Dr. Barry H. Dunn was named the 20th president of South Dakota State University (SDSU) in April 2016, the fourth alumnus chosen to lead the institution. He assumed office May 23, 2016. President Dunn discussed Imagine 2023: SDSU’s impact, academic quality, workforce development, and looking forward.
Program Highlights for October 23, 2017
Dr. Dunn stated that the goal of SDSU is to foster students who serve this community. SDSU educates students from 50 states and over 90 countries. The university has accreditation in over 40 programs and 10 more in progress. Accreditation ensures that the university system maintains quality and competiveness on a national level. It also ensures students are reaching, if not exceeding the national standards. Furthermore, accreditation is good for employers, prospective students and their parents.
SDSU pharmacy program has a 98.6% pass rate for their licensure exam which places them number two in the nation. Dietics has a 100% passage rate, while the engineering program is well above average for licensure pass rates.
Total cost for a 4-year degree in a 4 year land grant university for residents is approximately $60,000 while for non-residents is approximately $70,000. The university prides itself on offering a quality education for an affordable price.
Dr. Dunn stated that the First Dakota National Bank E-Trading Education Laboratory has 1000 students who partake in courses such as finances, agriculture marketing, and marketing. The lab is 3 years young, and this past spring a student lab team won first place on Wall Street beating out 146 other university teams from the United States and the world.
SDSU is focusing on workforce development for our community and state focusing on healthcare, engineering, business economics, agriculture, and hospitality management. The 2016 SDSU impact created over $1billion dollars for our state's economy and SDSU Foundation raises over $56 million a year.
Looking forward, Dr. Dunn indicated that he would like to grow enrollment, explore new academic programs, and improve marketing and branding.
Dr. Dunn received a bachelor’s degree in biology at SDSU in 1975 and subsequently completed two graduate degrees in animal science—a master’s in 1977 and a Ph.D. in in 2000—at the Brookings campus. He became the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council endowed dean of the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences in 2010. He also served as director of SDSU Extension and as a professor of animal science.
As dean, Dr. Dunn led a college with some 550 faculty and staff, 2,800 graduate and undergraduate students, and a $78 million annual budget, including more than $20 million in grant and contract awards, fundraising and development. He shaped the academic and strategic direction of eight departments, spanning 18-degree programs, one regional research and outreach center, six research field stations and 14,500 acres of Agricultural Experiment Station research land.
As Extension director, Dr. Dunn administered and set the vision for five program areas across two colleges and nine departments, as well as eight regional extension centers with a $12 million annual budget. He led a team of some 150 faculty and staff members and 3,500 adult volunteers.
Prior to that, he spent six years at Texas A&M University-Kingsville from 2004 to 2010, as executive director of the King Ranch Institute for Range Management. He first worked in Brookings as an Extension livestock specialist and as an assistant professor in SDSU’s Department of Animal and Range Science from 1997 to 2004.
From 1979 to 1996, Dr. Dunn was a successful rancher, managing his family’s cattle ranch in Mission, S.D. In 2015, he was appointed to the South Dakota Habitat Conservation Fund by Governor Dennis Daugaard, and to the Governor’s Pheasant Work Group, 2014. He served as an ex officio member of the Ag Advisory Board for the First Dakota National Bank, Yankton SD, from 2011 to 2016, and was a member of the Board of Directors for Padlock Ranch, Dayton, WY from 2009 to 2016.
Dr. Dunn has a rich academic background, was a successful rancher and farm operator and is a published author and researcher. He is a nationally recognized expert in beef production and ranching systems, and is a member of several professional organizations, including the Society for Range Management, the American Society of Animal Science, and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. He has a deep historical and cultural knowledge of South Dakota and South Dakota State University, and strong, statewide relationships with industry influencers and stakeholders, including government officials, business leaders, university administration, faculty and staff.
Dr. Dunn and his wife, Jane, lived on her family’s original homestead north of Brookings where they raised their two sons.
As dean, Dr. Dunn led a college with some 550 faculty and staff, 2,800 graduate and undergraduate students, and a $78 million annual budget, including more than $20 million in grant and contract awards, fundraising and development. He shaped the academic and strategic direction of eight departments, spanning 18-degree programs, one regional research and outreach center, six research field stations and 14,500 acres of Agricultural Experiment Station research land.
As Extension director, Dr. Dunn administered and set the vision for five program areas across two colleges and nine departments, as well as eight regional extension centers with a $12 million annual budget. He led a team of some 150 faculty and staff members and 3,500 adult volunteers.
Prior to that, he spent six years at Texas A&M University-Kingsville from 2004 to 2010, as executive director of the King Ranch Institute for Range Management. He first worked in Brookings as an Extension livestock specialist and as an assistant professor in SDSU’s Department of Animal and Range Science from 1997 to 2004.
From 1979 to 1996, Dr. Dunn was a successful rancher, managing his family’s cattle ranch in Mission, S.D. In 2015, he was appointed to the South Dakota Habitat Conservation Fund by Governor Dennis Daugaard, and to the Governor’s Pheasant Work Group, 2014. He served as an ex officio member of the Ag Advisory Board for the First Dakota National Bank, Yankton SD, from 2011 to 2016, and was a member of the Board of Directors for Padlock Ranch, Dayton, WY from 2009 to 2016.
Dr. Dunn has a rich academic background, was a successful rancher and farm operator and is a published author and researcher. He is a nationally recognized expert in beef production and ranching systems, and is a member of several professional organizations, including the Society for Range Management, the American Society of Animal Science, and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. He has a deep historical and cultural knowledge of South Dakota and South Dakota State University, and strong, statewide relationships with industry influencers and stakeholders, including government officials, business leaders, university administration, faculty and staff.
Dr. Dunn and his wife, Jane, lived on her family’s original homestead north of Brookings where they raised their two sons.
Program for October 30, 2017
Craig Severston, Helping Kids Round First