Grafton student earns master’s degree

    Lauren Gilstrap-Wiese of Grafton graduated from North Dakota State University on May 12 with a master’s degree in environmental history.
    She was a graduate research assistant for the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County at the Hjemkomst Center, and was awarded a full academic scholarship to earn her degree.
    At the historical society, she helped design and construct new museum exhibits, digitized and catalogued archival collections, supervised interns and volunteers as the museum weekend manager and conducted tours of the replica Norwegian Stave Church.
    Gilstrap-Wiese works for RENEW Wisconsin, a nonprofit organization in Madison that makes policies and programs that support solar and wind power, bio-gas, local hydropower, and geothermal energy.
    She is the daughter of Gary and Kathy Gilstrap of Grafton.