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“I’m very grateful for the education I received at Ridgewater; the instructors were first-class and prepared me very well for the world after graduation.” -Sharon Anderson, Ridgewater Alumna
NW Minnesota in 2009 where I have been the Mayor of the City of Tenney, MN (population 5 - yeah, FIVE!) until the end of 2011 when we will be dissolving the City and turning it over to the local township to govern. I have many memories of the best days in my life while in college in Hutch! I jammed with a basement band made up of 3 of my classmates from Audio Tech. Those were the best times I’ve ever had - and I really miss the great people I started my adult life with a lot.
1985 Rita Tiffany (Nursing) I held a variety of jobs in the nursing field after graduation. I spent 13 years working with emotionally and mentally handicapped adolescents at WRTC. That was a fun job, with something new every day. The most challenging job I had was as an organ donation coordinator and procurer. That kind of job teaches you more than any textbook ever could. I have since retired and am enjoying my children, grandchildren and gardening.
1983 Sharon Anderson (Nursing) I have worked in a variety of nursing jobs in hospitals and nursing homes, but I have been out of direct patient care for 19 years. I currently live in Minneapolis and work at Medica Insurance doing research into new medical technologies. I am also a certified medical coder. I have great memories of my nursing class of 1983. We were in the accelerated program for LPN to RN, which was extremely intense and as a result we were all very close. I’m very grateful for the education I received at Ridgewater; the instructors were first-class and prepared me very well for the world after graduation.
1981 Craig Christians (Pre-Engineering) After WCC, I earned a BS in Civil Engineering at SDSU, and then went on to get an MS in Municipal Engineering @ ISU. I’ve been the manager of the City of Omaha’s Sewer Maintenance Division for 24 Years. I’m also the head Cross Country and Track coach at Bellevue West High School.
1973 Robert Sportel (Accounting) After college, I worked at Control Data in Bloomington, MN (Lease Accounting) from 1973 - 1974; then as Office Manager at Prinsburg Farmers Co-op from 1974 - 1980. Since 1981, I’ve been the Agronomy Manager at Prinsburg Farmers Co-op.
1970 Hazel Sitz (General Secretarial) Ours was the last class that graduated from the school when it was located in the Merrill Building. I was employed in secretarial work after completing my courses at HAVTI. I continued my education and graduated from Metropolitan State University in 1975 with BA degree. I was employed by the City of Hutchinson from 1975-1996 as Human Resources Coordinator. I retired in 1996 and am now a volunteer for several organizations.
1968 Cindy Forbes (Administrative Assistant) I moved to San Diego, CA, in 1969 after working at the U of M for one year. I worked in the field of graduate education primarily: California School of Professional Psychology, University for Humanistic Studies, and the California Teachers Association. I thoroughly enjoyed my year at WAVTI... the students, faculty and staff were great. The training I received there was excellent. Socially, it was a great time and I enjoyed meeting people from throughout the state who came to school there.
1967 Lynn McEwen (Drafting and Design Technology) After graduation, I worked for IBM as a draftsman for 8 years, then as a systems programmer for the remaining 24 years, until I retired in 1999. I then found the job of a lifetime as a senior application programmer with Gemini, Inc. where I have worked part-time for the past 12 years. I remember the Air Force huts that we used to have class in, the football games we had at noon and between classes. I will never forget the 2 years I worked in the Clark Station and and all of the friends I made. I have to thank the instructors -- Pat Fahey and George LaPatka -- for all they taught me during those two years and how grateful I am that they prepared me so well for life outside of school!