The Moraine Park Foundation – Helping Students Achieve Their Educational Dreams

male student wearing blue graduation cap & gown, holding his tassel that says "2021"

Cortland, a Fond du Lac native, is the first person in his family to pursue a college education. He connected with Moraine Park Technical College after graduating high school, hoping there was a possibility that he could achieve the future he’d always dreamed of.

Cooking has been a passion of Cortland’s since he was young and he discovered he was pretty good at it. Family and friends had encouraged him to develop his talent with a formal education in culinary arts. But was there a way?

Unfortunately, Cortland’s family wasn’t able to contribute to his education financially, and his part-time job didn’t provide enough money to live on while also paying for school. Through the help of his college advisors, Cortland applied for scholarships and received enough support to cover his tuition costs and a portion of his textbooks.

Cortland is now enrolled in the Culinary Arts program at Moraine Park Technical College! His hard work and ambition, combined with scholarship support provided through generous gifts from individuals like you, set him on a path to success.

Cortland fully embraced his college experience and has taken advantage of many student clubs and activities. He was selected to be part of the Campus Compact 2020-21 Newman Civic Fellows cohort, a nationwide one-year experience emphasizing personal, professional and civic growth for students who have demonstrated a capacity for leadership and an investment in solving public problems. Cortland has also made connections in the community through his volunteer service and is growing as a person and a leader.

We are so pleased to tell you that Cortland will be graduating this May and has achieved his educational goals! His next step is to gain valuable work experience and eventually become an executive chef and restaurant owner.

By investing in the success of students like Cortland, you make dreams possible. Cortland has not only flourished, he has set an example for his family and friends that education changes futures, families and communities.

Our campuses are filled with aspiring students just like Cortland. Would you consider giving a gift to help them receive a life-changing education that will impact families and communities for generations to come?

Written by Brooke Kirchberg