Art Malloy Vice President for Student Affairs | University of North Dakota
Art Malloy Vice President for Student Affairs | University of North Dakota
North Dakota's First Lady, Kjersti Armstrong, recently engaged with students at the University of North Dakota as part of the UND Communication Department's New Americans initiative. This project documents the experiences of newly naturalized citizens in the state.
Kjersti Armstrong, originally from Oslo, Norway, visited UND with her husband, Governor Kelly Armstrong, to record a video for the initiative. The project is headed by Joonghwa Lee, an associate professor of communication, and aims to showcase the diversity of new Americans in North Dakota.
Lee expressed his gratitude for Armstrong's participation, stating, “I tried to reach out to a lot of people for this project... She immediately responded and said that she was willing to participate.” He added, “A big takeaway from this project... is that new Americans play an important role in our community.”
Armstrong serves in various leadership roles, including as a senior vice president at Bluestem Brands and on several boards, illustrating the contribution of new Americans to the state. Her journey to U.S. citizenship began in 2002 when she met the now-Governor of North Dakota, Kelly Armstrong. After years of living as a permanent resident, she gained dual citizenship following a change in Norwegian law in 2020.
Reflecting on her naturalization, Armstrong shared, “Both countries are home for me. It was really about finally being able to put that on paper — that this is where I belong.” She described the naturalization ceremony in Fargo as deeply moving, saying, “I wasn’t prepared for how emotional it would be.”
Student participants like Lauren Huso and Kiera Musil noted Armstrong’s approachability and the educational value of the project. Huso said, “She made us feel at ease the moment she walked in.” Musil added, “Hearing these stories — including the First Lady’s today — reminds me of how lucky we are to call this place home.”
The project will continue annually, including interviews at naturalization ceremonies. Lee expressed hope that high-profile participation will encourage more new Americans to share their stories.
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