ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C The Northern Innovation and Startup Center is excited to announce its first inaugural FAIL Fest event, set for Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Engel¡¯s Event Co. The event is designed to show how setbacks, or supposed setbacks, can lead to success through creativity and innovation.

The keynote speaker for FAIL Fest is Sean Covel, a South Dakota native and producer best known for Napoleon Dynamite, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary. In his talk, ¡°From Small-Town Roots to Global Success: Innovation, Technology, and the Power of¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D.?¨C The winners of Northern State University¡¯s 2024 Idea Pitch Competition have been announced, with three students taking home top prizes for their entrepreneurial ideas. The competition, held on Oct. 17 in the Jewett Regional Science Center lobby, was sponsored by the Aberdeen Development Corporation.

1. Sam Tremelling, majoring in business administration, took first place and a prize of $500 for his app idea, Global Athlete Network. Tremelling also received a $50 People¡¯s Choice award for Greatest Need.
   
2. Abiah George, majoring¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D.?¡ª?Northern State University is pleased to announce that Dr. Sal Villegas, an assistant professor of management in the School of Business, will transition to lead the banking and financial services programs at Northern State University. With a passion for teaching and extensive industry experience, Dr. Villegas will lead the instruction and curriculum analysis of these innovative programs beginning in the fall semester.

Originally from southwestern Idaho, Dr. Villegas and his family have called Aberdeen home since 2020. He brings nearly two decades¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D.?¨C?Dacotah Bank has made a significant contribution to Northern State University, which will greatly enhance the resources and opportunities available to students and faculty within the newly established Business & Health Innovation Center. This generous gift includes the naming of the Dacotah Bank Dean of the School of Business.

The donation from Dacotah Bank will provide scholarships, marketing funds, and operational support to the NSU School of Business, as well as support the Northern Innovation and Start-Up Center. This investment¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C The Northern Innovation & Startup Center and Aberdeen Development Corporation are excited to announce the finalists for the inaugural Aberdeen Business Pitch Competition. This milestone represents a significant advancement in fostering entrepreneurship and innovation within the Aberdeen community.

The competition aims to inspire and support entrepreneurial ventures, refine business ideas, and provide access to vital resources such as investment and financing. The first-place winner will receive a $10,000 cash prize, sponsored by¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. - Northern State University has named Dr. Kristi Bockorny as the next dean of the School of Business. Bockorny assumes this leadership position as Northern begins construction of its new Business and Health Innovation Center, which will greatly enhance opportunities for students in the School of Business.

Bockorny is currently an associate professor of management and director of the NSU Honors Program. She will begin her new position on June 22.

"Dr. Bockorny brings a wealth of experience to this new position, including 14 years of full-¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C The Northern Innovation and Startup Center will present two programs designed to empower those looking to bring their business ideas to life. The Center, established in late 2022, is committed to fostering innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.

The Idea Workshop is scheduled from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 11 at Northern Valley Communications (NVC) hyflex conference room. The Idea Workshop is a collaborative, hands-on event tailored to inspire and guide individuals on their entrepreneurial journey. Led by Northern School of Business professors¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C Five finalists will have five minutes to sell their ideas, shark tank style, at Northern¡¯s annual Idea Pitch competition on Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. in Lincoln Gallery. The audience will weigh in on who walks away with cash prizes. The event is free and open to the public to attend. This year¡¯s finalists include students from the College of Arts & Sciences, School of Fine Arts and School of Business.

The finalist and their ideas are:
?    Alexandria Arndt, Criminal Justice: 9LIVES
?    Diana Li,¡­

Pictured, left to right: Dante Casanova, William Madler and Brandon Steinhauer

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C A team of three Northern State University students participated in a statewide data analytics competition this spring that was open to all South Dakota Board of Regents institutions.

Dante Casanova, William Madler and Brandon Steinhauer competed in the event, which was administered by Dakota State University and sponsored by Capital Services of Sioux Falls.

The students were given a dataset of approximately 300,000 records and used¡­

Pictured top, left to right: Drs. Kristi Bockorny and Theresa Giannavola; bottom, left to right: Drs. Shalini Mathew and Hannah Walters

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C Northern State University faculty members have published a scholarly paper based on their research of student engagement in Hybrid Flexible (HyFlex) courses.

Drs. Kristi Bockorny, Theresa Giannavola, Shalini Mathew and Hannah Walters published ¡°Effective engagement strategies in HyFlex modality based on intrinsic motivation in students¡± in the SAGE Publishing journal,¡­