Area Women in Business: Connie Nelson, Education

Connie Nelson

Born: Breckenridge, 1952

Education: UND - BS in Business administration, NDSU – M.S. in Communications, MSUM – completed class work for masters in Vocational Education.

Business: Going on 4 years as Fargo Public Schools District Writer/Manager

Community volunteering: South East Republican Women, authored YWCA Cass Clay 100 Year History, Chair – Fargo Moorhead Chamber of Commerce Public Affairs committee, Chamber Regional Partnership Committee, Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation’s Women’s Fund, Women’s Business Exchange
About Connie Nelson

Once the No Child Left Behind legislation was in place across the country, Connie was hired by the Fargo Public Schools District to fill a new grant writing position almost 4 years ago. Connie’s expertise was needed by the district to fund projects and initiatives to help keep kids in school and to provide teachers with money in which to institute educational ideas. Connie has raised the bar from one year to the next by bringing in large amounts of money for district operations and to augment teacher and students efforts.

Connie is responsible for writing million of dollars worth of foundation, state and federal grants. She spends most of her time researching and writing grant applications. Every grant project means she is working with different people representing all grade levels and topics to gather information and write grant applications on the district’s behalf to fulfill project needs. Her job also requires reporting back to funding organizations on the use of the funding received.

Connie also represents Fargo Schools in a coalition of 17 school districts from southeast North Dakota to help further project and funding efforts. Her varied employment background and communities she has lived in North Dakota enable Connie to offer a valuable urban and rural perspective to the coalition.

Positions Connie has held since the 1970’s are radio advertising sales, advertising manager for 7 Straus stores, marketing for long term care and healthcare for 11 years, marketing director for Heartland Health Systems, and a hotel management company. She has always taught on the side including at vocational facilities and under-graduate and graduate levels at the University of Mary, Fargo.

Over the years, Connie has drawn inspiration from several administrative level mentors and three female mentors, each whom lived beyond 100 years of age. Their counsel and example helped Connie get through starting over due to company mergers and downsizing, being a single working mother, and overcoming attitudes and issues concerning women in business. Connie in turn has effectively mentored many young people over the years through her contact with college interns and with her college students.

She said she uses every experience from every job in the next opportunity that comes her way. And, notes that her strong marketing background is helpful when selling ideas to granting sources on behalf of the Fargo Schools.