PTC Foundation participates in Grand Casino’s Giving Trees program for a chance to win $5,000 for student scholarships

The Pine Technical College Foundation is participating in Grand Casino’s inaugural Giving Trees program, beginning this afternoon. The Foundation will decorate a six-foot-tall holiday tree at the Grand Casino - Hinckley, in hopes of winning First Prize, $5,000. The winnings will be deposited in the PTC Foundation’s Bridging the Dream scholarship reserve, augmenting funds available for scholarship recipients.

“We’re especially excited about this program since it will directly benefit our students. Considering that our full-time scholarships are awarded in amounts of $1250, our Bridging the Dream program will be able to support four additional full-time students if we win the grand prize, and that’s very exciting,” says Nancy Mach, PTC’s Dean of Student Affairs.

Four area organizations are participating in the Giving Trees program, including the PTC Foundation, and the trees will be judged by casino guests, associates, and online visitors – fans of Grand Casino’s Facebook page. The trees will be on display at the Grand Casino’s Events Center, Mon. Nov. 28, and judging will be finalized at 12 p.m. Mon. Dec. 5. The winners of the contest will be based on the number of online “likes” on Facebook combined with the number of votes collected onsite. The program’s prize structure is as follows: First Place, $5,000; Second Place, $2,000; Third Place, $500.

“Our tree will carry a very student-centered theme; it will showcase photos of current students hard at work – studying, in the lab, in class, doing groupwork, and doing what they do best,” says Sandi Carlisle, Executive Assistant to the President and Foundation Manager.

The trees are donated by Mickman Brothers, and once judging is final, all trees will be donated to a family in need of a holiday tree.

“We’re going to want a lot of votes for our tree, so we are encouraging all staff, faculty, and students to ‘like’ our tree online,” Mach says. “We just need to all get online and vote and help our students get those scholarship dollars!”


Photo: Lucas Pederson, Grant Accountant in PTC's Office of Business Services, shows off one of the custom-made ornaments that will adorn the holiday tree.

PTC's Diversity Committee welcomes guest presenter, David Isham

The Pine Technical College Diversity Committee welcomed a guest presenter, David Isham, to its November meeting. Isham, Access and Opportunity Specialist with Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, advised the committee regarding how the college may proceed in its work to establish and maintain mutually beneficial relationships with American Indian nations in East Central Minnesota.

Photo: David Isham (left) and PTC Diversity Committee member, Theresa Leopold (right).

PTC's Judy Yorston, on behalf of Pine EMS, accepts $2500 from AgStar

The AgStar Fund for Rural America, the corporate giving program of AgStar Financial Services, has awarded Pine EMS $2500 to offset funding for equipment. Judy Yorston (second from left in the photo above), an EMS instructor in PTC's Continuing Education and Customized Training department, accepts the check from AgStar on behalf of Pine EMS.

PTC waives application fees in honor of National College Application Week

In recognition of National College Application Week, PTC will waive the $20 application fee Nov. 14 through Nov. 18. Nearly all Minnesota State Colleges and Universities are participating in the weeklong push to encourage those thinking about starting or going back to college to apply by waiving application fees.

“This is a golden opportunity for those thinking about college who need that final nudge of encouragement to apply and find out that college really is possible," says Nancy Mach, Dean of Student Affairs. "College Application Week also provides an opportunity for our applicants to discover financial aid, grants and scholarships are available to assist with tuition and other costs associated with college,” Mach adds.

National College Application Week is part of a national initiative brought forward by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO). The weeklong event urges high schools and postsecondary institutions to collaborate in a concentrated effort to engage and inform underrepresented (first-generation college students, students of color, and low-income) students about the college application process. The first year for such an event in Minnesota, 17 high schools across the state are serving as pilot sites, including one in PTC’s service area – Rush City High School.

“College Application Week sends the message that college is possible for every student,” says President Robert Musgrove, Ph.D. “It is our hope that high school students in our service area will plan for college because we make it possible, and we’re prepared to fit their needs and goals,” Musgrove explains.

New construction accommodates campus growth

Photo above: Construction continues on the college’s new storage facility at the south end of campus.

PTC's landscape is changing as the college is in the midst of several construction projects necessary to accommodate its growth. Over the past few years, the college has experienced growth in enrollment, an increase of staff and faculty members, and growth in the variety of programs available to students and services available to students and the community.

“We’re seeing the investment in our future take shape, and at the moment, that translates to a handful of structural changes,” says President Robert Musgrove, Ph.D. “Our master plan includes a focus on using the space available to meet the needs of our community and our growing student population,” Musgrove explains.

The college recently acquired a 1,144 square-foot house, built by students in Pine City High School’s building trades class. The house sits at the northwest end of the campus and once ready, will house PTC’s Child Care Resource & Referral department. At the south end of the campus, a 3,500 square-foot storage facility is being built, which will serve as a storage building for the college’s Facilities Department, as well as house college vehicles and other equipment. The house is nearly ready at this time; the storage facility is on schedule for completion by the first week in Dec.

Inside the college’s main building, the ever-growing Nursing Department and an all-new Wellness Room are on track to move into the area vacated by Child Care Resource & Referral. Construction of the Wellness Room is funded through a recent federal health training grant the college was awarded in Oct.

“We’re very excited to bring the Wellness Room to PTC. It will serve as a place of peace for students as they move through the ups and downs of college life,” says Director of Nursing, Krista Hoekstra. “For example, it will be a calm and inviting place where students are able to meditate. Also, it will serve as a more private place for breastfeeding mothers on campus. We want our students to relieve stress and discover a healthier and more balanced way of living while remaining efficient and productive,” Hoekstra explains.

The college also is making progress toward building an Entrepreneurship Center and Technology Business Incubator. PTC's current Continuing Education and Customized Training building will undergo significant construction and remodeling to house the incubator. Ground-breaking for this project is tentatively set for April, 2012, and the incubator’s first tenants may begin operations from the center sometime during the Fall, 2012 term.

The new Entrepreneurship Center and Technology Business Incubator will house light manufacturing and technology-based businesses working toward producing innovative products or services. The facility will be designed to house two to three start-up companies simultaneously, as well as comfortable meeting space. Additionally, the facility will be designed in a resource-efficient manner, using renewable energy.


Photo above: The new house, built by students in Pine City High School’s building trades course, is readied for occupancy at the northwest end of the campus.