Clay Routledge, has received NDSU's first Arden and Donna Hetland Distinguished Professorship.
Clay Routledge, professor in NDSU’s College of Business and faculty scholar in the Sheila and Robert Challey Institute for Global Innovation and Growth, has been appointed the inaugural holder of the newly-established Arden and Donna Hetland Distinguished Professorship.
Routledge is a leading existential psychologist who studies how the human need for meaning in life influences and is influenced by different cognitive processes, self-regulation, momentous life experiences, personal and professional goals, creativity, social connections, spirituality and religiosity, entrepreneurship and prosocial behavior.
“Professorships like the Hetland professorship help us retain and attract talent at NDSU,” said Scott Beaulier, Ronald and Kaye Olson Dean of Business. “They also give our high-impact professors much-needed support to elevate their research to the next level of quality and creativity.”
Routledge is a highly cited researcher who has published more than 100 scholarly papers, co-edited three books, written two books and wrote the documentary short film, “Why do we feel nostalgia?”
His work has been featured by media outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, NBC Today, CBS News, ABC News, CNN, The Atlantic, HGTV, Men’s Health, Wired, Forbes and BBC Worklife. He has written dozens of articles for numerous popular outlets. He also is an editor for Profectus, a periodic magazine focused on key drivers of human flourishing, progress, and the barriers that stand in the way of improving well-being.
“This distinguished professorship will enhance my research, outreach and related efforts to help individuals, businesses and the broader society thrive,” Routledge said. “Fargo is an amazing community full of industrious, talented and friendly people. I endeavor to serve this community and the state of North Dakota by helping the College of Business and NDSU build a national reputation in thought leadership on the big challenges of our time. Generous donors like the Hetland family play a vital role in making this possible and I am extremely grateful for their support.”
Arden, BS ’76, soil science, and Donna Hetland grew up on neighboring farms in North Dakota and are longtime supporters of NDSU — particularly the College of Business and the Performing Arts. Arden Hetland is a member of the College of Business Advisory Board.
“I’m so excited for what Clay can do, what he’s done and what he can do for the future of NDSU and the College of Business. He’s an exceptional person and scholar,” Arden Hetland said. “We just want to help wherever we can, and hopefully Clay can continue to open up the mindset of students in the college so they see there’s a bigger picture.”
Named faculty positions provide exceptional scholars the resources needed to advance education, research and outreach in their classrooms, community and the field.
“Since 2016, philanthropic support for NDSU faculty has increased exponentially,” said John Glover, NDSU Foundation president and CEO. “This is the 17th named faculty position on campus and the 10th established since the start of In Our Hands: The Campaign for North Dakota State University. It’s fantastic Arden and Donna appreciate the value of investing in our talented faculty, and we’re grateful for their tremendous investment.”
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