In recent months faculty and staff have been encouraged to share ways in which they are interacting and making contributions to their community. Many responded, and much of the information submitted was incorporated into impact posters displayed at the post-inaugural ceremony reception. The information will also appear in an upcoming publication about St. Cloud State's impact on the community and state.

View a list of impact statements (PDF). Below are some contributions of faculty and staff.

From Kenton Frohrip, Music Professor Emeritus

There at least 35 people affiliated with SCSU as faculty, emeriti, students, staff, alumni who are performing with the St. Cloud Symphony.

The board of directors of the SCSO includes:

• Royce Nies - Pres. Alum
• Mark Springer - VP
• Sharon Cogdill - Sec.
• Kenton Frohrip - Past President

My wife, Karen, is an alum, and is one of the founders of the Munsinger Clemens Botanical Society, which supports the Munsinger and Clemens Gardens. I originated the Music in the Gardens concert series in Munsinger Garden which is now in its ninth year. It is sponsored by Munsinger Clemens Botanical Society. Six concerts a summer. Yesterday we had Ring of Kerry and an audience over 400. That's fairly normal audience size.as long as it doesn't rain.

From Rod Dobey, Professor of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sport Science

Last semester my HLTH 430, Community Health Seminar, class was responsible for organizing, conducting, fund raising, gift donations, publicity, and evaluation of a Health Fair. The event was April 23, 2008, in Atwood. We had nearly 30 exhibitors, and more than 300 students, faculty and staff attended.

Of particular importance were the "real world" activities the students performed in bringing this event to fruition. The students solicited nearly $8,000.00 in donations, prizes, exhibitor fees and advertising. They spent considerable time visiting, phoning and writing to agencies and organizations to get this support.

At the conclusion of the event, the class had generated sufficient funds to be in a position to "give back" to some area agencies. The class decided to donate $100 to each of the following: Anna Marie's Alliance, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and The Emily Program.

From Mike Ernst, Associate Professor of Business Computer Information Systems

I wanted to mention the Music Department's Preparatory Program as an example of SCSU's positive impact on the community. Besides being the home of the Cantabile Girls Choir (actually two choirs for girls in grades 4-9), the Preparatory Program provides private music lessons for dozens of community members of all ages. For more information, you can contact the Director of the Preparatory Program, Mary Jo Bot, mjbot@stcloudstate.edu, 308-3836.

From Beth Berila, Director, Women's Studies Program

Here is information some of the initiatives that are happening through the Women's Studies Program which offer unique contributions to SCSU and to local, regional, and international communities:

• The first that comes to mind involves my colleague, Mumbi Mwangi's, incredible work in the area of transnational feminisms. Mumbi has created a nonprofit organization called NGATHA International, which helps empower rural women in Kenya by supporting their efforts to strengthen their rural communities. NGATHA International includes an orphanage for children who have been orphaned by the devastation of the AIDS epidemic. This phenomenal organization helps connect St. Cloud resources with women in Africa, and has also provided St. Cloud Women's Studies students with wonderful opportunities to apply the material they are learning in their Women's Studies courses to "real world" issues. I know that Mumbi's classes often include an opportunity for students to do fundraising or other efforts that are connected to NGATHA International. The organization's website is: www.ngathainternational.org and Mumbi's Email address is mmwangi@stcloudstate.edu
• Last year, the Women's Studies Program built a partnership with the College of Business to host Dr. Swithina Mboko as a Visiting Professor from the University of Zimbabwe. To my knowledge, this is the first partnership of its kind between these two programs. Dr. Mboko teaches courses in International Relations for the Management Department and courses on Gender and Globalization for the Women's Studies Program. In the short time that she has been in St. Cloud, Swithina has forged several connections with St. Cloud business women, and I know that her course on Third World women and entrepreneurship involved projects through which students interviewed local business women. Swithina has also given talks on campus and regionally. We are fortunate that her stay has been extended through the 2008-2009 academic year, and so there is still time to do a feature story on her work.
• Last year Women's Studies student Kara Hadley spearheaded the creation of a nonprofit organization to help educate children who are orphaned in Nepal. She worked closely with the Nepalese student group to create this nonprofit, and has already forged national and international connections to support it. Kara was awarded the University Leadership Award and a Human Rights Fellowship during her tenure as an undergraduate at SCSU. Women's Studies students excel in positive initiatives such as these.

From Debra Leigh, Professor of Music

In response to your challenge to name something that wouldn't exist in the community without the university and contributions of its people:

• The Minnesota Dance - Modern Dance Company (all SCSU alumni of the dance program that started their own professional modern dance company in the St. Cloud community) ; the Full House Children's Dance Company (this organization was started in 1990 in response to the need to cultivate and develop young talent for dance program. Many of the children started in Full House and are now in college or college graduates and have continued to study the arts through major or minor programs); the SCSU Summer Dance Institute (provided intensive dance training for students during the summer months with some of the best dance professionals from around the country)
• The Community Anti-Racism Education Initiative (the first leadership team was commissioned and Dr. Roy Saigo. The team has expanded into the community through other community organizations including Create Community and GRIP, the health care industry, business, education - K-12 and Childcare Choices) and the International Black Women's Leadership Project (A new project connecting African and African-American women through leadership, networking, education. All of these are community oriented events have been sponsored by the university and have had significant impact on building connections and relationships with the community, especially the community of color.)
• For two years I ran a CommUniversity Project in the twin cities with middle schools and high schools (Ramsey International Fine Arts Middle School, North High School in Minneapolis). Through this project middle school and high school student participated in weekly Saturday dance class and rehearsals with the Repertory Dance Theater students. SCSU dancers mentored the younger dancers as they were introduced to various campus activities--i.e. theatre programs, sport activities and culminated their year long experience at SCSU in performances with the Repertory Dance Theater on campus and at their home schools. The program gave middle school and high school students hands-on experience in a higher education setting preparing them to participate in college upon their high school graduation.

From Joe Teff, Safety Coordinator

I'm involved in Nordic Ski Club - currently five of the board members, officers or coordinators for the Nordic Ski Club of Central Minnesota are St. Cloud State faculty or staff - Ed and Diane Bouffard, Bill Gorcica, Steve Zinsli, Phil Rogosheske. Other St. Cloud State members of the group are Joe Teff, Jeremy Frost and Bob Klackner. We maintain and groom the Nordic ski trails here in St Cloud with cooperation from the city of St Cloud. We also work with the local high school for racing events and daily training. Another project we have developed is making snow at Riverside Park for Nordic skiing, sliders and snowboarder in the near future.

From Tracy Ore, Associate Professor of Sociology and Anthropology

The community garden continues to make progress with the assistance of campus and community members. Thank you especially to Jim Steffes in Buildings and Grounds for the donation of flowers to bring more color in to the garden. Appreciation also goes to Chris Kerr, St. Cloud community member, for his design and assistance in building the raised beds. To date this season we have had 16 St. Cloud community members and 19 SCSU community members involved in the garden. In addition, we have been donating surplus produce to Catholic Charities as we harvest. To view recent photos of our work in the garden, please visit the garden web site and click on the link to view photos.

We have regularly scheduled work nights every Tuesday evening beginning at 6:00 p.m., and our next cookout will be June 29 beginning also at 6. You can always find out about recent and upcoming activities in the garden by visiting the garden web page.

See you in the garden.

From Economics Professor Mary Edwards, Director, Minnesota Economic Development Center

I play oboe and English horn for the St. Cloud Municipal Band-I started last Fall.

From Chemistry Professor Mohammad Mahroof-Tahir

• Member and Secretary of the Board of Islamic Center of Saint Cloud (ICSC)

  I have been serving on the board of ISCS since 2002. ICSC is a non-profit organization which serves more than three thousand Muslims, the majority of whom immigrated to St. Cloud after 1999. Initially, this organization started its activities in a rented building which was very small for the size of the community. As a member and secretary of the board, I played a key role in buying a building in downtown St. Cloud which is sufficient to fulfill the needs of this community. I also played an active role in communicating with the Building Department of the City of St. Cloud for making modifications in the building to make it suitable for the activities of this community. I played an active role in communicating with the members of larger community to provide information regarding the activities of ICSC.

• Presentations: I made following presentations to the larger community of St. Cloud to educate people about the religion of Islam:
  1. Title: Social Justice in Islam - Fall 2004
  2. Title: Ramadan and Its Significance for Muslims - Fall 2003
  3. Title: The Fundamental Concepts of Islam - Fall 2001
  4. Title: The Fundamental Concepts of Islam - Fall 2001
• Helped organize several lecture series:
  1. Worked as one of the organizers for a series of five lectures on the Role of Religion on War, First Methodist Church, St. Cloud - Spring 2008
  2. One of the organizers for a series of five lectures on Understanding Islam, First Methodist Church - Spring 2006
  3. Panel Discussion: I organized and participated in a panel discussion on Islam under the auspices of International Students Services Committee, SCSU, during Fall 2001 in which about 150 people from the larger community participated.
• Article: Wrote an article entitled, "Misconceptions in Islam" for the St. Cloud Visitor, Fall 2006.
  
  
  
  

From Lee Nelson, music faculty

Artistic Director and Conductor of the Great River Chorale - a central Minnesota choral auditioned ensemble based in St. Cloud, that strives to inspire our audiences, challenge our members, and enrich our community through the performance of both new and traditional choral literature. We do tons of collaborative concerts with Cantabile, the Youth Chorale of Central Minnesota, East Central Chorale, Belle Voce, and the professional men's ensemble Cantus. This upcoming year, we'll be doing a HUGE Christmas concert, a children's concert at the new St. Cloud library, and we'll close the year with Brahms Requiem.

I also conduct the Paramount Festival Chorus and Orchestra in performances of Handel's Messiah each year. This is something I started in collaboration with the Paramount.

These ensembles bring very high quality fine arts programming to central man which wasn't around 5 years ago. Many SCSU faculty sing and/or play in both of these ensembles. It is a HUGE community outreach for the university.

I also created and implemented a high school choral festival for the area high school choirs and host it on the SCSU campus. I utilized a concert (SCSU Choral Connections) that I started last year as the basis of a new choral festival for area high school students. The festival was run by undergraduate music education students as a educational tool. We also contracted the professional men's ensemble, Cantus, to serve as clinicians for the festival. Participating schools included Apollo High School, Cathedral High School, Sartell High School, Sauk Rapids-Rice High School and St. Cloud Technical High School. The concert brought over 400 high school students onto our campus. The feedback from the directors was very positive and plans have already begun for a similar festival next year.

From Learning Resources Dean Kristi Tornquist

I serve on the St. Cloud Public Library Board.

From Jayne Adams Piehl, Director of Development, College of Fine Arts and Humanities & College of Social Sciences

I'm an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals/Minneapolis Chapter (the largest in the state); and also serve in a volunteer capacity as statewide leader for the Sarcoma Foundation of America.

From Owen Zimpel, Director of Student Disability Services

I have served on the board of directors of Independent Lifestyles for several years. Independent Lifestyles is a Center for Independent Living based here in St. Cloud. It serves a number of counties, including the three surrounding St. Cloud. The center also has branch offices in Big Lake and Little Falls.

The Executive Director, Cara Ruff, often does guest lectures for classes here at SCSU. Mostly she does work with the Social Work Department. A number of students have done internships and practical work at the center. They have also hired some of our grads. Depending on how you look at it, this may be one of those cases where we get more from them than we give.

From Music Professor Albert Moore

I have several examples to offer which involve my colleagues in the Music Department, but one that I appreciate very much is the series of performances which Professor Kim Gast and his jazz combo give regularly at venues around St. Cloud. Kim has single-handedly initiated and sustained a professional jazz series for the St. Cloud area. He has secured funding from a variety of sources, negotiated performance sites, hired musicians and performed outstandingly as a jazz saxophonist. He has also offered both performance and listening opportunities for area adult jazz musicians and student musicians as part of the jazz series.

In addition to his role in bringing live, professional jazz to the community, Kim has worked with young area musicians as leader and coach for local youth jazz bands. He has led the Paramount Jazz Ensemble, St. Cloud's own outstanding adult jazz ensemble, since its inception. Kim has earned the appreciation of jazz lovers in the community for the enjoyment and enlightenment that his jazz work has brought to so many. It will be nice to see him recognized for his excellent work for St. Cloud.

From Assistant Professor Wendy Bjorklund, Communications Studies

For the most part, I have been involved in my daughter's elementary school:
School: EXPO for Excellence Elementary School, St. Paul, which has 630-670 students Activities:
2002-2005: Site Council Member (Site Council is the governing body of the school and consists of an equal number of parents and school faculty/staff
2002: Search Committee for new school principal
2003-2005: Site Council Parent Co-Chair (the other co-chair was a member of the school faculty)
2003-2005: School representative to N.E.A.T., a parent lobbying group for K-12 education
2007: Provided input into the St. Paul district strategic plan specifically related to the role of the arts in education
2002-2008: Lobbied for the interests of the school and other magnet schools to the St. Paul School Board
2002-2008: Classroom tutor in reading/writing/spelling (literacy), field trip assistant
2006-2008: Library volunteer
2008: Recipient of the Roger Chambers' Parent Volunteer of the Year Award (awarded to a parent whose children have spent all 7 years at the school and have now all moved on to Jr. High and who has provided exemplary service to the school)

I also am very active in my church: St. Luke Lutheran Church, St. Paul. In addition to doing the usual teaching, singing, reading, etc., I have served on the church council for the past 3 years as the Commissioner for Social Concerns (organizing various food drives, etc.), I also served on the search committee for a new minister last year. The church has a membership of about 300. Doesn't look like much, but takes a bunch of time!

From Professor Diana Rehling, communication studies

As of now the Daun Kendig Bone Marrow Donor Registration has put nearly 1,200 people on the National Registry, and (as of last fall) 9 people have actually served as donors for people throughout the country. That's almost 10 times the national average at which those on the registry typically donate. We've already done 8 registration drives at SCSU and expect to continue our annual drives for the foreseeable future. About a dozen students and 5 or 6 faculty work intensively each year to coordinate the drive, recruit people to come, do PR, etc. (that means around 100 students over the 8 years). All of this is in conjunction with our community partners, particularly the Granite Rotary Club, but we have a number of other community connections that provide us with support, including Aramark (and now Sodexho), Continental Printing, Cub, Coborn's, St. Cloud Floral, Stems & Vines and The Retired Senior Volunteer Program.

From Jo McMullen-Boyer, Station Manager KVSC-FM, 88.1

• Central Minnesota Audio Newspapers, a volunteer initiative of community members who volunteer daily to broadcast their readings of daily/weekly newspapers to visually impaired persons from KVSC studios. For 12 years this group has been supported by local donations (Lions Club, small grants and gifts) to the University Foundation. 945 specially tuned receivers have been placed in Central Minnesota - a 60-70 mile radius of the station. Many are in nursing homes, and residents gather around the radio daily to get their news
• The station's diverse music format is community's only source of progressive programming representing the fabric of community and state, with jazz, blues, bilingual Latin, Native American, hip hop programs. Loyal followings for these programs among the station's 20,000 listeners (Arbitron data).
• Trivia Weekend: The contest continues to grow. Last year 79 teams competed from all over Central Minnesota, out-state, Wisconsin and other parts of the US. One team even had a player competing from active duty in Iraq. He was assigned "computer" work for trivia weekend. We have about 2,500 players registered. I know there is a large SCSU alumni contingency playing, and even more volunteering at the station (many fly in from around the country to help us). I don't have specific numbers but would feel very comfortable with saying 400-500 alumni are involved.

From Lee LaDue, Assistant Director/Coordinator, Gender Violence Prevention Program, St. Cloud State Women's Center

Community Care Plan - Sexual Assault Task Force
In the early 1990's I and the Central MN Sexual Assault Center staff began talking with the St. Cloud Hospital about various problems in the system for sexual assault victims seeking evidence exams. This led to the Sexual Assault Task Force at the hospital and a major revision of the protocol for sexual assault victims. We now have what is called the Community Care Plan for sexual assault victims that minimizes how many times they have to tell their story, stores the evidence up to 4 months to allow some time for reporting decisions and very specific follow-up care. It also involved many years of working with the County Attorney's office to develop a plan for the evidence exams to be paid for by the county as required by MN statute. We now have quarterly meetings to monitor how the community Care Plan is working and the task force brings together representatives from the county attorney's office, hospital administration and health care providers, advocates, and representatives from all the law enforcement agencies. We trouble shoot and change the protocol based on new guidelines and statutes and it has been working very well and we have a high success rate. For example, some time ago we worked to develop the option of a blind report in which a victim reports to law enforcement and provides a name of the perpetrator but does not want the case investigated. I'm proud to say that we were ahead of the curve as now this is a federal requirement if a community gets any federal funds from the Violence Against Women Office, Department of Justice. We have created a protocol that supports victims during a very difficult and traumatic event.

Stearns County Family Violence and Sexual Assault Council
I have served on this council for many years which brings together all the "systems" people and is designed to improve the system for victims of DV and sexual assault. It is comprised of attorneys, advocates, judges, law enforcement, counselors, church leaders, probation, legal aid, etc. We are currently tackling the issue of stalking and working to improve the system's response to these types of cases.

From Nancy Levy, Professor of Art

I donated $150.00 personally to the fund-raiser for the opening of the new St. Cloud library. The project was to donate a chair that will be decorated and auctioned off at the opening. I was so sure that my friend and colleague, Kathryn Gainey of the Art Department, would do such a good job with the help of her art education students that I asked her to take on the project. It is a wonderful chair, based on the "Golden Compass," and I hope that it will raise a significant amount for the new library.

From Mary Shrode, Learning Resources and Technology Services

I am one of 153 volunteers that take part in the ongoing state-wide study of Minnesota's frogs and toads for the DNR's Nongame Wildlife Program. Yes, it's true, I am lurking about in the swamps after dark in the middle of the night. No one has ever inquired as to what I am doing out there - they must be very frightened by my Swamp Thing persona.
More info about the program: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/volunteering/frogtoad_survey/index.html

From Jane Olsen, Director of the St. Cloud State Women's Center

I'm a member of the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Women's Consortium, a statewide organization comprised of more than 170 member organizations that support women's equity in some form. The Minnesota Women's Consortium is unique - the only one of its kind in the country.
http://www.mnwomen.org/

From Annette Day, Director of Graduate Admissions

I have served for nine years on our Faith in Action committee at First United Methodist Church. I chaired the group for six years. We run the homeless meals one Saturday a month, monthly product drives, paint homes, support places like the Salvation Army, Anna Marie's shelter etc., house homeless in the church, etc.

From Chad Marolf, Director of Development, College of Education

I serve as a Advisory Board for Community Education for the Sauk Rapids-Rice School District. I am also going to be a member of a task force to explore the establishment of a District Foundation for the Sauk Rapids-Rice School District.

From Andrea Lawrence Wheeler, residence hall director

Andrea Lawrence Wheeler is president of Mothers of Multiples organization.

From Linda Havir, Professor of Sociology

Since 1985, my sociology students and I have contributed to the local St Cloud community by conducting several large and significant applied research projects which have been used to develop services for older people in the St. Cloud area. These projects were directed by me and conducted by my students without payment, reassignment, etc. and in collaboration with local organizations. These projects represent high quality research that has been recognized in the state and nationally. We have contributed to the St. Cloud community in the following ways:

1. In 2005, we surveyed 766 people in their 40s and 50s about their retirement plans at the request of and in collaboration with the Whitney Senior Center in St. Cloud. We also conducted focus groups with diverse elders from the Somali, Latino and Southeast Asian communities. Recommendations have been used by the city of St. Cloud in developing services for its older population and diverse older people in the community. Please contact Reeny Shetty from Whitney Senior Center for her comments about the contributions this project made to the community. I have added some additional information from this study at the end of this document. We presented our research at a national meeting of the American Society on Aging.
2. I directed a study in collaboration with the Central Minnesota Council on Aging of rural senior centers in Minnesota and developed recommendations that were used to develop centers in rural Minnesota. This research was recognized nationally and in 1994 was recognized with the Award for Outstanding Research in the Senior Center Field from the National Institute for Senior Centers and the National Council on the Aging.
3. In 1995, in collaboration with the Central Minnesota Council on Aging, we conducted a needs assessment across four counties in Central Minnesota and interviewed almost 700 people 60 and older. The results and the recommendations were used to develop services for our growing older population in Central Minnesota.
4. Directed a 9 county needs assessment of the 60 and older population in collaboration with the Central Minnesota Council on Aging. Student, retirees and agency volunteers conducted 1125 phone interviews. Data and recommendations were used by social service and planning organizations in a nine county area in Central Minnesota to meet the needs of a growing older population.

   Sample project:
   Rock 'n' Rollers Redefine Retirement: Implications for Senior Centers
   Presented at the NCOA-ASA Joint Conference, Anaheim, CA, in March 2006

   Senior centers must prepare for a paradigm shift as baby boomers approach retirement age. To plan for the future, over 700 people in their 40s and 50s were surveyed about their interests and expectations. Diverse groups also provided focus group data to help senior centers invest in their diverse communities.

   Baby boomers in the St Cloud, Minnesota area were surveyed about their needs, interests, preferences, and expectations about services and opportunities that might be provided through senior centers. This generation differs both demographically and behaviorally from previous generations and also has many segments that need to be assessed in order to plan successfully. This group is not only larger but also more ethnically diverse than current retirees.

   A total of 766 people in their 40s and 50s were surveyed during February and March of 2005. Questions included retirement plans, current interests and activities along with interests in retirement, and perceptions of senior centers and the term "senior center".

   After completing the survey, some participants took part in discussions where they shared their perceptions of the term "senior center," the survey they had just completed, and senior concerns in general. Formal focus groups included Somali Elders, Latino/Chicano elders, Southeast Asian elders, RSVP Volunteers, SCSU faculty and staff, Girl Scouts office staff.

   This study recognizes the diversity of the Baby Boomer population, a cohort of approximately 77 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964. Research suggests Boomers are more diverse racially and ethnically, more educated, more likely to work into a later age, and healthier then previous generations entering retirement. Also, the majority of Baby Boomers feel younger than their biological age.

   Keep in Touch with Seniors and Senior Center Perceptions:

   • Develop activities that attract people under age 50 to build future audience and encourage intergenerational interaction
   • Explore marketing that positively affects perception of seniors and senior centers
   • Continue to explore how people feel about the terms "senior" and "senior center"; explore possible name changes

   Update Activities:

   • Focus on exercise, travel, volunteerism, and reading
   • Expand fitness center; exercise was the activity most
   • Expand volunteer opportunities for all ages, abilities, and schedules;
   • Focus on activities for diverse cultures such as English as a New Language (ENL) courses, computer and job training, and cultural specific events/activities; advertise and/or increase garden space (cross-cultural, community-building)
   • Job training and pre-retirement planning
   • Recognize male/female differences and interests
   • Offer evening and weekend activities

   Address Challenges:

   • Explore time restrictions of Baby Boomers
   • Explore the potential lack of social, financial, and technological assistance for Baby Boomers in retirement years
   • Explore transportation needs and how they can be met
   • Consider emerging concerns for child-rearing seniors and retirees, and those providing elder care
   • Evaluate environment changes to create comfort and ambience
   • Create and model an inclusive and open environment respectful of all cultures, abilities, and economies
   • Increase intergenerational activities
     
     
     
     
     
     

From Patricia Aceves, Continuing Studies

Of the 45 seniors and 33 cadets in the St. Cloud squadron of the Civil Air Patrol, 6 are faculty and staff of St. Cloud State.

From Patricia Post, Director, Central Minnesota Libraries Exchange (CMLE), Miller Center

The Central MN Libraries Exchange (CMLE) is a nonprofit organization that has been in existence for 30 years, and resides here in the Miller Center.. CMLE provides support services to 282 libraries in 12 Central MN counties, and operates from a grant from the MN Dept. of Education. 202 of our CMLE member libraries are school media centers. CMLE arranges loans of needed library materials to its members for no fee. Many area high schools with honors students or students pursuing college credit while in high school, benefit from our ability to get them the college level materials they need. When the legislature provided the funding for the Miller Center, it was with the understanding that this facility would serve as an information hub for Central Minnesota. CMLE is a large part of how this is made possible. There are many, many other services we provide, all detailed at our website at www.cmle.org.

From Tami Spry, Professor of Performance Studies, Director/Coordinator of The Northern Plains Performance Conference on campus

The Players Performance Group, a co-curricular student organization in the Communication Studies Department, has hosted a performance studies festival/conference for the last 4 years focusing upon a challenging social issue for the purpose of creating dialogue among students, faculty, and community members. The performance of narratives, or life stories, operates as a deeply humanizing vehicle for disseminating information and forming bonds through dialogue within divisive social and cultural issues. Previous conferences have explored issues of race, gender, religion, and culture.

March 28-29, 2008, the Northern Plains Performance Conference focused on "Immigrant Issues and the Geopolitics of Home," including:

• Interactive workshops and theatrical performances depicted the challenges and successes of dealing with expressions of personal and systemic prejudice in a new culture. Internationally renowned scholars and performance artists taught and created dialogue about issues affecting immigrant and refugee populations.
• Over 30 SCSU Somali, White, African American, and Jewish students in the performance studies program in the Communication Studies Department performed at and hosted the events.

Conference Highlights:

• Keynote Performance: Dr. Joni L. Jones/Omi Osun Olomo, University of Texas, Austin. Dr. Olomo is the Associate Director of African and African American Studies at UT Austin. Dr. Olomo performed portions of her work in Africa in Yoruba theatrical and ritual performance.
• Keynote Friday: Dr. D. Soyini Madison, Northwestern University. Dr. Madison will be presenting portions of her 3 year ongoing work in Ghana with social activists concerning water rights. (Dr. Madison had to cancel at the last minute due to pneumonia)
• Keynote Saturday: Dr. Eddah Mutua-Kombo, SCSU. Dr. Mutua-Kombo presented narrative research focusing upon her work with African immigrants in St. Cloud, MN. Internationally, her research is on women, conflict and peace in post-genocide Rwanda.
• Interactive telecast with Somali students at University of Maine. At SCSU, Dr. Langellier (U of Maine) and Dr. Mutua-Kombo conducted a storytelling session between Somali students at U of Maine and Somali students as SCSU. The stories provided profound insight into the challenges and successes of Somali immigrants nationally.
• Narrative Performance from SCSU Somali Students. Somali students performed stories of overcoming oppression and harassment in St. Cloud high schools. An intensely substantive discussion among the 100 students, faculty and community audience members followed.
• SCSU Players Performance Group performed an original production centering upon the recent hate motivated acts occurring on the SCSU campus. An intensely substantive discussion among the 100 students, faculty and community audience members followed.
• Interactive Workshop with Dr. Elyse Pineau, Southern Illinois University. Dr. Pineau conducted a workshop designed for faculty and students addressing critical pedagogy and using performance as a learning tool in the classroom.
• Mexican Immigrant Literature performed by Edwin Corbin, PhD student from Northwestern University
• University of Northern Iowa students performed works of immigrant experience in Iowa.

Conference Sponsors:

• Office of the Provost
• College of Fine Arts and Humanities
• Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
• Communication Studies Department Sikkink Fund

We AVERAGED 100 people at each of 9 scheduled events during the 2-day period.

Attendees included:

• Members of the Boys and Girls Club of St. Cloud Somali elders
• Employees from Sterns County used the conference as part of their Professional development opportunity funds
• Students and faculty from University of Northern Iowa
• Faculty from Gustavus Adolphus College
• Faculty from Century Community College
• Many St. Cloud residents
• Many SCSU students

From Jeanne Hites, Professor Center for Information Media:

Serves on an early response team for disasters such as floods, tornados and the occasional hurricane. The team’s goal is to help in clean up and listening to victims.

From Fred Hill, Professor Learning Resources & Technology Services:

Writes and facilitates book reviews and book discussions for community publications and groups. He regularly reviews books of interest to business people in the St. Cloud Chamber of Commerce “Business Central” magazine. An example is the Nov/Dec 2008 issue’s review of the book, “How to Reduce Workplace Conflict and Stress: How Leaders and Their Employees Can Protect Their Sanity and Productivity from Tension and Turf Wars.” In February 2009 he leads a discussion on the book “Big Ideas to Big Results” at the Chamber.