Front view of the Jewett Regional Science Education Center at night

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Northern State University is planning a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate its first new academic building in more than 40 years.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Harvey C. Jewett IV Regional Science Education Center will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, with the ceremony beginning at 3:30 p.m. The event will take place outside the building, which serves as a new gateway to campus at the corner of Twelfth Avenue Southeast and South State Street.

Along with NSU and community officials, South Dakota Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden is expected to attend, as well as South Dakota Board of Regents Executive Director Paul Beran. The brand new wolf sculpture by Northern graduate John Lopez will also be unveiled.

In conjunction with the ribbon-cutting, the Aberdeen Area Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours will take place inside the science center following the ceremony. Tours of the facility will be given as part of the Business After Hours event. Those wishing to attend should register through the Chamber of Commerce online, or by contacting 605-225-2860 or info@aberdeen-chamber.com.

The state-of-the-art Jewett Regional Science Education Center will enhance research and science education for the entire region. The two-story facility provides a new home for NSU’s biology and chemistry programs. Features include faculty offices and classroom space; biology labs and chemistry labs; a climate-controlled cadaver lab; a classroom fitted to contain a GIS lab; and an imaging suite that will house Northern’s confocal microscope and two fluorescent scopes.

The facility also features a greenhouse and landscaping including Dakota native prairie grasses. The building was designed around a community outreach concept, with the possibility of summer camps and teacher workshops, as well as interdisciplinary activities across campus.

For more information about the science center or other campus improvement projects at Northern, visit the NSU Master Plan webpage.

About Northern State University

Northern State University is a regional university that offers outstanding academics and exceptional extracurricular activities at an affordable price on a safe, welcoming campus. Northern State recently announced its Educational Impact Campaign, with a goal of raising $55 million for a new South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, new athletic and recreation fields, and an on-campus regional sports complex. Once the campaign is complete, NSU will be the recipient of more than $100 million in privately funded building projects and scholarships within a decade. To learn more, visit NSU Admissions