Elderhostel Experience in June will feature interactive crime-solving 

Bemidji State University is renewing its Elderhostel program with a Criminal Investigation Experience June 11–14 on the BSU campus. Criminal justice professors will walk participants through the entire process of solving a crime.

This highly interactive event will follow the detailed steps of processing a mock crime scene and solving the puzzle to determine who, what, where, when, why and how. Activities will include tours, guest speakers, hands-on learning and a team exercise. Participants should be fit enough for moderate physical activity, both indoors and out.

Participants will stay in a BSU residence hall and eat in the campus dining hall. The total five-day cost is $450 if registered by March 1 or $495 if you register between March 2–April 6. For more information or to register, visit bsualumni.org or contact Angie Gora at (218) 755-2851.

Arizona events on March 16-17 will feature golf, lunch and socials

The schedule is set for the Alumni & Foundation’s annual Southwest Events on March 16-17 in Tucson and Mesa, Ariz.

A March 16 luncheon will be at Teresa’s Mosaic Café beginning at 11:30 a.m., followed by a golf outing and luncheon at the Apache Wells Country Club in Mesa on March 17.  The optional golf event will begin at 8 a.m., and the luncheon will start with a noon social followed by the meal at 12:30 p.m. Plans also call for a happy hour and social that evening at a location to be determined.

Please register by March 2 at bsualumni.org. For information, call (218) 755-3989 or email alumni@bemidjistate.edu.

Green & White Dinner and Auction returns April 14 at Sanford Center

Final planning is underway for the biennial Green & White Dinner and Auction for BSU Athletics, to be held April 14 in the arena of Bemidji’s Sanford Center.

The Green & White is the largest and most important charity event for BSU Athletics, raising more than $100,000 in both 2014 and 2016. This $100 per person party opens with a unique silent auction and reception at 5 p.m., followed by a gourmet dinner and one-of-a-kind live auction at 6:30 p.m.

Watch for a save-the-date card and invitation, or call (218) 755-2294 for more information.

Students have until Feb. 1 to seek Alumni Relative Scholarships

First-year, returning and transfer students with a BSU alumni relative who has contributed to the university through the BSU Alumni & Foundation may apply for an Alumni Relative Scholarship.

Awards of $1,000 are allocated in payments of $500 for each semester of the academic year. Apply at http://bit.ly/2BR94hX or call (218) 755-3989 for more information. The application deadline is Feb. 1. These annual awards are made possible by contributions to the Lakeside Fund. In 2017, 45 Alumni Relative Scholarships were awarded from a pool of 100 applicants.

Deadline approaches to nominate alumni award honorees for 2018

Nominations are due Feb. 1 for several upcoming awards programs that recognize alumni for their contributions to Bemidji State, their professions or their communities.

Online applications are available for the following categories at bsualumni.org:

Outstanding Alumni, Young Alumni and Alumni Service Awards are presented annually at the Homecoming Honors Gala to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to their industries and communities. The 2018 gala will be held Oct. 5.

Alpha Nu Omega alumni honor past with bricks and support

Members of Bemidji State’s former Alpha Nu Omega fraternity gathered at BSU Sept. 8-9 for a reunion and dedication of named patio bricks between the David Park House and Alumni House, with proceeds going to the Alpha Nu Omega / Alpha Tau Omega scholarship fund.

Alpha Nu Omega was active at BSU from 1962 to 1975, and members have stayed connected. About 200 of them purchased $100 bricks inscribed with their names and the names of deceased members, as well as a centerpiece featuring the fraternity’s name and Greek insignia.

In addition to the brick dedication on Sept. 9, the weekend included a welcome reception, campus tour, home-opener football game versus Concordia and banquet.

Make recommendations for 2019 Athletics Hall of Fame by March 1 

Following a March 1 deadline, the BSU Alumni B-Club will begin reviewing nominations for induction into the Athletics Hall of Fame in spring 2019.

The Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding teams, individual athletes and coaches for their contributions to the tradition of BSU Athletics. For detailed award criteria and to submit a nomination, visit bsualumni.org. For questions, call (218) 755-2599 or email alumni@bemidjistate.edu.

Twin Cities’ Freshman Send-Offs give initiative a strong beginning

The Twin Cities Alumni Chapter’s first-ever BSU-Bound Freshman Send-Off events, held July 27 at Lebanon Hills Park in Eagan and Aug. 3 at Elm Creek Park in Maple Grove, both drew gatherings of incoming students, parents, alumni and Bemidji State staff.

In addition to chapter-hosted picnics and a chance to meet fellow alums and fellow students, new freshmen heard from BSU administrators about what to expect as they begin their college careers and how to get the most out of the experience.

Based on this initial success, the chapter is planning similar events for next summer. For information, call (218) 755-3989.

BSU prepares to celebrate 100-year history in 2018-19

Planning continues for Bemidji State’s centennial celebration, scheduled to run from April 2018 to October 2019. That span stretches from the groundbreaking of the Bemidji Normal School in April 1918 to the arrival of its first students in September 1919.

A campus kickoff event has tentatively been set for April 4, which is also Student Achievement Day. The 15-month observance will include special editions of the BSU magazine, scholarly lectures, musical performances and a souvenir booklet.

Watch the Alumni & Foundation e-newsletter, social media and other communications for details on how you can participate.

New president and officers named for Alumni & Foundation Board

The BSU Alumni & Foundation Board of Directors elected new officers at its annual meeting on Sept. 22 in Bemidji.

The officers are: president, Peggy Ingison ’74, senior director of administration and support, Minnesota Historical Society; president-elect, Tom Anderson, ’70, CEO, Integrated Retirement; vice president, Cynthia Cashman ’85, executive director, Minnesota State Fair Foundation; treasurer, Tiffany Baer Paine, president/CEO, Security Bank USA; and at-large officer, Elise Durbin ’01, transit-oriented development program manager, Hennepin County. The outgoing president is Ben McAninch, ’99, attorney, Blethen, Gage & Krause.

The board also elected Fred Baker ’61, a retired leader in American Indian health services, as a new member.

Inspired by his wife’s recovery from breast cancer, long-distance bicyclist Al Reszel last summer rode from the St. Paul area to New York City, raising awareness and donations for breast cancer research.

On June 5, he plans to set out on a 3,500-mile ride from Los Angeles to the Midtown Manhattan office of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, a trip expected to take 45-60 days.

Reszel completed the 21-day, 1,700-mile ride to New York on June 3 after setting out from Afton State Park. He raised more than $7,000 through donations collected at advance events and through social media and the internet.

“It’s about the struggle, the care, the research and the cure,” said Reszel, who with wife Terry founded Pink Pedals 4 A Cure, their fundraising organization, in 2016.

In June 2016, he set a precedent for his cross-country ride with a six-day, 517-mile solo ride from St. Paul to Geneva, Ill., also in support of cancer research.

Terry’s cancer journey began in 2001 with multiple biopsies and ultrasounds that ultimately led to a diagnosis in 2010. Soon thereafter, she underwent a bilateral mastectomy.

Reszel has been a road cyclist for more than a quarter-century and continues to participate in rides against breast cancer around the Midwest.

After 29 years as a business executive and trainer for companies such as Well Fargo and Great Western Bank, the Richmond resident decided to return to school, earning his master’s degree in special education from Bemidji State University in 2013.

Reszel continues to teach special education at Yellow Medicine East High School in Granite Falls, and when he isn’t teaching or riding, he enjoys time with his wife, Terry, and their two children and four grandchildren.

To learn more about the Reszels, their accomplishments and ambitious plans — or to donate to their cause, visit pinkpedals4acure.org or call (630) 524-4531.

Ashley Charwood considers herself an introvert, but the breadth of her involvement with Bemidji-area social service organizations recently brought the spotlight to her.

Charwood, who graduated from BSU in 2007 with a degree in social work, in June received the Catalytic Leader Award from the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits. She was nominated by Mary Ann Reitmeir, professor emerita of social work.

The award, which recognized her work coordinating Bemidji’s Foster Grandparents Program, among other endeavors, is intended for someone who uses informal authority to shape the direction and progress of her own work and that of an organization.

“I believe that all people are capable of being leaders and that everyone has different strengths that they bring to the table,” Charwood said. “I think it is important to have diverse people at the decision-making tables.”

A woman with many hats, she is the northwest regional coordinator for the council of nonprofits, an Early Childhood Screening Team member for the Bemidji School District and as an active board member for Bi-County Community Action Programs. She also is working on a master’s degree from the University of North Dakota, where she is a graduate teaching assistant.

A licensed social worker, Charwood also works part-time for Lutheran Social Services, Planned Parenthood and Northwood Caregivers and says she is “committed to contributing to a more caring and equitable world.”

In January 2016, Charwood planned an Inclusivity and Diversity Event in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, funded by a Patty Johnson Seed Grant. This first-ever event included a peace march, multicultural diversity and inclusivity panel of speakers, community potluck dinner and dance celebration.

As the Catalytic Leader honoree, she received a one-year “Golden Ticket” for free individual registration to all Minnesota Council of Nonprofits-sponsored conferences and training, valued at more than $1,000.

Tessa Haagenson’s achievements since her days at Bemidji State earned her recognition this past June as a “Top 50 EcoLeader” by the National Wildlife Foundation.

Haagenson has been leading efforts to educate people on climate change and renewable energy since her days as an NWF 2005-06 Campus Ecology Fellow at BSU where, as a student senator, she helped institute a student fee to support wind energy.

A love of nature instilled by her parents guided her toward environmental studies, she said, and the university’s faculty encouraged her career goals.

“I certainly had support when I was at Bemidji State from professors who helped me learn what I needed to — and wanted to — at the time when I thought I may be going into energy policy,” Haagenson said.

She is now principal planning analyst at Great River Energy in Maple Grove, she runs a resource-forecasting model that helps guide Great River Energy’s long-term resource decisions and tracks renewable energy standard obligations.

After receiving her bachelor’s degree in environmental studies program with an emphasis in policy and planning in 2017, Haagenson spent a semester in Denmark as a guest graduate student in sustainable energy planning and management at the University of Aalborg.

Recognizing her need for a greater understanding of the electrical power grid, she then earned a second bachelor’s degree — in electrical engineering — from the University of North Dakota, and this year she expects to complete a graduate certificate in solar engineering from the Penn State World Campus.

Haagenson said everyone should gain some knowledge of how electrical power systems work.

“For students who want to make a difference for sustainability in the electric power industry — even if you’re coming at it from a non-technical angle — gain at least a cursory understanding of the way the electric power system works and the regulatory world that governs many aspects of it,” she said.

As you may have heard, I will be retiring from Bemidji State University in June after 21 years with the Alumni Association and Foundation. I am filled with gratitude for all of the alumni, friends, board members and colleagues who have made such a difference for Bemidji State and its students — and for me personally. I also am tremendously proud of all we have accomplished together and confident this important work will continue with a new leader, to be chosen in late spring following a nationwide search. I anticipate that the next executive director will be a talented, experienced individual who brings a fresh perspective while appreciating what makes BSU so special.

This past year has been marked by transitions. Having concluded the amazing Imagine Tomorrow Campaign, which raised more than $36 million over five years, we have strengthened our annual giving efforts and begun to anticipate another major campaign within the next few years. The Alumni & Foundation team is made up of dedicated professionals, some of them veterans and others newly hired. All are determined to work with you, our stakeholders, to help you find the right way to support BSU — through annual giving, one-time gifts, endowments and planned giving.

Many great things are ahead for Bemidji State. President Faith Hensrud, now in her second year, is eagerly reaching out to alums and moving BSU forward with focused, collaborative leadership. The university has just launched a new five-year strategic plan and will soon begin celebrating its centennial. While it is never easy to say goodbye, I know I will continue to see many of you at events and around the Bemidji community, and I will always be proud of my association with this great university.

Go Beavers!

Marla Patrias

Executive Director for University Advancement

VISIONARIES SOCIETY ($2,500,000.00 +)

• Joseph* & Janice Lueken/The Joseph and Janice Lueken Family Foundation

TRUSTEES SOCIETY ($1,000,000.00 + )

• The George W. Neilson Foundation
• Michael & Tracy Roberge/ Roberge Family Foundation
• Sanford Health

Chancellor’s Society ($500,000.00 +)

• 3M, Inc.
• Keith & Maria Johanneson/Marketplace Food and Drug
• Edwin* & Myra* Johnson
• Sam* & Peggy* Johnson
• David & Brenda Odegaard
• Paul Bunyan Communications
• Wayne & Beverly* Thorson

Benefactors Society ($250,000.00 +)

• Dr. M. James & Nancy Bensen
• Doug & Sue Fredrickson/Big Oaks Foundation
• M. Fern Birnstihl*
• First National Bank Bemidji
• Elfrida B. Glas*
• Kirk & Penny Gregg/Gregg Family Charitable Fund
• Kathryn K. Hamm*
• Dr. Ruth Howe & Merril Thiel
• John & Delphine Jacobsen
• Robin Norgaard Kelleher
• Elwood & Jean Largis
• Eva Lind*
• John W. Marvin
• Susan Marvin & Keith Schwartzwald
• Mary A. Mushel*
• Trudy & Kevin Rautio
• Rich & Joyce Siegert/Edgwater Group (Hampton Inn & Suites, Green Mill)
• David & Kathryn Sorensen
• George & Sandra Thelen
• Security Bank USA
• Steve & Lauren Vogt

Directors Society ($100,000.00 +)

• Donald Anderson* & Vicki Brown
• Fred & Marie Baker
• Bank Forward
• Ron Batchelder
• Jeffrey & Kathy Baumgartner/Circle B Properties
• Big North Distributing, Inc.
• Fred Breen*
• Raymond Breen*
• Dr. Almond & Shalyn Clark/Al Clark’s Formula 4 Success
• Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Bemidji, Inc.
• Dr. Donald* & Petra DeKrey
• Dondelinger GM
• Enbridge Energy Company, Inc.
• Kenneth & Mary* Erickson
• Dr. Bruce & Mary Jo Falk
• Federated Insurance
• Anthony S. Gramer
• Russell* & Gudrun* Harding
• Dr. Evan & Elaine* Hazard
• Paul & Lynn Hunt
• Christine Janda*
• Margaret H. Johnson*
• Katharine Neilson Cram Foundation
• Kopp Family Foundation
• Kraus-Anderson Construction Company – North
• Joan L. Kriegler*
• Leech Lake Casinos: Northern Lights, Palace, and White Oak
• Lueken’s Village Foods
• Michael McKinley & Deborah Grabrian/McKinley Companies
• Miller McDonald, Inc.
• Mark & Sandra Niblick
• North Country Business Products
• North Country Health Services
• Northern Inn/Gary Gangelhoff
• Otter Tail Power Company
• Otto Bremer Foundation
• Robert & Mary Lou Peters
• Pinnacle Marketing Group
• David & Kim Ramsey
• Dr. Patrick Riley & Dr. Natalie Roholt
• Marcella Sherman
• TruStar Federal Credit Union
• Anonymous
• Moses & Angela Tsang
• Robert* & Jeanette* Welle
• Bob Whelan/Whelan Properties/Supreme Lumber
• Stephen G. Wick

Builders Society ($50,000.00 +)

• Bernice M. Anderson Charitable Rmndr. Unitrust
• Julie & Scott Becker
• Dr. Thomas J. Beech
• Dr. Richard & Josephine Beitzel
• Bemidji Woolen Mills/Bill Batchelder
• The Bernick Companies
• Dr. Elaine D. Bohanon*
• BSU Dining Services/ARAMARK
• Lynne C. Bunt*
• Jim* & Lorraine F. Cecil
• Dr. Michael & Noel Clay
• Muriel Copp
• Anonymous
• Deerwood Bank
• Herb* & Lynn Doran
• Gregory Droba
• Joe & Karen Dunn
• Rebecca Eggers*
• Steve & Susan Engel
• Drs. Gary & Nancy Erickson
• General Mills Foundation
• Dr. Lowell* & Ardis* Gillett
• Dr. Muriel B. Gilman
• Bernard* & Fern* Granum
• Dale Greenwalt & Kim Warren
• Dr. Richard & Dianne Hanson
• Margaret H. Harlow*
• Thomas & Joanne Heaviland
• Paul & Tammi Hedtke/Hedtke Family Trust
• John R. Heneman*
• Dr. Annie B. Henry
• Hill’s Plumbing & Heating
• Lynne K. Holt
• William & Bette* Howe
• Dr. Myrtie A. Hunt*
• The Idea Circle, Inc.
• Esther F. Instebo*
• The Jay & Rose Phillips Family Foundation
• Alan & Judy Killian
• Alan Korpi & Martha Nelson
• Dale & Michelle Ladig
• Lake Region Bone and Joint Surgeons
• Lakeland Public Television
• Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
• Margaret Listberger*
• LeRoy E. Maas*
• Marvin Lumber & Cedar Co.
• Gary & Ruth McBride
• Jon & Debra McTaggart
• MeritCare Clinic Bemidji
• Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
• R. Alexander Milowski
• Dr. Thomas & Mary Moberg
• Harry Moore*
• Ronald & Alvina Morrison
• NLFX Professional
• Nash Finch Company
• Charles Naylor*
• William* & Dona Mae Naylor
• Nei Bottling, Inc.
• Dr. Darby & Geraldine Nelson
• Norbord Minnesota
• Northwest Minnesota Foundation
• Edward & Marla Patrias
• Paul Bunyan Broadcasting
• Dr. Harold T. Peters*
• Phillips Plastics Corp.
• The Pioneer/Buy Line
• Drs. Jon & Patricia Quistgaard
• Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians
• Steven & Robyn Seide
• Tom & Cindy Serratore
• Lowell & Lois Sorenson
• Jack & Marie St. Martin/Jack & Marie St. Martin Foundation
• Dr Theodore & Margaret Thorson
• Gary* & Joanne E. Torfin
• Mervin “Sock” Wagner*
• E. Joseph & Jane Welle
• Tom & Paulette Welle
• Wells Fargo Bank N.A.
• Richard & Judith Werner
• White Earth Reservation Tribal Council
• Robert & DeAnn Zavoral

Ambassadors Society ($25,000.00 +)

• 3M Foundation
• Ace on the Lake
• Richard & Joan Ahmann/Ahman Family Foundation
• Alltech Associates, Inc.
• American Legion Post 14
• Anonymous
• Winnifred Anderson*
• Dr. Wilfred & Mary Lou Antell
• Trent & Beth Baalke
• Bill* & Jesse* Baer
• Carl & Terry Baer
• John & Susan Backes
• Dr. Marjory C. Beck
• Bemidji Dental Clinic
• Bemidji Lions Club
• Bemidji Sports Centre
• Kermit & Sandy Bensen
• Marie Bishop*
• Blandin Foundation
• Jacob & Melissa Bluhm
• Bob Lowth Ford, Inc.
• Bois Forte Reservation Tribal Council
• Robert & Lisa  Bollinger
• Bradley R. Borkhuis
• Randy & Marlene Bowen
• Trey & Ann Bowman
• Alan P. Brew
• David & Stormi Brown
• Patrick Brown/Clem’s Hardware Hank
• Jeffrey P. Busse
• Joan Campbell Anderson & David Anderson
• Mary Campbell
• John & Ann Carlson/John Carlson Agency
• Jason & Angela Caron
• Steve Carter, Jr.
• Bertha Christianson*
• Kenneth* & Marion M. Christianson
• Citizens State Bank Midwest
• Corner Sports, Inc
• Annie M. Czarnecki
• D & T Landscaping, Inc.
• Eugene Dalzotto*
• DeLaHunt Broadcasting
• DeLoitte Foundation
• Dick’s Northside, Inc.
• Dickson Enterprises, Inc.
• James & Tiffany Fankhanel/Bemidji Chrysler/Honda of Bemidji
• Dr. Jeremy & Megan Fogelson
• Fred & Virginia Forseman
• Dr. Jeanine & Ronald Gangeness
• George & Joann Gardner
• Mildred A. Gjertson
• Joseph & Patricia Grabowski
• Cedsel J. Hagen*
• Linda S. Hanson
• Paul & Paige Hanson
• Hartz Foundation
• Gary & Diane Hazelton
• Jim* & Marilyn Heltzer
• Anonymous
• Barbara Higgins*
• Terry & Cindy Holter
• Dr. Howard J. Hoody & Mary* Hoody
• Xihao Hu
• InFaith Community Foundation
• InHarvest
• John Johanneson*
• Wilbur Johnson*
• Arnold* & Nancy* Johnson
• Virginia “Hope” Johnson*
• Robert & Mary Jorstad
• Rich & Meredith Kehoe
• Jeffrey D. Kemink
• John G. Kittleson
• Lillie M. Kleven*
• Gary Knutson*
• Krigbaum & Jones, Ltd.
• League of Women Voters — Bemidji Area
• Douglas & Renee Leif
• LePier Oil Company
• Drs. Gordon & Alice Lindgren
• James* & Janet* Love
• Lutheran Community Foundation
• William & Jodi Maki
• Marvin Windows and Doors
• Betsy J. McDowell
• Neil B. & Patricia* McMurrin
• Dr. Thomas & Marilyn Miller
• The Minneapolis Foundation
• Minnesota Energy Resources
• Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants
• Diane Moe & Thomas Fitzgerald
• Gary & Marlene Moe
• Sharon Moe
• Betty Murray
• James & Janice Naylor
• NCS Pearson
• Judy Nelson
• Dr. Raymond* & Jane* Nelson
• Dr. Lee A. Norman
• North Central Door Company
• NorthEnd Trust
• Northern Aggregate, Inc.
• Northland Electric
• Northwestern Surveying & Engineering, Inc.
• Marc & Kay Olson
• Douglas L. Onan
• Grant & Kris Oppegaard/The Oppegaard Family Foundation
• Otter Tail Power Company
• Joel & Kary Otto
• David & Dianne Parnow
• Dr. John C. Pearce
• Stephen Pearce, M.D.
• Pat & Kaia Pelstring  
• Rod & Delores Pickett
• The Presto Foundation
• Raphael’s Bakery Cafe
• REM Northstar, Inc. Bemidji Regional Office
• Dr. Tom & Sandra Richard
• James & Carol Richards
• RiverWood Bank
• Dr. Patricia A. Rosenbrock
• Carol Russell/Russell Herder
• The Saint Paul Foundation
• Walter & Marlene Schuiling
• Lee C. Scotland, DDS
• John & Mary Seamans
• Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
• Mark A. Shanfeld, MD, Ph.D.
• Hazel Shimmin*
• Robert Fiskum & Yvonne* Siats-Fiskum
• Skyline Exhibits
• Bob & Jane Smith/Image Photography and Framing
• Dr. Kathryn Smith
• Buster* & Helen Spaulding/Spaulding Motors, Inc.
• Michael & Melinda Spry
• St. Joseph’s Area Health Services
• Maurice & Lorna Sullivan
• Super 8 Motel
• Dr. Thomas & Bonnie Swanson
• Dr. Martin & LaRae Tadlock
• Dr. Dave & Peggy Tiffany
• Terri & Tim Traudt
• Dr. Ken Traxler
• Tri-State Manufacturers’ Association
• Dr. James & Diane Tuorila
• USA Color Printing
• Austin & Paula Wallestad
• Robert & Patricia Walrath
• Harvey & Loris Westrom
• Drs. Larry & Ranae Womack
• Barbara L. Wylie
• Zetah Construction, Inc.

Founders Society ($10,000.00 + )

• Dr. Robert & Barbara Aalberts
• Don & Susan Addy
• Bernard V. Adlys
• Allen Oman State Farm Agency
• Carol M. Alstrom
• American Association of University Women
• American Family Insurance
• Dr. Kris & Linda Anderson
• Robin & DeAnne Anderson
• Boris & Caroline Andrican
• Annexstad Family Foundation
• Drs. Norman & Linda Baer
• Ryan & Jean Baer
• Baratto Brothers Construction
• Bear Creek Energy
• William & Maria Beitzel
• Edward & Jennifer Belisle
• Beltrami Electric Cooperative, Inc.
• Bemidji Ambulance Service, Inc.
• Bemidji Aviation Services Inc.
• Bemidji Building Center
• Bemidji Medical Equipment
• The Bemidji Rotary Club
• Bemidji Welders Supply, Inc.
• June Bender
• Terry & Gail Bergum
• Best of Bemidji Quarterly Magazine
• Best Western Bemidji
• Big Horn Financial Services LLC
• Jody J. Bisson
• Jon & Linda Blessing
• Daniel & Midge Boettger
• Dr. Mel & Ruby Bolster
• Howard & Rebecca Borden
• Dr. John* & Ann* Brady
• Bravo Beverage Ltd
• Bonnie L. Bredenberg
• Gurnee K. Bridgman
• Phillip A. Buhn*
• Burger King Corporation
• Louis H. Buron Jr.*
• Robert C. Bush*
• Carlson Family Foundation
• Dr. Mark & Mishel Carlson
• Dr. Raymond & Margaret Carlson
• Thor & Melissa Carlsrud
• Dr. Leah J. Carpenter
• Caswell International Corporation
• Charter Communications
• Richard Chopp*
• CliftonLarsonAllen LLP
• Control Stuff
• Cool Threads
• Bret & Veronica Cooper
• Veita L. Corbin
• Corner Bar of Bemidji, Inc.
• Country Kitchen Restaurant
• William & Teresa Crews
• Dean & Wendy Crotty
• Scott Curb & Mary Boranian
• Dr. Caroline M. Czarnecki
• Lyle E. Dally*
• Dave’s Pizza
• Dr. Richard & Ann Marie Day
• Robert* & Jackie Decker
• Dr. Steve & Veronica DeKrey
• John & Kay Delinsky
• Delta Kappa Gamma
• Patrick & Barbara DeMarchi
• Roxanne Desjarlait
• James & Jana Dewar
• Dick’s Plumbing and Heating of Bemidji, Inc.
• John T. Driessen
• Shawn & Shaina Dudley
• Richard & Rose Dukek
• Jon & Beth Duncan
• Dwayne Young, Inc. Plaster and Drywall
• Mary & Lynn Eaton
• Eldercare Health Benefits Mgmt Systems, Inc.
• Erbert & Gerberts Subs and Clubs
• Janet Esty*
• Dennis J. Fallon
• Herbert M. Fougner*
• Dr. Joann Fredrickson
• Michelle & Morris Frenzel
• Laura Gaines
• Dr. Fulton & Nancy Gallagher
• Michael & Deanna Garrett
• Dr. Daniel Gartrell & Dr. Julie Jochum
• Georgia Pacific – Superwood
• Dr. James & Connie Ghostley
• Col. Clark & Judith Gilbertson
• Dr. Eric Gilbertson
• Keith & Jeannie Gilbertson
• Ordella M. Gilbertson
• Marjorie & James Gildersleeve
• Paul & Kathy Godlewski
• Dr. Richard & Carol Goeb
• Dr. Frank & Marilyn Goodell
• Bruce L. Gordon
• Gourmet House
• Bryan & Paulette Grand
• Great Lakes Gas Transmission Ltd. Partnership
• Dr. Colleen Greer & Dr. Debra Peterson
• Beulah Gregoire*
• James & Barbara Grier
• Robert & Susan Griggs
• Grimes Realty
• Keith W. Gunderson*
• Richard F. Haberer*
• Lisa L. Haberman
• Richard & Sheridan Hafdal
• James & Joyce Hanko
• Hanson Electric of Bemidji, Inc.
• Hardees of Bemidji
• James & Pamela Harrison
• Dale & Rochelle Hartje
• Dr. Richard* & Dorothy Haugo
• Oluf* & Margaret* Haugsrud
• William & Sandy Hawkins
• Headwaters Shrine Club
• Kenneth Henrikson
• Dr. Michael & Deb Herbert
• Hobart Laboratories, Inc.
• Hoeschler Fund – St. Paul Foundation
• Neal & Maureen Holmstrom
• Pamela Hovland
• Kenneth & Kari Howe
• Insure Forward
• Myriam Ivers
• Iverson Corner Drug
• Louise H. Jackson
• Richard & Sheri Jahner
• Paul & Sarah Jensen
• Jerry Downs Agency
• Johnson Controls
• Diane & Thomas Johnson
• Jeremiah D. Johnson
• Dr. Terrance & Susan Johnson
• Dr. Johannas M. Jordan
• Thomas & Susan Kaplan
• Jeff Keckheisen/Keck Sports
• Keg N’ Cork
• Keith’s Pizza
• Dr. Debra Kellerman & Anthony Wandersee
• Ken K Thompson Jewelry
• David & Charlotte Kingsbury
• Knife River Materials/MDU Resources
• Drs. Raymond & Beatrice Knodel
• Dr. Clayton & Ivy Knoshaug
• Paul & Catherine Koski
• Dr. James & Patricia Kraby
• Lois M. Kruger Estate
• Dr. Franklin & Diane Labadie
• Dr. David & Alice Larkin
• Lesa & Jeff Lawrence
• Lazy Jack’s
• Dr. Arthur & Judith Lee
• Hazel Leland*
• Dr. Robert & Dale Ley
• Paul & Teri Lindseth
• Mark & Monica Liska
• Brad & Dawn Logan
• Dr. Kenneth & Mary Lundberg
• Steven Lundeen & Jennifer Driscoll
• Brian Maciej/Lime Valley Advertising
• Keith Marek
• Mark’s Frame House/Mark & Linda LaFond
• Douglas & Mary Mason
• MasTec North America Inc.
• Allen & Susie Mathieu
• John & Judith McClellan
• Dr. Judith L. McDonald
• James D. McElmury
• Robin & Diane Mechelke
• Medsave Family Pharmacy
• Debra Melby*
• Dr. Kathleen J. Meyer
• Midcontinent Communications
• Minnesota Precision
• Manufacturing, Assoc.
• James & Sharon Molde
• Dr. Robert & Sally Montebello
• Dr. Dorothy L. Moore*
• Leo D. Morgan, Jr.
• Robb H. Naylor
• Katharine Neilson Cram*
• Peter & Bonnie Nelson
• Stella & Paul Nelson
• Gerald* & Fern* Nichols
• North Country Dental
• Northern Amusement
• Northern Liquor Offsale
• Gary & Karen Oftelie
• David & Jean Olderman
• Bruce L. Olson
• Olson-Schwartz Funeral Home
• Royal & Diane Orser
• Family and Friends of Ruth Ouverson
• Dr. Donna K. Palivec
• Greg & Kathy Palm
• John & Lori Paris
• Pat Knoer State Farm Insurance
• Paul Bunyan Broadcasting HBI
• R. Scott & Kathy Pearson
• John & Teresa Persell
• Dr. Martha & Don Peters
• David Lee Peterson*
• Rohl & Patricia Peterson
• Ronald L. Phillips
• Pickett Agency, Inc.
• Elmer & Betty Porter Productivity, Inc.
• Dr. Joanne Provo
• Jack* & Mary Betty* Quistgard
• Michael & Jackie Rasch
• Roger Rasmussen]
• Dr. John & Mary Sue Redebaugh
• Roger & Arlene Reierson
• Mary A. Reitter
• Scott Robbins
• William & Lainey Rodgers
• Ross Lewis Sign Co.
• Susan & Stuart Rosselet
• RP Broadcasting, Inc.
• Dr. Samuel & Sara Sant
• William & Rochelle Scheela
• Lee & Deborah Schreck
• John* & Evelyn* Schuiling
• John* & Charlotte Schullo
• Patricia & Mark Shough
• Pete* & Marilyn Simonson
• Rose Skyberg
• State Farm Companies Foundation
• Dr. Maria & Terry Statton
• Erma Stelter*
• Irene K. Stewart
• Willie & Arla Stittsworth
• Stittsworth’s Meats
• Dr. Bruce & Shari Sutor
• Chet Swedmark* & Helen Kohl-Swedmark
• Systec, Inc.
• Doug & Lori Taylor
• Teammates for Kids Foundation
• Telespectrum Worldwide
• Jeff & Susan Tesch
• Dr. Jerome & Jane Thompson
• Dr. Romola K. Thorbeck
• Chris & Dick Tolman
• Dr. Benjamin & Janet Tsang
• Shane A. Veenker
• Mary M. Veranth
• Ruth E. Warde*
• Dr. Victor D. Weber*
• Julie A. Wegner
• George* & Paula Welte
• Wes’ Plumbing & Heating
• Bryan & Judy Westerman
• Widseth Smith Nolting & Associates
• Wilde Financial
• Dr. Rodney Will & Anne Meredith-Will
• Jerry & Kathy Winans
• James & Lois Wood
• Bud & Gloria Woodward

The Legacy Society recognizes and honors those alumni and friends who have provided for Bemidji State University in their wills or have exercised a planned giving option through the Bemidji State University Foundation.

• Charles & Nancy Aldrich
• Donald G. Anderson*+
• Joan & David Anderson+
• Boris & Caroline Andrican+
• John & Susan Backes
• Bill* & Jessie* Baer+
• H.C. Baer*
• Grant Bateman*
• Marjory C. Beck
• Dr. M. James &  Nancy Bensen+
• Evelyn Berg*
• Dan & Terri Bergan
• M. Fern Birnstihl*+
• Marie Bishop*+
• Jody & Gene Bisson
• Elaine Bohanon*+
• Randy & Marlene Bowen
• Lloyd & Katherine Bradfield
• Fred Breen*
• Raymond Breen*
• Alan P. Brew
• Gurnee K. Bridgman+
• Virginia Bridgman*
• Dr. William & Henrietta Britton
• Lynne C. Bunt *+
• Jeffrey P. Busse+
• Dr. Dale & Joanne Carlson
• Dr. Joseph & Jenifer Carson
• Cynthia & James Cashman
• Dr. Sam* & Rose* Chen+
• Richard Chopp*
• Bertha Christianson*
• Dr. Almond &  Shalyn Clark
• Dr. Caroline M. Czarnecki+
• Lyle E. Dally*+
• Dr. Donald DeKrey*+
• Rebecca Eggers*
• Fritz & Robin Ehlers
• Steve & Sue Engel
• Irvin & Kay Engebretson
• Eldridge* & Jean Erickson
• Donald & Mary Erickson
• Janet M. Erickson
• Dr. Bruce &  Mary Jo Falk
• Ann Moore Flowers*+
• Dr. William & Margie Forseth
• Jerry & Shirley Froseth
• Helen Gill*
• Dr. Lowell* & Ardis* Gillett+
• Ronald & Nancy Gladen
• James D. Gribble+
• Beulah Gregoire*
• Dennis* & Patricia Grimes
• Keith W. Gunderson*+
• Cedsel J. Hagen*
• Kathryn K. Hamm*
• Linda S. Hanson
• Luther & Diann Hanson
• Russell* & Gudrun* Harding
• Margaret H. Harlow*+
• Oluf* & Margaret* Haugsrud+
• Paul A. & Tammi L. Hedtke
• Anonymous
• Dr. Annie B. Henry
• Dr. Ruth Howe & Merril Thiel+
• Dr. Myrtie A. Hunt*+
• Esther F. Instebo*+
• John & Delphine Jacobsen
• Christine Janda*
• Edwin* & Myra* Johnson
• Sam* & Peggy* Johnson+
• Margaret H. Johnson*+
• Jeffrey & Marjorie Johnson
• Vince Johnson*+
• Wilbur Johnson*+
• Dr. Johannas M. Jordan
• Robin Norgaard Kelleher
• William & Patricia Kelly
• Richard & Sharon King+
• Justin & Jessica Klander
• Lillie M. Kleven*+
• Norman Kramer
• Joan Kriegler*
• Robert & Kristie Krowech
• Dr. Elwood & Jean Largis
• Robert Ley 
• Eva Lind*+
• Glen & Terri Lindseth
• Keith Malmquist*
• Neil & Patricia* McMurrin
• Nelmarie Melville
• Mark Menard
• Kathryn & Donald Mertz
• Margaret A. Miles
• John & Susan Minter
• John & Walli Mitchell
• Dr. Dorothy L. Moore*+
• Dr. Thomas & Mary Moberg
• Harry Moore*+
• Claude Morris*+
• Richard & Susan Morris
• Betty Murray
• Mary Ann Mushel*
• Norman* & Judy Nelson
• Dr. Raymond A. Nelson*
• Wilford* & Albioni*  Nelson
• Dr. John & Monica* O’Boyle
• Dr. Charles K. O’Connor
• Beulah M. Parisi
• David & Dianne Parnow
• Lawrence W. Perkins*
• Robert & Mary Lou Peters
• David  Peterson*+
• Rohl & Patricia Peterson
• Diane Plath
• Dr. Joanne M. Provo+
• Drs. Jon & Patricia Quistgaar
• David & Kim Ramsey
• Dr. Tom & Sandra Richard
• Bill & Lois Robertson
• Pamela Fladeland-Rodriguez
• Dr. Patricia A. Rosenbrock
• Carol A. Russell
• John & Charlotte Schullo
• Mark & Margaret Schultz
• Dr. Duane & Marilyn Sea
• Ken* & Betti Sherman
• Hazel Shimmin*
• Richard Somodi
• Lowell & Lois Sorenson
• Duane & Celeste Sperl
• Michael & Melinda Spry
• Irwin* & Patricia St. John
• Jack & Marie St. Martin
• J. Ruth Stenerson*
• Willie & Arla Stittsworth
• Maurice & Lorna Sullivan+
• Melanie & Michael Teems
• Dr. Dave & Peggy Tiffany+
• Dr. Ken Traxler
• Joanne E. Torfin
• John Traxler*
• Bennett & Joan Trochlil
• Dr. James & Diane Tuorila
• Floyd A. Tweten
• Nancy & Richard Vyskocil
• Mervin Wagner*
• Jeff & Christel Wallin
• Dr. Victor D. Weber*
• Robert* & Jeanette* Welle
• Tom & Paulette Welle
• George* & Paula Welte
• Wesley W. Winter*
• Shirley M. Yliniemi*
• Robert & Sherry Young
• Charles & Susan Zielin
• Eleven anonymous

With a single gift of $100,000, on top of earlier giving of more than $1 million, Mike Roberge ’90 and his wife, Tracy, have leveraged 10 new scholarship endowments for Bemidji State University.

Roberge, president and global investment officer for Boston-based MFS Investment Management, suggested the match to maximize his support for BSU. The Roberges ‘ gift added $5,000 to gifts of $20,000 and $10,000 to gifts of $25,000, the minimum to start new endowments.

“My experience is that you can motivate others to come off the fence and make a donation,” Roberge said. Their gift did just that.

Endowments receiving a match: Thor and Melissa Carlsrud Endowment Fund, Blaine Jarvis Scholarship Fund, Richard W. Tanner Memorial Scholarship Endowment, Dr. John Backes Football Scholarship, National Renewable Solutions Scholarship Endowment, Ken Anderson and Joan Enerson Accounting Scholarship, Mark Lisa Goal Robber Scholarship Endowment, Rich and Meredith Keho Women’s Hockey Scholarship, Randy and Marlene Bowen Education Scholarship and the Alpha Nu Omega Scholarship.

Thanks to Norbord Minnesota’s support for Beaver Hockey, free tickets to home games at the Sanford Center are available to employees and their families, even on short notice.

The wood products mill in Solway has purchased about 20 season tickets for employee use, which in turn supports BSU athletic scholarships through a contribution to Beaver Pride. Information about upcoming games is posted on a screen in the employee lunchroom.

“We want to make sure our team members who are interested in attending games get an opportunity to do that,” said Cam Lewis, Norbord Minnesota general manager. “It’s a really nice option for our folks in the middle of winter to be able to see Division I hockey in a really nice facility.”

Norbord offers employees tickets to other BSU sports as well, Lewis said: “It’s getting our folks more connected to the university through athletics.”

Bemidji State political science professor Dr. Tom Beech knows well the financial challenges many students face.

He has responded by endowing a scholarship that, beginning next fall, will go to one or more students majoring in political science. He recently signed a second endowment agreement, which he anticipates will be awarded to an international student or students.

Beech, who has taught at BSU since 1999, is passionate about the role of faculty and staff in helping students succeed.

“Every person who comes in contact with a student makes a difference to their experience,” he said, “from the staff in administration and the residence halls to maintenance and food service staff.”

Finally, Beech said, he simply loves being part of Bemidji State.

“I feel very fortunate to have a job I love at a place of which I am proud,” he said, “with students, faculty and staff that I greatly respect and enjoy.”

The Cambridge English Dictionary explains for us what is Indigenous as: “naturally existing in a place or country rather than arriving from another place.”

The U.S. English Dictionary by Oxford says: “originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; native.”

Some of the first references connected to Indigenous Studies were American Indian Studies and later Native American Studies (1960-1970), thereafter the term Indigenous Studies started to have far-reaching use. Thus, we will find that, nationally, the term Indigenous is referenced in most colleges and universities, including tribal colleges.

The academic discipline of Indigenous Studies in the United States has received growing interest around the world, yet most faculty at these universities face challenges such as affordability of faculty salaries, recruitment, retention and a certain number of students and graduation rates. Some of these challenges have been met with obtaining scholarships, special programs and certificates, as well as culturally responsive communications between the university leadership and the tribal governments from area reservations in order to obtain direct student recruitment.

Jean O’Brien, professor at the University of Minnesota, says “We have gone through our ups and downs at the university, there has been times when funding has been really short and the department threatened with being collapsed or eliminated.

“Basically, it happens every time there is a budget crunch, the universities looks for places to cut, they look at ethnic studies units, gender studies those kinds of programs that they think are not essential, so we have to fight for our existence.”

According to various data, there are about 1,400 universities and colleges in the United States, both public and private. Of those, 156 are currently offering 260 programs related to this subject either as course training or specialization within Ethnic Studies or Race and Ethnic Studies (this number does not include tribal colleges and universities). Even with the challenges found with sustaining an Indigenous Studies program, the competition to keep students from attending other colleges and universities who offer this discipline is very real.

What we know about the Indigenous Studies program at BSU in relationship to other programs nationally is that they involve a wide variety of academic programs and orientations. Most universities intend to provide academic backgrounds for professions such as education, management/business, research, etc., and the type of programs offered and their focus are very diverse.

Typically, universities with strong Indigenous Studies departments offer minor degrees, major degrees at the bachelor’s level, as well as master’s degree and doctoral programs. There are very few universities (24 out of 148) that offer a specific “nation’s studies” such as we find at BSU with our Ojibwe focus as noted by scholar Claudia Salomon Tarquini in 2017.

April Lindala at Northern Michigan University describes the strengths of Indigenous Studies this way: “If you want to truly understand how diversity can enrich thought, then you have to understand how (to listen to) Indigenous ways of knowing, and believing, and how connecting can (help one) contribute to that.”

What is known is that the field of Indigenous Studies in the U.S. is constantly growing, especially in specific geographical areas and communities with large Indigenous populations. We will find that Indigenous leaders are frequently asked to contribute their knowledge in environmental sustainability, climate change and global “peace” crisis. We also know these human problems will not go away without attention. Let’s do our part and support the efforts of our Indigenous faculty and staff and BSU and help them lead the way.

Vivian Delgado is a professor of Native American studies at Bemidji State University.

BEMIDJI—A handful of BSU students and staffers learned about a style of self-defense that goes beyond elbow strikes and hammerfists.

“Empowerment self-defense” considers social cues and the broader cultural context in which violence occurs, explained Diane Long, a longtime empowerment self-defense instructor who taught seminars about the technique on Tuesday night and Wednesday on campus.

“It’s looking at the big picture of violence, so not only gender-based violence, but also everything from microaggressions, racialized violence, homophobic violence,” Long explained. “It’s very intersectional, and it’s helping people figure out how to interrupt those things early.”

So students at one seminar practiced reading Long’s body language as she acted out a short scene with a volunteer who asked her out for drinks. They also worked on saying “no” to someone who gets too close to them—and how they knew when to tell the other person to halt. Two sets of striking pads sat nearby, unused for the moment. Long said her work also considers sex-positive notions and teaches students how to say “yes” to touch they like.

That type of training, Long told the Pioneer, is important in college campuses because young women are at a high risk for sexual violence during their first six months at college.

“Part of it is you’re away from home, there’s a lot of social settings where there’s more independence,” Long said. “There’s a mentality around toxic masculinity sometimes, where there’s some predatory behavior.”

Some BSU students come from small, rural environments where they know everybody, said Lora Bertelsen, a psychologist in the university’s counseling services department.

“They come to BSU and they go to a party…and they don’t realize that nobody’s got their back,” she said. “So they sort of don’t anticipate danger.”

Others are afraid to say “no” or don’t know how, Bertelsen said.

“And the self-defense stuff is going to break this down,” Long said. “What are the barriers to speaking up and speaking out?”

Long’s appearance at the university is part of “Sexual Responsibility Week.” Students could take a look at an informational “romantic bedroom display” or play “condom bingo” on Monday. Students at Northwest Technical College can learn about bystander intervention at 11:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 26, in conference room B at the technical college.

Bemidji State University’s Department of Nursing officially welcomed 62 prospective nurses into its Class of 2020 at its traditional pinning ceremony, held Feb. 17 in BSU’s Beaux Arts Ballroom.

Newly inducted nurses were welcomed by Dr. Sheila Paul, professor of nursing and department chair, and were greeted by current nursing students Corinna Huot and Kaitlynn Arbogast, public relations officer for BSU’s Student Nurses Association. Inductees also recited The Nightingale Pledge, named after Florence Nightingale, pledging their commitment to the highest professional and academic standards of the nursing profession.

The Midwinter Interlude, Bemidji State University’s annual art and crafts show featuring work by university faculty and staff, returns March 2.

An opening reception for the Midwinter Interlude will be held March 2 from 3-6 p.m. in the Ramsey Gallery of BSU’s Bangsberg Fine Arts Complex. The reception is part of Bemidji’s First Friday Art Walk, which features art and culture events throughout the city on the first Friday of each month. The exhibit will be open until April 19.

The opening will include a meet and greet with the artists with music and refreshments. The annual show has included photography, knitting, stained glass, sculpture and many other crafts.

The Ramsey Gallery is open free of charge Monday through Sunday from 8 a.m.—10 p.m. The gallery entrance is located on the west side of the Bangsberg Fine Arts Complex near the building’s parking lot.

Bemidji’s First Friday Art Walk, hosted by the Watermark Art Center, is a self-guided tour which features an average of eight artists each month. The walk supports local artists and businesses, and each month’s featured destinations can be found on the center’s website: https://watermarkartcenter.org/our-programs/first-fridays-art-walk-2/

“The Midwinter Interlude has become a BSU tradition to showcase the talents of our faculty and staff and create a sense of community by sharing artwork that we do outside of the university,” said Debra Kreuger, office and administrative specialist for BSU’s School of Technology, Art & Design and coordinator for the Midwinter Interlude. “It helps us get to know each other in a more personal way, and may encourage others to pursue art in their spare time.”

Contact

• Debra Kreuger, office and administrative specialist, BSU School of Technology, Art & Design; (218) 755-2950, dkrueger@bemidjistate.edu

Links

• Watermark Art Center

Bemidji State University, located amid the lakes and forests of northern Minnesota, occupies a wooded campus along the shore of Lake Bemidji. Enrolling more than 5,100 students, Bemidji State offers more than 80 undergraduate majors and eight graduate degrees encompassing arts, sciences and select professional programs. BSU is a member of the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities and has a faculty and staff of more than 550. The university’s Shared Fundamental Values include environmental stewardship, civic engagement and international and multicultural understanding.

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Ceramics work by six artists who have won McKnight Foundation Fellowships and Residencies are being featured at Bemidji State University’s Talley Gallery through March 28.

Each year the Northern Clay Center develops an exhibit of fellowship and residency recipients which tours Minnesota to share the work with people outside of the Twin Cities metro area.

The annual exhibition, Six McKnight Artists, features new work by 2016 McKnight Artist Fellowship for Ceramic Artists recipients Nicolas Darcourt, from Minnetonka, Minn., and Sheryl McRoberts, from Plymouth, Minn. The exhibit also features 2015 McKnight Artist Residency for Ceramic Artists recipients Kathryn Finnerty from Oregon, Lung-Chieh Lin from Taiwan), Helen Otterson from Kentucky, and Joseph Pintz from Missouri.

The McKnight Artist Fellowships and Residencies for Ceramic Artists programs are designed to strengthen and enhance Minnesota’s artistic community. The fellowship awards are used to defray studio and living expenses, allow artists to experiment with new materials and techniques and to build upon ideas within their work. The fellowship program is intended to advance the work of Minnesota ceramic artists whose work is deemed to be of exceptional artistic merit. McKnight fellowships provide two types of direct financial support: two annual fellowships for exceptional mid-career Minnesota ceramic artists, and four awards to artists from outside Minnesota that includes a three-month residency at the Northern Clay Center.

Since 1997, the McKnight Foundation has supported 99 ceramics artists – 28 with fellowships and 71 with residency fellowships.

The McKnight exhibit and all activities at the Talley Gallery are supported by the BSU Student Activity Fee Allocation Committee.

About the Talley Gallery

Bemidji State University’s Talley Gallery was dedicated to the memory of Ila Mae Talley on Sept. 27, 1975. Talley joined the Bemidji State Teachers College faculty in 1946 and taught at the college until her death in 1963. During her tenure, she organized the Bemidji Creative Arts Center and the Minnesota Art Education Exchange, now known as the Art Educators of Minnesota. At BSC, she taught a variety of students in elementary art, techniques of weaving, Introduction to Art and Methods of Teaching Art. The Talley Gallery’s exhibits, collections and programs have supplemented BSU art education and cultivated a greater understanding of and appreciation for creative expression in the Bemidji region. Each year, the gallery hosts six visiting professional artists and juries three BSU student shows – two senior art shows and one scholarship show.

Located in Bridgeman Hall room 140 on the campus of Bemidji State University, the Talley Gallery is barrier-free and open at no charge to the public. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

About the McKnight Foundation

The McKnight Foundation, a Minnesota-based family foundation, seeks to improve the quality of life for present and future generations through grant-making, collaboration and strategic policy reform. The McKnight Foundation supports working artists to create and contribute to vibrant communities behind the vision that Minnesota thrives when its artists thrive.

Calendar

• Feb. 26-March 28 – Bemidji State University’s Talley Gallery presents “Six McKnight Artists,” featuring new works by six winners of McKnight Foundation Artist Fellowships and Artist Residencies: 2016 McKnight Artist Fellowship for Ceramic Artists recipients Nicolas Darcourt and Sheryl McRoberts, and 2015 McKnight Artist Residency for Ceramic Artists recipients Kathryn Finnerty, Lung-Chieh Lin, Helen Otterson and Joseph Pintz. Location: Talley Gallery, Bridgeman Hall, BSU campus. Admission: Free. Information: (218) 755-3708.

Contact

• Laura Goliaszewski, Talley Gallery director; (218) 755-3708, lgoliaszewski@bemidjistate.edu

Links

• Talley Gallery
• McKnight Foundation
• Northern Clay Center

Bemidji State University, located in northern Minnesota’s lake district, occupies a wooded campus along the shore of Lake Bemidji. A member of the colleges and universities of Minnesota State, Bemidji State offers more than 80 undergraduate majors and 11 graduate degrees encompassing arts, sciences and select professional programs. Bemidji State has an enrollment of more than 5,100 students and a faculty and staff of more than 550. University signature themes include environmental stewardship, civic engagement and global and multi-cultural understanding.

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Bemidji State University’s Department of Music will bring Gilbert and Sullivan’s classic opera, “The Pirates of Penzance,” to Bemidji audiences with a modern twist beginning March 2.

The two-act comedic opera show follows a young pirate apprentice named Fredrick who is about to get his freedom after 21 long years belonging to the pirates. Inevitably, he runs into some troubles along the way.

The opera’s space theme came from Dr. Cory Renbarger, Bemidji State’s associate music professor who also directs the university’s opera theater productions.

“I am a fan of sci-fi,” he said. “I was watching something last summer as we were thinking about what shows to do, and I thought Pirates of Penzance would work,” Renbarger said. “Why not make it different and new?”

The 100-year-old show has been performed many times by many colleges, often with different and unusual takes on the source material.

“I think what makes this version particularly interesting is taking a love classic and putting a new spin on it while maintaining and preserving what made it great in the first place,” Renbarger said. “I think the whole space theme is something that is explored on television, movies and cinema a lot right now. I thought, ‘let’s have some fun with it.’”

One dramatic difference in the modern, spaceship theme is the portrayal of the opera’s female characters.

“They have light sabers,” Renbarger said. “They are not these weak, dainty girls. They are almost like a ninja squad. They are not the petticoat-wearing, umbrella-twirling characters that are portrayed in the original.”

Tom Skime, the technical director for the musical, got the futurist, modern looking set together, while Fred Rogers, a Bemidji State alum and head of Minnesota Forklore Theatre, crafted the show’s unique space-themed costumes.

Renbarger said the experience levels of the students in this year’s production vary greatly. For some, it will be the first time they perform on stage at BSU, while for others it will be the culmination of a lengthy collegiate career on stage.

“This is a big undertaking and our students are taking it very well,” Renbarger said. “They have been working well together and I’m very proud of that. It is perfectly indicative of what we do in the opera program.”

Students auditioned for the roles back in September and began rehearsing after the holiday break. They had a month to rehearse the show’s music elements and a month rehearse on stage with the set in place.

“I think it just shows that there is excellent education going on through the opera,” Renbarger said.

The production’s music will be conducted by Dr. Dwight Jilek and assisted by Miriam Webber. Both are assistant professors in BSU’s Department of Music. The pit orchestra will feature several professional musicians from outside the Bemidji area, and also will feature BSU faculty members Webber, Chow-Yen Chen and Heather Guidry, along with several students.

“The Pirates of Penzance” will run for three performances between March 2-4, with 7:30 p.m. shows March 2-3 and a 3 p.m. matinee March 4. Tickets are available at the door for $15; senior citizens age 62 and over are admitted for $10 and all BSU/NTC students are admitted free with a valid ID.

Calendar

Mar. 2 – 7:30 p.m. – Bemidji State University Department of Music Presents “Opera: Pirates of Penzance” in the main theatre of Bangsberg. $15 adults; $10 senior citizens (62+)/K-12 and all BSU/NTC students free with ID.

Mar. 3 – 7:30 p.m. – Bemidji State University Department of Music Presents “Opera: Pirates of Penzance” in the main theatre of Bangsberg. $15 adults; $10 senior citizens (62+)/K-12 and all BSU/NTC students free with ID.

Mar. 4 – 3 p.m. – Bemidji State University Department of Music Presents “Opera: Pirates of Penzance” in the main theatre of Bangsberg. $15 adults; $10 senior citizens (62+)/K-12 and all BSU/NTC students free with ID.

Bemidji State University, located amid the lakes and forests of northern Minnesota, occupies a wooded campus along the shore of Lake Bemidji. Enrolling more than 5,100 students, Bemidji State offers more than 80 undergraduate majors and eight graduate degrees encompassing arts, sciences and select professional programs. BSU is a member of the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities and has a faculty and staff of more than 550. The university’s Shared Fundamental Values include environmental stewardship, civic engagement and international and multicultural understanding.