For more 125th Anniversary events, please visit the UND Calendar.

UND begins its innovative new general education program in the fall of 2008 and this event includes a number of sessions to help faculty and advisors learn more about Essential Studies.

The whole campus is invited to the Keynote Speech at 1:00 in the Lecture Bowl at the Memorial Union. President Kelley will be there to introduce the new Director of Essential Studies to the campus and Dr. Stephen Brookfield, an internationally recognized expert in post-secondary education, will herald in the new program with his talk.

Since beginning his teaching career in 1970, Stephen Brookfield has worked in England, Canada, Australia, and the United States, teaching in a variety of college settings. He has written ten books on adult learning, teaching, critical thinking, discussion methods and critical theory, four of which have won the Cyril O. Houle World Award for Literature in Adult Education (in 1986, 1989, 1996 and 2005). He also won the 1986 Imogene Okes Award for Outstanding Research in Adult Education. For more information about Professor Brookfield see http://www.stephenbrookfield.com/.

Other Summit sessions include a Revalidation Workshop at 9:30; an Advising Workshop at 11:00; and a Model Projects Poster Session at 2:30. For more information about the Summit, contact Lori Robison, Department of English by e-mail or call 777-4306.

President John F. Kennedy visited Grand Forks on September 25, 1963. He toured the city, and spoke at UND talking about issues that are still vital today. The University granted Kennedy an honorary Doctor of Law degree at the event.

The University of North Dakota is hosting an interdisciplinary conference relating to the life and times of John F. Kennedy on September 25-27. President Kennedy's Special Counsel and Speech writer, Theodore Sorensen will be one of the keynote speakers for the conference. Also speaking will be Richard Reeves political author and writer of the award-winning book "President Kennedy: Profile of Power." For more information visit http://www.und.nodak.edu/instruct/jfkconference/ or e-mail.

The fall Great Conversation Series features nationally known journalist and author, Stephen Bloom.  Mr. Blooms non-fiction book Postville: A Class of Cultures in Heartland America focuses on changes confronting a small, predominately Lutheran, Iowa town after 150 Lubavitcher Jews settle there, buy a local business and become the community's new power brokers.  This book and other essays will be the basis for discussion and conversation at this event.  Attendees are encouraged to read Bloom's book and come with questions to ask.  A faculty member will facilitate the conversation by asking questions, debating issues, and integrating audience thoughts into the discussion.  Read his book and plan to attend.
Building: Chester Fritz Auditorium
City: Grand Forks, ND
Phone: 777-6393
Time: 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Stephen Bloom Biography

The photo on the green was taken at the beginning of the fall semester Monday, Aug. 20, 2007, at 1:25 p.m. Students, faculty, staff, and members of the community were invited to take part and were given a 125th anniversary t-shirt to wear. In addition to a still photo, the Television Center videotaped the event. The video was set to music and used in a viral campaign to help promote the anniversary celebration. It was also featured on ABC's Good Morning America.

More than 3,000 students, faculty and staff participated. Thank you!

A campus-wide celebration was held Wednesday, Feb. 27, from 12:30-3:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Ballroom with cake and refreshments. Music, entertainment, and moments in UND's history will be part of the program throughout the afternoon, more than 1,000 people attended. The 2008 UND Founders Day banquet will be held Thursday, Feb. 28 commemorating the founding of the University, honoring 25 year employees, celebrating the people who are retiring from UND, and presenting awards to faculty, departments, and advisors. This year's dinner will be held in the Alerus Center Ballroom, more than 700 people attended.

Clay Jenkinson, a cultural commentator, humanities scholar and author, was on campus celebrating UNDs 125th Anniversary as Thomas Jefferson, his alter ego. Jefferson spoke about the founding of his own University of Virginia. Later in the day, Clay participated in a panel discussion on the future of education in North Dakota. Events were sponsored by the UND College of Education and Human Development and were free and open to the public.

Clay S. Jenkinson adopts the persona of Jefferson each week on National Public Radio's The Thomas Jefferson Hour to comment on current events and answer questions people may have about Jefferson's thoughts on any and all topics. Clay has portrayed Thomas Jefferson for more than two decades. He is the recipient of the National Endowment for the Humanities highest award, then called the Charles Frankel Award, for his humanities-based first person interpretation methodology.

This Great Conversations Series was held in conjunction with the 2008 Writers Conference March 25-29. The guest was Salman Rushdie, author of Midnight's Children, a Booker Prize novel. Rushdie engaged in a conversation with UND English professor Rebecca Weaver Hightower on March 25, 2008, at 7 p.m. This event was held in the Chester Fritz Auditorium. 1,285 people atteneded.

The UND Art Collection has been gathered throughout the past 125 years with contributions from students, faculty, and alumni.  UND’s American Indian Art Collection is the first to be catalogued and the North Dakota Museum of Art will hold an exhibition of this collection opening April 6, 2008 through June 1, 2008.  An Afternoon of the Arts was April 6, 2008, from 2-5 p.m., and will offer the Greater Grand Forks community an opportunity to view both collections: the American Indian art at the Museum, and the UND Art Collection at the Col. Eugene E. Myers Art Gallery in the Hughes Fine Arts Center.  More than 300 people participated.

Faculty and staff joined UND students in carrying out the Big Event, a service project for the Greater Grand Forks community sponsored by Student Government.  The intent of the event was to thank our community for the many ways they have and continue to support the University of North Dakota.  In the 1930s when the University was on the verge of closing because of lack of funding, Grand Forks city leaders stepped up to help and this is a way to show appreciation for this legacy of collaboration. The Big Event was held Saturday, April 12, 2008, beginning at 9 a.m.  Service organizations, governmental agencies, non-profit groups, private citizens, and others were helped.

The University of North Dakota community is invited to attend two major events August 25, 2008 in celebration of the 125th anniversary of the UND.

Phil Jackson ('67), UND Alum and coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, will be presented an honorary Doctor of Letters degree at the UND opening Academic Convocation, August 25, 2:00 pm, at the Chester Fritz Auditorium. The Academic Convocation serves as the official opening of the 2008-09 Academic Year, and will be a special time for faculty and staff to hear from Jackson and see him presented with this academic honor.

Convocation literally means "coming together" and serves as a formal start to the academic calendar. Jackson will provide a short keynote address to assembled students and members of the campus community. There is no charge for the event, and seats are on a first come, first serve basis. UND faculty and staff wishing to process in regalia should contact the Office of Ceremonies and Special Events (7-2724).

Later that afternoon, Jackson will engage in an informal conversation with the community during a "Great Conversation." The event, which begins at 5:00 pm at the Chester Fritz Auditorium, is open to the public and will feature a question and answer session with Jackson, moderated by Vice President for Student and Outreach Services, Dr. Robert Boyd.

Building: Chester Fritz Auditorium
City: Grand Forks, ND
Phone: 777-6393
Time: 2:00 pm (Convocation), 5:00 pm (Conversation)