SD Mines announces pre-health pathways

BY KAYLA PRASEK

South Dakota School of Mines & Technology in Rapid City is strengthening the way it advises and supports the increasing number of pre-med and pre-health professions students pursuing their bachelor’s degrees at the school.

SD Mines’ new pre-health pathways initiative strengthens support for students in the areas of advising, research, internships and professional experiences, networking opportunities, seminars and student organizations in order to prepare students for graduate studies toward becoming doctors, dentists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, physician assistants and other health-related professionals, the school announced in a statement.

“About six months ago, we started looking at what we were doing for students who were interested in health careers,” says President Heather Wilson. “We started an applied biology major three years ago, but we thought we could do better.”

SD Mines formed an external advisory board to assist the university. Members of the advisory board include Mick Gibbs, president of Rapid City Regional Hospital; Jay Hammerquist, CEO of Black Hills Orthopedic and Spine Center; Phil Hartman, dean of the College of Science & Engineering at Texas Christian University; Dr. Mary Himmler, Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center; Barbara Hobbs, assistant dean of the South Dakota State University West River Nursing Department; Dr. David Klocke, medical director at Rapid City Regional Hospital; William May, CEO of Black Hills Surgical Hospital; Dr. Dan Petereit, Rapid City Regional Hospital; Darrel Riddle, former CEO of Rapid City Medical Center; and Dr. Matthew Simmons, associate dean of the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine-Rapid City campus.

“We decided not to make pre-health a standalone major,” Wilson says. “We have students who are studying all majors but are interested in medical school. This will help guide them to taking the prerequisites necessary for medical school.”

Wilson says SDSM&T has always had a few students each year who end up attending medical, dental or therapy school, but the school has seen those numbers grow with the addition of an applied biology major.

“I’m a mechanical engineering major,” says student Rebecca Ceremuga. “I had a great internship with a medical device company, and what I realized from that experience is that I really want to work with patients. So I’ve taken all of the electives I need in biology and chemistry to be ready to go to medical school and become an orthopedic surgeon. I’m shadowing a surgeon here in Rapid City, and I think it’s great that the School of Mines is going to strengthen their support for pre-health students even more.”

In addition to an academic adviser in their department, students who are on the pre-health pathway will be assigned another adviser who will specialize in pre-health advising to help them ensure they have all of the prerequisites for their post-graduate studies and help them secure internships and research experiences.

“I’ve been able to conduct research right away and interact with professors in rigorous classes that are 20 to 25 students at the most,” says student Sydney Sayler, an applied biology major. “My medical school interviewers were very excited I was a Mines student, saying we are taught at a higher level than most universities.”

Wilson calls the pre-health pathway is a “good step” as the university works to meet the needs of the Rapid City region. “I believe this school will be the best pre-health profession school in the state in a few years. Our classes are academically challenging, our class size is small, we provide hands-on opportunities and our students secure top internships around the country. With this addition, the university will better be able to help our students follow their dreams.” PB

Kayla Prasek Staff Writer, Prairie Business 701.780.1187 kprasek@prairiebusinessmagazine.com

Edgewood Management Group promotes executives

Edgewood Management Group of Grand Forks, N.D., has named Robert J. Ford Jr. chief operating officer and Rich Ostert regional vice president for Region I.

In his new role, Ford will oversee the operations of all 55 independent, assisted and memory care communities consisting of nearly 2,400 employees and 2,400 residents.

Before this role, Ford served as a regional vice president overseeing the operations of 16 communities throughout North Dakota, Minnesota and South Dakota. Before that, he was the executive director at Meadow Wind in Casper, Wyo., since 2009.

Ford received his Master of Business Administration from the University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D., and a bachelor’s in health administration from Montana State University-Billings.

In Ostert’s new role, he will directly oversee Edgewood’s senior living communities in South Dakota.

He served as senior executive director at Edgewood Vista in Spearfish, S.D., since 2008 and served in the Navy for more than 21 years.

Ostert received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Mary in Bismarck.

Dacotah Bank names new Watertown, Aberdeen market presidents

Dacotah Bank has announced a new market president for the company’s location in Watertown, S.D. This summer, Troy Zebroski will replace Kip Hansen as Dacotah Bank’s new manager in the market. Hansen has been promoted to market president for Dacotah Bank’s flagship location in Aberdeen, S.D.

Zebroski has been with Dacotah Bank since 1999. He joined the company as an insurance agent and became an agricultural banker in 2007. He is also an inaugural member of Dacotah Bank’s academy for rising performers.

Zebroski serves as a member of the Financial Advisory Board for Lake Area Technical Institute. He is also a member of the Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce Ag Committee and Leadership Watertown.

Hansen has been with Dacotah Bank for more than 20 years. He is a graduate of South Dakota State University in Brookings and completed the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado in 2006.

Both managers will assume their new roles on or before July 1.

Wells Fargo names market presidents in Aberdeen, Dickinson

Melinda Reints has been named business banking manager and market president for Wells Fargo in Aberdeen, S.D.

In her new role, Reints leads the business banking team and works with business and ag customers to help meet their deposit, cash management and credit needs. As market president, she also coordinates activity between various lines of business and focuses on growing market share. A 13-year company veteran, Reints joined Wells Fargo in 2003 as a teller in Groton, S.D. She then worked as a business associate in Groton before becoming a credit analyst, working on agricultural, commercial and tribal credits across South Dakota. In 2013, she was promoted to business relationship manager for Aberdeen. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Dakota State University in Madison, S.D.

Lavy Steiner has been named senior ag industry specialist and market president for Wells Fargo in Dickinson, N.D. In her new role, Steiner will work with agribusiness customers to help meet their deposit, cash management and credit needs. As market president, she also will coordinate activity between various lines of business and focus on growing market share.

Steiner began her Wells Fargo career in 2012 as a business relationship manager in Dickinson. Before joining Wells Fargo, she worked as a loan officer for Dakota West Credit Union in New England, N.D.