Amanda Kollmorgan, a Leadership and Organizational Development student, is getting fired up! As a part of her capstone course, Amanda is conducting a service learning project. Service learning takes the learning experience outside of the classroom, connects students to community, and provides a mutually benefit to the student and community through the service. Amanda is applying skills and knowledge acquired through the completion of her program in a project with the Village of St. Cloud Fire Department. She is partnering with local heroes to provide a COVID friendly online auction to help meet department needs.

When asked why she chose a community project, she reflected on her feelings about the community and why giving back was important to her. “I am not from the Fond du Lac area and come from a very small family. When I married my husband, I married into a large Fond du Lac and Holyland family. When I started a job in St Cloud, everyone immediately made me feel like family. The community out there is so warm and friendly. It just really feels like home, even though it’s not. That’s why I chose to support the Fire Department. They are volunteer based and rely completely on the community to run, so what better way to give back to all of those folks who became part of my family than do a fundraiser”.

Amanda is set to finish the associate degree program this semester and reflected on her experience at MPTC. “I truly love how involved in the community it is, the number of resources there are, the ability and support of the staff available, and the quality of teachers. This is my third time attending college, and I regret not having been able to start my journey here. In fact, I love this school so much I signed up for a second degree starting in the fall!”.

Amanda plans to leverage the knowledge, insight, and tools gained from her experience in the program to achieve her short and long-term career goals which include owning her own bakery. She shared that she now has”…a better understanding of how to manage people plus be aware of the laws and regulations that pertain to them. I feel better apt to provide trainings as well as plan and manage projects. For the bakery, I am aware of what will take to plan my project proposal, as well the laws governing recruiting, hiring, and employing personnel”.

The Moraine Park Community extends their appreciation to Amanda to all of her service to community!

Did you know?

*70 percent of cocoa is produced by small holder farmers in West Africa, primarily Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana. Indonesia, Brazil, and Ecuador are also major cocoa-producing countries.

*Cocoa trees take about five years to reach peak production and can continue producing at that level for about ten years.

*Chocolate is made from the seeds of cocoa pods, a tree-grown fruit. After harvesting, the seeds are removed from the pods and processed (fermented, dried, then roasted).

*It takes about 500 cocoa beans to make one pound of chocolate. In an average year, a cocoa tree produces enough fruit to make about two pounds of chocolate.

An estimated two million children work on cocoa farms. Up to 40 percent of these children are not enrolled in school. Many Cocoa farmers are exposed to numerous hazards, including dangerous tools, dust, flames or
smoke, hazardous chemicals, and physically demanding labor. Fair Trade standards prohibit child labor, and community development premiums are often used to improve access to education. Fair Trade standards also prohibit harmful chemicals and provide a framework for environmental sustainability. The Fair Trade minimum price protects farmers against market volatility by ensuring a minimum sale price for their crops.

We love chocolate and other products made with cocoa. It is part of our daily lives. At the same time, many people do not know how tough cocoa farming is, nor do they know the impact of choosing one chocolate bar over another. By choosing chocolate with the Fair Trade logo, you are standing up for the people and places involved in the cocoa industry.  MPTC bookstores carry Divine Chocolate bars. Look for the Fair Trade logo on all chocolate you buy at your grocery store or local market.

Find out more about Fair Trade and MPTC Fair Trade College!

Do you have a great idea for a new product, service, or innovative startup? Show off your entrepreneurial skills at Moraine Park Technical College. Current MPTC students are invited to “Pitch at the Park”.  

Individuals or group entries are eligible. To enter, complete the entry form, submit a summary of your project in 250 words or less along with a video. The video may be up to 90 seconds. A slide deck may be included with your submission. Entries must be received by March 26^th. Entries will be evaluated on content, delivery, visual aids, creativity, and overall persuasion.

Two individuals or teams will be selected and notified by March 30^th. The winning entries will go on to represent Moraine Park Technical College at a regional Pitch event. Small Business/Entrepreneurship Instructor Jeff Stueber will provide coaching sessions to those selected to go on to The NEW (Northeast Wisconsin) Pitch Event. The NEW Pitch Event will be held at Fox Valley Technical College, 1825 N Bluemound Drive in Appleton on April 29^th, from 4-7pm. Participants will compete for cash prizes.

Entry materials are available through the online entry form: MPTC Pitch at the Park Application.

For more information please contact pitchatthepark@morainepark.edu.

Starting Jan. 25, 2021, Federal Student Aid will begin sending emails, SMS, and mobile application push notifications, when applicable, to 2020–21 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®) filers (and parents of dependent 2020–21 FAFSA filers) who have not yet submitted a 2021–22 FAFSA form.

The goal is to remind customers that the 2021–22 FAFSA form is available and should be completed soon for those going to school between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022. Students and parents can complete and submit the 2021–22 FAFSA form electronically on fafsa.gov or via the Apple or Android version of the myStudentAid mobile app using the FAFSA feature.

Eligible students and parents who have a valid email address in the Central Processing System will receive an email sometime between Jan. 25, 2021, and early February. Students and parents may receive different messages based on certain factors. The specific email text is attached to this notice for your reference.

Eligible students and parents who have opted in to receive SMS and mobile app push notifications may receive a notification in addition to an email. SMS notification text and mobile app push notification text are also attached to this notice for your reference.

For more information on financial aid services at Moraine Park, visit morainepark.edu/financial-aid.

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!

Moraine Park Technical College is currently accepting applications for three positions on the Moraine Park Technical College District Board; one employer member, one employee member, and one school district administrator member, with the terms ending June 30, 2024. The application window is from February 5 to February 19.

The Employer Member position must be appointed from those counties of the Moraine Park Technical College District located west of the east shore of Lake Winnebago and the area west of the east boundary of the towns of Fond du Lac and Oakfield in Fond du Lac County and west of the east boundary of the towns of Leroy, Williamstown, Oak Grove, and Lowell in Dodge County. 

The Employee Member position must be appointed from those counties of the Moraine Park Technical College District located east of the east shore of Lake Winnebago and the area east of the east boundary of the towns of Fond du Lac and Oakfield in Fond du Lac County and east of the east boundary of the towns of Leroy, Williamstown, Oak Grove, and Lowell in Dodge County. 

The School District Administrator Member position may be appointed from anywhere within the Moraine Park Technical College District.

Interested individuals can receive application materials from the County Board Chairperson or Clerk of any of the following counties: Calumet, Columbia, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Marquette, Sheboygan, Washington, Waushara, and Winnebago or by contacting Jaclyn Jelinek, Moraine Park Technical College, 235 North National Avenue, P. O. Box 1940, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin 54936-1940, telephone (920) 929-2127, e-mail jjelinek@morainepark.edu. 

Candidates should mail their completed application to Ms. Candy Fields, Secretary, Moraine Park Technical College District Board, 235 North National Avenue, P. O. Box 1940, Fond du Lac, WI 54936-1940. Their submission must include at least two written references supporting their nomination and be received by 4:30 p.m. on February 19, 2021. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Employer and Employee members must be representative of the businesses and industries within the Moraine Park Technical College District.

Applicants are also required to attend the public hearing of the District Board Appointment Committee tentatively scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Monday, March 22, 2021, at Moraine Park Technical College. A legal notice announcing the exact date, time, and location of this meeting will be published sometime during the week of February 22 or March 1, 2021.

For more information on the open positions, please contact Jaclyn Jelinek at (920) 929-2127 or jjelinek@morainepark.edu.

Moraine Park Technical College named over 1,000 students to the Dean’s List for the fall 2020 semester.

To qualify for this distinction, a student must be enrolled in at least six undergraduate-level course credits, earn a minimum grade point average of 3.5, not have a failing or incomplete grade for the semester, and be in good academic standing.

You can view the list here!

Congratulations to all our fall 2020 Dean’s list students- this is a huge accomplishment!