![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/1f74e21960bf4ba7ef8b509a4d1c76b3.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/1f74e21960bf4ba7ef8b509a4d1c76b3.jpeg)
T HE O RDER OF E XERCISES
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA SCHOOL OF LAW COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY
Saturday, May 6, 2023
Chester Fritz Auditorium
10:00 a.m.
PRELUDE
PROCESSIONAL
WELCOME
Brent Hermans, Pianist
Pomp and Circumstance — Sir Edward Elgar
Brent Hermans, Pianist
Please stand during the Processional.
Dean Brian Pappas
Dr. Casey Ryan OF HIGHER EDUCATION
GREETINGS FROM THE STATE BOARD
COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS
CONFERRING OF ACADEMIC DEGREES
PROCTOR
FACULTY HOODERS
REMARKS
CLOSING REMARKS
RECESSIONAL
Professor Grant Christensen
President Andrew P. Armacost
Pam Shea
Professor Julia L. Ernst Professor Ariana Meyers
President Andrew P. Armacost
Dean Brian Pappas
Piano Concerto in F Major No. 19 — Mozart
Brent Hermans, Pianist
The Audience is requested to remain in place until the recessional is concluded.
COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER PROFESSOR GRANT CHRISTENSEN
Grant Christensen served as a Professor of Law at the University of North Dakota from 2015 until 2021, and is now on the faculty at Stetson University College of Law. During his last year at UND he was the Civil Procedure professor for this graduating class, teaching Civil Procedure I (the structure of a lawsuit) in the fall and Civil Procedure II (jurisdiction and the Erie doctrine) in the spring. During a first year marked by the rise of COVID-19, Professor Christensen and the graduating class grappled with the challenges of the federal rules (and the problems of inconvenient brothers-in-law and trying to wear sandals in a North Dakota winter). Together they all emerged stronger for the effort.
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/a5ed186fb9659a6c563c8ca443c91395.jpeg)
Professor Christensen is a nationally recognized expert on Federal Indian Law. He has served as a tribal appellate judge for the Standing Rock Sioux and the Fort Peck and Assiniboine Sioux Tribes. He is the co-chair of the ABA Business Law Section’s Tribal Litigation Subcommittee and is a peer reviewer for the American Indian Law Review. In these capacities, Professor Christensen has traveled across the country to conduct legal training and speak on issues of national importance in Indian law. His interviews have been featured on NPR’s Morning Edition, PBS, U.S. News and World Report, and in publications across the country affiliated with the Associated Press.
Professor Christensen has published extensively in the area of Federal Indian Law, often exploring its intersection with corporate law, criminal law, and civil procedure. He is the co-author of Reading American Indian Law: Foundational Principles (Cambridge University Press 2020) (co-authored with Melissa Tatum) and Introduction to American Indian Studies: Policies, Histories, and Contemporary Issues (Kendall/Hunt) (co-authored with Sebastian Braun and Birgit Hans). His recent law review scholarship includes pieces in the California Law Review, the Minnesota Law Review, and (most importantly) a piece published by this graduating class as part of their 2022 Indian Law symposium in the North Dakota Law Review.
In 2011 Professor Christensen was a Fulbright Scholar, living in Vilnius, Lithuania courtesy of the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Fulbright program. He speaks very basic Lithuanian and enjoys talking about life in the Baltic States.
Professor Christensen received his B.A. in American Studies and Political Science from the University of Richmond, his J.D. from the Ohio State University College of Law, and his LL.M. in Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy from the University of Arizona. He is a licensed member of the bar in both Minnesota and the courts of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
UND SCHOOL OF LAW CLASS OF 2023
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/89a4693efd86b89778ba764230cd6208.jpeg)
Kirsten Allen
Stevenson Ranch, California
University of California, Santa Barbara
Aviation Law Certificate
Indian & Tribal Law Certificate
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/29458615e92067e5af57fead2f04084e.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/266a6f9eea073f97da1e666e5108f8e5.jpeg)
December 2022
Bryce Catherine Ashby
Louisville, Kentucky
University of Louisville
Dustin A. Berg
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/5e9b86cb439ca5e16020317b7ef0a5ff.jpeg)
Bemidji, Minnesota
University of North Carolina Greensboro
Brooke Lynn Bergeron
Crookston, Minnesota
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Tori Beyer
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/61d4ea15c0319c87220268a48589e2fd.jpeg)
Fredericksburg, Iowa
University of Iowa
December 2022
Orrin J. Burch
Mandan, North Dakota
University of Mary
December 2022
Isabel E. Carter
Las Vegas, Nevada
University of Nevada, Reno
Kenneth Clayton Christie
Kamuela, Hawaii
Bemidji State University
Matthew A. Costello
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/877e6597937f0d2aabf4a5ef4166ddb7.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/0821000a508289ed25fcfc734a7a28cf.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/8cc1d5b4029cb0461a23d734d82cdd2c.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/f939f0c0b0dc0ddef6581a22d26f4d96.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/a86a6d6ed90fbee90fc73757caf2f884.jpeg)
Graceville, Minnesota
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Meggan Joann Crosby
International Falls, Minnesota
University of North Dakota
Zachariah Lloyd Deitz
Buffalo, North Dakota
North Dakota State University
Mariah L. Duchesne
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/d7c80fb5bde3e38859c3b0f5554fddc6.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/c1a87cbebe0c0968509f39dcf5b50365.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/f6b9d79bbf3b42821ce43d1042625cd7.jpeg)
Miami, Florida
University of North Dakota
Austin Eggl
Minot, North Dakota
Presentation College
Jackson Elmquist
Sauk Rapids, Minnesota North Dakota State University
Idalis D. Figueroa
Las Vegas, Nevada
University of Nevada, Reno
Haley Finch
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/353922788eb9f756a3c7f72e527b3ba8.jpeg)
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
University of Manitoba
Patrick Eliase Fylling
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/5963feb69bb454b32f17717a610d412a.jpeg)
Fargo, North Dakota
North Dakota State University
December 2022
Zachary Greenberg
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
University of Minnesota Crookston
Ashley Haneke
Canton, South Dakota
University of South Dakota
Dixie R. Holland
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/c628e4896f01545bc56f32bb58cdbf4a.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/34e6e9da41a0df6c27d6e8e8fcf66fa2.jpeg)
Grand Forks, North Dakota
University of North Dakota
Aviation Law Certificate
Alexia Lynn Jamieson
Fargo, North Dakota
University of North Dakota
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/d5adfa5b7c532f78dead6939c2390b07.jpeg)
December 2022
Ashkan Jelodar
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/d7a53b9ed8f409b290c72fddf09d2871.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/a84386fd1077d0891b463d39714b877a.jpeg)
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
University of Manitoba
Lourdes Jimenez
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/62f95d9a82d590e06fda2deea938dd56.jpeg)
Chicago, Illinois
University of Illinois Chicago
December 2022
Raymond M. Johnson
Saint Clair, Minnesota University of Minnesota
Tyler B. Johnson
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/76b930c638bac36f0e2c4b725817eece.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/b33c03a98326ada13433a30365c0c275.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/04441eddc05711bf81024a9bf3432066.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/3cda96ad02ab414c6fdf02120943562e.jpeg)
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada University of Winnipeg
Colin Kearney
Staunton, Virginia Virginia Military Institute
Alexis R. King
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/40cbdbb3fd5a5a11ad1c41a3a92dec94.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/fd2a6947f07d77a39ae3d7600276eeae.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/a80543cfb4f8ff2f7375cedc10a0e6cf.jpeg)
Nevis, Minnesota
Marquette University
December 2022
Alexis Olek Knaeble
Fargo, North Dakota
Concordia College, Moorhead
December 2022
Tanner James Langley
Warwick, North Dakota North Dakota State University
Ethan J. Leingang
Bismarck, North Dakota
University of North Dakota
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/e3b841cd1b63f7a77ca7a8b486eede52.jpeg)
Samantha Leitold
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada University of Manitoba
December 2022
Brittney M. Lewis
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/e395d0433171b4602554bcabe8fdcd8b.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/936ddde87a6860877041af2fe5203422.jpeg)
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
University of Winnipeg
December 2022
Victoria Ly
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada University of Manitoba
Melissa Lyke
Denver, Colorado
University of Denver
December 2022
Logan Jay Meyer
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/f0b4841d390235e5ceba91192211db6a.jpeg)
Wahpeton, North Dakota
University of North Dakota
December 2022
Gavin William Mindt
Bismarck, North Dakota
North Dakota State University
Martin Murry Moore
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/963c19c24d6be653ddd8b2d34f23ac7d.jpeg)
Great Falls, Montana
Concordia College, Moorhead
John Nelson
Chickasha, Oklahoma
Oklahoma State University
Indian & Tribal Law Certificate
Anna Nistler
Grand Forks, North Dakota
University of North Dakota
Master of Business Administration
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/f311fe297ff9976408152f5e1ebd73c5.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/fb291c2dec89506aa33cae31a61ca76a.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/3af49b79bd520af9b369212a139687b8.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/f3766a745682cb504cc2aca2d32887ac.jpeg)
Alivia A. Olson
Keene, North Dakota
University of North Dakota
December 2022
Imade Wesley Omonuwah
Benin City, Edo, Nigeria
Minnesota State University Moorhead
December 2022
Areli Y. Ortiz
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/07e8d29a797ffbf6adedb709d557aa55.jpeg)
Sierra Vista, Arizona
University of Arizona
Casey Alan Orvedal
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/3959cd91a97bd72f6c5b2acfb02ed7db.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/afc2d7ed787fb177cefcfa9085d6caaa.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/8e6cfb7a4993876bd5c507befbd8e06f.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/4f0db8469c61d35dee749eb6aa447d78.jpeg)
Fargo, North Dakota University of North Dakota
Keaton Victor Ostir
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada University of Manitoba
December 2022
Kayla Anne Peterson
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/4c77ce351d5e7b011a0372b133080bd4.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/8770b354aff53f6ef5dfff510524f59b.jpeg)
Bismarck, North Dakota
Minot State University
December 2022
Edi Planincic
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada University of Manitoba
Bismarck, North Dakota University of Denver
Collin P. PoolmanLauren M. Romero
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/0a7f9c27ed4977744f1ccdf871d46f4e.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/631817cb3522d61c9818d839a5cb790f.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/a539eb1db0d6690a0572eed9b4dd8585.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/00b15edcc0ade05b5012902ede61817a.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/4621fc5e6cdfc51f4df440c7fa6deed1.jpeg)
Albuquerque, New Mexico
University of New Mexico
December 2022
Elizabeth Rotherham
Drake, North Dakota
Chadron State College
Muriel Emestine Rott
Burnsville, Minnesota
University of North Dakota
Kaydin Schmitt
Hazen, North Dakota
Bemidji State University
Indian & Tribal Law Certificate
Liora P. Shiffman
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/cfcbedcf7c8cf024cdffd68354d88020.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/3b741ef00d170affef0ac9403cecd87b.jpeg)
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
University of Manitoba
Vanessa Sigette
Grand Forks, North Dakota
University of North Dakota
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/abe2521db47e6ae4d754f3de0e6cf2b2.jpeg)
Chloe S. Sims
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Augsburg College
Jade Taylor Solvason
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
University of Winnipeg
Indian & Tribal Law Certificate
December 2022
Charles Lynn Steinberger
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/37c178f554bfe7510f873e93e06f9e16.jpeg)
Kenmare, North Dakota
North Dakota State University
December 2022
Andrew Mark Thompson
Grand Forks, North Dakota
University of Miami
McKenzie K. Thompson
Karlstad, Minnesota
University of North Dakota
Woodrow P. Wagaman Jr.
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/899e47c2dd98041c62c5ebdf9f185aa5.jpeg)
Hanover, Pennsylvania
Southern Virginia University
Gabrielle CarolMarie Wolf
Mandan, North Dakota
North Dakota State University
Keaton D. Zaback
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/c71538743ac70445486443e89ad9dbfb.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/1dc6fbbcefed541b26ea1453f04ac947.jpeg)
Minot, North Dakota
University of North Dakota
ACADEMIC
The pageantry of American colleges and universities, including such ceremonies as commencement, has been inherited from the medieval universities of the 11th and 12th centuries. Academic life as it is known today began in the Middle Ages, first in the church and then in the guilds. The teaching guild was the Guild of the Master of Arts, in which the Bachelor was the apprentice of the Master and the dress was the outward sign of privilege and responsibility.
The ceremony you will witness today will be less formal than would have been the case even a few decades ago. Still, many traditions have been continued.
To maintain continuity with the past, University of North Dakota faculty, the stage officials and the degree candidates will wear academic dress.
Principal features of academic garb are the gown, cap and hood. Early it became necessary for universities to set rules to preserve the dignity and meaning of academic dress. Since the 15th century, both Cambridge and Oxford have made academic dress a matter of university control even to its minor details, and have repeatedly published revised regulations. American universities agreed on a definite system in 1895.
ACADEMIC DRESS
THE GOWN
The flowing gown comes from the 12th century. While it originally may have been worn as protection against the chill of unheated buildings, it has today become symbolic of the democracy of scholarship, for it covers any trappings of rank or social standing underneath. It is black for all degrees, with pointed sleeves for the bachelor’s degree recipient, long closed sleeves with a slit at the arm or wrist for the master’s degree, or full bell double sleeves for the doctoral degree. Bachelor’s and master’s degree gowns have no trimming. For the doctoral degree, the gown is faced down the front with velvet and has three bars of velvet across the sleeves.
THE CAP
Under Roman law, a slave that had been set free received the privilege of wearing a cap. The academic cap is a sign of freedom of scholarship, and of the responsibility and dignity with which scholarship endows the wearer. Ancient poetry records the cap of scholarship as square to
symbolize the book. The color of the tassel denotes the academic discipline. At the University of North Dakota, the tassel color associated with the School of Law is purple. For undergraduate students, the tassels hang on the right side of the cap until they receive their degrees, at which time the tassel is moved to the left. For master’s and doctoral students, the tassel hangs on the left side of the cap and is not moved.
THE HOOD
The hood is trimmed with one or more chevrons of a secondary color on the ground of the primary color of the college. The color of the facing of the hood denotes the discipline represented by the degree; the color of the lining designates the university or college which granted the degree. The official colors of the University of North Dakota, selected by the student body in preparation for the institution’s first commencement in 1889, are the pink and green of the prairie rose.
CEREMONIAL OBJECTS
THE MACE
The mace was initially modeled after a 12th century implement of war. In earlier days, the mace, or heavy staff, was borne by or carried before a magistrate or other dignitary as an ensign of authority. A mace is placed as the symbol of royal authority on the treasury table in the British House of Commons at the opening of each session and is removed at its close. In the U.S. House of Representatives, it is a rather plain staff mounted in a marble pedestal at the right hand side of the Speaker. The mace of the University of North Dakota symbolizes the authority to carry out its mission, especially the granting of degrees. Made from the oak of the University’s first building, “Old Main,” the mace is carried by a marshal during academic processions and is placed at a prominent spot on the stage during commencement.
THE MEDALLION
A medallion or seal of office, worn by the head of an educational institution, is a practice that dates back to the Middle Ages. In those times, a seal was used to mark documents as official. Possession of the seal was so
important that it was usually worn around the neck for safekeeping. The wearing of the seal eventually became a symbol of authority. One side of the medallion worn by the president bears an engraving of the University’s official seal and the names of all former presidents are included on the chain of office.
THE CHARTER
The University of North Dakota was founded six years before North Dakota became a state. The original, handwritten charter, enacted in 1883 by the Dakota Territorial Assembly, is preserved in UND’s archives. One facsimile is displayed in the President’s Office and another is used at commencements and other special occasions.
THE UNIVERSITY FLAG
The University flag features the UND flame logo set on a white background. The flag is used at ceremonial events and is carried by the honorary faculty flag marshal to lead the commencement procession. The flag is displayed on the stage during the commencement ceremony along with the mace and charter.
UNIVERSITY MARSHALS
The Marshals escort the degree candidates and platform personnel during the ceremony. They have been selected from the second- and first-year students on the basis of academic excellence.
GRAND MARSHAL
AnneMarie Studer
CHARTER MARSHAL
Lauren Dub
CANDIDATES MARSHAL
Cassandra Molivigny
PLATFORM MARSHALREGISTRAR'S ASSISTANT
Jack Blotsky
INSIDE HOSTS
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/037867fc46bfd6a43aaaa4535a29d07f.jpeg)
Taylor Prussia
Sarah Schauer
FLAG MARSHAL
Nicholas Johnson
FACULTY MARSHAL
Matthew Freier
PLATFORM MARSHALSHOODERS' ASSISTANTS
Roman Knudsvig
McKoehm Tschider
ENTRANCE HOSTS
Evan Leingang
Emily Belbas
Erin Weightman
LOBBY HOSTS
Audrey Skaar
Alexander Rand
CHESTER FRITZ DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR KATHRYN R.L. RAND
Floyd B. Sperry Professor of Law
Kathryn R.L. Rand is Floyd B. Sperry Professor of Law and co-founder and co-director of the Institute for the Study of Tribal Gaming Law & Policy at UND. She joined the UND faculty in 2000.
Rand and her frequent co-author, collaborator, and fellow Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor Steven Light, are widely regarded as the nation’s leading and most prolific academic experts on “Indian gaming,” having published three books and dozens of articles on the topic. Their work has examined the law, policy, business and politics of tribal casinos, and has helped to lay the legal foundation for a multi-billion-dollar industry that has significantly improved the economies and quality of life for American Indian communities. Their co-authored books – considered the gold standards in the field and used in university and law school classrooms throughout the U.S. – include “Indian Gaming & Tribal Sovereignty: The Casino Compromise,” which was featured on C-SPAN’s Book TV. Light and Rand are credited with launching tribal gaming law and policy as an academic area of specialized study.
In 2022, Rand and Light were Inaugural Visiting Professors in the Indian Nations Gaming & Governance Program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where they also were Senior Distinguished Fellows in Tribal Gaming at the International Center for Gaming Regulation.
She is a frequent media commentator for leading news outlets, such as The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Boston Globe, National Public Radio, and Indian Country Today. Together, they have delivered invited lectures at Boston College, University of Manitoba, Stanford, University of Helsinki, University of Macau and numerous law schools.
Rand has testified twice on Indian gaming regulation and oversight before the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in Washington, DC, as well as before the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation. She has shared her expertise with such diverse audiences as the NCAA, industry professionals, and tribal, federal, state, and local leaders and officials.
From 2009 to 2018, Rand served as dean of the UND School of Law and was the first woman to hold that position. She also served as the law school’s associate dean for academic affairs and research (2004-09) and interim director of the Northern Plains Indian Law Center (2003-04).
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/3dbbdc40de8de14a2e96e7b91368df5e.jpeg)
"Without Kathryn’s excellent service, our law school would not be the strong and vibrant school it is today. Kathryn’s legacy is one of administrative service," said Dean Brian Pappas.
Rand was previously awarded the UND Foundation/McDermott Award for Excellence in Teaching, Research or Creative Activity, and Service in 2007.
She teaches in the areas of constitutional law, civil rights, Indian gaming law, and professional skill development. Rand also has published on academic leadership and diversity and inclusion in legal education. She is an elected member of the American Law Institute and serves as a vice president of the International Masters of Gaming Law.
"There are so many ways to leave a legacy," said Pappas. "Chester Fritz’s legacy lives on through his Distinguished Professorships and the students, faculty, staff, and community members these special individuals continue to impact. At UND Law, we are so proud to now include a Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor on our faculty. We are proud that it is Kathryn Rand, whose legacy will only continue to grow."
OFFICERS OF THE UNIVERSITY
Andrew P. Armacost, President
Eric Link, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/482bdd5df5fd1a92274ee8339e0ebd7b.jpeg)
Meloney Linder, Vice President for Marketing & Communications
Art Malloy, Vice President for Student Affairs
John Mihelich, Interim Vice President for Research & Economic Development
Karla Stewart, Vice President for Finance & Operations
Dr. Joshua Wynne, Vice President for Health Affairs
Scott Correll, Registrar
NORTH DAKOTA STATE BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Dr. Casey Ryan, Chair, Grand Forks, ND
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/a16f52ef3eb210f02263840c7788a3d5.jpeg)
Tim Mihalick, Vice Chair, Minot, ND
Danita Bye, Stanley, ND
Jeffry Volk, West Fargo, ND
Nick Hacker, Bismarck, ND
Dr. John Warford, Bismarck, ND
Kevin Black, Minot, ND
Sadie Hanson, Student Member, University of North Dakota
Michael Linnell, Staff Adviser, Minot State University
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/ad7cf0402d207eb8f97fe196577c6fea.jpeg)
Lisa Montplaisir, Faculty Adviser, North Dakota State University
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/5dba50a88c51809ca17cd6bb12c10577.jpeg)
SCHOOL OF LAW DEANS
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/a475580a50a4f8be753d1f1428b1fbee.jpeg)
SCHOOL OF LAW FACULTY
Hannah Wegner Brink
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/90b30fbad37b101bfe205f5feb0002a6.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/52d9c32a62149385621d42c3a7ac2602.jpeg)
Michael Dodge
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/1d04e0e966f7d636c08255e8383cdd77.jpeg)
Mark Friese
David Haberman
AFFILIATED FACULTY
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/605dc7a3f05fb2242b29db580d2e7fd5.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/a11b8c6a57b6eb45c9b234d2e06bf175.jpeg)
Luke Heck
Patricia Hodny
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/52a2e5a0f87eff034ed368262725ad15.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/f82950ed6efac8dc65f4995064cc124a.jpeg)
Erica Hovey
BJ Jones
Christopher Jung
Michael Lopez
Michelle Rivard Parks
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/59f7b1edb2a6e66be4f4da07e3391c0c.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/7c7b12e9951284338c7e54f1f8fbad18.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/3bcdab45b45794e66ff152fc532882c1.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/69850510ba98a695cb377d92fe4eef85.jpeg)
Anne Sim
Jerrod Steele
Joseph J. Vacek
Brett D. Venhuizen
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/9587fe809f03ca2420bd93980f2d5fca.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/f88ec7e47d4058c81edb3e2da80e9fc9.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/b74bb7624945bcc3d0b8a94eab666dba.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/a83069eef041668a45536e1bddea71b4.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/50b8d23e74e89e210a41608c34ab152e.jpeg)
Ryan Younggren
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/26c6a62fa9fe57b8354aa179e364e28d.jpeg)
SCHOOL OF LAW STAFF
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/174e1d1bf859434955ef2c5590f8e276.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/a67ef9e361d8cfd01eb216c7046ee828.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/9c7eae9b3411f76e205f3426105f67ce.jpeg)
THORMODSGARD LAW LIBRARY STAFF
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/ffdd812638add3420d06b72771e8fbf1.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/2026d24cedfc9eb974fa53f656306a81.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/6197e6acc26b2b53aaaa262ae3050567.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/e54149db23fa716c771aac2800099fad.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/66b18994feb642cdb3f038b5c320746d.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/aaccd73dbf55db2adce329369f9760b5.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/6ba87e4e91e82b9add5a780d32758d36.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/236b38e836dba30091b960a5ade5b7ae.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/0fcf9282fff037d856bb78331063abf9.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/40f516eb14b6ee1adae497b0f566a5b6.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/cae2424eac376a32de5513dda2bccd5d.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/cba9d26b7e81937844a2cf3a2b280274.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/09567d273aeb4b491ab9b54ec4d8c83d.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/2a9e15aae09b6fa8035ed22537ab748e.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/4ee4b7cd05f8182d5cf224b02b0ddeef.jpeg)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/06d7c8e85d4e6642f6677fd8fdeb660b.jpeg)
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA SCHOOL OF LAW
Founded in 1899 and steeped in rich tradition, the School of Law is among the oldest degreegranting units of the University of North Dakota. It was the first of UND’s professional schools to begin operations. Its first dean was Guy H. Corliss, who had served as the inaugural Chief Justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court.
Despite its meager resources, the law school grew quickly in popularity. The occupation had considerable prestige, and there was much demand for lawyers in the new state. In his history of UND, University of the Northern Plains, Louis Geiger observed, “perhaps no other college paid off so quickly in broadening the University’s influences in North Dakota.”
Since 1911, UND Law has been a member of the Association of American Law Schools. The School of Law was approved in 1923 by the American Bar Association’s Section of Legal Education and Admission to the Bar and has been continuously reaccredited since.
The law school was located in downtown Grand Forks until it was moved to the UND campus during World War I. It shared a building constructed in 1922 on the corner of University Avenue and Centennial Drive with other campus departments for many years. The Law School continued to grow and ultimately took over the entire building, becoming what is known today as the School of Law. In 1973, the law school received its first major addition of a new law library, which was attached to the west side of the 1922 building.
More than 40 years later, in the 2015 fall semester, the UND School of Law took another historic step forward by completing and dedicating a $14.4 million renovation and building addition. As a result of the project, the educational space improved significantly as additional classrooms were added, featuring a state-of-theart teaching courtroom, deliberation room and a high-tech “case study” classroom. Additional student study, collaboration and gathering space can be found throughout the addition and the renovated law library. This project has had a dramatic effect on the delivery of the education, and it has enhanced the unique spirit of community among the students.
As the state’s only law school, the UND School of Law produces well-rounded legal professionals with the necessary skill set to serve as effective, innovative, and ethical leaders in North Dakota, our region, and our nation. The UND School of Law has a proud tradition of success of its graduates. A sense of pride among our alumni creates a strong alumni network that spreads across the country and around the world.
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/cc15e51416751a721a125605651c4e61.jpeg)
The UND School of Law Class of 2023
wish to recognize and thank our family members and friends for the support and encouragement they have given us throughout our law school careers. Without that support and understanding, this would not have been possible.
WELCOME TO THE
UND ALUMNI FAMILY!
Congratulations! You’re joining more than 150,000 UND alumni living around the globe.
Update now
One of the great things about UND is that, while you may embark on future careers, further studies, and new adventures, UND never leaves you. You are – and always will be – a Fighting Hawk. And as such, you have a place with the UND Alumni Association & Foundation.
Start your alumni journey with us by updating your profile to get exclusive access to programs and events in your area, the UND Alumni Magazine and more.
P.S. We’re on social media! Follow us @UNDalumni for the latest updates.
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/230504152956-29a79c6782f5f5fd8d937c2bed94b9c3/v1/f5a0830b88d1617d1229df5b0f7faf88.jpeg)