From the CEO

You’re receiving this special edition of the UND Alumni Magazine as a thank you for all you have done to support your University in 2019. Our theme throughout the year has been “UND Hero.”

Nobody merits hero recognition more than the young man I am pictured with above. You may remember Hunter from the last issue of the magazine where he's pictured with his great, great, great aunt Iris Westman, the oldest-ever UND alum. In December, UND football student-athlete Hunter Pinke was in a skiing accident in Colorado and sustained a severe spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed from the chest down. I was recently in Colorado and had the honor of visiting Hunter and his family at Craig Hospital, where he is undergoing rehabilitation. Talk about an amazing young man! His attitude remains positive, courageous and determined. He says he WILL walk across the stage for his UND graduation with his mechanical engineering degree in May 2021. I can’t wait to see you do it, Hunter! You are truly a UND Hero!

As you flip through the pages of this issue, I hope you realize that without your support, UND wouldn’t be where it is today. When you read about student leaders going above and beyond, alumni gathering near and far, and learn about UND’s 13th president, Dr. Andrew Armacost, please know we continue to be great because of you.

Cheers to a happy and healthy 2020!

DeAnna Carlson Zink, '86, CFRE UND Alumni Association & Foundation CEO deannac@UNDfoundation.org