South Dakota State University is a

public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichk ...

land-grant A land grant is a gift of real estate—land or its use privileges—made by a government or other authority as an incentive, means of enabling works, or as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service. Grants ...

research university A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are the most important sites at which knowledge production occurs, along with "intergenerational kn ...

Brookings, South Dakota Brookings is a city in Brookings County, South Dakota, United States. Brookings is South Dakota's fourth largest city, with a population of 23,377 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Brookings County, and home to South Dakota State Un ...

. Founded in 1881, it is the state's largest and most comprehensive university and the oldest continually-operating university in South Dakota. The university is governed by the

South Dakota Board of Regents The South Dakota Board of Regents (also known as SDBOR) is a governing board that controls six public universities in the U.S. state of South Dakota. These include Black Hills State University, Dakota State University, Northern State University, So ...

, which governs the state's six public universities and two special schools. South Dakota State University is a land-grant university founded under the provisions of the 1862

Morrill Act The Morrill Land-Grant Acts are United States statutes that allowed for the creation of land-grant colleges in U.S. states using the proceeds from sales of federally-owned land, often obtained from indigenous tribes through treaty, cession, or s ...

. This land-grant heritage and mission has led the university to place a special focus on academic programs in agriculture, engineering, nursing, and pharmacy, as well as liberal arts. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". The graduate program is classified as Doctoral, Science, Technology, Engineering, Math dominant.

History

The university was founded in the

Dakota Territory The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of N ...

on February 21, 1881, as Dakota Agriculture College. The first building, with funding from the territorial legislature, was built in 1883, six years before the State of South Dakota was formed. Numerous expansions were funded in the late 19th century and early 20th century. The name was changed in 1904 to South Dakota State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. In 1964, the name was changed to South Dakota State University. The name change was largely promoted by the Alumni Association. Initiated in 1962, this name change reflected the more comprehensive education offered at the university. In 1923, SDSU's instructional program was organized under five divisions: Agriculture, Engineering, General Science, Home Economics, and Pharmacy. In 1956, a Nursing program was established, and in 1957 a formal graduate school was formed. When the university changed its name in 1964, the colleges were renamed Agriculture and Biological Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Home Economics, Nursing, Pharmacy, and the Graduate School. In 1974, the College of General Registration (now the College of General Studies) was formed. In 1975, the Division of Education was created. An Honors College was formed in 1999. Two colleges and seven departments combined in 2009 to create the College of Education and Human Sciences. In 2017, the colleges which make up the university were revised and in some cases renamed to the following: College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences; College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; College of Education and Human Sciences; College of Nursing; College of Pharmacy & Allied Health Professions; Graduate School; Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering; University College; and Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College.

Presidents

On May 23, 2016 (formal inauguration held September 29, 2016), Barry H. Dunn became the 20th President of South Dakota State University. Dunn and his wife are alumni of SDSU, and prior to becoming president, Dunn was the Dean of SDSU's College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences. #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 #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 Robert John Wagner Jr. (born February 10, 1930) is an American actor of stage, screen, and television. He is known for starring in the television shows '' It Takes a Thief'' (1968–1970), ''Switch'' (1975–1978), and '' Hart to Hart'' (1979� ...

, 1985–1997 #Peggy Gordon Miller 1998–2006 # David Chicoine, 2006–2016 # Barry H. Dunn, 2016–present

Campus

Main campus

The Hilton M. Briggs Library consists of more than 635,000 bound volumes, 315,000 government documents, 79,000 maps, and 1,800 journal titles (with 28,000 additional titles available online). Within the Briggs Library is the Daschle Research Library dedicated to former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (SDSU BA 1969), which houses his Congressional papers. The University Student Union is at the center of campus and houses many amenities for both students and the public. The Union is the home to numerous meeting rooms, a ballroom, The Hobo Day Committee (homecoming committee), the University Program Council, Greek life the Students' Association, ''The Collegian'' student newspaper, Student Legal Services, KSDJ 90.7 FM, Dining Services, four eating facilities, the University Bookstore, Card Services, and International Student Affairs. The SDSU Wellness Center opened in the fall of 2008. The building lightens up space in the HPER Center, allowing that to be used exclusively by athletes, while the Wellness Center is used only by students and the public. Student memberships are free and Brookings community members may purchase memberships. Numerous group exercise programs and classes are offered, along with personal training. The building houses a rock climbing wall, a track, three basketball courts, a competition-size swimming pool, and numerous weights and cardiovascular equipment. It is also the home of Student Health, which includes a full pharmacy for students.

West campus

The Coughlin Campanile, formerly used as the campus bell tower, is a familiar sight around campus. The campus also has two museums, the South Dakota Art Museum (featuring works by

Harvey Dunn Harvey Thomas Dunn NA (March 8, 1884 – October 29, 1952) was an American painter and teacher. He is best known for his prairie-intimate masterpiece, ''The Prairie is My Garden'' (1950). In this painting, a mother and her two children ar ...

and

Oscar Howe Oscar Howe (''Mazuha Hokshina'' or "Trader Boy", May 13, 1915 – October 7, 1983) was a Yanktonai Dakota artist from South Dakota, who became well known for his casein and tempera paintings.Libhart, Myles and Vincent Price. ''Contemporary Sioux ...

, among others), and the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum. The art museum is home to over 7,000 works of art, while the agricultural museum is home to over 100,000 objects. Both museums are open free to the public. 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.

East campus

Also close to campus are the

McCrory Gardens and South Dakota Arboretum McCrory Gardens and South Dakota State Arboretum (70 acres) are botanical gardens and an arboretum located on the South Dakota State University campus in Brookings, South Dakota. McCrory Gardens is operated and maintained by South Dakota State U ...

. These gardens include a public display and a arboretum. The gardens are open daily to the public. SDSU is also home to State University Theatre and Prairie Repertory Theatre, which produce numerous plays and musicals during the school year and summer breaks.

Academics

SDSU awards associate degrees,

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

s, and

doctoral degree A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''l ...

s. The university provides 175 fields of study. The university's colleges and schools include College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences; College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; College of Education and Human Sciences; College of Nursing; College of Pharmacy & Allied Health Professions; Graduate School; Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering; University College; and Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College. The following accreditations have been awarded to SDSU: * College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences: AAVLD, ASABE, SRM * College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences: ACEJMC, NAACLS, NASM * College of Education and Human Sciences: ACEND, AABI, CAATE, CoAES, CIDA, CACREP, CORE, NAEYC, NCATE, SD Department of Education * Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering: ABET, ACCE * College of Nursing: SD Board of Nursing, CCNE * College of Pharmacy & Allied Health Professions: ACPE

Rankings

For 2021, '' U.S. News & World Report'' rated South Dakota State University as tied for the 144th best public university in the United States and tied as the 284th best university overall.
Awards and Rankings
South Dakota State University.

Political Science Department

SDSU's Department of Political Science has been successful at producing many of the state's current and past congressional delegations. Currently, two of South Dakota's three congressional members are alumni in U.S. Senator

Mike Rounds Marion Michael Rounds (born October 24, 1954) is an American businessman and politician serving as the junior United States senator from South Dakota since 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 31st governor of South Dakota ...

and Governor of South Dakota

Kristi Noem Kristi Lynn Noem (; née Arnold; born November 30, 1971) is an American politician serving as the 33rd governor of South Dakota since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, she was the U.S. representative for from 2011 to 2019 and a member ...

. Noem completed her political science degree while she was in Congress. Perhaps the most notable of the program is former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle. Former U.S. Representative Stephanie Herseth has served as a professor of the program. The department produced two

Truman Scholars The Harry S. Truman Scholarship is the premier graduate fellowship in the United States for public service leadership. It is a federally funded scholarship granted to U.S. undergraduate students for demonstrated leadership potential, academic ...

in 2004 and 2006 respectively, including Tony Venhuizen.

Department of Military Science

The Department of Military Science commissions officers into the military. The department's cadets complete the requirements for a bachelor's or graduate degree and are then commissioned as second lieutenants. The department has been successful in producing many U.S. Generals including

William E. DePuy William Eugene DePuy ( ; October 1, 1919 – September 9, 1992) was a United States Army general and the first commander of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command. He is widely regarded as one of the principal architects of the rest ...

Jake Krull Jacob J. "Jake" Krull, Jr. (December 23, 1938 – November 25, 2016) was an American military officer and South Dakota politician. He served in the South Dakota Senate from 1973 to 1983 and was a Democratic Party (United States), Democrat. B ...

, Raymond W. Carpenter, Franklin J. Blaisdell, Mark A. Clark, as well as

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...

recipients Leo K. Thorsness and Willibald C. Bianchi.

Research achievements

South Dakota State University currently ranks among the Midwest's top research universities, notably in the fields of agricultural science,

biological science Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary ...

, and

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more speciali ...

.''U.S. News & World Report''. (2010). National university rankings atabase Retrieved from http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/south-dakota-state-university-3471 It is consistently listed in '' U.S. News & World Report''s "Top 200 National Universities" in its college and university rankings. The campus is also home to the Geospatial Sciences Center of Excellence, a research and educational collaboration with United States Geological Survey

Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science The Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) is a United States Geological Survey data management, systems development, and research field center. It serves as the national archive of remotely sensed images of the Earth's land s ...

. The GSCE focuses on basic and applied research in terrestrial

remote sensing Remote sensing is the acquisition of information about an object or phenomenon without making physical contact with the object, in contrast to in situ or on-site observation. The term is applied especially to acquiring information about Eart ...

. SDSU was recognized in 2017 by ShanghaiRanking Consultancy as the seventh most productive university in the US (and 27th globally) for remote sensing research for the period 2011–2015. The university operates the South Dakota state agricultural research stations around the state, such as the Antelope Range and Livestock Research Station near Buffalo. The Great Plains Writers Conference is a venue for significant regional authors or writers interested in the Great Plains. It was instituted at SDSU in 1976 for writing scholarship. File:Stephen Briggs in 1906.jpg, Stephen Foster Briggs '07 invented the

Briggs & Stratton Briggs & Stratton Corporation is an American manufacturer of gasoline engines with headquarters in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Engine production averages 10 million units per year as of April 2015. The company reports that it has 13 large facili ...

engine while a student at SDSU in 1906. File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F038812-0014, Wolfsburg, VW Autowerk.jpg,

Gene Amdahl Gene Myron Amdahl (November 16, 1922 – November 10, 2015) was an American computer architect and high-tech entrepreneur, chiefly known for his work on mainframe computers at IBM and later his own companies, especially Amdahl Corporation ...

'48 was the chief architect of the IBM 360 computer in 1964. File:SDSU Ethanol Production Laboratory.jpg, The first ethanol production facility in the United States was established at SDSU in 1979. Alumni from the university's research community notable for scientific achievements include: * Stephen Foster Briggs, B.S. 1907, invented the

internal-combustion engine An internal combustion engine (ICE or IC engine) is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit. In an internal combust ...

Theodore Schultz Theodore William Schultz (; 30 April 1902 – 26 February 1998) was an American Agricultural economist and chairman of the University of Chicago Department of Economics. Schultz rose to national prominence after winning the 1979 Nobel Memorial ...

, B.S. Economics & Agriculture 1928, received the 1979

Nobel Prize in Economics The Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, officially the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel ( sv, Sveriges riksbanks pris i ekonomisk vetenskap till Alfred Nobels minne), is an economics award administered ...

* Paul Middaugh, B.S., established the nation's first on-campus research facility for

ethanol fuel Ethanol fuel is ethyl alcohol, the same type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, used as fuel. It is most often used as a motor fuel, mainly as a biofuel additive for gasoline. The first production car running entirely on ethanol was t ...

production in 1979 *

, B.S. Engineering & Physics, 1948, developed the

IBM 360 The IBM System/360 (S/360) is a family of mainframe computer systems that was announced by IBM on April 7, 1964, and delivered between 1965 and 1978. It was the first family of computers designed to cover both commercial and scientific applica ...

computer and later the IBM 704,

IBM 709 The IBM 709 was a computer system, initially announced by IBM in January 1957 and first installed during August 1958. The 709 was an improved version of its predecessor, the IBM 704, and was the third of the IBM 700/7000 series of scientific co ...

computers, and

Amdahl's Law In computer architecture, Amdahl's law (or Amdahl's argument) is a formula which gives the theoretical speedup in latency of the execution of a task at fixed workload that can be expected of a system whose resources are improved. It states tha ...

* Aelred Kurtenbach and Duane Sander, electrical engineering professors, founded Daktronics, Inc. * Carrie Buthe, B.S. Civil Engineering, served as a design engineer for the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System.

Online programs

SDSU offers a variety of online programs. The university offers associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and certificate programs that students can complete online.

Housing and residential life

Students have a variety of residential hall and apartment living choices. Student housing is located in three areas: the Medary complex located in the northwest corner of campus, consisting of traditional residence halls, Hansen, and apartment-style living at Meadows North and Meadows South; the Grove complex near the Student Union, consisting of traditional residence halls, Brown, Mathews and Pierson, as well as a newer (2010) variation on the theme of traditional residence halls in Spencer, Thorne and Abbott (also called the Jackrabbit Village); and the Larson complex on the east side of campus, consisting of traditional halls Binnewies and Young and suite living at Caldwell Hall. The residential halls on the campus of SDSU make up the densest concentration of people in South Dakota. All of the residence halls with the exceptions of Caldwell and both Meadows buildings are co-ed by wing, with each wing having its own bathroom. Caldwell Hall is suite style, meaning two rooms share a common bathroom for the four occupants and each floor on Caldwell is co-ed. The Meadows North and Meadows South apartment complexes feature four-bedroom apartments. Abbott Hall SDSU

Some residence halls have a Living/Learning Community, where an entire floor is composed of a certain group of students. Examples include Agriculture and Biology Majors, Honors College, Engineering/ Learning Community, Health Professionals Living/Learning Community and Substance-Free housing. Ben Reifel Hall, Hyde, Theodore Schultz Hall and the Honors Hall (collectively, the Jackrabbit Grove) opened in the fall of 2013. Schultz Hall is home of the Wellness Living/Learning Community and the Honors Hall, as the name suggests, is home to the Honors College. They are similar in amenities to the Jackrabbit Village halls (Spencer, Thorne and Abbott). The most recent addition to the dormitories was the Southeast University Neighborhood, located on the corner of 8th Street and 16th Avenue. These buildings are intended for juniors, seniors and graduate students, and are thus more similar to regular apartments, with full kitchens, furniture, and summer storage, even a Starbucks attached. Nearby are the Townhouses, which are similar to the Neighborhood apartments, but also allow pets and do not require meal plans.

Greek societies

This list contains only social fraternities that are a part of either the Interfraternity Council or the College Panhellenic Association. Other fraternities and sororities exist as general student organizations. * Alpha Gamma Rho (ΑΓΡ) *

Alpha Omega Epsilon Alpha Omega Epsilon () is a social and professional sorority for women in engineering and technical sciences. The sorority was founded by twenty-seven female engineering students at Marquette University on November 13, 1983, and four months late ...

(ΑΩΕ) *

Alpha Xi Delta Alpha Xi Delta (, often referred to as A-''"Zee"''-D ) is a women's fraternity founded on April 17, 1893. Baird's Manual is also available online hereThe Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage at Lombard College in Galesburg, Illinois, United Stat ...

(ΑΞΔ) *

Ceres Ceres most commonly refers to: * Ceres (dwarf planet), the largest asteroid * Ceres (mythology), the Roman goddess of agriculture Ceres may also refer to: Places Brazil * Ceres, Goiás, Brazil * Ceres Microregion, in north-central Goiás ...

Chi Omega Chi Omega (, also known as ChiO) is a women's fraternity and a member of the National Panhellenic Conference, the umbrella organization of 26 women's fraternities. Chi Omega has 181 active collegiate chapters and approximately 240 alumnae chap ...

(ΧΩ) *

Delta Chi Delta Chi () is an international Greek letter collegiate social fraternity formed on October 13, 1890, at Cornell University, initially as a professional fraternity for law students. On April 30, 1922, Delta Chi became a general membership soc ...

(ΔΧ) * FarmHouse (FH) *

Lambda Chi Alpha Lambda Chi Alpha (), commonly known as Lambda Chi, is a college fraternity in North America which was founded at Boston University in 1909. It is one of the largest social fraternities in North America, with more than 300,000 lifetime members a ...

(ΛΧΑ) * Pi Kappa Alpha (ΠΚΑ) *

Sigma Alpha Epsilon Sigma Alpha Epsilon (), commonly known as SAE, is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity. It was founded at the University of Alabama on March 9, 1856. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is t ...

(ΣΑΕ) * Sigma Phi Delta (ΣΦΔ) *

Sigma Phi Epsilon Sigma Phi Epsilon (), commonly known as SigEp, is a social college fraternity for male college students in the United States. It was founded on November 1, 1901, at Richmond College (now the University of Richmond), and its national headquarte ...

(ΣΦΕ)

Student life

The SDSU Marching Band, "The Pride of the Dakotas", given the special name the Millennium Band in 2000 by the

South Dakota State Legislature The South Dakota State Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of South Dakota. It is a bicameral legislative body, consisting of the South Dakota Senate, which has 35 members, and the South Dakota House of Representatives, whic ...

, has marched in the 1981 and 1997 Presidential Inaugural Parades in Washington, D.C.; A Capital Fourth in 2000 in Washington, D.C., which was broadcast on

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

; the 2003 and 2008

Tournament of Roses The Rose Parade, also known as the Tournament of Roses Parade (or simply the Tournament of Roses), is an annual parade held mostly along Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, California, Pasadena, California, United States, on New Year's Day (or on Mon ...

Parade in Pasadena, California, making them the second collegiate 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 Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...

in 2004, in the company of two other college bands and 60-some high school bands from across the state. The

homecoming Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni or other former members of an organization to celebrate the organization's existence. It is a tradition in many high schools, colleges, and churches in the United States, Canada and Liberia. ...

celebration,

Hobo Day Hobo Day is the homecoming celebration for South Dakota State University. It is usually celebrated in October. 2012 marked the 100th Anniversary of Hobo Day. The Hobo Day parade has been canceled just three times: once during World War I, a second ...

, is "The Biggest One-Day Event in the Dakotas."

Athletics

SDSU participates in athletics as a member of

NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athletic ...

. SDSU's athletic conference affiliations include the

Summit League The Summit League, or The Summit, is an NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletic conference with its membership mostly located in the Midwestern United States from Illinois on the East of the Mississippi River to the Dakotas and Nebraska on the W ...

for most sports, the

Missouri Valley Football Conference The Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC), formerly the Gateway Football Conference, is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the Midwestern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I Football Championship Subdivi ...

(

Division I FCS The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is the second-highest level of college football in the United States, after the Football Bowl Subdivision. Sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic ...

), the

Big 12 Conference The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference headquartered in Irving, Texas, USA. It consists of ten full-member universities. It is a member of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for all sports. Its ...

(wrestling) and Varsity Equestrian. The Jackrabbits have 19 varsity sports and numerous intramural and club teams. South Dakota State's athletic mascot for both the men's and women's teams is the

Jackrabbit Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores, and live solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are able to fend for themselves shortly after birth. The gen ...

, both the men's and women's sports teams are officially referred to as the Jackrabbits.

Men's basketball

Division II national champions in 1963, the Jackrabbits have had one of the most successful mid-major programs in the nation since joining the ranks of Division I. SDSU has won at least a share of the Summit League regular season title in seven of the past nine seasons, including each of the last four. The Jackrabbits have won five conference tournaments, qualifying for the NCAA Division I Tournament in 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2018. During that run, two all-Americans have shone for the Jackrabbits – Nate Wolters and Mike Daum. Additionally, Wolters is one of seven State alums who have been selected in the NBA Draft. Since 2012, no Division I men's basketball program has won a greater percentage of its home games than South Dakota State.

Women's basketball

Head coach Aaron Johnston took over the program at the beginning of the new century and women's basketball at SDSU was never the same. The Jackrabbits reached the NCAA Elite Eight in each of their final three seasons in Division II, winning the national championship in 2003. After becoming the first school transitioning to Division I to earn a postseason bid, playing in the WNIT in both 2007 and 2008, SDSU turned its focus to dominating the Summit League. The Jacks have won nine of the 13 conference tournaments they have played in. The program has played in ten NCAA Division I Tournaments, winning four games, highlighted by a trip to the Sweet Sixteen in 2018. The program also won first-round games in 2009 and 2015. Macy Miller led the program to three of those four victories en route to becoming the school's all-time scoring leader. She was selected in the second round of the 2018 WNBA Draft.

Men's football

As of December 10, 2022, the Jackrabbits have appeared in the

NCAA Division I FCS The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is the second-highest level of college football in the United States, after the Football Bowl Subdivision. Sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic ...

playoffs 12 times with an overall record of 16-11, with the 2022 season still to be completed. They were in the Championship game May 20, 2021, losing 23–21 to Sam Houston State. The Jackrabbits were semifinalists in 2017, 2018, and 2021. SDSU has an active streak of 11 consecutive postseason appearances at the FCS level, including the appearance in 2022. All of this was accomplished by John Stiegelmeier, the school's winningest head coach, after the program managed only one Division II playoff appearance (1979). Zach Zenner became the first Division I football player to record three consecutive seasons of 2,000 rushing yards (2012–14). The program's national standing persuaded ESPN's College Gameday television show to come to the Brookings campus for a live broadcast of its show on October 26, 2019.

Dana Dykhouse buildings and facilities

A 19,340-capacity stadium opened in the fall of 2016. It is considered among the premier FCS Division I stadiums. The Dykhouse Student-Athlete Center, located on the north end of the Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, is the home of Jackrabbit football. It opened prior to the 2010 football season and houses an academic center equipped with study areas, computers, tutors and other educational aids for all South Dakota State teams. The Sanford Jackrabbit Athlete Complex, a state-of-the-art indoor practice and competition facility, opened October 11, 2014. It is immediately north of and attached to the Dykhouse Student-Athlete Center. The SJAC has bleacher seating for up to 1,000 spectators and can be used for track practice and track meets, football practice, softball and baseball practice, golf practice and other events within the SDSU athletic department. It includes 149,284-square foot facility and features an eight-lane, 300-meter track, one of only five collegiate indoor tracks of that size in the nation.

Notable alumni

South Dakota State University has produced a number of the current members of South Dakota's state government and in Congress, including

, the state's first female governor and a former U.S. representative, and current U.S. Senator

. Members of the South Dakota Supreme Court, former Chief Justice

David Gilbertson David Gilbertson (born October 29, 1949) is the former Chief Justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court. Early life and education Gilbertson attended South Dakota State University, graduating in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science in Geography. He th ...

and current Associate Justice

Mark Salter Mark Salter (born 1955) is an American speechwriter from Davenport, Iowa, known for his collaborations with United States Senator John McCain on several nonfiction books as well as on political speeches. Salter also served as McCain's chief ...

, attended the university for their undergraduate degrees. David Gilbertson was the longest serving state Supreme Court chief justice, serving 19 years until retiring in 2021. In the federal cabinet, Stephen Censky, former United States Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, and in federal foreign service, former Governor of South Dakota Dick Kneip served as

United States Ambassador to Singapore The United States Ambassador to Singapore is the official representative of the United States of America to the Republic of Singapore. The incumbent ambassador is Jonathan E. Kaplan since December 6, 2021, serving as the ambassador of the Emb ...

. Among alumni who are political figures are seven members of Congress, most notably

Majority Leader of the United States Senate The positions of majority leader and minority leader are held by two United States senators and members of the party leadership of the United States Senate. They serve as the chief spokespersons for their respective political parties holding t ...

, Tom Daschle and first Lakota American Indian member of Congress

Ben Reifel Benjamin Reifel, also known as Lone Feather (September 19, 1906 – January 2, 1990) was a Lakota Sioux public administrator and politician. He had a career with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, retiring as area administrator. He ran for the US Co ...

. Alumni of South Dakota State have occupied top positions in Wall Street and the rest of the business world, including CEO of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation,

Nizar Al-Adsani Nizar Mohammed Al-Adsani is a Kuwaiti businessman and former deputy-chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation. Education Al-Adsani has a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from South Dakota State Unive ...

. In science and technology, alumni include

inventor

, "father of

Amdahl's law In computer architecture, Amdahl's law (or Amdahl's argument) is a formula which gives the theoretical speedup in latency of the execution of a task at fixed workload that can be expected of a system whose resources are improved. It states tha ...

", and Nobel laureate

, "father of Human Capital Theory." File:Theodore W. Schultz.jpg,

,
B.S. Agriculture 1927,
Nobel Laureate for Economics File:Amdahl march 13 2008.jpg,

,
B.S. Engineering 1948,
inventor of the

File:Daschle Portrait.jpg, Tom Daschle,
B.A. Political Science 1969,

Majority Leader In U.S. politics (as well as in some other countries utilizing the presidential system), the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.

U.S. Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

File:Mike Rounds official Senate portrait.jpg,

,
B.S. Political Science 1976,
current U.S. Senator File:Kristi Noem portrait.jpg,

,
B.A. Political Science 2012,
current

Governor of South Dakota The governor of South Dakota is the head of government of South Dakota. The governor is elected to a four-year term in even years when there is no presidential election. The current governor is Kristi Noem, a member of the Republican Party who t ...

File:Steve Censky official photo.jpg, Stephen Censky,
B.S. Agriculture 1981,
13th United States Deputy Secretary of Agriculture File:Rigoberto Sanchez, Adam Vinatieri (44679700592) (cropped).jpg,

Adam Vinatieri Adam Matthew Vinatieri (born December 28, 1972) is an American former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 24 seasons with the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. Considered one of the greatest ...

,
B.S. 1996,
NFL kicker,
4x Super Bowl champion File:Jim Langer in 1969, SDSU.jpg,

Jim Langer James John Langer (May 16, 1948 – August 29, 2019) was an American professional football player who was a center Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various ...

,
B.S. Economics 1970,
Pro Football Hall of Famer,
2x Super Bowl champion File:Dallas Goedert (cropped).jpg,

Dallas Goedert Dallas Clayton Goedert ( ; born January 3, 1995) is an American football tight end for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at South Dakota State, and was drafted by the Eagles in the second r ...

,
B.S. 2018,
current NFL tight end File:Portrait of Ben Reifel.jpg, Ben Reifel, "Lone Feather" (R)
B.S. Agriculture 1932,
first Lakota Indian member of Congress File:Dick Kneip.jpg, Dick Kneip,
B.A. 1945
6th

U.S. Ambassador to Singapore The United States Ambassador to Singapore is the official representative of the United States of America to the Republic of Singapore. The incumbent ambassador is Jonathan E. Kaplan since December 6, 2021, serving as the ambassador of the Embas ...

,
25th

File:David Gilbertson.jpg,

,
B.S. Geography 1972,
former Chief Justice,

South Dakota Supreme Court The South Dakota Supreme Court is the highest court in the state of South Dakota. It is composed of a chief justice and four associate justices appointed by the governor. One justice is selected from each of five geographic appointment districts ...

Academia, science, and technology

John Merton Aldrich John Merton Aldrich (January 28, 1866 – May 27, 1934) was an American entomologist. Aldrich was the Associate Curator of Insects at the United States National Museum. He is considered one of the most prolific entomologists in the study of flie ...

(1888), zoologist, entomologist and curator of insects at the

United States National Museum The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...

* Stephen Foster Briggs (1907), inventor of the

engine *

(1928), economist, Nobel laureate, 1979

, and chair of Chicago School of Economics * Irwin Gunsalus, discovered lipoic acid, founder of United Nations International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, and chair of National Academy of Sciences * Robert H. Burris (1936), National Academy of Sciences Professor of Biochemistry at the

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United Stat ...

* Cleveland L. Abbott, professor and coach of

Tuskegee University Tuskegee University (Tuskegee or TU), formerly known as the Tuskegee Institute, is a private, historically black land-grant university in Tuskegee, Alabama. It was founded on Independence Day in 1881 by the state legislature. The campus was de ...

and namesake of Tuskegee's

Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium Cleveland Leigh Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium, originally known as the Alumni Bowl, is a stadium in Tuskegee, Alabama. It is primarily used for American football, and is the home field of the Tuskegee University Tuskegee University (Tuskegee ...

(1948), Architect of the

, IBM 704,

, and

* John Mortvedt (1953), soils scientist *

Vern L. Schramm Vern L. Schramm (born November 9, 1941) is a Professor & Ruth Merns Chair in Biochemistry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. Schramm was elected to the United States National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of ...

(1963), Professor of Biochemistry at the

Albert Einstein College of Medicine Albert Einstein College of Medicine is a research-intensive medical school located in the Morris Park neighborhood of the Bronx in New York City. Founded in 1953, Einstein operates as an independent degree-granting institution as part of t ...

* Roger Zwieg (1964), NASA astronaut and flight instructor * Cynthia Larive (1980), current Chancellor of the

University of California, Santa Cruz The University of California, Santa Cruz (UC Santa Cruz or UCSC) is a public land-grant research university in Santa Cruz, California. It is one of the ten campuses in the University of California system. Located on Monterey Bay, on the edge of ...

* Josephine Santiago-Bond (2005), Chief of the Advanced Engineering Development Branch at National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Arts and literature

(1902), painter *

Jeanine Basinger Jeanine Basinger (born 3 February 1936, in Ravenden, AR), a film historian, retired in 2020 as the Corwin-Fuller Professor of Film Studies and Founder and Curator of The Cinema Archives at Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut. Education Ba ...

(1958), film historian * James Pollock (1965), abstract and landscape artist *

Kang-i Sun Chang Kang-i Sun Chang (born Sun K'ang-i, ; 21 February 1944), is a Chinese-born American sinologist. She is a scholar of classical Chinese literature. She is the inaugural Malcolm G. Chace Professor, and former chair of the Department of East Asian L ...

(1972), Chair of East Asian Languages and Literature at

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...

Business

(1983), CEO of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation *Leif Fixen, Pacific Northwest Conservation Program Manager for American Farmland Trust * Jerry Lohr, founder and owner of J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines * Dana J. Dykhouse, President of First Premier Bank

Government

* Philo Hall (1886), U.S. Representative from South Dakota and sixth

Attorney General of South Dakota The Attorney General of South Dakota is the state attorney general of the U.S. state of South Dakota. The attorney general is elected by popular vote to a four-year term and holds an executive position as the state's chief legal officer. In 1992, ...

* Clarence C. Caldwell (1902), ninth Attorney General of South Dakota *

Sigurd Anderson Sigurd Anderson (January 22, 1904December 21, 1990) was the 19th Governor of South Dakota. Anderson, a Republican from Webster, South Dakota, served in that office from 1951 to 1955. Early life and education Anderson was born at Frolands Ver ...

, 19th Governor and Attorney General of South Dakota *

(1932), U.S. Representative from South Dakota, first Lakota Indian member of Congress * Francis G. Dunn (1935), Chief Justice,

Andrew Wendell Bogue Andrew Wendell Bogue (May 23, 1919 – June 10, 2009) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota. Education and career Born in Yankton, South Dakota, Bogue received a Bachelor of Sc ...

(1941), Chief Judge,

United States District Court for the District of South Dakota The United States District Court for the District of South Dakota (in case citations, D.S.D.) is the United States District Court or the Federal district court, whose jurisdiction for issues pertaining to federal law or diversity for the state of ...

* Gordon Mydland (1944), 23rd Attorney General of South Dakota * Richard F. Kneip (1945), sixth

United States Ambassador to the Republic of Singapore The United States Ambassador to Singapore is the official representative of the United States of America to the Republic of Singapore. The incumbent ambassador is Jonathan E. Kaplan since December 6, 2021, serving as the ambassador of the E ...

and 25th

* William Dougherty (1954),

Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota The lieutenant governor of South Dakota is the second-ranking member of the executive branch of South Dakota state government and also serves as presiding officer of the South Dakota Senate. The lieutenant governor succeeds to the officer of go ...

* Frank Denholm (1956), U.S. Representative from South Dakota * Kermit A. Sande (1964), 24th Attorney General of South Dakota * Tom Daschle (1969), United States Majority Leader of the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

and U.S. Representative from South Dakota * Larry Long (1969), 29th Attorney General of South Dakota *

Randy Seiler Randolph John Seiler (born July 1, 1946) is an American attorney and veteran serving as the chair of the Democratic Party of South Dakota since 2019. He served as the 41st United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota from 2015 until ...

, 41st

United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota The United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota is the United States Attorney responsible for representing the federal government in the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota. By statute, the U.S. Attorney is re ...

* Alan Lance (1971), 31st Attorney General of Idaho, Judge of the

United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims The United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (in case citations, Vet. App.) is a federal court of record that was established under Article I of the United States Constitution, and is thus referred to as an Article I tribunal (court ...

, and National Commander of

The American Legion The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is a non-profit organization of U.S. war veterans headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is made up of state, U.S. territory, and overseas departments, and these are in turn made up of l ...

(1972), former Chief Justice, South Dakota Supreme Court *

(1976), current U.S. Senator from South Dakota and 31st Governor of South Dakota * Stephen Censky (1981), current United States Deputy Secretary of Agriculture *

Carole Hillard Carole Kay Hillard (née Rypkema; August 14, 1936 – October 25, 2007) was the first woman to serve as Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota. Personal Hillard was born in Deadwood, South Dakota, August 14, 1936 to Edward Rypkema and Vernell ...

(1982), Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota *

Kristie Fiegen Kristie Fiegen is a Republican politician from South Dakota and Vice Chairman of the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission. From 1994 to 2001, she served in the South Dakota House of Representatives. Biography Fiegen was born on September 1 ...

(1984), Chairwoman of

South Dakota Public Utilities Commission The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) regulates the energy, Telecommunications and grain warehouse companies located in South Dakota. The PUC keeps track of the Do Not Call Registry. Commissioners are elected to six-year terms in stag ...

* Gregory J. Stoltenburg (1984), current presiding judge, Third Circuit Court of South Dakota *

(1990), current Associate Justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court *

Jason Frerichs Jason Elliott Frerichs (born November 24, 1984) is a former state senator and state representative from South Dakota. Early life and education Frerichs graduated from South Dakota State University in 2007, earning a B.S. in Agriculture Education. ...

(2007), former South Dakota Senate Minority Leader *

(2012), U.S. Representative from South Dakota; first female

* Charles Abourezk, current Chief Justice, Rosebud Sioux Tribe Supreme Court

Military

* Willibald C. Bianchi (1939), World War II veteran and

recipient *

(1941), U.S. Army General and first commander of TRADOC * Leo K. Thorsness (1953), U.S. Air Force Colonel,

recipient; Washington state senator *

(1960), U.S. General; South Dakota state senator * Raymond W. Carpenter (1970), U.S. Major General of the United States Army, Director of the Army National Guard * Franklin J. Blaisdell (1971), U.S. Air Force General * Mark A. Clark (1980), U.S. Major General of United States Marine Corps * Gregory J. Stoltenburg (1984), U.S. Lieutenant Colonel

Sports

* Paul Miller (1936), NFL halfback and NFL Champion * Mark Barber (1937), NFL fullback *

Paul Ellering Paul Ellering (born August 22, 1953) is an American professional wrestling manager and former professional wrestler. He is currently signed with WWE to a legends contract. Ellering spent most of his wrestling career managing the Road Warriors (A ...

professional wrestling manager In professional wrestling, a manager is a supporting character paired with a wrestler (or wrestlers) for a variety of reasons. A physically attractive woman accompanying, or "seconding", a male wrestler to a match is sometimes referred to as a v ...

Jon Madsen Jonathan Michael Madsen (born February 12, 1980) is a retired American mixed martial artist who most recently competed in the Heavyweight division of Titan FC. A professional competitor since 2008, Madsen has also formerly competed for the UFC ...

, NCAA Wrestling National Champion,

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incorpo ...

* Doug Eggers (1955), NFL linebacker *

Pete Retzlaff Palmer Edward Retzlaff (August 21, 1931 – April 10, 2020), known as Pete Retzlaff and nicknamed "Pistol Pete" and "The Baron", was a professional American football player and general manager. Early life Retzlaff played football at Ellendale H ...

(1956), NFL player, 5× Pro-bowler and president of the

NFL Players Association The National Football League Players Association, or NFLPA, is a labor union representing National Football League (NFL) players. The NFLPA, which has headquarters in Washington, D.C., is led by president J. C. Tretter and executive director DeM ...

* Tom Black (1964), NBA center * Wayne Rasmussen (1964), NFL safety *

(1970), NFL center,

Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coa ...

inductee, and 2× Super Bowl Champion * Lynn Boden (1975), NFL guard *

Brad Seely Brad Seely (born September 6, 1956) is a former American football coach. Playing career Seely attended South Dakota State University, where he played football and was an All-Conference offensive lineman. He earned degrees in both economics and ...

(1978), NFL special teams coach * Steve Lingenfelter (1981), NBA forward * Rod DeHaven (1991), 2000 Olympic Marathoner and 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials Champion * Doug Miller (1993), NFL linebacker *

(1996), NFL kicker and 4× Super Bowl Champion *

Adam Timmerman Adam Larry Timmerman (born August 14, 1971) is a former American football guard in the National Football League, and Super Bowl champion for the St. Louis Rams and Green Bay Packers. He played for the Green Bay Packers and St. Louis Rams betw ...

(1995), NFL guard, 2× Pro-Bowler, and 2× Super Bowl Champion * Steve Heiden (1999), NFL tight end and special teams coach * Josh Ranek (2002), CFL running back * Parker Douglass (2009), NFL placekicker * JaRon Harris (2009), NFL wide receiver * Danny Batten (2010), NFL defensive end * Colin Cochart (2011), NFL tight end *

Dale Moss Dale Moss (born September 24, 1988) is an American former football wide receiver and reality television personality. He played college football for the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. After being a member of the offseason and practice squad ...

(2012), professional football wide receiver; one of the winners of the 16th season of ABC's ''

The Bachelorette A bachelorette is an unmarried woman. Bachelorette may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Bachelorette'', a reality television dating show part of ''The Bachelor'' franchise with numerous versions: ** ''The Bachelorette'' (American TV ser ...

'' *

Tyler Oakes Tyler Oakes (born November 8, 1986) is an American college baseball coach, head coach of the NCAA Division I Summit League's North Dakota State Bison. He was the pitching coach, recruiting coordinator and associate head coach at North Dakota Sta ...

(2012), college baseball coach *

Nate Wolters Nate Wolters (born May 15, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for Panathinaikos of the Greek Basket League and the EuroLeague. He played college basketball for South Dakota State University and was an All-American for the Jackra ...

(2013), NBA guard * Zach Zenner (2014), NFL running back *

(2018), NFL tight end * Jake Wieneke (2018), professional football wide receiver * Pierre Strong Jr. (2021), NFL running back

References

External links

*
South Dakota State Athletics website
* {{authority control Public universities and colleges in South Dakota Land-grant universities and colleges Educational institutions established in 1881 Education in Brookings County, South Dakota Buildings and structures in Brookings, South Dakota Tourist attractions in Brookings County, South Dakota 1881 establishments in Dakota Territory