“My first thought when I had to take General Education courses was ‘Why do I have to do this?’ I delayed taking General Education courses for as long as I could.  Initially, I would attend the General Education course in the beginning and then end up dropping the course, thinking it was dumb or a waste of time. For a few years, I chose not to finish part of my degree. However, when I decided to return to finish my degree, I still had to complete the General Education courses I never wanted to take before. Enrolling in these courses was the most difficult part of the process since I knew I didn’t want to do them in the first place.  Fortunately, this time proved to be different.

Enjoying General Education courses
Luckily, I have enjoyed my General Education courses more than I anticipated, which helps to keep me motivated to finish the courses I am taking. Keeping everyone’s attention and engaged in the courses is not always easy, especially in the mornings, but one professor I have, Dr. Rebecca Leichtfuss, is good at keeping you engaged and awake. It’s nice walking into a class in the morning and being greeted and being able to have a small conversation to get the day started and to keep everyone engaged and wanting to be there to learn and to participate.  In fact, all of my professors have been helpful and very understanding, especially if any issues would arise.

Advisors help choose courses
I also have had a really positive experience at Moraine Park with my advisor – Robin Kranz – who helped me choose courses that fit my work schedule, which is a big benefit of attending Moraine Park. The class offerings are either online or at multiple campus locations and at different times, which really help me so I can attend all of my classes on time with minimal stress about planning around my work schedule.

Choose Moraine Park
I also appreciate that MPTC is affordable.  I will not have to worry about paying off a mountain of debt.  I would encourage everyone who is considering a college degree to look at choosing Moraine Park.”

Written by:  Thomas Schamberger
Dual Degree Program student for IT-Network Specialist and IT-Technical Support Specialist

For more information on what Moraine Park has to offer, visit www.morainepark.edu 

“If it wasn’t for the General Education courses offered at MPTC, I wouldn’t have gotten out of my bubble or figured out the career path I wanted to take.”
Alyssa Towne, Human Resources Student

“Attending Moraine Park immediately after high school, I chose to only communicate with people that I could relate to at the time.  As I enter my last semester at MPTC, I now have confidence to communicate with not only my classmates and professors, but also key individuals in the workforce, too.  I owe everything to this college when it comes to my selected professional career and gaining confidence in myself.

GENERAL EDUCATION COURSES MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE
General Education courses at MPTC allowed me to step out of my comfort zone by working on projects with individuals in the various courses.  I learned the importance of collaborating with others, and I developed crucial personal and life skills that I need in the workplace. Classes that have been extremely beneficial include Oral and Interpersonal Communication with Bree Hodgen and English Composition with Rob Heyrman. These classes taught me to be comfortable with those around me and created assignments that made me think critically and collaborate with others. I eventually started to like working and communicating with people so much that I changed my major to Human Resources so I can work with others. If it wasn’t for the General Education courses offered at MPTC, I wouldn’t have gotten out of my bubble or figured out the career path I wanted to take.

INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY
In addition, I was able to obtain an internship in my third semester at Moraine Park in the Human Resources Department at Agnesian HealthCare. My General Education courses along with my core classes provided me with the resources to communicate efficiently with others and apply these skills to real-life situations. I am now in my last semester at Moraine Park and am working as a full-time Recruitment Coordinator with Agnesian HealthCare.

THANK YOU FOR THIS EXPERIENCE
If I have one thing to say to my professors and classmates, it would be ‘thank you’.  I’m so glad I was pushed outside of my comfort zone and that I developed important life skills that I can take with me for the rest of my life. This college prepared me for the workforce based on the education I received.  I know I will be successful in many endeavors that I pursue!”

Written by:  Alyssa Towne
Human Resources Program student at MPTC

For more information on what Moraine Park has to offer, visit www.morainepark.edu 

My name is Kaleb Krueger.  I am a student in the Health and Wellness program at MPTC. I have been an active person my whole life by being involved in sports, such as track and cross country throughout middle school and high school, and I weight lift.

I am currently working as a cook at a family restaurant called, “The Little Red Inn”, in St. Lawrence. I have my personal trainer certification, and I plan to keep moving forward to further my knowledge about health and wellness.

When I enrolled at MPTC…

“When I enrolled at Moraine Park Technical College, I was there to simply get my degree and leave. I did not want to learn anything from General Education courses, and I didn’t think they would be beneficial. Courses like Psychology of Human Relations and English Composition didn’t interest me one bit. I did not realize at the time just how important these courses were for achieving my full education potential.”

The first day of class…

“After that first day of class, I began to open my eyes. After just one class with my instructor, Dr. Rebecca Leichtfuss, I realized I had entered a new side of education. The atmosphere, the energy, and the focus were different and new to me. After learning so much in just one class, I decided to give these courses a shot and put in the effort.”

Not like high school…

“These courses changed me. General Education courses in college are so different from those in high school, and two classes were very beneficial to me. In my Psychology of Human Relations course, I learned how to understand all aspects of being human, how to read and understand emotions, how personality traits line up with personality theories, and more about the biology of love. From my English Composition course, I learned how to create writing, how to apply the 4 C’s of writing, and how to produce exceptional writing. This course was the most beneficial to me out of all the General Education courses I took. This course changed the way I write today, and the skills I learned will continue to benefit me in the future.”

It’s up to you…

“General Education courses are immensely important to students. When students think about these courses as requirements, they won’t see the benefits they provide. When students think of these courses as great learning opportunities, they will see how their lives can change. Have an open mind, put in the effort, and trust the process. If you follow these three steps as a student, you will quickly understand why General Education courses are so important. “

Written by:  Kaleb Krueger, Health & Wellness Program student at MPTC

For more information on what Moraine Park has to offer, visit www.morainepark.edu

I toured many different colleges and programs before finally choosing to attend Moraine Park Technical College. I was drawn to the friendly and helpful atmosphere displayed by the recruiters, professors, and advisors of Moraine Park Technical College. Moraine Park has met my needs as a student by being affordable compared to the tuition costs of a two or four year university. With the lower tuition costs, I am able to carry little to no student debt after I graduate. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that after I graduate I won’t be spending years of my career or life paying off huge amounts of student loans.

Another thing about this school that has met my needs as a student is having flexibility. The scheduling with classes and other activities allows for a student to still be able to work or have a family if they choose. While attending Moraine Park, I am still able to maintain my work status, yet can still achieve my academics and met the standards to be on the Dean’s List for many semesters.

Moraine Park truly cares about the student and their success. From day one of walking into class, the professors make every effort to ensure their students are welcomed and getting the best experience possible. I really like the many different resources Moraine Park offers to their students, too. Resources like the Student Success Center, Employment Services, Veteran Services, and Disability Services to name a few are available for the students to better benefit themselves while going through their college process.

Moraine Park Technical College has not only met, but exceeded my expectations for a college. A friendly and helpful atmosphere displayed by all who are involved with this school, has surely helped bring out the positivity and success in myself as a student at Moraine Park! 

Written by Ashlend Steger
Small Business Entrepreneurship student
Moraine Park Technical College 

I am Cristal Gilbertson and a returning adult student to Moraine Park Technical College for the Early Childhood Education Program.  I plan to graduate in May, 2020.  Having worked in the child care field for more than 25 years, I love working with children of all ages.  I really enjoy how this is an ever-changing field with new research about how children learn and grow. I also apply what I learn as I raise my three sons.

Love to learn

I love to learn.  When the state required child care professionals to have more training, I embraced the opportunity. I completed two different credentials offered by MPTC – the Infant and Toddler Credential Certificate and the Early Childhood Preschool Credential Certificate.  Each certificate totaled 12 credits and required a portfolio.  It was worth my hard work because I was able to advance myself in the field and keep myself employable.  MPTC proved to be easy to work with throughout the process, and I had great instructors who wanted to help students.

Enjoying courses

As I am working on my Associate’s Degree, I really benefit from the small classroom sizes and the variety of courses you can take online or in the classroom; however, I prefer classroom courses. I am currently trying a new course format of a Video Conference for the Thinking Critically and Creatively course, which is taught by Dr. Rebecca Leichtfuss.  I am moving out of my comfort zone in this course, and I find it truly interesting. The TED Talks and real life applications in this course are awesome.

Continuing my education

After years of teaching and now that my sons are growing up, I am looking for a career change.  I still love working with children. I applied for Credit for Prior Learning at MPTC and met with an advisor at MPTC to determine how I could complete my Associate’s Degree with the credits I had already earned.  After I earn my Associate’s Degree, I may choose a career in occupational therapy, and MPTC is helping me determine how I can transfer to a 4-year college to earn my  Bachelor’s Degree for this career change.

Written by: Cristal Gilbertson

“I started this college adventure at a more advanced stage in my life than I ever thought I might. I came back to Moraine Park Technical College in search of getting 60 college credits for a promotion at work. I received that promotion, so now that I am into the educational process once again, I am continuing on for myself and finally earning a college degree. As a nontraditional student in the Criminal Justice program, I am looking at the educational process through different eyes than a lot of students. While there are many students in the college setting that are nontraditional, a great deal of them are following a career change and not searching for a degree in the field that they are currently employed in. Moraine Park Technical college has made me feel at ease through this adventure. I have been welcomed into the college atmosphere by staff and students as well.

The Think Critically and Creatively class offered through the college and the instructor Dr. Rebecca Leichtfuss is another area where I feel welcomed in class each week. While over the years working in corrections, and as an EMT/Firefighter I have had to think outside the box.  I never really took into consideration that thinking critically and creatively was a learned process. I always took it as common sense. Dr.  Leichtfuss and the way she has her class designed has taught me that I can still improve daily on the thinking process – that thinking critically and creatively is a growth process that we should strive to improve on throughout our lives regardless of our career status or education.

I am looking to wrap up my degree after the Fall semester of 2019. While it has been a journey, I am glad I undertook the personal challenge of pursuing my degree. Taking the Think Critically and Creatively class is turning out to be an asset. I wish I would have registered for the class a little earlier on in my college career. I am sure that it would have assisted me in juggling work and school with a little less stress and a more open mind. I am appreciative of what Dr. Leichtfuss has taught me, and I can see myself improving in my thinking skills from here on out.”

Written by:  Bruce Harned

“I was a new student at Moraine Park in the Fall of 2018 and eager to begin my criminal justice classes. When I enrolled in the Introduction to Mass Communication course with Dr. Rebecca Leichtfuss, I was very unsure of what to expect, but was hopeful I could somehow relate it to my career.”

“Quickly after starting this class, it was clear that this course could be beneficial for any career field.  The course content focused on a different medium of communication, such as news, films, music, and more, throughout the semester. This course prepared you to think and look ahead to possible media trends in future years.”

“I really wasn’t sure what to expect with this class. For most of my other classes, I had friends who had taken the courses in the past so I knew what to expect. I was the first in my friend group to take the Introduction to Mass Communication course, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The course taught me things about mass media that influences our everyday lives, such as friendships and jobs. In my intended profession, fair media coverage is crucial. Lately, news about police officers has been one-sided at times, so this course really shed a light about the media.”

“No matter the program you are enrolled in, the Introduction to Mass Communication course is essential for a well-rounded education. You need to know how to properly navigate all forms of mass media, as well as decide whether or not to believe the sources. This course helps you be a better informed media consumer.”

Written by: Emma Kuklinski, Criminal Justice Student at MPTC

“As I approached my last semester of the Health and Wellness program, I decided to enroll in the Think Critically and Creatively course. I didn’t think it would be that difficult of a class, but it challenges me in an unexpected way. It’s not your typical classroom set up – group discussions are the norm by talking about what you learned from a video or by using the Elements of Thought model to examine case studies and issues. This class challenges you to really think and use your brain – in a way that, for me, hasn’t been used that way in awhile.

This class will help me become successful in my career because I now have valuable knowledge about how to think critically and solve problems outside the box. When thinking this way, I will be able to come up with new solutions. Thinking critically will be useful in the Health and Wellness field because not everyone is the same so they will need different solutions and ways that they can implement healthy living tips into their daily lives. I have loved this class so far and I think everyone should take it! I’ve learned valuable knowledge from Dr. Rebecca Leichtfuss and also learned more about myself and how to push myself to think differently. “

Written by:  Kelly Prom,
Health & Wellness Program Student

“I graduated from Moraine Park Technical College from the Business Analysis program in May, 2019. I plan to enroll in the Marketing and Social Media Management program at MPTC for the Fall 2019 semester. Having a business background, along with a future in marketing and social media, the importance of mass communication is obvious to me, which is why I took the Introduction to Mass Communication course with Dr. Rebecca Leichtfuss.”

“Mass communication paves the way for various career paths, most specifically, journalism, public relations, event management, advertising, visual communications, and marketing. Mass communication mediums, such as radio, television, newspaper, and social media, represent platforms that individuals in these fields will likely utilize. However, having an understanding of the functions and benefits of mass communication is necessary for success in any career field, because we live in a world that is dominated by mass communication.  It surrounds us.  As new technology and mass media continue to grow and change, professionals in all industries will need to keep up with the rapid changes. Communication skills, such as active listening, verbal communication, and the ability to write well are needed. These skills also provide a strong foundation for potential roles within mass communication fields.”

“I feel that my coursework in mass communications at MPTC, specifically the Introduction to Mass Communication course that I took as an online course, helped to further prepare me for my career in the marketing field. “

Written by: Anjelynn Coyne, MPTC Graduate 2019