UJ Alumni Hall of Fame Honorees Named

JAMESTOWN, N.D.: Three individuals were recently inducted into University of Jamestown’s Alumni Hall of Fame, which honors alumni who have made outstanding contributions to their alma mater and humanity. Admission to the Hall of Fame is the highest honor presented by the University of Jamestown Alumni Association.  

The honorees included John R. Hoidal, MD (‘65), Gail Cameron Saxowsky, BSN, MPH (‘65), and Sheri Dahlstrom RN, MSN (‘77).  

“There is an affinity between this year’s class of Hall of Fame inductees in that they all served in the medical field,” said VP of Development and Alumni Relations Brett Moser. “We are proud to call them Jimmie Hall of Fame members not only because of their professional accomplishments, but also because of their servant-leadership and dedication to their profession—impacting hundreds of others in their workplace, while also giving their lives to community service and volunteer efforts.” 

John Hoidal arrived at Jamestown College in 1961 and was a standout pole vaulter for the Jimmies, as well as quarterback for the football team. He excelled in the classroom, graduating summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and earning the President’s Key. He then attended medical school at the University of Minnesota and later became chief of pulmonary/critical care medicine, followed by the Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Utah. 

Gail Cameron Saxowsky graduated from Jamestown College in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She earned a master’s degree in public health from Loma Linda University and maintained certification as a psychiatric/mental health specialist for many years. Some of her notable accomplishments include being a founding member of the Polk Community Free Clinic in Oregon and the Sunshine Community Clinic in Alaska, as well as being named Volunteer of the Year for the State of Alaska by Governor Steve Cowper.  

Sheri Dahlstrom graduated magna cum laude from Jamestown College in 1977 with a Bachelor of Arts in Nursing. In 1992, she completed her master’s degree in nursing administration from Bellarmine University in Louisville, and in 2014, she completed the GE Fellowship program for Healthcare Executives. She spent the last 20 years of her professional career as a Chief Nursing Officer for Banner Health in several of their acute care facilities throughout the Phoenix metro area.  

In addition to the UJ Alumni Hall of Fame honorees, two former faculty members were awarded the title of Faculty Emeritus, which is a rank assigned to associate professors or professors who have limited or terminated their responsibilities as a faculty member after 10 or more years of distinguished service to the University.  

Phyllis Bratton served as Director of Raugust Library from 1984 until her retirement in 2021. Today, she continues to serve the University of Jamestown as an Archivist. She’s also been involved with organizations including the North Dakota Library Association and the North Dakota/Manitoba Chapter of the Association of College Libraries.  

Dr. Mark Joy joined the University of Jamestown faculty in 1991 and was chair of the Department of History-Political Science from 2004 to 2018. He taught numerous courses in American history and the history of North Dakota. He was named Professor of the Year in 2021 and retired that same year. 

“Mark Joy and Phyllis Bratton lived out the mission of the University of Jamestown over the course of their careers,” said Provost Paul Olson. “Their dedication to UJ’s students and their colleagues is second to none. They impacted thousands of students’ lives during their time with the university and helped us become the great university that we are today.”  

Established as Jamestown College in 1883 by members of the Presbyterian Church, University of Jamestown is a private, liberal arts university granting Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees as well as master’s degrees in Education, Leadership, and Clinical Counseling. Doctoral degrees are available in Physical Therapy and Clinical Research. UJ Accelerated, the newest division of the University, is based in Phoenix, Arizona, and delivers intensive upskilling opportunities to learners in a variety of settings. For more information, please visit UJ.edu.