For Immediate Release

Contact: Daniel Wackershauser, Marketing and PR Specialist
Phone: 608.822.2303
Mail: 1800 Bronson Blvd., Fennimore, WI 53809
Date of Release: August 30, 2024

Secretary Underly visits Southwest Tech

Fennimore -

Southwest Wisconsin Technical College hosted Dr. Jill Underly, Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction, Aug. 29. Through her professional position, Underly is a member of the Wisconsin Technical College System Board. “We work very closely between K-12 and the tech colleges and look at that transition between high school and college,” she said. “We also work very closely with dual credit opportunities. As we try to strengthen career pathways and the different types of options that kids have in high school and making those connections, it’s nice to come to see firsthand how those connections work.”

“It was a pleasure welcoming Dr. Underly to campus,” said Dr. Jason Wood, Southwest Tech president. “We were able to show her a sample of our Surgical Technology program, and we also talked about the positive impact of dual credit courses for our area high school students.”

Underly was led on a campus tour by Wood, and Dr. Cynde Larsen, chief academic officer/executive dean at Southwest Tech. The group visited the Health Science Center, and specifically, Rachel Huber’s Surgical Technology program. Huber and Madelyn Kruser, a first year Surgical Technology student and Potosi High School graduate, worked through a variety of hands-on demonstrations. Kruser discussed her educational background and her decision to attend Southwest Tech.

“Focusing on career-based learning and pathways is essential in meeting the needs of all students,” said Underly. “I was amazed to see the innovative programming at Southwest Tech and hear about the ways they build connections with area high schools. The positive impact the school and staff have on the workforce and the surrounding community is clear.”

Underly expressed that dual credit courses, along with career and technical education for high school students keeps them engaged in their academic pursuits. “We’re finding that when they have (college) credits, they are more likely to matriculate to that institution upon high school graduation,” she said. “We want to ensure that we have a healthy workforce and that our citizens are getting some post-secondary education.”

In addition, the group discussed the college’s new Student Success Plans. Each program and dual credit student at Southwest Tech will work with staff members to develop their own unique plan. The plan will include a career assessment, a financial budget for life during college, and a support and services plan to complement each student’s academic map. “We expect our students to graduate into jobs that provide family-sustaining wages and/or successfully transfer into a bachelor’s degree program,” said Wood.

Wood also shared that, once again Southwest Tech is one of 10 national finalists for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. With nearly 1,200 two-year colleges across the United States, Southwest Tech has been ranked in the top 10, with the opportunity to be named the top college in 2025. The Aspen Prize honors colleges with outstanding achievement in five critical areas: teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment, workforce success, and equity for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds. “We are extremely proud of the work we do with our students to get them to where they want to be, a position where they can provide a better life for themselves and their families,” said Wood. “I was thrilled to be able to share that vision with Dr. Underly during her visit.”

| Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, is one of 16 institutions that comprise the Wisconsin Technical College System. The college was recently named a top 10 finalist for the Aspen Prize. Southwest Tech offers more than 60 programs in a wide variety of disciplines. Courses are offered on campus, online, HyFlex 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. |