ABERDEEN, S.D. — Northern State University marked a significant milestone Thursday, April 30, with the official ribbon cutting of its new Business and Health Innovation Center, a facility designed to prepare students for in-demand careers and strengthen workforce and economic development across the region.

During the ceremony, university President Dr. Alan LaFave reflected on the transformation of campus facilities over the past decade, highlighting new residence halls, renovated and newly constructed academic buildings, and expanded athletic facilities.

"All of these things together make Northern a jewel in the crown not only of northeast South Dakota, but of all regional public institutions across the United States," he said. "I'm still amazed every single time I walk into this particular facility, imagining all the unbelievable experiences our students are having in the labs, in the classrooms, meeting with their professors and in the spaces where they're connecting with one another."

He emphasized the collaborative effort behind the project, noting that "many hands touched this project, and a lot of people believed in this project long before it became a reality," and expressed gratitude to legislators, donors, builders and partners who made the vision possible.

"You should all be very proud," LaFave said. "We certainly are."

The Business and Health Innovation Center is home to NSU's School of Business and the College of Arts and Sciences' nursing program. The facility features modern classrooms, flexible learning spaces and cutting-edge technology designed with collaboration and real-world application in mind.

The building also houses the Northern Innovation and Startup Center, a hub for entrepreneurship and regional economic development created through a partnership between the university and the Aberdeen Development Corporation.

The School of Business is looking to the future, both with the new building and with its academic offerings. Faculty, staff and business leaders help evaluate and reimagine what degrees and programs are needed to prepare students for careers in business, said Kristi Bockorny, Dacotah Bank dean of the School of Business. Today, the School of Business offers two associate degrees, nine bachelor's degrees and three master's degrees, with a Bachelor of Science in analytics being added in fall 2026.

"I want to thank all the individuals and organizations that helped make this building a reality," Bockorny said. "So many individuals advocated for this building through various means, and I thank you. For the School of Business to have a home on this campus means so much."

Dacotah Bank has been among Northern's most significant supporters. Robert Fouberg, chairman and chief executive officer of Dacotah Bank, spoke to the broader regional impact of the university and the new facility.

"Northern is important to Aberdeen and northeast South Dakota," Fouberg said. "It offers great jobs, undergraduate and graduate education, and cultural and athletic opportunities. We have alumni who own and operate hundreds of small and large businesses throughout this region that really are the heartbeat of a thriving economy. This facility and the business, health and innovation programs that are housed here directly connect Northern to the business community and to industry, inspiring innovation — whether through new companies, research that addresses industry challenges or solutions tailored to rural communities."

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.

The Avera Nursing Simulation Center, created in partnership with Avera Health, provides nursing students with immersive, hands-on training experiences that mirror real clinical settings.

"Our founders, the Presentation Sisters, started the very first nursing school in Aberdeen in 1908," said Dan Bjerknes, Avera St. Luke's regional president and chief executive officer. "Given that this community has helped train and support nurses for more than a century, we're thrilled that NSU has stepped up to continue the legacy of developing highly skilled nurses right in our community. These nurses will train in the state-of-the-art Avera Simulation Center and then many of them will live and work here for years to come."

Northern State University announced the launch of its Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in December 2023, followed by the hiring of Dr. Lyncee Monson as associate dean of nursing in early 2024.

"At that point, all I had was 11 nursing students and myself," Monson said. "Most of those 11 nursing students had other plans. They were planning to go to other state schools to finish their program because there was not a program here. Two years later, NSU nursing is now a department of 12 faculty and staff, 115 pre-nursing and nursing students, and 40 planned incoming freshmen. Our inaugural BSN cohort began in fall 2025, and this spring, we welcomed our second cohort in this very building. We are so excited by a rapid, record-breaking interest in NSU nursing. Over the past two years, nursing has received more applications than any other degree program here at Northern. It's proof that this is precisely where our healthcare leaders want to be."

The ribbon cutting ceremony drew campus leaders, state officials, community members and partners, all celebrating a facility that will serve as a cornerstone for innovation, education and opportunity for years to come.