LATC receives “Military Friendly” school designation

March 28, 2024

WATERTOWN, SD – Officials at Lake Area Technical College announced today that the school has earned the 2024-2025 Military Friendly® Top 10 School designation among similar-sized two-year colleges across the country. This is the 14th year Lake Area Tech has received the Military Friendly® School award and the first time it has obtained Top 10 status.

The designation is recognition for Lake Area Tech having meaningful and sustained education paths for the military community. The college is currently serving 107 students who are military-connected. Twenty-one Lake Area Technical College employees are veterans or actively serving in the guard or reserves.

“I am proud that Lake Area Tech is once again recognized as being a top Military Friendly® school in the nation,” said Lake Area Technical College President Tiffany Sanderson. “This designation reflects the appreciation we have for our service men and women as they pursue their educational and career aspirations.”

Lake Area Tech has a dedicated Veteran Services office designed to support military students. The office representatives work one-on-one with military members to ensure their transition from military life to student life is as seamless as possible. Lake Area Tech’s military-friendly community provides a solid foundation for employment in today’s high-demand fields.

Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated on data related to success in student retention, graduation, career placement, loan repayment, educational persistence (degree advancement or transfer), and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2024-2025 survey with 537 earning special awards for going above the standard.