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President John Richman announces his retirement after 35 years at NDSCS

North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) President Dr. John Richman announced his retirement to the College community today - effective December 17, 2021.

“After 42 years in higher education, and 35 years of that spent at NDSCS, it feels like the right time to retire. I am very thankful to have spent the majority of my career at NDSCS and could not be prouder of the mission-focused institution it is today. It is the dedicated people and their commitment to our students which makes the College a special place, and I look forward to watching NDSCS thrive into the future,” said Richman.

Richman first came to NDSCS as a student in the early 1970s. He returned in 1986 as the Head Football Coach and through the years has been an instructor in the Health, Physical Education and Recreation Department, the Director of Athletics, and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs. Richman then served as interim President for one year and was appointed the ninth president by the State Board of Higher Education in February of 2007.

During his time at NDSCS, Richman has led the College through innovative and purposeful change, enabling NDSCS to be recognized as one of the premier two-year colleges in the U.S. Notably, he facilitated NDSCS’s high performance and strong student outcomes by implementing initiatives to expand access to Career and Technical Education to high schools, improving the College’s fiscal position through budget alignment and increasing the NDSCS Alumni Foundation’s endowment to $28 million, diversifying workforce training opportunities, creating efficient and affordable career pathways for students while simultaneously striving to meet the workforce needs of North Dakota and the region, and advancing capital improvements to enhance the learning spaces at both NDSCS locations.

North Dakota University System Chancellor Mark R. Hagerott commented on his long-lasting and impactful leadership “Dr. Richman has served NDSCS in multiple roles for decades, and as President with unparalleled energy and dedication for close to 15 years. We wish him and Marcia the very best as they embark on the next phase of life's journey."

Richman has been a dedicated collaborator and an advocate of giving back. He has served many local, regional, national organizations, including as a Trustee for the Higher Learning Commission, several years on the United Way of Richland and Wilkin, and later the Richland Wilkin Community Foundation board, the National Coalition of Certification Center (NC3) board, and being active with the Wahpeton Community and Fargo-Moorhead Economic Development Corporations.

His outstanding leadership has been recognized several times, in 2016 he was presented with the NASPA Region IV-West Presidential Excellence Award for continually demonstrating his passion and commitment to supporting students' success; he was named a Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) Distinguished Alumnus in 2009; received the Associated Equipment Distributors Founders award in 2011 and the NC3 Founders award in 2016, and has been inducted into both the NDSCS and MSUM Athletic Halls of Fame.

For a full biography and photo visit: www.ndscs.edu/President

North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) is accepting applications for students interested in obtaining a certificate in Meat Processing, a new program, beginning Fall 2021. Students who enroll in the Meat Processing certificate program at NDSCS will have the gain skills and techniques needed for this high-demand career field.

This responsive and innovative program is a partnership between NDSCS and North Dakota State University (NDSU). Students will enroll at NDSCS and take 15 credits one semester, then spend the first 8 weeks of the following semester being trained at the NDSU Meats Laboratory and finish the semester with an internship at a small meat processing facility and/or retail stores.

“The long-term goal of this project is to increase the availability of new workers for local, retail, and small-scale meat processors by educating students through this collaborative certificate program” said Agriculture Department Chair Craig Zimprich. “Small meat processors are a vital link in the food supply and allow farmers, ranchers, and livestock producers to retain a greater portion of the live animals value locally.”

This work is supported by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative – Education and Workforce Development program, award number 2021-67037-34169, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Additional information about the program and how to enroll can be found online at NDSCS.edu/Ag.

North Dakota State College of Science is accepting applications for students interested in obtaining a certificate in Autonomous Systems Technology (AST). This new innovative program will start enrolling students for Fall 2021. The NDSCS AST program is one of the first of its kind in the nation.

Ground-based autonomous systems typically operate without human control and are designed to increase efficiency and safety. “Graduates with an AST certificate will have the knowledge and skills to go right into a career in the various industries that are using these systems” said AST Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor Lonnie Wurst. “Various industries are starting to utilize these systems, including agriculture, transportation, manufacturing, and national defense. This technology is evolving quickly, and we anticipate our graduates will be in high-demand for many years to come."

Students are able to earn a certificate in AST while simultaneously working toward a degree or certificate in another NDSCS academic program option. Additional information about the program and how to enroll can be found online at NDSCS.edu/AST.