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August 2022 | Volume 20, Number 1 Amanda Heintz, Western graduate A publication for alumni & friends of Western Technical College WESTERN C O NN E C T2 Hello Western Alumni & Friends! Campus has been buzzing since our last edition, and we are very excited to share what’s been going on! Reflecting on things we once took for granted, like the ability to gather, makes us even more grateful that we can hold in-person events again. Our commencement ceremony in April was fantastic! It was amazing to see the joy and excitement on everyone’s faces, and the energy in the room was undeniable. This edition contains a fraction of the activities and projects happening on campus and throughout the community. Make sure you follow our social media channels for real-time updates; there is much to share with you. As a reminder, if you are a graduate of Western, regardless of when, you are automatically a member of the Alumni Association. The impact that Western students and alumni have on the region is incredible and deserves celebration. We encourage all of you to keep us informed on where the road has taken you since your time on campus. We genuinely value hearing your stories and sharing them with fellow alums and current students. Enjoy the rest of your summer! Stephanie Knutson Alumni Relations Coordinator Western Connect is published twice a year for alumni and friends of Western Technical College. Western Technical College President: Roger Stanford, Ph.D. Writer/Editor: Lauri Hoff ’00 | Editor: Leah Call | Contributing Writers: Stephanie Knutson, Eric Jacobson Alumni Relations Coordinator: Stephanie Knutson Graphic Designer: Sharon Burchardt ’91, ’93 | Photographer: Jayme Hansen ’98 Western Technical College is committed to principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action. Accommodation requests, or questions and complaints about discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation should be directed to the Employment, Benefits, and EEO Manager, 608-785-9274 or TTY 608-785-9551. 23-FA-0009 Stephanie Knutson These benefits and services are just for you! Career Resources | Insurance Alumni Marketplace | Shopping Discounts Athletic Event Admission Library Services | Wellness Center Discount Email Address | Alumni Scholarship Visit westerntc.edu/alumni > Services and Benefits for details. Attention alumni ! westerntc.edu/alumni Connect with us!3 The universe was in an irritable mood the day it intervened in Amanda’s life in a terrible way. A gentler nudge in the right direction would have been appreciated, but we don’t get to choose these things. On a stormy gray morning, Amanda Heintz—at the time a Western nursing student—was driving to church, like she always did. This trip left Amanda with a crumpled car and a cleanly broken femur. The accident was tailor-made for a pain killer habit. She unwittingly entered a darkly lit pattern of addiction—a place notoriously difficult to come back from. However, lots has happened since. Amanda completed the health science track in high school. She was already working as a CNA, so naturally it was assumed she would continue the nursing track at Western. She did exactly that—until the car accident changed everything. Addiction complications led to Amanda’s incarceration at Taycheedah Correctional Institution (TCI), a women-specific prison in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. With a mission far beyond punishment, TCI emphasizes education and reentry skills. There are program options at TCI, but the Building Maintenance program had openings. Amanda talked herself into applying and aced the program entrance exam. She learned about carpentry and tools, electricity, plumbing, blueprint reading; the final project was building a modular home. She loved it! When she graduated from the program, she worked maintenance for the prison and continued developing valuable skills until the day she left. Upon leaving TCI, Amanda knew she wanted to stay the course and looked for a material handling job in the area. T.D. Padesky Electric was hiring that exact position and chose Amanda because of her farm labor experience. She grew within the position and was accepted into the apprenticeship program—getting paid to work while also learning the trade in the classroom and on the job is a great situation! Amanda currently is at Western enjoying her fifth and final year as an electrician apprentice. She and her team at T.D. Padesky Electric spend most of their time traveling Wisconsin building new Kwik Trips. They are there for the groundbreaking and see the project through to grand opening day. Amanda loves the work and is an accomplished builder and electrician. She can’t imagine—even a little—being a nurse. Amanda Heintz Great misfortune; beautiful closure “I work with all men at my job. My coworkers treat me like anyone else; we depend on each other—for all of us, it feels like a family.” College News Keep up to date on all of Western’s news at westerntc.edu/newsPublic safety is a critical aspect of a community. Whether it’s firefighters or EMS technicians, these public safety professionals have crucial roles in keeping our public safe, protecting us from natural disasters, and helping the vulnerable and unfortunate. In our community, Western is essential for training the next generation of public safety heroes. The Sparta Public Safety Training Facility serves as the central hub for career training in Western’s Fire Protection and Criminal Justice programs and the Law Enforcement Academy. In addition to our programs, area police and fire departments use the facility for training exercises only Western can provide within the large 11-county district Western serves. However, the facility required an update. The Law Enforcement Academy’s shooting range was recently relocated, leaving a significant and valuable space unused. Additionally, Western’s EMS program, which was housed on the main La Crosse campus, was already moving to the Sparta facility for more space and resources. This strategic move cemented the $4.7 million remodeling and expansion investment for the facility, which reached completion last fall. Keeping the “safety” in public safety College News “Every space was touched in some way,” said Kevin Dean , dean of the Health and Public Safety Division at Western. All classrooms received fresh paint, new flooring, and updated equipment for the digital age. The expansive shooting range converted to four flexible modular classrooms. The additional space accommodates the move of the EMS and Paramedic programs—having all safety programs in one place makes sense logistically while providing a better student experience. The facility offers thorough and seamless training opportunities for our paramedic and EMS students. The facility’s most significant change lies behind the building—a large expansion extended to Western’s Law Enforcement Academy. Previously, the academy’s training area was confined to a small gymnasium. The new expansion opens to a regulation-size gym and classroom area; the space is also used for additional training expansion scenarios. For more about Western’s Sparta facility, visit: westerntc.edu/public-safety-training-facility . Remodeled facility photos 4 “The project was critical as we continue to see a demand for public safety careers in our region. The space is a remarkable upgrade to our facility and is a first-class building for public safety education.” —Western President Roger Stanford5 College News Western officially dedicated the Joyce Wanek Center for Art and Design. The state-of-the-art classroom, located on the third floor of Western’s Integrated Technology Center, is a first-class facility designed to meet the needs of Western’s new interior design program. Significant contributors to the project include Ron and Joyce Wanek . Ron is the founder and chairman of Ashley Furniture Industries, and serves with his wife, Joyce, on the Ronald and Joyce Wanek Foundation. Joyce is a 1979 graduate of an earlier iteration of Western’s interior design program. The interior design program educates students to excel in various settings: residential design and architectural firms, kitchen and bath studios, furnishing manufacturers, construction companies, and sale showrooms. The more than $375,000 contribution to Western Technical College from the Ronald and Joyce Wanek Foundation ensures support for updated technology and equipment, classroom furniture and materials, and instructional support for the next three years. The contribution also funds scholarships and professional development opportunities for program students. Western dedicates the Joyce Wanek Center for Art and Design “It’s an honor to be involved in this project. As a graduate of Western’s interior design program, this project has been very near and dear to my heart. I hope this new space encourages students to collaborate in a fun and inspirational environment that enhances the creative thinking for all.” — Joyce Wanek Ron and Joyce Wanek in front of the Interior Design classroom mural L to R: Western Interior Design Instructor Jennifer Stangl, Ron and Joyce Wanek, Western Dean of Integrated Technology Josh Gamer, Western Associate Dean of Integrated Technology Michael Poellinger, Western President Roger Stanford Check out Western’s interior design program www.westerntc.edu/interior-design . 6 College News The Agriculture and Rural Initiative, Compeer Financial’s donor advised fund, has granted $600,000 to community and technical colleges across the cooperative’s 144-county territory, including $50,000 to Western! Western also received $5,000 scholarships for agriculture program students. Compeer committed $1.9 million in grants and scholarships at select colleges over the next five years with the goal of further developing agriculture’s workforce. The future of agriculture relies on a strong, vibrant, and robust agricultural workforce, and Western provides opportunities for young adults to explore and gain hands-on experience in these careers. Western Technical College is one of five colleges in Wisconsin receiving these grant dollars. Western will use the grant to purchase hydroponic equipment, simulators, models, and marketing tools for recruitment. This grant enhances the hands-on learning and real-world experiences offered to agriculture students. Compeer Financial Agriculture & Rural Initiative announces $50,000 grant to Western Technical College L to R: Western Dean of Integrated Technology Josh Gamer, Compeer Corporate Giving Specialist Melanie Olson, MCC Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America & Strategic Relationships Karen Blatter-Schieler, Western Instructor Agribusiness & Science Dona Goede, Vice President - Student Service & Engagement/Interim Vice President Academic Affairs Amy Thornton About Compeer Financial Compeer Financial is a member- owned Farm Credit cooperative serving and supporting agriculture and rural communities. The $27.7 billion organization provides loans, leases, risk management, and other financial services throughout 144 counties in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Based in the Upper Midwest, Compeer Financial exists to champion the hopes and dreams of rural America, while providing personalized service and expertise to clients and the agriculture industry. Compeer Financial is the third largest cooperative of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of lending institutions supporting agriculture and rural communities. 7 College News Beginning this fall, a new Associate of Arts transfer degree will be offered at Western Technical College. It’s a move called “historic” by Western President Roger Stanford , following final approval by the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents back in April. The addition of an Associate of Arts degree has been decades in the making. For years, Western has offered an Associate of Science- Liberal Arts (ASLA) transfer degree for students looking to transfer to our four-year partners— all with smaller class sizes and affordable tuition rates. While the degree works well for thousands of regional students, it emphasized math and science, leading to a less effective pathway for those choosing degrees in the humanities, business, and social sciences. The new Associate of Arts degree splits this degree into two tracks, thus allowing students to choose what best fits their skills and interests. The new degree requires less science and math while increasing humanities and elective courses. This means students have more options to achieve a four-year degree. Western provided technical training for partners in the region since 1912, but historically, Western has only provided associate degrees. But times have changed, A historic agreement for Western and Western, along with other two-year institutions in the state, have increased their general studies offerings to assist in the transfer pipeline. Western looks to help increase affordable baccalaureate degrees in our region. “We are in the best position to take students from a two-year college into a four-year university student,” states Western President Roger Stanford. Students also save nearly a third in tuition when attending a two-year college transfer option. This change lets students explore options before choosing a path best for them. “We provide a bridge to the four-year college experience. Students who are exploring college, they don’t understand the culture of college,” said John Gillette, Dean of the General Students division at Western. “They are unsure of the options. Western is a safe partner who is available to them in their local school districts.” Western has transfer agreements with several area universities. In 2020 alone, more than 700 students transferred to four-year institutions, including Viterbo University, UW-La Crosse, Winona State, UW-Stout, UW-Madison, Upper Iowa University, and UW-Green Bay.8 Strangstalien, a freshly graduated Digital Marketing student, out strategized the number one seed, Terry from Hutchinson Community College, Kansas. A forever fan of game play, Strangstalien has wonderful memories of playing video games as a child with her brother, and has since been steadily perfecting her gaming acumen. Luckily, there is no such thing as perfection, but rather a lifetime of enjoyment and skill building. This is the first championship title for the fledgling program; imagine what year two will bring. To learn more about Western’s Esports program: westerncavaliers.com/sports/ esports College News Introducing Paul Bratsch: Career Services Specialist Western welcomes Paul Bratsch to the Career Services Team. With a background in employment services, Paul has helped clients throughout all stages of the job search process while also creating partnerships with local employers. He also has experience in non-profit management and as an adjunct university instructor. Paul and Work-Based Learning Specialist Grace Janssen are focused on adding work-based learning components into existing and new programs at Western. If you’re a business owner looking to create internships, job shadows or other workplace learning experiences for Western students, contact Career Services. Avery Strangstalien is the 2022 National Junior College Athletic Association Esports (NJCAAE) Hearthstone National Champion! Hearthstone, tangentially related to the classic World of Warcraft and Magic the Gathering, is a fast-paced digital card game that’s free and unbelievably fun to play. The game is one of Strangstalien’s favorites. She describes it as “easy to learn, hard to master,” though her hard- fought title suggests she has done just that. Avery Strangstalien brings clout to new Esports program! “We are proud of Avery both as a student and team member. She has worked hard all season, and we are fortunate to have been alongside her through this memorable event.” —Esports Head Coach Cody MurphyFunding fire training initiatives Western Technical College is the fortunate recipient of a $22,593 youth fire training grant from the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS). This innovative collaboration between Western, area high schools, and fire departments creates accessible learning opportunities for interested students while leveraging expertise and resources. The DSPS grant provides funding for equipment and supplies for Western’s Youth Fire Fighter Training program, which is starting its second year this fall. The program, located at the Onalaska Fire Department, provides dual- credit opportunities for high school students interested in Basic Fire Safety Certification or Western’s Fire Protection Technician program. Last year alone, the program helped nine local students earn credentials in these fields. Public safety training is a core mission at Western. Western serves largely rural areas, which makes recruiting and retaining volunteer firefighters difficult—this partnership addresses this. This grant is helping students by providing them with opportunities sooner. 9 College News Pictured L to R—Onalaska School District Superintendent Todd Antony, Wisconsin DSPS Secretary Dawn Crim, Western Technical College President Roger Stanford, Onalaska Fire Department Chief Troy Gudie, Western Instructor Rick Molzahn, Fire Academy Graduate Kyle LeClaire Western’s department of Equity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement measures the use of its on-campus food pantry, the Cavalier Cupboard. Student needs for nutrition and basic needs rose dramatically from the year prior as normal campus operations resumed this year. The department’s report shows the number of students served rose to 1,910—the most since the cupboard began. In total, 119 individuals used the pantry throughout the year, with 54 percent being repeat clients. The Cavalier Cupboard was started in 2014 by a Western Technical College student who recognized the need to provide food for students. The first year of operation served 727 students. Since then, the pantry has served 8,189 students and their families. “As we continue to normalize these services, we are finding more individuals have been using the Cavalier Cupboard,” said Mitch Berry, Student Inclusion Specialist at Western Technical College. “A big part of this comes from our ability to provide hygiene and baby care items, fresh produce, and other refrigerated or frozen food items.” To learn more about the Cavalier Cupboard, visit www.westerntc.edu/food-pantry . Cavalier Cupboard reduces hungerNext >