The Volante
THE STUDENTS’ VOICE SINCE 1887 VERVE (B3, B4)
W E D N E S D AY, A P R I L 1 3 , 2 0 2 2
Gesteland’s annual studio showcase made their first appearance since COVID-19
Sjerven, Lamb enter WNBA draft with Sjerven heading to Minnesota Lynx
The studio showcase was preformed by students studying singing with Gesteland.
Redshirt seniors Hannah Sjerven and Chloe Lamb reflect on their last season as coyotes, while Sjerven continues her basketball career in the WNBA.
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DAKOTATHON: HELPING CHILDREN ONE DONATION AT A TIME
Keeley Thomas| The Volante
Students raised over $100,000 to help the Sanford Castle of Care in Sioux Falls. The donations exceeded last years, which amounted to $90,000.
Marathon, which usually lasts 24 hours. However, Kianna Thelen, the executive director, decided to extend it to 25 hours to celebrate the 25th anniversary. Dancing wasn’t the only activity available. Throughout the day the kids showed off their skills during the Kids Got Talent show, played basketball with the women’s team and shared their stories. In the past, Dakotathon has announced its fundraising goal. Last year their goal was $146,000 and they raised over $90,000. Thelen said they didn’t announce their goal this year. “We don’t want it to focus on the
Keeley Thomas
Keeley.Thomas@coyotes.usd.edu
The largest student-led nonprofit organization in South Dakota held its biggest event, the Dance Marathon, in person for the first time since 2019. Dakotathon is a year-long fundraising event supporting the Children’s Miracle Network. This year, the Miracle Children from the Sanford Children’s Hospital were welcomed back to the Sanford Coyote Sports Center (SCSC). Students, volunteers, the children and their families gathered for 25 hours of celebration. Every year Dakotathon ends with the Dance
Keeley Thomas| The Volante
The Dakotathon organization is run by USD students committed to helping the Sanford Miracle Children. The Dance Marathon at the end of the year is an opportunity for the students to meet and spend time with the children they’ve been fundraising for.
number. In the end, however much we raise is going to make a difference at the Sanford Castle. I think if we put out a goal and focus on it too much, it just takes away from what we’re doing and that’s what I’ve seen from past years,” Thelen said. Even though they didn’t have a goal, Dakotathon raised over $100,000 throughout this year. Students and other organizations on campus helped raise the money. Students who signed up outside a leadership role were known as Miracle Makers. The only obligation this role had was to raise $200 throughout the year.
Every Miracle Maker was put into a group with a Morale Captain, who guided the group throughout the year. Each group was assigned a Miracle Child they stayed with for the day. Sophomore Carli Florey, a Morale Captain, said her favorite part was meeting the kids. “You fundraise all year but don’t really get to meet everybody or know who you’re really doing it for until the big day of. Then you get to hang out with them and it just makes it a lot more special,” Florey said. Thelen said the biggest difference between this year and the past was the people.
“In past years we had a lot of people but they weren’t as into talking to the kids or getting the experience. Getting to start over and build up with a lot of people who genuinely care about the cause and want these kids to have a good time is something I’m very proud to see change over the last four years,” Thelen said. The roughly $100,000 that was raised by Dakotathon’s efforts will be kept local with the donation going to the Sanford Castle of Care in Sioux Falls. Some Vermillion families who are a part of the program will personally benefit as well.
Annual IdeaFest, back in person for 34th year Rachel Pechous
Rachel.Pechous@coyotes.usd.edu
USD’s annual IdeaFest was held from April 6-7. IdeaFest is USD’s annual symposium for research, scholarly works, creative scholarship and keynote events. IdeaFest coordinator Lindsay Hayes said it helps give students a chance to showcase their work. “The main purpose of IdeaFest is really that sharing of ideas,” Hayes said. IdeaFest shows students and faculty what other students are working on, along with completing their degrees. “Students have that opportunity to present works that you might not get a chance to do in any other forum outside of the classroom,” Hayes said. Continuing for 34 years, this year’s IdeaFest was held on campus after being held virtually for the previous two years. “Research didn’t stop because of the pandemic,” Hayes said. “We were able to continue and even because of the pandemic there are so many things we got out of it.” This year, presentations were being streamed for access online as well as being recorded. Students have the opportunity to have their presentations archived in USD’s RED system through the library. Some students are required to present their research at IdeaFest for class, while
others just want to share their research. Hayes said students can present any kind of undergrad research they have undergone and gives students and faculty a chance to learn what is happening on campus. “We have students presenting their AWOL trips through the Gallagher Center and their experiential learning there, which you don’t always have a chance to hear the outcome of those events,” Hayes said. Hayes said this year’s IdeaFest hosted over 400 student presenters including research from students in medicine, health sciences, arts and sciences, education and business. Brittany Lewis, a senior technical theatre major, presented her work about costume design for the USD show “Lion in Winter.” Lewis presented a poster showcasing her research, costume renderings and senior thesis for her BFA Capstone. “The poster presentations were more academic based, traditional, and scientifically researched,” Lewis said. “But mine was really interesting to do because it was tactile research that became costume designs.” Lewis said she decided to join IdeaFest this year because there isn’t typically a lot of representation from the fine arts community at events like this. “I knew it was important to interject ourselves into this conversation and I
really wanted the opportunity to show what was so many months of work,” Lewis said. “I wanted to be able to show that to not only my peers and colleagues from the fine arts community, but also anyone who walks through got to see up close what we actually do over in the fine arts building.” Lewis said she learned a lot by presenting at IdeaFest. “I learned more about the process on the show than I knew months ago just by presenting to people and talking about it,” Lewis said. “I learned even more about myself as a designer and also as a creative scholar.” Another important aspect of IdeaFest is the ability for students to have a comfortable platform to share their research and passions, Lewis said. “My favorite part about IdeaFest is that students can share what they’ve taken so much time to do and what they’re passionate about,” Lewis said. “It’s an opportunity for everyone to share that and that’s what I respect most about it.” Lewis said she encourages other students to be aware of what IdeaFest is and maybe even try participating themselves. “I would encourage students to take advantage of this opportunity while they’re here because you never know where it can lead you and what kind of people you will affect,” Lewis said.
Submitted | The Volante
Brittany Lewis presents her work in costume design alongside many other projects done by USD students.