Marshall Stewart named president of North Dakota State University
Marshall Stewart, executive vice president for external engagement and chief of staff, has been named the 16th president of North Dakota State University. Stewart will begin his appointment on May 28.
"Congratulations to Dr. Stewart, who is a great friend and colleague,” said President Richard Linton. “He has excelled in every aspect of the land-grant university and North Dakota State University is lucky to have him as their next president. We are thankful for his leadership and contributions to K-State and wish him and Jan well in their next chapter."
Stewart joined K-State in January 2023 as the university’s first senior vice president for executive affairs, university engagement and partnerships, and chief of staff. As the driving force behind universitywide engagement efforts, he was promoted in July 2024 to lead and transform K-State’s external engagement enterprise through the Office of External Engagement, elevating the university’s engagement and K-
State Extension’s efforts, enhancing economic impact and fulfilling the promise of being a next-generation land-grant university.
At K-State, Stewart served as the president’s principal liaison with university, government and community leadership. He oversaw the administrative staff from the Office of the President, Office of External Engagement units, K-State Extension and several other areas. He prioritized community engagement through the university’s cultural units by elevating the efforts of the K-State Gardens, Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art and McCain Auditorium. He also partnered strategically with the KSU Foundation, K-State Alumni Association and K-State Athletics to advance the university’s strategic plan.
Under Stewart’s leadership and with the Governmental Relations team, the university secured record-breaking funding during the 2025 Kansas Legislative Session, including $128 million to build a new Kansas Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, a crucial resource for Kansas’s $12.9 billion livestock industry. In early 2026, K-State also received $5 million in federal funding for its nuclear program and TRIGA Mark II Nuclear Reactor Facility.
To advance research and economic development, Stewart also led collaborative efforts to open an innovation hub to bring together the Kansas State University Research Foundation and Corporate Engagement team at the KSU Foundation’s Edge District. The university and Office of External Engagement — Economic Development team also launched the All Things Kansas online platform, a free interactive tool with data-driven mapping, reports and insights for all 105 counties in the Sunflower State.
“When I came to K-State, I quickly knew it was a special place — a university deeply committed to its land-grant mission and to making a meaningful difference for Kansas," Stewart said. "I am proud of what we accomplished together to strengthen the university’s teaching, research and engagement, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve this remarkable institution. Jan and I will deeply miss the many friends we have made across Kansas, and we will always be thankful for our time at K-State."
— Submitted by Division of Communications and Marketing