LIGHT OF LIFE

The University of Mary focuses on the development of the whole person, for the whole of life — because, in the words of President Monsignor Shea, “We believe in eternity, so we build for today.” As such, it is only fitting that the new Lumen Vitae University Center, whose name translates to ‘light of life,’ is both literally and figuratively the heart of the campus and features celebration, social, dining, and lifestyle spaces for student bodies and community members of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

In August, this banner welcomed new students to the University of South Dakota School of Law. Thanks to South Dakota’s strong economy and the school’s low tuition, new lawyers graduate with both good job prospects and comparatively low debt, the school reports.

IMAGE: USD SCHOOL OF LAW

30 Higher Education

GUIDELINES FOR REFORM

AS NORTH DAKOTA EMBARKS ON A PATH OF HIGHER-EDUCATION GOVERNANCE REFORM, STATE AND NATIONAL EXPERTS OFFER IDEAS

A Q&A WITH JOHN BLUEMLE, RETIRED NORTH DAKOTA STATE GEOLOGIST, ON HOW THE STATE’S GEOLOGY HAS YIELDED AN EXTRAORDINARY ENERGY BOUNTY here are countries and there are countries, and then there is the United States. As the notion of American exceptionalism suggests, this nation stands out.

Now, here’s another notion: Midwestern exceptionalism – the idea that within the United States, the Midwest in important ways stands out.

No, not in power and not in wealth; the coasts have those categories locked up. Instead, we’re thinking more in terms of quality of life and quality of governance.

That what this issue of Prairie Business is about.

How has Bismarck, N.D., built a healthy economy in one of the most remote regions of the Great Plains? Lots of good reasons, one of them being partnerships. Bismarck’s businesses, agencies and institutions routinely “partner up” to solve problems; and when they do so, they typically discover that the whole is much greater than the sum of its parts.

WORKS TOM DENNIS

TDENNIS@PRAIRIEBUSINESSMAGAZINE.COM 701.780.1276

For the past decade, lawyers nationwide have fretted publicly and sometimes angrily about the economic storms buffeting their profession. But in key legal circles in our region, the mood seems more, “Steady as she goes.” Why? That’s the topic of another story in this issue.

And while the outcome of North Dakota’s newest higher-education reform effort is uncertain, residents should remember this point, which emerges in still another story: the last such effort, the Roundtable Report of the 1990s, won national praise.

Good reading, TOM DENNIS I welcome your feedback and story ideas. Call me at 701-780-1276 or email me at tdennis@ prairiebusinessmagazine.com.

PUBLISHER KORRIE WENZEL

AD DIRECTOR STACI LORD

EDITOR TOM DENNIS

CIRCULATION MANAGER BETH BOHLMAN

LAYOUT DESIGN, AD DESIGN ANDY GOBLE KRIS WOLFF

ACCOUNT MANAGERS NICHOLE ERTMAN

800.477.6572 ext. 1162 800.477.6572 nertman@prairiebusinessmagazine.com jlolszewski@prairiebusinessmagazine.com

Prairie Business magazine is published monthly by the Grand Forks Herald and Forum Communications Company with offices at 375 2nd Avenue North, Grand Forks, ND 58203. Subscriptions are available free of charge. Back issue quantities are limited and subject to availability ($2/copy prepaid). The opinions of writers featured in Prairie Business are their own. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, artwork are encouraged but will not be returned without a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

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ADDRESS CORRECTIONS

Prairie Business magazine Box 6008 Grand Forks, ND 58206-6008 Beth Bohlman: bbohlman@prairiebusinessmagazine.com

ONLINE www.prairiebusinessmagazine.com

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