Southwest Tech Spotlight: Darlene Mickelson
Southwest Tech Spotlight: Darlene Mickelson
One would think there is nothing more difficult than losing your job after 34 years. Consider returning to college in your late 50’s to enroll in a program area that was nothing like the factory labor you had been employed in for over three decades.
Working with numbers had always been of interest to Darlene. She had taken a college level accounting class at one point, thinking she might continue her education while working. That never worked out.
Darlene enrolled in the Accounting program at Southwest Tech with her daughter, Jessie Clason, who was also laid off. Those two years were sometimes difficult, but so worth it for Darlene.
“It wasn’t easy coming back to college, but the results have been life changing.”
She landed on her feet with an excellent job as the Executive Assistant of the Grant County Economic Development Corporation in Fennimore.
Darlene also serves as an Employee Member on the Southwest Tech District Board, currently holding the office of secretary.