Moraine Park Technical College held its 27th annual GED/HSED graduation ceremony on May 30. For the 2018-19 school year, 126 students received their General Education Development (GED) or High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED) certificates.

Rebecca Carreon of Fond du Lac, Natasha Peters of Ripon, Sandra Pfund of Slinger, and Betty Zimdars of West Bend served as student speakers.

Carreon and Peters, sisters and twins, spoke together on the struggles of life and how important it was to both of them to complete the journey together.

“I tried multiple times to finish my HSED on my own but never followed through with it because I never thought I could do it,” Peters said. “The support of family, friends, the teachers at the Student Success Center, and my sister gave me the courage and push I needed to finish.”

Both Carreon and Peters plan to continue their education at Moraine Park this fall, with an overall goal to earn their college degree.

“I have always wanted to be a labor and delivery nurse, and I finally feel like that isn’t just a dream anymore,” Carreon said. “Now I can make it a reality! We plan on starting school here at Moraine Park Technical College in the upcoming year.  After all the support we had to finish our HSED here, we can only imagine the support we will get once in our programs!”

Pfund shared her story of deciding to complete her high school diploma with the support of her friend and fellow GED student, Zimdars.

“We have maintained our friendship and motivated each other along the way,” Pfund said. “My success has been helped with a special friendship and someone to hold me accountable. Nothing is impossible, no matter what age you are. Our journey was not an easy one, but our friendship helped immensely.”

Pfund and Zimdars have decided to continue their educational journey together as Moraine Park college students.

Abby McGeehen of Berlin and Zimdars were each the recipients of $500 student scholarships.  These scholarships are awarded to GED/HSED graduates who are continuing their education at Moraine Park.

The GED/HSED students had to pass all four subject portions of the nationally recognized GED tests to receive their diploma. They also had to meet requirements in employability, digital literacy, health, and civics. Moraine Park’s GED/HSED instruction is available year-round and is one of the many services at the College that is offered for free to the community.

For more information about Moraine Park’s GED/HSED classes, visit morainepark.edu/GED.

View all of the photos from the GED/HSED graduation at https://www.flickr.com/gp/148240170@N03/Y00FC2.

Moraine Park apprentice, John Dondlinger, employed by Eagle Construction Co., Inc. in Wisconsin Rapids, was named as the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) 2019 Apprentice of the Year at the ABC annual graduation banquet in Wisconsin Dells.

The Apprentice of the Year award goes to an apprentice who is in good standing, is at least half-way through the apprenticeship program, demonstrates a high degree of professionalism, and is highly regarded by other apprentices, instructors, and employers. Dondlinger is known for his quiet presence in the classroom and is regarded as a lead-by-example student who is willing to jump in and help others understand how to complete a task correctly.

Moraine Park Alumni, Jacob Moody, served as the event keynote speaker. Moody, a 2018 graduate from the carpentry apprenticeship, is a journeyman carpenter for Kraemer Brothers in Plain. He joined the Kraemer Brothers team in 2007 as a laborer, and today he holds two apprenticeship completion cards in the state of Wisconsin for construction craft laborer and carpentry. Moody also took first place in carpentry at the ABC of Wisconsin Skills Competition in 2018 and went on to win first place at ABC’s National Craft Championships.

In his speech, Moody recalled his journey through apprenticeship and thanked those who helped him along the way, particularly Moraine Park instructor Gary Roehrig and Darrell Kraemer of Kraemer Brothers. He highlighted his experiences competing at the National Craft Championships and encouraged the soon-to-be-graduates to stay involved in ABC.

“These apprentices are now journeymen in their trade who will add each and every one of their abilities to our workforce,” Moody said. “There are going to be many more opportunities for all of you. Just remember don’t be afraid, don’t put boundaries around you, never stop learning, and enjoy your lives while you’re at it.”

Moraine Park is also celebrating its solid partnership with ABC. 2019 marks the fourth consecutive year that a Moraine Park student has been selected as the Apprentice of the Year and also the third consecutive year that the keynote speaker is an alumnus from the College.

morainepark.edu

You might remember Arletta from our previous blog posts, marketing campaigns, or perhaps you’ve seen her out in the Fond du Lac community. If not, you can catch up with her story here.

The 2017 graduate from Moraine Park’s Leadership Development program has big things on her horizon, and we are excited to highlight them!

When she came to the College in 2015, she had dreams of being a motivational speaker. To keep working towards that goal, after graduation she enrolled at Marian University to pursue her Bachelor’s degree in Communications. Today, she has her own business, Authentically Arletta, LLC., and is finally witnessing her hard work come to life. In fact, in 2019 alone, she has been invited as a keynote speaker to multiple local events.

“I’m so much closer to my dreams than I’ve ever been before,” Arletta said. “Moraine Park was a huge part of my foundation, and the place I will always consider my second home.”

Of course, Arletta’s success didn’t happen by chance. She has been on a long journey of self-discovery, one that she notes has had many hurdles.

“This has been quite a journey, but I didn’t do it alone,” Alretta said. “I’ve had the support of family, friends, and many people at Moraine Park that have helped me along the way.”

Specifically, she names Moraine Park employees Bonnie Baerwald, Mary Vogl-Rauscher, Steve Pepper, Rob Heyrman, and Amy Anderson- among others, as key players to aiding her success.

Today, her dreams are even closer as she celebrates her May 2019 graduation with a Bachelor of Communication degree with a minor in business from Marian University and being named as Marian’s Communication Student of the Year. She was also a member of Lambda Pi Eta, the national communication high honor society, and ended her college career with a 3.95 GPA.

This August, Arletta will be one of the keynote speakers at TedXFond du Lac and is working towards a goal of one day speaking at the Essence Festival in Louisiana.

“I’ve thought about my dreams becoming a reality for a long time,” she said. “My work isn’t done, in fact in a way it’s just beginning, but it’s so exciting that I’ve made some big accomplishments and that they are no longer just a part of my dreams.”

Additionally, Arletta is working diligently on a new initiative, the Peculiar Princess Project, a mentoring program for youth girls of color ages 10 to 18.

“I look forward to taking on more speaking events registering with Wisconsin’s Speakers Bureau and taking my career to the next level,” Arletta said.

We wish Arletta the best of luck as she continues towards accomplishing her goals, and are so fortunate to be a part of her journey.

Moraine Park Technical College’s Toolin’ It Summer Camp has one last-minute spot that opened. This 14th annual manufacturing summer camp is held at the West Bend campus from June 10-14 and is open to middle and high school students ages 13-16.

Participants will have the chance to learn about computer-aided design, computer-controlled manufacturing operations, basic electrical systems, machining, welding and fabrication, and so much more. Students will also experience the start-to-finish satisfaction of designing and manufacturing a product and using high-tech machinery under the close supervision of expert manufacturing trainers.

The registration fee is $100 and includes all materials, lunches, and field trips. The vacancy will be filled at a first come, first served basis.

To secure the spot, register by Thursday at 4 p.m. atwww.morainepark.edu/toolin-it, or by contacting Cindy Wolf at (262) 306-5321 or email at cwolf@morainepark.edu.

Moraine Park Technical College’s Electricity and
CNC Tool and Die students and staff are celebrating some major achievements at the 2019 Wisconsin SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference in Madison, WI.

ELECTRICITY

The electricity students participated in two categories; Electrical Construction Wiring and Industrial Motor Controls. The College earned a complete sweep of the top three spots in the Industrial Motor Controls category. Participants were Michael Schaefer of Juneau, first place; Daniel Sowin of Sheboygan Falls, second place; Anastasia Szczesny of Iron Ridge, third place. Also, Moraine Park student, Noah Johannes of Fredonia, earned the College another first place award in the Electrical Construction Wiring category.

“I’m very proud of their accomplishments,” Mark Wamsley, electricity instructor at Moraine Park said. “I have watched them grown and excel in their field. I look forward to watching them compete at Nationals.”

Schaefer and Johannes will represent Moraine Park Technical College at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, KY this June.

CNC

The CNC Tool and Die club representatives competed in two separate categories; Automated Manufacturing Technology and CNC Milling Specialist. Earning first place in the team Automated Manufacturing Technology category are William Kraus of Jackson, Zachary Rabideau of Jackson, and Jarred Welnak of Germantown. Isaac Schrage of West Bend competed in the CNC Milling Specialist category and achieved fifth place. Kraus, Rabideau, and Welnake will represent Moraine Park Technical College at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC) in Louisville, KY this June.

SkillsUSA is the showcase for the best career and technical students in the nation. The philosophy of the event is to reward students for excellence, involve industry in directly evaluating student performance and keep training relevant to employers’ needs. More than 16,000 people are expected to participate in the NLSC weeklong event.

For more information about Moraine Park Technical College programs, like Electricity and CNC, visit morainepark.edu.

Moraine Park staff and faculty gathered for an end of the year celebration and cornhole tournament! Needless to say, a fun time was had by all!

Fond du Lac

Beaver Dam

West Bend

Cornhole Winners!

The hard work and academic achievement of Moraine Park Technical College students was recognized during the College’s annual Student Awards Banquet held at The Golf Club at Camelot in Lomira on May 10.

Moraine Park presented the 2019 Student of the Year Award to Ashley Martin of Fond du Lac. The Student of the Year Award is designed to recognize a student who excelled in and outside of the classroom and has taken full advantage of the opportunities that Moraine Park has made available for them.

The 2019-20 District Student Ambassador Award was presented to Barbara Turner of Beaver Dam. The Moraine Park District Student Ambassador Award identifies outstanding students in the technical college system, with nominations solicited from faculty and staff in the spring semester of each year.

Technical Achievement Awards were presented to 33 students. To receive this award, recipients must be enrolled in a technical diploma program and have maintained a 3.25 GPA. They are judged on classroom participation and other contributions and characteristics that exemplify an outstanding student. The 2019 recipients were August Baumgartner of West Bend, Alex Canfield of Jackson, Calin Eigner of Iron Ridge, Zach Fahrenkrug of Campbellsport, Zach Franck of Prairie du Sac, Ben Henriksen of Beaver Dam, Aaron Hess of Richfield, Genevieve Hicks of Beaver Dam, Keisha            Krezman of Fond du Lac, Mitch Lochen of West Bend, Nicholas Martinez of Fond du Lac, Nic Nielsen of West Bend, Nicole Nowicki of Beaver Dam, Hunter Scannell of West Bend, Isaac Schrage of West Bend, Zachary Wilson of Adell, Pete Cruckson of Fond du Lac, Brady Detert of Beaver Dam, Troy Essmann of Oconomowoc, Thomas Freiberg of Campbellsport, Nick Giudice of Waupun, Alexander Hoepfner of Fond du Lac, Zac Hoogeveen of Randolph, Joe Jasinski of Adell, Michael Moon of Beaver Dam, Derek            Mueller of Port Washington, Melanie Pitr of Slinger, Mitchell Regan of Hartford, Andrew Robinson of Cedarburg, Michael Schaefer of Juneau, Alex Sippel of Saint Cloud, Daniel Sowin of Sheboygan Falls, and Anastasia Szczesny of Iron Ridge.

The Campus Impact Award recognizes students who have served the College by participating in a college focus group, a college-related function, or a club/student government activity or project. Other considerations include GPA, reliability and follow-through. In total, 18 awards were presented, recipients were Trina Anderson of Fox Lake, Alizabeth Barnes of Waupun, Noah Bille of Brandon, Isabel Clark of Chilton, Kevin Fritsch of Fond du Lac, Christine Gil of Randolph, Thomas Holman of Hartford, Joe Jasinski of Adell, Sheri Laidler of Campbellsport, Bekah McCardell of West Bend, Ashton Mislivecek of Hillsboro, Abby Muenchow of Horicon, Peggy Rider of West Bend, Isaac Schrage of West Bend, Jerod Splan of Iron Ridge, Anastasia Szczesny of Iron Ridge, Queenie Weesen of Mequon, and Janine Williams of Fond du Lac.

The Meritorious Service Award is granted to students who have served the College through their leadership and participation in co-curricular activities such as student clubs, student government or other volunteer opportunities. This year’s 45 recipients include Alyssa Ahlstrom of Van Dyne, Austin Barber of Fond du Lac, Danielle Barron of Berlin, Maurice Beck of Campbellsport, Jacob Berger of North Fond du Lac, Taylor Branski of West Bend, Kerwana Clayborn of Fond du Lac, Deborah Davis of Oshkosh, Derek DeChant of Randolph, Brady Detert of Beaver Dam, Calin Eigner of Iron Ridge, Tamara Freeman of Beaver Dam, Nick Giudice of Waupun, Eileen Grammas of Beaver Dam, Connor Gray of Cottage Grove, Mollea Greylord of Fond du Lac, Derek Jackson of Rubicon, Mitch Jacobs of Slinger, Shayenne A. Jaffke of Hartford, Ty Kaage of Oshkosh, Corina Kanwischer of Hartford, Brittany Kjell of Rubicon, Kelsey Kliefoth of Menasha, Jay Kroncke of West Bend, Kaleb Krueger of Mayville, Jessica Leibham of West Bend, Heidi Lucas of West Bend, Jesse Mack of Beaver Dam, Christian McCreary of West Bend, Jodie Meyer of Oshkosh, Rebecca Moreno of West Bend, Kellie Murray of West Bend, Nicole Peterson of Eldorado, Zack Petit of Watertown, Melanie Pitrof of Slinger, Zack Rabideau of Jackson, Gretchen Rauls of Fond du Lac, Susan Rodencal of Fond du Lac, Patrick Rupprecht of Randolph, Lauryn Slade of Hartford, Amy Spiekerman of West Bend, Alex Tischedndorf of Kewaskum, Nicole Toombs of Ripon, Alyssa Wescott of Theresa, and Christina Whitehouse of Waupun.

The  Leadership & Service Award is reserved for members of Moraine Park’s Student Government. A student’s comprehensive level of commitment to the College and their representation of the student body through their attendance and engagement in Student Government and its related opportunities are taken into consideration during award selection.  The 12 award recipients include Alden Broome of Beaver Dam, Dominic DeLaura of Slinger, Zach Fahrenkrug of Campbellsport, Thomas Freiberg of Campbellsport, Brad Hetzel of Lowell, Ashley Martin of North Fond du Lac, Michael Moon of Beaver Dam, Leah Pietrangelo of West Bend, Joshua Strnad of Rio, Jonathan Szczesny of Iron Ridge, Sam Turner of Baraboo, and Elizabeth Wustrack of Fond du Lac.

Student government leadership recognition included Jonathan Szczesny of Iron Ridge, Beaver Dam Student Senate president; Elizabeth Wustrack of Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac Student Senate president; Leah Pietrangelo of West Bend, West Bend Student Senate president; Kevin Fritsch of Fond du Lac, District Student Government president; Queenie Weesen of Mequon, Wisconsin Student Government lt. governor; Joshua Strnad of Rio, Wisconsin Student Government governor.

For more information about Moraine Park, visit morainepark.edu.

Moraine Park Technical College nursing program celebrated the pinning of 51 students at their spring ceremony on May 17. This symbolic event represents the beginning of a nursing career. As well, it serves as an end to the Moraine Park journey and a celebration of the opportunities that lay ahead.

Additionally, the College is also celebrating a historic year by graduating 12 males from the program for the first time ever.

“We are seeing more non-traditional students in fields that have historically been either male or female dominated,” Bonnie Baerwald, president of Moraine Park Technical College said. “The increase of males in the nursing field shows that success in the industry is a result of educated skills, not gender, and brings the opportunity for a diverse work atmosphere within our healthcare systems.”

The students who received their nursing pins at the spring 2019 ceremony are Alyssa Ahlstrom of Westfield; Rosie Alsum of Brandon; Lindsay Birschbach of Fond du Lac; Erica Breitenstein of West Bend; Megan Calbaum of Princeton; Nicole Claerbout of West Bend; Danielle Cleland of Fond du Lac; Jamie Droppers of West Bend; Amanda Dylak of Beaver Dam; April Eck of Potosi; Briar Eck of Potosi; Nikki Eiring of Fond du Lac; Melissa Endries of Pipe; Katherine Erickson of Cedarburg; Carissa Ewald of Ripon; Ben Falter of West Bend; Cassie Florine of Hartford; Hunter Godfroy of Oakfield; Holly Hoagland of West Bend; Emma Holland of Waupun; Kelly Jacobs of Fond du Lac; Andrew Keel of Beaver Dam; Aubrey Kerr of West Bend; Maggie Kollmann of Fond du Lac; Caroline Krebs of West Bend; Jamie Nicholas of Waupun; Jared Obendorfer of West Bend; Jennifer Plummer of Sun Prairie; Jonathan Ratzel of Fredonia; Parker Resop of Horicon; Katie Retzlaff of North Lake; Jennifer Roeseler of Fond du Lac; Katrina  Salva of Watertown; Frederick Schellgell of Oshkosh; Amanda Schmidt of Beaver Dam; Julie Schumacher of Fond du Lac; Catherine Seibel of Fond du Lac; Kaitlyn Shallow of Watertown; Katelyn Sharp of Ripon; Natasha Sokoloff of New Holstein; Riley Stegemeyer of Slinger; Jonathan Szczesny of Horicon; Courtney Tennies of Kewaskum;  Alexi Turnage of Fond du Lac; Chelsea Turner of Fond du Lac; Mikayla Van Ooyen of Kewaskum; Christian Walding of Milwaukee; Aubrey Weidemann of Columbus; Kaitlyn Woo of West Bend; Shelby Wulff of Waupun; Tanya Zangl of Fond du Lac.

The students accepted their nursing diplomas at the College’s annual commencement ceremony on May 18. They will continue studying through the early part of the summer in preparation for their National Council Licensure Examination to earn their Registered Nursing License. In 2018, Moraine Park’s nursing pass rates were an impressive 99 percent, and currently, the program ranks in the top 10 for nursing programs in Wisconsin.

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

May 18 was a momentous day for the nearly 350 graduates who participated in Moraine Park Technical College’s commencement ceremony, held at the Fond du Lac High School Field House. In all, the College had nearly 800 graduate candidates eligible to receive their associate of applied science degrees and technical diplomas.

 Rick Parks, CEO of Society Insurance served as the keynote speaker. He encouraged the new graduates to do something worthwhile, work with and for people that had earned their respect, be passionate about what they do, find ways to give back, and always be humble.  

“If you live your life by working with people you respect, doing something worthwhile, and giving back, I can all but guarantee you will be successful,” Parks said. “That may be defined by financial gain and notoriety or perhaps it may simply be the respect offered to those that selflessly do good work. Regardless, you will be successful. When you reach this point, be humble.”

Aurelio Rosas, a three time Moraine Park graduate and current student in the Medical Office Specialist program was the featured student speaker at the event. Through telling his own story, he reminded everyone that it’s never too late to go after your dream career and that education is ageless.

“Your Moraine Park education is one of the best gifts you could have ever given to yourself,” Rosas said. “No matter where you go, or what you do, the knowledge that you have obtained can never be taken from you. After you leave here today, you will officially be a college graduate with a technical diploma or associates degree. You are now more attractive to prospective employers, and in many cases, you will have multiple options for your career path. Your degree is step one on a long career path.”

Dr. James Eden, vice president of Academic Affairs, presided over the presentation of candidates with the conferring of degrees and diplomas done by Moraine Park President Bonnie Baerwald. Brenda Raad, dean of Health and Human Services, and Dr. Fred Rice, dean of Applied Technology and Trades, announced the graduate candidates. From the Moraine Park District Board, Chairperson Mike Staral, Secretary Lowell Prill Employee Member Cindy Fields, Additional Member Cindy Laubenstein, and Elected Official Member Mike Schwab recognized the graduates.

Staral, who welcomed the Class of 2019 and their guests to the ceremony, congratulated the graduates and their families on their accomplishments and encouraged them to keep moving forward.

“This ceremony is symbolic in many ways,” Staral said. “It does mark the fulfillment of your commitment to earn a credential.  It proves that the hard work, perseverance, and dedication has paid off.  It does mean a lot to those who have supported you through this journey.  They’re proud of you, and today is a celebration for them as well.  This ceremony does not end your education.  Moving forward in your career means constant learning and growing.  Work hard, be open, and embrace this!  You’ll be surprised where it will take you!”

 Staral, also a 1978 Moraine Park alumnus, served as the alumni commencement speaker.

 President Baerwald extended her congratulations to the graduates and extended her personal gratitude to the commencement speakers, Moraine Park District Board, Moraine Park faculty and the President’s Cabinet.

Moraine Park Technical College was established in 1912 and is one of 16 technical college districts that make up the Wisconsin Technical College System. With campuses in Beaver Dam, Fond du Lac, and West Bend, the College offers more than 100 associate of applied science degrees, technical diplomas, apprenticeships and certificates delivered in a variety of formats — classroom, online and blended. Training and technical assistance for businesses are also offered.

To learn more about Moraine Park, visit morainepark.edu.

To view more photos from the 2018 Commencement Ceremony, go to facebook.com/moraineparktech.