Centennial Student Union Blog
MARCH 18 – Minnesota State senior captain Sam Morton from Lafayette, Colo., has signed a one-year, two-way contract with the National Hockey League’s Calgary Flames organization. His contract will begin with the 2024-25 season. He will be joining the Wranglers (AHL) on an amateur tryout contract (ATO) for the remainder of the 2023-24 campaign. Former Maverick Walker Duehr (2017-22) plays on the Flames’ current NHL roster.
Maverick Men’s Hockey senior captain Sam Morton was named CCHA Player of the Year. The announcement on Friday, March 15, marks an exceptional season where Morton leads first in goals, first in shots, first in faceoff wins and first in power-play goals.
Mavericks’ star guard Joey Batt was named to the D2CCA Women’s Basketball All-Central Region First Team for her performance in 2023-24. The New Ulm, Minn., native was named both the NSIC Outstanding Senior of the Year as well as the NSIC Defensive Player of the Year for the third time in her career. She was also named to the NSIC All-Conference First Team.
Canadian multi-platinum performer bbno$, whose popular singles “Lalala” and “edamame” have been streamed collectively over one billion times, will perform at the Thursday, April 11, Spring Concert in Bresnan Arena. Student tickets start at $15 with guest and VIP ticket upgrades available. Purchase online at www.mnsuevents.com.
During his workday, James Mackey is often working behind the scenes as a graphic designer with Creative Productions, Minnesota State Mankato’s in-house print shop. His true passion since his childhood is sharing illustrated stories. As illustrated author JP Mackey, he has published seven such stories to date. Find out what drives JP the author in a short Q&A feature.
MARCH 11 – Shari Dickerman has been named the fifth Head Coach in Minnesota State women’s hockey history. Dickerman has been a member of the coaching staff since 2009 and served as Acting Head Coach earlier this season during Head Coach John Harrington’s medical leave of absence. Dickerman is a former Maverick All-American goaltender (2000-04). She has played or coached 174 Minnesota State women’s hockey current and former student-athletes.
An Irish connection led the Maverick Handball team to its third consecutive national collegiate championship. Mark Doyle of Wexford, Ireland, and Clodagh Monroe from Carrickmore, Northern Ireland, claimed their first open singles titles in their respective men’s and women’s divisions at the U.S. Handball Associations Collegiate National Champions concluding Feb. 16 in Minneapolis. The Mavericks swept the men’s, women’s and combined competitions with 4584 total points far outdistancing its nearest competitor, Missouri State University, with 4213 points.
“Get comfortable with being uncomfortable” are words offered by Quinten Wilson when sharing the importance of getting involved. For Quinten, experiences gained as a presidential scholar, finding opportunities for servant leadership or assisting the MSU Mavericks Baseball Team as a student coach have helped shape is life and future. The Spring 2024 BEST Board honoree uses his own experiences to encourage others to take a “leap of faith” and try something new.
Attorney general Keith Ellison will be giving a keynote presentation on environment and corporate law on Tuesday, March 19, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in CSU Ostrander Auditorium
The Spring 2024 Criminal Justice Career and Internship Fair will take place Tuesday,March 26, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in CSU Ballroom. This is a rescheduled event originally planned for Feb. 27.
Nadia Mohamed, the first Black mayor of St. Louis Park, Minn., will be this year’s keynote speaker as the 48th annual Dr. Michael T. Fagin Pan African Conference, returns to Minnesota State University, Mankato Thursday and Friday, Feb. 29 and March 1.
One of the University’s long-standing traditions, the annual conference in the Centennial Student Union was established by Dr. Michael T. Fagin and invites participants to “explore how they are cultivating, nurturing and affirming safe spaces and groups as a collective form of resistance, transformation and reclamation.”
For Joseph Roeser, one of eight Spring 2024 BEST Board honorees, the crowning moment of his college career was creating and completing the Stomper Bookcase Project which launched a project for placing children’s books on established bookcases in Mankato area laundromats. For Joseph, it was just part of a lifetime of memories formed as a member of his Sigma Nu fraternity.
Whether it was creating educational events with the Women’s Center, the LGBT Center or Veterans, Atlas James sought Student Events Team programming that sought to show commonality and opportunities to connect among students from all backgrounds, genders and sexual orientations.
Minnesota State’s Abel Christiansen (hurdles), South Milwaukee, Wisc., took home NSIC Track Athlete of the Week honors and Onyekachi Ukaobasi (jumps), Geneva, Ill., won NSIC Field Athlete of the Week in a clean sweep of weekly awards announced Monday, Feb. 12. This marks the second time this year that the Mavericks have claimed both NSIC Track and Field Athlete of the Week honors.
Annelise Miller’s nominator disagreed when Annelise said she didn’t do anything to deserve BEST Board recognition. It was that unassuming demeanor mixed with Annelise’s passion for writing that earned her a place on the BEST Board. Her prolific writing that fuels the weekly MAVERICK INSIDER student e-newsletter serves to keep all fellow Mavericks informed and engaged.
Needing help with scholarships? Come to the Multicultural Center (CSU 269) any Tuesday or Wednesday, 1 to 3 p.m. until the end of February. Final day to apply for scholarships is Feb. 29.
This week’s Maverick Minute features another great resource on our campus—the LGBT Center. The Unviersity’s LGBT Center is the second longest-operation university LGBT Center in the country.
Each month President Edward Inch offers his Prez Ed Says message to students. In his most recent message, President Inch extends a “Thank You” to all students as incredible ambassadors for the University.
Spring ’24 BEST Board honoree Jake Hauser is spending his semester before graduation leading a local March book drive as part of National Reading Month. The drive seeks to become a new Maverick Tradition benefitting local libraries. In addition, Jake serves as secretary for Mavs in Action promoting volunteerism in the greater Mankato area.
In the second of a two-part series on generative AI, Dr. Rajeev Bukralia is of the mindset that generative AI in the classroom can enhance student learning if it is used as a tool and not a shortcut. Used honestly with proper disclosure can actually challenge students’ critical thinking abilities.