Rushmore Rotary welcomed Dr. Kendra Ericson, president of Western Dakota Technical College, in Rapid City, as speaker for the Dec. 16 meeting.
President Roger Heacock began the meeting by sharing images and information about the early days of polio treatment, including the use of the iron lung. Rotary has been working to eradicate polio worldwide for more than 35 years and continues its work today. Ericson began her presentation with a personal story about caring for a polio patient in an iron lung during the early years of her nursing career. It was an impactful story and a good reminder why Rotary does the work it does to eradicate polio.
Ericson, who began as WDT president in July, went on to share an update about the college and its students. Currently, WDT serves West River and has 1,300 students. The college offers 40 degrees and tends to have more nontraditional students compared to other similar institutions around the country. Ericson was proud to share that 93% of WDT graduates stay in the state to launch their careers.
To learn more about WDT, visit https://www.wdt.edu