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Richard J. Gowen

CITATION OF THE HONORARY DEGREE

DOCTOR OF PUBLIC SERVICE

The South Dakota Board of Regents today recognizes the exceptional contributions of a special president by conferring on him the South Dakota Board of Regents honorary doctorate in public service. Rarely is a state or a higher education system as privileged to have serving it such a dedicated leader.

Richard J. Gowen has earned our respect with his loyalty and personal devotion to South Dakota public higher education. His work as Vice President and President of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and as President of Dakota State University sets a new mark for future leaders in our state.

Since 1984 Dr. Richard J. Gowen's life and career have been dedicated to advancing scientific knowledge and discoveries, educating university students to prepare them for the challenges of the engineering, scientific, and technological workforce, helping children embrace the wonders of math and science, and using the capabilities of the university to improve its community.

Dr. Gowen has provided tremendous leadership to the university in many arenas. He led SDSM&T through major building and renovation efforts, and the implementation of computer technologies. Those efforts positioned SDSM&T as a technology leader in the state and region. Under his leadership, SDSM&T has received numerous national academic recognitions, including the 2000 Boeing Educator of the Year Award. President Gowen recognized that his university and the system would prosper through the advancement of technology, research, and development.

President Gowen worked closely with the current governor and former governors to enhance economic development by providing technical assistance to businesses in the region. He worked with leadership in the state to make it possible for South Dakota to be eligible for additional research funding through the National Science Foundation with the designation as an EPSCoR state, bringing increased research dollars to Rapid City and the entire state.

President Gowen created an environment that encouraged faculty and staff to use their expertise and energy to volunteer and assist community groups. President Gowen's encouragement didn't end there. He wanted Tech's professors and researchers to aggressively pursue research funding that would not only allow the campus to advance knowledge and make discoveries, but would assist industry, the nation, and the world.

Through skillful ability and raw ingenuity, President Gowen paved the way for the establishment of the Advanced Materials Processing Center . The Advanced Materials Processing Center combines two unique technologies found together nowhere else in the world. This unrivaled research laboratory combines cutting edge equipment and scientific expertise to develop and use 21 st century laser and welding technology to assist the U.S. Army and Department of Defense meet the needs of the military, while benefiting the local, regional, and national economy.

Under Dr. Gowen's leadership, the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Foundation tackled a momentous effort for any institution – its first-ever capital campaign. The campaign, “VISION 2000: Leadership for the Next Century,” began in 1995 with a goal of raising $16 million by Tech's Reunion 2000. Tech announced during the reunion that the campaign surpassed its original $16 million goal by raising more than $20.3 million.

Dr. Gowen demonstrated his commitment to future generations of science and technology leaders through the establishment of a number of outreach programs. He was also instrumental in the development and implementation of Internet technologies, as South Dakota led the challenge of providing Internet access and computer technologies to every K-12 school through the state's “Wiring the Schools” program, impacting our state's most precious resource – our young people.

President Gowen responded to the announcement that Homestake would close by seeing an opportunity. He spearheaded the creation of the proposal to turn the Homestake Gold Mine into the world's premier underground science and engineering laboratory.

His career has been marked by a willingness to do what's best for the university, for the state, and for the system. Whenever asked to tackle a challenging project, he said yes. Whether the request was to serve on President Clinton's Web-Based Education Commission or to develop a plan to provide individualized education to high school students in Rapid City . President Gowen tirelessly charged forward.

His visionary leadership and service to the people of South Dakota established a legacy that will stand the test of time. Such leadership merits recognition, and it is with great pride that the South Dakota Board of Regents confers upon Richard J. Gowen the degree of Doctor of Public Service honoris casua.