By BSU Alumni & Foundation
Published 3:00 pm on August 20, 2025
The Bemidji State University Alumni & Foundation has named Sachel Josefson as the recipient of the 2025 Friend of the Foundation Award.
Josefson is an associate professor in the School of Technology, Art & Design. He was announced as the recipient at the annual startup President’s Breakfast on Aug. 19, and the award was presented by Gwenia Fiskevold Gould, the Alumni & Foundation’s director of annual giving.
Fiskevold Gould noted Josefson’s leadership and willingness to engage fellow faculty members in fundraising efforts and to encourage their attendance at foundation events. She noted that he has played a key role in securing new donors and forging new partnerships.
Josefson also supported annual Day of Giving efforts in February as TAD’s liaison to help raise over $30,000 for the program, and he provided meaningful stewardship to donors. Additionally, Josefson has recruited BSU’s Design Guild to create materials for various foundation functions.
Josefson is also a 2008 graduate of Bemidji State University.
The Friend of the Foundation Award recognizes staff or faculty members who have demonstrated exceptional commitment and effectiveness in cultivating relationships that help advance the fundraising efforts of the Alumni & Foundation. The award started in 2024, with psychology professor Travis Ricks being the inaugural recipient.
