Chris Rowe, a May 2018 graduate of Moraine Park Technical College, enrolled in the Introduction to Mass Communication course and was not entirely sure what to expect.

The Introduction to Mass Communication course at Moraine Park explores communication in media and media literacy by providing insight into the important issues that confront students as consumers and purveyors of mass media within the workforce and in society. The mass media revolution, including media technologies, the evolution of media content and platforms, including new media, the impact of media communications on business and society as a whole, media bias, and media law and ethics provide the focus for this course.

“I learned that Mass Communication is more complicated than I thought,” said Rowe.  “In an ideal world, mass media companies should strive for excellence, honesty, and the betterment of the people they supply the information to on a daily basis,  however, this is not always the case.”

Students who take this course learn that the freedom we enjoy does not prevent the spread of misinformation.  Different types of media can contradict or leave information out to affect individuals’ beliefs and opinions.

“While taking part in this class, I really enjoyed considering some of the history and evolution of mass media, such as news, music, and film,” said Rowe. “It also was significant to learn about the impact the media has on our society and how we think and feel collectively, as well as individually. The pervasive role that media plays can be not only detrimental but also at times positive. I highly recommend this class with Dr. Rebecca Leichtfuss so that individuals understand the role and influence that media has on our free society.”

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

This year, Moraine Park participated in a study abroad opportunity with other technical colleges to send students to Ireland for 2 weeks.  Our partner college in Ireland is the Waterford Institute of Technology and we work with them to expand students’ knowledge of business and explore issues from a global perspective. During this study abroad course, students participated in classes with Irish instructors and attend business tours while being immersed in another culture.

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The Business Practice Firm class requires students to explore the real business world within a classroom setting.

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A Sneak Preview Event on May 10 for the new Fondy Food Pantry was planned by Moraine Park Technical College students.

Have you ever had a great time planning a party and thought how fun a career in event planning could be? Coupled with the fact that the special events industry is growing at an alarming rate, it seems like a viable career option.

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Moraine Park’s Business Meeting and Event Planning class focuses on coordinating business meetings and planning successful business events. Students develop skills in meeting logistics including scheduling, preparing, organizing, managing and participating in business meetings. Students engage in all aspects of the event management process including goal setting and objectives, establishing event themes, planning event logistics, financial management, promotion and event evaluation.

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Cover courtesy of Agnesian HealthCare as seen in Living in Good Health Magazine, Fall 2015.

Robin Peebles, a graduate of Moraine Park Technical College’s Cosmetology Program, knew it was time for a change. Upon graduation, she looked forward to starting her new career and accepted employment with a small salon in Oshkosh. After gaining experience over the next seven years in different salons, decided renting a booth would be the logical next step but it didn’t take her long to begin thinking about starting her own business.

Becoming an entrepreneur would allow her to create an atmosphere for her clients to “achieve a state of bliss while visiting the salon” and would definitely provide an opportunity to achieve financial success, while becoming more independent.

“I had the skills and ambition to make the dream a reality but soon learned there were things I needed help with. Immediately, I needed help with writing a business plan and spent quite a bit of money hiring someone”. After her initial investment and her business plan in place, Robin opened the doors to Euphoria, Inc. an Aveda concept salon specializing in hair and makeup services.

As she became more invested in her business, Robin soon realized there were additional skills that she would need such as payroll, how to prepare accounting and tax reports, and determining effective marketing strategies. Through a great deal of hard work, Euphoria, Inc. has been a success but Robin cautions those who are thinking of making the leap to entrepreneurship.

“I am happy I made the decision to open my own business; however, it has not been an easy task. Owning a business is more than having the skills associated with the trade. You need to have business skills and constant problem solving to achieve solutions”.

If you are considering your own business, Moraine Park Technical College offers a certificate program and associate degree program to enhance your existing skillset. The programs provide new and existing entrepreneurs hands-on training in the areas of business planning, financing, marketing, customer service, financial management and business communications.

Jeff Stueber, Business Management Instructor at Moraine Park Technical College comments, “An entrepreneur is a doer, not just a dreamer. It takes a lot of hard work and passion. Robin demonstrates that in her pursuit of her salon while voicing some of the obstacles that might get in the way. That is where a class or certificate might come in handy. Entrepreneurs are vital to our economy and they account for 28.8 million businesses in the United States according to the SBA. The interesting part is we still need more. Imagine what our down town districts would look like without small business.”

If you are interested in learning more about the Small Business Entrepreneurship associate degree or Entrepreneurship Certificate, please contact an academic advisor to get started on your new career pathway!

• Julie Bosveld, 920-924-6325 jbosveld@morainepark.edu (Fond du Lac campus)
• Laurie Kuehn, 920-887-4457 lkuehn2@morainepark.edu (Beaver Dam campus)
• Robin Kranz, 262-335-5877 rkranz@morainepark.edu (West Bend Campus)

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

13 students came into the spring 2018 Business Practice Firm class with great ideas and high ambition. This class requires students created a mock company, from the ground up. Everyone had to agree on one product to sell while taking into consideration the demand of their consumers.

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Have you ever wished that you had that extra bag to put your groceries in, beach attire in, or even make up? We have the bag for you!

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

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