Stephanie Herseth Sandlin

Stephanie Herseth Sandlin

Stephanie Herseth Sandlin is the 24th president of Augustana University in Sioux Falls — the first woman to lead the university. Under her leadership, the university is implementing its transformational Viking Bold: The Journey to 2030 strategic plan.

Her values, strong work ethic and love of the prairie are rooted in her upbringing on the family farm near Houghton, SD. Very influential in her life was her grandmother, Lorna Buntrock Herseth, who was elected Brown County Superintendent of Schools — the first of many in her family to hold public office. Lorna served as South Dakota’s First Lady and was later elected and re-elected as South Dakota Secretary of State.

Drawn to our nation’s capital, Stephanie graduated from Georgetown University and from the Georgetown University Law Center. Called to public service, she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2004, where she served four terms. She was the first woman elected to the U.S. House from South Dakota and the youngest woman serving in Congress during that time.

Stephanie is celebrated for her leadership in the advancement of women, as well as her policy work centered on agriculture, renewable energy, veterans’ education and tribal affairs. In 2020 she was named to USA Today Network’s select list of “Women of the Century,” in recognition of her significant contributions to South Dakota and the country.