VALLEY CITY, N.D. (VCSU) – Valley City State University will hold a virtual commencement ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 17, to honor its graduating class during the 2020 fall semester. VCSU will recognize 95 graduates – 81 will receive bachelor’s degrees and 14 will receive master’s degrees.

The VCSU virtual ceremony will play on the university’s YouTube channel – www.youtube.com/vcsuvikings – at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 17.

“Although we wish we could honor our graduates with an in-person ceremony, we trust that this virtual ceremony will provide a way to recognize their accomplishments,” said VCSU President Alan LaFave. “We are also inviting all the graduates back to campus to participate in our next in-person commencement ceremony.”

President LaFave will preside over the commencement exercises. Graduating senior Brady Matheny will deliver the undergraduate reflection, and the faculty reflection will be presented by Lee Kruger, associate professor of English.

Alan LaFave has served as president of Valley City State University since December 2018. He previously served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Northern State University in Aberdeen, S.D.

A VCSU senior from Lisbon, N.D., Brady Matheny graduates with a bachelor’s degree in history education. He was a member of the VCSU football and track and field teams, while also participating in the Native American Culture club, the history club and the National Society of Leadership and Success. Matheny was tabbed a Viking Pilot in 2019, was elected to the 2018 Homecoming Court and has also served as a Viking Ambassador.

Lee Kruger joined the VCSU faculty in 2001 after teaching for ten years at Williston State College. An Associate Professor of English, he teaches a wide range of writing, humanities, and literature courses, including the World Literature sequence, and is the primary advisor for VCSU’s online English and English Ed programs. Kruger received the 2020 Faculty Excellence Award for Senior Faculty.

VCSU also held a virtual commencement in May 2020 due to COVID-19 safety protocols. All graduates from the last year will be invited back to participate in VCSU’s next in-person commencement ceremony.

Feature phote: Student speaker Brady Matheny.