ABERDEEN, S.D. – The South Dakota Board of Regents recognized six Northern State University (NSU) student organizations for outstanding academic, community, and organizational work. The Board annually acknowledges and awards student groups from all six South Dakota public universities. However, due to scheduling conflicts last year, the 2021 and 2022 (NSU) Student Organization Awards were presented this week.
2021 NSU Award for Academic Excellence: Speech and Debate (Forensics)
The NSU Speech and Debate Team strives to enhance critical thinking and speaking skills by allowing students to practice and compete in debate and competitive speaking events. The Speech and Debate team focuses on academic success in and out of the classroom. Team culture has always been to achieve excellence in academics and is further strived for by urging members to seek information from every possible opportunity.
2022 NSU Award for Academic Excellence: Honors Club
The NSU Honors Club includes all Northern State University Honors Program members. The Honors Program provides academically gifted and highly motivated students opportunities to challenge themselves. In addition to being the leaders and members of the NSU Honors Club, NSU Honors students are leaders in clubs and organizations across campus.
2021 and 2022 NSU Award for Community Service: Honors Club
In 2021, the Honors Club organized a year-long service project called “Year of Appreciation Project.” Each month they chose a group deemed underappreciated in the Aberdeen community and created a mini-service project to show appreciation for their effort in keeping the Aberdeen community strong and healthy. Examples of recipient groups included: first responders, custodial staff members, nursing home residents, nursing home caretakers, teachers, bus drivers, nurses, and small businesses.
Events and activities that the Honors Club conducted in 2022 were:
- The NSU Cancer Awareness Tree
- Mental Health Tree
- Bake Sale
- Sponsoring a Grandparent
- Valentine’s Cards for residents of the Mother Joseph nursing home
- Christmas Cards for Veterans
- Sponsoring an adoption of a dog from the Humane Society.
2021 NSU Award for Organizational Leadership: NASA
The Native American Student Association (NASA) welcomes and respects the diversity of all people. The mission of NASA is to strengthen and promote relevant cultural competencies on campus and throughout the Aberdeen community through leadership, mentoring, and advocacy of American Indian issues. NASA is open to all students.
2022 NSU Award for Organizational Leadership: Campus Activities Board (CAB)
The Campus Activities Board is a volunteer university-chartered student organization that supports the university’s mission and meets its students’ needs by providing social, recreational, and developmental programs that promote learning and personal development. They are responsive to student needs, attitudes, and interests. CAB provides a comprehensive and diverse program schedule during the academic year addressing those interests; facilitates the social and intellectual development of students by providing opportunities for student involvement and leadership development; and supports the university’s recruitment and retention efforts by providing meaningful activities that impact the quality of campus life and each student’s satisfaction with their college experience.
