News

WDT to hold 46th Commencement Ceremony

May 13, 2014

Western Dakota Tech will host the 46^th Commencement Ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 17, at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

Approximately 349 students will receive Diplomas or Associate of Applied Science Degrees. Mike Maltaverne, Rapid City Fire Department Chief, will give the commencement address. John Carlson, President/CEO of Highmark Federal Credit Union, will be presented with the Distinguished Service award. The Distinguished Alumni Award will go to Captain James Johns of the Rapid City Police Department.

Western Dakota Tech is the only technical institute that serves the western South Dakota region. WDT offers more than 30 programs in a variety of fields, including Business and Computers, Construction Trades, Health Services, Legal and Public Services, Manufacturing and Mechanical Trades, and Science and Technology. More than 97 percent of WDT's most recent graduates are working, continuing their education, or serving in the military, and 85 percent remain in South Dakota.

WDT faculty, staff, and administration focus their efforts on helping students gain the skills and experiences they need to succeed. Through hands-on learning, internships, and industry partnerships, WDT students graduate ready to make real and immediate contributions to their employers and their communities.

Learn more at www.wdt.edu or by contacting WDT at (800) 544-8765, (605) 718-2565 or admissions@wdt.edu.

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WDT to hold Eagle Feather ceremony for Native American graduates

May 13, 2014

Western Dakota Tech will hold an Eagle Feather Ceremony at 5 p.m. Friday, May 16, in Room ABCD at WDT in Rapid City to honor WDT's Native American graduates.

Approximately 22 native students will receive blessed eagle feathers during the ceremony.

"In Native American culture, it is a great honor to receive an eagle feather," WDT's Special Services Coordinator Melanie Garstenshlager said. "It signifies that you have done something great for yourself, your family, or your community. Students have made many sacrifices during their time in school and they are making a better life for themselves and their families."

Native students coming to Rapid City from a reservation town or community face numerous challenges, Garstenshlager said.

"They need to adjust to life without their families, which is their main support system," she said. "Also, the adjustment to living independently, managing money, and life in the city can be very overwhelming for most native students."

WDT has services in place to help native students succeed. Forty-two native students are scheduled to graduate during commencement, scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, May 17, at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

WDT invites the media to the Eagle Feather Ceremony.

Western Dakota Tech is the only technical institute that serves the western South Dakota region. WDT offers more than 30 programs in a variety of fields, including Business and Computers, Construction Trades, Health Services, Legal and Public Services, Manufacturing and Mechanical Trades, and Science and Technology. More than 98 percent of WDT's most recent graduates are working, continuing their education, or serving in the military, and 90 percent remain in South Dakota.

WDT faculty, staff, and administration focus their efforts on helping students gain the skills and experiences they need to succeed. Through hands-on learning, internships, and industry partnerships, WDT students graduate ready to make real and immediate contributions to their employers and their communities.

For more information, call (800) 544-8765 or (605) 718-2565 or send an email to admissions@wdt.edu. Visit WDT on the web at www.wdt.edu.

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WDT honors Practical Nursing Graduates at pinning ceremony

May 13, 2014

Western Dakota Tech will hold a Practical Nursing Pinning Ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday, May 16, in Room ABCD at WDT. Nine students will be pinned Friday, and another 22 will be pinned on July 17.

The Pinning Ceremony is a traditional symbolic welcoming of Nursing Graduates into the Nursing field. Students are able to choose who they want to pin them. A thank-you written by the student is read aloud as they are being pinned.

Western Dakota Tech is the only technical institute that serves the western South Dakota region. WDT offers more than 30 programs in a variety of fields, including Business and Computers, Construction Trades, Health Services, Legal and Public Services, Manufacturing and Mechanical Trades, and Science and Technology. More than 97 percent of WDT's most recent graduates are working, continuing their education, or serving in the military, and 85 percent remain in South Dakota.

WDT faculty, staff, and administration focus their efforts on helping students gain the skills and experiences they need to succeed. Through hands-on learning, internships, and industry partnerships, WDT students graduate ready to make real and immediate contributions to their employers and their communities.

Learn more at www.wdt.edu or by contacting WDT at (800) 544-8765, (605) 718-2565 or admissions@wdt.edu.

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WDT honors outstanding graduates at awards banquet

May 13, 2014

Western Dakota Tech will host an end-of-the-year Awards Banquet at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 15, in the WDT Commons. The awards banquet recognizes outstanding students in a variety of capacities.

Students are chosen for the Outstanding Graduate Award by instructors in their program area based on criteria including academic achievement and organizational, communication and leadership skills.

One exemplary Law Enforcement Technology student will receive the Jason Burgraff Award. Jason Burgraff was a member of the Law Enforcement Class of 1997 who died in a motorcycle accident on April 1, 1996. The Jason Burgraff award was developed in memory of Jason. The recipient is chosen by second year Law Enforcement students each year and is someone who students believe is a class leader and will do well in the Law Enforcement career field.

Awards also will be presented to winners of the South Dakota SkillsUSA contest that took place this April in Mitchell. WDT students took first place in two competition categories. Winners from the state competition qualify to compete at Nationals in Kansas City next month.

Student Government Association Officers will also present Student Leadership Awards to students who showed exemplary leadership skills throughout the year.

Western Dakota Tech is the only technical institute that serves the western South Dakota region. WDT offers more than 30 programs in a variety of fields, including Business and Computers, Construction Trades, Health Services, Legal and Public Services, Manufacturing and Mechanical Trades, and Science and Technology. More than 97 percent of WDT's most recent graduates are working, continuing their education, or serving in the military, and 85 percent remain in South Dakota.

WDT faculty, staff, and administration focus their efforts on helping students gain the skills and experiences they need to succeed. Through hands-on learning, internships, and industry partnerships, WDT students graduate ready to make real and immediate contributions to their employers and their communities.

Learn more at www.wdt.edu or by contacting WDT at (800) 544-8765, (605) 718-2565 or admissions@wdt.edu.

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WDT second best U.S. team in international cyber security competition

May 13, 2014

Students at Western Dakota Tech placed 39^th out of over 700 teams from around the world, and were the second best USA team, in a 48-hour computer networking competition that began last Thursday.

The students have been competing, with instructor Matt Pawelski, in various Capture the Flag (CTF) competitions as a way to enhance their networking skills and have a little fun at the same time. Competing students tackle individual programming challenges and receive a flag and a corresponding point amount for each challenge completed. The competitions last between 24-72 hours, and qualifying teams are then invited to a finals challenge in the country that hosted that challenge. In the ASIS Cyber Security Contest held last week, WDT students were just a few places off from being invited to Iran for a final competition. They also placed right behind the team that is ranked number 1 in the world.

"CTF's are a great way to implement what I teach in class by exposing them to some real work computer/forensics/security scenarios," Pawelski said. "Students enjoy the fact that we can and do compete with universities from around the world."

According to Pawelski, the students will continue to compete in as many competitions as possible each year as time and schedules permit. He also says his students continually place in the top 20^th percentile in the competitions.

Learn more by contacting WDT at (800) 544-8765, (605) 718-2565 or admissions@wdt.edu.

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