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Odella Fuqua named associate vice president for Finance at UND

 

The Associate Vice president for Finance is a key member of the Division of Finance & Operations’ senior management team

Odella Fuqua (pronounced foo-qua), UND’s interim associate vice president for Finance since July 2022, has been appointed to the position of associate vice president for Finance after a nationwide search.

The appointment was made by Karla Mongeon-Stewart, UND’s vice president for Finance and Operations and COO.

“I am thrilled that Odella has accepted the position,” Mongeon-Stewart said. “With over 25 years of experience at UND in various areas, she brings a well-rounded perspective to the position. I look forward to continuing to work with Odella in this new capacity and am excited about the talents she will bring to the position.”

Fuqua expressed her enthusiasm about taking on the new challenge.

“With the current UND leadership, strategic plan, and resource model aligning with that plan, I am excited to be in a leadership position to help UND move forward,” Fuqua said. “This is a great team.”

At UND, the Associate Vice president for Finance is a key member of the Division of Finance & Operations’ senior management team. As AVP, Fuqua will provide vital leadership in overseeing the financial, budgeting and accounting activities of the University, and ensuring compliance with generally accepted accounting principles, governmental regulations, institutional policies and guidelines, and best business practices.

Fuqua is a collaborative leader with more than 30 years of strategic initiative and financial experience.

A North Dakotan, Fuqua was raised on a farm, where she learned the value of a strong work ethic and finding solutions to challenging situations.  After graduating from UND, she spent 10 years in North Carolina, where she gained valuable experience working as a private sector auditor specializing in college audits and at Duke University, preparing monthly financial statements and managing fiscal year-end close.

Since returning to North Dakota, Fuqua has held financial leadership roles within the UND central finance unit and the Division of Continuing Education. Among her accomplishments in those positions was a range of student administration and financial report-writing initiatives that she launched during her Continuing Education tenure. The initiatives led to a 120% growth in division revenue.

In 2022, Fuqua assumed the interim associate vice president for finance position when Karla Mongeon-Stewart was named UND’s vice president for finance and operations.

Fuqua has received numerous awards for service throughout her career, including UND Meritorious Service award, UND’s Robert O. and Marcia D. Kelly Collaboration Award and the North Dakota Library Association Benefactor of the Year award.

Fuqua graduated with a Bachelors of Accountancy and a Masters of Business Administration from UND.  She also holds certified public accountant licenses in both North Dakota and North Carolina.