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!