Homecoming Every Day

The MSUM Foundation proudly unveils its state-of-the-art Christianson Alumni Center, a vibrant hub designed to foster student and community relationships and serve as the anchor for alumni returning to campus. Alumni will also have a permanent gathering place, a symbolic beacon of MSUM's legacy of philanthropy, reminding them of the generosity of those who came before them. Through interactions, donors can see how their scholarships have impacted students, while current and future students will be inspired to give back to their alma mater. These connections create a powerful magic that benefits both students and alumni.

Strategically located across from the campus gates, this dynamic 16,400-square-foot facility offers a welcoming space for alumni and friends to engage in networking, professional development, and social events. "We want to create the feeling of homecoming every day," says the MSUM Foundation's Executive Director Gary Haugo. "Many people have dreamed of completing this project, so it's very exciting that it's coming to fruition." With its cutting-edge amenities, including meeting rooms and an event space, the Alumni Center is poised to become a cornerstone of our community. The Barry Auditorium event space will be available to the public to rent for receptions, conferences, performances, reunions and more.

The project is paid for through private fundraising by the MSUM Foundation. Together, the Foundation staff and its Board led MSUM's Vision 2020 campaign, which raised more than $59 million-including funding for the Alumni Center. Foss Architecture + Interiors was the architect for the project, and Rice Companies handled the building's construction. Both companies are based in Fargo.

A generous donation from the building's namesake, Kevin Christianson, president and CEO of Christianson Companies, played a crucial role in turning this vision into reality. Kevin and his wife, Sandy, live in West Fargo.

The building also will be home to the MSUM Foundation-offices for staff who focus on development, engagement and caring for the gifts that are given to support the university. These staff members solicit and steward charitable donations to support the university and its students. Historically, these offices have been scattered throughout campus, making efficiency and communication among staff difficult.

"It's time," says Mark Vanyo, a former president of the Foundation Board. "It's a great way to build better connections with alumni. Alumni will feel a part of campus again," Vanyo said. "This will be our space."

Vanyo served on a committee that researched the feasibility of the center. At the time, he visited other regional campuses with their own alumni centers. Supporting an alumni center for MSUM was an easy choice. "When you compete for students, you want to keep the alumni happy," he said. "Those students will become alumni. If they see people wanting to do things for alumni, it becomes important."

He also encouraged his college fraternity to support the project. In 2023, Tau Kappa Epsilon celebrated its 60th reunion. Vanyo said he'd be thrilled if they could host their reunion events in the new center.

Bob Bowlsby served on the Foundation board when members started dreaming about an alumni center. Historically, the university's Foundation offices have been shuffled around campus, making it difficult for returning graduates to feel tethered to the university. He sees value in having a centralized location for Dragons who call MSUM their alma mater. He lives near Dallas, Texas, but returns to Moorhead to visit his wife's family. "When I go back, I run or walk through campus," he says. "I look at what's changed and let some of the old memories come back to me."

He said having a visible touchstone for alumni will help them feel connected and valued. "Not everyone needs that, but many come back and wander around the campus, and you never know they've been here," Bowlsby said. In addition, he says the center will be a magnet for the community, bringing people from across the region to campus. Warm, inviting gathering spaces will welcome people to engage and socialize with MSUM students and faculty.

Bowlsby said the center's high-profile location also has a deep meaning among alumni. Not only is the center publicly visible, but it will sit on an iconic piece of ground. Alumni have fond memories of the area that was home to fraternity houses, the Ingersoll House, and Vic's Southside Superette. It will also be a symbolic beacon that shines a light on MSUM's legacy of philanthropy. It will remind generations of MSUM students of the generosity of those who came before them. "Private support is the difference between being average and being outstanding," Bowlsby says. "This project proves we're outstanding."

A glimpse at the MSUM Alumni Center

The MSUM Foundation worked with Foss Architecture + Interiors to carry out comprehensive design services for a new Alumni Center. The building's modern design embodies the forward-thinking vision of the university and the MSUM Foundation. Its materials-stone, brick, and glass-harmonize with existing campus architecture, while metal panels inspired by dragon scales celebrate the Dragons and the MSUM identity.

$8.3 million
500,000 labor hours
16,400 total square feet
32 feet tall
3,100 square foot multipurpose event hall /adjacent boardroom
2,200 square yards of concrete
80 tons of structural steel
45,000 bricks
48,000 square feet of glass
30,000 cubic feet Grand Lobby
200 seating in Event Hall.

Foss Architecture + Interiors has designed over a dozen buildings on campus since the 1960s, including the Center for the Arts, Memorial Union, several resident halls, and most recently the Alumni Center. "Foss's buildings on campus shaped MSUM's history, so being able to commemorate MSUM's success in a brand new Alumni Center is a great honor," says Adam Peterson, principal design architect.