Inspire.

Leading By Example.

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 09:41:02 -0600

Mark A. LeTexier is a graduate success and role model. After returning home from serving in the United States Marine Corps, Mark made a life changing decision to return to school. He graduated from Northland Community & Technical College in 1985 with an Associate in Applied Science degree in Criminal Justice.  Northland was Mark’s college of choice. He shared, “I commuted everyday to Thief River Falls for classes because I had already established my home in East Grand Forks with my wife and two children. I selected Northland because I felt I could excel in a smaller community college setting; Northland proved to be a great fit for me.”
Northland’s Criminal Justice program prepared Mark for his future in Law Enforcement. “The faculty and staff were very welcoming and strived to help me succeed. Northland created a welcoming, supportive environment. It didn’t seem like a school, it was more like a large family with homework assignments.”
Mark’s hard work and determination definitely has paid off. In 1986, Mark began his law enforcement career as a Deputy Sheriff for Polk County in Crookston, MN. In 2002, Mark was elected as Polk County Sheriff. Mark has also served as a past District One Sheriff’s Director, as well as a member of the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board since 2007, a position that is appointed every four years by the Governor of Minnesota. Today, he serves on a number of professional associations: he represents the Minnesota Sheriff’s Association on the 911 Public Safety Answering Point Committee, serves as the Polk County Emergency Management Director, and is active in many local civic organizations.
The Northland Community & Technical College Foundation was able to help Mark make his dream come true. In his sophomore year Mark was the recipient of a Hartz Foundation scholarship. He recalls how important that scholarship was during a time when the family budget was tight. “Going to school full-time, commuting daily, and caring for a family made the household budget very tight. For a short period of time, anyone can make do; the scholarship helped lessen that burden.”
Mark proudly states, “The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has a thorough hiring process. Through this intense process, we feel, we are hiring the cream of the crop. Northland should be very proud of their Law Enforcement program. Over the years, we have hired thirteen deputies from Northland College, the last seven hires being under my tenure. I believe our deputies are number one in all aspects of their profession. It starts with their character, integrity and their willingness to serve others. Northland takes all the student has to offer and broadens their character, integrity and willingness to serve others by giving them the classroom experience and support they need to be successful in their law enforcement career.”
Mark shared, “Today, Northland Community & Technical College is still a great hometown college. It meets the needs of our traditional and non-traditional students and is a valued partner in our community. Northland is more than a school, it is a family. It gives me a great feeling when I meet graduates from the Criminal Justice program and I can relay to them that I am an NCTC graduate too!”
Mark and his wife Ruth live in East Grand Forks. Ruth is a graduate of the NCTC Nursing program and is currently the Director of the Surgical Technology program at NCTC’s East Grand Forks campus. Together, they have two daughters. Kate is a psychology professor at Wenatchee Valley College in Wenatchee, WA, where she also holds the position of division chair. Jessica is a nurse and is currently employed at the NCTC - East Grand Forks campus as a practical nursing instructor.

Discovering a Dream.

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 10:41:24 -0600

Bob Wayne graduated from Goodridge High School in 1980. He made the decision to stay at home and help operate the family farm. After farming for seven years he decided that poor weather was just too big of an obstacle to overcome. This opened a new door for him. He decided to go in a totally new direction by going back to school.
Bob shared, “Right when I walked in the door at Northland, I felt welcome and accepted. I just knew that I would be given every opportunity to be successful." He continued, "NCTC gave me the opportunity to prove to myself that an older than average farmer, who was not successful in his first choice of a career, could get that second chance in life and make something of it."
Bob chose Northland for a number of reasons. "It was a perfect, affordable place to go to college and see if I was actually college material." Northland was also close to home for Bob. This allowed him the ability to still work at home while attending college.
Northland's college instructors made a huge impact in Bob's life. “Positive, fantastic instructors, like Dr. Diane Drake and Dr. Tyrone Birkeland, really made an impact on my future decision to go into education", Bob shared. "I really enjoyed how they interacted with students and made learning not only meaningful, but enjoyable.”
The Northland Community & Technical College Foundation also assisted Bob in his college dreams. He recalled, “I received two scholarships from the Hartz Foundation while I attended NCTC. I really appreciated receiving the scholarships. They were very helpful in assisting with the cost of college.”
Bob was also fortunate to be asked to be an assistant football coach under Rick Nelson and Terry Wiseth. This helped shape and make NCTC a real positive college experience for him. He shared, "I was also able to meet many people who still today I call good friends."
During his sophomore year he was selected to be the Student Senate President. This gave him a wonderful opportunity to work with many up and coming young leaders. Bob summarized this experience, "The leadership skills I developed while being in student senate influenced my desire to become a principal.”
After graduating from Northland, Bob attended Minnesota State University, Moorhead (MSUM). In 1991 he received his Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Education. Bob recalled how his transition from NCTC to MSUM was very smooth. "All of my credits transferred seamlessly and I was fully prepared to begin my junior year.”
After MSUM, Bob started teaching social studies at Franklin Middle School in Thief River Falls. While teaching, he took classes from Minnesota State University, Mankato, to earn his Masters Degree in Educational Leadership. He also worked to obtain his Principal License. Bob shared, "In 1997, I became the Assistant Principal at FMS, and in 1999, the Principal of FMS. I absolutely love working with Middle School students and our fantastic staff!”
Bob and his wife Lynell live in rural Thief River Falls. They have two children, Erica (19,) who is a junior at North Dakota State University, and Erin (14,) who is an 8th grade student at Franklin Middle School in Thief River Falls.

For the Love of the Land.

Tue, 1 Sep 2009 10:39:30 -0500

It has been said, “you can take the man off the farm, but you can never take the farm out of the man.” For Jack Hangsleben, being off the farm wasn’t an option. Jack loved to farm and he was seldom away from it.
Starting with nothing, Jack began farming in East Grand Forks in the early 1950’s. After buying a few acres of land from his father and working with his uncle, Jack slowly built his own farm. He never wanted to work for someone else; He felt a strong sense of independence and self-reliance.
His plan was simple, yet required a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication. He owned a few acres, rented some more land and grew potatoes and grains. The profits were immediately reinvested in buying more land and equipment. Every cent earned was put back into the farm.
In 1964 Jack married kindred spirit Madeline “Bobbi” Stallman. Jack would work and oversee the crew in the field and Bobbi would work and oversee the crew in the warehouses. They worked long hours, united in building a strong farm. They were often found selling vegetables from their large garden in front of the Grand Fork's K-Mart.
Jack was very deliberate in managing his acreage and understood the importance of good stewardship. Jack would often say "Farmers can’t just keep taking from the land. We need to replenish the nutrients and prepare it for future crops." Bobbi shared his belief, “If you take care of the land, it will take care of you.”
Jack also understood the importance of helping others. A young farmer, who rented land from him said, “If Jack hadn’t given me the chance, I probably wouldn’t be farming today.”
Sadly, on September 12, 2007 Jack died at the age of 72.
Jack’s wife of 43 years, Bobbi, is still on the farm. She now rents out the land Jack took such great care of. She summarizes by saying, “Jack loved life, loved working and loved the land.”
To honor her late husbands hard work and dedication, Bobbi donated $26,000 to the NCTC Foundation to start the Jack Hangsleben Endowment. She is planning on growing this endowment to $100,000. Starting this fall, and for every year after this year, a scholarship will be awarded in Jack’s memory to a student entering the Farm Operations and Management Program at NCTC in East Grand Forks.
Bobbi wanted people to know, “Jack would be happy knowing that he is helping others who are willing to work hard and gain an opportunity to succeed in farming.” It is Bobbi’s desire to continue to add to Jack’s endowment. This will create even more financial support to help more individuals who share a love of the land.
To see more images of the Hangslebens, click “here”.

Going the Distance...A Lesson in Commitment.

Mon, 1 Jun 2009 10:37:32 -0500

One of the keys to success is a great education. Both education and success require dedication and commitment. Former Northland student Karla Hammer literally went the distance to obtain her education and find success.
Karla, who is a Senior Technology Consultant at Brady, Martz & Associates, lives in Grand Forks with her husband Tim Olson and children Taylor, Courtney, Megan and Jeff.
We recently had an opportunity to hear her experiences and insights.
What was your primary reason for attending Northland?
"I felt I would be able to obtain a great education in an atmosphere that worked with my family needs. I knew the college had the program I wanted as well as great instructors who would provide me with a strong education.
At the time I attended NCTC I was a single mother of three young daughters under the age of eight. To obtain my education, I drove from Fairdale, ND to NCTC (Over 180 miles roundtrip), five days a week, for two years.
Northland was flexible and worked with me to succeed. I got individualized attention and support when I needed it. I am not sure I would have had that going anywhere else."
How did your experience at Northland contribute to your current career?
"I was able to obtain a great educational foundation and acquired a decent job right out of school. I went through the graduation ceremony and started my job one week later."
What is your favorite memory while in school?
"The great group of students that I was fortunate to interact with in my classes. I am still close with a few of them today."
How has your career evolved over the years since finishing school?
"I was an Information Security Specialist and Network administrator; then I began my consulting and auditing career. While working full-time, I returned to school and obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management with a Criminal Justice Emphasis, a Masters of Business Administration in Management and a Masters of Science in Information Technology.
I have been a speaker on Security and Risk Management, Business Contingency Planning and Identity Theft Awareness at the following events:
• Minnesota Government Information Technology Symposium
• The Great Plains Technology Conference sponsored by Sen. Byron Dorgan
• NDSU 2008 Information Technology Security Conference
• The North Dakota Bankers Association
Recently I became certified as a Certified Identity Theft Risk Management Specialist, and hold Certification in Homeland Security (Level II). I am also a member of the National Emergency Response Team through the Department of Homeland Security."
What advice would you give to current students in your field?
"Believe in yourself, if you do not no one else will either. Do not be easily swayed by any obstacles, consider them as checkpoints as you finish your education and grow as a person."
Would you recommend Northland to others?
"Northland is a great college and I would recommend it to anyone who is in the process of evaluating schools for their education. Anyone who has the courage to succeed and the determination to become successful can do so with the wonderful support one receives from Northland."

Back to School and Loving It!

Fri, 1 May 2009 10:34:37 -0500

Kevin Maurstad, a single parent of three, decided to go back to school. After working in various careers, such as farming, truck driving and carpentry, Kevin turned his attention to nursing. Kevin shared, "I struggled with academics in high school. Starting classes again after twenty-five years was a daunting decision to make. I am proud that I have maintained a 4.0 grade-point-average through the first five semesters of classes."
We recently sat down with Kevin and asked him a few questions about his experience at Northland.
Why return to school and go to Northland?
"Northland College was a good fit for me. When I decided to return to school, I wanted to get my degree quickly. As a single parent, juggling school, work, and family is difficult. When you add finances to the mix, a two year degree seemed like the right choice for me. The Nursing program at Northland has a reputation for quality instructors and a good course selection. I have decided to go on for my RN degree in the fall of 2009. The new nursing wing will be great!"
What were the recent scholarships you received?
"I was recently awarded two scholarships. The first was the NCTC Foundation Golf Scholarship and the second was the Dr. Russell O. and Inez Sather Scholarship. I really appreciate getting the scholarships. They were very helpful in assisting me with the cost of college."
What is your favorite memory while in school?
"I have no single memory that is a favorite. Instead I have a compilation of good memories throughout my two years so far. I have really enjoyed the interaction with the other students. I have met many new people, and gained more than a few new friends. I like the diversity of the student body at Northland. The barriers of age, race, or gender can sometimes isolate people and at Northland I don’t see that, it has a very friendly atmosphere.
The faculty has been fantastic. They are here to teach and are more than wiling to help when asked."
Are you involved in any activities?
"There are many opportunities to be part of something at Northland. I am in the S.O.T.A. club (Students Older Than Average) and Phi Theta Kappa (Academic Honor Society). School and work keeps me more than busy. I try to fit in hobbies when I can. This refreshes the well and keeps me going."
What advice you would give to students in your field?
"This is a great field of study. There is a shortage of nurses and that trend is on the rise. There are almost limitless possibilities in this profession. In the same respect, this is also a competitive field. Any student needs to stay focused and must be willing to put in the hours to be successful.
My advice would be to commit to the program and the time will fly by. Before you know it, you will be marching down the aisle at graduation with a promising future in front of you."
Would you recommend Northland to others?
"Yes. My daughter, Kaitlyn, just transferred here and we both are enjoying the experience. I am proud to be showing my children the results of discipline and focus. This is one thing I can do to help them with their endeavors.
It doesn’t matter if you’re 18 or 80 there is something for everyone here. The advisors are great at getting you set up, the faculty is excellent, and all the people I’ve met have been really friendly. The new remodeling upon completion will be an added bonus. Technical schools are the new hot way to get an education and Northland has a lot to offer.”