April 14, 2026

This piece is sponsored by Dakota State University.

Dr. John Ballard was meeting with students at Dakota State University as part of his job interview when he became convinced how much he wanted to serve as the university’s next president.

“We met with a small group of students, and I was buoyed by how much passion and pride and energy was in the room,” said Ballard, who has served as president of Maryland-based National Intelligence University since 2023.

“And we went immediately from there to meeting with the staff, and they were completely focused on how to care for these students and make their lives better. That lit the match for me.”

As he and his wife, Rose, prepared to return to their home in the Washington, D.C., area, “we were talking about how we’d love to live here and how these are wonderful people,” he said.

“Then I got the call that we got the opportunity, so we were absolutely thrilled.”

Ballard comes to DSU at the pinnacle of a career that has spanned three continents, including roles in New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates, and senior positions in Virginia, Rhode Island, New York and Washington, D.C.

He was the first provost of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, where he helped recover accreditation and modernize the curriculum. He serves on the executive committee of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area and has written seven books and numerous articles on national security and leadership.

In DSU, he sees a university that is forward-thinking enough to help shape the future of American higher education.

“When I came across the very innovative, creative, tech-centered culture at DSU, it really excited me,” he said.

“I think DSU is perfectly positioned to be the kind of new American university we really need. We need to break out of the old, industrial model and be more flexible and attuned to the kind of education our citizens need today. That’s a service I’d like to provide. I like the team, I like the mission, and I think it’s something that would be fulfilling every day.”

In the first 24 hours after he was announced as the next president, “I can’t tell you the number of texts and calls and emails from colleagues who are excited that I have this opportunity because they want to look at partnerships,” Ballard said.

“It’s going to be really interesting. I think DSU’s potential to link with other agencies nationally is very, very key.”

South Dakota’s decision to focus DSU on cyber and technology “is brilliant,” he added. “I think that really gives us the ability to pioneer new ideas and new ways of teaching, blended with very strong traditional education programs. That can be a real engine for prosperity.”

Ballard will begin his new role in June as current president Dr. José-Marie Griffiths transitions to a new role of chancellor, tasked with supporting DSU’s well-known cyber programs on a national level.

“President Griffiths has already broken the mold in a lot of ways. She’s done fantastic work,” Ballard said.

“I wouldn’t have heard of DSU had it not been for the groundbreaking work they’re doing. She has punched way above the weight of DSU and brought it to a lot of people’s attention.”

Ballard recognizes the benefit of having an expert alongside him in the new role and credits the South Dakota Board of Regents for its forward-thinking approach, noting that “it is fairly unique and not an opportunity you see in many state colleges.”

His first priorities will include putting together a working group to assess and address how DSU helps new students adapt to college life.

“The first 90 days of a first-time student’s time at a university sets the tone for everything that follows,” he said. “The universities that make those individuals feel welcome and excite them about creative learning succeed in significant ways over their peers.”

Ballard describes himself as open to new ideas, especially if they’re driven by helping students learn and be successful.

“I want to see where we might have closed doors or windows and how we can open them to enable students to be more successful over time,” he said. “Most of what we do is likely working well, but I want to ask the questions.”

He also anticipates ongoing outreach to the communities served by DSU and its graduates.

“I want to understand the local community, their needs, the industries and places where our part of South Dakota really wants to go,” he said. “The more we at DSU understand what the region could be, the more we can help.”

This year also will bring the opening of the DSU Applied Research building in Sioux Falls, aimed at creating opportunities for public-private partnerships through cybersecurity-related economic development.

The hope is that DSU graduates, both new and those who would like to return to the area, will find a new pipeline of jobs supporting entities that require their services in a highly secured environment.

“I think the ingredients are there to be successful,” Ballard said.

“Having these labs means folks can leave work, come in and talk about a problem, and leave the challenge with creative, tech-enabled professionals. There are some unknown game-changers out there that are going to revolutionize technology, and this is a powerful opportunity to get our head in the game, focus on what the future might be and start building the linkages to create solutions.”

DSU will recognize 150 years as an institution in 2031, and in the meantime, the university’s strategic plan is ready to be updated.

“We have a chance to make a strategic plan that bridges to that anniversary and beyond and make it a celebration that’s going to be significant,” Ballard said. “We have a solid plan that finishes in 2027, and we want to bring forward another six or seven years of work past that 150th anniversary.”

Part of the overall appeal of the university is how it’s positioned to “discover the challenges of the future,” he continued.

“If you want to wrestle with future problems and develop the solutions for tomorrow, come to DSU.”