Fox Valley Technical College | Focus Magazine | Spring 2015

focus

volume 8, issue 1• spring 2015

Fox Valley Technical College

your future

CENTERED ON SAFETY Premiere center raises the bar on public safety training

Inside: FBI looks to FVTC for customized training. Page 4 Start today for a high-demand career in welding. Page 6 Local sheriff finds his department’s training needs at FVTC. Page 12

welcome!

At Fox Valley Tech, I can study business and get involved in extracurricular activities. As current president of the Student Government Association, I am learning how to be an effective leader by working with staff to provide a positive experience for my fellow students. My classes are helping me develop business skills and an attractive resumé to become successful.

Olbis Morrobel President, Student Government Association • Business Management Student

contents Focus is published bi-annually for the communities of Fox Valley Technical College.

features 8

10 12

8

Double Duty Appleton native Bryce Sternhagen is doubly committed to a career in public service.

in every issue

10

2

Around FVTC A snapshot at what’s making news.

4

Focus on Workplace Training The new Public Safety Training Center helps the FBI prepare for major duties.

Fired Up FVTC’s reputation drew Sarah Cooper to Wisconsin from the West Coast for fire certification.

5

Focus on the Entrepreneur Small businesses in Waupaca are turning heads thanks to training at FVTC.

It’s All Here Winnebago County sheriff finds all of his department’s training needs at FVTC.

7

Focus on High-Demand Careers Begin your career now in the highdemand industry of precision farming.

what’s now

Skill 6 Sparking Start today for a high-demand career in

14

Focus on Alumni Dewi Bush’s pathway to success started in the Office Assistant program at FVTC.

15

Focus on the Foundation Bergstrom Automotive and the FVTC Foundation team up to fill high-demand careers in the automotive retail industry.

16

Focus on the Student Experience Students serving as peer advisors learn life skills while helping other students.

welding.

Director of College Marketing Barb Dreger Executive Editor/Manager of Media Relations Chris Jossart Art Director Cara Jakubiec Contributing Editor Casey Britten Contributing Writers Joan Neumahr, Amy Vander Stoep Photography Gary Brilowski, Gary Gawinski, Patrick Kelly President Dr. Susan A. May Fox Valley Technical College

1825 N. Bluemound Dr. P.O. Box 2277 Appleton, WI 54912-2277 1-800-735-3882 TTY (hearing impaired) 920-735-2569 www.fvtc.edu jossart@fvtc.edu (email inquiries) Accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, www.ncahlc.org.

FVTC offers more than 200 associate degree, technical diploma and certificate programs, and instruction related to 15 apprenticeship trades, in addition to providing services to business and industry. The college serves about 50,000 people annually, more than any other technical college in Wisconsin.

© 2015 Fox Valley Technical College.

All rights reserved. Equal Opportunity Employer/ Educator.

around FVTC Taking Care of Biz BizSquad students lend their talents to area organizations while gaining real-world experience.

Funded by a grant from the State of Wisconsin, BizSquad brings together students from different business-related programs at Fox Valley Technical College to help area organizations succeed.

For its first project, BizSquad students worked on a rebranding campaign for SOAR, a nonprofit organization formerly known as ARC Fox Cities that helps people with developmental disabilities. “Seven amazing students worked together to produce promotional materials and a video announcing the organization’s name change,” states Management Development Department Chair Mitch Lautenslager. “The video is so inspirational that it brought tears to the eyes of both people who are connected to SOAR and to those who want to learn about the organization.”

BizSquad students also provided promotional and planning assistance to fundraising events related to the FVTC Foundation’s Seeds of Hope fund, designed to help students in need of emergency assistance.

The programs represented by the students included Accounting, Administrative Professional, Business Management, Computer Support Specialist, Web Development & Design, Marketing, and Professional Communications.

“When these students graduate, they’ll have an impressive resumé and real-world experience to hit the ground running,” added Lautenslager.

BizSquad students (left row, from bottom): Alexandria House, Jessi Meshke, Joanne Anderson, Brittany Steinert, Erin Condon, Jody Congdon, and Kris Wilson with faculty.

What’s New for Fall 2015?

At Fox Valley Tech, we’re always working with local employers to identify the most current and relevant education for the job market. By providing students with the skills that area employers need most, we’re ensuring that our graduates are building rewarding, in-demand careers.

2

New program offerings for 2015-2016 include training for high-demand areas like manufacturing, public safety, engineering, printing, and more.

www.fvtc.edu Fox Valley Technical College

• • • For a list of new programs for

2015-2016, visit

www.fvtc.edu/NewPrograms

News Briefs • FVTC President Dr. Susan May provided a national voice on the role two-year colleges play in training for in-demand careers in the January 2015 issue of the Community College Journal.

Chef Ace Champion

Chef Launches His Own Career Graduates of FVTC’s Culinary Arts program earn rewarding careers as executive chefs, food service leaders, production cooks, restaurant managers, and more.

For 2012 grad Ace Champion, the 37-year-old from New Orleans is finding success as a celebrity chef: Cooking Instructor for Simon Creek Winery and Vineyard, Saxon Creamery, Copps Food Center, Cook’s Corner, and more.

Motivational Speaker for colleges and K-12 schools, and author of 8 Steps to Your Perfect Meal.

Private Chef, most notably for a few members of the Green Bay Packers.

Award-Winning Recipe Developer for Curt’s Spice Company & Oilerie, the nation’s largest single store retailer of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and more. Winner of the 2014 Flavor Pitch Pork Recipe contest, sponsored by the Minnesota Pork Board.

Gaining Attention: WFRV, Fox 11, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Green Bay Press-Gazette, Wisconsin Rapids Tribune, and The Network Journal, to name a few.

• • • Learn more: www.chefchampion.com www.fvtc.edu/CulinaryHospitality

100%

The article, “Future Job Growth by the Numbers,” discusses how twoyear colleges continue to be ideally positioned to meet the current and projected job shortage in the United States. The piece includes comments from Jonathan Block, a Diesel Equipment Technology student from Birnamwood and recent recipient of a national Mike Rowe WORKS Foundation scholarship.

Dr. Susan May

Jonathan Block

• The Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation awarded $1,000 scholarships to 22 apprentices at FVTC representing the industrial, construction, and service trades. The award will help strengthen completion rates for apprentices as the economy calls for more skilled workers in trade industries.

• For the second consecutive year, the Agriculture department was selected as most Outstanding Post-Secondary Agricultural Education program on behalf of the Wisconsin Association of Agricultural Educators.

• Jacqueline Kreider, a student in the Associate Degree Nursing program, was one of 20 students in the nation to receive a $2,500 Phi Theta Kappa Frank Lanza Memorial Scholarship for her outstanding academic and leadership accomplishments.

Jacqueline Kreider

• The Culinary Arts department announced a new series of monthly Community Cooking Demos in the state-of-the-art Jones Dairy Farm Culinary Theatre, featuring specialty entrees on behalf of its chefs. To learn more about the Saturday morning demos, visit www.fvtc.edu/CommunityCooking.

job placement for graduates of FVTC’s Culinary Arts program .

FVTC’s Graduate Employment Research Report, 2014

focus spring 2015 3

focus

on workplace training FBI at FVTC The new Public Safety Training Center helps the FBI prepare for major duties.

FBI training at the new Public Safety Training Center.

SAFETY IS UNIVERSAL

FVTC’s public safety training touches lives around the world.

11,700

trainees and students went through occupational adult training in FVTC’s criminal justice instructional areas during the 2013-14 year.

Source: FVTC’s College Effectiveness department

Students and trainees came from all

50

states

plus the District of Columbia

6

and U.S. Virgin Islands, in addition to foreign nations: Canada, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.

Source: FVTC’s College Effectiveness department

The largest federal law enforcement agency in the United States has looked to Fox Valley Technical College for several years to help meet its customized training needs. Now, with the addition of FVTC’s new Public Safety Training Center, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Milwaukee Field Office and college are amplifying their existing partnership.

“The new facility will allow us to expand the role that FVTC already plays in regard to our firearms and tactical training curriculum. It provides everything the FBI needs to not only train our own agents, but help train other law enforcement agencies,” states Special Agent Jay Darin from the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “It has high-tech classrooms, indoor and outdoor firearms ranges, and realistic commercial and residential training buildings for us to conduct force-onforce scenario exercises.”

Darin is the principal firearms instructor, principal tactical instructor, and leader of the FBI’s statewide ALERRT Active Shooter program. “We’ll use this great space for a number of internal needs including firearms, tactical, SWAT, hostage negotiation training, and Evidence Response Team (ERT) work,” he says. “We also anticipate using it for our external training programs to include Active Shooter Response, Street Survival, and Basic Crisis Negotiation schools.”

Before the development of the new The value this new facility facility, FBI personnel brings to Wisconsin and our often travel to different locations to receive or nation’s law enforcement provide training for skills officers is enormous and in firearms, rappelling, tubular assaults, highdifficult to measure. risk vehicle stops, Jay Darin, FBI and handling MineResistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles. “At FVTC, our agents can now conduct all of this training at one location, resulting in the maximization of our limited training hours,” says Darin. “The value this new facility brings to Wisconsin and our nation’s law enforcement officers is enormous and difficult to measure.”

“

”

• • • Learn more: www.fvtc.edu/PSTC

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www.fvtc.edu Fox Valley Technical College

focus

on the entrepreneur

“

The workshops allowed me to view our business in an entirely new way, and that experience will pay tremendous dividends for years to come.

”

Bill Zimmerman

Doing Business in Rural America Small businesses in Waupaca are turning heads thanks to training at FVTC. Last fall, the Fox Valley Technical College Venture Center launched a new training series for small businesses that has grown into a model for rural economic development. Eight area Waupaca businesses received the Small Business Design, Plan, and Grow training series from the Venture Center to help sharpen their competitive edge.

The training was made possible through a grant from AT&T and a partnership between the Venture Center, Waupaca Area Chamber of Commerce, and Waupaca Economic Development Corporation.

These interactive workshops culminated in the Venture Center’s first Business Design Showcase.

Bill Zimmerman, owner of Office Outfitters in Waupaca, won first place for his business model presentation. “As a small business, I don’t have the cutting-edge planning tools and resources used by larger corporations,” says Zimmerman.

“The workshops allowed me to view our business in an entirely new way, and that experience will pay tremendous dividends for years to come.”

The Venture Center also held a rural business tour during Global Entrepreneur Week in November to highlight the challenges of small business owners.

• • • Learn more: www.fvtc.edu/VentureCenter

Bill Zimmerman

SPOTLIGHT ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP The FVTC Venture Center was selected as

1 2 of

technical colleges in Wisconsin to

highlight the impact of entrepreneurship training during Global Entrepreneur Week (GEW) in November. Among the guests was Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch.

Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch

6

small businesses participated in a rural business tour during GEW in Waupaca: Ebel

Yacht Works; Fremont Bait & Tackle/First Cast Tournaments; Furniture by Todd, Inspired by Nature; Mama Z’s Bakery; Office Outfitters; and The Millstone of Iola Mills.

focus spring 2015

5

What’s NOW

“

It is all about supplying students with the right skills and preparing them for good-paying careers.

”

Brandon Goerg, FVTC Welding Instructor

Sparking Skill Start today for a high-demand career in welding.

Welding Success

91%

job placement for graduates of FVTC’s welding programs over the past two years.

FVTC’s Graduate Employment Research Reports, 2013 & 2014

6

high schools currently partnering with FVTC under the grant-funded project: Appleton East, Appleton North, Appleton West, Kimberly, Menasha, and Omro.

350+

full-time, regional job postings for professional welders in 2014.

FVTC’s Employment Connections department and Wisconsin TechConnect

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Through a grant, Fox Valley Technical College is working with area high schools to encourage their students to consider high-demand careers in welding. “We always research where the region’s career needs are,” says Brandon Goerg, welding instructor at FVTC. “We discovered that by 2020, there will be a critical shortage of welders.”

To inspire high school students to pursue a career in welding, Goerg is helping area schools put together trainthe-trainer programs. “We want to provide college-level classes so students can really learn about professional welding and receive college credit,” states Goerg. “To do this, we needed to teach their instructors how to deliver our program. We soon realized that the best thing to do is simply have them take the same course we teach our students.”

Paul Lindberg, a teacher in the ATECH program at Appleton West High School and a student in Goerg’s first class, found that taking the class was a perfect solution. “I completely understand when my students have the same struggles I experienced,” he says. “And, they believe me when I say good welding really is a rewarding, critical skill.”

Goerg feels that getting students interested in welding during high school is a win-win proposition. “High school students who already have some college credits are more apt to go on to college after graduation,” he notes.

“It is all about supplying students with the right skills and preparing them for good-paying careers.”

FVTC’s partnership with ATECH jumpstarts high school students toward successful careers in advanced manufacturing like industrial technology, welding, machining, automation, and mechanical design.

• • • Learn more: www.fvtc.edu/Manufacturing

www.appletontech.org

focus

on high-demand careers

Precision Farming Begin your career now in the high-demand industry of precision farming.

In addition to changing the way farmers approach their work, Global Positioning Systems (GPS) technology is demanding a new set of skills for everyone involved. “Using GPS to precisely track what’s being done in farm fields puts focus on the production and profit of each acre,” says Joe Sinkula, a precision agriculture instructor at Fox Valley Technical College.

Much of today’s agriculture equipment comes with systems needed for precision farming installed at the factory. “Farmers and their agronomists now have technology to bring operations to the next level,” states Sinkula. “Other schools have classes on precision farming, but Fox Valley Tech offers the only program in the state designed specifically for working adults, in addition to the latest equipment thanks to our partnerships with Service Motor Company and Riesterer & Schnell.”

The program is very accessible. It’s divided into three, six-week sections that can be taken in any order. “You learn how to collect data, analyze it, and then turn it all into useful information,” says Sinkula. “Our students gain real skills that are needed to make precision farming a part of their everyday work in agriculture.”

The classes feature hands-on practical learning. “Our first class included two area farmers and an agronomist,” says Sinkula. “We’re using one student’s farm as a realworld example.”

• • • Learn more: www.fvtc.edu/Agriculture

“

Our students gain real skills that are needed to make precision farming a part of their everyday work in agriculture.

”

Joe Sinkula, Instructor

TWICE AS NICE For the

2nd

consecutive year,

Fox Valley Technical College’s Agriculture department was named the

#1 agriculture program in the state by the Wisconsin Association of

Agriculture Educators. The honor recognizes the college’s Horticulture and Outdoor Power Equipment programs as well.

93%

job placement for graduates of

FVTC’s Horticulture, Outdoor Power Equipment, and Joe Sinkula converses with precision farming students.

Ag-related programs.

FVTC’s Graduate Employment Research Report, 2014

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Double Duty

Bryce Sternhagen

Appleton native Bryce Sternhagen is doubly committed to a career in public service.

For 20-year-old Bryce Sternhagen, success is all about setting goals and gaining as much education and experience as possible. The double-major student at Fox Valley Technical College is enrolled in both the Fire Protection Technician and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) programs while working part-time.

“My long-range goal is to be a firefighter, but these days EMT goes hand-in-hand with firefighting,” he says. “The EMT program is giving me a better understanding of how to help people in a medical sense. Having both skill sets is important in whatever role I play in public safety.”

Before coming to FVTC, Sternhagen completed two years at a four-year university.

“I attended classes, but found it nearly impossible to talk to a professor,” he states.

“At Fox Valley Tech, we meet in small groups led by an experienced instructor who observes you, helps you, and guides you.”

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www.fvtc.edu Fox Valley Technical College

• • • View video: www.fvtc.edu/EMT15

After completing the EMT program, Sternhagen plans to take classes to become a licensed paramedic and eventually a firefighter. “If there’s a fire department that also runs an ambulance, the organization will only hire someone who is both a firefighter and a paramedic,” he explains. “Even departments that don’t run an ambulance mostly still require EMT certification, so it’s beneficial to be licensed in both fields.”

Sternhagen believes that FVTC is second to none in public safety education.

He is especially excited about its new Public Safety Training Center. “In reallife situations, police, firefighters, and paramedics usually arrive on the scene simultaneously,” he says. “The new center will help us learn how to work together. There’s no doubt this will soon be seen as the nation’s premiere public safety training facility.”

• • • Learn more: www.fvtc.edu/PSTC

EMT AT FVTC

93%

job placement for graduates of FVTC’s

Emergency Medical Technician programs over the past two years .

FVTC’s Graduate Employment Research Reports, 2013 & 2014

From a Boeing FedEx Aircraft to a simulated

derailment of Train Cars to a state-of-the-art village in River City, high-tech emergency response training is happening now at FVTC’s new Public Safety

Training Center.

“

At Fox Valley Tech, we meet in small groups led by an experienced instructor who observes you, helps you, and guides you.

-Bryce Sternhagen

”

focus 2015 focus spring spring 2015 99

“

I heard great things about Fox Valley Tech way out in California and I wanted to relocate here for better job opportunities, so I applied for the program and moved my family here.

- Sarah Cooper

�

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www.fvtc.edu Fox FoxValley ValleyTechnical TechnicalCollege College www.fvtc.edu

FIRED Los Angeles native Sarah Cooper gave up sunny California to move to Suamico, Wisconsin. The decision to move from a major hub to rural America was easy for the 32-year-old after learning about Fox Valley Technical College’s Fire Protection Technician program.

“I was an EMT and dispatcher in Los Angeles but wanted to earn my fire certification,” Cooper states. “Los Angeles’s fire training programs do not come with certification. I heard great things about Fox Valley Tech way out in California and I wanted to relocate here for better job opportunities, so I applied for the program and moved my family here.”

In 2014, thanks to earning certification through the Fire Protection Technician program, Cooper became a member of the Green Bay Metro Fire Department. “As a firefighter, I get to integrate what I know as an EMT with what I learned at Fox Valley Tech,” she says.

FVTC gave Cooper a career foundation in a short period of time. “All my classes directly correlate to the job,” she says. “It was well worth the move. I got an outstanding education that gave me the certification and hands-on skills needed to land my dream job.”

Cooper is excited about FVTC’s new Public Safety Training Center for future training with high-risk fire and emergency simulations. “Law enforcement, paramedic, and firefighting students, in addition to existing public safety professionals, can now train as teams in realistic disaster settings thanks to the center,” she says.

• • • Learn more: www.fvtc.edu/PSTC

up

FVTC was an integral part in California native’s choice to pursue a fire career in Wisconsin.

FIRE PLACE The place for fire training in the United States is Fox Valley Technical College’s Public Safety Training Center. Here’s why:

6–story

A

burn tower presents several training venues, including

2-story and 6-story apartment buildings, a 2-story residential home with attached garage, and a commercial site with a flat roof.

An ascending platform with

32–ft.

climb-skill training highlights

an Indoor Fire Training area that also provides confined space, trench rescue, rope rescue, and other tactical drills.

An Outdoor Fire Rescue area includes a

400-ft.

confined

space simulator; concrete trench rescue venue; burn pods to enhance training in fire transfer, convection, and conduction; a flashover container designed to teach combustion concepts; a ventilation-style simulator; propane and natural gas scenarios; and more.

• • • View video: www.fvtc.edu/Fire15

focus focus spring spring2015 2015

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Sheriff John Matz (right) with K-9 handler Robert Zill (and Franz) & Colleen Belongea, FVTC criminal justice instructor at the new Public Safety Training Center.

“

I don’t know of any other organization in the Midwest or beyond that offers this type of training facility.

-Winnebago County Sheriff John Matz

”

It’s All Here Winnebago County sheriff finds all of his department’s training needs at FVTC. As one of the region’s public safety leaders involved in helping shape the development of Fox Valley Technical College’s Public Safety Training Center (PSTC), Winnebago County Sheriff John Matz and his department are already impressed with the facility.

“The college missed nothing when putting this place together,” states Matz. “I don’t know of any other organization in the Midwest or beyond that offers this type of training facility. I’m a big fan.”

Prior to the new center, Matz’s department had to either bring in its own resources or have about 145 deputies train at various locations across the state. “We need to continually train our people to keep their skills updated,”

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www.fvtc.edu Fox FoxValley ValleyTechnical TechnicalCollege College www.fvtc.edu

Matz notes. “Now we can do it all at one nearby facility that’s equipped with everything from a long-distance sniper range to high-tech homes and more.”

The PSTC provides state-of-the-art, integrative training that allows law enforcement officers to train with firefighters, paramedics, and other related professionals.

“We can simulate very dangerous, real-life emergency events while keeping our people in a safe environment,” explains Matz. “In addition, we can now use a video recording system to capture everything that is occurring from all angles. We can then view footage with our deputies to help them learn what took place.”

Fox Valley Technical College’s new Public Safety Training Center provides vital hands-on tactical training for students and public safety professionals.

Matz is convinced that the center will increase his deputies’ capabilities and improve their level of competency. “It’s a highly effective way to make sure my officers have the tools they need to deal with what can be overwhelmingly stressful situations,” he says.

The Winnebago County Sheriff’s department is planning its 2015 training calendar with the PSTC in mind. “All phases of training can now be held there,” Matz says. “From SWAT to crowd control to K-9 training—it’s all here.”

• • • Learn more: www.fvtc.edu/PSTC

SAFELY TAKING THE LEAD Fox Valley Technical College’s National Criminal Justice Training Center is a leader when it comes to the coordination of training in

• AMBER Alert • Internet Crimes Against Children • Human Trafficking • And more • • • Learn more: www.fvtc.edu/NCJTC

• • • View video: www.fvtc.edu/Police15

focus focus spring spring2015 2015

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focus

Dewi Bush

on alumni

Q&A with Office Assistant Grad Dewi Bush The 43-year-old native of Indonesia has found a path to the American Dream thanks to FVTC.

What first brought you to Fox Valley Technical College?

I first came to Fox Valley Tech to explore educational programs and realized the best option was to update my business management skills and learn more about American workplace culture. I then enrolled in the one-year, Office Assistant program and graduated in 2010.

I have found a way to succeed in America thanks to Fox Valley Tech. I now work as an office assistant for the Department of Corrections in Waupaca while I pursue an associate degree in the Administrative Professional program.

“

The classes opened up my creativity and taught me how to design presentations that hold the attention of an audience.

What advice can you give others about selecting a college today?

You need to first make sure that you’re studying something that interests you and prepares you for growth opportunities.

It’s important to attend a school that focuses on its graduates getting jobs like Fox Valley Tech does. The college makes it possible to go to school while working full-time because the classes are offered in different formats and are very accessible.

• • • Learn more: www.fvtc.edu/BusinessManagement

”

Dewi Bush

What did you enjoy most about the Office Assistant program?

I loved the computer classes and preparing presentations.

The classes opened up my creativity and taught me how to design presentations that hold the attention of an audience.

It’s probably the most important business application I have learned for my job.

Why are your skills so valued in the workplace today?

The Office Assistant program gave me real-world, problemsolving skills. In addition to computer competencies, the exploration of business ethics helped me better work with and understand all types of people. The instructors made learning about the American business culture relevant to my line of work.

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www.fvtc.edu Fox Valley Technical College

START TODAY IN THIS HIGH-DEMAND FIELD Fox Valley Technical College’s one-year, Office Assistant program is a great way to get into the workforce fast while pursuing an associate degree in the Administrative Professional program, where many grads carry titles like executive assistant and office manager.

91%

job placement for graduates of FVTC’s Office Assistant program.

FVTC’s Graduate Employment Research Report, 2014

More than

1,500

full-time job postings for administrative

professionals in the New North region.

FVTC’s Graduate Employment Research Report, 2014

focus

on the foundation

Fueling Futures Bergstrom Automotive and the FVTC Foundation team up to fill high-demand careers in the automotive retail industry.

Bergstrom Automotive, the leading automotive retailer in Wisconsin, is partnering with the Fox Valley Technical College Foundation to jumpstart careers for qualified auto technicians.

“We’ve had a 20-plus-year partnership with Fox Valley Technical College for brand-specific technician training focused mainly on General Motors,” states Bergstrom Executive Vice President and General Counsel John Hogerty. “Now, we’re working with the college on training for multiple vehicle brands and reaching out to students in its Adult Basic Education (ABE) program as well as high school students.”

“

Our industry is growing, and there will be a steady demand for these skills.

The newly-expanded Auto Lab at FVTC’s J. J. Keller Transportation Center

The Bergstrom Scholars program provides funding and facilities to help students gain skills necessary to qualify for good-paying jobs. “There are John Hogerty currently 12 ABE students Bergstrom Automotive enrolled in the program,” says Scott Springstroh, FVTC automotive instructor. “These students will get their tuition paid and have an opportunity to gain employment as auto technicians at one of Bergstrom’s 28 dealerships.”

Bergstrom is also building auto-tech career awareness by helping fund four, college-level automotive courses at Neenah High School. “Students can earn first-year credit in Fox Valley Tech’s Automotive Technician or Automotive Technology programs,” says Springstroh. “This is the first year of the program, so we hope to start seeing Neenah students on campus by 2016.”

With more vehicles on the road and cars equipped with advanced technology, the demand for qualified automotive technicians continues to increase. “Our industry is growing, and there will be a steady demand for these skills,” says Hogerty. “Giving back to the community is an integral part of our company philosophy, and we are very excited about this partnership.”

”

DRIVING AFFORDABILITY In addition to the Bergstrom Scholars program, the Fox Valley Technical College Foundation supports other forms of career readiness for the transportation industry.

50

vehicles, ranging from full-size SUVs to hybrids and more, received as donations from General Motors over the past 15 years for training purposes, valued at an estimated

19

$1 million.

scholarships available annually to FVTC

students enrolled in transportation programs.

focus focus spring spring2015 2015

15 15

e c n e i r e p x e t focus on the studen Counselor Dr. Dana Zahorik (right) with Peer Advisors Mark Offenbecher and Jayanni Pech.

“

The interaction with others really builds your confidence, and you feel part of a team.

”

Jayanni Pech Nursing Student

Student-to-Student Students serving as peer advisors learn life skills while helping other students.

Sometimes the best service a student can receive is from another student in the form of mentorship, according to Dr. Dana Zahorik, counselor at Fox Valley Technical College. She developed the Peer Advisor program as a way to improve student services while helping her student advisors gain real-life skills.

“It gives new students the reassurance and personal help they need to stay and succeed in school,” she notes. “It also provides the advisors themselves with personal and professional growth opportunities.”

Jayanni Pech, a 23-year-old Nursing student from Belize, is serving as a peer advisor. “I wanted to help others the same way peer advisors helped me when I first arrived,” she recalls. “They turned this whole opportunity into a pleasant experience.”

Peer advisors gain practice in problem solving and how to work in teams.

“We show students how to sign up

16 16

for classes, access their coursework, and more,” says Mark Offenbecher, a 26-year-old peer advisor from Appleton who is both a Business Management and Accounting student. “If I can’t help, I make sure they get to see a counselor or advisor.”

Peer advisors also share their own experiences. “I showed a young nursing student my method for keeping classwork organized,” says Pech.

“She came back and thanked me. The interaction with others really builds your confidence, and you feel part of a team.”

To be a peer advisor, students must have at least a 3.0 GPA, complete a full day of training, and attend monthly meetings. Zahorik believes that students in the program learn skills that will assist them as they pursue their career endeavors.

• • • Learn more: www.fvtc.edu/Counseling

www.fvtc.edu Fox FoxValley ValleyTechnical TechnicalCollege College www.fvtc.edu

Peering into the Future Peer advisors develop a number of skills to prepare students for what today’s employers need: • Effective Communications • Critical Thinking • Knowledge for the Workplace • Leadership • Problem Solving • Teamwork • Adapting to Change

12

new peer advisors are hired by

FVTC’s Counseling & Advising Services department each academic year to help serve the needs of students.

But don't just take our word for it.

Hear what employers are telling us: e to “FVTC grads com d with the job prepare urse appropriate co ities and work, lab activ ence.” clinical experi

oup nity Medical Gr

Karla Repta, Affi

onths, “In the past 18 m rly 100 we’ve hired nea graduates.

Fox Valley Tech ibly They’re incred well-prepared.” tional, Inc. hneider Na

Sc Mike Norder,

ral FVTC “I’ve hired seve st few years, grads in the pa me to us because they co d to work in so well-prepare this industry.” erns chmark Patt

, Ri Kendal Bielke

ing right out “Students com don’t realize of high school ies the the opportunit industry manufacturing really has.” liance Laundry

Al Anna Ewerdt,

Learn more: focus spring 2015 17 www.fvtc.edu/FastForward

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