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Aaron Ragsdale, professor of percussion and assistant director of bands in the �ձ�av��Ƶ School of Performing Arts, recently returned to his roots for a meaningful performance honoring his father, Chalon Ragsdale, on his 50th work anniversary at the University of Arkansas.

Interior design students in the �ձ�av��Ƶ School of Design are getting hands-on experience, including a top 28 finish at an international competition, all thanks to a generous donation from an �ձ�av��Ƶ alum.

A single note can hold an entire world of emotion. For �ձ�av��Ƶ assistant professor Mark Stevens, a single piano piece can hold an ocean. His multiyear commissioning project, “One Drop Contains Oceans,” explores how music from a variety of voices can transform the classical piano repertoire. At 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 2, he will bring those voices to life in a public performance at the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center.

The �ձ�av��Ƶ theatre and dance program received four awards from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival for its production of “Fuddy Meers.”

Dan Carlson’s path to leading a top high school band in the region is rooted in family, experiences and a passion for music.

The South Dakota Art Museum invites the public to celebrate its newest exhibit, “Sharing the Care: Stories of Conservation Collaborations,” at a social hour and lecture set for Friday, April 25.

Two �ձ�av��Ƶ students in the landscape architecture program competed in an international competition in Istanbul, Turkey. Jake Pytleski and Miranda Peck represented the �ձ�av��Ƶ School of Design in the International Federation of Landscape Architects conference Sept. 4-6.

Adam Devlin, a recent master’s graduate in the �ձ�av��Ƶ Department of Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science, worked on a collaborative project with faculty in the School of Design to bring awareness to the hardships of South Dakota farmers and the effects of soil composition in various subjects.

The South Dakota Art Museum at �ձ�av��Ƶ will celebrate the immersive exhibition of huge blown glass ears of corn, “Primordial Shift: The Art of Michael Meilahn,” with a free public reception and panel discussion from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, June 27.

David C. Earnest, the Odeen-Swanson Distinguished Professor and chair of the Department of Political Science at the University of South Dakota, has been named dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at �ձ�av��Ƶ. Earnest was selected following a national search and will begin working on the �ձ�av��Ƶ campus July 8.