ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C?Northern State University is proud to announce that Josh VanLaecken, instructor of accounting in the School of Business, has earned his Doctor of Business Administration in Accounting from West Virginia University.

VanLaecken said the decision to pursue a terminal degree was a natural progression as he transitioned from industry to academia.

¡°I pursued the doctorate to ask better questions and begin to answer them,¡± he said.

VanLaecken noted that the experience has allowed him to engage more deeply with the content he teaches¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D.?¨C Two Northern State University business faculty members are co-authors of a newly published study examining the impact of workplace gratitude on employees in the banking and financial services industry.

The article, ¡°Workplace Gratitude¡¯s Impact on Banking and Financial Services Employees¡¯ Psychological Capital, Intention to Stay and Satisfaction With Life,¡± appears in the latest edition of the Journal of Applied Business and Economics. The study was conducted by Dr. Kristi Bockorny, Dacotah Bank Dean of the NSU School of Business, and Dr. Aaron¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C The Aberdeen Development Corporation (ADC), teaming up with the Northern Innovation and Startup Center, has released the dates for the much-anticipated 2025 Aberdeen Business Pitch Competition. Entrepreneurs from across the region will have the chance to compete for a $10,000 cash prize, generously sponsored by the ADC.

The competition will unfold over the following important dates:

April 30: Entry deadline
June 2: Announcement of finalists
June 30: Finalist¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C Northern State University is proud to recognize two finalists from this year¡¯s South Dakota Governor¡¯s Giant Vision Competition. 

In the student division, Northern senior Diana Haile placed third with Yuth, an early intervention platform aimed at providing mental health support for students. Her creativity and dedication earned her a $3,000 prize, along with recognition for addressing a critical need in education.

¡°It¡¯s been a lot of hard work, but I am truly grateful for the opportunity and the invaluable learning experience this¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D.?¨C Dr. Hannah Walters, associate professor of marketing at Northern State University and director of the NSU Honors Program, has published a new textbook ¡°AI in Marketing: Applications, Insights, and Analysis¡± with Routledge. Routledge is a global publisher of academic books, journals and online resources in the humanities and social sciences.

Walters served as the co-editor of this edited volume, working with 18 contributors from around the world. Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how businesses research, create, implement and evaluate¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C Artificial intelligence is reshaping agriculture, and this year¡¯s Lamont Rhodes Speaker Series will offer a closer look at its impact. The event is scheduled for Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at Northern State University.

Dr. James Koltes is an associate professor at Iowa State University. He will share his insights on artificial intelligence in agriculture and focus his talk on how AI is being used today, the obstacles the industry faces, and its potential for the future.

Dr. Koltes has worked extensively on improving the health and¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C Two finalists have been selected to compete in the South Dakota Governor¡¯s Giant Vision Competition, one in the Student Division and one in the Open Division

Student Finalist
Diana Haile - Northern State University
Business Idea: Yuth, Inc.

Haile¡¯s innovative concept, Yuth, Inc., reimagines how mental health is addressed in education by making emotional well-being as integral to schools as textbooks and classrooms. Utilizing cutting-edge artificial intelligence, Yuth provides early¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D.¨C The 2024 BIG Idea Competition celebrated entrepreneurial spirit and innovative thinking among high school students, culminating in an awards ceremony on December 11 at Northern State University. This year¡¯s competition drew an impressive 283 entries from 377 students representing 66 schools.

For the second consecutive year, the event featured a separate virtual competition for finalists outside South Dakota, judged independently with dedicated prizes. A total of over $50,000 in cash and scholarships was awarded across both competitions.

ABERDEEN, S.D.?¨C

Bea Smith, who leads the Northern Innovation and Startup Center at Northern State University, is among this year¡¯s Prairie Business 40 Under 40 honorees. The award highlights professionals making notable contributions to their organizations and communities.

Published monthly by Forum Communications' Grand Forks Herald, Prairie Business Magazine highlights business leaders and organizations across North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota, covering industries such as finance, healthcare, energy, agribusiness, education, and more.¡­

ABERDEEN, S.D. ¨C Students in Dr. Sal Villegas¡¯ Business Policy and Strategy class at Northern State University have earned global recognition, tying for ninth place in the GLO-BUS business strategy simulation during the week of Nov. 25¨CDec. 1. Competing against 1,417 teams worldwide, the group showed impressive leadership and decision-making skills. It¡¯s the second time in two years that Northern students have placed in the top 10 globally in this competition.

The team, known as Flair Technologies (Company F), performed strongly in several areas: