BHSU to dedicate amphitheater in honor of Kay and Ken Schallenkamp

The Schallenkamp Amphitheater Dedication will take place Monday, Oct. 17 at 1:30 p.m. outside of The Peaks Residence Hall Complex followed by a reception at the Joy Center. The event is open to the public.

Black Hills State University will dedicate the new amphitheater on campus in honor of Dr. Kay Schallenkamp, retired president of BHSU, and Dr. Ken Schallenkamp, retired BHSU professor of business law.

The Schallenkamp Amphitheater Dedication will take place Monday, Oct. 17 at 1:30 p.m. and is open to the public. The Amphitheater is located between Meier Hall and The Peaks Residence Hall Complex on Yellow Jacket Lane in Spearfish. Following the dedication, the public is invited to a reception in the Joy Center.

A generous $30,000 donation given by alumni and friends led the naming of the Schallenkamp Amphitheater in honor of the retired couple. The Schallenkamp Amphitheater includes a terrace with four six-foot deep seating rows and a stage area at the base. The Amphitheater is made of colored concrete pavers and includes seating for about 100 people. BHSU anticipates that the Amphitheater will be used for University art, theatre, and music events as well as activities hosted by student organizations.

"Kay and Ken Schallenkamp had a remarkably positive influence on this campus. Their dedication and commitment to students, faculty, staff and alumni is celebrated today with the dedication of the Schallenkamp Amphitheater," BHSU President Dr. Tom Jackson, Jr., said. "We are sincerely thankful for their exceptional service to BHSU."

Dr. Kay Schallenkamp served as BHSU President from 2006 until 2014. Throughout her tenure as the ninth President of BHSU, Kay Schallenkamp led the University to many significant achievements including increased enrollment and graduation rates, the addition of several new undergraduate and graduate degree programs, and an increase in grant funding and scholarship donations. Schallenkamp also strengthened collaborations with business, industry and government agencies. She successfully led the University through successful national accreditation reviews. During her tenure, BHSU received the prestigious national Christa McAuliffe Award for Excellence in Teacher Education, was granted full membership to the NCAA Division II, and became the first university in the state to sign the American College and University President's Climate Commitment to advance sustainability.

Dr. Ken Schallenkamp served as a professor of business law and entrepreneurship at BHSU from 2006 until 2016. Dr. Ken Schallenkamp was highly regarded by his students and known for his exceptional commitment to excellence in the classroom at both the undergraduate and graduate level. His research and scholarly interests include legal and management issues faced by small businesses, entrepreneurship, and virtual organizations as they relate to small business. He published multiple peer-reviewed articles and delivered several conference presentations. Prior to joining the faculty at BHSU, he served as a university professor in Chadron, Neb., and Emporia, Kansas, and had a successful banking career serving as a loan officer/vice president and branch manager.