ABERDEEN, S.D. – The Northern State University School of Business has received a grant from the Aberdeen Area Community Foundation (AACF) to support “Growing the Future: A Student Symposium on Agribusiness,” which will be held Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

The grant was awarded through the AACF’s Aberdeen Energy-Agriculture Sub-Fund, created with funding from Advanced BioEnergy following the sale of its Aberdeen ethanol plant several years ago. The company established the charitable sub-fund to support agriculture in the Aberdeen area.

Dr. Dan Shannahan, Dr. Josh VanLaecken, Professor Candi Olson, Professor Lindsey Huber, and Dacotah Bank Dean Dr. Kristi Bockorny collaborated to apply for the grant, which will help fund the symposium and provide valuable experiential learning opportunities for students in Northern’s new agricultural business major.

“We are thankful for the financial support to help fund a student symposium for agricultural business,” said Dr. Kristi Bockorny, Dacotah Bank dean of the School of Business. “This is the first year of our agricultural business bachelor’s degree, and having the ability to promote agricultural business to high school and Northern students is a privilege the School of Business is looking forward to.”

For more information, contact Dr. Kristi Bockorny, Dacotah Bank dean of the School of Business, at kristi.bockorny@northern.edu.