musicians-web.jpgA week-long agenda of multicultural and educational activities at Mayville State was kicked off the evening of Monday, April 4, 2016 with an international food fair held in the MSU Campus Center Luckasen Room. Student members of the university’s multicultural club served Central American foods, including enchiladas, rice, refried beans, flan, and Tres Leches cake. Students also prepared various stations, where those in attendance could learn about other countries around the world, including Norway and India.

An Andinacion concert followed in the Classroom Building Auditorium. Luis Muñoz and Josue Trelles favored the audience with music native to South America. Andinacion comes from the Andes, a range of highlands in South America.

Luis Muñaz is a Swedish citizen who was born and raised in Chile. His musical training includes Ljugskile Music Academy, Academy of Music and Drama, and the Royal Music Academy, all located in Sweden. He plays wind instruments like quena zampoña, cuatro venezolano, and charango. These instruments are native from the Andean region. He teaches at Vittra School in Gothenburg, Sweden and continues to be a freelance musician and lecturer at different universities in Sweden.

Josue Trelles is a Swedish citizen who was born and raised in Peru. He graduated from the world music program at Gothenburg University in 2004. He plays chromatic, diatonic pan flute and several other flutes from around the world. His interest in improvisation of world music has taken him to India, where he studied classical Indian music. Josue has performed and conducted workshops in India, Iraq, Columbia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, and the United States. In Sweden, he has been part of the cultural movement in which he is a promoter of integrating international music into the Swedish culture. He attends the teaching education program at Gothenburg University and is a full-time music teacher at Lövgärdeskolan in Angered, Gothenburg.

food_fair-web.jpgMany Mayville State students and faculty had the opportunity to meet Muñaz and Trelles, as the pair took part in many Mayville State classes throughout the week of April 4-8. In addition, the musicians performed as participants arrived Tuesday morning, April 5, for the Mayville State University teacher education symposium. Symposium participants included students and faculty from Mayville State, as well as Turtle Mountain Community College.

The keynote speaker for the symposium was Monica Martinez, M.Ed., regional director for the EdTech team in the United States and Latin America. In this position, Monica develops and facilitates professional development on the most current technology trends for the purpose of improving teaching and learning through innovative processes. She has developed many technology programs, some which have been adopted by school districts and universities, and others that have been rolled out state-wide. Monica has experience in teaching students and professionals at all levels, including elementary, secondary, and higher education. She has worked in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Western Europe, and Asia Pacific. She is a Google Apps EDU certified trainer and administrator.

Other presenters for the day-long symposium included Mayville State graduate Janet O’Hara, who is the director of the Red River Valley Education Cooperative and a part-time instructor at the University of North Dakota. She is a Google certified innovator and a Google certified trainer. 

Another Mayville State graduate, Dr. Teresa Delorme, director for teacher education at Turtle Mountain Community College, led a break-out session. Teresa is a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and attended elementary and high school on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation. She earned a master’s degree from University of South Dakota-Vermillion and a doctorate from University of North Dakota.

Mayville State faculty members Dr. Andi Dulski-Bucholz and Ashley Nelson rounded out the list of symposium presenters. Dulski-Bucholz is the chair of the Division of Education and Psychology at Mayville State. She spent 17 years as a nurse before entering the field of education in 2001. Nelson is a Mayville State graduate who teaches in MSU’s Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Division, specifically in the fields of adapted physical education and child motor development. She has earned a master’s degree in special education from the University of North Dakota.

Mayville State’s multicultural festival was sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, in partnership with the Division of Education and Psychology. For more information, contact Dina Zavala-Petherbridge at dina.petherbridge@mayvillestate.edu

Photo captions

Top: Luis Muñoz and Josue Trelles are both Swedish citizens who grew up in South America. They performed in various venues at Mayville State throughout the week of April 4-8.

Bottom: Members of the Mayville State multicultural club served Central American food at the international food fair on April 4.