On March 17, 2026, the campus became a hub for young scholars in grades six through 12 from across western North Dakota and eastern Montana as it hosted the 2026 National History Day regional conference.
The event marked a milestone for the program, featuring the first hybrid regional contest combining North Dakota’s western region with Montana’s eastern region. Students developed projects centered on this year’s theme, “Revolution, Reaction, and Reform in History.”
National History Day, now in its 52nd year, is a long-standing academic program that began in Ohio as a platform for students to present historical research. While North Dakota’s involvement dates to the 1980s, the State Historical Society of North Dakota has overseen the program since 2013.
Madison Milbrath, education outreach supervisor for the State Historical Society of North Dakota, said the program helps students build research, planning and presentation skills.
DSU hosted approximately 80 students, who brought 59 original research projects to campus. The hybrid format allowed students from both sides of the North Dakota-Montana border to compete in a unified regional environment. Participants presented their work through various media, including papers, performances, websites, documentaries and physical exhibit boards. The competition was divided into two age-based divisions: junior (grades 6-8) and senior (grades 9-12).
The regional contest serves as the first step in a multilevel competition. North Dakota is divided into eastern, central and western regions, with the top four projects in each category and division advancing to the state contest in April at the State Historical Society Museum in Bismarck. From there, the top two projects advance to the national finals in June in College Park, Maryland.
In addition to school-based participants, the program also includes at-large students who compete independently out of a personal interest in history. Organizers say the program continues to grow and that they are seeking mentors and sponsors to support student involvement.
As participation expands and new regional collaborations emerge, National History Day continues to provide students with opportunities to explore the past while developing skills for the future. Next year’s theme, “Innovation in History: Impact and Change,” is expected to build on that momentum.