Submitted by admin on
NSU Campus News graphic

Welcome to the NSU News Update - providing information on events happening on campus or involving NSU students, staff and faculty. 

To submit a news item, send it via email to NSUNews@northern.edu by 5 p.m. Thursday of the week before the announcement should run.

15th and State Street Will Temporarily Close

The City of Aberdeen will be temporarily closing the intersection of 15th Avenue and South State Street for planned utility upgrades. The closure is expected to begin around Sept. 22 and last roughly four weeks. Weather may play a factor with this timeframe.

Northern employees and students who typically park on the streets around the Barnett Center have the option to purchase a one-time temporary parking pass for $20. The temporary passes are only valid for the Barnett Center lot and are effective from Sept. 22 to Oct. 31, 2019. You can purchase these temporary passes at the NSU Physical Plant.

In order to prioritize the safety of our students, staff and faculty, along with the well-being of May Overby Elementary students and staff, pickup and drop-off routes for the school will be temporarily altered. May Overby will provide parents with further instructions.

May Overby staff will be allowed to temporarily park in the NSU Foundation lot.

Thank you for your patience as these construction projects continue.

-President Downs

Campus Safety Week

Monday-Friday, Sept. 23-27, is Campus Safety Week at Northern. The following events are planned:

Monday, Sept. 23: AwareWolves Alcohol awareness tabling; 11 am.-1 p.m.; Student Center, sponsored by AwareWolves and the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Tuesday, Sept. 24: Cookies With a Cop – Officer Senger; 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; Student Center; sponsored by AwareWolves and the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Wednesday, Sept. 25: Active Shooter training presentation; first session: 10-10:50 a.m., second session: 11-11:50 a.m.; Missouri River Room; sponsored by APD and the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities

Thursday, Sept. 26: Goggles and Gaming; 11 a.m.; Student Center; sponsored by APD and the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities

Friday, Sept. 27: Student Rights and Responsibilities FAQ; 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; Student Center; sponsored by Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities

NSU Intramural News

NSU intramurals is about to pick up! Flag football is ongoing and still accepting teams if people are interested. There is a rocket league tournament in the pavilion conference room on Sept. 28 – PIZZA WILL BE PROVIDED. Later this semester we have 3-on-3 basketball and co-ed volleyball. Check out all our opportunities on IMLeagues and register for an event, or email your team and information to steven.mckee@wolves.northern.edu. The recreation fields now have open hours for students! There is equipment out there for students to use: footballs, spike ball, soccer, etc. Open field hours will be posted outside of Dacotah Gym. There will be Play Stations and Nintendos in the conference room for student use as well as games like Madden, NBA2K, Smash Bros and Mario Cart.

National Voter Registration Day is Sept. 24

Students: Sept. 24 is National Voter Registration Day – take this opportunity to register to vote! Every year, millions of Americans miss the opportunity to cast a regular ballot in an election due to a missed voter registration deadline or they did not know how to register to vote. That is why the South Dakota Secretary of State’s office is leading efforts to encourage local groups to hold voter registration drives on National Voter Registration Day, September 24. Learn more here.

Speaker Meeting with Students

On Tuesday, Sept. 24, Brian Smith, founder of UGG Boots, will be meeting with School of Business classes from 9:30 to 11 a.m. in the Lincoln Gallery.

Cookie Decorating Bar

The NSU Small Group communications class will hold a cookie decorating bar on Tuesday, Sept. 24. The free event will take place 12:30-1:45 p.m. in the Student Center lobby.

Informational Sessions for Faculty-Led Study Abroad

NSU students, alumni and community members have the chance to experience new countries and cultures this academic year thanks to faculty-led study abroad programs. The following information sessions are set:

  • Guatemala Service Learning Info Session: Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 3:30 p.m. in the Student Center Gold Room
  • Peru Faculty-Led Program Info Session: Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 5 p.m. in TC 369
  • Costa Rica Faculty-Led Program Info Session: Thursday, Sept. 26, at 3 p.m. in the Student Center Gold Room

Click here for more information. Interested students can fill out this online application. For more information on NSU Study Abroad, contact Blum at studyabroad@northern.edu.

Environmental Club Roadside Cleanup

The NSU Environmental Club will have a roadside cleanup at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24. Those wanting to participate should meet at the physical plant/Barnett Center parking lot. Also, the club will have its second meeting after the roadside cleanup in Science Center room 233.

UGG Boots founder to speak at 2019 Create ‘N’ Festival            

On Wednesday, Sept. 25, NSU’s School of Business hosts Create ‘N’: A Festival Celebrating Entrepreneurship, Creativity, Innovation and Workforce. This will be held in the JFAC red room 117 starting at 8:45 am. Brian Smith, founder of UGG Boots, will be the keynote speaker. Click here to read more.

Fall 2019 Noon Forums

NSU’s fall 2019 Noon Forums continue on Wednesdays at noon in the NSU Williams Library Round Room. This week’s topic is “Dueling Clarinets” on Sept. 25, led by Audrey Miller and Robert Spring. Future topics are:

  • Oct. 2: Dueling Ink (Lysbeth Benkert-Rasmussen/Pen Pearson)
  • Oct. 9: Lest we Forget—Memories of Past Teachers
  • Oct. 16: What in the World? (Leigh Neys/ Ioana Hojda)
  • Oct. 23: Where do they Go from Here? (Brit Lorenz/Brenda Mammenga)
  • Oct. 30: Resounding Pedagogies: Building Classroom Community through Sound (Ben Harley)
  • Nov. 6: Complementing Cultures (Anna Schwan/Kirika Shimmei)
  • Nov. 13: White Nationalism on Trial (Department of History and Social Sciences)
  • Nov. 21: Teaching with Business Cases in Chinese Classrooms: Pains and Gains (Jiang Changsheng)
  • Dec. 4: The State of the State Budget (Julie Johnson)

Noon forums are open to all who are interested – students, staff and the public. For more information, contact Dr. Art Marmorstein at 605-626-2608 or Art.Marmorstein@northern.edu.

PBL/Business Club to Meet

PBL/Business Club will meet on Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m. in Lincoln 224.

Gypsy Day Parade Registration

Online registration for the 105th annual Northern State University Gypsy Day Parade is now open. Individuals and groups interested in entering the parade may register via the online form. Registration cost is $25. The parade is Saturday, Oct. 12, with a start time of 9 a.m. This year’s parade theme is “Wolves Live Happily Ever After.” The deadline to register online is 5 p.m. Sept. 27. For more information, contact the Student Affairs office by calling 605-626-3007 or emailing gypsydays@northern.edu.

Boulton and Barry Recital

Dr. Kenneth Boulton and JoAnne Barry will present a recital of music for two pianos four-hands at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, in the Johnson Fine Arts Center Harvey and Cynthia Jewett Theater. Featured on the program will be music by Reinhold Glière, Lili Boulanger, Robert Schumann and Samuel Barber. For more than 30 years, Boulton and Barry have presented piano duet and duo concerts throughout the United States and Europe. Enthusiastic advocates of piano ensemble playing, the husband and wife team are in demand for their lecture-demonstrations of four-hand technique and repertoire, particularly works appropriate for student use. The concert is free and open to the public.

Swim Team Collecting Items for Safe Harbor

The NSU Swim Team is partnering with Safe Harbor to collect items they are in need of, including:

  • Razors
  • Deodorant
  • Shaving cream
  • Tampons
  • Brushes
  • Sunscreen
  • Bug spray
  • Kids bug spray
  • Kids/baby body wash
  • Shuttle passes
  • Laundry baskets
  • Sensitive baby formula
  • Pull-ups
  • Queen-sized bed sheets
  • New bath towels
  • Canned tuna
  • Canned chicken
  • Canned fruit or fruit cups
  • Granola bars
  • Gas gift cards

Donations will be collected until Gypsy Days. Please drop off items in Coach Monanian's office in the Barnett Center.

NSU-Primrose Arts and Lecture Series

The 2019-20 NSU-Primrose Arts and Lecture Series will start Oct. 8, and take place Tuesdays from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. throughout the academic year at Aberdeen's Primrose Retirement Community, located at 1701 Third Avenue S.E. Presenters and topics are as follows:

Oct. 8: "Go Ahead, I’m Listening: Tips for Engaging with Others"; presented by Dr. Elizabeth Sills, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies.

Nov. 12: "Turning Pages, Changing Minds: 10 Years of the NSU Common Read"; presented by Dr. Erin Fouberg, Professor of Geography.

Feb. 11: "The Worst Hard Times: The 1930s Depression in South Dakota"; presented by Dr. Ric Dias, Professor of History.

March 10: "Jazz through the Decades"; presented by Mr. Fritz Hemke, Assistant Professor of Music.

April 14: "Talkin’ like the Bard:  Demystifying Shakespeare’s Language"; presented by Dr. Kane Anderson, Assistant Professor of Theatre.

Hall of Fame Banquet is Oct. 11

Five NSU alumni and one Wolves Athletics team will be honored at the 2019 NSU Hall of Fame Banquet. The banquet is set for 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at Aberdeen’s Dakota Event Center. This year’s inductees are Micah Arnold, Todd Ford, Matt Hammer, Carolin (Becker) Magstadt, Kira (Wannebo) Swenson and the 1993-94 women’s basketball team. For more information about the Hall of Fame Banquet, click here or contact the NSU Foundation at 605-626-2550.

NSU Wolf Talks

Wolf Talks are being held this fall in conjunction with the 2019 NSU Larry and Julie Poeppel Family Common Read Lecture. They are free and open to the public. The schedule is as follows:

  • Oct. 16: Overcoming Barriers to Productivity with Petr Ludwig, 6:30 p.m., JFAC Jewett Theater
  • Nov. 6: Managing Distractions with Dr. Erin Haugen, 6:30 p.m., Krikac Auditorium

NSU accepting fall 2019 Undergraduate Competitive Research Grant applications

Northern State University is pleased to announce we are accepting applications for the fall 2019 Undergraduate Competitive Research Grant. One student will be chosen to receive up to $2,500 toward their own independent research project. Students from all majors are encouraged to apply. Applicants must design a formal research project under the mentorship of a faculty member. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. Oct. 28, 2019.  For details on how to apply, please download the “Request for Proposal” by visiting myNSU -> Academics -> Undergraduate Research.

Faculty/Staff Ticket Pricing:

NSU Athletics offers the following ticket pricing for Northern faculty and staff:

  • 50 percent off single-game general admission ticket (price varies with each event)
  • Buy one at regular price, get one free general admission season ticket (soccer, volleyball, football, wrestling, men’s and women’s basketball are all ticketed)             
    • Regular price: $300
  • 50 percent off reserved season tickets (section A only – chair back seats for basketball)
    • Regular price: $400
    • Faculty/staff price: $200
    • You will receive a Wolves Club season ticket book with individual tickets for each game!
    • Faculty with children can have adjacent chair back seats (in section A) reserved for their kids upon signing them up for Wolves Buddies - $40 per child, $99 for three or more kids.

Contact Austin Hieb at 605-228-9514 or wolvesclub@northern.edu, or stop by the Barnett Center to sign up and select your seats – automatic payroll deduction is available!

NSU Larry and Julie Poeppel Family Common Read Lecture

Author Manoush Zomorodi will discuss “Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing Out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self” at the Northern State University Larry and Julie Poeppel Family Common Read Lecture at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13 in the Johnson Fine Arts Center. The lecture is free and open to the public. No tickets are required. Zomorodi will speak for about 50 minutes, take questions from the audience, and then sign copies of her book. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. “Bored and Brilliant” explores the connection between boredom and original thinking and considers how we can harness boredom’s hidden benefits to become our most productive and creative selves without totally abandoning our gadgets in the process. The book is available at the NSU Wolf Shoppe for $12.25. Summer hours for the Wolf Shoppe are: 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (closed Friday, June 28, for inventory). 

Split-Pot Tickets Will Raise Money for Scholarships

Tickets for the $30,000 split-pot are available at the NSU Foundation. Only 300 tickets are being sold. The winner will receive $15,000 and $15,000 will go toward Northern student scholarships. Need not be present to win – the drawing will take place at Northern Night on Nov. 16. To purchase a ticket, contact the Foundation at 605-626-2550.

Community Chinese Classes

The NSU Confucius Institute is offering community Chinese courses through Nov. 19. Youth classes take place 3:15-4:15 p.m. Tuesdays, and adult classes take place 5:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesdays. All classes are held in NSU’s Lincoln Hall, room 330. Cost is $20 per student. For more information or to register, call 605-626-3293 or email confucius@northern.edu.

Moscow Ballet Brings ‘Gift of Christmas Tour’ to NSU this November           

Tickets are on sale now for the fourth annual performance of the Great Russian Nutcracker at Northern State University. Moscow Ballet will bring the “Gift of Christmas Tour” to Aberdeen at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 25, in the Johnson Fine Arts Center Harvey and Cynthia Jewett Theater. The performance will bring holiday magic to life, creating unforgettable memories for all ages. Tickets may be purchased online at the NSU Fine Arts Department webpage.

Save the Date: Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creativity Forum

The annual NSU Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creativity Forum is scheduled for Wednesday, April 22, 2020. All students participating in scholarly activity are invited to participate. Registration details to be announced in January. 

Name Tag Orders

NSU Communications and Marketing orders name tags for employees once a month. To request a name tag for the next campus-wide order, fill out this online form.

Wolves Helping the Community

Don’t forget: If you’re volunteering in the community or elsewhere, click here to submit your volunteer hours!

Upcoming Wolves Events

Check out upcoming Wolves events at the NSU Wolves Game Day webpage or athletics calendar.