ABERDEEN, S.D. — Northern State University invites the public to celebrate the opening of its new Business and Health Innovation Center with a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house on Thursday, April 30, 2026. Doors open at 3:30 p.m., with the ribbon cutting ceremony taking place at 4 p.m. The event will conclude at 5 p.m.

The Business and Health Innovation Center is the new home for NSU's School of Business and the College of Arts and Sciences' new Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Inside, the building features advanced collaborative classrooms, the Avera Nursing Simulation Center, and dedicated spaces designed to bridge classroom learning with real-world professional experience.

The building also houses the Northern Innovation and Startup Center, a dedicated resource for entrepreneurship and regional economic development, supported by Dacotah Bank.

The facility was made possible in part through $29.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds and a $1.5 million state appropriation, reflecting a significant investment from federal and state partners in the region's workforce and economic future.

"This new facility significantly enhances student success by providing the latest in technology, simulation labs, creative innovation spaces and adaptable classroom environments that prepare our business and nursing students to move seamlessly and successfully into the workforce," said Dr. Alan LaFave, president of Northern State University. "The large, welcoming foyer and student study spaces have already proven to be gathering places for campus events and meaningful student and faculty interaction."

The ribbon cutting and open house are free and open to the public. The Business and Health Innovation Center is located at the corner of 12th Avenue SE and South Washington Street on the Northern State University campus in Aberdeen.