Highlighting pivotal moments that propel us forward
UJ joins the NCAA pg. 12
PLUS
A Decade of Academic Advancements pg. 8
A Stroke Stole Her Ability to Speak pg.22
As we embrace a (warmer) winter season, we are thrilled to bring you the latest edition of our Alumni and Friends magazine, celebrating the spirit of “New Beginnings.” This season marks a pivotal moment in the history of the University of Jamestown, as we welcome new leadership and inspiring stories that reflect our commitment to growth, innovation, and the transformative power of education.
New Leadership: Todd Steinwand as Chairman of the Board of Trustees
We are delighted to introduce Todd Steinwand as the new Chairman of our Board of Trustees. With a wealth of experience and a passion for advancing higher education, Todd brings a new perspective to guide our institution toward continued success. His leadership will undoubtedly help shape the future trajectory of the University.
Returning to the University of Jamestown is Lisa Jackson, who joins us as the Vice President for Marketing and External Relations. With her expertise, we look forward to elevating our outreach efforts, engaging our community, and sharing the remarkable stories that define the UJ experience.
The Gift of Communication: Ann Johnson ’96 and the Role of Artificial Intelligence
Prepare to be inspired by the incredible story of Ann Johnson, a graduate from the Class of ‘96. Through the lens of Artificial Intelligence, Ann’s journey showcases perseverance, hope, and the profound impact technology can have on individual lives. Her story exemplifies the transformative potential of education and innovation.
As I reflect on the past five years of my presidency, there is much to celebrate. Our ambitious strategic plan has fueled enrollment growth, the establishment of a thriving College of Graduate and Professional Studies, and the expansion of our academic offerings worldwide. The challenges of the global landscape have not hindered us; instead, they have propelled us to achieve significant milestones.
The University of Jamestown has witnessed remarkable physical transformations, including the construction of a mixed-use residence hall, acquisition of the Legacy Center, and significant enhancements to our athletic facilities. Our commitment to faith and learning is underscored by the upcoming renovation of Voorhees Chapel, featuring the Reuben and Clarice Liechty Center for Faith and Life. We’ve also expanded our presence to Phoenix, Arizona, embracing new horizons.
While celebrating our achievements, we acknowledge that there is more to be done. The dream of a college degree should be attainable for all, and it is our goal to make education both possible and affordable. To support this vision, we have launched a campaign, Together We Rise, to raise $80 million, building on the foundations set in motion five years ago. Your generosity has already placed us on a promising path, and I am confident that together, we will surpass our goals.
Our dedicated faculty play a crucial role in shaping the experiences for our 1400 students and growing. Their commitment is vital to our mission, and we aim to grow our endowment to support both them and the students we serve, ensuring that the transformative impact of a UJ education continues to thrive.
As we hosted the NCAA Division II Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, the praise from presidents, athletic directors, and faculty reminded us of the unique journey we are on. The University of Jamestown is not like other small colleges, and your kindness, courage, generosity, and prayers have been instrumental in our success.
If you haven’t visited campus recently, I extend a personal invitation to return. Let me buy you a cup of coffee and show you around. Your presence and support are integral to the vibrant community we are building at the University of Jamestown.
Thank you for being a part of our journey and for your continued commitment to the University of Jamestown. Together, let’s embrace the spirit of New Beginnings and chart a course for an even brighter future.
God Bless,
President, University of Jamestown
Winter 2024
Board of Trustees Chairman
Todd Steinwand ’82
University of Jamestown President
Polly Peterson, Ph.D. ’89
Alumni Board President
MaryBeth Hegstad ’97
Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations
Brett Moser x’03/’21
Director of Development, Jimmie Booster Club and Annual Giving Tara Kapp ’00
Director of Alumni Relations
Bryce Nybo ’20/’22
Director of Development, Planned Giving and Major Gifts
Michael Savaloja
Research Associate
Dan Hornung
Development Services Manager
Tess Hirschkorn ’21
Stewardship Manager
Joleen Steinmetz
Vice President of Marketing & External Relations
Lisa Jackson
Director of Design and Publications
Donna Schmitz
Marketing Director
Natalie McKenna
Contributing Writers
Lisa Jackson
Natalie McKenna
Brett Moser x’03/’21
Michael Savaloja “Alumni
Renovation project seeks to enhance spiritual formation
Over 105 years ago, on November 22, 1918, the grand opening of the Voorhees Chapel was held on our campus. College President at the time Dr. Barend Kroeze maintained that “… whatever a Christian college may have as an array of buildings, a Chapel should be second to none and should stand as an appealing symbol of the spiritual purpose of the institution.”
The spiritual purpose of the University of Jamestown today is still vitally connected to our mission of providing a holistic experience that prepares students professionally with cocurricular opportunities, all taking place in a Christian environment. The present physical space that embodies this purpose, though, needs revitalization.
I am excited to share our new project— which aims to go beyond brick and mortar, architectural drawings, and contractor scheduling—with you. Let’s walk through the project together.
Currently, about 220 students on average attend weekly Chapel services. Additionally, 14 leadership teams exist to serve the campus community, assimilating and mobilizing students with ministry opportunities.
We believe that the University of Jamestown student experience must have the opportunity to explore the biggest questions of life. In a world where confusion, disappointment, polarization, and challenging media messaging are all around us, helping students navigate existential
realities connected to their identity matters.
As Christian philosopher Dallas Willard stated in his book Renovation of the Heart: “The hidden dimension of each human life is not visible to others, nor is it fully graspable even by ourselves. We usually know very little about the things that move in our own soul, the deepest level of our life, or what is driving it. Our “within” is astonishingly complex and subtle—even devious. It takes on a life of its own. Only God knows our depths, who we are, and what we would do.” Our commitment to having a space for students to engage with God—Who knows students’ complexities, depths, weaknesses, and struggles; thereby providing truth, hope, and joy that this world just can’t ultimately offer—is becoming a reality through the Reuben and Clarice Liechty Center for Faith and Life. This Center—combined with a revitalization of the Voorhees Chapel—will give our students the environment they need to navigate their beliefs, be critical thinkers,
use their vocal talents to lead worship, and grow in spiritual formation and renewal. This project is one of multiple parts of our new campaign, Together We Rise, that was announced at Homecoming 2023. Our goal is to raise $80 million by 2028, aligning with President Peterson’s strategic plan and the ongoing challenges of higher education. To date, 65 percent of this renovation project has been raised.
The spiritual purpose of the institution remains the same today as it was in the early years of Jamestown College. Would you join us in supporting this new beginning, that has a touch of old—renovated for the days ahead? Would you join us in praying for our students and the continued spiritual climate on campus? Would you continue or join us for the first time—Jimmie alumni and friends— as together we rise to support spiritual formation and renewal on our campus?
Brett Moser x’03/’21 Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations
To say the academic programs at University of Jamestown are in a season of growth would be an understatement.
Only ten years ago, UJ expanded to Fargo and launched its first doctoral program: a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. In 2021, they launched University of Jamestown Accelerated, their online division.
Since then, the University has seen its numbers grow exponentially—with graduate students increasing from single digits to more than 300, dedicated graduate faculty from zero to 20 plus, and online program offerings from one to 25 and growing.
“Graduate education has had a transformative effect on the University and the nature of our faculty,” said Executive Vice
President and Provost Dr. Paul Olson. “Undergraduate education focuses on making students effective consumers of knowledge. In graduate education, there is an emphasis on making sure a student becomes a good creator or discoverer of knowledge.”
That means by the time a thesis is done, students should have contributed new knowledge to the world, as well as gained more opportunities for career development.
UJ’s PhD in Clinical Research program is an excellent example of expanding one’s career through research.
“Every student in that program has a professional doctorate or a master’s degree,” Olson said.
Think Physical Therapists, Medical Doctors, Doctors of Optometry, and so forth. They’ve reached their professional goals in those roles and want to move into research. To do so, they need a PhD.
Just 30 years ago, students would have been expected to put their lives on hold and relocate to earn this advanced degree. That’s simply not the case anymore with UJ’s PhD in Clinical Research being one of the only all-online, accredited programs in the world.
“We would probably have two of the 25 students currently enrolled if we required them to move” Olson explained.
Graduate education has had a transformative effect on the University and the nature of our faculty.”
—Dr. Paul Olson
He speaks from experience. In 2015, UJ graduated its final two students from their in-person Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. They didn’t have any new prospects for the program, even though they were actively recruiting. Instead of assuming the program simply wasn’t valuable, program director Dr. Kris CrabtreeGroff made an innovative move and redesigned the program to be fully online. The goal for the 2016-17 class was to register just ten students. They ended up with 27. “What that showed us was the program itself had the content, the value, and the experience that teachers across the state wanted. It was the delivery method getting in the way,” said Olson.
Exceeding enrollment numbers is far from the only benefit of online education.
“Because we put our PhD in Clinical Research program online, we have students on four continents,” said Olson. “They’re building this global network, learning from each other and our faculty in a way that could not have been done before.”
Moving programs online and meeting people where they’re at gives UJ the opportunity to take their mission, values, and culture and share it with students across the globe.
Another program that is expected to impact higher education through its unique offering and online platform is UJ’s new Master of Business Administration (MBA).
With the program’s first cohorts beginning in the fall of 2024, UJ’s MBA stands out from the crowd because it offers micro-credentials. Through this focused coursework, students are given the opportunity to tailor their learning and align it with their professional goals.
“The work our faculty and students are going to do in this MBA program will change the way people do their jobs, which in turn will impact employees, work environments, and businesses across all sectors,” said Olson.
UJ’s Master of Education in Teacher Leadership (MTL) is also creating waves of change with effects of the program rippling across North Dakota K-12 education.
“This program changes the way schools function and changes the education kids are receiving,” said Olson. “Our research in the program is practical and applied more than it is philosophical. It defines sound professional preparation.”
While the MTL is not offered solely online, UJ flipped the script on in-person education by partnering with school districts and bringing the master’s degree program directly to teachers. Superintendents and UJ faculty co-plan and co-teach
Micro-Credentials
« Business Analytics
« Organizational Leadership
« Supply Chain & Operations Management
« Healthcare Management
« Digital Marketing
« Financial Development
« Sports Management
« Agribusiness
Learn more at accelerated.uj.edu/MBA
courses at schools across the state. Throughout their education, teachers continue working in the classroom allowing for practical, immediate application.
“As someone who has gone through a significant amount of higher ed, this is some of the most meaningful education I’ve seen. The fact is, you are going to do work that’s based on your district— based on your classroom, your learners, and your peers,” said Dr. Cory Steiner, Northern Cass School District Superintendent and MTL Instructor. “I’ve seen a metamorphosis for individuals in the program. And when done the right way, the same thing will happen for school systems.”
Beyond MTL, leadership is embedded in everything the University of Jamestown does— especially considering their recently launched Unruh School of Character in Leadership (USCIL).
With the expansion of the USCIL, UJ is seeking to influence the way people think about leadership across the country. From an academic perspective, that means growth in leadership certificates, minors, undergraduate and master’s degrees, and even a PhD in Leadership.
According to Olson, the University’s expansion also means alumni have reengagement opportunities in a way UJ’s never been able to offer before: “We’re moving beyond offering only creditbearing opportunities to become a hub that our alumni and the general public can look to in order to develop leadership skills in a very practical way.”
Professional development opportunities will begin to pop up beyond Jamestown. In fact, the University just hosted their first leadership conference in Arizona this past January. They’re even working on launching a leadership podcast.
But say an alumnus wants to come back to their alma mater, virtually that is, for more formal classroom learning opportunities without diving into a degree?
Certificates are a great place to start.
Unlike many other online certificate programs, UJ Accelerated offers certificates that are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)—meaning they count as credit that students can use toward a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree should they choose to further their education later in life.
“There is a specific and intentional process that goes into designing certificates. We look at what the market wants,” said Olson, referring to job openings and shortages, workforce opportunities, and employer needs. “Then we teach our students the technical
skills required to get their desired job—whether that’s a new career or a promotion. Mixed into every course are the skills we know they need to be successful—skills that are uniquely provided through a liberal arts education.”
There’s an emphasis on communication, critical thinking, leadership, and the ability to work on a team—key traits of a UJ graduate.
“One of our main goals with UJ Accelerated is to connect people with careers,” said Olson. UJ Accelerated’s new collaborative programming partnership with Sanford Health in Fargo is crucial to expanding on this goal, graduating nurses who are ready to hit the floor without the extra training that is typically required post-graduation.
“We are giving students the fastest route to a nursing career they can get. In today’s economy, that’s extremely important for nurses, their employers, and the patients they care for,” explained Olson, referring to the 13.9% projected increase in demand for registered nurses from 2020 to 2030, by North Dakota’s Labor Market Information Center.
Through the Sanford partnership, UJ is in the process of launching an innovative learning center within Sanford Health. The new program is a worker-focused alternative to traditional nursing education in a university setting. It will immerse students in hospitals from day one, while incentivizing new nurses to remain in North Dakota by offering employment and tuition repayment.
UJ’s partnership in Fargo is just the beginning of strategic collaborations. In August of 2023, the University of Jamestown entered a partnership with Chandigarh University (CU) in India to increase UJ’s international presence and globalize their educational offerings.
Central to the various initiatives are 2+2 programs, which allow CU students to seamlessly transfer to UJ upon completion of their second year. The combined four years of study will result in students graduating from both institutions, having earned dual degrees.
Current UJ students could also earn dual degrees, participate in semester- and year-long study aboard experiences, and attend shorter term courses of study at CU.
“CU is rapidly becoming a powerhouse in global education and working with them offers us a lot of opportunities,” said Olson. “I would love to see us have a robust exchange of students, faculty, and staff in the years to come as we collaborate on teaching, research, and student life.”
scAN the Qr code to learn more about the Sanford partnership
Some may hear about how UJ is expanding and say they are in a season of growth…
Others, though, would look at the innovative changes and the strategic planning behind it. They’d see that through the growth, UJ has continued to lean into their roots.
And they’d know, this is not simply a season of change. This is who UJ is at its core— a small college of big thinkers. A student-centered University dedicated to the development of wholeness in all members of their community—undergraduate, graduate, online, and beyond.
Playing conference football games on the road in 1969 was an indelible experience for University of Jamestown Athletic Hall of Fame left tackle Joel Gutensohn ’70.
Gutensohn and the Jimmies would load a hired bus bound for nearby destinations such as Minot and Wahpeton, where UJ orange would both match the falling tree leaves and clash with familiar North Dakota College Athletic Conference (NDCAC) rivals.
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches – a coach Rollie Greeno staple – was usually Jamestown’s victorysustaining fuel during the school’s 38th of 69 enduring years as a member of the NDCAC.
“Everyone in the conference was so close, you either knew kids on the other team and developed friendships, or, serious rivalries,” Gutensohn recalled. “Two years ago, some place north of Watertown (S.D.), we caught up to the Jamestown bus driving somewhere, and I mentioned it was a bit farther than we traveled.”
Try nearly halfway to the Dallas-Fort Worth metro, if UJ happened to be bound for Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) opponents Doane University or Hastings College in southeast Nebraska.
This past November, University of Jamestown announced it had accepted an invitation to join the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) and will have filed for NCAA Division II membership by the Feb. 1 application deadline.
“I’m very, very, very – those three words – excited that we’ll get a chance to have the opportunity to see some teams within the area,” said Bismarck resident Paul Kranz ’64, a UJ Athletics Hall of Famer and senior captain of the final E.J. Cassell-led Jimmie men’s basketball team. “They’ll have their work cut out for them, but it’s still good to see them close to home.”
Headquartered in Burnsville, Minnesota, the 16-team NSIC with UJ boasts former NDCAC or Dakota Athletic Conference (DAC) members Minot State University, University of Mary in Bismarck, and University of Minnesota Crookston.
One hundred miles south of Jamestown lies NSIC member Northern State University, a familiar opponent from the old neighboring South Dakota College Athletic Conference days. To the east is Minnesota State University Moorhead, which, along with Jamestown, was a member of the Interstate College Conference prior to 1931.
“It’s going to be a little tough,” Linda laughed. “I can have half and half!”
Joel and his wife, Linda (Gall) Gutensohn ’71, residing in Bismarck, rarely miss UJ home football games in Jamestown. They haven’t, however, witnessed a UJ conference game on the road in years, and that’s finally about to change as UJ will be
“No,” Joel quipped. “She can’t.”
UJ had been earmarked for NCAA Division II athletics in the past.
It wasn’t as if the Jimmies missed the bus in 2006 when U-Mary left the DAC in favor of the NSIC, or again in 2012 when the league expanded to 16 teams and scooped up Minot State.
In the 2000s, UJ was an institution that had triumphed over economic instability of the the prior two decades and was still busy keeping the horse in front of the cart. Even as the local college athletics landscape was beginning to splinter over NAIA vs. NCAA – taking a wrecking ball to historic rivalries and no-brain scheduling – a crucial point of order for small, successful private universities with sound leadership took precedence.
...But that isn’t why you go Division II. You go because you want to compete in the best conference, in a region that makes sense, in a way that supports the mission of your university, the academic integrity of your university and the athletic integrity of your university.”
Academics had to come first.
“At the time that U-Mary made the move, we were invited to do the same, but it wasn’t the right time for us,” explained University of Jamestown President Dr. Polly Peterson. “Even though a large percentage of our students come to us with the wish to participate in athletics after high school, we prioritized the academic needs of the University because of our commitment to academic excellence.” Major on-campus investments began with the opening of the 47,000-square-foot Reiland Fine Arts Center in 2001. In 2006, the $4.5 million Unruh and Sheldon Center for Business and Computer Science opened its doors.
A facelift for Kinesiology and Physical Education followed with the unveiling of the 12,500-square-foot Foss Wellness Center in 2008.
The investments kept coming.
In 2013, UJ wrapped up a $9-million renovation and expansion of Orlady Hall with the opening of the McKenna Thielsch Center, which houses science-laden laboratories for Nursing, Biology and Chemistry, and in 2021 the Schuler Engineering Lab was added on to Sorkness Center.
“When I started in institutional advancement 17 years ago, we doubted whether we could raise $3 million to do a renovation and an addition, and we’ve raised $110 million to support academics and scholarship first,” Dr Peterson said. “Most recently, we have been able to raise the funds necessary to support the Harold Newman Arena, the Charlotte and Gordon Hansen Stadium, the Nelson Family Bubble and
—Dr. Polly Peterson
the renovation of the Larson Center into a great indoor track and athletic practice facility.”
Five master’s programs, a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, and a PHD in Clinical Research have come with all the brick and mortar, and UJ graduate assistants are provided on-campus opportunities in the way of coaching and professional development, while at the same time supporting UJ’s ability to operate and succeed at the D-II level.
This January, UJ had 17 graduate assistants working with 12 athletic programs and UJ’s athletic media relations department. Conversely, the last time the NSIC had an opening, Jimmie athletics still had coaches heading up one program while acting as assistant coaches for others.
“That’s what happens as we seek excellence. It means investment,” Dr. Peterson said. “It means positioning yourself in such a way that you can provide the best possible experience for students academically, athletically and artistically. Those things are part of an institution who believes in its future.”
UJ’s leaders didn’t just hope to possibly fit in with NCAA Division II someday. They realized it would more than likely become a necessary opportunity, and pushed to the point where failure would seem inconceivable.
The NSIC took notice.
“The University of Jamestown has strategically developed into a comprehensive institution, including the development of excellent programs and facilities,” said Dr. Tim Downs, President of Minnesota State University Moorhead and Chair of the NSIC Board of Directors.
“Concurrently, they have dedicated resources toward the
development of competitive athletic programs; for this reason, we feel confident that the University of Jamestown will be a very good addition to the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.”
The NAIA, for various reasons, has fallen from 588 members in 1974 to 241 in 2023-24.
When UJ exits the NAIA for D-II in 2025-26, only six NAIA schools are set to remain in all the Dakotas: Valley City State, Dickinson State and Mayville State in North Dakota, and Mount Marty, Dakota Wesleyan and Dakota State in South Dakota.
That’s approximately one NAIA institution per every 24,646 square miles.
Minnesota, which is second only to North Dakota in UJ’s studentathlete recruiting efforts, has zero NAIA colleges or universities. Not a single one.
“So, when you are recruiting in Minnesota – athlete or not – you start with having to explain the NAIA,” Dr. Peterson said.
Data recently sought out by UJ revealed that 40% of Minnesota families had never heard of University of Jamestown.
Contributing to that statistic is the literal absence of Jimmie athletics buses driving through and stopping in Minnesota’s college towns on game days.
What Minnesota families are aware of, however, is the NSIC with members in St. Paul (Concordia St. Paul, enrollment 5,861), Duluth (University of Minnesota Duluth, 9,350), Mankato (Minnesota State University Mankato, 14,635), Marshall (Southwest Minnesota State University, 2,531), St. Cloud (St. Cloud State University, 10,063), Winona (Winona State University, 6,072) and Moorhead (MSUM, 4,379).
The news of the league extending its invite to UJ in November has been viewed a whopping 418,000 times on the NSIC’s X (formerly, Twitter) page alone, and counting.
“When you ask whether brand and awareness of UJ will be impacted by this move, look at the statistics of the announcement,” Dr. Peterson said. “I was astonished. Half a million people saw that UJ was joining the NSIC within the first few days. That’s brand awareness.”
The NCAA has approximately 1,100 members, with 293 of those members being D-II and split almost evenly between public and private schools.
The NCAA’s world-wide name recognition, connection to bigger schools and larger budgets, obviously plays a massive role in public interest, as well as media coverage, even at the D-II level.
“KFYR (television) and the Bismarck Tribune don’t pay any attention to the University of Jamestown, but now they’ll have to,” Joel Gutensohn pointed out.
UJ’s final season in the NAIA will begin next fall as part of the North Star Athletic Association’s (NSAA) last hurrah. The area conference is set to disband in the spring of 2025, as only Valley City State, Dickinson State, Mayville State, Dakota State and Bellevue (Neb.) will remain.
The NSAA was hit particularly hard following 2022-23 with the closing of both Presentation College in Aberdeen, S.D., and affiliate member Iowa Wesleyan.
Former NSAA members Viterbo University (Wisc.) and Waldorf University (Iowa) have found new NAIA homes for 2024-25, with the V-Hawks moving east to the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference and the Warriors essentially replacing UJ in the GPAC.
It’s been reported that in 2025-26 Dickinson State is once again planning to move to the Montana-based Frontier Conference, a league that probably wouldn’t mind Valley City and Mayville coming that way as well, even though more than 600 miles separates Mayville from just Billings, Mont., and the Frontier includes an affiliate football member in Glendale, Ariz.
UJ was a charter member of the NSAA when it was created in 2013 in response to the collapse of the DAC. The fall of the DAC was aided by Black Hills State (S.D.) and South Dakota Mines transitioning to NCAA Division II and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
“We can’t control what the other institutions are doing. We can control what we are doing,” Dr. Peterson said. “I am proud of the priorities in the way in which we got here, and that’s why it has taken us this long to get to this point. We have been strategic in getting prepared in the right way and I’m proud of that.”
UJ will be eligible to compete for national championships during its NAIA swan song in 2024-25.
“Next year we’ll compete in the North Star, and we’ll be completely postseason eligible in every sport,” said UJ Athletic Director Austin Hieb. “Next year will count as year one of our three-year NCAA Division II provisional period, and, as it sits now, we’ll compete in the NSIC for the remaining two years without being eligible to compete in the NCAA postseason.”
As a member of the NSIC beginning in 2025-26, UJ will be able to compete in the conference postseason for men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track, men’s and women’s golf, and women’s swimming.
UJ is exploring avenues in which it could provide additional postseason competition prior to achieving NCAA Division II active member status in 2027. One such avenue is potential opportunities within the National Christian College Athletic Association.
Nobody’s arguably more amped up for this coming July than Hieb, the man charged with facilitating UJ’s move to D-II. This summer is when UJ should receive the green light from the NCAA to move forward with its three-year transition to D-II. While it’s not a formality, UJ is confident it has attractively positioned itself.
UJ is replacing Upper Iowa, which after 17 years in the NSIC has jumped ship to the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Jimmies are also replacing eight, one-way trips of over 400 miles in the GPAC with just two in the NSIC (Winona State and Wayne State College).
“I’m really excited for the University,” Hieb said. “I think more than anything, this will kind of get us back to our roots. We’ve got a great fan base, and we really do lack visiting crowds now with teams coming from six hours away.”
UJ leaders said from the beginning they’d continue to assess the University’s 2018 move to the GPAC based on stipulations that would never come to fruition.
The GPAC’s unwillingness to entertain moving conference games from a Wednesday/Saturday schedule to Friday/Saturday, as well as little cooperation in the way of establishing north and south divisions, contributed to the type of missed class time that could no longer be considered a UJ-worthy student experience.
Even with Wi-Fi wired buses, video recorded classes and Zoom meetings, the travel became a burden to faculty as well as the student-athletes.
“Students were getting the content but not the experience,” Dr. Peterson said. “I learned from faculty that they were doing weekend makeup activities, and that’s a special place when you have faculty that would come in on a weekend and do that for our students.”
The NSIC operates basketball and football via north and south divisions, and plays conference games on Fridays and Saturdays, unless teams in proximity can determine one or two more convenient dates.
“Not only are NSIC schools closer geographically, but the scheduling model is also significantly more conducive to us being in class, and the faculty I’ve talked to are really excited about that,” Hieb said.
The Jimmies are slated to become official members of the NSIC on July 1, 2025, pending said NCAA approval. UJ will be the NSIC’s fifth private institution, joining Mary, the University of Sioux Falls, Augustana University (S.D.) and Concordia-St. Paul.
Hieb, a former associate athletic director at Northern State, is extremely familiar with the NSIC and explained UJ already looks a lot like a D-II school.
“We have two full-time strength coaches with two graduate assistants, six athletic trainers, a full-time athletic director, a full-time sports information director, and our facilities are now second to none,” Hieb detailed. “Those are a few of the things some NAIA schools don’t have that UJ has strategically invested in over the past decade in preparation for this move.”
We know there will be some challenges and growing pains, but this is where we think we belong and it’s not about what’s best for us a year from now, or two years from now. It’s about what’s best for our long-term future.”
Notable staff changes that have also already occurred is the hiring of a full-time NCAA compliance officer who has no coaching responsibilities, as well as the designation of a senior women sports administrator.
Compliance and reporting will be a major point of emphasis, as the NCAA, for example, limits coach contact with recruits and requires specific amounts of weekly in-season and out-of-season practice times.
“The recruiting rules are probably the biggest piece of the whole thing,” Hieb said. “The forms for the official visits vs. the unofficial visits. The dead periods, the age at which you can talk to student athletes. Those will be nuances that our coaches will have to get used to. It’s the reporting of those things that’s really the big difference.”
Scholarships will still be based off equivalencies but won’t be tethered to the GPAC’s rule of capping scholarships at full tuition. UJ will be able to offer student-athletes full rides that include room and board, but those types of scenarios, depending on budgets and a team’s number of scholarship equivalents, would more than likely be a combination of both athletic and academic scholarships.
Academic scholarships do not count toward a team’s equivalency. For example, football allows 36 scholarship equivalents, or full grants, which can be divided up between any number of players. Basketball is allowed 10, baseball nine, women’s volleyball eight, etc.
“Not being able to scholarship past full tuition in the GPAC was really handcuffing schools, in my opinion,” Hieb said. “At the national tournaments, other schools were playing by different sets of rules, especially after the NAIA went to one division in basketball.”
UJ’s endowment has grown to more than $45 million presently, allowing UJ the initial path forward to providing comparable D-II athletic and academic opportunities to fellow NSIC institutions.
“Under the NCAA model, you can recruit and be able to provide the student with full cost of attendance, but we have to manage that carefully,” Dr Peterson said. “Somebody who is both athletically and academically talented is what that would take at UJ.”
—Austin HiebAnd, unlike the NAIA, all postseason expenses at the D-II level are covered by the NCAA.
“We’ve had successful programs, so we spend a significant amount of resources on postseason travel, but that isn’t why you go Division II,” Dr. Peterson said. “You go because you want to compete in the best conference, in a region that makes sense, in a way that supports the mission of your university, the academic integrity of your university and the athletic integrity of your university.”
UJ head football coach Brian Mistro ‘09 has been familiar with the NCAA’s extensive regulations dating all the way back to his playing days, and he’s coached within a similar framework since
Mistro began contacting recruits through a customer relationship management (CRM) tool as a graduate assistant at Northern State University more than a decade ago and he’s never looked back. That’s probably something all UJ coaches are going to have to become accustomed with to keep their compliance officer happy.
“I haven’t used my Outlook to send an email to a football player in 12 years,” Mistro said. Mistro has basically always been operating within NCAA rules. He did so first as a Jimmie under former head coach Tom Dosch, and again while serving as an assistant coach at NCAA D-III Concordia College in Moorhead. Dosch brought to UJ most of the same coaching structure he had honed as an assistant at University of North Dakota.
Mistro’s teams don’t practice over 20
hours per week in season, nor do they work out more than eight hours a week in the summer, which are both D-II requirements.
“I’m not worried, because I feel like we kind of do it all anyway,” Mistro said. “We’re prepared because of the way we run our program.”
Mistro said he has approached recruiting differently, but not necessarily because of the rules. Different types of athletes expect to compete at the highest level of the NSIC, and those types of athletes will obviously consume scholarship dollars, or scholarship equivalency, which could possibly impact roster size.
With that being said, coach Mistro noted that interest in playing football for the Jimmies has increased since UJ’s D-II plans became public.
“Our recruiting class is already ahead of where it’s been in years past because we have guys interested in NCAA Division II,” Mistro said.
UJ women’s soccer coach Nick Becker also knows what to expect in the coming months, as a former gradate assistant at Northern State. He’ll be looking at dialing back off-season training hours, which will be capped at eight.
“We’re well over that now, so I think we’ll have to be a little bit more creative on how we can fit under those eight hours,” Becker said.
Jimmie women’s soccer usually squares off against NCAA D-I and D-II opponents in the spring and preseason, giving them a heads up on the road ahead.
“I think the level is much closer for us because of the competition over years,” Becker said. “We’ve spent the last 10 years trying to
recruit that level, and when I lose kids, I’m losing them to D-I or D-II schools, not other NAIA schools. So, the (NCAA) blue dot helps us.”
The NSIC, however, doesn’t field men’s soccer, men’s volleyball or women’s wrestling, but Hieb said UJ is working on solutions.
“Women’s wrestling can continue to wrestle at opens and compete at the NCAA national championship. Some NSIC teams might eventually crop up,” Hieb said. “We’re looking at affiliated memberships for men’s soccer and men’s volleyball. I feel we’ll be able to find pretty good solutions for both.”
Since joining the GPAC, UJ athletic teams have won nine conference championships and a national championship in volleyball, the school’s first national team championship. Similar success will take time in the NSIC, but UJ leaders are confident the Jimmies will get there. Teams from the NSIC have claimed 25 national championships since the league’s inception in 1992.
“Student experience is A-1 for me, but what adds to a good student experience is winning games. That’s a pretty fun experience,” Hieb said. “We know there will be some challenges and growing pains, but this is where we think we belong and it’s not about what’s best for us a year from now, or two years from now. It’s about what’s best for our long-term future.”
And UJ’s long-term future will again include plenty of alumni at road games, familiar teams for the local media to cover, and bus rides fit for a few peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
“We will be playing schools that were in our conference at one time or were on our non-conference schedules for decades,” Dr. Peterson said. “If those universities had never left to go to the NCAA, they would be the universities we would still be playing today.
“It definitely feels like we’re back home.”
“It definitely feels like we’re back home.”
—Dr. Polly Peterson
Tradition is celebrated at the University of Jamestown through our Legacy Award program. Legacy Awards are valued at $1,000 annually ($4,000 over four years, applied to tuition only), and are provided to new students whose parent, sibling, or grandparent graduated from or is currently attending the University of Jamestown.*
Additionally, one of the best ways to support your alma mater is to “Refer a Student” to the University of Jamestown. Alumni referrals are a strong source of future Jimmies. Encourage a college-bound young person in your church, school, or community to consider the University of Jamestown. You can provide us with the student’s information by completing and mailing the form below or by visiting uj.edu/refer-a-student. Our response will be made in the Jimmie tradition…personal, caring, and enthusiastic. Please visit with the Office of Admissions to discuss which awards students may be eligible to receive.
My first experience with Todd Steinwand ’82 was at Jack Brown Stadium watching Jimmie baseball in the spring of 2019. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a man in an orange blazer seated next to me.
This orange blazer has not just become a staple of Todd’s wardrobe; it is a symbol of his passion for our beloved University.
On that day, I started to learn—and it has been confirmed since— Todd Steinwand is a special man, a gifted leader, and an effective collaborator and facilitator that will bless UJ in our future as our new Board of Trustees chairman.
Todd grew up in Ellendale, ND, the middle child of five and a multisport athlete who learned the values of teamwork, determination, and dedication. Upon graduating high school, he had plans to venture north to the University of North Dakota.
“I was all set; I was going to be done with sports. Coach Rollie Greeno had recruited me to run track and play football, but I said no,” Todd explained. “However, later after I had finished playing legion baseball, I had a second thought; am I ready to hang this up?”
No. No, he was not.
“When I got to campus, it was magnetic,” Todd said, reflecting on his early years as a Jimmie. “I got connected to the football team and to a group known as ‘the buds.’ We still have a text thread and are connected 40 years later.”
Todd credits Jamestown College with giving him opportunities he would not have received at another institution: “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would receive so much mentorship and real-life experience at Jamestown College. I was able to sit on a faculty search committee, and on the disciplinary committee my senior year. I have great memories of how the upperclassmen looked out for you,
providing mentorship, and wanting you to succeed. Steve Braunberger `80 was the first guy who took me under his wing and introduced me to what training for collegiate track was like.”
Todd went on to double major (Dr. Harry Hong convinced him of this) in Business Administration and History/Political Science and graduated in the spring of 1982—setting the course and trajectory for a career in the banking industry.
Todd started as a trust officer at First Northwestern Trust Company, an organization that would go on to become part of Wells Fargo. His career with Wells Fargo spanned 33 years, where he held nearly every position until he transitioned in 2015 and accepted the Chief Business Development Officer position at Bank of North Dakota (BND).
BND was supposed to be a job for “just a couple years,” as Todd put it, to oversee some organizational transition, but it didn’t take Todd long to realize what a special place BND was. He enjoyed the opportunity to work with banking friends across the state, rather than competing with them. The Bank allowed him to influence his community and state in a meaningful way.
In 2021, Todd began serving as interim president before being offered the position permanently. Though his tenure as president is what some would consider short (he’s set to retire this year), his list of accomplishments is long.
Todd initiated and dedicated staff to a State Agency Calling Program that enhanced the Bank’s relationships with agencies and assessed potential process improvements. This program has been credited with improving customer experience for everyone utilizing BND products.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would receive so much mentorship and real-life experience at Jamestown College.
Todd oversaw efforts to improve the loan application process for infrastructure, commercial, and agriculture loans. He deployed several disaster relief programs and streamlined government. To increase the Bank’s presence across the state and improve relationships with financial institutions, he placed business bankers in Minot, Grand Forks, and Fargo.
During his tenure as president, total assets and the Bank’s lending portfolio grew to record levels.
Like his history in banking, Todd’s experience with our Board of Trustees goes deep. He has served on the Board for the past 20 years and is taking the baton of leadership from Jim Unruh. Jim had served as chairman for the past 16 years.
“I am deeply humbled to serve as Chair of the Board of this great institution.” Todd said. “Several people have asked, ‘How do you replace Jim Unruh?’ The short answer is you don’t.”
Todd will continue to lead us, as Jim did, to be willing to adapt and change; therefore, staying relevant in the rapidly changing landscape of higher education.
“Better, faster, smarter,” Todd said, explaining his leadership aim and direction as the new chairman. “We must lead others to be curious and innovative.”
Todd sees his strengths and gifts as a facilitator and collaborator.
“It will take all of Jimmie nation working together if we are to succeed in this challenging environment,” Todd said. “UJ has continued to thrive for over 100 years because of the great support of our alumni.” It’s the kind of support that Todd says we will continue to need in the coming years.
When asked what it means to be a Jimmie, Todd quoted President Peterson:
“Jimmies are a team of great leaders who come together to accomplish transformational things. We are a group of people who defy the odds. We are a group of believers who work harder than others and as a result, we are a group of achievers.”
He continued, speaking not just to me, but to everyone in the UJ community, “I hope you are as proud to be part of the Jimmie family as I am.”
Todd is looking forward to retirement in 2024. He will be found spending more time playing with his grandchildren and traveling with his wife, Shelly, as well as serving on boards of several non-profits, and improving his golf game.
By: Pam Belluck
Ann Johnson ’96 graduated from University of Jamestown with degrees in Mathematics and Physical Education. She was recently featured in an article in The New York Times, which we have reprinted below.
The brain activity of a paralyzed woman is being translated into words spoken by an avatar. This milestone could help others who have lost speech.
At Ann Johnson’s wedding reception 20 years ago, her gift for speech was vividly evident. In an ebullient 15-minute toast, she joked that she had run down the aisle, wondered if the ceremony program should have said “flutist” or “flautist” and acknowledged that she was “hogging the mic.”
Just two years later, Mrs. Johnson — then a 30-year-old teacher, volleyball coach and mother of an infant — had a cataclysmic stroke that paralyzed her and left her unable to talk.
On Wednesday, scientists reported a remarkable advance toward helping her, and other patients, speak again. In a milestone of neuroscience and artificial intelligence, implanted electrodes decoded Mrs. Johnson’s brain signals as she silently tried to say sentences. Technology converted her brain signals into written and vocalized language, and enabled an avatar on a computer screen to speak the words and display smiles, pursed lips and other expressions. The research, published in the journal Nature, demonstrates the first time spoken words and facial expressions have been directly synthesized from brain signals, experts say. Mrs. Johnson chose the avatar, a face resembling hers, and researchers used her wedding toast to develop the avatar’s voice.
“It let me feel like I was a whole person again.”
—Ann Johnson ’96
“Hearing a voice similar to your own is emotional.”
—Ann Johnson ’96
“We’re just trying to restore who people are,” said the team’s leader, Dr. Edward Chang, the chairman of neurological surgery at the University of California, San Francisco.
“It let me feel like I was a whole person again,” Mrs. Johnson, now 48, wrote to me.
The goal is to help people who cannot speak because of strokes or conditions like cerebral palsy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. To work, Mrs. Johnson’s implant must be connected by cable from her head to a computer, but her team and others are developing wireless versions. Eventually, researchers hope, people who have lost speech may converse in real time through computerized pictures of themselves that convey tone, inflection and emotions like joy and anger.
“What’s quite exciting is that just from the surface of the brain, the investigators were able to get out pretty good information about these different features of communication,” said Dr. Parag Patil, a neurosurgeon and biomedical engineer at the University of Michigan, who was asked by Nature to review the study before publication.
Mrs. Johnson’s experience reflects the field’s fast-paced progress. Just two years ago, the same team published research in which a paralyzed man, who went by the nickname Pancho, used a simpler implant and algorithm to produce 50 basic words like “hello” and “hungry” that were displayed as text on a computer after he tried to say them.
Mrs. Johnson’s implant has nearly twice as many electrodes, increasing its ability to detect brain signals from speech-related sensory and motor processes linked to the mouth, lips, jaw, tongue and larynx. Researchers trained the sophisticated artificial intelligence to recognize not individual words, but phonemes, or sound units like “ow” and “ah” that can ultimately form any word.
“It’s like an alphabet of speech sounds,” David Moses, the project manager, said.
While Pancho’s system produced 15 to 18 words per minute, Mrs. Johnson’s rate was 78 using a much larger vocabulary list. Typical conversational speech is about 160 words per minute. When researchers began working with her, they didn’t expect to try the avatar or audio. But the promising results were “a huge green light to say, ‘OK, let’s try the harder stuff, let’s just go for it,’” Dr. Moses said.
They programmed an algorithm to decode brain activity into audio waveforms, producing vocalized speech, said Kaylo Littlejohn, a graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley, and one of the study’s lead authors, along with Dr. Moses, Sean Metzger, Alex Silva and Margaret Seaton.
“Speech has a lot of information that is not well preserved by just text, like intonation, pitch, expression,” Mr. Littlejohn said.
Working with a company that produces facial animation, researchers programmed the avatar with data on muscle movements. Mrs. Johnson then tried to make facial expressions for happy, sad and surprised, each at high, medium and low intensity. She also tried to make various jaw, tongue and lip movements. Her decoded brain signals were conveyed on the avatar’s face.
Through the avatar, she said, “I think you are wonderful” and “What do you think of my artificial voice?”
“Hearing a voice similar to your own is emotional,” Mrs. Johnson told the researchers.
She and her husband, William, a postal worker, even engaged in conversation. She said through the avatar: “Do not make me laugh.” He asked how she was feeling about the Toronto Blue Jays’ chances. “Anything is possible,” she replied.
The field is moving so quickly that experts believe federally approved wireless versions might be available within the next decade. Different methods might be optimal for certain patients.
On Wednesday, Nature also published another team’s study involving electrodes implanted deeper in the brain, detecting activity of individual neurons, said Dr. Jaimie Henderson, a professor of neurosurgery at Stanford and the team’s leader, who was motivated by his childhood experience of watching his father lose speech after an accident. He said their method might be more precise but less stable because specific neurons’ firing patterns can shift.
Their system decoded sentences at 62 words per minute that the participant, Pat Bennett, 68, who has A.L.S., tried to say from a large vocabulary. That study didn’t include an avatar or sound decoding.
“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
–Isaac Newton
In the ever-evolving realm of higher education, I draw inspiration from Sir Isaac Newton’s timeless wisdom. This quote encapsulates my philosophy that growth is a collaborative journey, and our achievements culminate in shared knowledge and collective effort for the betterment of our goal.
As the new Vice President for Marketing & External Relations, I’m passionate about exploring new horizons and telling our story to the world. This adventure comes full circle because I started my career in philanthropy at Jamestown College about two decades ago. Running the athletic booster club, Dine & Bid and annual giving programs helped cultivate early career skills for roles with industry leaders in education, healthcare and nonprofit startups. But more importantly, HERE is where I developed relationships that are still treasured today. This place created the environment and culture I was most excited to return to because it is dedicated to creating wholeness in students and everyone in its organization. Also, if I could create a quote from Sir Jimmie, it would be, “UJ shows tremendous courage to innovate and adapt to adversity.” But is pursuing higher education still worth it? I’ve been asked and defend it. According to recent statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2023), individuals with a bachelor’s degree earn, on average, 65% more than those with only a high school diploma. Additionally, a report by the U.S. Department of Education (2022) indicates that higher education graduates experience lower unemployment rates and have better job security. These figures highlight the benefits of pursuing higher education, for personal growth and economic prosperity. Combined with an institution that prioritizes how people are developed to contribute positively to their communities and society is what our world needs for the future.
My goal at UJ is to build our brand to mirror our mission so anyone either on campus or states or countries away can see and feel what it means to be a Jimmie.
Join me on this exciting journey as we stand on the shoulders of giants, harnessing the wisdom of the past to propel us toward groundbreaking growth both on the campus and online as we develop the minds and leaders of the future.
Vice President of Marketing & External RelationsLisa Jackson has dedicated her career to supporting nonprofits in fulfilling their missions. With a background in communications, marketing, project management and fundraising, she has served as a consultant for various nonprofit organizations, and exceeded sales and fundraising goals for Newell Rubbermaid, University of Jamestown, KU Endowment, and Jamestown Regional Medical Center.
Lisa is married to Dustin and mother of three children, Hadley, Everett, and Destry. Their family also includes a shelter dog named Ranger.
Currently pursuing her Master of Arts in Organizational Communication at the University of Kansas, Lisa is committed to advancing her expertise in the field. Her involvement in the Optimist Club, coaching basketball and serving on the Jamestown Soccer Club board highlights her dedication to community service and commitment to youth development.
•
Our Alumni Association is an organization of graduates who support the mission of UJ, as well as the needs of fellow alums. Providing leadership in the areas of alumni relations, development, and enrollment, members are constantly looking for ways to engage with past, current and future students.
Over the next few Alumni & Friends issues, we’ll be introducing board members. Up first is Matthew Gooding ’94.
Q: What were you involved in while you attended UJ?
A: My time at UJ was marked by active involvement in football, work-study and academics. These experiences not only enriched my college years but also led to lasting friendships that became instrumental in maintaining focus on academics.
Q: What is a favorite memory from your time at UJ?
A: A cherished aspect of my UJ experience was the unwavering dedication of the faculty. I always felt comfortable seeking assistance, and their support and encouragement created a conducive learning environment.
MaryBeth Hegstad ’97, President, Fargo, ND
Tonya (Schlaht) Holmstrom ’04, Vice President, Bismarck, ND
Emily Paulson ’15
Secretary to the Executive Committee, Fargo, ND
Q: Who influenced you the most at UJ?
A: Dr. Edwards and Dr. Bratton played crucial roles in academics, while Coach Larry “Wahoo” McDaniel provided invaluable opportunities in sports that shaped my ongoing path.
Q: How did your time at UJ impact you professionally?
A: UJ instilled in me the understanding that leadership extends beyond academic and athletic prowess. The emphasis on communication, service, questioning norms, and execution has been a guiding principle in my professional life.
Q: Tell us a little about your life now.
A: After 20 fulfilling years at Wells Fargo, I find myself in a place of gratitude. My children, Ethan, Hannah and Brady are thriving as young adults, and I am excited to be marrying my best friend, Bethany. This union introduces me to the role of a stepparent to her two children, Briella and Camden.
Q: What do you enjoy about serving on the UJ Alumni Association Board of Directors?
A: Serving on the UJ Alumni Association Board of Directors has been a source of joy and inspiration. Witnessing UJ’s continuous relevance and excitement, I appreciate the University’s commitment to dynamism and relevance. It’s a privilege to contribute to the ongoing success of my alma mater.
Kyle Blumenshine ’13/’16, Jamestown, ND
Matt Gooding ’94, Clive, IA
Deb (Clark) Hornung ’85, Jamestown, ND
Sami King ’98, Port Angeles, WA
Andrew Klose ’08, Sioux Falls, ND
Jack Lawrence ’98, West Fargo, ND
Jackie (Schneider) Maggers ’01, Powell, OH
Kelly Rachel ’84, Jamestown, ND
Carlyle Scott ’09, Bismarck, ND
Alexis Young ’18, Denver, CO
We welcome all Alumni & Friends back for Homecoming 2024! Catch up, reminisce and see all the wonderful additions to our campus. A full slate of events is being planned for you. We hope to see you in your ORANGE and BLACK!
Nominations for the Young Alumni Medallions must be received by the Office of Development and Alumni Relations no later than April 30 of each year for induction during the Opening Convocation in the fall.
Nominations for the Alumni Hall of Fame must be received by the Office of Development and Alumni Relations no later than January 15 of each year for induction during May Commencement.
Nominations for Athletic Hall of Fame, Rollie Greeno Award, and the Jim Clark Award must be received by the Jimmie Booster Club no later than April 1 of each year for induction during Homecoming in the fall.
The Jimmie Booster Club Board of Directors is responsible for the selection of the honoree(s). Inductees are honored at Homecoming each year.
To submit a nomination or for more information about any of these awards, call Tara Kapp at (701) 252-3467 ext. 5024 or e-mail tara.kapp@uj.edu.
Or, submit nominations online:
• Alumni Awards: uj.edu/awards-and-honors
• Athletic Awards: uj.edu/athletic-awards-and-honors
Inductees’ pictures are included in the Hall of Fame Kiosk located in the Harold Newman Arena.
Listed in alphabetical order by family last name.
1. Sierra McKeever ’22 (BA) and Derrick Christensen, September 9, 2023
2. Ellie Such and Devon Schultz ’22 (BA), November 25, 2023
3. Tonrak Tasaso ’22 (MAL) and Nick Askew, July 28, 2023
4. Isabel Wedell ’20 (BS) and David Hoffmann, September 2, 2023
Recently engaged and planning for the big day?
Have you had an addition to your family within the last year?
Update your information at uj.edu/update to receive a free t-shirt for your new, future Jimmie or a flag for photos on your wedding day!
After you have received your t-shirt or flag, be sure to send us your photo so we can include it in the next issue of the Alumni
Friends magazine.
BListed in alphabetical order by family last name.
1. Autumn (Schmid) ’07 (BA) and Jeff Huiatt ’07 (BA), daughter Esther Caris Huiatt born July 26, 2023
2. Tracy (Gustafson) ’13 (BA) and Ryan Iliff ’18 (BA), daughter Emery June Iliff born August 22, 2023
I
H
D M
Listed in alphabetical order by family last name.
3. Shelby (Steinmetz) ’14/’17 (BS)/(DPT) and Tyler Jager, daughter Josie Lyn Jager born October 2, 2023
4. Brittany (Matejka) ’17 (BS) and Cody Kilgore ’16 (BA), son Rhett Jerald Kilgore born August 23, 2023
5. Kaitlyn (Randall) and Brock Knodel ’14 (BA), son Calvin Donald Knodel born October 23, 2023
6. Stacey (Johnson) ’11 (BA) and Emmanuel Koomson, daughter Emma Mavis Koomson born May 3, 2023
7. Kacee (Black) ’07 (BA) and T.J. Krob, daughter Jade Elizabeth Krob born May 17, 2023
8. Jennifer (Unke) ’10 (BA) and Nathan Livingston, son Martin Daniel Livingston born September 25, 2023
9. Kim (Weinand) ’12 (BA) and Troy Niemeier, daughter Josephine Joy Niemeier born June 27, 2023 and daughter Vera Magdalene Niemeier born June 12, 2021
10. Cassidy and Jon Purintun ’19 (BA), son Jalen James Purintun born May 12, 2023
11. Caitlyn (Arnold) ’14 (BSN) and Trent Roemmich ’14 (BA), daughter Ivey Marsai Roemmich born September 21, 2023
AnnaMae (Bock) Buchholtz x’48, September 14, 2023
Elwood A. Nelson ’50 (BS), October 27, 2023
Glenn D. Klebe ’51 (BS), August 8, 2023
Doris W. (White) Pettit ’51 (BA), August 21, 2023
Barbara (Gunstenson) Hallgrimson ’53 (BA), August 1, 2023
Evangeline (Heimer) Lawson ’53 (BA), November 18, 2023
Joseph H. Thorman ’54 (BA), November 26, 2023
Virginia (Seblen) Baker x’55, August 2, 2023
James J. Johnson ’56 (BS), November 6, 2023
Rodney Melgard ’57 (BS), August 24, 2023
Col. Naldean “Nan” J. Borg ’58 (BS), August 10, 2023
Charles M. Kurtti x’58, October 29, 2023
Wayne H. Taylor ’58 (BS), October 14, 2023
Shirley A. (Swanson) Smith x’58, December 25, 2023
Clinton J. Frazee ’59 (BS), October 1, 2023
Kenneth R. Rusten ’59 (BS), November 16, 2023
Shirley A. (Mutschler) Faul x’60, November 11, 2023
Darryll R. Hagen x’60, June 25, 2023
Milo L. Wietstock ’60 (BS), September 16, 2023
Delcie B. (Danroth) Light x’61, August 10, 2023
Burton “Burt” L. Riskedahl ’62 (BA), December 12, 2023
Phyllis F. (Arnberger) Carlson ’63 (BS), September 22, 2023
James L. Perkins x’64, December 23, 2023
Neal S. Sundeen x’64, July 6, 2023
Patricia M. (Sullivan) Umsted ’66 (BA), September 6, 2023
Virginia M. (Wire) Swanson ’66 (BS), August 18, 2023
Virginia Conklin x’69, July 25, 2023
Helen R. (Wirz) Gaebe ’69 (BS), July 10, 2023
Patty J. Fairfield ’71 (BA), December 6, 2023
Eloise M. (Bjerkan) Kyper ’72 (BSN), July 11, 2023
James V. Klett ’73 (BS), September 12, 2023
Rev. Randy Bobzien ’74 (BA), August 9, 2023
Steven J. Cichos ’78 (BA), August 23, 2023
Ronald H. Berg x’89, December 26, 2023
Dr. Frank E. Jones, III ’91 (BA), December 27, 2022
Vikki A. (Smith) Sondag ’93 (BA), August 31, 2023
Angela D. (Siegling) Hicks ’95 (BA), June 27, 2023
Daryl J. Sommerdorf x’02, September 9, 2023
Dawn M. (McDonald) Voigt x’20, July 12, 2023
Archie C. McArthur x’21, September 21, 2023
Editor’s note:
Alumni who received a degree are designated by the year of graduation followed by the degree they received. Non-UJ graduates are denoted by an “x” in front of the class year.
Helen Ashwell, November 20, 2023
Fr. Al Bitz, November 21, 2023
Roger Branning, November 11, 2023
Charlotte Broten, October 18, 2023
Delaney Doherty, August 3, 2023
Earl J. Gall, November 25, 2023
Kenneth C. Gernhardt, October 25, 2023
Charles J. Gilje, November 25, 2023
Lorraine Gotteberg, December 1, 2023
Donald G. Holden, December 26, 2023
Gerald C. “Jerry” Huber, January 4, 2024
Vernon Jeannotte, November 3, 2023
Richard D. Kamletz, November 13, 2023
Kevin M. Koenig, December 28, 2023
Ruth C. Krueger, November 3, 2023
Robert K. Muhs, Sr., July 24, 2023
Kyle J. Newman, September 28, 2023
Earl L. Redmann, October 10, 2023
John V. Rimarcik, December 11, 2023
Joan M. Stahlhut, July 16, 2023
Sherry A. Syverson, September 2, 2023
Bruce J. Terpening, December 17, 2023
Alden D. Vannett, August 7, 2023
Nancy R. (Ginsbach) Wolf, August 5, 2023
Dr. Jerry H. Combee, December 27, 2023
38th Annual Dine & Bid Benefit Auction
April 13
Alumni Hall of Fame
May 3
Baccalaureate and Commencement
May 4
38th Annual Jimmie Scramble
June 15
Community Block Party
August 28
Opening Convocation/Young Alumni Medallion Awards
September 5
Homecoming 2024
September 20-22
Athletic Hall of Fame
October 11
Character in Leadership Conference
Keynote Speaker: Neal Anderson of CARTO Leadership
October 17
Visit uj.edu/alumni-and-friends for
alumni events coming soon!
