For Immediate Release
Contact: Brianna Williamson, Recruiter/Alumni & Development Specialist
Phone: 608.822.2483
Mail: 1800 Bronson Blvd., Fennimore, WI 53809
Date of Release: August 27, 2021
Alumni Spotlight: Tory Wetter
Fennimore -After graduating from Benton High School in 2008, Tory Wetter began chasing his dream of becoming a doctor. He attended Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin for a year and then transferred to UW-Platteville in Platteville, Wisconsin to finish his bachelor’s degree in biology.
Tory Wetter
While working toward his degree, Wetter started shadowing doctors and quickly realized that while being in the medical field is definitely where he belongs, becoming a doctor was no longer the path he wanted to follow. Wetter’s new plan was to finish his bachelor’s degree and apply to Southwest Wisconsin Technical College’s Nursing program in Fennimore, Wisconsin. Thankfully, Southwest Tech wasn’t an unfamiliar place for Wetter as both of his siblings had graduated from Southwest Tech.
Wetter also completed the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course through Southwest Tech while finishing his bachelor’s degree. In the fall of 2013 Wetter began the Nursing program at Southwest Tech and distinctly remembers his first day of classes. “I kind of came in with a big head because I’d done all these things already; I had a degree in Biology, so I thought, ‘how rigorous is this really going to be? It’s just nursing,'” Wetter continued, “which admittedly was coming from someone who had no experience with the bedside.” After receiving his first assignment that was due two days later, Wetter realized how challenging the program was going to be. Thankfully, he’d bonded with another student that day, unknowingly creating a bond that is still strong today as the two have not only remained great friends, but coworkers, too.
When asked about what he liked about Southwest Tech, Wetter said he really enjoyed the on-campus opportunities available to students. “It didn’t feel so much like I imagined a tech school would. I spent a lot of time in Charley’s, playing games and hanging out,” he said.
He also appreciated the support he received from Southwest Tech staff and their desire to help you succeed. “Instructors would give out their phone numbers and say, ‘call me if you’re struggling.’ And there were tutors there to help us through our classes, too,” said Wetter.
Wetter’s medical career began when he sat for his Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) board prior to his second year of nursing school. Wetter worked as an LPN through his second year, then sat for his Registered Nurse (RN) boards and transitioned to a charge nurse position. While working full time in an emergency room, Wetter decided to further his degree and went back to school for his Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in 2016. Less than a year after graduating with his BSN, in the fall of 2019, Wetter enrolled in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa and chose the family nurse practitioner concentration. Wetter walked at Clarke University’s graduation in May 2021.
Wetter’s advice to anyone exploring their options for college is, “don’t ever discount the opportunities that are provided to you at a technical college. I never thought in high school that I’d go to Southwest Tech, but I’m truly so grateful for the education I received. The rigor of the courses and the confidence and competence that I graduated with set me apart from my BSN counterparts,” Wetter added, “I’m truly so grateful for the education that I received at Southwest Tech. There were tasks I was able to do in my DNP because of my educational foundation at Southwest Tech.”
| 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. |