The PTC mace: A campus tradition

In 2002, the college's faculty requested the creation of a mace, a ceremonial staff used by many institutions of higher learning to show the right of academic and technical institutions to grant degrees. PTC's mace was created by the college's precision manufacturing faculty and students and includes the college logo that was in use at the time, as well as eight sparkling gems that represent brilliance and light.

The ornamental staff is carried at the lead of the commencement procession and also would be used during the installation of a new college president. When not in use, the mace is on display in the President's office.

Tracing its history back far enough, the mace was originally a weapon of war. Traditionally used by horsemen and warriors to unseat battle opponents and smash heavy armor during tournaments, it was typically made entirely of metal and was crafted to include a grooved head with lethally sharp spikes. After abandoning its barbaric roots for more genteel pursuits in the Middle Ages, the mace became associated with high-level state occasions and eventually gained prominence as a modern-day symbol of power, authority and dignity.

Register for Star Alert and get PTC weather alerts on your phone

Star Alert Emergency Notification System
In the interest of promoting the safety of our campus community, Pine Technical College is implementing a new wireless emergency notification system, Star Alert™, for students, faculty and staff.

What Is Star Alert?
Star Alert emergency messages are sent through text mail and e-mail during emergencies that threaten life or safety and/or severely impact standard campus operations. The Star Alert system will only be used in emergency situations.

Who Can Register?
All members of the Pine Technical College community are encouraged to register for this valuable service. Star Alerts provide immediate emergency communication, and as a wireless notification system, they provide critical information if computers and telephones are compromised.

More Details
Notifications are brief and clearly identified as Star Alerts. They include information on the situation at hand, action to take and where to find additional information.

Register Now
Registration is free, quick and easy. Participants must be able to receive text or e-mail messages on their cell phones. The process also can be reversed if the service is no longer desired. Information submitted through the registration process will only be used for the Star Alert system.

Are you a PTC student wishing to subscribe to Star Alert?
Click here: Student Star Alert Registration

Are you a PTC faculty or staff member wishing to subscribe to Star Alert?
Click here: Faculty/Staff Star Alert Registration

Happy holidays from PTC!

PTC sends holiday wishes to all students, staff members, faculty members and our business and industry partners for a happy holiday season and a very successful 2011. Enjoy our slideshow, here, and turn up the volume -- celebrate a very successful "year in review" with us! Cheers, from PTC!

Pine Technical College honors faculty in Educator of the Year awards

Pine Technical College, a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system (MnSCU), will participate in this year’s Educator of the Year awards program – an esteemed award, which is the system’s highest academic honor. The MnSCU Board of Trustees launched the awards program in 2007, and while many MnSCU system institutions have nominated faculty members over the years, this is PTC’s first year to participate.

“Winning an Educator of the Year award is to honor and recognize teachers who have given distinguished service and who exemplify excellence in their profession,” says Dean of Academic Affairs Joan Bloemendaal-Gruett. “And, Pine Technical College is fortunate to have numerous dedicated and highly skilled faculty members capable of inspiring and teaching students of all backgrounds and abilities. The award recognizes their personal achievements and makes them more visible and will strengthen public support of our programs. It will bring acclaim to the winners, PTC, and the Pine community,” Bloemendaal Gruett explains.

The Board of Trustees Educator of the Year Award for Excellence in Teaching is an honor bestowed upon MnSCU faculty to acknowledge and reward exceptional individual professional accomplishment and to encourage ongoing excellence in teaching. The award is intended to recognize superior teaching at MnSCU colleges and universities.

MnSCU Chancellor James H. McCormick says, “I am proud we highlight the excellence of our faculty with these awards. The honorees exemplify what we value most in this system – high-quality teaching, learning and service.”

Winners of the award are recognized at a gala state event, and their programs and institutions are given broad exposure, informing the public about the fields in which they teach and also about what makes for exceptional teaching in public colleges and universities. By applauding winners and nominees, institutions have an opportunity to celebrate the core importance of teaching and provide models for faculty and students.

All currently full-time and unlimited, tenured, or tenure-track faculty who have at least three years of full-time teaching service at their home institution are eligible for the award. Nominators may be members of the college or university community such as faculty members, staff members, administrators, students and/or community members. Faculty designated as Outstanding Educators by their campus president must prepare a teaching portfolio which will be reviewed by a systemwide review committee which will recommend the Educator of the Year winners.

To nominate an outstanding Pine Technical College educator who exemplifies excellence in teaching, please complete the Award for Excellence in Teaching Nomination Form by Dec. 26, 2010; return the completed form(s) to Joan Bloemendaal-Gruett via e-mail: bloemendaalj@pinetech.edu or on campus, Room 44 in the Administrative Offices suite. For more information about Pine Technical College’s participation in the Educator of the Year awards program, call 320-629-5116.


Image above: An Educator of the Year medallion, hand-crafted in the jewelry design and manufacturing program at Minneapolis Community and Technical College.

Toy Drive extended through Dec. 17

The Pine Technical College Student Senate is in the midst of hosting a toy drive benefitting Beyond the Yellow Ribbon, a nonprofit agency (a part of the Minnesota National Guard) that provides assistance to families of military service personnel.

The drive originally was set to end Dec. 3, but after such a successful run, student senate leaders decided to extend the drive through the end of Finals Week, Dec. 17.

"On Monday, we delivered 55 toys collected from the drive to the 194th Calvary National Guard Unit here in Pine City," says James Hinrichs, Student Senate Vice President. "Because the toy drive initially was so successful, we want to keep it going right up until the winter break. Plus, we're going to incorporate it into the Holiday Party, which is taking place at Chubby's on Dec. 16. For example, for each toy a student gives at the Holiday Party, they will receive an additional raffle ticket for prizes," Hinrichs explains.

Through Friday, Dec. 17, students, staff members, faculty members and anyone in the community may drop off unwrapped, new toys at PTC. People should look for the blue shopping cart at the college's main entrance. Gifts should be valued at no more than $10, and all items are locked during non-business hours. For more information, contact Amanda Spencer, PTC Student Senate Advisor, 320-629-5127.


Photo above: Members of the 194th Calvary National Guard Unit accept toy donations from PTC student senate leaders and Pine City Mayor Jane Robbins.

PTC floats with "Holiday Madness"

Photo above: Students decorate the PTC float in the Automotive Technology lab just prior to the start of the parade.


Photo above: Parade participants line up with the float.

On Fri. Dec. 3, led by Student Senate leaders and President Musgrove, Pine Technical College students entered a float in the Pine City Area Chamber of Commerce's annual "Holiday Madness" parade. The float, decorated to the tune of "Deck the Halls of PTC," was driven by Pres. Musgrove and featured a giant, wooden cut-out of the PTC logo, lit with green and orange (college colors) holiday lights. Students participated and walked along with the float handing out PTC-imprinted pencils and candy canes.

"It was so much fun to participate in the parade," says James Hinrichs, PTC Student Senate Vice President. "This is an event where the college can showcase itself to the community, plus it's a chance for students to get involved in an event outside the college walls. It's socializing and community and college pride all wrapped up together," Hinrichs adds.

The college especially thanks the following parade participants -- a mix of PTC students, faculty members and administrators -- for making the PTC float the success it was (in alphabetical order): Christina Allred, Torfi Arnarson, Dave Defenbaugh, Doug Gregerson, Heather Hansen-Mead, Joe Haselbauer, James Hinrichs, Addison Koniar, Casey Leao, Robert Musgrove, Randy Nowling, Colin Roskos, and Seth Siladke.

Lions donate electric scooter to PTC

Three local Lions service organizations collaborated to donate a scooter valued at $1800 to Pine Technical College. The generous Rock Creek Lions, Pine City Lions, and Pine Area Lions worked together to raise funds and purchase the electric scooter now used by PTC student Steven Hintz.

"I'm so grateful to the Lions; it was generous of them to come together to give such a gift as this to the college," Hintz says. "And, now that PTC has this scooter on hand, when my need for the scooter has been met, it will the there for other PTC students or staff in need," Hintz adds.

It is not by accident that Hintz is able to take advantage of the scooter. Hintz suffers from a medical condition that resulted in the amputation of all his toes on one foot and ulcers on the other, and without the aid of the scooter, Hintz may not be attending classes and working toward his practical nursing diploma. Hintz has been advised by his physicians to walk on his feet as little as possible for several months; however, until the Lions donated the scooter and he was able to use it, he was attending classes and walking on the balls of his feet.

"He is so dedicated to learning and his career plan that he was risking his health," explains Gloria Baker, PTC's Director of Disability Services. "I met with Hintz on a few occasions, but he took the initiative to ask a number of statewide companies and organizations if there was a scooter on hand to simply borrow, rent or lease. Just a week later, he informed me of the Lions' generosity and that they collaboratively purchased the scooter as a donation to the college," Baker explains.

The scooter is a gift to PTC, and Hintz is its sole user. After Hintz no longer needs the scooter or upon his graduation, the scooter will be made available to another student who has a need for it.

"He is so upbeat and positive, and he's a terrific student," Baker says. "Now, with the scooter, if it's possible, he's even more excited about his classes and learning!"

Inspired by his own medical condition, Hintz began his coursework in the nursing program in Aug. 2010 and is tentatively planning on a May, 2012 graduation.

Photo at top: Steve Hintz browses medical books in the PTC Learning Resource and Technology Center.

Student Senate launches toy drive to benefit servicemembers' families

The Pine Technical College Student Senate is in the midst of hosting a toy drive benefitting Beyond the Yellow Ribbon, a nonprofit agency (a part of the Minnesota National Guard) that provides assistance to families of military service personnel.

Through Friday, Dec. 3, students, staff members, faculty members and anyone in the community may drop off unwrapped, new toys at PTC. People should look for the blue shopping cart at the college's main entrance.

"Teaming up with Beyond the Yellow Ribbon is such a worthy cause," says Torfi Arnarson, PTC Student Senate President. "This is one way we can say 'thanks' to servicemembers and add to a child's holiday -- it's part of being a community," Arnarson adds.

Gifts should be valued at no more than $10, and all items are locked during non-business hours. For more information, contact Amanda Spencer, PTC Student Senate Advisor, 320-629-5127.

Photo at top: PTC Student Senate President Torfi Arnarson showcases the first items collected from the toy drive.

Ace the Accuplacer with "Accuplacer Prep" course

"What's the Accuplacer?"

The Accuplacer exam is a placement test for students who wish to study at technical colleges, community colleges and universities in the United States. Accuplacer testing includes general assessments in sentence skills, reading comprehension, arithmetic, elementary algebra and college-level mathematics.

The testing assessment measures whether incoming freshman students have the necessary skills for college or university study, or whether they would benefit from taking developmental courses designed to improve key academic skills. The exam is a computer-adaptive placement test and is delivered online, and its questions on each part of the test generally get more difficult as the test progresses. Pine Technical College uses the Accuplacer test to check student skill levels and place new students in either college-level classes or foundations classes.

Lucky for PTC applicants, Sally Seville of the St. Croix River Education District (SCRED), teaches "Accuplacer Prep" courses -- all right at home, on campus at PTC. Seville also teaches Adult Basic Education (ABE) classes for students preparing to gain their high school general equivalency diplomas (GEDs). All courses are funded by the state and free to students.

"Many older students have been away from coursework for a number of years and need to brush up on basic skills before taking the test," Seville says. "And, anyone can benefit from going online and taking an Accuplacer pretest, which shows them what will be on the test. Plus, it will show them where they need to improve their academic skills before attempting the Accuplacer," Seville explains.

The Accuplacer Prep class is a two-hour weekly class. For more information about Seville's class, call 320-629-5100 (PTC's main number), and PTC's helpful Student Affairs staff will provide you with a brochure. To contact Seville directly, e-mail sseville@scred.k12.mn.us.

PTC Veterans Center Liaison Doug Davis celebrates Veterans Day

Besides its long-standing association with the clans and districts of Scotland, tartans have been associated with the military, namely the Scottish regiments of the British Army and other Commonwealth Nations such as Canada, Australia and South Africa. The United States military also has such associations, albeit a much younger one. During the American Civil War, the 79th New York Regiment based their uniforms on the 79th Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, including the adoption of the Cameron of Erracht tartan. While historians debate the use of kilts or tartan trews by the New Yorkers, the popular image of "kilted Yankees" has been documented in Civil War folklore.

During and after the Second World War, American military personnel began to form pipe bands after witnessing the pipes and drums of British and Commonwealth forces in that conflict. A U.S. Marine Pipe Band was formed in Londonderry, Northern Ireland during the war, but ironically, band members did not wear traditional Highland attire. Since the Second World War, a number of U.S. military branches and individual units, such as the famed 7th U.S. Cavalry (Custer’s command), the U.S. Marines, the U.S. Military Academy (West Point), the U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis) and the U.S. Coast Guard have organized pipe bands and have "adopted" tartans.

Today, military tartans are often worn at social and formal functions by serving and retired military servicemen and women. In the image below, four examples of tartans adopted and worn by branches of the U.S. military are featured. These U.S. military tartans are often made into kilts, ties, scarves and more.


Doug Davis, PTC's Veterans Center Liaison, is a Vietnam War Veteran and served in the Marine Corps from 1964 to ’68. Today, Nov. 10, is the birthday of the Marine Corps, and Davis, in the photo below, proudly wears his kilt in honor of both Veterans Day and the 235th birthday of the Marine Corps -- organized and formed in 1775.

PTC students take part in Election Day

The Pine Technical College Student Senate initiated a "Get Out the Vote" campaign in early October, and the results are impressive. PTC student leaders registered 102 voters just in time for yesterday's election.

"Our goal was to register 25 voters, and we ended up registering more than 100," explains PTC Student Senate Treasurer Heather Hansen Mead. "As student leaders, we think it's important for everyone to have a voice and take part in the democratic process," Hansen Mead adds.

The campaign was part of a larger effort led by the Minnesota State College Student Association (MSCSA). MSCSA held a "Voter Cup" contest among Minnesota State College and Universities system institutions -- a friendly competition whereby the winning institution would take home a Cup for registering the most voters. Although PTC did not win the Cup, PTC student leaders and administration are proud of the results, considering ten percent of PTC's total student population are newly-minted voters. (For more information about the "Voter Cup," go here.)


Photo: Student Tina Selix proudly showcases her "I Voted" sticker.

"Ask here" feature on PTC website offers on-demand student service

The Pine Technical College website employs a feature called ask here, an efficient and comprehensive always-available vault of information and answers to students' most need-to-know questions about PTC. By using ask here, students are empowered to privately research and resolve issues without needing to reach someone or ask for assistance; it's always "on" and always available.

PTC students have always had high expectations — to be heard, supported and valued. With ask here, students have an arsenal of tools at hand -- information delivered with just a few keystrokes in an efficient, fast, private and thorough manner. The feature is supported by RightNow Technologies, a software company that many MnSCU system campuses use for just the same purpose. Visit the PTC website, look for the orange ask here button, and try it!

PTC proudly flies new banners

Photo above: New banners installed in PTC's main parking lot.

Pine Technical College just finished installing 30 new banners on its property to enhance the appearance of the campus and spark more school pride. The new banners fly 20 feet above ground and are installed on the college's existing light poles, two-to-a-pole. The long-lasting vinyl banners measure 30" x 60" and feature the college logo on green, orange and brown -- the college colors.

"The new banners contribute to a more campus-like, collegiate atmosphere and inspire a heightened level of school spirit and pride," says PTC President Robert Musgrove. "All the banners have been up for just one week, and we've already received numerous compliments. I like seeing and hearing this added school spirit," Musgrove adds.

The idea of installing banners was born from an Oct. 2009 visit by Gov. Pawlenty's Design Team. The team conducted a comprehensive visit and study of Pine City and recommended several courses of action regarding how city leaders might improve the city for residents, businesses and visitors. The team invested much of its time studying the college and its vital role in the community, and one important finding and resounding recommendation the team discussed confirmed what PTC college administration had long suspected: the college must gain more visibility, gain "a stronger presence," and find ways to strengthen the link between the college and the community it serves. The new banners proudly flying are one way the college is working toward the design team's recommendation.

"Plus, from an advertising perspective, it just makes sense to fully utilize campus property to advertise the college," says PTC Director of Marketing and Admissions Dani Chandonnet. "While we advertise in newspapers, on the radio and on billboards, we should be looking at property and media we already own and maximize that," Chandonnet adds.


Photo above: Dave Pixley of PTC's Facilities Department installs the last banner along Fourth Street and trims tree branches so passers-by gain the best view.

PTC enrollment reaches, surpasses milestone figure of 1,000

With a fall enrollment headcount of 1,022, Pine Technical College now is serving its largest enrollment in college history. While the economy has factored into PTC’s higher enrollment, President Robert Musgrove notes there’s more to it.

“In addition to current economic conditions, more people are recognizing we offer quality instruction, transferability, accreditation and MnSCU affiliation – and we’re affordable. Altogether, PTC just makes sense for Pine Area students,” Musgrove says.

PTC responded to the enrollment surge by hiring additional full-time and part-time instructors, which allowed the college to offer more course sections. Plus, more evening and weekend courses were offered this fall semester to accommodate classroom and lab availability.

“We’re working hard to meet the needs of our region and be an engine of workforce development,” says Nancy Mach, PTC’s Dean of Student Affairs. “One focus of our mission is to be a community resource for quality education that improves and empowers learners, and by the numbers, we’re doing that – we broke 1,000!” Mach exclaims.

Along these same lines, the financial aid department has seen and processed a record number of FAFSAs (Free Applications for Federal Student Aid). At the fall start, the college received 1,107 financial aid applications compared to 944 received at last year’s fall start – a 12 percent increase.

In addition to more instructors, more courses, more financial aid processing, the college also has grown physically to accommodate the surge. In July, the campus landscape underwent a major change with the addition of 80 new parking spaces. And, in anticipation of future growth and services, PTC has plans to add a hi-tech business incubator to the campus. Groundbreaking for this new 20,000 square-foot facility is planned for July, 2011.

PTC offers certificates, diplomas and associate degrees and currently is accepting applications for its spring, 2011 semester, which starts Jan. 10, 2011. For more information, call 320-629-5100, or visit www.pinetech.edu.

Disc golf comes to Pine City

On top of everything else PTC offers, now students have a new way to kick back and have fun -- you might call it "recess!" Now debuting in Pine City is disc golf, brought to you by City of Pine City adminstrators and the Parks and Recreation department.

"The sport is growing in popularity, and I am sure PTC students will enjoy playing," says Nathan Johnson, City of Pine City Planner.

Discs are available at Lee's Pro Shop, and soon, SuperAmerica will make them available as well. Disc golf is played much like traditional golf; the object is to throw the disc from the tee area to the target "basket" in the fewest number of throws.

Located on the Snake River at Voyageur Park, the new Pine City disc golf course is challenging and scenic, and best of all -- free! For a map of the course, see the image below. For more information, call the City of Pine City, 320-629-2575.

PTC biology and composition students embrace Food Literacy Week

Students in biology instructor Alexis Grinde’s courses and students in Stacey Foster’s college composition courses are collaborating in a unique project during Food Literacy Week, Oct. 11 through Oct. 15.

Inspired at the annual PTC fall inservice held in August, Grinde and Foster participated in a learning communities workshop facilitated by Emily Lardner of the Washington Center for Improving the Quality of Undergraduate Education. Lardner discussed the importance of establishing learning communities -- a way of organizing groups of students and their teachers across the boundaries of traditional courses, making learning more integrated, more engaging and more meaningful. As a result, Grinde and Foster are bringing biology and composition students together in a collaborative project, and the results are on display in PTC's main hall this week.

Students in Foster’s classes created brochures and/or newsletters reviewing the importance of avoiding plagiarism and discussing ways to analyze and discover credible sources for research. These brochures were shared with Grinde’s biology students who then researched topics related to food and used their new lessons from the composition students regarding finding credible sources. Guided by both Grinde and Foster, the different groups of biology students researched the following topics: genetically modified food; energy drinks; the process milk takes from cow to store; breastfeeding and formula feeding; sugars -- natural, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial; and organic and inorganic food and farming.

Based on the research they discovered, the biology students prepared posters and brochures now on display during Food Literacy Week. The next phase in the collaborative project will see Foster’s students using the research and presentations prepared by the biology students to find supporting evidence as they prepare either a process essay or a comparison/contrast essay.

"The intent is to get students to think harder about real-world dilemmas and to learn what their places in the dilemmas are," explains Foster. With this project, Grinde and Foster are optimistic this will take place.

PTC rolls out Safe Zone program

Pine Technical College is serving its largest enrollment in college history, and in recognition of an increasingly diverse student population and National Coming Out Day, Oct. 11, the college is implementing Safe Zone. The Safe Zone program is designed to support to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) students and employees.

"While it’s easier for other minority individuals to identify role models and mentors, the invisibility of sexual orientation makes it very difficult for GLBT students to find support and information," explains Nancy Mach, Dean of Student Affairs. "One goal of the Safe Zone program is to make it easier for GLBT students to identify people and offices on campus where they can safely turn – where they will be welcome and not judged," Mach explains.

Two major components of the Safe Zone program are symbols that participating PTC staff and faculty members will post visibly in their workspaces and a scheduled "Ally Training" they will undergo Oct. 27. The symbol allows the campus community to easily identify participating program members and know they can speak freely with these individuals about issues, including sexual orientation and gender identity, which may affect their academic success or job satisfaction. The symbol also indicates staff or faculty members who have participated in Ally Training and have an understanding and sensitivity toward GLBT issues.

The Safe Zone program at PTC and its components were developed by PTC’s Diversity Committee. Penny Hudlow, PTC Director of Human Resources and Diversity Committee Co-Chair says participating in the Safe Zone program is voluntary.

"Since an outcome of the Safe Zone program is to improve the campus climate for GLBT individuals, participants should be willing to challenge homophobic and heterosexist comments or behaviors in an educational and informative manner," Hudlow explains.
PTC administrators say they are proud of its increasingly culturally diverse population and support cultural diversity in every way possible.

"Safe Zone is one way to say all sexual orientations and gender representations are part of the campus culture, and they are acknowledged and supported," says Joan Bloemendaal-Gruett, Dean of Academic Affairs. "It provides a visible network of volunteers for students. Plus, our Safe Zone volunteers portray a campus committed to providing an environment in which every student is free to thrive on an academic, professional and personal level within a community based on respect and dignity," Bloemendaal-Gruett adds.

Display features artwork by Peg Skalicky

Images above: Two examples of original artwork by Peg Skalicky.

On display now through January, 2011 in the Pine Art Gallery are original works of art created by Peg Skalicky, a native of Beroun, Minn. Skalicky began her artistic career while still in high school. While at Pine City High School, Skalicky worked at Helen’s Gallery and learned the art of custom framing. Just five years later, she opened her own business, Picture This… and has been busy ever since.

Skalicky considers herself a copy artist since she hasn’t had any formal training in painting, but she employs techniques learned from watching TV shows featuring famed artists such as Bob Ross and William Alexander. Skalicky’s specialty, painting on leaves, is a unique skill, and her talents have earned her the coveted People’s Choice award at the Five County Art Show.

The Pine Art Gallery features works of original art created by established and/or emerging artists from the Pine Area, embracing the talent and creativity of Pine Technical College students and the larger Pine community. The exhibit changes seasonally, and many kinds of artworks are showcased, including paintings, photography, pottery, sculptures, sketches, wood carvings and more. If you are an artist from the Pine Area and wish to exhibit your works in the Pine Art Gallery, see the Pine Technical College Marketing Director in Student Affairs.


Photo: Artist Peg Skalicky.

PTC to open doors for Fourth Annual Open House

Pine Technical College will host an open house, Wed. Oct. 27, 5 to 7 p.m. with a sneak preview starting at 4 p.m. The event is open to current and prospective students and their families, business and industry partners, PTC Foundation donors and the public. In its fourth year, the event is predicted to draw about 110 attendees.

"This is anyone and everyone’s chance to tour the college, meet instructors, talk to advisors and college administrators, and get valuable program information on the spot," said Nancy Mach, Dean of Student Affairs. "It’s not to be missed, even if you're just curious about PTC and want to see the inside of the building!" Mach added.

PTC's Fourth Annual Open House will be held at Pine Technical College, 900 Fourth St. SE, Pine City. In addition to instructors, advisors and admissions representatives on hand, refreshments will be served, and door prizes will be awarded to several lucky winners. Doors will open at 4 p.m. for self-guided tours, and the main event with faculty on hand gets underway at 5 p.m.

"This is the PTC's chance to showcase its equipped labs and classrooms, and to introduce our knowledgeable and helpful faculty and staff members to students, new students and their families and friends," PTC President Robert Musgrove said. "We're proud of all we offer, and we want our community to know and see all that we have," Musgrove added.

For more information about PTC's Fourth Annual Open House, call 320-629-5114.

Introducing new tutors in the Academic Skills Center

The Pine Technical College Academic Skills Center (ASC) empowers students by helping them master concepts and skills presented in the classroom. The ASC ensures students are truly understanding content and developing skills to help them succeed in their coursework, in their labs, and even after graduation.

The ASC is located in the Learning Resource and Technology Center (and its extension office in Room 94) and offers tutoring services at no charge to students with academic and/or technical needs. All tutoring is provided by peer tutors -- students who have completed coursework in the designated academic area and come recommended to the ASC directly by their instructors. Peer tutors are familiar with course content as well as instructors' styles of delivery.

Students also are invited to use Room 94, located in the central part of the building. Room 94 is the ASC's extension office, and students may use it for tutoring, studying, and as a computer lab. Staff affectionately refer to Room 94 as "ASC overflow," as the ASC's services are popular and often, more space is needed. Also new to tutoring services this year is the Open Nursing Lab, Room 150, created just for nursing students.

Meet the tutors! Pictured -- Top row (L ro R): Kristy Olson, Eric Grubb, Angie Lucht, Bill Morris, Amber Fortier. Bottom row (L to R): Joe Haselbauer, Tina Zimmermann, Chuck Peterson, Jessica Jorgenson, John Nelson.


About the Tutors

Kristy Olson tutors biology, chemistry, and anatomy and physiology courses; she is a second-year practical nursing student.

Eric Grubb tutors English courses and is a gunsmithing student.

Angie Lucht tutors English and is a practical nursing student.

Bill Morris tutors in all accounting courses; he is a second-year accounting student.

Amber Fortier tutors in all general requirements for registered nursing courses and is an alumnus of the practical nursing program. She was awarded the prestigious President's Award -- the highest honor given for academic work.

Joe Haselbauer tutors in math courses and is a manufacturing/machining student.

Tina Zimmermann tutors in math and accounting courses and is an accounting student.

Chuck Peterson tutors biology, chemistry, and anatomy and physiology courses; he is enrolled in the PTC + LSC A.A. degree program.

Jessica Jorgenson is a student enrolled in the public welfare financial worker program and tutors in PWFW introductory courses.

John Nelson tutors in Microsoft Operating Systems Basics (MS/OS) and is a computer networking student.

Student Senate seeks officers

The Pine Technical College Student Senate seeks officers. Currently, the Student Senate is operating with President Torfi Arnarson (second-year gunsmithing) and Treasurer Heather Hansen Mead (second-year computer programming). The student-elected governing body seeks to fill the positions of Vice President, Secretary and Parliamentarian.

Do you want to make a difference in the student community at PTC? Are you looking for an opportunity to make professional contacts and build your resume? If you are a part-time or full-time student in good academic standing, you may apply to run for any available Student Senate office.

Vice President
The vice president is responsible for assuming the duties of the president in the president’s absence, overseeing all committee activities, and organizing all fund-raising activities.

Secretary
The secretary is responsible for recording meeting minutes, handling all correspondences, organizing bulletin board displays, and decorating needs for the Senate.

Parliamentarian
The parliamentarian is responsible for maintaining awareness of all legislative action relevant to the Senate, MSCSA, MnSCU, and PTC. The officer also maintains contacts with elected officials at the local, state, and national level.

Applications are available in the Student Affairs Office. The deadline for applying is 4 p.m. Fri. Sept. 10. Candidates should be prepared to self-promote and campaign the week of Sept. 13. Elections will be held Sept. 21 and 22. For more information about Student Senate, contact Amanda Spencer, Student Senate Advisor, (spencera@pinetech.edu, 320-629-5127) or click here. Good luck!


Photos: (L to R) Torfi Arnarson, Heather Hansen Mead -- current Student Senate officers.

SimMen land at Pine Technical College

Photo: PTC President Robert Musgrove (in blue, center) examines a new SimMan acquired by the Health Care Alliance.

New SimMen (simulation manikins) have arrived at Pine Technical College and Anoka-Ramsey Community College - Cambridge. The high-tech SimMen will be used for students enrolled in healthcare programs (such as nursing), allowing them to experience realistic patient scenarios in the classroom. A 3G SimMan was purchased for each college, and a traditional SimMan will be loanable to all Health Care Alliance partners, and a SimBaby also will be housed at PTC.

The Health Care Alliance is an organization born when a $4.2 million grant project was awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The project, called Health Occupations Providing Economic Stimulus (HOPES) is working to recruit, train and employ almost 1,200 registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants, home health aides and medical laboratory technologists in east central Minnesota and western Wisconsin. The project's aim is to offset a predicted dire shortage of health care workers. Health Care Alliance partners working together include Pine Technical College, Anoka-Ramsey Community College - Cambridge, Kanabec Hospital, and more.

One practical nursing student at PTC, a lucky recipient of a HOPES/Health Care Alliance-backed scholarship, is blogging her way through the program. For a first-person account and student viewpoint of the program, follow Tara Irwin's blog as she records her journey -- complete with inspiring anecdotes and often comical highlights.

For more information about the HOPES grant and the Health Care Alliance, click here, or call 320-629-4566. Also, be a fan of the Health Care Alliance on Facebook!

Students now using new, upgraded student e-mail system

Just last week, the PTC Information Technology department moved all student e-mail service to a Microsoft-hosted provider that now allows students to do much more with their student e-mail accounts than ever before. New services include document sharing, calendaring, secure online storage, the ability to send and recieve large (20 MB) attachments, improved spam and virus filtering, folders to organize messages and more.

"Microsoft offers colleges this service at no additional cost, and the service includes hosted exchange e-mail, 25 gigabytes of file storage through Skydrive and an online version of Microsoft office," says Ken Ries, Director of Information Technology. "This hosted solution provides students with more storage and additional tools that were not available with our previous e-mail system. We aren't able to offer the same level of service locally, and certainly not for free," Ries adds.

The new PTC student e-mail address format is: user@go.pinetech.edu. Existing mail has been migrated to the hosted solution for all returning students, and mailing lists, address books and other services continue to function. To activate the new format, students should log in on campus and initiate their newly formatted "go" acounts. Try it -- log in!

Student Affairs staff committed to "top-notch" student service

Photo above: Student Affairs staff members gather for a group photo. Back row (L to R) -- Amanda Spencer, Erin White, Robert Baker, Dani Chandonnet. Middle row (L to R) -- Shawn Reynolds, Nancy Johnson, Gloria Baker, Jodie Klinkhammer. Front row (L to R) -- Kathy Arola, Nancy Mach, Dawn DeRocker.

In the first week of the Fall, 2010 semester and in the weeks leading up to it, the Student Affairs office has been busier than ever! The department administered 16 sessions of placement testing, hosted six more-than-full sessions of Orientation, and now the department is assigning lockers, parking passes and book vouchers. The last three items are being made available in the main hall at the college's front entrance.

"These are items students need to address right away, and we will have the information in the main hall during the first few days of the semester," says Nancy Mach, Dean of Student Affairs. "To provide these items and answers students need right up front is one way we are able to provide top-notch student service," Mach explains.

The Student Affairs staff affectionately calls the setup in the hall the "One-Stop Shop" or OSS. The OSS was set up Mon. Aug. 16, the week prior to the first week of classes, and in its first week served about 125 students.


Photo above: Student Affairs staff member Jodie Klinkhammer assists a student at the One-Stop Shop.


Photo above: Student Affairs staff member Dawn DeRocker assists a student at the One-Stop Shop.

PTC welcomes new staff and faculty members

With the start of another academic year (Fall 2010 officially kicks off Aug. 23!), and with a remarkable increase in enrollment, PTC has added many new sections of courses, instructors and support staff. Among the many new faces on campus are these newest Pines (in alphabetical order):

• Melissa Bruce, Child Care Resource and Referral Assistant
• Sandra Carlisle, Executive Assistant to the President
• Steve Cody, Microcomputer Support Specialist
• Roberta Cummings, College Lab Assistant
• Mary Beth Frandsen, English instructor
• Tony Gantenbein, Employment and Training Center Director
• Patricia Gerhardson, College Lab Assistant
• Darla Hoaglund McCann, Reading instructor
• Krista Hoekstra, Director of Nursing
• Tony Mueller, Computer Science Instructor
• Valerie Raiter, Employment and Training Center Media Coordinator
• Keven Wanless, College Lab Assistant
• Joy Zasadny, Biology Instructor

Photo above, clockwise from top left: Melissa Bruce, Tony Gantenbein, Roberta Cummings, Sandra Carlisle.

PTC Mercedes Excalibur gains mileage

In 2008, David Christensen of Pine City donated a pearl white Mercedes Excalibur, a "kit car," to the Pine Technical College Foundation. The car, actually a 1979 Chevrolet Camaro under its flashy exterior, is used in parades to promote the college. Most recently, it was seen in the July 17 Chisago County Fair parade and again in the Aug. 7 Pine County Fair parade.

"It was very generous of the Christensen family to give this kind of gift to the college," PTC President Robert Musgrove said. "It certainly draws a lot of attention to the college at public events, and that is precisely our intent!" Musgrove added.


Photo: The PTC car makes an appearance in the Pine County Fair parade.

Congressman Oberstar to visit PTC for Small Business Day

On Mon. Aug. 9, Pine Technical College will host Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District Small Business Day: Connecting Businesses with Opportunities. The event begins with registration at 8 a.m., and Congressman James Oberstar (D-Minn) will speak at 8:30 a.m.

Presented by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and Oberstar, the event’s purpose is to connect small businesses with federal, state and local government contracting opportunities while educating small business owners regarding resources available to help their businesses grow. Following Oberstar’s opening remarks, event attendees will have the opportunity to meet representatives from the federal government, various state agencies and small business resource centers. In addition to informational exhibits, DOT and the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) will present two bonus workshops, Access to Capital and How to Contract with the Government.

“PTC is happy to host this event with a focus on improving the health of local business and industry,” said PTC President Robert Musgrove. “As a technical college, we understand our role in providing skilled graduates to Pine Area businesses and industries. This event is all about supporting the local economy and industries, and therefore closely aligned with PTC’s mission,” Musgrove added.

PTC is working alongside the DOT in organizing the event. In addition to Oberstar, speakers will include representatives from the DOT’s federal and state offices and the Small Business Administration. Event attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions of the speakers and participate in a networking session with federal and state agencies.

Agencies invited to participate:

• U.S. Department of Transportation
• U.S. Small Business Administration
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Minnesota Department of Transportation (HDOT)
• Minnesota Procurement Technical Assistance Center
• Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs
• The Chamber of Commerce of Minnesota
• Minnesota Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• The Associated General Contractors of Minnesota (AGC)
• The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED)
• The Women’s Business Development Center – Minnesota (WBDC-MN)
• Association of Women Contractors
• Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity
• Minnesota American Indian Chamber of Commerce
• St. Paul Department of Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity
• Spring Board Economic Development Corporation
• Turtle Island PTAC

For more information, call 320-629-5100.

Free Focus on College seminars prepare students for success

Periodically, PTC staff and faculty hold Focus on College seminars -- free seminars/workshops that teach tips about time management, stress management, studying, test-taking, the college environment overall and much more. Additionally, a valuable 68-page bound guide, Making Your Mark, is given away at the seminars.

Navigating Your Future!
The Focus on College seminars offered in Fall, 2010 will carry a Navigating Your Future theme! Plan to attend any and/or all seminars offered this fall, and learn to navigate:
-- online tools such as D2L
-- with GPS LifePlan
-- communication with other PTC students
-- with your unique Learning Style, and learn how to use it to your advantage
-- PTC clubs and organizations

Schedule of Focus on College seminars
-- Aug. 4 2010: 9 a.m. to 12 noon
-- Aug. 9 2010: 5 to 8 p.m.

Specialized Focus on College workshops:

Week 1: Navigating my Online Class Using D2L
-- Aug. 30 2010: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
-- Aug. 31 2010: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
-- Sept. 1 2010: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
-- Sept. 2 2010: 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.
-- Sept. 3 2010: 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Week 2: Why is my Syllabus so Important?
-- Aug. 30 2010: 10 a.m.
-- Aug. 31 2010: 1 p.m.

Week 3: Finding Time for Course Work
-- Sept. 7 2010: 1 p.m.
-- Sept. 8 2010: 11 a.m.

Week 4: Tools for a Successful Research Paper
-- Sept. 15 2010: 11 a.m.

Pre-Registration is required. For more information, call 800-521-7463 to reserve your spot at one (or many) of these valuable seminars!

Medical Laboratory Technician program poised to fill dire workforce shortage

The health care industry is facing worker shortages due to an increase in retirees, fewer workers and a growing demand for services. According to Healthcare Labor Shortages: Get the Facts, Minnesota will likely experience vacancies in registered nursing -- the largest employment group in health care -- of over 9,200 by 2015. This type of news report often focuses on nurses, but the nursing shortage isn’t the only alarming part of the story. Similar forecasts are anticipated in almost all health care programs including laboratory, radiology, pharmacy, home health aide, respiratory therapy and nursing assistants.

Jon Linnell, CEO of North Valley Health Center, Warren, says, "If we lose just one X-ray or laboratory tech, we may have to close our doors. The supply and demand problem is especially severe in Greater Minnesota where there is a very limited supply of professionals in the face of an increasing demand."

To help offset such healthcare worker shortages in East Central Minnesota, Pine Technical College has partnered with Lake Superior College to bring a Medical Laboratory Technician A.A.S. degree to the Pine Area and starts in the Fall semester, 2010. A Medical Laboratory Technician performs routine tests in all areas of the clinical laboratory and searches for the presence, absence, extent and cause of diseases. Qualifications of this highly skilled individual include a dedication and commitment to accuracy and precision to ensure quality patient outcomes. Interested students should apply now; the program will not accept new students next year. Classes start Aug. 23.

For more information about PTC's new Medical Laboratory Technician degree, call 320-629-5100.

More students choosing ASL

The Pine Technical College American Sign Language (ASL) program, an 18-credit certificate, is a rapidly-growing program. While the program is not often one students choose to take alone, it is a popular ‘side-dish’ program.

“To take the ASL program in addition to another program is a smart choice,” explains Nancy Mach, PTC Dean of Student Affairs. “Especially students graduating from early childhood, nursing, accounting and business programs with the ASL certificate on top are more attractive to prospective employers in the job market. It’s an excellent side-dish program,” Mach adds.

PTC’s ASL courses are not only popular with students since they meet requirements within the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum and help students when transferring to state universities with world language requirements, but also since there is a growing demand for graduates with the skill.

“ASL is estimated to be the fourth most commonly used language in the country,” says Kathryn Krier, PTC ASL instructor. “ASL courses fit well with nearly any student’s major or program and always makes the student more appealing to hire since they graduate with an extra skill. For example, nursing students will not only have the ability carry out healthcare services, but also the ability to communicate with deaf or hard-of-hearing patients, and that makes those graduates more appealing than students graduating with just the nursing diploma,” Krier explains.

The number of students enrolled in the Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program taking ASL courses also is on the rise. In addition to Krier’s regularly-scheduled courses at the PTC campus, Krier teaches ASL via interactive television (ITV) to many rural area high schools including Isle, Holdingford, Lac qui Parle Valley, North Branch and BOLD Senior High School in Olivia, Minn. To take ASL courses via the PSEO program gives high school students the opportunity to earn credit that satisfies high school and college requirements simultaneously while gaining a skill in ASL as well as getting an early start on college.

“American Sign Language is the language of the Deaf community in the United States, and the Deaf population in Minnesota’s East Central Area has grown in the past few years,” Krier says. “Our community needs more people fluent in ASL, and we’re proud to contribute to meeting the need in the community,” Krier adds.

The ASL program at PTC is a language and culture program, which approaches the study of signed languages from both a linguistic and scientific perspective.

“ASL is a full, natural language. It uses a gestural-visual modality in which manual signs, facial expressions and body movements all convey complex, linguistic information,” Krier explains. “Once a student completes the certificate, he or she will have gained a full understanding of the language and be able to apply it in nearly any professional or social setting,” Krier adds.

Courses start Aug. 23, and PTC is accepting applications now. For more information about the ASL program, call 320-629-5100.

PTC expands parking lot

Pine Technical College's parking lot is under construction and will be expanded to accommodate the college's record growth in student enrollment. The expanded parking area is replacing the tennis courts currently located on the campus’ north end.

"We have experienced record-breaking growth over the last few years, and one unfortunate side effect of that growth is that our students have had some frustration with finding adequate parking," explains President Robert Musgrove. "While it’s hard to say goodbye to our beloved tennis courts, we must take full advantage of our resources and property to provide the best experience for our students," Musgrove adds.

Construction is underway, and the tennis courts are no longer available for use. Construction will continue through mid-June, and the project is scheduled for completion by July 5.



Photos: Workers remove the tennis courts to make way for additional student parking.

New staff members join PTC's Strategic Initiatives department

PTC extends a hearty "welcome" to four staff members, new to the Strategic Initiatives Department -- a department created after the college won a $4.2M healthcare grant from the Department of Labor in Feb. 2010. The money is being used in expanding existing degree programs and acquiring new degree programs in healthcare.

"I am very excited and pleased to have such a strong team," says Stefanie Schroeder, Director of Strategic Initiatives. "This department, grant and programming will bring so much opportunity to the region -- opportunity for students and opportunity for healthcare employers. It's just simply very important," Schroeder adds.


Photo (L to R): Stefanie Schroeder, Kerry Fridstrom, Alison Holland, Jessica Ayub, Mari Ringness.

Kerry Fridstrom,
Education and Employment Administrative Specialist
Fridstrom, a PTC alumnus,earned the Public Welfare Financial Worker A.A.S. in May, 2006. Since 2003, Fridstrom worked in the insurance industry and has been licensed as an Insurance Producer for Life, Accident/Health, Property, Casualty and Variable Annuities. As a former CNA, Health Unit Coordinator/Clinical Assistant and Staffing Coordinator, Fridstrom also has previous work experience in the medical field.

Jessica Ayub, Education and Employment Counselor
Ayub formerly worked in Pine Technical College's Employment and Training Center as an employment counselor serving Chisago County. Prior to joining PTC, Ayub provided vocational rehabilitation case management to injured workers within the State of Minnesota Workers’ Compensation system. Ayub's background includes experience in recruitment and career services with the Talent Acquisition team at Fairview Health Services and a host of volunteer work. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management and is looking forward to gaining her master’s degree in Counseling Psychology -- both degrees from Bethel University.

Mari Ringness, Education and Employment Counselor
Since 2006, Ringness served as a College and Career Advisor at Cambridge-Isanti High School and worked with students and their parents, advising them regarding college admissions, financial aid, scholarships and more. Ringness also taught career units in classrooms and coordinated special events including a college fair and Senior Scholarship Night. Ringness, also a freelance writer, has a background in business and previously owned a conference planning company and has experience in marketing.

Alison Holland, Outreach Coordinator
Holland has served as the Executive Assistant to the President at Pine Technical College since July, 2009. In that role, Holland worked with the Healthcare Alliance and now looks forward to serving as the Outreach Coordinator for the Alliance’s HOPES grant. Prior to coming to PTC, Holland cultivated her skills in a variety of education and communication organizations including Mora High School, the University of Minnesota Extension, The Rake magazine, and The Sportsman’s Guide. Holland holds a B.A. from Gustavus Adolphus College and a master’s degree from Hamline University.

PTC supports local LGBT community

Each year since 2005, hundreds of LGBT community members and their allies from around Minnesota's East Central area meet to network, learn and celebrate with pride at the East Central Pride in the Park event. This Sunday, it was Pine Technical College's first year attending the event, and members of PTC's Diversity Committee staffed a booth to showcase its support.

"Our booth got so much positive feedback; it was wonderful," said Theresa Fish, Sociology Instructor and Diversity Committee member. "We had the chance to connect with prospective and current students, alumni, community members, politicians and other MnSCU employees and demonstrate the school's commitment to being inclusive," Fish added.

Other vendors/booths at the event included Anoka-Ramsey Community College, East Central Minnesota Men's Circle, PFLAG, Rural Action Aids Network and more. Hot dogs, hamburgers, popcorn and desserts were served along with a lineup of entertainment including a comedy act and live music.


Photo: Members of PTC's Diversity Committee staff the booth at the 2010 Pride in the Park event.

PTC students to help define Pine City's brand

As part of the City of Pine City's Comprehensive Plan, a committee of local citizens has come together to discover, define and brand Pine City. The results will be reflected in the city's logo, tagline, signage, communications materials and more.

To help define the city's brand, the committee's first step is to gain input from Pine Citians and visitors to Pine City -- a move that gives PTC students the chance to tell Pine City leaders their thoughts on what makes Pine City.

Watch the City of Pine City website or the Pine City Chamber of Commerce website between June 15 and July 1. Click the survey link, and let your voice be heard!

2010 graduation ceremony largest ever, plus two Teacher of the Year awards

Photos above: Graduates gather in the common area prior to the ceremony.


Photo above: Graduates line up on the stairs just before the processional.

Pine Technical College held its 43rd spring commencement ceremony last Friday, and with 141 graduates participating, the event was the most-attended in the college’s history.

"This year’s graduating class topped out at 175, and we were so proud to see a full house at the ceremony," says Joan Bloemendaal-Gruett, Pine Technical College Dean of Academic Affairs. "Graduation is an exciting time for our students, staff and faculty. We all are very proud of them as they take the next step to serve the community in their fields of choice," Gruett adds.

PTC’s Teacher of the Year award, an annual honor presented at the commencement ceremony, was special this year since the student-nominated award resulted in a tie. The two winners – Alexis Grinde and Wayne Helmbrecht, graciously accepted their awards Friday. Grinde teaches BIOL 1255, Microbiology, and BIOL 1260, Human Anatomy and Physiology. Helmbrecht, a Lab Assistant, supports manufacturing/machining and gunsmithing students in the Machine Technology lab.

Grinde, a repeat winner, first won the honor in 2007. Writes one student of Grinde on the nomination form, "Alexis goes out of her way to make sure we understand the information. Also, she has a way to put it all in laymen’s terms. She makes it fun, and it shows that she puts a lot of hard work into the material."

A student writes of Helmbrecht, "Wayne is full of wisdom and real world experience, and he shares it with anyone who needs help – super nice guy!" Another student wrote of Helmbrecht, "Wayne is approachable and very knowledgeable in the machine shop. He always goes the extra mile to help any student."

James Koppen, CEO of Pine Medical Center, gave the ceremony’s commencement address. Previously, Koppen worked as the Director of Pharmacy for the hospital for nearly 15 years and owned a retail drug store in Pine City for 22 years, and in 2009, Koppen was appointed to the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy by Governor Tim Pawlenty. Koppen also is the CEO of His Way Ministries, a tax-exempt organization which works with men and women in addiction. Koppen recently traveled for his tenth consecutive year to Guatemala with HELPS International on the organization’s annual surgical mission trip. Koppen has written two novels and is working to master watercolor painting, a theme he wove into his inspiring speech, "Life as a Journey." In his address, Koppen encouraged graduates to "...paint your canvasses with color and zest."

PTC continues to grow each year in terms of enrollment and programs offered. 142 students comprised the graduating class of 2009, and 125 students rounded out the class of 2008.


Photo above: Pine Technical College President Robert Musgrove addresses the graduates.


Photo above: Commencement ceremony speaker James Koppen addresses the graduates.

PTC and LSC partner to offer two degree programs

Pine Technical College and Lake Superior College make a great pair! Together, the colleges are offering two degree programs -- an Associate of Arts degree and an Associate of Applied Science degree -- and each program is entirely available at the PTC campus and via online courses.

The A.A. degree is designed and offered for students planning to transfer to a university or four-year degree granting institution to pursue a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree with emphasis on a major concentration. The program enables graduates to seamlessly transfer into a B.A. and/or B.S. programs within the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system and beyond. The program covers the core materials and courses needed to fulfill the goal areas of the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum and is rich in general education courses such as Social Science, Math, Computers, English, Humanities and more.

The new Medical Laboratory Technician A.A.S. degree is designed as a three-year program, and graduates will work with physicians and other health care professionals as they communicate test results and work to resolve diagnostic/testing discrepancies. Medical laboratory technicians conduct tests using samples of body fluids, cells or tissues to help detect, diagnose and treat diseases. Lab Technicians test a variety of specimens as they check for abnormalities or diseases, and work in four main medical lab departments: hematology, chemistry, microbiology and/or transfusion services.

While students in both programs will call PTC their "home campus," graduates will have earned a degree awarded by Lake Superior College.

"We are proud to partner with LSC to offer these programs," says Nancy Mach, Pine Technical College Dean of Student Affairs. "Designed especially for students in our area, these unique partnerships bring all program courses to our campus and are delivered in a convenient and flexible format," Mach adds.

To apply to either program, call 320-629-5100 or apply online.