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PLANNING AHEADIgnite the SpiritUND launches an ambitious capitalcampaign that will benefit studentsand faculty at the School of Medicineand Health Sciences for years to come.You may have heard about UND’s North Dakota Spiritcapital campaign, launched publicly at the Chester FritzAuditorium on Oct. 8. You may be wondering, “How doesthis apply to the UND School of Medicine and HealthSciences?” Mary Coleman, assistant professor in theDepartment of Pathology, was the first to find out.Coleman won the $10,000 giveaway at the launchevent, which was designed by the UND Foundation to give thecampus a firsthand philanthropic experience. She was selected out of 1,500 contestants tochoose which campus entity would receive the money donated by the Harold and KathleenGershman Foundation. She knew which group could make use of the funds—Clinical Lab Sciences.“We need a new slide stainer and that costs $10,000,” Coleman said. “It aids inteaching hematology.”The launch event was the official start to UND’s capital campaign, themed North DakotaSpirit. The goal, set by UND President Robert Kelley, is $300 million. Thanks to generousdonors during the campaign’s quiet phase, the campaign has already reached the $204million mark. The funds will ultimately benefit students, faculty, programs, and facilitiesacross campus.“We call it North Dakota Spirit because as our state’s flagship university, wecarry the spirit of North Dakota in all we do,” Kelley explained.As part of the campaign, the SMHS has identified its major fundingpriorities, including student scholarships, endowed faculty chairs andprofessorships, the simulation lab, and a new health sciences building. Formore information about the campaign as it moves forward and specific SMHSfunding opportunities, visit www.spirit.und.edu.Printed copies of the School’s campaign case statement and case summaryare available at the SMHS Office of Alumni and Community Relations.Photo: Bruce CrummyWhat is North Dakota Spirit?“As a teacher, I can say the thing that defined North Dakotastudents was an attitude of quiet confidence and a very matureunderstanding of what it would take to succeed. Most of themhave an agrarian background, and coming from the land, theyunderstand what it means to have to go out and work, and do a good job. And after they graduate, ourstudents are the most sought after in the country because of that work ethic.”—Henry C. “Bud” Wessman,UND Physical Therapy Department creator and chair (1967–1993), Sioux Award winner (2010)34 NORTH DAKOTA MEDICINE Holiday 2010