NSU logo next to portrait of commencement speaker, Nichole Bowman

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Northern State University alumna Nichole Bowman, winner of a prestigious national teaching award, will deliver the commencement address at Northern’s 2023 Spring Commencement.

The ceremony is set for 10 a.m. Saturday, May 6, 2023, in the NSU Barnett Center.

Bowman, who teaches math at T.F. Riggs High School in Pierre, was one of only about 60 teachers nationwide to win the 2022 Milken Educator Award, which is considered the "Oscar of teaching."

Originally from Armour, S.D., Bowman graduated from Northern in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education for Mathematics. She was very involved with the music department, and she also met her husband, Brooks Bowman, a music education major, at Northern. They have three children: Gracie, Bryce and Kameryn.

Bowman has been teaching for 16 years and has spent most of her teaching career at the middle school level, in Rapid City, Kimball, and Pierre, S.D. She teaches each of her classes with the belief that all students deserve grade-level content.

If she isn’t in the classroom working to inspire, Bowman can be found supporting her students and her children in sports, the fine arts, and in the community.

For more information about Northern’s upcoming commencement ceremony, visit NSU Spring Graduation and Commencement.

About Northern State University  

Northern State University is a student-centered institution that provides an outstanding educational experience, preparing students through the liberal arts and professional education for their future endeavors. A regional university, Northern offers rigorous academics; diverse civic, social and cultural opportunities; and a commitment to building an inclusive environment for all points of view. Northern also offers a broad-based athletics program, sponsoring 15 NCAA Division II intercollegiate varsity sports that compete in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NSIC). The university strives to enrich the community through partnerships such as its Educational Impact Campaign, which opened a new South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired; new athletic and recreation fields; and an on-campus regional sports complex. With the $55 million campaign, NSU has been the recipient of more than $150 million in privately funded building projects and scholarships within a decade. To learn more, visit NSU Admissions.