alumni review spring 2015

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Spring 2015 INSIDE: Maxwell Anderson: From high school teacher to Broadway. See page 10. AIM HIGH Capt. Nicholas Eberling, ‘06, is flying high as a new member of the elite U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. P. 6

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The newest Thunderbird pilot is UND grad Capt. Nicholas Eberling. Also in this issue, the fascinating life of playwright Maxwell Anderson.

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Page 1: Alumni Review Spring 2015

Spring 2015 INSIDE: Maxwell Anderson: From high school teacher to Broadway. See page 10.

AIM HIGHCapt. Nicholas Eberling, ‘06, is flying high as a new member of the elite U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.P. 6

Page 2: Alumni Review Spring 2015

contents

departments

features

Find the Flame: We’ve cleverly hidden the UND flame somewhere on our cover (hint: it’s not the one in the Alumni Association logo). Find it for a chance to win a prize! Simply e-mail [email protected] and give a detailed description of the flame’s location. Subject line: Found the flame. We’ll let you know if you’ve won.

ALUMNI REVIEW | VOL. 98 NO. 1 | SPRING 2015

inside this issue

4 Message from DeAnna Spring forward.

18 What’s New News from around campus.

30 UND Proud Points of pride on the UND campus.

38 Alumni News Who’s doing what: News about your fellow classmates.

48 In Memoriam

6 Fabulous Thunderbird

Capt. Nicholas Eberling, ‘06, is

the newest member of the elite

U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.

By Juan Miguel Pedraza

10 The Critics’ Choice

80 years ago, a former small-town

North Dakota school teacher became

the toast of Broadway.

By Milo Smith

16 Eyewitness to History

UND grad Maggie Lowery shares her

experiences of growing up in the South

during the Civil Rights Movement.

By Juan Miguel Pedraza

| Alumni Review Spring 20152

Page 3: Alumni Review Spring 2015

Be th

e Im

pact

30 Challenge Accepted Thanks to our generous investors, the UND Alumni Association & Foundation met the state’s higher education matching fund challenge. By Muriel Kingery

34 Meet a Student Steph Lee, a UND senior, takes full advantage of all the University has to offer.

UND ALUMNI ASSOCIATION & FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS ChairKris Compton, ’77

Vice ChairJody Feragen, ’78

Directors: Dean Beckstead, ‘65; Cindy Blikre, ‘91; Steve Burian, ’90, ’92; Marc Chorney, ’81; Sara Garland, ‘68, ‘72; Phil Gisi, ‘82; Dr. John Gray, ‘87; Marten Hoekstra, ‘82; Chuck Kluenker; Linda Laskowski, ’72, ’73; Rick Lee, ‘78; Doug Mark, ’86; Rob Mitchell, ‘74; Jennifer Neppel, ’86; Carrie McIntyre Panetta, ’88; Fernanda Philbrick, ’94, ‘96; Doug Podolak, ’72; Cathy Rydell, ’88; Lisa Wheeler, ’75, ’82; and Terri Zimmerman, ’85.

Ex Officio: Laura Block, ’81, ’10; Alice Brekke, ’79, ’87; Robert O. Kelley; DeAnna Carlson Zink, ‘86; Tom DiLorenzo; Lori Reesor; Susan Walton and Dr. Joshua Wynne.

The University of North Dakota Alumni Review (USPS 018089: ISSN 0895-5409) is published quarterly by the University of North Dakota Alumni Association, 3501 University Avenue, Stop 8157, Grand Forks, ND 58202-8157.

Periodical postage paid at Grand Forks, ND 58201 and other offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Alumni Review, 3501 University Avenue, Stop 8157, Grand Forks, ND 58202-8157.

For inquiries about advertising, additional copies, reprints, submissions, or general comments, contact 800.543.8764, 701.777.0831 or [email protected].

CEODeAnna Carlson Zink, ’86

EditorMilo Smith

Associate EditorAlyssa Konickson, ’06

DesignerSam Melquist

Contributing WritersJuan Miguel Pedraza, ‘02

Alyssa Konickson, ’06Amy Halvorson

Milo SmithMuriel Kingery

Contributing PhotographyJackie LorentzSam Melquist

Shawna Noel Schill, ’06Reggie Paulk

Sarah Kittleson

3www.UNDalumni.org |

Page 4: Alumni Review Spring 2015

DEANNA’S letterSPRING FORWARD

SPRING FORWARDDear Alumni & Friends,

Greetings from the UND campus, where we eagerly await the arrival of spring. This winter has not been an especially rough one by North Dakota standards, but still, by the end of February we are ready for some warmer temps.

As a farm girl from northwestern Minnesota, I know well that the transition from winter to spring is a time when farmers plan for the upcoming planting season. We have done some planning of our own here at the UND Alumni Association & Foundation as we’ve taken stock of what we’ve accomplished with your help in recent years and the goals we should establish for the future.

GoalsAs we look back at recent history, we have plenty of which to be

proud. In our most recent fiscal year, we eclipsed $40 million in new business for the fourth consecutive year (new business includes new gifts, pledges, grants and bequests).

In comparison, 20 years ago the UND Foundation reported $6.6 million in gifts during fiscal year 1994. Even adjusting for inflation, we’ve made great strides in fundraising for the benefit of students, faculty and staff of the University of North Dakota.

One area that we will focus on as part of our strategic planning is to increase the number of donors to UND. In FY 2014, 11,741 alumni, friends and corporations made donations to the UND Foundation. Twenty years ago, the number of investors was just over 9,000. Given the increase in the number of our alumni over the past two decades, we’d like to see participation even higher. We have set a goal of increasing our donor count 7.5 percent during each of the next four years.

It’s an aggressive goal, especially considering that investor participation has stayed relatively flat over the past few years and nationally alumni giving rates fell by half from 1990 to 2013 (Source: Council for Aid to Education).

Our donors give for multiple reasons and to many different areas of campus, from Athletics to the Writers Conference. Despite the variety of their gifts, donors agree that making a difference at their

alma mater gives them a deep sense of pride and fulfillment. It will be our job to show people the impact they can have on students of today – and the future – if we hope to increase our alumni participation.

We hope you’ll join us in making a difference at UND.

undalumni.orgVisitors to our website, www.undalumni.org, have been treated

to a new design and a more interactive experience. Our staff put in months of work to get the new website ready for its debut, and I think you’ll find much to like regarding the new site.

You can update your contact information, find old friends from your college days, read archived issues of the Alumni Review, make an online donation, and register for alumni gatherings and events around the country.

The site is mobile-friendly, so you shouldn’t be frustrated if you access it from your phone or tablet. The upgrade has also allowed us to spruce up the AroUND e-newsletter, which you can start receiving every other Wednesday if you update your contact information on the website. Check out the new site and let us know what your think!

We wish you all the best as we head toward spring. Please visit us any time at your Gorecki Alumni Center. I hope to see you at one of our alumni events or at a game or pregame party soon.

Yours truly,

DeAnna Carlson Zink, ’86, CFREUND Alumni Association & Foundation CEOE-mail: [email protected]

4 | Alumni Review Spring 2015

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Saturday, April 25, 2015 | Alerus Center Arena www.undalumni.org/championsball

Mingle with coaches & student-athletes.Bid on exclusive UND auction items.

Dance to Minneapolis band Power of 10.See the transformation of UND & Grand Forks.

Support UND Athletics scholarships.

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FEATURE storyFABULOUS THUNDERBIRD

Fabulous ThunderbirdCapt. Nicholas Eberling, ’06, is the newest member of the elite U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.

By Juan Miguel Pedraza

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FEATURE storyFABULOUS THUNDERBIRD

Today, he’s flying inches from his teammates in a tight formation.

Not long ago, he was flying close air support missions during tours in Afghanistan, racking up

more than 500 hours of aerial combat time. Capt. Nicholas Eberling, a proud graduate of

the UND aviation program and a fighter pilot, is now a member of one of the world’s most elite flying teams, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.

“I spent time after graduating from UND flying corporate and commuter aircraft and in aircraft sales,” said Eberling, who graduated with honors in 2006.

Eberling was selected last year from a pool of more than a thousand pilots to be a member of the Thunderbirds, officially known as the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron. He will spend the Thunderbirds show season, which started with a flyover of the Super Bowl, as the opposing solo pilot. The solo pilots perform maneuvers that showcase the capabilities of the F-16 aircraft.

UND PROUD“I genuinely enjoyed my time spent at UND,”

said Eberling, who visited UND with his wife, Amy, last year.

“It was her first visit to North Dakota, and I wanted to show her around the University that I have brought up so many times in conversation since graduating in 2006,” said Eberling, who’s now the proud dad of a little girl, Isla.

“After checking out a lot of other schools, I chose to attend UND for the well-balanced

quality of overall education it provided and the ability to interact with and learn from people that chose to study many diverse topics aside from aviation,” Eberling said.

“I wouldn’t change a thing!” he exclaimed. “My very favorite part of the four years spent studying at UND was definitely interacting with the wide variety of people that attended the University, and experiencing the importance of seeking balance in life.”

A LIFETIME OF FLYINGFor Eberling — who’s been flying “since

before I could walk” with his father, an Air Force veteran and an airline pilot — balance means doing a lot more than flying. Committed to community service as well as military service, Eberling finds time to visit schools and hospitals and talks to lots of kids about his service experiences. He’s also been involved in Make-a-Wish Foundation activities.

“From a pilot’s perspective, it’s an absolute dream come true, and a total adrenaline rush, and the ultimate feeling of freedom. The jet is a ride like no other.”

- Capt. Nicholas Eberling

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But for the next couple of years, his Thunderbirds F-16 is always awaiting its eager pilot — and Eberling, who got his pilot’s license before his driver’s license, can point to the squadron’s busy show season to prove it.

A DREAM COME TRUE“As the opposing solo for the team (Thunderbird 6),

I work with lead solo Major Jason Curtis (Thunderbird 5) to showcase the raw performance of the F-16 and the maneuverability of modern U.S. Air Force fighter aircraft,” Eberling said.

“From a pilot’s perspective, it’s an absolute dream come true, and a total adrenaline rush, and the ultimate feeling of freedom,” Eberling said. “The jet is a ride like no other.”

According to the Air Force Thunderbirds website, a Thunderbirds officer serves a two-year tour of duty. To ensure continuity and a smooth transition, three of the six demonstration pilots typically change each year. Each officer must submit comprehensive career records and letters of recommendation in their applications, which are screened by the Thunderbirds commander/leader and Air Force senior leaders. Prospective pilots are also screened for flying experience and ability.

Before joining the team, Eberling was an F-15E evaluator pilot and flight commander at 334th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. He has logged more than 1,600 flight hours in the F-16C/D, F-15E, and T-6 aircraft, with more than 500 hours of combat experience. Eberling is in his first season with the team, and hails from Ashburn, Va. AR

Photos: U.S. Air Force

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FEATURE storyTHE CRITICS’ CHOICE

The Critics’ Choice

The impressive staging of Winterset at the Martin Beck Theatre in New York City in 1935.

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The Critics’ Choice

Eighty years ago, playwright Maxwell Anderson, fresh off a

Pulitzer Prize, wrote his finest work.

By Milo Smith

Twenty years after Maxwell Anderson graduated from UND in 1911, he was on a roll in New York City. The 1930s started with the New York premiere of the first of his Tudor dramas, Elizabeth the

Queen, and ended with Key Largo in 1939, the basis for the 1948 Humphrey Bogart/Lauren Bacall film of the same name.

Anderson’s creative output from 1933 to 1936 took his talent to its highest level, putting him on par, according to biographer Alfred S. Shivers, with Eugene O’Neil, the four-time Pulitzer Prize-winner and Nobel laureate in Literature. By Shivers’ reckoning, “[Anderson’s] only superior in tragic drama in America was O’Neill, whom he surpassed, however, in having the crucial gift of poetry; therefore, Anderson’s graceful dialogue lifts the spirit and imagination whereas O’Neil’s does not.” (“Maxwell Anderson,” Shivers, 1976)

Eighty years ago, in the fall of 1935, Anderson’s Winterset debuted, believed by many to be his crowning achievement, and one that found inspiration in a chance conversation with an old UND chum.

Early DaysThat Anderson might one day be the toast of

Broadway was not entirely evident during his UND days, although it was written in the 1912 Dakota annual that Anderson “…was never known to lose confidence in the world’s appreciation.”

Anderson was an Arts major at UND, edited the 1912 annual that included several of his poems and a short story, was a founding member of the Sock and Buskin Society, a theatrical group organized by Professor Frederick H. Koch, and worked for the Grand Forks Herald newspaper.

Though he would write two senior plays at UND that showed a hint of his future career, upon graduation Anderson, now married to his college sweetheart, Margaret Haskett, took a job as the principal and English teacher at Minnewaukan, a small North Dakota town near Devils Lake.

Photos courtesy of the Elwyn B. Robinson Dept. of Special Collections

at the UND Chester Fritz Library.

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FEATURE storyTHE CRITICS’ CHOICE

The Andersons lasted only two years in Minnewaukan. Maxwell was dismissed for sharing his anti-war sentiments with students on the eve of World War I, so the family moved to California where Maxwell attended Stanford University to secure his master’s degree in English. His thesis bore the title “Immortality in the Plays and Sonnets of Shakespeare.”

Anderson would again turn to teaching to pay the bills, first at a San Francisco high school and then at Whittier College, where his pacifism again put him on the wrong side of the administration. Though regional and national publications were publishing his poems, it did not pay the bills, so Anderson found work in the newspaper business, eventually landing a job in New York City at the end of 1918.

The Roaring ’20sAnderson worked in New York as an editorial and review

writer for New Republic, then the daily Globe and eventually the New York World. He also was a co-founder of The Measure: A Journal of Poetry. By any measure, Anderson found success in New York.

The motivation for becoming a playwright was, by Anderson’s own admission, a monetary one. A neighbor had received a $500 advance on his first play. After hearing it read aloud, Anderson was not impressed and figured he could do better.

His first effort, White Desert, however, was a flop. Based on his wife’s story about her parents’ struggle with a mining claim in North Dakota, Anderson did, however, get his $500 advance for the play. White Desert is notable for Anderson’s decision to write in blank verse, the first example of what biographer Shivers calls the “glorious Andersonian compromise.” If Anderson could not make money with his first love, poetry, he would instead periodically write plays in blank verse, a nod to his literary hero Shakespeare.

Though White Desert closed after only 12 performances, it led to his first Broadway hit, the World War I comedy-drama What Price Glory, written with fellow New York World writer Laurence Stallings, in 1924. Besides being a hit, the play is also notable for the uproar it caused for its use of profanity. Religious groups, the mayor of New York, and the U.S. District Attorney objected to the coarse language. Audiences, however, loved the play and it ran for more than 400 performances. That success allowed Anderson to quit his newspaper and poetry magazine jobs and focus on being a full-time dramatist.

The rest of his plays of the 1920s were not written in verse. Outside of one, Saturday’s Children (1927), none were very successful either.

Prime DecadeAnderson hit on a way to return to his

beloved verse at the start of the 1930s. He came to realize that poetic tragedies were rarely written about current events and in current times. Thus he wrote the period drama Elizabeth the Queen (1930).

In 1933, Anderson won the Pulitzer Prize for Both Your Houses, a political satire in which the protagonist, freshman Representative Alan McClean of Nevada, fights a losing battle against pork-barrel spending.

Both Your Houses showed Anderson’s versatility as he again abandoned his preference to write in blank verse. He would

return to that form with two other plays in 1933, Mary of Scotland and Valley Forge.

The fact that he wrote two plays and opened a third in the same year is an impressive feat, especially when you consider that Anderson wrote everything long-hand (And not in very good handwriting at that: The Maxwell Anderson Papers in the Chester Fritz Library include a diary kept during the writing of Mary of Scotland — completed in just five weeks — in which his typist, second wife Gertrude, writes that she was “cursing” trying to read his scribbles). To add to Anderson’s legend as a tireless writer, he also penned two movie screenplays in 1933, Death Takes a Holiday and We Live Again.

WintersetIn 1935, Anderson would debut what critics hold up as

his finest play, Winterset. Anderson had believed that it would be difficult to write a verse play in a contemporary setting, theorizing that poetic verse in a modern setting would detract from the realism he wanted the audience to experience without it having a far-away feeling. Despite his own misgivings, Winterset was a poetic tragedy set under the Brooklyn Bridge in a slum neighborhood of Depression-era New York City.

Winterset was inspired by the Sacco-Vanzetti affair in which two Italian-born anarchists were convicted of murdering a guard and a paymaster during the armed robbery of a Massachusetts shoe factory in 1920. It became widely believed that the men had

Anderson as a young playwright.

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been wrongly convicted, but they were still executed in 1927. In a 1956 taped interview with the Oral History Office at

Columbia University, Anderson credited an old UND classmate with sparking his interest in writing Winterset. Anderson told the interviewer that a Boston lawyer and “old friend” named Montgomery had told him that the judge who sentenced Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti was “just about out of his mind.” Anderson told the interviewer, “That really gave me the idea for the judge, and then for the rest of it.”

In Winterset, protagonist Mio, played by Anderson’s friend Burgess Meredith, is searching for evidence that his father did not commit the murder for which he was executed. His search leads him to a slum under a massive bridge where a witness to the murder lives with his sister, Miriamne, who Mio falls in love with. The arrival of the raving Judge Gaunt at the end of the first act sets up the rest of the drama.

By the end of the third act, Mio has decided to withhold what he has learned about Miriamne’s brother’s involvement in the murder of his father out of consideration for her. He expresses his love moments before being gunned down outside her apartment:

I came here seekinglight in the darkness,running from the dawn,and stumbled on a morning.

Winterset would receive the first-ever New York Drama Critics’ Circle award. The award came about because New York critics were dissatisfied with the annual winners of the Pulitzer Prize for drama. New York critics had been especially outraged that Anderson’s Mary of Scotland had been passed over in 1933 (source: dramacritics.org).

The Anderson Files

In the two years before he died, Max-well Anderson began donating a treasure trove of documents to the Chester Fritz Library. The photos of set and costume designs and note-books containing his handwritten manu-

scripts and diaries give a fascinating look into the way Anderson worked during his years as a playwright and screenwriter.

Curt Hanson, head of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, says the department had been started only a few years before Anderson began donating material in 1956.

“Our department began with members of the History Department going out and talking with people, sending letters, and soliciting collections,” said Hanson. “Maxwell Anderson, being a very prominent alum of the University, is one of the people who was approached.”

Hanson says one of his favorite parts of the collection is Anderson’s handwritten manu-script for his play The Bad Seed. Though Ander-son dismissed it as a “pot-boiler,” the play about a murderous child was a hit that ran for 334 performances on Broadway. It was made into an Oscar-nominated film in 1956, and may have been the inspiration for the 1992 movie The Good Son, starring Macaulay Culkin.

The original “Love Letter to a University,” sent by Anderson to UND shortly before his death, is also on permanent display on the fourth floor of the Chester Fritz library.

Hanson says the Maxwell Anderson Papers fit perfectly with the department’s mission to provide access to historical materials. “We are trying to preserve history, historical materials, that anyone, whether they be a student, an alum, or a prominent theatre historian, can come and look at.”

The handwritten diary Anderson kept while writing Mary of Scotland is one of the

treasures contained in the Maxwell Anderson Papers at the Chester Fritz Library.

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FEATURE storyTHE CRITICS’ CHOICE

The critics who gathered to pick the first winner included such notables as Robert Benchley, Walter Winchell and Brooks Atkinson. They chose Winterset over Robert Sherwood’s Idiot’s Delight, which took that year’s Pulitzer.

In his acceptance speech, Anderson acknowledged that his play was not a unanimous choice, saying he was not sorry that there were dissenting votes.

“I am aware that Winterset is far from a perfect play,” Anderson said. “It’s an experiment, an attempt to twist raw, modern reality to the shape and meaning of poetry.

“… Still I like it better than any other play I’ve had my name on. Even a playwright’s reach should exceed his grasp occasionally, and fools who rush in where wise men fear to tread will sometimes find themselves in the vanguard of wisdom.”

Anderson would follow up his masterpiece with another New York Drama Critics’ Circle award for High Tor in 1936. Anderson would write six more plays before the end of the 1930s, including Knickerbocker Holiday, a musical with composer Kurt Weill that showed off another side of Anderson’s versatility.

A Musical Knickerbocker Holiday ran for only

168 performances, but its lasting legacy has been September Song. Sung by Walter Huston as the villain Peter Stuyvesant, it has been covered by many of music’s biggest stars, including Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and James Brown. Huston’s granddaughter, Oscar-winner Angelica Huston, even put her own stamp on the song, singing it in 2012 on the NBC television show Smash.

One of the fascinating items in the Maxwell Anderson papers at the Chester Fritz Library (see p. 13) is the original handwritten manuscript of Knickerbocker Holiday. Even if you can decipher Anderson’s handwriting, you won’t find the famous song in this draft of the play. September Song was added at the request of Huston, who felt his character should have a solo song. Anderson and Weill wrote it in just a couple of hours (source: Lives of

the Great Songs, Tim De Lisle (Editor), 1995, Trafalgar Square Publishing).

With Key Largo in 1939, Anderson’s most creative and most prolific period came to an end. He would write many more plays with varying success. The most notable would be Joan of Lorraine (1946), Anne of a Thousand Days (1948) and The Bad Seed (1954).

Joan of ArcJoan of Lorraine bears mention as the only play of his own

that Anderson adapted for the screen. In fact, in negotiating with Ingrid Bergman to star on Broadway, he promised her the lead in the film as well. Bergman, already a star from Casablanca (1942) and For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943), and an Oscar winner for

Burgess Meredith and Margo Albert starred as Mio Romagna and Miriamne Esdras in Anderson’s masterpiece, Winterset.

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Gaslight (1944), won a Tony award for the role of Mary Grey, an actress playing Joan of Arc in the play-within-a-play structure of Joan of Lorraine.

Though he co-wrote the screenplay for the movie Joan of Arc, Anderson was not happy with the outcome. The play-within-a-play structure was dropped for the 1948 movie, and Anderson was particularly unhappy that director Victor Fleming and Bergman changed much of his dialogue. He is said to have called Bergman a “big, dumb, goddamn Swede!” (Although the source of this quote is indeterminate, Anderson did write to reviewer John Mason Brown that “She (Bergman) had the power to wreck it and she did. Moreover, she’s completely unscrupulous.” (“Dramatist in America: Letters of Maxwell Anderson, 1912-1958,” Edited by Laurence G. Avery, 1977.))

The Bad SeedIn 1954, Anderson had one last hit, The Bad Seed. Anderson

called the adaption of William March’s novel a “pot-boiler,” done in the name of making money. But biographer Shivers says Anderson “does not give himself enough credit” for the gripping tale of a murderous child.

Then again Anderson appeared to never be satisfied with his work. He told the interviewer from the Oral History Collection at Columbia University in 1956, “I don’t think I ever wrote a

masterpiece. I’m still hoping to write a good one.” (“Dramatist in America: Letters of Maxwell Anderson, 1912-1958”)

Critics and theatergoers who returned two and three times to see Winterset in 1935 would likely disagree.

Love Letter to a UniversityBy the winter of 1958, Anderson was suffering from the

flu and had to cancel a planned trip to Grand Forks to receive an honorary doctorate from his alma mater on the 75th anniversary of the school’s founding. Anderson had been back to the state only once since leaving in 1913. He’d driven a car from California to New York in 1947 and took a detour to Minnewaukan and Grand Forks.

When he realized he would not be able to attend the November 1958 UND event, Maxwell penned his “Love Letter to a University” (the original document is part of the Maxwell Anderson Papers at the Chester Fritz Library).

“By my own standards,” Anderson wrote, “I have not gone very far or achieved very much, but as a farmer or banker I’d have been a most unhappy man — and so I write this note of grateful appreciation to my alma mater, thanking it for being there when I needed it so badly, and for supplying hope to the current crop of youngsters as they come to it from the windy plains.”

Three months later, Maxwell Anderson died at the age of 70 after suffering a stroke. His family amended a verse from his poem Epilogue (1924) for his tombstone:

Children of dust astray among the starsChildren of earth adrift upon the nightWhat is there in our darkness or our lightTo linger in prose or claim a singing breathSave the curt history of life isled in death AR

Anderson, his second wife, Gertrude, and their daughter, Hesper. Hesper was nominated for an Oscar in 1987 for co-writing the movie Children of a Lesser God. She also wrote a book, South Mountain Road, in 2002 detailing her mother’s suicide.

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FEATURE storyEYEWITNESS TO HISTORY

W ith a brilliant smile that frames a great sense of humor, Maggie Lowery, a graduate of UND’s Home Economics program in the 1970s, has worked all over the country — seeing bad times

and good.Today, Lowery, who’s taught school, been a social worker,

and also served as an officer and program director in several state juvenile facilities, is back teaching again.

“I’m teaching a course about civil rights for the OLLI@UND program,” says Lowery, who holds a master’s degree from Auburn. OLLI is the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute based in the UND Office of Extended Learning.

Growing up in rural Alabama in the 1950s and ‘60s, not too far from Selma, Lowery learned firsthand about civil rights and racism, but decided early on to keep her composure, her sense of humor and, she notes enthusiastically, her work ethic.

Lowery wasn’t dreaming about a college education when a former student from her high school who had received his degree at UND gave a presentation at her school. The student had gone to UND under an innovative exchange program between UND and Grambling State College, a

historically black college in Louisiana.“He told several of us that we should apply to the

University of North Dakota, and I did, and I got in!” she says. “I was thrilled and really enjoyed the experience because I had grown up in a place where there were black people and there were white people — UND had such a diverse population, and I made a lot of friends from other cultures, other places.”

“However, I lived on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and garden salads for a couple of months because the food up here was foreign to me — it definitely wasn’t Southern cooking,” says Lowery, who says she loves to cook.

Lowery’s prairie adventure included visiting Indian reservations with Native American classmates who befriended her.

Among her many skills, Lowery counts sewing, which she did for a living after working in Santa Cruz, Calif., at a juvenile facility.

“I started sewing on the side — I’d been sewing since I was a little girl — and once I sewed a wedding dress for a friend, I got real busy, so I got a business license and went into it full time, right out of my home,” Lowery says. That lasted until the big Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989, which devastated northern California, including the Santa

Civil Rights leaders, including Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. (left) lead the March on Washington in 1963.

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Cruz region. “That was it for my business, so I moved back to Alabama.”

After stints teaching and working in magnet schools around the country, Lowery decided to go back to school to earn her Ph.D. and to write a book about her travels and experiences around the country. The book, titled “Pressing My Way Throughout America” (the title is based on an old spiritual), is done and heading for the publisher, she says.

Lowery, who got a firsthand look at the civil rights revolution in the South and shook Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s hand several times, says her experiences in Alabama and elsewhere in the United States clearly taught her that racism is real.

“But I’ve also made many friends, white, black, Latino, along the way and learned that there are good people everywhere,” she says with a big smile.

Her OLLI course is a series of lectures and films on the civil rights movement in the southern United States from 1954-65. Participants view film footage from the Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King bus boycotts. Lowery also includes footage of the March on Washington, D.C., images of demonstrators on the Edmond Pettis Bridge in Selma, and of the 25,000 people who marched from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. AR

Eyewitness to History

UND grad Maggie Lowery, ’79, shares her perspectives on growing up in the South during the Civil Rights Movement.

By Juan Miguel Pedraza

Photo: National Archives

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What’s NewFeast of Nations has grown from humble roots in 1961 to a must-attend event that helps

chase away the winter doldrums. The annual Feast of Nations celebrates foods from around the globe, culture, community and diversity. More than 1,000 people attended this year’s event held on Feb. 7. You can read about it on page 27.

CAMPUS newsNEWS FROM AROUND CAMPUS

News from around campus A Partnership with the Division of University and Public Affairs

Photo: Shawna Noel Schill

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In a word, the University of North Dakota is VIBRANT. We are strong, vigorous, and our future is bright.

That is the message that I delivered in January to the House Appropriations Committee of the North Dakota Legislature.

Let me give you just two examples:• In January, we had our largest-ever first-day spring

enrollment: 13,816 students. Our priority for the past few years has been to stabilize enrollment and to increase the quality of the freshman class. With our increased recruitment and scholarship efforts, our freshman class has the highest average ACT score (23.8) and the highest average GPA (3.4) in UND’s history. We also have our most diverse class of freshmen.

• In addition, we are working hard to ensure students are successful at UND, staying with us to become sophomores, juniors and seniors, and, ideally, graduating in four years. As a result of intentional efforts, UND retained nearly 80 percent of last year’s freshmen. That’s up from 75 percent — a huge increase in just one year.

To do our best by our students, we need to continue to be an even more vibrant and vigorous university. That was the message that I shared with the campus during the State of the University address in February. I outlined five core institutional goals and some metrics for the next five years:

• Equipping students for success. For example, we will increase the retention of first-year freshmen to 90 percent and increase the percentage of students who graduate in four years.

• Providing programs that people need and want, where and when they want them, which will help us increase the overall enrollment to 16,000 students.

• Building a world-class research institution. We will move up in the Carnegie rankings and become a Very High Research University. We will get there by increasing our annual sponsored program expenditures to $125 million (compared to $99.1 million in FY14).

• With the help of the UND Alumni Association and Foundation, we’ll add $100 million to the endowment for scholarships and named chairs.

• And, as good stewards of state resources, we’ll focus on building capacity and human and space resources, such as renovating 100 classrooms by 2020.

These are stretch goals, to be sure, but I’m convinced that we are on the right trajectory. This is our 2020 Vision for the future — our Road to Exceptional.

Nickname and Logo Process Recommendation Task Force

The Nickname and Logo Process Recommendation Task Force completed its work and forwarded to me the final report, which you can find at http://und.edu/university-public-affairs/_files/docs/task-force-final-report.pdf. I want to thank the 13 task force members for their many hours of time and the hard, thoughtful work they put in over the past few months. I am grateful for their service to the University. I also want to thank the more than 8,000 people who took part in the work of the task force by attending town hall meetings and responding to the online survey. The group gathered an enormous amount of input, which they made good use of as they considered and generated their recommendations.

Task force members provided some very solid recommendations, and we are committed to moving forward. In early March, I appointed a new committee to help with the process. You can follow the committee’s work at und.edu/university-public-affairs/nickname.

Thank you!You can see why I am excited about the many great things

happening here at the University of North Dakota. It is my privilege to serve as president during an unprecedented time of positive change. We couldn’t get to this point, of course, without your help.

Thank you for all that you do to help us create an Exceptional UND.

Best wishes,

Robert O. KelleyPresident

DEARALUMNI & FRIENDS

President Robert Kelley

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iffany Swarmer squeezed into an analog space suit, climbed the jagged surface of a Hawaiian volcano, lost three pounds doing it, and laughs today about that unique experience.

The self-titled “military brat” who calls Colorado Springs, Colo., home, graduated on Dec. 19 with a Master of Science degree in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences.

Selected from a pool of several hundred people for a six-person, 120-day mission at a space simulation lab in Hawaii last year, Swarmer is no stranger to earthbound space missions. She’s helped two UND teams endure the rigors of confinement in UND’s own Inflatable Lunar Mars Habitat (ILMH), a 10-day mission in 2013 and a 30-day mission in 2014, where she monitored, among other complex tasks, the safety and well-being of the team inside. Her master’s thesis was about simulated space missions.

The ILMH is an inflatable habitat designed, built, and deployed by students at UND. The unit’s first mission took place in the parking lot of Clifford Hall, home to the Space Studies Department and to the Human Spaceflight Laboratory run by Argentine aerospace engineer and UND Space Studies faculty member Pablo de León. The ILMH is funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

“I learned a lot about team cohesion, psychological factors, and how to function well in the isolated, extreme environment on the slopes of Mauna Loa,” said Swarmer. Those experiences shaped

her career ambition to be part of the international effort that eventually will fly a human crew on a round-trip mission to Mars.

De León, lead investigator on the ND Planetary Exploration Initiative, foresees that UND will be testing and working a lot more with NASA as well as with the space industry and international partners to make lunar and Mars missions a reality with the help, he points out, of capable students like Swarmer.

Swarmer dreamed of one day becoming an astronaut, but a sports-related injury shattered those plans.

“It took me a while to realize that I could still pursue my space travel dreams without necessarily flying out there myself,” said Swarmer, who, after several years of painful rehab, now runs several miles weekly. “I hope to go to a Ph.D. program or work with flight crew operations for a company such as SpaceX or Bigelow Aerospace.”

With a fresh Space Studies graduate degree from UND and her own drive, Swarmer may soon have her name on a Mars mission planning team. AR

— Juan Miguel Pedraza, University & Public Affairs writer

TIFFANY SWARMER HOPES TO BE PART OF A ROUND-TRIP MISSION TO MARS

tHigh Aspirations

CAMPUS newsNEWS FROM AROUND CAMPUS

Tiffany Swarmer, ‘14, hopes her UND experiences will lead to a career in space exploration.

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21www.UNDalumni.org |

hese pilots pull stomach-churning stunts in little airplanes that look fragile, but are anything but.

And they win big.This is the University of North Dakota Aerobatic Team,

recently notified that it earned the top spot — again — in the International Aerobatic Club (IAC) competition. It was UND’s seventh national championship designation by the IAC, the world’s largest aerobatic association.

The following students, in alphabetical order, were members of the winning team:

• Wolfgang Brink, Dumont, Minn., a senior in aviation management

• Rosemary Coe, Friendswood, Texas, a sophomore in history

• Amelia Gagnon, Mt. Prospect, Ill., a senior in electrical engineering

• Cameron Jaxheimer, Kingston, Wash., a senior in commercial aviation

• Patrick Mills, Houston, a sophomore in commercial aviation

• Alexander Sachs, Oregon, Wis., graduated last year with a bachelor’s in commercial aviation

• Jennifer Slack, Huntsville, Ala., a junior in flight education

• William Sullivan, Jackson Hole, Wyo., a senior in commercial aviation

• Alexander Volberding, Crystal, Minn., a sophomore in commercial aviation.

They were led by head coach Michael Lents, coaches Greg Gilmer and Jonathan Sepulveda, and faculty advisor Joe Vacek.

The 2014 competition season opened with the Midwest Aerobatic Championship in Seward, Neb. In the

sportsman category, Sepulveda — who also flies UND’s Citation II research jet — took third place, with students Gagnon, Sullivan, Volberding and Slack taking fifth, sixth, eighth and 10th place, respectively. Coaches Lents and Gilmer placed third and fifth, respectively, in the intermediate category.

Gagnon earned the coveted Highest First-time Sportsman Competitor Award at the contest.

The team next attended the Doug Yost Challenge in Spencer, Iowa. Mills placed first at that event.

Jaxheimer competed in the IAC Open West Championship in California. He took first place and the championship title in the intermediate category, narrowly besting the next closest competitor by less than .01 of a point.

UND’s season finished at the IAC U.S. Nationals in Dennison, Texas. Coe took second overall in the primary category; she won Flight Medals for earning third, third and second place during her three flights. Mills followed in third overall and earned a third place Flight Medal for his final sequence.

Brink and Volberding finished fifth and sixth. Sachs, Gagnon, Sullivan and Slack placed 11th, 12th, 13th and 15th, respectively, in the very competitive sportsman field.

Lents, Jaxmeier and Gilmer placed sixth, seventh and 10th, respectively, in the intermediate category. Gilmer also earned a first-place Flight Medal for his extraordinary performance in the “Known Sequence.”

“It was a great season!” Lents exclaimed. AR

— Juan Miguel Pedraza, University & Public Affairs writer

UND AEROBATIC TEAM SOARS AHEAD TO WIN YET ANOTHER IAC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPtSeventh Heaven

Photo: Reggie Paulk

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22 | Alumni Review Spring 2015

had one of the biggest dreams a musician could have come true,” said Vinicius Sant’Ana.

In November, Sant’Ana, a Sao Paulo, Brazil, native and University of North Dakota student violinist, had the prestigious honor of playing violin in the revered Carnegie Hall in New York City.

“For me, it was more than special because I was able to have my solo debut at Carnegie Hall with Orquestra Instituto Grupo Pao de Acucar (GPA), the orchestra group that taught me how to hold a violin,” Sant’Ana said.

Sant’Ana didn’t come from a musical family; his father is a police officer and his mother is a secretary.

“The only things I knew at that time were playing video games and soccer,” he said.

One day Sant’Ana’s dad happened to see a poster advertising music lessons at the Instituto GPA, and so, by mere chance, Sant’Ana ended up taking music lessons at age 12.

“The only instrument options to learn were classical, so I chose the violin because it was the most popular,” said Sant’Ana.

After two years of practice, Sant’Ana was given the option to join the orchestra.

At age 15, Sant’Ana became the concert master of the orchestra. “I knew I wanted to be a professional musician.

“We had played at many other places in order to get (to Carnegie Hall), starting at supermarkets and hospitals, and eventually working our way up to performing in places such as Paris and Italy,” said Sant’Ana.

Sant’Ana had played regularly with the Orquestra Instituto GPA until coming to UND to study music three years ago. Last year, he received an invitation from the Orquestra Instituto GPA to rejoin the group for a performance at one of the most prestigious recital halls of all — Carnegie.

UND STUDENT VIOLINIST TAKES THE STAGE AT ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS MUSIC HALLS

“iCarnegie Crescendo

CAMPUS newsNEWS FROM AROUND CAMPUS

Vinicius Sant’Ana performs at Carnegie Hall. Photo: Sarah Kittleson

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“I was just shocked and amazed at the unique opportunity,” he said. “To play at Carnegie Hall is one of the highest honors an orchestra can strive for. I appreciated that they invited me because I worked extremely hard for many years for them.”

The Orquestra Instituto GPA offered to pay for Sant’Ana’s hotel and food expenses, but he still had to come up with money to pay for his travel.

When Sant’Ana brought this concern to UND professor Alejandro Drago, “He immediately said, ‘Don’t worry, we’ll take care of it,’” said Sant’Ana.

Sant’Ana felt an overwhelming amount of support for this endeavor from the Music Department at UND, and feels that it wouldn’t have been possible without them.

Sant’Ana also expressed his sincerest gratitude to Amy Muiderman, who helped raise funds for his travel costs by offering cooking lessons.

And before he knew it, Sant’Ana was on his way to the Big Apple to live out his dream as a musician at Carnegie Hall.

“The sound acoustics were just perfect,” he said. “You can’t believe you are making that sound with your instrument. It’s easy to see why it’s so famous.”

During the Thanksgiving concert, Sant’Ana and the group were led by conductor Daniel Misiuk, performing works by Tchaikovsky, Wieniawski, Breiner and Kreisler, as well as a rendition of Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind.”

UND President Robert Kelley and his wife, Marcia, personally congratulated Sant’Ana on his achievement, as he is one of the very few UND students and alumni who have performed within the walls of Carnegie Hall.

“It was a privilege representing UND while performing at Carnegie Hall,” said Sant’Ana. “It was an amazing experience that I’ll never forget.” AR

— Amy Halvorson, University & Public Affairs student writer

23www.UNDalumni.org |

Dear Alumni and Friends,One of the distinguishing characteristics of the University of North Dakota is

the commitment of its alumni to stay connected and give their time, treasure, and talent back to their alma mater. In the past year and a half, I have had the privilege

of meeting many alumni whose experiences as UND students have shaped their lives.

A common theme expressed by alumni, reflecting on their own educational experiences, is the opportunity they had to develop a range of valuable skills achieved through a liberal arts education. Many shared their thoughts about the value of the liberal arts in our recent “Why I Support the Liberal Arts” campaign.

U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp, ’77, responded that she supports the liberal arts because “an open mind is the key to a productive future,” while Grand Forks Herald columnist Marilyn Hagerty, whose children attended UND and who serves on the Arts & Sciences Advisory Committee, responded, “because they provide a broad education for a lifetime.” These two themes are top priorities as

I work with faculty, staff, alumni, and students to continue the excellence and mission of the College of Arts & Sciences.

While many 21st century jobs will require specific technical training, a number of recent surveys have shown that employers are increasingly looking for well-rounded students with the ability to solve complex problems, collaborate, think critically and creatively, and communicate orally and in writing.

Employers also put a premium on an employee’s ability to work with diverse groups. These skills are central to what employers need, and our Arts & Sciences alumni can attest to the experience of cultivating these skills while at UND.

As dean, one of my primary goals is to cultivate the same liberal arts experience our alumni find so valuable for the next generation of students. To that end, we are investing in teaching capacity, research, and internship opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate students. Indeed, our core mission is to cultivate these central skills through a foundation of liberal arts education university-wide and to the more than 70 degree programs we offer in the College of Arts & Sciences.

Most of all, our students need to know the skills they are developing — both central skills and technical skills — will serve them well wherever their careers take them.

Our students deserve strong advocates who will work to ensure they are academically successful and have meaningful lives and careers beyond college. I thank you for your commitment and support and for encouraging all our students.

Debbie Storrs, Ph.D.Dean

College of Arts & Sciences

Dean’s Corner:Making the Case for Liberal Arts

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24 | Alumni Review Spring 2015

team of University of North Dakota engineering students recently won a major international competition, nailing down the lead with an impressive unmanned aircraft system (UAS) that they designed and built from scratch.

Eighteen teams of student engineers competed for the world championship at the 22nd annual ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) Student Design Competition finals, held in Montreal as part of the 2014 International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exhibition.

Team members Christopher Borseth, Thief River Falls, Minn.; Aric Glaser; Prescott, Wis.; Alex Heyd, East Grand Forks; Scott McDaniel, Darlington, Wis.; and Daniel Smith, Grand Forks; are all juniors in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. A press report about UND’s win noted that their victorious UAS weighed in at a “massive” 78.4 pounds, nearly twice as much as their nearest competitor.

“The latest student competition was given the following challenge: We had to design, build and fly an original UAS, navigate the machine through high and low gates, complete a targeted payload drop (on a simulated forest fire), and return to the start through a hula hoop,” Borseth said. “We figured the best option in this competition would be a quadcopter, and we built ours with eight motors, two on the end of each arm, driving counter-rotating propellers. Before the world final, we added another arm with a

motor on each end, for a total of 10 motors.”The main objective required to capture the title: the

heaviest payload.“The group was so successful because they had a

strong team that worked well together, had good ideas, and, most importantly, put in the time to continually make improvements and test their prototype,” said Dustin McNally, a mechanical engineering faculty member and the team’s advisor.

“They also received funding from the department and college, which was critical for this competition,” McNally said. “They had to design a flying vehicle, and the components can be quite expensive. It is very difficult to control and fly these designs when they are loaded with a lot of weight, and UND’s team spent a lot of time maximizing their payload while still being able to complete the course and maneuver satisfactorily.”

“The students learned how to go through the engineering design steps to evaluate and optimize their design instead of jumping to conclusions and hoping that an idea will work,” McNally said. “So they were sure to test everything completely before relying on it.”

Another thing the team learned in class was that even small details can take a lot of time, so budgeting their time and being motivated was also very important.

“This combination of having a good team, using the engineering design process to optimize their design, and ensuring that it all gets done on time was critical to their success,” McNally said.

At the International and District level, McNally noted, there were teams that should have done better than they did because their prototypes looked competitive.

“UND came through as a clear winner at each level of the competition as the team had put so much quality effort into the right areas,” McNally said. AR

— Juan Miguel Pedraza, University & Public Affairs writer

aBest in Show

CAMPUS newsNEWS FROM AROUND CAMPUS

UND ENGINEERING TEAM SCORES INTERNATIONAL VICTORY IN UAS DESIGN

The UND UAS engineering team poses with its winning UAS (from left to right): Alex Heyd, East Grand Forks; Christopher Borseth, Thief River Falls, Minn.; Scott McDaniel, Darlington, Wis.; and Daniel Smith, Grand Forks (not pictured: Aric Glaser, Prescott, Wis.).

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Ahead of the Class

ND’s 455 student-athletes combined for a 3.277 grade-point average during the fall 2014 semester, the highest single-semester GPA in UND Athletics history.

Eighteen of UND’s 21 teams had a GPA of 3.0 or greater during the fall semester. UND’s women’s teams combined for a 3.370 GPA while the men’s teams recorded a 3.174 GPA.

“The ’student’ clearly does come first for the student-athletes at UND,” said University of North Dakota Director of Athletics Brian Faison. “Congratulations to our student-athletes, our coaches and our academic services staff, led by Amanda Hajdu and her staff of Stacy Bjorlie and Calin Burger, for another record-breaking semester of academic successes.”

Sixty-nine percent of UND’s 455 student-athletes recorded a GPA of 3.0 or better during the fall semester, including 70 individuals who earned a perfect 4.0. Additionally, 65 percent of UND’s student-athletes own a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, including 28 with a perfect 4.0 cumulative GPA.

In all, 74 percent of UND’s total student-athlete population landed on the Fall 2014 Athletics Director’s Honor Roll for achieving either a fall semester or cumulative 3.0 grade-point average.

In 2013-14, UND’s student-athletes achieved a 3.177 grade-point average to break the single-year department record of 3.173 previously set in 2011-12. AR

Top 5 Women’s Team GPAs (Fall) Basketball, 3.539Hockey, 3.492Cross Country, 3.491Track & Field, 3.464Swimming & Diving, 3.460

Top 5 Men’s Team GPAs (Fall) Cross Country, 3.448Swimming & Diving, 3.364Tennis, 3.362Track & Field, 3.346Baseball, 3.330

Information complied by UND Athletics.

UND STUDENT- ATHLETES POST RECORD 3.277 GPA DURING FALL SEMESTER

uPhoto: UND Athletics

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he welcome sign is up!The Era Bell Thompson Multicultural Center has a new

home in the UND Memorial Union. The Multicultural Center and Multicultural Student

Services officially relocated to their new home on the third floor of the Memorial Union in December, but not before saying goodbye to their previous headquarters at 2800 University Ave., where they had been since 1976.

The University Avenue location was named in honor of the late UND alumna and journalist Era Bell Thompson in 1979.

As the old location closed its doors, UND Provost Thomas DiLorenzo spoke of the importance of “the countless students that have found comfort [there] for more than 40 years.” The closing ended with a mural portrait of Era Bell Thompson being transported to the new center, as DiLorenzo stated, “Her spirit moves with us.”

Malika Carter, director of the center, says one challenge

the new center is facing is making its services more visible to students so they know what to ask for.

Carter compared going to school to playing a game, “If you don’t know what’s available for you to help you win, you can’t win the game.”

Carter also stressed that the center is glad every time anyone comes in, because even if they just came in for the free printing, they may overhear a conversation that could change their life or perhaps they can interact with peers whom they may not have met otherwise.

Along with providing academic assistance for students, the center also works to help celebrate multiculturalism and provide assistance for multicultural organizations on campus that otherwise may lack resources.

“This center is about empowering students and helping them capitalize on opportunities,” said Carter. AR

— Amy Halvorson, University & Public Affairs student writer

NEW CAMPUS LOCATION FOR ERA BELL THOMPSON MULTICULTURAL CENTER t‘Her Spirit Moves With Us’

CAMPUS newsNEWS FROM AROUND CAMPUS

Students carry a portrait of Era Bell Thompson from the former Multicultural Center to its new home in the Memorial Union.

Photo: Shawna Noel Schill

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he University of North Dakota’s annual Feast of Nations celebration was deemed a huge success, selling out for the second consecutive year.

The highlights of the festival, which took place on Saturday, Feb. 7, were the five-course meal and diverse entertainment.

“Students worked diligently to research and provide the viewers with a great experience and an opportunity to expand their taste pallets,” said Dawn Botsford, UND special events coordinator. “The Alerus Center does a remarkable job working with the students to provide food that is traditional and authentic for the festival.”

The list of performers for this year’s event included Ca Claque, a French-Canadian Folklore group; Marco Castillo & the Brazilian Beats; Manitoba Korean Association; and Salsa Explosion. The event kicked off with a “Red Carpet” introduction and pre-show social.

“It’s a giant party celebrating our roots,” said Joseph Vacek, UND aviation professor and International Organization co-advisor. “There’s more cultural diversity around (UND) than people think and this event highlights that.”

This year’s menu featured cuisine from countries such as Russia, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Lebanon and Senegal. AR

— Amy Halvorson, University & Public Affairs student writer

UND STAGES ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL FEAST OF NATIONS FESTIVAL t

International FlavorThe Manitoba Korean Association performs at this year’s Feast of Nations Festival.

Photo: Shawna Noel Schill

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UND ProudHONORING THE EXCEPTIONAL

We’re proud of the faculty, staff, and students at the University of North Dakota for all they do to make UND an exceptional public research university. Take pride in your alma mater when you see how it’s being recognized regionally, nationally, and globally.

UND employees donated a total of $13,147 during Denim Days in 2014. Denim Days are held throughout the year with employees asked to donate

a dollar if they wear jeans on these designated days.

The donations provided financial support to a dozen local charities.

Proud

UN

IVERSITY OF NORTH DAKO

TA

Faculty and alumni of the University of North Dakota College of Arts & Sciences are taking center stage in a recently-opened exhibit titled “The Bakken Boom!” at the Plains Art Museum in Fargo.

The show brings together national and local artists to explore the impact of the Bakken oil boom on North Dakota. The works in the Bakken Boom! exhibit emphasize the dynamic intersection between the people living in the Bakken, the work they do, and the impact of the oil industry on North Dakota communities, landscapes, and history.

Alum Ryan Stander, ’11, contributed one of the more striking images: a massive, cut-up print of the Casselton, N.D., train explosion (pictured above).

Another UND artist, Jess Christy, ’11, also features prominently in the show with a series of 150 boxes containing objects from her everyday life in Minot.

The exhibition also includes work by UND Professor of Art Kim Fink, and one of the last works of late UND Associate Professor Joel Jonientz.

The Bakken Boom! Exhibit at the Plains Art Museum runs through August 15, 2015. 2015

UND’s spring first-day enrollment is the

highest ever with 13,816 students enrolled.

The number includes

432 transfer students, up 12 percent from spring 2014.

Page 29: Alumni Review Spring 2015

Birgit Hans received the Friends of the German American Partnership Program

(GAPP) award from Central High School in Grand Forks.

The award is a testament to Hans’ work with the local German Exchange program.

She is a Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor in the field of American Indian

Studies at UND. Hans, a native of Germany, welcomes foreign

exchange students to Grand Forks and gives

them a presentation about the American Indian culture

in the state.

Chelsey Luger of Grand Forks has been named as one of 30 rebuilders for 2015 for the Bush Foundation’s Native Nation Rebuilders Program.

Luger is a project coordinator with the Seven Generations Center of Excellence within the Center for Rural Health at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Each year, the Bush Foundation selects a cohort of approximately 30 Rebuilders to participate in a two-year program. In the first year, the Bush Foundation and its partner, the Native Nations Institute, provide access to ideas and information, expanded networks, leadership training and other resources for nation building. In the second year, Rebuilders use the tools and skills to implement action plans in which they engage in practical nation-building projects within their communities.

As part of a holiday service project, Accounting 494

students collected nearly 400 coats, as well as gloves,

scarves and stocking hats to send to the Pine Ridge

Indian Reservation.

UND has a

$1.4 billion impact on North Dakota’s

economy according to a North Dakota University

System report.

Regin Gallagher, a junior dietetics student, was recently elected as the incoming student representative to the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics Board of Directors for 2015-17.

One student is selected each year from all accredited dietetics programs in the U.S. to represent the student perspective on the board. Gallagher, a native of Sammamish, Wash., is an accomplished student leader at UND. She was recognized with the UND Wellness Center Employee of the Year Award in 2014, the 2014 Lillian Elsigna Student Leader Award; and, most recently, she was the first student to be awarded the Robert H. Boyd UND Champion Award.

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BE THE impactCREATE THE FUTURE OF UND

During the 2013-14 North Dakota legislative session, $10 million was offered to the University of North Dakota as part of the $29 million allocation to the Higher Education Challenge Fund for all public colleges and universities. In order to receive the match, each university had to raise $2 in private donations for every $1 of the state match.

The state’s match helped maximize the impact of 81 individual and corporate gifts to infuse support for 52 total funds and projects. In addition

to providing support for four capital projects, the program provided funding to 48 endowments supporting student scholarships and enhancing academic programs. More than $3.1 million in gifts and pledges will fund 19 new scholarship endowments.

“The North Dakota Higher Education Challenge Fund has been an incredible success for the University of North Dakota and the entire public higher education sector in the state,” said DeAnna Carlson Zink, CEO of the UND Alumni Association

& Foundation. “This initiative will enhance the academic and classroom experience, which is critical in this increasingly competitive higher education landscape. It has been a tremendous investment in the entire state and will benefit generations into the future.”

Every academic area of UND was positively impacted by the Higher Education Challenge Fund, including Aerospace, Medicine, Business, Engineering, Arts & Sciences, Law, Nursing, and Education.

The University of North Dakota accepted a challenge from the state to raise $20 million in private support for the University’s strategic priorities over the past 18 months. Coupled with a $10 million match from the state, $30 million will be invested into the University.

Impact by the numbers

Challenge (Grant) Accepted

THE NORTH DAKOTA HIGHER EDUCATION CHALLENGE FUND

PRIVATE SUPPORTTO UND

$ 20,000,000

$ 3 0 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0

$10M totalNORTH

DAKOTA CHALLENGE FUND MATCH

INVESTMENT IN UND

Page 31: Alumni Review Spring 2015

31www.UNDalumni.org |

$13.9 million impacting 48 total endowments

$9.3 million to enhance existing endowment funds22 existing scholarships and programs benefited$4.6 million created 26 new endowments$3.1 million for 19 new endowed scholarship funds

34 endowed scholarship funds14 endowed program funds4 capital projects

52 Funds & Projects Supported

Building on SuccessThe Collaborative Energy Complex

is one project to benefit from match dollars provided by the state through the North Dakota Higher Education Challenge Fund program. For example, in June, the project announced a $5 million gift from the Hess Corporation, which received a boost in the form of a $2.5 million match from the state. In December, Bob, ’69, and Kris (Aarthun) Solberg, ’69, announced that they would give $667,000 to the project, which was matched by the state’s $333,500 — bringing the total impact of the gift to $1 million.

“This is a great model of how industry support and public resources can work together to advance engineering education, research, and innovation,” Dean of the College of Engineering & Mines Hesham El-Rewini said at the announcement of the Hess gift. “We look forward to utilizing this generous gift along with the match dollars to better educate engineers who will contribute to the success and prosperity of North Dakota and the nation.”

81 GIFTS IMPACTED

19 GIFTS FROM CORPORATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS

Page 32: Alumni Review Spring 2015

Estate gifts are among the simplest and most popular methods of supporting education at the University of North Dakota. More importantly, your estate gift can change lives.

The University of North Dakota and the UND Foundation are focusing on many areas to make the University exceptional. Three areas of emphasis are:

• Supporting students so that education is accessible and affordable • Supporting faculty and academic programs to enhance and maintain excellence• Supporting the priority needs of the University

Please join us in this important endeavor. It’s as simple as using the language below on an IRA, life insurance or other beneficiary designation form; or providing it to your attorney for inclusion in your will or living trust. Then, we encourage you to contact us to confidentially record your intent for a Legacy Gift or to further specify the use of your future gift to a particular academic program or other specific purpose. You can use the language below in your estate will or trust:

I give, devise and bequeath (% of your estate, $ amount, residue) to the University of North Dakota Foundation (Tax ID #45-0348296), a North Dakota nonprofit charitable corporation under the laws of the State of North Dakota, to support higher education at the University of North Dakota.

Change Lives by giving an estate gift

University of North Dakota Foundation3501 University Ave. Stop 8157 | Grand Forks, ND 58202-8157 | 800.543.8764

[email protected] | und.giftlegacy.com

Page 33: Alumni Review Spring 2015

Your gifts promote excellence across campus and community

STRENGTHENING OUR REPUTATION FOR RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP 16 RESEARCH & CREATIVE PROJECTS “‘In Our Own Words’ Native Impressions serves as an example of the University of North Dakota’s ongoing commitment to American Indian people and communities, and it will serve as an example of working respectfully with tribal organizations and individuals.”

—Lucy Ganje, Professor of Art & Design

ENRICHING COMMUNITY CULTURE 33,437 community members viewed the UND Art Collections at the Empire Arts Center

SUPPORTING STUDENT LEARNING 40 SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED “The scholarships I received from the University of North Dakota helped me to alleviate the cost of school to the point where I was able to focus completely on my education.” — Andrew Sellner, Air Traffic Control

INVESTING IN OUR STAFF 25 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEED GRANTS

“I have greatly appreciated the support to further my education, and I hope to have completed my Master’s of Public Health by May of this year.”

— Karina Wittmann, Associate Director of Assessment and Operations, UND Wellness Center

UND Annual Impact Fund

To support the University of North Dakota Annual Impact Fund visit www.undalumni.org/givenow

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34 | Alumni Review Spring 2015

Why UND? My parents grew up just outside of Grand Forks in Reynolds,

N.D. My dad is a graduate of UND and my grandfather worked for the University at Plant Services for 37 years, so I guess you could say I have strong ties to UND. I wasn’t planning on applying to UND; I figured I would apply to schools in New York and that was it. Last minute, I decided to tour UND and absolutely loved it. The campus was beautiful, even in the winter, and the people were so friendly that I right away felt comfortable and felt like I belonged.

What’s your dream career? After UND, I would like to continue my education by getting

my master’s degree in Public Health. I would love to work for a nonprofit organization, such as the American Cancer Society, and, through programming, help increase the awareness and knowledge of health through various communities.

How is UND helping you realize this dream? The University of North Dakota has definitely given me

the resources I need to succeed! Through my years at UND, I have gained valuable knowledge in leadership and how to effectively communicate with others. I was a very shy student in high school, and UND has given me the potential to expand and learn how to be involved. I have become involved in various student organizations and, as a result, I have grown significantly as a person, and I owe it all to the University of North Dakota. In particular, the Student Involvement and Leadership Office on campus has been the greatest contributor to my success by providing me with essential tools and resources. Everyone in that office has had a significant impact on me in one way or another. Thank you UND for helping me realize my true potential and making me the person I am today!

What else have you been involved with as a student?In February, we welcomed new students into the Student

Ambassador program. I am on the program’s executive board. We now have a total of 180 wonderful and excited students representing the University of North Dakota and spreading our passion for UND to new students and alumni. This year, Student Ambassadors took on Homecoming, and I do have to say that “Sweet Home UND” was a success. It was a completely new and eye-opening experience, and I loved every minute of it. My job of planning the parade was stressful, but being able to ride in the UND helmet car down the parade route while waving to all the people that had come to see the parade made it all worth it! Our next big event is the planning of Welcome Weekend, when the new students accepted to UND move into their residence halls in August. It is during this event that we really get to do what we do best: welcoming new students and ensuring them that UND is where they belong and where great things can happen.

Steph LeePoughkeepsie, N.Y.B.S. Kinesiology, ’15

BE THE impactCREATE THE FUTURE OF UND

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35www.UNDalumni.org |

The following donors reached a new giving level of at least $25,000 between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2014.* indicates deceased

DONORSthank you

The UND Alumni Association & Foundation sincerely thanks all alumni and friends who have made gifts and commitments to support students, faculty, programs, and places at UND.

$25 ,000 - $99 ,999$100 ,000 - $499 ,999

Advanced Business Methods, Inc.Leslie Johnson Aldrich & Kenneth AldrichBorder States Electric, FargoDr. Arne G. BrekkeJerry & Nancy BugliosiDr. Bruce M. & Nan CarlisleDakota Sales Budweiser Company, Inc./ Roger & Joan Kieffer and Randy & Kim KiefferDevils Lake Athletic ClubEdward Fogarty, M.D. & Carolyn FogartyFortuna, LLCFredrikson & Byron FoundationEllen H. Freeman EstateFriends, LLPGowan ConstructionGrand Forks Family Medicine ResidencyW. Allan & Claire HopkinsJoanne C. Hubbard in Memory of Don V. HubbardInnova Industries Inc./Dick & Lorna Young/Jeff & Cyndi YoungJohnson AirsprayMinnkota Power Cooperative, Inc.Robert B. & Peggy L. NilesOtter Tail Power CompanyRobert J. SchonebergerUnlimited PartnershipDr. Michael & Peggy VandallVogel Law FirmWakefield Flight Services

Brent & Laura AndersonAviation Industry CBT CommitteeBob & Kerry BahlCharlotte R. BrekkeLyn J. BurtonGregg & Darcy CascaesKris & John CasementMark J. Christenson, M.D.Drs. Lee & Deann ChristiansonClark & Patricia CrawfordEAPC Architects EngineersDr. Colin & LoriAnne FennellReed A. GehrkeWayne E. Hansen & Sara E. Crewe HansenMatthew B. Hartz, M.D.Kent & Vicki LovellKeith E. MoeDr. James & Renee MorleyJeffrey N. NelsonNorman & Ann Hoffman FoundationOrthopedic & Sport Medicine Specialists of FargoDr. Donald & Blanche PersonDr. Brett & Jonathan PinkertonW. Brian & Susan PoykkoRep. Eliot & Dyan GlassheimDr. Daniel R. RiceSEI InvestmentsSmith, Bakke, Porsborg, Schweigert & ArmstrongAnne F. SpaethCol. (Ret) Greg & Jey StoltRep. Gary & Leora SukutDouglas & Lori TaylorTraynor Law Firm, P.C.Brian & Pam WhalenFred & Coral WhisenandLewis J. Wilson

Patricia F. Crow Estate

Drs. Haldean & Bonnie Dalzell

Edson Larson Foundation

Dr. Gail C. Ingwalson

Janet F. Olson*

$1 ,000 ,000 - $4 , 999 ,999

$499 ,999 - $999 ,999

LEADERSHIP giftsMAJOR gifts

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ALUMNI news

1950s Remember when, in 1954, UND’s School of Medicine was identified as one of 18 labs in the country equipped to assist in a national study of the newly developed polio vaccine?

1951Stuart McDonald, ..’51, has been recognized by Central High School in Grand Forks as a distinguished alumnus. McDonald was the editorial cartoonist for the Grand Forks Herald in the 1960s, and served two terms in the North Dakota House of Representatives.

1956Carol (Christensen) Oukrop, ’56, was awarded an Alvin E. Austin Legacy Award by the UND Center for Community Engagement. Oukrop conducted pioneering work on the status of women in journalism and mass communication education.

1958Jack Lind, ’58, ’60, retired in December after a 52-year career in medicine. Lind started as a family physician, but in 1992 went back to school to study psychiatry. He set up practice in Fargo, where he founded Prairie St. John’s and served as medical director of St. John’s Crossroads Center, a chemical dependency treatment program.

1960sRemember when, in 1964, the Varsity Bards performed at the World’s Fair in New York?

1964Wes Rydell, ’64, has been recognized as a distinguished alumnus by Central High School in Grand Forks. Rydell is the CEO of the Rydell Company, an automotive holding company with more than 70 stores in 14 states and is the current dealer principal at Rydell Auto Center in Grand Forks.

1966Jana Bommersbach, ’66, has published the historical novel, “Cattle Kate.” It’s the story of Ella Watson, the only woman in the nation hanged as a cattle rustler.

1968Lynn Melby, ’68, was awarded the Alvin E. Austin Legacy Award by the UND Center for Community Engagement during Homecoming 2014. Melby is chairman of an association management and consulting firm. He also worked as a newspaper and radio reporter, authored two books, is a film producer, and hosted a weekly public affairs television program in Seattle for five years.

UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

UND’s Man in the Sea project? In spite of being about as far from the ocean as you can get, the University of North Dakota secured a Department of Defense grant in the early ‘70s to build the High-Pressure Life Laboratory. The only-of-its-kind lab allowed researchers to study the effects of living under the immense atmospheric pressures found at sea depths of 1,300 feet.

DO YOU REMEMBER…

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37www.UNDalumni.org |

1969Dwight Harshbarger, ’69, has published “Valley at Risk,” a fictional account of a chemical plant accident that threatens the lives of hundreds of people. Harshbarger retired in 2008 as executive director of the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. He is focused now on his writing career, and is also an adjunct professor at the West Virginia University School of Public Health.

Casey Ryan, ..’69, has been recognized as a distinguished alumnus by Central High School in Grand Forks. Ryan is a physician who served as president of Altru Health System from 1997 to 2014.

1970sRemember when, in 1975, Paul Pitts was the first African-American voted student body president at UND?

1970Dennis P. DeMers, ‘70, ’78, has retired from his position as CEO of Tri Valley Opportunity Council, Inc. in Crookston, Minn. DeMers had worked for the nonprofit community action agency since 1972.

1971Merrie (Satrom) Rolland, ’71, has published her first children’s book, “Carter and the Deep Blue Sea.”

DeWayne, ’71, and Mona (Reise) Streyle, ’71, received the Excellence in Agriculture Award from NDSU. DeWayne is the CEO of United Community Bank of North Dakota. Mona is a retired teacher.

1973Delores Friedt, ’73, has received the Ruth Meiers Award from the North Dakota Conference of Social Welfare for her contributions in advocating for children and supporting and strengthening families. Friedt is the birth and adoptive family services coordinator with the North Dakota Department of Human Services’ Children and Family Services Division.

Mike Jones, ’73, ’78, has been appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Energy to serve on the National Coal Council. Jones is vice president of research and development for the Lignite Energy Council and technical advisor to the North Dakota Industrial Commission.

Timothy Mahoney, ’73, is a surgeon with Internal Medicine Associates Healthcare, Fargo. Mahoney is board certified in general surgery and has special training in vascular procedures.

Fabrice Moussus, ’73, was recognized at Homecoming 2014 with an Al E. Austin Legacy Award from the UND Center for Community Engagement. Moussus worked for 30 years as a photojournalist for ABC News.

Carleen (Jonsrud) Shilling, ’73, has been inducted into the UND Accounting Hall of Fame. Shilling spent almost 40 years in the accounting field. She joined Eide Bailly LLP in 1984, and was the firm’s first female partner and first woman elected to its board of directors.

VandeWalle receives North Dakota’s highest honor

North Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Gerald W. VandeWalle, ’55, ’58, is the 41st recipient of the North Dakota Rough Rider Award, the state’s highest honor.

The award was presented to VandeWalle following his State of the Judiciary Address to a joint session of the 64th North Dakota Legislative Assem-bly in January.

“When you think about visionary leaders having a significant impact on our state, Justice VandeWalle stands out among the rest,” Governor Jack Dalrymple said. “Throughout his tenure, he has been instrumen-tal in strengthening North Dakota’s judicial system and enhancing the safety and quality of life for our communities. His commitment to upholding the laws of our state and protecting the fundamental

rights of our people has shaped his service over the past three decades and his numerous accomplish-ments will leave a lasting legacy on our state court system and the state of North Dakota.”

Justice VandeWalle has served on the North Dakota Supreme Court for more than 36 years and was recently re-elected to his fourth 10-year term. He has served as the court’s Chief Justice for the past 21 years, making him the longest-serving Chief Justice in North Dakota history and the longest-serving of all sitting Chief Justices in the nation.

“The idea that I would ever receive the Theo-dore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award from the state and people I love was never even in my wildest dreams or imagination,” VandeWalle said. “I cannot believe it is real. But if it is, I hope the focus is not on me as an individual, but rather appreciation and respect for the rule of law and our judicial system.”

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ALUMNI newsUPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Elizabeth Smart to Speak at UND Elizabeth Smart, abducted in 2002 as a teen and rescued nine

months later, is the featured speaker at this year’s Delta Gamma Foundation/Everson Family Lectureship in Values and Ethics March 30.

Smart’s abduction from her family’s Salt Lake City home in the middle of the night on June 5, 2002, became a national story. Nine months later, her husband and wife captors, Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee, were spotted walking with a disguised Smart in Sandy, Utah. She was reunited with her family after police stopped Mitchell for questioning.

Smart has since graduated from college, married and found-ed the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, aimed at preventing crimes against children and helping victims. She released a best-selling book in 2013 titled “My Story.”

The UND Alpha Theta chapter of Delta Gamma established the Lectureship in Values and Ethics in 2011. The chapter is one of only 20 chapters in the U.S. to sponsor a Delta Gamma lecture series. The lead gift for the lectureship was provided by Jacque Geving Everson, ’66, with a number of other alumnae contributing to the endowment.

The goal is to host a renowned speaker on campus every other year to inspire students and others in the community.

Smart’s appearance is March 30 at 7 p.m. in the Chester Fritz Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

Delore Zimmerman, ’76, ’80, was recognized with the Outstanding Alumni Award from the Department of Sociology and Criminology at Pennsylvania State University. Zimmerman is the founder and president of Praxis Strategy Group and is the executive director of the Red River Valley Research Corridor. 1977Mike Crocker, ’77, has retired after 36 years with the Traill County (N.D.) Sheriff’s Department. Crocker spent the last 16 years as sheriff.

Forrest Flaagan, ’77, has retired from the National High School Athletic Coaches Association. He served on the association’s board of directors and was Boys and Girls Cross Country National Chairman. Flaagan coached Cross Country and Track & Field in South Dakota for 33 years. He lives in Rapid City, S.D.

1978Dale Clifton, ’78, is the pastor at the Elim Care and Rehab Center in Milaca, Minn. He spent the previous nine years as the pastor of Cornerstone Community Church in Cooperstown, N.D.

Curtis Vorachek, ’78, is the managing director and partner of wealth management services practice for Sikich LLP, a professional services firm in Naperville, Ill.

David Walker, ’78, is senior vice president of Operations for Imatchative Inc., a data analytics company based in San Francisco.

1979Lolita (Hartl) Romanick, ’79, ’95, has been appointed to the bench in the northeast central judicial district of North Dakota. Prior to her judicial appointment, Romanick was an attorney in Grand Forks.

1974Judith Shaw, ’74, has published “The Raritan River: Our Landscape, Our Legacy.” The book, which includes more than 300 photos and illustrations, focuses on the longest river that is completely within New Jersey. Shaw is a researcher at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University.

1975Arlyn Scherbenske, ’75, and his wife, Lisa, received an Excellence in Agriculture award from NDSU. The couple own and operate a veterinary clinic in Steele County (N.D.).

1976Matt Gerszewski, ..’76, received the Alvin E. Austin Legacy Award from the UND Center for Community Engagement during Homecoming 2014. Gerszewski had a long career at the Minot Daily News, working in sports and as the city editor.

Robert, ’76, and Susan (Paul) Green, ‘76, received an Excellence in Agriculture award from NDSU. The Greens operate a fourth-generation family farm near St. Thomas, N.D.

Mark Nystuen, ’76, has published his first novel, “Death at a Distance.” It is available as an ebook and in paperback.

Tom Stroup, ’76, is president of the Satellite Industry Association board of directors. Stroup is the trade association’s lead advocate for regulatory and policy issues. He also runs the day-to-day management and operations of SIA.

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Sorority Pledge Class Reunion These ladies from the same Delta Gamma pledge class have been getting together annually for the

last 20 years. Pictured from left to right around the table: Joanne (Register) Hubbard, ‘61; Sharon (Conyne) Exel, ’61;

Elizabeth (Burke) Lucas, ..’59; Lynn (Lagerberg) Ringer, ..’61; Diane (Stenehjem) Anderson, ’61; Mara (Aton) In-gwalson, ’61; Margaret (Lavoy) Schoenborn, ’61; Pat (Borgman) Filipi, ’61; and Sharon (Seiffert) Marshall, ‘61.

1980sRemember when, in 1981, UND alum Maxie Anderson set the distance record while making the first successful balloon crossing of North America? Three years earlier, he was part of the first team to successfully cross the Atlantic Ocean in a balloon.

1980Ted Quanrud, ’80, has retired after more than 20 years as the public information officer for the North Dakota Department of Agriculture.

Rebecca Thiem, ’80, is an attorney with the Bismarck, N.D., office of Serkland Law Firm.

James Volk, ’80, ’82, ’84, has received the Golden Stethoscope Award from Sanford Health in recognition of his demonstrated excellence in patient care, customer service, communication and teamwork. Volk is chief medical officer for Sanford Health, Fargo.

1981Mike, ’81, and Julie (Green) Liffrig, ‘81, received an Excellence in Agriculture award from NDSU. The Liffrigs operate a ranch in Oliver County (N.D.).

Curtis Wilhelm, ’81, has been named Corporate Real Estate Executive and Service Provider of the Year by CoreNet Global, a professional association for corporate real estate executives and workplace professionals. Wilhelm oversees real estate in 28 countries for San Francisco-based Electronic Arts.

1984Nancy (Pennington) Gasmann, ’84, is a physical therapist with Trinity Health in Minot, N.D. She also manages the physical therapy department.

Tim Huckle, ’84, is the president and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota in Fargo. He has been with the organization for 29 years.

Rosanna Ramos-Velita, ‘84, is chairman of the board of Caja Rural Los Andes, a microfinance bank serving rural entrepreneurs in the Andean regions of Peru.

1985Steve Christian, ’85, is territorial sales manager for North Dakota for MyPayrollHR, a cloud-based payroll and human resources company.

Jay Skabo, ’85, is serving as chair of the Greater North Dakota Chamber board of directors. Skabo is vice president of Electric Supply at Montana Dakota Utilities in Bismarck.

1986Susan (Ryan) Bailey, ’86, ’88, ’97, is a Cass County (N.D.) District Court Judge.

Donald Hager, ’86, has been appointed to the bench in the northeast central judicial district of North Dakota. Prior to his judicial appointment, Hager operated his own law office in Larimore, N.D.

Barbara Norman, ’86, is a nurse practitioner with Altru Health System’s psychiatry team in Grand Forks.

Trudy (Latozke) Romfo, ’86, is the executive director of Foundation for Eventide Senior Living Communities, Moorhead (Minn.).

39www.UNDalumni.org |

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ALUMNI newsUPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

1987David Bushell, ’87, has been inducted into the Fargo North High Hall of Fame. Bushell was a standout swimmer at Fargo North. He is a senior financial reporting analyst with AgStar Financial Services in Mankato, Minn.

Michael McGregor, ’87, ’96, is a physician assistant in the urgent care department at Essentia Health St. Mary’s Clinic in Detroit Lakes, Minn.

1988Marilyn (Koble) Vetter, ’88, has been elected to the national board of directors of Pheasants Forever. Vetter is Midwest region senior director of government and public affairs for Horizon Pharma, Inc. She lives in New Richmond, Wis.

1989Neil Fortier, ’89, is the director of rental development with NeighborWorks Great Falls in Great Falls, Mont.

Victoria (Kropp) Simonson, ’89, is learning and development supervisor at the Bismarck, N.D., headquarters of Basin Electric Power Cooperative.

1990sRemember when, in 1992, Vice President Dan Quayle was given a UND jacket during a campaign stop in Fargo? 1990Mark Fox, ’90, ’93, is the tribal chair for the Three Affiliated Tribes in western North Dakota. Fox had been the tribe’s tax director prior to winning election in November.

1991Rona (Hendrickson) Johnson, ’91, is publisher of Morris Publishing Group Alaska.

1992Sherri (Baumgartner) Anderson, ’92, is a human resources officer with Starion Financial in Bismarck, N.D.

1993Jill (Sanders) Avery, ’93, is an account manager with Anchor Marketing in Grand Forks.

Julie Henderson, ’93, was named Outstanding Educator of the Year by the Public Relations Society of America. Henderson is a professor of public relations at University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and is a faculty adviser to the school’s Public Relations Student Society of America chapter.

Jane Overmoe, ’93, teaches English at Lisbon (N.D.) High School.

Mark Reinhiller, ’93, was honored by California State University, San Bernardino as one of the university’s Distinguished President’s Service Award recipients for 2014. Reinhiller is in his fifth year as CSUSB’s Associate Athletic Director/Media Relations.

1994Darwin Golz, ’94, is a member of the Ashley, N.D., city council. Golz is a retired school administrator.

Sandra (Knutsen) Tibke, ’94, ’02, is executive director of Prevent Child Abuse North Dakota. Tibke lives in Mandan, N.D.

1995Michelle (DeMent) Donarski, ’95, has been appointed West Fargo Municipal Judge. Donarski is an attorney with the Anderson, Bottrell, Sanden and Thompson law firm.

Hold the PHONE.The UND Alumni Association & Foundation has a new website.Your Alumni Association & Foundation website is even better than before. The new site simplifies your online alumni experience.

New features include:· Mobile-friendly access· Fresh content from UND, UND Champions Club, and the UND Alumni Association & Foundation· Find your classmates· Streamlined giving page

Visit undalumni.org

Page 41: Alumni Review Spring 2015

Kristin (Carlson) Fritschel, ’95, has been recognized as a 2014 TIES Exceptional Teacher in Minnesota. Fritschel is a fifth grade humanities teacher at Champlin-Brooklyn Park Academy for Math and Environmental Science.

Chris Hand, ’95, is vice president, director of Operations for Key Air, an aircraft management and private jet charter service provider based in Connecticut.

Georgia Miller, ’95, is the Small Business Development Center business consultant for the South Central Dakota Regional Council in Jamestown, N.D.

Valorie (Nielsen) Tuseth, ’95, is a family nurse practitioner with the neurology team at Altru Health System in Grand Forks.

Gregory Wald, ’95, is the communications manager for Moore Engineering in West Fargo.

1997Gail (Baumgarn) Richter, ’97, is manager in Finance for Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota. She is responsible for planning, organizing and coordinating operating expenses.

Anthony VonBank, ’97, is the technology integration specialist for the Princeton (Minn.) School District.

1998Emily (Hafner) Holth, ’98, has opened a mediation, training, team development, and coaching business called Sustainable Solutions in downtown Grand Forks.

Leander “Russ” McDonald, ’98, ’00, ’03, is the president of United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck. He replaced David Gipp, ’69, who lead the Bismarck, N.D., college for 37 years.

1999Trent Mahler, ’99, is an EMT with the Sargent County (N.D.) Ambulance service.

Leif Schonteich, ’99, ’01, is an environmental department manager with engineering firm Terracon in Fargo.

2000sRemember when, in 2003, UND Discovery magazine launched? The publication focuses on University research.

2000Sharon Bratrud, ’00, is assistant professor and clinical coordinator for the athletic training curriculum at Valley City (N.D.) State University.

Thomas Buker, ’00, is the chief pilot for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Enforcement Division.

Andrew Campbell, ’00, is a sales development consultant with the RDO Equipment Co. Field Support Office in Fargo.

Todd Medd, ’00, is the Fargo market leader and health care practice leader for JLG Architects.

Joshua Nikle, ’00, is a collaborative technologies consultant with NetWork Center Inc. in Fargo.

Apply today!Call 888-327-2265 ext. 94589

Visit usbank.com/UND_SPRING

Rewards and Benefits for Signature Cardmembers • 5,000 bonus points after your first purchase1 • Earn one rewards point for each dollar of net purchases1 • No preset spending limit2, and no limit to the number of points you can earn • Redeem points for air travel3, merchandise, gift certificates, and more

Earn 5,000 bonus points after your first purchase1 Apply for the card that gives you exceptional rewards and valuable benefits while it supports the University of North Dakota Alumni Association and Foundation.Every time you make a purchase with your UND Visa Signature® Card, U.S. Bank will make a contribution to the University of North Dakota Alumni Association and Foundation.

1 Accounts must be open and current to earn and redeem points. Net purchases are purchases minus credits and returns. 2 No preset spending limit does not mean unlimited spending. Individual transactions are authorized by card issuer based on factors such as account history, credit record and payment resources. Card issuer will preset an upper limit for revolving balances and cash advances. 3 Some fees may apply. The creditor and issuer of the University of North Dakota Alumni Association and Foundation Card is U.S. Bank National Association, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. © 2014 U.S. Bank National Association. All rights reserved. P.O. Box 6333, Fargo, ND

Page 42: Alumni Review Spring 2015

Jaramie Schoepp, ’00, is an assistant vice president/credit manager with BlackRidgeBANK in Fargo.

2001Jessica (Nelson) Quandt, ’01, and her husband, Jason, received an Excellence in Agriculture Award from NDSU. The Quandts operate a family farm near Oakes, N.D. Jessica also owns Computer Express and The Loft Clothing stores in Oakes.

2002Twyla Baker-Demeray, ’02, ’05, ’13, is president of Fort Berthold Community College in New Town, N.D.

Tracy (Loftsgard) Laaveg, ’02, is a new partner in Sillers, Laaveg and Wenzel law firm in Langdon, N.D.

Pamela Rustvan, ’02, is a pediatric nurse practitioner with Valley Community Health Centers in Northwood and Larimore, N.D.

Chad Vandrovec, ’02, is a physician with the surgical and specialty care service line with the Fargo VA Health Care System.

2003Barry Haugen, ’03, is president of the Independent Community Banks of North Dakota and ICB Card Services. He replaced John Brown, ’73, who retired in 2014.

Eric Mjelde, ’03, ’14, is a physician assistant in the Internal Medicine Department at Essentia Health Park Rapids (Minn.) Clinic.

Eric Scheffer, ’03, is vice president and business banking team lead for Bremer Bank in Grand Forks. He manages a team of five business bankers in the region.

2004Jason Haak, ’04, ’06, is a physical therapist with Apex Physical Therapy and Wellness in West Fargo.

Stacey (Mees) Johnson, ’04, is the clinic coordinator for Pure Skin in Bismarck, N.D.

Shari (Nikunen) Olson, ’04, was named 2014 Entrepreneurial President by the National Association of Community College Entrepreneurship. Olson is the president of South Mountain Community College in Phoenix.

Jacinda (Sayers) Salter, ’04, is a senior accountant with Discovery Benefits, Fargo.

Kelsey (Stroble) Svoboda, ’04, is a workflow specialist with the University of North Dakota Academic Affairs office.

Scott Wilmes, ’04, is a financial representative with Thrivent Financial in Valley City, N.D.

2005Jennifer Danielson, ’05, is an office assistant and screening coordinator for Early Intervention Partners, Fargo.

Alex Dixon, ’05, is creative marketing manager within the commerce department for Swanson Health Products in Fargo. Dixon has been with SHP since 2007.

Help others take flight with an exceptional

education like yours.

Refer a future UND alum today!

go.UND.edu/refer1.800.CALL.UND

Tell us, so we can send him or her more information about UND!

UND is one of the best education values in the nation. And thanks to the generosity of alumni and donors, UND awards nearly $7.3 million in academic scholarships each year – including a new freshman scholarship.

ALUMNI newsUPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Page 43: Alumni Review Spring 2015

Theresa Hegge, ’08, is a plastic surgeon with Mercy Medical Center in Williston, N.D.

Jessica (Liden) Karjalainen, ’08, is a licensed addiction counselor with ShareHouse Inc. in Fargo.

Kelly Larson, ’08, in an engineer in the power group for KLJ, an engineering, surveying and planning firm in Fargo.

Zachary Smith, ’08, is the director of communications and government relations for the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives.

Joe Vistad, ’08, ’11, is a staff geotechnical engineer with Fargo engineering firm Terracon.

2009Kayla Burchill, ’09, specializes in bariatric and general surgery at the Sanford Broadway Clinic in Fargo.

Michael Grimestad, ’09, is a design engineer with Applied Engineering in Fargo.

Lisa (Wersinger) Odens, ’09, has received her Certified Floodplain Manager certification from the Association of State Floodplain Managers. Odens works for Houston Engineering in Maple Grove, Minn.

Samuel Seafeldt, ’09, ’13, is the airport manager for the Jamestown (N.D.) Regional Airport Authority.

Emerson Ehlis, ’05, is an orthodontist with West Orthodontics in Fargo.

Kylee (Laine) Heston, ’05, is a clinical psychologist with Lipp, Carlson, Lommen & Witucki in Grand Forks.

Scott Kleet, ’05, ’08, is a guidance counselor with the Devils Lake (N.D.) School District. He is also a middle school boys basketball coach.

Keith Rutherford, ’05, is a tax supervisor with Widmer Roel in Fargo.

2006Amanda (Oversen) Weidler, ’06, ’14, is a family nurse practitioner with Trinity Homes in Minot, N.D.

2007Fallon Hoverson, ’07, ’11, is a physician with Altru Health System in Grand Forks.

Jeremy Nelson, ’07, has opened a chiropractor office, Park Performance, in Park Rapids, Minn.

Melinda (Huelsman) Picard, ’07, ’11, is a physician with Trinity Health in Minot, N.D.

Mike Uriell, ’07, ’14, is a real estate agent with Keller Williams Roers Realty in Fargo.

2008Sara (Benson) McClammer, ’08, started Bennett & McClammer LLP, a law firm in Indianapolis focusing on trust, estate, and elder law.

Corporate RetreatsConferences & Workshops

Board MeetingsBanquets & Receptions

701.777.4408

www.goreckialumnicenter.com

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44 | Alumni Review Spring 2015

ALUMNI newsUPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Andrew Weiss, ’09, is an accounting manager with Cass County Electric Cooperative in Fargo.

2010sRemember when, in 2012, Kirk Ogaard, ’99, ’08, ’12, earned UND’s first Ph.D. in computer science?

2010Steve Allard, ’10, is a credit analyst with Kirkwood Bank & Trust in Bismarck.

Jenna (Akkanen) Rosenquist, ’10, is an occupational therapist with Rehab 4 Life Physical Therapy in Fargo.

Scott Schultz, ’10, is a financial associate with Thrivent Financial in Grand Forks.

Kagen Waage, ’10, is a physician assistant in the emergency department at Fairview Range Medical Center in Hibbing, Minn.

Meghan Walters, ’10, is a COBRA/billing solutions specialist with Discovery Benefits in Fargo.

2011Brennan Forward, ’11, is a physician with Sanford Moorhead (Minn.) Clinic.

Joe Laszewski, ’11, is an analyst and portfolio manager at Bell State Bank & Trust in Fargo.

Katie (Langlie) Veidel, ’11, has been promoted to account executive at the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota office in Bismarck.

2012Amanda McGrath, ’12, is a health benefits consultant at the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota office in Bismarck.

Emma Meyer, ’12, is a fourth grade teacher in Lisbon, N.D.

Allison (Streifel) Orr, ’12, is a Resource Room teacher at Lisbon (N.D.) High School.

Quentin Wenzel, ’12, is a new partner in the Langdon, N.D., law firm Sillers, Laaveg and Wenzel.

2013Veronica (Munkeby) Carter, ’13, is a physical education teacher in Lisbon, N.D.

Chelsey Enderle, ’13, has been recognized by the North Dakota CPA Society for receiving high scores on the CPA exam. Enderle is an accountant with Brady Martz & Associates in Grand Forks.

Jared Gietzen, ’13, is an associate attorney with Larson Law Firm in Minot, N.D.

Logan Lass, ’13, graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio Lackland in San Antonio, Texas. U.S. Air National Guard Airman 1st Class Lass earned distinction as an honor graduate.

Cassandra Marka, ’13, is an attorney with Zimney Foster P.C. in Grand Forks.

Brooke Pearson, ’13, is an account executive with WDAZ TV in Grand Forks.

Dominick Raedeke, ’13, is a process engineer at the American Crystal Sugar factory in Drayton, N.D.

John Schroeder, ’13, is an attorney with Zimney Foster P.C. in Grand Forks.

Gretel Vavrovsky, ’13, is an officer with the Rugby (N.D.) Police Department.

2014Sarah Bement, ’14, is a physician assistant in the family medicine department at the Essentia Health St. Mary’s Clinic in Mahnomen, Minn.

Jessica (Christenson) Bollinger, ’14, is co owner of a women’s clothing store in Grand Forks, Key Bliss. Her partner is fellow UND alum Heather (Carlson) Mcatee, ’14.

Jacob Denault, ’14, is a high school math teacher in Lisbon, N.D.

Danette Deithert, ’14, is a nurse practitioner with Essentia Health Lakeland Psychiatry Clinic in Brainerd, Minn.

Ashley Freeberg, ’14, is an audit associate with Eide Bailly in Fargo.

Tracy Green, ’14, is a vice president and trust officer at Bank of the West in downtown Fargo.

Carolyn (Badger) Holen, ’14, works for Citizens State Bank Midwest in Cavalier, N.D.

Paul Jahraus, ’14, is an engineer in the Aviation Group of KLJ, an engineering, surveying and planning firm. He works in the company’s Minot, N.D., office.

Joanna Johnson, ’14, is a nurse practitioner with Sanford Health in Fargo.

Heather (Carlson) Mcatee, ’14, is co owner of a women’s clothing store in Grand Forks, Key Bliss. Her partner is fellow UND alum Jessica (Christenson) Bollinger, ’14.

Kristina Norman, ’14, is a nurse practitioner with Essentia Health in Fargo.

Karrah Oliver, ’14, is a physician assistant with North Valley Health Center in Warren, Minn.

Tayelor Rufsvold, ’14, is a high school biology and astronomy teacher in Lisbon, N.D.

Brittany Stein, ’14, is a physical therapist at the Towner County Medical Center in Cando, N.D.

Tasha Waage, ’14, is a nurse practitioner in the family medicine department at Essentia Health Deer River (Minn.).

Laura Winters, ’14, is a nurse practitioner in the vascular surgery department at Essentia Health Duluth (Minn.) Clinic. AR

The information for Class News is compiled from newspapers, online postings, reader submissions, and the UND AA&F database. If you spot an error, please email [email protected].

Page 45: Alumni Review Spring 2015

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ADDITIONSAlyssa (Shirek) Konickson, ’06, and Paul Konickson, ’01, welcomed their son, Caleb Michael Konickson, on July 21, 2014. The family lives in East Grand Forks.

Savannah Faith Daily was born Aug. 18, 2014, and adopted by Alishia (Salmen) Daily, ’11, and her husband, Kyle. They live in Fargo.

Lila Olivia Waind was born Oct. 22, 2014, to proud parents Haley (Oase) Waind, ’10, and Dan Waind, ’08. The family lives in Bismarck, N.D.

Avery Sofia Kjos was born on Aug. 13, 2014, to Sara (Hatcher), ’07, and Corey Kjos, ’07. The family lives in Dallas.

Chao Xu, ’09, and Wenjing Ye, ’09, welcomed YeZe Xu to the family on July 20, 2014. The family lives in Suzhou, China.

CELEBRATIONSDaniel Sindt, ’10, and Anna Ohlsen, ’11, were married August 23, 2014, in Nisswa, Minn., with many UND alumni in attendance. They live in Cottage Grove, Minn.

Retired Professor Arthur Hiltner, ’67, ’68, and Glorianne (Little) Hiltner, ’64, celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2014. The couple was married on August 8, 1964, in Grand Forks. Also pictured are their three daughters: Deborah Beauchamp, ’92, and her husband, Dan, ’88, ’95; Diane Honzik, ’95, and her husband, Clark; and Julie Branden and her husband, Blaine; as well as their 10 grandchildren.

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If you would like your addition or celebration to be included in the next Alumni Review, send a high resolution photo to [email protected]. We do not accept Facebook or mobile uploads. Photos will be published in the order in which they were received, space permitting, and at the discretion of Alumni Review staff. We look forward to helping you celebrate!

Page 46: Alumni Review Spring 2015

46 | Alumni Review Spring 2015

all of Fame former UND Football Coach Marvin “Whitey” Helling died in December at the age of 91. A 1988 inductee into the UND Athletics Letterwinners Hall of Fame, Helling served as UND head coach from 1957 to 1967, and helped transform the program into a Division II national power. He led UND to three North Central Conference titles and a pair of Division II bowl game victories.

“The UND football family was saddened to hear of the passing of Coach Marv ‘Whitey’ Helling,” said current UND head football coach Bubba Schweigert. “Coach Helling left a lasting legacy with the program and remained a strong supporter throughout his lifetime. His efforts and contributions to UND football will always hold a special place in our hearts.”

Helling inherited a UND program that had gone 2-6 the previous year. One year later in 1958, Helling led UND to its first NCC championship in 17 years. Helling led the team to two more NCC titles in 1964 and 1966.

Helling also guided UND to its first two Division II bowl game appearances, a 1965 victory over Northern Illinois in the Mineral Water Bowl and a 1966 win over Parsons in the Pecan Bowl. His 1965 team was inducted into the UND Hall of Fame this past fall, joining his 1958,

1964 and 1966 squads that were previously inducted.Born in Luverne, Minn., Helling enrolled at Macalester

College, where he competed in football, basketball and track. In June 1942, he enlisted in the Navy Officer Candidate program and received officer training and later commanded a gunboat in the Pacific area.

Released from the Navy in 1946, Helling returned to Macalester and graduated in 1948. He also received a master’s degree from Macalester in 1952.

Helling was hired at UND after high school coaching stints in Minnesota in Jackson, Detroit Lakes and Minneapolis (Washburn High School).

Helling is credited with starting the Minnesota Prep Bowl tradition at the Metrodome. He was associate director for the Minnesota State High School League from 1972 to 1985, and championed the idea of having all five championship football games on a single day.

Helling is survived by his wife of 67 years, Marcia (Hanson), ‘67; two sons, Mark and Steven; daughter Karen MacCarter, ’71; a sister, seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

A memorial service is planned for April 10, 2015, at 11:30 a.m. at the Fort Snelling Chapel in St. Paul, Minn. AR

hLegendary Coach Marv Helling Passes

Photo: Elwyn B. Robinson Dept. of Special Collections

Coach Marv Helling talks with players during a 1964 game.

Page 47: Alumni Review Spring 2015

47www.UNDalumni.org |

obert Nordlie, Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, died Jan. 8.

Nordlie was born June 11, 1930, in Willmar, Minn., and grew up in New London, Minn. He earned a B.S. in Education from St. Cloud Teachers College in 1952, served two years in the U.S. Army Combat Engineers, and then earned his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Biochemistry from the University of North Dakota in 1957 and 1960. There he met his wife, Sally Ann Christianson, ‘54. They were married in Pembina, N.D., on Aug. 23, 1959, and have three children: Margaret, ‘82, ‘91; Melissa, ‘92; and John, ‘90, ‘92.

After his graduate work, Dr. Nordlie studied for two years as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Wisconsin’s Institute for Enzyme Research. He returned to UND in 1962 as the Medical School’s first James J. Hill Research Professor. His 38-year career in the Department

of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology included serving as its chair from 1983 to 2000. Dr. Nordlie’s internationally renowned research on glucose-6-phosphatase and its role in blood glucose homeostasis resulted in 135 research papers and reviews, and numerous invitations to speak in the U.S. and abroad. He mentored 12 M.S., 20 Ph.D., and 15 postdoctoral students.

Dr. Nordlie was a highly respected teacher and received numerous awards for teaching and research throughout his career, the most recent being the Sioux Award, the highest honor given by the UND Alumni Association & Foundation, in 2011. Upon his retirement, The Robert C. Nordlie Endowment in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology was established to fund the Robert C. Nordlie Lectureship that serves as an ongoing recognition of Dr. Nordlie’s success and contributions to UND. AR

rSioux Award Recipient Dr. Robert Nordlie Remembered

Page 48: Alumni Review Spring 2015

48 | Alumni Review Spring 2015

In Memoriam1930sQuentin Schulte, ..’35, Nashville, Tenn.

1940sLowell Harris, ’40, Sacramento, Calif.

Donald Broten, ..’41, East Grand Forks, Minn.

Col. Stanley Chatfield (RET), ..’41, Monument, Colo.

Ralph Maxwell, ’41, ’47, Richville, Minn.

Chad McLeod, ’41, Cando, N.D.

Harold Stratemeyer, ’41, Seattle, Wash.

Raymond Fergusson, MD, ’42, Seattle, Wash.

Donald Hoglund, ..’42, Excelsior, Minn.

Doreen (Poliquin) Crossland, ..’43, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Hollis Nappen, ’43, Mandan, N.D.

Edwin Hieb, ’44, ’45, West Fargo, N.D.

Ann (Hansen) Vaaler, ’45, Phoenix, Ariz.

Rodney Clark, MD, ’46, Grand Forks

Adele (Thompson) Teater, ’46, Powell Butte, Ore.

John Allensworth, ..’47, Bismarck

William Anderson, MD, ’47, Spokane, Wash.

Raphael Bibow, ..’47, Minot, N.D.

John Empie, ..’47, Aiken, S.C.

Rudolph Edwardson, ..’48, Fargo

Richard McGarvey, ..’48, Fargo

Louise Aandahl Stockman, ’48, Lawrence, Kan.

Lowell Tjon, ’48, Lisbon, N.D.

Glenn Swanson, ’49, Bottineau, N.D.

1950sNorris Braaten, ..’50, Hankinson, N.D.

Thomas Chapman, ’50, Fargo

Sigurd Rimestad, ’50, ’55, Taylors Falls, Minn

Hakon Hanstad, ’51, Chevy Chase, Md.

Jonas Sad, ’51, Crescent City, Calif.

Dr. Allan Scidmore, ’51, Middleton, Wis.Patricia (Sunderland) Warburton, ..’51, Lake Charles, La.

Robert Booker, ’52, Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Lowell Rasmussen, ’52, Westminster, Colo.

James Robertson, ’52, Peoria, Ariz.

L. “Derby” Emerson, ’53, ’60, Grand Forks

Alfred Schultz, ’53, Bismarck

Pete Simonson, ’53, Bemidji, Minn.

Douglas Warren, ’53, Valley City, N.D.

Donna (Huus) Bosman, ’55, Grand Forks

Dr. Daniel Sillers, ’55, Pueblo, Colo.

Aivar Kalnins, MD, ’56, ’57, Beaver, Ohio

Robert Neff, ..’56, Plains, Mont.

Bruce Pedersen, ..’56, Luverne, N.D.

Robert Vooge, ’57, ’66, Scottsbluff, Neb.

Ryan Harrington, MD, ’58, Fargo

John Hopley, ’58, Las Vegas, Nev.

Dr. John Rhoades, ‘59, Campbell, Calif.

Earl Ryden, ’59, Kennedy, Minn.

1960sStephen Hinman, ’60, New Orleans, La.

Larry Murray, ’60, ’65, Portland, Ore.

Marnita (Cushman) Oliver, ..’60, Littleton, Colo.

Carroll Crouch, ’61, Fergus Falls, Minn.

Arthur Davis, ’61, Bismarck

Sonja (Dahl) Eggmann, ’61, Fargo

Eugene Kohlman, ’61, Minot, N.D.

Gary McMachen, ’61, Rapid City, S.D.

Erwin Melvie, ..’61, Viking, Minn.

Reginald Petersen, ’61, St. Paul, Minn.

Patricia (Reiton) Dietrich, ’63, East Moline, Ill.

Barbara (Ratliff) Brown, ’64, Bakersfield, Calif.

Dr. Larry G Bauste, ’65, Detroit Lakes, Minn.

Jon Boisclair, ..’65, Washington, D.C.

Thomas Burwell, ’65, ’69, Hopkins, Minn.

Benjamin Crabtree, ’65, Edina, Minn.

Gerald Meyer, ’65, Minot, N.D.

Frank Page, ’65, Bismarck

Naomi Anderson, ..’66, Thief River Falls, Minn.

Jerold Bietz, ’66, East Peoria, Ill.

Marvin Heupel, ’66, Mandan, N.D.Elizabeth (McGuinness) Lawrence, ’66, Fairport, N.Y.

Janet (Anderson) McCallum, ’66, Bismarck

Dale Monsebroten, ’66, Columbus, Ohio

Gerald Rustad, ’66, ’69, Williston, N.D.

Richard Schindler, MD, ’66, Austin, Minn.

Myron Schober, ’66, Rushford, Minn.

John Sundlie, ’66, Green Bay, Wis.

Dr. Thomas Jensen, ’67, Dickinson, N.D.

Merideth (Fleur) Nicolas, ..’67, St. Paul, Minn.

Byron Byerly, ’68, Livingston, Mont.

Connie (Sadowsky) Crews, ’68, Gainesville, Fla.

Mary Jean (Bavendick) Lamb, ..’68, Fargo

Robert Lane, ..’68, Virden, Manitoba

Harlan Ritterman, ..’68, Larimore, N.D.

Eldon Bladow, ’69, East Grand Forks, Minn.

Duane Darling, ’69, Grand Forks

Leslie Honeyman, ’69, ’73, Midland, Texas

Elizabeth (Hunter) Murray, ’69, Portland, Ore.

1970sLarry Melinsky, ..’70, South Haven, Minn.

Robert Olson, ’70, Grand ForksDelores “Lee” (Winnaham) Barnum, ..’73, Grand Forks

Karen (Kosanda) Braaten, ’73, ’79, Grand Forks

Jack Guenthner, ..’73, Casselton, N.D.

Inez Hopkins, ’73, ’79, Minneapolis

Sister Frieda Kalenze, ’73, ’82, St. Paul, Minn.

Donald Landstrom, ..’73, Sioux Falls, S.D.

Roger Opp, ..’73, Fargo

David Pueppke, ’73, Bulverde, Texas

Richard Burggraf, ..’74, Goodhue, Minn.

Sister Lucille Hass, ’74, Hutchinson, Minn.

Richard Heinert, ’74, Jamestown, N.D.

Clyde Maasjo, ..’74, Valley City, N.D.Patricia (Brady) McKay, ’74, ’83,

Devils Lake, N.D.

James Sobolik, ..’74, Houston, Texas

Alice (Brezina) Power, ’75, Langdon, N.D.

Nancy (Heimark) Harvey, ’76, Grand Forks

Mark Kolstoe, ’76, ’83, Ridgecrest, Calif.

Gerald Peeler, ’76, Cass Lake, Minn.

Beverly Ulland, ’76, FargoDr. Jan (Jacobi) Vandever, ’76, Anchorage, Alaska

Ann Thomas-Brundin, ’76, Sioux Falls, S.D.

Nicholas Aberle, ’77, Bismarck

It is with great honor we dedicate these pages to alumni and friends of the University of North Dakota who have recently passed away. These members of the alumni family helped ignite the spirit of UND, paving the way for a bright future.

Page 49: Alumni Review Spring 2015

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Janet Olson, ’77, Houston, Texas

Lu Ann Mahrer-Dudgeon, ’79, Petersburg, N.D.

Geraldine (Welle) Maier, ’79, Bismarck

Joel Shock, ’79, ’82, Fargo

1980s

Donald Martindale, MD, ’80, ’82, Fargo

Major William Radigan Jr., ’80, Helotes, Texas

John Ringuette, ..’80, Fargo

Kathryn (Johnson) Haltli, ..’81, Thompson, N.D.

Joyce (Setter) Matheson, ..’81, Larimore, N.D.

Lt. Col. John Gezelius, ’82, Los Angeles, Calif.

Leslie Johnson, ’82, Burnsville, Minn.

Thomas Larson, ..’82, Park River, N.D.

Lyle Moe, ’83, Maryville, Tenn.

Terrence Adams, ..’85, Spokane Valley, Wash.

1990sWilliam Aaland, ’90, Fosston, Minn.

Tod Erickson, ’90, Colgate, N.D.

Richard Farroh,’90, ’93, Grand Forks

Maureen (Salo) Enget, ’92, Stanley, N.D.

Thomas Wirta, ’95, St. Paul, Minn.

2000sJason Maier, ’00, Bethesda, Md.

Dr. Carole Sherva, ’02, Lebanon, Ore.

2010s

Zackary Baldwin, ..’14, Eagan, Minn.

Retired Faculty/StaffJack Miller, Santa Fe, N.M.

Darcy (Appell) Mutscher, Grand Forks

FriendsElaine (Gother) Fenstad, Grand Forks

Eleanor (Mondry) Grzadzielewski, Ardoch, N.D.

Elsie (Sebens) Haykel, Bismarck

Harvey Helle Sr., Thief River Falls, Minn.

Marvin Helling, Englewood, Fla.

Janet (Griffeth) Idso, Fargo

Viola (Sandford) Lillehaugen, Rochester, Minn.

Mary Helen McLeod, Cando, N.D.

Margie (Mott) Nerison, Jamestown, N.D.

Yvonne (Gapp) Novak, Silver Spring, Md.

Jean (Gilmour) O’Keefe, Grand Forks

Domenick Palmiscno, Grand Forks

Gerald Patrick Sr., Joliet, Ill.

Allan Renfrew, Ann Arbor, Mich.

Violet Stenehjem, Fargo

Norma (Geisler) Strecker, Seattle, Wash.

Dale Urness, Leeds, N.D.

John Wall, Wahpeton, N.D.

Robert Wanner, Bismarck

Mildred Wicks, Kansas City, Mo.

A double period (..) in front of a year indicates the year that a non-graduate left UND.

Page 50: Alumni Review Spring 2015

50 | Alumni Review Spring 2015

THE wrapTIDBITS, NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE UND AA&F

Champions BallThe largest single UND Athletics

fundraising event will be held April 25 in the Alerus Center Arena. The 2015 Champions Ball is a night to celebrate the community that supports student-athletes while raising funds to help fill the gap of unrealized scholarships.

The Champions Ball will feature a fantastic dinner, live and silent auctions and, new this year, a dance.

In 2013, the Champions Ball raised more than $120,000 to fund more than 10 student-athlete scholarships.

Visit undalumni.org/championsball for more information and to register.

alumnREVIEW

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Winter 2014 INSIDE: Construction to begin on new Aerospace building. See page 20.

WEATHER WISEYou can’t tame Mother Nature, but UND alumni and professors are helping keep people safe from her most violent outbursts.P. 6

Find the Flame Winners!

We got a little tricky with the hidden flame on the cover of the Winter 2014 issue. Some of the arcs of lightning were manipu-lated to form the flame (see image above.)

Three names were drawn at random from all the correct responses. The winners of a prize package from the UND Alumni As-sociation & Foundation are Edward Hoffman, Steve Vogel and Mary Reinertson-Sand.

Congratulations to our winners! Don’t miss out on your chance to win. Find the flame on the cover of this issue, and email your guess to [email protected].

New and Improved!Have you checked out the new

UND Alumni Association & Foundation website?

The website has undergone a major renovation over the past few months. In addition to a new look, undalumni.org is now mobile-friendly.

You can use the site to keep up on alumni gatherings in your area, make contact with classmates you’ve lost track of, and give to the UND department or program of your choice.

Make sure you stop by and check it out.

Page 51: Alumni Review Spring 2015

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Page 52: Alumni Review Spring 2015

TO BOOK YOUR TRIPCall 800.323.7373 or visit nordak.ahitravel.com

To view all UND alumni travel opportunities, visit undalumni.org/alumnitours.

Grand Danube PassageSofia to PragueAugust 31 – September 15, 2015“Join us on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure exploring elegant Eastern European cities and Old World towns along the storied Danube River. Aboard the MS Amadeus Silver, we’ll cruise for 9 nights and visit eight countries and 13 cities. We are excited to travel with you in 2015!” — DeAnna Carlson Zink

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University of North Dakota Alumni Association3501 University Ave Stop 8157Grand Forks, ND 58202-8157