ABERDEEN, S.D. – Northern State University officials are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Anna Schwan as Dean of the Millicent Atkins School of Education.

Schwan is well known on campus and in the community. She has been a passionate and respected advocate for teacher excellence for many years. In 2021, Schwan was awarded the Outstanding Early Career Faculty Award for going above and beyond to improve curriculum, mentor students and serve on numerous committees.

“For me, education is not only what I do, but also who I am.  Continuing to serve as… more

ABERDEEN, S.D. –  On Thursday Nov. 2, at 7:30 p.m. the Northern State University Music Department will present a jazz concert featuring Northern’s 1 O’clock jazz ensemble, directed by Fritz Hemke, and 2 O’clock Jazz Ensemble, directed by Dr. Grant Manhart. The concert will be performed in the Jewett Theatre in the Johnson Fine Arts Center and the theme will be “The Colors of Fall.”

The 1 O’clock band will perform “Makin Whoopee”, the “Monsters Inc” theme arranged by bass clarinetist in the group Cody He Crow, and “Song for Silver” by Peter Blair, featuring all seven students in… more

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Float and band winners from Northern State University’s 2023 Gypsy Day Parade have been announced. There were 118 floats and 14 bands in the Oct. 7 march down Aberdeen’s Main Street. Parade entrants decorated their floats based on this year’s theme “Wolves Go to Vegas.”

Congratulations to our 2023 Queen and King: Kayla Jensen and Clayton Randall! Jensen is a senior majoring in special education. Clayton is majoring in business management.

Jensen is originally from Claremont, S.D. On campus, she is involved as Northern’s student government… more

ABERDEEN, S.D. – With nearly 20 speakers from an array of industries and backgrounds, there’s something for everyone, entrepreneur or not, at the first annual Technology and Entrepreneurship Summit, hosted by Northern Innovation and Startup Center and the Aberdeen Development Corporation.

“Regardless of if you are an entrepreneur or interested in technology, you should attend this summit,” said Michael Bockorny, chief executive officer of the Aberdeen Development Corporation. “The lineup of presenters and the subjects they cover will be of value to anyone, no matter… more

Caption: Millicent Atkins' statue stands at the corner of Gerber Hall. 

ABERDEEN, S.D. – At its inception in 1901, Northern State University was known as Northern Normal and Industrial School. The admission requirements? Applicants had to be at least 14 years old and have a desire to teach. Now, 120 years later, the Millicent Atkins School of Education continues to distinguish itself as a leader in teacher education, aided by a building remodel and updated scholarship, said Anna Schwan, interim dean of the school of education.

The… more

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Dr. Sal Villegas, Northern assistant professor of management, had three papers published in highly ranked business journals.

Two, which were co-authored, are being published in the Journal of Management History: "Business Process Reengineering Leadership: Princes of Machiavelli" and "Emerging from the chaos of Management Theory Jungle: A historical analysis of the development of the four principles of management."

Villegas co-wrote “The Lived Experiences of Individuals with High-Functioning Autism During the Job Interview Process: A… more

Caption: Students at the Northern State University Learning Expo in October 2022 work in teams to program robots through a course on stage at the Johnson Fine Arts Center.

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Future educators will get to see what it’s like at the front of the classroom at the Learning Expo on Oct. 18 at Northern State University.  

“We want to bridge that gap between their world as K-12 students and what their potential profession could be like,” said Nicole Schutter, assistant professor of education.

Any high school students… more

ABERDEEN, S.D. – A warm start to Northern State University’s homecoming week will cool down to a crisp autumn day for the 107th annual Gypsy Day Parade and football game on Saturday. This year’s homecoming theme is Wolves Go to Vegas.

Parade-goers might need to bundle up. The early morning could drop into the low 30s and frost is expected, according to a National Weather Service spokesman. By the afternoon, temperatures should reach around 60 degrees, which is typical for this time of year.

There are 118 floats and 14 bands expected to participate in the parade… more

ABERDEEN, S.D. – In 2022, a production team from Northern State University created the short film “The Final Thread” for the Four-Points Film Challenge. Since then, it’s earned seven laurels from three international film festivals, with the possibility of winning more. Jason Knowles, assistant professor of art/digital media, is waiting to hear back from five other festivals, with decisions expected between the end of September and April 2024.

Awards won as of September 2023:

• 2022 Four-Points Film Challenge
  • Honorable mention for supporting actor/actress (Kane… more

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Three out of the four recipients of this year’s Top 4 under 40 are Northern State University alumni. This is the second year the Aberdeen Area Chamber of Commerce has hosted this program in order to recognize the efforts of young leaders in our community and region. Those recognized were Ashley Hansen, Fallon Helm, Kerry Konda, and Aaron Smith.

Helm, Konda and Smith are all Northern graduates.

“On behalf of the NSU Alumni Association, congratulations on your significant community achievement. Your hard work and determination have gotten you to… more