The year of generosity

UND President Andy Armacost praises hard work, selflessness of campus community in annual State of the University Address

Last week, UND’s campus community gathered to kick off the fall semester, by reflecting with its President on the past year’s highlights, and sharing a vision for the upcoming academic year.

On August 20, President Andy Armacost delivered his annual State of the University Address before hundreds of students, faculty and staff at the Memorial Union ballroom.

“It’s awesome that each of you chose to be here today,” Armacost said. “Hopefully I do justice to the past year of UND’s successes and what we’re looking forward to in the future.”

“Students have said what captures them are the spaces and places we have on campus,” he added. “The amazing programs that we offer, and the affordability. All these things are being made possible by the generosity of many people.”

On the heels of two record-breaking metrics set in fall of 2025 – overall enrollment of 15,844 students and an incoming freshman class of 2,508 – Armacost said the University’s growth remains consistent. He praised attendees for their roles in recruiting and retaining students – the latter indicated by a 93% retention rate from fall to spring.

“Many people are choosing the University of North Dakota to get their education and begin their journey in life,” Armacost said. “We’re so proud of what we give them in their academics and development as human beings. Every single person in this room – this is your outcome.”

Students will have several new degree programs available to them this academic year – ranging from a master’s and doctoral degree in Adult Gerontology/Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, to Helicopter Operations, to a first-in-the-region Bachelor of Business Administration in Real Estate. Additionally, UND’s School of Medicine & Health Sciences has launched a Department of Dermatology – funded through a $5 million contribution from the Tareen family.

Other key statistics highlighted in the 2026 State of the University Address.

• UND’s athletic department ranked fifth in the nation in total community service hours – a figure Armacost called remarkable given the department’s relatively small size compared to power five institutions.
• As encouraged by the North Dakota Legislature, the School of Medicine & Health Sciences is well on its way to achieving its “ND 85” benchmark – that is, 85% of the school’s students hailing from in state. Armacost said the figure has risen from 53% to 82% in just under two years.
• From the fall of 2025 to spring of 2026, over 1,500 students participated in hands-on activities provided through UND’s Experiential Learning Center – including internships, undergraduate research and study abroad programs.
• Total external research expenditures have more than doubled since 2020 – rising from $110 to $244 million.

This final metric, Armacost said, epitomizes UND’s greater “sense of discovery.”

“This happens because of the faculty and researchers across campus who have great ideas, senses of innovation and discovery,” he said. “The work on our campus is stunning and something we should be proud of. Money isn’t the only way to measure the impact we’re having, though. It’s the contributions to society, and our very humanity, that matter. UND positions itself right at the top with respect to that.”

And these contributions, Armacost opined, reflect UND’s and the North Dakota University System’s commitment to serving the region and state.

“We have 11 institutions across the state, and what we’re hoping to do is connect them more strongly as a system,” he said. “When I speak about UND, it should follow my discussions about the value of four-year degrees and a statement to the residents of North Dakota about the power of what we have in state.”

Strong partnerships in the fields of space operations, national security and the arts and humanities, Armacost added, help put UND on the global stage.

“We bring people to our campus to show off what we do here at UND,” he said. “They see the value of what each of you do and the beauty of our campus, and say, ‘we had no idea.’ It’s up to us to keep bringing those people to our campus; to show them we impact not just the state, but the world.”

An increase in philanthropy – which supports new academic programs, endowed faculty positions and student scholarships – along with the selflessness of the campus community, led Armacost to proclaim 2026 the “Year of Generosity.”

“Whether it’s with you time or talent, you give to one another and do some amazing things,” he said. “This is a celebration of the generosity shown by others – to your students, peers, colleagues and community. Let’s go into the new academic year by relishing and celebrating the generosity we see daily.”

At the conclusion of his address, Armacost unveiled UND’s Community Quilt – a patchwork of 144 squares containing images representing significant people, places and things across UND and the Greater Grand Forks region. The quilt played a prominent role in last year’s State of the University Address, as it symbolized the “Year of Community.”

“These squares are abstract representations about how each unit on our campus connects itself to the vision and mission of the University of North Dakota,” Armacost said.