CAMPUS VISITS are helpful in choosing a college or university. Tour guides know the application deadlines, show you the important buildings and offer tips on how to arrange your dorm room. But for an insider’s look at campus life, talk to students. We do just that in this edition of our annual Guide to Higher Education. You’ll learn about fun traditions like the whitewashing of M-Hill in Rapid City, engaging professors, secret study spots and where to find great coffee and food both on and off campus. Here’s a valuable guide for future students as well as parents and grandparents who plan to visit.
Dakota Wesleyan University
AUGUSTANA UNIVERSITY SIOUX FALLS
Will Simmons is a freshman exercise science major from Rapid City.
Classroom Exercise
In Intro to Exercise Science we learn about how health experts use methods to gain data and how exercise can play a big role in our daily lives. Local health professionals give speeches about their jobs and the paths leading into their careers.
Neighborhood Bagels
Bagel Boy is right down the street. I recommend the pizza bagel with asiago cheese, and I get a free drink when I show them my Augustana ID.
New Sport for Augie
My favorite campus activity is being on the inaugural club hockey team. Having the opportunity to play competitive hockey past high school is awesome, and it is a great way for me to connect with new people and play the sport I love.
Homecoming Traditions
During Homecoming there are events like the Ole Olympics and Coronation to show the Royal Court for the year. They even introduced the Augie Bowl, a campus favorite, and I love it.
Library Studies
Working in the Mikkelsen Library gives me a sense of being productive. I find a cubby seat, which mostly blocks out distractions and lets me sprawl out my schoolwork.
Ronda Simmons
BLACK HILLS STATE UNIVERSITY Spearfish
Kyle Jones is a senior business administration major from Sturgis.
Dad Jokes in Calc
I never would have thought that applying calculus to business applications would be fun, but Professor Pat Mackin proved me wrong. The way he teaches Quantitative Decision Analysis and Productions & Operations Management provides insightful solutions to complex business problems and memorable ways in which to do so. His arsenal of dad jokes is an added bonus.
Frozen Hike
Hiking to the Community Caves in the winter leaves you breathless. Waterfalls covering the natural cave system freeze, creating massive columns of ice that form
an almost fairy-tale-looking ice castle. It’s a great place for photos and hidden gem from which to view the beauty of the Spearfish area.
Family Meal
Nonna’s Kitchen is the perfect place for an authentic Italian meal. You experience
dishes outside local Midwestern fare, and the staff and owners treat you like family. I recommend the Bolognese with a side of gnocchi to soak up the sauce.
Homey Coffee Shop
The best place to snag a coffee and homemade hand pie is the Green Bean. They
roast their own beans and provide one of the best study spots in Spearfish. The shop is an outfitted old house, so walking in and studying next to the fireplace with a hot cup of coffee while snow lazily falls outside makes it truly feel like home.
Getting to Know Spearfish
My favorite event is introducing new students to Spearfish during New Student Orientation and Green & Gold Week. It’s an amazing time to share what makes our neck of the woods so special: taking a weekend drive through Spearfish Canyon to see the leaves turn colors and hiking Crow Peak to survey our pristine slice of the Black Hills, to grabbing a scoop of this week’s unique flavor of ice cream from Leones.
DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY
Madison
Maya Plummer is a sophomore computer information systems major from Brookings.
Wizards and Whatnot
Themed Week is a relatively new campus tradition. Our first one was a week full of Harry Potter themed events called Wizard Week. I’m excited to see how Galactic Week goes this year.
Planning Fun
I have been the president of the Student Activities Board since my second month on campus. One of my favorite things to do is plan events that students love going to.
Downtown Breakfast
2nd Street Diner has the best breakfast in town. I went there for the first time with the cast and crew of Grease, so it holds a lot of good memories.
Books? Nah …
In Society and Technology, we get to watch movies instead of reading books. It was very hands on.
Secret Study Space
My favorite spot to study is the Alumni Room. It’s usually forgotten about, and the only downside is that there are a lot of meetings there. I love using the TVs to help with my homework.
Noah Westergaard/BHSU
DAKOTA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY MITCHELL
Callie Slagter is a senior nursing major from Willmar, Minnesota.
Gaining Confidence
In my health assessment class, we learned to perform thorough assessments on patients ranging from a newborn to a nursing home resident. Our professors offered multiple hours of hands-on experience to gain confidence in our assessment skills.
Corn Palace Games
I love attending DWU basketball games at the Corn Palace. One of the
benefits of a small campus is getting to know everyone. These connections make supporting each other during sporting events extra memorable. The Corn Palace is one of the most unique places to cheer on our basketball team.
Local Rivalry
The best event to attend on campus is the DWU vs. Dakota State football game. These teams have a known rivalry, and each team tends to play with extra energy. Students tailgate beforehand to celebrate the big game.
Rooftop Dining
Bradley’s Pub and Grille is a new, locally owned restaurant right next to the Corn Palace. It is the first building in town to have rooftop seating and dining. They are huge supporters of Dakota Wesleyan and have the newly built interior designed with memorabilia from area teams.
Time at the Library
I spend many hours of my week studying and completing assignments in the McGovern Library. It provides space to focus on my schoolwork, get a coffee and access free tutoring.
Aaron Veldhuizen is a second-year agriculture business and commodity merchandising major from Edgerton, Minnesota.
New Acquaintances
LAKE AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE WATERTOWN
I love meeting new friends around the pool tables in the cafeteria. You can grab a bite to eat and shoot some pool with friends and relax between classes. I also enjoy taking advantage of the baby-grand piano in the atrium to play music.
Fresh Study Space
My go to place to study is the new Dana Dykhouse Business Center. The archway across Arrow Avenue is spacious and quiet.
Famous Visitors
This year Mike Rowe came to campus in support of the 25th anniversary of Build Dakota Scholarships, and to dedicate our new campus addition. It was awesome to
hear him speak about the importance of technical education.
Holiday Traditions
All the different programs decorate tractors, equipment and whatever you can with lights at Christmas. Setting up the lights is always a great time — and looks really cool in the end. We also have a Penny War between all of the programs to raise money for children in need in Watertown.
Cool Treats
Zesto’s is the place to go. From banana splits to burgers they have it all, in an old-fashioned drive-up setting. You cannot visit Watertown without stopping.
Bianca Medina is a second-year Automation Controls/Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition student from Huron.
Collaboration
My favorite class is Advanced Programmable Logic Controllers. I love either watching my program succeed or troubleshooting to fix what isn’t working. I also love hearing about how others in the class tackled the same project.
Sharing Excitement
During Exploration Days, I love showing all the cool things the Automation Controls/ Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition program has to offer. It’s super cool to meet potential new students as well.
Quick Jolt
I enjoy going to Hot Shots Espresso and getting a Red Bull Rush. Even though it’s not a sit-down cafe, it’s easy to grab and then go talk with a friend, pick up something
quickly before class, or take home for a relaxing do-nothing day.
Lake Mitchell Trails
Running on the trails by Lake Mitchell is a peaceful escape. Being from a town that
doesn’t really have trails like that, it’s a cool experience.
Sushi Reward
I like eating at Tokyo and getting some sushi as a treat whenever I do well on a test, quiz or program.
SINTE GLESKA UNIVERSITY
MISSION
Did You Know?
• The annual Halloween Masquerade Wacipi combines the fun of Halloween costumes with the culturally important drumming and dancing
• The Founders Week celebration is filled with events like Lakota games, forums, cultural and historical presentations, awards and wacipi.
• Sinte Gleska University opened its doors in 1971, with 156 students enrolled in 16 classes led by volunteer teachers.
MOUNT MARTY UNIVERSITY
YANKTON
Maci Nemetz is a sophomore nursing major from Atkinson, Nebraska.
Discovering Yourself
Jason Heron, my professor for Benedictine Leadership One, played a pivotal role in helping me to discover who I am because the focus of the class is “Who are you?” He challenged me to think deeper and gain different perspectives.
Peaceful Walk
The walking path behind campus winds through the trees and the Sacred Heart Monastery ceme-
tery. Although a cemetery might sound scary, I have found solitude there time and time again. The path overlooks the Missouri River and makes for the best sunset watching.
Connecting through Travel
Mount Marty offers two trips for students: one to the Black Hills and the other to the Rocky Mountains. These trips coincide with our Benedictine Leadership classes. The trips have been the greatest way that I have made connections with people on campus.
Bingo!
Gift Card Bingo is one of
my favorite campus activities. Getting together with friends and competing in a way other than sports is refreshing as a student-athlete. Just being in the environment of the intense game of chance is thrilling, and coming home with a gift card to Walmart or HyVee is even better.
Muddy Mo’s
Muddy Mo’s Coffee House features themed drinks each season. The tables are always decorated with cute flower arrangements and the shop is always filled with people coming and going throughout the day getting coffee, food and ice cream.
Madison Park is a junior elementary and special education major from Watertown.
Homework on the Couch
The create space in the student center is a great place to relax, have meetings or do homework. I often spend time doing my homework on the couch.
More Cowbell
There is always such excitement at our home football games and we
had one of our best during homecoming week. I always have so much fun cheering on the Wolves with my friends. One of my favorite things is when they hand out free cowbells to the students.
Late Night Breakfast
Late Night Breakfast happens on the day before fall finals. From 9 p.m. to midnight, professors, staff and dining workers make a feast of pancakes, eggs, sausage and bacon. It’s free for all students to come and take a break from studying.
Free Ice Cream
My favorite event is Tab on CAB at Twist Cone, a local ice cream place. The Campus Activities Board buys ice cream for students. It always gets a great turnout and is a fun event to welcome the freshman class.
Cake Pops
I am not a big coffee drinker, but my favorite coffee shop is Ziggi’s. They have all different types of drinks, and I always have to get a cake pop when I stop.
Anna Cole is a secondyear media design technology major from Sioux Falls.
Quick Success
I’m especially happy with the Design Fundamentals class. I started not knowing how to use the pen tool, and by the end of the semester, I was completing professional commissions.
Creative Outlet
Our Story, the school’s literary
NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY ABERDEEN
magazine, is a lot of fun, and they give cash prizes for the best entries. It gives everyone on campus a creative outlet and lets them share writing and art with each other.
Urban Adventure
In photography class, there are weekly assignments designed to get students out and about. We had a series of photos to do in Falls Park, almost like a photo scavenger hunt. I met the Batman cosplayer who hangs out downtown and had fun making him part of the photoshoot.
Taste of Ireland
My favorite restaurant is the Blarney Stone Pub. I love the classic, friendly Irish pub atmosphere and the wide variety of items on the menu.
Coffee and Cats
The Cattitude Cafe is a spot to unwind. They have a great selection of drinks and snacks, and there’s a room full of cats to play with. It’s such a cute business idea, and I’ve completed some of my photography assignments with the cats.
SOUTH DAKOTA MINES RAPID CITY
Jadyn Moriarty is a senior civil engineering major from Peoria, Arizona.
Study Sanctuary
I spend most of my study time on campus in the Women in Science and Engineering room. It has tables for sitting and studying, a couch to take breaks and a kitchenette.
Ethical Preparation
Concepts of Professional Practice is an ethics course
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY BROOKINGS
Rylin Yerdon is a senior advertising major from Harrisburg.
Game Day
My favorite campus activity is going to athletic events and cheering for the Jacks from the student section with my friends. The energy that SDSU students and The Pride of the Dakotas marching band bring to games is what sets SDSU athletics apart from other universities.
Real Work
Advertising Media Strategies with Heather Solberg is my favorite class. For our final project, we created a digital media campaign for a brand of our choice. Then we presented in class and described the media strategies we used. It was a great
that civil engineers take their senior year to prepare us for working in the industry. It’s so interesting taking a deep dive into our ethical codes.
Hills Escape
I love being in Rapid City because it is so close to the Black Hills. Any time I need a break, I can hop in my car, drive 20 minutes and I’m surrounded by trees. It’s so peaceful.
Painted White
Whitewashing M-Hill is a
way to practice what I’ll be doing once I graduate.
Urban Nature
I enjoy walks at the Dakota Nature Park. As a busy college student, it’s important to recharge so I can avoid burnout. The park is especially pretty in the fall with all the leaves changing color.
Kool Koffee
Kool Beans has amazing iced vanilla lattes. The vibe of the coffee shop is also really nice for studying or hanging out with friends.
A Game and Wings
My junior year was my first year as a Community Assistant, so my fellow
favorite tradition among most students. Each year on M-Day, we climb up M-Hill and slide down on Frisbees while gallons of white paint are dumped on top of us. Students look forward to it every year.
Football Tailgate
We have a ramp around our stadium that has three levels for cars, and it is typically full during our football games. Some of my favorite memories are sitting at tailgates with my friends and family.
Community Assistants and I would spontaneously go to athletic events, usually followed by a trip to Buffalo Wild Wings for BOGO night.
UNIVERSITY OF SIOUX FALLS SIOUX FALLS
OGLALA LAKOTA COLLEGE KYLE
Did You Know?
• The Oglala Lakota College Historical Center tells the diverse and inspiring story of the Lakota people. The center is open from June through August and features a different Oglala Lakota artist each week.
• Art teachers Keith Braveheart and Marty Two Bulls Jr. are the first Oglala Sioux Tribe artist laureates.
• Oglala Lakota College traces its creation to March 4, 1971, when the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council chartered the Lakota Higher Education Center
Maggie Portillo is a junior from Saint Paul, Minnesota, double majoring in social work and psychology.
Late-Night
Breakfast
My favorite campus activity is late-night breakfast during finals week. It’s a great time to take a break from studying and hang out with everyone, enjoying some late-night pancakes and eggs.
A Quiet Place
I love studying in one of the study rooms in the library. It’s always quiet with plenty of room and a white board if you need to write things down.
Latin Flair
My favorite event is our Fiesta Kickoff for our Latinx club on campus. As president of Latinos Unidos, we try to make it fun by having different foods and telling everyone about the dancing lessons.
Great Bear Hike
Great Bear Recreation Area is the perfect place to escape for peace and quiet. There are different paths to take depending on if you want a long hike or a short hike with a view.
A Boost from Coffea
I love getting coffee at Coffea Roasterie. The lavender latte is a must when I need a little boost to get things done.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA VERMILLION
Kennedy Bietz is a senior chemistry major from Scotland.
Legacy Photos
My favorite campus tradition is taking pictures with the Legacy statue, which perfectly embodies our school spirit. As the state animal of South Dakota, the coyote represents a strong connection to our heritage. Each photo captures memorable moments with friends and honors our pride in being part of this unique legacy.
Sharing the USD Love
As a student ambassador, I drive the red Charlie carts and give tours to prospective students and their families. Since freshman year, I’ve enjoyed sharing my passion for the university and helping visitors feel welcomed and informed about what we have to offer.
Teacher Support
Beate Wone has been my favorite professor since I took her general biology class. Her teaching style makes complex material approach-
able, and her support as a mentor has been invaluable. I’ve continued taking her classes because she genuinely cares about her students’ success, inspiring me to deepen my understanding and confidence in science.
Homecoming
I love Dakota Days because it brings everyone together for a week of celebration and camaraderie. Hanging out with friends, attending the game and interacting with alumni creates a unique experience that truly embodies the spirit of USD.
It’s a time to connect, share memories and celebrate our school pride.
Quiet Floor
The third floor of the library is my favorite study spot because it’s the quietest floor, allowing me to really focus without distractions. I love sitting by the windows, where the natural light keeps me energized and the view adds a relaxing backdrop during long study sessions.
SISSETON WAHPETON COLLEGE AGENCY VILLAGE
Did You Know?
• Sisseton Wahpeton College hosts the American Indian Higher Education Consortium every spring. Students compete in a variety of events, including business, speech, science, art, a knowledge bowl and hand games.
• The symbols on the Sisseton Wahpeton College logo represent the seven political districts of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate and the four core values of the traditional Dakota people — bravery, wisdom, endurance and intuition.
• In a class called Dakota Song and Dance, students make their own drumstick and practice the sounds of Dakota song. They also learn the different categories of traditional songs and how dancers and drummers are judged at pow wows.
WESTERN DAKOTA TECHNICAL COLLEGE RAPID CITY
Haley Erickson is a second-year computer science major from Rapid City.
National Competition
Western Dakota Tech is part of the Skills USA organization, and I had the opportunity to compete in Atlanta, Georgia in Information Technology Services. We spent a week in Atlanta, and I got to utilize the skills I learned my first two semesters. I proudly received fourth in my competition.
Friendly Restaurant
I love to eat at Everest Cuisine. I often get butter chicken but have yet to run into a dish that isn’t delicious. More importantly, the woman who owns Everest is very kind and considerate. She is attentive to customers and recognizes me every time.
Coffee and Comfort
Pure Bean in downtown Rapid City has amazing seasonal drinks and a variety of seating. I really appreciate a comfortable armchair when it comes to studying and accomplishing tasks.
Stand Up Studying
There is a table in the back of the campus library with tall bar tables. I love studying on the ones closest to the window so I can people watch whenever I need a mind break. There is also a standing desk available and closed off bench desks for study groups.
Peace in the Hills
I am lucky that I live within the Black Hills and can walk my dog on the Spring Creek Trailhead. The trail leads to Sheridan Lake where we often go paddle boarding and cliff jumping off Dakota Point.
