DSU Heritage Foundation: Engaging Alumni and Friends in Arizona

The annual DSU Heritage Foundation (DSU HF) Alumni and Friends Arizona Trip, held in Mesa in February 2026, offered supporters a meaningful opportunity to connect and engage with the university. The event brought together alumni and friends from across the region for a weekend centered on relationships, shared memories, and continued support of DSU’s mission.

Ty Orton, Executive Director of the DSU Heritage Foundation, reflected on the impact of the gathering, noting, “This is a tremendous event for our alumni and friends to connect with DSU and the foundation, as well as reconnect with friends from the past. It is always full of smiles and laughter. One of our goals is to strengthen those connections between DSU and longtime friends, and this was a very successful event.”

The weekend began Saturday morning with breakfast at Fat Willy’s on Baseline Road, followed by an evening gathering at Roger Erickson ’68’s home for dinner and conversation, setting the tone for a weekend focused on connection and engagement.

On Sunday, DSU President Scott Molander and his wife, Carolyn Molander, met with former DSU President Dr. Lee and Deanna Vickers for lunch. Other attendees traveled to Wickenburg to visit Kaye Nelson, who hosted the group and shared memorabilia from her Miss North Dakota Rodeo title and her husband’s rodeo career. The day concluded in Mesa at the home of Larry and Judi Schnell ’78, where guests reconnected with familiar faces and met new friends, including proud grandparents whose granddaughter recently committed to DSU’s rodeo team.

Monday included a behind-the-scenes tour at Bollinger Atelier with Tom Bollinger ’78, who previewed artwork created for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. The DSU HF team also conducted donor meetings and prepared for an evening event at Topgolf.

The trip concluded Tuesday with a tournament at Superstition Springs Golf Club, followed by a dinner and awards program. President Scott Molander and DSU Heritage Foundation Executive Director Ty Orton provided campus and foundation updates and presented the 2026 Arizona Difference Maker Award to Bob Green ’71 for his service and leadership on this year’s golf committee.

The 2026 Alumni and Friends Arizona Trip strengthened connections with supporters and reminded everyone why the DSU community means so much. The time spent together sharing stories, laughter, and updates from campus made the weekend both meaningful and memorable, leaving guests encouraged and looking forward to staying involved in the months ahead.

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Written by Robin McChesney – DSU HF Development Officer