Join the circle of knowledge @ Briggs Library

Campus and community members are invited to the grand opening of the new Recent Fiction Collection at HM Briggs Library during National Library Week April 13-19 using the theme, “Join the circle of knowledge @ your library.”

The fiction collection grand opening event is free and open to the public from 2:00-4:00 p.m., Thursday, April 17 in the Reference Room on the Main Level of Briggs.

The new browsable collection includes more than 1,600 recent fiction titles and covers a wide variety of genres, from science fiction to mystery.

Throughout the week, visitors to Briggs can enter to win one of two $25 Barnes & Noble gift certificates.

For more information contact: Laura M. Wight (605)688-5955, laura.wight@sdstate.edu or visit the library’s webpage at http://lib.sdstate.edu [External Hyperlink].

State FFA Convention on campus

The State FFA Convention is being held on campus April 14-15. The event enables nearly 2,000 high school students to become familiar with State and serves as a recruiting opportunity.

“The students are making career and college decisions and having them here is a chance to sell the academics, friendliness, and overall atmosphere of SDSU,” said Jamie Swan, executive secretary of the state FFA Association.

SDSU faculty and staff members are encouraged to stop by one of the sessions in Frost Arena Monday evening or Tuesday morning to see what the students are accomplishing.

For more information, contact Swan at 688-4380.

Collegiate Farmers Union chapter to hold dinner

The SDSU Collegiate Farmers Union chapter will hold its third annual Farmer’s Share dinner April 16 from 5-7 p.m. at the University Lutheran Center.

The meal includes pork sandwichs, Dakota Style chips, SDSU ice cream and milk. The public is invited to attend the meal, paying the Farmer’s Share for the product costs, which is one dollar.

The dinner is designed to be an educational outreach program for fellow students and the Brookings community about how food prices are derived.

For example, farmers receive only 16 cents for a box of Wheaties that typically retails for $5.05.

Along with the Farmers Share meal, members of SDSU Farmers Union hold monthly meetings where they learn about and discuss issues important to agriculture and family farming. They also conduct a number of service projects throughout the year.

For more information, contact Vicky Shumacher, 933-0116.

Interactive Webcast focuses on nutrition education

An interactive Webcast on nutrition education is scheduled April 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sponsored by the F.O. Butler Campus Enrichment Program and the Cooperative Extension Service, the locations for the Webcast are: the Union (room 169), Brown County Courthouse, basement community room, 25 Market Street, Aberdeen; Walter Taylor/4-H Building Auditorium, 601 E. Centre Street, Rapid City.

The Webcast will review the role of nutrition in changing health behaviors, explore the impact of environment on nutrition education efforts and effectiveness, and provide a better understanding of the importance of valid nutrition education evaluation and how it impacts public policy.

Presenters include Cheryl Achtetberg from the College of Human Sciences at Iowa State University; Dianne Neumark-Sztainer from the School of Public Health and the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota; Kenneth Resnicow from the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan; Yibo Wood from the USDA’s Team Nutrition; and Marilyn Townsend from the Department of Nutrition at the University of California in Davis.

Continuing education units are available for registered dietitians, certified family and consumer science educators, certified dietary managers and SNA members.

For more information, contact Suzanne Stluka, 688-4038 or Suzanne.Stluka@ces.sdstate.edu.

Nursing professor says nurses are key to hearing patients

College of St. Catherine nursing professor and community health advisor Margaret Pharris speaks to student and professional nurses in the Volstorff Thursday night.

Practicing in an industry that is more focused on parts rather than people, nurses hold the key to connecting with patients, according to a speaker who is coming to SDSU April 17.

Margaret Dexheimer Pharris, associate professor at the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minn., will deliver the message “The Difference Nursing Makes” for the Helen K. Grace and Nursing Deans’ Distinguished Lecture.

She speaks at 7 p.m. in the Volstorff Ballroom in The Union. Admission is free. Her talk coincides with the induction of 56 student and professional nurses to Sigma Theta Tau, the nursing honor society.

“This is a time in this country when people are being seen in the health-care industry by their body parts,” Pharris said. “It’s time for people to be seen for who they are. There is a need to maintain a healthy lifestyle.”

The current practice does not see people by their whole body and their community, said Pharris, who plans to share specific examples to help people see the importance of nursing in the United States.

Pharris is a co-author of a grant that established a Community Center of Excellence in Women’s Health at North Point Health & Wellness Center in North Minneapolis, where she serves on the board and chairs the quality assurance committee.

For more information, contact the College of Nursing, 688-5178.

Staters for State to host party for graduating seniors

Staters for State, the SDSU student alumni organization, will host a party for graduating seniors April 17 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Tompkins Alumni Center.

Senior Appreciation Day is a backyard BBQ-type event where seniors play games, listen to music, enjoy food and refreshments, visit with friends and win prizes.

The event is held to honor all graduating seniors and is an opportunity to celebrate and thank them for their many contributions to SDSU and the Brookings community.

For more information, contact the SDSU Alumni Association, 697-5198.

Author describes tale of South Dakota Depression outlaw

The book can be purchased from the Ag Museum gift shop and the author will sign copies after his talk Friday at noon.

Timothy Bjorkman, judge for the First Judicial Circuit in South Dakota, will speak April 18 at noon at the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum about his book “Verne Sankey, America’s First Public Enemy.”

The book tells the story of a South Dakota man listed by the FBI when they captured him in 1934 as “America’s Public Enemy No. 1.”

Bjorkman’s narrative describes the tale of a railroad man who turned outlaw by first becoming a bootlegger, then a bank robber and eventually a kidnapper, all in Depression-era South Dakota.

Circuit judge Bjorkman extensively researched Sankey and tells how the outlaw’s story intersects with the family of his kidnapped victim, Charles Boettcher II.

For more information, contact Carrie Van Buren, 688-4436.

Student TV interview show to air final episode

“Beyond Borders,” a 30-minute interview TV program focusing on international and intercultural topics, is airing on Medicom Channel 2.

The program is produced in a TV studio production course under the direction of Assistant Professor Jeff Heinle. Each program consists of four to five different interviews with international guests.

The fourth and final episode runs April 15, 17, 19. The air times are: 8 a.m., 11 a.m., 7 p.m., 11 p.m. The interviews include the following:

• Kellyn Farrell interviews Marcel Thielke (Germany) about the differences between the two countries including adjusting to life in the U.S. and differences in sports.

• Steven Schipke interviews Zaki Abu-Ghazaleh (Jordan) about religion, reasons for coming to the U.S. and Jordanian perceptions of Americans.

• Nicole Townswick interview Dolores Navarez (Mexico) about educational differences between school in Mexico and the U.S.

• Lydia Farber interviews Lena Thompson (Germany) about communication differences between the U.S. and Germany and stereotypes of Americans.

Project Sustainability celebrates Earth Day 2008

Project Sustainability, a group of SDSU faculty and students concerned about sustaining the environment, celebrates Earth Day 2008 in a variety of events open to the community.

The Story of Stuff will be shown Thursday, Apr. 17 at 7 p.m. in Rotunda G.

“Permaculture Basics” will be presented at the Brookings Public Library Saturday, Apr. 19, 1 – 3 p.m.

A Box City will be Apr. 19 at 6 p.m. in the Intramural Building hosted by the student chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

Earth Day celebration will be Sunday, Apr. 20 from noon to 4 p.m. in Hillcrest Park with food and informative booths of activity and information. The event is hosted by Dakota Rural Action.

An informational fair will be held Tuesday, Apr. 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. along Main Street of The Union.

The movie Chill Out will be shown that evening at 7 p.m. in Rotunda G.

For more information, contact Jane Hegland at 688-5196.

Ten stupid things that ruin family farms
Iowa farm woman and humor speaker to share ideas

Humor speaker Jolene Brown brings her message about a future for family farmers next Thursday.

Conservative talk show host Laura Schlessinger wrote a series of “Ten Stupid Things” books dealing with relationships.

On April 24, a similar focus at SDSU will be on farm families when West Branch, Iowa, farm woman and professional speaker Jolene Brown presents a workshop on “The 10 Stupid Things People Do To Ruin Family Farms.”

“Anyone who has heard her speak, says she is just amazing,” reported Holly Marshall, president of the Ag Prexy Council at SDSU, which is bringing Brown to campus.

The 7:30 p.m. workshop in Rotunda D is free and no advanced registration is required. Earlier at 6 p.m., also in Rotunda D, Brown’s topic is “It’s a Jungle Out There” speaking about students in the global workplace.

Brown, who provides a mix between good entertainment and good information, promises that the audience will laugh while it learns.

The Iowa speaker describes herself as a 5-foot, 12-inch funster who is long-legged but not long-winded, and as a prolific gardener, warns people to “keep your doors locked during zucchini season.”

Brown realizes family farming is a serious business and offers 10 ways operators can be their own worst enemies. She lists “10 stupid things people do to ruin family farms.”

For more information, contact Holly Marshall, 280-7724.

SDSU musicians display talent during Spring Festival

SDSU musicians take the Performing Arts Centerstage during the Music Department’s annual “Spring Festival of Music” April 25-28.

The festival includes five concerts, featuring most of the large ensembles within the department. The series opens April 25 at 7:30 p.m. with the Civic Symphony directed by John Brawand along with the Opera Workshop led by Emily Toronto.

The Jazz Ensembles, directed by Nathan Jorgensen, will perform April 26 at 2:30 p.m. That evening at 7:30 p.m., Steven Grives, director of Choral Activities, will direct both the Concert Choir and the SDSU Statesmen in a combined concert with the University Women’s Choir directed by Laura Diddle-Hildebrandt.

The Concert Band and Percussion Ensemble will perform April 27 at 2:30 p.m. Jim Coull, Concert Band director, and Aaron Ragsdale, Percussion Ensemble director, will conduct this portion of the festival.

The Symphonic and CommUniversity Band will perform April 28 at 7:30 p.m., directed by Jim McKinney, Symphonic Band director, and Alan Taylor, CommUniversity Band director.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, and $3 for students. One ticket admits the holder to all five concerts. All proceeds from the Spring Festival of Music will benefit the Music Department and its programs.

Advance tickets are available in the Music Department or at the Performing Arts Center Box Office one hour before each performance.

For more information, contact the Music Department, 688-5187.

SDSU Employee Alma Mater Day postponed

Due to forecasted inclement weather, SDSU’s Employee Alma Mater Day was postponed last Friday and re-scheduled for April 25.

A reception honoring employee alums will be held at Tompkins Alumni Center from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The same discounts at area businesses will be valid throughout the day April 25 for people wearing their “Proud Alum” button.

The event is hosted by Staters for State, the student alumni organization sponsored by the SDSU Alumni Association.

For questions and to RSVP, contact the Alumni Association, 697-5198.

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Professor’s exhibition reflects cultural meeting point

The art of Fatih Benzer will arrive at the South Dakota Art Museum April 15 as part of a new exhibition called “The Meeting Point – Part 3.” The SDSU associate professor will have his artwork on display until Sept. 14.

Benzer’s recent works are inspired by ancient mythologies, Eastern miniatures, architecture, and whirling dervishes. The exhibition also contains figurative works that reflect the artist’s interpretations of the influence of nature and figures.

A native of Turkey, Benzer attempts to build an artistic bridge between East and West. His multi-cultural approach is seen in both the subjects and the symbols of his work.

An artist’s reception will be held at the museum April 25 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. with Benzer speaking about his work at 5:30 p.m.

For more information, call the museum, 688.5423.

Fatih Benzer uses the image of his father, Recep, as part of the exhibition of his work at the Art Museum.

Math, science students receive large scholarships to teach

A group of fortunate students will benefit from one of the largest scholarship programs ever awarded at SDSU.

Thirteen students have been accepted in the Rural Enhancement of Mathematics and Science Teachers (REMAST) program. They will each receive a scholarship worth $5,000 per semester beginning with the 2008-09 academic year.

The program was made possible by a National Science Foundation grant under the Robert Noyce Scholarship Program. It is designed for students pursing teacher certification in grades 7-12 in biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics.

SDSU will receive nearly $190,000 the first year, which can be renewed each year until the award reaches a total of $750,000 over a four-year period.

Students awarded will be recognized at a reception April 23 at The Union at 4:30 p.m. in Lewis & Clark Room 262.

The major stipulation for receiving the REMAST scholarship is that recipients must complete one year of teaching in a high-need school district for every semester they received scholarship money. The service requirement must be completed within six years of graduation.

Students who fail to complete the service agreement, fail to finish their degree or do not pursue secondary certification, must repay SDSU the full amount of the scholarship.

The National Science Foundation defines “high need” as a school district with at least one school where 50 percent or more students are eligible for participation in the free and reduced price lunch program; more than 34 percent of teachers do not have a degree with a major or minor in the subject they primarily teach; and the teacher attrition rate has been 15 percent or more during the last three years.

Osborne is new SDSU Extension plant pathologist

Assistant Professor Larry Osborne is the new plant pathologist for the South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service.

In that position he is SDSU’s lead person to keep agricultural producers informed about disease threats to field and horticultural crops.

Osborne earned his Ph.D. in plant sciences from SDSU in 2006. He earned his masters in plant pathology from the University of Nebraska, where he also earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural sciences.

Osborne came to SDSU as a research associate in 2000, working primarily in small grains research focused on management of wheat and barley scab.

The Extension plant pathologist serves as a specialist in the field and delivers information and training to Extension educators in the state as well as to growers and crop advisers.

Osborne will conduct field trials for foliar and seed-applied fungicides and biocontrol agents. He will also oversee the Plant Diagnostic Laboratory, which accepts plant samples from South Dakota and neighboring states for diagnosis of plant health-related problems.

Borgstrom named chair of Rivers & Streams Committee

Lucas Borgstrom, graduate research assistant in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Science, has been elected chair of the Rivers and Streams Technical Committee for the North Central Division of the American Fisheries Society.

According to the Wildlife and Fisheries Department office, in a rare honor for a graduate student, Borgstrom had served the Technical Committee as a representative from the Dakota Chapter. The committee focuses on the science and management of rivers in 11 states and Ontario.

Borgstrom will arrange and preside at meetings in December 2008 and March 2009. Borgstrom is studying the rare fishes of the Red River of the north. He received a bachelor’s degree from Bemidji State University in 2005. He is from Hastings, Minn.

Aguiar, Anderson present paper at conference

Gary Aguiar, associate professor in political science, and Donnell Anderson, undergraduate political science major and honors student, presented their paper “Small Town Politics in America: Community Size and Modes of Political Participation” at the Political Studies Association annual conference April 1-3 at Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom.

They also presented the paper at the annual conference of the British Association of American Studies, March 27-30, at Edinburgh University, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom.

Workshop to examine pre-hire background checks

The workshop “Background and Credit Checks by Employers: What You Need to Know” will be held April 15 from Noon to 1 p.m. in The Union in Room 103.

The free workshop, presented by Dan Fonder of Verifications, is intended to raise awareness of the kind of information employers look for and what information might have a negative affect on a job search. Fonder has eight years of experience in the field of employment screening, working with employers of various sizes at the local and national levels.

Participants are encouraged to pre-register by calling 688-4153 by 5 p.m. April 14. Faculty members are also welcome. The workshop is sponsored by the College of General Studies.

Horizons project to host seminars on aging populations

Horizons project staff will host three seminars about welcoming an aging population to communities.

The seminars begin at 6:30 p.m. with a supper and continue with remarks from three speakers. To register call Debbie Bortnem, 688-6191, before April 21.

The seminar dates and locations are:

April 23, Mitchell Technical Institute Technology Center, Room 111, Mitchell; April 24, Whitewood Senior Citizens Center, Whitewood; April 28, the Galley Restaurant, Webster.

Students to walk around Sexauer Field for cancer victims

The race is on at SDSU’s Sexauer field April 25 when Colleges against Cancer presents the annual Relay for Life.

Teams of up to 15 people will participate in a 12-hour walk around the track, beginning at 6 p.m. and concluding at 6 a.m. the following morning.

Food and entertainment will also be a part of the evening’s events. Meals will be available at the beginning of the event for a free-will donation. Other highlights include a DJ, talent show, and karaoke.

The event has more than 40 teams signed up to raise awareness, participate, and help raise funds through donations and sponsorships. All proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society.

In case of inclement weather, the event will be moved to Frost Arena.

For more information, go to http://events.cancer.org/rflsdsu or contact Alissa Miles, 350-5387.

Last year’s Relay for Life walk raised $22,000 with over 32 teams participating to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Organizers anticipate greater support for the second year’s efforts.

Newsline Inserts

To publicize an event or congratulations on “Newsline,” please submit information by the preceding Thursday at 2 p.m. to Kyle Johnson, kyle.johnson@sdstate.edu [External Hyperlink] or Jeanne Jones Manzer, jeanne.jonesmanzer@sdstate.edu.

Position Announcements

FACULTY/EXEMPT

HORTICULTURE EXTENSION EDUCATOR – YANKTON COUNTY – COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE. Deadline: April 14.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR - BIOLOGY & MICROBIOLOGY. Deadline: April 15.

PROGRAM COORDINATOR FOR ORIENTATION & PROGRAMMING. Deadline: April 16.

OPERATIONS MANAGER - THE UNION. Deadline: April 16.

GEOSPATIAL ANALYST - GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SCIENCE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE. Deadline: April 17.

DIRECTOR OF BANDS – DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC. Deadline: April 18.

DAVISON COUNTY EXTENSION EDUCATOR – COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE. Deadline: April 30.

TWO ASSISTANT/ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR POSITIONS – NUTRITION, FOOD SCIENCE AND HOSPITALITY. Deadline: May 1.

RESEARCH ASSOCIATE - PLANT SCIENCE DEPARTMENT. Deadline: May 1.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR – ALTERNATIVE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS – PLANT SCIENCE. Deadline: May 15.

INSTRUCTOR – PHYSICS. Deadline: July 1.

RESEARCH COORDINATOR – ETHEL AUSTIN MARTIN PROGRAM IN HUMAN NUTRITION. Deadline: Open until filled.

CAREER SERVICE

SECRETARY – GRADUATE SCHOOL. Deadline: April 18.

BUDGET ASSISTANT – INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. Deadline: April 23.

SECRETARY – COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE/4-H. Deadline: April 23.

MICROBIOLOGIST- VET SCIENCE/ADRDL. Deadline: April 23.

CHEMIST – CHEMISTRY/BIOCHEMISTRY. Deadline: April 23.

SECRETARY – UNDERGRADUATE TEACHER EDUCATION. Deadline: April 23.

HUMAN RESOURCES ASSISTANT – FACILITIES AND SERVICES. Deadline: May 1.

FABRICATION TECHNICIAN - ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING & COMPUTER SCIENCE. Deadline: Open until filled.

PROGRAM ASSISTANT I - PINE RIDGE EXTENSION OFFICE - ROCKYFORD. Deadline: Open until filled.

TEMPORARY SENIOR CLAIMS CLERK - HEALTH, PHYSICAL EDUCATION & RECREATION. Deadline: Open until filled.

CUSTODIAL WORKER (part-time) - STUDENT UNION & ACTIVITIES. Deadline: Open until filled.

CUSTODIAL WORKER - UNIVERSITY HOUSING. Deadline: Open until filled.

CUSTODIAL WORKER - PHYSICAL PLANT. Deadline: Open until filled.