Wednesday, Feb 10th the West Bend Student Nursing Association (SNA) group put their books away for an hour or so to be creative and add a little cheer to the residents at Cedar Community in West Bend. 

Using stamps, ink, scissors and colored pencils they created valentine cards for residents.  Some of these cards were attached to personal care items.

  The cards and the small gifts were given to the Cedar Community Activities department and distributed to the to residents. 

For more information, visit morainepark.edu.

Introducing our spring 2021 Student Senate leadership! There is a Student Senate group on each campus- and they provide individualized attention to campus issues and activities. Representatives include at-large members and representatives from each campus club.

Students are welcome and encouraged to join the group- as an added bonus, lunch is provided at the meetings!

Fond du Lac

President

Haley Van Raden of West Bend- IT program

Vice President

Alan Bago of Milwaukee- IT Software program

Secretary

Brent Fassbender of Fredonia- Human Resources program

morainepark.edu/student-life

Congratulations to Barbara Turner, of Beaver Dam, on earning the first Emerging Leader award from the Beaver Dam Chamber of Commerce. This award recognizes a high school or post-secondary student in Beaver Dam who demonstrates strong character, leadership, and community service.
FYI- She served over 200 hours at the Chamber- helping the Executive Directory tremendously during COVID-19!! Barbara was also recognized virtually by Congressman Glenn Grothman.

“Whether at the College or the Chamber, Barbara consistently demonstrates that she is a committed, dependable, hard-working individual with a high degree of integrity. She brings a positive attitude and a natural curiosity to plan, learn and do – no matter what the task or project. She has a tenacious gift to persevere and a real desire to make a difference in this community. Barbara has a proven track record for success and has demonstrated her commitment to lifelong learning and volunteerism,” Bonnie Baerwald, Moraine Park president, said.

Here are the comments shared by the Beaver Dam Chamber of Commerce at the virtual annual meeting:

“Tracy Probst, Executive Director for the Beaver Dam Chamber, started just as COVID-19 was hitting Wisconsin and the safer at home order went into place. The board soon realized we would not be able to have the regular events that help fund the operations of the chamber and unfortunately had to lay off the Chamber assistant indefinitely.

Through a conversation Tracy had with Mary Vogl Rauscher, an instructor at Moraine Park, Barbara Turner, stepped forward and offered to help over the summer. Barbara spent over 200 hours at the Chamber, helping Tracy update records in the database and cover when she needed to be out of the office.

Barbara is currently a full-time student in the Leadership Development program at Moraine Park Technical College. She has received an associate degree in supervisory management and is currently pursuing a second degree in business analytics. Barbara is very involved in her school and community and served as the 2019-20 MPTC District Student Ambassador for the Wisconsin Technical College. As MPTC’s ambassador, she was actively highlighting technical college education through public awareness efforts and legislative advocacy – instilling pride in technical education among students, graduates, and the community.

Barbara is also a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Academic Honor Society, the MPTC student government, and serves as President of the student chapter of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM).
Barbara Turner moved to Beaver Dam from Israel, where she served in the Israeli Army.

She completed 224 hours of service learning from the Beaver Dam Area Chamber of Commerce this summer and has earned the prestigious MPTC President’s Award for Community Impact. It is our understanding that this might be the record in volunteer hours at MPTC.

Barb has inspired our Chamber Board to create the Emerging Leader award, which will recognize high-school or post-secondary students for their volunteer work and leadership at work, school, or a non-profit organization in Beaver Dam.”

We are proud of you, Barbara! Keep up the good work!

Moraine Park Technical College is currently accepting applications for three positions on the Moraine Park Technical College District Board; one employer member, one employee member, and one school district administrator member, with the terms ending June 30, 2024. The application window is from February 5 to February 19.

The Employer Member position must be appointed from those counties of the Moraine Park Technical College District located west of the east shore of Lake Winnebago and the area west of the east boundary of the towns of Fond du Lac and Oakfield in Fond du Lac County and west of the east boundary of the towns of Leroy, Williamstown, Oak Grove, and Lowell in Dodge County. 

The Employee Member position must be appointed from those counties of the Moraine Park Technical College District located east of the east shore of Lake Winnebago and the area east of the east boundary of the towns of Fond du Lac and Oakfield in Fond du Lac County and east of the east boundary of the towns of Leroy, Williamstown, Oak Grove, and Lowell in Dodge County. 

The School District Administrator Member position may be appointed from anywhere within the Moraine Park Technical College District.

Interested individuals can receive application materials from the County Board Chairperson or Clerk of any of the following counties: Calumet, Columbia, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Marquette, Sheboygan, Washington, Waushara, and Winnebago or by contacting Jaclyn Jelinek, Moraine Park Technical College, 235 North National Avenue, P. O. Box 1940, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin 54936-1940, telephone (920) 929-2127, e-mail jjelinek@morainepark.edu. 

Candidates should mail their completed application to Ms. Candy Fields, Secretary, Moraine Park Technical College District Board, 235 North National Avenue, P. O. Box 1940, Fond du Lac, WI 54936-1940. Their submission must include at least two written references supporting their nomination and be received by 4:30 p.m. on February 19, 2021. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Employer and Employee members must be representative of the businesses and industries within the Moraine Park Technical College District.

Applicants are also required to attend the public hearing of the District Board Appointment Committee tentatively scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Monday, March 22, 2021, at Moraine Park Technical College. A legal notice announcing the exact date, time, and location of this meeting will be published sometime during the week of February 22 or March 1, 2021.

For more information on the open positions, please contact Jaclyn Jelinek at (920) 929-2127 or jjelinek@morainepark.edu.

Moraine Park Technical College named over 1,000 students to the Dean’s List for the fall 2020 semester.

To qualify for this distinction, a student must be enrolled in at least six undergraduate-level course credits, earn a minimum grade point average of 3.5, not have a failing or incomplete grade for the semester, and be in good academic standing.

You can view the list here!

Congratulations to all our fall 2020 Dean’s list students- this is a huge accomplishment!

Moraine Park Technical College held its fall 2020 Manufacturing Skills Academy completion ceremony on Wednesday, December 23. A total of nine students finished the program, four from Computer Numerical Control (CNC) and five from Welding.

This program was designed to combat the skilled worker shortage by offering a variety of boot camp sessions. The boot camp sessions are free to participants, teach skills that are unique to a particular pathway, and connect students with area employers. The program also combines a 144-hour paid internship with coursework, including Occupational Math, Print Reading, Team Building, Problem Solving, and program-specific courses. Participating internship sites for this session were FZE Manufacturing Solutions, LLC, Mid States Aluminum Corporation, Ultra Tool & Manufacturing, and Wabash National.

Moraine Park has had over 400 participants in the Welding and CNC boot camp programs since its induction in 2012.

The students who completed the CNC boot camp are Loni Gromacki of Germantown, April Novak of Fond du Lac, Ethan Strebe of Fond du Lac, and Brian Wilson of Fond du Lac.

The students who completed the Welding boot camp are Nathaniel Horner of Beaver Dam, Timothy Lowe of Fond du Lac, Robin Robertson of Colgate, Steven Stathas of Jackson, and Xavier Thomas of Fond du Lac.

This year’s graduation speakers were Timothy Lowe and Ethan Strebe. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the ceremony was open to boot camp students and Moraine Park staff only. The event was live-streamed to allow for family, friends, and employer partners to participate.

Moraine Park’s Skills Academy boot camps are free to participating students, thanks to financial support from community resource partners and the Workforce and Training (WAT) grants.

Registrations for the spring 2021 boot camp program are now being accepted. For more information, visit morainepark.edu/bootcamps.

Did you know that many times, the barrier to education is financial?

A student who wants to earn their GED/HSED diploma can come to Moraine Park for free adult education instruction. However, the testing, required by the state, costs approximately $150.

The instructors in the adult education department wanted to help break this financial barrier. So, they started a scholarship through the Moraine Park Foundation in 2011. This funding helps not only with the testing fees, but students who enroll in a program at Moraine Park can also apply for a $500 scholarship to help with application fees, textbooks, or tuition. To date, 16 of those scholarships have been awarded, and one of the previous recipients recently earned their Master’s Degree!

As you begin to determine your year-end giving, know that a contribution to the Moraine Park Foundations Basic Education Fund could help change the lives of individuals right in your community.

For more information, visit morainepark.edu/foundation.

Hey, 2020 Grads!

We know COVID-19 canceled our celebrations last spring, but we haven’t forgotten about you- and we still need to celebrate your huge academic milestone!

We are beginning to plan our 2021 Commencement Ceremony.

Mark your calendars for May 22, 2021 (time and location TBD).

While many of the details are still in the works- here are a few changes you should know about:

• Guests may not be permitted.
• Tickets will be required.
• Virtual viewing will be available. 

If you are planning to attend, please let us know by filling out the commencement form by January 8, 2021.

Please note: This step is required if you are wanting to participate in the 2021 ceremony.

Class of 2021- no need to fill out this form yet- we will connect with you soon!

Moraine Park Technical College has extended both their public access restrictions and mask-wearing requirements for all campuses- which will remain in effect indefinitely – but, at least through June 30, 2021. The College will remain closed to the general public, and masks will continue to be required on all campuses- even if the statewide mandate ends.

“COVID-19 exposures remain low on our campuses,” Bonnie Baerwald, Moraine Park president, said. “We hope by continuing to limit the number of people on our campuses, we can ensure a successful spring 2021 semester for our students and staff- including the ability to continue in-person classes and hold our annual commencement ceremony.”

As of now, the spring 2021 semester will begin as scheduled on Monday, Jan. 25, and classes will continue to be offered in face-to-face, virtual, and online formats.

Additionally, the College plans to host their 2021 commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 22- if conditions remain as they are or improve. The ceremony will be held outdoors at the Fond du Lac campus, there will be guest limitations to allow for social distancing, and a backup date will be selected in case of inclement weather.

“We are moving forward with our spring semester and planning our 2021 commencement ceremony,” Baerwald said. “While the ceremony will undoubtedly look different, we are confident that we can find a way to celebrate together safely.” 

While the College will continue to remain closed to the public, this will not affect Moraine Park’s classes, events, and activities. College leadership will continue to follow recommendations from local public health departments, as well as the Center for Disease Control (CDC) when making decisions for the spring 2021 semester and beyond. 

For more information, visit morainepark.edu/coronavirus.