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FOX VALLEY TECHNICAL COLLEGE : Appleton Campus, Entrance 10 APPLETON
NEENAH
OSHKOSH
WAUPACA
2626 S. Oneida St. 509 N. Richmond St. 2701 N. Ballard Rd. 455 S. Nicolet Rd. 1235 W. Spencer St.
125 E. Forest Ave. 2300 Industrial Dr.
2424 Westowne Ave. 1492 W. South Park Ave.
1006 Royalton St.
GREENVILLE
DE PERE
603 W. Wolf River Ave.
N1230 Cty. Rd. CB
1700 Lawrence Dr.
NICHOLS
DARBOY
MANITOWOC
W5644 Cty. Rd. F
W6089 Cty. Rd. KK
1100 S. 30th St.
NEW LONDON
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contents
Focus is published bi-annually for the communities of Fox Valley Technical College. EXECUTIVE EDITOR/MANAGER OF MEDIA RELATIONS Chris Jossart CUSTOM PUBLISHING SERVICES The Coghlan Group
5 in every issue
6 What’s Now A look at the true value of occupational and technical education.
features 7
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Occupational Therapy Today A chance hospital encounter opened Lucy Vanden Heuvel’s eyes to a career possibility. FVTC’s OTA program helped open the door. Running on All Cylinders Despite the recent recession, there’s a big demand for trained diesel technicians, and graduates from FVTC’s highly respected Diesel Equipment Technology program are proving to be hot commodities. An Idea-Maker FVTC Marketing grad Shelby Milock has big ideas for the world of small business.
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FVTC 2 Around A quick look at what’s making news at FVTC.
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Focus on Workplace Training An innovative FVTC program helps the City of Oshkosh bolster its customer service.
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Focus on the Entrepreneur With help from FVTC’s Pro-Seed program, Dave and Gerry Kozlowski clarified their company’s direction and boosted sales and profits.
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Focus on Alumni How FVTC alumnus Paul Sturgis is helping bring farming into the 21st century.
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Focus on the Foundation The FVTC Foundation is helping Sulayman Jobe finish his long journey to a nursing degree.
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Focus on Student Life A student leader broadens her skills and perspective through campus activities, and a Mechanical Design student’s project puts him on the inside track to innovation.
welcome Fox Valley Technical College is a great place to get real-world experience. I’ve written marketing plans for real businesses and competed in marketing competitions in Anaheim, California, and Atlanta, Georgia. I’ve even built my own blog! This is how I’m setting myself apart.
EDITOR Chris Mikko ART DIRECTOR Amy Bjellos CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Chuck Benda, Sara Gilbert, Vicki Stavig, Chris Jossart, Chris Mikko, Sue Wilson PHOTOGRAPHY Gary Brilowski, Gary Gawinski, Patrick Kelly DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE MARKETING Barb Dreger
PRESIDENT Dr. Susan A. May Fox Valley Technical College 1825 N. Bluemound Dr. P.O. Box 2277 Appleton, WI 54912-2277 1-800-735-3882 TTY (hearing impaired) (920) 735-2569 www.fvtc.edu jossart@fvtc.edu (e-mail inquiries)
Accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, www.ncahlc.org. FVTC offers more than 200 associate degree, technical diploma and certificate programs, and instruction related to 20 apprenticeship trades, in addition to providing services to business and industry. Annually, the college serves about 45,000 people throughout its five-county district. Member of:
Follow my journey at fvtcdan.wordpress.com. Dan Hahn
FVTC Marketing alumnus, Business Management student, and student blogger
© 2010 Fox Valley Technical College. All rights reserved. Equal Opportunity Employer/Educator.
aroundfvtc National Training Center for Collision Repair on Hybrids In November, Fox Valley Technical College became one of only 40 training centers in the United States that make up the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC). The college helps promote the adoption of alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles through automotive training programs for technicians, fleet managers, public safety and first-responder organizations, and the public. Headquartered at West Virginia University, NAFTC is the country’s only alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicle training organization. Alternative fuel vehicles within the NAFTC continuum include those using fuel-cell, propane, hydrogen, ethanol, biodiesel, natural gas, and hybrid electric systems. Fox Valley Technical College attained NAFTC training center status by demonstrating its dedication to sustainability through an extensive application and review process. The college’s NAFTC training center status by demonstrating its dedication to sustainability and collision repair of hybrids through an extensive assessment process. For more information, call (920) 996-2914.
FVTC’s offerings incorporate the latest training technologies.
New Programs for 2010-2011 Associate Degree Programs • • • •
Forensic Science Laboratory Science Technician Liberal Arts Collaborative Program Safety Engineering Technology
Technical Diploma Programs • Medical Office Assistant
Certificate Programs • • • •
Intelligent Interface Design & SCADA Peachtree QuickBooks Renewable Energy Engineering Technology
For more information, visit www.fvtc.edu/new.
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www.fvtc.edu Fox Valley Technical College
FVTC students Ben Schlais, Auto Collision Repair and Refinishing, and Kim Anderson, Vehicle Refinishing and Repair, work on a hybrid vehicle.
News Briefs • Nursing Instructor Patti Mijal,
RN, MSN, was selected as an item writer for the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensure Examination. An alumnus of FVTC’s associate degree Nursing program, Mijal was one of only 12 nurses in the nation to be selected for this assignment. • Students from the college’s
Patti Mijal
Global Education & Services department helped lead on-campus and public fundraising events to benefit disaster relief in Haiti. The projects raised nearly $5,300 to help the country’s restoration efforts. • Students from the Package & Label Printing program
earned a national 2009 Award of Excellence during the annual Print Excellence and Knowledge (PEAK) awards, sponsored by Print Solutions magazine. The winning entry was a corrugated “Tractor Trailer Bank,” created by six FVTC students at the college’s Graphic Arts Center. • The U.S. Bank Foundation has awarded $20,000 to the
Fox Valley Technical College Foundation to support scholarships for displaced workers. The Foundation awards scholarships twice a year. Ed Smart (left) with Ed Krueger, program administrator for FVTC’s Criminal Justice Center for Innovation.
Child Safety Advocate Highlights Missing Persons Conference Each year, the national spotlight on best practices for responding to missing and unidentified persons shines in Appleton during a training conference sponsored by FVTC's Criminal Justice Center for Innovation. The conference is designed to enhance collaboration among local, state, and federal law enforcement and criminal justice practitioners regarding missing persons. One of the conference highlights was a visit by Ed Smart, father of Elizabeth Smart, whose abduction and miraculous recovery captivated the nation in 2002. Mr. Smart delivered the keynote address during the conference and shared his insights on safety education during a public presentation. This year's conference included law enforcement personnel from 17 states, in addition to Puerto Rico and England. A national film producer also attended the conference to acquire footage for a documentary on missing persons, which will be unveiled at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.
• Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle
announced the appointment of Edward Paul, a graduate of FVTC’s Vehicle Refinishing and Repair Technician program, to serve as a student representative on the Wisconsin Technical College System Board. Paul is currently pursuing a second associate degree in Business Management, and is employed at Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair, or I-CAR.
Edward Paul
Focus is also on the Web! Visit www.fvtc.edu/focus for the online version
For more information, visit www.fvtc.edu/cj.
focus spring 2010
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focus
on workplace training Solving the Puzzle An innovative program helps the City of Oshkosh bolster service to its customer base. By Vicki Stavig Customer service has long been a focus for private industry. For the City of Oshkosh, however, the goal is simply to provide its customers—its citizens— with the best possible experience when working with city employees. Well aware of Fox Valley Technical College’s excellent reputation for workplace training, Oshkosh City
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The trainers understand our needs and developed a program that was exactly what we sought.
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Mark Rohloff City of Oshkosh
Manager Mark Rohloff contacted the college’s Business & Industry Services division to develop and provide a program that would sharpen employees’ customer service skills. “The training staff at Fox Valley Tech is fantastic,” he says. “The trainers understand our needs and developed a program that was exactly what we sought. We have a core of people who are doing great work, and we wanted that magic to travel throughout the city’s departments. We want to ‘WOW’ people with great customer service.”
The WOW Factor Not surprisingly, the city calls its training program “WOW” (What Oshkosh Wants). It’s based on The Customer Service Puzzle, a program developed by FVTC Communications Skills instructor Sandy Eyler. “I customize The Customer Service Puzzle for specific groups,” she says. “For
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Oshkosh, it focused on identifying what city employees think good customer service is and building relationships with customers. Another piece is ensuring everyone is on the same page and has the same philosophy of delivering good customer service. It’s a shared vision.” Eyler began training city employees a year ago, starting with a pilot group of 25 that Rohloff identified as already having a strong commitment to customer service. He knew they would provide feedback to fine-tune the program. “Their insights moved the program forward,” he says. “Sometimes customer service training is viewed as ‘we’ve done something wrong.’ I wanted to discuss what we’re doing right so we can learn from each other’s positive experiences.” The program has provided additional benefits, according to Assistant City Manager and Director of Administrative Services John Fitzpatrick. “Plus-one service helps citizens receive more than they expect, and in turn provides increased job satisfaction for our employees,” he says. “Our employees like that all departments and all parts of the organization are involved.” The second group consisted of supervisors and managers, who were equally impressed and recommended that the program be offered to every city employee. Hence, all 575 Oshkosh city employees will experience the program in 2010. “Oshkosh employees are looking to do an even better job for their citizens,” Eyler notes. “They are delivering good customer service now, and yet, they are striving to do more. They have a great deal of pride and want to meet their citizens’ expectations.” The program also has strengthened employees’ relationships. “It has given us a sense of family, with more interaction between departments,” Rohloff says. “There is a renewed sense of optimism about what we do.” Fox Valley Tech provides training and technical assistance that has attracted clients from throughout the region and United States. In fact, the
www.fvtc.edu Fox Valley Technical College
John Fitzpatrick (left) and Mark Rohloff, City of Oshkosh
college provides training and technical assistance to some 20,000 employees each year on such topics as agriculture, engineering, health care, manufacturing, marketing, and construction, and more.
For more information, visit www.fvtc.edu/bis.
FVTC’s Business and Industry Services division and WHBY 1150 AM discuss training topics each month during “Creating a High Performance Workplace,” a live radio segment. Learn more about training success stories and upcoming radio interviews at www.fvtc.edu/successstories, or tune in to WHBY on the second Tuesday of each month at 12:45 p.m.
focus
on the entrepreneur
Taking Care of Business
The Pro-Seed™ program helped Dave and Gerry Kozlowski clarify their company’s direction and boost sales and profits. By Sue Wilson For a family-owned business, growth often leads to an unexpected turning point: hiring non-family employees to work in the company. Dave and Gerry Kozlowski, husband and wife owners of Kwik Investments, Inc., a Fox Valley residential real estate investment firm, faced this transition in December 2008 when the first non-family member joined their company.
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We doubled sales and tripled our gross profit. What company wouldn’t be thrilled with that?
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Dave Kozlowski Co-owner, Kwik Investments
Gerry says the change was more significant than they expected and prompted them to take a hard look at their business organization. “We knew we needed written policies and procedures, but we had neither the time nor knowledge to create and implement them,” says Dave. “We were swamped by the day-to-day details.” When a friend mentioned the ProSeedTM program offered through FVTC’s Venture Center, they jumped at the chance.
The Pro-SeedTM Difference Pro-Seed powered by E-Myth® is a sixmonth program for entrepreneurs and business owners who want to create a foundation for success. Through inclass sessions, online modules, networking events, and one-on-one instruction, participants learn about leadership, management, finances,
Dave and Gerry Kozlowski
marketing, sales, and customer service. Venture Center Director Amy Pietsch, says participants develop a clear vision of where their business is headed, along with better management strategies. For nearly a decade Dave and Gerry struggled over the company’s direction. Pro-Seed helped them settle on a direction, along with priorities for each employee. “An initial activity involved tracking how everyone spends their time,” says Dave. “It sounds basic, but it led to interesting results.” The time logs revealed that staff members were spending lots of time on low-priority tasks. So Dave and Gerry eliminated some services and focused employee efforts on more productive activities. Kwik Investments now focuses on providing peace of mind to homeowners burdened by houses they no longer want. By buying homes in “as-is” condition without a realtor commission, the firm helps homeowners solve real estate problems. Pietsch served as the instructor for Kwik Investments. She and human resources expert Andrea Hogan helped Dave and Gerry create systems and processes to profitably expand the business, define employee responsibilities, and develop marketing strategies. “We helped free up their time to focus on activities that generate revenue and respond to market opportunities,” says Pietsch. Dave says the changes weren’t
dramatic, but the results were amazing. “From 2008 to 2009, we doubled our sales and tripled our gross profit,” he notes. “What company wouldn’t be thrilled with that? The Pro-Seed program motivated us to work on our business, and it paid off in a big way.”
Small Business, Big Results Need marketing and planning tools but lack time to create them? An FVTC Venture Center program launching in Fall 2010 may be for you. E-Seed Express is an eight-week version of the center’s 15-week E-Seed program. Designed for experienced entrepreneurs and small business owners, it provides the information and structure to develop a business plan. It also features an all-day Boot Camp, in-class programs and labs, and will be offered on the Appleton and Oshkosh campuses. “We created E-Seed Express to meet demand for a shorter yet highly effective business planning program,” says Amy Pietsch, director of FVTC’s Venture Center. “It’s great for entrepreneurs and small business owners who want to thoughtfully
and quickly create a strategic direction.”
For more information, visit www.venturecenterwi.biz.
focus spring 2010
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what’s
>> NOW
By Chris Jossart
Invest in You! More students than ever are choosing to begin their education at Fox Valley Technical College. Why is that important? A 2009 study released by the Brookings Institute indicates that jobs in the new economy will be in areas requiring more than a high school diploma, but less than a baccalaureate degree. The value of occupational and technical education has never been higher, and the educational experiences at FVTC deliver the skills necessary to be successful in the new economy.
The Value of an FVTC Education
$3,800/ year
4-year public university
“With virtually no debt, Fox Valley Tech quickly prepared me to enter the workforce in a skilled position and continue my education,” says graduate Adam Shea, a former pressroom supervisor for a local printing firm and now freelance photographer and board member for the FVTC Foundation Inc.
$7,000/ year
FVTC
As educational costs rise, students are increasingly seeking a better return on time and money invested in their education. Tuition for the 2009-2010 academic year at FVTC is around $116 per credit. On average, the FVTC full-time student pays about $3,800 a year, compared to around $7,000 a year at a four-year public university. The lower costs and occupationally focused degrees mean students pay less out of pocket and enter the job market sooner.
Fox Valley Tech’s effective track record of job placement rates for alumni six months after graduation still averages 89% (for the past three years), reaffirming the college’s value toward the local economy as well. In addition, the average starting salary for FVTC graduates from the class of 2009 is $32,282 a year, with an average starting hourly salary of $15.26. When you also consider that Fox Valley Technical College offers the same financial aid opportunities available at other colleges (scholarships, grants, and federal loan programs), it all adds up to a great education at a great value.
An Investment that Keeps Paying An FVTC education is designed to provide a direct path to the latest career opportunities, but it’s also a door to other promising educational experiences. Students who want to continue their education can do so with UW System colleges, the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and Michigan Tech University, just to name a few. These educational partners recognize that real work experience and rigorous instruction provided by FVTC build a firm foundation from which students can continue their studies.
Want to Learn More? Many financial aid seminars and informational events are held throughout the year at all FVTC campuses and regional centers. To learn more about the affordability and value of occupational and technical education, call (920) 735-4814 or visit www.fvtc.edu/finaid.
6 www.fvtc.edu Fox Valley Technical College
Occupational
Therapy Today
Student Lucy Vanden Heuvel works with a horseback rider during a therapy session.
A chance hospital encounter opened Lucy Vanden Heuvel’s eyes to a career possibility. FVTC’s OTA program helped open the door. By Sara Gilbert
Lucy Vanden Heuvel’s future career was decided upon when she was a senior in high school and her grandmother had knee surgery. Vanden Heuvel was at a nursing home when an occupational therapist entered the room. The therapist helped her grandmother work on improving the range of motion of her knee and showed her how to use a sock aid so that she didn’t have to bend her knee to put on her socks. “I saw how much better it made my grandmother feel,” Vanden Heuvel says. Now Vanden Heuvel is one of more than 80 students enrolled in Fox Valley Technical College’s Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program. In May, she’ll graduate with her associate degree. After passing her national exams, she will likely have her choice of jobs in one of the country’s fastest-growing employment fields.
focus spring 2010 7
Job opportunities for OTAs are expected to increase by 26% between 2008 and 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Not all of those jobs will be in hospitals, nursing homes, and schools. While many OTAs still find jobs in those traditional venues, others are also working for home health care organizations, medical and adaptive equipment vendors, community organizations, and private treatment facilities. “The field is expanding,” explains Pat Holz, who has chaired the college’s OTA program since 1989. “Our students graduate with qualifications that give them many career options and ways to help people with a number of different issues.” That’s exactly what Vanden Heuvel is looking forward to. She’s open to almost any job opportunity within the Fox Valley, from working with patients in an outpatient setting or providing care to clients in their homes. What matters most, she says, is that she’ll be able to help people. “Occupational therapy is one way that you can really better someone’s life,” she says. “That’s why I wanted to do this.”
OTA Fundamentals
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The field is expanding. Our students graduate with qualifications that give them many career options and ways to help people with a number of different issues.
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Pat Holz
OTA Program Chair, FVTC
OTAs help people develop, recover, or maintain basic living and working skills. They use everyday activities and adaptive equipment to help clients regain motor skills after an accident, for example, or to teach clients suffering from diseases or disabilities to master simple, daily tasks. Their goal is to help clients of all ages and all abilities lead independent, productive, and satisfying lives. The demand for OTAs has increased over recent years, triggered in large part by the aging
Technology at Work...and Play New therapy innovations and technology are ushering fresh practices into the occupational therapy profession. The popularity of Nintendo’s Wii entertainment system, released in 2006, extends beyond use in households as a stereotypical modern teenage pastime. The Wii’s wide range of games and exercise programs now has a strong presence in the occupational therapy industry. Wii game systems are used as part of occupational therapy routines for patients recovering from many conditions. Patients use the motion-sensitive game controller to enhance reflexes and hand-eye coordination, in addition to rebuilding muscle. FVTC’s OTA program received a Wii system and other supplemental materials in the fall of 2009 to incorporate into the program’s curriculum as part of a collaborative grant from the J. J. Keller Foundation and St. Elizabeth Hospital community.
8 www.fvtc.edu Fox Valley Technical College
population and the changing health care system. Holz says the approach to teaching the program has changed over the years. When she earned her occupational therapy degree in 1974, many of her classes were lecture based. But that’s not the approach she and the other faculty members have adopted at FVTC. Students sit in groups of six and work together on projects. Although they occasionally listen to short lectures, they more often are engaged in hands-on activities or visits to off-campus sites TO practice the skills they are learning. “It’s much more participative,” Holz says. “The students are, in essence, teaching themselves. They are learning by engaging themselves in the process.”
Occupational Therapy in Action Besides the hands-on classroom activities and field trips to see occupational therapy in action, students enrolled in Fox Valley Tech’s OTA program are also required to participate in three fieldwork experiences. The first places students in a group or one-on-one setting for 27 total hours over the course of a semester; the next two are both full-time placements in different facilities with a licensed occupational therapist or OTA, each running for eight weeks. For her first fieldwork experience, Vanden Heuvel worked with Sandra Sandee, an OTR at BEAMING Inc., OTA instructor Pat Holz a nonprofit organization that uses (LEFT) works with Sarah horseback riding as a therapeutic Buser and Lucy Vanden activity for people with physical, Heuvel. cognitive, emotional, or behavioral disabilities. The horse’s movement, Sandee explains, helps the rider’s body in a number of ways, from improving muscle tone and posture to settling down an over-active nervous system. The sights, sounds, and smells of the barn environment and the horse can provide an important experience for people with certain sensory needs. Language and social skills improve through group riding activities. Although BEAMING’s services are open to riders ages four through adult, Vanden Heuvel spent most of her time working with young children with special needs. She was amazed at the difference therapeutic riding made for each of them. One child who couldn’t ride or steer her horse independently when she started was completely on her own after several sessions. “It was such a cool experience,” Vanden Heuvel says. “It has really opened me up to different kinds of therapy options. I always left there with a smile.” Vanden Heuvel is well prepared for whatever job she might find after graduation. “I’m looking forward to being able to use what I’ve learned to help people,” she says.
For more information, visit www.fvtc.edu/ota.
focus spring 2010 9
By Chuck Benda
Running Thanks to FVTC, Josh Janssen has found a hands-on career with a bright future.
on all
CYL Despite the recent recession, there’s a big demand for trained diesel technicians, and graduates from FVTC’s highly respected Diesel Equipment Technology program are proving to be hot commodities. Josh Janssen knows a good thing when he sees it. And when he saw the opportunity to move into a new career that could bring some security to his future, he seized it. A native of Little Chute, Janssen spent 10 years working as a machinery operator in local mills. The 31-year-old liked the work and the pay, but the industry was struggling to stay afloat. Janssen was laid off three different times. “I was lucky enough to get rehired at another mill after each of the first two layoffs,” says Janssen. “But after the third one, I decided it was time for something new.” His search for a new career led him to Fox Valley Technical College. Working with counselors at the Appleton campus, Janssen quickly zeroed in on the Diesel Equipment Technology program. “I was looking for something that would be hands-on, as well as a career that would let me stay in the area,” he says. “Plus, I wanted to find a job that wouldn’t lose work to outsourcing.”
An Industry in Need In years past, working with diesel engines had a reputation of being a dirty, low-tech job with limited opportunities for advancement. Not anymore. “Today, diesel
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www.fvtc.edu Fox Valley Technical College
INDERS technology is about as high-tech as it gets,” says Dan Poeschel, an instructor in the Diesel Technology programs and chair of FVTC’s J. J. Keller Transportation Center. Poeschel’s 30 years of experience in the industry has allowed him to witness a big paradigm shift. Modern diesel engines have an intricate array of electronics and house multiple computers on board. “The market offers hard-working technicians the opportunity to grab high-paying, high-tech jobs that don’t require you to bust your back,” notes Poeschel. What’s more, the demand for trained technicians is high, and is projected to go higher, thanks to an aging workforce. “Nationwide, 40 to 50% of diesel technicians are expected to retire within five years,” says Poeschel. “About 205,000 new diesel technicians will be needed by 2014, but only 3,500 of them are graduating each year.”
The FVTC Advantage Even though the demand is high and expected to climb, the better the training, the better the job prospects, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Fox Valley Tech is preparing its students to compete for high-end positions that can pay up to $28 per hour for experienced technicians. “Our program requires students to complete a full year of training to earn their technical diploma,” says Poeschel. “Plus, students can also earn an associate degree. Both degrees include federal certifications in air-conditioning systems, air-brake systems, and annual inspections.” Classroom work is complemented by five hours of training per day in a shop setting. Students learn their craft in real-life situations by working on some of the more than 40 vehicles that FVTC uses in its Truck Driving program. The program can be demanding for students, but Janssen has taken it in stride. “It’s been a real challenge to return to school after being away so long,” he says. “But in some ways, it’s easier than when I was in high school. Things like house payments and car payments help you keep focused.” Janssen and his wife, Amber, are making ends meet on her salary and his The program’s unemployment benefits, but some outside financial assistance has helped as well. The instructors have been State of Wisconsin provided Janssen with a in the field and know dislocated worker program grant of $2,500 per semester for up to four semesters. He also what they’re doing. received a Trade Adjustment Assistant grant from the federal government. Josh Janssen Along with the financial assistance, Janssen gives a lot of credit to the FVTC faculty and advisors for helping him forge a new career. “Everyone has been eager to work with me and answer my questions,” he says. “The proram’s instructors have been in the field and know what they’re doing.” Though he’s only been in the program since August 2009, Janssen has come to share his instructors’ passion and excitement for diesel technology. He’s chosen to pursue an associate degree. He thinks it’s the best way to get himself back into the same salary range he was in when he worked for the paper mills. “I’m taking some business and management classes with the hope of maybe becoming a shop foreman or a service manager,” he says. “I’m very excited to be here.”
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Diesel Tech students also maintain FVTC’s fleet of semis.
Steering Toward a Solid Career In addition to a high-octane education, Fox Valley Technical College’s Diesel Equipment Technology program offers an unbeatable advantage in today’s economy: a 100% job-placement rate during the past three years. Last year, 54 students received 147 job offers in Wisconsin. Before the economic downturn, the program was receiving around 300 job offers per year. The jobs also aren’t your typical low-paying, entry-level gigs, either. “We’ve surveyed our alumni six months after graduation,” says Diesel Technology Instructor Dan Poeschel. “They typically earn anywhere between $25,000 and $43,000 per year. And after five years on the job, they’re earning from $31,000 to more than $56,000.”
For more information, visit www.fvtc.edu/diesel.
focus spring 2010
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AN
FVTC Marketing grad Shelby Milock has big ideas for the world of small business—as an entrepreneur and student, she’s already making it happen.
Idea MAKER By Chuck Benda
Shelby Milock has made her mark at Fox Valley Technical College for some time now. When some health problems interfered with her education at Oshkosh West High School, Milock turned to FVTC to complete her high school diploma in 2006. Then she enrolled in FVTC’s Marketing program,
located on the Oshkosh Riverside campus, earning her associate degree in 2009. But she’s not done yet. “I’m working on an entrepreneurship certificate at the Oshkosh campus also, which I’ll finish up this semester,” says the 21-year-old, who describes herself as an aspiring entrepreneur. “And then I’m
Shelby Milock says FVTC has prepared her well for the business world.
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www.fvtc.edu Fox Valley Technical College
going to get my associate degree in Business Management.” Don’t misunderstand. It isn’t that Milock can’t make up her mind. She just believes the hands-on, real world experience she’s getting in the classroom at Fox Valley Tech is something she couldn’t get elsewhere.
Ahead of the Curve
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As part of the coursework for her marketing degree, Milock Working on real jobs with real clients completed three different projects—each of which replicated the kind of work most students never see until they hit the helped me decide that this is what I workplace. “We completed a marketing plan for a real start-up company, created a full-blown advertising campaign for an want to do the rest of my life. Oshkosh steel manufacturer, and did a market research project Shelby Milock for the Fox Valley School of Massage,” says Milock. “Working on real jobs with real clients helped me decide that this is what I want to do the rest of my life.” The “rest of her life” is happening at a remarkable pace. Along short time. And she gave the with Milock’s work in the classroom, she has three different jobs, including her own credit to the courses and her fledgling freelance marketing business and a job working for her mother’s marketing and advisors.” Web design firm. She’s also active in the FVTC chapter of Delta Epsilon Chi, a marketing “Sandy and Teri Stark, my and management association for college students, and has worked on campus as a volunteer Delta Epsilon Chi advisor, are like and a tutor. “She is unstoppable,” says Sandy Plank, an FVTC Marketing instructor. family to me,” Milock adds. “The “Shelby knows what she wants and where she’s going, and she has the ability to really people at Fox Valley Tech have a connect with people.” lot of passion for teaching, and That combination helped Milock win the 2009 STAR Ambassador award, which they care about their students.” recognizes the most outstanding student from each of the 16 Wisconsin technical colleges. When Milock finishes her In winning the award, Milock won the right to give the commencement address for her studies at FVTC, she plans to graduating class, an experience she described as “absolutely amazing.” pursue a master’s degree in Marketing; then she wants to All in the Family work with small companies. “As Milock’s love for FVTC is perhaps rooted in her family’s long as I can help others generate genes. She is part of the third generation in her family to ideas like so many people did for take classes at FVTC, following in the footsteps of her me, that will be very worthwhile,” grandmother, dad, mom, stepmother, older brother, and one she says. of her sisters. “My sister, Krystal Maloney, studied marketing at Fox Valley Tech before me,” says Milock. “It To find out more, visit was inspiring to see someone accomplish so much in such a www.fvtc.edu/marketing.
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A Touch of Entrepreneurialism Ready to start your own business? FVTC’s Start-Up Venture certificate can provide you with the training you need.
Courses Include:
FVTC’s Entrepreneurs Start-up Venture certificate prepares budding entrepreneurs to start their own business.
• Entrepreneurial Innovation/Choice Analysis (3 credits) • Planning Your Entrepreneurial Venture (3 credits) • QuickBooks (1 credit) • Entrepreneurial Marketing (3 credits) • Venture Financing (2 credits) • Business Internship (1 credit)
For more information, visit www.fvtc.edu/entrepreneurship
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on alumni
A New World FVTC alumnus Paul Sturgis is helping bring farming into the 21st century. By Chris Mikko For the last 10 years, Paul Sturgis has been at the forefront of dramatic changes in the farming industry. The Fox Valley Technical College graduate’s company, Croptech Agronomics, helps farmers use detailed planning and hightech tools to maximize their yields and boost sustainability. It’s a big and often busy job—Sturgis is the company’s sole employee—but one that he relishes. We caught up with him recently to learn about his industry and how his time at FVTC prepared him for running a business in the new world of agriculture.
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Those experiences [at FVTC] gave me self-confidence, organizational skills, and people skills.
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Paul Sturgis
How would you describe your job? I’m an independent crop consultant, but that job has changed in the last decade. When I started the company, it meant working with farmers to develop crop plans, make seed selections, create pestmanagement plans, and put together fertilizer plans based on soil test results. That changed for me at least when nutrient management planning took off. Basically, nutrient management planning looks at all of a farm’s nutrient resources and allocates them according to crop need, soil types, pest levels, and more. It also involves making sure that what you do doesn’t adversely affect water resources. I also employ GPS receivers to collect data and monitor yield.
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Paul Sturgis
Farmers have always been good stewards of the land, and they’ve been doing nutrient management planning for years—just not in the more formal capacity that we’re using now.
What types of farms do you work with? When I started the company, I wanted to deal with fewer, but larger clients. It just so happens there are no large dairy farms in my area. I need to travel approximately 50 miles one way to most of my clients. Of course, the concept of “large” has changed. It used to be that 200- to 300-cow farms were considered big; now it’s more like 1,000 cows and larger.
How did you get into this business? I grew up on a small farm in Larsen, Wisconsin. I originally thought I’d study biology, and went to a four-year university for a year, but wasn’t happy there. Then I heard about FVTC and spoke to an instructor, Dave Gerlach, who told me about the college’s AgriBusiness Service and Supply program (now Agri-Business & Science Technology). I graduated in 1988. I then worked at an area co-op and earned a bachelor’s in Business Administration from Lakeland College. From there, I worked as a seed company district sales manager for five years before starting my business.
What was it like to start the company? I was married with two young kids, so
www.fvtc.edu Fox Valley Technical College
it was scary. I was starting from scratch, but I had contacts and potential clients from the seed business. I got a call from a farmer who was referred to me by a colleague. He became my first client. Things took off from there.
How did FVTC prepare you? It gave me exposure to agronomy, animal nutrition, and agricultural equipment, along with a solid foundation of technical skills. I also got involved with extra-curricular activities. I was shy in high school, but at FVTC I got involved with student government and the national Postsecondary Agricultural Student (PAS) organization. I served as student government president, and was later elected as PAS’ national president. Those experiences gave me selfconfidence, organizational skills, and people skills.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your business? It’s rewarding to do something I love. I also work with progressive clients who are willing to try new things. The flexibility is nice too. Things get really busy for me in the spring and fall, but I do have the ability to leave work a little early to attend my son’s baseball game or my daughter’s basketball game.
For information, visit www.fvtc.edu/alumni.
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on the Foundation
Next Steps The FVTC Foundation is helping Sulayman Jobe finish his long journey to a nursing degree. By Vicki Stavig Sulayman Jobe’s journey toward a nursing degree has been a long one. A native of Gambia, Africa, he came to the United States in 2002 at the age of 21. Today, thanks to financial assistance in the form of scholarships from the Fox Valley Technical College Foundation, he is well on the way to reaching his goal. Jobe spent his first three years in the United States living with his uncle in New York City, where he worked in a clothing store. Three years later, he joined friends in Madison and earned
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Without the scholarships, it would take me longer to finish the program.
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Sulayman Jobe certification as a nursing assistant while also working for a shipping company. Like many students, Jobe needed to balance his desire to further his education with the need to support himself. When he moved to Appleton in the summer of 2007, he enrolled at Fox Valley Technical College, taking prerequisite courses before starting the college’s two-year Nursing program. He also began working at a local nursing home, but money was tight, so Jobe applied for a scholarship from the FVTC Foundation. He was awarded the scholarship and has since received two others, including the FVTC Benefit Golf Outing Scholarship.
Help at hand Established in 1976, the FVTC Foundation awarded nearly $580,000 to almost 900 FVTC students and high school seniors during the most recently completed academic year. The
scholarships went to students who have demonstrated strong academic performance, have skills that employers value, and in many cases, have a financial need. Jobe possessed all three. He is a determined young man, driven by a strong desire to succeed. Growing up in Gambia surely had an Sulayman Jobe (left) impact. and Rebecca Polk-Pohlman “Situations back home are not Jobe is grateful for the FVTC easy, and people see it as an Foundation’s support, and he is anxious opportunity to come to the United to earn his degree and pursue a career. States to chase their dreams,” he says. “Nursing changes all the time,” he says. “My parents are farmers. My father “I want to bring new insight to help grows peanuts, and my mother does others.” vegetable gardening and grows rice during the rainy season. They sell some of their produce for cash and keep FVTC Foundation 2010 Golf some for sustenance. My family was Outings Are On The Move! delighted about me coming here.” Jobe credits the scholarships he has Please join us! received from the FVTC Foundation ns! Wednesday, July 21 with allowing him to continue his Locatio W E N Foxfire Golf Club studies in hopes of earning his nursing in Waupaca degree by 2012. “Without the scholarships, it would take me longer to Wednesday, August 4 finish the program,” he says. Royal St. Patrick’s Golf Course Rebecca Polk-Pohlman, an FVTC in Wrightstown Anatomy and Physiology instructor, has Same great signature events providing witnessed Jobe’s dedication and scholarships for: progress in the classroom. “You could • High school seniors tell he was attentive and really listening • Returning adults in class,” she says. “He had to work very hard to do as well as he did.” • Displaced workers When Jobe asked Polk-Pohlman to • Current students with financial write a recommendation for an FVTC needs Foundation scholarship, she readily Sponsorship and participation agreed. “The foundation scholarships opportunities are available. To learn make a huge difference for students more, visit www.fvtc.edu/golfouting. who are trying to work and attend classes,” she says. “I highly recommended him. He is motivated and appreciates having a chance to get an For more information, visit education. A scholarship was a huge www.fvtc.edu/foundation. benefit for him.”
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on student life
Cast in a Leading Role A student leader broadens her skills and perspective through campus activities Electrical Engineering Technology major Kamilah Coffin likes making things happen. That’s one reason why she enjoys her involvement in a variety of FVTC student organizations. She is secretary of the Student Government Association, secretary of the Electronics Club, and treasurer of the FAB LAB (Fabrication Laboratory) Club. “Student
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Student activities take you beyond your experiences in the classroom.
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Kamilah Coffin
activities take you beyond your experiences in the classroom,” she says. “You meet other people and discover what’s happening on campus.” Kamilah’s club experiences have Kamilah Coffin (right) strengthened her leadership skills. She helped generate Student Life, says students can get excitement with club members by involved in more than 45 student distributing a survey and then using the organizations, ranging from the student results to create activities. One new newspaper to program-related clubs to program involves Electronics and FAB intramural sports. “Becoming involved LAB club members working together to on campus and developing leadership create two machines that demonstrate skills are important parts of your electronics-related functions for college experience,” Barke says. competitions and events. The experiences taught Coffin valuable “Participation allows you to build your network with potential employers, lessons. “When working in a diverse fellow students and staff, and helps you group, you must balance personalities, develop a co-curricular transcript to attitudes, and backgrounds,” she says. include in a job search.” “As a club officer, I’ve experienced turning ideas into programs, as well as working as a team to resolve conflicts, For more information, visit solve problems, and achieve goals.” www.fvtc.edu/studentlife. Vicky Barke, FVTC's director of
Student of Invention A Mechanical Design student’s project puts him on the inside track to innovation.
Shannon Carlson
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www.fvtc.edu Fox Valley Technical College
Shannon Carlson is fascinated by how cars and planes work. This lifelong interest in automobiles and airplanes led him to enroll in Fox Valley Technical College’s Mechanical Design program in 2008. So when the final project for a product design and rapid prototyping class required the full assembly of an invention, he quickly decided to create a remote control race car. His first step was to review remote control race car designs on the Internet and pinpoint the best approaches for his project. After designing parts on two different three-dimensional product design software applications, Carlson merged his two designs into a single concept. “My development process simulated real-life work situations that involve creating designs with different software packages or incorporating vendor-supplied parts into your prototype,” he explains. With design in-hand, Carlson began building a prototype in the FAB LAB, which provides industrial-fabrication and electronics tools to enable students, instructors, and inventors to rapidly create product prototypes. He used the lab’s desktop 3D printer to build his car’s steering mechanism and drive-line components out of layers of plastic. Using the laser engraving cutter, he cut out the chassis and other flat car parts in plexiglass. He also purchased an off-the-shelf electronic remote control system and began assembly.
Take a class just for fun! Discover hundreds of course listings for a variety of credit and non-credit classes. Take landscaping, for example. Make your yard the envy of the neighborhood this summer! Classes include:
Organic Lawn Care Take your lawn off drugs! If you're tired of treating your lawn with harmful and expensive chemicals, this class will teach you how to restore your lawn to its more natural, drug-free state. You'll learn all about composting, including how to make and apply compost tea.
Maintenance of Landscape Plants This course covers the maintenance and care of evergreens, vines, garden flowers, bulbs and nursery stock. Keep your landscape plants healthy and thriving!
Landscape Construction 1 Want to enhance your yard with an arbor, fence, pergola, trellis, or other lawn or garden structure? This course covers site conditions, landscape tools and design plan implementation.
Watch for classes like these and more in the Take a Class summer booklet, available in your community starting April 27. For more information on these classes and more, visit www.fvtc.edu/schedule.
“FAB LAB technology FAB LAB technology enabled me to enabled me to quickly produce the parts I quickly produce the parts I needed. needed,” says Carlson. “However, while Shannon Carlson production was easy, my original design did not quite fit together because of the different tolerances each machine holds. So I fine-tuned my designs and built a second set of parts to solve the problem. I quickly learned the importance of working out design flaws before producing the final prototype.” Dean Sommerfeld, team leader for FVTC’s Mechanical Design program, says these sorts of projects help students develop critical skills. “Through varied projects, students learn about the overall development process, from creating a design to producing a final product,” he notes. “Project work prepares them for future jobs and teaches them the importance of creativity and new ideas.” What’s next for Carlson? He plans to build a second car that is three times the size of his first one, powered by a two-cycle engine. Carlson lends advice to students who may aspire to be inventors. “The design field is so broad; you can take it wherever your interest lies,” he notes. “Seeing a project reach fruition, like someone using a kitchen blender that you designed, brings satisfaction to the work we do as mechanical designers.” FVTC’s FAB LAB is open to students, faculty, and the public (via varied packaged options). For more information on the FAB LAB, visit www.fvtc.edu/fablab.
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COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE Mark Your Calendars! Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010 3-7 p.m. Appleton Campus Tour high-tech labs, meet with faculty, and more! Find out more at: www.fvtc.edu/openhouse
For more information, visit www.fvtc.edu/mechanicaldesign.
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NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID FVTC
Win a card! sh $50 ca vey
ort sur h s a e t le Comp 0, 2010 3 il r p A y b nce to win vey a h c a r o f ussur c o f / u d tc.e www.fv