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F O R M O R E O N W I L L I S T O N S T A T E C O L L E G E , V I S I T W W W . W S C N O D A K . E D U O R C A L L 7 0 1 - 7 7 4 - 4 2 0 0
A big-time success, Molander tips hat to WSC beginnings
PAGE 2The WSC Foundation gives thanks
PAGE 3The new $6M Career and Tech Center
PAGE 6Popular prof dons a bayonet
PAGE 9Fanfare over new Hall of Fame
PAGE 11Tragic accident begs for community support
NOVEMBER 25, 2009VOLUME 3 ISSUE 1
W H AT ’ S N E W AT W I L L I S T O N S TAT E C O L L E G E A N D T H E W S C F O U N D AT I O N
Scott Molander has worn many hats in his life: farm kid, athlete, WSC basketball forward. But the hats he wears today are all from Hat World,
the company he co-founded. It accelerated him from humble beginnings to become a national success.
In 1995, Molander and his partner were managers at Indianapolis Foot Locker stores. Their idea was to create a retail shop that sold just sports caps. The business was an immediate success, selling more than 6,000 hats in its first eight weeks. The rest, as they say, is history.
Hat World, a multi-million dollar company, now has 900 locations, and Scott Molander proudly wears the hat of “Successful Entrepreneur.”
After two years at Williston State College, Molander earned a basketball scholarship and graduated from Dickinson State University. He looks back fondly on his time at WSC, treasuring memories of classes with professors Bervig, Newirth and Solberg.
“At WSC, the teachers gave you close attention. They really cared about you getting a good educa-tion and succeeding. Even more than learning facts, I learned how to problem-solve.”
On the basketball court, Molander encountered an attentive and demanding coach in Terry Olson, who “taught me a lot about hard work and intensity. He showed me how much it took to play at one level, and then demanded that I move up another level.” Seeing parallels in his own career, Molander added,
“It’s like that in business, where as soon as you clear a hurdle, you encounter the next hurdle.”
WHAT’S INSIDE!
Molander with daughter Sarah, 4, returned to the 3,000-acre Crosby farm recently to help harvest wheat and dry peas.
By Julie Kendrick
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
— ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Cont’d on Page 4
Hat World, a multi-million dollar company, now has 900 locations, and Scott Molander
proudly wears the hat of “Successful Entrepreneur.”
Hat World, a multi-million Hat World, a multi-million
INDUSTRY OUTLOOK
*Combines jobs from new openings and turnover from retiring workers, requiring less than a 4-yr degree.
Information obtained from ND Careers by Education, 2009
TOP 10TECH JOBS *# of Projected Job Opportunities by 2016
3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0
#10 Hairstylist/Cosmetologist 657
#9 Electrician 662
#8 Engin./Equip. Operator 749
#7 Welder 768
#6 Carpenter 905
#5 Sales 1607
#4 Office Support 1718
#3 Trucking 2020
#2 Nurses Aid/LPN 2064
#1 RN 2876
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Banking, the American State Way.
774-4100 | www.asbt.com | Member FDIC
Banking your way.No one banks like you do, so we have services, expertise and locations to give you exactly what you need—when you need it.
A knowledgeable, friendly staff, electronic and telephone banking services, drive-up windows, ATMs, and so much more are all yours, backed by 100+ years of solid shelter and growth for personal and business finances.
Give us a call, stop by or see us online. We’ll be happy to help.
We would like to welcome you to the new and improved, bi-monthly issue of the Teton
Thunder where we’ll keep you updated on the many changes, new buildings and added educational opportunities available at Williston State College.
Considering that the college has received funding for a dormitory, math/science building, and career and tech center all during a national recession, we are humbled at our good fortune on this Thanksgiving.
Under the new vision and leadership of President Dr. Ray Nadolny, this 2009 year has truly been a major turning point in the history of Williston State College, with a bright future on the horizon.
This Thanksgiving is a perfect time to look back with gratitude at the major financial and land gifts of men and women like Otto and Alma Boss, Charles Ball, and Olaf and Bertina Nelson whose legacies live on to bless future generations of Williston State College students.
One look at the list of 60 scholarships community members have made available (see www.wsc.nod-ak.edu/financial/scholarships/scholpg1.htm) tells a wonderful story.
In our recent annual report we were able to thank by name more than 1,000 of you who have made Williston State College a source of educational training, steady employment, new leadership, and athletic entertainment for nearly 50 years!
We believe we’re heading into another golden era, when high schools throughout the region will be talking about Williston State. We give thanks to those of you who are joining us as Foundation members and “Making a Promise” to provide for future generations, and for those whose support will help us to meet each year’s new challenges.
Many have found the recession a great time to fur-ther their education and increase their earning power until the employment picture in their fields improve. Do your neighbor, relative or co-worker a favor by telling them about the new opportunities here.
And in the meantime, enjoy family and friends for a blessed Thanksgiving!
— Terry Olson
Major changes are cause for thanksgiving
N O V E M B E R 2 5 , 2 0 0 9
F R O M T H E W S C F O U N D A T I O N
Dr. Brett Vibeto
Dr. Sarah Solberg
Dr. Wayne Anderson
“As WSC Alum
Dr. Sarah Solberg
makes new strides for
women’s health with
her Ob/Gyn practice
in Williston, joining
Mercy Medical Center
Drs. Wayne Anderson
and Brett Vibeto
as alumni who have
made Williston home,
we are again inspired
by what waves of
graduates are
accomplishing.”
WSC Foundation, read more stories at www.wscfoundation.com or visit us at 18th Street East,
Williston, ND 58802. Phone: 701-572-9275
TERRY OLSON
Executive Director of the WSC Foundation
ALUMNI CENTRAL
Visit us! Williston State College, www.wscnodak.edu, 1410 University AvenueWilliston, ND 58801-4464. Phone: 701-774-4200.
N O V E M B E R 2 5 , 2 0 0 9
Volleyball girls lose a coach, but gain a friendWhen she leaves as Williston State’s Volleyball
coach this year, Lindsey Graue will go out on top – of her conference, that is – and maybe on top of her players’ lists of Facebook friends, as well.
Graue struck a delicate balance between coach and comrade while taking the Lady Tetons to a confer-ence championship in October. “We had lots of doubts as a team at the beginning of the season,” explained sophomore Ashley Senst.
“But she split us into teams and sent us on a scaven-ger hunt to build our teamwork. She supported us on and off the court.” By the end of the season the team was clicking, even sponsoring a breast cancer benefit together.
“What I’ll remember is how hard she pushed us and how she stuck with us. She was very competitive and very friendly,” said Senst. “She was the reason
I came to Williston State, and now, as a sopho-more, she’s helping me get recruited to a four-year school.”
Graue’s parting words to her players: “Don’t forget me. If you ever need anything, I’ll be there for you.” Her words to Williston: “I’m going to miss you. The fans were awesome, and there were amazing people in the athletic department who supported me 100 percent.”
That certainly included her best supporter, fiancé, and Williston State College’s former men’s basket-ball assistant Eric Peterson whom she will join as he has accepted an assistant coaching job at Min-nesota State University Morehead.
Recruited to the Teton Women’s Basket-ball Team from the Bahamas, Lenishka
McDonald (Nishka) was a dedicated student who loved Williston State. But on October 18th her basketball dreams were dashed. Through a tragic basketball injury, Nishka lost circulation in her leg leading to an amputation. Multiple surgeries at Minot and Mayo Clinic have gone beyond the family’s insurance coverage and modest income, and family members lack the funds even to join her.
Williston State College and the WSC Foundation call on the community to help lighten the load of Nishka and her family, to provide funds for both their visits and necessary medical care. Join us in making a bright gesture of Williston friendship after this nightmare and life-altering event.
Sport About1/4
By Todd Svanoe
Surrounding Coach Graue from the left, Katie Hansen (now head volleyball coach at Surrey High in Minot); sophomore Chelsea Hicks from Williston, and Chelsea Hanson from Enderlin, North Dakota.
“If you ever need anything, I’ll be there for you.”
Tragic accident calls for community support
Tax deductible donations will be accepted at Williston State College or the WSC Foundation.
Lenishka McDonald (Nishka)
Make checks payable to:WSC Foundation
Lenishka McDonald FundPO Box 1286
Williston, ND 58802-1286
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“She said that no matter where she’s been, the one place she’s always held near and dear to heart is Williston,” Berg reported.
Attendees feasted on prime rib and shrimp, prepared by WSC staff, and wiped away tears while watching video clips of their glory days. Then they got down to the serious business at hand – launching what many have considered a long-overdue Athletic Hall of Fame to honor the remarkable accomplishments of the top achievers throughout the school’s history.
“I’m very proud and amazed at what the inductees were able to accomplish. And I’m just as excited in looking to the annual selection of new inductees,” Hunter Berg observed.
Teams inducted included the 1967 volleyball team, the first University of North Dakota-Williston squad to qualify for a national tourney. They were joined by the 1976-77 women’s basketball team, a national tournament team, along with the 1978-79 women’s basketball team, which finished third at the NJCAA tournament. On the men’s side, the 1998-99 men’s basketball team earned the honor as the first men’s team to make the final 16 National Tournament.
Other individual inductees included Diana (Anderson) Farrenkopf, women’s basketball 1975-77; Shelly (Hughes) Feeney, women’s basketball 1978-80;
Lori (Carriere) Klabunde, women’s basketball 1981-1983; Julie (Hendrickson) Kresl, women’s basketball 1982-84; Fred Fridley, men’s basketball 1992-94 and Hunter Berg, men’s basketball 1995-97.
Coaches who earned induction included Phil Rabon, who coached baseball as well as men’s and women’s basketball teams from 1965 to 1992; Penny Slagle, who headed up a successful women’s basketball program from 1978 to 1992; and Terry Olson, who led the men’s basketball program from 1982 to 2007.
This was not a ceremony for the time-conscious, Berg chuckled. With so many inductees giving grateful,
enthusiastic and occasionally long-winded speech-es, the evening went two hours longer than he expected, concluding at midnight. “Next year, our maximum number of inductees is four, so we’ll get home a lot sooner,” Berg promised.
But for others, it made up for lost time and was one of those evenings you wished would
never end. “The Hall of Fame is something the
school has wanted to do for a number of years,” said Berg. “Most colleges do have an athletic hall of fame and it’s about time we get on board.”
“It was an emotional night,” said Berg. “The high-light videos really brought us back in time. I guess we all wish we could go back to those moments sometimes, and so we got to do it for a few minutes anyway.” “It was an unbelievable turnout, better than my highest hopes,” concluded Berg. “But then, as Jean Roise said when she talked about the incredible support she got when she played here, ‘That’s Williston!’”
“Athletes often focus on what’s coming up next – their next school and their next team – instead of savoring the special qualities of where they are right now,” Roise observed.
N O V E M B E R 2 5 , 2 0 0 9
— SPORTS SPOTLIGHT Cont’d from Page 9
Coaches Penny Slagle, Phil Rabon and Terry Olson were the first Hall of Fame coaches inducted. Rabon (left) talks with Olson (right) at the Phil Rabon Field, which was dedicated before a baseball game here on September 18.
“I’m very proud and amazed at what the inductees were able to accomplish. And I’m just as excited in looking to the annual selection of new inductees,” Hunter Berg observed.
Writing, editing and design by Storycraft Communications, www.storycraftbiz.com
Optimism has brimmed for “work training” in the region since visitors and dignitaries from
all over North Dakota gathered on the Williston State College campus in October to break ground and launch the state-of-the-art Great Northwest Career Development Center. Responding to a changing labor market, the state legislature designated most of the $6M from the permanent oil tax trust fund to increase work opportunity in the area.
The building, to be located east of the college between the Crighton and Art Wood Buildings, is a dream come true and has been in the works for years, according to David Richter, coordinator for the Great Northwest Education Cooperative and workforce dean at WSC. “When the Legislative process began, everyone worked
their tails off to put this together,” he said.
Williston State College currently offers 51 academic courses through
IVN (Interactive Video Network) to area high schools and colleges, but due to the expense of training in technology, the college needed this collaborative with state and local
Western Energy Corridor to provide additional regional leadership, said WSC President Dr. Ray Nadolny.
Interactive TV will be installed throughout the 60,000 square-foot facility so coursework can be broadcast to training sites throughout the region.
Junior and senior high school students will be able to complete as “dual credit” the equivalent of one year of college coursework. “This came together as something the area high school superintendents wanted and need-ed,” Richter said.
“High schools in the area are very supportive of this project and provided a lot of help,” he added. “We could not have gotten the funding for this project or made it successful if not for great cooperation and support that we’ve received from area superintendents.”
Fourteen area high schools are involved in the coop-erative, including Williston, Alexander, Divide County, Grenora, Trenton, Ray, Tioga, Powers Lake, Stanley, Burke Central, New Town, Parshall and Watford City.
Classes are expected to begin in the new building by the fall of 2010 with four new teachers, instructing with online and interactive television, modules and traveling outreach programs.
Clearly excited about this important addition to cam-pus, Richter said the architecture itself will also be in-spiring. “It will be a great-looking building. Its technol-
Programs will address the needs of the area workforce, and may bring new businesses to Williston.”
Richter noted WSC had originally requested $5.2 million in funding, with the North Dakota
F O R M O R E O N W I L L I S T O N S T A T E C O L L E G E , V I S I T W W W . W S C N O D A K . E D U O R C A L L 7 0 1 - 7 7 4 - 4 2 0 0
Ground breaks for $6M Career and Tech Center Dual credit is a boon for students
from 14 high schools
CAMPUS EXPANSION By Julie Kendrick and Todd Svanoe
— CAMPUS EXPANSION Cont’d on Page 4
Architectural rending of Career & Tech Center
Top 5 Reasons Students Choose
Williston State College
DID YOU KNOW?
Students and alumni report five top reasons they came to WSC:
1 Personalized learning opportunities
2 Small student-teacher ratios
3 Highly qualified faculty
4 Friendly atmosphere
5 A place “Where People Make the Difference” on a daily basis
SOURCE: WILLISTON STATE COLLEGE VP OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
“Students there will prepare for occupations in diesel
technology, graphic design and multimedia, architecture and drafting, and building trades including carpentry,
welding, plumbing, electrical, and green energy careers.”
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— CAMPUS EXPANSION Cont’d from Page 3
N O V E M B E R 2 5 , 2 0 0 9
— ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Cont’d from Page 1
Even with his move to Indianapolis and extraordi-nary achievements there, Molander’s North Dakota roots run deep. He visits home frequently to help out on the 3,000-acre family farm in Crosby, which is run in partnership with brother-in-law Lynn Torgerson.
“Indianapolis is a big town,” he said, “and I’m really not a big town guy.” Molander was back this fall to help with the harvest. “I love the crisp weather in North Dakota!” he exclaimed.
He and his wife, Carolyn, have two daughters, Maggie, age 8, and Sarah, age 4. Molander says he’s content now with his life, in which he is able split time among work, farm and family. Asked if he planned another entrepreneurial venture, he observed, “Never say never, but I’ve got a really good life right now, with good balance.”
When volunteering at business competitions, he is asked for advice from budding entrepreneurs. His answer: “Whatever you do, you’ve got to have passion, because that’s what will get you through the tough days. The money will come, but you need passion first.”
As he looks ahead, Molander tries to consider, now and then, what people might say about him at his funeral, and to live with that thought in mind. He hopes that his eulogy goes something along the lines of, “He was a good man and a good son, sibling, husband, father, friend, teammate, boss, businessman and farmer.” However, he adds, an honest eulogy would have to include mentioning, “He was slow on the basketball court and could not jump.”
4
State Legislature allowing for up to $6 million in funding for the entire project during the last legislative session via Senate Bill 2003. With $5 million coming from the state’s Permanent Oil Tax Trust Fund, Richter said that funding came from several sources, including some local and federal, with the bulk of the money “mostly in hand.”
the building approached State Represen-tative Bob Skarpol of Tioga, who began the drive to seek funds from the Legisla-ture, said Richter. Richter credits Skarpol
with spearheading the effort, helped by Williston legislators Representatives Pat Hatlestad and Gary Sukut, Representative David Rust of Tioga, and State Senator Stan Lyson. Superintendent Murray Klein of Alexander is the lead administrator for the overall project. Richter
also noted that Williston State College Foundation Director Terry Olson was involved from the start.
FAST FACT!While 84% of the state’s top job opportunities require only a 2-year degree, 80% of the state’s post-secondary students are enrolled at 4-year colleges, according to the North Dakota Workforce Development Division.
Source: The Bismarck Tribune, 2/28/09
Scott Molander
Junior and senior high school students will be
able to complete as “dual credit” the equivalent of
one year of college course-work. “This came together as something the area high
school superintendents wanted and needed,”
Richter said.
At a packed Elks Club, videos rolled and devout fans cheered, recounting memories of the 14
Williston State College athletes inducted into the new Athletic Hall of Fame. Alumni from around the nation reunited with former teammates, giving high fives and beaming with pride while discussing their buzzer beaters and super serves.
Eight players, four teams and three coaches, representing the finest athletic achievements Williston State College has known, were lauded and applaud-ed past midnight by more than 200 former players, fans, residents and boosters – hallowed on Hallow-een night – establishing a hall that many considered long overdue.
“For almost 45 years, our college’s athletics program has accomplished great things. I had no idea the number of sports we have competed in or the amount of success we have had,” said current men’s basketball coach and WSC athletic director Hunter Berg, one of many former stars to speak. “This Athletic Hall of Fame project has been a fun one for me.”
Berg noted that they just had a col-lege reunion recently, but still made the special effort to travel back to North Dakota. “That team is pretty unique in how committed to they are to getting back together with each other,” he said.
One especially moving speech came from former standout basketball player Jean Roise, said Berg in an interview. Roise played women’s basketball at Williston State from 1978 through 1980. From WSC, Roise went on to Kansas State, playing Division I basketball and traveling all over the country. Berg said he wished that all WSC athletes could have heard her speech.
“Many consider Jean to be the greatest woman who has ever played here,” Berg said. She observed that many junior college athletes often focus on what’s coming up next – their next school and their next team – instead of savoring the special qualities of where they are right now. Roise insisted that Williston was her greatest place to play basketball, ever.
Hall of Famers cheered for buzzer beaters and super serves
SPORTS SPOTLIGHT
F O R M O R E S T O R I E S , V I S I T W W W . W S C F O U N D A T I O N . C O M O R C A L L U S A T 7 0 1 - 5 7 2 - 9 2 7 5
One outstanding group of players that Berg called “probably our best-ever women’s team” showed plenty of Teton
spirit even 30 years after their playing days. Eleven of the 12 members of the women’s 78-79 basketball team traveled
to the ceremony, from as far away as Arizona and Tennessee. — Hunter Berg, Athletic Director
Teton alumni show fruits of highest team GPA. See this related story www.wscfoundation.com under “Alumni Central,”1990’s graduates.
“Fast Fred” Fridley, now a coach and teacher at University of Mary in Bismarck, was one of 14 Hall of Famers honored.
Basketball stand-out Lori Klabunde, RN, today is a physician’s assistant for The Bone & Joint Center in Bismarck.
By Tom Kvamme and Julie Kendrick
— SPORTS SPOTLIGHT Cont’d on Page 10
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N O V E M B E R 2 5 , 2 0 0 9
Can’t imagine juggling work and school?
Take these popular courses online!
Can’t imagine juggling work and school?
Take these popular courses online!
“In the coming years, jobs requiring at least an associate degree are projected to grow twice as fast as jobs requiring no college experience. We will not fill those jobs — or keep those jobs on our shores — without the training offered by community colleges.”
Williston State now offers online courses in:
— President Obama, July 14, 2009, USA Today
Williston Herald1/4
Provide finishing touches to our campus renovation. A donation of:
$100 buys a Tree $1,000 adds designer tables,
chairs, and other Furnishings$2,000 Landscapes building
entrances with shrubs & flowers$10K creates an attractive Patio
Gathering Space and benches$15K provides Williston warmth
around a Fireplace$20K gives a new high-use
Conference Table and Chairs$25-35K builds an Outdoor Recreational Area $50K enlivens the entrance with a momentous
Sculpted Statue or other public art that captures the history and culture of our community and honors the name of a loved one!
After the new buildings are built and the big machines drive away, it will be time for finishing touches. 90% of our funds are tied to scholarships. We need your help to assure that visiting students like what they see!
2 Become a Member1 Add Some BeautyBy simply joining the WSC Foundation team, you help give students a “Regional Center, offering Affordable Education, on a Vibrant Campus, with Excellent Faculty.” Only $50 (individual), $100 (family), or $250 (business), can make a difference!
TWO WAYS YOU CAN HELP:
Be a part of rebuilding the great tradition of Williston State College
in preparation for our 50th Anniversary in 2011!
Send your tax-deductible gift to the Williston State College Foundation or
stop by at 501 18th Street East, Williston, ND 58802-1286.
Everything was turning up roses for the new Tetons men’s basketball coaching assistant Robb Flaco in
sunny Arizona. So why did he feel compelled to leave those warm climates and transfer to the frigid north? His family was the first to ask. “My family called from Arizona in October, and I told them it had snowed already. They think I’m crazy, but we love it here.”
“My wife Sonia is from a small mining town in Ari-zona, and when I told her that there was a chance to live in a community of 20,000, she was excited to live a small-town life and strengthen our values as a fam-ily.” Flaco left a post as a high school administrator in Phoenix, and began at Williston State at the beginning of the school year. “
Just being around Robb for a couple months, you see his passion for coaching basketball,” said Tetons Head Coach Hunter Berg. He has a good knowledge of the game, and works very well with our players.”
Floco dramatically turned two of Arizona’s high school basketball doormats into contenders within a three-year period, and tripled the win production of the Scottsdale Community College Artichokes. The best thing about their veggie mascot, he said, was that it was green and gold, he laughed. “So I’m halfway there for Williston State attire!”
Flaco is cut out for WSC’s two-year program, he said. “I was a junior college kid, too. Those two years made me a different young man. You get bigger, stronger, faster. If you work hard, you can create opportunities for yourself,” he asserted. I like coaching toward that academic, emotional and athletic growth.”
Flaco and Berg find their different coaching styles complementary, he said. “I’m a Type-A guy, very pro-active. Hunter is straightforward, and person of great character. I told him, I’m a real go-getter; I’m here to assist you. If he’s successful, we’re successful. I think we’re a good match.”
Berg concurred. “He’s very vocal and I’m more reserved and quiet at times. He’s a good injection of energy into practices and games, and does an excellent job of planning and scheduling.”
Flaco’s wife Sonia, and children Rachael, age 10, and Roman, age 3, have found a fit too at home and school. “We’ve fallen in love with Williston, the people and with what the community has to offer,” he said.
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Flaco brings fit and flair as new Tetons men’s assistant
COACHING STAFF UPDATE
Brady Martz1/8
Williston Fire1/8
By Tom Kvamme
Mr. Floco enjoys a trip to the zoo with Rachael, 10, and Roman, 3.
“I’m aware of the academic and the maturity levels of these students. I like being there as a coach for that
academic, emotional and athletic growth.”
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When it comes to teaching history, many profes-sors talk the talk. A few even walk the walk.
But Richard Stenberg, history professor at Williston State College, actually dresses the part.
Stenberg, a long-time History / Political Science faculty member, has become a favorite teacher by dressing in the period garb of his subject -- wheth-er a Civil War soldier dressed in wool and carry-ing a bayonet, or a fur trader on the Mississippi, complete with animals pelts. For Stenberg, it’s just a “passion for history,” one that he hopes to pass on to students. “By wearing period dress, I embody living history,” he said. “I can get students thinking about all sorts of things, like -- could you put all you’d need for two years in a haversack? It creates a new dynamic in the classroom.”
Stenberg does his best to conduct what he calls “repair work” on his field of study, which he feels is often presented in a dry, uninteresting
way. “When I was a student in college,” Stenberg noted, “whenever I would tell someone that I was a history and political science major, they would wrinkle their noses in distaste.”
For many students, a class with Professor Sten-berg marks the first time they ever enjoy a
history course. Often, the professor’s work plants a seed that leads to a lifelong inter-est in the past, especially in North Dakota’s
unique contributions to the American experi-ence. This was certainly the case with Mike
Liudahl, who received his associates’ degree from Williston State College in 1995.
“I was one of Professor Stenberg’s very first students, way back in the fall of
1994,” Liudahl reported. “I have to say, he kept the attention of students much more effectively than any history teacher I saw, even when I transferred to what was a supposedly more prestigious school.”
Another former student, Riley Evitt, agrees. Evitt, who received his Associate’s Degree in 2008, said, “I took three of Professor Stenberg’s history classes, even though I didn’t need that many. I took more than were required because I liked them so much. He makes history come alive, and he’s so passionate about it. Another thing I appreciated was that he presents all sides of a controversial subject. I always recommend his classes to other friends at Williston State.”
His passion for educating others about the past doesn’t stop at the classroom door, however. For the past 15 summers, he has worked as a ranger at the Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site. During some shifts, he wears the traditional ranger hat and uniform, leading school groups and interact-ing with the public. Frequently, he dons period dress and works as an interpretative ranger, stationed in the reconstructed mid-19th century fur trading fort.
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Historian Stenberg lives and dresses the partFACULTY FOCUS By Julie Kendrick
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“I took three of his classes even though I didn’t need that many. He makes history come alive!” — Riley Evitt, WSC Alumnus, ‘08
“Sometimes the love of history is strangled right out of people, so I do my best to restore it.”
“It’s history come alive,” Stenberg enthused, adding, “In the trade house, you can see beaver, muskrat and buffalo skins, and the things those skins were traded for, like metal fish hooks, glass beads and blankets. It’s fun to help people understand that these thriving forts were really the Walmarts of their day.”
The professor’s family life is a busy one, too. He and his wife, Mary, have three daughters, ages 8, 4 and 3. The story of their relationship shows that history can be just as interesting as fiction. After meeting on a blind date arranged by a mutual friend, they realized that they had been in close but parallel paths their whole lives. “Our grandmothers lived next door to each other,” Stenberg marveled, “and our parents went to high school together. Our dads even played football together. We were surprised we had never crossed paths before, but glad when we finally did.”
Stenberg, who attended Williston State College himself as an undergraduate, insisted that a love of history has a practical aspect for Williston State College students, too. “Our bread and butter as a college has always been the liberal arts, so we’re not just a tech school. We’ve always done these classes. And no matter what field they go into, students always need to be able to read, to write and to give a speech,” Stenberg commented, noting that liberal arts classes are the perfect preparation for the development of those skills.
For Stenberg, the effort to bring history alive is a daily pursuit and a lifelong passion. “People have talked to me about considering a job in adminis-tration, but I love the classroom,” he observed. “I almost feel guilty about getting paid to do history, since it’s really my first love. My personal motto is ‘make history become part of your future.’ I encourage my students to read history and to look into their own backgrounds, because if you lose the connection with your own past, that’s kind of rough.” In an exuberant tone, he continued, “I just came from delivering a lecture about the American Revolution, and it was so exciting! We could almost smell the scent of gunpowder!”
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— HISTORIAN STENBERG Cont’d from Page 6
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Richard Stenberg
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“I just came from delivering a lecture about the American Revolution, and it was so exciting! We could almost smell the scent of gunpowder!”
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