2026
Striving for a bird safe campus and community
At the Vermillion Public Library on April 23, the Sierra Club and community members came together to learn more about how to protect birds from deadly window strikes and the effects of night lighting. Speakers shared information about how Sioux City became a certified Bird Friendly City and how Vermillion may do the same. Marla […]
“American Dream Come… True?” satirical Americana exhibit
A new art exhibit in East Hall is arriving just in time for the United States’ 250th anniversary. The exhibit “American Dream Come… True?” is curated by students Emmylea Robeson, Summer Freeman and Abigail Zenner. It was originally planned to focus on “classic and underrepresented Americana,” but was later changed based on the available pieces. […]
A growing season for the Vermillion Community Garden
The Vermillion Community Garden president, Stephanie Nefas, hosted a mason jar terrarium and hanging planter work day on May 2 to fundraise for the upcoming layout renovations. Their goal this summer is to revitalize the community grown food pantry plot area. “We had an amazing master gardener join us last year to increase production from […]
John Banasiak retires after 46 years at USD
After more than four decades, the University of South Dakota is saying goodbye to one photography professor. For 46 years, John Banasiak has helped shape generations of students at USD. Banasiak grew up on the south side of Chicago and attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Chicago. While […]
Summer 2026 movie preview
Here are some quick previews of notable films coming out this summer, along with a list of other films to keep an eye on. “Backrooms” (May 29) Inspired by a series of popular internet horror stories, this film follows Clark (Chitwel Ejifor) as he discovers a seemingly never-ending series of yellow rooms in the back […]
Sensory garden: A mindful space
In a world with constant stimuli, activating the senses in a controlled environment might be just what people need to relax. The Southeast South Dakota Activity Center’s (Sesdac) new sensory garden is set to open to the public on Thursday, May 28, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. “We have visual art installations that are going […]
Essential albums for the summer months
“Exodus” by Bob Marley “Exodus” is a reggae album with hints of electric guitar that accelerate the listening experience. It’s a classic album released in 1977 with some of Marley’s greatest hits. The first song of the album, “Natural Mystic,” feels like summer with the iconic bassline and Marley’s vocals. “Exodus,” an almost eight-minute song, […]
Social Justice Choir: Activism through music
All songs tell a story and some of these stories come together to raise awareness against injustice. The Social Justice Choir in Vermillion seeks to use the art form of music to fight discrimination. On Thursday, May 7 at 7:00 p.m., the choir will host their LGBTQ+ Rights Concert at the First United Methodist Church. […]
Nunca dejamos de decir “adiós”.
Una vez en clase de español, mi maestro, el Profe Siefker, nos dijo que le encantaba la manera en que los latinoamericanos nos saludábamos al pasar. Generalmente, cuando nos cruzamos con alguien, simplemente le decimos adiós porque no vamos a entablar una conversación, ya que los dos vamos de paso. Pero aquí en Estados Unidos […]
We never stop saying “goodbye”.
Once in Spanish class, my teacher, Professor Siefker, told us he loved the way Latin Americans greet each other when passing by. Generally, when we cross paths with someone, we simply say goodbye because we’re not going to start a conversation, since we’re both just passing through. But here in the United States, it’s different: […]