Cheers to 60 Years and to the Future We Build Together

OP-ED PIECE: Cheers to 60 Years and to the Future We Build Together

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

In 2025, Lake Area Technical College proudly celebrated 60 years of serving students, strengthening communities, and powering South Dakota’s workforce. Milestones like this invite reflection, but more importantly, they invite gratitude for the people and partners who have made possible six decades and one legacy of student success.

Lake Area Tech has never stood alone. Our story is inseparable from the communities across the state that believe in opportunity, value education, and understand that a strong workforce is the backbone of a thriving region. From small towns to growing cities, community support has fueled our mission and ensured that students close to home can access a high-quality, career-focused college education.

We are equally grateful to our employers and industry partners. Their collaboration with our faculty and staff keeps programs responsive and our graduates prepared. By offering guidance, internships, equipment, and, most importantly, meaningful careers, these partners help ensure that Lake Area Tech graduates are in high demand.

To our more than 26,000 alumni: thank you for carrying the Lake Area Tech name into your professions, your communities, and your lives. You are proof that technical education changes lives and launches careers. Your stories and your impact are inspiring!

As we close out our 60th anniversary, we are proud to share that our student body is larger than ever and projections show continued growth through the next decade. This momentum reflects both demand for skilled professionals and a clear message from students who want hands-on learning that returns high value in short order.

Our students are excited about their futures. They are ready to contribute, to innovate, and to build a South Dakota that is thriving, forward-looking, and invested in what comes next.

Thank you for 60 great years. And here’s to the next 60, built together, with optimism and a shared commitment to our future. Cheers!

Tiffany Sanderson, President

Lake Area Technical College

Watertown, SD