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Dr. Howard F. and Lorraine Aarstad Memorial Scholarship Established at Lake Area Technical College

Posted on: October 31, 2016   |   Category: News
Nutrition Services Worker – Barista

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 17, 2016….. Watertown, SD     The Dr. Howard F. and Lorraine Aarstad Memorial Fund was recently established at Lake Area Technical College. This endowed scholarship is made possible through a contribution from their son and daughter-in-law, Jim and Barb Aarstad. Dr. H.F. Aarstad served on the Watertown School Board and played an instrumental role in the development of technical education in Watertown.

In 1965, the state legislature passed legislation to implement the Federal Vocational Education Act. Dwight D. Miller, Superintendent of theWatertown School District, and the local School Board (comprised of Harry Sigelman, Virgina Stolz, Grant Amundson, Jim Zellmer and H.F. Aarstad) entered into an agreement with the state to comply with all rules and regulations for the operation of Lake Area Vocational Technical School (LATVS).  The School Board then hired Don Lindahl as the First Director of LAVTS.

Lake Area Technical College has continued to be governed by the locally elected School Board of the Watertown School District since being established as the first technical College in South Dakota in 1965. Lake Area Technical College has grown significantly in terms of enrollment, academice programs and infrastructure.

“We are extremely humbled by Jim and Barb’s gift to the Foundation in support of students pursuing careers in healthcare,” stated Julie Stevenson, Lake Area Technical College Foundation Director. “This gift, given in memory of Dr. and Mrs. Aarstad, will provide scholarship support to students enrolled in healthcare programs at Lake Area Technical College for years to come and in turn strengthen workforce development in our local community and throughout South Dakota.”

The Dr. Howard F. and Lorraine Aarstad Memorial Scholarship is an endowed fund that will provide an annual scholarship award. Endowed funds are designated accounts, created by contributors to permanently establish scholarships by utilizing only the annual interest earned on the principal of the account.  Endowed scholarship funds create support for students in perpetuity.

For more information about initiating an endowed fund through Lake Area Technical College, please contact the Foundation Office at 605-882-5284; Julie Stevenson (Ext. 268) or Morgan Fitts (Ext. 308).