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Ethan Hoefert (Rock Rapids, IA), Benjamin Horner (Hartford, SD), Simon Konechne (Rock Rapids, IA), Tayla Lovan (Iowa City, IA), and Nathan VanDeBerg (Brandon, SD) have each been selected to receive a $2,000 scholarship in recognition of their academic excellence, leadership, involvement in engineering-related activities, and potential to make meaningful contributions to the engineering profession.
Ethan Hoefert (Rock Rapids, IA)
A senior Civil Engineering major at South Dakota State University, Hoefert is actively involved in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the Civil and Environmental Engineering Mentorship Program, the Steel Bridge Team, and the SDSU Pheasants Forever Chapter. He also participates in intramural basketball.
Benjamin Horner (Hartford, SD)
Horner is a senior Civil Engineering major at South Dakota State University. He serves as Chapter Vice President of Tau Beta Pi, the national engineering honor society, and is a member of ASCE, Adopt Brookings, and ASDSO.
Simon Konechne (Rock Rapids, IA)
A senior Electrical Engineering major at South Dakota State University, Konechne combines his academic pursuits with campus involvement, including participation in intramural flag football.
Tayla Lovan (Iowa City, IA) (no photo)
Lovan is a senior Electrical Engineering major at the University of Iowa. She serves as Chair and President of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and is involved with the Society of Women Engineers as both a photographer and First Year Council member. She also participates in intramural soccer.
Nathan VanDeBerg (Brandon, SD)
A senior Civil Engineering major at Dordt University, VanDeBerg is a member of the university’s men’s basketball team and is active in both ASCE and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Since 1995, DGR Engineering has awarded scholarships to help support and encourage the next generation of engineering and land surveying professionals. The scholarship program reflects the firm’s long-standing commitment to education, professional development, and the future of the industries it serves.
The DGR Engineering Scholarships are awarded annually to students who:
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- Have completed at least 45 semester credit hours by June 1
- Are enrolled in an accredited undergraduate engineering or land surveying program in the upper Midwest
- Maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA
Kole Hermann of Kadoka, South Dakota, has been awarded a DGR Engineering Technician Scholarship. Hermann received the $2,000 scholarship for the 2026-2027 academic year in recognition of his academic achievements and potential for success as an engineering technician.
A graduate of Kadoka Area High School, Hermann will attend Southeast Technical College this fall as a full-time student in the Land Surveying Science Technology program. During high school, he was a four-year honor roll student, a member of the National Honor Society, a four-year class president, and participated in football, basketball, track, and FFA.
The DGR Engineering Technician Scholarship is awarded to students pursuing degrees in construction management, engineering-related technician programs, or land surveying technology programs within the Upper Midwest who maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA. Preference is given to applicants pursuing civil, electrical, environmental, or agricultural engineering technician fields.
DGR Engineering established the scholarship to encourage and support the next generation of engineering professionals and technicians while promoting the advancement of the engineering profession throughout the region.
For the 13th consecutive year, DGR Engineering has been selected for PSMJ Resources, Inc.’s exclusive “Circle of Excellence” as one of 61 exceptional architecture and engineering firms across the country. DGR Engineering has earned this award each year since 2014. PSMJ Resources is a management consulting firm for the architecture and engineering industries. Each year PSMJ conducts a survey of firms to highlight those who are successful in areas such as productivity, business development, staff growth, staff turnover, and overhead management. Only 20 percent of this year’s 318 participants were named to The Circle of Excellence list. Participating firms were evaluated by comparing several key performance measurements important to the successful operation of an engineering business against industry benchmarks developed through evaluation of data.
In addition, DGR was awarded the PSMJ Platinum Award. PSMJ Resources, Inc. this year recognized the 25 firms that are Platinum Award winners, which have remained on the Circle of Excellence list for at least four of the past five years. This is the tenth consecutive year DGR has been named a Platinum Award winner.
PSMJ designed the Circle of Excellence to highlight the best-in-class architecture and engineering firms that demonstrate outstanding achievements in areas such as low staff turnover, operating overhead rate and labor utilization. PSMJ’s Circle of Excellence debuted in 2006 and, since then, it is also worth noting that 9 firms have made it into the Circle of Excellence ten (or more) years, including DGR Engineering.
“Making it into the Circle of Excellence for even just one year is quite remarkable. However, delivering this kind of performance year after year speaks volumes about the forward-thinking leadership and sound strategy behind these firms,” states PSMJ President Gregory Hart. “This is about so much more than just growth for growth’s sake. This is about having a lasting impact and about building a firm that can withstand changing economic cycles and so much more.”
For more than 50 years, PSMJ Resources, Inc. has been recognized as the leading publishing, executive education, and advisory group devoted completely to improving the business performance of A/E/C organizations worldwide. PSMJ’s sought-after expertise covers a range of critical business areas such as project management, financial management, human resources, business development, transition planning, and mergers and acquisitions.
DGR Engineering announces procedures and application deadline for the DGR Engineering Scholarship for the 2026-2027 academic year.
The DGR Engineering scholarship of $2,000 is awarded annually to an applicant who has completed 45 semester credit hours by June 1, 2026 in an accredited undergraduate engineering or land surveying degree program within the upper Midwest and has a minimum 3.0 composite collegiate GPA. Preference may be considered for those in a civil, electrical, environmental or agricultural engineering program. Deadline for application submittal is May 22, 2026.
Application is available at dgr.com/2026-engineering-scholarship. The application may also be obtained at dgr.com under our News and Events page. Award is made annually and will be announced 60 days after deadline.
DGR Engineering has created this scholarship for the purpose of promoting and advancing the engineering profession in this region.
DGR Engineering announces procedures and application deadline for the DGR Engineering Technician Scholarship for the 2026-2027 academic year.
The DGR Engineering Technician scholarship of $2,000 is awarded to an applicant who is enrolled in a construction management, engineering related technician or land surveying technician program within the upper Midwest, and has a minimum 3.0 composite collegiate or high school GPA. Preference will be considered for those in a civil, electrical, environmental or agricultural engineering technician field. Deadline for application submittal is May 22, 2026.
Application is available at dgr.com/2026-technician-scholarship. The technician application may also be obtained at dgr.com under our News and Events page. Award is made annually and will be announced 60 days after deadline.
DGR Engineering has created this scholarship for the purpose of promoting and advancing the engineering profession in this region.