The Higher Education Review

Passage of the 1862 Morrill Act by the United States Congress reflected a growing demand for agricultural and technical education in the United States. While a number of institutions had begun to expand upon the traditional classical curriculum, higher education was still widely unavailable to many agricultural and industrial workers.

The Morrill Act was intended to provide a broad segment of the population with a practical education that had direct relevance to their daily lives. Founded under the Morrill Act – often referred to as ‘land grant universities’, SDSU has made significant contributions to the building of a civil society in their respective states.

With 80 majors, 97 minors, and excellent faculty, South Dakota State University is on a mission to offer a rich academic experience in an environment of inclusion and access through inspired, student-centred education, creative activities, and research, innovation, and engagement that improve the quality of life in South Dakota, the region, the nation, and the world.

The institute truly believes it has helped ‘build South Dakota' over the years, and its faculties in agriculture, engineering, and the health sciences have produced leaders of business and industry in the state for many years.

Today, land grant universities promote holistic education that includes visual arts, design, and the performing arts. “Our School of Design and the School of Performing Arts have gained regional and national recognition for their academic excellence and their contributions toward the education of wellrounded graduates”, says David Reynolds, Director - School of Performing Arts/Professor.

“Our students receive excellent training in music performance in the European Classical tradition.

The graduates go on to be successful teachers in the k-12 teaching environment.
Some continue on to graduate school, others perform in military bands, or find work in businesses in the music industry”, adds David Reynolds.

Equipping for a Successful Future
The music industry faces changes almost every day due to rapid advancements in technology. At SDSU, students are very blessed to have such an incredible new performing arts facility that includes all the finest technology that is commonly used in the music industry. “Whether it is recording technology, music writing software, lighting technology, or sound production, the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Centre provides opportunities for all of our students to experience using these materials”, mentions David Reynolds.

Other than this, South Dakota State University also has very strong programs in ensemble performance. The department has three choirs, a nationally-known marching band, three concert bands, and two jazz ensembles, and presents either an opera or a musical every year! “We also have specialists in singing and practically all the instruments found in an American band or orchestra that teach applied lessons as part of the curriculum”, adds David Reynolds. All the students at South Dakota State University are supported by full-time faculty in the School of Performing Arts who hold terminal degrees in the performing arts.

These faculties have been taught in some of the most prestigious musical academies in the United States. "We also have positive relationships with the region’s finest symphony orchestra, the South Dakota Symphony, and some of those musicians teach here as well”, mentions David. South Dakota State University also has state-of-theart facilities, including the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Centre. “We also have one of the finest fleets of professional pianos in the region. Our outstanding piano faculty and their students perform and practice on 44 pianos made by Steinway, Fazioli, Bosendorfer, Yamaha, and Kawai”, includes David Reynolds.

While SDSU has one of the lowest fee structures in any US university, the university (through its philanthropic foundation and the generosity of academic administrators and units on campus) provides scholarships based on academic merit. International students may participate in the university’s Jackrabbit Guarantee scholarship program, which rewards academic accomplishment at the secondary level for students beginning their undergraduate study at SDSU. “Such scholarship awards are psychologically important to students (as they affirm their hard work and their decision to join us as students at our university), and of course, they alleviate a financial burden for students and their families”, says David Reynolds.

"All the students at South Dakota State University are supported by full-time faculty in the School of Performing Arts who hold terminal degrees in the performing arts"

Charting the Path Ahead
As a School that is housed in a Performing Arts Centre, South Dakota State University has many professional musicians that come to perform here. Often students are able to attend their concerts free of charge, and many of these musicians work with the students while they are here. SDSU enjoys these very close relationships with business and industry, especially thanks to professional advisory councils in many of SDSU colleges that draw from talented industry professionals.

“The ongoing conversations lead to research collaborations, sites for student internships, and a series of visiting lecturers to help students appreciate the opportunities available in a given field and motivate them to work hard at their studies toward professional goals”, highlights David.

Adding personal touch at the end, David Reynolds says, “Becoming a music student at SDSU means becoming a member of a family. Faculty are the musical parents of our students. We are an exceptional size of program as well. We are large enough to provide many outstanding opportunities for our students, yet small enough that students receive individualized attention”.