Ramsdells Named SDSU Alumni & Foundation's 2026 Philanthropic Family of the Year
The SDSU Alumni & Foundation honored the Scott ‘75 and Lani Ramsdell family as this year’s Philanthropic Family of the Year.
Created in 2012, the award acknowledges exceptional, influential generosity to a variety of causes by a family in support of SDSU. The award was announced April 30 before a crowd of over 700 at the Celebration of Philanthropy at the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center.
The Ramsdell family traces their legacy at South Dakota State back to the late 1800s, when the first generation of the family attended the pharmacy school. Scott’s grandfather, father, and some of his siblings also took up the family tradition, as well as his son and daughter-in-law. Today, the Ramsdell lineage has progressed to their sixth generation of Jackrabbits, with Scott and Lani’s grandson currently studying agriculture at the university.
The Ramsdells’ generosity is fueled by their business, Dakota Layers. Based in Flandreau, the family-owned-and-operated enterprise found its start as a cooperative of about 100 investors in 2000. It was purchased by the Ramsdell family in 2015. Since then, the family has sponsored the Dakota Layers Deck in First Bank & Trust Arena and has an ongoing agreement to donate a dozen eggs to Feeding South Dakota for every free throw scored at home basketball games. The family is known for investing in youth athletics and initiatives, including gifts to local causes like the Flandreau Indian School, the Boys & Girls Club, and many more at State.
In 2025, the Ramsdells made a lead commitment to construct a new, state-of-the-art facility for the soccer team at SDSU. Their gift made university history as the largest investment on record for a women’s-only athletics initiative. The new home for the soccer program will move the main competition facility from Fishback Soccer Park to a more centralized, on-campus location. The stadium will be situated east of Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium on the corner of Jackrabbit Avenue and North Campus Drive, marking an official milestone of putting Jackrabbit Soccer on the campus map.
When I became president in 2016, there was a comprehensive facility master plan for athletics. We have addressed the needs identified in that plan, with upgrades to the softball and baseball fields, the Frank J. Kurtenbach Family Wrestling Center, and First Bank & Trust Arena. An on-campus soccer facility was one of the last pieces of that plan, and the Ramsdell family stepped forward with the lead gift.
— President Barry H. Dunn
The Ramsdells are the 14th family to receive the Philanthropic Family of the Year award.
The first was the Dale and Pat Larson family of Brookings.
Since that time, honorees include:
- the Les and Wanda Roberts family of Ashton, SD;
- the Bob and Pat Fishback and Van and Barb Fishback families of Brookings;
- the Larry and Diane Ness family of Yankton, SD;
- the Gene and JoAnn Goodale family of Brookings;
- the Duane Harms and Barbara Reed Harms family of Brookings;
- the Keith Rounds and Cathy Vander Wal-Rounds family of Brookings;
- the Al and Irene Kurtenbach family of Brookings;
- the Rudy and Marilyn Nef and Max and Jeanne Gonzenbach families, along with Valley Queen Cheese;
- the Orv and Trudy Schmieding family;
- the Bill and Carolyn Hinks family of Sioux Falls;
- and the Wintrode family of St. Petersburg and Weston, FL.