Public Engagement Day
April 17, 2008, U of M, Crookston campus | more

Bill's 2nd Annual BELLY BUSTIN' Five-Mile Challenge (Walk-A-Thon)
April 24, 2008, beginning at 11 a.m., Ed Widseth Field, U of M, Crookston campus | more

Teambacker Fun Nite
April 25, 2008, beginning with the social and followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. and games at 7:30 p.m., Crookston Eagles Club | more

Grad Dance
May 2, 2008, 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., Sponsored by U of M, Crookston Alumni Association
Contact the alumni office for more information

Commencement
May 3, 2008, 2 p.m., Lysaker Gymnasium, U of M, Crookston campus | more

Northwest School of Agriculture Reunion
"We'll Have a Rockin' Reunion!"
June 27-28, 2008, U of M, Crookston campus
NWSA Reunion honoring classes '23, '28, '33, '38, '43, '48 (adv.), '53, '58, '63, '68

Golf Tournament Events
June 26, 2008, Mark Olsonawski Endowed Scholarship Tourney,
11 a.m., Two River Golf Club, Hallock, Minn.

July 10, 2008, UMC Teambacker/ HOV Tourney, 1 p.m., Heart of the Valley Golf Course, Ada, Minn.

July 19, 2008, UMC Teambacker Golf Classic, 11 a.m., Minakwa Golf Course, Crookston, Minn.
Sponsored, in part, by U of M, Crookston Teambackers

Upcoming Alumni Board Meetings at U of M, Crookston
April 17, 2008, UMC Alumni Association Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m., 116 Kiehle Building

June 9, 2008, NWSA Alumni Association Board Meeting, 12:00 p.m., 116 Kiehle Building

Maroon & Gold Fridays
Show your Golden Eagle Spirit by wearing maroon & gold on Fridays. | more

Stanley Alseth

Stanley Alseth was a 1935 graduate of the Northwest School of Agriculture, the residential high school that is a predecessor of today's University of Minnesota, Crookston. For Alseth, life brought both hardship and joy, and he considered his years at the Northwest School some of the best of his life.

Growing up in southern Minnesota, Alseth's mother passed away when he was only four. He was sent to live in an orphanage near Willmar, Minn. It was at the orphanage that Alseth discovered a passion for basketball. In a corner of the hayloft of the barn, a clearing was made for the children to play basketball. This homemade basketball court was where Alseth learned to play and where he said he "felt most comfortable."

The orphanage was home until Alseth turned 13 and was sent to live with an aunt and uncle in Roseau, Minn. His uncle enrolled him at the Northwest School and he began working in the barn to help pay for his education. This work prevented him from joining any athletic teams until he was in his third year when he was a member of the football team. He loved the gridiron, but it was on the basketball court that Alseth found real joy. In 1935, he not only lettered, but also received the Widseth-LaVoi medal. The award, named for Arthur Widseth, an outstanding student athlete, and Delmar LaVoi, a coach and assistant animal husbandman, the Widseth-LaVoi medal was a highly coveted award given to a two-sport athlete with the highest scholastic average for the three-year period.

After graduating, Alseth entered the University of Minnesota where he worked in the dairy barn and washed dishes in a local restaurant to help pay his tuition. He graduated in 1941 and went to study at the Lincoln Aeronautical Institute in Lincoln, Neb., and following that took a job with the Martin Aircraft Company. In July 1943, Alseth was inducted into the U.S. Army and trained at Fort Carson near Colorado Springs, Colo. He served in Scotland, England, France, Belgium and Germany. When he turned 28 on May 7, 1945, victory papers were signed and WWII ended.

Following his time in the service, Alseth went back to Minnesota but later moved to Colorado to attend the University of Denver. His major was light construction industry with a minor in real estate. Eventually, he went to work for Martin Aircraft and later for the city of Baltimore, Md., focusing on air pollution control, a career that continued until 1978 when Alseth retired. Over the years, investments in real estate helped Alseth plan for retirement.

Alseth and his wife, Hanorah "Pat", enjoyed square dancing and traveling around the country and abroad. Over the years, the Alseths shared generously with the Crookston campus. Alseth believed that the experience he had at the Northwest School was something he wanted for other students. Their unrestricted gifts over the years in the form of gift annuities provided them with a stable income and allowed them to benefit the University of Minnesota, Crookston.

Kari Vallager

Kari Vallager, a 2003 graduate with degrees in dietetics and healthcare management, serves as secretary of the University of Minnesota, Crookston Alumni Association (UMCAA) Board. She has been on the board for two years and finds spreading the word about the U of M, Crookston "the most worthwhile thing about serving."

As a student, Kari enjoyed the small atmosphere of the campus where she "was a name and not just a number." She feels that alumni support is imperative. "It is very important that alumni keep active and show their support of the campus," Kari says. "I would like to help the board be more visible in the community and in surrounding communities."

Kari encourages alumni to get involved with efforts to build an alumni scholarship. The board raised money for the scholarship through a raffle with prizes given away during homecoming. Anyone interested in more information on giving to the scholarship should contact Corby Kemmer at 218-281-8434 (ckemmer@umn.edu).

A receptionist at the Riverview Specialty Clinic, Kari schedules appointments, registers and admits patients along with answering the phone. She will also be busy in the coming months planning her wedding. Congratulations, Kari!

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