Northwest School of Agriculture classmates and friends gathered to reminisce, reconnect, and celebrate their 2024 All-School Reunion on Friday, June 28 on the University of Minnesota Crookston campus. There were over 100 alumni and friends in attendance and this year’s Top Aggies, Sid Stivland 1964 and Brian Bohnsack 1966, were honored during the annual luncheon and program.
The all-day event included morning refreshments and mingling, sessions for sharing memories and milestones, luncheon, business meeting, group photo, classroom meetings with graduates from the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, plus special meetings for the classes of 1944, 1949, 1954, 1959 and 1964 who celebrated their 80th, 75th, 70th, 65th, and 60th reunions, a happy hour social, and signing of the historical guest book. A special and huge thank you to those who attended — see you next year!
Sidney ‘Sid’ Stivland 1964
Sid graduated from the Northwest School of Agriculture in 1964 and graduated from Augsburg College in Minneapolis with a bachelor’s degree in political science. Approximately 20 years later Stivland earned a bachelor of science in chemical engineering from the University of Minnesota Institute of Technology and was a member of Tau Beta Pi, Golden Key, and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies.
Stivland was employed with Fairview Hospital in Minneapolis in the psychiatric unit for a few years before moving to Home Away group homes and shelters where he worked as a social worker and group therapist for adolescents. Later, he was employed by 3M in Maplewood, Minn., as a project engineer leading capital projects in the United States and Singapore.
He has held many memberships and affiliations over the years including the American Institute of Chemical Engineering (AICUE), Minnesota Association of Social Workers, Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association (AOPA) and Twin City Cloud 7 Flying Club, Minnesota Ornithologists Union where he visited schools and introduced kids to birds and conservation, participated in the Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas Project, and is currently a member of the Norwegian Cultural Organization’s Gudbrandsdal Lag where he’s on the board of directors. Stivland has also been a member of several churches serving in a number of ways.
Stivland has received individual and group awards for contributions to pollution prevention, safety innovation, and new products for his work in engineering projects.
Since retirement in 2008, Stivland continues to work with schools educating students on birds and has tutored a third grade class. He’s written 10 books in the past 15 years after developing an interest in family history.
“I am indebted to many over the four years here (at NWSA), probably too numerous to mention,” said Stivland. “Mr. Reiersgard for attempting to teach German to the elite group of ‘students’, using that word loosely; Mrs. Jamison for keeping behavior to a ‘dull roar’, ‘Ma’ Brown for teaching us to eat what she put on the table, and Mr. Titus for math. (I’m) also indebted to him for helping us process the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.”
Brian Bohnsack 1966
Brian Bohnsack graduated from the Northwest School of Agriculture in 1966 and graduated with an associate’s degree in accounting from the University of Minnesota Technical Institute in Crookston in 1968. After serving in the U.S. Army from 1968-1970, he pursued farming for Tri-Drees Farming Association in Reynolds, North Dakota. Bohnsack retired in 2010 and continues to assist his son, Ryan, with his farm operation.
During his time at the NWSA, he participated in cross country running as a freshman and sophomore, football as a junior and senior, and basketball all four years with his senior year as captain.
“I had many fun-loving classmates,” Bohnsack stated. “My favorite teachers were Ralph Titus (math), Lynn Tharaldson (phy ed), and Herschel Lysaker, who was my football and basketball coach.”
“NWSA prepared me for going out on my own after graduation,” he added.
He was awarded as Traill County Outstanding Agriculturist in 2009.
Bohnsack has held numerous memberships and served on several boards over the years including a lifetime member and various office positions at St. John Lutheran Church in Hillsboro, clerk of Bohnsack Township Board for over 45 years, Hillsboro School Board president for 10 years, Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association board for 12 years, Farm Service Agency local board for nine years, Hillsboro American Legion Color Board, and served on the Northwest School of Agriculture Alumni Association board including the role of vice president.
