North Dakota State College of Science students, faculty and staff will celebrate Agawasie Day on Thursday, May 5 on both the Wahpeton campus and at the NDSCS-Fargo location.

Events begin in Wahpeton at 10 a.m. with the Hektner Student Center Dedication. Following the dedication, students, faculty and staff will enjoy self-guided tours of the Hektner Student Center followed by free food on The Oval at 11:30 a.m. Competitions (car show, volleyball, lip sync battle, tug-o-war and the Burnout), inflatables and numerous attractions will take place throughout the afternoon and an outdoor, evening street dance is set to begin at 9 p.m.

Agawasie Day events at NDSCS-Fargo will take place from noon-3 p.m. Students, faculty and staff will enjoy numerous activities (life-size Jenga, Wii, checkers, etc.) as well as free food, plus students will have a chance to win prizes.

In 1914, the College published its first yearbook called the Agawasie. While the origin of the name is obscure, an earlier issue of the annual explained it as an Indian word for “Ascience.” The arrival of the annual became a day for celebration, hence the start of the annual Agawasie Day Picnic. While publishing an annual yearbook was discontinued in 2004, the day for celebration still lives on as Agawasie Day and is celebrated every year right before the start of finals.

For more information about Agawasie Day, including a complete listing of events and details, go to www.ndscs.edu/agawasie.

The North Dakota State College of Science Auto Body Repair and Refinishing Technology program recently received reaccreditation by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF).

To achieve this coveted recognition, the College’s Auto Body Repair & Refinishing Technology program underwent rigorous evaluation by NATEF. Nationally accepted standards of excellence in areas such as instruction, facilities and equipment were used.

“This is great news for automotive-minded young people and their parents,” said Donald Seyfer, former NATEF Chair. “Because this program increases cooperation between local education and industry leaders, it gives added assurance that NDSCS graduates will be employable entry-level technicians. As a result of the quality education provided by NDSCS, the motoring public will benefit since better repair technicians will join the work force.”

Upon completion of the evaluation, the College became reaccredited by NATEF, a non-profit, independent organization that evaluates and accredits entry-level technician training programs against standards developed by the automotive industry.

“During the past few months, we have worked closely with NATEF to make certain that our program would meet strict industry standards and we are pleased to once again join the ranks of the NATEF accredited training programs,” said James Erdahl, NDSCS Automotive Repair & Refinishing Technology Program Chair and Associate Professor. “NDSCS students are guaranteed to receive a quality education while shop owners can be confident of obtaining quality job applicants.”

To learn more about the NDSCS Automotive Repair & Refinishing Technology program, including certificate and A.A.S. degree options, visit www.ndscs.edu/autobody or call 1-800-342-4325 ext. 2521.

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 2015-2016 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 the selection committee. This year’s recipients were chosen by a selection committee comprised of faculty members, students, academic deans and staff members from a group of 70 nominees.

The honorees are:
• Rhonda Edwardson: Allied Dental Education Associate Professor
• E. B. Floersch: Diesel Technology Assistant Professor
• Jeff Hart: Social and Behavioral Sciences Associate Professor
• Kathy Marquette: Business Administration and Management Associate Professor

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, clerical, trades and service positions that are not on probationary status with recipients chosen by Human Resources and the Rewards and Recognition Committee.

The honorees are:
• Kijia Homes: Student Success Office Manager
• Kerri Kava: Student Life Assistant Director
• Lynnette Krack: Automotive Technology Assistant
• Ryan Meisch: Facilities Management Campus Plumber

The North Dakota State College of Science recently awarded academic scholarships to an additional 18 incoming 2016 NDSCS freshmen from three states.

The scholarships recognize and reward students for academic achievement, test scores and participation in extracurricular and other volunteer activities. The scholarships – awarded for $1,000 or $500 – are applicable during the 2016-2017 academic year. The honorees include:

MINNESOTA
Battle Lake: Wes Olson, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00; Katlyn Rilla, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Breckenridge: Max Glueckert, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00; Amanda Ronan, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Inver Grove Heights: Gabriela Alicea, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Kensington: Colden Helberg, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Kent: Katie Tschakert, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00

NORTH DAKOTA
Anamoose: Lee Reinowski, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Cayuga: Shalyn Murack, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Devils Lake: Braydi Hoime, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Fargo: Devon Redden, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Forman: Taylor Chapin, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00 
Grand Forks: Christopher Helmoski, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Lisbon: Linsey Leadbetter, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Mohall: Becca Schoenberg, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Thompson: Colton Luck, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Watford City: Cody Kirkland, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00

SOUTH DAKOTA
New Effington: Kellie Hansen, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00

The North Dakota State College of Science recently awarded academic scholarships to 63 incoming 2016 NDSCS freshmen from two states.

The scholarships recognize and reward students for academic achievement, test scores and participation in extracurricular and other volunteer activities. The scholarships – awarded for $1,000 or $500 – are applicable during the 2016-2017 academic year. The honorees include:

MINNESOTA
Battle Lake: Caleb Bellig, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Baudette: Elizabeth Fraser, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Belgrade: Zachary Walz, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Breckenridge: Hannah Feigum, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00; Benjamin Ihland, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00; Franziska Maurer, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Caledonia: Sophia Augedahl, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Campbell: Faith Goettle, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Cass Lake: Elizabeth Pemberton, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
East Grand Forks: Rodney Smidt, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Elbow Lake: Cally Haraldson, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Fergus Falls: Jacob Olson, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00; Athyna Torgerson, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Foley: Haley Kelvington, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Graceville: Dalton Nilson, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Hawley: Katelyn Bjorndahl, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Little Falls: Hannah Witucki, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Moorhead: Joseph Huovinen, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Perham: Haley Hunter, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Prior Lake: Nathan Wangsnes, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Puposky: Isaac Gustafson, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Rothsay: Alex Hendrickson, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Savage: Alexander Dahl, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Sleepy Eye: Jonathan Lax, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Thief River Falls: Mattlyn Erickson, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Villard: Rebecca Weir, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Wheaton: Mitchel Johannsen, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00

NORTH DAKOTA
Barton: Blackhawk Jones, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Bismarck: Matthew Fettig, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00; Kaitlyn Grossman, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00; Bethany Materi, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00; Lane Ternes, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Bowman: Clay Caron, John & Alyce Travers Scholarship - $1,000.00; Tyler Hansey, John & Alyce Travers Scholarship - $1,000.00; Jayden Hofland, John & Alyce Travers Scholarship - $1,000.00; Paige Lindstrom, John & Alyce Travers Scholarship - $1,000.00; Luke Paulson, John & Alyce Travers Scholarship - $1,000.00
Buffalo: Riggs Nudell, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Cavalier: Nicole DeMars, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Cogswell: Bridget Hayen, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Dickinson: Caleb Krebs, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Fairmount: Abreena Knudsen, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Fargo: Jasmine Bruer, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Forman: Tiffany Beaver, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Gwinner: Spencer Brockman, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00; Istvan Dudas, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Hazelton: Luke Johnson, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Jamestown: Austin Hagerott, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00; Andrew Triebenbach, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Lisbon: Benjamin Gemar, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Manning: Ryan Karey, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
McVille: Mercedes Dion, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Milnor: Ryder Goolsbey, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Mooreton: Kendra Klosterman, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Neche: Madison Symington, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Pekin: Taylor Donohue, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Rhame: Hank Brooks, John & Alyce Travers Scholarship - $1,000.00
Scranton: Thomas Maychrzak, John & Alyce Travers Scholarship - $1,000.00
Towner: Katie Goodman, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00
Wahpeton: Sydney Amble, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00; Joseph Dahlgren, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00; Isaac Summers, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $1,000.00
Walhalla: Aric Berg, NDSCS Foundation Scholarship - $500.00

North Dakota State College of Science recently promoted Jane Vangsness Frisch to Vice President for the newly created Student Affairs division. This new division will support students during their entire college experience – from recruitment and enrollment to career guidance and graduation – by enhancing student learning and personal development through a variety of student services.

Vangsness Frisch, originally from Okabena, Minn., graduated from North Dakota State University (NDSU) with a bachelor’s degree in both mass communication with an emphasis in public relations and health education. She also earned a master’s degree in mass communication and is currently pursuing a Ph.D in education with an emphasis in institutional analysis, both from NDSU.

Vangsness Frisch joined NDSCS in 2013 as Director of Student Success and Career Services. In 2014 she was named Associate Vice President for Student Success. Prior to her time at the College, Vangsness Frisch worked for the North Dakota University System. 

Vangsness Frisch and her husband, Tom, reside in Dumont, Minn.

The North Dakota State College of Science Band and Choir Festival will be held on Monday, February 29, 2016 at the Bremer Bank Theatre in the Harry Stern and Ella Stern Cultural Center on the Wahpeton campus at 7:30 p.m.

The festival will feature band and choir ensembles from NDSCS, Wahpeton High School and Breckenridge High School.

Under the direction of guest conductor Dr. Kyle Mack, the combined bands will perform a total of four pieces. Mack has been a member of the North Dakota State University faculty since 1993 and currently teaches applied trombone/euphonium, conducting and music education classes in addition to directing the Jazz Studies program.

The combined choirs are also set to perform four pieces under the direction of guest conductor Matthew Endreson. Endreson currently serves as the Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton High School Choral Director and is in his fourteenth year in music education.

The festival is free and open to the public. Free-will donations will be accepted following the performance in the Harry Stern and Ella Stern Cultural Center lobby.

Thirty-two North Dakota State College of Science Collegiate DECA members recently competed at the North Dakota Career Development Conference in Fargo, N.D. NDSCS Chapter members participated in 16 separate events, ending up with a finalist in 11 events.

One-hundred-twenty students representing both two and four-year colleges and universities from across the state competed against one another in a variety of simulations, case studies and prepared events.     

The 11 NDSCS finalists include:

• Nate Wier – Accounting (Finalist); Business Ethics (2nd Place)
• Marcus Karsky – Accounting (Finalist)
• Ali Schoneman – Banking and Financial Services (Finalist)
• Thia Uhren – Fashion Merchandising (Finalist)
• Rowdy Borman – Restaurant Management (3rd Place); Human Resource Management (3rd Place)
• Noah Dobmeier – Retail Management (3rd Place); Business Ethics (2nd Place)
• Amy Stevens – Travel and Tourism (Finalist)
• Katlyn Hilbrand – Marketing Management (1st Place)
• Ian Uhrich – Sales Manager Meeting (3rd Place)

In addition, Ian Uhrich was elected to serve as the 2016-2017 State Association President while Dana Anderson was elected to serve as next year’s State Vice President.

NDSCS will now be sending a delegation to the International Career Development Conference to be held in Washington D.C. this April.

Collegiate DECA at NDSCS prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. Nationwide, Collegiate DECA includes over 15,000 members in 275 colleges and universities.

Spring semester enrollment at the North Dakota State College of Science is 2,951 according to the official census, which is taken on the 20th instructional day of classes each semester. This is the highest spring semester enrollment on record since 1983 and a 7 percent increase over spring 2015.

During the past five years, NDSCS spring enrollment has steadily grown. The number of credits students are enrolled in is also up from 2015 to 30,673 which is the highest since spring 2012. Thanks to persistent recruiting, focused student success initiatives and marketing efforts, the College continues to see remarkable growth at both the Wahpeton campus and NDSCS-Fargo location as well.

“The demand for our graduates remains very high which is supported by our 99 percent placement rating,” said NDSCS President John Richman. “Our faculty and staff work diligently to help our students succeed through focused retention and student success efforts while our industry partners contribute to a win-win educational experience.”

There are 1,508 full time students and 1,443 part time students, with just more than 45 percent of students residing on-campus at NDSCS in Wahpeton.

Additionally, 71.7 percent of NDSCS students are from North Dakota from 49 counties, while 21.4 percent of students are from Minnesota, 2.5 percent are from South Dakota and 1.1 percent are from Montana.