Presidency Reflections

In my January 16 blog, I shared with you that I will be departing as president of Moraine Park Technical College. I’m excited to begin my presidency at Tacoma Community College (TCC) on March 9, although it also comes with great sadness to be leaving such an extraordinary group of students, who are not only committed to their education but also committed to their community and serving others.  I treasure the times spent with each and every one of you. It was a joy to attend student government meetings, campus events and, even more so, to listen to your stories. Moraine Park is very fortunate to have students who want to learn firsthand the importance of team work and collaboration—to have students that are truly making a difference, not only within the Moraine Park community, but also within the Wisconsin Technical College System.

As I leave Moraine Park, I hope that one statement I made during a GED graduation ceremony resonates with you -- “If you believe it, you can achieve it.” Remember this motto when you are approached with great opportunities but also when you are faced with challenges. Each one of us has a different picture of success, so first determine what that looks like to you and then establish your path.

I want to thank the College and the community for an incredible 3½ years. The opportunity to become the next president at TCC would not have been possible without my experiences at Moraine Park. I will reflect often as I look back at my wonderful collection of photos and remember the stories you have shared with me. 

I do hope that if your schedule permits you will join me and others from the college community at the President’s reception on February 16 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. in the Fond du Lac cafeteria. Best of luck to you and please contact me if you are in the Tacoma area!

Tech Effect on Hospitality

I have to extend a big thank you to our Culinary Arts students for the delicious tapas they provided during the Wisconsin Technical College System’s (WTCS) Hospitality Event on September 24.  The event was held at Lakeshore Culinary Institute, and students and faculty in Moraine Park, Fox Valley and Lakeshore’s culinary programs all did a spectacular job of showcasing their culinary talents! This was a great opportunity to share the important role technical colleges play in Wisconsin’s $17 billion tourism industry with local restaurant owners, legislators and many other community leaders. And, of course, getting to enjoy the fantastic food was a wonderful perk. I have to give extra kudos to the Moraine Park students that made the pumpkin cheesecake.  That pecan crust sure was a lovely addition! 

Thanks again to the Moraine Park Culinary Arts program! What a great way to show the community how our graduating students impact Wisconsin’s booming hospitality and tourism industry. Check out a few of Moraine Park’s graduate success stories at http://bit.ly/1rndzbg.

Culinary Arts Instructor James Simmers (left) and student Cody Feist took a quick break from the crowd to snap a photo with Stan Cram (right), vice president of student affairs, and me.

Joseph Yagler, Moraine Park Culinary Arts student, serving that amazing pumpkin cheesecake!

Recognizing our Students for their Achievements

With Moraine Park’s 2011-12 school year nearly wrapped up, I feel it’s important to congratulate all of the students who have put in so much time, effort and energy into reaching their educational goals, as well as to the many faculty and other Moraine Park staff who helped these students achieve their goals.

One of the ways Moraine Park recognizes its students is through the annual Student Awards Banquet. Each year, numerous students are honored at this event for their hard work and academic achievement.  Highlighting the 2012 banquet was the Wisconsin Technical College System District Student Ambassador Award, which was presented to Culinary Arts student Lee McClendon of Fond du Lac. Lee will assume his role with the start of the 2012-13 academic year, taking over for 2011-12 Student Ambassador Kristina White. Ryan Yonke of Berlin received the Student of the Year Award for exemplifying the College’s core abilities and for excelling in classroom and community involvement. Ryan, an Electrical Power Distribution student, was selected by a committee of students, support staff, faculty and administration members. 

Other awards presented at the event included Technical Achievement Awards, presented to six students; the Meritorious Service Award, presented to 77 students; and the Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges award, which was presented to 24 students. Also recognized were students who played key roles in student government at the local, district and state levels, along with the 50 students who were inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa international honor society in April; 13 students who received scholarships from the Moraine Park Association of Career and Technical Education and the Moraine Park Federation of Teachers; 23 students who served as peer tutors/notetakers for their fellow students; and 17 students who participated in international education.

Congratulations to them all!! 

WTCS Needs Your Help

If you’re a Moraine Park student, staff or community member you have a great opportunity to provide input to the Wisconsin Technical College System. The WTCS Board is asking System stakeholders to take a few minutes to complete a very brief survey, in which the survey participant can share their perspective on System priorities.  The survey will be available through the end of October and can be accessed by visiting http://surveys.questionpro.com/a/TakeSurvey?id=2579178.  I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity and share your thoughts on the direction of the State’s technical colleges, as the Board will consider results of the survey as they identify priorities for the next four years. For more information on the survey, visit http://channels.morainepark.edu/press-releases/post/2011/10/05/Wisconsin-Technical-College-System-looking-for-survey-participants.aspx

Celebrating Technical Colleges and Connecting with the Community

Some of you may be wondering how my first few weeks at Moraine Park have been. I will tell you that they have been busy and I have learned a lot. What I have been most impressed with is the warm welcome I have received from not only the employees at Moraine Park’s three campuses but also the college communities. I spent my first three days on the job touring the Fond du Lac, West Bend and Beaver Dam campuses and meeting individuals within the communities.   Employees within the college were eager to learn about me and I was eager to learn about them and the important jobs they have.  Remembering their names will come in time, but for now I’m doing well to remember where and how I can locate them!



Photo by Gateway Technical College via Flickr

 I was also privileged to be able to attend and participate in the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) Centennial Celebration at Gateway Technical College (GTC) in Racine.  It was a wonderful celebration with GTC laying the foundation for career training in Wisconsin.  Serving over 400,000 students annually, the WTCS provides the education and services to meet today’s student and employee needs.  I am proud to be a part of this wonderful system and look forward to kicking off Moraine Park’s centennial celebration starting in the fall. We are planning many events and activities throughout the 2011-12 academic year, and encourage you to check back this fall for more information on these activities. 

Finally, I want to share with you the wonderful lunch I had with Moraine Park’s Student Ambassador, Kristina White. Kristina was a joy to talk with and I look forward to seeing her involvement with not only Moraine Park’s campuses but also the WTCS system.  I encourage you to attend any events that Kristina plans as our Student Ambassador.

The start of the fall term is just around the corner. I look forward to meeting you as you return to MPTC this fall.