News & Notes

Minnesota State Moorhead Office of the President campus news, updates and media coverage.

  • School of Art alumni help raise over 2.2 million in art sales for charity

    The Art of Giving (TAG) — North Dakota’s largest art exhibition and sale — returned to the Grand Forks Curling Club this year on September 25th. Since its inception, TAG has sold over $2.3 million in artwork and donated more than $575,000 to local charities, including the Grand Forks Children’s Museum. Dozens of MSUM School of Art faculty, alumni, and […]

  • 1,000+ Fifth Graders Take Over the Planetarium! 🌟

    The MSUM Planetarium recently celebrated the completion of another month-long series of programs for West Fargo Public Schools! Over the course of the month, more than 1,000 fifth graders joined us for two shows each day. Years of development and fine-tuning have gone into creating a program specifically for this grade level, making each visit an opportunity to bring classroom […]

  • MSUM plays key role in Veteran’s Mural as FM’s Largest piece of Public Art

    “Pathway to Freedom”. The mural project began when retired long-time MSUM Building Foreman, Larry Nicholson, President of VVA Chapter 941 suggested a community mural be created to honor veterans. Larry teamed up with Vietnam veterans Ed Ahonen and Rex Selness to initiate the project. They contacted Brad Bachmeier, then Chair of the School of Art for assistance. Brad coordinated resources […]

  • Help Highlight MSUM Accomplishments for the HLC Assurance Argument – 3D

    In continuing the discussion, Minnesota State Moorhead is preparing for our Higher Learning Commission (HLC) site visit, which will occur in Fall 2027. As part of that preparation, the HLC Coordinating Committee (HLCCC) is collecting evidence and writing the Assurance Argument that will be provided to the visiting team. Although the HLCCC will do much of the work of identifying […]

  • Help Highlight MSUM Accomplishments for the HLC Assurance Argument

    Help Highlight MSUM Accomplishments for the HLC Assurance Argument Minnesota State Moorhead is preparing for our Higher Learning Commission (HLC) site visit, which will occur in Fall 2027. As part of that preparation, the HLC Coordinating Committee (HLCCC) is collecting evidence and writing the Assurance Argument that will be provided to the visiting team. Although the HLCCC will do much […]

  • Undergraduate Economics Research is published in Issues in Political Economy

    In the latest Issues in Political Economy publication (Volume 35 Issue 1 – https://www.elon.edu/u/academics/business/ipe/about-the-journal/journal-issues/volume-35/), Demi-Lee Carlisle’s research is featured with six other undergraduate research papers written by students from elite universities in the U.S. and Japan. Carlisle’s econometric analysis, “The Cost of Loadshedding on the South African Economy,”  provides an estimate of monetary losses to the South African economy from […]

  • High School Intern Launches Public Planetarium Show on NASA’s New Roman Space Telescope

    This summer, Jacob Hammer, a junior in Fargo Public Schools, completed an internship with Sara Schultz at the Minnesota State Moorhead Planetarium, culminating in the creation and presentation of a public planetarium show about NASA’s newly launched Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Throughout the internship, Hammer immersed himself in the science behind one of NASA’s most anticipated space missions while […]

  • Campus News Wins National Award for Best All-Around Television News Magazine

    Minnesota State Moorhead edges out other finalists, including Arizona State & Penn State, for SPJ's top honor.

  • Online Construction Management Program Named a Top 3 Program in United States

    Minnesota State Moorhead’s online Construction Management degree has been recognized as one of the top three online bachelor’s programs in construction management in the United States for 2026 by OnlineU. Moving up from its previous top-10 ranking, this national honor highlights the program’s ongoing commitment to delivering a high-quality, flexible education that prepares career-ready professionals for the fast-paced construction industry. […]

  • Minnesota State Moorhead Receives National A+ Rating for Teacher Preparation 

    The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) recognized Moorhead for its preparation of future teachers in its Early Childhood Education and Elementary Inclusive Education programs.

  • Minnesota State Moorhead School Psychology program earns national accreditation 

    Moorhead is one of only two institutions in Minnesota with a NASP-accredited School Psychology specialist program.

  • Reaching for the Stars: MSUM Planetarium Director Shines in “Japan Meets LIPS” at Global Conference

    Sara K. Schultz, Planetarium Director, brought a U.S. perspective to an international stage at the International Planetarium Society conference in the session “Japan Meets LIPS.” A regular contributor to and practitioner of the Live Interactive Planetarium Symposium (LIPS), Schultz represented American approaches to live, audience-driven planetarium programming, demonstrating techniques that prioritize real-time dialogue, adaptability, and immersive storytelling. Presenting to an […]

  • Planetarium Director and Student Staff present in Japan at International Planetarium Society Conference

    Student Marah (MJ) West and director Sara Schultz traveled to Fukuoka, Japan to attend and present at the International Planetarium Society conference.  The 28th International Planetarium Society (IPS) Conference took place in Fukuoka, Japan, from June 21 to 26, 2026, hosted primarily at the Fukuoka City Science Museum. Themed “ONE EARTH, ONE SKY,” the event brought together industry professionals, educators, […]

  • MSUM honored with inaugural AI Innovation Award

    Moorhead earns first ever "Boltie Award" from host organization Element451

  • Student Developed Planetarium Show Debuts This Weekend, Blending Art & Science

    A new planetarium show, “TRAPPIST-1: an Exoplanet Story,” is debuting in the planetarium this Saturday, June 13 at 6 p.m. and Sunday, June 14 at 7 p.m. The show features a story, music, and voice acting created and performed by current Minnesota State Moorhead students. Tickets are now available Several students collaborated on the intersectional production to blend awe inspiring […]

  • Dr. Wisenden named among top researchers in his field

    Congratulations to Biosciences professor Dr. Brian Wisenden, who has been recognized as one of the world’s leading researchers in ecology and evolution by Research.com, a global academic platform. His ranking places him among top researchers from institutions around the world.

  • Dragons earn NSIC SAAC Cup

    Minnesota State Moorhead was announced the winner of the 2025-26 NSIC Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Cup, presented by ISG. Moorhead’s SAAC was presented the award during the joint dinner of student-athletes and the NSIC Board of Directors at the NSIC SAAC Summit, which is taking place Sunday-Tuesday on the campus of the University of Minnesota Crookston. This marks the second time in […]

  • Planetarium’s K‑Pop Laser Shows Continue to Sell Out

    The planetarium is once again lighting up the dome with its wildly popular K‑Pop Demon Hunters Laser shows, which continue to sell out show after show. Blending high-energy K‑pop hits with dazzling full‑dome laser visuals, the program has drawn enthusiastic crowds of all ages and sparked repeat visits. Due to overwhelming demand, staff encourage guests to purchase tickets early, as […]

  • Planetarium Director and Students Bring New Immersive Learning Tools to Campus After National Conference

    Sara K. Schultz, Director of the Planetarium, along with three student participants, recently attended the 2026 WorldViewer Network Conference (WNC 2026) in Denver, Colorado—a national professional conference focused on immersive visualization, dome‑based storytelling, and educational technology. Hosted by Elumenati at their state‑of‑the‑art Mile High Studio and GeoDome Experience Center, the two‑day conference brought together planetarium and science‑education professionals from around […]

  • School of Social Work faculty honored with Lifetime Achievement Award

    Linda Jaeger, faculty in the School of Social Work at MSUM, was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award in March at the ND Family Based Conference. Linda was joined at the conference with a group of Child Welfare scholars.  Linda is the Child Welfare Title IV-E scholarship program coordinator for the School of Social Work. Here’s what was said about Linda […]

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Media Coverage

  • (Meet Fargo, March 2026)
  • (September 28, 2025)
  • (September 16, 2025)
  • (Prairie Business, April 2025)
  • (Fargo Monthly, March 2025)
  • (The Forum & WDAY, August 22, 2024)
  • (August 22, 2024, Valley News Live)
  • (The Forum, WDAY+, August 2, 2024)
  • (The Forum, March 20, 2024)
  • (The Forum, March 20, 2024)
  • (The Forum, March 7, 2024)

Previous Media Coverage

Media Coverage 2023
  • (Star Tribune, November 25, 2023)
  • (Prairie Pulse, Prairie Public, October 26, 2023)
  • (Inforum, October 11, 2023)
  • (Prairie Business, September 7, 2023)
  • (Valley News Live, August 17, 2023)
  • (WDAY TV, August 17, 2023)
  • (KVRR TV, , August 17, 2023)
  • News & Views with Joel Heitkamp welcomes President Tim Downs and (KFGO Radio, August 7, 2023)
  • (WDAY Radio, July 14, from 2:15 to 2:45 p.m.)
  • (WDAY Radio, July 7, 2023)
  • (KFGO Radio, July 7, 2023)
  • (Inforum, July 6, 2023)
  • (Inforum, March 24, 2023)
  • (Star Tribune, March 22, 2023)