The Volante
THE STUDENTS’ VOICE SINCE 1887
SUMMER 2017 EDITION
VOLANTEONLINE.COM
NEWS
See what the top stories of the year were and find out what’s to come this fall. SEE PAGE 4
SPORTS
Catch up on the year’s sporting events and get to know SEE PAGE 20 some of the athletes.
VERVE
Read up on the theater productions, diversity events and music performances held throughout the year. SEE PAGE 12
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Lunch & Dinner specials everyday
Specials Monday - Sunday: $1 off bottled beer Tuesday - 50% any flavor jumbo margarita Wednesday - $1 off Sangria Thursday - Buckets of domestic $11.99, Bucket of imports $12.99 Friday - 50% off dips and desserts Saturday - Draft beer: $2 (short), $4 (tall) Sunday - Kids eat 50% off
hours Open Monday - Friday: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Saturday 11 a.m. - 10:30 p.m. SUNDAY 11 a.m. - 1o p.m. 432 E Cherry St, Vermillion, SD 57069 (605) 624-5102
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Inside this issue
What to look forward to Vermillion music scene Verm-nacular How to be a Yote Letter from President Abbott Best of the overheards
7 14 18 24 27 30
Keep an eye out for: People of the Pack and Player of the Pack to get a sense of what it’s like to be a USD Coyote.
ONLINE ONLY Read the full stories with additional interviews, quotes and more to get an in-depth view on the stories featured in this issue.
View photo galleries related to the content, as well as other events on campus and in the community that The Volante covered throughout the 2016-17 school year.
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Jills Hair Co. 924 E. Cherry Street Vermillion, SD 57069
605-624-0037 Jill Becker
Denise Peterson
The Volante Volume 141, No. 27 May 3, 2017 www.volanteonline.com Adviser Chuck Baldwin
Al Neuharth Media Center 555 Dakota St. University of South Dakota Vermillion, SD 57069 HOW TO REACH US Editor-in-Chief 677-5494
Mission statement The Volante covers issues relevant and interesting to USD students. Faculty, staff and community members are welcome readers, but the newspaper is written and presented for a diverse community of students from the students’ point of view. The paper should provide a variety of information, entertainment and educational opportunities for the readers. The Volante encourages everyone to write letters to the editor. The Volante wishes to be viewed by students as respectable, objective, accurate, fair and trustworthy. If you have comments, concerns or questions, please contact The Volante at 677-5494. The Volante is distributed Wednesdays during the academic year free of charge locally with the cost of $1 for each additional copy. One year subscription rates are $40, which solely covers the mailing costs. The Volante does not endorse, promote or encourage the purchase or sale of any production service advertised in this paper. Advertisements are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. The Volante disclaims all liability for any damage suffered as the result of any advertisement in this newspaper. The Volante reserves the right to refuse any advertising.
Cindy Nelson Ally Krupinsky editor-in-chief Rachel Newville managing editor Heather Egbert advertising manager Mason Dockter news presentation editor Josie Flatgard news presentation editor Chance Mullinix news assistant Cheyenne Alexis verve editor Devin Martin verve presentation editor Morgan Matzen verve assistant Dustin VanHunnik sports editor Clay Conover sports presentation editor Taylor Kidd visual assistant
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2016-17 The year in review
MCNARY AND ANDERSON VICTORIOUS IN SGA ELECTION Feb. 15 Junior Sadie Swier (middle right) and sophomore Lucas Lund (far right) ran against junior Teagan McNary (middle left) and sophomore Josh Anderson (far left) for the Student Government Association’s executive offices. McNary and Anderson won the elections, and were sworn in as president and vice president.
T-PAIN PREFORMED IN FRONT OF THOUSANDS AT DAKOTADOME Feb. 15 Hip-hop artist T-Pain performed to a crowd of thousands at the DakotaDome. More than 4,500 tickets were sold, and 3,700 of those were USD student tickets. The Campus Activities Board put on the event.
STUDENTS EXPRESS CONCERN AFTER PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION Nov. 16
APRIL 21 DECLARED USD DAY April 21 On April 21, 1862, legislation was signed declaring the founding of a university in the town of Vermillion. One hundred and fifty-five years later, South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard proclaimed April 21, 2017 “USD Day.” USD’s birthday party was held in the Muenster University Center pit lounge, and was presented by USD President James Abbott, Student Government Association President Teagan McNary and Daugaard. The event even featured a cake shaped like Old Main.
After incidents of discrimination against minoirity students on campus, students began to fear what a future Donald Trump presidency might entail for minority students. In response, an organization entitled ‘Yotes Against Hate’ met to address concerns about the election.
DAKOTATHON RAISED $145,000 April 12 Dakotathon, a 24-hour long event, was held in the Muenster University Center to raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network. The event had a fundraising goal of $115,000, but surpassed that goal by more than $30,000.
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SANCTUARY CAMPUS RESOLUTION PROPOSED Feb. 22 USD’s Student Government Association debated a resolution that, as it was originally written, supported making USD a ‘sanctuary campus.’ The resolution was passed by SGA, but was vetoed by the SGA president.
STUDENTS COLLECTED SUPPLIES FOR DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE PROTEST Sept. 21 In mid September, student organizations and other community members joined together to protest the Dakota Access Pipeline, a 3.78 billion production that would transport about 570,000 barrels of crude oil through the U.S.
TKE FIGHT NIGHT CANCELLED April 5 This year, Tau Kappa Epsilon had to cancel its TKE Fight Night, an annual fundraising event the fraternity has held every year for a decade. The event was cancelled due to scheduling conflicts.
39 WINDSHIELDS SHATTERED Sept. 14
NEW CDC DIRECTOR HIRED March 22 Adetokunbo Oredein was announced as the new director for Center for Diversity & Community before sprink break. There were 16 applicants for the position, and students’ opinions were taken into consideration when determining the new director.
A crime spree resulted in 39 shattered windshields. A group between four and six individuals were suspected of the vandalism, some of which were high school students and some were adults. The vandalized cars were spread across Vermillion, and a number of them were concentrated near Prentis Park.
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What to look forward to in 2017-18
DAKOTATHON
STROLLERS
DAKOTA DAYS
A 24-hour dance marathon benefiting Children’s Miracle Network and the Sanford Children’s Hospital
A celebrated show with performances largely by Greeks, which fundraises for charitable causes
CAB CONCERT
WACIPI
IDEAFEST
A concert organized by the Campus Activities Board, hosting nationally known artists
A powwow put on by Tiospaye Student Council celebrating Native American culture through dance and community
An event promoting student research, creative scholarship and academic engagement with presentations
USD’s homecoming week encompassing festivities, a parade and a football game
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Recycling to expand this fall Rachel Newville
Rachel.Newville@coyotes.usd.edu
With the completion of a five-week pilot recycling program in Slagle Hall, expansion of the program is in the works. Scott Pohlson, chair of the president’s committee on sustainability, said a 35 percent satisfaction with recycling at the beginning of the pilot improved to an 80 percent satisfaction rate by the end of the program. With the success of the pilot in Slagle Hall, Pohlson said the program will be moving to the Muenster University Center and some residence halls next fall. “We are going to go to the MUC, North Complex and then probably Coyote Village, and of course those are highly populated student areas so we want to make sure that students are involved,” he said. The pilot programs will start over the summer when there’s less traffic. Pohlson said the committee hopes students can take over the program in the fall. “There would be a sustainability scholarship that would go with this and we want eight to 10 students,” Pohlson said.
While participants in the program were excited to recycle, the program had its challenges. Pohlson said a lot of participants struggled with having their office trash cans removed. “We started with no trash cans (in offices) and then we got… some decent feedback that that was really frustrating because if you have a cold, and Kleenexes and that sort of thing, then they were bringing in WalMart bags or Hy-Vee bags, so we brought the trash cans back,” he said. Ellen Hoyne, Jessica Preister and Lindsay Hayes, who all work in Slagle, said having garbage cans removed from their offices took some getting used to. “I liked it. Not having a trash can made me walk down the hall to throw my trash away,” said Hoyne, senior secretary of the office of research. “It also made me a lot more aware of all the trash I would produce in a day. And so I think now that we have our trash cans back I’m a lot more cognizant of the fact that I am producing trash constantly.” Preister, an internal auditor, said she was shocked to find out the previous re-
cycling wasn’t actually going to the recycling center. “I was open to the idea, I think it’s a good idea to recycle… we had recycling bins before, but I wasn’t aware that the product wasn’t actually making it to the recycling center,” she said. Hayes, the coordinator of student and institutional assessment, admitted she was excited to get her garbage can back. “Immediately it was a little bit hard. It was cold and flu season, having to walk out to the hall to throw away a Kleenex wasn’t always the easiest thing to do,” Hayes said. “But many of us made due with makeshift trash receptacles for that time, but then when we got them back it was a little celebration.” Overall, Pohlson said the program went well and the committee is excited to go “all-in” across campus. Students can expect to see recycling bins and educational material this fall. “We still have some improvements. I mean we have to do it, so of course we were pleased because we’re doing it,” Pohlson said. “Are we perfect yet? No, but we’re getting there.”
File Photo I The Volante
Bins like this will be implemented in more buildings in the 2017-18 year.
File Photo I The Volante
USD student Kory Hanlon rides his bicycle near the Muenster University Center. The 12 bikes in the new bike share program are located on the north side of the MUC.
Bike share program now running on campus Mason Dockter
Mason.Dockter@coyotes.usd.edu
There’s a new way for students to get around the community, even if they don’t own a bicycle or car. Members of the sustainability capstone class are working to get 12 red Jamis cruiser bicycles on campus as part of a new “bike share” program. The program allows students to borrow a bike for free to get around town. The bicycles are expected to be on campus by next week. All 12 bikes are located at a station on north-facing side of the Muenster University Center until the group determines the best spot for them, senior sustainability major and participant in the capstone class Brooke Wigdahl said. “We are going to have them all in the same place right now,” Wigdahl said. “This is kind of like the pilot part of this program. We’re going to see how it works and where people want to have bike stations.” The bikes will be locked at the station and keys will be available for checkout
at the MUC desk. Helmets are also available, but are not required. Aidan Beck, a senior sustainability major and a student in the capstone class, said bikes will be available for anyone to use from 7:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. Charlie Nearman, a senior conservation and biodiversity biology major, was the writer of a $4,500 grant from SGA’s Green Initiative Fund, which paid for the bikes. Nearman said cars can be problematic on a college campus, which is partly why the group is pushing the bicycle project. “One of the major issues that we have right now is the fact that we have a pretty limited amount of parking,” Nearman said. One group of people the bike share program intends to serve is international students, who may not have access to other forms of transportation. Paul Formisano, a USD English professor involved in the early stages of the project, said this program should be useful to them. “Some of this was to help
international students who may not have transportation, cars, here, to be able to get around town a little easier,” Formisano said. Long-term, the goal is to have more bikes on campus to loan to students, Formisano said. “The hope is that, eventually, we can get somewhere in the ballpark of 35 to 50 bikes, something like that,” Formisano said. “But this is an initial program.” Cal Petersen, a retired Methodist minister and Vermillion resident, has been working with the sustainability club to develop the bike share program. Petersen is part of a community group called “Making a Lighter Footprint,” which has a 36-part plan to improve sustainability in the community. Encouraging bicycling is one part of the plan, and Petersen has been advocating for bike lanes and bike racks in town to encourage bicycle usage, as well as the bike share program. “Vermillion is so flat, it just seems logical to encourage the use of bikes,” he said.
volanteonline.com News Sustainability, earth sciences to be united as one department
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Mason Dockter
Mason.Dockter@coyotes.usd.edu
File Photo I The Volante
Students work in a biology lab in Churchill-Haines. USD’s medical biology program has been given a major donation by the family of a deceased alum, which it will use for labs, research and scholarships.
Family of USD alumnus gives millions to medical biology Mason Dockter
Mason.Dockter@coyotes.usd.edu
USD’s medical biology program is about to be the beneficiary of a huge cash infusion, courtesy of the family of an alumnus. Keith Nolop, a former Volante editor, graduated from USD in 1975 and spent decades working in pharmaceutical development. In May of last year, Nolop was killed in a bicycle wreck in Pacific Palisades, California, at the age of 63. After careful consideration, his family decided to donate several million dollars of his estate to the USD medical biology department. The total amount of the gift currently is $4 million, but there’s a possibility more will come when Keith Nolop’s brother, Neil Nolop, comes to visit campus next month. Steve Brown, president and CEO of the USD Foundation, will be meeting with Neil Nolop when he visits. “The gift amount that we have received to date is $4
million, and we are expecting close to another million dollars will be available for this gift in early May,” he said. The money is going to be used for a number of things in the medical biology program, including one full-ride scholarship per year for a medical biology student, two endowed professorships, a fully-equipped research laboratory, stipends for undergraduate researchers and support for undergraduate medical research. Once the scholarships are up and running, there will be four active full-ride scholars at any one time, with one handed out per year, Kaius Helenurm, chair of USD’s biology department said. “He wanted to enrich the educational experience of people like him,” Helenurm said. “Coming from anywhere in South Dakota – like, rural places, way out there – but who are bright and motivated, he wanted to help them.” The benefits of the dona-
tion won’t be seen in the program until the fall of 2018. The biology department has more than 550 majors, Helenurm said. “This will not necessarily do something for most of them,” he said. “But for the students interested in medical biology... it’ll be really huge.” Neil Nolop said philanthropy was something his late brother had planned for. “He had a very broad request in his will. He just simply said, the remaining fortune that he had, after he distributed some money to his nephews, et cetera, he just wanted to give everything to charity, and he left it up to us, to me, to decide where to go with it,” Neil Nolop said. Associate biology professor Jake Kerby said the magnitude of this gift is practically unprecedented, especially within the program. “For the biology department, in particular, we’ve never received a gift this large,” he said.
A big change is coming to USD’s sustainability program and earth sciences department. In the fall of 2018, faculty from the two disciplines will be united under one designation – the department of “sustainability and environment.” This is a boost for sustainability, which isn’t an official department at USD. Enrollment numbers in the earth sciences department have been declining for years, and with the chair of earth sciences preparing to retire, it will no longer be offered as a major. Meghann Jarchow, coordinator of the sustainability program, said sustainability and environment will offer a minor in earth science. Existing earth sciences majors will be able to complete their degrees, but there will be no new earth sciences majors in the future. Popular earth sciences general education courses, however, will continue to be offered as a part of the curriculum. Mark Sweeney, an earth sciences professor who will
“
Even though the earth sciences major is going away, it’s still an opportunity to join forces on campus under one umbrella Mark Sweeny, earth sciences professor
be part of the sustainability and environment program, said he worries parts of the earth sciences discipline might be lost in the transition. “I don’t think that it’s ever a good thing when a university loses an academic major, because it provides less options for the students,” he said. Sweeney also said that joining forces could make sustainability a stronger, more united presence. “I guess I could say that it’s an opportunity, even
though the earth sciences major is going away, it’s still an opportunity to join forces on campus under one umbrella,” he said. Provost Jim Moran has given the current earth sciences and sustainability program faculty the task of coming up with a solid plan for the new department this semester, Brennan Jordan, an associate professor of earth sciences said. “We’re definitely still in the planning stages of what this merged department will be,” Jordan said.
File Photo I The Volante
Students study fossils in an “earth and life through time” lab. The earth science major will no longer be offered at USD, but will be merged into a new sustainability and environment major.
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More than 500 gather in Vermillion for Women’s March Morgan Matzen
Morgan.Matzen@coyotes.usd.edu
Hundreds of Vermillion residents, community members and USD students participated in a march down Main Street on the afternoon of Saturday, January 21. This march, like more than 600 of its kind around the world, came about as a reaction to the inauguration of President Donald Trump. Vermillion march organizer Caitlin Collier said she was particularly distressed with the news of Trump’s election. “I didn’t vote for him, but I am really sorry,” Collier said. “From my generation to yours, I am really, really sorry. We should have done more because this is not what we
expected. This is not what I thought things were going to be like in 2017.” More than 500 people showed up to support the cause, Collier said. Participants of the march met in the basement of the United Church of Christ (UCC), picked up signs, donned “pussyhats” (pink stocking caps) and lined up along Main Street. Kaia Nowatzki made it all the way from Luverne, Minn. to join in the march with her family. They were some of the first people to make it to the UCC at about noon. She said she came because she shares a sense of duty with the women in her life to stand up for her rights. “I want to support all of my
sisters,” Nowatzki said. “I feel like it is my duty to be here and to show them we are not okay with what is going on. We need to make a stand. We are proud and we are not going to go back 300 years. We want to progress to where everyone is equal.” Vermillion resident Heidi Hassler shared a similar sense of duty to march for equality. “I am marching for equality for all,” Hassler said. “We need to respect women together. I am standing for women’s rights.” A number of men joined arms with their mothers, sisters, wives and daughters in the march. One of those men was Kevin O’Kelley, who works in the Office of Re-
File photo I The Volante
Hundreds of Vermillion residents gathered downtown to demonstrate for women’s rights immediately after the inauguration of President Donald Trump.
Four-phase plan underway for $30 million DakotaDome updates
SGA votes to raise student activity fee
Chance Mullinix
Chance.Mullinix@coyotes.usd.edu
Chance Mullinix
Chance.Mullinix@coyotes.usd.edu
After weeks of discussion from senators and students, the Student Government Association approved the General Activity Fee allocation on Feb. 7. The final vote tally was 15 in favor, 10 against. The resolution gave 87 percent of the money raised by GAF to the athletics department. David Herbster, director of the athletics department, said most of the money will go towards travel improvements for away games and coach salary enhancement. Student-athletes advocated strongly for the bill, while
search and Sponsored Programs on campus. “I am married to a woman,” O’Kelley said. “I am the son of a woman. I am a brother of women. When women march, I go with them. I am here to support the women in my life.” Collier was grateful for all march participants, including the many men, children and even dogs that joined in support. “We have seen a proliferation of positive statements about why people are marching, men, women and children alike,” Collier said. “Whether it is simply for a reminder that those who support women’s rights are still here, or a broader statement.”
File Photo I The Volante
A week after SGA approved the GAF increase, Senior Will Himmler presented a “pie” chart as evidence of student displeasure with the decision. student-veterans and fine arts students, among others, were against the resolution. Many argued over the disparity between the amount athletics receive and the percentage of students they have. Senator Jack Seitz resigned from the Senate over the resolution. After the passage of the resolution, students still upset over the decision continued to voice their displeasure about the allocation the
next few weeks. A group of students attended meetings mocking senators and the executive team of SGA, calling them “ineffective fascists.” Others voiced their displeasure with the amount given athletics. “It’s not fair and it’s not a deal for USD students,” said Brady Carroll, a student in attendance. “Student comes first, so support the students, not just the athletes.”
Athletic Director David Herbster said USD is beginning to plan a new set of renovations. Brand new space at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center (SCSC) has replaced some of the cramped offices, equipment and courts of the Dome. “We developed at least a program concept,” Herbster said. “We asked ourselves, ‘What are we going to do to the west side of the Dome?’” The renovations would be conducted in four phases. The first phase would include building locker rooms on the west side of the Dome, underneath student seating. Meeting rooms for sport teams would be built, along with offices for coaches
and staff. Chairs would replace the bleachers in the student section and capacity would be improved. Construction of a mezzanine similar to the one on the east side of the Dome would include bathrooms and concession stands. Additionally, the practice fields north of the Dome would be replaced with a turf surface, which would make the field more manageable and could be played on later in the fall and sooner in the spring. The second phase would involve completion of the mezzanine behind the student section. The third phase would be to add upper seating and to remodel the outside of the Dome, including the HVAC systems and the lighting in the outside fields. The final
phase would address issues with the pool. If there are no hiccups in the approval process and fundraising, Herbster said renovations could begin in 2018 after the football season. “We have not taken anything forward to the Board of Regents for approval and won’t until we have enough financial commitment from donors to do so,” he said. USD President James Abbott said completion of phase one would cost $30 million. In contrast, the SCSC cost $66 million to complete. Abbott said he thinks the new seats will make students happy. “The students will certainly be a lot more comfortable,” he said.
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Q&A: Vermillion Mayor Jack Powell Ally Krupinsky
Ally.Krupinsky@coyotes.usd.edu
Jack Powell has been the Vermillion mayor for seven years and was on city council 10 years before that. He spent 45 years teaching as a professor on campus and has about 13 months left on his term. Ally Krupinsky: What’s been your favorite part of being mayor? Jack Powell: There’s just so many good things going on in Vermillion. Obviously, the university being a very important part of our community, but we have other good parts, you know our hospital system, our school system, business community, great people working for the city. AK: What are some of the big changes you’ve seen
in Vermillion over your time in City Council and as mayor? JP: I think one POWELL of the most recent big changes is the Sanford Vermillion hospital system, which has given us a top-drawer hospital within our community… A new city hall, addition to our Vermillion Public Library, the world class National Music Museum, the W.H. Over Museum, there’s so many things – obviously the additions to our campus... AK: What are you planning to do once your term is over? JP: I wish I knew. I have to do something. I can’t just
sit at home and watch two cats sleep. I’m involved in so many things within the community I’ll probably try and keep going with some of those. Obviously some of them more because of the role of mayor, but others are as a citizen. AK: What advice do you have for students who are just starting their careers? JP: Dabble in a lot of things. Try things even if you don’t think you’ll like it because you never know what might turn you on to something. AK: How do you think the relationship between the university and Vermillion has changed over the years? JP: I think it’s improved considerably. I think we’re much more cooperative. For example, on a number of the boards that we have,
we have both university representation as well as city representation. To me, that’s positive… I think the community is a tremendous supporter of the university and likewise I think the university is really integrated into our community. I mean you look at any of the boards or things like that around the community and you’re going to see university people involved heavily. AK: And why do you think it’s important for the two to be supportive of one another? JP: It’s our town. It’s all of us. I think we both feed off of each other. We obviously wouldn’t have the things that we have if it wasn’t for the university but I think we supplement the university with a lot of the things that are available here.
Q&A: VCDC Director Nate Welch Devin Martin
Devin.Martin@coyotes.usd.edu
Nate Welch is executive director of the Vermillion Area Chamber of Commerce and Development Company (VCDC). The VCDC promotes the retail, manufacturing, civic, agricultural and economic development interests of Vermillion. Devin Martin: What has the VCDC done that was important throughout Fall 2016 to April 2017? Nate Welch: Some of the most exciting in the last few months have been fully occupying the Vermillion Technology Center, with Navigant Cymetrix and Biotest Pharmaceuticals Plasmapheresis Center. These two companies have over 130 full time jobs in the VTC, which brings in over $3.6m in payroll to
the community as well as an additional $1.8m in additional payment WELCH benefits. Through other economic development efforts, the VCDC, in partnering with the University of South Dakota made it possible to open up Charlie’s in downtown Vermillion. This partnership, through USD leasing space that the VCDC owns, has created another level of positive “town and gown” relationships and partnerships. This project is phase one of a multiple phase project that will ultimately see a historic building in Vermillion that dates back to 1884 see a rehabilitation. DM: What were some
successes of the past year? NW: The successes of the VCDC really are due to the great successes of the community as a whole. Some of those successes include a thriving downtown with a diverse spectrum of businesses, including restaurants, shops and services. 2016 marked the third year a row that Vermillion saw record number of building permits and total investment dollars for businesses. It also marked the second year in a row that the Chamber of Commerce has seen the largest growth in any year on record. Finally, the number of new houses in Vermillion is nearing a tenyear high in total number of houses built each year. DM: What is your favorite part about Vermillion? NW: I love that Vermillion has such a diverse offering of culture, experi-
ences, and opportunities. The “small town” feel is in the genuine shops and people you come across but the “city” experiences in the arts and culture, as well as the athletic events, make Vermillion a wonderful place to live and raise a family. DM: What does the Vermillion Area Chamber of Commerce have planned for next year? NW: This next year the VCDC will be continuing to make efforts in assisting Vermillion in appropriate and sustainable growth. We will be finishing up the renovation of our Community Commerce Center and we will be finding more and more opportunities for the community to engage together and continue to build off the success we have seen the past few years.
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OUTANDABOUT The Volante asked students what their most memorable moments at USD have been.
Festival of Nations had so much food. I ate all of it. I couldn’t walk after.
Nehal Adhikari, sophomore
I was sitting with my international friends last semester and we realized we might never see each other again. Angelika Chumakova, junior
I was at a meeting with international students and I met the love of my life there.
Dennis Carlson, junior
The Women’s March was really cool. I was surprised by how many people were there with how small Vermillion is. Kaci Reiser, junior
Verve
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Au g
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Volunteer and learn about Vermillion! Open to first-year USD students $50 program fee includes early access to dorm and group meals Register at https://www.tinyurl.com/Serve-Learn More info: usdawol.org or awol@coyotes.usd.edu
AWOL is a USD student-run organization that provides alternative breaks and other service-learning opportunities.
The Academic and Career Planning Center at USD offers several resources to help connect you with your future career goals:
JOB SEARCH ASSISTANCE
• Part-time or Full-time • On-campus or Off-campus • Internships • Work Study or Graduate Assistantships
INDIVIDUAL CAREER ADVISING
• We help students make the connection between majors and careers and create a plan of action to increase career success. • Email career@usd.edu to schedule an appointment
UNSURE OF YOUR MAJOR?
• Enroll in A&S 100: USD 101 for Undeclared Students • We have multiple career assessments and resources available for career research.
CAREER EVENTS: We offer several career events and workshops throughout the academic year, including: • Work-Study and Part-Time Job Fair • Graduate School Fair • Career Fairs • Internship Day • Networking Events
CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE RESOURCES AND CAREER PLANNING GUIDE www.usd.edu/acpc CONNECT WITH US Academic and Career Planning Center at USD @USDACPC
• Employer Panels • Resume/Cover Letter, Job Searching, and Interview Skills Workshops • Company Information Sessions • On-Campus Interviews
The University of South Dakota Career Services USD Academic & Career Planning Center 1st floor, I.D. Weeks Library 605-677-5381 • career@usd.edu
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2016-17 The year in review
MUSLIM STUDENT ASSOCIATION HOSTED EID AL-ADHA DINNER Sept. 12 The Center for Diversity and Community was attended by 60 people for the second annual Eid al-Adha dinner celebration, hosted by the Muslim Students Association. Eid al-Adha is the Muslim Holy Day, or Festival of the Sacrifice, which commemorates Abraham’s sacrifice of his son Ishmael to God.
TIOSPAYE STUDENT COUNCIL HELD 45TH ANNUAL WACIPI April 12 The theme of the 45th annual Wacipi was “We All Walk on a Red Road.” The Wacipi is a celebration of a new year, life and bringing everyone together from the Native culture to have a sense of community.
AFRICAN NIGHT SHOWCASED SOLIDARITY, UNIQUENESS April 5
WOMEN’S (HER) STORY MONTH FOCUSED ON FEMINISM, EDUCATION March 22 USD hosted multiple events to showcase women’s history in March, the official month for women’s history. The kick-off event on March 1 was a social event called “Who Runs the World? Girls!” hosted by co-founders of the Sampson House, a marketing agency in Sioux Falls.
Singing, dancing and dining took place in the Muenster University Center Ballroom at the African Student Association’s (ASA) African Night. African Night is an annual event held by ASA and was split into three parts — performances, dinner and more performances.
LGBTQ+ HISTORY MONTH FEATURED DRAG SHOW Oct. 11 Spectrum: Gender and Sexuality Alliance hosted the fall drag show, which featured 21 acts from performers.
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SPECTRUM HIGHLIGHTED LGBTQ+ ISSUES DURING PRIDE WEEK April 19 Spectrum: Gender and Sexuality Alliance planned Pride Week, which included activities highlighting LGBTQ+ issues.
FESTIVAL OF NATIONS SHOWCASED DIVERSITY March 28 The International Club hosted the annual Festival of Nations March 28. Students, faculty and community members attended the event, which began with a buffet-style meal encompassing 60 different dishes from a variety of countries.
WOMEN, GENDER AND SEXUALITY CONFERENCE FOCUSED ON CULTURES OF CHANGE March 22 “Cultures of Change” was the theme for the Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies Research Conference, which lasted from March 22 to March 24. Speakers, presentations and films were held.
HIMALAYAN NIGHT BROUGHT CULTURES TOGETHER Jan. 29
SECOND ANNUAL DIWALI CELEBRATION HOSTED BY CDC Nov. 5 The second annual celebration for Diwali at USD was held by the Center for Diversity and Community. Traditional Indian dishes were served along with dances and performances.
USD’s first Himalayan Night, organized by the International Club, brought in more than 200 people. There were performances from USD students and guests from SDSU’s Nepalese Student Association.
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A rising music scene in Vermillion Sophomores form rock cover band Morgan Matzen
Morgan.Matzen@coyotes.usd.edu
The Beards
Morgan Matzen I The Volante
The Beards are a band comprised of biology professors Jake Kerby (electric guitar), Jeff
Wesner (drums), English professor Joe Raiche (guitar, vocals) and friends Amy (bass) and Jason Askew (keys).
Professors continue to jam downtown Morgan Matzen
Morgan.Matzen@coyotes.usd.edu
Beards are no longer just a trendy style of facial hair — but a local band from Vermillion, which sprouted up like stubble on the face of the local music scene. The Beards are made up of USD biology professors Jake Kerby (electric guitar) and Jeff Wesner (drums) as well as English professor Joe Raiche (guitar, lead vocals). The band formed when Kerby was jamming with beardless bassist Amy Askew at a party, and Askew’s husband Jason soon joined the group on the keyboard. “I had a birthday party at my house, and a bunch of people were playing music,” Kerby said. “Amy and I were jamming together and she’s like, ‘We should just come over to my house and play.’ We both knew Jeff, so we invited him to come down, so the three of us just played one session. Then Amy said she knew this guy (Joe) who
thinks he can write music.” The group’s sound could be classified as indie or alternative rock. They rehearse in the basement of the Askew home, so there is a very do-it-yourself element to the music. They have set aside the rowdiness of youth and the ambition to become rockstars for their more realistic pursuits in academia. “We’ve all got kids and real jobs,” Amy Askew said. The group demonstrated their individual musical skills in a recent practice session. They played “Breaking,” which has parts that play to the strong suits of each musician. Amy Askew knows her way around the bass, Jason Askew is a skilled keyboardist and Kerby controls his guitar pedals with ease. Another of their songs is “Robin,” which is a touch more emotional. The Beards played their first few shows in town. One
of their first shows at the Varsity caused a bit of a stir in the local community, most likely for the posters that could be seen around town featuring Raiche’s angry bearded face. On the top of the poster, there was also a link to the band’s website, a playground for Raiche’s sense of humor. “I kind of put stuff up there as a joke,” Raiche said. “It’s fun that people are going and looking at it. It’s a pleasant surprise.” The Beards hope to continue to share their music with other people. “I think that’s the spirit of the band. We’re just a bunch of friends,” Kerby said. “We love it and we just keep doing it. I think that’s part of the spirit too. We’re 30 years older and we thought we were going to be rockstars, but we just (mess) around and have fun. Music comes from a creative place.”
A fresh-faced band of sophomores known as “The Undergrads” just hit the scene in Vermillion. Following in the footsteps of The Beards is Liz Kubal (singer), Spencer Andreson (guitar) and Riley Ackerman (drums). While Andreson and Ackerman said they’ve been neighbors “forever” and started playing in high school, Kubal said biology professor and Beards guitarist Jake Kerby encouraged them to get together. “Kerby asked us to open up for him a while ago, before Christmas break, and we were like, ‘OK, let’s do it,’” Kubal said. “We got together really fast. Then we picked our names last minute. I think Kerby picked it as a joke. We’re only going to be undergrads for two more years.” Kubal and Andreson also became more acquainted when they covered John Mayer’s “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room” at Yotes Got Talent. “Spencer and I were
messing around, and he started playing some John Mayer stuff, and we decided that would be cool. He’s an expert at guitar,” Kubal said. The band mostly plays covers, including “Gold on the Ceiling” by The Black Keys and “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes. “I worship (Jack White) as my god,” Andreson said. Ackerman said they all have original content, but for now they enjoy playing covers. “We all create our own stuff, but we’re not at that point yet,” Ackerman said. “We haven’t tried to record ourselves. We do our own renditions of people’s songs just for now.” Each member brings their own style and genre to the table. Kubal said she loves country music and John Mayer, while Andreson and Ackerson said they don’t feel the same. “We tend to not play country,” Ackerman said. “Spencer and I hate country, but we play blues rock. I played a lot of Black Sabbath in high school, which was weird for a long-haired Catholic school kid.”
Despite their musical differences, they’re appreciative of each other’s talent. “Liz has an amazing voice, Spencer is a wizard at guitar,” Ackerman said. “I feel like we have everything going for us.” Kubal said that being part of a band is a good pastime. “We’re kind of just rolling with it,” Kubal said. “It’s fun to do on the weekends. We all have hard classes, and we’re just doing it as a hobby as of right now.” The band members said they’re excited about music in Vermillion. “There’s definitely a rising music scene in Vermillion,” Ackerman said. “Spencer and I are going to have our own house next year and we’re going to have concerts there.” The Undergrads said they want to branch out of Vermillion, though, with help from Kerby. “Kerby wants us to start playing in Sioux Falls and around the area,” Ackerman said. “He’s just like our dad. We pair well together, they take their time and they’re a ton of fun to play with.”
The Undergrads
Morgan Matzen I The Volante
The Undergrads are a cover band of sophomores Spencer Andreson (guitar) Liz Kubal
(singer) and Riley Ackerman (drums).
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USD GEAR Center’s 3D Printing Lab is now OPEN! Featuring:
MakerBot Replicator+ filament printer Formlabs Fusion 2 resin printer
Coming Soon:
Airwolf AXIOM Dual filament printer
USD GEAR Center | 4800 North Career Avenue | Sioux Falls, SD Contact Erin.Harmon@USD.edu for additional details
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USD welcomes new Center for Diversity and Community director Cheyenne Alexis
Cheyenne.Alexis@coyotes.usd.edu
USD has a new leader on campus who will continue to advocate for diversity and inclusiveness. Adetokunbo Oredein is the new director of the Center for Diversity & Community, announced before spring break. Oredein was offered the position in January, and officially started at USD on March 2 with a welcome event at the CDC. Oredein said he applied for the CDC director position in November because he felt it suited him. “I had been in enrollment management for almost seven years, and I was very good at what I do at enrollment management... but I missed the students,” he said. “I didn’t think I was going to get it because I know one thing about USD is when people apply for stuff, 500 people apply. I was glad to get the interview but I didn’t think it was going to go any further and I was so gracious to get the second call up here.” Oredein said working
with students is his favorite part of his job. “I talked to Mr. (Lamont) Sellers and he was very blunt about what he wanted, where he wanted to see the CDC be, how he wanted the person to interact with the students,” he said. “And I knew I could do it, I just needed the opportunity. I speak to them (student), I interact with them. I just try to be what they need and a friendly face. I tell everyone who comes in I will not misuse their trust. Trust is earned, but nothing you say to me will go outside these walls.” Students at the CDC have positive first impressions of Oredein. Minji Cho, a graduate student, said Oredein is “friendly and confident.” “He’s very friendly and he seems like a really hardworking person, too,” Cho said. “He’s always welcoming with students who come and talk to him.” Roma Trivedi, a sophomore, said though students were at first nervous to get a new CDC director, they quickly changed their minds upon meeting Oredein.
“I felt a really energizing vibe from him,” Trivedi said. “I felt like he’s a person who’s suitable for the position because he’s very welcoming and the Center is very welcoming.” Trivedi said she is confident in the new addition to the CDC. “Our other concern was will he be able to help us out whenever we need him — he’s able to do that,” Trivedi said. “And he’s just gonna bring a good, positive change.” Diversity is an important part of his job, Oredein said. “Diversity means you are bringing in people that are generally not the major population, and you want them to feel as if they are part of the family. Color, religion or creed does not matter,” he said. “We want you to feel welcomed. Bringing people together and making sure that they know that we care for you that we do every other student. No one should feel like an outsider in their own college.”
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OUTANDABOUT The Volante asked students who their role model on campus is and why.
“I’m an accounting major, so Sophia Lima is also an accounting major but she’s a freshman and she’s like really on top of everything. I want to be Sophia when I grow up. I’m probably not going to be.” Lilly Keitges, sophomore
“Dr. Michael Roche. The level of compassion that he shows towards students and the amount of care that he has in teaching is just phenomenal. So anyone who can be anything close to what he is, is quite a goal.” Marcus Ireland, sophomore
“Monica Iverson... this semester she helped me a lot with special education and learning how to treat people and whether they’re disabled or not, how your actions affect everyone else.” Elise Mueller, sophomore
“I would say my favorite role model is Doug Adams (because) he works for the (South Dakota FCA) organization and he’s just been a great mentor to me and he’s been a huge help in my walk of faith here.” Brooke Watson, senior
File photo I The Volante
Adetokunbo Oredein, the new director for the Center for Diversity & Community, talks with sophomore Roma Trivedi and junior Xuyen Nguyen in the CDC.
“My role model (is) Sarah Liddell because she has encouraged me to be at my best, to always study, to stay in school and many other things.” Jeickson Pichardo, first-year
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Students driven by giving back in nonprofit work Cheyenne Alexis
Cheyenne.Alexis@coyotes.usd.edu
Vermillion is home to many nonprofits, all of which give students plenty of opportunities to get involved. Some USD students, like the ones featured below, have shown high levels of passion and commitment to the causes they’re involved in.
Mariah Larson As a marketing major, senior Mariah Larson said she hopes to include her major and interest in nonprofit work into her life after graduating. Larson has been involved in nonprofit organizations since middle school,
she said. A Vermillion resident, the program she’s most interested in is Welcome Table, where she’s worked for close to 10 years. “It’s nice having something close to home,” she said. “I can relate to a lot of the people because I see them on a daily basis. I like (it) a lot.”
Rachel Beckman Sophomore Rachel Beckman has been part of the Welcome Table since October and is on the executive board of Random Acts of Kindness, a USD student organization. Beckman was introduced to Welcome Table by a friend and continued to do it each week, she said.
“I like how (Welcome Table) brings a different perspective,” Beckman said. “It’s a sense of community.” During elementary school, Beckman volunteered at several nonprofits with her family. “We just thought it was part of everyday life,” Beckman said. “When I got to college, I realized I was missing something. I got roped into things (because I needed) that sense of helping others and serving them.”
Logan Schiebout First-year student Logan Schiebout said he enjoys talking to people and connecting with them through nonprofit work. The only place Schiebout
First-year
Logan
Schiebout
File Photo I The Volante
volunteers
at
the
Vermillion Food Pantry regularly.
International students learn to adapt to American education
Sound of USD dedicated to music
Sylva Stoel
Sylva.Stoel@coyotes.usd.edu
Devin Martin
Devin.Martin@coyotes.usd.edu
Passion, dedication and persistence are core values for Sound of USD members. The Sound of USD includes about 100 students who all enjoy what they do: showcasing music for the USD community. Senior Thad Alberty, a music performance major with an emphasis on trumpet, said he was ready for the experiences and time commitments he would encounter in the Sound of USD. “It was really exhausting, but it was really rewarding to learn about music, especially because some of the
volunteers at is the Vermillion Food Pantry, where he’s worked since starting at USD last semester. “It’s pretty (relaxed) and you do what you need to do,” he said. “You don’t get ordered around or told what to do the entire time — you can just help wherever is needed.” When it comes to participating in nonprofits, Schiebout said it helps him understand where people come from. “It gives me more of a feeling to not judge people — just accept people for who they are,” Schiebout said. “We all have different stories.”
File Photo I The Volante
Sophomore Hope Knedler said the Sound of USD
has given her many new experiences. music that we have done here is really unique,” Alberty said. “We have done classical music shows, (a) Latin music show, as well as pop shows.” Sophomore Hope Knedler, a music performance major with an emphasis in french horn, came to USD on a music scholarship for the marching band. “I met a lot of my friends that first week that I still talk to now in marching band,”
Knedler said. Knedler said being on the Sound of USD has allowed her to experience new things. “It’s different going to sporting events. It’s not something I would typically go to and do on my free time. It has been really interesting,” Knedler said. “I enjoy going to the football games and the basketball games.”
Students from all over the world come to American universities for education and cultural exploration. Here are two different perspectives from international students at USD.
Differences in formality Sudarshan Paul Rayapalli is a graduate student studying computer science. Rayapalli finished his undergrad in India, where he’s from, then studied in the United Kingdom and Florida before transferring to USD. Rayapalli said the greatest difference between being an Indian student and an American student is the work schedule. “In India, we have a Monday through Satur-
day work week, and classes run from 9 to 5 every day,” Rayapalli said. The college environment in India is very formal, Rayapalli said. Rayapalli said he believes USD is a friendly and welcoming place. “They do whatever they can to support you and put your idea into action,” he said. “My journey has been constantly changing, and changing for the better. And I owe it all to the people that I am surrounded by and the opportunities that are offered to me at USD.”
A helpful community Saeed Dabbour, a Jordanian sophomore who came to USD after living in Saudi Arabia, said the lack of transportation in Vermillion took a lot of getting
used to. Coming from a land of Uber with cabs on every corner, Dabbour said he dislikes the fact that he’s now forced to ask for rides from his friends. “I’ve lived in the same house since the day I was born, I went to the same school from preschool to high school, and suddenly I was dropped in a new place where I didn’t know anyone,” Dabbour said. Everything changed when Dabbour went on a trip to Sioux Falls with the international students club, he said. “It changed everything for me,” he said. “I started spending all my time on campus and I got to know everyone that way.”
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ernacular
New to campus? Here are some words & phrases to be familiar with. Yotes:
D-Days:
Coyotes, of course! “Goooo Yotes!” can be heard at almost every USD athletic event without fail.
USD’s homecoming week, otherwise know as Dakota Days, is filled with activities and, of course, a football game on Saturday.
MUC:
CDC:
The Muenster University Center is where students use their Flex dollars or commons meals. There’s room to study and hang out.
The Center for Diversity and Community is located upstairs in the MUC. The CDC hosts many events and aims to promote inclusiveness.
Now Hiring University Housing is hiring Operations Crew starting immediately to work for the summer and/or the 2017-18 academic year. If you have questions or would like to apply, please contact University Housing at 605-677-5663 or housingjobs@usd.edu.
Verm cats:
Vermillion has an abundance of free-roaming felines. You can find them almost everywhere around town, and even on campus!
Farber House vs. Farber Hall: Farber Hall is a small theater inside Old Main. Farber House houses the offices of some political science professors.
Details Pay: $8.65 per hour Qualifications: 2.0 GPA and valid US driver’s license General duties: General moving, light cleaning and minor repair work Apply now at http://tinyurl.com/operations-crew
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Victor Ugochukwu
Taylor Staab Taylor Staab is a junior from Brandon, SD majoring in sport marketing and media with a minor in German. Morgan Matzen: What do you like about USD? Taylor Staab: My other
college I went to, Buena Vista University, was a D3 school with like 800 students, so it was a very tiny college. Coming here was kind of a big change, but the atmosphere is incredibly different.
MM: What are you most passionate about? TS: Sports. I played sports growing up, but then I stopped. I love being part of the band, I love playing the clarinet, it’s something that I’ve been doing since the fourth grade.
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Victor Ugochukwu is a sophomore majoring in studio art from Nigeria. Cheyenne Alexis: Are you involved in anything at USD? Victor Ugochukwu: I belong to the African Stu-
dent Association. I joined it because I wanted to promote what Africa is. We do a lot of good activities over there, like the book drive — sending books to Africa — Africa Night and just educating people about what Africa is and not just stereo-
typing people. CA: Why did you choose your major? VU: I think I have a talent with art, and I really enjoy doing it. I want to use my art to impact a lot of people.
PEOPLE OF THE PACK
Eunice Straight Head Eunice Straight Head is a first-year art major from Eagle Butte, SD. Morgan Matzen: What kind of art are you into creating? Eunice Straight Head: It’s mostly sketching and painting. Sketching and painting is what I’m based
around. I’ve come here to learn about different media, and such. MM: What are you involved in at USD? ESH: Just the Native American (Cultural) Center. That’s basically where I spend a lot of my time. MM: What are you passionate about in life?
ESH: My culture. That’s probably the only thing. With culture, a lot of family goes into that and connecting with yourself and others and Mother Earth and stuff like that. Culture is the number one thing I’m most passionate about, and the number one thing I think about.
Jonathan He Jonathan He is a sophomore from Rapid City, SD majoring in sport media and marketing. Cheyenne Alexis: Are you involved in anything at USD? Jonathan He: I’m in a fraternity — Delta Tau Delta. I’m also in the climbing
club. Other than that, not too much. CA: Why did you decide to join a fraternity? JH: It’s a really good way to interact with other people that you don’t know. It kind of gets you all these options to talk to other people, get to know people, become a brotherhood.
CA: What are your career goals? JH: I want to become a media person for an NBA team. Which I know is going be a lot of hard work, so I’m just kind of going through the motions, trying to get internships and trying to get as much experience as I can.
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2016-17 The year in review
WOMEN DEFEATED BY IOWA IN SECOND ROUND OF WNIT March 18 The Coyote women fell to the Hawkeyes in Iowa City in the second round of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament with a final score of 73-78, ending their participation in the tournament.
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY WON THIRD STRAIGHT SUMMIT LEAGUE TITLE Nov. 1 The Coyote women’s cross country team won their third straight Summit League at the Summit League Championship in Macomb, IL. USD became the fourth school to win three straight Summit League titles. The USD men finished fourth at the tournament.
USD SOCCER BEAT SDSU FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2003 Oct. 15
COYOTES SWEPT DUAL MEET AGAINST SDSU
The USD women’s soccer team secured a 2-1 victory over rival South Dakota State University, the first time they’ve beat the Jackrabbits since 2003. Going into the match, SDSU held the top spot in the Summit League.
April 8 Both the USD men’s and women’s track and field teams swept South Dakota State at the dual meet on April 8. The Coyotes took 21 total events, including 11 of 16 field events, and won by a score of 104-87 for women’s and 99-92 for men’s.
MEN’S BASKETBALL COMEBACK FELL SHORT AGAINST NDSU Jan. 11 USD men’s basketball hosted NDSU Jan. 11. Both teams came into the matchup without a loss in Summit League play. The Coyotes fell behind early, 15-5 just five minutes in on hot shooting by the Bison. The Coyotes made a comeback later on, but fell short to NDSU.
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WOMEN’S GOLF PLACED FIFTH, MEN FINISHED 12TH April 12 The Coyote women came in fifth out of 10 teams at the tournament, which was the last of their regular season. The Coyote men also played their last tournament of the regular season, placing 12th out of 18 at the University of Missouri’s Club at Old Hawthorne.
COYOTES FELL TO SDSU IN HEARTBREAKER March 6 The top-seeded Coyotes were upset by fourth-seeded South Dakota State in front of a packed Denny Sanford Premier Center on March 6 by a score of 74-71. The Jackrabbits battled back after being down as much as 16 points to make it a tie game with just minutes left.
COYOTES FELL IN SUMMIT LEAGUE FINAL Nov. 28 After defeating the North Dakota State University Bison in straight sets in the semi-finals, the Coyotes advanced to the finals of the Summit League Tournament to take on the Denver Pioneers. USD split their regular season series against the Pioneers 1-1. They lost their first meeting in Denver in straight sets, 0-3, but won the rematch in Vermillion 3-2.
USD SOFTBALL FINISHED 3-2 IN SANTA CLARA March 1
WOMEN’S GOLF TEAM FINISHED FOURTH AT BRADLEY INVITATIONAL April 4 The team placed fourth out of 11 teams at the Bradley Invitational in Peoria, held April 4 at the WeaverRidge Golf Club in Peoria, IL. USD’s senior Brenna Lervick finished in a tie for second place and shot one-under par with 71 in the first round, 72 in the second and 73 in the third.
The Coyotes softball team (5-7) traveled to Santa Clara, CA to take part in the Santa Clara Tournament on March 1. With a 2-5 record entering the weekend, the Coyotes looked to gain a winning record during their five games in the three-day span, resulting in a 3-2 win.
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Football players take part in NFL pro day Taylor Kidd
Taylor.Kidd@coyotes.usd.edu
File photo I The Volante
USD players celebrate a touchdown play by senior running back Trevor Bouma during USD’s 28-25 win over No. 11 University of Northern Iowa.
Coyotes upset No. 11 UNI 28-25 in close Dakota Days game Malachi Petersen
Malachi.Petersen@coyotes.usd.edu
It was revenge two years in the making Saturday afternoon when USD beat No. 11 ranked University of Northern Iowa 28-25 in a close Dakota Days game in the DakotaDome. The Coyotes came out of the gate early with a huge 69-yard rushing touchdown by USD quarterback Chris Streveler in the first two minutes of the game, setting the tone for the game that was much different than when USD was beat 27-16 by UNI two years ago on Dakota Days. The UNI Panthers were quick to respond though, getting a touchdown of their own after a short series took them up the field and a short pass put them in the end zone. Responding back and forth to scores was the name of the game for the two teams, with both the Panthers and Coyotes trading touchdowns throughout the first half. At half USD led 21-17.
In the second half, the Coyotes held out against the Panthers with a strong defense shutting down UNI’s passing offense. A missed 37-yard field goal by UNI late in the fourth quarter would give USD the win. “I thought today was probably one of our better executed offensive games we’ve had. Obviously there’s still a lot of stuff that we have to clean up and I’m excited to get back to work today,” Streveler said. “You know you get those big plays at the beginning and you just got to be able to sustain drives and whatnot and not have to rely on the big play but I mean you love to get them when you’ve got them. I’m really happy with how the offense did and it always helps when the O-line is blocking like they did.” Sophomore wide receiver Tacari Carpenter said even with the big win over UNI, the Coyotes are looking to improve. “I think we can do better than what we did today
honestly,” he said. “Today we just executed and finished when we needed to, but we didn’t reach our goal today. We want to score more points than that honestly.” For senior defensive lineman Colin Mertlik, the win over UNI on D-Days was a special occasion, but he said USD won’t let the win go to their heads and will continue to work on improving for future games. “This is the first time that we’ve won on D-Days in front of a crowd like that. Thinking like that it feels pretty good, but from a big win standpoint we go into every game expecting we can win each game,” he said. “So obviously it feels good, I’m feeling great right now, but I wouldn’t really say it’s any bigger than any other game because in this conference you have to do your work, do your job and move forward to the next week.”
On March 29, three USD football players participated in NFL pro day, an event held at many college campuses nationwide for NFL scouts to recruit high-performing football players. Seniors Jet Moreland, Tyson Graham and Miles Bergner showed off their skills at this year’s event on March 29. NFL pro day derives from the NFL Scouting Combine, an invitation-only event allowing top college football players to audition in front of all 32 teams. Atiba Bradley, the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for USD football, said the combine is extremely difficult to be invited to, so pro day is another option for those wanting to play professionally. Although the players participating in pro day weren’t invited to be involved in the combine, a school’s pro day is just as intensive. While this is generally how the process works, Miles Bergner, a senior kicker for USD, said he figured he’d be participating in pro day before he received a scout recommendation. “As soon as I was invited to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, I kind of knew,” Bergner said. “After being there I had a few teams recommend me, at least ones that interviewed me while I was there.” While NFL scouts can contact players through
File photo I The Volante
Senior Tyson Graham met with scouts from several NFL teams before USD’s pro day on March 29. their agents, pro day is an opportunity for them to witness a player’s abilities in person. Those skills are tested through standard events like the 40-yard dash, bench press at 225 pounds, vertical jump, broad jump and various positional drills. Senior Tyson Graham, a defensive back for USD, was confident in the results he put out during pro day. “A lot of my results were some of my personal bests, but they also rank above average in my position compared to some combine members,” Graham said. “I felt I did pretty good, and I ran pretty well. I put my best out there.” Graham’s performance landed him meetings with the NFL teams who attended the USD pro day. Like Graham, senior linebacker Jet Moreland also turned out some per-
sonal bests. “I had quite a few bests. Bench, I would’ve liked to do better, but it was my best, and I’ve never jumped that high of a vertical or jumped broad jump as far,” Moreland said. “When you test in things like that, some things can go well, and some things may not go as well as you’d hope them to, but I think it went as good as it could have given the circumstances.” Moreland said his nerves prevented a good night’s rest, and the early wake-up call made it difficult to warm up properly. However, his results still attracted attention. “Jet’s vertical was surprising. Good surprising,” Bergner said. “He usually jumps around a 35 and he jumped a 37. I don’t know where two extra inches came from, but he did awesome.”
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Coyotes succeed at Summit League Championships Dustin VanHunnik
Dustin.VanHunnik@coyotes.usd.edu
A season of improvement and team building, came to a fitting end at the Swimming and Diving Summit League Championships for the Coyotes. The championships took place inside the IUPUI Natatorium Feb. 15-18.The men’s team finished fourth place this year, after placing fifth in last year’s championships. The women’s team maintained their position in the standings by placing third for the second straight year.
Plenty of records were broken throughout the weekend: 82 lifetime best performances and 106 season best performances in total, head coach Jason Mahowald said. The Coyotes also set their new record for the most alltime points scored at the Summit League Championships, with 474.50 points for the men and 582.50 for the women. Mahowald said the championships were great all around. “I think the best way to describe it is just out-
standing,” he said. “To see so many records broken in the championships, like that really validates our training.” Overall, 15 people placed in the top 10 of their respective events and 11 more scored points for their team by finishing in the top 16. In the end, there were five individuals and two relay teams that earned All-Summit League honors throughout the championships. “I think we most definitely saw a lot of growth
File Photo I The Volante
USD’s swimming and diving team broke records at the Summit League Championships Feb. 15 through Feb. 18.
Men’s basketball team tops Summit League
Recruits come to National Signing Day
Dustin VanHunnik
Dustin.VanHunnik@coyotes.usd.edu
Dustin VanHunnik
Dustin.VanHunnik@coyotes.usd.edu
Coyote football head coach Bob Nielson announced in a press conference on Feb. 1 that the Coyotes signed 24 student-athletes to a National Letter of Intent. Along with the 24 signees, USD also got an additional seven high school standouts that accepted an offer of admissions to USD and a mid-year transfer: Cody Jennings, from Garden City Community College. Going into his second year of coaching, this was Nielson’s first recruiting class. Sophomore quarterback Brian Woodward said the team is very excited about the recruiting class. “I think the coaches did a great job,” Woodward
in our team since the beginning of the year,” Mahowald said. “It was great to see the seniors lead all weekend, but the sophomore class was leaps and bounds better by the end of the season.” Senior swimmer Sam Shutt said it was inspiring to see the team perform this well in championships. “Seeing those records fall left and right gives you something to stride for and is a great validation of the hard work you put in,” she said.
File Photo I The Volante
National signing day took place in the DakotaDome on Feb. 1. said. “They filled a lot of the needs we had coming into signing day and we are looking forward to having them join us in the summer.” In total, the Coyotes signed just three recruits from South Dakota. The Midwest didn’t disappoint, however, with eight signees coming from Iowa, and four coming from Minnesota, Kansas and Illinois. “It represents the fact that we are highly committed to recruiting regionally,” Nielson said. At the press conference,
Nielson also spoke about what having a large recruiting class means for the team. “We were able to sign such a large class because we had a large amount of interest,” he said. “The commitment our university is making, signified by the new facilities and Dome renovations on the horizon, are the kinds of things that get young men excited about the future.” USD’s 2017 season kicks off on Sept. 2 against Drake in Des Moines, IA.
Before the season started, the USD men’s basketball team was ranked seventh out of nine teams in the Summit League Preseason Poll. After facing the doubt and a season full of injuries, the Coyotes found themselves on top. The Coyotes claimed the Summit League title on Feb. 25 for the first time in program history. “It is a tremendous accomplishment,” said Craig Smith, head coach. “It speaks to the talent and character we have in our program. Every student-athlete has the opportunity to win a conference championship, but most don’t accomplish that and it’s a special bond that will tie these guys together until the day they die.” Having such a young
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It is a tremendous accomplishment. Craig Smith, head coach
team was a big reason why the Coyotes were ranked so low in the preseason polls. However, that exact thing turned out to be why the Coyotes were ranked so high at the end of the season. With a total of 10 freshmen and sophomores on the team, the underclassmen overcame the doubt and lead the team to a 2110 (12-4 Summit) record on the season. Entering the season, the Coyotes added 10 newly-eligible players, seven of which were brand new to the program, Smith said. A big factor in winning
the Summit League Title was the play at home this season. The Coyotes finished the season with a 13-1 record inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. Smith said winning the title for the fans was exciting. “When you’re in a community like Vermillion, everybody is a part of it,” he said. “It is exciting that we were able to win this for our guys, the staff and the school. But to see the passion that our fans have, and to be able to reward them is truly exciting. It takes everybody to make it happen.”
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How to be a Coyote: A freshman’s guide
USD students cheer on the Coyotes in the DakotaDome after tailgating on game day.
1.Tailgate at every
home football game.
2. Stay until the end of every home game.
3. Wear your Coyote
5. Don’t go home every weekend, that’s when all the games are!
6. Try a Dome Dog at least once.
apparel everywhere.
7. Learn all of the cheers.
4. Go to all Dakota
8. Take a selfie with
Days events.
Charlie.
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Tyler Frank Clay Conover: Why are you an accounting major? Tyler Frank: I went to school for business management, and I thought it was a little vague so I switched to accounting. It was really tough. CC: How do you
juggle accounting with athletic activities? TF: If you could imagine juggling violently, that’s how I would describe it. Just because I’m involved in so many extra , it’s just border line impossible to do so. I’m involved in the startup com-
munity in South Dakota for businesses. I’m actively working on two startup companies, both based at USD. I partake in a lot of business competitions. We actually just went to a competition and won two grand.
Kelly Law Clay Conover: Where are you from? Kelly Law: I’m from Minneapolis, Minnesota. CC: What do you like best about Minneapolis? KL: I would have to say the Minnesota Vikings. CC: And, why is that?
KL: Because every year they take a little piece of my soul. CC: Why did you come to USD, of all places? KL: I got along really well with all of my coaches, and I was interested in being in a small town.
CC: What did you like best about playing volleyball in the cities in high school? KL: I liked playing in a city conference. It was fun playing with my friends.
PLAYER OF THE PACK
Trey Burch-Manning Clay Conover: Why did you come to USD? Trey Burch-Manning: I came to USD because of my coaching staff. I thought we had a great relationship with them. I felt like it was the best place for me.
CC: What do you like best about USD? TBM: What I like about USD is the small town. The interactions we have with each other. I just feel good about the college experience.
CC: Was it a culture shock to come from Washington to here? TBM: It’s definitely different. There’s clearly not as much going on. There was a lot of traffic and that is just not how it is around here.
Mary Wester Clay Conover: What is your favorite part of USD? Mary Wester: The community that comes along with USD and the culture. I am from a small town and so it’s really easy for someone from a small town to
be attracted to USD. With a small town culture comes a lot of support that you don’t even know you have. People and teachers will talk to you, come to the track meets, come to the sporting events and will support you even
without having to advertise the fact that you’re an athlete. Same with the kids in the town. Like with the WNIT championship, the whole state was here. That’s really cool.
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Q&A: Athletic Director David Herbster Taylor Kidd
Taylor.Kidd@coyotes.usd.edu
Taylor Kidd: When did you start working at USD? David Herbster: May 2007. TK: What is your favorite part about your job? DH: Graduation – it is the culmination and realization of dreams com-
ing true. A close second are the competitions. The work, excitement and anticipation that HERBSTER leads up to game day is a great feeling and as a former athlete, it still gets my competitive
juices flowing. TK: What is your favorite memory from your time at USD so far? DH: Beating Minnesota in football in 2010. We have had big wins since then, but when we beat Minnesota, we had not yet completed the transition to Division I. It sent a message to everybody associated with the university that we can
do this. TK: What are you most looking forward to about your future here? DH: I have been here for 10 years and have seen so many improvements and advancements on campus that I think as a university you will really see us take off in the next 10 years.
Lack of Greek athletes due to time commitments, negative stigma Ally Krupinsky
Ally.Krupinsky@coyotes.usd.edu
While there’s no official policy barring student-athletes from being involved in a fraternity or sorority, those who do both are usually few and far between. Laura Roof, USD’s director of sorority/fraternity life, said she believes there’s a misconception that students can’t do both, which may lead to some not pursuing it. Though Roof said the university doesn’t keep track of specific numbers, there are usually only a handful of students who participate in Greek life and athletics each year, she said. Senior Austin Sparks, a PIKE member and a forward on the men’s basketball team, is one of them. He was initiated the summer after his freshman year, he said. “I had that brotherhood with my teammates, but… I kinda wanted to get the full college experience,” he said. “So I decided to kinda branch out and see where that would take me.” Roof attributed the lack of students involved in both areas to their time commitments. “What we end up seeing in the informal conversations with students, though, is that the time commitments for those two things are such large time commitments that a lot of times the balancing of athletics, Greek and academics isn’t always successful for them,” she said.
This culture is often very different at other schools, especially when considering the student population size, Roof said. “So the first institution that I was at, small liberal arts campus, total population of about 2,000 students,” Roof said. “On that campus, it was way more prevalent. Second school I was at, Big Ten institution, 3,600 Greeks, about 25,000 students total, very uncommon, because they’re a Big Ten institution,” she said. “Here I think it’s kind of in that middle between the two.” The sport that often sees the most Greek involvement at USD is track & field, Sparks said. Outside of track, Sparks could only name a few student-athletes who had done both in his years at USD. “It’s pretty rare, on this campus at least,” he said. At least part of the reason why the two groups are generally very separate from one another is the “student divide” at USD, Sparks said. Sparks believes that some student groups misunderstand each other, and referenced the much-disputed GAF increase from earlier this year. Despite missing most Monday night PIKE meetings in order to go to basketball practice, Sparks said he’s been able to attend most socials and philanthropy events. Overall, he said being involved in both organizations has been
“very manageable.” Roof said students must know their boundaries and capabilities in order to manage time efficiently. “College is a great time to explore how much you can take on and how much you can’t, and learning very quickly how to say no to people,” she said. “That, I think, is one of the hardest things that students as well as professionals struggle with, is how to say no. And this is a great time for students to learn that.” “So I encourage students to try anything and everything, figure out what they like and figure out what they have the capacity to do and then be able to say ‘no thank you’ to some things that they just can’t take on.” In addition to basketball and PIKE, Sparks has been involved in the student-athlete advisory committee and has held roles in Dakotathon. He’s also pursuing a double major in sport management and sport marketing & media. “It’s all manageable,” he said. “I’d encourage more people to do it because I think it’d bring the campus closer. Because there’s a lot of things that I understand about the athlete life that people in the Greek life don’t understand, and there’s a lot of stuff about the Greek life that I understand but athletes don’t.”
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OUTANDABOUT The Volante asked students what their favorite sporting event is and why.
The football games, but if I had to pick one game, I would switch it to women’s WNIT game last year. Erin Luken, freshman
The basketball games were my favorite one to go to this year. The State-U game was crazy. Chad Davoson, junior
I would say either the basketball or volleyball games were my favorite. Kaitlyn Engbrecht, freshman
The game against SDSU was definitely the best one I went to. Brent Johnson, first-year grad student
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President Abbott: USD offers many opportunities Each summer it’s my privilege to welcome many families, future students, visitors and guests to the campus of the University of South Dakota. We urge you to stroll our grounds, enjoy our sculpture walk and art galleries, stop in the Muenster University Center or the National Music Museum. We are proud of our beautiful campus and the millions of dollars in state-of-the-art improvements we’ve made thanks to generous donor gifts. What you can’t see on a tour are the equally impressive investments our donors are making in support of research,
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USD President James Abbott encourages students to enjoy their time at USD. faculty and student scholarships. Momentum is building at USD, and you’ll find evidence of Coyote pride at every turn. USD awards more
than $6 million in scholarships each year. All first-time freshmen who apply for fall admission are considered for up to $3,500 a year in the Coyote Commitment award,
based on GPA, test scores and a committee review. Incoming students may qualify for other prestigious scholarships with awards up to $40,000 over four years. As the first university in the Dakotas, USD has always focused on producing leaders for South Dakota, the nation and the world. We are the state’s flagship university, its designated liberal arts university, home of the School of Law, the Sanford School of Medicine and the Beacom School of Business. Our academic strength and diversity support the state’s largest graduate school, providing robust
scholarship and research across many fields, from the fine arts to the hard sciences. We are proud to be ranked as one of the best-value universities in the nation for our combination of low tuition rates and high quality. We are able to continue that tradition with the continuing support of our alumni and friends. USD is currently conducting the state’s largest capital campaign, Onward: The Campaign for South Dakota, seeking $250 million in donations to invest in students, faculty and facilities. The results are already visible in the new athletic facilities on
the north side of campus, with more to come. Most likely during your visit, you’ll be greeted with a smile, and someone will go out of the way to make you comfortable. Visitors tell us that USD “just feels like home.” It’s a Division 1 research university with small-town charm. We hope you enjoy your time at USD, whether it’s a one-day visit or the beginning of an academic and personal journey that will last a lifetime. We’re glad you are here. President James Abbott
SGA President McNary: Welcome to USD, your new home To my fellow Coyotes, Welcome to the Coyote family! Choosing to attend the University of South Dakota is one of the best choices you will make. USD and the Vermillion community have a lot of great things to offer, and we can’t wait until you make Vermillion your home away from home. We have a tradition of success here at USD and our legacy is continually growing onward. We have continued to improve the image of our campus, allowing you to enjoy the beautiful academic and extracurricular buildings and resources that USD has to offer. We have made a lot of improvements since making the change to Division 1 athletics, but our new sports center might be the best
one yet! The new Sanford Coyote Sports Center is phenomenal, and really helps build that Coyote pride, not only for athletes, but all students on campus! For the past 155 years, USD has served as a premier institution for the next generation of leaders, influencers and thinkers to gather and collaborate. The success of the university is evident by looking at the success of our alumni. I am sure that throughout your tenure at USD, you will soon enough fall into description and leave your legacy as you become one of our notable alumni, but don’t get too excited yet! You have so much to experience as an undergraduate first. My favorite thing about USD is the close-knit
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You couldn’t have picked a better home away from home.
relationshi that all students and faculty have. You can really tell that we are part of a university that cares about their students, and takes the time to get to know them inside and outside of the classroom as students and future leaders. The quality of educators and the academic programs that USD has to offer is unmatchable, and the passion that our professors have for their job is evident. You should be proud that you will receive your degree from a
university that strives for student success! While academics are a really important part of your college career, there is a lot more that goes into it. I challenge you to go outside your comfort zone and get involved on campus. USD has more than 130 recognized student organizations, and if you don’t find something you like there, you can always start your own! Not to mention you could get involved with all the intramural and club sports, service programs and study abroad
trips, as well as an excellent Greek system. Whatever your interests are, I am certain you will find something you love here at USD and make many lasting friendships along the way. Finally, as your student body president, I am here to serve YOU. If you need any advice or assistance, or if there is anything I can do for you during your time at USD, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. I am passionate about the success of USD, which means I am passionate about the
success of you! I, along with the entire Student Government Association, serve as your voice to the faculty, administration and Board of Regents. We pride ourselves in being your biggest advocate, so please talk to us with any concerns! If there were one message that I hoped you would take away from this, it would be to work hard, get involved and have fun! You couldn’t have picked a better home away from home and I cannot wait for you to join the legacy that is USD. Welcome, enjoy your time and as always, GO YOTES! Teagan McNary, Student Government Association president
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Stress management crucial for balanced campus life ALLIE KNOFCZYNSKI is a junior majoring in media & journalism. Whether the most recent graduation involved a high school diploma or a Bachelor’s degree, there are some aspects of education that students don’t learn much about. Stress is an inevitable part of life. Getting assignments done, studying for tests, writing papers, somehow balancing every other area of life – it’s not easy. Experiencing stress is universal for all people, but the real deviant is how it’s managed.
It’s helpful to know that stress is common among all college students, but chronic stress in college shouldn’t be as severe as it is. By learning how to manage individual stress in whatever way works best before moving into a dorm room, students may alleviate the severity of stressful times and become more resilient. High school was certainly stressful. With a seemingly freer schedule, college seems to be a slight break from constant work and focus. However, with college also comes independence. Living away from home and learning how to balance the academic, social and other areas of life isn’t always easy. Classes add-
on tests and long essays to the plate, and life can feel like an endless conveyor belt piling on more and more stress. Learning how to manage stress can feel foreign. Yes, stress is helpful and stimulating, but excessive amounts are present in a college environment. Wellness should be thought of as a scale with equal weights on each side. Throw one side off its alignment, and the other side becomes precarious. The same representation goes for stress. Someone who’s always feeling overwhelmed, eats poorly and doesn’t get enough sleep – a realistic, though stereotypical description of many college students – usually
has a limited ability to cope with stressful events. When people neglect to address and take care of the less visible signs of health, everything else suffers the consequences. Research from Mayo Clinic shows that stress negatively affects your body, mood and behavior. Stress can result in a wide range of consequences, including headaches, fatigue, sleep problems, sadness, restlessness, irritability and much more. The American Psychological Association even goes on to list how chronic stress wreaks havoc on every single system within the body. Stress management is not a one-size-fits-all skill.
Finding whatever selfcare activities or practices work best will probably take some trial and error. Some classic relaxation techniques include deep breathing, listening to music and reading. Ultimately, whatever takes the mind off of the hectic noise of everyday life should be incorporated into students’ weekly or daily routines. Additionally, the power of talking with counselors or loved ones shouldn’t be underestimated. According to counseling resources from the University of Florida, it’s easy to get caught up in a problem or a narrow view of something and feel that a failure or roadblock is a catastro-
phe. Discussing problems with a trusted professional or helpful ear allows people to gain new outside perspective and move out of what might seem like an isolated and negative internal world. Nobody is perfect in handling stress. Everyone only has one body and one life. A certain upcoming essay, test or situation is only temporary, but health is always there. Underlying every new experience, no matter how stressful, let’s prioritize maintaining balance. The diploma will eventually come, but let’s make the journey getting there a little easier and healthier.
Trump-era Democrats must not become Obama-era Republicans JORDAN SMITH is a sophomore majoring in political science.
Full disclosure of bias: I’m vice president of USD College Democrats. I’m only 20 years old and have parents who are aggressively apathetic to politics. So my knowledge of the state of politics begins with the first election of former President Obama, and only really forms into any sort of consciousness around 2011. All of my memories of politics involve frustration with the Republican Party being so unwilling to work with President Obama. Whether attempting to eliminate the Affordable Care Act at what felt like
every corner, or more recently refusing to hold a hearingforMerrickGarland to fill the vacant Supreme Court seat. This was always frustrating because it seemed so childish. I understand fighting what you believe in. For instance, while I support the ACA and think Garland should’ve received a hearing, it’s the responsibility of legislators to oppose whatever legislation they choose and vote against a well-qualified Supreme Court nominee. But it was frustrating that every issue had to be made a fight over largely unrelated issues just so Republican legislators and officials could gain some partisan brownie points for opposing the Democratic president. Now, our party doesn’t
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It would be very easy to take the petty route and exact revenge.
have the Congress (like most of the Obama years), the presidency and it’s likely left-of-center justices will be a definitive minority in the Supreme Court before 2020. Perhaps we can gain ground in 2018, and there’s certainly evidence of a liberal groundswell, but we need to accept that we don’t have the best hand this round. That said, Democrats still have the ability to make life a lot more difficult for Republicans.
This disadvantage isn’t in the party’s best interest, but if it had to happen, it happened at a good time. We’re seeing a time where the Republican party is barely holding itself together and seems more or less incapable of uniting around any major portion of the conservative agenda. Odds are, Republicans won’t be able to make any major moves against the core values of the Democratic Party anytime soon. The attempt
at healthcare reform fell soundly on its face. The courts continue to stop attacks on immigration. So, for now, let’s not be toxic jerks. I don’t like President Trump more than anyone. But I don’t want to be part of the obstructionist party. It would be very easy to take the petty route and exact revenge. Frankly, it would probably be the more enjoyable thing to do. However, that’s not the option the party should take. It’s
really easy to complain when you don’t have the power to change things. Instead, let’s seek our commonalities with more centrist members of the opposition. Let’s make compromises instead of challenges. Our country faces a great deal of issues, and we probably always will. I think the only way to fix them is for the country to take a few steps left. That said, we must be patient. So, let’s work with the people who are in power where we can, get things done and come back strongly on the moral high ground. If nothing else, history will remember us in the right.
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USD is an excellent place to grow and learn SETH GERBERDING is a first-year majoring in math and philosophy. When I was a senior, I thought that going to USD would be a settlement, that I could’ve done better and that this would’ve only be the 13th grade. After a gap year spent in Washington, D.C. working on Capitol Hill in the Senate and now completing my first year here at USD, I can say in full confession that I was wrong. To address the “13th grade” argument, that public schools are just an extension of high school, I say that it’s up to you. Yes, you can
very well take the easy classes for an easy major, party every weekend and graduate. But if you’re looking to challenge yourself, if you’re looking for ways to expand yourself intellectually and personally, USD has not just the necessary resources to do so, but some of the best. I study mathematics and philosophy, two very large and trying subjects. I received a 4.0 in high school – these college classes aren’t easy. I spend many hours studying for exams. I have incredible amounts of stress. USD can be trying. It can be a challenge. The only difference between here and a top-tier undergraduate program at Harvard is the people. I also would like to ad-
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If you’re looking for ways to expand yourself intellectually and personally, USD has not just the necessary resources to do so, but some of the best.
dress those of you who want to pursue graduate school and beyond. USD has the opportunities: it doesn’t restrict them. Many of our students compete in and win national scholarship competitions. We have graduates who plan on attending University of California at Berkeley for their graduate programs.
I’ll refrain from limiting off famous alumni, but suffice it to say we have a good amount. If you choose USD, your opportunities aren’t limited. I won’t be audacious enough to say that USD has the same opportunities as Yale or Princeton, but they exist here for every person. It may be
more difficult to find or cultivate those opportunities by meeting different professors or finding the needed resource, but they certainly are there. And, this is my favorite part, if there isn’t something here you want, you can always create it. It seems like there’s a new organization or program popping up all the time.
In a strange way, that’s a benefit you’ll find here that you won’t find at Princeton: you can take initiative and make yourself stand out amongst your peers. If you’re looking for a place to grow, to cultivate potential, to build a unique future, then don’t make the mistake of glossing over USD. If you’re already here, great! The above applies to you as well. One doesn’t “settle” for USD. Any opportunity you seek has a manifestation somewhere here in Vermillion. Don’t underestimate your potential here. I once did, and I was grateful to be proven wrong.
Don’t worry, homesickness is a normal experience for many LAUREN SOULEK is a first-year majoring in media & journalism and international studies. Moving away to college can bring on mixed feelings for many people. For me, as soon as I received my high school diploma I was convinced that I was ready to leave and make my way to Vermillion. All summer I anticipated the move, making sure I had everything I needed and communicating with my soon-to-be roommate about how to
decorate our dorm. I was stoked to go to college. However, as soon as move-in day came, that anticipation turned into anxiety. All of a sudden it was hitting me that I was actually moving away from all of the normalcy at home. I moved in a few days earlier than my roommate, so the transition wasn’t easy for me. I was alone in this tiny dorm room on a campus with new faces around every corner. It did get easier once my roommate moved in, but that feeling of homesickness didn’t completely disappear. I’m not going to lie – the first couple weeks on
campus were difficult. I missed home so much and I kept questioning whether or not I could actually make it on my own. Of course, the university does an amazing job of making sure there are plenty of activities during the first couple of weeks so you don’t have time to feel homesick. Go to those activities. Put yourself in a position to meet new people because they’ll help you get past the homesickness. Here’s my advice: don’t let the feeling of homesickness become all-consuming. There are going to be times when you want to go home every weekend, but try not to.
The weekends are a great time to meet new people and explore this new city that you’re living in. Try different restaurants around the area and find some new places to hang out. The best thing you can do is try to push past that feeling. Instead of going home every weekend, set aside time during the week specifically for calling your family members or hometown friends so that you can get a weekly dose of home. However, if you do feel like you really need to go home, go home. Give yourself that break if you really need it, but try not to make it a habit.
Get out of the dorm and find new people that make the campus feel like another home. I was fortunate enough to have a roommate and friends that eventually made that feeling of homesickness disappear. It’s important to join student organizations because you can meet a lot of wonderful people with similar interests. Living in the dorms is another way to meet a lot of great people. Make friends with your floor mates because when it’s 1 a.m. during finals week and you’re crashing, they’re going to be the ones to pick you back up. They’ll also be the ones
that you make spontaneous trips to Walmart or McDonald’s with when those late night cravings kick in. Lastly, being homesick doesn’t define whether or not you can actually make it on your own in college. Being homesick is completely normal. Eventually you’ll forget that you ever were homesick in the first place. Take a deep breath, get out of the dorm and realize that you can feel at home at college too, as long as you give it a chance.
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BEST OF THE OVERHEARDS Here you’ll find the weirdest, funniest and stupidest things we heard during the year. Context is for suckers.
“Can I leave class early? I need to catch a Pokemon at Old Main.”
“I hang around too many penises.” – Al Neuharth Media Center
– Slagle Hall
“Do you ever feel like there’s a demon living inside you? Because that’s how I feel right now.” – I.D. Weeks Library
“Being promoted in the government right now is pretty much being promoted on the Death Star before it blows up.” – Patterson Hall
“I’m either very pregnant or very hungry.” – North Complex
“He has the emotional intelligence of a toenail.”
– North Complex
USD
Archery Club
DON’T NOCK IT TIL YOU TRY IT
Email us to join!
Elizabeth.R.Johnston@coyotes.usd.edu www.facebook.com/coyotesarchery
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GRADUATES ON A JOB WEL DONE
– North Complex
“If I ever start walking a cat, put me out of my misery.” – Mexico Viejo
“If you go to bed the same day you woke up, you’re a quitter.”
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Olivia Brown Tene Linda Bayala Jessica Carvatt Jessica Gabbert Lindsey Ellinghausen Jerry Holbrook Jerrica Huber Kara Homandberg Courtney Jacobsma Tramika LaBranche Carla McMurry-Kozak Casey Reihe Jason Roskens Rachel Reinert Jenae Schneider Dana Vandenberg
“I had one omelet instead of two, so I’m rewarding myself with a burrito.” – Delzell
“I had no speaking notes, so I just got up and yelled for an hour and a half.” – The Varsity
“I should not relate to this picture of lime green Crocs this much.” – Muenster University Center
“Did you hear there’s a goldfish serial killer on our floor?” – North Complex
“My greatest achievement is having dank memes.” – Al Neuharth Media Center
“If you were drunk, these thoughts would be better received.”
“Vermillion is a trap.”
– Madison Street
– Main Street
“We’re Martha Stewart, college edition.”
“It’s hard being a guy. Just kidding, it’s easy shit.”
– Dakota Street
– Muenster University Center
“He’s just a frat boy that called Herpes.” – Volante Newsroom
“I’m 20 now, I beat teen pregnancy.” – North Complex
“Building community resources to create a person centered life.” www.sesdac.org
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OUTANDABOUT The Volante asked students
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what they like most about USD.
Probably my friends that I’ve met. Maggie Bowie, first-year
I would say the sense of community, especially with professors. Kevin Phillips, junior
I like that it’s a small school and you can get to know people. Alexis Wilson, sophomore
The football and basketball games. Jenna Warwick, sophomore
Dakota Days week.
Noah Hauck, sophomore (left)
The fact that it’s not SDSU. Tyler Koch, sophomore (right)
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