The spring/summer 2020 NEXT magazine is filled with student, alumni, and faculty stories.

You view the online magazine here.

Don’t forget to participate in the trivia contest by June 30 for a chance to win some great prizes!

The Moraine Park NEXT magazine is released twice a year. Please send story suggestions to khaensgen2@morainepark.edu.

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

Each year, Moraine Park Technical College recognizes the hard work and academic achievement of students throughout the year, and despite the shortened time on campus, this year had no shortage of exceptional accomplishments.

Congratulations to all of the 2019-20 Student Award winners!

Student Senate leadership recognition included:

Student Government leadership for District Student Government (DSG) and Wisconsin Student Government (WSG) are:

morainepark.edu

Welcome to 2020, the year of the nurse!  Our founding nurse, Florence Nightingale was born on May 12, 1820.  In the 1870’s she wrote her first book profoundly stated it would take 150 years to achieve the type of nursing she was envisioning. How right she was!   Who could have predicted how impactful nurses would be this year, and our MPTC nursing graduates are no exception to this!

Every semester, Moraine Park’s nursing program welcomes approximately 50-60 graduate nurses and this semester is no different. Or rather it is completely different! These graduate nurses have had to adapt to change, demonstrate their integrity and flexibility and rise to the challenge amid adversity.  They have shown the compassion and dedication Florence Nightingale envisioned all those years ago.

The MPTC nursing faculty have also demonstrated these same ideals to ensure the student’s success and learning in their new online learning environment.  This was made easier by our students who have shown the faculty that they are willing to work even harder to earn that success! These graduate nurses have been balancing case studies, online course meetings, and lots of NCLEX practice amidst also homeschooling their children, caring for their family and working on the frontlines. We, as their MPTC nursing faculty have been blown away by the commitment and dedication of these graduates to their education and their future as nurses! To say we are proud of them is an understatement! We know Florence would be as honored as we are to welcome each one of them into the nursing profession!

Thank you students!  It has been an honor to work with you!  Best of luck in your future endeavors!​

Kerry DeGroot, Melissa Rodriquez, and Heidi Martin

MPTC Nursing Program Faculty

Moraine Park Technical College has made the difficult decision to cancel Tech Knowledge College (TKC) 2020, originally scheduled for August 4-6. The COVID-19 situation is still very fluid, and the safety and well being of our entire communities are our top priority throughout this difficult and rapidly changing times.

We appreciate the continued community support around this great summer camp opportunity, and stay tuned for information on TKC 2021.

Sign up for the our newsletter at morainepark.edu/tkc to receive information on TKC 2021 as it develops.

It’s never too late to pursue your passion. Gretchen Rauls, of Fond du Lac, decided in 2018, nearly 22 years after graduating from high school, that it was time she fulfills her career aspirations.

“After high school, I earned a technical diploma at Moraine Park,” she said. “I then started working, got married, and began a family.”

Gretchen found employment that helped to sustain her family, but knew she wanted to have a career she could be passionate about.

“In 2016, I participated in a wellness initiative at my work called Remodel Your Lifestyle,” she said. “It was through that experience I discovered the value of health and that I want to share it with others.”

She enrolled in the Health and Wellness program at Moraine Park in fall 2018. Her decision to enroll in school wasn’t an easy one. It required commitment from her entire family to ensure her success.

“I still had to maintain full-time employment, do my homework and be present for my family,” Gretchen said. “Finding the time and prioritizing can be hard, but I am lucky to have support around me.”

Gretchen’s hard work, dedication, and support from her husband and two teenage daughters were all key factors in her continued success at the College. To date, she is a 4.0 student on the Dean’s List, a member of Phi Theta Kappa, and has never had a late assignment.

Gretchen will graduate in May 2020 with her entire family cheering her on.
“Since day one, I’ve never had any doubts about coming to Moraine Park,” she said. “Going back to school can be hard, but the support from instructors and staff at the College helps to make it manageable.”

Her goal is to own a health and wellness business on her grandmother’s farm in Berlin.

“I look forward to sharing what I’ve learned and finding a passion for the work that I do every day.”

morainepark.edu/ican

As a result of the still-evolving COVID-19 pandemic, Moraine Park Technical College has decided to cancel its 2020 commencement ceremony. 

In early April, following the initial Safer at Home order, the College announced an alternative date for this year’s ceremony with a disclaimer that if social distancing requirements were still in effect, the event would be canceled. Today, the COVID-19 situation remains very fluid, with many unknowns around the reopening of the state, and with the announcement of Gov. Tony Evers extension of the Safer at Home order and his Badger Bounce Back requirements for reopening the state, the College will be unable to hold a large celebration on June 27.

“Moraine Park had the highest hopes to hold a ceremony this year,” Bonnie Baerwald, Moraine Park president, said. “However, the safety of our students, employees, and communities is of the utmost importance to us. With so many unknowns and safety at the forefront, this is just the right thing to do.” 

Baerwald shared a personal announcement with graduates on Wednesday morning that acknowledged their accomplishments, congratulated them on their graduation and detailed how the College plans to help them celebrate from a distance.  

“It is no secret that this historic time has resulted in the loss of many things for many people, but our student’s newly gained college degree is not one of those things,” Baerwald said. “They have worked countless hours and devoted years of their lives to better themselves, and we will still celebrate them.”  

Additionally, Baerwald extended a personal invitation to the graduates to participate in next year’s ceremony, scheduled for May 2021. 

 For Moraine Park’s COVID-19 updates, visit morainepark.edu/coronavirus. 

Emergency funds in the form of a Federal Grant have been provided to MPTC to help students impacted by COVID-19. Specifically, this funding is intended to aid students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus. It should provide direct emergency cash grants to students adversely impacted by the ongoing pandemic with unforeseen educational expenses, including:

• books, e-books or audiobooks
• course-related materials, and
• technology (Keeping in mind that what works today may not work tomorrow, such as a checked-out laptop; borrowed equipment; laptops on the fritz. Cables, the continuing cost of high-speed internet, camera, headset, microphone, mouse, etc. are also additional expenses.)

THIS FUNDING CANNOT BE USED FOR TUITION EXPENSES.

Requirements:

• Applicants must be students currently enrolled at MPTC during the spring, 2020 semester.
• Applicants must be enrolled at Moraine Park in associates or technical degrees. Students who are in a certificate, boot camps, or basic education courses, Economic and Workforce Development, Department of Corrections, dual credit (high school), avocational or non-credit courses do not qualify.
• If you are in an online program and completing all of your program courses online at the start of the spring semester 2020, you are not eligible to apply for funding.
• Applicants need to be financial aid eligible; you do not need to be recipients to receive this funding. This means you should complete a FAFSA to demonstrate your eligibility. Go to studentaid.gov if you have not completed a FAFSA for 2019-20.
• Applicants must complete the application (see link below) including a statement related to how the COVID-19 has been impactful and how this funding will be used to alleviate any financial issues.
• Please apply for your current needs. You may reapply as other needs come about.

Moraine Park wants to make sure that all students who are eligible and need money, receive this support as quickly as possible. You are an important member of our community and this money is to support you!

For complete details and the online application process, go to the website: morainepark.edu/caresfund.

*If your emergency is not related to the COVID-19, please go to MPTC’s Student Emergency Fund application to apply for assistance.

Please contact the Student Financial Services Office with questions about the e-Refund of your credit balance at (920) 924-3124 or sfs@morainepark.edu.

Click here for Community Resources for students during COVID-19.

It’s time to submit your 2020 Census. You can complete your questionnaire online, by phone, or by mail.

What is the Census?

The 2020 Census’ goal is to count every person living in the United States and five U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). The Census, which is done every 10 years, requires every person living within one of these states or territories to respond.

Why is this information important?

“The 2020 Census results will show where communities need new schools, new clinics, new roads, and more services for families, older adults, and children. The results will also help the federal government make decisions on how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding are allocated to more than 100 programs, including Medicaid, Head Start, block grants for community mental health services, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP.”- Information gathered from census.gov.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Wisconsin counties on average stand to lose $22,170 in federal funding over the next decade ($2,217/year) per person not counted. –NCSL utilized data from “Counting for Dollars 2020,” a study published in February 2020 by Andrew Reamer of the George Washington Institute of Public Policy (GWIPP).

How does this impact MPTC?

Moraine Park is a state-funded educational institution. Understanding our general population helps the federal government allocate dollars to support technical education, among other things. Overall, the Census helps determine the needs in every state and community, and helps to define where funding is needed most. As a community partner, we understand that there are needs all around: k-12 schools, healthcare, transportation/roads, and rural / wildlife areas, to name a few. This elevates the importance of 100% timely participation.

How do I respond?

It’s quick and easy! Visit my2020census.gov to learn how to submit your response today. When filling out your census form, be sure to include all family members living in your home.