MSU President's Newspaper Column
June 17, 2023
Transitions and cultural change
In the past several weeks, three faithful Mayville State University employees reached important milestones in their lives, retirement. Head Baseball Coach Scott Berry (43 years of service), custodian Dave Moeller (13 years of service), and Assistant Director of Academic Records Sharyl Hanson (25 years of service) completed their careers recently. We celebrate with them as they make a new transition in their lives, and we are grateful for all they have done for Mayville State students and their co-workers. We will miss them!
Each of these individuals has made his or her mark at Mayville State, whether it was while working in the spotlight or working quietly behind the scenes to make sure all was in order. Each did important work and left Mayville State better than they found it. We wish them all the best as they begin their new adventures in life. May they experience happiness beyond compare in their retirement years!
The retirement of these members of the Mayville State family, and others who have gone before them, represents a change in culture for the university. Changes such as these can be difficult because the individuals have meant so much to others on a personal level, but they also affect the organization as a whole. There is a loss of history and knowledge of the institution.
As these transitions happen, we must keep the primary goal in mind: to provide the best possible experience for students. We need to evaluate and reorganize as needed to best serve students. As we adapt and change to stay relevant, considering the possibility of reorganization at junctures such as this is important. I am confident that as we experience a new cultural change, adjusting to life without these special retirees and members of the Mayville State family, we are adapting for future success.
We are thrilled that Billy Tomblin is taking the torch as Mayville State’s next head baseball coach. He has proven himself to be an outstanding Comet and we look forward to seeing great things with Billy at the helm. Again, this will be a cultural change, as Mayville State has only had two head baseball coaches in the 75 years prior, Scott Berry and Al Meyer. Billy may indeed make some changes, but we know he is committed to providing the best possible experiences for his players.
We had the great pleasure of hosting a girls basketball overnight team camp this week. Nearly 250 campers from 40 schools in both North Dakota and Minnesota were on the Mayville State campus. They came from as far west as Powers Lake, N.D. and as far east as Mesabi East, Minn. Local teams such as May-Port CG, Hatton Northwood, and Northern Cass attended as well. These guests stayed in our residence halls, ate in our cafeteria, and played basketball in the Lewy Lee Fieldhouse and Wellness Center. In addition, they were around town, purchasing items in the local businesses and experiencing Mayville.
I commend Mayville State Head Women’s Basketball Coach Dennis Hutter, his coaching staff, and the Comets women’s basketball team for their work in organizing and implementing a successful camp. These leaders not only shared their expertise and skills for basketball, but they were also fantastic ambassadors for Mayville State University. It’s been a great week to be a Comet!