NDSU Emergency Management

North Dakota State University (NDSU) is home to one of the top emergency management programs in the nation. Graduates from the program are equipped with skills to prepare for and respond to disasters and crisis events.

Passion for Helping People 

Students in the emergency management major share a common goal of saving the world, despite diverse career aspirations which range from working in the local, state, national or international levels. Zeina Abouelazm came to NDSU looking for a way to serve underdeveloped and disaster-impacted communities and found her place in the emergency management department. 

Graduating senior Zeina Abouelazm

“I came into college not exactly sure of what I wanted to major in but knew that I had a passion for helping people, planning, and outreach. It was not until I was introduced to the emergency management major that I truly felt like I found my purpose and the perfect degree for my career goals” said Abouelazm, an international student and a senior from Cairo, Egypt. 

Real-world Opportunities

The curriculum is designed to challenge students and fully prepare them for the industry. The Department of Emergency Management provides professional development, volunteering, and internship opportunities. Students also get to work on projects that impact real-world organizations to gain practical experience. 

“NDSU’s Department of Emergency Management’s internationally recognized faculty members, supportive community, and the department’s focus on constantly supplying students with real-life applications and experiences has truly shaped me into the person, student and professional I am today in a way that I am forever grateful for,” shared Abouelazm.

Chart a Career

With a degree in emergency management, students can work in all levels of government, nongovernmental agencies or in the private sector. A variety of minors also are available to supplement the major and increase employability.

Master’s student Venkateswara Rao Kadium

NDSU Plant Sciences  

Venkateswara Rao Kadium can envision his future as he carefully tends a small vineyard just to the west of NDSU’s main campus.

Kadium is seeking his master’s degree in plant sciences, focusing on genomics and plant breeding. He is a member of NDSU’s research group developing grape varieties that are cold-weather hardy and will benefit the growing wine industry in the Midwest. The work is under the direction of Harlene Hatterman-Valenti, assistant department head and professor of high value crop production.

“What gives a better feeling than working in the vineyard during the beautiful North Dakota summer? I enjoy everything I’m doing, ranging from phenology study to genotyping,” said Kadium, who grew up on a farm in southern India. “Moreover, working with grape plants and making wine is a lot of fun.”

Kadium plans a career as a plant breeder, and he chose to journey to Fargo to continue his education for a simple reason — he wanted to learn from the best.

World-respected Expertise

“NDSU is a renowned land-grant university conducting diversified research,” Kadium said. “The plant sciences department here is very broad with research on crop production, variety development and processing. The advanced research of different crops ranges from wheat to grape. Research at NDSU provided me the opportunity to imagine myself in a farmer’s shoes to better understand their problems and to formulate solutions.”

Hands-on Research

At NDSU, hands-on research is a vital element of student learning. That’s a concept Kadium fully endorses.

“Research at NDSU gave me the opportunity to work with top-class professors who are the best in the business, and learn about different techniques, equipment widely used in plant breeding, and new variety development,” he said. “I’m sure the knowledge I gained will help me to excel as a plant breeder in the future.”

North Dakota State University is distinctive as a student-focused, land-grant, research university. It is a top-ranked institution, providing affordable access to an excellent education that combines teaching and research in a rich learning environment. The university educates leaders who solve national and global challenges – its graduates shape a better world.

North Dakota State University prepares students to solve challenges that will shape a better world. 

Chart your own career path. Begin your NDSU experience today.