Clint Hill to Receive North Dakota Rough Rider Award

Hill was a Secret Service agent from 1958 to 1975, serving five different presidents. He started on the presidential detail protecting President Eisenhower. He then served as the agent assigned to first lady Jacqueline Kennedy and was on duty walking next to the presidential limousine in Dallas when President John F. Kennedy was shot. One of the most famous images from that fateful day shows Hill jumping on the back of the vehicle as it sped away from the parade route.

Hill received Concordia’s Alumni Achievement Award in 2011 and has written three books about his time working for the Secret Service.

"Growing up in North Dakota, the values of hard work, dedication to duty, and the importance of public service instilled in me by me family and community served me well throughout my career," Hill says. "I am honored and humbled to be placed in the company of the many incredible North Dakotans who have received this reward."

The Rough Rider Award was established in 1961 and is awarded to current or former North Dakotans who have achieved national recognition in their fields. The first recipient of the award was entertainer Lawrence Welk. The list of recipients includes business people, educators and entrepreneurs, among others. North Dakota’s governor, Doug Burgum, received the award in 2009. He will be presenting Hill with his award at a later date.

Alumni Achievement Story