Nearly 300 students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community residents attended the 35th Annual Ag-Arama on Saturday, January 30. Contests in agronomy, animal science, horticulture, and natural resources highlight Ag-Arama weekend. These contests serve as an opportunity for students in agriculture and natural resources degree programs to showcase their knowledge and skills and have a chance to interact with alumni and faculty members. Ag-Arama is planned and operated by a committee of students advised by faculty members.

Among the awards presented, four students are selected as royalty.  A rigorous application process involving student achievement and interviews by a panel of judges helps determine who best reflects the goals and spirit of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department.  A student vote is also factored into the selection process.  2010 Ag-Arama Royalty:  Prince Leonard Will from Tule Lake, California; Princess Samantha Lahman from Parkers Prairie, Minnesota; Queen Virginia Carrlson from New York Mills, Minnesota; and King Thomas Haarstick from Vergas, Minnesota.  Desiree Severance, a senior majoring in animal science and agricultural education, earned the True Grit Award, presented annually to a student who best demonstrates active participation in student activities and encouragement of others to participate.

The 8th Annual Winter Job and Internship Fair will be held on Wednesday, February 3, 2010, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., in Bede Ballroom in the Sargeant Student Center.

"The annual job fair gives students an opportunity to visit with employers face-to-face, and it also gives the employer the ability to meet the students and get to know them. Overall, it is an all-around valuable experience," says Donald Cavalier, director of the Career and Counseling Services Department.

The Annual Winter Job and Internship Fair is hosted by Career and Counseling Services and Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE). Each year, companies from around the nation are invited to attend and students and members of the community are able to refine their resume and interviewing skills while networking with potential employers.

Click for list of companies

More than 120 students, faculty, and staff attended the kickoff event for the Campus Energy Challenge on the evening of Tuesday, January 26, 2010 in Bede Ballroom.  The event--a quiz contest the posed questions about energy and energy usage--brought eight teams head-to-head to see who could answer the most questions. 

Winning teams are pictured above:

First Place: $400 prize (left)
James Farrell (mathematics lecturer), Karl Syverson, Chris Anderson, Jason Olson, and Sheila Carleton

Second Place: $200 cash prize (center)
Amanda Flint, Jacqueline Nikkel, Megan Claybundy, Laura Wilson, and Kaytlin Weiger

Third Place: $100 cash prize (right)
Eli Renville, Josh Smunk, Brent Wilde, Lucas Rosemeyer, and Jeff Lissick 

Ag Arama weekend is Friday and Saturday, January 29-30, 2010. The annual event is hosted by the Agriculture and Natural Resources department. Most of the activities take place on Saturday, Jan. 30, in the University Teaching and Outreach Center (UTOC) located on the north edge of the campus.

The weekend begins with contests for students in agronomy, horticulture and natural resources beginning on Friday, January 29 at noon. Friday evening from 6-8 p.m., the Animal Science Association will host a chili feed for $5 per person in UTOC.

On Saturday morning from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., the animal showmanship contests begin and the public is welcome to watch the competition as it unfolds in both novice and experienced categories.

From 9 a.m. to noon, there is an ag industries show and a picnic style lunch is served at 12:30 p.m. Coronation of the Ag Arama royalty begins at 1 p.m. Several games and competitions, including men's and women's crosscut saw contests and log splitting, begins at 1:45 p.m. The day's activities culminate with an awards presentation at 3 p.m.

Alumni from the U of M, Crookston are invited to a social at the Irishman's Shanty in Crookston from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Capping off the weekend is a dance at the Crookston Armory.

Click for story

Are you interested in an evening of Cross Country Skiing?
A group from UMC will be going to the Rydell Refuge Luminary Ski
Friday, January 29, departing from UMC at 5:00 p.m.
This is a free event for all participants.

UMC Students interested must sign-up at the Student Center Information Desk by Thurs., Jan. 28 at 4:30 p.m.

If you need cross-country skis for the Friday evening event at Rydell Refuge, please go to the Info Desk in Sargeant Student Center and reserve a pair of boots, skis and poles in your size. The worker can put your name on a set.

All of the skis not selected in advance by our students will be taken out to Rydell for this event, so get your skis reserved by Thursday! We will also be taking out a few pair of snowshoes for those who might want to give that activity a try.

Questions? Please contact Laurie Wilson at lwilson2@umn.edu or 218-281-8587

President Bruininks will preview the U of M's 2010 legislative request and talk about the challenges faced by higher education in these trying economic times at the U of M 2010 Legislative Briefing on Wednesday, January 27. The event will be videocast live from McNamara Alumni Center in the Twin Cities to all campuses of the University. 

On the Crookston campus the event will be viewable in Kiehle 116. Light hors d'ouvres and refreshments will be served on site starting at 5:30 p.m. President Bruininks will speak at 6 p.m. Guest speaker Mary Lahammer will also share her insights as a U alumna and political journalist.

The 2010-2011 UMC Specialty Scholarship Online Application is now open.

Click for link to online scholarship application.

Online Scholarship application begins:  Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Closing Deadline:  Monday, February 15, 2010

UMC is grateful to the many donors who provide Specialty Scholarships to over 300 UMC students. These scholarships are awarded to students based on academic achievement, extracurricular activities, community involvement, leadership, service and legacy. Recipients are selected by various scholarship committees. Financial need is not a consideration for most specialty scholarships. Students must be fully admitted prior to February 1.

An admitted student must complete an online specialty scholarship application by the February 15 deadline for consideration. The online application is available from January 6, and open until February 15. Scholarships are awarded each academic year and students must apply annually by the February 15 deadline. You must enroll full-time to receive the specialty scholarships. There are numerous scholarships available to both new students and returning students.

Mixed Blood Theatre will perform "Dr. King's Dream" on Wednesday, January 27, 2010, at the University of Minnesota, Crookston. The performance, which will be held in the Kiehle Auditorium at 7 p.m., is the acclaimed celebration of the life and career of Dr. Martin Luther King. The event is free and the public is welcome.

Warren C. Bowles, the talented actor featured in "Dr. King's Dream," has toured for Mixed Blood since 1981. His stirring solo performance movingly chronicles King's career from the beginning during the Montgomery bus strike, to his death in Memphis. The performance captures all of the dignity, courage, devotion and humanity of a unique American leader.

Both the external events in King's career (the marches in Selma and Birmingham and winning the Nobel Peace Prize) and his thoughts on topics ranging from Malcolm X, to the police, to President Kennedy are included, as is his soaring "I Have a Dream" speech.

For more information, contact Thomas Williams, director of diversity and multicultural services at 218-281-8580.

Dr. Martin Luther King's Wikipedia entry

Dr. King's photo is from his Wikipedia entry

Committed to saving energy, the University of Minnesota, Crookston campus will kick-off the Campus Energy Challenge on Tuesday, January 26, 2010, in an effort to raise awareness and educate the campus community on how to increase energy savings. In this first-of-its-kind program, the U of M, Crookston, will work with Otter Tail Power Company to reduce electric energy consumption on campus by as much as 15 percent.

When: Tuesday, January 26 -- Time: 7 p.m., Bede Ballroom

The Campus Energy Challenge kick-off includes several entertaining activities related to energy savings. Green Walking," sponsored by Crookston Students for Sustainable Development (CSSD) and hosted by Senior Elizabeth Kern will ask students random questions about energy use practices and energy savings. In the evening, Student Programming and Activities for Campus Entertainment (SPACE) will join CSSD to host "Flip It Off: Save your energy for later" featuring competitions geared to educate students about the Campus Energy Challenge and energy use in general. Students will contend for cash and door prizes provided by Otter Tail Power Company. 

The Campus Energy Challenge is a pilot project that is part of Otter Tail Power Company's Minnesota Conservation Improvement Program approved by the Minnesota Office of Energy Security in November 2008. Together, Otter Tail Power Company and the U of M, Crookston, will work to nurture and develop energy efficiency habits that will help everyone on campus save money on their energy bills and model those habits to the Crookston community, other campuses, and the country.

Click for story

The University of Minnesota, Crookston Athletic Department announced today that two of their student-athletes will attend the 2010 NCAA Division II Leadership Academy from February 19-21. The conference will take place at the Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront in Portland, Ore. and is funded by the NCAA.
 
The Golden Eagles who are attending the academy are women's soccer player Jensen Crots and football player Cecil Brown. Crots is a freshman from Chesterton, Ind. She is a defender on the soccer field and is majoring in health sciences (pre-physical therapy). Crots is the daughter of Darrell and Cindy Crots. Brown is a freshman from Edison, Ga. He is a defensive back on the field and is undeclared on a major at the University of Minnesota, Crookston. Brown is the son of Cecil Brown, Sr. and Betty Brown.

Photo Left to right: Cecil Brown and Jensen Crots

By attending the conference, NCAA student-athletes,coaches and administrators will enhance their leadership skills and formulate a strategy to positively affect their campus, conference and communities in the future. Attendees participate in numerous educational sessions which impact the development and growth of student-athletes on campus or within their conference.

Click for story

Two students in the horticultural studies program at University of Minnesota, Crookston recently received scholarships sponsored by the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association (MNLA) Foundation.  Scholarship recipients are Jada Ellenberg (left), Perham, Minn., and Kristine Neu (right), Pelican Rapids, Minn.

The MNLA scholarship program recognizes superior students enrolled in horticultural, nursery or landscape studies programs at several area colleges and universities.  The scholarships are designed by MNLA and its member companies to help grow future leaders in the nursery and landscape industry.

Two MNLA member firms co-sponsored the scholarships for the University of Minnesota, Crookston students.  MNLA Commercial Arborist Committee sponsored the scholarship for Neu.  Hoffman and McNamara, based in Hastings, sponsored the scholarship for Ellenberg.

Click for story

Katya Zepeda, Crookston, Minn., was one of two college students recently selected to receive a $1,000 Carter Academic Service Entrepreneur (CASE) grant supporting innovative service-learning projects.  Zepeda, a first-year student at the University of Minnesota, Crookston, will use her CASE grant to raise funds for the Crookston food shelf by hosting an Empty Bowls Dinner. 

Lisa Loegering, assistant director of service learning at the Crookston campus, guided Zepeda through the grant proposal process and will serve as her advisor for the project.  Zepeda, an organizational psychology major, also will work closely with her academic advisor, Alvin Killough, Ph.D., on developing parts of the project into an independent study within her academic program.

Click for story

The University of Minnesota, Crookston continues to move forward in pursuing energy conservation and sustainability goals with the recent awarding of a Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTS) grant of $11,000 according to Dan Svedarsky, Ph.D., director of the U of M, Crookston Center for Sustainability. The grant will support students being paired with a faculty or staff member to address two projects: conduct a feasibility study for a methane digester and measure building-to-building energy use.

"The grant application was primarily developed by Center staff, Chris Waltz (pictured on left) and Lisa Gentele (pictured on right), in conjunction with U of M, Crookston faculty and staff," according to Svedarsky. Waltz is an energy conservation specialist supported by the Minnesota GreenCorps and Gentele is a student sustainability assistant working with the Center, the Otter Tail Energy Challenge program, and chair of the Crookston Students for Sustainable Development (CSSD).

"Grant funds will support U of M, Crookston students to gain research experience in sustainability and energy as well as develop leadership skills using the campus as a real-world living laboratory," notes Waltz. "The program will bring together clubs and organizations, classes, and individuals across campus disciplines to work on applied sustainable research projects which is necessary for the training and development of new environmental professionals."

Click for story

The Sargeant Student Center Information Desk is Open normal hours:

Monday-Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Saturday: 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sunday: 2:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

The gate to the Information Desk is however closed due to maintenance issues and will be out of order for several weeks. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause.

Lisa Samuelson
Director of Student Activities/Sargeant Student Center

The Crookston Students for Sustainable Development (CSSD) and the UMC Sustainability Committee are proud to announce that UMC has entered a nation-wide recycling competition called RecycleMania. Over 500 colleges and universities will be participating in the 2010 RecycleMania competition that begins on January 17 and runs through March 27. The goal of this competition is to increase awareness of campus recycling. All participating schools are required to report measurements (pounds of recycled materials divided by campus population) on a weekly basis. The school that collects the most recyclables in a variety of categories per capita wins! Weekly updates on UMC's RecycleMania results will be placed on the University's Sustainability webpage.

Let's set a goal of placing 100% of our beverage containers and paper products in the appropriate recycling bins throughout campus. Cardboard should be flattened and placed behind the recycling bins. Student Organizations will collect the recyclables and place them in outside containers for pick-up and weighing.

Please get involved and help make a difference!

For more information please contact Greg Summers (summe053@umn.edu ), Lisa Gentele (Grego098@umn.edu) or Peter Phaiah (phaiah@umn.edu ).

The Computer Help Desk will offer Google Apps "show-n-tell sessions" January 7 for faculty and staff.  The session will provide a general overview of Google E-mail, Chat, Contacts, and Documents; the opting in process, and time to answer questions. You do not need to sign-up for these sessions and you do not need a computer. We anticipate session running 20-30 minutes.

Today's Session: 2:00 p.m., Dowell 106

Through a partnership with Google, U of M students, faculty, and staff can access a suite of Google-powered communication and collaboration tools designed to enhance the ability to work together. The suite includes e-mail, calendar, document sharing, instant messaging, and Web site publishing tools. UMC students have already received invitations to use this suite and some are now using Google Apps. All University undergraduate students should be invited to take part in Google Apps by year's end. Faculty and staff will begin receiving invitations sometime late January. For additional information please visit the U of M Google Apps web site: http://oit.umn.edu/google/index.htm. Questions should be directed to Jeff Sperling or Thea Holen.

Seasonal Flu shots will be available for U of M faculty and staff on Wednesday, January 13, 12:00 noon until 3:00 p.m., Bede Ballroom, Sargeant Student Center. Free of Charge. Please bring your University employee ID.

H1N1 vaccine will also be available during that time for faculty, staff and students wishing to get it. That will also be free of charge.

Thanks,
Stacey Grunewald, RN
UMC Student Health
145F Sargeant Student Center

Once again, the Collegiate Crops Judging Team from the University of Minnesota, Crookston was in the top three finishers at the national crops judging contests held in November. At the contests held in Kansas City, Mo., on November 17, and Chicago, Ill., on November 21, the team from the U of M, Crookston finished third overall. Members of the team included: Sophomore Theresa Hamel from Lakota N.D.; Junior Jakob Heggedal from Badger, Minn.; and Junior Mark Riepe from Perham, Minn. The team was coached by Associate Professor Charles "Chuck" Habstritt

Pictured are (l to r): Theresa Hamel, Mark Riepe, and Jakob Heggedal.

The crops contests integrate a student's knowledge of agronomy into three categories: seed analysis, grain grading and crop and weed identification.

In Kansas City, individual finishes included a second place finish in grain grading by Heggedal, while Riepe was in sixth and Hamel in eighth. Overall, Heggedal finished fifth, Riepe finished seventh, and Hamel finished eleventh. The addition to their third place overall finish, the team finished second overall in grain grading and fourth in both seed analysis and crop and weed identification.

Results from the contest in Chicago included a first place finish for Heggedal in grain grading and a sixth place finish in seed analysis. Heggedal's individual finish was fifth overall. Other finishes included a sixth place finish by Riepe and eighth place finish by Hamel in grain grading.  Riepe finished sixth overall while Hamel was fourteenth. The team once again finished second overall in grain grading and fourth in seed analysis as well as crop and weed identification.

Out of a possible 1200 points in the grain grading portions of the Kansas City and Chicago crops contests, Heggedal missed just 8 points. 

Click for story

Three University of Minnesota professors have been named Fellows to American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). These professors have been elevated to this rank because of their efforts toward advancing science applications that are deemed scientifically or socially distinguished. Election as a Fellow is an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers. Carol Windels, a professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at the Northwest Research and Outreach Center (NWROC) in Crookston, will be honored as one of the 2010 Fellows and welcomed into the prestigious society at its annual convention in February.

Windels was recognized for her definitive research on ecology of soil borne plant pathogens on field crops and integrated control of diseases and for national professional leadership. Windels is one of three from the University of Minnesota to be named a 2010 Fellow. Joining her are Marc A. Hillmyer, a professor in the Department of Chemistry in the Institute of Technology, and David J. Norris, a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science in the Institute of Technology.

Click for story