Dear readers,
As an alumnus and now 20+ year employee in the College of Engineering, I have a deep personal interest in seeing NDSU succeed today and well into the future. So, when I was asked to be involved in finding the next president of NDSU, I jumped at the opportunity.
But serving on the search committee was a daunting task. Not only were we replacing great outgoing leadership, we were seeking someone who could help NDSU navigate the challenges facing higher education nationwide.
As a member of a large, diverse search committee, I remember looking through the 60+ applicants and wondering, “How in the world are we ever going to come to a consensus?”
Yet even during our initial meeting, one candidate made an especially strong impression. Dr. Marshall Stewart had leadership experience at three large land-grant institutions. He demonstrated innovative thinking and the ability to implement those ideas.
At every stage of the interview process, he listened to many different stakeholder voices and communicated his thoughts and ideas with a meaningful, and seemingly effortless, approach. Eventually, I knew we needed to win Marshall over and get him and his wife, Jan, to Fargo.
At this inflection point for higher education, we need to think about and do things differently to stay competitive, growth-oriented, and adaptive to new technology and student learning styles. I’m excited to have President Stewart here to help lead these efforts at NDSU.
Our path forward will require collaboration, problem-solving, and a Herd mentality — and by Herd mentality, I don’t mean that we should blindly follow, but rather that we should determine a shared purpose through conversations and consensus-building.
Together, we can support the next generation of students and better serve the citizens of North Dakota.
I encourage you to reach out and get to know President Stewart and Jan. They will welcome your thoughts and ideas on keeping the Herd strong!
Dr. Chad Ulven ’01
University Distinguished Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
North Dakota State University
I’m pictured (center) welcoming President Stewart and Jan to campus this summer! Get to know the Stewarts.
Margaret and her husband, Hugh Veit ’79, established the Eleanor S. Fitzgerald Memorial Graduate Student Scholarship to support NDSU students earning advanced degrees in the Department of Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences or the Department of Human Development and Family Science.
Core areas of home economics remain part of current NDSU degree programs such as accounting; apparel, retail merchandising, and design; education; family and consumer science; financial planning; human development and family science; interior design; and nutrition science.
Home economics programs opened doors, particularly for women, to earn college degrees and pursue careers in education, Extension, state and federal government, business and industry, health care, and more. NDAC listed domestic economy as one of its courses in its founding year, 1890.
Established by Dr. Teresa Conner, dean of the NDSU College of Health and Human Sciences, and co-chaired by Dr. Margaret Fitzgerald ’83 and Col. Esther Meyers ’75, the Wisdom Keepers provide support and share their knowledge and expertise with students, faculty, staff, and leadership in the College.
The home management house at NDAC was the first facility built on a college campus specifically for home management practice. In 1954, it was named in honor of Alba Bales, the first female academic dean at NDAC.
