Campus News 2020

SMSU announces the spring semester 2020 Dean's List

One thing was clear following the second annual Agronomy Field Day held August 5: There's a lot going on with agriculture at Southwest Minnesota State University.

Facilities Director Tony Nubile had been on the campus of Southwest Minnesota State University once before, in 2002, as a member of the Trinity Bible College (Ellendale, N.D.) basketball team. And while it's true he'd like to forget the results of that 98-44 thumping at the hands of the Mustangs — he scored 6 points ­— it did make an impression on him. That why, when he saw the posting for the position, it piqued his interest. "I said, 'I've been to that campus.' It left a positive impression on me as a young person, and drew me to apply."

Leslie-Burl McLemore talked not only about Martin Luther King, Jr. when he was here on campus for MLK Day activities, he also praised the work of others, who paved the way and acted as the movement's 'foot soldiers.'

Residence Life at SMSU has changed during these COVID-19 times. Much of the credit for implementing the necessary adjustments goes to Jessica Bentley.

May Lee Moua-Vue, new Director for International Student Services and Global Studies, is excited to "bring the world to campus" by creating an environment where international and domestic students can thrive and become comfortable with one another at Southwest Minnesota State University.

SMSU students Bella Erickson and Carter McLaughlin are enthused about student interest in the upcoming presidential election.

Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) has been awarded a $580,000 grant from the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system (Minnesota State) and MDRC for their Scaling Up College Completion Efforts for Student Success (SUCCESS) initiative. SUCCESS is a national effort to improve completion at colleges and universities by designing, implementing, and scaling comprehensive student support programs, which have been proven to increase graduation rates for traditionally underserved students.

Southwest Minnesota State University is ranked 26th in the nation for Best Early Childhood Education Program for 2020 by Study.com.

Southwest Minnesota State University is ranked 8th in the nation for the Most Affordable Colleges for Online Master's Degrees for Out-of-State Students by AffordableSchools.net.

Although Lee Kanten's globetrotting days are over, he feels the best of his creative days may still be ahead of him. Kanten, a 1974 alumnus, and his wife Jeanie (Strube) have moved from the Twin Cities, where they owned the video production company Lee Pictures Inc., to Ortonville, population 1,916, on the southern edge of Big Stone Lake, on the South Dakota border. It's his hometown, and he's glad to be back.

Little did Don Stanwick know then, but that first food service job busing tables at Tony's Pizza in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, as a 15-year-old would be a springboard to a career in the industry.

An experienced nurse and teacher is the newest face within the RN to BSN program. Faith Johnson joins the faculty on a fixed-term basis, replacing Nancyruth Leibold, who is on sabbatical.

To protect the health and safety of students and employees from the threat of COVID-19, Southwest Minnesota State is requiring a mandatory self-assessment of all employees, students, contractors/vendors and visitors prior to entering campus buildings starting on Monday, August 10.

Ever wonder why people like shopping at thrift stores? So did SMSU junior Hanna Vos. Vos is a Kingsley, Iowa, native and this year's Undergraduate Research Conference Library Research Award winner. She earned a $250 award for her research project entitled "The Sociology of the Secondhand Shopper."

Six individuals will receive Alumni Association awards as part of Homecoming 2020, with a theme of "Mustangs Come Together — Six Feet Apart."

A trio of Southwest Minnesota State University academic programs will be offered on the campus of Lake Superior College (LSC) in Duluth starting in the fall semester, 2020.

Sariah Cheadle made SMSU Theatre history at the recent Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) Region V event in Sioux Falls by being the first SMSU student to ever take first in an award category.

A group of Southwest Minnesota State University current and past employees have banded together in an ambitious project to sew masks for new students who will arrive on campus for Move-in Day on August 20.

Southwest Minnesota State University's Celebrate Science Week presentations will go on as usual this week. The work of the students will just be shown a bit differently, is all.

Isatu Shirek has stories to tell. And she's getting that opportunity at Pioneer Public Television in Granite Falls, Minn.

Eight Southwest Minnesota State University students have been selected for prizes as part of the Finals Week Registration Sweepstakes.

Southwest Minnesota State University will add club shooting sports beginning in the 2020-21 academic year.

Southwest Minnesota State University students have been honored for achievement during the 2019 Fall semester of study.

Homecoming 2020 at Southwest Minnesota State University will be held on Saturday, Oct. 10, with a theme of "Mustangs Come Together — Six Feet Apart."