SPECIAL ANNUAL REPORT VOLUmE 43, NUmbER 1 SPRINg 2011

A Magazine for
Alumni & Friends of the
University of Minnesota, Crookston
SPECIAL ANNUAL REPORT
Volume 43, Number 1
spring 2011

From the Chancellor
“There are many great stories
on a campus like ours and
so many student stories we
would like to share,”
Charles H. Casey, D.V.M.
Another year of accomplishments highlights this
annual report issue of the Torch magazine. With this
issue we pause to reflect on student success and the
progress the University of Minnesota, Crookston
has made over the past year. We continue to move
the campus forward with the leadership of our
talented faculty and staff along with the support of
our generous donors. In uncertain economic times,
private support is crucial for students in the pursuit of a college degree. With this issue
of the magazine, we take a collective look at our achievements as well as recognize
those who have given us their guidance and support over the past year.
There are many great stories on a campus like ours and so many student stories we
would like to share. The impact of a college education on a life is hard to quantify, but
it is wonderful to watch the development of students over the course of their collegiate
careers. The opportunities for leadership and growth provided through internships,
service learning, clubs and organizations, and through research possibilities have
learning implications reaching far beyond the walls of our classrooms. Applying
principles in a discipline to real-world situations helps students gain valuable
experience and learn skills they will need as a professional.
Reflected in the pages of this issue are stories representing countless students who
have come from farms, small towns, sprawling cities, and across the world to study
at the U of M, Crookston. They are looking for the right degree program in order
to prepare themselves for the future, but they are also looking for a great student
experience. We want them to find what they are looking for right here, and we are
diligent in our efforts to provide activities that will enhance their lives as a college
student and make this time memorable.
Our new admissions materials revolve around the theme “college essentials,” and
often times it is truly the little things that make the difference. For example, our campus
has an average of 19 students in a class, a 16 to 1 student – teacher ratio, a campus you
can walk across in only 8 minutes, and yet, we offer a degree that is recognized and
respected around the world. Students earn a first-class education on a campus that is the
right size for them. Offering students the best has been and continues to be our legacy,
and we take seriously the future we are building together.
Thank you to all who have so generously supported our efforts. Your gifts to the
University of Minnesota, Crookston are not only deeply appreciated, they are at work
every day in the lives of students. I cannot think of a better way to invest in tomorrow
than supporting students today.
Sincerely,
Charles H. Casey, D.V.M.
Chancellor
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Tyler Brazier..................................................................... 3
Lhakpa Gurung............................................................... 6
Informatics Lab............................................................... 8
Kaitlyn Linde.................................................................. 10
John Plass........................................................................ 12
NCLC................................................................................14
Otter Tail Energy Challenge.....................................15
CRES.................................................................................16
MRSA Research.............................................................18
Anna Wagner.................................................................20
Director’s Letter........................................................... 22
Donor Pages..................................................................23
Campus Calendar....................................Back Cover
3

Code Man
“With programming there
are so many applications to
experiment with it keeps the
learning fresh and engaging,”
Tyler Brazier.
Majoring in software engineering
is something of a turnaround for
Tyler Brazier because as he describes,
“Growing up, I hated computers!” That
is no longer true for this senior from
Greenbush, Minn.
As a high school student, Brazier
excelled in mathematics and took a
number of college math courses through
College in the High School. He recalls
his mother telling him one day he would
be a computer guy, but he never believed
it. “As I learned more about them, my
interest increased,” Brazier says. He
developed his skills further at a computer
game design camp at the University of
Minnesota, Crookston.
“I attended Game Design Camp for
more than one summer,” Brazier says. “It
influenced my decision to attend school
here and it influenced my decision on
a major.” He also liked the fact that the
Crookston campus was close to home.
He has lived in the residence halls on
campus for the past three years; first he
lived in McCall, then in Centennial, and
he currently resides in Evergreen. Brazier
has enjoyed his student experience, and
he believes his major fits what he is
looking for in a future career.
“I like variety in my work,” Brazier
Senior Tyler Brazier is a software engineering
major from Greenbush, Minn. His gas collection
chamber project has accelerated his interest in his
major and a future career.
explains. “I think that software
engineering will give me opportunities to
not only write programming code but also
be involved in design. That variety makes
a career in the field appealing to me.” His
plans don’t stop at a bachelor’s degree
either; Brazier plans to pursue a graduate
For the gas collection chamber, Brazier had the help of several employees at Central Boiler, his family’s
outdoor wood furnace manufacturing company. The chamber is still in development and Brazier’s prototype
is a work in progress.
4 www.umcrookston.edu

degree when he finishes in December
2011.
His favorite classes are those in
his major, particularly programming.
He will lend his skills in that area
to a project with Katy Smith, Ph.D.,
assistant professor in environmental
sciences and biology. Brazier will
construct a chamber for measuring
CO 2
coming from the soil. He will
not only design and construct the
chamber, he also will program
the computer used to record the
measurements.
The project began initially in
fall 2010 when he met with Smith
to find out what she needed from
him to further her research. Brazier
followed that meeting with a
document containing the necessary
requirements, followed by a design
for Smith’s approval. Once the
construction phase is completed,
testing will begin. When the testing
proves successful, the chamber will be
deployed as part of Smith’s ongoing
research on greenhouse gases. “This
whole process is common to the
software engineering development
cycle,” Brazier explains.
Martin Lundell and Brazier’s father,
Dennis, have served over the years as
role models for the younger Brazier.
“Martin works hard like my dad,” he
says. “I find motivation in his work
ethic, and although I might not have
quite the same drive, these two men
both inspire me.”
In one of his early programming
classes, Brazier programmed an
airplane simulator to coordinate
takeoffs and landings. “We started
with the simple programming of a
calculator and moved on to projects
that increased in difficulty,” he
reflects. “With programming there are
so many applications to experiment
with that it keeps the learning fresh
and engaging.”
It is hard to believe this enthusiasm
comes from someone who thought
he didn’t like computers. Finding
the right fit in a major was the
secret to success for this soon to be
alumnus. Like Brazier, it seems when
you get the code right, you are just
programmed to succeed.
Tyler Brazier, far left, holds the controller in the new Informatics Lab on the second floor of Dowell Hall during a demonstration led by Jingpeng Tang
(at far right), assistant professor in software engineering. In the center is Senior Rick Cole, an information technology management major from Thief
River Falls, Minn.

From the Himalayan Mountains
to the Red River Valley
“My dad has been both a
motivator and encourager,
and both my dad and
grandfather put a high priority
on our education,” Lhakpa
Gurung.
The country of Nepal is home to nine
of the world’s fourteen highest mountain
peaks. One of the most remote and rugged
areas is Mustang, a village of 1,000
people and home to students Lhakpa
Gurung and her cousin, Yangchen.
These two young women came to the
University of Minnesota, Crookston in
great part because of familial influence.
“I am the first in my family to reach
college,” Lhakpa says. “My parents
encouraged education, particularly my
grandfather who wanted us to have a
better life and believes education is a way
for us to have a better life.” Yangchen
agrees.
“My dad has been both a motivator and
encourager,” she explains. “And both my
dad and grandfather put a high priority on
our education.”
Lhakpa, a senior majoring in early
childhood education, has wanted to
become a teacher since she was a very
young girl. “I considered other majors,
but my family has always encouraged me
to make my own decisions, so in the end,
I returned to my first love – teaching,” she
says with a smile.
Both of the women studied English
in Nepal though they attended different
boarding schools when they were growing
up. “I went to school with Lhakpa until
grade one,” Yangchen explains, “Then,
I went to another school where I could
learn both the English and Tibetan
languages.” Leaving Nepal to come to the
U of M, Crookston was not as much of
a leap for the two as one might imagine.
When they attended boarding school, they
were in a city located several days from
their village. “We had already adjusted
to life away from home when we came
here,” Lhakpa says.
The decision to attend the U of M,
Crookston was made first by Lhakpa
who had a friend from her village
already on the campus. “My friend ended
up transferring,” Lhakpa says. “But,
knowing someone had attended the U of
M, Crookston influenced my choice.”
She has enjoyed her classes and created
a community of friends through her
involvement as a community advisor
in residential life, and as a member of
the Early Childhood Club, the UMC
Lions Club, and the Multicultural and
Yangchen Gurung in the mountains near her village of Mustang, Nepal.
6 www.umcrookston.edu

Lhakpa smiles from
atop a horse on her
journey between
her village and city
where she went to
school. the journey
takes several days.
Map of Nepal. (n.d). Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
International Club (MIC). She has
been an officer every semester as
part of the Early Childhood Club and
served as president in fall 2010.
Yangchen, long interested in
following her father’s footsteps
into the world of business, would
like to work for a non-profit or a
small, private business. Eventually,
however, both women would like
to return to Nepal to serve and to
benefit their home country. Lhakpa
would like to go on to graduate school
and get experience as a teacher, in
order to bring her experience to the
educational system in Nepal.
Also a community advisor, member
of the UMC Lions Club, and MIC,
Yangchen has been active in Students
in Free Enterprise (SIFE) serving as
vice president of business ethics and
vice president of fundraising for the
club. This spring she was selected to
be part of SIFE’s presentation team,
which will compete at the regional
competition later in the spring
semester.
In 2010, Lhakpa received
the University of Minnesota
undergraduate Scholarly Excellence
in Equity and Diversity (SEED)
Award honoring outstanding diverse
undergraduate students. Along with
the SEED award, she was named a
University Women of Color Tapestry
Award winner, an award given to
those who help create a thriving
campus community where diversity is
welcomed and supported.
Both Lhakpa and Yangchen
appreciate many of the same things
about the U of M, Crookston: the
small campus, the classes, and getting
to know so many people. Yangchen
smiles wryly when she adds, “I like
the snow; we don’t have snow like
this, and I really do like it.”
The two credit many of the same
people for their success on campus:
Soo-Yin Lim-Thompson, Marsha
Odom, and Marilyn Grave in early
childhood education; Kenneth Johnson in business; counselor and host family
Laurie and Dan Wilson; residential life staff including Gary Willhite, Sandy
Desrosier, and Kristie Jacobsen; and Kim Gillette, Rae French and Sean Shin in
the international programs office.
Education has been the primary focus of both Lhakpa and Yangchen. They
are driven to succeed and to make their families proud. Lhakpa hopes to have
her family in attendance at this spring’s commencement exercises. They will
certainly be proud of her accomplishments. She sums up the experience this
way, “I realize my education is something that can’t be taken away, and I can
use it to do anything I want. There are so many possibilities because I have an
education, and now, I can go out and make a difference.”
Lower Left: Yangchen (left) and Lhakpa in Mustang, Nepal, in native dress. Nepal was one of the
featured countries during this spring’s international dinners. Lower Right: Lhakpa was a recipient
of both the University of Minnesota SEED and Tapestry awards in 2010. Photo by Eric Hylden,
Grand Forks Herald.
Above: Lhakpa (at right), a senior, will
graduate in May 2011 with a degree in early
childhood education. Yangchen, a junior, is
working on a degree in business along with
a minor in communication. At Left: Lhakpa
Gurung and her cousin, Yangchen, visit
Washington, D.C., with Yangchen’s father.
7

Students have begun
“construction” on a 3-D model
of the Crookston campus.
Adel Ali, far right, demonstrates the capabilities available to students
in the virtual immersion laboratory. The lab opened in November 2010.
Immersive Technology
Changes More than Perspective
This changes everything.
Technology available in the new
immersive visualization laboratory at
the University of Minnesota, Crookston
gives students a whole new vantage
point. The lab, brought to campus by
Adel Ali, professor and head of the Math,
Science, and Technology Department,
is the result of stimulus dollars at work
and its interdisciplinary impact knows no
boundaries.
The lab, located in Dowell Hall, opened
in early November 2010 and since its
opening, it has been generating all kinds
of interest. Students majoring in software
engineering seem like the natural
benefactors of the lab’s capabilities, and
those students do indeed benefit. In fact,
students have begun “construction” on
a 3-D model of the Crookston campus.
The construction of this model would be
useful for evacuation planning in the case
of a fire, for example, but it would be
possible to run scenarios of any kind to
plan for almost any type of emergency.
For students in agriculture, the lab
offers opportunities in the area of
precision agriculture; chemistry students
could build a 3-D model of a molecule;
in the health sciences, students could take
a “walk” inside the human body; and
for natural resources students, the flow
of water in a flood could be studied to
help determine the possible impact on a
habitat. These examples help demonstrate
the lab’s interdisciplinary nature and the
opportunities it affords not just students
in the software field but across academic
programs.
“We are looking for collaborative
opportunities across disciplines but also
across universities,” Ali explains. “This
technology could benefit organizations
outside the university also, and we would
love to share the immersive technology
in the lab with others.” Ali is an expert in
the area of immersive visualization. He
has worked on simulations of emergency
evacuations of large stadiums for the
Department of Homeland Security using
the technology, and he is looking forward
to partnering for work on other projects
where the technology could prove to be
beneficial.
“It won’t predict a flood, but in the
lab, we can demonstrate where the
water would travel at a predicted level,”
Ali says. “It will help model where the
8 www.umcrookston.edu

water would go. That kind of information could be invaluable in making important
decisions about flood control.”
For those who have not experienced it firsthand, the demonstrations of the
technology are visually striking and help a great deal in understanding the possible
applications. “Computers are good at crunching numbers,” Ali says. “But, the human
brain is good at visualizations and understanding relationships. Combining the human
mind and the computer is very powerful.”
One of the aspects making this lab special is the projection using a powerful
computer and mirrors on both the screen in front of the user and on the floor
providing the immersive experience. Tracking using sound signals in a pair of 3-D
glasses helps the computer identify the user’s exact location similar to the relationship
of satellite tracking and the GPS on an automobile. When the user moves forward
or backward the change is registered and adjusted for accordingly. Not merely a
spectator, the user interacts with the data and can view it from any perspective.
The list of the lab’s possibilities is endless and just as varied. The experience takes
learning and learners into a whole new dimension. Literally.
Adel Ali, professor and head of the
Math, Science, and Technology
Department has been with the U of M,
Crookston since 2008.
CAMPUS HEADLINES
Torch & Shield Award Recipients Honored
The University of Minnesota, Crookston honored three
individuals and an organization with the Torch & Shield
Award. Recipients Sue Brorson, Phil Baird, Dave Hoff,
and KROX AM Radio 1260 were honored at a special
recognition event held in late October 2010. Some 150
people attended the event honoring the Torch & Shield
recipients as well as the many donors who give in support
of the Crookston campus.
The award recognizes the leadership of individuals
and organizations who have been influential on the
development of the University of Minnesota, Crookston;
Northwest Research and Outreach Center; and Extension.
It is the highest recognition awarded by the campus.
Back row (l to r): Chancellor Charles H. Casey, David Hoff, Phil Baird, and
Corby Kemmer, director of development and alumni relations. Front row:
Jeanette Fee, Sue Brorson, and Ray Frydenlund. (Fee and Frydenlund
represented KROX.)
Moller Accepts Head Coaching Position for
Golden Eagle Football
The University of Minnesota, Crookston
announced Charles “Chuck” Moller as the new head
football coach for the Golden Eagles on December
13, 2010. Originally from Eagle Bend, Minn., he
most recently served as assistant football coach for
Phoenix College in Phoenix, Arizona, but he has
been a member of the football coaching staff for the
offensive line at Oklahoma State University (2001-
2004); for the offensive line for tackles and tight
ends at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California
(1997-2001), where he helped coach a team to the
Rose Bowl in 2000; for tight ends and kicking at
the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque
(1991-1997); as assistant head coach at Texas
State University in San Marcos (1989-1991); and
at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas
(1987-1989).
He also served as a graduate assistant football
coach at North Dakota State University from 1985 to
1987 under then Head Football Coach Rocky Hagar.
Moller spent his first collegiate coaching season at
his alma mater, the University of Minnesota, Morris.
As a college football player, he was a four-year
letterman and two-time all-region player. He was
also named Academic All-American.
Moller earned his bachelor’s degree in physical
education, elementary through secondary, at the U
of M, Morris and pursued graduate work in athletic
administration and physical education while he was
at North Dakota State. He and his wife, Kris, have
two children.
9

Conditions for Flight
“Aviation is a field where
learning never stops. There
is always more to learn about
flight and about aircraft,”
Kaitlyn Linde.
In order for a pilot to take off, the
conditions have to be favorable. Junior
Kaitlyn Linde, Apple Valley, Minn., found
the perfect conditions for the takeoff of
her collegiate career when she discovered
the University of Minnesota had a campus
that combined both natural resources and
aviation in a degree program.
“I was always bringing every little
animal into the house,” Linde says. “As I
grew up, I knew I wanted to study natural
resources. As a high school student at
the School of Environmental Studies in
Apple Valley, I decided I wanted to attend
one of the campuses of the University of
Minnesota.”
As a natural resources aviation major at
the University of Minnesota, Crookston,
Linde discovered the perfect academic
degree combination. “When my search
for a college led to the Crookston campus,
I knew it was meant to be,” she explains.
A campus visit confirmed her decision,
and she moved into Skyberg Hall the fall
after she graduated from high school. “I
met so many friends during orientation,”
Linde says. “Although I now live off
campus, I would recommend students
live on campus their first year, it gets you
involved and it helps you meet people.”
As a young woman, Linde finds herself
in a minority in the aviation program, but
that fact matters little to her. She is as
passionate about flying as she is about the
environment. “I love the sense of getting
up in the air and spending time enjoying
the beauty as well as the opportunity to
learn,” Linde explains. “Aviation is a
field where learning never stops. There
is always more to learn about flight and
about aircraft.”
Giving students the experience they
need compelled Mike Vivion, chief pilot
on the Crookston campus, to make an
emergency maneuvers training (EMT)
course available to his students. “More
and more positions require this kind of
training,” Vivion says. “We offer students
the best training available thanks to my
good fortune in knowing Rich Stowell
who allows us to use his program with
our students.” Stowell, who specializes
in spin, emergency maneuver, aerobatic,
and tailwheel training, is highly regarded
in the field of aviation for his EMT ®
Program as well as his trademark PARE
spin recovery checklist.
For Linde and her classmates, the
EMT course meant learning to fly under
all kinds of stress. “We spent a good
share of the course learning to fly upside
down,” Linde recalls. “A pilot who has
been trained with EMT is prepared to fly
the plane upside down in order to take
Linde holds a White Creek Heel Splitter mussel
while trying to determine its age.
On the shores of the Zumbrota River in
Minnesota, mussels collected during a survey
of the area are divided into piles by species and
age. Linde (far left) works with other interns
during summer 2010.
10 www.umcrookston.edu

the steps necessary to right the aircraft. We were also put
into spins and learned how to recover.” This experience is
possible through a partnership the U of M, Crookston has
with the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, and an
instructor from UND’s aerobatics team gives students the
kind of in-flight training they need to handle the unexpected.
While Linde loves flying, she also loves the natural
resource side of her degree. “I have had some great
instructors, and they have so much experience in the field,”
she states. “I would like to work for an agency when I
graduate, and the experience these instructors bring to the
classroom is very beneficial to us as students.”
During her internship in summer 2010, Linde worked for
the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
scuba diving as part of research on the state’s native
freshwater mussels. “It was a great experience for me, and I
am considering a second internship with them this summer,”
she relates. “I would like to get as much experience as I can
in the field so I am keeping my options open, but working
for the DNR was amazing.”
Linde says her future career must include aviation,
narrowing her choices to a job that is very specialized. If she
can’t find what she is looking for, she is considering active
duty in the Air Force to broaden her experience.
Right now, she is focused on her education and will see
what is on the horizon as she nears graduation in 2011.
Linde’s aspirations appear to be quite lofty, but this young
aviator is certain to be ready for takeoff when the time
comes.
Junior Kaitlyn Linde in her parachute and ready to take off on a flight
during the emergency maneuvers training course offered during fall
semester 2010.
Torch
Volume 43, Number 1, Spring 2011,
Annual Report
Torch is a publication of the University
of Minnesota, Crookston.
Director of Development & Alumni
Relations
Corby Kemmer
218-281-8434
ckemmer@umn.edu
Support Staff
Rose Ulseth ‘87
218-281-8439
rulseth@umn.edu
Sue Dwyer ‘74
218-281-8401
sdwyer@umn.edu
UMCAA Board
Cindy Bigger ‘79
Paige Eskelson ‘08
Donna Hartel ‘07
Nancie Hoerner ‘95
Juanita Lopez ‘08
Amy (Peterson) Lubarski ‘02
Carl Melbye ‘77
Kari (Vallager) Moe ’03
Linda (Knutson) Morgan ’85 & ‘09
Jen (Novak) Nelson ‘06
Katie (Becker) Shaw ‘07
Bill Thielke ‘94
NWSA Alumni Association Board
Don Diedrich ‘56
Allan Dragseth ‘57
Lowell Hamrick ‘53
David Haugo ‘52
Charles Holmquist ’52
Melvin Larson ‘55
Barbara (Hylland) Lunsetter ’56
Berneil Nelson ’42, ex officio
Gerhard Ross ‘45
Beulah (Stolaas) Vad ‘58
Jean (Stromstad) Vigness-Parker ‘55
Contact information:
Torch
Elizabeth Tollefson ’02, editor
University of Minnesota, Crookston
2900 University Avenue
Crookston, Minnesota 56716
Phone: 218-281-8432
Fax: 218-281-8440
Email: ltollefs@umn.edu
The University of Minnesota,
Crookston is a public, baccalaureate,
coeducational institution and a
coordinate campus of the University of
Minnesota. The Northwest School of
Agriculture (NWSA) was a residential
high school serving students from
1906-68 and the predecessor of the
Crookston campus. The Torch is
named for the historical passing of the
educational torch between the NWSA
and the U of M, Crookston in 1968.
The University of Minnesota is
committed to the policy that all
persons shall have equal access to its
programs, facilities and employment
without regard to race, color, creed,
religion, national origin, sex, age,
marital status, disability, public
assistance status, veteran status or
sexual orientation.
Printed on recycled
and recyclable
paper with at least
10 percent post-consumer material
using agribased inks.
On the back cover, Because feature:
Adel Ali (far right), professor and head
of the Math, Science, and Technology
Department demonstrates software to
students in the new Informatics Lab in
Dowell Hall.
11

Stars to Watch
“I felt welcome immediately,
and I discovered this place
was definitely a good fit for
me,” John Plass.
If the University of Minnesota,
Crookston were a planet, then one of the
brightest stars in its orbit would have
to be Senior John Plass. The agronomy
major transferred as a freshman after an
online search for a “small, rural campus
offering degrees in agriculture” led him
to Crookston. The deal was sealed for
Plass when he noted the campus had a flat
tuition rate and charged no out-of-state
tuition.
His interest in agriculture stems directly
from growing up in the small town of
Tulelake, Calif., where his father owns
an agriculture-related communications
business. Unlike many students, Plass
did not visit campus before he started.
“I came here when I started school,” he
explains. “I felt welcome immediately,
and I discovered this place was definitely
a good fit for me.”
When he arrived, Plass took a work-
study job for Associate Professor Chuck
Habstritt who was completing his last
semester on campus before retiring.
“Chuck was a mentor for me,” Plass says.
“I enjoyed working for and learning from
him.”
A member of the Agronomy Club and
Collegiate Crops Team, Plass also tutors
students in agronomy related classes such
as entomology and plant breeding and
genetics. He has been on the Chancellor’s
List with a 4.0 grade point average every
semester since he came to the Crookston
campus.
When asked to describe his major, Plass
explains that “agronomy is a diverse
study of agricultural science as it relates
to crop production incorporating business,
math, and all the other natural sciences.”
The funny thing about his definition is he
didn’t know what a degree in agronomy
meant prior to his search for an ag-related
Plass, along with instructor Rob Proulx ’06, examine a corn plant as part of Proulx’s crop production class.
12 www.umcrookston.edu

John Plass sorts seeds from the sample as part of
preparation for the Collegiate Crops Contests.
degree. “What my search helped me uncover about
agronomy was really a definition of what I wanted to
study and where I wanted to have a future career,” he
states.
The upper division courses in his major have proven
to be Plass’s favorites. His advisor, Rob Proulx, also
serves as coach of the Collegiate Crops Team. Plass,
along with Sophomore Andrew Gorentz, Dent, Minn.;
and Senior Jon Borge, Ada, Minn., competed in the
national contests held in Kansas City, Mo., and in
Chicago, Ill., in November 2010, and both contests
yielded second place finishes for this outstanding team.
The crops contests integrate a student’s knowledge
of agronomy into three categories: seed analysis, grain
grading, and crop and weed identification. Preparation
for the contests is very intense Plass explains, “We
begin in September by spending about six hours a week
getting ready and by the time it is November we are
up to ten hours a week.” Envelopes of seeds are placed
on the table for each contestant, and the seeds must be
separated according to weed or crop and then identified
or graded according to the USDA’s standards. For Plass
and his teammates, this tedious preparation is a test of
their knowledge and a lesson in patience.
While the campus was
more isolated than he
originally anticipated, the
decision to attend the U of
M, Crookston is something
he would not change. “I
have recommended this
campus to many other
students,” Plass smiles,
“And, I have been deeply
impressed by the faculty
and staff here because of
their approachability and
genuine care.”
He hopes to complete a
study abroad experience
as part of his upcoming
internship and then
choosing a graduate school
will be next. “I always
thought I would be happy
if I got an undergraduate
degree, and now, I am
looking at graduate schools,”
he says.
For this rising star, the future will hold plenty of
opportunity, and his graduation in December 2011
means Plass has only just begun to shine.
The U of M, Crookston Collegiate Crops Team at 1,353 feet up on the
Skydeck Ledge in Chicago. (l to r): Rob Proulx, Andrew Gorentz, Marc
Walter, Jon Borge, John Plass. Walter, a junior from Plummer, Minn.,
was team alternate.
13

NCLC member institutions
are dedicated to developing
vigorous online and blended
learning initiatives to expand
and stablilize student
enrollments.
UIS founded New Century
Learning Consortium adds
U of M, Crookston as 10th member
The New Century Learning Consortium
(NCLC), founded at the University of
Illinois Springfield, (UIS) has added the
University of Minnesota, Crookston as its
10th member. The consortium is designed
to assist universities in implementing high
quality, large-scale online and blended
learning programs.
“We welcome the University of
Minnesota, Crookston to NCLC. As one
of the fastest growing online programs in
Minnesota and possessing a distinguished
tradition of national awards and honors,
the University of Minnesota, Crookston is
a strong partner for the consortium,” said
Shari McCurdy Smith, NCLC director
and associate director of the Center for
Online Learning, Research, and Service
(COLRS) at UIS.
The U of M, Crookston conferred its
first online degree in 2001 and now offers
seven of its bachelor’s degree programs
entirely online. To learn more about
the online degree programs, visit www.
umcrookston.edu/academics/online.
“The faculty and staff of the University
of Minnesota, Crookston are honored to
join the NCLC,” said Chancellor Charles
H. Casey, “and we eagerly anticipate the
exchange of ideas that will result from our
interaction with the other members of the
NCLC.”
The Consortium plans to expand
to 14 institutions by May of 2011.
Consortium activities include developing
a clearinghouse of online classes where
there is excess capacity; shared research
projects; shared IT expertise to support
building infrastructure capacity; and
peer support at the upper administration,
dean, and faculty member levels. NCLC
was founded utilizing a grant from the
Sloan Consortium, who is also providing
funding for the expansion.
“We are especially gratified to have
the University of Minnesota, Crookston
join us in NCLC. The Crookston campus
- the original ‘laptop U’ - has a long
history of innovation in the application
of technology to enhance teaching and
learning. They are a leader in online
learning in the University of Minnesota
system,” said Ray Schroeder, director of
COLRS and founder of NCLC.
NCLC member institutions are
dedicated to developing vigorous online
and blended learning initiatives to expand
and stabilize student enrollments.
Current members are University of
Illinois Springfield; California State
University Easy Bay, Hayward; Southern
Oregon University, Ashland; Chicago
State University, Illinois; Oakland
University, Rochester Hills, Michigan;
University of Southern Maine, Portland;
Louisiana Tech University, Ruston;
SUNY Empire State College, Saratoga
Springs; and Hampton University,
Hampton, Virginia.
14 www.umcrookston.edu

Otter Tail Campus Energy Challenge Taught
Campus to “Flip it Off” and Save
One of the goals of the Otter Tail
Campus Energy Challenge at the
University of Minnesota, Crookston
was improved energy efficiency
through behavior modification. Over
the past year in this first-of-its-kind
program, the U of M, Crookston
worked closely with Otter Tail Power
Company to reduce electric energy
consumption on campus by as much
as 15 percent. The result of this
challenge has the Crookston campus
celebrating the successful effort
to save energy, but the path to this
success had challenges of its own.
Students chose the theme,” Flip
it off: save your energy for later” to
increase awareness and encourage
behavioral change. The logo was
introduced during a Campus Energy
Challenge game night. Along with the
game night, special events engaged
students in the challenge led by the
efforts of the Crookston Students for
Sustainable Development and the
Center for Sustainability.
The Campus Energy Challenge
included a change to more energy
efficient lighting in both the
University Teaching and Outreach
Center Arena and Lysaker
Gymnasium and putting in variablefrequency
drives on ventilation
A game night challenged students’ knowledge about energy consumption and helped garner
support for the important effort needed to reach energy savings goals.
systems to save energy by allowing
the volume of air moved to
match system demand. Sahlstrom
Conference Center, Dowell Hall,
and Hill Hall went through energy
efficiency upgrades, selected buildings
were metered for electrical energy
use, and the residence halls faced
off in an energy saving challenge in
October 2010.
During the November 4, 2010,
“Watts on Wednesday” (W.O.W.)
event Jana Emery, a Green Team
member from Otter Tail Power
Company, announced that the four
residence halls reduced their electric
use approximately 4 percent during
the month of October compared to
September. Residents of Skyberg
Hall reduced their energy use by 10
percent and were presented with an
achievement award.
Otter Tail Power Company selected
the Crookston Campus from four
Minnesota colleges that have student
housing within the company’s service
area. The selection process reviewed
the total square footage of each
campus along with their existing
heating and cooling technologies, the
number of students living on campus,
and the school’s overall energyefficiency
potential.
Otter Tail Power Company, a
subsidiary of Otter Tail Corporation
is headquartered in Fergus Falls,
Minnesota. It provides electricity and
energy services to more than a quarter
million people in Minnesota, North
Dakota, and South Dakota.
Building lifelong habits to save
energy is important to the future of
the campus and to the future of our
world. Students, faculty, and staff are
encouraged to continue their pledge
to save energy on campus and to take
those habits into their personal lives
as well. The Energy Challenge is
proof that when you work together,
you can make a difference.
15

Encouraging Entrepreneurs
The mission of the CRES is to
encourage entrepreneurship
through educational
leadership, applied research,
and insightful consulting.
For marketing major and Senior Janessa
DeBoer, Crookston, Minn., the experience
her internship provides will help
build a resume and give her important
background for a career in business.
Last fall, the U.S. Department
of Education awarded a $550,000
congressionally-directed grant to the
University of Minnesota, Crookston
to establish the Center for Rural
Entrepreneurial Studies (CRES). The
Center will expand connectivity to
the region’s educational institutions,
economic development organizations
and financial institutions, as well as to
state and federal small business support
agencies and aspiring entrepreneurs in
Northwest Minnesota.
DeBoer, along with Senior Lindsey
Fouts, Park Rapids, Minn., serves in
CRES as an intern, working closely
with Kevin Cooper, director, and Rachel
Lundbohm, assistant director. Both
Cooper and Lundbohm are instructors in
the Business Department and were part
of the grant writing team who brought the
CRES to the Crookston campus.
While Fouts focuses on the accounting
and database side of the work, DeBoer
focuses on developing a brochure and
content for the Web site, crafting the
creative statement, choosing colors,
helping design both the logo and
slogan for CRES, and creating a oneyear
marking plan for the Center. The
work she has done and is doing in
her internship gives her a sense of
accomplishment and the realization that
she is involved in the real business world.
“I have been working with a client on
a marketing plan, and it has given me
a chance to use what I learned in the
classroom in a real-life situation,” DeBoer
explains. “It is exciting to see how
valuable what we learn in the classroom
is to helping shape a business.”
The mission of the CRES is to
encourage entrepreneurship through
educational leadership, applied research,
and insightful consulting. The CRES will
engage the students, faculty, and research
facilities of the University of Minnesota
in Crookston in order to stimulate the
entrepreneurial culture and strengthen the
economic vitality of northwest Minnesota.
DeBoer is excited to be a part of the
CRES and spends about 15-20 hours a
week in the office in 117 Dowell Hall.
Both Fouts and DeBoer work around their
class schedules to staff the office.
16 www.umcrookston.edu

While business seems the perfect fit for DeBoer, she changed majors a few times before discovering her niche. She
attended the University of Minnesota, Duluth for two years before transferring back to the Crookston campus. “I like the
smaller campus,” she explains. “I was unsure when I had grown up here if I wanted to go to school here, but I am so glad I
came back. It has been a great experience to be learning on this campus.”
Her favorite class has been Lundbohm’s integrated marketing communication where she and two of her classmates
developed a marketing plan for an area car dealership. “We recommended marketing strategies they have used to increase
awareness,” DeBoer says. “It is exciting to realize elements of the plan we developed were useful. For me, the class was
really beneficial and rewarding.”
She hopes to work as an event coordinator and planner at some point, but for now, she is focused on employment to help
her grow in the field. Her job search has already begun, but like many seniors, she is looking forward to commencement
in May. It marks the end as well as a new beginning and DeBoer is already equipped with some professional experience to
help her on the road ahead.
If you are interested in
learning more about CRES:
The Center for Rural
Entrepreneurial Studies
2900 University Ave
117 Dowell Hall
Crookston MN 56716
Phone: 218-281-8595
Web site www.umccres.org
At Right: Janessa DeBoer is the daughter of
Alumna Karen (Mireault) Biermaier ’83.
At Left: Housed in the Business Department,
CRES is physically located in 117 Dowell Hall. In
the photo (l to r): Janessa DeBoer, Kevin Cooper,
Lindsey Fouts, and Rachel Lundbohm.
17

No Mercy on MRSA
“There is a wealth of data
in scientific and traditional
literature about the medicinal
properties of plants in and
around Minnesota,”
Venu Mukku.
Two University of Minnesota,
Crookston professors are working on
research to discover compounds to
combat staphylococcus (staph) bacteria,
a type of germ common to even healthy
individuals, but harboring the potential to
cause serious infections.
In order for Assistant Professor Venu
Mukku and Associate Professor Brian
Dingmann to conduct their research, the
campus installed a level 2 biological
safety cabinet purchased with help from
a University of Minnesota Grant-In-Aid.
Early research, using the facilities at
RiverView Health in Crookston, began in
August 2009.
Because the Crookston campus lacked
the necessary facilities, the partnership
between RiverView Health and the U of
M, Crookston was invaluable to Mukku.
“It is quite likely we would not have
gotten the Grant-In-Aid without the
preliminary work Dr. Mukku conducted
at RiverView,” Dingmann explains.
“The grant process is very competitive
and having access to the facilities at the
hospital was imperative for Dr. Mukku’s
research, in fact, it would not have been
possible without it.”
The research involves infecting
worms with the pathogen of interest and
checking the efficacy of various natural
product extracts. Based on historical
drug discovery statistics, the researchers
believe that the next antibiotic is waiting
to be discovered from Mother Nature.
The biological safety cabinet allows
the research to be conducted in a safe
environment.
Pat Fall, director of laboratory services
at RiverView, worked closely with
Mukku and Dingmann to coordinate the
lab’s use. “I used the lab before 8 a.m.
or after 3 p.m. so our work would not
interfere with the hospital’s use of their
lab,” Mukku explains. “I am extremely
grateful to Pat and to RiverView Health
for allowing me use of their facilities.”
Background on MRSA
Over time, Methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection,
caused by a strain of staph bacteria, has
become resistant to the antibiotics used to
18 www.umcrookston.edu
Magnified 20,000X, this colorized scanning electron micrograph (SEM) depicts a grouping of methicillin
resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria. Photo credit: Janice Carr Public Health Image Library (PHIL)
www.cdc.gov

treat ordinary staph infections. Dingmann, who teaches microbiology, and
Mukku, who teaches chemistry, teamed up to examine compounds prevalent
in plants that show antibacterial activity.
“There is a wealth of data in scientific and traditional literature about the
medicinal properties of plants in and around Minnesota. We will examine
extracts of different parts of those plants such as seeds, leaves, and bark
for their efficacy in curing worms infected with different strains of staph.
We will pursue a process known as bio-assay guided fractionation with the
intent of isolating and characterizing compounds with activity.”
Involved with Mukku and Dingmann are students Shawn Friedland, a
senior biology major from Melbourne, Fla.; Heather Donati-Lewis, a senior
pre-veterinary medicine major from Narcoossee, Fla.; Norman Dharmarajah,
a junior health sciences major from North Mankato, Minn.; and Bryant
Hamilton, a sophomore biology major from New York, N.Y. The students
work with the extraction process as well as other phases of the research.
The U of M, Crookston is known for its undergraduate research, and the
opportunity for students to work directly with faculty on research projects is
encouraged in order to provide students with experiential learning.
The chemistry of natural products is a primary area of research for
Mukku. He teaches organic chemistry and biochemistry on the Crookston
campus. Dingmann provides the necessary expertise in microbiology. He
teaches biology, zoology, and aquatic toxicology, along with microbiology.
Together, the two will collect a library of plant extracts available for future
study, but for now, they will work to find solutions for fighting staph
infection.
Brian Dingmann, Ph.D. (top) and
Venugopal Mukku, Ph.D. (bottom)
“If you come
back, then I’ll
come back.”
“If you come back,
then I’ll come
back.”
HOMECOMING 2011
Friday, September 30 & Saturday, October 1
Watch Facebook and your mail for details.
19

Learning Here and Abroad
Written by Anna Wagner,
Communications Assistant in University Relations
“Traveling abroad taught me
to take different perspectives,
and I learned about aspects
of other countries that I
may never have thought of
otherwise,” Anna Wagner.
Since starting as an animal science
major her freshman year, Anna Wagner’s
three years on campus have certainly been
interesting. The senior from Brandon,
Minn., expects to graduate in spring 2011,
a year earlier than her peers, as the result
of taking classes as a post-secondary
enrollment option (PSEO) student her
senior year of high school. During her
time at the U of M, Crookston, she has
been involved in the Crookston Student
Association (CSA), Dairy Club, and
several other activities on campus.
Wagner’s involvement in CSA has
included being a CSA club representative
during 2008 and serving as the senator of
community service for 2009-10. She is
currently the vice president for the 2010-
11 academic year. “CSA makes me feel
more connected to the campus and I am
able to learn about what goes on beyond
the classroom,” Wagner says. “I enjoy
taking on leadership roles and CSA was a
great fit.”
This year, Wagner began working in
University Relations which ties nicely
into her communication major and
marketing minor. “I’ve always enjoyed
writing so I changed my major from
animal science and agricultural business
to communication last year and was
the student worker for The Eagle’s
Eye newsletter. This summer I was the
marketing communication intern for
Agriculture Future of America in Kansas
City, Mo. The concentration area in my
communication major allows for me to
easily fit in my minor and still take the
agriculture classes I want, such as animal
breeding,” Wagner explains.
Growing up on a dairy farm, Wagner
knew she wanted to pursue a career in
agriculture. “Animals have always been a
passion of mine. I love the dairy industry
and also maintained a show herd of Jersey
Wooly rabbits for about eight years. I bred
my own stock, attended several national
shows, and intend to become a licensed
judge,” Wagner states. By majoring in
communication, she will be able to work
Austin Czichotzki and Anna Wagner chip away at the glacier they hiked in Iceland as part of their study
abroad trip. The glacier was covered in ash from the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, which was nearby.
20 www.umcrookston.edu

Anna Wagner on Preikestolen, or Pulpit Rock, in Norway during
her study abroad experience.
with agricultural marketing agencies
or use her communication skills in
other agriculture fields.
Wagner’s interests don’t stop at
student government, communication,
and agriculture; she also had a desire
to learn about other cultures and
study abroad. The perfect opportunity
presented itself when she learned
of a global seminar in Norway
during the May term, which meant
less interference with school and
her internship. Wagner seized the
opportunity and spent three weeks
in Europe with 15 other U of M,
Crookston students along with Sue
Brorson, professor and head of the
Business Department.
“Traveling abroad taught me to take
different perspectives, and I learned
about aspects of other countries
that I may never have thought of
otherwise. It was a great experience
and one I’ll never forget,” Wagner
recalls. The global seminar took the
group to Iceland for three days and
a volcano-induced detour brought
them to Copenhagen, Denmark, for
a day before arriving in Norway for
two weeks. Wagner and three other
students then took a side trip to Rome,
Italy, for three days.
Attending the U of M, Crookston
allowed Wagner to investigate her
interests while reaping the benefits
of the smaller campus as well. “The
Crookston campus was a great match
for me to gain what I wanted from my
college experience,” Wagner says.
Students Austin Czhichotzki, Qian Liu, Jackie Dullinger, and Anna
Wagner with a few Norwegian girls wearing bunads, or the traditional
dress of Norway, on Synettede Mai, the Norwegian independence
day celebration, in Oslo.
21

“Colors fade, temples
crumble, empires
fall, but wise words
endure,” Thorndike.
From the Director
of Development &
Alumni Relations
As a professional fundraiser it’s my
mission to provide you, our alumni,
friends, and supporters with opportunities
to do great things, to challenge and inspire
you, and to involve you in enterprises
that will make life better for today’s
generation and those of the future.
This Special Donor Report of the
Torch magazine looks back at the
investments you made in support of the
University of Minnesota, Crookston
during fiscal year 2010 (July 1, 2009
– June 30, 2010). Total commitments
in fiscal year 2010 were the highest
in seven years with over $663,000.
Your investments supported academic
programs, scholarships, capital
improvements, research and outreach,
and so much more during one of the most
challenging economic climates we’ve
faced in decades. You led by example
through your investments in the U of M,
Crookston showing others the importance
and need of giving back.
As the state of Minnesota faces a
$6 billion economic shortfall, this
certainly has a significant impact on
higher education. Therefore, if you
believe in the University of Minnesota,
Crookston, as I do, I encourage and
challenge you to make continued, major
transformational investments, and I ask
you to utilize your inspiration to advocate
others to do the same.
Reflect on the positive impact
of faculty, staff, athletics, student
organizations and clubs, friendships, and
special events on your lives while you
attended this institution and challenge
yourself on how you can make today
and tomorrow’s educational experience
even more fulfilling through your private
giving.
My sincere thank you for your
affluence, availability, advocacy,
influence, and teamwork; these attributes
provide clear evidence in your passion for
the University of Minnesota, Crookston.
By working together and communicating
with each other we can achieve successes
greater than we’ve ever imagined.
Sincerely,
Corby Kemmer, director
Development & Alumni Relations
REMEMBER THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, CROOKSTON
22 www.umcrookston.edu
A will or living trust is a statement about what matters most in your life. It ensures
that your intentions are clearly understood and will be followed by those administering
your estate.
If you value your experience at the University of Minnesota, Crookston or the
Northwest School of Agriculture, you can leave a legacy through a gift to the campus
in your will. Your generosity will help further the mission of the University of
Minnesota, Crookston to provide education, research and outreach. The following
language can be used by you and your attorney in your will:
“I give, devise and bequeath to the University of Minnesota Foundation (percentage,
sum or description of property) for the benefit of the University of Minnesota,
Crookston.”
If you would like more information, contact Corby Kemmer, director of
development & alumni relations toll free at 1-800-862-6466, ext. 8434 or 218-281-
8434 (ckemmer@umn.edu).
For more information about giving or to give a gift online, visit
www.umcrookston.edu/alumni/giving.html.
Excerpted from The Importance of a Will published by the University of Minnesota
Foundation.

Lifetime Giving
Builders Society
(Lifetime Gifts of $1,000,000 -
$9,999,999)
Lyle & Kathleen Kasprick
Frank W. Veden* Charitable Trust
Regents Society
(Lifetime Gifts of $250,000 -
$999,999)
Stanley S.* & Hanorah* K. Alseth
Larry & Diane Altringer
Otto Bremer Foundation
Michael* & Linda Chowdry Family
Foundation
Elenora Amalia & Ben Filipi, In
Memoriam
The Ford Foundation
Rolland* & Avis* Gustafson
Lester & June Nielsen
Donald & Wilma* Oss
Otter Tail Power Company
Harris A. Peterson/Minn-Dak
Growers Assn.
Jeraldine Swain*
UMC Teambackers
Trustees Society
(Lifetime Gifts of $100,000 -
$249,999)
Agrium Advanced Technologies,
Inc.
Blandin Foundation
Bremer Bank
Charles H. Casey & Barbara J.
Muesing
Mary Jo (Melbye) & Rick Eastes
Carl & Lorraine Hord, In
Memoriam
Wallace* & Hanna* Miller
Roger & Paulette Moe
Hazel E. Nakken Estate
Ernest J. Newhouse*
Northwest Minnesota Foundation
Robert & Barbara Peterson
Stanley* & Mil* Sahlstrom
June Shaver
Andrew & Elmer Wardeberg, In
Memoriam
Chancellors Society
(Lifetime Gifts of $25,000 - $99,999)
Altru Health System
American Crystal Sugar Company
Rose C. Anderson Estate
Bayer Corporation
Big Valley 4-H Cluster Fair, Inc.
Robert & Becky Cameron
Cy & Frances Carpenter
Richard Cecchettini & Nan Wille
Cenex Harvest States Foundation
Dak-Bev/PepsiAmericas, Inc.
Deutsche Banc Alex Brown, Inc.
Allan & Judy Dragseth
Doris & Gary Egbert
Walter & Elinor Fehr
Jeffrey Field
Kenton & Barbara Freberg
Harlene Hagen
Vicki Hagen
Bruce & Aase Hamnes
Robert Hoerner
Tom Hruby
Hugo’s
Gloria Hvidsten*
IBM Corporation
Paul Klodt
KROX Radio
Allan & Kathryn Larson
Carol Mack
Kathleen Mahon
Marion Ugland Mallinger Estate
Marvin Windows & Doors
Elaine Maruska
Michael & Barbara Menzhuber
Midwest Dairy Assn. (formerly
American Dairy Assn.)
Minnesota Approved Seed
Conditioner & Marketing Assn.
Northern Co-op Foundation
Roger & Gail Odegaard
Doug & Sandi Oman
Georgia Orton
Allen & Freda Pedersen
Albert O. Peterson*
Harold O. & Alma* Peterson
RiverView Healthcare Assn.
Robert G. Robinson*
Del & Judy Roelofs
Donald & Mary Beth Sargeant
Dr. Russell Sather*
Andrew Skaar
Larry & Sandra Smith
Phyllis Anderson Solee
Syngenta Crop Protection Inc.
Bill & Mary* Tyrrell
VFW Post 1902, Crookston
Gordon & Diane Viere
Allan H. & Barbara Ward/Ward
Charitable Trust
Barbara & Philip Weiler
Wise Option
William & Nancy Zats
Ambassadors Club
(Lifetime Gifts of $10,000 - $24,999)
3M Foundation Inc.
American Legion Post #20
Everett & Rejeanne Anderson
Marv & Diane Bachmeier
Benjamin & Ardelle* Bakkegard
David & Karen Bang
Don & Carrie Bang
Mark & Theresa Barens
BASF Corporation
Daniel & Rochelle Bauer
Percy & Colleen Blake
Lawrence Breen
Lyle* & Jeanne Brekken
Hilmer* & Hildegard Brost
Philip* & Ethel* Buckley
Peter & Karen Carlson
Cathedral of Immaculate
Conception (George & Cecil
Conati Sch)
Donald & Mary Cavalier
Centrol of Twin Valley
Alan Copa
Thomas Crane
Crookston Area Chamber of
Commerce
Crookston Development Authority
Crookston Jobs
Crookston National Bank
Crookston Rotary Club
Morris Dahl*
Dahlgren and Company, Inc.
Clifford Dahlsad*
John Doherty
Dow AgroSciences, LLC
Hannah Dowell*
Jack & Audrey Eickhof
Dr. Peter & Doris Fehr
Thomas & Kim Feiro
Glen & Marlys Finkenbinder
First State Bank of Fertile
Dona Fisher
George & Rae French
Arvin I. Gorden*
Edna Gudvangen Estate
Charles & Christine Habstritt
Delmar* & Eunice* Hagen
Hartz Foundation
Vanessa Heinecke
Stephanie Helgeson
David & Irene Hoff
Duane & Susan Hoff
Christopher J. Holland
Art* & Joyce Howard
Earl Hvidsten*
Kenneth & Patricia Johannson
Ray K. Johnson
Leanne Jordahl
Karen & Dean Jorgenson
Mary Louise Jorgenson*
Michelle Wilcox King
Albert Kopecky*
Land O’ Lakes, Inc.
Charles & Jorene Larson
Keith Magnuson
George & Karen Marx
Richard Maves
McDonald’s of Crookston - Mike &
Cindy O’Keefe
Gary & Nancy McVey
MDU Resources Fnd.
Rita Meyer
Catherine Meyers
Mid-State Chapter - MN Society
of CPA’s
Mid-Valley Grain Co-op
Andrew V. Miller
Minnesota Grain & Feed
Association
Maureen E. Murphy
Peter & Laurie Nordquist
North Central Food Systems, Inc.
Northwest Regional Development
Commission
Anne Nowlan
T.W.* & Mildred* Odegaard
Edwin & Mary Ann Odland
Catherine O’Link-Meyers & David
Meyers
Steven C. Olson
Richard Pals
Arnold & Pamela Paradis
Edwin Pearson*
Ralph & Mary Pester
PKM Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Polk County, Crookston
Courtney & Mary Pulkrabek
Reed Quern
Keith Ramberg
John & Ruth Reese
Robertson Brothers
Clarence & Edna Sargent
Eugene & Susan Scarberry
Gary & Carol Senske
Otilda Anderson Shadensack
Estate
Robert & Julie Smith
William* & Jean Strickler
W. Daniel & Vicki Svedarsky
Charles & Audrey* Sylvester
Ralph & Carole Taylor
The Andersons, Inc.
UMC Management Club
UMC Women’s Association
John & Janice Vallager
Roger Ward*
Karla Watson
Mark & Debra Wessels
Lyle & Susan Westrom
F. David Williams
Laurie & Daniel Wilson
Carol Windels
Harvey & Jeannine Windels
Bernard & Bernice* Youngquist
John & Deborah M. Zak
23

Champions Club
(Lifetime Gifts of $5,000 - $9,999)
Paul & Janet Aakre
Agriliance, LLC
American Federal Bank,
Crookston
Bonita* & Bruce Anderson
Anonymous
Association of American
Agricultural Insurers
Aventis Cropscience
Philip & JoAnn Baird
Bruce Beresford*
Biermaier Chiropractic Clinic -
Dr. Steve & Jana Biermaier
Jo Bolte
Kenneth E. & Harriet Broin
Ruth Menzhuber Buness*
John & Mary Bywater
Linda Chowdry
Brian Ciccone
City of Crookston
Bo & Margareta Crabo
Crookston Kiwanis
Crookston Noon Day Lions
Margaret Czachor
Margaret Drury
Robert & Diana Fehr
Dr. Colin Fennell
Cynthia Fossey
Fraternal Order of Eagles,
Crookston Aerie #873
Jack Frid
Michael & Connie Gasper
Grain Terminal Association
Art Greenberg
Orland & Vivian Hanson
David & Jean Haugo
Richard & Carole Hebert
Charles & Marlys Hiller
Charles & Bonnie* Holmquist
Alice & Joseph Hufstedler
Shelly Hughes
Johannson, Rust, Stock &
Rasmussen P.A.
Robert L. & Joan Johnson
Wendell & Penny Johnson
Richard Jordahl
Kim Kaug
Preston* & Patricia* Dollard King
Jerome & Mary Lynne* Knutson
Harold & Marjorie Lang
LESCO, Inc.
Elizabeth Luther
Herschel* & Yvonne Lysaker
Joseph & Virginia Massey
Nicolle McBlair
Midwest Coca-Cola Bottling
Company
Minnesota Nursery & Landscape
Fnd.
Minnesota Turf & Grounds Fnd.
Dr. Paul & Nancy Moran
Berneil Nelson
Robert & Gayle Nelson
Alan & G. Lorraine Nesland
Dr. Anton & Barbara Nesse
Northcentral Turfgrass Assn.
Northland Inn, Crookston
Northwest Agri-Dealers
Association
Northwest Feed Manufacturers
Association
Northwest Manufacturing, Inc.
Northwestern Stockmen’s Assn.
Odland, Fitzgerald, Reynolds &
Harbott
Marsha Odom
Randal L. Olson
Jeff Oseth
G. Milford Peterson Trust
The Pillsbury Company
Trish & Pete Ramstad
William & Jean Rath
Red River Valley Sugarbeet
Growers Assn.
Gilmore Restad Estate
Kathleen & Louis Rezzonico
Gerhard & Norma Ross
Jane Schock
Jack & Karen Sheehan
Simplot Shared Services AP
Arnold Skeie
Dr. Sara Sneed
Shannon & Jodi Stassen
State Farm Company Foundation
Wayne & JoAnn Swanson
Dr. Kari Torkelson
Twyla Treanor
Esther Tyrrell
Ultima Bank of Minnesota
Villa St. Vincent
Al* & JoAnn Westburg
Drs. Jane C. Widseth & R. Bruce
Partridge
Stephen Wright*
Dr. Paul & Mary Youngquist
Sponsors Club
(Lifetime Gifts of $2,500 - $4,999)
AGSCO, Inc.
Curtiss & Marlene Almlie
Anderson Beverages
Thomas E.* & Kirsten Anderson
John & Sharon Baldwin
Thomas Baldwin & Ardith Pelton
Kristen & Brent Bartsch
Connie Batten
Bill & Arlene Bayer
Marjorie Berendt
Howard & Cathy Bergerud
Cindy Bigger
Lon & Chris Boike
Robert* & Gladys Boucher
Central Livestock Association
Keith Chisholm
Charles Christians
Michelle & Mike Christopherson
Crookston Valley Cooperative,
Inc.
Michael & Michelle Curfman
Eugene & Mary Anne Dietz
Lisa & Marvin Drill
Sue & Paul Dwyer
Frederic & Rose Mary Eldridge
David & Peggy Engh
Marshall Evans*
First American Bank, Warren
GFG Foodservice, Inc.
GFWC Women’s Club
Dr. Peter & Ann Graham
Arlyss & Richard Grosz
Tyler & Rhea Grove
Corey & Michelle Hansen
Gilman* & Maxine* Hanson
Richard & Terry Hanson
Happy Joe’s of Crookston
HealthSouth Sports Medicine &
Rehabilitation Center
Ralph & Rene Heimer
Gary & Lori Hoerner
Paul & Alice Holm
Charles Horowitz
Harry Howard
David & Bertha Hsiao
Larry Huus*
Jeannie Jensen
Robert & JoAnn Jeska
Brenda Cruz Keith
Donald* & Donna Keith
Corby Kemmer & Sherry Just
Orvis & Carol Kloster
Dale & Mary Ann Knotek
Russell & Susan Kreager
Mark Kunkel
Florence Kuznia
Dr. Martha C. Larsen
Lowell & Carole Larson
Teri Lawson
Leonard, Street & Deinhard
Bernie Lieder
Betty Lundin
Patti Malme
Marshall County Crop
Improvement Assn.
Jennifer Marske
McKinnon Co., Inc.
Donald & Mary Medal
Philip Meyers
Midwest Dairy Association
JR Miller & Company
Minn-Dak Asphalt, Inc.
Minnesota Wheat
Research & Promotion
Council
Bruce & Marlys Mjoen
Lynnette Mullins
Donald & Ann Mykleby
Jerry Nagel & Brenda
Menier
Rodney & Nancy Nelson
Noah Insurance Service
Jacqueline & James
Normandin
Northern States Power
Scott & Denice Oliver
Glenn Olsen & Barbara
Hager-Olsen
Kramer W. Olsen
Sharon Olson
Susan Omdahl
Fred Ophus
Cindy Ostlie
PENTAIR, Inc.
Harvey Peterson
William C. & Debra Peterson
Alison Phillips
Thomas & Deborah Piche’
Marissa Pierce
Krista & Mike Proulx
Gary & Patricia Purath
Michelle Ramstad
William T. & Pearl Rasmussen
Red River Valley Potato Growers
Forest & Rose Reichel
John Reitmeier
Christine Renard
Marielle Robinson
Alex & Hollyn Rodeck
Alan Roebke
Elizabeth Roth
Dr. Daniel Rud
John & Lynel Schleicher
Saul Schubert
Richard & Faith Schwartz
Judith Schwieger
James E. Senske
Steele & Sherry Senske
Jim & Sharon Sims
Stephen & Judith Slack
Dorothy & Rodney Soderstrom
Sports, Etc.
James Sterriker
Subway, Crookston
Swanson, Ostlie and Associates
Jason & Renee Tangquist
Roger Thiem
Terry & Elizabeth Tollefson
Norman Torkelson
Peter Trick
Theresa Trocke
Rose & Marc Ulseth
UMC Horticulture Club
UMC Hospitality Club
Vaaler Insurance, Inc.
Lee & Sharon Wall
Pete Wasberg
24 www.umcrookston.edu

Moris & Diana Webster
West Polk County Crop
Improvement Assn.
Terri Weyer
Bonnie Wichterman
Widman’s Candy Shop
Edwin* & Janet* Widseth
Richard Widseth
Widseth Smith Nolting &
Associates
Charles & Ruth Wilder
XCEL Energy
David & Mary Yost
Associates Club
(Lifetime Gifts of $1,000 - $2,499)
David & Jan Aamoth
Adkins Equipment, Inc.
Aero Dyna-Kleen Services, Inc.
Agassiz Study Club
AGF Foundation
American Dairy Association, West
Polk County
American Family
American Legion, Fisher
Honorable Russell & Kristin
Anderson
Alton* & Georgine Arness
Vernon Askegard
Astec, Inc.
Dr. Robert & Rose Marie Baab
David Badman
Harvey & Elaine Baker
Claudia & Larry Barton
Everett & Edith Battles, In
Memoriam
Ed* & Ann Baumgartner
Eldo & Marlys Bentley
Howard & Verna Berg
Eddie & Barbara Bernhardson
Jeffrey & Julie Bigger
Kevin Bigger
Mark Bigger
Scott Bigger
Larry & Georgia Blatchford
John Blue
Gregory Boetcher
Karl* & Alice* Bornhoft
James & Patricia Bramley
Art & Nancy Brandli
Stephen & Lonnie Braseth
Betty Brecto
David Brictson
Roger* & Faith* Briden
Velmer S. Burton, Jr.
Wayne & Nancy Capistran
Mylo Carlson Family
Cerexagri, Inc.
Darlene R. Charron
Ray & June Christensen
Richard* & Myra Christenson
Vern & Claudia Cleveland
Coast-to-Coast Hardware,
Crookston
David & Trudy Crawford
Crookston Blue Line Club, Inc.
Crookston Dawn-to-Dusk Lions
Crookston Federal Land Bank
Crookston Pontiac-Buick-GMC
Crookston Scholarship Fund
R. Blake Crosby
Custom Aire Inc.
Robert Danielowski
Dan’s Flying Service
Stanley & Doris Davis
Del Vecchio Family
Delta Airlines Foundation
Gene Dessel
Alan Dexter
Elizabeth Deye
Mr. & Mrs. Harvey Diamond
Dirks, Inc.
Double S M, Inc.
Mark & Sheila Dufner
Andrew Dumas
Paul Eggebraaten
Duane* & Alice Ekman
Milton Ellinger
Donald & Theresa Enright
Erskine Shipping Assn.
Amber Evans-Dailey & Todd
Dailey
Jean Schullz Feagans
Mary & Chris Feller
Fine Print of Grand Forks, Inc.
Dale & Janice Finkenbinder
Glen & Marlys Finkenbinder
George & Kristi Flaskerud
Frito Lay Midwest North Region
David & Linnea Genereux
Leonard & Margaret Geske
Clark and Margaret* Gibb
Gold Star Steam Cleaning
Services
Golf Terrace Motel, Crookston
Marilyn Grave
Manvel & Delores Green
Harold Grotte
Dan & Stacey Grunewald
Allan & Pauline Gustafson
Theodore Haas
Cliff* & Marie Hagen
Marilyn Hagerty
Perry Haglund
Todd Halvorson (Happy Joe’s, GF)
A.O.* & Theresa Hamnes
Warren Hamrick & Sons
Duane & Karen Hanson
Lew Hanson, Jr.
Michael & Kathryn Hanson
Leonard Hapka
Brian & Hallie Harron
Jerry & Debbie Hasbrouck
Michael Hayes
Werner & Marian Hegstrom
Helena Chemical Company
David Hennings
Dennis Henrickson
Brad & Kari Heppner
James* & Clara Higgins
Barbara Hoefer
Pamela Holsinger-Fuchs & Tom
Fuchs
Raymond & Jean Hoppe
Douglas & Kaye Hvidsten
E. Paul & Katherine Imle
Vern & Marlene Ingvalson
Irishman’s Shanty
J. C. Penney Company
J. K. Sports
Helen Jackson
Jerry Jacobson
Marlyn & Marlys Jacobson
Marvin Jensen
Eric Johnson
Glenice Johnson
Lorne K. Johnson
Marlin* & Sandy Johnson
Willard & Geraldine Johnson
Larry Kennedy
L. “Bud” Kiecker
Lonn & Debra Kiel
Cathi Kietzman
Steven J. King
E. Duane & Faith Knott
Alton & Margretta Knutson
Dennis & Rose Koch
Kathleen Koebensky-Gauthier
Bernard Koltes
Kraft Foods, Inc.
Mitchell Kreps
Thrainn Kristjansson
Natasha Kuhle
Gladys LaCoursiere
Lakeview Farms, Roland &
Marland Rue
Doug Langer
Donna & David Larson
Charles & Paula Lariviere
David & Sue LeGare
Thomas & Patricia* Lenertz
John & Marie Leseth
Grant & Elizabeth Leydard
Lonewolf Management
Allen & Lorraine Love
Carl Lundeen*
Michael Maglich
Y. B. Magnusson, In Memoriam
Luke Maidment
Cecil Malme
Vern* & Patricia Markey
Adam & Crystal Maruska
Master Construction, Fargo
Marvin Mattson
Doris & Bill Matzke
Russell* & Eleanore* Maves
Maximum Impact
Don & Sue McCall
McIntosh Dairy & Farm Supply,
Inc.
Marilyn & Darol Melby
Douglas “Carl” & Maribeth
Melbye
Cleon & Jeri Melsa
Men’s Garden Club of Mpls.
MetaDynamics, Inc.
Michael & Kaye Lynn Meyer
Midcontinent Communications
Brian & Michelle Miller
Eugene & Arline Miller
Kenneth & Merle* Miller
Donald & Ruth Milner
Minnesota FFA Foundation
Ira & Marjorie Mjelde
Craig & Linda Morgan
Gerald & Jeanne Moritz
MPT Enterprises
Steven Mursu*
Pamela Neil
Mike & Jennifer Nelson
Timothy J. Nelson
Odell & Carol Nelson
Ness Cafe
Judith Ness
Howard Neumann
New Vision Fiberglass Inc., Grand
Forks
New York Football Giants, Inc.
Earl A. Newhouse*
Alan Nordell
Northern Paving, Inc.
Northwestern Minnesota
Agricultural Assoc.
Nufarm Americas, Inc.
Kathleen O’Brien & Jeffrey
Loesch
James O. Olson
Linda & Lonnie Olson
Dr. Ted & Lynnette Olson
Gerald & Carol Olsonawski
Larry & Janet Olsonawski
Mark & Andi Olsonawski
Harold & Jan Opgrand
Mark & Jody Osland
Bennett & Gloria Osmonson
Jerry Oxborough
Earl A. Patch
Ted & Joyce Paul
Kenneth Pazdernik
Arnold Pearson
Daniel Pedersen
Peoples State Bank of Warren
Blake Peterson
Harvey E. Peterson
Sherwood & Marilyn Peterson
Harold & Esther Petsch
Phoenix Industries, LTD
Chris Plante
Dr. Karl & Roxann Podratz
25

Polk County State Bank,
Crookston
Duane A. Preston
Paul* & Lois Proulx
James & Janice Pulkrabek
Willard & Pauline Purath
Mary B. Randall
Red River Horsebreeders Assn.
W. Howard Reese
Kristie Brekken Ricord
Royal & Karen Rivard
Rivard’s Quality Seeds, Inc.
Jon Rogelstad
Rohm & Haas Company
Truman Rolf*
David & Jocelyn Rolling
Rooters on Sale, Inc.
Annette Rother*
Mike & Kim Roysland
Rud Chiropractic Clinic,
Crookston
Robert & Matilda Rupp
Allen & JoAnn St. Germain
David & Denise St. Germain
John & Florence St. Germain
Paul & Janet St. Germain
Salem Motors, Inc.
Carrie Sample
Tricia & Scott Sanders
Bill & Patricia Sargeant
Perry Schermerhorn
Mario & Jill Schisano
David & Luann Schliep
Arley & Pat* Schultz
Lyndon & Lori Schultz
Tom & Gayle Schuster
Thomas Sczepanski
Kathryn Searight
Seed Systems, Inc.
C. W. & Margaret Seemann
Victoria Seltun
Russ & Doris Severson
David & Kathy Simon
Albert & Jane Sims
Sisters of Saint Benedict
Stephanie Smith
Arlen & LaVerne Sondrol
David Solberg
Franklin & Mary Sorensen
Jeff & Renae Sperling
David Spong
Virginia Stainbrook
John Stanko
Russell & Arlene Stansfield
State Bank of Shelly
Sharon Stewart
Stine Seed Farm
Orlan & Clarice Stolaas
Aaron Stover
Lee Sundberg
Lyle Swanson
Ernest Swift
Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc.
Wayne & Berget Taintor
Raymond* & Rosemary Tate
Terra International, Inc.
David & Jan Thom
Nancy Thomas
Ardis Thompson*
O. E.* & Dorothy Thorbeck
Murray & Patti Tiedemann
Ron & Sally Tobkin
Roger & Donna Ulseth
Uniroyal Chemical Co.
Janet L. Utech
Val & Myron Uttermark
Valent USA Corp.
Mr. & Mrs. Erwin Vanek
Vennes Farms, Inc.
M. Jerome Voxland
Raymond Walter
Weiss Farms, Arlan & Gary
Weiss
Dean* & Shirley Widseth
Donald & Audrey Wieland
Linda Wiggins
Linda & Greg* Wilkens
Gary & Lynn Willhite
Owen & Linda Williams
Gary & Ward Wilson
Arnold & Lillian Wolden
Audrey Wolfe Estate
Warren & Beatta* Woolery
Ye Ole Print Shoppe, Inc.
Conrad Zak
Franklin & Gloria Zak
Greg Zak
Charles & Dolores Zammert
DeAnn Zavoral
Bob Zelenka
Gary Zitzer*
*Deceased
Read the Torch Online
Annual Gifts
Gold Club
(Annual Gift of $2,500 or more)
Agrium Advanced Technologies
(U.S.) Inc.
Altru Health System
Bremer Bank
Charles H. Casey & Barbara J.
Muesing
CHS Foundation
Fraternal Order of Eagles
Charles & Christine Habstritt
Bruce & Aase Hamnes
Corey & Michelle Hansen
Hugo’s
KROX Radio
G. Lorraine Nesland
Lester & June Nielsen
Peter & Laurie Nordquist
Northwest Manufacturing Inc.
Roger & Gail Odegaard
Mike & Cindy O’Keefe
Steven C. Olson
Otter Tail Power Co.
Harris A. Peterson
RiverView Healthcare Assn.
Simplot Shared Services AP
Charles Sylvester
Teambackers
Bill & Mary Tyrrell
Ultima Bank of Minnesota
Mark & Debra Wessels
John & Deborah M. Zak
Maroon Club
(Annual Gift of $1,000 - $2,499)
Marv & Diane Bachmeier
Thomas Baldwin & Ardith Pelton
Daniel & Rochelle Bauer
Hilmer* & Hildegard Brost
Ethel M. Buckley*
Cargill Inc.
Donald & Mary Cavalier
Crookston Area Chamber of
Commerce
Crookston National Bank
Crookston Rotary Club
Del Vecchio Family
Jack & Audrey Eickhof
Amber Evans-Dailey & Todd
Dailey
Thomas & Kim Feiro
Frito Lay Midwest North Region
David Haugo
Richard & Carole Hebert
Stephanie Helgeson
Richard P. Maves
MDU Resources Foundation
Midcontinent Communications
Mid-State Chapter-MN Society
of CPA’s
Midwest Dairy Association
MN Approved Seed Conditioner
and Mktg Assn.
Craig & Linda Morgan
Donald & Ann Mykleby
Berneil Nelson
Randal L. Olson
Jeff Oseth
PKM Electric Cooperative Inc.
Donald & Mary Beth Sargeant
Shannon & Jodi Stassen
W. Daniel & Vicki Svedarsky
Nancy Thomas
Dr. Kari Torkelson
Esther Tyrrell
Vaaler Insurance Inc.
John & Janice Vallager
Lyle & Susan Westrom
Dr. Paul & Mary Youngquist
*Deceased
You can read the Torch, the alumni magazine for the Northwest School of
Agriculture and the University of Minnesota, Crookston online by visiting:
http://issuu.com/umcrookston or on the U of M, Crookston Web site at
www.umcrookston.edu/alumni/torch
If you would prefer to receive your Torch online only, contact
Elizabeth Tollefson at 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)
26 www.umcrookston.edu

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UPCOMING EVENTS
MAY 6.................................GRAD DANCE
MAY 7.................................COMMENCEMENT
JUNE 25.............................NORTHWEST SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE ALUMNI REUNION
HONORING THE CLASS OF 1961 ON THEIR 50 YEAR REUNION
SEPT. 30-OCT. 1..............HOMECOMING WEEKEND
what is virtual today could be real tomorrow.
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