Our Facilities Services Grounds employees do an excellent job clearing snow and applying snow melt across campus. However, with the current cold temperatures and blowing snow, some of the walkways that have been treated may become slippery again.

We ask everyone to take personal responsibility by walking carefully, shuffling when needed, and wearing appropriate footwear. We have observed individuals walking quickly or wearing unsuitable footwear such as slippers, which increases the risk of slip and falls.

Thank you for helping to keep our campus safe.

Please contact Facilities Services at 642-6244 if you see any hazards that need attention. 

Jacket Scholarship Portal Scholarship Awarding Training

Scholarship season is upon us. It is nearly time to begin convening our scholarship committees and reviewing the applications we have received. If you are a member of a scholarship selection committee, I will be hosting training in the Student Union Crow Peak Conference Room as follows:

Dates & Times:     January 28 at 10:00am and 3:00pm

                              January 29 at 1:00pm and 2:00pm

                              January 30 at 10:00am

If you are unable to attend any of these gatherings, please contact me at x-6313 and we can make other arrangements. The process has not changed from last year so if you feel comfortable in using the Jacket Scholarship Portal you do not need to attend. If you have new committee members, please let me know and I can get them added to your committee.

As a reminder, we will begin awarding February 1 and have a completion / submission deadline of March 1. Please direct any questions to John Allred at john.allred@bhsu.edu or (605) 642-6313.

I look forward to working with you as we complete these awards!

We strive to create better writers. Rather than offering editing services, we work with students to strengthen all aspects of their writing process to help them gain confidence in writing and in the texts that they produce. With that in mind, we begin where they do: from the beginning stages of writing to final polishing.

Services for students

• One-on-one consultations to help at any point in the writing process: understanding the assignment, brainstorming, planning, outlining, reviewing, polishing
  • Face-to-face – walk-ins welcome, appointments encouraged: bhsu.mywconline.com
  • Online – typically for distance students; video-supported chat-room and work screen
  • eTutoring – student need not be present; written feedback only
  • OWL Table – students can work on essays in the WAC, with nearby help to answer quick questions
• Any discipline, any level, any genre – if it’s writing on campus, we can help
  • MLA, APA, Chicago, creative writing, business proposals, research support, etc.
• Additional personal, academic, and professional writing
  • Scholarship applications, graduate school applications, personal statements – we want BHSU students to succeed in all their writing endeavors

Services for faculty

• In-class visits: Let us introduce our services to your students every semester.
• Client Reports: following every appointment, the consultant composes a brief narrative of the session.
  • Students can indicate on their appointment to have the client report sent to the instructor as evidence of their attendance. The client report also provides the instructor valuable information about what was discussed and the students level of participation.
• Guest lectures: in-class workshops on writing skills and conventions: Grammar, sentence construction, paragraphs, thesis, topic sentences, incorporating outside sources, documenting sources, MLA, APA, Chicago Style. We can accommodate your needs for other writing issues too.
  • Excellent alternative to cancelling classes if you’re going to a conference or have any planned absence. We can fill in and use the class time productively.
• Access to style or documentation manuals for professional and scholarly work

Check out these BHSU job openings! Please share with anyone you know that might be interested!

• Student Transition Program Coordinator
• Admissions Counselor
• Program Coordinator, SDCEO East
• Associate VP for Facilities Services
• Military Education SErvices Specialist
• Assistant Football Coach
• Building Maintenance Specialist
• Academic & Event Technology Analyst
• Program Assistant I
• Adjunct Instructor - Studio Art
• Assistant Professor, Physics

Staff and Faculty job listings can be found here: https://www.bhsu.edu/About-BHSU/Employment-Opportunities.

BHSU Staff Senate currently has a vacant Senator At-Large seat and will have additional vacancies during our Spring elections. We are seeking staff members who are interested in serving on our senate and stepping into leadership.

We are especially interested in hearing from staff who may be interested in serving in an officer role and helping guide the work of Staff Senate in the coming year. Serving on Staff Senate is a great opportunity to represent staff voices, build institutional knowledge, and contribute to meaningful campus initiatives.

If you’re curious about serving or would like more information, please contact Maegan Detlefs at Maegan.Detlefs@BHSU.edu.

Please join us in welcoming Blake Dunfee and Todd Larson to BHSU! Blake began his role as SDCEO West Program Coordinator on January 20, 2026, and Todd started his position as Campus Security Specialist BHRC on January 20th as well. We’re excited to have them both on board and look forward to the positive impacts they will bring to our students and campus community!

The City of Spearfish is seeking your feedback!

You are invited to review the Draft Safety Action Plan, which analyzes crash data and incorporates public input to recommend strategies and projects aimed at improving safety for all transportation users in Spearfish.

Visit https://spearfishsafetyactionplan.com/project-resources to review the draft plan and submit your comments. Comment Period ends on January 31.

Thank you to the BHSU Student Senate and to the individuals who have already provided initial comments to help shape this project!

Welcome Back, BHSU Instructors and Staff!

Did you know that you have access to journal articles, books, and musical scores outside of what the E.Y. Berry Library – Learning Center offers?  Even the most well-equipped library can't afford to purchase all the materials needed for their academic community. Interlibrary Loan is a service that retrieves material from another library for free! Essentially, your research resources are limitless!  

For instructions on how to place an ILL request, visit: 

 (ILL) Interlibrary Loan LibGuide  

If you would like more information, contact: 

 ILL@bhsu.edu  

Have a great semester! 

Hello! My name is Dr. Alissa Call and I am co-chairing the 28^th Black Hills Research Symposium this year with Dr. Ashley Pfeiffer. Our committee is looking for reviewers for this year's symposium. The symposium will take place on April 1^st and April 2^nd. You can be a reviewer for an oral presentation in which you attend a 30-minute session and give the student presenter general feedback on their presentation. These sessions would run sometime between 8:00 am to 3:00 pm on April 1st. If that doesn’t work for you, you could also sign up to review during the poster session. That session runs from 3:00 - 5:00 pm also on April 1st. During the poster session, you would look at the students' posters and then write up a short feedback survey to assist them in developing their scholarship and presentation skills. All types of reviewers are welcome, and you do not need to be actively involved in any type of research or scholarly activity to be an effective reviewer. The students would love feedback from a variety of different people with varying backgrounds. Thank you so much for your consideration. The committee and the students greatly appreciate it!  If you are interested, please contact me at Alissa.Call@bhsu.edu   and provide your name, email, department, and area of expertise. Alternatively, you may complete the application here.

If being a reviewer does not work, I would like to also extend an invitation for you to attend this year's keynote speaker, Delia D’Ambra, on April 2nd at 4:00 pm. This will take place in Meier Hall. Delia D’Ambra is an investigative journalist, writer, and storyteller who has covered gripping stories for local, national, and international audiences for more than a decade. Her curiosity, ethics, and compassionate approach to reporting has set the standard in an industry that requires a precise balance of transparency and tenacity. Delia has created, hosted, or executive produced more than half a dozen chart-topping true-crime podcasts streamed by millions of listeners who find themselves drawn to detailed and heart- pounding interviews. Delia was born and raised in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and works wherever stories take her.

Please reach out to me with any questions about this process. I have been a reviewer for many years now and I can honestly say it is a fun process with minimal work involved. All that is required of you is to listen and enjoy hearing what the students have been up to. 

BHSU Blood Drive! - All blood types are needed, you don't need to know your blood type. Bring a picture ID. Bring a friend and donate together!

WHEN: Wednesday, February 4th from 9:00 am - 3:30 pm 

WHERE: Jacket Legacy Room (3rd floor of Student Union)

Walk-ins are welcome, but you can schedule an appointment at www.Donors.Vitalant.org with Blood Drive Code: BHSU

BHSU will be hosting the Spearfish Middle School Science Fair on Wednesday, February 11 in the Young Center Field House.  We need volunteers to help judge the students' projects.  Students, faculty, and staff are welcome to judge.  No science expertise is needed to be a judge.  Please complete the form in this link to sign up: https://forms.gle/LFjJnewpVhCwBKmp7 

Each judging session is 1 hour long.  Please plan to arrive at the field house 10-15 minutes before your first judging session to receive assignments and instructions.  You may sign up for multiple sessions.  The session schedule is as follows:

8:30-9:30 AM 6th Grade

9:30-10:30 AM 6th Grade

10:30-11:30 AM 8th Grade

11:30 AM-12:30 PM 8th Grade

12:30-1:30 PM 7th Grade

1:30-2:30 PM 7th Grade

Thank you for helping make the Science Fair a successful event!

Greetings.

Our new system for BHSU Disabilty Services, JacketAccommodate, is up and running.  At the following link you will find PDF handouts that will assist with accessing the system and signing accommodation letters.  https://support.bhsu.edu/TDClient/30/Portal/KB/ArticleDet?ID=657

We are hopeful this new system will streamline the process and allow for ease in accessing letters. I am here to assist with any questions and/or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to me directly. 

The call for nominations is now open for the 34th Annual Student Volunteer Awards Celebration!

This annual celebration honors outstanding student leaders and organizations for their dedication, service, and impact throughout the year. We encourage you to nominate individuals and groups whose hard work and commitment to service deserve recognition.

Don’t miss the opportunity to highlight the incredible contributions of our student volunteers. The nomination form can be found here.
Submit your nominations by January 30th 

For nomination details and submission information, visit the SVAC page located on the website .

Thank you for helping us celebrate our students’ achievements!

Please remind students to complete the Scholarship Application before the February 1 submission deadline. 

The application is available in the Jacket Scholarship Portal and students should complete the Continuing Student Application. All students will be considered for scholarships, but by completing the application they may be eligible for additional awards based on their personal demographics, majors, and interests. 

Any questions should be directed to the Financial Aid Office at 605.642.6145.