The Moraine Park Technical College District Board voted to approve the final ballot language Wednesday, allowing the College to move forward with a $55 million referendum in the November election. 

The referendum would allow Moraine Park to borrow funds to update and expand Moraine Park facilities to meet the needs of business and industry in the region through four major projects between 2022 and 2025. 

• Advanced Manufacturing and Trades – Fond du Lac County – Enhancement 
• Manufacturing, Automation and Robotics Lab – Washington County – Expansion 
• Fire Training Facility – Location TBD – New Construction 
• Health and Human Services Facility – Fond du Lac County – Enhancement 

“Education is the key to economic growth in any community,” Bonnie Baerwald, Moraine Park president, said. “Workforce growth is what will change our community, and as a technical college, we are the change agents. This referendum is vital to making change and growth happen at a time when technology and automation are influencing industry so rapidly.”  

Moraine Park intends to update and expand facilities to: 

• Respond to the growing workforce shortages.  
• Accommodate evolving industry expectations.  

• Address evolving technology, including in the areas of automation and robotics.  
• Provide greater access to all district communities.  
• Align with community expectations and workforce training requirements.  
• Prepare students and workforces of the future.  

The funding request by MPTC is spread out across the four major district counties, making the financial impact per taxpayer minimal; the adjustments are not permanent, making the impact a temporary adjustment for taxpayers. Under the proposed $55 million facilities enhancement plan, annual property taxes would increase by .21 cents per $1,000 of property value or $21 per $100,000 of property value ($1.75 per month) for no more than 20 years.  

“We need to invest in this kind of growth either way,” Jim Eden, Moraine Park vice president of teaching and learning, said. “If a referendum passes, we will accelerate Moraine Park’s ability to grow by about 15 years. If it does not, it will take the College 15 years to catch up.”  

Under state law, technical colleges must hold referendums before completing capital projects with a cost of more than $1.5 million. The referendum must earn a majority vote across all four major district counties, which include Dodge, Fond du Lac, Green Lake and Washington. 

For more information on this project, visit morainepark.edu/future. 

Moraine Park Community,  

The prevalence of cyberattacks has been heavy in the news, and at Moraine Park we want to take all necessary steps to ensure your data is protected.  

Earlier this year, we recommended all students and employees set up Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) to access the College computer systems and networks. MFA is an additional layer of security that makes it harder for hackers to log in to your account. With MFA, you will use something you know (your password) with something you have (your phone) to confirm your identity when signing in.  

Starting June 20, MFA will be required for everyone accessing Moraine Park online systems; this includes Canvas and the Microsoft online environment. Faculty will need to establish MFA in both the staff and student environments.   

It is strongly recommended that you set up MFA now to avoid any interruption in access. A step-by-step guide has been prepared to assist you. You can view the guide here.  

If you encounter any issues or questions during the setup, contact the Help Desk by phone at 1-877-230-3509 or email at AskIT@morainepark.edu. 

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 can now offer Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Sciences (AS) liberal arts degrees, as part of a historic decision made by the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents today.

The new Liberal Arts program approval today has been long desired by Moraine Park and other technical colleges in the Wisconsin Tech College System (WTCS), as it offers a clearer pathway for those with associate degrees to seamlessly continue their education at a four-year partner institution with a confirmed junior status.

“By starting an education at Moraine Park, students can get their general studies completed for a fraction of the cost, with smaller class sizes, extensive student support, and guaranteed transfer credits to one of our partner schools,” Dr. Fred Rice, associate vice president of academics at Moraine Park, said. “The College currently offers a wide variety of other Associate of Applied Sciences (AAS) degrees, Technical Diplomas and certificate opportunities. Adding the liberal arts degree programs will offer a more robust slate of offerings to Moraine Park students and will help guide students who are still undecided on their program of study to simply achieve an associate degree without a specified area of focus.”

Moraine Park is finalizing their agreement with Lakeland University and is working with regional University of Wisconsin institutions within the Northeast Wisconsin Educational Resource Alliance (NEWERA) on pre-major pathway agreements. College leaders will continue to add partnerships with other local universities, giving district students more options and control when it comes to their education and making the future transfer process easier and more streamlined.

“Congratulations to Moraine Park Technical College and their stakeholders who supported this effort,” Dr. Morna K. Foy, WTCS president, said. “In response to the needs of local employers, K-12 partners, and economic and workforce development organizations, Moraine Park will provide expanded educational opportunities for students in their communities.”

The College will offer AA and AS liberal arts degrees beginning this fall. Students who elect to pursue an associate degree at Moraine Park as the first step of their education will save thousands annually compared to a private or public 4-year college.

Individuals interested in exploring this opportunity at Moraine Park are encouraged to start conversations early by connecting with admissions@morainepark.edu.

Moraine Park Technical College will survey a random sampling of homes in the district starting April 8. The goal of the survey is to help the College obtain input on future business and industry needs within the district, and the growth and improvements that are required to help meet those needs.

The Moraine Park district includes Dodge, Fond du Lac, Green Lake and Washington counties, and small portions of surrounding counties. The College, with campus locations in Beaver Dam, Fond du Lac, and West Bend, plays a critical role in training more than 12,000 students each year for industry-critical jobs. Moraine Park students pursue degrees in many high-demand areas, including information technology, cybersecurity, accounting, nursing, respiratory therapy, advanced manufacturing, and website and graphic design.

“Our focus will always be on educating our students. However, we also need to develop a plan to update our programs and facilities to continue to fuel the growing business and industry sector,” Bonnie Baerwald, Moraine Park president, said. “Our programs are dependent on our facilities to offer hands-on training and real-world learning opportunities. To help in our planning, we formed the Capital Expansion Visioning Team and developed a survey to gather the input from our communities; their feedback and support are vital to the success of this future planning.”

Those who are randomly selected should reply by April 25.

Final survey results will be reported at Moraine Park Technical College board meeting on May 18.

For more information, visit morainepark.edu/future.

For questions on the survey, call 920-929-2127.

Donut Feel Good to Help Others!?

During the month of February, the MPTC Donut Club hosted a “Puppy Love” Pet Food Drive to benefit the Dodge County Humane Society (DCHS). Students and staff at the Beaver Dam campus were invited to donate pet food and other supplies required to operate the DCHS. The drive gathered much-needed supplies to help the DCHS reach its mission of promoting animal welfare by providing care and shelter to animals in need, facilitating adoptions, and educating the public.

On Wednesday, March 9, club members delivered all the donated resources to the DCHS in Juneau.  The Club would like to thank all members of the Beaver Dam campus who donated to the drive!

The Donut Club is a community service-based student club on the Beaver Dam campus that all students are invited to join!  Contact Advisor Melissa Ewoldt via email at mewoldt@morainepark.edu if you are interested in joining the Donut Club! 

Pictured left to right: Diana Garcia Pelayo, Nallely Solis, Guadalupe Ortiz, DCHS Employee Sarah Cundy, Morgan Deils, Ariana Estep, and Kelly DeVries.

Written by Kim Mueller and Sheena Hoekstra

It’s a boy! No, it’s a girl! No, it’s both!

Since early February, eleven simulation babies were born at the Beaver Dam simulation center. The first five were high-risk pregnancies, training 4th-semester nursing students on how to manage pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes during labor and delivery. The remaining six were normal pregnancies that helped train 2nd-semester nursing students on the basics of labor and delivery with a healthy mom and baby. These simulations were also facilitated at the West Bend simulation center for nursing students, delivering six simulation babies. Students from both Beaver Dam and Fond du Lac attended the simulations in Beaver Dam to reinforce theory content in Complex Health Alterations 2 and Nursing Health Promotions.

Faculty used the Sim Mom mannequin and other models to teach assessment and intervention skills like determining cervical dilation and completing fundal massage.

Some of the feedback students give about how simulation helps their learning includes helping put all the pieces together, being a low-stress environment to learn and feel safe to make mistakes, as well as being able to conceptualize information that they previously were confused about. Hands-on learning really makes a difference in their nursing education.

Moraine Park Technical College has distributed over $8,000 in its third round Non-Traditional Occupations (NTO) grants. Last spring, the College started this initiative to benefit high school classrooms and encourage students to explore non-traditional career options. Non-traditional occupations are defined as careers that currently employ 25% or less of one gender. 

High schools within Moraine Park’s district are eligible to participate in the grant program. Currently, partnerships are being formed to help influence the NTO exploration of skilled trade, health care, and early childhood occupations. 

“It’s important to us that we introduce high school students to careers early on,” Ruback said. “There is such a high need for skilled workers, and our goal is to help fill the gaps in our local industries. Students who have the opportunity to take college credit classes in high school benefit in many ways; it’s more cost-effective, and they help develop life skills to be more self-sufficient and well-rounded adults.”

The fall 2021 grant cycle awarded West Bend District High Schools with funding used to purchase a shaken baby simulator, welding materials and nursing assistant materials; Waupun High School with medical and anatomy equipment; Fond du Lac High School with equipment for criminal justice and automotive training; Slinger High School with nursing assistant equipment, North Fond du Lac with a shaken baby simulator; and, Campbellsport High School with nursing assistant equipment.

“This has been such a powerful opportunity for us because we can help benefit the career path of our students before they are in college,” Ruback said. “The NTO grant money is awarded directly into the teacher’s classrooms and provides reimbursement toward the purchase of materials, supplies, textbooks, software applications, or equipment to enhance the dual credit learning environments.”

Moraine Park’s district schools interested in exploring dual credit options should connect with the K-12 Department at k12@morainepark.edu. 

Moraine Park Technical College is currently accepting applications for five positions on the Moraine Park Technical College District Board; one Employer Member, two Additional Members, and two Employee Members. Terms of the Employer, one of the Additional Member positions, and one of the Employee Member positions will be for three years, expiring June 30, 2025. The term of the second Employee Member position will be for the remainder of the unexpired term ending on June 30, 2024. The term of the second Additional Member position will be for the remainder of the unexpired term ending on June 30, 2023. The application window is from February 18 to March 4. 

The Employer Member position must be appointed from those counties of the 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 first Employee Member position must be appointed from those counties of the 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 second Employee Member position must be appointed from those counties of the 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 first Additional Member position must be appointed from those counties of the 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 second Additional Member position may be appointed from anywhere within the district. 

For more information on the open positions, contact Jaclyn Jelinek, Executive Assistant, 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. 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. 

Candidates should mail their completed application to Mr. Tom Hopp, Vice Chairperson, 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 March 4, 2022. 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 28, 2022, 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 March 7 or March 14, 2022.