VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Stephanie Roelfsema, director for residence life at Valley City State University, has been named to Prairie Business magazine’s 2018 “40 Under 40” list, which recognizes 40 of the top business professionals under the age of 40 in the Northern Plains.
Roelfsema is featured in the December 2018 issue of Prairie Business magazine along with 39 other young professionals who are making “significant impacts in their chosen professions, industries and communities.”
As VCSU director for residence life, a position she has held since 2012, Roelfsema supervises 3 hall directors and 16 resident assistants (RAs). Roelfsema also serves as the university’s primary conduct officer, upholding the Student Code of Conduct for all students, both on and off campus, and she directs the Learning to Live, Living to Learn (L2L) program, a 12-week common course for VCSU freshmen.
“We’re delighted with the recognition that Stephanie Roelfsema has received for her efforts,” said Margaret Dahlberg, VCSU interim president. “She is an alumna of both our undergraduate and graduate programs, and as a staff member and L2L director, she brings her considerable talents to bear on the success of our students and community. We’re grateful for her service.”
Roelfsema holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in education with an emphasis in teaching technology, both from VCSU. During her undergraduate years at VCSU, she was an RA (resident assistant), and she became assistant director of housing at VCSU in 2007. Roelfsema is a member of the North Dakota Housing Officers organization, which she previously served as president and vice president.
She puts her professional responsibilities in residence life to work helping shape VCSU students into good citizens living in community.
As part of the L2L program, VCSU students harvest squash and other produce annually on a farm northwest of Valley City. This fall, in the activity’s eighth year, the group picked more than 77,000 lbs. of squash for distribution to those in need throughout the state via the Great Plains Food Bank in Fargo.
Also an advocate for social justice, especially in regard to issues involving women and marginalized populations, Roelfsema founded and organized a committee which created the campus Shatter the Silence walk against sexual assault this fall. The Oct. 1 event brought together more than 70 students, faculty, staff and community members in a walk through campus and part of Valley City in an educational and supportive crusade.
Roelfsema also serves on the CHI Mercy Health Violence Prevention Committee in Valley City, and she teaches Within My Reach courses as part of Barnes County’s violence prevention efforts.