Lori Rasmussen Swinney

I worked at K-Mart to put myself through college and graduated from UND with a BS in psychology. I got a job at UND in the transportation department, renting out airplanes and cars. Strange job for a person with a psych degree. After a year there my Dad asked me to join him in managing his fertilizer/feed business. I did that with Dad for 20+ years along with managing my Mom's private counseling practice. Always wanted to go back to school and continue my education. As Dad was looking at retiring and I didn't want to continue with the business, I got a job at UND in the Academic Media department managing the audio/video area. Worked there for 27 years. The department changed names to the Center for Instructional & Learning Technologies and I served as director. I received my Master's in Education and Instructional Design & Technology in 1999 and doctorate in 2004. I also taught courses at UND as an adjunct in the Teaching & Learning department.
I retired from UND in Dec 2019 and then COVID hit. Didn't seem like much of a retirement, so when NDSU. and NDSCS called and asked if I could work remotely and help them out. I'm still working for both institutions and added on a new course I'm teaching for the College of St. Scholastica. Enjoying family, gardening, biking & hiking and hoping for some traveling this next year. My husband and I take care of my mother; meals, shopping, watching TV and taking trips together. She is 91 years young!

I went to St. James freshman through junior. It closed end of junior year and I went to Central to finish. I only really attended one half a year at Central as I had enough credits from St. James to graduate early. I kind of remember being overwhelmed by so many students at Central that I just kind of floated my way, quickly, through that half year. I was pretty shy back then and didn't really get to know many of my class mates. I miss not being able to experience a fun senior year.