Feature
Students from Brookings ‘proud’ to be Coyotes
With the annual football game against SDSU this Saturday, students around campus are preparing to defend the Dome. Several students from Brookings, SD, home of the Jackrabbits, are looking forward to the game and said they’re proud to be Coyotes. Feeling at home Lauren Kratz, a junior medical laboratory science major, said the reason she chose […]
USD graduate starts nonprofit organization
One former student saw a need for clean drinking water in his community and decided to do something about it. USD graduate Prosper Zongo started the nonprofit Prosper Zongo Foundation (PZF) in 2016 to bring clean drinking water to his home country, Burkina Faso. Prosper Zongo said he grew up in a poor family and came […]
‘Walking in two worlds:’ Indigenous students balance culture, education
For some USD indigenous students, balancing heritage and school can be difficult. Whether from the reservation or a small town, indigenous students often have different experiences from their peers. Living with labels The terms “Indian,” “Native American,” “American Indian” and “Native” are problematic for some indigenous people, said junior social work major Mekko Bearkiller. “We […]
Married faculty couple builds careers at USD
Meera and Venky Venkatachalam’s matching surnames are not a coincidence: they’re a married couple working at USD. The Venkatachalams were married in 1984 and immigrated to the United States from India in 1987. They met working at an engineering company in India and came to the U.S. in order to pursue their doctorate degrees. “I have now […]
USD students to travel and teach theater to high schoolers
A group of USD students will be touring the state throughout this month to teach high school students about theater as part of a class. Acting Shakespeare, offered every other fall at USD, went on the first tour in 2015. Chaya Gordon-Bland, associate professor of theater, teaches the class. She said the tour is focused […]
Student veterans share stories from service
Three student veterans, Nathan Stockfleth, Krisztian Fasi and Michael Mayrose, have served a combined 21 years in the military. Each shared their experiences in service and how they’ve adjusted to civilian and college life. Twelve years in the Air National Guard Stockfleth, a senior finance major from Sergeant Bluff, IA, has been in the Air […]
Writers push daily word counts in hopes of publishing novels
A thousand words a day for 30 days – that’s how several USD students hope to finish writing their novels by the end of this month. As part of National Novel Writing Month, Ph.D. student and author Teri Kramer is working with students on their novels. Kramer has written three novels this year and is working on […]
People of the Pack: Jake Louder
Jake Louder is a senior majoring in entrepreneurship. Cheyenne Alexis: When did you start DJing in the Muenster University Center pit lounge? Jake Louder: I started this last year as a junior, right away in the fall. I started a business, actually, my sophomore year in March. A lot of people don’t know that I’m not just […]
Sound of USD members describe opportunities, passion for music
Eighty to 90 student musicians play at games, tour to 15 high schools in the region and rehearse more than four hours a week as members of the Sound of USD. Three band students share how being a part of the marching band has impacted their college experiences. Busy, but fun Emily Gillespie, a sophomore […]
Professor finds unexpected passion teaching ASL
Voice off, voice on and interpretive dance – Teri Bellis, chair of the department of communication sciences and disorders, uses unique teaching techniques in and out of the classroom. Sydney Busch, a junior communication sciences and disorders major, said she’s enjoying her first class with Bellis. “I love her. I think she’s a great professor just […]