This month: Join us at the 2022 Evening of Distinction | NDUS SBHE selects NDSU's 15th president | Philanthropy in action | BNSF enhances its investment in NDSU | NDSU announces Ted Helms Endowed Professorship | Class notes available online | NDSU College of Business to host Financial Markets Day | Stay Connected with NDSU Foundation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Join us at the 2022 Evening of Distinction
Registration now open

Celebrate NDSU Foundation award recipients and join in a recognition of NDSU benefactors at the 2022 Evening of Distinction on April 28, 2022. This year's award recipients include: Clara Presser (Osowski) '08 (Horizon Award); Kenton Kaufman '88 (Henry L. Bolley Academic Achievement Award); Neal Fisher '73, '76 (Heritage Award); Mike Krueger '71 (Service Award); Michael Chambers '97 and John Ballantyne '97 (Alumni Achievement Award); Scheels (Partner in Excellence Award). The evening will close with a celebration of the legacy and tenure of NDSU's 14th president, Dean L. Bresciani. You won't want to miss it!

NDUS SBHE selects NDSU's 15th president
Welcome Dr. David Cook

The State Board of Higher Education has selected Dr. David Cook as the 15th president of North Dakota State University. The Board interviewed three finalists at their meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 23, on the NDSU campus as well as virtually due to the winter weather travel restrictions.

During his interview, Dr. Cook talked about his focus on community and the importance of students.

"During my visit here, I was blown away by the deep pride the community and the state has for NDSU. There is a tremendous opportunity for partnerships and collaborations across the state." He added, "Being agile and flexible to student needs is very important and the enrollment issue demands more attention."

It is anticipated that Dr. Cook will assume office no later than July 1, 2022.

Learn more about NDSU's 15th president on the NDSU website.

Philanthropy in action
Three Women United by One Scholarship

Two NDSU professors, Jane Schuh '92, '03 and Janice Haggart '75, '96, had different experiences shouldering the cost of college. They've united to help NDSU students like Sierra Nguyen '23 do "the next big thing." Sierra is earning her undergraduate degree in microbiology and her master's in public health simultaneously and is the first recipient of the Janice Haggart Microbiology Scholarship.

"The scholarships NDSU offers affected my choices to attend and continue my education here. Taking on the extra tuition for my master's degree was daunting, but because I received help through scholarships, I'm able to afford it," Sierra said. "Earning a scholarship is a sign that my hard work is paying off, and it motivates me and pushes me to do better in school."

Read more about how Sierra balances the dual degree program, a part-time job as a phlebotomist at a local hospital, and a graduate assistantship, and learn more about Jane and Janice's NDSU connection that inspired the Janice Haggart Microbiology Scholarship in the winter issue of the NDSU Foundation Digital Magazine.

BNSF enhances its investment in NDSU
The $500,000 gift to the Peltier Complex will help enhance regional agriculture

The BNSF Railway Foundation recently made a $500,000 gift to the North Dakota State University Foundation in support of the Peltier Complex, NDSU's future agricultural products development center.

"BNSF Railway hauls the most agricultural commodities of any railroad, so to the extent that we can support efforts that continue to help our agricultural customers succeed and grow, we want to be able to do that," Amy McBeth, BNSF regional director of public affairs, said. "We see this complex as one more way to help support our customers and the region."

The Peltier Complex will create more opportunities for communication and collaboration between research groups, industry representatives, and domestic and international customers. Construction is anticipated to begin in late spring 2022.

Read more about the gift and the Peltier Complex on the NDSU Foundation news page.

NDSU announces Ted Helms Endowed Professorship
The new endowed professorship will ensure soybean breeding research continues to thrive in North Dakota

During the recent Northern Corn and Soybean Expo held at the Fargodome, the Ted Helms Endowed Professorship at NDSU was announced by Greg Lardy, NDSU Vice President for Agricultural Affairs, together with Joel Thorsrud '73, a Hillsboro, North Dakota, soybean farmer, and Ted Helms, a retired NDSU soybean breeder.

In 1986, one year after the North Dakota Soybean Council was established, the council worked with NDSU to begin funding the NDSU soybean breeding program, which included the opportunity to hire Helms.

Thorsrud established a legacy gift to endow the soybean breeding position at NDSU in honor of Helms. Thorsrud wanted to make a legacy gift to support NDSU agriculture and the soybean program. After meeting with NDSU agriculture leadership, he learned that the most impactful gift he could make was to endow a professorship.

Learn more about this estate gift and how it will help ensure continued soybean research at NDSU long into the future on the NDSU Foundation news page.

Class notes available online
Get updates on your NDSU classmates anytime

Stay in the know and catch up with NDSU alumni online. NDSU obituaries and class notes are updated regularly on NDSU's website.

Campus news
NDSU College of Business to host Financial Markets Day

NDSU's College of Business is set to host the fourth annual Financial Markets Day Thursday, April 7. The hybrid event will feature a virtual keynote by Charles Schwab managing director and chief investment strategist Liz Ann Sonders, followed by a live panel discussion on "Navigating the Financial Markets."

The event is free to attend and open to the public. Participants are invited to attend online or in-person at the new Louise S. Barry Auditorium at NDSU's Barry Hall. Virtual attendees must pre-register on Zoom.

The program is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. with a keynote address by Sonders.

More campus news