South Dakota State University's Independent Student-Run Newsource Since 1885

The Collegian
Nathan Lukkes, executive director of the South Dakota Board of Regents, speaks during a town hall in the Hobo Day Gallery on the SDSU campus on April 28, 2026. Lukkes talked about the state of higher education, potential tuition raises and artificial intelligence.
Regent talks AI, tuition pressures at SDSU town hall
The University Police Department sits on the northeast side of campus, east of Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.
SDSU POLICE DAILY CRIME LOG
Arbor Day attendees work together to plant a tree on April 23, 2026, outside of Brown Hall.
Trees planted on campus for Arbor day
SDSU launches Center for AI Innovation and Emergent Technologies
A group of attendees visit last year's May Day event in the Volstorff Ballroom in the Student Union, in Brookings, SD.
May Day Music Festival Returns to Campus
SDSU’s Luke Luskey runs for home during a baseball game against Minnesota Morris on April 29, 2026 at Erv Huether Field. Luskey had three runs, a hit and an RBI over the course of the game.
Baseball comes to a close
SDSU’s bench celebrates during a basketball game against Mayville State on Oct. 29, 2025 at First Bank & Trust Arena.
A LOOK BACK AT THE PAST
Senior Kaylee Kurdish swings at a pitch from St. Thomas pitcher Ava Kleinfeldt Friday, April 24. The Jacks took a 11-5 loss during the first game of the double-header and then took another loss later in the day to get swept 2-0 in the series
Jacks look ahead to NDSU after sweep
Grant Sorensen swings at a pitch during a baseball game against the University of Northern Colorado on April 24, 2026 at Erv Huether Field in Brookings, S.D. Sorensen had a run, a hit and two RBIs in the game.regular-season game of Kraft’s collegiate career.
Hit-by-pitch record tied
Ellie Harris runs during the Gary Wilson Invitational. Wilson broke the school 200 meter dash record with a time of 23.49.
Harris bests own record in Minnesota
Monarch performs at the May Day Music Festival in the Volstorff Ballroom on Friday, May 1, 2026.
May Day Music Festival brings live music, vendors to VBR
A group of attendees visit last year's May Day event in the Volstorff Ballroom in the Student Union, in Brookings, SD.
May Day Music Festival Returns to Campus
Grace Fromknecht, who plays Mrs. Lovett, and Jacob Stevens, who plays Sweeney Todd, perform “My Friends” during the first act.
SDSU Theatre Presents Sweeney Todd
Emma Raisanen, History Club president, left and Karli Haack, History Club fundraising manager (right) table in the Student Union this week to get the word out about the 80s Rock Battle of the Bands.
BLAST FROM THE PAST
Laura Diddle directs one of the choirs in the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center. Diddle will retire after 23 years at SDSU.
‘It’ll be bittersweet’
Collegian Media staff first row, from left: Brayden Byers, Taylor Tennant, Emily DeCock and Bella Hartman. Second row, from left: Ean Wetzel, Emily Attrill, Andrew Lewno and Cordell Vitense.
From the editor: What being a journalist has taught me about life
Photo by FOTOGRAFÍA EDITORIAL on Unsplash
Guest Column: Volunteering Can Fast Track Your Creative Portfolio
Guest Column: April marks Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Guest Column: April marks Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Every year, the Journalism Education Association hosts a poster contest for Scholastic Journalism Week. This is the winning poster designed by Theo Slade, a student at North Springs High School, Atlanta.
Press Under Pressure
"Embrace Local Journalism" is the theme of this year's National Newspaper Week, which takes place Oct. 5-11. Collegian Media is home to South Dakota State University's student-run newspaper, radio station, website and newscast. The Collegian newspaper has been printing since 1885.
‘Telling the stories of our community’
South Dakota State University's Independent Student-Run Newsource Since 1885

The Collegian
South Dakota State University's Independent Student-Run Newsource Since 1885

The Collegian

About Collegian Media

We are The Collegian Media, South Dakota State University’s student-run independent news source.

Collegian Media consists of a 16-page tabloid-sized weekly newspaper, a 24/7 radio station (KSDJ 90.7 FM) and a weekly newscast (The Collegian Report) along with a website containing content from each outlet.

Collegian Media wants to tell your story. If you’re interested in contributing stories, photos, drawings or social media content, submit an application here.

Collegian Media’s full policy manual is available here.

An over 100-year history of reporting the news

Collegian Media traces its roots back to January 31, 1885, when the first issue of the College Sheaves was published.

Led by its first Editor-in-Chief, E.A. Anderson, the monthly paper was published by what was then the Dakota Agricultural College. The front page of that very first issue laid out a humble but ambitious mission. The staff admitted they were a “young, small and inexperienced” school, but they promised to do everything they could to help build up the college and make it a leader.

Over its long history, the paper has gone through a few name changes. After starting as the Sheaves, it switched to the Dakota Collegian in 1885, then the South Dakota Collegian in 1891, and the Industrial Collegian in 1893. By 1914, it was back to the South Dakota Collegian, becoming the SDSU Collegian in 1969. Finally, in March of 1978, it landed on the name we know today: The Collegian.

Through it all, the paper has had a front-row seat to history. It was there for the very first Hobo Day in 1912, covered the event’s cancellation for the war effort during WWI, and reported on Senator Ted Kennedy’s visit to campus in 1968.

And the paper hasn’t just reported the news—it has fought to protect it. The Collegian even sued the South Dakota Board of Regents after its director tried to ban the media from attending public forums during a presidential search.

Over 30 years on the air

Radio at SDSU goes all the way back to KAGY Radio, KSDJ 90.7 FM’s predecessor. KAGY began broadcasting out of Pugsley Hall as a low-power AM station covering the Brookings area in 1966. 

Eventually, the station was reduced to operating through common carrier transmitters in the dormitories, using AC power mains in the buildings to distribute the signal. After applying for an FM license, the students lost control of it as the state took over.

KSDJ, after initially being denied, obtained its FCC license in 1992. The broadcast tower, which still stands on top of Wagner Hall in the center of campus, was completed in January 1993. After gaining funding from the SDSU Students’ Association, students produced their first show on Dec. 13, 1993.

A dive into video and a new era

In the fall of 2024, Jacks News, a student-produced newscast with content from students in the Broadcast News Reporting class, rebranded to the Collegian Report. Beginning in spring 2025, the Collegian Report became a weekly newscast produced and managed by Collegian Media.

In spring 2025, the decision was made to bring all three mediums (newspaper, radio and video) under one umbrella named Collegian Media, allowing for the organizations to share students, resources and content with each other.

– Last updated Aug. 24, 2025