2023 Calendar Report to the Community

2022-23

RCTC CALENDAR REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY

RCTC’S CALENDAR REPORT IS PUBLISHED ANNUALLY FOR MEMBERS OF THE RCTC COMMUNITY.

PUBLICATION STAFF

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS, MARKETING, AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS

NATE STOLTMAN

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Created on a motion by Dr. Charles Mayo in 1915, Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC) is the oldest public two-year college in Minnesota. A member of Minnesota State—a system of 26 colleges and seven universities—RCTC has seen thousands of graduates cross the stage in our 108-year history. As we begin the 2023-2024 academic year, we are excited to unveil our new mission statement: RCTC empowers students to thrive in an ever-changing, diverse society by providing accessible education opportunities. As our community grows, so too does RCTC’s commitment to improving people’s lives through learning.

RCTC continues to be a significant driver of our local and state economy. Earlier this year, Minnesota State released the results of a study that estimated the impact of RCTC on the regional economy to be $234.9 million, with the College supporting 1,785 jobs. The study concluded that RCTC generates $18.7 million in tax revenues for state and local government, and estimated the value of the increase in productivity that the degrees awarded by RCTC will yield additional state income of $6 billion.

At RCTC, we are proud to be a universal gateway to world-class learning opportunities, and we are humbled by the opportunity to serve students from all walks of life and to help them reach their goals. It is with great excitement that we share our 2022-23 Annual Report highlighting our great accomplishments and many of our outstanding students, faculty, and staff.

On behalf of the students, faculty, and staff, thank you for your support and consider joining us in writing new success stories in the coming year!

Sincerely,

Jeffery S. Boyd, Ed.D.

President

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

JENEE MCGURREN

MARKETING SPECIALIST/COPYWRITER

MICHELLE MESSENGER

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

KYLE BURT

KODI HOSCHEIT

MICHELLE MESSENGER

ALLISON PASSON

NATE STOLTMAN

CONTENT MAY BE REPRODUCED WITH PERMISSION FROM THE RCTC COLLEGE RELATIONS OFFICE. COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS CAN BE SENT TO:

COLLEGERELATIONS@RCTC.EDU

A member of Minnesota State

RCTC IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND EDUCATOR. ALTERNATIVE FORMATS OF THIS DOCUMENT ARE AVAILABLE BY CONTACTING DISABILITY SUPPORT AT 507-280-2968.

STRATEGIC PLAN: 2024 | Pathways to Success

GOAL 2 GOAL 3 GOAL 4 GOAL 1

STUDENT SUCCESS

Improve student retention and completion by increasing access to learning opportunities, leveraging educational technology, enhancing support services and resources, and strengthening pedagogy and curriculum.

Strategy 1

STUDENT SUCCESS PLANNING

Create processes, structures, and opportunities for students to successfully plan and achieve their educational goals in a timely manner.

Strategy 2

FLEXIBLE AND ACCESSIBLE EDUCATION

Expand access through high-quality online learning, flexible scheduling, and alternative pathways to fit the needs of students.

Strategy 3

SUPPORTING LEARNING

Implement integrated institutional practices, technology, and services aimed at supporting student learning and improving student outcomes.

Strategy 4

ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING

Further cultivate a culture of assessment to better understand how students learn and use assessment results to improve teaching and learning inside and outside of the classroom.

INSTITUTIONAL SUSTAINABILITY

Ensure the College’s offerings, functions, and processes are sustainable and responsive to the evolving needs of internal and external stakeholders.

Strategy 1

ADVANCE A CULTURE OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Institution-wide commitment to foster systematic processes for assessing, evaluating, measuring, and communicating RCTC improvement efforts.

Strategy 2

BOLSTER AN EXCEPTIONAL TEAM OF EMPLOYEES

Recruit talent and further develop staff and faculty to meet the changing needs of students and stakeholders.

Strategy 3

EFFECTIVE PLANNING AND ALIGNMENT

Realize RCTC’s mission through a meaningful planning process that aligns resources with the College’s strategic priorities.

Strategy 4

ENSURE INSTITUTIONAL CONTINUITY

Establish structures and processes that ensure continuity of services and processes that impact the ability to serve students and constituents.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

Promote equity and inclusion across the institution by increasing cultural competency, culturally responsive pedagogy and service, and partnering with community organizations.

Strategy 1

FOSTER A CULTURE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION

Implement a dynamic equity and inclusion plan that integrates equity-minded strategies across all institutional divisions.

Strategy 2

EQUITY IN STUDENT OUTCOMES

Ensure equity in student experience and success by applying the lens of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) to institutional academic and non-academic services and functions.

Strategy 3

FURTHER DIVERSITY ENGAGEMENT

Expand resources, opportunities, and infrastructure to better understand and engage diversity, in efforts to impact the experiences of students and employees.

CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Promote campus and community engagement that fosters collaborative relationships which mutually benefit the College, our students, partnering organizations, and the economic vitality of the region.

Strategy 1

GROW EXTERNAL COLLABORATIONS

Establish collaborations and relationships with external partners that bring value to the College and favorably impact the experiences of students, faculty, and staff.

Strategy 2

GROW INTERNAL COLLABORATIONS

Establish internal collaborations that build collegial relationships in order to better serve the needs of students and employees.

Strategy 3

PARTNER TO MEET THE NEEDS OF STAKEHOLDERS

Ensure the College’s educational offerings serve the best interests of students and needs of the community through engagement of external constituents.

Strategy 4

ADVANCE THE COLLEGE’S SERVICE TO, AND PRESENCE IN, THE COMMUNITY Active engagement of faculty, staff, and students in the community.

WORLD-CLASS

LEARNING

OPPORTUNITIES. We have that.

SPRING PAYMENT INFO: * Tuition and fees must be paid in full or an approved deferment in place by Monday, December 18, 2023. After this date, payment is due at the time of registration. January 5, 2024 is the last day to set up a FACTS/NELNET payment plan. To avoid late fees, account balances need to be paid in full by March 19, 2024.

507-285-7557

INCLUSIVE CAMPUS. We have that.

SUMMER PAYMENT INFO: * Tuition and fees must be paid in full or an approved deferment in place by Monday, May 6, 2024. After this date, payment is due at the time of registration. June 3, 2024 is the last day to set up a FACTS/NELNET payment plan.

#YELLOWJACKETStrong

FALL PAYMENT INFO: * Tuition and fees must be paid in full or an approved deferment in place by Monday, August 5, 2024. After this date, payment is due at the time of registration. August 23, 2024 is the last day to set up a FACTS/NELNET payment plan. To avoid late fees, account balances need to be paid in full by October 22, 2024.

PAST YEAR ACCOMPLISHMENTS & HIGHLIGHTS

NEW MISSION STATEMENT FOR RCTC

After gathering input and feedback from numerous stakeholder groups, RCTC’s Mission Statement Task Force presented several options to RCTC Senior Leadership for consideration. The President’s Cabinet narrowed down the choices to two options for campus-wide consideration. After additional feedback from employees, students, and the community was solicited through a virtual gallery walk, the Cabinet presented the final language to the Minnesota State Board of Trustees for approval. RCTC’s new mission statement below was approved on June 21, 2023.

OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS

RCTC recognized Ruth Casper, Ph.D., with the College’s 2023 Outstanding Educator Award. Dr. Casper has taught in the Psychology Department since 1991. During her tenure at RCTC, she has become known as an instructor who genuinely puts her students first.

RCTC also recognized Adjunct Faculty of the Year, Aaron Shannon. Aaron is an accomplished recording engineer, producer, and musician with over 17 years of experience in Nashville, Tennessee. Aaron is an RCTC alumnus and has worked in the Music Department at RCTC since 2016.

Instructors were nominated by faculty, students, and staff, and completed an extensive portfolio of their work and accomplishments to be considered for the award.

AWARDS/RECOGNITION

RCTC’s College Relations Office earned four awards from the NCMPR Region 5 Medallion competition.

• Gold Medallion: Register Now poster series

• Silver Medallion: “We have that.” radio ad

• Silver Medallion: “Protect the Hive” logo wear

• Bronze Medallion: CTE wrapped buses

The National Council for Marketing & Public Relations is the only organization of its kind that exclusively represents marketing and public relations professionals at community and technical colleges.

RCTC’s latest advertising campaign, “We have that.”, earned two Communicator Awards for our agency partner, 25th Hour Communications.

Art instructor, Jeff Jacobsen featured his work, “Exactly Where I’m At” at the first 2022-2023 Art Exhibit Opening in the RCTC Art Gallery.

The Minnesota Association of Financial Aid Administrators (MAFAA) recognized Cheryl Klingsporn Morgan, Financial Aid Assistant, for 25 years of service, and Beth Diekmann, Financial Aid Director, for 30 years of service.

Physics instructor Rod Milbrandt, Ph.D., was selected to be part of the Temple/American Association of Physics Teachers group of the NASA Heliophysics Education Activation Team (HEAT). Dr. Milbrandt was one of only eight instructors selected to participate in the training in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Welding instructor Paul Titus was awarded the Minnesota Association for Career and Technical Administrators (MACTA) Educator of the Year award.

Dr. Scott Olson, President of Winona State University, was appointed Chancellor of Minnesota State and began his new role on August 1, 2023.

ATHLETICS

The Women’s Basketball Team won the 2023 NJCAA DIII National Championship. The team came into the tournament as the #3 seed earning an at-large bid and finished their season 28-1. The team also finished third in the 2022 National Tournament.

Women’s Basketball Head Coach Jason Bonde was named the 2023 NJCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year.

“Rochester Community and Technical College empowers students to thrive in an ever-changing, diverse society by providing access to exceptional education.”

ATHLETICS

The #10-seeded Men’s Basketball Team took home national honors when they finished third in the NJCAA DIII National Championship.

The Wrestling Team took home the national second place trophy at the NJCAA Wrestling Tournament in Council Bluffs, Iowa. RCTC had three wrestlers claim All-American status: Walker Ingham at 174 pounds with an eighth place finish; Nate Beberg at 285 pounds with an eighth place finish; and Antony Tuttle at 184 pounds with a fourth place finish.

Women’s Basketball standout Olivia Christianson was honored with her RCTC jersey being placed in the Ring of Honor display at the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tennessee, in recognition of her outstanding play for the 2021-2022 season.

RCTC ART, MUSIC, AND THEATRE

“Coming Down” was the comedy/drama featured in the RCTC Drama Club fundraiser show in May. This play was written and directed by Theatre Director, Jerry Casper.

In April, the Theatre Department and students performed “Boy Gets Girl”, a suspense-filled drama set up in-theround style. This unique format had the audience seated on the stage with the performance unfolding around them creating an up-close-and-personal experience.

Theatre students and director Jerry Casper presented an Icelandic folk tale, “One Snowy Night” in November.

RCTC Music presented “Making Spirits Bright” to celebrate the holidays. The Chamber Band, Concert Choir, and the Rochester Community Band performed on December 8, 2023 in the Hill Theater.

RCTC Music’s Spring Finale featured the Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, and Chamber Band on May 4. The Jazz Band and World Drum Ensemble also showcased our students’ musical talents prior to the Spring Finale.

Art 2281 Professional Portfolio students held their exhibition “Visual Perspective” in the RCTC Gallery April 24 – May 9, 2023. Exhibiting artists included: Mara Dealing, Kelsey Gaffney, Samantha Garson, Kaitlyn Glasswell, AnnMarie Jalmasco, Summer Johnson, Hannah Johnsrud-Tempel, Kami Mirande, Kris Naatz, and Sam Willows.

COMMENCEMENT 2023

RCTC celebrated its 107th commencement on May 10, 2023. 842 students graduated and 910 degrees were awarded, including 169 students graduating with high honors (a grade point average of 3.75 or above), and an additional 124 students graduated with honors (a grade point average of 3.5 – 3.749).

STUDENT LIFE

The 2023-2024 elected RCTC Student Government officers include President Maple Lassila, Vice-President Issac Coley, Treasurer Manakherto Shoble, and Secretary Rachael Linscott. Student Senate officers will have the opportunity to participate in LeadMN and student government conferences; leadership training and development; learn about local, state, and national politics; network with students, staff, faculty, and administrators; gain life skills to succeed in, and beyond, college; and make a noticeable change and impact at the College.

RCTC competed in its first ever Esports tournament in November in the online multiplayer game “Overwatch 2” through the NACE Starleague. RCTC Esports has 38 students participating.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programming

Last March, Saul Flores presented, “The Walk of the Immigrants” to share his experiences about how immigrant communities try to overcome adversity in the United States.

In April, a music theatre piece, “Unbought,” presented the dramatic stories of three African American women: journalist and women’s suffrage activist Ida B. Wells; Shirley Chisholm, the first African American in the U.S. Congress and first African American woman to run for President; and Sally Hemings, the slave with whom Thomas Jefferson fathered six children. The music was drawn from classical, jazz, and popular works by African American composers.

A Zoom presentation, “Celebrating Black Wall Street & Remembering the Tulsa Massacre,” was presented in April by Dr. Karlos K. Hill, an Associate Professor of African and African American Studies at the University of Oklahoma.

Student Safe Space Training and Student Trans 101 sessions were offered to RCTC staff and faculty.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programming

PAST YEAR ACCOMPLISHMENTS & HIGHLIGHTS

A graduate of the Dental Assisting program, Stacey Kruger, ’18, CDA, CDIPC, of Wabasha, Minnesota, was awarded the 2022 Liz Koch Memorial Scholarship. Kruger was one of five recipients chosen from applicants throughout the nation.

Band students Ashleigh Cox and Sam Atwood were selected to participate in the All-State Honors Concert Band at the Minnesota Music Educators Association Convention, February 16-18, 2023, in Minneapolis. This was the first year in which two-year colleges were invited by the MMEA to nominate students, and Ashleigh and Sam were the first RCTC students to be accepted into this honor band. Ashleigh plays the trombone and Sam is a pianist/percussionist.

CAMPUS INITIATIVES

The Male of Color Scholars Initiative, also known as MOCSI, is a new mentoring program at RCTC that offers a support network within and outside the College. MOCSI provides opportunities to further develop skills related to personal, academic, and professional success.

ROCHESTER COMMUNITY

Livability Magazine released its 2023 Top 25 Best Places to Live in the Midwest and Rochester came in at #3. Rochester was also ranked the third best in the 2022 Top 100 Best Cities to Live.

RCTC’s Learning Is ForEver (LIFE) program celebrated 30 years of providing stimulating educational programs and encouraging social and personal growth for life-long learners in growing and diverse communities.

RCTC’s Center for Business and Workforce Education began offering a new RN to EMT Bridge course. This course was designed to produce entry-level EMT’s who can translate their skills from in-hospital to out-of-hospital practice to support their communities as emergency medical technicians.

RCTC’S COMMUNITY IMPACT

Minnesota State released the results of a study that estimates the impact of Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC) on the regional economy to be $234.9 million and 1,785 jobs.

Author Andrea Jenkins visited campus and presented on her essay “The Price We Pay: How Race and Gender Identity Converge” which was featured in theRCTC 2022-2023 common book “A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota.”

The 2024 Common Read, “We Are Meant to Rise: Voices for Justice from Minneapolis to the World” edited by Carolyn Holbrook and David Mura.

STUDENT AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Three RCTC students served as representatives on the 2022-2023 All-Minnesota Academic Team. Maple Lassila (Rochester, MN) is majoring in Environmental Science; Mekedelawet Mersha (Burnsville, MN) is majoring in Biology; and Justice Wright (Rochester, MN) is majoring in Veterinary Technology.

After a hiatus for several years, RCTC began offering youth camps. This year, College Relations kicked off youth camps with its first session in April. Coach Isaac, his assistant coaches, and players offered youth football camps for students K-8 from April – July 2023. Also new this past year, RCTC instructor and Theatre Director Jerry Casper offered a theatre camp specifically for high school students.

On January 5, 2023, the business faculty hosted the Business Professionals of America (BPA) Region 3 student competition. Approximately 260 high school business students, teachers, and judges were on campus for this competition.

The study also calculated tax revenues generated by this level of economic activity, including sales, property, personal income, and corporate income taxes. The study concluded that RCTC generates about $18.7 million in tax revenues for state and local government.

The study further estimated the value of the increase in productivity that the degrees awarded by RCTC yield throughout the careers of the graduates. Assuming a 40-year work life, the education received by these graduates will yield additional state income of $6 billion (future value, discounted and adjusted to account for such factors as foregone income while attending school and outmigration).

RCTC’S COMMUNITY IMPACT

Statewide, all Minnesota State operations, including all seven state universities and 26 community and technical colleges, plus the spending of its faculty, staff, and students, had a total statewide economic contribution of $8.4 billion. This activity generated an estimated 62,125 jobs in the state.

RCTC was voted the BEST OF THE BEST for the sixth consecutive year in the Post Bulletin’s annual reader’s choice contest.

As part of its “Critical Careers” segment, KTTC Anchor Tom Overlie took to the skies with two RCTC/Great Planes Aviation Program alums to learn about the program and the need for trained pilots. You can watch the story at: https://www.kttc.com/2022/09/22/criticalcareers-pilot-shortage-crisis/.

The PTECH program welcomed 60 new high school students to campus this year. They join the 60 who started last year who are working toward their degrees in IT and Practical Nursing.

RCTC FOUNDATION

The Bea Family Foundation committed $100,000 to the RCTC Foundation for scholarships to benefit union and hourly employees at the Kahler Hospitality group.

The OAKS (Overcoming Adversity Keeping Strong) scholarships once again provided an opportunity for students who have “beat the odds” to pursue academic and personal success.

An anonymous Rochester couple donated $130,000 to the RCTC Foundation to fund scholarships and aid academic programs over the next three years. This generous gift includes $90,000 to create the Mildred Montag Scholarship fund. This scholarship honors Mildred Montag who championed the associate degree nursing program to alleviate a critical shortage of nurses following World War II. By creating a program that could be taught in two-year colleges, her work transformed nursing education.

RCTC TECHNOLOGY

IT introduced a new ticketing system, replaced the campus facilities’ SchoolDude system, and converted the campus phone system to Zoom phones. IT, HR, and Finance departments are transitioning from ISRS to a new system called NextGen/Workday which will be implemented in July 2024.

RETIREES

RCTC said goodbye and thank you to 14 faculty and staff who retired in 2022-2023. Individual years of service ranged from 9 years to 42 years.

Pamela Benson, Computer Aided Drafting Faculty (26)

Rosemary Buns, Nursing Faculty (19)

Steven Carlson, Carpentry Faculty (21)

Matthew Hafar, Music Faculty (16)

Susan Jansen, Associate Dean of Nursing (28)

Judy Kingsbury, Executive Assistant to President (42)

Dave Lexvold, Facility and Service Technology Faculty (13)

Yu (Jim) Ma, Computer Science Faculty (9)

Chrisanne Pieper, Senior Programs Coordinator (21)

Debra Schloegel, TRIO Administrative Assistant (29)

Stephen Schmall, Vice President of Finance/Facilities (11)

Jonathan Wetenkamp, Projects/Events Design Engineer (21)

Elizabeth Wirt, Nursing Faculty (22)

Diane Witzig, Nursing Faculty (28)

IN MEMORY

Ruth Siefert, retired RCTC Business Office Supervisor, passed away on May 27, 2023. Ruth was 69 years old and served our students for 43 years from 1972 until her retirement in 2017.

Jim Russell, retired History Instructor, passed away on April 24, 2023. Jim was 91 years old and taught at the College for 30 years from 1966 until his retirement in 1996.

Iris Fried, retired Director of the Student Support Services Program (SSSP), passed away on August 12, 2022. She was the Director from 1985 - 2000.

May Jesseph, retired Librarian, passed away on July 30, 2022. May was 87 years old and served many years as a part-time librarian.

Warren Kemplin, retired RCTC Director of Corporate Partnership Development, passed away on June 30, 2022. Warren retired from IBM Rochester and worked at RCTC for nine years until his retirement in 2008. Warren was 77 years old.

SHINING STARS

Sandra Aaby, Feras Al-Kaisi, Michele Altman, Dave Atwood, Tiffany Betcher, Jeffery Boyd, Teresa Brown, Tim Burton, Deb Cannon, Ruth Casper, Alan Charon, Annie Clement, Michelle Cochran, Jennifer Dahle, Shelly Danielson, Natalie Dicke, Jennifer Erwin, Barb Ewen, Will Frame, Greg Frana, Cheri Fritz, Kim Glarner, Larry Gottschalk, Will Gould, Matt Haack, Kayla Haberkorn, Ben Hain, Jackie Halsey, Lori Halverson-Wente, Sean Hansen, Jennifer Haug, Josh Henslin, Teri Hill, Darin Hoffman, Kodi Hoscheit, Jean Hoth, Simon Huelsbeck, Terrence Isaac, Jeffery Jacobsen, Rhonda Jensson, Nick Johnson, Judy Kingsbury, Gina Korf, Brooke Kosok, Travis Kromminga, Rebecca Kruetzfeldt, Jesse Krusmark, Jon Krusmark, Jeff Lepper, Katrina Maass, Jamie Mahlberg, Kristin Mannix, MaryAnn Matvenyenko, Jenee McGurren, Antonio McKinney, Easton McCready, Michelle Messenger, Rod Milbrandt, Cheryl Morgan, Jean Musgjerd, Mike Mutschelknaus, Allan O’Bryan, Dennis Olson, Ursula Olson, Allison Passon, Mona Permann, Janelle

Peterson, Elsie Randall, Kathie Richie, Katie Ristau, Wayne Roerish, Nikkilynn Rud, Michael Sheggeby, Heather Sklenicka, Connie Sobotta, Brad Steinbrink, Nate Stoltman, Suzanne Szucs, Megan Tate, Morris Thompson, Jaime Tjossem, Cuong Tran, Taresa Tweeten, Daniel Vosberg, MJ Wagenson, Bryan Wayne, Pam Whitfield, Anne Wobschall, Madison Wurth, and members of the Facilities/Maintenance Teams

Albert (Al) Bina, retired Psychology Instructor, passed away on October 13, 2022. Al was 77 years old and taught at the College for 33 years until his retirement in 2003.