National Awards

TOP FIVE IN THE NATION - ASPEN PRIZE

Want to say you attended one of the best two-year schools in the nation? On December 12, 2011 Lake Area Tech was named among the TOP FIVE of two-year schools in the NATION by the Aspen Institute’s Community College Excellence program! That’s definite proof you learned from the best!

Read more on the Aspen Prize

What does it take to be TOP FIVE?

LATI has been recognized for big-time student success. Our graduation rate is almost twice the national average, our programs lead immediately to real employment, and our graduates earn 22% more than other new hires in the regional labor market.

That's right. In a first-ever effort to recognize the best-performing two-year colleges in the nation, LATI has emerged shining. The Aspen Prize competition - first unveiled at the White House Community College Summit in October 2010 – included a year-long, rigorous review of 1,200 U.S. two year colleges by the Aspen Institute. Aspen was looking for elements that "all U.S. community colleges should seek to emulate"; specifically a high bar for learning, a focus on college completion, and real attention to preparing students for 21st century jobs. After research, data collection and a campus visit from the Aspen Institute's finalist committee, Lake Area Tech placed in the top five of the original 1,200 two year colleges!

LATI President Accepts Award at Announcement Ceremony in Washington, DC

The "Top 5" announcement was made at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. (Left) LATI President Deb Shephard accepted award from former Gov. of Michigan and Business Roundtable President John Engler. (Center) Scott Lawler of 3M was invited to be a panelist speaker at the event. Lawler emphasized the strength of LATI business partnerships and the effectiveness of LATI graduates. (Right) The Aspen prize competition, which began Oct. 2010, involved a rigorous review of 1,200 two-year colleges and was endorsed by such luminaries as President Obama and VP Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden.

Check out what the experts are saying about Lake Area Tech (below):

LATI is "blazing a trail of prosperity for students" (White House Blog)

Through their Aspen applications, Lake Area Technical Institute (Watertown, SD), Miami Dade College (Miami, FL), Walla Walla Community College (Walla Walla, WA), and West Kentucky Community and Technical College (Paducah, KY) all demonstrated bold commitment to results in preparing students for academic and professional success...

Read entire blog entry

LATI has "exemplary workforce training" (The Aspen Institute)

Thanks to aggressive grant-seeking and the school’s strong business partnerships, students learn on state-of-the-art equipment: the only truck chassis dynamometer at a South Dakota school; new John Deere tractors each year; a cadaver lab funded by a local hospital. Even the campus itself is a cutting edge tool, fitted with water control features that environmental technology students use as a learning lab...

Read the full Aspen profile of LATI

LATI "programs link directly to jobs" (Executive Director Josh Wyner)

LATI is providing students with the skills they need- the hands on learning they need, to make sure that when they graduate- employers are going to be lining up to hire them, and give them jobs with good wages and benefits...

Watch video with more comments from Josh Wyner

LATI "makes it happen"(Scott Lawler, 3M)

Colleges across the country have a lot to learn from the Lake Area structure and work with employers. Scott Lawler, a manager with 3M in Brookings, is one of those employers. He spoke at Monday’s award ceremony. With 3M plants in Aberdeen, New Ulm, Minn.; and Hutchinson, Minn.; Lawler said competition for Lake Area graduates is intense.

"My peers fight for the kids out of Lake Area because they are so good," Lawler said. "The thing is, Lake Area listens to the kids. They listen to the business world and ask, 'How can we fit in?' Then they make it happen."...

Read full article from the Argus Leader

LATI is "far above the norm" (The Chronicle)

The best community colleges, they found, were unusually focused and intentional when it came to structuring the learning experience. Large or small, the top two-years didn't just offer courses and wait for students to sign up. Lake Area Technical Institute, in South Dakota, for example, has 27 technical programs, each with a defined curriculum. Sixty-six percent of its students graduate within three years...

Read The Chronicles article "For Community Colleges, a Time to Shine"

Lake Area Tech named “Military Friendly School” by G.I. Jobs

G.I. Jobs, the premier magazine for military personnel transitioning into civilian life, has awarded Lake Area Tech the designation of a Military Friendly School. The 2012 Military Friendly Schools list honors the 20 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace America’s military service members and veterans as students. Access the full list here.

"The Military Friendly Schools list is the go-to resource for prospective student veterans searching for schools that provide the right overall experience" - Michael Dakduk, Executive Director for the Student Veterans of America

LATI leads military men and women to the region’s best careers.

The 2012 list of Military Friendly Schools ® was compiled through extensive research and a data driven survey of more than 8,000 schools nationwide. Methodology, criteria and weighting for the list were developed with the assistance of an Academic Advisory Board (AAB) consisting of educators from schools across the country.

ABOUT G.I. Jobs

G.I. Jobs is published by Victory Media, a veteran-owned business which also publishes The Guide to Military Friendly Schools, Military Spouse and Vetrepreneur magazines and annually rates the nation's "Military Friendly Employers," "Military Spouse Friendly Employers" and "Best Corporations for Veteran-Owned Businesses."

2011 GREAT COLLEGES TO WORK FOR.

For the third consecutive year, Lake Area Tech has been selected as one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to a survey by The Chronicle of Higher Education.  The results are based on a survey of nearly 44,000 employees at 310 colleges and universities across the country.

Lake Area Tech employees rated the institution highly enough to be recognized in the following categories: Collaborative Governance; Teaching Environment; Facilities, Workspaces & Security; Confidence in Senior Leadership; Respect and Appreciation.

LATI Employee Carl Tesch with Diesel Technology student.

"Our real goal is not recognition - it's being a community that values the needs and contributions of every individual. In that sense everyone at Lake Area Tech helps to make this a great place to work." - LATI President Deb Shephard.

Great Colleges to Work For is one of the largest and most respected workplace-recognition programs in the country. For more information and to view all the results of the survey, visit The Chronicle's web site.

President's Community Service Honor Roll

Over the past year, Lake Area Tech students and staff have volunteered their time and talents to over fifty projects in the Watertown community - serving at least one third of the population through food drives, health care assistance, flood relief, community events, benefits and other activities.

"This past year, with all projects combined, Lake Area Tech students and staff have given over 13,000 hours back to the community" - President Deb Shephard

In recognition of these efforts, LATI was named to the 2010 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. Lake Area has been recognized for three years in a row as “a leader among institutions of higher education” by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) for volunteering, service-learning, and civic engagement.

LATI Auto students help sand-bag to protect community homes against spring floods.