University of Minnesota, Crookston News

Spring 2013 Student Awards Ceremony Recognizes Achievement in Academics, Athletics, Service, and Leadership

Wed, 01 May 2013 11:59:29 -0600

The annual Student Awards Program, a celebration of student service, leadership, and academic and athletic achievement, was held recently at the University of Minnesota Crookston. Assistant Professor Denis Maier, who teaches in the Business Department, was the 2012 Outstanding Educator and hosted this year's recognition.

Visit the online photo album.

Award recipients include the following students:

CSA Student Senators and Officers

Brooke Novak; Ross Sigler; Bryce Gillie; Aaron Soltau, Heather Rodriguez; Mariah Gautsche; Emily Goff; Molly Sheehan; Anthonette Sims; and Gyaltso Gurung, Laura Gabrielson; Ashlynn Hartung; Alexmai Addo; Adam Switzer; Kayla Bellrichard; and Shaolei "Sorry" Jin.

Outstanding Ambassadors

Catlin Kersting, Tashi Gurung, Sam Zuck, Katie Hagen, Sarah Morris, Jordan Melbye

Tony Taylor, Kevin Lamp, Alex Skeeter, Alissa Hernandez, Jessica Girgen, Mikala Guidinger

Sorry Jin, Danny Lee, Bryce Gillie, Justin Goodroad

Ambassador of the Year Award

Bryce Gillie

Outstanding First-Year Biology Award

Ashley Martell

Outstanding Future Educator Award

Dabitna Chung, Amy Van Treeck

Marketing/ Management Academic Achievement Award

Dain Park and Alex Buscher

Marketing/Management Outstanding Leadership Award

Dain Park, Abbey Wemimo, Hannah Reysen, Kayla Bellrichard

Distinguished Service to the Accounting Program

Dae Yeul "Danny" Lee

Outstanding SRM Student

Kari Bodine

Outstanding Communication Student

Jessica Stuber

Outstanding Communication Minor

Connie Vandermay

SOS Service Award

Alexmai Addo, Catilin Kersting

Outstanding SOS Leader

Almir Krdzalik

Peer Connection Service Award

Alexmai Addo and Brooke Novak

Peer Mentor of the Year Award

Catlin Kersting

Regal Spirit Award

Kayla Bellrichard, and Tyler Lowithan

Outstanding Turfgrass Student Award

Kyle Kreklow, Kurtis Wacker, Joey Schmidt, with Kristie Walker

Norman Pankratz Memorial Conservation Award

Jenny DuBay

John Polley Soil and Water Conservation Award

Trent Brenny and Andrew Albertsen with Dan Svedarsky

The Wildlife Society Travel Award

Alisha Mosloff

Outstanding Animal Science

Sara Scott (pre-vet)

Outstanding Equine Science

Jess Charles (pre-vet)

Outstanding Ag Business Student

Amanda Crook

Outstanding ASM Student

Leonard Will and Matt Green

Outstanding Horticulture

Ashlynn Hartung

NACTA Recognition

Meats Team: Dustin Wiese, Katie Hagen, Justin Goodroad and Derek Suhonen

Ag Business Dustin Smith, Katie Hagen, Matt Green, and Kayla Erickson

Ag Computers: Cedric Citrowske, Amanda Crook, Drew Underdahl and Brian Oachs

Outstanding International Student Scholars Award

Ashley Yun Zhor; Brennan Andreas; Danny Lee; and Tashi Gurung

Learning Abroad Office Ambassador Awards

Tim Baker; Amanda Corneliussen; and DeAndra O'Connell

Support of Diversity Award

Outstanding Theater Student Award

Liz Massie

Tyler Lowithan

Nathan Anderson

Outstanding Music Service Award

Rebecca Apitz

Miah Smith

Outstanding Writing Tutor

Rowenna Fillmore

Computer Help Desk

Melissa Freitag

Student Employee of the Year

Adam Hoff

Female and Male Student Athlete of the Year

Chelsea Wiesner and Almir Kradzlik

Female and Male Outstanding Athlete of the Year

Brittany Wiese and Brittany Looker and Richard Haley

Justin Knebel Memorial Award

Broderick Schmidt

Dale Knotek Community Service Award - Delta Theta Sigma (DTS)

Joshua Bruggman, Tim Lee, Brett Carlson, Clayton Lenk, Aaron Soltau, Marcus Twaddle

Kasey Okke, Adam Switzer, Dan Kimm, Hannah Reysen, Sami Benoy, Evan Boreen, Amanda Corneliussen, Brittany Fox

Presidents Volunteer Service Award

Megan Luxford, Chia Moua, Kari Bodine, Bailey Stratton (online student), Katie Nenn, Kevin Lamp Tony Taylor, Krista Kenyon, Emily Goff, Alexmai Addo, Catlin Kersting, Kayla Bellrichard, Alissa Hernandez, Almir Krdzalic Kasey Okke, Sean Rozell, Tyler Lowthian, Bryce Gillie, Ross Sigler

Student Volunteer of the Year Award

John Niemczyk with Lisa Loegering

Student Programmer of the Year

Ashley Hoffman

Outstanding CSA Senator

Alexmai Addo

Outstanding CSA Voting Delegate Award

Megan Luxford

Faculty and Staff Awards

Outstanding Educator

Ron Del Vecchio

Most Supportive of Students

Phil Baird

Outstanding Service to Students

Lisa Samuelson

Student Achievement Awards

en Williams, Bryce Gillie, Almir Krzadlic, Matt Green

Krista Kenyon, Tashi Gurung, Abbey Wemimo, Brooke Novak

Alexmai Addo, Danny Lee, Sam Zuck- Roscoe, and Alex Skeeter

Man and Woman of Year

Dae Yuel Danny Lee and Sam Zuck-Roscoe

Athletic All-Academic Team - 3.2 GPA or higher and lettering in the same sport for two years

Rachelle Alcini - Women's Soccer

Matthew G. Borowicz - Football

Carli Bunning - Women's Basketball

Karen Carpenedo - Equestrian - Western

Jessica Charles - Equestrian - Hunt Seat

Jensen Crots - Women's Soccer

Zach D. Cymbaluk - Men's Golf

Amanda Krueger - Equestrian - Western

Kelly Gustofson - Women's Golf

Rachel Halligan - Women's Soccer

Shelby Hollinger - Softball

Jesse Jennings - Baseball

Caitlin Kelley - Equestrian - Western

Samantha Kramer - Equestrian - Hunt Seat

Almir Krdzalic - Men's Basketball

Brittany Looker - Women's Volleyball

Stacey Marcum - Softball

Ashley Martell - Women's Basketball

Myint Maung- Football

Keith McBride - Football

Erin Mears - Women's Soccer

Mary Mikutowski - Women's Volleyball & Golf

Brooks Miller - Baseball

Hannah Nedrud - Equestrian - Hunt Seat

Amanda Overman - Equestrian - Hunt Seat

Casey Paris - Women's Tennis

Josh Perea - Football

Angela Peterson - Equestrian - Hunt Seat

Josee Plante - Softball

Jordan Prill - Baseball

Jesse Roscoe - Men's Golf

Shannan Salm - Equestrian - Western

Hannah Schiller - Women's Volleyball

Broderick Schmidt - Men's Basketball

Alyssa Schneider - Women's Volleyball

Christopher Secrest - Football

Drew Selvestra - Football

Alexandra Skeeter - Women's Volleyball

Joseph Stearly - Football

Andrew Steinfeldt - Football

Annalee Sundin - Equestrian - Hunt Seat

Brooke Vatthauer - Softball

Chelsea Wiesner - Women's Volleyball

Yahna Zastrow - Equestrian - Western

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 26 bachelor's degree programs, 18 minors, and 36 concentrations, including 10 online degrees, in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology. With an enrollment of 1,600 undergraduates from 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree. "Small Campus. Big Degree." To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

Douglas Potts, Williams, Minn., Completes Flight Training for Private Pilot Certificate

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 09:27:09 -0600

Despite strong crosswinds and turbulent weather conditions, Douglas Peterson Potts (in photo),

Williams, Minn., recently completed his private pilot training. Potts, a freshman at the University of Minnesota Crookston majoring in agricultural aviation, completed all necessary flight training for the Private Pilot certificate. Anderson was trained by Chase Enghauser, a graduate of the U of M Crookston business management aviation program.

The private pilot certificate is typically the first pilot license that an aspiring pilot seeks on his or her way to becoming a professional pilot. The Private Pilot certificate enables the aviator to carry passengers and travel cross country in many types of aircraft. To complete that certification, the budding aviator must complete a series of lessons of increasing complexity, including planning and flying a solo flight of more than 150 miles, and many, many practice landings and takeoffs under the careful supervision of their flight instructor. The Private Pilot certification process requires that the student pass a comprehensive knowledge exam, and the Stage 28 lesson includes both an oral and flight test.

At three points during the aspiring pilot's training, he or she flies with an evaluator or check airman, who is typically more experienced than the flight instructor. These evaluations are called stage checks, and at the successful conclusion of the Stage 28 (lesson number 28), students at the University of Minnesota Crookston receive their private pilot certificate.

The University of Minnesota Crookston partners with the University of North Dakota to provide students with flight training and academic coursework in Agricultural Aviation, Business Management Aviation, Law Enforcement Aviation and Natural Resources Aviation.

Today the University of Minnesota Crookston delivers 27 bachelor's degree programs, 18 minors, and 39 concentrations on campus--as well as 10 degrees online--in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology. With an enrollment of 1,800 undergraduates from 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree. "Small Campus. Big Degree." To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

Michael McMahon, St. Paul, Minn., Completes Flight Training for Private Pilot Certificate

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:07:06 -0600

Michael McMahon, St. Paul, Minn., (pictured at right) a freshman at the University of Minnesota Crookston

majoring in agricultural aviation, recently completed flight training for the Private Pilot certificate. McMahon was trained by Chase Enghauser, a graduate of the UMC Business Management Aviation program.

Travis Anderson, Prinsburg, Minn., Completes Flight Training for Private Pilot Certificate

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:02:21 -0600

Travis Anderson, Prinsburg, Minn., (pictured at right) a freshman at the University of Minnesota Crookston

majoring in agricultural aviation, recently completed flight training for the Private Pilot certificate. Anderson was trained by Chase Enghauser, a graduate of the U of M Crookston Business Management Aviation program.

Annual Alpha Eta Rho Spring Fly-In/Drive-In Pancake Breakfast to be held at the Crookston Airport on Sunday, April 28, 2013. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:42:20 -0600

The annual spring Fly-In/Drive-In Pancake Breakfast, will take place on Sunday, April 28, 2013, at the Crookston Municipal Airport. The breakfast, scheduled from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., is sponsored by and hosted by Alpha Eta Rho, the aviation fraternity at the University of Minnesota, Crookston, and Crookston Aviation. Tickets for the breakfast for adults are $6 in advance and $8 at the door; children 4 to 12 are $3 and children 3 and under are free. Tickets may be purchased from Alpha Eta Rho members or by contacting John Niemczyk 651-829-1731.

U of M, Crookston Freshman Douglas Potts Completes First Student Solo Flight

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:47:36 -0600

Douglas Potts, Williams, Minn., a freshman at the University of Minnesota, Crookston, recently completed his student solo flight. An agricultural aviation major, Pott's advisor is Mike Vivion, chief pilot on the Crookston campus. His flight instructor is Chase Enghauser, a 2012 graduate of the U of M, Crookston with a business management aviation degree. The milestone flight was completed at the Thief River Falls [Minn.] Regional Airport due to runway construction activity at the Crookston Municipal Airport.

The first student solo flight is a significant accomplishment and cannot be overemphasized. Landing an aircraft involves difficult and complex eye-hand coordination. A student pilot begins flight training by learning a wide variety of tasks of which landing is one of the most difficult.

As flight training progresses, the ability to solo is largely predicated upon the flight instructor's assessment of the student's landings. Consistency is critical and sometimes one of the most difficult to achieve as even the best pilot can attest.

Around the middle of a private pilot's flight training, the instructor flies with the student having him/her land. The instructor will exit the airplane and endorse the student pilot certificate and logbook for solo. With that designation, the budding aviator is sent off for three trips around the traffic pattern each followed by that all important landing.

Following American aviation tradition, removing a new pilot's shirt tail is a sign of confidence by the instructor in the student following the completion of the first solo flight. It stems from the days when a student sat in the front seat of the aircraft with the instructor behind. Radios were not a part of early aviation making it necessary for the instructor to tug on the student pilot's shirt tail to get his/her attention. A successful first solo flight is significant in that it means the student can fly without the instructor, and consequently, no longer needs a shirt tail. In observance of this

tradition, aviation students at the U of M, Crookston have their shirt tails cut off by the proud instructor, and they are displayed at the Crookston Municipal Airport.

The University of Minnesota, Crookston's aviation program is a partnership in which aviation fundamentals are provided by the University of North Dakota (UND) Aerospace Foundation. Students have the option to choose tracks in agricultural aviation, business aviation, law enforcement aviation, or natural resources aviation. To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu/aviation.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 26 bachelor's degree programs, 18 minors, and 39 concentrations on campus--as well as 10 degrees online--in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology. With an enrollment of 1,800 undergraduates from 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree. "Small Campus. Big Degree." To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

U of M, Crookston Freshman Travis Anderson Completes First Student Solo Flight

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 17:12:27 -0600

Travis Anderson, Prinsburg, Minn., a freshman at the University of Minnesota, Crookston,

recently completed his student solo flight. An agricultural aviation major, Anderson's advisor is Mike Vivion, chief pilot on the Crookston campus. His flight instructor is Chase Enghauser, a 2012 graduate of the U of M, Crookston with a business management aviation degree. The milestone flight was completed at the Thief River Falls [Minn.] Regional Airport due to runway construction activity at the Crookston Municipal Airport.

the most difficult. As flight training progresses, the ability to solo is largely predicated upon the flight instructor's assessment of the student's landings. Consistency is critical and sometimes one of the most difficult to achieve as even the best pilot can attest.

Following American aviation tradition, removing new pilot's shirt tail is a sign of confidence by the instructor in the student following the completion of the first solo flight. It stems from the days when a student sat in the front seat of the aircraft with the instructor behind. Radios were not a part of early aviation making it necessary for the instructor to tug on the student pilot's shirt tail to get his/her attention. A successful first solo flight is significant in that it means the student can fly without the instructor, and consequently, no longer needs a shirt tail. In observance of this tradition, aviation students at the U of M, Crookston have their shirt tails cut off by the proud instructor, and they are displayed at the Crookston Municipal Airport.

U of M, Crookston Sophomore Michael McMahon, St. Paul, Minn., Completes Student Solo Flight

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 08:57:31 -0600

Michael McMahon, St. Paul, Minn., a sophomore at the University of Minnesota, Crookston, recently completed his student solo flight. A natural resources aviation major, McMahon's advisor is Mike Vivion, chief pilot on the Crookston campus. His flight instructor is Chase Enghauser, a 2012 graduate of the U of M, Crookston with a business management aviation degree. The milestone flight was completed at the Thief River Falls [Minn.] Regional Airport due to runway construction activity at the Crookston Municipal Airport.

The first student solo flight is a significant accomplishment and cannot be overemphasized.

Landing an aircraft involves difficult and complex eye-hand coordination. A student pilot begins flight training by learning a wide variety of tasks of which landing is one of the most difficult. As flight training progresses, the ability to solo is largely predicated upon the flight instructor's assessment of the student's landings. Consistency is critical and sometimes one of the most difficult to achieve as even the best pilot can attest.

In the photos:

Top, left: Michael McMahon

Top, right: Chase Enghauser (left) shakes the hand of his first solo flight student Michael McMahon after his successful completion of the important milestone flight.

Center, left: Enghauser cuts the shirttail of McMahon according to American aviation tradition.

Bottom, left: McMahon's signed shirttail is ready to go on display at the airport.

"An Evening with the Wright Brothers" presented by Historian Darrell Collins on Thursday, October 4, 2012, at 7 p.m. in Kiehle Auditorium at the U of M, Crookston

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 10:14:35 -0600

If you are interested in aviation or history, learn more about the Wright Brothers and the

history of the first flight at Kitty Hawk with renowned aviation historian Darrell Collins at the University of Minnesota, Crookston. His presentation, which takes place at 7 p.m. in Kiehle Auditorium, will be followed by a question and answer period. The presentation is free and open to the public and refreshments will follow.

Background

Collins is a native of the North Carolina's Outer Banks and resides in Manteo, on Roanoke Island, N.C. He is a graduate of Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina and holds a B. S. degree in geology with a minor in history.

He has worked with the National Park Service in the division of interpretation and education for 33 years, spending the majority of his time at the Wright Brothers National Memorial, where he serves as the historian. He served with NASA is a series of educational programs promoting aviation and the Wright brothers to young children.

In 1990, he was nominated as the National Park Service top interpretative ranger for the Freeman Tilden award. He was nominated by the Department of the Interior in 1999 to represent the National Park Service for the "Park Ranger Tour Program", an outreach program for children in major U. S. cities. In 2003 the centennial year of the world's first flight at Kitty Hawk, he presented the National Park Service national and international promoting the 100th Anniversary of that great milestone in human history.

For the past twenty-four years he has been on the aviation/ aerospace lecture circuit. Pervious speaking engagements include the Aero Club of Washington's Wright Memorial Dinner, National Air Transportation, Aerospace Industries of America, Aircraft Owners and Pilot Association, 40th Ralph Barnaby Lecture, National Business Aviation Association.

He is a regular speaker at the Speakers' Showcase Series at the Oshkosh Fly-In Convention. Australian International Airshow DownUnder and many other aviation/ aerospace oriented groups and events. Collins ranks in the top 5 historians in the world on early aviation and the Wright brothers. He is the author on numerous articles and consulting editor for play writes and authors on early aviation and the Wright brothers.

U of M, Crookston Chief Pilot Mike Vivion Renews Master Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) Accreditation

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 10:23:22 -0600

Michael T Vivion (at left), a 6-time Master and Society of Aviation and Flight Education (SAFE) member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Vivion is a check airman and teaching specialist in the University of Minnesota, Crookston's aviation program. The 1998 Nat'l Aviation Safety Counselor of the Year, he also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA's Minneapolis FSDO area.

Master Instructors LLC takes great pride in announcing a significant aviation accomplishment on the part of Michael T Vivion, a check airman in the University of Minnesota's aviation program and resident of Crookston, Minnesota. Recently, Vivion's accreditation as a Master Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI) was renewed by Master Instructors LLC, the international accrediting authority for Master Instructor designations as well as the FAA-approved Master Instructor Program. He first earned this national professional accreditation in 2002, has held it continuously since then, and is one of only 24 worldwide to earn the credential six times.

To help put these achievements in their proper perspective, there are approximately 96,000 CFIs in the United States. Fewer than 700 of those aviation educators have achieved that distinction thus far. The last 17 national Flight Instructors of the Year were Master CFIs (see www.GeneralAviationAwards.org/) while Vivion is one of only eight Minnesota teachers of flight to earn this prestigious "Master" title.

In the words of former FAA Administrator Marion Blakey, "The Master Instructor accreditation singles out the best that the right seat has to offer."

The Master Instructor designation is a national accreditation recognized by the FAA. Candidates must demonstrate an ongoing commitment to excellence, professional growth, and service to the aviation community, and must pass a rigorous evaluation by a peer Board of Review. The process parallels the continuing education regimen used by other professionals to enhance their knowledge base while increasing their professionalism.

Designees are recognized as outstanding aviation educators for not only their excellence in teaching, but for their engagement in the continuous process of learning -- both their own, and their students'. The designation must be renewed biennially and significantly surpasses the FAA requirements for renewal of the candidate's flight instructor certificate.

Questions regarding the Master Instructor Program may be directed to 303-485-8136 or MasterInstrs@aol.com. For more information about the Master Instructor Program and to locate other Masters, please visit the "Find a Master Instructor" section of www.MasterInstructors.org. To learn more about the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE), visit http://SafePilots.org. The International Aerobatic Club (IAC) can be reached through their website at http://IAC.org.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 26 bachelor's degree programs, 18 minors, and 36 concentrations, including 10 online degrees, in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology. With an enrollment of 1,600 undergraduates from 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree. "Small Campus. Big Degree." To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

Annual Spring Fly-In Pancake Breakfast to be held at the Crookston Airport on Sunday, April 15, 2012

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 16:38:49 -0600

The annual spring Fly-In/Drive-In Pancake Breakfast, will take place on Sunday, April 15, 2012, at the Crookston Municipal Airport. The breakfast, scheduled from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., is sponsored by , hosted by Alpha Eta Rho, the aviation fraternity at the University of Minnesota, Crookston, and Crookston Aviation. Tickets for the breakfast for adults are $6 in advance and $8 at the door; children 4 to 12 are $3 and children 3 and under are free. Tickets may be purchased from Alpha Eta Rho members or by contacting Chris Anderson at 612-715-2483.

The University of North Dakota (UND) Student Chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association will be offering FREE airplane rides for those 8 to 17 years of age from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. A legal guardian must be present to sign permission forms for the airplane rides. To learn more about these Young Eagle Flights, visit http://www.youngeagles.org.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 26 bachelor's degree programs, 18 minors, and 36 concentrations, including 10 online degrees, in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology. With an enrollment of 1,600 undergraduates from 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree. "Small Campus. Big Degree." To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

Spring Aviation Safety Seminar Slated for Tuesday, April 3, 2012, at the U of M, Crookston; Seminar begins at 7 p.m. in Kiehle Auditorium

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 14:20:12 -0600

A spring Aviation Safety Seminar will be held on Tuesday, April 3, 2012, at the University of Minnesota, Crookston. The seminar, which begins at 7 p.m., features Chuck Adams, a Grand Forks Air Traffic Control Tower supervisor, and Jim Neihoff, who is a maintenance inspector for the Minneapolis Flight Standards office. The Aviation Safety Seminar is open to all, pilot or non pilot, and everyone is welcome to attend.

Adams will address the "Top Ten Pilot/Controller Mistakes" with his entertaining style while conveying important information about the business of pilots interacting with air traffic controllers. Neihoff will host a session entitled "Ask the FAA," a question and answer session for pilots.

For more information regarding the Aviation Safety Seminar, contact Mike Vivion, chief pilot on the Crookston campus, at 218-281-8114.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 26 bachelor's degree programs, 18 minors, and 36 concentrations, including 10 online degrees, in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology. With an enrollment of 1,600 undergraduates from 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree. "Small Campus. Big Degree." To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

U of M, Crookston Junior Jacob Pastoors, Olivia, Minn., completes Private Pilot Training

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:17:48 -0600

University of Minnesota Crookston Junior Jacob Pastoors, an agricultural aviation major from Olivia, Minn., recently completed training as a private pilot at the Crookston Municipal Airport.

Under Federal Aviation Administration examining authority, University of Minnesota, Crookston students can complete all requirements for Private Pilot certification locally. Pastoors completed an oral examination and a 1.7 hour flight during which he demonstrated navigation, maneuvering, and communications skills, as well as the most important skill of all--landings.

Pastoors is the first of the fall semester private pilot students at the U of M, Crookston to complete his training. The agricultural aviation major has already worked one season as a loader man for an agricultural applicator in Olivia, Minn.

The University of Minnesota, Crookston's aviation program is a partnership in which aviation fundamentals are provided by the University of North Dakota (UND) Aerospace Foundation. To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu/aviation.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 26 bachelor's degree programs, 18 minors, and 36 concentrations, including 10 online degrees, in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology. With an enrollment of 1,600 undergraduates from 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree. "Small Campus. Big Degree." To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

Her Fancy is Flight: Amy Brown '08 serves as one of very few female game warden/pilots in the country

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:47:18 -0600

Boredom won't be a problem for Alumna Amy Brown. At any given moment, the 2008 graduate may be driving through North Dakota terrain, boating across a river, or watching from above in her 2006 Cessna 182. Originally from Lake George, Minn., she finds herself living a life she has dreamed about for a long time.

Brown is a game warden/pilot for the state of North Dakota. With that role comes a great deal of responsibility for this young woman, but she remains undaunted.

"In high school as a post-secondary-enrollment-option student, I met with Dan Svedarsky to ask what classes I should be taking in preparation to attend the University of Minnesota, Crookston," explains Brown. "I have known I wanted to be a game warden since I was in my early teens. It combined my interests in natural resources and law enforcement and Crookston happened to be one of just a few places I could pursue my dream."

She discovered her love of flying when she decided to earn her private pilot's license as a student on the Crookston campus. "It is funny that I decided to add a major in aviation, because before I came to campus, the only flight I had ever been on was one to Disney World with my parents," Brown smiles.

"I ended up falling in love with flying," she continues. As a result, her major included law enforcement aviation and natural resources law enforcement. She interned in summer 2008 for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Devils Lake, N.D.
Brown liked her study at the U of M, Crookston. "It is something I hold dear," she reflects. "I have a lot of respect for Chief Pilot Mike Vivion; he has a lot of experience and a lot to offer students. I learned a great deal from him."
It might sound cliché but Brown enjoys the kind of serenity she finds in the air. And, she treasures the opportunity to see what most of the rest of the world will never see from her vantage point in the cockpit.

Her job isn't focused solely on flying. She spends plenty of time on the ground or in a boat on the water. It all depends on the time of year and the demands of the job. She can be involved in a search-and-rescue effort or flying at night looking for spot lighters. "If the state needs a pilot, I am in the airplane," she declares. "As the primary pilot, I am kind of always on call."

Those demands prove the most challenging aspect of her work, but it is a job Brown loves and finds deeply rewarding.
Brown is one of only a few women in the field. Vivion explains, "I am not sure how many women conservation officers the states have who also fly, but I'm guessing the number is close to one. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has nine pilots and none of them are women."

Brown doesn't think about this fact much. She is concentrating on the job she has always wanted to do, and that fact is the only one that matters to her.

In the photo: Amy Brown attended the meeting of the Program Improvement Audit Committee for aviation in October.

Senior Alysia Osowski, Grafton, N.D., Completes Student Solo Flight on November 10, 2011, at the Crookston Municipal Airport

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:34:19 -0600

Alysia Osowski, Grafton, N.D., a senior double majoring in agricultural business and agronomy at the University of Minnesota, Crookston recently completed her student solo flight at the Crookston Municipal Airport. She completed the flight on November 10, 2011. Her advisor is Mike Vivion, chief pilot on the Crookston campus.

The significance of the first student solo flight cannot be overemphasized. Landing an aircraft involves very difficult and complex eye-hand coordination. A student pilot begins flight training by learning a wide variety of tasks of which landing is one of the most difficult. As flight training progresses, the ability to solo is largely predicated upon the flight instructor's assessment of the student's landings. Consistency is critical and sometimes one of the most difficult to achieve as even the best pilot can attest.

Around the middle of a private pilot's flight training, the instructor flies with the student having him/her land. The instructor will exit the airplane and endorse the student pilot certificate and logbook for solo. With that designation, the budding aviator is sent off for three trips around the traffic pattern each followed by that all important landing.

Following American aviation tradition, removing a new pilot's shirt tail is a sign of confidence by the instructor in the student following the completion of the first solo flight. It stems from the days when a student sat in the front seat of the aircraft with the instructor behind. Radios were not a part of early aviation making it necessary for the instructor to tug on the student pilot's shirt tail to get his/her attention. A successful first solo flight is significant in that it means the student can fly without the instructor, and consequently, no longer needs a shirt tail. In observance of this tradition, aviation students at the U of M, Crookston have their shirt tails cut off by the proud instructor, and they are displayed at the Crookston Municipal Airport.

The University of Minnesota, Crookston's aviation program is a partnership in which aviation fundamentals are provided by the University of North Dakota (UND) Aerospace Foundation. To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu/aviation.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 26 bachelor's degree programs, 18 minors, and 36 concentrations, including 10 online degrees, in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology. With an enrollment of 1,600 undergraduates from 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree. "Small Campus. Big Degree." To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.