South Dakota State University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
South Dakota State University

Former name	Dakota Agriculture College (1881–1904) South Dakota State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (1904–1964)
Type	Public land-grant research university
Established	1881; 144 years ago (1881)
Academic affiliations	Space-grant, Sun-grant
Endowment	$213 million (2021)
Budget	$308 million (FY2022)
President	Barry H. Dunn
Provost	Dennis Hedge
Academic staff	622.81(2021-2022)
Total staff	2,034.41 (FTE)
Students	11,465
Undergraduates	9,717
Postgraduates	1,406
Other students	342 (professional)
Location	Brookings, South Dakota , U.S. 44°19′05″N 96°47′00″W / 44.31806°N 96.78333°W / 44.31806; -96.78333
Campus	400.69 acres (162.15 ha)
Colors	Yellow and blue
Nickname	Jackrabbits
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I Summit League MVFC Big 12 Conference
Mascot	Jack the Jackrabbit

South Dakota State University (SDSU or SD State) is a large public university in Brookings, South Dakota. It's known for its focus on research and for being a "land-grant" university. This means it was created to teach subjects like agriculture and engineering, which were important for the state's growth.

SDSU was founded in 1881, making it the biggest university in South Dakota. It's governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents, which oversees all public universities in the state. The university is also known for its strong research programs, especially in science and technology.

History of SDSU

The Coughlin Campanile was finished in 1929. It's a famous landmark on campus.

South Dakota State University started on February 21, 1881. Back then, it was called Dakota Agriculture College. The first building was built in 1883, even before South Dakota became a state!

Over the years, the college grew a lot. In 1904, its name changed to South Dakota State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. Then, in 1964, it became South Dakota State University. This new name showed that the school offered many more types of education, not just agriculture and mechanics.

In 1923, the university had five main study areas: Agriculture, Engineering, General Science, Home Economics, and Pharmacy. Later, in 1956, a Nursing program was added. Today, SDSU has many different colleges and schools, including:

• College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
• College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
• College of Education and Human Sciences
• College of Nursing
• College of Pharmacy & Allied Health Professions
• Graduate School
• Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering
• University College
• Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College

Leaders of SDSU

Barry H. Dunn became the 20th President of South Dakota State University in 2016. He and his wife both went to SDSU. Before becoming president, Mr. Dunn was in charge of SDSU's College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences.

Here is a list of the university's presidents:

SDSU Campus Life

Main Campus Features

Coolidge Sylvan Theatre, a nice outdoor spot on campus.

The Hilton M. Briggs Library at SDSU has over 635,000 books and many other resources. It also holds the Daschle Research Library, which keeps the important papers of former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, who went to SDSU.

The University Student Union is a busy place on campus. It has meeting rooms, a ballroom, and offices for student groups. You can also find dining areas, the university bookstore, and the student newspaper, The Collegian, there.

Academics and Study Programs

SDSU offers many different types of degrees, from associate degrees to doctoral degrees. Students can choose from 175 different areas of study. The university has several colleges and schools, including those for agriculture, arts, engineering, nursing, and pharmacy.

University Rankings

In 2021, U.S. News & World Report ranked South Dakota State University as one of the top public universities in the United States. It was tied for the 144th best public university and the 284th best university overall. You can find more about their awards and rankings on the South Dakota State University website.

Political Science Department

Famous Political Science Alumni

U.S. Senate Majority Leader
Tom Daschle

U.S. Senator
Mike Rounds

U.S. Governor
Kristi Noem

Many important leaders from South Dakota studied political science at SDSU.

SDSU's Political Science Department has helped many students become important leaders. For example, two of South Dakota's current top leaders, U.S. Senator Mike Rounds and Governor Kristi Noem, studied political science at SDSU. Tom Daschle, a former U.S. Senate Majority Leader, also graduated from this program.

Military Science Department

The Military Science Department at SDSU helps students become officers in the United States Army and United States Air Force. Students in this program, called ROTC, earn their college degree and then become second lieutenants in the military.

Many graduates from this department have become high-ranking generals. Two students who attended the university, Leo K. Thorsness and Willibald C. Bianchi, even received the Medal of Honor, which is the highest military award.

Military Heroes from SDSU

Medal of Honor recipient
Leo Thorsness

Medal of Honor recipient
Willibald C. Bianchi

U.S. General
William E. DePuy

SDSU has produced Medal of Honor recipients and many U.S. Generals.

Research and Discoveries

South Dakota State University is known as one of the top research universities in the Midwest. They are especially good at research in agricultural science, biological science, and engineering.

The university is also home to the Geospatial Sciences Center of Excellence. This center works with the United States Geological Survey to study the Earth using remote sensing (like satellites). SDSU was recognized as one of the most productive universities in the world for remote sensing research.

SDSU also runs agricultural research stations across the state. These stations help improve farming and livestock practices.

• Some amazing discoveries and inventions by SDSU alumni:
• 

  Stephen Foster Briggs invented the Briggs & Stratton engine in 1906 while he was a student.

• 

  Gene Amdahl was the main designer of the IBM 360 computer in 1964.

• 

  The first place in the U.S. to make ethanol fuel on a college campus was at SDSU in 1979.

Here are some notable achievements by SDSU alumni in science and technology:

• Stephen Foster Briggs (graduated 1907) invented the Briggs & Stratton engine.
• Theodore Schultz (graduated 1928) won the 1979 Nobel Prize in Economics.
• Paul Middaugh helped create the first on-campus research center for ethanol fuel production in 1979.
• Gene Amdahl (graduated 1948) helped develop the IBM 360 computer.
• Aelred Kurtenbach and Duane Sander, who were professors, started the company Daktronics, Inc..

Online Learning Programs

SDSU offers many online programs. Students can earn associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and special certificates all online.

Student Housing and Life

The northern Jackrabbit Village, where students live.

The student dorms at SDSU house a large number of people, making it one of the most populated areas in South Dakota.

Modern-styled dormitories at SDSU.

Student Groups

SDSU has several fraternities and sororities that students can join.

Pride of the Dakotas Marching Band

The SDSU Marching Band is called "The Pride of the Dakotas." This band has performed in many important events, like Presidential Inaugural Parades in Washington, D.C., and the famous Tournament of Roses Parade in California. In 2022, they performed in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and also cheered on the football team when they won their first national championship!

Hobo Day Homecoming

The university's homecoming celebration is called Hobo Day. It's known as "The Biggest One-Day Event in the Dakotas." This fun tradition started way back in 1907 and usually happens in October.

Sports at SDSU

SDSU competes in college sports as part of NCAA Division I. Their teams are called the Jackrabbits. They play in different conferences depending on the sport, like the Summit League and the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Jackrabbits have 19 different sports teams. Their mascot is Jack the Jackrabbit!

Men's Basketball

Frost Arena, where the Jackrabbits play basketball.

The Jackrabbits men's basketball team won a national championship in 1963 when they were in NCAA Division II. Since then, they have moved up to Division I.

Women's Basketball

The women's basketball team has been very successful. They have won nine conference tournaments and have played in ten NCAA Division I Tournaments. In 2018, they even made it to the "Sweet Sixteen" round!

Men's Football

The Jackrabbits football team has been very strong in recent years. They have appeared in the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs 14 times. They won their first FCS National Championship in 2022 and their second in 2023! The team has a streak of 12 straight playoff appearances.

Football Facilities

Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, home of the Jackrabbits football team.

The Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium opened in 2016 and can hold over 19,000 fans. It's considered one of the best stadiums in Division I FCS.

The Dykhouse Student-Athlete Center is next to the stadium. It has study areas, computers, and tutors to help all SDSU athletes with their schoolwork.

The Sanford Jackrabbit Athlete Complex is a large indoor practice and competition building. It has an eight-lane, 300-meter track, which is one of only five like it in the country. This facility is used for track, football, baseball, and other sports practices.

Famous Alumni

Many SDSU graduates have become important people in government, business, science, and sports.

• Some famous people who went to South Dakota State University:
• 

  Theodore Schultz,
  Nobel Prize winner for Economics.

• 

  Gene Amdahl,
  inventor of the IBM 360 computer.

• 

  Tom Daschle,
  former Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate.

• 

  Mike Rounds,
  current U.S. Senator.

• 

  Kristi Noem,
  current Governor of South Dakota.

• 

  Stephen Censky,
  former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture.

• 

  Adam Vinatieri,
  NFL kicker,
  4-time Super Bowl champion.

• 

  Jim Langer,
  Pro Football Hall of Famer,
  2-time Super Bowl champion.

• 

  Dallas Goedert,
  current NFL tight end.

• 

  Ben Reifel,
  first Lakota Indian member of Congress.

• 

  Dick Kneip,
  former U.S. Ambassador to Singapore and Governor of South Dakota.

• 

  David Gilbertson,
  former Chief Justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court.

Here are some more notable alumni:

Science and Technology

• Stephen Foster Briggs (1907), invented the Briggs & Stratton engine.
• Theodore Schultz (1928), Nobel Prize winner in Economics.
• Gene Amdahl (1948), designed the IBM 360 computer.
• Josephine Santiago-Bond (2005), a leader in engineering at NASA.

Arts and Literature

• Harvey Dunn (1902), a famous painter.
• Jeanine Basinger (1958), a film historian.

Business Leaders

• Nizar Al-Adsani (1983), former CEO of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation.
• Jerry Lohr, founder of J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines.
• Dana J. Dykhouse, President of First Premier Bank.

Government and Politics

• Philo Hall (1886), U.S. Representative from South Dakota.
• Sigurd Anderson, former Governor and Attorney General of South Dakota.
• Ben Reifel (1932), U.S. Representative from South Dakota and the first Lakota Indian member of Congress.
• Richard F. Kneip (1945), former U.S. Ambassador to Singapore and Governor of South Dakota.
• Tom Daschle (1969), former U.S. Senate Majority Leader.
• Mike Rounds (1976), current U.S. Senator from South Dakota.
• Kristi Noem (2012), current Governor of South Dakota.

Military Heroes

• Willibald C. Bianchi (1939), Medal of Honor recipient from World War II.
• William E. DePuy (1941), a U.S. Army General.
• Leo K. Thorsness (1953), U.S. Air Force Colonel and Medal of Honor recipient.

Sports Stars

• Pete Retzlaff (1956), a famous NFL player.
• Jim Langer (1970), NFL player and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
• Adam Vinatieri (1996), NFL kicker and 4-time Super Bowl champion.
• Adam Timmerman (1995), NFL player and 2-time Super Bowl champion.
• Dallas Goedert (2018), current NFL tight end.
• Zach Zenner (2014), NFL running back.