During North Dakota State University (NDSU) Homecoming Week, a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony for the Richard Offerdahl ’65 Engineering Complex will celebrate not only the opening of the new facility, but also Offerdahl himself, whose transformative gift was the largest private gift made in support of the complex and helped bring the project to life.
Offerdahl and his wife, Linda, gifted $25 million to NDSU for the engineering complex and $3 million recently for Dr. Barney Geddes’ ag research into microbials to reduce farm inputs.
Offerdahl grew up in a small farming community about 40 miles from Fargo across the border, and chose NDSU for college because of its friendly, small-town atmosphere for students. He said he is indebted to NDSU for expanding upon that small town friendliness and opening a world of possibilities and opportunities to him.
“I really feel a debt of gratitude to NDSU. I grew up in Ada, Minn. Ada is a small town, and while I was there, I’m glad I learned that there was a bigger world out there. I could not have done what I did without my education. I just couldn’t,” Offerdahl said.
The engineering complex is a feat of simplicity and innovation, according to NDSU. It was constructed a full year earlier than it would have been because of the Offerdahls’ gift.
“They are having classes in the building this fall. I’m really proud of the fact that when they told us about the project two years ago, they said it would take three years to build it. And I asked, ‘Can we speed that up? I’d like to walk through it while I’m still alive.’ They said, ‘Well, if you give us this much money, we can do it in two years,’ so I said, ‘Let’s do it. Let’s get this done.’ And NDSU did what they promised.”
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