Graduate Student Ambassador Program
The NDSU Graduate Student Ambassador Program is designed to allow new or prospective students to connect with current graduate students. Our Graduate Student Ambassadors are proud Bison who are connected to their campus and community and want to help new and prospective students learn more about how great it is to study at NDSU. In addition to fostering positive relationships with students on campus, ambassadors travel to conferences and events representing North Dakota State University. Listed below are our current ambassadors.
To contact the ambassadors, email ndsu.gsa@ndsu.edu. If you would like to reach out to a specific ambassador, make sure to address the email to their name in the body of the email or you can include their name in the subject line. If you are interested in becoming a Graduate Student Ambassador please contact the Graduate School at ndsu.grad.school@ndsu.edu.
Ruchi Joshi Bhardwaj
My name is Ruchi Joshi Bhardwaj. I am from New Delhi, India and I am currently a Ph.D. candidate in Environmental and Conservation Sciences graduate program at NDSU. I am also a licensed operator at the Moorhead (Minnesota) drinking water treatment plant. Besides school and work, I am actively involved in the Fargo-Moorhead community with multiple organizations pertaining to education, outreach activities, interfaith, and charity. Since I received both my undergraduate and master's degree from NDSU itself, I am very familiar with the community and school. So, if there is anything (housing, graduate programs, recreational activities, adviser issues, stress, homesickness, etc.) that I could help you with, please do not hesitate to contact me. It will be an honor for me to be of help.
Autumn Kraft
My name is Autumn Kraft and I am a doctoral candidate in the Molecular Pathogenesis program within the department of Microbiological Sciences. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from NDSU in 2015 and have been pursuing my doctoral degree since. I have had experience both as a research and teaching assistant in the Microbiological Sciences department. My main research focus is food safety surrounding leafy greens, specifically, how to prevent and control contamination from pathogens such as Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli and Salmonella. For the past two years, I have been an instructor of an introductory microbiology class for non-micro majors.
I have lived in Fargo, ND my entire life and am very connected to this community. NDSU has been a large part of my life since childhood due to family connections, and I have always worked to be involved in the campus community and share my passions with others. In my free-time, I enjoy playing video games, reading horror novels, and listening to true crime podcasts.
Anusha Inugurthi
My name is Anusha Inugurthi and I am a master’s student in Computer Science. Originally from Hyderabad, India I have had the good fortune to work for the second largest Bank in India for a few years and help to create data driven solutions working with Bank’s internal database servers with the use of querying language - PL SQL. I have done a couple of projects in data science at NDSU on stock market prediction using Twitter analysis and churn analysis with the help of machine learning and TensorFlow concepts. My main research interest is in the area of precision agriculture, helping farmers improve the productivity of the crop and mitigate waste to better contribute to the country’s economy using artificial intelligence. Apart from my professional life, I enjoy shopping, cooking, and blogging. I live with my family in South Fargo. I like attending cultural events held in Fargo.
I believe the basic principles of trust, respect, personal integrity, and commitment are life’s fundamental tenets. I exemplify the concept of “bloom where you’re planted,” and my journey from India to Fargo has enabled me to truly understand the challenges and rewards associated with the relocation process. Simply put, I am equipped to assist new students to deal with homesickness, adaptation, culture shocks, and academic guidance. It is my intent, desire, and promise to help students have a positive experience and have great success at NDSU.