ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune visited Northern State University on Tuesday, April 15, to meet with students, faculty and staff.

The visit began with a campus tour alongside Northern State University President Neal Schnoor and Vice President for Finance and Administration Veronica Paulson, including a stop at the Cecil Harris statue. The statue holds personal significance for the senator, as Harris flew alongside Thune¡¯s late father, Harold Thune, during World War II.

Thune then held a student-focused discussion in JFAC¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C The Aberdeen University-Civic Symphony, led by Director Christopher Stanichar, invites the public to a concert featuring Brul¨¦ at 7:30 p.m. May 3 in the Johnson Fine Arts Center Jewett Theater at Northern State University.

This groundbreaking collaboration features the award-winning Native American group Brul¨¦ in a first-ever symphonic performance of their original music with the Aberdeen University-Civic Symphony. Brul¨¦, known for their powerful blend of Native American music and contemporary styles, will be joined by Lakota dancers in¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C Northern State University has earned the 2025-2026 Military-Friendly School designation.

Institutions earning the Military Friendly? School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2025-2026 survey with 830 earning special awards for going above the standard.

¡°Northern State University has a long history of supporting veterans and their families,¡± said Brandy Netty, director of Online Learning and Continuing Education¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C The Beulah Williams Library at Northern State University will host a special art presentation at 7 p.m. Monday, April 15, in the library¡¯s Round Room.

The event will feature NSU Professor of Art Peter Kilian, who will present a slideshow and discussion offering insights into his artistic process and the inspiration behind his paintings. The event is free and open to the public.

Kilian teaches painting, drawing and printmaking at Northern. He holds a Master of Fine Arts from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C The South Dakota High School Activities Association (SDHSAA) State Visual Arts Contest Gallery & Art Wars Competition will be held April 10-12 at the Aberdeen Recreation & Cultural Center.

The State Art Competition will be held at the ARCC in Aberdeen on April 11-12. Judging will take place on Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the public gallery open that evening from 5-9 p.m. and again on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free for all visitors.

This year, 37 schools have submitted entries, with a record-¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C Northern State University student Abiah George has been selected to speak at the TEDx Sioux Falls event on Thursday, April 17, at the Washington Pavilion.

George, a junior double majoring in psychology and criminal justice on the pre-law track, is one of eight speakers chosen to share a personal and powerful story on the TEDx stage. Her talk centers around her lived experience navigating the U.S. immigration system¡ªa system she calls ¡°the defining story¡± of her life.

Originally¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C Two Northern State University business students have been selected for competitive summer internships with Wight & Company, a nationally recognized design-build firm based in the Chicago area.

Luana Matos, an international business major, and Ethan Russell, a business administration major, will intern in the architecture and construction management departments, respectively.

Wight & Company¡¯s internship program provides hands-on experiences with professional mentors in an interdisciplinary environment. Interns work as¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D.?¨C Northern State University students recently attended the Upper Midwest Honors Conference, where several students presented research,?and one earned recognition in a regional competition.

In the Three Minute Thesis Competition, Abiah George earned second place for their presentation, ¡°The Denial of 'Homegrown Terrorism': Bias, Rhetoric, and the Framing of Domestic Extremism.¡±

Three students presented their Honors Thesis research during the poster sessions:

• Stella Meier ¨C?¡°Rhetorical Shields:¡­