GRAND FORKS, N.D. (WVDN) – Nearly 900 students graduated from the University of North Dakota (UND) at ceremonies in which host UND President Armacost and keynote speaker and alumna Jill Cholewa delivered powerful messages of gratitude and congratulations, on Dec. 19, at the Chester Fritz Performing Arts Center on campus.
Three separate ceremonies were held: the Professional & Graduate Ceremony in the morning, and two Undergraduate Degrees ceremonies in the afternoon — on a day when Mother Nature tried to deliver a wintery message of her own.
“Today is a day of celebration, and you braved the slick roads out there, the snow and the wind, and we’re so glad that you would be here,” Armacost said. “But, our students –- this day is for you.”
The Winter Commencement address at all three ceremonies was given by Cholewa, a 1977 and 1979 graduate of the University, a 2015 recipient of the Sioux Award for Distinguished Achievement & Leadership and a longtime supporter of UND academic and athletic programming. She is a retired business owner currently serving as a SCORE Certified Mentor for small businesses and resides in San Luis Obispo, California.
Among the granduates was Russell J Holcomb, of Quinwood, WV, Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering, Petroleum Engineering.
About The University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota is instilling a sense of wonder, a love of discovery and a commitment to serve within its more than 15,000 students. Founded in 1883, six years before North Dakota’s statehood, UND is among the nation’s premier regional public research universities and is at a momentous point of growth and transformation in its 143-year history. Classified as an “R1” Doctoral University: Very High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, UND is characterized by a foundation of liberal arts, high quality students and faculty, a diverse curriculum, a widely recognized program of graduate education and research, law and medical schools praised for quality and innovation, rich cultural resources and an outstanding record of alumni support. Its major academic divisions are Arts and Sciences, Aerospace Sciences, Business and Public Administration, Education and Human Development, Engineering and Mines, Nursing and Professional Disciplines, Medicine and Health Sciences, Law, and Graduate Studies. UND also is an emerging global leader in artificial intelligence innovation, autonomous systems integration, space and national security research, and energy exploration. Also, a pioneer in virtually delivered education, UND has developed a robust online presence with a national reputation. Learn more at und.edu.
