Established in 1881, South Dakota State University is the State's land-grant university and South Dakota's largest institution of higher education. SDSU is a growing and flourishing institution with an enrollment of more than 9,300 students. Recognized as a comprehensive, doctoral granting University, SDSU is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association for Colleges and Schools. The University is home to the South Dakota Art Museum whose collections include early masterpieces of Native American Tribal art, the famed Harvey Dunn paintings of pioneer life, and the exclusive Vera Way Marghab Linen Collection. The State Agricultural Heritage Museum is also part of the campus and houses exhibits that record and preserve the agrarian heritage of South Dakota. On the other side of campus resides McCrory Gardens and the South Dakota Arboretum. Encompassing 74 acres, the gardens are one of only 13 nationwide to be designated as an All-American Display Garden.

SDSU is located in Brookings, South Dakota; a thriving community of approximately 17,500, near the east central border of South Dakota on Interstate 29. The city has an excellent K-12 education system, is accessible to major medical facilities, has an active cultural and social environment, and has numerous lakes and parks within driving distance. It is 50 miles north of Sioux Falls, a city of 120,000.