NEWS

ABERDEEN, S.D.?¨C Jason Knowles, Assistant Professor of Art at Northern State University, has received an award from the 2025 New Media Film Festival for his original short film?Ever So Faintly?I?See. The film, Knowles¡¯ first spiritually themed production, was created in collaboration with friends, colleagues, former students, and family members.

¡°I am very grateful to the 2025 New Media Film Festival for this award,¡± Knowles said. ¡°Ever So Faintly I See was the first spiritually themed film I directed and produced, which would¡­

Jakob Lund is the first University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law graduate to have participated in the Northern State University Honors Law Opportunity Program.

Lund left Kansas City, Missouri, his hometown, to attend Northern State University. The university, located in Aberdeen, South Dakota, partners with the law school through the program to provide five guaranteed admission spots to selected honors students upon completion of their undergraduate degree. The program is open to any NSU honors student regardless of their current field of study.

Throughout his¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D.?¨C Northern State University will welcome 111 of the state¡¯s top young vocalists to campus for the 51st annual South Dakota High School Honor Choir performance, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 25, on stage at the Jewett Theater in the Johnson Fine Arts Center.

This marks the sixth time Northern has hosted the event since 2000¡ªand the 12th time overall.

The 2025 choir will be conducted by Chris Maunu, a Northern State University alumnus and the Artistic Director of Pacific Youth Choir. Maunu, a four-time GRAMMY Museum Music Educator of the¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¡ª?A dedicated student at Northern State University is shaping his future, thanks to the financial support provided by the South Dakota Freedom Scholarship.

Jaeden Shaving, who graduated with a Bachelor¡¯s Degree in History in 2024, has set his sights on a future of teaching, specifically sharing the rich history and language of the Lakota people as well as the importance of knowing one¡¯s own history.

¡°You should know where you or your people or your society or whatever came from, and what laid the roots for the world we live in today,¡± he¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¡ª Samantha Wipf was named the winner of the Aberdeen Idea Pitch Competition, hosted by the Northern Innovation and Startup Center and Aberdeen Development Corporation.

With more than 30 business pitches submitted and five finalists presenting at the competition finals, Wipf's business, Optimal Performance, stood out for its innovative approach to physical therapy. She will receive a $10,000 cash prize, sponsored by the Aberdeen Development Corporation.

"It feels awesome. I'm very appreciative," Wipf said after the announcement. "I feel¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C?Dr. Aaron Scholl, assistant professor of economics at Northern State University, has co-authored a journal article with recent Northern graduate Dante Casanova.

Their work, titled ¡°Beyond the Field: Analyzing the Relationship Between Division I Athletics and Postsecondary Enrollment,¡± appears in the May 2025 edition of the Economics and Business Journal: Inquiries and Perspectives.

The study looks at data from 2012 to 2021 to determine how NCAA Division I football success affects student enrollment. By combining football¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D.?¨C The Rising Scholars program at Northern State University has been granted re-accreditation by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP), the only national accrediting body for concurrent enrollment programs.

Following an extensive peer-review process, Northern¡¯s program was re-accredited through the 2031¨C32 academic year. The decision was made by the NACEP Accreditation Commission at its April 29, 2025, meeting. Northern State remains the only institution in South Dakota with a NACEP-accredited concurrent enrollment¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C The Northern Innovation and Startup Center, in collaboration with the Aberdeen Development Corporation, has announced Kevin Ervin Kelley and James Villarrubia as keynote speakers for the 2025 Technology & Entrepreneurship Summit.

The summit will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 24, at the Johnson Fine Arts Center on the campus of Northern State University. The event brings together entrepreneurs, industry professionals, students and community members to explore the evolving landscape of technology and business.

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C?Northern State University is proud to announce that Josh VanLaecken, instructor of accounting in the School of Business, has earned his Doctor of Business Administration in Accounting from West Virginia University.

VanLaecken said the decision to pursue a terminal degree was a natural progression as he transitioned from industry to academia.

¡°I pursued the doctorate to ask better questions and begin to answer them,¡± he said.

VanLaecken noted that the experience has allowed him to engage more deeply with the content he teaches¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C Northern State University is continuing its full tuition and book scholarship for students pursuing a two-year associate degree in Early Childhood Education. The program is designed to grow South Dakota¡¯s childcare workforce and respond to urgent statewide needs.

Dr. Nicole Schutter, chair of Teacher Education in the Millicent Atkins School of Education, emphasized the broader impact of the associate degree and the scholarship. ¡°Early childhood educators shape a child¡¯s first learning experiences, build curiosity, and foster confidence that¡­