Dakota Days Week Comes to an end With Homecoming Crowning
Following a week of school spirit, festivities and fun, the final event of the 2025 Dakota Days celebration had students and fans on the edge of their seats while they awaited the crowning of the homecoming royalty.
Griffin Peterson and Zena Aragon were crowned this year’s King and Queen, respectively.
“I was pretty surprised, because I stood alongside so many guys who were equally deserving of the title and had leadership experiences that were very similar to mine. There was a pretty heavy Greek presence on the court this year, which speaks volumes about how impactful that community is in terms of campus leadership and notoriety among the student body,” said Peterson.
He added, “At the end of the day, we were all winners because we were all able to come together and recognize each other for making the most of our time at USD and live up our last Dakota Days celebrating all of our amazing accomplishments!”
To be selected on homecoming royalty, student organizations select a member who has demonstrated leadership and excellence to their group. Peterson, who is a double-major in Political Science and Criminal Justice, was nominated to the court by the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and the USD College of Republicans.
He has served as the fraternity’s president since the beginning of the Spring 2025 semester, and served as the College of Republicans president during the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 academic years. Peterson is also a student representative on the South Dakota Board of Regents.
“It is truly an honor in a way that is difficult to put into words. To have garnered such a strong amount of support among the student body and to have been judged as a spirited and impactful student on campus by the selection committee felt like a culmination of every experience I have taken advantage of during my time at USD,” said Peterson.
Aragon was selected by the USD Dance Team, Latin and Hispanic Student Organization and Sigma Delta Honor Society to represent on homecoming court.
She is currently the captain of the Dance Team, President of the Latin and Hispanic Student Organization, and was Co-President of Dakota Days in 2024. Aragon is currently studying Public Health, with a specialization in Health Education. She also is minoring in Multicultural Studies and Health & Culture.
Students who are selected to the final 14 for royalty are judged based on a short essay and an interview with a panel of staff and administrators at the university. King and Queen selection was also based on the popular vote from the student body.
Finalists were required to attend multiple Dakota Days activities throughout the week to be recognized, such as the kick-off carnival, lip-sync battle and street dance.
Congratulations to Griffin Peterson and Zena Aragon on being named the 2025 King and Queen of Dakota Days!
