Employee Directory

First Name

Last Name

Department

Terry Beckler

Professor of Music, Percussion

605-626-3436

Terry Beckler

Professor of Music, Percussion

Johnson Fine Arts Center 174

605-626-3436

terry.beckler@northern.edu

Ph.D. University of Minnesota

M.M.E. University of Northern Colorado-Greeley

B.M.E. South Dakota State University

Dr. Terry Beckler, NSU professor of percussion and associate director of bands, previously was director of bands at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minn., and at Huron University. He also has 10 years of public school experience as band director for the Red Rock Central (Lamberton, Minn.) and Sioux Valley (Volga, S.D.) school districts.

Dr. Beckler was a member of the 147th Army Band based in Mitchell, S.D., for 36 years, retiring as Chief Warrant Officer 5. He enlisted in 1986 as a percussionist, took over command in 1998 and completed his career as Chief, Army National Guard Bands. In January of 2006, the 147th Army Band was awarded the Howard Citation of Musical Excellence from the John Philip Sousa Foundation. Dr. Beckler was named South Dakota Outstanding Bandmaster in 2018 and received the South Dakota High School Activities Association Distinguished Service Award in 2022. He is an active clinician in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota and a former member of the Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps.

Kenneth Boulton

Dean, NSU School of Fine Arts

605-626-2500

Kenneth Boulton

Dean, NSU School of Fine Arts

Spafford Hall 316

605-626-2500

Kenneth.Boulton@northern.edu

D.M. University of Maryland at College Park

M.M. University of Maryland at College Park

B.A. Washington State University

Dr. Kenneth Boulton is a Grammy® nominated pianist whose performances and recordings have garnered international acclaim. His discography features nine recordings of solo and chamber repertoire, much of which is devoted to contemporary American music. The highlight of Dr. Boulton's output is his recording, Louisiana - A Pianist's Journey, which was released in 2007 on Cambria Master Recordings and received a Grammy® nomination for best classical instrumental soloist.

A seasoned performer, Dr. Boulton has presented solo and chamber music recitals in many major U.S. cities, including New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Dallas/Fort Worth, Atlanta, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Seattle. His international appearances have included performances at Moscow Conservatory, Rachmaninoff Hall and Oxford University, as well as concerts in Germany and Romania. He also routinely appears with his wife, JoAnne Barry, in recitals and lectures of piano duo and duet music.

Dr. Boulton was recently appointed Dean of the School of Fine Arts at Northern State University, Aberdeen, S.D. Previously, he was professor of piano at Southeastern Louisiana University, where he also served as head of the Department of Fine and Performing Arts from 2011 to 2015 and director of the Southeastern Community Music School from 2003 to 2010. Dr. Boulton has served on the faculties of the Wilmington Music School (Delaware), Shippensburg University (Pennsylvania), Wilson College (Pennsylvania), and the National Cathedral School (Washington, D.C.).

Born in Seattle, Dr. Boulton earned his bachelor's degree in piano from Washington State University, where he was a student of David Yeomans. In addition, he has master's and doctorate degrees in piano performance from the University of Maryland at College Park, where his teachers included Nelita True and Thomas Schumacher.

Darci Bultema

Professor of Music, Voice/Opera

605-626-7759

Darci Bultema

Professor of Music, Voice/Opera

Spafford Hall 320

605-626-7759

darci.bultema@northern.edu

B.S. North Dakota State University

M.M., G.P.D. Peabody Conservatory of Music

D.M.A. North Dakota State University

A captivating and compelling performer, soprano Dr. Darci Bultema has performed on the operatic stage in a variety of roles, such as La Contessa in Le nozze di Figaro, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Cleopatra in Handel's Giulio Cesare, Clorinda in La Cenerentola, The Female Chorus in Britten's The Rape of Lucretia, and Lavinia in Bononcini's Camilla. Originally from North Dakota, she has brought talent and versatility to opera companies across the United States via Florida Grand Opera, Tulsa Opera, Washington Opera, Baltimore Opera, Natchez Opera, Peabody Opera, and the Fargo Moorhead Opera.

In addition to her operatic repertoire, Dr. Bultema has appeared as a soloist in an assortment of orchestral works with The Florida Philharmonic, New World Symphony, Miami Chamber Symphony, Peabody Symphony Orchestra, Washington DC Youth Orchestra, and the Fargo Moorhead Symphony. In these venues her voice has been showcased in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, the Chants d'Auvergne of Canteloube, Griffes' Three Poems of Fiona Macleod, and oratorios of Bach, Handel, Haydn, and Rossini.

Dr. Bultema’s talent and promise were recognized and nurtured through her participation as a Young Artist with Florida Grand Opera, Tulsa Opera, and Natchez Opera. Adding to her acclaim, a concert review by Classical New Jersey of her interpretation of Cilea’s Il son l’umile ancella, Son pochi fiori from Mascagni’s L’amico Fritz, and Bachelet’s exquisite art song Chére Nuit, was quick to note “Miss Bultema’s ability to float those stratospheric notes with ease and grace,” as well as her “luscious legato line, completely even production throughout the compass and sumptuous crescendos.”

A frequent recitalist, Dr. Bultema has long been a supporter of lesser-known song composers, including Amilcare Ponchielli, on whom her doctoral document was written. Under the auspices of the International Grieg Society, she was recently selected to present art songs composed by Edvard Grieg in Norway. Her recent introduction to Norwegian and the songs of Grieg has provided her with exposure on the international scene.

Voice students of Dr. Bultema's are frequent winners and finalists with the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) auditions in South and North Dakota. Many of her students continue their vocal training and education at prestigious institutions such as Peabody Conservatory of Music, Boston Conservatory, University of Maryland Opera Studio, and the University of Colorado in Boulder. A champion of music education, Dr. Bultema consistently has graduates from her voice studio experience success as music educators throughout the region and country, winning many accolades for their choirs and classroom teaching.

Dr. Bultema has earned a bachelor of science degree from North Dakota State University and a master of music degree from Peabody Conservatory of Music, where she earned a prestigious graduate performance diploma in voice and opera. She also has a doctor of musical arts degree from North Dakota State University.

Cindy Davis

Assistant Professor of Art Education

605-626-2258

Cindy Davis

Assistant Professor of Art Education

Spafford Hall 103B

605-626-2258

cindy.davis@northern.edu

(ABD) Ph.D. Art Education, specialty in Design (UI/UX), University of North Texas

M.A.T. Art Education, University of Central Florida

B.S. in Business Administration, specialty MIS, University of Central Florida

Cindy T. Davis is an assistant professor of art education. She is completing her research and dissertation for a doctorate in art education at the University of North Texas, focusing on art education curriculum and user interface design. She has a management information systems degree and a Master of Arts in Education from the University of Central Florida.

Cindy has taught at the University of North Texas and SUNY New Paltz. Cindy holds a PK-12 art education certification from Florida and has experience teaching art through public schools, private schools, and summer camps. Her curriculum experience includes International Baccalaureate and Montessori.

Cindy is an active member of state, national and international art education organizations, presenting at TAEA (Texas), FAEA (Florida), NAEA (United States), CSEA (Canada), and InSEA (Latin America) conferences.

Cindy provides in-person and remote course instruction and supervises art teachers at the graduate and undergraduate levels. She instructs, coaches, and mentors art teachers, preparing them for art education jobs. She applies a contemporary art approach to her teaching, allowing students to solve problems collaboratively and develop lessons using multicultural artists from history and contemporary art exemplars.

Cindy provides learning experiences that enable students to actively engage and practice highly demanded teaching skills: collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity. To accommodate the building of these skills, she combines her experience with the design process and design-based research in her instructional practice.

Cindy’s art practice includes acrylic painting, mixed media art, ceramics, pencil and charcoal drawings, and photography addressing contemporary art topics including depression, anxiety, hidden medical disabilities, and feminism.

Courses Taught (select)

Contemporary Approaches in Art Education

Theory and Practice in Art Education

Curriculum and Instruction

Special Topics: Art Lab

Computer Art Education

Inquiry in Art Education

Art Integration for Non-Art Education Majors

Marla Fogderud

Associate Professor of Music

605-626-2255

Marla Fogderud

Associate Professor of Music

Spafford Hall 309

605-626-2255

marla.fogderud@northern.edu

D.M.A., Michigan State University

M.M., Wichita State University

B.M., Concordia College

Dr. Marla Fogderud, a native of North Dakota, is an active stage performer and recitalist throughout the United States and Europe. She was an apprentice artist with the Des Moines Metro Opera and has performed roles with Opera Kansas, Wichita State University Opera, Fargo Moorhead Opera, and Michigan State University Opera. She has been a soloist with the Cincinnati International Chorale, Wichita Symphony, Wichita State University Orchestra, Greater Grand Forks Symphony, Michigan State University (MSU) Concert Band, MSU Philharmonic and MSU Symphony.

Dr. Fogderud has appeared on the Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn., faculty recital series; Minnesota Public Radio Regional Artist broadcasts; North Dakota Museum of Art Summer Concert Series; Plymouth Music Series (Wichita); Nordvændt Concert Series (Minneapolis); the 2006 National Opera Association Convention and the 49th NATS National Conference (2006).

In 2009, she attended the Lotte Lehmann Akademie in Perleberg, Germany, on a full-tuition scholarship, where she worked with renowned soprano Karan Armstrong. Dr. Fogderud was invited to return to the program in 2010. A specialist in Norwegian art song, she has also appeared as a guest performer in Rolf Stang’s play Grieg, Edvard Grieg. Since 2007 she has performed a lecture recital, “Norwegian Art Song in the 'Golden Age,' ” for multiple audiences, and developed a Norwegian song workshop first given at Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D., in 2009. International engagements include solo recitals in Hamar and Oslo, Norway, and concerts in southern France and the Brandenburg region of Germany. She performed in May 2015 at the International Grieg Songfest in Bergen, Norway. Most recently, she presented a lecture recital at the May 2017 conference, “SalzBergen: Exploring the Intersection of W.A. Mozart and Edvard Grieg,” hosted by the Edvard Grieg Society of the Great Lakes.

Dr. Fogderud received her D.M.A. from Michigan State University, M.M. in voice and opera from Wichita State University and a B.M. degree from Concordia College. She also studied at the Norwegian National Academy of Music (Norges musikk høgskolen) in Oslo, where she worked with sopranos Ingrid Bjoner and Siff Pettersen. She is in demand as a private voice teacher, vocal adjudicator, language coach, and translator.

Heidi Hepola

Senior Secretary

605-626-2497

Heidi Hepola

Senior Secretary

Spafford Hall 315

605-626-2497

heidi.hepola@northern.edu

Epiphany Knedler

Assistant Professor of Art, Chair, Department of Art

605-626-7766

Epiphany Knedler

Assistant Professor of Art, Chair, Department of Art

Spafford Hall 209C

605-626-7766

epiphany.knedler@northern.edu

MFA, East Carolina University

BFA and BA, University of South Dakota

Epiphany Knedler is an interdisciplinary artist + educator exploring the ways we engage with history. She is inspired by the aesthetics and geopolitical landscapes of the Midwest, surveying the storied past of bold exploration and quiet melancholy. She graduated from the University of South Dakota with a BFA in Studio Art and a BA in Political Science and completed her MFA in Studio Art with an emphasis in Photography at East Carolina University.

She is based in Aberdeen, South Dakota, serving as a Lecturer of Art, a Content Editor with LENSCRATCH, and the co-curator for the art collective Midwest Nice Art. Her work has been exhibited in the New York Times, Vermont Center for Photography, Lenscratch, Dek Unu Arts, and awarded through the Lucie Foundation, F-Stop Magazine, and Photolucida Critical Mass.

Jason Knowles

Assistant Professor of Art

605-626-7763

Jason Knowles

Assistant Professor of Art

Dacotah Hall 208B

605-626-7763

jason.knowles@northern.edu

M.F.A. Digital Filmmaking - University of Central Arkansas

M.S. Instructional Design & Technology - Emporia State University

B.G.S. Special Major: Digital Film & Computer Production - University of Kansas

Website

Originally from Northeast Kansas, Jason Knowles is an award-winning filmmaker who teaches courses in digital media, video streaming and digital filmmaking, podcasting and sound design, game-app-web design, and animations and visual effects at Northern. At other institutions, he developed and facilitated in-person and online classes in video and multimedia journalism, screenwriting, film history and theory, promotional and corporate video production, and documentary filmmaking.

Knowles' media production interests include writing and directing screenplays with strong, complicated female lead characters whose journeys transcend the genres of action-adventure films, science fiction, and romantic comedies. Every November, he serves as executive producer and director of Northern's filmmaking team for the international Four-Points Film Project competition, which is open to all Northern students and employees as well as members of the Aberdeen community.

Knowles' research has involved documentary collaborations with visual history, investigating discipline-specific instructional design methods for adult higher education, and exploring and uncovering facts behind myths and folklore in the Ozark mountains. His current research is focused on modeling and animating photo-realistic digital human characters as well as developing and implementing integrated andragogy for media curricula (the fusion of media theory and history with production practices within each course).

Grant Manhart

Professor of Music, Trumpet/Jazz, Music Department Chair

605-626-2982

Grant Manhart

Professor of Music, Trumpet/Jazz, Music Department Chair

Johnson Fine Arts Center 123

605-626-2982

grant.manhart@northern.edu

B.M. University of Wisconsin-Madison

M.M. University of Cincinnati

D.M. Indiana University

Dr. Grant Manhart holds a doctor of music degree in trumpet literature and performance with minors in music history and jazz studies from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He holds a master’s degree in trumpet performance with a minor in jazz studies from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a bachelor’s degree in trumpet performance from the University of Wisconsin.

His extensive performing experience includes classical, jazz and popular music. Before his arrival at NSU in 1998, he toured with the famed Buddy Rich Band and Broadway’s "Dreamgirls;" lived in Puerto Rico and performed with the Latin Jazz group Picante; and performed with many other luminaries including Carol Channing, Herb Jeffries, Rita Moreno, June Valli, Carmen Cavallero, the Delphonics, the Temptations, the O’Jays, and the Blue Notes. He played in the South Bend, Kokomo, and Bloomington (Indiana) symphonies.

In 2004, Dr. Manhart created with NSU students the rhythm and brass group The Dominant 7, which has received five consecutive South Dakota Touring Arts Grants and performed at four International Trumpet Guild conferences. His booking agency, Great Live Music Productions, has provided live music for a variety of clients since 1986. He also created the NSU course Online Music Appreciation.

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