David Block has worn many hats here at Moraine Park.  He began working at MPTC in 2011 as an ELL instructor at the Dodge County Jail.  He has taught ELL at the Rosendale Dairy and on the Beaver Dam campus, and he served as the ELL Program Specialist in Fond du Lac.  He is currently our wonderful full-time ELL instructor at the Fond du Lac campus and we are sad to see him retire from his position at the end of the Fall 2021 semester.

When David was younger, he never thought that he would be an English teacher.  According to David, “English was not my favorite subject in school.”  This all changed when he relocated with his family to Peru to do mission work.  There, he served as an administrator and an instructor for a religious organization.  The focus of the mission work was on earthquake relief after an 8.1 Richter scale earthquake caused significant damage to the country in 2007.  He and his young family lived there for 15 years.  His experience moving to Peru with his family has given him great perspective on all the challenges that his students face when moving to a new country.  He appreciates how brave our ELL students are to take on such a big change and to “start a new life where the language and the culture are totally different.”  David “is glad to be a part of their process [to help them] to better integrate into their new ‘home.”’

One of the things that David enjoys most about his job is getting to know his students and learning about their cultures and individual stories. He appreciates being able to connect with so many students from different countries and cultures and to foster friendships amongst his students through English classes.  David has found joy and gratification in “helping students take next steps towards achieving their dreams [and] watching as they stretch their wings and fly.”  And his students are very grateful for the time and support that David has given to them. We asked his students to describe David, and here are some of the words that they used: warm, patient, tolerant, responsible, awesome, and excellent. He must be an excellent language instructor to have taught his students such dynamic vocabulary!

David has been a wonderful leader and mentor to our team of instructors in the Adult Ed. department.  He has been an invaluable asset to Moraine Park Technical College, to his many wonderful students, and to the greater Fond du Lac Community.   We wish him the best in his retirement and throughout the next chapter of his life.

Moraine Park Technical College’s Early Childhood Education and Cosmetology programs collaborated earlier this month, Dec. 7, to learn about hair care techniques for children with ethnic hair.

The Cosmetology students used mannequins with textured hair to teach Early Childhood Education students how to detangle, braid, twist and style the hair with elastics.

“A lot of times when we care for children it involves grooming their hair throughout the day,” Anne Paradies, Early Childhood Education instructor, said. “It’s important that students are prepared to care for all hair types.”

The collaboration was spurred by Early Childhood Education student, Monica Dreifuerst, who works at a childcare center.

“We take the children swimming often, and that requires some hair maintenance afterwards,” Dreifuerst said. “I love doing the kids hair, but I realized quicky I didn’t know the best way to care for textured hair. I never want any of the children to feel left out, so I really wanted to learn.”

This training is the first collaboration between Moraine Park’s Cosmetology and Early Childhood Education programs.

“We hope to continue collaborating on this training with future classes,” Paradies said. “The Cosmetology students are the best resource, and it is a great learning experience for everyone involved.”

Moraine Park’s Early Childhood Education program is a 2-year associate degree program. In class, students learn to care for and educate children while playing a key role in their development. Graduates from the program are prepared to work with children from birth to 8-year age range and are well-prepared for a variety of Early Childhood Education roles. For more information visit morainepark.edu/academics/programs/early-childhood-education/.

Moraine Park Technical College’s Diversity Relations Office is raising funds for the Solutions Center of Fond du Lac by decorating a holiday tree for the Festival of Trees at the Galloway House and Village in Fond du Lac. The event is December 11th and 12th, and all who attend the event can vote for their favorite decorated tree!

The Diversity Relations tree, Merry McSnowflake, is one of over 30 trees decorated for the event. The event showcases local nonprofits that decorated a unique tree for display around the historic village. These decorated trees are listed for silent auction bidding, and funds raised support the nonprofit.

Tree bidding is occurring now through December 16th. Visit the donation website for more information or contact the Galloway House at 920-922-1166 or info@fdlhistory.com.

“Moraine Park’s students and employees are active in the community and dedicated to volunteerism. I am proud to work for a organization that is so involved and to work on a team that rises to the occasion when there is a need or want in the community,” said Leslie Laster, associate director of Diversity Relations.

Many students come to the Student Success Center at MPTC to get help with their course work, but sometimes our programs partner and instructors will go to the students. Two examples are found in the Medical Assistant and Auto programs. Past partnerships have included working with Culinary Arts, CNC, Welding, and CNA classes.

Bob Mengert has assisted in the Auto courses for several years, and is right in the classroom to help students understand the math and reading skills needed to succeed in those programs. Similarly, Jeani Slaymaker works with students in the Medical Assistant program.

Bob holds classes for any auto students who need skill-building, primarily in math and reading skills, and will tailor the lessons to specific needs for that program. He doesn’t just teach general math lessons, but math skills needed when working in the field of Auto Mechanics. Bob also assists in the labs, where instructors in the program make good use of and appreciate his help!

Jeani does similar work with students in the Medical Assistant program, teaching necessary reading and math skills needed for Pharmacology, Human Body, and other courses. She has created hands-on review materials to make the lessons come alive for students, including the “human game board” and Kahoots quizzes. She also meets virtually with students to review instructor lectures and help with students’ notes and comprehension.

Many students have benefited from Jeani’s help. According to MA instructors, Brianna Matheson and Erika Herriges, Jeani “…is an asset to the program.” She “… cares deeply for the students, utilizes creative study techniques.” Brianna adds, “Students who work with Jeani tend to achieve higher test scores and retain knowledge longer than students who don’t.”

The Student Success Center instructors strive to assist students in their college courses. Whether you come to us, or we come to you, our aim is the same – your success!

Moraine Park Respiratory Therapy student, Tammy Wentlandt, was selected to virtually attend the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) House of Delegates conference as Wisconsin’s representative this fall.

Wentlandt is from Jackson, WI, and works as a massage therapist at a physical therapy clinic.

She started at Moraine Park in January 2020 and was encouraged by instructors to become a student member of the AARC for educational opportunities and to get up-to-date industry news.

“The House of Delegates Conference brings together respiratory therapists and students from all around the country,” Wentlandt said. “Basically, it allows the people with boots on the ground to have an open discussion about things they want to change or things they see happening in the field.”

Some of the topics discussed at the 2021 House of Delegates meeting include the deficit of respiratory therapists the field is currently facing and the educational levels currently offered for respiratory therapy.

“I never want to stop learning about respiratory therapy,” Wentlandt said. “I’ve had so many great conversations with people in the field, and I want to continue to ask questions and bring new ideas forward.”

Wentlandt’s current goal is to start working in a hospital and attend more conferences in the future.

“Moraine Park is the foundation for everything I’m working towards,” Wentlandt said. “The door is opening for me, and being able to represent my school at a national conference was very powerful. I encourage anyone who is considering a career change to look into what Moraine Park has to offer.”

Learn more about Moraine Park’s Respiratory Therapy program.

This Fall semester, MPTC Student Community Impact Team partnered with Fond du Lac, Dodge, and Washington County United Ways on an amazing literacy project.

In celebration of Every Child a Reader – Children’s Book Week, 40+ student and staff volunteers at each MPTC campus sorted, stickered, bookmarked, packed and delivered 1,700+ books for rural elementary and middle school children in our district; including Campbellsport, Oakfield, Dodgeland, Hustisford, Jackson, Kewaskum, West Bend and Hartford. Each child received their very own new book focused on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).

FDL Area United Way Director Amber Kilawee said, “The Fond du Lac Area United Way is honored to have the opportunity to work with Moraine Park Technical College students and staff on this wonderful service learning project! Culturally relevant books help to engage all of our readers because they build on the lived experiences of students. We also know that it’s critical for students to have the opportunity to read books focused on DEI because they provide an advantage in terms of academic performance outcomes. According to a 2020 Oakland University study, when students read books with more culturally relevant experiences, they are 16% more likely to make personal connections between the book and their own lives. This is especially important for our outreach into the rural school districts. Thank you MPTC for partnering with United Way!”

“Moraine Park students and employees are committed to helping fulfill community needs, sharing their time and talent, connecting and volunteering to help and improve the communities where we live, work and go to school,” MPTC Communications Manager Kristina Haensgen said. “This United we Read with MPTC project is the perfect way for our community engagement sponsorship dollars to have a great impact for over 1,700 kids across our district!”

“When I contacted my friends at our United Ways this summer to talk about possibilities for a fall community volunteer project, I never imagined what a wonderful idea they would have; and how wide our impact could be!” Student Community Impact Coordinator Anne Lemke said. “Thank you so much for all the collaboration and teamwork to make this great project successful! Also an extra shoutout to 4imprint for their generous donation of bright green MPTC logo gift bags for each book to be delivered in!”

For more information on community engagement at MPTC.

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!”

Spring 2022 registration is open, and now is the time to start fueling your future. For a limited time, Moraine Park is offering an application fee voucher. Now until Dec. 17, you can apply for free when you meet with one of Moraine Park’s recruiters to review your goals, program requirements and create an educational plan.

To receive and use the application fee voucher, individuals should:

1. Explore Moraine Park programs and Spring class offerings.
2. Schedule an appointment with a Moraine Park recruiter for before Dec. 15.
3. Receive the voucher code at the end of the appointment.
4. Apply to Moraine Park using the code by Dec. 17.

Learn more about the fee voucher and recruiting appointments here.

Amanda Kollmorgan, of Fond du Lac, was selected as the 2021-22 Moraine Park Technical College 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 four-year university.

“I began my college journey in 2010, right after my deployment to Iraq,” Kollmorgan 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 into her work life. She graduated with her associate degree in Leadership Development in spring 2021 and is now pursuing her accounting, technical education, and training degrees concurrently.

“All 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 more than 14 years my entire identity has been the Army,” Kollmorgan said. “I love being a soldier, but I was also looking to be part of something more. Moraine Park 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.”

Kollmorgan recently made the decision to end her active-duty service and will remain with the National Guard until her retirement in five years. She made this decision so she could be home with her family and focus on building both her educational and career portfolio. Kollmorgan also accepted an adjunct position with the College’s Economic and Workforce Development department to be a Learning for Independence (LFI) instructor.
 
“I am beyond grateful for all the support I’ve received at the College,” Kollmorgan said. “Specifically, from my instructor, Mary Vogl-Rauscher, who provided continuous guidance and mentorship throughout my career and educational transformations.”

To be eligible for the District Student Ambassador distinction, students must be nominated by a faculty or staff member at the College and give a presentation to a selection committee. 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 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,” Kollmorgan said. “I look forward to advocating for my classmates and sharing the many benefits of Moraine Park and a technical college education.