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Highmark Federal Credit Union donates $30,000 to WDT

On Friday, December 16, 2011, Highmark Federal Credit Union presented WDT President Dr. Craig Bailey and the WDT Foundation with a $30,000 gift to help outfit WDT’s new campus building addition with items needed to better serve students.

“We are extremely grateful to Highmark for making this generous donation to WDT,” Bailey said. “Highmark’s support of our mission means we will be able to do an even better job of training the region’s workforce.” 

John Carlson, Highmark’s President, said the credit union supports WDT because the missions of the two institutions align.  “Highmark wants to help create a vibrant community with a skilled workforce capable of providing the kinds of lives families want,” Carlson said. “Western Dakota Tech is doing that by giving our region’s workforce the skills and experiences they need to be successful.”  

Highmark’s gift will help WDT continue fulfilling that mission with the campus addition being constructed. The 60,000-square-foot expansion scheduled to be ready for the Fall 2012 semester will help WDT better meet the needs of students and the community. The expansion includes:

New Campus Main Entrance: This new entrance will become a focal point for campus and will allow better campus access for the handicapped and others who need special assistance.

• One-Stop Student Services Center: This area, located just inside the new main entrance, will serve as a hub for most services needed by the community and by new and current students.
• WDT-Community Library: This state-of-the-art library will serve WDT students and the community. The library partnership between WDT, Rapid City Area Schools, Pennington County, and the City of Rapid City is one-of-a-kind and will result in a library that will meet the needs of a wide variety of users.
• New Lab Space: Students in several programs will enjoy new lab space with updated equipment that matches what students will use in industry. These labs will help WDT better prepare our community’s workforce.
• Lecture Hall: The 150-seat lecture hall will serve WDT’s academic needs and will be available for community events, making WDT an even more vital community asset.

 “This expansion prepares WDT for an exciting future full of opportunity,” Bailey said. “Once complete, the project will fuel future growth so WDT can play a bigger role in making Rapid City and western South Dakota an even better place to live and work.”

About Western Dakota Tech

WDT is the only technical institute that serves the western South Dakota region. WDT offers more than 20 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 94 percent of WDT’s most recent graduates are either working or continuing their education, and more than 82 percent of those placed in careers are working 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 a real and immediate contribution to their employers and to their communities.

Last Modified: 12-19-2011-09:54:48

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