FARGO, N.D. – The North Dakota State Board of Higher Education has officially named Dr. Marshall Stewart as the university's 16th president. The announcement, made during a lively press conference on Monday, follows a rigorous month-long search process that considered over 60 candidates from across the country.
Kevin Black, Chair of the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education, introduced Stewart as a leader who perfectly aligns with NDSU’s mission of student success and regional partnership. “We need someone who understands how to put student success first and foremost... and to build great partnerships across the state,” Black stated.
A Vision for Growth and Excellence
Dr. Stewart, who most recently served as a senior leader at Kansas State University and previously held roles at the University of Missouri and North Carolina State University, accepted the position with a call for collective action. Emphasizing a collaborative philosophy, Stewart told the crowd, “It’s not me, it’s we. Whether it be in the academic side of the house, the athletic side... we’re going to be working on this together”.
His vision for NDSU is centered on achieving "preeminent land-grant" status by chasing excellence every day. Stewart highlighted several ambitious goals for his tenure:
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Enrollment Expansion: Stewart aims to grow NDSU’s enrollment to between 15,000 and 18,000 "learners". This plan includes a target of 15,000 students on campus and an additional 3,000 to 5,000 through a modernized online learning platform.
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Retention Revolution: Addressing the university’s current retention rate in the low 70s, Stewart set a goal to move that figure above 90% within the next three to five years. “It’s always easier to keep a customer than it is to get a new one,” he remarked.
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The Three I’s: To differentiate the NDSU student experience, Stewart plans to focus on three pillars: Involvement in campus life, Internships to drive the state’s economy, and International experiences to prepare students for a global economy.
Strengthening the Land-Grant Mission
As a career-long advocate for the land-grant model, Stewart spoke passionately about the role of NDSU Extension. He described extension as the “third leg” of the university’s mission, essential for touching the lives of all 800,000 North Dakotans, whether they ever step foot on campus or not.
“If we're doing our job as a land-grant, we're touching their life,” Stewart said. He intends to open the university’s vast talent pool to communities across the state to drive innovation in agriculture, healthcare, and technology.
Athletics and Affordability
The new president also addressed the shifting landscape of collegiate athletics, expressing his firm support for NDSU’s recent move to the Mountain West Conference. While acknowledging the importance of the "Bison family" brand, Stewart stressed the need to balance athletic success with student affordability. He pledged to work with student leaders and donors to ensure that rising costs do not become a barrier to education.
A New "Adopted Son"
Originally from North Carolina, Stewart joked that while he might never be a "native son" of North Dakota, he is eager to be a "good adopted son". He and his wife, Jan, expressed their excitement about joining the Fargo-Moorhead community and investing in the state’s future.
“This is North Dakota State University, and we're going to make it the best land-grant university in the country that we could ever imagine,” Stewart concluded.