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Richard Wahlstrom graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1948 with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Husbandry. He then attended the University of Illinois, where he earned a master’s degree in animal nutrition followed two years later by a Ph.D. in the same field. While at Illinois, Wahlstrom served as a graduate assistant focused primarily on research. From 1951 to 1952, he pursued research with the Merck Institute of Therapeutic Research.

After his work with Merck, Wahlstrom joined South Dakota State College in 1952 to research and teach animal husbandry, a position he held until 1959. That year he was appointed Head Professor of Animal Husbandry, and in 1960 he became Head of the Department, serving until 1967. He returned again as department head for the academic year of 1987.

Wahlstrom was active in professional and community organizations, including Rotary International, the First United Methodist Church, and the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS), where he was named a Fellow. He received numerous awards during his career, including being named Teacher of the Year three times. Other honors include the ASAS Animal Management Award (1976), the SDSU Gamma Sigma Delta Award for Research (1980), the F.O. Butler Award for Outstanding Research (1986), the ASAS Animal Industry Service Award (1989), and recognition as Distinguished Professor Emeritus by SDSU (1988).

Robert Todd Wagner was born on October 30, 1932, and died on January 17, 2011. He earned a degree in philosophy from Augustana College in 1954. That same year, he married Mary Mumford, a native of Howard, South Dakota, before the couple moved to Evanston, Illinois, where Wagner attended Seabury-Western Theological Seminary. They later returned to South Dakota, where Wagner earned his Ph.D. from South Dakota State University. Mary Wagner earned a master’s degree in social sciences in 1974 and a Ph.D. in sociology in 1978.

Wagner joined South Dakota State University in 1971 as an assistant professor of rural sociology and gained wide recognition through his Marriage 250 course. The class enrolled nearly 1,200 students annually across three sections and filled every seat in Rotunda D, the largest classroom on campus.

Wagner served two years as assistant to the vice president for academic affairs and later spent one year as vice president and chief administrator at Dakota State University in Madison. He was subsequently called back to SDSU to assume the university presidency, a position he held from 1985 to 1997.

During his presidency, Wagner guided SDSU from a period of controversy into a more stable era. His emphasis on internal academic and administrative operations, rather than external politics, contributed to significant institutional growth. Despite persistent budget constraints, the campus expanded by more than 380,000 square feet, twenty-two faculty positions were added, and technology became an increasingly central component of university operations. The College of Education and Counseling was established, and major facilities were constructed, including Berg and Bailey Apartments, the Animal Disease Research facility, and the Northern Plains Biostress Laboratory.

Mary Wagner also served as an SDSU staff member, was a member of the Brookings School Board, and represented her district as a Republican legislator for twelve years. She died in 2004.

In 2010, South Dakota State University renamed the Nursing, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Arts and Sciences building in honor of Robert and Mary Wagner, following approval by the South Dakota Board of Regents. A scholar as well as a popular teacher, Wagner authored sixty-four publications and chaired numerous academic committees.

Dr. Vivian Virginia Volstorff joined the faculty of South Dakota State University (SDSU) in 1932, where she served as Dean of Women, Director of Student Activities, and professor of history. She graduated from high school in Elgin, Illinois, and received an associate degree from Elgin Junior College. She continued her education at Northwestern University, earning three degrees: Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts, and Doctor of Philosophy.

During her tenure at SDSU, Volstorff was instrumental in founding organizations for women students, including chapters of Mortar Board and two national social sororities. In 1934, she established Women's Day, an annual campus event celebrating women and awarding scholarships. This tradition continued until 1970.

Volstorff was active in numerous professional and honorary organizations. Her memberships included the American Historical Association, National Association of Deans of Women and Counselors, and Phi Kappa Phi. She held honorary membership in Mortar Board and was a leading member of the Brookings Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW). She advocated for SDSU's accreditation to ensure the Brookings Branch could gain official recognition.

Beyond campus, Volstorff was widely known across South Dakota as a speaker on international affairs and contemporary student issues. She was listed in multiple directories of professional achievement, including Who’s Who, Who’s Who of American Women, Who’s Who in American College and University Administration, Leaders in Education, Dictionary of International Biography, and the Directory of American Scholars.

Audrae Eugenie Visser was born on June 3, 1919, near Hurley, South Dakota, to Harry J.L. and Addie Mae (Perryman) Visser. She attended rural schools in Turner and Moody counties and graduated from Flandreau High School in 1938. Visser earned degrees from Black Hills Teachers College, South Dakota State University, and the University of Denver.

Her 52-year teaching career began in Moody County country schools (1939–1943) and continued in communities across South Dakota and Minnesota, including Hot Springs, Pierre, Elkton, De Smet, Flandreau, Windom, Verdi, and Lake Benton. From 1954 to 1955, she taught children of U.S. Air Force personnel in Nagoya, Japan.

Visser began writing poetry at age twelve, publishing her first poem in Pasque Petals at twenty-one. Her first poetry collection, Rustic Roads and Other Poems, was published in 1961. She was named South Dakota Poet Laureate in 1974 by Governor Richard Kneip and published nine additional volumes of poetry between 1974 and 1998, often incorporating her own artwork. Her honors include second prize in the 1984 National Federation of State Poetry Societies contest, judged by May Swenson. She also sponsored numerous poetry contests and established the Perryman-Visser scholarship at South Dakota State University. Visser served as associate editor and editor of Pasque Petals during her tenure as Poet Laureate and remained active in the South Dakota State Poetry Society.

She had one son, Lou H. Guardino, and a brother, Donald Visser. Audrae Visser died on October 8, 2001, in Mabank, Texas.

The Vigil in South Dakota was founded as a nonprofit organization in 1992 by Mary Perpich and Norman Gambill. The organization focused on issues of censorship in South Dakota, particularly surrounding the broadcast of The Portrait of a Marriage by South Dakota Educational Telecommunications.

On November 4, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson established the National Advisory Commission on Food and Fiber, appointing Sherwood O. Berg as chairperson while he was Dean of the Institute of Agriculture at the University of Minnesota. President Johnson tasked the Commission with evaluating U.S. agricultural and foreign trade policies, studying their effects on the economy and international relations, and preparing a report to guide future decision-making.

The Commission's work focused on key thematic areas including global production and consumption trends, policies for both commercial and non-commercial agriculture, development of forestry and natural resources, agricultural trade and foreign economic policy, and the broader role of agriculture in world economic development. Each focus area was overseen by a team of five commissioners supported by consultants and researchers.

The Commission operated with a small full-time staff composed of professional economists on leave from universities, the federal government, and business. These staff were assisted by experts and consultants from both public and private sectors. Research methods included surveys, analysis of existing data, preparation of position papers, and briefings from leading authorities. Public hearings were held across the country to gather testimony and insight.

Over the course of 18 months, the full Commission convened 13 times for two to three days per session. These meetings featured testimony from experts, in-depth discussions among commissioners, and the development of policy recommendations based on the research findings.

The 31-member Commission represented a broad spectrum of agriculture, labor, and economics across the United States. In addition to Sherwood O. Berg, members included Harry B. Caldwell, Willard W. Cochrane, C.W. Cook, George C. Cortright, Woodrow W. Diehl, Edmund H. Fallon, Carl C. Farrington, Frank Fernbach, Roscoe G. Haynie, Fred V. Heinkel, Roy Hendrickson, William A. Hewitt, George K. Hislop, J.G. Horsfall, Herbert J. Hughes, D. Gale Johnson, Herman S. Kohlmeyer, Robert Magowan, L.L. Males, Edward F. Mauldin, Paul Miller, W.B. Murphy, Ernest J. Nesius, Leon Schachter, Janice M. Smith, Lauren Soth, Jesse Tapp, Jay Taylor, Herman Wells, and John Wheeler.

"The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) was established in 1824 within the War Department by Secretary of War John C. Calhoun, though it was not formally authorized by Congress until 1832. Initially created to manage the U.S. government's relations with Native American tribes, the BIA played a central role in implementing federal Indian policy, including treaty enforcement, land management, and the administration of annuities and trade.

In 1849, the BIA was transferred to the newly created Department of the Interior, where it remains today. Throughout the 19th century, the agency was deeply involved in westward expansion policies, including the forced relocation of tribes, the reservation system, and assimilation efforts such as boarding schools and allotment under the Dawes Act of 1887.

In the 20th century, the BIA’s role shifted significantly. The Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 reversed allotment and promoted tribal self-governance. The mid-20th century saw a return to termination policies, which were again reversed during the Indian self-determination movement of the 1970s. The Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975 marked a major turning point, allowing tribes to administer their own programs.

The BIA supports tribal governments through services such as law enforcement, infrastructure, education, and natural resource management. It operates under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is committed to promoting tribal sovereignty and self-governance."

Loto Rollinstahl Underwood was born on August 22, 1888, in Bryant, South Dakota, to John E. and Mary M. (McLees) Underwood. She was one of four daughters—Ethel, Genevieve, Loto, and Beatrice—the latter three of whom attended South Dakota State College. Her parents emigrated from Canada in 1882 and settled in Garfield Township, Hamlin County, South Dakota, where John Underwood worked in the hardware business. While attending South Dakota State College, Loto was a member of the Athenian Society. She married Orland Emilie White on July 28, 1913. Loto Underwood White died on April 21, 1968, in a nursing home in Charlottesville, Virginia.

TV Productions Inc. is a locally owned video production company based in Brookings, South Dakota. The company provides full-service media production, including filming, editing, and post-production services, primarily for clients in the Brookings area. It has been involved in the creation of a wide range of audiovisual content, including promotional materials, event documentation, and institutional recordings, particularly for South Dakota State University. The company is owned and operated by Jay Vanduch, who has also served in operations at the SDSU Performing Arts Center. TV Productions Inc. has contributed to the preservation and dissemination of local and institutional history through its media work.

Andrew Benjamin Trump was born on November 28, 1950, in Brookings, South Dakota, to Alfred G. Trump Jr. and Anne A. Trump. His father served as librarian and archivist at South Dakota State University, and his mother worked at the Brookings Public Library. He later resided in Fargo, North Dakota, and passed away unexpectedly in Sioux Falls on October 27, 2021, at the age of 70.

Alfred “Al” George Trump Jr. was born April 23, 1907, in Kahoka, Missouri, to Alfred G. Trump Sr. and Elizabeth Bonnett Trump. At age eleven he moved with his family to Chicago, where he graduated from Hyde Park High School in 1924. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Germanics from the University of Chicago in 1929 and later completed the A.B.M.S. degree in 1933 and the A.M.L.S. degree in 1938 at the University of Michigan. Prior to coming to South Dakota, Trump gained broad professional experience in both public and academic libraries, holding positions at the Chicago Public Library, the University of Chicago Library, the University of Michigan Library, the Michigan State Law Library, and Virginia Junior College in Minnesota. During World War II, he served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946 as a lieutenant, performing intelligence work in the continental United States and Hawaii.

Trump joined South Dakota State College in 1948 as a librarian and was at that time the sole faculty member assigned to the library. The collection comprised approximately 90,000 volumes housed on the second floor of Lincoln Library, serving a student body of about 900. Appointed director of libraries in 1959, he oversaw a period of substantial expansion that paralleled the institution’s growth and the introduction of doctoral programs beginning in 1954. By his retirement in 1972, the library system held roughly 270,000 volumes and 3,000 journal subscriptions in Lincoln Library, with additional specialized collections located across campus and at nursing facilities in St. Paul, Minnesota. Trump attributed the rapid growth of holdings, particularly in scientific journals, to expanding research needs and played a central role in developing one of the strongest research library collections in the state. After retirement, he continued to serve as archivist emeritus and assisted with planning and logistics for the 1977 relocation of collections to the Hilton M. Briggs Library.

Active in professional service, Trump served as president of the South Dakota Library Association (1958–1959), represented the state in the Mountain Plains Library Association, and served on the governing council of the American Library Association. In Brookings, he participated in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and university and community organizations for retired faculty and teachers. On August 22, 1935, he married Anne Harris Arnold, a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Oberlin College who earned a master’s degree in history from Case Western Reserve University and worked in academic and state libraries before serving as assistant librarian at the Brookings Public Library from 1960 to 1986. Together they had four children: Michael, Peter, Jeane Gautier, and Andrew. Alfred G. Trump Jr. died November 26, 1994; Anne Arnold Trump died January 11, 2004.

Valerian Three Irons is a Native American educator, oral historian, and advocate for Indigenous language preservation. He served as a professor of American Indian Studies and Associate for Diversity at South Dakota State University from 1997 to 2011. After leaving SDSU, Three Irons joined the faculty of Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College in New Town, North Dakota, where he has been actively involved in teaching Native American Studies and supporting Mandan language revitalization efforts. In 2018, he received a National Endowment for the Humanities grant to create a publicly accessible archive of Mandan language resources. Throughout his career, he has contributed to tribal education, cultural preservation, and service-learning initiatives.

Verl Thomson was a pioneering South Dakota broadcaster. Born on April 26, 1906, he began his career at Sioux Falls' first broadcast radio station in 1924. He later served as an announcer and program director for KSOO and KELO, and worked as an announcer for NBC in Chicago. In 1948, he established radio station KSID, which he operated until its sale in 1966. From 1962 to 1987, Thomson served as executive director of the South Dakota Broadcasters Association. He passed away on July 7, 1989.