The inaugural group of WDT Build Dakota scholars will attend an orientation to learn about campus and their full-ride scholarships that will pay all tuition and other expenses while preparing students for high-need careers in South Dakota.
The orientation will run from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Thursday, August 13, on the WDT campus. WDT invites the media to attend.
WDT awarded 89 full-ride scholarships for the 2014-2015 year. These scholarships will pay for tuition, fees, books, supplies, tools, uniforms, laptop computers, and other educational expenses.
"We are so proud to host this special group of students," WDT President Ann Bolman said. "These scholarships will help these students prepare for in-demand careers in South Dakota while not taking on student loan debt. This is great news for them and for South Dakota."
The event will introduce students to resources available on campus and online. Students will attend speaker sessions, tour campus, pick up schedules, and have questions answered before classes begin August 24.
Between 2014 and 2018, $50 million dollars will be invested through private donations from T. Denny Sanford and the South Dakota Future Fund to create and operate the Build Dakota Scholarship program.
Scholarships will be awarded to students entering high-need workforce programs at South Dakota's technical institutes to fill the state's technical careers with skilled professionals. Recipients of the full-ride scholarships will commit to living and working in the state, in their field of study, for three years following graduation.
WDT awarded every available scholarship for this year. Applications will be available once again in November 2015 for the 2016-2017 year.
Learn more about Build Dakota Scholarships at http://www.wdt.edu/build-dakota/
