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A Magazine for<br />
Alumni & Friends <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong><br />
Volume 44, Number 3<br />
FALL 2012
TABLE OF CONTENTS<br />
From the Chancellor.................... 4<br />
Director’s Letter............................. 6<br />
Campus News..................................7<br />
Focus on the Boards.................... 8<br />
Brock Anundson............................10<br />
Chancellor Fred Wood............... 12<br />
Leader to Leader..........................14<br />
Wilfred Huot...................................16<br />
Erwin Reiersgord...........................18<br />
Teambackers..................................20<br />
Shawn Freidland.......................... 22<br />
Legislative Update.......................24<br />
Alumni News.................................. 26<br />
In Memory......................................29<br />
Calendar....................... Back Cover<br />
Photo gallery link at<br />
www.umcrookston.edu/photogallery/homecoming
“Educational institutions like<br />
ours serve as change agents<br />
for society. Our campus<br />
mission is a very high calling,”<br />
Chancellor Fred E. Wood.<br />
Chancellor Wood spoke<br />
during orientation<br />
convocation in late August<br />
2012. In the bottom<br />
photo he is joined by Lisa<br />
Samuelson (left) and Alysa<br />
Tulibaski (right).<br />
From the Chancellor<br />
With all the new students around, I am certainly not the only one learning my way<br />
around campus this fall. Since I started in my role as chancellor in July, I have had the<br />
opportunity to meet many wonderful faculty, staff, students, and community members.<br />
It has been a great time <strong>of</strong> getting acquainted, and I could not feel more welcomed or<br />
more excited about what is ahead.<br />
Since this letter is my first in the Torch, I want to share with you how much I am<br />
enjoying my time so far. My mother was born in <strong>Crookston</strong>, and her family farmed<br />
in St. Vincent, Minn. during her youth, so although I grew up in California, there is a<br />
part <strong>of</strong> me that felt connected to this place right from the start. My wife, Mary, who<br />
joins my excitement and enthusiasm for the <strong>Crookston</strong> campus, also feels a strong<br />
connection through my mother’s many stories <strong>of</strong> her time here and due to both Mary’s<br />
parents having been raised in the upper Midwest.<br />
It may sound a bit cliché, but I believe deeply in education. As a first-generation<br />
college student, I know its power and how education can open the world to students.<br />
Being a faculty member, I can relate to the challenges<br />
and rewards <strong>of</strong> teaching and I believe there is no more<br />
important interaction on a university campus than the<br />
one that takes place between students and faculty. Put<br />
simply, education does indeed change lives in so many<br />
positive ways.<br />
The welcoming environment on our campus helps<br />
students navigate the system and creates a nurturing<br />
atmosphere. The dedicated individuals on our<br />
staff answer countless questions, keep the grounds<br />
beautiful, make sure the classrooms are in top shape<br />
and state-<strong>of</strong>-the-art, plan activities and events that<br />
enhance student life, and provide all the services<br />
students need to succeed. Their role is critical to the<br />
overall educational experience <strong>of</strong> our students.<br />
Educational institutions like ours serve as change<br />
agents for society. Our campus mission is a very<br />
high calling. We work continuously to create an<br />
environment both on campus and online where<br />
students can achieve and where they are <strong>of</strong>fered tools<br />
for life. By encouraging critical thinking and complex<br />
problem solving via experiential learning in class<br />
and online and through internships, undergraduate<br />
research, studying abroad, and engaging with others<br />
from across the country and around the world, we help<br />
students gain an understanding and appreciation <strong>of</strong><br />
varying perspectives and ideas.<br />
I have had a great time at many events, including<br />
the recent homecoming, meeting alumni and listening<br />
to their stories <strong>of</strong> how this campus influenced them. Their lives attest to the lifechanging<br />
effect <strong>of</strong> education and their success today is due in part to the faculty and<br />
staff who were integral to their educational experience. In addition for those alumni<br />
who were scholarship recipients, there is no greater testament to the power <strong>of</strong> investing<br />
in students than witnessing their accomplishments. Each <strong>of</strong> us owes a great deal to<br />
those who believed in us by challenging and encouraging us in the classroom, giving to<br />
scholarships, cheering us on at an athletic event, providing us numerous opportunities<br />
to develop, or making us feel at home on the campus and within the community.<br />
4 www.umcrookston.edu
Top left: Mary and Fred Wood rode in their first-ever homecoming parade on Saturday,<br />
September 22.<br />
Top right: Posing in the homecoming photo booth with First Lady Mary Wood and Chancellor<br />
Fred Wood are students (left to right) Ashely H<strong>of</strong>fman, Alexmai Addo, Toynell Delaney, and<br />
Ruth Navarro.<br />
Center left: Chancellor Wood visits with a<br />
student during his first week on campus in July.<br />
Bottom right: Chancellor Wood<br />
threw out the first ball during<br />
a Red Hawks game in Fargo.<br />
Another gem I have discovered is the fundamental way<br />
this campus serves as a hub for the region and how much<br />
we mutually benefit from the partnerships we have with the<br />
Northwest Research and Outreach Center, Extension, the<br />
Northwest Regional Sustainable Development Partnership,<br />
the Northwest <strong>Minnesota</strong> Area Health Education Center, the<br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong> Rural Health Association, and a number <strong>of</strong> others.<br />
It is an excellent example <strong>of</strong> how integral we are to, and<br />
represent so well, the land-grant mission <strong>of</strong> the <strong>University</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>. We are an important part <strong>of</strong> our community<br />
and, working together, we are committed to helping the<br />
surrounding region.<br />
I hope this note will help you understand why I am excited<br />
about the future <strong>of</strong> the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong>.<br />
We have much to do and will not rest on our current success.<br />
We are proud <strong>of</strong> our land grant history, and as we evolve,<br />
we remain deeply committed to <strong>of</strong>fering quality because we<br />
believe excellence is a journey, not a destination. We hope you<br />
will join us in this journey.<br />
Best regards,<br />
Fred E. Wood<br />
Chancellor<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong><br />
5
“It is through gifts to those<br />
scholarship funds that you<br />
have the power to influence<br />
the lives <strong>of</strong> students and<br />
where gifts <strong>of</strong> all sizes have<br />
impact,” Corby Kemmer.<br />
From the Director <strong>of</strong> Development<br />
& Alumni Relations<br />
Tradition. It’s more than you might realize.<br />
I understand tradition, and I sense a depth <strong>of</strong> pride on this campus. It is about<br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong>, it is about heritage, and it is about the state’s original land grant<br />
university—the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>.<br />
The Bookstore isn’t the only place you can find maroon and gold around here. On the<br />
campus, we wear it on Maroon & Gold Fridays, and those colors are reflected in the<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong> community. We celebrate our longstanding maroon and gold tradition and<br />
have since our early days as the Northwest School <strong>of</strong> Agriculture. Today, we continue<br />
the custom connecting us all and making us <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong> proud.<br />
The <strong>Minnesota</strong> Rouser brings the campus to its feet in celebration <strong>of</strong> who we are. The<br />
Campus Mall brings back memories for generations <strong>of</strong> students, and the names on the<br />
buildings remind us <strong>of</strong> our legacy. Sargeant, Sahlstrom, Lysaker, and others stand in<br />
testament to campus history.<br />
The annual homecoming tradition brings back alumni and reminds us that no matter<br />
what year we left campus, we can always come home.<br />
If you think about it, this campus has a legacy <strong>of</strong> giving. Scholarship dollars provided<br />
by alumni from the Northwest School have benefitted countless graduates, and the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong> Alumni Association scholarship was created in that<br />
same tradition. It is through gifts to those scholarship funds that you have the power to<br />
influence the lives <strong>of</strong> students and where gifts <strong>of</strong> all sizes have impact.<br />
We also have a number <strong>of</strong> initiatives where financial support would make a<br />
difference:<br />
• Scholarships based on financial need or directed to a specific athletic or academic<br />
program<br />
• Helping provide a wellness center on campus<br />
• Artificial turf on the football field<br />
• Areas <strong>of</strong> greatest need<br />
Gifts can be directed where a donor wishes and where they can have the greatest<br />
effect. If there are questions, contact me. I would be happy to assist you in any way I<br />
can.<br />
One thing for certain, each gift<br />
becomes part <strong>of</strong> our history <strong>of</strong><br />
generosity, <strong>of</strong> caring for students, and<br />
<strong>of</strong> believing in the mission <strong>of</strong> this<br />
institution.<br />
We exist because we want to <strong>of</strong>fer the<br />
opportunity for higher education on a<br />
campus that is small but legendary and<br />
one where students from <strong>Minnesota</strong>, or<br />
anywhere in the world, have the chance<br />
to earn a degree and carry on our<br />
maroon and gold tradition.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Corby Kemmer, director<br />
Development & Alumni Relations<br />
Corby Kemmer and Jim Sims before the homecoming parade in September.<br />
6 www.umcrookston.edu
CAMPUS HEADLINES<br />
New Director <strong>of</strong> Diversity<br />
and Multicultural Programs<br />
Welcome to Lorna Hollowell,<br />
the new director <strong>of</strong> diversity<br />
and multicultural programs.<br />
She comes to the campus<br />
from Owensboro Community<br />
and Technical College in<br />
Owensboro, Ky., where she<br />
served as director <strong>of</strong> cultural<br />
diversity, and she previously Lorna Hollowell<br />
worked as an educational talent<br />
search advisor for Madisonville Community College, also<br />
in Kentucky. She began her responsibilities on campus on<br />
July 23, 2012.<br />
Enrollment Trends Upward<br />
Enrollment at the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong><br />
appears to have surpassed previous record levels,<br />
continuing a six-year trend. Official reports put enrollment<br />
at 1,802 degree-seeking undergraduates—the highest<br />
enrollment in the history <strong>of</strong> the campus. That number beats<br />
2011’s all-time record <strong>of</strong> 1,600. A major contributing factor<br />
to the growth is the number <strong>of</strong> undergrads pursuing their<br />
degrees online. Approximately 700 students enrolled for<br />
fall 2012 are considered “online-only” students, which<br />
means all <strong>of</strong> their courses are taken online. The U <strong>of</strong> M,<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong> currently <strong>of</strong>fers ten <strong>of</strong> its twenty-six degree<br />
programs entirely online in addition to on-campus.<br />
Off to The Windy City<br />
Austin Czichotzki, a 2012 graduate <strong>of</strong> the<br />
communication program at the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>,<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong>, began his collegiate career as an animal<br />
science/pre-veterinary medicine major in 2008. His<br />
involvement in student affairs organizations from<br />
Student Programming and Activities for Campus<br />
Entertainment, New Student Orientation, <strong>Crookston</strong><br />
Student Association, as well as many other clubs helped<br />
decide that a communication major would be a better<br />
fit while still keeping him on the campus in <strong>Crookston</strong>,<br />
which he had come to love.<br />
His work at the Information Desk as building manager<br />
prompted Czichotzki to add a business management<br />
minor after realizing the increased benefits this addition<br />
would bring to his education. Taking advantage <strong>of</strong><br />
as many opportunities as he could during his time<br />
at UMC, he also took advantage <strong>of</strong> a study abroad<br />
course in Iceland and Norway, attended I-LEAD, a<br />
leadership conference in Brockport, N.Y., volunteered<br />
multiple times at the National Association for Campus<br />
Austin Czhichotzki ’12 worked for <strong>University</strong> Relations following<br />
graduation and was responsible for the campus radio broadcast,<br />
Insight Radio.<br />
Read Austin’s story on Alumnus Brock Anundson, working<br />
with the United States Olympic Committee on Page 10!<br />
Activities (NACA), and starred in multiple theater productions on campus.<br />
In mid-August after working with <strong>University</strong> Relations for the summer, Czichotzki moved to Chicago for the<br />
internship with Bass-Schuler Entertainment. He is excited for the opportunity to experience big city life and is hoping<br />
the internship will lead to possible career connections in the entertainment field.<br />
After graduation, Czichotzki worked with <strong>University</strong> Relations for the summer before accepting an internship with<br />
Bass-Schuler, an entertainment booking agency in Chicago, Ill. As he looks to the future, he also considers graduate<br />
school an option looking at degrees in either mass communication or student affairs.<br />
In the future he would like to work in student affairs or something with entertainment events. Czichotzki was the<br />
recipient <strong>of</strong> the Man <strong>of</strong> the Year Award in 2011 and 2012.<br />
7
Focus on the Boards<br />
“These alumni have<br />
represented their respective<br />
institutions with integrity and<br />
a spirit <strong>of</strong> service as well as<br />
achieving both personal and<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essional success.”<br />
Since the last issue <strong>of</strong> the alumni magazine, both the Northwest School <strong>of</strong> Agriculture<br />
(NWSA) Alumni Association and the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong> Alumni<br />
Association (UMCAA) boards have been focused on recognizing alumni who have<br />
excelled. Through the years, these alumni have represented their respective institutions<br />
with integrity and a spirit <strong>of</strong> service as well as achieving both personal and pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
success.<br />
The NWSA held their annual reunion on Saturday, June 30, 2012, and it was well<br />
attended. They celebrated the golden anniversary <strong>of</strong> the Class <strong>of</strong> 1962 and honored the<br />
Top Aggies for 2012: Helen (Rasmussen) Tangen ’41, Bemidji, Minn; Mark Chisholm<br />
’52, Gary, Minn; and Richard Olson ’62, Grand Forks, N.D.<br />
Chuck Holmquist ’52 was also honored with the Distinguished Service Award. This<br />
award is given by the NWSA Alumni Association Board for exemplary service. He is<br />
the 14th recipient <strong>of</strong> the award since it was established in 1991. The alumni association<br />
board is already planning for next year’s reunion to be held on Saturday, June 29, 2013,<br />
and all alumni are encouraged to attend.<br />
The UMCAA celebrated alumni achievements on Friday, September 21, at the<br />
Outstanding Alumni and Athletic Hall <strong>of</strong> Fame award recognition. The Outstanding<br />
Alumni included Kirk Schultz ’79, Stillwater, Minn.; Doreen (Johnson) Roy ’81,<br />
Burlington, Iowa; and Gerald Landby ’82, East Helena, Mont. The inductee into the<br />
Athletic Hall <strong>of</strong> Fame was Ryan Driedger ’97, Carmen, Manitoba, Canada.<br />
The recognition evening was memorable as were all the homecoming events<br />
hosted by the UMCAA. Saturday’s alumni social was bigger than ever, the photo<br />
booth brought alumni together for some great candid photos, and the parade was well<br />
attended by the campus and community. Alumni should plan now to come back for<br />
the NWSA reunion and homecoming in 2013, which is slated for October 4-5. If you<br />
need assistance getting your classmates and friends together, contact Rose Ulseth in<br />
Back row, l to r: Corby Kemmer, Development & Alumni Relations; Bill Thielke; Nancie Hoerner; Katie<br />
(Becker) Shaw; Karl Syverson. Front row: Carl Melbye; Linda (Knutson) Morgan; Chancellor Fred Wood; and<br />
Juanita Lopez, UMCAA board president.<br />
8 www.umcrookston.edu
the alumni <strong>of</strong>fice at 218-281-8439<br />
(rulseth@umn.edu).<br />
Members <strong>of</strong> the alumni association<br />
boards are active promoting their<br />
respective activities, but they also<br />
faithfully support the campus through<br />
scholarship fundraising. Four U <strong>of</strong><br />
M, <strong>Crookston</strong> Alumni Association<br />
Scholarships were awarded for<br />
2012-13 to Senior Bryce Gillie,<br />
an agronomy major from Hallock,<br />
Minn.; Senior Ryan Snyder, a natural<br />
resource major from Morris, Minn.;<br />
Junior Benjamin Genereux, an<br />
agronomy major from <strong>Crookston</strong>,<br />
Minn.; and Sophomore Kolton<br />
Walker, a business management major<br />
from <strong>Crookston</strong>, Minn.<br />
Scholarships provided by alumni<br />
<strong>of</strong> the NWSA have been available<br />
for a many years. These scholarships<br />
represent a great legacy and tradition.<br />
Recipients <strong>of</strong> scholarships from the<br />
Northwest School for 2012-13 are<br />
Junior Alex DeBoer, an agricultural<br />
systems management major from<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong>, Minn.; Sophomore Tyler<br />
Miller, an agronomy major from<br />
Warren, Minn.; Senior Trey Johnston,<br />
a communication major from Angus,<br />
Minn.; Senior Kathryn Baskerville, an<br />
accounting major from Tracy, Minn.;<br />
Senior Chris Anderson, a natural<br />
resource major from Missoula, Mont.;<br />
Senior Wade Wallace, an accounting<br />
major from Euclid, Minn.; Sophomore<br />
Zach Cymbaluk, an agricultural<br />
business major from <strong>Crookston</strong>.<br />
Minn.; Sophomore Allison Ulseth, an<br />
early childhood education major from<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong>, Minn.; Sophomore Ana<br />
Gustafson, an animal science major<br />
from Puposky, Minn.; Senior Laura<br />
Proulx, a business management major<br />
from Red Lake Falls, Minn.; Junior<br />
Cole DeBoer, an agricultural systems<br />
management major from <strong>Crookston</strong>,<br />
Minn.; and Freshman Tyler<br />
Outstanding Alumni and Athletic Hall <strong>of</strong> Fame recognition honored<br />
four exceptional alumni. In the photo (left to right) are, back row,<br />
Corby Kemmer, Chancellor Fred Wood, and Stephanie Helgeson, athletic director. In the<br />
front row are Kirk Schultz, ’79, Doreen (Johnson) Roy ’81, Gerald Landby ’82 and Ryan<br />
Driedger ’97.<br />
Oppegaard, a s<strong>of</strong>tware engineering<br />
major from Erskine, Minn.<br />
Congratulations to these students<br />
and thank you to all alumni who<br />
give to the Northwest School <strong>of</strong><br />
Agriculture and U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong><br />
scholarship funds. Your gifts are the<br />
reason a new generation <strong>of</strong> students<br />
will continue your legacy.<br />
Back row, left to right: Corby Kemmer, director<br />
<strong>of</strong> Development & Alumni Relations; Charles<br />
H. Casey, former chancellor at the U <strong>of</strong> M,<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong>; and Richard Olson ’62. Front row:<br />
Mark Chisholm ’52; Charles “Chuck” Holmquist<br />
’52; and Helen (Rasmussen) Tangen ’41.<br />
9
“When Michael Phelps was<br />
training at the complex, I<br />
would see him two to three<br />
times a day just helping him<br />
out with anything he needed,”<br />
Brock Anundson.<br />
Anundson and his wife,<br />
Kalene, are expecting<br />
their first child in<br />
November.<br />
Olympic Role<br />
This past summer while the Olympics were being <strong>view</strong>ed on televisions around<br />
the country, and across the world, there was a <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong><br />
connection that most would be unaware <strong>of</strong>. This connection came in the form <strong>of</strong><br />
Alumnus Brock Anundson.<br />
Anundson, a 2005 sport and recreation management graduate, has been working in<br />
operations with the United States Olympic Committee at the U.S. Olympic Complex<br />
in Colorado Springs since January 2011. The complex is an expansive, 34-acre training<br />
center used to train Olympic athletes and teams from the U.S.A. and other countries<br />
around the world. The facility is laid out much like a college campus, built on an old<br />
Air Force base, the complex includes five residence halls, a dining hall, an aquatic<br />
center, two sports centers with nine gymnasiums, an Olympic shooting center, and<br />
many other athletic training facilities. Here Anundson works as programs coordinator/<br />
operations specialist, in this position he sets up what is needed for athletes to come on<br />
the complex to train for their given sport or event. From where they will stay and what<br />
they will eat to when to where they will do their training, the operations department<br />
plans it all using the information given to them by the athletes. “The operations<br />
department is the core <strong>of</strong> everything that goes on; we are the center <strong>of</strong> it all,” he says.<br />
“When anyone wants to come on complex they have to go through us to make it<br />
happen.”<br />
As is usually the case, Anundson started out small with the U.S. Olympic Committee,<br />
joining the team initially as an operations intern where he assisted a few program<br />
coordinators while learning the ropes. He credits networking with getting him into<br />
his current position. He first heard about the internship opportunity from a classmate<br />
in graduate school at the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> Colorado<br />
at Denver where he graduated in 2011 with a<br />
Masters <strong>of</strong> Business Administration in international<br />
business, marketing, and sports and entertainment<br />
management. “With the sports industry itself,<br />
networking is almost more important than what you<br />
know. You need to know your stuff, but you also<br />
need to know who can help you out,” Anundson<br />
explains. “It wasn’t until I was in and working on<br />
the complex that I realized how competitive it was<br />
to get in. I was definitely in the right place at the<br />
right time.”<br />
Hockey has been a big factor in the path<br />
Anundson’s career has taken. Originally from<br />
Baudette, Minn., Anundson started playing hockey<br />
as a five-year-old and kept playing as he grew<br />
up. He even played junior hockey for awhile before deciding that pursuing a college<br />
education would become more <strong>of</strong> an advantage for his future. This decision led him<br />
to the U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong> in 2001 to play hockey as a Golden Eagle while earning a<br />
bachelor’s degree in sport and recreation management with a coaching minor.<br />
During the fall his junior year at the U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong> Anundson met Kalene<br />
Verhulst, a freshmen soccer player, and the two began dating that winter. At the end<br />
<strong>of</strong> that year Kalene transferred from the <strong>Crookston</strong> campus to nursing school at Regis<br />
<strong>University</strong> in Colorado. The two continued with a long distance relationship for a<br />
year and a half until Anundson graduated and also moved to Denver. The pair was<br />
married on August 15, 2009. Kalene is currently employed as an Oncology Nurse at<br />
the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> Colorado Hospital and will receive a master’s degree in Nursing<br />
Education in December.<br />
In Denver, Anundson decided to test the waters <strong>of</strong> his hockey career and signed with<br />
the minor league hockey team, the Colorado Eagles. Soon he decided to get into the<br />
sports field rather than playing and took a job working stadium operations and security<br />
with the Denver Broncos. During this time, Anundson was also working at Dakota<br />
10 www.umcrookston.edu
Ridge High School in Littleton, Colo.,<br />
as the head hockey coach, and later the<br />
assistant athletic director and eventually<br />
started working on his M.B.A. at<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> Colorado at Denver.<br />
With so much exposure to the athletes<br />
and everything Olympics, Anundson<br />
says he has become a bit disillusioned<br />
with the public images <strong>of</strong> those he<br />
works with on a day-to-day basis.<br />
“When Michael Phelps was training at<br />
the complex, I would see him two to<br />
three times a day just helping him out<br />
with anything he needed,” he reflects.<br />
“The same thing I would do with any<br />
<strong>of</strong> the other athletes training here. Later<br />
I’d turn the TV on and see a commercial<br />
for some random thing and there those<br />
athletes are again. I don’t tend to relate<br />
them to what they are promoting. When<br />
I am working with them every day, it is<br />
easy to forget that around Olympic time<br />
these athletes really become stars.”<br />
Working with these athletes is<br />
Anundson’s favorite part <strong>of</strong> the job,<br />
“I use the lessons I learned at UMC<br />
when working with the athletes because<br />
I have actually been in their shoes at<br />
the amateur level, and I think applying<br />
personal experiences to others helps the<br />
athletes out by giving them shortcuts<br />
and making their experience more<br />
positive.”<br />
Though Anundson helped play a<br />
pivotal role in the training <strong>of</strong> many <strong>of</strong><br />
the athletes that competed in the 2012<br />
Summer Olympic Games he wasn’t in<br />
London to watch them live. “Only half<br />
the department goes, the rest stay back<br />
to take care <strong>of</strong> the things still going<br />
on around the center,” he explains.<br />
Anundson also had his own excitement<br />
at home; he and his wife are expecting<br />
their first child in November. “It has<br />
definitely been an exciting few months,<br />
but you better believe I’ll be in the<br />
crowd at the next Olympics!” he laughs.<br />
Photo courtesy <strong>of</strong> Tom Kimmell Photography<br />
Photo courtesy <strong>of</strong> Tom Kimmell Photography<br />
Top right: Working with the Olympic athletes is<br />
Anundson’s favorite part <strong>of</strong> the job.<br />
Right: Brock Anundson began as operations intern<br />
where he assisted a few program coordinators<br />
while learning the ropes.
“Mary and I are extremely<br />
excited to be a part <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>,<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong> and the <strong>Crookston</strong><br />
community,” Chancellor Fred<br />
Wood.<br />
Chancellor Wood’s<br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong> Ties<br />
Fred Wood, the new chancellor <strong>of</strong> the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong>, spent<br />
most <strong>of</strong> his life in California, but he has family ties to <strong>Crookston</strong>, <strong>Minnesota</strong>, and the<br />
Red River Valley.<br />
Wood comes to the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong> after a 26-year career at the <strong>University</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> California, Davis, a public, land-grant research university within the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
California system. There, he served as vice chancellor <strong>of</strong> student affairs from 2007 to<br />
2012, in addition to holding other leadership positions such as interim vice provost<br />
for undergraduate studies and associate dean <strong>of</strong> the UC Davis College <strong>of</strong> Letters and<br />
Science as well as concurrently serving as a tenured chemistry faculty member there.<br />
His first <strong>Minnesota</strong> tie comes through his mother, Jean Turner, who was born in<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong> in 1917. Her parents, Earl and Ada (Cameron) Turner, were both born in<br />
St. Vincent, Minn., near the Canadian border, and were farmers. During the Great<br />
Depression when she was 12 years old, Jean moved with her family to Libby, Montana,<br />
where her family found work in the lumber mills. As the Depression gave way to World<br />
War II, Jean and her sister, Lucille, moved to California where they found work in the<br />
oil refineries. Jean met and married Jack Winfred Wood, who later became a carpenter,<br />
and while living and working in Martinez, California, their son Fred was born along<br />
with his two sisters.<br />
Although his father stopped his formal education at high school and his mother did<br />
not complete high school, both <strong>of</strong> Fred Wood’s parents valued education, and they<br />
keenly encouraged him to attend college. “I’m a true first-generation college student,”<br />
says Wood, “and as I look back, I can see just how important that single decision was<br />
to the story <strong>of</strong> my life. It really opened the world to me, and I appreciate my parents’<br />
encouragement and support <strong>of</strong> that decision.”<br />
Wood started out at a local community college and then earned a B.S. in chemistry<br />
and a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry—both from UC Davis. He spent two years as<br />
a tenured faculty member at a small community college in northern Idaho before<br />
returning to UC Davis to serve as a tenured faculty member and vice chair <strong>of</strong> the<br />
chemistry department.<br />
While attending community college in Pleasant Hill, California, he met Mary<br />
Williams, appropriately enough, in his first chemistry class. She accompanied him<br />
to UC Davis where she completed her undergraduate degree in entomology. Fred<br />
continued his doctoral work in chemistry there, and Mary earned her Master <strong>of</strong> Library<br />
Science degree at UC Berkeley, 50 miles away. The two were married in 1982, and<br />
subsequently had three children, Kiel, Meghan, and Moira.<br />
The value <strong>of</strong> education remains a strong force within the Wood family, and this is<br />
where another tie to <strong>Minnesota</strong> comes into play. Kiel, Fred and Mary’s oldest, is an<br />
environmental studies graduate from Willamette <strong>University</strong> and works as a wild land<br />
firefighter and rappeller for the U.S. Forest Service; he is also studying to complete<br />
a BS degree in nursing. Meghan, their second child, attended and graduated from<br />
Carleton College in Northfield, <strong>Minnesota</strong>, and she is currently studying to obtain her<br />
doctorate in veterinary medicine at UC Davis. And Moira will be a senior at St. Olaf<br />
College in Northfield, where she is studying biomedical anthropology with career goals<br />
in international public health.<br />
12 www.umcrookston.edu
On his second day at work, Chancellor Wood was hard at work and hosted a “C<strong>of</strong>fee with the<br />
Chancellor” to get acquainted with faculty, staff, and students who were on campus on July 3.<br />
Wood admires the great regard<br />
the citizens <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong> have for<br />
higher education and considers the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong> system a<br />
gem among all <strong>of</strong> public education<br />
in the United States. “The size <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong> campus is one <strong>of</strong> the things<br />
that drew me to this opportunity—it<br />
allows for a strongly student-centered<br />
environment and provides a stellar<br />
educational experience for students.<br />
The size and mission also allow it<br />
to be nimble and move relatively<br />
quickly to deal with our changing<br />
environment,” says Wood. “The<br />
faculty and staff here have a unique<br />
ability to adapt, as they have with the<br />
transformation over its history from a<br />
boarding school to a two-year college<br />
to a baccalaureate-level university<br />
several years ago.” He also cites the<br />
focus on experiential learning and<br />
the integration <strong>of</strong> technology across<br />
the board with the laptop computer<br />
initiative as two other very important<br />
aspects <strong>of</strong> the UMC experience.<br />
“Since they have the opportunity to<br />
work with it every day, I’m not sure<br />
the faculty and staff realize just how<br />
distinctive their use <strong>of</strong> technology is<br />
and just how well they are preparing<br />
graduates for their lives after college.<br />
It’s really quite remarkable,” he adds.<br />
“Mary and I are extremely excited<br />
to be a part <strong>of</strong> the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong>, and the<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong> community,” says Wood.<br />
Mary will join him after she ties up<br />
some loose ends with her work and<br />
family matters, but she will visit<br />
regularly until then.<br />
“The <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong><br />
system, much like the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
California system, continues to be<br />
integral to its home state, and the<br />
fact that a large number <strong>of</strong> students<br />
attending the <strong>Crookston</strong> campus are<br />
first generation students is not lost<br />
on me,” Wood says. “Those first<br />
steps into higher education can be<br />
intimidating, but they can also be<br />
wonderful and inspiring. And with<br />
the supportive, friendly environment<br />
I see here, it’s not surprising to me to<br />
see the growth and success that has<br />
occurred on this campus.<br />
“My predecessor Chancellor Chuck<br />
Casey set the stage for continued<br />
growth and success,” adds Wood,<br />
“and I’m honored and humbled to be<br />
able to follow him as the leader <strong>of</strong> U<br />
<strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong> campus.”<br />
13
Leader to Leader<br />
Advice for Chancellor Fred Wood from Student Leaders<br />
Cayla Bendel<br />
President: Natural Resources Club<br />
Year: Sophomore<br />
Major: Natural Resources<br />
Hometown: Lakeville, Minn.<br />
Thoughts on leadership:<br />
As a student leader, I know a lot <strong>of</strong> students I may not have otherwise<br />
had the opportunity to meet. I have also found it necessary to coordinate<br />
with many staff and pr<strong>of</strong>essors when planning events. All <strong>of</strong> this has given<br />
me a better understanding <strong>of</strong> the campus and a closer tie to the U <strong>of</strong> M,<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong>. Being a member and now president <strong>of</strong> the Natural Resources<br />
Club makes me want to represent the Agriculture and Natural Resources<br />
Department as well as the U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong> in a positive way.<br />
Advice to the Chancellor:<br />
I am only a sophomore at UMC this year, but my advice to Chancellor<br />
Wood would be to say that UMC is a unique place to be. It may be small,<br />
but it is full <strong>of</strong> all different types <strong>of</strong> people. From agricultural students to<br />
athletes, from communication majors to pilots, all <strong>of</strong> us <strong>view</strong> the world<br />
differently and make the <strong>Crookston</strong> campus our home in a different way.<br />
But together, we are all shaping our futures at this small campus and have<br />
ambitious goals. So my advice would be to take the time to get to know<br />
this one-<strong>of</strong>-a-kind place and be sure to take into account everyone’s ideas<br />
and needs when making decisions or representing the institution. Good<br />
Luck!<br />
Brooke Novak<br />
Chair: Student Programming and Activities for Campus Entertainment<br />
Year: Senior<br />
Major: Communication<br />
Hometown: Dahlen, N.D.<br />
Thoughts on leadership:<br />
Being so involved has really pushed me to be a better leader. It<br />
has taught me new leadership skills along with fine tuning the skills I<br />
already have. It has also forced me to see what I am capable <strong>of</strong> and<br />
what I can accomplish.<br />
Advice to the Chancellor:<br />
Be visible. As a leader on this campus, one <strong>of</strong> the greatest and<br />
most appreciated things from a chancellor is acknowledging your<br />
organization and being there if needed. Any involvement with students<br />
like that is wonderful!<br />
14 www.umcrookston.edu
Anthonette Sims<br />
President: Black Student Association<br />
Year: Junior<br />
Major: Communication<br />
Hometown: Robbinsdale, Minn.<br />
Thoughts on leadership:<br />
One thing I can take away from college is further understanding <strong>of</strong> team<br />
and group work. As I have learned in the college setting, the world around<br />
us requires team work and partnerships. I have definitely learned to be a<br />
team player and reach out to my peers when I feel like I cannot complete<br />
a task alone. Although I am not sure where I am headed when speaking <strong>of</strong><br />
career choice, one thing I am sure <strong>of</strong> is my ability to work with all people.<br />
Advice to the Chancellor:<br />
Please be interactive with the students. To know that the leader <strong>of</strong> our<br />
school supports and cares about the student’s interest is very important.<br />
There is no greater feeling when I as a student can attest to the chancellor<br />
actively encouraging the student and learning about their needs.<br />
Tashi Gurung<br />
President: Multicultural International Club<br />
Year: Senior<br />
Major: Environmental Science<br />
Hometown: Mustang, Nepal<br />
Thoughts on leadership:<br />
One trait that I believe truly defines me is volubility. I talk with everyone<br />
including students, faculty, and staff regarding anything from their personal<br />
to academic concerns. This leadership role has helped me a lot in raising<br />
their concerns and making their voice loud enough to be conspicuous.<br />
Hopefully this will help bring some positive changes to campus.<br />
Advice to the Chancellor:<br />
Giving advice to our new chancellor is like lighting a candle in front <strong>of</strong><br />
sunlight. However, from a student standpoint, there are a few things I would<br />
like to suggest. The U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong> is best known by the phrase “Small<br />
Campus. Big Degree.” Please keep this spirit, and if possible, make it “Small<br />
Campus with Growing Degrees—Momentously.” I mean keep working to<br />
increase the number <strong>of</strong> degrees we <strong>of</strong>fer so students have more choices<br />
for their major and minor. Make our campus more sustainability-oriented<br />
because sustainability is what the world needs now and so does our<br />
campus.<br />
15
“My high school experience<br />
was an enormous introduction<br />
to life,” Wilfred Huot.<br />
Willie Huot (left) with wrestling<br />
coach Rod Mosher and cocaptain<br />
Ronald Beauchane.<br />
Education Opens Doors<br />
and More<br />
Since the Morrill Act was passed in 1862, the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong> has held<br />
steadfastly to its land grant mission. That mission is the very reason the Northwest<br />
School <strong>of</strong> Agriculture (NWSA), predecessor to the U <strong>of</strong> M,<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong>, was founded. On land donated by railroad baron<br />
James J. Hill, the U <strong>of</strong> M established the NWSA to <strong>of</strong>fer<br />
training in “the technical and practical business <strong>of</strong> agriculture<br />
and in the art <strong>of</strong> homemaking.”<br />
Over the years, the NWSA <strong>of</strong>fered a residential high<br />
school experience to rural students from all over the region.<br />
For Wilfred “Willie” Huot ’63, the experience he had at the<br />
Northwest School was formative, and looking back, he sees<br />
that time as a significant part <strong>of</strong> the foundation on which he<br />
built his career. Throughout his life, education opened doors<br />
and gave him unexpected opportunities.<br />
With brothers, Leonard ’60 and Eddie ’62, already<br />
attending the Northwest School, Huot stayed home and<br />
attended school so he could help his father with chores on<br />
the farm near Red Lake Falls, Minn. But, as a sophomore,<br />
he was able to move onto campus for his final three years <strong>of</strong><br />
high school.<br />
Wilfred “Willie” Huot<br />
participated in athletics,<br />
Carpentry Club, Newman<br />
Club, and a class play at the<br />
Northwest School.<br />
He didn’t waste time getting involved and ran cross country and wrestled his first<br />
year. “I learned I wasn’t a runner,” Huot smiles. “As a<br />
junior and senior, I switched to football and played for<br />
Coach Hersch Lysaker.”<br />
Along with his roommate, Ron Beauchane, he was<br />
co-captain <strong>of</strong> the wrestling team and fondly recalls the<br />
fun <strong>of</strong> athletic competition. He also recalls enjoying Mr.<br />
Anderson’s history class, and the meals prepared by<br />
Myrtle “Ma” Brown, whom he refers to as a “mother to<br />
all.”<br />
His fondest memories <strong>of</strong> high school are those <strong>of</strong><br />
meeting students from so many backgrounds, the wide<br />
range <strong>of</strong> personalities, and the wonderful social life<br />
including times in the Aggie Inn. “My high school<br />
experience was an enormous introduction to life,” Huot<br />
reflects.<br />
Not quite ready to return to the farm, he went on to<br />
the Area Vocational and Technical Institute (AVTI)<br />
in Thief River Falls, Minn. He enrolled in the welding program with the intention <strong>of</strong><br />
eventually going back to the farm. Following Huot’s graduation from the program, he<br />
moved to Red Wing, Minn., and worked. After a year, he realized he wanted to go back<br />
to school.<br />
“I wanted a career outdoors, so I attended Itasca Community College in Grand<br />
Rapids, Minn., where I studied forestry,” Huot recollects. “Then, I went on to the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong> and graduated with my bachelor’s degree in forest resource<br />
management.”<br />
That degree and his experience at the U <strong>of</strong> M opened the door to the world. Huot<br />
took advantage <strong>of</strong> an opportunity to join the Peace Corps and work for the Moroccan<br />
16 www.umcrookston.edu
ministry <strong>of</strong> agriculture establishing a system <strong>of</strong> inventory<br />
on cedar trees measuring both volume and mixture <strong>of</strong><br />
cedar and green oak.<br />
Following his time in Morocco, Huot, a friend, and<br />
his sister would travel to 23 countries around the world,<br />
leaving Morocco in August 1974 and returning to Seattle,<br />
Wash., in May 1975. He recalls his favorite stop as Nepal<br />
because <strong>of</strong> its great beauty.<br />
Huot returned to <strong>Minnesota</strong>, went to work on the farm,<br />
and taught in Ely, Minn., for a year only to discover that<br />
his real desire was to work in Extension. After graduating<br />
with his master’s degree in adult education from the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, he took a job as a county agent<br />
in Montana where he would live and work for the next 15<br />
years.<br />
In 1990, he joined Extension in North Dakota and spent<br />
two years working in Devils Lake and the next ten years<br />
in Grand Forks, where he continues today. He is primarily<br />
responsible for farm management and also runs a part<br />
time tree service.<br />
Next summer, Huot along with the Class <strong>of</strong> 1963 will<br />
celebrate their golden class reunion, and he is hoping his<br />
classmates and friends will be on campus. “I hope my<br />
classmates will come back to share this time together,<br />
and I hope everyone sends in information and photos for<br />
our class booklet,” he enthuses. “It is a time to enjoy and<br />
celebrate our lives and all that has happened since we left<br />
the Northwest School.”<br />
Since 1990, Willie Huot has been with Extension in North Dakota in a<br />
career he truly enjoys.<br />
Willie Huot stands in East Grand Forks, Minn., and across the Red River<br />
from the building where he works with NDSU Extension.<br />
17
“While teaching and serving in<br />
the administration, Reiersgord<br />
devoted himself to the<br />
students and was always<br />
seeking ways to get to know<br />
them better.”<br />
E. N. Reiersgord and the<br />
Making <strong>of</strong> a Principal<br />
He was born in 1900 in the back <strong>of</strong><br />
his father’s print shop in the tiny hamlet<br />
<strong>of</strong> Ulen, Minn. His father was the editor<br />
<strong>of</strong> the local newspaper, the Ulen Union,<br />
and as a small-town boy, Erwin Norman<br />
“Rie” Reiersgord learned the value <strong>of</strong><br />
setting goals and working diligently to<br />
reach them.<br />
Education was important to<br />
Reiersgord’s father, Ole, who graduated<br />
from Moorhead [Minn.] High School and<br />
Concordia College in Moorhead. In 1893,<br />
he taught rural school to help finance his<br />
own college education. He even taught<br />
school to help finance publishing <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Ulen newspaper. From 1909 to 1913,<br />
while his son Erwin was growing up, his<br />
father was the postmaster and he also<br />
served as mayor and justice <strong>of</strong> the peace.<br />
Small towns need their citizens to serve in<br />
many roles and Ole Reiersgord proved an<br />
exemplary citizen.<br />
Erwin Reiersgord, one <strong>of</strong> seven<br />
children, followed his father’s footsteps<br />
graduating in 1924 from Concordia<br />
College with his bachelor <strong>of</strong> arts degree.<br />
He earned a master’s degree from the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> North Dakota, Grand Forks,<br />
in administration, and eventually became<br />
superintendent in St. Hilaire, Minn., as<br />
well as directing their school band. In<br />
1935, he became the principal at the high<br />
school in Fosston, Minn.<br />
In 1944, he and his wife, Bertha, moved<br />
their family to <strong>Crookston</strong>, Minn., where<br />
he became registrar and mathematics<br />
teacher at the Northwest School <strong>of</strong><br />
Agriculture (NWSA), the residential<br />
high school located on what is now the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong>.<br />
His stint at the NWSA would last<br />
until his retirement in 1968. The close<br />
<strong>of</strong> his career would mark the end <strong>of</strong><br />
an era. The NWSA would cease to<br />
exist with graduation in 1968, and the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong><br />
Technical College would graduate its<br />
very first class. Reiersgord would be<br />
a part <strong>of</strong> this transition from a high<br />
school to a technical college. He had<br />
guided students and the NWSA for 24<br />
years moving from registrar to principal<br />
Reiersgord was an avid golfer and Gopher football fan <strong>of</strong>ten driving with friends to see them play and home<br />
again the same day.<br />
18 www.umcrookston.edu
and teaching a range <strong>of</strong><br />
subjects including chemistry,<br />
biology, and German along<br />
with mathematics.<br />
While teaching and serving in<br />
the administration, Reiersgord<br />
devoted himself to the students<br />
and was always seeking ways<br />
to get to know them better.<br />
He served several times as an<br />
advisor to organizations like the<br />
“A” Club, the Aggie yearbook<br />
board, and the Hi-Y Club,<br />
along with several times as a<br />
class advisor. For a number <strong>of</strong><br />
The Reiersgords were<br />
parents <strong>of</strong> two sons, Thomas<br />
and Paul.<br />
years he was the advisor to the Northwest School Chapter<br />
<strong>of</strong> the National Honor Society and traveled with the debate<br />
teams to competitions.<br />
He and Bertha would raise their two sons on “Cottage<br />
Row”, the faculty houses located along the edge <strong>of</strong> campus.<br />
In 1958, they moved into <strong>Crookston</strong>. Reiersgord was<br />
passionate about education and while he focused his work<br />
primarily on the Northwest School campus, Bertha taught<br />
fifth grade at Franklin School in <strong>Crookston</strong>.<br />
Never idle, Reiersgord painted houses in the summer<br />
when he was away from the classroom. He also loved<br />
sports and served as a referee for games in the area.<br />
Although life at the Northwest School kept Reiersgord<br />
occupied, he still found time to be active in the <strong>Crookston</strong><br />
community. He enjoyed Rotary and was elected president<br />
in 1964. He was also active in his church, enjoyed playing<br />
bridge, hunting, and loved long drives in the country on<br />
Sunday afternoons. He even enjoyed grocery shopping. He<br />
was devoted to family particularly his mother, sisters, and<br />
six grandchildren.<br />
Known for his even-temper, he was an excellent<br />
babysitter and that easy going, calm nature probably helped<br />
as he kept high school students in line at the Northwest<br />
School. A teacher, a principal, an advisor, a sometimes<br />
disciplinarian, and friend, these are the legacy <strong>of</strong> E. N.<br />
Reiersgord to the many students his life touched.<br />
Editor’s Note: Thank you to Camilla Reiersgord, wife<br />
<strong>of</strong> Thomas Reiersgord, and daughter in-law <strong>of</strong> Erwin and<br />
Bertha Reiersgord for her many contributions. And, thank<br />
you to Janet (Klemetson) Maesse ’81 the author’s contact<br />
at The Viking Sword Museum in Ulen, Minn., for her<br />
historical research for this story.<br />
Join us for the Fargo<br />
Alumni Social on Thursday,<br />
November 15, 5-7 p.m.<br />
at the Ramada Plaza Suites<br />
in Fargo.<br />
We would love to see you there!<br />
Read the Torch Online<br />
You can read the Torch, the alumni magazine for the Northwest School <strong>of</strong> Agriculture and the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong> online by visiting: http://issuu.com/umcrookston or on the U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong> Web<br />
site at www.umcrookston.edu/alumni/torch<br />
If you would prefer to receive your Torch online only, contact<br />
Elizabeth Tollefson at 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)<br />
19
They’re One for the Team<br />
“For a number <strong>of</strong> students,<br />
excelling in sport is the door<br />
to a college education,” Bill<br />
Tyrrell.<br />
It began in 1993 when the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong> transitioned from<br />
a two-year technical college to a four-year baccalaureate degree granting institution.<br />
Then director <strong>of</strong> athletics Marv<br />
Bachmeier and director <strong>of</strong> external<br />
relations and development Al<br />
Larson, Ph.D., recognized the need<br />
for an organization to help raise<br />
money for athletic scholarships. The<br />
two brainstormed a number <strong>of</strong> times<br />
before a committee was formed,<br />
including members <strong>of</strong> both the<br />
campus and community, and through<br />
that committee, UMC Teambackers<br />
was born.<br />
As a two-year institution,<br />
scholarships were not <strong>of</strong>fered to<br />
student-athletes as determined<br />
by a decision <strong>of</strong> the conference, but that all changed when the four-year transition<br />
took place. This change made fundraising for scholarships both an opportunity and a<br />
challenge for the campus, and Bachmeier and Larson felt the importance for both the<br />
student-athletes and the athletic program.<br />
“We had a lot <strong>of</strong> obligations with our own roles on campus, but we also knew we<br />
had to find a way to provide scholarships for our athletes,” Bachmeier said. “Al and<br />
I understood the significance, and we looked at what others were doing and engaged<br />
people on campus and in the community who could help provide leadership.”<br />
Bachmeier and Larson recall the first meeting <strong>of</strong> the group with about 20 in<br />
attendance including Ed Odland, June Shaver, Jim Ingeman, Darin Cook, Bernadette<br />
Al Larson was named Teambacker <strong>of</strong> the Year for 2012. Since June Shaver accepted the first-time honor in<br />
1995, there have been 18 individuals recognized with the award.<br />
20 www.umcrookston.edu
Teambackers held a kick-<strong>of</strong>f event celebrating their 20 year anniversary in August. In the photo are a few <strong>of</strong> the Teambacker members including (back<br />
row, left to right) Marv Bachmeier, Stephanie Helgeson, Corby Kemmer, Bill Tyrrell, and Ray Dusek. In the front row are Tom Helgeson, Kari Torkelson,<br />
Chancellor Fred Wood, Al Larson, and Ed Odland.<br />
(Bettin) Motherway, Bobby Clauson,<br />
Chuck Hiller, John Reese, Jim<br />
LeClair, Chuck Larson, Pete Graham,<br />
and Scott Oliver along with a number<br />
<strong>of</strong> others. One <strong>of</strong> the first things they<br />
needed to do was choose a name for<br />
the group, and once that decision<br />
was made, they needed to plan how<br />
to raise money for scholarships and<br />
promote athletics. It took a year to<br />
draft bylaws and guidelines and<br />
determine a plan to raise money.<br />
Athletic Director Stephanie<br />
Helgeson can attest to the importance<br />
<strong>of</strong> the work that Teambackers does.<br />
“Recruiting is our lifeline and athletic<br />
scholarship dollars are so important<br />
to what we do in athletics,” she says.<br />
“Everything Teambackers does is<br />
about helping our student-athletes.”<br />
Leadership in the organization was<br />
fostered by its <strong>of</strong>ficers along with<br />
Bachmeier and Larson. It worked for<br />
a while, but it wasn’t easy. “Without<br />
someone responsible full time, it was<br />
difficult,” Bachmeier says. “We really<br />
needed someone in charge to foster<br />
growth.”<br />
After 18 years as an athletic trainer,<br />
Bill Tyrrell was appointed director <strong>of</strong><br />
athletic fundraising in 2005 and works<br />
closely with Teambackers. “For a<br />
number <strong>of</strong> students, excelling in sport<br />
is the door to a college education,”<br />
Tyrrell said. “It is our goal to help<br />
those students continue to compete<br />
in the sport they love and to succeed<br />
academically. We appreciate every<br />
Teambacker member for their support<br />
and the difference they make in the<br />
lives <strong>of</strong> our student-athletes.”<br />
Over the years, Teambackers has<br />
investigated and held a number<br />
<strong>of</strong> fundraising events, but the two<br />
that have been around the longest<br />
are the Teambacker summer golf<br />
tournaments, which have grown<br />
from one tournament to five, and Fun<br />
Nite, an evening <strong>of</strong> food, games, and<br />
auctions held annually in April. Since<br />
its humble beginning, the organization<br />
has raised some $2 million dollars.<br />
“The role <strong>of</strong> Teambackers is vital<br />
to our campus,” Tyrrell continues.<br />
“Our athletic programs need the<br />
financial contributions <strong>of</strong> individuals<br />
and organizations to help our studentathletes<br />
be successful in their sport<br />
as well as in the classroom. Anyone<br />
interested in Teambackers should<br />
contact me.”<br />
To mark their 20th year,<br />
Teambackers is planning a number<br />
<strong>of</strong> anniversary events. To learn more<br />
about Teambackers, visit www.<br />
goldeneaglesports.com/teambackers<br />
or contact Tyrrell at 218-281-8436<br />
(btyrrell@umn.edu).<br />
21
My South Korea Story<br />
Submitted by Shawn Freidland ’11 who is currently at the Philadelphia College <strong>of</strong><br />
Osteopathic Medicine where he will finish his master’s <strong>of</strong> biomedical science degree<br />
next year and pursue a doctor <strong>of</strong> osteopathic medicine, which is a 4-year program.<br />
“Koreans have unique<br />
customs and high respect for<br />
their elders, which they show<br />
very clearly in public.”<br />
While sharing departing remarks and hugs with my fellow graduates <strong>of</strong> the class<br />
<strong>of</strong> 2011, I remember telling my Korean friends that I’d visit them someday in South<br />
Korea. I never imagined that one year later I’d be eating kimchi and touring 400 year<br />
old palaces in Seoul with five fellow U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong> alumni.<br />
Staying for six days with Young Jin Kim ’11 in Myeongdong, the heart <strong>of</strong> Seoul<br />
provided me with the ultimate immersion into Korean culture. With more than 10<br />
million people—double the population <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>—living in the capitol <strong>of</strong> South<br />
Korea, it became overwhelming at times going shopping or finding a place to eat.<br />
Young Jin Kim and Sukil Oh ex. ’10 took me to the famous palaces in Seoul:<br />
Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, and Jongmyo shrine. The architecture <strong>of</strong> the<br />
buildings and gardens was unbelievable, like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I thought<br />
the United States had history, but when I learned about Korea I was blown away.<br />
I was able to explore Seoul’s nightlife with Eunhye “Halie” Kang ’11, HongGil Lee<br />
’11 and Ye Eun Lee, ’11. I was fascinated to learn about Korean customs while eating<br />
and drinking. For example, it’s against traditional custom to fill your own glass—it<br />
must be filled by someone else at the table, and you must use two hands to hold the<br />
glass. Koreans have unique customs and high respect for their elders, which they show<br />
very clearly in public.<br />
Eunhye Kang brought me to a traditional Korean art performance called<br />
Buchaechum, where dancers use fans, drums, and instruments. We also ventured to the<br />
border <strong>of</strong> North Korea and out to eat at some delicious and spicy restaurants.<br />
Between the meats, soups, noodles, and rice, I tasted things I had never tasted before.<br />
I remember eating a dish named Samgyeopsal, which is very spicy, thinly-sliced pork.<br />
It was so spicy that I started crying, but it tasted so good I couldn’t help but eat more!<br />
After visiting South Korea for six days, I volunteered at a hospital in Bangkok for<br />
one month. I’ve always been fascinated by different cultures and going to Korea and<br />
Friedland enjoys a bowl <strong>of</strong> Naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodle soup).<br />
22 www.umcrookston.edu
Thailand has made me realize how important and life<br />
changing travel and new experiences can be.<br />
A message to current U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong> students:<br />
Outside <strong>of</strong> the classroom, the most important<br />
lesson I learned in college was to step out <strong>of</strong> my<br />
comfort zone. Whether it was getting involved in<br />
student government, becoming an RA or in this case<br />
befriending international students, when I stepped out<br />
<strong>of</strong> my comfort zone, I met people I might not have met<br />
otherwise.<br />
So, I urge you to step out <strong>of</strong> your comfort zone and<br />
get to know an international student, let them cook you<br />
a meal, listen to their stories, and learn a few words in<br />
their language.<br />
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I<br />
know I did!<br />
Top right: Eunhye Kang, HongGil Lee, Shawn Friedland, and Young<br />
Jin Kim enjoying time together on Friedland’s trip to South Korea.<br />
Right: Friedland with Eunhye “Halie” Kang at a Pizza Hut in Seoul,<br />
South Korea.<br />
Below: Young Jin Kim and Shawn Friedland at Changgyeong Palace.
“We need to invest in<br />
talented <strong>Minnesota</strong> students<br />
and leverage the university’s<br />
research expertise to<br />
strengthen <strong>Minnesota</strong>’s<br />
economy,” President Eric<br />
Kaler.<br />
U <strong>of</strong> M President Eric Kaler presents at the Board <strong>of</strong> Regents meeting in September.<br />
Legislative Update<br />
President Eric Kaler recently proposed to the Board <strong>of</strong> Regents his 2014-2015<br />
legislative budget request.<br />
The reform agenda — including additional policy options — represents a new<br />
partnership with the state to freeze tuition for resident undergraduate students, reduce<br />
student debt, and spark innovation and discovery to solve our toughest problems and<br />
advance the state economy.<br />
“We need to invest in talented <strong>Minnesota</strong> students and leverage the university’s<br />
research expertise to strengthen <strong>Minnesota</strong>’s economy,” Kaler said. “This request<br />
achieves those goals and builds the foundation for a prosperous future.”<br />
The proposal focuses on three reform areas:<br />
1. Reforming how we fund higher education — If the state commits $14.2 million<br />
in 2014 and 2015, the U will hold resident base undergraduate tuition at current levels<br />
for all campuses those years. This would save a <strong>Crookston</strong> student $2,133 over four<br />
years. The university also will find internal savings worth 5 percent <strong>of</strong> its annual state<br />
appropriation ($28.5 million). Kaler is committing to accountability measures to earn<br />
an additional $11.5 million. The measures include increasing financial aid and the<br />
number <strong>of</strong> degrees awarded, improving graduation rates and increasing research and<br />
technology commercialization.<br />
2. Reforming how we invest in research and innovation — The MnDRIVE<br />
(<strong>Minnesota</strong> Discovery, Research and InnoVation Economy) funding program would<br />
advance <strong>Minnesota</strong>’s economy, improve the health <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>ns and advance<br />
industry. It would invest $18 million in:<br />
• Robotics, sensors and advanced manufacturing;<br />
• Securing the global food supply;<br />
• Advancing industry and conserving our environment; and<br />
• Discoveries and treatments for brain conditions.<br />
24 www.umcrookston.edu
3. Reforming how students and families pay for<br />
higher education — The U proposes a $1.5 million<br />
loan forgiveness program to partially forgive student<br />
loans for health care pr<strong>of</strong>essionals in underserved<br />
<strong>Minnesota</strong> communities. Kaler also proposes tax credits<br />
to <strong>of</strong>fset student loans, eliminate taxes on undergraduate<br />
scholarships that exceed tuition and fees, and encourage<br />
private philanthropy for scholarships at <strong>Minnesota</strong> nonpr<strong>of</strong>it<br />
colleges and universities.<br />
If fully funded, this legislative package would bring<br />
the university’s state appropriation back to 2001 levels<br />
without accounting for inflation.<br />
The Board <strong>of</strong> Regents must act on Kaler’s proposal Oct.<br />
12 before it is submitted to the governor and Legislature.<br />
Go to www.supporttheu.umn.edu to support the<br />
proposal.<br />
Photos courtesy <strong>of</strong> Patrick O’Leary, <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>.<br />
Nominate a Classmate<br />
or Friend!<br />
Do you know an outstanding alumnus<br />
or alumna who is deserving <strong>of</strong> an<br />
award for exemplary commitment,<br />
achievement, or service? Consider<br />
nominating them for Outstanding<br />
Alumni, Top Aggie, or for induction into<br />
the Athletic Hall <strong>of</strong> Fame.<br />
Send the name to Rose Ulseth in the<br />
Office <strong>of</strong> Development & Alumni<br />
Relations at rulseth@umn.edu or call<br />
218-281-8439.<br />
Nominations can be made by visiting<br />
www.umcrookston.edu/alumni, choose<br />
either UMC Alumni Association or<br />
Northwest School <strong>of</strong> Agriculture<br />
Alumni Association, and select the<br />
appropriate award for your nominee.<br />
For nominations for Athletic Hall <strong>of</strong><br />
Fame go to www.goldeneaglesports.<br />
com and choose Athletic Hall <strong>of</strong> Fame<br />
to make your nomination.<br />
Campus Social Media Directory<br />
Enjoy social media with us! Use the hashtag<br />
#UM<strong>Crookston</strong> to search for news about the<br />
campus or to share what makes you #UMNproud!<br />
Facebook<br />
facebook.com/umcrookston<br />
facebook.com/umcrookston.homecoming<br />
Google+<br />
plus.google.com/umcrookston<br />
Instagram<br />
instagram.com/umcrookston<br />
Linkedin<br />
z.umn.edu/umcrookston<br />
Pinterest<br />
pinterest.com/umcrookston<br />
Twitter<br />
twitter.com/umcrookston<br />
YouTube<br />
youtube.com/u<strong>of</strong>mcrookston<br />
25
ALUMNI<br />
NEWS<br />
E-mail forwarding: If you are<br />
interested in reconnecting<br />
with a former classmate or<br />
acquaintance, the alumni <strong>of</strong>fice<br />
can help! Although we cannot<br />
release e-mail addresses due to<br />
privacy issues, we will be happy<br />
to forward a message to the<br />
person if he or she can be located<br />
in our database.<br />
This alumni news reflects submissions received<br />
by September 17, 2012. News received<br />
after that date will be in the next issue <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Torch. The deadline for alumni news for the<br />
next issue is February 1, 2013.<br />
1940s<br />
Alton Knutson ’42, Forest Lake, Minn., and<br />
his wife, Margretta “Toodie,” were honored<br />
with an open house luncheon celebrating<br />
their 90th birthdays and their 69th wedding<br />
anniversary. The event was hosted by their<br />
children on September 29, 2012.<br />
1970s<br />
Richard Newman ’84, Barnum, Minn., was<br />
named a 2012 Farm Family <strong>of</strong> the Year by the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong> for Carlton County.<br />
Richard and Corina Newman’s 80 acre<br />
farmstead was originally purchased by Rich’s<br />
grandparents in 1922. Rich’s father purchased<br />
and started farming the property in 1977.<br />
Rich and Corina purchased the farm in 1990,<br />
remodeled the barn, and started Newman<br />
Dairy in 1991. Today, the family milks about 30<br />
cows, grows corn silage, and puts up their<br />
own haylage; barley and oats are cropped on<br />
alternate years. They also raise steers and<br />
heifers for sale.<br />
1990s<br />
26 www.umcrookston.edu<br />
Gary Swanson ’75, Afton, Minn., along with<br />
his wife, Lori, and their family, have been<br />
recognized by the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong> as<br />
a 2012 Farm Family <strong>of</strong> the Year for Washington<br />
County. Families were selected by their local<br />
county Extension committees for having<br />
demonstrated a commitment to enhancing<br />
and supporting agriculture. They were<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficially recognized in a ceremony at the<br />
annual Farmfest. The Swanson family farm<br />
has been in operation since 1942. The farm<br />
was originally a dairy but was converted to a<br />
feeder cattle and hog operation when Gary<br />
took over in 1976. Today Gary is operating<br />
a corn and soybean farm along with feeder<br />
cattle using GPS yield monitoring and<br />
mapping and grid soil sampling for fertilizing.<br />
1980s<br />
Kristi Ulrich ’83, Fargo, N.D.,<br />
has joined Heritage Homes<br />
and Prudential Premier<br />
Real Estate in Fargo as<br />
vice president <strong>of</strong> marketing<br />
and public relations. Kristi<br />
has more than 29 years <strong>of</strong><br />
experience in management, marketing, and<br />
public relations.<br />
Karla Thormodson ’98, Fargo, N.D., and<br />
Michael Isley married October 13, 2012.<br />
The wedding and reception was held at the<br />
Avalon Events Center in Fargo. Karla is the<br />
director <strong>of</strong> contract administration at Noridian<br />
Administrative Services, LLC, in Fargo and<br />
Michael is a s<strong>of</strong>tware design engineer at<br />
Micros<strong>of</strong>t in Fargo.<br />
2000s<br />
Tom and Jody (Lundbohm) Andrades, ’00 &<br />
’00, recently moved to Haslett, Mich. For the<br />
past 12 years, Tom has been employed at<br />
Parker Hannifin and is currently managing<br />
the Manitawac, Wisc.; Deerwood, Minn.; and<br />
Mason, Mich., IT department branches. Jody<br />
is a model <strong>of</strong>fice analyst at Jackson National<br />
Life Insurance, a position she’s held for the<br />
past four years.
Dr. Andrew Gasparini ’02, Grand Forks,<br />
N.D., has joined Altru’s family medicine<br />
team. Most recently, Dr.<br />
Gasparini completed<br />
a residency in family<br />
medicine at Altru<br />
Health System. Prior<br />
to completing his<br />
residency, he worked at<br />
Altru for ten years with<br />
Altru’s Ambulance Services.<br />
Dauline Menze ’08, Rochester, Minn.,<br />
graduated from the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> Central<br />
Missouri in May with a master <strong>of</strong> science<br />
degree in college student personnel<br />
administration. Dauline is employed at the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong> Rochester as the<br />
student activities coordinator.<br />
2010s<br />
Amy (Nelson) Sperling ’02, Grand Forks,<br />
N.D., a personal banker with U.S. Bank<br />
for eight years, was recently awarded its<br />
First Quarter Star <strong>of</strong> Excellence award.<br />
Amy received the award for performing<br />
at the highest level among her peers<br />
and consistently showing a strong<br />
commitment to the needs <strong>of</strong> customers.<br />
Spencer Berg ’07, Cold Bay, Alaska,<br />
and Mackenzie Reuss were married<br />
July 27, 2012, on the shore <strong>of</strong> Lake<br />
Latoka, Alexandria, Minn. Mackenzie<br />
is a registered nurse and Spencer is<br />
employed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife<br />
Service in Alaska.<br />
Tyler and Jennifer (Severinson) Graetz<br />
’04, Grand Forks, N.D., welcomed the birth<br />
<strong>of</strong> their baby girl, Morgan Autumn, on<br />
April 18, 2012.<br />
Pat McCabe ’06, Bloomington, Minn.,<br />
was recently named athletic media<br />
relations director for<br />
the College <strong>of</strong> Saint<br />
Benedict, St. Joseph,<br />
Minn. Pat brings eight<br />
years <strong>of</strong> experience in<br />
athletic media relations<br />
to the Blazer athletic<br />
department, most<br />
recently as the sports<br />
information director at the U <strong>of</strong> M, Morris.<br />
Alison Stone ’06, Fargo, N.D., North<br />
Dakota State <strong>University</strong> master’s student,<br />
is the recipient <strong>of</strong> the Curt Stern Memorial<br />
Scholarship from the National Sunflower<br />
Association. Alison is a student in the<br />
Department <strong>of</strong> Plant Pathology and is<br />
currently conducting research within the<br />
USDA-ARS Sunflower and Plant Biology<br />
Research Unit in Fargo.<br />
Tamara Saxton ’07, Wanamingo, Minn., is<br />
lead fire technician at Rydell and Glacial<br />
Ridge national wildlife refuges in Polk<br />
County, Minn., and oversees a program<br />
that uses fire to enhance prairie habitat<br />
for the benefit <strong>of</strong> wildlife and native<br />
plants. Tamara is trained and certified in<br />
wildfires and heavy firefighting equipment<br />
and beginning her fourth year with the<br />
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which<br />
acquired the land from The Nature<br />
Conservancy to establish Glacial Ridge<br />
National Refuge.<br />
Heather (Herrig) and Stephen Funk ’10<br />
& ’10, celebrated their second wedding<br />
anniversary on October 2, 2012. Stephen<br />
began his third year teaching agriculture<br />
at Mahnomen Public High School and<br />
Heather is a wetland specialist with the<br />
Natural Resources Conservation Service<br />
in Fergus Falls, Minn. The Funks recently<br />
bought their first home in Detroit Lakes,<br />
Minn.<br />
SAVE THE DATE<br />
The 38th Annual Ag Arama will<br />
be held January 26th, 2013, at<br />
the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong><br />
<strong>Crookston</strong>. Enjoy <strong>of</strong> fun filled day <strong>of</strong><br />
showmanship contests, games for all<br />
ages, and food. For more information<br />
or any questions, contact Samantha<br />
Zuck at zuckx011@umn.edu<br />
27
ALUMNI<br />
NEWS<br />
We Want to Hear From You!<br />
To submit an item for the Alumni<br />
News Section, send information to:<br />
UMC Alumni Relations<br />
115 Kiehle Building<br />
2900 <strong>University</strong> Avenue<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong>, MN 56716<br />
e-mail: rulseth@umn.edu or<br />
complete the form on line at:<br />
www.umcrookston.edu/alumni/<br />
keepintouch.html.<br />
Please include your name, address, phone<br />
number, e-mail, year <strong>of</strong> graduation/<br />
attendance and information or news you<br />
wish to share (new job, career, family, or<br />
achievements, etc.)<br />
Jordan Jacobson ’10 and Kimberly Kuehn<br />
’11, St. James, Minn., were engaged July 29,<br />
2011, and will be married September 14, 2013,<br />
in Stillwater, Minn. Jordan is an assistant<br />
superintendent at the St. James Golf Course<br />
and Kimberly is a teller at First National Bank<br />
in St. James.<br />
Rom Ogaard ’10, <strong>Crookston</strong>, Minn., completed<br />
his initial year <strong>of</strong> employment with Northland<br />
Community and Technical College, Thief River<br />
Falls [Minn.] campus, as the radio/television<br />
program coordinator. He recently transferred<br />
to the East Grand Forks campus in the same<br />
capacity.<br />
Stephanie Onken ’10, resides in Sioux City,<br />
Iowa, where she works for Tiger-Rock Martial<br />
Arts International as the director <strong>of</strong> content<br />
and communication.<br />
Bobbie Torkelson<br />
’10, <strong>Crookston</strong>,<br />
Minn., and Jessie<br />
Danielson were<br />
married June 23,<br />
2012, in Fertile,<br />
Minn. Jessie is<br />
employed at New<br />
Flyer <strong>of</strong> America<br />
and Bobbie is<br />
employed at Tri<br />
Valley Head Start,<br />
both in <strong>Crookston</strong>.<br />
Skyler Holzbauer ’11, Breckenridge, Minn.,<br />
and Megan Vold were married July 28, 2012,<br />
at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Breckenridge.<br />
Skyler is an agronomist at Wilbur Ellis Air,<br />
Wahpeton, N.D.<br />
Christina Benson ’12, <strong>Crookston</strong>, Minn., joined<br />
the human resources staff <strong>of</strong> RiverView<br />
Health in <strong>Crookston</strong> on May 14, 2012. She<br />
is responsible for workers’ compensation,<br />
employee health, and FMLA. Since 2007,<br />
Christina worked as a switchboard operator<br />
for RiverView.<br />
Matthew Krueger ’12, Maddock, N.D., and<br />
Amanda Flint were married August 4, 2012,<br />
at First United<br />
Methodist Church<br />
in Aberdeen, S.D.<br />
Amanda is studying<br />
equine science<br />
and agricultural<br />
business at the U <strong>of</strong><br />
M, <strong>Crookston</strong>, and<br />
currently interning<br />
with Leclair<br />
Performance<br />
Horses at St.<br />
Onge Ranch in<br />
Gainesville, Tex. Matthew is employed by<br />
Precision Ag Results in Maddock, as an<br />
agronomist.<br />
Is Your Organization Hiring?<br />
Advertise your opportunity to current students and alumni through<br />
the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong> – Official group on LinkedIn.<br />
28 www.umcrookston.edu<br />
E-mail ltollefs@umn.edu with details including your contact<br />
information.
Lauren Stai ’12, Bemidji, Minn., works at<br />
Northern Farmers Co-op Exchange and<br />
Northern Excellence Seed <strong>of</strong> Williams, Minn.<br />
Her job includes checking fields for pests,<br />
collecting soil samples, and conducting<br />
research.<br />
Julie Trotter ’12,<br />
Eagan, Minn., is<br />
sales and marketing<br />
coordinator for<br />
Bonanzaville, a<br />
historical museum<br />
and event center<br />
in West Fargo, N.D.<br />
Julie is responsible<br />
for coordinating<br />
events and<br />
volunteers as well as leading marketing and<br />
sales initiatives.<br />
In Memory<br />
Borgni (Skorpen) Edin<br />
Jamestown, N.D.<br />
December 1, 2011<br />
Taught at the Northwest School <strong>of</strong><br />
Agriculture from 1950-1952 and spoke with<br />
the greatest respect and affection for the<br />
young men and women who were her<br />
students.<br />
Robert Wurden ex. ’42<br />
Fisher, Minn.<br />
August 8, 2012<br />
Alva (Leshar) Sparby ’44<br />
Grygla, Minn.<br />
October 8, 2010<br />
Phyllis (Fore) Peterson ’46<br />
Thief River Falls, Minn., formerly <strong>of</strong><br />
Hastings, Minn.<br />
July 14, 2012<br />
Curtis Simmons ’47 Adv.<br />
Fertile, Minn.<br />
June 13, 2012<br />
Marian (Melin) DeBoer ’49<br />
Long Lake, Isanti, Minn.<br />
August 1, 2012<br />
Steve Pauluk ’49 Adv.<br />
West Hartford, Conn.<br />
December 3, 2011<br />
Arthur Helgeson ’50 Adv.<br />
Erskine, Minn.<br />
May 21, 2012<br />
Jens Bolstad ’53<br />
Great Falls, Mont.<br />
June 26, 2012<br />
Vernon Grove ex. ’55<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong>, Minn.<br />
June 19, 2012<br />
Robert Kuznia ’55<br />
Casper, Wyo.<br />
May 14, 2012<br />
Robert Odegaard ’64<br />
Kindred, N.D.<br />
September 7, 2012<br />
Clifford Sondrol ’64<br />
Shakopee, Minn.<br />
July 30, 2012<br />
Keith Myhrer ’68<br />
Frazee, Minn.<br />
July 10, 2006<br />
William “Bill” Tripp, Jr. ex. ’68<br />
Redwood Falls, Minn.<br />
June 9, 2012<br />
Michael “Mike” Hayes ’86<br />
Big Lake, Minn.<br />
May 27, 2012<br />
Torch<br />
Volume 44, Number 3, Fall 2012<br />
Torch is a publication <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>, <strong>Crookston</strong>.<br />
Director <strong>of</strong> Development &<br />
Alumni Relations<br />
Corby Kemmer<br />
218-281-8434<br />
ckemmer@umn.edu<br />
Support Staff<br />
Rose Ulseth ’87<br />
218-281-8439<br />
rulseth@umn.edu<br />
Sue Dwyer ’74<br />
218-281-8401<br />
sdwyer@umn.edu<br />
UMCAA Board<br />
Paige Eskelson ’08<br />
Donna Hartel ’07<br />
Rory Held ’11<br />
Nancie Hoerner ’95<br />
Juanita Lopez ’08<br />
Amy (Peterson) Lubarski ’02<br />
Carl Melbye ’77<br />
Linda (Knutson) Morgan ’85 & ’09<br />
Greg Nathan ’98<br />
Jen (Novak) Nelson ’06<br />
Katie (Becker) Shaw ’07<br />
Karl Syverson ’11<br />
Bill Thielke ’94<br />
NWSA Alumni Association Board<br />
Jim Chandler ’67<br />
Don Diedrich ’56<br />
Allan Dragseth ’57<br />
Jeannette (Love) Filipi ’57<br />
David Haugo ’52<br />
Charles Holmquist ’52<br />
Bob Kliner ’68<br />
Melvin Larson ’55<br />
Berneil Nelson ’42, ex <strong>of</strong>ficio<br />
Clarice (Olson) Stolaas ’56<br />
Beulah (Stolaas) Vad ’58<br />
Jean (Stromstad) Vigness-<br />
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<br />
Fax: 218-281-8440<br />
E-mail: ltollefs@umn.edu<br />
The <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>,<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong> is a public,<br />
baccalaureate, coeducational<br />
institution and a coordinate campus<br />
<strong>of</strong> the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong>. The<br />
Northwest School <strong>of</strong> Agriculture<br />
(NWSA) was a residential high<br />
school serving students from<br />
1906-68 and the predecessor <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong> campus. The Torch is<br />
named for the historical passing <strong>of</strong><br />
the educational torch between the<br />
NWSA and the U <strong>of</strong> M, <strong>Crookston</strong><br />
in 1968.<br />
The <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Minnesota</strong> is<br />
committed to the policy that all<br />
persons shall have equal access<br />
to its programs, facilities and<br />
employment without regard to<br />
race, color, creed, religion, national<br />
origin, sex, age, marital status,<br />
disability, public assistance status,<br />
veteran status or sexual orientation.<br />
Layout and design by Amy Chandler<br />
Design <strong>of</strong> Grand Forks, N.D., and<br />
printed at Forum Communications<br />
Printing in Fargo, N.D.<br />
Printed on recycled and recyclable<br />
paper with at least 10 percent postconsumer<br />
material using agribased<br />
inks.<br />
On the front cover:<br />
Brock Anundson, a 2005<br />
sport and recreation<br />
management graduate, has<br />
been working in operations<br />
with the United States<br />
Olympic Committee at the<br />
U.S. Olympic Complex in<br />
Colorado Springs since<br />
January 2011. Photo<br />
courtesy <strong>of</strong> Tom Kimmell<br />
Photography<br />
On the back cover,<br />
Because feature: Bottles <strong>of</strong><br />
seeds collected more than<br />
100 years are a symbol <strong>of</strong><br />
our history as a land grant<br />
institution.<br />
29
Front row: George Proulx, Gloria (Nelson) Holte, Carol (Hotvedt) Wahl, Kay (Haugen) Jacobsen,<br />
Sandra ( Risser) Reynolds, Bonita (Bohnsack) Rotvold. Middle row: Hugh Swift, Pat McKeever,<br />
Gerald Helgeson, Dale Charais, David Walz, and Robert Schol. Back row: Ernie Swift, John Sannes<br />
Harley Grefschmeidt, Dick Olson, Don Strickler, Mark Hoper, James Smith, and David Brule.<br />
Photo gallery link at<br />
www.umcrookston.edu/photogallery/nwsaclassreunions
Office <strong>of</strong> Development<br />
& Alumni Relations<br />
2900 <strong>University</strong> Avenue<br />
<strong>Crookston</strong>, MN 56716-5001<br />
Change Service Requested<br />
Find us on Facebook<br />
facebook.com/umcrookston<br />
Follow us on Twitter<br />
twitter.com/umcrookston<br />
Watch us on YouTube<br />
youtube.com/u<strong>of</strong>mcrookston<br />
UPCOMING EVENTS<br />
November 7.................................................................................................................Torch & Shield Recognition<br />
November 15.......................................................................Alumni Social, Ramada Plaza Suites, Fargo, N.D.<br />
November 20.................................................................................................................. UMCAA Annual Meeting<br />
February 15, 2013................................... NWSA/UMC Alumni Arizona Social, Viewpoint Resort, Mesa<br />
May 11, 2013....................................................................... Commencement Exercises for the Class <strong>of</strong> 2013<br />
June 29, 2013.......................................................................................................................NWSA Alumni Reunion<br />
October 4-5, 2013.................................................................................................................................. Homecoming