A former North Dakota governor and U.S. secretary of agriculture is scheduled to kick off a new endowed lecture series at North Dakota State University. Ed Schafer will present “Ronald Reagan’s Values: How They Shaped North Dakota’s Economy Today” on Tuesday, Jan. 15, at 3:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Hidatsa room. The event is free and open to the public. A reception will follow.

Schafer served as U.S. secretary of agriculture from 2008 to 2009. He was governor of North Dakota from 1992 to 2000.

The presentation is the inaugural event in the annual Carl Pfiffner and Jerri Hall Pfiffner Endowed Lecture Series. Carl, BS ’65, polymers and coatings, is a retired national sales manager for ExxonMobil Foundation. His wife, Jerri, BA ’65, English, teaches at Houston Community College.

Two NDSU faculty members will lead a discussion following Schafer’s presentation. Thomas Ambrosio is an associate professor of criminal justice and political science with research focusing on nationalism and ethnic conflicts, international relations, Eastern Europe/former USSR and comparative politics. Tom Isern is a professor of history and University Distinguished Professor of history. 

Schafer’s presentation is sponsored by the NDSU College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

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