April 26th, 20210 Just like students, USD professors have adapted to the changing year, involving hybrid and distanced instruction as the pandemic has played out, and are preparing to come back to campus normally next fall. Lori Costello, USD assistant professor, said this past year has been tough. These past two and a half semesters, more...
April 20th, 2021112 The final USD symphony concert will be held April 23, and it may be the last time these musicians will have to play while social distancing. Last semester, the number of students allowed to play in the symphony was limited due to COVID-19 concerns, and Luis Viquez, conductor of the orchestra, chose pieces suited for a smaller group....
April 6th, 2021155 Students at USD have several opportunities to travel while continuing their education. One way to do this is with the Study Abroad program through the Gallagher Center for Experiential Learning & Education Abroad. The Study Abroad program has implemented several precautions regarding COVID-19 and are doing programs on a...
April 5th, 202130 USD’s IdeaFest is being held virtually this year, much like the event last April. IdeaFest is a showcase for undergraduate and graduate students at USD to display research projects they work on as part of their studies at USD. Kurt Hackemer, USD provost and vice president for academic affairs, said his office is involved in...
March 28th, 2021105 College life at USD saw many changes during the 2020-21 school year after a surge in the pandemic. Life on campus was full of mask-wearing students who were told to stay six feet apart at all times. For many of the students, a schedule full of Zoom classes became a new normal, but that is soon to change. All current USD students...
February 14th, 202114 Over the past year, USD’s Writing Center has adapted to the COVID-19 by increasing opportunities for students to receive assistance virtually while maintaining in-person meetings. Emily Kluin, a writing consultant at the Writing Center, said the center helps students with all stages of writing, from citation styles to...
February 13th, 202174 The USD-Area Yappin’ Yotes, a local chapter of the nearly 100-year-old public speaking club Toastmasters, has had to find ways to combat COVID-19 regulations and technical challenges. Officers in Toastmasters chapters serve one year terms. Steven Thum, the current sergeant at arms for the Yappin’ Yotes, said his job, which...
February 2nd, 202186 The grandson of Polish and Ukrainian immigrants and the son of a blue-collar family, Professor John Banasiak has used his upbringing as a driving force in his love for the arts. This love led him to be a recipient of the Governor's Awards in the Arts in regard to his "Outstanding Service in Art Education." In 1969, Banasiak picked up...
February 1st, 202188 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...
January 29th, 202123 While USD has used a combination of remote and in-person classes this year, honors thesis defense has been moved entirely online since the spring semester of 2020. An honors thesis defense comes at the end of the honors program at USD. A student in the honors program researches a topic and prepares a thesis which can take the form of...
