SDSU to recognize three individuals with honorary doctorates
South Dakota State University will honor three individuals who will receive honorary degrees during its Spring Commencement on May 8. The highest honor bestowed by the university, honorary doctorates will be given to JoAnne Bird for humanities and arts, while Brig. Gen. Mark Clark and Van Fishback will receive degree recognitions for public service.
SDSU honorary degrees call attention to outstanding achievement that uses creativity, resourcefulness, humanitarian concern, personal dedication and intellect performed beyond the call of duty in service to humankind. A theme of service connects this year’s three honorary degree recipients, according to President David Chicoine.“ JoAnne Bird, Van Fishback and Mark Clark have earned distinction in their respective careers,” Chicoine said. “They also demonstrate laudable levels of service, respectively, to the humanities, to the community and to the nation. Their connections to South Dakota State continue to benefit the university, its students and its alumni and friends.”
Raised on the Sisseton-Wahpeton Indian Reservation and a Dakota Sioux tribal member, Bird has become an internationally renowned, contemporary artist and advocate for Native Americans. Her formal
art education came from Dakota State University in Madison, Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn. and the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, N.M.
Bird, who now resides in Toronto, worked as a commercial artist at 3M before devoting herself to a professional art career. Her unique style painting and sculpture has evolved from realism to mystical impressionism that depicts her Native American heritage and traditions. She was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame as “Artist of the Year” in 1992.
“JoAnne has been an ambassador for the state of South Dakota, not only through sharing her painting, sculpture work and techniques with students at SDSU, but also for infusing cultural history and traditions into her artwork,” said Jerry Jorgensen, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “Many of her pieces have been placed in private collections and museums throughout the world.”
Clark, who received the rank of brigadier general in the Marine Corps before he turned 50, graduated from SDSU in economics in 1980 and holds a master of science from the Command and Staff College in Virginia. The Sioux Falls native, who currently resides in Arlington, Va., has served in the U.S. Marine Corps for 29 years where he currently directs the Strategy and Plans Division for joint commands established by the President of the United States. In addition to commanding troops in several international operations, Clark has logged thousands of hours of flight time in combat aircraft with a number of elite squadrons including the Black Knights, the Green Hornets and the Iron Horses.
His deployments have been to Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Haiti as well as service in Australia, Canada, Europe, Israel, Greece and Mexico. In addition to receiving the honorary degree as doctor of public service, Clark will deliver the undergraduate commencement address titled, “Life’s Compass.”
“Mark considers his accomplishment as part of doing his job,” said David Songstad, an agriculture industry executive who met Clark when they lived in the same residence hall at State. “However, I view his accomplishments as something far beyond this. He exemplifies a level of patriotism that is rarely seen.”
Fishback, a native and resident of Brookings, earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Stanford University and his juris doctorate at the University of Minnesota. His current role as president and CEO of Fishback Financial Corporation serves his continued philanthropic work to SDSU and the broader statewide community.
“Van has been a lifelong public servant and philanthropist, and his donations of time and financial resources have benefited essentially every quality of life issue in Brookings and the surrounding area,” said Roberta Olson, dean of the College of Nursing. “Numerous students have benefited from being recipients of Fishback scholarships. South Dakota State University is honored to have him among its list of individuals who have been recognized with honorary citations.”
Fishback has been involved in numerous fundraising campaigns at the university. He, his family and their business have provided funds to create the Fishback Center for Early Childhood Education and its Outdoor Learning Laboratory and the Fishback Studio Theatre in the Performing Arts Center. Fishback has also been involved in other capital campaigns within the community including the Boys and Girls Club of Brookings and the Brookings Parks and Recreation Department. He also drove creation of an early stage venture capital fund, called South Dakota Innovation Partners, to support commercialization of inventions by SDSU researchers.
This year’s three recipients join a list of 130 who have received honorary degrees from South Dakota State since 1923. The list includes President Calvin Coolidge in 1928, General William DePuy in 1977 and Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor in 1999.