Oct. 17 video message from President Armacost

UND President Andrew Armacost welcomes special guest DeAnna Carlson Zink, CEO of the UND Alumni Association & Foundation, for his latest presidential video update to the campus. In this installment, the president and CEO talk about the recently unveiled “UND Forever” capital campaign for the University.

Even before the campaign went public on Homecoming Friday, Oct. 6, 2023, more than $360 million already had been raised toward the $500 million goal.

To learn more about “UND Forever: The Campaign for the University of North Dakota,” check out this video and the campaign information page at the UND Alumni Association & Foundation website.

In the video, the president asks Carlson Zink a series of questions about the campaign’s theme, what took place during the silent phase of the campaign and what is envisioned for the public phase, and how some of the money that’s been raised is already at work. Below is minute-by-minute rundown of the video discussion:

• (At the :35 mark) Carlson Zink describes the energy of the campaign’s public announcement on Friday, Oct. 6, of Homecoming Week 2023, as people filled the large ballroom of the Memorial Union and tuned in virtually from across the country to hear about the campaign for the first time.
• (At 1:05) Carlson Zink explains the meaning and spirit behind the “Forever UND” campaign name.
• The president and Carlson Zink discuss endowments (at 2:05) and the opportunities for people to provide gifts and establish legacies that could live forever.
• (At 2:40) The president asks Carlson Zink to explain the difference between the silent and public phases of a campaign and what happens during each.
• (At 3:32) Carlson Zink talks about how the money that has already been raised is being put to good use in the form of new academic facilities on campus, such as the Nistler College of Business & Public Administration, as well more than a dozen new faculty endowments.
• (At 4:20) The president and Carlson Zink discuss the four pillars or areas of giving for the campaign and respective goal amounts for each: (1) student scholarships — $125 million goal, (2) endowed faculty positions — $120 million, (3) programs — $80 million, (4) and facilities — $175 million.
• Next, (at 5:40) they talk about the campaign co-chairs, Werner (a 1968 UND alum) and Colleen Nistler, the lead donors and namesakes for the new College of Business & Public Administration building, and the amazing work that’s been done so far by the Nistlers and the supporting cast of great alumni and friends from across the country who make up the campaign committee.
• Finally, (at 7:00) Carlson Zink rounds out the discussion with ways that the campus community and beyond can get more involved in the “Forever UND” campaign.