Daktronics, Inc., the largest employer in Brookings, employed a record number of college students in the year of 2007.

Daktronics currently has 614 students on its payroll with 451 of them enrolled at SDSU. Students constitute about one-fourth of the employee body.

Aelred Kurtenbach, co-founder of Daktronics and former engineering professor, considers college students to be an integral part of the company.

“I see a student position as an opportunity for ‘student engagement,’” said Kurtenbach. “We give them a chance to enhance themselves. It allows us to get to know these bright young people and possibly give them a reason to stay in Brookings after they graduate.”

The company opened 54 new student positions in all of its departments in 2007. Over half of those positions are in non-manufacturing environments.

“We hire students from all areas of academia whether it’s electrical engineering, journalism, English or business,” said Kurtenbach.

“Daktronics has had a relationship with SDSU for over 35 years. We see the university as a magnet for bright minds, and we strive to meet as many of these bright-minded people as possible.”

Kurtenbach, along with Duane Sanders, were faculty members of SDSU’s College of Engineering when they started Daktronics in 1968.

According to Daktronics’ recruiting department, the company fills many full-time positions with former student employees.

“About one half of our students accept full-time position offers after they graduate from college,” said Duane Everding, a Daktronics recruiter. “We consider the students to be the best pool of people to choose from whenever a full-time position opens. They are the most familiar with the company, and they tend to bring fresh ideas to the table.”

Stacie Buus worked as a full-time student at Daktronics for three years until the company hired her after she graduated from SDSU. Buus currently works in Daktronics’ Personnel Department with insurance benefits and salary pay.

“I am very grateful that they offered me my job, especially because it meant that I would be able to stay in Brookings after graduation,” said Buus. “The relationship between Daktronics and SDSU is almost seamless, and it was just really made sense for me to take the job there after I graduated.”

According to the Brookings Economic Development Corporation (BEDC), a large part of the city’s growth can be attributed to the relationship between SDSU and the area’s businesses.

BEDC looks to keep more students in Brookings after they graduate by catering to their needs.

“We really do appreciate what companies like Daktronics have done for the community,” said Mike Struck, Regional Economic Development Specialist for BEDC. “We are strategizing to retain these students in the area and the state of South Dakota.”

The BEDC plans to do a study on SDSU student employment in early 2008 to assess its effect on the city.

“We are trying to build a quality of life for young professionals,” said Struck. “Studying the employment of SDSU’s students in Brookings can show us how we can better accommodate the needs of the graduating students and thus grow as a community.”

Businesses like Daktronics contribute to the manufacturing industry’s dominance of the city’s economy, and BEDC wants to counter-balance it with more service industry jobs.

“There’s always a need for jobs, and we would especially like to get more non-manufacturing jobs in town,” said Struck. “Our corporation intends to encourage more complimentary service businesses like retail stores and restaurants to cater to this younger demographic in Brookings. I think that if we can do that, these students will find more and more reasons to stay in and contribute to our community after graduation.”

The BEDC also encourages developers to consider new forms of housing in Brookings for college graduates.

“The graduating age group looks for good location, amenities, services and price when choosing where to live,” said Struck. “We’re looking to get some residences that are a step above apartments and yet cheap enough for graduates as they begin their careers in Brookings.”

Daktronics has received some orders for some big projects lately, according to Mark Steinkamp, the marketing and sales support manager at Daktronics. These include a major renovation at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, the Indianapolis Colts’ new stadium, an update for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the New York Yankees’ new stadium.

The system Daktronics will be designing and building for the Yankees will feature the installation of a 1,280-foot long full-color light emitting diode (LED) ribbon board, which will be one of the longest continuous displays in Major League Baseball. The value of the Yankees’ project contract exceeds $19 million.

According to a press release, Daktronics currently has equipment at 26 of the 30 Major League Baseball venues, including the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome where the Minnesota Twins play. The Metrodome first had Daktronics equipment installed in 2001, and more was added by 2005.

“Nearly all of the manufacturing of our large sports systems takes place in the Brookings manufacturing plant,” Steinkamp said, “from electronic assembly, welding, painting, final assembly, testing and shipping. We continue to count on students to help us do our work, not only in manufacturing but in nearly all facets of the business.”

The Brookings City Council held a reception in the Performing Arts Center on Nov. 7 to meet with each of the three finalists who are vying to serve as city manager.

Either Jeff Weldon, former city manager of Yankton, S.D., Michael Nolan, city administrator of Norfolk, Neb., or Greg Sund, city administrator of Dickinson, N.D., will be the third full-time city manager for the city of Brookings.

The City Council will offer a contract and employee benefits to the candidate of its choice.

Since the interim city manager, retired police chief Dennis Falken, announced his intent to resign by the end of the year, the city has received 52 applications to fill the position.

“It has been very tough for the council to narrow down the field of applicants,” said Sherry Thornes, city clerk. “In November, the City Council will announce their decision, and then the new city manager will assume many roles including chief policy advisor to the council.”

According to Thornes, the new city manager will be met with many challenges, including a new business park expansion and planning for the future SDSU research facility.

“The office of the city manager is very sought after, probably more so than the office of the mayor,” said Thornes. “Brookings has a lot on its plate right now with business expansion and the growth of SDSU. There is no doubt that the appointed manager will need to be very qualified.”

During the next week, the three finalists will be touring Brookings, meeting with city department managers and interview with the mayor and city councilors.

The Council tentatively says it will select one of the finalists by Nov. 13.

The City of Brookings operates with the council-manager form of government adopted by a city charter in 1999. In this system, the six council members and the mayor hire a city manager to implement the council’s policies.

The city manager represents a link between the city council and the mayor and also deals with city issues, projects and programs.

Before December of 1999, Brookings featured a mayor-commission system in which the mayor and commission held managerial and administrative authority.

#1.883147:400017898.jpg:citymanagerthingy.jpg:Students’ Association members chat with potential city manager about student housing issues during the reception at the PAC Monday night.:John Dahmen

With the Super Bowl ending football season and the basketball season nearly half done, athletes of a different ball are practicing for another season of America’s pastime.

On Jan. 29, SDSU finished its winter baseball camp in the Intramural Building, the last of a trio of three-hour day camps. The Barn was filled with young athletes honing their baseball skills across the old wooden floor, preparing for the much-anticipated upcoming season.

SDSU baseball camps, conducted by collegiate baseball players and coaches, have grown to be very popular over the years, attracting youth baseball enthusiasts from around the upper Mid West.

Areas of focus were pitching, defense, catching and batting. The goal of the instructors was to spend as much one on one time with each athlete as possible, so they could identify what area the campers needed to work on the most. The instructors work with elementary and high school athletes, so every player can get better in some aspect of the game.

SDSU’s baseball camps also help the athletes find a position that they are comfortable with and can greatly improve their skills.

One reason for the camp is to promote interest in younger players.

“I went to camps like this all the time when I was younger,” junior catcher Kyle Sytsma said. “It brings back lots of memories, and it’s nice to give back to the youth.”

The college players show the younger athletes examples of talent and sportsmanship, Sytsma said.

“It feels good to have younger players looking up to you,” he said.

To attend camp, the players must be at least 8 years old . And many players choose to continue attending the camp through high school.

“[This camp] is better than other baseball camps because it allows for a wider range of ages,” Sytsma said.

The SDSU baseball organization also uses the camps for the high school athletes as a recruiting tool.

“These camps give us an opportunity not only to help the kids with their skills, but also to see the upcoming talent in the area,” said Matt Duncan, assistant coach and camp coordinator. “The move to Division I has made the recruiting process harder because we can’t go out scouting until March 1, and these camps make it so we can scout some future prospects before the season starts.”