Daily News has received reports from multiple sources that ESPN has arrived in Wahpeton to continue covering the Ray Ruschel story.

Ruschel, a 49-year-old freshman on the North Dakota State College of Science football team, went viral after Daily News broke his story Sept. 8 in a piece titled “NDSCS nose guard Ray Ruschel tackles football at 49 years old,” leading to the defensive lineman appearing on Fox & Friends and ESPN College Gameday.

News of his unlikely return to the gridiron was shared by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Capital One Orange Bowl, Associated Press and Washington Post. Valley News Live posted a short interview with Ruschel on Twitter that gained over 325,000 views.

In addition to playing football, Ruschel works the graveyard shift at Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative and studies business management during the day. He is a U.S. Army veteran and active member of the Army National Guard.

The 1992 Trinity High School (PA.) graduate is a finalist for the Armed Forces Merit Award to be presented between 6-6:30 p.m. Nov. 11, Veterans Day, during an ESPN telecast.

Ruschel and the No. 3-ranked Wildcats (7-1) host Central Lakes (4-3) at 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the semifinal round of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference playoffs. NDSCS won the only meeting between the teams Oct. 1 in Wahpeton, 52-14.

Article written by Robert Wanek Jr for Wahpeton Daily News on October 28, 2022. 

North Dakota State College of Science is accepting applications for students interested in enrolling in the Practical Nursing program at NDSCS-Fargo. The deadline for submitting an application and all selection criteria is October 15, 2022.

The Practical Nursing Program at NDSCS-Fargo features flexible class offerings, including face-to-face evening nursing classes. Students will participate in lectures, labs, and a variety of clinical experiences. New students to the program will begin classes in January 2023.

Additional information about program dates and admission criteria can be found online at NDSCS.edu/Fargo-Nursing.

Enrollment at North Dakota State College of Science has risen to 2,942 for the fall semester of 2022. This is an increase of 140 students or 5% when compared to last year’s headcount of 2,802.  The official headcount is taken on the 20^th instructional day each semester. 

NDSCS President, Dr. Rod Flanigan attributes the enrollment growth to the continued awareness of the high-quality technical education and transfer programs available at NDSCS. “Students and employers alike recognize that great careers are available for our highly skilled graduates. This is demonstrated by our enrollment increase and a 97% placement rating,” said Flanigan.

The 2022 NDSCS student body includes 1,514 full-time students and 1,428 part-time students.  Students residing in an on-campus residence hall or a campus apartment increased to 909, an increase of 4.6% when compared to last fall.  “This is very encouraging” Flanigan stated, “While we have multiple remote options available for those that desire them, residing on campus allows students to have a full collegiate experience while learning in our world-class facilities.” 

A total of 1,428 students take the majority of their classes at NDSCS-Wahpeton, while 259 take most of their classes at NDSCS-Fargo, and 197 are fully online. Early entry enrollments, also known as dual credit, have grown to 1,058, the highest number of dual credit students in the history of NDSCS. 

The enrollment data shows that NDSCS continues to do an exemplary job of serving North Dakota. The total number of students from North Dakota is 2,119, which comprises 72% of the student body. Minnesota students comprise 22.5% of the student body with the remainder drawn from 30 other states and 3 foreign countries.  NDSCS enrolls students from 48 of the state’s 53 counties.

North Dakota State College of Science fall semester classes will begin Monday, August 22 at 4 p.m. for all students in Wahpeton, Fargo and online. Students who are not yet enrolled for Fall semester can still do so by contacting the Admission office at 701-671-2521.

Opening weekend events in Wahpeton will kick off on Saturday, August 20 when residence halls open for student move-in at 10 a.m. Welcome Week, an annual series of events designed to help students connect to the College community and establish positive and healthy habits, will take place from August 20-27 and will include outdoor evening activities for new and returning students.

These events will include:
• Saturday, August 20, 9 - 11 p.m. – Outdoor Movie on The Oval
• Sunday, August 21, 4 – 7 p.m. – Community Block Party (community is invited, learn more at NDSCS.edu/Block-Party)
                                  9 p.m. – 12 a.m. – Street Dance in Lot 2 north of Old Main with music provided by a D.J.
• Monday, August 22, 7 - 10 p.m. – Glow Games on The Oval with music provided by a D.J.
• Wednesday, August 24, 8 – 10 p.m. – Karaoke and Open Mic Night on The Oval
• Thursday, August 25, 9 p.m. – 12 a.m. – Street Dance in Lot 2 north of Old Main with music provided by a D.J.
• Friday, August 26, 7 – 10 p.m. – Laser Tag on The Oval with music provided by a D.J.

Funds are now available through Train ND, a division of North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS), to assist North Dakota businesses with costs associated with creating a new or expanded registered apprenticeship programs. Employers are encouraged to visit NDSCS.edu/Apprenticeship to learn more about funding and other support. Funds are available for developing a new apprenticeship model or expanding an existing apprenticeship program to a new industry sector or occupation, population, or meeting needs in a different region or location; these funds were obtained through the Apprenticeship Expansion Grant.

In recent years, governors and state legislatures have recognized apprenticeships as an effective strategy for meeting the needs of businesses, keeping up with a rapidly changing economy, building a skilled workforce, and accelerating growth that leads to economic opportunity for workers and families.

NDSCS Apprenticeship ND Manager, Brian Fuder said, “Expanding apprenticeships will help individuals gain the skills necessary to fill vacancies and help employers find skilled workers more readily. At NDSCS we are here to help and we encourage businesses and industry partners that are considering implementing apprenticeships to reach out for assistance.”