NEWS

ABERDEEN, S.D.?¨C?Northern State University alumna Wendy Thorson has been recognized as the?2025?Phi Beta Mu Bandmaster of the Year, an honor given to exceptional band directors for their impact on music education.

Thorson has spent her career developing the music program at?Northwestern Area School District, guiding students both musically and personally. Her bands have received many awards, but those who know her say her biggest impact is the way she motivates and supports her students. Her leadership and commitment have earned her the respect¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C Northern State University¡¯s Teacher Education Department has launched a new Math Clinic, offering NSU teacher candidates practical teaching experience while providing local K-12 students with targeted math support.

Structured similarly to Northern¡¯s long-running Reading Clinic, the Math Clinic pairs future educators with community students to strengthen math skills through one-on-one tutoring. The clinic takes place Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in Jewett Regional Science Education Center 133. This semester, the Math Clinic¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C The Northern State University Department of Music will present the 15th annual Bach¡¯s Lunch Concert at noon Wednesday, March 19.

The concert, honoring the 340th birthday of Johann Sebastian Bach, will take place at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 1620 Milwaukee Ave. N.E., Aberdeen. The event is free and open to the public and will be live-streamed on the NSU Music Department Facebook page: facebook.com/MusicNSU.

The program will feature the NSU Chamber Singers, directed by Timothy¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C Northern State University will welcome its first class of nursing students in fall 2025, following approval from the Higher Learning Commission for its bachelor of science in nursing.

The decision, made during the HLC¡¯s Institutional Actions Council meeting on Feb. 18, gives Northern approval to offer the 120-credit-hour program. The new nursing degree will be housed in the university¡¯s Business and Health Innovation Center and aims to meet a growing need for nurses in South Dakota and the region.

"Having the endorsement of¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C The Aberdeen Development Corporation (ADC), teaming up with the Northern Innovation and Startup Center, has released the dates for the much-anticipated 2025 Aberdeen Business Pitch Competition. Entrepreneurs from across the region will have the chance to compete for a $10,000 cash prize, generously sponsored by the ADC.

The competition will unfold over the following important dates:

April 30: Entry deadline
June 2: Announcement of finalists
June 30: Finalist¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C Northern State University is proud to recognize two finalists from this year¡¯s South Dakota Governor¡¯s Giant Vision Competition. 

In the student division, Northern senior Diana Haile placed third with Yuth, an early intervention platform aimed at providing mental health support for students. Her creativity and dedication earned her a $3,000 prize, along with recognition for addressing a critical need in education.

¡°It¡¯s been a lot of hard work, but I am truly grateful for the opportunity and the invaluable learning experience this¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C?Northern State University¡¯s 9th annual Teacher Job Fair, held on Friday, Jan. 31,?drew 43 schools and 82 teacher candidates for a day packed with meaningful conversations, practical insights, and promising career connections. From interactive roundtable discussions to a busy job fair, the event proved just how powerful building connections can be for future educators.

Organized by Melinda Johnson, M.Ed., field experiences placement coordinator, and Carly Bierman, career services coordinator, the day began with small-group discussions. The small-¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D.?¨C Northern State University will host the 70th annual Mathematics Contest on?Wednesday, April 16, 2025,?at the Barnett Center on the NSU campus.

High school students from the region are invited to compete in one of four divisions: elementary algebra, geometry, advanced algebra and senior math. Dr. Stacy Trentham, NSU associate professor of mathematics and contest director, estimates that approximately 500 contestants from 25 area schools will participate. NSU mathematics faculty members Dr. Ricardo Rojas and Dr. Travis Trentham will assist with¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C?Dr. Jon D. Schaff, professor of government at Northern State University, has written a chapter for a newly published academic book that examines the connection between literature and agrarian political theory.

Schaff¡¯s work, ¡°All the Past We Leave Behind: Willa Cather¡¯s O Pioneers! and the Agrarian Vision,¡± appears in This Hard Land: Scenes from the American Working Class, published by Lexington Books. The book, edited by Dr. Steven Michels of Sacred Heart University, is part of Lexington¡¯s Politics, Literature, and Film series, which examines how¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C?Daniel Gallagher, a 2018 graduate of Northern State University, was in for a surprise during a school assembly at Aberdeen Roncalli when he was announced as a 2025 Milken Educator Award winner. The middle school science teacher received the prestigious honor, which comes with a $25,000 cash prize.

Gallagher, who earned degrees in elementary education and history from Northern, is the only South Dakota educator to receive the award this year. Often called the ¡°Oscars of Teaching,¡± the Milken Educator Award recognizes exceptional teachers who make a¡­