Founders Day 2023 celebrates 140 years of UND
Annual celebration of UND’s founding honors longtime employees, retirees and stellar academics
The University of North Dakota will mark its 140th anniversary at its annual Founders Day banquet Thursday, Feb. 16, in the Memorial Union Ballroom. A social will begin at 5:15 p.m. with music provided by the UND String Quartet, and the banquet will begin at 6 p.m.
The program will feature a welcome from President Andy Armacost, who will emcee the event, and remarks from Sarah Prout, vice president of marketing & communications at the UND Alumni Association & Foundation.
Presenters will include Eric Link, provost and vice president for academic affairs; Karyn Plumm, vice provost for student success; and Jill Sackenreuter, associate director of human resources, School of Medicine & Health Sciences Dean’s Office.
Founders Day marks the anniversary of the signing of the 1883 Dakota Territory legislation establishing the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks and is the official birthday of UND. The first celebration of Founders Day was held in 1904.
Retirees with at least 15 years of service, employees with 25 years of service and department and faculty award winners are recognized at the banquet.
Founders Day awards
The following will receive awards at the annual Founders Day banquet on Feb. 16.
The UND Foundation/McDermott Faculty Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching:
- Whitney Berry, Teaching Associate Professor, Music, College of Arts & Sciences
The UND Foundation/Lydia & Arthur Saiki Faculty Award for Individual Excellence in Teaching:
- Nikki Berg Burin, Associate Professor, History & American Indian Studies and Gender Studies Program, College of Arts & Sciences
UND Award for Excellence in Course Development & Innovative Teaching Strategies:
- Grace Karikari, Assistant Professor, Indigenous Health, School of Medicine & Health Sciences
The UND Foundation/McDermott Faculty Award for Excellence in Graduate or Professional Teaching:
- Sean T. Hammond, Assistant Professor, Earth System Science & Policy, John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences
The UND Foundation/McDermott Faculty Award for Excellence in Research and/or Creative Activity:
- Alexei V. Tulin, Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine & Health Sciences
The UND Foundation/B.C. Gamble Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching, Research or Creative Activity, & Service:
- Susan Felege, Professor, Biology, College of Arts & Sciences
VPAA Award for Excellence in Assessment:
- Sven Egenhoff, Director & Professor, Department of Geology & Geological Engineering, College of Engineering & Mines
UND Foundation/Karleen Home Rosaaen Award for Excellence in Academic Advising:
- Pamela Kalbfleisch, Charles R. “Chuck” Johnson Endowed Professor of Communication, Department of Communications, Arts & Sciences
VPAA Award for Outstanding Professional Academic Advising:
- Desi Anderson, Academic Advisor, College of Arts & Sciences, Student Academic Success & Career Engagement
- Valerie Bauer, Academic Advisor & Recruitment Specialist, College of Nursing & Professional Disciplines
- Katie Kucera, Education Specialist, Medical Lab Science, School of Medicine & Health Sciences
- Amanda Peters, Academic Core Advisor, Student Academic Success & Career Engagement
- Sarah Pike, Academic Advisor, College of Engineering & Mines, Student Academic Success & Career Engagement
- Jackie Schofield, Academic Advisor Nistler College of Business & Public Administration, Student Academic Success & Career Engagement
- Carla Spokely, Academic Advisor, John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences
Award for Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Research and Creative Activity:
- Carenlee Barkdull, Social Work, College of Nursing & Professional Disciplines
- Ashley Bayne, Public Health Program, School of Medicine & Health Sciences
- Isaac Karikari, Social Work, College of Nursing & Professional Disciplines
- Tanis Walch, Education, Health & Behavior, College of Education & Human Development
- Bret A. Weber, Social Work, College of Nursing & Professional Disciplines
The UND Award for Departmental Excellence in Teaching:
- Philosophy & Religious Studies, College of Arts & Sciences
The UND Award for Departmental Excellence in Research and Creative Activity:
- Institute for Energy Studies, College of Engineering & Mines
25 years of service
The following faculty and staff will be honored for 25 years of service.
- Angela Carpenter, Director Special Student Populations, Special Student Populations
- Mark Christenson, Physician/Medical Director, Student Health Services
- Mary Dietz, Teaching Associate Professor, Mathematics
- Carrie Falletich, Personnel & Payroll Officer, Dean’s Office A&S
- Cynthia Flom-Meland, Chair/Professor, Physical Therapy
- Melissa Gardner, Administrative Assistant, Family & Community Medicine
- Dale Griffin, Assistant Technical Director, Chester Fritz Auditorium
- Lori Hanson, Registered Nurse, Student Health Services
- Carl Iseminger, Payment Services Technician, Procurement & Payment Services
- Donita Johnson, Clinic Nurse, Bismarck CFM
- John Kellebrew, Lead Elec Equip Tech, FM-Cust/Maint
- Gwendolyn Klawon, Outreach & Recruiting Coordinator, College of Engineering & Mines
- Jeffrey Manske, Lead Maintenance Specialist, FM-Cust/Maint
- Peter Meberg, Chair/Associate Professor, Biology
- Troy Noeldner, Director, Housing, Housing Residence
- Staci Ortiz, Records/Student Services Specialist
- Tina Paschke, Student Services Coordinator, DSS/OSRR
- Kerrie Peltier, Parking Manager, Parking Services
- Lawrence Peterson, Associate Professor, Mathematics
- Mark Poolman, Instructor/Assistant Clinical Coordinator/ATC, Sports Medicine
- Linda Ray, Assistant Professor, Medical Laboratory Science
- Joel Robberstad, Avionics Technician, Flight Support Services
- David Sundine, Elec Equip Tech Supervisor, FM-Cust/Maint
- Christine Wiese, Nurse Coordinator, Bismarck CFM
Retirees
Members of the UND community who retired in the last year will also be honored.
They are:
- Forrest Ames, Professor, Mechanical Engineering
- Paul Arnason, Contracts & Grants Specialist, EERC
- Henry Borysewicz, Program Director, Academic Support Services
- Christopher Brown, Line Service Operator, Flight Support Services
- John Dietz, Electrician, FM-Cust/Maint
- Bruce Discristina, Professor, Criminal Justice
- Christopher Dingle, Associate/Assistant Director Residence Life, Housing Residence
- Saleh Faruque, Professor, SEECS
- Sharon Fields-Uhrich, Administrative Secretary, Teaching & Leadership
- Mike Gaffey, Professor, Space Studies
- John Haugen, Tech Development & Operations Group Leader, EERC
- Lisa Heher, Assistant Controller, Controller
- Connie Hodgson, Administrative Secretary, Dean’s Office NCoBPA
- Susan Jeno, Professor, Physical Therapy
- Barbara Lewis, Associate Professor, Music
- Paul Lindseth, Professor, Aviation
- Patrick Luber, Professor, Art & Design
- Laurie Mager, Customer Service Representative, Telecommunications
- Michael Mann, Professor, Institute of Energy Studies
- Laurie McHenry, Academic (Prof.) Librarian, Thormodsgard Law Library
- Katherine Norman Dearden, Associate Professor, Music
- Sheryl O’Donnell, Professor, English
- Erin O’Leary, Chief Financial Officer, EERC
- Linda Olson, Library Associate, Chester Fritz Library
- Jan Orvik, Internal Communications Editor, Marketing & Communications
- Audrey Pearson, Administrative Assistant, Education & Human Development
- Sally Pyle, Associate Professor, Biology
- James Roerig, Professor, Psychiatry & Behavioral Science
- Gretchen Schatz, Associate Director Lifelong Learning, Office of Extended Learning
- Sara Schempp, Building Services Technician, Dining Residence
- Brenda Schill, Administrative Secretary, Registrar’s Office
- Jay Smith, Desktop Client Network Specialist, University IT
- Margaret Smith, Research Specialist, Biomedical Sciences
- Irina Smoliakova, Professor, Chemistry
- Stephen Tinguely, Professor, Pediatrics
- Mary Urbanski, A&R/SS Associate, Testing Services
- Frank White, Assistant Professor, Sociology
- Fredrick Wittmann, Director, Ceremonies & University Events
- Kim Woods, Associate Vice President, Senior Director of Development – NCoBPA, UND Alumni Association & Foundation
- Donald Wosick, Building Services Technician, FM-Cust/Maint
- Min Wu, Professor, Biomedical Sciences
