Area student graduates

Jamie Seedorf of Albert Lea graduated from Dickinson State University on May 12, 2018. During the commencement ceremony, 168 baccalaureate and 34 associate degrees were awarded.

UW-River Falls releases Dean’s list

Many area students were recognized on the Dean’s List at UW-River Falls. Among those recognized were Alana Skarstad and Krystal Viktora from Albert Lea; Lacey Nelson of Ellendale; Anna Bailey of Geneva; Madeline Phillips and Kallie Spooner of Hartland; Kyle Manning of Hollandale; Hannah Light of New Richland and Amy Groskreutz of Wells. To be named to the Dean’s List, a full-time undergraduate must earn a grade point average of at least 3.5 during the semester.

NDSU names graduate

Area students graduate from NDSU for the 2017-18 academic year.  Taylor Willis of Albert Lea received a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences and Alex Knudson, also from Albert Lea, received his Master of Science in Entomology. Also on the list of graduates was Wells native Ethan Boertje with a MS in Biology.

Area student recognized                                                                                                               

Amelia Evenson of Lake Mills was named to the Dean’s List for the Spring 2018 semester at Buena Vista University. Students named to the Dean’s List must have a minimum grade point average of 3.5 for the semester and taken at least 12 hours of coursework.

Albert Lea native graduates

Andromakhe Harveaux of Albert Lea received a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology and secondary education at the University of Minnesota — Morris. Morris is the University of Minnesota’s public liberal arts college, a residential campus in west-central Minnesota.

Area students recognized

The following local students have been named to the Spring 2018 Dean’s List at The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth: Kimberly Block of Glenville; Sydney Dahl of Emmons; and Brent Nafzger of Albert Lea. To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must achieve a 3.75 grade point average or higher.

Luther releases Dean’s List

Four residents of Albert Lea have been named to the Luther College 2018 spring semester Dean’s List: Samuel Moyer, Sydney Rehnelt, Benjamin Seavey and Emma Tewes. The Luther College spring 2018 Dean’s List includes 732 students. To be named to the Dean’s List, a student must earn a semester grade point average of 3.5 or better.

New Richland Area Historical Society Publication

The New Richland Historical Society published a book about an old picture with identifications of more than 500 who attended the 1936 anniversary of Vista community’s 1856 founding. An 82-year mystery about who is in the picture has been half-solved. With the assistance of many, New Richland Area Historical Society has spent a decade in pursuit of names, asking around and writing it down. The book was available to the public during New Richland Farm and City Days. From 2006, 2009 and 2012 to 2018 the mystery’s solutions evolved. It goes public with the publication of “Vista 1936: Picture of a Community.” It is names for the faces, of course. The detectives have worked individually and in groups to identify 260 of the at least 527 on the long photograph taken September 7, 1936. It was the 80th anniversary of the pioneer Scandinavian community’s founding in 1856. A public invitation brought about 4,000 people who attended parts or all of the two-day celebration. The long picture contains a cross-section of people from neighboring farms and towns as well as visitors from many states and a few foreign countries. In the mid-1850s, Minnesota land was opened for settlement. So the adventure began to arrive in parties of a few dozen to make land claims. They built log houses, plowed and planted, keeping the faith religiously, socially and economically.

When it came to a year for celebrating the accomplishments of their ancestors, they gathered first in 1926. That was a 70th-year celebration arranged and conducted by Herman Peterson who fulfilled his dream of bringing people together. Peterson (1883-1962) continued his involvement throughout. People arrived at a spacious farm grove on the north bank of LeSueur River in Waseca County. Messages, too, from those who could not attend but remembered their own upbringings or that their grandparents, parents and other relatives emanated from Vista. Swedes had settled near the Norwegians, who had done so a few months previous about a mile to the south on that very river, as well as around St. Olaf Lake. A big tent was set for indoor meetings and for a large display of items used by those who had arrived with very little but built on that. Four programs were set: Anniversary, Historical, Memorial and Jubilee. Sermons and hymn singing, speakers and tours were planned and accomplished. Picnic lunches, not catered. Citizen entertainment, not hired. For a Jubilee conclusion a women’s group portrayed “Brides of the Ages” and “Ladies Aid of 1880 to 1936.” William J. (Bill) Stiehl, New Richland’s professional photographer, did the creative work of the 500-plus long line. It was printed at 3 1/2 feet long but only 4 1/2 inches deep. It was sold as a roll-out. Some of the buyers framed theirs. Some did not. After a while, they tended to put it away. The picture surfaced in boxes and closets to be rediscovered just in time for a good look by those present at the special event, as well as those who remembered faces of their own family and friends. It turned into the fun of finding yourself and others. To do so requires the modern technology of photocopy machines for enlarging. That was done to 400 percent for ease at identifications. The 100 children put themselves in front on the grass. Many of them and others have identifications. Nevertheless, there remains plenty new about this mystery.

The book will be sold by New Richland Area Historical Society at their rooms in the former Washburn House/Hotel New Richland. Proceeds will go to that non-profit organization.The main element of its content is 23 pages of 8×10 pictures, enlarged as sections of the original, with as many identifications as have been determined. Those in the picture are a real cross-section of this area. Faces in the original, not even half the size of most little fingernails, are now thumbnail size in the enlargement. A backside is available on each for writing more names and commentary. The authors share their discoveries and memories. The history of Vista is updated and expanded from 1976, the year of a 380-page book, “Vista ’76: 120 Years of a Scandinavian-American Community” by Ronald J. Johnson. Anniversary celebrations were in 1926, ’36, ’47, ’56, ’66, and ’76. Johnson and Harriet Eaton, with historical society vice president Rodney Hatle, have been a part of this endeavor through a decade of discoveries and sharing. The 94-page book contains a three-page color map of land ownership in the late 1800s. It also contains biographical information of those identified. All is enhanced with 50 additional pictures and illustrations.

Area students recognized

The following students were named to the second semester, 2017-18 Dean’s List at Saint Mary’s University. Among the honorees was Emily Ortiz, daughter of Miguel and Aletha Ortiz of Albert Lea, and Brian Klein, son of Timothy and Beverly Klein, from Wells. The list includes 326 undergraduate students who earned a grade point average of 3.6 or better.

Albert Lea native recognized

Mercer University recently announced the President’s List and Dean’s List for the spring 2018 semester. Albert Lea native Priyadharshine Ramesh Babu was named to the Universities Presidents List. Inclusion on these lists requires students to meet rigorous GPA standards specific to the college or school within the university.

MSU releases Honor Lists

The Academic High Honor and Honor lists for the spring semester at Minnesota State University — Mankato have been announced. Among 3,035 students, 768 students qualified for the high honor list by achieving a 4.0  average, while 2,266 students earned a 3.5 to 3.99 average to qualify for the honor list.

Those named to the high honor list were: Mackenzie Anderson, Yuseina Brito Lino, Bradford Milliron and Houston Sharpe, all of Albert Lea; Rebecca White of Ellendale; Stromi Hagen of Hartland; Leah Johnson of Kiester; Raece Johnson and Jade Schultz of New Richland and Angela Bixby and Claire Christianson of Wells.

Those named to the honor list were: Cali Cantu, Carson McGivern, Corde Purdie, Violet Reynolds, Taylor Thompson and Rachel Wangen, all from Albert Lea, Rachael Rhoades of Ellendale; Natalie Aaseth and Karter Sletten of Geneva; Taylor Herfindahl of Glenville; Stephanie Luna of Hayward; Nicholas Tate of Hollandale; Maurya Johnson and Sandra Quezada of New Richland and Nancy Christianson, Anissa Janzig, Cassidy Olson and John Schuster of Wells.

To qualify for academic honors, undergraduate students must have been  enrolled for at least 12 credit hours for the semester.

Wells natives graduate

The following students received Bachelor of Arts degrees in May 2018 from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota in Winona: Brian Klein, son of Timothy and Beverly Klein, and Cody Nelson, son of Lee and Amy Nelson.

UW-Stout names graduate

The following students from the area graduated in May 2018 from University of Wisconsin — Stout in Menomonie. Brandon Bonnerup of Albert Lea received a degree in criminal justice and rehab and Madeline Dahl, also of Albert Lea, received a degree in dietetics.

Area students graduate

Rochester Community and Technical College’s 102nd commencement ceremony was May 10 in the Regional Sports Center. Dylan Johnson of Alden received a degree in CAD technology. Allison English of New Richland graduated with a degree in business management and Jamie Herman of Wells received high honors with a certification in alcohol and drug counseling.

Lake Mills native recognized

The University of Dubuque named Robyn Bowman of Lake Mills to the Spring Semester 2018 Academic Dean’s List. To be named to the dean’s list, a student must earn a grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale for that semester.