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THE STUDENTS’ VOICE SINCE 1887
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NEWS (A1-A3 & A6)
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VERVE (B3 & B4)
STUDENT VETERANS ADAPT TO LIFE ON CAMPUS
Leah Dusterhoft | The Volante
Veteran Clete McLeod is now the head strength and conditioning coach for USD Athletics.
USD VETERAN REFLECTS ON SERVICE Tyler Boyle
Tyler.Boyle@coyotes.usd.edu
Submitted Photo | The Volante
The Student Veteran Resource Center at USD is a state funded program that provides resources for student veterans and veteran dependents. Alle Anduaga
Alle.Anduaga@coyotes.usd.edu
The Student Veteran Resource Center (SVRC) at USD serves to assist military personnel pursuing a higher education. SVRC provides resources for student veterans and veteran dependents. SVRC is a state funded program that provides student veterans with printing, free counseling and tutoring services, along with a quiet place to study and hang out. Kaleb Ellis, a military police officer and senior kinesiology and sports management major, has received some of the educational benefits that comes from being a student veteran here at USD. “Student veterans get benefits via a few different routes. If you have a certain amount of active duty time, that correlates to a percentage of your tuition that is covered through the
military,” Ellis said. Jacob Aus, coordinator of the SVRC, assists student veterans during the transition from military life to civilian life with an emphasis on education. “If you’re a student that’s nontraditional, there could be some things you’re not thinking of and it’s best to catch those before it’s too late,” Aus said. “So, before you fail a course or start having struggles with integration into the classroom environment, come and talk to me to discuss the different services you could be utilizing.” Dan Sunberg, Army Lieutenant Colonel and professor of military science, said there is a sense of community that student veterans receive from the SVRC. “I can see how SVRC is such a critical resource on campus for veterans because it’s a place for them to meet other
veterans and have that kind of connection,” Sunberg said. “You immediately have an amount of respect, trust and comfort in other veterans.” Ellis has taken advantage of the experiences and opportunities available through attending college as a student veteran. “In the image of what a student veteran is – the main responsibility I take into consideration is holding myself accountable, making sure I am doing everything I can in school to further it and getting the most out of the experience,” Ellis said. Being a veteran himself, Sunberg said college can sometimes be challenging for student veterans to adapt to because after already surviving war they see college as being super easy. However, they quickly find out that isn’t the case. “They have to slow down and really enjoy the process of college, be a part
of some groups and really get to know your peers because that is what makes the experience so much richer and a better learning environment,” Sunberg said. “It makes the process of earning a degree so much more valuable than just the piece of paper you get at the end.” Being that most student veterans have seen and experienced opportunities that average civilians haven’t, Sunberg said they have a unique perspective to offer the classrooms here at USD. “As far as working as part of a team, committing to a goal, seeing the world, being a part of a diverse organization and seeing how diversity makes teams stronger,” Sunberg said. “They have such a rich perspective and input that makes the learning environment better for everyone.”
Growing up as a young farmer in Assumption, Illinois, going into the military had always been in the back of Clete McLeod’s mind. The now head strength and conditioning coach at USD had heard stories from his father and grandfather about the military and admired his uncles — Roy and Kenney — who served in the Vietnam War. When McLeod graduated high school with no significant football scholarship offers, it only made sense to him to enroll in the service. After a short stint in the Marine Corp, the newly turned 18 year-old found himself over 700 miles away from home in army basic training in Fort Benning, Georgia. For the next three years, from 1992-95, Fort Benning is where McLeod stayed serving his country as an Airborne Infantryman. During this time is where he set his foundations for the discipline he instills in many
Sara Cappiello
Peyton Beyers | The Volante
Scooter’s Coffee, a drive-through coffee chain, opened in Vermillion last week. The coffee shop is located on Princeton Street near Walmart. Jacob Forster
Jacob.R.Forster@coyotes.usd.edu
Scooter’s Coffee celebrated its grand opening in Vermillion last week. The drive-thru coffee shop, located on Princeton Street near Walmart, launched a line of seasonal drinks, including a peppermint mocha, sugar cookie latte and holiday spice “carmelicious” coffees for their grand opening. As
part of the grand opening, Scooter’s offered different deals every day of the week. The location’s owner, Travis Rhoades, said in a press release that he’s thrilled to bring Scooter’s to another area of South Dakota. “We are so excited for the new location in Vermillion, and we look forward to meeting everyone in the neighborhood,” Rhoades said.
To open a coffee store during a pandemic requires some health and safety measures, and barista Eleanor Rhoades said that includes wearing masks, frequent hand washing and a revised attendance policy for employees. “They take it very seriously when employees are not feeling well, just in case,” Rhoades said. The store’s manager, Diedra Mettler, said the
store’s policies also include wiping down surfaces every 30 minutes. “We’re taking very serious sanitation measures,” Mettler said. “And making sure the girls are washing their hands religiously.” Rhoades said she has really enjoyed working at Scooters since the opening. “I think the people See SCOOTER’S, Page A3
See VETERAN, Page B4
USD faculty prepares for finals week, looks back on semester Sara.Cappiello@coyotes.usd.edu
Scooter’s opens new location in Vermillion
aspects of his life today, McLeod said. The most important traits McLeod said he learned were patience, resilience, decisiveness and leadership. “What I really learned during my time in the Army was not a single trade or skill,” McLeod said. “What I really learned was how to attack life.” One aspect of his time in the army he now implements in his own life is how he organizes his strength and conditioning training. For example, McLeod said when freshman football players for USD first arrive on campus he puts them through a six-month “mini boot-camp” completely separate from the rest of the team. During this time McLeod said he instills the workethic he learned in the military as well as the culture the Coyotes pride themselves for. Jack Hagy, a freshman defensive-lineman for USD, said he can see where McLeod draws from his military experience while training the team.
As the semester starts to wind down, students and faculty are preparing for finals week. While students normally return to campus after Thanksgiving and finish off their classes before the holiday break, this semester classes will finish remotely. Kurt Hackemer, USD provost and vice president for academic affairs, said looking back on the fall semester, he thinks it has gone well overall, despite some ups and downs. “It certainly is not a normal semester. I know the experience isn’t exactly the same but I’m pretty happy with it,” Hackemer said. “The first time that you do anything, you’re not going to do it exactly right.” As the provost, Hackemer’s job is to coordinate everything on the academic side of the university. Additionally, he is also a member of the COVID-19 Task Force and teaching a history course. Hackemer said he knows it has been difficult for both students and faculty to adjust to the changes on campus and in the classroom this semester. “I think the biggest challenge is making sure faculty have the information and resources they need to continue teaching in that environment,” Hackemer said. “The most important thing that students can do is talk to their faculty members to make sure they understand what their final exams are going to look like or anticipate any problems they think they might have.” Since Hackemer is teaching a history course this semester, he has gotten a taste of what the other USD professors have endured in terms of altering their courses to accommodate students both on and off-campus. Leah Seurer, an assistant professor in communication studies, said she has had a drastically different semester than in previous years.
“A big part of my classes in communication is getting to know my students and having small group discussions,” Seurer said. “My courses are traditionally super discussion-based. It’s never going to be the same in a Zoom breakout room as it is sitting in a small circle.” Since her classes are centered around communication, Seurer has found alternative ways for students to be able to discuss assignments with their classmates, friends, roommates and families. “It’s been good and it’s been hard all at once,” Seurer said. “I think it’s been great to see students adjust. I’m sure it’s been really stressful and I don’t know if we’ve gotten a really accurate read on the student experience yet. It’s been cool to see students be resilient.” For some students who have had face-to-face classes all semester, the change to entirely remote learning after Thanksgiving could be a bit jarring. As students are preparing for finals week, Seurer said she encourages them to take care of themselves and reach out to their professors. “Our job is for you to learn and have a good experience,” Seurer said. “If you don’t understand something or need help with something, especially when we’re not in the same place, you have to communicate that to us. So the more transparent and honest you can be with us, the better we can help you.” Looking forward, Hackemer said the spring semester will be very similar to the fall semester, with a few additional changes. “We had among the highest rates of face-to-face classes in the Board of Regents system and one of the highest rates in the country,” Hackemer said. “I think we’ll be even better with that, this spring so students will have more face-to-face experiences than they did in the fall.”