For Immediate Release

Contact: Daniel Wackershauser, Marketing and PR Specialist
Phone: 608.822.2303
Mail: 1800 Bronson Blvd., Fennimore, WI 53809
Date of Release: March 5, 2021

Richland Center Outreach Center profile – Cindy Rasmussen

Fennimore -

Cindy Rasmussen is a Basic Education Adjunct Instructor at the Richland Center Outreach Center.

How did you get into education?

My mother was a teacher. I taught Sunday School and Summer Bible School when I was in high school, so a career in education seemed natural. However, I also wanted to be a lawyer because it would be rewarding to help bring justice. Law school was out of my financial scope, though, and I had a good job and a boyfriend locally, so I chose education. While I was halfway to my elementary education degree, I added English education as a second major, so I am certified to teach grades 1 through 12. In my three decades in education, I have taught every grade at some point, in some capacity, but mostly at the middle and high school levels. Each level has its benefits, including the adult learners that I am blessed to work with now.

What do you enjoy about teaching?

The best part about teaching is the when the students no longer need the teacher because they have developed the skill and confidence to do the tasks themselves. It is rewarding whenever I talk to former students and they explain how they are using what they learned in their career, in their volunteer work, or in other aspects of their lives. Their expressions of appreciation are priceless.

What does the outreach center offer?

We have adults who come to our site for a variety of reasons, most commonly for GED/HSED preparation, English language acquisition, basic computer skills, and refresher courses for reading and math. Adults come to us when they are seeking new employment and want to update their skills, or when they want some refresher lessons prior to taking a college class. We can connect adults to the appropriate people and resources to help them get started in college or get started searching for a better job.

Perhaps more important than the academic instruction that we provide is the encouragement we offer to adults who are reluctant to re-enter school. We recognize the myriad reasons why people did not finish high school, chose not to take college classes, or need to find a new job. There is no judgement here. We are available to help students meet their current goals, not to dwell on their past. That may mean:

• helping them improve their reading skills so they can help their own children in school;
• showing them new math skills so they can pass an employment test;
• helping them obtain a driver’s license;
• preparing them for an interview;
• preparing them for a college class after being out of school for a decade or two;
• showing them how to access and use an online textbook.

If we cannot provide what the adult needs, we can help connect him or her with the people who can.

Why is the outreach center important to the community?

Along with our partner agencies, we are often the first step toward a better life for people from all backgrounds in our community. Our site is a safe place for people to try new things. Employers and local organizations benefit from our students upgrading their skills to meet their ever-changing needs. If our students can improve their lives in our community, they in turn improve the community.

What is it like when a student earns his/her GED/HSED?

It is sometimes most rewarding when students who have the greatest barriers succeed. Often it is a blend of emotions when our students reach their goals and leave us to pursue their next goal. It is our job to help get them to that point, and we feel a sense of accomplishment when they achieve their goals. But when good people whom we enjoy so much leave us, it is sad, too. We then look forward to meeting the next good person who asks for our guidance.

What feedback have you received from students who have received training or education at the center?

There is a range of appreciation, depending on what the students come to our center to do. We hear students’ relief when they feel more confident about technology, even with such things as how to confidently talk to an IT technician or how to recognize a scam in their email.

Some students credit us with getting them through a program, but in reality we are only the facilitators who make it possible for them to do it. We hear about the confidence we help students develop, and that we believe in them when they felt others didn’t. Some students have said that they were scared to come in, but we quickly made them feel welcome and comfortable. Others talk about our patience with their difficult schedules and how long it takes them to complete a program, but we are there to assist them within the confines or their family and work obligations. We know how hard that is, and we try to relieve that pressure if we can. Some students say they couldn’t have done it without us, but it is our job to show them that they can.

• To learn more about resources offered at Southwest Tech Outreach Centers, visit www.swtc.edu/outreach.