The Moraine Park Foundation has received an annual scholarship contribution of $700 from their long-time community friend, the Beaver Dam Noon Kiwanis.

“We are so grateful for the continued commitment from the Beaver Dam Noon Kiwanis,” Dana Bourland, director of college advancement at Moraine Park said. “Their loyal and generous contributions benefit many students and have helped make educational dreams become a reality.”

The partnership between the Foundation and Kiwanis dates back more than a decade, providing financial support to students who need it most.

“We understand that a college education can help influence a family-sustaining career and break the cycle of poverty,” Lisa Karst of Beaver Dam Noon Kiwanis said. “For this reason, the Beaver Dam Noon Kiwanis is committed to providing scholarship support to Moraine Park students.”

The Beaver Dam Noon Kiwanis scholarship is offered to students who are enrolled full-time, attend at the Beaver Dam campus and have a minimum GPA of 2.75.

For more information on the Moraine Park Foundation, visit morainepark.edu/foundation.

Moraine Park has been all over the district this summer, from DockSpider games to festivals and fairs. Needless to say, our Maximus knows how to have fun in the sun!

Enjoy the photos below, taken at the Fond du Lac DockSpiders games, Fiesta Latina in Beaver Dam, and the Washington County Fair!

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The Moraine Park Foundation has received support from their community partner, Countryside Auto Group, with a $5,000 donation to benefit the Promise program. Countryside donated $7,500 in 2018, making their total contribution $12,500.

“We are grateful to Keith and Countryside for their generous contribution to the Moraine Park Promise program,” Dana Bourland, director of college advancement at Moraine Park said. “Their gift will give the opportunity of a debt-free education to students in need, and our continued partnership with Countryside will impact students’ lives for generations to come.”

The Promise 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 low-income students. 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.

“At Countryside, we strongly believe in serving our local community,” Keith Ghanian, president at Countryside said. “We are proud to support the Moraine Park Promise program and recognize the power of education to transform the lives of individuals, families, and communities.”

Countryside Auto Group is a Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC dealer located in Beaver Dam, WI. Their strong community connections, family-like atmosphere, and excellent customer services are the core of their business. Each month, Countryside donates proceeds to a different local organization to drive awareness and provide funding for the organizations in the community who are making a difference.

For more information on the Moraine Park Foundation, visit morainepark.edu/foundation.

Did you know that Moraine Park offers free services to the entire community?

• Career assessment
• Basic education instruction
• College entrance exam prep
• Resume help
• Help with college coursework
• GED/HSED courses
• Career center resources/job search
• English Language Learners (ELL) classes

Learn more today at morainepark.edu/student-resources

Do you remember when manufacturing jobs were known as dark and dangerous? Moraine Park’s CNC/Tool and Die instructor, Jim Hokenson, has been working to eliminate that myth. He has a mission not only to train workers for this career field but also to re-educate the community on the realities of the industry.

“The truth is, our local manufacturers have clean factories with state-of-the-art equipment, “Jim said. “They provide a steady career with great benefits and an even better income.”

There’s no denying the importance of manufacturing in our world today, and for those that are gravitating towards this industry, it is all in the numbers.

“There will always be a need for a good tool and die specialist,” Jim said. “Once you have the manufacturing skill sets, you will find that there are jobs available all over Wisconsin.”

Jim has been with the College for 20-years and is also a Moraine Park alumni. During his time, he has worked hard to become established in the community, specifically with educating our youth on the manufacturing career options.

“The earlier we can introduce options, the better,” Jim said. “I think it’s important that we identify and build upon skills.”

His 2019 class has 17 second-year students, all of whom will be graduating with their two-year technical diploma. Most were hired in the industry before graduating and there are many more jobs to fill.

“It seems that we can’t teach them fast enough,” Jim said. “The employers we work with know the value of educating students with the essential real-world skills. We try to work alongside both the companies and students to find a good fit all around. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to teach and influence our local workforce.”

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Moraine Park instructor, Tom Endejan, is busy preparing for the Wisconsin State Fair- known, in part, for their famous cream puffs!

For the last three years, Tom has helped in the Cream Puff Pavilion, utilizing his baking skills to help thousands enjoy this sweet treat.

“The famous recipe was developed by the Wisconsin Baker’s Association. I converted their recipe so that we could use it more effectively and test it when needed,” said Tom.

While he is an active part of the WI State Fair cream puff production, he is quick to clarify the fact that this isn’t a one-person operation.

“I am supervising the early shift that mixes the cream puffs. There are a lot of people involved, and I am just one of many helpers,” he said. “We mixed and baked 7000-8,000 puffs yesterday (July 29). It doesn’t sink in until you are here just how many people it takes to get the puffs made.”

We are proud of Tom for his accomplishments and being a part of this huge Wisconsin event.

morainepark.edu

https://wistatefair.com/fair/

When the need for 9-1-1 services arises, there is no better reassurance than hearing that help is on the way. On average, there are 765,000 medical emergency calls placed annually in the state of Wisconsin. In spring 2019, Greg Mowery, an emergency medical technician (EMT) student at Moraine Park, will be fully trained to help respond to these calls.   

“Helping others is my passion,” Greg said. “I am being trained to respond to emergencies quickly and professionally, and to get the patient the care they need as soon as possible.”

Greg was a fire department employee in the state of Oregon and worked on their emergency medical services (EMS) crew. It was there that he helped to save an 8-year old boy who was severely injured in a climbing accident.

“I’m glad I was there,” he said. “I helped stabilize him and with him rode to the hospital. A year later, I saw him out in the community. He didn’t remember me, but I remembered him. While some of his injuries were life-changing, he was alive and well. That is the best feeling, knowing I had a part in saving his life.”

It’s for this reason that Greg decided to become a licensed EMT in the state of Wisconsin, and upon completion, he will be furthering his education in the paramedic program.

“Moraine Park’s Paramedic program instructors are great,” Greg said. “Drew brings great leadership and innovative ideas, and Andy brings a wealth of experience. Together they make a great team.”

Andy Baus and Drew Novak, paramedic program instructors at the College, both have extensive backgrounds in the field and are working to fill our communities with educated paramedics.

Andy, a resident of West Bend, not only has previous on-the-job and teaching experience, but he also comes from a long line of emergency service professionals. Drew, of Waupun, is quite familiar with Moraine Park, having served as an adjunct faculty for the last five years.

Andy and Drew will be instructing the EMT, paramedic and advanced paramedic technical diploma, and the paramedic associates degree program. These are offered at Moraine Park separately or as an opportunity for career laddering by first taking the EMT program and then utilizing that diploma to advance into the paramedic field.

“For anyone in the emergency services profession, education doesn’t stop at the EMT level,” Drew said. “It’s important to keep learning. There are huge opportunities in the field and now is the time to take advantage of those.”

In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for skilled employees in the paramedic field is expected to grow 15 percent by 2026, much higher than the average growth prediction of 7 percent for all occupations. This jump in growth is a result of an aging workforce and the need to fill the positions with trained and licensed professionals.

“The industry encourages students to pursue the paramedic associate degree program,” Drew said. “This allows the opportunity for an extensive hands-on internship and a chance to build a well-rounded background in the field.”

There are also opportunities to complete a fire certification, opening up even more doors for employment.

“Creating relationships with our communities is very important to us,” Drew said. “Many of our students will become employees of the municipalities and private companies in our district. It benefits everyone to make sure they leave the College skilled, educated, and ready to make a difference.”

As for Greg, he is looking forward to the future and expanding his career options. He will graduate in spring 2019 with his EMT diploma and will become a part-time employee of the North Fond du Lac Fire Department. His goals are to utilize his paramedic degree as an employee of the fire department and hopes to one day have the opportunity to follow in Drew and Andy’s footsteps and become an instructor.

“I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to learn from Drew and Andy at Moraine Park,” Greg said. “As a result, I will get the opportunity to make a difference and help save lives right in my community.”

Congratulations to Moraine Park’s CNC and Electricity students on their accomplishments at the SkillsUSA national competition in Louisville, Kentucky.

• The Automated Manufacturing Technology Team took 4th place.

• The Industrial Electric took 4th place.

• The Constructional Electric took 13th place.

The state of Wisconsin as a whole did exceptionally well. Of the 35 students who competed, 29 of them placed in the top ten and 19 of those were in the top five!

Another successful year, and congrats to Moraine Park’s competing students Zachary Rabideau of Jackson, Jarred Welnak of Germantown, Will Kraus of Jackson, Michael Schaefer of Juneau, and Noah Johannes of Fredonia.

Moraine Park Technical College named nearly 1,100 students to the Dean’s List for the spring 2019 semester. To qualify for the Dean’s List distinction, students must earn a minimum semester grade point average of 3.5, be enrolled in at least six credits of undergraduate-level courses, be in good academic standing and cannot have a failing or incomplete grade for the semester.

Click here to view the list.