Need a little break from all that studying? Have you heard that stressed is really desserts spelled backwards? Your MPTC Campus Library is the place to get a little relief during this crazy finals time end of the semester! Stop in during regular library hours from May 2 – 20 for a tasty bite of Fair Trade chocolate and grab an Alta Gracia Fair Trade MPTC t-shirt (while supplies last). Our libraries will also have extra resources available for study skills and stress management.

Did you know Moraine Park is a Fair Trade College? Actually we are the very first Fair Trade technical college in the U.S. Way to go MPTC! We are now celebrating 7 years as a Fair Trade College! World Fair Trade Day is May 14. Let’s all celebrate and choose FAIR! You can find Fair Trade coffee and Honest Tea at MPTC cafeterias.

Fair trade supports farmers and artisans in developing countries who are socially and economically marginalized. Fair Trade is about making a tremendous impact on artisan and farmer communities while offering great products to the public all around the world. Fair Trade certification promises quality products, fair pay for producers, environmentally sustainable practices, safe and empowering working conditions, no child labor, no human trafficking and more.

Check out Moraine Park Technical College’s Virtual Assistant program. This is a one-year technical diploma program. The program is online and allows you to complete coursework at your convenience and in the comfort of your own home.

Learn skills in …

• Customer service
• Accounting
• Business communication
• Meeting and event planning
• And more!

Read what graduates have to say …

“This program gave me an overview of the business administration field. I was able to learn about Project Management, Business Media Management, Principles of Accounting, Data Management, and much more. The different skills I learned from the classes are helping me receive interviews at reputable companies.

“I learned what the differences were between being your own boss or working for a company. If you work for yourself, you can have a lot of flexibility with hours and what kind of work you do, but when it comes to tax time, you will need to treat that a bit differently because you will be your own boss. Also, how ethics relates to being your own boss, you have to prove that you are responsible and professional because you may end up working for someone who is going to give you very personal and financial information.”

 “I had several business-related classes that helped me learn many office related tasks as a Virtual Assistant. The document formatting classes helped prepare me to write grammatically correct documents. It is an important skill to have because proofreading reports is a daily task for this type of career. The class Customer Service Essentials has taught me the basics of building and maintaining customer relationships through different scenarios.”

Read more here!

This program is a pathway to the two-year associate degree, Administrative Coordinator program. That means when you complete the Virtual Assistant program you will already have earned 33 credits (the first year) of the the Administrative Coordinator program.

Don’t delay … APPLY TODAY!

Earlier this month, ten Moraine Park students competed in the State SkillsUSA competition. The team swept the podium in the Industrial Wiring competition and placed second in the Electrical Construction Wiring competition.

The Moraine Park students who placed at the competition included Ian Papke, Jakob Jaeger, Bo Jacob, and Zachary Moede. See their placements below.

“The students are chosen to participate in the state competition based on classroom participation, work ethic, attention to detail, and overall consistently performing at an outstanding level,” Moraine Park Electricity Instructor, Mark Wamsley.

Moraine Park student, Ian Papke, placed first in the Industrial Motor Controls competition, securing him a spot at the SkillsUSA National Conference in Atlanta, Georgia this summer.

Electrical Construction Wiring Competition

2nd – Zachary Moede

Industrial Motor Controls Competition

1st – Ian Papke

2nd – Jakob Jaeger

3rd – Bo Jacob

Dear Moraine Park Graduate Candidates,

Your momentous day is fast approaching. Make sure you’re ready for our in-person commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 21 at 10 a.m.  
Things To Do Now:

• If you haven’t already- order your regalia (cap and gown) at https://morainepark.shopoakhalli.com/ by April 30. No late orders will be accepted.
• As a reminder, we have new regalia colors; our cap and gowns are now black.
• Honors cords will be distributed at commencement to students who qualify for the distinction. 
• Invite your family and friends.
• There are no COVID-19 capacity restrictions!
• The event will still be live-streamed at morainepark.edu/commencement.

On Commencement Day:

• Report to the Fond du Lac High School by 9 a.m on May 21.
• Don’t forget your cap and gown!
• Make arrangements for your personal belongings. We will not have access to the staging rooms after the ceremony.
• Share your day on social by using #HomeGrownGrad.

More details can be found online at myMPTC Student.
For questions regarding the 2022 commencement ceremony, contact the Planning Team at mptcgraduation@morainepark.edu. 
We look forward to celebrating together soon.  

Moraine Park Technical College has selected Wesley Kane, of Fond du Lac, as their 2022-23 District Student Ambassador. 

Kane transferred to Moraine Park from the University of Wisconsin System after realizing he desired a more hands-on learning experience. He started Moraine Park’s Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC) program this year and will graduate in 2023. 

“My goal after I graduate is to work for a company that cares about me as a person,” Kane said. “The thing with learning a trade is once you gain the skill, you can do side work. So, I hope to work full-time during the week, do my own work on the side, and eventually open my own business.” 

Kane is active on the West Bend Campus where he is Vice President of Student Senate, a member of District Student Government, and a member of Veterans Club. 

Outside of Moraine Park, he is passionate about giving back to his community. Kane was part of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Fond du Lac County for three years. He joined the Marine Corps Reserves where he helped with military funerals, color guard, events and other community service efforts. 

“I’ve been way more involved here than I would have if I stayed at a bigger university,” he said. “The instructors here are super outgoing and are always reaching out. It feels very student-centric, and the size of the school allows for more face-to-face time and mentoring.” 

To be eligible for the District Student Ambassador 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 2022-23 District Student Ambassador, Kane will actively serve as a member at the College, 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 chosen as Moraine Park’s District Student Ambassador is a great responsibility, and the chance to be a role model is really cool,” Kane said. “I’m excited for the opportunity to network on behalf of Moraine Park and make connections with people and students from other areas.” 

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

Grant Maniér, an artist enrolled in Moraine Park’s Graphic Communications program, is doing a special appearance at Gallery Frame Shop in Fond du Lac, where his art is being displayed this month.

Maniér is originally from Houston, Texas, and moved to Fond du Lac in 2021 after accepting a job at the Treffert Center. He is an artist specializing in the creation of eco-art impressionism.

“An eco-artist is not a normal artist,” Maniér said. “Being an eco-artist is taking recycled materials like paper from magazines, discarded puzzles, old calendars and wallpaper, and turning them into something beautiful. If it is recyclable, I can create eco-art out of it.”

Maniér’s art is being displayed at the Gallery Frame Shop (94 S. Main St., Fond du Lac, WI) for the whole month of April. He will be making a special appearance on April 23 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

To learn more about Grant Maniér and his art, check out his feature in our Spring 2022 Next Magazine.

Moraine Park is a recipient of a $2,500 grant from the United Way of Dodge County to help support Dodge County students experiencing financial emergencies.

“I am grateful for the United Way of Dodge County’s generosity to award MPTC funding to help our Dodge County and Beaver Dam campus students who experience financial hardships. These dollars make an impact and help keep these students enrolled in school during times of need,” Jackie Morgan, Moraine Park’s Student Community, Equity and Engagement Specialist, said.

The grant dollars will support students in the form of gas cards, grocery store cards, and meals from the on-campus food service.

“Working with our campus food service partner is yet another way we can ensure students’ basic needs are met,” Morgan said.

Find more about the United Way of Dodge County and the work they do to improve lives and empower caring.

Moraine Park and Kreilkamp celebrated their first graduating class of truck drivers through the Wisconsin Regional Truck Driving Academy yesterday, April 13 on the West Bend Campus.

The Wisconsin Regional Truck Driving Academy is an eight-week program taught by two Moraine Park instructors. Cohorts run every eight weeks with 12-15 students in each session. After completion, the students are guaranteed full-time employment with Kreilkamp Trucking.

“It took a community to bring this together in less than a year’s time,” JoAnn Hall, Dean of Economic and Workforce Development at Moraine Park, said. “We are very excited to celebrate our inaugural class and the progress these students have made.”

The 12 graduating students (see below) were each presented with their certificates and keys to their trucks. After the completion ceremony, the students drove their convoy of trucks from Moraine Park’s West Bend Campus to Kreilkamp Trucking in Allenton, WI.

“This certificate isn’t just a piece of paper,” Vinice Savage, a Moraine Park Truck Driving Academy student, said. “This is an opportunity–a career. A new door is opening for me. The road may be long and windy, and I’m not sure where I’ll end up, but right now I am proud to say I am a Kreilkamp employee.”

The graduating students were Sarah Boese, John Brown, Jacqueline Fischer, Blake Hahn, Paul Lindl, KaNesha McGee, Bradley Miedke, Chris O’Brien, Bryan Ozuna, Luis Sandoval, Vinice Savage and Shane Werbelow.

Learn more about the Wisconsin Regional Truck Driving Academy.

View more photos at https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzKDos.

Moraine Park Technical College has named Ryan Riley, of Oshkosh, their 2022 Student of the Year. 

Riley, a student in the Electrical Power Distribution program, came back to Moraine Park after completing the Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC)/Tool and Die Technology program in 2009. 

“I really like working in the trades, and after working as a CNC machinist for over 10 years, I wanted a change and more opportunity for my family,” Riley said. “I was always interested in electricity, so I decided to come back to Moraine Park, and I started my program in 2021.” 

Riley will graduate from the EPD program on May 21 and will speak at both the Student Awards Banquet and Moraine Park’s Commencement Ceremony. 

It is because of his dedication, humility and authenticity that Riley earned a nomination for the Student of the Year award. 

“Being nominated for Student of the Year was very unexpected,” he said. “It was not on my radar or anything I was expecting to get. I know there are so many other great students, so it’s really an honor to be chosen.”

Criteria for Student of the Year nominations include demonstrating excellence in and out of the classroom while modeling Moraine Park’s core abilities to communicate clearly, act responsibly, work productively, think critically and creatively, adapt to change, demonstrate integrity, and work cooperatively. There were five candidates this year, all of whom excel both academically and in their service-learning. There are very few student honors that exceed this award at Moraine Park, and to even be nominated is a tremendous accomplishment. Other nominees include Diego Barragan of Sun Prairie, Collin Sauer of Oconomowoc, Mina Vang-Xiong of Fond du Lac, and Haley Van Raden of West Bend.  

Riley will receive his award at the Student Awards Banquet on May 13. 

“I’m hoping to leave a positive message with the other students,” he said. “I’m probably a decade older than anyone in the program, and I want to show them that it’s okay to run your own race. Don’t get caught up in comparing yourself to what everyone else is doing. I’m 32 and just went back to college. It’s okay to not have everything figured out. Just do you.” 

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