Grounded in Education

From the runway to the classroom, one UND family carries forward a belief in education, discipline, and paying it forward. 

When Aiden Potter, ’25, stepped onto the stage at the University of North Dakota last spring, he joined his family’s UND legacy as its youngest member.

A graduate of UND’s John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, Aiden is now building hours as a certified flight instructor before starting a job with a regional airline. He is also the great-grandson of Frank “Zaz” Zazula, UND football and track coach from 1949-82. Zaz emphasized the importance of education within his family.

“Zaz told us education was the one thing no one could take from you,” said his daughter and Aiden’s grandmother, Polly (Zazula) Aaser, ’75. “Your house can burn, you can be bankrupt, you can lose everything — but your education stays with you.”

Polly grew up watching her father’s deep connection to the University and its students.

“It really felt like a family,” she said. “Zaz’s athletes would come to our house for holiday dinners if they couldn’t make it home. He’d give them advice about school and make sure they had a warm meal.”

Aviation Takes Hold

Aiden’s journey is similar to that of his grandfather and Polly’s husband, Don Aaser, ’71, who learned to fly at UND.

After graduating, Don entered the Air Force, where the discipline and cold-weather flight experience he gained in Grand Forks helped him earn a coveted spot as a flight instructor and later as a fighter pilot. While Don served, Polly taught school in Del Rio, Texas. The family moved often before eventually settling in Minnesota, where Polly spent 30 years as coordinator of special education at Osseo Senior High School. Don went on to own a medical software company. 

UND Family Grows

The Aasers’ daughters both chose UND, beginning with Katie (Aaser) Potter, ’97. “Katie got information when we were on campus for a party for Zaz, and she decided to go to UND,” Polly said. “Then our daughter Elizabeth (Aaser, ’00) followed. We really bleed green.”

“Our house was UND everything,” Katie added.

When Polly dropped her daughters off at college, Zaz insisted on coming too. “My dad stayed for a week,” Polly said, “just in case they needed anything.”

While at UND, Katie met Glenn Potter, ’98. Glenn had moved to Grand Forks as a child; his father, Tom Potter, was a UND professor of finance for 22 years.

While Katie and Glenn have many fond memories of Greek life and UND hockey, the 1997 flood was the defining moment of their college years. “It wasn’t that it was a bad experience,” Glenn said, “It was just surreal. Katie was sandbagging the dike over Lincoln Park until she was forced to leave.” 

The aftermath stayed with them. “The University and the city really came together to rebuild,” Katie said. 

Aiden’s Turn

For Katie and Glenn’s son Aiden, UND wasn’t initially a consideration. That changed when his grandfather Don suggested aviation as a career path.
“I told him (being a commercial pilot) would lead to a great lifestyle. I also told him the University of North Dakota aviation program was the best in the country and had a direct recruiting line to all the airlines.”

A discovery flight, which Aiden described as “awesome,” sealed the deal. 

For the family, Aiden’s experience reflects what UND has offered across generations.
“It’s a great education,” said Katie. “The Greek system made campus feel like a community — and I see that same closeness for Aiden in the aviation program.”

Don agreed.

“We’ve lived in Minnesota, North Dakota, Texas, Nebraska. I trained in Florida and New Mexico,” he said. “We’ve seen a lot of institutions. For the time you spend there and the money you invest, I don’t think you can get a better bang for the buck than UND.”

Now building flight hours and preparing for his next step, Aiden sees the value of the UND relationships firsthand. “A friend from UND works for my future employer,” he said. “He helped me prepare for the interview.”

Aiden represents the most recent chapter in a long-running UND family story shaped by Frank “Zaz” Zazula and grounded in a belief that education opens doors and lifts others along the way. ///