Centers, Institutes and Museums

Click on the following links for information:

• Al Neuharth Media Center
• Center for Academic & Global Engagement
• Disaster Mental Health Institute
• Government Research Bureau
• Institute of American Indian Studies
• Missouri River Institute
• National Music Museum
• South Dakota Oral History Center
• W.H. Over Museum
• W.O. Farber Center for Civic Leadership

Michelle Van Maanen
Chair, Department of Media & Journalism
605-677-5477
Michelle.VanMaanen@usd.edu

The Al Neuharth Media Center is named for the late Al Neuharth, who was a 1950 journalism graduate of USD and the founder of USA Today and the Newseum. The center is funded in part by the Newseum Institute, a nonpartisan foundation dedicated to providing a forum for educational programs and thought-leadership initiatives, as well as educational materials addressing the five freedoms of the First Amendment: speech, press, religion, assembly, and petition.

The Al Neuharth Media Center houses South Dakota Public Broadcasting, the USD Department of Media & Journalism, the CoMPARE Media Research Laboratory (Communication, Media Psychology, and related effects), and all USD student media, including KYOT-TV, KAOR-FM, and The Volante campus newspaper, which Neuharth edited as a student in 1949.

Al Neuharth has left behind a legacy of free-press rights for students, providing The Volante staff with its modern facilities, a professional adviser, training opportunities and the Al Neuharth Scholarships for Excellence in Journalism. In keeping with his interests, the Newseum Institute has been particularly focused on journalism education, supporting the First Amendment, and helping to diversify staffing in newsrooms around the nation. At USD, it has sponsored since 1989 an annual Al Neuharth Award for Excellence in the Media.

The Al Neuharth Media Center building is operated jointly by the Newseum Institute and the University. Conference and meeting facilities at the Al Neuharth Media Center are available for booking by university departments, organizations and programs. The refurbished building, completed in 2003 with major funding from the Newseum Institute and the University of South Dakota Foundation, is a popular venue for workshops, training classes, lectures, luncheon meetings and dinner programs. The state-of-the-art Newseum Institute Conference Room accommodates up to 120 for a sit-down meal and about 200 people for auditorium-style seating. The Freedom Forum Board Room is designed for smaller gatherings of about a dozen people. The center’s spectacular two-story Newseum Institute Concourse is ideal for receptions and social gatherings. For reservations and inquiries, contact Kimberley Andres at the Al Neuharth Media Center at 605-677-5477 or  Kimberley.Andres@usd.edu.

Center for Academic and Global Engagement
Academic Commons 103
(605) 677-6338
engage@usd.edu
www.usd.edu/engage

The Center houses resources for students who want to enrich their academic experiences while making themselves marketable after graduation. Students can find opportunities for service-learning, “AWOL” service-learning programs, AmeriCorps, studying abroad, National Student Exchange, undergraduate research and creative scholarship, and nationally competitive awards & fellowships, among others. We also provide support to our international students with cultural and academic adjustments, as well as immigration concerns.

• Service-Learning & Community-Based Research:  The Center is home to service-learning-connecting academic work to community needs-as well as alternative events of service like alternative spring breaks and weekends through the AWOL program. Grants are available for faculty and students who want to connect with the community to address an identified community need-either through a course or through a co-curricular venue.
   
• Global Learning & Off-Campus Faculty-Led Programs:  The Center is the first point of contact for students and faculty who want to study internationally through the university’s study abroad programs or exchange at US, Canadian, and abroad campuses through National Student Exchange.
   
• International Student Support:  The Center for Academic & Global Engagement offers international students comprehensive support services including new student orientations, cultural programming, employment guidance, and immigration-related advising and support. Please contact us: engage@usd.edu or (605) 677-6338.
   
• Undergraduate Research:  The Center also supports undergraduate research and students from every discipline who are involved in various types of academic scholarship, while developing important mentoring relationships with faculty. Grants of up to $750 each are available for USD undergraduate students to conduct research or present their research.
   
• Nationally Competitive Scholarships:  The Center provides support to students in applying for the most prominent and lucrative scholarships available on a national and international level and that require University endorsement. These scholarships include the Rhodes, Truman, Fulbright, Goldwater, Boren, and others. 

Gerard A. Jacobs, Director
South Dakota Union 114
605-677-6575
dmhi@usd.edu
www.usd.edu/dmhi

The Disaster Mental Health Institute’s mission is the promotion, development, and application of both practice and research in disaster psychology. Through the USD Department of Psychology the DMHI offers an undergraduate Minor in Disaster Response and for psychology majors a Specialization in Disaster Response (see the psychology department’s section of this catalog for details). These programs help students learn how to serve their communities in times of disaster, and include real-world practicum experiences in preparing for or responding to disasters with American Red Cross Disaster Services. DMHI faculty are engaged in cutting-edge research and disaster preparedness and response, both in the United States and around the world, and they bring that knowledge and experience into the classroom. Students learn directly from faculty who are shaping the future of the field world-wide.

Shane Nordyke, Director
Farber House 101
605-677-6663
grb@usd.edu
www.usd.edu/grb

USD’s Government Research Bureau provides expert research design and analysis services to stakeholders at every stage of the public policy and administration process. The GRB has a long history of providing services to support South Dakota’s governments, nonprofits, and businesses. It leverages the research talent at the University of South Dakota to provide its clients with customized research design and analysis solutions. The GRB is committed to creating an environment that is conducive to producing the highest quality work for the GRB’s clients while also building a place where USD’s students and faculty can contribute to the well-being of the state and region.

Slagle Hall, Room 102
605-677-6497
iais@usd.edu
www.usd.edu/iais

Established in 1955 by the South Dakota State Legislature [SDCL 13-57-3.2], the Institute of American Indian Studies develops and promotes American Indian-related projects, activities, and programs at the University of South Dakota. These projects include on- and off-campus programs to promote education and awareness of American Indian culture and issues and strengthening relations with tribes, tribal colleges, and other appropriate American Indian organizations in the state, region, and beyond.

The Dr. Joseph H. Cash Memorial Library contains books, photographs, films, and videos on North American frontier history with special emphases on American Indians, the mining industry, and western literature. The collection is a gift of Dr. Cash’s family to honor his service to the University as Professor of History, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Director of the Institute of American Indian Studies. Located in I.D. Weeks, Room 304, the library is available for in-house use by students, faculty members, and researchers.

David Swanson, Director
Missouri River Institute
605-677-6175
david.swanson@usd.edu
www.usd.edu/mri

The University of South Dakota established the Missouri River Institute to develop and promote research, education, and public awareness related to the natural and cultural resources of the Missouri River Basin. The MRI promotes interdisciplinary research on the Missouri River by contributing faculty, students, equipment, and funding resources toward research projects that address issues related to the Missouri River system. The MRI is developing new curricula and academic programs for introductory and advanced river studies at USD. This includes undergraduate courses and graduate programs centered on riverine and environmental studies. The MRI is also active in outreach projects to promote understanding of and interaction with the river.

USD is located near the last remaining unmodified portion of the Missouri River downstream of the dams, a 59-mile section of river from Gavins Point Dam to Ponca State Park, Nebraska. The University’s unique location allows it to integrate river research within campus life on a daily basis. Under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, the federal government declared this particular section the Missouri National Recreational River in 1978. It therefore provides a natural field laboratory for research, teaching and outreach activities. The Missouri National Recreational River Resource and Education Center is just 30 miles from campus at Ponca State Park and is available for use by the University community.

The Missouri River Institute gives students a unique opportunity to get involved directly in the Missouri River’s natural and cultural heritage. Direct inquires about research and education opportunities to the Director of the Institute, the Student Engagement Action Coordinator, or to individual faculty mentors.

Cleveland Johnson, Director
605-677-5306
nmm@usd.edu
www.nmmusd.org

The ingenious intersection of music, art, science, engineering, and technology is showcased at the National Music Museum, one of the great museums of its kind in the world. Housed in a lovingly restored Carnegie library building, the NMM’s ever-growing collections of more than 15,000 American, European, and non-Western instruments from virtually all cultures and historical periods are the most inclusive in the world. Although music museums are found in many cities, the comprehensive nature of the NMM’s collection makes it the premier institution of its kind. Included are many of the earliest, best preserved, and historically most important musical instruments known to survive, dating back to as early as the 16th century. All reflect the ageless, universal power of human ingenuity and imagination. Concerts are presented amid the intimacy and superb acoustics of the Arne B. Larson Concert Hall, bringing the Museum to life with sound. Self-guided multi-media tours also allow visitors to hear many examples from the more than 1,100 instruments on exhibit in nine galleries. Group tours must be arranged two weeks in advance.

The NMM is also a leading institution for organological research and hosts national/international conferences that attract scholars from around the world. In addition to musical instruments, the NMM’s resources include a specialized library and extensive archives, with special emphasis on the documentation of the American music industry. NMM faculty and staff are leading scholars in the field, publish widely, and provide international leadership. Graduates of the University’s graduate program, with a concentration in the history of musical instruments, now hold positions with other major musical instrument collections, museums, and libraries, both in the U.S.A. and abroad.

University Libraries, Room 231
605-677-6386
sdohc@usd.edu
www.usd.edu/library/sdohc
 

The South Dakota Oral History Center houses collections of audio interviews relating to the experiences of the peoples of the Northern Plains. In all, the Center houses six collections. The John S. Painter Collection, Stanislaus Maudlin Collection, James Emery Collection, and Lindley Collection comprise the smaller of the six and cover a variety of topics from traditional American Indian music to an in-depth oral diary of Stanislaus Maudlin of Blue Cloud Abbey and recordings of important regional speakers. The American Indian Research Project is composed of approximately 2,300 tapes addressing experiences of Dakota/Lakota/Nakota peoples and other tribes of the Northern Plains. Topics range from ancient legends and traditional religious beliefs to recent political and social views reflecting the American Indian way of life. The South Dakota Oral History Project contains almost 3,500 recorded interviews covering myriad aspects in South Dakota history. Interviews were collected beginning in the 1960s, and oral history projects continue today. A valuable resource for students and researchers, the Center, with its 6,000+ interviews, is the largest collection of its kind in the country and is located in Room 231, University Libraries. Appointments are appreciated and can be made by calling or emailing the Center.

The Dr. Joseph H. Cash Memorial Library contains books, photographs, films, and videos on North American frontier history with special emphases on American Indians, the mining industry, and western literature. The collection is a gift of Dr. Cash’s family to honor his service to the University as Professor of History, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Director of the Institute of American Indian Studies. The Cash Library is available for use in the University Library by students, faculty members, and researchers.

L.E. Bradley, Director
1110 Ratingen St.
Vermillion, SD 57069
605-677-5228
whover@usd.edu
www.whovermuseum.org/

The mission of the W. H. Over Museum operated by a privatized non-profit, all volunteer organization, is to collect, preserve, document, exhibit, research, study, and interpret objects relating to natural and cultural history of South Dakota and the region. The museum provides interpretive exhibits, educational programs, publications and other appropriate means of conveying an understanding and appreciation of this region.

William D. Richardson, Director
Elizabeth T. Smith, Associate Director
Cheryl Hovorka, Program Assistant
116 Dakota Hall
(605) 677-5702
William.Richardson@usd.edu, Cheryl.Hovorka@usd.edu 
www.usd.edu/farbercenter

The South Dakota Board of Regents established the W. O. Farber Center for Civic Leadership in the fall of 1997 as a Center of Excellence. The Center is housed within the Department of Political Science and offers a minor in Civic Leadership Studies. The term “civic” was chosen to emphasize that the Center’s focus is not narrowly governmental but rather broadly inclusive of all aspects of our lives together as citizens of a community, state, nation, and world. The mission of the Center is to prepare students and help communities to face difficult public problems in a manner consistent with constitutional values. The Center fosters responsible and ethical leadership through education, service, and scholarship in the public interest.

The W.O. Farber Center for Civic Leadership was founded on the belief that there is leadership within every person. Its initiative stresses the importance of principled leadership based on core values and emphasizes leadership as a process, not just a position. Viewed in this way, leadership requires responsible action of individuals in every part of society-not simply those in formal leadership roles.