Service-Learning Celebration

On Thursday, May 1, I attended our Service-Learning Celebration Breakfast on the Fond du Lac campus.  This has become an annual event to learn about the community service-learning projects our students, or in some cases, entire classes, participated in.  Students from Accounting, Building Trades Construction Worker, Business and Event Planning, Corrections, Introduction to Sociology and Introduction to Ethics presented their projects.  I am so proud of all of these students and the leadership from their instructors to engage them in such wonderful hands-on experience and learning about the community project.  All of the students spoke about what a great opportunity this was to get involved and engaged. 

 
I had the chance to talk with Building Trades Construction Worker students Tim Milligan, Nate Stockhausen, Mike Schmid, Dillon Pufahl, Luke Breuer and their instructor Don Enders, about their Habitat for Humanity of Washington and Dodge Counties home building project in West Bend.  When I asked the students if everything with the project had gone as planned, their response was, “No. We learned to adapt to change.”  When they shared how rewarding it was to add their names to the footings of the home, I could see their pride knowing this would be a project that would “last a lifetime.” 

The Business and Marketing Events class along with Instructor Jeff Stueber are planning a Pink Pumpkin event on the Fond du Lac campus, Saturday, Oct. 18.  As this team noted during their project presentation, “it is about making a positive impact in our communities.”

I encourage you to learn more about MPTC’s Service-Learning classes and projects and see how you might be able to get involved.  With so many opportunities, I’m sure you will find something you are passionate about that will engage you to help others!

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.