The Dakota College at Bottineau Foundation is honored to announce a monumental and heartfelt gift from alumnus Maynard L. Thompson, whose journey began on the campus of the former North Dakota School of Forestry nearly seventy years ago. Thompson graduated in 1957 with a pre-engineering degree, a path he says was shaped almost entirely by the caring faculty who guided him during his earliest days as a college student.  Honoring the spirit of caring and giving he received as a pre-engineering student at Bottineau, he has established the Maynard L. Thompson Scholarship Endowment which will support students just like him for generations to come.

Thompson recalls arriving on campus with uncertainty about what he wanted to study. The first person he met was engineering instructor Mr. Peter Wold, Jr. When Wold asked what program he planned to pursue, Thompson answered honestly: “I don’t know.” Without hesitation, Wold replied, “How about pre-engineering?” That moment, as Thompson remembers fondly, set the trajectory for the rest of his life.

During his time in Bottineau, he was deeply influenced by faculty members such as math instructor Mr. Thomas Rindt, boxing coach Mr. George Hynes, and especially Mr. Wold. Their encouragement and belief in his potential left a lifelong imprint.After graduating from the School of Forestry, Thompson continued his education at North Dakota State University, earning a mechanical engineering degree. He went on to work for General Electric and later joined Honeywell, where he built a distinguished career in development design engineering, management, and ultimately as an engineering executive. His professional accomplishments include receiving Honeywell’s prestigious HW Sweatt Award and earning 15 patents, one of which remains in production more than four decades later.  

Thompson has never forgotten what it felt like to start college with very limited means. Thompson credits his time at Bottineau as his foundation for his life and career. That memory is what inspired his recent gift to Dakota College at Bottineau—an endowed scholarship dedicated to supporting sophomore students in pre-engineering and science-related/health programs who share similar beginnings and aspirations.

“I’m thankful I can help students who are like I once was,” Thompson said. “I hope this will inspire others to do well in school so someday they will be able to give back too.”
Interim Dean, Corey Gorder, expressed the college’s appreciation, stating: “On behalf of Dakota College's entire community, we extend our deepest gratitude for this extraordinary gift from Mr. Maynard Thompson which reflects a profound belief in our students and their potential. We are truly grateful for his investment in their dreams and the future of our community."

Dakota College at Bottineau Foundation Director, Tina Webb, expressed her appreciation for Thompson’s generosity and vision. “It has truly been a pleasure working with Mr. Thompson to fulfill his goal of creating an endowment scholarship with a focus on supporting pre-engineering students like himself,” Webb said. “We are incredibly grateful for Mr. Thompson’s very generous gift and the legacy it will provide for generations of students.”

Thompson’s story is a powerful reminder of how a single moment—and a single mentor—can shape a lifetime. His gift ensures that future students will have similar opportunities to discover their path, pursue their dreams, and someday give back in their own way. If you have also been inspired by your experience at college in Bottineau, contact the DCB Foundation office at 701-228-5613 or send an email to dcbalum@dakotacollege.edu – we want to hear your story!