Farrells named DSU Trojan Days Parade Marshals

September 25, 2015

The Dakota State University Trojan Days Homecoming takes place Sept. 28 through Oct.3. This year’s theme is “Back to the Eighties”, and there are numerous activities taking place in which students, staff and community members are invited to attend. The most popular homecoming event, the DSU Trojan Days Homecoming Parade, is Saturday, Oct. 3 at 10 a.m. The Parade Marshals for this year’s parade are Tom and Joyce Farrell.

Tom and Joyce graduated in 1970 from Dakota State College -- Tom completed a degree in secondary education with a major in health and physical education and a minor in business education, and Joyce with a degree in physical education and health, and a minor in biology.

While at DSC, Tom participated in wrestling, track and was the student manager for the football team for one year. He was the President of the Physical Education Majors Club and was the President for the student section of the South Dakota Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance Association. Joyce participated in field hockey, volleyball and basketball.  She was President of the Women’s Recreation Association during her sophomore year.  She was involved in the student section of the South Dakota Health, Physical Education and Dance Association and in the Physical Education Majors Club. 

In 1970 immediately upon graduation while working on his master’s degree at SDSU Tom began his teaching career at Dakota State University. Except for a one-year leave of absence from DSU during 1977-1978, where he taught and coached in the Pequot Lakes, Minn. school district, Tom spent his entire career at Dakota State. He served in many capacities in the athletic department including head women’s volleyball coach, head wrestling coach, head men’s golf coach, and assistant football coach. He also served as the sports information director, director of intramural sports, director of athletics, and coordinator of health and physical education program.

At the time of the mission change Tom became a part of the College of Business and Information Systems where he taught courses in computer programming, computer applications, database, computer hardware and computer networking.  He was one of the lead faculty for the DSU 1 to 1 tablet computing initiative. He became known across the state and the region as “Tommy Tablet” for his work in teacher professional development for K -12 and higher education. He also served on numerous DSU committees including President of both the Faculty Senate and General Faculty.  He retired from full time employment in the spring of 2009 as Associate Professor Emeritus of Computer Science and Information Systems but continues to teach part time in the Masters in Educational Technology.

After graduation, Joyce began her teaching career at Madison High School in 1970. She served as a substitute teacher and coach at Pine River, Minn. in 1977-1978. The remainder of her 36 years in the teaching profession were at Madison High School. In addition to her work in the classroom, Joyce served as the head coach for Madison’s girl’s track team from 1970-1975, head girl’s golf coach from 1975-1997, head gymnastics coach from 1979-1986, and head volleyball coach from 1986-2006. She was also an assistant volleyball coach for Dakota State from 1982-1984.

The Farrell’s have two children, Susan and Jim. Susan completed the Second Wind Program through DSU to become a certified teacher in S.D and now is in her third year of teaching reading and language arts at Sanborn Central in Forestburg, SD.  Susan lives in Madison with her two daughters Shay and Shelby who are first graders. Jim graduated from DSU with a biology for information systems degree in 2011. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army as a part of the joint ROTC program between DSU and SDSU.  He currently is serving as a Captain in the US Army and is completing his Captain’s Career Course with Marine Corp at Quantico, VA where Jim and his wife Emily and daughter Lindsey reside. 

In addition to the parade, other events happening this week include the “Travelin’ Trojan.”  Each day the Trojan gnome will be hidden at various on- or off-campus location.  Clues will be given each day on KJAM, DSU’s Twitter, and DSU and Madison’s Chamber Facebook pages.  Anyone in Madison can participate, and prizes will be awarded daily.

Coronation will take place on Monday, Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Dakota Prairie Playhouse; the 2015 Homecoming Court includes Garrison Collier, Darian DeVries, Jon Forster, Shiloh Heesch, Josh Rundell, Sarah Friedel, Sadie Hagemeyer, Amanda Larson, Carissa Lewis, and Morgan Zwinger.

Three home volleyball matches take place during homecoming week, Wednesday and Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 12:30 p.m., at the DSU Fieldhouse. Following Friday’s game, the Burning of the Letters pep rally will be held in the north parking lot across from the Fieldhouse.

The annual Trojan Days 5K will start at 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 3 at the PubHouse, and the First Bank & Trust Kids 1/2K Run starts at 9:40 a.m. The Trojan Days Homecoming Parade starts at 10 a.m. at the Depot on Egan Ave. and continue north to the DSU campus.

The public is invited to the DSU Homecoming Tailgate from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the DSU Trojan Field. Enjoy a hog roast, the DSU Bean Bag Tournament, and music by DJ Jer. Registration for the tournament starts at noon. This year, the Trojan Athletic Club and DSU Alumni are hosting the tailgate tent. The kick-off for the DSU homecoming football game is at 3 p.m. with the Trojans facing Trinity Bible College.

The complete schedule for DSU Trojan Days can be found at http://dsu.edu/events/trojan-days-events.

Read about DSU alumni and the importance of DSU's homecoming in their lives. (Courtesy of the Argus Leader) http://www.argusleader.com/story/news/2015/09/28/garretson-couple-college-homecoming-remains-magical/72997986/