South Dakota's Frank Leibfarth Named to USA Today's All-USA College Academic First Team

VERMILLION, S.D. (Feb 15, 2007) - Frank Leibfarth, a chemistry and physics double major at The University of South Dakota, is not like most other undergraduates. For starters, he doesn't watch television. Ever. He also doesn't have much time to spend on his favorite hobbies, like biking. Last summer, while researching in California, he only took time out once a week to enjoy the celebrated terrain around San Jose. That's because when he's not kicking game-winning field goals during playoff games for the Coyote football team, or brushing up on his acting chops in theatre class, he's running tests on breakthrough chemicals with world-class scientists across the country. In recognition of Leibfarth's incredible drive and academic achievement, USA TODAY has named him to the All-USA College Academic First Team. More than 600 students across the nation submitted applications, but only 20 students earned this prestigious honor.

"It feels really amazing and causes me to reflect on my place in the undergraduate scene. I was happy to be in the position even to apply for it, and to be selected for it is great," said Leibfarth.

The All-USA College Academic Team honors full-time undergraduates who not only excel in scholarship but also extend their intellectual abilities beyond the classroom to benefit society. Criteria include grades, academic rigor, leadership, activities and most important, the student's essay describing his or her most outstanding intellectual endeavor in college.

"What I ended up writing about was the work I did this summer at IBM's research center in San Jose," said Leibfarth. Leibfarth worked with a group of scientists to analyze and develop environmentally safe chemicals known as organocatalysts. According to Leibfarth, these chemicals provide several important advantages over traditional catalysts, which are chemicals responsible for speeding up or slowing down chemical reactions and are often used in industrial manufacturing. First, scientists enjoy a higher degree of control over reactions involving Organocatalysts. In addition, because of their carbon base, organocatalysts are much more environmentally friendly than traditionally used chemical catalysts.

"When you catalyze reactions using metal, you have metal waste and that's not good for the environment," said Leibfarth.

In addition to the rigorous scientific experimentation in which Liebfarth participated, the diverse nature of the project placed him in the "lynchpin position," among the scientists he served. As such, his role was often that of a liaison between chemists in a variety of specializations. By helping to unify their understanding of the mechanisms behind the reactions, he brought them closer to applying the chemicals to products that can improve the quality of human life, such as drug delivery devices, prosthetics and IBM microelectronics.

Leibfarth credits several faculty and staff at The U for helping him to focus his academic curiosities and hone his intellectual talents. Susan Hackemer, associate director of the Honors Program, paid personal attention to his specific educational needs and helped to guide his development as a student. "She was the first one that pushed me that little extra bit, not necessarily toward scholarships, but toward classes and research opportunities she thought would challenge me," said Leibfarth.

Hackemer said she believes Leibfarth's strength of character and work ethic will set him upon a path to continued success. "Frank is instinctively curious and fearless, which allows him to try things without concern for failure. Combine these traits with his intellectual gifts and disciplined work ethic and one has a rare and remarkable student. I look forward to watching his bright future unfold in bold and surprising ways," said Hackemer. Leibfarth noted that Hackemer helped him to organize and package his educational experiences for his applications for multiple honors, including the Goldwater scholarship and the All-USA College Academic First Team.

Leibfarth also credits Ranjit Koodali, a professor of chemistry at The U who has been his mentor for the past year. His project to combine precious metal chemistry, polymer chemistry, catalysis and photochemistry is an idea that could have far reaching implications for future research projects related to harnessing solar energy in Dr. Koodali's group as well as the SD Governor's 2010 center of excellence, Center for the Research and Development of Light-Activated Materials (CRDLM) at The U.

In fact, these faculty and staff members were instrumental in Leibfarth's decision to become a Coyote in the first place. Leibfarth said he was convinced that he did not want to attend The U, until he came for a campus visit and interviewed with several staff including Karen Olmstead, dean of graduate education.

"I didn't think I wanted to go here, but it was really excellent. No question, it was the people here that made me decide to come to school here. I remember it was supposed to be a 15 minute interview. Then it turned into 25 minutes. I'd interviewed at other places and it was nothing like this. Everybody was laughing and having a good time and I thought, ‘This is the kind of atmosphere I want to be a part of,'" Leibfarth said.

Leibfarth will to graduate in May 2008. After graduating, he plans to attend a graduate or professional school and eventually earn a Ph.D. in chemistry. Although he is still unsure about his choice of graduate school, he is currently considering Northwestern, Cornell, the University of Wisconsin, Oxford and Cambridge as possibilities. Ultimately, Leibfarth sees his career path as one that will take him into either industry or academics. Right now, he's leaving both options open, although he admits that he's leaning more toward pursuing academia so he can pass on what he has learned to future generations of chemists. Regardless of his choice of vocation, Leibfarth insists that his goal is to improve people's lives through chemistry. "Just the idea of being able to going into a lab and make something that nobody has seen, maybe something nobody else has thought of, and being able to see that become useful is exciting." Leibfarth hopes to be a part of the solution to what he calls the energy challenge, and when he speaks of helping to create the world's first viable hydrogen fuel cell, or finding an effective way to harness the energy from the sun, his voice raises with anticipation of the challenges he'll face.

Leibfarth has plans to stay connected to The U, and to the Vermillion area no matter where life takes him. "Football will be the easiest way. I'll always be checking the website to see how we're doing. And I know guys who are five years younger than me, so that's five built in years of contact." He also intends to maintain contact with his professors, especially Dr. Koodali, when he attends future American Chemical Society Meetings. "The same professors will be [at the meetings]. My parents live in Yankton. I'll be around."

Photos of Leibfarth appeared in the Life section of the Feb. 15 issue of USA TODAY. Forty runners-up named to the Second and Third Teams received certificates, and their names were announced in the newspaper.  

Frank Leibfarth, a junior place-kicker on the South Dakota Football Squad, has become the first student-athlete in school and North Central Conference history to be named to the USA Today's All-USA College Academic Team, which was announced by the publication on Thursday. The academic team, selected for the 18th time, includes just 20 students from among 600 applicants nationwide and recognizes full-time undergraduate students for academic and civic achievement. (Below is the press release on Frank Leibfarth's selection to the USA Today All-USA Today Academic First Team and prepared by University Relations at USD).

USD Athletic Director Joel Nielsen said the University and the Athletics Department was proud of Leibfarth for his hard work and high achievement. "What a great recognition for Frank and the University of South Dakota," said Nielsen. "It's also a great reflection on the faculty, staff and others at USD, who has supported his academic endeavors over the years. Frank reinforces the message - a message that our coaches and staff are committed to - that you can be a high achiever in both athletics and academics. He's been a member of a conference champion football team (2005) and kicked the game-winning field goal in a NCAA playoff game (2006), while spending his summers on academic research grants on both the East and West coasts. I know he has aspirations to be a Rhodes Scholar and we wish him luck in that process," said Nielsen.

"Frank is the quintessential All-American college student," said Christina Keller, the USD Faculty Representative and the Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. "Whether in the classroom, on the playing field, in the research lab, or in the community, Frank excels in all facets of the undergraduate experience. Having Frank on our campus and in my classroom has been delightful," said Keller.

South Dakota Head Football Coach Ed Meierkort also was pleased about the USA Today recognition. "I've been in coaching for 22 years and Frank (Leibfarth) is in a class by himself and truly deserves all the accolades he is receiving," said Meierkort. "Not only is USD but the entire Coyote Nation is proud of what Frank is accomplishing academically and on the field through hard work and effort," he said.

This past fall, Leibfarth was named to The ESPN The Magazine Academic All American Team (selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America), becoming just the ninth Coyote football player to receive academic all-American honors. Last spring, Leibfarth became just the seventh USD student to be awarded the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship, a $7,500 national scholarship. The Goldwater Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,081 mathematics, science and engineering students who were nominated by the faculty members from colleges and university across the nation. Leibfarth has started 24 straight games over the past two seasons as the USD place-kicker. Leibfarth, who made 11-of-18 field goals and 51-of-54 extra point attempts in 2006, ranked sixth in the NCC in scoring. A year ago, he made a school-record 65-of-66 extra points and scored 77 points which was third on the team and seventh in the NCC in scoring.

Leibfarth owns three USD kicking records and hit a career-best 42-yard field goal in USD's Dakota Day win over Central Washington on Oct. 7, 2006. He kicked the game-winning field goal to lift the Coyotes to its first playoff win in 20 years in the 31-28 overtime verdict over Northwood on Nov. 18. He also had a game-winning kick in a 2005 win against Colorado Mines. In his career, he has made 116-of-120 extra points and 15-of-24 field goals. Leibfarth's 116 career extra points are a school-record, which he set in the 45-28 win over seventh-ranked Nebraska-Omaha on Nov. 4 at the DakotaDome.

For a complete story on Leibfarth and the USA Today Academic Team, go to http://www.usdcoyotes.com/

--Courtesy USD Sports Information

USD University Relations Release

Student at The U Recognized by USA TODAY for Academic and Civic Achievement

VERMILLION, S.D. (Feb 15, 2007) - Frank Leibfarth, a chemistry and physics double major at The University of South Dakota, is not like most other undergraduates. For starters, he doesn't watch television. Ever. He also doesn't have much time to spend on his favorite hobbies, like biking. Last summer, while researching in California, he only took time out once a week to enjoy the celebrated terrain around San Jose. That's because when he's not kicking game-winning field goals during playoff games for the Coyote football team, or brushing up on his acting chops in theatre class, he's running tests on breakthrough chemicals with world-class scientists across the country. In recognition of Leibfarth's incredible drive and academic achievement, USA TODAY has named him to the All-USA College Academic First Team. More than 600 students across the nation submitted applications, but only 20 students earned this prestigious honor.

"It feels really amazing and causes me to reflect on my place in the undergraduate scene. I was happy to be in the position even to apply for it, and to be selected for it is great," said Leibfarth.

The All-USA College Academic Team honors full-time undergraduates who not only excel in scholarship but also extend their intellectual abilities beyond the classroom to benefit society. Criteria include grades, academic rigor, leadership, activities and most important, the student's essay describing his or her most outstanding intellectual endeavor in college.

"What I ended up writing about was the work I did this summer at IBM's research center in San Jose," said Leibfarth. Leibfarth worked with a group of scientists to analyze and develop environmentally safe chemicals known as organocatalysts. According to Leibfarth, these chemicals provide several important advantages over traditional catalysts, which are chemicals responsible for speeding up or slowing down chemical reactions and are often used in industrial manufacturing. First, scientists enjoy a higher degree of control over reactions involving Organocatalysts. In addition, because of their carbon base, organocatalysts are much more environmentally friendly than traditionally used chemical catalysts.

"When you catalyze reactions using metal, you have metal waste and that's not good for the environment," said Leibfarth.

In addition to the rigorous scientific experimentation in which Liebfarth participated, the diverse nature of the project placed him in the "lynchpin position," among the scientists he served. As such, his role was often that of a liaison between chemists in a variety of specializations. By helping to unify their understanding of the mechanisms behind the reactions, he brought them closer to applying the chemicals to products that can improve the quality of human life, such as drug delivery devices, prosthetics and IBM microelectronics.

Leibfarth credits several faculty and staff at The U for helping him to focus his academic curiosities and hone his intellectual talents. Susan Hackemer, associate director of the Honors Program, paid personal attention to his specific educational needs and helped to guide his development as a student. "She was the first one that pushed me that little extra bit, not necessarily toward scholarships, but toward classes and research opportunities she thought would challenge me," said Leibfarth.

Hackemer said she believes Leibfarth's strength of character and work ethic will set him upon a path to continued success. "Frank is instinctively curious and fearless, which allows him to try things without concern for failure. Combine these traits with his intellectual gifts and disciplined work ethic and one has a rare and remarkable student. I look forward to watching his bright future unfold in bold and surprising ways," said Hackemer. Leibfarth noted that Hackemer helped him to organize and package his educational experiences for his applications for multiple honors, including the Goldwater scholarship and the All-USA College Academic First Team.

Leibfarth also credits Ranjit Koodali, a professor of chemistry at The U who has been his mentor for the past year. His project to combine precious metal chemistry, polymer chemistry, catalysis and photochemistry is an idea that could have far reaching implications for future research projects related to harnessing solar energy in Dr. Koodali's group as well as the SD Governor's 2010 center of excellence, Center for the Research and Development of Light-Activated Materials (CRDLM) at The U.

In fact, these faculty and staff members were instrumental in Leibfarth's decision to become a Coyote in the first place. Leibfarth said he was convinced that he did not want to attend The U, until he came for a campus visit and interviewed with several staff including Karen Olmstead, dean of graduate education.

"I didn't think I wanted to go here, but it was really excellent. No question, it was the people here that made me decide to come to school here. I remember it was supposed to be a 15 minute interview. Then it turned into 25 minutes. I'd interviewed at other places and it was nothing like this. Everybody was laughing and having a good time and I thought, ‘This is the kind of atmosphere I want to be a part of,'" Leibfarth said.

Leibfarth will to graduate in May 2008. After graduating, he plans to attend a graduate or professional school and eventually earn a Ph.D. in chemistry. Although he is still unsure about his choice of graduate school, he is currently considering Northwestern, Cornell, the University of Wisconsin, Oxford and Cambridge as possibilities. Ultimately, Leibfarth sees his career path as one that will take him into either industry or academics. Right now, he's leaving both options open, although he admits that he's leaning more toward pursuing academia so he can pass on what he has learned to future generations of chemists. Regardless of his choice of vocation, Leibfarth insists that his goal is to improve people's lives through chemistry. "Just the idea of being able to going into a lab and make something that nobody has seen, maybe something nobody else has thought of, and being able to see that become useful is exciting." Leibfarth hopes to be a part of the solution to what he calls the energy challenge, and when he speaks of helping to create the world's first viable hydrogen fuel cell, or finding an effective way to harness the energy from the sun, his voice raises with anticipation of the challenges he'll face.

Leibfarth has plans to stay connected to The U, and to the Vermillion area no matter where life takes him. "Football will be the easiest way. I'll always be checking the website to see how we're doing. And I know guys who are five years younger than me, so that's five built in years of contact." He also intends to maintain contact with his professors, especially Dr. Koodali, when he attends future American Chemical Society Meetings. "The same professors will be [at the meetings]. My parents live in Yankton. I'll be around."

Photos of Leibfarth appeared in the Life section of the Feb. 15 issue of USA TODAY. Forty runners-up named to the Second and Third Teams received certificates, and their names were announced in the newspaper.