ABERDEEN, S.D. –?Northern State University is proud to announce that Mr. Gregg Wiitala, Distinguished Alumnus of 2012, will deliver the 2025 spring commencement address on Saturday, May 10.
Wiitala graduated from Northern in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science in economics. He went on to earn a Master of Arts in economic development from Ohio University in 1972. Over the course of his career, he has led economic expansion projects across developing and poverty-stricken countries, including work in Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
Wiitala began his international service as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from 1966 to 1969. He later held managerial roles with Technoserve, Inc., focusing on agro-business enterprise development, before beginning a 25-year career with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Throughout his time with USAID, Wiitala led multimillion-dollar initiatives in Kenya, Mozambique, Ghana, Egypt, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Jordan. His work has spanned areas such as financial and private sector development, agriculture, infrastructure, and humanitarian aid. In his most recent roles with USAID/Jordan, he served as senior program management advisor and senior private sector advisor.
Wiitala and his wife, Laura, have two children and currently reside in Jordan, maintaining a home in Minnesota.
Northern’s spring commencement ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. in the Barnett Center. The event will also be streamed live on the NSU Graduation and Commencement page, the university’s Facebook page, Midco channel 288 and NVC channel 12.