On Wednesday, August 25, six MPTC Cosmetology students and their Instructor Eileen Bouchard, travelled to the Washington County West Bend Boys and Girls Club Back to School Event. MPTC Students gave 22 kids a back to school haircut, helping them all feel extra beautiful and confident for heading off to elementary or middle school this fall.

“What a great hands-on service learning experience for our students,” said MPTC Instructor Eileen Bouchard. “This event helped our students connect with parents and kids of many ethnicities, ages and haircut styles; plus learn about the mission of the Boys and Girls Club and the back-to-school needs of over 200 families in our community.”

Max Roy, Director of Operations for Boys and Girls Club of Washington County, said, “It was great to meet you all in person today. I am so glad we got connected on your student Cosmetology volunteers as another community partner Back to School resource for our kids! Thank you so much for all the haircuts today and we look forward to continuing working with MPTC.”

For more information on service learning at MPTC.

Moraine Park Technical College encourages service learning experiences for students. The Marketing and Social Media Management program students attending the Advertising and Social Media Campaigns spring 2021 course were able to gain this experience working with local nonprofit partner organizations. Students attended this course entirely online and were divided into two groups. The 2 groups worked closely together acting as an advertising agency for the entire semester.

The newly created student agency sought out area nonprofit organizations, communicated with them to determine current and future needs, and developed an advertising/social media campaign plan for each organization. The two organizations selected were Kohler Credit Union, Kohler, WI and The Gathering Source, Juneau, WI.

“Students in both groups worked extremely well together all semester. They problem-solved and created ways to communicate and collaborate entirely online using Zoom, OneDrive, Canvas Group Chat, Canva and Google Docs, ” said Sarah Ninmer, Marketing and Social Media Management Instructor.

The students wrote reflections at the end of the semester documenting their experiences. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive and students truly appreciated the “real world, hands on” education and connections they made with the nonprofit organizations. Below are a few student quotes:

“I have worked within a team this entire semester for my Advertising and Social Media course at Moraine Park Technical College. We’ve completed several assignments such as a ‘Situational Analysis’ and a ‘Creative Plan’. After completing all of these tasks, we have officially created a comprehensive marketing guide for Kohler Credit Union in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Our team, “Connect Together” worked very hard to analyze, evaluate, design, and so much more for the company. We learned how to communicate effectively, work together, create documents, give professional feedback, etc. We have learned so much!”

Olivia Anderson, Marketing and Social Media Management Program Graduate

“This was essentially exactly what my future job could be, it taught me how hard it is to look at everything from every single angle to try and find the best way to do something. It also made me feel amazing to help this wonderful cause be even better and reach more people. I feel that we worked together amazingly to help The Gathering Source expand and open to new opportunities. I feel this project has helped everyone involved greatly. I learned a ton about helping businesses, how to work with a team and collaborate actively with others for more than just a paper. These are amazing skills to learn in order to work more effectively and positively in the future.”

Emily Poellinger, Marketing and Social Media Management Program Student

“Other than working on creating an advertising plan for a non-profit organization, during this semester I learned how to work in a team and compromise to come together with one campaign plan. It was interesting learning how to work in a group and coordinate a schedule that worked among all my team members. It was great experience to work with a team and learn how compromise all of our team member’s opinions into one joint plan that worked for our client. I think this semester was a great way to learn how to work as a team and gain skills for future career opportunities.”

Peyton Wolter, Marketing and Social Media Management Program Student

“Working on this social media marketing plan for Kohler Credit Union was a great chance to get some really good experience starting a plan from the beginning to end and also knowing what it is like to work on a project like this in a group. Since all of us are online we had to communicate through a group chat on Canvas but we really did not have any problems with that. There were a lot of different aspects of this assignment and even though we were in a group I was able to do a little bit of everything.”

Jake Antonioni, Marketing and Social Media Management Program Graduate

For more info on service learning opportunities at MPTC

This summer, teens from the Fond du Lac, Tri-County, and Jackson Boys and Girls Clubs will be learning about various careers through the MPTC Dream Big community service project.

The Dream Big project started in 2017 with  area BGC teens visiting MPTC or MPTC students visiting the Clubs each semester to help teens learn more about the over 100 careers available through MPTC. This past year, due to COVID, no visiting was possible. The MPTC Student Community Impact Team, in partnership with faculty leaders, came up with a plan to offer summer career exploration of welding, blueprint reading, cosmetology, and culinary through interactive videos with fun hands on activities.

Dream Big is a great community partnership opportunity to showcase MPTC careers and for area teens to get excited about career choices! Tri-County Boys and Girls Club Director of Operations Mindy Collado said, “We are so excited for these Dream Big opportunities! Thanks for stopping in today and delivering all the goodies. The teens already had a lot of fun and I am sure we will get good use out of the careers materials all throughout this summer! Thank you MPTC!”

Thanks to MPTC Beta Mu Kappa Academic Honor Society students, 55 area kids will have warm winter mittens this winter season. Students hosted a Mitten Tree drive at all 3 campuses over the past month, and delivered the donated mittens to Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac and Boys & Girls Club of Washington County Jackson site this past week.

Karissa Schneider, Operations Director at Fond du Lac Club said, “We are so thankful for our partnerships with Moraine Park Technical College and this is no different!  Thank you to Phi Theta Kappa for holding a mitten drive to help keep our members hands cozy and warm.”  

Beta Mu Kappa is our local MPTC chapter for the international Phi Theta Kappa Academic Honor Society. Students who maintain a 3.5 GPA or above after obtaining at least 12 college credits are invited to join the honor society. Check out our web page for more information on PTK plus our leadership and community service opportunities.

Way to go Amanda Leslie! For her Leadership Development Capstone service learning project, Amanda put together a virtual pet show fundraiser to support the FDL Humane Society and was able to raise $725! “Join me to support a good cause and possibly win a prize without ever having to leave the house! Donate $5 or more and message me a photo of your pet to enter into our virtual pet show and help raise money for FDL Humane Society Inc. Your contribution will make an impact, whether you donate $5 or $500. Every little bit helps. Winners of the pet show were announced on October 25th, 2020 on a virtual event! Thank you for your support!

Amanda’s instructor, Mary Vogl-Rauscher said, “Very Impressive Amanda!! You are a Rock Star!!” Associate Dean of Business, Bobbi Fields, said, “Amanda – I want to congratulate you on the success of your project and to thank you for your contributions to the community. I am very supportive of service learning and greatly enjoy hearing stories of how students effectively leverage the projects to enhance their education and their community. Undoubtedly, you have promoted your own professional profile; however, I see the benefits of your altruistic project yet another amazing outcome of your project. Again,  thank you applying the leadership skills you have gained in Mary’s program to promote your community. “

Amanda said, “The reason I chose this project is because I have always been passionate about animal welfare and rescue. Animals are precious to me and I want to help any way I can to aid in their protection.  We are in unprecedented times with this pandemic and many non-profit organizations, such as the Humane Society, have had to close their doors to the public and cancel upcoming public fundraising events.  This has deeply impacted them financially.  Therefore, my project was a fun alternative means to engage the community and help provide financial aid to an organization that does amazing work providing humane care and protection to animals in need, while keeping supporters safe in their own homes. The virtual pet show had an element of convenience and engagement for my supporters by having them share photos of their beloved companions in the contest, rather than simply asking for a donation.  There was 5 different categories they could enroll their pet into, which allowed for creative freedom and 5 chances to win. It was an encouraging experience interacting with so many individuals who had a similar passion and love for animals as me. There was so many generous donations from supporters resulting in a total of $725 and I can’t thank them enough!” 

Congratulations on your Bronze Award for Student Community Impact Amanda!

Moraine Park Technical College is committed to community engagement and student success.  The College supports these commitments through the opportunity for students to participate in student community impact and apply their classroom knowledge to an applicable, real world environment. 

MPTC encourages students to participate in our community impact awards program where students can track their service learning or volunteer hours, submit their reflections, and earn a Bronze Award for 25 hours, Silver Award for 50 hours, Gold Award for 100 hours, or Presidents Award for 200 hours!

In the 2020 fall semester, despite all the Covid-19 challenges, 16 students earned awards and logged over 900 hours of service!

Congratulations to our Fall, 2020 award winners!

Bronze Award Winners

Completing 25-49 hours of service learning or volunteering.

• Megan Andrew, Medical Assistant
• Corrine Chalker, Medical Assistant
• Courtney Dickow, Medical Assistant
• Alexis Erickson, Medical Assistant
• Tanya Johnson, Medical Assistant
• Cindy Krueger, Medical Assistant
• Maggie Landowski, Leadership Development
• Amanda Leslie, Leadership Development
• Emily Lewis, Medical Assistant
• Whitney Liegl, Medical Assistant
• Kelly Pike, Medical Assistant
• Megan Ryals, Medical Assistant
• Barbara Turner, Leadership Development
• Rachael Wagner, Medical Assistant
• Allexis Wegner, Medical Assistant

Silver Award Winners

Completing 50-99 hours of service learning or volunteering.

• Megan Andrew, Medical Assistant
• Corrine Chalker, Medical Assistant
• Courtney Dickow, Medical Assistant
• Cathryn Kuslits, Medical Assistant
• Barbara Turner, Leadership Development
• Allexis Wegner, Medical Assistant

Gold Award Winner

Completing 100-199 hours of service learning or volunteering.

• Barbara Turner, Leadership Development

President’s Award Winner

Completing 200+ hours of service learning or volunteering.

• Barbara Turner, Leadership Development

When Leadership Development student Maggie Landowski, saw that Big Brothers Big Sisters of Fond du Lac posted a need for warm winterwear for kids, she knew just what her Capstone project should be!

Maggie created a wonderfully successful Drive Up event on Saturday, October 24 to collect socks, underwear, mittens, gloves, hats and scarves for BBBS families.

Maggie said, “This event has brought me so much joy to know that I have collected over 370 items total for kids in the Fond du Lac area to help keep them warm this winter.” Maggie’s instructor Mary Vogl-Rauscher said, “OUTSTANDING job Maggie!” Associate Dean of Business, Bobbi Fields said: “You did such a nice job on your project and presentation Maggie! I can certainly see that you put a great deal of planning and effort into your work. As I meet with employers and our MPTC advisory committee members, I continually hear the value of project planning, organization, communication as sought out skills. I thank you for your commitment to serving the community and again, wonderful work!”

“Maggie was our angel this holiday season,” Tammy Young, Executive Director of BBBS of Fond du Lac County, said. “She feels strongly that no child should want for basic things to keep them warm- hence the drive she put on for BBBS of Fond du Lac County- and boy did she deliver! Her “can do” attitude helped many children. On behalf of BBBS, I can’t thank her enough!”

Congratulations Maggie on your Bronze Student Community Impact Award!

“Volunteering with the Red Cross for my service learning project has been an amazing experience. Therapeutic communication really came in handy talking with everyone. Every shift I worked I was with a different crew and did things a little different, but it was easy to adjust. They all were so much fun to work with but honestly the best lead I had was Julie. Julie is a Certified Medical Assistant that left a clinic job to join the Red Cross, it was amazing talking with her and once the crew learned that I was a MA student they were showing me different tips and tricks.”

“They were really cool with letting me watch how they start the venipunctures and I learned a different way to mark that I think will be helpful with starting venipunctures in class. It really was a learning experience to feel veins on different people and how some are small and hard to find, and some are very easy. I learned so much from this experience that I will take into class and the work field.” Corinne Chalker, Medical Assistant Student

“Volunteers are the heart and soul of nearly everything that happens at the American Red Cross. In their volunteer roles, Corrine, Megan and Whitney are also the spirit at our blood drives,” said Amber Carey, Volunteer Partnership and Community Outreach Specialist at the Red Cross for Southeast Wisconsin. “They’re the smiling faces which welcome donors of life-saving blood, making sure donors are at ease every step of the way. We’re grateful for their important volunteer service – especially during a pandemic – and know that their impact has been felt by dozens of blood donors in our community.”

Amber Carey, Volunteer Partnership and Community Outreach, American Red Cross, 2600 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53233, 414.335.7114

Congratulations Corrine and Megan on your Bronze and Silver Student Community Impact Awards! Congratulations Whitney on your Bronze Award!

“I did all my service learning hours at the Community Blood Center. This was a great experience for me as I learned quite a bit on phlebotomy, taking temperatures, explaining paperwork, and talking to patients. I also learned about watching for reactions as I helped a patient get a snack and/or drink after giving blood. These will all help me with my practicum site in so many ways.”

This experience has given me tips on how to perform skills and get me out of my comfort zone when talking or explaining to someone about something. I am now more comfortable with taking temperatures and feel more confident as I learn venipuncture. Everyone in the blood drive was very nice and helpful when I needed assistance. This experience has also helped me get ready for practicum because I have to be patient with people and that sometimes I have to be up early to make it on time for the event! My goals for practicum are to be the best I can be by being myself and giving the best care possible. I feel better after having service learning hours because I am now more confident and ready for Medical Assistant practicum to start.” Allexis Wegner, MPTC Medical Assistant Student

“Your students have been wonderful, thank YOU!”

Heather Du Vall, MNM |  Manager, Volunteer Program
4406 W. Spencer St.  |  Appleton, WI 54914
(800) 280-4102

Congratulations Allexis on your Fall 2020, Bronze and Silver Student Community Impact Awards!