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CONTENTS
3www.undalumni.org
Inside this issue
FEATURES
6 The Prince of Portage Avenue Mark Chipman is treated as royalty after bringing pro hockey back to Winnipeg. BY MILO SMITH
10 That Championship Season Recent grad enjoys year working for the Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins. BY MILO SMITH
14 Field Agent A career as a sports agent is not quite like a Hollywood movie. BY AMANDA HVIDSTEN
DEPARTMENTS
4 Message from the Executive Vice President Sioux name to be retired
18 What’s New News from around campus
19 President’s Letter Powered by Green
28 Campaign News Art of Impact: Couple makes the most of a new North Dakota probate law
38 Alumni Class News Who’s Doing What: News About Your Classmates
48 In Memoriam
ALUMNI REVIEW • VOL. 94 NO. 4 • WINTER 2011
6 10 14
2011 Fall Find the Flame Winners:
Nicole Waclawik-Carlson
Ron McBeth
Thomas Knapp
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TICKETS TO PROFESSIONAL SPORTS EVENTS ARE OFTEN IN HIGH DEMAND. From their seats, fans can feel part of the game by cheering and willing their team to victory.
But some UND alumni have a more direct hand in the success of professional sports franchises. Their jobs land them right in the middle of the action. From well-known alumni like Minnesota Twins President Dave St. Peter and L.A. Sparks owner Carla Christofferson to recent graduates just getting their start in the big leagues, UND grads are making their mark on professional sports.
CAREER PROS INPROFESSIONAL CAREERS
8 Ἅ l u m n i R e v i e w | Winter 2011
ark Chipman, ’83, ’85, can’t go anywhere in Winnipeg these days without being recognized and celebrated
as the man who brought professional hockey back to hockey-mad Manitoba. Earlier this year, his company, True North Sports and Entertainment, bought the Atlanta Thrashers franchise and moved it to Winnipeg, bringing the sport back to a town that was devastated when the original Jets moved to Phoenix in 1996.
Perhaps The Globe and Mail columnist Roy MacGregor said it best in a September column:
Pulling off such a coup has turned the shy, self-effacing Chipman — youngest son of a family financial dynasty built through car dealerships — into such a hero that if he were running for premier, there would be no need for [a] vote. But why be premier when you are already king?
For all the backslapping and praise Chipman gets when he’s out and about, he says it makes him more than a bit uncomfortable. “Winnipeg is just a big small town,” says the Winnipeg native. “Most people know one another. The Jets return has cranked that up a lot. I wish I could tell you that it’s something I’m real comfortable with. [But] I wish that we could do ‘this’ with less of ‘that,’ if that makes sense.”
How Mark Chipman became the most well-liked person in Winnipeg by buying a professional hockey team — “Mind you, we haven’t lost a game yet, so we are still pretty popular,” he said this summer — has its genesis in a decision made as a youth to play on the gridiron rather than the ice.
PIGSKIN, NOT PUCKSChipman’s dad encouraged
him to play football in high school instead of hockey, and he would later walk on at UND for Gene Murphy’s squad in 1979. Pat Behrns would then take over the program. While Chipman admits he was a “very average” football player, he says being on the team and attending UND might have been the “best decision I ever made in my life.”
“I grew up at UND. I went down there as an 18-year-old and was blessed to be a part of a great football program and got a world-class education in the process,” Chipman says. “The education, the football experience, law school, and ultimately meeting my wife (Patti (Schlenker), ’85), and the friendships I established there are many of the most important friendships in my life today.”
After getting his law degree, Chipman moved to Florida, worked as a prosecutor and in private practice before heading home to work in his family’s car dealership business.
JETS JETIn the mid-90s when it
became apparent that the Winnipeg Jets franchise was in danger of moving, Chipman found himself on a committee made up of local businesspeople fighting to save the franchise. “We felt very passionately about that at the time, our family did and the community did.” The group, though, was fighting a losing battle. A fiercely loyal fan base was not enough to counteract the effects of an aging arena and the harsh economic realities of the NHL at that time, making it difficult for a city the size of Winnipeg to support a team.
Page 7: Mark Chipman, ‘83, ‘85, shakes hands with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman at the news conference announcing the return of hockey to Winnipeg.
Construction on the 15,000-seat MTS Centre was completed in 2004. Supporters say the building was critical to luring the NHL back to Winnipeg.
M
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FEATURE
UND GRAD WORKS FOR THE BOSTON BRUINS DURING THE TEAM’S STANLEY CUP WINNING SEASON
By Milo Smith
CUP RUNNETH OVER
HER
11www.undalumni.org
12 Ἅ l u m n i R e v i e w | Winter 2011
es, that’s the real Stanley Cup that Lindsay Corbo, ’07, is posing with in the photo on the previous page and the cover of
this issue. To get up close and personal with the most hallowed trophy in all of sports was just one highlight of the past year for the UND Communication grad, who worked for the Boston Bruins during the professional hockey team’s 2010-11 championship season.
Corbo was a client service representative for the Bruins. Her job involved working with corporate and individual clients in the luxury suites and premium club seats at TD Garden, the Boston home of the Bruins.
The job entailed arranging events for those ticket holders, including meet-and-greets with the players. On game nights, Corbo and her associates make sure fans enjoy their time at the arena. “If our clients are here, we are here,” she says. “You run around a lot, dropping off gift bags, doing birthday surprises, bringing the mascot down to meet someone. We handle 500 accounts, so you have to keep those people happy.”
In between all that, you also have to stay up-to-date on what’s happening on the ice. “These fans are just really interested and know everything. They want to know what you think. There is so much history here that you have to know that to really understand your fan base.”
Corbo says it’s a lot of work. On game days, she might be in her office at 9 a.m. and still be at the arena at 10 p.m. Corbo says, “It’s exciting, so that makes up for it.”
And Corbo will be in for more of those hours this winter. She recently took a position that has her adding Celtic professional basketball games to her workload.
A GOOD SPORTThat she’s making a career in the
professional sports industry might come as a surprise to those who knew Corbo as she was growing up in Burnsville, Minn., and later at UND. “I was horrible at sports,” she says, laughing. “I loved to go to games, but I did it for social reasons. From just a sports perspective, I did not grow up wanting to be an athlete or was I an athletic person. So among all my friends, it’s kind of surprising that I’m the one that ended up working in professional sports. I enjoy sports. I’m just horrible at playing them.”
So a career in sports was not on Corbo’s mind when she arrived on UND’s campus. She was instead focused on going into nonprofit work or public relations. To that end, Corbo interned as part of the marketing
Corbo (left) rides one of the duckboats during the massive championship parade through Boston.
Y
team for Studio One, UND’s student-produced television program. Then, Monte Koshel, executive director of Studio One, asked Corbo if she could be a late addition to the sports reporting team. Corbo jumped at the chance and it opened her eyes to a new career path.
“We know that the most valuable [Studio One] position in terms of experience someone can get is to be a reporter,” says Koshel. “That wasn’t Lindsay’s first choice, but we had an opening. In true Lindsay spirit, she accepted the position. She knows now why that experience is so transferrable to other jobs. If you can be a TV reporter, you can do almost anything.”
“Studio One was huge,” says Corbo. “It was a great program. In my interviews [after college], that was one of the main things I talked about.”
COURT CHALLENGEShe then worked for free in the UND
Athletics Department and upon graduation attended a sports-specific job fair in the Twin Cities. There, she landed a job with the Minnesota Timberwolves as a ticket sales agent.
Soon after starting the job, the NBA team traded away its most popular and best
player, Kevin Garnett, making Corbo’s job selling tickets extremely difficult. “That was one of the most challenging positions I have ever had. Trying to sell a product that no one wants to have anything to do with — that they are very upset with — was very difficult.”
Corbo persevered and eventually moved into client relations with the Timberwolves. She spent 18 months at the Target Center before getting the itch to expand her horizons. She applied for a position with the Bruins online, got the job, and moved to a city obsessed with its professional sports teams.
BOSTON FANATICSWhile “Beantown” had become title
town in baseball, basketball and football in the previous decade, its hockey fans had suffered through decades of disappointment. Where Corbo’s start in Minneapolis coincided with a steep decline in interest in the Timberwolves following the Garnett trade, her arrival in Boston was just the opposite: The Bruins were making the playoffs again, and each year made a deeper run.
As the third seed out of the Eastern Conference heading into the 2011 playoffs,
fan hopes were high, but no one could have predicted the improbable road the Bruins would take to the championship. They became the first NHL champion to endure three Game 7s, including a Game 7 victory over the Vancouver Canucks 4-0 to win the Stanley Cup.
“It was touch and go, up and down. It was so exciting to just be a part of it,” says Corbo. “I’ll never forget: It was Game 6. It was at the Garden. We won that game and everyone went nuts. Game 7, people were just going out of their minds.” Corbo describes what came next as a three-day party across New England that ended with a parade through Boston to honor the town’s newest sports heroes. “We just celebrated for days. Everyone was just so excited. It was wonderful.”
And it’s not just a picture with the Stanley Cup that will help Corbo remember those days for the rest of her life. Each member of the organization, from players down to office staff, was given one-of-a-kind championship rings.
When she received her massive ring lined with 300 diamonds, her Facebook post said it all: “O M G!” AR
13www.undalumni.org
Photo by: Steve Babineau, Boston Bruins
“O M G!”
WHEN CORBO RECEIVED HER MASSIVE RING LINED WITH 300 DIAMONDS, HER FACEBOOK POST SAID IT ALL:
Boston Bruins NHL webpage
Championship parade
FEATURE
Ἅ l u m n i R e v i e w | Winter 2011 14
FEATURE
FIELD AGENT
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FIELD AGENT UND GRAD MATT STRIEGEL REPRESENTS
PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL PLAYERSBy Amanda Hvidsten
16 Ἅ l u m n i R e v i e w | Winter 2011
he NFL is supreme in the minds of American sports fans. This year, a Harris Interactive poll again found professional football to be the most popular
sport in the U.S. The National Football League says an average of nearly 18 million viewers watch each game during the regular season, and we all know how popular the Super Bowl is.
The mystique of the larger-than-life players, who run faster, throw farther and seem to make humanly impossible catches, is unmatched. From humble beginnings, the NFL has grown to a multibillion-dollar industry.
NFL agent Matt Striegel, ’06, works with roughly 15 pro football players, preparing them for life in the spotlight.
“We work to get clients ready for the [NFL] Combine, training, getting drafted using connections in the league, keeping a player promoted to other teams if he gets cut,” he
explained. “Technically, we’re hired to negotiate contracts but there are also endorsements, appearances, trading card deals, and apparel deals. And then, there are times where we get a call and a player needs support through personal or family issues. They are relying on us not just for the professional side, but the things that get a person through life.”
“SHOW ME THE MONEY!”When picturing what an NFL agent does,
it’s easy to recall scenes from “Jerry Maguire.” Striegel’s heard it before. “I was in a meeting with a top prospect out of Arizona a couple of years ago, and at the end of the meeting his dad goes, ‘You know who you remind me of? Jerry Maguire. But in a really good way,’” he laughed. “I really enjoy that movie. There are a lot of scenes that are right on. Signing a player or going through tough times with a current client.”
Matt Striegel, ’06, is an agent for professional football players.
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Striegel’s firm, Ascent Sports & Entertainment, focuses on representing pro football players. “Our firm represents about 50 clients. We keep our numbers down and only sign about six rookies each year as a whole,” he said. “The one thing that sets us apart is our personal relationship. I’m in constant contact with players.” That point was proven by the numerous phone calls he got during the interview for this story.
“I’ve been through the whole process before, but for the new players, it’s their first time and you really only get one crack at getting into the NFL.”
PLAYING DAYSA former college player himself, Striegel can
relate to the game, to the training and what’s going on in the players’ minds. That perspective on day-to-day life in football has helped him. “You get really close,” he said. “I manage a player’s career from the moment he signs with me until his 10th or 12th year in the NFL. It’s a business relationship but it turns into a friendship. You’re there through life — the journey that is making it in the NFL.”
Charly Martin, who played wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers in 2009 and 2010, said Striegel is like a brother to him. “It’s a business relationship because it has to be — we both have jobs to do. But, at the same time, we lean on each other,” Martin said. “You surround yourself with a good team because you go through a lot together. You develop a bond and Matt has defined that completely. … He even came to my sister’s wedding. He’s my guy.”
Striegel’s Midwestern “niceness” and his work ethic serve him well, but the NFL is nothing if not competitive — meaning there is more to signing a player than a smile and warm disposition.
“There are 800 certified agents and about 250 drafted players each year. Anyone can do the numbers there,” Striegel said.
“We’re all competing for the same players. If a door doesn’t open, you have to make it open. You have to be aggressive in this business on every level. Yet, you can be a good, honest person with integrity and succeed very well. There are a lot of clients who want that.”
One such client is Matt Slauson, offensive guard for the New York Jets.
“Matt was very persistent,” Slauson said over the phone. “He called me probably once a week. I decided to interview Matt and Tom Mills. I brought them out and sat down with my family. It was an amazing fit.”
KICK OFFMatt’s first client was Marcus Thomas, a fifth-
round 2008 draft pick for the San Diego Chargers from the University of Texas at El Paso.
Only two years prior, Matt had graduated from UND and accepted a position with a law firm in downtown Denver. Instead of staying, though, he risked his livelihood and gave the NFL everything he had.
“I knew if I worked for Ascent, even though I was paying my dues right away, I knew I could make it in the business. I was recruiting players on my own time. It was extremely busy, nonstop. I just didn’t look back when I took the step. Football is my passion. Law is my passion. Put those two together and this is my niche,” he smiled.
When he didn’t have a lot of connections, he had to make his own way, make his own phone calls and set up meetings to get in the business. That struggle makes his work that much sweeter.
“It’s a great feeling when you have a player become a starter in the NFL and you know you’ve helped him get to that point. It’s like a brother achieving a goal that at times may have seemed impossible. They’ve sacrificed their whole lives for this.”
In some ways, you could say Matt has worked his whole life for his shot at the NFL, too. AR
17www.undalumni.org
‘IT’S A GREAT FEELING WHEN YOU HAVE A PLAYER BECOME A STARTER IN THE NFL AND YOU KNOW YOU’VE HELPED HIM GET TO THAT POINT. IT’S LIKE A BROTHER ACHIEVING A GOAL THAT AT TIMES MAY HAVE SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE. THEY’VE SACRIFICED THEIR WHOLE LIVES FOR THIS.’
19www.undalumni.org
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
DEAR ALUMNI & FRIENDS,
What a fall this has been! The University of North Dakota truly is Powered by Green, as this semester has demonstrated.
Some of you joined us Sept. 17 for “UND: On Target with the Minnesota Twins.” More than 1,000 UND supporters turned out to wear special UND and Twins green t-shirts. Many attended the pre-game gathering, listened to the Steel Pan Band, watched UND’s Al Palmer (see the accompanying photo) hoist the American Flag, and experienced the Varsity Bards perform the National Anthem and during the Seventh Inning Stretch. The day was part of a continuing partnership that started
with Twins President Dave St. Peter, ‘89. On page 22, you can also learn about UND’s relationship with
the Minnesota Vikings. That relationship started with former UND and Minnesota Viking standout Dave Osborn, ‘65, and continues today with UND alum Jimmy Kleinsasser, ‘99, who is still earning accolades on the gridiron. Delve into this issue of the Alumni Review, and you will learn about a unique scholarship opportunity funded by the Minnesota Vikings. The scholarship winner will be announced Jan. 1 during the Minnesota Vikings-Chicago Bears game.
Then there was Homecoming in October. The theme was “Get Your Green On!” and that is exactly what we did, including a “Get Your Green On” party that brought the campus and the community together at the Alerus Center. Page through this issue to find the photos.
You will find other stories in the Campus News section: senior football player Justin Belotti, nationally noted for his community efforts; physical therapy students who are doing research related to athletics and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries; the Chester Fritz Library turning 50 years old; the dedication of the remodeled Education Building and new addition; and our Work Well program. All of these stories underscore the fact we have an Exceptional UND. If you would like to learn more about the
Exceptional UND initiatives — including the opportunity to see the video of the The Chamber–sponsored Wake Up To UND — please visit und.edu/provost/exceptional-und
NICKNAME AND LOGO
As I suspect you have heard by now, the North Dakota Legislature held a special session the week of Nov. 7 to tackle a number of issues. During that session, the Legislature took action that allows UND to complete the directive of the State Board of Higher Education and to meet the terms of the 2007 settlement agreement with the National Collegiate Athletic Association by transitioning away from the current nickname and logo. This step will remove UND from sanctions imposed by the NCAA and will allow UND to continue to pursue Division I athletics in the Big Sky Conference as a member in good standing — critical for the immediate- and long-term success of UND student-athletes and UND’s athletics programs.
The legislative process has been thorough and has allowed individuals and groups to voice their opinions regarding the issue. I want to reassure our students, faculty, staff, alumni and all friends of the University that the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo will be retired with dignity as it becomes part of the tradition and history of the University of North Dakota.
Best wishes,
Robert O. KelleyPresident
Green On!Get Your
20 Ἅ l u m n i R e v i e w | Winter 2011
T IS A BIT HARD TO BELIEVE THE CHESTER FRITZ LIBRARY — THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA’S LANDMARK LIBRARY BUILDING — WAS DEDICATED ON OCT. 13, 1961, AND HAS BEEN THE UNIVERSITY’S CENTER FOR INTELLECTUAL INQUIRY AND DISCOVERY FOR 50 YEARS.
It all began with the generous donation from Chester Fritz, a former UND student, who loved books and valued his time on campus. His gift provided the impetus for action by the North Dakota State Legislature to fund the construction of the library. The result was a remarkable library facility capable of housing a large collection of books, journals and microforms. With this facility, the University was able to expand its collection of publications, which support growing fields of learning and provide wonderful study spaces that have been used by countless students throughout the years.
The 50th anniversary of the Chester Fritz Library is a fitting time to celebrate the role of libraries in teaching
students and providing scholarly resources in support of undergraduate, graduate and faculty research, and that’s exactly what happened during Homecoming Week in October.
Dan Rylance, ’66, co-author of the autobiography on UND benefactor Chester Fritz, returned to UND, where he once served on the faculty and as head of the Chester Fritz Library’s Special Collections Department, to deliver a presentation on Chester Fritz and his legacy.
In 1958, Fritz gave $1 million to UND to build the library. “The challenge is for others to step up as part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of this magnificent building and endow this library — endow it with additional funds to continue the Fritz gift,” Rylance said.
“Great universities build and support great libraries,” he continued. “Fritz gave this University a great library and later endowed it with additional funds to assist in the computerization of its holdings. Now is the time for others to step up, answer the ‘Fritz challenge’ and continue to support Chester Fritz Library.”
According the Rylance, the phrase “Fritz challenge” came from Fritz’s Oct. 13, 1961, library dedication speech, in which he said: “But now that we have this building, I am trusting that from time to time, alumni and other friends of the University will augment with private funds the regular legislative appropriations to the University for the growth of the library, so that this library will always be well-stocked with the type of books, magazines, and other materials needed for scholarly work in every department of the University”
Rylance came to UND in 1964 as a graduate student in history and left in 1989 to become the editorial page editor of the Grand Forks Herald, a position he held until 1993. While at UND, he was coordinator of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections at the Chester Fritz Library and an associate professor of history.
Largely elected by UND’s students, Rylance served two terms in the North Dakota House of Representatives from 1975-79. He co-authored “Ever Westward to the Far East” with Chester Fritz in 1982 and “Quentin Burdick: The Gentle Warrior” in 2007. AR
— Patrick C. Miller, University Relations
The ‘Fritz’ Turns 50 FORMER UND PROFESSORAND ARCHIVIST DAN RYLANCE SHEDS LIGHT ON THE LEGACY OF LIBRARY’S BENEFACTOR
Photo by: Jackie Lorentz
CAMPUS NEWS
Dan Rylance, ’66, co-authored a book about the life of Chester Fritz. He spoke about working on the book with Fritz as part of the library’s 50th anniversary celebration during Homecoming 2011.
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Community in ‘Good Hands’
uNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA SENIOR FOOTBALL PLAYER JUSTIN BELOTTI, a native of Kenosha, Wis., found out recently that he is going to spend the first couple of days in 2012 participating in one of his favorite pastimes — serving others.
Only this time, instead of helping out his local Grand Forks community, Belotti will be joining 21 fellow NCAA student-athletes from the Football Championship Subdivision and Football Bowl Subdivision in New Orleans to conduct a service project as a member of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®.
Allstate Insurance Company and American Football Coaches Association officials announced the 2011 team in September. The team will be honored at halftime of the 2012 Allstate Sugar Bowl on Tuesday, Jan. 3, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans.
For the past 20 years, the award — one of the most prestigious off-the-field honors in college football — has recognized student-athletes who have shown a commitment to making a difference in their communities.
A program record 132 players were nominated for the award this summer. From the nominations, a special voting panel, including former Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® members and current college football broadcasters, selected the 22 players from across the country to be a part of this year’s team.
There is a pair of 11-member teams, one is comprised of players competing in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the other, of which Belotti is a part of, is a combined team representing the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III, and the NAIA.
“It is hard to really put into words what receiving an award of this magnitude means for Justin and this program,” UND
Head Coach Chris Mussman said. “Of the thousands of college football players across the country, he is one of 22 to be named to this team. That is extremely impressive, but more importantly, it is well-deserved.”
Belotti has spent countless hours volunteering with a number of different organizations around the Grand Forks community, including the Special Olympics of North Dakota and the Circle of Friends Humane Society. He also lends a helping hand in yearly flood relief efforts around the area.
In addition to those efforts, Belotti will also lead the UND football program’s yearly fundraiser called “Holiday Magic from Markus.” Sioux football players will conduct the event for the ninth time this year in honor of Markus Bryant, who was a young Fighting Sioux football fan who lost his battle with cancer in December 2002.
Belotti was the 2010 recipient of the Markus Bryant Memorial Scholarship, which is given annually to a Fighting Sioux player based upon his teamwork, leadership, dedication, character and spirit. AR
— Ryan Powell, UND Athletics
JUSTIN BELOTTI, ONE OF ONLY 22 NAMED TO ALLSTATE AFCA GOOD WORKS TEAM ®
Free safety Justin Belotti is one of the top five leading tacklers on the 2011 UND football team.
Purple Aid
22 Ἅ l u m n i R e v i e w | Winter 2011
j IMMY KLEINSASSER, ’99, a former star tight end for UND and a current veteran for the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL, is helping a future UND student get the same educational opportunities he received from his alma mater.
Kleinsasser and the Minnesota Vikings will award a $10,000 “Vikings + UND Scholarship” to one deserving student interested in pursuing a bachelor’s degree at the University of North Dakota. Kleinsasser, a Carrington, N.D., native and one of the greatest players to don the UND football jersey, has been participating in promotional television and radio spots to promote the scholarship. In them, he talks about his love for UND and how his years at UND have helped him in life.
The Vikings organization is 100 percent behind the UND scholarship effort and views it as a way to give back to the people of the region for their support.
“We have such a strong fan base that overlaps with alumni, friends and prospective students of the University of North Dakota,” said Steve LaCroix, Vikings vice president of sales and marketing/chief marketing officer. “The impact that UND graduates have had on the quality of life in Vikings country and worldwide is remarkable. We wanted to help another great student fulfill their dreams of learning at UND and we hope this scholarship will give them a big head start on their career goals.”
The scholarship is available for an incoming freshman in 2012 and the scholarship recipient will be
selected from applicants based on their high school GPA and standardized test scores, as well as a 1,000-word personal statement highlighting their career goals, achievements, the adversity they have had to overcome and what the opportunity to study at UND would mean to their future.
The scholarship recipient and their family will be in attendance for the Jan. 1, 2012, Vikings game versus Chicago, and the scholarship will be awarded during pre-game activities at Mall of America Field.
“We are honored that the Vikings are sponsoring a scholarship at the University of North Dakota. This is a great opportunity for a future UND student,” said UND President Robert Kelley. “In these difficult economic times, scholarships play a significant role in getting a college education. Therefore, we applaud the Vikings organization for being so committed to promoting the value of higher education. We are confident that UND will provide this scholarship recipient with a tremendous foundation and many opportunities for a bright future.” AR
The Kleinsasser File• Named to USA Today’s All-Joe Team in 2007 and 2008,
honoring hard-working and under-recognized players. • Ranks second in team history for starts by a tight end with 119,
and fourth in Vikings history for catches by a tight end with 191. • Has paved the way for seven of the eight top single-season rushing
marks in Vikings history, including Adrian Peterson’s team-record and NFL-leading 1,760 yards in 2008.
• Is the longest-tenured pro athlete with their team in the Twin Cities, as he enters his 13th season with the Vikings.
• Inducted into North Dakota High School Hall of Fame in 2008.• Sister, Sheri, was a two-time All-America basketball player at
UND.• Financial management major at UND.• He and wife, Christa, have two sons, Carter and Cayden.
— David Dodds, University Relations Student Writer
UND, MINNESOTA VIKINGS PARTNER FOR UNIQUE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
CAMPUS NEWS
Jimmy Kleinsasser; Viktor; Lucia Carvelli, UND medical school professor; and Ragnar at Vikings headquarters in the Twin Cities.
Courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings
Putting Research Into Motion
23www.undalumni.org
aGROUP OF UND PHYSICAL THERAPY STUDENTS are putting their best feet forward in the quest to find possible causes of one of the more common sports-related leg injuries.
In many sports, tears of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of the knee continue to be problematic for athletes. With discrepancy in neuromuscular function, a likely factor in injury predisposition, research at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences is currently being directed at the prevention of this injury.
UND physical therapy students Casey Darling, Marissa Laddusaw, Elizabeth Kornkven and Hayley Letvin are examining the “muscle activity/foot position relationship” as a possible means to identify people who might be at risk for ACL injuries. Their research investigates whether the position of the foot influences the muscles of the lower extremity and therefore increases or decreases knee injury risk, depending on the nature of the foot–ground interface.
The students utilize advanced motion analysis equipment to assess joint-specific movement and electrical activity of the muscles during activity.
The “Vicon Motion Analysis” equipment, specialized cameras and software allow the students to capture the movements of the human body at more than 100 frames per second. Analysis at that level of detail provides the students with an opportunity to objectively assess differences between the various experimental conditions of the study.
The research project utilizes a single-leg squat on a stable surface with five varying inclination angles. If foot position demonstrates a significant influence on joint biomechanics and muscle activity, the theory is that foot support, through orthotic devices, could be an answer to decreasing the risk of injury. AR
— Mark Romanick, ’78, ’93, ’02, and David Relling, ’91, ’03.
FACULTY AND STUDENTS WALK THE TALK BY TESTING EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENTS
Dr. David Relling, ‘91, ‘03, conducts ACL research with the help of motion analysis equipment at the
University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
24 Ἅ l u m n i R e v i e w | Winter 2011
iT’S REALLY ALL ABOUT FEELING WELL, WORKING BETTER, AND TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR OWN OVERALL WELLNESS. That’s basically the mission — and the core commitment — of the University of North Dakota Work Well program, which is housed within the UND Wellness Center.
“The mission of Work Well is to promote a culture of wellness for UND staff and faculty by providing information, services and programs to support healthy living,” said Kimberly Ruliffson, ’08, coordinator of the UND Work Well program. “The program offers something for all staff at UND from walking challenges to health screenings to Weight Watchers at Work, or even resources for stretching in your office to prevent obesity and muscle fatigue. Being active in your health is not just running a marathon, but focusing on your personal risk factors that strain your body and subject you to expensive and difficult chronic issues such as heart disease and diabetes.”
The program is reviewed by the Work Well Advisory Board composed of staff and faculty representatives from across the campus. Their expertise and knowledge help
shape Work Well’s organizational structure and function by providing advice and recommendations on programs, goals and objectives.
Additionally, the Work Well program has volunteer “ambassadors” who serve as liaisons between their departments and the UND Work Well program. Ambassadors play an essential role by providing information and promoting and encouraging their colleagues to engage in Work Well programs and services.
“With workers in America today spending more than one-third of their day on the job, employers are in a unique position to promote the health and safety of their employees. The use of effective workplace programs and policies can reduce health risks and improve the quality of life,” said Laurie Betting, ’98, ’99, ’04, UND associate vice president for health and wellness.
“Health is a continuum and we recognize that it means different things for different people,” Betting said. “It’s really about a mind-set and a commitment to health that intersects at all levels of life. Ultimately it involves personal accountability, but our Work Well program is
Live Well, Work Well
‘WORK WELL’ PROGRAM PROMOTES CULTURE OF WELLNESS AT UND
CAMPUS NEWS
Kim Ruliffson, ‘08, focuses on the health of UND staff and faculty as
the coordinator of the UND Work Well program.
Photo by: Jackie Lorentz
Building on the Future
26 Ἅ l u m n i R e v i e w | Winter 2011
u.S. SEN. KENT CONRAD, D-N.D., AND ROSEMARIE NASSIF, a special adviser with the U.S. Department of Education, lauded the University of North Dakota for its commitment to teaching and learning during a recent dedication of the school’s remodeled and expanded Education Building.
In conjunction with UND Homecoming events, the dedication ceremony took place on campus at the new and improved College of Education and Human Development headquarters. Other speakers included University President Robert Kelley and Dan Rice, ’84, ’86, dean of the college.
Emphasizing UND’s “green initiative” and good stewardship of resources, the Education Building was built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. Silver LEED certification is being pursued. Renovations and new additions include 14 classrooms, two lecture halls, four seminar rooms, five conference rooms, and faculty offices.
The finished project modernizes learning environments for on-campus students and provides hybrid learning spaces to accommodate the needs of distance learners. The design encourages interactive research across the disciplines in the College of Education and Human Development.
Conrad expressed how the new Education Building was another indicator of vibrant growth and success at the University.
“This is really a period when UND is soaring,” Conrad said during the dedication. “UND is moving in a very, very positive way.”
“This new Education Building reflects the innovation taking place throughout the University of North Dakota,”
Conrad said. “In that spirit, the building is LEED certified — providing a model for environmental leadership that I hope will serve as an example for other projects in the region. UND is a shining example of the education and leadership opportunities available in our state.”
Nassif used her time to stress the importance of education in personal and global well-being, and how the new facility on campus will play a role in educating the teachers of tomorrow.
“What a building,” Nassif said. “It’s a visual sign of the importance this University puts on teaching and learning education.”
Nassif said UND does four of the most important things in teaching education extremely well. It recruits, prepares and retains talented teachers. It recruits teaching candidates from minority backgrounds, specifically American Indians. It provides excellent, supervised clinical experiences for students in real classrooms, and it provides 21st century facilities and technologies for its students.
“This building does much to serve all of those teaching and learning functions,” Nassif said. “It makes a quality statement of excellence in teaching and learning.”
The first major renovation to the Education Building since 1953 began in spring 2009, thanks to an appropriation of $11.2 million from the North Dakota Legislature, which, with the support and encouragement of then Gov. John Hoeven, used American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds provided by Congress. Conrad is chair of the Senate Budget Committee and played a role in creating ARRA. The North Dakota Legislature stipulated that the funds be used to remodel the Education Building and to build an addition to connect the Education Building to Gillette Hall.
The North Dakota State Board of Higher Education also authorized an additional $1.4 million for small equipment items, which must come from external fundraising or internal allocations.
Dean Rice said that about $75,000 of the renovation cost came from the University to update and upgrade technology features, while another $800,000 was given by donors and friends of the college.
Rice reminded those who attended the dedication what really matters to his college.
“This day may be all about a building, but we must always remember that it’s truly all about the people inside of it.” AR
— Patrick C. Miller, University Relations
EXPANDED, REMODELED UND EDUCATION BUILDING DEDICATED
CAMPUS NEWS
Photo by: Jackie Lorentz
College of Education and Human Development Dean Dan Rice (L) shares a laugh with former VP for Student
Affairs Bob Boyd, former UND President Charles Kupchella and Higher Education board
member Duaine Espegard during the dedication
ceremony for the renovated Education Building.
30 Ἅ l u m n i R e v i e w | Winter 2011
CAMPAIGN NEWS
essica (Kovacevich) Kiecker, ’07, boasts a series of firsts with University of North Dakota Athletics.
In 2002, she became the first-ever recruit to the women’s hockey program. Earlier this year, she began serving as a member of the first Women’s Advisory Council for UND Athletics. And during the 2011-12 hockey season, her name was on the first women’s hockey Impact Scholarship awarded at UND.
Ashley Secord-Holmes, a women’s hockey student-athlete majoring in biology and pre-medicine, was honored with the Terry and Victoria Kovacevich/Jessica Kovacevich Kiecker Impact Scholarship in August.
“Receiving this scholarship meant getting to play hockey without worrying about money,” Secord-Holmes said. “It’s one less thing to worry about financially. There’s no time for jobs of any kind during the school year.”
j Family becomes first to support women’s hockey through an Impact Scholarship
MAKING DREAMS COME TRUE — ON THE ICE AND OFF
EXPLORE NORTH DAKOTA SPIRIT | THE CAMPAIGN FOR UND AT SPIRIT.UND.EDU.
UND women’s hockey player Ashley Secord-Holmes was the first recipient of the Terry and Victoria Kovacevich/Jessica Kovacevich Kiecker Impact Scholarship.
34 Ἅ l u m n i R e v i e w | Winter 2011
FEATURESIOUX AWARD
Norm Hoffman, ‘59
John Kutch, ‘93
Amanda Bentow, ‘04, ‘06
35www.undalumni.org
highlight of Homecoming 2011 was the presentation of the UND Alumni Association’s highest honor, the Sioux Award, to four deserving alumni.
This year’s recipients were Norm Hoffman, ’59, retired co-founder and President/CEO
of Technical Ordnance, Inc.; Gary Marsden, ’63, retired founder and CEO of Marco, Inc.; Dr. Robert Nordlie, ’57, ’60, a retired Biochemistry professor from the UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences and the former chair of the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology department; and Diane Odegard, ’86, a retired secondary teacher and former member of the UND Alumni Association & Foundation Board of Directors, who played an integral and continuing role in the development of the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences.
Marsden was looking to buy a business in the Twin Cities in 1973 when he answered an ad in the wrong section of the newspaper. He ended up buying a small business products company in St. Cloud, Minn., and turned it into the far-reaching technology solutions provider it is today, with 450 employees in 21 locations.
In his speech after accepting his Sioux Award, Marsden said luck had played a role in many of his decisions; from transferring from NDSU to UND, to answering that ad in the wrong part of the paper. But he also said, “Luck favors the persistent, and the more that you believe you are lucky, the luckier you are. And I’m a very lucky guy.”
Hoffman encouraged those in the audience to follow
their own paths. In making his point, he quoted Yogi Berra and Robert Frost. The baseball great, Hoffman noted, had once said, “If you come to a fork in the road, take it.” In quoting the famous poet, Hoffman said he had followed Frost’s advice to take the road less traveled. “I just can’t believe this is happening,” Hoffman said of receiving the Sioux Award.
Odegard talked with pride of the advances made at the aerospace school that bears her late-husband’s name. She said she wanted to continue John’s legacy after his death in 1998. It was a legacy she said, “that not only exemplifies North Dakota spirit, but most important, the values that can inspire future leaders: a terrific work ethic, high standards of professionalism and a determination to seize opportunities and make them work. This is the spirit of the Odegard School today.”
Dr. Nordlie dedicated 38 years of his career to the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at UND. He spoke with pride of his time as a researcher and educator. “I have witnessed the evolution of a great university,” he said. “I have had the unique vantage point these past 55 years to watch UND develop from a small, but quality school, to a great research university.”
During the same ceremony, two deserving recipients of the Young Alumni Achievement Award were recognized: Amanda Bentow, ’04, ’06, Community Relations Officer in the Office of the Chief Information Officer at UND, and John Kutch, ’93, President/CEO of Trinity Health in Minot, N.D.
A
Diane Odegard, ‘86
Dr. Robert Nordlie, ‘57, ‘60
Gary Marsden, ‘63
HOMECOMING RECAP
Dance team Think Outside the Bottle performs at Pep Fest.
UND Alumni Association and Foundation Executive VP and CEO Tim O’Keefe, ‘71, fires up the crowd at the community Homecoming celebration.
Fans enjoy a nice spread of free food at the Homecoming celebration.
Homecoming Queen Amanda Heubach and King Emmett Lynch (pictured with UND First Lady Marcia Kelley) were crowned at Pep Fest.
The UND Alumni Association float served as an invitation to attend the grand opening of the Gorecki Alumni Center during Homecoming 2012
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36 Ἅ l u m n i R e v i e w | Winter 2011
38 Ἅ l u m n i R e v i e w | Winter 2011
ALUMNI NEWS
We seemed to have stumped readers with our request for information on this picture printed in the fall issue of the Alumni Review. Only one person e-mailed to say they recognized the students helping President Thomas Clifford during a 1976 cleanup event. Donald Foley, ’76, wrote in to say the man on the left is Bill Liebel, ’78, and the student on the right is Keith Stenehjem, ’76, ’77, ’85. Foley says both were Pi Kappa Alphas. He couldn’t remember the name of the third student, but did recall that he was one of his racquet/hand ball partners.
Future NBA player and coach Phil Jackson led the 1964-65 UND men’s basketball team to a third place finish at the NCAA Small College Tournament in Evansville, Ind. “Undaunted by a lack of money,” according to the 1965 “Dacotah,” these basketball cheerleaders made the trip to Indiana as well. Do you recognize any of these vocal supporters of Sioux basketball?
Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call us at 800.543.8764.
CHEER TEAM
48 Ἅ l u m n i R e v i e w | Winter 2011
in memoriam
1920s
Mildred R. (Weaver) Erb, ..’27, Corvallis, Mont.
1930s
Margaret A. (Anderson) Roberts, ’31,
Vista, Calif.
Ethelyn L. (Johnson) Budge, ..’36, Grand Forks
Garth White, ’36, Newhall, Calif.
Francis W. Loomer, ’37, Culbertson, Mont.
Jack O. Kane, ’38, Los Angeles, Calif
Col. Arnold E. Rice, ’39, Leesville, S.C.
1940s
Brig. Gen. V.W. Banning, ’40, San Carlos, Calif
Ethel M. (Mortenson) Germain, ’40,
Carmichael, Calif.
Lois Kent Smith, ’41, Golden Valley, Minn.
Edward J. Wherland, ’41, Pullman, Wash.
Ardon B. Iverson, ’43, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Eleanor M. (Simmons) Johnson, ’43,
Alpharetta, Ga.
Orrin N. Pederson, ..’43, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Richard H. Leigh, MD, ’45, Anthem, Ariz.
James J. Gordon, ..’46, Issaquah, Wash.
Rudy F. Opp, ..’46, Fargo
John C. Everts, ’47, Boulder, Colo.
Mary J. (Fitzsimmons) Brazda, ’48,
Carencro, La.
Dr. Henry J. Tomasek, ..’48, Burbank, Calif.
Gail F. (Hay) Molsberry, ’49, Kent, Wash.
Lois L. (Lake) Varland, ’49,
Newtown Square, Pa.
1950s
Mason A. Helberg, ’50, Jacksonville, Fla.
Robert G. Jensen, ’50, The Woodlands, Texas
Robert E. Mowris, ’50, Fitchburg, Wis.
James F. Seifert, ’50, HON ’86,
Park Rapids, Minn.
James M. Williams, ’50, Lincoln, Neb.
Frank Burckhard, ’51, East Grand Forks
Velda (Sheldon) Chase, ’51, Hemet, Calif.
Lois (Schwam) Oberg, ..’51, Cheyenne, Wyo.
Dr. James D. Johnson, ’52, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Radiance S. (Stiles) Early, ’53,
Mechanicsvlle, Va.
Clayt Lee, ’53, Placentia, Calif.
JoAnn (Nelson) McKay, ’53, Fargo
Robert W. Jagd, ’56, Minot, N.D.
Augustine Mayer, ..’56, Michigan, N.D.
Richard G. Monroe, ’56, Poulsbo, Wash.
Donald G. Simpson, ’56, Woodbury, Minn.
Jacquelyn A. (Fix) Stordal, ’56, Minot, N.D.
Dr. Donald E. Bostrom, ’54, ’57, Grand Forks
Dr. Charles M. Harman, ’57, New Bern, N.C.
Ralph E. Finstuen, ’58, San Diego, Calif.
Paul J. Trom, ’58, Hackensack, Minn.
Judith (Hand) Christofferson, ..’59,
Napoleon, N.D.
Dale J. Irwin, ’58, ’59, Bismarck
William R. Steenson, ..’59,
Kimberley, B.C., Canada
Victor J. Zerr, Sr, ’59, ’69, Harvey, N.D.
1960s
Brian W. Keohane, ’60, Beach, N.D.
Alice C. (Bostrom) Bidon, ..’61,
North Oaks, Minn.
Dr. Max Hammer, ’61, Orono, Maine
Robert W. Palda, ’61, ’63, Minot, N.D.
Robert D. Pearson, ..’62, Britton, S.D.
Quentin K. Wood, ’62, Saint Paul, Minn.
Jack L. Nylund, MD, ’63, ’64, Dallas, Texas
James F. Pendergast, ..’63, Dayton, Ohio
Dr. John R. Sheller, ..’63, Wetmore, Mich.
John S. Slorp, ..’64, Madison, S.D.
Robert E. Kramer, ’63, ’65, Cedar Falls, Iowa
Jack T. Schliessmann, ’65, Indianapolis, Ind.
Maj. Herbert W. Runner (Ret), ’67, Boise, Idaho
Dwight A. Lang, ’68, Port Ludlow, Wash.
Charles W. Rothenberger, ’68, Baxter, Minn.
Delora Sparrow, ’68, Mayville, N.D.
Dr. Muriel (Janzen) Stephenson, ’68, ’72,
Tucson, Ariz.
Eileen J. (Kongslie) Dugan, ’69, ’70,
Manvel, N.D.
Morris D. Evens, ’69, Grafton, N.D.
Forrest H Noakes, ’69, ’70, Mandan, N.D.
1970s
Patsy A. (Tongen) Chaput, ’70, Fargo
Douglas C. McDougall, ..’70, Grand Forks
Herbert John Olson, ..’70, McNaughton, Wis.
Loree J. (MacDonald) Macintosh, ..’71,
Bismarck
Lynn V. (Hranac) Shouse, ’71, Hansen, Idaho
Janet Alyce (Rasmus) Stomp, ’71,
Ocean Park, Wash.
Dr Curtis L. Knudson, ’72, ’75, Grand Forks
Eugene J. Staudinger, ’72, ’73, Bismarck
Stephen C. Wiziarde, ..’72, West Fargo, N.D.
Mike Bader, ’51, ’73, Grand Forks
Larry A. Jerde, ..’73, Sahuarita, Ariz.
Robert D Mickels, ..’73, McVille, N.D.
Mary Jane (Putschler) Reichenbach, ..’73,
El Paso, Texas
Judy G. (Sagen) Miller, ..’74, Cancun, Mexico
Elaine D. (Kunze ) Reyes, ’74, Temecula, Calif.
It is with great honor we dedicate these pages to alumni and friends of the University of North Dakota who have recently passed away. These members of the alumni family helped ignite the spirit of UND, paving the way for a bright future.
