Dakota State University

Jon Schemmel

Vice President for Institutional Advancement

After playing baseball for the University of Minnesota and Concordia University, St. Paul, Jon Schemmel joined the New York Mets and San Diego Padres, making it to the AAA level.

Now, he’s the new Vice President for Institutional Advancement at DSU.

Once his baseball career came to an end, Schemmel transitioned into the world of higher education as the senior associate athletic director for development at the University of South Dakota (USD).

While at USD, he led all aspects of athletic development, which resulted in building the new Sanford Coyote Sports Center, soccer and track complexes, while also tripling the annual fund. He was able to raise several million dollars for the DakotaDome renovation project before leaving for Miami University in Oxford, OH. At Miami, he oversaw all aspects of athletic development while successfully completing the $80 million Graduating Champions campaign and launched the newly established Miami Athletic Fund (MAF).

“I’ve had many opportunities to build teams and promote a collaborative environment,” he said, “Athletics has prepared me for my new role because of how similar their fundraising and revenue techniques are. I’m excited to implement these factors.”

Schemmel, who is from Eden Prairie, MN, has made a jump start on the goals he hopes to instill at Dakota State’s Foundation and Alumni Association.

Such goals include leading all aspects of development and engagement, in addition to creating relationships with both internal and external individuals, the Madison community, corporate partners, donors and investors, as well as alumni and the student body.

“I want to create a culture of philanthropy and build a Foundation and Alumni Association that everyone is proud of, as well as form and continue the great relationships that will lead to significant investments at DSU and President Griffiths’ vision for the future,” he stated.

He also plans to continue fostering the collaborative environment amongst faculty and staff within the various departments at Dakota State, to further promote the greater good of the institution.

Other opportunities he’s excited for?

Being back in Madison.

Schemmel has close ties to the area, as his grandparents, Bud and Marcia Wenk, live one block from the DSU campus. His grandmother even served on the DSU Foundation Board. His parents also grew up in Madison and graduated from the Madison High School.

“The timing was right for our family to come home. Having the opportunity to further promote the growth and vision President Griffiths has created is incredible. Dakota State University is truly poised to build something special.”

Josh Snook '22

Business Management (AS), Accounting (BBA)

“I loved the family feel that came with the university,” Josh Snook said. “A lot of bigger campuses can cause you to get lost, whereas DSU really reaches out and makes everyone included.”

A business management and accounting major from Yate, Bristol, England, Snook is a student athlete and Campus Watch employee.

From athletics to the classroom, Snook appreciates the support he receives at DSU. Faculty members like Scott Richardson have made an impact on his time here. “His interest in where I am from is what initially connected me with Mr. Richardson,” Snook said, “but his constant reaching out and care for my well-being is what grew the relationship.”

Some of Snook’s favorite experiences at DSU so far involves his participation in athletics. He was recruited as a sprinter. As part of the track team, Snook has earned back-to-back indoor track conference titles. “The team effort and resilience to do it back-to-back was something great to be a part of,” he said.

This fall he also joined the football team and is glad he has expanded his activities on campus, something he recommends to other students as well. “There are so many opportunities out there to suit a wide range of interests,” he said. “Even if there’s not something that initially interests you, try it anyway. I would have never thought I would be playing American football, let alone making so many new lifelong relationships.”

Additionally, Snook has added to and strengthened relationships with those on campus by working as security member of Campus Watch, a safety program at DSU in which two student employees patrol the campus Tuesday through Sunday evenings to provide assistance.

“Participating in activities is what calmed my nerves about being so far from home,” he shared.

Snook recommends all students get involved in activities, adding that it completes the university experience. There are many opportunities that suit a wide variety of interests and can help students find new hobbies and make friends.

He is thankful for Dakota State’s many courses, majors, clubs, and organizations that help students find their interests and passions.

Snook is excited to continue his track and field career at DSU and hopes to obtain a graduate position in England after graduation.

Business Managment (AS)

Accounting (BBA)

Tavyn Hallan '21

Professional Accountancy (BS)

“DSU stands out by having a five-year professional accounting degree that sets you up for the CPA exam,” said Tavyn Hallan, a senior from Madison, SD, who is majoring in Professional Accountancy.

A business teacher introduced Hallan to the world of accounting in high school, and he found immediately that he enjoyed it.

While at DSU he has continued learning about business and accounting, with professors teaching him about every aspect that goes into running any type of business organization.

“Many of my professors have left long-lasting impacts on me,” Hallan said. “My professors have supported me during my time at DSU and helped me make professional connections that will help me to succeed in my young career.”

The importance of these connections is the one of the vital lessons he’s learned at DSU.

“Having others that you can rely on for expertise, advice, and opportunity are key factors of establishing a successful career, and I am confident in my connections at DSU.”

Hallan has built some of these connections through his involvement on campus. He is vice president of public relations in the Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) Business Club, a Trojan Ambassador, and a varsity member of the esports team. Additionally, he has been a work-study student for Enrollment Services for the entirety of his college career.

With involvement in activities, time management skills become necessary for students, and Hallan’s advice for other students is to develop those skills. This will help them juggle classes, homework, friends, work, and free time at home.

Upon graduation, Hallan plans to pass the CPA exam and pursue a job at a CPA firm to gain experience. Eventually he hopes to become a leader in his field and be an executive of a strong business or hold a role in governing accounting policy.

Professional Accountancy (BS)

Megan Zephier '21

Computer Game Design (BS)

Megan Zephier has always had an eye for video game animation.

“I have always been interested in the animation involved in video games. So my friend and I taught ourselves the basics of game design to perfect our skills,” she said.

With a solid grip on the basics, Zephier chose to embark on an education that would lead her towards her career goal. So when she started thinking about college, she looked at schools that offered game design degrees.

At first, she applied to a private school in San Francisco, CA. But after realizing the tuition was high and scholarships weren’t available until her junior year, she sought other options.

Those options led her to touring and choosing Dakota State, where she’s now a thriving game design major and computer science minor.

“DSU has a great degree, along with the buildings, labs, and technology to give me the hands-on experience I need,” she said.

In addition to the hands-on experience, Zephier has had internship, job, and scholarship opportunities. Because of her high school grades, she was eligible for a Champion Scholarship and the Native American Scholarship.

“I’m grateful that I found a school that’s willing to give me an opportunity to pursue my dreams. DSU has showed me many different programs and given me the skills and knowledge to work in them. I’m excited to see what the future has in store.”

Currently, Zephier works for the DSU Phonathon and helps raise money for student scholarships. She plans to graduate in December of 2021 and work with a media firm to gain more professional experience. Ultimately, she plans to work for a company like Disney or Sony.

computer GAME DESIGN (BS)

Computer Science Minor

Martinson Ofori '21

Information Systems (PHDIS)

Martinson Ofori came to Dakota State University to make a lasting real-world impact.

“I want my work to transcend academia, I want to really impact the world.”

Originally from Kumasi, Ghana, Ofori chose DSU because of the school’s contribution to advancing technology in the domains of decision support, health informatics, and cyber security.

“I wanted to attend a school that would complete my technical education. DSU was the best choice,” he said.

Since arriving, Ofori has taken advantage of research tools and events available to students, including Dakota State’s yearly Research Symposium, where he won first place in 2019.

That same year, he was featured as part of the South Dakota Focus on South Dakota Public Broadcasting (SDPB) and he also presented at the 2019 IEEE Big Data Conference in Los Angeles, CA.

“I get to work with several seasoned professionals with whom I have a great working relationship. They’ve made a positive impact on my life both personally and academically.”

So what does his research focus on?

“It involves the use of analytics to make agriculture more efficient and better serve the needs of stakeholders, from farmers to consumers. My research advisor, Dr. Omar El-Gayar, and I worked together to publish a book chapter that discussed the status and prospects for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data in Smart Agriculture.”

It’s research that has the potential to be greatly effective, especially in a state widely known for farming.

The duo then employed social media data mining to identify public perception on the use of AI, big data, and associated technologies in agriculture.

“We trained a machine learning-based social media analytics tool to identify and classify over 40,000 social media posts using lexicons, emoticons, and emojis. Through this process, we were able to identify and validate perceived drivers and challenges of precision agriculture by comparing academic literature with social media data,” Ofori stated.

Their findings led them to the conclusion that agriculture “needed robust regulatory and institutional policies that promote both national and international agenda to foster the adoption of technology for farming.”

Ofori also holds a BS in Computer Science from Garden City University College (2014), an MBA in Finance from the University of Ghana (2018), and an MS in Computer Science from DSU (2019). He will graduate with his doctorate in Information Systems in the spring of 2021.

Learn more about Ofori’s research.

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE (MSCS)

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Amanda Hargreaves '10

Elementary Education (BSE)

“I don’t know a lot of jobs that give you the reward that teaching does,” said Amanda Hargreaves. “I just can’t imagine doing anything else.”

Hargreaves has been teaching since 2010, after she graduated from DSU with an elementary education degree. She is now the 2021 South Dakota Teacher of the Year.

Throughout the school year, Hargreaves will be a representative for all South Dakota teachers, conducting seminars for future teachers, and giving presentations at a variety of events. She will also represent South Dakota in the national Teacher of the Year event in the spring of 2021. Originally from Parkston, S.D., she is a sixth-grade teacher at Mitchell Middle School.

The message Hargreaves plans to share throughout the year is the importance of building relationships with students, establishing a classroom community.

“Students come to school to be loved, and if they’re loved, they are going to learn, and they will perform up to your expectations,” she said, “My message as South Dakota Teacher of the Year is to love them first, and the other things will fall into place.”

Building relationships is what she experienced as a student at DSU, with small class sizes and faculty who get to know you and what you’re passionate about. “I will be forever grateful for Dr. Mark Hawkes,” she said. “He was that professor for me who continued to drive my passion about teaching.”

Learning about technology was another benefit from her Dakota State education.

“I remember walking into Mike Waldner’s Computer Hardware class not knowing a single thing,” Hargreaves said. “I had to work hard to do well in that class,” she recalls, but that became a lesson in empathy. “After having been in those shoes myself, I know that my students may not catch on quickly with something new.”

Teachers can learn right along with their students, and Hargreaves had a lot to learn this year with the changes created by the pandemic. Teaching e-learners and in-person learners simultaneously, or through recorded lessons, means students can log in and not miss out when they’re away from the classroom for illness. She has discovered that there are advantages to this; an example is for students who are away at extracurricular events. “This use of technology has been such a blessing,” she said, and is something she would like to continue doing post-pandemic.

Despite challenges and changes in teaching, Hargreaves would recommend it as a career. “Teaching is the most rewarding profession in the world. Even on my most challenging days, I can’t wait to go back the next day.”

And she would recommend DSU for that degree. “I think that DSU is a fantastic place to continue your education.”

Elementary Education (BSE)

Kristen Dowling '21

Marketing (BBA)

When Kristen Dowling got married and had two little girls, she knew being a stay-at-home Mom while pursuing her degree part time was the perfect choice for her and her family.

“It was the best decision because it allowed me to focus more on my kids,” she said.

Dowling, a marketing major at Dakota State University, holds an Associate’s degree in Communications, but enrolled in classes at the USD Community College for Sioux Falls (then The University Center) when her second child was three years old.

“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve wanted a degree. It was something extremely important to me. It’s been 15 years in the making,” she said.

Throughout those 15 years, Dowling had her fair share of in-person and online classes. In-person classes were her preference, as she enjoyed the camaraderie and conversations with her peers. But as the convenience of technology emerged, her classes began to change.

 “A lot of the classes started to change to an online format, which led me to DSU,” she said.

For Dowling, DSU was a perfect choice because they offered her degree at an affordable rate. In addition to all those perks, she also loved the relationships she formed with her professors.

One of those professors is Dr. Deb Tech, Associate Professor of Marketing, in the College of Business and Information Systems.

“She makes her online classes so interesting and exciting because she lets her personality show. Plus, she has so much real-world experience and applies it to each class, each project, each scenario,” she said.

She also credited Tech for “helping her students succeed not just academically, but professionally” by informing students about internship or job opportunities.

For Tech, advising Dowling has been a great experience.

 “Kristen is an advisee that manages her own academic progress, which has made advising her a real pleasure. She plans ahead, is focused, and is quite the professional,” said Tech.

Despite being a part time student and full time Mom, Dowling continues to keep track of her academic progress and be on top of her game.

“There’s many challenges when it comes to getting an education, it’s hard for many people to go full time. But I think that, even if it takes you a really long time to get your degree it’s worth it.”

She added, “I’ll be 35 next year and it doesn’t matter how long it took, the only thing that matters is I got my degree. I want my kids to know that education is important and that it’s something worth working toward.”

Dowling will be graduating in the spring of 2021 and plans to pursue a master’s degree.

Marketing (BBA)

Tom Jones

Professor of Art at DSU

A Kodak 110 camera in the hands of 8-year-old Tom Jones inspired a lifelong passion of photography for the Professor of Art.

“I have always taken photographs, whether it be for my artwork, vacations, events, etc.,” Jones shared. His love of photography began influencing his paintings as a fine artist, leading to more realistic images.

“Photography became another way I could capture, develop, and create artistically,” he said.

Eventually Jones began entering his photographs into competitions. In the first photo competition he entered, he received Best of Show, leading to the permanent placement of his photograph in a museum. This provided him with a confidence boost to continue pursuing the field.

Jones teaches students in his photography courses that a photograph is more than what is captured by the camera. Every setting on the camera, the lighting, and the composition come together to make the photo.

“As a photographic artist, I am passionate about making a good photograph,” Jones said. “The knowledge I have gained through developing my skills, I want to pass on to my students.”

In the classroom, Jones has students complete hands-on photography techniques in the darkroom to help them better understand how to use technological programs as tools to help create their photograph. The vocabulary in the darkroom has translated into technology programs, he explained.

“The format of photography may be changing, but the idea of capturing the perfect moment, the perfect shot, will always be there,” he said.

Over the summer, Jones’ photography was reviewed on LensCulture, a website dedicated to bringing photographers together around the globe. Jones submitted a series of black and white photos in the category of street photography. These images were taken in London, Barcelona, Rome, and Florence, inspired by moments “that the lighting, subject, and action came together for me to capture with a click,” Jones described.

The reviewer was struck by the photographs’ illustrations of characters and sees the photos as a study of the human condition on the streets. The use of black and white photography conveyed a sense of emotional drama.

“Your photos are dramatic and represent frozen moments in time,” the reviewer wrote.

View Tom's Work at LensCulture

Jacia Christiansen '22

Professional Accountancy (BS)

Jacia Christiansen has always wanted to travel, so she was excited when her participation in track and the PBL Business Club enabled her to visit the Gulf Shores, Baltimore, Vancouver, Wash., and San Antonio.

“Exploring the world through DSU has led me to some pretty great adventures and memories,” she said.

Christiansen, a professional accountancy major and entrepreneurial studies minor from Viborg, S.D., originally chose Dakota State because she liked the idea of knowing her classmates, professors, teammates, and community.

“When I first stepped on campus that was the exact impression I got,” she said. “Everyone was very kind and caring. In a sense, it immediately felt like home.”

As an athlete on the track and cross-country teams, being involved with the sports program has been her most enjoyable experience at DSU. She is thankful for the impact her coach, Anthony Drealan, has had on her.

“He not only cares about my success as an athlete, but as a student and person as well,” she said. He has taught me that work ethic and capability go hand in hand. If you are determined and work hard for what you want, you will be capable of much more than you imagined.”

In addition to participating in athletics and the PBL Business Club, Christiansen is a member of the Newman Club, and is in her third year as a tutor on campus.

“I don’t think students realize how many opportunities there are on campus,” she said. “They have a chance to make friends, travel, help the community, have fun, and create memories.”

She hopes other students won’t be afraid to get involved and take a chance on themselves and DSU.

Upon graduation, Christiansen intends to take the Certified Public Accounting Exam to get her CPA license. She would like to start her career as an auditor for a CPA firm, and eventually become a CFO for a small non-profit organization.

Professional Accountancy (BS)