Students celebrate the end of semester outside the Jack Science Center. Bismarck State College is experiencing a historic surge in enrollment this spring semester, with the highest student numbers in its 86-year history. The milestone follows consecutive semesters of steady growth signaling a sustained rise in interest and attendance. While the increase reflects a positive trend for the college, it has also brought new challenges. Departments across campus have found it nece

The new college president explores and connects with Bismarck State College. Brian Kalk began his new endeavor as Bismarck State College’s 8th president on April 16. He has been busy getting to know the people on campus, including some media students on The Mystician. Where are you from, and where did you go to college? “I was born in Bottineau, North Dakota, which is, basically 200 miles straight north of here and the Canadian border. I went to high school there. After high

Mystics softball player steps in for the pitch. Cross-Country Ava Stafford and Jakson Ensign were individual qualifiers for the NAIA cross-country nationals after placing in the top 10 at the Frontier Conference race in Billings, Mont. They were among the only four women and four men from the Frontier Conference that were selected to compete as individual qualifiers. They traveled to Tallahassee, Fla. for the championship. Wrestling Women’s wrestling got its start this year a

Brynn and Macy Crane compete at a relay during a UMary track meet. Most athletes rely on teammates for motivation, but for Brynn and Macy Crane, that motivation has been there their entire lives. As twins competing on the cross-country and track team, they share not only practices and races, but also a unique bond that pushes them to improve every day. For Brynn, having her twin by her side makes the experience more enjoyable. She described Macy as a “built-in training part

The Mystics Esports team saw a success season for their Rocket League team. From left to right: Sean Purdy, Gran Risser, and Jackson Torres. When playing sports, the big finish is vital to a success story. The Bismarck State College Mystics Rocket League team proved this fact on Wed. April 15, when they snatched a win from the jaws of defeat. The first half of the 7-game series left the Mystics down 3 games to 1. After regrouping and making defense adjustments, the final 3

Kayden Schmitcke and Sophia Fafard during their internship at the Morton County News Journal. The pair hold the first summer issues of The Mystician. It’s been a whirlwind of a semester, and so has this last Mystician. Coming in at (36) pages, this hefty, sexy beast contains our blood, sweat, and tears from this semester—literally. We want to send y’all off into the summer with stress, excitement, and nostalgia. Not only did we talk about the growth of BSC since we have be

I was having a conversation with a friend the other day and an interesting topic came up. Just one in a two-hour conversation, but it was a good one nonetheless. The topic was, ‘are you okay leaving an event early?’ Whether it is just a chill hangout, a wedding, or, I don’t know, a family picnic. We disagreed which I knew we would. I took the stance of being okay with leaving, and he said he would not want to. Again, due to our personalities, the conversation became about “Th

Humans are incredibly adaptive, as we see countless times throughout history. When a need arises, we rise to the occasion. But what about the reverse? What happens when our needs are met? Modern man can’t even walk 10 miles uphill both ways to school each day anymore! Pardon my bandwagon humor. We proceed. A culture of ease and convenience can yield some benefits in society. We have constant access to the necessities of life in addition to the innumerable comforts we hold d

I love eating out at different places, from burger joints, pasta places, chinese places, and even corndog places. So when it comes to choosing a favorite fast food place it gets difficult. After some consideration though, I can list the top three of my favorite fast food places in the Bismarck and Mandan area, with my first being Chick-Fil-A, my second being Taco Bell, and my third is Dairy Queen. My two honorable mentions are Subway and Pancheros. They were really close co

With the semester coming to a close and summer break imminent, here are some books to pick up this summer. All either Liberty, Kayden, or Sophia approved. The Cruel Prince - Holly Black The Screaming Staircase - Jonathan Stroud Unwind - Neal Shusterman Cinder - Marissa Meyer The Summer Hikaru Died (Sophia suggestion) - Mokumokuren Killers of the Flower Moon - David Grann My Lady Jane - Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows Renegades - Marissa Meyer A River Enchanted -

This academic year has been a Ride! We saw: our beautiful collection boxed up and returned, though it took quite a few months! new shelving, carpet, and office furniture installed. students, faculty, and staff from all over campus seriously discuss banned and challenged books. nearly 50 people of all ages attempt the Halloween Escape Room: The Mystery in the Static. everyone devour and explore our databases, books, and records with an excited fervor. over 300 students par

A resident of the Dakota Cat Café hangs out in a cozy nook and says hello to lounge visitors. To the southeast of Bismarck, in the town of Lincoln, a cozy café is filled with the sounds of coffee steamers, small talk, and … meowing? The Dakota Cat Café opened for business on Dec. 16, 2025. It offers visitors a place to drink coffee while getting their fill of kitty time. Ashley Kneavel is the owner and founder of the café. She was inspired to create a cat café in North Dako

Musician Justin Payne will be visiting Bismarck on June 30 for a performance at the Laughing Sun Brewery. With a mix of country twang and alternative rock, Justin Alan Payne will bring his unique style to the Laughing Sun Brewery on June 30. Payne is an alt country/alt rock musician hailing from Nashville, Tenn. From Ohio to Texas to Illinois, this rocker has been around. Born in Newark, Ohio, Payne grew up playing classical music, starting the violin when he was about fou

College can be a challenging time. Whether it’s moving away from home, a stressful work load, or personal things happening off campus, the pressure that society has applied on young adults in college has been a problem for generations. Poor sleep, bad diet, and isolation are common problems among college students. Trying to balance everything is hard and can be overwhelming, but Bismarck State College has resources to help. Amber Vollmers is the Behavior Health & Wellness C

Tomanek reads his students' poetry during class and gives feedback afterward. There is a wide range of art and humanities programs offered throughout the Bismarck-Mandan community. Less, however, offered to residents at the North Dakota State Penitentiary. Poetry at the Penn has been a part of bridging that gap, offering residents a chance to develop a skill that can be used in and out of the facility. Poetry at the Penn is a program created by Michael Tomanek, an Associat

On Monday, April 13 the Philosophy Club was officially recognized as a club by Bismarck State College, making it the 20th student club on campus. The first official meeting took place three weeks prior in the library commons area on March 25. Philosophy Club President Isaac Sayler explained that the club centers around open discussion of philosophical and ethical beliefs. “It was Lex’s (Professor Alexius Belile’s) idea to start the club. She came to us and asked if we were

Members of the 2026 PTK All-North Dakota Academic Team accepted their awards in Williston, N.D. in April. From left to right: Sophia Fafard, Chance Leingang, Dr. Dan Leingang, Professor Michael Tomanek, Shelly Whitley, and Paysha Rex. Leadership, service, fellowship, and academic excellence are the pillars of Phi Theta Kappa at Bismarck State College. Founded in 1918, PTK is an internationally recognized honor society for two-year colleges and community colleges with 1,285 c

Sophia Fafard and Elena Sanchez pose for a photo at the Spring Carnival photo booth. For this year's carnival, the theme was Las Vegas. On Thursday, April 23, Bismarck State College hosted its annual Spring Carnival in the Student Union, transforming the space into a lively hub of games, music, and student engagement. The event, organized by a Project Management class, served as both a fun campus activity and a real-world learning experience for the students involved. Led b

Shelly Whitley and her daughter Ivy pose with big smiles for a photo after an interview in the BSC Student Union. Community colleges can be a great stepping stone for students graduating high school. They can also be a pathway for parents to continue their education after high school or return to college. Bismarck State College is one of these schools, allowing parents flexibility surrounding their busy schedules. But balancing schoolwork, a job, and raising children can b