Many thanks to Moraine Park Technical College Academic Honor Society and Phi Theta Kappa students, along with staff, students, and community members at MPTC who donated to this year’s Giving Trees! Items were collected through the month of November and delivered the first week of December.
Giving Tree on Fond du Lac campusMailia Bachleitner (left) delivers to New Beginnings Homeless Shelter.Staff members at Family Promise receive donations.
Pictured: Jody Glindt, Domestic Violence Services Coordinator at Solutions Center of Fond du Lac (Left) with Moraine Park Technical College Honor Society member, Darlene Andersen.
Thanks to Moraine Park Technical College Academic Honor Society and Phi Theta Kappa students along with all the people involved with MPTC who donated! Three area homeless shelters are now better able to provide for their clients. A great job of collecting much-needed supplies, snacks, food, beverage and other items was done! The items were delivered to the Solutions Center of Fond du Lac, the Promise Housing Program of West Bend, and to the New Beginnings Homeless Shelter of Beaver Dam sites, and the centers were so grateful!
Jody Gindt, Domestic Violence Services Coordinator at Solutions Center of Fond du Lac, said, “These items are so needed! The snacks are great ice breakers when we get kids here and are really appreciated by every client all year long. Some of these supplies not only go to service our clients while they’re staying here, but we are also able to send some with clients who are able to eventually relocate. It’s so important to not only be able to help in the immediate, but during the transition period back to independent living, so truly, these things mean so much! Thank you to Moraine Park and the members of the honor society for seeing us, the need, and stepping in to help!”
This year, MPTC Academic Honor Society and Phi Theta Kappa students have decided on a Spring Project to benefit area homeless shelters in their quest to help those in need of services. These shelters are often only thought of by the general population during cold weather, but homelessness sadly knows no season. Help us to provide some critically needed supplies and other items to these facilities so that they can continue to provide shelter and hope for some of our most vulnerable residents in their time of need.
Beginning April 4, we’ll be collecting donations on all three campuses and need YOUR help to make this a success by April 29! The requested needs are small, but the impact of giving will be huge. The donated items we collect will be delivered to the Solutions Center of Fond du Lac, the Promise Housing Program of West Bend, and to the New Beginnings Homeless Shelter of Beaver Dam. Each MPTC location will have a laundry basket for donations placed at the near school entrances, in front of the libraries, and at the cafeterias for a total of nine collection baskets. Whether you donate a few or many items, each will touch a heart in a lasting way! Let’s do this!!
Critical Needs are as follows:
West Bend Area
Beaver Dam Area
Fond du Lac Area
Baby Wipes · Industrial Mop · Black Sharpies markers · Twin-sized bed sheets · Paper Towel
White towels · White washcloths · White bathmats · Plastic storage totes · First aid kits
Coffee (regular) · Laundry Detergent · Garbage Bags · After School Snacks · Bed bug mattress covers – twin size
In addition to Phi Theta Kappa, Moraine Park has a NEW Academic Honor Society. Students who maintain a 3.5 GPA or above after obtaining at least 12 college credits towards an associate degree are invited to join the honor society. Check out our web page for more information on PTK and AHS.
During the month of February, the MPTC Donut Club hosted a “Puppy Love” Pet Food Drive to benefit the Dodge County Humane Society (DCHS). Students and staff at the Beaver Dam campus were invited to donate pet food and other supplies required to operate the DCHS. The drive gathered much-needed supplies to help the DCHS reach its mission of promoting animal welfare by providing care and shelter to animals in need, facilitating adoptions, and educating the public.
On Wednesday, March 9, club members delivered all the donated resources to the DCHS in Juneau. The Club would like to thank all members of the Beaver Dam campus who donated to the drive!
The Donut Club is a community service-based student club on the Beaver Dam campus that all students are invited to join! Contact Advisor Melissa Ewoldt via email at mewoldt@morainepark.edu if you are interested in joining the Donut Club!
Pictured left to right: Diana Garcia Pelayo, Nallely Solis, Guadalupe Ortiz, DCHS Employee Sarah Cundy, Morgan Deils, Ariana Estep, and Kelly DeVries.
The following was written by Brittany Hahn, a Moraine Park Interactive Media Design student who recently attended the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo.
Moraine Park’s Interactive Media Design Club (IMDC) and I, an IMDC member, are extremely thankful that we were able to attend the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) as a club outing. Due to expenses and transportation, I would not have been able to attend without the support of the IMDC. It was very important to all of us that we were able to make it to C2E2, not only because it is fun (It was a blast!) but also because it is a great opportunity to learn, grow, and expand as an individual looking to make a career in the industry.
One of my favorite things to do at C2E2 is visit the vendor hall and artists alley. This isn’t because I love shopping (though I do – and WOW did I find a lot of things to buy), but rather because it is an outstanding opportunity to see other artists’ current work. When viewing the countless pieces of work done by others, we can learn to better differentiate between their various styles, composition structures, and chosen display methods (print, clothing, accessories, etc.) Not only are we learning to deconstruct and recompose their work, but so too are we learning what is popular and selling, which is an important thing to understand in any work line.
Seeing the vendor hall and artists alley is motivational. After leaving the convention, everyone in our club found themselves inspired to get home and get to work on new compositions. As an artist or anyone working within media design, it can sometimes be a struggle to find inspiration or material that piques one’s interest – With that in mind, C2E2 was very refreshing, refilling our hearts and minds with enthusiasm and creativity towards our work!
The vendor hall and artists alley are just two of countless attractions that make C2E2 an academic hit! While C2E2 is filled with attractions that everyone loves, such as the Maid Café, Autograph signings, the gaming hub, and more – There is one thing that everyone comes for, PANELS!
Panels are the core of C2E2, and they are what truly make it a great academic experience. Multiple panels are always running at once, giving a large variety of choices and opportunities to those who attend. As for what the panels feature, the variety is nearly endless!
Some of my favorite panels I noticed that were listed and running were:
Script to Screen/Screen to Script – A panel run by Legendary professionals that teach attendees how to write and polish their scripts, getting them screen-ready – and vice versa!
Kubert School Portfolio reviews – Have your portfolio looked at and critiqued! For those finishing up their degree, this is an awesome opportunity to be accepted to a large art school, or create a solid portfolio for leaving school behind and stepping out into the work field to become hired.
Libraries & Nerds Blerds, Books, and Making Bank – This panel explains how to use your local library to help you host events and promote your product/book/work to ultimately make bank!
Anti-Hero Sip and Sketch – Learn to draw in the style of Anti-Hero with Melissa of Salsa Sharks, picking up a bunch of new techniques while you fill out your now provided sketchbook.
Education in the stacks – A program giving advice in programming, giving 1 on 1 time that allows you to hone ideas for viable programs, connect it to education, find a good space/fit, and find a price range you should be asking for.
Play and Sculpt with Clay – A panel that covers anatomy, color theory, texture, proportion, and composition – Teaching you how to make Character design art with clay!
The list of panels goes on and on. There are panels for learning to write, panels teaching how to draw, program, sculpt, voice act, animate, and even panels that go over what your school and classes should be teaching (That’s right, there are panels designed for teachers and colleges!).
While I was at C2E2, after spending the majority of my time in the vendor hall, I made it to the panel “Passion to Profession – Your skills pay the bills!” The panel was great! It had professionals who went over how to find a career you enjoy by mapping your hobbies and skills, how to get over common job market fears. While I already knew how to turn my hobbies into a career – I found the entire panel very motivational. The panelists really pushed for everyone to stop waiting and perfecting their craft. They each gave personal stories where they took their work and just shoved it into the hands of companies, those of which snatched it up and hired them. They explained that most companies either couldn’t find the best of the best, or they can’t afford it – So even if you think you aren’t the best, they need you. It’s not to say that anyone isn’t less than the best, but rather, they wanted everyone to understand that they were good enough and that they were ready. They continued to offer advice and inspire everyone within the room, allowing for personal questions and sharing advice from seasoned experts in the crowd.
The panel was so motivational, that when I got home, I took images from a local nail parlor (their images looked very bad – dry skin, paint over flesh, just a bad job all over) and I edited them, cleaning them up using things we learned in past classes and online tutorials. I sent the edited versions back to the business and explained what I had done and that I could do more if they would like. Right away, they asked for more/for me to continue doing edits! This was a great way for me to continue building my portfolio, and something I wouldn’t have had the courage to do without attending the panel.
C2E2 is filled with countless opportunities for students and teachers to learn, grow, and expand within their desired field of study/work. I am extremely happy that I went, and I can’t wait to go again in the future. Again, had it not been for the IMDC and Moraine Park Technical College, I would not have been able to go. Not only did they cover the cost of the ticket to attend, but so too did they handle transportation. It was great traveling with like-minded individuals, bonding and having an awesome time at the convention. I am very thankful to have MPTC and the IMDC, as well as our amazing club overseers and teachers Mr. Ward and Mr. Sibilski–they suggested, set up, and attended the trip!
Moraine Park’s West Bend Interactive Media Design (IMD) Club attended the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) in December for students to view and meet artists, attend panels, have fun and learn more about the field.
“Seeing the vendor hall and artists alley was motivational,” Moraine Park IMD student, Brittany Hahn, said. “After leaving the convention, everyone in our club found themselves inspired to get home and get to work on new compositions. As an artist or anyone working within media design, it can sometimes be a struggle to find inspiration or material that piques one’s interest. C2E2 was very refreshing, refilling our hearts and minds with enthusiasm and creativity towards our work.”
The students attended several informational panels surrounding topics such as scriptwriting, portfolio creation, event planning, product promotion, new drawing techniques, programming advice, character designing with clay, career finding, turning hobbies into skills and more.
After attending the convention, Hahn was more motivated than ever to start building her career. When she returned home from C2E2, she took images from a local nail parlor, cleaned them using skills learned in her coursework and sent the images back to the salon. The nail salon immediately asked her to continue doing edits for them.
“This was a great way for me to continue building my portfolio, and something I would not have had the courage to do without attending the convention,” Hahn said. “Had it not been for the IMD Club and Moraine Park, I would not have been able to go. Not only did they cover the cost of the ticket to attend, but also transportation. It was great traveling with like-minded individuals, bonding and having an awesome time at the convention. I am very thankful to have MPTC and the IMD Club, as well as our amazing club overseers and instructors Mr. Ward and Mr. Sibilski.”
Moraine Park’s Interactive Media Design program is a two-year degree program giving students the creative control to produce a variety of unique animations and graphics. Graduates from the program are well-versed in creating animated and live videos, commercials, digital signage and other media for the web. For more information on IMD visit morainepark.edu/academics/programs/interactive-media-design/.
Moraine Park’s Fond du Lac (FDL) Student Senate and participating student clubs collected over 175 gifts for families in need this holiday season through Moraine Park’s new Holiday Helpers program.
The gifts were dropped off by Moraine Park Holiday Helpers on Dec. 16 as part of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Fond du Lac County’s Adopt a Family program. The donation supported 30 children and adults in need from the Fond du Lac area.
Big Brothers Big Sisters assists children with social, emotional and character development through one-to-one mentoring relationships with caring adults. The Adopt a Family program allows people in the community to purchase gifts for families who are unable to do so.
“A very special thank you goes out to Moraine Park Technical College for their support of our Adopt a Family program this year,” executive director for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Fond du Lac County, Tammy Young, said. “Many of our children in the BBBS of Fond du Lac County program would not have presents under the tree if it weren’t for their generosity.”
After Moraine Park’s Holiday Helpers received the families’ wishlists from Big Brothers Big Sisters, each item was written on the back of an ornament and placed on Student Life boards around Moraine Park’s FDL campus. Students, faculty, staff and the public were encouraged to select an ornament, purchase the item, wrap the gift and return it to the Holiday Helpers to be donated.
“I was blown away by the response and generosity by our students, employees, and clubs with this program,” said Moraine Park student involvement specialist, Lucas Nieman. “All the ornaments were selected within two weeks, and the people I was able to meet and speak to about their reasons for giving gave me an even better perspective on the impact we were making in our community. Being a Holiday Helper wasn’t just about purchasing a gift for someone in need, it was about making a difference in the lives of others.”
Moraine Park’s FDL Student Senate organized the Holiday Helpers effort with ten student clubs including IT Club, Criminal Justice Club, Medical Lab Technicians Club, Cosmetology Club, Culinary Arts Club, Emergency Medical Services Club, Civil Engineering Technology Club, Student Nurses Association Club, Society of Manufacturing Engineering Club and Respiratory Therapy Club.
Thanks to Moraine Park Technical College Academic Honor Society, PTK students and the abundant generosity of all the people involved with MPTC who donated, 88 area kids will have warm mittens and gloves this frosty winter season! That is over 40% more donations than last year and really demonstrates what warm hearts can do together. Even some hats were collected this year!
“We have so many kids from the community, and as it gets colder it is just wonderful to have these mittens on hand, or to be able to put out a table with them on it,” Johnsonville Elementary Director for the Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac, Aimee Christenson, said. “That way, kids can just take a pair if they need them without having to ask or feel embarrassed by their need. Our increased ability to provide mittens to all age groups of kids, thanks to the MPTC Honor Society and all of your donors is just so important, and we are so grateful for your help to keep little hands warm!”
Students who maintain a 3.5 GPA or above after obtaining at least 12 college credits are invited to join our local and/or national honor society. Check out our web page for more information on our leadership and community service opportunities.
Last month, instructors and students from the MPTC Criminal Justice Program hosted 5-12 graders and staff from the Boys and Girls Clubs of Fond du Lac for a fun, interactive Dream Big event.
The Dream Big project started in 2017 with Boys and Girls Clubs of Fond du Lac and Tri-County Area teens learning more about the over 100 careers available through MPTC. This is a great community partnership opportunity for Moraine Park students to showcase their careers and make a true community impact and for area teens to get excited about career choices!
Fond du Lac Boys and Girls Club Teen Services Director Dillon Wiese said, “We love Dream Big opportunities for our teens! At Boys and Girls Clubs we work hard to prepare teens with life skills to get ready for the world of work. At this Dream Big Criminal Justice event, our students experienced handcuffing, jail cell searches, and what professional skills it takes to work in a criminal justice career. They also learned about the wide variety of careers within the Criminal Justice field. Our partnership with MPTC is a great way for teens to explore their interests, learn about careers, get ready for college and know they really can achieve their dreams! Thank you MPTC!”
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