Arianna Schild and Roger Barrett were awarded the Elevate Rapid City Workforce Development Scholarship. This $4000 scholarship is awarded to Rapid City area residents who are pursuing further education to advance their business skills to successfully participate in the business sector of Rapid City.  

Arianna Schild 

The first scholarship recipient, Arianna Schild, is preparing to further her education at Black Hills State University (BHSU). Arianna believes everyone should strive to do what they are passionate about in life, and therefore plans to pursue a career in what she is passionate about, being everything art related. She especially loves drawing, painting, and making music. 

As a student who works a part-time job throughout the school year, Arianna says “the Workforce Development Scholarship will definitely lighten [her] load.”  

Born and raised in Rapid City, she has recently gone through many life changes and challenges with her family. She prioritized her mental health to help support her family and continues to remain hopeful for the future. By supporting one another, Arianna and her family’s mental health has stayed strong. She feels her family is her biggest support system and wants to remain close to home, which contributed to her decision in choosing Black Hills State University. Additionally, her high grades and test scores, BHSU’s abundance of resources, and the affordability of in-state tuition impacted her university choice.  

An incoming freshman in college, Arianna hopes to continue to enrich her knowledge about the world around her by taking some general courses this year. 

Roger Barrett 

A member of the Air National Guard, the second scholarship recipient, Roger Barrett, has always been drawn towards challenging opportunities that allow him to contribute to the community and make a difference. He is currently in his junior year at South Dakota Mines. Roger shared that the university has provided him with the ideal platform to continue being challenged with its tough academic program and its involvement with the Black Hills area through the Veterans Club. 

Throughout Roger’s time at South Dakota Mines, his passion for the field of electrical engineering has continued to grow exponentially. His next academic year is one of the hardest for an electrical engineering student as they begin exploring the different disciplines in the field. The next two semesters will lay a solid foundation in the field of work he would like to get involved in and will demand a lot of his time. 

“This scholarship eases the financial burden while allowing me to pursue my academic aspirations,” Roger said. “It also serves as a constant reminder of the confidence Elevate Rapid City and the Black Hills Area Community Foundation has placed in me.” 

Learn more about scholarship opportunities with Elevate Rapid City HERE.