By Micah Friez
Published 7:00 pm on February 9, 2026
When Drs. John and Joy Hoffman donate to Bemidji State University, one word surfaces: confidence.
“We know that the dollars we give here are going to make a real, tangible difference,” John said. “We really, truly believe in what the university is doing.”
“I’m constantly impressed by someone at BSU doing something great,” Joy added. “We believe in the university because of the people who are here.”
John is the president of Bemidji State and Northwest Technical College, and his wife Joy has built her own decades-long career in higher education and is just as enthusiastic about all things BSU and NTC. The Hoffmans recently pledged $100,000 to the university over the next four years and have also made a significant estate gift by including Bemidji State University in their wills.
Their generosity is helping fuel the For the North fundraising campaign — leading by example because they genuinely believe in the difference they can make.
The Hoffmans give joyfully because they know that philanthropy at Bemidji State is driven by passion, not persuasion. And that’s why they’re not alone. Thousands of like-minded donors pour into BSU, all investing in the next generation of Beavers together.
“I love how the university engages with its alumni first and foremost. It’s almost a pay-it-forward kind of process,” Joy said. “The running theme has always been that they loved their experience at Bemidji State University, and when they’re successful, that’s where they want to give back. It’s overwhelming.”
The three-year For the North campaign has set out to raise $25 million by June 30, 2026. Donors and supporters have already tallied up more than $21 million, putting BSU on the cusp of incredible new opportunities for students.
On a per-student basis, Bemidji State donors raise more money than any other institution in the Minnesota State system. And within those donor demographics, no other peer has a higher percentage of contributions coming directly from its graduates.
The anecdotes support the numbers. The Hoffmans frequently hear testimonies from alumni who loved their experience and are indebted to BSU for the opportunities it provided them. The university has also served as a beacon of connection out in the world — because so many people who interact with the Hoffmans either attended Bemidji State or know someone who did.
“We’ve got the data and the personal stories,” John said. “We’re not just saying it; generations of alumni have truly made a unique commitment to the future of our students.”
The influence of a futurist
In 2022, John was weighing whether or not to apply for the presidency position at Bemidji State. But a colleague encouraged him to have lunch with Jim Bensen, who had an exuberant knack for selling people on the community.
Bensen was BSU’s president from 1994-2001, and he is nationally regarded as a visionary who “plans from the future.” He has been an architect of growth on campus and in the community, both during and after his presidency.
Those original plans for lunch turned into much more — first that day, and then in the years that have followed.
“He came over in the morning and we were together all day,” Bensen said. “I gave him the Jim Bensen tour of the town and everything that’s going on here. It was a very fun day. I told him success stories all day long. What he was hearing was the excitement of the community.”
“As Jim talked about the opportunities he saw, that was my first real impression of the university and college,” John added. “On the drive back home afterwards, I picked up the phone to call Joy and say, ‘I’m going to apply.’”
It would be natural to say the rest is history — but it’d be more apt to view that day as the start of the future.
“For a very long time now, I’ve been a big believer in that mindset of planning backward from the future, rather than drawing from history. That’s why my conversation with Jim was so intriguing,” said John, who officially assumed the presidency on July 1, 2022. “Now thinking about this campaign, I’m really excited about creating a new version of who we’ve always been to meet the needs of tomorrow.”
By instilling such a strong culture of philanthropy, John has earned a stamp of approval from one of his predecessors.
“President Hoffman can spur everybody,” Bensen said. “Not just our alumni, not just the people in this community. It’s about the entire top of the state. That’s the big picture: it’s For the North. That doesn’t mean Bemidji, it means the whole works.”
Cyclical generosity
The Hoffmans’ estate gift — which will be endowed and last in perpetuity — will provide income to support the American Indian Resource Center, the Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and the university’s greatest needs through the Lakeside Fund.
No matter where other donors hold their passions around the campus, John promises their contributions will be put to good use — both at BSU and beyond.
“We’re bringing students here to discover skills inside of themselves, and then we’re delivering exceptional grads to the region,” John said. “We really are a workforce engine that holds the North together and fuels this economy.”
That very cycle has been taking place on the shores of Lake Bemidji for over 100 years. And it’ll continue for at least 100 more because Beavers know that moving forward starts with giving back.
“It’s heartwarming to me when donors are contributing at all levels, because every amount helps,” Joy said. “We’ve got some very big donors who are paying it forward in huge ways because they can. And we’ve got alumni who don’t have as much to give, but they’re giving what they have because they had a great experience here and feel called to make a difference.”
In many respects, For the North donors are laying the groundwork for others to open even more doors in the future. Someday, John envisions, today’s students will be transforming the university in their own ways. Current students are receiving unrivaled opportunities, forging lifelong connections with one another and walking out with not only a degree but also a pathway to bolster the North Woods.
“We want to make sure that today’s Beavers are having such a great experience here that, when they graduate, they’ll strengthen the region and feel compelled to pay it forward,”
John said. “This place is changing their lives now, and they’ll want to be a part of changing lives in the future. I have full confidence.”
This story was featured in the 2025-26 winter edition of the BSU Magazine. To view the entire magazine, click here.
