BHSU PRESIDENT ELLIOTT DELIVERS FIRST STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY ADDRESS

Black Hills State University President Steve Elliott presented his first State of the University Address to faculty and staff Tuesday in Meier Hall.

The event began with the recognition of 31 BHSU staff and faculty members for their longevity, with service ranging from 10 to 25 years. Altogether, the employees recognized represented almost 441 years of service to BHSU and the South Dakota Board of Regents.

Steve Meeker, vice president for University Advancement, announced this year's recipients of the annual employee awards. This year's award winners were:

Presidential Outstanding Employee: Jin Kim, director of Career Development
Presidential Rising Star Non-Faculty: Tirzah Knight, director of Financial Aid
Presidential Rising Star Faculty: Casey Hibbert, instructor of Theatre
Presidential Outstanding Student Employee: Noah Westergaard, Marketing & Communications
President Team Excellence Award: BHSU Public Safety

President Elliott's address touched on several important topics, showcasing the University's progress and future plans. He announced that enrollment for the new school year is on track to meet its goals, with a notable 10% increase in New Student Orientation attendance. Elliott also highlighted the University's expanded marketing efforts, including a new enrollment campaign set to launch this fall. In addition, he provided updates on major facility improvements, such as the $4.8 million renovation of Woodburn Theatre, the $2.4 million locker room project inside the Donald E. Young Center, and the $16.6 million expansion of BHSU-RC for the West River Health Science Center. Finally, Elliott discussed the development of the new Center for Civic Engagement, which is already underway.

The President closed his address with a word of thanks to the BHSU staff and faculty. "Each and every one of you have a tremendous impact on the student experience, and much of what you do can be attributed to their success," Elliott said. "It takes an entire campus to make this work [...] Thank you for your commitment to our students."