2023 Award Honorees
Each year, the NDSU Foundation recognizes the accomplishments of award honorees and recognition society donors at Evening of Distinction, presented by SEI.
Peter Iwen is the recipient of the 2023 Alumni Achievement Award, which recognizes alumni who have attained outstanding professional accomplishments.
Each year, the NDSU Foundation recognizes the accomplishments of award honorees and recognition society donors at Evening of Distinction, presented by SEI.
Peter Iwen is the recipient of the 2023 Alumni Achievement Award, which recognizes alumni who have attained outstanding professional accomplishments.
Peter Iwen
BS '76 Bacteriology
Peter Iwen ’76 has been on the frontline of research and diagnostic testing for some of the world’s most dangerous pathogens of the past 20 years. Shortly after graduating from NDSU, Peter started his career at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) as a researcher to study human fungal pathogens. While working at the UNMC, he continued his education and earned his Master of Science degree and Ph.D.
Upon completing his Ph.D., Peter became the assistant director for the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) and the first campus biosafety officer where he was responsible for developing biosafety and biosecurity programs for researchers. He also oversees the high-level containment laboratories on campus and participates in research on biological agents that pose a severe threat to public health and safety such as the pathogens that cause anthrax, Ebola virus disease, and COVID-19.
Peter’s laboratory became active in COVID-19 testing in late-February 2020. Under his direction, the NPHL was among the first laboratories in the nation to successfully utilize the CDC’s test early in the pandemic to manage patients. Additionally, he and his team developed a highly accurate method of group testing of pooled specimens to conserve on a critical shortage of laboratory reagents, the chemical substances needed to perform COVID-19 tests during an early phase of the pandemic. Group testing has now become a standardized method approved by the FDA used by multiple laboratories to meet the need for high-number testing of specimens for COVID-19.
Today, Peter continues as the senior biosafety officer for the UNMC, a professor of microbiology in the College of Medicine, and the director of the NPHL.
Each year, the NDSU Foundation recognizes the accomplishments of award honorees and recognition society donors at Evening of Distinction, presented by SEI.
David ’68 and Aileen ’69 Clough are recipients of the 2023 Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes individuals who have provided outstanding volunteer service for the benefit of the University or played vital roles as volunteer fundraisers on behalf of the NDSU Foundation.
Each year, the NDSU Foundation recognizes the accomplishments of award honorees and recognition society donors at Evening of Distinction, presented by SEI.
David and Aileen Clough are recipients of the 2023 Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes individuals who have provided outstanding volunteer service for the benefit of the University or played vital roles as volunteer fundraisers on behalf of the NDSU Foundation.
David & Aileen Clough
BS '68 Agricultural Mechanization (David)
BS '69 Home Economics (Aileen)
David ’68 and Aileen ’69 (Askegard) Clough are passionate ambassadors of NDSU who celebrate the education and opportunities they received as students and the relationships and Bison pride that continue to flourish well beyond graduation. Over the years, their involvement and philanthropy have helped advance agriculture, education, and fellowship on behalf of the University.
David and Aileen reconnected with NDSU when David was elected to the North Dakota Wheat Commission in 2006. In 2015, Aileen became a member of NDSU’s College of Human Sciences and Education Board of Visitors, and in 2018 she became an NDSU Foundation Trustee, where she currently serves on the Outreach and State and Local Relations committees.
After retiring from farming, David and Aileen established a charitable remainder unitrust (CRUT) using proceeds from their farm equipment sale, which will fund six endowed undergraduate student scholarships. Together, they have also contributed major gifts to numerous capital projects on campus, including the Nodak Insurance Company Football Performance Complex, Peltier Complex, Jack Dalrymple Agricultural Research Complex, and renovations, technology, and equipment for the College of Human Sciences and Education’s food production laboratory and dining room.
For many years, David and Aileen have hosted dinners and NDSU football watch parties at their farmstead, inviting guests from NDSU and the Northern Crops Institute (NCI), friends, and neighbors — as well as visitors from around the world — to join in fellowship and enjoy their Bison-themed den, which includes yellow and green lights, a Lego recreation of the Fargodome, and a whimsical collection of NDSU memorabilia that continues to grow.
Each year, the NDSU Foundation recognizes the accomplishments of award honorees and recognition society donors at Evening of Distinction, presented by SEI.
Spencer Duin is the recipient of the 2023 Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes an individual who has provided outstanding volunteer service for the benefit of the University or someone who has played a vital role as a volunteer fundraiser on behalf of the NDSU Foundation.
Each year, the NDSU Foundation recognizes the accomplishments of award honorees and recognition society donors at Evening of Distinction, presented by SEI.
Spencer Duin is the recipient of the 2023 Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes an individual who has provided outstanding volunteer service for the benefit of the University or someone who has played a vital role as a volunteer fundraiser on behalf of the NDSU Foundation.
Spencer Duin
BS '66 Industrial Engineering
'18 Honorary Doctorate
As he neared retirement, Spencer Duin ’66, met the dean of NDSU’s College of Engineering and joined the College’s advisory board shortly after. In 2002, two years after retiring from a 40-year career in the electrical industry, he became an NDSU Foundation Trustee. For more than 20 years, Spencer has shared his time, talents, and treasures for the betterment of NDSU.
During the In Our Hands campaign, Spencer and his wife, Carol, were one of the firsts to endow a professor. Spencer wanted his early campaign commitment to inspire others to invest in NDSU’s faculty. By the end of the campaign, 22 new named positions were added.
Spencer’s passion at the Foundation has been serving on the investment committee. He chaired the committee from 2013-2022, and as chair, he spearheaded a project that captured the history of the NDSU Foundation’s endowment, which grew from about $40 million in 2002 to more than $423.2 million as of Dec. 31, 2022.
For Spencer, philanthropy and volunteer work are rooted in principles he learned in the western Minnesota farming community he grew up in and his world views. He believes in freedom, small government, and helping others. Spencer served in the U.S. Army and spent 18 months in Turkey prior to the Vietnam War. In addition to his work with NDSU, Spencer and Carol have served as foster parents and sponsored refugees. Spencer received an honorary doctorate from NDSU in 2018.
Each year, the NDSU Foundation recognizes the accomplishments of award honorees and recognition society donors at Evening of Distinction, presented by SEI.
Neil Gudmestad is the 2023 recipient of the Henry L. Bolley Academic Achievement Award, which honors individuals who have attained noted achievements in the area of education as teachers, researchers, and/or administrators.
Each year, the NDSU Foundation recognizes the accomplishments of award honorees and recognition society donors at Evening of Distinction, presented by SEI.
Neil Gudmestad is the 2023 recipient of the Henry L. Bolley Academic Achievement Award, which honors individuals who have attained noted achievements in the area of education as teachers, researchers, and/or administrators.
Neil Gudmestad
MS '78 Plant Pathology
Ph.D. '82 Plant Pathology
Neil Gudmestad ’78, ’82 began working on his family’s small grain and dairy farm near Litchville, North Dakota, on his eighth birthday. By applying the same work ethic he developed on the farm to his education, Neil attended graduate school at NDSU where professor and administrator James Sugihara helped him gain confidence and a sense of belonging. Neil proceeded to earn his Ph.D. in plant pathology and went on to build a world-renowned career as an expert in potato pathology over the next 42 years.
Neil began his career as a plant pathologist for the North Dakota State Seed Department, then joined NDSU as faculty in 1985. Over the years, he has cultivated an expansive research portfolio dedicated to the management of more than 22 potato diseases, including fungicide resistance, bacterial diseases, and invasive pathogens such as zebra chip and potato mop top.
In 2015, Neil led fundraising efforts to establish the Neil C. Gudmestad Endowed Chair of Potato Pathology, which became the first fully endowed faculty position at NDSU. He was named as the inaugural holder until his retirement in 2020, when the title passed to his successor, Julie Pasche. In conjunction with advocating for the endowed chair, Neil also secured nearly $17 million in grant funding to advance his research program at NDSU during his academic career.
Neil’s research is cited and celebrated around the globe. His many honors and achievement include, but are not limited to, being named a University Distinguished Professor at NDSU; a fellow of the American Phytopathological Society, an international scientific organization devoted to the study of plant diseases; and, notably, a “50 for 50” Honoree by Potato Grower, which recognized “50 of the potato industry’s most innovative and influential individuals, companies, and organizations over the past half-century.”
Each year, the NDSU Foundation recognizes the accomplishments of award honorees and recognition society donors at Evening of Distinction, presented by SEI.
Andrea Travnicek is the recipient of the 2023 Horizon Award, which recognizes alumni who have graduated within the past 15 years and have attained great success in their profession or have been engaged in outstanding community service.
Each year, the NDSU Foundation recognizes the accomplishments of award honorees and recognition society donors at Evening of Distinction, presented by SEI.
Andrea Travnicek is the recipient of the 2023 Horizon Award, which recognizes alumni who have graduated within the past 15 years and have attained great success in their profession or have been engaged in outstanding community service.
Andrea Travnicek
BS '01 Natural Resources Mgmt.
MS '04 Natural Resources Mgmt.
Ph.D. '08 Natural Resources Mgmt.
Growing up, Andrea Travnicek ’01, ’04, ’08 and her family moved about every three years due to her dad’s role as a B-52 pilot with the U.S. Air Force. Despite frequent moves, there were places that anchored her: Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, where her mom grew up; Thief River Falls, Minnesota, where her dad grew up; and a lake property on Union Lake in Minnesota. These places are where Andrea’s love for natural resources was born. They are also the places that led her to NDSU, a university where she could study natural resource management and play soccer — her first love at the time.
An early-career injury shifted her perspective; she learned how to lend her talents to other areas by being the heart of the team and the cheerleader for her teammates. Her injury also meant she could pour more energy into academic opportunities to broaden her experiences and grow her knowledge of the natural resources industry, which helped her build connections and led to career opportunities.
Andrea earned her bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. from NDSU. Her resume is long and filled with notable titles and significant responsibilities including: senior policy advisor to the North Dakota governor; principal deputy assistant secretary for water and science at the U.S. Department of the Interior; principal deputy assistant secretary for fish and wildlife and parks at the U.S. Department of the Interior; deputy assistant secretary for land and minerals management at the U.S. Department of the Interior; director of the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department; and the first director of the North Dakota Department of Water Resources.
Each year, the NDSU Foundation recognizes the accomplishments of award honorees and recognition society donors at Evening of Distinction, presented by SEI.
CHS and the CHS Foundation are the recipient of the 2023 Partner in Excellence Award, which recognizes a corporation, foundation, or organization that has given significant support as well as demonstrated inspirational philanthropic giving in the University.
Each year, the NDSU Foundation recognizes the accomplishments of award honorees and recognition society donors at Evening of Distinction, presented by SEI.
CHS and the CHS Foundation are the recipient of the 2023 Partner in Excellence Award, which recognizes a corporation, foundation, or organization that has given significant support as well as demonstrated inspirational philanthropic giving in the University.
Each year, the NDSU Foundation recognizes the accomplishments of award honorees and recognition society donors at Evening of Distinction, presented by SEI.
CHS and the CHS Foundation are the recipient of the 2023 Partner in Excellence Award, which recognizes a corporation, foundation, or organization that has given significant support as well as demonstrated inspirational philanthropic giving in the University.
CHS and CHS Foundation
As the giving arm of the nation’s leading farmer-owned cooperative, the CHS Foundation is committed to developing ag leaders for life through partnerships that advance cooperative education and agricultural leadership. For more than 60 years, CHS and the CHS Foundation have made numerous strategic investments in the University.
In 2016, the CHS Foundation established the endowed CHS Chair in Risk Management and Trading, a position held by University Distinguished Professor William Wilson. By investing in faculty excellence and NDSU’s Commodity Trading Room in Richard H. Barry Hall, the CHS Foundation has helped prepare countless NDSU students who are pursuing careers in the commodity marketing business.
Together, CHS and NDSU are also advancing cooperatives for long-term success through the CHS Leading for Results Program, which brings company managers and executives to campus for annual leadership training conducted by NDSU faculty and staff.
CHS and the CHS Foundation have also invested in the CHS Foundation Scholarship; the College of Agriculture Excellence Fund; the precision ag degree program; Harvest Bowl; and NDSU’s Quentin N. Burdick Center for Cooperatives, which strives to provide education, research, and outreach that will strengthen cooperative operations and expand employment and economic opportunities in North Dakota and the region.
In addition to the scholarships and ag curriculum support at NDSU, the CHS Foundation supports more than 220 scholarships at 25 different two- and four-year colleges and universities across the U.S. Through its philanthropic efforts, the CHS Foundation has helped educate nearly 15,000 students about the cooperative model and nearly 22,000 students about agricultural careers since 2001.