State arts council extends Belcourt woman’s term as North Dakota poet laureate

GRAND FORKS – The North Dakota Council on the Arts has announced the extension of Denise Lajimodiere’s term as North Dakota Poet Laureate through June 2028.

Lajimodiere, an enrolled citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa in Belcourt, was appointed to a two-year term as state poet laureate in 2023. The extension of her term aligns with a bill, enacted earlier this year by the North Dakota Legislature, that established the position of state troubadour with a five-year term.

Lajimodiere is an accomplished poet, children’s book author, academician and cultural artist. For 44 years, she has been involved in education, serving as an elementary school teacher and principal. She retired as an associate professor of educational leadership at North Dakota State University.

Her published