Commemorating Where Their Story Began
On October 20, 2025, Wes '93 and Tracy '93 Chambers celebrated the 35th anniversary of the day they began dating.
As part of the day’s celebrations, Wes sent this text to their adult children, Savannah and Connor:
“35 years ago today, I met this beautiful lady! Technically, she describes it as the third time we met. No matter the case - it’s a special day. That day has led to so many joyful and blessed events. It has never been perfect, but it is the imperfect that makes it so special. Tears and laughter and love bind us. It led to two amazing kids that we are so proud of, which led to them starting lives with two truly special soulmates. Together, you have built two beautiful families that have brought so much joy. It really hit me this weekend when we took that picture how special that day 35 years ago was!”
The meeting place? A party house on 8th Street, just off Medary Avenue.
The occasion? Hobo Day 1990 – and not just any Hobo Day…Wes and Tracy witnessed the Hobo Day riots together.
“Not too many people can say they met their wife at a riot,” Wes said. “It was one of the nicest Hobo Days. The weather was really nice, so when all the house parties ended, no one wanted to go back to the dorms because it was so nice outside. We just milled around on the street, and that’s when the campus police showed up.”
Then the Brookings Police Department were called in, followed by the South Dakota Highway Patrol.
By this point, Wes and Tracy were safely back in their dorm rooms. The next day, they watched from Wes’ dorm window as students tipped over a KSFY News car.
The riot was short lived, but Wes and Tracy’s relationship continues.
To commemorate the role SDSU played in their lives, family, and careers, the couple recently worked with the SDSU Alumni & Foundation to establish a charitable remainder trust, fueling the Wes and Tracy Chambers Endowed Fund for the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. Funds from their estate will go first to their children and then to a discretionary fund to be used by the dean of the college, as well as their church, St. Columbkille.
“We just think it is the responsibility for those who have been blessed to give back,” Wes said.
Tracy added, “It is never too early to get your estate figured out. Both of our parents died young, and we don’t want to leave our children to figure things out on their own.”
SDSU feels like home
As they do most years, Wes and Tracy celebrated 35 years together tailgating and cheering on Jackrabbit Football during SDSU’s homecoming. This year, they got to tour Tracy’s old dorm because her niece is a freshman and lives on the same floor of Mathews Hall as Tracy did.
“It was a trip down memory lane,” Tracy said. “Every time Wes and I are on campus, we get this vibe. We see the blue and yellow, and we know we are home.”
When she reflects on her time as a Jackrabbit, she says they were the best years of her life. Tracy’s active involvement in intramurals allowed her to enjoy the competition and meet countless friends and new people along the way. Living in the residence halls provided the perfect social hub, too.
“I loved it. I met some of my best friends there,” Tracy said. “I wasn’t very social in high school. That changed at SDSU, and honestly, I loved dorm life so much I actually lived in the dorms three years.”
In addition to finding Wes, SDSU connected Tracy to a career she was passionate about. “I started out in economics, and my GPA stunk. I just wasn’t grasping it,” Tracy said. “Growing up, my mom had a daycare, and I was a high-demand babysitter, so I realized I really like kids. I switched my major to human development, child and family studies.”
Early in her career, Tracy worked as a social worker. She recently retired from a 23-year career working as Yankton County clerk of courts. Today, she is a busy grandma spending time with granddaughters Georgie and Stevie and grandsons Dominic, Oscar, and Jude.
In 2022, the couple moved to Nebraska for Wes’ career. Wes’ current position is Senior Vice President of Retail for Farm Credit Services of America.
When the 1980s farm crisis prevented him from returning to his family’s Platte farm, SDSU connected Wes to the next best thing: agriculture banking.
“I’m in a role that is about as close to being a farm kid without actually doing chores every day,” Wes explained. “With Farm Credit Services of America, everything we do is agriculture. I get to work with the best customers in the world – farmers.”
Wes discovered banking when a roommate suggested he apply for an internship at First Bank & Trust in Brookings.
“SDSU connected me to so many different things that have helped me in my career,” Wes said. “When I applied for the first job, professors gave me advice on how to prepare for the interview. I’d never interviewed before.”
His internship turned into a full-time job while he was still a student. “SDSU does an exceptional job of putting students in a place where they have a chance to grow and develop,” Wes said. “When I was offered a full-time position, my professors were very accommodating. I will always appreciate them for this.”
Wes began his career after college as an ag loan officer with Dakota State Bank in Milbank. In 1999, he accepted a position with Farm Credit Services of America in Yankton.
In his current role, Wes frequently spends time on other university campuses, which makes him appreciate his alma mater even more.
“Students don’t get lost at SDSU. Even though enrollment is up from when Tracy and I attended, I think students are still connected,” said Wes, who began serving as a member of the SDSU Foundation’s Council of Trustees in 2023 (now known as the SDSU Alumni & Foundation Board of Trustees). "At SDSU, donors are more than numbers. Donors matter at SDSU. We can make a difference here."
Written By Lura Roti
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