Ryan & John Bergum
John and Ryan Bergum have a lot in common: They are civil engineering majors; they maintain 4.00 GPAs and they enjoy archery and fishing. They are also twins.
Coming from a family of engineers, it’s no surprise that the duo would choose to carry on the family legacy. “I really like problem solving,” Ryan said, “And growing up, seeing what my dad worked on sparked my interest.”
Coming from a large UND alumni family, Ryan and John felt a strong connection to UND from the start.
“Engineering runs in the family,” said John, “Problem solving – all that kind of stuff. I interned with Apex Engineering in high school and got to be a part of the Washington Avenue project in my hometown. From then on, I really liked civil engineering.”
Our family influenced us to go to UND, but out of all the campuses we toured UND was the best.
Also coming from a large UND alumni family, Ryan and John felt a strong connection to the university from the start. “I toured a lot of different campuses,” said Ryan, “But we have quite a bit of history here and I got the impression that the student atmosphere is really good.”
Their decision to attend UND was not only influenced by family ties, but also by the campus itself. “[Our family] kind of influenced us to go here but out of all the campuses I toured I liked UND the best.” John said. “And I really liked how invested UND is in its campus. The Memorial Union being brand new, I just saw a lot of things going up and I really liked that too.”
Now, as juniors, both John and Ryan are active members of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Ryan serves as the president and John as the vice president of the UND chapter.
John and Ryan are active members of ASCE. Ryan serves as the president and John as the vice president of the UND chapter.
Ryan credits his leadership role in ASCE for helping his professional skills and pushing him out of his comfort zone.
“It’s really challenged me because I was never part of student organizations in high school, and never as a leader of one, that’s for sure,” Ryan said. He credits his leadership role in ASCE for helping his professional skills and pushing him out of his comfort zone.
“I wasn’t comfortable with it right away, but I really ended up enjoying it,” he said. “Your friends are there for you. Rely on them and don’t be afraid to ask for help from professors. They all want you to succeed just as much as you do.”
“A lot of my friends that I’ve met here and opportunities I’ve gotten at UND have been through [ASCE],” said John. “I’ve gotten to travel and have these experiences.”
Through his role as ASCE vice president, John has improved his communication and time management skills by working on various tasks and assisting other officers. “I’m kind of like the bounce-around guy, helping where I’m needed,” he said. “There is a lot of communication with employers trying to secure funds for our trips.”
Your friends are there for you. Rely on them and don’t be afraid to ask for help from professors. They all want you to succeed just as much as you do.
While Ryan and John have and continue to share many experiences and pursuits during their time at UND, they are resolute in the desire to forge distinct paths in their careers. " “We want to be different people and a lot of people would see twins as the same person,” John said.
“We want different lives.” Despite their close bond as twins, they are determined to make their own lasting impact as individuals.
“I’m just excited to see what my ‘once in a lifetime’ projects are going to be,” said Ryan, “you know, over the years there will be a lot of opportunities to work on bridges, highways, all sorts of projects – I'm excited to see what those will be.”
“I’d say very similar things, I want to get my professional engineering license and I’m looking forward to going around the community and seeing some of the projects I got to design making an impact on my community,” said John. “Seeing that all come to light.”