CVTC Magazine: April 2024

LOCAL ROOTS LASTING IMPACT

04 | IT'S BUSINESS

CVTC alumni entrepreneurs have their eyes on the prize of building commerce

06 | ALUMNI TO THE RESCUE College dean finds familiar faces when his life is on the line

12 | TEACHING THE TEACHERS

Education is a calling for these alumni who upskilled to work their dream jobs

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

As the president of CVTC, I am continually amazed by the extraordinary impact our alumni have on the lives of individuals in our community.

At our college, we pride ourselves on fostering innovation, creativity, and excellence in education. Our alumni embody these values as they go out into the world and make meaningful contributions in various industries and sectors.

Our lives are touched by CVTC alumni every day, from chefs at our favorite restaurants and the dental hygienist who takes care of our oral health to the mechanic who fixes our vehicles and the early childhood educator who nurtures and guides our children while we’re at work. But recently, our own Dean of Agriculture, Energy, Construction, and Transportation, Adam Wehling, encountered alumni during his own harrowing experience.

You’ll read more about Adam’s story in this magazine, but to give you a preview, nearly every person Adam had contact with in his time of need was a graduate of our institution. From the sheriff’s deputy and first responder to the emergency department nurse and radiology technician – in total, Adam counted nine CVTC graduates who touched his life when he needed it most.

I’m so thankful that our highly trained alumni were the ones to come to Adam’s rescue. But it doesn’t surprise me,

because our skilled graduates are everywhere. This is just one story, but we know our graduates touch the lives of those in our community every day.

You will also read about our alumni who have built businesses utilizing what they've learned at CVTC. Our teachers are also amongst us, educating our children and readying them for the future.

As we continue to invest in the education and development of future generations of students, let us remember the transformative power of education and the important role that our alumni play in shaping the future of our community.

We are incredibly thankful and indebted to you, our community, for believing in CVTC. Thank you for honoring our mission and supporting our students and graduates with your time on committees, your treasure by offering scholarships and donating to their success, and your talent by taking our students under your wings to guide them in their careers.

Thank you!

Gratefully,

Dr. Sunem Beaton-Garcia

CHIPPEWA VALLEY TECHNICAL COLLEGE

MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED FOR ALUMNI AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.

PRESIDENT

Dr. Sunem Beaton-Garcia

VICE PRESIDENT OF STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS & ENGAGEMENT

| CHIEF OF STAFF

Joni Geroux

VICE PRESIDENT OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CVTC FOUNDATION, INC.

Karen Kohler

CONTENT STRATEGIST & WRITER

Alyssa Van Duyse

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Mackenzie Slattery

CHIPPEWA VALLEY TECHNICAL COLLEGE

620 W. Clairemont Ave.

Eau Claire, WI 54701-6162

715-833-6200

800-547-CVTC

cvtc.edu

ADAM WEHLING ON THE COVER

CVTC Dean of Agriculture, Energy, Construction & Transportation

Every day, community members come into contact with CVTC alumni. As a CVTC dean, Wehling has always known the impact our graduates make, but none more than when he needed them the most.

DR. SUNEM BEATON-GARCIA, PRESIDENT

GRADS MAKING A DIFFERENCE

DUSTIN GOODMAN OUTSTANDING RECENT ALUMNI

Goodman has worked as a respiratory therapist for two local hospitals, for a specialty hospital in Madison, was an ECMO specialist for UW Health and the University of Minnesota Medical Center, and was a traveling respiratory therapist during the start of COVID-19. But he considers himself home now that he’s a full-time instructor at CVTC.

KELLY BAKKEN

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

Bakken was interested in law enforcement before she graduated from high school. She had family members in emergency services and felt compelled to explore the career, which brought her to CVTC.

The now Altoona Police Chief completed the two-year Criminal Justice program in 1998 and, right after graduation, entered the Law Enforcement Academy.

As a 2016 graduate of CVTC, Goodman said he’s a champion for his alma mater.

“Our program is so strong. It has strong competencies and checks and balances,” he said of CVTC’s Respiratory Therapy program. “It set me up for success. When I got hired at UW back in the day, they were ecstatic to have a CVTC grad.”

As he works to inspire students at CVTC, the Fall Creek High School graduate is also a student right now as he works on earning his bachelor's degree online from Boise State University.

But Goodman isn’t resting on his laurels.

He’s involved in Wisconsin’s respiratory therapy organization, taking his first position a year out of college on the board of directors. He also held two terms as vice president, and now he serves as a delegate.

“I want to make this profession better for the next generation,” Goodman said. “I want to teach the next generation to be that patient advocate. We have a voice. We’re not treating numbers or diseases, we’re treating people.”

“It was a fantastic experience,” Bakken said. “A lot of people helped me build my career, but really looking back on it, it was the foundation that CVTC gave me that helped me build a solid foundation for what has been a long career in law enforcement.”

In her nearly 26 years working in the law enforcement field, she has worked in everything from corrections to captain of patrol and investigations.

“The best part about being chief is getting to mold those new officers to be the best they can be as leaders in our community,” she said. “It’s what we do as a team here. It’s a team effort, and I have a great team.”

Bakken gives back to CVTC by sitting on the Criminal Justice Advisory Committee and the Foundation Board. She is proud of that work.

“It’s really about student success – making sure that the students have the tools to succeed, and that the College has the ability to provide that,” Bakken said. “CVTC is providing a service to our community.”

CVTC RECOGNIZES ALUMNI AT GALA

LEARNING BEYOND GRADUATION

Alumni that come from Chippewa Valley Technical College are life-long learners. Many of them take advantage of the College’s continuing education and training classes to learn new skills or upskill for their current roles.

Connie LeCleir-Meyer, CVTC Workforce Solutions Leadership & Organizational Development Trainer, said about half of the classes she teaches include a student who is connected to CVTC.

“They are either alumni, worked here before or in some way reaped the benefits of CVTC,” she said. “I always ask if there are any prior CVTC attendees. That’s my standard. It's rewarding to see all the people CVTC has impacted.”

As a trainer of leadership and organizational development, LeCleir-Meyer reaches out to businesses to understand their struggles in the workforce. A common theme, she said, is that they have great leaders but they haven’t had an opportunity to expand their education. Or, they have new leaders that need guidance.

“We do a needs analysis on their pain points and how CVTC could help them,” LeCleir-Meyer said. “They trust us to build a relevant curriculum. My strengths include building a curriculum by combining courses if necessary to meet the needs of the businesses in our community.”

LeCleir-Meyer said it’s powerful to see the lightbulb go off for students in her classes. Those are the people who typically come back for more training because of a prior experience, she said.

“After I teach, good things happen,” she said with a smile. “We offer a different connection here.”

Jamie Boulding’s business, JM Screen Printing and More, is featured on her alma mater’s Alumni Market, a webpage that identifies alumni-owned businesses. Consider supporting alumni and buying local by patronizing these businesses. If you’re a business owner or manager and graduated from CVTC, apply to have your business featured on the page.

Featured

items from Jamie's shop highlight local school spirit.

BUILDING A BUSINESS

ALUMNI ENTREPRENEURS UTILIZE SKILLS LEARNED AT CVTC TO REALIZE DREAMS

Jamie Boulding, a 2007 CVTC graduate from the Accounting program, has owned JM Screen Printing and More in Cornell since 2015, but her journey began years before owning her own business.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today if I had not taken the chance to continue my education with the online program CVTC offered.”

With 165-plus programs, certificates and apprenticeships, it’s no surprise that several Chippewa Valley Technical College graduates manage or own companies throughout west-central Wisconsin and beyond. Boulding said she always wanted to own her own business, but she didn’t know when or where it would happen.

The opportunity came to fruition when she was offered to purchase

business part time and still working my full-time job as well.”

Since then, with the help of her husband Matt Boulding, Cornell Fire Chief, they have added decals, large format printing and promotional items, as well as the screen printing and embroidery that helped get Jamie Boulding’s business off the ground.

Now she runs the business full time, and she has two employees as well.

“Graduating from the Accounting program gave me the opportunity to work with other businesses.

CONTINUE MY EDUCATION WITH THE ONLINE PROGRAM CVTC OFFERED.

I WOULDN'T BE WHERE I AM TODAY IF I HAD NOT TAKEN THE CHANCE TO - JAMIE BOULDING

“I chose CVTC because of the online courses that were offered for the Accounting program,” she said. “I was a single mom to a toddler at the time, and offering the online courses helped make my dream of graduating college come true.

JAMIE'S THOUGHTS ON

BUYING LOCAL

the screen-printing business from her mother-in-law. A few years after she took over the business, the embroidery shop in Cornell also decided to sell.

“I thought, ‘Why not? Let’s add to this,’” she said. “I was only running the

This played a crucial role in my business skills,” she said. “It gave me a strong knowledge in the financial management of a business, including budgeting, tracking expenses and making financial decisions. All of this helps me run my business.”

When people buy from my business, they are supporting a local entrepreneur. The money spent at my business circulates through the community by supporting other local businesses and helping create and maintain jobs. It also supports local events, causes and schools.

HE CALLED 911 AND HOPED HELP WOULD BE ABLE TO FIND HIM OFF THE BACKROADS OF RURAL MONDOVI. WHEN HE HEARD THE SIRENS CUT SOUND AND THE CRUNCH OF GRAVEL UNDER TIRES, HE KNEW HELP WAS NEAR.

SAVED BY CVTC

ALUMNI COME TO COLLEGE DEAN'S RESCUE

Adam Wehling climbed the short but steep hill of his wooded land south of Eau Claire. He weaved his way through prickle brush to the 18-inch round fallen oak tree that nearly took his life.

As he led people to the scene, he was preoccupied with telling the details of his harrowing experience. Then he approached the 6-foot log and paused for a moment.

“I’m a little self-conscious of that cut,” Wehling said pointing to the tree’s trunk.

The 43-year-old Chippewa Valley Technical College Dean of Agriculture, Energy, Construction and Transportation hasn’t stopped thinking about what went wrong on January 2 as he began to cut down a tree on his property.

On that day, the tree fell in an unexpected direction pinning Wehling underneath. He’s lucky to be alive, he said. The people who came to his aid – nearly all are CVTC alumni – agree with his assessment.

THE ACCIDENT

Wehling was trained in the skill of cutting down trees at the age of 16. He took a forestry class at Fall Creek High School and received “extensive supervised training” while cutting up and felling trees in the school’s forest.

For more than 25 years, Wehling has been using a chainsaw successfully and without

injury. He is in the habit of taking all precautions while using the chainsaw by following his process of checking in with his wife every hour; wearing a hat, vest, long-sleeve sweatshirt and Carhartt work pants with a side pocket for his phone; wearing ear plugs, chainsaw chaps, boots and gloves; and by parking his John Deere gator 50 feet away on the gravel road from where he would be working –easily visible “just in case,” he said.

But Wehling admits that even with a “prepared approach, accidents happen.”

“It happened in an instant – so fast I couldn’t do anything,” he said.

As he did a hundred times, he made the wedge cut and then began the back cut. The chainsaw became pinched. While pulling the chainsaw, the hinge broke, and the butt of the tree pivoted and slipped on the bar of his chainsaw.

The treetop fell Wehling’s way, knocking him down and pinning him to the semi-frozen ground.

“After hitting the ground, the tree bounced slightly on the ground and myself, and as I twisted and the tree slid slightly downhill, it firmly rested on the top of my pelvis and upper legs,” he said.

“I tried lifting and moving the tree off my body, but it wouldn’t budge.”

Wehling did a quick assessment as he reached for his phone, which was

accessible in the side pocket of the pants his wife had purchased days earlier.

He called 911 and hoped help would be able to find him off the backroads of rural Mondovi. When he heard the sirens cut sound and the crunch of gravel under tires, he knew help was near.

CVTC TO THE RESCUE

Steven Schlewitz, an Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Deputy, was first on the scene less than 15 minutes from the time Wehling dialed 911.

The CVTC Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Academy graduate said he was able to find Wehling, which isn’t always easy in rural areas.

“When I got there, obviously I observed that he had a tree on him, and with my training (from CVTC) and instincts of growing up in rural areas, I knew what had to be done,” Schlewitz said. “I wasn’t able to lift the tree by myself, and I knew I needed to cut it.”

Being a lifetime outdoorsman and skilled with a chainsaw, Schlewitz grabbed Wehling's Stihl and began cutting the tree trunk to take some pressure off of Wehling’s body.

“The only thing that was really going through my head is ‘I gotta do what I can do to try and help this guy,’ ” he said.

That’s when Township Fire Captain Larry (Scott) Wertz, another CVTC alumnus, showed up to render aid.

“(Schlewitz) was running the saw and … I went running up there. It was quite a sight,” Wertz said. “The tree was so big that it pretty much covered him all up, and at first, I was wondering why I was there because I didn’t see anybody until I got real close. I saw Adam’s feet, and his head was sticking out the other side.

"That’s when it hit me that this was serious.”

After a few cuts were made in the tree trunk, the two men used brute force to lift the log so Wehling could roll out

from underneath. Wehling’s body was free from the tree's weight.

“I sat on the correct side of an oak tree that a few minutes earlier had me in a perilous position,” he said.

As the paramedics arrived, Wehling was assessed for potential injuries.

His body was sore, but he didn’t think he had any broken bones. A medical helicopter had been deployed, but the decision was made to call it off after Wehling literally stood up and walked away from the event that could have taken his life.

Wehling declined a ride to the hospital, but paramedics suggested his wife take him there because, although he felt OK at that moment, his body likely was in shock.

It’s best to be checked to make sure, they said.

When Wehling arrived at the hospital, the emergency waiting room was overflowing with patients. But because his was labeled a trauma, he got top billing. When Sondra Mero, CVTC EMS instructor who moonlights as an emergency department Registered Nurse, saw that Wehling was the trauma patient, she told her manager she needed to check on him right away because “I know who he is, and I don’t think he would come in unless it was bad,” she said.

Mero, who also is a CVTC alumna, wheeled Wehling back for tests. That’s when he encountered CVTC grad, Amanda Poirier, a radiology technician.

“They called a trauma overhead so we immediately get set up for the worst-case scenario,” Poirier said. “I wasn’t expecting Adam (Wehling) to roll in. I knew that there was a bad accident and a tree had fallen on someone, but I wasn’t expecting to see him.”

CVTC IS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF OUR SOCIETY AND WITHOUT THE TRAINED WORKERS THAT QUICKLY RESPONDED TO MY CALL, I HESITATE TO THINK WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED.

Poirier recognized Wehling from her time at CVTC. She scanned him carefully from head to toe to assess for internal bleeding or fractures that would require surgical intervention.

“I, amazingly, saw much of nothing,” she said. “I was expecting at least some fractured ribs or something. That’s pretty common. But the scans were great. (He is) pretty fortunate after an accident like that.”

Wehling walked away with deep bruises and back pain, which he expects will subside. Twenty-four hours after being pinned under the oak tree, he sat down and penned six pages of a memoir titled “Saved by Chippewa Valley Technical

College.” It was his way of processing the events.

“Most of my gratitude from this experience lies with Chippewa Valley Technical College for training the individuals that saved my life,” he said. “Understanding the calamity of factors that could have altered the course and made this situation much worse, I am instead focusing on what did happen and those who raced into action to help.

"CVTC is an essential component of our society and without the trained workers that quicwkly responded to my call, I hesitate to think what might have happened.”

ALUMNI SP TLIGHTS

STEVEN SCHLEWITZ

BADGE-SHERIFF

EAU CLAIRE SHERIFF’S DEPUTY

CRIMINAL JUSTICE | ’14

LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMY | ’14

Steven Schlewitz, an Eau Claire Sheriff’s Deputy, said he used what he learned at Chippewa Valley Technical College to assess Wehling’s situation quickly and with little emotion to help produce a good outcome.

“The staff at CVTC are very knowledgeable on every aspect of the career field, whether it be intervention, firearms, defense and arrest tactics or professional communication,” Schlewitz said of the training he received.

“I’ve always been a hands-on person. That’s what really got my attention coming into the law enforcement program – getting out and actually doing those scenarios. That’s what helped me learn.”

His career experience and training at CVTC kicked into gear to help save Wehling’s life.

“When we were in school we learned how to respond, which is to assess the area and address what needs to be addressed,” he said. "You go through it in your head and it’s just kind of ingrained. You don’t even think about it."

SONDRA MERO

HAND-HOLDING-MEDICAL CVTC EMS INSTRUCTOR & ED NURSE FIREMEDIC | ’08

Is it a bird, or a plane? No, it’s Sondra Mero. Like a hero, Mero instructs FireMedic and Paramedic students at CVTC during the day, but on free nights and weekends, she is saving the community – one patient at a time – as a nurse in a local hospital emergency department.

Mero graduated from CVTC in 2008 with an associate degree as a FireMedic. She uses her skills to teach the next generation and to heal the community.

“I feel working as an emergency room nurse really helps bring a lot of clinical relevancy into the classroom as I’m teaching,” she said. “What I see in the emergency room or patients that I see brought in by EMS – I can use those as stories and examples to tell students about case studies that have happened.”

As a part-time emergency department nurse, Mero encounters many people she knows from the community, and she appreciates the opportunity to help them in their time of need.

“I think that’s what keeps me working here at CVTC is just knowing the impact we have.”

LARRY ( SCOTT ) WERTZ

�� TOWNSHIP FIRE DEPARTMENT CAPTAIN

DIESEL TECHNICIAN | ’96

FIREMEDIC COURSES | ’21

Larry (Scott) Wertz’s connection with CVTC started long ago when he graduated from the College in the Diesel and Heavy Equipment program in 1996. He landed a job and had a fulfilling career in the industry for 27 years before going back to college.

“Before I became a firefighter, everything was about my family and myself. I decided it was time to volunteer and give back,” he said.

Wertz enrolled in FireMedic courses at CVTC and joined Township Fire Department as a volunteer in 2021. But Wertz’s passion for the technical college goes beyond his own career. His wife graduated from CVTC’s Nursing program, his oldest daughter graduated from the Animal Science program, his youngest daughter is currently attending the College, and he said, “my youngest son, well, he’s still got some choices, but there’s a good chance he’ll be here too.”

“With the jobs out there these days, the schooling comes from technical colleges,” Wertz said. “Technical colleges are affordable and you get through it quickly to make a good living.”

AMANDA POIRIER

☢ RADIOLOGY TECHNICIAN

RADIOGRAPHY | ’12

RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION | ’22

Amanda Poirier liked CVTC so much that she got not one, but two degrees from the College. Her first in 2012 to be a radiology technician, and the second 10 years later in residential construction to gain greater knowledge of the trade.

But her passion is helping patients through administering CT scans at a local hospital. She said she couldn’t do what she does without the education she received at CVTC.

“CVTC has a lot of good instructors and it’s handson, which really prepares you for when you get out into the field,” she said. “Not only are you learning about it in class, but you also get to apply it in the field (before graduation).”

For the last 12 years, Poirier has been taking care of patients in the Chippewa Valley. She never expected to see Wehling rolled through the hospital doors.

“It’s a wonderful feeling helping people all day long. When it’s somebody you know, it hits a little closer to home,” she said. “And for it to be a good outcome, it’s even better."

THE TEACHERS TEACHING

EDUCATION ALUMNI SHARE THEIR STORIES ON WHY THEY CHOSE CVTC TO PURSUE THEIR DREAMS

Grace Horn, Morgan Herrmann, Korina Colliver, and Shannon Workman are separated in age by up to 25 years and nearly 55 miles, but their education and career paths are the common thread.

The four women chose Chippewa Valley Technical College to pursue their dreams of teaching future generations.

Horn and Workman graduated from the Foundations of Teacher Education program in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Earning this two-year associate degree has given the women the opportunity to work as an instructional assistant or paraprofessional.

Horn, 22, of Eau Claire, heard about the program from a friend. It was appealing to her to learn more about the world of education while going to a two-year college.

“For as long as I can remember, my passion was to become a teacher,” said Horn, who graduated from North High School. “Because of the program, I was able to get experience in the field of education.”

Before she began her education at CVTC, Horn thought she might want to pursue

a degree in special education. However, after learning about other options, she’s now on the path to becoming a Family and Consumer Science educator.

“In Family and Consumer Science education, I will be guiding students to pursue an occupation that interests them and that they will excel at,” she said. “There are opportunities for collaboration with the community as an educator that I am thrilled to be able to explore.”

Workman graduated with the same degree and is taking a different path. The 47-year-old Barron woman said she sought out an education at CVTC to better her life and gain the knowledge she needed to fulfill her dream of becoming an English Learner teacher.

I FEEL BLESSED TO WORK IN A POSITION THAT - MORGAN HERRMANN MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.

Since graduating from CVTC, Workman enrolled in Grand Canyon University working towards her Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in English Learning. She also landed an English Learner teaching position with first- and second-grade students at Woodland Elementary School in Barron.

“I love my role. I love teaching children and watching them grow and succeed,” Workman said. “It enhances the community by knowing the families that I work with have someone who can advocate for them and their child’s education.”

Modestly, Herrmann and Colliver have similar thoughts about the role their guidance and leadership play in the community. They graduated from the Early Childhood Education program in 2020 and 2023, respectively.

Herrmann, 31, current assistant director of Days Gone By Early Learning in Eau Claire, realized her love of early childhood education when she transferred from a university to CVTC in 2012. Eventually, she left CVTC to work at her current organization.

“When I made the decision to return and finish my degree in 2019, CVTC advisors and instructors helped work with me to obtain credit for prior learning and put credits form my previous time in school towards my degree,” she said. “This helped me finish my degree much faster and made it possible for me to still work full time while attending school.”

Herrmann’s degree made it possible for her to go from assistant teacher to lead teacher to closing coordinator to assistant director. She works with teachers to help them create successful classroom environments.

“I feel that my role here is vital to the community,” she said. “The experiences and connections I have made through my job have been amazing and I feel blessed to work in a position that makes a difference in the lives of families in our community.”

Colliver, 33, of Holcombe, was a paraprofessional for a 4K classroom. Now that she has her associate degree from CVTC, she is an elementary interventionist, substitute teacher and often works with the after-school program to help children with homework.

“I needed a career change,” she said. “I knew I enjoyed working with children at the job I had at the time, so I decided to look into the education field.”

Now that Colliver is in the role she was meant to have, she is using her skills to help students learn by taking care of their needs.

“I love what I do. Children have a hard time learning until all their basic needs are met,” she said. “This school year, I was able to start a Care Closet that has basic hygiene supplies for children of all ages who want or need them.”

Colliver said she recognizes many people have to make tough decisions on where to spend their money. With the school district able to supply some basic need items, “families have one less thing to worry about,” she said.

“I wouldn’t have known how to ask for the grant for these items or properly use my voice to start the topic if it wasn’t for CVTC.”

1: DUSTIN GOODMAN, CVTC RESPIRATORY THERAPY INSTRUCTOR & ALUMNUS, ACCEPTS AN ALUMNI AWARD. 2: ADAM WEHLING, CVTC DEAN, SHOWS OFF HIS AUCTIONEER SKILLS AT THE GALA. 4: AMY OLSON, MAYO CLINIC HEALTH SYSTEM, LISTENS AS THEY HONOR THE HEALTH SYSTEM FOR PROVEN BUSINESS PARTNER. 02

MAYO CLINIC COMMUNITY BUSINESS PARTNER

MAYO CLINIC HEALTH SYSTEM COLLEAGUES CELEBRATE THE ORGANIZATION'S PARTNERSHIP WITH CVTC & BEING NAMED A PROVEN BUSINESS PARTNER.

CVTC RECOGNIZES COMMUNITY BUSINESS PARTNER AT GALA

As a business with a history of caring for communities in west-central Wisconsin and students of health care programs, Mayo Clinic Health System has been named Chippewa Valley Technical College’s Proven Business Partner for 2024.

Like CVTC, Mayo Clinic celebrates longstanding success in the region. Part of that is because of the partnership the two organizations appreciate with each other.

Amy Olson, Nursing Education Specialist with Mayo Clinic Health System, said of its 5,000 employees in northwestern Wisconsin, more than 1,100 are CVTC alumni.

“CVTC has a longstanding history of providing graduates who are ready to enter the workforce,” Olson said. “Mayo Clinic knows with every CVTC applicant that we see these individuals have been prepared with industry-ready, up-to-date curriculum and are ready to excel in the workforce.”

Mayo Clinic and CVTC collaborate to provide clinical access for student learning and growth opportunities, but the partnerships go beyond what alumni do once they become Mayo Clinic employees. Many of those employees serve on Alumni and Foundation boards and advisory committees for the College.

“We deeply value the opportunities to be innovative and grow clinical research and learning opportunities,” Olson said.

Olson said the Proven Business Partner recognition from CVTC “solidifies the partnerships that we have valued for years. Being a Proven Business Partner with CVTC is an honor and something we truly cherish,” she said.