Northern Today Spring 2020

NORTHERN TODAY 16 SPRING 2020 JAME S HE SS received his bachelor’s degree in 1973 and master’s degree in 1975 from NSU, and his doctorate from UNC in 1994. Hess has presented at state and national conferences on topics such as school district accountability, transportation safety and developing legislative action plans. He 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. His numerous awards include the Minnesota Association of School Administrators Polaris Leadership Award, Regional Administrator of Excellence, District 29 Administrator of the Year, Colorado Elementary Principal’s Department Service Award, and National Coca Cola Foundation Educator of Distinction. Hess was elected President of both the Minnesota Association of School Administrators and the Colorado Elementary Principal Association. He served on the National Governing Board of the American Association of School Administrators, and as State Treasurer of the Colorado Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development. He has been a local club officer with Rotary and Lions Club and participated in many community development activities such as Bemidji Leads and the Joint Economic Development Commission. Hess currently lives in Bemidji, Minn., where he retired after serving 14 years as Superintendent of Schools. He and his wife Nikki have two daughters: Jackie lives in the Twin Cities, where she works for Wells Fargo Corp., and Jayne Ann lives in Idaho, where she teaches deaf preschool children. Alumni | NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY JAMES HESS WI L L 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. His foundation’s goal is to provide children in his hometown of Aweil East, South Sudan, with access to clean water, basic health care, and proper educational infrastructure. Deng left his home and family in South Sudan at age 14, walking for nine days through the jungle to escape civil war and to seek an education for himself. Deng lives in Aberdeen, where he works as CDFI coordinator for Homes Are Possible Inc. WILLIAM DENG NSU names 2020 Distinguished Alumni Northern State University has announced this year’s Distinguished Alumni. William Deng, James Hess, James Klein, John Lopez and Joe Senger have been selected as the 2020 NSU Distinguished Alumni. They will be honored at a Distinguished Alumni banquet, though the date is to be determined. Read more about each of them here. GOLD AWARD (Graduate of the Last Decade)