September 13, 2023

HEFTY HAUL

SDSU COMMUNITY STEPS UP TO RAISE $2.4 MILLION DURING ONE DAY FOR STATE

A new authentic tea shop opened downtown over the summer, PAGE 13

The Pride of the Dakotas unveiled new uniforms this year,

PAGE 4

Collegian photos by JOCLYN HAVEN and ZOEY SHENTZEL(SHE/HER) Hunter Dustman prepares to kick a field goal at Saturday’s game. Grand Pooba Regen Wiederrich drives the Bummobile at Saturday’s parade.

New parking violation rules implemented, new art exhibit coming soon

JACK McCARTY

Entertainment Editor

At the Sept. 11 Student’s Association meeting, parking services discussed new parking regulations and the South Dakota Art Museum talked about a new art exhibit coming. The Senate also passed two amendments.

The meeting began with an announcement from Rachel Goldsmith, an administrative assistant at the South Dakota Art Museum and former finance chair for the SA. They will be hosting an art exhibit from South Dakota artist Oscar Howe that ends Sept. 17.

“It truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see this collection all together and an entire retrospective of his work,” said Goldsmith.

She also stated that since the art was done with an egg wash paint it is extremely sensitive to light. This means

that after the exhibit is over it is going to have to be put in dark storage for 20 years.

SA and other student groups continued the meeting with announcements. One of the first announcements was that the school attorney has been given her contract and that legal aid office hours will begin Sept. 13 and will be every Wednesday from 3-6 p.m. in the Peterson Conference Room.

Government Affairs Chair Michael Garofalo said that they are looking for fellow students to join the Mental Wellbeing Team. They meet the first Monday of every month in the Wellness Center.

The Gender and Sexualities Alliance had their weekly meeting where they discussed their upcoming karaoke night happening Sept. 20 from 6-9 p.m. in the Student Union.

The University Program Council Announced that they will have “Jacks Got Talent” auditions on Oct. 13 in the Oscar

Larson Performing Arts Center from 5-9 p.m.

Senator Grant Sternhagen went over a report from the Parking and Traffic Committee. The first thing that he brought up was the fact that they had bought a second enforcement car which began patrolling on Sept. 11.

“The second thing is there was an amendment to the parking regulations that essentially adds a repeat offender policy,” Sternhagen said. “In many cases, this means your maximum ticket can go up to $200 per citation.”

Your first violation will cost you $30 and then the order of subsequent violations goes $50, $75, $100, $100, $100, $200, $200, and then on your ninth violation you will be forced to park in lot 170 for the rest of the school year and presumably receive another $200 fine.

Sternhagen also claimed that when a staff member asked the head of Parking and traffic if they were going to tell

the student body about this change, they said that they had no plans to since it was in the parking manual that everyone is required to read.

Other Business Amendment 23-3-3-A, which is an amendment to update the absent policy for the SA. The amendment was passed, but only after multiple senators debated that the minimum amount of time that they should have to file for an absence should be twelve hours instead of the originally proposed 24 hours. This was then changed to seven hours before it was finally voted on and passed.

SA also voted on amendment 23-4-A, which would update caucus activity reports. After minimal debate and discussion this was also passed.

Student Federation sends letter to Gov. Noem

GRETA GOEDE

Editor-in-Chief

South Dakota Student Federation sent a letter to Gov. Noem regarding new university rules recommended to the Board of Regents in July to understand what her policy changes will look like on college campuses.

The intent behind the letter was to open a line of communication between Student Federation and Noem’s office because the letter caught them off guard, according to Student Federation President Michael Garofalo.

“That was the point of the letter was to respond and say you know we’re eager to reach out, but we would really like it if you could consider student voices more because you haven’t done that yet,” Garofalo said.

Noem sent a letter in May with eight “challenges” to the Board of Regents of things she wanted to see changed in higher education. The letter included things like increasing graduation rates and cutting costs to make higher education more affordable, Garofalo said these are positive things he would like to see implemented, but some of the other challenges listed concerned Student Federation.

“One of the things she listed in that letter is wanting to ban drag shows on college campuses and she also wanted to ban the use of preferred pronouns in the classroom,” Garofalo said.

The challenges were for the BOR to decide if they want to act on them or not, so far, no actions have been taken against the ban on drag shows and preferred pronouns.

“They actually haven’t taken action on any of it basically,” Trinity Peterson Students’ Association president said. “It’s basically just recommendations… there’s not really anything concrete we have seen come from it, it’s just a statement on

[Noem’s] part of what she would like to see in the state.”

Some of the “challenges” Noem listed in the letter have already been dealt with in legislature before the letter came out, including House Bill 116 that was introduced in Jan. 24, 2023, implemented in March 1, 2023. The bill is a new minor policy for events that was sparked because of the drag show controversy.

The bill changed the policy for events like drag shows, requiring non-student minors visiting campus to be under the supervision of an adult, parent, or legal guardian. The policy also states that programs involving “specific sexual activities,” “obscene live conduct,” or “any material, performance, description, or representation in whatever form, meeting the definition of harmful to minors,” prohibits minors from attending.

Garofalo said neither students, student governments, nor the student federation were consulted about this letter before it came out.

“We all were kind of taken aback because we hadn’t known that any sort of directive from the governor’s office was going to come down on those issues,” Garofalo said. “It didn’t seem like there had been much active engagement with students before this letter came out.”

Noem’s letter also had a challenge to “prohibit any policy or procedure that prohibits students from exercising their right to free speech.” Garofalo said this contradicts some of the other points she made in the letter.

“It has been interpreted by courts across the country when we’re talking about drag shows on campuses or just on public property that drag shows are protected by the first amendment,” Garofalo said.

Peterson says SA is here to support students and student organizations.

“We are here for the students,” Peterson said. “Free speech is definitely important to us. Obviously, you know every student

organization has the right to host their events and speak their minds.”

As of now, the letter has not had a big impact on SDSU or other schools in South Dakota, but Garofalo says he could see that changing; there will be discussion when legislative session starts, and they have plans for when that happens.

“Whatever comes up, we are going to take a stance on it, we are going to go lobby,” he said.

Garofalo said how the letter will affect communication between students and the governor’s office is up to Noem.

“On this issue and far too many issues we haven’t been consulted by the governor’s office,” Garofalo said. “We would like to know more, we liked to learn more, we would like to have an open and honest conversation and work effectively for the people we represent across the whole state and all of our schools.”

Student Federation has received no response from Noem or her office on this letter yet.

Micheal Garofalo sdstate.edu

Kristi Noem sd.gov

Trinity Peterson file photo

Band gets new uniforms, new look

Anna Lockrem News Editor

South Dakota State’s Pride of the Dakotas Marching Band has returned to the field dressed in new uniforms this season.

Students, fans, faculty and the Brookings community saw the new uniforms as The Pride performed during the first home football game Aug. 31.

The last time The Pride got new uniforms was in December 2011.

“The average life span of the uniforms is 10 years,” said Kevin Kessler, director of athletic bands and assistant professor of music. “It was planned; the old uniforms started to show their age.”

The first conversation about new uniforms started three years ago.

“I had initial sketches made up in December 2020,” Kessler said.

After that, a committee was formed to begin the process of getting new uni-

forms in October 2021. The committee included staff from The Pride, alums, current Pride members, the athletic department, the president’s and more.

After the committee worked out the logistics, funding for the new uniforms came from the school and donors. The university ordered a total of 380 new uniforms.

“President Barry Dunn also made a big push,” Kessler said.

Sarah Stoddard, a senior member of the Pride, has had the opportunity to wear both the old and new uniforms.

“For me, the new uniforms mean a new beginning and a new level of energy for us and those we support,” said Stoddard.

The new uniforms also tie in older, more traditional looks from previous generations of The Pride.

“The new hats add height and are visually more appealing,” said Kessler. “Ties in a lot of tradition in a very mod-

ern look.”

“The most notable change in the uniforms this year would be that we now technically have more than one uniform we can display on game days,” said Stoddard.

Another notable difference is that the old uniforms were darker than the new ones.

“There is now an overlay we can wear that gives off a completely different look depending on the game intensity and if there is a color theme for the day,” Stoddard said.

“To me, the new uniforms are a way to connect to the audience and be a part of the student culture as well,” said Ember Hodgins, a freshman member of The Pride.

“The hats are definitely not like the previous years; they’ll take some getting used to, especially with making sure we’ve all got our plumes,” said Hodgins. “We’re flexible though; we can go from

‘Yee Haw’ Aussies to ‘Yes Sir’ Marine hats, no problem.”

On top of the new uniforms, “this year is about keeping the momentum going,” said Kessler. This is the next big step for The Pride.

Stoddard also hopes to keep the momentum going as she hopes to return to Frisco.

“To experience that once is something I cannot put into words,” she said.The pride I felt during that final game was unmeasurable.”

Keeping the momentum going is a shared goal by Kessler and Stoddard; Hodgins has a slightly different mindset for the next four years in The Pride.

“Being in marching band is all about the journey, and I’m here to take in every moment of it,” said Hodgins. “My goal for these years in The Pride is to open myself to new opportunities and to just go for it. I’ll savor every step and those who will walk with me along the way.”

Collegian photo by ZOEY SCHENTZEL

The Pride of the Dakotas Marching Band performs during halftime of the South Dakota State vs. Montana State football game Saturday.

Collegian photo by ZOEY SCHENTZEL A total of 380 new uniforms were ordered.

Meeting new people one ‘Freezie’ at a time

Natalie Dean Copy Editor

Since the beginning of the new semester, the recent forecast has been showing no signs of cold weather anytime soon. Each day has brought sunny skies, warm breezes, and 80–90-degree weather. While many students try to move quickly from one class to the other, escaping the heat into air-conditioned buildings, some students took it upon themselves to help their fellow classmates cool down.

A group called the Navigators, a campus ministry at South Dakota State University, set up their own plastic swimming pools and beach chairs underneath the shade in front of the Student Union. They brought out a big cooler filled with Freeze pops with a sign that read “1st Annual Freeze Fest.”

“We’ve been trying to meet students all week and the forecast said it was going to be 100 degrees,” Sawyer Caldwell, one of the Navigators leaders said. “We didn’t want to be inside, so we knew we had to do something with water.”

The goal of the “Freeze Fest” was to meet new students and make them feel more welcome, especially new students on campus, by giving out freezies and making conversation. Some club members set up the supplies around 1:30 p.m. and the fest officially began at 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.

“I got to meet people and got a lot of smiles from people,” said sophomore Leo Ostigaard, who is in his second year with the Navigators. “I got a lot of gratitude, a lot of people said thanks.”

Much like the Navigators, many clubs and organizations will put on fun activities and meet-n-greets to get connected with students all across campus. There are multiple ways for students to meet others and get involved outside of academics. “When student organizations

put on events, go to them,” Caldwell said. “In general, meeting new people is easy, everyone is in the same boat and want to make friends.”

Student-led organizations and clubs can be found through Jacks Club Hub, posters hanging up throughout the buildings, as well as walking up to booths and tables lined up along Main Street in the

student union. With a new school year already in way, it can be challenging to try out new ways of letting people know about different clubs, organizations, and committees. Much like the Navigators using the weather to try out a new way to meet people, the best thing for anyone to do is to try something new and just go with it.

“If someone hasn’t done something before and you’re not sure if it’s a good idea ask around,” Ostigaard said. “Don’t be afraid to try new things so people can know about your club, and you can make campus a more fun place.”

Collegian photo by Natalie Dean

A campus ministry group called the Navigators hand out freezies while hanging out in the shade. There goal is to help new students meet each other while eating freezies to help combat the 100 degree day.

India Night to make a comeback after gap of three years

KENNETH REBELLO Assistant News Editor

The Indian Student Association at South Dakota State University is gearing up for one of its biggest events of the year, India Night. After three years, on Sept. 17 at the Volstorff Ballroom located in the Student Union will host the event.

The aim of India Night is to promote the culture and diversity of India through various delicacies, dancing, skits, vocal talents, and fashion shows in traditional outfits represented by both students and faculty of the Indian community. Considered as one of the largest cultural events on campus, both international and domestic students look forward to attending the event.

ISA believes that India Night and other events would help bridge some cultural gaps by bringing the SDSU and the Brookings community together.

India Night started in the 1980s and was first initiated by Dr. Chandradhar Dwivedi, a professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Since then, India Night has been hosted every year until 2020.

“Historically, India Night has been a very big event in the university,” said Maneesha Mohan, adviser of ISA. “For 43 years of the Indian Student Association being here, every year apart from COVID, we’ve had India Night.”

Attendees and participants of India Night get-together to celebrate and gain knowledge of various cultures and traditions showcased across different states in

India. ISA is looking forward to hosting around 460 guests this year.

“Around 14 years ago, the event was well-received by 300 to 400 people,” Mohan said. “I think that the main thing is the size of the hall that restricts the number of people attending the event.”

Food is a main reason that attendees of India Night always look forward to it.

Until 2020, Aramark had been catering the event, while this year, Sodexo would take charge of the catering.

“The best way to connect with any culture is through food,” said Gurdeep

Singh, treasurer of ISA. “We are expecting around five to six different kinds of dishes to be served during this event, keeping in mind about the spice level.”

ISA looks forward to hosting this event through funds raised at concession stands during game day, fundraising held along Main Street in the Student Union and advance tickets purchased. Additionally, businesses like First Bank and Trust, and Flavor Indian and Asian Fare have joined hands with ISA to sponsor this event.

“As far as the university is concerned,

I think we get a budget every year for all the active organizations on campus,” said Sukhvir Kaur, president of the ISA. “Since we also have to pay rent for the VBR, they kind of cover the cost for the same.”

Considered as one of the most anticipated events every year, ISA committee members make ends meet by putting in a lot of work to make the event successful.

“It’s not a cup of tea, of course,” Kaur said. “For all the events we had hosted post COVID, we received great responses and decided to extend our tenure in the committee just to organize India Night.”

Prior to her role as an adviser, Mohan herself has been a student at SDSU and has actively taken part in volunteering and participating in the event in the past.

“Back in the days, we used to practice performances couple of months before India Night,” Mohan said. “There used to be a dedicated group of people who would prepare food and decorate the venue and similarly, back in India where people of various cultures come together to celebrate an event.”

India Night tickets are priced at $17 for SDSU students and $22 for faculty and non-SDSU members. Children aged two and below enter free, while tickets for ages 3-15 are priced at $11.50. Although the event starts at 6 p.m., doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Students attending India Night at South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D. Sunday, March 1, 2020.

Ribbon cutting opens refurbished Lincoln Hall

A group of dignitaries, faculty, students and SDSU supporters were on hand Tuesday to attend a ceremony to celebrate the remodeled Lincoln Hall on the southwest side of the campus. The two-year, $13-million renovation has brought the nearly 100-year-old building into the next century, according to speakers. The event featured speeches, a ribbon cutting and tours of the building. Lincoln Hall now houses the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and the School of American and Global Studies. The new space includes offices, classrooms, seminar rooms and collaboration spaces. Lincoln Hall once was home to the library and later on the SDSU music department.

Collegian photos by ZOEY SCHENTZEL

A detail shot of one of the decorative touches that adorn Lincoln Hall.

A group of visitors tours Lincoln Hall on Tuesday afternoon during a ceremony celebrating the reopening of the building after a $13-million, two-year renovation project.

Lynn Sargeant, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, speaks Tuesday at a ceremony celebrating the reopening of the renovated Lincoln Hall.

AREA’S CONCERT SCENE OFFERS DECENT CHOICES

South Dakota’s music scene is often overlooked. You might not live near Sioux Falls or Rapid City, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t live music near you. There’s a wide variety of local, regional, and national acts that come to South Dakota each year and a lot of them you can see for cheap or sometimes free.

of the setlist consisted of songs from that project.

The Chicks were at their strongest when performing their signature songs. A lot of those songs offered a more high-energy instrumentation and familiarity which created a stronger audienceto-artist connection in comparison to their newer songs. The setlist could’ve benefited from some older songs that fans would recognize like “There’s Your Trouble,” and “You Were Mine.”

CHRISTIAN

LARSON Reporter

Over Labor Day weekend, I saw two country artists in concert: The Chicks (formerly known as the Dixie Chicks) at the Denny Sanford Center in Sioux Falls, and Carly Pearce at the South Dakota State Fair in Huron. This was my second time seeing The Chicks, and my first time seeing Pearce.

The Chicks, who are best known for their chart-topping hits, “Cowboy Take Me Away,” “Goodbye Earl” and “Wide Open Spaces,” are the most successful all-female group in country music history. Their stop in Sioux Falls on Sept. 3 marked the group’s first solo headlining concert in South Dakota.

During their hour-and-a-half performance, the group played a 22-song set that consisted of songs from their 1998

major-label debut album, Wide Open Spaces, all the way to their most recent album, Gaslighter, which was released

in 2020. The group didn’t get to tour Gaslighter when it was released due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so a majority

The following night, I saw Pearce, who is one of the biggest female acts in country music at the moment. Pearce, best known for her chart-topping hits, “Every Little Thing,” “I Hope You’re Happy Now” and “What He Didn’t Do,” headlined the grandstand at the State Fair in Huron. This marked Pearce’s first solo headlining concert in South Dakota.

During her hour-and-a-half performance, Pearce played a 17-song set that consisted of her biggest hits, fan-favorite deep cuts and new music that will appear on her upcoming fourth studio album (release date TBA).

Kicking off the show was, “Diamondback,” which was the opening song to Pearce’s most recent album, 29. From there the audience went on a journey through Pearce’s musical career. The crowd was engaged the entire performance and Pearce interacted with multiple fans by signing merchandise and taking selfies.

The highlights of the show were seeing Pearce perform her four country radio No. 1 singles: “Every Little Thing,” “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” “Never

Collegian photos by CHRISTIAN LARSON Country music artist Carly Pearce performs at the South Dakota State Fair grandstand on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in Huron.

CHRISTIAN LARSON • MUSIC REPORTER

AREA UPCOMING CONCERTS

Dacotah Bank Center (Brookings)

-Sept. 3: Oak Ridge Boys

-Oct. 13: Dropkick Murphys

-Oct. 19: Jon Pardi

-Oct. 28: Monster Truck Nitro

Tour

-Nov. 11: Theory of a Deadman & Skillet: Rock Resurrection Tour

Denny Sanford PREMIER Center (Sioux Falls)

-Sept. 30: Jeff Dunham

-Oct. 12: Luke Bryan

-Nov. 10: MercyMe, TobyMac, & Zach Williams

-Nov. 18: Cody Johnson

-Nov. 30-Dec. 3: Disney on Ice:

Into the Magic

-Dec. 14: Turnpike Troubadours

The District (Sioux Falls)

-

Sept. 20: Wheeler Walker Jr.

-Sept. 29: Gaslight Anthem

-Oct. 6: Priscilla Block

-Oct. 11: Ricky Skaggs

-Oct. 20: Lanco

-Oct. 25: Henry Rollins

-Nov. 7: Puddles Pity Party

Sanford Pentagon (Sioux Falls)

-Sept. 15: Jake Owen

-Sept. 29: Brett Young

Wanted to Be That Girl” and “What He Didn’t Do,” which the crowd knew all the words to. Before playing her final song of the evening, Pearce said, “All I ever wanted to do was sing country music and have people sing my words back to me,” which she achieved during her performance, but specifically during those songs.

If you enjoy going to concerts like I do, I highly recommend frequently checking social media pages for venues across the state. A lot of concerts I’ve attended in South Dakota weren’t heavily promoted or advertised, so I was able to secure tickets for an affordable price without having to worry about the concert selling out.

Since a lot of these shows are smaller or don’t always draw the biggest crowd, I’ve found that there’s a lot of good opportunities to see these artists up close, and even have a chance of meeting them.

If you’re looking for any events to attend in the Brookings and Sioux Falls area, I’ve created a list of upcoming events for the remainder of 2023 at various venues.

Country music trio The Chicks perform at the Denny Sandford Center on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, in Sioux Falls.

$2.4 million raised for One Day for STATE

ELLE PLOEGER Reporter

With the help of 6,227 donors, last Thursday’s One Day for STATE raised $2,481,275 for students through the University.

One Day for State, which is organized by the SDSU foundation, began in 2017. Last year, 5,882 donors donated $2,400,960.

Although ODFS is a 24-hour event, the festivities began the day before, when Jack the Jackrabbit rode around Brookings with special guests, University President Barry Dunn, Paige Meyer from the SDSU women’s basketball team, and members of the SDSU spirit squad.

The community was able to show its support and kickoff the biggest day of giving. Dunn said that the anticipation is his favorite part of One Day for STATE.

“I got to drive around Brookings yesterday for almost three hours,” he said. “I had a blast. Little kids were waving and kids were just loving Jack. It was just absolutely fantastic. Can’t beat it.”

The giving page opened at midnight, with donations immediately pouring in.

Although the money is important, the foundation prioritizes increasing donors as it unlocks challenges and increases community involvement. A challenge is when funds unlock when a certain number of donors contribute. There were 615+ current SDSU students that made a gift this year. These donors unlocked a $5,250 gift from Daktronics.

The Assistant Director of Loyalty Giving for the Foundation, Heidi Hopewell, highlights how the day is more of a celebration of SDSU. She says they are “always focusing on increasing donors instead of dollars.”

There were 119 completed challenges this year. Donors could choose which University departments to donate to. Jackrabbits Athletics raised the most with $714,062. The College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences raised the second most with $192,345.

“Other universities are amazed with how we all come together. It’s not a day just for one certain college,” Hopewell said.

The colleges and causes are not all that come

together on One Day for STATE. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. the patio party took place. There were different colleges and sports teams lined up outside the Student Union to get students involved in the day. The softball and wrestling teams engaged in a friendly competition trying to get student donations.

Chayanne Masterson, a senior on the SDSU softball team said, “Everyone here has been super receptive.”

Tanner Cook, a grad student from the wrestling team added how One Day for State has grown during his time here.

“This is my fifth year here and the athletics part of it has really grown,” he said. “At first it was just the colleges trying to get donors and now the athletes are getting more involved.”

The softball team raised $52,093 and the wrestling team raised $64,924.

The patio party was not the only celebration of the day. The Yellow and Blue Block Party was a night full of celebration. The party started with some rain showers,

but the energy stayed strong and plenty of students, staff, and community were there to enjoy food trucks, a performance from the Pride of the Dakotas, SDSU ice cream, Jack the jackrabbit, the Bummobile, and lots of fun kid’s activities.

Different colleges and organizations had booths to interact with the kids of the community.

“It was great to see the kids be able to use the technology that the college of Natural Sciences is actually developing,” Kennadie Martinsen, a junior double majoring in Geography and Geographic Information Sciences, said.

The college raised $147,800.

Gracie Dose, a sophomore on the Hobo Day Committee said, “One Day for State means a lot because not only do we increase connection in the community but get out there and know that we are just funded by others support.”

The Hobo Day Committee raised $21,559.

Just like the day itself is about everyone coming

Collegian photos by ZOEY SCHENTZEL

The Cheer and Dance Team celebrate at the One Day for STATE block party Sept. 7.

together, Hopewell points out it is the same at the Foundation.

Jennifer Mccloud, Heidi Hopewell, and Erin Glidden are on the One Day for State committee, but it would not be possible without the work everyone puts into it.

There is already a board made up with new ideas for One Day for STATE 2024. The day has constantly grown since it started in 2017 thanks to new ideas and increased engagement.

Even with COVID, rainy block parties, or any other obstacles, One Day for State has grown exponentially in support for South Dakota State University and has granted many opportunities to students’ campus wide.

“It’s such a unique blend of people who come together,” Steve Erpenbach, president and CEO of the SDSU Foundation said. “But the common bond among them all is their love for South Dakota State.”

The final totals will be released by the SDSU Foundation on Thursday after the donor numbers are verified and mail in and in-person donations are counted.

One Day for STATE Numbers

2017

• 1,196 donors

• $298,558 raised 2018

• 2,138 donors

• $574,445 raised 2019

• 3,744 donors

• $1,348,477 raised 2020

• 4,888 donors

• $1,617,648 raised 2021

• 5,438 donors

• $1,940,896 raised 2022

• 5,882 donors

• $2,400,960 raised 2023

• 6,227 donors

• $2,481,275 raised

Collegian photos by ZOEY SCHENTZEL

Common read aims at connecting with and understanding others

The Common Read is an opportunity for students to come together and connect via shared learning. This year’s Common Read is “An Immense World” by Ed Yong.

The Common Read first started in 2009 with the goal of providing an engaging and educational experience, one that could provide distinct and diverse perspectives while also bringing people together with the shared experience and knowledge of the book chosen.

Jamie Fryslie, an instructor at SDSU said that “An Immense World” is a book about how the world is perceived by the vast variety of animals living on it. From mosquitoes sensing body heat to sea

turtles tracking Earth’s magnetic fields, it encourages the reader to consider experiences outside of their perspective.

Rebecca Bott, dean of the Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College, hopes that reading about different perspectives encourages people to give more thought to the experiences and struggles of the people around them.

The event is run by an extremely dedicated committee. They oversee selecting the book and planning and running the events. There are a variety of events being held for this year’s Common Read. With everything from a reflective writing class to a virtual reality exhibit, there is something for everyone to enjoy. All events are free to attend.

“The Common Read program at SDSU is important because it builds community, promotes critical thinking,

encourages interdisciplinary learning, and contributes to students’ personal and intellectual growth,” said Bott.

Bott and the rest of the Common Read committee hope that a wide variety of people enjoy the Common Read experience this year. Whether it’s for the shared connection of having read the book, a desire to learn more about the beings that inhabit this earth, or just to go to the events, there’s a way for everyone to experience the Common Read and “An Immense World”.

“An Immense World” is available through a variety of sources. It can be purchased or rented from The Jackrabbit Central in the Student Union or downtown, checked out from the Hilton M. Briggs Library or bought online from Amazon. Many local bookstores may have it in stock as well.

COMMON READ SCHEDULE

• Visual Thinking Strategies – The Art of Oscar Howe.

- Sept. 12, 5-6:30 p.m., South Dakota Art Museum.

• Film Screening: Temple Grandin.

- Sept. 23, 10–12 p.m., Brookings cinema.

• Writing as Reflection: Processing Your World.

- Oct. 18, 6–8 p.m., Rotunda D.

• Common Read Panel: Understanding the Experiences of Others.

- Oct. 24, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Rotunda D.

• The Immense World of Virtual Reality: Exploring Your Sense in VR.

- Nov. 7, 4–5 p.m., Avera Health and Science Center 369.

For full versions of stories and more content, go to sdsucollegian.com.

MAXWELL OLSEN Reporter

AUTHENTIC BOBA BUSINESS AVAILABLE DOWNTOWN

JORDAN ROEMELING Reporter

A new business that opened downtown in late July offers what its owner calls a first for Brookings.

CupATea at 319 Sixth Street across from Wells Fargo Bank, brings something new to Downtown Brookings as it is the “first and only authentic boba shop in Brookings,” owner James Nguyen said. It is open 10:30 a.m.- 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. Sundays.

“We don’t want to sound obnoxious, but we do claim to be the first and only authentic boba shop,” Nguyen said. “We want people to come in and compare what we offer and see the difference between our drinks and others. Once we are tried and accepted as the only authentic, we think that reputation will help with our sale.”

So, what is boba tea anyway?

Boba refers to the topping of the drink. The tea in the drink can be either milk or fruit tea. When you put it together you have a flavored tea with a topping that goes to the bottom of the drink.

“It’s more of a snack in your drink,” Nguyen said.

On a recent weekend, two customers, Mika Brown and Storme Howie, were sampling CupATea’s drinks and both gave the store a thumbs-up.

“It’s so much better than other places that serve boba around here,” said Howie, who always gets the salted caramel milk tea.

Brown said, “It’s one of the best boba shops I’ve ever been to. I usually get the jasmine milk tea with tapioca pearls.”

Since late July, Nguyen has brought this new concept to Brookings and business has been “OK,” he said. Now that the college students have returned for the school year, sales have increased.

“We’re pretty happy about that and I

hope with more time more people will know about it and try it because they will have a different type of drink compared to the other ones in Brookings,” said Nguyen.

When starting a new business in downtown Brookings, it can bring a few challenges for owners. For Nguyen, the problem is that people aren’t aware of the shop and many people hesitate to try things from other cultures.

“Some hesitate to try something completely unknown [to them] so with time we hope people will try and recognize it’s not like trying a completely new food,” Nguyen said. “New food is much harder to [become] accustomed to. Who likes wasabi at first try? Yet it is so popular.”

The shop ran out of ingredients on Aug. 4 in the first week it was open combined with some staffing situations, the

shop had to close for a few days to get things in order.

“But now we should be OK,” affirmed Nguyen. “Occasionally we will run out of things but not a lot.”

“CupATea has certainly brought something new to the downtown scene,” said Kirsten Gjesdal, executive director of Downtown Brookings, a group that promotes the Brookings area.

“Having great options like that, for people to come by and have a snack, is something that we’re missing in our downtown,” Gjesdal said. “People can kind of grab it and go in the middle of the afternoon. [CupATea] is not a coffee shop; some people don’t want caffeine. It’s kind of a hipper, in trend, beverage, too. Having something like that [has] pulled in the younger crowd.”

Gjesdal described downtown

Brookings as having a neighborhood-feel because of the setup of the buildings and she is happy to see businesses opening downtown. For many small-business owners, they will choose to open downtown because they will get more customers and are more visible than starting somewhere different.

Nguyen also owns Brookings Nails & Spa, which has been open for a year and decided to open CupATea, after a year in the making.

“When I wanted to get a good drink, I would drive all the way to Canada, where my family lives, and order about 40 cups of milk tea to put into a cooler to bring back,” Nguyen said. “In the past 10 years, I didn’t see anyone opening a boba shop, so I decided to open my own.”

He added that CupATea is original, from the franchise itself to the recipes for the drinks.

“We make most of our drinks from scratch and use only premium ingredients imported from Taiwan. Come and see the difference,” Nguyen said. “To those who haven’t tried, here’s a chance to experience a piece of Asian cuisine and culture, right here in Brookings, South Dakota.”

Collegian Photos by JORDAN ROEMELING CupATea, an authentic boba shop, opened over the summer in downtown Brookings.

Customers try out drinks at CupATea, located in downtown Brookings.

Women’s soccer charges toward conference season

BRAYDEN BYERS Managing Editor

Five different players scored for South Dakota State’s women’s soccer team in the last two games as the Jacks played Grand Canyon and Green Bay as they make the turn for the Summit League season.

The 7-1 Jackrabbits will look toward Creighton as they play their final nonconference game Friday in Omaha.

The Blue Jays are fresh off their first win this season coming against Summit League and SDSU rival, North Dakota State. Creighton defeated NDSU 3-2 scoring all three goals unanswered Sunday afternoon in Fargo.

Two goals in the first 17 minutes by the Bison put them out to a 2-0 lead before senior Abigail Santana fired a shot past the NDSU keeper to cut the deficit to 2-1.

After a scoring drought of 42 minutes from both teams, Santana scored her second of the night to tie the game at 2-2. Grad student Hitomi Yamaue hit the game winning score in the 45-minute mark to put the Blue Jays in the win column.

Goalkeeper Keelan Terrell played the whole match, saving seven goals. Santana led the Jays kicking three balls toward the goal. Senior Hannah Luke had the only assist for Creighton.

The Jacks are also hot off a win scoring six goals unanswered taking down Grand Canyon and Green Bay Thursday and Sunday.

The Jackrabbits jumped on the offensive in the second half against the Phoenix Sunday scoring four of the five goals after the 45-minute mark to improve to 7-1 on the season. The Jacks lit up the scoreboard against the Phoenix all without their leading scorer Maya Hansen who played only 11 minutes against Grand Canyon.

After an early goal by Jadenn Carillo Sunday, Maleah Evans scored her second goal in as many games in the 63 minute to put the Rabbits up 2-0 running immediately to the sidelines to celebrate with Hansen. Following her up quickly was Kayla Anderson beating the Phoenix defense

and putting the ball in net just 16 seconds later. “When your leader goes out, it’s hard. And I just wanted her to know, like, she’s an incredible person,” Evans said, “And she was coaching me on the sidelines. And so, I think that goal was probably more for Maya than it was for me.”

The Jacks then tacked on two more in the 77 and 88 minutes from Katelyn Beulke and Birna Bjornsdottir. Both of those goals marked the first score in their college careers.

Jocelyn Tanner played the full 90 minutes in net for the Yellow and Blue saving just two shots, showing the dominance from the Jackrabbit team in front of her which put 24 shots on Green Bay’s Mallorie Benhart. The Jacks also held the advantage 8-0 in corner kicks.

“Obviously, we scored one goal in the first half and four in the second.But for me, it’s not about the score.”

Head Coach Brock

Thompson during his weekly recap. “It’s about the performance. And I thought we performed really well, I thought the focus going into that game was, you know, creating quality chances.”

The Jacks improved their active win streak over Green Bay to eight, improving to 8-2 all time against the phoenix. This five-goal performance was the largest margin of victory in any contest between the two schools.

They now turn their attention to their regional rivals in Creighton, which Thompson said will be a fantastic game in Omaha Friday.

“Obviously … you having one game this weekend and one game next weekend, it does allow us to take some of the load off of the players, as we kind of ... then prepare for conference season,” he said.

Collegian photo by ZOEY SCHENTZEL

Midfielder Avery Murdzek dribbles the ball against a Green Bay defender in the Jacks’ 5-0 win Sunday at Fishback Soccer Park.

Volleyball goes 1-2 at Ole Miss Invitational

MARSHALL MINIHAN Sports Editor

The Jacks Woman’s Volleyball team had their third tournament of four before they hit conference play as they returned from the Ole Miss Invite, winning one match and losing two.

“The traveling has been super fun,” said Katie Van Egdom. “We won’t get this experience again, so it’s been super awesome.”

The Jackrabbits had two matches on Sept. 8, winning their first by a sweep and losing their second in the same fashion.

Going into the tournament 1-5, South Dakota State saw their first win in two weeks against Alcorn State. In the sweep, the Jacks had a total of 45 kills to Alcorn State’s 23 with Sylvie Zgonc getting 13 as well as Sydni Schetnan with nine. Outside hitter Masa Scheierman finished with eight kills on her own, a season high record for the sophomore.

SDSU finished with 39 assists with Raegen Reilly and Rylee Martin being a part of 34 of them.

The first set was the closest of the trio, with the score ending at 25-18. With just a one-point advantage for the Jacks, McKenna Moehrle picked up a kill which gave SDSU the upper hand and went on a 7-2 run to bring the score to 21-17 before scoring four straight points to end the set.

Set two saw a close 10-8 score before the Jacks went on a six-point run. Along with two points scored by the Braves, the Jacks added five more to their own, putting Alcorn State behind, 21-10. With two kills from Scheierman, the Jacks found themselves with a 4-0 run to end match two 25-12.

The Jacks pulled away early in the final set, with nine of the first ten points of the match being scored by the ladies in blue and gold. Martin had two aces on another stretch for the Jacks bringing the already lopsided score to 17-7.

SDSU took their first win of the tournament beating Alcorn State out on a sweep, foreshadowing their defeat in their next match against tournament host Ole Miss.

The Jacks were outmatched against the now 5-3 Rebels. Zgonc pulled in 10 of the Jacks’ 30 kills on her

own in the match with Scheierman and Van Egdom bringing in seven a piece.

In their match against Alcorn State, South Dakota State had a .385 hitting percentage. That percentage dropped to 21.7% in the three sets against Ole Miss. Though low, Van Egdom had a .467, her best single match percentage of her career.

Ole miss broke away mid to 14-9 before the Jackrabbits scored six unanswered points and led the match 16-14. South Dakota State took the edge late in the set with Scheierman and Van Egdom breaking the 18- all tie. Though the lead would not last as the Rebels came back on a stretch and took set one 23-25.

In the next two sets, the Jacks steadily declined, losing

set two by eight points and the final set 25-9, to the Rebels.

The Jacks played their final match of the weekend on Saturday, Sept. 9 against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles and stayed neck and neck throughout all four sets, with their 20-25 loss in the third set being their least close game.

Both the Jacks and the Golden Eagles finished their four-set match with 51 kills while SDSU’s hitting percentage declined to .147 to Tennessee Tech’s .184.

The Jacks took an early 6-3 lead in the first set. After a four-point run from TTU, the Jacks regained the lead with a close 14-10. South Dakota State continued with the lead until they were two points away from taking the set. With the score 23-19, the Golden Eagles took a six-point comeback from behind to take set one, 23-25.

Tennessee Tech started off hot in set two, but by the time they could add, SDSU came from behind and brought it to 6-4. It remained a close contested matchup, but a 5-0 Jacks run moved the Jacks up by six points. After an 18-all score, South Dakota State edged out with a 25-23 victory.

South Dakota State would lose both the third and fourth sets of the match.

Set three started hot for the Jacks as they went up four to two, courtesy of two kills from Van Egdom. Although the Jacks could not maintain their lead, losing the set 20-25.

The final set of the game proved to be the closest. The match stayed close with SDSU leading for most of the time before TTU edged out and took an 18-19 lead but tied once again at 20-20. After a 4-1 run from the Golden Eagles, South Dakota State could not force a comeback to push for a fifth set, giving the match to the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles in four sets.

South Dakota State will head to Boise, Idaho for the Boise State Classic to play Montana, Boise State and Loyola Marymount over a three day stretch starting Thursday, Sept. 14 at 5 p.m. central time.

“We have a lot to prove this weekend, so I think we are all really excited to go out there and compete,” said Van Egdom.

Photo by Inertia Sports Media/Dave Eggen Katie Van Egdom during the season opening match against Augustana at Brookings High School Friday, Aug. 18, 2023.

Freshman wins men’s 8K; Jacks women finish third

Collegian photo by ZOEY SCHENTZEL

South Dakota State athlete Caron Noecker, center, competes at the SDSU classic Friday, Sept. 8, 2023 at Edgebrook Golf Course in Brookings, S.D.

Collegian photo by ZOEY SCHENTZEL

South Dakota State athlete Leah (Hansen) Hisken competes at the SDSU classic Friday, Sept. 8, 2023 at Edgebrook Golf Course in Brookings, S.D.

South Dakota State men finished in third and the women placed second as freshman Carson Noecker and Leah (Hansen) Hisken earn the TicketSmarter Summit League Cross Country Peak Performers of the Week for the second time in a row.

Noecker finished first with a time of 24:28.4 In the men’s 8k, his first time ever competing in the event collegiately. Noecker’s teammate Josh Becker finished behind him at 24:39.7 for second place.

“If it’s on the schedule, we are going to compete hard,” head coach Rod DeHaven said. “I think on the men’s side we did that.”

South Dakota State had six other athletes competing in the men’s 8k. Jackson Dutcher, a freshman out of Caper, WY, placed 12th in the event with a time of 25:10.7, with Cody Larson and Will Lohr both placing in the top-20 as well. Larson placed 17th at 25:17.2 while Lohr ran a 25:18.1 for 19th in his first 8k race for the Jacks.

Christian Noble, Cashton Johnson and Luke Johnson all were first 8k runners as well with Noble placing at 29th, Cashton Johnson at 33rd and Luke Johnson at 42nd.

South Dakota State won the 8k in the men’s division with a total of 51 points while the University of North Dakota finished hot on their trail with 52 points and North Dakota State with 56 points for third.

Augustana, Northern State and South Dakota all competed in the race along with some SDSU alumni and unattached runners from NDSU.

“We got a lot of work left to do, but at least for the young men it is something they can hang their hats on in terms of ‘yeah, we can possibly do this,” DeHaven said.

With no surprise, Hisken took first in the women’s 5k while five other Rabbit runners place in the top-20.

Hisken finished her 5k with the time of 17:46.3 for gold while Mya Kizer finished eighth at 18:14.3.

Finishing in the 11th spot was Jessica Lutmer getting a 18:23.2, a personal best for the Pierre, S.D. native. Claire Beckman clocked in a 18:34.8 to take 13th with Caitlin Bright running a 18:38.6 for 16th.

Grace Waage rounded out the top-20 runners for the Rabbits as she finished in 19th place at 18:42.4.

Running a personal record time of 18:47.5 was Sierra Watterud who finished 23rd overall with two other athletes in the top-40, Emma Gonzalez and Jenna Soine, running a 19:35.5 and a 19:39.2 respectively.

South Dakota State Univeristy had five other runners competing in the 5k with Nina Dawson at 46th, Kadense Dooley at 47th, Emma Ecker in 48th, Hannah Neusch at 61st and Hannah Spoden in 64th.

Though having six athletes in the top20, SDSU took silver in the team standings with 46 points behind border state rival North Dakota State who scored 41 total points. USD took bronze with 61 points with UND taking fourth with 112.

The South Dakota State Jackrabbits have a rest week before continuing their season at the Roy Griak Invitational Sept. 22, hosted by the University of Minnesota Gophers at the Les Bolstad Golf Course in St. Paul, MN.

– Jordan Raddatz, GoJacks.com

Collegian photo by ZOEY SCHENTZEL

Athletes from around the region compete at the SDSU Classic Friday, Sept. 8, 2023 at Edgebrook Golf Course in Brookings, S.D. This was South Dakota State’s only regular season home competition. The Jacks will host the Summit League Championships in October.

JACKS COMEBACK

NO. 1 SDSU WINS THRILLER OVER NO. 3 MONTANA STATE

JON AKRE Sports Reporter

In front of a sellout crowd at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium Saturday, the Jackrabbits pulled off a second half comeback to knock off fellow top ranked team Montana State, 20-16.

For the third time in just 18 games, The Jackrabbits and the Bobcats went toe-to-toe once again. The last two contests between these teams were in the semifinals of each of the last two playoffs, with Montana State taking the first bout in Bozeman, 31-17, and the Jackrabbits picking up the 39-18 win 364 days later in Brookings.

While this game wasn’t for a spot in the National Championship, it still had a playoff atmosphere, with playoff seeding implications.

The Jackrabbit faithful showed up strong, with an official attendance of 19,332, it

ties a record for second most in Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, matching the 28-3 win over South Dakota just last season.

And to say the crowd was a factor is an understatement, as they helped force nine false start penalties throughout the game.

However, the Jackrabbits started off slow in the first half, after a quick three-and-out from the Bobcats, quarterback Mark Gronowski fumbled attempting to escape the pocket.

Even without star senior linebacker Adam Bock, the Jackrabbit defense held strong against the #3 team in the FCS. Giving up 298 total yards, the Bobcats scored just one touchdown on their second drive of the game, capitalizing on the early turnover with a 2-yard touchdown run by senior quarterback Sean Chambers. The Jackrabbits were held to just 17 total yards on nine plays in the first quarter, and 91 total yards for the half.

Going into halftime facing a 10-point deficit, SDSU knew they weren’t playing their

Collegian Photo by JOCLYN HAVEN

The SDSU football team celebrates after its 20-16 win over the Montana State Bobcats at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium. The Jackrabbits keep their

No. 1 overall rank in the Football Subdivision Conference.

best football.

“I told them at halftime that it’s a 60-minute game,” head coach Jimmy Rogers said. “We didn’t play our best half, and we responded in the second half.”

And they responded fast. Coming out of halftime, the Jackrabbits took the opening possession right down the field, capping off the drive with a 20-yard touchdown run by Gronowski. They followed that up with another touchdown, this time a 16-yard touchdown pass to tight end Zach Heins to open the fourth quarter.

After the touchdown to put the Jackrabbits up 13-10 with 14:15 to go, junior kicker Hunter Dustman missed the extra point, breaking his streak of 67 consecutive made PATs, and the SDSU streak of 139.

The special team’s unit would continue to struggle, giving up a huge return on the ensuing kickoff, as well as giving up a blocked punt on the next offensive possession, that would give the Bobcats the ball at the SDSU 1-yard line. Montana State would have to settle for a field goal, after failing to punch it in.

The SDSU defense only allowed six points in the fourth quarter, even after all three Bobcat drives got into Jackrabbit territory. Senior strong safety Cale Reeder made a huge play in the fourth quarter with an interception but was a huge factor in the defensive effort throughout the game.

“It’s awesome to hold a team to three points when they’re on the 1-yard line,” Reeder said. “That’s the goal of the defense, or to take that ball away, so I’m glad were able to hold them to a field goal and still keep the game within reach.”

Down 16-13 with 2:04 to go in the game, it took the Jackrabbits just 34 seconds to take the lead and keep it. A 40-yard completion to Grahm Goering, followed by a 35-yard touchdown pass to true freshman Griffin Wilde gave the SDSU the 20-16 lead with 1:30 to play.

“It was a really cool experience,” Wilde said. “I heard the play call in the huddle, I think the O-line kicked out three or four guys, all I had to do was run.”

The win for the Jackrabbits didn’t come without its share of controversial calls. With 90 seconds to play, the Bobcats drove down the field and thought they had scored the game winning touchdown as time expired, off a catch from wide receiver Clevan Thomas Jr.

However, after a replay review, it was ruled that Thomas Jr.’s foot was out-of-bounds before catching the ball, with one second left. On the last play of the game, Chambers’s pass to the endzone was batted down, giving the Jackrabbits the 20-16 victory.

Quarterback Mark Gronowski finished the game 13-of-22 for 184 yards and two touchdowns, adding another 26 yards and a score on the ground.

Isaiah Davis finished with 12 carries for 66 yards, while Amar Johnson had five carries for 47 yards, including a 26-yard run that helped spark the second-half comeback.

Jaxon Janke caught 3 passes for 28 yards in the game. Griffin Wilde finished with two catches for 49 yards and

a touchdown. The Sioux Falls-Native isn’t wasting any time making his presence felt in the offense. Heins finished with two catches for 25 yards and a score as well.

On the defensive end, Saiveon Williamson, and Colby Huerter each recorded 10 tackles. Reeder finished with eight tackles and an interception, and Tucker Large added another seven tackles.

Now with all the momentum in the world, the Jackrabbits take that confidence to the Twin Cities This Saturday, where they will face off against the Drake Bulldogs at Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins.

“I’m really excited, it’s always been a dream of mine,” Gronowski said, talking about playing at Target Field. “I think it’s going to be a cool experience next week.”

This will be the third college football game ever played at Target Field, and the first since 2019, with the last two games peaking an average of roughly 36,000 fans in attendance.

In 2017, then- Division III St. Thomas and St. John’s played in the first ever Target field game, with 37,355 fans in attendance. Then, it was North Dakota State taking on Butler in 2019, in front of 34,544 fans.

Drake comes into this game 0-2 overall on the season. After suffering a brutal 55-7 loss to North Dakota and another overtime loss to in-state, NAIA Northwestern, the Bulldogs will come into Target Field hungry, seeking win number one and an upset bid on the #1 team in the FCS.

Even after a huge win against a ranked opponent that some might say is the birth of a new rivalry, coach Rogers knows the last thing you want to do is get caught up in

the moment.

“Rivalry, I don’t know, I just think about winning this next game,” Rogers said. “I’m going to be locked in on Drake moving forward and winning that game. You look too far ahead, and you think things are easy and that’s when you slip up.”

SDSU has done a good job of that, moving to 2-0 on the season, and extending their win streak to 16 games, with their last loss coming at the hands of the Iowa Hawkeyes back in their first game of the 2022 campaign. They look to make it 17 on Saturday.

SDSU and Drake will kick-off at Target Field on Saturday, September 16, at 2:30 p.m.

Collegian Photo by JOCLYN HAVEN

The SDSU football team waiting in the tunnel pregame before its matchup with Montana State Saturday.

Collegian Photo by EVAN PATZWALD

The Jacks’ new black helmets were worn for the first time in Saturday’s 20-16 win over Montana State

SPORTS

JACKS WIN TOP-3 MATCHUP, LOOK AHEAD TO DRAKE, PGS. 17-18

Collegian photo by JOCLYN HAVEN