Welcome Back!

To start off, I hope everyone had a great thanksgiving break and got to spend a lot of time with your friends and family. I had a great break home spending time with family and friends and also hunting. I got home on Tuesday around 2:30 and had the hunters dream knocking down a perfect symmetrical 10 buck around 4:20. My family had a great hunting season with my dad shooting a 7 pointer on opening morning, myself getting one on Tuesday, and my sister on Wednesday. With all the venison though, we still had room for turkey on Thursday.

Reality came back though on Sunday night as I made the trip back to Marshall. It is always a good drive knowing that I have great friends to come back to. Then Monday hit and classes started back up again. You see more and more students in the library, including myself, trying to get a head start on their final projects and presentations.

Basketball is starting for the season. Be sure to stop by the games on Saturday in your white clothes for, “White Out,” versus Sioux Falls at 5:00 and 7:00. Congratulations and good luck to the volleyball girls who are advancing into the semi-finals today. Wrestling will start their season this weekend, so good luck to them. Also this weekend we will be having many perspective students on campus for a campus visit day so be sure to say hi!

As for me, I am busy working on final projects and presentations, memorizing a play, and gathering information together for final comprehensive exams. This weekend my Sweetmates and I are going to Brittany’s home for the weekend in Hitchcock, SD. We are looking forward to a great weekend and a break from school work for a little while.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and don’t worry, I’ll be sure to be wearing my Packer jersey on Sunday for the Packer and Viking game and hopefully a victory so I can wear it on Monday! Go Pack Go!

As always, Go Mustangs!:)

Amanda Brunner
Sophomore - Arkansaw, WI

Christmas and Basketball

In my past three years at college, we have never had fall semester go right up to the week before Christmas, until my now!  There are definitely some mixed feelings on campus about whether or not this is a good thing.  I think it is beneficial because we have three weeks to finish final projects for all of our classes instead of the normal two.  However, that also means that we only have a couple days after finals week to get home and settled for Christmas.  Oh well what can you do besides adjust, which happens quite often in college!

Speaking of Christmas, it has definitely taken over for the campus of SMSU!  Personally, my house has been in the spirit since October because one of my roommates is absolutely crazy about Christmas.  At the school, the big tree is up in the student center, holiday music is always playing, and I have even started to see some ugly Christmas sweaters.  Although I do I have a friend that wears one all year long so that does not surprise me at all!

This Saturday is the first NSIC play for the men’s and women’s basketball teams.  The theme for this game is White Out. I am excited to see everyone getting into the basketball spirit!  I will let you know next week how it went!

Laura Johnson
Senior – Maple Lake, MN

Rolling into the Homestretch...

We are rolling into the homestretch of the fall semester after a much needed Thanksgiving break. There are only 3 weeks of classes left, then finals.  It seems like just yesterday men around campus were starting Movember with little more than stubble on their upper lip.  Now it is already the last week of the month, and mustaches and beards are in full flourish.  Although this time time of the year can be busy with homework, projects, and finals, it is still a very fun and exciting time at SMSU.  The volleyball team has won the NSIC championship and has moved on to the regional NCAA DII tournament.  The basketball teams are starting up another promising season as well.  Next week will be our annual Casino Night on campus that is sponsored by several large groups with a lot of great prizes to be won.  But I better get  back to my homework so I can partake in some of these great events to come. 

Tony Schwebach
Senior - Dell Rapids, SD

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Thanksgiving Break sure was a nice break from all the commotion at SMSU! It was at the perfect point just before things start really buckling down here for Academics. With three weeks of this semester left, things are really starting to pick up here at SMSU, classes are coming to an end and people are finishing their last big papers or projects. Finals are only two weeks away! While things are getting serious for the academics, Intramurals are just getting under way for basketball and indoor volleyball. We also have our Men's, Women's and Wheelchair basketball games to attend and our 2012 Volleyball Tournament Champions to entertain us also. With so much going on here on campus its hard to stay focused, that's why my favorite place to be on campus when I need to do my homework is the 4th floor in the library. It is super quiet, and has plenty of space to spread out and crack out a paper.Here on campus you will always find something to do and a great place to relax with some buddies. Tonight we are hosting a comedian and I can not wait to have a good laugh with some great friends. It's nice to break away from the studying for a little while.
Until next time!

GO MUSTANGS!

Katie Salden
Freshman - Cokato, MN

Buck Fever Has Officially Hit!

With a nice long weekend and a four day week, I can’t believe that today is already Friday. This week has just flown. Not only that, but Thanksgiving break is next week. Some students on campus have their schedules worked out to where they can go home today and not come back until after break. For me though, I have a couple tests on Monday along with work and important classes on Tuesday. Also this weekend is, “A Day at SMSU,” which is a big visit day for perspective students. All student ambassadors are required to be there and give tours. I am opening up my room in Sweetland Hall this weekend for a show room so the students will get the chance to see both residential options that the University provides. A few of my friends and I decided that we are going to have a movie marathon this weekend.

This week was full of music around campus. On Tuesday night XY Unlimited performed in the lower conference center and on Thursday night Kris Allen and Eric Hutchinson performed a concert in the Recreation Athletic Facility. The XY Unlimited show was free for students, but the Allen/Hutchinson concert had a fee of $15.00 for students with their Mustang ID, $20.00 for general admission, and $25.00 if tickets were purchased on the day of the show. There were many students and general members that attended the concert. On Thursday night there was also a home men’s basketball game. They had a hard battle against Michigan Tech and were just 8 points shy of a win.

As for me, I am busy getting final projects pulled together. Career Services has been a great reference for me this past week. Part of the criteria for a class is to get your resume analyzed by a trained professional. What a better place to go than on campus to Career Services. They were very helpful and honest with what I had and I now have something I feel proud to turn in not only to the professor but as well as in the future when I am job searching. Getting together with my group members has also been fun. Listening to other’s thoughts and ideas is rewarding because it opens up your own mind to new ideas as well. We are working on managing social media in the workforce; something that our generation is fully aware of and will have to deal with when entering a job. Because it is so relevant, it is fun to work on and research. We look forward to presenting our information we have gathered to our professor and to our other colleagues.

I would like to wish all the Wisconsinites the best of luck and safety this weekend during gun opener. Being the hunter that I am, I can’t wait for break to come and hopefully knock down a big buck one of my own! I would like to share this picture of a nice Wisconsin buck that my uncle shot with his bow.  Congrats again Terry! :)

Amanda Brunner
Sophomore – Arkansaw, WI

Things are Happening at SMSU

Hello again!

I hope everyone had a great week with classes and you are all looking forward to a great long weekend and a four day week next week. I know I am! With Veterans Day on Monday remember we don’t have classes :) With the semester over half way done, we are all working on those final projects as I mentioned in my recent blog. Those along with homework of our own, this is a busy time of year for students. Before we know it Thanksgiving will be here, then finals, so don’t put anything off for last minute (from previous experience, it isn’t fun if you do).  My final projects so far include: a group project, a final presentation, a 10 minute play, and pulling study material together for comprehensive final tests.

Both Tuesday and Wednesday morning, around 20 ambassadors gathered in the lower level of the conference center to valet park cars for the Schwan’s conference that is held at SMSU. Students, including myself, were greeting people as soon as they stepped out of their car. We were their first impression on the campus that day, and we hope that we made a lasting impact on their thoughts. When Schwan’s employees pulled their car up, a student would hand them a number to keep for the day. This number was also placed on their key ring as well as on their dash board in the car. Then the student would go and park their car in the designated lot. At the end of the day, we then got all the cars back down to the conference center in numerical order so when the conference was done, all a member had to do was give us the number and then we could direct them to their car right outside of the door. This is not only a convenience for the Schwan’s employees but also quite the experience for students like me. How many times do you hear of college students valet parking cars? It is something that I brag about to my other friends back home. The ambassador program awards scholarships to ambassadors within the program. This is a fundraiser we do to raise money for these scholarships. We have also been around the football games selling hats, headbands, mittens, and scarves. The money we raise from them will be put towards the scholarships as well.

Wednesday brought all SMSU students advising day. This means that the only classes that were not canceled that day were those after 5:30. This gave students the opportunity to meet with their academic advisors and discuss and sign up for the classes they are going to be taking for spring semester as well as their academic plan as a whole. This is an awesome asset towards earning your degree. Getting that extra information and direction just is another factor in my reassurance that our professors and counselors here at SMSU truly care about what the future holds for each and every one of us on campus.  Wednesday night the men and women basketball teams started their season off with a home opener on campus in the Recreation Athletic Facility. For any sporting event on campus, students get into all of the games/matches for free with their Mustang Student Identification. This is a great way to go out and cheer on all of our Mustang Athletes.

I would like to thank all of the Veterans that have served our country. Without you, we would not be where we are today. You are all a true inspiration of bravery, generosity, and selflessness. Often times we don’t stop and think about it, but take the time this weekend to thank those who have served or are serving for this place we call home. A big shout out and a thank you to my best friend Brian Tolonen for currently serving as a United States Air Force member.

Hope you all enjoy your weekend! Until next time, Go Mustangs! And Go Pack Go! :)

Amanda Brunner
Sophomore - Arkansaw, WI

Busy Weekend on Campus

Last week was another busy week for me.  I started a new job and had some big projects due. The extended weekend provided me an opportunity to catch up a little bit.  SMSU did not have classes on Monday in honor of Veterans Day.  (Thank you all who have served our country.)  One of the over 100 student groups on campus is the Veterans Club.  They are a very active group who always has great fundraising events (especially the walking tacos).  Although it was a 3-day weekend, the SMSU campus was very busy.  We hosted some high school playoff games.  Volleyball had games on Friday and Saturday.  Football played on Saturday. Wheelchair basketball had games on Saturday and Sunday. I attended a little of each on Saturday.  There was also a local craft fair on campus.

Tony Schwebach
Senior - Dell Rapids, SD

SMSU Athletic Round-Up

Some super exciting news has been happening for the Mustang volleyball team this year.  They were recently named No. 1 in the nation!  This is the first time any sports team at SMSU has been named No. 1 in our school’s history!  So it is safe to say that games lately have had even more people at them to support the team!  The energy and atmosphere in the gym has definitely gone up in intensity and competitiveness!  The team doesn’t have many more games of the regular season left and then its playoff time!

As for the football team, it doesn’t matter how good or bad the team is, there is always student body support and plenty of cheering!  After a thrilling win this past weekend, the team now holds a record of 4-6.  It was also camo day at the game and there was a bunch of blaze orange and camo!  Even though its cold, true Mustang fans always find time to tailgate!

Since it is now getting cold out, it seems like the transition from fall to winter sports is happening quickly!  I am so excited for winter season sports, but also very excited for playoffs for the fall sports!

GO MUSTANGS!!!!!

Laura Johnson
Senior – Maple Lake, MN

Full Steam Ahead...

Classes are definitely moving at full steam.  This week (more than previous weeks) I have had to buckle down and finish homework, projects, and study for exams.  Thankfully there are many resources at SMSU that provide students opportunities to succeed.  The library has seen me quite a bit this week.  Other resources on campus are the Academic Commons, tutoring, counseling and testing, and the writing center.  Of course, professors always have office hours in which they are more than willing to help their students.

Also, many faces on campus are starting to see a fuzzy addition in the spirit of Movember.

Tony Schwebach
Senior - Dell Rapids, SD

Another Week Has Flown By...

Another week has flown by here at SMSU. Last weekend, my dad, mom, sister, and grandma came to visit me. It was exciting to show them around and have them see what I do on a daily basis here on campus. Now, when I call and tell them about things that I am going to, or things that happened, they can visualize where I am on campus! They also spent some time in my dorm and watched the Packers beat the Jaguars. After 9 hours on the road though, they had a long day and were tired when they got back. In the end though it was a day well spent with my family and I was sad to see them leave; But Thanksgiving is right around the corner and will be here before I know it.

Also last weekend the Fine Arts building saw many faces over the course of the days for their play, “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940.” The theater was open for free student night on Thursday and had showings again Friday and Saturday. Being an usher for the theater department, I along with the other ushers greeted people as they entered the theater tearing tickets, handing out programs, and helping patrons to their seats. The play is very , very good! If you like a laugh and a little mystery at the same time it is definitely for you. There is still a chance to catch the play as it wraps up its production this weekend with showings on Friday and Saturday night along with a matinee showing on Sunday.

This week on campus there were high school athletic events going on. Minneota and Dawson-Boyd battled out three games in the Recreation Athletic Facility for sub-section volleyball. Today in the Regional Event Center high school teams are playing to see what football team will advance on their journey to the state tournament. This just goes to show that campus isn’t only available for SMSU students. Marshall Community members and other local schools get to experience the great things that SMSU has to offer while they are still in high school.

This week brought a few tests for me and with the semester past the half way point, final projects and group work is starting. For me, I like group work because I feel that is what the real world is going to be like. Depending on and trusting others to do work that you are a part of is something that is going to happen in the work place on a daily basis. I believe that working in groups is a great learning experience for any college student. Also this week I made a trip to Brookings, SD (my 3rd time visiting the state) with my Sweetmates to watch the SDSU vs. Black Hills basketball game. My Sweetmate, Brittany, has a high school classmate that starts on the Black Hills team so we went to support him. It was fun to experience another college setting, but it just made me reassure myself that SMSU truly is, “Where I Belong.”  As mentioned earlier, this weekend brings the play for me. Also we have a volleyball game against Augustana on Saturday as well as a football game against Condordia-St. Paul.  Good luck to both of the teams and I can’t wait to see you all there supporting the Mustangs. This weekend we will also have perspective students on campus. On Saturday the ambassadors will be out and about giving tours to those students so be sure and say hi.

I hope all of you have a great weekend! Good luck to all of you Minnesotans that will be out in the woods hunting for the big one!  Be safe and don’t let the buck fever get the best of you! :)

Until next time, Go Mustangs, and Go Pack Go!

Amanda Brunner
Sophomore - Arkansaw, WI