Winter 2017 Mid-State Employee Connect Newsletter

EMP

WINTER 2017

LOY EE

CON N

ECT

table of contents Page 3

Message from Sue

Page 4

Our Programs

Page 6

Forward Thinking

Page 9

Jump Start for High School Students • From Rough Start to “You’re Hired”

Page 10 Our Collective Impact • Funding Real-World Experiences Page 12 Strategic Developments • Spotlight on a Fruitful Partnership Page 14 New Advising Model Targets Retention Page 15 The Power of Branding Page 16 What’s New in Wellness Page 17 Ramping Up Recognition Page 18 Our Mid-State Community

be the one in 100% Why give to the Mid-State Foundation?

Because you and our students benefit directly from the generosity.

February 1 - 28, 2017 14th Annual Employee Campaign For more information contact the Foundation at 715.422.5322 2

FOUNDATION & ALUMNI

Mid-State Employee Connect

Winter 2017

message from sue Happy New Year! I am thrilled to start off 2017 with the first edition of Employee Connect, our college newsletter designed to keep employees informed.

Communication is critical to our success in transforming lives through the power of teaching and learning. Just as critical to our success is our ability to change. Many of us use the New Year as a time to identify what we want to improve and renew in our personal lives, sometimes going as far as declaring resolutions to affirm our commitment to specific changes.

Taking note of strengths and improvement opportunities is healthy for both individuals and organizations. While we do not develop New Year’s resolutions as an organization, we do continuously look for ways to maximize our strengths and improve to ensure our programs and services address student and employer needs.

This year we are focusing on student success and retention, with this imperative goal: to help students overcome barriers so they can stay in college and succeed in reaching their educational goals.

What do we need to retain more students? We need a plan, engaged employees, and funding.

The good news is we have all three, and we are well underway with many retention initiatives!

We are revamping our student recruitment, admissions, and advising processes; designing an educational master plan; implementing a STEPS Orientation and a First Year Experience; and creating seven new advisor positions. We also purchased the Civitas Learning© student success and retention platform, and we’ve embarked on plans to remodel facilities to create a Student Success & Information Center on the Wisconsin Rapids and Marshfield campuses as well as a new Wisconsin Rapids Learning Commons. It is exciting to see Mid-State employees engaged in making these student retention initiatives a reality.

It is also vital that we continue to focus our conversations on students. Mid-State exists to serve students and help them acquire the new knowledge and skills they need. As we begin the spring semester I encourage you to keep student needs and retention high on your radar and look for opportunities to connect with students and help them overcome barriers.

Student centeredness is at the heart of our employee core values. It is part of Mid-State’s past and will continue to be part of its future. Combined with passionate and dedicated employees, our student focus is what makes Mid-State a truly great organization.

It takes many people working together to move an institution forward and transform lives. We have much to celebrate and be proud of as we begin 2017.

My thanks to each employee for the contributions you make!

3

our programs INDEMAND NEW PROGRAMS

Our mission to prepare students for relevant, in-demand careers means we are always evaluating our program offerings to align with the needs of area employers. Our collaborations with advisory committee partners led to the launch of three new programs in the 2016–2017 school year.

Customer Relationship Professional

Fire Protection Technician

Technical Diploma Mid-State’s Customer Relationship Professional program develops students into important members of a call center or customer service team. The program focuses on communicating with customers to help them navigate past challenges to fulfill their needs, emphasizing active listening, effective verbal communication, and customer service skills.

Associate in Applied Science (AAS) The Fire Protection Technician program at Mid-State turns students into real-life heroes. Graduates learn the knowledge and techniques needed to save life and property during fires, medical emergencies, and other hazards.

Through hands-on projects, students learn telephone etiquette, how to respond appropriately to customers, and how to perform quick problem-solving analysis while exceeding customer expectations. Graduates of the Customer Relationship Professional program may advance into the Office Support Specialist program or the Administrative Professional program.

4

This program exposes students to realistic simulations, inside and outside the classroom. They train on our state-of-the-art burn tower, fire engines, and other high-tech equipment. Developed in partnership with local fire departments, this program ensures graduates have a competitive edge when starting their career, and local demand for highly skilled firefighters is rising.

Mid-State Employee Connect

Winter 2017

COMING ATTRACTIONS Here’s a sneak peek at several other programs we’ve been working with employers to develop. These are coming to Mid-State soon!

Agribusiness Business and Data Analyst Emergency Services Management IT Computer Support Specialist Medical Office Specialist Technical Diploma The Medical Office Specialist program at Mid-State prepares students to meet the needs of healthcare and related organizations by performing a variety of office support functions. The program includes medical terminology; medical law, ethics, and professionalism; and related coursework.

In this program students learn to communicate professionally while maintaining confidentiality, apply customer service skills, and use computer applications to prepare and maintain medical documents. They also learn to prepare correspondence and perform administrative procedures within the healthcare environment. Tours of local medical facilities build knowledge of possible employers in the community.

mstc.edu

888.575.MSTC

IT Security Specialist

97%

OF GRADUATES ARE

SATISFIED ---------------- OR ----------------

VERY SATISFIED WITH THEIR EDUCATION

5

forward thinking Our academic deans, faculty, and grants staff work hard to develop grants that help us advance our mission to transform lives and be a resource in the communities we serve. All three academic divisions were awarded significant grants in the 2016–2017 year. Check out the highlights!

IT

PROGRAM EXPANSION

Meeting Demand for Software Developers Mid-State partnered with Northcentral Technical College (NTC) to develop a Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) Core Industry Grant aimed at expanding the IT Software Developer associate degree program offered at both colleges. Central Wisconsin is home to large and growing software developer and IT services companies as well as large insurance, healthcare, and retail organizations that rely on software development to reach a wider audience and connect with customers. The grant provides $750,000 per year over two years to address the shortage of qualified software developers needed to fill these positions and better meet employer needs for object-oriented programming and Agile methodology.

This exciting project funds the collaborative efforts of Mid-State, NTC, and industry leaders to modify curriculum, purchase equipment comparable to industry standards, acquire telepresence equipment to support faculty expertise and expand evening offerings, increase work-based learning experiences, and hire positions to support instruction and curriculum development. It develops a part-time track for the working individual, creates Credit for Prior Learning opportunities, and increases articulation agreements into four-year universities. The two-year project enhancements will impact 200 students across both colleges during the 2016–2017 and the 2017–2018 school years.

6

Mid-State Employee Connect

Winter 2017

WELDING CAREER PATHWAY Solid Welding Training and Preparation In Demand Industry demand in our district for welders with the right education is on the rise. Work is underway to expand our Welding program offerings and enhance the Welding Career Pathway to meet the need, thanks to the WTCS Core Industry Grant, “Enhancing the Welding Career Pathway.”

The one-year grant period began in July, 2017, and provides $317,770 to help fund a variety of activities, including a short-term embedded technical diploma

in Adams, expanded welding programming into the evening at the Wisconsin Rapids campus, and enhancements to the short-term Stainless Steel Welding credential at the Marshfield campus. The project also enhances high school articulation and bridge programming to make it easier for high school students get a head start on their Mid-State welding education. Finally, the grant funds efforts to strengthen program retention and completion of current students with the hiring of a half time (.50 FTE) student success navigator who will provide advising and support, help coordinate welding outreach activities.

SIMULATIONS IN HEALTH CARE Grant Funds New Approaches to Experiential Learning In today’s changing healthcare landscape, institutions are streamlining resources and formulating Accountable Care Organizations, and one unintended consequence will be fewer clinical sites to provide experiential learning in our Nursing and emergency medical services (EMS) programs. A WTCS Core Industry Grant, “Simulations in Health Care,” is designed to proactively address this challenge.

Phase I of this project (2017) awarded $410,000 to develop alternative experiential learning experiences in our Nursing and EMS programs (Emergency Medical Technician, EMT-Paramedic, and Paramedic Technician) via simulated patient care learning and situational case studies. These simulations allow students to engage in hands-on application of

mstc.edu

888.575.MSTC

theoretical knowledge and newly acquired skills to meet clinical expectations. The grant provides two full-time faculty to develop consistent methods for incorporating simulation in these programs as well as training for faculty who teach clinical courses. It also enables us to develop and modify curriculum to incorporate patient case scenarios into six courses with clinical requirements, deliver instruction for up to 216 students, and acquire two high-fidelity mannequins to support simulations-based instruction.

If also awarded, phase II (2018) of the project will build capacity to specifically decrease wait-list time for entry into our Nursing, Respiratory Therapist, Medical Assistant, and EMS programs. This phase also includes expanding simulation sessions to our Stevens Point campus.

7

forward thinking OPENING DOORS TO HIGH-TECH MANUFACTURING

A new mobile manufacturing lab from Mid-State Technical College has made its debut and will soon be making appearances in the community. The lab, known as the MIKE—Manufacturing, Innovation, Knowledge, Experience—promises to help Mid-State spark curiosity about the many and varied career possibilities available in the world of high-tech manufacturing today.

Funded in part by a $150,000 grant from the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS), the MIKE is a completely refurbished 2002 Freightliner coach outfitted with the latest technology and equipment to deliver a modern manufacturing experience. Participants design a part or object at one of several computer workstations equipped with AutoCAD Inventor design software. Next they can make a prototype using the rapid-prototyping 3D printer or vertical machining center.

Their part is then subjected to the computerized inspection arm, a laser scanner for making a digitized 3D image of the prototype and a thermal forming machine to make a mold out of the machined or printed part.

“When it comes to choosing a career, people tend to think of manufacturing as a dirty, physically demanding, and often secondary option,” said Al Javoroski, dean of Technical & Industrial programs. “The MIKE lets people experience firsthand how high-tech manufacturing today combines innovation, design, and technology to build quality products. The resulting product may solve a complex problem, launch into outer space, or even save a life.”

A number of Mid-State manufacturing programs are represented, but what is demonstrated inside the MIKE is more about the future of manufacturing in central Wisconsin. By inviting area schools and the community to explore the MIKE, Mid-State aims to make the next generation aware of the possibilities and eager to pursue the variety of innovative career options in those industries.

“The full potential of manufacturing involves designers and technicians, but there is so much more,” Javoroski said. “New industries and employers will also need accountants, marketers, sales reps, and business managers in order to be successful. The MIKE is about the opportunity for all in central Wisconsin if we can open people’s minds to the possibilities and invest in the education these industries demand.”

The MIKE began its debut in late January with special red carpet events at each of its campuses. In spring, the MIKE will be available for scheduled visits at other locations.

8

mstc.edu

888.575.MSTC

jump start for high school students Transcripted credit allows students to attain Mid-State curriculum and credits in high school classes that are 100 percent aligned with Mid-State course competencies and delivered by high school instructors who meet the same credentialing requirements as those at Mid-State. This Dual Credit option gives high school students a head start on their program journey when entering college, saves them money, and provides a quicker track towards attaining their degree and ultimately employment.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SAVED

$370,000 WITH MID-STATE DUAL CREDIT Equates to 2,835 Mid-State Credits

Developing a more structured and comprehensive Dual Credit program at Mid-State is a key priority, and a major focus of our effort is to grow these transcripted credit offerings with our district high schools. As a result, we are expanding program course transcripted credit delivery as well as opening up the option to students to attain transcripted general education course credits.

The work to expand Dual Credit offerings is ongoing, even including some innovative approaches, like offering classes that help students attain industry-supported technical diplomas within our program pathways soon after exiting high school (e.g., the new Customer Relationship Professional technical diploma embedded in our Administrative Professional associate degree program). These types of credentials help students attain entry-level jobs in industry while allowing them to return to Mid-State to continue working towards their associate degree.

2015-2016 Mid-State Data

FROM ROUGH START TO “YOU’RE HIRED” Michael Quisler IT Network Specialist • December 2016 Stevens Point Campus Michael Quisler’s path to graduation from Mid-State’s IT Network Specialist program wasn’t an easy one. “In the beginning, I was struggling with depression and anxiety,” he says. But things started to turn around for Michael when he reached out to develop a support network, including his student success counselor and the disability services staff at Mid-State. “From then on my self-confidence just grew.”

Approaching his final semester in the IT Network Specialist program, Michael contacted the IT department at Sentry Insurance in Stevens Point, just to ask questions and weigh the pros and cons of working in server administration versus information security. Incredibly that informational interview turned into another interview, followed by an offer to start working for Sentry part-time right away, with a plan to transition to full-time after graduation.

“Once I had a solid support network, my self-confidence just grew…”

mstc.edu

888.575.MSTC

Although it’s not unusual for our graduates to have a job waiting for them after graduation, IT instructor Casey Trader points out that this case is a little different. “In the past, Sentry has tended to seek applicants with four-year degrees for positions in IT,” says Trader.

“For them to pursue one of our students for hire, before graduation, is a testament to the strong education students receive from Mid-State and to the way Michael fought for his own success.”

9

our collective impact

FOUNDATION & ALUMNI

EMPLOYEE GIVING SETS NEW GOALS As engaged and dedicated employees, we strive every day to positively impact the lives of our students. In thirteen years of employee giving campaigns, faculty and staff have raised almost $150,000, helping the Foundation’s donation totals rise to $3,088,504 for scholarships and grants.

The need is especially great in our district, which is ranked second highest in the state for percentage of economically disadvantaged students. For many in central Wisconsin, completing a Mid-State degree will be the one thing that empowers them to support a family and break free of a lifetime of earning minimum wage.

Every year some of our students stop attending because they are forced to choose between their education and putting food on the table for the family.

It’s clear—a small monetary contribution from each one

Elaine Brubaker Criminal Justice-Corrections May 2015 of us has tremendous potential to help our students stay enrolled and achieve their dream of a college degree and financial independence.

Graduates like Elaine Brubaker tell it best: “During my last full year of my associate degree, my living expenses increased and my hours at work decreased… an awful fear and utter hopelessness grew out of not knowing how I was going to be able to graduate. I could feel my goal so close, yet so far away.”

In the last year alone your donation helped us distribute over $225,000 in scholarships, making a difference in the lives of over 300 students.

10

mstc.edu

888.575.MSTC

be the one in 100% Elaine first came to Mid-State to earn her GED, eventually continuing to enroll in our Criminal Justice-Corrections program, although she wasn’t sure how she’d pay for it.

Even with our low tuition, Elaine was like so many of our students, working to pay the bills and stay afloat while completing her degree—and relying on financial aid and scholarships to stay enrolled.

It was a close call, but the great news is that Elaine did graduate in spring of 2015, and she gives credit to the Foundation, saying, “I was astounded when Mid-State’s Foundation awarded me a sizable continuing education scholarship. My eyes filled with tears of relief as I realized that my needs were being met for the next full year.”

Elaine and the many other Mid-State students whose success rides on Foundation funds are why we, as Mid-State employees, band together and give.

The 14th Annual Employee Giving Campaign begins February 1. This year—for the first time—the Foundation has set an ambitious goal of 100 percent employee giving participation. And if you need a little extra nudge, this year’s campaign will include prizes for first-time donors, and all who give will be entered in to a random drawing for cash and prizes.

Watch for details soon on how you can take part and make a donation of any size via payroll deduction, a one-time gift, or setting up your own legacy of a scholarship for future generations of students.

FUNDING REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCES For the second consecutive year, the Mid-State Foundation was awarded a $15,000 grant by the Gene Haas Foundation.

Bill Dymond, general manager of the Haas Factory Outlet in Brookfield, Wisconsin, traveled to Wisconsin Rapids on December 16 to personally award the check to Mid-State representatives. The funds are intended for post-secondary programs that teach computer numerical controlled (CNC) machine technology.

“This grant helps fund the registration and travel expenses to send our Machine Tool Technician students to important industry events, including SKillsUSA® competitions and the International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago,” said Mike Berry, machine tool instructor. “We’re grateful for this opportunity to expose our students to these out-in-the-world experiences that help them see the full potential of the machine trades and ignite a passion for where this career can take them.”

DID YOU KNOW?

$5/CHECK = I CREDIT $5 per paycheck all year pays for 1 credit for a student

mstc.edu

888.575.MSTC

11

strategic developments WISCONSIN RAPIDS LEARNING COMMONS PROJECT The Learning Commons on our Wisconsin Rapids campus is about to be irresistible—and it’s all about making sure students have easy access to the services and resources they need to be engaged, connected, and successful.

The Learning Commons project will remodel our existing library and adjoining office space that temporarily housed the campus office.

When finished, this project will colocate services, including: • Adult basic education services • Tutoring services, including drop-in times and referrals for help in courses and test prep • Career Services, for help with job searches

The new design includes two classrooms, academic coaching rooms, staff workstations, a conference room, a printer for students, computer stations, and lots of seating and study space. An “idea room” will foster idea generation for projects or small businesses and—with additional support from Career Services—help students learn the basics of entrepreneurship. Small learning studios for collaborative work called “huddle spaces” will feature comfortable furniture and easy access to library books and computers for online resources. There will be many inviting spots for students to hang, learn, study, and be successful.

Construction is slated to begin in the spring, and we look forward to a vibrant new space for students by fall.

SPOTLIGHT ON A FRUITFUL PARTNERSHIP Skyward, Inc., Stevens Point, WI Strong industry partnerships are the key to ensuring our students are exposed to the most current training and technology, and Skyward, Inc., has proven to be an especially involved and effective partner.

Skyward is an industry-leading K–12 software provider headquartered in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. This school year alone, the company awarded five scholarships to Mid-State IT students (40 total since 2002). As an active member of both of our IT program advisory committees, Skyward wrote a letter of recommendation for our new IT Security Specialist program that contributed to its approval, and their input has been crucial to the development of new courses for the IT Software Developer program redesign. Skyward has also been deeply involved in the development stages of the new IT Software Developer Apprenticeship.

There are many more examples of how Skyward has and continues to partner with Mid-State, including the Fast Forward grant (resulting in several placements of Mid-State students at Skyward), a Central Wisconsin Information Technology Alliance (CWITA) mentorship program, and internships at Skyward for our Accounting students.

It’s amazing the impact one dedicated partner can have on our students, and we are proud and honored to work so closely with Skyward!

12

Mid-State Employee Connect

Winter 2017

STUDENT SERVICES & INFORMATION CENTER To many of us, the Student Services & Information Center is a beautiful 5,400 square-foot addition and 4,200 square-foot remodel at our Wisconsin Rapids campus. You might also know that this project colocates our student services to totally change the way people experience Mid-State. The goal is to remove any barriers to the resources our students need, resulting in a smooth transition from application to graduation and a boost in student success.

But the plan is much bigger. When the comprehensive Student Services & Information Center project is fully implemented this spring, it will create the same one-stop experience for all students, whether they come to one of our locations, call us, or visit our website.

services included: • Admissions and recruitment • Counseling and advising • Disability services • Financial aid • Foundation & Alumni • Guest information • Registration and records • Student accounts • Testing

Here’s the rest of the picture: • Renamed campus offices. Our other campus offices will be renamed to Student Services & Information Center, and our Marshfield campus will undergo a remodel starting in July 2017.

• Combined phone queue with informed staff. Phone queues will be combined into one queue for all locations. Front-line employees staffing this “call center” will be able to answer 60–70 percent of incoming questions.

• One-stop via web. Our website will be reviewed and revised to ensure students are able to get the majority of their questions answered there if desired.

Combined, these changes will create a warm and welcoming one-stop experience for a majority of the services students need. Imagine how our students will feel about Mid-State when they can so easily and efficiently connect with the resources they need to be successful. In the end, we are confident that this new way of doing business with Mid-State will begin to turn the tide on student retention and help us meet our Key Results targets.

But we’re not leaving the measurement of this project’s success to chance.

This fall, we started conducting fall-semester and spring-semester surveys of student engagement. This year’s surveys will give us the baseline data, and next fall will be our first chance to gauge how our student services redesign is impacting student engagement and success.

mstc.edu

888.575.MSTC

13

NEW ADVISING MODEL TARGETS RETENTION Thanks in large part to our dedicated employees and new integrated enrollment model, Mid-State recently saw an incredible 23 percent increase in new enrollments! This has given us much to celebrate, but it also highlights the importance of student retention as we build on our success. Mid-State’s new student advising model is a major initiative designed to help us take that next step.

new advising model will launch after March 1 when the academic advisors start in their new roles.

In the past, we have offered academic advising to our students upon entry, when they encounter academic problems once enrolled, and when they seek advising on their own. Going forward, our new research-based advising model will be far more robust and intentional, providing academic, enrollment, and career advising for all students from application through graduation.

This transformation of our student advising services promises to make a real difference in retention.

Students who receive more individual academic advising are more likely to select the correct classes in the right sequence as well as move from undecided to enrolled in and committed to a program. Advising can also prevent students from enrolling in courses not required of them and reduce tuition costs associated with those courses.

Our plan includes greatly expanding the academic advising previously rolled into our six student success counselor positions. In the new model, 8 academic advisors, including one manager, will provide much more contact with students and will focus on developing an academic plan for each student. This plan will have speciďŹ c goals, and our advisors will proactively ensure students are following them and staying on track to graduation. The target start date for the new manager of Academic Advising is February 1, and the 14

Because other types of counseling are also critical to student success, in addition to the academic advisors, we will continue to have a student success counselor at each campus to provide professional, solution-focused individual and group counseling to students.

By design, our new student advising model will save students time and money and make it easier to stay enrolled and ďŹ nish that degree. This means that more of our students will be successful in completing an education that opens doors to a meaningful, indemand career. Achieving our Key Results for retention will be icing on the cake.

Mid-State Employee Connect

Winter 2017

= the power of =

branding

IT’S ALL IN THE NAME Branding for any organization or company is a key component to success, and Mid-State is no exception.

An objective in the college’s Strategic Plan speaks specifically to the “Mid-State Brand.” So, what is a brand? How is it used? And what does branding mean to Mid-State?

In short, without a clear and consistent brand, you won’t stand out in the crowd, making it much more difficult to attract new customers and retain current ones. In MidState terms, this means not meeting our Key Results by increasing FTEs and increasing retention.

According to Webster’s Dictionary, branding is the promoting of a product or service by identifying it with a particular brand. A brand is having a well-known and usually highly regarded or marketable name. Recently, Mid-State worked with an outside consultant that provided data around how we are seen within the communities of our district. Hands down we were known as “Mid-State Technical College” or “Mid-State.” So our first step to increasing the strength and awareness of the Mid-State brand is to transition away from calling the college MSTC. If we are marketing, advertising, and communicating using “MSTC,” and data has shown our customers do not connect with that, we are greatly missing the big picture. mstc.edu

888.575.MSTC

It may seem basic, but to make our transition a success and truly have a major impact on our Key Results, we all must be diligent in consistently communicating our college’s name. You can help by using our correct name whenever you answer the phone, produce a flyer for an event, engage in conversation with a student, and so on.

Granted, there will be remnants from the abbreviated name, such as our website URL (mstc.edu), email addresses (@mstc.edu), and our toll-free phone number (888.575.MSTC). For now, technology limitations are preventing us from updating these; however, these few electronic exceptions—as long as they are the only ones—will not diminish the impact of collective and consistent use of our college’s name.

In our culture of constant change and a high number of competitors stealing mind share from our prospective and current students, every time we do not refer to the college as “Mid-State Technical College” or “Mid-State,” we are just making it that much harder to attract new students and retain our current ones. Let’s work together to take the Mid-State brand to the next level!

15

what’s new in wellness In collaboration with Interactive Health, our wellness partner, we are pleased to announce the 2017 Wellness Program is officially underway!

From January 1, 2017, to December 1, 2017, employees will have an opportunity to earn points to qualify for incentives such as Amazon, fuel, and grocery gift cards as well as a $120 health insurance premium discount. While earning points employees will learn so much about health and wellness and have plenty of opportunities to put that knowledge into action. Employees will earn points for completing an online treasure hunt, participating in the health evaluation, achieving their personal health goal in 2017, completing wellness challenges and online workshops, exercising, volunteering, and more!

The 2017 Wellness Program Guide with additional details on this year’s program was distributed in mid-January via interoffice mail and is available on the Source>Admin Services>Human Resources>Wellness>2017 Wellness Program Guide.

“Healthy Lunchbox,” the first wellness challenge of the year, is scheduled to run February 6 – March 6. This team-based challenge will encourage participants to eat a healthy lunch containing one serving of fruit, one serving of vegetable, one whole grain, and a lean protein. Choosing healthy, balanced meals helps build a foundation for good nutritional habits, and “Healthy Lunchbox” will provide employees the resources and tools to get started!

Additionally, we had outstanding participation in the 2016 Health Evaluation in the fall.

It was a record-breaking year with 154 total participants in the health evaluation (the next highest year being 2015 with 139 participants). Of those participants, 147 were employees, and each are now eligible for a $120 health insurance premium discount in 2017…just for just participating in the health evaluation!

We look forward to increasing participating in the 2017 Health Evaluation.

Watch the daily announcements for additional information on wellness events and activities throughout the year.

16

Mid-State Employee Connect

Winter 2017

ramping up recognition Celebrating success and providing recognition are key to building an engaging environment and to helping every team member see the value of his or her work. Working in an environment where recognition flows effortlessly among employees and teams can be so motivating, rewarding, and productive. An individual or team can never receive too much sincere and deserved recognition!

As we begin the new year, we’re asking all individuals and teams to consider the following: • Do I praise my colleagues for their efforts?

• What am I doing to recognize others? Could I do more?

What would that look like?

• Think of three colleagues who help you the most in your job.

How have you thanked them or recognized them for their help?

• As a team, what have we achieved together recently that we are most proud of? What should we do to celebrate?

• As a team, how can we build an environment that encourages recognition and praise?

• As a team, what are we doing to recognize one another? Could we do more? What would that look like?

At Mid-State, one way we celebrate success and provide recognition is through Focused Recognition. This 360-degree positive reinforcement system provides employees an opportunity to recognize and provide appreciation to colleagues who demonstrate the behaviors that are essential to moving our organization forward—One e College, Be Real, Build Trust, Maximize Strengths, Step Up, Take Charge, and Innovate. The great thing about Focused Recognition is that is can be peer to peer, manager to employee, and employee to manager!

Since its introduction in 2013, employees have been encouraged to recognize and provide appreciation to colleagues through Focused Recognition. And now we would like to encourage employees to help us provide greater recognition and reward to those who are demonstrating these key behaviors and positively impacting our Key Results of Student Success, Organizational Effectiveness, and Employee Engagement.

To do this, we are expanding Focused Recognition to include an opportunity for employees to receive rewards when receiving focused recognition cards from their colleagues.

Here’s how it works: • Be on the lookout for colleagues who are living the cultural shifts.

• Prepare a Focused Recognition Card (could be PDF, handwritten, or PIL tools).

• Email the Focused Recognition Card to recognition@mstc.edu. (Send a screenshot of the PIL tools card, a scanned copy of the handwritten card.)

• Don’t forget to deliver the Focused Recognition Card (email or otherwise) to the individual being recognized!

• Each Focused Recognition Card submitted to recognition@mstc.edu will count as an entry into a quarterly drawing to win a Mid-State Bookstore gift certificate for Mid-State apparel.

• Additionally, the executive team will review Focused Recognition Cards and select several that exemplify our cultural shifts. Selected cards will be featured in future Employee Connect newsletters. Individuals whose Focused Recognition Cards are selected will receive a $25 Mid-State Bookstore gift certificate for Mid-State apparel.

mstc.edu

888.575.MSTC

17

OUR MID-STATE COMMUNITY YEARS OF SERVICE

RETIREMENTS

SUE BUDJAC President 15 years November 29, 2016

JIM BOND Instructor, Natural Sciences 15 years December 17, 2016

GREG BRUCKBAUER Manager, Business Operations

BILLIE OLSON Financial Aid Assistant

JOANNE WEILER Instructor, Basic Education

December 29, 2016 36 years of service

December 22, 2016 28 years of service

JEN GIBSON Instructor, Information Technology

SHEILA BLUHM Instructor, Social Science

December 22, 2016 15 years of service

November 1, 2016 6 years of service

10 years October 2, 2016

SHELLY WEICHELT Student Financials System Coordinator 10 years December 26, 2016

This section reflects activity in October through December 2016.

18

Mid-State Employee Connect

Winter 2017

NEW EMPLOYEES

KERRY FROEHLICH-MUELLER Dean, Enrollment Management

LISA BECHARD Instructor, Nursing

HEATHER GRYS-LUECHT Workforce Solutions Coordinator

MARRIAGES CRAIG AND LARISSA HERZBERG

JACKIE AND MATTHEW ESSELMAN

SHERRI AND JEREMY DICKERSON

October 1, 2016

October 11, 2016

November 12, 2016

Craig is a Senior Computer Services Technician at the Wisconsin Rapids campus.

Jackie is the High School Outreach Coordinator at the Wisconsin Rapids campus.

Sherri is the Communications & Foundation Assistant at the Wisconsin Rapids campus.

Employee Connect, Mid-State’s quarterly newsletter, is designed to enhance communication and connection throughout the College by providing employees with updates on current college initiatives and activities.

Have an article idea for the next edition of Employee Connect? Send it to marketing@mstc.edu.

Mid-State does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its program, activity, or employment. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies: Vice President – Human Resources; 500 32nd Street North, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494; 715.422.5325. 2/17

mstc.edu

888.575.MSTC

19

500 32nd Street North Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494

EMERGENCY SERVICES INDEMAND Paramedic Technician—just one of our many in-demand programs