New Program in Ireland: May 2015

We are excited to share a new study abroad program in Ireland! This program is part of a new partnership with the Wisconsin technical colleges and our counterparts in Ireland. This May, students can stay in student housing, explore Waterford and Dublin, and enjoy hands-on learning experiences in business, marketing and IT. Applications are now available: http://tinyurl.com/IrelandWTCS.

Check out more pictures on the International Education Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/internationalmptc.

German Students Visit Moraine Park

Willkommen! As part of our ongoing exchange program with Darmstadt, Germany, Moraine Park Technical College welcomed 17 German students and two German instructors to campus last week. Every year, Moraine Park faculty, staff and students serve as host families to their German counterparts. In addition to attending classes at Moraine Park and interacting with students, the guests have previously participated in several exciting events such as the Green Lake Harvest Days Festival, a Mecan River canoe trip, an overnight stay at Blue Harbor Water Resort, tours through Mercury Marine, visits to Fox Lake Correctional Facility, trips to Michels Corporation and Kohler, and other experiences, which change each year to provide new opportunities. The German students are also able to present to classes and share their knowledge, culture, and career fields.

The students and faculty were welcomed with a meal prepared by Culinary Arts students at Moraine Park. In May, Moraine Park students will visit Germany! For more images of our German visitors as well as our own students' travels to Germany last summer, visit our Facebook page. 

International Education in JAMAICA!

MPTC students just returned from our first study abroad, service-learning trip to Jamaica! Students worked with the Blue Mountain Project in rural Jamaica, and the collaborative program included students and faculty from Moraine Park, Madison Area Technical College, and Red Rocks Community College. During the 10-day program, students installed solar panels, worked on literacy projects with children in Hagley Gap, and worked in health clinics. Students stayed with local families and enjoyed learning about Jamaican culture.

Nursing students conducted blood pressure clinics, conducted home visits, and shared information on health topics at schools in rural Jamaica. MPTC students Liz Rohde (left) and Kassie Anderson (right) are pictured with Hagley Gap community members and Madison College student Lindsey James. 

MPTC students Meghan Stubbe and Kristy Sparacio worked in both education and nursing. The students are pictured with children from the Hagley Gap Basic School.

MPTC student Hannah Miller worked in renewable energy. She is pictured with Madison College student Scott Donovan. The students were excited to install solar panels.

Students and faculty were excited to share information about renewable energy! MPTC students Kristy Sparacio and Meghan Stubbe, as well as instructor Amy Patterson, attended this presentation at Minto Primary School. Troy Wanek from Red Rocks Community College facilitated the work in renewable energy throughout the week.

The group was excited to bring donations to the Blue Mountain Project from the MPTC Multicultural Club and Hillside Dental Associates. Thank you to these groups for their support! International Education would also like to thank the Rotary Club of Beaver Dam for their scholarship donation to assist one student with the travel costs. The wonderful support from the Moraine Park community has been very much appreciated!

To see more pictures and learn more about study abroad opportunities, visit the International Education Facebook page!

International Education Week 2013

Julie Lotto, advisor for the Fond du Lac chapter of the MPTC Multicultural Club, shares ways to support the Blue Mountain Project in Jamaica.

Celebrate International Education Week with us! Today, students enjoyed our Taste of Jamaica event on the Fond du Lac Campus. The Multicultural Club, Diversity Relations, and International Education hosted this event, which included tasty Jamaican treats and music.

We have two more dates planned for Taste of Jamaica: Wednesday, November 13, on the West Bend Campus, and Thursday, November 14, on the Beaver Dam Campus. Each event will take place 11:30-12:30 in the Commons Area.

Additional events planned for International Education Week include:

1) Vote in the Travel Photo Contest on Facebook! View the entire album on our Facebook page, and "like" your favorite pictures. Our students shared pictures from around the world!

2) Support study abroad students at a bake sale at the Habitat for Humanity of Fond du Lac County Affiliate & ReStore on Saturday, 11/16, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Students will hold a 50/50 raffle. Do you also need new furniture, a lawnmower, or other items for your household? On 11/16, 10% of merchandise sales at the Habitat ReStore will be donated to our students, too!

3) Check out our Moroccan Cooking Demonstration at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, 11/18, on the FDL Campus (A-111). Learn how YOU can spend Spring Break in Morocco!

Diversity Relations Coordinator William Green and MPTC Student Alessio Ziel serve authentic and delicious Jamaican food at Taste of Jamaica!

MPTC Student Liz Rohde will complete service-learning projects in health clinics with the Blue Mountain Project in Jamaica this January.

Dean Caron Daugherty talks about our new study abroad program in MOROCCO! The program, which runs March 12-23, 2014, is still accepting applicants. Learn more about this program at an upcoming Moroccan cooking demonstration on 11/18 or the information session on 11/19: http://bit.ly/16WzYC7.

 

Join Us in JAMAICA--January 2014!!

Get ready for fun, sun, and service! We’re excited to share a NEW study abroad program for Moraine Park students. Join us for Moraine Park’s new, international service learning experience in Hagley Gap, Jamaica. The program will take place January 2-12, 2014. Plan to take a break from the Wisconsin winter, and enjoy the beautiful Blue Mountains of Jamaica!
    

During the affordable trip, students will live with host families in Hagley Gap, Jamaica, while completing service learning projects with the Blue Mountain Project. Depending on students’ interest, projects might include volunteering in health clinics, providing tutoring to primary school students, working with the local farmers’ cooperative, and/or working in sustainable construction.  Students can also enjoy the beach or even hike the Blue Mountains!

Set aside the dates: January 2-12, 2014. More information will be shared this fall! In the meantime, learn more about other students’ experiences through this video from Ripon College on service learning in Hagley Gap:

MOROCCO--MARCH 2014!!

Students, begin planning now for the next travel opportunity with the college. Spring Break 2014 -- Morocco Bound! Experience the magic and mystery of this fascinating kingdom and learn the language, customs, values, culinary classics and daily life in this coastal country in Northern Africa (it is approximately 9 miles from North Africa to Europe across the Straits of Gibraltar!).

 Hot mint tea service. Moroccan tradition has the server pour the tea from 2-3 feet from the glass.

 Fresh Atlantic catch of the day -- fresh grilled.

 Market

 Fishing fleets

Spice souk (market--fresh saffron, cinnamon and other spices)

Effective July 1, we will start marketing, promoting and encouraging participation in this adventure to the north of Africa. Our guided trip will be directed by a professional guide out of Madison, and Tom Endejan, culinary faculty, will facilitate the learning for the students. Plan now!!

Upcoming Events

Thanks to Danielle Domenosky for posting blogs while the large group toured London and Paris. The pic of the group in front of the Arc de Triomphe at the Place de l'Étoile at the top of the Champs- Élysées made me yearn for those beautiful city streets and sidewalk cafes along the route. What a view from there -- of the Eiffel tower, the city, the river. So gorgeous.

For the 2012-2013 year, our international travels have concluded. We are already preparing for 2013-2014. The first ever international service trip to Jamaica is being planned by Amy Patterson for spring break 2014, and Tom Endejan is planning a culinary-specific excursion to Morocco over spring break. Academic year 2013-2014 is expected to be an exciting year for international travel with Moraine Park Technical College. These two ventures -- both Jamaica and Morocco -- are new excursions for the college and our students. Both faculty members, however, were able to scope and plan their trips by visiting these locales in early 2013.

The two pics below are of Tom (he is on the left in the top pic). This first graphic is of him with a Water Man (the one in the fancy attire). The other pic is of Tom making flatbread.

This YouTube video of is a faculty group in Costa Rica, which is what Amy will be doing in Jamaica with a group of students next year. This picture is of the biodigester the faculty group developed for the community:

Kudos to these faculty. Thank you for your efforts in providing these opportunities for our students!

Moraine Park: Local & International Service-Learning

Fond du Lac: Culinary Arts Students in Brenda Schaefer's Sociology course create delicious, healthy meals at an affordable price to share with the Solutions Center Women's Shelter in Fond du Lac. This service-learning project is educating women on how to cook healthy meals on a budget through recipe ideas and dietary information developed by these students.  Healthy eating can be affordable through these innovative cooking ideas.

Check out more opportunities for service learning by going to www.noblehour.com and joining the Moraine Park Technical College Community. Contact us if you have questions!





Costa Rica: In addition to the local impact our students and faculty make, our reach extends internationally. In January 2013, the college was able to provide representation on a Renewable Energy/Sustainability grant at Rancho Mastatal in Costa Rica. This YouTube video provides an overview of the types of renewable projects the group members completed for the community there. Amy Patterson, Beaver Dam Communication faculty, participated in this grant opportunity.

London and Paris! Spring Break 2013!

Several students depart for London next week, with a day-trip excursion to Paris included with their travels. While only four students were able to share in the experience last year, this year Ms. Danielle Domenosky grabbed the reins and has orchestrated a great itinerary for the 15 travelers. While the first day includes money exchange, getting settled in the lodging, and grocery shopping, the students will have opportunities to become proficient with London public transportation (London's infamous Tube). In addition, they will visit British classics, such as the Changing of the Guard, the Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral, London Bridge, Camden Lock open market and the London Eye. The trip is not all tourism and historical sites -- Danielle has also reviewed the students' program emphasis areas (most travelers are Cosmetology students) and arranged program-specific activities for the students, which in the past has included visits to a London court room, waste-water treatment facilities, IT specialists, and the police department (shadows for the bobbies).

Safe travels to the group from Moraine Park Technical College as they prepare for their departure. We hope to have a student posting blog entries. Updates soon!

Morocco--Culture and Culinary

Thomas Endejan, Culinary faculty for Moraine Park, is in Morocco this first week of January 2013. Researching Moroccan cuisine and culture, Tom will lead a group of MPTC students to the North African kingdom in 2014. We will post another blog with more pics and stories from him next week.

In these pics, you see him forming and baking flatbread and showcasing the very common and popular Moroccan dish, tagine.

New Year, New Travels

The International Education program at Moraine Park Technical College looks forward to the opportunities for travel in 2012. Future blogs will highlight some of the trips, but for this first one to welcome us to the New Year, I wanted to congratulate Jeff Sonnleitner, Moraine Park’s IT Network Specialist instructor, on being granted a $500 scholarship from the WTCS International Education Committee to explore Italy during the summer. According to Jeff, his goals for this excursion are “to incorporate this trip into exploratory site inspections of a number of companies (Alitalia, Ferrari, Lamborghini or Maserati, Illy, and possibly Ferrero), a college or two (University of Siena) and start the ball rolling on setting up a Moraine Park student exchange to begin in 2013 with students from Italy.” Congratulations to Jeff for his selection as a recipient of this scholarship. The next blog will highlight Moraine Park’s London trip planned for March 17-27, 2012. Access this site for additional information related to this opportunity: http://www.efcollegestudytours.com/preview-tour.aspx?gt=1100150.