Ben Reifel Hall
Explore This Section
See what Ben Reifel Hall has to offer for you.
Hall Features
These events have not existed in my time. Here are some events we have done within the past two years: Grocery Bingo, S'mores and Scores, Paint Nights and floor dinners.
Ben Reifel is also connected to Jack's Cupboard, which is our on-campus food pantry.
History of Ben Reifel:
The building is named after Ben Reifel, who was the first American Indian to serve in Congress. He represented the first district from 1961 to 1971. Reifel first came to South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. He was active in student affairs and was elected president of the Students' Association. In 1932, he earned degrees in chemistry and dairy science.
During World War II, Reifel served in the U.S. Army and was discharged at the rank of lieutenant colonel. In 1949, he obtained a master's degree and in 1952 and Ph.D in public administration from Harvard University. In 1954 he was the first Native American superintendent of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
While in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1960, Reifel sat on the agriculture and appropriations committees. He was an advocate for better schools and health care facilities on Indian reservations.
After five terms, Reifel retired from Congress and was involved with the South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã Art Museum board for several years. South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã State awarded Reifel with an honorary doctor of humanities degree in 1971.
