[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 27 (Monday, March 6, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S1785]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    ON THE 125TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 
                               UNIVERSITY

 Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today to celebrate the 
125th anniversary of the founding of South Dakota State University. In 
a society where education is an essential asset, SDSU has been 
providing students with a high-quality, affordable education for 
generations. Graduates have gone on to be extraordinary community and 
professional leaders.
  Founded in 1881 in Brookings, SDSU is South Dakota's only land grant 
university, and enrollment has now grown to more than 11,000 students. 
Charged with advancing agricultural and biological sciences, SDSU has 
constructed six biodiverse experiment stations, 14 interactive 
technology centers throughout the State, and extension specialists and 
educators in all 66 counties. SDSU is on the cutting edge of research 
in such important fields as agriculture, children's health, ethanol, 
and other renewable fuel sources.
  SDSU is driven by a core of dedicated professionals. More than 70 
percent of the instructors have doctorate or terminal degrees, and nine 
out of ten classes are taught by full-time professors. There are nearly 
200 student clubs and organizations active on campus. In the sporting 
arena, SDSU recently made the jump to Division I athletics, competing 
with nationally recognized sports programs. Additionally, SDSU was the 
first university in the region to offer $4,000 over 4 years to any 
first-time student who scored 24 or higher on the ACT; this scholarship 
was termed the ``Jackrabbit Guarantee.''
  In the arts, agriculture, sciences, and a score of other areas, SDSU 
is at the forefront of academic and cultural achievement. For 125 
years, the university has helped students realize their potential 
through quality education and a positive social environment. SDSU 
students are equipped to succeed in a competitive world, delivering 
countless benefits to organizations and communities close to home and 
around the globe. With alumni as accomplished and varied as former 
Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle to New England Patriots field goal 
kicker Adam Vinatieri, SDSU continues to live up to its motto: ``You 
can go anywhere from here!''

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