Thursday, December 31, 2009

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! This is a great time of year to think about all of the upcoming events in the next year and for many of you, college is one of them! Black Hills State University has a rolling admission but scholarship deadlines are approaching fast. In order to be eligible to be awarded any scholarships, students need to have applied and been accepted. This is an easy process and some of you could make it your New Year’s Resolution to complete your BHSU admission application and scholarship application!

It is important to do before the end of your senior year for several reasons. Often students wait to apply until after they have taken the ACT or SAT or until they are approaching graduation but by this point, many scholarship deadlines have passed and it is difficult to find available scholarships. It can also be overwhelming to wait so long. The longer you wait to apply, the harder the decision is to select a school. There are also many other things that come on a “first come, first served” basis. Residence Hall rooms are first assigned to those who have been accepted and completed the housing contract. If you want to be placed in a certain hall or request a roommate, fill out the application for admission! The longer you wait to do so, the less likely you will be to get the hall or roommate you wish. Other things such as selecting a New Student Registration day is offered to those students who have already been accepted. Sometimes students have summer jobs or are traveling so there are only a handful of days that are a possibility to come to campus and register. If you have been accepted, you will get first choice when selecting what day works best for you.

So you can see there are MANY reasons why it is essential to fill out the applications for admission and scholarships right away. Being accepted to a school and completing the scholarship requirements does not commit you to attend that school, so you can apply to as many as you want and then make up your mind later! Remember that BHSU’s offices are open through the Holiday Break so don’t hesitate to call or email with any concerns or questions. Enjoy the last of 2009 and Happy New Year!

Emily Pier
Admissions Counselor
Emily.Pier@bhsu.edu

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Resolutions

The long anticipated Holiday Season is in full swing! Although the weather put a few major kinks into my plans, it still has been great and festive; I hope the same for all of you. I still have to make plans for New Year’s Eve, oh and make my New Year’s Resolution!


Wow – resolutions! You know when I think about it, I make resolutions year round. My to-do list that I keep on my desk is like one giant resolution filled with smaller ones! It always does feel really great to cross one of those off, but I suppose to think even deeper into the New Year’s Resolution, you can’t count a to-do list, this one needs to be a big one that really calls for a commitment. I am going to have to continue to think about mine, but I have an idea for all of you students trying to figure out what to do next – Your New Year’s Resolution can be:
APPLY – www.BHSU.edu/Apply
SCHOLARSHIPS – www.BHSU.edu/Scholarships


Now I know that I said your resolution should require commitment, and these tasks do, but really both applications are very simple and shouldn’t take you more than 30 minutes to fill out, but you are committing to moving towards furthering your education. Not a bad resolution and an excellent thing to commit yourself to!


It doesn’t take too long to fill out our Scholarship application, but scholarships can definitely become a commitment, because you are not only going to want to complete the BHSU scholarship application (by February 1) but continue to explore and seek out scholarships that are available in your area, region, and even nationally. Scholarship money is the best money to receive; you don’t have to pay it back!!


The Office of Admissions is still busy accepting students for the Spring 2010 semester. There is still time to become a BHSU student before the Spring semester starts on January 13. We are also very busy planning for events coming up at the end of January and through February. Preview Day, Sheridan and Gillette Receptions, Career Fairs, Business Expos, Athletic Tournaments, College for a Day…. Just to name a few. Check out our BHSU on the Road Calendar to see if we are in your area.


I better go and figure out what my resolution will be. Stay tuned to see what I figure will be worth a commitment!! Next time I blog it will officially be 2010 – man a whole decade into the new Millennium. I wish you all a prosperous New Year!


Laura Weber – Assistant Director Admissions
Laura.Weber@BHSU.edu
Black Hills State University – GO YELLOWJACKETS

Monday, December 21, 2009

We are Open! Call us Today!

Good Afternoon!

Today is hopefully the first day of Christmas Break for most students. The Admission Office, as well as most other offices on campus, do not close for the break so feel free to call with any questions! We want to make sure that when you are on break and hopefully working on admission applications and scholarship applications, we are available to help. This is also a great time to come see us if you are out of school. Not only will you avoid missing school but this is a beautiful time of year to see the Black Hills. There are many holiday activities to take part in.

Residents of the Black Hills can cut down their own tree in the forest for only $10! “Christmas Tree Hunting” is a great weekend activity for anyone. Also, the 1880 Train in Hill City hosts a special holiday edition including hot chocolate, cookies and Santa Claus! All while traveling through the Black Hills and enjoying the scenery. There are also choir, band, and theatre productions that take place on campus and in the community. This is truly a wonderful place to be for the holidays!

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from the BHSU Admissions Office!

Emily Pier
Admissions Counselor
Emily.Pier@bhsu.edu

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Christmastime is Here!

Good Morning!

I am in Spearfish at the main campus today for two reasons: 1) we are having staff meetings, and 2) HOLIDAY PARTAY! The conference room is full with delicious main dishes, dips, appetizers, and of course desserts. I have a feeling that I may be comatose by the time this day is over! Bring on the un-healthy holiday food!

We have a lot of students ask us questions on the road concerning our athletic teams. "What types of competitive sports does BHSU have?" "Are they successful?" "How can I be a part of one of the teams?" These are all good and valid questions, so I thought I would take the opportunity in this blog to address them.

Black Hills State University has 5 men's sports including Basketball, Cross Country, Track & Field, Football, and Rodeo; and 7 women's sports including Basketball, Volleyball, Golf, Softball, Cross Country, Track & Field, & Rodeo. If you have some extra time and would like to explore a little more about each sport's records, schedule & stats, etc, you can check out www.bhsu.edu/athletics.

If you are an athlete looking to play college sports at BHSU, your first step would be to fill out a recruitment form on the website, www.bhsu.edu/athletics. Simply look under the sport of your interest and click on "recruitment." This form will ask you various questions about your sporting accomplishments, college goals, and personal questions. As soon as you fill out the form and click "submit," your form will go directly to the coaching staff.

Our athletic teams are very successful in our conference, the DAC, as well as our division which is NAIA division II. The Women's Cross County team recently returned from the NAIA nationals, placing 10th, while the Women's Volleyball team received another birth into the NAIA playoffs for the 2nd year in a row. Both our Men's & Women's basketball teams competed in the national tournament last year, and are on track to make appearances again this year. These are just a few of our recent accomplishments, so definitely check out the website above for more information!

On another note, if you haven't yet checked out our campus we would love you to do so! Christmas break is a GREAT time to accomplish this, as our offices are open every weekday except December 24th & 25th. Schedule a campus visit today by calling 1-800-ALL-BHSU or by going to http://www.bhsu.edu/Admissions/Visit/tabid/118/Default.aspx.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from the BHSU Office of Admissions!!

Maria Hartung
BHSU Admissions
Maria.Hartung@bhsu.edu

Friday, December 4, 2009

The Two S's: Scholarships & Spearfish- Two AMAZING things:)

Good Afternoon on this beautifully frigid winter day! Yes, I said "beautifully" frigid. Even though it has been quite cold the past few days, the Christmas spirit is certainly making it's way out into the world and it is definitely starting to show. We held our 3rd Preview Day for the semester today and welcomed close to 100 students and guests on to campus. What a great day it turned out to be! I hope that all of you attendees took at least one thing from the program today, and are able to use that to make your college decision. We are definitely here to answer any questions/concerns at any time, and can be reached via email at admissions@bhsu.edu, or by calling 1-800-ALL-BHSU.

Scholarship deadlines are fast approaching! This is not only so for the BHSU Scholarship application, but also for outside scholarships available from area businesses. I know what most of you are doing, which is PRO-CRAST-IN-ATING! I was there once, in your shoes and believe me, I wanted to do the same thing. However, I pulled myself out of the dark hole which is "senioritis" and committed myself to working on scholarship applications every day after school until they were done. Let me tell you- it paid off!! Please, for once, follow in my footsteps on this one and get those apps filled out and submitted. In a few mere weeks we will start to sit down and browse through the piles of scholarship applications. I sure hope to see one from you in that pile!

Now, on to another amazing thing that also starts with an "s"- SPEARFISH! Black Hills State University is located in Spearfish, SD. With approximately 12,500 residents, Spearfish is truly a small community with big town atmosphere. There are so many things to do here! I now live in Rapid City, but I must tell you, Spearfish has been by far my favorite place I have lived thusfar. The atmophere is a perfect mix of "artsy" individuals, outdoor enthusiasts, college students, retirees, and families. With so much to do both indoors and out, you can't go wrong! You can find some great information about Spearfish and the surrounding area on the chamber website, which is http://www.spearfishchamber.org/. Happy exploring!

I hope you all have a great weekend. If you live around the area, come up to Spearfish and do a little exploring of your own if you have time. If you don't live around the area, come up and visit us. We would love to show you around.

Maria Hartung
BHSU Admissions Counselor
GO YELLOWJACKETS!!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Spearfish & "The Road"

You know the best thing about being out on the road – coming home again!! I hope all of you have had a great Thanksgiving break and are ready to finish out the year in style. I have been out and about for the majority of the last few weeks and man did I have some great times.
We continue to register students for the Spring Semester and there is still time to apply and become a Black Hills State University Student by 2010. Contact the Office of Admissions if you have any questions – Admissions@bhsu.edu or 1.800.ALL.BHSU.And for those students that are interested in attending BHSU Fall of 2010, there is no better time to APPLY as the SCHOLARSHIP priority deadline (February 1) continues to draw closer.

I had some incredible High School Visits, tons of students came to speak with me and of course I gave them tons of information. I do have to give some shout outs – South Heart HS, Scranton HS, Mott/Regent HS, Hettinger HS, Bowman HS, Faith HS, Timberlake HS and McIntosh HS!! There are some incredible students from all of these High Schools. I hope to see you all on campus real soon. College Application Day at Standing Rock HS was an awesome morning as well! I hope that if you haven’t heard that I will be stopping by your school and you would like me to that you would let me know right away. I can’t wait to schedule my next round of visits.
I do truly enjoy being on the road and all highways I get to travel always have something interesting to check out. Amazingly enough, people are still harvesting corn and sunflowers, hunters abound, and even a couple of rather large bucks were seen roaming western North and South Dakota. But as I said before there is no place quite like Spearfish, SD to come back to. Coming from the rolling prairies to the Black Hills really is an awesome sight to see. Not only is the scenery great in this area but there is always tons of stuff to do. The snow is falling and the ski slopes officially opened last weekend. I need to try and take that sport up again – I haven’t done it since I was in Junior High so it could be interesting. Even in the winter it is hard not to be outside here! I know this weekend they are doing the Christmas Stroll down town; I can’t wait to go and really get into the Christmas Spirit and hopefully finish up some Christmas shopping. OH YEAH – then tonight the BHSU Yellow Jacket Basketball teams are playing South Dakota School of Mines Hardrockers, can’t miss taking in BHSU’s oldest rivalry. It is always a great game. I definitely can keep a full schedule of activities – hardly going to have time to actually wrap those presents!

Okay – I will be done informing you all of my social calendar!!! I can’t wait to welcome all of our Preview Day guests tomorrow; it is going to be great to have you all on campus. As always if you want to know more you know where to find us.

Laura Weber – Assistant Director Admissions
Black Hills State University – GO YELLOWJACKETS

Monday, November 23, 2009

Dual Enrollment

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well, almost Thanksgiving. I hope all you prospective students have fun plans for the holiday weekend! With that in mind, I hope that you are working on your applications for dual enrollment over the break. This would be a great time to take care of any business.

This is a great opportunity for students to come to the Black Hills State University campus, Rapid City campus, or by using the online format; and meet other students and work with faculty members. By participating in the dual enrollment program, a high school student can make substantial progress toward a college degree before finishing high school, and ease the transition from high school to university life.

Dual Enrollment courses ARE university courses taken at or through BHSU. By taking a dual credit class at BHSU, you may be able to receive credit at both the university and high school level. High School Credit should be approved with your High School Counselor, and could count toward High School graduation. College credit will be granted in all cases as long as you receive a satisfactory passing grade. These credits, including the associated grades, will become part of your permanent High School and University transcripts and records. Thus, you will get a jump-start on your college career.

If you, parents, or guidance counselors have any questions please call me at 605-642-6227 or 605-641-6990. I may also be reached by email at Emily.pier@bhsu.edu . Have a great holiday!

Emily Pier
BHSU Admissions Counselor
Emily.Pier@bhsu.edu

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Spring Registration and HS Visits

Greetings again from the fearless admissions counselor Laura!!! We always have so much going on that I could write a blog post every couple of hours and they actually would all be about different things. We have held two receptions since I last chatted with you all. One in Sioux Falls, SD and one Pierre, SD. Thanks for welcoming us to your area and making them great events. I love receptions because I always learn something new at every single one of them. Today I visited with Evan from Rapid City. He actually won the $500 scholarship last year at the Rapid City Reception. He was still very excited about the money he will be able to use towards his tuition. Congratulations to all of our scholarship winners!

Guess what – new incoming students for the Spring Semester will be able to start registering for classes on Monday!! I am sure all of you are very excited to take the next step in becoming a BHSU student. Registration can be set-up by calling the Registrar’s Office. If you are still thinking you may want to become a student of BHSU this Spring, but not sure where to start call the Admissions Office – 1.800.ALL.BHSU.

I hit the pavement again next week and I am traveling to various locales in western South Dakota and North Dakota before the big holiday hits on Thursday. I can’t wait to create some great stories on the road. Speaking of stories on the road – we were traveling home from the Sioux Falls Reception and one of the current students that had offered to help out was traveling in her own car. Well, just outside of Kimball, SD her fuel pump went out. The staff van that I was traveling in had left after her and so we were able to help her out and make sure she returned to Spearfish safely. Luckily they were able to tow her car into a shop and actually fixed in less than 2 hours, but we were able to spend that time in Kimball!! It was a great visit and I have to give a shout out to Ditty’s Diner – they have free WIFI and great food. What more could we ask for.

Like I said, there is always an adventure on the road to be had. I will be visiting McIntosh, Lemmon, SD and Belfield, South Heart, Dickinson, ND just to name a few. And one other super important stop, my own high school SCRANTON, ND – go Miners!! Check out our On the Road calendar for further details. I am so excited to get out there and chat with the students again. If you haven’t heard that a representative is stopping by your high school and you would like us to, give us a call we would love to come and visit.
Can’t wait to have new story for you all soon!

Laura Weber – Assistant Director of Admissions; Black Hills State University – GO YELLOWJACKETS

Friday, November 13, 2009

Pierre Reception

Happy Friday! I hope that you all have had an outstanding week.

A special "Thank You" goes out to all of you who attended the Sioux Falls Reception & Information Night on Tuesday. We had a great showing, and the staff in attendance loved visiting with all of you about the amazing opportunities that BHSU has to offer. The staff did have quite an interesting ride back to Spearfish, however. One of our student leaders, who was also in attendance at the Sioux Falls reception, had some major car troubles on the way back to Spearfish and to make a long story short, a lot of the staff ended up spending some quality time in good ol' Kimball, SD at Ditty's waiting for the car trouble to get straightened out!! Quite the memory maker there! :)

Another reception is in the works for next week Tuesday, November 17th. We will be traveling to Pierre, SD for the BHSU Pierre Reception & Information Night! Do you live around the Pierre area and are looking to learn more about what BHSU has to offer YOU? If so, register today for this awesome event at www.bhsu.edu/pierre or by calling 1-800-ALL-BHSU. We hope to see you there!

Have an awesome weekend! BHSU Men & Women's basketball teams are both in action this weekend in Montana, and the Women's Volleyball team will be taking on Jamestown tomorrow night for the DAC crown and a berth in the NAIA playoffs! GO YELLOW JACKETS!

Maria Hartung
BHSU Admissions Counselor
Maria.Hartung@bhsu.edu

Monday, November 9, 2009

Sioux Falls Reception & Scholarships

Greetings Black Hills State University Fans!

I am glad to see some of you catching on to all the cool things that Black Hills State University does such as blogging. We also do lots of other cool stuff such as Preview Days and visiting your schools, but one thing that is really great are the receptions! These are when the BHSU Admissions Office and other representatives from campus come to visit you! In fact, there is a reception in Sioux Falls tonight at the Sheraton Hotel starting at 6:30 pm! This would be a great opportunity to check out BHSU and some of the things happening on campus lately. You will hear from the admissions office as well as from current students and current professors. There will also be folks from Residence Life and Financial Aid as well as someone from each College to answer questions that you might have. If you live in Sioux Falls or in the surrounding area, it would really be a great way to spend your evening. Not to mention, there is a $500 scholarship that will be awarded to one student! But you can’t win it if you are not there so go to www.bhsu.edu/siouxfalls to sign up!

This is also a great time for me to tell you a little about some of the scholarship opportunities at BHSU. We have one general scholarship application for all of the scholarships available at www.bhsu.edu/scholarships. You only have to do the one application! It doesn’t get much better than that. Then you are plugged into each different scholarship to determine which ones you will be considered for. However, it is important to note that you must have applied and been accepted to BHSU before you can be eligible for any scholarships. It is just as easy to apply though. Right now is a great time to apply and start working on your scholarship application. Most of the scholarships will be awarded in the spring, so it is important to be eligible NOW. Many different things will be considered when we are reviewing scholarship applications. ACT or SAT scores, GPA and class rank are some of the few, but the answers that you put on your application are also very important, so make sure to fill it out with the kinds of information that we will like to hear about. Remember, if you have any questions you can always contact myself or any of the other Admission Counselors for help. After all, that is what we are here for!

I hope to hear from more of you soon!

Emily Pier
BHSU Admissions Counselor
Emily.Pier@BHSU.edu

Friday, November 6, 2009

Campus Visits

Happy Friday to all! TGIF! I apologize for not blogging for over a week. I just got back last night from an amazing trip, traveling all over Western Nebraska and visiting with all kinds of awesome students at their high schools. Thank you to all the students who stopped by to visit with me. It was so nice meeting you all.

We will be hosting another Preview Day tomorrow, Saturday, November 7th in Meier Hall on the campus of BHSU. All of the staff are excited for tomorrow, and look forward to either seeing all your smiling faces again, or meeting you for the first time! Check in will begin in Meier Hall at 8:30 am. If you still want to sign up for Preview Day, you still have time! You can do so at www.bhsu.edu/visit or give us a call at 1-800-ALL-BHSU. Be prepared for a fun filled morning packed with important information about BHSU! You will even get to eat in our new Student Union dining room, "The Hive" for lunch. Let me tell you- it is A-Maz-ing. :)

The blog has been filled with a lot of talk about Preview Day visits, but we really haven't touched on visiting campus on an individual basis. This can be done! A lot of you have already completed an individual visit this past summer and this fall, and we are waiting for more of you to do the same! What happens during an individual visit you may ask? It can really be tailored to what you want it to be. The typical individual visit includes a tour of campus, a visit with an admissions counselor, a visit with a student financial services representative, possibly a visit with a faculty member in your area of interest, and if you are interested in playing athletics at BHSU, a possible visit with a member of the coaching staff.

We often get questions from students on whether it is better to attend a Preview Day or an individual visit. One is not better than the other! If you can, we even recommend you to attend both, but it is not required. Both experiences give you a look at campus, the faculty and staff, and the Spearfish area. I believe that in order to make a concrete decision on what college is the best fit for you, it is highly essential to visit campus and see for yourself if it is what you are looking for.

Sign up for a Preview Day or an Individual Campus Visit today! To sign up for a Preview Day, please visit www.bhsu.edu/visit. To sign up for an individual visit, please follow this link: http://www.bhsu.edu/Admissions/Visit/tabid/118/Default.aspx

We hope to see you on campus soon! Go Yellow Jackets!

Maria Hartung
BHSU Admissions Counselor

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Reception Recap and BHSU College of Education

Hola! What a night we had at the Rapid City Reception. I just really love those events and this one was as good as all the rest. The guests left with tons of information, had the opportunity to talk one-on-one with different faculty and staff, and talk with current students and even alumni. It was a full night! Congratulations Rachel on winning the $500 scholarship. The Office of Admissions next reception is in Sioux Falls, SD on November 9 starting at 6:30pm. Register now www.BHSU.edu/SiouxFalls for your own chance to learn more about BHSU and win a $500 scholarship.
One of Black Hills State University’s 3 colleges is the College of Education. We offer education degrees in early childhood, special education, elementary education, and secondary education. We also offer a masters degree in curriculum and instruction. BHSU started as a teaching college 126 years ago, so we have had a lot of practice training future teachers. We were just nationally recognized this week for our innovative programs that the College of Education has to offer!
A program at Black Hills State University, known as Project PRIME, was singled out by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today in a speech at Columbia University.

Below is a segment of the speech that Duncan made at Columbia University today in which he mentions BHSU as an example of high-quality innovative teacher preparation programs.

“There are many other first-rate teacher preparation programs—Stanford, the University of Washington, and Michigan, just to name a few. But I want to be clear that it doesn't take an elite university and a big endowment to create a good teacher education program...At Black Hills State University in Spearfish, South Dakota, Project Prime, a partnership with the Rapid City Schools uses school-based math coaches and graduate level courses for teachers to successfully boost math achievement among Native American students,” Duncan says as part of his speech. “I cite all these examples to point out that, with courage and commitment, our teacher preparation programs absolutely can provide dynamic and effective teacher preparation for the 21st century.”

There are many ways that BHSU prepares their students to be ready to teach in their own classroom. Education students are placed into classrooms as early as their sophomore year in order to receive hands on experience. They have access to the Learning Center located at West Elementary School, across the street from campus, where they can observe student behavior and teaching methods. Clubs and organizations also help the students expand upon their classroom experiences. Teammates pairs BHSU members with an elementary student and they spend an hour a week with the student working on schoolwork or just having fun. The opportunities are endless and we are leaders in the use of innovative teacher preparation. Check out the College of Education for yourself.

Laura Weber – Assistant Director Admissions
Black Hills State University – GO YELLOWJACKETS

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

BHSU College of Arts & Sciences Review

Happy Tuesday and Good Morning!

It is a beautiful, sunny day in the Black Hills!

One of the things that I wanted to tell you all about on this wonderful day is the different programs offered at Black Hills State. I love hearing from different students and their interests and plans for their futures but sometimes I think that it is hard to remember all that BHSU has to offer! I am going to tell you a little about what the College of Arts and Sciences has to offer. The College of Arts and Sciences offers 58 undergraduate degree programs, 21 pre-professional programs and one master's degree program in integrative genomics. The degree programs within the College of Arts and Sciences provides students with a broad, liberal education that prepares them with skills such as critical thinking, analysis, oral and written communication, plus many others skills. There are endless possibilities in the College of Arts and Sciences with degrees in English, Music, and Mass Communications just to name a few. Maybe you’re looking for something different? Here’s the whole list of what the College of Arts and Sciences has to offer.

From the College of Arts and Sciences it is possible to earn a Bachelor of Science in Education degree in:
Art
Biology
Chemistry
English
English Composite
History
Mathematics
Mathematics and Science Education
Instrumental Music Composite and Vocal Music Composite
Science Education Composite
Social Science Composite
Spanish
Speech Communication
Speech Communication Composite
Speech with a Theater Emphasis

Students may earn a Bachelor of Science degree in all of the major areas or a Bachelor of Arts degree in:
American Indian Studies
Art
Communication Arts
English
English Composite
History
Instrumental Music Composite and Vocal Music Composite
Mass Communication
Music Composite
Social Sciences
Social Sciences Composite
Sociology
Spanish
Speech
Speech Composite

I strongly encourage you to check out all the different programs to see what their classes are like and the other opportunities available. BHSU doesn’t just offer the programs, we also offer the ability to get involved within your program of study by joining one of BHSU’s Student Organizations that is involved in your program. You can also get involved by participating in internships and unique hands-on learning and research experiences. Getting involved in more than just your classes is a great way to learn. The College of Arts and Sciences will help you along the way through your college experience. They provide great professors and advisors that will help you make the best out of your education.

The BHSU Community provides students with state-of-the-art learning facilities and opportunities. You can do all sorts of things such as:
§ Join the Honors Program
§ Get involved in band, choir, or orchestra
§ Travel with different exchange programs to places such as China, Spain, and Mexico
§ Get experience working with our television or radio station located on campus or The Jacket Journal, BHSU’s own newspaper
§ Participate in a theatre production

And the possibilities do not end there! I encourage you to check out the programs plus more on BHSU’s website. It is always a great idea to think about attending a Preview Day where you could hear from professors in the College of Arts and Sciences plus professors from the other colleges too. You can also request additional information to continue your informative journey into Black Hills State University by visiting www.bhsu.edu/admissions. Remember I am also available for any specific question, and you can reach me by calling 605-642-6227 or emailing me at emily.pier@bhsu.edu.
Have a wonderful week and I hope to hear from some of you soon!

Emily Pier
BHSU Admissions Counselor

Friday, October 23, 2009

College Fair Rap-up and High School visits

Hello from Beautiful Colorado!

I hope that all of you have had an amazing week. I sure have! I have been in Southern Colorado since Sunday visiting with students interested in Black Hills State University. Thank you to all of you SO. CO. students who came and visited with me this past week. It was great to meet you all, and we all hope to see you on campus sometime soon.

The past 6 weeks or so I have been on the road, visiting with students like you, and answering their questions about BHSU. It is always great to talk with you all, and please know that if you have any lingering questions after you visit with us, please email us at admissions@bhsu.edu or give us a call at 1-800-ALL-BHSU. We are here to help!

I will be in the office this next week, but will then get on the road again to Nebraska to visit with students at your high schools. Stay tuned to the blog next week for visit dates/times. We will also be calling you and letting you know what date/time I will be visiting your school. If you are from Nebraska and currently not on my high school visit schedule, please let me know! I would love to make a trip to visit with you. You can reach me personally at maria.hartung@bhsu.edu.

As for Rapid City students, and those in the Southern Black Hills, I will also be visiting your high schools soon as well. Stay tuned for more details. Speaking of Rapid City, BHSU Admissions will be hosting a Reception and Information Night on Tuesday, October 27th starting at 6:30 pm at the Holiday Inn near the Civic Center in Rapid City. For more details on this event and how to register, please visit www.bhsu.edu/rapidcitynight. We hope to see you there! This is a great way to learn more about BHSU!

Have a great weekend! Go Jackets!

Maria Hartung
BHSU Admissions Counselor

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

College Fair Wrap up, Rapid City Fair, High School Visits

Greetings! Time sure flies when you are having fun. I officially did my last college fair for the 2009 college fair circuit. A little sad, but exciting as well, because now I will be following up with all of you great students that stopped by my table and filled out a card. I am sure there will be plenty of other outreach events that I will attend and I can’t wait to get out there and talk to our prospective students.

I must let all of you know that the Emily Pier and Alesha Limbo, BHSU admissions reps, will be at the Rapid City College Fair tomorrow at the civic center and they would love for you to stop by the Black Hills State University’s table. They will have general information to share and invitations to the Rapid City Reception, www.BHSU.edu/RapidCityNight that is coming up on October 27th.

Black Hills State University hosts multiple receptions throughout the year, and what makes these events fun is that bring BHSU to you. Faculty, Current Students, Student Life, and Admissions Staff will all be there to answer any questions and give a sample of what campus is like. The best part about receptions is that simply by attending you are eligible to win a $500 scholarship, which is drawn at the end of the program.

Next on the agenda for me are High School Visits. I represent North Dakota and Northwestern South Dakota and I will be setting up appointments with many of the schools in that area, but if you want to be sure that I get to yours contact us and I will be sure to set a visit up! I will be out and about throughout November and the beginning of December.

I sure wish that all of you could have been on campus and attended our recent theatre production. Blood was written by a Black Hills State University student and our students put on a great show. The BHSU Theatre department performs 4 shows during the academic year and one is always a musical. They are always very entertaining productions.

A shout out to Bison, SD Juniors and Seniors! It was great having you on campus today and good luck with that football game tomorrow night.

Laura Weber – Assistant Director Admissions
Black Hills State University – GO YELLOWJACKETS!

Monday, October 19, 2009

Application Process

Hello All!

I hope everyone enjoyed the Preview Day on the 9th! I hope that you all were able to experience the parts of campus that you wanted to see! Now is a great time to start thinking about the application process. Seniors may apply at anytime and I highly encourage it. The application is simple to complete and you can do it right online at www.bhsu.edu/apply or one can be mailed to you. You will also want to notify your high school and have your high school transcript sent to the Admissions Office. If you have taken your ACT or SAT test, please include those scores with your transcript. Also remember, there is a $20 application fee that needs to accompany your application.

After you have applied and we have received your transcripts, you can expect to hear about your admission status within two weeks. We will notify you my mail of your status but you are more than welcome to call our office at anytime to check. It is also a good idea to begin thinking about the scholarship application too. The scholarship application is also available online or a paper copy can be mailed also. After completing your application for admission, look over the scholarship application and begin thinking about how you would like to answer the questions. You may then complete the application at anytime.

I hope to see lots of applications over the next few weeks! If you have any questions, please call your Admissions Counselor and either myself or one of the other counselors will be happy to help you. I hope to hear from you soon!

On another note, Happy Monday to all!

So I have returned to the office from two weeks in Colorado and while I am happy to be back, I miss visiting with all you wonderful students! You were all so great to meet and I hope to be hearing from more of you soon! I hope that you have all learned some valuable things about Black Hills State University, such as the great programs that are offered and the new happenings on campus. Our new science building and Student Union have created a great deal of new opportunities for our students and we sure hope that they will be able to give you the same opportunities.

In the upcoming weeks before Christmas, I will begin traveling to Eastern South Dakota to individually visit high schools. My territory is Eastern South Dakota that is North of Interstate 90 so if you live in that area, let me know! I would love to try and come visit you at your school! I will try to be traveling to most schools over the course of a couple weeks but if you want to ensure that you will get a chance to have your questions answered or pick up any material, please send me an email or give me a call.

Farewell from the Office of Admissions!
Emily Pier
Admissions Counselor
Black Hills State University

Friday, October 9, 2009

Preview Day Wrap-Up

Hello from the snowy Black Hills! I know that I promised on our twitter page that the snow would be gone for Preview Day today, but I guess I opened my big mouth too soon! The snow came back today, and record lows have been recorded. We are all stunned that this cold weather is here already, but I am hoping, and will risk my reputation as a bad weather predictor, that the weather will get better before getting worse.

We had our first Preview Day of the year today and it was a total success. We ended up having a very small group, but it allowed us to become very informal, and we really got to know the students. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to all that traveled up to campus for this event. We were so excited to see you on campus, and hope to see you again soon. For those of you who were planning on attending, and did not make it due to the weather or scheduling conflicts, no worries. Our next Preview Day is Saturday, November 7th. For anyone who would like to sign up for that event, please visit www.bhsu.edu/PreviewDay for more information.

We are also going to be coming to a town or city near you very soon in the form of Receptions. Stay tuned to the blog for more information on these awesome events!

For those of you who are Nebraskians (is that even a word?), or people from Nebraska, I may be visiting a town near you next week! Here is my schedule:

10/11/09 : Gering Civic Center College Fair @ 1:00 pm
10/12/09: Morrill High School Visit @ 8:15 am
Mitchell High School Visit @ 9:15 am
Chadron College Fair at Chadron High School @ 1:30 pm
Alliance College Fair at Alliance High School @ 7:00 pm
10/13/09: Minatare High School Visit @ 8:30 am
Bayard High School Visit @ 9:45 am
Sidney College Fair at Sidney High School @ 1:30 pm
Ogallala College Fair at Ogallala High School @ 7:00 pm
10/14/09: Perkins County High School Visit @ 9:00 am
Chappell High School Visit @ 10:45 am
Leyton High School Visit @ 12:30 pm

I hope you have a great week! It's an awesome time to be a Yellow Jacket! :)

Maria Hartung- Admissions Counselor

Monday, October 5, 2009

College Fairs & Preview Day

Howdy – It is your beloved admissions blogger Laura again. We have been soooo busy going to college fairs in this office that I have forgotten what some of my co-workers look like! The time we spend on the road is always exciting because we continually are meeting new students and finding out what you are interested in and how what BHSU has to offer will be a fit for you and assist in your success in the future.

If you happened to attend a college fair but didn’t get time to check us out you can always explore BHSU on our website: www.BHSU.edu or click here and you can fill out an information request. You will receive information in no time.

Also, I want to send out another reminder to visit campus. Preview Day will be held on Friday, October 9, 2009. Visiting campus is one of the most important things you can do in helping to make a decision on what college to attend. Get started early with your visits and come and check us out.

Now that you have started to explore and may be thinking that BHSU is a good fit for you, we can start helping you to understand the application process. We offer two different applications: a paper application that can be mailed out or an online application that can be found at: www.BHSU.edu/APPLY. The applications are pretty straight forward. We ask for information regarding your demographics, previous education – high school information or if you have taken any college courses we want to know about that as well, and your plans while attending BHSU. Filling out the application is step one to becoming a student at Black Hills State University. If you have any questions about filling out the application please feel free to contact us or bring it along to a visit and we can sit and go through it with you. Stay tuned to the blog to learn your next step in the process.

Yesterday it was announced that BHSU has reached its highest enrollment of students in history. We are excited to continue to offer exceptional educational opportunities to individuals wanting to further their education.

Man there is always so much to cover!

So I didn’t have anything quite as cool as the guest of the day status these last couple of weeks out on the road, but it was still a great two weeks out. It was great to see all of you that stopped to visit me at the college fairs. You are what makes my job so great!
Laura Weber – Assistant Director Admissions
Black Hills State University – GO YELLOWJACKETS!

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Preview Day- October 9th

Hello from Broken Bow, Nebraska! I've had a great last couple of days visiting with some awesome students who are interested in attending BHSU. Nebraska is representing! Thanks to all of you who have taken time out to stop by my table the past few weeks, and who have visited with me at your high school.

After you visit with me or another BHSU representative at either a college fair or high school visit, you may be thinking, "now what?" You possibly have an interest in attending BHSU, but feel like you do not have quite enough information to make one of the most important decisions of your lfie thusfar. Well, one of the best ways to help you make that important college decision is to make a campus visit. You can visit campus one of two ways: 1) Attend a Preview Day; or 2) Schedule an individual visit.

While attending a Preview Day, you will meet BHSU students, tour the campus, talk to professors, and learn more about our academic programs, admission requirements, and financial aid. Sounds great, right? We have 7 Preview Day dates scheduled, one of which is coming up next week, October 9th. We would love to see you there! To sign up, please visit www.bhsu.edu/visit.

If you can not make it to a Preview Day because of scheduling conflicts but would still like to visit campus, you can schedule an individual visit. During an individual visit, you will have opportunities to visit with admissions, financial aid, and professors of degree programs you are interested in. You will also have the opportunity to tour the campus. If you would like to schedule an individual visit, please contact us at 1-800-ALL-BHSU or admissions@bhsu.edu.

Well, I'm calling it a night here in Broken Bow. Tomorrow I will visit Callaway, Anselmo-Merna, and Valentine High Schools before heading home to the beautiful Black Hills. Here is my schedule for next week:
10/4 - South Sioux City, NE college fair; 12:30 - 3:00 pm
10/5 - Crofton, NE college fair; 9:00 - 10:30 am
10/5 - Tilden, NE college fair; 1:00 - 2:30 pm
10/5 - Albion, NE college fair; 7:00 - 8:30 pm
10/6 - Elgin, NE high school visit; 8:15 - 9:00 am
10/6 - Pope John high school visit, Elgin, NE; 9:15 - 10:00 am
10/6 - Neligh-Oakdale, NE high school visit; 10:15 - 11:00 am
10/6 - O'Neill, NE high school visit; 12:30 - 1:15 pm
10/6 - Ainsworth, NE high school visit; 2:45 - 3:30 pm

I hope you are all having a great week! Go Yellow Jackets!

Maria Hartung
BHSU Admissions

Monday, September 28, 2009

Great Things are Happening at BHSU

Greetings on this glorious Monday! It is a beautiful fall day here in Spearfish! The sun is shining and the air is crisp. Although I do have to just relay the message that it is possible that Spearfish might see a little bit of snow later this week. Scary, huh? Let the winter fun begin!

This is looking to be a busy week here at BHSU. We currently have individual campus visits and group visits scheduled for this week. Our first Preview Day is also right around the corner. Preview Days are always so exciting, it is so great to see students and their families excited about the possibilities here. Not to mention that the current students get excited when they see other students who are interested in the same place they are. The current students, alumni, staff, and faculty all take great pride in Black Hills State University and they really enjoy seeing visitors. If you haven’t thought about visiting us here, this would be a great time to consider it.

Some great things have been happening around here is the past couple of weeks. The Women’s Rodeo team brought home a team title at their season opener in River Falls, Wisconsin. The Yellow Jacket Football Team also dominated on the road at Dakota State. BHSU is also starting a lecture series this fall that is sure to be very interesting. There are many exciting things happening at Black Hills State University! Keep us updated with the cool things going on in your lives and remember you can be a part of all the fun here in Spearfish! Go Jackets!

Emily Pier
BHSU Admissions

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Introducing Emily Pier!

Well, I have to say that I am thoroughly looking forward to blogging for all of you to read! At least I hope you will read it! This is a great way to hear about what we have been doing and what is coming up. This has been a busy week here so far, students have been coming in to see us from Colorado and Eastern South Dakota. Most of them came for Swarm Days and then have been sticking around for a campus visit.

I also just returned from visiting Colorado where I attended several different college fairs. They were great! I met a lot of really awesome students and their families. Plus I was able to travel to some cool places such as Steamboat Springs and Breckinridge. I also really enjoyed my time in Denver going to all of the different schools there! If I visited with you and you are reading this now, feel free to post a comment. I would love to hear from you! I will also be returning to Colorado in the upcoming weeks and I have included them below. I will also be visiting some Eastern South Dakota schools later in the fall. If you are wondering if I will be in your area or if someone else might be, just post a comment.

10/5-Longmont HS
10/6-Estes Park HS
10/7-JFK HS & Conifer HS
10/8-Eagle Valley HS & Glenwood Springs HS

Most of our other Admission Representatives are out on the road right now, so look to see if one is in your area! I miss them here but take advantage of their vast amounts of knowledge if they are traveling to you. Also remember, we have a Preview Day coming up on October 9. To sign up, go to www.bhsu.edu/visit. It is a great way to see and experience our beautiful campus. October 9 won’t work for you? That’s fine as we have several other Preview Days throughout the year for you to attend.

Emily Pier
BHSU Admissions Counselor
Territories: Colorado & Eastern South Dakota

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Greetings from the great world of Black Hills State University Admissions! I am so excited that we are going to be able to communicate to our students in a new way, so be sure to tell your friends about the blog, you are going to be hooked in no time. I am one of the three admissions personnel that are helping to give this blog a voice, my name is Laura Weber and I am the Assistant Director of Admissions at Black Hills State University, I cover parts of South Dakota and North Dakota in my recruitment territory. Check out my profile and specific areas at: www.BHSU.edu/MeetyourRep. You will probably learn more than you wanted to!
Another really cool way to stay connected to BHSU and our prospective student happenings is to join our mailing list, just click here, fill out the form and you will be in the know in no time! You will receive information about all aspects of BHSU: academics, student organizations, living on campus, and cool events that give you a chance to check out campus for yourself.
Fall is a really great season. I get to travel to attend college fairs and meet all these really cool students that are interested in furthering their education. I know BHSU is a great fit for students that want to attend college in a gorgeous setting - the Black Hills, be successful in their academic career, and get an experience that will transform their life. Hmmmmm….. doesn’t this sound interesting!!

I will be in the following “cities” this next week 9/21 – 9/24:
Moorhead, MN
Wahpeton, ND
Valley City, ND
Jamestown, ND
Wishek, ND
Bismarck, ND

I am hoping that I have as great of week as I did the last time I was out on the road. I met a ton of incredible students of course, but the other really cool part is I was guest of the day at the Holiday Inn in Minot, ND and received a free upgrade to a suite. Come by and visit me, maybe some of my luck will rub off!!
Laura Weber – Assistant Director Admissions
Black Hills State University – GO YELLOWJACKETS!

Friday, September 11, 2009

Welcome to the BHSU Admissions Blog!

Hello to the blogging world from the Office of Admissions at Black Hills State University! We hope that this blog will help you learn not only more about the admissions process at BHSU, but also about how BHSU could be a great place for you to spend your college career. Please feel free to comment on posts with any questions or concerns that you may have. We will reply to your comment quickly, but remember, if the comment is not in good taste, we will most likely give you a response that you may not like- so let’s keep it clean :) . We hope that you check back in with our blog often as we will be updating it at least three times a week with new and juicy information directly from the Office of Admissions.

Are you interested in BHSU, but haven’t received anything in the mail from us like you have from other colleges and universities? This isn’t because we don’t like you, or because we don’t love to send out mail that may eventually be placed into a garbage somewhere. It’s because you aren’t on our mailing list! What does it mean to become part of the BHSU mailing list you may ask? It doesn’t mean that you are a member of a VIP club, or that you will be receiving a check in the mail for free tuition similar to one that Publisher’s Clearing House sends out to its lucky winners. It is even better than that! Being part of the BHSU mailing list means that you are eligible to receive awesome items in the mail directly from the Office of Admissions. These items may include application guides, invitations to campus events held especially for high school students, and much more. Of course, if you join the mailing list you will also have the opportunity to receive a call or email from one of the fine BHSU Admissions Counselors themselves concerning your interest in BHSU. I know right- does it get any better than this?

The best thing about the BHSU mailing list is that is it free and easy to join! Just click hereto view the form. After clicking “submit” you should receive your very first mailing from us within a few weeks. Who doesn’t like receiving mail with their name on it, right?

Maria - BHSU Admissions Counselor
Maria.Hartung@bhsu.edu