Agriculture and Biological Sciences

The College’s current priorities:

• Cow-Calf Education and Research Facility SDSU aspires for national prominence with a pre-eminent program in the applied science of beef cattle production. This program will provide undergraduate and graduate students with hands-on training, research opportunities, and enhanced learning experiences.
• Dairy Plant Renovation Project The College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences is fundraising to renovate its 44-year-old Dairy Plant. The College is seeking nine partners to commit $35,000 annually for 10 years to join the Jackrabbit Dairy Council. Six of the Council members have already been recruited.
• Kohler-Gee Livestock Judging Endowment The Livestock Judging Endowment in honor of Dr. Paul Kohler and Dr. Dan Gee will support 50 percent of the salary of a full-time livestock judging coach and lecturer. It also will fund summer programming to support youth education that is fundamental to SDSU student recruitment. A financial commitment from the friends of livestock judging at SDSU will ensure that a full-time faculty member leads this important aspect of undergraduate training in the future.
• McCrory Gardens Education and Visitor Center The 9,350-square-foot facility will further enhance educational and programmatic activities at McCrory Gardens and the South Dakota State Arboretum. The facility will include a gift shop and space to host educational and social events. Construction will begin in fall 2010.
• Seed Technology Laboratory Construction began in April 2009 on the Seed Technology Laboratory at the SDSU Innovation Campus, the only university-affiliated research park in the state. Once completed, the laboratory will enhance the research, teaching, extension outreach and technical service capabilities in seed and crop science, technology and biotechnology at SDSU.
• Steers for State The Steers for State program has been revived to raise scholarship funds for the SDSU rodeo program.
• Swine Unit Enhancement The SDSU Swine Unit has played an integral role in exposing students from South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and surrounding states to real-world swine industry teaching and research experiences. In preparation for the opportunities ahead, efforts are under way to enhance the facilities to reflect modern pig production. 

Scholarships
An education from South Dakota State University is still remarkably affordable when compared nationally. However, for many South Dakota students who may be first-generation college students, cost is still a barrier. Attracting the top students in South Dakota and nationally is not often a problem. The challenge lies in successfully recruiting them and providing them with scholarships. Sponsoring a scholarship is way to have a direct impact on a student. Options include:

• Jackrabbit Guarantee $1,000 annual commitment
• Annually Funded Scholarships amounts vary, however gifts of at least $500 to $1,000 are suggested.
• Build an Endowment an account wherein your monies grow and accrue toward an endowment.
• Endowed Scholarships a $20,000 account earns interest and awards annually, corpus remains in perpetuity.
• Memorial and Honor Scholarships can be annual or endowed scholarships.

Opportunities Farm
The Opportunities Farm was a gift given to the SDSU Foundation in the spring of 2001. Valued at $1.6 million, the 1,120 acres of land and feedlot facilities provide an outstanding opportunity to conduct research and education for SDSU students. LeRoy Poppens, the benefactor of the farm gift, envisioned the Opportunities Farm as a working farm where students can experience a hands-on livestock and agronomy research and teaching facility.

A grant from the state of South Dakota in 2003 and an investment by the SDSU Foundation enabled the Opportunities Farm to construct three types for feedlot systems (confined, partially confined and open) to compare environmental impacts, livestock performance, physiological stress measurements, and selected nutritional trials. Costs of operating each of these systems along with performance data will be shared with South Dakota producers through the SDSU Cooperative Extension Service specialists and educators.

For more information, visit www.opportunitiesfarm.com.

For more information about Giving Opportunities in the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences, please contact: