Spring Commencement 2026

Maxwell Eriksrud

Maxwell Eriksrud is a student at the University of North Dakota pursuing a degree in accounting and entrepreneurship, with minors in chemistry and biology. He expects to graduate May 2026.

Maxwell was raised in Chaska, Minnesota, and has strong ties to his family’s farm in Scranton, North Dakota. His passion for innovation drives him in his role as managing director of finance for Dakota Venture Group, a student-run venture capital fund with $2.4 million in investments. In this position, Maxwell works on identifying and supporting innovative startups, allowing him to blend his academic knowledge with real-world applications.

Maxwell serves as a student ambassador and an off-campus senator for UND Student Government, and is a member of the Men’s Soccer Club, UND Jazz Band and Chi Alpha.

A UND faculty member, chosen from the ranks of the Chester Fritz Distinguished Professors, carries the University flag and leads the commencement procession.

Honorary Faculty Flag Marshal, Emily Cherry Oliver, Professor of Theater Arts

Dr. Emily Cherry Oliver is currently Professor and Chair of the Theatre Arts Department at UND. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre and an MFA in Directing. She appreciates the ability to utilize both degrees in her work at UND. Her areas of scholarship include directing and performance. Some of the productions she has directed professionally include: Spring Awakening, Mamma Mia, Shrek, Peter and the Starcatcher, and The Addams Family. At UND productions she has directed include Silent Sky, Into the Woods, Unnecessary Farce, Urinetown, and My Generation an original work conceived and directed by Professor Oliver and invited to the regional Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Professor Oliver is currently the co-chair for Region 5 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.

A tradition since the early years of the University of North Dakota, students serve as the honorary marshals and ushers for commencement exercises.

Honor Medallions are earned by candidates for the bachelor’s degree who have at least 50 graded hours from the University of North Dakota and achieve a scholastic average of 3.50 (cum laude), 3.70 (magna cum laude), and 3.90 (summa cum laude) in courses completed at the University of North Dakota.

For the purpose of the commencement program and publication, honors are based on the UND grade point average at the end of the previously completed term. Once final semester grades are recorded and the degree has been cleared by the college, grade point averages are recalculated and final graduation honors are recorded to the transcript and diploma.

Commissioning Air Force

Andrew T Dial: Civil Engineer Officer
Mason Carrier: Intelligence Officer
John Joseph Espinosa: RPA Pilot Trainee
Julian A. Flores: Pilot Trainee
Justin Holden: Nurse
Justin James LaFavor: RPA Pilot Trainee
Chase Lehman: RPA Pilot Trainee
Savannah Lindeen: Intelligence Officer
Jake Macdonald Lopez: RPA Pilot Trainee
Andrew James Palmer: RPA Pilot Trainee
Spencer Wallace Peterson: RPA Pilot Trainee
Tristan C. Shoberg: Airfield Operations Officer
Meagan Elise Stevens: Intelligence Officer
Nathanael B. Syverson: Pilot Trainee
Leah Grace Vigevani: Pilot Trainee

Commissioning Army ROTC

Houefa Dossou-Gouchola: Signal/MN National Guard
Meadow Sage Driver: Logistics/Reserve
Eric Michael Ingstad: Medical Services/ND National Guard
Christian Neal Marshall: Aviation/WI National Guard
Amilia Messer: Adjutant General/MN National Guard
Mitchell Morrison: Aviation/Active Duty
Josiah Kaden Scott: Armor/Active Duty
Darrian Weiss: Logistics/PA National Guard

Honor Program Undergraduate Students

Nicole Anderson
Makenna Baeth
Kayla Barral
Autumn Bergum
Anna J. Bernhardt
Siriana R. Bien
Kalyn Bohrer
Reese Brown
Josie Ann Christopherson
Alexis Ann Crane
Joshua Paul Crowder
Brienna R. Dybdahl
Maddisen Lynn Eisenlohr
Holly M. German
Courtney Lynn Getzlaff
Margaret Grimm
Samuel Halvorson
Kayla Rose Hanson
Maggie Quinn Ya Xuan Hostetter
Ginevra A. Johnson
Mackenzie Moran Jordan
Jocelyn Kennedy
Neil M. Kotzenmacher
Kinley Kueneman
Maximillian Salahiddin Langenbach
Megan K. Langer
Makenna Rae Langston
Camryn Jolee Lasota
Grace Elizabeth Lefevre
Carter Malone
Sarah Nicole McCracken
Molly Marie McGrath
Mario Medeles
Alivia Malise Norris
Treyton Price
Paw Lay Pway
Angelee Rath
Derek Reister
Greer Elizabeth Schumacher
Thomas Carl Sikorski
Cayden J. Sorge
Mattea Steeke
Elise Hansen Stevens
Aspen R. Thiel
Zoe Thompson
Megan Vasek
Faith Asta Vasicek
Aiden Warne
Hailyn Rose Weigel
Jack S. Weikum
Madison O. Wilson