For many high school graduates, it’s four-year university or bust. This was the mindset that Moraine Park Technical College nursing student Jonathan Szczesny had as he considered his college career. He had his sights set on a UW System school, but after realizing the opportunities and financial practicality of Moraine Park, his mind was changed.

Enrolling at a technical college meant that he could not only earn his degree faster, but immediately enter the workforce and even work toward other degrees and certifications while working in the field he loves: Nursing.

“I chose to pursue an education in nursing because I believe it is a rewarding career in that I can help maintain a patient’s dignity in their time of need, as well as provide them with the highest quality of care,” Szczesny said. “I also considered that this career choice is in high demand with immense opportunities to grow and explore related disciplines.”

Szczesny recently completed his first core semester on the Dean’s List and is accepted into the nursing program at Moraine Park’s Beaver Dam campus. Following graduation, Szczesny plans to work in the field as an RN, immediately return to school and earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing, and possibly pursue a career with the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps.

Like so many high school students, a trade school education was not on Szczesny’s radar. However, between the cost savings, small class sizes and dedicated staff, he encourages students to consider a technical college.

“A technical college is a great choice for both new high school graduates and working individuals looking to advance themselves in the workforce,” Szczesny said.

With acceptance into the core nursing program under his belt, Szczesny is ready to take on the remainder of his educational career at Moraine Park by storm and urges high school students preparing for college to not immediately discredit a small technical school.

“It is important to give schools like Moraine Park their fair shake and maintain an open mind about the benefits that they have to offer,” he said. “Think of the big picture when choosing a school for post-secondary education… Your schooling is what you make of it. What you put in is what you will get out.”

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

Moraine Park Technical College is introducing a new class to help those interested in learning more about golf. The course, Golf- Putt, Chip, and Drive!, will be offered at Murray Park Elementary School in Ripon and will focus on three fundamental skills; putting, chipping and driving.

The class instructor is Tracy O’Brien, a Ripon local and retired teacher from the Ripon Area School District. O’Brien currently uses his passion for golf by working part-time at Lawsonia in Green Lake and assisting with the Ripon High School golf team.

“My goal is to simplify the game and teach others techniques to help them improve,” O’Brien said. “I want to share my passion for golf with others and partnering with Moraine Park allows me to do that.”

The class is scheduled to run for four weeks, starting Wednesday, June 6, from 5:30 to 7:25 p.m.  Individuals interested in learning more about golf in a laid back, non-golf course setting can register for the summer class #10238 by calling (920) 924-3207 or in person at any of the Moraine Park campus locations. Participants will need to bring their own set of golf clubs.  Another class is scheduled to be offered in early fall of 2018.

For more information on Moraine Park, visit morainepark.edu

What could be more hands-on than students working with local companies to fulfill their needs?

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Moraine Park Technical College’s 2018 Retirement and Service Recognition event on Wednesday, April 11, honored retirees and those who reached service anniversaries during the 2017-18 academic year.

“These individuals have been an essential part in the success of  Moraine Park. They have benefited our organization and the communities that we serve,” said Bonnie Baerwald, president of Moraine Park. “This year we had 97 combined years of service from our retirees and 337 combined years from our staff members that received service recognition awards.”

In all, 8 retirees and 21 staff members were recognized. Retirees included: Chuck Brendel of Sheboygan, associate dean of economic and workforce development; Kenneth Carnahan of Fond du Lac, anatomy and physiology instructor; Lori Erber of Beaver Dam, computer lab software application specialist; Michael Fatla of Plymouth, director of enterprise systems; Sandy Fisher of Fond du Lac, graphic production specialist; Margaret Spieth of West Bend, instructional designer; Fran Stoffel of West Bend, housekeeper; Christine Wagner of Chilton; student support specialist.

Staff members recognized for years of service included Bonnie Baerwald of Fond du Lac, 25 years; Marcia Arndt of Slinger, Lisa Pollard of Fond du Lac, and Edward Meltz of Kewaskum, 20 years.

Moraine Park also recognized 17 employees for service to the College at the 5-, 10-, 15- and 20-year levels.

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

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“Hi, I’m Sarah Ninmer, Marketing instructor here at Moraine Park Technical College. I live in New Holstein with my husband of 17 years. Together we have a 10-year-old son and 20-year-old stepdaughter. We enjoy traveling and like to go to Florida almost yearly. I have a love for donkeys and volunteer at Holyland Donkey Haven located a few miles east of Fond du Lac. I have adopted a donkey named Russell.

I earned my Associate’s in Graphic Communications in 2000 and went on to earn my Bachelor’s from Lakeland University in 2004. I started my career as a Graphic Designer, working on packaging. I grew my skill sets by going back to school and taking digital courses and was promoted to Digital Services Manager. I chose this field because it’s creative, competitive and never the same. You will always be learning new marketing tactics, software systems or strategies.

Prior to coming to Moraine Park, I had been considering teaching. It worked out that I had the exact amount of work experience necessary to be able to effectively teach students about the marketing world. I have now been at Moraine Park for about 1 1/2 years, and it has been rewarding. The students have been so much fun to interact with and the best experience has been to see my students grow their skill sets. Many of them have marketing internships or part-time jobs already. It’s exciting to hear them talk about implementing what they have learned in the classroom to the real world.

My advice to those considering a marketing career? Every organization is in need of a marketing department and marketing is a vital part of business success. There are a lot of opportunities for job placement and growth within an organization. Marketing and Social Media Management requires creativity and the ability to adapt to new technology and embrace change, which makes this career exciting and never dull.”

For more information on Moraine Park’s marketing programs, visit morainepark.edu.

The Firefighter II Certification class participated in training as part of their program. The class was hosted by the Allenton Fire Department. Students in the class are from local fire departments such as; Allenton, Mayville, Neosho, North Fond du Lac, Town of Fond du Lac, Boltonville, and Random Lake.

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Moraine Park staff, faculty and board members; as well as representatives and city officials from Washington County and the City of West Bend, gathered on Monday, April 16 to honor Mike Miller for his many years of service to the College and West Bend community.

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Moraine Park Technical College is offering its 13th Annual Toolin’ It!, a Nuts, Bolts, & Thingamajigs manufacturing summer camp at the West Bend campus June 11-15.

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