The University of North Dakota, as a member of the North Dakota University System, serves the state, the country, and the world community through teaching, research, creative activities and service. State-assisted, the University's work depends also on federal, private, and corporate sources. With other research universities, the University shares a distinctive responsibility for the discovery, development, sponsorship and encouragement of basic and applied research, scholarship, and creative endeavor, the University contributes to the public well-being.

I have recently visited UND's campus at their open house this spring. I enjoyed visiting their engineering buildings and meeting with students. If I had to decide on which college I would go to UND would be towards the top of the list.

UMD serves northern Minnesota, the state, and the nation as a medium-sized comprehensive university dedicated to excellence in all of its programs and operations. As a university community in which knowledge is sought as well as taught, its faculty recognizes the importance of scholarship and service, the intrinsic value of research, and the significance of a primary commitment to quality instruction.

At UMD, a firm liberal arts foundation anchors a variety of traditional degree programs, outreach offerings, and selected professional and graduate studies. Active learning through internships, honors programs, research, and community service promotes the development of skills, critical thinking, and maturity sought by society. Demanding standards of performance for students, faculty, and staff make UMD attractive to students with strong academic potential.

UMD is also towards the top of my lists of colleges, but I haven't been able to tour their campus yet and look forward to visiting Duluth's engineering program.

The College of Engineering is committed to excellence, innovation, and effectiveness in discovery, education, and engagement programs that are responsive to the needs of its constituents.

In 1995, the College of Engineering at Iowa State University created a strategic plan entitled The Blueprint for the Future, which emphasized improvements in the undergraduate education program and laid out a set of objectives to be achieved by the year 2000. In 1998, the document was updated and streamlined to become The Blueprint for Excellence with performance objectives targeted at the year 2003 with the emphasis once again on the undergraduate program. Based on progress in the college’s programs during the past seven years, the college is now prepared to undertake the following new Reach for the Top challenge directed at its graduate education and research efforts.