North Dakota State University is enjoying a remarkable period of growth and success. Located on the state’s eastern border in Fargo, North Dakota’s largest city, NDSU is the state’s Morrill Act land-grant institution.

Recognized as an engaged university and considered a leader among its peers, NDSU has set enrollment records for seven years in a row. With more than 12,000 students, NDSU encompasses a broad spectrum of curricular offerings, scholarly activity and service. The university strives to be an innovator in information systems, technology transfer, economic development and lifelong learning. NDSU also is home to the state’s first full NCAA Division I athletic program.

NDSU employs more than 700 ranked faculty and lecturers, about 360 administrators, extension educators and experiment station researches and approximately 800 graduate assistants and fellows. In total, the university has more than 5,200 full-time and part-time employees across the state.

The university has a commitment to students, faculty and staff to provide an environment where everyone feels welcome, respected and safe. NDSU is in the initial stages of implementing a strategic plan for diversity, equity and community to ensure the commitment. To learn more about the plan, visit http://www.ndsu.edu/diversity/documents.php.

Innovative teaching and learning are conducted in nine academic units: the Colleges of Agriculture, Food Systems and Natural Resources; Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Business; Engineering and Architecture; Human Development and Education; Pharmacy, Nursing and Allied Science; Science and Mathematics; University Studies; and the Graduate and Interdisciplinary studies. NDSU has 106 baccalaureate majors, 51 master’s degree programs, 38 doctoral degrees, eight certificate programs, three professional doctoral degrees and one specialist degree.

NDSU researchers are leading major initiatives in such areas as nanotechnology, microelectronics, polymers, food safety and materials science. In a partnership with Alien Technology Corp., NDSU’s Research and Technology Park is home to the world’s first mass scale Radio Frequency Identification tag research and production facility.

The NDSU Research and Technology Park also is expanding with the NDSU Center for Technology Enterprise, a business and technology incubator that will promote the development of new technology-based companies.

The North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station and NDSU Extension Service are integral parts of the university.

In 2004, the university added a 75,800-square foot, five-story NDSU Downtown, providing a cutting-edge facility for art, architecture and landscape architecture students. A $10 million project renovated the century-old building to include studios, classrooms, a wood shop, digital media room, gallery and an outdoor sculpture area.

Currently, the university is in the process of enlarging its presence in the downtown area with the addition of two buildings. A six-story building, formerly the Pioneer Mutual Life building, will house the College of Business and the Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics. A nearby building, formerly the Lincoln National Life building, will become the new home to studio space and faculty offices for the architecture and landscape architecture department.

NDSU, which is one of two major research universities in an 11-institution state university system, is striving to substantially increase the number of international students enrolled at the undergraduate and graduate levels. NDSU also serves people across the state through continuing education and extension programs. NDSU also participates in the Tri-College University consortium with neighboring Minnesota State University Moorhead and Concordia College.

The Community

Named one of the most desirable places in the country to live by Money magazine, Fargo is quickly earning a reputation as a great place to live. Located in the rich farmlands of the Red River Valley, the Fargo-Moorhead community has many qualities that contribute to this reputation, including highly-respected educational opportunities, advanced medical technology, a progressive business community, numerous cultural and arts opportunities, a clean environment and good-hearted friendly people.

Fargo ’s revitalized downtown has gained recent national publicity through such media outlets as the Los Angeles Times, The Today Show, National Public Radio and MSN.com. The reports describe an energetic, contemporary feel to many of the downtown’s trendy restaurants, nightlife and entertainment opportunities.

With more than 175,000 people in the community and about 500,000 people in the service area, Fargo-Moorhead is among the largest metropolitan centers between Minneapolis and Seattle and was recently named an All-American City. To learn more about what national publications are saying about the community’s quality of life, visit www.fmchamber.com/community/qualityoflife.html.