South Dakota State News

Contact: Tracy Mercer, Information Research Analyst

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Telephone: (605) 773-3455

Fax: (605) 773-5320

www.sdbor.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Learning Drives Us Forward;

Higher Education Marketing Campaign Launched

PIERRE, S.D. – In a cooperative effort with the six public universities, the South Dakota Board of Regents launched a new marketing campaign highlighting the value and importance of higher education to the state of South Dakota. 

The “Learning Drives Us Forward” campaign, developed by Lawrence and Schiller Marketing and Advertising of Sioux Falls, will begin in April with a budget of $160,000 this year.  Each of the universities will share in the cost of the campaign with the Board’s central office. 

“The purpose of this campaign is to show that industry leaders are grown right here in South Dakota, specifically at our public universities,” said Regent Jim Thares.  “It tells the real story about South Dakota’s public universities—one of economic impact and workforce empowerment that pays off today and tomorrow.”

“We are highlighting the good work done at our universities and the importance of higher education to the state,” said Brian L. Maher, the regents’ executive director and CEO. “At a time when universities throughout the Midwest are competing for students, it is more important than ever to remind people of the great opportunities our universities offer.” 

As part of its campaign, the Board of Regents also transitioned to a new logo. The design is representative of the petals of South Dakota’s state flower, the pasque. Each of the six larger petals represents a public university within the regents’ system—Black Hills State University, Dakota State University, Northern State University, South Dakota Mines, South Dakota State University, and the University of South Dakota. The two smaller petals are a nod to the two schools within the system that serve special K-12 populations: South Dakota School for the Blind & Visually Impaired and South Dakota School for the Deaf.

Visit the Learning Drives us Forward website at LearningDrivesUs.com