December 2014
Students practice different customs over break
With a week until the semester ends and winter break officially begins, many University of South Dakota students will celebrate some form of winter holiday throughout the next month or so. USD students may be aware of Christmas, with 78.4 percent of the United States’ population recognizing the holiday, according to Pew Research. But other religions also celebrate […]
USD students lose “grandparents” after closure of Vermillion Assisted Living
Every Thursday, University of South Dakota senior Scott Cichos has gone to Vermillion Assisted Living to visit his adopted “grandfather” David Hansen. Cichos met Hansen three years ago through the Students Enhancing Resources for Vermillion Enrichment (SERVE) organization at USD. “He’s a huge jokester, and he’s just got the greatest outlook on life,” Cichos said of Hansen. […]
Violence, hatred not the solutions to racial issues
As we move forward from the events that occurred in Ferguson, Mo., it is important to remember that violence and hatred are not the solutions to the racial issues confronting this nation. Instead, we must understand the larger picture and how to combat it. When will every person feel safe in this country? When will […]
State patrol urges safe driving during holidays
As we enter the Christmas and New Year’s holiday season, many of us gather with family, friends and co-workers to celebrate the season and reflect on the past year. The month of December is also “4D” month. “4D” stands for December Drugged and Drunk Driving, focusing on both alcohol and the growing drug impaired DUI […]
Sculpture Walk to expand to downtown Vermillion
Downtown Vermillion will get a touch of artistic culture this summer as an extension of the University of South Dakota’s Sculpture Walk brings four sculptures to Main Street. Larry Schou saw an opportunity to give recognition to the Arts Department and commemorate the hard work of artists in a way that would also benefit the city […]
Graduate student examines rarely studied bird species
Biology graduate student Gretchen Newberry didn’t choose the easiest subject for her dissertation. Newberry is studying the Common Nighthawk, a nocturnal bird that has seen a recent decline in numbers and a changing habitat. The Common Nighthawk traditionally lived in grasslands, but as more grasslands have been converted into farms for field crops, they’ve moved […]
The Abbotts get festive for the holidays
Happy as two dogs can be, Oscar and McGovern — the pets of University of South Dakota President James Abbott and First Lady Colette Abbott — trot through the dining room of their home on Main Street, navigating around the numerous red boxes filled with Christmas decorations that will soon be set around the house. The Abbotts […]
Athletes give back to community by volunteering
While it might be the season of giving as the Christmas holiday approaches, some University of South Dakota student athletes try to live out the season of giving all of the time. Morgan Hancock, a senior on the USD softball team, said representing the Coyotes goes beyond the field of play. “It’s really easy to […]
Men’s basketball fights hard to find identity, shows promise against Creighton
When first-year men’s basketball head coach Craig Smith arrived at the University of South Dakota last spring, he was inheriting a group of athletes who had been through three coaches in three seasons. Fast forward to Tuesday night, the Coyotes exhibited the kind of skills and grit that can put a team into double overtime […]
Women’s basketball off to winning start
Behind a balance of scoring and a new emphasis on defense, the University of South Dakota women’s basketball team is off to a 7-2 start. The Coyotes have seven players who average more than five points per game, with three of those players averaging double digits. Senior guard Raeshel Contreras, who leads USD in scoring […]