Welcome to South Dakota State University! You made an excellent choice in choosing SDSU for the next chapter in your educational career!

Together, we will share an exciting first year. You, as a new student setting out on your first year as a Jackrabbit, and I, beginning my first year as president, will have a lot of new experiences. I am certainly looking forward to learning alongside you.

I was in your shoes when I came to SDSU as a college freshman in 1971. At that time, I didn’t realize what an important decision I made. That decision opened doors that I never could have imagined.

Founded in 1881, SDSU is South Dakota’s largest land-grant university, and is guided by the principles of the Morrill Act, passed by the United States Congress in 1962. In South Dakota, we collaborate with four tribal colleges, established as land-grant institutions in 1994. The tri-part land-grant mission is to provide education, research and outreach to common people, with emphasis on equality and inclusion. By enrolling at SDSU, you are helping us fulfill our mission. We will help you attain the benefits associated with our mission and values.

While you won’t all go on to be a future president of SDSU, you will have the opportunity to develop the skills and abilities to be successful in whatever career path you choose. You will benefit from recent improvements to our academic, research and athletic facilities. You will have an opportunity to engage in activities that add to your overall SDSU experience. And most importantly, you will interact with your peers, the faculty and university staff who all have unique backgrounds and ideas you can learn from and are also your network for support and guidance along the way.

We are excited to open the new Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, Cow-Calf Education and Research Facility and Swine Education and Research Facility this fall. We are thrilled about the opportunities afforded by future expansion to the Performing Arts Center, development of Alumni Green and a new Local Foods Education Center. We are also raising funds to provide more scholarships for students and support of outstanding faculty.

For some of you, campus will seem like a really big place. After some time, I hope you find that we are a close-knit community. I look forward to seeing you on your way to class, at Hobo Day, cheering on our fellow Jackrabbits, at a play or concert, at Little International or enjoying a scoop of ice cream at the SDSU Dairy Bar. I’ll be sure to say hello!