North Dakota State University
North Dakota State University (NDSU) is an American state-supported university and the second largest school in the 11 campus North Dakota University System. It offers bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and first professional degrees. Founded as the "North Dakota State College of Agriculture" in 1890 in the great tradition of the land-grant university, it sits on a 258 acre (1 km²) campus in an urban setting in Fargo, North Dakota. However, the school also operates several agricultural research farms around the state, which brings its total land holdings past 22,000 acres (89 km²).
NDSU uses a semester system. Its endowment was recently $50.2 million. Over 12,000 students attend the school, the vast majority of which are full-time. 43% of the students are female and 57% are male. At 60% admission rate, most applicants are admitted.
NDSU's official athletic symbol is the bison. Although the teams are sometimes called the Thundering Herd, the official nickname is The Bison. Their colors are green and yellow. Their athletic teams formerly competed in NCAA Division II, but as of 2004 are competing in NCAA Division I.
Traditionally there had been a strong rivalry between NDSU and the University of North Dakota (UND) (located in Grand Forks). However, UND has not made a switch to Division I like NDSU has. UND has expressed some interest in a possible move to Division I, but the university is currently studying the financial needs such a move would require. Also, the fact that UND's popular hockey team already competes at Division I has made an all-inclusive move to Division I less of a priority for that university. Currently, the athletic rivalry between the two campuses is at a standstill. There has been an attempt to brand South Dakota State University, another Division I school, as a new major rival for NDSU. The two schools now compete for the Dakota Marker Trophy - a replica of the original border markers between North and South Dakota.
NDSU is part of the Red River Valley Research Corridor.