Moraine Park Technical College is celebrating its first class of Promise Program graduates who have now completed their college degrees and will begin working in their respective fields. The program offers five consecutive semesters of debt-free college tuition, as well as additional services including mentoring, tutoring, career guidance, financial aid workshops, and counseling to eligible high school seniors. The purpose of the program is to offer the opportunity for a college education to individuals who otherwise couldn’t afford it. It will also help to address the employment gaps across the workforce by supplying businesses with skilled and educated individuals.

The first class of Promise program graduates are Logan Brue of Hubertus, CNC Tool & Die; Taylor Frank of Campbellsport, Graphic Communications; Gabrielle Green of Hartford, Early Childhood Education; Brett Hebert of Rosendale, Criminal Justice; Shayenne Jaffke of Hartford, Criminal Justice; Gavin Lund of Rosendale, Welding (2019 Graduate); Melannie Martinez of Waupun,Criminal Justice; Roberto Mondragon of Ripon, IT Software Developer; LaToya Singleton of Kewaskum, Early Childhood Education; Bethany Thome of Mt. Calvary, Graphic Communications; and Tania Torres of Horicon, Graphic Communications.

“This unique opportunity to earn a college degree without the burden of tuition expenses has helped to set these students up for success,” Bonnie Baerwald, Moraine Park president said. “They have excelled both inside and outside of the classroom, and soon our generous community donors will begin to see the value in their investment as we continue to welcome more graduates, who in turn will help influence and grow our local economy.”

The Promise Program was introduced in 2018 and was funded through the generosity of individuals and community partners. The Moraine Park Promise program donor partners are: Agnesian HealthCare Foundation, Agnesian HealthCare, Allan C. Kieckhafer, Alliance Laundry Systems LLC, Apache Stainless Equipment Corporation, Baker Cheese, Beaver Dam Community Hospitals Foundation, Inc., Beaver Dam Community Hospitals, Inc., Bonnie Baerwald, C.D. Smith Construction, CampusWorks, Capelle Bros. & Diedrich, Inc., Countryside Auto Group, Dana Bourland, Dick and Joan Kleinfeldt, Duane & Kathleen Foulkes Foundation, Excel Engineering, Fox Valley Savings Bank, Horicon Bank, J. F. Ahern Co., James and Catherine Barrett, Jet Stream Car Wash, Jim and Judy Flood, John and Eileen Pfeifer, John and Joan Shanahan, John and Sally St. Peter, Johnson School Bus, Kondex Corporation, Manowske Welding Corporation, Mayville Engineering Company, Inc.(MEC), Mercury Marine, Mike and Nancy Berg (Summit Automotive), Mike Shannon Automotive Foundation, Muthig Industries, Inc., National Exchange Bank Foundation, RAM Tool, Inc., Richard Zieman, Rick and Joni Parks, Rodney and Kim Miller, Russ Darrow Group, Sadoff Family Foundation, Serigraph Inc., Silica For Your Home, Society Insurance Charitable Fund, Steve and Karla Peterson, Sure-Fire, Inc., Ted and Grace Bachhuber Foundation, Inc.,The Grande Foundation, Tobin Machining, Tom and Carrie Kasubaski, Tom and Nan Baumgartner, Tom and Sally Herre, Uecker-Witt Funeral Home, Inc., Van Horn Automotive, West Bend Community Foundation’s Ziegler Family Foundation Fund, and Westbury Bank Charitable Foundation.

In fall 2019, Moraine Park introduced a second debt-free tuition program called Promising Futures. This program was created to benefit adults in Moraine Park’s district who need access to affordable education.

For more information on Moraine Park’s Promise program, visit morainepark.edu/promise.