Lee Ann Roripaugh, a professor of English and creating writing at the University of South Dakota, has been named by Governor Dennis Daugaard as the Poet Laureate of the state of South Dakota. She will replace David Allen Evans who had served in the post since 2002. Professor Roripaugh will serve a four-year term.
Michael Pangburn, director of the South Dakota Arts Council, said that “South Dakota has a rich tradition in the arts, and Roripaugh’s work is outstanding. She is committed to serving the poetry community and has the knowledge and expertise to do so.”
Professor Roripaugh is the author of four volumes of poetry. The latest collection is Dandarians (Milkweed Editions, 2014). Her other books are On the Cusp of a Dangerous Year (Southern Illinois University Press, 2009), Year of the Snake (Southern Illinois University Press, 2004) and Beyond Heart Mountain (Penguin Books, 1999).
Professor Roripaugh is a graduate of Indiana University, where she majored in piano performance. She also holds a master’s degree in musicology and a master of fine arts degree in poetry from Indiana University.