by Elise Rolandson
The sea of green created by Sioux Crew Shirts at Fighting Sioux sport’s games is Lisa Persuitti’s favorite thing about Sioux Crew. Persuitti is the current director of Sioux Crew, and it’s a perfect fit, since she loves UND sports.
Persuitti is from Andover, Minn. She came to UND to visit her brother and fell in love with the campus, from athletics to the buildings and campus life. “Believe in yourself, pursue your dreams, and don’t be afraid to speak your mind,” says Persuitti. “UND opens the door for students.” She will graduate from UND with her masters in business administration. She earned a BA in communication and a minor in sociology from UND in 2005.
Persuitti has been and is involved in several student organizations including Public Relations Student Society of America, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Director of the Big Event, events committee chair for Sioux Crew,and a member of Alpha Phi Omega, service fraternity. She has also had several internship opportunities including working for Schwan’s USA Cup/Star of the North Games with the National Sports Center, where she conducted live interviews with television stations WCCO and Fox Soccer Channel.
She also assisted with media relations for events such as NCAA DII Elite Eight Women’s Basketball Tournament, NCAA West Regional Hockey Championships, Schwan’s USA Cup, NCAA Women’s DII North Central Regional Tournament, NCC Wells Fargo Finals for DII Women’s Basketball, NCAA DII Elite Eight Men’s Basketball Tournament, and the U.S. Curling National Championships.
She has been a graduate assistant for athletics, where she was responsible for all media relations dealing with swimming and diving, and soccer. Her media guide for Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving won COSIDA 3rd in the Nation and COSIDA Best Cover awards.
Lisa is currently a graduate assistant in marketing where she proctors exams, helps teach, and grades papers.
One of her favorite classes was interpersonal communication, which she said allowed everyone to be open and honest with one another. She also really enjoyed a course in drugs and society, saying that it was eye opening and took a current-day approach to issues that affect society every day. Two of her favorite teachers have been Frank White and Connie Bateman because they are both are very passionate about what they teach and have inspired and encouraged her in many aspects.
“UND has been an integral part of defining who I am. I have truly figured out who I am as a person and where I want to go in the future. I compare UND to an oasis, a great campus hidden up north,” says Persuitti.
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