About the Program

The South Dakota Retailers Association scholarship program provides assistance to students studying for a career in retail and hospitality businesses, whether as an owner, manager, or employee. In 2023, our Scholarship Committee awarded funds to six students, in amounts ranging from $2,100 to $3,500.

The program is named in honor of former Executive Director Jerry Wheeler, who started the program in 1992. Since then, the Association has awarded 275 scholarships, totaling $237,900.

Download the digital application by clicking the blue button above. Hard copy applications are available through financial aid offices at most South Dakota universities and technical colleges, and upon request from SDRA by contacting us at the link below.

Applicants will receive notification by email when SDRA receives the application. If you submit an application by email and don't receive confirmation within 3 business days, please contact us at the link below.

For questions, please contact Donna Leslie at (605) 224-5050 or by Email.

Scholarship Eligibility
SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY
  • Applicant must desire a career in a retail or retail-related field, including hospitality and trade businesses.
  • Applicant must enroll in a retail-related course of study at a qualifying, accredited technical school, college, university, or certified professional training institute in the fall of 2024. Enrollment in an online degree program from a qualifying school is acceptable. 
  • Examples of fields of study considered to be retail-related include (but are not limited to): Accounting, Agribusiness, Apparel Merchandising, Auto Mechanics, Automotive Technology, Business Administration, Business Management, Collision Repair, Computer Science, Commercial Baking, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Diesel Mechanics, Electrical Maintenance, Entrepreneurial Studies, Gemology, HVAC, Hotel/Restaurant Management, Landscape Design, Pharmacy, Photography, Printing Industries, Refrigeration, Sales/Marketing Management, and Tourism Industry Management. (NOTE: this list is not all-inclusive.) 
  • South Dakota Education - applicant must meet one of these three requirements:
    • Graduated from a South Dakota high school - OR - 
    • Have earned high school equivalency (such as a GED) in South Dakota - OR - 
    • Plan to attend post-secondary school in South Dakota 
  • Applicant must meet one of these four requirements:
    • have completed at least 24 credits from a qualifying college or university by September 2024
    • have completed 12 credits from a qualifying tech school or certified professional training institute by September of 2024
    • have completed Levels 1 and 2 of ProStart and successfully completed ServSafe training and certification
    • for non-traditional students who have full-time work experience after high school, the education requirement will be waived
  • Students must enroll in 12 or more credit hours of classes at a qualifying post-secondary school or online degree program for the fall of 2024. (Internships do not qualify)​
  • Prior recipients are eligible