At 83 years old, Ronald Meland finally walked across the commencement stage at Northern State University — more than six decades after first attending the institution then known as Northern State Teachers College.

Meland received a Bachelor of Science in mathematics during Northern’s May 9, 2026 commencement ceremony, closing a chapter that began in the early 1960s when he left college to enlist in the U.S. Navy.

What began as a simple request from his daughter, Karleen McLain, for an honorary diploma or yearbook recognizing his time at Northern as a surprise Father’s Day present ultimately led to a remarkable discovery.

After McLain contacted the university, Northern Registrar Amy Beaner reviewed the Honorary Diploma policy.

“While Ronald did not fit the criteria for this type of diploma, I thought there was a chance that he may have earned enough credits for an Associate’s Degree,” Beaner said. “I requested a meeting with outgoing Dean Alyssa Kiesow and interim Dean Elizabeth Haller. The three of us audited his transcript, based on the 1961 course catalog, and we discovered that he was nearly finished with the degree when he was deployed to Vietnam. With credit for his military service, he had earned a full Bachelor’s degree.”

A whirlwind followed, as McLain accepted a military honor cord on Meland’s behalf on May 6 and met South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden, who presented a token of appreciation in his role as commander-in-chief of the South Dakota National Guard.

A flight was quickly booked for Meland, who now lives in Arizona, so he could attend the spring commencement ceremony and receive his diploma. There was also the matter of letting Meland know any of this was happening.

“My wife says it was the first time she’s ever seen me speechless,” Meland said. “Then I thought it was a scam. Then I said, ‘There’s no way that could be. How can they do that?’ And then I got emotional, a little teary. Then appreciation for my daughter. It just went through the cycle. It must have been an hour, just cycling from one emotion to another.”

Though still processing the experience, Meland said the moment left him feeling humbled.

“I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “But then I met all these people at Northern who were involved with it.”

Meland has always been a smart guy who didn’t focus on small details like wearing like-colored socks or matching shoes as he was too busy thinking how to solve the mysteries of the world, said his wife Kathy Meland.

“Ron has always been the sorta ‘nerd’ in the family liking to read books on quantum physics rather than a good mystery novel,” she wrote. “He would help his kids with their home work only to show them 16 ways to solve a math question, confusing them even more. …

“I can honestly say that I have very seldom seen Ron speechless, but you all managed to make that happen and for several days,” she continued. “He still says it seems like a dream that after all these years the lost dream of not finishing college and graduating is now a dream come true.”

Kathy said she had never experienced the kind of kindness and genuine caring they all felt from the college staff and students.

“I must commend the graduates who were genuinely happy for this 83-year-old man who was realizing a goal and a dream from so many years ago,” she said.

For years, Meland said not finishing his degree remained a sore spot.

“As you go through life you have to fill out certain documents, and they ask how much education you have,” he said. “It’s high school, some college and a degree. I always felt bad when I had to check ‘Some College.’ Now I can check ‘Degree.’”

 Meland grew up on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation and arrived at Northern hoping to become a high school or college mathematics teacher.

“I enjoyed school so much,” he said. “School was safe, and it was nice. I was really good at it. So I said, ‘I want to stay there. I want to stay in education.’”

Life at Northern was a dramatic change from what he experienced growing up.

“So I’m here about two years, and finally living in a place that’s got indoor plumbing — I never had that before in high school,” he said. “The rooms were warm when I woke up. There was not snow on my blankets.”

Yet, something felt off about the track he was on, and Meland, inspired by stories from his uncles and father about world travel in the military, joined the Navy as the Vietnam War was heating up.

“I thought I was gaining some liberty, and I wasn’t,” he said with a laugh while reflecting on Navy life. “You had to do what they told you. You didn’t have a choice.”

Meland said he loved serving in the Navy, but left military life after marrying and starting a family. He later built a successful career in the nuclear power generation industry, working as a project manager and engineer — skills he credited in part to the education he received at Northern.

“That education helped me all through life,” he said.

Meland retired in 2008, only to be called back repeatedly for additional projects before finally retiring again in 2013. Today, he and his wife live in Surprise, Arizona, where he took up golf at age 77.

Even after leaving Northern, memories from his time on campus stayed with him. He recalled living on campus during the February 1961 Central Hall fire, when students and faculty scrambled to find temporary classroom space.

“Some of the temporary classrooms were so small that we had to sit on the floor,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

He also fondly remembered joining Moccasin Tracks, Northern’s Native American student organization.

“When I came to Northern, I didn’t know anybody except for the Indians who were on the reservation because I grew up there,” he said. “I remember being the white guy in that group.”

For McLain, helping her father finally earn his degree became an emotional family milestone.

“Life happens and he met my mom, then marriage and kids came along and he put our needs before his,” she wrote in a Facebook post. “I am speechless and in awe, what a blessing this day is. Congratulations Dad on your accomplishments in life. I am a very proud daughter today and always.”

Meland thanked his daughter for what he called an unforgettable surprise.

“What started as a request for a certificate turned into being honored by the VA, the governor of South Dakota, and a full-blown Bachelor of Science in Mathematics,” he wrote. “Now it is time to revise my resume.”