Towns are in Minnesota unless noted. Alumni names appear in bold. Send Class Notes information and photos to alumni@bemidjistate.edu or call toll free: 1-877-BSU-ALUM.
Class of 2017
Joe Otto is a farm bill technician for the Big Stone Soil and Water Conservation District in Ortonville. He works on programs such as the voluntary Conservation Reserve Program, which converts cropland to privately owned native habitat. Otto lives in Lesterville.
Class of 2016
Autumn Aeling teaches first grade at Ashby Public School, where she also is head softball coach. She previously taught first grade for a year in the Brainerd schools. Aeling lives in Hewitt.
Keylee Schoon is in her first year as a fourth-grade teacher at Menahga Public School after previously substitute teaching in the Menahga, Park Rapids and Sebeka districts. She lives in Menahga.
Ryan Olson is an associate web engineer for Sundog, an industry leader in marketing and technology that specializes in manufacturing. He previously worked as a freelance web designer and developer. Olson lives in Fargo.
Class of 2015
Nicole Dupay has joined CW Technology as human resources and marketing coordinator. She previously was an admissions representative and recruiter for Bemidji State University. Dupay lives in Duluth.
Lindsey Nelson directs the new Just for Kix dance program in McGregor and is also teaching math at McGregor High School. She lives in McGrath.
Class of 2014
John Rusch is an exercise physiologist for Sanford Medical Center in Bagley, focusing on cardiac rehabilitation and pulmonary rehabilitation. He lives in Bemidji.
Cory Johnson is a graphic designer for the RedHouseMedia, an advertising agency based in Brainerd, where he lives.
Dana Skjod is an assistant project manager for Knutson Construction in their Minneapolis office. She has worked closely on the recent Mercy Hospital expansion project. She lives in Rogers.
Class of 2013
Dr. Trevor Andrews has joined the Scotland Bakke Dental practice in Bemidji after receiving his degree from the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. He lives in Bemidji.
Class of 2011
Darci McGillivray was hired as an administrative/accounting assistant by the city of Motley after she finished an internship there in September 2016. She expects to graduate this spring with a degree in accounting from Central Lakes College in Brainerd. McGillivray lives in Staples.
Rachel (Battles) Pearce joined the family medicine team at Altru Clinic in Warroad as a nurse practitioner. She has a doctorate of nursing practice, family nurse practitioner degree from the University of Iowa. Pearce lives in Warroad with her husband, Josh. They have three children.
Ashley Palmer works for Grand Itasca Clinic & Hospital, where she is a full-time athletic trainer at Grand Rapids High School. She previously worked for Essentia-St. Joseph’s and was was head athletic trainer at Brainerd High School. Palmer lives in Grand Rapids.
Class of 2010
Nicholas Wentworth graduated from the University of New England College of Dental Medicine with a degree in dentistry. He and his wife, Kendra, live in Windham, Maine, with their two children, but plan to relocate to North Carolina, where he will join a private dental practice.
Class of 2009
Josh Tharaldson ’09 was elected president of the Minnesota Science Teachers Association for a four-year term. He is in his eighth year teaching science at Marshall County Central High School. This past summer, Tharaldson traveled to Costa Rica to study lowland rain forests and investigate the biotic, physical and cultural forces that affect tropical biodiversity there. He lives in Goodridge.
Class of 2008
Kyle McMartin is the new assistant principal of Bemidji Middle School, where he has worked as a teacher and a coach at the middle school for seven years. He and his wife, Ashley, live in Bemidji with their three children.
Jessica (Olson) Horn is director of the Bagley Day Activity Center. She is responsible for day-to-day operations and the center’s thrift shop, as well as the Pine Ridge Residence for seniors, home to several of the center’s. Horn lives in Gonvick with her husband, Troy. They have one child.
Melanie Wilson is dean of Liberal Arts and Public Services for Hawaii Community College in Hilo, Hawaii. She previously was director of assessment and institutional research at Leech Lake Tribal College. Wilson lives in Hilo with her husband, Paul, and their two children.
Class of 2007
Andrea Whiting is finance manager for United Way of Northeastern Minnesota in Chisholm. She previously had been a volunteer and served on the board before joining her new position. Whiting lives in Virginia.
Tim Dirkes is a patrol and field training officer for the Grand Rapids Police Department, where he has worked since 2011. He previously worked for the Winnebago Police Department. Dirkes lives in Grand Rapids.
Class of 2004
Rachel (Moen) Columbus was awarded the James Trudeau Award by the Lakes Center for Youth and Families. She has worked for the Wyoming Police Department since 2006, developing the Police Educating Area Kids program in 2013. Columbus and her husband, John, live in Andover and have three young children.
Nikki (Baird) Brink was promoted to chief operations officer at First National Bank Bemidji. She joined the bank as human resources manager in 2011. She graduated from the Graduate School of Banking in Madison, Wis., in August. She and her husband, Robert, live in Bemidji. They have three children.
Kayla Bell ’04 (far right) is the latest of three generations from the same family to graduate from Bemidji State and enter careers in education. She is student support coordinator at Burnside Elementary School in Red Wing, where she lives. Her mother, Wanda (Rohl) Bell ’79, was principal of Pillager Elementary School before retiring in 1998. She and her husband, Steve, have three adult children. Kayla’s grandmother, Betty (Swanson) Rohl ’74 began the chain by teaching country school in Pillager for 29 years. She has remained active in retirement, gaining recognition as Pillager’s Citizen of the Year in 2015 and as a new member of the school district’s Hall of Fame in 2016.
Class of 2003
Rosymar Hjermstad is executive director of Kinship of the Park Rapids Area, a mentoring and reading program for children. She previously was working for Mahube-Otwa as the Housing Case Manager. She lives in Park Rapids with her two children.
Alice (Linda) Blessing presented an exhibit of her paintings at the Cultural Center gallery in New York Mills. The exhibit, “Through a Child’s Eyes,” featured her work along with that of a colleague. She lives in Bemidji with her husband, Mitch ’04. The couple has one child.
Class of 2000
Dan Johnson was 2017 Teacher of the Year in the Brandon-Evansville School District, where he has taught since 2002. In addition to teaching high school social studies, he is an assistant football coach and Knowledge Bowl advisor. Johnson and his wife, Amanda (Lee) ’02, live in Brandon with their two children.
Adam Smith graduated from Air Force basic training in San Antonio, Texas, as a U.S. Air Force Air National Guard Airman 1st Class. He lives in Montgomery with his wife, Krista.
Class of 1998
Melissa (Hensley) Vacek was promoted to business loan associate at Security Bank USA in Bemidji, where she has worked since 2013. She also serves on the Sanford Health Foundation Board and is chair of the Sanford Health Business Relations Committee. Vasek lives in Bemidji with her husband, Chris, who is sales manager at RP Broadcasting.
Nate Knutson was promoted to warden of the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Willow River/Moose Lake. He has spent his entire corrections career there, most recently as associate warden of operations. Knutson lives in Cloquet.
Class of 1997
Andrew Dahlen is an electronics instructor and VEX Robotics coordinator at Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls. This past summer, he coordinated a robotics camp for fifth- through eighth-graders at Clearbrook-Gonvick School. Dahlen and his wife, Jennifer (Koenen) ’98, live in Fischer.
Dawn (Woelfel) McCabe is principal at St. Timothy Catholic School in Maple Lake. She previously was a media specialist for the Owatonna and Rockford public schools before earning her administrative licensure from Minnesota State University in Mankato. McCabe lives in Buffalo with her husband, Bill. They have two children.
Brent Glass is associate vice chancellor for student affairs for the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities. He previously was system director and operations manager for the system’s Division of Academic and Student Affairs. Glass and his wife, Jennifer, live in Prescott, Wis.
Craig McKechney is the behavioral dean of students at Litchfield Middle School. He previously taught physical education/health at Litchfield along with coaching boys’ hockey. McKechney and his wife, Cindy, live in Litchfield. They have two grown children.
Class of 1996
Richard Aldrich was the 2017 commencement speaker at Chisholm High School, where he has been principal since 2013. He has worked in the Chisholm School District since 1997. Aldrich lives in Hibbing with his wife, Lisa. They have four children.
Todd Kreibich is head coach and general manager for the Minnesota Iron Rangers, a Superior International Junior Hockey team based in Hoyt Lakes. He lives in Gilbert.
Jennifer Kovall joined the sales team of Edina Realty in Crosslake. She previously had been working at Thunder Lake Realty. She lives in Remer.
Merton Dewitt ’96 was inducted into the honor society of Phi Kappa Phi after receiving his master’s degree in education from Devry University. He retired in October from the U.S. Army after serving 20 years that included multiple tours to Iraq, where he earned a Bronze Star. He is now a senior delivery supervisor for PepsiCo. Merton and his wife, Melina, reside in Conway, Ark., with their two children.
Class of 1995
Kelly (Egenes) Weets is interim dean of students at Lincoln High School in Thief River Falls. For the past 17 years, she was the school’s English/media specialist. Weets and her husband, Jason, live in Thief River Falls.
Class of 1992
Bill Kane was awarded Western Bank’s Exceptional Educator for the month of May. He has retired after 23 years of teaching, including the past 18 at the Cass Lake-Bena Middle School. He and his wife, LuAnn (’82), live in Laporte.
Kelly Camacho is the special education and Title I teacher at Browerville Public Schools and is working on obtaining her license for teaching students with autism.
Class of 1991
Daren Blanck received his ordination in June from the Zoar Lutheran Church in Tofte, just in time to preside at his brother’s wedding. Blanck also teaches environmental science part-time at William Kelley High School in Silver Bay. He and his wife, Michelle, live in Tofte with their two children.
Mark Grundhofer coached the Waconia High School baseball team to a Class AAA championship when they beat Hibbing this past summer. He has taught at Waconia for 22 years, along with coaching football, hockey and baseball. Grundhofer lives in Cologne with his wife, Wendy. They have three children.
Class of 1987
Jackie (Ommen) Tappe is the corporate controller at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center. She previously worked as director of finance for St. Cloud Medical Group. Tappe lives in Pequot Lakes.
Class of 1986
Christel (Lundstrom) Rinehart is a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner for Community and Family Resources, a non-profit provider of behavioral health services. She lives in Sioux Rapids, Iowa, with her husband, Scott.
Class of 1983
Karen (Ailie) Korwin-Kuczynski is retiring after teaching 34 years in the Pine River-Backus school district. She was a special education teacher, working with students from all grade levels before focusing on K-6 and specializing in autism. She is married and lives in Nisswa. The couple has three grown children.
Mary (Skarison) Fore retired from teaching after 34 years at Red Lake County Elementary School. She spent 22 years teaching third grade, and her last 11 teaching second grade. Fore and her husband, Todd, live in Gully, where they raised three children.
Paul Ruud has retired after teaching industrial technology for 33 years, including the past 25 in the Glencoe School District. In addition to teaching he also has coached football, wrestling, and track and plans to continue coaching football into his retirement. Ruud and his wife, Cheryl, live in Glencoe. They have three adult children.
Randy McIntire retired as an art teacher at Tracy Area High School after 32 years. He and his wife, Robin, have been residing in Tracy but were planning a move to the Battle Creek area.
Class of 1981
Jeff Halbmaier was 2017 Teacher of the Year in the Montevideo School District. He has taught math at Montevideo High School and has coached baseball, football, softball and basketball in Montevideo for the past 29 years.
Class of 1980
Kim (Carlin) Roysland retired after a 37-year teaching and coaching career at Fosston High School. She led the volleyball team to three state championships and developed a program to give students hands-on experience in health occupations. Roysland and her husband, Mike (’80), live in Fosston, where they raised one child.
Steve Randgaard is head men and women’s golf coach at St. Mary’s University in Winona. He will continue coaching girls athletics in the Lake City Public Schools.
Class of 1979
Linda (Glavich) Friedlieb was inducted into the Mesabi Range College Athletic Hall of Fame in June. She was honored for her achievements in tennis, beginning in high school when she was the first girl to play on a boys’ team. She continued her tennis career at Mesabi Community College and at Bemidji State. Friedlieb has been a teacher for 38 years, now teaching at Merritt Elementary in Mt. Iron. She and her husband, Gary (’93), live in Virginia. They have three children.
John Steffel leads a band, The River is Louder, that performs song covers, including blues, jazz and folk. This past summer, the group performed at the Winona County Fair and other local venues. Steffel and his wife, Wendy, live in Saint Charles.
Class of 1977
Craig Dezell of Annandale retired after teaching sixth grade for 40 years at the Annandale school district. He was head basketball coach for 20 years and also coached baseball. He and his wife, Janell (Sellnow), live in Annandale. They have three adult children.
Class of 1976
Tim Westrum retired after 39 years working for the federal government, including 18 years of active Army service. After living in El Paso, Texas, he and his wife planned to return to his hometown of Clearbrook. The couple raised four children.
Jim Madzey retired after teaching 32 years at Nashwauk-Keewatin High School, where he also coached wrestling, football and LEGO Robotics. He and his wife, Katherine, live in Hibbing.
Class of 1975
Cathlene Gunvalson retired after 41 years of teaching AP calculus and precalculus at Stillwater Area High School. She and her husband, Michael, live in Woodbury and have two adult children.
Mike Lien published his second book, “Down at the Dock,” a collection of short fiction and nonfiction stories about outdoor life and hunting. He lives in Norwood Young America with his wife, Marceil (Targeson ’76). They have two grown children.
Class of 1974
Linda (Roebbeke) Burman has retired after teaching kindergarten for 36 years at Comfrey Public School. She lives in St. James with her husband, Dwight (’75). They have three adult children.
Class of 1970
Jerry Benson retired after 47 years as a teacher in the Luverne School District. He taught school social studies and coached football, basketball, baseball and speech. In retirement, he plans to pursue a second doctorate in global information systems and travel frequently. He lives in Luverne.
Bemidji State University magazine salutes Al Nohner ’70, director emeritus of communications and marketing, who for many years has gathered and written the Class Notes and brief features on individuals and stayed involved with campus as a member of the Bemidji Area Alumni Chapter. After the spring/summer 2017 edition, Nohner moved on from those duties. We are sincerely grateful for his service and dedication to Bemidji State.
Other Alumni
Lee Ann Valsvik was among last spring’s Distinguished Alumni honorees at Stillwater High School. She hosts her own radio show and serves on the Stillwater Foundation Board. Valsvik lives in Stillwater.
Gary Warren retired after 37 years as a coach and administrator. He most recently was assistant athletic director for facilities and operations at the University of Minnesota-Crookston. He lives in Fertile.