North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) announced today that it has earned the 2022-2023 Military Friendly® School designation.

Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. Methodology, criteria and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in higher education. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer) and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.

More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2022-2023 survey, with 665 earning the designation. The 2022-2023 Military Friendly® Schools list will be published in the May issue of the G.I. Jobs magazine, and can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com/schools.

NDSCS offers a variety of online courses and programs to provide an educational opportunity to those who are placebound or timebound and cannot attend traditional classes. These courses and programs also provide an opportunity for current and former members of the military to enhance their education or seek new skills. To find out more about specific military programs that may provide educational information and financial support visit www.ndscs.edu/military.

NDSCS’s VA Certifying Official, Mike Paolini, stated, “Receiving this designation illustrates NDSCS’s continued commitment to our military student population. With this population continuing to grow, it’s important for us to stay focused on their needs and provide them with the resources to be successful at NDSCS.”

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.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded approximately $1.4 million in grant funding to the North Dakota State College of Science, which will impact students interested in STEM careers. The grant is poised to help address retention, graduation, and engagement of students by providing financial, academic, and professional success support which is personalized to each scholarship student.

NDSCS President Rod Flanigan praised the scholarship for the positive impact it will have on students. “NDSCS continues a dedicated focus on student success, ensuring students have the tools necessary to excel in the workforce. Thank you to those at NDSCS who had the vision and passion to dedicate toward this grant. Your continued dedication on student-centric initiatives like this NSF grant make NDSCS a special place for students to learn and grow. What an amazing opportunity to support students and amplify STEM careers in North Dakota and our region. NDSCS is honored to carry out the mission of this grant.“

The Science of Success STEM Scholarship Program will provide scholarships up to $10,000 per year to a minimum of 70 students who are pursuing associates degrees in 11 career and technical programs, and five Liberal Arts Transfer Programs.

“The uniqueness of the scholarship program is our emphasis on supporting CTE students and forming learning cohorts comprised of CTE and Liberal Arts students based on the theme of developing STEM awareness,” said Dr. William Shay, Professor of Chemistry and Physics at NDSCS, and manager of the grant. This grant aims to bolster the statewide and regional in-demand workforce by graduating students who not only possess the technical skills required by industry and universities but will also possess the career-ready skills critical for professional success and understand the importance of their profession to the STEM community.

This is not the first grant from the NSF to NDSCS. The previous S-STEM award provided scholarships from $1,000 to $10,000 per academic year to 88 students during the funding period: 82 students enrolled in Career and Technical Programs, and 6 students enrolled in Liberal Arts Transfer Programs. According to Shay, “Success was documented by retention rates, graduation rates, and academic achievement. The retention rate for first-year scholarship students was 82% with a three-year graduation rate of 67%.”

The project is funded by NSF’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program, which seeks to increase the number of academically talented students with demonstrated financial need who earn degrees in STEM fields.

Scholarship-eligible academic programs include:

• Career and Technical Programs: Architectural Modeling & Design Technology, Electrical Technology, Electrical Master Technician, Industrial Electrical, Information & Communication Technology, Web Developer, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, Land Surveying and Estimating Technology, Precision Machining Technology, Robotics, Automation and Mechatronics Technology, Welding Technology
• Liberal Arts Transfer Programs: Biotechnology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics