By Micah Friez
Published 1:46 pm on April 10, 2026
As Christopher Waller sat in the Oval Office, across from the President of the United States as a soon-to-be member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, he couldn’t help but think: “How did I get here?”
“I’m sitting in one of the most historic rooms in U.S. history,” Waller said, “and I’m just this kid from Brooklyn Center who went to Bemidji State, and I’m possibly going to be a governor of the Federal Reserve. It just seemed completely surreal.”
However, that 2019 job interview with the president — which successfully ended with an offer — was not the most important conversation that Waller has ever had. The Bemidji State University alumnus grants that distinction to two talks in 1978, when he was weighing whether or not to drop out of college following his freshman year.
Waller could have worked in a warehouse and made more than his BSU professors, or he could return to school and complete his degree. Now with decades of perspective in tow, Waller knows his life radically changed because his father and professor Buzz Johnson both steered him back into the classroom.
“There are these critical moments in your life,” Waller said. “One was when my dad talked to me about going back to school and not quitting. And then a month later, I talked to Buzz. When I look back at my life, those two conversations were what drove everything in my career.”
Waller earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Bemidji State in 1981 and has gone on to become one of the world’s most influential leaders in shaping economic policy. The former resident of old Maple Hall now represents BSU as one of its most prominent national figures.
“Every step of the way, this was never intentional,” he said of his career trajectory. “But at every stage, I took a risk. This was a dramatic change, and I was 60 years old. Do I really need to go through this at my age? But these jobs don’t come again. You get one shot. You can either take it or leave it, and I always take it.”
Back where it all began
Waller returned to Bemidji State on April 8-9 as the keynote speaker for BSU’s Student Achievement Conference, a day dedicated to creativity, research, and innovation. He interacted with current students, observing their presentations and learning about their work in a variety of academic disciplines.
Not only did Waller’s presence offer expertise and perspective, but it also served as living proof that such a high pedestal is achievable for any Bemidji State grad.
“There is something especially meaningful about welcoming an alumnus home, particularly one whose journey reflects the very promise and purpose of our institutions,” said BSU and NTC President John L. Hoffman. “Our students see themselves in his story. Many come from communities across northern Minnesota and beyond, bringing with them determination, resilience, and a desire to create opportunity — for themselves, for their families, and for the places they call home.
“Gov. Waller’s presence on campus, and his willingness to share his experiences, affirmed for them that their aspirations are both valid and attainable.”
Waller himself is a first-generation college graduate. First drawn in by the beauty of Bemidji during his senior year of high school, he entrusted the University of the Pines to deliver an exceptional education. He then earned master’s and doctoral degrees from Washington State University.
Waller went on to teach at Indiana University, the University of Kentucky, and the University of Notre Dame before joining the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. His delivery style as an instructor — clear, candid, and prioritizing comprehension above all — is a signature that he’s carried over into politics.
“I had good professors at BSU who cared about me and were understanding,” Waller said. “The treatment I got here, it affected how I taught the rest of my life. And my teaching philosophy now carries through to when I talk about economic policy, the state of the economy, or any other topic.
“I credit that to all the way back to when I was here. The professors I had, that’s how they taught me.”
‘A powerful reminder’
President Donald Trump officially nominated Waller for the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in July 2019, and he was confirmed in the Senate in December 2020. He is serving a 10-year term that will expire in January 2030.
As a member of the board, Waller is a voting participant on the Federal Open Market Committee, placing him among the key decision-makers responsible for shaping the nation’s monetary policy. In this capacity, he helps guide decisions related to interest rates, inflation, labor market conditions, and the overall stability of the U.S. financial system. He’s widely regarded as a rigorous and disciplined macroeconomist who brings both analytical precision and clarity to his work.
“In many ways, Gov. Waller’s career reflects the outcomes we strive to create: graduates who are prepared not only to succeed professionally, but to contribute meaningfully to their communities and to public life,” Hoffman said. “His path from Bemidji State to his service on the Federal Reserve Board is a powerful reminder to our students that where they begin does not limit where they can go. Rather, it is often here — in places like Bemidji — where that trajectory is first shaped.”
Waller’s visit also included a reception at the American Indian Resource Center in his honor and a breakfast with faculty members and university leaders to discuss the evolving intersections of higher education and public service.
Some things around town look different than when Waller was first here, but there was also a sense of comfortable familiarity throughout his stay.
Perhaps that’s because Bemidji State has never truly left him.
“It’s good to be back and see the campus,” Waller said. “I’ve never forgotten the place and never will. Bemidji State did for me what other people got from Harvard or Yale or Stanford. My story’s the standard American dream for people, certainly in the Midwest. If you work hard, you can succeed in life.”
