Fargo native Bradford “Brad“ Freeman has established a $1.5 million scholarship endowment at NDSU in honor of his family’s legacy and connections to the university and the larger community.
The Freeman Family Legacy Scholarship fund will support students from North Dakota, Minnesota and international students who have solid academic credentials. Freeman scholarships will be available to first-year students and can be renewed for three years. The scholarship fund will be managed by the NDSU Foundation and Alumni Association and the university will administer the scholarship program.
“I am delighted to give back to NDSU and the Fargo community,” Freeman said. “Higher education has always been a priority in our family and establishing a scholarship fund at NDSU is an excellent way to repay the community where I grew up.”
The Freeman family came to Fargo in 1881, beginning a long connection to the city, the region’s business community and the university. Brad Freeman and his brother, Russell F. Freeman, grew up in Fargo. Their grandfather, Russell P. Freeman, attended NDSU in the late 1890s as did their father, Russell O. Freeman, in 1929. Russell F. Freeman received an honorary doctorate from NDSU in 2006.
“We are grateful for the Freeman family’s tremendous generosity to our students and for their support of NDSU’s mission,” NDSU President Dean L. Bresciani said. “The Freeman Family Legacy Scholarship will help talented students complete their studies, move on to successful careers and leave a lasting impact on our state, region and the world. NDSU’s top fundraising priority is investing in our students and we’re grateful that the Freemans have answered this call.”
Brad Freeman is the founding partner and co-chairman of Los Angeles-based Freeman Spogli & Co., a leading private equity firm managing investment funds totaling $4 billion. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics, with distinction, from Stanford University and his Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.
Russell F. Freeman is a former U.S. ambassador to Belize. Prior to entering the Department of State, he practiced law in Fargo for more than 32 years. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Grinnell College and his juris doctorate from Northwestern University School of Law. Russell and his wife, Susie Gallagher Freeman, have been active community members, serving on several civic boards in service to children and other causes. She is an NDSU graduate and a life trustee of the NDSU Foundation and Alumni Association.
“Access to higher education means a great deal to the Freeman family,” said John Glover, president and CEO of the NDSU Foundation and Alumni Association. “This investment will directly impact NDSU’s abilities to attract the kind of student that is extremely successful here. Overcoming financial barriers is a big challenge for prospective students and their families, and this scholarship will make a difference.”
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