NE North Dakota News

UND’s online education programs are having a significant impact on North Dakota’s workforce and beyond, according to university officials and recent student experiences.

Maggie Brockling, who completed her Master of Public Administration degree online through the University of North Dakota (UND), moved from Massachusetts to Grand Forks after connecting with classmates in the region. She now serves as the economic development director for East Grand Forks. “They had me at ‘it’s the coldest, flattest place’ and ‘you can watch your dog run away for days!’” Brockling said. She added, “I would not have moved into this role, let alone this state, if I hadn’t had the networks I developed through my online coursework.”

Distance learning has been part of UND since 1911, evolving from mailed materials to fully online classes. This approach is seen as a strategic tool for strengthening North Dakota’s workforce and generating economic benefits statewide.

Jeff Holm, vice provost for Strategic Programming, Analytics & Effectiveness at UND, noted that nearly 45% of UND’s online graduates work in North Dakota or neighboring states. In some fields such as nursing and professional disciplines, that figure rises to 59%. Many graduates fill roles in education, health care, business and public service—areas where workforce needs are greatest.

“The University has always looked for ways to meet the needs of our students, first and foremost,” Holm said. “For more than 100 years, it’s been important for us to understand what our students are looking for — and how we can reduce those barriers.”

Of UND’s total enrollment of 15,844 students this fall, about 35% take some online classes while just over a third—5,354 students—study exclusively online.

National recognition has followed these efforts: ZDNET ranked UND No. 7 among America’s top self-paced online colleges; Forbes named it the best online college in North Dakota last year.

Nicole Burkhartsmeier is another example of an online student balancing professional responsibilities with education. As chief deputy for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Fargo and a mother of three, she found flexibility in her program essential: “I live in Fargo; my program’s in Grand Forks,” she said. “I could seriously go from washing the dishes at 6:55 to logging into Zoom at 6:57.” Burkhartsmeier also valued community among her classmates across different states.

Holm reported that about 63% of UND’s online graduates are or were residents of North Dakota or its neighboring states or employees within the state university system. The remaining students often spend time on campus fulfilling program requirements.

“Online programs add a lot of value to North Dakota — whether by letting students work while they earn their degree, advance in their careers or fill workforce needs that might otherwise go unmet,” Holm said.

The university shapes its offerings based on input from advisory boards composed of business and civic leaders to address skills gaps in areas like engineering, nursing, cybersecurity and business. Partnerships with companies such as Digi-Key allow employees to pursue degrees relevant to industry demand.

Certificate programs have expanded accordingly; out of 1,180 certificate or nondegree course students currently enrolled at UND, most study exclusively online.

The Aspiring Principals Pipeline is one initiative funded by the state Department of Public Instruction aimed at developing school leadership without requiring educators to leave their communities. Laura Link directs this fully-online Master of Science in Teaching & Leadership program: “For our graduate students — already certified full-time teachers with deep community ties — meeting them online is one of the only ways this works,” Link said.

All members of the inaugural cohort completed their leadership training while working full time locally; most secured principal or assistant principal positions afterward. “When you invest in your own people, they feel trusted and honored,” Link said.

UND’s reach extends globally through its students as well. Paige Jones will represent Team USA as a ski jumper at the Winter Olympics while studying biomedical engineering remotely at UND; Michelle Di Cicco balances international skating competitions with her studies thanks to flexible scheduling options provided by her program.

Space Studies chair Pablo de Leon noted that about 90 percent of his department's students learn remotely due largely to their employment within aerospace industries nationwide: “They are such proud alumni... They really feel part of the UND family even though they didn’t spend two or four years here.”

Holm emphasized that out-of-state enrollments help sustain higher education institutions across North Dakota by supporting faculty hiring and diverse programming: “Basically out-of-state students help North Dakota maintain 11 higher-ed institutions... If we relied only on North Dakota residents we couldn’t sustain [this level].”

Military-affiliated learners also benefit from remote access; Angie Carpenter highlighted how flexibility supports active-duty personnel who may face deployment during their studies: “If they get called to deployment that flexibility is everything.”

Air Force Maj. Gen. Rod Lewis (ret.), former commander at Grand Forks Air Force Base who took both on-campus and remote courses before serving as consultant for national security research development at UND remarked: “I built some great relationships with the community and with the University.”

University officials say these stories show how accessible education helps fuel local economies while broadening opportunities both within North Dakota and beyond.