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Welcome to Ideafest
Welcome to Ideafest
Dear 2025 IdeaFest Participants,
Now in its 38th year, IdeaFest is the University of South Dakota’s premier symposium that showcases the many contributions of our graduate and undergraduate students. As a participant, your work is part of a proud legacy of student research, creative scholarship and academic engagement. There is no better example of the intellectual curiosity and liberal arts focus at the core of USD’s mission.
I hope you find a moment to watch and learn from your fellow students who have worked hard in conjunction with faculty mentors to present their research, engagement and creative scholarship. The strength of a liberal arts institution is the ability to engage in a multitude of academic disciplines and fields of research, and IdeaFest is an excellent opportunity to experience those benefits.
On behalf of USD, thank you for your contributions to our academic community. Although we celebrate IdeaFest as the culmination of so much hard work from our students and faculty, in reality, it is just the beginning. I hope you have enjoyed your experience and continue to explore the research and scholarship that inspired you to present at IdeaFest.
Sincerely,
Sheila K. Gestring
President
University of South Dakota
Message from the IdeaFest Faculty Chair
Message from the IdeaFest Faculty Chair
Lauren Freese, Art History
IdeaFest exemplifies the liberal arts identity and mission of the University of South Dakota. At IdeaFest, students in the first year of their undergraduate studies come together with advanced graduate students and keynote speakers at the top of their fields to share their research and creative scholarship. IdeaFest is an opportunity for students to hone their ability to communicate complex research with varied audiences. What’s more, students that present at IdeaFest are actively building their résumés, demonstrating their research, performance, creative, and public speaking skills for future employers and graduate programs.
An event of this scale and quality is a significant undertaking. IdeaFest would not be possible without the work of so many individuals and offices at USD. I’d like to extend a special thanks to the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and to all our campus sponsors. Thank you also to the IdeaFest Committee, IT professionals, and the custodial staff and catering services in the Munster University Center. Finally, thank you to the faculty and staff who mentor student researchers. This event can only be as good as the student work. To the students participating in IdeaFest, congratulations! I am honored to play a small role in celebrating your hard work.
Lauren Freese, 2025 IdeaFest Faculty Chair
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