Monday Message, July 6
SDSU community,
Welcome back from the Fourth of July holiday weekend. I hope everyone had an enjoyable and safe Independence Day. As we return to campus on this beautiful summer day, it is hard to believe we are now just seven weeks away from the start of the 2026-27 academic year. While summer has provided an opportunity to recharge, our campus continues to prepare for the arrival of thousands of new and returning students in August.
Summer orientation programs have continued to be a success, welcoming future Jackrabbits and their families to Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ. Before we know it, we will turn our attention to one of our favorite traditions — Meet State.
Meet State 2026 will take place Aug. 21-22, and the committee is making one final push for volunteers to help make the event a success. Volunteers assist with directing traffic, welcoming families to campus and, if able, helping students move into their residence halls. Meet State is one of the first opportunities we have to demonstrate the welcoming, caring and supportive culture that defines SDSU. The event would not be possible without the hundreds of faculty, staff, students and community members who generously volunteer each year. If you are able, I encourage you to consider volunteering. .
I would also like to thank everyone who helped make our recent America 250 events a success. There was a team from SDSU this past weekend serving ice cream at Brookings’ Uncle Sam Jam to hundreds of people attending from around the area. From planning and logistics of these types of events, to participating in the various programs and activities, the efforts of everyone help commemorate an important milestone in our nation's history while showcasing Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ's commitment to education, civic engagement and public service.
Our celebration of America's 250th anniversary is far from over. Throughout the summer and into the fall semester, SDSU will continue hosting programs and events that recognize the values that have shaped our nation while highlighting the important role land-grant universities have played in expanding opportunity, advancing research and strengthening communities.
Since our founding in 1881, SDSU has embodied these principles by preparing students for meaningful careers, driving innovation across industries and serving as a trusted partner throughout South Dakota and beyond. America 250 provides a unique opportunity to celebrate both our nation's history and the enduring mission of South Dakota's land-grant university.
Last but not least, I am excited to invite you all to this year's welcome back picnic from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 18, at Club 71 in Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium. Please before the event.
Thank you for everything you do to make Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ a premier land-grant university. I hope you have a wonderful week, and I look forward to welcoming everyone back to another exciting academic year in just a few short weeks.
Barry H. Dunn
President
Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ
Above and Beyond recognizes individuals and groups of Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ employees, faculty and students for individual and team efforts that go Above and Beyond to make the campus community a better place.
We’re shining a spotlight on more than 85 Jackrabbits and the hard, often unseen work they do at our 70-plus administrative and academic buildings.
All year long, SDSU’s custodial staff make sure the university looks exceptionally clean by following a regular schedule. They play an outsized role in keeping Jackrabbits healthy by maintaining clean and safe settings for people to work and attend school in.
Every day, this team completes a long list of tasks, including:
- Empties, cleans and relines all trash and recycling bins on campus
- Vacuums or dust mops floors
- Wipes down horizontal surfaces
- Puts all furniture back in place
- Maintains whiteboards and chalkboards
- Disinfects door handles, light switches and restrooms
The custodial team also has a long list of weekly and monthly tasks to complete in addition to their daily work.
But today they’re being recognized specifically for their summer duties. This team is taking the following weeks to prepare our entire campus for students’ return.
Our custodial staff is deep cleaning all classrooms, offices, common spaces, restrooms and more ahead of our upcoming fall semester.
Their main focus, however, is on SDSU’s floors. The custodial staff has already dedicated hours of work to cleaning the carpets and scrubbing and refinishing our hard-surface floors. They remove dirt, stains and allergens from carpets. All noncarpeted floors are scrubbed, stripped, waxed and polished. This team is applying a lot of elbow grease to the university’s floors.
To pull all that off, the custodial staff is applying significant planning, incomparable attention to detail and plain old hard work.
Summer isn’t the only time our staff adds extra work on top of their regular, everyday duties. In the winter, it’s the custodial team who clears snow from all academic and administrative buildings’ entrances. They shovel out entrances and nooks and crannies and move the snow out to where the grounds crew can whisk it away with their larger machinery.
The staff is also in charge of recycling in all the buildings they clean. They do so much to help SDSU remain a clean and sustainable campus.
The last function we’re recognizing them for today is for one of their noncleaning responsibilities: Security.
Our custodial staff provides building security services from Sunday night to Thursday morning. It’s yet another way they help keep Jackrabbits safe and healthy.
If you see a member of our custodial staff this week, be sure to thank them for all the ways they’re going Above and Beyond this summer and all year long.
The Monday Message appears weekly during the academic year and less frequently during the summer months and holiday breaks.
Information for the Monday Message, including nominations for Above and Beyond, can be submitted online.
Student Success Certificate Advocates: Partnership and Growth
The SDSU Opportunity Center is proud to recognize departments and individuals who have demonstrated a strong commitment to student success through participation in the Student Success Certificate Program.
The Distinguished Student Success NETwork Partner Award recognizes outstanding departmental engagement in supporting student success initiatives. Congratulations to Lucas P. Wintrode Autism Support Services, led by Keena Melville, for earning the 2025-26 award. The team’s commitment to fostering a supportive environment, providing meaningful learning opportunities and strengthening campus partnerships exemplifies the mission of the Opportunity Center.
The Opportunity Center also recognizes staff members who voluntarily participated in the Student Success Certificate Program and achieved the 15-point milestone during the past academic year.
Year 1 Participants
Brad Blaha, Jacque Danielson, Abby Exner, Kennedy Goblirsch, Katie Grayson, Kendra Hybertson, Heewon Sarah Kim, Nicole Lounsbery, Mikayla May, Keena Melville, Linde Murray, Kiera Packer, TJ Pederson, Sydnie Peters, Zelaya Richburg, Mercedes Schievelbein and Jessica Sommerfeld
Year 2-3 Participants
Carla Anderson, Matthew Badura, Shelly Bayer, Stephanie Bebensee, Cody Burggraff, Nathan Bylander, Mary Christensen, Nancy Hartenhoff-Crooks, Marjoanne Collins, Alaina Corgard, Katie Derrick, Jesse Enstad, Nicole Gertken, Dan Hagen, Kristen Kponyoh, Jessica Lewis, Ariana Limoges, Lee Mangler, Brooke Merry, Jay Molock, Meghan Peterson, Laura Plowman, Noah Roerig, Lisa Roker, Brenna Rubendall-LaVoy, Moneik Stephens and Chanda Walter.
Congratulations to all award recipients and certificate participants. These accomplishments reflect SDSU’s ongoing commitment to student success, collaboration and excellence.
Summertime Food Trucks and Fun
Join the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum for the seventh season of Summertime Food Trucks and Fun events. Each event will be held from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. every other Wednesday on the north side of the museum and will feature food trucks, live music and outdoor seating. In the event of inclement weather, music and seating will move indoors.
This summer’s schedule still includes:
- July 15 – The Patty Wagon with live music from AJ the Band
All are welcome to attend and enjoy food, music and community at the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum.
Jack’s Cupboard Summer Volunteer Opportunity
Jack’s Cupboard, SDSU’s free on-campus food pantry for currently enrolled students, is seeking faculty and staff volunteers to help support operations this summer.
The pantry will be open on Tuesdays from 2-5 p.m., with additional opportunities to assist with restocking on Thursdays from 3:30-4:30 p.m. During the 2025-26 academic year, Jack’s Cupboard served a record number of students and will continue supporting students throughout the summer months.
Volunteers will assist with checkout, restocking, light cleaning and helping create a welcoming environment for students.
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For questions, contact Jacks Cupboard by email.
Updated Policies
New and updated university policies continue to be adopted and published. For the most recent updates, visit the New and Recently Revised Policies page on sdstate.edu.
