Stretch the Million/Build Dakota
Industry Partner
How it Works
- After choosing a student scholar, the “STM” partner commits to paying half of the expenses of their Build Dakota Scholarship. The scholarship supports tuition, fees, books, and other required program expenses in the eligible college program.
- By accepting the full-ride scholarship with an STM partner, the student commits to working three years (minimum) for the partner, full-time in their field, in South Dakota.
Student Impact
- Free education
- Guaranteed employment
- Potential on-the-job training
Business Impact
- Alternative upskill for current employees
- Access to a pipeline of new talent from Lake Area Tech
- Guaranteed highly skilled employee
- Free advertising on the Build Dakota & Lake Area Tech websites
South Dakota Impact
- Aids in filling South Dakota’s workforce shortage
- Scholars live and work in South Dakota
- Local businesses thrive with highly skilled employees
Become a Stretch the Million Partner
Please contact us for more information about how to become an STM partner!
Brittany Rost, Foundation Scholarship Coordinator
605-882-5284 Ext. 292
Melissa Waldner, Business Partner Specialist
605-882-5284 Ext. 263
Jessi Eidson, Development & Alumni Coordinator
605-882-5284 Ext. 308
Tracy (Hlavacek) Buisker, Foundation Director
605-882-5284 Ext. 268
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Build Dakota/Stretch the Million Partners
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 | B & R Truck Repair Gettysburg, SD |  |
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 |  | Eastman Inc. |
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 | Fousek Truck Service Gettysburg, SD | Gail & Delores Miller Charitable Fund  |
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 |  | Jaeger Farms Highmore, SD |
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 | Mobile Mechanic, LLC Beresford, SD |  |
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| New Horizons Construction White, SD |  |  |
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 |  | Ronglien Excavating Inc. Big Stone City, SD |
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 |  | Simco |
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 | Stewart Construction Watertown, SD |  |
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| Tracy’s Paint & Body Inc. Parkston, SD |  |  |
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Wagner Community Memorial Hospital |  |  |
| Watson Construction |  |  |
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Additional Companies Interested in Cohort 11 Fall 2025 Partnerships
| Stretch-the-Million Partner | Location | Program Interest |
| 3M | Aberdeen | Automotive Technology Diesel Technology Precision Machining |
| Aberdeen Fire Rescue | Aberdeen | Med/Fire Rescue |
| Avantara Redfield | Redfield | Practical Nursing Registered Nursing |
| Applied Engineering | Yankton | Auto Body & Paint Technology Precision Machining |
| Coteau des Prairies Health Care System | Sisseton | Computer Information Systems Medical Lab Technician Practical Nursing Registered Nursing |
| Dakota Granite | Milbank | Diesel Technology Electronic Systems Technology Energy Operations Heavy Equipment Operator |
| Diesel Machinery Inc. (DMI) | Sioux Falls | Diesel Technology |
| Dynamic Engineering | Watertown | Precision Machining |
| East River Contracting | Watertown | Building Trades Technology |
| ESCO Mfg. | Watertown | Welding Technology |
| Farmers Implement & Irrigation | Brookings Watertown | Diesel Technology Welding Technology |
| Faulkton Area Medical Center | Faulkton | Medical Lab Technician |
| First Rate Excavate | Sioux Falls | Heavy Equipment Operator |
| Gray Construction Company | Watertown | Building Trades Technology |
| Horizon Health | Various | Dental Assisting Dental Hygiene |
| Horton, Inc. | Britton | Precision Machining |
| Jack Link’s | Alpena | Robotics Welding Technology |
| L.G. Everist, Inc. | Dell Rapids | Heavy Equipment Operator Welding Technology |
| Loiseau Construction | Flandreau | Diesel Technology Heavy Equipment Operator Welding Technology |
| MASABA, Inc. | Vermillion | Welding Technology |
| Mills Construction | Brookings | Building Trades Technology |
| Muth Electric, Inc. | Mitchell | Robotics |
| Overweg Repair | Kimball | Automotive Technology Diesel Technology |
| Philip Health Services, Inc. | Philip | Medical Lab Technician Practical Nursing Registered Nursing |
| Prairie Lakes Healthcare System | Watertown | Practical Nursing Registered Nursing Surgical Technology |
| Rapid Precision Manufacturing, Inc. | Britton | Precision Machining Robotics |
| RDO Equipment Co. | Various | Agriculture (Precision Technology) Diesel Technology |
| Stan Houston Equipment | Aberdeen Sioux Falls Watertown | Automotive Technology Diesel Technology |
| Stemper Auto Body | Madison | Auto Body & Paint Technology |
| StoneyBrook Suites | Brookings | Building Trades Technology |
| Valley Queen Cheese | Milbank | Energy Operations Energy Technology Robotics |
| Vander Haag’s Inc. | Sioux Falls | Diesel Technology (Truck) Welding Technology |
| Vermeer | Freeman | Welding Technology |
| Wagner Community Memorial Hospital – Avera | Wagner | Practical Nursing Registered Nursing |
| Webster Scale Inc. | Webster | Diesel Technology Heavy Equipment Operator |
