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GOLD College kick-off Sept. 9 at SMSU

Schools

The fall kick-off session for GOLD College will be held in the Conference Center Upper Level at SMSU on Wednesday, Sept. 9, starting at 1:30 p.m. with registration and social time. The fall instructors will give previews to their courses beginning at 1:45 p.m.   GOLD College is an exciting program that offers lifelong learning opportunities to adults in areas of personal interest. GOLD is an acronym for “Growth, Opportunity, Learning, Development.” GOLD College offers non-credit classes with a variety of topics: art, history, computers, current events, music, writing, health, ...

So, why exactly, did everyone love Dolly?

Faith

Surely not everyone in America is a country music fan, right? Nor is everyone simply mega fans of 1980s hit rom-coms and movie dramas either. So what gives? What exactly made Dolly Parton, the country music sensation, entrepreneurial businesswoman and pop culture icon, so universally ...

Once in a while our heroes are worthy of our admiration

Faith

The old adage says you’re better off not meeting your heroes; they’ll only let you down. I counter that once in a while a hero does turn out to be worthy of admiration. And I am fortunate that my pastoral mentor was one. Divine design brought us together when I accepted a position as a leader at a small, rural church while I was still attending seminary. Denominational policy dictated that as a lay minister, I needed an experienced clergy person to help guide me as I grew as a pastor. And our synod, and my church, turned to the neighboring church parish where Pastor Jill had been ...

SMSU launches My SMSU app

Schools

Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) announced the launch of My SMSU, a new campus engagement app powered by CampusGroups designed to help students connect with campus life, stay informed, and engage more fully in the Mustang community. My SMSU serves as a centralized hub where students can discover events, join organizations, receive important announcements, access campus resources, and connect with fellow students, faculty, and staff, all from their mobile devices. The goal is to provide students with an easy and convenient way to stay connected to the opportunities, ...

SWWC hosts Dr. Stephanie Stollar for reading assessment workshop

Schools

SWWC Service Cooperative (SWWC) welcomed nationally recognized literacy expert Dr. Stephanie Stollar to its Marshall office on Aug.7 for a highly attended professional development workshop focused on improving reading outcomes for students. The event, Reading Assessment Done Right, brought together approximately 45 educators from across the region and state for a full day of learning and collaboration.  Stollar is the founder of Reading Science Academy and co-author of Reading Assessment Done Right. During the workshop, she shared evidence-based practices for selecting, interpreting, ...

Two years; two lives forever transformed

Faith

I recently celebrated my second anniversary at our large faith-based mission that provides emergency shelter, housing and food services to hundreds upon hundreds every week. It’s been a more emotional milestone than I anticipated. But it's a hard story to fully explain to folks who ...