Research Dragon Stories

Today we honor Jonathan Bauer, a second-year animation major at MSUM. He is originally from Montgomery, Minn. Jonathan served in the Army for three and a half years in active duty as a wheeled vehicle mechanic and wrecker operator. He first served in Camp Casey, South Korea, then in Fort Drum, New York.  

Today we honor veteran Brenda Norris, a staff member here at MSUM. Brenda is the Executive Director for Facilities Management and prior to that she worked on campus as a consultant on several capital building projects, beginning in 2002.   

On November 8, City of Moorhead voters will consider a ballot initiative to build a new Moorhead community center and regional library, funded by a 0.5% local option sales tax. As a 12-year Moorhead resident and proud president of Minnesota State University Moorhead, President Anne Blackhurst strongly endorses this initiative.

When Kevin Hanson walked into Gate City Bank one morning in 1983, he didn’t know if they were hiring. He had graduated with a bachelor’s in finance from MSUM two days prior and opened a phone book just hours before to look for job openings. 

Before Angel Fuentes knew what she wanted to study, or even whether college was the right path for her, she felt the pressure of being a first-generation college student.

As the MSUM Planetarium celebrates its 50th anniversary, it reflects on the many students, faculty and staff who have helped shape its success over the past half century. 

MSUM has recently been awarded a Federal grant that will allow us to take our commitment to veterans to the next level.

Mary Dodge came to MSUM expecting to study English, then took an astronomy class that led to a lifelong career in planetariums and film-making.

Dragon Pride runs deep for Tim and Kathy Peil. Beyond their legacy in the classroom, the Peils impact students by creating a scholarship and making a planned gift through their estate.

For the past 50 years, the MSUM Planetarium has been a place for inspiration and exploration. The planetarium’s director, Sara Schultz, expects it will play that role for another 50 years.

Ashley and Christopher Johnson, Ph.D., MSW, established the Gayel Marie Saude Scholarship Fund in 2022. The scholarship provides up to $2,500 annually to support social work students.

Matt Weil shares his success in the Audio Production and Entertainment Management field, starting from his beginning days on the campus stage.