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Harold W. Shunk (1907–1998) was an educator, public servant, and historian, born on July 25, 1907, in Philip, South Dakota. He married his former Colome High School classmate, DeLilah E. Wood, in 1929. After earning a degree from Southern State College, he taught in Tripp County before working on the Rosebud and Cheyenne River Indian reservations. During World War II, he served in the South Pacific as a tank driver.

In the 1950s, Shunk began his career with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, serving as superintendent at the Sisseton, Turtle Mountain, Standing Rock, and Rosebud agencies. He retired in 1968 and subsequently focused on public service, actively participating in civic and fraternal organizations. His roles included serving on the governing boards of Rapid City schools, South Dakota State University, the University of South Dakota, and Black Hills State University, as well as holding positions with the South Dakota Board of Pardons and Paroles, the Lower Brule Irrigation Board, and the Pennington County Housing Board.

Deeply interested in history, Shunk contributed to the South Dakota State Historical Society and hosted radio and television programs in Rapid City, sharing his knowledge of local history. He passed away on April 18, 1998, in Rapid City.

The South Dakota Theta chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon was installed at South Dakota State University on February 27, 1971. The mission of Sigma Alpha Epsilon is to promote the highest standards of friendship and service to its members based upon the ideals set forth by its founders and a specifically enunciated True Gentlemen oath. Among the principles of SAE is developing in its members a sense of duty through social interactions, service and community outreach, fostering personal development including leadership, scholarship, citizenship, social and moral responsibility and developing, maintaining and enforcing standards and expectations for the conduct of its members within and outside of the fraternity.

After South Dakota State University’s College of Nursing received National League of Nursing accreditation in 1960, nursing students (assisted by faculty member Evelyn Peterson) applied to form the Phi Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, which was approved at their national biennial meeting in October, 1961 as its 19th chapter.

Sigma Theta Tau International is an international Honor Society for Nursing; Sigma Theta Tau are the initials of the Greek words “Soma, Tharos, and Tima,” which mean “Love, Courage, Honor.” Its first chapter was founded in 1922 at Indiana University; it now has chapters in more than 650 colleges and universities in 90 countries. Its mission is to advance world health and celebrate nursing excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service, which it does by funding research and scholarships, supporting nursing research conferences, offering online continuing nursing education, etc. To be considered for membership, undergraduate students in their fourth or fifth semester need to rank in the upper 35 percent of the graduating class. For graduate students or nurse leaders, the individuals need to demonstrate achievement in the nursing profession.

SDSU’s Phi Chapter sponsors an annual Distinguished Lecture and, together with Augustana University’s Zeta Zeta Chapter, sponsors an annual research day in support of research/scholarship of practicing nurses and students. It also sponsors student poster presentations on evidence-based practices. In addition, Phi Chapter has service projects addressing both local and international humanitarian needs. It inducted 69 students in April, 2016. It also has a West River Branch in Rapid City.

• SDSU Assistant Coach

Record:

• 2012-2013: 18-16 overall, 8-8 dual
• 2013-2014: 15-16 overall, 4-5 dual
• TOTAL: 33-32 overall, 12-13 dual

Alice Margaret Bakken was born in McGregor, North Dakota on January 4th, 1918, to Elmer and Inga Marie (Sand) Bakken. She grew up in rural northeastern South Dakota’s Day County. On June 11, 1938, Alice married Oscar Simonson on June 11, 1938. Oscar and Alice had two children, Linda born in 1940, and Robert born in 1944. Oscar and Alice Simonson made their home and farmed in Day County for forty years. Alice was on the board of Sun Dial Manor in Bristol, when it was being organized and built.

Oscar and Alice Simonson were married on June 11, 1938. They made their home and farmed in Day County for forty years. They planted their first crops in the spring of 1939. Over those forty years, the Simonson’s witnessed many advancements in agriculture and technology of rural America including the switch from horses to tractors, crop hybridization, the introduction of electricity in the home, and indoor plumbing. The Simonson’s rotated crops, planted tree belts, practiced diversified farming, and saved seed from the previous year’s crops to plant the next year. Alice kept the books for the family farm.

In 1957, they purchased from Alice’s father, Elmer Bakken, the 1890 homestead of Lars A. Sand in Union Township, Day County, South Dakota. Oscar and Alice lived on the Sand homestead until they sold the farm in 1978 and moved to Webster, South Dakota. Oscar and Alice also acquired his parent’s Union County farm, which his parents had acquired from his grandfather, Ole Simonson, which had been originally homesteaded by Alma Smoots.

Oscar and Alice thoroughly enjoyed traveling by plane and bus. They traveled to Norway to visit Oscar’s mother’s birthplace.

Oscar E. Simonson was born on August 14, 1913, at Bristol, South Dakota to Simon and Annie (Skudal) Simonson. He attended country school in Union Township, Day County and Bristol High School. After his education, he farmed with his family near Bristol. In the 1930’s, Oscar worked for the Civilian Conservation Corps, in the Black Hills of South Dakota. On June 11, 1938 Oscar married Alice Margaret Bakken. Oscar and Alice Simonson made their home and farmed in Day County for forty years. While living in Webster, Oscar worked at the Farmers Elevator in Holmquist, South Dakota for ten years. Oscar also servie on the board of Sun Dial Manor in Bristol, South Dakota in 1980’s. Oscar Simonson died on March 5, 2014 at Bethesda Home in Webster.

The Sioux Falls, SD, Junior Chamber of Commerce/Jaycee Summer Track Program began in 1969. This program was part of a “1969 Junior Champ track program” scheduled in ten cities in South Dakota and sponsored by the South Dakota Jaycees and Spader Camper Center of Brookings, South Dakota. Stan Jensen of Brookings was the Chairman. The program was intended to provide the “opportunity to run, jump or throw” and “to become familiar with the fun, recreation, and general feeling of well-being that comes with exertion and physical fitness.” It culminated in the state championships for boys and girls in the 15-18 age group, whose winners were qualified to attend 1969’s 6th/5th Annual U.S. Jaycee Junior Track and Field Championships at the University of Minnesota, for which food, lodging and transportation were provided by the sponsors.

From 1970-1973, the South Dakota Jaycees and the American Dairy Association of South Dakota continued the Junior Track program, culminating in the State Meet in Brookings.

The Sioux Falls Jaycees Developmental Meets, now in their 8th year, were part of the Sioux Falls Recreation Department, directed by Rich Greeno from 1974-1976.

2012-13: Finished season 4-16 overall, 1-9 in duals and 0-5 in the conference ... Recorded three decisions ... WWC All-Academic Team

2011-12: Finished 5-18 overall, 3-10 in duals and 1-5 in the Western Wrestling Conference ... Scored three falls and two forfeit/defaults ... Fastest fall in 1:58 ... 2012 WWC All-Academic Team

Before SDSU: Two-time NAIA national qualifier ... Two-time NWCA-NAIA All-Academic Team ... Great Plains Athletic Conference champion ... 45 career wins (most all-time) ... High school state entrant (2008) ... Team champions (2008) ... 88 career wins ... All-conference performer

In 1906, Robert L. Slagle left his position as president of the South Dakota School of Mines to become president of South Dakota Agricultural College. He had received a Ph. D. from Johns Hopkins University and had previously been on the faculty at South Dakota State. Slagle oversaw the increase in standards for admission, the reorganization of agricultural courses, and the establishment of summer school and correspondence courses. He also started the School of Agriculture, which offered high school courses during the winter months, making secondary education a possibility for a large number of rural students. During his presidency, the college changed its name to South Dakota State College of Agricultural and Mechanical Arts, which reflected not only the general coursework and agricultural classes taught, but also the study of engineering. In 1914, Slagle moved on to become president at the University of South Dakota.

• Pennsylvania State University
• Position: 167.5 Weight Class

• South Dakota State University
• Position: 197 weight class
• SDSU Wrestling Roster

A 1978 graduate of South Dakota State University, Smith spent the decade of the 1980s working for the Allied Signal Aerospace Company in Kansas City, MO. He returned to his Alma mater in 1990 to serve as Assistant Athletic Director for the SDSU athletic program. He was appointed Executive Director of the SDSU Alumni Association in 1996 and resigned from that position in January 2007 due to the overwhelming requests for speaking appearances. Smith is the author of the book, The Richest Man in Town.

V.J. Smith (Republican Party) is a member of the South Dakota State Senate, representing District 7. He assumed office in 2019. His current term ends on January 11, 2021. Smith (Republican Party) ran for election to the South Dakota State Senate to represent District 7. He won in the general election on November 6, 2018.

Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve (s-navy) (b. February 21, 1933) is an acclaimed Lakota writer, educator, and historian, renowned for her contributions to Native American literature and cul-tural preservation. Raised on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, she is an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. She attended Bureau of Indian Affairs day schools and graduated from St. Mary's Episcopal High School for Indian Girls in Springfield, South Dakota, in 1950.

She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from South Dakota State University in 1954 and initially worked as an English and music teacher in White, SD, and later in Pierre, SD. After a period as a full-time homemaker raising three children, she resumed teaching in 1965 at Flandreau Indian School, where she taught English, speech, and drama before becoming a guidance counselor. In 1969, she obtained a Master of Education degree from South Dakota State University.

Sneve’s literary career began in 1971 when her manuscript Jimmy Yellow Hawk won a con-test held by the Council on Interracial Books. Following this success, she secured a publish-ing contract with Holiday House, which published Jimmy Yellow Hawk and High Elk’s Treas-ure in 1972. Expanding into non-fiction, she edited South Dakota Geographic Names and au-thored The Dakota’s Heritage in 1973. Over the years, she has published widely, including a history of the Episcopal Church in South Dakota, as well as Completing the Circle (1995) and The First Americans Series, a historical series on Native American tribes.

Her work has earned numerous accolades, including the South Dakota Governor’s Award in the Arts for Distinction in Creative Achievement, the South Dakota Humanities Council Distin-guished Achievement in the Humanities Award, and honorary doctorates from South Dakota State University and Dakota Wesleyan University. In 1996, she received the National Educa-tion Association’s Author/Illustrator Award, and in 2000, she became the first South Dakotan to receive the National Humanities Medal, presented by President Bill Clinton.

Sneve has been an influential voice in literary circles, speaking at literary festivals, Interna-tional Reading Association events, the National Book Festival (2002), and the Native Writers Series at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian (2005). With a prolific ca-reer spanning decade, she has authored fiction, non-fiction, short stories, articles, editorials, and book introductions, solidifying her legacy as a significant voice in Native American litera-ture.

Clav Snow was from Onaka, South Dakota. He attended South Dakota State College in 1930, in the engineering program. He was a military cadet in Company B, 4th squad. He died at the infimary in January.

The South Dakota State University (SDSU) Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists was established on campus in 1937. The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), originally founded as Sigma Delta Chi in 1901, is a broad-based journalism organization dedicated to upholding ethical standards, promoting the free practice of journalism, and protecting First Amendment rights. It also fosters the free flow of information essential to an informed public and works to inspire and educate future journalists.

Between 1940 and the mid-1970s, the SDSU chapter published The Bum and The Junior Bum. The Bum served as the official program for Jackrabbit football, primarily for Hobo Day, while The Junior Bum was later introduced as the official program for Jackrabbit basketball. Proceeds from these publications funded the chapter’s annual trip to the Sigma Delta Chi national convention.

In the mid-1970s, the SDSU Chapter of Sigma Delta Chi lost its sponsorship from the National Society of Professional Journalists. As a result, publishing The Bum and The Junior Bum was no longer financially viable for the organization. The Jackrabbit Sports Information Service, a unit within the Athletic Department, took over responsibility for producing these programs. Copies of The Bum are archived in the Jackrabbit Sports Information Services records [UA 46].

The scientific research society, Sigma Xi, is an honorary organization whose purpose is to encourage original investigations in pure and applied sciences.

During the 1940's, a group of faculty members at South Dakota State University established what was called the Natural Science Research Club. Members met once a month to hear one of the group reports on his or her research findings. It was felt that this would expand the awareness of the faculty to research in progress on this campus, provide a broadened overview and discussion of various research projects, and encourage the faculty in their research effort by providing a show of interest in their work.

The Natural Science Research Club was a very active organization. After a few years, its members decided that they should establish themselves as a Sigma Xi Club, which would continue as it was already operating but, in addition, would have the advantages of formal outside contacts through the national Society. This was accomplished during 1952-53.

The number of Sigma Xi members increased significantly as the result of the influx of new personnel who had been granted membership at other institutions. By 1959, it was felt that the club was ready for chapter status. In 1960, a petition for chapter status was presented to the national office of the Society. Chapter status was granted in May of 1961.

Sokota Hybrid Producers, Inc. made available to farmers in South Dakota and the surrounding states hybrid seed corn.

Sokota began in 1924, when Clifford Franzke, a South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station agronomist, started inbreeding local varieties of corn in an effort to produce a hybrid which could withstand the Dakota weather. In 1942, a new hybrid seed was released to farmers by the experiment station. Fred Baldridge, a retired farmer, began to standardize grading of the hybrid seed.

In 1944, Sokota Hybrid Producers incorporated as a cooperative and 24 farmers purchased certificates of equity to get the organization going with E.G. Sanderson as president. / W.L. Davis, who was a vocational agricultural instructor at Brookings high school, became manager in 1945 and the cooperative was able to erect its own plant in south Brookings. Davis served as the manager of Sokota for nearly 35 years.

Sokota continued to grow and prosper through the years, by the late 1970s and early 1980s, Sokota, had a breeding program nearly three times bigger than any program South Dakota State University had undertaken.

Sokota Hybrid Producers, Inc. was sold in 1985 to North American Plant Breeders.

• South Dakota State University
• Position: 197 weight class
• 2009-10 wrestling roster

The Eminent Farmer and Homemaker Program has been a program of South Dakota State University since 1927. In that first year, following a campaign by the Farmer magazine and the South Dakota Agricultural Extension Service, the South Dakota Board of Regents named two South Dakota farmers Eminent Farmers. In addition to the degree granted by the Board of Regents, the farmer's portraits were hung on the wall in Agricultural Hall in what became known as the "Wall of Fame". In 1928, the Eminent Farmers were joined by two Master Farm Homemakers, a title granted by the Farmer's Wife magazine and the South Dakota Agricultural Extension Service. Women in 12 other states also received the citation, which began as an effort to heighten awareness of the role the farm home played in the community. These Master Homemakers also had portraits placed on the wall and were given the citation in a ceremony taking place at the same time as the Eminent Farmer ceremony. Beginning in 1935, the women's title changed to Eminent Farm Homemaker and the women, along with the men, were granted the degree by the South Dakota Board of Regents. Later still, the title evolved to its current name Eminent Homemaker.

In the early years, the Board of Regents actually granted an honorary degree to the chosen nominees. In the 1950's, the terms were clarified to set the citations apart from that of an honorary degree yet are still a great honor. Today, the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences, the College of Family and Consumer Sciences and the Cooperative Extension Service jointly administer the Eminent Farmer and Homemaker program at South Dakota State University. The college deans and the director of the Extension Service appoint a committee made up of faculty and staff of the respective divisions to take responsibility for the program. Each spring, this committee sends out a letter to County Extension offices asking for nominations and alerts the news media that nominations are being sought. The committee makes recommendations based upon the nominees' contributions to their communities, their families and the professions. Their final recommendations are sent to the president of South Dakota State University for approval and then forwarded to the Board of Regents for final approval.

In 2019, the name of the program was changed to Eminent Leaders in Agriculture, Family, and Community.