focusFox Valley Technical College volume 2, issue 2 • fall 2009

your future

inside:> Recipe for

Success:Culinary Artsat FVTCPage 12

> Small businessrefocuses withPro-SeedPage 5

> Green Dreams:New life innatural resourcesPage 7

SparkFVTC’s Welding program

can be a fast trackto a red-hot career

Page 10

CareerYour

12

Focus is published bi-annuallyfor the communities of Fox Valley

Technical College.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR/MANAGER OFMEDIA RELATIONS

Chris Jossart

CUSTOM PUBLISHING SERVICESThe Coghlan Group

EDITORChris Mikko

ART DIRECTORAmy Bjellos

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSChuck Benda, Phil Bolsta,

Greg Breining, Casey Britten,Sara Gilbert, Meleah Maynard

PHOTOGRAPHYGary Brilowski, Gary Gawinski,

Patrick Kelly, Dave Peters

DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE MARKETINGBarb Dreger

PRESIDENTDr. Susan A. May

Fox Valley Technical College1825 N. Bluemound Dr.

P.O. Box 2277Appleton, WI 54912-2277

1-800-735-3882TTY (hearing impaired) (920) 735-2569

www.fvtc.edujossart@fvtc.edu (e-mail inquiries)

Accredited by The Higher LearningCommission and a member of the North

Central Association, www.ncahlc.org.

FVTC offers more than 200 associatedegree, technical diploma and certificate

programs, and instruction related to20 apprenticeship trades, in addition to

providing services to business and industry.Annually, the college serves about 50,000people throughout its five-county district.

Member of:

© 2009 Fox Valley Technical College.All rights reserved. Equal Opportunity

Employer/Educator.

Around FVTCA quick look at what’s making news at FVTC.

Focus on Workplace TrainingOne Wisconsin firm used FVTC’s Lean PerformanceCenter to save more than $500,000 per year—andget all of its 2,400 employees on the same page.

Focus on the EntrepreneurThe FVTC Venture Center’s new Pro-Seed trainingprogram gave Dr. Pat Mahoney the insight and skillsto take his veterinary practice to the next level.

Focus on AlumniAnna Anderson realized she needed a new career. Aflexible degree program at FVTC helped her find it.

Focus on the FoundationThanks to the FVTC Foundation, Xoua Mouareturned to college and started on a promising newcareer path.

Focus on Student LifeThe new Older Wiser Learners group helps displacedworkers adjust to college. Two talented studentsbuild a robot that conquered a popular videogame—while enhancing their resumes.

Green DreamsFor Wenonah Skye, FVTC’s NaturalResources Technician programprovided the hands-on skills andtechnical knowledge she needed toreinvigorate her career.

Forging New ConnectionsFVTC’s Welding program is apowerful resource for studentslooking for rewarding careers—andfor area companies looking for well-trained workers.

Recipe for SuccessCulinary Arts program graduateMark Biesack has found his wayback to a career he loves.

features2

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in every issue

Fox Valley Tech is full of great instructors who have a lot ofprofessional experience. I utilized the college while attendingNeenah High School to jump-start my career, and am now ona journey to reach my dream of becoming a physician.

Through the Youth Options program, I earned my CNAcertificate and took general education courses at Fox ValleyTech before graduating from high school. This experiencehelped me get into pre-med at a university.

Welcome to FVTC. The college is here to guide your future.

Katie Armstrong

welcome

contents

7New: What’s NowNew ways to connect with FVTC.

6

A Growing GlobalCampus CommunityThe global atmosphere at FVTC continues tomaterialize, and the impact of the college’s trainingaround the world is becoming more evident. Thecollege currently trains students representing 34countries in programs designed to address immediateeconomic needs in their homelands.The number of international students enrolled at

two-year colleges in the United States also continuesto increase. Two-year colleges are ideally positionedto serve the needs of international students byproviding first-level professional education to vitalsectors of society. Technical colleges provide a modelof lower-cost, higher education and skill setdevelopment for in-demand and specialized careers.FVTC’s Global Education and Services department

received six grants this academic year to helpwelcome 140 international students. Five years ago,the college had about 30 international students.

For more information, visit www.fvtc.edu/global.Host families are still needed!

FVTC WelcomesCommunity EventsFox Valley Technical College played hostto some high-level community events in2009, which contributed hundreds ofthousands of dollars to the local economy.Annually, FVTC is proud to host the

Community First Fox Cities MarathonFestival of Races, accommodating morethan 7,000 athletes and guests for variousevents. A menagerie of other events tookplace at the Appleton campus in 2009,introducing thousands of visitors to thepicturesque, 144-acre location.The college welcomed members of the

Wisconsin Harley Owners Group in Junefor its annual state rally, and hosted theathlete’s village for participants of the2009 Badger State Summer Games on thefollowing weekend. The college also wasdelighted to share in the excitement ofhonoring our veterans during a “welcomehome” ceremony in July.The FVTC Waupaca Regional Center

hosts two annual tours of its green-designed facility in partnership with theMidwest Renewable Energy Association.

FVTC hosted several prominentevents in 2009.

aroundfvtc

2 www.fvtc.edu Fox Valley Technical College

A group of international studentsenjoy time together at FVTC.

Ways to Visit FVTCGo to www.fvtc.edu/visit to learn about the

many ways to explore FVTC, on and off campus.

E-news Updates from FVTCVisit www.fvtc.edu/e-news to sign up!

News Briefs

Enrollment Boom and theNew EconomyThe sluggish economy has triggered an exceptional enrollmentspike at Fox Valley Technical College at the outset of the fallsemester. The college is experiencing a 16% enrollment increase(typical increases average between 2-4% annually).An ever-changing global market has created an extraordinary

need for skilled workers to energize the uncertain economy.Professionals who possess knowledge of the latest technologyand hands-on application skills present a promising remedy forthese challenging times. That’s where technical colleges enter theequation.Flexible learning options, a wide range of offerings and

transfer opportunities, and the increasing value of technicalcollege credentials make the two-year pathway more attractivethan ever. Salaries are also on the rise for FVTC graduates.According the college’s most recent Graduate Placement Report,the average yearly salary for 2008 graduates is $33,848 withinsix months of graduation. After five years, the average salary is$40,660, according to the same report.The college is responding to its community through a number

of strategies, despite strained resources. These strategies includeadding course sections, hosting workshops to prepare studentsfor college life and other transitions, and more flexible optionsfor course delivery.

• Criminal Justice InstructorTina Braun has been named2009 Woman Officer of the Year bythe Wisconsin Association of WomenPolice. Braun is a 1994 graduate ofFVTC's Law Enforcement RecruitmentAcademy and a lieutenant with theFond du Lac Police Department.

• The J. J. Keller Foundation awardeda $50,000 grant to the Fox ValleyTechnical College Foundation to helpincrease services provided by the Appleton Even Start FamilyLiteracy program. The program is a well-established partnershipbetween FVTC, the Appleton Area School District, and a number ofother community agencies that focus on strengthening academicand parenting skills of disadvantaged individuals.

• The Academy for Leadership Training and Development, aworldwide provider of leadership training for post-secondary leaders,recognized four individuals from FVTC for graduating from theWisconsin Leadership Development Institute:

Kim Horejs, Early Childhood Education instructor

Kaye Krueger, Applied Engineering Technology instructor

Therese Nemec, Social Science instructor

Marge Rubin, director of Articulated Programs and managerof the FVTC Neenah Regional Center

• Horticulture instructor and landscapearchitect Jim Beard earned nationalcertification in organic land care fromthe Northeast Organic FarmingAssociation.

• The National Academic AdvisingAssociation presented FVTC with anOutstanding Institutional AdvisingAward for its Peer AdvisingConnection program. Employeesinvolved in receiving the award includeKaye Krueger, Applied Engineering Technology instructor;Kathy Stockwell, associate dean, Business, Health, and Servicedivision; and counselor Dana Zahorik.

Lt. Tina Braun

Jim Beard

focus fall 2009 3

Students turned to FVTC in bignumbers this fall.

Keep the ChangeOne Wisconsin firm used FVTC’sLean Performance Center to savemore than $500,000 per year—and get all of its 2,400 employeeson the same page.

By Chuck Benda

About two years ago, School Specialty, aGreenville-based educational resourceprovider, decided it was time to “golean.” With the help of a newly installedenterprise-wide business system, thecompany was ready to take fulladvantage of lean operational principles(which strive to boost bottom-lineresults through ongoing improvementsto quality control, cost reduction, andoperational efficiency). But it soonbecame apparent that the firm alsoneeded to bring its 2,400 employees, orassociates, up to speed if it was to fullyrealize the benefits of going lean.

“We worked with an outsideconsulting firm to help with the leaninitiative rollout,” says Michael Killoren,School Specialty vice president. “Wequickly realized, however, that weneeded to provide training to help ourassociates understand the basic processesand principles of what we were trying todo, and to create a general level of ‘leanliteracy’ throughout the organization.”School Specialty is an educational

resources industry leader, with 15 U.S.locations and two in Canada. Itgenerates roughly $1 billion in annual

sales to U.S. andCanadian pre-K-12schools by providingeverything from paperand pencils to desksand chairs to sciencecurriculum programsand other specializedinstructional materials.As such, it can take anynumber of approachesto lean training. Butaccording to Killoren,the idea that made themost sense was towork with anorganization that couldaddress the uniqueneeds of adult learners.Enter Fox Valley

Technical College’sLean PerformanceCenter (LPC). “We developed twocourses for School Specialty,” says CindyWetzel, an LPC instructor. “One was anonline E-lean course. The other was anon-site Lean/Six Sigma Green Belttraining course.”The LPC also secured a State of

Wisconsin Workforce AdvancementTraining grant to support developmentof the new courses. More than 220School Specialty associates have alreadytaken the E-lean training course.

Finding ValueThe LPC helped design a number ofother on-site activities, including rapidimprovement events, for SchoolSpecialty. “We looked at overseas freightand the associated costs, and discoveredthat customers from Alaska and Hawaiiweren’t being charged the right amountfor shipping,” says Wetzel.“The Green Belt training brings some

of the decision-making to the workfloor,” she adds. “When you put changestrategies in the hands of people who dothe work, you get tremendous buy-inand outstanding results.”Killoren is pleased with the results.

“Teaming up with the LPC turned out tobe a great deal for us,” he says. “Theygave us the training program we needed,and it felt good to support them and thelocal community.”

on workplace training

4 www.fvtc.edu Fox Valley Technical College

For more information, visitwww.fvtc.edu/leansixsigma.

Tune in monthly to WHBY1150 AM for “Creating aHigh PerformanceWorkplace” to hear successstories. Visit www.fvtc.edu/successstories.

��

When you put changestrategies in the handsof people who do thework, you gettremendous buy-in andoutstanding results.

Cindy WetzelLPC Instructor

“”

focus

LPC at FVTC

FVTC’s Lean Performance Centerhelps companies yield returns onlean training investments in all areasof an organization. In addition toSchool Specialty, the LeanEnterprise Project and Green BeltCertification programs areintroducing or enhancing skills forother local employers, including:

• Community First Credit Union• J.J. Keller & Associates• Kimberly Clark• McCain Foods• Miles Kimball Company• Sturm Foods

The LPC provides training andimplementation assistance atemployer locations, online, and inclassroom settings.

From left, School Specialty'sMichael Killoren, vice president; Tammy Smith,vice president of Procurement Flow Cells;and Julaine Zuelzke, lean champion.

Smart MedicineThe FVTC Venture Center’s newPro-Seed training program gaveDr. Pat Mahoney the insight andskills to take his veterinary practiceto the next level.

By Chuck Benda

Many small business owners are saddledwith the same dilemma: As the primaryproviders of the technical expertise andservices for their companies, they havelittle or no time to run—let alone,grow—their businesses. Like Dr. PatMahoney, veterinarian and owner ofAmerican Animal Hospital (AAH) inNeenah, business owners come to workearly, skip lunch, and stay late to try tomake things work.

“It’s really hard to find the time to pullyour head out of the soup and look overthe top of the bowl,” says Mahoney,who started AAH in 1979. “Althoughwe’re not yet where we want to befinancially, since the training we’vemanaged to help our business grow—even in the midst of these difficultfinancial times.”Fox Valley Technical College’s Venture

Center launched the new program inSeptember 2008, partnering withCalifornia-based training firm E-MythTM

Worldwide. The program, Pro-Seedpowered by E-MythTM, combines anonline curriculum with one-to-onebusiness coaching by Venture Centerfaculty. Participants study self-pacedonline training modules in leadership,marketing, finances, and more.“Having my own coach work one-on-

one with me was a powerful

experience,” says Mahoney. “She hadexperience in accounting and in retailbusiness, and she was very familiar withhelping professional offices deal withmanagement issues.”Although the program targets small

business owners, Mahoney was seriousenough about making someimprovements in his business that hewanted his office manager, Sara Holtz, toparticipate in the program, too.Holtz worked with Al Lautenslager, an

adjunct instructor with The VentureCenter, who also is a consultant, author,and marketing and public relationsspecialist, as her personal coach. “As thecompany’s office manager, Sara was theperfect person to work with,” saysLautenslager. “She’s second in commandat the animal hospital and reallyunderstands what makes that business goon a daily basis.”Mahoney and Holtz note that AAH

made several key changes since beginningthe program, including:• refining the company vision statement

• redirecting marketing efforts to focuson customer retention and referrals

• developing a training manual thatprovides step-by-step instructions onhow to perform all tasks, ranging fromcleaning floors to performing exams.

In addition to these significantachievements, Holtz noticed anotherchange. “It sounds so simple,” she says.“But Dr. Mahoney is actually eatinglunch every day now. And he takes some

time for himself once in a while. That isbettering our business.”He plans to continue on the path that

the Pro-Seed program has started. “Iplan to continue working with mypersonal coach by phone,” he says. “AndI sure hope Fox Valley Tech continuesthis program.”

Growing Today’s Workforce…The First Completers of Pro-SeedThe following individuals completed the first-ever Pro-Seed powered by E-MythTM trainingsession through the FVTC Venture Center:

Jon Bartz, Martenson & Eisele, Inc.Carol Brauer, BrightStar HealthcareGene Dorn, D & D Excavating & Landscape Service, Inc.Don Goggin, Pinnacle Photo & PortraitsJanet Golla, Janet’s Custom DesignSara Holtz, American Animal HospitalDavid Kozlowski, Kwik Investments, Inc.David Lindenstruth, HuHot Mongolian GrillDr. Patrick Mahoney, American Animal HospitalAaron Matuszewski, Prefinished Staining Products, Inc.Jerry Oberstadt, Oberstadt Landscapes & NurseryAnnilee Pietsch, The Pietsch TeamDiane Pruchnofski, P & D Metal Works, Inc.Kim Pruchnofski, P & D Metal Works, Inc.Andy Reuland, The Credit CoachJeff Schultz, Martenson & Eisele, Inc.

For more information onVenture Center offerings, visitwww.venturecenterwi.biz.�

focus fall 2009 5

on the entrepreneurfocus

Dr. Patrick Mahoney andSara Holtz examine "Boo"

at American Animal Hospital.

Having my own coachwork one-on-one withme was a powerfulexperience.

Dr. Patrick MahoneyOwner & Veterinarian

American Animal Hospital

“”

These days, it seems everyone—from professional athletes to media to your friends andneighbors—is jumping on the social media bandwagon. Why is it so hot right now?Is it here to stay?

At Fox Valley Technical College, social media is simply another way to connect with people whoare interested in learning more about the college. The discussions link others to communityresources, events, and helpful information on a variety of topics.

There’s a lot of cool stuff going on in our community and around here.Fox Valley Tech is helping spread the word!

6 www.fvtc.edu Fox Valley Technical College

Find us on FacebookCheck out FVTC’s official fan pageon Facebook. Interact with studentsand staff, plus see photos and videosfrom around campus, news items,upcoming events, studentcomments, and more.

www.facebook.com – search for“Fox Valley Technical College”

Follow us on TwitterOn Twitter, look for @FoxValleyTechto find a mixed bag of collegeupdates. Learn about upcomingevents, news, fun facts, tips onfinding a job in today’s economy,entrepreneurship classes, and more.And don’t forget to talk to us! Wewant to hear from you.

www.twitter.com/FoxValleyTech

See us on YouTubeFVTC’s YouTube channel showstechnology in action. See andexperience what our programs arelike and what it’s like to be a studenthere. Watch student-produced videos,and in the coming months, look foreven more first-hand footage ofFVTC technology in action.

www.youtube.com/foxvalleytech

Did we mention theprizes?Keep an eye on our Facebook andTwitter pages for prize drawings.Winnings could include tickets toCultural Cuisine, a tune-up for yourcar, FVTC apparel, gift cards to theFVTC Bookstore, a free homelandscaping consultation from ourgardening experts, experiencingwhat it’s like to drive a semi orpolice car, a flight simulation, aniPhone, a Kindle, and more.

what’sNOW

Join the conversation!

Stay connected!Visit www.fvtc.edu/exploreFVTC to learn more.

By Casey Britten

>>

Not long ago, Wenonah Skye was at acrossroads. She had a bachelor’s degree inRecreation Resource Management fromthe University of Wisconsin–Madisonand work experience with the U.S. ForestService on her resume. But over the years,her life took several detours, including a

series of unfulfilling jobs. She felt like herprofessional field, natural resourcesmanagement, was incomplete.“I was very capable at that time, but

there were holes in my education,” saysSkye, now 42. “That’s why I decided toreturn to school. I needed the hands-on

skills that were missing from mybackground.”Despite previous work experience and

a four-year degree, Skye enrolled in FoxValley Technical College’s NaturalResources Technician program to helpreinvigorate her career.

focus fall 2009 7

greenD R E A M S

For Wenonah Skye, FVTC’sNatural Resources Technicianprogram provided the hands-onskills and technical knowledgeshe needed to reinvigorateher career.

By Greg Breining

Digging Up New OpportunitiesSkye isn’t alone. Many older students—including people with degrees—regularly enroll atFVTC to enhance skills and find new opportunities for themselves. Students also come fromall over. FVTC has the only natural resources associate degree program in Wisconsin.“After working jobs they don’t like for many years, they wake up one morning and say,

‘Life is too short to keep doing this,’” explains Rick Buser, chair of FVTC’s NaturalResources department.In fact, one recent student was a retired doctor. He didn’t need the work; he simply

wanted to learn more about conservation issues and develop skills for some volunteerprojects. Says Buser: “There’s no average student here.”Bruce Cecka, another Natural Resources instructor, echoes those comments. He recently

talked to a prospective student who had already earned a bachelor’s degree. “The gentlemantold me that he had a four-year degree, but that he didn’t know how to ‘do’ anything,” hesays. “So he enrolled at FVTC to build his technical skills in natural resources.”

Grounded in FundamentalsSkye learned about the FVTC program when she was working as a research assistant withthe Menominee Indian Reservation in northeastern Wisconsin. She toured the campus andviewed a slide show presentation on the Natural Resources program. That’s when the lightbulb went on. “I realized that it would be great if I could get some practical skills,” shesays. “I really needed to get back into understanding my field again.”The FVTC program offered an opportunity to do just that. The first year involves both

natural resources fieldwork and general education courses in math and science. Technicalclasses focus on topics likeplant identification andsurveying. Other optionsinclude wildlifemanagement, fishmanagement, forestry, soiland water conservation,and water quality andwastewater management.Electives include wildfireintroduction and live firetraining.Students also receive

extensive field experience.For example, Buserregularly leads them on trout stream management projects with the Wisconsin Departmentof Natural Resources and Trout Unlimited. “I don’t want to be working under artificiallight any more than the students do,” he says. “We’re in the field getting dirty, slappingbugs, and freezing our fingers off for the purpose of learning. Students learn better if they’redoing something. They also build their resumes with hard-to-get experience, while workingalongside agency professionals.”All second-year students must volunteer in the natural resources field throughout a

semester. “This experience gives them a chance to work 80 hours and see what’s reallyinvolved in a position,” says Cecka.Graduates are qualified for a variety of jobs with government, nonprofits, or private

companies, including working as fish or wildlife management technicians, forestrytechnicians, campground managers, surveying assistants, wastewater technicians, andnaturalists. What’s more, nearly 90% of the students from last year’s graduating class wereworking within six months.

Students learn better if they'redoing something. They also buildtheir resumes with hard-to-getexperience, while workingalongside agency professionals.

Rick BuserNatural Resources department chair, FVTC”

“

8 www.fvtc.edu Fox Valley Technical College

greenD R E A M S

A Whole New WorldSkye initially worried about competingwith younger students and feared thetechnology. She quickly found that theprogram’s small class sizes and personalattention from instructors calmed thosefears. “Talk to the instructors,” sheadvises other students. “Get to knowthem; they are your greatest advocates.”She now has another year of

coursework ahead of her. Skye then hopesto work for an organization like theEnvironmental Protection Agency in anarea such as water quality. “That’s mylong-term goal,” she says. “A lot of ourresources are getting used up. Fresh wateris one of them.”

For more information, visitwww.fvtc.edu/naturalresources.

FVTC graduate Dave Petersassesses a wildfire in northern California.

WildlandFirefighterTraining at FVTCWildland Firefighter training hasemerged as one of the hottestprograms at Fox Valley TechnicalCollege. One reason why, accordingto Rick Buser, Natural Resourcesdepartment chair, is thatemployment in the field appearspromising. Wildland fires areincreasing in intensity andfrequency, and baby boomersinvolved in fire fighting and firemanagement are retiring. FVTC isone of only five Wildland Firefightertraining centers in North America.

FVTC courses acquaint studentswith fighting wildfires as well asusing fire to manage grasslands,woodlands, and other habitats.“We give students a lot ofexperience and training,” Busersays. “When they graduate, they’repoised to work in a rewardingcareer that protects lives,property, and natural resourcesfrom wildfires.”

For more information, visitwww.fvtc.edu/wildlandfire.

focus fall 2009 9

Jesse Evans, 19, was so enthusiastic about a welding career that he started takingwelding classes through FVTC during his junior year of high school. The next year, hetook advantage of the college’s Youth Options program to opt out of his senior year andattend welding classes on FVTC’s Oshkosh campus instead. Getting a head start on awell-paying career was worth the daily 100-mile round-trip commute from hishometown of Richford, Wisconsin.In May 2009, Evans’ work ethic paid off when he graduated from high school and

FVTC simultaneously. His technical diploma in Production Welding quickly landed hima job at Oshkosh-based Muza Metal Products, a full-service sheet metal and tubularfabrication provider for some of the nation's leading original equipment manufacturers.“I weld parts together according to blueprints, which is pretty much what the classes atFox Valley Tech teach you,” Evans says. “So, I’m using all the skills I learned there.”Welding is the bridge that Evans plans to travel to reach a larger goal. “My lifelong

dream is to own a hot rod and chopper shop,” he says. “That’s also why I wanted tolearn these skills.”

The world of welding hasundergone some remarkablechanges in the last two decades.“Welding environments are muchbetter today than 15 years ago,”notes Bill Berge, associate dean ofFox Valley Technical College’sManufacturing, Information, andAgriculture Technologies division.“Foundries now are very cleancompared to years ago when I wasa shipbuilder. Many companiesalso have robotic welding, or atleast have made the weldingprocess semi-automatic, sowelders often set parameters on amachine instead of doing all thewelding themselves.”Combine those changes with a

growing demand from industry,and it’s no wonder FVTC recentlyadded a third welding section toits offerings. That’s not all. Thecollege is even offering a late-nightclass that runs until 1 a.m. to trainwelders who could not typicallyattend a session during the day.

10 www.fvtc.edu Fox Valley Technical College

Valarie Wojcik and Jesse Evans in oneof FVTC's state-of-the-art welding labs.

FVTC’s Welding program isa powerful resource forstudents looking forrewarding careers—and forarea companies looking forwell-trained workers.

By Phil Bolsta

Forging New

connectio

Supply and DemandMuch of the immediate and growing demand for welders iscoming from the area’s construction industry, which includesrecent pipeline projects and a nuclear power plant. Another factoris the physical nature of welding work, which is prompting someaging baby boomers to retire or move into different fields. But theneed for welders is not just local—it’s regional and even national.“I have been at numerous conferences, and people from otherstates are experiencing the same demand,” Berge says. “WisconsinDepartment of Workforce Development surveys show thatwelding is one of the fastest-growing professions. I see this trend

continuing for at least the next two years, if not longer.”That’s good news for Valarie Wojcik, 20, who recently received her associate degree in

Welding from FVTC. The Hortonville native got her first taste of welding through thecollege’s Mini-Chopper Build program, which is designed to get teams of high school juniorsand seniors excited about hands-on career choices.It worked. Wojcik was hooked after building a mini-motorcycle from the ground up.

“Through that program, I learned machining and welding,” she says. “After it was over, Iwanted to go to school for welding. I loved the Tech’s instructors and the campus, and itwas close to home and affordable.”Wojcik also enjoys the nature of the work itself. “There are so many aspects to welding,”

she says. “I could be welding underwater or on buildings. And the best part is that the tradeis great if you like to work independently.”Wojcik is expanding her options by pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Welding Engineering

Technology from Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan.

For more information, visit www.fvtc.edu/manufacturing.

onsCollaborationStationFVTC and Appleton-basedPierce Manufacturing joinforces for an innovativetraining program.

Two years ago, Pierce needed away to find skilled welders. Itssolution was to team up with FoxValley Technical College anddevelop a course that wouldproduce qualified welders in atimely fashion. The course was asix-week program that includedall the necessary welding skills tobecome certified at PierceManufacturing. Pierce found 16employees from its labor poolthat were looking for anopportunity. The employeescompleted the program withskills in blueprint reading, as wellas steel, stainless steel, andaluminum welding. This is one ofthe innovative ways the companyensures a steady supply ofqualified welders.

In a sense, the arrangementwasn’t new to FVTC. The collegehas been providing training andweld testing on an as-neededbasis for numerous localcompanies over the years. “Wedo a lot of weld testing,” says BillBerge, an FVTC associate dean.“We are a weld test center forthe state of Wisconsin and ourinstructors are all certifiedwelding instructors. We workwith about 30 differentcompanies to certify theirwelders to either an AmericanWelding Society or AmericanSociety of Mechanical Engineerscertification.”

focus fall 2009 11

My lifelong dream is to owna hot rod and chopper shop.That’s also why I wanted tolearn [welding] skills.

Jesse EvansFVTC student”

“

Mark Biesack wasn’t surprised when he was accepted to one of the top culinary arts schoolsin the country, Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, shortly after hegraduated from high school. By that time, he had been cooking since the seventh grade andwas excited to turn his passion into a career.But the Stevens Point native’s dream came to an abrupt end during the first trimester

when he slipped in his dorm room, tearing the tendon off his kneecap. The painful injuryforced him to accept what he had already feared. During high school, he’d beendiagnosed with bone cancer and had endured rounds of chemotherapy. While he’d beatthe cancer, he simply wasn’t strong enough yet to try and make it through the trainingprogram at that time.

Success

Culinary Arts graduate Mark Biesack.

12 www.fvtc.edu Fox Valley Technical College

Culinary Arts programgraduate Mark Biesackhas found his way backto a career he loves.

Recipe for

By Meleah Maynard

So he moved home and soon found himself back in the kitchen atRockman’s Catering, where he had cooked during high school.Biesack liked the job, but he was struggling to figure out his next stepwhen a co-worker mentioned the accelerated Culinary Arts programat Fox Valley Technical College. Biesack was immediately interested.Though he had some initial fears that FVTC wouldn’t compare to

Johnson and Wales, they melted away when he toured the campuswith Chef Jeff Igel, department chair of the program and 13-yearinstructor at the college. “Chef Jeff’s attitude and professionalism grabbed me right away,”Biesack recalls. “The quality of the kitchen facilities at Fox Valley Tech was impressive, andit was obvious that the instructors were skilled and committed to students. I didn’t feel like Iwas sacrificing anything to go to school there.”In fact, Biesack was so energized by his classes, instructors, and fellow students, that he

moved to Appleton just two weeks after starting his first semester. He also joined the FVTCCulinary Club and volunteered for a wide range of activities, including annual pie sales andhelping cater private events. “There are plenty of chefs who have never gone to school, butgoing to Fox Valley Tech helped me develop as a person, and I tried to learn everything Icould about the business,” he explains. He particularly learned a lot from JenniferSolloway-Malvitz (“Chef Jenn”), who teaches baking and pastry making.

Next stepsThe work paid off. Shortly before he graduated in April 2008, Biesack was hired as a souschef at Fox Hills Resort in Mishicot, Wisconsin. A few months later, he was promoted to

executive chef. The job had a wide range of duties—everything from preparingfor the week’s functions by scheduling appropriate staff and writing menus tokeeping his eye on costs. He also created a new system for cleaning andorganizing the kitchen, and made it a point to work alongside his staff, whetherthey were cleaning or cooking. “I’m not the kind of executive chef who can’tgrab a mop or do dishes when a dishwasher calls in sick,” he says.Biesack says that dealing with people is one of the best aspects of the business.

“I fell in love with the dynamic of the kitchen a long time ago,” he says. “Youcan’t duplicate anywhere the feeling you get when you’re working in a kitchen

focus fall 2009 13

Key Ingredient:Exceptional FacultyThe popularity of cooking shows and theFood Network has contributed towardmaking Culinary Arts a “very hot” programthese days, says Department Chair ChefJeff Igel. To meet the demand, the collegeoffers both traditional and acceleratedversions of the popular two-year program,which appeals to students of all ages (theoldest graduate so far was 70 years old).Graduates receive the training they need tosucceed in this highly competitive field, whichencompasses a wide range of positions withhotels, restaurants, hospitals, private clubs,cruise ships, colleges, and corporations.

The faculty is one big reason for the 37-year-old program’s success. Most of the instructors have worked allover the world. Five of the program’s six chefs are certified by the American Culinary Federation, the world’slargest professional organization for cooks and chefs. And yet Igel says there is no pretension or complainingabout long hours from faculty members. “We purposely hire people who are energetic and passionate aboutwhat they do,” he notes.

“Sometimes I work 70 hours a week teaching, helping students outside of class, chaperoning trips, andspending time with the Culinary Club,” he adds. “But it’s a labor of love. That’s why we’re all here.”

and you cover each other’s backwhen you’re all under pressure.”In October, Biesack left the resort

to take a new job with BonAppetite Management Company, aCalifornia-based food serviceprovider to corporations, colleges,and universities around the country.He is now a cook on the LawrenceUniversity campus in Appleton.Although he took a pay cut,Biesack was drawn to BonAppetite’s commitment to freshnessand scratch cooking, along withadvancement opportunities. “Ireally like the company’s values andability to maintain them while stillbeing profitable,” he says. “I’monly 25 and I have a lot to learn, soI feel like this is a really good placefor me to be right now.”

For more information, visitwww.fvtc.edu/culinary.

Going to Fox Valley Tech helpedme develop as a person.

Mark Biesack”“

Culinary Arts staff in the college’s herb garden.

Fresh StartAnna Anderson realized she neededa new career. A flexible degreeprogram at FVTC helped her find it.

By Meleah Maynard

In the late 1990s, Anna Anderson andher husband, Lars, both professionals inthe manufacturing industry, could foreseechanges in the marketplace. Theydecided that one or both needed tochange careers. Anna investigated manystate colleges, and after weighing theoptions, she enrolled in Fox ValleyTechnical College’s Hospitality andTourism program (now known as Hoteland Restaurant Management).

After graduating in 2001, Anna landed aposition at the Radisson Paper ValleyHotel as an event meeting manager. Shethen advanced to corporate travelmanager, responsible for new growth andmaintaining existing clients in transientand group corporate business. We askedher to tell us about what she does and toshare her experience at FVTC.

How did you decide on thehospitality industry?I discovered it was the largest andfastest-growing industry, and that itoffered opportunities to travel the worldor remain in your hometown. Todetermine which segment of the industrybest fit my goals, I interviewedhospitality professionals in multiple areasand determined hotel corporate salesencompassed all my strengths.

What do you do in atypical day?Every day is unique and fast-paced. I work with clientsface-to-face, via the telephoneor Internet, selling andarranging conferences, specialevents and seminars, andproviding cost estimates.Interaction, accessibility, andexceeding their expectationsare key to helping create a successfulclient event.

What does the CMP behindyour name stand for?Certified Meeting Professional. It is aninternationally recognized designation formeeting professionals. The requirementsfor certification are based on years ofprofessional experience and a writtenexam. Approximately 12,000 CMPs arecertified in the world. The RadissonPaper Valley has more CMPs on staffthan any other hospitality property inWisconsin.

What was your FVTCexperience like?Being a nontraditional student, thecollege’s class flexibility was veryimportant to me. By taking classes oncampus or via the Internet, it enabled meto work full-time, have time for myfamily, and pursue a new career.Everyone made me feel comfortablethere. That’s why I volunteer at thecollege. I want to help new students feelthe same way I did.

You’ve served on the advisorycommittee for FVTC’sCulinary Arts and Hospitalityprogram. What else have youbeen involved with?I was involved with the Culinary Artsand Hospitality Advisory Committeewhen I was a student and am now theindustry chair. An advisory committeeoffers advice and a perspective oneducational issues and provides a linkbetween the college and business sectors.

I am also on the Meeting and EventManagement Advisory Committee,which is a newer program. I, along withothers, helped launch this offering. I alsooffer my time for class tours and jobshadowing.

Outstanding Alumni Sought

We see police patrolling ourneighborhoods, ambulancesresponding to emergencies, and hearabout brave men and women fightingfires. We take our vehicles in formaintenance, meet with accountants,and talk to nurses who guide ourhealth. These everyday peoplerepresent the essential fabric of ourcommunity: a skilled workforce.Chances are many of the professionalsproviding these services are Fox ValleyTechnical College alumni.

FVTC is accepting nominations for its2009 Outstanding Alumni Award. Theaward was created with the followingpurpose: To recognize an FVTCalumnus who has demonstrated thevalue of technical education throughcareer advancement, communityservice, continued personal andeducational growth, and support ofthe technical college system. Thecollege will honor the recipient inMay 2010.

on alumnifocus

To view a complete list of thenomination guidelines, visitwww.fvtc.edu/alumni, or call(920) 735-4859 for moreinformation.

�14 www.fvtc.edu Fox Valley Technical College

By taking classes oncampus or via theInternet, it enabled meto work full-time, havetime for my family, andpursue a new career.

Anna Anderson

“”

Anna Anderson, CMP

Chapter TwoThanks to the FVTC Foundation,Xoua Moua returned to collegeand started on a promising newcareer path.

By Sara Gilbert

When Xoua Moua suddenly became asingle mother four years ago after adivorce, she struggled to support her fivechildren. Although she had earned adecent income as an insurance agentprior to the divorce, it wasn’t enough tosupport a family alone.Moua admits there were times she feltlike giving up. But it was her children’sfuture that kept her going. They were thereason she looked into attending FoxValley Technical College and applying forscholarships through the FVTCFoundation. Moua is working towardtwo degrees—IT Computer SupportSpecialist and IT Network Specialist.Her children may be her motivation,but it is the financial support she’sreceived through the FVTC Foundationthat has made attending college a reality.Her classes at FVTC are entirely paid forthrough the GRA “Get Back to School”scholarship, the Jim Pierce scholarship,the Air Wisconsin Airlines Corporationscholarship, and a Doug & Carla SalmonFoundation scholarship.The Doug & Carla SalmonFoundation scholarship, which isrenewable every semester that Mouaattends FVTC, was created especially forstudents like her. Sue Detienne, theexecutive director of the SalmonFoundation, says the criteria for thescholarship include a significant financialneed, a strong desire to receive a collegeeducation, and a plan to pursue a careerwith good employment potential. “Wesee a lot of first-generation college

students who often have not had an easypath.” she notes.A helpful resource during Moua’sexperience at FVTC has been GloriaGrandone, a scholarship counselorrepresenting the Doug & Carla SalmonFoundation. Grandone believes thatMoua is using her scholarship as acatalyst to make the most of her collegeexperience. “She has set the bar high,earning excellent grades andestablishing goals for herself,” notesGrandone.Moua has even landed a part-time jobassisting students in one of the college’scomputer labs, and as a result of heracademic standing, earned membershipin the Phi Theta Kappa InternationalHonor Society.

Moua is an ideal recipient of theDoug & Carla Salmon Foundationscholarship and its focus on educationwithin the family. Since she startedtaking classes at FVTC, her three oldestchildren have also decided to attendcollege. Moua is marveling at how wellthey are doing academically, and at howfar her family has come in the past fouryears. “Yes, we’ve had some hard times,but look where we’re at now,” she says.“I am blessed. I feel like I can’t topwhat’s going on in my life right now.Returning to college is so much betterthan I thought it could be.”

on the Foundationfocus

Giving That WorksHere’s why Fox Valley Technical College students need your financial support:

• Student enrollment is up about 16%• FVTC served more than 1,100 displaced workers in 2008-2009• Also in 2008-2009, an unprecedented 940 scholarships, exceeding$600,000, were awarded to students; however, 58% of students whoapplied did not receive support

• More than 6,000 students applied for federal and state aid last year. Onlyhalf received grants—aid that doesn’t need to be repaid

• This fall, the FVTC Foundation received a record 799 scholarship applications.

Discover how your support can fuel the new economy by empowering a skilledworkforce. Visit www.fvtc.edu/foundation to start creating a brighter future forour community.

For more information, visitwww.fvtc.edu/foundation.�

focus fall 2009 15

Xoua Moua (left)and Gloria Grandone

Returning to college isso much better than Ithought it could be.

Xoua Moua

“”

Making the TransitionThe new Older Wiser Learnersgroup helps displaced workersadjust to college.

Kathy LeClair remembers clearly howshe felt last January when the springsemester started and she found herselfsitting in a classroom for the first timein years. After asking around a bit, shelearned that other students who hadrecently lost their jobs felt the sameway. “We were wondering if we coulddo it,” she recalls. “We didn’t knowhow to study. We knew the college hadgreat resources, but we didn’t know

what to do orwhere to go.”LeClair, wholost her job inSeptember 2008,thoughtdisplacedworkers needed agroup on campusto offer help forone another. Sothey approachedVicky Barke, FoxValley Technical College’s director ofStudent Life. Barke helped the studentsdevelop ideas, and the Older WiserLearners (OWLs) group held its firstmeeting in May. “The meeting topicsvary,” says Barke, noting that June’sevent on managing finances drew morethan 90 people. “But we consistentlyhave about 40 people at everymeeting.”Other topics have included time andstress management, technology, andfinancial aid. OWLs members are nowbrainstorming future meeting topics

and mulling over other services, such astutoring, that they can offer as thegroup grows. LeClair already feelsmore relaxed in her new role as astudent, and as chairperson of theOWLs group. “I think a lot of otherdisplaced workers are feeling the sameway, too. We’re all in the same boat, soit’s good to know you’re not on anisland by yourself.”

on student lifefocus

For more information, visitwww.fvtc.edu/owls.

Rock On!Two talented students build a robotthat conquered a popular videogame—while enhancing theirresumes.

When Mike Teigen and Chee Lordecided on an ambitious final project ofcreating a robot that could play thepopular “Guitar Hero” video game, theirinstructor, Jon Stenerson, wasn’t at allconcerned. Both Teigen and Lor had

excelled in Fox Valley Technical College’sAutomated Manufacturing Systemsprogram; the project was simply anopportunity to put what they’d learnedto the test.The idea came to them, Lor says, asthey searched the Internet for ideas. Theyfound some videos of automatic “GuitarHero” programs where “little computerbots” seemingly played the game byusing software to monitor the game’ssource code. “We decided to make arobot that didn’t cheat by using thismethod,” Lor notes. “We wanted tocreate one that utilized a vision system tosimulate how a human plays the game.”As they worked, Lor and Teigen filledthree composition books with sketchesbefore creating a design that relied on anintegrated vision system andprogrammable logic controller. Thesystem could “watch” the screen as ahuman would. “We built everythingfrom scratch,” Teigen recalls. “We neverdid anything like that before, so closer tothe end we started using cardboard tomake models, as well as CAD drawings.“Guitar Hero” robot inventors

Chee Lor (left) and Mike Teigen.

�

16 www.fvtc.edu Fox Valley Technical College

Kathy LeClair, Don Van Lankvelt,Crystal Campbell, and Chris Olson of OWLs.

We're all in the same boat,so it's good to know you'renot on an island byyourself.

Kathy LeClair

“”

First Place atNationalIT Competition

Membersof FoxValleyTechnicalCollege’s student chapter of theAssociationof InformationTechnologyProfessionals (AITP) earned first place attheorganization’s national conference inOklahomaCity.

Thewinning teamwon tophonors in theGraphicCommunications categorybycreating aprint andWebadvertisingcampaign, includinganoverall branddesignandmessage. The first-place entrycompetedagainst 15other teams,including the likes of PurdueUniversityand theUniversity ofTexas-Arlington.

More than600participants representingcolleges anduniversities throughout theUnitedStates competed in severalcategories.

This way we made sure everything would fit before we cut the metal and put ittogether.”Once they created the long list of needed parts, Stenerson helped the studentscontact local businesses to secure donated items. For example, one areamanufacturer of control and automation systems provided a vision system at asignificant discount. The company also sent technicians to campus to rundemonstrations ofthe vision system,which is veryindustrial innature. The samesystem andcontrols could beused to inspect parts moving alonga conveyor.Once completed, the projectgenerated some national mediaattention, including coverage in TheWall Street Journal and USA Today.“I think this project will get highschool students excited aboutautomated systems,” says Teigen,who recently accepted a positionwith the FBI. “You can goanywhere withthis degree.”

I think this project will get high schoolstudents excited about automated systems.You can go anywhere with this degree.

Mike Teigen

“ ”

For more information, visitwww.fvtc.edu/ams.�

focus fall 2009 17

For more information aboutstudent clubs andorganizations at FVTC, visitwww.fvtc.edu/clubs.

�Members of FVTC’s first-place team include (left to right)

Thomas Willecke, student;Brenda Wilz, advisor and IT instructor;Michael Sweigart, student; and Liudmila Vakulenko, student.

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