Minnesota State University Moorhead's Alumnews

It was a dark and stormy night (honest) when Moorhead police officer Mike Detloff and his dog Rowdy started their Saturday evening shift.

"Pretty quiet tonight," he says. "The rain tends to keep the bad guys inside."

Driving a Jeep Cherokee squad car equipped with an IBM Think Pad computer and printer, Detloff, a 1995 MSU criminal justice graduate, started his evening rounds checking some known trouble spots.
 

"We seem to see the same ‘clients’ over and over again," he says.
 
 

A three-year veteran of the force who grew up on a dairy farm in central Minnesota, Detloff is armed with a standard issued .40 caliber Glock pistol, pepper spray, rubber gloves, a digital phone, handcuffs, an expandable baton and Rowdy, trained to sniff out narcotics and scofflaws.

It takes Detloff exactly two seconds to draw his pistol and fire three shots. But his best weapons, he says, are common sense and experience.

During his first week of training with the department, Detloff was in the first cars at the scene of a hostage incident in Rustad, Minn., which ended when a Clay County deputy shot the suspect in the face. His first day on the night shift, he was called to a homicide.

"Ever since, I’ve been hooked on this job," he said. "I guess it’s the variety. You never know what’s going to happen next."

During the early part of his shift, Detloff helps a couple other cops break up a loud party near MSU. He pulls over what appears to be a DUI fishtailing out of a parking lot on Main Avenue. But the kid is sober and claims his wheel bearings are going out. Detloff tickets him for exhibition driving. The kid isn’t happy.

"If he really did have wheel bearing problems," Detloff said, "he could get that verified by a mechanic and present it to the judge."

Then Detloff and another cop check an open window at an elementary school, where Rowdy gets to run the halls looking for intruders. Rowdy, born and raised in Czechoslovakia, is Detloff’s constant companion. Like Detloff, he went through a 14-week canine training program and another three weeks of narcotics training. The three-year-old German Shepherd lives with Detloff and his family.

At 1:30 a.m., the adrenaline kicks in. A radio dispatch reports that a one-year-old child is missing from a campground at the Interstate Dragways south of the Moorhead municipal airport.

Detloff hits his siren and flashing lights then zooms out of town through the sheeting rain.

"I’ve got to get there ahead of anyone else so Rowdy can pick up the scent," he says.

Detloff is first to arrive at the scene. The parents, emerging from their tent, are frantic. It’s pouring. And soon a caravan of law enforcement vehicles, lights flashing, enters the campground.

Detloff harnesses Rowdy, who immediately picks up a scent behind the tent, where a barb wire fence separates the campground from County Road 11. The dog slips under the fence and tracks the scent across a ditch to the roadway. Then, apparently distracted, he heads into an adjacent muddy field and drags Detloff through a windbreak. More cops join the search.

"Something’s suspicious," Detloff says. "A one-year-old child can’t walk that far on a night like this. It doesn’t make sense."

By 3 a.m. the FBI and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office set up a command post in a fire department truck. The police make a sweep through the campground, waking everyone to search tents, cars and campers. No luck. Everyone’s drenched.

At 6:30 a.m. Sunday, five hours after the search began, the little girl was found cold but unharmed in a shelter belt a half a mile away. Two days later Clay County officials placed three of the family’s children in emergency shelter care and a fourth with a grandmother. The incident is still under investigation.

"Sometimes I think you should pass a test before you can become a parent," he says.

Chief Grant Weyland
Detloff is one of 50 sworn officers and one of two canine cops in the Moorhead Police Department, headed by Chief Grant Weyland. About one-third of MPD officers are MSU alums, including Weyland, who earned a sociology degree here in 1974.

The 49-year-old chief, who wears a gold star on the shirt collars of his uniform, oversees a $5 million budget and 90 employees who form the thin blue line between social order and discord in the city. The department averages about 50,000 calls a year, ranging from homicides to a parent complaining about a child refusing to do the dishes.

"We’re a full-service department," says Weyland, a 25-year MPD  veteran. "Nothing’s too small to deal with. We still help people who lock themselves out of their cars."

It’s not easy being blue. From Barney Fife to "Car 54 Where Are You?," from the bungled murder investigation of the Jon Benet Ramsey case to the highly publicized shootings and beatings in the New York and Los Angeles Police Departments, cops are among the most stereotyped professionals depicted by the media.

And the stereotypes are uncompromising: cops are brutal, corrupt, cynical, incompetent, depressed, on testosterone overload or insensitive automatons. Few in betweens.

The reality is much different. "Sometimes you get the feeling that the public doesn’t appreciate the sacrifices made by police," Weyland said. "I’ve been in this department for a long time, and just about every officer I’ve worked with has been dedicated and hard working."

Of course, the only time most people encounter a police officer outside of the movies and television, it’s under less than pleasant circumstances. And way too often, Weyland said, alcohol is involved.

For this, starting pay for a Moorhead cop is $35,000. The average salary is about $50,000 a year, which includes overtime.

When Detloff joined the force three years ago, he was among 400-plus applicants for the position. A recent opening attracted only 50 applicants.

"It’s that way throughout the state," Weyland said. "When we did have openings in the past, we never had fewer than a couple hundred applicants. And not that many years ago it was almost impossible to find an opening for a police job. With all the retirements today and the good job market, we’re going to have to find a better way of attracting good candidates. We only have three women officers in the department, and that should increase."

Minnesota police officers now must be licensed by the state. Minimum requirements include a two- or four-year degree in a related field and 10 weeks of specialized skills training.

"Every day these officers deal with tragedy and trauma, suicide, child abuse, domestic violence, drug abuse and who knows what else," Weyland said. "Even traffic stops can be dangerous. It’s not a job for everyone. Police officers often deal with a part of society most citizens don’t see, the underbelly of a community that becomes part of a police officer’s daily routine."

Weyland has seen a lot of that underbelly over the past 25 years. He’s investigated a clergyman in south Moorhead who kept an S&M "play room" in his apartment. He’s investigated a suicide of a woman who killed her two children, her cats and her dogs before killing herself. He’s fired a gun on duty only once, a shotgun aimed at a burglar who broke into a liquor store and was about to run over his partner.

"Police have to make difficult decisions every day," Weyland said. "That liquor store incident when I pulled the trigger on my shotgun was pretty intense. But at moments like that, time seems to slow down. Seconds almost turn into minutes."

Fortunately, only two Moorhead police officers have their names on the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C., one killed before the turn of the century, the other in the 1930s.

"The job can become emotionally draining," Weyland said. "But what really draws people to this profession is helping people. That’s basically what we do. And despite the down sides, there’s a lot of satisfaction."

Crime Drops
Over the past seven years, Weyland said, crime in Moorhead has dropped 20 to 30 percent, mirroring similar crime statistics across the country. No telling why. Maybe it’s the economy. Or the declining population of teenage boys, who seem to draw a lot of police attention. Or maybe it’s a new philosophy adopted by most law enforcement agencies, switching from incident driven police work to a more community involved approach.

"In the past we might have gotten calls from the same location 20 to 30 times," Weyland said. "We just responded to them. Today, we get involved in the community. If we get several calls from one location, we try to find out what the problem is. In other words, we don’t believe we have all the answers. We’re seeking partnerships with schools, businesses, tenants and neighborhoods. We assign certain officers to certain sections of the city, kind of like the old days of having a cop on the beat. The goal is to solve problems before they become chronic."

A good example of that is how the police nearly eradicated the high profile gang problem in Moorhead. "It was a joint effort by law enforcement agencies and citizens throughout the region," Weyland said.

At its peak in the mid 1990s, more than 300 gang members operated in the community, some imported from Chicago and Minneapolis. They were involved in the drug trade, thefts, assaults and a variety of other crimes.

"We made it a priority to get rid of them," Weyland said. "We started a crime-free housing program and partnered with landlords to get rid of disorderly tenants. We arrested gang members for every violation we could, including littering. We kept in contact with all the gangs because our best allies in this battle were rival gangs turning against each other."

Neighborhood crime watch clubs, which now number 50 in Moorhead, also played a critical role. "When I grew up here, everyone knew their neighbors," Weyland said. "Not any more. Society has changed. By having a crime prevention specialist work with each neighborhood club, these people not only learn to recognize signs of criminal activity, but they also get to know each other. That leads to caring for each other. The net result is in everyone’s favor, except the criminal’s."

More than 125 citizens have also completed MPD’s Citizen’s Police Academy, a 10-week program to help the community better understand the legal system. Meeting once a week for up to four hours a session, the citizens learn everything from how the judicial system works to how to fire a police gun on a firing range.

"There’s no substitute for good communication," he said.

And that includes internal communications. As recently as the early 1960s, the MPD had no radio contact with its police officers. "If the station wanted an officer to call in, they’d have a switch to flash the street lights off and on," Weyland said. "Even when I started there was just one portable radio in the patrol division."

Today, police officers on patrol are in constant contact, either by radio or e-mail from computers located in their squad car consoles. Those computers have instant access to state traffic and criminal records. Detloff, the department’s computer buff, is even developing a program that patrol officers can use to pull up legal statutes to help solidify arrests.

He never intended to be a cop
Weyland, whose father was a partner in a Fargo upholstery business and mother worked at Northern School Supply, never intended to become a cop.

"I entered MSU in 1968 right out of high school," he said. "It was a mistake. I wasn’t ready."

As a result, he got his draft notice and volunteered for the Army. He spent 14 months in Vietnam with an infantry military police and a boat patrol unit that operated from the central highlands to the DMZ.

While in Vietnam, he ran into an old high school buddy, Mike Weideman, who was serving in the Navy. "In high school, I would have never imagined him becoming a police officer," said Weideman, who owns Valu Liquors in West Fargo and is now one of Weyland’s best friends. "Back then he was kind of an outlaw. I won’t go into details, but he was kind of on the other side of the fence from the police. He was a leader, though. So it wasn’t a surprise that he became the police chief."

After his discharge, Weyland re-entered MSU and by 1974 earned a sociology degree. "I thought I’d go into corrections or work as a probation officer," he said.  But after an internship with the Clay County Probation Office, Weyland put his sights on police work.

"I was planning to take the test for the Los Angeles Police Department when a job opened in Moorhead," he said. "I loved the work and decided to make it a career."

Weyland served as a patrol officer until 1981, when he was promoted to sergeant and given the duty of shift commander. His investigative experience ranges from narcotics and gang activities to juvenile crime. He played a part in developing MPD’s  canine unit, bike patrol, citizens police academy and is a staunch promoter of the department’s community-oriented policing initiative.

Weyland was selected as chief three years ago from a group of 54 national applicants. His wife Marsha is a realtor, and his 23-year-old daughter Sara teaches in the Moorhead Head Start program.

"There are about 500 law enforcement agencies in Minnesota and I consider ours among the best," Weyland said.

Although he loves his job and the people he works with, he does harbor some frustrations. While total offenses recorded by the MPD are down from 5,370 in 1990 to 3,184 in 1999,  still last year police MPD reported 17 rapes, eight robberies, 49 aggravated assaults, five arsons, 89 burglaries, 667 cases of larceny and 61 auto thefts. There were also 75 narcotics offenses, 21 weapons violations, 24 sex offenses, 259 DUIs, 409 cases of fraud and 466 vandalisms.

He’s also concerned about the rising numbers of child abuse and neglect cases. "We have two full-time officers assigned to this area and they’re way overworked."

Methamphetamine is a growing drug concern. But Weyland recalls dealing with meth junkies 20 years.

"So many people deserve to be in jail, but there’s no place for them," Weyland said. "The prisons are full"

From the late 1930s until the mid-1970s, the number of state and federal prisoners in the nation remained steady, ranging from 140,000 and 240,000. By 1980, 320,000 prisoners lived in state and federal lockups. By the end of 1990 there were 1.3 million. This year the U.S. prison population hit an amazing two million.

"The criminal justice system is well intended," Weyland said. "There’s just no place to put these people. Here’s an example. The Minnesota Legislature, on a trial basis, created a law that made it a felony for a person who gets four DUIs in 10 years. It’s a trial because a study suggested that law would put 800 to 1,000 more people in jail. There’s simply no space."

At MSU there is space. Not for prisoners, but for increasing relations with the MPD. This spring Gov. Jesse Ventura approved language in a bonding bill to allow MSU to build a joint security structure in cooperation with the City of Moorhead on the corner of 17th Street and 9th Avenue. It would be open 24 hours, staffed by  Moorhead police and MSU’s night watch personnel. It would be the third police substation in Moorhead, expanding MPD’s philosophy of community policing.

Whatever you feel about police and the legal system, actor Dudley Moore once summed up the necessity of having a vigilant police force: "The best car safety devise is a rear-view mirror with a cop in it."

It’s not Big Brother. It’s your conscience personified.

As the patch on Weyland’s shirt sleeve reads: "To Protect and Serve."

"Morning, Greg," says Sen. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, rushing by a crowd of tourists.

Harness  climbs the winding marble steps, then nods to a cluster of somber guards surrounding the entrance to the gallery overlooking the Senate floor. They smile and return the nod.

Inside, Sen. Ted Kennedy is giving an impassioned speech on education to a nearly empty room.

"It’s lunch time," he explains, then starts a whispered soliloquy detailing the people and  machinations behind the scenes of this august chamber of government.

This is Greg Harness’s neighborhood. He’s as familiar with  the United States Capitol as if he grew up here.

He didn’t. But the Fargo native has been living in Washington, D.C., since graduating from Moorhead State University in 1975.

Today, Harness, at the age of  51,  is Librarian of the Senate, the 17th person to hold the post since 1871. He oversees a staff of 20 and a collection that numbers 150,00 volumes. It holds every printed House and Senate document since 1789, the best collection of congressional documents in existence.

"If Congress produced it, we have it," he says. "Debates, floor action, committee reports, bills and hearings. It’s a gold mine of history."

The United States Senate Library’s mission is to provide the Senate with accurate, prompt, nonpartisan reference services. It’s located in the exposed brick-walled basement of the Russell Building, one of three Senate office buildings on the Hill.

"We are the Senate’s neighborhood library," Harness said. "The only reason we’re located in the basement is because of the sheer weight of the collection."

The Senate Library is a specialized collection that’s been developed around its clientele—senators, their staffs, committees, other Congressional personnel and journalists accredited to the House and Senate press galleries..

"We’re not just an archive," Harness said. "We’re an active lending library providing legislative, legal, historical, business and general reference services to the Senate."

His library staff sends out 500 to 600 faxes a month and answers up to 40,000 requests a year.

Some of the questions they field range from "What’s the status of S. 1311?" to "What was the theme song of  ‘The Jeffersons’ television show?"

Most queries, however, are serious and often on deadline.

"Ninety percent are same-day requests," Harness said. "We also make deliveries twice a day to the Senate floor."

His staff is often under the gun, trying to meet the demands of never ending deadlines for information to support bills, reports and committees cranking out Congressional legislation.

"It’s not unheard of for a senator to call from the airport requesting information immediately," Harness said. "We often get calls from the Senate parliamentarian saying he’s sending a page over to pick up some information they need on the Senate floor now. More often than not, we can pull that information out in four minutes or less. We treat our clients very special."

One of the most memorable assignments in his career so far involved the Clinton impeachment trial. "The Senate Library provided the historic and procedural documents to the Senate prior to the trial, particularly the Andrew Johnson 1868 impeachment documents," Harness said. "Once the trial began, we were on call to answer all questions from the Senate Chamber and to supply all needed materials."

Harness was in the Senate Chamber during the final vote. "Although the outcome wasn’t in doubt," he said, "it was  very dramatic. I’ll never forget seeing the Chief Justice parade down the center aisle with his black robe, accented with glittering gold stripes on the sleeves,  as he presided over the Senate."

The Senate Library traces its beginnings to the Second Congress, meeting from 1791 to 1792 in Philadelphia, when the Senate adopted a resolution directing the Secretary "to procure and deposit in his office, the laws of several states" for use by the senators. But it wasn’t until 1870 that the Library was formally established within the office of the Secretary of the Senate. On Feb. 11, 1870, the Senate designated three rooms in the Capitol, formerly occupied by the Library of Congress, as the home of the Senate Library.

Last year, more than 130 years later, the Senate Library moved to the basement of the stately  Beaux Arts-designed Russell Building, located just north of the Capitol and connected to it with an underground tunnel.

To get into the Russell Building, you have to pass two armed guards. Security is tight because the building also houses more than 125 suites for senators and their staffs.

Two elevators take patrons down to the basement—one reserved for senators, the other for non-elected guests.

The corridor in the basement looks like a gentrified bomb shelter: bright red brick walls, polished floor, hardwood doors leading to sober governmental offices.

The lobby of the Senate Library resembles a typical neighborhood bookery, except for a bank of computers where a phalanx of librarians are pursuing on-line data.

"I have a young, energetic staff here," Harness says. "Fourteen of our 20 positions require at least a graduate degree. If we have a job opening, we typically get at least 80 resumes. The librarians  on staff now come from varied backgrounds, including private corporations, law firms, the World Bank and New York Public Library."

These librarians, Harness said, all share a Sherlock Holmsian quest to solve a mystery. "They enjoy the hunt, the challenge of the research process."

Besides subscriptions to 14 national newspapers and 130 magazines, the library holds 14,000 books on politics, law, biography, history and government. "It’s not uncommon to open a book inscribed by such historic statesmen as Daniel Webster, the New Hampshire senator who pleaded in vain for the preservation of the Union prior to the Civil War," Harness said. "Here on my desk is a 1793 copy of ‘Political Justice’ by William Godwin, the father of Mary Shelley who wrote the original ‘Frankenstein’ novel."

Key publications from the Executive and Judicial branches are also available, along with Federal and State legal materials, maps and atlases and access to online resources including Lexis/Nexis, of which it was among the earliest subscribers.

During his 25 years at the Senate Library, Harness has witnessed the transition from a completely paper-based service to one that now relies heavily on electronic databases, the Internet and more than 6,000 reels of microfilm. "This avalanche of material presents a real challenge to the librarian," Harness said. "Training and learning is constant and ongoing. Today, most senators and their staffs have Internet connections on their desks. Our searches today are more sophisticated."

Raised in Fargo, Harness had no youthful intention of becoming a librarian. He was senior class president at Fargo North and enrolled at MSU with the intention of becoming a teacher.

That changed when he discovered what he calls "a group of wonderful professors in the history department." He bonded with them, not only changing his major to history, but  extending his stay on campus to earn a master’s degree in history, doing his thesis on Solomon Comstock, the Minnesota senator who in 1885 introduced legislation to create what now is MSU. To cover all bases, he also earned a degree in elementary education.

Coming from a Republican family with connections to Sen. Milton Young and his wife Pat, Harness came to Washington, D.C., after graduating and applied for a few jobs. But he was set to enter law school at the University of North Dakota.

Ten days after returning from Washington, he was notified that he’d been accepted into an entry-level position in the Senate Library. "I still took my entrance exams for law school, but it didn’t take me long to pack a U-Haul trailer and head to the Capitol."

In 1997, 22 years later, after dedicating himself to his career and earning a master of library science degree at the University of Maryland, Harness was promoted to Librarian of the Senate.

Today he lives 12 blocks from the Capitol and usually drives his red 1992 Mazda Miata to work. The proximity is easy on his schedule, which often demands evening and weekend work, especially when the Senate is in session.

Twice a year, Harness returns to Fargo to visit his father Wayne, a retired plumber who still lives in town. He invariably also stops by to visit retired Fargo history teacher R.D. Olsen, who Harness claims was the first teacher to challenge him to think independently.

"I had R.D. Olsen for 10th grade history," Harness said. "Fresh out of junior high, you come face-to-face with this 6’3" ex-Marine with an attitude. It was the first class that I remember being challenged and being required to have original thoughts. That may say more about me than about previous teachers, but there were only a handful that put the fear of God in you, made it enjoyable, and did not leave scars.

"His teaching style was straight forward lecture with biting humor that would be unacceptable in today’s world of sensitivity and correctness. His approach to teaching prepared me for college courses and was identical to the quality that I enjoyed at MSU."

It’s a mutual admiration society. "Greg is at the top of his career field, " Olsen said, "because he’s personable, has a big heart,  he isn’t political and he’s not a bull shitter. That may sound contrary to Washington politics, but maybe that’s why he’s been successful."

So, Greg, any juicy anecdotes you’d like to share about your powerful and sometimes infamous clients?

"Nope," he says. "Our services are confidential. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it."

The view from Jonathan Twingley’s fifth floor studio apartment in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan isn’t exactly a distraction. Just a rusty fire-escape and the sooty brick wall of the tenement next door.

An immigrant community just north of Harlem, Washington Heights is a 20-minute ride on the A-train to midtown.

"There are enough distractions in this city," said Twingley, who for the past two years has been trying to play a career as a free-lance illustrator in New York. "Art, as they say, is a jealous mistress."

No social junkie, the 26-year-old Twingley would  be content to hole up in his studio creating pictures. But the practicality of the profession doesn’t permit that.

"I’m more like a door-to-door salesman during the day, trying to get my work seen by  art directors," he said. "It requires tireless self-promotion. At night, that’s when I draw and paint, sometimes till 4 or 5 in the morning."

It seems to be working for this Bismarck native and 1996 Moorhead State University graduate.

So far, his illustrations have appeared in Penthouse, the Washington Post, the Boston Book Review,  the Unte Reader, The Progressive,  the cover of the New York Times Book Review and in exhibitions at the Visual Arts Gallery in SoHo and, last fall, at the Rourke Art Gallery in Moorhead.

A lanky  6’4" tall, wearing his usual wry smile and skin-head haircut, Twingley  tends to stand out in a crowd. But not in New York City.

"It’s a double-edged sword," he said. "Nobody notices you. But on the other hand, nobody notices you."

Unfortunately, Twingley can’t pay his $700 a month rent bill if he isn’t noticed by enough art directors. At least not yet. So for 20 hours a week, he’s the assistant to one of the  world’s most influential illustrators, Brad Holland, whom the New York Times nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.

Not  bad networking. Holland selected him as his assistant after Twingley completed his master’s degree in illustration at New York’s School of Visual Arts. "I do office grunt work for him," Twingley said. "He’s a real genius and because he’s also from the Midwest, we relate well."

The Washington Post called Holland "the undisputed star of American Illustration" while Print Magazine knighted him "the fiercest and most independent political artist of our time."

"Sure I’d like to reach his level some day," said Twingley. "He’s an inspiration. But for me, art is the ride, not the destination. When I draw, I experience a real profound feeling, something that validates my time on this planet. That’s the joy I get from art. I never had this great urge or goal to come to New York and make a name for myself. I just love what I do. If I can also  make a career out of it, well, then I’m one of the fortunate ones.""

It’s a lesson he learned playing basketball at Century High School in Bismarck. "I warmed the bench on the junior varsity squad," Twingley said. "That summer, I shot hoops 8 to 10 hours a day. I just loved the sound of the ball going through the hoop."

His summer of fun earned Twingley a starting role his senior year on the varsity team, which ended up third in the state that season.

"I didn’t play basketball all summer with the goal of making the team. I played because it was fun.  That was an early lesson for me. It’s the act of getting there, not the goal, that’s important."

Twingley said New York Yankee catcher/philosopher Yogi Berra phrased it best: "You can’t think and hit a baseball at the same time."

Now Twingley’s caught in another Yogi-ism: "The future ain’t what it used to be."

"Illustration as a career is at a crossroads," Twingley said. "We live in a celebrity-driven culture where  the reality of a photograph is the medium of choice. You know what Time magazine paid for a cover illustration in 1945? The same as it does today: $4,000. In New York, that’s a couple month’s rent."

Twenty years ago, Twingley said, his boss Brad Holland’s phone rang so much he had to get an unlisted number.

"That’s when art directors had some clout and made creative decisions. The classic case now is that the art director is simply a secretary or assistant editor."

Meanwhile, art schools are spewing out illustrators as if there were a shortage.  The reality is that it’s a select market with not many jobs, Twingley said.  Even Sports Illustrated isn’t illustrated much anymore.

Following a career path set by cave painters and carried into the 20th century by Picasso (whom Twingley calls the granddaddy of modern illustration), isn’t what it used to be.

Enter the ominous proliferation of  corporate stock houses. These supermarkets of imagery acquire photographs and illustrations on consignment, setting prices to clients and dictating terms to the artists who supply them with work.

"They’re a threat to the future of independent craftsmen in this business," Twingley said. "These monster  agencies get photographs and illustrations from young artists and take 50 to 75 percent commissions. Their huge inventory of cut-rate generic art gives them the competitive edge. It devalues illustrations and erodes our ability to compete."

One of those stock houses, Corbis, with 65 million images—2.1 million online— is owned by Bill Gates.

Another, Getty Images, Inc., with over 60 million images and more than 27,000 hours of film, had revenues of $247.8 million last year.

"If Gates and Getty are involved, there’s money to be made in stock houses," Twingely said. And that’s why he’s joining a grass-roots campaign led by his boss Brad Holland to form an artist-controlled direct stock outlet.

"We’re trying to get the top illustrators in the country to join this effort," Twingley said. "If we keep giving corporate stock houses pictures free (on consignment), they’ll keep selling illustrations cheap. Right now, one in five commissions to illustrators go to stock houses."

It’s a noble cause, but Twingley isn’t much of a politician. The world makes more sense to him when he’s sitting in front of his easel, paint brush and coffee cup in hand, listening to the sounds of Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan or Wynton Marsalis on his stereo.

"I’m still developing a style," Twingley said. "I’m  young yet and figure I’ll keep at this in New York for another decade. Basically I’m a traditionalist in my approach to illustration??É`

Now Twingley’s caught in another Yogi-ism: "The future ain’t what it used to be."

"Illustration as a career is at a crossroads," Twingley said. "We live in a celebrity-driven culture where  the reality of a photograph is the medium of choice. You know what Time magazine paid for a cover illustration in 1945? The same as it does today: $4,000. In New York, that’s a couple month’s rent."

While Twingley’s illustrations tend to combine a dark yet comical side of human nature, he occasionally takes a tangent to the wild west. "You know, I didn’t draw any cowboy themes or listen to country music till I came out to New York. Maybe it’s an inner expression of homesickness. On the other hand, I’ve come to enjoy giving life to characters who are on the periphery, who exist outside the campfire light."

That collection includes his Badland’s Saloon series exhibited at The Rourke Art Gallery last winter. Among them are a variety of illustrations of a peripheral character he actually met playing pool at a Cloquet, Minn., bar.

So on the right day, you might find Twingley wandering the streets of Manhattan with his autographed Willie Nelson cowboy hat. That’s if he’s in a nostalgic mood.

Twingley is the son of Bismarck High School art teacher Dale Twingley and his wife Carolyn, who works in the library at Bismarck State College. "My dad is an artist and printmaker and I’ve been drawing with him and using his art materials since I was two or three years old," Twingley said. "Some fathers and sons play catch together. We did art.."

His mother is the book person. "That may explain the marriage of pictures and stories, narrative and illustration in my career now," he said.

At MSU, he drew cartoons for The Advocate, the campus student newspaper. During the summers, he’d polish his skills drawing charcoal caricatures at fairs and other public events. "You do 50 faces a day, and your skills get a little sharper,’ he said.

Encouraged by MSU’s faculty and a flyer he spotted on an art department wall, Twingley, in his senior year, applied to New York’s School of Visual Arts, one of the largest and most prestigious art schools in the country.

"They accept only 17 illustration majors a year, so it was an outside shot," Twingley said. "They must have needed a token Midwesterner. I got selected."

And of the 17 students he graduated with, Twingley’s the only one trying to make a living as a professional illustrator.

It’s a tough gig. Besides the part-time job with his illustrator boss Holland, Twingley also teaches a class on illustrating children’s books at  Montclaire State University across the river in New Jersey.

"It seems I’ve managed to be a full-time adjunct," he said.

Planning his next week, Twingley intends to drop his portfolio off at  Rolling Stone, Men’s Journal and Esquire. Maybe an art director will give him a narrative to read. In that case, he’d craft an illustration, then return to the art  director, who might suggest some tweaking. Maybe it’ll get published.

After another day of pounding the pavement, surviving a slew of rejections and maybe a few successes, he returns on the A-train to his Washington Heights studio. There, he relaxes with his paints and brushes. No distractions. No television. No computer. Just the sooty brick wall of the tenement next door casting a shadow over his shoulder through the window as he paints.

"It’s hard work believing in yourself," he said. "But I can think of worse ways to pass the time."

Italy has its Leaning Tower of Pisa, and North Dakota has its tilted tower of tin, called the Casselton Can Pile. If you watch carefully, you can just see it peeking through a grove of trees as you drive Interstate 94 past Casselton.

This 45-foot-high collection of discarded oil cans began to take shape during the Depression, as a solution to a waste disposal problem. Max Taubert owned an all-night fuel stop there called the Brick Station. His nephew, Rusty, likes to tell people how the whole thing started.

"In 1935, Uncle Max had a couple of service men out here changing oil," says Rusty, "and they had a hard time getting rid of the cans, so they started throwing them in a wire closure."

The resulting pile has outlived Max, who died in 1973, and the Brick Station, which has since been demolished. It even survived a tornado that blew through in 1979, giving the tower its slant. Today, it attracts the curious and thousands of nesting sparrows.

Loegering Manufacturing occupies the property now. Owner George Loegering says, "I like to call it the biggest birdhouse in North Dakota. Each of the cans has been punched out with a spout, creating holes just big enough for sparrows. Come spring, this will be a busy house of birds tending tending their nests."

Loegering plans to straighten out the can pile someday, but, until then, it will remain much as it is today…standing tall, amazing passersby.

How to get there: Take exit 331 north at Casselton. Turn left along N.D. Highway 10, which runs parallel to I-94. Look west…you can’t miss it.

(The above excerpt is from the book "Dakota Day Trips: Discovering North Dakota’s Hidden Treasures" by MSU alum Monica Hannan and her husband Cliff Naylor and published by the North Dakota Tourism Department.  Hannan (’81, history/mass communications) is a television news producer and anchor for KFYR-TV  in Bismarck and Naylor is the weather reporter there. The book is based in part on a television series Naylor produced for KFYR called "Off the Beaten Path." Copies of the 156-page paperback, which includes 75 "hidden" North Dakota tourist attractions, are available at Barnes and Noble Bookstores or Wal-Mart stores. The book can also be purchased from North Dakota Tourism by calling 800-435-5663 or writing, North Dakota Tourism, 604 East Boulevard Avenue, Dept 740 Bismarck, ND 58505-0825.)

Reed

Dubord

Hanna

Schellhase

Schmidt

Torgerson

A dean and five faculty members  retired this spring after long campus careers.

They are: Larry Reed, dean of academic services; Richard DuBord, social work; Mary Ann Hanna, New Center for Multidisciplinary Studies;  Carole Schmidt, library; Dave Schellhase, athletics; and Joyce Torgerson, humanities.

After 28 years as a faculty member and librarian here, Reed was named MSU’s dean of academic services in 1996. In that position he oversaw the university’s instructional resources, library, continuing studies, graduate studies and summer sessions along with developing agreements with other post-secondary institutions in Minnesota.

Originally from St. Paul, Reed earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees at the University of Minnesota and joined the MSU faculty in 1968. He later completed his doctorate in library science at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He and his wife Sylvia will retire in Moorhead.

During DuBord’s 27-year career here, he served as chair of the social work department, interim dean of arts and humanities and interim dean of graduate studies. He was recently honored by the city of Moorhead with a 2000 Human Rights Commission Award, and by the university, which initiated an endowed scholarship in his name.

A Fargo native, Dubord graduated from Crosier High School in Onamia,  Minn., a seminary prep school. After earning his undergraduate degree in philosophy from St. Francis College in Ft. Wayne, Ind., he took his first social work job in the Turtle Mountain area of North Dakota. He then finished his master’s of social work at. St. Louis University, then worked  in a large inner city psychiatric hospital and heroin and drug treatment program. Dubord started teaching in 1970 at the University of North Dakota, joining the MSU faculty in 1973. He finished his doctorate in social work University of Utah while teaching at MSU. Dubord will retire in Moorhead with his wife Patricia.

Hanna, originally from Minneapolis, joined the faculty at MSU’s New Center for Multidisciplinary Studies in  1979, where she’s taught writing and psychology and served as a career counselor.

After a brief stint at the University of Minnesota, Hanna married and moved to Moorhead in 1960 when she began raising a family. As an older than average student, she earned undergraduate degrees in English and education from MSU, and later a master’s degree in counseling and guidance. She began teaching part-time on campus while working as a career counselor, then joined the New Center faculty full time. Later she earned an education specialists degree in education psychology from the University of Minnesota. She will retire in Moorhead.

Schellhase  spent 19 seasons as MSU head men’s basketball coach and posted a lifetime record of 298-240. The Dragons’ all-time leader in coaching victories, he led the Dragons to two Northern Intercollegiate Conference championships and 18 post-season tournament appearances.

A native  of  Evansville, Ind., Schellhase joined the Dragons in 1975-76 after a stint as an assistant coach under ex-Dragon Marv Skaar at North Dakota State University.

After seven years here, Schellhase signed as head coach at Indiana State University in 1982. He spent three years as head coach of the Sycamores before returning to MSU in 1987.

The Evansville, Ind.,  native was  a two-time consensus All-American and led the nation in scoring in 1965-66 as a senior with a 32.5 average. He was an Academic All-American with the Boilermakers.

A first round draft choice of the Chicago Bulls of the NBA  in 1966, Schellhase played two years with the Bulls and later returned to Purdue to obtain  a teaching degree. A member of the Indiana High School and Purdue Halls of Fame, Schellhase was named one of the Top 50 players in the State of Indiana in 1999. He served as head coach of the F-M Beez last winter.

Schmidt, originally from Vergus, Minn., has been a circulation and reference librarian at Livingston Lord Library for the past decade. She earned a degree in elementary education from the University of Minnesota and taught fifth grade for two years in Bound Brook, N.J. She later earned her master’s degree in library science from the University of Texas-Austin.

After raising a family and working as a teacher and librarian in Wayne, Neb., she and her husband Howard came to MSU in 1990. He taught in the technology department, retiring in 1998. The two will retire in Moorhead.

Torgerson, after teaching at California State College in Los Angeles for two years, joined the humanities department faculty in 1971 to develop MSU’s American studies program. During her tenure here she also served as acting coordinator of the women’s studies program, chair of the humanities department for two terms and director of MSU’s master of liberal arts program. For two years she was faculty advisor for MSU’s Eurospring program and  also taught in China one year.

A native of Cathay, N.D., Torgerson received an undergraduate degree in speech from the University of North Dakota and then moved to Washington State University where she earned  a master’s degree in English and a doctorate in American studies. After retiring, she’d like to join the Peace Corps or serve in some other volunteer program. She’ll move to Phoenix temporarily.

In addition to raising money, the Phonathon gives alumni a chance to ask questions about professors, classes, the name change, the weather or anything else they’re interested in.

Editors of online newspapers in the United States say their products are not as accurate or reliable as their parent print publications.

In a new study co-authored by MSU alum  and Elon College journalism professor Janna Quintney Anderson, nearly half of the online editors polled say the ethical standards of traditional print journalism are not being upheld by online versions of daily newspapers.
 

Forty-seven percent of the more than 200 online editors responding to the survey said the speed of the Internet has eroded the key standard of accurately verifying the facts of a story before putting it before the public. Nearly one in three reported that online print outlets are not as likely to follow the general ethical standards of traditional print journalism.

The survey was conducted via e-mail in October-November 1999 by  Anderson and University of Memphis journalism professor David Arant. It is the first major study to scrutinize ethical issues raised by online news publication.

More than 680 online news managers were contacted.

The speed of the Internet medium is not held entirely to blame for the lowering of standards. Thirty-seven percent of the news managers participating in the study said that high ethical standards are easier to meet when there is an adequate number of employees working in the online operation.

Twenty-seven percent of the online daily newspapers taking part in the survey had no full-time staff members and 19 percent had just one full-time worker. The overall average staff size, including sales and technical positions, was six full-time positions. This is only slightly higher than the average of four full-time jobs reported by a study published in 1997.

A majority of the online managers in the current study report they make at least  some changes to material from their print editions when it is published online, and 67 percent report they are publishing at least some breaking news online first, before it goes through the traditional print-edition editing regimen.

"Online teams, many of which are operating with no full-time staff or a skeleton staff, are asked to constantly remake the news stories in their Web editions to keep them fresh, and they are expected to push hot, breaking-news items online quickly," Anderson said. "High standards of journalistic responsibility and ethics are difficult if not impossible to uphold in this sort of environment."

Ninety-eight percent of the editors polled said they expect the journalists they hire to have a good grasp of news ethics, and 97 percent support the idea that journalism schools should require an ethics course that covers issues specific to online operations.

 However, the study revealed a major shortcoming of relying on journalism schools to teach ethics to online journalists: about half of the news managers surveyed in this study did not major in journalism at the undergraduate or graduate level. This is despite the fact that they average 17 years in the news business, three of those years with online operations.

Even if online ethics courses were required at all of the nation's communications schools, a great number of online professionals would slip through untutored. Because many people who work in online operations are not trained journalists, they not only lack training in ethics; they media history expected of most journalism school graduates.

Arant and Anderson also suggest that publishers should agree to some uniform method for alerting online audiences to mistakes in stories. Currently, readers navigating news sites are required to hunt around for varied correctives and clarifications. Some sites run no corrections at all.

The researchers suggest that the Newspaper Association of America recommend the adoption of a clearly marked hyperlink placed, for instance, in the top-left hand corner of the home page near the masthead of every Web news site. This Corrections & Clarifications button could look the same on every news site for every U.S. news operation. In addition, it would be expected that each correction would be clearly labeled in any archival edition of each story.

The researchers identified the following key areas in need of scrutiny by the online news industry:

This study will be presented in August in Phoenix, at the 2000 meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.

(Prior to becoming a journalism faculty member at Elon College in 1999, Janna Quitney Anderson enjoyed a 20-year career as a reporter and editor at newspapers in Minnesota and North Dakota. She served as features editor at The Forum, where she received dozens of national and regional editing, reporting and design awards, and was instrumental in two major newspaper redesign projects. She earned her master's in journalism at the University of Memphis and now teaches writing and reporting. Her husband Dan Anderson, MSU ’78, is now director of college relations at Elon College, supervising an eight-member department that produces publications, the college Web site and handles media relations. He previously worked five years as news bureau director at Concordia College  and for 17 years as a reporter/photographer at WDAY-TV in Fargo.)

Retired MSU music professor Paul Severson was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award from the MSU music department this spring during a Jazz Arts Big Band concert. Playing to a packed house in the Roland Dille Center for the Arts Hansen Theatre, the show was dedicated to Severson and called "The Man and His Music."

Severson finished a career as a successful musician, composer and arranger before joining the MSU music faculty in 1984 as director of the music industry program. He retired in 1991. During his career he wrote more than 3,000 compositions and arrangements and played trombone professionally with the Stan Kenton Orchestra. And while working at CBS radio in Chicago as a staff musician, he co-wrote the music for the classic Wrigley’s Doublemint gum commercial, "Double your pleasure, double your fun…."

Here’s a photo from the university archives depicting some sort of ritual in MSU’s past, giving credence to the Greek root of the word "gymnasium," meaning to exercise naked. Can anybody out there put this in perspective for us?

If it weren’t for bad luck, Kevin Shores might have no luck at all.

"It’s just another bump in the road," he said from his bed in the Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis.

Shores, an MSU senior who planned to ride his motorized wheelchair from Moorhead to the steps of the St. Paul capitol building this spring to draw attention to the variety of ailments that have plagued Gulf War veterans, had to cancel.

He was hit by a garbage truck making a right turn on red at about 9 p.m. Friday, May 5 while preparing for his wheelchair journey across the state. He suffered a broken femur and elbow, and had to undergo hip replacement surgery.

"I wonder how many other obstacles I’ll have to face," Shores said. "Yes, this is a temporary setback, just another bump in the road. I have faith in my creator. Everything happens for a reason."

Shores was coming back from St. Paul on University Avenue, timing his trip to the state capitol steps,  when he attempted to cross Highway 280. A garbage truck turned on a red light and struck his chair. "I thought we made eye contact before I crossed," he said. "I guess not."

As the truck rolled over Shores, "All I could see were truck treads. I thought I was a goner. Then for some reason the truck spit me out the side. Meanwhile, it dragged my wheelchair more than two blocks before the driver stopped. Needless to say, my chair was totaled."

Shores, a 32-year-old Native American, is a former 220-pound Navy veteran and captain of his high school swimming team who now weighs 140 pounds and is confined to a wheelchair. He says his condition is the result of Gulf War Syndrome, a term coined by the media that covers a variety of ailments and symptoms. Veterans Administration doctors have told him he’s suffering from rheumatoid variant disease, an acute arthritic condition.

Shores plans to recover, regroup and then start planning his wheelchair trek to St. Paul again. Wish him well with an e-mail message to his cyber address: nindoogitchidaa@aol.com. (Nindoogitchidaa is an Ojibwa phrase that translates as "I am a warrior.")

Starting this spring, the medallion will be the on-stage backdrop for official graduation pictures taken during MSU’s spring and winter commencements.

"We’re replacing the big red ‘M’ with what I consider a more fitting symbol," says Todd Stugelmayer, MSU’s physical plant director. "Ordean really outdid himself with this project. It’s a real piece of art."

Swenson, a cabinet maker and wood worker at MSU for 30 years, built the big red "M" five years ago for a homecoming bonfire. "It didn’t take long to make, but everyone liked it so much they decided not to burn it," he said. "Next thing I know, they have it on stage during an honors convocation."

Since then the big red "M" has been a familiar feature at MSU festivities ranging from graduation to convocations. But it was time for a change, something a bit more traditional, Stugelmayer said.

So he asked Swenson, who retired two years ago but still works part-time for the university, to come up with a replacement.

"It’s really stunning," Stugelmayer said.

Swenson’s 80-inch diameter, one-foot thick Dragon medallion weights about 200 pounds and sits on a oak pedestal that rides on casters. The Dragon logo sits in the middle of the medallion, a relief of 13 sculptured oak segments, each screwed into the backdrop.

Covered with a clear stain, the Dragon medallion is just about ready for its public debut this spring.

Duplicating his creation, Swenson also made six smaller oak Dragon medallions, each 30 inches in diameter, that will be hung at various locations across campus.

Dorschner’s design, one of 79 submitted for MSU’s new logo design contest, was selected as university’s official logo this week by President Barden. It will be phased in on all of  the university’s print materials and eventually for a variety of other items ranging from web sites and cups to clothing.

The 79 original submissions were reviewed by a panel of 10 local graphic design and marketing professions (most MSU alums). They picked six final designs. Those final entries were reviewed by 267 people in focus groups, who selected three finalists. Then another set of focus groups of more than 200 people honed the selection down to two. President Barden then selected the winner.

"They keep coming and coming," says Roberta Shreve, who chairs MSU’s elementary and early childhood education program. "The word is out that a teacher shortage is looming."

That’s despite a rash of local and regional cutbacks in classroom teachers due to budgetary constraints and enrollment drops, she said.

The United States is projecting a teacher shortage of more than 2.2 million positions over the next decade, Shreve said, mostly the result of attrition and retirement.

About 20 percent of all new hires leave teaching within three years, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.  In urban districts, close to 50 percent of newcomers flee the profession during their first five years of teaching. Meanwhile, more than a million veteran teachers are nearing retirement.

That, coupled with increasing demand for smaller class sizes and competition from higher paying jobs outside of education, will expand the demand for new teachers.

"There will be lots of jobs available for education graduates," Shreve said. "But they must be mobile and willing to move out of state. Most of the shortages will develop on the East and West coasts, in the Sunbelt states, and in urban areas."

Despite what seems like overwhelming evidence, Shreve said, some groups contend there isn’t a teacher shortage.

According to the National Center for Education Information, a source of
information about alternative teacher preparation and certification, universities and colleges in this country are producing over 200,000 teachers a year, more than enough to meet demand. It contends that government uses these statistics to get more money, more programs, more publicity and more political points.

Yet the American Federation of Teachers reports that some schools are already offering signing bonuses to attract new teachers. Baltimore’s lure was $5,000 toward a house closing for teachers willing to live in the city, plus $1,200 in moving expenses. Detroit offered $3,000 just for signing on the dotted line. Massachusetts put up $20,000 over four years for 100 of the top candidates.

It’s not just jobs driving the numbers. "Many people consider teaching a calling," she said. "I’ve seen quite a few people in the middle of their careers who are coming back to get an education degree because they believe that teaching is a noble career choice. They want to make a contribution."

That’s the case with Marty Malmberg, 47, a successful local businessman for the past 20 years.  Now he’s close to being a senior in MSU’s elementary education program.

"I decided I wanted to do something important during my next 20 years before I hang it all up," he said. "I’d like to be able to look back and say I made a difference."

During the 1970s Malmberg was an MSU elementary education major, but dropped out to support his family. "I did well in the business world. But I went to work everyday to make a living, not for the love of it. My wife was a hospice nurse for 13 years and she just couldn’t wait to go to work in the morning. I wanted that kind of joy for myself. That’s why I want to teach. Because it’s an important calling."

Nevertheless, demand for teachers is an ever changing landscape. When the children of the "baby boom" generation reached school age in the mid-1980s, enrollment in elementary and secondary schools began to shoot up. By 1996, a record 51.4 million students were enrolled in the nation’s public and private schools, 14 percent more than the decade before.

In 1989, in the middle of that bulge, MSU had a record 920 elementary education majors, which gradually dropped to a low of 415 in 1996 and then began another ascent.

The National Education Association projects that by 2008, public school enrollment will exceed 54 million, an increase of nearly 2 million children over today. Elementary school enrollment is expected to increase by 17 percent.

Also putting pressure on MSU elementary education numbers, Shreve said,  is the new state teacher licensure guidelines implemented by the Minnesota Board of Teaching that will take effect Sept. 1, 2001. "It will require students to take an extra 16 credits to qualify for licensure," she said. "A number of students obviously want to avoid that requirement and graduate as soon as possible. So instead of 60 elementary education majors in their fourth and final year, next fall we’ll have 120."

To deal with the increase, Shreve said, MSU has added two new fixed term positions in the elementary and early childhood education department, which already employs 13 faculty. "We’re trying to keep class size within reason," she said, "so we’re teaching more sections. It’s going to be quite a fall semester."

Governor Jesse Ventura signed the Legislature’s $583 capital improvement bill this spring and left MSU's $5.2 million requests intact.

$3.6 million dollars will come from general appropriations to complete the five-block expansion area west of campus.  Work to demolish or remove the remaining 29 houses and prepare the site for 850 parking spaces will begin as soon as possible, with the completion of the asphalt and landscaping scheduled for completion in 2001.

State bonds will provide $1.6 million for the design of the science laboratories structure planned between Hagen and Lommen Halls. The new building will house classrooms for life sciences, chemistry and biology; along with teaching and research laboratories. The project will feature 70,941 square feet of new construction and 61,000 square feet of remodeled space.

The Governor also approved language in the bill to allow MSU to build a joint security structure in cooperation with the City of Moorhead. On top of that, the Governor gave MSU the go-ahead to work with private developers to construct new student housing and future structures within the five-block expansion area.

The history and failure of a literacy campaign imposed by Vladimir Lenin in the 1920s Soviet Union is the subject of a new book written by MSU alum Charles Clarck, now a University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point lecturer in history.

"Uprooting Otherness: The Literacy Campaign in NEP-Era Russia," published by Susquehanna University Press,  is the first book written by Clark, a 1984 MSU history major who also serves as the executive assistant to the chancellor.

Lenin’s government began the campaign in 1921 as part of an effort to recover from World War I and the Russian revolution. They used the unions to educate the workers, brought reading rooms to rural villages and used mobile libraries.

"The government saw the literacy campaign as a means to level society and make everyone as equal to each other as possible," Clark said. But when the campaign gave rewards such as child care and increases in pay to those who learned to read, workers began to use the program to further their own ends.

Six million out of 17 million adults learned to read. But the campaign was abandoned in 1925 when it was realized that an equal number of children had dropped out of school to go to work and there was no net gain. Instead, a new campaign began that aimed at having universal education in place by 1932. By then, a school structure was created and it evolved from there.

Today, the literacy rate in the Russian Republic is comparable to or better than that in the United States, Clark said. This is attributable to the emphasis on widespread education in primary and secondary institutions and not due to the literacy campaigns under Lenin and his successors.

Clark began the book as part of his doctoral dissertation, doing research in both the United States and Russia. He was able to study and research in Moscow during the 1990-91 academic year, working in the Lenin Library, Archive of the Moscow Province and Archive of the Russian Republic.

A speaker and reader of the Russian language, Clark was able to experience firsthand many of the political changes that were going on at the time.

In November during the celebration of the Bolshevik revolution, Clark witnessed protests of the Communist government and anti-state parades. Lenin, historically seen as a grandfather figure, was being referred to by protestors as a murderer and criminal, Clark said, adding that this kind of behavior just one year before would not have been tolerated.

It was shortly after Clark left that the Communist government fell in August 1991.

Clark has been teaching at UWSP since 1993. He has a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a master’s degree from the University of Kansas and a bachelor’s degree from Moorhead State University.

Occasionally, an item that many alumni find interesting, rubs others the wrong way.  A case in point would be the spring Alumnews article about Robert Ressler.  Ressler is a renowned and respected expert on serial killers, who generated considerable interest in the community last winter when he lectured on our campus.

An alumna took the time to call and write about the article.  She was alarmed by the graphic details about savage compulsions linked to terrible crimes.  She was concerned that the descriptions in the article could disturb children, who might pick up our publication. I heard an impassioned plea to be more careful about content.

We talked about it at an Alumni Foundation staff meeting and there was agreement that we need to be sensitive about family friendliness.  We don’t want Alumnews to be unwelcome or hidden away.

Don’t forget our name change.  As of July 1, 2000, our alma mater is officially known as Minnesota State University Moorhead.  We have a new wordmark designed by Curtis Dorschner, a senior majoring in art. His proposal was picked from more than 70 submissions reviewed by our campus and alumni community. Dorschner’s design incorporates the new name with our venerable Dragon symbol, which was created by Haley Johnson for our 1987 centennial observance.

Jenkins family endowed
scholarship established
John Jenkins, and his late wife, Florence, have established the Jenkins Family Endowed Scholarship through a planned giving arrangement of a charitable remainder unitrust. The unitrust, which was funded by a gift of a vacation home in Lake San Marcos, CA, will provide academic scholarships for students at MSU. In addition to MSU, six other charities in Fargo-Moorhead and the surrounding area are beneficiaries of the trust.

Jenkins started his career at MSU in 1945, as a veterans counselor for GI’s returning from World War II. He became a faculty member, teaching both undergraduate and graduate classes, in the political science, history and social studies departments.

As director of development, he initiated the university’s first academic scholarship program. As director of special services, he served as a liaison between the faculty and architects in building and remodeling projects involving Hagen, Weld, Ballard and Nelson Halls and the Comstock Memorial Union. During his career he also held the positions of dean of men, dean of students, and dean of graduate studies. Jenkins retired from MSU in 1976.

Jenkins has twp children, both of whom attended MSU. David (’61 science and ’65 mathematics) lives in New Jersey and recently retired from teaching college mathematics. His daughter, Janet Lessem (’66 elementary education) is the director of t he community guardian program at Selfhelp Community Services, a private social work agency in New York City, New York.

30s

Alf Sather ’31 (el ed) ’37 (Eng) is making his home in Seattle, WA.

Signe Olson Eskildsen ’34 (el ed) ’36 (el ed) is retired from teaching and lives in Falls Church, VA where she says, "I’m hanging in there."  Signe has 3 children: Karen, Erik and Paul.

Erling Herman ’35 (math) has recently moved to a new senior housing complex in Burnsville, MN.  He still plays the trombone with the Minnesota Over 60 Band and will celebrate his 90th birthday in December.

40s

Emily Tolbert Elliot ’43 (el ed) taught 3rd and 4th grade for 33 years and for the past 15 years has taught adult education courses.  She lives in Villard, MN and reports that all three of her sons are Moorhead State graduates.

Ruth Hansen Bromarr ’44 (el ed) ’48 (el ed) is retired and living in Willmar, MN.  After teaching in country schools for a year she got her bachelor of science from Moorhead State University, and then went on to get a degree in library science from Mankato State University.

Beatrice Ellingson Balgaard ’46 (el ed) is retired after years as a teacher, factory worker and mother.  She has five children and thirteen grandchildren.  Beatrice reports that she is worried about our country’s future and believes the government and media are doing a very poor job of keeping us independent and informed.  She also feels education would be more beneficial if parents were in control.

Drusilla Agnes Paskey Best ’47 (el ed) is still in Faribault, MN where she has lived since graduating from MSU in 1947.  She taught school for 40 years and in 1963 got a Master of Science degree as a reading consultant from Mankato State University.

Eileen Schmunk Jackson ’47 (el ed) and her husband Richard ’50 (phy ed, indus ed) are retired and living in Grand Forks, ND.  Eileen taught school in Fergus Falls and Crookston until 1958.  She now enjoys her home, her children, Kathryn and Mary Ann, and her grandchildren.

50s

Marcella Summers Gulsvig ’50 (el ed) is retired and living with her husband, Sonny, in Moorhead.  They have four children: Penny, Kathryn, Kristofer, and Charles.

Peggy Pariseau Jossart ’51 (el ed) lives with her husband, Ron, in Wheaton, MN.  They have four sons: Bob, Steve, Mark and Gregg.

Arylis Scheffler Kirkeby ’51 (el ed) is retired after 28 years of full-time teaching and lives in Marietta, GA.  After leaving MSU Arylis obtained both her bachelor and master’s degrees at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI.  She is widowed and has three grown children.

Arliss Freeman Hauge ’53 (el ed) ’58 (MS, ed) is retired and living in Glennwood, MN after 35 years of teaching in Breckenridge, Alexandria, and Brooten, MN. She enjoys having time for family, friends and hobbies.  Arliss is widowed and has three children and three grandchildren.

Mil Straus Jenkinson ’53 (Eng) is retired and living in Dickinson, ND. Mil is widowed and has two children, Leslie and Clay.

Carol Dahl Braaten ’56 (Eng) retired as an accounting manager at Integrated Solutions Group on the last day of the 20th century, 12-31-99.  She currently lives in Columbia, MO.  Carol has a son and daughter.

Don Holm ’56 (el ed) ’59 (el ed) and his wife Doris ’54 (el ed) ’59 (el ed) are retired and living in Renville, MN.

60s

Glenn Herzenach ’63 (bus ed) and his wife, Virginia, are retired and living in Mound, MN.  Glenn reports that he recently sold his insurance business and is enjoying traveling, visiting children and grandchildren, fishing and hunting.  Glenn and Virginia’s children are Greg, Cindy, Bob and Mary Kay.

Patricia Lindskov Hinkle ’63 (MS phy ed) was named Red River Valley Farm Wife for 1999.  She and her husband, Dale, who recently retired as pilot for Northwest Airlines, operate a cattle/cow/grain farm in the northwest Red River Valley, near Cavalier, ND.  Patricia is active in the community and serves as a director of the Pembina County Fair ? The Biggest Little Fair in North Dakota!

Richard Johnson ’63 (bus ed) retired after working in claims for 36 years with State Farm Insurance.  Richard and his wife, Marcia, recently moved from Cottonwood, MN to Marshall, MN.  They have two grown sons, Eric and Erin.

Mary Ann Junge Conrad ’65 (el ed) retired in 1999 after 34 years of teaching.  She lives in Breckenridge, MN.  Mary Ann is widowed and has two grown children, Peter and Tawnya.

Jack Dixon ’66 (geography) formerly worked as a professor for the City University of New York and is presently a professor at Daytona Beach Community College.  Dr. Dixon and his wife, Alma, live in Palm Coast FL and have two children, Jacqueline and Jason.

Cheryl Ecklund Hustrulid ’66 (el ed) is a para-educator in the Osseo School District, Osseo, MN.  She lives in Brooklyn Park, MN.  Cheryl is widowed and has two grown children, Brenda and David.

Douglas Johnson ’66 (speech) reports that after 34 years of teaching and coaching speech at Brainard High School, he will retire at the end of the school year.  Doug lives in Brainard, MN.

Estelle Hanson Grinde ’67 (el ed) is retired from teaching special education at Mark Twain School in Thief River Falls.  She reports that she is happy to be living in her home in Thief River Falls and has two good tenants, both of who are "a wonderful help and good companions."  Estelle enjoys her yard, handicrafts and reading.

Maureen Kay Turner Henry ’67 (el ed) is a teacher and works for the Washington County, MD Board of Education.  She teaches advanced placement math at Northern Middle School in Hagerstown, MD.  Maureen and her husband, James, live in Myersville, MD and have one son, Christopher.

Melba Majava Hensel ’67 (math) ’70 (bio) has been employed as an environmental scientist by the Metropolitan Council in Minneapolis since 1971.  She and her husband, John, have two children, Erik and Karl, and live in Minneapolis.

Lyle Brundvig ’68 (bus ed) has been chief executive officer at St. Luke’s Home is Dickinson, ND since 1982.  He is also active in the community, serving as president of the Dickinson Rotary Club, director with the Dickinson Chamber of Commerce, and president of the North Dakota Board of Examiners-Nursing Home Administration.  Lyle just recently retired from the ND Army National Guard after 24 years.  He and his wife, Darlyne, have five children: Erica, Aaron, Andrea, Alicia, and Amanda.

Larry Halvorson ’68 (chem) and his wife, Ramona, are living in Grand Forks, ND.

Owen Anderson ’69 (bus admin) is a Teamster dockworker for Yellow Freight.  He and his wife live in Aurora, CO and have two children, Jennifer and Michael.

Bruce Burke ’69 (math) is employed as a development manager and makes his home in Kirkland, WA with his wife, Patricia, and daughter, Mai.

Tom Edwards ’69 (econ) ’78 (MA econ) will be retiring at the end of this school year after teaching economics at Red River High School in Grand Forks, ND for 27 years.  His wife, Jackie McElroy-Edwards, retired this year from the University of North Dakota and they are looking forward to new careers and travel.

Steven Fahrenkrog ’69 (econ) retired as a Captain from the Navy in December, 1999 after spending over 30 years on active duty, primarily as a helicopter pilot and acquisition professional.  He was commanding officer of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron THREE and was major program manager for the US Marine Corp’s H-1 Helicopter Programs.  Steven and his wife, Carol, celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary this past March.  They make their home in Alexandria, VA.

Donald Jepsen ’69 (psych) is a community corrections officer for the Department of Corrections for the state of WA.  He makes his home in Seattle.

Joe Jorland ’69 (Eng/hist) is an English teacher in Walker, MN and reports that he continues to be "baffled and bewildered" by the "Profiles of Learning."  His wife, Beverly, retired a year ago but they both continue to coach competitive speech and are looking forward to the time when they can share a "mutual retirement."

Mary Alm ’70 (Eng) earned her Ph.D. in rhetoric and composition at the University of South Carolina in 1996. She has taught first-year composition, women’s studies and humanities at the undergraduate university in her hometown, Ashville, NC.  Mary has been in Ashville for 17 years and married to her husband, Darrell Russell, for 22 years.  Mary has four adult stepchildren and five grandchildren.

Richard Dokken ’70 (bus admin, mktg) has owned and operated a retail window and floor covering store for the past 25 years, first in Moorhead and now in the Grand Rapids, MN area. He is an avid golfer and he hopes to get his handicap down to 5 this summer. Richard and his wife, Karen live in Cohasset, MN and have three children, two of whom are attending bible college.

Richard Jarret ’70 (hlth-phy ed) has been a teacher and coach at both public and private schools since 1971.  He hand his wife, Sue, live in Beaufort, NC.  Richard reports that instead of Minnesota blizzards, he now dodges South Carolina hurricanes.

Linda Murray Aafedt ’71 (sp/lang/hrg) is a teacher and speech pathologist for the Bismarck Public Schools.  She and her husband, Stephen, live in Bismarck and have two children, Betsy and Jane.

Jacqueline Brown Anderson ’71 (art) has retired from the Fargo Public Schools after spending 27 years as an art teacher at Ben Franklin Junior High and North High. She has been a member of Gallery 4 sales gallery for twenty years and has also had numerous one person and group shows.  She lives in Moorhead with her husband, Donald.  Jacqueline has two children, Trisha and Darren.

Kathleen Bakkum Doe ’71 (el ed) lives in San Diego, CA with her husband, Ted, and works as a flight attendant for Northwest Airlines. She has three children: Brady, a junior at Purdue, where he’s on the football team; Meghan, a softball player and freshman at the University of Michigan; and Kaitlyn, a ninth grader at Torres Pines High School in Del Mar, CA.

Cynthia Miller Kesler ’71 (soc wk) is living in Valley City, ND and reports that following the recent death of her husband, David, she has founded Sunshine Resources Daily Money Management of Valley City.  Cynthia has two grown daughters, Lisa and Jennifer.

Waldon Blasing ’72 (hlth-phy ed) and his wife, Karen ’73 (el ed) are living in Frazee, MN where they are both career educators.  Waldo teaches 6th grade, coaches the junior varsity boy’s basketball team and is the environmental education curriculum director for the elementary school.  Karen teaches learning disabilities at the Frazee Elementary School.  They have four children: Angie, Becky (a student at MSU), Jody and Jina.

Cliff Buchan ’72 (mass comm) and his wife, Jeanne, make their home in Forest Lake, MN.

Lee Cornell ’72 (Eng) ’86 (comp sci) teaches in the computer science department at Minnesota State-Mankato and coaches girl’s fastpitch softball in the summer.  Lee and his wife, Jo, live in Mankato and have two daughters, Heather and Caitlyn.

Robert Hegle ’72 (acct) and his wife, Susan, are living in Lisbon, ND.  Robert farms and is a tax preparer.  They have two sons, Lloyd and Mike.

Keith Backhaus ’73 (fin) is a director of marketing with Ecolab, Inc. and splits his time between offices in Atlanta, GA and St. Paul, MN.  Keith and his wife, Mary, make their home in Ramsey, MN and have two children, daughter Erin and son Peter.  Erin is soon off to college and Peter enjoys sports and outdoor activities with his father.

Debra Nelson Clark ’73 (speech) is a self-employed fashion consultant working out of Rockford, MI.  She is a wardrobe stylist for film, video and live presentations, and is also an on air consultant for Hush Puppies Shoes on the Home Shopping Network.  Debra and her husband David have a son, Mackenzie.

Tanya Church Hensch ’73 (el ed) has been teaching and living in Battle Lake, MN for the past 27 years.  She does a lot of volunteer work at Glendalough State Park where she is a director on the advisory board. She also chairs the promotions committee. Tanya and her husband, Byron, have one child, Shanna, who hopes to attend MSU in the fall.

Sarah Baumgarten Klinkhammer ’73 (sp/lang/hrg) is a paraprofessional at Dakota Hills Middle School.  She and her husband, Skip, live in Apple Valley, MN and have two grown children, Scott and Shelly.

Harold Larson Jr. ’73 (el ed) has worked for the city of Sioux Falls for the past 23 years.  He currently works in Fleet Management as the parts manager.  Harold and his wife, Sherry, have two grown children, Jennifer and Mitchell.

Mary Ann Everhart ’74 (acct) lives in Bemidji, MN where she is owner/manager of Gesell Concrete.

Gail Hohbach ’74 (soc wk) lives is Lowell, MI and is a parole agent for the state of MI.  She has two grown children, Melissa and Joseph.

Mark Englestad ’75 (acct) and Linda Ose Englestad ’76 (indiv major) have lived in Grand Forks since graduation from MSU. Mark is a CPA with Brady, Marty and Associates, and Linda has held several professional positions.  Linda and Mark are both active in many community organizations.  Their son, Matt, is a freshman at MSU this years and is enjoying it very much.  Linda and Mark report that they enjoyed the alumni get-together before the MSU ? UND basketball game this year and hope we can do something like that again.

David Holte ’75 (hist) lives in Brainerd, MN where for the past 15 years he has been pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church.  He reports that he was saddened to see Neumaier Hall come down.  David and his wife, Ellen, have two school-age children, Lise and Peder.

Doris Jean Hansen Just ’75 (el ed) taught for three years in CA and ND.  Since then she and her husband, Dave, have had six children, bought a drugstore and built a church.  Doris reports that she volunteers in the local school during the week and teaches Sunday school at their church where she is also Sunday school superintendent.  Doris and Dave have two children in college and "only four at home."  Their children are Michael, Emily, Katie, Sarah, Laura and Andrew.

Robb Austin ’76 (bus admin) is president of Gunnison Valley Hospital in Gunnison, CO and reports that it has been a wonderful year.  He survived Y2K, built a brand new hospital and got married to Betsy Baier in December.  Robb says, "Moorhead State prepared me well for life.  Thank you!"  Robb has three children: Eric, Emily and Elyse.

Bonnie Masica Coffey ’76 (spec ed) is president of Copy Med, Inc and lives with her husband, Anthony, and their children in their "starter home" in Andover, MN.  Bonnie reports that it will soon be an "empty nest" since their daughter, Suzanne, is a junior at St. Benedicts, and daughter Colleen will enter college in the fall.

Bob Jenson ’76 (hist) has been in CA since 1989 after teaching in MT and ND.  He is currently vice-principal of Blythe Middle School in Blythe, CA.  Bob was also honored as a Mentor Teacher two times and served as president of the Palo Verde Teacher’s Association for two years.  He and his wife, Sandra, have two children, Michael and Kristen.

Joel Kraft ’76 (fin) is self-employed as an investment advisor in Hutchinson, MN.  Joel has three children: Erika, Desta, and Carson.

Paul Danielson ’77 (indus ed) and his wife, Marilyn, and their two children, Jennifer and John, live in White Bear Lake, MN.  Paul is employed as a project manager for Honeywell International.  He is working as the North American Project Leader for Field Service Automation and initially implemented a new dispatching system combining 100 dispatch sites into one dispatch response center located in Atlanta, GA.

Elizabeth McLaughlin Davison ’77 (MA couns/dvlp) is retired and living in Satellite Beach, FL.  She and her husband, David, have a grown daughter, Susan.

Jean House Kraft ’77 (mass comm) and her husband, James, ’78 (fin) live in Breezy Point, MN with their two children Elizabeth and Andrew.  Jean is director of children’s ministry for Lutheran Church of the Cross in Nisswa and Jim is president of Norwest Bank in Pequot Lakes.  Jean was recently elected to the School Board and Jim is active in lake area economic development.

Harvey Enerson ’78 (mktg) is regional vice president for Secura Insurance.  Harvey and his wife, Denise, live with their two children, Nick and Ashley, in Rosemount, MN.

Thomas Klotz ’78 (soc wk) is administrator of Valley View Home in Glasgow, MT.  Thomas is currently working on a 3 million dollar independent living and assisted living complex.  He is also a pilot and enjoys fishing, particularly in Ottertail Lake near Fergus Falls, MN.  Thomas and his wife, Phyllis, live in Glasgow.

Amy Maas Breimeier ’79 (el ed) is a 1st grade teacher in Kindred, ND.  She lives with her husband, Arden, and their two children in Oxbow, ND.

Diane Perry Diiro ‘80 (spec ed) teaches special education for the Pillager School District.  Diane and her husband, Bruce, live in Brainerd with their two children, Kelly and Katie.

Michael Bruhn ’81 (bus admin) has owned and operated Bruhn Optical in Park Rapids since 1988.  He enjoys distance running and camping with his family in the summer months.  Michael’s son, Chris, keeps them busy with football, hockey and baseball.

Jean Hanson ’81 (Eng) ’93 (leg assist) is a contract analyst with Clarica.  She lives in Dilworth, MN.

Rick Jacobson ’81 (phy ed/bus ed) and Deb Mondry Jacobson ’81 (el ed) live with their children, Trever and Randi, in Wynmere, ND.  Rick is superintendent of schools, business manager and head basketball coach at Wyndmere Public Schools, and Deb teaches 3rd grade and is assistant volleyball coach.

John Anderson ’82 (mgmt/econ) and LaRaye Pilot Anderson ’85 (community hlth) make their home in Frazee, MN with their children Erik, Peter, and Steph.  John is a turkey farmer and LaRaye is a community health educator.

Marquita Martindale Hains ’82 (mktg/bus admin) welcomed Blake Paul Hains into the family on October 15, 1999.  She and her husband, Brad, have two other children, Jay and Josh.  Marquita is director of compliance and training of the southern region for Frandsen Financial Corporation, a multi-bank holding company.  Her office is located in Mankato, MN

Anne Gollehon Kuzas  ’82 (bus mgmt) is an information technology department manager for Maintenance Engineering in Fargo, ND.  Anne and her husband, Bill, live with their two children, Christina and Nickolas, in Oxbow, ND.

James Boberg ’82 (mass comm) is Advertising Director for The Forum and oversees all its advertising operations and 50 employees.  James started with the Forum in 1981 as an intern and has been with them since.  He and his wife, Jana, have three children: Matthew, Samuel, and Hannah.

Pamela Burley ’83 (math) is a contract specialist with the federal government’s General Services Administration.  She lives in Fargo.

Tessa Formanek ’83 (bus admin/fin) and Bob Formanek ’83 (soc studies) live in Perham, MN with their children Sara, Kaila, and Matt.  Tessa is loan/compliance officer with United Community Bank and Bob is a counselor at Prarie Wind Middle School.  In their spare time they enjoy traveling, swimming, fishing, music and spending time with relatives.

Wally Bergseth ’83 (career ed) ’84 (comp sci) works as a software consultant for Magenic Technologies, a consulting company that develops software using Microsoft tools.  Wally recently married, and he and his wife, Barb, live in Burnsville, MN with their two cats.

Scott Elleraas ’84 (bus mgmt) works as a vice president in commercial lending for Anchor Bank in Wayzata, MN.  Scott and his wife, Rebecca, live in Chanhassen, MN with their child, Jamie.

Douglass Evanson ’84 (comp sci) reports that he and his wife, Laura, are dealing with college visits and diapers at the same time, after having just adopted Nick.  They also have daughters Cherise and Jennifer.  Douglass is a software consultant, and the family has Evenson Family Ministries where they lead worship services and do occasional Christian concerts.

Jill Carlson Gerrick ’84 (acct/fin) is a human resource manager for Walman Optical.  She and her husband, Ray, live in Coon Rapids, MN.

Kevin Hubrig ’84 (acct) is a credit analyst with Wells Fargo Equipment Finance.  Kevin and his wife, Cynthia, live in Golden Valley, MN.

Bob Kohns ’84 (acct) is self-employed in commercial real estate sales. Jacque Brainard Kohns has been just been hired as director of corporate finance for Medica, a non-profit HMO located in Minnetonka, MN.  She is also attending William Mitchell Law School.  Bob and Jacque have five children: Kyle, Alex, Kaly, Arie, and Kara.

Marty Anderson ’85 (mktg/pol sci) is a manager in field implementation for American Express.  He lives in Edina, MN.

Mary Arnold Ball ’85 (el ed) taught 6th grade in the Rio Grand Valley of south Texas for 11 years. She and her husband, William Ball, a former professor at NDSU are now retired and live in Alamo, TX.

Tom Boyer ’85 (bus mgmt) and his wife Patty Bartholome Boyer ’83 (soc wk) live in Hawley, MN with their sons, Ryan and Jay.  Tom is a mortgage banker with First International Bank and Trust.

Dan Erickson ’85 (crim jus) and Tracey Erickson ’86 (sp/lang/hrg) ’88 (MS, sp/lang path/audio) make their home in Willmar, MN where Dan works as a police officer and Tracey works as a speech pathologist for the Willmar Public Schools.  They have four children: Garrett, Danielle, Nathaniel, and Jack.

Sara Foster ’85 (el ed) is in her 15th year of teaching, after having taught in TX and MI before moving to ME in ’92.  Sara reports that during the summer she works at a children’s resident summer camp, and that this past March she became an aunt for the first time.

Kim Steiner Baumgartner ’86 (h/m/r mgmt) and her husband Steve live in Rochester, MN where both are employed by IBM.  Kim is a buyer and Steve is an engineer.  They have two children, Matthew and Carrin.

Jon Dreyer ’86 (phy ed) and Lisa Smith Dreyer ’90 (el ed) make their home in Montivideo, MN with their two children, Jessica and Travis.  Jon teaches elementary physical education and middle school health, and Lisa teaches 1st grade.  They have been in Montevideo for eight years and spend their summers in Henning, MN at their cabin on East Battle Lake.  They both gave up coaching responsibilities to be able to spend more time with their children.

David Breuer ’86 (acct) is an accountant with Noridian Mutual Insurance.  He lives in Colfax, ND with his wife, Shirley, and their three children: Kimberly, Kyle and Kathleen.

Michael Swenson ’86 (bus admin) and Nancy Dunker Swenson ’86 (el ed) live in Apple Valley, MN where Mike works as controller for Canadian Pacific ? US ? Finance Inc., and Nancy is a teacher in St. Paul.  Mike and Nancy adopted their son, Philip, in July of ’99.

Lawson Cline ’87 (indus tech) and his wife, Mary, live in Glencoe, MN with their four children.  Lawson works as a manufacturing engineer.

Stephanie Davis Cundiff  ’87 (math) is in her 12th year of teaching math for Widefield School District # 3 in Colorado Springs, CO.  She is department chair in math at Mesa Ridge High School, serves as the math club sponsor, and coaches cheerleading.  Stephanie and her husband, William, have one son, Joshua.

Royal Jaros ’87 (mgmt/mktg) is a senior financial advisor with American Express.  Royal and his wife, Patricia, have been married 15 years and live in Lakeville, MN with their three children: Morgan, Ethan, and Dylan.  Royal reports that they spend a lot of time at the children’s activities and he enjoys fishing, hunting, and snowmobiling.

Randy Johnson ’87 (mass comm) has moved from the St. Paul Pioneer Press to the Minneapolis Star Tribune as a sports layout/copy editor.

Deb Peterson Baloun ’88 (math) is working at Bankers Systems in St. Cloud, MN where she manages the calculations team.  They develop software for the financial industry, Deb and her husband, Brian, live in Sartell, MN and have two children, Amanda and Adam.

Bruce Hart ’88 (speech comm) moved to Seattle last year and works as full time satellite truck operator for KCPO’s morning show, Mornings on Q.  He says the 4 a.m. start time is bit rough to get used to but at least he has his weekends off.

Mary-Pat Parr Erdman ’88 (el ed) is a teacher for the Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools.  She will be taking some time off to be with her new adopted son, Chance Daniel, who was born on December 31st and came home on February 7, 2000.  She and her husband, Daniel, and their new addition to the family live in Wisconsin Falls.

Lauren Diesch Falkner ’88 (mass comm) is the community relations coordinator for the YWCA of Fargo-Moorhead.  Lauren and her husband, Mike, make their home in Fargo.

Lori Gaffney Hynnek ’88 (el ed) is a teacher at Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley Middle School.  Lori and her husband, Mike, live in Clinton, MN and have a son, Sydney.

Peter Hjelmstad ’89 (mass comm) was recently promoted to executive producer and anchor for the 5,6, and 10 p.m. newscasts at KIMT-TV in Mason City, IA.  Peter and his wife, Sherry, make their home in Mason City.

Sherry Flickinger Kempel ’89 (el ed) ’98 (MS spec ed) has been substitute teaching, tutoring at the local juvenile detention and psychiatric centers, and doing adjunct work for MSU since completing her graduate degree.  Sherry and her husband, Michael, live in Fargo and should have had their first child by the time this issue of the Alumnews comes to print.

Joan Holmstrom Baltezore ’90 (life sci/Eng) has been teaching for the past 8 years at West Fargo High School, where she also coaches the junior and senior high science Olympiad teams.  She received her M.Ed. is science education from NDSU this past summer.  Joan and her husband, James, live in West Fargo and have three children: David, Darin and Christine.

Barb Newpower Benesh ’90 (speech comm) moved to CO in the fall of 1993.  She is the district sales manager for Colored Blinds, a custom retailer and manufacturer of window coverings.  She oversees 9 stores in the Denver market.  Barb reports that they love the milder CO climate but still enjoy coming home to visit family and friends.  She and her husband, Mark, live in Superior, CO and have one son, Cole.

Stacey Hendrickson Benson ’90 (psych) obtained her doctorate in clinical psychology in ’98 and is working as the clinical supervisor for adult services for Southeast Human Services in Fargo, N.D.  Stacey and her husband, Richard, are soon expecting their first child.  They make their home in Fargo.

Jason Christensen ’90 (fin) is working as a sales representative for Pfizer, Inc.  Jason and his wife, Andrea, live in Eau Claire, WI and have one child, Joshua.

Debra Tarbell Hibbs ’90 (psych/crim jus) is working part-time as a psychometrist for 3 neuropsychologists. She and her husband, Michael, live in Clackamas, OR and have a daughter, Debra, who keeps them very busy.  They enjoy sailing in their free time.

Nancy Noeldnor Hulscher ’90 (bus admin) is marketing services coordinator for Terex Telelect, Inc.  She lives in Watertown, SD with her husband, Steven, and their children, Lydia and Samuel.

Stephen Krebsbach ’90 (comp sci) is in his 12th year at South Dakota State University as a faculty member in the Computer Science Department.  He is finishing his doctorate in computer science at NDSU.  Stephen makes his home in Brookings, SD.

Denis Rasmusson Bares ’91 (bus admin) lives in Westminster, CO with her husband Daniel.  She works for TIAA-CREFF, one of the largest public employee/educator retirement companies in the United States.

Wendy Itzen Folkestad ’91 (el ed) stays at home with her children and sells Pampered Chief products part-time.  Wendy and her husband, Tom, have a son and a daughter and a child due this spring.

Wendy Kloss Gustaff ’91 (acct) reports that she got married on the beach in the Virgin Islands on January 11, 2000 to James Gustaf.  The couple currently resides in Moline, IL

Kristan Anderson Hovland ’91 (el ed) is a 1st grade teacher at Independent School District 877 Buffalo-Parkside.  Kristan and her husband, Lance, live in Buffalo, MN and have two children, Mariah and Jillianne.

Jason Hultgran ’91 (el ed) has been in education for five years and recently joined the staff at Roosevelt Elementary in Willmar, MN as their technology instructor/coordinator.  Jason and his wife, Anne, and their daughter, Elise, make their home in Raymond, MN.

Mike Christopherson ’92 (mass comm) and his wife, Michelle, ’92 (mass comm) make their home in Crookston, MN.  They have one child.  Mike is editor of the Crookston Daily Times and Michelle is in advertising sales at the Grand Forks Herald.

Carol Davidson Foltz ’92 (el ed) reports that she is in her eighth year of teaching at Holy Rosary School in Detroit Lakes, MN.  The first two years she taught kindergarten and since then has been teaching 4th grade.  Carol and her husband, David, live in Detroit Lakes and have four children: Sally, Alicia, Ben and Chris.

JoDee Blanchard Haugrud ’92 (fin) and her husband, Joel, ’88 (acct) have one child, Emily, and live in Moorhead.  JoDee is Moorhead State University’s web master.

Toinette Huck ’92 (fin) is a credit officer with State Bank of Fargo.  Toinette makes her home in Fargo.

Gina Louise Lounsbery Kontz ’92 (sp/lang/hrg) lives in Montevideo, MN with her husband, Michael, and twin boys, Connor and Luke.  Gina is an audiologist with Wilmar Hearing Aid.

Christopher Nalty ’92 (graph comm) and his wife, Geri, would like to announce the birth of their first son, Andrew Jon.  Andrew was born on Thursday, February 3rd and weighed nearly seven pounds.  "Both mother and child did well, and dad is hanging in there."

Jennifer Borgen Behr ’93 (Eng) is pursuing a new career as a graduate student in architecture.  She looks forward to the day when she can work with her husband, Mark, who an architect.  Jennifer and Mark live in Burlington, VT.

Becky Ritter Bickett ’93 (mass comm) is the marketing director for Larkin, Hoffman, Daly and Lindgren, Ltd., a Minneapolis law firm.  She and her husband, Matt, live in Burnsville, MN and have one daughter, Kay, age 2.  Becky and Matt are expecting their second child in July,’00.

Mark Jacobs, ’93 (mktg) is self-employed as a landscaper.  Mark lives in Fergus Falls, MN.

Michelle Ellis Aitchison ’94 (phy ed) and her husband, Mark, have spent the last six years in East Grand Forks, MN.  They have one daughter, Mallory Dannae, age 2.  Michell works part-time for Healthsouth.

Julie Palmer Cossete ’94 (fin) works as a loan officer for Midwest Bank.  She lives in Barnsville, MN with her husband, Mark, and children, Brittany and Austin.

Patty Bradbury Heath ’94 (indiv major) reports that her life revolves around work.  She works as a part-time supervisor for United Parcel Service afternoons and evenings and is also a part-time radio announcer with KDLM/WILD Country.  Patty became a mother-in-law in December and has a daughter in college and one in high school.  She lives in Detroit Lakes, MN.

Melinda Lawson ’94 (bus admin) has been living in Lake Tahoe, NV since graduation from MSU working for Harveys Casino Resorts.  They recently offered her a promotion to corporate training and development manager for all Harveys properties.  The most exciting adventure for Melinda is her June ’00 wedding to Jeff Stearns, a fellow employee at Harveys.  She went Lake Tahoe planning to stay for a summer and instead built a career and a life!

Suzanne Rehr ’94 (bus admin) ’99 (MBA) was recently named vice-president for the administrative services division of Northern Capital Trust.

GayleLynn Tunheim ’94 (spec ed) and her husband, Chris, recently moved back to Fargo-Moorhead after having lived in Minot for 4 years.  GayleLynn is a Learning Disabilities teacher with the Moorhead Public School System.

Susanne Correnti ’95 (acct) is living in Kansas and working as a corporate law and tax attorney.

Bruce Hestdalen ’97 (fin) is living in Abercrombie, ND and working as a financial planner for KMAC Ministries.  He is currently working part-time and completing a master’s degree in financial planning through the College of Financial Planning in Denver, CO. Bruce and his wife, Cissie, have eight grown children: Faith, Kristin, Chuck, Brad, Brenda, Jason, Clint and Travis.

Danette Marie Nicoloff ’97 (mass comm) started her career with WDAY Radio in Fargo and KRCO in Detroit Lakes, MN but is now with KBRF in Fergus Falls working as a news reporter.  She and her husband, Dan, live in Fargo.

Cheryl Koffler Klinger ’98 (acct) is a financial analyst with SPARAK Financial Services,  Cheryl lives with her husband, Hal, and their children, Chelsey and Elliot, in Oriska, ND.

Jill Heiden ’99 (acct) joined Eide Bailly, a regional accounting firm, as an associate with the firm’s Financial Institution Services Group.
She lives in Fargo.

Lisa Hennin’99 (acct) recently joined Eide Bailly as an associate in the Audit Department.  She lives in Moorhead.

JULY, 2000

July 19th -Watch the Red Hawks play the Schaumberg Flyers at Neuman Field in Fargo

July 21st -Three College Alumni night at Trollwood.  Bring your friends and family to see "Damn Yankees" in a special section reserved for alumni and friends from MSUM, NDSU and Concordia.

Mid to Late July - Planning committee for "Wheels, Wings and Water 2001" will meet in St. Cloud.

AUGUST 2000

August 15th - Play Ball!  Plan on seeing the St. Paul Saints take on the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks at Midway Stadium in St. Paul.

August 25th through the 27th - Minnesota State University Moorhead will again be at the "Great Minnesota Get-Together"— the Minnesota State Fair’s Education Building.  Stop by if you can!

Late August -Reception for Fargo Public School educators.  This event will be done in cooperation with our colleagues and friends from the alumni offices at NDSU and Concordia.

SEPTEMBER 2000

September 2 - Make room on your calendar for the annual fall football classic between MSUM and Concordia College.  The game will be followed by a reception and drawing at the Hjemkomst Heritage Center sponsored by Dragon Fire.

September 22 or 23 -We plan on being with our very loyal alumni is the Seattle, WA area.
 

OCTOBER 2000

October 9th through the 14th - Plan on coming back for Homecoming 2000!

* Thursday, October 12th -Join Johnny Holm at the Ramada Plaza Suites as he plays music from everybody’s era!

* Friday, October 13th - Dragon Hall of Fame Banquet, Ramada Plaza Suites.  Come and see Brenda Braun Carver, Terry Harrington, Troy Hendricks, John Morley, Elsie Olsgaard Erickson, and Erwin "Cactus" Warner inducted into the Dragon Hall of Fame.  Following the banquet there will be a reception at the Knights of Columbus in Moorhead.

*  Saturday, October 13th -Enjoy a full day at the parade on 8th street, the football game at 1:30, and the Alumni Awards Banquet at the Ramada Plaza Suites in the evening.

October 19th-We hope to meet with many of our education alumni as we host a "dragon break" at Education Minnesota’s annual conference at the River Center in St. Paul.

October 28th - We are planning a first time reunion for our folks in Sioux Falls, SD. We have over 400 alumni in Sioux Falls!

NOVEMBER 2000

November 11—Mark this date on your calendars!  It’s our annual Dragons in the Dome football game.  This year, we’re playing the U of W Eau Claire.  Kick off is set for 5:30 p.m.

Also in November, we are planning our first ever Eurospring Reunion.

DECEMBER 2000

Get ready Twin Cities GOLD (graduates of the last decade) alumni!  After the Hollidazzle parade, we’re meeting at the 8th Street Bar and Grill for some fun and libations!
 

JANUARY, 2001

Another great event for our Twin Cities Alumni: a reception at the new Science Museum
 

FEBRUARY 2001

As of now free.  If you’d like a reunion or reception in your community, let us know.

MARCH 2001

March 23rd - "Tony and Tina’s Wedding" will be the place for our Twin Cities alumni to be.  We’ll even provide the rice.

APRIL 2001

April 22nd - It’s Earth Day so let’s do our part.  Volunteer time for our Twin Cities area alumni.  We’ll work on cleaning a stretch of highway, one we hope to "adopt."

MAY 2001

May 4th - It’s been a long time, but we’re going back to Chicago for a reunion.  We’ve always had a large and loyal following in the Chicago are so be sure to put it on your calendar.

JUNE 2001

Sculpture Garden reception at the Walker Art Museum

"Wheels, Wings and Water Festival."  We’ll have a get-together for our St. Cloud area alumni, and we have many!
 

JULY 2001

Plan on baseball and outdoor type activities.  Don’t forget that great tradition, the Old Fashioned Fourth of July here on campus.
 

AUGUST 2001

We’ll be back at a Saints game, perhaps with our friends at NDSU and Concordia, and we’ll be at the State Fair.

SEPTEMBER 2001

We’ll be meeting the Cobbers again to kick off the football season

OCTOBER 2001

It’s homecoming month.  We hope to have a "fifty year" class reunion for the classes of ’49, ’50 and ’51. It’s not entirely accurate, but it should be fun.

The annual Education Minnesota Conference is this month.  We hope to be there and meet many of our teachers.

NOVEMBER 2001

Dragons in the Dome

DECEMBER 2001

Nothing planned as of yet

If you have any questions, call Jim Shipp at Moorhead at 218-236-2093 or Lisa Mounts in the Twin Cities at 651-643-3620.

Please be advised that as we attempt an eighteen-month calendar, we are assuming the events listed will take place.  We are, however, in the planning stage with a number of these events and it is possible that date or venues may change as circumstances warrant.