WATERTOWN, S.D.(KXLG)- With the summer session underway, final enrollment for the 2022-23 academic year at Lake Area Technical College (LATC) is in, and a new record has been set. With 618 students taking classes over the summer, Lake Area Tech ends the year with a total of 2,655 students, the largest number enrolled in the college’s history.

Since 2007, LATC has experienced noteworthy growth, challenging national trends of decreasing enrollments in higher education. The progress is a continued result of the focus on the college’s mission of changing lives, launching careers, and delivering a strong return on investment for students and employers.

“Our college’s approach is designed to help both our students and industry partners win,” comments Lake Area Technical College President Tiffany Sanderson. “Students don’t come to Lake Area Tech just to graduate. They seek out our programs to both graduate and launch into great careers.”

With continued student body growth, Lake Area Technical College’s current campus expansion will address additional labs and classroom needs. The Diesel Technology addition is scheduled to open this fall. The Dana J. Dykhouse Business Center of Learning and the Advanced Manufacturing Center will open in the fall of 2024.

The average Lake Area Tech College graduate in 2022 earned enough in their first job after college to earn back the cost of their college degree in just 14 months. Seventeen percent of 2023 graduates had full-ride scholarships and no debt following college.

“Graduates of Lake Area Tech realize an incredible value,” Sanderson continues. “That positions them to strengthen their families, employers, and communities very early in their careers.”