Dakota State University commencement May 12

Event to be broadcast live over the Internet

Madison – Over 160 graduates will receive their diplomas during the 117^th Commencement of Dakota State University. The event will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 12, at the DSU Fieldhouse.

Fifteen students in the Master of Science in Information Systems and four students in the Master of Science in Education in Computer Education and Technology will receive their hoods and diplomas. Dakota State University will have two undergraduate students graduate with the Center of Excellence distinction this year. Speaking on behalf of the graduates this year is Megan Beatty of Volin.

Delivering the commencement address this year is Congressman John Thune. Congressman Thune is a native of Murdo, South Dakota, and a graduate of the University of South Dakota where he received an MBA degree in 1984. Following graduation, Congressman Thune worked in Washington as a legislative assistant for U.S. Senator Jim Abdnor of South Dakota. He was then appointed by President Reagan to serve at the Small Business Administration.

In 1989, Congressman Thune returned to South Dakota to serve as Executive Director of the South Dakota Republican Party. In 1991, he was appointed State Railroad Director by Governor Mickelson and, in 1993 he was named Executive Director of the South Dakota Municipal League.

Congressman Thune won his first term as South Dakota’s lone Representative to the U.S. House in 1996, and was reelected to two additional terms in 1998 and 2000. He has pledged to serve only three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Congressman Thune currently serves on the Agriculture, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Small Business Committees in the U.S. House. On Agriculture, he serves on the General Farm Commodities and Risk Management, and Conservation, Credit, Rural Development and Research Subcommittees. On the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, he is a member of the Aviation as well as the Highways and Transit Subcommittees. On the Small Business Committee, he chairs the Subcommittee on Rural Enterprises, Agriculture and Technology. In addition, Congressman Thune is a member of the Tax Finance and Exports Subcommittee.

His wife Kimberley is a native of Doland, South Dakota. They have two daughters, Brittany and Larissa, who attend public school in Sioux Falls.

The Distinguished Alumnus Award this year will be presented to Dr. Darrell Sabers. Dr. Sabers is a native of Salem, South Dakota, and graduated from Dakota State University in 1962 with an education degree in mathematics and physical education. He earned his master’s degree in mathematics from Adams State College, Alamosa, Colorado, and his Ph.D. in Educational Measurement and Statistics from the University of Iowa, Iowa City.

Following several years of teaching at the University of Iowa, Dr. Sabers began his teaching and administrative career with the University of Arizona in 1971 where he currently serves as Professor of Educational Psychology. He is well known at the international level for his expertise and is sought after as an educational consultant, evaluator and speaker in the education field. Sabers currently serves as consulting editor for The Journal of Special Education and The Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment. He is a member of several state, regional, and national committees and professional organizations.

Dr. Sabers and his wife, Donna, are the parents of four grown children--David, Dawn, Derek, and Darin.

Dakota State University will broadcast graduation live on the Internet at www.dsu.edu. Graduation will also be shown at 8pm on Sunday May 13 on Midcontinent cable channel 20. Sioux Valley Wireless customers can watch graduation on Monday May 14 at 6:30am.