NEWS

ABERDEEN, S.D. — The South Dakota Board of Regents announced today the appointment of Dr. Alan LaFave as Northern State University's next president. Northern is pleased to welcome Dr. LaFave, who will assume the presidency in January.

Dr. LaFave returns to Northern after serving seven years as president of Valley City State University in North Dakota. His appointment marks a homecoming, as Dr. LaFave spent nearly three decades at Northern, advancing from music instructor to provost and vice president for academic affairs.

"I am thrilled, honored and…

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Northern State University bands will present “Discovery” at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16, in the Johnson Fine Arts Center’s Jewett Theater.

The concert will feature performances by the Symphonic Band, directed by Dr. Audrey Miller, and the Concert Band, directed by Dr. Travis Netzer. The Symphonic Band will perform works by David Maslanka, Eric Whitacre, Erika Svanoe and John Mackey. The Concert Band will perform works by Richard Strauss, Julius Fucik, Claude Debussy, Steve Danyew and Randall Standridge.

All tickets are general admission and…

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Five students and student groups will compete for cash prizes as they pitch their business ideas Shark Tank-style at Northern State University’s annual Idea Pitch Competition, taking place Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. in the Johnson Fine Arts Center Black Box Theater.

The event, which is free and open to the public, showcases innovative ideas from Northern students and provides an opportunity for the audience to help select the winners of the People’s Choice Award, worth $150.

The finalists and their ideas are:

• Blake…

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Dr. Lucas Wiscons, assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice at Northern State University, recently presented at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) South Dakota Conference, held Oct. 16–17 in Huron, S.D.

His presentation, “Justice or Trauma? How Systems of Punishment Create Wounds in People and Communities,” drew from his forthcoming book project and examines how America’s criminal justice system has become the default responder to mental health crises—often with counterproductive results.

…

ABERDEEN, S.D. – The Aberdeen University-Civic Symphony invites the public to a concert steeped in sweeping Romantic beauty at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 22 at Northern State University’s Johnson Fine Arts Center Jewett Theater.

Christopher Stanichar, director of the AUCS and NSU associate professor of music, will lead the orchestra. The concert, titled “Autumn Romance,” features the dreamy elegance of Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake,” along with one of the most beloved piano concertos ever written: Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18.…

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Northern State University will welcome four presidential finalists to campus Nov. 5-6, following today's announcement by the South Dakota Board of Regents.

The finalists are:

• Dr. Amy Clark
• Dr. Alan LaFave
• Dr. Erin Fouberg
• Dr. Matt Seimears

Faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members will have the opportunity to meet with each candidate…

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…

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Northern State University has joined the South Dakota IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (SD INBRE), a statewide research consortium funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

New this academic year (2025–26), Northern is serving as a partner institution in the program, which supports undergraduate research and strengthens biomedical and behavioral science education across South Dakota.

As part of this partnership, three Northern students are conducting funded research projects alongside two faculty mentors:…

ABERDEEN, S.D. – In 1901, Northern State University opened its doors with a promise: if you had the desire to teach, you had a place here. That promise continues today through the Millicent Atkins 1901 Scholarship Program, which was redesigned in Fall 2024 and will introduce a new tiered model beginning in Fall 2026.

Rooted in Northern's proud tradition of preparing teachers, this scholarship honors future educators by providing all Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education majors with at least $1,901 per year, while rewarding academic excellence with…

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Northern State University announced the retirement of Dr. Michael Wanous, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Wanous joined Northern in July 2019 and has provided more than six years of service to the university, with oversight of academic programs, faculty development, and institutional accreditation. Wanous' retirement will be effective in December 2025.

"Dr. Wanous has been an exceptional academic leader whose commitment to academic excellence and student success has greatly benefited Northern State University," said Nichols. "We…