ABERDEEN, S.D. – Kessler’s grocery store knows how important Northern State University is to the community – that’s why the longtime local business decided to give a gift to the Educational Impact Campaign.
The Kessler’s gift will support the NSU Regional Sports Complex and Athletic and Recreation Fields project, said Reed Kessler.
“Northern State University is vital to the continued growth and development of our community,” Kessler said. “When Northern does well – it creates a ripple effect to the rest of us.”
Kessler said the business has always had a great relationship with Northern.
“We employ several NSU students in our store,” he said. “We are always excited for the fall to welcome our student employees back after summer break. Some of those students have stayed with us long after graduation and have found permanent jobs with Kessler’s.”
Longtime Employee Started as NSU Student
One great example: Tim William, who started working at Kessler’s as a bagger while a student at NSU. He was quickly promoted into a supervisor position on the floor.
“He completed an internship in the business office and after graduation, he was hired in our accounting department,” Kessler said. “Twenty-one years later Tim is still employed with Kessler’s and we couldn’t be happier!”
Kessler said Northern brings back years of memories from his own childhood up to today.
“Fall football games at Swisher, basketball games at Wachs and the Gypsy Day Parade are just a few of my favorite memories,” he said. “It’s even more fun watching my own children light up with excitement when we attend activities today. NSU has established great traditions over the years and I’m excited to pass them down to my family.”
Being a local business comes with challenges, Kessler said, but supporting the growth of organizations such as Northern State University can help you overcome those.
NSU Brings New Customers, Larger Employee Pool
“NSU brings us new customers year after year and also brings us a larger more qualified employee pool,” he said. “We are lucky to have such a strong education system in our backyard.”
NSU President Dr. Tim Downs expressed gratitude to Kessler’s for the generous gift.
“Kessler’s is a phenomenal community partner, and we’re so thankful for the support,” Downs said. “We’ve been very fortunate to have such a strong commitment from around the region, and we’re thrilled that our stakeholders believe in our vision and are committed to seeing this campaign completed.”
The $55 million Educational Impact Campaign also includes a new South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Fundraising for the campaign is ongoing. For more information, contact the NSU Foundation at nsualumni@northern.edu or 605-626-2550. To learn more about campus improvement projects, visit NSU Master Plan.
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 $55 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.