2025 Alumni Honors: Hunter Pinke

Alum honored with the 2025 Young Alumni Achievement Award

Hometown: Wishek, N.D.

Area of Study: Mechanical Engineering

On who he’s become since graduating: 

When I graduated, I didn’t want to be done competing. I got my master’s degree from the University of Arizona and played wheelchair basketball for three years. That was a way of telling the world my injury didn’t win. It might have changed me, but it didn’t beat me. I could still compete for a national championship and reach my goal of becoming an Academic All-American.

On UND Football

One of my core memories was freshman year when we won the Big Sky Championship and rushed the field. When I committed to UND, Coach Schweigert said we want to build a program to win conference championships. To have that happen my first year, I felt like we were building this thing quickly.

Also, going out for the coin toss at NDSU in my wheelchair. I always imagined that moment looking differently – I didn’t have my helmet on, but I was still at midfield calling heads or tails. And I won the coin flip, so I did my job.

What his UND education taught him:

The number one thing my education taught me was how to start something and give my best effort to the finish. Whether it was an engineering project I worked on until 2 a.m. or now, in my job, making sure a house design is ready for a 10 a.m. meeting – it’s about seeing things through to the end.

Coach Schmidt always says, ‘the work works.’ That's so true not only football but in life. If you take care of what you need to today and give your effort today, it turns out. They gave me that success structure in football, but it has carried over into my life.

On being a motivational speaker: 

‘No bad days’ doesn’t mean no bad moments. There’s been a lot of good tears and some that were from a lot of pain. But God doesn't waste those tears. 

I was told early on in my recovery I had to decide where my life was going to go. It can go upward, or it can go downward. You can be depressed, or you can use this as a springboard to change lives through struggle. That was an easy decision for me. When it comes to inspiring people with a message, I will never see the full return on investment, but hopefully, my best is enough to help somebody else become their best. 

‘I'm just glad I’ve got a glass,’ is my main message, meaning ‘I’m still breathing.’ Then, ‘What are you doing with your glass?’ If you can take struggle, flip it upside down, and turn it into strength – that’s the main thing.

Advice to his younger self: 

Who you do life with is much more important than what you ever do in it. The relationships are the most important things you’ll take out of your college experience. In the end, people are the difference and authenticity wins. And at UND, authenticity is the standard.