Three student members of the Bison Battalion of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps have been recognized as Distinguished Military Graduates. 

Dan Peterson, a senior majoring in criminal justice from Detroit Lakes, Minn.; Angela Minnich, a senior majoring in radiologic sciences from Ramsey, Minn.; and Jonathan Kvernan, a Minnesota State University Moorhead senior majoring in engineering, received the honor. 

According to Lt. Col. Santiago G. Bueno III, professor of military science, each year graduating ROTC Cadets are ranked on an “order of merit” list against every other senior cadet across the nation for positions in the active Army, National Guard and U.S. Army Reserves. Only cadets in the top 20 percent of that list earn the title of Distinguished Military Graduates. 

“This is a major accomplishment for these three fine cadets,” Bueno said, noting all three will serve in the North Dakota National Guard. “Being named a Distinguished Military Graduate is an honor which will follow them for the rest of what are sure to be distinguished careers.” 

Bueno said the Bison Battalion Distinguished Military Graduate average was 38 percent, almost twice the national average. 

NDSU is recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.