New labs to greet students for fall

Even though most students are off this summer, big changes are happening for the Fond du Lac and West Bend campuses. Staff and faculty have been working hard to move two programs, Building Trades Construction Worker and Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Technology (HVAC/R) to the West Bend campus and set up for the new paramedic lab in Fond du Lac.

Bringing the two programs to join the Electricity program at West Bend will allow students in the three programs to work together as if they were on an actual jobsite. In addition to the new labs, construction crews have been working all summer to complete the new practice home that will be used as a lab for all three programs now available in West Bend. The new practice home will be completed in October.

In the new West Bend electricity lab each student get their own station to practice wiring techniques.

I am very excited about the opportunities these new additions will bring for our students. The new practice home will give students the chance to practice on-the-job skills with the guidance of their instructors.

Crews have been working hard all summer to complete the new practice home set to open this October. The new practice home will give students from all three programs hands on experience in their specific areas and teach them to work together on a jobsite.

If you’re wondering what will become of some of vacated program space at the Fond du Lac campus -- it will be converted to a state-of-the-art paramedic lab. Moraine Park will be the first school in the Fox Valley to have an indoor paramedic’s lab equipped with an ambulance. This will give paramedic students the rare opportunity to practice the high-stress tasks they must perform on a daily basis.

If you or anyone you know is interested in these programs, there are still openings available for fall. Classes begin Monday, August 26, I encourage you to come in and get signed up as soon as possible!

It is safe to say that there is never a dull moment here—even in the summer. Thank you again for tuning into my blog. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. I would love to hear from you!

Congratulations Class of 2013 Graduates!

The end of Moraine Park’s spring semester was filled with many events—some of the most exciting being graduation ceremonies! This year at commencement more than 300 students walked across the stage to receive their degrees and become new Moraine Park alumni. It was great to see students’ friends, families and Moraine Park staff there to celebrate this exciting, culminating event. Each of the nearly 900 students that completed their degrees should be proud of their great accomplishment.

It was an honor to introduce this year’s commencement speaker, Jim Wessing, president and co-founder of Kondex Corp. Jim’s optimistic speech gave students great advice for their future careers. During his speech Jim spoke about the strong demand for technical skills and how now is a wonderful time to be graduating. I couldn’t agree with him more. 

Commencement 2013

Commencement wasn’t the only ceremony I had the pleasure of attending. On May 31, on our Beaver Dam Campus, I had the opportunity to present diplomas to eleven future welders.  These students were part of the new welding skills academy, or boot camps. To be accepted into the program students had to go through a rigorous testing and interview process with both Moraine Park staff and with employers, in order to obtain a welding internship with one of the boot camp business partners.  This is the fourth boot camp graduation since January, it is the second group of Welding Boot Camp graduates, and it is the first group of students who completed the program as part of the U.S. Department of Labor Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training grant.  I know that all Moraine Park faculty and staff are very proud of these students and we thank them for their commitment to the program.

Welding Boot Camp Graduation

I also had the privilege of attending the General Education Development (GED) and High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED) graduation on June 13 at our Fond du Lac Campus. This year, Moraine Park faculty and staff worked with more than  300 students to help them achieve their goal of earning  their HSED/ GED certificates, and nearly 60 of those students participated in the ceremony.  Listening to the student speakers share their stories was very inspiring.  I wish each of the GED/HSED graduates the best as they pursue new opportunities.

Moraine Park’s 13^th Annual GED/HSED Graduation Ceremony

Congratulations again to all the Moraine Park graduates. If you were a part of any of these events and would like to share your experience, please send me a note. I’d love to hear from you.

Have a safe and relaxing summer! 

Civic Engagement at Moraine Park and Beyond

I recently attended a Civic Engagement Institute on the UW-Madison campus, joined by Moraine Park Dean of General Education Caron Daugherty and Communications Instructor Amy Edwards Patterson. It was a great opportunity to learn about other higher education institutions and ways to educate students on civic and social responsibilities within our communities.

During my drive back to Fond du Lac, I reflected on our Moraine Park students involved in Student Government and Student Senate. These organizations are one example of how Moraine Park students demonstrate civic engagement. Students in these groups work with each other, act as liaisons amongst the student body and interact with faculty and the administration in the promotion of student rights. The decisions our students make affect both the college and community; and the skills they develop last a lifetime.

To these students, thank you for the important work you do in your organizations that allow you to become engaged with our communities. Are you involved with Student Government or Student Senate? Please leave a note below sharing some of your civic engagement experiences!

Honoring those in Career and Technical Education

As the month of February came to an end, we honored those who have made an impact in Career and Technical Education (CTE) at Moraine Park with the annual Moraine Park Association of Career and Technical Education Awards Banquet. The following individuals were honored with awards: Stephanie Lueck of Campbellsport for Outstanding Support Professional; Kathy Vandemark of Kewaskum for Outstanding CTE Leader; Terri Wilkens of Mayville for Outstanding Instructor; Amy Patterson of Beaver Dam for New Instructor and Bonnie Baerwald of Fond du Lac for Community Involvement. The Business Award of Merit went to Kondex Corporation of Lomira for supporting Moraine Park. I want to congratulate these individuals and thank Kondex for their support of CTE and Moraine Park. 

March brought an exciting cultural event to the Fond du Lac campus – Mandala Sand Painting. Tibetan Buddhist Monks were on campus March 11-15 constructing a sand painting, which uses millions of colored sand grains to form an image of a mandala, or circle. It was wonderful seeing so many people from our college community and from throughout the entire Moraine Park District gather together for this event, learning about a unique ancient spiritual art. Thank you to our Fond du Lac Student Senate for sponsoring this event.

As we just finished welcoming a new culture to campus, a few of our students will be preparing to experience a new culture. Moraine Park students left for London and Paris over Spring Break. We also have several of our nursing students along with their instructor, Mary Krieger, traveling to the East Coast over Spring Break to help victims of Hurricane Sandy. We’ll be hearing more about both of these experiences when they return.

We have a busy spring ahead of us and I’m looking forward to keeping you updated with my blog! If you have any questions or comments for me, please leave a post below.

Moraine Park celebrates Career and Technical Education

During the month of February, Career and Technical Education (CTE) is celebrated throughout the state and nation. Even though February is the shortest month of the year, Moraine Park is incorporating many activities over the next few weeks to recognize the importance of CTE.

Moraine Park kicked off CTE month by hosting Discover Moraine Park on each campus. This annual event is for anyone wanting to get a jump start on the admissions process and learn more about the different programs at Moraine Park. We are hosting many events for the public to attend throughout the month. For event details, visit morainepark.edu and check out the Events Calendar.

On February 19, I will join some of our students at the State Capitol to demonstrate the impact technical education has on our State. This Celebration of Student Engagement event is something Wisconsin’s 16 Technical Colleges participate in annually and I’m looking forward to getting involved again this year.

CTE month will wrap up with the Moraine Park Association of Career and Technical Education (MPACTE) annual awards banquet on February 21. I’m excited to help MPACTE recognize individuals for their dedication to and excellence in career and technical education.

Why do you think Career and Technical Education is important? Please share any comments below as I always enjoying hearing from you! Also, check out this video on exploring your options in the many emerging and in-demand career fields!

Welcome back to a new semester!

Welcome to the spring semester! I hope everyone had a nice winter break and that the new semester gets off to a great start. There are many services available at Moraine Park to ensure new and current students have great success during their time at the College. If you are new to campus or just need a reminder of some of the services available at Moraine Park, check out this new video. Maximus wants to meet you! Also, be sure and keep an eye out for Moraine Park staff wearing a “Just Ask” button. These staff members can help answer your questions!

Though things are a bit quieter around Moraine Park during the Holiday Break, there were many exciting things happening behind the scenes during this time. The first CNC Machinist Skills Academies class under the Workforce Partnership Grant from the Wisconsin Covenant Foundation graduated on Friday, Jan. 11. These 12 graduates are now either employed, pursuing entry-level CNC machinist positions, or furthering their education. We look forward to continuing these CNC and Welding Skills Academies over the next three years, helping to address the skills gap in our region.

CNC Machinist graduates with Wisconsin DWD Secretary Reggie Newson.

On Jan. 16, the Moraine Park District Board approved leasing a new facility in Jackson to help Moraine Park meet the demands of regional manufacturers by providing training in Welding and Computer Numerical Control (CNC). The facility will offer a CNC lab, welding lab, two classrooms, and equipment.

Finally, I want to send a big “thank you” to all of the student organizations who took time during the holiday season to coordinate, or donate to, the many service projects happening on and off our three campuses to help the less fortunate. Again, thank you!

Whether you are a first-time reader of my blog, or a regular, I hope you will continue to follow along with my blog to receive College updates, ask questions or to share how your semester is going. Have a great semester! 

Happy Holidays and end of the semester!

I hope the end of the fall semester went well for everyone last week! With final exams and projects over, I hope the holiday season and Winter Break is a nice respite before the spring semester begins on January 21. We’re looking forward to seeing returning students and new faces on campus for the spring semester!

The semester came to a close with Moraine Park hosting a Veteran’s Job fair on Wednesday, Dec. 12, organized by the Department of Workforce Development Office of Veterans Services. I joined Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefish and Department of Workforce Development Secretary Reggie Newson in speaking with employers and student veterans attending the fair. The event was an excellent way to connect job seeking veterans with new employment opportunities.  

Pictured on the far left is MPTC Dean of Students Scott Lieburn, Secretary Newson, Dr. Ruhland, and Lt. Governor Kleefisch on the far right.

 

Many student and College-wide accomplishments took place over the Fall Semester, and I’m excited to see continued successes in the second semester.  Again, have a safe and happy holiday! You can view a holiday greeting from Moraine Park by visiting this link: http://morainepark.edu/holiday. I’ll be continuing to blog throughout the spring semester so be sure to follow along for updates!