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CITY, ND – (NewsDakota.com) Valley City State University held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house for its newly renovated Vangstad Auditorium building on Wednesday, May 4.
The ceremony included remarks from VCSU President Tisa Mason and Richard Rothaus, vice chancellor for academic and student affairs for the North Dakota University System, along with VCSU student leader Madelyn Zane.
During the open house there were tours of renovated offices, classrooms and study spaces in the VCSU Department of Business, the Learning Center, and Student Academic Services including the building’s signature auditorium.
The university’s Quantum Brass ensemble preformed at the ribbon-cutting ceremony as well as VCSU actors who presented a staged reading of a scene from “The Twins”—a play about the building’s namesakes, twins Lena and Thilda Vangstad.
Lena Vangstad taught education at VCSU from 1937–71; Thilda was principal of College High from 1945–65 and then taught social science until 1971.
The Auditorium was built as in two phases, starting in 1907 and ending in 1909. In 1971, the year the Vangstad twins retired, the auditorium space within the building was named Vangstad Auditorium in their honor, and although originally the Vangstad name applied only to the auditorium space, that distinction has disappeared over time.
During the 2013 North Dakota legislative session, VCSU received an appropriation of $3.45 million for the Vangstad renovation. The project included a refresh of the auditorium space; installation of a new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system for the lower levels of the building; and renovation of the lower floors with new classrooms and offices for the Department of Business and updated facilities for the Learning Center and Student Academic Services. The building’s main north entrance was also reworked to provide a more attractive and functional entryway.
