Greening Vermillion makes tentative plans for Earth Days

In celebration of Earth Day 2021, Greening Vermillion–an organization dedicated to making Vermillion the greenest town in South Dakota–has begun tentatively planning for Vermillion Earth Days, a week of events which promote sustainability. Mark Sweeney, a USD professor and board member of Greening Vermillion, said the 2020 Vermillion Earth Days were intended to kick off […]

4 mins read

35th Stilwell exhibition showcases student art

While the reception for this year’s Stilwell Student Awards Exhibition took place virtually, the installation continues to showcase the recent work of USD’s artists. Every piece in the exhibition, which is located in the John A. Day Gallery, has been created within the last year. Cory Knedler, chair of the Art Department, said he thinks […]

5 mins read

Clarinet Day will explore history, significance of clarinets

On Jan. 23, USD will host the 2021 South Dakota Clarinet Day, an event for clarinetists of all ages and skills to come together and celebrate the instrument. Though it’s usually in-person, this Clarinet Day will be held over Zoom. The event will feature a masterclass led by Chigaco-based clarinetist Elizandro García. Assistant Professor of […]

3 mins read

School of health sciences organizes new public health department

This semester, the USD School of Health Sciences organized the new Department of Public Health and Health Sciences, and while it doesn’t offer any new majors, it does combine several programs to allow for new educational opportunities. DenYelle Kenyon, Associate Dean of Health Sciences, said the new department is the result of Dean of Health […]

5 mins read

Duo to be required by all BOR schools

Students may not know it, but hackers and scammers try to steal university credentials every day. This, IT security officer Joe Reynoldson said, is why the Board of Regents (BOR) is requiring all students to enroll in Duo Security by Jan. 27, 2021. About half of all active students have Duo, and new students are […]

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Residence hall director’s dog makes Burgess-Norton feel like home

For residence hall directors like Tyler Pichen, work is more than a full-time job. RHDs are required to live on-campus in the residence halls to assist with anything that might come up. Pichen has been an RHD at Burgess-Norton for three years but has lived in housing since he started as a resident assistant eight […]

4 mins read

Shifting dreams: coach, graphic designer, USD professor

When instructor Gary Larson came to USD in 1987, he didn’t come to teach sports marketing. At the start, Larson was head women’s basketball coach at Lakeland College in Wisconsin but said he was looking for something bigger and better, so he accepted a job as assistant women’s basketball coach and tennis coach at USD. […]

5 mins read

USD hosts Halloween drive-through

To provide a safe and socially distant Halloween activity for Vermillion, USD held a drive-through trick-or-treating even outside the DakotaDome on Oct. 29. Doug Wagner, director of student programming and the Muenster University Center, said the event was conceived when Student Services and several other campus groups came together and asked what they could do […]

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Revitalized IAIS partners with tribes, seeks to teach students respectful research practices

Originally created in 1955, the Institute of American Indian Studies (IAIS) is undergoing revitalization efforts to reestablish the program after funding issues in 2008. Elise Boxer, the coordinator of Native American studies and director of the institute, said the institute has still existed at USD, but its activity and focus has dramatically changed over the […]

5 mins read

CURCS grants supplement undergraduate student research

For undergraduate researchers looking for financial assistance, the Council for Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship (CURCS) provides mini-grants to supplement their research and help them along in their projects. Kim Albracht, assistant director of academic engagement at the Gallagher Center, oversees undergraduate research. She said CURCS’s mission is to spread undergraduate research opportunities on campus, […]

4 mins read