South Dakota State University

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South Dakota State University is the largest university in South Dakota, located in Brookings. A public land grant university, SDSU continues that tradition with a special focus on academic programs in agriculture, engineering, nursing, and pharmacy, as well as the liberal arts. SDSU is a land grant university, founded under the provisions of the 1862 Morrill Act, and offers the programs of study required by that act.

The current president of SDSU is Peggy Gordon Miller, who has served as president since 1998. Miller as announced that she will be retiring as SDSU's president at the end of 2006. SDSU is governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents, which governs the state's six public universities and two special schools.

SDSU awards bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctoral degrees. Total enrollment sits at 11,000+ with a record high enrollment of 11,021 recorded in October, 2005.

The SDSU campus features the H.M. Briggs Library, the South Dakota Art Museum (featuring works by Harvey Dunn and Oscar Howe, among others), and the Coughlin Campanile. The university operates it own dairy plant, processing 10,000 lb (4.5 t) of milk weekly into cheese and ice cream, operates a cattle and sheep breeding operation, has an on-campus meat processing facility, and has a student-operated pharmacy.

Contents

1 History
2 Athletics and activities
3 Notable alumni
4 Greek Life
5 Points of interest
6 External links

History

The university was founded in 1881 as Dakota Agriculture College. The name was changed in 1904 to South Dakota State College of Agricultural and Mechanic Arts. In 1964, the name was changed to South Dakota State University, reflecting the more comprehensive education offered at the university.

The first building, with funding from the territorial legislature, was built in 1883, six years before the State of South Dakota was incorporated.

Among the inventions and discoveries originating at SDSU are the Briggs and Stratton engine, invented by alumnus Stephen Foster Briggs, and cookies and cream ice cream, which was created at the university's dairy plant.

Athletics and activities

SDSU's athletic mascot is the jackrabbit. The homecoming celebration, Hobo Days, is billed as "The Biggest One-Day Event in the Dakotas."[link] The 375+ member SDSU Marching Band, "The Pride of the Dakotas," given the special name as the Millennium band in 2000 by the South Dakota State Legislature, has marched in the 1981 and 1997 Presidential Inaugural Parades in Washington DC, A Capital Fouth in 2000 in Washington DC which was broadcast on PBS, the 2002 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, and the Korean War Monument Dedication at the state's capital Pierre in 2004, in the company of 2 other college bands and 60 some high school bands from across the state.

In 2003, the women's basketball team won the Division II Championship. In 2004, SDSU began a transition to NCAA Division I, ending its long association with the NCAA Division II North Central Conference and its century-old intrastate rivalry with the University of South Dakota. SDSU is now a member of the Great West Football Conference, the United Soccer Conference, an associate member of the Mid-Continent Conference (swimming and diving only), and is an independent for other sports.

Notable alumni

Stephen Foster Briggs - inventor of the Briggs and Stratton engine
Tom Daschle - former Majority Leader of the United States Senate
David Gilbertson - chief justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court
Sandy Johnson - chief of the Associated Press Washington Bureau
Mike Rounds - South Dakota governor
Theodore Schultz - winner of the 1979 Nobel Prize in Economics
Adam Vinatieri - kicker for the NFL's Indianapolis Colts; formerly of New England Patriots

Greek Life

This list contains only fraternities that are a part of the Greek Council. Other fraternities and sororities exist, but are not officially recognizes by the University.

Points of interest

External links

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