The South Dakotan
The South Dakotan is our story hub highlighting the meaningful contributions of our students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends. Find out everything USD is up to here.
The Latest
USD Launches New Center for Digital Accessibility
The Center for Digital Accessibility, launched in the fall of 2025, is the University of South Dakota’s newest resource to support institutions looking to make their digital content and services accessible.
Inaugural DNAP Cohort Celebrates 100% NCE Pass Rate
The University of South Dakota’s inaugural Doctor of Nursing Anesthesia Practice class has achieved a 100% pass rate on the National Certification Examination within 30 days of program completion, including an exceptional 89% first-time pass rate.
USD Announces Fall 2025 Dean's List and Academic Honors
More than 2,400 students at the University of South Dakota are being honored for their high achievement during the fall 2025 semester with the release of the Dean’s List and Academic Honors.
USD Student Makes History in Receiving National Endowment for the Arts Composer Award
At just 21 years old, Tyler LaMere, an enrolled member of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, has become the first Winnebago composer in history to receive a National Endowment for the Arts Composer Award.
Honors Director Melissa Berninger Elected to National Collegiate Honors Council Board of Directors
Melissa Berninger, director of the University of South Dakota Honors Program, has been elected to the National Collegiate Honors Council Board of Directors. Berninger will serve a three-year term that began Jan. 1, 2026, representing one of three professional seats filled in this year’s election.
Featured
Juston Sangster Selected to Attend U.S. Department of Homeland Security Leadership Academy
Juston Sangster, assistant chief of police for the University of South Dakota’s University Police Department, has been selected to attend the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Leadership Academy, which will take place this coming March.
Alumni
From Mentee to Employee: USD Experiences Create Path to Full-Time Career for Recent Graduate
For Katie Gellerman ’25, the University of South Dakota offered more than a degree—it offered opportunities to get involved, gain hands-on experience and build connections that opened doors beyond the classroom.
Nursing Alumna Selected for 2025 Dole Caregiver Fellow Leadership Program
At just 23 years old, Kylie Briest has spent nearly her entire life as a caregiver. In 2005, her father, U.S. Army Sgt. Corey Briest, was severely injured by an IED explosion in Iraq. The blast left him with a traumatic brain injury, resulting in limited mobility, vision and speech. Kylie Briest was only three years old at the time.
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USD Alumnus Frank Leibfarth Named 2025 Laureate in Chemical Sciences
Frank Leibfarth, Ph.D., a 2008 graduate who studied physics and chemistry at the University of South Dakota, and was one of three laureates chosen, was honored on Oct. 7 at the American Museum of Natural History as the 2025 Laureate in Chemical Sciences for the Blavatnik National Awards—one of the country’s most significant prizes for early-career researchers.
USD In The News
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USD in Argus Leader
USD Discovery District to Hold Ribbon Cutting, Looks to Future Plans for Expansion
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USD on SiouxFalls.Business
Coyote Business Consulting Prepares USD Business Student for Avera Fellowship
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USD on SDPB
Teacher Talk | Compassionate Classrooms
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USD on Dakota News Now
USD Students Excited to Learn About Future Plans on Match Day
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USD in the Argus Leader
Why This South Dakota City is the Best in the U.S. for Small Town Arts Scene
More Headlines
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USD Student’s Company Partners with Pharmacy to Bring AI Into Daily Health Care
Summary: A University of South Dakota student is now running a live artificial intelligence system inside one of the oldest pharmacies in the state.
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Ninth Annual Three Minute Thesis Competition Set for February 2026
Summary: The University of South Dakota Graduate School is excited to host the ninth annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition this February.
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School of Education Faculty Member Examines Ways Families Can Improve Learning with eBooks
Summary: Gabrielle Strouse, Ph.D., associate professor in the University of South Dakota School of Education and chair of the Division of Counseling and Psychology in Education, has published new research examining how dialogic reading prompts embedded in eBooks can foster parent-preschooler conversations about spatial concepts, a critical foundation for early STEM learning. Dialogic reading prompts encourage conversation(s) about the book.
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USD Opera and Director Honored by The American Prize
Summary: The University of South Dakota Opera’s “Notes on Viardot” received two awards from The American Prize for 2024-2025.
Guest Column
USD has done a great job of recognizing that higher education is changing, and they provide internship programs and job training opportunities that help students adapt to a changing workplace. The faculty at USD are top notch, and they put focus on providing students with the qualities they will need when they graduate.
A Conversation with the Leader of the Band: Scott Lawrence
USD alumnus Scott Lawrence has had a rather unique journey from high school band director to president and CEO of one of the region’s most successful advertising agencies.
