Nominate a worthy candidate for the Moorhead High School Hall of Honor
November 27, 2019
Four new members were inducted into the Moorhead High School Hall of Honor for 2019. Graduates Cathy Sue Carlson, Kathy Coyle, Chad R. Sundem and Dave Thune joined 70 members previously inducted into the Hall of Honor. The Hall of Honor nominations committee is now seeking candidates for consideration for 2020.
The Moorhead High School Hall of Honor recognizes alumni, faculty, staff and other community members who have demonstrated notable accomplishments or provided significant contributions to their school, community or society.
Nominations submitted by Jan. 15, 2020, will be considered for induction in 2020. Nomination forms are available at Moorhead High School or nominations may be submitted online at https://www.moorheadschools.org/Schools/High-Schools/Moorhead-High-School/Hall-of-Honor/. Additional letters of support are encouraged.
2019 Hall of Honor Inductees
This fall, the four inductees to the Hall of Honor shared reflections on their experiences connected to Moorhead High School and Moorhead Area Public Schools.
Cathy Carlson, who graduated from Moorhead High School in 1972, joined the faculty of the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine in 1998. She was promoted to professor in 2004 and has served as chair of the Veterinary Clinical Sciences Department since 2018.
During the induction, Carlson shared stories of teachers and friends whose impact remains with her today.
“The people here make the community,” she said.
A 1968 graduate, Kathy Coyle was the first prime time, female television news anchor in the Fargo market on KXJB TV, where she worked from 1976-96. Later Coyle was a community and economic development specialist with USDA Rural Development for 16 years before retiring.
She credits pivotal moments in her education that led to her careers and her strong passion for volunteerism.
“The Moorhead Schools gave me so many opportunities,” Coyle said.
Chad Sundem, a 1989 Moorhead High graduate, believes who he became was because of so many in the community.
“I got an education from teaching giants,” he said. “My favorite classroom was the sports field.”
During high school, Sundem played hockey, baseball and football, including playing on the 1987 state championship football team. After 20 years of military service, Sundem retired as a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army in 2014. During his service, Sundem had combat deployments on five different occasions and earned the Bronze Star for Valor and other commendations.
“I had the distinct privilege of not just watching history, but making it,” he said.
In 2014, Sundem joined BNSF Railway Company where he is currently general manager for the Twin Cities Division.
Dave Thune, a 1968 graduate, also credited others who helped shaped who he became.
“The ’60s when I was in school was a volatile time,” he said. It was during these years, that Thune said he was taught to support people who needed support.
Thune was elected to the St. Paul City Council and served for 20 years before retiring to make art and play rock and roll. He was a colorful politician winning both friends and enemies for his work, which included authoring St. Paul’s Human Rights Ordinance and an ordinance banning smoking in bars and restaurants.
Read more about all the Moorhead High Hall of Honor inductees online at www.moorheadschools.org (choose Hall of Honor from the Community menu).
Photo: Four new members were inducted into the Moorhead High School Hall of Honor for 2019 — Dave Thune, Kathy Coyle, Cathy Sue Carlson and Chad R. Sundem. The Hall of Honor nominations committee is now seeking candidates for 2020.
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