ABERDEEN, S.D. — Northern State University is pleased to announce that Dr. Erin Fouberg has been named provost and vice president for academic affairs, effective May 11, 2026.

Fouberg has served as interim provost since December 2025 and brings deep institutional knowledge and a proven record of academic leadership to the role. She has served as associate vice president for academic affairs and director of graduate studies at Northern since 2019, leading comprehensive initiatives in graduate enrollment management, academic program development, innovation and institutional partnerships.

During her tenure, Fouberg helped grow degree-seeking graduate enrollment by 52 percent, launched multiple new degree programs, and secured more than $4 million in external grant funding — including serving as co-principal investigator on the Talent, Results, Opportunities and Innovations (TRIO) McNair Scholars Program, the only one of its kind in South Dakota, and the Northern Innovation and Startup Center. She also led Northern through multiple Higher Learning Commission accreditation processes, all approved without stipulations.

A faculty member at Northern since 2007, Fouberg previously served as director of the Honors Program for 10 years, growing active enrollment by 250 percent. Before joining Northern, she was a faculty member at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia for six years.

"As interim provost, Dr. Fouberg has demonstrated outstanding leadership of the academic affairs division through her work with the deans, chairs, faculty senate, and academic staff. Her focus on high-quality educational experiences and student success will continue to advance the entire academic enterprise at Northern. I look forward to working with her to continue strengthening the quality of the academic experience for our students," said Dr. Alan LaFave, president of Northern State University.

Beyond the classroom and academic affairs, Fouberg has been an active civic leader. She currently serves as an elected member of the Aberdeen City Council representing the Northeast District and serves on the boards of Avera St. Luke's Hospital, United Way of Northeastern South Dakota and the Pickerel Lake Conservancy, among others.

"I'm honored to work with Northern's exceptional faculty and staff, who care deeply about our students and are committed to helping them succeed. I'm energized by the opportunity to help President LaFave realize his vision for Northern. Together with the Aberdeen community, we can create more opportunities for students, strengthen our region, and prepare our graduates to lead and serve," said Fouberg.

The appointment follows a comprehensive national search process that included open forums with four finalists on campus. Faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members participated in the selection process.

Fouberg succeeds Dr. Mike K. Wanous, who retired after six years of dedicated service to Northern State University.

Fouberg brings a strong academic foundation to her new role. She earned her doctoral and master's degrees in geography from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and her bachelor's degree in foreign service from Georgetown University.