Native American Scholar Builds Career with St. Joseph’s Scholarship

Taivin Fallis will graduate this spring from Lake Area Technical College in Watertown, S.D., as a Build Dakota Scholar. Fallis is in the school’s Building Trades Technology Program.

A 2023 graduate of St. Joseph’s Indian School’s High School Program, Fallis is one of this fall’s 113 Čhaŋkú Lúta Scholarship* recipients. He attended St. Joseph’s from fourth-through-twelfth grades.

Native American scholars nationwide are receiving a total of $125,000 in fall-semester funding. The awards bring the calendar year total to $228,264. This fall, the school granted the Čhaŋkú Lúta Scholarship to 36 St. Joseph’s alums, 30 alum family members and 47 other scholars enrolled in a federally recognized tribe and pursuing higher education.

A Career in Building Trades

Fallis chose Building Trades Technology because his father was a foreman in the construction field when he was younger. This past summer, Fallis worked with Dakota Land Design in Brookings, S.D. As a Build Dakota Scholar, he will work there for three years upon graduation. Asked what the best part of the work is, he quickly acknowledged it was the people. He explained that Dakota Land Design builds custom homes and more. The company is currently working on an airplane hangar and recently completed a fitness center.

Fallis credits his family for his motivation. He says, “They taught me discipline. He is the son of Albert Fallis, Sr., of Crow Creek, S.D., and Tina Fallis McGhee of Yankton, S.D.

*About the scholarship: Čhaŋkú Lúta is Lakota for the “Red Road,” a commitment to live life in the best way possible with respect for oneself, others, all of creation and the Creator. For Christians, it is the road that Christ walked in giving His life to others. The Čhaŋkú Lúta Scholarship exists to support students pursuing higher education who exemplify the Čhaŋkú Lúta way of life.

Through the generosity of donors, the school has awarded scholarship dollars to Native American students since 1985. Scholarship applications are accepted for the full academic year or by semester. The scholarship awards are based on financial need, alumni status, proof of tribal enrollment, number of applicants and available funds.