MSU President's Newspaper Column
September 9, 2023
Combined Farmers Bowl/Homecoming festivities will be an opportunity to recognize our roots and honor our agricultural way of life
‘Tis the season to gather alumni and friends and celebrate the gift of Mayville State University and what it means in our lives. For the first time ever, Homecoming will meet Farmers Bowl for a combined event where we’ll recognize our roots as Comets while honoring the agricultural way of life in our area. Festivities are planned for the weekend of Sept. 15-16.
Mayville State students will be participating in a number of activities leading up to the big weekend celebration. The traditional and much-anticipated lip sync event will be held, as well as the crowning of the 2023 Mayville State Homecoming queen and king. Students are looking forward to these activities, as well as participating in the parade, corn on the cob and hot dog feed, football game, and more.
Big events like Farmers Bowl and Homecoming would not be possible without a team effort by many dedicated volunteers, including our students. Our student athletes, Peer Leaders, Collegiate DECA members, Student Education Association members, Student Athlete Advisory Council, and others will all play an integral role in the success of the weekend.
Over the summer, Alumni Association Board members Dean Krogstad, Cindy Petersen, Ann Willeson, Cleone Whelan, Lori Nelson, and Doug Anderson have been rolling up their sleeves to make good things happen around campus. They’ve helped with shaping up flower beds in various places on campus, painting the pipes near the Child Development Programs facility to look like cartoon characters, refurbishing a parade float/trailer previously used by the music department that will now be used to transport Homecoming honorees in the parade, and the list goes on. These volunteers are loyal in commitment to the university and sincere in doing all they can do to make Mayville State the best it can be. We are grateful!
The Alumni Association Board has taken a lead role in ensuring the success of the Farmers Bowl Auction, the grand finale to the Farmers Bowl/Homecoming festivities, on Saturday evening, Sept. 16.
Board members Doug Anderson and Cleone Whelan have worked with auction sponsorships, and we are blessed to have 16 sponsors who have contributed to the Farmers Bowl Auction this year. They are Central Valley Bean, Buxton; Mahar Farms, Cavalier; Whelan Farms, Crystal; Chris & Darcene Burgess and Brent & Stephanie Baldwin Families, Cavalier; North Dakota Corn Utilization Council; Hunter Insurance; Kelly Bean Co., Mayville; GLD Farms, Hoople; Otto Ag, Crystal; Tim & Sue Strand, Mayville; Richard Fugleberg, Mayville; Fugleberg Seed & Bean, Portland; Arnie & Pat Osland, Mayville; Johnson Farms, Cummings; Baker Funeral Home, Mayville; and Culver’s, Grand Forks. The generosity of these sponsors will help to ensure that the benefits to Mayville State students as the result of the Farmers Bowl activities will be even greater.
Alumni Board members Doug Anderson, Cleone Whelan, Ann Willeson, and Teresa Agnes, along with Mayville State graduate JoDee Dungan and Mayville State faculty member Taylor Simon have been a part of the Farmers Bowl Auction Committee and gathered lots of wonderful auction item donations from generous alumni and friends near and far. You can see a preview and preliminary auction item list at www.mayvillestate.edu/FBAuction2023. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the committee members and the donors. None of this would be possible without them!
Beyond the auction sponsorships, there are overall Farmers Bowl sponsors as well. This year, Finley Motors, First State Bank, Agassiz Sales, Nilson-Brand Law, Agassiz, Drain, Top Hat, Advanced Drainage, and Martin Mechanical are helping to defray expenses associated with Farmers Bowl festivities. We thank them!
We look forward to great anticipation for the upcoming combined Farmers Bowl/Homecoming celebration and hope you will join us for the fun and festivities, including the Homecoming Awards Dinner, Ceremony of Remembrance at the Military Honor Garden, parade, corn on the cob and hot dog feed and pre-game festival, Mayville State vs. Waldorf football game, the Farmers Bowl Auction, and more. It will be an epic Comets Family Reunion! See all the plans and details at www.mayvillestate.edu/reunion.
We have much to celebrate in our special little corner of the world. Don’t miss this opportunity to commemorate the gifts that are ours.