Guest Submission: SGA D-Days plans
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Based on the number of t-shirt sales, Facebook posts and time-off requests, it has become quite apparent that the school is ready for another week of Dakota Days.
For 98 years, the University of South Dakota has been celebrating the tradition of Dakota Days, the homecoming of the Coyote Football team and other athletic teams within the department. For six days, students are besieged with activities designed to unleash school spirit and unity. We owe a huge thank you to the Dakota Days planning committee, who’ve spent countless hours planning what’s sure to be the best homecoming yet.
Not only does Dakota Days give us an opportunity to acknowledge the athletes whose talents we enjoy year round, but it also serves as a family reunion of sorts. During the week, USD alumni from all across the nation return to the campus that allowed them to grow into the successful individuals they are today.
As we spend time sharing memories and experiences with the alumni, we are also able to acknowledge the tradition of leadership and personal achievement cultivated by a USD education. When the alumni return next week, I would encourage you to strike up a conversation with some of them. Tell them about yourself, allow them to ask you questions and to give you guidance for your future and most importantly, thank them for building the foundation of excellence that we, the current student body, has to uphold. Recognize the fact that although we may be separated both in age, experience, perspective and opportunity, we are all a part of the same Coyote family, a family that is now 150 years old.
Last week, the new Coyote Statue, “Legacy” was installed. Many of you have already taken the opportunity to ride the statue. I’m certainly not encouraging this act, but I do love the fact that students are enjoying and acknowledging this new symbol on our campus. I hope even more of you will help utilize the statue as a means of beginning a new tradition. I plan on rubbing the statue’s nose before any test or major paper due date. Lord knows I could use all the help I can get!
It is so wonderful to have a solidified emblem of our beloved mascot, available and clearly visible to anyone passing through or visiting Vermillion. At the same time, Legacy represents much more than just a bronze casting of our school mascot. It represents the pride that we all hold within our hearts; the pride that will not go away once we receive our diplomas. So long as we call ourselves members of the Coyote family, our legacy will never be forgotten.
Lastly, Legacy shows us that although we come from different backgrounds, chase different dreams and find ourselves at different stages in our lives, we are all part of the same family. Our school will continue to grow and achieve new successes, but it will never grow out of its tradition. Students will come and go, buildings will be torn up and recreated and developments will continue to evolve, but there are some things about USD that will never change. We are part of something immortal, a place that has clearly withstood the test of time, a place that will continue to stand strong in the years to come and finally, a place that we can all call home.
Oh, and one more thing . . . . HAPPY D-DAYS!!!!
Alissa VanMeeteren
