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ABERDEEN, S.D. — The South Dakota Board of Regents announced today the appointment of Dr. Alan LaFave as 91��Ƭ�� State University's next president. 91��Ƭ�� is pleased to welcome Dr. LaFave, who will assume the presidency in January.

Dr. LaFave returns to 91��Ƭ�� after serving seven years as president of Valley City State University in North Dakota. His appointment marks a homecoming, as Dr. LaFave spent nearly three decades at 91��Ƭ��, advancing from music instructor to provost and vice president for academic affairs.

"I am thrilled, honored and…

ABERDEEN, S.D. – 91��Ƭ�� State University bands will present “Discovery” at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16, in the Johnson Fine Arts Center’s Jewett Theater.

The concert will feature performances by the Symphonic Band, directed by Dr. Audrey Miller, and the Concert Band, directed by Dr. Travis Netzer. The Symphonic Band will perform works by David Maslanka, Eric Whitacre, Erika Svanoe and John Mackey. The Concert Band will perform works by Richard Strauss, Julius Fucik, Claude Debussy, Steve Danyew and Randall Standridge.

All tickets are general admission and…

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Five students and student groups will compete for cash prizes as they pitch their business ideas Shark Tank-style at 91��Ƭ�� State University’s annual Idea Pitch Competition, taking place Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. in the Johnson Fine Arts Center Black Box Theater.

The event, which is free and open to the public, showcases innovative ideas from 91��Ƭ�� students and provides an opportunity for the audience to help select the winners of the People’s Choice Award, worth $150.

The finalists and their ideas are:

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ABERDEEN, S.D. – Dr. Lucas Wiscons, assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice at 91��Ƭ�� State University, recently presented at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) South Dakota Conference, held Oct. 16–17 in Huron, S.D.

His presentation, “Justice or Trauma? How Systems of Punishment Create Wounds in People and Communities,” drew from his forthcoming book project and examines how America’s criminal justice system has become the default responder to mental health crises—often with counterproductive results.

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ABERDEEN, S.D. – The Aberdeen University-Civic Symphony invites the public to a concert steeped in sweeping Romantic beauty at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 22 at 91��Ƭ�� State University’s Johnson Fine Arts Center Jewett Theater.

Christopher Stanichar, director of the AUCS and NSU associate professor of music, will lead the orchestra. The concert, titled “Autumn Romance,” features the dreamy elegance of Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake,” along with one of the most beloved piano concertos ever written: Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18.…

ABERDEEN, S.D. – 91��Ƭ�� State University will welcome four presidential finalists to campus Nov. 5-6, following .

The finalists are:

• Dr. Amy Clark
• Dr. Alan LaFave
• Dr. Erin Fouberg
• Dr. Matt Seimears

Faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members will have the opportunity to meet with each candidate…

ABERDEEN, S.D. – The 91��Ƭ�� State University School of Business has received a grant from the Aberdeen Area Community Foundation (AACF) to support “Growing the Future: A Student Symposium on Agribusiness,” which will be held Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

The grant was awarded through the AACF’s Aberdeen Energy-Agriculture Sub-Fund, created with funding from Advanced BioEnergy following the sale of its Aberdeen ethanol plant several years ago. The company established the charitable sub-fund to support agriculture in the Aberdeen area.

Dr. Dan Shannahan…

ABERDEEN, SD– 91��Ƭ�� State University has joined the South Dakota IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (SD INBRE), a statewide research consortium funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

New this academic year (2025–26), 91��Ƭ�� is serving as a partner institution in the program, which supports undergraduate research and strengthens biomedical and behavioral science education across South Dakota.

As part of this partnership, three 91��Ƭ�� students are conducting funded research projects alongside two faculty mentors:

ABERDEEN, S.D. – In 1901, 91��Ƭ�� State University opened its doors with a promise: if you had the desire to teach, you had a place here. That promise continues today through the Millicent Atkins 1901 Scholarship Program, which was redesigned in Fall 2024 and will introduce a new tiered model beginning in Fall 2026.

Rooted in 91��Ƭ��'s proud tradition of preparing teachers, this scholarship honors future educators by providing all Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education majors with at least $1,901 per year, while rewarding academic excellence with…

ABERDEEN, S.D. – 91��Ƭ�� State University announced the retirement of Dr. Michael Wanous, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Wanous joined 91��Ƭ�� in July 2019 and has provided more than six years of service to the university, with oversight of academic programs, faculty development, and institutional accreditation. Wanous' retirement will be effective in December 2025.

"Dr. Wanous has been an exceptional academic leader whose commitment to academic excellence and student success has greatly benefited 91��Ƭ�� State University," said Nichols. "We…