Chester Fritz Distinguished Professors
The Chester Fritz Distinguished Professorships were established with an endowment gift from the late UND benefactor Chester Fritz, 1892-1983.
Revenue from the endowment provides for cash stipends to one or more full-time UND faculty members, who thereafter may use the title "Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor."
Criteria for Selection
- Demonstrated achievement across research, teaching, and service with significant national or regional recognition in any one of these missions.
- Significant professional contributions throughout his/her career. However, the basis for selection of Chester Fritz Professors will be heavily weighted toward one’s accomplishments at UND.
- Recognition by University of North Dakota colleagues as a faculty member who has made a valuable contribution to the quality of UND’s academic programs.
- Full-time member of the faculty which includes all ranked teaching and research personnel. Department chairs are eligible if he/she is a full-time member of the faculty. (Full-time administrators, e.g., vice-presidents and deans, are not eligible).
Nomination Process
The nomination packet should contain sufficient information for the committee to evaluate the nominee.
- The nominator(s) must submit a nomination letter. Nominator(s) must be a Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor, Full Professor, or Department Chair.
- College Deans must second all nominations in writing.
- Letters of support from other faculty are encouraged.
- A current curriculum vitae of the nominee must accompany the nomination.
Selection Committee
A selection committee appointed by the Provost provides specific recommendations for individuals whom should be awarded the Chester Fritz Professorship based on selection criteria.
Dates and Deadlines
- Nomination packets are due in the College Dean’s office by February 14.
- Complete nomination packets with letters from the nominator(s) and seconder (College Dean) are due in the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs by February 28.
- The Provost convenes a selection committee. The committee forwards a rank ordered list of names to the Provost by March 16 with specific recommendations for who should be awarded the Chester Fritz Professorship.
- The Provost reviews the committee’s recommendations and forward the recommendations to the President.
- Chester Fritz Distinguished Professorships are awarded at Spring Commencement.
Terms of Appointment
Once awarded, the recipient always carries the title “Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor.”
Past Recipients
- Holly Brown-Borg, Pharmacology, Physiology & Therapeutics
- Sharon Carson, English
- Colin Combs, Biomedical Sciences
- F. Richard Ferraro, Psychology
- Michael Gaffey, Space Studies
- Jonathan Geiger, Pharmacology, Physiology & Therapeutics
- William D. Gosnold, Geology & Geological Engineering
- Birgit Hans, Indian Studies
- Joseph Hartman, Geology & Geological Engineering
- Thomasine Heitkamp, Nursing
- Mark R. Hoffmann, Chemistry
- Gordon L. Iseminger, History
- Cindy Juntunen, Counseling Psychology
- Alena Kubatova, Chemistry
- Kent Lovelace, Aviation
- Michael D. Mann, Chemical Engineering
- James Mochoruk, History
- Thomas Mohr, Physical Therapy
- Myrna R. Olson, Teaching & Learning
- Daphne Pedersen, Sociology
- Thomas Petros, Psychology
- Michael Poellot, Atmospheric Sciences
- Michelle Sauer, English
- Wayne Seames, Chemical Engineering
- MaryAnn Sens, Pathology
- William F. Sheridan, Biology
- Vasyl Tkach, Biology
- Sean Valentine, Entrepreneurship & Management
- Roxanne Vaughan, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- Jack Weinstein, Philosophy & Religion
- Michael Wittgraf, Music
- Stephen Wonderlich, Clinical Neuroscience
- Michael A. Anderegg, English (retired)
- James Antes, Psychology & Peace Studies (retired)
- Michael C. Beard, English (retired)
- Robert Beck, Law (deceased)
- Richard Beringer, History (retired)
- William V. Borden, English (deceased)
- Edward C. Carlson, Anatomy & Cell Biology (retired)
- William E. Cornatzer, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (deceased)
- Richard D. Crawford, Biology
- Kenneth J. Dawes, Social Work (retired)
- Sandra Donaldson, English (retired)
- Mike Ebadi, Neuroscience & Pharmacology, Physiology & Therapeutics (deceased)
- Ronald C. Engle, Theatre Arts (retired)
- Albert J. Fivizzani, Biology (retired)
- Mary Lou S. Fuller, Elementary Education (retired)
- Elizabeth Hampsten, English (retired)
- David Hein, Pharmacology & Toxicology
- Carla Wulff Hess, Communication Sciences and Disorders (retired)
- Richard L. Hill, Educational Administration (deceased)
- Warren Jensen, Aviation (retired)
- Harvey Knull, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- David O. Lambeth, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (retired)
- Richard G. Landry, Educational Measurements & Statistics (retired)
- Diane K. Langemo, Nursing Practice and Development (retired)
- Donald K. Lemon, Educational Leadership (deceased)
- Robert W. Lewis, English (deceased)
- Frank Low, Anatomy (deceased)
- Richard L. Ludtke, Sociology (retired)
- Roger Melvold, Microbiology & Immunology (retired)
- James E. Mitchell, Neuroscience (retired)
- Robert C. Nordlie, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (deceased)
- Lewis K. Oring, Biology
- Leon Osborne, Atmospheric Science (deceased)
- Surendra S. Parmar, Physiology (retired)
- Brian O. Paulsen, Art
- Russell Peterson, Education (deceased)
- Lewis J. Radonovich, Chemistry
- Paul D. Ray, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (deceased)
- John L. Rowe, Business and Vocational Education (deceased)
- Isaac Schlosser, Biology (retired)
- Mary Jane Schneider, Indian Studies (deceased)
- Santhosh Seelan, Space Studies (retired)
- Donald E. Severson, Chemical Engineering (retired)
- Brij Singh, Biomedical Sciences
- Virgil Stenberg, Chemistry (retired)
- Jeffrey L. Stith, Atmospheric Sciences
- Kathleen Tiemann, Sociology
- D. Jerome Tweton, History (retired)
- Stephen K. Wikel, Microbiology and Immunology
- Sharon Wilsnack, Neuroscience (retired)
- Charles A. Wood, Space Studies
- Kevin Young, Microbiology and Immunology