Mike Rowe to Visit South Dakota and Promote the Build Dakota Scholarship

The Build Dakota Scholarship Program announced this week that television personality, author, and advocate for the skilled trades, Mike Rowe, will visit South Dakota at the end of September to celebrate the program’s 10th anniversary. Rowe, a strong supporter of vocational education, will join the Build Dakota team and community members in showcasing the Build Dakota Scholarship program’s success.

Since its inception, the Build Dakota Scholarship Program has been committed to filling the workforce needs of South Dakota by providing full-ride scholarships to students entering high-need fields. Over the past decade, the program has awarded nearly 4,000 scholarships, working alongside over 500 industry partners providing more than $21 million in matching scholarships.

Deni Martin, Program Director of the Build Dakota Scholarship Program, says the 2024-2025 recipients are an exceptional group of individuals who have demonstrated a strong commitment to their chosen fields. 

This year’s list of recipients include Grant Biddie, Penelope Corbin, Fiona Donelan, Donna Lewis, Callie McDermott, Hailey Taylor, and Madalynn Wieman, all of Madison. Kailey Pearson of Ramona, and Braeden Braskamp of Wentworth.