Reel learning: Fledgling moviemakers flock to film programs New center: A source for computer-savvy graduates Mind games: Simulations engage students

The Minnesota State Colleges & Universities magazine Fall 2006 • Vol. 2 • No. 1 Published by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. James H. McCormick, Chancellor EDITOR: Linda Kohl ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Nancy Conner ART DIRECTOR: Deborah Thayer PHOTOGRAPHERS: Abdurashid Ali, Paul Berger, Jonathan Chapman, Dan Conklin, Nancy Conner, Sally Grans, Whitney H a rris, Erin Larsen, Roberta Link, Deborah M o rris, Glenn Morris, Monte Swann CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Paul Berger, Nancy Conner, Linda Kohl, Todd Nelson, Melinda Voss LETTERS: Send letters intended for possible publication to Public Affairs Minnesota State Colleges & Universities Wells Fargo Place 30 7th St. E., Suite 350 St. Paul, MN 55101-7804 or by e-mail to [email protected] . Include your name, address and daytime telephone number. The editor reserves the right to edit letters for space and clarity. ISSN 1932-7773 www.mnscu.edu Phone: (651) 296-8012 Toll-free: (888) 667-2848 TTY: (651) 282-2660

10

A passion for cinema

Filmmaking and screenwriting programs provide a foot in the door for budding moviemakers. Nearly 500 students are enrolled at Minnesota State University Moorhead, Metropolitan State University and Minneapolis Community and Technical College as a growing number see cinema as a viable career choice.

Photos make friends

23

Photographic artist Wing Young Huie and nearly 400 students and 12 instructors at North Hennepin Community College collaborated on “In FOCUS,” a photo project intended to build ties among students who otherwise might never get to know each other.

It’s all in a day’s work on ‘the ice’ Welding graduate Glenn Morris, who has served three stints in A n t a rctica maintaining crucial equipment for the National Science Foundation, tells about a typical day. Occasional

26 32

excursions enable employees to see wildlife such as empero r penguins and Weddell seals.

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in employment and education opportunity. No person shall be discriminated against in the terms and conditions of employment, personnel practices, or access to and participation in programs, services and activities, with regard to race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, or membership or activity in a local commission as defined by law. This document is available in alternative formats to individuals with disabilities by calling one of the numbers above. © Copyright 2006 by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.

COVER: Adam Olson, filmmaking instructor at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, helps a student adjust the camera in the college’s greenscreen studio. Story on Page 10. Photo by Jonathan Chapman.

Delivering Minnesota’s morning news

Minnesota Public Radio journalist and alumnus Perry Finelli relishes the daily challenge of crafting and delivering news broadcasts that keep thousands of listeners informed.

INSIDE: Briefs Campus Roundup Faculty Spotlight Meet New Trustees Alumni FALL 2006 | M I N N E S OTA STATE | 1

‘Biker Bob’ rolls again

Grad assists at surprise birth

Over the past five years, former trustee Robert Erickson

For Brainerd Police officer John Davis, a recent Central

has covered 11,500 miles of Minnesota highways and

Lakes College criminal justice graduate, helping at a

byways on his bicycle, visiting all 53 campuses in the

home birth was nothing new. After all, he’d delivered

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities each year.

babies in his previous paramedic career. But this one

His quest? Scholarship dollars and publicity for the

turned out to be a breech birth.

problems that part-time students face in financing their education.

Heidi Hagen of rural Brainerd began having labor pains at about 3 a.m. May 18, and even before her husband, Dave, could get her into the car, contractions began coming a few minutes apart. The couple imme­ diately called 911, which transferred the call to St. Joseph’s Hospital. Staff stayed on the line to coach the panicked dad, who could see the baby’s foot. Davis was the first officer on the scene. Dave Hagen, in the kitchen tending to Heidi, already had partly delivered the baby. Davis immediately went to work, making sure the umbilical cord wasn’t being pinched and that the baby could breathe as he was being delivered. A round 4:25 a.m, Davis brought John Steven into the world. When he didn’t start breathing, Davis pumped

Robert Erickson rode 2,300 miles this year to raise funds.

oxygen into his tiny lungs, and the baby suddenly let out squeaks and turned pink, surrounded by the relieved dad,

By the time this year’s trek ended on Sept. 21,

grandmother and other emergency personnel. The

Erickson, 60, had raised more than $295,000 over five

Hagens listed Davis as the person who delivered their

years and more than $33,000 on this year’s ride alone.

son on his birth certificate.

Donations come from all over – townspeople, students, campus staff and events such as a pizza feed and bicy­ cle raffles. Erickson has used the bike trips, each 2,300 miles long, to advocate for a more favorable state financial aid policy for part-time students. About 40 percent of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities students are enrolled part time; their average age is 29. “ T h e y ’ re often not eligible for scholarships, and the financial aid formula does not treat them fairly,” said Erickson of Bloomington. He is chair of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Foundation, which distributes scholarships to part-time students. Recipients of the scholarships frequently send messages of appreciation. “I am a 33-year-old mother of three who decided to begin work on my college d e g ree two years ago. …Thanks to your scholarship (I also received it in 2004), my dream of finishing college is closer than ever,” wrote an Inver Hills Community College student who plans to obtain a four-year degree in theater and Spanish. Contributions can be made to the foundations of individual Minnesota State Colleges and Universities

Photo by Steve Kohls, Brainerd Dispatch

or to the Trustee Emeritus Erickson Part - Time Student Scholarship fund of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Foundation. See www.foundation.mnscu.edu .

2 | MINNESOTA STATE

FALL 2006

Central Lakes College graduate John Davis of the Brainerd Police Department provided crucial help when Dave and Heidi Hagen’s baby made a surprise appearance.

Problem gambling affects students nationwide

The program’s success has prompted other

P roblem gambling affects college students

State’s assistance in developing similar efforts.

public and private schools to seek Bemidji

nationwide but typically remains unre c o g­ nized on campuses, a study by Bemidji State

Building ties with Somalia

University has found. The national statistics

A six-member delegation from the Minnesota

a re disquieting. One-quarter of the nation’s nearly 16 million college students gam­ ble, and gambling p roblems for college students

State Colleges and Universities system trav­ eled 8,200 miles this summer to build ties with Puntland State University and Nugaal University, two relatively new universities in Somalia. The delegation included students and faculty members from Minneapolis Community and Technical College, Inver Hills Community College, Century College, and

are growing at a rate

representatives of the Metro Alliance, which

t h ree times faster than in

comprises the 11 state colleges and universi­

the general adult population. But only 22 percent of college campuses in the United States have gambling policies similar to those for alcohol use. Bemidji State, as part of a Minnesota

ties in the Twin Cities, and Somali Family Services, a Minneapolis organization serving Somali immigrants. System officials hope ties between the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and the two universities in Somalia will

D e p a rtment of Human Services pilot project,

expand into student and faculty exchanges

conducted a study of gambling by students

when the country’s political situation

on its campus. The results showed that

becomes more stable. In return, two gifts

gambling is widely accepted among the

were presented – a live camel to Minneapolis

students. Of those surveyed, 92 percent

Community and Technical College and two

said they have friends who gamble and

Arabian horses to Inver Hills Community

35 percent said they knew someone who

College. The animals will remain in Somalia

had a gambling problem.

as a symbol of sisterhood. System officials

“The results appear to be reflective of

believe that more Somalis attend the

the college population in general,” said Jay

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities

Passa, Bemidji State health education coord i­

than any other U.S. higher education system.

nator who coordinated the study. “Our

Minneapolis Community and Technical

students are very similar to others at colleges

College alone has 300 to 350 Somali students

and universities across Minnesota and the

attending each semester.

Minneapolis Community and Technical College, was featured in a story in the Star Tribune newspaper June 9 after

a delivery driver for Galactic Pizza.

playing electronic slots or poker (43 percent),

After he delivered a pizza, Evans was

a c c o rding to Passa. The vast majority of stu­

walking back to his truck when he

dents gamble for fun, social reasons and

heard a woman screaming, “Stop him!

excitement. But for a small minority

Stop him!” Wearing a cape, orange

(5 perc e n t ), gambling has led to financial

tights and black boots, Evans, 26, ran

problems, prompting students to turn to

to the rescue, chasing the man who

family, friends, credit card debt or savings

had snatched the woman’s purse.

to cover their losses. A few used student

Evans and two passersby trapped the

loans or other financial aid.

robber in an alley and let him go in

To help students better understand

to illuminate gambling’s lure and dangers.

Cameron Evans, a student at

dressed like a superh e ro in his job as

such as buying lottery tickets (52 percent) or

university has mounted an educational eff o rt

STUDENT SUPERHERO FOILS CRIME

he stopped a purse theft while

nation.” Most of the activities seem harmless,

what could become a silent addiction, the

Photo by Elizabeth Flores, Star Tribune © 2006 Star Tribune.

Delegates from Minnesota, along with university President Abdirahman Ali, second from right, tour the site for the future main campus of Nugaal University in Puntland, Somalia.

exchange for the purse, which they returned to the grateful victim.

FALL 2006 | M I N N E S OTA STATE | 3

C A M P U S RO U N D U P

Alexandria Technical College

Anoka Technical College

Can I test the snowmobile again? F o rty-five high school teachers from across the state participated in a two-day training seminar in August on current technology in re c reational and power equipment at Alexandria. The teachers received factory training from manufacturing re p resentatives on equipment from Arctic Cat, Briggs & Stratton, Honda and Stihl. An instructor who coordinated the event said, “This type of training for high school teachers is rare, but due to the partnerships our program has with the industry, we are able to pro v i d e s t a t e - o f - t h e - a rt training.”

Quick with words. Jennifer Sati has been named Instructor of the Year by the Minnesota Association of Verbatim Reporters and Captioners. Sati is program director for the college’s judicial reporting and broadcast cap­ tioning program. She holds certifications as a Registered Merit Reporter (writing at a speed of 260 words per minute), Certified Realtime Reporter and Certified Broadcast Captioner. Before joining the college, Sati worked on many high-profile cases, including the O.J. Simpson trial, Minnesota tobacco litigation and the 3M breast implant trial.

Bemidji State University SinoSummer connects students with China. Thanks to a 19-year relationship with China’s Liaoning University, students enrolled in Bemidji State University’s SinoSummer program experience China firsthand and more realisti­ cally than many tourists could dream of doing. “The greatest take-away is how students come to view China, the U.S., the world and them­ selves,” said Sharon Gritzmacher, Bemidji State associate professor and program director. Thirty-one students participated in the 2006 five-week, 12-credit program. Students select a topic and prepare a pretrip research paper. They record their impressions in daily jour­ nals, then complete a paper on their topic and a comparative rejoinder to their initial research paper as a final assignment. More than 500 students have participated since 1990. Instructors Jeff Ruth, left, of Pine Technical College and Mike Sunblad of Albert Lea High School part i c ipate in industry - s p o n s o red factory training at Alexandria Technical College.

Student Jessica Swadner assists dentist Kristin Rajala in the Central Lakes Community Dental Clinic.

Lakes College. A public facility owned and operated by the state of Minnesota and open to those insured by the Minnesota Health Care System, it is the first such partnership between the college and the Department of Human Services. Clinic staff includes a dentist, dental hygienist and dental assisting students working as interns.

Century College Mathematics department wins again. For the third consecutive year, Century has won top honors for being both the best in the state and the best in the region in the American Mathematical Association of TwoYear Colleges Student Mathematics League contest. Century College is in the Central Region, made up of 12 states. The Student Mathematics League contest consists of two written competitions each year at two-year colleges nationwide.

Anoka-Ramsey Community College

Dakota County Technical College

Underre p resented students get an edge. A new program on the Cambridge campus of Anoka-Ramsey Community College will help pave a pathway to success for students tradition­ ally underre p resented in higher education. The Aspire Program is designed for students of color, students from low- or moderate-income families and students whose parents have not e a rned a bachelor’s degree. Services include learning communities, one-on-one advising and tutoring, group social and cultural activities, and guidance on transfer to four-year colleges and universities. The Aspire Program is made possi­ ble through a grant from the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.

A great-sounding care e r. Over the last decade, voice-recognition technology has made major advances, increasing the efficiency of medical transcriptionists. Medical tran­ scriptionists now can transcribe 30 perc e n t more quickly through the use of this new technology. Dakota County Technical College i n s t ructor Susan Johanson has brought the voice-recognition training to her classro o m , w h e re students use Dictaphone Enterprise E x p ress Speech software, a product of Nuance Communications, Inc. The company worked closely with Johanson and the college’s Information Technology Department to install the software and start the training.

4 | MINNESOTA STATE | FALL 2006

Bemidji State University students spell out BSU on the eastern fringes of the Gobi Desert in Inner Mongolia while on a field trip during their SinoSummer studies.

Central Lakes College Open wide. The Central Lakes Community Dental Clinic, a pilot project with full-service dental procedures, has opened in the dental assisting lab on the Brainerd campus of Central

C AMPUSROUNDUP Fond du Lac Tribal & Community College

Inver Hills Community College

International consortium. Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College in Cloquet, along with the Fond du Lac Indian Reserv a t i o n , hosted the 2006 World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium Annual General Meeting in August. More than 175 people attended, including higher education profes­ sionals from New Zealand, Australia, Taiwan, Canada, Saamiland-Norway, South America and Africa. This was the first time the organi­ zation has gathered within the 48-state main­ land of the United States.

A national benchmark in student satisfaction. A new survey shows that the college’s Adult Success through Accelerated Programs option has set national benchmarks for student satis­ faction. A Noel-Levitz survey of students in the program found that ASAP ranked first in four of eight categories. The study compare d 26 institutions; Inver Hills was the only twoyear college in the group. More than 800 students have enrolled at Inver Hills through ASAP, and more than half went on to bache­ lor’s degree programs. The average age of p a rticipants is 39, and more than 70 percent a re women.

Lake Superior College

Delegates from Taiwan wore traditional dress to opening ceremonies at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College.

Hennepin Technical College Chef takes the cake. Culinary arts instructor Carlo Castagneri has been honored with life­ time membership in the Honorable Order of the Golden Toque, the highest recognition a chef can receive in the United States. He joined the Hennepin Technical College culinary art s p rogram in 1979 and now over­ sees third-semes­ ter students, w h o receive training in the college’s g o u rmet dining room. The Golden Toque was founded in France, and membership is restricted to 100 lifetime Chef Carlo Castagneri of members. Hennepin Technical College

Going the distance. A Lake Superior College Vi rtual Campus project is among the winners of the Innovations of the Year for 2006, s p o n s o red by the League for Innovation in the Community College. The college was recog­ nized for develop­ ing online learn i n g o p p o rtunities that tie together dis­ Barry Dahl of Lake Superior tance education College and distance athletic events. Students are instructed via an Internet-delivered course and training program for marathon-length events. The final exam is participation in either Grandma’s Marathon (running), the NorthShore Inline Marathon (skating), or the American Birkebeiner ( N o rdic skiing). Barry Dahl, vice pre s i d e n t for technology and the Virtual Campus, received the award for his work in implementing the courses.

Metropolitan State University ‘ C a reerships’ for future leaders. M e t ropolitan State University is working with the Twin Cities Local Initiatives Support Corporation to attract and retain new leaders who reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the neighborhoods in which community development corporations work. Strategies include a mid-career apprenticeship pro g r a m called the Careership Program that off e r s people who have some work experience a stipend for an 18-month, part-time appre n­ ticeship with a community development corporation. A Human Capital Development Initiative grant funds the pro gr a m .

Minneapolis Community & Technical College A secure career choice. A new Institute for Computer Security and Forensics pro­ vides cyber-security training for key justice system and nonprofit organization staff. The institute, funded by a $200,000 U.S. Department of Justice grant and $60,000 from the system’s Center for Strategic Information Technology and Security, is a two-year initiative to train information tech­ nology staff from nonprofit organizations in techniques to secure computer and technology systems and to train law enforcement and criminal justice systems staff in inform a t i o n security, computer forensics and pro c e d u res for digital investigations.

Minnesota State College Southeast Technical Three institutions in one. Students who come to Winona for college will be able to take classes from three institutions through a tri-college collaboration that expands student options. The presidents of Winona State University, St. Mary’s University and Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical are working together to make it easier for stu­ dents to transfer among the three institutions. A main goal is to increase the number of fouryear programs into which MSC - Southeast Technical students can transfer without losing credits from their associate degrees.

Minnesota State Community & Technical College Fulbright scholar in residence. Minnesota State Community and Technical College has been selected to host a Fulbright Scholar-inResidence for the 2006-2007 academic year. The program, which brings visiting scholars from abroad to lecture at U.S. colleges and universities, is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. State Department. Denise Ferran from Ireland will work with faculty and students in visual arts on the Fergus Falls campus. Ferran has exhibited her work throughout Ireland and the United States and is represented in many public art collections.

Minnesota State University, Mankato Aff i rmative action officer honored. Minnesota State University, Mankato Aff i rmative Action O fficer Kenneth White has been honored for 20 years of excellence in public service by the National Forum for Black Public Administrators. White is president of the Forum’s Minnesota chapter and has been the university’s aff i rmative action officer since July 2004. FALL 2006 | M I N N E S OTA STATE | 5

C AMPUSROUNDUP Minnesota State University Moorhead Alcohol and College Life course. HLTH 122: “Alcohol and College Life” is a required course for all new freshmen beginning this fall. Fifteen lessons cover a range of topics about alcohol in the context of college. Each lesson includes an online lecture, enriched with audio, video and interactive games, and readings. The goal is to give new students insights into the rewards and pre s s u res of freshman year, part i c­ ularly around the subjects of socialization, new friends, parties and drinking. In video and audio clips, older students offer firsthand glimpses of campus life from the perspective of those who have been there.

training for soldiers, ropes courses have been transformed into developmental activities for students, staff members or any group looking to establish unity. Among the benefits a recent business group noted after its ropes course experience was the encouragement from team­ mates while learning to appreciate each other’s s t rengths in a new way.

Pine Technical College Excellence squared. Pine Technical College has been named to two of the system’s centers of excellence: the Center for Integrated Health Science Education and Practice and the Consortium for Manufacturing and Applied Engineering. Additionally, Pine Technical College and Southwest Minnesota State University are working together to offer bach­ elor’s degrees in business administration, applied science and early childhood education on the college campus.

Minnesota West Community & Technical College Fairmont, Luverne centers open. Classes are being offered in two new venues in southwest­ ern Minnesota this fall. The college’s new Fairmont Center has begun offering classes in a newly renovated school building. Other insti­ tutions at the center are Presentation College; Minnesota State University, Mankato; South Central College; Riverland Community College; and St. Mary’s College of Winona. In Luverne, the Luverne Educational Center for Health Careers is a new joint venture between Minnesota West, the Sioux Valley Health System and the Luverne Economic Development Authority. Housed in a former hospital, the center is designed to meet the needs for skilled health care workers and medical support staff in some of the fastestgrowing segments of health care.

Students try out a ropes course at North Hennepin Community College.

Northeast Higher Education District Come CLEAN. A new Career Laddering for the Education and Advancement of Nursing program, called the CLEAN program, off e r s licensed practical nurses and practical nursing students in rural areas of northeastern Minnesota the opportunity to complete a registered nursing degree online. Based at Hibbing Community College, the distance learning program partnership with Itasca, Hibbing and Rainy River community colleges was made possible through a three-year federal grant.

North Hennepin Community College On the ropes. Wild Woosey. The Circle of Trust. The Spider Web. These are just some of the challenges posed in the college’s new ropes course, a personal development and team-build­ ing activity offering opportunities to build camaraderie, trust, accountability, positive risktaking and critical-thinking skills. Developed during World War II as a form of military 6 | MINNESOTA STATE | FALL 2006

Ridgewater College Justice served. Ridgewater College and St. Cloud State University are collaborating to offer a bachelor’s degree program in criminal justice at the Willmar campus. The program will deliver junior-, senior- and graduate-level classes taught by St. Cloud State University faculty on the Ridgewater campus. Instruction will be a combination of on-site, online and interactive television classes. The program allows law enforcement and corrections stu­ dents and personnel living in the Willmar area to continue their education.

Riverland Community College

Normandale Community College Cursos ofrecidos enteramente en español. Normandale Community College is offering a number of classes taught entirely in Spanish, including Hispanic history and the geography of Latin America. Class lectures and all support materials, including textbooks and course syllabi, are in Spanish. English sections of the courses also are offered. College officials say the cours­ es taught in Spanish are partly geared to people who grew up speaking Spanish in their homes but never received a formal introduction to the language and its grammar.

Northwest Technical College Scholarship/ Intern Program. Marco selected the college to help the company hire skilled sales specialists in various areas of technology solutions. Program highlights include second-year tuition reimbursement, a paid internship and the offer of a sales position after successfully completing the sales marketing and management program.

Northland Community & Technical College American Indian nursing program. Northland Community and Technical College and White Earth Tribal and Community College recently announced plans to offer a new nursing education program through a $98,000 matching grant from Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. Northland has provided a registered nursing education pro­ gram for 20 years, but the percentage of American Indian students enrolled is extremely low. The registered nursing program will be directed toward American Indian high school students and adults who wish to pursue nursing as a career. The college hopes to increase American Indian enrollment in the nursing program by 10 students per year.

Northwest Technical College Technically, I’m sold. Marco, a St. Cloud business products firm, recently established the

A civic thing to do. Leadership Austin, a new initiative of Riverland Community College and the Austin Area Chamber of Commerce, will assist individuals interested in developing leadership skills, building civic awareness and increasing their involvement in the communi­ ty. Participants become better informed about community issues, better connected to com­ munity leaders and better pre p a red to take on enhanced roles in the community decisionmaking process.

Rochester Community & Technical College On the grid. Rochester Community and Technical College became a partner in the World Community Grid last spring, joining the IBM Corporation and a group of more than 150 leading organizations that contribute their idle personal computer time to assist humanitarian research. World Community Grid uses grid technology to establish a per­

C AMPUSROUNDUP manent, flexible infrastructure that pro v i d e s re s e a rchers with a readily available pool of computational power that can be used to solve problems plaguing humanity. In July, the college ranked fourth in the world in overall runtime contributions on the World Community Grid.

St. Cloud Technical College Open your mind to door15. St. Cloud Technical College’s Continuing Education division welcomes visitors to its Web site from the college’s home page through a new portal known as “door15.” Using icons of various classroom doors that swing open as a computer mouse passes over them, visitors to www.door15.com are invited to find out more about lifelong learning opportunities, including continuing education, customized training and emergency or safety education. The site introduces itself with the headline, “At door15, we’re opening doors for you.”

St. Paul College A trio of new grants. St. Paul College recently received several grants to better pre p a re students for the demands of emerging and high-growth industries such as energy and nanotechnology. Grants include a $126,000 Noel-Levitz Enable Math Retention grant, launched jointly with the Power of You program (which offers free tuition for two years to eligible students); a $13,000 system grant supporting a collabora­ tion with WomenVenture and Xcel Energy to create career paths to the energy industry for

students from St. Paul public schools; and another $5,000 system grant adding to federal money being used to launch a nanotechnology program.

South Central College Now, let’s get technical. TechNow, a summer computer programming camp for high school students sponsored by South Central College Computer Careers faculty and business partners, was off e red to students with an interest and apti­ tude in programming. During the intensive three-day program, students had opportunities to talk about career opportunities including the need for mainframe and Web programmers.

Southwest Minnesota State University Regional Event Center. A new Regional Event Center will be built soon at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall. Construction is expected to be completed by fall 2007. The 2006 Legislature appropriated $11 million for the facility, and the university will work with the Schwan Food Company to raise an additional $5 million for the project. The center will provide a multipurpose venue for economic and cultural events, entertainment, educational and sporting events, and graduations. A removable bubble roof will cover the field from November through April.

Winona State University “Native Voices” resonate. Winona State University’s Original Peoples of the Land “Native Voices” series presented “Honoring

the Earth: Our Native American Legacy” with Winona LaDuke in September. LaDuke, an Anishinaabeg (Ojibwe) enrolled member of the Mississippi Band of Anishinaabeg, is an activist, environmentalist, economist and writer, founder of the White Earth Land R e c o v e ry Project in Minnesota and the Indigenous Women’s Network, and the p rogram director for the Honor the Eart h Fund. Ms. magazine named LaDuke its Woman of the Year in 1997.

Office of the Chancellor A grassroots network of community members, alumni, faculty, staff and students is poised to help build support for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and promote state investment in higher education during the 2007 legislative session. The Friends Action Network, or FAN, will encourage support e r s to talk to friends, family, neighbors – and especially their elected officials – about the value of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. “Strong state support for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities translates into a strong workforce and i m p roved quality of life for all Minnesotans,” said Mary Jacquart, government relations d i rector for the system. During the pro j e c t ’s launch, more than 900 people signed up at the State Fair to become FANs and learn m o re about higher education issues and how to support the system’s legislative request. For more information or to become a FAN, go to www.fan.mnscu.edu .

St. Cloud State University

Aviation students at St. Cloud State University have opportunities to work with corporate flight depart m e n t s .

Business partnerships take flight. The St. Cloud State University aviation program is attracting national attention for bringing aviation students together with flight departments of major corporations. Students get hands-on experience in projects at 3M, Target, General Mills, Cargill and eight other large Minnesota companies, and businesses gain a pipeline of future professionals. Businesses choose major projects to be tackled by the students, who benefit from technological resources not always available on campus, plus mentoring and formal evaluations. Student teams have tackled assignments about aircraft and organization mergers, jet acquisition, and pilot succession and hiring. The teams present their projects to company management and classmates, then receive mock corporate interviews for feedback and further mentoring. The partnership program, developed by Assistant Professor Tara Harl, has given more than 100 students the chance to work on business aviation projects over the last four years. The internship and networking opportunities are invalu­ able, said St. Cloud State alumnus Benjamin Quinn, now a technical marketing analyst with Netjets in Columbus, Ohio. “Where else would I get the chance to connect with people who run flight departments at places like Target, General Mills and the Metropolitan Airports Commission?” The National Business Aviation Association, a national organization for business aviation professionals, recently selected the St. Cloud State program as a model for similar programs at other colleges around the country. FALL 2006 | M I N N E S OTA STATE | 7

G R A N T S A N D R E C O G N I T IO N S

Here is a sample of grants and awards received by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and their faculty, staff and students.

Grants St. Paul College has been awarded a five-year, $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education for the college’s Midwest Center for Postsecondary Outreach to increase and improve higher education opportunities for deaf people in 13 Midwestern states. The grant will help the center train college and university administrators, faculty and staff in the region in counseling, tutoring, interpreting, using listening devices, and communication methods and technologies. The center, one of four such centers in the nation, also supports a collabora­ tive network among regional higher education institutions and other regional and national o rganizations.

Hubbard County’s Beauty Lake. The goal is to help the state and county better understand how to protect valuable lake resources. Collected data will enable the state and county to track changes in water quality, shoreline characteristics and overall ecology as a result of the cumulative impacts of development. The entire shoreline of the 54-acre Beauty Lake was platted in 1999 for residential devel­ opment with 30 lots; within a year, all the lots were sold and development began. Boston Scientific Corp. has donated a $200,000 plastics-molding machine to Hennepin Technical College. The gesture support s Boston Scientific’s eff o rts to help pre p a re new employees with the skills to make high-quality p roducts in the medical-technology industry. The program boasts a 100 percent job place­ ment rate; about 60 percent of the students in the program go on to med-tech careers.

Awards Anoka-Ramsey Community College has been awarded a $399,099 National Science Foundation grant to provide scholarships for low-income, academically talented students interested in careers in computer science and networking, engineering and mathematics. A p p roximately 28 students will be awarded annual scholarships of $3,125 to offset the cost of tuition, books and other expenses. The grant extends for four years. Project goals include i n c reasing participation in these careers, i n c reasing the success of participants through scholarship and support services, and pro m o t­ ing full-time enrollment and degree attainment. The Blandin Foundation recently awarded the Northeast Higher Education District’s Itasca Community College $313,000 to support five financial aid programs for the 2006-2007 academic year, including traditional scholarships, scholarships for nontraditional stu­ dents, part-time scholarships, work study and the Cooperative Education Subsidy program. The foundation also awarded the college $250,000 toward the development of an endowed faculty chair for American Indian studies. Bemidji State University has received a grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to conduct a study that will help track the eco­ logical impacts of residential development on 8 | MINNESOTA STATE | FALL 2006

Ann Wy n i a, president of North Hennepin Community College, has received a 2006 Shirley B. Gordon Aw a rd of Distinction fro m Phi Theta Kappa, an honor society serving two-year colleges. She was among 19 college presidents honored for demonstrating contin­ ued support for their college’s Phi Theta Kappa chapters by providing resources such as faculty advisor release time, a line-item budget and scholarships for Phi Theta Kappa members. Kathleen Nelson, president of Lake Superior College, has been elected to a leadership role with the Higher Learning Commission, the accrediting body for more than 1,100 public and private higher education institutions in 19 states. She was elected vice chair and chairelect of the organization’s Board of Trustees; next year, she will become chair. L a rry Litecky, president of Century College, has been named District 5 Pacesetter of the Year for 2006 by District 5 of the National Council of Marketing and Public Relations, an associa­ tion of two-year college marketing professionals. He was honored for providing exemplary lead­ ership in community college marketing and public relations. District 5 includes Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Manitoba.

Dan Jones, Anishinaabe and American Indian studies instructor at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, received the 2006 Distinguished Person of Color of the Year Award from the University of WisconsinSuperior. Jones, a member of the Nicickousemenecaning First Nation from Ontario, Canada, has taught language courses at the college since 1997 and at UW-Superior since 2002. Jones has received the Outstanding American Indian Post-Secondary Teacher of the Year Award on three occasions from the Minnesota Indian Education Association and was twice named Outstanding American Indian Post-Secondary Counselor of the Year. Sheila Gard n e r and 15 accounting students at Alexandria Technical College have been recog­ nized by the Internal Revenue Service for vol­ unteering to pre p a re tax re t u rns for low-income taxpayers. Gardner, a technical advisor for the p rogram, received special recognition for over­ seeing the students’ work and for volunteering at a senior citizen center for free tax pre p a r a­ tion. School officials estimate that the students and Gardner together helped generate more than $340,000 in refunds for local taxpayers. Two graduates of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system have been recognized by President George W. Bush as among America’s 100 best mathematics and science teachers. Steven Benson, a graduate of Southwest Minnesota State University, and Debra Las, a graduate of Winona State University, received Steve Benson, Southwest Presidential Awards Minnesota State for Excellence in University graduate Mathematics and Science Teaching. Benson teaches math at Owatonna Senior High School, and Las teaches science at John Adams Middle School in Rochester. Awardees receive a $10,000 edu­ cational grant for their schools and a trip to Debra Las, Winona State Washington, D.C. ■ University graduate

Opening doors to higher education

TRIO programs help students succeed

A

T 8 A . M . ON A PERFECTLY GLORIOUS summer day, six high school students were sitting in a science class at

Minneapolis Community and Technical College analyzing the chemical structure of copper. Down the hall, another class of high

Two Upward Bound students begin analyzing the chemical stru c t u re of copper as Instructor Ezra Lyon looks on.

school students was learning Spanish by play­ ing a game based on “The Simpsons” televi­

State Colleges and Universities are among

“These students want to succeed,” said

sion show. Across the hall, about 15 middle

the best in the country. Year after year, the

Shelly Siegel, director of the Student Support

school students were bent over their desks,

system’s efforts to improve effectiveness and

S e rvices program at North Hennepin

revising essays on Liberia.

accountability are evident in the impressive

Community College and president of the

results they produce.”

Minnesota TRIO association. “They just need

What could possibly inspire these stu­ dents and hundreds like them to forsake a

For example, about 90 percent of

the tools to help them. We hear from students

summer morning for the rigors of class work?

Minnesota’s Upward Bound students graduate

over and over that they wouldn’t have been

For See Lee, 16, an 11th-grader this fall at

from high school compared with 67 percent of

able to succeed without TRIO programs.”

Patrick Henry High School in Minneapolis, the

students who are eligible for Upward Bound

Various social and psychological barriers

answer was a no-brainer: “It’s helping me to

but do not participate. In addition, 70 percent

prevent these vulnerable students from com­

get ready for college.”

of the state’s Upward Bound students go on

pleting high school or preparing for college,

And that's exactly the point. “Too many

to college, compared with less than 33 percent

said Jon Westby, an associate dean at

students give up on higher education before

of students with similar backgrounds who are

Minneapolis Community and Technical

they ever set foot on a campus," said

not in the program.

College. “They may think they have no way

Chancellor James H. McCormick. “The

Two other initiatives complement TRIO

to pay for it. They may think they’re not

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities

programs. For the last several years, the

smart enough to succeed in college. But

system is working to increase the odds that

Minnesota Legislature has provided about

mostly, their families don’t know how to

these students will complete high school

$150,000 to system institutions for the

help them prepare for college.”

and succeed in college.”

Intervention for College Attendance Program.

The Upward Bound program that serves

Lee is fairly typical, Westby said.

And the Minnesota State Colleges and

Prodded by her 22-year-old brother, Lee took

Lee at Minneapolis Community and Technical

Universities Office of the Chancellor has pro v i d­

Upward Bound courses for six weeks this

College is one of the system’s 40 or so federally

ed $1 million a year for the Underrepresented

summer in math, science, English and

funded programs that assist students who need

Student Transitions grants, awarded on a

Spanish. Classes are small and informal, so

extra help. Known as TRIO programs, they are

competitive basis to system institutions.

students receive plenty of individual help.

a potent force. Twenty-two of the system’s

Some of these programs pre p a re middle

High school instructors teach the classes.

53 campuses serve more than 12,000 students

and high school students for college by devel­

each year at local high schools or campuses.

oping strong study skills and work habits.

finished, Lee said she felt more confident

Nationally, Minnesota’s TRIO programs

Even before the summer classes were

Other TRIO programs, such as Student Support

about her ability to complete high school.

are highly regarded. As Arnold Mitchem,

S e rvices, help college students succeed and

With a broad smile, she said, “I love learning

president of the Center for Opportunity in

graduate. Typically, individuals who qualify are

something new every day.”

Education, a national advocacy organization,

students of color, low-income or the first in

put it: “The TRIO programs at the Minnesota

their families to attend college.

■

For more information, see www.mntrio.org . FALL 2006 | M I N N E S OTA STATE | 9

A
passion
for Filmmaking and screenwriting programs provide a foot in the door for budding moviemakers

1 0 | M I N N E S OTA STATE | FALL 2006

AK LEE WAS 12 WHEN SOMEONE GAVE HIM THE

A passion for movies and moviemaking is not

VIDEO CAMERA THAT TRANSFORMED HIS LIFE.

uncommon among the nearly 500 students enrolled

From that time on, Lee and his friends

in film production and screenwriting programs at

spent all their free time making movies. His

MSU Moorhead, Metropolitan State University and

passion led him to enroll in the film production pro­

Minneapolis Community and Technical College.

gram at Minnesota State University Moorhead, one

And the number of students interested in filmmaking

of the three fast-growing filmmaking and screenwrit­

is growing rapidly.

K

ing programs in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. Lee, now 23 and a graduate, has turned his inter­ est in making movies into a career goal. He wants to

Left and above: Filmmaking students at Minneapolis Community and Technical College practice filming in the college’s greenscreen studio. Top right: Teamwork is important to Moorhead filmmaking students Kak Lee and Catherine Erhardt. Students work in teams to complete their assignments.

“It’s become a popular career choice,” said Adam Olson, filmmaking instructor at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. “Maybe it’s because digital cameras are in everybody’s hands.”

write, produce and direct films in Minnesota or work

While each of the system’s three filmmaking

as a cinematographer in Los Angeles. His long-term

and screenwriting programs is unique, they share

d ream is to make documentaries and create a film

one common element: relatively low tuition.

archive of the Hmong people and culture.

Students attending film schools on the east or west

Lee’s own life sounds like an adventure movie.

coasts easily can spend $30,000 to $40,000 a year on

Born in Laos, Lee remembers fleeing his village for

tuition, while students at Minnesota State Colleges

a refugee camp in Thailand at the age of 6 or 7,

and Universities pay between $4,000 and $6,000

shortly after the death of his father, who had served

per year.

with the CIA. Lee, his mother and siblings hid in the jungle and made their way to the Mekong River, crossing by boat at midnight to avoid detection.

WHY GO TO CANNES WHEN YOU CAN GO TO FARGO? The MSU Moorhead film production major,

He remembers spending nights in tiny jungle

a p p roved in 2004, is the only bachelor’s degree pro­

huts with blankets but no food, then hiding under

gram in film production in the state. The pro g r a m

some hay in the back of a pickup truck that took them

has grown rapidly, from 70 students in 2004 to

to the gate of the refugee camp.

about 140 this fall.

“It was very scary,” he said. “It’s not easy to talk

“There is a great desire among students to

about. When you look back, you think, wow, I can’t

study film, especially film production,” said Tom

believe I made it alive.”

Brandau, who teaches directing techniques and

Lee saw his first film – a Jackie Chan movie – in

other filmmaking courses at MSU Moorhead. “Film

one of the three refugee camps the family stayed

is the popular art form of our time. It used to be the

in b e f o re coming to the United States.

novel. People used to read novels, and the novels

“I thought, wow, it’s so fascinating how they

formed their values, their aesthetic. Now, feature

do this,” he said. “You don’t even realize it’s all fake.

films are the art form of this generation, forming

It looks so real.”

their mythology, their moral center.” FALL 2006 | M I N N E S OTA STATE | 1 1

One factor in the program’s success is the

“People used to read novels, and the novels formed their values,

support it receives in the Fargo-Moorhead community, said Rusty Casselton, a MSU

their aesthetic. Now, feature films are the art form of this generation,

M o o rhead faculty member. “It’s the play-

forming their mythology, their moral center.”

g round for us,” he said. “Students are always

– Tom Brandau, MSU Moorhead film production faculty member

looking for locations to shoot. It’s a very filmfriendly community.” Part of that is due to Margie Baily, execu­

meet with the film students to talk about their

Hitchcock or one that explored the genre of

tive director of the Fargo Theater, a restored

work. Students can enter their films in the stu­

cult movies. And all film students are required

Art Deco movie theater in downtown Fargo,

dent film category.

to take a course in public speaking.

N.D., just over the border from Moorhead.

“Festivals are very important in a film-

“Filmmakers need to be articulate,”

Five years ago, Baily organized the Fargo Film

maker’s development – getting your film out

Casselton said. “They have to be able to pitch

Festival, which has become an annual event

there and seen,” Casselton said. “And the syn­

their films.”

that draws filmmakers from around the world

ergy that happens when filmmakers come to

In their senior year, each student produces

to Fargo every March. “Why go to Cannes

town is amazing. We sit down together and

a 30-minute short film. It is a yearlong project

when you can go to Fargo?” was the theme of

interact, students with filmmakers.”

in which students work in teams.

the 2006 festival.

Film production students take courses in

“We are a narrative-based pro g r a m , ”

The festival has become an important part

filmmaking, directing, producing, screenwrit­

Casselton said. “It’s about storytelling. We

of the educational experience for film students.

ing and film history and appreciation. Special

teach to a collaborative process. What you’re

More than 50 MSU Moorhead students volun­

topic courses are offered, such as a recent

l e a rning is about telling stories, putting togeth­

teer during the festival, and visiting filmmakers

course devoted to the work of director Alfred

er a team to tell the best possible story.”

LEARNING FROM A MASTER

Since that film was completed, she has assisted Altman as he directed several commercials and the Arthur Miller play “Resurrection Blues” in

Molly Getty was well on her way to earning a Ph.D. in science at the University of Minnesota when her education took a turn so dramatic it could rival a plot point in a movie. Following her dream, she quit the doctoral path, ending her 10-year educational quest in science, and enrolled in the two-year filmmaking program at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. “It was just crazy. I was just wanting to turn a hobby into a great career,” she said. Today, more than a year after graduating in May 2005 with an associate degree in filmmaking, she says, “I have fallen into something I love.” Getty, 34, now works as personal assistant to famed director Robert

London. “I feel like I’ve lived five years in the past one year,” she said. Getty, who grew up in Minneapolis, has high praise for the Minneapolis Community and Technical College filmmaking program. Before enrolling, her only experience in the field was doing video projects for a Minneapolis public-access cable channel. “It meant everything to me,” she said of the program. “I went from zero to 60 in learning about film. They were very dedicated to helping me learn . ” Getty said she plans to stick with Altman’s company, Sandcastle 5 Productions, “for as long as they need me.” Then she’ll decide what her next steps will be in the film industry.

Altman, who spent several months in St. Paul directing “A Prairie Home Companion” starring Garrison Keillor, Meryl Streep, Lindsay Lohan and Lily Tomlin, among others. The job was a direct outgrowth of a college internship in summer 2004. An instructor at the college had recommended her as a production assistant for the movie “Factotum,” which was filmed in the Twin Cities. The following summer, she got a call from a “A Prairie Home Companion” producer who had gotten a recommendation from someone who worked on the “Factotum” production. Getty was asked to interview for the position with “A Prairie Home Companion” and she ultimately got the job. What does a director’s personal assistant do? “Whatever he needs,” Getty said. “If Mr. Altman wants iced tea, I run and get it. Lunch, coffee, whatever.” As she grew into the job, her re s p o n s ibilities expanded to include driving Altman around St. Paul. Now she handles his scheduling, mail and e-mail at Altman’s production company office in New York. In exchange, Getty said, she’s getting an opportunity of a lifetime. “It was really a dream come true,” she said of being on the “A Prairie Home Companion” set. “I was two feet away from him the whole time, soak­ ing up his genius, watching how he does things. Talk about film school!” 1 2 | M IN NE SOT A STAT E | FALL 2006

Molly Getty, background, was never far from director Robert Altman on the set of the “A Prairie Home Companion” movie. Photo by Melinda Sue Gordon, courtesy of Picturehouse

By the end of the program, each student has a reel that includes the senior project plus

BREAKING INTO SCREENWRITING It’s simple: Write a great screenplay

several other shorter projects that can be used to showcase their talents. The program attracts students who are passionate about filmmaking and spend hours outside of class working together on their films. A key card gives students access to editing equipment 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For Lee, the collaborative approach allows

Martin Musatov, a 2001 graduate of the screenwriting program at Metropolitan State University, has some advice for wouldbe screenwriters: “Spend as much time as possible honing your craft and less time worrying about making connections. My theory is that if you write a great screenplay, you can bury it in your basement and

students to try out different aspects of filmmak­

the very next morning an agent will be there

ing. “You find out what you like to do and are

on your doorstep, trying to break into your

good at,” he said. Lee, who had researched the

Screenwriter and Metropolitan State University graduate Martin Musatov changed his major from business finance to screenwriting in one day.

basement to get that script.” Musatov, 27, should know; a scre e n p l a y

University of Southern California and other

he wrote with writing partner Ethan Erwin has been made into a movie. The film, “Solstice,”

film schools before choosing MSU Moorhead,

filmed in New Orleans in April and May, was directed by Daniel Myrick, co-creator of “The Blair

said the program’s relatively small size gives stu­

Witch Project.” “Solstice” is about a young woman who uncovers a disturbing secret about her

dents more opportunities to learn. At the larger

twin sister, who had committed suicide.

film schools, some students never get the opportunity to shoot or direct their own films. Lee said he has at least six projects he could

“It’s the first thing I ever got paid to write,” says Musatov, who with his partner has written three feature-length screenplays and two television scripts. The film, which Musatov described as “a horror movie with some heart to it,” is being distributed by Lionsgate. Musatov said he was influenced by the films of director Alfred Hitchcock, which he studied at

show a prospective employer and is finishing a

M e t ropolitan State. “His work was real helpful to me,” Musatov said. “He knew about the impor­

feature-length film that began as a 30-minute

tance of the audience’s anticipation, and he knew that what’s in your head is almost always scarier

short for his senior project.

than what’s on the screen. I thought that was genius.” Musatov’s path to the silver screen began in 2000 in the world of business and finance. He

SCREENWRITING FOCUS AT METROPOLITAN STATE At Metropolitan State University, the screenwriting program emphasizes good writ­

was enrolled at Metropolitan State as a business finance major when he stumbled across an online version of the screenplay for the Quentin Tarantino film “Pulp Fiction.” “It just amazed me that people got paid to do this,” Musatov said. When he went on the Internet to see if any colleges taught screenwriting, he discovered that his own university off e red the program. “I took it as a sign,” Musatov said, and he switched his major to screenwriting that day.

ing. “Excellent writing will go a long way in

Musatov, who grew up in Coon Rapids, took advantage of the Hollywood internship opport u-

any field,” said James Byrne, screenwriting fac­

nities off e red by the university, working one summer as an assistant to producer Jerry Bruckheimer

ulty member. Students in the program take four semes­ ters of screenwriting courses – beginner, inter­

at MTV films. “I did everything, from going to get medicine for Jerry Bruckheimer’s dog to re a d i n g scripts for producers, writing coverage and notes, and making recommendations about how to make a story stro n g e r.” Another summer internship in Hollywood led to his first job at the talent agency

mediate, advanced and senior projects – along

I n t e rnational Creative Management, where he became friends with a young agent and gave him a

with theater history, playwriting, writing for

script. The agent later recommended that Musatov be hired to write the screenplay for “Solstice.”

television and acting. “Acting is great preparation for scre e nwriting,” Byrne said. “You have to analyze scripts, you have to analyze character, you have

James Byrne, the Metropolitan State University screenwriting faculty member who mentored Musatov, said his experience is not unusual. “Marty Musatov’s first screenplay was not made, nor was the second or third, but they proved to people in the industry that he could write,” Byrn e said. “You have to have a couple of screenplays that knock your socks off in order to get noticed.” Musatov acknowledged that most of what is written will never get produced. “It’s such an

to speak lines of dialogue. Most professionals

uphill battle. But the reality is, you can break through.” Despite the hurdles, Musatov said,

say, study acting if you want to be a good

Hollywood is always interested in good screenwriting. “There is a hunger in this town for good

screenwriter.”

material. Granted, it’s about who you know, but when people see good material, they jump.”

Byrne teaches his beginning screenwrit­ ing course like a creative writing class. Students are assigned four projects of two to

sary? How could you wring more juice, more

six pages each. They bring their rough drafts

emotion, from that line?

“ E v e ryone in Hollywood wants somebody with a distinct voice, a vision, a sense of author­

to class, pick “actors” from among their class­

By hearing their dialogue read aloud and

ship, even though they say they want commer­

mates and listen as their fellow students read

listening to the chuckles, the silence or the

cial appeal,” Byrne said. “That’s what the

their scripts. Each reading is followed by a

“vibe” in the room, students learn. The goal,

i n d u s t ry thrives on.”

discussion with Byrne asking questions: How

Byrne said, is to help students develop their

did the dialogue flow? Was every line neces­

individual voice as a writer.

Students also read screenplays of movies that have been produced, view films and write FALL 2006 | M I N N E S OTA STATE | 1 3

reviews. “We learn how to watch a

a budget, obtaining financing and

film as a screenwriter and not be

dealing with legal aspects involved

swept up in the costumes, the hair,

in making a movie.

the emotion,” Byrne said. “We

Minneapolis students majoring

become hyper-aware of dialogue

in screenwriting take at least one

and stru c t u re. How is the story

production course and are required

put together? When does the

to take an acting course. The

scene end?”

screenwriting sequence starts with

The Metropolitan State pro-

an introductory course in which

gram offers the opportunity for a

students write action scenes but are

Hollywood internship for those stu­

forbidden to use dialogue.

dents willing to move there for a

“Beginning screenwriters tend

summer, perhaps sleeping on a bor­

to use dialogue as a crutch,” said

rowed couch. Students have landed

s c reenwriting instructor William

jobs as readers – someone who reads

Kruse. “By strengthening the abili­

screenplays for a movie production

ty of the writer to think and write

company and then writes “cover­

visually, the dialogue, when ulti­

age,” a summary of the plot and cri­

mately placed into the story, has

tique of the script. It’s a classic entry-

significantly greater impact.”

level job, and duties may include

“Acting is great preparation for screenwriting. …

The heart of the college’s film-

answering phones and running

Most professionals say, study acting if you want

making program is the equipment

e rrands. For students who part i c i-

to be a good screenwriter.”

room, where students can check

pate, the experience is invaluable,

– James Byrne, Metropolitan State University screenwriting faculty

Byrne said. “They meet all these

out cameras, stands, lights, dollies and other equipment.

stars, read screenplays, make con­

“It’s a great deal,” Olson said.

tacts. They see what the business of Hollywood is because the employ­

“They get to use stuff that would cost a couple thousand dollars a day

ers work them to death.”

to rent.” Students pay for the film they use, which can get expensive,

By the time they graduate, students in the screenwriting program will have earned a bachelor’s degree that prepares them to pursue a

but in the end, unlike at some film schools, they own the rights to their own work. That means that they can control where their film goes.

career in screenwriting and entry-level jobs in other film-related fields,

Students also have access to a gre e n s c reen studio. Actors are filmed

such as producing and directing. Others go on to graduate school, plan­

in front of a green background that is later digitally replaced by another

ning to teach. Even if students decide not to pursue a career in the film

b a c k g round. That way, actors filmed in Minneapolis can appear to be in,

industry, Byrne said, the program’s solid foundation in writing is good

say, Guatamala or even on the moon.

preparation for a variety of careers.

Graduates of the Minneapolis filmmaking program have transferred to four-year programs or started working in the film industry.

TWO-YEAR COLLEGE OFFERS FULL FILM CURRICULUM The art and craft of film production is the focus of the filmmaking

Contrary to popular belief, Olson said, you don’t have to move to New York or Los Angeles to get a job in filmmaking.

and screenwriting programs at Minneapolis Community and Technical

“ T h e reare jobs in Minneapolis,” Olson said, particularly with post-

College. Instructor Adam Olson said the program packs so many film

production houses, companies that take film that already has been shot

production courses into a two-year program that it rivals the number of

and turn it into a film ready for release.

production courses that would be included in a classic four-year film school curriculum.

“Minneapolis has a very active post-production industry and a number of top advertising agencies,” Olson said. “Our students

Filmmaking students take four semesters of production courses and

could walk in the door and get an entry-level job at a postpro d u c t i o n

make a 20-minute film for their final project. “The films run from fairly

house. There is definitely enough work to do to keep your head

simple to fairly extravagant,” Olson said. “We’ve had films that cost

above water.”

■

$10,000 to $20,000 to make, and we’ve had films that cost $800, and both are quality work.”

Recently, a 2003 graduate of Minneapolis Community and Technical

Students also take courses in film history, documentary film and

College’s screenwriting program, Eric Howell, won the best screenwriting

screenwriting, as well as a production management class that focuses

award at the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival. His script,

on the filmmaking business, such as writing a business plan, meeting

“Ana’s Playground,” is about children living in a war zone in Sarajevo.

1 4 | MINNESOTA STATE | FALL 2006

From camouflage to campus Colleges and universities help veterans make the transition to college

F

or Bryan Bearce, a sergeant in the Marine Corps Reserve who P f e ffer said. In 2005, more than 5,000 veterans from the Minnesota has served in Afghanistan, Iraq and Louisiana, going back to National Guard attended one of the system’s 32 institutions. That’s college seemed a bit daunting. in addition to thousands of other Minnesotans who served in the But with support from the Veterans Center at Central Lakes regular branches of the armed forces or in military re s e rve units and College in Brainerd, Bearce said adjusting to life as a student has gone re t u rned to college. p retty smoothly. The center’s staff helped him file In spring 2007, another 3,000 Minnesota Guard some complicated paperwork for his educational ben­ members are expected to re t u rn from Iraq, the “The Minnesota efits and made sure he received a refund when the col­ largest one-time release in the state’s history. Many State Colleges and lege mistakenly charged him a $30 late fee. of those veterans are expected to turn to higher Military veterans, particularly those who have education. Universities system is been in combat, often have a tough time when they With so many veterans on the state’s campuses, doing something that enter or re t u rn to college, said Donald Pfeff e r, who the Legislature provided $600,000 a year for the next runs the college’s Veterans Center. They may feel the rest of the nation five years to the Minnesota Department of Veterans alone because their overseas experiences are so far Affairs to expand campus services. Pfeffer directs the should be playing removed from those of typical college students. They statewide initiative for the department. catch-up on.” may feel frustrated by the extra hurdles they must As part of that initiative, regional veterans assistance clear to receive their veterans benefits. Or they may be o ffices have opened at Minnesota State University – John Morris, deputy state chaplain for the Minnesota haunted by combat memories and lost buddies. M o o rhead, Lake Superior College in Duluth, St. Cloud Army National Guard State University, Southwest Minnesota State University Pfeffer started the Central Lakes Veterans in Marshall, Minnesota State University, Mankato and Center last year because veterans have a better chance of graduating if they have some assistance. Often, that simply means an the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. o p p o rtunity to support each other. “There ’s a strange culture in the The regional offices serve the 32 Minnesota State Colleges and m i l i t a ry,” he said. “They will talk to other veterans, but they’re often Universities, the University of Minnesota and private colleges. reluctant to talk with family members and others who haven’t had sim- They provide re s o u rces and re f e rrals about veterans benefits, the ilar experiences.” M o n t g o m e ry GI bill, psychological assistance and physical injury B e a rce, who plans to graduate next spring with an associate’s s u p p o rt. Regional coordinators work with faculty and staff to iden­ d e g ree in law enforcement, agreed. tify and remove barriers veterans face in completing a college edu­ “It’s a welcoming feeling to know I can just come in here and cation successfully. shoot the breeze,” Bearce said. “It’s nice to see they’re looking out for John Morris, deputy state chaplain for the Minnesota Army their veterans.” National Guard, said, “The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Smoothing the way for veterans at the Minnesota State system is doing something that the rest of the nation should be playColleges and Universities has become increasingly import a n t , ing catch-up on.” ■

Connecting families The family of National Guard Capt. Darrin Janisch got a chance to talk with him face to face in June, even though he was at an air base northwest of Baghdad and they were in North Mankato. A new video c o n f e rencing Internet-based phone system, installed at South Central College and the other Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, made the connection possible. Much like a Web-cam but with better quality, the technology allows two-way audio and visual communication. Janisch was able to see his wife, Ann; son Zach, 3; daughter Lauren, 6 months; and his parents, Rebecca and Dan; and they were able to see him. A story in the Mankato F ree Pre s s newspaper re p o rted that the family was surprised to learn that Darrin had grown a moustache, and he was surprised to learn that L a u ren, whom he had last seen when she was a month old, had sprouted her first tooth and could sit up. The Iraq air time for the broadcast was paid for by Freedom Calls, a nonprofit group that provides equipment for similar calls across the country.

B E AUTIFUL BU I L D I N G S,

New labs, classrooms bolster science programs statewide

Students need state-of-the-art laboratories and “ s m a rt” classrooms to learn the latest in scientific techniques. The 32 Minnesota State Colleges and Universities are benefiting from a significant state investment in science facilities – $260 million since 1998 – in an ongoing program to update and expand science buildings, labs and classro o m s . These projects are selected and approved by the system’s Board of Trustees and submitted to the Minnesota Legislature for approval. They are funded with general obligation bonds. On these pages are several recently finished projects.

> Multipurpose science laboratories opened this fall at Ridgewater College in Hutchinson, pictured here. Labs at the college’s Willmar campus also were renovated as part of an ongoing science initiative across the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system beginning in 2002 to update labs and add them to campuses that had none. > The Interactive Learning Hall in Winona State University’s science building is a teaching tool, demonstrating the geological layers of the Mississippi River valley where the university is situated. The new Science Laboratory Center building was completed in 2004, and the adjacent Pasteur Hall renovation was finished this year. Photo by Perkins+Will

Clockwise from top, opposite page: > A cutting-edge nanoscience laboratory at Dakota County

> The Kopp Technology Center at Century College opened this

Technical College in Rosemount supports the nanoscience

fall with classrooms and laboratories equipped with state­

technology program. Nanoscience is the study and manipu­

of-the-art telecommunication and information technology,

lation of materials at the atomic or molecular level.

including Internet protocol converged applications.

1 6 | M IN NE SOT A STAT E | FA LL 200 6

F U N C T I O N A L S PA C E S

FALL 2006 | M I N N E S O TA S TAT E | 1 7

B E AUTIFUL BU I L D I N G S,

New residence halls, centers enhance student life Student centers and residence halls, which are financially selfsupporting, are constructed with funding from a separate bonding authority established by the Minnesota Legislature. Before bond sales are issued, the system’s Board of Trustees approves the projects. Several recently opened buildings are featured here. > This page: This three-story fireplace hearth room with glass curtain wall is a dramatic feature in the remodeled Centennial Student Union at Minnesota State University, Mankato, which pro­ vides other new places to relax, study and dine. The center has earned the national Facility Design Award of Excellence from the Association of College Unions International for the designer, Paulsen Architects of Mankato, along with a Gold Citation from American School & University magazine and the 2006 FAB Award from the Northland Chapter of the International Interior Design Association. Photos by Paulsen Architects

1 8 | MINNESOTA STATE | FALL 2006

F U N C T I O N A L S PA C E S > Left and below: A new student housing complex, the Foundation Residence Apartments, opened this fall at Southwest Minnesota State University. Built as a joint project of the city of Marshall, the university Foundation and Bremer Bank, the university leases the building. The 141 furnished apartments feature kitchens in a choice of red, blue or yellow; floor-to-ceiling windows; and individually controlled air conditioning and heat. Photos by Horty Elving Architects

> Left and above: The Student Center at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall was a construction and renovation project following a fire in January 2002 that destroyed the food service building. The new spaces include an open floor plan, student activities offices, a coffee shop and café, and a bookstore. Whimsical chairs add color. Photo by Horty Elving Architect

FALL 2006 | M I N N E S OTA STATE | 1 9

Delving
into
diversity:
College,

F

ifteen years ago, people on the streets of Willmar largely reflected the descendants of the nort h e rn European settlers. But the city began experiencing a rapid influx of young immigrants – part i c u l a r­ ly Hispanics – who were attracted by a rising demand for labor in

p o u l t ry processing and other agricultural industries. By the 2000 census, the Hispanic population had more than doubled to 2,900, or about 16 percent of the city’s population, and the trend continues upward. Today, this central Minnesota hub of just over 18,000 people is a differ­ ent place. Bank and clinic signs are multilingual. Organizations run programs promoting interaction and understanding among the multiple cultures. The city and schools, where about 40 percent of first-graders are Hispanic, share a multicultural liaison. And Ridgewater College has become a key player in diversity projects. “What some communities see as a problem – the changing demographics – we’re approaching as a strength,” said Ridgewater College President Douglas Allen. “I would say we’re standing up to the challenges that this change brings. The college as an educa­ tional institution has to be involved in that.” What’s happening in Willmar is hap­ pening in many of Minnesota’s small towns as the state’s population grows more ethnically and racially diverse. The M in n es o ta St at e Co l lege s a n d Universities system, with campuses in 46 communities across the state, is playing an active role in helping communities cope with change. In Wi l l m a r, under Allen’s leadership, Ridgewater College has undertaken a range of ini­ tiatives to better integrate minorities into the campus and help make the city m o re accommodating. “I think he (Allen) rec­ ognizes clearly the role of Ridgewater College Juana Salazar performs at Ridgewater College’s Multicultural Week festivities. The Willmar high school student takes college classes at Ridgewater under the Post-Secondary Enrollment Options program. 2 0 | MINNESOTA STATE | FALL 2006

community
grapple
with
change

as a community asset, and he’s always been

Michael Olson was smiling and sweating in his

“It’s the connections to those who are

there as a partner in this collaboration,” said

traditional buckskin attire as more than 100

different than we are that are so important for

Michael Schmit, Willmar city administrator.

spectators stood to applaud the culminating

our students,” Allen said. “Not only does it

Ridgewater’s eff o rts helped Wi l l m a r

event of Ridgewater’s first Multicultural Week.

broaden their educational experience, but it

win an All-America City Award from the

Olson, a 43-year-old Ridgewater student

prepares them to live and work in what is a

National Civic League in 2005, city and

and member of the Leech Lake Band of

community leaders said. Willmar was one

Ojibwe, had stepped in to perform with the

Olson, who plans a social work career,

of only 10 cities nationwide to receive the

dance and drum group from the Flandreau

has lived in Willmar for seven years and

a w a rd, which honors communities in which

Indian School in South Dakota. As vice pre s i-

watched the diversity increasing. “The

citizens, government, business and non-

dent of the Ridgewater’s new Multicultural

changes have been really positive as far as the

p rofit organizations demonstrate successful

Club, Olson had helped plan the four-day event

community goes, and the college is part of

resolution of critical community issues.

for the college and its community members on

that,” he said.

The city’s award application included

the Hutchinson and Willmar campuses.

multicultural world, increasingly so.”

Still, he felt something was missing

Ridgewater’s work with Rice Memorial

Events also featured Latino performers,

when classes began last fall. “During my first

Hospital in Willmar to recruit more diverse

salsa dancing lessons and Japanese drummers,

week of school, I wanted to connect with

students into nursing and other health care

celebrating the increasing diversity of the

somebody,” Olson said. “I went in search of a

p rograms to help address a shortage and diver­

rural area. Allen said the ideas underlying

cultural advisor, and there wasn’t one. I heard

sify the makeup of those treating patients.

Multicultural Week are much the same as

other students say it would be nice to have

“My personal observation is that the city

those shaping the college’s role as an educa­

someone in that position.”

has made significant progress toward dealing

tional institution – exploring differences and

with diversity and in a short period of time,”

making connections as people.

So Olson and other students attending a Diversity Advisory Council meeting raised

said Schmit, who serves on Ridgewater’s Diversity Action Council and credits the col­ lege for its efforts. “We may not have all melted together as one, but there’s more tol­ erance and acceptance now.” Allen believes that as president of Ridgewater College, he needs to take a lead role. “I want to make sure our campuses are welcoming to minorities and provide a wide range of services and activities to help them enjoy the experience and to succeed. And I believe it’s important to reach out into the community and provide the leadership and resources that help residents adjust success­ fully to our changing demographics.” M U LT I C U LTURAL EVENTS BRING PEOPLE TO G E T H E R One day in April, with a drum pounding and a chorus urging them on, dancers dipped and rose, tracing the circular path of an American Indian dance on the Ridgewater College basketball court. Afterw a rd, dancer

Ridgewater College Multicultural Affairs Director Edelgard Fernandez, center, visits with students. FALL 2006 | M I N N E S OTA STATE | 2 1

the idea of adding a multicultural affairs posi­

ticipated in the camp, designed to provide fun

tion, which Allen, who had formed the coun­

while exploring careers through classes on

cil, indeed had been planning to create.

health care occupations, comedic acting and

“What the Diversity Advisory Council

programming Lego robots.

said to me is, we need a friendly face, we need

Training about diverse cultures has been

someone who can, in our own language, com­

created for college faculty, staff and commu­

municate with us,” Allen said.

nity members, and businesspeople and health

This fall, the college hired a multicultur­

care workers are taking conversational

al affairs director, Edelgard Fernandez, who also coaches the new men’s soccer team. Allen, responding to student suggestions,

Spanish courses.

“What the Diversity Advisory

The college also sponsored a yearlong series called “Changing Communities:

introduced soccer – a sport popular with

Council said to me is, we need

Skills into Action” in which 40 student and

Hispanics, Africans and others who fill local

a friendly face, we need someone

community leaders participated. The city

fields for games. “With the addition of soc­

who can, in our own language,

of Willmar was selected for this program

cer, more students of color are interested,” Fernandez said. One of the first challenges Fernandez

at least communicate with us.”

– Ridgewater College President Douglas Allen

partly because of the college, said Loudi Rivamonte, co-executive director of the Center for Cross-Cultural Health, which conducted the series with another St. Paul

identified is the need to bring people togeth­ er to find solutions to the dropout rate among

ness to partner with her agency, a Willmar­

nonprofit, Harmony Works. “We had a list

students who are learning English and strug­

based nonprofit that promotes cultural inte­

of preselection criteria that included having

gle with assignments such as essay writing.

gration in education, health care and busi­

key people not only understanding cultural

“For somebody who has not had any prior

ness. The college has become more visible in

competency but really wanting to do some­

experience with the language and the gram­

the community and better at reaching out to

thing about it,” Rivamonte said. “Enough

mar, it’s really a challenge,” he said. “If we

high school students and families, Leuze said.

people were ready and willing to make

want to have these students succeed, we have

“Families are starting to believe college is

some change, so that’s why we went for-

to figure this out.”

important and that it’s accessible financially

ward with Willmar.” A new class will start

and culturally.”

in January 2007.

G R E ATER DIVERSITY LIES A H E A D

Ridgewater sponsors a variety of col­

Meanwhile, closer connections with

The movement of racial and ethnic

lege- and community-based activities to

K-12 school administrators are on Allen’s

minorities into Willmar and other southern

bring families onto campus and to foster

agenda. They met recently to discuss ways

Minnesota cities likely will continue well into

understanding.

to assess college readiness early in high

the future, State Demographer Tom Gillaspy

The Multicultural Club, in its first year,

school, and he’d like to get their faculties to

said. In Kandiyohi County, where Willmar is

initiated Multicultural Week, hosted a Taste

the county seat, the Hispanic population will

of Diversity with dishes from 20 countries and

Another major concern, he said, is that

rise from 4,100 in 2005 to 7,500 in 2030, his

took part in a communitywide Celebration of

many teens drop out of high school and go to

office projects. The trend carries implications

C u l t u res organized by the West Central

work, lured by the availability of jobs in the

for several smaller colleges in the Minnesota

Integration Collaborative.

a rea. “If they are not particularly liking

That’s far more activity than anticipated

State Colleges and Universities system.

meet and explore possibilities.

school, they think, ‘I can work, I can have

and

when the club formed last year, said Ronald

Technical College’s Worthington campus is

Ferguson, the club’s advisor and a sociology

Allen said he is taking a fairly compre­

in Nobles County, which is projected to grow

faculty member. The club president, Terielle

hensive approach by working with small busi­

from 3,000 Hispanics last year to 6,200 in

Standing Soldier of Kyle, S.D., said the club

nesses, the K-12 schools, community groups

2030; and Riverland Community College’s

makes the campus feel more welcoming to

and people on the campus to strengthen

campus in Albert Lea is in Freeborn County,

minority students. “More people just keep

diversity.

which is projected to rise from 2,600 last year

coming, moving into the area, so people who

“If all these pieces come together, we are

to 4,600 over the same period.

have lived here all their lives have to get used

setting the stage for a dramatic increase in

to that change,” Standing Soldier said.

minority enrollment at Ridgewater,” Allen

Minnesota

West

Community

Idalia “Charly” Leuze, the new city and

that car.’ ”

Ridgewater hosts local youngsters from

said. “Last spring, we had 5.1 percent students

the West Central Integration Collaborative,

multicultural backgrounds for a weeklong

of color. In the next five years, I expect that

praised Allen and his college for their willing­

summer camp. This year, 56 youngsters par­

number to more than double.”

school liaison who also is executive director of

2 2 | MINNESOTA STATE | FALL 2006

■

‘In FOCUS’ project: Photos make friends

F

or a full semester, photographic artist Wing Young Huie, 400 students and 12 instructors at North Hennepin Community College worked on a project to foster connections between those who otherwise might never get to know each other.

The project, “In FOCUS: Photography of Connecting, Understanding and

Sharing,” took shape after college President Ann Wynia sat in on a photogra­ phy class guest appearance by Wing Young Huie. Wynia said she realized his presentation actually focused on diversity, and, intrigued by the possibilities, she initiated the large-scale project. Students were paired up and sent out with disposable cameras to photograph each other and write a brief narrative about the experience. The photos and narra­ tives were posted in the Brooklyn Park campus hallways as an art exhibit. “The photos are not really the point – it’s about getting outside your bubble and seeing others in a new way,” Huie explained at the exhibit’s opening in April. The exhibit, coordinated by Jane Wilson, professional development and learning enhancement coordinator, can be viewed at www.nhcc.edu/wing .

Top right: Carissa Johnson produced this composite image showing herself in an archway near the Mississippi River in Minneapolis as part of the photo project in which her Peace Ethics class participated at North Hennepin Community College. Center right: Student Debbie Nguyen jumps for joy in this photo by student Amy Polzin. Polzin’s essay says: “Sometimes you just have to kick up your feet and let loose! You cannot let the stress of everyday life get to you; life is too short. Live and let live.” Below: For the project, student Whitney Hausladen shot this photo of a friend on his way to work.

North Hennepin Community College President Ann Wynia, left, and photo­ graphic artist Wing Young Huie, center front, join students and instructors for the exhibit opening.

FALL 2006 | M I N N E S OTA STATE | 2 3

Comprehensive computing

New Center of Excellence aims

to become hub of expertise “We are embedding business purpose into the curriculum,” he said. “For example, we just negotiated an agreement with a business called WatchIT.com, which provides lectures by industry experts, along with white papers and study guides on 300 topics, bundled and delivered on demand. That will help an instructor tie into the business purpose of his or her particular discipline.” Because computer hardware and software are expensive and complicated, small companies particularly risk making wrong or unnecessary purchases, he said. That’s where information technolo­ gy experts can advise a company on how to best integrate an overall technology plan that supports its business goals. At the same time, a good security program is needed to manage risk while achieving what is called the “security triad”: confidentiality, integrity and availability. “Information is worthless if it’s not available,” Lindberg said. The center, located on the downtown Minneapolis campus of Metropolitan State University, is one of four new Centers of Excellence in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. The other centers are establishing flagship programs in engineering and manufacturing, and health science education – areas critical for the state to maintain its competitive edge. The centers are an out­

T

HE INTERNET HAS DRAMATICALLY CHANGED THE COMPETITIVE

growth of a Citizens League study on higher education and were

playing field for businesses, presenting significant chal­

established with a $10 million appropriation over two years from

lenges such as competitive pre s s u re from around the globe

the 2005 Minnesota Legislature.

and potentially lethal security risks from competitors, criminals and t e rrorists. A new Center for Strategic Information Technology and

Center seeks business partners With an advisory board of business leaders in place for the

Security has been established to help businesses, nonprofit org a n i­

Center for Strategic Information Technology and Security, Lindberg

zations and government acquire the expertise to survive and thrive

is encouraging companies to become “enterprise partners” to collab­

in this challenging new environment. The center’s lead institution

orate with the center in activities including curriculum development,

is Metropolitan State University, with Inver Hills Community College

applied research, internships, continuing education and employee

and Minneapolis Community and Technical College as part n e r s .

training grants.

The goal is for the center to become a world-class re s o u rce for

The center is preparing new courses and degree programs to

educating a new generation of information technology profession­

support fast-growing fields such as Internet protocol transmission

als, providing training for current workers and conducting applied

technology, or IP communications. That involves transmitting data,

re s e a rch in critical areas, said Bruce Lindberg, the center’s director.

voice and video over the same network and delivering it to electro n i c

The center will focus on providing a comprehensive perspective that

devices including desktop computers, cell phones and PDAs.

goes beyond traditional, specialized education in computer fields. “The integration of strategy, security and technology is the top priority,” Lindberg said. “It means people in this field now need to

“We’re a little ahead of the curve in the development of this curriculum, and the job market is growing,” he said. Computer forensics and IT security positions are other jobs in

understand how their role makes a contribution to the overall suc­

high demand, Lindberg said. And open source applications – the

cess of the company – ‘organizational savvy,’ in other word s .

development of software collectively by many individuals rather than

2 4 | MINNESOTA STATE | FALL 2006

by a single company – is a rapidly growing area. “We are looking at developing an ‘open source

Demand for security, voice technologies

accelerator’ here for companies to use,” he said.

Peter Hiestand, Cisco Systems, Inc., senior sys­

The center also will focus on making faculty

tems engineer for the Twin Cities region, said two

and student expertise available to companies,

specialties are especially in demand – computer

developing student internships and career network­

security and voice technologies.

ing events, and working with K-12 schools to

“I see a lot of employers needing those skill sets,”

encourage careers in computer fields. One such

said Hiestand, a part-time instructor at Inver Hills and

opportunity occurred in August, when 34 high

an advisory board member for the Center of

school students in the St. Paul Connections career

Excellence. “If businesses can go to the center and get

exploration program took a weeklong class on com­

well-trained graduates, the center will fill a need.”

puter troubleshooting co-sponsored by the center. “We can engage students in hands-on experi­

This center and the other three Centers of Excellence will focus on business needs, said Linda

ences such as taking computers apart and putting

Baer, senior vice chancellor for academic and student

them back together and let them know what they

affairs for the 32 Minnesota State Colleges and

need to do to prepare for college,” Lindberg said.

Universities. “The centers will provide a bigger and

“We want to make students aware that a varied set

better pipeline of potential employees and more voice

of interests and aptitudes are needed in IT fields.”

in what their businesses and communities need.”

The center recently moved into the former Billy

Because technology affects everyone in our

Graham Evangelistic Association international head­

society, computer security is an essential ingredient

quarters in downtown Minneapolis, now renovated

in the new center, Baer said. “Our vulnerability,

for the co-located campuses of Metropolitan State

along with our extreme dependence on this, makes

University and Minneapolis Community and

it vitally important.”

Technical College. Together with Inver Hills

Minnesota nonprofit organizations and law

Community College in nearby Inver Grove Heights,

enforcement agencies will benefit from free

the three partner institutions are positioned

Security and Forensics Education workshops by a

to coordinate programs and activities.

new and related Institute for Computer Security

Inver Hills contributes expertise in computer

and Forensics at Minneapolis Community and

networking security and IP communications. Dave

Technical College. It was launched with a $200,000

Anderson, dean of continuing education, said the

grant from U.S. Department of Justice with addi­

college shares a four-year, $3 million National Science

tional funding from the center. Richard Pollak, chair

Foundation grant with six institutions in other states

of the college’s IT program, said a “cyber attack

for developing cutting-edge curriculum in computer

lab” will train students on how to defend computers

security. “It gives us that connection,” Anderson said,

against attacks and perform investigations after an

“so we’re not in an isolated island of academia.”

attack to figure out what occurred. Also, companies

Inver Hills is one of only 12 national advancedlevel Cisco academic instructor training centers in the world, Anderson noted. Because the technology

will be able to hook into the lab to test the security of their own computer systems.

a wide array of goals that could be daunting to

to keep abreast of the developments.

accomplish, but he said a single purpose lies behind

COMPUTER SCIENTIST – has the highest level of t h e o retical expertise and tends to work as a re s e a rcher or inventor. COMPUTER SYSTEMS ANALYST – solves computer p roblems and applies technology to help an o rganization gain maximum benefit from equipment, s t a ff and business processes. INFORMATION SYSTEMS MANAGER – plans and d i rects re s e a rch and computer-related activities of an organization; helps d e t e rmine technical and business goals and how computing software, equipment and staff can help them. SECURITY SPECIALIST – monitors system perform­ ance for data and network f i rewall breaches or threats and implements measure s to prevent cyber- t e rrorism. FORENSICS SPECIALIST ­ p rovides litigation support and evidence-gathering s e rvices for attorneys, law e n f o rcement and corporate clients; has skills to extract, recover and re s t o re e l e c t ronic data from hard ­ drive and operating systems for use in criminal and civil c o u rt cases.

its work: “Ultimately, a key strategy of the center is

US Bank, said the new center sounds like a more

to reduce duplication and raise

cohesive umbrella that companies can take advan­

the visibility of what we offer.”

tage of. “Anytime you can have a broader perspec­

COMPUTER ENGINEER – responsible for planning, developing and maintaining hardware and software for computer and telephone communications systems.

Lindberg acknowledged that the center has set

advances quarterly, Cisco provides training materials

Michaeleen Kelzenberg, a network planner at

Computer care e r examples

To learn more about the

tive, it helps you understand the environment you

Center for Strategic Information

are in, both internally and externally.” US Bank has

Technology and Security, visit

participated in a Job Skills Partnership grant to train

www.strategicIT.org .

■

employees in network security over the past three years. “We have had a positive response from our employees who were able to take part in the train­ ing,” she said.

B ruce Lindberg, director of the Center for Strategic Information Technology and Security, in his office in Minneapolis. FALL 2006 | M I N N E S OTA STATE | 2 5

ALUMNI

It’s all in a day’s work on ‘the ice’ Glenn Morris, a 28-year-old welding graduate of St. Cloud Technical College, recently finished a third stint in science support for the National Science Foundation in Antarctica. Following are excerpts from Morris’ journal of a typical day. +1 ° F, McMurdo Station, Antarctica Beeeeep! — Beeeeep! — Beeeeep! The sound of the alarm is the first indication that morning has come. I can hear the wind as it passes by the window, and I can tell it isn’t too bad. After I finish tying my boots, I put on my hat and coat and walk over to the “galley” for breakfast before the shop morning meeting at 7:30 a.m. At the meeting, I am informed that the plumbers are beginning the boiler replacement in “Hotel California,” one of the dorms used during the austral summer in McMurdo. The old boiler will be removed, and if anything is worth saving, I should get to it as soon as I can. As one of the two winter boiler technicians, it is my responsibility to scavenge useful parts from the old boiler. As the day moves on, I find more things in need of repair (a dripping valve packing on the back of a steam boiler and a noisy circulating pump Photograph by Emily Stone, National Science Foundation

bearing). Overall, it’s starting out as a typical day spent at 77 degrees south, on a chunk Top of page: Bundled against temperatures hovering around minus 40, employees at McMurdo Station disem­ bark a C-17 cargo plane on a temporary sea ice runway.

of rock surrounded by ice-covered ocean. This remote “city” is the largest Antarctic research station. In the Antarctic summer (August to February), it is home to as many as 1,100 people, and in the Antarctic winter

Above: Emperor penguins take turns diving near Ross Island, Antarctica.

(February to August), there can be 240 or more.

Right top: Glenn Morris, left, teaches welding techniques to firefighter Trent Meyers in an off-hours class at McMurdo.

Foundation is the reason we all are here. They bring down U.S. and international

Bottom right: Glenn Morris, right, and his wife, Deborah, photographed themselves while traveling in Antarctica. M c M u rdo Station is about 40 miles behind them in the middle of the black volcanic rock at the foot of Mt. Erebus. 2 6 | MINNESOTA STATE | FALL 2006

The people in McMurdo do what it takes to support science. The National Science

scientists and researchers to do science that can only be done in the highest, driest, coldest, windiest and emptiest continent on earth. But scientists and re s e a rchers do not build buildings or maintain equipment when they a re here; that is why the NSF brings down electricians, welders, carpenters and other trade

workers. The scientists do science, and we

life-threatening condition beyond the scope

do science support. The NSF has three major

of the on-ice clinic.

A n t a rctic research stations. The largest one is

As harsh as the weather is, the beauty

McMurdo Station, approximately 2,000 miles

is awe inspiring, and it has brought my wife

south of New Zealand on a volcanic island

and me back to Antarctica for a third time.

tucked deep into the Ross Sea.

In those many months, we have seen some

“So, how did you get a job working in Antarctica?” This part of my story has its roots at

amazing things: nacreous clouds that look like soap bubbles by their colors and splendor, rugged mountains that are lit by the softest

St. Cloud Technical College. I graduated fro m

purple light I have ever seen, a full moon

the welding program in 2000 and moved

casting shadows on the snow in the middle

to Colorado. While working as a welder in

of a winter’s day. So much of the beauty in

a sheet metal fabrication shop, I heard about

this place is found only by standing outside

“the ice” from a co-worker, and I was

in the weather while you look to the raw

intrigued. He informed me that a job fair

landscape nearly unchanged by our pre s e n c e

would be held in Denver. After talking it over

h e re. At the end of this winter, we will have

be purchased many months (sometimes over

with my wife, Deborah, a theater graduate

been here over 30 months in the last four

a year) in advance, and then they are sent

from the College of St. Benedict, we decided

years! It is that beauty and the friendships we

down by ship once a year. Smaller items or

to go to the job fair. We were both offered

have made here that have brought us back.

emergency parts might be flown in during

But since people cannot live on beauty

the summer months, but in winter, that is

positions: My job offer was for the sheet metal shop, and my wife’s job offer was in

alone, I must admit the money has helped

the carpenter’s shop.

bring us back here. Directly compared to

not an option. Some of the equipment we maintain

After getting a job offer, you begin the

state-side wages, we are not at the top of the

includes furnaces and boilers, air handlers,

physical qualification or “PQ” process. Because

pay ladder, but when you add in free housing

fans, hoists, pumps, kitchen equipment,

Antarctica is remote and physically demanding,

and food, the cost savings start to add up.

dishwashers, garbage bailers, garage doors,

the people who come here must be up to the

The six-day, 54-hour work week can be a big

etc. In all, something close to 8,000 separate

challenge. Each person who comes to “the ice”

downside, but it becomes worth it when we

pieces of equipment get regularly maintained

must first have a certain level of fitness, which

leave the ice and are free to travel somewhere

by the PM shop.

is determined by a medical exam. The people

new on our way home.

who stay for the Antarctic winter must also

This season, Deborah and I are working

As the work day nears its end and I finish tightening the leaky packing on the boiler

pass a psychiatric exam. While this might

in the preventative maintenance shop at

valve, I remember that my team is bowling

sound extreme, it is necessary for the well

McMurdo. My job as a boiler mechanic seems

t o m o rrow night. But tonight is a good night to

being of the community. During the summer

self-explanatory: keep the heat on. While this

work on one of my hobbies – stained glass – in

months, flights to and from New Zealand

seems like a “normal” job, it takes a lot of

preparation for the art show in a few months.

happen every few days, whereas in the

involvement by the community for me to do

winter, there are no flights for a full six

my work. All the parts and pieces we need to

McMurdo, and in nine hours, it will be time

months; the only exception is if one has a

maintain the buildings and equipment must

to get up and do it again.

All in all, an average winter’s day in

■

FALL 2006 | M I N N E S OTA STATE | 2 7

FAC U LT Y S P OT L I G H T

‘Gaming evangelist’ shows simulations engage students, deepen learning RAIG MILLER MINCES NO W O R D S :

C

into something that students would play on

ential learning” or “problem-based learning,”

THE TIME HAS COME TO REINVENT

their time off,” said Chad Lunnas, one of

which presents students with real-life problems

THE T E X T B O O K .

Miller’s students now at the University of

to solve, has been around for years, said Lynda

“The standard text is two inches thick and

Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.

Milne, director of the Center for Teaching and

not all that interesting,” said Miller, a business

“These games have an infinite number of

Learning, a systemwide re s o u rce for faculty

instructor at Normandale Community College

possibilities for answers. There’s no reason to

development in the Minnesota State Colleges

in Bloomington. “Much of what’s in a textbook

sit down with a book and paraphrase and

and Universities system.

is minutia.”

memorize.”

Though many textbook authors may

Most of the system’s career and technical education programs rely heavily on experien­

sharply disagree, thousands of students –

“It’s a real-life application

particularly those who grew up with

of statistics with consequences

are used for training health care practitioners at

Gameboys, iPods and other electronic gadg­

not based on how they answered

Riverland Community College, Metropolitan

ets that deliver sound, music and action – might cheer.

multichoice questions or solved

tial learning, she said. For example, simulators

State University and Ridgewater College. Computerized “patients” are programmed to

equations but how they applied

cough, vomit, respond to medications and say

ever, lies a broader issue that confronts the

the information, which is the

“Ouch!” if a needle is inserted awkwardly. But

8,700 faculty members in the Minnesota

highest level of learning.”

each simulator costs about $200,000 or more,

Behind Miller’s bold point of view, how­

State Colleges and Universities system: What are the best ways for students to learn in this

—Normandale instructor Craig Miller

high-tech, high-speed, highly visual and highly interactive Internet world?

so their use is not widespread. “The new movement is to bring this instructional tool to courses that haven’t typi­

In Miller’s business and accounting

cally used this approach,” Milne said.

For Miller, a 50-something fellow who

courses, students spend from 25 to 30 percent

“Computer-based simulations offer some

exudes the enthusiasm of a 20-year-old, the

of a typical class period playing games in

unique characteristics. They’re less expensive,

answer has been to imbed traditional con­

teams. The rest of his classes include lectures

m o re versatile and offer students repeated

cepts taught in a business course into games

and other “standard stuff,” he said. His text­

opportunities to run through scenarios.”

and simulations that leave his students rivet­

book? A pared-down, custom-published book

That’s one reason they can be so effective,

ed to the material and wildly enthusiastic

that costs his students 60 percent less than

she said. “Repetition is essential for deep learn­

about his method.

a standard text.

ing. If you have a computer program that can

“I was so impressed that a business pro­

Though computer-based games and sim­

take the elements of a situation and create four

fessor could turn a business statistics course

ulations are fairly new teaching tools, “experi­

different scenarios, then you can play that

2 8 | MINNESOTA STATE | FALL 2006

How business students learn through games In the game for Craig Miller’s business statistics course at Normandale Community College, students assume the role of a market re s e a rch team for a fictional pharmaceutical company that wants to launch a new product. The teams must identify a target market, d e t e rmine the product’s features, estimate demand, price the product and set p roduction levels. They also must decide where and how much to advertise it – all to meet the financial goals set by the fictional chief executive officer. “It’s a real-life application of statistics with consequences not based on how they answered multichoice questions or solved equations but how they applied the information, which is the highest level of learning,” Miller said. The winning team, by the way, gets to skip the final exam. The game also provides immediate feedback and allows students to play as often as they want, whenever they want and at their own speed. Surprisingly, Miller said, the games and simulations appeal just as much to older, nontraditional students as they do to the gadget-driven generation. A recent study by a Stanford University graduate student found that of 30,000 users studied, the median age was 27, ranging from 11 to 68, Miller noted. “I’ve also found that women spend as much time as the men and apparently are as enthusiastic,” he said.

Left: Normandale Community College instructor Craig Miller, right, presents a simulation exercise to a group of students.

game four different ways. That’s not done so

situation comes along, the learned response

easily in a nonvirtual environment.”

comes into play.

So far, other gaming enthusiasts among the faculty in the Minnesota State Colleges

Some of Miller’s students play the games

Despite Miller’s enthusiasm for the “learn

and Universities system have created games

hundreds of times during a semester. Jodi

by playing” approach, he recognizes that

for courses in English, health care, history,

Obeid, another of Miller’s students now at the

s p reading the practice may not be easy. Well­

marketing, sales management, accounting

Carlson School of Management, said: “I would

designed games take a lot of time and skill to

and statistics. And the Minnesota Job Skills

play the games two hours straight to get the

create. They require knowledge in computer

Partnership,

best score. I wasn’t doing it for the A. I was

p rogramming, design, storytelling, advanced

Department of Employment and Economic

doing it because I wanted to be the best.”

math and writing, as well as imagination.

Development, has funded two game projects

A beneficial byproduct is richer class dis­

Miller said he typically spends up to 500 hours

– one to help non-English speaking workers

cussions. “The face time with students is still

devising semester-long games and about 80 to

learn English needed in the workplace and

the most valuable and powerful teaching and

100 hours for shorter ones.

t he other for route delivery drivers to

l e a rning experience that I engage in,” Miller said. “It’s also a heck of a lot of fun.” A self-described “gaming evangelist,”

But, he said, games and simulations can be created for any course by anyone willing to take the time to do it.

an

agency

of

the

state

improve their efficiency. A cadre of faculty at Norm a n d a l e Community College; Pine Technical College;

Miller began using games as an instructional

Milne of the Center for Teaching and

M e t ropolitan State University; Inver Hills

tool in 1990. Since then, he has become con­

Learning agreed that games and simulations

C ommunity College; St. Cloud State

vinced that games lead students to a deeper and

hold potential but must be used wisely. “These

U niversity; Minnesota State University,

richer understanding of course material than

may be very powerful tools, but they’re still

M ankato; Minnesota State University

conventional lectures, discussions, case studies

going to require a lot of careful planning and

M o o rh e a d ; Bemidji State University; and

and texts alone.

development, and the skill of a thoughtful

Winona State University communicate with

teacher to create meaningful learning experi­

e ach other regularly about developing and

ences with them,” she said.

using games and simulations in their class­

Recent brain research about learning supports his view, Milne said. Scientists have found

r ooms.

that learning occurs when neural connections

Meanwhile, Miller remains intent on

are formed and stored in the brain. Neural

spreading the use of this inventive teaching

For Miller, the next step is to secure

connections form when the brain responds to

tool to others in the Minnesota State

funding to open a gaming and simulation

a situation, such as figuring out how to price

Colleges and Universities. Last spring, he

center at Normandale Community College

a product. Because the brain does not distin­

helped organize a conference at St. Cloud

that would help faculty design games for their

guish between an actual and simulated situa­

State University to bring more instructors

courses. He added, “It’s really starting to

tion, once a response is stored and an actual

and professors into the fold.

catch on.”

■

FALL 2006 | M I N N E S OTA STATE | 2 9

ALUMNI MeLee Thao, physician assistant in Wausau, Wis. Winner of: ■ Distinguished Alumni Humanitarian Award ■ School of Nursing Outstanding Alumni Award ■ 2005 Women of Vision award and Woman of Tomorrow scholarship from the YWCA of Wausau

BRIDGING THE GAP Better health care for Hmong is a priority for physician assistant

A

s a Hmong immigrant still learning English, MeLee Thao

is pursuing a grant to finish a video about maintaining a healthy

worked hard to master the college courses required to

heart. She has more projects on the horizon.

become a nurse. “It was tough for me,” she recalls today.

“I really hope to do a collection of the Hmong herbs because

“I was struggling.” But she met the challenge, graduated from

the Hmong people who know how to use them are elderly,” she said.

Minnesota State University, Mankato and has become a leading

“When they die, we won’t know what they are used for.” More herbs

community health professional in Wausau, Wis.

are being brought back from Laos now that travel is allowed, she

“I went to school because I want the Hmong people to under­ stand the health care system here in the United States,” said Thao, who earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1992. Thao, 40, received the university’s Distinguished Alumni

said, making it important for health care providers to stress reasons for using prescribed medications. “For me, if they want to use the herbs, it’s OK if they tell me,” she said. “But I want them to know the medicine I give them for

Humanitarian Award in April for helping the Hmong community

diabetes or hypertension is tested and that even though the herbs

understand Western medicine and live healthy lives. The award goes

they are taking may be making them feel better, it’s not controlling

to graduates whose lives exemplify service to humankind and who

their diabetes or hypertension.”

have demonstrated exceptional dedication to humanitarian causes.

She also is involved in a project to develop a tool for assessing

At the same time, she was awarded the university’s School of Nursing

community health interpreters’ abilities with Hmong, Spanish and

Outstanding Alumni Award.

Somali languages. It will identify what additional training is needed

Thao’s focus is on bridging the cultural and language gap for Wausau-area Hmong residents, who make up about 12 percent of that central Wisconsin city’s population. She has produced a Hmong-language educational video,

so they can accurately translate medical information and dialogue between doctors and nurses and their non-English-speaking patients. Translators also need guidance in dealing with sometimes impa­ tient health care providers. “As a provider, one of the hopes is that

“Kab Mob Kascees: Yuav ua li cas thiaj pab tau koj thiab koj tsev

we can develop a video to train the translators,” she said, “because

neeg” or “Sexually Transmitted Diseases: How to protect yourself

we find that doctors are swearing and calling the patients stupid,

and your family,” in collaboration with Wausau nurse Lynn Buhmann

and they have to tell providers that everything will be translated.”

and area health organizations. In recognition of her efforts, Thao received the 2005 Women of

Thao was born in Laos and fled to Thailand with her family in 1976 after the Communists took control. In 1982, she came to the

Vision award from the YWCA of Wausau and its Woman of Tomorrow

Twin Cities to join an older brother. Thao, who said she became a

scholarship – the first person to receive both honors in the same year.

U.S. citizen in 1987, knew she wanted to be a nurse. She enrolled

Thao and her husband, Chang Yang, a human resource specialist,

at Minnesota State University, Mankato, she said, because the tuition

have four children ages 2 to 7. A recent graduate of the University of

was affordable, the size was right, and it was far enough from home

Wisconsin-Madison’s physician assistant program, Thao is employed at

to stretch her independence but “not too far.”

the UW Health Wausau Family Medicine center. Thao also serves on the

Thao is believed to be the only Hmong graduate from

b o a rd of the Nort h e rn Area Health Education Center in Wausau, which

the university’s School of Nursing, said its chair, Mary Bliesmer.

works to improve access to health care across rural nort h e rn Wisconsin.

“It’s remarkable what she’s been able to do,” Bliesmer said.

The tireless Thao has been involved in a recent communitywide effort to settle a new group of about 500 Hmong from Thailand and 3 0 | MINNESOTA STATE | FALL 2006

“She achieved an education and then wanted her people to benefit from it as well.”

■

Five new trustees appointed

Gov. Tim Pawlenty has named five new members of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees.

Four of the terms will run through June 30, 2012; the two-year college student trustee term will end June 30, 2008.

Caleb Anderson Age: 19 OCCUPATION: Student and peer tutor at C e n t u ry College; lifeg u a rd and swimming i n s t ructor at Maplewood Community Center; assis­ tant preschool teacher at Maple Tree Child C a re Center, Maplewood; co-founder and co-owner of a cleaning business, MasonAnderson Professional Cleaners LLC EDUCATION: Pursuing an associate degre e from Century College BACKGROUND: P resident of Phi Theta Kappa honor society, active in Student Senate, debate team and theater at Century College REPRESENTS: Two-year college students HOMETOWN: Maplewood FAMILY: P a rents Donald and Marilyn; sister Cherra Dan McElroy Age: 58 OCCUPATION: Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s senior advisor on innovation E D U C AT I O N : B a c h e l o r’s degree in h i s t o ry from the University of Notre Dame BACKGROUND: F o rmerly served as the gover­ nor’s chief of staff and commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Finance, and in the Minnesota House of Representatives fro m 1995 to 2003. Also served as mayor of Burnsville from 1987 to 1994 and member of the Burnsville City Council from 1983 to 1986. Active in the travel agency business from 1979 to 1994 and in the travel agency software and consulting business from 1994 to 2003 BOARDS AND MEMBERSHIPS: American Bank Burnsville (director), Burnsville Rotary Club, Burnsville Chamber of Commerce, Minnesota Taxpayers Association, Citizens League of the Twin Cities, Center of the American Experiment REPRESENTS: At-large HOMETOWN: Burnsville FAMILY: Wife Mary

Christine Rice Age: 57

James Van Houten Age: 64

OCCUPATION: Community and civic volunteer EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in speech and communication from the University of

OCCUPATION: Retired; consults for profit and n o n p rofit organizations EDUCATION: Bachelor’s d e g ree in English from St. Mary ’s University, San

Wisconsin-Eau Claire BACKGROUND: Served as deputy commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health from 1995 to 1997, assistant commissioner of the department from 1993 to 1995 and director of public and legislative affairs from 1991 to

Antonio, Texas, and M.B.A. from Illinois State University, Bloomington, Ill.

1993. From 1987 to 1991, served as assistant to the minority leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives BOARDS AND MEMBERSHIPS: HealthFront (director), Commission on Judicial Selection,

division; vice president of marketing for the nonautomotive U.S. subsidiaries of Volkswagen of America; division vice president for the Wausau Insurance Companies; and vice p resident and chief marketing and strategy

Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators, Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota; former gubernatorial appointee to Advisory Council of Community Based Planning and member of Minnesota Partnership for Action Against Tobacco board REPRESENTS: 6th Congressional District HOMETOWN: Lake Elmo FAMILY: Husband Daniel; children Marnie, Peter, Tyler

officer for Country Insurance and Financial S e rvices. For the past 15 years, has been a senior lecturer at the Carlson School, University of Minnesota BOARDS: Minnesota Business Partnership

C. Scott Thiss Age: 59 OCCUPATION: President and chief executive offi­ cer for Sailforth, Inc., an Edina holding company with selected business investments EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in marketing and M.B.A. from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.; holds a CPA certificate BACKGROUND: Previously served as president and chief executive officer for S&W Plastics, LLC, in Eden Prairie BOARDS AND MEMBERSHIPS: Employers Association; Edina Planning Commission; Habitat for Technology; Innovance, Inc. (chair of governance committee); Northwestern University Alumni Association (director); previously, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce (past board chair), Normandale Community College Foundation (past chair) REPRESENTS: At-large HOMETOWN: Edina FAMILY: Wife Abbie; sons Jason, 27; Andy, 25

BACKGROUND: S e rved as president and CEO of the MSI Insurance Companies, Arden Hills, Minn., from 1989 until 2002; sales manager for Canada with the General Motors insurance

(education committee), Minnesota Association of Scholars (chair), Hill Business Reference L i b r a ry, Minnesota Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (chair), Insurance Federation of Minnesota (chair), Center of the American Experiment REPRESENTS: 5th Congressional District HOMETOWN: Minneapolis FAMILY: Wife Mary Ann Nelson is assistant commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Education; daughters Kimberly Riley of St. Louis, Mo., and Lori of Laramie, Wy o . The 2006-2007 Board of Trustees David Paskach, chair, Cottonwood C l a rence Hightower, vice chair, Minneapolis Michael Boulton, treasurer, Porter Caleb Anderson, Maplewood Duane Benson, Lanesboro C h e ryl Dickson, St. Paul Ruth Grendahl, Apple Valley Dan McElro y, Burn s v i l l e David Olson, St. Paul Thomas Renier, Duluth Christine Rice, Lake Elmo Ann Curme Shaw, Minnetonka C. Scott Thiss, Edina

James Van Houten, Minneapolis

C a rol Wenner, Alexandria*

*Term expired June 30, 2006; incumbent serves until

replacement is appointed by the govern o r.

FALL 2006 | M I N N E S OTA STATE | 3 1

ALUMNI

DELIVERING MINNESOTA’S MORNING NEWS

J

UST AFTER 6 A . M . W E E K DAYS, A FAMILIAR GREETING ARRIVES OVER THE A I R W AVES:

“Good morning from Minnesota Public Radio News. I’m Perry Finelli.” His mellifluous tones deliver the latest news to a quart e rmillion listeners across the state, in kitchens and dairy barns and cars humming down the highways, grounding everyone in the re a l ities of the day. Finelli’s voice radiates a calm and relaxed demeanor, graced with public radio polish. No hint remains of the shy teenage deejay who hit the airwaves in Princeton, Minn., where he caught the broadcast bug. “My dad was a public school teacher and sports director at the local radio station p a rt time,” Finelli said. “I was fascinated by it, and I picked up a part-time job on weekends.” Now 46, Finelli has been an MPR journal­ ist for 20 years, preceded by a television stint in Mason City, Iowa, after graduating with a mass communications degree in 1982 from St. Cloud State University.

Perry Finelli broadcasts Minnesota Public Radio news from the station’s new studios in downtown St. Paul.

“I love to put together a

newscast, moving things around,

seeing how short and succinct

I can make it.”

– Perry Finelli, alumnus of St. Cloud State University

Arriving by 5 a.m. at the station’s sleek new studios in downtown St. Paul, he quickly crafts the first newscast from stories by MPR reporters and wire services. “I love to put together a newscast, moving things around, seeing how short and succinct I can make it,” Finelli said. “I always want to make a newscast complete. I want to get more in. I am crafting my own little masterpieces.” And radio style is essential. “It’s got to be clear to the ear – no convoluted sentences,” he explained. “Perry, in particular, has a really hard job,” said Mike Mulcahy, his editor. “He starts early, and he has the longest newscast of the day – 3 1/2 minutes.” He said Finelli’s position takes a unique mix of skills – news judgment,

3 2 | MINNESOTA STATE | FALL 2006

writing well, staying on top of what’s happening locally and in the world, and knowing how to pronounce place names. Finelli works from a small studio, where he delivers his newscasts during “Morning Edition,” hosted locally by Cathy Wurzer, and then “Midmorning” with Kerri Miller, which emanate from larger booths nearby. He also has reported stories and does stints as a substitute host. On Sept. 11, 2001, Finelli was filling in as “Morning Edition” host. “The producer asked, ‘ A re you looking at the TV? It looks like there’s a fire.’ My first thought was, there ’s a fire in that restaurant,’” said Finelli, recalling the World Trade Center image on the screen. “We broke into the national report at 10 minutes to 8 and took over, here in Minnesota, using wire copy and TV,” he said. A colleague called his daughter living in New York City. She couldn’t see the towers but relayed the drama. “We did a live interview with her within 20 minutes of that first plane hitting the World Trade Center,” Finelli said. “I still have people telling me, ‘You are the first voice I heard,’ “ he said. “It was a monumental event. It was probably the story of our lifetime.” Finelli credits St. Cloud State for enabling him to do this work. “I learned you can’t wait for people to come to you. I learned how to communicate. And I learned how to work with people. I came out of the university as a much different person,” he said. “That is the value of education – you grow.” His wife, Ann, also earned a mass com­ munications degree from the university. Finelli said he was pleased to be elected recently to the St. Cloud State Alumni Association Advisory Board. He said, “It’s my opportunity to give back to the university.” ■

Minnesota State Colleges & Universities

Foundation With your support, anything is possible. The gift of education rewards us all. The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Foundation serves as a partner and advocate for the system of 32 state colleges and universities to raise and distribute funds for the benefit of students, p rograms and communities. Private, corporate and foundation gifts supplement state and federal dollars, support many special pro g r a m s and projects not possible with government funding alone, and help keep tuition reasonable.

There are many ways to help Minnesota State Colleges and Universities while advancing your own personal and financial goals – including planned gifts, bequests, annuities, trusts and other forms of deferred or future gifts. Gifts may be general contributions or dire c t e d toward a specific institution or program. To learn more, visit www.foundation.mnscu.edu or call (651) 297-5519.

Wells Fargo Place 30 7th St. E., Suite 350 St. Paul, MN 55101-7804 www.mnscu.edu Phone: (651) 296-8012 Toll-free: (888) 667-2848 TTY: (651) 282-2660 The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system is an Equal Opportunity employer and educator.

FALL 2006 | M I N N E S OTA STATE | C 3

Creating a legacy

3M retirees pledge major scholarship fund for technical program students

W

HAT HAPPENS WHEN TWO RETIRED 3M engineers – one an alumnus of the

University of Minnesota, the other a graduate of Macalester College – combine their belief in technical education with a com­ mitment to their Minnesota roots? The result is the largest gift ever pledged to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Foundation. Wa rren Robens and Henry Dembiczak have created a trust fund naming the founda­ tion as the sole beneficiary. The trust currently is valued at $2.5 million to $3 million and primarily will assist students enrolled in a tech­ nical program at one of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. Often, these students have limited available scholarship support. “Education is very, very important, and I know there are a lot of needs,” said Dembiczak during a recent tour of a college campus in the Twin Cities. Dembiczak grew up in Greenbush, Minn., in the northwest corner of the state and graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1961. Robens grew up in northeast St. Paul and graduated from Macalester College in 1949. Today, they divide their time between Minnesota and Hawaii. A college education didn’t come easily for either man, even though the cost of

Henry Dembiczak (left) and Warren Robens are pledging scholarship funds for technical college students and others in need.

education was much less than today’s tuition costs. Dembiczak recalls paying $350 a quarter for room, board and tuition. “When I graduated from high school and went to the university, I didn’t even know there were scholarships,” he said. “I worked all the time I was going to school, and that was really a handicap.”

Robens remembers tuition of $125 per semester when he started, going up to $250, plus room and board. He credits his bro t h e r for helping him through college. “My bro t h e r was a graduate of a Minnesota vo-tech and became a very successful businessman in C a l i f o rnia, and since I was going to college, I worked in the summertime for him,” he said. He also was helped by a scholarship for hard ­ of-hearing students. Robens, who majored in physics, chem­ i s t ry and math at Macalester, worked as a plant superintendent, process engineer and p rocess manager in the reflective pro d u c t s a rea of 3M when the company’s annual sales w e re less than $100 million per year. Dembiczak started his career in secondary education, teaching science and math in the F o rest Lake schools, later moving into a 3M division that produced decorative products for automobiles. “Wood-grain plastic film for the sides of station wagons is one of the first things I worked on,” he said. A portion of the Wa rren H. Robens and H e n ry P. Dembiczak Endowed Scholarship also will provide support to students enrolled in nontechnical courses at one of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. “It’s great when alumni give to the foun­ dation, but the generosity of these two friends who didn’t even attend our colleges and uni­ versities is remarkable,” said Catherine McGlinch, executive director of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Foundation, which raises funds to benefit students and p rograms throughout the system of 32 state colleges and universities. “We are grateful for their commitment to making it possible for m o re students to attend college.” ■ IF YOU HAVE NAMED THE MINNESOTA STAT E COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION IN YOUR ESTATE PLANS OR WANT INFORMAT I O N ON HOW TO DO SO, CONTACT CAT H E R I N E MCGLINCH AT (651) 297-4639 OR C [email protected] .

Wells Fargo Place 30 7th St. E., Suite 350 St. Paul, MN 55101-7804

First Class US Postage

Phone: (651) 296-8012 Toll-free: (888) 667-2848 TTY: (651) 282-2660 www.mnscu.edu

Permit No. 171 St. Paul, MN

PAID