Major: Web Development/Graphic Design

Academic Year: Freshman

Hometown: Mankato, MN

Hello all new and prospective kids out there around the country and world. My name is Joe Casavan.

I came here for an equal balance of two reasons.

The first being that DSU was just starting a new Web Development Major and that was something I was very interested in. Later, I added a Graphics Design Major and Art Minor to my list of hats.

The second was my love for competition. I came to DSU as a scholarship athlete for track and I needed to be at a level where I could be competitive and still gain improvements with my abilities from High School.

The size of DSU and its distance from home really helped out with my decision as well. Being from a graduating class of 14 and a home town of only about 250, DSU seemed like a great size…not to big, and not to small. It's also about 90 minutes from home which is still far enough to be away, and close enough to make it there and back if I need to.

I haven't yet completed an internship to prepare me for life on the "outside", but I do have a South Dakota Racing Team that has contacted me to do a website and graphics for them. Hopefully that will go well and upon completion, I will have a link provided on my DSU website.

People tend to make fun of Madison and DSU by claiming that there isn't anything fun to do. The thing is that you will find complaints like this at every school you go too. You need to make your own fun, because everyone likes to do different things. I like to play basketball, head to the lake, fish, hunt, party, catch a game when one of the Trojan teams plays, go to the movies, rent movies, visit the dorms, visit friends, chill in the TC, work on or create art, ride bike in the snow, make trips to Sioux Falls to snowboard, urban sledding, Slip'n'Slide, play with Nerf Guns, flirt, go out for wings, swim, lift, etc, etc, etc. (most of these adventures come with great stories, just ask if you want to hear them.)

I'm looking forward to meeting some of you and let's get this year rollin' at DSU.