Dan and Vicki Svedarsky came to Crookston in the fall of 1969 when Dan accepted a position to start a natural resources program at the University of Minnesota Crookston campus. Along with his University appointment, Dan has been involved in many community driven efforts, often in a leadership role. Dan currently serves on the Downtown Crookston
Development Partnership Board. He also served as part of Crookston InMotion Community Stewardship Initiative, Downtown Redevelopment Committee, GreenStep Cities committee and many others.
Vicki and Dan arrived with son Alex and would later add son Andy and daughter Amanda. Alex operates a Fitness Center in San Jose, Cost Rica; Andy is in international business dealing with petroleum distribution system and sidelines as a Golden Plump producer in Eleva, Wisconsin; and Amanda is a human resources manager with Prime Therapeutics in Minneapolis. Dan and Vicki point to their three children and families as their proudest accomplishments over their long careers. Both Dan and Vicki have kept full work schedules along with family responsibilities and their church.
In the early 1970’s Vicki began teaching Home Economics at Crookston Central High School to help support the family as Dan took a part-time leave to study prairie chickens as part of a graduate program at the University of North Dakota (UND). After Dan completed his studies, Vicki then pursued a Master’s Degree in Counseling at UND. With her counseling credentials, Vicki transitioned into counseling for several years which included a stint at Thief River Falls and finished up that career at UMC. The Svedarskys have always been a team in the best sense of the word as they supported each other in their work in education and in service with the Crookston community.
Dan recently retired after 49 years from the University in which he served in numerous roles of teaching, research, and service. He is a certified wildlife biologist and researcher with the Northwest Research and Outreach Center. In his capacity as a wildlife biologist, Svedarsky was elected National President of The Wildlife Society, the primary international professional organization for wildlife professors, managers, and biologists. In his role with the wildlife profession and conservation research, Svedarsky has given technical presentations across the U.S. and Canada and in New Zealand, South Africa, Germany, Scotland, Germany, Costa Rica, Japan, and Finland.
As the founding Director of the Center for Sustainability at UMC, Svedarsky has been the Crookston campus advocate for sustainability issues. Principal among these include the campus Nature Nook, Shaver Butterfly Garden, Peterson Vegetable Garden, Heritage Hall Raingarden, and the High Tunnel greenhouse. Over the years, he founded the Red River Valley Natural History Area and has been involved in the development of several degree programs and numerous courses in wildlife management and natural resources. He has advised hundreds of students and served as a peer mentor. Likewise, Vicki has mentored hundreds of students and colleagues over her long career.
He was a 2010 recipient of the University of Minnesota President’s Award for Outstanding Service and a 1997 recipient of the Horace T. Morse-University of Minnesota Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education. Svedarsky was recognized with the 2008 Torch and Shield Award, an award recognizing leadership in the development of UMC, the Northwest Research and Outreach Center, and Extension.
While not traveling to follow grandkid activities, Vicki and Dan are at home at their prairie farm outside of Crookston where they grow vegetables and engage in formal and informal consulting in their respective fields. Dan retains an office at the Crookston campus as an Emeritus Professor.
