New faculty and administrator bus tour rolls through state

New University of North Dakota faculty and administrators will get a taste of their new state when they embark on the 28th annual UND Bus Tour starting Monday, August 13. This year’s route will give the travelers a chance to explore much of the southern portion of North Dakota.

“It gives newcomers to the state and campus a glimpse into the state,” said Fred Wittmann, the tour coordinator and director of Ceremonies and University Events.

The three-day tour, free for participants and supported by the UND Alumni Association and Foundation, was introduced nearly three decades ago as a way to raise awareness about the importance of higher education, as well as to acquaint the new faculty with their new state of employment. It also allows new faculty to get a better understanding of where many of their students will come from.

“It’s one of the pieces of the ‘orientation puzzle’ for them,” said Wittmann.

Joining the new faculty and administrators on the tour will be UND President Mark Kennedy and First Lady Debbie Kennedy and Peter Johnson, Interim Vice President for University & Public Affairs, as well as Wittmann, tour organizer and leader.  Among those new to UND will be Jed Shivers, UND Vice President for Finance and Operations and CFO.

The tour also serves as a way to bring interdisciplinary faculty members together. These people may have never had the chance to meet otherwise.

“I’m always amazed with this activity and how it brings people together,” said Wittmann.

Each year, the tour alternates between northern and southern routes across the state.

This year, the tour will make stops in communities such as Mayville, Carrington, Underwood, Bismarck, Medora, Mandan, Gwinner, and Fargo.

Throughout the tour, participants will get the chance to learn more about North Dakota agriculture, education, tourism, energy development, government and business from experts in the field.

Some other highlights of the tour will be visiting North Dakota’s Heritage Center in Bismarck, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Falkirk Coal Mine near Underwood, United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, Fort Lincoln State Park, the State Capitol Building, Bobcat in Gwinner, and dinner with NDSU’s new faculty at North Dakota’s other research university.

The following is the itinerary for the bus tour:

Monday, Aug. 13

• Meet at the Chester Fritz Auditorium parking lot by 7:20 a.m. for an early departure from Grand Forks.
• Hear from an expert on the bus about agriculture in the Red River Valley
• Stop at the beautiful Rainbow Gardens in Mayville.  With the help of many community volunteers, the garden now has seven plots, each demonstrating a different theme.  Their sculpture walk now features 15 commissioned pieces.  We’ll have coffee with local leaders, legislators, and UND alumni
• Travel to Carrington to experience the operations of Harmon Farms now 135 years old.  A “Taste of Carrington” lunch will be served at the farm.
• Visit the Falkirk Coal Mines and learn about energy development in western North Dakota.
• Conclude the day with a social and dinner with state and local leaders, UND alumni, and friends at the newly renovated North Dakota Heritage Center.  The Center’s numerous exhibits offer a complete overview of the state’s history.

Tuesday, Aug. 14:

• Medora, including historic sites and the rugged beauty of Theodore Roosevelt Park, sightseeing in Medora, and ending with lunch at the beautiful Bully Pulpit golf course.
• As we travel back to Bismarck, we will visit United Tribes Technical College to learn about the North Dakota tribal college system and tour their campus.
• Next we’re off to tour Fort Lincoln State Park in Mandan.  Rich in both military and early Native American history, Fort Abraham Lincoln was once an important infantry and cavalry post. It was from this fort that Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and the Seventh Cavalry departed on their ill-fated expedition to Little Big Horn.
• The day concludes with a picnic at the Fort Lincoln State Park Commissary with incoming UND Presidential and National Merit Scholars and their families.

Wednesday, August 15

• Begin the day with a tour the State Capitol Building in Bismarck
• Around noon, we’ll drive through the beautiful valleys of Valley City and have lunch at a local cafe.
• At the invitation of the president of Bobcat Company, we will stop in Gwinner for tour of their production plant to hear the story of how this company building compact equipment has become the  state’s largest manufacturer with global facilities in France, Czech Republic and China.

North Dakota State University is our next stop for dinner with NDSU’s new faculty.  This will be an evening of getting to know colleagues from the other research institution in North Dakota.  It’s also an opportunity to discuss collaboration ideas for future projects