This collection is composed of materials produced and collected by the 125th Anniversary Planning Committee to document and coordinate the celebration of South Dakota State University’s quasquicentennial in 2006. The materials span a wide variety of formats and functions, including committee minutes, correspondence, event programs, publications, photographs, memorabilia, and audio-visual media. Records are arranged across three boxes and reflect the collaborative efforts of university departments, alumni, Cooperative Extension offices, and external partners to commemorate the institution’s history and accomplishments.
Key materials include documentation of the Anniversary Gala, such as scripts, video greetings, and a commemorative DVD, as well as campus-wide and statewide celebrations, including birthday parties, Extension Service events in over 20 counties, and public commemorations. A special emphasis is placed on “Survey of Accomplishments” submitted by departments, colleges, and administrative units, highlighting milestones and achievements since SDSU was granted university status in 1964.
The collection also contains a number of commemorative items such as a replica of the Coughlin Campanile (crafted with original limestone), event buttons, party hats, branded noisemakers, and logo memorabilia. Publications such as Calling Home from SDSU, STATE alumni magazine, and a commemorative calendar further illustrate the cultural and institutional impact of the university over 125 years.
Of historical significance is a House Concurrent Resolution from the South Dakota Legislature recognizing SDSU’s contributions to the state, as well as retrospective narratives like John E. Miller’s “Reminiscences of SDSU” and a summary of the 100th Anniversary in 1981. The inclusion of taped interviews with prominent political and institutional figures, along with cable TV panel discussions, adds a rich audiovisual dimension to the record of institutional memory.
