It’s time to #BuildBackFairer

Celebrate World Fair Trade Day on May 8! The Fair Trade movement has a great solution for helping end inequality, poverty, gender discrimination, and saving our environment. As we recover from the Covid pandemic we cannot go back to the old normal! The old normal left millions of people behind and was destroying our planet. We have the opportunity to Build Back Fairer!

Did you know MPTC is a Fair Trade College? Fair trade supports farmers and artisans in developing countries. These producers lack economic opportunity and often face steep hurdles in finding markets and customers for their goods. Fair Trade is about making a tremendous impact on artisan and farmer communities while offering great products to the public all around the world.

At all three MPTC campuses, our campus bookstores carry Divine Chocolate and Good Paper Cards, and Alta Gracia clothing. Our three cafeterias offer Fair Trade coffee and Fair Trade tea!

MPTC collaborates with several other area organizations supporting and educating others about Fair Trade such as Fond du Lac Fair Trade Towns, Just Fare Market, UW Oshkosh Fair Trade College, and UW Fond du Lac Fair Trade University.

Learn more at https://fairtradecampaigns.org/campaign-type/universities/

Also, find Fair Trade Information at Campus Libraries.

Moraine Park Technical College student, Jared Ott of Fond du Lac, placed first in the NEW Ideas Pitch Challenge, a collaborative regional pitch event, on April 29.

The NEW Ideas Pitch Challenge is an opportunity for area technical college students to display their entrepreneurial skills. Students interested in participating were required to apply by March 26. The entries were evaluated on content, delivery, visual aids, creativity, and overall persuasion. From there, the top entries advanced to the challenge event on April 29. This year’s event was held virtually. 

The students selected to represent Moraine Park at the NEW Ideas Pitch Challenge were Ott and Abby McGeehen of Berlin. Jared is a high school senior from the Fond du Lac STEM Academy who is currently enrolled as a business student through the Start College Now program. Abby is a current student, enrolled in the Business Management and Small Business/Entrepreneurship programs. Moraine Park instructor Jeff Stueber worked with the students and provided coaching.

“This event is a valuable learning opportunity for our students,” Bobbi Fields, associate dean of business and IT at Moraine Park said. “I am grateful for the many individuals at the College who helped ensure this was a successful event. Jared and Abby did an excellent job representing the college. We are proud of their efforts and wish them the best in their entrepreneurial endeavors.” 

Ott’s winning pitch was his specially designed fishing hooks that help secure live bate. Ott’s fishing hooks are already secured by a U.S. patent.

The other participating colleges were Fox Valley Technical College, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College and Lakeshore Technical College.

morainepark.edu

Amanda’s Custom Cookies combine the taste of amazing along with artistic and personalized creation.  Amanda Rogers is a student at Moraine Park Technical College. She will earn her Associate degree in Small Business and Entrepreneurship this spring and plans to pursue a degree in Marketing as well.

Over the last year, using a family cut-out cookie recipe and her talents of art has grown from a hobby to a small business.  Amanda combines the taste and art in a cookie that is almost too pretty to actually eat!  Not only has she created these amazing cookies, but she also now has developed a class in which you and four of your faves can partake in her kitchen to learn and create your own cookies through a class of cookie decorating.  This two-hour class will fly by in fun and design as Amanda, herself, will guide you through the fine skills of cookie art. 

As a student at Moraine Park Technical College, Amanda was required to set up a pop-up store for her Capstone course.  Instructor, Jeff Stueber states that not only did her pop-up store held on May 1, 2021 at Stone Oak Coffee sell out of product, but her cookie business exceeds expectations of business planning and marketing.  Next time you need something unique as a gift or want to take a fun class, consider checking out Amanda’s Custom Cookies on Facebook.