NDSU President David Cook speaks during the 2023 State of the University Address at Festival Concert Hall on campus.
NDSU President David Cook outlined the work completed on his top priorities and discussed university goals for the future during his annual State of the University Address on Friday, Sept. 29, in Festival Concert Hall.
Cook, who became NDSU’s 15th president last year, opened by sharing his gratitude to faculty, staff, students and alumni for helping him along the way.
“I’ll say something I say quite a bit, I’m genuinely, deeply honored and privileged and proud to be the president of North Dakota State University. It’s probably the hardest job I’ve ever done and the most rewarding job I’ve ever done.”
Cook highlighted the ongoing work within his first year on the five key areas that allign with NDSU’s strategic plan. They include:
- Enhancing enrollment, retention and student success
- Prioritizing NDSU’s R-1 Carnegie classification
- Investing in the well-being of the people across the NDSU community
- Building a stronger culture of diversity, inclusion and respect
- Embracing NDSU’s critical role as a land-grant university
Moving forward, Cook wants to focus on three investment priorities that include:
- Investing in the student experience
- Investing in faculty
- Investing in partnerships for research
“We did a ton of hard work last year. Part of this is you kind of have to grind, you have to dig, you have to dig a little deeper and sometimes you have take a step back or two to really transform where we need to go in five and 10 and 15 years, and that’s really hard. But I think if we can come together we have an awesome plan to get there,” Cook said.
Cook also announced Norma Peltier, the wife of Joe Peltier, a 1951 NDSU graduate with bachelor’s degrees in education administration and mathematics, will receive an honorary doctorate during the winter commencement ceremony on Friday, Dec. 15, at the Sanford Health Athletic Complex.
The Peltier family has long supported NDSU through philanthropy, including the establishment of the Peltier Innovation in Teaching Award and several student scholarships.
“People know this, but the Peltier name is synonymous with NDSU,” Cook said. “You’ve got a bunch of family members that are all graduates of NDSU and a long list of ways in which the Peltier family has impacted this institution, impacted our students.”
NDSU’s agricultural products development center currently under construction will be named the Peltier Complex. The complex will be NDSU’s largest academic facility and honors one of the region’s most long standing supporters of teaching, research and extension in agriculture.
The Peltier family made philanthropic gifts to support the private fundraising portion of the project, which partnered with the North Dakota Legislature to complete the overall financing package.
Cook recognized NDSU alumni John R. Klai II, who died on Sept. 2. Klai, a native of Osnabrock, North Dakota, earned his bachelor’s degree in architectural studies from NDSU in 1977, and Bachelor of Architecture in 1978.
After graduation, Klai moved to Las Vegas where he started his career expanding Caesars Palace and its signature brand. In 1995, Klai and fellow NDSU alumnus, Dan Juba, founded their firm, Klai Juba Architects, now Klai Juba Wald architecture + interiors, and led the design, development and expansion of many Las Vegas icons, including Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, Luxor, Hard Rock, Planet Hollywood and the LINQ, as well as projects that expanded economies of communities across the country.
In 2007, one of NDSU’s downtown Fargo buildings was named Klai Hall. Klai received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, NDSU’s highest honor, in 2018.
“He’s been an amazing person to our students, to our faculty being a philanthropist, caring deeply about this institution,” Cook said. “We’re very proud of all that he’s done for us, so we will miss you, John.”
Watch Cook’s full address on the President’s website.
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