Media Releases
2008 College Showcase Produces Winners All Around
March 27, 2008
Full Deal or No Deal scholarship giveaway game delights audience in main commons; three prospective students win scholarships.
Host Greg Miller greets contestant Adam Webster with DCTC Case Security in background
The 2008 DCTC College Showcase, codenamed Destination: Education, proved to be Destination: Fun as a crowd of campus visitors watched Full Deal or No Deal, a scholarship giveaway game based on the popular NBC game show, Deal or No Deal.
More than 3,000 guests attended the fifth-annual College Showcase, which took place on Wednesday, Mar. 26, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in the commons area on campus at Dakota County Technical College.
Future student visits face-painting booth
In partnership with the six Dakota County Chambers of Commerce, the College Showcase gave area residents the chance to explore DCTC and learn more about the college's programs and business partners in a comfortable yet dynamic setting.
Guests sampled free food provided by 17 surrounding restaurants while visiting with DCTC faculty, staff, students and admissions representatives.
Faculty and coaches from the college's more than 50 academic and sports programs staffed booths and interactive displays to provide information, offer demonstrations and answer questions.
The Full Deal or No Deal scholarship giveaway game debuted this year. Three contestants played for the chance to win full-ride scholarships to the academic program of their choice.
"Our College Showcase lets metro area residents see firsthand all the possibilities that exist at DCTC," reported Erin Larsen, director of marketing and communications. "Full Deal or No Deal allowed us to open up the possibilities even more from a financial perspective."
Supervisory Management Instructor Harold Torrence makes music his business
"We understand that college might be a significant financial challenge for students," Larsen continued, "which is why our Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid provides some kind of assistance to 93 percent our students. Tonight was just one more way we could help ease the financial burden for a few lucky students."
Greg Miller, Dakota Electric CEO and chairman of the DCTC Foundation, served as host of the live-performance game show, a job covered on the small screen by Canadian comedian Howie Mandel.
Scott Ramsdale, president of Anchor Bank in Apple Valley, stood in for the mysterious Banker, in this case as the "Anchor Banker."
Twenty-six college faculty and staff volunteered to function as DCTC Case Security. The three contestants were chosen in a drawing from a pool of prospective students who registered at the admissions booth on the night of the College Showcase.
- Contestant 1: Adam Webster, Eagan, Minn.
Took the Anchor Banker's deal for a $2,200 scholarship.
Program of interest: Nanoscience Technology
Adam Webster's original case held the Full Deal—worth roughly $8,000.
- Contestant 2: Allison Webster, Eagan, Minn.
Took the Anchor Banker's deal for a $1,250 scholarship.
Department of interest: Health and Human Services
Allison Webster's original case held a $5,000 scholarship.
- Contestant 3: Jean Jacobson, Farmington, Minn.
Took the Anchor Banker's deal for a $1,000 scholarship.
Program of interest: Medical Assistant
Jean Jacobson's original case held a $5 scholarship.
All proceeds raised through College Showcase sponsorships are directed toward need-based scholarships for DCTC students. Anchor Bank and the DCTC Foundation sponsored the scholarships. The 2009 College Showcase will take place on Wednesday, Mar. 25.
DCTC President Ron Thomas with U.S. Congressman John Kline