PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota officials say 40 high school graduates have received scholarships from a program that encourages people to pursue careers in critically needed occupations.

The Dakota Corps scholarship program is financed by private donations. Students get money to cover tuition and fees as they study to become accountants or auditors, registered nurses and teachers of special education, math, science or career and technical education.

Students can also use the money to study to become engineers in any field except mining, as well as information technology specialists.

Scholarship recipients, in return, agree to work in those occupations in South Dakota for a number of years.

Gov. Dennis Daugaard says the scholarship recipients "give back" to the state by choosing careers in in critically needed occupations.

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