Donna Nalewaja Papers

Collection

Identifier: Mss 382

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Donna Nalewaja Papers consist primarily of her personal papers related to her successful campaigns for the North Dakota House of Representatives and Senate, along with her unsuccessful campaigns for Lieutenant Governor and U.S. Senator. The collection also contains personal papers relating to her work in the North Dakota Legislature, as well as correspondence, newspaper clippings, and artifacts relating to her political career from 1982 to 1998. The Donna Nalewaja Collection, largely in the order received when donated, is organized into six series: Legislative Bills, Correspondence, Campaign Materials, Office Files, Newspaper Clippings, and Artifacts.

Dates

1982-1998

Creator

Nalewaja, Donna. (Person)

Access

The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the NDSU Archives.

Copyrights

Copyrights to this collection is held by the NDSU Archives.

Biography

Donna Lou Speer was born on October 8, 1939 in Winterset, Iowa. She attended the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis where she graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1960. She married John D. Nalewaja on December 26, 1959 and the couple moved to Fargo, North Dakota in 1962 after her husband received his Ph.D. in Agronomy from the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis. John D. Nalewaja was a Professor with the Department of Plant Sciences at North Dakota State University. Donna Nalewaja was a realtor with Coldwell Banker and a Marketing Representative for Waterford at Harwood Groves Retirement Community in Fargo. They raised four children: Stephen, Susan, Gregory, and Anne. Donna ran successfully as the Republican Candidate for the North Dakota House of Representatives District 45 seat in 1982 and served two terms as a State Representative until 1986. In 1986, she successfully ran as the Republican Candidate for the North Dakota Senate District 45 seat and served three terms as a State Senator until 1998. Donna unsuccessfully ran as the Republican Candidate for Lieutenant Governor in the 1988 North Dakota Gubernatorial Election against incumbent Governor George A. Sinner, and as the Republican Candidate for U.S. Senate in the 1998 North Dakota U.S. Senate Election against incumbent Senator Byron Dorgan. Donna officially retired from politics after the 1998 campaign. John retired from North Dakota State University in 1998, and they continued to reside in Fargo.She passed away on September 30, 2021.

Extent

6 Linear Feet (6 linear feet.)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Provenance

Donated by Donna Nalewaja, 2000 (Acc. 2594).

Separation Record

Oversize and Artifacts (Mss 1596.19)

Campaign signs and oversize portrait of Nalewaja Plaque from NDSU Student Body Plaque from NDSU President Jim L. Ozbun Campaign banner “Donna Nalewaja U.S. Senate” Oversize photo/campaign broadsides for Nalewaja for Lt. Gov. and Leon Mallmberg for Gov. (place in oversize drawers) Campaign T-shirt for 1998 U.S. Senate race (sent to Reynolds Historic Costume Collection)