Southeast Technical College awards record number of full-ride Build Dakota Scholarships

This paid event listing is sponsored by Southeast Technical College.

For the third consecutive year, Southeast Technical College has awarded a record number of full-ride Build Dakota Scholarships — and it’s a big one.

The college honored 164 full-ride scholarship recipients at a special ceremony and recognition event recently.

The scholarship program, now in its 10th year, has seen a record number of recipients for the past three years running. On campus to recognize the recipients were U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson; Dana Dykhouse, a member of the Build Dakota Scholarship board, chair of the S.D. Board of Technical Education and CEO of First PREMIER Bank; and Jim Dover, president and CEO of Avera Health.

“It is incredible to see the growth of this program from year to year,” STC president Robert Griggs said.

“The Build Dakota Scholarship is a win in so many ways. It is a way for area employers to satisfy their workforce needs, and students leave school debt-free with a job in hand.”

As with cohort nine, which was awarded in 2023, each of the 164 scholarship recipients has an industry sponsor that has contributed financially to program costs. This partnership with industry allows STC to stretch scholarship dollars and award more students with scholarships.

“Working closely with businesses in the region has been a key part of our Build Dakota success,” said Kelli Rogotzke, STC’s career services coordinator. “Companies want STC graduates, and sponsoring a Build Dakota student is one way that businesses can help fill their workforce needs.”

The Build Dakota Scholarship is available for 29 of Southeast Tech’s most in-demand programs in industries like health care, engineering technology, information technology, mechatronics, horticulture and sports turf management, law enforcement and industrial trades.

To see more scenes from the day and scholarship recipients, click here.