News from President Tom Jackson, Jr. January 21, 2016 Faculty Begin Service Learning Program Ten BHSU students will mentor high school students in Cebu City, Philippines during spring break as part of a new experiential learning course at BHSU. The students will work on a needs-based project before traveling abroad with their faculty-led group. Gina Gibson, associate professor of digital communication, recently met with leaders and students at the local school. “As I go into the classroom this semester I’m not thinking about some theoretical experience, I’m thinking about real people that I met,” said Gibson. “I’m looking forward to our students preparing for this learning experience - it will change them forever.” Update Inspire. Engage. Innovate. Imagine. At BHSU, we’re embracing the possibilities and potential a new year brings. This year we’ll continue to inspire our students, engage with our community, innovate with our faculty in the classroom, and imagine how we can impact the world. I hope to see you at the ribbon cutting event February 16 for the new Crow Peak Residence Hall on campus. See page two of this report for more information. Sincerely, on Campus Upgrades As 2016 begins, several campus construction projects are underway or nearly complete. • Removal of Pangburn Hall, which has significant infrastructure problems • Hillside bank stabilization that will connect the campus to the city walking/biking path • Addition of an Einstein Bros. Bagels coffee shop in the E.Y. Berry Library-Learning Center • Admissions Welcome Center, an easy-to-find space at the front of campus for prospective students and their parents • Crow Peak Hall, the first new residence hall in 50 years • The Sanford Science Education Center in Jonas Hall offers science labs, interactive classrooms and displays for visitors to campus. The new addition is a direct link to the Sanford Science Education Center, which also has facilities at the Sanford Lab in Lead. • New suites added to Lyle Hare Stadium • Continuing BHSU’s commitment to sustainability and preservation of the beautiful Black Hills by replacing trees lost in Storm Atlas and planting additional trees • Exterior lighting upgrades to reduce utility costs and enhance safety BHSU Hosts Women [Where ANYTHING is possible] in in Philippines Gibson, third from left, met with teachers in the Philippines recently to plan a service learning trip for BHSU students. Top 2015 BHSU Moments 10. BHSU advances green initiatives; Spearfish Local sees exceptional growth. 9. High achieving scholar athletes, new sports, and first national competition as NCAA Division II. 8. Campus and community engagement. 7. Record fundraising year. 6. Named top school for student veterans. 5. More than 600 students graduate. 4. Increase in international partnerships. 3. BHSU Underground Campus Opens at Sanford Lab. 2. New additions, renovations on campus. 1. BHSU-Rapid City provides increased higher education opportunities. Read more about the countdown. Physics Conference BHSU welcomed 80 undergraduate physics majors from throughout the Midwest to campus Jan. 15-17 for the American Physical Society’s Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP). The conference was held in partnership with Sanford Underground Research Facility. The three-day conference included research talks by faculty, panel discussions about graduate school and careers in physics, presentations and discussions about women in physics, laboratory tours, and a student poster session. The conference was one of nine held concurrently throughout the United States in different regions. BHSU, as the Midwest site, welcomed attendees from Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin. Madison Jilek, left, physical science major from Spearfish, and Kristen Rath, secondary science education and physical science major from Canton, work in the laser spectroscopy lab at BHSU. January 21, 2016 Join BHSU in Celebrating New Spaces and New Places You are invited to the ribbon cutting for the new Crow Peak Residence Hall Tuesday, Feb. 16, 9 a.m. - Crow Peak Hall, BHSU Campus in Spearfish Custer will Retire as Tweets Provost Dr. Rod Custer, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs at BHSU, announced his impending retirement as provost at the end of this fiscal year. “I want to express my sincere thanks and admiration to Dr. Custer for his professionalism, leadership, and dedication to the faculty and to the entire campus. In the 18 months that I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with him, I have been impressed with his pragmatic approach, his scholarly outlook, and his commitment to higher education,” Dr. Tom Jackson, Jr., BHSU President, said. “Dr. Custer has clearly had a positive impact on the campus and the community and we will all miss his leadership.” A national search will be conducted to select a new provost. Read about Custer’s key accomplishments. Make nations by donating shoes to the @Samaritan_Feet Charity at the Spearfish BB games this Saturday. #ShoesforHope ---@tomjackjr Follow President Jackson on Twitter @tomjackjr Custer it a BHSU Weekend! Cheer on Rapid City Rush hockey during BHSU-RC Night February 20 Visit Terry Peak for BHSU Alumni and Friends Ski Weekend Photography Professor Earns Chamber Award Professor Steve Babbitt was honored by the Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce for his contributions to arts and culture within the Black Hills community. Babbitt, professor of mass communication at BHSU, received the Rushmore Honors Award during at the Chamber’s Annual Awards Celebration Jan. 12. Babbitt was nominated for his dedication in the creation and growth of the mass communication program at BHSU, specifically the photography department, his work with the Rapid City Arts Council, and commitment to mentoring artists in the region. BHSU-RC Debuts Speaker Series Above, Twitter post by Fox Sports reporter Reid Forgrave shares his story on BHSU student Gage McSpadden with the world. Read the Fox Sports story profiling how McSpadden’s father and fellow teammates are taking great strides in his honor. Jan. 8 Help those in need in poor February 19 Fox Sports Shares Legacy of Student Gage McSpadden’s Family, Community Impact Top Black Hills State University - Rapid City has developed a series of lectures for the community. The lecture series will kick off Feb. 1, 6:30 p.m. BHSU-RC, room 113 with Robert Haivala, South Dakota assistant attorney general and BHSU adjunct professor. Haivala’s topic dissects the Battle of Little Big Horn. His presentation will look at Custer’s involvement in the massacre and determine political reasoning behind the historic event. “We are excited to present this opportunity to the students of BHSU-RC and the community as a whole,” said Gene Bilodeau, executive director of BHSU-RC. See the full list of lecture dates and topics.