Mike Huether Public Service Academy Graduates First Cohort

The first cohort of future public servants has graduated from the Mike Huether Public Service Academy at South Dakota State University.

The Public Service Academy was created by a lead gift from Mike '84 and Cindy (Loecker) '86 Huether, and their daughter, Kylie. Mike Huether served as mayor of Sioux Falls from 2010 to 2018.

Six students completed the two-year program, which immersed them in leadership and public service training. The program works to empower Jackrabbits to make a difference at the local, state and national levels. 

Graduates completed coursework toward a public service certificate, attended LeadState workshops and retreats, completed a public service internship and more. 

Meet the public servants who may soon lead in your community: 

Establishing ethical guidelines 

Madalynn Graham is a senior majoring in community and regional planning.

"I’ve realized that making a difference in your community doesn’t look just one way. It happens on every scale. You have to find what you genuinely care about and lean into it,” she said.

Her highlights of the program were attending the Arizona State University Next Generation Service Corps Center Leadership Conference and planning the Nonprofit Fair, which revealed a passion for community event planning. 

As part of the academy’s academic requirements, Graham took the classes Developing Intercultural Competence and Intro to Ethics. She says they helped her build character, navigate different cultures and create a guiding code of ethics for her professional life. 

Graham hopes to work for a government organization or a nonprofit and wants to pursue a master’s degree in the future. 

Exploring the Brookings community 

With her human biology degree, Elise Hotzler said she felt she jumped out of her comfort zone in joining the Mike Huether Public Service Academy. 

“I gained new perspectives and skills within the required curriculum for the Public Service Academy that differ from my academic program. I feel more comfortable and capable of making change through the experiences I had with the academy,” she said. 

For her public service internship, Hotzler became the first community initiatives intern for Brookings Area United Way. 

“I learned so much about the Brookings community, some amazing coalitions and all the incredible opportunities there are to volunteer for and make a difference locally,” she said. 

The academy requires attending LeadState meetings, which helped Hotzler strengthen her leadership skills. She said the academy helped build her confidence in serving and advocating for her future clients, no matter the career path she chooses. 

Learning away from and close to home 

Max Johnson is a junior majoring in political science and Spanish. 

His internship was with the Mitchell Chamber of Commerce and Development Corporation. There, he became embedded with Mitchell’s leaders in community development and public service. 

He also learned a lot from the conference at Arizona State University through workshops, volunteer opportunities, leadership sessions and mock interviews. 

As part of the Volcker Alliance Next Generation Service Corps immersion program, he helped host Arizona State University students in South Dakota. During the tours they took around the state, Johnson learned new things about respect and about his home state. 

They visited the Sisseton-Wahpeton-Oyate reservation and learned about their culture, which he says he knew “embarrassingly little about.” He also volunteered at the Wetu Wacipi at South Dakota State University. 

“Those experiences reminded me that growth comes from both looking outward and paying attention to what’s close to home,” Johnson said. 

Building confidence and connections 

Recent graduate Natalie Johnson said she learned quite a bit about herself during the program. She majored in political science.  

“Through internships and volunteer opportunities, I was able to learn more about myself, my interests and my capabilities. I had truly underestimated myself before taking advantage of the experiences I’ve had through the academy,” she said. 

She now has confidence that she belongs in places where decisions are made and that she can make decisions that truly matter. 

She hopes to work for a local municipality or nonprofit helping communities strengthen their relationships with their government through better communication. 

“During the program, I built a network of strong professionals who have connected with me on levels I never would have imagined possible. Those relationships will help me find jobs in the public and nonprofit sectors to continue making change in communities,” Johnson said. 

Challenges become opportunities 

Masume Krol just graduated with her degree in political science. Through the program, she pursued the Volcker Alliance’s Next Generation Service Corps Summer Policy Academy. The highly competitive program included a weeklong stay at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and a residential program at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. 

She’ll carry with her what she learned from those experiences, as well as the lessons she learned on South Dakota State’s campus. 

"I learned that public service is not just about advocating for my own interest group but, rather, elevating a collective future. It transformed me into a leader dedicated to uplifting our community at all levels of governance,” she said. 

Krol also built character by learning about the challenges that civil servants face. She said she developed a determined mindset and now views constraints as opportunities to think creatively and innovate.  

After completing the academy, Krol said she’ll build on her current role as executive coordinator with Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota. 

Sacrificing for the betterment of others 

Grace Sargent is a senior and majors in agricultural communication and agricultural leadership. 

She interned with the South Dakota State Legislature, where she worked with House Majority Leader Scott Odenbach. The experience taught her how much sacrifice goes into public service, which is a lesson she also learned through the academy. 

“All of the things public service encompasses involve some level of self-sacrifice, inconveniencing yourself for the betterment of others and a strong desire to make a lasting impact,” she said. 

The academy influenced her character by teaching her how to look out for the best interests of others, act with integrity and work hard for those around her. 

Sargent currently works in state-level public service and is excited to find further opportunities that combine her agricultural communication degree with the public service certificate she earned through the academy. 

Moving forward 

Hotzler, Natalie Johnson and Krol have completed their studies at SDSU and are beginning new chapters of service in their communities. 

On campus, Graham, Max Johnson and Sargent will carry this momentum forward as they help lead and mentor the incoming cohort of scholars this fall. 

Written by Ellen Koester, University Marketing & Communications