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Roberta K. Olson served as dean of the College of Nursing at South Dakota State University from 1994 to 2013. During her tenure, the college experienced significant growth in enrollment and academic programming. The number of entering undergraduate students increased from 136 to 304, and graduate student enrollment more than doubled. Under her leadership, the College of Nursing expanded its degree offerings to include an online master’s degree program in 2002, a Ph.D. program in nursing in 2005, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program in 2009, reflecting broader changes in nursing education and professional practice.

Olson earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from South Dakota State University and completed a doctorate in organization and administration of higher education at Saint Louis University. Prior to her appointment as dean at SDSU, she held faculty and administrative positions at the University of Kansas and the University of Texas–Houston schools of nursing. In recognition of her contributions to nursing education, she received the Sr. Bernadette Armiger Award from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and was inducted into the South Dakota Nurses Association Hall of Fame in 2017. Following her retirement as dean, she returned to the university to serve as interim dean in 2018.

Goldie Clare Burgeson, born October 20, 1901, taught in rural schools near Bryant and Hayti, drove a school bus, and worked at the Hayti Post Office and local grocery stores. The couple had two daughters: Lou Ellen (Mrs. Floyd Johnson) and Nona (Mrs. James Amerson). Goldie died on May 6, 1996.

William Sigurd Opdahl was born on April 19, 1894, in South Dakota to Hogen and Mathilda Opdahl. He married Goldie Clare Burgeson on February 28, 1920, in Watertown, South Dakota. The couple initially farmed the Opdahl homestead before relocating to the Byron Sour farm near Hayti. In 1929, they moved into the town of Hayti. Sigurd farmed in Hayti and Opdahl Townships, worked as a school bus driver, briefly worked for the railroad, was employed at a California factory during World War II, and later worked for the Hamlin County Co-op Oil until retirement. He died on May 10, 1975.

David Pearson earned a law degree from the University of South Dakota and returned to South Dakota State University in 1957 as an Assistant Professor of Economics. In 1959, President Briggs appointed him Special Assistant to the President, a role in which he continued to teach and was promoted to Professor in July 1965. In 1973, he was named Vice President for Administration, formalizing responsibilities he had largely been fulfilling since 1959. Pearson also led the Greater State Fund, which later evolved into the SDSU Foundation. He retired in August 1980 and passed away on July 10, 1990.

Richard Franklin Pettigrew was a U.S. Delegate from the Dakota Territory and later a U.S. Senator from South Dakota. Born in Ludlow, Windsor County, Vermont, on July 23, 1848, he moved with his family to Wisconsin in 1854. He attended public schools and Evansville Academy before enrolling at Beloit College in 1864. After a year of teaching and studying law in Iowa, he entered the law department of the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1867.

In 1869, Pettigrew moved to Dakota Territory as part of a U.S. deputy surveyor team. He settled in Sioux Falls, where he was admitted to the bar around 1871 and practiced law while engaging in surveying and real estate. His political career began with service in the Dakota Territorial House of Representatives in 1872, followed by terms in the Territorial Council in 1877 and 1879.

Pettigrew was elected as a Republican Delegate to the Forty-seventh Congress (1881–1883) but was unsuccessful in his bid for reelection in 1882. He returned to the Territorial Council in 1885, continuing his involvement in legislative affairs. Pettigrew later played a crucial role in securing statehood for South Dakota and went on to serve as one of its first U.S. Senators.

A strong advocate for progressive and populist policies, Pettigrew eventually broke with the Republican Party, aligning himself with the Populist movement and advocating for economic reform and government regulation of monopolies. His political career and writings reflected his commitment to challenging corporate power and advancing policies to benefit the working class and farmers.

The South Dakota State University chapter of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi has recognized academic excellence across all disciplines since at least 1949, as documented in university archives. While the exact date of the chapter’s founding remains unclear, records show decades of active involvement in promoting scholarship through initiation ceremonies, academic banquets, faculty lectureships, and student recognition events.

Over the years, the chapter has maintained a strong presence on campus, emphasizing the Society’s mission to honor students and faculty of high scholarly achievement and good character. Archival materials—including meeting minutes, correspondence, newsletters, and event programs—reflect a long-standing commitment to fostering a culture of academic distinction at SDSU. The chapter’s history exemplifies the Society’s broader goals of encouraging excellence in higher education and service to the academic community.

In 1933, students at South Dakota State College began laying the groundwork to apply for a charter with Phi Upsilon Omicron, the Home Economics Honor Society. Encouraged by Dean Edith Pierson and Laura McArthur—who taught Home Economics Education and was an alumna of Alpha Chapter—the students received guidance and access to valuable contacts to support their efforts.

After much preparation, Phi Chapter was officially chartered on May 19, 1934, just one week before the senior students graduated. Members of Alpha and Beta Chapters organized the installation ceremony, which was conducted by Priscilla Rowland, National President of Phi U. The event took place in the Foods Laboratory, then located in the Administration Building.

The first president of Phi Chapter was Merle (La Mont) Gunsalus, a junior at the time of installation. Several students were initiated during the May 1934 ceremony, marking the beginning of the chapter’s long-standing presence on campus.

As of 2008, Phi Upsilon Omicron is recognized as a Family and Consumer Sciences Honor Society, dedicated to promoting professional development and community service. Membership in Phi U is both an honor and a commitment to active engagement in the organization’s initiatives.

One of the society’s core goals is to help members grow as professionals—not only through academic achievement, but also through involvement in meaningful activities and experiences. Each year, Phi U carries out a professional project that encourages student involvement on campus and within the local community. In addition, the chapter maintains connections with its alumni through joint activities and events.

Students who have completed at least 40 credit hours and maintain a GPA of 3.2 or higher are eligible for invitation to join. In evaluating prospective members, the chapter seeks individuals who demonstrate excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service.

Born May 5, 1927, in Westville, Illinois, to John and Elsie (DeBarba) Plumart, Phillip Edmond “Phil” Plumart was the son of a family with Belgian coal mining roots. He served South Dakota State University for 28 years as a faculty member and Extension specialist. During his career, he received multiple Teacher of the Year recognitions and the SDSU Outstanding Service Award in 1986 for service to students.

Plumart served in the United States Army from 1944 to 1947. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Illinois in 1950 and a Master of Science in Poultry Science from Kansas State College in 1952. He completed additional post graduate coursework at Purdue University and the University of Minnesota.

On August 4, 1956, he married Darlene Rieck of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. They had three children: Perry (Mary) Plumart, Larry (Donna) Plumart, and Rene (Phil Salisbury) Plumart.

Plumart joined South Dakota State University in 1961 as an Assistant Professor and served in that role until 1974. From 1975 to 1989, he was an Associate Professor and Extension Poultry Specialist, retiring in 1989 as Professor Emeritus. His work included teaching poultry management, advising animal science students, and providing Extension services in poultry production and agricultural computing. He played a key role in poultry judging programs and developed automated systems for South Dakota Future Farmers of America rules and regulations. He also created the computer program used to record and track thousands of 4-H entries at the South Dakota State Fair.

In addition to SDSU honors, Plumart received the Distinguished Service Award from the South Dakota Future Farmers of America in 1983, the Poultryman of the Year award, and the Gip Nolan Award for Outstanding Community Service.

His community service included 13 years on the Brookings City Planning Commission and later service as a Brookings City Commissioner, where he oversaw finances related to the Swiftel Center and the expansion of the Brookings Public Library.

Phillip Edmond Plumart died on November 27, 2014, in Brookings, South Dakota.

James Pollock (born 1943, South Dakota) is an American artist based in Pierre, South Dakota, known for his work that blends abstract and concrete styles. His artistic range spans from the bold, geometric influences of the Bauhaus to interpretations reminiscent of ancient cave paintings and traditional landscape art. Pollock is an active member of the South Dakota Plein Air Artists movement.

Raised in Pollock, South Dakota, he was named after his great-grandfather and developed an early interest in art, which he pursued academically, earning a degree in art from South Dakota State University in 1965. After being drafted into the U.S. Army in 1966, Pollock served in the Vietnam Combat Artists Program, where his work became part of the U.S. Army Art Collection. His Vietnam War-era art has been widely exhibited, including at the Indianapolis Art Center and the National Constitution Center.

Following his military service, Pollock worked as a graphic artist and illustrator in South Dakota, contributing to various state publications and projects. His art has been featured in several notable exhibitions, both nationally and internationally. In 1980, he was named Artist of the Year by the South Dakota Cowboy and Western Heritage Hall of Fame. Pollock also designed the first issue gold and silver bullion pieces for the State of South Dakota in 1987 and has continued to create and exhibit art throughout his career. He is a founding member of Artists of the Black Hills, established in 2005.

In August 2018, Pollock was named the Harvey Dunn Award winner at a Plein Air painting competition in De Smet, South Dakota. Eighty-three artists from six states competed for the honor. Harvey Dunn, born on a homestead farm near De Smet, was a successful illustrator, teacher, and was selected by the American Expeditionary Forces as an official artist during WWI. The Harvey Dunn Society acknowledges his legacy through this annual award.[28]
In October 2018, Pollock, in collaboration with poet Steve Boint, published a book of art and poetry entitled Sketchbook 91-1-1.

Bert John Popowski was born on February 15, 1904, in Grafton, North Dakota, where he spent his childhood and completed his elementary and high school education. He attended South Dakota State College in Brookings, graduating in 1926 with a Bachelor of Science degree in printing. In 1930, he married Harriet Seymour of Aberdeen, South Dakota, and they had two sons, John Seymour and Jerome Bert.

Throughout his life, Popowski lived in various parts of the United States and held a range of positions, including high school principal and associate editor for Look magazine. From 1951 until his death in 1982, he worked as a freelance writer, author, and contributing editor for numerous outdoor and sporting publications. Over a prolific career spanning fifty years, he authored more than 2,300 articles. His first feature story appeared in Outdoor Life in 1931. He later served as a contributing editor for The American Rifleman, where he wrote the “Dope Bag” column, and contributed regular columns to other magazines, including “Hunting” for The Outdoorsman, “Guns and Ammunition” for Hunting & Fishing, and “The Shot Tower” for Guns and Hunting.

Popowski gained national recognition for his book Hunting Pronghorn Antelope, along with several other major works, some of which were translated into Spanish and Japanese. An accomplished photographer, he often illustrated his own articles and books. In his early years, he became known as an expert varmint hunter, and his writings helped popularize this form of hunting. In 1932, he built a log cabin near the Narrows on French Creek in Custer State Park, where he weathered the Great Depression and devoted himself to writing. In 1949, he won the National Crow Shooting Championship, using crow calls of his own design to defeat 51 competitors. His lifelong interests extended beyond hunting to natural history and wildlife management.

In 1979, Popowski donated his books, manuscripts, and photographs to South Dakota State University. He was honored the same year at the Outdoor Writers Association of America convention in Rapid City, where the State of South Dakota recognized him as the “Dean of South Dakota Outdoor Writers.” In his later years, he faced health challenges, including cancer and a stroke, and passed away on February 14, 1982. His legacy endures as a prolific writer, photographer, and advocate for wildlife and outdoor pursuits.

William H. Powers was born in northwest Ohio. He earned his B.A. from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in 1891, and later received an M.A. from Harvard University in 1899. After several years teaching at Huron College in Huron, South Dakota, Powers was appointed librarian at South Dakota State College in 1905, a position he held until 1931.

In addition to his work at the college, Powers was a charter member of the South Dakota Academy of Science and the Forum. He served on the South Dakota State Library Commission and was a member of the Brookings Public Library Board of Trustees. He played a key role in securing a Carnegie Library for Brookings and was also active in the Boy Scouts from an early date.

Powers died in 1936.

The Prairie Repertory Theatre was founded by students and faculty in 1971 after the relocation of the Oldham Opera House. The Prairie Repertory Theatre was created through collaboration by the Prairie Historical Society and South Dakota State University in order to present a joint summer theater season. The Prairie Repertory Theatre has worked to encourage theatrical talents in the community and continue the historic tradition bringing theater to the communities in South Dakota.

The Prairie Repertory Theater presents four plays a summer for a duration of six weeks a play at SDSU in Brookings and at Prairie Village near Madison, SD and recently celebrated their 50th year of theater productions.

The Prairie Striders Running Club was founded in Brookings, South Dakota, in 1969 by community members Jay Dirksen, Russ Strande, Howard Sauer, Lyle Derscheid, Keith Morrill, Bruce Berger, Lornie Bartling, Bob Bartling, Harvey Mills, Scott Underwood, Don Solsvig, and Jim Egeberg.

A non-profit organization affiliated with the Amateur Athletic Union, the club aims to unite running enthusiasts and promote the sport throughout South Dakota. It hosts various local races, including 5K, 8K, the Jackrabbit 15, and the Longest Day Marathon.

The club also publishes a newsletter and offers running resources to its members. These include coverage of club events, state high school meets, regional collegiate races, and national competitions involving members and their families, along with record-breaking performances and historical insights from the world of competitive running.