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North Dakota State College of Science John Deere Tech students recently placed in the Agricultural Machinery Service Technician Contest at the National Postsecondary Agricultural Student (PAS) Conference, which was located in St. Louis, Mo.

Three NDSCS teams comprised of two students each participated, winning third, ninth, and twelfth places at the national contest.
• 3rd Place: Ben Lindroos and Dominic Ourada. Lindroos is from Sebeka, Minn., and is sponsored by Midwest Machinery of Wadena, Minn. Ourada is from Wabasso, Minn., and is sponsored by Kibble Equipment Inc. of Wabasso, Minn.
• 9th Place: Justin Bauer and Nathan Maus. Bauer is from Bismarck, N.D., and is sponsored by RDO Equipment of Bismarck, N.D. Maus is from Freeport, Minn., and is sponsored by Larsons Inc. of Wheaton, Minn.
• 12th Place: Chris Kucera and Jake Refshaw. Kucera is from Thief River Falls, Minn., and is sponsored by RDO Equipment of Breckenridge, Minn. Refshaw is from Mahnomen, Minn., and is sponsored by Evergreen Implement of Mahnomen, Minn.

Twenty three teams from five states competed in the contest, including colleges from Iowa, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota and Wisconsin. The Agricultural Machinery Technician competition is part of the Career Program Areas with the purpose to allow students to test their knowledge and problem-solving skills in a competitive environment to meet industry needs utilizing a variety of assessment techniques.

The Agricultural Machinery Service Technician Career Program Area is designed to:
• encourage the development of Agricultural Service Technicians’ opportunities;
• recognize individual accomplishments and educational curriculum in Agricultural Service Technician programs;
• encourage cooperation between education and industry; and
• strengthen the PAS organization by encouraging active participation.

The National PAS Student Organization is an organization associated with agriculture/agribusiness and natural resources offerings in approved postsecondary institutions offering baccalaureate degrees, associate degrees, diplomas and/or certificates. PAS is one of 11 career and technical student organizations approved by the U.S. Department of Education as an integral part of career and technical education.

To learn more about the John Deere Tech program at NDSCS, go to www.ndscs.edu/johndeere.

Eight North Dakota State College of Science faculty and staff members have been chosen and named recipients of the College’s Excellence in Teaching Award and Excellence in Service Award for the 2016-2017 academic year.

The Excellence in Teaching Award recognizes instructors who, among other outstanding characteristics, demonstrate competence and sincere interest in their subjects, present material in a suitable, well-integrated fashion and encourage participation from students. Selection criteria include student evaluations, feedback and deliberations by a selection committee comprised of faculty members and students. This year’s recipients were chosen from a group of more than 50 nominees. The honorees are:
• Danielle Erickson: Instructor, Allied Dental Education
• Larry Merbach: Professor, Mathematics and Science
• Bryan Poyzer: Instructor and Program Coordinator, English, Communication and Performing Arts
• Brian Rempfer: Associate Professor, Automotive Technology

The Excellence in Service Award recognizes employees who consistently go above and beyond every day and exemplify the College’s values of learning, integrity, flexibility and excellence. Nominations are open to those serving in the professional, office support, technical, paraprofessional, trades and service positions that are not on probationary status with recipients chosen by the President and Vice Presidents. The honorees are:
• Jill Anderson: Project Manager, Facilities Management
• Tana Erbes: Program Outreach Specialist, Academic Affairs
• Mindy Manock Tayer: Academic Counselor, Student Success Center
• Leslie Shirek: Program Outreach Specialist, Academic Affairs

The North Dakota State College of Science will honor Barbara Bang as Dean Emerita and Max Reinke as Faculty Emeritus at the College’s Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 12, in Wahpeton.

A graduate of the NDSCS Architectural Drafting program, Barbara Bang was an associate professor and department chair for 25 years and served as the Dean of the Technologies and Services Division for 17 years. As Dean, she developed partnerships and strategies to help meet workforce needs in manufacturing, transportation and construction. Bang currently serves as the immediate past-president of the National Council for Workforce Education and is a representative for the Commission on Economic and Workforce Development for the American Association of Community Colleges. She has an A.A.S. degree from NDSCS, a B.S. degree in Technical Education from the University of South Dakota and an M.Ed. in Educational Administration from North Dakota State University.

A graduate of the NDSCS Liberal Arts program, Max Reinke spent 42 years as an instructor and coach at the College, and twice served as Department Chair of the Mathematics and Science Department. Reinke was the Secretary/Treasurer of the Alumni Letterwinners Club for 15 years, a 10-year member of the Catbackers/Letterwinners Club and coordinated Wildcat Athletic Camps for 39 years. He has been honored by the NDSCS Alumni/Foundation with the Wildcat Award and Tradition Award, and was honored four times by the NDSCS Athletic Hall of Fame. Reinke has an Associate Degree in Liberal Arts from NDSCS and a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Dickinson State University.

The NDSCS Commencement ceremony will be held in the Ed Werre Arena in the Clair T. Blikre Activities Center at 3:00 p.m. on May 12, 2017.

North Dakota State College of Science will hold its commencement ceremony on Friday, May 12 at 3 p.m. in the Ed Werre Arena located in the Clair T. Blikre Activities Center in Wahpeton, N.D. Six hundred sixty four students from the Wahpeton campus, NDSCS-Fargo location and online are scheduled to graduate. One hundred ninety three of these graduates will be recognized with a Scholastic Achievement Award.

Barry Frank, Faculty Senate President, will serve as the Grand Marshal, Vice President for Academic Affairs Harvey Link will preside as the Master of Ceremonies and NDSCS President John Richman will give remarks and recognitions as well as the presentation of degrees, diplomas and certificates. Dean Emerita Barbara Bang and Faculty Emeritus Max Reinke will be honored. Mason Rademacher, Student Senate President, will share his remarks. The NDSCS Performing Arts department will also perform musical selections.