North Dakota’s newest college presidents set goals upon stepping into office
Dr. Brian Kalk Appointed as the eighth president of Bismarck State College in March. Photo by NDAREC/Kennedy DeLap
Before the military service or statewide public service, community service shaped Brian Kalk’s values.
Growing up in Bottineau, with a father employed by North Central Electric Cooperative, Kalk was inspired early to improve the quality of life for his neighbors. Cooperative values run deep in his story.
A full-circle moment
In the 1970s, Kalk’s father completed the newly established lineworker training program offered by Bismarck State College (BSC), then known as Bismarck Junior College, and the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives in Mandan. As members of the program’s first graduating classes, he and his peers helped pave the way for future generations of lineworkers.
More than 50 years later, Kalk experienced a full-circle moment. In August, he returned to Mandan, where his father received hands-on training, this time as BSC’s incoming president. During his visit, Kalk toured the program’s state-of-the-art Lineworker Training Center and learned more about its continued impact on North Dakota’s workforce. The program remains a vital part of workforce development and offers a one-of-a-kind educational experience for students, including Kalk’s nephew, who recently completed the three-week summer course.
Kalk’s ties to the energy industry will in part help BSC strengthen its polytechnic identity. Kalk is already focused on building opportunities for hands-on learning to produce career-ready graduates. Visits like those at the Lineworker Training Center are meant to improve relationships and communication between BSC and industry leaders.
“I’m here to understand what’s going on out in the field, to make sure we’re putting out the kind of graduates they need today and to understand how the workforce is changing,” Kalk says. “It’s a collaboration back and forth.”
Where education meets industry
Over the eight years Kalk served on the N.D. Public Service Commission, including as chair of the commission, he helped guide regulatory decisions affecting energy, infrastructure and consumer protection.
Kalk later served as the chief research officer at the University of North Dakota’s Energy and Environmental Research Center, one of the world’s leading applied energy research institutions. There, he led the expansion of research in oil and gas, renewable energy and environmental technologies. His work directly supported the development of a highly skilled technical workforce.
Along with 20 years of military service in the U.S. Marine Corps, Kalk received a Bachelor of Science degree in political science, a master’s in environmental engineering and a doctorate degree in natural resources management. He has previously taught at the University of Mary, Park University and North Dakota State University.
The North Dakota Board of Higher Education Chair Kevin Black cited Kalk’s experience with education and industry working hand-in-hand as an exciting step forward for the polytechnic institution.
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Green and yellow fills the North Dakota State University (NDSU) campus this month, from the wave of crew necks proudly worn by first-year students stepping into a new chapter to the rustling of historic ash trees whose turning leaves will scatter across busy paths.
It’s a season of firsts and of familiarity for NDSU’s new president, Marshall Stewart.
Stewart may be new to Fargo, but he has arrived with 30 years of higher education and leadership experience, making him no stranger to the mission of a land-grant university. The expansion of engagement and Extension services has been a particular focus of Stewart’s leadership at other land-grant universities in North Carolina, Missouri and Kansas.
This fall, he embarks on a new challenge of growing NDSU’s enrollment and strengthening its impact throughout the state. Stewart shared these goals with the North Dakota Board of Higher Education during its candidate search.
NDSU is the state’s second largest university with more than 11,000 students enrolled in winter 2026. The University of North Dakota (UND) reported a record spring enrollment this year at more than 15,000 students. Stewart set his sights on surpassing UND with the number of students on the Fargo campus.
Commitment to service and students
The path to growing enrollment, he said, is in engaging students in campus life and integrating the university’s research into communities through the NDSU Extension Service. Stewart is looking to strengthen the relationship from student to university to community.
He comes with a proven track record, having served as the executive vice president for external engagement and chief of staff at Kansas State University. His leadership contributed to growth in enrollment, research activity and public investment.
Stewart brings additional experience in engagement and Extension Service from senior leadership roles with the University of Missouri System and the University of Missouri-Columbia. At North Carolina State University, he served as associate director of Cooperative Extension and state agricultural education coordinator, among other roles.
His career in higher education was inspired by his early days as a high school agriculture teacher. The experience put commitment to student success at the heart of his leadership philosophy.
Deep roots in agriculture
With bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural education, along with a doctorate in education from North Carolina State University, Stewart is a lifelong advocate of agriculture.
He was right at home upon stepping into his new position early this summer, as he notably didn’t waste time getting off campus and into the communities benefiting from NDSU’s research.
Stewart’s team embarked on a tour called NDSU Across North Dakota. They held community gatherings in eight towns, toured research centers and began conversations with local leaders of all kinds.
With a new school year now underway, Stewart has said the listening and learning is only just beginning. Campus life is alive, and with it, the hope of new opportunities set against the backdrop of more than 130 years of history and tradition.
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Hope Sisk is managing editor of North Dakota Living. She can be reached at hsisk@ndarec.com.
