October 21, 2026

By April Scheinoha | Thief River Falls Times

THIEF RIVER FALLS — Growth and collaboration took center stage Thursday, Oct. 15 at the State of the College event hosted by Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls. A similar event was held the following day at the East Grand Forks campus.

Northland traces its roots back to 1949, when the Thief River Falls Area Vocational School was established at Lincoln High School. Through the years, it has undergone several name changes and mergers. Currently, Northland has two campuses, an aerospace site and the Advanced Resource Center. President Dr. Shari Olson said Marvin completely funds the center, which is located in Warroad and employs one person.

Northland has seen continuous growth over the past few years. Olson, who has served as president first in an interim capacity and now in her own right, had instituted a goal of 10% enrollment growth over three years (2024-2027). Since Fiscal Year 2024, Northland has seen a 21.44% increase in enrollment. For Fiscal Year 2026, there are 1,748 full-year equivalent students. Full-year equivalent is considered to be 30 credits.

Read full story:
https://trftimes.com/news/41504/state-of-the-college-northland-continues-to-grow