The New Century Learning Consortium (NCLC), founded at the University of Illinois Springfield has added University of Minnesota, Crookston as its 10th member. The Consortium is designed to assist universities in implementing high quality, large-scale online and blended learning programs.

"We welcome the University of Minnesota, Crookston to NCLC. As one of the fastest growing online programs in Minnesota and possessing a distinguished tradition of national awards and honors, the University of Minnesota, Crookston is a strong partner for the consortium," said Shari McCurdy Smith, NCLC director and associate director of the Center for Online Learning, Research, and Service (COLRS) at UIS.

The U of M, Crookston conferred its first online degree in 2001 and now offers seven of its bachelor's degree programs entirely online.

"The faculty and staff of the University of Minnesota, Crookston are honored to join the NCLC," said Chancellor Charles Casey, "and we eagerly anticipate the exchange of ideas that will result from our interaction with the other members of the NCLC."

The Consortium plans to expand to 14 institutions by May of 2011. Consortium activities include developing a clearinghouse of online classes where there is excess capacity; shared research projects; shared IT expertise to support building infrastructure capacity; and peer support at the upper administration, dean, and faculty member levels. NCLC was founded utilizing a grant from the Sloan Consortium, who is also providing funding for the expansion.

"We are especially gratified to have the University of Minnesota, Crookston join us in NCLC. The Crookston campus - the original 'laptop U' - has a long history of innovation in the application of technology to enhance teaching and learning. They are a leader in online learning in the University of Minnesota system," said Ray Schroeder, director of COLRS and founder of NCLC.

NCLC member institutions are dedicated to developing vigorous online and blended learning initiatives to expand and stabilize student enrollments.

Current members are University of Illinois Springfield; California State University Easy Bay, Hayward; Southern Oregon University, Ashland; Chicago State University, Illinois; Oakland University, Rochester Hills, Michigan; University of Southern Maine, Portland; Louisiana Tech University, Ruston; SUNY Empire State College, Saratoga Springs; and Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia.

For more information about the Consortium, contact Shari McCurdy Smith at 217/206-7360 or email smccu1@uis.edu.

Contact: Sue Brorson, head, Business Department, 218-281-8186 (sbrorson@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

University of Minnesota Wildlife Professor Dan Svedarsky was among 8 individuals recognized as  fellows at the fall annual meeting of The Wildlife Society in Snowbird, Utah.   Svedarsky is a research biologist at the Northwest Research and Outreach Center (NWROC) and professor of natural resources at the University of Minnesota, Crookston.

The title of fellow recognizes members of The Wildlife Society who have distinguished themselves through exception service to the wildlife profession.  Svedarsky received the Minnesota Award from the Minnesota Chapter of The Wildlife Society in 1999 and served as national president of the 9,000 member organization in 2007-08. He currently chairs the College and University Wildlife Education Working Group of The Wildlife Society which organized a symposium at the Utah meeting on educating the wildlife professional.  Svedarsky presented a paper at the symposium along with U of M, Crookston colleagues, Phil Baird and John Loegering.  Svedarsky also serves on a USDA-sponsored, Blue Ribbon Panel with 17 representatives from universities and conservation agencies in the U.S. and Canada who are reviewing the future of the wildlife profession and identifying recruitment strategies for new employees.

In his research involvements, Svedarsky and his graduate students study prairie and wetland ecology and management with one of his favorite subjects being greater prairie chickens.  Most of his studies have been conducted on the Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge, the largest prairie and wetland restoration project in North America located just east of Crookston. Recently, one of his graduate students studied the summer ecology of female prairie chickens at Glacial Ridge and then fall trapped radio-tagged birds for translocation to Wisconsin where numbers are dangerously low. The study was sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Svedarsky joined other Minnesotans who were honored in Utah with national awards.
 Dr. Doug Johnson, a federal biologist in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology at the U of M, St. Paul, received the Aldo Leopold Memorial Award. This is the highest honor bestowed by The Wildlife Society in honor of the founder of the profession. John Moriarty, biologist with Ramsey County, (Minn.) received the Jim McDonough Award to recognize a certified wildlife biologist who has made a significant contribution to the profession by implementing wildlife programs and developing new techniques. Meadow Kouffeld, a doctoral student working with Dr. Ralph (Rocky) Gutierrez at the U of M, St. Paul, received the Donald Rusch Memorial Game Bird Research Scholarship for her work with ruffed grouse.  

The Northwest Research and Outreach Center is part of a system of research centers in different regions of Minnesota conducting research on soils, agronomy, entomology, and natural resources affiliated with the College of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) of the University of Minnesota. To learn more, visit http://nwroc.crk.umn.edu.

In the photo (l to r): John Moriarty; Bruce Leopold, President of The Wildlife Society; Doug Johnson; Dan Svedarsky; Meadow Kouffeld; and Rocky Gutierrez.  

Contact: Maureen Aubol, office supervisor, NWROC; 218-281-8602 (aubo0002@umn.edu); Dan Svedarsky, research biologist, NWROC, 218-281-8129, (dsvedars@umn.edu)

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded a $550,000 congressionally-directed grant to the University of Minnesota, Crookston to establish the Center for Rural Entrepreneurial Studies (CRES). While additional financial support may be sought, currently, 100 percent of the funding will go directly to financing the CRES. The Center, housed in the Business Department, is physically located in 117 Dowell Hall at the U of M, Crookston, a campus known for its strong history of supporting innovation and entrepreneurship in the region.

The CRES will expand connectivity to the region's educational institutions, economic development organizations and financial institutions, as well as to state and federal small business support agencies and aspiring entrepreneurs in Northwest Minnesota. The CRES will launch a Web site this fall and preparations are underway to begin operations in January 2011.

"We are both excited and honored to be the home of this new Center for Rural Entrepreneurial Studies," says Sue Brorson, professor and head of the Business Department at the U of M, Crookston. "Our focus will be on entrepreneurship issues in rural areas, and we will be working to support and to find innovative ways to aide entrepreneurs and small business development."

Small business and entrepreneurship provide a critical economic benefit to the state's economy. In fact, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, new and emerging companies, those five years old or less, create 80% of the net new jobs in the state.
 
The mission of the CRES is to encourage entrepreneurship through educational leadership, applied research, and insightful consulting. The CRES will engage the students, faculty, and research facilities on the Crookston campus in order to stimulate the entrepreneurial culture and strengthen the economic vitality of Northwest Minnesota.

Plans also include developing educational resources for entrepreneurship, engaging students at the U of M, Crookston in entrepreneurial services support and business development activities, connecting faculty and staff with entrepreneurs in the region to provide both expertise and support, and creating conditions favorable for entrepreneurship and business formation in Northwest Minnesota.

"We are grateful to Congressman Collin Peterson and his leadership on this entrepreneurship initiative along with the support of both Senators Al Franken and Amy Klobachar to secure the funding," Brorson says. "It is a great opportunity for us to serve as a focal point for entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship in our region and to encourage and support the growth and development of small business through the Center."

Writing the grant was a collaborative effort between several faculty members in the Business Department including Kevin Cooper and Rachel Lundbohm along with Sue Brorson and Bruce Brorson.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 29 bachelor's degree programs, 18 minors, and more than 40 concentrations, including several online degrees, in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology.  With an enrollment of about 1,400 undergraduates from more than 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree.  "Small Campus. Big Degree."  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

Contact: Sue Brorson, head, Business Department, 218-281-8186 (sbrorson@umn.edu); Andrew Svec, director, communications, 218-281-8438 (asvec@umn.edu)

For the first time the University of Minnesota Crookston will host an Institute for Advanced
Study Conference focusing on the topics of visual communication and interdisciplinarity. The conference, held under the auspices of the University of Minnesota Institute for Advanced Study (IAS), is scheduled for Thursday, October 14, 2010, in Bede Ballroom, Sargeant Student Center beginning at 9 a.m. The conference will bring together faculty, staff, students, and communicators of all kinds to examine the power and presence of visual communication. The conference is free and open to the public.

Special guests for the conference are Bryan Crable, Ph.D., department chairperson and associate professor in the Communication Department at Villanova University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in Villanova, Penn.; David Beard, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Writing Studies at the University of Minnesota, Duluth; visual artists Annie Young, Burnsville, Minn., and Ethan Heidlebaugh, Minneapolis, Minn.; and Craig Dunn, executive director of VSA Minnesota in Minneapolis, the state organization on the arts and disability.

The conference schedule includes faculty presentations, student presentations, and artistic displays. The lunch hour will be devoted to engaging the themes through discussion with the presenters and artists. The discussion concludes with a synthesis and review of the themes to that point by Crable, Dunn; and Mark Huglen, associate professor of communication at the U of M, Crookston. For more information on the conference, visit www.umcrookston.edu/ias.

The conference will encourage a dialogue across a wide spectrum of visual communication subjects including fine arts, math and science, business, and the liberal arts. Disability accommodations are available upon request by contacting Laurie Wilson at 218-281-8587 by Monday, October 4.

Conference sponsors include the Institute for Advanced Study, University of Minnesota; Liberal Arts and Education Department and Office of Students with Disabilities at the Crookston campus; and the UMC Coca-Cola Beverage Partnership - Community Initiatives Grant. This activity is also funded, in part, by a grant from the Northwest Minnesota Arts Council and the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

The IAS, established in 2005 at the University of Minnesota, was designed to create  intellectual community across and beyond the boundaries of the University. The Institute for Advanced Study pursues its vision through three primary strategies. First, it provides a physical space at the Nolte Center where artists, scientists, and scholars can engage in and share their work. This strategy encompasses not only scheduled events and presentations, but also unplanned encounters and serious play that facilitate unexpected inspiration, revelation, and collaboration. Second, it supports faculty fellowships and research collaborative programs that bring together artists, scientists, and scholars from across and beyond the University. Third, it convenes an annual symposium that catalyzes conversations across the University of Minnesota and that highlights the most innovative research initiatives that exist in the United States and the world. To learn more, visit http://ias.umn.edu.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 29 bachelor's degree programs, 18 minors, and more than 40 concentrations, including several online degrees, in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology.  With an enrollment of about 1,400 undergraduates from more than 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree.  "Small Campus. Big Degree."  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

Contact: Mark Huglen, associate professor, communication, 218-281-8275 (mhuglen@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

The East Grand Forks Campbell Library is hosting an artist reception featuring a number of artists from the area on Monday, September 13, 2010. The reception, scheduled for 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., will kick off the "Autumn Colors Art Exhibit" which runs from September 13 through October 16. The exhibit will highlight the talents of Author and Poet Lois Millette, Musician Sally Morris, and Artist in Residence Pat Danielson.

 Art work will be exhibited from several different types of media and features visual artists from Crookston and the surrounding area including John Gilstad, Lisa Hatlestad, Ross Hier, Marita Kendig, Mary LaFrance, Hyley Lee, Sue Neufeld, Gary Stegman, Sonia Spaeth (at left), and the Sisters of Mount Saint Benedict. Spaeth, assistant professor in the Liberal Arts and Education Department, teaches art at the University of Minnesota, Crookston.
 
The artwork can be viewed during the library's regular hours:
Monday - Thursday 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 29 bachelor's degree programs, 18 minors, and more than 40 concentrations, including several online degrees, in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology.  With an enrollment of about 1,300 undergraduates from more than 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree.  "Small Campus. Big Degree."  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

Contact: Sonia Spaeth, assistant professor, 218-281-8280 (sspaeth@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

For the first time in its history, the University of Minnesota, Crookston will host a conference
under the auspices of the University of Minnesota's Institute for Advanced Study (IAS). The conference, scheduled for Thursday, October 14, 2010, will explore themes related to visual persuasion and interdisciplinarity.

The conference keynote speaker is Bryan Crable, Ph.D., chairperson in the Communications Department at Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania. For more information, visit the conference Web page at www.umcrookston.edu/ias.

For more information, contact Mark Huglen, Ph.D., at 218-281-8275 (mhuglen@umn.edu).

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 29 bachelor's degree programs, 18 minors, and more than 40 concentrations, including several online degrees, in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology.  With an enrollment of about 1,300 undergraduates from more than 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree.  "Small Campus. Big Degree."  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

Contact: : Mark Huglen, associate professor, communication, 218-281-8275 (mhuglen@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

As a new semester begins, the University of Minnesota, Crookston is pleased to announce the hiring of several new faculty and staff.

The Math, Science and Technology (MST) Department welcomes Marcella Melby, Ph.D., (photo, right) who has been hired as a lecturer in mathematics. She recently earned her doctorate in teaching and learning in teacher education with a minor in mathematics education from the University of North Dakota (UND).

Eyad Youssef, Ph.D., (photo, left) assistant professor, is teaching marketing in the Business Department. He holds a doctorate in international business and marketing from Old Dominion University. Denis Maier, Ph.D., (photo, right middle) assistant professor, will be teaching business management. He earned his doctorate in operations management from Technical University in Munich, Germany.

Lisa Leiran (photo, left middle) began her duties in March 2010 as a teaching specialist/online student support assistant in the Business Department.  She completed her undergraduate work at Minnesota State University, Moorhead and holds an M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix.
 
Joining the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department is Matthew Simmons, Ph.D., (photo, right below) assistant professor, in ecology.  Simmons holds a doctorate in rangeland ecology and management from Texas A&M University.


Additionally, Daniel Sherman (photo, left below) has been hired as a teaching specialist in a grant-funded position working with agricultural education through the Sparsely Populated Agricultural Education Program.  He will be working with the following high schools: Bagley, Clearbrook-Gonvick, Red Lake County Central (Oklee), and Lake of the Woods (Baudette).




Changes in appointment

David Rolling, Ph.D., assistant professor, teaches sport and recreation management in the Business Department.  Rolling, who has been a lecturer on the campus for the past four years, recently earned his doctorate in sport administration from the University of Kansas.

In the MST Department, Thomas Henderson, Ph.D., is a lecturer in biology. He has taught as an adjunct faculty member on the Crookston campus since 2008 and recently earned his doctorate in microbiology and immunology from UND.

Kristie Walker, assistant professor, is teaching agronomy on the campus and has served as a lecturer on the campus for the past two years. She holds a doctorate in agronomy from Purdue University. Brenda Miller is a lecturer in soil science and related areas.  She holds a master's of engineering from the UND and has previously taught at the U of M, Crookston. Walker and Miller are both in the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department.

Two lecturer positions in the Liberal Arts and Education Department include Jim Schaar, M.Div., teaching in humanities, and Karen Miller, Ph.D., teaching composition.  Both have taught as adjunct faculty members for a number of years.  

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 29 bachelor's degree programs, 18 minors, and more than 40 concentrations, including several online degrees, in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology.  With an enrollment of about 1,300 undergraduates from more than 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree.  "Small Campus. Big Degree."  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.
 

Contact: Andrew Svec, director, communications, 218-281-8438 (asvec@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

Research currently being conducted at the University of Minnesota, Crookston on wetland plants may provide important answers to solving one of our most pressing environmental challenges - the restoration of contaminated soil sediments. 

Starting in February 2010, Assistant Professor of Environmental Sciences Katy Smith and recent university graduate Tamara Luna used a growth chamber in the lab to conduct tests on several plant species including Iris, Mimulus, Switchgrass, and Fescue. These were selected following an examination of the varying rates of radial oxygen loss, the rate at which wetland plants lose oxygen to the external environment.

"Some plants have high rates of radial oxygen loss and others are more efficient," Smith says. "We are interested in wetland plants and their effects of contaminants such as poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the soil. Eventually, as contaminants move up the food chain, they reach humans and we store them in our body fat." The contaminants can occur naturally through events such as volcanic eruptions, but they are also produced in larger quantities through incomplete combustion so they are often associated with automobile exhaust and industrial waste, making their environmental impact significant.

The fact that these contaminants are toxic and carcinogenic makes the research both important and relevant to the field.  Luna wrote her senior thesis in the honors program on her work with Smith. Early tests are still being evaluated and will become part of a body of scientific research in this area.

For now, the plants are cared for in the growth chamber and testing will begin again in earnest in February 2011. At that time, Smith and Kristin Werner, a senior horticulture major, will conduct a chemical analysis of the PAHs in the soils as well as three toxicity assays which will be used to determine the degree to which the toxicity of the sediments has been reduced by the presence of the plants.  These toxicity assays include lettuce seed germination, an earthworm toxicity assay, and a rotifer toxicity assay.  Lettuce and earthworms complete their lifecycle in the soil while rotifers are microscopic invertebrates that live in the water above the sediment.

Bringing research into the classroom

Smith makes it a priority to bring her research into the classroom. "When students in botany study aerenchyma, the tiny air conduits that allow plants to live in a saturated environment, I bring my research directly to my students in the classroom," Smith says. "I am able to show them the value of studying the intricacy of plant life and some of the ways humans can impinge on our sensitive environment."

Smith's research interests mesh with the introduction of a new degree program on the Crookston campus this fall. With the addition of a bachelor's degree in environmental sciences, students will have an opportunity to study and address environmental issues, in areas such as, environmental ecology, water quality, agricultural environmental stewardship, environmental health, and environmental toxicology and chemistry. The program is interdisciplinary and includes coursework in the Math, Science, and Technology and the Agriculture and Natural Resources departments on the Crookston campus. Smith says she is excited about engaging students in a field with such relevance, importance, and global need.

For more information on the environmental sciences degree program, visit www.umcrookston.edu/academics.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 29 bachelor's degree programs, 17 minors, and more than 40 concentrations, including several online degrees, in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology.  With an enrollment of about 1,300 undergraduates from more than 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree.  "Small Campus. Big Degree."  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

 

Contact: Katy Smith, assistant professor, environmental sciences, 218-281-8262 (katys@umn.edu);Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

The theme for the 2010 Faculty and Staff Day at the University of Minnesota, Crookston was "Put a Spring in your Step." The event is a celebration of the completion of the academic year and a time to recognize years of service, retirements, and outstanding service. Emcees for the event were Bill Tyrrell, director of athletic fundraising and Jason Brantner, research fellow at the Northwest Research Center (NWROC).

Faculty and staff recognized with awards were:

Distinguished Faculty presented to Kevin Thompson, Ph.D., assistant professor in Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Department, by Thomas Baldwin, senior vice chancellor for academic affairs.

Distinguished Civil Service/Bargaining Unit Employee Award presented to Laura Bell, lab services coordinator in the Natural Resources Department, by Jason Brantner on behalf of Gary Willhite, director of residential life.

Distinguished P&A Employee Award presented to Bonni Buchmeier, teaching specialist, by Rand Rasmussen, director of the Academic Assistance Center.

Outstanding Community Service Award presented to Peter Phaiah, associate vice chancellor for student affairs, by Tom Feiro, environmental health and safety specialist.

Outstanding Service Learning Faculty Award was presented to Rachel Lundbohm, instructor in the Business Department, by Peter Phaiah.

Students with Disabilities Support Award presented to Chancellor Charles H. Casey by Laurie Wilson, from the Office of Students with Disabilities.

Builders of Diversity Award were presented by Thomas Williams, director of diversity programs, to Golden Eagle Athletics; Peter Phaiah, associate vice chancellor for student affairs; Don Cavalier, director of Career and Counseling Services; Alvin Killough, Ph.D., assistant professor in Arts Humanities and Social Sciences Department; Kristie Jacobson, assistant director of residential life; and Rae French, coordinator for study abroad.

Chancellor Charles H. Casey presented the awards for years of service, including recognition for 40 years of service to Linda Wilkens, copy center operator in University Relations and to Lynnette Mullins, assistant professor in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Department.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers more than 25 bachelor's degree programs and 50 concentrations, including several online degrees, in agriculture and natural resources; arts, humanities and social sciences; business; and math, science and technology.  With an enrollment of about 1,300 undergraduates, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree.  "Small Campus. Big Degree."  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

In the photos (l to r):
Top left: Laura Bell, Kevin Thompson, and Bonni Buchmeier.
Top right: Peter Phaiah
Lower left: Don Cavalier, Alvin Killough, Stephanie Helgeson, Peter Phaiah, Rae French, Kristie Jacobson, and Thomas Williams.
Lower right: Lynnette Mullins and Linda Wilkens

Contact: Andrew Svec, director of communications, 218-281-8438 (asvec@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

"Celebration of Achievement" was the theme for the annual student awards program and reception held recently at the University of Minnesota, Crookston. Students were recognized for outstanding achievement and service by faculty and staff. Emcee for the evening was Pam Elf, associate professor in the Math, Science, and Technology Department.

Awards and award recipients are listed below:

Crookston Student Association Officers and Senators

Brandon Sachwitz, senior, St. Paul, Minn.; Anna Wagner, junior, Brandon, Minn.; Alisha Aasness,  sophomore, Fergus Falls, Minn.; Karl Syverson, senior, Minneapolis, Minn.; Alyssa Jensen, senior, Cameron, Wis.; Brittany Novak, junior, Dahlen, N.D.; Greg Summers, senior, Beatrice, Neb.; Eun Hye Kang, senior, Seoul, South Korea; Athena Mussendon, senior, Kenosha, Wis.; Lauren Snively, sophomore, Herndon, Virg.; Eric Morgan, junior, Crookston, Minn.; Zach Hennings, senior, East Grand Forks, Minn.; Thomas Haarstick, senior, Vergas, Minn.; Lincoln Messner, senior, Winthrop, Minn.; Shawn Friedland, junior, Viera, Fla. Advisors: Lisa Samuelson and Bill Peterson.

 

Outstanding Student Ambassadors

Alisha Aasness, sophomore, Fergus Falls, Minn.; Janie Bauer, junior, Durand, Wis.; Joe Harren, sophomore, Eagle Bend, Minn.; Jackie Dullinger, senior, Hutchinson, Minn.; Nik Jiran, senior, Hayden, Id.

Samantha Lahman , sophomore, Parkers Prairie, Minn.; Kristine Neu , junior, Pelican Rapids, Minn.; Danielle Rueter, sophomore,  Stratford, Wis.; Jessica Schein, senior, Cannon Falls, Minn.; Alvin Tong, senior, Singapore; Benjamin Williams, freshman, Excelsior, Minn.; Greg Summers, senior, Beatrice, Neb.

Heather Schroeder, senior, Nevis, Minn.; Yvonne Valgren , senior, Halstad, Minn.; Alyssa Aaland, junior, Hatton, N.D.; Steffane Prestidge, junior,  Buffalo, Minn.; Paige Eskelson, presenter

 

Ambassador of the Year

Greg Summers, Beatrice, Neb.; Paige Eskelson, presenter

 

Outstanding Tutor Awards

Benjamin Williams, freshman, Excelsior, Minn.; Kirstin (Fjosee) Mio, senior, Olympia, Wash.; Linnea Barton, presenter

 

Writing Center Tutor

Kristine Neu , junior, Pelican Rapids, Minn.; Linnea Barton, presenter

 

Academic Assistance Center Awards

Brittany Schlosser, senior, Frederick, S.D.; John Plass, sophomore, Tulelake, Calif.; Tammy Wroblewski, senior, Milwaukee, Wis.; Laurie Wilson, presenter

 

 

Outstanding Leadership in Campus Ministry

Jennifer Rasmussen, junior, Dalton, Minn.; Melinda Baszczynski, senior, Earlham, Iowa; Heather Fogelson, sophomore, West Lakeland, Minn.; Dale Knotek, presenter

 

 

Outstanding Leadership in Fellowship of Christian Athlete (FCA)

Mark Michalski, senior, Silver Bay, Minn.; Jason Tangquist, presenter

 

Oustanding Achievement in Math and Physics

Shawn Friedland, junior, Viera, Fla.; Bill Peterson, presenter

 

First Year Biology Award

Alyssa Krikke, junior, Grand Rapids, Mich.

 

Excellence in Early Childhood Education

Kimberly Nelson, senior, Cold Spring, Minn.; Amanda Russell, senior, Crookston, Minn.; Marsha Odom, presenter

           

Business Department Outstanding Academic Achievement Award

Keith Bakken, senior, Crookston, Minn.; Jessica DeBoer, senior, Crookston, Minn.; Rachel Lundbohm, presenter; Ken Johnson, presenter

 

Business Department Outstanding Leadership Award

Lincoln Messner, senior, Winthrop, Minn.; Alyssa Jensen, senior, Cameron, Wis.; Rachel Lundbohm, presenter; Ken Johnson, presenter

 

Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) Exceptional Project Leader Awards

Heather Donati-Lewis, senior, Narcoossee, Fla.; Trista Kleinwachter, freshman, Mentor, Minn.; Jared Hendricks, senior, Owatonna, Minn.; Abbie Tosh, senior, Crookston, Minn.; Stephanie Onken, senior, Round Lake, Minn.; Rachel Lundbohm, presenter; Ken Johnson, presenter

 

Outstanding Accounting Student

Erin Shaw, senior, Lancaster, Minn.; Ken Johnson, persenter

 

Outstanding Sport and Recreation Management (SRM) Student

Derek Ricke, junior, Menahga, Minn.; David Rolling, presenter

 

Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Hospitality Award

Monica Grenell, senior, Maple Plain, Minn.; Amoy Carty, sophomore, Sandy Point, KNA; Ashley Williams, junior, Big Lake, Minn.; Holly Wrzos, sophomore, Big Lake, Minn.; Lauren Ferrara, sophomore, Eden Prairie, Minn.; Ryan Ellingson, sophomore, Wadena, Minn.; Ken Myers, presenter

 

Outstanding Student of Communication

Heather Herrig (minor), senior, Mountain Lake, Minn.;  Max Saaarinen (major), senior, Lakeville, Minn.

Lynnette Mullins, presenter

 

Outstanding Turfgrass Student Award

Thomas Halver, junior, Chaska, Minn.; Kristie Walker, presenter

 

Turf Bowl Team Award

Thomas Halver, junior, Chaska, Minn.; Philip Holland, senior, New London, Minn.; Mark Michalski, senior, Silver Bay, Wis.; Weston Wander, senior, Sauk Centre, Minn.; Kristie Walker, presenter

 

Norman Pankratz Memorial Conservation Award

Tim Knudson, senior, Monticello, Minn.; Cory Oestreich, sophomore, Florence, Mont.; Dan Svedarsky, presenter

 

John Polley Soil and Water Conservation Award

Nick Sylvester, junior, Crookston, Minn.; Phil Norvitch, senior, Mountain Iron, Minn.; Josh Larson, senior, Park Rapids, Minn.; Amanda Bochow, senior, Wahlawa, Hawaii; Matt Thompson, senior, Karlstad, Minn.;

Dan Svedarsky, presenter

 

Outstanding Equine Science Student

Amanda Peterson, senior, Rochester, Minn.; Ron Del Vecchio, presenter

 

Outstanding Animal Science Student

Isaiah Ulmer, senior, Fullerton, N.D.; Ron Del Vecchio, presenter

 

Outstanding Service to the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department

Tony Dank, senior, Sartell, Minn.; Ron Del Vecchio, presenter

 

Outstanding Ag Business Student

Cole Dimmler, senior, Crary, N.D.; Margot Rudstrom, presenter

 

Outstanding Ag Systems Management Students

Thomas Haarstick, senior, Vergas, Minn.; Kent Freberg, presenter

 

Outstanding Horticulture Student

Michael Field, senior, Spicer, Minn.

 

Horticulture Club Service Award

Jada Ellenberg, senior, Perham, Minn.; Eric Castle, presenter

 

MACHS Team Awards

Nate Peikert, freshman, Stillwater, Minn.; Theo Lennemen, sophomore, St. Michael, Minn. ; Kristine Neu, junior, Pelican Rapids, Minn.; Jada Ellenberg, senior, Perham, Minn.; Jennifer Zoch, senior, Remer, Minn.; Stepheni Tietje, senior, Hayfield, Minn. ; Michael Field, senior, Spicer, Minn.; Eric Castle, presenter

 

PLANET Team Awards

Theo Lenneman, sophomore, St. Michael, Minn.; Jada Ellenberg, senior, Perham, Minn.; Justin Erdmann, freshman, Hoarce, N.D.; Jordan Jacobson, senior, Thief River Falls, Minn.; Keunyung Kim, senior, Gwangju, South Korea; Michael Field, senior, Spicer, Minn.; Eric Castle, presenter

 

Certificate of Appreciation for International Student Programming

Keunsoo Kim, sophomore, Gwanju City, South Korea; Qian Liu, junior, Guangdong,  China; Taehee Yook, senior, Seoul, South Korea; Yangchen Gurung, sophomore, Kathmandu, Nepal ; Rae French, presenter

Kim Gillette, presenter

 

Outstanding Leadership for international Students

Eun Hye Kang, junior, Seoul, South  Korea; Lhakpa Gurung, junior, Kathmandu, Nepal; Rae French, presenter; Kim Gillette, presenter

 

Outstanding Music Awards

Matthew Green, sophomore, Greenbush, Minn.; Brooke Hamilton, freshman, Adams, Minn.; George French, presenter

 

Outstanding Theater Awards

Austin Czichotzki, sophomore, Barnesville, Minn.; Emily Nelsen, sophomore, Atwater, Minn.; George French, presenter

 

Outstanding Service to the Music and Theater Department

Kevin Anderson, senior, Spring Grove, Minn.; George French, presenter

 

Outstanding ESL Student Award

Xiaowei Zhou, ESL student, Chongquing, China

 

Outstanding ESL Recitation Tutor Award

Justin Hassa, senior, Wadena, Minn.

 

Outstanding  Help Desk Employee Award

Rory Held, junior, Cold Spring, Minn.; Thea Holen, presenter

 

Dale Knotek Community Service Award

Multicultural International Club

 

Outstanding Student Volunteer of the Year

Nik Jiran, senior, Hayden, Idaho

 

President's Volunteer Service Awards

Nik Jiran, senior, Hayden, Idaho; Tracy Nyhus, senior, Almena, Wis.; Brittany Novak, junior, Dahlen, N.D.; Jackie Dullinger, senior, Hutchinson, Minn.; Kate Bentley, senior, St. Paul, Minn.; Shawn E. Friedland, junior, Viera, Fla.; Karl Syverson, senior, Minneapolis, Minn.; Sarah Nowacki, senior, Argyle, Minn.; Katelyn Zins, sophomore, Starbuck, Minn.; Annie Kelly, sophomore, Jordan, Minn.; Jessica Fenlason, junior, Evansville, Minn.; Ramon Rory Held, junior, Cold Spring, Minn.; Joe Harren , sophomore, Eagle Bend, Minn.; Tony Dank, senior, Sartell, Minn.; Heather Donati-Lewis, senior, Narcoossee, Fla.; Austin Czichotzki, sophomore, Barnesville, Minn.; Kristine Neu, junior, Pelican Rapids, Minn.; Brittany Bergemann , sophomore, Good Thunder, Minn.; Lauren Ferrara, sophomore, Eden Prairie, Minn.; Kristie Johnson, senior, Pelican Rapids, Minn.; Eun Hye Kang, senior , Seoul, South Korea

QIan Liu, junior, Guangdong, China; Nongye Lo , sophomore, St. Paul, Minn.; Katie Manning, junior, Wrenshall, Minn.; Steffane Prestidge, junior, Buffalo, Minn. ; Tammy Wroblewski, senior, Milwaukee, Wis.; Jill Zelinsky, senior, Brooklyn Park, Minn.; Lisa Loegering, presenter

 

 

UMC Athletic Dept. All Academic Team (3.2 grade point average or higher)

Jaclyn Slepicka, volleyball, senior, Palatine, Ill.; Danielle Rueter, volleyball, sophomore, Burlington, Wis.;

Trent Graves,  mens basketball, sophomore, Hartford, S.D.; Jessica Biddle, equine, senior, Elburn Ill.; Katie Bowar, softball, senior, Moorhead, Minn.; Kayla Bowar, softball, junior, Moorhead, Minn.; Cody Brekken, football, Crookston, Minn.; Amy Carlson, softball, sophomore, Rush City, Minn.; Laura Critchett, equine, junior, Shoreview, Minn.; Sarena Diederichs,  softball, junior, St. Cloud, Minn.

Megan Eul , womens basketball, sophomore, Rosemount, Minn.; Megan Hannon, soccer, senior, Green Bay, Wis.; Justine Jones, soccer, senior, Richland, Wash. ; Lauren Kessler,  womens basketball, sophomore, Albertville, Minn.; Stephanie Lee, soccer, junior, Santa Fe, NM; Paul Myers, baseball, sophomore, Arden Hills, Minn.; Anna Ogaard, soccer, junior, Maple Grove, Minn.; Justin Overby,  football, sophomore, Langdon, N.D.; Nicole Veres, equine, senior, Random Lake, Wis.

Stephen Woods,  baseball, Naples, Fla.; Tammy Wroblewski, womens golf, senior, Milwaukee, Wis.

Bri Zabel , womens basketball, junior, Northfield, Minn.; Jason Tangquist, presenter

 

Outstanding Student Programmer Award

Austin Czichotzki, sophomore, Barnesville, Minn.; Brittany Novak, presenter

 

Outstanding Crookston Student Association (CSA) Senator

Eun Hye Kang, senior, Seoul, South Korea; Thomas Haarstick, presenter; Alyssa Jensen, presenter;

 

Outstanding Club Representative

Leonard Will, sophomore, Tulelake, Calif.; Alyssa Jensen, presenter; Thomas Haarstick, presenter

 

Faculty Recognized by UMC Students for Service and Achievement

 

Most Creative Use of Technology

Bill Peterson, professor, Math, Science, and Technology Department

Most Supportive of Students

Ken Johnson, instructor, Business Department

Outstanding Educator

Rachel McCoppin, - associate professor, Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Department

Outstanding Service to Students

Rae French, coordinator of study abroad

 

Student Achievement Awards

Anthony Dank, senior, Sartell, Minn.; Shawn Friedland, junior, Viera, Fla.; Thomas Haarstick, senior, Vergas, Minn.; Nikolas Jiran, senior, Hayden, Idaho; Brandon Sachwitz, senior, St. Paul, Minn.; Karl Syverson, senior, Minneapolis, Minn.; Alvin Tong, senior, Singapore; Lhakpa Gurung, junior, Kathmandu, Nepal; Eun Hye Kang, senior, Seoul, South Korea; Kimberly S. Nelson, senior, Cold Spring, Minn.; Kristine Neu, junior, Pelican Rapids, Minn.; Mindy Nieuwboer, senior, Kenneth, Minn.; Brittany Novak, junior, Dahlen, N.D.

 

Honored as "Man and Woman of the Year" from the students who received the Student Achievement Award were Man of the Year Anthony Dank, a senior animal science and equine science pre-vet major; and Woman of the Year Eun Hye Kang, a senior communication major. Dank is the son of Jim and Mary Dank from Sartell, Minn., and Kang is the daughter of Syung Hyun Kang and Soon Rye Seo from Seoul, South Korea. The awards were presented by emcee for the awards program Associate Professor Pam Elf and Daniel Wilson, president of the Crookston Noon Day Lions Club.

Visit the 2010 Student Awards Photo Album.

Coordination and arrangements for the awards program and reception is the responsibility of the Awards Committee including: Lisa Samuelson, director of student activities; Terrill Bradford, instructor in the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department; George French, associate professor in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Department; David Rolling, assistant professor in the Business Department; and Patti Tiedemann, graphic designer in University Relations.

Special thanks to the Northwest Educational Improvement Association and the Crookston Noon Day Lions Club for their continued support of the awards reception and program.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers more than 25 bachelor's degree programs and 50 concentrations, including several online degrees, in agriculture and natural resources; arts, humanities and social sciences; business; and math, science and technology.  With an enrollment of about 1,300 undergraduates, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree.  "Small Campus. Big Degree."  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

Contact: Lisa Samuelson, director, student activities, 218-281- 8507 (samue026@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

Continuing their long-standing reputation for success at the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Judging Conference, the University of Minnesota, Crookston won the four-year college division competition for 2010. The U of M, Crookston came out on top in a division that had 22 colleges and universities competing; the last time the Crookston Campus took home the honor was in 2009. Redlands Community College in El Reno, Okla., hosted the conference on April 15-17.

Forty students from the Crookston Campus, representing a cross section of majors, participated in the eight contests making up the competition: Agricultural Computers, Crops, Dairy, Horse, Horticulture, Ag Knowledge Bowl, General Livestock and Soils. Two seniors, BillieJo Armbrust, Forest River, N.D., and Emily Espersen, Brainerd, Minn., coordinated the NACTA team by organizing fundraisers and planning the trip to Oklahoma to compete. Seniors Bradley Kappes, Borup, Minn., and Tony Dank, Sartell, Minn., were responsible for the annual car washes by NACTA team members to raise money for the trip.

One of the coaches for the team, Rob Proulx, a lecturer in the Agriculture Department, praised the students for their hard work and dedication at a reception for the team held Monday, April 19. "Our students can stand shoulder to shoulder with any agriculture student from across the country," Proulx said. "We can compete with the best."

Results of the NACTA competition include:

Computer Applications, 1st place team:  Kristin (Fjosee) Mio, Olympia, Wash., 1st place individual; Kari Olson, 2nd place individual, Lancaster, Minn.; Armbrust , 4th individual;  and Nicole Bauer, Breezy Point, Minn.

Quiz Bowl, 3rd place team: Isaiah Ulmer, Fullerton, N.D.; Espersen, Jacob Gerber, Elbow Lake, MInn.; Kendra Peterson, Sisseton, S.D.; and Ana Gustafson, Puposky, Minn.

Crops 3rd place team: Matt Coffman, Wheaton, Minn.; Brandin Solie, Fertile, Minn.; Craig Moen, Stephen, MInn.; and Cole Dimmler, Crary, N.D. Individual Participants: Jake Heggedal, Badger, Minn.; and Mark Riepe, Perham, Minn.

Dairy Judging: The team was 3rd place overall team; 2nd place ,Holstein Breed; 3rd place, Brown Swiss Breed; 3rd place, Jersey Breed; 3rd place, oral reasons; and 3rd place. genetic hybrids. Marissa McWilliam, Winger, Minn., 2nd place individual; Brown Swiss Breed; Mindy Nieuwboer , Kenneth, Minn.,2nd place individual;  Jersey breed; Tommy Borgerding, Belgrade, MInn., 3rd place individual; Brown Swiss breed; and Jacquie Schlangen, Belgrade, Minn.

Horse Judging, 3rd place team: Nick Pease, Trimont, Minn.; Peterson, Kari Buse, St. James, MInn.;  Megan Meyer, Wyoming, Minn.

Ag Business, 1st place team: Kappes, 2nd place individual; Brianna Kaschmitter, Sauk Rapids, Minn., 4th place individual; Amanda McNamee, Mahnomen, Minn.; and  Jacob Gerber, Elbow Lake, Minn. Individual Participants: Dank and Alysia Osowski, Grafton, N.D.

Livestock Judging Participants: Katie Schnneider, Delano, Minn.; Melinda Baszczynski, Earlham, Iowa; and Kristina Selzler, Rising Fawn, Ga.

Soils Team Participants: Skyler Holzbauer,  Breckenridge, Minn.; Jayden Rollness, Langdon, N.D.; Stephen Whalen, Oklee, Minn.; and Blake Smith, Mentor, Minn.

The computer application team was coached by Christo Robberts, instructor in the Business Department, and the livestock team was coached by Crystal Starr, a senior majoring in animal science from Bisbee, N.D. Other coaches were faculty in the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department including Lyle Westrom, ADawn Melbye, Rob Proulx, Margot Rudstrom, Henry Wilson, and Terrill Bradford. 

NACTA team members include:

Isaiah Ulmer, junior, Fullerton, N.D.; Emily Espersen, senior, Brainerd, Minn.; Jacob Gerber, senior, Elbow Lake, Minn.; Kendra Peterson, freshman, Sisseton, S.D.; Ana Gustafson, freshman, Puposky, Minn.; BillieJo Armbrust, senior, Forest River, N.D.; Kari Olson, junior, Lancaster, Minn.; Kristin (Fjosse) Mio, senior, Olympia, Washington; Nicole Bauer, sophomore, Breezy Point, Minn.; Matt Coffman, senior, Wheaton, Minn.; Brandin Solie, senior, Fertile, Minn.; Craig Moen, junior, Stephen, Minn.; Cole Dimmler, senior, Crary, N.D.; Jakob Heggedal, junior, Badger, Minn.; Mark Riepe, junior, Perham, Minn.; Marissa McWilliam, sophomore, Winger, MInn.; Mindy Nieuwboer, senior, Kenneth, Minn.; Tommy Borgerding, sophomore, Belgrade, Minn.; Jacquie Schlangen, senior, Belgrade, Minn.; Nick Pease, senior, Trimont, Minn.; Kari Buse, junior, St. James, Minn.; Megan Meyer, sophomore, Wyoming, Minn.; Bradley Kappes, senior, Borup, Minn.; Brianna Kaschmitter, senior, Sauk Rapids, Minn.; Amanda McNamee, senior, Mahnomen, Minn.; Tony Dank, senior, Sartell, Minn.; Alysia Osowski, junior, Grafton, N.D.; Katie Schneider, junior, Delano, Minn.; Melinda Baszczynski, senior, Earlham, Iowa; Kristina Selzer, sophomore, Rising Fawn, Ga.; Skyler Holzbauer, junior, Breckenridge, Minn.; Jayden Rollness, sophomore, Langdon, N.D.; Stephen Whalen, junior, Oklee, Minn.; Blake Smith, senior, Mentor, Minn.

NACTA is dedicated to advancing the scholarship of teaching and learning in the agricultural, environmental, natural, and life sciences. NACTA competitions have been held since 1957 and involve knowledge and skills contests covering various agricultural topics. The competition is rigorous, including college and university students from all across the nation. To learn more, visit www.nactateachers.org.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers more than 25 bachelor's degree programs and 50 concentrations, including several online degrees, in agriculture and natural resources; arts, humanities and social sciences; business; and math, science and technology.  With an enrollment of about 1,300 undergraduates, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree.  "Small Campus. Big Degree."  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

In the photo (l to r): BillieJo Armbrust, Chancellor Charles H. Casey, Emily Espersen, and Ron Del Vecchio, Ph.D., during a reception held for the NACTA students on Monday, April 19, 2010. 

Contact: Ron Del Vecchio, head, Agriculture and Natural Resources Dept, 218-281-8109 (delve004@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

Ten essays by noted scholars address the significant topics in education including educational policy, methods, and ideology in the recently published book Humanistic Critique of Education: Teaching and Learning as Symbolic Action. Associate professors Mark Huglen, Ph.D., and Rachel McCoppin, Ph.D., are the co-authors of a chapter, entitled "Extending Kenneth Burke and Multicultural Education: Being Actively Revised by the Other," included in the work. Both teach communication courses in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Department at the University of Minnesota, Crookston.

The essay chapters in the book draw upon insights produced by renouned scholar Kenneth Burke's famous essay "Linguistic Approach to Problems of Education" to address the design, practice, and outcomes of educational programs in the new millennium. This particular group of essays, published by Parlor Press and edited by Peter M. Smudde, is the first sustained attempt to apply Burke's profound insights to the problems of educational reform and policy. Burke (1897-1993) is an American literary theorist and philosopher whose work has been influential in study where symbols and symbolic action are a central focus.

In the compilation, Huglen and McCoppin discuss active revision. One way to approach a situation is to argue, but another way is to listen, learn, and choose to change as a result of the encounter. Listening, learning, and changing are part of self-revision. The chapter articulates that too often people defend their own positions at the expense of missing a greater truth. Sometimes the other side is right.

Co-author of several books on communication, Huglen's research interests include rhetoric, organizational communication, theories of communication, argument and political communication. Huglen earned his doctorate in communication from Wayne State University in Detroit, Mich., and his master's and bachelor's degrees from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks.
McCoppin has published works in a number of journals and has research interests in the areas of American transcendentalism, modernism, existentialism and the pedagogy of literature and ethics. She earned her doctorate from Indiana University in Pennsylvania, Ind., and her master's degree from Northern Michigan University in Marquette. Her bachelor's degree is from the University of Michigan - Flint.

To learn more about the communication program at the U of M, Crookston, visit www.umcrookston.edu/academics.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers more than 25 bachelor's degree programs and 50 concentrations, including several online degrees, in agriculture and natural resources; arts, humanities and social sciences; business; and math, science and technology.  With an enrollment of about 1,300 undergraduates, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree.  "Small Campus. Big Degree."  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

In the photo ( l to r): Rachel McCoppin and Mark Huglen

Contact: Mark Huglen, associate professor, 218-281-8275 (mhuglen@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

Chuck Habstritt recently retired from the University of Minnesota, Crookston was presented The Achievement in Crop Improvement Award at the 2010 MCIA Annual Meeting. It is MCIA's highest honor and is presented annually to recognize exemplary service by an individual to the seed industry. Throughout his career Chuck has shown dedication to the seed industry, encouraged the production of high quality seed and demonstrated leadership in agriculture and the local community.

He has been an instructor at the U of M, Crookston for 40 years, using a hands on approach to teaching students agronomy, soil science and seed conditioning. In addition to teaching he has coached a very successful UMC crops judging team for over 30 years.  Students have benefited greatly from his instruction and advice. Among the numerous honors he has received, he was named "Outstanding Educator" by students and faculty at the U of M, Crookston several times.

He has a direct connection to the seed industry, as he continues to be involved in the family farm and seed business located near Roseau. Started by his father and grandfather, Habstritt Farms Inc. produces, conditions and distributes small grains and turf grass seed. On the farm is where he learned the basics of crop production and seed conditioning while working with a wide variety of crops.

Chuck served six years on the MCIA Board of Directors and has been active in a variety of seed related organizations. The Achievement in Crop Improvement Award is sponsored by the Farm Progress Companies publisher of "The Farmer" magazine. Paula Mohr, Editor of "The Farmer" made the presentation to Chuck and his wife Kris at the MCIA Annual Meeting held January 7-8 at the Shooting Star Casino Hotel in Mahnomen, Minnesota.    

Contact: Roger Wippler, Minnesota Crop Improvement Association, 612-625-7766 (mncia@tc.umn.edu)

Learn more about climate change from a world prospective and how we can make a difference locally by attending a special presentation by Dan Svedarsky, Ph.D., director of the Center for Sustainability at the University of Minnesota, Crookston. Svedarsky will address the Alternative Energy Committee meeting in Crookston on Thursday, January 28, 2010, at 7 p.m. Following the presentation, which will be held in the Seminar Room in the Agriculture Research Building at the Northwest Research and Outreach Center, there will be a question and answer session.  The public is invited to attend the presentation.

Svedarsky's presentation, Global Climate Change Perspectives From Copenhagen And Recommendations For Local Applications will present information on the design landscape of Denmark and Sweden and its application to Crookston and the world. Svedarsky recently returned from Copenhagen, Denmark, where he represented The Wildlife Society at the United Nations Climate Conference.

The conference, held in December 2009 was attended by thousands and included 119 heads of state from around the world. Svedarsky, a professor, wildlife biologist, and director of the Center for Sustainability at the University of Minnesota, Crookston, represented the 8,000-members of The Wildlife Society as an official observer. As noted by 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Wangari Maathai, the primary value of conferences such as these is to provide information and inspiration to attendees to return home and make a local difference.   

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers more than 25 bachelor's degree programs and 50 concentrations, including several online degrees, in agriculture and natural resources; arts, humanities and social sciences; business; and math, science and technology.  With an enrollment of about 1,300 undergraduates, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree.  "Small Campus. Big Degree."  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

In photo above: Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai with U of M, Crookston Professor Dan Svedarsky at the Danish Film Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Contact: Dan Svedarsky, director, Center for Sustainability, 218-281-8129 (dsvedars@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

Once again, the Collegiate Crops Judging Team from the University of Minnesota, Crookston was in the top three finishers at the national crops judging contests held in November. At the contests held in Kansas City, Mo., on November 17, and Chicago, Ill., on November 21, the team from the U of M, Crookston finished third overall. Members of the team included: Sophomore Theresa Hamel from Lakota N.D.; Junior Jakob Heggedal from Badger, Minn.; and Junior Mark Riepe from Perham, Minn. The team was coached by Associate Professor Charles "Chuck" Habstritt.

In the photo at left (l to r): Hamel, Riepe, and Heggedal.

The crops contests integrate a student's knowledge of agronomy into three categories: seed analysis, grain grading and crop and weed identification.

In Kansas City, individual finishes included a second place finish in grain grading by Heggedal, while Riepe was in sixth and Hamel in eighth. Overall, Heggedal finished fifth, Riepe finished seventh, and Hamel finished eleventh. The addition to their third place overall finish, the team finished second overall in grain grading and fourth in both seed analysis and crop and weed identification.

Results from the contest in Chicago included a first place finish for Heggedal in grain grading and a sixth place finish in seed analysis. Heggedal's individual finish was fifth overall. Other finishes included a sixth place finish by Riepe and eighth place finish by Hamel in grain grading.  Riepe finished sixth overall while Hamel was fourteenth. The team once again finished second overall in grain grading and fourth in seed analysis as well as crop and weed identification.

Out of a possible 1200 points in the grain grading portions of the Kansas City and Chicago crops contests, Heggedal missed just 8 points.

Preparation for the contests begins early in the semester and requires intense preparation. Crops teams from the Crookston campus have placed in the top three more than 25 times over their history. For more than 35 years, Habstritt has served as a coach to the highly successful Collegiate Crops Judging Team on the Crookston campus. He was also responsible for compiling the rules and regulations book that has been used for national contests in both Chicago and Kansas City.

The Chicago contest began in 1923 and has been held every year except in 1929 and during World War II (1942-'46). The Kansas City Contest was held the first time in 1929 and has been held annually through 1941, with the exception of 1942-'46.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers more than 25 applied-science undergraduate degree programs and 50 concentrations, including several online degrees, in agriculture; arts, humanities and social sciences; business; math, science and technology; and natural resources. To learn more, visit www.UMCrookston.edu.

Contact: Rob Proulx, lecturer, 218-281-8136 (prou0041@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

A career spanning 40 years will be honored during a retirement reception for Associate Professor Charles "Chuck" Habstritt at the University of Minnesota, Crookston. The event honoring Habstritt is slated for Wednesday, December 9, 2009, from 3-5 p.m. in Bede Ballroom in the Sargeant Student Center. The public is invited to attend.

Habstitt began his teaching career in 1969 at the U of M, Crookston where he specialized in agronomy and soils. He was named outstanding educator by students three times and in 1999, he was selected to receive the distinguished teaching award by his colleagues. In 2007-08, Habstritt was honored with the University of Minnesota's John Tate Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising. In the University of Minnesota system, the Tate Awards recognize and reward high-quality academic advising.

For more than 35 years, Habstritt has served as a coach to the highly successful Collegiate Crops Judging Team on the Crookston campus. He was also responsible for compiling the rules and regulations book that has been used for national contests in both Chicago and Kansas City. He has coached his teams to top-three finishes more than 25 times.

Habstritt has developed and taught 13 courses, advised some 40-50 students a year, trained teaching assistants, published, and solicited funding for scholarships to keep and attract top students for his program. He found time during his career to manage his grain, oil seed, and grass seed farm and was recognized with the Honorary State Farmer Degree. During his career, Habstritt also served as assistant coach for hockey, and in 1986, he received the University of Minnesota Regents Award for Excellence in Coaching.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers more than 25 applied-science undergraduate degree programs and 50 concentrations, including several online degrees, in agriculture; arts, humanities and social sciences; business; math, science and technology; and natural resources. To learn more, visit www.UMCrookston.edu.

Contact: Amy Lubarski, administrative specialist, Ag and Natural Resources Dept., 218-281-8101 (lubarski@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

Alvin Killough, Ph.D., has agreed to serve as co-investigator for a grant application submitted to the U.S. Department of Education by the Minnesota Minority Education Partnership (MMEP). The proposal, the result of collaboration, seeks to examine the links between instructional strategies and the academic proficiency to student of color enrolled as English Language Learners (ELL).

The 5-year $2.6 million grant proposal includes a research center located in Minnesota specifically designed to provide a focused plan of research to document both the academic needs of and successful practices used for engaging recent immigrant students in the K-8 learning process.  The goal of the research is to effect changes in instructional practices to reflect scientific findings, and thereby, serve as science - practitioner advocate for policy change.

Killough explains, "We find this grant submission a tremendous opportunity to address, as a research collaborative, not only the overrepresentation of recent immigrant students in ELL and their disproportionately failure to achieve proficiency on standardized tests, but to establish the significance of examining the entire context surrounding ELL instruction delivery as well.  We believe the findings from this exploratory research will be invaluable for teachers and other practitioners, and policy makers."

The primary partners in the collaboration include Minneapolis Public Schools, Saint Paul Public Schools, Strengthening Africans Toward Excellence, and an allied host of national consultants.

Killough is an assistant professor in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Department at the U of M, Crookston. He teaches as a cultural ecological psychologist and has long advocated for underserved and understudied populations through his scholarly research and public speaking engagements.
 
Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers more than 25 applied-science undergraduate degree programs and 50 concentrations, including several online degrees, in agriculture; arts, humanities and social sciences; business; math, science and technology; and natural resources. To learn more, visit www.UMCrookston.edu.
 

Contact: Alvin Killough, assistant professor,218-281-8208 (killo010@umn.edu) ;Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

The University of Minnesota Board of Regents recently granted approval to the University of Minnesota, Crookston to offer two new bachelor's degree programs.  Coursework for the two programs--the Bachelor of Science in Marketing and the Bachelor of Manufacturing Management in Quality Management--is set to begin in January 2010.  A minor in marketing was also approved.

Both of the new degree programs will be offered on the campus as well as entirely online, bringing the number of online degree programs the Crookston campus offers to six. 

The U of M, Crookston's new marketing program builds on the strengths the campus has developed within its Business Department.  For many years, students have had the option of selecting a marketing emphasis within the bachelor's degree program in business management, but strong student interest, faculty expertise, and strategic planning to widen program offerings led campus leaders to pursue a full degree program. 

Business Department Head Susan Brorson, Ph.D., said, "We have been attracting an increasing number of students--both online and traditional students--into our business programs.  There has been a great deal of interest in a full-fledged bachelor's program in marketing, and we are pleased we can now offer that option to our students." 

Brorson believes the program is also attractive to transfer students who have completed associate degrees from regional technical and community colleges and who see the value in pursuing their bachelor's degree in marketing at the Crookston campus.  "There is no question the University of Minnesota is highly regarded as a brand name in education.  We look at that reputation as a benchmark for quality, and we work hard to exceed expectations. Our programs reflect our commitment to an exceptional student experience, and I believe our alumni as well as prospective students recognize that."

Since the mission of the campus involves offering students an applied, career-oriented education, the new marketing program has a strong connection to current marketing practices from today's information-rich business climate.  Technology is also directly integrated into the curriculum through the U of M, Crookston's laptop computer initiative, and that focus is clear in classes that lend directly to new and emerging marketing practices facilitated over the Internet.  Courses like Integrated Marketing Communication, Internet Marketing, Brand Management, and International Marketing reflect the contemporary, real-world aspects and the entrepreneurial nature of the program.

The second new degree program, quality management, also reflects a strong tie to today's workplace.  With a solid foundation in the U of M, Crookston's emerging strength in manufacturing management, this new degree exposes students to the global environment and prepares graduates for quality management positions in the manufacturing industry as well as in state and federal regulatory agencies.

The curriculum focuses on business operations, product functions, quality and cost analysis, as well as consumer expectations and profitability.  The degree program was designed to respond to increasing employer demand for professionals who possess a background in manufacturing techniques and who understand the roles and responsibilities in assuring high standards of product or service quality.  Many companies that outsource production have discovered the need for more stringent quality assurance of products, especially those made in foreign countries, causing an increased need for graduates with a background in quality management.

While the program will be offered on campus in a more traditional learning environment, it is a perfect fit to offer online as well.  Christo Robberts, M.B.A., explained, "This program is tailored to technical and community college graduates in industrial and business fields who have considerable experience in manufacturing or in other processing environments.  It is especially tailored to those working adults who would like to become part of the quality management team within their workplaces." 

The U of M, Crookston has demonstrated expertise in online education, and it has seen significant growth in enrollment in its online offerings. The number of students taking online courses has continued to grow as more degree programs are offered entirely online and as more students--many of whom are already in the workforce--discover the benefits of online study and the prestige of a University of Minnesota degree. 

Information, including course requirements, about the two new programs is available online at www.umcrookston.edu/marketing and www.umcrookston.edu/quality, respectively.

To learn more about the University of Minnesota, Crookston's online degree programs, visit www.umcrookston.edu/online.

The University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers more than 25 bachelor's degree programs, and welcomes students from more than 20 countries and 35 states.  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

Contact: Andrew Svec, director of communications, 218-281-8438 (asvec@umn.edu); Susan Brorson, Ph.D., head, Business Department, 218-2818186 (sbrorson@umn.edu)

Crookston, Minn.  - George French, associate professor and director of music and theater at the University of Minnesota, Crookston, will present a faculty organ recital at Trinity Lutheran Church, 205 South Broadway, Crookston on Saturday, October 24, 2009, at 7:30.  The concert is free, but a free-will offering may be taken.

The program will feature light classics and popular musical selections played on the 38-rank Schlicker pipe organ.  Included will be organ arrangements by Ethel Smith who was one of the leading popular organists during the 1940's and 1950's, along with a variety of Broadway show tunes.

French has served as organist at Trinity Lutheran since 1982 and also currently directs the Greater Crookston Community Men's Chorus.  This concert is sponsored by the University of Minnesota, Crookston, Trinity Lutheran Church of Crookston, and also the Northern Valley Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.  

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers more than 25 applied-science undergraduate degree programs and 50 concentrations, including several online degrees, in agriculture; arts, humanities and social sciences; business; math, science and technology; and natural resources. To learn more, visit www.UMCrookston.edu.

Contact: George French, associate professor, 218-281-8266 (gfrench@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director of communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

Crookston, Minn.  - The University of Minnesota, Crookston Senior Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs Thomas Baldwin has announced that the University of Minnesota Board of Regents has approved the following U of M, Crookston faculty member for tenure.

Rachel McCoppin, Ph.D., who teaches in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Department at the U of M, Crookston, was promoted from assistant professor to associate professor with tenure effective August 17, 2009.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers more than 25 applied-science undergraduate degree programs and 50 concentrations, including several online degrees, in agriculture; arts, humanities and social sciences; business; math, science and technology; and natural resources. To learn more, visit www.UMCrookston.edu.

Contact: Andrew Svec, director of communications, 218-281-8438 (asvec@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director of communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

Crookston, Minn. - A new study released by The EDA Center at the University of Minnesota,Crookston finds that 89.7 percent of rural businesses maintain an Internet connection; up from the 66 percent reported in 2004.  And unlike in 2004 when 38.6 percent of rural businesses were still connecting with a dial-up Internet connection, today 96 percent of rural businesses utilize a broadband connection.  The report documents the findings of a study just completed in June 2009 which surveyed 689 businesses across a variety of commercial and industrial sectors throughout rural Minnesota. The study was conducted in collaboration with 8 different Regional Development Commissions, as well as the West Central Initiative Foundation and has a statistical margin of error of + 3.7 percent.

Researchers found that rural businesses are quite active users of the Internet and continue to integrate it into their business operations and strategy.  More than half of all businesses in the study report utilizing their broadband connection for everything from selling goods and services online (56.3%) to interacting with government agencies (69.8%).  Further, business owners report that securing adequate bandwidth is having a significant impact on everything from their overall cost of doing business (49.9%) to increased business sales (49.3%).

Interestingly, 71 percent of businesses in the study reported that the price they pay for their Internet connection was either "very affordable" or "priced about right"; and a wide majority of businesses (85%) reported that the speed of their current Internet connection was adequate to meet their current business needs.  However, only 37 percent of the businesses had confidence that their current Internet connection speed would adequately meet their business needs 24 months from now. Further, 54 percent of the businesses reported that they planned to further increase their use of the Internet in their business within the next 12 months.

Dr. Jack Geller, professor and director of the EDA Center observed, "It is clear from these findings that the Internet; and specifically broadband technology is now an essential component of all businesses regardless of the size or location of the business.  Accordingly, communities, economic developers and broadband providers must collaborate to ensure that businesses will be able to access the bandwidth they need."

A copy of the full report can be downloaded from The EDA Center's website at www.umcedacenter.org.

The EDA Center at the University of Minnesota, Crookston, is one of over 40 university centers nationwide, supported by the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.  The EDA Center conducts applied research, provides direct technical assistance and delivers educational programs to economic development agencies located in economically-distressed communities throughout Minnesota.

Contact: Jack Geller, director, The EDA Center, 218-281-8248 or 507-381-0720

In the photograph, Dave Volker (left), tractor operator from the Polk County Highway Department, and Junior Thomas Haarstick (right) stand by the tractor modified to run on straight vegetable oil.

When faculty and students work together on research the benefits are many and a project underway at the University of Minnesota, Crookston has the potential to benefit agriculture as well as the environment. This summer Junior Thomas Haarstick, Vergas, Minn., and Assistant Professor Paul Aakre from the Agriculture Department are testing a tractor they converted to run on straight vegetable oil (SVO). The tractor, which is currently being used to mow county ditches, began using SVO on June 15 and to date has logged some 160 hours, adding about 30 hours per week.

 "The tractor operates using a two-tank system," explains Aakre. The tractor starts on diesel fuel and a switch is made to the vegetable oil when the operating temperature is high enough and the exhaust temperature is hot enough on the tractor."

A conversion unit from the German company, Elsbett AG, was attached to a New Holland tractor this spring in order for it to use the vegetable oil as fuel. A tank on the front of the tractor holds the necessary diesel fuel for starting and then a switch is made either automatically or manually to the SVO in the tractor's main fuel tank.

The SVO, a byproduct of crushing canola seed, is filtered for use in the tractor. Since the SVO has a higher viscosity than diesel fuel, a heat exchanger is used to heat the oil to improve its fluidity. The Environmental Protection Agency provided an exemption to test the SVO in the tractor.

Haarstick, an agricultural systems management major, worked on mounting the conversion unit, preparing the tractor, and doing much of the electrical work. His student research is funded in part by an undergraduate research grant he applied for with Aakre. "Being involved in SVO research has shown me that hard work will pay off," Haarstick says. "I know there will be benefits working on research that only a select few are attempting."

Using a locally produced product and saving fossil fuel are just two of the benefits of running a tractor on SVO. The project is part of ongoing research by Aakre using vegetable oil as fuel. He worked with Jade Estling, a 2009 graduate of the U of M, Crookston, on setting up a small scale bio-diesel lab in 2007.

Support for the project came in part from the Northwest Regional Sustainable Development Partnership (NWRSDP). The NWRSDP serves northwest Minnesota and works to foster development of agricultural, tourism and natural resources systems that are profitable for citizens, while enhancing environmental quality and supporting rural communities.  The Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) are a joint program of the University of Minnesota's Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships, the Southwest Regional Development Commission, Green Institute, The Minnesota Project, and the Minnesota Office of Energy Security, Department of Commerce. CERTs works to connect people with the technical resources needed to identify and implement community-scale energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers more than 25 applied-science undergraduate degree programs and 50 concentrations, including several online degrees, in agriculture; arts, humanities and social sciences; business; math, science and technology; and natural resources. To learn more, visit www.UMCrookston.edu.

Contact: Paul Aakre, assistant professor, 218-281-8104 (paakre@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director of communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

As the plants mature over the summer, research by University of Minnesota, Crookston Assistant Professor Katy Smith, Ph.D., is steadily making progress. The study, which began in March 2009, is being conducted in collaboration with Associate Professor Albert Sims from the Northwest Research and Outreach Center focuses on emissions of greenhouse gases and the technologies that can reduce the emissions of those gases.

Smith's research involves obtaining gas samples from a wheat test plot that are taken weekly throughout the growing season and transported back to the laboratory for analysis. She has been assisted by Senior Tamara Luna, Crookston, Minn., in the data gathering process. Luna, a biology major, has worked closely with Smith as an undergraduate research assistant since fall 2008.            
 
Each week, samples are taken using a syringe along with recording the soil temperature and moisture, from each of 36 wheat plots located east of Crookston. The data will help compare an environmentally friendly fertilizer with its more conventional counterpart. Yield will also be checked after the final samples are taken in the fall and the grain is harvested.

Contact: Katy Smith, assistant professor, 218-8262 (katys@umn.edu) ; Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director of communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

In an effort to integrate more study abroad options into the curriculum at the University ofom the agriculture department including Associate Professor Harouna Maiga, and instructors Chuck Lariviere, and Terrill Bradford, visited the French National Agricultural Research Institute (INRA) in Paris, France, and its allied agricultural universities.  

While in France from June 23 to July 1, the group made several stops including a visit to Tours, France, where they investigated a variety of options for collaboration and connection with INRA. They had an opportunity to establish contacts and plan to continue conversations in the future.  The trip was funded in part by a grant from the University of Minnesota's Office of International Programs and professional development funds.

Integration of study abroad into the curriculum offers a variety of options for students to gain international exposure, and it moves the Crookston campus toward the University of Minnesota's goal of achieving 50 percent of U of M graduates participating in a study abroad experience.

Contact: Terrill Bradford, agriculture instructor, 218-281-8108 (tbradfor@umn.edu); Chuck Lariviere, business instructor, 218-281-8175 (clarivie@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director of communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)