The Gorecki Alumni Center acts as a gateway to the University of North Dakota.
Here, we welcome prospective students and their families to campus, accommodate private
and community events, and serve as home to UND’s 130,000 alumni.
UND Admissions occupies the first floor of the Gorecki. The UND Alumni Association & Foundation occupies the second and third floors of the building. The Gorecki Alumni Center also serves as a a modern meeting, conference and special
event space.
History
The Gorecki Alumni Center celebrated its Grand Opening on Oct. 12, 2012. Since its
opening, the Center has hosted thousands of events, fulfilling the wishes of UND’s
very first graduating class in 1889 — connecting alumni with each other and the University
of North Dakota in a monument dedicated to alumni. The Gorecki Alumni Center now serves
as the campus home for more than 130,000 UND alumni.
While an alumni home was always a dream, North Dakota Spirit | The Campaign for
UND, made it possible. The campaign provided momentum and excitement for the project
and was a perfect alignment of philanthropic goals for donors like Ben, '62, '63,
& Dorothy Gorecki and others whose names are prominent fixtures throughout the building.
It was the first project in the state of North Dakota and the first alumni center
in the nation to be certified as LEED Platinum.
Building Namesakes
Built entirely by private donations, the Gorecki Alumni Center honors the forward-thinking
commitments of our donors, who built the facility from the ground up.
Ben, ’62, ’63, & Dorothy Gorecki
The Gorecki Alumni Center was named after Ben, ’62, ’63, and Dorothy Gorecki of Milaca,
Minnesota, who provided the lead gift for the project. The longtime supporters of
UND are unassuming and generous philanthropists who focus their charitable giving
on education, health and special needs of their communities.
Ben Gorecki passed away on July 9, 2017. He was proud to have the Gorecki name associated
with the Alumni Center and its representation as "home" for alumni and friends who
return to campus throughout the years.
The Gorecki's LEED Platinum certification was made possible by a generous gift from
Glen and Janice Gransberg of Grand Forks, who have a strong interest in environmental
awareness and stewardship of the planet’s precious resources. The main event space
within the Gorecki Alumni Center, the Gransberg Community Room, features floor-to-ceiling windows as an homage to the environment and natural light.
The Burgum Presidential Suite is named for Rick, '68, and Jody (Stibbe) Burgum, ’74. In appreciation for the education
they received, Rick and his wife, Jody (Stibbe), ’74, along with their children, Katie,
’03, and Brooks, ’06, invested in both the Gorecki Alumni Center and the College of
Arts & Sciences for faculty and scholarships.
The leadership of B. John Barry, ’63, and Linda Pancratz, ’76, as co-chairs of the
National Campaign Steering Committee gave UND and the UND Alumni Association & Foundation
the edge it needed to be successful in the historic campaign. Because of their history
as philanthropic trailblazers at UND, the B. John Barry and Linda & Mark Pancratz Philanthropic Center was named in their honor.
With a generous gift-in-kind of fly ash and related transportation expenses, Great
River Energy earned its name on the Gorecki Center’s Great River Energy Terrace. David Saggau, ’86, ’89, the energy co-op’s CEO, originally floated the idea for the
UND Alumni Association & Foundation to pursue Platinum LEED status for the Gorecki
Alumni Center.
The Hyslop Alumni Lounge was named for philanthropist W. Kenneth Hyslop, Arts & Sciences Class of 1906. In
1980, his multimillion-dollar gift of land and stock helped spur the creation of the
UND Foundation and contributed to several ventures on campus.
Kathy Cook, '68, dedicated her professional life to nutrition and dietetics, winning
awards for her service as Director of Resident Support Services at Valley Memorial
Homes in Grand Forks and starting the Crookston Home Delivered Meals program. Kathy
died in 2011, but her legacy continues in the Kathy Cook Kitchen.
The Kratt Grand Lobby is named for Robert, ’36, and Elizabeth Kratt. Robert graduated in 1936 with a Bachelor
of Science degree in Accounting. Robert passed away in 1999. Robert and his wife,
Elizabeth, made a gift through trust to the University of North Dakota. Their legacy
lives on through their generosity.
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