From UND With Love
The UND Alumni Magazine is published quarterly with a goal of connecting University of North Dakota alumni and friends through stories of inspiration and impact.
The 2024 Winter Edition was released in November. In this issue, we examine love. Through heartwarming stories of alumni pursuing careers fueled by passion, couples who found love on campus, and reflections on the enduring affection of our alma mater, this edition highlights how love can shape our lives.
You can view the flipbook version here.
Features
We Do What We Love & Love What We Do
How a UND degree can make dreams come true.
UND Love Stories
Message to Alumni
100 Million Reasons to Love UND (and its alumni)!
Let’s talk about love. Thanks to their incredible love for the University of North Dakota, our alumni and friends donated a record-breaking $100.5 million during the fiscal year that ended June 30.
It’s a powerful testament to the dedication so many have for this University.
Whether it’s supporting scholarships, conducting innovative research, or building state-of-the-art facilities, each gift, no matter the size, represents a personal connection and deep passion for UND. This milestone is more than just a number – it’s 100 million reasons to celebrate the enduring spirit of our UND family.
This issue of the UND Alumni Magazine focuses on the topic of love. In addition to the love that many students find when they meet their significant other on campus, there’s also the love for the University itself and the deep connections, friendships, and lifelong memories that UND fosters. From Homecoming celebrations to the remarkable achievements of our alumni, the love for UND is woven into the fabric of this institution in countless ways.
Here are a few recent examples:
- Mark, ’71, and Claudia Thompson, ’70, created an endowed faculty position in the College of Engineering & Mines. Claudia says getting to know Professor Jeremiah Neubert, who holds the fellowship, feels like “we’ve added another family to our family.”
- Dave and Alexa Albrecht have fallen in love with UND and its softball team as they’ve watched their daughter, Jackie, thrive in the program. That love led them to give the lead gift for a new softball stadium that celebrated its grand opening in September.
- Jim, ’98, and Nicole Poolman, ’98, hosted a summer gathering in which alumni and friends donated $80,000 to the Food for Thought Food Pantry on campus. These donors showed their love for students by making sure they have access to food to fuel their educational experience.
Homecoming: A Celebration of UND Spirit
One of the most special times of the year for me has always been Homecoming. It’s a week filled with joy, reconnections, and the overwhelming sense of community that defines our University. I’ve had the privilege of witnessing many Homecoming celebrations over the years, and each one serves as a reminder of the love people have for this place. It’s a love that endures through generations and binds us together, no matter where life may take us after graduation.
Don’t suffer from “Fear of Missing Out” next year; make plans now to attend Homecoming Sept. 15-20, 2025!
A Lifetime of Dedication
When I think about love for UND, my mind is immediately drawn to the passion my fellow UNDAAF associates have for their work. For more than 33 years, I have had the honor of serving this University, and it has been one of the greatest joys of my life. I am not alone in working more than three decades for this outstanding organization – three others have even more time than me! They are Jeannie Tvedt (40 years), Cindy Filler (40 years) and Becky Greer, ’90 (34 years). In addition, between UND and the UNDAAF, Peter Johnson, ’81, ’82, has 35 years of service and several others on the staff have been here more than two decades.
Love Leads to Momentum
Finally, the theme of love reminds me of the search that brought us our 13th president, Andrew Armacost. During the interview process, Andy continually referred to his personal philosophy of “love your people.” It’s one of the things that made him stand out as a candidate.
Andy brought that philosophy to campus with great success, and I would say that “love your people” is a key driver of the momentum that has brought more than 15,000 students to campus this fall – only the third time in UND history that enrollment has surpassed that milestone!
As we celebrate the love so many share for UND – whether through generous gifts, lifelong friendships, or cherished memories – it’s clear that this University is more than just a place of education. It’s a community, a family, and a foundation for dreams that span generations. From record-setting achievements to the quiet acts of kindness that often go unnoticed, the love for UND runs deep. Together, we’ve built a legacy of giving, passion, and connection that will shape the future of UND for years to come. And with each new milestone, we’re reminded that there are always more reasons to love this remarkable place along the English Coulee.
Sincerely,
DeAnna Carlson Zink
CEO, UND Alumni Association & Foundation
Alumni In Action
Alumni In History
UND Athletics
Things That Make Us #UNDproud
We are proud to partner with UND Today, your alma mater's official news source. Here's a snapshot of some great thing happening right here at the University of North Dakota. For more, subscribe to UND Today at blogs.UND.edu/UND-today.
- In his State of the University address, UND’s president points to real progress and describes exciting developments to come.
- Cassie Gerhardt, '96, '08, Senior Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, is known around campus as the "the pink and green lady."
- The Department of Communication is partnering with the Grand Forks and Fargo public libraries to offer free radon test kits.
- 15,019 students enrolled at UND this fall, a 6% increase over fall 2023.
- UND celebrates with fanfare eight newly appointed endowed faculty.
- 50 new U.S. citizens from 27 countries took the Oath of Allegiance at the Memorial Union on Constitution Day.
- UND is home to a NASA space capsule used during a July 2009 "launch abort" test at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility.
- Chester Fritz Library donated 150 bygdebøker ("farm books) to the Norway House, a Norwegian cultural center in Minneapolis.
- Retired U.S. Air Force Gen. Lori Robinson visited UND as the inaugural speaker in the UND LEADS: Broad Perspectives on National Security speaker series.
- UND announces the creation of five new research centers.
Forever UND
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. See who's listed in the Eternal Flame Society.
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