State University, Graichen Gymnasium

Saturday, October 19
11 a.m. Viking volleyball vs. Bellevue University, Graichen Gymnasium
2 p.m. Viking football vs. Mayville State University, Shelley Ellig Field at Lokken Stadium (parent’s day)
2 p.m. Viking men’s basketball vs. University of Winnipeg, Jamestown’s Newman Arena

Sunday, October 20

Go to https://www.valleycitynd.org/calendar.php to see more events happening in and around Valley City.