o one ever expected me to be a police officer - my size, gender,

age and naïvety. And drugs were a male world. They loved to brag about their business and the toys it bought. The more they bragged, the more they felt comfortable bringing me to their sources. When I put the cuffs on them, many thought it was a joke.”

“I applied in big cities,” she re-membered. “Los Angeles circled my height and said ʻnot qualified. ̓ Minneapolis and St. Paul were the same. Chicago and Miami said I had to live there six months before apply-ing, and I couldnʼt afford that. “I saved all my graduation money to buy an airline ticket for an interview. I had enough money

to pay for one flight, so I had one chance.” Baltimore gave her that chance, and after two days of testing, she learned she had the job. Finishing at the top of her class, she was able to pick her assignment - the townʼs toughest precinct. “It was culture shock,” Leonhart said. “The complete opposite of White Bear Lake and Bemidji - a big city with high crime. In the first year, I got the nickname ʻAlice in Wonderland ̓ because it was always something new. I spent the first 12 months learning the streets.” It was in her second year that she started doing undercover work, and sometimes hooked up with agents of the DEA. They mentioned the agency was looking for new people. She applied, went

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The dealers didnʼt figure they had a problem with Michele Leonhart. After all, she was too short to be a cop, too frail to be a narc, and too naïve to survive as an undercover agent in the back streets of drugs and guns. They only discovered the mag-nitude of the problem when Leon-hart snapped on the handcuffs, read them their rights, and carted them off to jail. A 1978 graduate of Bemidji State with a degree in criminal justice and nearly 25 years of experience in law enforcement, Leonhart doesnʼt surprise crimi-nals any more. She is too visible, having been nominated by Presi-dent George Bush to become the deputy administrator in the Drug Enforcement Administration, in essence the number two drug cop in the country. Leonhart arrived at BSU follow-ing two years at Lakewood Com-munity College in White Bear Lake. She was diminutive, right at 5-feet tall and slight of build. But her character was as large as her dreams. “I picked BSU because of Don Bradel,” Leonhart said. “Because of my size, people advised me to look into probation or corrections work rather than law enforcement. He made me believe I could be-come a police officer. I felt I would have the chance to do that.” Since she was in grade school, Leonhart knew she wanted to be a cop. It was a way for her to help people and put something back into the community. By the time she arrived at BSU, her dreams were solidified but her plans were sketchy. She had little money and, as the oldest of seven kids, family financial support would be minimal. A stop in the financial aid office produced a job and enough aid to get her started. The rest was easy as long as she worked hard, at least until she gradu-ated and started looking for jobs.

Focus on WomenMichele Leonhart Becoming a Top Cop

BSUCalendarApril 16, 2004

BSU Foundation Board Meeting

April 24, 2004BSU Alumni Board Meeting

May 13, 200450-Year Reunion Class of 1954

May 14, 2004Golden Beaver Society Luncheon

May 14, 2004BSU Commencement

June 11, 2004BSU Foundation Board Meeting

June 18, 2004Wells Fargo / Gordy Skaar Memorial

Golf Tournament

July 16, 2004Galen Nagle Memorial Golf Tournament

August 6, 2004 (tentative)First National Bank Bemidji

Women’s Golf Classic

August 13, 2004BSU Foundation Board Meeting

August 20-21, 2004BSU Alumni Board Meeting/Retreat

September 24-26, 20042004 Homecoming

September, 200440-Year Reunion - Class of 1964

October 15-16, 20042004 Athletic Hall of Fame

through training, and graduated once again in the top of her class. From there it was back to Min-nesota, where she worked over five years in the DEA office in Minneapolis. Almost all of it was undercover in the drug scene or on conspiracy cases. “Narcotics work was always dangerous, because you dealt with the scum of the earth and thereʼs always guns,” she commented. “I had to talk my way out of several close calls. You survive because of your partners, you are prepared, and the DEA training is the best. “No one ever expected me to be a police officer - my size, gender, age and naïvety. And drugs were a male world. They loved to brag about their business and the toys it bought. The more they bragged, the more they felt comfortable bringing me to their sources. When I put the cuffs on them, many thought it was a joke.” She quickly developed what was known as street credibility and earned the respect of fellow undercover agents through her work ethic and professionalism. She helped bust drug dealers from Mexico to the Canadian border. Subsequent assignments led to positions with increasing supervisory responsibilities in St. Louis, San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles. She now is off the streets, work-ing for the 10,000 agents and employees of the DEA. Under director Karen Tandy, a former federal prosecutor who is the first woman to run the agency, Leonhart spends a lot of time on operational issues involving major investigations across the country as well as on things like training, facilities, or equipment. “Having been with the DEA for 23 years, I think like an agent, act like an agent, and talk like an agent,” she said. “Thatʼs good experience to have.”

Alumnae of Bemidji State University have accomplished great things, and many of these have been brought to the attention of the HORIZONS editorial board. In discussing content for the spring 2004 edition, it was apparent there were a significant number of these stories that needed to be told. In celebration of Women’s History Month, the edition was expanded to feature students and current programming at the University.

Vol. 19, No. 3, Spring 2004

Michele Leonhart

Michele Leonhart at the DEA command center in Washington, DCN“N

BSU

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know some people don’t view

government work as being honorable, but it is for me because of the ways in which you can touch and help people.”

Vol. 19, No. 3, Spring 2004

Produced by the News and Publications Office and the Alumni Office at Bemidji State University, HORIZONS is published quarterly and distributed without charge to BSU alumni, students, faculty, staff and other friends of the University.

Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Al NohnerDesigner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kathy BerglundPhotographer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John SwartzPresident . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. Jon QuistgaardAlumni Director . . . . . . . . . . . Marla Huss PatriasContributing Writers . . Jody Grau, Cindy Serratore,

Harvey Meyer, Jon OmanEditorial Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peggy Nohner

Editorial Board: Dr. Jon Quistgaard, BSU president; Al Nohner, director of news services and publications; Carl Baer, vice president for university advancement; Marla Huss Patrias, director of alumni relations. A member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, Bemidji State University is an equal opportunity educator and employer.This document is available in alternative formats to individuals with disabilities by calling 1-800-475-2001 or 218-755-3883. 04-284

When youʼre in the public eye, people take pot shots at you. Comes with the territory. As the state of Minnesotaʼs budget di-

and use it to make things better.” While Ingison largely escaped criticism as budget director, sheʼs girding herself for more, po-tentially, now that Gov. Tim Pawlenty named her the state finance commissioner. As Minnesota s̓ CFO, in effect, she s̓ charged with crafting recom-mendations for the multibillion dollar state budget and providing analysis for the governor. Her office is also responsible for forecasting state revenues and expenditures, debt management, and signing off on the state s̓ financial statements. She oversees a staff of 160 from her fourth-floor office in the Centennial Office Building, which is part of the sprawling State Capitol complex. Anyone familiar with the shap-ing of last yearʼs budget, in which

$4.6 billion was erased with-out boosting state taxes, knows acrimonious discussions were commonplace. Ingison inocu-lated herself from the sometimes heated rhetoric by flashing an encyclopedic understanding of state finances. “When you really have a good grasp of the budget, when you can talk about the big picture as well as specific details, you become pretty comfortable talking about it,” said Ingison, who has worked in Minnesota state government for 28 years. In some ways, Ingison fits the stereotype of the behind-the-scenes number cruncher. She is soft-spoken and low-key. Not for her are the backslapping, glad-handing ways that often accom-pany a run for elected office. While Ingison is clearly com-fortable deciphering financial statements, it s̓ the programs and activities behind the numbers that inspire her. For that, she said, much credit goes to her father, a former finance director for the Minneapo-lis Veterans Administration. “I could see from my dad s̓ work that the government sector could really make a difference in people s̓ lives,” she said. “I know some peo-ple donʼt view government work as being honorable, but it is for me because of the ways in which you can touch and help people.” Just two years after graduating from BSU with an accounting

major, Ingison launched her ca-reer in state government, serving as an auditor in the Department of Transportation. From 1982 to 1996, the Bloomington native was a fiscal analyst with the Senate Finance Committee, including chief fiscal analyst for six years. Her visibility rose markedly when Gov. Carlson tapped her as state budget director in July 1996. She is believed to be the longest-serving state budget director in history. Adding to that distinction, she toiled for three consecutive governors – Carlson, Jesse Ven-ture and, until Feb. 1, Pawlenty. She appreciates the varying per-spectives and priorities of each governor and the legislatures they often battled. “You learn that itʼs not as if thereʼs a right answer in provid-ing a set of budget recommenda-tions,” she said. Thankfully, Ingison wonʼt need to tangle with giant-sized budget cuts during the 2004 legislative session. Even so, there is a lot on her plate. She hopes to make state finances more transparent to poli-cymakers and the general public. And sheʼs intent on enhancing the stateʼs long-term fiscal stability, including winning back a Triple AAA bond rating. And if criticism should come her way? Well, there are no as-surances she wonʼt wince again. But she can guarantee sheʼs better equipped to manage it.

Peggy Ingison

“I

forward to,” Haché said. Both their academic and athletic interests have created travel op-portunities for the student athletes. A Division I hockey schedule has them darting across the country to play in hockey hotbeds across the East and Midwest. They spent last summer on op-posite ends of the continent. Côté was at the University of Rochester in New York conducting research on vaccine biology and immunology while Haché researched the HIV virus at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA. Côté and Haché developed a friendship after they played for Team New Brunswick in 1996.

rector, Peggy Ingison calculated sheʼd court some criticism. Still, when it actually hap-pened, she winced. And then she sought solace. “There s̓ a sign in my

office that says one of the things you need to do to become successful is ʻMake use of criticism without let-ting it whip you. ̓ I used to be really hard on myself when people were critical of something I did. “ said Ingison, a 1974 graduate of Bemidji State. “But what Iʼve learned is that it s̓ usually not very personal and it s̓ important to be open to that criticism

Anik Côté & Guylaine Haché

HorizonsBSUBSU

Facing the State’s Budget WoesPEGGY INGISON

Making Marks in Academics and Athleticsrecipient of the WCHA Student Athlete of the Year Award in 2003, named to two consecutive Verizon Academic All-American Second Teams, and twice selected to the All-Academic WCHA Team. An assistant captain who skates on a front line, Haché joined her teammate on those WCHA all-academic squads and had her own WCHA Student Athlete of the Year Award from 2002. Both carry grade point averages above 3.8 with double majors in biology and chemistry. “Academics always have come first and I always try to keep study-ing because I know hockey is just a game and when I am done playing at BSU I will have a career to look Continued on page 8

Bemidji State’s Anik Côté (in goal) and Guylaine Haché (#21) in WCHA action.

The path Anik Côté and Guylaine Haché have taken during their journey through Bemidji State is littered with awards, honors and satisfaction. The pair from New Brunswick first stepped on the BSU campus nearly four years ago, uncertain about their decision to play NCAA Division I womenʼs hockey and unsettled by the move to the states from their French-speaking Cana-dian home. When they graduate in a few months, they will head out of town pursuing new dreams and realizing they made great impressions in both academics and athletics. A senior goaltender and captain of the womenʼs team, Côté was the

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Where We Are ... What We’re Doing

ALL CITIES ARE LOCATED IN MINNESOTA UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.

Continued on page 5

Department. Heʼd been the chief of police since 1997... Terry Fredin (ʻ69) and his wife, Karen (Schneider, ̒ 68), live in Windom and have two grown sons. Terry teaches construction and Karen is in human resources with HIS in Windom... Robert Porter (ʻ61) of Center City has written a book entitled The Lost Gold of Busticoggan, based on the life of the legendary Chippewa chief. Porter spent about five years gathering information for the book, much of that time spent interviewing people from the Effie and Northome areas who share his interest in local history. He taught Eng-lish, social studies and American history in White Bear Lake, before his retirement. He continues to substitute teach as well as doing some part-time reporting for the Chisago County Press where he also writes a column called A Brief Glance at History... Pat (Meyer) Syvertsen (ʻ68) and Paul Syvertsen (ʻ68) live in New Haven, CT, and have two children, Kai, 27, and Erik, 22... Kathy

1950sKeith Cariveau (ʻ58) and his wife, Kathy (Johnson, ̒ 60), are retired and living in Livermore, CA. They recently traveled to South America to visit family in Ecuador and participated in an Elderhostel study tour of Peru.

1960s Marie Luoma (ʻ68) of Bemidji is director of the 3rd Street Singers which performed this winter in Bemidji s̓ Home for the Holidays program. She was given special recognition by the Bemidji Mu-sic Boosters for her dedication to music as a teacher in the school system and is still involved with music in her church and as director of the senior choir... Roberta Sellon (ʻ69) played viola on a selection recorded for the Lights of Bemidji CD this winter. The collection of recordings is being sold by the Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce as a fund-raiser for the Night We Light Celebration held each Christmas season in downtown Bemidji... Calvin Finch (ʻ69) has been employed as conservation director with the San Antonio Water System and in 2003 was appointed as a member of the Texas Water Conservation Task Force. He and his wife, Judy, have three children and two grandchildren... Norman Hecimovich (ʻ60) is retired and living in Austin. He and his wife, Helen, have three grown children and Norman is active in the VFW, American Legion and Disabled American Veterans organizations... Jerry Meyer (ʻ68) retired in June concluding a 34 year teaching career in the Paynes-ville schools. He married Lois on Dec.27 and has two sons, Jason, 27, and Jeff, 24 …Scott Hoover

Cariveau (ʻ60) and her husband, Keith (ʻ58), are retired and living in Livermore, CA. They recently traveled to South America to visit family in Ecua-dor and participated in an Elderhostel study tour of Peru... Diane Hoselton Genova (ʻ62) is retired and living in Northfield. She volunteers with the public libraries program for preschoolers... Darrel Lillquist (ʻ63) retired in 1998 after a 35 year career teaching science and math in Blackduck and Bemi-dji schools. He lives on a farm near Guthrie where he raises beef cattle with his wife, Jean, who is also employed by the Bemidji School District. Their farm has been designated a Century Farm by the Minnesota State Agricultural Society, having been homesteaded in 1898 by his grandparents. They have three grown children and recently became grandparents... John Stefanich (ʻ64) of Long Prai-rie was inducted into the Minnesota Golf Coaches Hall of Fame in June, 2003, having also been inducted the previous month into the newly formed Long Prairie Grey Eagle High School Athletic Hall of Fame. He coached girls ̓golf at the Long Prairie Public Schools for 11 years from 1977 to 1988. The girls ̓golf team won three state championships dur-ing the years of 1985, 1986 and 1987 and advanced to state competition five times. He and his wife, Ro-salie, have three grown children... LeRoy Larson (ʻ61) plays banjo with the Minnesota Scandinavian Ensemble which provides insight into the music and humor of the Scandinavians who helped settle Northern Minnesota in the 1890s... Jim Hipple (ʻ69) has retired from his teaching job at Westview

Julie Gronquist arrived at Be-midji State University in 2001 with the straightforward goal of becoming a pre-school teacher. But then things got political for the 18-year-old from Kansas. The weather turned cold, her freshman schedule got busy, her workload seemed heavy and she cut a couple of political science classes to buy time. Her political science professor, who noted the absences, offered an opportunity to erase one from the books by participating in a trip to the state legislature. Gronquist signed up. Together with a busload of stu-dents, they spent the day attending legislative committee meetings and observing proceedings on the House and Senate floors. “I loved it,” Gronquist said. “I loved the environment, the lobby-ing and meeting with legislators. I came back and joined the Student Senate in February.” Today, Gronquist is a junior with greatly improved time management skills. She juggles both her course work and her responsibilities as Student Senate president without cutting political science classes. In fact, this year she added political science as a second major. “Iʼve always known that I wanted to do early childhood education,”

take stands on important issues. She has also honed her public speaking skills. Her first duty as Senate president was to speak before an opening year meeting of BSU faculty and staff. She has since made many presentations and become more comfortable address-ing an audience. Gronquist grew up 10 miles outside of Alma, KS (population 800), and graduated from a high school class of 31. She was active in athletics and student organiza-tions, did well in academics, and had a scholarship offer from an East Coast school. What first attracted her to Bemi-dji was a website photo of BSU on Lake Bemidji. She was also impressed with the BSU educa-tion program and its many op-portunities for involvement in the classroom. Bemidji also seemed a more comfortable size. Plus, BSU offered her a Full-Tuition Scholar-

ship that was hard to pass up. “As I look at my experience with education, I realize I still have a lot to learn,” Gronquist said. “Last year, I mentored middle school students and worked with a lot of homeless kids. You could see kids who fell through the cracks. You have to ask, ʻHow does that hap-pen? ̓ Birth through grade two is so important. Without that strong start, you end up with eighth graders reading at the third-grade level. Itʼs heartbreaking.” With each experience, Gronquist builds the insights that she hopes will serve her well in the future. Wherever her career may lead, she intends to keep it well grounded in the classroom and with the kids. “I hope that as a policy maker, I will not become so wrapped up in all the politics that I forget what it s̓ like in the classroom,” she said, speaking like a true politician.

JULIE GRONQUIST

Duane Johnson

Growing into a Student Leader “I’ve always known that I wanted to do early childhood

education. I taught Sunday school back home. But when I got involved in Student Senate, I saw how important politics is in education. One day, I’d like to work for the Department of Education shaping education policy.”

Gronquist said. “I taught Sunday school back home. But when I got involved in Student Senate, I saw how important politics is in edu-cation. One day, Iʼd like to work for the Department of Education shaping education policy.” As Senate president, Gronquist gets plenty of practice on the ins and outs of policy making. She serves as the liaison between the Student Senate and BSU administration, which recognizes the Senate as the official voice of the students. Gronquist willingly admits that her experiences at BSU have ex-panded her views and changed her life. In November, she spent five days in Washington, DC, lobbying with other students on hehalf of higher eduction. Having partici-pated in Bemidji State s̓ Eurospring a year ago, she was able to observe first-hand how the formalities of Washington contrasted with the debates, or shouting matches, at the British Parliament in London. The group arrived in London just two days before the war in Iraq. Gron-quist engaged several people from different countries in conversations about the war to get a broader per-spective. All in all, her experiences have taught her to be assertive and to

SUPER BOWL OF SHOPPING SPREES 1953 alumnus Bill Kirtland was one of 14 regional winners of a national promotion by ACE hardware that gave him a two-minute shopping spree and earned him a free trip and tickets to the Super Bowl. Kirtland stuffed around $3,000 in goods into two shopping carts during his run through the Bemidji ACE store prior to embarking for Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston, TX.

(ʻ69) and his wife, Elaine (Kooiman, ʻ69), are retiring after teaching in Tipp City, OH, for 35 years. They have two sons, Scott, 28, and Jacob, 23... Duane Johnson (ʻ60) recently retired from his position as Cloquet s̓ police chief after spending 29 years working with the Cloquet Police

Julie Gronquist

Julie Gronquist

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dating, challenging and rigorous the whole experience can be. Just “tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.” Thatʼs all the court asks, so what could be so tough? Plenty, accord-ing to Richards and McKasson, which is why they co-authored the book, Speaking As An Expert, A Guide for the Identification Sci-ences From the Laboratory to the Courtroom. McKasson conceived the book idea while Richards pursued her doctorate in the philosophy of communication at the Southern Il-linois University in Carbondale. It wasnʼt long before McKasson made connections between his sis-

terʼs research in communication and his work in helping forensic scientists prepare themselves as expert witnesses. McKasson, now in private practice, has traveled the world training forensic sci-entists how to be more effective witnesses. “Itʼs astonishing what people will get themselves into because they think they are supposed to have an answer for every ques-tion,” Richards said. “There is nothing wrong with saying ʻThatʼs beyond my scope ̓ or ʻI donʼt know.ʼ” But testifying in court is always a challenge, even for the expert. The truth must be told in a man-ner that is understandable and believable, and that, Richards said, ties back to what it means to be authentic in communication. “You may be extremely knowl-edgeable, but itʼs all lost if you cannot express yourself,” Rich-ards said. “You need to be your authentic self so your audience sees that you are trustworthy. Then you need to establish your credentials and your science in a meaningful manner.” In Speaking as an Expert, Rich-ards and McKasson examine not only the work of the forensic sci-entist, but also how to report that work to others, particularly in a courtroom. They point out that to be effective as a forensic scientist, the “doing” and “the talking about the doing” are inseparable. In their book, they focus on how the truth is learned, how it is expressed and how it is believed.

Published in 1998, the book fol-lowed the People v. O.J. Simpson case and Richards and McKasson include it as a case example. In par-ticular, they focus on the testimony of one expert witness who was honest to a fault, but was often led astray undermining his effective-ness. Ten pages of the preface focus on the pitfalls of this particular criminalist, a painful revelation of why training on expert testimony can be so important. The book is written for profes-sionals in forensic identification, forensic science and criminal-istics. It includes various lines of questioning for readers to consider and instruction on how to prepare for testimony, how to dress, how to control anxiety, and how to deal with hypothetical scenarios and other difficult-to-answer questions that may surface in cross examination. She and her brother have be-gun work on a second edition of Speaking as an Expert, to include several improved chapters and an update of court case studies. Rich-ards doesnʼt know yet what will replace the Simpson case in the book, but sheʼs watching Court TV whenever she can and expects to find plenty of examples, good and bad. “Many of the experts are still making the same mistakes and falling prey to the same things,” Richards said. “Itʼs easy to see how, when itʼs the lawyerʼs job to prey on the witness and unravel the testimony.”

Outside of the classroom, Dr. Carol Richards, an assistant professor of speech at Bemidji State University, has a most unusual passion. She likes to watch Court TV. She finds the human drama enthralling, but itʼs not the usual characters that intrigue her. Sure, she enjoys the strategic interplay between the prosecution and de-fense, but it s̓ the expert witnesses who fascinate her. The document examiner, toxicologist and ana-lytical chemist in the groundwater contamination case or the DNA expert, narcotics investigator and fingerprint examiner in the drug smuggling murder trial all get her attention. Richards, who earned both bachelorʼs (1981) and masterʼs (1990) degrees at BSU, has never been an expert witness herself or served on a jury; however, her older brother Stephen McKasson has many expert witness experi-ences as a document examiner and knows firsthand how intimi-

Continued from page 3

Dr. Carol Richards

“ Y ou may be extremely knowledgeable, but it’s all lost if you cannot express yourself. You need to be your

authentic self so your audience sees that you are trustworthy. Then you need to establish your credentials and your

science in a meaningful manner.”

Speaking as an ExpertCAROL RICHARDS

Where We Are ... What We’re DoingElementary School in Apple Valley, having taught there for 34 years. He and his wife, Jackie, have purchased a 27-foot camper and will haul it to Arizona this winter to visit their son s̓ family for the birth of their first grandchild.

1970sBrad Billison (ʻ78) and his wife, Julie (Onken, ʻ80), live in St. Paul and have two daughters, Katie, 14, and Rebecca, 11. Brad is a technology specialist with Microsoft Corporation in Bloom-ington... John Persell (ʻ78), director of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe s̓ Water Research Laboratory, filed this fall seeking the Minnesota House 4A Democratic endorsement …Kevin Doty (ʻ79) has been appointed as president of Northern National Bank s̓ Nisswa office. He has been in banking for 24 years and previously held the position of branch president of First Minnesota Bank and Marquette Bank in Mon-ticello... James Tuorila (ʻ79) of St. Cloud has been elected Minnesota VFW 6th District com-mander for 2003-2004. He and his wife, Diane, have a son, Clint, 31... Harvey Bergh (ʻ78) has been teaching in Byron elementary schools since 1978 and also worked with the Red Cross for 30 years. He currently teaches fourth grade... Mark Kelly (ʻ79) lives in St. Anthony and works for

AVAYA Communications. He and his wife, Julie, have four daughters, Gretchen, 22, Rebecca, 19, Jeanie, 17, and Jaedyn, 13... Ronald Kivi (ʻ70) owns Al-Kivi s̓ Carpet Care in Bemidji... Paul Freude (ʻ79), general manager of Paul Bunyan Rural Telephone Cooperative in Bemidji, will join the board of directors for the telecom indus-try s̓ leading national trade association, the United States Telecom Association. He also serves on the Board of directors of the Minnesota Telecom Alliance and the Minnesota Association for Rural Telecommunications... Tom Magoris (ʻ78) con-tinues to pursue his career in education. He and his wife, Anna, live in Gibbon... Mary Bishop Anderson (ʻ77) serves as office supervisor at St. Cloud State University. She and her husband, Ted, live in St. Cloud... Sharon Botelle-Sherman (ʻ74) is semi-retired and tutoring seventh-graders at a middle school. She and her husband, Norman, live in Woodbury and have three grown children, Leslie, Kathy and Brett... Greg Ferrin (ʻ74) and Kathy (Bjorklund) Ferrin (ʻ70) live in Grasston and have two children, Ryan and Reid. Greg is principal of the Red Lake Middle School and Kathy is employed as an A+ coordinator and tech-prep and careers teacher... Mike Pappas (ʻ75) is employed with Pine County Health and Human Services. He and his wife, Sue, live in Cloquet and have a daughter, Alexandria, 21...

Elaine (Aune) Ruud (ʻ71) teaches second grade and reading recovery at Tri-County schools. She and her husband, Wayne (ʻ71), live in Karlstad where he is the city administrator... Vernese (Feldman) Lathrop (ʻ79) of St. Paul retired from teaching after 34 years, having spent 17 years in the Bemidji School District and an additional 17 years in White Bear Lake Schools... Glen Hasselberg (ʻ74) of Staples was elected in July to serve on the Minnesota State High School League Board of Directors. He and his wife, Becky, have five children ranging in ages from 13 to 28... Betty Kempe (ʻ73) and her husband, Bob, live in Verndale. She is retired and enjoying her grandchildren but continues to substitute teach as well ... Clark Chambers (ʻ79) is currently the laboratory manager at Clearwater County Memorial Hospital in Bagley. He and his wife, Jean, live in Bemidji and have three children ranging in age from 14 to 20... Betty (Fulton) Novotney (ʻ79) recently completed the Chicago Marathon with 40,000 other runners. Her goal was to run the race in under six hours and she succeeded by completing in 5:40. She lives in Seneca, IL, where she teaches third- through sixth-grade PE. She and her husband, Larry, have three children, Debbie, 20, Kathy, 16, and Molly, 8... John Kotaska (ʻ72) and his wife, Eileen, live in Thief River Falls where he works as an accountant... Dennis Perreault (76), principal at the Conner-Jasper Middle School in the

Dr. Carol Richards

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Greenway School District, has for the second time in the past decade been selected as Principal of the Year by his peers in the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals. The first time was in 1994 and the second honor was received in August, 2003... Pat Miller (ʻ78) of Staples has received the Photographer of the Year Award from the Crossing Arts Alliance in Brainerd.

1980s Julie (Onken) Billison (ʻ80) and her husband, Brad (ʻ78), live in St. Paul and have two daughters, Katie, 14, and Rebecca, 11... Gail Sonbuchner (ʻ80) has retired from 23 years of teaching learning disabled students at Monticello High School... Rosa (Bailey) Jones (ʻ86) and Ron Jones (ʻ86)

Relations Department upon working her 500th consecutive regular season home game as a member of the statistical crew. Ron has been a systems analyst with the IT department for 3M Pharmaceuticals for more than 10 years... Lois Ball (ʻ86) is pastor of the

has been registered as a professional land surveyor with the state of Minnesota. He joined Landecker & Associates, Inc. in 1995 as a survey technician and was promoted to crew chief that same year. The company has offices in Pequot Lakes, Walker and Grand Rapids... Jeff Halverson (ʻ89) is serving as a Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce business ambassador... Wendy (Chamernick) Meister (ʻ86) is currently a full-time homemaker. She and her husband, Bryan, live in Snellville, GA, and have two children, Kristen, 8, and Bryanna, 2... Tim Graupmann (ʻ86) moved back to his hometown of Grand Rapids in 2000 where he has his own chiropractic office called Grand Rapids Chiropractic. He and his wife, Christie, have six children ranging in age from nine to 19... Andrea (Baker) Hovila (ʻ88) and her husband, Kevin (ʻ81), of Big Fork, announce the birth in March of their first child, a son, Aaron... Leah (Janov) Pierce (ʻ86) works as a home interventionist for the Laporte Schools. She s̓ been a licensed social worker for more than 15 years and has also been a foster care provider and medical social worker... Paul Wagner (ʻ87) married his wife, Lisa, on November 1. He s̓ in his 15th year of teaching sixth grade at Chatfield Public Schools and lives in Pres-ton... Samuel Jewell (ʻ85) and his wife, Jane, live in Rochelle, IL, where he is an industrial engineer manager with Hormel Foods. The couple has two

grown sons, Jason, and Bradley... Jim Staska (ʻ83) is employed with Bankers Systems in St, Cloud. He and his wife, Katie, live in St. Cloud and have two children, Hannah, 6, and Hayley, 4... Robin Finke (ʻ88) was appointed Swift County attorney in July of 2000 and was then elected to that position in November of 2002. He and his wife, Lisa, live in Benson... ArMand Nelson (ʻ82) and his wife, Pam, live in Champlin and have two children, Spencer, 8, and Carter, 6... Brad Vergin (ʻ87) of Eagan has accepted a new job as senior project manager at United Health Care in Edina. He and his wife, Cathi, have two children, Sydney, 3, and Der-ek, also 3 …Audrey Anderson (ʻ82) recently was hired as the laboratory supervisor at Fairview Red Wing Medical Center. She and her husband, John Nelson, live in Cannon Falls and have a 12-year-old son, Bennett... Cheri Frandrup (ʻ82), formerly of Randolph, is the new head of security for the Min-nesota Governor and other officials, as well as the State Capitol complex in St. Paul. Minnesota State Patrol Captain Frandrup was hired in 1984, one of the earliest female officers in the agency. She spent 14 years as a road trooper in the Hastings area and then worked for five years as a field lieutenant based in Golden Valley and, most recently, at the State Patrol Training Center... Heidi (Murray) Wenzel (ʻ84) and her husband, Tom, live in Little Canada

and have two children, Daniel, 10, and Amelia, 7... Kathryn (Wilder) Mellen (ʻ87) and her husband, Matt, live in South St. Paul and have four children, Lucas, 12, Elizabeth, 8, Thomas, 6, and Maeve, 4... Glenn Hoch (86) is working as a carpenter for Total Service Co. in Minneapolis. He and his wife, Deb, have two children, Emily, 6, and John, 3, and live in Maple Grove... Susan (Price) Sack (ʻ81) is working fulltime as a bookkeeper and IT coordinator at the Church of St. Joseph the Worker, Maple Grove. She and her husband, David, live in Maple Grove and have two children, Kyle, 18, and Jason, 17... Jeff Wagley (ʻ89) is in his 15th year of teaching. He and his wife, Beth Ann, live in Lewisville, TX, and have two children, Madeline, 7, and Meredith, 4... Terri Johnson (ʻ85) and her husband, Eric, of Shakopee are building a home and will be moving to Eden Prairie in June. They have two children, Sarah, 18, and Ben, 5... Kim (Keller) Pirkl (ʻ87) is a social worker/case manager for a long-term care insurance company. She and her husband, Rick, have a son, Cody, 8... Laurel (Watkins) Stavseth (ʻ85) is living in West Fargo, ND... Judy (Munneke) Szeliga (ʻ87) was hired this fall to teach sixth grade at the Jackson Middle School. Sheʼd previously worked in the Anoka-Hennepin school district for two years as

Continued on page 6

Nothing much escapes Trudy Rautio. You donʼt vault to the executive ranks at Carlson Com-panies unless you can quickly digest reams of information and produce sound analysis and judg-ment. Yet even Rautio was caught flat-footed at a company event last year. The president of Carlson Ho-tels Worldwide, The Americas was relishing live entertainment and a buoyant atmosphere at a ceremony saluting Carlson Com-panies ̓ outstanding employees. It was no small affair consider-ing thousands are eligible for the coveted Carlson Fellows awards, named for founder Curt Carlson who built the multibillion dollar enterprise. When it was announced Rautio was tapped for a Carlson Fellows special achievement award, she was utterly flabbergasted. And rare for this outgoing woman, even temporarily speechless as a montage of photos and videos played on an overhead screen and a spotlight followed her up the stairs amid sustained applause. “It almost felt like you were at the Academy Awards,” recalls Rautio, a Bemidji State alumna. “It was very moving, but I had no remarks prepared because I wasnʼt expecting anything. That was kind of embarrassing because I like to be ready for anything.” Back at her third-floor office in Carlson Companies ̓ headquarters building in Minnetonka, Rautio is in a familiar setting, burying herself in

homework as she gears up for what could be a blockbuster year. She oversees operations for 650 hotels in North and South America, representing a franchise system with more than 50,000 employees. Itʼs a humongous task and, as might be expected in the execu-tive suite of a Fortune 500-sized firm, a pressure cooker at times. But the position suits Rautio, who balances 60-plus-hour work weeks and an “impatient, Type A” personality with frequent full-bodied, infectious laughter. Aside from managing growth, sheʼs especially enthused about a major initiative called a “balanced scorecard,” which assesses an organization from multiple lenses: learning and growth, business process; customer; and financial. “This is by no means a one-per-son show,” she said. “I am blessed to be surrounded by a team of bright, talented and hard-working individuals who really care about

the business and strive hard to be successful each and every day.” Her previous job, serving as both executive vice president and chief financial officer of Carlson Consumer Group plus CHWʼs chief administrative officer, was also challenging and provided seasoning. In that role, she devel-oped and implemented financial strategies and policies for all Carlson Companies ̓ operations and brands in hotels, resorts, res-taurants, cruise ships and leisure travel agencies. Rautio was also a key archi-tect of several critical initia-tives, including a program called “greatwork,” designed to increase enterprise-wide effectiveness and efficiencies of processes. Prior to joining Carlson, she served in executive finance posts with two large Minneapolis firms, Jostens, Inc. and Pillsbury Co. For all the satisfaction she reaps sizing up financial statements, Rautioʼs biggest rewards come from corresponding with an as-sortment of folks. “What I enjoy most about this industry is how itʼs connected to people,” she said. “I enjoy meeting and working with many people in a variety of levels and circumstances, and I think those interpersonal skills are helpful for my job. Plus, Iʼm naturally curi-ous; I like to learn and understand the wide variety of things that come up in this industry. “My job is never for a second dull. In our industry, you start over

Trudy Rautio

Pushing the Glass CeilingTRUDY RAUTIO

every single day because every single day new people come to your hotel. So the permutation of events that can take place is mind boggling. People have said that anything that goes on in the country goes on in a hotel, so let your imagination run wild.” Her job does produce its share of benefits. Rautio regularly stays in luxurious suites in swanky hotels. But itʼs not as glamorous as it sounds, sheʼs quick to add, when youʼre traveling 40 percent of the time. Her schedule is so jam-packed she has little time to bask in warm weather and stroll beautiful beaches. Not that Rautio is complaining. Back when she was a “nerdy” accounting major at BSU in the 1970s, she couldnʼt even fathom rising to her current position. The International Falls native initially aspired to become a company controller. “I think I am achievement-ori-ented, always looking to the next accomplishment.” And, she mod-estly adds, “I donʼt think you can ignore that luck sometimes plays a part, and I have been lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.”

Lois BallFosston and Erskine United Methodist Church, having been appointed to that post in June of 2000. She began studies at Garret-Evangelical Theo-logical Seminary in Evanston, IL, following her retirement from a career with Mahnomen County as a licensed social worker... Jim Hoffman (ʻ88) and his wife, Alanna, live in Brooklyn Center with their son, Matt, 9... JoAnn (McFarland) Strand (ʻ86) and her husband, Bill, live in Las Vegas, NV. They have two children, Candis, 23, and P.J., 14... Nola (Muir) Lindegard (ʻ83) and her husband, Robert, live in Hallock and have four children, Joni, 16, Scott, 14, Craig, 11, and Dawn, 29... Ken McDonnell (ʻ85), a chemical dependency, anger management and domestic violence counselor at Upper Mississippi Mental Health Center in Bemi-dji filed this fall seeking the Minnesota House 4A Democratic endorsement …Dennis Warner (ʻ86) Gail Sonbuchner

of Fridley announce the August 24 birth of a daughter, Raelynne. Rosa has worked for 15 years with CHS (for-merly Cenex Harvest States Cooperatives) in the propane department as a contract coordina-tor. In November she was honored by the Minnesota Timberwolves Media

Trudy Rautio

hat I enjoy most about this industry is how

it’s connected to people. I enjoy meeting and working with many people in a variety of levels and circumstances, and I think those interpersonal skills are helpful for my job.”

“W“W

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Horizons Page 6

ou have this whole new perspective today. Things

that were unheard of are not only OK, but are taken for granted. I hope that we can help keep moving along that line.”

Where We Are ... What We’re Doinga classroom teacher. She is married and has two children, ages 10 and 12... Tom Serratore (ʻ87), Bemidji State University men s̓ hockey coach, and Frank Serratore (ʻ82), Air Force hockey coach, and their players teamed up for a traditional ice fishing outing on Upper Red Lake this winter, continuing a Beaver men s̓ hockey tradition that spans more than 30 years. The trips were initiated to build team togetherness... Jeff Solomon (ʻ80), former director of operations for the Owatonna School District, has accepted a similar position with the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District. Heʼd worked in Owatonna since 1989. He and his wife, Brenda (Moehnke, ̒ 80), have two sons, Jake, a high school senior, and Joshua, an eighth-grader.

1990sWilda Lu Boltz Nelson (ʻ95) is employed as a fifth- and sixth-grade looping teacher for the Bismarck Schools in North Dakota... Andrew Ronneberg (ʻ97) and his wife, Leslie, live in Menahga... Glen Brakner (ʻ93) is engineering manager with Wells Technology of Bemidji... Jeff Sobb (ʼ97) and his wife, Dawnelle Martin-Sobb (ʼ97) live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada... Kris Franzen (ʼ95) and Jess (Fredrickson) Franzen (ʼ96) live in Bakersfield, CA, where Kris is

working at Sylvan Learning Center and hoping to return to the classroom. In December of 2002 Jess was admitted to the California Bar and is now working for the State Fund, doing worker s̓ compensation defense... Brian Edlund (ʼ93) teaches classes in earth science, geology and astron-omy at Benson High School where he recently teamed up with a group of Boy Scouts, assisting them in completing their merit badges in the study of geology... Darian Hunt (ʼ98) has moved his family to LeCenter so that he can join his parents ̓business, the House of Insurance Agency. He started working for Auto Owners Insurance in 1998 as an underwriter for its personal lines department, was promoted several times and moved to Rochester. In 2003, he was named the marketing representative of the year for Minnesota by the Min-nesota Independent Insurance Agents Association. He and his wife, Hayley, have an infant son named Dylan... Sarah LaKosky (ʼ95) will in February be among four women who will leave Ely s̓ Voyageur Outward Bound School for the Northwest Territories of Canada to undertake a three-month Arctic journey. The ultimate goal of Artic Quest 2004 is to raise $250,000 for a scholarship endowment fund for the Voyageur Outward Bound School. The four women have been working toward this challenge for four years with expedition trainer Julie Hanson Hignell. Last March, they traveled to

Northern Quebec and ran sled dogs up and down the coast of Hudson Bay for four weeks... Bob Brauer (ʼ92) and his wife, Melanie, live in Springfield, IL, and have three children ages 8, 5 and 2... Cara (Stumpf) Swartz (ʼ90) lives in Motley with her husband, Richard, and their three daughters, Ellen, 9, Dawn, 7, and Rebecca, 4... Robert Harrison (ʻ99) and his wife, Babita, recently celebrated their 17th wedding anniversary. They live in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, with their children, Corey, 10, and Dylan, 8... Sean Hawthorne (ʼ96) and Laurie (Jasper) Hawthorne (ʼ95) live in Circle Pines with their two children, Kylie, 5, and Zoe, 6-months... Bryan Sathre (ʼ99) and his wife, Lorie, of Bemidji announce the October 30 birth of a son... Leah Bratlien (ʼ98) is the program director of the new Bemidji Boys & Girls Club of Bemidji... Jorge Prince (ʻ94) is the operations manager of Car-X Auto Services, formerly Tuffy Auto, in Bemidji... Brian Bissonette (ʼ90) is currently serving as a Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce business ambassador... Melissa (Hensley) Vacek (ʼ98) is currently serving as a Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce business ambassador... Jay Jones (ʼ95) of Clearwater, recently contributed one of his colorful ink and watercolor paintings to be used in an auction to raise funds for the Grand Rapids Area Library. He works as a graphic designer... Elizabeth Letson (ʻ95) is substitute teaching in

Bemidji and working at Buena Vista Ski Area in human resources. She and her husband, Tom have two children, Jake, 8, and Donald 6 …Kirsten (Sletto) Koep (ʼ97) lives in Alexandria with her husband, Rick, and their children, Hailey, 3, and Benjamin, 5-months... Ruth (Quam) Webb (ʼ94) operates her own business while also assisting her husband, Tim, with running his insurance agency. They live in Elk River with their children, Mitchell, 5, and Lindsey, 3... Aaron Clusiau (ʼ96) is currently the vice president of The American Bank in Hibbing. He and his wife, Christy, live in Nashwauk with their 14-month-old daughter, Jacie, and are anticipating the birth of a second child in July... Nichole Christofferson (ʼ98) has been teaching kindergarten in Menahga since her

graduation. She lives in Park Rapids and has one child, Kelsey, 9... Carol Ann Cleveland (ʼ90) of Menahga is a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International and was honored with her chapter s̓ Woman of Achievement Award. She and her husband, Allen (ʻ87), have three children, Erica, 16, Megan, 13, and Tarah, 9... John Hanson (ʼ91) and his wife, Linda, live in Houston, TX, with their children, Brooke, 8, and Paige, 6... Lisa (Caolin) Pierce (ʼ92) lives in Cotton with her husband, Larry, and daughter, Danielle, 18. She breeds bulldogs... Shawn (Knox) Cavaness (ʻ90) of Spring Creek, NV, has been teaching for 13 years in Elko County. She and her husband, John, have two children,

Continued from page 5

Creating a Level Playing FieldPAT ROSENBROCK“My first realization of what it was to be a girl was when I went to try out for Little League ball. I had my hat and my glove . . . I was good. The guys all wanted me to play, but the coach said, ʻNo, ̓because I was a girl.” Dr. Pat Rosenbrock, Bemidji State University director of womenʼs studies and the Wom-enʼs Center as well as a professor of physical education, health and sport, was that baseball loving kid. She was stunned at the time and equally incredulous when her mother was not the least bit surprised by the experience. Times have changed. Today, when Rosenbrock shares that baseball story with the students in her womenʼs studies course, they can hardly relate. Most of them were born long after the 1972 Title IX legislation that bans sex discrimination in schools, whether itʼs academics or athletics. Since then, the na-tion has experienced a dramatic increase in the number of women graduating from high school, attending college, earning doc-toral degrees and competing in sports. “Now who would imagine? You have this whole new per-spective today,” Rosenbrock said. “Things that were unheard of are not only OK, but are taken for granted. I hope that we can help keep moving along that line.”

Rosenbrock joined BSU as a faculty member in physical edu-cation and health in 1969. She became the director of womenʼs studies in 1987 and implemented the program as a minor in 1990. Sheʼs seen a lot of changes, al-though plenty of work remains. “If you ask younger wom-en, theyʼll say that equality is achieved, but the longer they live, the more likely they are to see things differently,” Rosenbrock said. She experiences that with her own classes that include both young women and those returning to the classroom later in life.

Womenʼs studies is an academic extension of the womenʼs move-ment. It actively promotes new areas of research and dialogue, celebrates womenʼs contributions to society and history, identifies womenʼs place in contemporary life and encourages a sense of empowerment. Through an interdisciplinary program of woman-centered courses, students explore issues of race, class, religious prefer-ence, sexual identity and gen-der as they influence womenʼs lives in a variety of contexts. Students are challenged to learn

about themselves, to examine their own beliefs and values and to learn to be respectful of and sensitive to viewpoints and experiences which are different from their own. As an extension of the academic program, BSU established the Womenʼs Center to provide a safe and supportive environment where women can meet with other women, collaborate on projects, share experiences and concerns, relax between classes or offer referrals for women who face sexual harassment, assault or domestic violence. Men are welcome, too. In addition to scheduling activi-ties to raise awareness of issues like domestic abuse and breast cancer, womenʼs studies and the Womenʼs Center also coordinate Womenʼs History Month activi-ties, publish the annual Dust & Fire: Anthology of Women s̓ Writ-ing and Art, and co-sponsor the Northwest Minnesota Womenʼs Hall of Fame with the Northwest Minnesota Womenʼs Fund. “The point of the Hall of Fame is to honor women whose con-tributions and history have of-ten been ignored, devalued or lost, which is also the point of Womenʼs History Month,” Rosenbrock said. “Most of us in womenʼs studies would say itʼs a remedial program that wouldnʼt be needed if equality and fairness were realized. Itʼs the same with programs for Native Americans,

African Americans or any other disenfranchised group.” At a recent impromptu gather-ing at the Womenʼs Center, staff members shared some of their hopes and ideas about womenʼs studies. Gail Tincher, a senior majoring in psychology, said she had not planned to pursue a minor in womenʼs studies until she took her first course. “What surprised me is that I realized that things were not black and white,” Tincher said. “Everything can be seen on a continuum - ethnicity, race, gen-der. It really helped me to think outside the box and explore is-sues more critically.” Tincher was also surprised at the progress, as well as the lack of progress, in womenʼs rights throughout history. Keeping that history alive is an important part of womenʼs studies, according to Rosenbrock. “I want women to know about womenʼs history so they can re-ally appreciate what they have,” Rosenbrock said. “I use athletics a lot in teaching my courses and I feel privileged to be part of this evolution. But itʼs not only sports. Itʼs about being able to vote and other rights. You cannot really appreciate or understand current problems or benefits you have without knowing your his-tory. Thatʼs important because what we have now could all go away again.”

Elizabeth Letson and family

Shawn Cavaness

Dr. Pat Rosenbrock

Hailey, 7, and Cooper, 4... Tom Mohrland (ʻ91) and Brenda (Clemens) Mohrland (ʻ90) live in Woodbury and both work for Dakota Com-munities, a support organization for people with developmental disabilities. They have two children, Jacob, 6, and Brandon, 1...

“Y“YDr. Pat Rosenbrock

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Communiques

Eran Young (ʻ97) and Marcie (Osvold) Young (ʻ93) of Bemidji announce the June 15 birth of a son, Landon... Chad Pierson (ʻ99) and Michelle (Lyman) Pierson (ʻ99) live in Duluth where Chad teaches mathematics at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. Michelle teaches Spanish at the Cromnell-Wright School. They were married in the Rose Garden in Duluth in 2002... Dean Piekarski (ʻ94) and his wife, Dawn, of Littlefork announce the recent birth of their second daughter... John Gronski (ʻ90) and his wife, Anne (Overby, ̓ 92), live in Superior, WI, with their children, Gunnar, 4, and Jarrett, 2 …Dacia (Persell) Dauner (ʻ98) is the director of the Campus Childcare Center at BSU. She and her husband, Jay (ʻ00), have been married seven years and had their first child, Adecia, in March... Sandra (Denkes) Juni (ʻ92) and Daniel Juni (ʻ97) live in New Ulm where Sandra is an administrative assistant for a Christian counseling ministry. The couple has two children Katelyn, 10, and Colleen, 6... Sara (Raderschadt) Hager (ʻ97) of Big Lake is teaching kindergarten in Elk River. Her husband, Boyd (ʻ98), is an advertising consultant for Dex Media in Maple Grove... Gary Russell (ʻ90) is employed with the Evergreen House in Bemidji... Celine Graham (ʻ93) is a grants consultant for North Country Health Services in Bemidji... Scott Haugen (ʻ98) is living in West Fargo, ND... Kristine (Nelson) Dokken

(ʻ99) and her husband, Harold, live in Roseau... Brenda (May) Struck (ʻ97) and her husband, Tyler (ʻ98), live in St. Charles and have two daughters, Aexa, 3, and Ashleyn, 10-months. Tyler is a state trooper... Greg Lambert (ʻ94) is director of Lambert Vocational Services in St. Paul. He and his wife, Sharri, live in Farmington... Penny (Wikert) Woods (ʻ91) and her husband, Carey (ʻ91), live in Bemidji and have four children, Chaka, 16, Czar, 11, Carey, 10, and Cheyenne, 7. Carey is a teacher in the Kelliher High School …Brent Johnson (ʻ97) and his wife, Joanne (Yaeger, ̒ 99), live in Monticello... Randy Hilliard (ʻ90) of Shevlin and Eric Hutchins (ʻ90) of Grand Rapids were among six pilots of vintage airplanes who flew in, landed on lake Bemidji, and gathered for a New Year s̓ Day visit... Angelina Mitchell (ʻ97) is the director of the Select Women s̓ Choir of the Stillwater Area High School. It s̓ an auditioned group of 23 singers in grades 10- 12. Mitchell also directs five other music ensembles and is the vocal coach for the school s̓ fall musical... Dan Gutterud (ʻ99) and his wife, Nikki, of Fosston announce the December 25 birth of a son... Heather (Orlaca) Egstad (ʻ98) of East Grand Forks is employed as a customer service representative with Gate City Bank in Grand Forks, ND. She and her husband, Danny, have a one-year-old daughter, Abigail... Rhoda Huglen (ʻ92) is the operating room supervisor at the Roseau Hospital. She and her

Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer of 2003 for the Brainerd area. He s̓ a patrolman with the Brainerd Police Department and also serves on the Brainerd-Crow Wing County Bomb Squad. He s̓ worked for the Springfield Police Department, Beltrami County Sheriff s̓ Department and Lake of the Woods Sheriff s̓ Department. He began working as a Brainerd police officer in June of 1999... Eileen Nelson (ʻ94) of Backus has been selected as the 2003 Minnesota School Social Worker of the Year. She and her husband, Larrie, have two children, April, 21, and Marsha, 18... Tresa (Aiple) King (ʻ97) and Matt King (ʻ96) have lived in Lakeville for the past six years. Tresa has worked at United Health Group in Minnetonka for the past seven years as a stock option administrator and, for the past

year, has also been assisting with 1099 reporting. Matt has worked at Skyline Displays in Eagan for the past three years as a production artist.

2000sVirginia (Austin) Rulli (ʻ00) lives in Buffalo with her husband, Scott and works as a graphic designer for Chromatic Concepts in Brooklyn Center... Jennifer Keding (ʼ02) lives in Linton, ND, with her husband, Ryan, and 9-month-old daughter, Madisyn. After 11 years and 16 surgeries, she has made a full recovery from injuries received when she was struck by a train in 1992 and recently sent a letter of thanks to all of the people who had a part in her rescue. Her husband is an electrician and volunteer firefighter... Meagan Borgman (ʻ02) teaches kindergarten at Lincoln Elementary School in Bemidji... Erica Haynes (ʼ01) is employed as a language arts teacher at TrekNorth High School in Bemidji and in January served as the advisor chaperoning 20 students during a trip to New York City focusing on the Harlem Renaissance... Brian Hill (ʼ02) played violin on a selection recorded for the Lights of Bemidji CD this winter. The collection of recordings is being sold by the Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce as a fund-raiser for the Night We Light Celebration held each Christmas season in downtown Bemidji... Erich Knapp (ʼ01) is the director of the 60-voice auditioned Park

Rapids Classic Chorale and has been organist at First English Lutheran Church in Menahga for 10 years. He teaches vocal and classroom music at Sebeka Public School... Hilary Horn (ʼ03), a member of the staff at Northwest Indian Opportunities Industrialization Center in Bemidji, attended the OIC of America National Conference on Employ-ment and Training in Las Vegas, NV, in October... Sarah Zimmermann (ʻ03) is teaching high school math in the Sauk Centre-area school district where she grew up... Chad Newman (ʼ02) and his wife, Wendi, were married on August 2 in Laporte. He is employed as a sales representative for FSA in the Bemidji area and is also a part-time musician. Wendi works as a Shiatsu massage therapist in Bemidji and Blackduck... Erin (Jaques) Sandberg (ʼ02) and her husband, Anton, of Stacy announce the September 17 birth of a son... Trisha Berg (ʼ00) is teaching in the Willmar Public School District... Laura Under-dahl (ʻ03) works as a home interventionist with the Laporte schools. She is also a licensed social worker and has previously worked at the Northwestern Minnesota Juvenile Center as a child care worker and at Leech Lake Family Services as a truancy coordinator... Nolan Simula (ʻ00) of Cambridge is a worker s̓ compensation claim representative with the St. Paul Companies in St. Paul. He and his wife, Adriane (Steele, ̒ 01), announce the June 7 birth of their first child, a daughter, Madeline Rose.

In Memoriam Bonnie Blooflat (ʼ73) – Grand Rapids, MNArdis Breslin (ʼ61) – New Town, NDGary Cheney (ʼ75) – Conroe, TXDon Hood (ʼ67) – Bagley, MNArlene Ernster (ʼ63) – Wadena, MNDean Frederick Hyland (ʼ76) – Anthem, AZLisa M. Isle-Hallman (ʼ97) – Minneapolis, MNLydia Johnson (ʼ32) – Bemidji, MNMildred Larson (ʼ29) – San Jose, CARichard Nugent (ʼ69) – St. Paul, MNJohn D. Rose (ʼ39) – Carlton, MNTodd L. Savolainen (ʼ70) – Remer, MNWalter Schuiling (ʼ39) – Redlands, CALoren Winch (ʼ55) – San Diego, CARoy Wredberg (ʼ66) – Bertha, MN

Com

mun

ique

sMass Communication Alumni and Student BanquetAlumni and students from the Mass Communication Department will be hold-ing their annual banquet on Saturday, May 1, 2004. The event will once again be held at the Bemidji Town and Country Club. Registration materials will be sent to mass communication alumni soon. For more information, please contact the Department of Mass Communication at 218-755-2915.

50-Year Reunion of the Class of 1954 Alumni from the class of 1954 will celebrate their 50-year reunion this May in conjunction with BSU Commencement. Festivities will begin with a reception and dinner on Thursday evening, May 13, followed by the Golden Beaver Society Luncheon on Friday, May 14 at 11 am. Members of the wrap around classes of 1953 and 1955 will also be invited to participate in the Thursday evening reunion event. Registration materials will be mailed to members of all three classes soon.

Third Annual Golden Beaver Society LuncheonThe third annual Golden Beaver Society luncheon will take place on Friday, May 14, 2004 at 11:30 a.m. in the Beaux Arts Ballroom. All alumni who graduated in 1954 or earlier are members of this special recognition group. Acting as grand marshals, Golden Beaver Society members may also par-ticipate in the commencement walk across campus and be honored guests at the BSU commencement ceremonies. Registration materials will be sent in the mail soon. Mark your calendars now and plan to attend!

Homecoming 2004 Set for September 24-26 Homecoming dates for next fall have been set. Homecoming will be held the last weekend in September from Friday, September 24 through Sunday, September 26. A 40-year reunion of the class of 1964 will be held in con-junction with Homecoming. The annual Alumni Honors Banquet will be held on Friday evening. Saturdayʼs events will include a pre-game tailgate party co-sponsored by the BSU Alumni Association and Beaver Pride, the Homecoming Football Game, a Fifth Quarter alumni reception following the game, and a special production of the Pump Boys and Dinettes performed by BSU music and theater majors. Sundayʼs activities will include the Carl O. Thompson Memorial Concert. More details will be sent to active members of the BSU Alumni Association this summer. (Active membership requires a minimum annual $30 contribution to the BSU Foundation.)

Athletic Hall of Fame Weekend is October 15-16The 2004 Athletic Hall of Fame weekend has been scheduled for Friday, October 15 and Saturday, October 16. All former BSU athletes will receive information about attending this weekend full of activities designed to cel-ebrate BSU athletes and athletics. Planned events include a nine-hole golf tournament Friday afternoon, a reception for Athletic Hall of Fame members followed by an evening Athletic Hall of Fame induction banquet. Saturdayʼs activities will include a continental breakfast in the morning with an address by BSU administration officials regarding BSU athletics, followed by the pre-game Beaver Pride tailgate party, a football game against Minnesota-Crookston and finally an all sport alumni reunion Saturday evening. Mark your calendars now and plan to participate in this MUST ATTEND event!

BSU Alumni Choir Spring Concerts

The Bemidji Alumni Choir formed in 1999 stays active and well-received in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Conducted by Dr. Paul Brandvik, BSU professor emeritus of music, the 45-member choir will perform two concerts this May. The first concert will be held on Saturday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the University Lutheran Church of Hope in Minneapolis located at 601 13th Avenue SE. The second concert will be held on Sunday, May 2, at 3 p.m. at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church located at 13505 Excelsior Boulevard in Min-netonka. A reception sponsored by the BSU Alumni Association will follow the May 2 concert at the church. The choir enthusiastically reaches out to new alumni singers each year. To participate or to learn more about the 2004 season, please contact the manager, at BACsingers@yahoo.com.

Winter Golf Classic is Cold and Hot

“Chilly weather (10 below) and hot ac-tion” is how participants described the ninth annual Beaver Pride Winter Golf Classic held in January on the frozen links of Lake Bemidji. Joe Dunn and Keith Marek, took home the first place “Kenny Cup” by firing a 43 in the shortened 18-hole course. Jim Grimm and Charlie Warring carded a 44 to finish second while Dennis Doeden and Rick Goeb took third in the 88-person field. Other prizewinners in the field included Bob Paine (longest drive-men), Diane Fitzgerald (longest drive-women), Gary Zerott (longest putt), and Carla Thompson (chipping). The “Kenny Cup” is named in honor of current Beaver Pride chairman Ken Traxler, who went to great lengths on eBay to secure a portion of the trophy. “It s̓ going to be kind of like the Stanley Cup,” said Traxler, “We will add a section for every winner each year. We had a great turnout this year and it was a big success.” Tournament organizers were quick to give thanks to the BSU physical plant for their help in plowing and sweeping the snow to build the course. “That s̓ what teamwork is all about,” said Traxler, “We take pride in how the course looks and plays.” “Itʼs actually pretty amazing how the course takes shape in only a few days,” said Beaver Pride board member and participant, Ryan Baer, “The course had hole sponsor signs, tee signs, flag sticks, hazards, and everything.” The event raised funds and awareness for Beaver Pride, the development branch of Bemidji State University Athletics. The event was sponsored by Slimʼs Bar and Grill of Bemidji.

husband, Erling, have five grown children. They have lived in Roseau since 1962. Rhonda began working at the hospital as a part-time nurse about a year later and has worked there ever since... Tim Friis (ʻ98) was recently named the Rhoda Huglen

from the alumni directorMarla Huss Patrias

First-place winter golf winners Keith Marek, BSU chemistry faculty member, and State Farm’s

Joe Dunn with Beaver Pride chair, Ken Traxler, standing behind them.

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Horizons Page 8

Robert Bellah

Acclaimed Author and Sociologist to AddressApril 7 Student Conference at Bemidji State

Dr. Robert Bellah, a nationally acclaimed author and sociologist, will speak on “Individualism and Citizen-ship: Is There a Contradiction?” as part of the opening session of the Student Scholarship and Creative Achievement Conference April 7 at Bemidji State University. The program will start at 9 a.m. in Memorial Hall and is open to the public at no charge.

Currently a professor emeritus at the University of California at Berkeley,

Bellah is best known for his work on individualism, civic values and morality in both Asian and American cultures. He served as the lead author of Habits of the Heart and The Good Society, two critically acclaimed books. He is also the editor or author of ten other books. In 1985, Habits of the Heart won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and was a jury nominee for the Pulitzer Prize in general non-fi ction. The recipient of many honors and seven honorary degrees from universities across the nation, Bellah was among 13 individuals who received a National Humanities Award from President Bill Clinton in 2002. Now in its fi fth year, the Student Scholarship and Creative Achievement Conference features sessions throughout the day where Bemidji State undergraduate and graduate students will present original research, display their creative talents, and deliver programs on academic projects. More information is available by emailing scholar@bemidjistate.edu or visiting the website www.bemidjistate.edu.scholar.

They became roommates years later when they both enrolled at the University of Moncton in New Brunswick, where they played club hockey. At the Canada Games in 1999 they caught the eye of the Beaver coaching staff. There was little initial interest by the two skaters in making that trip to Bemidji. “I had no clue what Division I hockey was and I thought learning English was going to be diffi cult,” Haché recalled. She made the trip, felt good about the chance to play hockey and continue her education, and returned to New Brunswick to work on Côté. “I didnʼt even know where Minnesota was, but when Guylaine came back from her visit I took her word that it would be a good opportunity,” Côté said. “I donʼt think either of us would have come here without the other though. “It s̓ defi nitely been the best decision I have ever made to come here. The hockey part was really fun, but itʼs everything else that has made my time here so great. Now I am fl uent in two languages, and to have played four years of Division I hockey makes me really proud.” Haché will fi nish her career as one of BSUʼs most potent scoring threats as she will settle in the all-time top 10 in points, goals and assists. Côté will end as the programʼs all-time leader in goals against average and save percentage, including single-season records in both categories. And they will leave Bemidji with plans for future lives. Their roads will now take Côté to medical school while Haché will enroll in graduate school to begin work on an advanced degree.

GO ONLINE AND FIND A FRIENDYour intentions were good. You planned to keep in touch with friends and Bemidji State University after graduation, but life got busy. You moved frequently, your address book got out of date, you found a new job, got promoted, changed careers, started a family, got a palm pilot but never did get that old address book updated and . . . you just lost touch. Whatever your story, now is the perfect time to reconnect with friends and BSU. With the launch of the BSU alumni online community, keeping in touch just got easier. The BSU Alumni Offi ce will unveil a new alumni online community on April 5 that includes an updated web page design with more features for keeping in touch with fellow alumni and events at BSU. In the past, information sharing has been more one-way, more static. Now, alumni will be able to update their own online profi les; form their own online groups; search an alumni directory; join a career network; request online news updates about events, athletics, concerts, speakers, and alumni gatherings; and more. In addition, alumni will be able to register and pay for events online if they choose and make online gifts, all on a secure site. “The mission of the Alumni Asso-ciation is to connect alumni with the University and with one another, but with long distances and busy sched-ules, it s̓ hard to stay connected,” said David Ramsey, class of ̒ 78 and presi-dent of the BSU Alumni Association. “The online community allows us to get information to 35,000 alumni on a regular basis and we donʼt have all the mailing costs. And people can set up their own groups to stay in touch with one another and decide what kind of information they want to share.” Success of the online community will hinge on the number of partici-pants, according to Ramsey, who encourages alumni to register at the new site and check it out. He plans to update his own personal profi le and hopes others will follow his example. “The most challenging aspect of get-ting this going is trying to explain all the advantages and features available on the Internet and encouraging people to use it,” Ramsey explained. “Like so many other computer tools, you just have to give it a try to get comfortable with it and pretty soon you wonder what you ever did without it.” So, alumni are invited to start by checking out the sidebar on this page and follow the steps to get online. Here are some of the features at the site.

PERSONAL PROFILE PAGE This is your own personal page where you can share information with the Alumni Offi ce, such as your address, phone number, place of work, hobbies, class year, major and minor fi elds of study, photos, favorite website links and more. Your page is a secure, password-protected site and can be updated at any time. You may choose to share some or all of your information with other alumni or keep all of it private. ALUMNI DIRECTORY Once you register at your personal profi le page, you can access the alumni directory, a complete listing by name and class year of all BSU alumni. This is a password-protected site accessible only to fellow alumni and prohibited for commercial use. Your name and class year is already listed there. If you update your personal profi le, you can share other information as well. A series of icons will appear by your name indicating whether you will accept e-mail messages, have photos posted, or are participating in other options. The directory can be searched by name and class year.E-MAIL MESSAGING Those who opt to receive e-mails from fellow alumni on their personal profile page can also send them to others. Individual e-mail addresses, however, will not be disclosed, sold or shared.PERSONAL PALS Once youʼve built your personal pals list, the system will alert you when one of them has updated his or her information.CALENDAR The goal of the BSU cal-endar is to become a comprehensive listing of campus events so alumni can quickly determine whatʼs hap-pening and when.EVENT REGISTRATION Use a credit card or write a check, either way, you can register for BSU events with a secure, online registration site. Whatʼs more, you can see who else has registered for the same event, whether it s̓ the alumni choir concert in Minneapolis, the Madrigal Dinner in Bemidji, an alumni golf event in

Guylaine Haché Anik Côté

Anik Côté & Guylaine Haché Continued from page 2

R

Laughlin, Nevada, or the Homecom-ing football game and tailgater.CLASS NOTES Alumni can post pho-tos, birth announcements, job promo-tions, awards and other happenings at this site, which is much like the “Where We Are...and What Weʼre Doing” feature in Horizons except it can be updated anytime and thereʼs no waiting for the next edition.MENTORING Current students or alumni can search this site for alumni who have opted to be career mentors. The site is searchable by fi elds of study, professions and geographic locations. For example, you could search for a high school mathemat-ics teacher in Houston, TX, or for an accountant in St. Paul or do a more general search for all chemistry and biology majors. Career mentoring will take place via e-mail. Ramsey admits that he is no ex-pert on online communities, but that the Alumni Association board was quickly impressed with the capa-bilities of online services. In fact, he wishes the site had been up and run-ning last fall when he inadvertently missed the Bemidji State - Minnesota State University, Mankato football game less than an hour from his home in Owatonna. As it turned out, some of his fellow BSU alumni were hoping to see him there. “That probably happens a lot just because people donʼt know whatʼs going on,” Ramsey said. “With this new service, we hope we can com-municate more effi ciently, keep people connected with BSU and give them opportunities to stay better connected with one another.” “Our vision at BSU is to help alumni build lifelong connections with one another and we think this is an ef-fective tool to help make that more convenient,” said Marla Patrias, BSU alumni director. Alumni should watch for a card coming through the mail soon for instructions about how to log on to the new site.

Alumni should watch for the card pictured here coming through the mail soon for instructions

about how to log on to the new site.

www.bsualumni.org

emember the promises you made to always stay in touch? Maybe it didn’t work out that way, but wouldn’t it be fun to catch up now? Look inside to fi nd out how you can...go online...fi nd a friend.

GO ONLINE AND FIND A FRIENDGO ONLINE AND FIND A FRIENDGO ONLINE AND FIND A FRIENDGO ONLINE AND FIND A FRIEND

AVA I L A B L E A P R I L 5 , 2 0 0 4

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