January
2016
In This Issue:
2
Employee of
the Month
3
5 Minutes with
Kim Albracht
6
Student
Leadership Award Nominations Sought
Aviso - January 2016
Marketing
Communications &
University Relations
Submit articles or
ideas to:
[email protected]
Submission deadline
for next issue:
Feb. 5, 2016
Next issue distributed:
Feb. 10, 2016
Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service
For more than a
the Avera Yankton Care
decade, USD has been
Center.” Then, after their
contributing to the
work is done, volunteers
MLK Jr. Day of Service,
will return to the MUC
and the tradition
for a debriefing.
continues on Monday,
The event continues
Jan. 18. All community
at 7 p.m. on Thursday,
and university members
Jan. 21 in the Aalfs
are invited to join the
Auditorium. Dr.
nationwide effort to
Crystal Sellers-Battle,
embody the visions
an associate professor of
of societal equality
music at Ohio’s Bluffton
inspired by Dr. Martin
University, adds to the
Luther King, Jr. by
week’s theme of equality
helping with various
with a recital and lecture
outreach projects.
entitled “Songs of Black
“It is a great way to
America.” Sellers-Battle
connect students and
received her vocal
community members
performance doctorate
in answering the call to
degree from The Ohio
serve the greater good,”
State University and
said Emily Dykstra,
serves as a recitalist,
assistant director for
judge, vocal clinician and
Academic Engagement.
honors choir conductor
“There are no skill
throughout Ohio.
requirements necessary
The MLK Jr. Day of
– just a willingness to
Service is sponsored by
make a difference.”
the Center for Academic
Sellers-Battle
Participants will check
& Global Engagement,
into the MUC Ballroom
Center for Diversity &
at 9 a.m., then serve from 10 a.m. to
Community, Corporation for National and
around 1 p.m. By lending their hands,
Community Service, Alternative Week of
volunteers provide additional support to
Off-Campus Learning, and Vice President
local organizations as a unified workforce.
for Student Services.
“Groups will help with serving meals
To sign up for the MLK Jr. Day of
to the community and organizing food
Service or find more information, visit the
donations,” said Dykstra, “as well as deep
CAGE website.
cleaning at an animal shelter or day care
facility, and interacting with residents at
Gotto Named December Employee of the Month
Nathan Gotto, a
He also helped
Board of Regents human
develop the new
resources representative,
human resources
was selected as the
dashboard, used by
December Employee of
USD administrators,
the Month. He has been
which tracks turnover
working in this field for
rates, workforce
almost two years, all of
demographics and
which has been spent at
other useful statistics.
the University of South
The variety of
Dakota. Gotto began
individuals that Gotto
working at USD as an
assists continues to
intern in January 2014,
benefit from his work
during his senior year of
– an accomplishment
college.
that has not gone
“I enjoyed my
unnoticed. His
Nathan Gotto receives his Employee of the Month certificate
time here as a student
supervisor,
Emery
from President James W. Abbott.
and loved the college
Wasley, nominated him
atmosphere,” Gotto
for this award.
through
consultations
and
assistance
said. The atmosphere
“Gotto has become
inspired him to stay on campus after in human resource functions such
an expert on the new Affordable
as recruitment, classification and
graduation.
Care Act (ACA) employee tracking,”
employee relations.
Gotto first came to Vermillion
Wasley said. “His expertise is sought
“Being able to assist a variety of
from Sioux Center, Iowa, pursuing
out by senior HR professionals from
individuals, from students to deans
a B.B.A. in human resources. In
the other universities when questions
of colleges, is what I enjoy most
May 2014, he graduated and was
are raised on ACA eligibility.”
hired full-time as a human resources about the job,” Gotto said. “And I
Gotto’s dedication to employee
have
great
co-workers.”
generalist at USD. He continued
He recently developed a method
well-being has made an impact
this position until October 2015,
for
monitoring
temporary
employees
across the state. When not in the
when he began his current role.
who
are
close
to
receiving
benefits,
Gotto’s work involves a wide
office, he enjoys spending time with
and this method is now used by all
range of responsibilities. He advises
his wife, watching sports and movies,
supervisors, managers and employees six South Dakota BOR institutions. and cooking.
USD SSOM Grad Named Chief Medical Officer for
Sanford International Clinics
Dr. Scott Boyens, a graduate of the University of South Dakota Sanford School of
Medicine, is the new chief medical officer for
Sanford International Clinics.
Boyens, who has been a family medical
physician with Sanford since 1998, will manage medical care for Sanford International
Clinic locations in the United States and
abroad and ensure the implementation of
Sanford’s clinical models at those sites. He
replaces Pat O’Brien, M.D., who is retiring.
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Boyens received his undergraduate degree
from Augustana University and is board
certified in family medicine.
Sanford International Clinics launched in
2007 as an initiative to develop clinics in the
United States and around the world in areas
that lack adequate primary care services.
There are currently three domestic locations
and sites in China and Africa.
with Kim Albracht
Coordinator,
Global Engagement
Travel gives people an opportunity
to learn more about unfamiliar
places and cultures, often changing
the way they see the world – or
themselves. Kim Albracht, USD’s
coordinator for Global Engagement,
had that experience, and now she’s
helping others do the same.
After growing up in Grand
Island, Nebraska, she attended the
University of Nebraska-Kearney.
During her undergraduate career,
she spent a year studying abroad
in Melbourne, Australia, before
obtaining her bachelor’s degree in
theater in 2000.
“Like many students who travel
abroad, this experience had a
significant impact on my future
decisions to work abroad,” Albracht
said. Thereafter convinced she
wanted to travel, she spent the next
few years working in Florida and
Colorado before deciding to head
back overseas in 2005.
What started as a break from her
current routine became an eight-year
stay abroad. Albracht spent a year in
France, then another in Montreal,
Canada, teaching English as a second
language to families in both places
while also learning French. Inspired
by the people she met and things she
could learn, she then went back to
France for another six years. It was
the time overseas that encouraged
her to make a profession out of
helping others travel and get a more
global perspective of the world in
which they live.
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“I’ve always been interested in
education,” Albracht said. “Even
while working in theaters, I was
involved with education outreach
work. But being overseas showed me
that I wanted to be directly involved
with teaching students how to be
global 21st century students.” As part
of an increasingly connected society,
students have more opportunities
than ever before to know the
world around them and immerse
themselves in it.
With that in mind, she earned
a master’s degree in global and
international education while in
France, then decided in 2014 to
move back and find a position in the
United States; that way, she could
help others see the world while also
being near her family.
Albracht took her position with
USD’s Center for Academic and
Global Engagement in September,
and has already seen the department
grow. Although this is her first time
working with study abroad and
international students, she knows the
position is a good fit.
“This job is special in the fact that
I work with domestic students who
want to pursue a global learning
experience, and with international
students who are coming to USD,”
she said. “I like being able to
contribute to the initiatives for
diversity here on campus, as well as
help students go abroad and learn
about diversity themselves.”
Her job includes helping students
with advising and the logistical
aspects of studying abroad, like
getting applications and paperwork
done correctly and on time, and
helping students succeed in their
new academic environments.
Albracht has also made it her goal to
“help as many students as many ways
as possible” by reaching out to some
of the more underrepresented groups
on campus; helping more students
go abroad; and making sure USD is
a good fit for those who come here.
In addition to helping the
students, Albracht likes being
involved with the campus and
community that she and her
husband call home. She enjoys
attending university games, shows
and concerts, and the couple travels
to see family whenever they can.
She hasn’t forgotten her artistic
roots, though, and recently started
devoting other free time to the
Vermillion Community Theater.
University Art Galleries Presents ‘Asiniig’
The University Art Galleries at the
University of South Dakota has an
exhibit on display called “Assiniig”
that features works by Duane “Dewey” Goodwin, of Bemidji, Minnesota, who has Anishananaabe and
Lakota heritage and White Earth
tribal affiliation.
The works will be on display in the
John A. Day Gallery in the Warren
M. Lee Center for Fine Arts through
Jan. 22, with a closing reception on
that Friday from 6-8 p.m.
Goodwin’s work has received
numerous grants and awards and has
exhibited at the Philbrook Indian
Art show in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and
the Heard Museum Indian Art show
in Phoenix. He has worked in art
education for 30 years, believing that
restoring traditional arts is vital to
Duane "Dewey" Goodwin's "John WindIn-His-Hair" bronze casting piece
retaining cultural practices. He considers himself a contemporary artist
living in a semi-traditional environment. Dewey’s primary medium is
stone carving, but he's also skilled in
bead work and ivory carvings.
Asiniig features many works
Goodwin has created throughout
his lifetime, such as stone carvings, bronze castings, paintings and
traditional bead work. Several of his
carving pieces were created while
Goodwin participated in the second
annual Northern Plains Indian Artist
Residency at the University of South
Dakota last June. This residency is
made possible through the Contemporary Native Arts Program grant.
The Northern Plains Indian Artist
Residency supports artists in the upper Midwest in the creation of a new
or ongoing visual arts project.
Drive with Pride
Show your pride - add the USD
decal to your new license plates!
Order your decals today at www.
usdcoyotestore.com or from the
USD Alumni Association at the
Wagner Center, 1110 N. Dakota
Street in Vermillion.
Your one-time $50 donation for
the decals is tax deductible and supports the USD Alumni Association
in providing student networking
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programs, alumni events, reunions
and communications to keep
alumni informed and connected to
USD.
Organization plates are available
at your county treasurer’s office to
anyone in South Dakota with a
non-commercial vehicle. For more
information, call the USD Alumni
Association at 605-677-6734.
University offices
will be closed on
Monday, Jan. 18
in observance of
Martin Luther
King Jr. Day.
Safety Matters
Every important lesson in life
can be learned from movies and
television. Do you all remember
the movie The Music Man? Robert
Preston convinces the kids of River
City (and their parents) that they
can learn to be a marching band
by practicing “The Think System,”
in which they simply have to think
of a tune over and over and they will
know how to play it without ever
touching their instruments.
Over the past couple of months
I have written some articles about
trying to avoid slipping and falling
at work. Last week a friend of mine
(who I know reads these articles)
slipped and fell at work. Now I realize that maybe I have been practicing
my own Think System. I was acting
like merely thinking of people being
safe would make them safer. I am
Opie waiting for my cornet. Ronnie
something is unsafe. Then there is
your supervisor. He or she doesn’t
know there is a problem until you
tell them. When they know, they
can usually do something about it.
Third, there are your co-workers.
Listen to them when they have
suggestions or safety observations.
In fact, they are counting on you to
do the same for them.
You, your supervisor, and your
co-workers are the three legs of what
I am going to call the Safety Stool.
Well, maybe Safety Tripod sounds
better.
The moral of this story is: it is not
enough to simply think safety. We
need to practice safety.
Howard was so cute!
The sad truth is that I cannot make
you all safer by writing an article,
no matter how amusing, any more
than Ronnie Howard can learn to
play his cornet by thinking about
it. But there are three people who
can help prevent workplace injuries,
and I want to talk about those three
people.
First of all, there is you. You can
make yourself safer. You do this by
Future topic suggestions or health
performing your job in a safe and
and safety concerns can be directed to
steady manner. Take good care of
Kevin O’Kelley at 677-6265 or
yourself. Use your noggin. Also, tell
your supervisor when you notice that [email protected].
‘King of the Guitar’ to Kick Off 2016 NMM Live! Performances
T. Wilson King will be playing rare
vintage guitars from the National
Music Museum’s collection at 7 p.m.
on Friday, Jan. 15. The self-taught
guitarist, singer and songwriter has
a reputation for his unique musical
style that incorporates folk, rock,
country, gospel bluegrass, jazz and
blues.
King grew up in Sioux City,
Iowa, and has been performing
for audiences since he was 3 years
old. His guitar career took off,
however, when he began playing
on the street corners of California;
there he drew inspiration from
every band he heard until the
styles of each one had combined to
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main stage festival performances
throughout the West Coast and
Midwest, and opening for other
musicians such as B.B. King.
Entrance fees for his upcoming
performance at the National
Music Museum are: $7 for general
admission; $4 for seniors and
children; and free to USD students
and NMM members-with-benefits.
become one of his own. Since
those humble beginnings, King has
worked his way up to theaters and
Student Leadership Award Nominations Sought
The Office of Student Services is preparing for its
university-wide President’s Celebration of University
Leadership on April 17, where students will be honored
with awards from both academic and non-academic
campus departments.
The awards listed here were included in last year’s celebration. If you are the point person in the below departments for these awards, please email student.leadership@
usd.edu by Feb. 22 if you would like to have an award
presented at the celebration. If you would like to have
Award
an award added to the celebration, please email student.
[email protected] for more information.
All nominated leaders, along with their parents and
families, will be invited to the event. Please send a list of
each award’s nominees to [email protected] by
March 9 and the award winners by March 28.
Thank you for helping make this celebration
memorable for our students.
Sponsoring Department
“Best in Show” Stilwell Art Competition College of Fine Arts
School of Education Outstanding Leadership (3)
School of Education
Dean Joseph H. Cash Award for Excellence in Writing (up to 3)
College of Arts & Sciences
John W. Carlson Research Grant (2) College of Arts & Sciences
Gary and Judy Marx Servant Leadership College of Arts & Sciences
School of Health Sciences Student Leader (2) School of Health Sciences
Student Ambassador of the YearAdmissions
New Student Leader of the Year
Student Life/Awards Committee
Dave Lorenz Senior Leadership
Student Life
Unsung Leader Student Life/Awards Committee
Outstanding Diversity Student Life/Awards Committee
Outstanding Leadership and Service Student Life/Awards Committee
Service Learning AdvocateStudent Life/Awards Committee
Community Spirit Student Life/Awards Committee
Graduate Student LeadershipStudent Life/Awards Committee
Fraternity President of the Year
Student Life/Sorority & Fraternity Life
Sorority President of the Year
Student Life/Sorority & Fraternity Life
Community Advisor of the Year
Student Life/Housing
University Housing Leadership Award Student Life/Housing
Hall of the Year Student Life/Housing
Champions of Inclusive Excellence (2) President’s Council on Diversity & Inclusiveness
Outstanding Advisor of the Year Student Life (nominated by students)
South Dakota Board of Regents award for Organizational Leadership Student Life/BOR
South Dakota Board of Regents award for Academic Excellence Student Life/BOR
South Dakota Board of Regents award for Community Service
Student Life/BOR
Fraternity of the Year Student Life/Sorority & Fraternity Life
Sorority of the Year Student Life/Sorority & Fraternity Life
Intramural Team of the YearStudent Services/Wellness Center
Spirit of CharlieMarketing & University Relations
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