BSC will enter the world of intercollegiate soccer competition in fall 2009 with men's and women's teams led by Bismarck's winningest soccer coach, Mel Fischer.

Athletic Director Buster Gilliss said he and his staff have worked the past couple years developing guidelines for the new program, which could bring 45 to 50 student athletes to BSC.

"It's a long-term plan for BSC to add sports," Gilliss said. "We have one of the best facilities in North Dakota on our campus with the Bismarck Community Bowl, and soccer is a natural fit for us. There is also huge interest in youth soccer here, and we can give these athletes another opportunity to play and continue their education."

Fischer was named part-time soccer coordinator and head coach Nov. 10. During the nine-month interim, he plans to hire three part-time coaching assistants and put together a 16-game schedule for both programs. He also will be on the road recruiting at North Dakota high schools.

"I really want soccer to be successful and to become an icon for BSC as well as a source of pride for the community," Fischer said.

The new program will depend on recruiting players from strong local programs, Gilliss said. During the start-up, BSC will likely play JV teams at four-year schools such as Jamestown and community colleges in Minnesota.

Other possibilities may be Minot State University, which Fischer said is working on a women's soccer program for 2010, and Minnesota State University-Moorhead has expressed interest in the women's program.

Fischer ended 22 years coaching teams at Bismarck High School and Wachter Middle School in May, finishing with an overall record of 260-96-56. He coached the BHS boys' and girls' teams to two state titles each and was named North Dakota High School Coach of the Year in 2000. Fischer has been active in Bismarck's youth soccer and is currently serving his second term on the board of directors of the National High School Coaches Association as chair for boys' soccer. Fischer also works full-time for the City of Bismarck as administrator of environmental health programs in the Department of Fire and Inspections. He is a graduate of North Dakota State University.

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From Gov. Hoeven's Web site at www.governor.state.nd.us/

BISMARCK, N.D. - Governor John Hoeven along with BSC president Larry Skogen announced Nov. 5 that Bismarck State College will provide general education classes to Airmen through a Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) initiative. Dr. Skogen began seeking partnerships with military branches to provide Web-based education in 2007.

"This partnership will give Airmen an opportunity to earn their degree in a timely and convenient fashion with the help of our local community college," Hoeven said.

"Through this program with the CCAF, our student population will become global," Dr. Skogen said. "Wherever there are Airmen, there will be BSC. It's a wonderful opportunity for our college."

The General Education-Mobile (GEM) initiative is scheduled to launch in early 2009 and will assist Airmen in completing degree requirements at post-secondary institutions that offer online courses. This initiative could shorten the time it takes for Airmen to earn their degrees.

Bismarck State College is one of three partnering schools to pilot the program alongside CCAF. The other colleges are Coastline Community College, Calif., and Central Texas College.

GEM will be available to Airmen via the Air Force Virtual Education Center page on the Air Force Portal. The site will feature the familiar one-stop source to search for the school that meets individual educational needs.

In an article in the Maxwell Gunter Dispatch online base newspaper, CCAF Commandant Lt. Col. Raymond Staats said that Airmen typically complete their general education requirements last, but with the GEM initiative, students can complete the entire general education sequence much earlier online.

The initiative allows Airmen to register and complete all general education requirements at one college, eliminating transfers and delays caused by military reassignments and deployments. The general education courses will include written and oral communications, mathematics, social science, and humanities.

"We chose these pilot partners for their individual attributes, their past history with military education and their forward-looking philosophies with regard to online education," Colonel Staats said. "Our goal is to provide improved opportunities and access to education that will follow Airmen throughout life."

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BSC's Mechanical Maintenance Technology program has openings for new students to start classes on Jan. 13.

Graduates will be in demand, with job opportunities expected to be available in the region and across the nation. Mechanical maintenance technicians install, repair and maintain industrial production and processing equipment.

Classes are held in the BSC - Mandan Campus at 1831 Twin City Dr. SE, Mandan. About half of the 12,500 sq. ft. building is devoted to lab space for the large industrial production and processing equipment and 18 welding booths required for training students.

Completion of the program leads to a certificate or an associate in applied science (AAS) degree. The program consists of three semesters of technical work; those completing the AAS degree will take an additional 15 credits of general education courses. The program provides a foundation in safety, fabrication, electricity, welding, mechanics, fluid power, hydraulics, and the use of tools. Industrial equipment used in this field includes motors, pumps, pneumatic tools, conveyor systems, production machinery, pipeline distribution systems and automated equipment.

For information, contact Bob Arso at 701-224-5416 or BSC Admissions at 701-224-5429 or 800-445-5073.

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Four of BSC's limited enrollment programs have openings for the spring semester: Automotive Technology; Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning; Mechanical Maintenance Technology; and Process Plant Technology.

Automotive Technology is a two-year program, leading to a certificate, diploma or associate in applied science (AAS) degree. All faculty are Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certified, and the program holds the ASE NATEF Certification, adding an element of quality recognized by industry.

Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning is a 40-week program that leads to a certificate, diploma or AAS degree. Sheet metal work is an integral part of this curriculum. BSC is a nationally registered training center for sheet metal and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning through the National Center for Construction, Education and Research.

Mechanical Maintenance Technology consists of three semesters of technical work, which leads to a certificate. To earn the AAS degree, students will enroll in an additional 15 credits of general education courses. Mechanical maintenance technicians install, repair and maintain industrial production and processing equipment.

Process Plant Technology is a two-year program, leading to a certificate, diploma or associate in applied science (AAS) degree. The program prepares students for employment in operating refineries, ethanol plants, gasification plants, petrochemical plants and related processing plants.

For information on limited enrollment programs, call BSC Admissions at 701-224-5429 or 800-445-5073.

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Bismarck State College has appointed Clay Jenkinson as BSC's Distinguished Scholar of the Humanities for the fall and spring semesters.

A Rhodes and Danforth scholar known nationally as an interpreter of Thomas Jefferson, Jenkinson will present a series of public lectures and discussions in dialogue with BSC President Larry C. Skogen beginning Wednesday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m. in Sidney J. Lee Auditorium. The format includes audience participation.

Jenkinson and Skogen will use the BSC Campus Read novel by Sherman Alexie, "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian," to engage in a wide-ranging discussion of Native American issues. Topics will include race relations, the role of federal government on Indian lands, cultural resurgence, the future of dual sovereignty, and use of Native American motifs by non-Indians.

Skogen said the programs are a good way to develop further discussion in our communities and on campus about these important topics.

"My goal is to ensure that people know BSC has a very strong, robust liberal arts and humanities focus as evidenced by our music program, drama, Campus Read, ArtsQuest, visual arts, and so much more," Skogen said. "Adding a distinguished scholar of the humanities to our family enhances the wonderful curriculum, and there is none better to do that than Clay."

Jenkinson, a published author, is one of the leading public humanities scholars in the United States. In 1989, he was awarded the National Endowment for the Humanities' highest honor, the Charles Frankel Prize, now called the National Humanities Medal. Jenkinson was a major contributor to Ken Burns' public television series, "Jefferson," and has portrayed Jefferson in 49 states, before Supreme Court justices, presidents, 18 state legislatures, and countless audiences, as well as on the "The Today Show," "Politically Incorrect" and CNN. Jenkinson co-founded the modern Chautauqua movement with the late Everett Albers and also has portrayed J. Robert Oppenheimer, Theodore Roosevelt, Meriwether Lewis, John Wesley Powell, Sir Francis Bacon, Jonathan Swift, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. He is currently director of The Dakota Institute through The Fort Mandan Foundation, chief consultant to The Theodore Roosevelt Center through Dickinson State University, and a columnist for the Bismarck Tribune.

Other dates and topics in the series are:
Dec. 7 - "Oppenheimer, the Atomic Bomb and the Cold War," 7-9 p.m., Sidney J. Lee Auditorium. Jan. 21 -"An Educational Curriculum for the 21st Century: Baby Boomers and the Post-Literate Generations," 3-5 p.m., Sidney J. Lee Auditorium. Feb. 20 - "Eric Severeid, William L. Shirer, and the Invention of Broadcast News," 7-9 p.m., Sidney J. Lee Auditorium. March 11 - "Sir Richard Francis Burton and Source of the Nile," 7-9 p.m., Sidney J. Lee Auditorium. May 5 - "Energy, Environment and Ethics," 3-5 p.m., fourth floor, BSC National Energy Center of Excellence.

For program descriptions, click here.

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Bismarck State College will take students and others on a college study tour of Berlin and Prague for a look behind the former Iron Curtain on the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall's destruction.

The trip spans May 20 to June1, 2009, and includes a three-day optional stay in Vienna. Participants will also visit the fire-bombed city of Dresden; Weimer, home of Goethe; and Wittenberg, known for its connection to Martin Luther, Schiller, and the dawn of the Reformation.

An informational meeting with tour leader Michelle Lindblom, chair of the BSC Arts and Communications Department, is scheduled Monday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m. in Werner Hall 105.

Education First (EF) Tours are geared toward college level students and the adult learner. Students can earn humanities credits in art, English or social science. The cost, which includes all expenses except spending money and some lunches, is approximately $3,400 for ages 22 and under and $3,900 for non-students.

For more information, contact Michelle Lindblom at (701) 224-5520, or Michelle.Lindblom@bsc.nodak.edu.

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Bismarck State College will begin offering classes in power plant technology and process plant technology to students in Wisconsin this fall through a partnership with Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton.

BSC and Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC) recently formed the partnership to help meet the needs of high-demand energy careers in Wisconsin and upper Michigan.

Courses from BSC will be offered online, says Bruce Emmil, associate vice president for energy technology programs at BSC. "Fox Valley faculty will teach some courses, such as math and electricity, that are part of their curriculum in other programs."

BSC credits will transfer to Fox Valley, and students will earn an associate's degree from FVTC, says Emmil. Fox Valley was able to subtitle these programs under their Computer Control Engineering Tech degree, which enabled them to quickly make these programs available to students in Wisconsin and upper Michigan.

According to the Wisconsin Public Service Commissions' Strategic Energy Report 2012, approximately 700 highly skilled workers will retire from Wisconsin utilities by 2010, and more than 1,300 will retire by 2015. In addition, increased consumer usage continues to contribute toward the demand.

FVTC President Dr. Susan May views the partnership as a proactive means to address career fluctuations. "Bismarck State College is a tremendous leader in energy-related training, and we are excited to partner with the college to help meet the industry's unique demands," says May.

BSC President Larry Skogen says this partnership addresses BSC's strategic plan and the goal to develop national and international partnerships. "We are developing these kinds of partnerships to increase the student population, and also to work more efficiently in meeting industry's workforce needs," he said.

BSC has partnerships with other community colleges, but this is the most comprehensive, says Emmil. The partnership includes a financial aid consortium agreement, an identified program coordinator on each campus, and provisions for Fox Valley students to have access to hands-on lab activities, internships, or job shadowing with local energy industry partners.

Since founding one of the nation's first Power Plant Technology programs in 1976, BSC has emerged as a national leader in energy technology education. In 2007 the U.S. Department of Energy designated BSC as the National Power Plant Operations Technology and Education Center for expertise in training and educating operators and technicians in the energy industry.

A new building to house the college's energy technology programs is nearing completion on the southeast edge of the campus. Called the National Energy Center of Excellence, the 106,200 square-foot facility will also serve as a national resource center of education and training for the energy industry.

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(Basin Electric news release)

Bismarck, N.D. - Some fairytales don't involve love. Take, for instance, academia and careers. A student picks a major, selects a school and enrolls in the program. Along comes a great employer that offers an internship. After hard work, the student lands a job with the employer who also happens to provide 50 percent tuition reimbursement.

Sounds like a fairytale? Not really. Right now, Basin Electric and Bismarck State College (BSC) are living out that scenario through a new partnership called the "Grow Your Own" Program.

Facing a significant amount of retirements in the next five to 10 years, Basin Electric knew it was time to take its recruiting efforts to the next level. The cooperative looked no further than its already-thriving relationship with Bismarck State College.

"Basin Electric and BSC have a longstanding relationship - much of which is centered on the college's highly reputable Power Plant Technology program," says Ron Harper, Basin Electric CEO and general manager. "With base-load power plants in North Dakota and Wyoming, many BSC graduates take root at Basin Electric facilities."

Today, that relationship continues to flourish. Starting this fall, students who enroll in the Power Plant Technology Associate Degree program will have the opportunity to apply for internships at Basin Electric's three power plants. Upon completion of the internships and the program, students may be offered a laborer position. If offered a full-time position, 50 percent tuition will be reimbursed according to established guidelines.

"We are offering up to five students an opportunity to complete their job shadowing requirements plus an 80-hour internship at each of our facilities," says Sharon Klein, Basin Electric manager of human resources. "This program allows students and Basin Electric the opportunity to see if we're a good fit for each other. It also allows us access to top students and reduces training time and recruitment costs, should we bring the interns on full-time."

Upon hire, graduates will receive 15 percent reimbursement. After completing one year of employment, they'll receive another 15 percent, and after two years, they'll receive 20 percent, for a total of 50 percent.

"We are excited that Basin Electric is offering this wonderful opportunity to our Power Plant Program students," says Kari Knudson, Bismarck State College vice president of energy technology programs and director of the National Energy Center of Excellence. "This is an excellent example of collaboration between industry and education to provide a direct benefit to students."

Hiring Bismarck State College graduates has been a longstanding tradition of Basin Electric. "During the past five years, Basin Electric and Dakota Gasification Company had 281 openings at our facilities with educational requirements of a two year degree or less. Of these 281 openings, we hired 166 BSC grads. That's 59 percent," Klein says.

In 2003, Basin Electric strengthened its relationship with BSC by pledging $2 million toward the college's National Energy Center of Excellence, further ensuring a legacy of hiring highly educated students. Construction of the center is near completion. It will include state-of-the-art equipment, which will provide energy students with relevant hands on experience.

"Basin Electric has provided tremendous support to Bismarck State College and continues to be a valued partner," says Dr. Larry C. Skogen, Bismarck State College president.

Harper adds, "Bismarck State College is truly a national leader, and we're honored to partner with the college in these endeavors. This is just another example of how two entities can come together and make great things happen."

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