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 Alumni Honored at 2007 DSU Homecoming

Four alumni will be honored at the 2007 Homecoming celebrations on September 29.  The honorees are nominated by their peers and voted on by the Dakota State Alumni Association Board of Directors.  There are several categories of awards; this year alumni will be honored as Young Alumna/us; Outstanding Service to Alma Mater; Outstanding Educator; and Outstanding Professional Service.   

Holly Lynch will be honored as Young Alumna. Holly is a 2000 graduate with a degree in elementary and special education. She is a teacher and head girls volleyball coach at Sioux Falls  

Outstanding Service to Alma Mater will be awarded to Mike Waldner. Mike received an associate degree from DSU in 1987, bachelors in 1988, and his masters in 2006. He is currently the Director of the State of South Dakota K-12 Data Center. He lives in Madison. 

Dawn Reinicke will be honored for Outstanding Professional Achievement.  Dawn is a 1984 graduate with a degree in Health Information Administration. She is also a Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA.)  She is the Director of the Admitting and Health Information Management Departments at Avera McKennan in Sioux Falls.   

Sandy Kirkpatrick Leighton will be honored as Outstanding Educator.  Sandy is a 1967 graduate and taught at Sioux Falls Roosevelt High School until her retirement at 2007.  

The honorees will be introduced at the alumni annual meeting on Saturday morning, then ride as guests of honor in the Trojan Days Parade and be presented with their award plaques during half time of the football game.  Dakota State takes on Mayville at 1:30pm.  Other alumni-focused events for homecoming include a tailgate party prior to the football game at Trojan Field. The band Too Drunk to Fish will provide live music for tailgaters. Following the football game there is a 5^th Quarter gathering at the Stadium Sports Grill in downtown Madison.