NORTHERN TODAY 16 SPRING 2023 Millicent Atkins Northern State College teaching degree 1940 Kimberly (Roseland) Bowman Bachelor of Science in Economics and Banking and Financial Services, 2008 The Northern State University Foundation has announced the 2023 Distinguished Alumni and Hall of Fame inductees. This year, the NSU Foundation will honor the following alumni: Millicent Atkins graduated from Northern State College in 1940 with a teaching degree. Born March 12, 1919, Atkins grew up and attended school in Columbia, S.D., graduating from Columbia High school. She continued her education through college, achieving a teaching degree at Northern. Following college, Atkins taught school for almost a decade, before returning to farming near Columbia, where she spent most of her years. Atkins was a member of the Congregational Church of Columbia and Farm Bureau, where she at one time served as Secretary. She had a love for reading and friendships she built farming in the Aberdeen and Columbia area. Atkins passed away on July 25, 2012. At the time of her passing, Atkins generously donated a $15 million estate gift to Northern State University to benefit the NSU School of Education. In 2014, the “Chronicle of Philanthropy,” a journal in Washington, D.C., placed Atkins on its list of the top 50 most generous Americans. Following this generous gift, Northern renamed its School of Education as the Millicent Atkins School of Education in 2015 to honor the legacy of Millicent Atkins. A statue of Atkins was placed on the corner of the Gerber Education Building. Distinguished Alumni/Philanthropist Award Alumni Service Award Kim Bowman graduated from Northern in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in Economics and a Bachelor of Science in Banking and Financial Services. Bowman began her banking career with Dacotah Bank in 2005. During her career, she worked in Talent Management and Human Resources for 15 years, and two years in the internal audit department. In January 2023, she was named Senior Vice President and Chief Talent Officer. At Northern, Bowman was active in: Women’s Basketball, 2004-05; Fellowship of Christian Athletes, 2004-05; Student Government – School of Business Senator; member of the SBAC (Student Budget Appropriates Committee), 2005-2008; Student Ambassadors – member and executive officer; Thunder the Mascot for almost two years, 20052008; Student Orientation Leader, 2005; Business and Accounting Club, 2005-2008; Newman Center Club/Catholics in Action, 2004-2008; volunteer for Christians in Christ Services, 2004-2006; “Beauty and the Beast” musical, fall 2005; student volunteer and speaker for NSU Foundation events; student rep for Northern Night Committee, 2005 (still active member); and student rep for Wolves Club Committee. After college, she has been active with the NSU Foundation Audit and Finance Committee, 2009-2011; NSU Alumni Board, May 2008-present (including a few years as president); Northern Night Committee, fall 2005-present; search committee for the Dean of the School of Business, 2023; NSU Banking and Financial Services Advisory Board, November 2022; and Wolves Club member. Her professional awards and memberships include: Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) – International Foundation for Employee Benefits; Predictive Index © Analyst – PI Worldwide; Graduate School of Banking Human Resource Management; recipient of the 2019 SDBA/Prochnow Educational Foundation Scholarship; Aberdeen Area Human Resource Association through Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM); served as board president and delegate for state chapter for two years; and South Dakota World at Work Board of Directors. Her community service awards and memberships include: American Red Cross Eastern South Dakota Board of Directors; Volunteer and Mission Capacity Building Committee; Avera St. Luke’s Patient and Family Advisory Board; Aberdeen Roncalli Ball Committee; Aberdeen Roncalli Youth Boys Basketball Committee; and the NSU “Leader of the Pack” Award. Bowman and her husband, Kaleb, have four children. “NSU gave me the opportunity to be a part of anything and everything I wanted to try. I am so fortunate to have been given that opportunity,” Bowman said. “I am a very passionate person, especially with organizations I support. NSU is such a big part of my life and I love supporting it in any and all ways and in all areas of the university. It’s easy to be a supporter of football or basketball, but it is so important to also support all sports, fine arts and academics. This university doesn’t exist if one of these things fails—all areas of campus are interdependent on each other for success.” NSU announces 2023 Distinguished Alumni, Hall of Fame inductees
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