Fargo, N.D. — The NDSU Foundation is thrilled to announce the 2026 NDSU Foundation Alumni Award recipients. These outstanding North Dakota State University alumni and partners will be honored for their accomplishments and contributions at Evening of Distinction, held Thursday, April 23, 2026.
Meet the 2026 cohort of NDSU Foundation Alumni Award recipients:
Dr. Paul Berg ’60, ’68, ’75, recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, earned a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in animal science from NDSU and went on to serve more than five decades as an Extension assistant and long-tenured NDSU faculty member.
Robbie Lauf ’15, recipient of the Horizon Award, earned a B.S. in political science from NDSU and an MPP in public policy from Harvard Kennedy School. He currently serves as the executive director at the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library.
Dr. Karen Launchbaugh ’85, is the recipient of the Henry L. Bolley Academic Achievement Award. She is a decades-long member and leader in the Society for Range Management and a professor of rangeland ecology at the University of Idaho. In addition to a B.S. in animal and range sciences from NDSU, she holds an M.S. in range science from Texas A&M University and a Ph.D. in range science from the Utah State University.
Michael Uetz ’82, recipient of the Alumni Achievement Award, earned a B.S. in agricultural economics from NDSU and an M.S. in food marketing from Cornell University. He co-founded Midan Marketing, a full-service agency dedicated to the meat industry.
The Barry Foundation, recipient of the Partner in Excellence Award, is committed to entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and student support, demonstrated through regional giving, investment in NDSU’s College of Business, and its impactful PaY program.