With Scott Hennen still exploring Norway, guest host Greg Steeman wraps up his week in the driver’s seat with a deep dive into the institutions that define North Dakota. The episode kicks off with an exclusive interview with the incoming President of North Dakota State University, Marshall Stewart, who shares his vision for a “modernized” land-grant mission and the university’s high-stakes move to the Mountain West Conference.
The conversation then shifts to the state’s financial engine, exploring how the Retirement Investment Office and the North Dakota Growth Fund are turning oil wealth into long-term economic stability. Finally, the show tackles the upcoming June primary with Secretary of State Michael Howe, breaking down critical changes to mail-in voting laws and the newly approved “Measure 3” regarding school lunch funding.
Standout Moments & Timestamps
00:01:45 – A Land-Grant Legacy: NDSU’s New President Marshall Stewart makes his debut ahead of his May 26th start date. He discusses his roots in rural North Carolina and why he believes NDSU’s student body is actually all 800,000+ residents of North Dakota.
00:07:11 – The Athletics “Elephant in the Room” President Stewart addresses the angst surrounding NDSU’s move to the Mountain West. He frames it as a “championship thought process” necessary to keep the university relevant on a national stage while utilizing private donor dollars.
00:13:35 – Turning Oil into Infinite Earnings Jody Smith of the Retirement Investment Office reveals staggering growth: the Legacy Fund has surged from $6 billion in 2017 to over $14 billion today, generating $2.5 billion in investment earnings this past year alone.
00:17:50 – Betting on Local Founders Cody First from 50 South Capital explains how the North Dakota Growth Fund has invested $125 million into 25 local companies, supporting 1,500 jobs and generating nearly a billion dollars in revenue in 2025.
00:22:15 – The “Rainy Day” Myth A clarification on state finances: Jody Smith explains why the Legacy Fund isn’t a “rainy day fund” (that’s the Budget Stabilization Fund) and breaks down the rolling five-year average used to provide property tax relief.
00:33:45 – The Childhood Care Crisis Deputy Director Emily O’Brien discusses the $199 million Rural Health Transformation Grant, highlighting innovative plans to put daycares inside critical access hospitals to solve rural workforce shortages.
00:36:20 – 26 Days Until the Polls Open Secretary of State Michael Howe delivers a masterclass on North Dakota election integrity, emphasizing that while voter turnout for primaries often hovers at a dismal 20%, these June 9th races are the only ones that actually decide your local property taxes.
00:41:00 – No More Postmark Grace Period A critical update for mail-in voters: Howe explains the new law requiring all mail ballots to be physically in the hands of officials by the time polls close on election day—the “postmarked-by” rule is officially gone.