May 1, 2024
Mayville State University alumnus and legendary Comets baseball coach Scott Berry will deliver the annual commencement address at Mayville State University Saturday, May 11. The commencement ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. at the Mayville State University Lewy Lee Fieldhouse. The ceremony is open to the public.
Current graduates Marisa Ostendorf, Edgeley, N.D., and Thyra Peterick, Hatton, N.D., will speak on behalf of the graduating class. Board member Curtis Biller will bring greetings on behalf of the State Board of Higher Education.
Mayville State’s graduation day festivities will begin with the traditional graduation brunch, hosted by the MSU Alumni Association. The event will begin at 10:30 a.m. in the Campus Center Luckasen Room. Graduates Taylor Dean from Stanley, N.D., Brennen Beaudin from Northwood, N.D., and Tangella Jenson from Foley, Minn. will speak on behalf of the MSU Class of 2024. The members of the graduating class will be the guests of honor, and thanks to the generosity of Bell Bank, graduates and their families will attend the brunch free of charge.
Graduation Brunch Student Speaker Biographies:
Brennen Beaudin will graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree and has earned majors in business administration and accounting. Brennen is a Student of the Year nominee and recipient of the award. He has been extremely active as a member of Mayville State’s highly successful Collegiate DECA chapter. Brennen was an award-winner in state DECA competitions which gave him the opportunity to attend the International Career Development Conference, where he was a qualifier, finalist, and top-ten award recipient over four years. A Dean’s List student, he has coached youth hockey and baseball and served as an umpire for baseball throughout his time at Mayville State. Brennen’s parents are Jim and Lisa Beaudin, Northwood, N.D.
Taylor Dean has earned a Bachelor of Science degree, with majors in sport management and business administration and specializations in administration and finance. A Dean’s List student, Taylor is completing her undergraduate degree with a 4.0 grade point average. She has been active on campus as a member of the women’s basketball team and HPER Club. She was a Student Ambassador, volunteer for camps and the annual Comet Athletic Club 3 on 3 basketball tournament, and representative to the Student Athlete Advisory Council. Taylor has been stellar in Mayville State’s department of Sports Information, first as an intern and then as Assistant Sports Information Director. She is the 2024 recipient of the HPER Sport Management Major of the Year Award. Her parents are Brandon and Beth Dean from Stanley, N.D.
Tangella Jenson is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Education degree with an early childhood focus. She came to Mayville State as a transfer student from Lake Region State College, where she was a captain on the volleyball team. At Mayville State, she participated in volleyball and was recognized academically as a student athlete. A Dean’s List student, Tangella participated in the Student Education Association. Her parents are Allen and Mary Jenson from Foley, Minn.
Commencement Speaker Biographies:
Keynote Speaker
Scott Berry came to Mayville State from his hometown of LaMoure, N.D. in 1973. As a student athlete, he played baseball for another legendary Mayville State baseball coach, Al Meyer. After graduating in 1978 with a B.S.Ed. (Social Science) degree, he coached baseball teams in Ellendale, Binford, Rolla, and Casselton, N.D. before returning to Mayville as an assistant baseball coach in 1980. Berry became head coach for the Comets in 1982. Meyer and Berry were the only two coaches to have been at the helm of Comets Baseball in a 75-year span. Scott Berry closed out his shining career with 1,196 victories and was the 2nd winningest active coach in the NAIA when he retired in 2023.
One of the foremost and highly respected baseball coaches in America, Scott Berry ran one of the most outstanding college baseball programs in the nation. A member of seven halls of fame and an active participant in local, regional, and national baseball organizations, Berry kept Mayville State on the collegiate baseball map for more than four decades. In 2010, the baseball field at Mayville State University was named in his honor.
In 42 years, Berry’s Comets won 24 regular season conference championships (including 17 in a row from 1986-2002) and 25 conference tournament championships. His teams made 30 appearances in the NAIA national playoffs. Under Coach Berry, the Comets won three NAIA regional titles and the 2002 Plains Super Regional title. They finished in fifth place at the NAIA World Series in 2002.
His impressive winning record and the respect of his colleagues earned him conference coach of the year honors 24 times, District 12 Coach of the Year 12 times, and NAIA Region Coach of the Year four times.
The accolades for Coach Berry are many. Along with the seven Halls of Fame (Mayville State University Athletics, NAIA, North Dakota Amateur Baseball, CHRISTIAN Sports Commission, Central Cass High School Athletics, American Baseball Coaches Association, North Dakota Sports) he was honored in 1998 with the North Dakota Associated Press Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association “Special Achievement Award.” In 2010, he received the NAIA Robert E. Smith Achievement Award which is presented to an NAIA coach or administrator who has demonstrated unselfish promotion of NAIA Baseball. In 2011, Berry was presented with the FCA Jerry Kindall Character in Coaching Award which is presented annually to the college or high school baseball coach who best exemplifies the Christian principles of character, integrity, excellence, teamwork, and service on and off the baseball field. Coach Berry was selected for the heralded ABCA Dave Keilitz “Ethics in Coaching” Award in 2017.
Scott Berry was a loyal and faithful employee of Mayville State University who served the members of the Mayville State family well. In addition to serving as head baseball coach, he filled a number of other roles over the years, including Instructor in Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, Director of Housing, Assistant Athletic Director, and more.
Coach Berry mentored his players not only as athletes, but also as men. His dedication to his alma mater shines through in the many ways he has demonstrated his unwavering support for the university, and his efforts have strengthened and improved the institution.
Berry and his wife, Shari, reside in West Fargo, N.D.
Student Commencement Speakers:
Marisa Ostendorf is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Education degree. She has earned a major in elementary education and a library media and information science minor with a reading specialization. As a non-traditional online student, Ostendorf has had an unconventional journey to earning her degree, a testament to her resilience and determination to reach her dreams and goals. A Dean’s List student, Marisa was a presenter at the North Dakota Association of Colleges for Teacher Education conference in 2023. The 2023-24 recipient of the Leila Ewen Outstanding Achievement in Elementary Education Award, she intends to continue her education by entering the Mayville State Master of Education program in innovative education. Marisa’s husband, Paul, and children, Dylan and Lily, have been instrumental in the support they have provided throughout her journey to earning her college degree.
Thyra Peterick is graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree and has earned a major in allied health and a minor in fitness and wellness. Thyra has been extremely active on the Mayville State campus as a member of the varsity volleyball team, band, choir, Drama Club, and Science Club. She has served as a residence hall assistant and a member and presenter for one of Mayville State’s student scientific research teams. Thyra was chosen by her peers for the Mayville State homecoming court in 2023. A Dean’s List student and scholarship recipient, she was nominated for the 2024 Student of the Year Award, and she was also selected to participate in the North Dakota Intercollegiate Concert Band and received the HPER Allied Health Major of the Year Award in 2024. Her parents are Tom and Tammy Peterick, Hatton, N.D.