Spring/Summer 2025
BSU Magazine
Greetings from President Hoffman
Hear directly from President John L. Hoffman as he introduces you to this edition of the BSU Magazine and addresses several key issues currently taking place in our communities.
Boozhoo, Beavers!
Welcome to our second digital-only edition of the Bemidji State University Magazine.
I typically use this space to share with you a preview of what to expect in this issue of our magazine, along with some brief highlights of life on campus. However, June was a challenging month in Minnesota, as our city and state were shattered by a series of heartbreaking events.
Like so many across Minnesota, I grieved the senseless loss of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and I am saddened by the attempt on the lives of State Senator John Hoffman and his family. These acts of violence were shocking and devastating, and they strike at the very heart of our values and our shared humanity.
Then on June 21, the city of Bemidji was buffeted by a powerful storm that left widespread destruction in its wake — and the Bemidji State University campus was not spared. As we are still in the midst of our recovery from this storm, you won’t read about it in this issue. But we’re working on a special storm-related update that we’ll share with you soon.
The stories you’ll read in this issue of our magazine focus on technology, and in light of recent events I hope you will make note of a common thread woven throughout them. Our students, our faculty and our employees work tirelessly to bring people together and to use their talents in service of others.
In this issue, you’ll read stories about what could be a groundbreaking discovery in a fight against an infection that takes more than 1 million lives a year around the globe. You’ll read about an alumnus who is using technology to help anglers build a community around their time on the water.
And you’ll read about an exciting new initiative that will bring students from BSU and NTC together beginning this next academic year: our esports initiative. This endeavor, made possible thanks to our long-standing partnership with Paul Bunyan Communications, will begin as a club team this fall in the GigaZone Gaming Lounge being built in Bridgeman Hall. This program is another way BSU expresses our deep commitment to innovation and opportunity for our students as they develop invaluable leadership, strategy and collaboration skills. This program is the result of years of planning, and we’re grateful to our partners at Paul Bunyan Communications for helping this vision become a reality for our students and for our region.
I have often spoken about how much I value the people of this university and college, in no small part because of our ability to come together in difficult times. As members of this community, we have a profound responsibility to our students, to each other and to the world we’re helping shape. Now more than ever, we must model the kind of civil discourse, compassionate engagement and courageous leadership that our communities desperately need.
Miigwech!
Greetings from President Hoffman
Hear directly from President John L. Hoffman as he introduces you to this edition of the BSU Magazine and addresses several key issues currently taking place in our communities.
Boozhoo, Beavers!
Welcome to our second digital-only edition of the Bemidji State University Magazine.
I typically use this space to share with you a preview of what to expect in this issue of our magazine, along with some brief highlights of life on campus. However, June was a challenging month in Minnesota, as our city and state were shattered by a series of heartbreaking events.
Like so many across Minnesota, I grieved the senseless loss of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and I am saddened by the attempt on the lives of State Senator John Hoffman and his family. These acts of violence were shocking and devastating, and they strike at the very heart of our values and our shared humanity.
Then on June 21, the city of Bemidji was buffeted by a powerful storm that left widespread destruction in its wake — and the Bemidji State University campus was not spared. As we are still in the midst of our recovery from this storm, you won’t read about it in this issue. But we’re working on a special storm-related update that we’ll share with you soon.
The stories you’ll read in this issue of our magazine focus on technology, and in light of recent events I hope you will make note of a common thread woven throughout them. Our students, our faculty and our employees work tirelessly to bring people together and to use their talents in service of others.
In this issue, you’ll read stories about what could be a groundbreaking discovery in a fight against an infection that takes more than 1 million lives a year around the globe. You’ll read about an alumnus who is using technology to help anglers build a community around their time on the water.
And you’ll read about an exciting new initiative that will bring students from BSU and NTC together beginning this next academic year: our esports initiative. This endeavor, made possible thanks to our long-standing partnership with Paul Bunyan Communications, will begin as a club team this fall in the GigaZone Gaming Lounge being built in Bridgeman Hall. This program is another way BSU expresses our deep commitment to innovation and opportunity for our students as they develop invaluable leadership, strategy and collaboration skills. This program is the result of years of planning, and we’re grateful to our partners at Paul Bunyan Communications for helping this vision become a reality for our students and for our region.
I have often spoken about how much I value the people of this university and college, in no small part because of our ability to come together in difficult times. As members of this community, we have a profound responsibility to our students, to each other and to the world we’re helping shape. Now more than ever, we must model the kind of civil discourse, compassionate engagement and courageous leadership that our communities desperately need.
Miigwech!
Greetings from President Hoffman
Hear directly from President John L. Hoffman as he introduces you to this edition of the BSU Magazine and addresses several key issues currently taking place in our communities.
Boozhoo, Beavers!
Welcome to our second digital-only edition of the Bemidji State University Magazine.
I typically use this space to share with you a preview of what to expect in this issue of our magazine, along with some brief highlights of life on campus. However, June has been a challenging month in Minnesota, as our city and state have been shattered by a series of heartbreaking events.
Like so many across Minnesota, I grieved the senseless loss of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and I am saddened by the attempt on the lives of State Senator John Hoffman and his family. These acts of violence were shocking and devastating, and they strike at the very heart of our values and our shared humanity.
Then on June 21, the city of Bemidji was buffeted by a powerful storm that left widespread destruction in its wake — and the Bemidji State University campus was not spared. As we are still in the midst of our recovery from this storm, you won’t read about it in this issue, but we’re working on a special storm-related update that we’ll share with you soon.
The stories you’ll read in this issue of our magazine focus on technology, and in light of recent events, I hope you will make note of a common thread woven throughout them. Our students, our faculty and our employees work tirelessly to bring people together and to use their talents in service of others.
In this issue, you’ll read stories about what could be a groundbreaking discovery in a fight against an infection that takes more than 1 million lives a year around the globe. You’ll read about an alumnus who is using technology to help anglers build a community around their time on the water.
And you’ll read about an exciting new initiative that will bring students from BSU and NTC together beginning this next academic year: our esports initiative. This endeavor, made possible thanks to our long-standing partnership with Paul Bunyan Communications, will begin as a club team this fall in the GigaZone Gaming Lounge being built in Bridgeman Hall. This program is another way BSU expresses our deep commitment to innovation and opportunity for our students as they develop invaluable leadership, strategy and collaboration skills. This program is the result of years of planning, and we’re grateful to our partners at Paul Bunyan Communications for helping this vision become a reality for our students and for our region.
I have often spoken about how much I value the people of this university and college, in no small part because of our ability to come together in difficult times. As members of this community, we have a profound responsibility to our students, to each other and to the world we’re helping shape. Now more than ever, we must model the kind of civil discourse, compassionate engagement and courageous leadership that our communities desperately need.
Miigwech!
Bemidji State senior Bill Ketola has discovered a bacteria-targeting virus that may someday help treat tuberculosis. And the breakthrough might not have ever happened if Ketola didn't come to Bemidji.
Viruses are everywhere.
But, according to Dr. Holly LaFerriere, professor of biology at Bemidji State University, many — perhaps even most — of them remain a mystery to science.
“Not a lot of them have actually been isolated or characterized,” she said.
With antibiotic-resistant bacteria becoming an increasing global health concern, LaFerriere says scientists have refocused their research on bacteriophages — viruses that only infect and destroy bacteria — and phage therapy, which puts biophages to work in medical treatments.
Biophages were discovered early in the 20th century and used to great effect during World War I to thwart dysentery and cholera. Medical research eventually shifted in favor of antibiotics, which were easier to deliver and highly successful in combatting bacterial infections.
“It’s important for us, for understanding viruses in general and for having tools for phage therapy, to isolate and characterize these novel viruses,” LaFerriere said.
Bill Ketola, a BSU senior enrolled in LaFerriere’s Advanced Research Project course, has done just that. During his research work this past academic year, Ketola isolated a previously uncatalogued phage and has demonstrated that it may eventually play a role in treatments for tuberculosis.
For Ketola, a biochemistry major from New Brighton, his road to this discovery started on the football field at Chet Anderson Stadium.
“Originally, I came to BSU because of the football team,” he said. “I had two offers to play Division II college football, and when I got to BSU for a visit, I just loved the campus and the atmosphere of the city. The coaching staff was what I was looking for in a program, and I ended up loving the academic side and the research that I got to do here, as well.”
LaFerriere said that Ketola’s work in her lab saw him isolate and characterize a previously undiscovered and unidentified virus.
“Because he isolated a novel virus, he was able to name it,” she said. “It’s a brand-new thing that no one else has worked with. We have the genome, and that supports our idea that this is a new virus.”
Ketola labeled his discovery “Jant.” He coined the name by combining the names of Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson and Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Anthony Edwards, two of Ketola’s favorite professional athletes.
Finding the right sample
Ketola says bacteriophages can be found anywhere bacteria lingers.
“The optimal conditions for bacteria growth are moist soil — you might call it rich if you were a farmer, or if a biologist was planting it,” he said. “If it looks like it would support plant life, it will probably support bacteria growth as well.”
His sample was taken in Richmond, which is about 30 miles southwest of St. Cloud, during a football bye week.
“My fiancé and I went to spend the week at her parents’ house in Richmond, and they live across the street from a corn field,” Ketola said. “When I was looking at the soil in the corn field, it seemed optimal for phage isolation. I took a sample and brought it back here to the lab, and sure enough it ended up having a phage in it.”
In the lab, Ketola added the soil sample to a culture of Mycobacterium smegmatis — a safe, fast-growing bacteria that is commonly used in lab experiments.
“I was very excited, because that was actually the third time that I had taken a soil sample, and the first two times did not turn out well,” he said. “When I finally walked into the lab and looked into my Petri dish and saw the plaques, I was very excited to see that I had been successful and was going to be able to do more research going forward.”
An image of Jant zoomed in to 50 nanometers. (Courtesy / Bill Ketola)
LaFerriere credits some of Ketola’s success to what she calls “lab hands,” or a natural aptitude for scientific experimentation, that she noticed in him right away.
“He’s just able to do the work inside of the lab with ease,” she said. “That is a talent. It’s something that people are born with and they’re very lucky to have. You can build up your skill in lab — that takes time and patience — but he just has a natural talent.”
Ketola said the research he completed this past year confirms that his bacteriophage is a lytic phage, which means it is capable of infecting and killing Mycobacterium smegmatis. That bacteria shares many characteristics with Mycobacterium tuberculosis — the bacteria which causes tuberculosis infections. His research also has confirmed that his phage can kill what are called biofilms created by the Mycobacterium smegmatis.
Biofilms are created when individual bacterial cells join together and form a mass, which then secretes proteins, sugars and other material to protect them from the environment. This shell helps biofilms resist treatment from current antibiotics.
“My phage, Jant, is able to kill biofilms,” he said. “Future work is necessary to confirm it, but there’s a good chance that if it can kill Mycobacterium smegmatis, it can kill Mycobacterium tuberculosis.”
‘Amazing to think about’
Ketola described the knowledge that his research may play a future role in saving lives as “surreal.”
“This work that I’ve done, because it was required for my degree, that I’ve fallen in love with all of a sudden, it might have real-world implications,” he said. “It’s not just another essay that I had to write or research paper. This is a real thing that might go out into the real world and help people. It’s kind of amazing to think about.”
As a member of the Beaver Football program, it’s no surprise that Ketola credits his success to a team of supporters.
“I’ve had just a great support system around me,” he said. “My parents have been incredibly supportive. They go to every single football game. Even if they have to drive to Minot, North Dakota, or Wayne, Nebraska, they still go to every game. They helped me make my decision to come to Bemidji and then, once I got here, I’ve had a great relationship with my football coaches and with my professors who have been there to guide me and help me through.
“I wouldn’t have been able to do this all by myself,” he said. “I really have everyone else to thank.”
In addition to his support system, he credits the experience he has received at Bemidji State University as key to his success as well.
“I don’t think I could have had a better undergraduate experience anywhere except BSU,” he said. “I met the love of my life here, I won two conference championships here for football, I’ve been to Texas and Colorado for football games. I have had once-in-a-lifetime experiences that I never would have gotten if I wouldn’t have come to Bemidji.”
Ketola shared his work at BSU’s Student Achievement Conference in April, and he and presented the discovery this summer at the American Society for Microbiology’s ASM Microbe conference, June 19–23 in Los Angeles. Ketola presented during a June 20 poster session entitled “Friday Fundamental Phage Biology, Phage Defense, and Mobile Genetic Elements.” He was joined by presentations from four other research teams — two from the United States, one from China and one from Japan. The conference was expected to draw more than 5,500 scientists from more than 20 countries.
Bemidji State senior Bill Ketola has discovered a bacteria-targeting virus that may someday help treat tuberculosis. And the breakthrough might not have ever happened if Ketola didn't come to Bemidji.
Viruses are everywhere.
But, according to Dr. Holly LaFerriere, professor of biology at Bemidji State University, many — perhaps even most — of them remain a mystery to science.
“Not a lot of them have actually been isolated or characterized,” she said.
With antibiotic-resistant bacteria becoming an increasing global health concern, LaFerriere says scientists have refocused their research on bacteriophages — viruses that only infect and destroy bacteria — and phage therapy, which puts biophages to work in medical treatments.
Biophages were discovered early in the 20th century and used to great effect during World War I to thwart dysentery and cholera. Medical research eventually shifted in favor of antibiotics, which were easier to deliver and highly successful in combatting bacterial infections.
“It’s important for us, for understanding viruses in general and for having tools for phage therapy, to isolate and characterize these novel viruses,” LaFerriere said.
Bill Ketola, a BSU senior enrolled in LaFerriere’s Advanced Research Project course, has done just that. During his research work this past academic year, Ketola isolated a previously uncatalogued phage and has demonstrated that it may eventually play a role in treatments for tuberculosis.
For Ketola, a biochemistry major from New Brighton, his road to this discovery started on the football field at Chet Anderson Stadium.
“Originally, I came to BSU because of the football team,” he said. “I had two offers to play Division II college football, and when I got to BSU for a visit, I just loved the campus and the atmosphere of the city. The coaching staff was what I was looking for in a program, and I ended up loving the academic side and the research that I got to do here, as well.”
LaFerriere said that Ketola’s work in her lab saw him isolate and characterize a previously undiscovered and unidentified virus.
“Because he isolated a novel virus, he was able to name it,” she said. “It’s a brand-new thing that no one else has worked with. We have the genome, and that supports our idea that this is a new virus.”
Ketola labeled his discovery “Jant.” He coined the name by combining the names of Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson and Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Anthony Edwards, two of Ketola’s favorite professional athletes.
Finding the right sample
Ketola says bacteriophages can be found anywhere bacteria lingers.
“The optimal conditions for bacteria growth are moist soil — you might call it rich if you were a farmer, or if a biologist was planting it,” he said. “If it looks like it would support plant life, it will probably support bacteria growth as well.”
His sample was taken in Richmond, which is about 30 miles southwest of St. Cloud, during a football bye week.
“My fiancé and I went to spend the week at her parents’ house in Richmond, and they live across the street from a corn field,” Ketola said. “When I was looking at the soil in the corn field, it seemed optimal for phage isolation. I took a sample and brought it back here to the lab, and sure enough it ended up having a phage in it.”
In the lab, Ketola added the soil sample to a culture of Mycobacterium smegmatis — a safe, fast-growing bacteria that is commonly used in lab experiments.
“I was very excited, because that was actually the third time that I had taken a soil sample, and the first two times did not turn out well,” he said. “When I finally walked into the lab and looked into my Petri dish and saw the plaques, I was very excited to see that I had been successful and was going to be able to do more research going forward.”
An image of Jant zoomed in to 50 nanometers. (Courtesy / Bill Ketola)
LaFerriere credits some of Ketola’s success to what she calls “lab hands,” or a natural aptitude for scientific experimentation, that she noticed in him right away.
“He’s just able to do the work inside of the lab with ease,” she said. “That is a talent. It’s something that people are born with and they’re very lucky to have. You can build up your skill in lab — that takes time and patience — but he just has a natural talent.”
Ketola said the research he completed this past year confirms that his bacteriophage is a lytic phage, which means it is capable of infecting and killing Mycobacterium smegmatis. That bacteria shares many characteristics with Mycobacterium tuberculosis — the bacteria which causes tuberculosis infections. His research also has confirmed that his phage can kill what are called biofilms created by the Mycobacterium smegmatis.
Biofilms are created when individual bacterial cells join together and form a mass, which then secretes proteins, sugars and other material to protect them from the environment. This shell helps biofilms resist treatment from current antibiotics.
“My phage, Jant, is able to kill biofilms,” he said. “Future work is necessary to confirm it, but there’s a good chance that if it can kill Mycobacterium smegmatis, it can kill Mycobacterium tuberculosis.”
‘Amazing to think about’
Ketola described the knowledge that his research may play a future role in saving lives as “surreal.”
“This work that I’ve done, because it was required for my degree, that I’ve fallen in love with all of a sudden, it might have real-world implications,” he said. “It’s not just another essay that I had to write or research paper. This is a real thing that might go out into the real world and help people. It’s kind of amazing to think about.”
As a member of the Beaver Football program, it’s no surprise that Ketola credits his success to a team of supporters.
“I’ve had just a great support system around me,” he said. “My parents have been incredibly supportive. They go to every single football game. Even if they have to drive to Minot, North Dakota, or Wayne, Nebraska, they still go to every game. They helped me make my decision to come to Bemidji and then, once I got here, I’ve had a great relationship with my football coaches and with my professors who have been there to guide me and help me through.
“I wouldn’t have been able to do this all by myself,” he said. “I really have everyone else to thank.”
In addition to his support system, he credits the experience he has received at Bemidji State University as key to his success as well.
“I don’t think I could have had a better undergraduate experience anywhere except BSU,” he said. “I met the love of my life here, I won two conference championships here for football, I’ve been to Texas and Colorado for football games. I have had once-in-a-lifetime experiences that I never would have gotten if I wouldn’t have come to Bemidji.”
Ketola shared his work at BSU’s Student Achievement Conference in April, and he and presented the discovery this summer at the American Society for Microbiology’s ASM Microbe conference, June 19–23 in Los Angeles. Ketola presented during a June 20 poster session entitled “Friday Fundamental Phage Biology, Phage Defense, and Mobile Genetic Elements.” He was joined by presentations from four other research teams — two from the United States, one from China and one from Japan. The conference was expected to draw more than 5,500 scientists from more than 20 countries.
Hooked on an Idea
Jake Richmann bought into the idea that he could improve fishing in northern Minnesota and around the world. With the BigFin Fishing app, he's making it happen.
Jake Richmann isn't just fishing for innovation. He's reeling it in.
Jake Richmann isn't just fishing for innovation. He's reeling it in.
Every angler has their own white whale.
Jake Richmann’s was making sure everyone else could catch theirs, and that’s how the BigFin Fishing app came to be.
“I saw an opportunity to solve a problem in the fishing community,” said Richmann, a 2004 Bemidji State University graduate. “It was the ability to have data, research and analytics at their fingertips while they’re on the water. We want this app to be a companion to make their lives easier, to have more fun fishing and really enjoy the outdoors.”
The BigFin app incorporates all sorts of data — from weather forecasts and geographical pins to story logs and photo albums — all to help anglers get the most out of each fishing trip.
“The technology is really going to change the game in helping the angler have a better fishing experience with the right tools,” Richmann said. “Picture a toolbelt; when somebody’s working, they have a hammer, nails, a screwdriver. Same thing with BigFin. Now they have the weather at their fingertips and all the data and analytics they need to be effective.”
The app itself has been two years in the making. Alongside his business partner Jeff Shaw, Richmann set out to improve the resources that anglers have when casting a line. Research and development is finally at the finish line, and Richmann plans to publicly launch the app in July.
Richmann admitted that he thought the process would be a months-long — not years-long — undertaking. But the wait will be worth it, he assured.
“We don’t just want to release an app. We want it to be a good app that can be useful and that people can benefit from,” he said. “We’ve slowed down to develop a quality app with the right functionality, the right performance for anglers of all levels, and now we’re finally at the finish line to get this thing launched.”
Richmann and Shaw also took their time by talking with and listening to anglers of all kinds. They collaborated with both lake fishermen and sea fishermen, ranging from novices to experts, to identify the needs they have.
The finished product, Richmann said, serves them all.
“The BigFin app is available for all types of fishermen. That’s the beautiful thing. From novice to expert, it addresses all their concerns,” Richmann said. “The novice can download the app, know when to go and see the weather, and have a great experience. And then the expert, it’s a daily journal they can reference. It’s their guidebook and concierge for fishing as they go every single day.”
Richmann is excited to get the app in the right hands, but he’s perhaps equally excited to see its impact in northern Minnesota. He remains appreciative — almost nostalgic — of everything the North has given him.
At Bemidji State, he met his wife and gained an education. He also found people willing to invest and galvanize him. He also found inspiration on the lakes all around campus, which is where he first fell in love with fishing.
And now that the BigFin app is coming to the North Woods, Richmann hopes a student just like him will take notice.
“I just hope that this app inspires people,” he said. “Maybe they look into it, see that I went to Bemidji State (and think), ‘Hey, I want to come up with something.’ That’s what it’s all about.”
Written by Micah Friez
How One Scholarship Launched a Lifelong Learner to the Digital Stratosphere
Not only does Kailee Stenseng enjoy the challenge of new technological developments, she channels it into a calling that drives her forward.
The rapid evolution of tech may scare some folks away.
Not Kailee Stenseng.
“The thing about computer science is that you can learn as much as you want, but tomorrow, there’s always going to be new stuff to learn,” she said. “I really like that as a challenge, to be honest.”
Stenseng, a 2020 Bemidji State University graduate, is a senior software engineer at DigiKey. Even in her earliest days with the Thief River Falls-based electronic parts supplier, Stenseng could tell she was in the right arena.
Not only does Stenseng enjoy the challenge of new technological developments, she channels it into a calling that drives her forward.
“I pursued this career simply because I really enjoy learning,” said Stenseng, who also earned a master’s degree in software development from Maryville University of St. Louis in May 2025. “I didn’t want to have a career where I’d get bored or it’d get stagnant. This is certainly not one that’d be like that. Even six years into this, I still feel like there’s so much for me to learn.”
Fortunately for the Bagley native, someone just like her inspired the decision to pay it forward at precisely the right time.
The late Darwin Thorbeck was a fellow Bagley product who became a successful entrepreneur in developing computer systems in Manhattan in the 1970s. He was an early believer in the power of electronic data processing and founded Thor Data Inc., a pioneering firm in inventory management and market research. Although Thorbeck never attended Bemidji State himself, his family found it important after his death to support a rural institution near his roots. Darwin’s wife, Romola, established a generous scholarship in his name at BSU, creating opportunities for Bagley High School graduates entering the areas of computer science or computer information systems.
Stenseng was the first recipient of that scholarship.
“Helping students has been a tremendous experience,” Romola Thorbeck said. “Just knowing how Kailee has flourished, even though I might have just had a small part to play in it, it means a lot.”
Economic and emotional impact
For a first-generation college student and an eldest child like Stenseng, the unknowns of stepping onto a campus are real and immediate. But thanks in part to the Thorbeck scholarship, she had the proper support to earn an education and even blaze a trail for her younger sister, Kari, who earned a Bemidji State degree in 2022, as well.
“Going into school was a completely new environment for my family and me,” Stenseng said. “But this scholarship allowed me time to get prepared and really focus on my studies and learn as much as I could by the time I got into my professional career.”
That stepping stone unlocked a trajectory that Stenseng firmly seized. She landed a summer internship with DigiKey in 2019, and then she stayed on as a part-time employee during her senior year at BSU. As soon as she graduated, Stenseng transitioned to a full-time role within the company and has been driving solutions ever since.
And that’s exactly what Thorbeck envisioned when she started the scholarship in 2015.
“To me, life is all about helping others get up,” said Thorbeck, who credits her mother for passing down a philanthropic spirit. “If it makes a difference, I feel blessed. And I couldn’t think of anything better I could do for my husband.”
On top of the economic benefits, Thorbeck’s scholarship has also tugged on Stenseng’s heartstrings in an emotional way because it’s designed for someone exactly like her.
“I think it’s really cool because Bagley is such a small-town area, and it’s just the idea of seeking someone going for computer science and such,” Stenseng said. “I want to follow suit at some point in my life, to be a role model to others and push them into the field too.”
In fact, Stenseng has already started paving the way for others to follow in her footsteps. She was first introduced to her employer at the annual DigiKey Collegiate Computing Competition, which she attended as a junior and senior at Bemidji State. These days, she’s on the committee that plans the event for students every year.
Her full-circle journey is one example of how donor support can make a crucial difference to a student.
“That scholarship enabled me to go outside the classroom, hence why I was in the programming competition,” Stenseng said. “I was trying to get as much experience as I could before I started pursuing a job. Bemidji State became an excellent launching point for me.”
On the flip side of things, Thorbeck has watched a career flourish because she got involved and invested. No doubt, her husband would have been proud of Stenseng.
“Giving has always been important to me,” Thorbeck said. “I couldn’t think of anything better than doing something for those where Darwin started out in life.”
Written by Micah Friez
How One Scholarship Launched a Lifelong Learner to the Digital Stratosphere
Not only does Kailee Stenseng enjoy the challenge of new technological developments, she channels it into a calling that drives her forward.
The rapid evolution of tech may scare some folks away.
Not Kailee Stenseng.
“The thing about computer science is that you can learn as much as you want, but tomorrow, there’s always going to be new stuff to learn,” she said. “I really like that as a challenge, to be honest.”
Stenseng, a 2020 Bemidji State University graduate, is a senior software engineer at DigiKey. Even in her earliest days with the Thief River Falls-based electronic parts supplier, Stenseng could tell she was in the right arena.
Not only does Stenseng enjoy the challenge of new technological developments, she channels it into a calling that drives her forward.
“I pursued this career simply because I really enjoy learning,” said Stenseng, who also earned a master’s degree in software development from Maryville University of St. Louis in May 2025. “I didn’t want to have a career where I’d get bored or it’d get stagnant. This is certainly not one that’d be like that. Even six years into this, I still feel like there’s so much for me to learn.”
Fortunately for the Bagley native, someone just like her inspired the decision to pay it forward at precisely the right time.
The late Darwin Thorbeck was a fellow Bagley product who became a successful entrepreneur in developing computer systems in Manhattan in the 1970s. He was an early believer in the power of electronic data processing and founded Thor Data Inc., a pioneering firm in inventory management and market research. Although Thorbeck never attended Bemidji State himself, his family found it important after his death to support a rural institution near his roots. Darwin’s wife, Romola, established a generous scholarship in his name at BSU, creating opportunities for Bagley High School graduates entering the areas of computer science or computer information systems.
Stenseng was the first recipient of that scholarship.
“Helping students has been a tremendous experience,” Romola Thorbeck said. “Just knowing how Kailee has flourished, even though I might have just had a small part to play in it, it means a lot.”
Economic and emotional impact
For a first-generation college student and an eldest child like Stenseng, the unknowns of stepping onto a campus are real and immediate. But thanks in part to the Thorbeck scholarship, she had the proper support to earn an education and even blaze a trail for her younger sister, Kari, who earned a Bemidji State degree in 2022, as well.
“Going into school was a completely new environment for my family and me,” Stenseng said. “But this scholarship allowed me time to get prepared and really focus on my studies and learn as much as I could by the time I got into my professional career.”
That stepping stone unlocked a trajectory that Stenseng firmly seized. She landed a summer internship with DigiKey in 2019, and then she stayed on as a part-time employee during her senior year at BSU. As soon as she graduated, Stenseng transitioned to a full-time role within the company and has been driving solutions ever since.
And that’s exactly what Thorbeck envisioned when she started the scholarship in 2015.
“To me, life is all about helping others get up,” said Thorbeck, who credits her mother for passing down a philanthropic spirit. “If it makes a difference, I feel blessed. And I couldn’t think of anything better I could do for my husband.”
On top of the economic benefits, Thorbeck’s scholarship has also tugged on Stenseng’s heartstrings in an emotional way because it’s designed for someone exactly like her.
“I think it’s really cool because Bagley is such a small-town area, and it’s just the idea of seeking someone going for computer science and such,” Stenseng said. “I want to follow suit at some point in my life, to be a role model to others and push them into the field too.”
In fact, Stenseng has already started paving the way for others to follow in her footsteps. She was first introduced to her employer at the annual DigiKey Collegiate Computing Competition, which she attended as a junior and senior at Bemidji State. These days, she’s on the committee that plans the event for students every year.
Her full-circle journey is one example of how donor support can make a crucial difference to a student.
“That scholarship enabled me to go outside the classroom, hence why I was in the programming competition,” Stenseng said. “I was trying to get as much experience as I could before I started pursuing a job. Bemidji State became an excellent launching point for me.”
On the flip side of things, Thorbeck has watched a career flourish because she got involved and invested. No doubt, her husband would have been proud of Stenseng.
“Giving has always been important to me,” Thorbeck said. “I couldn’t think of anything better than doing something for those where Darwin started out in life.”
Written by Micah Friez
For more than two decades, Arnold Dahl-Wooley has focused his energies on creating safe, supportive spaces in Minnesota’s North Woods for 2SLGBTQIA+ people and communities. His tireless work as a speaker, presenter and advocate led the 1998 Bemidji State University graduate to open Two Spirit Advocacy in October 2024, creating a much-needed permanent home for his work.
In addition to providing support, advocacy, events and activities for the entire Bemidji community, the center curates an online list of resources and organizations throughout Minnesota — and in some neighboring states — that are supportive of and safe for members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. He said the resources are directly vetted by Two Spirit Advocacy through personal connections with any organization or activity that is included.
“Our interactive database is the only one of its kind,” Dahl-Wooley said. “We are the only outreach agency that facilitates anything like this; we’re unique. We’re growing quickly, and we’re growing with the knowledge of who we are and how we can help.”
He said that in addition to connecting people with support and resources, the database also provides tangible proof of the breadth of Minnesota’s 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
“It shows people that there are safe spaces they might not have known even exist, and it shows the vastness of the population,” he said.
LEARN MORE: “2SLGBTQIA+ “ is an acronym referencing Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Plus all others who identify as a member of a sexual or gender-diverse community. Different individuals and communities may have their own definitions of these terms.
Honored by Twin Cities Pride
In celebration of his leadership, both for bringing Two Spirit Advocacy to Bemidji and recognizing his decades of work as a nationally renowned speaker, presenter and advocate for Two-Spirt people and issues, Twin Cities Pride honored Dahl-Wooley as its 2025 BIPOC Leader of the Year.
This is the third year that Twin Cities Pride has given the award, which is open to anyone from Minnesota. The organization said that the work Dahl-Wooley has done to be a “leading voice in the movement for Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ visibility” was key to his selection.
Dahl-Wooley received the award June 5 at Twin Cities Pride’s Grand Marshal Reception, held at the Machine Shed in Minneapolis.
“It’s surreal, because in my mind I’m still that little rez kid,” he said. “But I have something to say, and that’s why I was called there. This is important and special and I’m so honored to be a part of it.”
Providing the support he never had
In part, Dahl-Wooley founded Two Spirit Advocacy to provide access to resources and support that he, as a gay Indigenous man, was unable to find for himself while growing up on the Leech Lake Reservation.
“I pretended to be somebody else for years, and it’s exhausting. It’s absolutely exhausting,” he said. “When I was a youth, I always wished there was a place I could go just to get information. So I was intentional about creating a safe space that is culturally inclusive.”
He said the center also works to restore the cultural aspects of Two-Spirit identity, an identity which reflects people who held important gender-nonconforming or third-gender ceremonial roles in traditional Indigenous communities.
“We do have ceremony here,” he said. “We’ve learned some bad habits over the period of colonization, so we make sure that we have ceremonies like coming-of-age for our Two-Spirit populations. Sometimes we get overlooked or bypassed; it’s like we don’t remember what we’re supposed to do for them anymore. So we’re being very intentional — it’s being brought back.”
Finding himself at Bemidji State
Dahl-Wooley earned his associate’s degree in 1998 and credits his time at BSU to helping him understand and embrace his identity. He started his college journey at one of Minnesota’s two-year colleges, but he decided to transfer to BSU in search of a more supportive community.
“I loved the experience at BSU,” Dahl-Wooley said. “It was more welcoming, and I fit in with the community. There was a larger Native American population, there were resources for me, functions for me to attend. Those types of groups and environments were very helpful.
“That’s where I met a lot of new friends, and there were opportunities for me to learn different things. I felt more worldly over at Bemidji State University.”
He said the feelings of safety and support he felt at BSU empowered his decision to come out.
“It was at Bemidji State where I started to meet friends and understand what being gay and Native meant on a more powerful level,” he said. “I felt safer at Bemidji State just because of the diversity that was there. I didn’t feel alone.”
From that community, Dahl-Wooley has built a foundation to advocate for and support others through decades of work and education. The accolades he has received reinforce the need for the services that Two Spirit Advocacy provides, services which he says he is honored to provide to the community.
“I’m appreciative that people have paid attention to my cause,” he said. “It’s about suicide prevention, anti-bullying, outreach, advocacy and cultural inclusion. We’re working very hard.”
Written by Andy Bartlett
Photos courtesy of Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer and Ne-Dah-Ness Greene / Greene Photography
A new era of competitive gaming is coming to northern Minnesota.
In April, Bemidji State University announced the launch of its first organized esports program during Bemidji’s annual GigaZone Gaming Championship and TechXpo, in collaboration with Northwest Technical College and long-time partner Paul Bunyan Communications.
BSU and NTC will launch the esports program as a joint club sport in 2026, with aspirations of elevating the program to full varsity status in the future.
“In the heart of the North Woods, the esports program at Bemidji State and Northwest Technical College will redefine what it means to connect, compete and grow,” said John L. Hoffman, president of BSU and NTC. “It’s a bold expression of our commitment to innovation — bringing together students from all backgrounds to sharpen skills in leadership, strategy and collaboration. Esports will help us shape a more dynamic, inclusive future for BSU and NTC, rooted in the values and vision of our region.”
Drew Graham, chair of BSU’s School of Technology, Art & Design, said the program has been years in the making.
“We’ve been working on establishing an esports program at BSU for several years now,” he said. “It wasn’t until we partnered with Paul Bunyan Communications that we had enough support to actually make this happen.”
Paul Bunyan Communications is partnering with Bemidji State to get the initiative off the ground, providing technological infrastructure and collaboration in preparing, planning and launching the program.
Construction is underway to convert much of the third floor of BSU’s Bridgeman Hall into a new home for the program, the GigaZone eSports Lounge.
Concept layout of the GigaZone eSports Lounge
The GigaZone eSports Lounge includes separate, dedicated arenas for PC and console gaming, a broadcasting and podcasting center and an artificial intelligence lab. The PC gaming arena will be the largest of the four facilities, with 20 dedicated gaming stations, a team meeting table, storage lockers for team members and a lounge area. The console arena includes four stations that can accommodate multiple players for same-screen cooperative games, along with lockers for storage. A broadcasting suite includes a conference table for podcast production and a two-seat esports broadcasting booth, while the AI lab features three workstations and a conference table. All furnishings in the lounge are from Wisconsin-based Spectrum Industries, a leader in esports furnishings which has equipped college and university facilities across the country.
The lounge will be powered by Paul Bunyan’s GigaZone network, meaning BSU and NTC gamers will have no concerns about connectivity or lag during its matches.
Paul Bunyan CEO Chad Bullock says the lab will highlight the strengths of the GigaZone network while demonstrating the company’s commitment to BSU and NTC.
“Our cooperative is proud to support innovative opportunities that not only engage students but also highlight the power of the world-class broadband that our all-fiber optic network provides,” Bullock said. “This partnership reflects our shared commitment to the future of education, technology and providing esports opportunities right here in northern Minnesota.”
Opportunities for all
Graham said the program will support gamers — whether casual or competitive — and students looking to pursue gaming-related careers alike.
“We hope to attract any student who has an interest in gaming or our corresponding academic program areas,” he said. “The space will be available for gamers of any level, from casual gamers to club-level gamers to, hopefully, a full varsity team.”
Graham said the esports program will create unmatched opportunities for BSU and NTC students who seek to match their passion for gaming with their potential future careers.
“BSU will go beyond simply playing games,” he said. “Students can currently learn 3D modeling and VR development in our design programs, coding in our computer science programs and broadcasting or podcasting in our integrated media programs.”
Britt Lauritsen, BSU’s director of athletics, said the program is the result of a broad campus and community effort.
“The esports program has been an exciting, collaborative opportunity that we have been building with both institutions for over a year,” Lauritsen said. “To combine multiple academic programs in the design and brainstorming of the program along with the athletics department, BSU Alumni & Foundation and a community partnership like Paul Bunyan Communications takes a lot of time, effort and energy.”
She said the results will be worth the work.
“Students can look forward to a state-of-the-art space, the opportunity to flex their teamwork, leadership and problem-solving muscles and a competitive club atmosphere that will foster lifelong friendships,” Lauritsen said. “As the program grows, we look forward to seeing the club and, one day, a varsity program, compete and win on an international scale.
“That’s the beauty of esports,” she said. “You can compete against anyone in the world from the shores of Lake Bemidji.”
Written by Emily Dukek-Haasken
ALUMNI OP-ED
2009 Bemidji State graduate Lee Foster
Changing with Technology
When I was going through school at Bemidji State University, the extent of my exposure to technology was using a computer to do research, type up papers or create slides for a presentation. As a music performance major with a minor in industrial technology, I couldn’t have predicted that I’d wind up so immersed in a field that dominates our everyday lives, nor could I foresee the way tech shapes our present and future.
My current role as an A/V integrator and live event technician at NLFX Professional has me operating daily in a world fully immersed with ever-evolving technology and a front-row seat to how it impacts us.
The COVID-19 pandemic greatly immersed technology further into our home, work and school lives. Before that, webcams and teleconferencing were mostly limited to personal use or larger companies that had employees spread across multiple locations. Nowadays, the need to record, stream or simply interact from afar is an everyday need for many people. (And don’t forget to take yourself off mute before you start talking on a Zoom call.) These systems — which range from a simple sound bar that one cable connects to a laptop, to a large-scale system consisting of microphones, cameras, audio processors, projectors and even touch screens — have become heavily relied upon.
Of late, people and organizations everywhere are looking to enhance the experience for visitors and users alike. Background music, paging systems, video displays, internal and external communications — they’re all systems that I’ve seen asked for and implemented by multiple organizations, from houses of worship to corporate environments to government facilities. Seemingly gone are the days of the simple sit-down meeting with notepads.
While these systems can make things easy for the user, there is also a lot of work that goes into the design, implementation and operation of these systems. I sure have found that I tend to rely heavily on computers and computer networking. Using manufacturer software to work on firmware and systems, ensuring end-user computers and software interface correctly with the system — these are daily tasks for me.
With more technology being used in systems and ever-increasing complexity, the number of potential failure points also increases. Instead of just heading to a meeting, duties may now include connecting a laptop to a display, configuring Wi-Fi, starting a remote meeting software, ensuring a camera is working and troubleshooting the microphone — all before the meeting even starts! While the vast majority of users do not need to be experts in all-things technological, it’s definitely not a bad thing to have a working knowledge of the basics.
Technology isn’t going away anytime soon, and that’s not a bad thing. It’s an incredibly useful tool when used and operated effectively. Our challenge is simply to understand it and channel it to help ourselves and our neighbors. You never know when it might come in handy… just ask a music major like me.
LEE FOSTER
A/V Integrator and Live Event Technician
NLFX Professional
Class Notes
See what your classmates and colleagues are up to these days. If you've updated your information with the BSU Alumni & Foundation, you may even see yourself inside.
Students to Watch
Elise Monson and Jean Claude Habanyurukundo, both graduate students in Bemidji State University’s environmental studies program, are leading community-focused projects through the Center for Empowered Communities. Their work uses geographic information systems (GIS) to tackle regional challenges related to climate, sustainability and public health.
Originally from Grygla, Monson holds a bachelor's degree in political science and environmental studies. Habanyurukundo, a native of Rwanda, studied crop production and horticulture before moving to the United States six years ago.
Both students said that Anna Carlson, associate professor of environmental studies, and other supportive faculty, along with the opportunity to do real-world work, made the graduate program a clear choice.
“Anna made the decision easy for me; she told me about this opportunity and helped make it a reality,” Monson said. “I already had relationships with faculty, and the chance to work as a graduate assistant to help cover costs sealed the deal.”
Habanyurukundo said he felt welcomed from day one.
“I considered another university where no one responded to my inquiries,” he said. “At BSU, I was introduced to the whole department during my first visit. That support, especially from Anna, has made all the difference.”
Now in the thick of their research, the pair is putting advanced GIS tools to work to empower communities.
“We’re writing a climate action plan for five counties in the Headwaters region,” Monson said. “GIS helps us analyze energy data and map community assets. It’s about creating resources that people can actually use.”
Habanyurukundo is focused on local food systems and climate change related to agriculture.
“In Rwanda, people are dying from floods. Here, winters have changed. Everywhere, food security is fragile,” he said. “GIS helps us build tools like the Empower Bemidji HUB Site, which maps local assets related to food, housing, transportation and more.”
Both use GIS Online and ArcGIS Pro to conduct spatial analysis and produce web-based tools. The pair are working full time this summer to complete their climate indicator assessments before graduation.
“The seven indicators we focus on — ranging from energy to waste — came from a BSU initiative to build healthier communities,” Monson said.
Learning GIS didn’t come easily, but with the help of Jeff Ueland, professor of geography, it was made possible.
“There was a lot of trial and error,” Monson said. “It’s a steep learning curve, but faculty like Jeff Ueland were always there to help.”
“I felt lost at first, like I had to figure it all out immediately,” Habanyurukundo added. “But I learned that success isn’t always measurable in pounds or kilograms. Connections and community impact matter too.”
That community impact is what drives them. Monson is proud of her work with BSU’s Student Senate and the region’s food hub websites. Habanyurukundo, who plans to run for student senate, said he’s proud of the progress he’s made and the people he’s helping.
After graduation, both hope to continue supporting communities — Monson in climate resilience and Habanyurukundo in food security and sustainability.
“I want to leave every place better than I found it,” Monson said.
Their work has already taken them far. Habanyurukundo is working with the Headwaters Regional Development Commission and will be attending a worldwide GIS conference this July in San Diego, sponsored by the Center for Empowered Communities.
For Monson, the opportunity to attend BSU as a graduate assistant has been transformational.
“I wouldn’t be earning a master’s degree without it,” she said. “I’m so grateful to Anna, to the graduate assistant program and to the alumni and donors who support programs like this.”
Looking toward the future, Habanyurukundo is hopeful that the Center for Empowered Communities’ work will actively support regional needs in meaningful ways. Despite uncertainties with grant support for climate and community resilience efforts, the center and its partners are charging ahead.
“We’re facing more obstacles now than we did a year ago, but we are committed to this important work and continue to move forward,” he said.
The Empower Bemidji HUB Site is currently in development, with hopes to launch in 2026.
Written by Emily Dukek-Haasken
Students to Watch
Elise Monson and Jean Claude Habanyurukundo
BSU Graduate Students Use GIS Tools to Empower Northern Minnesota Communities
Ariana Castillo
From Bemidji to Quahog, Castillo Brings Family Guy to Life
Jesse Hasson
Through VR, Hasson Creates Year-Round Winter Wonderland
Join us for Homecoming!
Don't forget to save the date for this year's Homecoming celebration! All your favorites are returning in a weekend-long celebration of all things Bemidji State from Oct. 3-5. See you there, Beavers!
Join us for Homecoming!
Don't forget to save the date for this year's Homecoming celebration! All your favorites are returning in a weekend-long celebration of all things Bemidji State from Oct. 3-5. See you there, Beavers!
© 2025 Bemidji State University. All rights reserved.
Volume 40, No. 2
Spring/Summer 2025
EDITOR: Andy Bartlett
ART DIRECTOR, GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Mike Lee
WRITERS: Andy Bartlett, Emily Dukek-Haasken, Micah Friez
VIDEOGRAPHY AND EDITING: Andy Bartlett, Micah Friez, Nicholas Jackson
PHOTOGRAPHY: Micah Friez, Office of Communications and Marketing, Bemidji Pioneer, Greene Photography, contributed
CONTRIBUTORS: Andy Bartlett, Emily Dukek-Haasken, Micah Friez, Allyssa Joseph, Mike Lee, Angela Schmidt, Maggie Zebracka
The Bemidji State University magazine is produced by the Office of Communications and Marketing and the BSU Alumni & Foundation. It is published twice per year and distributed free of charge to BSU alumni and friends. Please direct editorial comments to andy.bartlett@bemidjistate.edu.
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