News

News release and photo courtesy National Science Foundation

The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) awarded Western Dakota Tech from Rapid City, South Dakota first place in the 2018 fourth annual Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC).

Judges awarded second place to Oakton Community College from Des Plaines, Illinois for their Heat Recovering Silencer project.

NSF and AACC established the challenge to encourage the nation's community colleges to develop the necessary STEM-based talent among their students. Community colleges represent an important academic sector for developing individuals with special skills, training and knowledge to perform highly technical job responsibilities.

It is difficult to understand what living in poverty is like unless you have lived it. To give people a better idea of the everyday struggles those living in poverty encounter, the Prosperity Initiative and Western Dakota Tech are hosting a free Poverty Simulation at the college, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Thursday, June 21.  

If you are looking for a high-demand career that pays well and requires little physical work, you might consider Computer-Aided Design (CAD). A great opportunity to find out more about this interesting industry and local college program will take place during a CAD Open House, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Western Dakota Tech on Tuesday, June 19.

A CAD overview will begin at 5:30 p.m. followed by a hands-on demonstration of how virtual reality is used in design today. Program Co-Directors Todd Anderson and James Loverich will be available to talk to those interested in the program and answer questions. They will also provide a tour of the CAD classrooms and lab.