Scholarships available for children to attend College for Kids

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Minnesota State University Moorhead

Minnesota State University Moorhead’s College for Kids received a grant from the Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation for $4,500. The grant will be used for scholarships to help cover the cost of classes for students. College for Kids will now be able to award 35 additional scholarships.

Earlier in the year, College for Kids received a grant from Lake Region Arts Council for $7,550 to support art supplies and scholarships for art courses.

College for Kids is a summer day camp program for children ages 8 to 14. The classes offered encourage exploration, adventure and creativity while cultivating young people’s understanding and appreciation for a variety of topics. Session themes include various art topics and techniques, crafts, fitness and sports, nature, science and technology, and space exploration.

The scholarships made available through the Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation will provide opportunities for children to experience this enriching program, which offers quality instruction with low student-to-teacher ratios.

The program runs July 8–11 and July 15–18, offering morning and afternoon classes.

For more information about College for Kids, visit www.mnstate.edu/collegeforkids.

For more information about scholarship opportunities, call 218.477.2579 or email cfk@mnstate.edu.

Student Innovates Campus Greenhouse

Gallery

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Minnesota State University Moorhead

This gallery contains 12 photos.

Sustainability is put to use By Kristin Kirtz Thanks to senior Tyler Franklin, a biosciences and sustainability major, what was once an unproductive space on campus is now a great research tool. Franklin has built an aquaponic system in the … Continue reading →

21,205 Chilren Help Determine Read Aloud Book Award Winners

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Minnesota State University Moorhead

Each year thousands of children’s books are published, so for parents, or anyone wanting to read to children, it can be overwhelming to find the best books to read aloud.

The MSUM Comstock Read Aloud Initiative has set out to help parents and teachers by finding the best of the best books to read aloud. The committee members read 229 picture books to 21,205 children. The winners were determined after the Read Aloud Committee examined feedback from readers, including the responses of children to each of the books.

On May 22 the Read Aloud Book Award Committee announced the Comstock and Wanda Gág award winners at St. Joseph School in Moorhead.

The Comstock Read Aloud Book Award is an annual award for the best read aloud picture book for older children (ages 9-12). This award is named for the Comstock Family, an important pioneer family in Moorhead.

The 2013 Comstock Award winner is: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore written by William Joyce, illustrated by William Joyce and Joe Bluhm, and published by Moonbot Books, an imprint Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2012.

The Wanda Gág Read Aloud Book Award is an annual award for the best read aloud picture book for younger children (toddlers to age 8). This award is named for Wanda Gág, a children’s book author and illustrator and artist.

The 2013 Wanda Gág Award winner is: Silly Doggy! written and illustrated by Adam Stower and published by Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic, 2012.

Visit the Read Aloud website to learn more and to view the other honor books.

Moorhead police recognize MSUM student’s actions to save father

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Minnesota State University Moorhead

Tuesday, May 21 at 2:30 p.m. the Moorhead Police will recognize MSUM student, Nicholas Enger, for taking immediate action to save his father, Lin Enger, last fall. The recognition ceremony will be held in the Training Room of the Law Enforcement Center.

On Nov. 24, 2012, at 7:26 a.m. Officer Chad Anderson, along with Sergeant Scott Kostohyryz and Officer Michael Kane responded to a medical dispatch reporting an emergency involving a male victim suffering from either a stroke or heart attack. The victim’s adult son began CPR on his father prior to Officer Anderson’s arrival. Officer Anderson assumed CPR responsibilities and was assisted by Sergeant Kostohyryz who administered the AED. The victim survived this emergency as a result of the immediate medical actions taken.

The victim, Lin, is planning to attend this recognition ceremony, which will recognize his son Nicholas, Officer Chad Anderson and Sergeant Scott Kostohyrzs’ actions.

Lin is a professor in the MSUM English Department.

Paralegal professor authors national textbook

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Minnesota State University Moorhead

Richard N. Jeffries, an adjunct professor for the Personal Injury class in the Paralegal Department at MSUM, has authored a revolutionary new textbook on torts and personal injury. The textbook, published by Pearson Publishing, became available nationwide this spring.

The book goes far beyond the traditional approach of teaching the black letter law of torts. The book includes practical hands on assignments, extensive appendices for use by the student, a discussion of medical issues and a discussion of insurance issues with related documents. A particularly unique and helpful aspect of the book includes a multitude of “workplace skills tips” throughout each chapter.

Jeffries received his B.A. in Business Administration from MSUM in 1965 and his Juris Doctorate with distinction from the University of North Dakota. He spent 37 years practicing law concentrating his practice in the areas of civil litigation personal injury. He was named a Leading Minnesota Attorney, received an “av” rating (the highest available) from Martindale Hubbell.

Jeffries is licensed to practice law in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Florida. He is serving as a consulting attorney to an Arizona law firm practicing in the area of construction defects.

Jeffries is co-teaching the Personal Injury class at MSUM with his former long-time paralegal, Terri Bourcy Smith.

MSUM students participate in Arrowhead Model United Nations

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Minnesota State University Moorhead

Twenty-two MSU Moorhead students participated in the Arrowhead Model United Nations conference April 18-21 at Winona State University in Winona, Minn.

At the conference, the teams participated in committees focused on global issues and worked as delegates from various countries to pass resolutions.

They were advised by Dr. Andrew Conteh, Political Science and International Studies, and led by co-presidents Hannah Salscheider and Sarah Danielson.

Two individuals won awards: Sarah Danielson, delegate for India, won Best Delegate honorable mention for Political and Security Committee; Clay Schwartzwalter, delegate for Pakistan, won Best Delegate honorable mention for his role in Security Council.

Thanks to the many individuals who make this annual event possible.

Rinita Dalan to teach course for archaeologists in Verulamium

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Minnesota State University Moorhead

As part of a development grant funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council in the UK, Rinita Dalan, Anthropology and Earth Science, will travel to the Roman site of Verulamium this summer to teach a course in remote sensing for archaeologists. The grant “Sensing the late Iron Age and Roman Past: geophysics and the landscape of Hertfordshire,” awarded to Drs. Kris Lockyear and Andrew Bevan, Institute of Archaeology, University College London, supports collaborative research involving community heritage groups.

The week-long course in remote sensing will be held at Verulamium Museum and Park the week of July 8-12 and will be open to community heritage group members. In addition to Dalan, two other experts from the U.S. have been asked to serve as instructors. The project will also undertake magnetometry surveys of late Iron Age and Roman Period sites in the UK, including surveying as much of the site of Verulamium as possible.

Verulamium is the third largest Roman town in Britain. In addition to the University College London, this project is supported by the Hertfordshire Historic Environment Unit, St Albans Museums, St Albans District Council, Welwyn Hatfield Museums, the St Albans and Hertfordshire Architectural and Archaeological Society, the North Hertfordshire Archaeological Society, Welwyn Hatfield Young Archaeologists Club, St Albans Young Archaeologists Club, Welwyn Archaeological Society, and others.

Samuel Barber’s violin concerto and Edward Elgar’s violin sonata

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Minnesota State University Moorhead

Tara Cherry to present & perform at SAC April 16

By Meredith Wathne

The deep amber color, the twisted tight strings and the soothing sounds that resonate after a legato bow stroke. It’s hard not to be romantic about the violin. Music education and music performance major Tara Cherry found romance and has been in a serious relationship with the violin since she was eight years old.

“I love everything about the violin,” Cherry said. “I had to push my parents to take lessons; it wasn’t the other way around.”

The Missoula, Mont., native will present on Samuel Barber’s violin concerto and Edward Elgar’s violin sonata because she will perform them at her senior recital in the fall. The research she’s conducted on these pieces will ensure she knows them top to bottom and front to back.

Barber and Elgar are both composers from a similar time period with different styles, but, “They have a lot of similarities in the two pieces, which is really surprising,” Cherry said.

Cherry’s presentation will touch on three main points—the similarities and differences between the styles and harmonic elements (tonal and atonal), the differences between the composers, and the history of the pieces.

Cherry hopes to inform her audience about the two composers and build a connection to the styles and different parts of the pieces themselves.

“They are two pieces that people do not really know about if they are not in the music world,” Cherry said.

During the conference she will present a variety of musical selections available to help showcase the style and history she studied. However, instead of having an audio file of the track, Cherry will play them on her violin, creating a more personal connection.

Cherry aspires to take her passion for the craft and share it with others by teaching.

Read more Student Academic Conference profiles in the conference booklet, www.mnstate.edu/sac

Invisible Women and the Flood of 2009

Posted on April 9, 2013 by Minnesota State University Moorhead

By Emily Farwell

Kathryn Kottenbrock to present flood research at SAC April 16

Casselton, N.D., native Kathryn Kottenbrock is an advocate for homeless women in the Fargo-Moorhead area

Kottenbrock, a women’s and gender studies major, was inspired to learn about the invisible women who were negatively affected by the Red River Valley flood of 2009 through her internship with the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless. She engaged in advocacy work for people who were homeless and was asked if she wanted to be involved in a research project about how the flood of 2009 affected women.

Kottenbrock was surprised by the lack of previous research on marginalized populations. There is a lot of literature that focuses on the plight of middle-class people. Her research provides insight on work that needs to be done to protect vulnerable populations in the Red River Valley. “Nobody wants to be forgotten,” Kottenbrock said. “I hope people will stop and realize that we all need to take the time to make sure these people are remembered, especially in a time of crises.”

Kottenbrock, who is still researching the flood and homeless women, will demonstrate the need for advocacy and promote some ideas for change. She hopes to discover benefits for those who are affected the most by natural disasters in the Fargo-Moorhead area.

One of Kottenbrock’s goals is to educate others on small steps that can be taken to help everyone in our community. She also hopes to identify other unmet needs and explore new policies.

See who else is presenting at the Student Academic Conference.

MSUM celebrates 50 years of Celebration of Nations

Posted on April 4, 2013 by Minnesota State University Moorhead

Minnesota State University Moorhead celebrates the 50^th anniversary of Celebration of Nations. Celebration of Nations is an annual event at MSUM in which international students set up booths to display art, clothing and information about their countries. The students also cook traditional foods to sample, provide entertainment of traditional music and dances. The celebration ends with a fashion show. Nearly 800 guests attend Celebration of Nations every year.

To celebrate the 50^th anniversary, MSUM has invited a Vietname Dance Group from Minneapolis to perform a Lion dance. The Lion Dance will be the opening act and is a part of the Vietnamese culture and custom in celebrating holidays and any special events.

There will also be a brief presentation on the history of international students at MSUM.

Along with this being the 50th year of hosting Celebration of Nations, it’s also a record setting number of international students at MSUM. This semester, MSUM has a total of 430 enrolled international students from 59 different countries and 65 international students on post completion work authorization. The top countries represented on campus are Nepal, Nigeria, Republic of Korea, Japan, and China.

Our first international student came to MSUM in 1951 from Nigeria. All documentation was type or hand written and mailed from and to the student.

Celebration of Nations is Saturday, April 6, from 6-10 p.m. in the Comstock Memorial Union (CMU) ballroom. The opening celebration will begin at 6:30 p.m., with the silent auction, flag parade, fashion show, entertainment, food booths and country booths to follow. Entrance to the main event is $2 per adult and kids under the age of five are free.

The Children’s World is from 4-6 p.m. in the CMU ballroom and is free for children. Activities at Children’s World include origami, games, coloring and other activities.