NE North Dakota News

John D. Odegard, founder of the University of North Dakota’s School of Aerospace Sciences, has been selected for induction into the National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) in Dayton, Ohio. Odegard will join a distinguished group of aviation pioneers, including the Wright brothers, Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, and Neil Armstrong.

Odegard will be the second aviator from North Dakota to be honored by the NAHF. The first was UND alumnus Carl Ben Eielson, who was inducted in 1985.

Originally from Minot, Odegard established the aerospace college at UND in 1968 with just two aircraft. The school has since grown to become the university’s second-largest degree-granting college, enrolling more than 2,000 students and employing 500 faculty and staff. It now operates one of the largest civilian aircraft fleets in North America.

The John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences offers a range of programs. In addition to its Commercial Aviation program, the school provides undergraduate degrees in Air Traffic Management, Atmospheric Sciences, Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations, and Aviation Safety & Operations. Graduate programs are also available in areas such as Space Studies and Earth System Science & Policy.

In 2015, Odegard received the Theodore Roosevelt Roughrider Award, the highest civilian honor in North Dakota. His life and career were chronicled in the 2007 book “Flight of the Odegard” by Patrick McGuire.

North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong commented on Odegard’s influence on the state’s aerospace industry. “From launching UND’s aviation program in 1968 with just a dozen students and two donated aircraft, to 1998 when the School of Aerospace Sciences was renamed in his honor, to the hundreds of future pilots from all over the world training there today, the name John D. Odegard has become synonymous with aviation excellence in North Dakota and throughout the nation and world,” Armstrong said.

“His vision became the catalyst for a world-class aviation school in America’s heartland, and his memory lives on in every student inspired by his incredible legacy to take flight and reach for the stars,” Armstrong continued. “With his well-deserved induction into the National Aviation Hall of Fame, John continues to put North Dakota on the map as a thriving hub for aerospace training, education and innovation.”

Robert Kraus, dean of the Odegard School, also recognized Odegard’s impact. “We are honored by John Odegard’s selection for enshrinement in the National Aviation Hall of Fame,” Kraus said. “His visionary leadership and the pioneering programs he established set enduring standards in aviation education, flight training, and research – cementing our reputation as a global leader in aerospace excellence.”