Shane Voss received the Young Alumnus award from Dakota State University Alumni Association. He was nominated for this award due to his dedication to his profession and to the students of the schools that he has been involved with. While in his school, it is obvious that he respects his students and they respect him.

Shane graduated from Wessington High School in 1988. He received his B.S. in Elementary Education from Dakota State University in 1992. During his years at DSU, Shane was involved in intramural sports and recalls graduation and homecoming as being highlights of his college years. Shane then went on to teach 3^rd grade and coach basketball at Gayville-Volin for 3 years. Shane graduated with a Masters in Administration from the University of South Dakota in 1995. He then was the Elementary Principal at Rutland for three years. At the age of 27, Shane became the Superintendent at Gayville-Volin and was there for one year before he became the Superintendent at Hurley. This is his 3^rd year at Hurley. He will finish his specialist degree from USD in the summer of 2002.

Shane enjoys hunting, fishing, and being involved in sports activities. He is also a member of the School Administrators of South Dakota, Small Schools Coalition of South Dakota, South Dakota State Superintendent Association, South Dakota Association of Secondary School Principals, and National Superintendent Association. Shane has also been involved in the two bond issues to build new schools in both Gayville-Volin and Hurley. He was instrumental in developing a school run daycare facility in Hurley.

Shane and his wife, Jayna, have two daughters; Danielle is six-years-old and Cassandra is three.

Kathryn L. Callies
Class of 1983
Distinguished Service Award

The Distinguished Service Award was established to honor someone who has given exceptional service to the university and/or the alumni association. This person must have shown a commitment to the service of others through volunteerism or by other means.

Kathy Callies received the Distinguished Service award from the Dakota State University Alumni Association. She was nominated for this award by a former colleague who stated, “Kathy is a multi-talented individual who is able to capably handle any situation that may arise, and she always conducts herself in a manner that reflects favorably on her alma mater.”

Kathy graduated from Howard High School in 1974. She then attended Dakota State College and graduated with a business degree in 1983. While at Dakota State, Kathy was involved with Delta Mu Delta and Kappa Sigma Iota.

Kathy worked at Dakota State University from 1976 to 1998. She was the director of personnel, purchasing & payroll at DSU from 1983-84, assistant registrar from 1978-83. She then held the position of registrar for 14 years. In 1994, Business and Professional Women named Kathy Woman of the Year.

Kathy has been very active with Dakota State University. She was on the DSU Foundation Board from 1987-2000. She was President of Delta Mu Delta and was also President of the DSU Women’s Club in 1987.

“Kathy has made a tremendous contribution to DSU in her many roles as a key employee at DSU and as an alumnus. She is one of the people who have truly made a significant contribution to the success of the total University,” said Dakota State University President, Dr. Jerald Tunheim.

After leaving Dakota State University, Kathy then took a Human Resource job at PBM until 2001. She has been the Development Director at Miner County Community Revitalization since May of 2001. She was a Charter Board of Directors member for MCCR from 1999-2001. She is also a member of the Strategic Planning group, which resulted in a grant to Miner County of $5.8 million.

Kathy and her husband, Greg, live on a farm near Winfred. Their family includes their daughter, Wendy Shoenrock of Madison, her husband, Derrick and their two sons, Mitchell and Mason, a son, Ryan Miller of Howard and his wife, Sara, Sarah Callies of Sioux Falls, and David Callies of Winfred.

Dan Meadows
Class of 1968
Professional Excellence Award

The Professional Excellence Award was established to recognize alumni who have made outstanding contributions in the field of their professional choice. Honorees must have demonstrated leadership capacities as well as a commitment to the service of others.

Dan Meadows graduated from Watertown High School in 1964. He continued his education by attending General Beadle State College. During his time at General Beadle, Dan was involved in football for four years and was named to the first team All Conference his senior year. Dan met his wife, Sharon, at General Beadle. He enjoyed the friendly students and remembers that the residents of Madison treated the students well. He received his B.S. in Business Administration in 1968.

After receiving his degree, Dan was in the US Army for two years. He attended the University of South Dakota in Vermillion where he received his Masters of Business Administration in 1971.

Dan has eighteen years of experience in Real Estate Development and Marketing in the Phoenix, Arizona area. His experience in Phoenix Real Estate began in sales and marketing. Dan expanded into new home construction, and eventually formed his own company, Centennial Homes, which was sold three years later to Ryland Homes, a national homebuilder. After several years in the land development side of new home construction, Dan and a former Madison, South Dakota resident, Tom L. Meehan, originated two new companies.

Synura, Inc., is an Arizona corporation, formed for the purpose of funding Real Estate developments, Sportlite, Inc. and Louisiana Casino Cruisers, Inc. Dan is the President and Director of Synura, Inc. Sportlite, Inc. is a lighting manufacturer based in Phoenix, Arizona. Dan has served as the CEO of Sportlite since 1997. The combined sales for these two companies were in excess of 100 million dollars in 2000 and employed over 1000 individuals.

Louisiana Casino Cruises, Inc. is a Louisiana corporation formed in 1991. LCCI was responsible for passing Riverboat Gaming Legislation in 1991. LCCI was awarded a preliminary approval by the Riverboat Gaming Commission in March 1993, to develop a Riverboat Gaming operation in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

In December of 1994, LCCI opened their 47,000 square foot Riverboat, 58,000 square foot embarkation building and marine docking facility. The 65 million dollar project known as Casino Rouge is located on the Mississippi River across from the State Capital.

Dan is President and Vice Chairman of the Board of LCCI/ Casino Rouge project. He spent two years in Baton Rouge directing LCCI and assuring the timely development and final licensing of Casino Rouge through opening of operations. He continues to be responsible for corporate direction and decisions.

Louisiana Casino Cruises, Inc., Casino Rouge, has grown into one of the larger employers in Baton Rouge, with 1,000 full time employees.

Dan is married to Sharon (Hicks) Meadows, a graduate of DSU in 1967. Sharon taught school for 10 years before retiring. Dan and Sharon have a 20 year old son, Stewart, and a 17 year old daughter, McKensie.

Jerry L. Sullivan graduated from Madison High School in 1953. He then attended General Beadle State Teacher’s College and graduated in 1957 with his BS in English. While at General Beadle, Jerry was involved in debate and drama. He remembers Dr. Lena Myers. She was in the English Department and stimulated his desire to study literature.

After graduating from General Beadle, Jerry attended South Dakota State University and received his MS in English in 1960. He continued his education and received his doctorate in English Education in 1968 from University of Northern Colorado.

Jerry has taught in Pipestone, Minnesota, Richfield, Minnesota, Downey High School in California, Dakota State University in Madison, South Dakota, Santa Ana College in Santa Ana, California, University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyoming and at California State University in Long Beach, California. Jerry is currently at California State University where he is teaching full-time one semester a year.

Jerry is a member of the National Council of Teachers for English. He has had articles published on teaching writing and literature in the following journals and publications; English Journal, California English, Exercise Exchange, Action in Teacher Education, Arizona English Bulletin, along with many others. He has also done a book review in Issues in Teacher Education by Theodore Sizer and Nancy Faust Sizer (1999) on “The Students are Watching: Schools and the Moral Contract” published by Beacon Press in Boston, MA. Jerry was also a co-author of a book; Teaching Literature Inductively Canterbury Press, Anaheim, California, 1982 (Expanded Edition, 1995.)

Jerry has been elected twice to the Huntington Beach Union High School District Board of Education. This includes seven high schools and an adult school. The population of the area is approximately 250,000 people. Jerry served on the board from 1985 to 1994.

Jerry and his wife, Linda, have two grown children, Susan Pithey and Kathleen Wehr. Susan is the Deputy Attorney General for the State of California and Kathleen teaches high school English and Dance. They have two grandchildren, Christian and Cameron Wehr.

Gregory Spath
Class of 1968
Distinguished Educator Award

The Distinguished Educator Award was established to recognize alumni who have made outstanding contributions in the field of education. Honorees must have demonstrated leadership capacities as well as a commitment to the service of others.

Gregory Spath received the Distinguished Educator award from the Dakota State University Alumni Association. He graduated from Baltic High School in 1964. He then attended General Beadle State and graduated with a History Degree in 1968. Greg then went on to pursue his Masters in Education at SDSU and graduated with that in 1969. Greg started his teaching career at Balaton, Minnesota, where he taught social problems, World History, American History, and Civics. He was also the assistant football, assistant basketball, and head track coach.

Greg became principal at Middle River High School at the age of 25. He joined the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals in 1972 and was a member of the Northwest Division of MASSP. He was invited back in 1974 to give their commencement address.

In 1973, Greg was named High School Principal at Hills-Beaver Creek. He worked with the area principals to promote the sharing of curriculum materials, workshops, and teacher in-service. In 1976, he attended Mankato State University to seek his Specialist Degree in education, graduating in 1978. Greg has been very active in the Southwest Division of MASSP and has served on their Women in the Principalship Committee, School Public Relations Committee, Secretary-Treasurer, Vice-President, President for six years, and recently completed a four year term on the MASSP Board of Directors.

Greg also served on numerous committees with the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) and was on their Representative Assembly for eight years. He was the Tri-County Executive Secretary for seventeen years, Sub-Section 8 coordinator for nine years and served on the Region 3A board for four years as the principal representative. He also served on the Region 2A board and was their chairman for three of the four years he was on the committee. He has also been very active in promoting the Jostens Renaissance program in the schools he has served as principal. Greg was nominated by students and staff as the Renaissance Coordinator of the Year in 2000 and entered the Minnesota Renaissance Hall of Fame for 2001.

Greg has made several presentations at the MASSP Summer Workshop concerning the Renaissance program, small school curriculum, and in-services for staff. He has also presented at the annual Minnesota Educational Effectiveness Program Workshop on several educational topics. He served on numerous committees with the Educational Cooperative Service Unit (ECSU), which was headquartered in Marshall, Minnesota and made several presentations relating to activities within small schools throughout southwestern Minnesota.

While serving as building principal at H-BC, Greg served on the Interactive Telecommunications committee and southwest Minnesota was one of the first geographic areas in the state to have the ITV program, serving nine schools. He was also instrumental in initiating a program in a small high school which expanded its curriculum via television.

In 1986, Greg was accepted into the Bush Principal’s Leadership Program. He received that certificate in 1988.

Greg has been very active in the affairs of the community in which he has lived. He served on the Hills City Council for twelve years, was on the church council and served as the president, was on the Rock County Law Enforcement Committee and worked with the 4-H and Rock County Commissioners during the county fair.

In 1993, Greg became the High School Principal at United South Central High School located in Wells, MN. There were 465 students in grades 9-12 and he was their fourth principal in five years. His leadership, accountability, discipline, and emphasis on attendance and academics has turned USC into a “healthy” educational high school. Greg brought stability to the staff, rewards to the student body through the Renaisance program, and a strong feeling of support and confidence from the communities. He initiated a Parent-Advisory Committee, which meets four or five times a year, and he has a weekly column in the two newspapers serving the 335 square mile school district. He was recognized as the FFA Chapter Farmer in 1996 and received the Outstanding Supporter of FFA Administrator of the Year certificate in 1998-99 and 1999-2000. USC has hosted area Renaissance workshops and the state Renaissance director has presented to the staff and student body. Mr. Spath has attended the NASSP Convention and was co-presenter at the Renaissance workshop in Phoenix in March.

In 1999, Greg was asked to serve as the administrator for the Sober School that USC was starting in Freeborn, MN. The Sober School is for students who have successfully completed chemical dependency treatment and it served 21 students during the 1999-2000 school year. The school has served 44 youth during the 2000-01 school year and has a commitment from 21 students to attend next year. Greg started an Advisory Committee and was instrumental in obtaining three private grants and a legislative grant of $500,000 for two Sober Schools in Minnesota. This is the only Sober School in rural Minnesota.

Greg and his wife, Dianna, have three children; Jennifer Van Wettering, Jill Swenson, and Mike Spath. They also have four grandchildren; McKenzie, Madison, Brooke, and Ashley. Greg enjoys fishing, camping, and traveling.

Craig Sufficool graduated from Crofton High School in Crofton, Nebraska in 1976. He then attended Dakota State College and participated in football and track and field for four years. He also was active in the student government, Vets club and the weightlifting club. Craig enjoyed traveling to sporting events with his friends while at DSC and the best thing was meeting his wife, Kim (Gall) Sufficool.

After graduating from college, Craig was a recruiter with the Naval Reserve in Fargo, North Dakota for three years. He went back to school in 1987 at Moorhead State University in Moorhead, MN to finish his teaching degree. Craig then taught junior high business and health classes for 12 years in the Fargo School District. He coached varsity boys and girls track at Casselton and Fargo, ND, and junior high football and track in Fargo.

Craig received the ARC of Cass County Teacher of the Year Award in 1995 for working with handicapped students. In 1999 he received the North Dakota Bankers Association Outstanding Personal Economics Program Teacher Award for establishing a Token economy and using various business people in the area. Craig retired from the Navy in January of 1999, after 23 years of service as an E-8. In 2000, he received the junior achievement teacher fellowship for North Dakota for his leadership and promotion of junior achievement in the school systems and community.

Craig is currently a substitute teacher in the Fargo School District and CEO of his own Internet marketing business. He enjoys being active in cub scouts with his boys and spending time with his family. Craig and Kim have three boys: Chad is 9-years-old, Adam and David are 6-years-old.

Monica Severson graduated from Dakota State University in 1985. During her time at DSU, Severson was an All-South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference selection, the league’s Most Valuable Female Athlete, an All-District pick, Academic All-American and NAIA All-American honorable mention. She received the Female Athlete of the Year award in 1983, 1984, and 1985. She was also named Madison’s Chamber of Commerce Female Athlete of the Year in 1983 and 1984. She was team captain in basketball and softball and a four-sport letter winner. Monica was inducted into the Dakota State University Hall of Fame in 2000.

Monica begins her 14^th year as head women’s basketball coach and assistant professor in physical education at Wartburg College in Iowa. This is also her 11^th year as assistant athletic director. Monica earned a master’s degree in physical education at South Dakota State University, where she was a graduate assistant with the women’s basketball team. Monica previously taught and coached at Colman, South Dakota.

Monica’s record at Wartburg is 254-86, including IIAC championships in 1990, 1992, and 2001. She has coached the most wins as the women’s basketball coach in the history of Wartburg. She has been selected the Iowa Conference Coach of the Year twice. Monica has taken eight teams to NCAA Division III post-season competition and three to the Elite Eight.

Monica and her husband, Scott, have a son, Ryan.

Kim graduated from Lake Benton High School in Minnesota in 1974. He then attended Dakota State College where he played football for four years, basketball for four years, baseball for four years, ran track for one year and was on the student senate for a year. The 1977 football team that Kim played on was undefeated. Kim graduated from Dakota State College in 1979.

Kim taught and was the head football coach at Milbank, South Dakota from 1979-1987. He then was a teacher and head football coach at Rapid City Central High from 1987 to 1993. He has been teaching and the head football coach at Washington High since 1993. His career record is 141-77. He has coached 7 conference champions and 19 winning seasons. His 1983 football team earned runner-up at the state level.

In the 2000 season the Washington Football Team became the first team to finish the regular season undefeated since 1960. They set a record for the most wins in one season, which was eleven. The team was ranked number one in class 11AA all season. Six players made the first team for all state. Two of the players made Navy Scholastic All American. One player, Shad Carney, was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in South Dakota. Kim stated that it was a, “ very fun year.”

Kim also continues to play football in a Southern Minnesota Adult League from May to July. He plays basketball in the winter.

Kim is married to Michelle (West) Nelson, a 1977 DSC graduate. Kim and Michelle have two children. Ross is a sophomore at Wayne State and Joey is a Junior at Washington High in Sioux Falls.