Special Donor Issue - University of Minnesota, Crookston

Dr. Charles H. Casey Inauguration10Dr. Charles H. Casey was inauguratedMarch 3 as the fourth chancellor of theUniversity of Minnesota, Crookston(UMC). His inauguration was a day long celebrationfor the UMC campus. The ceremony,attended by nearly 400 people, took place at2:30 in Kiehle Auditorium and was followed bya reception in the Northern Lights Lounge inthe StudentCenter.Everyonewhoattendedfelt the enthusiasmand excitementsurroundingChancellorCasey’s appointment.In the evening, nearly 190 UMC faculty, staff,alumni, community members, and other friendscelebrated not only the inauguration but thecentennial at a social and dinner, which featuredlocally grown foods. Local producers featuredat the dinner included wine from TwoFools Winery in Plummer (owned and operatedby Senator LeRoy Stumpf and his wife),locally grown potatoes from Lonnie Spokely ‘03of Nielsville, MN, and even homemade breadsmade by a 4-H club in Clay County. Coffee andwild rice camefrom WhiteEarth(www.nativeharvest.com).There werecandles madeby the BridgeStreet CandleCompany inCrookston,which the horticulturestudents from UMC used in theirarrangements for the tables. Gifts for the platformguests were created by Marv Lundin ofThief River Falls. He does woodworking and hisspecial lazer engraved clocks commemoratingthe event were given to the platform guests.Gifts for those attending the ceremony includedcentennial chocolates made by Widman’sCandy in Grand Forks, ND and note cards thatfeature prints by local artist LaVonne Forsbergof Thief River Falls. She was commissioned topaint three watercolors for the Kiehle Building.The watercolors featured the new StudentCenter, the Kiehle Building, and the Gazebo onthe campus mall.Following the meal was a centennial dancefeaturing a jazz ensemble from the University ofIf you would like to learn more aboutthe inauguration, visit the web at:www.UMCrookston.edu/North Dakota. The entire celebration was thehighlight of the centennial year and a day thatwill be long remembered. It is also a bright harbingerof the future. ✦LaVonne Forsberg was one of the local artisans featured at theinauguration of Chancellor Casey. She is pictured working on awatercolor of the Kiehle Building.