"Northern State University was never on my radar—until a postcard showed up in my mailbox in 2003. One visit to campus was all it took. Like so many Northern stories, the moment I stepped foot on campus, I knew there were no other options.

What followed were four incredible years filled with opportunity, growth, and the kind of “do you remember when…” memories that still get told today. It’s where I met lifelong friends. It’s where I met my husband. And it’s where I discovered a path that would shape the rest of my life.

Northern didn’t just give me a degree—it gave me a community. Staying connected to fellow alumni, supporting students, and continuing to invest in this place through the Alumni Association has been a true privilege. Northern continues to shape my life in ways I couldn’t have imagined as an 18-year-old holding that postcard.

It didn’t take long for my kids to notice that so many of the people in our lives share a common thread—Northern. The friendships we built there have lasted decades. The impact has lasted even longer. Northern changes lives. I know, because it changed mine." 

- Kami Spieker, 2014