RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – Thursday, Western Dakota Tech’s event center was packed with students ready to receive nearly $3.08 million in Build Dakota Scholarship awards.
“I’m looking forward to sign papers, get ready, and meet some new people in what I’m going into,” said Build Dakota Scholarship recipient Max Phares.
The Build Dakota Scholarship program was launched 11 years ago to combat a lack of skilled workers in high demand career fields in South Dakota.
“For South Dakota, when this started, nationwide, there was the trend that people not getting into the fields that are needed,” said the director of foundation development for Western Dakota Tech, Andrew Kapelewski. “And South Dakota is actually reverse and has seen increases, while other states, even the surrounding area, have seen decreases.”
A total of 131 full-ride scholarships were awarded to students enrolling in various programs, including computer science, electrical trades, construction technology, and practical nursing. Eighteen local industry partners sponsored 97 of the 131 scholarships.
Through the program, Kapelewski believes it’s a win-win-win with students receiving a free education and then businesses getting qualified employees, along with the state’s workforce getting a boost.
“There’s individuals able to come into these programs, get the education they need in only one or two years,” said Kapelewski. “And then, for the students, they get to get out in the workforce, start earning those good, high-wage paying jobs. And then, the 18 industry sponsors that we have just this year alone, they are allowing us to get more of these awards out and filling their workforce needs at the same time.”
A recipient of the Build Dakota Scholarship must meet certain requirements to keep their scholarship, including maintaining a 2.5 GPA, having full-time enrollment in one of the school’s scholarship-eligible programs, and living and working in the state full-time for three years minimum after graduation in their field of study.
The Build Dakota Scholarships annual application period runs from Jan. 1 through March 31.
Anyone interested in applying for a Build Dakota Scholarship can do so through this link.
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