Awards

BHSU Student Organizations Recognized by South Dakota Board of Regents

  • BHSU Communications
  • 13 December 2024

Three Black Hills State University (BHSU) student organizations were recognized for their outstanding academic, community, and organizational achievements during the December South Dakota Board of Regents meeting on the BHSU campus. 

BHSU student organization Future Teachers Association (FTA) was awarded the Board of Regents Community Service Award for its impactful initiatives, including a Reading Buddy Program with Rainbow Preschool. (From left) SDBOR Executive Director and CEO Nathan Lukkes, BHSU President Steve Elliott, Emma Fink, Brooklyn Andersen, Sydney Haugland, SDBOR President Tim Rave.

Lakota Omniciye received the Board of Regents Award for Academic Excellence. The club was represented by students Raina Ghost Bear, Cherre Ferguson, Demetra White, and faculty advisors Dr. Rosie Sprague and Dr. Urla Marcus. Lakota Omniciye hosts study nights and activities to support students academically and socially. Their scholarship nights help students, particularly first-generation, navigate financial aid processes. The organization sponsors programs for campus and the community which include a Spearfish Middle School presentation on sacred sites around the Black Hills and the annual Lakota Omniciye Wacipi. 

Image of FTA accepting award from SDBOR

The Future Teachers Association (FTA) was awarded the Board of Regents Community Service Award for its impactful initiatives, including a Reading Buddy Program with Rainbow Preschool. The program pairs BHSU students with preschoolers to foster literacy. FTA also engages the community through events like the annual Kiddie Carnival during BHSU Swarm Days. Students Emma Fink and Brooklyn Andersen, alongside faculty advisor Dr. Sydney Haugland, accepted the award. 

BHSU student organization Kicking Assets earned the Board of Regents Organizational Leadership Award for advancing business and accounting education. (From left) BHSU President Steve Elliott, SDBOR Executive Director and CEO Nathan Lukkes, Liza Stahl, Kenli Herrera, Susan Dana, Laura Prosser, Doreen Hong, Caleb Simons, SDBOR President Tim Rave.

Kicking Assets earned the Board of Regents Organizational Leadership Award for advancing business and accounting education. Their award was accepted by Caleb Simons, Liza Stahl, Mallory Handelin, Kenli Herrera, Doreen Hong, and faculty advisors Laura Prosser and Dr. Susan Dana. The club has provided networking opportunities through several events, such as a panel discussion with the Executive Director of the South Dakota Board of Accountancy and a conversation night with the SD CPA Society Executive Director about the new CPA exam format. The club also organized local business tours in the Black Hills region, offering members insights into current business practices, and regularly hosts guest speakers to engage and educate both members and the broader campus community.