BEMIDJI—Ann (Aitken) Humphrey has been named assistant director of the American Indian Resource Center at BSU and Northwest Technical College.
Humphrey was Leech Lake Tribal College’s admission and outreach coordinator since 2015. There, she planned and implemented the recruitment of students, processed admission applications, created resources for recruitment and outreach, and worked closely to ensure students were retained, according to a release from BSU.
“American Indian student success is not only a success for that student, it is a big win for their tribe, their family and their community,” Humphrey said in the release. “I want American Indian students to succeed because that means we have more educated Native voices speaking up.
“This position will give me the opportunity to grow in higher education, personally, professionally and with a great honor of working with some of the brightest and most caring minds at the AIRC.”
Humphrey’s position is newly created to help the university achieve its strategic plan goal of becoming a destination university for American Indian students nationwide.
“We are absolutely thrilled to have Ann join the AIRC team,” said Bill Blackwell Jr., executive director of the AIRC. “Her skill set fits perfectly with our plan to increase retention, persistence and graduation rates for American Indian students.”
Humphrey has a bachelor’s degree in vocal music education from the University of Minnesota, Duluth. Her duties at BSU and NTC begin Monday, March 26.
Websites laud BSU
Several websites recently recognized Bemidji State University and the degrees it offers.
Here’s a list of them:
• BSU ranked fourth on list “2018’s Most Affordable: The Best Online Colleges in Minnesota” by Affordable Colleges Online.
• BSU’s online bachelor’s degree program in accountancy has been ranked 4th in the nation by Online Course Report.
• The bachelor’s degree in criminal justice ranked third on list, “Top 50 Affordable Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice Online 2018” by Great Value Colleges, as well as seventh on list, “The 15 Best Online Bachelor’s in Corrections Programs” by The Best Schools.
• BSU’s online bachelor’s degree in social work ranked sixth on list “50 Best Online Bachelor’s of Social Work Degree Programs 2018” by Best MSW Programs and eighth on list “30 Best Online Bachelors in Social Work Degrees” by College Choice.
• BSU’s Online Registered Nurse degree program ranked 46th on list “Best Online RN Degree Programs: 2018” by Affordable Colleges Online.
• Th online master’s degree in social work ranked ninth on the list “Best Online Master’s in Special Education Degrees” by Top Master’s in Education.
• And BSU’s online bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in marketing ranked 13th on the list “Most Affordable Online Marketing Degrees” by College Choice.
Leech Lake Tribal College lands $42,000 grant
CASS LAKE—Staff at Leech Lake Tribal College announced Tuesday they received a $42,000 grant from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community. The grant will be used to purchase a transportation vehicle that will allow Leech Lake Tribal College to deliver more off campus educational and support services to students.
“The Leech Lake Tribal College is extremely grateful to the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community for their generous donation to assist us as we continue to grow programs and deliver high quality educational and support services to our students,” President Pat Broker said in a release. “This grant assistance comes to us at a time of great need and it is with our deepest appreciation that we accept this gift and put it to great use as we will be able to further engage our students in educational, cultural, and sporting events.”
The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community is a federally recognized, sovereign Indian tribe located southwest of Minneapolis/St. Paul. With a focus on being a good neighbor, good steward of the earth, and good employer, the SMSC is committed to charitable donations, community partnerships, a healthy environment and a strong economy, the release said. The SMSC and the SMSC Gaming Enterprise (Mystic Lake Casino Hotel and Little Six Casino) are the largest employers in Scott County. The SMSC has donated nearly $300 million to organizations and causes since opening the Gaming Enterprise in the 1990s and has contributed millions more to regional governments and infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer systems and emergency services.
The Leech Lake Tribal College is a two-year degree granting institution open to the public, but mainly serving the population of the Leech Lake Reservation.
BSU to host free federal grant-writing workshop
BEMIDJI—BSU will host a grant-writing workshop by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health in April that aims to help university and health professionals develop more competitive grant proposals.
The April 26-27 University Vision Design Capacity workshop at BSU’s American Indian Resource Center is part of the DHHS Higher Education Technical Assistance Project. The project helps higher education institutions share resource-development strategies, regional health data and health-disparities research while creating opportunities for community engagement and networking, according to a release.
The workshop is free of charge and funds are available to reimburse travel expenses, but attendance will be limited to 35 and interested participants should register as early as possible.
The two-day, hands-on workshop is intended for junior faculty, staff and college or university health professionals who are interested in community-based participatory research; committed to working with underserved populations; and want to build their institution’s capacity to compete for and receive competitive grant awards.
The workshop is coming to Bemidji State through the efforts of Dr. Misty Wilkie, associate professor of nursing. She says the workshop will benefit anyone looking for the skill and knowledge to help improve their institutions or communities through grant-funded initiatives.
“The workshop will provide valuable information to help grant writers develop more competitive proposals for federal grants,” she said. “In the end, this workshop can help institutions and communities take advantage of opportunities to pursue grant funding for their projects.”
Headwaters Film Festival to begin March 28
BEMIDJI—BSU’s student-run Headwaters Film Festival returns for its sixth year beginning Wednesday, March 28, and will feature guests Wyatt Weed, a director and actor for Pirate Pictures, and Gayle Gallagher, a producer for Pirate Pictures, and culminate with a screening of the 1985 Robert Zemeckis classic “Back to the Future.”
Weed and Gallagher produced and directed “Four Color Eulogy,” which will be screened March 28 at 5:30 p.m. The pair will be in attendance at the festival and give a presentation on independent filmmaking Thursday, March 29, from 12:30-1:45 p.m.
The festival, which is being held in the Upper Deck area of Walnut Hall on the BSU campus, is being directed by Samantha Bittner, a senior marketing communication major from Merrifield, Minn., and Judson Tharin, a junior mass communication major from Bemidji.
The Headwaters Film Festival opens with four sessions of International student films beginning at 1 p.m. March 28, and closes with the screening of “Back to the Future” March 29 at 5:30 p.m. All Headwaters Film Festival events are open free to the public. The festival is sponsored by the BSU Department of Integrated Media and BSU Summer Programs.
Wednesday, March 28
• 1-1:50 p.m. — International Student Animated Films
• 2-2:50 p.m. — International Student Films, part 1
• 3-3:50 p.m. — International Student Films, part 2
• 4-4:50 p.m. — International Student Films, part 3
• 5-5:30 p.m. — Blast from the Past Fashion Show
• 5:30-7:30 p.m. — “Four Color Eulogy”
Thursday, March 29
• 12:30-1:45 p.m. — Presentation on independent filmmaking by director Wyatt Weed and producer Gayle Gallagher of Pirate Films, Inc.
• 2-3:15 p.m. — Colorado Environmental Film Festival Selections
• 3:30-4:45 p.m. — Minnesota Student Films, with a question-and-answer session with select student filmmakers
• 5-5:30 p.m. — Movie Trivia
• 5:30 p.m. — “Ba
• “Back to the Future” (1985)