Michael Strand, associate professor and head of visual arts, was invited by the American Craft Council and the Center for Craft, Creativity and Design to be part of a 24-person think tank held Oct. 17-19 at the Montreat Conference Center in Asheville, N.C. The group, which included directors of the two craft-based art organizations along with craft thought leaders and artists, worked with the marketing firm Fenton to initiate a national brand and messaging campaign for the craft arts industry.

Strand also was invited to lecture and critique at the University of Kentucky and presented a lecture and workshop at Transylvania University in Lexington, Ky., Oct. 21-22.

NDSU is recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.