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South Dakota State University is the largest university in the U.S. state of South Dakota, located in Brookings. A public land-grant university and sun grant college, founded under the provisions of the 1862 Morrill Act, SDSU offers programs of study required by, or harmonious to, this Act. In step with this land-grant heritage and mission, SDSU has a special focus on academic programs in agriculture, engineering, nursing, and pharmacy, as well as the liberal arts. SDSU is governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents, which governs the state's six public universities and two special schools.
History
The university was founded on February 21,1881 as Dakota Agriculture College. The name was changed in 1904 to South Dakota State College of Agricultural and Mechanic Arts. In 1964, the name was changed to South Dakota State University, reflecting the more comprehensive education offered at the university.
The first building, with funding from the territorial legislature, was built in 1883, six years before the State of South Dakota was incorporated.
Sylvan Theater on the South Dakota State University campus.
Among the inventions and discoveries originating at SDSU are the Briggs & Stratton engine, invented by alumnus Stephen Foster Briggs, and cookies and cream ice cream, which was created at the university's dairy plant. Also, Daktronics, one of the world's leading manufacturers of electronic signage, was founded by two SDSU professors, and is still headquartered in Brookings.
Academics
SDSU awards bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctoral degrees. Enrollment as of fall 2008 was 11,995. The total enrollment of SDSU has increased each year for the past six years. SDSU is known in the region for having excellent engineering programs and a very competitive nursing program. The following is a list of the colleges at SDSU:
- Agriculture and Biological Sciences
- Arts and Sciences
- Education and Counseling
- Engineering (ABET Accredited)
- Family and Consumer Sciences
- General Studies
- Nursing
- Pharmacy
Athletics and activities
SDSU's athletic mascot is the jackrabbit. The homecoming celebration, Hobo Day, is billed as "The Biggest One-Day Event in the Dakotas."[1] The 375+ member SDSU Marching Band, "The Pride of the Dakotas," given the special name the Millennium Band in 2000 by the South Dakota State Legislature, has marched in the 1981 and 1997 Presidential Inaugural Parades in Washington, D.C.; A Capital Fourth in 2000 in Washington DC which was broadcast on PBS; the 2003 and 2008 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California making them the second band in the history of the Rose Bowl to be invited to march twice when their team was not competing; and the Korean War Monument Dedication at the state's capital Pierre in 2004, in the company of two other college bands and 60-some high school bands from across the state. In 2004, SDSU began a transition to NCAA Division I, ending its long association with the NCAA Division II North Central Conference. By not agreeing to an acceptable scheduling agreement, the University of South Dakota ended its century-old intrastate rivalry with State. SDSU is now a member of the The Summit League, the Missouri Valley Football Conference, the Western Wrestling Conference and Varsity Equestrian.
The women's basketball team won the 2003 Division II Championship. In the spring of 2007 and 2008, the Lady Jacks were invited to compete in post-season action in the WNIT. This made them the only transition team (a team that is in the process of being certified for a new division) in WNIT history to do so. In 2007, they received a bye in the first round and continued on to victories over Illinois State and Indiana, but were beaten by the eventual tournament champions, Wyoming, in the 4th round of the tournament.[2] This was an exciting time at SDSU, as their home stadium, Frost Arena, was filled to capacity for both games with the game versus Indiana selling out in a matter of hours.
The Dakota Marker is the trophy awarded to the winner of the annual college football game played between the South Dakota State University (SDSU) Jackrabbits and the North Dakota State University (NDSU) Bison. The trophy is a replica of one of many stone boundary markers that can be found along the border between the states of South Dakota and North Dakota. SDSU won the first Dakota Marker game, in Brookings, SD, in 2004. NDSU won the Dakota Marker games held in Fargo, ND in 2005 and 2006. SDSU won the Dakota Marker in Brookings in 2007 and in 2008 in Fargo.
Presidents
On January 1, 2007, David Chicoine became the 19th President of South Dakota State University. Chicoine and his wife are alumni of SDSU, and prior to becoming president he was Vice President for Economic Development and Technology at the University of Illinois.
Past Presidents of SDSU
- George Lilley 1884-1886
- Lewis McLouth 1886-1896
- John Heston 1896-1903
- James Chalmers 1903-1906
- Robert Slagle 1906-1914
- Ellwood Perisho 1914-1918
- Willis Johnson 1919-1923
- Charles Pugsley 1923-1940
- George Brown 1940-1940
- Lyman Jackson 1941-1946
- Fred Leinbach 1947-1951
- John Headley 1952-1957
- H. M. Crothers 1957-1958
- Hilton Briggs 1958-1975
- Sherwood Berg 1975-1984
- Ray Hoops 1984-1985
- Robert Wagner 1985-1997
- Peggy Gordon Miller 1998-2006
- David Chicoine 2007-
Notable alumni
Rod Dehaven- 2000 Olympic Marathoner.U.S. Olympic Trials Champion
Greek life
This list contains only fraternities that are a part of the Greek Council. Other fraternities and sororities exist, but are not officially recognized by the University.
Points of interest
The Agricultural Heritage Museum at SDSU.
The SDSU campus features the H.M. Briggs Library and the Coughlin Campanile. It also plays host to two museums, the South Dakota State Art Museum (featuring works by Harvey Dunn and Oscar Howe, among others), and the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum. The university operates its own dairy plant, processing 10,000 lb (4.5 t) of milk weekly into cheese and ice cream, operates a cattle and sheep breeding operation, has an on-campus meat processing facility, and has a student-operated pharmacy. Also close to campus are the McCrory Gardens and South Dakota Arboretum.
SDSU is also home to State University Theatre and Prairie Repertory Theatre.
External links
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