Vol. 42, No. 3 Fall 2010 - University of Minnesota, Crookston
Vol. 42, No. 3 Fall 2010 - University of Minnesota, Crookston
Vol. 42, No. 3 Fall 2010 - University of Minnesota, Crookston
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A Magazine for Alumni & Friends <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong><br />
<strong>Vol</strong>. <strong>42</strong>, <strong>No</strong>. 3 <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2010</strong>
Homecoming and NWSA Reunion bring alumni back to campus.
From the Chancellor<br />
Life is filled with choices. Every day, in fact, we make countless decisions.<br />
While some <strong>of</strong> them are rather insignificant, others might be life changing.<br />
In an election year, we vote for leaders we feel will best represent our<br />
interests. In turn, our decisions help shape the future <strong>of</strong> our state and our country.<br />
Sometimes we are aware <strong>of</strong> our influence; other times we are not. Several<br />
months ago a study on economic impact <strong>of</strong> the campus was completed by the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong> Extension’s Center for Community Vitality. It was the<br />
first time many <strong>of</strong> us have been able to quantify the impact <strong>of</strong> the campus on the<br />
community and region. The results <strong>of</strong> the study showed the campus contributes<br />
$50 million annually to the local and regional economy.<br />
While the results <strong>of</strong> the study are indeed substantial, the choices we make<br />
individually are the ones that combine to significantly and most directly benefit<br />
our community. Likewise, members <strong>of</strong> the community choose to lend support to<br />
us, and the campus benefits immensely.<br />
Students exercise the power <strong>of</strong> choice when they decide to attend the U <strong>of</strong> M,<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong>. This fall our enrollment was at a record high for the third year in a<br />
row. Our faculty and staff work hard to inspire students to be engaged, to think<br />
critically, and to consider a global perspective. In other words, we want students<br />
to be good leaders and decision makers.<br />
This fall, 19 students chose to study on the <strong>Crookston</strong> campus from Zhejiang<br />
Economic and Trade Polytechnic in China. We welcome them to our campus.<br />
Every day through my <strong>of</strong>fice window, I see students as they make their way to<br />
class. These students choose to go to class because, like the students from China,<br />
they made an earlier decision to attend the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong>.<br />
We are glad they did.<br />
We might not consider ourselves people <strong>of</strong> influence, but the truth is, we<br />
are—each one <strong>of</strong> us in our own way. Our alumni and friends choose ways to<br />
support the U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong>. Each decision, whether it is to attend an athletic<br />
event, encourage a potential student to visit campus, or fund a scholarship,<br />
provides critical support for this great institution.<br />
Remember you are a person <strong>of</strong> influence, and your decisions can change your<br />
day or change your life. I would like to ask each <strong>of</strong> you to choose how you will<br />
use your influence to strengthen the <strong>Crookston</strong> campus, encourage its faculty,<br />
support its students, and shape its future.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Charles H. Casey, D.V.M.<br />
Chancellor<br />
CONTENTS<br />
Director <strong>of</strong> Development<br />
& Alumni Relations........4<br />
Focus on the Board ......5<br />
Top Aggies ......................6<br />
Campus News ................7<br />
Cameron Brauer ............8<br />
Interns..............................9<br />
Nielsen Family..............10<br />
Sockeye Business ......12<br />
Shawn Friedland..........14<br />
Homecoming ................16<br />
Adrian Van Dellen........18<br />
Tony Dank......................20<br />
MJ Melbye Eastes ......22<br />
Outstanding Alumni<br />
and Athletic Hall<br />
<strong>of</strong> Fame..........................25<br />
Alumni News ................26<br />
In Memory ....................29<br />
3
From the Director <strong>of</strong><br />
Development & Alumni Relations<br />
The word philanthropy has its roots in the Greek<br />
language meaning love <strong>of</strong> mankind. As I write this<br />
letter, I reflect on our generous donors <strong>of</strong> all ages and<br />
backgrounds who support the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>,<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong> in areas they are passionate about.<br />
This summer I received a phone call from Alumna<br />
Stephanie Onken, a spring <strong>2010</strong> graduate. Stephanie<br />
informed me she would like to make a donation in<br />
support <strong>of</strong> Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) and<br />
asked me how best to make this gift. This fall we<br />
dedicated the Centennial Park Flag Pole Project on the<br />
Campus Mall featuring the American, <strong>Minnesota</strong> State,<br />
and the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong> flags. This<br />
spectacular campus addition would not have come to<br />
fruition without the private funding <strong>of</strong> Alumnus<br />
Harris A. Peterson, ’<strong>42</strong>. Last spring Alumna Mary Jo<br />
(Melbye) Eastes, ’79, and her husband, Richard,<br />
Visalia, Calif., pledged five pieces <strong>of</strong> Gary Ernest<br />
Smith artwork. The first piece arrived this summer and<br />
is hanging in the <strong>Minnesota</strong> Room.<br />
So I pose the question, what are your passions, and<br />
how can you assist the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>,<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong>? Maybe your passion is supporting<br />
scholarships, endowments, athletics, facilities, student<br />
organizations, endowed chairs, faculty research,<br />
unrestricted gifts, volunteering or other areas. Can you<br />
give through your estate, will, land, stocks, cash,<br />
annuities, trusts, online, or by making a pledge for a<br />
future gift? The answer is yes! Your options for<br />
creating a lasting legacy and shaping the future for our<br />
Alumna Mary Jo (Melbye) Eastes, '79, and Corby Kemmer, director <strong>of</strong><br />
development and alumni relations.<br />
undergraduates are unlimited. Today more than ever<br />
before your continued private financial support is a<br />
matter <strong>of</strong> necessity.<br />
When you invest in the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>,<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong>, you invest in the future and your<br />
contributions assist in expanding our resources for even<br />
greater educational opportunities.<br />
I thank you from the bottom <strong>of</strong> my heart, and I call<br />
upon you for your financial backing <strong>of</strong> the U <strong>of</strong> M,<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong>. Small Campus Big Degree.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Corby Kemmer, Director<br />
Development & Alumni Relations<br />
In the photo (l to r): Harold Peterson, Chancellor Casey, Leah<br />
Peterson, CSA President Shawn Friedland, Director <strong>of</strong><br />
Development & Alumni Relations Corby Kemmer, and Shane<br />
Peterson. Shane and Leah are holding twin sons Matthew and<br />
Nathan.<br />
4 www.umcrookston.edu
Focus on the Board<br />
When Beulah (Stolaas) Vad graduated in 1958 from<br />
the <strong>No</strong>rthwest School <strong>of</strong> Agriculture (NWSA), she<br />
went right to work at the local dry cleaner until her<br />
marriage to Alumnus Lester Vad, ’54. They lived in<br />
Grand Forks and Minot, N.D. and Hibbing, Minn.,<br />
before moving to the farm near Oklee, Minn., where<br />
they still reside.<br />
Vad was a certified ceramics teacher for some 20<br />
years and had a shop in her home. For 12 years she<br />
worked as a seamstress retiring in 2005. “Thanks to<br />
Mrs. Peterson and Miss Bede for teaching me to sew<br />
and knit, which I still do a lot and enjoy today,”<br />
Beulah says. “I truly believe I would not have been so<br />
fortunate if I had not had the opportunity to attend the<br />
<strong>No</strong>rthwest School <strong>of</strong> Agriculture and take advantage<br />
<strong>of</strong> what they had to <strong>of</strong>fer.<br />
“I enjoy returning to the beautiful campus to<br />
reminisce on our fondest memories,” she reflects. “It<br />
is only my first year on the NWSA Alumni<br />
Association board, and I can thank board member<br />
<strong>No</strong>rm Landby, ’55, for<br />
talking me into this task.<br />
Bless his heart; we miss<br />
him.”<br />
Beulah (Stolaas) Vad, ’58,<br />
NWSA Alumni Association<br />
The Vads spend their winter months in Arizona<br />
giving them a chance to attend the alumni social held<br />
in Mesa each February. “I would encourage all to<br />
attend this wonderful event in Mesa; we plan to be<br />
there again next year,” she enthuses.<br />
The parents <strong>of</strong> two children, the Vad’s daughter<br />
works as a registered nurse at the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong> in heart research and their son has attended<br />
the U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong> both in person and online.<br />
For her 50th class reunion, Vad and her roommate<br />
enjoyed staying together in a residence hall with their<br />
husbands. The reunion is a special time for Vad and<br />
she wants to help support and attend reunions and<br />
alumni events. “As the years pass and our alumni<br />
numbers decline,” Vad explains, “my goal is to keep<br />
our alumni association active as long as possible.”<br />
Graduating in 2008 with a degree in business and<br />
an emphasis in management and marketing, Juanita<br />
Lopez, is putting her degree to work as the event<br />
planner for the <strong>Crookston</strong> Chamber <strong>of</strong> Commerce. In<br />
2009, she earned a certificate in festival and event<br />
management through the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong><br />
Tourism Center to enhance her skills in her work for<br />
the chamber.<br />
Outside <strong>of</strong> work, Lopez enjoys the activities <strong>of</strong> her<br />
16-year old son, Logan, who is a junior at the<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong> High School. Between her son and her<br />
work, Lopez finds every moment full.<br />
“I wanted to serve on the board to make a<br />
difference. I also want to let people know that you<br />
don't have to go far to get a great education,” Lopez<br />
says, “UMC is right in our backyard.”<br />
Her goals as a board member include letting<br />
students and fellow alumni know about the board’s<br />
work and what activities they are involved with and<br />
help fund. “I would also like to honor our mission and<br />
that is to promote and support the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong>; which I believe must be a<br />
collaborative effort with the NWSA board and the<br />
Office <strong>of</strong> Development & Alumni Relations and its<br />
staff,” Lopez explains.<br />
She has been happy to<br />
see the board become<br />
more visible and to give<br />
alumni opportunities to<br />
connect with the board<br />
and with other alumni.<br />
Together the UMCAA has<br />
added a golf scramble and<br />
worked to recognize<br />
alumni accomplishments.<br />
If Lopez could send<br />
one message to all U <strong>of</strong><br />
M, <strong>Crookston</strong> alumni, she<br />
Juanita Lopez, ’08,<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>,<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong> Alumni Association<br />
would tell them, “Together we can make a difference<br />
in the lives <strong>of</strong> students. The rising cost <strong>of</strong> higher<br />
education prevents students from fulfilling their<br />
dreams and for many deserving students such<br />
educational opportunities are out <strong>of</strong> reach.<br />
“I would like to encourage my fellow alumni to<br />
help students realize their dreams by giving back,<br />
Lopez continues, “and I don’t necessarily mean<br />
financially. Alumni can give <strong>of</strong> their time and talents<br />
as well and together it all makes a difference.”<br />
5
Four Exceptional Alumni<br />
Named Top Aggies<br />
The <strong>No</strong>rthwest School <strong>of</strong> Agriculture (NWSA)<br />
welcomed alumni back to the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong> campus in late June <strong>2010</strong> for<br />
their annual reunion. Four alumni were honored with<br />
the Top Aggie award, which is the highest honor a<br />
<strong>No</strong>rthwest School alumnus can receive. The award<br />
recognizes alumni who have displayed exemplary<br />
commitment and service to community, church,<br />
education, family, or in their occupational field. The<br />
Top Aggies for <strong>2010</strong> are Clifford Steinhauer, ’48,<br />
Thief River <strong>Fall</strong>s, Minn; Terry and Bette (Hovet)<br />
Nelson, ’60, The Dalles, Ore.; and Terry Stadstad, ’60,<br />
Grand Forks, N.D.<br />
After graduating from the <strong>No</strong>rthwest School <strong>of</strong><br />
Agriculture, Clifford Steinhauer, ’48, enlisted in the<br />
Air Force, and following his service, attended the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong> in St. Paul. After marrying<br />
wife, Marjorie Landin, in 1956, they have farmed<br />
north <strong>of</strong> Thief River <strong>Fall</strong>s, Minn., ever since.<br />
Over the years, Steinhauer has been involved in<br />
several research projects promoting the Attwater<br />
Prairie Chicken in Texas and received a Friends <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Prairie Chicken award from the <strong>Minnesota</strong> Prairie<br />
Chicken Society in 2000. He was also a member <strong>of</strong><br />
the Agassiz Audubon Chapter which operates the<br />
Wetlands Pine to Prairie Sanctuary, and received two<br />
conservation development awards from Marshall<br />
County Soil and Water Conservation District in 1988<br />
and again in 2002.<br />
In 2008, Clifford Steinhauer was honored with the<br />
Presidents <strong>Vol</strong>unteer Service award for searching for<br />
federal endangered flower species and other volunteer<br />
projects. He has been on the Holt Township Board for<br />
16 years and served as a Sunday School teacher and<br />
trustee for Nazareth Church in Holt.<br />
Steinhauer has a number <strong>of</strong> ties to the <strong>Crookston</strong><br />
campus both past and present. His older sister, Evelyn<br />
(Steinhauer) Johnson, graduated in 1940 and brother,<br />
Donald, in 1947. Evelyn’s daughter, Elaine (Johnson)<br />
Alme, received her degree as a medical secretary in<br />
1981.<br />
Grandson Michael Steinhauer graduated from the<br />
U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong> in 2002 with a degree in natural<br />
resources management and works for the Natural<br />
Resources Conservation Service in Roseau County.<br />
Another grandson, Charles Steinhauer is currently<br />
pursuing a degree in manufacturing management.<br />
After graduating from the NWSA, Bette (Hovet)<br />
Nelson, ’60, went on to earn her degree as a registered<br />
nurse, while Terry, ’60, worked on his uncle’s farm.<br />
After the couple was married, he was employed at the<br />
local bank. The couple went on to purchase a ro<strong>of</strong>ing<br />
company in The Dalles, Ore., using the skills gained<br />
as a farmer, a banker, and a salesman to help shape<br />
this new experience.<br />
Over time, the Nelson’s ro<strong>of</strong>ing company would<br />
grow from one location to three. In 2008 Bette and<br />
Terry sold their business and retired, but their son<br />
continues his involvement in the company, and Terry<br />
still serves as a consultant.<br />
Bette and Terry agree they learned responsibility<br />
and independence at the <strong>No</strong>rthwest School <strong>of</strong><br />
Agriculture and that living right on campus like<br />
college students provided them with an important<br />
foundation.<br />
After graduation, Terry Stadstad, ’60, enlisted in<br />
the Navy and after four years <strong>of</strong> active duty, he<br />
moved to <strong>No</strong>rth Dakota to farm and married his wife,<br />
Muriel Fee. In 1967, after the harvest was completed,<br />
Stadstad applied to work in Santa Fe Ski basin in New<br />
Mexico as a ski patrolman, and eventually went on to<br />
become a certified instructor. Terry and Muriel<br />
worked as part <strong>of</strong> the management team there for six<br />
years. In the early 1970’s, the Stadstad’s took over the<br />
family farm when Terry’s father retired, raising sugar<br />
beets, wheat, malting barley, pinto beans, soybeans,<br />
and sunflowers. Today, the farming operation is in the<br />
hands <strong>of</strong> the Terry and Muriel’s son, Wade.<br />
In 1976, Stadstad served on a steering committee to<br />
start an oil co-op in Manvel, N.D. He also served on<br />
the board <strong>of</strong> the Manvel Union Elevator for a number<br />
<strong>of</strong> years, where Stadstad spent two years as chairman.<br />
He was a member <strong>of</strong> the Grand Forks County Fair<br />
Board and also served on the race committee for the<br />
Grand Forks Country Race Track. Stadstad also<br />
served for 12 years on the American Crystal Sugar<br />
Company (ACSC) board <strong>of</strong> directors and represented<br />
ACSC for five years on the executive board <strong>of</strong> the Pro<br />
Gold Corn Plant in Whapeton, N.D.<br />
Currently Terry Stadstad is serving on an advisory<br />
6 www.umcrookston.edu
Clifford Steinhauer, ’48 Bette (Hovet) Nelson, ’60 and Terry Nelson, ’60 Terry Stadstad, ’60<br />
board for Frandsen Bank and Trust and is the agricultural representative for six <strong>of</strong> their area banks. He was a<br />
board member <strong>of</strong> the Rye School District #25 for five years, has been on the Middle Grove Lutheran Church<br />
Council for thirty five years, and served as president for twenty five <strong>of</strong> those years.<br />
The NWSA alumni reunion, first held in 1918, brings back alumni from the NWSA, a residential high school<br />
located on what is now the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong> campus. The NWSA opened its doors in 1906<br />
and graduated its first class <strong>of</strong> 8 students in 1909. The campus educated students for 60 years, and during its last<br />
two years <strong>of</strong> operation, the campus transitioned to a two-year technical college, known as the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong> <strong>Crookston</strong> Technical Institute. In 1993, the campus transitioned again to <strong>of</strong>fer baccalaureate degrees<br />
and became the first-ever laptop university in the nation.<br />
<strong>No</strong>minate a <strong>No</strong>rthwest School classmate or friend for a Top Aggie award by visiting<br />
www.umcrookston.edu/alumni/nwsa.<br />
CAMPUS NEWS<br />
Department Changes Name to Better Reflect<br />
Programs<br />
Liberal Arts and Education Department is the new<br />
name for the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences<br />
Department on campus. The name change went into<br />
effect on July 1, <strong>2010</strong>. The name change, suggested<br />
and promoted by the department itself, was approved<br />
earlier this spring through <strong>of</strong>ficial campus channels.<br />
It is believed that the new name better reflects the<br />
combination <strong>of</strong> programs <strong>of</strong>fered by the department<br />
and its faculty. To learn more, visit<br />
www.umcrookston.edu/academics.<br />
Svedarsky Recipient <strong>of</strong> U <strong>of</strong> M President’s Award for<br />
Outstanding Service<br />
Daniel Svedarsky, pr<strong>of</strong>essor in the Agriculture<br />
and Natural Resources Department and the director<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Center for<br />
Sustainability at<br />
the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong>,<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong> is a<br />
<strong>2010</strong> recipient <strong>of</strong><br />
the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong><br />
President’s Award for Outstanding Service.<br />
Recipients <strong>of</strong> this award have gone well beyond their<br />
regular duties and have demonstrated an unusual<br />
commitment to the <strong>University</strong> community.<br />
Svedarsky was one <strong>of</strong> 11 to receive this year’s<br />
award.<br />
Campus Economic Impact Contributes $50 million<br />
annually to local and regional economy<br />
The <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong><br />
contributes $50 million annually to the local and<br />
regional economy, according to a study recently<br />
completed by <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong> Extension’s<br />
Center for Community Vitality. The economic<br />
impact <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Crookston</strong> campus supports a total <strong>of</strong><br />
602 jobs and $25.1 million in labor income. The<br />
study factored the economic contributions <strong>of</strong> faculty<br />
and staff spending, construction projects, daily<br />
operations, student spending, and spending by<br />
visitors at campus events in 2009.<br />
The full report is available online at:<br />
www.umcrookston.edu/chancellors<strong>of</strong>fice/documents/UMC-EconomicImpact<strong>2010</strong>.pdf.<br />
7
Living in the Metronatural<br />
Ocean views, mountain peaks, maritime history,<br />
and diversity in arts and culture are just a few <strong>of</strong> the<br />
phrases describing Seattle, Wash., home to Alumnus<br />
Cameron Brauer, ’04. A tagline coined by Seattle’s<br />
Convention and Visitors Bureau may more aptly<br />
describe the city—metronatural: having the<br />
characteristics <strong>of</strong> a world-class metropolis within<br />
wild, beautiful natural surroundings. Brauer enjoys<br />
city life and all it has to <strong>of</strong>fer but finds the waterfront<br />
and mountains just beyond city limits a paradisiacal<br />
escape.<br />
Brauer is a business analyst specializing in the<br />
conceptual design <strong>of</strong> large s<strong>of</strong>tware systems. He is<br />
currently working on a project with AT&T in <strong>No</strong>rth<br />
Seattle providing enhanced services for a targeted<br />
body <strong>of</strong> their business customers. It was a project with<br />
Hewlett Packard (HP) that caused Brauer to relocate<br />
to the Pacific <strong>No</strong>rthwest in January 2009. The project<br />
was a re-design <strong>of</strong> the State <strong>of</strong> Washington’s<br />
unemployment tax system. Brauer’s work with HP<br />
began in Denver, Colo., where he worked in the<br />
implementation <strong>of</strong> an election management system.<br />
His background includes a bachelor’s degree in<br />
information technology management with a minor in<br />
applied ethics from the U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong> and a<br />
master <strong>of</strong> arts in philosophy with a concentration in<br />
ethics from the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> Montana in Missoula.<br />
“When I graduated from the U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong> in<br />
2004, there were not a lot <strong>of</strong> jobs in the technology<br />
sector,” Brauer says. “So, I decided I would pursue a<br />
degree in philosophy and ethics because it was a<br />
passion <strong>of</strong> mine.” All this education is a bit surprising<br />
Brauer, pictured at Lake Crescent, was very involved on campus as a<br />
student which helped develop his leadership skills and his passion for<br />
volunteering.<br />
8 www.umcrookston.edu<br />
considering Brauer<br />
wasn’t really<br />
intending to go to<br />
college when he was<br />
a high school<br />
student growing up<br />
in Ellendale, N.D.<br />
“Late in my high<br />
school career, I was<br />
Cameron Brauer, ’04, enjoys living and<br />
working in Seattle, Wash.<br />
comparing trade schools and four-year schools when I<br />
came across the <strong>Crookston</strong> campus,” Brauer describes.<br />
“I liked the size, and I really liked the innovation <strong>of</strong><br />
providing students with laptop computers.” After a<br />
tour, he made a decision that if he was going to go to<br />
school, he was going to pursue a bachelor’s degree<br />
and the <strong>Crookston</strong> campus was a great fit for him.<br />
His work in high school with a friend setting up<br />
Web sites for local businesses translated to<br />
employment as a student worker in <strong>University</strong><br />
Relations and a Chowdry Entrepreneurial Scholarship<br />
for Brauer. While he was a student, he also discovered<br />
latent leadership ability. After serving on more than a<br />
dozen committees, including the <strong>Crookston</strong> Student<br />
Association, and co-founding the Ten Percent Society,<br />
he says he acquired valuable skills in communication,<br />
critical thinking, listening, assessing, and presenting<br />
ideas.<br />
“In one <strong>of</strong> my classes, Bruce Brorson told us that a<br />
degree in information technology is not a degree that<br />
teaches you concrete skills but rather a degree that<br />
states you can learn technology quickly,” Brauer<br />
shares. “I took that information with me, and what I<br />
learned gave me the understanding and the ability to<br />
transfer my knowledge to different kinds <strong>of</strong><br />
technology. It helps me ask the right questions and is<br />
an important part <strong>of</strong> my role as a business analyst.”<br />
His earlier work in Colorado began with the<br />
passage <strong>of</strong> the Help America Vote Act and the need<br />
for states to address issues on voter registration and<br />
security. “I was responsible for assessing and<br />
executing custom action plans for 26 counties in the<br />
state,” Brauer explains. “I was also involved in user<br />
acceptance testing and quality assurance testing.” The<br />
job required travel 4-5 days a week across Colorado.<br />
He accepted the job in Washington after being<br />
recruited by Saber Government Solutions, which was
Brauer enjoys the beautiful coastline and also finds time to volunteer for Peace for the Streets by Kids from the Streets and currently serves on their board.<br />
rebranded as EDS, an HP company—the state and<br />
local government division <strong>of</strong> the corporation. When<br />
he completed the project with them, he was <strong>of</strong>fered a<br />
role with HP’s Enterprise Services, where he provides<br />
business systems analysis on the Next Generation Tax<br />
System Project at the Washington State Employment<br />
Security Division.<br />
As part <strong>of</strong> his life in Seattle, Brauer began<br />
volunteering for Peace for the Streets by Kids from<br />
the Streets (www.psks.org) an organization providing<br />
support and services to Seattle area homeless youth<br />
and young adults. It is something he enjoys deeply.<br />
Best interns EVER...<br />
For college students, internships play a very<br />
important role in determining the next step in one’s<br />
life. This is no different for senior Jill Zelinsky, intern<br />
for <strong>University</strong> Relations at <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>,<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong>. “It’s great to get hands on experience with<br />
something that I want to pursue as a career in the<br />
future. It is awesome to apply what I have learned in<br />
the classroom in the past three years to a real work<br />
environment,” Zelinsky explains.<br />
Growing up in Minneapolis, going to school in a<br />
small town was a big change for Zelinsky. “My twin<br />
sister and I always wanted to go to school together, but<br />
we could not agree on the right school for both <strong>of</strong> us.”<br />
After being recruited for basketball and visiting the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong> campus, they<br />
knew the U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong> was the right school for<br />
them! After graduating with a degree in business<br />
management, Zelinsky decided to return to <strong>Crookston</strong><br />
to finish her degree in communications.<br />
“Andrew Svec contacted me about an internship<br />
opportunity with <strong>University</strong> Relations in the spring and<br />
I was immediately interested,” she says.<br />
Today, he serves on their board <strong>of</strong> directors. “I learned<br />
the value and gratification that comes from volunteer<br />
work when I was on the <strong>Crookston</strong> campus,” he says.<br />
“The volunteer efforts <strong>of</strong> Pam Holsinger-Fuchs<br />
influenced me in a big way, and volunteering has<br />
become an integral part <strong>of</strong> my life.”<br />
Brauer is not just comfortable in his surroundings,<br />
he is at home. He describes work as both challenging<br />
and fun and his life outside <strong>of</strong> work is filled with<br />
activities he enjoys and the scenery he loves – a mix<br />
<strong>of</strong> all the right elements in an equation that equals<br />
success.<br />
Written by Senior Jill Zelinsky, intern for <strong>University</strong> Relations<br />
While working with<br />
<strong>University</strong> Relations,<br />
Zelinsky has had the<br />
opportunity to write news<br />
releases, take photos for the<br />
homepage, conduct<br />
interviews for Insight<br />
Radio, and much more.<br />
“This internship has<br />
helped me gain selfconfidence<br />
in different<br />
situations that I have<br />
struggled with before.”<br />
Senior Jill Zelinsky, intern for<br />
<strong>University</strong> Relations<br />
Another thing that has helped Zelinsky gain<br />
confidence and independence was her study abroad trip<br />
to London, England. “I went from a small school in<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong>, to the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> London in one <strong>of</strong> the<br />
biggest cities in the entire world!”<br />
Adjusting to a new city and a new culture proved to<br />
be fun for Zelinsky. “I thought it would be a lot harder<br />
to get around London, but the adventures out in the<br />
Continued on next page<br />
9
Family Ties<br />
Part 2 in a series on family connections at<br />
the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong><br />
Education is the<br />
heartwood <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Nielsen family tree.<br />
For Alumnus<br />
Andrew Nielsen,<br />
’49, a high school<br />
education at the<br />
<strong>No</strong>rthwest School<br />
<strong>of</strong> Agriculture was<br />
the seed from<br />
which his career as<br />
a medical doctor<br />
grew. Following<br />
graduation, Andrew<br />
went directly to the<br />
Andrew Nielsen,<br />
’49, went on to<br />
medical school at the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong> and<br />
served as a physician<br />
and surgeon in the<br />
U.S. Air Force for 20<br />
years.<br />
Les Nielsen, ’58, went<br />
on to the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong> graduating<br />
with a degree in<br />
business. He is one <strong>of</strong><br />
the founders <strong>of</strong> Herc-<br />
U-Lift, a forklift and<br />
heavy equipment<br />
business.<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong> Medical School, and as a young<br />
intern, he was drafted and began a 20-year career in the<br />
United States Air Force as a physician and surgeon.<br />
Stationed in France, Turkey, and the United States,<br />
Andrew’s life was filled with experiences that were both<br />
challenging and intriguing. As a military doctor, he was<br />
part <strong>of</strong> an effort to inoculate 160-plus high school<br />
students and 35<br />
servicemen for<br />
rabies, a grueling<br />
fourteen-day series<br />
<strong>of</strong> shots. He was<br />
a member <strong>of</strong> the<br />
medical recovery<br />
Andrew Nielsen and his wife, Thea, celebrated<br />
their 50th wedding anniversary in July 2001.<br />
team for two Apollo missions, all <strong>of</strong> the Skylab missions,<br />
and the Apollo Coho mission.<br />
The Nielsen family grew up on a farm near Euclid,<br />
Minn., about 14 miles north <strong>of</strong> <strong>Crookston</strong>. The eldest son<br />
in the family, Leroy, attended the <strong>No</strong>rthwest School<br />
briefly in 1946-47. Andrew soon followed.<br />
When younger brother Richard returned from four<br />
years in the Air Force, he also attended the NWSA in<br />
1951 and then went on to graduate with honors from the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>. His career with the Internal<br />
Revenue Service included heading a task force under<br />
Secretary <strong>of</strong> the Treasury Lloyd Bentson evaluating the<br />
tax requirements for the healthcare proposal during the<br />
Clinton administration.<br />
The last in the Nielsen family to graduate from the<br />
Best interns, cont...<br />
city were some <strong>of</strong> the best times <strong>of</strong> the trip,” she recalls.”<br />
I had such an amazing time getting to know the culture in<br />
England!”<br />
Going into the trip, Zelinsky thought that she would<br />
have no issues communicating with people from England<br />
but was proved wrong quickly. “When I first got to<br />
England, I couldn’t understand one person. They had<br />
different words and phrases I had never heard before and<br />
very strong accents. It’s a lot easier understanding British<br />
people in movies than it is in real life.<br />
“As the trip went on both my British and American<br />
friends figured out a way <strong>of</strong> communicating that we could<br />
all understand! It was amazing to see the two cultures<br />
converge!”<br />
For Senior Derek Ricke, choosing the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong> was an easy decision. Ricke grew<br />
up in Park Rapids, Minn., where he attended Park Rapids<br />
Area High School and played football, hockey, and golf.<br />
“I chose the U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong> for multiple reasons. It<br />
had a sport management<br />
degree, which is what I<br />
wanted to major in, a great<br />
scholarship program which<br />
made it very affordable, and<br />
gave me the opportunity to<br />
continue playing hockey.”<br />
After the varsity hockey<br />
program was cut Ricke was<br />
very disappointed, but instead<br />
<strong>of</strong> focusing on the negatives,<br />
he and a few other classmates<br />
started working almost immediately on forming a club<br />
Senior Derek Ricke, intern for<br />
Development & Alumni Relations<br />
hockey team. The Club Hockey team is now going into its<br />
second year. “The experience I have gained as president<br />
<strong>of</strong> this club has been a blessing <strong>of</strong> its own. I have been<br />
able to work on tasks such as scheduling, sponsorships,<br />
marketing, and communications which helps prepare me<br />
for my goal <strong>of</strong> working in the front <strong>of</strong>fice <strong>of</strong> a hockey<br />
organization,” Ricke explains.<br />
10 www.umcrookston.edu
Thea (Myren) Nielsen served as the school nurse at<br />
the <strong>No</strong>rthwest School for two years. She is originally<br />
from Thief River <strong>Fall</strong>s, Minn.<br />
NWSA was Les, ’58. Like his<br />
brothers, he went on to graduate from<br />
the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong> earning a<br />
degree in business. Together Les and<br />
his longtime friend, Gene Ellingson,<br />
founded Herc-U-Lift, a forklift truck<br />
and material handling distributorship<br />
in Plymouth, Minn. Today, the<br />
company has more than 100<br />
employees.<br />
For Andrew, the memories <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>No</strong>rthwest School are about the<br />
academics. He recalls talking to<br />
Principal Reiersgord about his interest<br />
in becoming a doctor and focusing his<br />
time in high school on science and<br />
mathematics. “Mr. Reiersgord allowed<br />
me to take the courses that would give<br />
me a better background for attending<br />
college,” he says. “I knew I wanted to<br />
become a medical doctor from the<br />
time I was in grade school.”<br />
Andrew met his future wife, Thea<br />
Myren, while attending the <strong>No</strong>rthwest<br />
School. She was a graduate <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Fairview Hospital School <strong>of</strong> Nursing<br />
in Minneapolis and worked for two<br />
years as an instructor and senior clinic<br />
nurse on the campus. The two were<br />
married in 1951.<br />
In 2000, Andrew was awarded the<br />
Top Aggie, the highest honor given to<br />
alumni <strong>of</strong> the <strong>No</strong>rthwest School by the<br />
alumni association. Les would receive<br />
the Torch & Shield award in 2001 and<br />
the Top Aggie award in 2003. The<br />
prestigious Torch & Shield award<br />
recognizes individuals who have<br />
provided leadership and aided in the<br />
development <strong>of</strong> <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong> and the<br />
<strong>No</strong>rthwest Research and Outreach<br />
Center. Les serves on the All-Campus<br />
Advisory Committee, and he and his<br />
wife, June, have supported the campus<br />
through scholarship giving.<br />
The Nielsen family tree has<br />
branched out over the years, but its<br />
roots go back to northwest <strong>Minnesota</strong><br />
and the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong><br />
through the <strong>No</strong>rthwest School <strong>of</strong><br />
Agriculture. “We grew up close to the<br />
campus,” Andrew explains. “I knew<br />
about it growing up and the <strong>No</strong>rthwest<br />
School was designed for the education<br />
<strong>of</strong> farm kids; I simply took advantage<br />
<strong>of</strong> what was there.”<br />
For the Nielsens, like so many<br />
others, the <strong>No</strong>rthwest School served as<br />
a stepping stone for educational<br />
opportunity and a successful career.<br />
Educating students continues to be the<br />
legacy <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Crookston</strong> campus, and<br />
it has been since it welcomed its first<br />
students in 1906.<br />
He wasted no time preparing for his future this summer and decided to do an internship for the Office <strong>of</strong><br />
Development & Alumni Relations, where he spent most <strong>of</strong> his time focusing on athletic fundraising with Bill Tyrrell.<br />
He did everything from stuffing envelopes, researching addresses, compiling an Athletic Hall <strong>of</strong> Fame list, creating<br />
three-year sponsor proposals, preparing and running golf tournaments, and much more.<br />
Derek has enjoyed the experience, “my favorite part <strong>of</strong> my internship was the atmosphere. Everyone I worked with<br />
seemed to really enjoy being there which really diminished the<br />
feeling <strong>of</strong> it being work,” he says. “That is something that does not<br />
happen very <strong>of</strong>ten and made my internship fun!”<br />
Although he did a lot during his internship, the most important<br />
thing Derek learned from his experience had nothing to do with the<br />
tasks he actually performed. “I know it sounds weird but learning<br />
things like how to hold myself during a sponsor meeting, interacting<br />
with people who have attended your event and gaining feedback<br />
from them, and using language that is proper and sends the correct<br />
message to your audience is so important,” Ricke says. “<strong>No</strong>ne <strong>of</strong> the<br />
tips I just mentioned can be learned while in the classroom.<br />
“This is the real learning that will prepare me for my future<br />
career. I look forward to getting a chance to use it.”<br />
Contestants from Development & Alumni Relations and <strong>University</strong><br />
Relations prepare for a cherry pit spitting competition. Left to<br />
right are Derek Ricke, Rose Ulseth, Elizabeth Tollefson, Jill<br />
Zelinsky, and Sue Dwyer. Cherries were a gift from Terry and<br />
Bette (Hovet) Nelson, ’60.<br />
11
Picture <strong>of</strong> Success<br />
The photographic images<br />
captured by amateur photographer<br />
and alumnus Tyler Derosier, ’08,<br />
make the reason Sockeye Business<br />
Solutions is located in Alaska come<br />
immediately into focus. <strong>No</strong>t only is<br />
the location beautiful, Alaska <strong>of</strong>fers<br />
alumni Nick Brorson, ’08, and<br />
Chad Weber, ’00, a great business<br />
scene.<br />
Sockeye Business Solutions<br />
began operations quite humbly, with<br />
a few laptops and a lot <strong>of</strong> ambition.<br />
Today, the company, which employs<br />
ten, is located in downtown<br />
Anchorage. Owned and operated by<br />
Brorson, Weber and their partner,<br />
Eric Ward, the company<br />
recommends and implements<br />
business s<strong>of</strong>tware for businesses<br />
throughout <strong>No</strong>rth America.<br />
“We go into organizations to<br />
help them improve operations by<br />
Nick Brorson, on Lake Skilak located on the Kenai<br />
Peninsula, enjoys fishing and the plethora <strong>of</strong><br />
outdoor activities Alaska <strong>of</strong>fers.<br />
implementing a s<strong>of</strong>tware solution or<br />
the revision <strong>of</strong> a business process,”<br />
Brorson explains. The company<br />
deals primarily with mid-market<br />
size businesses including recent<br />
work done for the state <strong>of</strong> Alaska.<br />
Brorson, vice president <strong>of</strong> client<br />
Nick Brorson (left) and Chad Weber in their downtown Anchorage location for Sockeye Business<br />
Solutions. The color scheme, logo, web site for Sockeye Business Solutions was created by Garrick<br />
Willhite, ex. ’02.<br />
relations; Weber, vice president <strong>of</strong><br />
s<strong>of</strong>tware development; and<br />
Derosier, business application<br />
consultant, each claim different<br />
reasons why an Alaskan lifestyle<br />
suits them.<br />
Brorson enjoys what he<br />
describes as the “wide open<br />
business climate” along with the<br />
abundant opportunity for outdoor<br />
recreation. After spending several<br />
summers guiding fishing trips near<br />
Ely, Minn., Brorson knew he<br />
wanted to live where he could enjoy<br />
fishing in his free time.<br />
“I find that many <strong>of</strong> the qualities<br />
I liked about <strong>Minnesota</strong> I find in<br />
Alaska,” Brorson admits. “In many<br />
ways, the people are similar, and<br />
this place feels much like home.”<br />
For Weber, it was a sense <strong>of</strong><br />
adventure he found appealing. “We<br />
have spent most <strong>of</strong> our lives in the<br />
Midwest, and we wanted the chance<br />
to live and work somewhere new to<br />
us,” Weber says.<br />
He, and his wife, Alumna Sara<br />
(Brorson) Weber, ’01, are the<br />
parents <strong>of</strong> three young children and<br />
when they are not busy with work<br />
and their family, they also like to<br />
camp, fish, and hike. Sara currently<br />
works in s<strong>of</strong>tware development for<br />
CTG, a company working with<br />
international information<br />
technology solutions and services.<br />
Derosier began working at<br />
Sockeye Business Solutions as an<br />
intern in 2008. He was drawn to<br />
Alaska by the scenery, and over<br />
time, has developed an interest in<br />
fishing. “I came to Alaska for an<br />
internship thanks to the connection<br />
I had to Nick and Chad through<br />
Nick’s dad, Bruce Brorson. I<br />
thought it would be great for a<br />
summer,” Derosier explains. “I am<br />
happy to be a permanent part <strong>of</strong><br />
Sockeye Business Solutions and<br />
enjoy my work.”<br />
All three <strong>of</strong> the company’s<br />
founders worked for other<br />
12 www.umcrookston.edu
Tyler Derosier joined Sockeye Business Solutions in 2008.<br />
Tyler Derosier enjoys one <strong>of</strong> Alaska’s spectacular views while hiking.<br />
consulting companies when they first arrived in Alaska. “Eric originally came here,” Brorson says. “We met<br />
earlier when all three <strong>of</strong> us worked for Micros<strong>of</strong>t’s Fargo, N.D., <strong>of</strong>fice.”<br />
For Weber it was a little different, “Sara and I gave moving some serious consideration because we had a<br />
family,” he reflects. “In the end, we both agree the opportunities far outweighed the risks.”<br />
When the trio looks back on their collegiate experience, they<br />
agree the connections and the work experience they had as<br />
students were influential in their current business success.<br />
“There have been a number <strong>of</strong> graduates from <strong>Crookston</strong> who<br />
I either worked with or who have gone on to successful careers,”<br />
Brorson says. “We shared not only a similar background, but<br />
they have been great connections for me.”<br />
Weber appreciated the opportunity he had to work at the Red<br />
River Trade Corridor as a student. “I gained real work<br />
experience, and it expanded my education and learning within a<br />
business environment,” he notes.<br />
Work was also an important part <strong>of</strong> Derosier’s experience. “I<br />
gained experience in the information technology department<br />
while I was a student and learned so much about the process,” he<br />
recalls. “It helped me move forward in my career as an IT<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essional.”<br />
Moving forward is really what Sockeye Business Solutions is<br />
all about, and under the skill and leadership <strong>of</strong> these three<br />
alumni, the company continues to develop its pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
image. They seem to have captured a quality in the business<br />
light that looks to be near picture perfect.<br />
Pictured at the wedding <strong>of</strong> Sara (Brorson) Weber’s sister, Carly, are<br />
Brenner, Sara, Adalynn, Annika, and Chad Weber.<br />
13
Ripple Effect<br />
Sitting across the desk from Shawn<br />
Friedland, one may not expect this senior<br />
from Melbourne, Fla., with his quiet<br />
demeanor and understated style to have such<br />
a wide circle <strong>of</strong> influence. Friedland has<br />
moved into his role as student body president<br />
with little fanfare, but when it comes to<br />
service on the campus and in the community,<br />
he wants to lead in both word and action.<br />
“Along with sustaining the initiatives <strong>of</strong><br />
our past leadership, I hope to give the<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong> Student Association (CSA) a<br />
bigger voice on campus and in the<br />
community,” Friedland says. “And, I would<br />
like to see our executive board take on a<br />
community service project like all the clubs<br />
and organizations do.” With a heart for<br />
service and a dream to become a medical<br />
doctor, he manages a rigorous academic<br />
career with his leadership activities into a blend that<br />
befits him.<br />
After spending five weeks in Ghana, Africa, over<br />
Friedland representing the U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong> at Cape Coast, Ghana.<br />
the summer, Friedland realized his potential to make a<br />
difference in a very personal way. “Observing in a<br />
hospital in Ghana was a great learning experience for<br />
me,” Friedland describes, “but, I loved going into the<br />
schools and teaching hygiene and malaria prevention<br />
to elementary school children the most.” While the<br />
schools lacked much in the way <strong>of</strong> facilities and<br />
supplies, Friedland found the children lacked nothing<br />
in the way <strong>of</strong> enthusiasm. What surprised him most<br />
however was the depth to which he enjoyed teaching.<br />
Originally interested in zoology, he attended<br />
college in Miami, Fla., for a year and a half after high<br />
school. “I wanted something different,” Friedland<br />
explains. “I started searching for schools <strong>of</strong>fering<br />
degrees in animal science. I found the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong>, Twin Cities, but I wasn’t sure I wanted<br />
another large campus. That’s when I found<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong>.” The rest is history.<br />
Becoming a medical doctor has always interested<br />
him, and after considering it, he decided to change<br />
from animal science to a major in biology and follow<br />
the pre-med track. The first few months on campus<br />
left him feeling a bit disconnected. It wasn’t until he<br />
At the top <strong>of</strong> Mount Afadjato, Ghana’s highest mountain, Friedland enjoyed<br />
some beautiful views <strong>of</strong> the countryside.<br />
14 www.umcrookston.edu
Shawn Friedland, at the health clinic with children they treated in Ghana during his internship, hopes to one day become a primary care physician with a<br />
focus on international medicine.<br />
decided to run for CSA senator that<br />
Friedland hit his stride. “I knew I<br />
needed to join an organization<br />
because I wanted to meet people<br />
and get more involved,” he<br />
explains. “Serving as a senator<br />
really changed things for me.”<br />
It didn’t stop there. He joined<br />
the Multicultural and International<br />
Club, Student Programming and<br />
Activities for Campus<br />
Entertainment (SPACE), Students<br />
for the Education <strong>of</strong> Environmental<br />
and Life Sciences (SEELS), and for<br />
a year, served as a community<br />
advisor in Skyberg Hall. Currently,<br />
he devotes his time to CSA alone.<br />
Friedland had long harbored an<br />
interest in studying abroad.<br />
Weighing opportunities and options<br />
led him to Cross Cultural<br />
Solutions, an organization<br />
specializing in short-term volunteer<br />
abroad programs. Working with his<br />
advisor, Associate Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Pam<br />
Elf, he was able to use the<br />
experience for internship credit<br />
while volunteering in Africa.<br />
He spent five weeks observing<br />
and helping in a hospital in Hohoe,<br />
Ghana, and along with it, teaching<br />
three classes per day in three to<br />
four different schools each week.<br />
“We stayed at a home base while<br />
we were in Ghana, and we had a<br />
program manager looking out for<br />
us,” Friedland explains. “There<br />
were twelve college students in my<br />
group, and I joined four other<br />
volunteers interested in helping in<br />
the community by teaching.”<br />
One <strong>of</strong> the unique experiences<br />
during the trip was taking a few<br />
days to study herbal medicine,<br />
meet a witch doctor, and observe a<br />
bone setter. The trip to Africa<br />
changed how Friedland thinks<br />
about and approaches his future<br />
medical career. “I had several<br />
specialties I thought I was<br />
interested in before my trip, but<br />
now, I want to help people and<br />
primary care seems the best fit to<br />
me,” he says. “I want to go to<br />
places in the world where doctors<br />
are needed. My earning potential<br />
matters less to me than being able<br />
to make a difference in the lives <strong>of</strong><br />
people who might not otherwise<br />
have access to medical care.”<br />
For now though, Friedland is<br />
busy in his role as a student leader,<br />
applying to medical schools, and<br />
completing his last two semesters<br />
as an undergraduate. Along the<br />
way, he has discovered a circle <strong>of</strong><br />
influence running from the corner<br />
<strong>of</strong> Africa to the corner <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong> and as far beyond as he<br />
can imagine—like the ever<br />
growing circles in a ripple effect.<br />
15
Peace Like a River<br />
The smell <strong>of</strong> pine, the song <strong>of</strong><br />
the water, the crush <strong>of</strong> dense<br />
vegetation lying undisturbed for<br />
decades, and the solitude <strong>of</strong> a lone<br />
canoe paddling in the wild beauty<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Neches River in East Texas<br />
describe the passion <strong>of</strong> Alumnus<br />
Adrian Van Dellen, ’61.<br />
“The river is my chapel,” Van<br />
Dellen says. “It is where I find<br />
peace and where I connect with the<br />
things I have always loved—the<br />
sacred woods and water.” His<br />
affinity for the river developed over<br />
time and ignited his conservation<br />
activism around saving the river<br />
and its extraordinary habitat from<br />
further development, particularly<br />
another dam and<br />
reservoir.<br />
He attended <strong>Crookston</strong><br />
Central High School his<br />
freshman year. But since he<br />
was the oldest son in a farm<br />
family, his parents decided he<br />
needed to take advantage <strong>of</strong> the<br />
six-month school term <strong>of</strong>fered<br />
at the <strong>No</strong>rthwest School <strong>of</strong><br />
Agriculture (NWSA), so he<br />
transferred as a sophomore. With a<br />
later start in the fall and school<br />
letting out in March, Van Dellen<br />
could be home to help with both<br />
the spring planting and the fall<br />
harvest.<br />
As a student, he enjoyed the<br />
engaging quality <strong>of</strong> the education<br />
at the <strong>No</strong>rthwest School, its great<br />
faculty, the camaraderie <strong>of</strong> being a<br />
member <strong>of</strong> the wrestling team, and<br />
living on campus as a junior and<br />
senior.<br />
He worked as a farmhand in<br />
East Grand Forks, Minn., for<br />
one growing season after<br />
his graduation from the<br />
NWSA. During that<br />
summer <strong>of</strong> 1961, his<br />
employer would<br />
suggest he look<br />
into studying<br />
veterinary<br />
medicine. “I<br />
didn’t know<br />
what I was<br />
interested in at<br />
that time, and<br />
when my<br />
employer<br />
suggested<br />
becoming a<br />
In this photo by Anne Tindell, Van Dellen canoes the<br />
Neches River with a group from the Sierra Club.<br />
veterinarian, I wasn’t sure,” Van<br />
Dellen says. “I went to Moorhead<br />
State Teachers College for two<br />
quarters before transferring to the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong> into their<br />
pre-veterinary medicine program.”<br />
After graduating from the<br />
<strong>University</strong> in 1968 followed by a<br />
year <strong>of</strong> teaching ambulatory<br />
veterinary medicine at the<br />
<strong>University</strong>, Van Dellen entered the<br />
U.S. Air Force. His first assignment<br />
was working at a military base in<br />
the Azores—an archipelago east <strong>of</strong><br />
the mid-Atlantic Ocean—as a base<br />
veterinarian. Following the twoyear<br />
assignment and another oneyear<br />
tour in Oklahoma, he began a<br />
residency in zoonotic disease<br />
pathology at the Armed Forces<br />
Institute <strong>of</strong> Pathology (AFIP), in<br />
Washington D.C. The mission <strong>of</strong><br />
the AFIP is teaching, research and<br />
consultation. He was part <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Geographic Pathology Department<br />
specializing in tropical medicine<br />
and zoonotic disease pathology, the<br />
study <strong>of</strong> diseases caused by<br />
infectious agents transmitted<br />
between animals and humans.<br />
Following a three-year residency<br />
at AFIP, he continued with the<br />
Institute during the next four years<br />
with assignment as a guest research<br />
Adrian Van Dellen sets up his camera in a heart tree for<br />
a shot along the Neches River.
Neches River National Wildlife Refuge<br />
pathologist at Ondersteport, in Pretoria, South Africa.<br />
He returned to the AFIP for another two years to work<br />
in zoonotic disease research and then was transferred<br />
to San Antonio, Texas. There he worked in clinical<br />
investigation at Wilford Hall Medical Center, a U.S.<br />
Air Force teaching hospital, serving as a research<br />
pathologist in support <strong>of</strong> the hospital’s residency<br />
program.<br />
Van Dellen “retired” in 1991 at the age <strong>of</strong> 47, and<br />
at that point, his life took on a new direction and<br />
meaning.<br />
“In South Africa I worked with people who were<br />
part <strong>of</strong> the national park system, and doing zoonotic<br />
disease field survey work in Kruger National Park, I<br />
received a first-hand taste <strong>of</strong> conservation,” Van<br />
Dellen explains. These early experiences were the<br />
seed <strong>of</strong> his conservation zeal today.<br />
Upon his return to the United States, he began to<br />
support conservation through inactive memberships in<br />
numerous conservation organizations, but upon<br />
retirement he began an active role in the Sierra Club,<br />
and soon after also with the Texas Conservation<br />
Alliance (TCA), a local affiliate <strong>of</strong> the National<br />
Wildlife Federation. The TCA awarded him<br />
Conservation Hero <strong>of</strong> <strong>2010</strong>. He was one <strong>of</strong> the<br />
founders <strong>of</strong> the regional Pineywoods Group, which is<br />
part <strong>of</strong> the Lone Star (Texas) Chapter <strong>of</strong> the Sierra<br />
Club.<br />
He is a leader in the fight, which includes both<br />
finances and litigation, against the construction <strong>of</strong> two<br />
dams proposed for construction on a tributary <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Neches River. “We are deeply concerned about how<br />
these dams would impact the<br />
river and its watershed,” Van<br />
Dellen explains. “We would<br />
like to see the free-flow <strong>of</strong> the<br />
river protected by it being<br />
designated into the national<br />
Wild and Scenic Rivers<br />
Systems, and to accomplish<br />
this we are seeking the<br />
support and understanding <strong>of</strong><br />
the people living here,<br />
especially land owners and<br />
river authorities.”<br />
He advocates tirelessly for<br />
Adrian Van Dellen, ’61,<br />
transferred to the<br />
<strong>No</strong>rthwest School <strong>of</strong><br />
Agriculture when he was a<br />
sophomore.<br />
the river and its protection. “We need a sea change in<br />
the people’s conservation consciousness,” he says.<br />
“That won’t come easy, but we have to continue to<br />
work hard and move forward with hope.”<br />
Spending weeks at a time on the Neches River, Van<br />
Dellen uses his camera to capture the river’s beauty. In<br />
a joint partnership with a pr<strong>of</strong>essional photographer<br />
and a writer, Van Dellen is involved in the creation <strong>of</strong><br />
a c<strong>of</strong>fee-table quality photo book about the Neches.<br />
“Along with a photographer who works with largefilm<br />
format, and my 35 mm digital images, and the<br />
writing <strong>of</strong> a retired English pr<strong>of</strong>essor,” he says, “we<br />
hope to publish a powerful photo book about the<br />
Neches River illuminating the importance <strong>of</strong><br />
protecting it.”<br />
He wants the river to be there for his current five<br />
grandchildren (another is on the way) and for the<br />
generations <strong>of</strong> all the people to follow. In order for<br />
that to happen, Van Dellen believes he has to do what<br />
he can to be an advocate and speak for the Neches.<br />
“My role as a conservation activist lies at the very<br />
heart and soul <strong>of</strong> my life’s story,” he says.<br />
Like the river’s winding 416-mile journey to the<br />
Gulf <strong>of</strong> Mexico, activism has led Van Dellen on an<br />
amazing journey that has included navigating some<br />
turbulence, negotiating the eddies, and sharing peace<br />
like a river with anyone who will listen.<br />
19
“Knew” as the Romans “Knew”<br />
The Romans knew it. “Practice is the best <strong>of</strong> all instructors”<br />
wrote Publilius Syrus in the first century B.C., and today, the<br />
advantage <strong>of</strong> hands-on learning is no more evident anywhere than<br />
in the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department at the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong>. Students in equine science<br />
and animal science are given opportunities to practice what they<br />
learn in the classroom. They are engaged in real-life work<br />
experiences that will<br />
benefit them in<br />
whatever they<br />
choose to do once<br />
they graduate.<br />
Ron Del Vecchio,<br />
Ph.D., pr<strong>of</strong>essor and<br />
head <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Agriculture and<br />
Natural Resources<br />
Department on the<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong> campus is<br />
proud <strong>of</strong> his students<br />
and <strong>of</strong> the programs<br />
Ron Del Vecchio (left), pr<strong>of</strong>essor and head <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Agriculture and Natural Resources Department, served<br />
as a mentor and advisor for Dank.<br />
his department<br />
<strong>of</strong>fers, “We focus on<br />
hands-on learning<br />
Did You Know<br />
A partnership between the<br />
College <strong>of</strong> Veterinary Medicine<br />
(CVM) at the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong> and the Agriculture and<br />
Natural Resources Department on<br />
the <strong>Crookston</strong> campus which began<br />
fall semester will expand the<br />
Veterinary Food Animal Scholars<br />
Track (VetFAST) program. The<br />
program is designed to meet the<br />
demand for veterinarians across the<br />
country and address the shortage <strong>of</strong><br />
veterinarians for food animals.<br />
Rural areas find it difficult to fill<br />
vacant positions or add new staff<br />
quickly enough. A need also exists<br />
in the food industry as well as in<br />
state and federal agencies to protect<br />
the livestock industry from new<br />
diseases and to help ensure food<br />
safety. To learn more, visit<br />
www.umcrookston.edu/academics.<br />
and strong academic rigor in the classroom. I believe it makes our<br />
program attractive to students and gives them a competitive edge.”<br />
One <strong>of</strong> the graduates Del Vecchio is referring to is Tony Dank, ’10, who is currently attending graduate school<br />
at the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> Missouri in Columbia. When Dank graduated he had already been accepted into several<br />
veterinary programs, but he chose Missouri because he liked the fact that they spend more time engaged in<br />
learning in the field—something Dank came to appreciate as a student at the U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong>. “I have had<br />
opportunities ranging from throwing<br />
bales with the head <strong>of</strong> the department to<br />
conducting an ultrasound on a cow and<br />
everything in between,” Dank smiles.<br />
He didn’t graduate from high school<br />
in Sartell, Minn., with becoming a vet<br />
in mind. “I thought I would go into<br />
teaching and attended Bemidji State<br />
<strong>University</strong> with a degree in education<br />
as my goal,” Dank recalls. “After my<br />
first year, I began to contemplate a<br />
Tony Dank, ’10, stands in the arena for one last<br />
photograph before he heads to Missouri to attend the<br />
College <strong>of</strong> Veterinary Medicine at the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
Missouri in Columbia in late July.<br />
20 www.umcrookston.edu
change either working or entering<br />
the military.” Dank enjoyed<br />
working with his family’s horses so<br />
before making a decision, he<br />
looked for an equine program. His<br />
attention was drawn to the one<br />
available on the <strong>Crookston</strong> campus.<br />
After transferring, Dank decided to<br />
incorporate an additional degree in<br />
animal science.<br />
“I thought when I started in<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong> I would take every<br />
equine science class I could and<br />
eventually work in the horse<br />
industry,” he explains. “It turned<br />
out I took every animal science<br />
class I possibly could.” Dank had<br />
definitely found his calling.<br />
While on campus, he gained<br />
working experience in the meatanimal<br />
barn, the horse barn, and the<br />
dairy barn. He also availed himself<br />
<strong>of</strong> the many organizations and<br />
clubs on campus serving as<br />
president <strong>of</strong> both the Horseman’s<br />
Association and the Dairy Club. He<br />
was also vice president <strong>of</strong> Ag<br />
Arama and belonged to both the<br />
Animal Science Club and the Pre-<br />
Vet Club as well.<br />
As a teaching assistant for<br />
ADawn Melbye, instructor in the<br />
Agriculture and Natural Resources<br />
Department, Dank helped<br />
coordinate Ag and Natural<br />
Resources Day, and the following<br />
year, he managed the dairy show<br />
part <strong>of</strong> the competition on his own.<br />
These experiences along with his<br />
YOU ARE<br />
INVITED<br />
Working with the animals on campus helped Dank decide that he wanted to pursue a degree as a<br />
veterinarian.<br />
work in the classroom and the lab<br />
have provided him a wealth <strong>of</strong><br />
experience preparing him to pursue<br />
an advanced degree. One day, Dank<br />
sees himself in a veterinary practice<br />
focusing primarily on large<br />
animals.<br />
“Tony is one <strong>of</strong> the most<br />
outstanding students I have had an<br />
opportunity to work with,” Del<br />
Vecchio claims. “He possesses all<br />
the qualities necessary to serve him<br />
well in his pr<strong>of</strong>essional career. <strong>No</strong>t<br />
only is he intelligent, he has a solid<br />
work ethic and is a great young<br />
man.”<br />
For students interested in<br />
veterinary medicine, the U <strong>of</strong> M,<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong> provides varied<br />
experience and a solid foundation<br />
in preparation for graduate school<br />
or a career. Dank values the<br />
opportunities afforded him and will<br />
take the experience and education<br />
with him.<br />
“What I learned as an<br />
undergraduate prepared me well,”<br />
he reflects. “I am taking my<br />
learning and experience with me to<br />
Missouri, and looking forward to<br />
the challenges ahead.”<br />
What: <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong> Alumni Social<br />
Where: Ramada Plaza & Suites, 1635 <strong>42</strong>nd Street South, Fargo, N.D.<br />
When: Thursday, <strong>No</strong>vember 4, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.<br />
Why: Come and reunite with UMC graduates and friends for a fun time <strong>of</strong> socialization!<br />
21
Art from the Heart<br />
A glance in the <strong>Minnesota</strong> Room<br />
in the Sargeant Student Center<br />
draws your eye to a beautiful new<br />
piece <strong>of</strong> art. The agrarian theme<br />
and rich color <strong>of</strong> the 30 x 40 oil<br />
painting make it a perfect<br />
complement to the conference<br />
room’s maroon and gold décor. It is<br />
also harmonious with the history <strong>of</strong><br />
the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>,<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong> and its long relationship<br />
with agriculture and the rich soil <strong>of</strong><br />
the Red River Valley.<br />
The painting, a gift from<br />
Alumna Mary Jo (Melbye) Eastes,<br />
’79, and her husband, Rick, is one<br />
<strong>of</strong> a<br />
collection<br />
by Artist<br />
Gary Ernest<br />
Smith the<br />
couple<br />
plans to<br />
give to the<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong><br />
campus—a<br />
gift that<br />
will total<br />
more than<br />
Mary Jo was a fashion<br />
merchandising major at the<br />
U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong><br />
$160,000. This generous alumna<br />
has a connection to <strong>Crookston</strong> that<br />
runs deep. Born and raised in the<br />
community, Eastes remembers<br />
loving every minute <strong>of</strong> growing up.<br />
Her parents had an “open-door”<br />
policy meaning the Melbye home<br />
was always open to their children’s<br />
friends.<br />
“I knew who was on my block,<br />
and we never locked a door,”<br />
Eastes smiles. “We used every last<br />
minute <strong>of</strong> daylight to play with our<br />
friends in the summer.” She also<br />
enjoyed attending grade school at<br />
St. Joseph’s Academy and<br />
Franklin Elementary School<br />
and was one <strong>of</strong> the first<br />
classes to go to the “new”<br />
middle school. Following<br />
8th grade, it was on to<br />
graduate from Central High<br />
School in <strong>Crookston</strong>.<br />
Following in older sister<br />
Vicki’s footsteps, Eastes<br />
worked at Town and<br />
Country, a woman’s<br />
clothing store located on the<br />
corner <strong>of</strong> Main and Robert<br />
Streets. “I also attended the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>,<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong> Technical<br />
College to major in fashion<br />
merchandising and retail<br />
management,” Eastes<br />
recalls. “When Vicki<br />
graduated, she went to<br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong> State <strong>University</strong><br />
Moorhead, and I went to the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>No</strong>rth Dakota,<br />
Grand Forks. She became a<br />
teacher and so did I.”<br />
After teaching at Bismarck<br />
Century High School for two years,<br />
Eastes moved to Wilmar where<br />
Vicki was teaching at the local<br />
technical college. “I got a job in the<br />
high school substituting for a<br />
teacher who was on leave, Eastes<br />
says. “Five <strong>of</strong> my students went to<br />
nationals in Distributive Education<br />
Clubs <strong>of</strong> America (DECA) that<br />
year and they wanted me to stay,<br />
but I had my heart set on moving to<br />
California.”<br />
With her convertible loaded, she<br />
headed <strong>of</strong>f to Los Angeles. “My<br />
first job as a head hunter involved<br />
six weeks <strong>of</strong> training,” Eastes<br />
Melbye Campus Connections<br />
• Mary Jo Eastes,’79<br />
• Allen, ex. ’73<br />
• Wayne,’90<br />
• Douglas “Carl”, ’77<br />
• Mike, ex.’79<br />
• Vicki,’73<br />
• Lori, ex. ’86<br />
• Jacob (son <strong>of</strong> Wayne), ’06<br />
• Chris (son <strong>of</strong> Allen), ex. ’92<br />
• Sam (son <strong>of</strong> Wayne) postsecondary<br />
enrollment option,<br />
ex. ’00<br />
• Will (son <strong>of</strong> Wayne), College in<br />
the High School student in 1997<br />
• Jordan (daughter <strong>of</strong> Carl), postsecondary<br />
enrollment option,<br />
ex. ’09<br />
• Beau (son <strong>of</strong> Carl), currently<br />
enrolled, post-secondary<br />
enrollment option<br />
explains. “I was working to fill a<br />
position at a produce wholesaler in<br />
the L.A. produce market and it<br />
required a visit for me to<br />
understand what they were looking<br />
for in an employee. When I got<br />
back to my <strong>of</strong>fice, they called. I<br />
told them I understood much better<br />
what they needed. Instead <strong>of</strong> me<br />
looking for a candidate for the<br />
position, they said they wanted to<br />
<strong>of</strong>fer me the job!”<br />
Eastes had a half an hour to<br />
make a decision to stay with her<br />
current job or take the risk <strong>of</strong> this<br />
new <strong>of</strong>fer. She weighed her options,<br />
talked to her boss, and took on a<br />
new role in the produce business.<br />
22 www.umcrookston.edu
Mary Jo (Melbye) Eastes with “Field <strong>of</strong> Potatoes,” an oil on canvas by Artist Gary Ernest Smith.<br />
“Every day was an adventure; it<br />
was high energy and I really<br />
enjoyed the challenge,” Eastes<br />
affirms.<br />
From there she worked for an<br />
Australian company where she<br />
learned about handling the sales <strong>of</strong><br />
coconuts and tropical fruits to local<br />
markets, and then to Topco, an<br />
American company where she<br />
spent 8 years as a specialty buyer in<br />
downtown L.A. “It was one <strong>of</strong> the<br />
best jobs I have ever had,” Eastes<br />
says, “and I learned so much.”<br />
At a produce luncheon her boss<br />
encouraged her to attend, Eastes<br />
realized she was one <strong>of</strong> very few<br />
women in a male-dominated field.<br />
It was at that luncheon she would<br />
meet Rick Eastes. Only she didn’t<br />
remember him from the luncheon.<br />
What she does remember is a call<br />
from him asking her to lunch soon<br />
Continued on next page<br />
23
afterward. “I agreed to lunch, and what I found<br />
in Rick was someone unlike anyone I had ever<br />
met before,” she explains. And, the rest, as<br />
they say, is history.<br />
The day <strong>of</strong> her wedding, Eastes moved from<br />
L.A. to Visalia, Calif. She started a new job in<br />
the citrus industry where she worked for four<br />
years. When the couple started a project<br />
remodeling their home, Eastes left her job<br />
manage the 2½-year project.<br />
“When I met Rick, he was just getting into<br />
collecting art,” Eastes says. Over their 17 year<br />
marriage, (and eight years <strong>of</strong> courtship) they<br />
have decorated their home with art that is both<br />
appealing and meaningful to them.<br />
Never idle, Eastes currently devotes her<br />
time as a grant writer for an art museum, Arts<br />
Visalia, and is responsible for finding funding<br />
for operational expenses, children’s art classes,<br />
and gallery exhibits. She organized the<br />
Neighborhood Watch in her community;<br />
started the Monthly Birthday Party for the<br />
Visalia Rescue Mission in 2004, an ongoing<br />
event for the mission; has been involved with<br />
Banner <strong>of</strong> Hope, a fundraising effort to fight<br />
cancer; and partnered with a local newspaper<br />
and 18 non-pr<strong>of</strong>its to raise money in<br />
Newstands for <strong>No</strong>n-pr<strong>of</strong>its. She is a board<br />
member for Arts Visalia, and Events Visalia, as<br />
well as a member <strong>of</strong> the Art Consortium.<br />
“A wise woman once said to me, ‘Having<br />
your name on a wall inspires others to have<br />
their name on the wall too,’” explains Eastes.<br />
“I think whatever we can give, we need to give<br />
it—to inspire others to give—and together, we<br />
make a difference. <strong>No</strong>t everyone has the ability<br />
to give, so if we are able, we need to step up a<br />
little and take the lead.”<br />
“I was cleaning my house, and I saw the<br />
painting and thought, why wait?” Eastes<br />
reflects. “For me, it was a soul thing, and it<br />
just felt right to give it now.”<br />
About the Artist<br />
Mary Jo and Rick came in contact with Artist<br />
Gary Smith and his wife, Judy, through Ray Johnson,<br />
owner <strong>of</strong> Overland Gallery in Scottsdale, Ariz.<br />
Johnson also has a gallery in Wayzata, Minn. Before<br />
the Internet became what it is today, Overland would<br />
send out snapshots <strong>of</strong> Smith’s work in the mail, with<br />
the price stickered on the back. A piece could be<br />
reserved with Overland but the interested person(s)<br />
would only be able to see it at the annual show held<br />
in Scottsdale in February <strong>of</strong> each year. Typically,<br />
Smith’s work would sell out before the show. It<br />
would remain on display at Overland for about 30<br />
days before the pieces were shipped to clients who<br />
made purchases.<br />
“I have been fortunate to visit with Gary and his<br />
wife at their home and studio near Provo, Utah,”<br />
Rick explains. “In fact, one piece, “Dusk” I saw for<br />
the first time in Gary’s studio in January while I was<br />
skiing in Utah. “Dusk” initially was not for sale.<br />
Gary said it was the most difficult painting to finish<br />
and took months to complete. Also, it was a favorite<br />
<strong>of</strong> his wife, Judy, and she wanted to keep it.<br />
“After about an hour visit in Gary’s studio, Gary<br />
volunteered, ‘you are good client who really<br />
appreciates my work, you can have it.’ To complete<br />
the story, when “Dusk” arrived to Scottsdale for the<br />
annual show, Ray Johnson, Gary’s exclusive agent,<br />
told Gary he was buying it, to which Gary told him,<br />
sorry, the Eastes’ have already purchased it. What a<br />
stroke <strong>of</strong> luck to happen to be in Utah, at his studio,<br />
at the right time, otherwise, we would not have<br />
“Dusk” in our collection. It continues to be my<br />
favorite, and I look at it in some detail every day.”<br />
Smith was raised on a remote farm in Oregon<br />
similar to Rick who grew up in southern Arizona.<br />
Both areas are high altitude, grassland farming areas,<br />
and visually, they are similar to parts <strong>of</strong> <strong>No</strong>rth<br />
Dakota (only with mountains in the background).<br />
Gary is referred to as a neo-regionalist painter, and<br />
his scenes and characters express the freedom and<br />
ethos <strong>of</strong> rural America.<br />
24 www.umcrookston.edu
Glitz, Glamour,<br />
and Golden Eagles<br />
Homecoming was a weekend to remember, and it<br />
was great to have our alumni back on campus. “Glitz,<br />
Glamour, and Golden Eagles” served well as a theme<br />
for a weekend filled with spectacular events. Two<br />
alumni were honored with this year’s Outstanding<br />
Alumni award: Jan Patenaude, ’77, and James Clack,<br />
’80. The recognition banquet and program were held<br />
on Friday, September 24, and the evening also<br />
included the induction <strong>of</strong> three individuals and one<br />
team into the Athletic Hall <strong>of</strong> Fame. The inductees for<br />
the Athletic Hall <strong>of</strong> Fame include June Shaver, ’76<br />
and ’82; Ken Essay, ex. ’94; Rick Spaeth, ’86; and the<br />
1982 Trojan Football Team.<br />
Outstanding Alumni<br />
Jan Patenaude, ’77, graduated with an associate<br />
degree in institutional management from the U <strong>of</strong> M,<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong> Technical College in 1977. She went on to<br />
the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>No</strong>rth Dakota, Grand Forks, and<br />
then to Viterbo College in LaCrosse, Wis., graduating<br />
with a bachelor <strong>of</strong> science in community/medical<br />
dietetics in 1982.<br />
She is currently<br />
the director <strong>of</strong><br />
medical nutrition<br />
for Signet<br />
Diagnostic<br />
Corporation in<br />
Riviera Beach,<br />
Fla. She also<br />
works as a<br />
consultant<br />
dietician and a<br />
freelance writer<br />
from her home<br />
in Marble, Colo.<br />
Certified as a<br />
LEAP therapist, Jan Patenaude, ’77 and James Clack ’80<br />
Patenaude has<br />
more than 30 years <strong>of</strong> experience in the field <strong>of</strong><br />
medical nutrition. Her work as a consultant has<br />
involved work with hospitals, nursing homes,<br />
drug/alcohol rehabilitation facilities, home health care,<br />
employee and corporate health, food companies, and<br />
her own private practice.<br />
Ken Essay, ex. ’94, June Shaver, ’76 & ’82, and Rick Spaeth, ’86.<br />
James Clack ’80, currently the Baltimore, Md., fire<br />
chief, was born in <strong>Crookston</strong> but grew up in Fowler,<br />
Calif. He attended the U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong> Technical<br />
College graduating in 1980 with a degree in general<br />
business administration. Clack began as a firefighter<br />
in February 1986 and spent five years at Station 11 in<br />
southeast Minneapolis on the hazardous materials<br />
team. In 1992 he was promoted to captain—where he<br />
moved from station to station—and in 1998 he was<br />
appointed deputy chief <strong>of</strong> personnel.<br />
He became assistant chief and was <strong>of</strong>ficially<br />
appointed chief in 2007 after serving as acting chief<br />
for about a year. During the August 2007 35W bridge<br />
collapse in Minneapolis, Minn., Clack and his<br />
department played an integral role. For the first 24<br />
hours the Minneapolis Fire Department was the lead<br />
agency <strong>of</strong> the unified command team, making Clack<br />
the primary commander <strong>of</strong> the rescue effort. He has<br />
been Baltimore fire chief since 2008.<br />
Athletic Hall <strong>of</strong> Fame<br />
June Shaver, ’76 and ’82, has been an advocate and<br />
ardent supporter <strong>of</strong> Golden Eagle athletic programs.<br />
She has been recognized over the years with several<br />
awards including the Torch & Shield Award, the U <strong>of</strong><br />
M, <strong>Crookston</strong>’s most prestigious award in 1994 and<br />
the Outstanding Alumni award in 1995. She has also<br />
established several endowed scholarships for studentathletes<br />
along with the Environmental Landscaping<br />
Internship Fund and the Shaver Butterfly Garden<br />
located adjacent to Owen Hall on the <strong>Crookston</strong><br />
campus in memory <strong>of</strong> her parents. She earned her<br />
associate degree in accounting and applied studies in<br />
1976 and 1982 respectively. She was <strong>of</strong>fice manager<br />
for American Linen Supply in St. Paul, Minn., for ten<br />
Continued on page 31<br />
25
Alumni News<br />
This alumni news reflects submissions received by September 15, <strong>2010</strong>. News received<br />
after that date will be in the next issue <strong>of</strong> the Torch.<br />
E-mail forwarding: If you are interested in reconnecting with a former classmate or<br />
acquaintance, the alumni <strong>of</strong>fice can help! Although we cannot release e-mail addresses<br />
due to privacy issues, we will be happy to forward a message to the person if he or she<br />
can be located in our database.<br />
1930s<br />
Burnett Bergeson, ’35, Reno, Nev., was<br />
unable to attend his 75th class reunion but<br />
sent greetings to his <strong>No</strong>rthwest School <strong>of</strong><br />
Agriculture classmates. He and his wife<br />
continue to “keep house” at their home on<br />
Herons Landing Drive; they are celebrating<br />
68 years <strong>of</strong> marriage this year. They have<br />
children, grandchildren, and great<br />
grandchildren living nearby.<br />
1940s<br />
This group has gathered each year since becoming U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong> graduates. The<br />
occasions vary from weddings or other special events, camping to shopping trips and the<br />
number <strong>of</strong> alumni attending vary from year to year, <strong>of</strong>ten as many as 15-20, both guys and<br />
gals. The get-together this year was a rented lake cabin and a fun-filled weekend catching<br />
up with good friends.<br />
Pictured left to right: Bev (McNamee) VanAlstine, ’02; Brandy (Lietz) Chaffee, ’00; Karla<br />
Thormodson, ’98; Landi (Lewis) Larson, ’00; Amy Loomer, ’99; Meghan Messerschmidt, ’02;<br />
Gwen (Hoie) Sedler, ‘99<br />
Karla Thormodson, ’98, Fargo, N.D., works for <strong>No</strong>ridian Administrative Services, LLC in<br />
Fargo and in December will observe her ten-year anniversary with the firm. She’s the<br />
contract administrator for their government contracts. She received a Master’s Certificate<br />
in Government Contracting from George Washington <strong>University</strong> in Washington, D.C. in 2007.<br />
Amy Loomer, ’99, West Fargo, N.D., is a network administrator for Wallwork Truck Center in<br />
Fargo, N.D. She loves the groups’ summer get-togethers. Gwen (Hoie) Sedler, ’99, Reno,<br />
Nev., is an operations account manager for Micros<strong>of</strong>t, covering the Canada region. She’ll<br />
have been with Micros<strong>of</strong>t for ten years in December. She and husband, Brady Sedler, ’00,<br />
reside in Reno. Brandy (Lietz) Chaffee, ’00, Grand Forks, N.D., has been a communications<br />
specialist for the Grand Forks Park District for the past four and a half years. She and<br />
husband, Brad, and son, Devin, 14 years old, live in Grand Forks. Landi (Lewis) Larson, ’00,<br />
Hawley, Minn., is a project manager with U.S. Bank in Fargo, N.D. She and husband, Chad<br />
Larson, ’01, have two boys, Caidin, 6, and Bridger, 3. Meghan Messerschmidt, ’02, White<br />
Bear Lake, Minn., works for Bailey Nurseries located in Woodbury, Minn., on a 220 acre<br />
farm that consists <strong>of</strong> potted shrubs, perennials, and evergreens. She supervises<br />
approximately 25 seasonal workers from Mexico every summer. They pull orders for<br />
customers all over the country. Meghan loves her job and is doing great! Bev (McNamee)<br />
VanAlstine, ’02, Duluth, Minn., is a realtor with RE/MAX.<br />
Margaret (Ristad) Bankers, ’40, Sioux <strong>Fall</strong>s,<br />
S.D., a member <strong>of</strong> the <strong>No</strong>rthwest School <strong>of</strong><br />
Agriculture (NWSA) class <strong>of</strong> 1940, was<br />
unable to attend the reunion in June. She<br />
wanted her classmates to know that she’s<br />
living in a retirement home in Sioux <strong>Fall</strong>s<br />
and doing fine. She lost her husband in<br />
1987 but has 7 children, 16 grandchildren,<br />
and 5 great grandchildren. Two <strong>of</strong> her<br />
children live in Sioux <strong>Fall</strong>s; she spends the<br />
month <strong>of</strong> March with her daughter who<br />
lives on Maui. All but two <strong>of</strong> her<br />
grandchildren have finished college or are<br />
presently attending. She’s been able to<br />
enjoy life and would welcome contact with<br />
contemporaries from NWSA days.<br />
Camilla (Ecklund) Johnson, ’40, Hopkins,<br />
Minn., retired from the nursing pr<strong>of</strong>ession<br />
in 1987 after 21 years at Methodist Hospital<br />
in St. Louis Park,<br />
Minn. After<br />
retirement, she<br />
and her husband<br />
did a lot <strong>of</strong><br />
traveling,<br />
including three<br />
trips to Europe. He<br />
passed away in<br />
May 2007. Camilla<br />
continues to live in<br />
their Edina home<br />
<strong>of</strong> 58 years. Three <strong>of</strong> her five children live in<br />
the area, so she has great family support<br />
as well as wonderful neighbors and friends.<br />
She’s no longer able to drive, play golf, or<br />
do woodcarving due to reduced vision from<br />
macular degeneration, but she’s not<br />
housebound and continues to live an active<br />
life.<br />
26 www.umcrookston.edu
Henry, ’49 and Marilyn (Jahnke)<br />
Boeddeker, ’59, Little <strong>Fall</strong>s, Minn.,<br />
celebrated their<br />
50th wedding<br />
anniversary on<br />
June 12, <strong>2010</strong> at<br />
Linden Hills<br />
Conference<br />
Center in Little<br />
<strong>Fall</strong>s. They were<br />
married in<br />
Hillsboro, N.D. on<br />
June 24, 1960.<br />
1950s<br />
Marilyn (Hovet) Dehning, ’56, Clovis, Calif.,<br />
and her husband, Bill, have recently moved<br />
from the Portland, Ore., area to Clovis.<br />
Marilyn has been retired from her nurse<br />
anesthesia career for about two years. The<br />
Dehnings are enjoying warm days and<br />
sunshine and the freedom from alarm<br />
clocks and long working hours.<br />
Roger and Barbara (Thureen) Tollefson, ’57<br />
and ’58, celebrated their 50th wedding<br />
anniversary on Sunday, September 12,<br />
<strong>2010</strong>. The<br />
anniversary<br />
celebration<br />
was hosted<br />
by the<br />
couple’s six<br />
children in<br />
honor <strong>of</strong> their<br />
parent’s<br />
wedding<br />
which took<br />
place<br />
September 10, 1960. The Tollefsons reside<br />
near Beltrami, Minn.<br />
1970s<br />
Vicki Melbye, ’73, Willmar, Minn.,<br />
Ridgewater College faculty member, was<br />
recently one <strong>of</strong> 26 faculty to receive the<br />
Board <strong>of</strong> Trustees’ Teaching Excellence<br />
awards. Vice Chancellor Linda Baer<br />
expressed to each <strong>of</strong> the recipients that<br />
these awards reflect the exceptional skill<br />
and commitment they have demonstrated<br />
in teaching, pr<strong>of</strong>essional development, and<br />
service to students, college, pr<strong>of</strong>ession,<br />
and the system. Melbye was recognized<br />
and presented with her award in St. Paul,<br />
Minn., in April at a luncheon ceremony<br />
honoring the <strong>2010</strong> Board <strong>of</strong> Trustees<br />
Educators <strong>of</strong> the Year and Outstanding<br />
Educators.<br />
1990s<br />
Dana and Katy (Caughey) Blume, ’98 and<br />
’99, Elbow Lake, Minn., recently celebrated<br />
their ten-year wedding anniversary. They<br />
have four children, ages 8, 5, 3, and 1. Katy<br />
is an <strong>of</strong>fice manager for a seed company<br />
and Dana farms near Herman, Minn.<br />
Ted and Emily (Sinks) Luckow, ’99 and ‘01,<br />
respectively, Fisher, Minn., welcomed a<br />
son, Ivan Allen, to their family on April 16,<br />
<strong>2010</strong>. He weighed 8 lbs. 13 oz. Ted and<br />
Emily have another son, Edward, age 4, and<br />
live in rural Fisher.<br />
2000s<br />
Justin Hinkle, ex.<br />
’01, Cavalier, N.D.,<br />
and Lacey Duncan<br />
were married July<br />
24, <strong>2010</strong>, at United<br />
Lutheran Church in<br />
Cavalier. A<br />
reception and<br />
dance followed at the Cavalier American<br />
Legion. Justin is currently farming and<br />
flying for Hinkle Air Spray in Cavalier.<br />
Shane and Lisa (Detl<strong>of</strong>f) Roers, ’01 and ’01,<br />
Dickinson, N.D., have two children, Tanner,<br />
who will be 5 in <strong>No</strong>vember and Parker, 2.<br />
The family recently moved to Dickinson to<br />
start a construction company.<br />
Holly Erickson, ’03,<br />
Detroit Lakes, Minn.,<br />
and Jonathan<br />
Messner were<br />
married July 24,<br />
<strong>2010</strong>, at St.<br />
Michael’s Church in<br />
Mahnomen, Minn.<br />
The two make their<br />
home in Hancock,<br />
Minn.<br />
Nikki (Krueger) Massmann, ’03, East Grand<br />
Forks, Minn., was<br />
recently hired as the<br />
Quality Network Stroke<br />
Project Coordinator at<br />
the Center for Rural<br />
Health at the <strong>University</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>No</strong>rth Dakota School<br />
<strong>of</strong> Medicine and Health<br />
Sciences in Grand Forks,<br />
N.D. She will be working closely with the<br />
critical access hospitals in Eastern <strong>No</strong>rth<br />
Dakota in support <strong>of</strong> hospital adoption and<br />
implementation <strong>of</strong> stroke care processes.<br />
Nikki and her husband, Brent Massmann,<br />
’02, have three children, Anna, Luke, and<br />
Leah. For the last eight years, Brent has<br />
worked at the <strong>No</strong>rth Dakota Mill in Grand<br />
Forks as a logistics coordinator.<br />
27
Alumni News<br />
Petter Lovaas, ’04, Thompson, N.D.,<br />
graduated with a doctor <strong>of</strong> science degree<br />
from Dakota State <strong>University</strong>, Madison,<br />
S.D., in May <strong>2010</strong>. He recently accepted an<br />
appointment as assistant pr<strong>of</strong>essor in<br />
Computer and Information Sciences (CIS)<br />
at Niagara <strong>University</strong>, New York. He began<br />
teaching fall semester; as part <strong>of</strong> his duties,<br />
he will set up a lab to develop computer<br />
forensics classes for the CIS department.<br />
Petter’s update was submitted by Ursula Hovet,<br />
Petter’s instructor in <strong>No</strong>rway, and wife <strong>of</strong><br />
Terrance Hovet, ’57, Thompson, N.D. The Hovets<br />
are Petter’s “American parents.”<br />
Julie Koehl, ’06, Morris, Minn., and Jason<br />
Evink were married August 14, <strong>2010</strong>. Julie is<br />
currently the business manager at Valu<br />
Ford & Chrysler <strong>of</strong> Morris and Jason is coowner<br />
<strong>of</strong> Evink Construction <strong>of</strong> Morris.<br />
Patrick McCabe, ’06, Bloomington, Minn.,<br />
recently joined the staff at the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong>, Morris as the Cougar’s sports<br />
information director. He spent the previous<br />
year at the U <strong>of</strong> M, Twin Cities campus as<br />
an athletic communications assistant. Prior<br />
to the U <strong>of</strong> M, Pat spent two years as a<br />
graduate assistant in the Athletic Media<br />
Relations <strong>of</strong>fice at St. Cloud State<br />
<strong>University</strong>, St. Cloud, Minn., while<br />
completing his master’s degree in sports<br />
management.<br />
28 www.umcrookston.edu<br />
Tina Maher, ’07, and Thor Vettleson, ’06,<br />
Wannaska, Minn., were married June 12,<br />
<strong>2010</strong> in Tina’s hometown <strong>of</strong> Solway, Minn.<br />
Thor currently is the manager <strong>of</strong> the Skime<br />
Ranch in Skime, Minn. He runs<br />
approximately 300 head <strong>of</strong> Tarentaise/<br />
Angus cattle and approximately 35 head <strong>of</strong><br />
horses. Tina is working at the Life Care<br />
Medical Center, Roseau Manor, in Roseau,<br />
Minn., as a nurses’ assistant. The<br />
Vettlesons make their home on the Skime<br />
Ranch.<br />
Tamara Saxton, ’07, Wanamingo, Minn.,<br />
recently took part in Prairie Days <strong>2010</strong><br />
sponsored by the Glacial Ridge National<br />
Wildlife Refuge. She demonstrated firefighting<br />
equipment used on the refuge to<br />
manage one <strong>of</strong> the largest prairie and<br />
wetland restoration projects in <strong>No</strong>rth<br />
America. Tamara is a fire tech with the U.S.<br />
Fish and Wildlife Service on Rydell and<br />
Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuges,<br />
located about 20 miles east <strong>of</strong> <strong>Crookston</strong>,<br />
Minn.<br />
Pat Tronson, ’07,<br />
Crary, N.D., and<br />
Leanne Calderwood<br />
were married at St.<br />
Joseph’s Catholic<br />
Church in Devils<br />
Lake, N.D., on June<br />
12, <strong>2010</strong>. A reception<br />
followed at the<br />
Lakota Community Center. Leanne is<br />
employed at Gate City Bank in Devils Lake,<br />
N.D., as a customer service representative.<br />
Pat is currently employed at Tronson Grain<br />
Company in Doyon, N.D.<br />
Jacqueline Friesen,<br />
’08, Fisher, Minn., and<br />
Chad Basgaard were<br />
married July 17, <strong>2010</strong><br />
at the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong>,<br />
with a reception and<br />
dance following at the<br />
Eagles Club in East<br />
Grand Forks, Minn. Both are employed in<br />
East Grand Forks; Jackie is a lab foreman<br />
with American Crystal Sugar Company and<br />
Chad works at <strong>No</strong>rthern Valley Machine.<br />
Joseph Narlock, ’09, Grand Forks, N.D., and<br />
Stacy McGill were married July 17, <strong>2010</strong> at<br />
St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Warsaw,<br />
N.D. A reception<br />
and dance followed<br />
at the Touch <strong>of</strong><br />
Magic in Grand<br />
Forks. Joe is a sales<br />
agronomist for<br />
Reynolds United Coop<br />
in Reynolds, N.D.<br />
Stacy is employed<br />
as a real estate closer at Alerus Financial<br />
in Grand Forks.<br />
Kaarina Visness, ’09, Karlstad, Minn.,<br />
married Jeffrey Knisely on July 11, 2009.<br />
They are currently<br />
employed by<br />
Mennonite Central<br />
Committee in Lao<br />
People’s<br />
Democratic<br />
Republic, Southeast<br />
Asia. The project<br />
they are working on<br />
focuses on<br />
enhancing nutrition and improving longterm<br />
food security in a rural area.<br />
Stephanie Roland, ’10, and Josh Barrett,<br />
’03, East Grand Forks, Minn., were married<br />
on July 24, <strong>2010</strong>. The<br />
wedding, reception,<br />
and dance were<br />
held on the farm<br />
where they now<br />
make their home<br />
near East Grand<br />
Forks. Josh<br />
currently farms with<br />
his family.
In Memory<br />
Ethel Buckley<br />
Manhattan, Mont.<br />
June 20, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Ethel was a U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong> staff member.<br />
Hannah Kellogg Dowell<br />
Washington, D.C.<br />
May 18, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Hannah was the daughter <strong>of</strong> NWSA<br />
Superintendent Austin Dowell and a Campus Kid.<br />
Marlin O. Johnson<br />
Burnsville, Minn.,<br />
and formerly <strong>of</strong> <strong>Crookston</strong>, Minn.<br />
June 10, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Marlin was an area extension crops and soils<br />
agent with the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong> Extension<br />
Service.<br />
Williamine (Cenfeld) Woolworth, ’29<br />
Ridgeway, Iowa<br />
July 21, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Marvel (<strong>No</strong>yes) Dupont Smith, ’31<br />
Madison, Wis.<br />
April 4, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Irene (Pearson) Gunderson, ’33 Adv.<br />
Ada, Minn.<br />
August <strong>2010</strong><br />
Gilbert H. Fargo, ’35 Adv.<br />
Minot, N.D.<br />
February 1, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Clifford John Thomforde, ex. ’36<br />
Grand Forks, N.D.<br />
March 21, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Oliver Landsverk, ’37<br />
Fosston, Minn.<br />
July 26, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Elwood Gustafson, ’39<br />
Emery, S.D.<br />
April 15, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Orrin C. Hagen, ’40<br />
Santa Maria, Calif.<br />
April 13, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Dorothy Marie (Turner) Miller, ’40<br />
Hallock, Minn.<br />
June 19, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Newell Mostad, ’40<br />
Ramona, Calif.<br />
February 26, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Melvin Melin, ’41<br />
Red Lake <strong>Fall</strong>s, Minn.<br />
August 5, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Albert Machal, ’43<br />
East Grand Forks, Minn.<br />
July 19, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Reuben S. Hanson, ’47 Adv.<br />
Trail, Minn.<br />
June 30, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Arnold Pearson, ’47<br />
Plymouth, Minn.<br />
December 2009<br />
Max “Bud” Gust, Jr., ex. ’49<br />
Strathcona, Minn.<br />
March 27, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Robert Grabanski, ’60<br />
East Grand Forks, Minn.<br />
May 18, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Janice (Steinhauer) Svendsgaard, ’61<br />
Thief River <strong>Fall</strong>s, Minn.<br />
July 2, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Arlin B. Hagen, ’64<br />
Grand Forks, N.D.<br />
August 8, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Donald D. Chisholm, ’68<br />
Manvel, N.D.<br />
June 24, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Robert W. “Bob” Hawkins, ’71<br />
Wabasha, Minn.<br />
July 4, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Wesley Michaels, ex. ’71<br />
Mentor, Minn.<br />
June 17, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Rae Ann Baron, ’83<br />
International <strong>Fall</strong>s, Minn.<br />
June 12, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Luke Monson, ’98<br />
Chokio, Minn.<br />
May 31, <strong>2010</strong><br />
Todd Radi, ’98<br />
Fisher, Minn.<br />
August 12, <strong>2010</strong><br />
We Want to Hear From You!<br />
To submit an item for the Alumni News Section, complete this form and send it<br />
to UMC Alumni Relations, 115 Kiehle Building, 2900 <strong>University</strong> Avenue,<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong>, MN 56716, email: rulseth@umn.edu or complete the form on line at:<br />
www.umcrookston.edu/alumni/keepintouch.html.<br />
Please include your name, address, phone number, email, year <strong>of</strong><br />
graduation/attendance and information or news you wish to share (new job,<br />
career, or family achievements, etc.)<br />
Torch<br />
<strong>Vol</strong>ume <strong>42</strong>, Number 3, <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2010</strong><br />
Torch is a publication <strong>of</strong> the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong>.<br />
Director <strong>of</strong> Development & Alumni Relations<br />
Corby Kemmer<br />
218-281-8434 ckemmer@umn.edu<br />
Support Staff<br />
Rose Ulseth, ‘87<br />
218-281-8439 rulseth@umn.edu<br />
Sue Dwyer, ‘74<br />
218-281-8401 sdwyer@umn.edu<br />
UMCAA Board<br />
Cindy Bigger, ’79<br />
Paige Eskelson, ‘08<br />
Nancie Hoerner, ‘95<br />
James Kruize, ‘91<br />
Kylene (Odegaard) Lehmann, ‘01<br />
Juanita Lopez, ‘08<br />
Amy (Peterson) Lubarski, ‘02<br />
Carl Melbye, ‘77<br />
Kari (Vallager) Moe, ’03<br />
Linda (Knutson) Morgan, ’85 & ‘09<br />
Jen (<strong>No</strong>vak) Nelson, ‘06<br />
Katie (Becker) Shaw, ‘07<br />
NWSA Alumni Association Board<br />
Don Diedrich, ’56<br />
Allan Dragseth, ‘57<br />
Lowell Hamrick, ‘53<br />
David Haugo, ’52<br />
Charles Holmquist, ’52<br />
Melvin Larson, ‘55<br />
Barbara (Hylland) Lunsetter, ’56<br />
Berneil Nelson, ’<strong>42</strong>, ex <strong>of</strong>ficio<br />
Gerhard Ross, ‘45<br />
Beulah (Stolaas) Vad, ‘58<br />
Jean (Stromstad) Vigness-Parker, ‘55<br />
Contact information:<br />
Torch<br />
Elizabeth Tollefson, ’02, editor<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong><br />
2900 <strong>University</strong> Avenue<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong>, <strong>Minnesota</strong> 56716<br />
Phone: 218-281-8432 Fax: 218-281-8440<br />
E-mail: ltollefs@umn.edu<br />
The <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong> is a public, baccalaureate,<br />
coeducational institution and a coordinate campus <strong>of</strong> the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong>. The <strong>No</strong>rthwest School <strong>of</strong> Agriculture (NWSA) was a residential high<br />
school serving students from 1906-68 and the predecessor <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Crookston</strong><br />
campus. The Torch is named for the historical passing <strong>of</strong> the educational torch<br />
between the NWSA and the U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong> in 1968.<br />
The <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong> is committed to the policy that all persons shall<br />
have equal access to its programs, facilities and employment without regard to<br />
race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability,<br />
public assistance status, veteran status or sexual orientation.<br />
Printed on recycled and recyclable paper with at least 10 percent postconsumer<br />
material using agribased inks. Designed and printed at<br />
FinePrint <strong>of</strong> Grand Forks, Inc.<br />
On the cover: Alumnus Adrian Van Dellen, ’61, contemplates<br />
morning’s first light along the Neches River in East Texas in this selfportrait.<br />
On the back, Driven to Discover: Associate Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Sharon<br />
Stewart (center) with <strong>2010</strong> graduates Rene Phillips (left) and Judy<br />
Christians (right) who earned their bachelor <strong>of</strong> science in applied<br />
studies online were on campus for commencement in May.<br />
29
Glitz, Glamour and Golden Eagles, cont...<br />
years, and Portland, Ore., for two years. From 1953-83, Shaver was administrator for the <strong>No</strong>rthwestern Clinic in<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong>.<br />
The 1982 Trojan Football Team, with its 7-1 record, won the <strong>No</strong>rthern Division Conference title. The team<br />
advanced to the state title game losing to <strong>No</strong>rmandale Community College and they also played in the Midwest<br />
Bowl in Joliet, Ill., that fall.<br />
Rick Spaeth, ’86, earned his associate degree in restaurant management in 1986 from the U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong><br />
Technical College. He earned his bachelor <strong>of</strong> science from St. Cloud State <strong>University</strong>. He is currently the owner<br />
<strong>of</strong> R & R Masonry, Inc. in Paynesville, Minn. Spaeth was named to the All-Conference <strong>of</strong>fensive line in 1984,<br />
and as All-Conference <strong>of</strong>fensive and<br />
defensive tackle in 1985. That same year,<br />
he also was named to the All-Region<br />
defensive and <strong>of</strong>fensive lines, National<br />
Junior College All-American First Team<br />
and was the team’s captain. He was<br />
inducted into the <strong>Minnesota</strong> College<br />
Athletic Conference Hall <strong>of</strong> Fame in 1991.<br />
Ken Essay, ex. 94, attended the U <strong>of</strong> M,<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong> Technical College from 1992-<br />
94 when he transferred to <strong>Minnesota</strong> State<br />
<strong>University</strong>, Mankato to complete a<br />
bachelor’s degree in physical education<br />
and health. He earned a master <strong>of</strong> science<br />
degree in educational leadership also from<br />
Mankato and is currently the activities<br />
director at Mankato West High School as<br />
well as their boys’ hockey coach. Prior to<br />
that he was a physical education and<br />
Front row (l to r): Jim Sims, Kevin Kovar, Dan Crane, Randy Anderson, and Doug Radke. Back<br />
row (l to r): Rich Lemke, Dave Janssen, Craig Bitter, Brent Wagner, Rusty Mertens, John<br />
"Butch" Schleicher<br />
health teacher at Mankato West and as a long-term substitute in the New Ulm, Minn., School District. He was a<br />
two year letter winner and captain at the U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong> and in 1993-94, he was named a National Junior<br />
College Athletic Association All-American.<br />
To nominate alumni for the Outstanding Alumni award at the U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong>, visit<br />
www.umcrookston.edu/alumni/umc and submit your nominations!<br />
Call for Outstanding<br />
Alumni <strong>No</strong>minations<br />
The Office <strong>of</strong> Development & Alumni Relations<br />
must receive all nominations by February 15, 2011.<br />
Visit www.umcrookston.edu/alumni/umc and<br />
complete the nomination form today!<br />
NWSA Class <strong>of</strong> 1960<br />
(pictured top right, facing page)<br />
Front row from left: Ken Straus, Wally Philipp, Francis<br />
Ackerman, Russell Schumacher, Ardell Magnusson; Second<br />
row from left: Roger Odegaard, Terry Nelson, Roberta<br />
(Bohnsack) Hagert, Evie (Osowski) Delasantos, Jane<br />
(Stromstad) Hasse, Jeanette (Thureen) Jutz, Daniel Straus;<br />
Third row from left: Gary Knepper, Ken Beckman, Rodger<br />
Kluzak, Roger Diedrich, Sandy (Tvinnerein) Folk, Betty<br />
(Hovet) Nelson; Back row from left: Martin Wall, Leo<br />
Jaszczak, Jonathan Peterson, Richard Danielson, John<br />
Steinke, Donna (Babinski) Kuta.<br />
30 www.umcrookston.edu
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Office <strong>of</strong> Development & Alumni Relations<br />
2900 <strong>University</strong> Avenue<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong>, MN 56716-5001<br />
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Upcoming Events<br />
<strong>No</strong>v. 4<br />
Dec. 10<br />
Feb. 18, 2011<br />
Mar. 14-18, 2011<br />
UMC Alumni Social, Ramada Plaza & Suites<br />
Fargo, N.D.<br />
Last day <strong>of</strong> classes for fall semester<br />
UMC/NWSA Arizona social<br />
Spring break<br />
May 7, 2011<br />
June 24-25, 2011<br />
Commencement<br />
<strong>No</strong>rthwest School <strong>of</strong> Agriculture<br />
alumni reunion<br />
Class <strong>of</strong> 1961 celebrates 50-year class reunion<br />
Visit www.umcrookston.edu/today for all the latest events<br />
and activities.