A New Era for Psychology Education and Research
Bridging History and Progress
The University of South Dakota celebrated the grand reopening of the South Dakota Union building during the 2024 Dakota Days.
State legislators, South Dakota Board of Regent members, and USD faculty, staff, students and alumni gathered to honor the building’s history and celebrate its future.
“The South Dakota Union building is an important piece of USD history, and it demonstrates the juxtaposition of historic and modern that characterizes the university campus,” said USD President Sheila K. Gestring.
Originally built in 1930 as a student center, the South Dakota Union building housed the University Cooperative Store, a soda shop, a ballroom, radio studios, exhibition space and more.
With the construction of the Coyote Student Center in the mid-1960s, the Department of Psychology moved into the building and has remained there since.
Remnants of the past could be found throughout the South Dakota Union building prior to the renovation, including a fireplace in a classroom that was part of the student lounge, parquet wood flooring from the original ballroom and shag carpet.
“While we can appreciate the history of the building, the space was no longer conducive to learning in the 21st century,” said Gestring.
In 2023, the Joint Committee on Appropriations awarded USD $3.4 million in one-time general funds for the renovation of the South Dakota Union building to address the needs of the psychology department. USD matched that amount with maintenance and repair funding for a total of $7.82 million. With this support, USD was able to begin a full renovation in April 2023.
Building improvements included the following.
- Modern classroom, office, student and circulation spaces.
- New clinic space, with a separate entrance and dedicated client parking.
- Enhanced research laboratory space to support clinical, behavioral and neuroscience research.
- Various upgrades related to security, accessibility and building maintenance and modernization.
Department of Psychology Chair and Associate Professor Doug Peterson, Ph.D., said the renovated building will benefit current and prospective students as well as behavioral science education and research.
“The renovation benefits current students because they are now learning in a setting that is reflective of where they will work and practice in the future,” said Peterson. “We have really capable faculty and students, and the renovated building gives them the educational setting they deserve.
“The renovated research labs and clinic will greatly impact our competitiveness when seeking out external support for research projects,” Peterson continued.
The state-of-the-art South Dakota Union building meets the needs of students, faculty and staff, positioning the department to expand its impact across the state, nation and world.
“We are incredibly grateful to Governor Kristi Noem, the South Dakota Legislature, the South Dakota Board of Regents and all who contributed to the effort in modernizing the South Dakota Union building,” Gestring said. “By investing in this building, we are investing in the mental health and well-being of South Dakotans.”
A Look Inside the Department of Psychology
A foundation in psychology prepares students to become leaders, and students graduate with a wide range of transferable skills that set them apart from their peers.
“Because psychology is more about how people think and behave than it is about disorders and treatment, the majority of the content delivered in psychology courses is about normal everyday behavior, and that transfers well to a variety of occupational settings,” Peterson said. “Our students are developing a basic understanding of human behavior, problem solving skills and communications skills that can be applied far beyond mental health.”
With a comprehensive curriculum that spans undergraduate to doctoral programs, USD’s psychology department prepares students to enter the workforce or go on to pursue advanced degrees in psychology, medicine, physical therapy, occupational therapy and more.
Since 1927, the undergraduate psychology major has had a presence at USD, and it is one of the largest majors on campus, with over 300 students.
Students can take psychology courses in Vermillion, at USD – Sioux Falls and online, providing hundreds of students an opportunity to develop research, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
“The improvements to the South Dakota Union building don’t just support the over 800 students who take a psychology course in Vermillion, it also benefits the over 100 students taking course at USD – Sioux Falls, as well as the 600 students taking online courses. Our technologically advanced classrooms can deliver seamless instruction to both face-to-face and online students,” Peterson said.
The department continues to expand its offerings to meet the evolving interests and career goals of its students. In 2019, the Department of Psychology introduced an undergraduate degree in neuroscience, offered in collaboration with the Department of Biology and the Sanford School of Medicine’s Division of Biomedical and Translational Sciences.
Neuroscience students study the brain and nervous system to better understand behavior and experience. They take part in groundbreaking research on memory, perception, learning and decision-making.
In addition to undergraduate degrees, the department offers graduate programs in human factors and applied cognition, psychology and clinical psychology.
Applying principles in psychology to explore the interaction between humans and technology, students in the graduate human factors and applied cognition program test the designs of systems, tasks, machines, tools and environments in order to enhance efficiency, ease of use, safety and productivity.
Graduates of the human factors and applied cognition program are working for organizations such as the U.S. military, the Federal Aviation Administration, technology start-ups and top companies like Meta and Google, as well as leading universities like George Mason and Michigan State.
“In 1964, USD became one of the first five programs in the nation to offer a Ph.D. in human factors,” said Peterson. “The first Ph.D. was earned by Art McDonald, who was not only USD’s first Department of Psychology Ph.D., but he was also the first Native man to earn a Ph.D. in psychology in the nation. He went on to establish the Dull Knife Memorial College, and he earned the APA President Citation for Lifetime Achievement.”
The Department of Psychology introduced the graduate clinical psychology degree in 1974. It is the only clinical psychology doctorate program in South Dakota, and it is one of only six programs in South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa that is accredited by the American Psychological Association.
After completing a Ph.D., which includes two years of practicum and a full-year of internship, clinical psychology students are prepared to serve as mental health professionals ready to support individuals, families and communities in need.
The psychology department is also home to the Disaster Mental Health Institute, which is one of the leading agencies in the world in the field of disaster psychology.
Following the crash of Flight 232 in Sioux City, Iowa, in 1989, faculty and students in the Department of Psychology coordinated a disaster mental health response.
Building from this tragedy, USD introduced degrees to prepare students to understand disaster preparedness and immediate disaster response.
The department now offers an undergraduate degree and minor in disaster response, an undergraduate certificate in disaster response, a graduate specialization in clinical/disaster psychology and an online graduate certificate in disaster mental health.
Students from any major can earn the undergraduate certificate in disaster response and can use their skills to help friends, coworkers and family members.
“The skills students learn in disaster response and disaster mental health help minimize psychological distress at the earliest point to help alleviate the pressure on the mental health system,” said Peterson.
Regardless of the career choice, a degree in psychology sets students up for a successful future – one in which they can make lasting contributions.
Hands-On Learning Prepares Students to Serve Their Communities
USD’s Department of Psychology plays a vital role in addressing South Dakota’s mental health needs. By providing students with unique research opportunities and critical hands-on learning experiences, the department is actively expanding the mental health workforce in the state.
“When you look at the roughly 600 licensed psychologists in South Dakota, about one-third of them either graduated from USD, are full-time faculty or serve as site supervisors for our clinical training program,” said Peterson.
Shelby Deschepper is an undergraduate psychology student who intends to become a licensed counselor. Originally from Sioux falls, Deschepper chose to attend USD because it has both undergraduate and graduate programs in psychology.
Deschepper was drawn to psychology to help families and grow the mental health workforce.
“As far back as middle school, I started to notice how prevalent mental health issues are in people’s lives and how it can take such a toll on families and communities,” said Deschepper. “Further, I recognized that we need more counselors in the field to be able to meet everyone’s needs. I decided that I want to be someone who can make a difference in people’s lives on a personal level – especially for children and families – and I have always been fascinated by the human mind and how it functions.”
At USD, Deschepper has been able to turn that passion into action through hands-on learning experiences and research.
Deschepper joined the Child and Adolescent Stress and Trauma Lab, led by Associate Professor BreAnne Danzi, Ph.D. Deschepper, who is a student in the Honors Program, is completing her thesis with the research from the lab.
“It has granted me so many professional development opportunities, and I have learned so much about psychology research,” Deschepper said. “Dr. Danzi has made a great impact on me as a professor and advisor.”
Students in the clinical psychology program have opportunities to see patients in USD’s Psychological Services Center, gaining clinical experience while being observed by licensed therapists.
The full-service psychology clinic is open 12 months of the year and serves people of all ages from USD, Vermillion and surrounding areas.
Ellen Knowles and Barbara Bailey are two clinical psychology students who see patients in the Psychological Services Center.
Drawn to the clinical psychology profession to help people, Knowles said the experience she gets in the clinic is applicable to what she’ll be doing in the future.
“We’re doing exactly what we will be doing when we graduate, and that feels amazing,” Knowles said. “When I talk to other people who are in the same field at different universities, they don’t get that experience. It makes me feel confident in my training. I’m learning a lot and gaining valuable experience.”
Clinical psychology students are mentored and guided by licensed therapists and faculty members.
“Practicing in the clinic is scary at first, but you gain confidence in your abilities,” Bailey said. “I work closely with Dr. Jean Caraway through the mentorship program, and Dr. Beth Boyd and Dr. Rachel Post are really great. They have all mentored me as a student as well as a clinician.”
Beyond the classroom and clinic, the department extends its expertise by collaborating with organizations across the state to provide consultation and support.
For example, Peterson said, the department works with school districts on plans for improved mental health as well as on interventions. Additionally, the department collaborates with health care professionals regarding trauma-informed care.
“We have conducted research for the Department of Highway Safety on safety issues, the Disaster Mental Health Institute is part of the state’s emergency response plan, and we are working to support FDA certification of medical devices through the USD Discovery District in Sioux Falls,” said Peterson.
Equipping the next generation of mental health professionals with the skills and experiences they need, the psychology department continues to grow the state’s mental health workforce and address critical needs across communities.
Establishing the Future
Now with modernized classrooms, advanced research spaces and enhanced clinical training opportunities, the Department of Psychology is preparing students to make meaningful contributions in the future of mental health and a variety of other fields.
“The department has been at USD for a long time, and its students and faculty have positively impacted communities for generations,” said Peterson. “Now with a state-of-the-art facility, we’ll continue to lead in psychology education.”
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