Minot State University
Media Contact: Linda Benson, public information specialist
(701)858-3199 – linda.benson@minotstateu.edu

For Immediate Release: Date: May 23, 2014

MINOT SERTOMA CLUB PLEDGES $100,000 TO MSU FOUNDATION
Continuing a tradition of supporting Minot State University speech and hearing efforts, Mylan Sand, Minot Sertoma Club president, presented $28,000 to Marv Semrau, MSU vice president for advancement, on May 19. Minot Sertoma Club pledged $100,000 to the MSU Development Foundation to enhance the Minot Sertoma Club Scholarship fund and to fund equipment in the Department of Communication Disorders. The check is the first installment of that commitment.

“With this $28,000 gift, Minot Sertoma continues to assist students in attaining their education towards speech and hearing careers,” Semrau said. “This contribution brings the endowment, from which annual scholarships are awarded, to over $200,000.”
In addition to the donation, the Minot Sertoma Club awarded four scholarships, totaling $7,000, for the 2014-15 academic year to Kelsey Schiele, Courtney Johnson, Jorden Brown and Katelyn Larson.

In 1989, the Minot Sertoma Club established the Minot Sertoma Club Scholarship to provide scholarships to MSU students majoring in communication disorders and deaf education.

The Minot Sertoma Club has a 54-year history of Service to Mankind in the Minot area. It has a mission of supporting speech and hearing projects, youth-related projects and national heritage efforts. Its primary fundraisers are a Norsk Høstfest car raffle, Beer Fest and Christmas in the Park, an annual light display in Oak Park from Thanksgiving through Dec. 31. On May 4, Minot Sertoma Club raised over $12,000 at its Celebrate Sound Walk.

For questions about the donation, contact Semrau at marv.semrau@minotstateu.edu.

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Continuing a tradition of supporting Minot State University speech and hearing efforts, the Minot Sertoma Club contributed $36,000 today (March 20) to the MSU Development Foundation. The donation will fund the purchase of new voice lab equipment for the Department of Communication Disorders and enhance the Minot Sertoma Club Scholarship fund.

“The digital equipment donated by the Minot Sertoma club offers MSU students high-quality, advanced technology for comprehensive vocal assessment,” said Lisa Roteliuk, communication disorders instructor. “The equipment offers a recording system which will enhance clinical efficiency and reporting of findings. The equipment will be utilized for student learning, in-clinic patient assessments and research purposes.”

In 1989, the Minot Sertoma Club established the Minot Sertoma Club Scholarship to assist MSU communication disorders students. Twenty years ago, the local service club purchased voice lab evaluation equipment for the department. State-of-the-art technology then was analog, today it is digital. With today’s donation, the club’s total donation to MSU is approximately $175,000.

“We are extremely grateful for Sertoma’s support of our speech-language pathology program. This generous donation will allow us to once again have the latest technology available to train students and to serve clients in our on-campus clinic,” said Leisa Harmon, communication disorders department chair.

“With this $20,000 gift, we are pleased to enhance the Minot Sertoma Club Scholarship fund that is dedicated to assisting students advancing their education towards speech and hearing careers. This contribution brings the endowment to over $90,000 from which annual scholarships are awarded,” said Connie Feist, Minot Sertoma Club president. “We are also proud to announce an additional $16,000 gift, which will be used to purchase voice lab equipment used within the communication disorders department. This will upgrade equipment that is used as learning tools and benefits the entire speech-and-hearing community.”

The Minot Sertoma Club has a 53-year history of Service to Mankind in the Minot area. It has a mission of supporting speech and hearing projects, youth-related projects and national heritage efforts. Its primary fundraisers are a Hostfest car raffle, Beer Fest and Christmas in the Park, an annual light display in Oak Park from Black Friday through Dec. 31.