A crowd of students, potential employers and educators and supporters came Tuesday, March 21 to the Clair T. Blikre Activities Center.

North Dakota State College of Science held its 2023 Career Fair in Wahpeton. The event, previously delayed due to winter weather, lasted from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. The 2022 fair was attended by nearly 500 students and this year’s event appeared to meet or exceed expectations.

“It is very exciting,” NDSCS Director of Career Services Lisa Wixo said. “I’m really glad that our employers were able to come this year. The postponement from our original date did not have much of an impact. They’re here, they need our students and students should be able to find employment during the day.”

More than 200 employers and universities participated in the 2023 Career Fair. They included locally-based employers like the Richland County Sheriff’s Office, Richland County Communications/911, ComDel Innovation and the Red River Human Services Foundation, as well as regional, national and internationally-known employers.

“There are opportunities for absolutely every single student that we have,” Wixo said. “They definitely find employment opportunities. We also have first year students that are looking for cooperative education experiences. They also find those today, along with graduates who find employment today.”

More than 20 employers were expected to conduct interviews Tuesday afternoon at NDSCS. Prior to that, students strolled the Blikre, engaging with prospective employers and educators.

“This is awesome,” said Connor Lay, a second year building construction technology student.

Lay was joined by friends and peers Glen Erickson and Tanner Obrigewitch. The trio met with Sara Galt, Industrial Builders, Inc., who accepted their cover letters and resumes.

“It’s pretty nice, with all the employers coming out to give us a chance,” Obrigewitch said.

“The career fair’s awesome. We’re meeting with all the employers in one spot, so it’s easy for us to go around, talk to people and make connections,” Erickson said.

Earlier this month, a Career Expo hosted by Cargill took place at the Wahpeton Community Center. Twenty-five Southern Red River Valley employers were on hand to meet with more than 180 high schoolers from Wahpeton and Fairmount, North Dakota, and Breckenridge and Campbell, Minnesota.

Richland 44 High School, Colfax, North Dakota, was scheduled to hold a career fair from 9-11 a.m. Wednesday, March 22. Additionally, the Richland County Law Enforcement Center, Wahpeton, is scheduled to hold a career fair from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday, March 28.

“I think it’s interesting because, three years ago, I was in these students’ shoes,” Chris Ennen, Gast Construction, said about meeting the NDSCS youth. “I think it’s kinda nice to be on this side of it (as an employer), understanding where they’re coming from.”

Tyler Hook and Benjamin Austin, a pair of second year welding students, met with Cory Swingen and Chase Fennell, Swingen Construction.

“I’ve been here one time before. It’s a good opportunity to find a new job,” Hook said.

“I enjoy it. I look forward to it,” Austin said.

Lt. Tyler Kirsch, a U.S. Navy recruiter, was around to meet with students and talk about the Navy’s work in fields such as nuclear power.

“I’ve been serving for nine-and-a-half years,” Kirsch said. “I was right out of high school. I enlisted originally and got picked up for a commission program. I got to go back to school while I was still on active duty. I did my commission and then got to work on submarines.”

Michele Flanigan, wife of NDSCS President Dr. Rod Flanigan, was also active during the 2023 Career Fair. She enjoyed meeting with college guests. NDSCS will have more guests the night of Friday, April 14, when the DREAMS Auction returns to the Blikre Activities Center.

“It’s just amazing to me, the support that we have for the school,” Michele Flanigan said. “The companies that we have here are great. It’s just been amazing to get to know these people. We appreciate all that they do for us. This is our first experience and it’s just overwhelming.”

Article written by Frank Stanko for Wahpeton Daily News on March 22, 2023.

As an ongoing initiative of North Dakota State College of Science, faculty continue to pursue outreach and collaboration with K-12 partners across the state. By offering opportunities for community organizations to come to campus for educational and exploratory events, NDSCS hopes to continue to be an enriching force in K-12 education and beyond.

As part of this initiative, NDSCS Mathematics and Science department faculty recently hosted a NOVA Fearful Symmetry event at NDSCS Wahpeton for area Cub Scouts in grades 2 – 5. NOVA programs are STEM-related programs to help Cub Scout members gain interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. During this NOVA event, Wahpeton Cub Scouts were introduced to the concept of symmetry, and worked on construction projects with marshmallows and toothpicks, watched a video about symmetry in the world, did crafts where symmetry was used in the design, and toured areas of NDSCS where symmetry in construction techniques (such as arches, stained glass windows, etc) are demonstrated.

Lisa Karch, PhD, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer commented on NDSCS’s efforts, saying “Partnerships with our K-12 institutions are integral to our mission as a College. We are proud of the work and collaboration our faculty are doing in providing educational opportunities and outreach in our communities. For many young students, this is their first opportunity to visit NDSCS and imagine themselves as a college student in the future.”

NDSCS looks forward to growing the NOVA event at a larger level in future years, bringing Cub Scouts from across the region, and providing a day camp for these students to experience various STEM-related opportunities. In addition to the Cub Scout NOVA program, NDSCS continues to partner with the K-12 sector by hosting additional community events like Math Olympics, FFA regional competitions, SkillsUSA, youth summer camps, and more.

NDSCS Culinary Arts students and faculty hosted the 3rd annual Scholarship Dinner on Thursday, March 9th. The annual Culinary Scholarship Dinner helps raise funds to support scholarship dollars for Culinary Arts students, increasing accessibility for students to attend this program at NDSCS. This dinner is also an excellent opportunity for students to help create and serve a multi-course fine dining experience for guests, teaching important on-the-job skills and benefiting their overall Culinary education. This year’s event brought in over $3500, which will be added to the growing program-specific endowments for student scholarships!

This 6-course dinner with wine pairings was prepared and served by culinary students, faculty, and program alumni. Chef Joseph Brunner, NDSCS alumnus and current Executive Chef at Mezzaluna in Fargo, created the entrée course for the scholarship dinner. Other guest chefs included Amber Pankonin from the Great Plains Culinary Institute; Brooke Thomas, NDSCS alumnus currently at Twin Town Villa; and Carly Beyer, NDSCS alumnus and Director of Dining Services at NDSCS.

Tickets were priced at $100 per person, and $80 of each ticket was a tax-deductible donation to the NDSCS Alumni Foundation Scholarship fund. Despite the less than ideal weather, the evening had a nearly full house. Guests enjoyed appetizers, soup, salad, fish, entrée, and dessert courses and wine pairings, along with great conversation and a relaxed atmosphere. After the event, Chef Kyle Armitage, the Culinary Arts program coordinator recalled, “The 2023 Scholarship Dinner was wonderful. This event is a great opportunity for our community, students, alumni, and friends to enjoy some great food and create a lasting impact on our future Culinary students.”

The Culinary Arts program would like to include a special thank you to donors to the event: The Boiler Room, Mezzaluna, Reinhart Foods, North Dakota Soy Bean Council, Martin Brothers Foods, and the NDSCS Alumni Foundation.

Go Wildcats! Following season-long wins — including being Mon-Dak Champions, Region XIII Champions, and North Central District Champions — the NJCAA has announced that the NDSCS Women’s Basketball team will be traveling to Lubbock, Texas to play in the DI National Championship Tournament. NDSCS Women’s Basketball finished off the season with a 29-4 record and is the No. 21 seed in the bracket. This is the second year in a row that NDSCS Women’s Basketball is making an appearance in the National Championship tournament.

The NDSCS Alumni Foundation is organizing a send-off for the team on Sunday, March 19th at 8:15 a.m. in the north parking lot of the Clair T. Blikre Activities Center, Wahpeton, N.D. The entire community is invited to join NDSCS in celebrating the team’s accomplishments and sending them off to Texas with well wishes. The team bus will leave at 8:30 a.m. with a parade escort out of town.

Wildcat Women’s Basketball plays their first game of the tournament against Eastern Arizona College at the RIP Griffin Center in Lubbock, Texas on Wednesday, March 22nd at 8 p.m. Wildcat fans cheering from home are invited to attend a community watch party at the Wilkin in Breckenridge, Minn. RSVP to the Wilkin is preferred.

North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) announced today that it has earned the 2023-2024 Military Friendly® School designation.

More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2023-2024 survey, with 665 earning the designation. The 2023-2024 Military Friendly® Schools list will be published in the May issue of the G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com/schools.

Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. Methodology, criteria and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in higher education. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer) and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.

NDSCS offers a variety of online courses and programs to provide an educational opportunity to those who are place bound or timebound and cannot attend traditional classes. These courses and programs also provide an opportunity for current and former members of the military to enhance their education or seek new skills. To find out more about specific military programs that may provide educational information and financial support visit www.ndscs.edu/military.

NDSCS’s VA Certifying Official, Mike Paolini, stated, “This designation serves as an affirmation of our institution’s efforts in serving our military student population. This also serves as a reminder to us to continue looking for new ways to support our military population now and into the future.”

Article written by NDSCS and submitted to external news outlets.

Marlee Schweitzer, a Dental Hygiene student at North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) has been named a 2023 New Century Workforce Scholar and will receive a $1,250 scholarship.

This scholarship is the first of its kind to support students at associate degree-granting institutions on a national scale as they plan to enter the workforce upon the completion of a degree or certificate. The program is sponsored by The Coca-Cola Foundation and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

New Century Workforce Scholars are selected based on their academic accomplishments, leadership, activities, and how they extend their intellectual talents beyond the classroom. Over 2,400 students were nominated from more than 1,300 college campuses across the country. Only one New Century Workforce Scholar was selected from each state.

“We congratulate Marlee for receiving this prestigious scholarship, and we are honored to partner with The Coca-Cola Foundation to recognize these outstanding achievements,” said Phi Theta Kappa’s President and CEO Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner. “Scholarship programs like this are integral for creating opportunities for students to succeed as they prepare to enter the workforce and for putting college completion within reach.”

The New Century Workforce Scholars will be recognized in the fall.

North Dakota State College of Science will celebrate its 100th Anniversary of Electrical Technology education in 2023! To recognize this milestone, a celebration will be held May 12-13, 2023, on the NDSCS campus in Wahpeton, N.D. All electrical alumni and those from programs housed in Barnard Hall are invited to participate in this event. A special section will be reserved for those returning for the reunion during the graduation ceremony at 3:00 p.m. on May 12. In addition, the weekend will include a Friday evening social, a Saturday night banquet with entertainment, Saturday campus tours, and family-friendly events.

For more information, to register, or volunteer for the weekend, please contact the NDSCS Alumni Foundation at 701-671-2247, email NDSCS.alumni@ndscs.edu, or visit the website at www.NDSCSalumni.com/Electrical-Reunion. Reserve your hotel room by April 12, 2023, and be sure to mention NDSCS Electrical Reunion. Hotel accommodations are also listed on the website.

We would like to thank the following business sponsors: North American Coal, Coyote Creek Mine, Falkirk Mine and Freedom Mine, Expanse Electrical Co., JDP Electric Inc., Otter Tail Power Company, Encore Electric, Xcel Energy, A&K Development Company, Cass County Electric Cooperative, Electric Utility Workshop, Parsons Electric, Scott’s Electric, Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Bergstrom Electric, H&H Electric, Lake Region Electric Co-op and Operation Round-Up, Lesco, Inc., Montana Dakota Utilities, North Central Electrical League, Inc., Summerville Electric, Border States Electric, Central Power Electric Cooperatives Inc., Dakota Valley Rural Electric Co-op, Eagle Lake Electric, Gary & Son Electric Service, Inc., International Association of Electrical Inspectors, North Central Electrical Engineering Society, North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Co-op (NDAREC), and Northern Plains Electric Cooperative.

Return to NDSCS, join your fellow alumni, and celebrate this great program, facility, and milestone!

Fun facts: Other things that are 100 years old – the automatic watch, the bulldozer, instant cameras, cotton swabs, and the 3-light traffic signals.

The North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) is proud to announce that a team of students from its business management program recently competed at the 2023 North Dakota Collegiate DECA State Conference held in Fargo. This annual competition brings together some of North Dakota's best and brightest business students from eight different colleges to compete in various business case study events.

The NDSCS team, consisting of thirty-five members, performed exceptionally well with eighteen of them qualifying for the international competition in April in Orlando, Fla.

We are proud to announce the following individuals and their events:

• Lauren Schiefert, (Finalist) in Financial Accounting
• Lydia Vipond, (2nd Place) in Entrepreneurship Operations
• Keagan Neppl, (3rd Place) in Entrepreneurship Operations
• Alex Kelstrom, (Finalist) in Restaurant and Food Service
• Cassie Hanson, (3rd Place) in Retail Management
• Dustin Bentow, (2nd Place) in Sales Manager Meeting
• Parker Holtberg, (Finalist) in Sales Manager Meeting
• Jack Johnson, (2nd Place) in Travel and Tourism
• Reid Goodman, (Finalist) in Travel and Tourism
• Reid Goodman/Parker Holtberg, (Finalists) in Business-to-Business Team
• Jewelia Siegler/Kason Hartel, (3rd Place) in Business Ethics Team
• Anna Betz/Cassie Hanson, (2nd Place) competed in International Marketing Team
• Arianna Berryhill/Matt Fischer, (3rd Place) competed in International Marketing Team
• Kierra Christoferson/Madison Syvertsen, (3rd Place) competed in Marketing Communications Team
• Barbara Prante/Keagan Neppl, (Finalists) competed in Marketing Communications Team
• Jack Johnson/Mason Thom, (3rd Place) competed in Sports and Entertainment Marketing Team

“We are extremely proud of our students as this was, for most, their first experience in a Collegiate DECA competitive event,” said Gregory Anderson, the faculty advisor for NDSCS Collegiate DECA. “These students’ performance is a testament to their dedication and hard work, and is a true reflection of the quality of education that NDSCS provides.”

Photo Caption: (ICDC Qualifiers L - R) Barbara Prante, Jack Johnson, Mason Thom, Madison Syvertsen, Keagan Neppl, Kierra Christoferson, Reid Goodman, Parker Holtberg, Matt Fischer, Alex Kelstrom, Cassie Hanson, Arianna Berryhill, Anna Betz, Jewelia Siegler, Dustin Bentow, Lydia Vipond, Lauren Schiefert

Article written by NDSCS and submitted to external news outlets.