Northern_Today_Spring_2021

NORTHERN TODAY 16 SPRING 2021 Alumni | NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSI TY WI LL I AM DENG graduated with a bachelor’s degree in international business in 2010 and a master’s degree in banking and financial services in 2014. Deng, recipient of the South Sudan Humanitarian Award, is founder of the Deng Foundation, which aims to provide children in his hometown of Aweil East, South Sudan, access to clean water, basic health care and educational infrastructure. Deng left his home and family in South Sudan at age 14, walking nine days through the jungle to escape civil war and to seek an education. Deng lives in Aberdeen, where he works as CDFI coordinator for Homes Are Possible Inc. DR . JAMES HESS received his bachelor’s degree in 1973 and master’s degree in 1975 from NSU, and his doctorate from UNC in 1994. Hess has helped lead the efforts to establish/expand three community preschools and regional professional training centers for Reading Recovery. He has helped develop the national award-winning “Students First Program,” pairing students with community success coaches, and the Bemidji Career Academies, which provide real-life career experiences for high school students, earning them high school and post-secondary credit. Hess currently lives in Bemidji, Minn., where he retired after 14 years as Superintendent of Schools. He and his wife, Nikki, have two daughters: Jackie and Jayne Ann. JOHN LOPEZ , a sculptor, is a product of a place. Lopez’s forte lies in gentling colts and perfecting their bloodlines—and he started his celebration of them by sculpting in clay. His sculpture studio is located in Lemmon, S.D. Lopez, who received an associate degree in commercial art in 1993, discovered his gift for sculpture at Northern. He is the creator of the Wolf statue in front of the Jewett Regional Science Education Center. Lopez’s work reflects generations of a life that’s fading into history. It’s a life lived in barns and grain elevators, workshops and pastures. It’s the life of the land he loves. JOE SENGER graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1972 and is CEO of Dacotah Bank. Senger coached and taught 1973- 1976 in Eureka. Senger is past president of the NSU Wolves Club and Alumni Association; Aberdeen Development Corporation; Aberdeen Area Chamber of Commerce; Roncalli Booster Club; and St. Mary’s Church Council. He was United Way Campaign Chair in 1992, and has been United Way Rails Club Chair since 1992. Senger was a Paul Harris Fellow (Rotary), and he received the Aberdeen Area Chamber of Commerce George Award and Sertoma Club’s Service to Mankind Award. Senger and his wife, Cindy, live in Aberdeen. They have three children: Michelle (Mark) Azure, Todd (Laura) Senger and Brian (Julia) Senger; and eight grandchildren: Michael Azure, Anna Azure, Olivia Senger, Gwyneth Senger, Reese Senger, Audrey Senger, Emma Senger and Everett Senger. NSU Distinguished Alumni Luncheon held May 7 WILLIAM DENG JAMES HESS JAMES KLEIN JOHN LOPEZ JOE SENGER JAMES KLE I N received a B.S. in social science in 1969. Klein was named Financial Services Champion of the Year in 2011 by the U.S. Small Business Administration. He earned the Smart Leader Award (Smart Business Magazine), and he received the 2017 Outstanding Alumni Award/Advanced Management and Leadership (Said Business School, University of Oxford). He is also an Oxford University Press published author (Global Business/2018). Klein, who received his MBA in 2002, works as principal of J.R. Global. He and his wife, Lola, live in Columbus, Ohio. They have two children, Johann Klein and Amadeus Klein; and four grandchildren, Kylee, Faith, Alexsandra and Braden. DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI Northern State University’s Distinguished Alumni were honored at a luncheon May 7 at the Dakota Event Center. This event was rescheduled from the previous spring and honored the 2020 NSU Distinguished Alumni: William Deng, James Hess, James Klein, John Lopez and Joe Senger. Read more about the 2020 Distinguished Alumni inductees here.