“Onward” set for public launch

The University of South Dakota Foundation’s capital campaign, “Onward South Dakota,” has raised just under $95 million to date, said Foundation President Steve Brown.

Brown said the Foundation and USD administration have scheduled a public launch event for the campaign Oct. 10, 2014 — the Friday of Dakota Days. During the event, it the campaign’s fundraising success  will be announced, as well as any adjustments to the ultimate goal of $250 million.

“The idea of a campaign is you try to raise half of your goal in a very targeted way, speaking with individuals you hope would make the largest gifts to a campaign,” Brown said.

The Foundation plans to contact alumni in the next 30 days to let them know of the public launch in hopes of creating hype for the special event, Brown said. Additional marketing will go through email, the Foundation website and more.

The seven-year campaign launched Jan. 1, 2012, by USD president Jim Abbott, with a goal to raise $250 million dollars for university projects and initiatives such as the new athletic arena, scholarships for students, renovations to the USD Law School building and other capital projects.

Brown said before the Jan. 1, 2012 kickoff, USD’s administration went through a process of addressing its needs, initiatives and desires of how private contributions could make an impact on campus.

Abbott said the money already raised is encouraging for the university and improvement projects are on schedule. The new athletic arena and complex is still set to break ground this spring.

“I’m certainly pleased with our progress so far,” Abbott said. “Everything on our wish list should be met.”

Since the launch, the Foundation, president Abbott and USD administrators have been contacting alumni across the country, looking for donations. Abbott said the plan is to announce that the campaign will have exceeded the last capital campaign’s mark of $135 million dollars on the public launch.

The university approached the Foundation — whose mission is to raise private donations for USD — asking to launch a campaign in partnership with the university.

One of the largest project beneficiaries the campaign targets is the addition of a new basketball and volleyball arena, as well as new track and soccer complexes for athletics.

Jon Schemmel, associate athletic director of development, said members of the athletic department, including coaches and athletic director David Herbster, have been advocates for the capital campaign since its launch.

“This is a game-changing campaign,” he said. “This is not just on the athletic side but on the academic side as well. We are incorporating an entire academic department in the arena, and they will be benefitting from new facilities as well.”

He said the campaign is important to the state and USD’s entire student body, not just the athletic department at USD.

Austin Backer, a first-year pre-physical therapy student, said it’s encouraging, knowing the university is improving the athletic program alongside an academic program.

“We’ll get a lot of use out of the facility,” Backer said. “Our university has a good P.T. program, and this is a great way to enhance it.”

Aside from the work on the arena, Abbott and Brown both said student scholarships are a top priority of the campaign.

Student Government Association president Erik Muckey said the administration’s work to make USD affordable helps the university compete with top schools in the region.

“It’s the best thing we can do to attract talent, attract students to USD,” Muckey said. “When we’re dealing with schools who might have a seemed prestige, scholarship availability has a kind of draw making it easier to attract top student but also students who might struggle financially.”

Another area of funding the campaign will give money toward is renovations for the USD School of Law.

Patrick Morrison, a third-year law student, said renovations could almost be a game-changer for the law school. With the competition of law schools, he said upgrades will be helpful in drawing a broader range of students.

“It definitely will be advantageous,” Morrison said. “Anything USD can do to be competitive and getting, not only South Dakota students, but also out-of-state students to come here.”

Morrison even cited problems he finds in classrooms.

“With this building, there are some technological concerns,” Morrison said. “Like power chords on the floor used to plug in laptops force students to carry around long extension chords to plug in. While the building meets the needs of students, renovations could give the school a leg up.”

Law school dean Thomas Geu said the school is already accepting money. They are only waiting for certain thresholds to be matched before going beyond the planning stage and into improving the building.

“Right now, this means we can actually start going forward with planning for the conclusion of the campaign,” Geu said. “It’s an optimistic time at the law school.”

The renovations will be geared toward student educational benefits, facilities, technology and student costs, he said.