For Immediate Release
Contact: Daniel Wackershauser, Marketing and PR Specialist
Phone: 608.822.2303
Mail: 1800 Bronson Blvd., Fennimore, WI 53809
Date of Release: December 6, 2019
Commencement scheduled for Dec. 13
Fennimore -
Commencement at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College in Fennimore, Wisconsin is planned for Friday, Dec. 13 at 3 p.m. The graduation ceremony will be held in the Lenz Conference Center on campus and will be streamed live on the Southwest Tech’s Facebook page.
This year’s commencement speaker is Rubilly Wilson, a non-traditional student from Mineral Point, Wisconsin. She will graduate with a technical diploma in cosmetology. “I truly love connecting with different people and making them look and feel their best,” she said. “Cosmetology allows me to have a career where I can positively affect people’s lives on a daily basis in a creative way.”
During her year-and-a-half on campus, Wilson had the opportunity to forge life-long friendships. “In three short semesters I was able to make friends with students from many different programs and get to know the faculty and staff as well,” she said. “Every student had a place here and it became a fun and comforting place to come to every day.”
Rubilly Wilson
Wilson will address her peers during commencement and her message will be that it is never too late to start a career they love. “Prior to coming here I was a stay-at-home mom for seven years and I didn’t see myself ever having the opportunity to come back to school, with life being hectic surrounding the schedule of kids and family,” she said. “But I did it and although it’s not necessarily easy to dedicate yourself to a career path and higher education, it’s worth it. Southwest Tech will become your village and everyone here supports your endeavors – big or small.”
Following graduation, Wilson plans to open a full-service salon in Mineral Point, “a place where people can come and take a little time for selfcare,” she said. “I’d also love to continue taking as many education classes to further my techniques in hair color and styling and potentially become an educator as well.”
This year’s alumnus speaker is Edgar Mendez Aguilar. He graduated in 2018 with an associate degree in graphic and web design. Mendez Aguilar is currently a graphic design specialist at Buzz Creative Group in La Motte, Iowa. He is a 2015 graduate from Darlington High School. “My message to the graduates is to never be afraid to chase your dream,” he said. “If you don’t chase your dream. You will be never able to obtain it.”
According to the most recent report, 97 percent of graduates are satisfied or very satisfied with their training and 93 percent were employed within the first year of graduation. That same report noted that 85 percent of Southwest Tech graduates are employed in Wisconsin.
There is open seating and no tickets are required for commencement. A reception for the graduates, guests and staff will be held in the cafeteria after the ceremony.
Edgar Mendez Aguilar
This fall, 100 students will graduate from Southwest Tech, 14 of those are online students. There are 74 blended graduates, meaning their classes involved both online and face-to-face instruction. There will be 41 students who are classified as non-traditional graduates, ages 25 or older.
Additionally, Southwest Tech graduates a couple short-term programs only in the fall term each year. They include the Criminal Justice Law Enforcement Academy (16 graduates this past September) and Dental Assistant (10 graduates).
More information is available at swtc.edu/graduation.
| Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is one of 16 institutions that comprise the Wisconsin Technical College System. Southwest Tech offers more than 60 programs in a wide variety of disciplines. Courses are offered on campus, online and in a blended format. The college provides apprenticeship, certificate, technical diploma, and associate degree programs that respond to district workforce needs and prepare student for family-sustaining jobs and career advancement.