Moraine Park Technical College student Jordyn Schmitt, of Rubicon, found a lasting friendship through her volunteer work at Interfaith Caregivers of Washington County.

Schmitt, a first-year student in the College’s Nursing program, is also part of Moraine Park’s Promise program, an opportunity for debt-free tuition. As part of the program requirements, Schmitt volunteers in her community and selected Interfaith as her service site.

Interfaith Caregivers of Washington County is a community-based nonprofit organization that helps seniors in the county remain independent. Volunteers help with tasks such as transportation and grocery shopping or simply serve as a friendly face checking in from time to time.

“I choose to provide transportation services,” Schmitt said. “I enjoy helping in this way. As a nursing student, I know how essential doctor appointments are and how, at times, transportation is a barrier. I’m glad to help where I can.”

It was through her volunteer work that Schmitt met Carole Banse, of West Bend. Banse is unable to transport herself and relies on the support of Interfaith’s services for her vital doctor appointments.

“I don’t know what I would do without this service. It has really saved me,” Banse said. “It helps my family too. It was hard to always ask them to take me early or pick me up, they have jobs and it is just too much.”

Schmitt and Banse have enjoyed each other’s company so much that they make sure they are paired up in Interfaith’s system.

“Interfaith’s system allows the selection of preferred volunteers and members, and I always select Carole right away,” Schmitt said. “We have great conversations and I enjoy hearing about her life and family. We even found out that we are distantly related! I feel blessed to know her and be part of her life.”

The relationship being cultivated between Schmitt and Banse is exactly what Moraine Park’s student impact initiatives hope to achieve. A seemingly small student contribution within the community that creates a lasting impact.

“Jordyn and I have such good conversations when we get together even with the age difference,” Banse said. “She fits in so beautifully and she doesn’t treat me like an old lady. She is always bubbly and perks me up. I am very thankful.”

The pandemic halted Interfaith’s services for a while, but when they restarted in February 2021, Schmitt and Banse were excited to resume their normal routine.

“I would have never guessed that I would make a lifelong friend through this opportunity,” Schmitt said. “My advice to others is to open yourself up, give it a try and never put an age limitation on friendship.”

Schmitt is expected to graduate in May 2023. She hopes to continue volunteering for Interfaith and driving Banse throughout her schooling.

Read more stories like Jordyn and Carole’s in our Fall 2021 NEXT Magazine.

Are you looking to release your inner lumberjack and benefit Moraine Park students? Then The Ledge Games is just the event for you.

On Saturday, September 25, you’ll see plenty of beards and flannel at this family-friendly competition held at Red Cabin at Green Acres in Eden. One hundred percent of event proceeds support The Ledge Games scholarship, established through the Moraine Park Foundation, which focuses on engineering, manufacturing, and technology programs at Moraine Park.

Wannabe lumberjacks compete in caber toss, hammer toss, archery, keg toss, speed chop and axe throwing.  Competition divisions include men, women and a 55+ age group. Spectators are also welcome to come and cheer on their friends and family members.

The event, co-founded in 2014 by Josh Michels of Fond du Lac and Tyler Oestreich of Eden, has generated over $34,000 in scholarships for aspiring students.

For more information, visit ledgegames.com.

Cortland, a Fond du Lac native, is the first person in his family to pursue a college education. He connected with Moraine Park Technical College after graduating high school, hoping there was a possibility that he could achieve the future he’d always dreamed of.

Cooking has been a passion of Cortland’s since he was young and he discovered he was pretty good at it. Family and friends had encouraged him to develop his talent with a formal education in culinary arts. But was there a way?

Unfortunately, Cortland’s family wasn’t able to contribute to his education financially, and his part-time job didn’t provide enough money to live on while also paying for school. Through the help of his college advisors, Cortland applied for scholarships and received enough support to cover his tuition costs and a portion of his textbooks.

Cortland is now enrolled in the Culinary Arts program at Moraine Park Technical College! His hard work and ambition, combined with scholarship support provided through generous gifts from individuals like you, set him on a path to success.

Cortland fully embraced his college experience and has taken advantage of many student clubs and activities. He was selected to be part of the Campus Compact 2020-21 Newman Civic Fellows cohort, a nationwide one-year experience emphasizing personal, professional and civic growth for students who have demonstrated a capacity for leadership and an investment in solving public problems. Cortland has also made connections in the community through his volunteer service and is growing as a person and a leader.

We are so pleased to tell you that Cortland will be graduating this May and has achieved his educational goals! His next step is to gain valuable work experience and eventually become an executive chef and restaurant owner.

By investing in the success of students like Cortland, you make dreams possible. Cortland has not only flourished, he has set an example for his family and friends that education changes futures, families and communities.

Our campuses are filled with aspiring students just like Cortland. Would you consider giving a gift to help them receive a life-changing education that will impact families and communities for generations to come?

Moraine Park Technical College has named Stephen Peterson, of Fond du Lac, as the 2021 Distinguished Alumnus.

Peterson, a 1969 graduate from Moraine Park’s Mechanical Technology program, spent his entire career working for companies headquartered in Fond du Lac. With his college degree as a foundation, he was able to develop his leadership and technical skills while serving in domestic and international manufacturing positions.

After graduation, Peterson completed an engineering apprenticeship at Giddings & Lewis Machine Tool Co. in Fond du Lac. Throughout his 36-year career, he served in many capacities, eventually becoming the President and CEO in 2000. He retired from Giddings & Lewis in 2005 and joined Mid-States Aluminum Corp. as President and CEO. He retired from Mid-States Aluminum in 2016.

“My time in college offered me the opportunity to mature before entering the workforce,” Peterson said. “In addition to the technical classes I was studying, I was able to develop my interpersonal skills as well as my problem-solving skills in a structured environment.”

Peterson is also well known throughout the community as a generous contributor. Currently, he serves as a board member for Agnesian HealthCare and Mid-States Aluminum Corp., and as the board chairman for Society Insurance. Some of his past service work includes Fond du Lac Area Foundation board member and chairman, Fond du Lac Association of Commerce board member and chairman, Fond du Lac STEM Academy, and STEM Institute board member, and National Exchange Bank & Trust board member, as well as various industry organizations in leadership and support committee activities. Peterson was also the recipient of the 2009 C.L. Greiber Award of Merit for Outstanding Support of Career and Technical Education and was named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation in 2018.

“I am proud to be among the thousands of students who have used MPTC as their first step in the lifelong learning process,” he said. “The education I received opened the door for me to enter into the local workforce and have an interesting and stimulating career at world-class manufacturing companies in my hometown.  I also recognize the responsibility to support this fine institution so that it can continue to provide much-needed technical training to the next generation of workers in our community.”

Peterson’s drive, dedication, and contributions made him an obvious choice for Moraine Park’s 2021 Distinguished Alumnus distinction. He will accept his award at the May 22 commencement ceremony, where he will also serve as the alumni speaker.

For more information on Moraine Park’s Alumni Association, visit morainepark.edu/alumni.

The Moraine Park Foundation has received a donation of $10,000 from Waupun Memorial Hospital, a member of Agnesian HealthCare, to purchase 44 Portable Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Jump Bags. This equipment will be used as an additional learning tool for the College’s Emergency Medical Responder (EMR), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT), and Paramedic program students. 

“COVID-19 had a significant effect on our hands-on classroom time,” Drew Novak, paramedic instructor said. “While we’ve done an excellent job at adapting and finding alternatives, these bags allow students to continue their learning and practice skills outside of the classroom.” 

The EMS bags are designed around the tools and equipment that are needed in the field and are centered on the Wisconsin and National Curriculum’s scope for EMTs. Items include simple airway devices (oral and nasopharyngeal airways), SAM Splint, Blood Pressure Cuff, stethoscope, bandages, cervical collar, gloves, bag valve masks, tourniquet, and an assortment of bandages. The bags are designed to be safe for the student in an unsupervised environment and are a means to continually engage students in learning.  

“The EMS jump bags will allow students to practice their skills remotely,” Novak said. “Additionally, students can record their progress so we can evaluate and follow their learning.” 

This donation will serve the educational needs of approximately 400 students over the next five to ten years and will help to ensure that the local community has a pipeline of skilled emergency care professionals who provide competent, compassionate care to patients. 

“These kits will help our future paramedics and EMTs get the training they’ll need to provide the very best emergency care within our communities,” DeAnn Thurmer, President, Ripon Medical Center/Waupun Memorial Hospital, said. 

Moraine Park Technical College’s Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic program strives to prepare competent entry-level EMT-Paramedics in the cognitive, psychomotor and affective learning domains to perform pre-hospital medical procedures. EMTs respond to emergencies and transport patients to appropriate care facilities while working collaboratively with various healthcare professionals to provide patients with the best care possible. The College is committed to upholding excellence in the standards of healthcare and safety, and this generous gift demonstrates a commitment to educating the next generation of EMS providers.  

“We are grateful to our community partner, Waupun Memorial Hospital, for their continued support of student learning,” Dana Bourland, Moraine Park’s director of college advancement, said. “Their generous donation will help ensure our students have access to robust learning tools- helping to make them ready to serve our communities.” 

For more information, visit morainepark.edu.    

The Moraine Park Foundation has received support from its community partner, Countryside Auto Group, with a $4,100 donation to the Countryside Auto Group Scholarship. Over the past two years, Countryside has donated more than $18,500 to help support the educational goals of Moraine Park students.

“We are grateful to Keith and Countryside Auto for their continued generosity toward Moraine Park students and for being a champion of education,” Dana Bourland, director of college advancement at Moraine Park, said. “Their gift will open the doors of opportunity for aspiring students who want a better life for themselves and their families.”

The Countryside Auto Group scholarship will benefit full-time students enrolled in either marketing or automotive programs at the College. 

“At Countryside, we strongly believe in serving our local community,” Keith Ghanian, president at Countryside said. “We are proud to support Moraine Park students and recognize the power of education to transform the lives of individuals, families and communities.”

Countryside Auto Group is a Chevrolet, Buick and GMC dealer located in Beaver Dam. Their strong community connections, family-like atmosphere, and excellent customer services are the core of their business. Each month, Countryside donates proceeds to a different local organization to drive awareness and provide funding for the organizations in the community who are making a difference.

For more information on the Moraine Park Foundation, visit morainepark.edu/foundation.

Moraine Park Technical College is celebrating its first class of Promise Program graduates who have now completed their college degrees and will begin working in their respective fields. The program offers five consecutive semesters of debt-free college tuition, as well as additional services including mentoring, tutoring, career guidance, financial aid workshops, and counseling to eligible high school seniors. The purpose of the program is to offer the opportunity for a college education to individuals who otherwise couldn’t afford it. It will also help to address the employment gaps across the workforce by supplying businesses with skilled and educated individuals.

The first class of Promise program graduates are Logan Brue of Hubertus, CNC Tool & Die; Taylor Frank of Campbellsport, Graphic Communications; Gabrielle Green of Hartford, Early Childhood Education; Brett Hebert of Rosendale, Criminal Justice; Shayenne Jaffke of Hartford, Criminal Justice; Gavin Lund of Rosendale, Welding (2019 Graduate); Melannie Martinez of Waupun,Criminal Justice; Roberto Mondragon of Ripon, IT Software Developer; LaToya Singleton of Kewaskum, Early Childhood Education; Bethany Thome of Mt. Calvary, Graphic Communications; and Tania Torres of Horicon, Graphic Communications.

“This unique opportunity to earn a college degree without the burden of tuition expenses has helped to set these students up for success,” Bonnie Baerwald, Moraine Park president said. “They have excelled both inside and outside of the classroom, and soon our generous community donors will begin to see the value in their investment as we continue to welcome more graduates, who in turn will help influence and grow our local economy.”

The Promise Program was introduced in 2018 and was funded through the generosity of individuals and community partners. The Moraine Park Promise program donor partners are: Agnesian HealthCare Foundation, Agnesian HealthCare, Allan C. Kieckhafer, Alliance Laundry Systems LLC, Apache Stainless Equipment Corporation, Baker Cheese, Beaver Dam Community Hospitals Foundation, Inc., Beaver Dam Community Hospitals, Inc., Bonnie Baerwald, C.D. Smith Construction, CampusWorks, Capelle Bros. & Diedrich, Inc., Countryside Auto Group, Dana Bourland, Dick and Joan Kleinfeldt, Duane & Kathleen Foulkes Foundation, Excel Engineering, Fox Valley Savings Bank, Horicon Bank, J. F. Ahern Co., James and Catherine Barrett, Jet Stream Car Wash, Jim and Judy Flood, John and Eileen Pfeifer, John and Joan Shanahan, John and Sally St. Peter, Johnson School Bus, Kondex Corporation, Manowske Welding Corporation, Mayville Engineering Company, Inc.(MEC), Mercury Marine, Mike and Nancy Berg (Summit Automotive), Mike Shannon Automotive Foundation, Muthig Industries, Inc., National Exchange Bank Foundation, RAM Tool, Inc., Richard Zieman, Rick and Joni Parks, Rodney and Kim Miller, Russ Darrow Group, Sadoff Family Foundation, Serigraph Inc., Silica For Your Home, Society Insurance Charitable Fund, Steve and Karla Peterson, Sure-Fire, Inc., Ted and Grace Bachhuber Foundation, Inc.,The Grande Foundation, Tobin Machining, Tom and Carrie Kasubaski, Tom and Nan Baumgartner, Tom and Sally Herre, Uecker-Witt Funeral Home, Inc., Van Horn Automotive, West Bend Community Foundation’s Ziegler Family Foundation Fund, and Westbury Bank Charitable Foundation.

In fall 2019, Moraine Park introduced a second debt-free tuition program called Promising Futures. This program was created to benefit adults in Moraine Park’s district who need access to affordable education.

For more information on Moraine Park’s Promise program, visit morainepark.edu/promise.

The Moraine Park Foundation will be able to award 15 students with one-time scholarships thanks to the success of The Ledge Games 2019, which raised $7,500.

This family-friendly competition held in Eden challenges participants in a series of lumberjack activities such as caber toss, hammer toss, archery, keg toss, speed chop, and axe throw. One hundred percent of event proceeds support The Ledge Games scholarship, established through the Moraine Park Foundation, which focuses on engineering, manufacturing, and technology programs at Moraine Park. The event is co-founded by Josh Michels, of Fond du Lac and Tyler Oestreich, of Eden.

“It is an honor to have the support from this popular community event,” Dana Bourland, director of college advancement at Moraine Park said. “Their contributions directly benefit our local manufacturing economy, and our students have a greater opportunity for success thanks to their generosity.”

Students enrolling in engineering, manufacturing, or technology for the 2020-21 school year will be eligible to apply for this scholarship in February 2020. To be considered for a Foundation scholarship, students must have a Moraine Park Technical College cumulative or high school GPA of 2.75 or higher and enroll in a minimum of six credits per semester. For more information, visit morainepark.edu/foundation.