BROOKINGS – Lynn Sargeant, dean of South Dakota State University’s College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, announced that Joseph Santos has been selected as the second person to hold the title of endowed director of the Ness School of Management and Economics.

“Dr. Santos brings a breadth of experience to his new leadership role,” Sargeant said. “In the interview process, he outlined an ambitious agenda and a clear vision that will ensure that the Ness School reaches its full potential as a center for economic research, business innovation and workforce development to the benefit of South Dakota and our region.”

Santos replaces Eluned Jones, who will retire in June.

“I am excited and honored by the opportunity to direct the Ness School, an academic unit of exceptional individuals who embody the best in teaching, learning, research and public outreach,” Santos said. “I look forward to working with and learning from my colleagues and our students to lead our Ness School forward.”

The endowed position came as part of a recent $5 million gift by Larry ’69 and Diane ’71 Ness, namesakes of the school, which started in 2019. Located in Harding Hall, the school has more than 800 undergraduate students majoring in business economics, entrepreneurial studies and economics for which the degrees are conferred through the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and agribusiness and agricultural economics for which the degrees are conferred through the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. The school also offers 12 minor courses of study.

A professor and the Dykhouse Scholar in Money, Banking and Regulation in the Ness School, Santos was also the coordinator of the school’s graduate programs and has taught macroeconomics and monetary and financial economics.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from The College of New Jersey and his master’s and doctorate degrees in economics from Rutgers University.