RAPID CITY, S.D. (Sept. 24, 2025) — South Dakota Mines will inaugurate Dr. Brian Tande as the university’s 20th president today, marking a new era of leadership at the historic engineering and science institution.
Tande, who began his tenure in January, succeeds Dr. Jim Rankin, who retired in 2024 after serving six years as president. The inauguration ceremony is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the King Center’s Goodell Gymnasium on the Mines campus.
The event celebrates not only the official installation of Tande but also the university’s focus on innovation, research and student success in the Black Hills and beyond.
Following the ceremony, the public is invited to a free community concert featuring Black Hills musician Brandon Jones from 5 to 8 p.m. in the O’Harra Stadium parking lot.
South Dakota Mines, founded in 1885, is a leading STEM university known for preparing graduates for careers in engineering, science and technology across South Dakota and the nation.
