STUDENT AFFAIRS 21 ANNUAL REPORT May 2022 Graduates Dylan Unruh and Garret Thompson demonstrate the impact engagement and service have on the undergraduate experience. Celebrating Outstanding Seniors Garret J. Thompson, from Logan, Iowa, graduated this past May in Honoribus with his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. His honor’s thesis was entitled “The Effect of Sports Retirement on Division II Athletes.” Garret was influenced to combine his passion of sports with his academic major when deciding what to research for his thesis topic. When Garret came to Northern, he knew he wanted to make the most of his experience as a student-athlete on the wrestling team. In his first year, he committed to getting involved with other academic programs like the Honor’s Program, TRIO Student Support Services (SSS), and the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. For his academic and personal efforts that year he was awarded the “Freshman of Year” at the Student Involvement Awards. During his sophomore year, Garret continued his student leadership roles by being selected as a TRIO SSS Peer Mentor as well as led a newly formed student organization for TRIO SSS students called the TRIO Scholar Association. This organization promotes the mission of TRIO SSS and plans programming around first-generation students on campus. The following year, Garret continued his campus involvement by serving as the Honor’s Program Vice President and his role as a peer mentor. Garret excelled academically in the Honor’s program and was also named to the NSIC All-Academic team. His efforts were again recognized as he was nominated for “Student Leader of the Year.” Garret’s involvement his senior year included being a part of the Campus Activities Board while continuing to serve as a member of the Honor’s Program. His personal and academic achievements throughout his time at Northern resulted in being crowned the 2021 Homecoming Marshal. “I couldn’t be more thankful for my time that I have had at Northern. I have gained life-long friendships and experiences. Northern is really a great University for all students!” Garret plans to continue his academic career at Northern as his plans to pursue his master’s degree in Sports Performance and Leadership. He also can’t wait to marry his beautiful fiancée, Kaitlyn. Dylan J. Unruh grew up in Aberdeen, S.D., and graduated in May 2022 from Northern State University Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Music Education degree. During his first year at Northern, Dylan lived in the Honors Living and Learning Community in Great Plains East. There he was able to lead multiple volunteer programs at the Humane Society. Despite being nominated for Freshman of the Year, Dylan remembers feeling like he wasn’t able to fully engage in activities on campus due to an off-campus job. His sophomore year, Dylan knew that he wanted to be more involved, so he quit his off-campus job and became a resident assistant and was placed in Wolves Memorial Suites. He also stumbled upon a fantastic work-study position with Student Affairs, which allowed him to spend even more time on campus. Dylan kept that job until his last semester. During Dylan’s third year he was promoted to senior resident assistant in Briscoe Hall before leaving residence life during his last year to focus on his studies. He was co-emcee for two years of Homecoming coronation with his best friend and became a leader in every activity he joined by the time he graduated. “I have always disliked having to have my life and mind in two different places at once. So, the years that I got to work, study, AND live on campus were the happiest, most organized, and most socially gratifying years of my life so far. Things just felt right.” Dylan recommends that everyone live on campus because it helps you find supportive, like-minded friends and encourages you to be far more involved than those who leave. In the future he plans to take the experiences he gained on NSU’s campus into his future as a music educator in South Dakota. Dylan married his best friend, Tabitha (Bachelor of Music Education, ‘20) in June 2022.
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