All of us at NWTC remain focused
on the success of our students.
We will get through this together.
Dr. Jeff Rafn
NWTC President
STUDENT SERVICES: ALREADY ON IT
“For us it was very easy,” said Cindy Dahlman, longtime
Admissions Advisor. “We communicate regularly with
students through email, phone, and text already.”
While staff work from home, calls to Student Services
are automatically forwarded to cell phones, “an awesome
thing to be able to do. Students call our
office number and we don’t skip a beat.
It’s like we are right in the office.”
In-person meetings were changed
to web conferences. “Thankfully,
with applications like Zoom and
WebEx, those students that
want to meet face to face with
us still can.”
”The events were the tricky part.
Some of our programs have info
sessions that are mandatory. For
me, our Electrical Power and Gas Utility
programs have well-attended and highly-
anticipated in-person program orientations.” Faculty,
staff and administrators will turn the two large events into
videoconferences, serving students and parents.
if possible,
since many are
beating the odds by
completing a college
credential. About 40
percent of NWTC students are
low-income. Many are working, caring for children, coping
with family illnesses or attending college with disabilities.
Some are preparing to be the first college graduates in
their families.
“Graduation is an important celebration of a significant
milestone for our students and their families,” Rafn said.
“For many of them, this is the first time they will walk
across a stage and receive a college diploma. We want
them to have that experience.”
STUDENTS: ATTENDING CLASSES,
MISSING CLASSROOMS
In some programs, hands-on activities will have to
be resumed after quarantine is over. Kelly Stewart,
Law Enforcement Associate Degree student, works
as part of NWTC’s building security team but misses
the opportunity to practice new skills in class.
Moving complicated information like orientation online
demands more of presenters, Dahlman said. “With Law Enforcement, our career is more
hands-on, so [social distancing means] not doing the
hands-on scenarios.”
“With all of our events, we have to be thorough in the
explanations and communications beforehand. Having
a solid understanding of technology is also important.
My team has talked to a lot of students over the last
couple of weeks and all have been very appreciative
of us moving to virtual delivery.” She laughed about wearing pajama pants to attend
online lectures, but said online classes have their own
challenges. “Since you’re at home, you have food, and TV,
and there are other people in the background, so it’s hard
to stay motivated and pay attention to the instructors.”
COMPLETION: PRIORITIZING THE CAP
AND GOWN She said she looks forward to the day she can get back
to practicing scenarios and learning on campus. “I learn
better with hands-on.”
NWTC’s May graduation involves about 700 students
walking across the stage while cheers echo through a
mostly-full Resch Center. Some colleges will hold virtual
ceremonies this spring, but NWTC chose to reschedule
the all-college commencement for June 26 in Green Bay.
Dr. Rafn has placed a high priority on recognizing the
students’ achievements with an in-person graduation
6 \ FRIENDS OF NWTC
NWTC COMMUNITY: PULLING TOGETHER
Since the start of social distancing, Dr. Rafn has
emphasized that everyone feels uncertain amid so
many changes, but our priorities haven’t changed.
“All of us at NWTC remain focused on the success of
our students. We will get through this together.”