Twenty-three Sartell students were among 1,128 students who recently graduated from St. Cloud State University.
They, their majors and honors are as follows: Jeremy Ballmann, bachelor’s in finance; Thomas Bidinger, bachelor’s in English, magna cum laude; Byron Bohlsen, bachelor’s in network modeling and simulation; Michelle Budde, bachelor’s in elective studies; Emily Carroll, bachelor’s in special education; Thomas Gibney, bachelor’s of elective studies; Wendy Goltz, master’s in communication sciences and disorders; Tiffany Hess, bachelor’s in psychology, summa cum laude; Asim Javed, bachelor’s in electrical engineering, cum laude; Christopher Konkel, master’s in public safety executive leadership; Kelsey McIntire, bachelor’s in chemical dependency and bachelor’s in community psychology, summa cum laude; Elizabeth Morgan, bachelor’s in theatre; Genelle Newinski, bachelor’s in early childhood education; Jeremy Nicoski, bachelor’s in nursing, summa cum laude; Amy Notsch, graduate certificate in developmental disabilities; Allison Olmscheid, bachelor’s in social work, cum laude; Derek Parker, bachelor’s in communication studies interdepartmental; Patrick Ringstad, master’s in business administration; Gregory Roth, master’s in public safety executive leadership; David Schinas, bachelor’s in international relations and bachelor’s in political science, magna cum laude; Stephanie Sparks, bachelor’s in English, cum laude; Laura Weber, bachelor’s in elective studies, biology; and Tyler Zelinski, associate’s in liberal arts and sciences.
Two Sartell students were among 797 students who were recently named to the fall semester dean’s list at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa.
They are the following: Shannon Gerberding, senior, daughter of Mary Ann and Stephen Gerberding,and Lucas Reitz, junior, son of Heidi and Alan Reitz. To achieve this honor, students must earn a minimum grade-point average of 3.5.
Two Sartell students were recently named to the fall semester health sciences dean’s list at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis.
They are as follows: Julie Wick and Matthew Peckskamp. Both are pursuing their master’s degrees as physician assistants.
Natalie Hughes, Sartell, was recently named to the fall semester dean’s list at the University of Wisconsin, Little Falls. She is majoring in pre-medicine.
Charles Schmitz, Sartell, was among 3,101 students to be named to the fall semester dean’s list at North Dakota State University, Fargo. Schmitz is majoring in university
studies.
A student must earn a 3.50 grade-point average or higher and be enrolled in at least 12 class credits to qualify.
Kasey Lindberg, a senior at Sartell High School, has been admitted to Concordia University, St. Paul for the fall 2013 semester. Lindberg was awarded the University scholarship.
Area student among finalists for Innovation Challenge
A Sartell student is a member of a team selected as a finalist for Innovation Challenge ’13, a competition for student innovators at North Dakota State University, Fargo.
The team, “Thava’s Group 2,” is comprised of Paul Fenlason of Sartell; Casey Johnson, Fargo; and Kirty Wadhawan, New Delhi, India. All team members are graduate students in cereal science.
The project developed a corn-based coacervate, a tiny spherical droplet to encase drugs and increase their effective delivery. The coacervate is a mixture of biopolymers that can be used to improve release of the drugs into the blood stream.
Out of a field of 43 entries, 22 teams were selected as Innovation Challenge ’13 finalists by an independent panel of judges. Four of the teams, including Thava’s Group 2, are in the corn-based innovations category sponsored by the North Dakota Corn Growers Association. Seven teams are in the intangible goods category; 11 teams are in the tangible goods category.
“Innovation plays a vital role in advancing and diversifying our economy,” said Brenda Wyland, interim executive director of the NDSU Research and Technology Park. “The ability to compete globally depends on it and the best and brightest at NDSU are developing innovations that will do just that.”
The competition encourages students to be innovative thinkers and enhances student awareness for innovation as a precursor to entrepreneurship.
The finalists advance to the next round of competition that includes a formal presentation and poster presentation during Innovation Week ’13, which is scheduled for Feb. 25-28 at NDSU. Winners will be named on Feb. 28. The winning entry in each category will receive a $5,000 prize. One of the three category winners will also receive a $5,000 Best in Show prize, a total of $10,000 for the overall winner. In addition, people attending Innovation Challenge ’13 events will vote for an innovation to receive a $1,000 People’s Choice Award.
SSEF names new board members
Five local residents were recently named to the Sartell-St. Stephen Education Foundation board of directors.
They are Trevor Akervik, Kara Gaffy, Wendi Clark, Joe Hellie and Amy Hennen.
Akervik started with Marco in 2001 and has held various leadership roles including his most recent role as director of managed services. He was instrumental in the creation and growth of Marco’s nationally recognized managed service program and is now responsible for the creation, implementation and oversight of all managed service offerings for Marco including managed IT, voice, video and print. Since Akervik became director, Marco’s annual managed service revenue has increased 346 percent. Akervik is also on the advisory board for imageSource Magazine and the ITEX National Expo Planning Committee and a member of the Rotary Club in St. Cloud.
Gaffy is a mom of two middle school boys and keeps busy as a CPA and auditor of governments and non-profits. When she’s not working, Gaffy enjoys northern Minnesota hunting and fishing and spending time with family. She also serves as the treasurer of the Senate District 13 political unit.
Clark and her family moved to Sartell in 2011. They have two boys at Pine Meadow Elementary; the education opportunities are tremendous, so supporting them is a priority. With a diverse background of recruitment and employment, Clark is working in the staffing industry in St Cloud.
Hellie is an administrator at St. Cloud Hospital and active in several community organizations. He and his wife Amy are strong supporters of the Sartell-St. Stephen School District having had one child graduate from the district and another graduating in May.
Hennen is a mother of three children in the Sartell-St. Stephen School District. Hennen has been involved in District #748 as a volunteer and a substitute teacher.
