In this joint talk, the presidents of NDSU and UND step beyond the traditional rivalry to highlight how North Dakota’s two research universities are working together to serve the state. From workforce development to groundbreaking research and statewide outreach, this presentation reveals how collaboration—not competition—is strengthening North Dakota’s future. David Cook is the 15th president of North Dakota State University. Joining NDSU in May 2022, his leadership focuses on the university’s strategies to enhance enrollment and invest in student retention and success, prioritize NDSU’s R-1 Carnegie classification status for research, invest in the well-being of the NDSU community, strengthen a culture of diversity, inclusion and respect, and embrace NDSU’s critical role as a land-grant university. He currently serves on the board of directors for the following organizations: Ag Products Utilization Commission, Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber, Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corp., Red River Valley Fair, Research and Technology Park, Research Foundation, Sanford Medical Center Fargo, State Board of Agricultural Research and Education, as well as the NDSU Foundation Executive Governing Board (ex-officio).Andrew P. Armacost began his tenure as the University of North Dakota’s 13th President on June 1, 2020. He previously served as Dean of the Faculty at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, retiring in the rank of Brigadier General in 2019. As UND’s President, Armacost has led the campus to national recognition, including the 2021 Larry Abernathy Award from the International Town Gown Association and the 2022 ACE/Fidelity Investments Transformation Award from the American Council on Education. In 2021, UND became the first university in the nation to be designated as a member of the U.S. Space Force’s University Partnership Program, and in 2025, UND was designated as a "Carnegie R1" institution, placing it among the top research universities in the nation. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx