South Dakota State University’s history and tradition is oftentimes best expressed through photos and items that defined the collegiate experience for tens of thousands of alumni.
For the past 40 years, items have been safely tucked away in Tompkins Alumni Center.
There are uniforms worn by band members, Dakota Debs and student-athletes. There are cowbells that students and administrators once clutched in their hands during football games, when the practice was still allowed.
They show the wear and tear that any treasured item would, a fact that only adds to their important place in the university’s rich history and SDSU lore.  Â
Due to space, much of it has been out of the public’s view. The Alumni Green project has changed that.
The earliest conceptual drawings called for giant display cases. Today, the Bartels Alumni Gallery is a focal point in the new Alumni Center.
Eight sections stretch nearly 27 feet in length on two sides, giving the Alumni Association staff the opportunity to rotate parts of the collection and display items on loan from alumni and friends.
The collection has grown to 1,853 items, ranging from Hobo Day buttons and yearbooks to a 1912 flag and felt pennants that date back several generations.
Keith and Glynn Bartels made a leadership gift to the Alumni Green to sponsor the Bartels Alumni Gallery. “Our university has unique history, heritage and tradition going clear back to its founding,†the Bartels said. “The Alumni Gallery is the main place where students and new alumni can learn about and come to appreciate those traditions.â€
Keith Bartels currently serves on the Foundation’s Council of Trustees and Board of Governors. Both Keith and Glynn formerly served on the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors.
“One cannot appreciate the place in history that we are experiencing today unless one has knowledge of our past,†they said. “We are proud to have been able to be a part of that experience.â€
