Dakota Dreams Career Exploration Summer Camps
Open to all incoming 7th and 8th grade students who are South Dakota residents or attend a South Dakota school.
Stay tuned for details on next year's camps!
Middle school students will have an opportunity to participate in FREE, five-day career exploration camps this summer. Hosted on three South Dakota college campuses, the camps will allow incoming 7th and 8th grade students to experience at least 10 different career paths.
Students will be immersed in engaging, hands-on learning. Throughout the week, they will spend time on university and technical college campuses and visit area businesses and industry. By week’s end, campers will have a better understanding of themselves, their career interests, and how their K-12 education prepares them for professions.
Campers will experience:
10 career paths through hands-on learning.
Three full days on a university campus.
A day trip to an area technical college.
Afternoon tours of area business and industry.
Transportation to and from off-campus field trip sites.
On-campus housing (four nights) in a university residential hall.
Campus dining facilities (all meals, snacks, and drinks included).
Evening recreational and social activities.
24/7 counselor supervision.
Summer 2022, there will be four career camps for students to choose from hosted at universities and technical colleges across the state. Learn more about what makes each unique.
June 26-30, 2022
Black Hills State University
Career pathways to be explored at this camp (tentative):
- Teacher Education
- Biomedical/Medical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Metallurgical Engineering
- Nursing
- Computer Science
- Business Management
- Tourism & Hospitality Management
- Accounting
- Financial Analyst
- Marketing
Black Hills State University will partner with South Dakota School of Mines & Technology and Western Dakota Technical College to provide this camp.
June 26-30, 2022
University of South Dakota
Career pathways to be explored at this camp (tentative):
- Finance & Accounting
- Business Management & Marketing
- Health Sciences & Nursing (including social work and addiction counseling)
- Engineering (biomedical engineering, human factors, and computer science)
- Law & Criminal Justice
- Graphic Design & Marketing
- Fine Arts Education (art, music)
- Teacher Education
- Digital Media Production
The University of South Dakota will partner with Southeast Technical College to provide this camp.
July 24-28, 2022
South Dakota State University
Career pathways to be explored at this camp (tentative):
- Engineering
- Nursing
- Agriculture
- Economics/Agricultural Business
- Health Sciences
- Teacher Education
- Aviation
- Natural Sciences
- Robotics
- Nursing
South Dakota State University will partner with Lake Area Technical College to provide this camp.
July 24-28, 2022
Dakota State University
Career pathways to be explored at this camp (tentative):
- Teacher Education
- Exercise Science/Health & Wellness
- Cyber Operations
- Digital Arts
- Physical Science
- Health Information Management
- Artificial Intelligence
- Business: Accounting, Finance, Management, Marketing
- Computer Information Systems/Project Management
Dakota State University with partner with Mitchell Technical College to provide this camp.
Sample Camp Schedule
Parents Luncheon – Overview of Program, Schedule, and Activities
Student Lunch, Ice Breaker Activity
Career Pathway Session
Career Pathway Session
Dinner
Recreational and Social Activities
Career Pathway Session
Career Pathway Session
Lunch
Business/Industry Tours
Dinner
Recreational and Social Activities
Transportation to Technical College
Welcome
Career Pathway Session
Lunch
Career Pathway Session
Business/Industry Tours
Dinner
Recreational and Social Activities
Career Pathway Session
Career Pathway Session
Lunch
Business/Industry Tour
Dinner
Recreational and Social Activities
Career Pathway Session
Career Pathway Session
Conclude at 11:30 a.m.
In summer 2022, camp capacity was expanded from an originally anticipated 150 students to a total of 300, due to the high level of interest expressed by students and families. This was achieved by increasing camper numbers at the SDSU and USD camps to 100 each. Further, an additional 50 campers were served at Dakota Dreams Career Camp at DSU, in partnership with MTC. The DSU camp opportunity was only offered to waitlisted applicants.
This opportunity is being funded with federal dollars available to the South Dakota Department of Education through the American Rescue Plan.
