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 ($$$)
• World bucket list scratch off ($$$)

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. 😊

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!

Who does not like easy food? During quarantine I did a lot of cooking! But what is better than making that meal in 5-10 minutes? I fell in love with my slow cooker this summer. I made everything I could think of from chicken tacos, BBQ chicken sandwiches, chicken teriyaki, beef roast, and even cinnamon rolls! However, I also found easy recipes to follow that take no longer than 10 minutes. I have them listed and linked below!

Bowtie and broccoli

Zesty Italian Wrap

Breakfast Parfaits

Pizzadillias

Overnight oats

Buffalo chicken wraps

Trust me, WSG is not as scary as it sounds! The basic rundown of the Wisconsin Student Government is as follows:

• All 16 of the Technical colleges meet once a month. Typically these meetings are in person; however, we are currently meeting virtually.
• Each college has two representatives, the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor, who are elected by their college’s student government.
• The Governor is the only one allowed to vote on behalf of their college. They make decisions on topics such as budget, speakers, previous meeting minutes, adjuring for lunch, etc.
• The WSG also has a leadership team that consists of a president, vice-president, secretary, and parliamentarian. These positions are open to any student within the WTCS.

The meetings are very informative, allow the colleges to bounce ideas off each other, and opens up doors to crucial connections.

MPTC students: If you have not considered attending one of the WSG meetings, I highly recommend doing so!

Potential/future students: Participation in the WSG is just one way that MPTC offers opportunities to grow and connect.

Visit https://www.morainepark.edu/experience-mptc/student-life/ to learn more.

Grab your friends, family, and animals WE ARE GOING ON A HIKE! What better way to enjoy much-needed family time or alone time than taking a walk with the beautiful landscapes of Wisconsin following you? Do not worry, I have done the research for the best places to go in fall around all three of the campuses. However, if you have the time to drive all the way up to Devils Lake, which is hands down my favorite hiking spot. I would also recommend going to Lion’s Den Nature Preserve or Harrington Beach State Park! Pike Lake State Park is another popular one. 

Washington County 

• Ridge run park 
• Parnell tower 
• Friends of lac Laurence conservatory  

Dodge County 

• Ledge park 
• Harnischfeger park 
• Horicon Marsh 

Fond du Lac County 

• Hobbs woods 
• Kiekhaefer park 
• Lakeside park 

-Haley VanRaden, Moraine Park District Student Ambassador

Moraine Park Technical College has selected Haley Van Raden, of West Bend, as their 2020-21 District Student Ambassador.

Van Raden, a 2019 graduate from Mayville High School, came to Moraine Park to pursue a degree in Information Technology (IT). As a result of her high academic achievements in high school, she earned a Technical Excellence Scholarship from the State of Wisconsin. She is enrolled in a dual degree program, working toward associate degrees in both IT Web Design and Development and IT Mobile Application Developement.

“My goal is to eventually earn an internship in my field, to gain more knowledge,” Van Raden said. “I hope to one day open up my own business.”

Van Raden is also active on the West Bend Campus, where she is a member of the Student Government and IT Club.

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 six students in the final consideration for this role.

As the selected 2020-2021 District Student Ambassador, Van Raden 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.

“I am honored to be named the District Student Ambassador,” she said. “I look forward to helping students have a voice and continuing to bring positive vibes to campus.”

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

Promoting growth and self-improvement is at the core of Moraine Park’s mission. International student Barbara Turner immediately identified this and set her sights on being a Moraine Park student.

Barbara, a current resident of Beaver Dam, came to the College from Israel. She first toured Moraine Park in the summer of 2015, when she was visiting Wisconsin to explore educational options.

“Obtaining a quality education is one of my top priorities,” Barbara said. “My parents are both highly educated and instilled in me the value of having a degree.”

She is no stranger to hard work. In Israel, she served in the army for two years and then worked in the quality control field. She was exploring local academic resources when she found the opportunity to study internationally.

“Moraine Park was an easy choice for me,” Barbara said. “There are multiple programs to choose from, the location is convenient, and the pricing is extremely reasonable.”

Since arriving in 2016, she hasn’t stopped exploring her opportunities and takes each experience as an invitation to grow and improve. She has benefited from the support of the Student Success Center and Moraine Park counselor, Karla Donahue, who has helped with her transition to life in the United States and at Moraine Park.

Barbara has also made quite an impact on her classmates and instructors at the College.

“It has been fun to watch her advance,” Mary Vogl-Rausher, an instructor at Moraine Park said. “There have been significant challenges she has had to overcome, but she always has a smile on her face. Her warm personality draws others to her.”

For these reasons and more, Barbara was selected as the 2019-20 Moraine Park District Student Ambassador. In this role, she 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.

“It is an extreme honor,” Barbara said. “I look forward to making more connections and networking with my community and peers.”

For more information, visit morainepark.edu.