ABERDEEN, S.D. – Northern State University President Dr. Tim Downs has been named the recipient of TRIO’s 2018 Friend of ASPIRE Award.

Downs, who was nominated by NSU’s TRIO Student Support Services, received the award at a banquet on Monday at a conference in Missoula, Mont.

One individual is recognized each year by ASPIRE, the regional professional association of TRIO programs that includes North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah.

In a nomination letter, NSU TRIO SSS Director Laci Hettick said Downs has been a true TRIO supporter since he first arrived on campus, viewing the program as a point of pride for Northern.

“He reaches out to us to gather information on our students’ achievements and our program’s high retention and graduation rates to make sure the NSU community recognizes the work we do and the barriers our students overcome,” Hettick wrote. “We are privileged to have a president who values the work we do every day and looks out for the needs of low income, first-generation, and students with disabilities.”

Hettick, along with NSU TRIO’s Becky Jensen and Krista Bau, presented at the Montana conference in a session titled “Growing a Mentoring Program while Growing Leaders.” To learn more, visit the ASPIRE conference webpage.

About Northern State University

Northern State University is a regional university that offers outstanding academics and exceptional extracurricular activities at an affordable price on a safe, welcoming campus. Northern State recently announced its Educational Impact Campaign, with a goal of raising $45 million for a new South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, new athletic and recreation fields, and an on-campus regional sports complex. Once the campaign is complete, NSU will be the recipient of more than $100 million in privately funded building projects and scholarships within a decade. To learn more, visit NSU Admissions.