Welcome Back, MPTC Students!

Welcome back to MPTC students! We had a great time meeting new students and sharing our study abroad programs at Welcome Days this month. Thanks to everyone who visited the International Education booth!

 

 

 

 

If you’re interested in study abroad programs, please check out our updated website and Facebook page. We have great opportunities in 2013-2014: hosting students from Germany, serving and learning in Jamaica, exploring magical Morocco, and staying with host families in Germany, among many additional options!

MPTC Hosts Japanese Delegates

At Moraine Park Technical College, we love hosting visitors from all over the world! Delegates from Japan recently visited the MPTC West Bend Campus as part of their exchange program with the City of West Bend. Moraine Park Board member Mike Miller, former mayor of West Bend, started the exchange program more than 20 years ago. The Japanese students and their host families explored spaces such as the Telepresence classroom and the nursing simulation lab with Pete Rettler, the West Bend Campus Dean. Kudos to Mike Miller and Pete Rettler for their work strengthening community connections--both locally and globally!

To see more pictures from the tour, please visit our Facebook page!

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!!

Service Learning Student Recognition and VISTA grant opportunity

Thursday, May 2, Moraine Park celebrated and showcased student service projects from the semester. To make it even better, the culinary students provided the gourmet breakfast. The College service footprint in the Fond du Lac community topped 552 hours and almost $12,000--that number does not include several additional courses and projects not being tracked yet. We are very proud of the efforts of our faculty and students, seeking ways to enhance and strengthen our community connections through performance excellence.

 Members of both Brenda Schaefer's and Julie Dilling's courses from the spring 2013 semester.

 Overview of a service project.

 One group presents about their project with the Solutions Center.

Dr. Jim Eden, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Ms. Brenda Schaefer, S-L coordinator, Jenni Walsh, Executive Director of WiCC, and Dr. Sheila Ruhland, President of Moraine Park were on hand to celebrate and recognize our students' service efforts in the community.

 Q&A session

 The Culinary students delivered a beautiful gourmet breakfast to a packed room.

The College was also granted a VISTA volunteer to begin serving in August 2013. We are working with the Solutions Center to help heighten the awareness of poverty in our community. If you are interested in more information about the VISTA position, please contact Dr. Caron Daugherty at 920-924-3163 or cdaugherty@morainepark.edu.

Celebrating Service-Learning Successes

Service-Learning at Moraine Park Technical College is preparing for end-of-year celebrations and kudos.

April 25 was a big day for the service-learning program. At 9 a.m., service-learning students from a variety of programs (construction, corrections, HVAC, child care, etc.) united to assist the Solutions Center with the renovation of a Solutions Center house designed to provide temporary assistance to a family. The students provided radon assessments, did painting, helped with flooring, assisted with kitchen renovations, and prepared the home for the family's arrival. The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Thursday, April 25.

Students arranged an additional service-learning project for Thursday, April 26, by presenting to the campus community via a lunch n learn informatoin about food sustainability. Two special speakers were invited: Representatives from Nourish in Sheboygan spoke on how they take healthy foods into the schools; Representatives from Produce with a Purpose, a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm, spoke on teaching people in Africa on how to farm for sustainability as well as details related to his local farm.

To cap the service-learning opportunities, the college is hosting a celebration breakfast to showcase several students' service-learning projects Thursday, May 2, from7:30-9 a.m. in the Cyber Cafe (A-109) at the Fond du Lac campus. The college appreciates what the students do to make a positive impact in our communities. This is a small way to express our appreciation and showcase their efforts.

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!