NDSU President Joseph A. Chapman addressed a special joint session of the North Dakota Legislature as part of the commemoration of the 200th birthday of President Abraham Lincoln.

Lincoln signed the Morrill Land Grand Act that created what is now North Dakota State University, which Chapman called a “truly groundbreaking move to provide access to a new kind of education to millions of people never before offered such opportunity.”

Chapman said the original intent of the land grant act is very much part of the modern university. “In service to our land-grant mission, we continue to prepare students and citizens for the future. Our work today—to prepare students for and assist business with the global market place—is the 21st century version of the land-grant ideal.”

NDSU has always been responsive to the needs of the people, “and will continue to honor this special covenant of service. In the best tradition of visionaries like Justin Morrill and Abraham Lincoln, we work to address the needs of our state and nation not for the 1860s, not for the 1960s, but for the future,” Chapman said.

Approximately 55 students and staff from NDSU attended the session.