SDSU Community –
One of my favorite moments at South Dakota State will forever be last Thursday evening, when the historic announcement was made that the Bold & Blue capital campaign raised more than $600 million. It is the single largest higher education capital campaign in the history of South Dakota, more than double the amount of any other campaign in the state.
As impressive as the total amount is for the campaign, the fact that nearly 31,000 people contributed to the campaign’s success speaks volumes about our alumni and friends of the university and how much they care about SDSU. Some of those individuals gave significant amounts, while others were making their first donation to our university. The fact that so many were willing give to the campaign and recognize the importance of supporting our vision for the university is astounding. It will continue to shape and drive SDSU for decades into the future and ensure our success for generations.
Bold & Blue focused on people-centered initiatives, particularly in growing support for scholarships and faculty endowments. Scholarships more than doubled over the course of the campaign, while 45 commitments were added for endowed positions for deans, directors, chairs and even a department. The campaign also supported facility needs like the American Indian Student Center, the Raven Precision Agriculture Center, and the First Bank & Trust Arena.
Bold & Blue launched with an ambitious goal of $500 million, which was surpassed in September 2023. Another $100 million was added to the campaign total in the final seven months of fundraising, meaning that during the 2,670 days of the campaign, an average of $226,346 was raised each day.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this historic effort, whether through fundraising efforts or your own contribution to its success. It is certainly a transformational time.
This Saturday is another important day for our university as we will hold commencement ceremonies at the Dacotah Bank Center. The day will include ceremonies at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. It is a special day for many as we will once again confer more than 2,000 degrees. It is also a time when our land-grant mission of providing access to the benefits of higher education is met, and the thousands of new SDSU alumni move into the next stage of their lives and professional careers. I hope many of you can join us as we celebrate the conclusion of another academic year.
Thank you for everything you do to make SDSU a special place. I hope all of you have a wonderful week.
Go Jacks!
Sincerely,
Barry H. Dunn, President
Above and Beyond
Above and Beyond recognizes individuals and groups of South Dakota State University employees, faculty and students for individual and team efforts that go Above and Beyond to make the campus community a better place. This week we recognize those involved in the historic Bold & Blue comprehensive campaign with the SDSU Foundation.
The Bold & Blue campaign started in 2017 with a public launch in 2021. During that time, SDSU Foundation staff, dedicated alumni and supporters and SDSU leaders worked toward the ambitious goal of $500 million raised to support the university.
This was the largest comprehensive campaign in South Dakota history, raising $604,345,119 to support people, traditions, places and innovations at SDSU.
On Thursday, the Jackrabbits community came together to celebrate the success and look forward to the impacts this will have on our campus.
The event at the Oscar Larson Preforming Art Center hosted hundreds of supporters while the Johnny Holm Band, SDSU Concert Choir and members of The Pride of the Dakotas Marching Band provided entertainment.
Scholarships accounted for one-third of the campaign total, addressing renewed support for students. The efforts of Bold & Blue more than doubled scholarship offerings that were available at the start of the campaign in 2017.
Another significant area of growth in the Bold & Blue campaign was endowed support for university leaders, faculty and researchers. Endowments are gifts that are invested with an annual distribution used to ensure the fund exists in perpetuity. These sustainable funding sources accounted for 54% of campaign commitments.
An undeniable sign of the Bold & Blue campaign’s success is both the number of donors reached and the variety of gifts made, with contributions of all sizes making a collective impact. Of the 30,737 unique donors, 114 made commitments of $1 million or more. Of those, 23 made total gifts of $5 million or more. At the same time, 23,867 made commitments of $100 or less.
For more than half of the total donors (17,594), it was their first-ever gift to SDSU during Bold & Blue.
Thank you to all the donors and to Steve Erpenbach and the entire SDSU Foundation team for your efforts these past seven years.
Additionally, thank you to the campaign co-chairs, Dana Dykhouse, Kim Tyler and honorary chair Jerry Lohr, as well as all foundation Council of Trustees members, for your leadership in this historic and impactful campaign.
The Meet State committee is already looking for volunteers to help with move-in weekend to welcome new and returning Jackrabbits for the 2024-25 academic year.
Meet State weekend is Aug. 23-24, and the two days include various activities to welcome new students and their families. On the two opening days, hundreds of volunteers from various campus departments and student organizations help move residents into their rooms.
Additional information and how to register to help with the weekend is available online. Please contact Brian Dominguez if you have more questions.
McCrory Gardens and the Office of Human Resources will host Third Thursday at McCrory Gardens for SDSU employees and up to six guests. The events will provide employees an engagement opportunity while showcasing the many wonderful features of the gardens.
The scheduled events include:
- Bee theme, May 16 from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
- Explorer theme, June 20 from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
- Wellness theme, July 18 from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Additional information, including how to access tickets, is available by contacting Laura Sroufe in the Office of Human Resources.
The Office of Career Development will host a May Day meetup Wednesday from 4:30-5:30 p.m. The event is an opportunity to learn more about the office and engage with colleagues around campus. Soft drinks and snacks will be provided.
The Office of Career Development is located in Room 136 on Main Street of the University Student Union.
The Professional Staff Advisory Council will host its annual meeting and awards May 7 at 2:30 p.m. in Woster Celebration Hall at the SDSU Alumni Center.
The event will include an all-staff social with the program and awards beginning at 3 p.m. A Zoom link will be available for those who cannot attend in person.
The program will include updates from the council and the announcements of the Rising Star Award and the Presidential Awards of Excellence.
The Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering will host the National Summer Transportation Institute Summer Camp, June 2-8 and June 9-15. The camp will focus on transportation engineering, including planning, materials, transportation modes and other topics.
Participants must be entering grades 9-12 during the 2024-25 school year, have a cumulative GPA of 2.0, completed algebra and be interested in engineering, science or technology.
All selected students will receive scholarships to attend the camp. Scholarships will cover the cost of on-campus housing, food and workshops.
The SDSU Alumni Association is seeking nominations for its Legends and Leaders recognitions. Information about the awards and how to nominate someone is available at SDSU Alumni Association.
Nominations are due Wednesday.
Instructional Design Services will host its 2024 Summer eLearning Academy aimed to create, connect and support student success through online communities, fostering a positive and student success-centered eLearning environment.
The central theme of the academy is to emphasize the importance of creating a strong sense of presence and community in the online learning environment. By fostering high engagement with course content, peers, success resources and tutors, we can support and enhance the online learning experience for our learners.
The academy will take place May 9-10 via Zoom and offer two sessions each day from 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. Participants need to register by Friday. Space is limited, and registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Additional information about the academy is available on sdstate.edu.
Jack’s Cupboard, the on-campus food pantry for SDSU students, is seeking volunteers this summer. Jack’s Cupboard will be open weekly on Wednesdays from 3 - 5 p.m. and volunteer shifts last one hour.
Interested individuals may sign-up online to volunteer or contact Avery Sage with any questions.
The Monday Message appears weekly during the academic year and less frequently during the summer months and holiday breaks.
Information for the Monday Message, including nominations for Above and Beyond, can be submitted online through the submission form.