The University of North Dakota (also known as UND or North Dakota) is a

public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...

research university A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are the most important sites at which knowledge production occurs, along with "intergenerational kno ...

in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It was established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of

North Dakota North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the Native Americans in the United States, indigenous Dakota people, Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north a ...

. The university has the only schools o
law
an
medicine
in the state of North Dakota. The

John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences The John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences (UND Aerospace) is a multidisciplinary college within the University of North Dakota (UND) in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The school was formed in 1968. The majority of the school's fleet of over 120 ...

was the first in the country to offer a degree i
unmanned aircraft systems operation
Several national research institutions are on the university's campus including the

Energy and Environmental Research Center The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) is a research, development, demonstration, and commercialization facility for energy and environment technologies development. The center is a nonprofit division of the University of North Dakota, ...

, the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and the

USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...

Human Nutrition Research Center. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". The National Science Foundation ranks UND #151 in the nation.

History

Founding

UND was founded in 1883, six years before North Dakota became a state. UND was founded with a liberal arts foundation and expanded to include scientific research. Grand Forks native George H. Walsh submitted the bill to the Territorial Legislature of

Dakota Territory The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of No ...

that called for the new state of North Dakota's university to be in Grand Forks. The first classes were held on September 8, 1884. The first building at UND, Old Main, housed all classrooms, offices, dorm rooms, and a library. In the 1880s, UND consisted of only a few acres of property, surrounded by farms and fields, nearly two miles west of the city of Grand Forks. Students living off campus had to take a train or a horse and carriage bus, dubbed the "Black Maria", from downtown to the campus.

20th century

As the university grew, more buildings were constructed on campus and a trolley system was built to connect the growing university to

downtown Grand Forks Downtown Grand Forks is the original commercial center of Grand Forks, North Dakota. Located on the western bank of the Red River of the North, the downtown neighborhood is situated near the fork of the Red River and the Red Lake River. While dow ...

. However, there were several major interruptions in the life of the university. In 1918, UND was the country's hardest-hit single institution by the flu epidemic that killed 1,400 people in North Dakota alone. Later that year, classes were suspended so the campus could become an army base for soldiers during World War I. During the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

, UND provided free housing to students willing to do manual labor on campus. "Camp Depression," as it was called, consisted of railroad

caboose A caboose is a crewed North American railroad car coupled at the end of a freight train. Cabooses provide shelter for crew at the end of a train, who were formerly required in railway switch, switching and Shunting (rail), shunting, keeping a l ...

s that each housed eight male students. "Camp Depression" students did not get regular meals from the cafeteria and had to be satisfied with free leftovers. However, Grand Forks citizens often opened their homes and kitchen tables to many of these young men. After World War II, enrollment quickly grew to more than 3,000. A large amount of housing and several academic buildings had to be built on campus. The 1950s saw the rise of the Fighting Sioux hockey tradition. In the 1960s and 1970s, many student protests occurred at UND. The largest was in May 1970 when over 1,500 students protested the

Kent State shootings The Kent State shootings, also known as the May 4 massacre and the Kent State massacre,"These would be the first of many probes into what soon became known as the Kent State Massacre. Like the Boston Massacre almost exactly two hundred years bef ...

. In 1975, enrollment swelled to a record 8,500. The 1970s also saw the establishment of the

at UND. During the 1980s and 1990s the university continued to grow. However, the devastating 1997 Red River flood inundated numerous buildings on campus and forced the cancellation of the remainder of the school year.

21st century

The start of the 21st century was marked by the opening of two major venues for UND athletics. The

Ralph Engelstad Arena Ralph Engelstad Arena (REA), commonly called the Ralph, is an indoor arena located on the campus of the University of North Dakota (UND) in Grand Forks, North Dakota and serves as the home of UND men's ice hockey. The arena was built by controvers ...

, home of men's and women's hockey, and the

Alerus Center The Alerus Center is an indoor arena and convention center in the north central United States, located in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The facility is owned and operated by the city of Grand Forks and opened on February 10, 2001. The arena's maj ...

, home of UND football, both opened in 2001. The

Betty Engelstad Sioux Center The Betty Engelstad Sioux Center (The Betty) is an indoor arena located in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It is adjacent to the larger $100 million Ralph Engelstad Arena in the University Village development. The facility sits on the campus of the ...

opened in August 2004, and serves as home to UND volleyball and men's and women's basketball. Millions of dollars worth of construction and renovation projects have dotted the campus landscape. As part of a plan to improve student facilities on campus, UND constructed a Wellness Center, a parking garage, new Memorial Union, renovated library, renovated Gershman Center for graduate students, and an apartment-style housing complex. Other construction projects around campus have included a new LEED Platinum-certified alumni center, a renovated and expanded College of Education and Human Development, and an expanded

. In 2016, a $124-million Medicine and Health Services building was built on the north end of campus. In 2015, UND's economic impact on the state and region was estimated to be more than $1.4 billion a year according to the NDUS Systemwide Economic Study by the School of Economics at North Dakota State University. It was the fourth-largest employer in the state of North Dakota, after the

Air Force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an a ...

. In August 2021, UND became the first participant in the

United States Space Force The United States Space Force (USSF) is the space service branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and the world's only independent space force. Along with its sister branch, the U.S. Air Force, the Space ...

’s University Partnership program.

Campus

The University of North Dakota's main campus sits in the middle of

Grand Forks Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the state of North Dakota (after Fargo and Bismarck) and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2020 census, the city's population was 59,166. Grand Forks, along with its twin city o ...

on University Avenue. The campus is made up of 240 buildings (6.4 million square feet) on . The campus stretches roughly one and half miles from east to west and is divided by the meandering English Coulee. The western edge is bordered by

Interstate 29 Interstate 29 (I-29) is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern United States. I-29 runs from Kansas City, Missouri, at a junction with I-35 and I-70, to the Canada–US border near Pembina, North Dakota, where it connects with Manitoba ...

, the eastern edge is bordered with University Park, the Grand Forks railyards sit on the south side, and the north side is marked by

U.S. Highway 2 U.S. Route 2 or U.S. Highway 2 (US 2) is an east–west U.S. Highway spanning across the northern continental United States. US 2 consists of two segments connected by various roadways in southern Canada. Unlike some routes, whi ...

which is called Gateway Drive in Grand Forks.

Central campus and eastern campus

The central campus area, the oldest part of UND, has many historic buildings. This area is home to most academic buildings on campus. At the heart of campus sits the

Chester Fritz Library The Chester Fritz Library is the largest library at the University of North Dakota (UND) in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It is the largest library in the state of North Dakota and houses over two million print and non-print items. It is a designated ...

, the largest library in North Dakota. The tower of the library is a familiar landmark on University Avenue. Behind the library is the park-like setting of the central campus mall. The mall includes several statues and is a popular place for students to study. The mall is lined with historic buildings including Merrifield Hall, Twamley Hall, Babcock Hall, Montgomery Hall, and the old Carnegie Library. Old Main Memorial Plaza and the eternal flame of the Old Main Memorial Sphere mark the location of Old Main, the first building on campus. Other buildings in the central part of campus include the

School of Law A law school (also known as a law centre or college of law) is an institution specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for becoming a lawyer within a given jurisdiction. Law degrees Argentina In Argentina, l ...

, the

North Dakota Museum of Art The North Dakota Museum of Art (NDMOA) is the official art museum of the American state of North Dakota. Located on the campus of the University of North Dakota (UND) in Grand Forks, North Dakota, the museum is a private not-for-profit institutio ...

, Memorial Union, Gamble Hall, and Burtness Theatre. The English Coulee flows along the western edge of the central campus area and on the western bank of the Coulee sits the

Chester Fritz Auditorium The Chester Fritz Auditorium (CFA) is a performance facility on the campus of the University of North Dakota (UND) located in the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota. "The Fritz," as it is commonly known, has a maximum capacity of 2,384 and is used ...

and the Hughes Fine Arts Center. The historic 1907 Adelphi Fountain is next to the Coulee as is the on-campus Spiritual Center. On the eastern edge of the central campus is the Frederick "Fritz" D. Pollard Jr. Athletic Center and the Hyslop Auditorium. The eastern part of campus is also the home of the

complex which includes the

National Center for Hydrogen Technology The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) is a research, development, demonstration, and commercialization facility for energy and environment technologies development. The center is a nonprofit division of the University of North Dakota, ...

. The Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center, which is operated by the

United States Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the United States federal executive departments, federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, ...

, is also in this part of campus. A five-story parking garage sits at the corner of University Avenue and Columbia Road. At the extreme eastern portion of campus sits University Park which is operated by the

Grand Forks Park District The Grand Forks Park District is a government agency of Grand Forks, North Dakota. The Park District was founded in 1905 and levies its own taxes separately from local government. The Park District was founded in 1905. Description The parks i ...

Northern campus and western campus

To the north of the central campus area, along Columbia Road, sits Columbia Hall, home to the College of Arts & Sciences. A new School of Medicine and Health Sciences building opened in 2016. Other buildings located along Columbia Road include the Biomedical Research Center and the Neuroscience Research Facility. Also north of the main campus is an area called

University Village University Village may mean: * University Village, Albany, California *University Village, Chicago, Illinois *University Village, Grand Forks, North Dakota * University Village, New York * University Village, Riverside, California *University Villa ...

. This land sat virtually empty for decades, but has recently been developed for UND, commercial, and residential purposes. University Village is anchored by the $100 million

, which is used by the men's hockey team. University Village is also home to the

, the Student Wellness Center, university apartments, the UND bookstore, a medical clinic, and several residential and commercial properties. The western part of the UND campus has modern styles of architecture. This area is home to the

, which includes Odegard Hall, Streibel Hall, Clifford Hall, Ryan Hall, and Robin Hall. Directly adjacent to the Aerospace Complex sits the Skalicky Business Incubator, the Ina Mae Rude Entrepreneur Center, the Tech Accelerator, which houses the University of North Dakota's Center of Excellence in Life Sciences and Advanced Technologies (COELSAT), and a Hilton Garden Inn. The western part of campus is also the location of most residence halls and student apartments.

Other facilities

UND operates a satellite campus consisting of several buildings at

Grand Forks International Airport Grand Forks International Airport is a public airport five miles (8 km) northwest of Grand Forks, in Grand Forks County, North Dakota, United States. GFK has no scheduled passenger flights out of the country but has an "international" ti ...

where aviation students train. UND Aerospace also operates flight training centers in

Crookston, Minnesota Crookston is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is the county seat of Polk County. The population was 7,482 at the 2020 census. It is part of the " Grand Forks, ND- MN Metropolitan Statistical Area" or "Greater Grand Forks". Crookston ...

, and

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...

. UND owns and operates Ray Richards nine hole golf course south of the main UND campus. The School of Medicine and Health Sciences operates several clinics throughout North Dakota. The UND football team is a major tenant of the city of Grand Forks-owned

Sustainability

The Council on Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability, made up of representatives from various departments, is exploring ways to improve sustainability. The campus's recycling system reduces UND's overall waste stream by 20 percent. UND has conducted lighting retrofits and installed heat recovery systems and power management technology for peak and off-peak use adjustment. Students are involved in promoting sustainability via recycling and other initiatives. The Gorecki Alumni Center on campus is North Dakota's first

LEED Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a green building certification program used worldwide. Developed by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), it includes a set of rating systems for the design, construction ...

Platinum building. The building uses a combination of geothermal and solar panels to power the building.

Academics

UND offers more than 225 fields of study, including 108 undergraduate majors, 69 minors, 81 master's programs, 37 doctoral programs, and two professional programs (

medicine Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pract ...

and

law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...

). UND also has an interdisciplinary program that allows students to obtain a degree in virtually any course of study. A collection of online classes and degree programs are offered for students around the nation and world. This online program has been highly ranked by US News and other leading online college rankings. On campus, academic classrooms range from smaller rooms capable of seating around twenty students to large lecture bowls capable of seating hundreds at a time. All areas have wireless access for laptops and technologically equipped classrooms enable professors to offer interactive lectures. The university has ten academic divisions: *

* College of Arts & Sciences * Nistler College of Business & Public Administration
College of Education & Human DevelopmentCollege of Engineering & Mines
*

* School of Medicine & Health Sciences
College of Nursing & Professional Disciplines

Libraries

UND has three major libraries which, together, form the largest system of research libraries in the state of North Dakota. The

is the largest library in the state. It houses 1.6 million volumes, provides access to approximately 28,000 electronic journal subscriptions, and owns over 20,000 electronic books. It also serves as a U.S. patent and trademark depository and a government document depository. UND's special collections department is known for its genealogical resources, including Norwegian ''Bygdeboker'', or Norwegian farm and town records. Branches of the Chester Fritz Library include the Energy and Environmental Research Library, the F.D. Holland Geology Library, and the Gordon Erickson Music Library. The

operates the Thormodsgard Law Library and the

School of Medicine A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, or part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS, MB ...

operates the Harley E. French Library of the Health Sciences.

Research

UND is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". This level of research activity is shown in UND's research statistics which, in fiscal year 2006, included program awards that reached $94.3 million, sponsored program expenditures that reached $81.2 million, and an overall research portfolio that included $315 million in total ongoing and committed accounts. Research activity at UND focuses on health sciences, nutrition, energy and environmental protection, aerospace, and engineering. As a major component of the

Red River Valley Research Corridor The Red River Valley Research Corridor is the name that has been given to a region in the American state of North Dakota. It roughly comprises the corridor along the Red River of the North. The Research Corridor is anchored by North Dakota State U ...

, UND operates many research units including the

, the

, the Institute for Energy Studies, the Center for Rural Health, the Center for Innovation, the Upper Midwest Aerospace Consortium, the Bureau of Governmental Affairs, the Bureau of Educational Services and Applied Research, and the Social Science Research Institute. The

(EERC), on the eastern fringes of the UND campus, has been recognized as a leader in researching cleaner, more efficient forms of energy. The EERC operates a number of research units at UND including the

Athletics

North Dakota's 17 athletic teams compete in the

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

's Division I. Teams compete in the

Summit League The Summit League, or The Summit, is an NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletic conference with its membership mostly located in the Midwestern United States from Illinois on the East of the Mississippi River to the Dakotas and Nebraska on the W ...

except men's hockey which is in the

National Collegiate Hockey Conference The National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) is an NCAA men's Division I hockey conference formed on July 9, 2011. The league began playing for the 2013–14 season, the same season that the Big Ten Conference began competition, as a combina ...

and the football team is in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The men's ice hockey team has won eight national championships, has been runner-up five times and play in the

. The

football team A football team is a group of players selected to play together in the various team sports known as football. Such teams could be selected to play in a match against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-st ...

won the Division II national championship in 2001 and was the runner-up in 2003, and play at the

. The

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

and

volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...

teams play in the

. The women's basketball team has won three national championships in 1997, 1998, and 1999 and was runner-up in 2001. The colors of UND athletics are green and white, which were adopted in the 1920s. The university's official school colors are green and pink, representative of North Dakota's state flower, the

Wild Prairie Rose ''Rosa arkansana'', the prairie rose or wild prairie rose, is a species of rose native to a large area of central North America, between the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains from Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan south to New Mexico, Texas and ...

; however, this combination is rarely employed outside of official or ceremonial applications. UND's athletic teams bore the name of the Fighting Sioux, but were without a nickname and mascot from 2012 to 2015, in compliance with the NCAA's policy against the use of Native American nicknames. On November 18, 2015, it was announced the new nickname would be "Fighting Hawks", effective immediately. A notable UND athletic alumnus is

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...

(NBA) coach and former player

Phil Jackson Philip Douglas Jackson (born September 17, 1945) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive. A power forward, Jackson played 12 seasons in the NBA, winning NBA championships with the New York Knicks in 1970 and ...

, widely considered one of the greatest coaches in NBA history. In addition, many UND alumni have played in the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

(NHL), including:

Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and play their home games at the Xcel Ener ...

wing

Zach Parise Zachary Justin Parise (born July 28, 1984) is an American professional ice hockey left winger for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the New Jersey Devils and Minnesota Wild. Parise captained ...

New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...

center

Travis Zajac Travis Zajac (; ; born May 13, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre and current head coach. Zajac was selected in the first round, 20th overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, with whom he would go on to ...

Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...

defensemen

Matt Greene Matthew George Greene (born May 13, 1983) is an American former professional ice hockey defenceman. Originally drafted in the second round, 44th overall, at the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the Edmonton Oilers, he most notably served as an alternate ...

and

Mike Commodore Michael W. Commodore (born November 7, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Commodore played for several teams in the National Hockey League (NHL). In 2006, he won the Stanley Cup as part of the Carolina Hurricanes. Commodor ...

Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division i ...

forward and captain

Jonathan Toews Jonathan Bryan Toews ( ; born April 29, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Captain Serious", Toews was selected by the Blackhawks with the t ...

Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce B ...

wing

Brock Boeser Brock Michael Boeser (; ; born February 25, 1997) is an American professional ice hockey player for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). A top prospect with the Waterloo Black Hawks of the United States Hockey League (USHL) ...

, former NHL goalie

Ed Belfour Edward John Belfour (born April 21, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Belfour was born in Carman, Manitoba and grew up playing hockey. He played junior hockey for the Winkler Flyers before going to the University of ...

, and

Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...

forward

T. J. Oshie Timothy Leif "T. J." Oshie (born December 23, 1986) is an American professional ice hockey right winger for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the first round of the 2005 NHL ...

Athletics nicknames

* Flickertails, October 1904 – September 1930 *Fighting Sioux, September 1930 – June 2012 *Fighting Hawks, November 2015 – present

Fight song

The school's primary fight song is " Stand Up and Cheer". Two other fight songs are "UND" and '' It's for You, North Dakota U'' (or ''North Dakota U''), composed by Franz Rickaby in 1921.

Student life

Student body

Over 13,000 students attend classes on the UND campus each year. About 34 percent of the student body is from

and the other 56 percent is made up of students from other states and 99 nations. Students can live on or off campus. On campus, there are 14 residence halls and 700 student apartment units, as well as thirteen

fraternities A fraternity (from Latin ''frater'': "brother"; whence, "brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club or fraternal order traditionally of men associated together for various religious or secular aims. Fraternity in ...

and seven

sororities Fraternities and sororities are Club (organization), social organizations at colleges and universities in North America. Generally, membership in a fraternity or sorority is obtained as an Undergraduate education, undergraduate student, but conti ...

. There are over 275 student organizations at UND as well as an

intramural sports Intramural sports are recreational sports organized within a particular institution, usually an educational institution, or a set geographic region. The term, which is chiefly North American, derives from the Latin words ''intra muros'' meaning " ...

program.

Greek life

The fraternity and sorority community has a rich history at the University of North Dakota. There are 13 active fraternities and 7 active sororities currently on campus.

Fraternities

Sororities

Notable Greek alumni

* Allen I. Olson : 28th Governor of North Dakota, (Lambda Chi Alpha) *

Dick Armey Richard Keith Armey (; born July 7, 1940) is an American economist and politician. He was a United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative from Texas's (1985–2003) and Party Leaders of the United States House of Representatives, ...

House Majority Leader Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives, also known as floor leaders, are congresspeople who coordinate legislative initiatives and serve as the chief spokespersons for their parties on the House floor. These leaders are ele ...

, (Pi Kappa Alpha) *

Ed Schafer Edward Thomas Schafer (born August 8, 1946) is an American businessman and politician who was the 30th governor of North Dakota from 1992 to 2000. Schafer also served as the 29th United States Secretary of Agriculture from 2008 to 2009, appointed ...

: 30th Governor of North Dakota, (Sigma Nu) *

Gerald W. VandeWalle Gerald Wayne VandeWalle (born August 15, 1933) is an American lawyer who served as a justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court from 1978 to 2023. He served as the court's chief justice from 1993 to 2019. Early life and education VandeWalle was ...

: Chief Justice of North Dakota Supreme Court, (Lambda Chi Alpha) *

Gregory R. Page Gregory "Greg" R. Page (born 1952) is an American businessman. He served as executive chairman of Cargill, Inc. of Minnetonka, Minnesota. Early life Gregory R. Page was born in 1952 in Bottineau, North Dakota. He graduated with a bachelor's degre ...

: CEO of

Cargill Cargill, Incorporated, is a privately held American global food corporation based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and incorporated in Wilmington, Delaware. Founded in 1865, it is the largest privately held corporation in the United States in ter ...

, (Alpha Tau Omega) * John H. Disher : leading

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...

manager, (Sigma Nu) *

: former American professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...

, (Sigma Alpha Epsilon) * William C. Marcil : Forum Communications Chairman, (Lambda Chi Alpha)

Culture

The

, the official art museum of the state of North Dakota, is in the heart of campus and offers exhibits throughout the year. The Burtness Theater and the

regularly feature theater and concert events. The

also features non-athletic events including concerts. The nearby city-owned

hosts several concerts each year as well as other events. Each year, UND hosts the

University of North Dakota Writers Conference The University of North Dakota Writers Conference is an annual literary event held at the University of North Dakota (UND) located in Grand Forks, North Dakota, whose mission is to offer open access to the arts and create opportunities for discussi ...

. This is a week-long event that brings together prominent American and foreign writers. Participants have included

Truman Capote Truman Garcia Capote ( ; born Truman Streckfus Persons; September 30, 1924 – August 25, 1984) was an American novelist, screenwriter, playwright and actor. Several of his short stories, novels, and plays have been praised as literary classics, ...

Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thre ...

Eudora Welty Eudora Alice Welty (April 13, 1909 – July 23, 2001) was an American short story writer, novelist and photographer who wrote about the American South. Her novel ''The Optimist's Daughter'' won the Pulitzer Prize in 1973. Welty received numero ...

Tom Wolfe Thomas Kennerly Wolfe Jr. (March 2, 1930 – May 14, 2018)Some sources say 1931; ''The New York Times'' and Reuters both initially reported 1931 in their obituaries before changing to 1930. See and was an American author and journalist widely ...

Allen Ginsberg Irwin Allen Ginsberg (; June 3, 1926 – April 5, 1997) was an American poet and writer. As a student at Columbia University in the 1940s, he began friendships with William S. Burroughs and Jack Kerouac, forming the core of the Beat Gener ...

Louise Erdrich Louise Erdrich ( ; born Karen Louise Erdrich, June 7, 1954) is an American author of novels, poetry, and children's books featuring Native American characters and settings. She is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indian ...

Chuck Klosterman Charles John Klosterman (; born 1972) is an American author and essayist whose work focuses on American popular culture. He has been a columnist for '' Esquire'' and ESPN.com and wrote "The Ethicist" column for ''The New York Times Magazine''. K ...

, and

Gary Snyder Gary Snyder (born May 8, 1930) is an American poet, essayist, lecturer, and environmental activist. His early poetry has been associated with the Beat Generation and the San Francisco Renaissance and he has been described as the "poet laureate of ...

Media

Print

The ''

Dakota Student ''The Dakota Student'' is the student-run newspaper publication of the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The newspaper was first published Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, softwa ...

'' is UND's student newspaper. ''

North Dakota Quarterly ''North Dakota Quarterly'' (''NDQ'') is a literary journal published quarterly by the University of North Dakota. ''NDQ'' publishes poetry, fiction, interviews, and literary non-fiction. It was first published in 1911 as a vehicle for faculty p ...

'', a

literary journal A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry, and essays, along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and letters ...

, is edited at UND. ''The North Dakota Law Review'', published by the

since 1924, serves as the journal of the State Bar Association of North Dakota. The ''Alumni Review'' is published by the UND Alumni Association and Foundation.

Notable people and alumni

Alumni of the University of North Dakota have become notable in a variety of different fields including politics and government, business, science, literature, arts and entertainment, and athletics. Eight

Governors of North Dakota The governor of North Dakota is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Dakota. The current officeholder is Republican Doug Burgum. The Governor of North Dakota has the power to sign or veto laws and to call the Legislative Assembly int ...

were educated at UND, including Fred G. Aandahl, Louis B. Hanna,

Lynn Frazier Lynn Joseph Frazier (December 21, 1874January 11, 1947) was an American educator and politician who served as the 12th Governor of North Dakota from 1917 until being recalled in 1921 and later served as a U.S. Senator from North Dakota from 192 ...

William Langer William "Wild Bill" Langer (September 30, 1886November 8, 1959) was a prominent American lawyer and politician from North Dakota, where he was an infamous character, bouncing back from a scandal that forced him out of the governor's office and ...

John Moses John Moses may refer to: * John Moses (Norwegian politician) (1781–1849), member of the Norwegian Constituent Assembly * John Moses (Illinois politician) (1825–1898), Illinois judge and politician * John Moses (American politician) (1885–1945) ...

, Ragnvald A. Nestos, Allen I. Olson, and

, who was also the

US Secretary of Agriculture The United States secretary of agriculture is the head of the United States Department of Agriculture. The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other governments. The department includes several organi ...

from 2008 to 2009. Former Deputy National Security Advisor at the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...

, Mark Pfeifle is a 1997 graduate in the School of Communications. Many U.S. Senators and Representatives of North Dakota were also graduates of UND, including former Senator

Byron Dorgan Byron Leslie Dorgan (born May 14, 1942) is an American author, businessman and former politician who served as a United States Representative (1981–1992) and United States Senator (1992–2011) from North Dakota. He is member of the Democratic ...

and former Representative

Earl Pomeroy Earl Ralph Pomeroy III (born September 2, 1952) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 1993 to 2011. He is a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party. He currently serves as Senior Counsel for ...

. Former

is a UND graduate. Ronald Davies, a UND graduate and former federal judge, became a part of history when he ordered the integration of

Little Rock Central High School Little Rock Central High School (LRCHS) is an accredited comprehensive education, comprehensive public high school in Little Rock, Arkansas, Little Rock, Arkansas, Secondary education in the United States, United States. The school was the Littl ...

during the

Civil Rights Movement The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional Racial segregation in the United States, racial segregation, Racial discrimination ...

. Leigh Gerdine who was president of

Webster University Webster University is a private university with its main campus in Webster Groves, Missouri. It has multiple branch locations across the United States and countries across Europe, Asia, and Africa. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs ...

and was awarded the

National Medal of Arts The National Medal of Arts is an award and title created by the United States Congress in 1984, for the purpose of honoring artists and Patronage, patrons of the arts. A prestigious American honor, it is the highest honor given to artists and ar ...

in 1989. UND alumni who went on to notable careers in the business world include chairman of TNSE & president of the

Winnipeg Jets The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and is owned by True North Sports & Entertainment, pl ...

hockey club

Mark Chipman Mark Chipman, (born 1960) is a Canadian hockey executive, businessman, and lawyer. Chipman is best known as the chairman of True North Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League and Canada Life Centre in W ...

, current president and former CEO of

, current president and CEO of the

Buffalo Wild Wings Buffalo Wild Wings (originally Buffalo Wild Wings & Weck, hence the nickname BDubs, or BW3) is an American casual dining restaurant and sports bar franchise in the United States, Canada, India, Mexico, Panama, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, and Unit ...

restaurant chain Sally J. Smith, current CEO of

Forum Communications Forum Communications Company is an American multimedia and technology company headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota. With multiple online and print news brands throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, Forum Communications off ...

William C. Marcil, former

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

casino owner and UND philanthropist

Ralph Engelstad Ralph Louis Engelstad (January 28, 1930 – November 26, 2002) was an American businessman who owned the Imperial Palace casino-hotels in Las Vegas and in Biloxi, Mississippi. He also owned the Kona Kai motel in Las Vegas, which later became the ...

, and former CEO of American

Skandia Skandia is a financial services corporation in Sweden. History Skandia started out as a Swedish insurance company in 1855. Today the brand operates in Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Skandia also operates an internet bank called Skandiab ...

and founder of WealthVest Marketing Wade Dokken. Former

Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...

player and founder of

Golden Star Resources Golden Star Resources Ltd was a Canadian company that owned and operated the Wassa gold mine in Ghana. The company formerly owned and operated the Bogoso-Prestea gold mine, also in Ghana, from 1999 to 2020. Headquartered in London, but with a re ...

Dave Fennell Dave Fennell (born February 4, 1953) is a former defensive lineman for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. After graduating from the University of North Dakota in 1973, he played for Edmonton from 1974 to 1983, and helped lead th ...

. Founder and chairman of

Nygård International Nygård International was a Canadian clothing brand, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, that was founded and named after Peter Nygård. It was the largest producer of women's apparel in Canada. The company produced clothing under brand names such as ...

Peter Nygård Peter J. Nygård (born Pekka Juhani Nygård; born July 24, 1941) is a Finnish-Canadian clothing, fashion executive. In 1967, he founded Nygård International, a Winnipeg-based company that made women's apparel. In 2020, Nygård was accused of lo ...

. In the realm of science, notable UND alumni include important contributor to

information theory Information theory is the scientific study of the quantification (science), quantification, computer data storage, storage, and telecommunication, communication of information. The field was originally established by the works of Harry Nyquist a ...

Harry Nyquist Harry Nyquist (, ; February 7, 1889 – April 4, 1976) was a Swedish-American physicist and electronic engineer who made important contributions to communication theory. Personal life Nyquist was born in the village Nilsby of the parish Stora Ki ...

, pioneer aviator

Carl Ben Eielson Carl Benjamin "Ben" Eielson (July 20, 1897 – November 9, 1929) was an American aviator, bush pilot and explorer. Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska is named in his honor. In 1997 Carl Ben Eielson was inducted into the North Dakota Aviation Ha ...

, Arctic explorer

Vilhjalmur Stefansson Vilhjalmur Stefansson (November 3, 1879 – August 26, 1962) was an Arctic explorer and ethnologist. He was born in Manitoba, Canada. Early life Stefansson, born William Stephenson, was born at Arnes, Manitoba, Canada, in 1879. His parents had ...

, engineer and NASA astronaut

Karen L. Nyberg Karen LuJean Nyberg (born October 7, 1969) is an American mechanical engineer and retired NASA astronaut. Nyberg became the 50th woman in space on her first mission in 2008. Nyberg started her space career in 1991 and spent a total of 180 days ...

, and leading NASA manager John H. Disher. Pearl I. Young, a UND graduate in 1919, became the first female technical employee at

(then

NACA The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was a United States federal agency founded on March 3, 1915, to undertake, promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. On October 1, 1958, the agency was dissolved and its assets ...

) in 1922, her contributions to the agency resulted in a theater at

NASA Langley The Langley Research Center (LaRC or NASA Langley), located in Hampton, Virginia, United States of America, is the oldest of NASA's field centers. It directly borders Langley Air Force Base and the Back River on the Chesapeake Bay. LaRC has foc ...

in 1995.

Alumni who have become notable through literature include the

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...

-winning playwright and author

Maxwell Anderson James Maxwell Anderson (December 15, 1888 – February 28, 1959) was an American playwright, author, poet, journalist, and lyricist. Background Anderson was born on December 15, 1888, in Atlantic, Pennsylvania, the second of eight children to ...

Rhodes scholar The Rhodes Scholarship is an international postgraduate award for students to study at the University of Oxford, in the United Kingdom. Established in 1902, it is the oldest graduate scholarship in the world. It is considered among the world' ...

and poet Thomas McGrath, essayist and journalist

, and novelist

Jon Hassler Jon Hassler (March 30, 1933 – March 20, 2008) was an American writer and teacher known for his novels about small-town life in Minnesota. He held the positions of Regents professor emeritus and writer-in-residence at St. John's University in C ...

. UND graduates have become editors of major magazines:

Carroll Eugene Simcox Carroll Eugene Simcox (April 14, 1912 – October 16, 2002) was an American Episcopal priest and editor of ''The Living Church'' magazine. Simcox was born in Lisbon, North Dakota and educated at the University of North Dakota. He received his mas ...

The Living Church ''The Living Church'' is a magazine based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, providing commentary and news on the Episcopal Church and the wider Anglican Communion. In continuous publication since 1878, it has generally been identified with the Anglo-Catho ...

, former ''

Ebony Ebony is a dense black/brown hardwood, coming from several species in the genus ''Diospyros'', which also contains the persimmons. Unlike most woods, ebony is dense enough to sink in water. It is finely textured and has a mirror finish when pol ...

'' editor

Era Bell Thompson Era Bell Thompson (August 10, 1905 – December 30, 1986) was an American writer and editor. Thompson was born in Des Moines, Iowa, Includes brief bio and a selection from ''Africa''. to an African American family, the only daughter of Ste ...

and former ''

LIFE Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energ ...

'' editor

Edward K. Thompson Edward Kramer Thompson (January 15, 1907 – October 8, 1996) was an American writer and editor. He was the editor of ''Life'' from its early days as a weekly and was the founding editor of '' Smithsonian'' magazine. Biography Thompson was born ...

. Alumni who have become notable in arts and entertainment include actor

Sam Anderson Sam Anderson (born April 2, 1947) is an American actor. He is best known for his character roles such as Sam Gorpley on '' Perfect Strangers'', Holland Manners on ''Angel'', dentist Bernard Nadler on ''Lost'' and in film, as the principal in ''F ...

and ''

America's Next Top Model ''America's Next Top Model'' (abbreviated ''ANTM'' and ''Top Model'') is an American reality television series and interactive competition in which a number of aspiring models compete for the title of "America's Next Top Model" and a chance to b ...

'' winner

Nicole Linkletter Nicole Linkletter Nathanson (born February 27 1985) is an American fashion model and the winner of Cycle 5 of ''America's Next Top Model''. Her prizes were a contract with Ford Models, a $100,000 contract with CoverGirl, and her photo appearing ...

Former UND students who have gone on to notable careers in athletics include former

player and coach and former president of the

New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...

, 1980 Winter Olympics "

Miracle on Ice The "Miracle on Ice" was an ice hockey game during the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. It was played between the hosting United States and the Soviet Union on February 22, 1980, during the medal round of the men's hockey tourna ...

" hockey player Dave Christian,

NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

players

and

, and professional football players

Jim Kleinsasser Jimmy Carter Kleinsasser (; born January 31, 1977) is a former American Football player who played fullback, H-back, and tight end for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He played college football at North Dakota and played ...

and

Dave Osborn Dave Osborn (born March 18, 1943 in Everett, Washington) is a former professional American football player who played running back for 12 seasons for the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers. Career Osborn was drafted by the Vikings in th ...

. As of the 2018–19 season, more than 20 former UND players are in the NHL and more than 100 former players have played in the NHL.

Professional athlete alumni

Quinton Hooker Quinton Hooker (born January 22, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for Bnei Herzliya Basket of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. At a height of 1.83 m (6 ft. 0 in.) tall, he plays at the point guard position. He atten ...

(born 1995), basketball player in the

Israeli Basketball Premier League Ligat HaAl ( he, ליגת העל, lit., ''Supreme League or Premier League''), or the Israeli Basketball Premier League, is the top-tier level league of professional sports, professional competition in Israeli sports club, club basketball, making ...

Presidential Visits

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

- October 4, 1937. *

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...

- September 25, 1963. * Richard M. Nixon - September 1960, October 1965, October 1970. *

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

- October 17, 1986.

References

External links

*
University of North Dakota Athletics website
* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:North Dakota, University Of

University of North Dakota The University of North Dakota (also known as UND or North Dakota) is a public research university in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It was established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of ...

Educational institutions established in 1883 1883 establishments in Dakota Territory Buildings and structures in Grand Forks, North Dakota Tourist attractions in Grand Forks, North Dakota Education in Grand Forks County, North Dakota Flagship universities in the United States