 Prior to embarking on my journey towards becoming a nurse, I worked for nearly 10 years as a high school science and math teacher in rural Maine. I know that sounds a little crazy. I left a decade-long career working with teenagers to jump headlong into the nursing profession amidst an unprecedented public health crisis. I prefer to think that solving great problems requires great effort. And I want nothing more from my life than to be part of the solution. The opportunity to be a part of a diverse educational community provides me with perspective that I can't get from a textbook, that I can't find on the internet, and that I can't truly understand unless I have the opportunity to really be with people. To solve the problems of the world, we must first address the issues that are immediately present around us. The place-based education provided by the Wisconsin Technical College System helps students do just that. By learning to take care of the world through understanding where they live and working to take action and make a difference in their own backyards and communities. That, my friends, is where large-scale change and societal progression starts. And the Technical College System provides a space where everyone has equitable access to a seat at the table. Regardless of, you know, the number of zeros in their bank account, their SAT scores, their family backgrounds, their lived experience, everyone can find a seat at that table, and that's the place where, you know, true meaningful education can happen. At the end of the day, that's the type of education that I want and that everyone deserves. Thank you.