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Focus is published bi-annually for the communities of Fox Valley Technical College.
Director of College Marketing
Barb Dreger
Executive Editor
Carmelyn Daley-Hinkens
Art Director Cara Jakubiec
Editor
Casey Britten
Contributing Editor
Susan Lucius
Photographers
Gary Brilowski, Lucky Cha, Brandon Landwehr
President
Dr. Chris Matheny
Fox Valley Technical College
1825 N. Bluemound Dr., P.O. Box 2277 Appleton, WI 54912-2277 1-800-735-3882 • www.fvtc.edu TTY (hearing impaired) 711 State Relay System
baughman@fvtc.edu (email inquiries)
Accredited by The Higher Learning Commission since 1974.
FVTC offers more than 200 associate degree, technical diploma and certificate programs, and instruction related to 15 apprenticeship trades, in addition to providing services to business and industry. The college serves about 45,000 people annually, more than any other technical college in Wisconsin.
© 2021 Fox Valley Technical College. Fox Valley Technical College is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action institution, providing equal opportunity to all persons, including members of underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds, females, veterans and individuals of all abilities. For questions regarding the College’s nondiscrimination policy, contact: Rayon Brown – brown@ fvtc.edu (Affirmative Action), TitleIX@fvtc.edu (gender discrimination, including sex-based violence) or Elizabeth Burns – burnse@fvtc.edu (disability related discrimination).
OUR MISSION IS TO: Provide relevant technical education and training to support student goals, a skilled workforce, and the economic vitality of our communities.
OUR VISION IS TO BE: A catalyst in engaging partners to bring innovative educational solutions to individuals, employers, and communities – transforming challenges into opportunities.
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8 11
2-7 Learn By Doing
Our students know there’s no substitute for hands-on learning.
8 Beyond the Classroom
Clubs round out college experience for student Kimberly Martin.
9 Alumni Spotlight
Two FVTC Culinary Arts graduates are corporate chefs at Jones Dairy Farm.
10 Developing the Workforce
FVTC helps AriensCo grow its own employees through ongoing education.
Win a $50 Amazon gift card! Complete a short reader survey by January 31, 2022 for a chance to win. www.fvtc.edu/FocusSurvey
11 Open for Business
Class project leads to business startup for Business Management grad.
12 Foundation
Scholarship helps Stacy Morton pursue goal of being a sheriff’s deputy.
13 Foxes Social
What students like best about being back on campus.
14-16 Around FVTC
See what’s making news.
LEARN BY DOING
Best of Both Worlds
Combining a love of aviation and fixing things, Eric Barry found fulfillment maintaining airplanes.
When Eric Barry was 12 years old, he fell in love with airplanes.
“After high school, I went to flight school and gained my private pilot's license and an instrument rating,” he says. Marriage and kids came next, and flight school took a back seat as life took over. “I kept running out of money. My last flight instructor had been an airframe & powerplant mechanic, and he told me that training made him a better pilot. I decided that would be a good way to get back into aviation and possibly eventually pursue my goal of being a commercial pilot.”
He enrolled at Fox Valley Tech, and was energized by the hands-on training. “I'm a visual learner, so the amount of time we spent in the hangar really helped me. I can read a book 10 times and still not be comfortable with what I’m supposed to do, but walk me through the process once or twice and I will have it down. That’s one of the things I loved so much about FVTC.”
Eric graduated from the Airframe & Powerplant Mechanics program in 2020, and promptly got a job at Myers Aviation in Oshkosh as an A&P Mechanic. In 2021, he completed the Aircraft Electronics program.
“Being part of the miracle of flight is a dream come true,” he says.
• • • Learn more: www.fvtc.edu/Aviation
I love working with my hands, and I love fixing things. But being part of the miracle of flight is a dream come true.”
Hands-on classes prepped Shaquita Martin for a rewarding career as a Medical Assistant.
Shaquita Martin was looking for a program she could complete in a short amount of time and make a decent salary. “I was working jobs I wasn’t happy with, and needed to find a career that would provide both a stable income for my family and a stable schedule,” she says.
She found her solution in the FVTC Medical Assistant program. In December 2019, she graduated from the 32-credit program in 18 months, landing a job as a Medical Assistant at Aurora Health Care in Oshkosh before graduation.
“The Medical Assistant program is built to prepare you for real-life situations by providing a clinic-like space in the classroom. Every single day we had to do something hands-on, which makes the training much more real,” explains Shaquita. “I’m a hands-on learner. I can watch something over and over, but in order to truly learn, I have to do it.”
And she loves her job. Working in pain management, she not only helps people with their physical pain, she also lends a much-needed ear. “I’m a people person,” she says. “We have people who come in and they just need somebody to talk to. I can be that for them. That’s my favorite part.”
• • • Learn more: www.fvtc.edu/HealthScience
The Medical Assistant field is expected to grow by 19% by 2029,
much faster than the average for all occupations.
The growth of the aging population will continue to increase demand for preventive medical services, which are often provided by physicians. As a result, physicians will hire more assistants to perform routine administrative and clinical duties, allowing the physicians to see more patients.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
97%
grad employment for Medical Assistant grads
Source: 2020 FVTC Graduate Employment Research Report
Shaquita Martin The secondary wood processing industry accounts for 40,000 jobs in the state of Wisconsin.
FVTC’s Wood Manufacturing Technology program typically places 100% of its graduates
in positions like project manager, cabinet maker, millwork fabricator and aircraft interior fabricator.
Patrick Volkmann
Building His Own Career
Patrick Volkmann’s love of woodworking and drive to finish school created a unique educational journey.
Patrick Volkmann of Oshkosh discovered his fascination for woodworking in seventh grade, when he took his first woodworking class. Now, at the age of 18, he has already turned his passion for building furniture into a career.
“I took every possible woodworking course that I could get my hands on from seventh grade through tenth grade,” Patrick explains. “When there were no more options at Oshkosh West, I thought I’d get an apprenticeship my senior year of high school.”
But as that last year approached, Patrick still had two high school credits to complete and no apprenticeship lined up. With help from his mom, as well as an Oshkosh West counselor and an FVTC advisor, Patrick was able to dual enroll and start the program at FVTC. He spent his senior year at the S.J. Spanbauer Center in Oshkosh working toward a technical diploma, which also satisfied his two final high school credits.
In June, he graduated from Oshkosh West High School. In August, he graduated from FVTC’s Wood Manufacturing Technology program.
“Getting the technical diploma is more than what I planned to do after high school,” Patrick explains. “But the program led me to many opportunities and I had a job at Black Wolf Design in Omro before I graduated."
“I think the program is great for anyone who has even a slight interest in woodworking. The instructors each have different skill sets so you get their expertise in different areas." Patrick’s greatest joy in his new profession is the idea of taking a piece of wood that came straight from the saw mill, so rough you can’t even see the grain, and creating a one-of-a-kind piece of furniture.
“Having a customer say they can’t find what they want and asking me if I can make it, that’s a great challenge,” Patrick says. “I have to think about the process and how I’m going to build it. Then, knowing what I made for the customer could stay in their home for generations, that’s exciting.”
• • • Learn more: www.fvtc.edu/Wood
• • • Hear more from Patrick: www.fvtc.edu/Wood21
Working with plants brings fulfillment to Horticulture students.
The members of the first-ever all-female FVTC grounds crew team joined us to share their experience with the Horticulture program. While each has her own story for why she chose this field, there is one common theme: joy.
How did you decide to go into Horticulture?
Emily Schultz, Neenah: I was laid off from my job as a receptionist. Secretly I was really happy because I didn’t want to work in an office for the rest of my life, so I took it as an opportunity to finally do what I wanted: work with my hands, work with plants, work outside.
Deirdra Moon, Appleton: At the start of COVID, I left my job in the medical field and had the world in my hands. I chose to come back to school. I love plants, gardening and just being outside. To get an education and play with dirt all day was a definite goal!
Lily Kocha, Holland: I was enrolled at a private four-year university, but it wasn’t for me. I’ve always been a gardener and like working with my hands, so watching things grow seemed like a fulfilling job.
Paige Williamson, Seymour: My family owns greenhouses, and I’ve always wanted to study horticulture and work in the family business.
How are the classes preparing you for the future?
Lily: I’m actually learning how to do a job instead of just reading a textbook.
Deirdra: We’re getting the opportunity to meet people in the industry. Having employers come in and see the jobs you’ve done is a great takeaway.
What do you like most about your classes?
Emily: There’s literally a greenhouse on campus that we can just go in and play with plants!
Deirdra: Growing. We started vegetables and crops in the hydroponics lab in the winter, then transitioned them to the greenhouse, outside, and then we got to harvest. I get to see the bounty of the food that we grow. I’ve never felt so accomplished. I love that feeling.
• • • Learn more: www.fvtc.edu/Horticulture
From L to R: Paige Willamson, Lily Kocha, Deirdra Moon and Emily Schultz
”Fox Valley Tech has been an open door and a warm place.
Deirdra Moon
Marketing program requires a hands-on internship in the employment sector.
Luis Leon of Shiocton understands the value of handson training, even when that training extends beyond the classroom.
“Everything I’ve learned at FVTC, I am already using at work,” Luis says.
Graduating this December, Luis completed an internship as part of the curriculum in his Marketing program. When his internship at Performance Pallet in Seymour ended, he was offered a full-time marketing associate position.
“The internship started in HR & Safety,” Luis explains. “Now as a full-time marketing associate, I create marketing materials for our Sales team so we can expand our reach.”
Luis is the first high school graduate and soon-to-be first college graduate in his family.
“I chose the associate degree route because I knew I’d get straight into my program,” Luis says. “I may go back for a bachelor’s degree one day. But I’m already working and using everything my instructors taught me.”
• • • Learn more: www.fvtc.edu/Marketing
Being bilingual, Luis saves his employer time and money by creating marketing content in both English and Spanish. “I write everything in English and then translate it to Spanish myself, instead of seeking another source to provide the translation.”
Real Learning
Access to technology was vital for Electro-Mechanical Technology grad Andy Tysver.
Andy Tysver doesn’t hesitate when asked why he chose Fox Valley Tech.
“The hands-on training,” says the 2021 graduate of the Electro-Mechanical Technology program. “Here you get to work on the equipment you’re going to work with in real life.”
Andy has always learned best by doing, and after high school he took some electronics classes. While he didn’t finish his degree then, he always knew that one day he’d go back. In 2019 he enrolled in the Electro-Mechanical Technology program.
“The lab was a big reason why I came back,” he says. “It’s amazing. There’s equipment for just about anything you can think of. With the relatively low cost of credits combined with this expensive equipment you get to learn on, it’s hard to put a value on that.”
Andy now works as a Controls Engineer at Trident Automation, a consulting engineering firm in Kimberly that helps ethanol plants keep their production up and running.
Shaping the Whole Person
Clubs round out college experience for student Kimberly Martin.
Returning to school as a young mother, joining a club was the furthest thing from Kimberly Martin’s mind. “I thought, ‘I’m just going to focus on my classes and get out of there’,” admits the 27-year-old from Oshkosh.
Fast-forward three years: Kimberly has not only served multiple leadership roles in both the Natural Resources club and Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), she also worked as a Peer Leader.
“I realized, what fun is going to school if you’re not going to meet other people?” Kimberly explains. She attended her first Natural Resources club meeting upon the encouragement of an instructor, and was hooked. “There were students of all ages, and everyone was so helpful. The camaraderie was amazing.”
Natural Resources club members also volunteer in the community to gain experience. “Every year we help with things like tree planting, installing deer fencing, and chopping wood,” she says. “I’ve made connections and gotten experience that I never would have had if it wasn’t for the club.”
The Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society has helped Kimberly round out her education beyond her program; PTK projects help the broader FVTC community. For example, one of last year’s PTK projects focused on improving student-instructor communications in a virtual learning environment, which won an international award. “We wrote papers, applied for grants, interviewed students and talked to employers,” Kimberly explains, “You’re protecting the image of the college as well as PTK, so you learn valuable public relations skills, and how to speak on a professional and personal level.”
FVTC Peer Leaders support other students by helping them navigate college life. “I met so many other students as a Peer Leader, and made lots of friends,” she says.
In her classes as a double-major in Natural Resources Technician and Wildland Firefighting, Kimberly loves the handson training. “Ninety percent of my coursework is hands-on,” she says. “Everything is outside. I’ve learned how to use chain saws, a skid steer, survey equipment, a compass—we just go out to the field and use it.”
Upon completion of her FVTC degrees, Kimberly plans to transfer to UW-Stevens Point to major in Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Management. For now, she will continue to make the most of her college career and encourage others to get involved. “I don’t believe that the college experience is complete unless you join a club,” she says.
• • • Learn more: www.fvtc.edu/StudentLife
”FVTC makes sure you’re not only getting an education in the classroom, but that there are opportunities to learn outside the classroom as well.
Kimberly Martin
Kate Lulloff Becky Cambridge
What is a Corporate Chef?
Becky: At Jones Dairy Farm, a premium breakfast meat manufacturer, I use my culinary background to assist in foodservice sales opportunities, product innovation and recipe development. As a Wisconsin-born chef, I could not be happier working to promote a family-owned Wisconsin company.
Kate: We work with large accounts to develop custom food items for them, and we see the project through from concept to completion. I’ve also been fortunate to do video segments to educate people about the attributes of Jones Dairy Farm products. It’s been a great creative outlet for me.
What first brought you to FVTC?
Becky: I participated in the Youth Options program, which allowed me to take Culinary Arts classes at FVTC while in high school. After graduation, I enrolled full time and added the Hospitality Management degree before obtaining my bachelor’s degree at UW-Stout.
Kate: I’ve worked in the hospitality industry since I was 14. My life path took me in a different direction and I owned a trucking company while raising my children. But my passion for food was always there and in 2013 I decided to obtain my Culinary Arts degree. It’s one of the best decisions I ever made.
Q & A with Becky Cambridge and Kate Lulloff
Becky Cambridge and Kate Lulloff didn’t know each other before they started as Foodservice Key Account Sales Managers and Corporate Chefs at Jones Dairy Farm. However, they quickly learned they have a strong connection: both are graduates of FVTC’s Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management programs.
What training did you receive at FVTC that’s so valuable at your workplace?
Becky: I had great leaders in the classrooms. The instructors saw my potential and continued to mold me to become a better chef, but also as a young leader entering the industry.
What did you enjoy most at FVTC?
Kate: FVTC’s Cultural Cuisine event will always be a favorite. I was fortunate to be chosen as general manager for the 2015 event. Also, I think my age lent itself to being perceived as the “kitchen mom” to some of the younger students, which was fun. I still keep in touch with many of them today.
A Culinary Arts degree can lead to a variety of jobs
Catering manager Sous chef Pastry chef Banquet manager Personal chef Restaurant owner Food stylist Sales and marketing coordinator and more...
Go to Work, Go to Class
FVTC helps AriensCo grow its own employees through ongoing education.
It’s Wednesday afternoon at AriensCo and production at the outdoor power equipment maker is in high gear. But nearby, more than a dozen employees are equally as busy in the classroom, where they’re enrolled in a new certificate program facilitated by Fox Valley Technical College.
“Ariens asked FVTC to create a customized program in quality for its employees,” explains Janet Braun, department chair of manufacturing operations at FVTC. “The company picked courses it thought were most applicable to their training needs and together we created the AriensCo Quality Technician Certificate.”
The program’s first cohort started one year ago with courses being taught in person by FVTC instructors at the company’s Brillion headquarters. The company covers tuition and associated costs, but students must work with supervisors to make time for class.
“The first students in the program have already earned their certificate,” Janet says. “Once they earn further training credits at Ariens Academy, FVTC will award credit for prior learning, and some students are positioned to graduate in May with an associate degree in Quality Engineering Technology.”
“This program was created as a developmental pathway to grow our employees internally,” says Tracy Tuschl, senior manager of human resources at AriensCo. “AriensCo looks forward to continuing this offering well into the future.”
The effort to build bench strength is already underway with a second cohort of students starting the program this fall.
“This idea of employers paying for an employee’s education is an attractive way to get workers in the building,” Janet says. “More employers are looking at this option as a way to not only train their employees, but retain them as well.” In the final project for the Business Start-up & Launch Experience class, students are required to come up with a comprehensive business plan. As the culmination of everything they’ve learned in class, it’s an important assignment.
The idea that student Emily Nechodom came up with was so good, she decided to turn it into an actual business. Enter Fire Bricks.
Fire Bricks are a product made from recycled materials and pressed into a brick form. They can be used in a woodburning fireplace or firepit, or easily transported on camping trips with no mess or restrictions.
“Our family goes camping a lot, and the idea came from hauling firewood— it’s messy,” Emily explains. “I had seen other people take old newspapers and make a product with it. That’s where my idea stemmed from. I just put a twist to it.” The twist is a secret mix of excess materials from area companies. “I wanted to repurpose these clean materials and make a new product out of it,” she explains.
Packaged in a box of six with some shredded paper, Fire Bricks are ready-made for burning. “They are clean, lightweight and easy for kids to carry and start a fire,” Emily says. “You basically just open up a box and arrange your bricks like you would with firewood. Everything is safe to burn and cook over.”
Production is a family affair. “I started with the help of my husband who owns a welding/fabrication shop that also makes unique fire pit bowls,” she says, adding that she uses the business space to make the bricks, with the help of their three daughters.
FVTC Entrepreneurship Instructor Doug Schacht helped Emily bring her idea to reality. “Emily’s business idea was great!” he says. “Not only did she have a sound value proposition for the customers—ease of transport, less mess, etc.—she also arranged to have the majority of her supplies donated from other companies that saw it as waste. So not only does her product fulfill a need, it’s made from recyclable materials.”
Doug liked the idea so much, he encouraged Emily to pitch it at the annual FVTC Fox Trap Pitch Event, a competition where students pitch business ideas before a panel of judges for cash prizes. She won first place. She then advanced to a regional competition, where she placed second. “The events were cool experiences,” she says. “I got great practice presenting and reaching out to potential investors.”
Starting a business wasn’t on the agenda for Emily, who enrolled in the Business Management program to move up the ladder with her current employer. “It wasn’t my intention to start a business, but now that I did, I’m very prepared to run a business from what I learned in my classes. I plan to keep going with it on the side, and someday maybe my kids can take over.”
The associate degree in Quality Engineering Technology is available to anyone at FVTC. The majority of classes are online but some courses do offer in-person options.
Ariens Academy
Fire Starter
Class project leads to business startup for Business Management grad.
Emily Nechodom
