pandemic
I’m not sure I want to return to “normal”
I graduated high school in what felt like peak COVID-19 in May of 2020. Before graduation, I spent two months taking online classes or the infamous digital learning. Despite not being able to experience senior year to its fullest, it wasn’t so bad. Neither my teachers, friends or I knew how to make an online […]
Schutt accepts extra year of eligibility
From the little fields of Pop Warner to the DakotaDome, Brady Schutt continues to flip the field for the Coyotes. At practice in Pop Warner, Schutt kicked the farthest among teammates, and then and there his punting career begun. Years later he wound up in Vermillion, South Dakota, where he now punts for the Coyotes. […]
USD develops updated plan for spring semester
Many changes have come due to the pandemic, including changes to education systems among schools and universities nationwide. However, in the upcoming semester, students, staff and faculty will begin to see some of those changes being reversed. Last month, the South Dakota Board of Regents gave universities a new schedule for spring semester operations. This […]
Scooter’s opens new location in Vermillion
Scooter’s Coffee celebrated its grand opening in Vermillion last week. The drive-thru coffee shop, located on Princeton Street near Walmart, launched a line of seasonal drinks, including a peppermint mocha, sugar cookie latte and holiday spice “carmelicious” coffees for their grand opening. As part of the grand opening, Scooter’s offered different deals every day of […]
USD to host October commencement for spring 2020 graduates
On Saturday, Oct. 24, USD will host a commencement ceremony for students who graduated in the spring of 2020 and would have walked if not for the pandemic. The ceremony will be held for both undergraduate and graduate students and will take place at 9 a.m. in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. Laura McNaughton, chief […]
Gestring reveals university’s 5-year strategic plan
After the delay of the announcement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, President Sheila Gestring revealed USD’s 5-year strategic plan during USD’s 2020 State of the University Address. Gestring outlined the plan’s six strategic themes at the event: Academic Excellence, Engagement, Facilities and Infrastructure, Diversity, Serving South Dakota and Affordability, The plan, set to go through […]
Interim dean of fine arts named full-time dean
Bruce Kelley has been named dean of Fine Arts after serving as interim dean of the college since February. Kelley arrived at USD in 2007 as an Associate Professor of Music. He was promoted to full Professor in 2013, then was appointed Assistant Provost in March of 2019 before being named interim dean of Fine […]
USD implements random COVID-19 tests for asymptomatic campus population
To assess whether it needs to implement further safety measures on campus, USD has begun weekly COVID-19 surveillance testing of asymptomatic students and staff. Kevin O’Kelley, member of USD’s COVID-19 task force, said the testing of asymptomatic students and staff is one of three COVID-19 testing programs on campus. The second is the testing of […]
New CARE Team collects research to aid in USD’s, South Dakota’s COVID-19 response
USD’s School of Health Sciences has created the Community Action Response Epidemiology (CARE) team to partner with the South Dakota Department of Health and the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Health Board to provide contact tracing, health promotion and comprehensive services to the state of South Dakota. Susan Puumala, the project director of the CARE team, […]
New FAR appointed amid pandemic
Tucked away in Noteboom Hall, room 317, Jessica Messersmith — the newly appointed Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR) — is deciding what the best course of action is to help all student-athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a normal year, Messersmith’s job would include keeping student-athletes on track while they balance their academics and athletics. She […]