Believe it or not, graduation is right around the corner!

Do you know someone who is graduation this year?  If so, you can congratulate them by giving them a thoughtful gift.

I’ve made a list below of some great gift ideas for 2021. Also, gifts marked with a ($) are $15 and under and ($$$) are $25-$50.

Happy gifting! 😊

• Bluetooth speaker ($$$)
• Gift card ($ or $$$)
• Candy gift basket ($)
• Basic cookbook ($)
• Mantra Band ($$$)
• Travel passport wallet ($)
• Card games ($$$)
• Planner notepads ($)
• Portable charger ($)
• Personalized cup ($$$)
• World bucket list scratch off ($$$)

Moraine Park Technical College has selected Amanda Kollmorgan, of Fond du Lac, as the 2021-22 District Student Ambassador. 

Kollmorgan, an active-duty communications security manager for the Army, came to Moraine Park to finish the college degree she started at a 4-year university. 

“I began my college journey in 2010, right after my deployment to Iraq,” she said. “I didn’t transition well and felt like another face in the crowd. I was not only looking for a great education but also a personalized experience and a place I belonged. I immediately found that at Moraine Park.” 

Kollmorgan’s role in the army prepared her for the Leadership Development program, and she was able to take her classroom knowledge and implement it in her work life. She will earn her Associate degree in Leadership Development this fall and plans to pursue a degree in Accounting as well. 

“Both of these programs align with my current and future goals,” she said. “In my retirement, I hope to own a bakery. The skills I’m learning in leadership and business will help prepare me for that big-picture goal.” 

Kollmorgan is also active on the Fond du Lac Campus, where she is a member of the Student Government, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Student Veteran Association (SVA), and Phi Theta Kappa. 

“For over 14 years, my entire identity has been the Army,” she said. “I love being a soldier, but I was also looking to be part of something more. Moraine Park has not only made me feel like a welcomed part of their family- but being here has ignited passions and goals that I did not know existed before. I am excited for my future and the opportunities it holds.” 

To be eligible for this distinction, students must be nominated by a faculty or staff member at the College, and then give a presentation to a selection committee. In total, there were three students in the final consideration for this role. 

As the selected 2021-22 District Student Ambassador, Kollmorgan will actively serve as a member of the student government, advocate for Moraine Park and the Wisconsin Technical College System as a whole, assist with College activities and events, and represent the student body within the community. 

“Being named the District Student Ambassador is a huge honor,” she said. “I look forward to advocating for my classmates and sharing the many benefits of Moraine Park and a technical college education.” 

For more information on Moraine Park, visit morainepark.edu.

Who does not LOVE free things- ESPICALLY on your birthday? My favorite 4 letter word is FREE!

My birthday is in a couple of weeks, so I have been busy looking up places that offer a discount/freebie. I have listed them here for you to enjoy as well! Please remember that stores may change or alter their offerings- so it’s best to check with your local store first.

• Goodwill
  • A birthday month discount.
• Applebee’s
  • Member’s of the email club receive free dessert.
• Baskin-Robbins
  • Members of the Birthday Club receive free ice cream.
• Dairy Queen
  • BOGO coupon for signing up for the blizzard fan club.
• Dunkin’ Donuts
  • DD perks members get free drink on their birthday.
• Firehouse Subs
  • Sign up for rewards and receive a free medium sub.
• Jersey’s Mike’s Subs
  • Sign up for email club and get a free birthday sub and drink.
• Noodles & Company
  • Sign up for noodles family and receive a special offer the week before your birthday.

Have you ever wondered if there are apps out there to help college students?

A while back, I investigated a couple that would help my stay organized. These are some that I found:

• Pomodoro timer (work 25 and break for 5 timer)
• Stay focused (blocks time draining websites that distract you)
• Evernote (records notes, lectures, videos, etc.).

I also found apps that list available student discounts.

• Cartwheel (targets mobile app)
• Chegg (help save on textbooks)
• Deal hack (student discounts)
• Fake spot (hides fake reviews)

Feel free to do research on your own, the ones listed above are just what I have found useful!

Happy studying or shopping, which every you decide. 😊

Hello fellow students! 😊

I wanted to let everyone know that on March 8 you will get a survey link from the College in your student email.

This survey contains useful information that will be used to identify the satisfaction of MPTC students, including how helpful MPTC is, the atmosphere, financial aid, etc. This will only take about 10-15 minutes to complete and will greatly benefit everyone.

I encourage you all to take a few minutes and participate. As an FYI- we have 2 weeks to complete the survey, and every student who participates will be given 75 Max Points, and will be entered to win a $25 MPTC bookstore gift card and a 16 GB iPad!!

**Not familiar with Max Points? These are points you earn for being active with the College on MyMPTCstudent and in student life on campus. You can use your Max Points to get prizes such as Amazon gift cards, free food from our MPTC Café, MPTC bookstore gift cards, and much more!

Be sure to watch your email on March 8 and participate in this important survey.

-Haley

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

Hello Moraine Park friends!

Has school been stressing you out? Yea, me too!

When I am stressed, I tend to shut down and find comfort food. Everyone deals with times of stress differently, but I wanted to share some options that have worked for me recently.

• Take a bath with Epsom salt. Don’t have a bathtub? You can sprinkle Epsom salt in the bottom of your shower- it will create a soothing steam!
• Go for a walk. Increasing your endorphins may help you feel less tense and increase your mood overall.
• Play or spend time with your pet. My dog bring my life joy!
• Take a break from what your doing. We all have busy lives and long to-do lists but stepping away for a moment to refuel can be beneficial.
• Make cookies or your treat of choice. Yes, I make cookies when I am stressed. 🙂 The process of making them, and the satisfaction of enjoying one, makes it a great (and delicious) stress relief for me.
• Reach out to family or friends. Let the ones you love help you!

Have a great semester MPTC- hope to see you on campus this semester!

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!