Department of Aerospace Studies

View of cadets standing in a line.

Lt Col Erin Tedesco, Department Head
Department of Aerospace Studies / AFROTC
DePuy Military Hall Room 100, Box 2236
605-688-6106

Faculty

Professor

Erin Tedesco

Assistant Professors

Mark Donahue, Brandon Reese

Overview

The Department of Aerospace Studies is dedicated to training college students for successful careers as officers in the United States Air Force and Space Force. The department is home of Air Force ROTC Detachment 780 at South Dakota State University. The detachment has a long history of providing leaders for the nation’s Air Force. The AFROTC leadership development program is open to students in any major and is of long-range value whether one pursues a military or civilian career.

Programs

Minors

Aerospace Studies Minor

Facilities and Services

The department’s administrative offices are located in Room 100, DePuy Military Hall at SDSU’s main campus in Brookings, South Dakota.

Student Support and Engagement Opportunities

Air Force ROTC scholarships are available for qualified undergraduate students. These scholarships pay full tuition and fees at SDSU, $900 per year for textbooks, and a monthly stipend ranging from $300 to $500 per month. All students in the Professional Officer Course who are on contract with Air Force ROTC qualify for a monthly stipend ranging from $450 to $500. Professional Officer Course cadets also receive the Brigadier General Charles McGee Leadership Award which covers tuition and fees up to $18,000 per year, provided they have a passing fitness score and meet certain GPA requirements. Contracted non-scholarship students, in their last two years of AFROTC, who are South Dakota residents qualify for 50% reduced tuition through a program sponsored by the South Dakota Board of Regents.

In addition to military and academic training, students have opportunities to travel, connect with veterans, and serve the local community.

Officer Development - Opportunities at various Air Force and Space Force bases and locations throughout the United States and abroad.
Paid summer internships at locations such as Air Force Research Labs and Lawrence Livermore Labs.
Project Go - Scholarships to study critical languages through on-line and in-residence programs both in the US and abroad.
Bataan Memorial March – Cadets travel to the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico to participate in a marathon-length ruck march to commemorate the 1942 Bataan Death March.
Flying Irish ROTC Basketball Tournament - Cadets take an annual trip to the University of Notre Dame and compete in a basketball tournament with other ROTC detachments from across the country.
Color Guard - Cadets have the opportunity to learn about proper flag etiquette and provide color guards for athletic events, commencement ceremonies, and several other events in the area.
Veterans Vigil - Cadets guard the Brookings Veterans Memorial to honor America’s military members on Veterans Day.