SMSU announces recent graduates

A total of 531 degrees were awarded to students following the spring and summer sessions of courses at Southwest Minnesota State University.

The students earned their degrees in both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. An undergraduate student who completes 12 or more A-F graded credits and achieves a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher will be considered for the dean’s list and is denoted by a * behind their name.

Balaton: Crystal Yearous* (bachelor of arts: psychology), Jason Wischnak (bachelor of arts: political science), Kassidy Przymus (associate of arts: liberal arts & sciences); Boyd: Darci Aslesen* (bachelor of science in nursing: nursing — RN to BSN), Joshua Johnson* (bachelor of science: agribusiness management); Canby: Miles Schmitz (bachelor of science: culinology), Spencer Otteson (master of science: education), Taylor Vandeputte* (bachelor of science: elementary education); Clarkfield: Dawn Odegard (master of science: education); Cottonwood: Daryn Thompson (bachelor of science: computer science), Garrett Wee (bachelor of science: environmental science; Currie: Sarah Jensen (master of science: education); Taylor Schreier* (bachelor of arts: biology); Ghent: Kyle Hennen (associate of science: agribusiness management), Molly Hennen* (bachelor of science: early childhood education) (bachelor of science: early childhood special education); Granite Falls: Cody Odegard* (bachelor of arts: sociology), Kristina Blackwelder (master of science: education), Nicole Jans (master of science: education), Tiffani Juarez (bachelor of science: social work); Lake Benton: Courtney Mulder* (bachelor of science: social work), Tyler Schindler* (bachelor of science: chemistry education); Lynd: Holly Meyer* (bachelor of arts: psychology); Marshall: Briatta Buntjer (bachelor of science: exercise science), Danielle Crowell* (bachelor of arts: literature/creative writing), Debra Miller (bachelor of arts: history), Haley Bennett* (bachelor of science: hospitality management), Jenna Miller* (bachelor of arts: theater arts), Jenna Gannott* (bachelor of science: social work), John Dwire (bachelor of science: management), Karen Kaas (master of business administration: management), Lindsay Mitlyng (bachelor of science in nursing: nursing — RN to BSN), Marly Wagner (master of business administration: management), Michael Louis Stuckey (bachelor of science: accounting), Mu Mu Aye* (bachelor of arts: sociology), Rochell Castaneda* (bachelor of science: justice administration), Rose Schmit* (bachelor of arts: history), Sarah Vogl* (bachelor of science: educational studies), Timothy Muge* (bachelor of science in nursing: nursing — RN to BSN); Minneota: Amanda Grengs (bachelor of science: social work), Christian Skillings (master of science: education), Fernando Tabares (bachelor of arts: professional writing & communication), Kalley Kloos* (bachelor of science: social work), Landyn VanOverbeke (bachelor of science: exercise science), Margaret Speltz* (bachelor of arts: psychology), Megan Larson (bachelor of science: exercise science), Tanner Skillings (master of business administration: management), Ruthton: Kaitlin Vos* (bachelor of arts: psychology), Tracy: Klaudia Glowacka (master of science: education), Morgan Benson* (bachelor of arts: theater arts), Myer VanEssen (bachelor of science: finance), Tanner Benson (bachelor of arts: art), Zoua Pang Vue* (bachelor of science: management); Tyler: Gracee Krall (associate of arts: liberal arts & sciences); Vesta: Lynn Krause (master of science: education); Wabasso: Angela Prokosch (bachelor of arts: art), Dailyn Timm (bachelor of science: management), David Haase (bachelor of science in nursing: nursing — RN to BSN), Madalyn Sagedahl (bachelor of science: music education; Wood Lake: Emily Enger (master of science: education).

Residence HALLoween set for Oct. 27 at SMSU

The annual SMSU Residence HALLoween trick-or-treat event will be from 4-7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27, at the SMSU residence halls on campus.

Area children, grades K-6, are invited to come to campus and trick-or treat in the residence halls. An adult must accompany children at all times. Admission for the event is one non-perishable food item for the local food shelf for each child participating, or $1 per child.

Those who will be trick-or-treating should report to Commons East to sign in and receive a map of participating houses.

A variety of Halloween themes, ranging from scary to non-scary, will be included for trick-or-treaters. No parking tickets will be issued during the three-hour event.

Culinology degree to be offered at St. Paul College

The culinology degree at Southwest Minnesota State University will be offered at St. Paul College starting in the fall semester, 2019.

Having the SMSU culinology degree available in the Twin Cities market is the result of an articulation agreement and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two institutions, signed recently.

St. Paul College has a strong culinary arts program, with over 100 students. Offering SMSU’s culinology degree is “the perfect marriage,” according to Joyce Hwang, hospitality management professor.

The agreement between the two institutions says, in part:

• Qualified St. Paul College students may apply for early entry to culinology, securing a place in the program with a probationary admission at the start of their two-year AAS, instead of applying in the last semester of their AAS

• Upon completion of their AAS degree, St. Paul College grads will be eligible for full admission into the culinology program

• Courses will be taught by SMSU professors using Adobe Connect, online classes, hybrid classes or face-to-face classes. St. Paul College students won’t leave the St. Paul area for classes

• Labs associated with the culinology degree will be taught in the St. Paul College kitchens by award-winning Chef Nathan Sartain, working collaboratively with SMSU faculty

President Connie Gores recently signed the Memorandum of Understanding with St. Paul College President and SMSU alumnus Dr. Rassoul Dastmozd and calls the collaboration “an innovative approach between two institutions, which involves specialized training, with faculty from both SMSU and St. Paul College. It’s a partnership that builds on the best of being a part of a system of colleges and universities.”

The majority of coursework will be delivered via Adobe Connect, said Mary Jones, director of Extended Learning and Academic Outreach.

“St. Paul College’s culinary arts program has very high standards, and is the best two-year program in the state,” she said. “Their students can transfer those credits into the only culinology program in the state, so it’s two premiere programs working together.”