IdeaFest 2024
Welcome to Ideafest
Dear 2024 IdeaFest Participants,
Now in its 37th 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
Mandie Weinandt, Economics
Beautiful costume design, sustainability in business, psychological investigation, analysis of digital and print media, emotional intelligence in education, mock trial, barriers to effective heath care, biomarkers for cardiovascular diseases, and an exploration of women composers through recital performance are just a few, out of hundreds, of student IdeaFest presentations, posters, and panels we have experienced in the last couple of years at IdeaFest. It is truly incredible to be a small part of the learning journey our students traverse while they are at USD. I am honored to serve as the chair for the 2023 IdeaFest showcase.
IdeaFest is no small undertaking. It involves the entire campus community coming together to celebrate USD’s amazing students. I have been involved with IdeaFest in some way, shape, or form since 2007 and I am always impressed by and appreciative of the collaboration fostered in making this event a reality. To the faculty who work with students on their research and creative scholarship and encourage students to be involved, I thank you. To the staff who work behind the scenes making sure we have physical space, technology support, information flow, a schedule, snacks, and so much more, I thank you. To the administration who supports this event and encourages campus-wide involvement, I thank you. To external stakeholders who visit our campus, deliver keynotes, support our students and their work, and engage in all we do at USD, I thank you. And, most importantly, to the students who share their research, creative scholarship, academic experiences, and so much more, I thank you. Our community looks forward to sharing more of these amazing achievements during this year’s IdeaFest!
Mandie Weinandt, 2024 IdeaFest Faculty Chair