All at once, Angela Schmidt is her family’s first-generation on campus and its third-generation on campus. The Bemidji High School and Bemidji State University graduate was recently promoted to the BSU Alumni & Foundation’s director of alumni relations and now oversees alumni engagement and programming.

Along with an important job title, she holds the distinction of being a first-generation college graduate in her family, plus a third-generation employee at Bemidji State. Her father, Randy Tisdell, worked as a general maintenance worker for 38 years, while her paternal grandmother, Darlene Bitzer, was a senior account clerk in BSU’s business office for over 27 years. Schmidt has become next in the family line to serve at Bemidji State, and she views her vocation with pride.

“BSU has been a part of me for almost my whole life,” Schmidt said. “I’ve made so many connections in the Bemidji community through work and raising my three daughters here, and BSU is a big part of who I am.”

Now in her role of alumni director, Schmidt is responsible for event planning — including all things Homecoming — and leads in the selection and distribution of alumni scholarships and alumni awards.

Additionally, she leads strategic communications, volunteer engagement and philanthropic engagement at the foundation.

“Angela is stepping into the director of alumni relations position at a critical juncture in our history,” BSUAF executive director Allyssa Joseph said when Schmidt was first promoted in June. “With her at the helm, I believe we will elevate our offerings to alumni and breathe new life into our alumni engagement strategies.”

Schmidt is no stranger to the ins and outs of the Alumni & Foundation. She has worked at the foundation for six years as the office administrative specialist, which included office management and administrative support for the foundation’s executive director and staff, as well as serving as the liaison to the foundation’s board of directors.

She has been at Bemidji State nearly her entire professional career, having previously served as an employer/recruitment coordinator in the Career Services office from 2011-17 and a customer service specialist in three offices from 2010-11.

Her new role has shifted her focus to a new chapter, and Schmidt has hit the ground running with events, initiatives and ideas galore. She’s establishing the framework for a newly created “Bucky Forever Fund” scholarship, revamped alumni networks, alumni tours, a celebrity softball game and more.

“I want to create meaningful and engaging opportunities for our alumni to connect with each other, plus current BSU students and faculty,” Schmidt said. “My goal is to provide valuable experiences for our alumni, and I want people to take a lot of pride in being an alum from here.”

“The foundation board is thrilled to see Angela stepping into this very important, high-profile position as director of alumni relations without skipping a beat,” BSUAF board of directors president Joe Grabowski added. “We all know that she is a Bemidji State Beaver through and through and bleeds green and white. Angela brings bold, fresh thinking to engage our loyal alumni around the globe and keep them connected to this new era of BSU.”

Schmidt has a bachelor’s degree in mass communication and a master’s degree in teaching, both from Bemidji State. She and her husband, Danny, have three children: Makenna, Mady and Maya.

Schmidt’s office is located on the second floor of the David Park House. She can be reached via email at Angela.Schmidt@bemidjistate.edu or by phone at 218-755-2599.