The Horizon Award recognizes alumni who have graduated within the past 15 years and have attained great success in their profession or have been engaged in outstanding community service.
Hometown: Mayville, North Dakota
NDSU Degree: BS Political Science
Born and raised in Mayville, North Dakota, Robbie Lauf ’15 is a fourth-generation NDSU graduate whose connection to the university runs deep. “When it came time to choose a university, I knew I wanted an education that could open doors globally while still being rooted in the values and community that shaped me. NDSU offered exactly that,” he reflected.
After earning his degree at NDSU, Robbie continued his academic journey at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, where he received a master’s in public policy in 2020. His career has been defined by mission-driven leadership and transformative impact. Most notably, Robbie serves as the founding executive director of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, leading the effort to create a $450 million, world-class institution set to open in Medora, North Dakota, on July 4, 2026. “Helping to bring this library to life has been the honor of my career,” he said about the role. “It’s about preserving a legacy while creating lasting cultural and economic impact for my home state.”
Robbie’s professional path also includes pivotal roles such as political director for Gov. Doug Burgum’s first campaign, senior policy advisor in the governor’s office, research assistant to Arthur Brooks at Harvard, and positions with the Federal Reserve Board and McKinsey & Company. These experiences reflect his commitment to advancing meaningful work and strengthening North Dakota while engaging on a national stage.
At NDSU, Robbie’s leadership as student body president and involvement in organizations like Blue Key Honor Society and Delta Tau Delta shaped his approach to service and collaboration. He remains deeply connected to the university through family traditions and initiatives like the Bison Caucus.
As nominator Tim Flakoll ’81, ’85 notes, “Robbie’s intelligence, combined with his engaging personality and deep commitment to the common good, make him a natural and accomplished leader. Even in a short span of years, he has made a more lasting mark than many do in a lifetime.”
Margaret and her husband, Hugh Veit ’79, established the Eleanor S. Fitzgerald Memorial Graduate Student Scholarship to support NDSU students earning advanced degrees in the Department of Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences or the Department of Human Development and Family Science.
Core areas of home economics remain part of current NDSU degree programs such as accounting; apparel, retail merchandising, and design; education; family and consumer science; financial planning; human development and family science; interior design; and nutrition science.
Home economics programs opened doors, particularly for women, to earn college degrees and pursue careers in education, Extension, state and federal government, business and industry, health care, and more. NDAC listed domestic economy as one of its courses in its founding year, 1890.
Established by Dr. Teresa Conner, dean of the NDSU College of Health and Human Sciences, and cochaired by Dr. Margaret Fitzgerald ’83 and Col. Esther Meyers ’75, the Wisdom Keepers provide support and share their knowledge and expertise with students, faculty, staff, and leadership in the College.
The home management house at NDAC was the first facility built on a college campus specifically for home management practice. In 1954, it was named in honor of Alba Bales, the first female academic dean at NDAC.