By Veronica Corey
Communications and Marketing Specialist

MINOT, N.D. - With degrees in history and English from the University of North Dakota and a doctorate in English with a concentration in British literature from Washington State University, Eric Furuseth has built a career that bridges education and the arts. Raised in Williston, he experienced a childhood filled with cultural exposure, including a move to Stuttgart, Germany, where his family lived on an Army base.

After starting his teaching career in Alexander, Furuseth eventually settled in Minot, where he found a thriving arts community. Singing in choirs and operas, he connected his academic passions with his love of performance, becoming a prominent figure in the Minot's cultural scene.

University Communications had the chance to speak with Furuseth to learn more about his journey as a scholar, performer, and educator.

Can you give us insight into your background?
EF: I was born in North Dakota and raised in Williston until age 11, when my family moved to Albany, Oregon. When I was 14, we moved to an Army base in Stuttgart, Germany. My parents were both teachers, although my dad became a school administrator during the second half of his career. We traveled a lot in Europe, and our time there had a big influence on my becoming a humanities professor. I graduated from high school there and came back to North Dakota for college. My family returned the following year and settled in Williston again, where they would remain.

I began my teaching career in 1977 in Alexander, where I taught English and German. I enjoyed it there and stayed until 1981, attending graduate school in the summers. I then attended UND full-time in 1981-82. Following that, I taught in Pisek for two years before getting a job teaching English and social studies with seventh and eighth graders at Nedrose School here in Minot. It was a turning point in my career as I found Minot suited me very well.

I have always been a singer, and I sang in all the choirs in college. I also participated in operas every year. The fact that Minot had an active community chorus in the Chamber Chorale and a terrific opera company and was in western North Dakota was a perfect fit for me. I became great friends with many music, humanities, and English faculty members and many other wonderful people in town. After teaching at Nedrose for five years, I decided that I needed to go somewhere to get a Ph.D., which had always been my intention. I was accepted at Washington State University, a fine school where I enjoyed my studies, the university, and the singing opportunities the community and university offered. When I finished my degree in 1993, Floyd Fairweather, the legendary humanities professor at MSU, retired, and I was able to step into his position. I have been at Minot State ever since, teaching, studying, and performing.

How did your academic journey shape your interest in both teaching and creative performance?
EF: In recent years, I have found that the best way to teach literature or film is to insist that the students come to class having read the assignment and prepared to talk about it. They lead the discussion, and I fill in what I consider essential that may not have come up. This style of the class has been very satisfying for me, and I think for them, because it requires them to keep up and, since the literature is very good, to enjoy the class more.

You've written extensively about Shakespeare, British literature, and American film. What initially drew you to these areas of study, and how do you find they complement each other?
EF: As subjects, they certainly overlap, and, taken together, they are endlessly interesting from both aesthetic and historical points of view.

You've worked on several short stories and presented them publicly. Can you share how your creative writing process intersects with your academic and performance work?
EF: They are an extension of my interest in literature and performance. I enjoy reading the stories I've written--most of which are set in our region---and have had an enjoyable experience discussing them with the people who are kind enough to come hear them. For the last several years, I have had the enjoyable creative writing experience of writing the scripts for our Renaissance Feast each year.

You've been involved in a variety of local performance groups, including the Western Plains Opera and Minot Chamber Chorale. How has performing shaped your understanding of literature and vice versa?
EF: Performers and scholars sometimes appear to be rivals over ownership of great works of art, but that is one of the best things about the arts community in Minot. We generally don't see those divisions and work together to create music, theater, and art. This is a situation most of us who are involved revel in.

What do you enjoy most about playing roles like the "Lord of the Manor" for the Renaissance Feast, and how do you prepare for these types of performances?
EF: Well, I am more of a singer than an actor, but I have been given a big voice, and certain roles, often a bit bombastic, suit me well. I was also blessed with an actress mother who played Juliet and Ophelia and other roles in college. She read beautifully to us when we were young, and I like to think that I learned something about reading lines from that experience, so I have made it a point to try to perform readings well all along. The answer to the other part of your question is more basic and difficult. Preparation is, in large part, memorizing your lines or songs!

How do you encourage students to not only study the arts but also to participate in them?
EF: I hope that the joy I get from these experiences is conveyed to them by my enthusiasm. Obviously, many factors go into their decisions to pursue artistic endeavors, but I am always encouraging in any way I can. I encourage them to announce or prompt me to announce any performances they may be involved with, and I also give some extra points to any student who attends arts events on campus and writes a short paper about the experience.

As a member and past president of the Western Plains Opera Company, what are some of the most rewarding projects you've been part of, and what do you hope to achieve in the future with the organization?
EF: WPO has managed consistently to create yearly, high-quality professional opera performances for close to 50 years. I have been involved in many ways with about forty of those productions. This has always been a labor of love. Great voices heard live, singing Mozart, for instance, is, for me, the best musical experience one can have. We hope to keep this tradition going. It is a fairly big operation that requires the help of both the University and the community. In addition to the opera, we added the Western Plains Children's Chorus, which has also been very successful.

What upcoming projects, either academic or performance-based, are you most excited about?
EF: I continue to perform, and I also generally write a scholarly paper on a British literary subject to present at a conference, especially our regional Early British Literature Conference, which is held every spring. Last spring, I presented a paper called "Are Twelfth Night's Malvolio and Measure for Measure's Lucio Necessary Sacrifices?"

What do you like to do outside of work: family, hobbies, or other areas of interest?
EF: I come from a wonderful family and enjoy many great friends. Besides singing, I listen to 40 or 50 audible books or courses a year, am a sports fan of the Beavers, Twins, and Vikings, and my favorite game is trivia.

I am not a good gardener, cook, mechanic, or many other things, but I do appreciate those who are and enjoy their handiwork greatly!

About Minot State University
Minot State University is a public university dedicated to excellence in education, scholarship, and community engagement achieved through rigorous academic experiences, active learning environments, commitment to public service, and a vibrant campus life.

Published: 12/13/24

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