Rep. Nornes and Rep. Rarick visit PTCC

Pine Technical & Community College President Joe Mulford confirmed the impact of state legislative support can have on the college’s ability to purchase cutting edge equipment for its programs, such as the transmission dynometer, purchased through leveraged funds and matches through federal grants and PTCC Foundation initiatives.

Rep. Bud Nornes, chair of the Higher Education Policy and Finance Committee, and district 11B Rep. Jason Rarick visited Pine Technical & Community College to conduct town hall meetings with students, faculty and staff. It was also an opportunity for the PTCC community to demonstrate the importance of legislative support.

From facility improvements to new equipment, funding support at the legislative level is vital in helping Pine Technical & Community College serve the needs of its students, area employers and the community as a whole.  

From the auditorium which hosts college classes and community events like the recent Hwy 61 Film Fest, to the-state-of-the-art science lab, state HEAPR (Higher Education Asset Preservation and Renovation) funds have had a huge impact on the facility, allowing the college to continually improve, President Joe Mulford told the representatives while touring the campus. Additionally, leveraged state funds allowed PTCC to purchase a transmission dynometer for PTCC’s automotive technician program, replacing the outdated equipment that was purchased used 40 years ago.

Students were appreciative of the tuition freeze legislation, which has kept tuition rates at Pine Technical & Community College to some of the lowest in the state. “I’m proudest of what we did there, because the focus was on where we could do the most good,” Nornes told the students of his work in higher education policy.

Students at the forum expressed concerned about access to technology on campus and high speed internet throughout the region.

The faculty and staff echoed that concern, along with the high cost of housing in east central Minnesota. Because many of the college’s students are place-bound, PTCC has been creative in providing opportunities to students through collaborations with partner colleges. “Because of our collaborations with other colleges, we offer pathways to our students they wouldn’t have otherwise,” faculty member Melissa Felland told the representatives.
 
As a graduate of a vocational college, Rarick recognized the significance of the opportunities PTCC provides to the community. “I know the importance of vocational education and the need to provide this type of education so we can replace the workforce. Schools like this are important,” he told the PTCC faculty and staff.

High-tech simulation healthcare lab



Students voice their concerns and support.

Faculty and staff have a Q&A session with Rep. Nornes and Rep. Rarick.

Walmart supports Bridging the Dream Scholarships for PTCC students

Walmart and Associates made a generous donation to the Pine Technical and Community College Foundation for Bridging the Dream Scholarships. Walmart Manager Cody Schmitz presented Pine Technical and Community College President Joe Mulford with a $2500 check. Walmart Associates are very instrumental in supporting the grant money distributions, and President Mulford and the Foundation Board appreciates their generous donation.

Pine Technical and Community College honors staff for years of service

Pine Technical & Community College honored staff and faculty for their years of service. In the first row, from left to right, is Dawn Sandberg, Continuing Education and Customized Training assistant, five years; Tony Mueller, computer science faculty, five years; Amy Kruse, chief human resources officer, five years; Ann Boldt, English faculty, 10 years and Kris Hanson, Advanced Manufacturing Education Alliance employment and education advisor, 10 years. In the second row is President Joe Mulford; Dave Defenbaugh, gunsmithing and firearms technology faculty, 35 years; Kerry Fridstrom, Rural Information Technology Alliance industry certification and educational advisor, five years; Paula Hoffman, chief student affairs officer and dean of students, 10 years; Stephen Cody, computer programming faculty, five years; Luke Pederson, grants project accountant, five years and Dave Pixley, maintenance, 30 years.

 

Not pictured: Sandi Carlisle, president’s assistant, five years; Patty Gerhardson, nursing laboratory assistant, five years; Jodie Haavisto, business office, five years;  MaryAnn Schefers, business offices, five years; Keven Wanless, gunsmithing and firearms technology assistant, five years; Teresa Pierce, business office, 10 years; Lisa Hosna, business office, 20 years and Rita Watson, human services eligibility worker faculty, 25 years.

New Transmission Dynamometer Arrives!

Pine Technical and Community College now has an electric Transmission Dynamometer. This new equimpment will be benefical to our Automotive Technology students -- giving them the oppotunity to work with some of the newest and high-tech equipment in the field. Want more information about PTCC's Auto program? Go to http://www.pine.edu/programs/automotive-technology/. 

Dr. Musgrove honored with scholarship

The PTCC Foundation Board was cooking up a plan to honor Dr. Musgrove even as he was grilling up grub for the annual PTCC Ribfest. The Board, in appreciate of Dr. Musgrove's leadership, renamed the Bridging the Dream Scholarship to the Dr. Robert Musgrove Bridging the Dream Scholarship.

Partnership with Pine City and Pine City Area Early Childhood Coalition recoginized

The Initiative Foundation recently honored community and business leaders in Central Minnesota for their outstanding contributions to the community.
Pine Technical and Community College, Pine City and the Pine City Area Early Childhood Coalition received honors for their dedication to early childhood literacy through the Dragon Wagon project, which delivers books and learning materials throughout our rural community.

Education Investments Pay Off

 

Education Investments Pay Off

 

Pine Technical and Community College strives to provide superior education and social services that enhance the communities we serve.

For some PTCC students, this may include utilizing the Disability Services Office. Human Services Eligibility Worker (HSEW) student Sandra Blake is one of those students. Blake came to PTCC in August 2013 and started working with the Disability Services Office right from the start. The Disability Services Office has “helped me to know that here is someone to talk to when I really need someone to talk about what I’m dealing with, like homework and tests, and how to direct me to places where I can receive the proper accommodations,” explained Blake.

Blake’s hard work paid off, and she made it on the fall 2014 dean’s list for her first time. “I’ve never achieved anything like this before,” she exclaimed when she found out about her success. As she reflects back on her time here at PTCC, Blake has rightfully become quite proud of herself. “My greatest accomplishment here at Pine Technical and Community College has been being able to move forward in my life and do something in my life that I never thought I could do, or would do. And here I am doing it and almost ready to graduate,” she said.

I relate this story because it illustrates one of the many powerful ways that Pine Technical and Community College provides opportunities for all Minnesotans to create a better future for themselves, for their families and for their communities. This particular example was possible because of the outstanding work of our dedicated faculty and staff, but also because we had the resources to make it happen. We made an investment, and it paid off.

The legislative session has just six weeks until completion. Legislators are considering many important investments, among them funding for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, which of course includes PTCC. Maybe you’ve heard about our funding request and maybe you’ve been wondering what it’s for and why it’s so important. If that’s the case, here’s what you need to know.

Our colleges and universities have two primary sources of funding: tuition from students and appropriations from the state of Minnesota. Thanks to the legislature and Governor Dayton, we have frozen tuition for the last two years, making college a lot more affordable for students in East Central Minnesota. With the exception of a funding increase last session, over the past fifteen years, state support for higher education has been on a steep decline. Since 1999, Minnesota has cut funding by 53 percent. We used to lead the nation when it came to supporting our state colleges and universities, but now we lag far behind. Once we were 21 percent above the national average, and now we’re 20 percent below. It has become increasingly difficult to offer opportunities like [the story described in the introduction].

Our ability to offer these opportunities has never been more important. Within five years, fully 74 percent of the jobs in Minnesota will require some postsecondary credentials. At a time when the demographics of the state are such that 70 percent of our growth will come from underserved populations, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is the only resource able to respond: our colleges and universities serve more first-generation students, more students of color and American Indian students, more low-income students and more veterans than all of Minnesota’s other higher education options – combined.

Counties in our region have traditionally had the lowest rates of college degree attainment in the state.  In an effort to change that, Pine Technical and Community College has redefined our mission to be a more fully comprehensive college. We provide opportunities for our young people to start their four-year degree close to home through the Associate of Arts degree, making college education more affordable and providing new opportunities.

So as you hear about all the many investments being considered this legislative session, I hope you will keep higher education in mind. Making access to college possible for all Minnesotans, meeting the future workforce needs of Minnesota, and protecting our ability to deliver programs to make that happen – these are all things worthy of our investment.