Jackrabbit Village residence halls named for distinguished alumni
Three residential life buildings that make up Jackrabbit Village, South Dakota State University’s newest student housing complex, have been named for deceased alumni who distinguished themselves in significant ways.
The respective halls will be forever known as: Cleveland Abbott Hall, Velva Lu Spencer Hall and Josef Thorne Hall. The names were recommended by a naming committee and a small task force that included student representatives.
“After much research, these alumni were selected as each defied the odds to reach personal goals, and in doing so, not only became significant role models for others but stood for causes much greater than their own success,” said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Laurie Stenberg Nichols.
“Our students and others can learn much from these individuals,” added Nichols. “We are proud to call them SDSU alumni and feel it is most appropriate to honor their contributions through a new hall which bears their names.”
Located close to The Union, Wagner Hall and the Rotunda on the southeast side of campus, the entire complex can accommodate 412 freshmen and sophomores. The halls opened for the 2010 fall semester.
Residence hall honorees:
• Cleveland Abbott, a 1916 alumnus from Watertown, was SDSU’s first African American varsity athlete, earning 14 letters competing in track, football, basketball and baseball. A World War II veteran, he coached football and served as athletics director at Tuskegee University from 1923-1955. The football stadium at Tuskegee bears his name. Abbott served on the 1946 U.S. Olympic Committee and coached Alice Coachman, the first African American woman to win an Olympic gold medal, taking the high jump title at the 1948 Olympic Games.
• Velva Lu Spencer earned a bachelor’s degree in 1986 and a master’s degree in 1989 in sociology. She was an enrolled member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Tribe and a scholar on Native American education. She was an advocate for human rights, particularly providing opportunities for Native Americans. From 1988-2003, Spencer served as SDSU’s first Native American advisor with unparalleled success in retention and graduation of Native American students.
• Josef Thorne attended SDSU to study civil engineering. He was an all-American and conference most valuable player as a fullback on the Jackrabbits’ 1961 North Central Conference champion football team. Thorne was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 1962, but instead joined the Army as a second lieutenant and became a helicopter pilot. He was the first South Dakotan to die in Vietnam when his helicopter crashed from enemy fire.
The residence halls offer students an array of amenities. Every floor is equipped with a dedicated study room, two restrooms, air conditioning and a living room that includes a complete kitchen with full-size appliances, carpet, a fireplace, soft seating and an electronic gaming area.
Each building has a fire suppression system and an elevator. In addition, there is a storage area for students’ belongings in the lower level of each hall.