Man who leaves NDSU in 1971 returns to get his degree

Fargo, North Dakota – Regardless of your age, you can always fulfill new goals. Just ask 73-year-old Daryl Fellbaum, who enrolled in school again after a long absence.

After his work gained priority over his academics, Fellbaum dropped out of North Dakota State University in 1971.

“It’s lucky that I have this opportunity,” said Fellbaum. “In those days I wasn’t smart enough to use my advisors as much. If I would have I might have graduated in a proper amount of time instead of now coming back. I guess it’s shocking. I never would have guessed I would have come back.”

This is done through NDSU’s program for finishing degrees. Fellbaum was only a few credits away from graduation in 1971 when he departed. The 73-year-old from Wyoming has been taking his classes online.

“Told me the type of courses that I would have to take to graduate,” said Fellbaum. “Got us familiar to do that on the internet. They’ve been very helpful. That’s the reason were going to be successful. Because of their help.”

This initiative was developed during the COVID-19 epidemic to give students who were just a few hurdles away from completing their degrees a second shot.

“Is powerful to me. Of course to the university we want to provide that opportunity,” said Jessie Bauer, the assistant director for student success initiatives at NDSU. “We want to make it easier for people to come back and get a degree. They all set out with that goal in the beginning and so we want as a university to provide that opportunity for students.”

In December, Fellbaum will receive his diploma and go across the stage.