Ramsey National Bank recently donated $25,000 to Lake Region State College’s new ag education building project.
Ramsey National Bank CEO Scott Thompson said they are pleased to support the addition of the Hofstad Ag Center on the campus of Lake Region State College.
“The Hofstad Ag Center will provide an excellent educational facility for the next generation of farmers which are so vital to the economy of the Lake Region and beyond,” Thompson said.
LRSC President Doug Darling said support from those who live and work within the agriculture industry and supporting businesses showcases the need for the new ag education facility at the college.
“Ramsey National Bank has been a longtime advocate of education and LRSC. The support of financial institutions from the region shows the importance agriculture has on the economy.,” Darling said.
The 2019 North Dakota Legislature authorized construction of a new $3 million ag education building at LRSC. The legislation provided a direct appropriation of $1 million along with some matching fund opportunities and named the building for Curt and Annette Hofstad, long-time Lake Region residents and friends of LRSC.
Construction of the facility is underway and a ceremonial groundbreaking for the Hofstad Ag Center took place in July.
The Community College Foundation, which supports Lake Region State College, launched a capital campaign this spring to raise $1.5 million. The campaign, when combined with the state appropriation and other state match programs, will bring the college to its $3 million goal.
The new ag education building will provide enhanced classroom space and a shop more suited for working with today’s precision ag components and large equipment. With LRSC’s own test field right outside the new building location, students will have real world experiences and graduate with knowledge from the classroom and field.
The Precision Ag program at LRSC has continued to grow since starting classes in 2013. Recently, the ag program was ranked #10 by Precision Ag Institute in its top-20 list because of LRSC’s combination of Industry partners and hands on approach to instruction. The excellent relationship with industry benefits students and employers.
Ramsey National Bank is an employee-owned community bank with offices in Cando, Cavalier, Devils Lake, Fargo, Maddock and Rugby. The bank has a long-standing history with LRSC, donating to several campaigns throughout the years and establishing a Ramsey National Bank endowment.
Established in 1941, Lake Region State College is a comprehensive community college based in Devils Lake, ND. LRSC offers education in a variety of career and technical programs and associate arts (transfer) degree for those planning to transfer and pursue a bachelor’s degree. The college offers many courses and programs throughout the state, including a location at the Grand Forks Air Force Base; peace officer training program in Minot and Grand Forks; nursing in Grand Forks and Mayville; and a LAUNCH program that serves students in Grand Forks planning on transferring to UND.
In the photo: Amy Heilman, Ramsey National Bank Human Resource & Marketing Officer; Scott Thompson, Ramsey National Bank CEO; Doug Darling, LRSC President; Stephanie Shock, Ramsey National Bank Trust Officer and CCF Board Member; Elonda Nord, Community College Foundation Executive Director; Darlene Brown, Mortgage Loan Officer and CCF Board Member; and Preston Sundeen, LRSC Precision Ag Center Director