When Marshall Stewart earned his bachelor’s degree in agriculture from NC State in 1986, he never imagined he would later work for the university for 20 years. He also never envisioned that he would one day become president of another university over 1,000 miles away. 

But that’s how Stewart’s life has played out, thanks to a passion for public service and the leadership abilities he gained along the way. He also credits the many teachers and colleagues who believed in him throughout his career. When he was announced as the 16th president of North Dakota State University in March, all those same people — from the coast of North Carolina through Missouri and over to Kansas — were just as thrilled as he was, and they joined his family members and friends in flooding his social media accounts and email inboxes with congratulatory messages.

“One of the great joys of this job so far has been seeing the joy that others have had in seeing me get here,” Stewart said. “The beauty of it is they all had a part in the journey by connecting, encouraging, nudging and pushing me into something that I originally didn’t think I would ever do but am incredibly grateful for now.”

Stewart’s new position is a culmination of years of work as a higher education professional at NC State and other institutions, as well as professional leadership experiences with Future Farmers of America (FFA) and 4-H. Today he’s eager to help uplift others, following the example of those who helped uplift and inspire him throughout his career.

“For me, it’s never been about being a university president,” Stewart said. “It’s about what I get to do as a president and the impact that I can have with people and the state.”

A Servant Leader From the Start

Growing up in eastern North Carolina, Stewart showed leadership potential from an early age. Although he didn’t grow up on a farm, he developed a passion for agriculture as a student at Sampson County’s Midway High School, and he went on to be elected president of the North Carolina FFA Association. Three of his agriculture teachers — all of whom were NC State graduates — were particularly influential and convinced him to continue his education in college.

“Because of them, I chose to go to North Carolina State University, and it changed my life,” Stewart said. “The NC State experience put me on a trajectory that I never could have imagined.”

“Agricultural education has the power to change people’s lives. It really put me in a position of service — wanting to serve others, lead change and help people grow.”

Once he arrived on campus at NC State in 1983, Stewart thrived in his agriculture courses and played an active role in the Agriculture Education Club. After earning a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education in 1986, he returned to Midway High School to work as an agriculture teacher. While he was there, colleagues continued to recognize Stewart’s skills beyond the K-12 classroom and encouraged him to earn a master’s degree. He then spent a couple of years commuting from northern Sampson County to Raleigh for night classes at NC State. While finishing his master’s degree, he was hired by the national FFA organization in Alexandria, Virginia, where he worked for seven years. 

“Agricultural education has the power to change people’s lives,” he said. “It really put me in a position of service — wanting to serve others, lead change and help people grow.”

In 1996, Stewart’s path took him back to NC State to become the first-ever state agricultural education coordinator based at the university. Over the course of two decades working at NC State, he served in a variety of academic and administrative roles, and he eventually became the first person to lead both the FFA and 4-H statewide programs. In the meantime, he also began working toward his Ed.D. degree from the College of Education. Within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Stewart worked closely with then-Dean Richard Linton, who was the first of multiple colleagues who planted the idea that he could be a university president one day.

Ultimately, in 2016 Stewart made the difficult decision to leave the university and his home state to head west for more leadership opportunities. He held senior leadership roles with the University of Missouri System and the University of Missouri. He then headed farther west to Kansas State University, where he served as executive vice president for external engagement and chief of staff. In that role, he reunited with Linton, who has served as Kansas State University president since 2022.

‘A Big Land-Grant Guy’

Stewart has hit the ground running since his first day as president on May 26. One highlight was attending the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. Additionally, he completed a two-week road trip across the state, meeting with elected officials, business and community leaders, Research Extension Center employees and students in their hometowns.

“The biggest thing I’ve noticed so far is that the people here are phenomenal — they have grit, love their communities and want to see NDSU succeed,” Stewart said. “They care deeply about their university, and there is a deep love for this place, much like you would find at NC State in North Carolina. A lot of people know us for our football program, but they also recognize us for the good work we do in communities across the state.”

Like NC State, North Dakota State University is a land-grant institution, and Stewart’s passion for the land-grant mission is one of the main reasons he was interested in the job. It’s also the reason why Jim Clark, an English professor emeritus at NC State and a renowned chronicler of North Carolina’s 4-H history, dubbed Stewart “a big land-grant guy” after observing his work with the state’s 4-H and FFA programs.

“As a student and as an employee, I saw the power of the university and what it can do, and what it should do through extension, outreach and community work,” Stewart said. “As land-grant institutions, we’re to serve the needs of the state first, whether it’s North Carolina or North Dakota. By doing that, we can change the world because the challenges here in health, agriculture, engineering and more have transformational impacts around the country and the world.”

While Stewart is excited to help shape the future of North Dakota State University, he also continues to support NC State’s future. He and his wife, Jan, have given to CALS every year since 2005. They also created two endowments to honor ag professionals in North Carolina each year. The Jan and Marshall Stewart Endowment annually recognizes an outstanding 4-H agent and outstanding agriculture teacher for the difference they make in the lives of North Carolina’s young people.

The Dr. R. Marshall Stewart Award for Leadership recognizes an outstanding 4-H employee, and the Marshall and Jan Stewart Outstanding Teacher Award is given by the North Carolina Agriculture Teachers Association to a high school educator who goes above and beyond their responsibilities in the classroom.

Stewart’s philosophy on giving was further inspired by his son, John, who also graduated from NC State. John wrote in his application letter that instead of “giving back” he wanted to “give more” to the communities and programs that helped him succeed.

“Philanthrophy is another way to not only give back but to give more,” Stewart said. “I want to figure out how I can be a good steward of what I’ve been blessed with. My roots go deep at NC State and I’m so grateful for everything it did for me, so if I can enable someone else to have an opportunity, I definitely want to do that. We’re proud to do that.”

CALS Dean Garey Fox commended Stewart on his new position and praised him for his support of the college and the wider university.

“My roots go deep at NC State and I’m so grateful for everything it did for me, so if I can enable someone else to have an opportunity, I definitely want to do that.”

“Marshall Stewart’s leadership has always reflected the very best of our college and the land-grant tradition,” Fox said. “As both a graduate and a longtime member of the NC State community, he has helped strengthen agricultural education, Extension and youth leadership across our state. We congratulate Marshall on this well-deserved opportunity and know North Dakota State University will benefit greatly from his experience and passion.”

Paola Sztajn, dean of the College of Education, also offered her congratulations. 

“We are thrilled to congratulate Dr. Stewart on his new appointment as president of North Dakota State,” Sztajn said. “He represents yet another outstanding NC State College of Education graduate stepping into a prestigious leadership role, continuing our century-long tradition of preparing visionary leaders and educators who expand educational access and success for all.”

Stewart joins an exclusive list of NC State alumni who have served as university presidents or chancellors. Other current university leaders who graduated from NC State are listed below.