FACULTY & STAFF E-UPDATE
ACTIVE ENROLLMENT NOTICE:
Previous selections or opt-outs do not rollover. Take action by May 15!
State of South Dakota Open Enrollment: May 1-15, 2026
Open Enrollment is almost here. You’ll soon be able to choose the State of South Dakota benefits that will support you and your family in the coming year. Mark your calendars for the following important dates:
Learn about your benefits
As always, the Bureau of Human Resources and Administration (BHRA) is happy to offer you a variety of benefit options that, along with LiveWellSD and your Employee Assistance Program, provide exceptional coverage across any life stage. We also wanted to provide you with additional links:
Questions? Contact the BHRA team at 605.773.3148 or benefitswebsite@state.sd.us.
This year, Black Hills State University is a sponsor of the annual Black Hills Veterans March and Marathon, and as part of that sponsorship, BHSU has a limited number of registration slots available for faculty and staff.
We are currently gauging interest from BHSU employees who may want to participate in one of the following events (walking or running options available):
Event Dates
If you are interested in learning more or would like to be considered for one of the available registration slots, please contact Maegan Detlefs (Maegan.Detlefs@BHSU.edu) or Ashley Armstrong (Ashley.Armstrong@BHSU.edu) by May 19, and include which event you are interested in.
Learn more about the Black Hills Veterans March and Marathon: https://www.blackhillsveteranmarch.org/
Congratulations to Tirzah Knight on her recent selection by the South Dakota Association of Financial Aid Administrators to receive the Douglas Steckler Professional Development Award at their 2026 regional conference. Thank you Tirzah for all you do to make Black Hills State University a great place to study and work.
The Verizon Digital Ready platform is designed specifically for busy entrepreneurs and students, offering:
Registration is free and takes less than five minutes. Use the dedicated SD CEO link below to ensure you are counted toward our community's goals and gain full access to these exclusive resources.
Sign Up for Verizon Digital Ready: https://bhsu.edu/sdceo/digitalready
Please reach out to SD CEO West if you have more questions.
Do you enjoy visiting with people about Spearfish, the Black Hills, and BHSU? Do you excel at directing the lost? Is the hum of nervous excitement music to your ears? Then we have a deal for you!! We are seeking on-campus staff/faculty who would like to welcome and assist new students and their families during summer orientation.
When would assistance be needed?
Summer orientation dates are May 22, June 5, June 15, June 26, and July 13. We are looking for help in key parts of the day:
1. Welcome/Check in - 8-9:15 AM
2. Information fair/Student & family lunch - 11:15 AM-12:45 PM
3. Tear down/Clean-up - 3:30-4ish PM
What are you asking of me?
Examples of things you might be doing include giving directions, answering basic questions and referring to resources, technical work such as computer password help, providing info pamphlets, or being a runner, or just having an engaging conversation with students and their families. The most important task will be making around 120 new students and their guests feel welcome while positively promoting BHSU and our community.
Please call or email Lauren Krier (6062 or Lauren.Krier@bhsu.edu) to sign up for days and times on which you can help. Thank you for your consideration!
The NSO Committee - Janette Hettick, Jane Klug, John Allred, John Ginther, Joe Rainboth, Jessie Gramm, and Lauren Krier
🎉 Call for Nominations: Annual Employee Recognition Event 🎉
We are thrilled to kick off the nomination period for our Annual Employee Recognition Event—a time to celebrate the remarkable contributions and achievements of our colleagues!
This event honors individuals who exemplify dedication, innovation, and teamwork in their roles. We invite all employees to take a moment to reflect on the outstanding efforts of their peers and submit nominations for those who have truly made a difference.
🏆 Individual winners will each receive a $500 award!
📅 Awards will be presented at the State of the University this fall.
You may nominate multiple colleagues across different categories if you feel they meet the criteria. Nomination forms and award descriptions can be found at the BHSU Experience page (https://experience.elluciancloud.com/bsu945/). Please look under the "BH Employee Links" card to find all nomination forms.
🗓️ Deadline for nominations: Friday, May 15, 2026
📧 Submit nominations to: BHSUHumanResources@bhsu.edu
📞 Questions? Contact HR at: 605.642.6549 or via email.
Let’s recognize and celebrate the incredible talent and dedication within our university community!
Dear BHSU Faculty and Staff,
Black Hills State University–Rapid City invites students to apply for Genes and the Environment, a week‑long, grant‑supported immersion course exploring how genetics and environmental factors interact to influence human health. The course will take place June 1–5, 2026, and is limited to 24 participants.
Students who complete the course can earn one elective science credit, receive a stipend, and qualify for travel reimbursement. The experience includes expert‑led lectures, hands‑on genetics modeling sessions, and an independent health communication project.
Apply now by completing this form at https://bit.ly/GenesBHSURC2026.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Stephanie Higdon
Stephanie.higdon@bhsu.edu
Please join us on Friday, May 8th from 5:00PM to 7:00PM at the Dahl Arts Center in Rapid City, SD for the opening reception of the BHSU Senior Art Exhibition.
The Black Hills State University Senior Art Exhibition offers a diverse blend of media and methodology, featuring the work of thirty-three Fine Art Seniors. These individuals represent a group of cultural advocates that are making an impact through both their artistic and educational accomplishments. Every spring this popular exhibition introduces the Black Hills State University campus and Northern Hills audiences to the work of our BHSU Senior Fine Art Students. The exhibition highlights a wide range of artistic formats and reflects the broad scope of interests by each graduating student, providing a thought-provoking experience for students, faculty, and community members. Ultimately, the Senior Exhibition catalogs a pivotal moment of many young artists graduating from Black Hills State University.
This exhibition is intended to be a reference revealing connections to current students, highlighting their studio practice, while marking a meaningful step further into the art world. The exhibition celebrates senior’s exceptional curiosity, creativity, and inventiveness, focused in an area of concentration and contemplation and further situating their work within the larger discourse which characterizes the practice of art today. Showcasing student works in such a scale has been a tradition at BHSU, it is what makes the Senior Exhibition an unparalleled, seminal experience for students and the campus community.
Studio Art Majors
Aristotle Dausch
Rae Hanzlik
Christian Mueller
Trinity Mutchler
Sophie Nieman
Abigail Popken
Tam Smith
Hollie Hight
Katie Farley
Rosa Link
Art Education Majors
Catera Link
Reilly Lane
Anna Romero
Ella Lickei
Emma Euneau
Photography
Alec Butterfield
Joshua Hall
Mercedes Reed
Maralee Rischling
McKayli Simpson
Noah Westergaard
Julia Wilson
Journee Bachand
Graphic Design
Alivia Pautz
Brooke Lammle
Grace Beck
Grant Koening
Jesse Powers
Katelyn Lueth
Elizabeth Richardson
Maquelle Strawn
Jacob Zundel
Amber Aymar
Please join the University Honors Program for the Capstone Defense Presentations of our graduating seniors.
Capstone presentations will take place Thursday, May 7 at the Joy Center. Here is a schedule of presentations:
9:00 AM │ Emma Ohm, “Hormonal Birth Control: Knowledge, Information Sources and Experiences”
9:30 AM │ Julia Mendel, “Examination of Psychological and Physiological Pathways Linking Gratitude, EEG Pain Responses, and COMT genotypes”
10:00 AM │ Olivia Schaefers, “The Effects of Participant Perceptions on Subjective and Objective Results from Sleep and Behavioral Change Intervention Programs”
10:30 AM │ Autumn Westinghouse, “AI-Driven De Novo Design of Ubiquitin Binders”
11:00 AM │ Anna Mueller, “You Can’t Live in Aftertime: A Mother’s Grief in Where Reasons End”
11:30-1:00 Break
1:00 PM │ Sage Robinson, “Lithological Landscapes: An Exploration of Geology Through Art”
1:30 PM │ Marissa Brimmer, “Gender and Age: Intersection of Stereotypes”
2:00 PM │ Maralee Rischling, “Make a Plate: The Documentation of the Family Archive”
2:30 PM │ Johanna Vorwerk, “Cultural Representation through Indigenous Children Shows – Chances and Challenges of Transferring Traditions to New Media”
3:00 PM │ Kaito Mumm, “Examining the Effects of Awe in Reducing State Anxiety”
May 6th and 7th at 7:30 pm in the Blackbox
Third floor Woodburn
Breaking news: Casey Hibbert and Karl Lehman have done it again and have produced one hell of a comedy show for you.
Join us in the Black Box Theater for the Grand Premiere of "The Girl with a Dolphin Tattoo," -a collaborative play written by this semester's Advanced Creative Writing class and produced/performed by the Introduction to Acting class. Follow the hapless crew of Channel 6 News as they try to survive an absurd News-a-Palooza weekend that might include a mysterious murder, corporate sabotage, a romance (or two), gambling, a ghost, beef stroganoff, a coloscopy, and an art film!
Please join us for a visit with JacketHub on Thursday, May 14th, 2-3:15 PM in Jonas 305.
EAB (parent company of Navigate/JacketHub) will be on campus to provide a holistic review of Jacket Hub, including what the platform has to offer and where institutions across the country are making meaningful investments toward intentional retention practices.
Who should attend?
This would benefit all BHSU faculty and student-facing staff
Why attend this presentation?
This session will be available via Zoom as well – here’s the link: https://eab.zoom.us/j/2022666259
We look forward to seeing you on the 14th! Best wishes for finals week!
May 6th and 7th at 7:30pm in the Blackbox
Third floor Woodburn
Breaking news: Casey Hibbert and Karl Lehman have done it again and have produced one hell of a comedy show for you.
Join us in the Black Box Theater for the Grand Premiere of "The Girl with a Dolphin Tattoo"--a collaborative play written by this semester's Advanced Creative Writing class and produced/performed by the Introduction to Acting class. Follow the hapless crew of Channel 6 News as they try to survive an absurd News-a-Palooza weekend that might include a mysterious murder, corporate sabotage, a romance (or two), gambling, a ghost, beef stroganoff, a coloscopy, and an art film!
In 2025-2026, eight faculty and six staff members developed a plan for elevating the quality and consistency of online courses at BHSU. Join this session to learn about this Academic Affairs initiative and explore some of the resources the group developed, including new BHSU Online Course Quality Standards.
When: Thursday, May 7, 1:30pm - 2:15pm
Where: JA 103A (RSVP for online option)
Hosts: Nick Van Kley, Prasanthi Pallapu, Amy Fuqua
No policy updates at this time.