Purpose
The Dakota Corps Scholarship Program was created by Gov. Rounds to encourage South Dakota’s high school graduates to:
-
Obtain their postsecondary education in South Dakota
-
Remain in the state upon completion of their education
-
Contribute to the state of South Dakota and its citizens by working in a critical need occupation
Administration and Funding
-
The Dakota Corps Scholarship Program is funded by private businesses, nonprofit corporations, the Governor's Office and the South Dakota Department of Labor.
-
The Dakota Corps Scholarship Board, a Board appointed by the governor, selects the scholarship recipients.
- As of June 2011, the program is administered by the South Dakota Board of Regents, governing board of SD's public university system.
-
Scholarship Award
The intent of the program is that the recipients do not pay anything towards tuition and generally applicable fees. The scholarships are in an amount approximately equal to:
-
The maximum tuition and generally-applicable fees for 16 undergraduate credit hours at an institution of higher education under the control of the South Dakota Board of Regents for recipients attending a public four-year college, or
-
The same amount that is paid for a public four-year college if the student is attending a private nonprofit college. Remaining tuition and generally applicable fees must be covered by the participating nonprofit college through institutional scholarship or tuition waiver.
-
An amount determined on an individual basis for technical college recipients that will never exceed the maximum tuition and generally applicable fees for sixteen (16) undergraduate credit hours for a public college, or
-
The maximum tuition and generally-applicable fees for a full-time undergraduate student at a tribal college if the recipient is attending a tribal college.
-
Not all eligible applicants will be selected for a scholarship. From the total pool of applicants, a limited number of recipients will be selected. Also, some South Dakota colleges may limit the number of scholarship recipients they accept, or not participate at all.
Remaining tuition and generally-applicable fees must be covered by the participating college through institutional scholarship or tuition waiver.
The Dakota Corps Committment
Each recipient promises to enter a critical need occupation in South Dakota following completion of the program of study. The number of years a recipient must work in a critical need occupation to fulfill the entire obligation is equal to the sum of the number of years of scholarship received, plus one year. For example, a four-year scholarship recipient must work five years; a three-year scholarship recipient must work four years; a two-year scholarship recipient must work three years, etc.
If the recipient does not complete his/her commitment, the scholarship converts to a low interest loan which must be repaid.
Areas of Critical Need
The Department of Labor will designate shortage occupations from time to time. The current critical need occupations are:
-
Teaching K-12 music, special education, or foreign language in a public, private, or parochial school.
-
Teaching high school math or science in a public, private, or parochial school.
-
Working as a Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered Nurse, or in other allied health care fields.
-
Working as a Large Animal Veterinarian.