UND Alumni Magazine Winter 2020 by UND Alumni Association & Foundation

ALUMNI

M A G A Z I N E

NO PLACE LIKE

Winter 2020 | Volume 103 | Issue 4

HOME You’re learning at home. You’re working at home. You’re celebrating at home. And you’ll always have a home at the University of North Dakota.

UNDalumni.org Photo by Sam Melquist

Livelier Experiences

WITH YOUR LOCAL NEWS Become a member for all your local news, UND sports, weather & more. You’ll gain all the benefits of membership: • Unlimited access to the Grand Forks Herald • Full access to all Forum Communications news network sites • Complete access to all e-papers, specialty news sites & apps • Exclusive member events, deals, discounts & contests • Email newsletters delivered to your inbox

STAY CONNECTED & SUPPORT LOCAL NEWS TODAY!

GrandForksHerald.com/subscribe

ZAC KNOWS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE

#UND d u o Pr ZAC WANZEK

SVP/Senior Portfolio Manager

My family has a long history of supporting and attending UND, which made it that much more meaningful to receive my education there. UND’s accounting program has a rich history of excellence. Additionally, through my time in the Student Managed Investment Fund, I was able to discover my true passion for investment management and capital markets. This combination of experiences had a profound impact on the trajectory of my career, giving me a solid foundation for the skills I would need to create investment strategy and manage portfolios for institutional clients. 28287

bell.bank | Member FDIC

from the

Photo by Sam Melquist

EDITOR

These days, our homes are more important than ever.

Many of us are working from home. Events have been revamped so that we can enjoy them virtually from home (for the first time ever, UND even held Homecoming @ Home). Many of you with children are helping them learn remotely from home. Students here on campus continue to take many of their classes online, in their homes. And we want you to remember that you always have a home at the University of North Dakota. We were inspired by the story of Rory Johnson, ’72, an electrical engineering graduate whose career has taken him all over the United States. With family spread across the country, Rory looks back on a place he steadfastly calls home: UND. Last spring, after reading an email requesting a gift to the UND Angel Fund, Rory found himself compelled to support UND students in need. “Remembering back to when I was a student, there were times you didn’t have the money that you needed to do things. And I thought now, (during the COVID-19 pandemic), it’s probably multiplied by 10,” he said. Thank you, Rory, and the rest of you who have stood by UND during this time, whether by changing the lives of our students through your generosity or by continuing to lead by example through your great work at home and in your communities. Until next time,

Alyssa Konickson, ’06 Editor, UND Alumni Magazine

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

INSIDE 24

MAKE-A-WISH MAGIC

Alumna finds joy in benefiting children and families connected with her alma mater. By Alyssa Konickson

IN THIS ISSUE 18

LEAD STORY

TESTING THE LIMITS Capt. Tyler Bonnett becomes one of the first to fly new fighter jet. By Milo Smith Photo by Milo Smith

AMBASSADORS FOR INCLUSION

Student Athletes for Inclusion and Diversity foster a welcoming campus environment. By Alyssa Konickson

CONTENTS 6

From the CEO

10 From the President 11 On Campus 16 Homecoming 18 Features

34 Locker Room 38 Class Notes 46 UND Babies & Celebrations 48 In Memoriam 50 Giving Circles

ON THE COVER

Fighting Hawks football player Jordan Canady finds himself right at home at UND as a student-athlete. He reflects on a fall season without the sport he loves on page 14. Photo by: Sam Melquist

UNDalumni.org

VOL. 103 NO. 4

WINTER 2020

CEO DeAnna Carlson Zink, ’86

UND Alumni Magazine Editor Alyssa Konickson, ’06

Lead Designer & Photographer Sam Melquist Designer & Photographer Sara Titera

Writers Milo Smith; Jenn Lukens; Alyssa Konickson, ’06 Contributing Writers Patrick C. Miller; Connor Murphy, ’15; Dima Williams; Mitch Wigness

Contributing Photographers Milo Smith; Shawna Noel Schill, ’06; Russell Hons; Mike Hess; United States Marine Corps

Marketing & Communications

VP of Operations and Engagement Bob Knutson, ’79 Associate VP of Engagement Sarah Prout, ’07

Senior Director of Public & Media Relations Milo Smith

UND Alumni Association & Foundation Board of Directors Chair Sara Garland, ’68, ’72 Vice Chair Dr. John Gray, ’87

Directors Darla Adams, ’84, ’85; Lisa Barnes, ’88; Cindy Blikre, ’91; Scott Fredericksen, ’74; Angie Freeman, ’91; Phil Gisi, ’82; Mike Hamerlik, ’84, ’88; Marten Hoekstra, ’82; Jonathan Holth; Dr. Michael LeBeau, ’02; Rick Lee, ’78; Doug Mark, ’86; Chuck MacFarlane, ’87; Rob Mitchell, ’74; Karen Phillips, ’77; Jim Poolman, ’92; Jodi Rolland, ’92; Dave St. Peter, ’89; Karen Thingelstad, ’89; and Chad Wachter.

Ex Officio Dr. Andrew Armacost; Nancy Peterson, ’90; Jed Shivers; Dr. Debbie Storrs; Dr. Joshua Wynne, and DeAnna Carlson Zink, ’86. The UND Alumni Magazine (ISSN 26896753) is published four times a year by the University of North Dakota Alumni Association, 3501 University Avenue, Stop 8157, Grand Forks, ND 58202-8157. Periodical postage paid at Grand Forks, ND 58201 and other offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the UND Alumni Magazine, 3501 University Avenue, Stop 8157, Grand Forks, ND 58202-8157. For inquiries about advertising, additional copies, reprints, submissions, or general comments, contact 800.543.8764, 701.777.5819 or AlumniMag@UNDalumni.net.

BLEED GREEN

Did you know that you can opt to receive your Alumni Magazine electronically instead of in the mail? If you’re interested in going green, email your request to AlumniMag@UNDalumni.net.

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

from the Dear alumni and friends,

CEO

Homecoming @ Home was our answer to the coronavirus pandemic, and I’m happy to call it a success. Due to the pandemic, the decision was made to forego in-person Homecoming events this year. Rather than cancel Homecoming, the UND Alumni Association & Foundation and UND worked together to create a virtual Homecoming dubbed “UND Homecoming @ Home.” Check out some photos from the week on pages 16-17.

Inauguration Several events were held online including the inauguration of Dr. Andrew Armacost as UND’s 13th president. Due to the pandemic, I know

that many of you who would like to meet the new president in person have not had the chance to do so. Let me assure you that he is doing an excellent job managing the pandemic on campus and is excelling in other areas such as strategic planning, student connection, and academic leadership. I have been impressed so far and expect even more once we put COVID-19 behind us.

Buildings in the spotlight Two building projects were front and center during Homecoming 2020. A groundbreaking was held for a building that will be the new home for the Nistler College of Business & Public Administration (NCoBPA). We also held an online first look at the Gershman Graduate Center, a new life and major renovation of the oldest standing building on campus.

On the shoulders of giants There are so many wonderful things happening on campus and many of them originated with donors who wanted to improve the student experience at UND. Each new class stands on the shoulders of these giants. Some have names on buildings, but thousands of others created scholarships in their name or in the name of loved ones. Thousands more give to programs and causes on campus like the Food for Thought Food Pantry.

RIGHT @

HOME

The $70 million NCoBPA project kicked off with a lead gift from Werner, ’68, and Colleen Nistler that was announced just before Homecoming last year. Thanks to the work of Grand Forks legislators Ray Holmberg and Mark Sanford, the state of North Dakota agreed to provide a $20 million match program. That helped us secure a total of $50 million in private gifts in just over a year’s time! I am so excited for what this project will mean for UND students well into the future. A big thank you to all who have contributed to this historic project! There is still a chance for you to be an investor in this project; visit UNDalumni.org/shareholder to become part of the Shareholder Society and make a difference in the lives of UND students. The Gershman Graduate Center is another amazing addition to the campus. Hal, ’68, and Dr. Kathy Gershman donated $3 million to renovate the Oxford House, built in 1903. The gift received a $1.5 million match from the

state. The renovated building is now a muchneeded social and academic hub for graduate students.

Campus renewal These projects are part of a major campus renewal. A new Memorial Union is rising along University Avenue thanks to students who voted to pay for the building. The street itself has undergone a major upgrade with new landscaping, street improvements and pedestrian safety features. The old steam plant at the corner of the quad has been torn down and replaced with a new building away from academic buildings. The Carnegie Library building is being renovated and the Chester Fritz Library underwent millions of dollars in renovations and has a new entrance.

This year, in response to the pandemic, we put an emphasis on two programs to provide immediate aid to students most in need during a time in which there is so much uncertainty. I am so proud of the response from our alumni and friends to the Open Door Scholarship program and the UND Angel Fund. More than 1,000 students in great financial need have been helped by your donations. You can find out more by visiting our website at UNDalumni.org.

CARES Act One of the provisions in the CARES Act of 2020 provides a unique situation in which a donor may be able to deduct cash gifts of up to 100% of their Adjusted Gross Income. There are many possible gift options to maximize the tax deduction provided by this temporary legislation. And I do mean temporary: you have until December 31st to take advantage of this provision. You can find out more on how you can take advantage of the CARES Act to make a gift to UND at UNDalumni.org/cares. Be sure to discuss the specifics with your financial planner or tax expert to understand your unique situation and potential state tax or other tax liabilities. I want to personally thank all of you for being giants in the lives of UND students. Your impact is immeasurable. Sincerely,

DeAnna Carlson Zink, ’86, CFRE UND Alumni Association & Foundation CEO deannac@UNDfoundation.org

You are going to be impressed the next time you set foot on campus! UNDalumni.org

DREAMS LAUNCH HERE

Aspiring teachers in the UND College of Education & Human Development’s Teacher Education Through Applied Methods (TEAM) course launch 12-inch canoes off the Sorlie Bridge as part of the International Water Institute’s River of Dreams program. The students have each decorated their canoes and will track their journeys by the ID number and web address on each – when someone finds a canoe, they can report their discovery. Canoes have been found in nearby farm fields after spring flooding and as far away as north of Winnipeg. TEAM students build their own lesson plans and create a curriculum around the River of Dreams program. The canoes were provided to the class through generous donations from UND alumni and friends to the CEHD’s General Teaching & Learning Fund. “We are so, so grateful for this gift,” said Julie Robinson, assistant professor of science education. “This connects students with their sense of place by exploration of their local watershed and shows how art, science, and engineering can integrate.”

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

Photo by Sam Melquist

UNDalumni.org

FROM THE PRESIDENT

PRESIDENTIAL MEDALLION

At the Inauguration of UND President Andy Armacost, the president’s wife, Kathy (left) and daughter, Audrey (right), drape around his neck UND’s official Presidential Chain of Office. Photo by Shawna Schill

Our grateful song

President Andrew Armacost reflects on the lessons in UND’s ‘Alma Mater’ lyrics during his inauguration address.

During the Oct. 5 presidential inauguration ceremony in the Chester Fritz Auditorium, I was reminded that I am but one piece of the legacy and the future of this University. With tremendous opportunities to

The Alma Mater challenges us to keep several key ideas at the forefront of our thoughts, words, and actions.

campus.

A sense of pride: In my travels last spring, in my “Zooming” around the country, and in my engagements on campus, I have learned about the pride and love you have for your alma mater – fond memories of your experiences in and out of the classroom. Most importantly, it’s the realization that you got your start in life – as citizens and as leaders – at UND.

On my quest to learn more about the heritage of UND, I’ve cited Alma Mater, one of our university’s traditional songs. Here’s the first verse:

A sense of gratitude. I offer my gratitude to all those who have placed great faith and trust in me as your new president.

Hail to thee, O Alma Mater! Hail to thee with heart and tongue! Pride we feel and love yet greater While we raise our grateful song.

A sense of humility: We’re challenged to have a sense of humility, a belief that we have an important role to play in the world and a belief in helping others. I aspire to achieve that same sense in my role as your President.

Home of lofty thought and learning Beacon o’er our western land. Shrine whence still the ever burning torch Is passed from hand to hand.

A sense of patience: Listening and being patient is especially important during the pandemic. We must continue to propel UND into the future as contemporary challenges face the world of higher education.

impact the state, the nation, and the world, what a future it will be! Most importantly, it’s an opportunity to impact individual members of our community – our students, faculty and staff – who bring their own experiences, backgrounds, and cultures to our

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

A sense of mission: The beacon we keep lit is one of knowledge, character, and excellence. This beacon also lights the land of the First Nations of the State of North Dakota and represents the hope and promise of a UND education for all. A sense of togetherness: Passing the ever-burning torch recognizes that we are here to develop our students and be connected on our road to discovery. These ideas are fundamental to who we are. It happens in how we share our ideas, our creativity, and our scholarship with others around the globe. The passing of the torch applies directly to my new role as your President. Kathy and I will give our all to you, to be part of your lives, and to pledge our commitment to grow alongside each member of this great university.

President Andrew Armacost

ON CAMPUS

SANITATION INNOVATION

Kneeling in the cockpit of a UND aircraft, Joe Vacek, associate professor of aviation at UND, shines SafetySpect’s handheld contamination detection-and-disinfection light while checking the results on a tablet. The SafetySpect system uses capabilities beyond human vision to detect contamination on surfaces and then disinfects them.

DETECT AND DISINFECT

Photo by Mike Hess

New UND researchand-development collaboration brings out the best in private and public sector innovation.

Technology that detects, disinfects and documents COVID-19 and other contaminants is being tested and developed right here at UND. Supported by a $1.5 million grant from the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, SafetySpect Inc. – a California-based company – has brought its virus-fighting solution to multiple UND labs for experimentation. By the end of the calendar year, SafetySpect’s goal is to have dozens of prototype UV light scanner/disinfection systems, manufactured in North Dakota, ready for use in the field.

New approach SafetySpect’s Contamination and Sanitation Inspection and Disinfection (CSI-D) tool was designed originally for use in restaurants and other institutional kitchens. The tool’s early models targeted various biologics that can trigger food poisoning and other ailments. The federal government recognizes the value of that work; so, since 2019, the company has been working with the USDA to improve the CSI-D tool for commercialization. “Then when COVID hit, we realized there is an enzyme in human respiratory droplets and saliva,” SafetySpect president and CEO Kenneth Barton said. “So, we adapted the device to scan for that.” The CSI-D (CSI-D) tool was conceived by the U.S. Army to reduce sanitation and health risks in their practice, then developed with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and scientists from SafetySpect, who proved it had greater value.

As demonstrated in a UND Piper Archer cockpit, the device uses ultraviolet C (UVC) light to identify a contaminant, then an operator can crank up the UVC levels to essentially kill the virus. This use of UVC isn’t novel, but SafetySpect’s pairing of a tablet device to tune its visual output, as well as record the sanitation process, can create better record-keeping and more accountability in matters of public health. “All of the process will be recorded, time-stamped, dated and location-stamped in a digital record in the cloud,” said Fartash Vasefi, chief technology officer at SafetySpect. “Other UV systems offer only the disinfection. They don’t have the imaging and documentation to go with it.”

Developed on campus In the lab at the College of Engineering & Mines run by Kouhyar Tavakolian, associate professor, director of the biomedical engineering program and principal investigator on the SafetySpect project, researchers will shine the SafetySpect device on several surfaces. Among the surfaces will be samples of the plastics, metals, digital screens, and upholstery typically found in airplane cockpits. While an operator conducts the scan, sensors will be placed on the operator’s body to detect the intensity of back-reflected UV light. Tavakolian’s team will study the results to gauge how much personal protection equipment will be needed for safe operation. “All of this development has to be tied into experiments and validation, and that’s what’s happening at UND,” Vasefi said. “These results will expedite commercialization of the CSI-D system.”

The airline industry, ravaged as it has been by the coronavirus pandemic, has become increasingly interested in SafetySpect’s technology, according to the project leads. What better place to test the technology on aircraft than the nation’s top flight school? Tavakolian is also working with virologist Nadeem Khan at the School of Medicine & Health Sciences (SMHS) to understand how intense the UV light needs to be, and how long is needed for appropriate exposure, to disable viruses. Due to safety reasons, COVID-19 cannot be used in testing on campus, but other pathogens can be tested at the SMHS. “We think that, in the future, this could be useful for any pathogen that can be transmitted through respiratory droplets,” Tavakolian said. “Remember, even if a vaccine comes, the coronavirus is not going to vanish overnight. Once we have a unit such as the CSI-D tool, we can always improve its accuracy and its size, and we also can always improve on the safety of it.”

New presence The collaborative project shows the value of UND’s research and development capabilities, said John Mihelich, interim vice president for research and economic development. “We’re focused on increasing these types of partnerships in order to move our research and development forward, have an impact and bring new industry partners to the state,” Mihelich said. /// — by Connor Murphy

UNDalumni.org

ON CAMPUS

F E AT U R I N G

A BOOST UP HEATHER LENTZ

Returning UND student will use Open Door Scholarship to spare other mothers what she’s been through. By Jenn Lukens

Photo by Sara Titera

admit, it must have been a sight to see: I was launching a backpack into a tree in hopes of freeing a mitt that a tee-ball player had gotten stuck after a game – an innocent experiment gone wrong. One of the parents noticed my struggle. “Can I help you?” she asked with an understandably confused look on her face. I explained the reason for my antics, and this perfect stranger offered more than I expected. “Stand on my back,” she said. With her help, I managed to get the height I needed to shake the mitt free and hand it back to its owner. Heather Lentz introduced herself as a student taking online classes at UND and a mom of two daughters. We chatted a bit before going our separate ways. A few months later, Heather’s name showed up on a list of Open Door Scholarship recipients who were willing to share about their need for tuition assistance the new fund provides. Over Zoom, I learned more about the woman who gave me a boost up that summer evening.

Dropping out Daughter of an Air Force servicewoman, Heather was a “big fan” of UND once her

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

family settled in Grand Forks. She intended to make the university her alma mater, but with little money to pay for an education, she joined the Army National Guard. In 2006, she was accepted into UND’s Aviation program. A few months into her first semester, she found out she was pregnant – and it wasn’t easy. Heather was put on bed rest for preterm labor. Her daughter was born early, weighing five pounds with medical conditions that needed attention. “And I was still trying to go to school,” explained Heather. “But I ended up failing that whole semester because I just couldn’t handle it as a brand-new mom.” Heather dropped out of UND. After encouragement from her father, she tried school again – this time Northland Community & Technical College – and graduated with an Associates in Pharmacy Technician degree in 2011. She landed a job with a healthcare system where her duties varied from filling prescriptions to monitoring computer technicians as they fixed their machines. “That’s where I truly fell in love with the back end of computer systems,” said Heather.

New motivation Heather’s interest in computer systems was heightened by her own tragedy a few years later. After another difficult pregnancy, Heather’s son was stillborn at 28 weeks. Just hours after being released from the hospital, she and her husband drove to the funeral home to plan their baby’s service and burial. Depression set in and the heartache continued. At her six-week follow up appointment, Heather was sitting in the exam room when her primary care provider entered and asked about the new baby. Heather was shocked by the question: “Someone forgot to put in my chart that my son died,” said Heather. A misstep in an electronic charting process is what motivated her to return to college for computer science. Heather says she harbors no bitterness against the medical staff: “I'm in a better place now, and I just want to be able to fix systems so that this doesn't happen to another woman,” she explained. She reapplied to UND in 2018 – this time to the Computer Science program in the College of Engineering & Mines. After dropping out

nearly 13 years earlier, Heather was set on finishing her degree. “At this point, I can't turn around. If I get out of school or fail again this time, then I have to pay back a lot of loans. I'm kind of jumping in feet-first,” said Heather.

BENEFITING TEACHERS

Support through COVID-19 Heather ran a small daycare out of her home in Northwood, North Dakota, for supplemental income while she took classes online, but COVID-19 caused her to shut the business down. As the primary caretaker of two her daughters, she was in a tight spot.

Delanie Hill is a kindergarten teacher in Watford City, N.D. Submitted photo

When Heather learned about the Open Door Scholarship, she thought she might qualify for the tuition aid it offered and filled out the application. “I talked about how COVID hit, and how I was just scraping by to keep the house that my kids have grown up in… so I'm doing the odd jobs to keep the bills paid while going to school. And having that extra money would help me keep the house because my tuition would be covered.” Two weeks later – the week tuition was due – she received an email saying she got the scholarship.

A simple act of kindness While listening to her story, I couldn’t help but recall the simple act of kindness that Heather showed to me at the tee-ball field. Her actions parallel those of our alumni and friends who have given a boost to students they’ve never met, students who are trying to reach their goals. In Heather’s words, “It's not just about me. I’m a mom, a single mom who's making ends meet and getting through school to make a difference for other people. So thank you for allowing me to continue my education.”/// The Open Door Scholarship provides tuition assistance to help students finish their degrees. UND Student Finance will take into account the unique financial situation of every student and award an average of $1,000 to those who qualify. Open the door a little wider for students like Heather this year by giving at UNDalumni.org/opendoor. About the author: Jenn Lukens lives in Northwood, N.D., and is Associate Director of Communications at the UND Alumni Association & Foundation. “There is a rooted culture and community at UND that supports one another long after graduation,” Jenn says. “I am honored to be a part of it.”

Burgum Foundation creates rural education program The Burgum Foundation has provided a generous $250,000 donation to fund the University of North Dakota College of Education & Human Development’s Partnership for Rural Education in North Dakota program. The program provides 50% tuition assistance to teachers in a rural school district seeking a Master of Science in Teaching and Leadership from UND. For the pilot program, nine master’s students are working and learning together in the Watford City School District in western North Dakota. The program has the capacity to enroll 24 students in a three-year period. “Many educators in our state are eager to continue their own education in hopes of making a greater impact upon their students,” said Katie (Burgum) Itterman, ’03, Executive Director of the Burgum Foundation. “The difficulty lies in that many educators in our rural districts don’t have these programs easily accessible to them. Burgum Foundation and the UND College of Education & Human Development share the goal of bridging that gap for our educators.” The Burgum Foundation was established in 2015 by Rick, ’68, and Jody (Stibbe) Burgum, ’74, of Arthur, North Dakota, to continue their lifelong commitment to philanthropy. The goal of the Burgum Foundation is to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives and make communities stronger by encouraging education, good values and an entrepreneurial spirit. “I cannot think of better models of philanthropy than Rick and Jody Burgum,” said DeAnna Carlson Zink, CEO of the UND Alumni Association & Foundation. “They give from their hearts and their support has made a difference not only at UND, but across the state of North Dakota.” Dr. Sherryl Houdek of the College of Education & Human Development said the Burgum Foundation’s financial commitment “means the world to our students. They are so excited. They could not believe that 50% of their degree would be paid and that they would be able to be in an innovative master’s program collaborating with teachers that they see every day.” Houdek says the Watford City School District will also benefit from the program as the students work collaboratively on district-focused research to fulfill their degree requirements. —By Milo Smith

UNDalumni.org

ON CAMPUS

Photo by Sam Melquist

ON THE COVER

Student spotlight: Jordan Canady Jordan Canady hasn’t had a fall season without competitive football since he was a third-grader. But as the Fighting Hawks senior safety says, there’s pros and cons to everything – and he tries to focus on the positive. “This is definitely a new experience for me,” he said. “But we’re taking the time to just keep improving. It’s important to use this time to really get to know the guys.” Hailing from New Berlin, Wisconsin, Jordan is on track to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in business management with a minor in economics this summer, and he plans to apply to the master’s program. Watch for Jordan’s No. 25 on Feb. 20, when the Fighting Hawks are scheduled to play their home opener against Missouri State. The Missouri Valley Football Conference announced in August that it would shift to a spring football season, and UND later released its eight-game schedule in its new conference, consisting of all league games. Check fightinghawks.com for updates.

TOWN AND GOWN

The Wake Up to UND conversation, featuring Grand Forks Mayor Brandon Bochenski (left) and UND President Andrew Armacost (right) was moderated by Meloney Linder, UND’s vice president for marketing and communications. Photo by Mike Hess

Wake Up to UND Under the slogan, “New Faces. New Places,” Wake Up to UND transpired on Sept. 29 in a virtual format. This year, the event adopted a conversational format, where UND President Andrew Armacost and Grand Forks Mayor Brandon Bochenski, ’19, shared their vision for the relationship between the University and the city.

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

UND sees growth in fall enrollment UND posted a Census Day enrollment of 13,615 for Fall Semester 2020 – slightly higher than it was at the same time last year.

ON CAMPUS

RINGING THE BELL

Pierson Painter is shown Sept. 2 on Nasdaq Tower in New York City’s Times Square.

RARE AIR – AGAIN

UND and its students have long driven industry-changing developments in UAS, and the University was the first in the nation to establish a degree program in UAS operations. Photo by Shawna Schill

Student rings closing bell for Nasdaq Stock Exchange For the first time ever, UND’s Nistler College of Business & Public Administration rang the closing bell for the Nasdaq Stock Exchange. Representing the college – and ringing the bell remotely from North Dakota – was Pierson Painter, a Nistler College student and winner of this year’s Red River Valley Business Plan Competition. Amy Henley, Dean of the Nistler College, and Robert Warren, Instructor in the College’s Department of Marketing, joined Painter in the virtual ringing of the bell.

Top 30 ranking UND’s Master’s in Educational Technology program was ranked among the top 30 programs nationwide by callegerank.net.

Collaboration provides behavioral health resources The Behavioral Health Bridge, a Sanford/UND collaboration, is a series of online modules aimed at helping individuals experiencing common behavioral health conditions related to COVID-19 and promoting behavioral health treatment to address the current needs of people in the community. The partnership’s new website and its associated modules are a free online service, led by Dr. Stephen Wonderlich, vice president of research at Sanford Health in Fargo, and Dr. Andrew McLean, chair, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science. Learn more at ruralhealth.UND.edu.

UAS program selected for FAA initiative As the Federal Aviation Administration prepares for expanded use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in the national airspace, UND’s flying legacy has put it among the leaders that will make it happen. UND recently was among the first institutions selected for the FAA’s new Collegiate Training Initiative for UAS. The University’s participation in the program will ensure that there is a pipeline of qualified professionals to meet increasing demands in the UAS industry and UAS implementation into the national airspace.

SUPER SUITS

Professor Pablo de León, chair of the Department of Space Studies and director of UND’s Human Spaceflight Laboratory, is leading a new project funded by NASA to develop a spacesuit prototype created through 3D-printed materials. UND archival image

Grant to help UND develop NASA spacesuits The spacesuits of the future are being designed at the University of North Dakota, in the Human Spaceflight Laboratory. Pablo de León, Professor and Chair of UND’s Department of Space Studies, recently won a NASA grant for $750,000 to develop a new 3D-printed spacesuit prototype for Mars and beyond. De León is leading a three-year research and development effort to create spacesuits using advanced 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing. De León, who also serves as director of the Human Spaceflight Laboratory on UND’s campus, has long researched spacesuit technology on behalf of NASA. UNDalumni.org

HOMECOMING

HOMECOMING ...

@ HOME Without a football game and parade to rally around, it was hard to imagine Homecoming Week without any in-person events. But in true UND style, we found plenty of reasons to celebrate – virtually! Here’s a recap of Homecoming 2020. Mark your calendars for Homecoming 2021, scheduled for Oct. 18-23!

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR HOMECOMING WEEK SPONSOR

Photo by Sara Titera

LUCKY 13

TEA FOR TWO

Photo by Shawna Schill

Photos by Sara Titera

Andrew P. Armacost was inaugurated as the 13th President of the University of North Dakota on Oct. 5, 2020. “It is our goal at UND to change the world – to convince our students that they, too, will change the world,” he said during his inaugural address.

Val (Sannes) Sussex, ’08, ’11, Director of the North Dakota Champions Club, and Matt Bonzer, ’11, from Bonzer’s Sandwich Pub led a virtual demonstration on how to make your own Stay-Homecoming Tea & other signature drinks from Bonzer’s.

VIRTUAL GROUNDBREAKING

GERSHMAN GRAD CENTER

Ceremonial dirt was shoveled by (left to right) UNDAAF Senior Director of Development for the NCoBPA Kim Woods, ’82, Grand Forks Mayor Brandon Bochenski, ’19, UNDAAF CEO DeAnna Carlson Zink, ’86, UND President Andrew Armacost, NCoBPA Dean Amy Henley, and UND Student Body President Matthew Ternus.

Learn more at UNDalumni.org/gershmancenter.

A virtual groundbreaking for the Nistler College of Business & Public Administration (NCoBPA) building was held at the corner of University Avenue and Centennial Drive.

Werner Nistler, a 1968 Accounting graduate, and his wife, Colleen, made the lead gift of $20 million to the building. Werner sent a video greeting from Oregon that played during the event. Photos by Mike Hess

Campus has been buzzing with change and updates over the summer, including a restoration and renovation of the old J. Lloyd Stone Alumni Center, also known as the Oxford House. This building will now be the Gershman Graduate Center and we, along with the School of Graduate Studies, and Hal Gershman, ’66, and Dr. Kathy Gershman, ..’81, hosted a virtual reveal and tour of the new building. Photo by Sara Titera

UNDalumni.org

FEATURE

T E S T ING T HE

LIMITS Captain Tyler “Ditch” Bonnett, ’08, was delayed in his dream of being a Marine Corps pilot but persevered to become one of the first to fly the service’s newest fighter jet. By Milo Smith ///

n September, in a first for the U.S. military, a squadron of United States Marine Corps fighter jets deployed aboard a British aircraft carrier. Ten F-35Bs embarked on the United Kingdom’s only carrier, the HMS Queen Elizabeth, for a joint training exercise. It wasn’t the first time a Marine Corps advanced fighter jet has been on the deck of the Queen Elizabeth. A year previous, Capt. Tyler Bonnett, a 2008 UND graduate, was among a small group of pilots who conducted an at-sea operational test period on the new carrier. After rocketing along the ocean, Bonnett would fly his F-35B next to the carrier and use the jet’s vertical landing capabilities to hover, then move sideways over the deck before gently setting down on the floating runway. As a Marine Corps F-35 Operational Test Pilot, and one of the earliest junior officers selected for the honor, it is not lost on Bonnett how far he has come. “It’s pretty crazy to be in the situation I am,” said Bonnett. “I’m just a small-town kid from South Dakota, you know, and I’ve always had a drive to do something special. And I’ve been extremely fortunate to be able to do what I do. There’s no doubt about that.”

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

WEB EXTRA

To learn more and see a video featuring Capt. Bonnett, check out UNDalumni.org/alumnimag.

Photo by United States Marine Corps

UNDalumni.org

FEATURE

Photo by Milo Smith

Landing at UND Growing up in Pierre, South Dakota, Bonnett says he always had a patriotic side and driving machinery on his uncle’s Tolna, North Dakota, farm got him thinking about what it would be like to operate one of the most complex pieces of machinery, a plane. So, he came to UND to enroll in Aviation and the ROTC program. After two semesters in ROTC, he decided to put thoughts of the military aside until he was done with school. While working as a flight instructor at UND after graduation, Tyler applied to join the Marine Corps. Then, an unexpected obstacle: doctors discovered a heart murmur. “I had to get that checked out before I could join. So, I get the heart murmur cleared and the day that I get cleared, they call me and tell me they aren’t accepting pilots for a couple of years.”

Perseverance Disappointed, Tyler took a job with an aerial mapping company in California, but it was not long before he was back in a recruiter’s office to start the process again.

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

“I knew I definitely wanted to give the military another shot, and I wasn't going to quit on it. I started going through the process again and it took about 2½ more years, but I was able to get a pilot contract with the Marine Corps and head off to Officer Candidate School.” After training that took him to Virginia, Florida, and Texas, it was time for Tyler to put in his wish list for what he wanted to fly. “My senior Marine called me in, and he asked me what I was thinking about putting at the top of my wish list,” recounted Bonnett. “I told him, and he said, ‘What about the F-35?’ At that point, there had only been, I believe, two guys selected to fly F-35s. So, I ended up putting it on my list. And sure enough, I got selected for it. And I was the fifth one to be selected out of the training pipeline to fly the F-35. So that brought me here.” “Here” is Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in Yuma, Arizona, where Capt. Bonnett was first a part of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 and is currently a member of Marine Operation Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 or VMX-1.

“I’m just a smalltown kid from South Dakota, you know, and I’ve always had a drive to do something special. And I’ve been extremely fortunate to be able to do what I do. There’s no doubt about that.” The F-35 Fighter Tyler was one of the earliest Marine Corps pilots to fly the next-generation stealth fighter jet in the fleet. The F-35, as described by builder Lockheed Martin, “is the most lethal, survivable and connected fighter aircraft in the world, giving pilots an advantage against any adversary and enabling them to execute their mission and come home safe.” Captain Bonnett says what really sets the F-35 apart from previous generation fighter jets is sensor fusion. The jet’s sensors collect and display information on a screen and on his helmet’s visor, what Bonnett calls “an extreme situational awareness enhancer.”

Photo by United States Marine Corps Photo by United States Marine Corps

The jet’s sensors collect and display information on a screen and on his helmet’s visor, what Bonnett calls “an extreme situational awareness enhancer.”

UNDalumni.org

FEATURE

Photo by United States Marine Corps

“It allows you to look all around and see outside. Even when you’re looking down, you are looking through the cockpit and all the imagery is displayed on your visor. So, as you are looking down, you see the ground. As you are looking around, there’s a circle around your wingman. If you are in a fight, you lock the adversary up on your radar and they appear in your helmet as well as on your displays. All that information that’s being soaked up by the jet, you can pass that to other aircraft as well. It gives you huge amounts of situational awareness. It’s just a very capable fighter.”

Deployment Capt. Bonnett’s VMFA-211 squadron was the first to see a combat deployment with the F-35B. He was deployed for eight months starting in July 2018 as part of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit in support of Operation Freedom Sentinel in Afghanistan and Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Syria. The squadron flew from the USS Essex, a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship. Lt. Col. Kyle Shoop, commander of the Wake Island Avengers of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211, told the US Naval Institute News at the end of the deployment that squadron Marines were excited and appreciated the significance of the jet’s first operational combat deployment.

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

“They knew there were a lot of eyes outside of this ship that were on them and how they were performing,” Shoop said. “So, they were very aware of that and knew they needed to be extra diligent the whole time.” For his part, Capt. Bonnett says the F-35B performed phenomenally well in its first combat deployment. “We had a great group of Marines, not just on the pilot side, but on the maintenance side as well. We didn’t drop any sorties; the jets were always ready to go. And we had a big group of non-commissioned officers that did a fantastic job on the deployment. As far as the combat capabilities go, it did everything it needed to do as advertised.” Now back in Yuma, Capt. Bonnett is the first to test upgrades to the F-35 as a member of VMX-1. He says Lockheed-Martin provides continuous software updates adding new capabilities, so he and his fellow test pilots put the jet through its paces and report the results. Their feedback is used to train other Marines flying F-35s (the Marine Corps also flies F-35Cs which give up the short takeoff/vertical landing capabilities of the F-35B to land on the aircraft carrier while carrying more fuel and ordnance).

Motivation Tyler looks back fondly at his time at UND, where, in addition to his aviation studies, he was a manager for the UND Football team. “That was kind of my fraternity, that group of guys. And then on the aviation side, I had a good group of friends as well. I was a flight instructor. Did a lot of internships. It turned out to be the perfect thing for me. There’s nothing that motivates me more than being able to practice what I’m learning in school, so being able to fly and do the coursework at the same time was the perfect motivator for me to keep pushing.” That motivation to keep pushing continued as Tyler missed his first opportunity to join the Marines due to a heart murmur. While he could have applied to be a pilot in another branch of the military, he says he had his mind set on joining the few and the proud. “I knew that I would definitely enjoy the Marines a little bit more because of the edge that they bring. So, I decided to go that route, and I definitely have not regretted it.”///

DONOR GUIDE

THE CARES ACT

Did you know the CARES Act benefits your charitable giving?

TEMPORARY UNIVERSAL CHARITABLE DEDUCTION Applies to taxpayers who do not itemize, in addition to the standard deduction. STANDARD DEDUCTION + $300 PER PERSON -OR$600 IF MARRIED

INCREASE CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION LIMITS FOR CASH DONATIONS INDIVIDUALS CAN DEDUCT 100% OF ALL CASH CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS UP TO THEIR ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME (AGI) IN 2020

$100K Gift

2019

$60K Deduction

2020

$100K Deduction

CORPORATE DEDUCTIONS CORPORATIONS CAN DEDUCT UP TO 25% OF CASH CONTRIBUTIONS, WHICH IS AN INCREASE FROM 10%

For more information, visit UNDalumni.org/CARES or consult with a UND Development Officer today at: 701.777.2611 | giftplanning@UNDfoundation.org Note: The provisions in the CARES Act are only temporary and expire on Dec. 31, 2020. Act now! Be sure to discuss all of the specifics of cash donations in 2020 with your financial planner or tax expert to understand your unique situation and potential state tax or other tax liabilities.

FEATURE

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

T HE

WISH KIDS UND alumna connects two of her ‘families’ through Make-A-Wish magic. By Alyssa Konickson

Photography by Sam Melquist ///

t the UND Alumni Association & Foundation, we often speak of University of North Dakota alumni, friends, students, faculty, and staff as part of a family.

Amanda (Hvidsten) Godfread, ’01, recently realized the intersection of her UND “family” with her employer, Make-A-Wish North Dakota, a nonprofit organization that creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. “We call ourselves the ‘Wish family,’” said Amanda, who serves as regional director of Make-A-Wish North Dakota. “And I just thought it was really neat that there’s this overlap in these two ‘family’ groups.” As the organization celebrates its 35th year in North Dakota, Amanda finds herself reflecting on the many with UND connections who are also connected to Make-AWish. “The wish experience is what propels many kids forward toward that brighter future. In fact, research shows that kids who receive a wish from Make-A-Wish do better in their health journey than kids who do not,” Amanda says. “For those who go on to UND, that experience gives them the tools to live out their dreams as adults.” Last year alone, Make-A-Wish North Dakota granted 51 wishes to children in North Dakota, and 950 in its 35-year history. (Nationally, the Make-A-Wish Foundation® grants more than 15,600 wishes for children with critical illnesses in the U.S. every year, and has fulfilled more than 315,000 wishes since 1980.) Amanda began her journey with Make-A-Wish as a volunteer, and when the regional director position opened, she felt called to it. She has been a part of wishes ranging from trips to Disney, to building an adaptive playset, to a room makeover. “You realize how naturally isolated illness makes children – whether it’s cancer or cystic fibrosis or Duchenne muscular dystrophy or any of these illnesses,” she said. “And so they don’t get to decide who they want to play with, or they don’t get to decide what they want to eat for dinner, or they don’t get to decide when they can go outside, you know, things that we take for granted. And so, to be able to have a voice and be able to say, ‘I wish for,’ and then see that come true ... it’s very heartwarming, and it’s very intense.”

UNDalumni.org

FEATURE

BRI T TA N Y

DVORAK LIFE'S A RIDE

Brittany Dvorak is Assistant to the General Manager at Ralph Engelstad Arena, but as a child she wanted to be a dolphin trainer in Florida. Thanks to Make-A-Wish North Dakota, Brittany got to swim with the dolphins.

UND ties: Brittany Dvorak, ’18, graduated from UND with a bachelor’s degree in communication and a minor in sports business. As a student, she worked as an intern with both UND Athletics and the North Dakota Champions Club. Today, she is Assistant to the General Manager at Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Diagnosis: T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). When she was 13, Brittany’s parents brought her to the ER when she was struggling to breathe. Upon discovering a grapefruit-sized tumor obstructing her airway, she was flown by air ambulance to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where she was diagnosed and began treatment.

The future: Brittany has always loved sports, and she loves connecting with her community, so her job at Ralph Engelstad Arena is a great fit. But her cancer journey has led her to give back in other ways. Aside from volunteering with Make-A-Wish, she has also given her time to Love Your Melon, the Pinky Swear Foundation, and the AO1 Foundation. Her newest venture is with the Landon’s Light Foundation.

Br it ta ny’s w ish

he r fam ily an To go on a cr uis e w ith

d sw im w ith th e do lph

in s.

Words to live by: “Life’s a Ride.” Long before her diagnosis, Brittany had attended a Relay for Life event where her family honored a friend who had died of childhood cancer. After the event, she drew a picture with the words “Life’s a Ride” in her journal. Nine months into treatment for cancer, Brittany received a toxic dose of chemotherapy that ultimately left her partially paralyzed. “It’s not what I dreamt of as a little girl, but now that I went through everything, I wouldn’t change it,” she says. “Clearly I had greater potential than what I was showing. God saw that in me and said, ‘You have to go through a little more, and you’ll get through it.’ That’s been my motto: Life’s a Ride.” ///

When she was involved in Love Your Melon, Brittany met and befriended fellow Wish child Landon Solberg, a Fargo boy who later passed away as a result of a brain tumor. Now, Brittany is involved with the Landon’s Light Foundation, which honors the lasting impact of his life by shining his light and teaching others to “Live like Landon.” “It’s probably one of the most unique and meaningful things I’ve experienced through my ride,” she says.

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

CL A R A

BEATON THANKFUL AND BLESSED

Clara Beaton and her family, dad Scott, mom Lana, sister Stella, and brothers Alex & James, all got to partake in Clara's wish of being a Disney princess.

C la

ra’s w ish To mee t a D is ne y pr in ce ss (act ua lly, al ong w it he r si ster Stel la h , it was to BE a D is ne y pr in ce ss “An d we de cide ). d th at a tr ip w ou ld be am az in ou r fam ily, be ca g fo r us e th at 's n ot so met hi ng th at w co uld ot he r w is e e do,” he r mom , La n a, sa id . “W big fam ily of si e’ re a x, an d Cl ara (w h o is medic al ly com plex an d h as a pr iv ate du ty n urse travel ligh tl y. It was a flo od of aw ) do es n ot es omenes s.”

UND ties: Clara Beaton’s mom, Lana (Bollman), has worked at UND as a Grants & Contracts officer since 2019. Clara’s grandfather, Jim Bollman, was a radio play-by-play announcer for UND football and basketball games for more than 50 years, and brother Alex is a current freshman studying mechanical engineering. “We grew up on campus, going to football games, basketball games, band concerts. We never missed a Potato Bowl parade. We bled green and white – I mean really,” Lana said. “There was never any question that Alex would attend UND.”

Diagnosis: Hirschprung’s Disease. Clara, who is now 5 years old and has Down syndrome, underwent heart surgery for a heart defect at 3 months old, battles Crohn’s Disease, and was diagnosed with Hirschprung’s Disease, a congenital condition of the large intestine that results in a malformed colon, when she was 2 years old.

Make-A-Wish highlight: Watching Clara swim for the first time. “Her joy was so next level that all of us were like, ‘why haven't we done this before?’” Lana said. “But you're so afraid when your kiddo is sick and struggling ... you’re afraid to rock the boat, you’re afraid to try new things. Because what if it doesn't work? Or what if something goes wrong?”

The future: Clara is currently in pre-K at Discovery Elementary School’s early childhood special education program. She and her best buddy, Cutler, have a Facebook page, “Clara & Cutler” that follows their journey with a mission of building a better community and bringing awareness to Down Syndrome. ///

“I was giving them every reason to say, ‘You know what, maybe this isn’t the right time, maybe we should just wait.’ And instead, they rolled up their sleeves and just made it happen for us. We felt so overwhelmingly thankful and blessed.” LANA BEATON

UNDalumni.org

FEATURE

T YLER

LARSON A GROWTH MINDSET

Tyler Larson is studying history and public affairs at UND while attaining a secondary education teaching certificate and a minor in nonprofit leadership.

UND ties: Tyler Larson is a current senior at UND. He is seeking a bachelor’s degree in history and public affairs, with a secondary education teaching certificate and a minor in nonprofit leadership.

Diagnosis: Germinoma brain cancer. When he was 16, Tyler began to lose vision is his right eye, and an MRI revealed a series of malignant brain tumors. He has been cancer-free for the past four years.

Make-A-Wish highlight: Meeting his favorite Packers player at the time: Jordy Nelson. He also got to talk to Aaron Rodgers before the game (which happened to be against rival Chicago Bears), and took a picture with him on Lambeau Field. “That was really cool,” Tyler said.

Ty ler ’s w ish

As a big Ha rr y n Bay Pack ers game . ee Gr a to go d an n ai e Pack ers To ride a tr to ride a trai n. An d th ed nt wa ys wa al d ha e tr ip, Po tter Fa n, he be fo re we we nt on th n ve “E . am te L NF e sa id. are st ill his favo rit ce me nt pa rt y,” Ty ler th ere wa s an an no un be caus e of ds I wa sn't able to se e ien fr d an ily m fa y m re lie f.” “I go t to se e ugh. It wa s a se ns e of ro th g in go s wa I ts th e treatmen

The future: Tyler is set to graduate from UND in May. He plans to someday get a job as a high school teacher in rural North Dakota, and eventually achieve a master’s degree in Educational Administration so that he can become a principal or superintendent. Tyler is the founder of the Penny House, a nonprofit youth organization dedicated to giving youth a safe and fun environment to hang out. So far, it has locations in Grand Forks and Harvey, North Dakota, but Tyler has a growth mindset. “Penny House’s mission is to inspire leadership and confidence in students by providing them a place to flourish and keep them out of destructive behavior,” he said. “I want to keep spreading that vision across North Dakota.” ///

As a student, Tyler has been involved in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Varsity Gentlemen, and the Nonprofit Student Leadership Organization.

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

J A CK

PARRISH LIFETIME MEMORIES

Jack Parrish and his parents, Cassie and Brad, along with his brother, Alex (not pictured), traveled to LegoLand in Florida through Make-A-Wish North Dakota.

UND ties: Jack Parrish’s mother, Cassie Gerhardt, ’96, ’08, is Associate Vice President for Student Affairs & Diversity and Associate Dean of Students and has served many administrative roles at UND. In 2013, she won the Young Alumni Achievement Award and is known around campus for her UNDthemed, green and pink wardrobe. His father, Brad Parrish, ’05, is Assistant Dean for Student Services at the UND School of Law.

Diagnosis: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). When he was 7 years old, Jack was life flighted to Mayo as he was septic at the time of his diagnosis. “It was pretty intense for about the first year as we made frequent trips to Mayo for his treatments,” Cassie said. “But now, he’s considered cured.”

Make-A-Wish highlight(s): Jack remembers a water show that had a simulated dynamite explosion, and he got to push down the TNT handles. He and his little brother, Alex, enjoyed ice cream and bacon every morning for breakfast. And one day, their mom lied about Alex’s age so he could ride the go-carts. “I’m the mom who chose to lie so my kid could ride the go-carts,” Cassie laughed. “It was worth it.”

Jack

’s w ish To go to Le goLa n d in Fl or id a. Th os e days, Jack was a big fa n of Le go s – a h obby he st ill en jo ys to th is day. H is favo ri te projec t? A N in te n do En te rt ai nmen t S ys te m th at ’s a re creati on of old gam ing co n th e so le com plete w it h a TV th at yo ca n tu rn th e cr u an k an d it pl ay s th ro ugh th e M Brot he rs th em ar io e so ng . “Jac k di sp lays th e Le go lik e art wor k ,” s hi s mot he r, Ca ss ie , sa id . “We’ve go Le go s in th e liv t ing ro om . Jack ’s be droom is fu of com pleted Le ll go projec ts . Brad Le go projec t on us ed to h ave a di sp lay in hi s of fic e. We’ve go t Le go projec ts di sp laye d al l over th e h ouse .”

Extended family While this is not a complete list, a few others connected to Make-AWish and UND are:

The future:

Weston Dressler, ’08, of UND football fame. He is the Senior Community Relations Specialist for Sanford Health, and is in his first term on the board of directors for Make-A-Wish North Dakota.

Jack, 16, is a junior at Grand Forks Red River High School. He plans to study cybersecurity in college and is leaning toward attending UND. ///

Gwen Klawon, outreach, recruitment and retention specialist in the College of Engineering & Mines, is a wish-granting volunteer. Dan Conrad, ’96, CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield ND is a wish dad and now serves on the board of directors for Make-A-Wish North Dakota.

UNDalumni.org

FEATURE

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

Jill (Owen), ’82, and David Engelstad, ’90, bring physical therapy and engineering expertise to American Samoa. By Jenn Lukens ///

UNDalumni.org

SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals have motivated the Engelstads’ living and giving practices. Submitted photo

n the walls of David and Jill Engelstad’s home in American Samoa hang many reflections of the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, a global call to action for the improvement of humankind and planet Earth. For David, ’90, and Jill (Owen), ’82, the pictures and artifacts serve as a guide to intentional living. The Engelstads met after graduating from UND. While their educations differed – David studied civil engineering and Jill physical therapy – their hearts for working with underserved populations aligned. David started his career with the federal Indian Health Service, improving water and sanitation structures on Arizona’s Navajo Nation. Jill traveled with him, providing physical therapy and preoperative care for Native patients. “We’re so lucky to have that experience. That’s when we became quite the team,” said Jill. David’s career as a Commissioned Corps Engineer with the Public Health Service took the couple to a new home nearly every five years. Jill took on a new physical therapy job at each site, earned her master’s degree in global affairs, and traveled internationally on medical mission trips. Their exposure to inequalities broadened with every relocation.

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

SHARING GIFTS

Children from the Engelstad's Tutuila neighborhood surprise Jill with locally made birthday gifts. Submitted photo

“Professionally, with every decade of life, we’re having more of these experiences that really show the economic imbalances of life and populations. We came to a point of questioning, ‘What do we do with this?’” said David. Their solution was to travel further into the heart of the issue in American Samoa, a U.S. Territory that is made up of five main islands in the South Pacific. In 2019, David accepted a job providing in-house capacity building with the American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency. He is one of the only engineers in American Samoa. Jill’s broad physical therapy clinical experience made her the perfect candidate to build a rehabilitation program for the first-ever total knee replacement surgeries completed in the South Pacific. Under her leadership, the island’s only hospital, Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical Center, now offers specialized physical therapy treatment – a significant milestone for the hospital and its patients. For David and Jill, both in their early 60s, uprooting overseas was just another step in their adventurous life journey of service. The Engelstads opted out of government housing and live in a village on Tutuila, the main island of American Samoa. Exploring the tropical paradise has been a favorite pastime along with learning the Samoan language and culture, building relationships with locals, and helping neighbors.

“We are a little out of the ordinary in some ways,” Jill admits. “You have to have an understanding of development in a second-world territory like this in order to make a difference. The locals are scratching their heads because we’re not like the other two-year contract people that come down here and are gone. We’re invested and we ‘get it.’ I think that’s the secret sauce that makes us incredibly effective.” Sustainable Development Goal #4 – Quality Education – is what motivates their giving to UND. The Engelstads have learned firsthand the value of education and hope to make a difference by supporting first-generation college students and women studying engineering. “The opportunity of education has opened up the world for us,” said David. “We’re grateful for that gift we’ve been given, and whatever we can do to support it with our means, we do.” While they embark on their second year in American Samoa and David approaches mandatory activeduty retirement, the couple is not planning on slowing down; rather, their eyes are set on their next service destination: Africa. “We feel like, in a way, we’re just beginning another exciting chapter,” said David. ///

UNDalumni.org

LOCKER ROOM

Photo by Sam Melquist

ATHLETES, AMBASSADORS, AND ADVOCATES

Burgeoning SAID group fosters inclusive, welcoming campus environment.

hen UND Football Coach Bubba Schweigert called on redshirt sophomore Jacob Odom over the summer, he wasn’t calling to talk about his performance on the field. Instead, Odom says, Schweigert asked him to take on a different kind of leadership role: as a team ambassador for UND’s Student-Athletes for Inclusion and Diversity (SAID) group. The call came soon after a regular team meeting over Zoom this summer in which UND Football teammates and coaches got to talking about the nationwide focus on social justice following the killing of George Floyd, a Black man, by a Minneapolis police officer. “We were creating a dialog and trying to develop more of an understanding between all of us,” said Odom. “There’s such a need for change in our culture, and I think (Coach Schweigert) could tell that I was passionate about that.” SAID was formed at UND in 2019 as a studentdriven organization. The group’s advisor and UND Athletics’ Director of Student Athlete Development Tyler Burmeister says that

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

as recruiting strategies branch farther out geographically, the student-athlete population has become increasingly diverse. “We’re starting to see an influx of more international student-athletes, so the early talks were all about how we can make sure they feel welcome, safe, part of our campus community, athletics department, and part of the greater Grand Forks community itself,” Burmeister said. Now in its second year, SAID’s ambassadors represent every sport on campus. During the NCAA’s Diversity & Inclusion Campaign on Oct. 27-29, those ambassadors led their teams’ social media and outreach efforts on campus – the hockey team watched a documentary and held a discussion on race relations, the cross-country team had a Zoom meeting with Professor Casey Ozaki, Department Chair of Education, Health & Behavior who specializes in issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the football team launched a video stating that they advocate for unity, compassion, and brotherhood. Katie Bierstedt, a founding member of SAID and senior catcher on the softball team, said the softball team adorned smiley-face pins as a

visible and lasting symbol of support. “We wanted something tangible that would mark us, for our teammates and others, to know that we have their backs,” she said. “It kind of marks us as allies or safe people to speak to when things are hard or you need support.”

SPREADING SMILES

Katie Bierstedt is studying biology with a focus on pre-dentistry. After an internship with a local pediatric dentist, she wants to care for children and individuals with special needs.

Photo by Sam Melquist

In 2019, SAID hosted a Thanksgiving meal for all student-athletes – with a special focus on international students – so no one would have to spend the holiday alone. In January, the group was able to create a stipend for a student to attend the Black Student Athlete Summit in Dallas. In February, Black History Month, a soul food night celebrated Black culture and history. This year, SAID ambassadors led an effort to achieve 100% voter registration among UND student-athletes. This being the first opportunity for many of them to vote in a presidential election, many had never registered. And with their residencies spread out across the country, the rules for doing so were varied. “We felt that it was really important to make sure that our student-athletes were educated and properly using their right to vote as American citizens,” Bierstedt said.

An elevated platform As student-athletes, Odom and Bierstedt recognize their unique platform as campus leaders.

“When you go out on the field, your actions matter because people are watching,” Odom said. “So, we’re focused on taking advantage of our platform and trying to use it for the better.”

Odom is working to implement a Black Student Athlete Council to create a welcoming environment for Black student-athletes.

Burmeister, the group’s advisor, says that focus on leadership and answering a call to make a difference has been essential to the group’s success and points to a bright future, as student-athletes take up social justice causes ranging from race issues to LGBTQ+ to mental health awareness.

“And it’s not to be an exclusive group, but it’s acknowledging the fact that we’re Black people and what we go through is a little different,” he said. “We’re trying to create more of a binding and brotherhood aspect within us so that when certain circumstances do come up, we’re more equipped to handle it.”

“Our student-athletes realize that they have these platforms, they’re being vulnerable, they’re putting themselves out there, and they’re doing it because it’s something they believe in,” he said. “And they’re trying to make a positive change.”

As for Bierstedt, who initially joined SAID to help create a more welcoming community for her teammates moving to Grand Forks from a variety of diverse backgrounds, she feels it is her time to step back and listen.

He adds that University leadership has backed SAID from the get-go. “We know that we have support from our Athletic Director Bill Chaves and President Armacost.”

“I think that’s been the biggest thing for me to come out of this group: the ability to empathize better with the people around me and understand how I can help them.” ///

Looking ahead

— by Alyssa Konickson, ’06

For Odom and Bierstedt, SAID has been a jumping off point in their personal development and leadership, both pointing to a need for increased dialog and empathy. UNDalumni.org

LOCKER ROOM

DEAN BLAIS: HALL OF FAMER Former UND head coach, leader of two NCAA championship UND teams, caps decorated career with one of hockey’s top honors.

ormer University of North Dakota head hockey coach Dean Blais, ’82, was announced as one of four honorees in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2020 on Sept. 14. Blais spent 19 seasons at North Dakota, first as an assistant under Gino Gasparini, then later for a decade as head coach from 1994-2004. As a head coach, the International Falls, Minnesota, native led UND to two NCAA titles (1997, 2000), seven NCAA tournament appearances, including three Frozen Fours; four Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular-season titles and two WCHA playoff championships. In his 10 seasons at the helm, Blais finished with a 262-115-33 record. And during his nine campaigns (1980-89) as an assistant coach with UND, he helped the team to a pair of national titles (1982, 1987) and a third-place finish in the 1984 NCAA Championship. He earned the Spencer Penrose Award as the top men’s collegiate coach on two occasions (1997, 2001), along with being awarded seven other Coach of the Year honors from the WCHA, the American College Hockey Coaches Association, the MSC Sports Salute Gala, and the Associated Press. While at UND, Blais also played a major role in the development of the Ralph Engelstad Arena that

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

“Dean has tremendously added to the tradition of North Dakota Hockey over his tenure at UND. He raised the bar of excellence through his work ethic and team-first approach that will forever be part of the foundation of our hockey program.” BRAD BERRY HEAD COACH, UND HOCKEY

opened in 2001 and is still regarded as one of the best hockey arenas in the world. Blais later finished his coaching career with an eight-year stint as head coach of the University of Nebraska Omaha men’s ice hockey team, where he led the program to its first-ever NCAA Frozen Four appearance in 2015 and two NCAA Tournament berths overall. He finished with a 146-133-30 record at UNO and is the school’s all-time winningest coach. In his 18-year run as a college head coach, Blais finished with a mark of 407-246-84 and 14 winning seasons. His career also included three years with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets (2004-07) and two seasons as general manager and head coach for the USHL’s

Fargo (N.D.) Force, where he guided the team to the Clark Cup Final in 2009 and was named the USHL Coach of the Year. On the international stage, Blais led the U.S. to its first-ever gold medal on Canadian soil in the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship, served as head coach for U.S. entries in the World Junior Championship in 1994 and 2012, and was an assistant coach for Team USA in the event in 1988 and 1989. In addition, he served as an assistant coach for the 1992 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team and the 2000 U.S. Men’s National Team. He is a 2018 inductee into the University of North Dakota Letterwinners Athletics Hall of Fame. /// — by Mitch Wigness

How to Dress for Winter like a Norwegian 1

Base Layers • The Most Critical Element 2

Mid Layers • Adding Warmth 3

Outer Layers •

Block the Wind + Wet

AKTIV is owned and operated by University of North Dakota alum Nate Axvig ‘99 and his wife Leslie. Order Scandanavia‘s best clothing brands at

aktivstyle.com

or visit our flagship store in Colorado. UND alumni and friends save $18.83 on their first order over $150 by using the code: UNDProud STANLEY MARKETPLACE 2501 DALLAS STREET • AURORA, CO, 80010

CLASS NOTES 1928

Iris Westman, ’28, turned 115 on Aug. 28, becoming the second-oldest living person in the United States and oldest in North Dakota. To celebrate her milestone birthday, her family would like to build a Conservation Lab in the Chester Fritz Library. To support the lab, visit UNDalumni.org/iris.

1953

Robert “Bob” Hale, ’53, published his fifth book, “Creation and Re-Creation” in 2020. This book and several of his other books were edited by Beth Hale Lindsey, ’78. All of Bob’s books are available on Amazon. Dr. John A. Linfoot, ’53, ’55, is being recognized by Continental Who’s Who as a Leading Endocrinologist for his noteworthy achievements in the field of medicine. He runs a private practice and is affiliated with Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in San Francisco.

Leland Stenehjem, Jr., ’67, has written “The Great The Late (Almost) United States of America,” a political commentary discussing conservative and liberal philosophies. It is available online through amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

1970

Steve Thomas, ’70, surpassed 50 years in the newspaper business. He was honored by the City of Bismarck, which declared Aug. 13 as Steve Thomas Day.

1972

Rich Moser, ’68, ’72, is retiring after 48 years of working as a psychologist. He has served Sanford Fargo Behavioral Health for most of the past two decades. Peggy (Arenz), ..’72, and Mike Bullinger, ’72, ’74, won the 2020 Distinguished Citizen Award from the Boy Scouts of America Northern Lights Council, based in Fargo.

1974

1954

Katie Ladoupoulou Desplat, ..’54, has written a book of poems, “Ma vie en poesie” (translated: “My life in poetry”). She lives in Montresor, France.

1965

Eunice (Lizakowski) Kuhn, ’65, has been appointed to the AARP North Dakota Executive Council. She lives in Grand Forks.

1967

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

Claudia Berg, ’74, ’78, has retired as director of the State Historical Society of North Dakota. As the first woman to hold the position, Claudia worked for SHSND for almost 40 years.

1975

Randy Newman, ’75, ’79, was given the Leaders & Legacies award from Prairie Business Magazine. He is CEO, president and chairman of the board of Alerus Financial N.A. and Alerus Financial Corp., headquartered in Grand Forks.

1976

Dr. John Baird, ’76, has retired as Cass County coroner after 37 years on the job. Steven Hinrichs, ’76, ’78, ’80, has been named to the Healthy Sail Panel, a collaboration of experts formed by Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings to develop enhanced cruise health and safety standards in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

1977

Kevin Holten, ’77, is executive producer of Special Cowboy Moments on RFD-TV and Wild Rides on the Cowboy Channel.

1978

Tom Ness, ’78, has been inducted into the National Bird Dog Hall of Fame. He lives in Menoken, N.D. Jane (Hedahl) Schreck, ’78, ’83, ’13, has been invited by Pepperdine University and Bismarck-Mandan Unitarian Universalist Congregation to share her scholarly research on writerthinker-farmer Wendell Berry. She is a professor of English at Bismarck (N.D.) State College.

1982

Dr. J.P. Newman, ’78, ’82, retired from his teaching and clinical position at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem faculty of medicine and the Hadassah-Hebrew University Hospital Neurology Department. He continues in private practice in Jerusalem.

1983

Cathy Sulentic-Morcom, ’83, ’93, recently celebrated 25 years of ownership of Black Hills Physical Therapy in Spearfish, S.D.

1984

Kevin Napper, ’84, has been recognized for the 16th consecutive year in Best Lawyers in America in White Collar Criminal Defense and Commercial Litigation. He practices in Tampa, Fla.

1985

Dr. Vicky Griffin, ’85, DO, OB/ GYN, has joined the medical staff of Ochsner St. Mary in Morgan City, La.

1986

Caroline Chambers, ’86, has been named President, EMEA, and Executive Vice President, Information Systems, of Graco Inc., a leading manufacturer of fluid handling equipment headquartered in Minneapolis. Marilyn (Sangrait) Ek, ’86, ’00, is a nurse practitioner at Anne Carlsen Mental Health Clinic in Moorhead, Minn. Kory Peterson, ’86, was reelected mayor of Horace, North Dakota. The city of Horace, located southwest of Fargo, is the fastest growing city in North Dakota and won City of the Year in 2019.

1987

Nancy (Satrom) Germain, ’87, was honored by Sen. John Hoeven with the Angels in Adoption award, which is given through the Congressional Coalition on Adoption. She is an adoption specialist for the Adults Adopting Special Kids program in Fargo.

1988

Matt Bjornson, ’88, received the Petroleum Marketers Association of America’s Distinguished Service Award. He owns Bjornson Oil Company in Cavalier, N.D. Thomas Erickson, ’88, ’90, chief executive officer of the UND Energy & Environmental Research Center, has been named by Gov. Doug Burgum to the North Dakota Higher Education Task Force. Cathy (Wilson) Rydell, ’88, has retired after 20 years as CEO of the American Academy of Neurology, the world’s largest professional association of neurologists and neuroscience professionals.

1989

Alastair Brown, ’89, will have his book, “Cosmic Careers: Exploring the Universe of Opportunities in the Space Industries” released on Feb. 9, 2021. It will be the first of a three-part series and can be found on Amazon.

CLASS NOTES

STORIES & CONNECTIONS

The mystery of the lost and found ring

n May 3, 2020, two metal detector enthusiasts uncovered a ring near a baseball diamond in Badjeros, Ontario, Canada. It was inscribed with the words University of North Dakota | B.S. | 1969 | Letterman. Inside, the initials M.S.L. offered a clue to its original owner. Jason Burgsma and Amanda Konieczny, who found the ring, contacted the UND Alumni Association & Foundation (UNDAAF), hoping to return it to whom it once belonged. Lindsay Benson, ’13, ’14, UNDAAF’s data and website coordinator, received the message and sent an email to a half-dozen members of the Class of 1969 with the initials M and L: “Has anyone lost their class ring?” Michael Leach, ’69, couldn’t believe his eyes. More than 50 years ago, in 1969, he had lost a UND Hockey letterman’s ring that matched the one pictured in the email. At the time he was working for Massey Ferguson and playing in a men’s hockey league in Des Moines, Iowa. One game day, he wore his ring to the game. “I don’t know why I wore it,” he said. “I know I took off the ring before our game and afterwards at home, I could not find it. I figured I either misplaced it, dropped it on the ground or it was stolen. I was thinking of getting it replaced but at the time the cost was too much.”

UNEXPECTED RETURN

Michael Leach, ’69, of Davies, Florida, recently had his long-lost UND class ring returned to him, all the way from Ontario, Canada.

to Badjeros, Ontario, where the ring was found, was Toronto – roughly 80 miles away. Upon closer inspection, however, it was determined that the ring received a few weeks prior to graduating with his bachelor’s degree in Education was, in fact, Michael’s. On June 15, the prized possession returned to its rightful owner, half a century after it was lost. Along with it, a lovely note from Jason and Amanda and a playing card picture of their son who’s also a hockey player. “What an exciting story for both of us to tell, with such a happy ending,” the couple wrote. “Especially during these times of such uncertainty, it makes us smile to spread something positive and make a stranger’s day better!” How it ended up in Ontario remains a mystery, but its return has been a welcome surprise during a difficult time. “This has been an upside-down year,” Michael wrote to the UNDAAF. “Starting with an illness that took me by surprise, achieving my 26th year working for the NHL as a penalty timekeeper and an arena league spotter for the Florida Panthers, a pandemic, and some wonderful people finding my ring 50 years after I lost it and in a place that I would have never believed possible. I just want to thank Lindsay, Amanda, and Jason for making this all possible for me. My wife Evidia and I still cannot believe these crazy events.” ///

Still, Michael was skeptical. The closest he’d ever been

Mary (Axtman) Dockter, ’89, ’04, has been elected to the board of directors of the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy.

Dave Ulferts, ’90, is an associate with Colliers International’s brokerage services team in Omaha, Nebraska.

Jenny LeTexier, ’93, has been promoted to project administrator with General Atomics Aeronautical in Grand Forks.

Dr. Marcel Robles, ’89, ’91, ’96, received the prestigious Jack L. Dyer Award for Teaching Excellence at Eastern Kentucky University, where she has been a Professor in Corporate Communication and Technology in the College of Business since 2002.

1992

Tina (Griffeth) Sauber, ’93, ’08, is a clinical assistant professor of integrated behavioral health and a licensed occupational therapist at Arizona State University’s College of Health Solutions in Phoenix.

1990

Jeanette (Goll) Haugen, ’93, has been promoted to chief of product development for BNG Team. She lives outside the Fargo/Moorhead area with her husband, daughter, dog, cat, bunnies, and chickens.

Nelda Schrupp, ’90, ’93, was named Honored One at Red Earth Festival in Shawnee, Oklahoma. The nationally renowned artist lives in Lakota, N.D.

Kristi Magnuson Nelson, ’92, president and CEO of Hugo’s Family Marketplace headquartered in Grand Forks, was named a recipient of the Leaders & Legacies award from Prairie Business Magazine.

1993

1994

Michael Leach, ’69

Dawn (Berg) Duncan, ’94, was awarded The Oxford Award, a national honor for Delta Gammas who have given exceptional contribution and service to their respective communities. She and her husband, Michael, recently moved to Detroit Lakes, Minn.

— by Alyssa Konickson, ’06 Denise (Randle) Jonas, ’94, ’03, ’11, was presented with the North Dakota Career & Technical Education Association Administrator of the Year Award. She the director of the Cass County Career & Technical Education Center. Paul Loraas, ’94, was named a 2020 Minnesota Super Lawyer. He is an attorney with Fryberger, Buchanan, Smith & Frederick, P.A. in Duluth. William Towle, ’94, achieved his AAAE Accredited Airport Executive certification. He is director of St. Cloud (Minn.) Regional Airport.

UNDalumni.org

CLASS NOTES

APPLAUSE FOR ALUMNI

Nothing could stop her – not even a hurricane

Celibermari Rodriguez, ’20

magine enduring one of the deadliest, most devastating natural disasters in history as it ravages your community, killing thousands of citizens on its path of destruction and leaving many thousands of others homeless. You have no power; you have no internet. If you were in your first semester of an online master’s degree, delivered by faculty some 2,500 miles away, would you stay the course? In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, which battered Puerto Rico in September 2017, Celibermari Rodriguez persevered. At the time, she had been an online graduate student in nutrition at UND for only a few weeks. She pressed forward with her studies, even though she had family and patients to care for and she had to drive far away to remotely access her courses on her phone.

PERSEVERANCE

Celibermari Rodriguez started her first semester in UND’s online master’s program in nutrition in 2017, a few weeks before Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, where she lives. Despite the challenges, she persevered, earning her degree this summer. Photo by Celibermari Rodriguez

Rodriguez was fortunate that her house sustained minor damage. But she was without electricity and internet at home until December – four months after the hurricane. Still, she found a way. Why did she decide to continue? “Well, I’m very responsible,” she said with a smile during a Zoom interview. “I always like to finish what I start.”

A drive to help others By the time Rodriguez enrolled at UND, she had been a dietitian for just over a decade. Having graduated from the University of Puerto Rico, she’d always wanted to attend a master’s program. But she was holding out for the right one – the one with a challenging curriculum that fit her goals of diversifying her expertise. Then, of course, life happened. Rodriguez had a daughter. She held good jobs, and she enjoyed helping people regain their wellness through a balanced diet. Throughout her career, Rodriguez has worked with diverse patients, from pregnant women to the homeless. She is aware of the negative perceptions that dog her as a professional. After all, scores of patients first picture a nagging nutritionist counting their calorie intake, telling them what to eat and what not to. She spurns that role. “I always like to listen to the patient, not just tell them what to do,” Rodriguez said. “That way, they see for themselves they have other options. It’s very nice when you can follow up with those patients and see their progress, because it’s not only about

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

weight. It can also be about overall nutrition and exercise, energy and comfort with yourself.”

A university that cared When Rodriguez decided it was time to go back to school, she sought remote programs. She did not want to uproot her daughter. A colleague who was considering UND’s online master’s degree in nutrition told her about the University, and Rodriguez enrolled. “I really liked that, at UND, all the instructors demonstrated that they really care for the students,” Rodriguez said. “They weren’t giving a class just to give it. And, what you were learning, you could apply it to your current work or to what you were going to do in the future.” Working full-time and raising her child, Rodriguez studied in the evenings and on weekends. But when Hurricane Maria hit, it washed her routine away, too. Rodriguez, her daughter and parents moved in with her sister – who had a power generator – for some time. The nature of her work also changed. “When you lose your house or have no electricity or water, the last person who people want is to see a nutritionist,” Rodriguez said. “You don’t want to tell me what to eat now. I will eat what I have.”

Rodriguez did not instruct fellow Puerto Ricans what to eat. Instead, she taught them how to preserve what they had; how to keep it from contamination; how to store it safely. With coworkers, she also distributed supplies and provided health care services. “This is what the community needed,” she said. Through it all, Rodriguez did not abandon her course work. She used her lunch breaks to catch up on readings. She drove to local establishments with spotty mobile connectivity to check emails and assignments. And, this summer, she graduated. Above all, Rodriguez says, she wants her experience to be an example for her daughter. “I really want to teach her to persevere,” she said. “You can do whatever you set your mind to if you really work hard.” /// — by Dima Williams

CLASS NOTES

UND LEGACIES 1995

Barb Cooper Vigen, ’95, owns The Norway Dakota Company, an online product fundraising company that supports heritage groups, including Irish dance schools and language camps. Anissa Irlmeier, ’95, has joined the Family Practice Clinic of Manning Regional Healthcare Center. She lives with her family in Templeton, Iowa. Matt Olson, ’95, is the new chief financial officer of MetroPlains Management. He lives in Fargo. Steven Rosenau, ’95, has been named chief operating officer of Sidney Sugars, incorporated into his duties as treasurer of American Crystal Sugar. Sidney Sugars is American Crystal’s beet sugar business in Sidney, Montana.

1997

Dr. Kannan Ramar, ’97, recently became the 35th president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) board of directors. He is a sleep medicine physician at the Center for Sleep Medicine and a professor of medicine in the division of pulmonary and critical care medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

1998

Angelique EagleWoman, ’98, has been hired as co-director of the Indian Law Program and professor of law at Mitchell Hamline School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota. Carla Rodacker Munkirs, ’98, under the pseudonym C.J. Wynn, has written her first book, “Wilder Intentions,” the true account of a 2015 Minot, North Dakota, murder. It’s available on Amazon. Dr. Jeffrey Sather, ’98, chief of staff at Trinity Health in Minot, N.D., has been appointed to the board of directors of the American Heart Association, Midwest Region, for a two-year term. Joseph Wetch Jr., ’98, ’01, vice president and shareholder at Serkland Law Firm in Fargo, has been appointed to a four-year term on the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education.

Dr. Shawn Young, ’98, is a surgical oncologist with SurgOne, P.C., in Denver.

1999

Lisa’s tree

Gerrad, ’95, and Dr. Lisa Burger, ’91, ’02, ’16

Stephanie Dahl, ’99, a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist, has joined CCRM Fertility in Minneapolis. Keith Holt, ’99, is director of Virginia Tech-Montgomery Executive Airport in Blacksburg, Virginia. Mick Lenhardt, ’99, an assistant girls and boys soccer coach at Legacy High School, in Bismarck, N.D., has been named a co-head coach for the coming season.

2000

Lisa Johnson, ’00, ’11, history teacher at Grand Forks Red River High School, has been selected as North Dakota History Teacher of the Year. Dan Lawson, ’00, has opened Restaurant 28 Tastes and Taps in Minot, N.D.

2001

Lisa Hoffman, ’01, was named North Dakota’s New Teacher of the Year in Marketing by the Association for Career and Technical Education. She teaches Marketing Education at Central Cass (N.D.) High School. Eric Johnson, ’01, will have his works displayed at the North Dakota Capitol building through December, thanks to the North Dakota Council on the Arts. He is a printmaker in Hillsboro, N.D. Nici Meyer, ’01, is an attorney with Olson & Burns P.C. in Minot, N.D. Allison (Hutchings) Peterson, ’01, has been named director of the Summer Performing Arts (SPA) company in Grand Forks.

2002

Matt Brown, ’02, is chief revenue officer at AirMap, a Californiabased unmanned aircraft company. Erika Butler, ’02, is a veterinarian at Grand Rapids (Minn.) Veterinary Clinic.

here is a new tree on campus. Its roots are settling in near the Hopper-Danley Spiritual Center. While it braces for colder weather, the flowering crabapple will be a sight to behold in springtime as it matures.

“It’ll put a smile on us for a couple weeks a year at least. It’s perfect,” said Gerrad Burger, ’95. The tree was planted in memory of his late wife, Dr. Lisa Burger, ’91, ’02, ’16. The couple shared a love for trees and grew many in the yard of their Grand Forks home. Lisa was cremated, so without a burial plot to visit, this quiet spot serves that purpose. “She liked the chapel area on campus. That was one of her favorite places,” said Gerrad, adding that the tree will be a reminder of her life for the community she cared so much about. Lisa served more than 20 years as a UND staff member and administrator, most recently as the Assistant Vice President for Student Academic Services. Just like pink petals in the spring, Lisa had a way of putting a smile on others’ faces.

In her honor In 2013, Lisa was diagnosed with breast cancer. She battled her way through, all the while completing her Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education. She recovered but was diagnosed with biliary tract cancer in May 2018. After a year-long battle, she passed away in July of 2019. With the help of the UND Alumni Association & Foundation and Cassie Gerhardt, a good friend of Lisa’s and Associate Dean of Students, Gerrad initiated the Lisa Burger Memorial Fund to support scholarships for members of the Alpha Chi Omega house. /// — by Jenn Lukens Read the full story at UNDalumni.org/lisastree.

Giving a memorial tree or bench is a way to honor a loved one who has impacted your life. For more information, visit UNDalumni.org/memorialtrees-and-benches or call Cory Lien at 701.777.4353. UNDalumni.org

CLASS NOTES

UND LEGACIES

Sister for suffrage

2004 Cora Smith, Class of 1889

A PIONEER

Dr. Cora Smith, along with her mother, Sara, established and led the Grand Forks Equal Suffrage Association. UND’s Smith Hall, a dormitory, was dedicated in her name in 1964. University Archives

same time teaching arithmetic, geography, spelling and handwriting. After graduating from the Boston University School of Medicine in 1892, she returned to Grand Forks and was the first woman licensed to practice medicine in North Dakota. Dr. Smith is also said to be the first woman to perform surgery in all of the Dakotas and Minnesota. In 1909, along with a party of Seattle Mountaineers, Smith famously climbed Mount Rainier and planted a “Votes for Women” flag at the summit. On Oct. 29, 2020, the UND Department of History’s Robert P. Wilkins lecture featured Kristin Mapel Bloomberg, Hamline University Professor of Women’s Studies and Endowed Chair in the Humanities. An excerpt from Bloomberg’s book, “Equality at the Ballot Box: Votes for Women on the Northern Great Plains” is as follows:

n 2020, American women celebrated the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted them the right to vote. And if you are one of UND’s 57,000 living female graduates and voted in this year’s election, you can thank your fellow UND alumna, Dr. Cora Smith, for your right to do so. Hailed by many in the same regard as Susan B. Anthony, Dr. Smith was a leader in the suffragist movement that ultimately granted American women the right to vote. Smith became interested in suffrage right here at UND, where she attended from 1884 to 1889, at the

“In the spring of 1889, Smith graduated as a member of the first class of the University of North Dakota. Her commencement essay, “The Position of Woman in America,” set the tone for her future. She argued, ‘The position accorded to woman has always been regarded as a test of the nation’s progress;’ concluding, ‘the tendency, the world over, is toward equality between men and women toward removing all barriers and letting individual tastes guide both, as they formerly guided men only, in the choice of college and profession.’ Following her address, UND president Homer B. Sprague, an accomplished orator in his own right, complimented Smith on the soundness of her logic and ‘expressed himself as unqualifiedly in favor of woman suffrage.’ With the support of many social and civic leaders in northern Dakota, the future seemed bright for woman suffrage.” /// — by Alyssa Konickson, ’06

Michelle Baxter, ’04, is chair of air, space, and cyberspace studies at Clarkson University in New York. Staci (Rutherford) Metzger, ’04, ’05, has obtained her Advanced Palliative Hospice Social Worker Certification. She is lead social worker with Hospice of the Red River Valley, headquartered in Fargo. Jason Strand, ’04, was named North Dakota Long Term Association Volunteer of the Year. He lives in Surrey, North Dakota, where he has served as mayor, city councilman, park board member, and more.

2005

Sandy (Motl) Hoff, ’05, ’07, is head of physical therapy services at Catholic Health Initiative Lisbon Health in Lisbon, N.D. Ian MacLean, ’05, owns Highland Landscaping in Southlake, Texas. Tim Skarperud, ’05, is head hockey coach at Red River High School in Grand Forks. Clinton Torp, ’05, achieved his American Association of Airport Executives Accredited Airport Executive certification. He is director of operations for Des Moines (Iowa) International airport.

2006

Heather Counts, ’06, ’14, has opened Healing Connection Behavioral Health Center, PLLC, in Dunseith, North Dakota. Matthew Remynse, ’06, achieved his American Association of Airport Executives Accredited Airport Executive certification. He is manager of marketing and operations for Bismarck (N.D.) Airport.

2007 Maria Keddis, ’02, ’05, is a deputy prosecuting attorney in the Corporate Counsel Division of the Yakima County (Wash.) Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Ashely Rae (Severinson) Klinger, ’02, of Thompson, North Dakota, was crowned Mrs. International at the annual Mrs. International Pageant in Kingsport, Tennessee.

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

2003

Amanda (Heth) Fischer, ’03, ’05, was selected as Educator of the Year for Dickinson Public Schools. She is the School Counselor at Jefferson Elementary School. Shari Jerde, ’03, ’09, a teacher at Grand Forks Community High School, has received the Carl Perkins Community Service

Award, which honors her as one of the best teachers in career and technical education in the state. Desiree Schroeder-Holzer, ’03, certified in emergency ultrasound, has joined the emergency department of Lake Region Healthcare in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.

Tracy Jentz, ’07, ’09, communications and community engagement coordinator at Grand Forks Public Schools, has been selected as the next North Central Region Vice President for the National School Public Relations Association.

IN MEMORIAM 2008

Stephanie Flyger, ’08, has joined the Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation as its marketing and communications manager. James Jemtrud, ’08, is senior engineering manager for BAE Systems. He lives in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

2009

Paul Campbell, ’09, ’12, has joined Goldmark Commercial Real Estate in Fargo as a commercial agent. Michael Henke, ’09, has been promoted to factory chemist at American Crystal Sugar Company’s Drayton, North Dakota, factory.

2011

Ryan Dressler, ’11, has joined Cornerstone Financial Group as a private wealth advisor in Bismarck. Andrew Jackson, ’11, has been named Alabama teacher of the year. He teaches 4th grade at Eden Elementary in Pell City.

2012

Drake Dill, ’12, has joined International Falls (Minn.) Border Bank as a business officer. Lance Doeden, ’12, began providing pain outreach services to Sanford Health Detroit Lakes (Minn.) Same Day Surgery Center on Aug. 3. He specializes in nonopioid management of chronic and cancer pain. Brandon Godward, ’12, and his family were named Aitkin County (Minn.)’s 2020 Farm Family of the Year. Brandon represents the fourth generation of his family to farm the county’s largest wild rice farm.

Jeremy Gunderson, ’12, is a private wealth advisor for Cornerstone Financial Group in Bismarck. Eric Sweet, ’12, is a commercial real estate broker in North Carolina and Florida with Lee & Associates. He lives in Wake Forest, N.C. Caitlin (Adair) Terrell, ’12, has been named executive director of Emerald Place, an Anthem Memory Care community in Glenview, Illinois. Madisson Whitman, ’12, recently earned a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Purdue University and joined the Center for Science and Society at Columbia University in New York City as a postdoctoral research scholar and assistant director of co-teaching.

2013

Dr. Elvis Kasi, ’13, has joined the surgical team at Southwest Medical Center in Liberal, Kansas. John Mittleider, ’13, is a system engineer at Capital Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Bismarck, North Dakota.

2014

Dr. James Hegvik, ’14, is a general surgeon at Horn Memorial Hospital in Ida Grove, Iowa. Rachael Mickelson Hendrickson, ’14, is the research and technical editor of the North Dakota Law Review. Shane Wall, ’14, has joined Minto (N.D.) Public School as a high school social studies teacher.

2015

Britta Boe, ’15, is an accountant at EPIC Companies, a real estate investing and development firm based out of West Fargo.

Remembering David Gipp

David Gipp, ’74

Katie (Crane) Boorman, ’15, is the new kindergarten teacher at Central Valley (N.D.) School.

The UND community has recognized the death of Standing Rock Sioux Tribe member David Gipp, ’74, as the passing of one of the University’s most prominent American Indian alumni.

Keith Crisman, ’15, is an assistant professor at UND's John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences. Michelle Karvinen, ’15, has signed with HC Lugano of the Sask West Hockey League.

2015

Juan Martinez, ’15, has been promoted to manager in the audit department of Widmer Roel, a public accounting and business advisory firm in Fargo.

2016

Emily Bromley, ’16, MD, FACOG, recently joined the medical team at Spectrum Health Big Rapids (Mich.) Hospital to provide obstetrics, gynecology and urology services to women in the community. Morgan Goulding, ’16, is associate talent acquisition specialist at Ecolab in St. Paul, Minnesota. Haley Neshem, ’16, has joined First Western Bank & Trust in Minot, North Dakota, as an internal auditor.

2017

Garret Fontaine, ’17, ’20, was sworn in as an attorney in North Dakota by his mother, Laurie Fontaine, ’83, a district court judge in Cavalier County.

CLASS NOTES

movement starting in the 1970s.

Gipp, former longtime president of United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) in Bismarck, died Sept. 11, 2020, after a long illness. He was a national leader in matters of tribal education, specifically within the tribal college

Before Gipp started his 37-year tenure as president at UTTC in 1977, he served as the first executive director of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, an organization that was critical in the effort to establish colleges and universities governed by American Indian tribes. And before that, Gipp founded the American Indian Student Association at UND prior to graduating with a political science degree in 1969. His work as a student laid the foundation for American Indian student involvement, activism and support. “I do not know of anyone else who has done so much, nationally, especially in North Dakota, for the progression of American Indian people,” said Leigh Jeanotte, former director of UND’s American Indian Student Services. Jeanotte further characterized Gipp as a progressive and a motivator – “a mover and a shaker” – for American Indian education on the national stage. And in addition to their founding the UND American Indian Student Association, Gipp and his contemporaries built the foundations for support systems that exist on UND’s campus today. Gipp, for instance, sat on the board for UND’s Indians Into Medicine Program for a number of years. In nearly 50 years, INMED has produced almost 1,000 American Indian health professionals, including more than 250 physicians. — Connor Murphy Read the full tribute to David Gipp at blogs.UND.edu/und-today/2020/09/remembering-david-gipp/.

UNDalumni.org

CLASS NOTES

AS SEEN ON SOCIAL

Mother-daughter aviators

Kristianne, ’94, & Julianne Lore

Joseph Hackman, ’17, is the student articles editor and symposium co-editor of North Dakota Law Review.

2020

Quinton Hooker, ’17, considered one of UND’s all-time best men’s basketball players, has signed with MBC Weissenfels of the German League.

Logan Carpenter, ’20, began a oneyear clerkship with the North Dakota Supreme Court on Aug. 3.

Maartje (van Bedaf) Murphy, ’17, owns and operates Duchessa Gelato, made from milk on her family’s dairy farm near Carrington, N.D.

2018

Anthony Cooper, ’18, has been hired as an attorney with Boppre Law Firm, PLLC, in Minot, N.D. Andrea (Burkel) Hogenson, ’18, is a fifth-grade teacher in Badger, Minnesota. Quinn Huisman, ’18, has taken over as head coach of the Arlee (Mont.) Warriors football team. Mohammed Mahmoud, ’18, is a professor of computer science and engineering at Oakand (Mich.) University and academic advisor and sensei for the newly opened Oakland University ISKF Karate Club. Tyler Steffen, ’18, is a trooper with the North Dakota State Highway Patrol stationed in Williston.

2019

Molly Beyer, ’19, opened her business, Modern Esthetics, in Bottineau, N.D. Hannah Carlson, ’19, is a flight instructor at Coastal City Aviation in Charleston, South Carolina. Grant Dockter, ’19, has been hired by Moore Engineering as a graduate engineer in its Bismarck office. On Aug. 30, Julianne Lore posted photos of her and her mom, Kristianne, on Instagram. The post depicted the two women in the same aircraft hangar, 32 years apart.

Tyler Fewins, ’19, is a flight instructor for Pilotsmith Flight School at Menominee (Wis.) Regional Airport.

Kristianne was working as pilot for United Express in the early 1990s when an air traffic controller saved her life. At that time, she was inspired to continue her education at UND. She graduated in 1994 with a BS in Air Traffic Control and now works for the Federal Aviation Administration as the air traffic manager at Toledo Tower/TRECON in Toledo, Ohio.

Chase Norberg, ’19, has joined All In Aviation in Las Vegas as a certified flight instructor. He is a certified Part 141 Stage Pilot and CFII Trainer/Stage Check Pilot.

Julianne, hailing from Tecumseh, Michigan, started her freshman year at UND this fall. She plans to graduate in 2024 with a degree in commercial aviation. ///

— by Alyssa Konickson, ’06 UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

Matt Smaby, ’19, is hockey director of Grand Forks Youth Hockey Association. Nikolay Todorov, ’19, has joined All In Aviation in Las Vegas as a certified flight instructor. He is also a certified commercial pilot.

Loni Bryantt, ’20, is an attorney with Olson & Burns P.C. in Minot, N.D.

Alexandra Carthew, ’20, was welcomed by the North Dakota Supreme Court as a law clerk. Maggie Ducheney Smith, ’20, is the executive director of Evolve Grand Forks. Matthew Keller, ’20, recently became a law clerk for the North Dakota Supreme Court. Adrian Martinez, ’20, has been promoted to sergeant and reassigned to the Northwest Region of the North Dakota Highway Patrol. Jayla (Grossman) O’Niell, ’20, is a law clerk with the South Central Judicial District for the State of North Dakota court system. Emily Wagner, ’20, is a math teacher for grades 7-12 in Isle, Minnesota. ///

FIND THE FLAME ALUMNI

M A G A Z I N E Summer 2020 | Volume 103 | Issue 3

LEADER, HEALER, SERVANT, WARRIOR Tribal councilwoman, doctor, and veteran,

Dr. Monica Mayer, ’95, reflects on a life of service to the land and people she knows and loves.

UNDalumni.org Photo by Sam Melquist

It was a tough one, but a handful of readers submitted correct answers to the Summer 2020 “Find the Flame contest. Three lucky alumni – Bianca Lombardi, ’12; Erin (Erickson) Hart, ’01; and Travis Sando, ’08 – were drawn from the correct entries to win our prize. They found the flame hidden in the grass to the right of Dr. Monica Mayer. Have you found flame hidden on the cover of this issue? If so, email AlumniMag@UNDalumni.net.

CLASS NOTES

APPLAUSE FOR ALUMNI

For the good of the game

Joe Beditz, ’76

“I tell people who want to come work for the National Golf Foundation who think we play golf all the time, ‘Listen, you may bring a good game to the NGF, but you better not develop one after you get here.’” Joe found he had an affinity for statistics and ended up getting a doctorate in education research and measurement. His academic success seemed unlikely given his admittedly subpar high school grades and the fact he had dropped out of community college before joining the Air Force. “I did three things different when I went to the University of North Dakota,” Joe said. “I did my homework every single night. I sat in the front of the class and I made sure the instructor knew my name. I went from a less-than-mediocre student to graduating summa cum laude.” Photo by Milo Smith

f you are a golfer, prepare to be envious of the career Joe Beditz, ’76, has carved out for himself after graduating with a degree in social work from UND.

Joe is the president and chief executive of the National Golf Foundation, a trade organization that advocates for the growth and vitality of the game. The NGF claims membership from club manufacturers, golf courses, course designers, golf stores, clothing manufacturers and golf ball companies. All facets of the golf industry look to the NGF to conduct research that can help them grow the game and their businesses. The job has many perks, including attending PGA tournaments and the Masters Tournament every year, but Joe says his favorite is working with some of the biggest names in the golf industry. The current board of directors for the NGF includes leaders of Troon Golf, Ping, TaylorMade, PGA Tour Superstore, Toro, and NBC Golf. Also on the board is 10-time major winner and World Golf Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam. “The commercial side of the business is where I’ve spent my life and made my greatest friends and colleagues,” said Joe from NGF headquarters in Jupiter, Florida.

Airman and student Joe found himself at UND after being stationed as an airman at Grand Forks Air Force Base. In his last year in the military, he enrolled fulltime at UND. He says he was able to take on the workload because he scheduled himself to work an overnight shift at the base, so he could study. Once out of the Air Force, he finished up his degree while working overnights at a Valley Dairy convenience store, where he could again use down time to study. In addition to his social work degree, Joe got a minor in computer science, which helped him land a graduate assistantship at Florida State University. “They offered me an assistantship because I had some real skills in terms of statistical analysis, which few people in social work had.”

Once Joe earned his doctorate, he started a company with some fellow graduates that focused on instructional design and evaluation. One day, while visiting a college to interview a content expert, Joe found a job posting for Director of Research at the National Golf Foundation. Having picked up the game of golf after taking a one-credit class on UND’s Ray Richards Golf Course, he was intrigued and decided to apply. He’s been with NGF ever since.

The National Golf Foundation The NGF started in 1936. It maintains a database of every golf course in the world, now totaling about 34,000 facilities. It also conducts research that measures golf participation in the U.S. and studies how golf courses operate to provide members with the best practices associated with golf course management. Additionally, all that research helps the NGF formulate strategic plans for growing the game of golf. “What most people don’t realize is golf is the highest participation sport of all,” Joe said. “About one in nine people in the United States participates in golf either on-course or off-course [driving ranges or indoor simulators].” The game of golf is thriving in the U.S. during the pandemic as people look for outdoor recreation. The NGF reports that after rounds played tanked in April (down 42.2% from April 2019), play in May, June, July and August was up substantially in comparison to 2019.

His game Joe says people always ask if he is a good golfer, but they are usually disappointed when he tells them his golf game “has been mediocre at best throughout my life.” Given the NGF’s close association with major club manufacturers, Joe says he’s “the most over-equipped and under-skilled golfer on the planet.” /// — by Milo Smith UNDalumni.org

UND BABIES

FEATURED CELEBRATION

CELEBRATIONS

David Kvasager, ’07, and Jacquie Marshall, ’11, ’15, were married August 6, 2020, in Alexandria, Minnesota. Jacquie is a special education teacher for Alexandria Public Schools and David is a business development consultant for Enterprise Minnesota. David’s immediate family all are proud UND alumni, including his parents Rick, ’74, and Sue, ’75; and sisters Jaime, ’99, and Christa, ’02.

If you would like your announcement to be included in the next UND Alumni Magazine, send a high resolution photo to AlumniMag@UNDalumni.net. We look forward to helping you celebrate!

UND BABIES 1

Alexander Theo Barse was born on June 4, 2020, to Jessica Erlandson, ’16, and Kirtipal Barse, ’09, ’14. The family lives in Gahanna, Ohio.

Jovi Ren Schwenzfeier was born to Annika (Smed), ’12, and Joel Schwenzfeier, ’11, on May 4, 2020. The family lives in Grand Forks.

Camille Dockter was born on June 21, 2020, to Courtney (Becker), ’10, and Remington Dockter, ’08. She joins her brother Burke, 2, at home in Denver, Colorado.

Jared Brown, ’03, and his wife, Tara, were proud to welcome Callum Emric on May 23 in Parker, Colorado. Jared graduated from the UND College of Nursing & Professional Disciplines and, along with Tara, works in the ICU of Children’s Hospital Colorado.

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

CELEBRATIONS 5

Brian Bjella, ’75, ’79, and his granddaughter, Sylvie, are proud to sport their UND gear.

Mallory (Pichetti) ’17, and Zane McIntyre, ’17, met at UND in 2014 and were married in June 2020. Zane is a professional hockey player and Mallory is a registered nurse. The couple resides in Minnetonka, Minnesota, during the hockey offseason with their goldendoodle, Walter.

Emily Ramage, ’16, ’19, and Allen Geltel, ’17, were married on March 14, 2020, in Red Lodge, Montana. Their wedding party included 15 UND graduates from various undergraduate programs, School of Law, and the School of Medicine & Health Sciences. They were Ryan Jessen, ’16; Kristen Stenehjem, ’20; Douglas Nordby, ’19; Lysette Lopez, ’15; Ryan Geltel, ’11; Danielle Foster, ’19; Corey Langerud, ’15, ’17; Alexandra Carthew, ’20; Morgan Glines, ’19; Kendra Patten, ’16; Derek Anderson, ’17;

McKayla Haugeberg, ’20; and Mike Schmidt, ’16. The couple currently lives in Williston, North Dakota.

Annika (Smed), ’12, and Joel Schwenzfeier, ’11, were married March 14, 2019 at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens in Charleston, South Carolina. While at UND, Annika was on the volleyball team and Joel played football. Today, she is the project manager at Northwestern Mental Health Center in Crookston, Minnesota, and he coaches football at UND. ///

7 8

UNDalumni.org

IN MEMORIAM

It is with great honor we dedicate these pages to alumni and friends of the University of North Dakota who have recently passed away. These members of the alumni family helped ignite the spirit of UND, paving the way for a bright future. Photo by Sam Melquist

1930s Harriet (Helquist) Peterson, ’34 St. Paul, Minn.

George Hardy, ’46 The UND Alumni Association & Foundation would like to give special recognition to George Hardy, ’46, a lifelong contributor to the University of North Dakota. For 62 of his 97 years on Earth, he generously gave to support UND students. At the time of his passing, he had the most years of giving among all alumni and friends. His legacy will not be forgotten.

1940s W. Blakeley English, ’41 Minneapolis, Minn. Murlyn (Rodger) Miner, ’43 Greenfield, N.H. Eleanor (Leathart) Nelson, ’45 Palmdale, Calif. George Hardy, ’46 Milwaukee, Wis. James Johnson, ’47 Corona del Mar, Calif. Irene (Heazlett) Lane, ’47 Grafton, N.D. William Kolberg, ..’48 Stafford, Va. Virgil Brockel, ’49 Remsen, Iowa O. Kirk Ehlers, ..’49 Britton, S.D. Bonnie (Overbye) Russell, ’49 Hopkins, Minn.

1950s Marvin Anderson, ’50 Grand Junction, Colo. Walter Barke, ’50 Seattle, Wash. Elbert Dahlen, ’50 Manvel, N.D. Donald Dobmeier, ..’50 Barnesville, Minn. Walter Ensminger, ’50 Rocklin, Calif. Lois (Unke) Gray, ’50 Lakeville, Minn. Stanley Hoistad, ’50 Grand Forks Dorothy (Ratcliffe) Matta, ’50 Northome, Minn. William Roberts, ’50 Santa Barbara, Calif.

Edwin Leiby, Jr., ’58 Willow Grove, Pa. Dominic St. Peter, ’58 Eden Prairie, Minn. Sandra (Groth) Bloomquist, ..’59 Alexandria, Minn. Judith (Sullivan) Dawson, ’59 Lutz, Fla. James Ebentier, ’59, ’60 Scottsdale, Ariz. Elaine (Staael) Haugen, ’59 Jamestown, N.D.

1960s Janet (Thexton) Jackson, ..’51 De Graff, Minn. Robert McFarren, ’51, ’53 Washington, D.C. Kenneth Haugan, ’52 Minot, N.D. Maral (Austin) Johnson, ..’52 Tariffville, Conn. Mary (McGuckin) Merry, ’52 Minneapolis, Minn. Marlys (Lillehaugen) Carlson, ’53 Appleton, Wis. Dorothy (Webb) Fisher, ’53 Scottsdale, Ariz. Orrin Bergan, ’54 Mesa, Ariz. Shirley (Johnson) Davis, ’54 Lexington, Ky. Dr. Donald Sather, ’54, ’56, ’72 Treasure Island, Fla. Marilyn (Nystrom) Agnew, ..’55 Mahnomen, Minn. Donald Heinitz, ..’55 Carrington, N.D. Donn Osmon, ’55 Sarasota, Fla. Joan (Herr) Roff, ’55 Scottsdale, Ariz. Donald Rupp, ’55 Rugby, N.D. Ardell Botten, ’56

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

Whitney, Tex. John Doerr, ’56, ’58 Twin Falls, Idaho Marjorie (Adams) Fadness, ’56 Saint Louis, Mo. Eugene Klein, ’56 Niceville, Fla. Russell Mlinar, ’56 Chapel Hill, N.C. Dorothy Nye, ..’56 Valley City, N.D. Thales Secrest, ’56, ’56 Hettinger, N.D. Gloria (Cloutier) Thompson, ’56 Grafton, N.D. Ray Brown, ..’57 Enderlin, N.D. Janice (Sundeen) Niclai, ’57 Eureka, Calif. Duane Vennes, ’57 Williston, N.D. John Black, ’58 McKinney, Texas Laleah (Lobb) Ebentier, ’58 Scottsdale, Ariz. Edward Englerth, Jr., ’58 Bismarck, N.D. Elizabeth Thomas (Nevelo) Fauskin, ..’58 Etna, Calif.

Dr. Richard Davison, ’60, ’65 Bismarck, N.D. Fern (Studlien) Fugleberg, ..’60 Mayville, N.D. Robert Hanson, ’60 Boise, Idaho Dr. John F Keller, ’60, ’73 Valley City, N.D. Jerry Noble, ..’60 Onamia, Minn. Tracy Weisert, ..’60 Grand Forks Darrell Benson, ..’61 Phoenix, Ariz. Dr. Joseph Bouvette, ..’61 Walker, Minn. Lloyd Engen, ..’61 Alamosa, Colo. Jaryl Hanson, ’61 San Jose, Calif. Robert Johnson, ..’61 Northwood, N.D. Brian Nelson, ’61, ’62 West Fargo, N.D. Gerald Nemanic, ..’61 Henderson, Nev. Wayne Westlund, ’61, ’64 Grand Forks David Lewis Berg, ..’62 Grand Forks Diane (Loibl) Berg, ..’62 Grand Forks

J. C. Bernhoft, M.D., ’62, ’64 Alamo, Calif. George Ferebee, ’62, ’74 Hill City, S.D. Robert Heiser, ’62 Minneapolis, Minn. W. Allan Hopkins, ’62 Naples, Fla. James Lindahl, ’62 Minneapolis, Minn. Gae Lynn (Inman) Striebel, ’62 New England, N.D. Rodney Zimmerman, ..’62 Baxter, Minn. Louis Bosch, ’63 Bismarck, N.D. Cheryl (Algeo) Erikson, ..’63 Mechanicsburg, Pa. Herbert Helgeson, ..’63 Grand Forks Rose (Gackle) Laney, ’63 Velva, N.D. Suzanne (Miller) Loken, ..’63 Devils Lake, N.D. Lawrence Muffenbier, ’63, ’68 Grand Forks Cameron Saunders, ’63 Grand Rapids, Minn. Verna (Johnson) Stave, ’63 Northwood, N.D. John Baratto, ’64 Hudson, Wis. Douglas Donley, ..’64 Grand Forks Richard Ficke, Jr., ..’64 Middletown, R.I. Gordon Graham, ’64 Mankato, Minn. Eugene Manning, ’64 Fergus Falls, Minn. Eugene Mielke, ’64, ’66 Minneapolis, Minn. Sandra (Schwartz) Abbott, ’65 Austin, Tex. Dolores (Anderson) Markovic, ’65 Fargo

Terence Cooper, ’66 Marathon, Ontario Charles Fuhrmann, ’66 Adams, N.D. Donald Hanson, ’66 Detroit Lakes, Minn. David Mazur, ’66 Cedar Falls, Iowa Dona Mindemann, ’66 Burnsville, Minn. Hollis Quamme, ’66 West Fargo, N.D. Thomas Albers, ’67, ’70 Medina, Wash. Lt. Col. Leonard Dalzell, ’67 Williamsburg, Va. D. Arlene (Beall) Herndon, ’67 Pittsburgh, Pa. Peter Klewchuk, ’67 West Kelowna, British Columbia Nancy (Bartunek) Lee, ’67 West Fargo, N.D. R. Scott McBride, ..’67 Brooklyn Park, Minn. Dr. Lorace (Jones) Thomas, ’67 Broadway, N.C. Gary Hoehn, ..’68 Henderson, Minn. Cheryl (Halvorson) Korsmo, ..’68 Northwood, N.D. Thomas Martindale, ’68 Fargo Llarrie Nettum, ’68 Naples, Fla. I. Arlene (Tunseth) Olson, ..’68 Grand Forks Donald St. Pierre, ’68 Portland, Ore. Dennis Delzer, ’69 Bismarck, N.D. David Gipp, ’69 Mandan, N.D. Andrew Joppru, ..’69 Thief River Falls, Minn. Bonny (Manikowske) Letizia, ’69 Fargo Donald McKenzie, ’69 Burnsville, Minn. Charles Reimers, ’69 Eden Prairie, Minn. Leslie Schock, ..’69 Stockton, Calif.

1970s Jo Ellen Bugge, ’70 Bismarck, N.D. Douglas Bulman, ..’70 Flagstaff, Ariz. Dewey Cady, ’70 Early, Texas Dr. John Kelleher, ’70, ’72 Thunder Bay, Ontario Dr. Leonhard Mickelsen, ’70 Litchfield, Minn. Jerald Stewart, ’70 Wahpeton, N.D.

Mark Ziegelmann, ..’70 Grand Forks Roger Jenkins, ’71 Anchorage, Alaska Mark Scipioni, ’71 St. Paul, Minn. Virginia (Crane) Thomson, ’71 Grand Forks Thomas Gunderson, ’72 Halliday, N.D. Wesley Hanson, ’72 Spirit Lake, Iowa Jeane (Miller) Knudsvig, ’72 Green Valley, Ariz. Patricia (Pfau) Swanson, ’72 Minot, N.D. Kent Ensrud, ’74 Pekin, N.D. John Ermer, ’74 Fargo Steven Hayne, M.D., ’74 Madison, Miss. James Presthus, M.D., ’74, ’76 Minneapolis, Minn. James Alan Prochnow, ’74 Hankinson, N.D. Howard Rice, ’74 Monument, Colo. Ann (Mayer) Sergott, ’75 Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. Thomas Sergott, M.D., ’75, ’77 Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. Richard Carver, ’76 Bettendorf, Iowa Patrick Healey, ’76, ’81 Grand Forks Peter Overby, ’76 Finley, N.D. William Rutherford, ’76, ’89, ’96 Fargo Brenda (Sandvik) Starke, ’76, ’05 Cooperstown, N.D. Freddis (Kruse) Williamson, ’76 Rapid City, S.D. Joyce (Solberg) Hardt, ’77 Bemidji, Minn.

Shirley (Malaterre) Azure, ’83 Belcourt, N.D. Dr. Nels Erickson, ’84, ’85 Sun Valley, Nev. Terrence Hager, ’84 Grand Forks Daniel Kenward, ’84 Fargo Kari (Hamerlik) Kolstoe, ’84, ’93 Grand Forks Karen (Christensen) McBride, ’84 Bismarck, N.D. Sherri McEvers, ’85 Minot, N.D. Katherine Dahl, ’86 Barrett, Minn. June Eagle, ’87 Garrison, N.D. Joel Messmer, ’87 Aurora, Colo. Robert Pekowsky, ’87 Portsmouth, N.H. John Gill, ’88 Benson, Minn. Lt. Col. Steven Huss, ’88 Park Rapids, Minn. Jan (Wahl) Yale, ’88 Mesa, Ariz. Dr. Solveig (Moe) Bartz, ’89 Fargo

1990s Paul Johnson, ’90 West Fargo, N.D. William Lisco, ’90 Douglas, Wyo. Thomas Bishop, ’92 Cambridge, Mass. Judith Eggert, ’98 Caro, Mich. Brian Haugen, ’98 Andover, Minn. Jeffrey Hollenbach, ’98 Fayetteville, Pa.

Joshua Jackson, ’98 Billings, Mont. Steve Haley, ’99 St. Paul, Minn.

2000s Chris Shadowens, ’02 Herrin, Ill. Michael Merrett, ’02 Carbondale, Ill. Tonya (Arens) Peterson, ’02 Langdon, N.D.

2010s Mathew Malek, M.D., ’11, ’15 Detroit Lakes, Minn. Jordan Thames, ’19 Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.

2020 Eamon Akinosho, ..’20 Houston, Texas Levi A. Chase, ..’20 Battle Lake, Minn.

FACULTY/STAFF John Hendrikson Bemidji, Minn. Patrick Hurley Grand Forks Lorraine (Unverrich) Kaiser East Grand Forks, Minn. Ruth (LeBlanc) Kalenze Albert Lea, Minn. Clariet Perreault Crookston, Minn. Gemette Reid Worcester, Mass.

FRIENDS Mary (Wilming) Andrews Fargo Faye DuBord Fargo

Letha Farley Bismarck, N.D. Lloyd Hillier Peoria, Ariz. Maxine (Beaupre) Hjelmstad Lengby, Minn. John Hoekstra Grand Forks Mrs. F. D. (McVey) Holland North Liberty, Iowa Terrance Hovet Thompson, N.D. Thomas Hughes Hallock, Minn. Gwen Johnson Corona del Mar, Calif. Lucille Johnson St. Cloud, Minn. LaRue Misslin Portland, Ore. Barb (Jacobson) Moe East Grand Forks, Minn. Beverly Molbert Fargo Douglas Reiten Grand Forks Julia (Fladeland) Rutherford Fisher, Minn. Andrew Schaefer Fargo Leona (Gerszewski) Schuster Minto, N.D. Carol (Lemieux) Severinson Grand Forks Marlene Snetting Thief River Falls, Minn. Donald Stevenson Fargo A double period (..) in front of a year indicates the year that a non-graduate left UND. ///

1980s James Hand, ’80 Grand Forks Robert Joseph Mackley, ’80 Bozeman, Mont. Nancy (Fiedler) Coppola, ..’81 Milbank, S.D. Gene Lusty, ..’81 Pharr, Texas Dr. R. Daniel Olson, ’81, ’84 Glenwood Springs, Colo. Doris (Urness) Pratt, ..’81 Dahlen, N.D. Timothy Smith, ’81 St. Paul, Minn. Diane Vivian, ..’81 Sun City, Ariz. Paulette (Ulrich) Doll, ’82 Bismarck, N.D.

UNDalumni.org

THANK YOU DONORS The UND Alumni Association & Foundation sincerely thanks all alumni and friends who have made gifts and commitments to support students, faculty, programs, and places at UND. Thank you for all that you do! The following donors reached a new giving circle in the Eternal Flame Society between July 1, 2020 – September 30, 2020. * indicates deceased For more information about the Eternal Flame Society, visit UNDalumni.org/EternalFlame

A DE L P HI

CIRCL E $5,000,000+

Colleen & Werner G. Nistler, Jr. on behalf of the Nistler Family

W IL L I A M B UDGE

CIRCL E

$1,000,000 - $4,999,999 Hugo’s Dr. Mark & Lori Schneider

T HO M A S CL IF F OR D

CIRCL E

$100,000 - $999,999 David & Diane Bender Burgum Foundation Timothy & Sharon Delmore Janet S. Jedlicka Jane Fercho Ludlow & Thomas W. Ludlow* Mary Beth Noble Dr. Harold & Diana Randall R. James & Ann Scoular

P R E SIDE N T ’ S

CIRCL E

$10,000 - $99,999 Jeffrey P. Bakko Family of Richard E. Beringer Drake Caggiula Dusek Law David & Jane* Gordon Lillian Gullekson Thomas J. Hoganson* Darold & Ardella Johnson Monte & Karlene Johnson Paula & Larry Loendorf Michael & Tiffany Mannausau Rodney & Joyce Medalen NTCA - The Rural Broadband Association Otter Tail Power Company Foundation, Fergus Falls Melvin & Lila* Pedersen Thomas & Alice Rand Noell Hamann Reinhiller Donna & Leslie Trapp James M. & Theresa Trouba Loren A. Unterseher

L E G A CY

CIRCL E

The Legacy Circle includes donors who have indicated they plan to give to the UND Foundation through their wills. Erik R. & Beth Johnson Colleen & Werner G. Nistler, Jr. on behalf of the Nistler Family Vernon J. Schreiner Lew Wilson

UND Alumni Magazine | Winter 2020

UND LEGACIES

Why I give

By Dr. Morley Glicken, ’62 Photo by Mayo Clinic

I live in the hinterlands of Southern Arizona. Like most of us, my summer plans to go where it’s cooler were derailed by COVID-19. The impact of the virus gave me time to think about what’s important to me. My family and friends, of course, but also America’s great institutions and organizations: Our religious institutions, our medical personnel and hospitals, our public and private social welfare systems that help our poorest and neediest, our educational systems, and perhaps, most of all, our universities. I come from Grand Forks. My father was a blue-collar worker for the Great Northern Railroad. Me too. I wanted to go to university because universities were the way working-class people moved up the ladder to prosperity. My memory is that tuition at UND in the late 1950s was $45 a semester. Fees might have been $15. For $60 a semester you could get a degree at UND. It mattered. I went on and got two master’s degrees and a doctorate at other universities. I always felt that UND gave me a mental toughness and optimism that many of my classmates from other well-respected universities didn’t have. You can no longer go to university for $60 a semester. As the coronavirus has disrupted our economy, the young adults who form the base of any university are having a tough time. The jobs that once fueled the economy and helped pay their tuition are disappearing. Temporarily, we hope. As a lifelong academic, I can tell you that when universities stop growing, when enrollment drops, the highly valued faculty and staff at UND lose salary and benefits and often have to go elsewhere. The bright student who needs financial help either drops out or goes where he or she can get financial help. UND matters to me. It taught me to think critically. It opened my eyes to racism and discrimination. It made me firm in my conviction that hard work would get me where I wanted to go. And it gave me confidence to be prepared for the rigors of academia as a student and as a professor. Charitable giving is always personal. The more an organization means to me personally, the more I want to support it. UND gave me a great education and a ticket to a successful life. It gave me the opportunity to have an academic life that led to over 20 published books and a number of articles I would likely never have written. Let’s strive to help UND continue to do that for future generations. If UND’s new president can give a portion of his salary to help provide Open Door Scholarships to talented students who need help with tuition, so can we. Please dig deep and help our students do great things. They are the future. As a student, Dr. Morley Glicken benefitted from a scholarship, which helped him pay for his UND education. He has published over 20 books, many of them dealing with mental health and evidence-based practice. He is a native of Grand Forks and holds advanced degrees from the University of Washington and Utah, and now lives in Tucson where he still writes about mental health issues of our time. ///

“One of the largest land auction companies in America,” - Land Report Magazine 2019

Pifer’s strives to provide you with the best buying and selling experience possible!

OUR SERVICES INCLUDE: • Land Auctions • Farm Land Management • Machinery Auctions • Real Estate • Commercial/Residential Auctions

LAND AUCTIONS

Call Today for a FREE Consultation!

Pifer’s, sells 50,000 acres on average annually. Call for a free consultation today for a recommendation on selling your land. Pifer’s hallmark is to consistently do the very best for its clients.

EQUIPMENT AUCTIONS

Kevin Pifer

UND Alumni - Class ‘81 kpifer@pifers.com 701.238.5810

Pete Pifer

UND Alumni - Class ‘79 petepifer@gmail.com 720.587.7600

750,000 in 20 Years

AT RECORD SETTING VALUES!

Pifer’s specializes in managing farmland for individuals, families, retirees and investors. Pifer’s team are seasoned negotiators, astute managers and the best in their field. Pifer’s currently manages over 225,000 acres!

REAL ESTATE SALES

ACRES SOLD

AUCTION & REALTY

LAND MANAGEMENT Kevin Pifer inspecting potato crop in the Red River Valley

Nearly

Pifer’s

Pifer’s provides an extensive marketing plan for your auction. This includes property evaluation and itemization, marketing, advertising development and implementation, and direct mailing list to specific buyers and an online bidding campaign.

Bob Pifer

bob@pifers.com 701.371.8538

1506 29th Ave S Moorhead, MN 56560

Offices in ND, SD, MN, MT, WI & AZ

Pifer’s believes in working smarter and harder than our competition in land sales, commercial real estate sales, and property management. If we don’t have the property you are looking for, we have the resources and desire to find one to meet your needs.

877.700.4099 www.pifers.com

3501 University Ave. Stop 8157 Grand Forks, ND 58202-8157

THE OFFICIAL COFFEE OF NORTH DAKOTA ATHLETICS AVAILABLE AT BULLY BREW LOCATIONS IN GRAND FORKS, EAST GRAND FORKS, FARGO AND ONLINE AT BULLYBREWCOFFEEHOUSE.COM

UND Alumni Magazine Winter 2020

Articles inside

ATHLETES, AMBASSADORS, AND ADVOCATES

INTENTIONAL LIVING

THE WISH KIDS

TESTING THE LIMITS