 All righty everybody, again good evening. Once again my name is Jesus Vega or JJ, which I prefer, it's a little bit easier to say. Just to know before we get started, if you haven't please do silent your cell phones. Although we encourage many pictures and things like that after the fact. We are also live streaming, pictures will be taken over here. We just really wanna make sure that this is a special event and the focus is on the ambassadors here. Excuse me. Before we hear from our 16 ambassadors, two special guests that I would like to extend their congratulations and best wishes. As many of you know, Baird Public Finance is the very generous and long time sponsor of the WTCS Ambassador Program. Jordan Masnicka is the Vice President of Baird Public Finance and was kind enough to join us tonight. Thank you very much. So please join me in welcoming Jordan as he comes up to give us remarks with the ambassadors. Hello everybody. As JJ said, my name is Jordan Masnicka. I am here on behalf of Baird. So this is actually my first time attending this event. So I didn't really know what to expect going into it. So I spoke with my colleague Lisa Voicin who was attended many years previously. And she, I'm not even sure if she told me what it was all about, but she could not say enough about how great of an event it is and how inspiring it is. So I'm very happy to be here and excited to see how it all unfolds. So for those of you that don't know, Baird is a financial services firm. We work in many aspects of the financial industry. Many of you probably know us by our largest portion of our businesses, our financial advisors. So working with individuals as they're preparing for retirement. But my role is in public finance. So what that means is we work with municipalities, school districts, colleges, and technical college districts to help them with their financial needs for larger facility projects. So most of our issuers we work with, they don't have the ability to pay for large projects within their budget. So they issue municipal bonds. So we facilitate that process of issuing municipal bonds for our issuers. We have been working with the Wisconsin technical college system for a very long time that was just previously mentioned. And we are fortunate to have a very long, successful and rewarding relationship with the technical college system. So as we're working with the technical colleges, we get to attend a lot of board meetings both to discuss the financial plans of the district of the colleges and ultimately to issue municipal bonds. But as we're there at the meetings, there's a lot of discussion that has nothing to do with municipal bonds. And one thing that's very clear that is so easy to notice is everybody involved with the technical college system is just so passionate about their jobs and their desire to provide great outcomes for students, for graduates, and ultimately the community, which is exactly what this ambassador program is about. So it exemplifies all of those characteristics. I'm fortunate enough to have personal experiences with the technical college system. So I am not a graduate of the program, but my mother is. So I have three sisters. When we were young, my mother was a stay-at-home mom. Once we entered school on a full-day basis, my mother decided to go back into the workforce, which most of you know is not an easy task, right? So she decided that it would be best for her to go to WCTC and earn her CNA certificate. So she did that, which ultimately led to many years in that field. My best friend growing up was very good with his hands. He was a very mechanical person. He knew in high school, four-year degree was not for him. So he went to also WCTC and went through their carpentry program. So he successfully completed the program, became a finished carpenter directly out of the program, and it only took a few years for him to start his own carpentry business. As a finished carpenter and very successful at that, I guarantee, and I'm pretty sure he would agree, that he would not be where he is without that program to start his career. So these are just a few examples I have. I know everybody in here either has a personal example or knows somebody close that has that example. It permeates throughout all of the communities in Wisconsin. But everybody's here to ultimately hear from our ambassadors. So I just want to finish it off with, we are so fortunate to work with the technical college system and to be part of such a great event, and I'm very, very excited to see how the rest of the night unfolds. So thank you, everyone. Thank you to Jordan for being here, and then once again, thank you to Barrett for sponsoring this event and making it hopefully one of the most memorable nights for these students and ambassadors. At this time, I'd like to ask our first group of ambassadors to please make their way over to the chairs to the side of the stage here. The Wisconsin Technical College System Ambassador Program or is what is headed by, or what is most predominantly a fan of. Dr. Morne, excuse me, Dr. Morne Foy is a system president and would like to share her thoughts and remarks with the ambassadors. Good evening, everybody. I am so dang glad to be here tonight with all of you. See you all in person. See all you guys in person. It is awesome. I have been in literally hibernation in a basement cave for two years. I have not been around this many people, live human beings for two years, and it is, I could not ask for a better occasion in which to make my breakout. It is awesome. I love this event. So thanks, thanks for being ambassadors so we could have it. Really, to all the ambassadors in the room, both past, present, you guys are an absolute inspiration to everybody that works in the technical college system, everybody who touches it, all the college leaders that we have here today. You are why we go to work every single day and try to do things better because what you guys represent and what you're gonna accomplish in your lives. You show us that individual effort and collaboration and cooperation with our families and our friends is how we're gonna make our community stronger and our state stronger. So thank you for that. To Jordan, where you ended up, Jordan, your team at Baird, thank you. Thank you so much, you guys, for your long standing. It's going on 30 years now, support for our ambassadors and all of course the help that you give our colleges. But you were one of the first organizations to really recognize that the future of the state is the future of the technical college system and our students are the ones that are gonna bring it. So thank you for that very much. You know, I just wanna point out it's my job, my honor, my good fortune to note that the Baird scholarships that each of you will be receiving tonight to the tune of $1,250 represent... Yes, they represent, I think, one of the most significant but certainly not the last recognition of what outstanding individuals our ambassadors are. I also need to just give a shout out to all the family and the friends that are here tonight of our ambassadors. The support that you have given these individuals to make their success a possibility and the help that you have given all of them to make that success a reality is just amazing and wonderful. So thank you all for doing that. You know, it's important that we hear from our ambassadors tonight for a couple of reasons. One is they are offering us a timely reminder of the power of possibility. They've been leaders in their classrooms, on their campuses. Soon you guys are all gonna be leaders in your communities and in your places of work. And when we hear your stories, it re-energizes us and re-inspires us to go and do that same in our own jobs and in our own careers. So I know you had a good day, I'm hoping it was a good day of building your networks, finding your voices as technical college champions. We cannot wait to hear your stories. And I'm gonna get off the stage so we can do just that. So thank you all very much. Thank you so much, President Foy, for those wonderful words. All right, it is my pleasure to introduce our first 2022 WTCS Ambassador from Black Hawk College, Kierry Pulliam. I am Kierry Pulliam and I'm excited to represent Black Hawk Technical College. I feel honored to be chosen as one of the 16 ambassadors for the 2022-2023 school year. I was born in Charlotte, North Carolina and grew up attending school in both Connecticut and North Carolina. Growing up, many things changed, but I was always passionate about dance. The expression and creativity, as well as the dedication and responsibility of being a part of a team were important to me and will continue to be important throughout my life. In high school, I was a decent student, but I didn't care much about life after graduation, nor did I think about a possible future. I graduated, but my focus was on my friends and the connections I had made over the past four years. At the time, I wanted to hang out with friends and live the 18-year-old life. My parents didn't feel as excited about this path and gave me a speech about going to college. So I took up two classes at a local community college and I fell both. After this, my stepdad encouraged me to join the military. I didn't want to do it until my uncle told me that he didn't think I could pass basic. Those who know me know I'm the most stubborn person, so when you tell me I can't do something, I will set out to prove you wrong. I enlisted without telling anyone until after I received my paperwork in a ship date. I joined with the goal of a 20-year career in the Air Force. At boot camp, I met someone just as stubborn as me, arguing with one another and one of the first classes I attended, Jay. A nerdy, supportive, and stubborn individual had grown up in Bluette, Wisconsin and attended Black Hawk Technical College before joining the military. He would later become my husband. In June 2019, I received the honorable discharge from the Air Force due to a hardship I experienced. The transition from military to civilian life was hard. I was no longer able to spend time with friends that had become like family to me and finding a full-time job was a struggle. It was during this time that Jay decided to go reserve and encouraged me to think about what I wanted from my own career. He wanted me to invest in myself and he introduced me to Black Hawk. Shortly after moving to Wisconsin in 2021, I enrolled in the digital marketing program. That first semester, I was nervous. I had not been in school for a while. After the first few days, the continuous support and open communication from the instructors helped me relax and enjoy my courses. The staff and student services was helpful and I felt a sense of belonging. I soon met an amazing woman named Alicia Aker. Little did I know, she would be the one to help me reach my academic career goals every day. Alicia believed in me and has seen my potential since the first day we met. She hired me as a student worker in the care center and then six months later, I transitioned to a part-time employee as the care center assistant. I feel fortunate to have such an amazing team like Alicia, Laura, Megan, and Kelly to push me towards success. Every day I learned something new. I have developed strong communication skills and use my creativity skills to plan events, create visual graphics for marketing materials and build informational projects and displays for student resources. I have the responsibility of managing Black Hawk's handshake account and work professionally with community employers and students in handshake. Throughout my courses, my work and my time at Black Hawk, I have grown as a person and have found new ways to express the creativity and expression that made me love dance when I was younger. I feel like I am a part of a family. I feel that who I am and what I achieved is noticed. I have found my place. I am proud to be representing Black Hawk Technical College in the values the school embodies. They have helped me grow and develop into the person I am today and the person I will be when I graduate December 2023. Thank you to the Black Hawk Staff and Administration for the continuous support. Thank you to my family for encouraging me from a distance and my husband's family, especially Bonnie and Dawn for always treating me as one of them. And finally, thank you, Jay, for believing in me and the potential that I have. I didn't know how much you would change my life when we first met, but your belief in me has helped me take on new goals that are changing our lives together for the better. You are the reason I am standing here today. I am excited to see just how far I can go. 18-year-old Keari will be so proud of the person she is today. Thank you. This is where it starts. Okay. All right, from Chippewa Falls, I'm sorry, from Chippewa Valley Technical College, Chrissy Grace Lee. Hello, everyone. I'm Chrissy and I am from CVTC. I would like to start by thanking Baird, the Wisconsin Technical College System and all who are involved in creating the spectacular event this evening. I feel truly honored to be here representing CVTC. I read a quote that said, you're scared to go back to school because it will take you four years to get a degree for your dream job. You can either live your dream at 32 or still be wishing for that dream at 32. Either way, in four years, you will be 32. I am a returning student. I came back for my dream career at 28 and I will be working that dream career by the time I am 32. I haven't been enrolled in multiple programs of study over the course of 10 years at CVTC. I started right out of high school enrolling in the Automotive Maintenance Technician Program. I was on the wait list for the diesel truck technician program and wanted to get an education in the meantime. I was dedicated to that field. I was going to be a mechanic. I did not care what obstacles got in the way. Well, except for one. Right before I was to start in the diesel program, I found out that I was pregnant. No heavy lifting, no toxic fumes and no long hours for me. I was heartbroken that I would not be going into at that time, my dream career field. So I decided to switch paths. That meant business management. When I tell you I suffered from severe whiplash. Not long after the transfer though, I started struggling. I fell way behind and in April when my daughter was born, even as ecstatic as I was, I was put on academic leave three weeks later. Fast forward six years. I was working a dead-end job. I had applied to 17, 17 positions within that same company, but because I didn't have a relevant degree, they would not hire me for any of them. I was nervous to call up CVTC again. I had to restart the admission process, but thankfully the college support specialists and the resources available to me there were second to none. They are second to none. I went through the appeal and the reapplication process, and that was in the summer of 2020. I started my classes for the executive assistant program to help me build a degree that would elevate my career. The following spring, I had made up my mind after leaving my job and really investing in myself and my schooling that I wanted to transfer into the foundations of teacher education program. This transfer happened in the fall of 2021, but wouldn't you know it, I was pregnant. I make the joke that every time I go to school for something I really, truly want, life gives me a baby. I want another baby, but I do not want to go to school for anything other than teaching, so kids are just not in the future anymore. Even though I was facing uncertainty with my pregnancy and my new program, I embraced it. We had been trying for just over two and a half years to get pregnant, and by some miracle, we were blessed with a little boy. I am now in my second semester rocking the mom life and absolutely loving every aspect of my schooling. I get to double major with an autism technician diploma and my associate degree in foundations of teacher education when I graduate in May of 2023. From there, I will transfer to a four-year institution, receive my bachelors in education, and continue to climb the ladder to achieve my goals and aspirations to gain my master's degree in 2027. So thank you. Thank you to Baird for this incredible opportunity. Thank you to WTCS for providing me with the access to Chippewa Valley Technical College. Thank you, CVTC, for the wonderful support staff and programs. Thank you to my amazing instructor, Shalyn Gagnon, who was here with me tonight. I promise myself this wouldn't happen. Thank you to my partner, Catlin, who believes I can do it all. And thank you to my wonderful children, Ariana and Everett, for whom I do it all. Thank you. Before we introduce Fox Valley Technical Colleges Ambassador, I'd like to recognize Kimberly Martin. Kimberly was chosen as Fox Valley's original ambassador, but because Kimberly was offered an opportunity to speak at the National Conference for Hemaphilia this week, she generously offered the leadership development training and her scholarship to Anthony Townley. So with that, I present to you Fox Valley Technical Colleges Ambassador, Anthony Townley. It's an honor to be here and to speak before you all. I would like to start off by giving a big thanks to the Wisconsin Technical College System and Beard for sponsoring this wonderful event. As I walked into my hotel room, we were gifted with bags with our names on it and with badges and it was, everything was just so well put together. So I would just like to give a big thanks to both. I would like to give a thanks to Mr. Stewart for nominating me. I would like to give a special thanks to my lovely wife who has always motivated me and encouraged me, even if sometimes I complain. But she always motivates me and wants me to strive for my best so I give her thanks. And also I'd like to give a big thanks to my lord and savior Jesus Christ because without him I wouldn't be up here. My journey as a Technical College student started in February 2022. I was in the nation of Myanmar and there was political unrest. So on February 1st, 2020, there was a coup that occurred in Myanmar. So we woke up in the morning and the internet was cut off, telecommunications cut off, everything was dark. 12 days later, I get a phone call, the phone lines are back on. I get a phone call and it's from my brother and he said, dad passed away. So two major things happened within the same month. But Albert Einstein said, in the midst of difficulties lies opportunities. So in this difficult situation, I decided to go to Technical College. So I did what every great scholar of the 21st century does. I went to Google. I went to Google and I looked up the best Technical College in the state of Wisconsin. And you know what came up? Fox Valley Tech. Don't get mad at me, get mad at the Google search engine, okay? They do great work over there. So I ended up doing research and I looked at Fox Valley Tech, I looked at also other Technical Colleges in the area, but I really was impressed by the Fox Valley Tech's paralegal program and especially because I could take it online. So I was in Myanmar and I wanted to become a student and I needed to become a student overseas. So I called up the registration and the admissions office and they said, yes, we can do that. We'll get you some online classes right away. I was like, yes. So I was really excited about that. So they got me in right away and I started doing online classes. And I was really impressed by all my instructors. They were always encouraging me and very practical things I was learning. And there was no fluff in the education that I was learning. It was just pure knowledge and I'm like, I'm really gonna use this. I never asked why me. When the coup happened and my dad passed away, I didn't say, why did this happen to me? Why me? Why this? But I ended up reversing that and saying, why not turn this difficult situation into an opportunity? So I'd like to encourage you guys next time you're in a difficult situation or you have a complaint against the situation. Like why does my senator not pass the bills I like? Well, why don't you become a US senator? You can do it, right? All things are possible. Or why is my healthcare system not that great? Why don't you become a doctor? That's why technical schools are so important is because they give people skills that are needed to be the solution to the problems in our communities. And it's almost instantaneously. After we graduate, we go right into the workforce and then we can be the solution to many problems. And I was in the sessions today, one of the instructors on the internet, he said, be crazy enough to believe you can do anything. And that's what technical colleges do. They give you the skills that are needed to be anything. Even the US president, even an engineer, anything is possible. So I just would like to thank the Wisconsin Technical College Systems for making many people's dreams come true, bringing many families into prosperity and being the hope for people that have been in difficult situation and giving them a lifeline to proceed to opportunity. Well, please, our second group of investors, please come forward as I introduce what may be the best ambassador here. There's no bias because she's from Gateway. From Gateway Technical College, Nicole Oberlin. Thank you, JJ, and no pressure. All right. So college really was something that I always wanted to do but really was not in the cards for me, at least so I thought. I grew up in an abusive and drug and alcohol addicted household. Moving into my 20s, they weren't much better. I found myself in a very abusive relationship that I barely escaped out of with my life. Fast forward, I found myself a single mother with my children looking back at me, seemingly to say, go mom, go do something. And at the time, I really still wanted to go to school, made some attempts, and it just didn't work out. And so I was working for the Department of Health Services and I decided to make the best of my time there. And I'm so thankful for my work there. I got to move up in the ranks and learn a lot of great things, but I could not pass up that feeling that I wanted to go. I wanted to go to college. And it wasn't really until I was sitting in my basement in the middle of the pandemic, trying to teach my children and myself, Common Core Math, that I really found hope. And that hope came in the form of a gateway mailer. I can still remember, I checked the mail and I brought it downstairs and my kids gave me that childlike reminder that anything's possible. My daughter's like, what's this mom? I'm like, that's something for school. She's like, well, why don't you go? Go mom. And I was thinking, okay, so we get to talking and at that point, I made a promise to them that not only was I going to go to school, I was going to graduate before my oldest graduated high school because it was not cool to be in college with mom. And immediately after I made this promise, fear set in. Fear, uncertainty. What if I'm too old? What if I'm not capable? What if my time to go has passed? And I think that that's a common thing that many later in life learners or non-traditional learners are really anyone trying to go to school or do something new feels. But all of that almost immediately subsided when I stepped foot on Gateway's campus. I walked into a registration event and I am not exaggerating when I say I walked up to the table and I said, I want to go to school and I don't know what to do. And the woman at the table literally got up and came alongside me and walked me from station to station to station and seemingly came alongside and helped carry that load and handed me brick by brick as I was ready for it to help build my foundation and my future. My experience at Gateway has continued to be nothing short of amazing. Now I am going to be inducted into the NSLS next week. I am recently applied for student government and I am the district ambassador. For a mom who never thought that any of these experiences would ever be possible, there are no words that I can express how much all of this means to me. I am here and I am doing all the things that I never ever believed were going to be possible. Not only am I in school, I'm getting to take advantage of our incredible student life opportunities that allow me to get to experience the fun parts of college that I thought had passed and I am so grateful for those. One of my favorite parts about this whole experience, especially the ambassador program has been getting to hear all of the stories, some of what you're hearing tonight. And although all of us are on different paths, I realize that I see myself in each of them and them and me. And I realize that that's the beauty in a technical education. It literally has something to offer for everyone. No matter where you're at, no matter what part of the journey you're on, there is something here for you and it's truly been nothing short of amazing. In closing, I do wanna take a moment to thank Gateway for helping me build my foundation, for coming alongside me and being willing to carry that load with me, especially Trina and Lindsay. I'm constantly emailing them, asking them for things and they are right there encouraging me, cheering me on and rooting me on and it means so much. WTCS, this event was incredible. It felt kinda like pageantry and as I said before, it has been so much fun and so incredible coming in and getting to have my family be a part of this and getting to be an example for my children that I did not have from adults in my life growing up. Again, it's something that I cannot put into words about what it means to me. A thank you to Baird. I was crying when I found out how much the scholarship was before I didn't know before we came here. I was over here, teared up. Thank you for literally helping financially fund my future. It means more than you will know. And last but definitely not least, thank you to my family, to my husband Calvin for helping me to show what real love is for being supportive, cheering me on along the way, to my daughters Ariana, Morgan and Emma for always encouraging me and saying, go mom, go. I'm gonna keep going, not only for myself, but also for you. Thank you. From Lakeshore Technical College, Mackenzie Johnson. My name is Mackenzie Johnson and I am the leadership ambassador for Lakeshore Technical College. I am honored to represent LTCS State Ambassador and could not be more proud to be here tonight. At the beginning of my ambassador journey, I was asked one question, why did you want to attend LTC in the first place? And that answer was simple. I chose to attend LTC because I knew it would be the best secondary education that I could receive. Graduating high school, all of my friends decided they wanted to go to four-year colleges and universities and I wanted to follow them so badly. My friends are my lifeline and going through life without them seemed very hard. And another preconceived notion that I learned through high school was if you want to get a really great education, then your best route would be to attend a four-year university. LTC has really proved that wrong. Being able to attend LTC and all the opportunities they have provided for me has been amazing. I recall a time two weeks ago when I was allowed to go to Madison and view a Supreme Court case inside of the actual Supreme Court and meet with the Supreme Court justices. My first thought when walking into the Supreme Court was wow, I must be such a nerd because I was in awe at everything that they had to offer for us. But right then and there, I knew that LTC was providing me the best education I could receive. They have given me numerous opportunities to expand my knowledge, not only through my education, but also through my leadership skills. Within my first semester at LTC, I became the president of the Paralegal Student Association and led a donation drive for the Safe Harbor Domestic Abuse Shelter located in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Along with that, I've been able to form amazing relationships with my instructors, including Donna Meiselitz who is here tonight to support me and my peers. I am grateful for the education I am receiving at LTC. So thank you to WTCS and everyone who has been able to support me on this journey and I can't wait to see where it goes. Thank you. From Madison College, Kane Whitney. Hi everyone, my name is Kane Whitney and I'm representing Madison College. Choosing a technical college was a super easy choice for me during high school. With the COVID pandemic haunting traditional education, my safety and my health was definitely my almost priority. I found that WTCS offered a unique hybrid system in response to COVID-19 similar to the kind that I had experienced in high school. This was where I was able to choose classes in which I could take in person and which classes I could take online, whichever would kind of adapt to my situation at the time. This is something that I found allowing universities fail to implement into their system and some of the benefits that I found WTCS had. So choosing WTCS system colleges was definitely at the top of the list. During my years in high school, I fell in love with human history and I knew that I needed to find a great program to help me work towards a career in that field. Most university programs that I found would have costed me upwards of $10,000 per se in something like anthropology, which being a student worker and working during COVID that would have been an extremely difficult task to kind of deal with. And I'm sure that's not just for me, that's probably the same for thousands of Wisconsin students, not just here, but in the nation as well. The need to find an affordable secondary education was definitely my number one goal. And when I looked at what the WTCS colleges offered, I found that I was able to get the education I needed in an affordable manner and flexible manner. I plan on transferring to the University of Wisconsin with my liberal arts degree and thanks to the unique technical college system we have here, I'm able to take classes here that are affordable and flexible. And that helps me get my education without spending years piloting student debt. Being the oldest of three kids, I understand what it's like to share my experiences and pay the smooth path for the younger generation. So when I think of what my technical college experience here was, I think about the great opportunities, safety and affordability that comes along with choosing a local WTCS college. And why continuing education through a local technical college here in Wisconsin is not only a smart path for anyone to further their education, but a great path for anyone looking to start a new career as well. My experience so far set me up for a long road of adult life and definitely the tricky transition into the real world. I have a big thanks to all the leaders at Madison College and all the hard workers at WTCS to provide me and thousands of other Wisconsin students a safe and affordable education. Thank you. For Mid-State Technical College, Brittany Nelson. Hello everyone, my name is Brittany Nelson. I am currently attending Mid-State Technical College and will be graduating next month with a business management degree. I will be continuing in the fall to pursue a degree in digital marketing as well. When I graduated high school in 2009, college was not in the cards for me, except my mother had other plans for my future. The Friday before classes started that Monday, my mother dragged me to Mid-State Technical College and got me enrolled in general education classes. I am very fortunate that she did because I actually really loved the atmosphere and the instructors were extremely helpful. And I developed relationships that still exist with other students till this day. I did decide later on that school wasn't for me and ended up dropping out and getting a job at a family restaurant where I've been working to this day for the past decade. In 2019, I decided that I wanted to do more with my life and stop making excuses as to why I couldn't continue on with my schooling. I'm too busy with work, I'm too old to go back, I'm not smart enough and my ADHD will hold me back from getting a degree. Those were all the excuses I would tell myself to keep me from my true fear, failure. I then remembered my first time at Mid-State and how welcoming and warm the environment was. They had built a new campus in the Stevens Point area and I was extremely excited to see what it had to offer. Since I had no desire to move away from my hometown and I wanted to be able to keep my job at the restaurant, Mid-State was naturally my first and only choice. I had decided to take a Microsoft course in the spring of 2020 and if I felt school wasn't for me again, at least I could put that course down on my resume. As we all know, 2020 did not turn out how anyone had planned. For me, COVID-19 was a blessing in disguise because for once in my life, I didn't have an excuse as to why I couldn't continue my education. And for that, I am extremely grateful. I am more of a hands-on learner and thought being in the classroom was definitely what worked best for me. I was nervous how I was going to handle online learning. Luckily, all of the instructors at Mid-State were more than accommodating to my needs since my return back to Mid-State. Since my return back to Mid-State, I actually earned a 4.0 every semester and learned that I actually liked online classes way more than being in person. Due to my hard work, I received a letter in the mail asking to join Mid-State's Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. That was my start to the desire to get more involved with the campus. During Employment Rush Week, we were given information about our Student Leadership Board and I was extremely intrigued. Although I was nervous to start something new again, I figured it was time to branch out of my comfort zone and build some skills. After being involved with SLB, I then applied for our Wisconsin Student Government Lieutenant Governor position. Since then, I have gotten the opportunity to see the behind the scenes and be given the chance to advocate for our student body. Being a non-traditional student, I never realized the opportunities that were available. Getting involved within Mid-State's organizations has been one of the best experience of my schooling. I have developed relationships with fellow students that I will treasure forever and since we are all on the same educational journey, being involved has provided me the chance to network in ways that I never would have imagined, especially being given the opportunity to be standing here with all of the other amazing 2022 ambassadors. I truly appreciate this honor. I just wanted to take the time to thank everyone at Mid-State that has given me the time and courage to be where I am today. It means more to me than you know. Thank you everyone and take care. Well, our third group of ambassadors please make their way to the left side of the stage. And now from Milwaukee Area Technical College, Samantha Shields. Good evening everyone. My name is Samantha Shields and I'm probably the oldest ambassador here and I don't have a problem with that either. I started off in high school. I became a high school dropout. I was promoted to the 12th grade and I got pregnant with my first child. I had my son, I adored him so much, but was still playing around with my life. Three years later at 22, I had my second child. Still not getting the message of what life really is about. And my dad came to me one day and he tapped me on my shoulder. He said, hey, if you don't get your life together I'm gonna take your kids from you. And that woke me up. I went back to MATC, I obtained my GED. I went to two schools after that to obtain a data entry certificate and I started working. Still was in and out of jobs, not comfortable with what I had. And I wanted to be able to sustain me and my children on my own. So in 1998, my husband took me to take my test for the city of Milwaukee. I came out of there, he said, how did you do? I said, well, I was in the 95 percentile. He said, you mean to tell me you're that smart? Oh yeah. I've worked in various positions working for the city of Milwaukee, but I ended with working for the common council city clerk's office. 23 years of service, I was never recognized for my hard work, my dedication, my overtime, none of that. So I decided to go to school, started in school at 54 years old and it has been a blessing for me to achieve the things that I've achieved with the support of my parents who also work in civil service was my first example. When I entered into MATC, I met my first counselor and I was terrified. Her name was Yolanda Smith because I owe a lot of this gratitude to her as well. And she was explaining everything to me. You know how you hear that duh, duh, duh, duh, duh in your head, right? And I just asked her, I said, if I could ask you one thing, it would be could you hold my hand through this process? And she said, yes. And I'm here today because of that. Throughout all of life's failures that you may feel that you have, those are actually stepping stones and learning stones for you. There's no such thing as failure. The only failure is a person that doesn't get up and try. I want to thank Beard for this opportunity, also to put on this nice gala to see all your shiny faces here with us. I want to also thank the 16 other ambassadors that I've met today. It was very emotional at times and very heartfelt. And I will never forget this day. I would also like to thank the two people that came out to be encouragement for me at MATC and Maria Eric. I appreciate you guys being here with me. During this time, I'm also in grieving of losing my brother. And what I want to do, I'm in digital media and web design and I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do with my degree, but my brother Calvin, he passed away the day before his birthday, March 2nd of this year, from hypertension. And I've decided that I want to start a foundation in his name to alert all men in our community of hypertension, prostate checks and colorectal cancer. This is a necessity so that we don't lose our men. And we need to get this word out and to have everyone get checked. I want to thank WTCS also for honoring us and recognizing our hard work and dedication that we've put forth. And thank all of you in this room for taking the time out of your schedules to just listen to us. I'm a high school dropout. My husband told me, he said, are you reliving 17 and a half? I said, yes I am. You guys have a wonderful evening and thank you. From Marine Park Technical College, Wesley Kane. Hello everyone. My name is Wesley Kane from Marine Park Technical College. I'm currently enrolled in the HVAC program, but that's not how it all started. I knew I wanted to get into the workforce right out of high school, but did not know what career path I wanted to take. I just wanted to make money and start trying to figure life out. After being humbled a few times, I knew I needed more of a purpose in my life. And what better way than to join the Marine Corps? Little did I know the Marine Corps is heavy on education and community. Who knew? This sparked my interest in going back to school again. I tried the UW system, but it wasn't the right fit for me. Back to the workforce it is. Serving my community seemed like the next big step. While serving, I've done countless funeral honors, Toys for Tots, Color Guard, and Big Brother's Big Sisters around my community just to name a few. Speaking of Big Brothers, I never knew one could have such an impact. It was a day I'll never forget. Almost three years ago, I lost my big brother. He taught me to always try to be a better person. He also taught me not to be so serious all the time either. Does not matter how much I worked out or being a United States Marine. He always reminded me that he was my bigger brother and always put me in my place. Ever since that day, I wanted to take more time for myself and focus on a career. If it was not for Nicholas, I would not have bought a house for myself, would not be pursuing my technical degree, and I would still be taking my life for granted. Now having served six years and being part of Big Brother's Big Sisters for three years, I was looking into education again. Moray and Park Technical College gave me what the UW system couldn't. They fit my needs for education and also being part of the community. And in the future, I see myself pursuing a career in HVAC, getting married and starting a family. I also have dreams to open my own coffee house in Gun Range in one. All of this I would not have realized without my big brother, the Marine Corps, and my technical school. Thank you. Free of charge, I give you the name Bruce in Bullets. From Nicolet College, we have Michael. Judele. Thank you, Jesus. It's an honor to be introduced by a fellow male nurse. And you did a great job with the last name, which is not commonplace. I'd also like to thank all of those that are responsible for getting me here today. There's a lot of those folks, so I'll spare you that time and we'll just recognize them all at once. But I'd like to explain to you all just a bit about how I ended up standing before you here today in the great state of Wisconsin. 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. This might lead you to believe that I'm a bit of a sucker for punishment. 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 program that I co-led in Maine, the Cobbs Cook Institute's experiential program for high school students, I recognize that's a mouthful, is located in one of the northern most coastal communities in Maine. And it is undoubtedly one of the most unique high school programs in this country. It's a high school program delivered through the unique partnership between a community education organization and the public school system. Whose focus is to increase opportunities for those living in rural Maine. It's a program that challenges the conventional educational models and leverages experiential, place-based, and trauma-informed approaches to support students in achieving their greatest potential. It's a program that values the unique perspective of each student and makes it a priority to meet learners where they're at, to assist them in overcoming hurdles and breaking down the barriers to their success. It's a program where teachers are students and students are teachers, acknowledging that all members of the learning community have something to offer to the process. Ultimately, it's a program that provides everyone involved with exactly what they deserve, a transformational educational experience. If it's not obvious to you by now, I have a great deal of pride in my connection to this program and its continued success in providing students with a springboard to their future endeavors. But what exactly is a transformational educational experience? Put in simple terms, transformative learning is the idea that learners who are getting new information are also evaluating their past ideas and understandings and are shifting their very worldview through the acquisition of new information and critical reflection. It goes beyond simply acquiring knowledge and dives into the way that learners find meaning in their lives. This kind of learning experience involves a fundamental change in our perceptions. Learners start to question all the things they knew or thought before and examine things with new perspectives in order to make room for new insights and information. It's this type of learning that leads to true freedom of thought and understanding. So we fast forward to today. I stand here before you with immense pride in representing an educational institution that has been there for me since I moved to Wisconsin in 2020. Nicolet College has, without a doubt, made every effort to personalize my educational experience. They've assisted with my financial needs. They've provided me with opportunities to use my skills as an educator to support other learners. And they've proven to me that the type of transformational education that I developed a passion for at the Cops Cook Institute is happening right now, every single day, within the 16 institutions of Wisconsin's technical college system. And at a time when it is more important than ever. I think that we can all agree that we live in a world where ideas have been made incredibly polarizing. Simple beliefs, all by themselves, have become catastrophically divisive. And we find ourselves in positions where fear and anger are commonplace when opposing views encounter one another. The technical college system pushed back against this. It brings together diverse groups of individuals reflective of the wide variety of human perspectives in a safe space where we can explore the lived experiences of others and build relationships that allow us to simultaneously hold different truths but work together towards a common goal. The technical college system provides a critically important space for people to gather and explore the diversity of our communities and find opportunities in difference to improve the quality of life for everyone. They support educational equity and learning that is place based and focused on improving the environmental, social and economic vitality of the communities that they are a part of. 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. In closing, I'd like to leave you with this reminder of why we are all here. The Wisconsin Technical College System creates spaces where learning is not just a means to an end but a transformative, engaging and life-changing experience. At the end of the day, that's the type of education that I want and that everyone deserves. Thank you. From North Central Technical College, Anna Rideski. Thank you. I am so honored to be here tonight representing North Central Technical College. I am in my second semester there right now and I hope to be admitted to the dental hygiene program next fall. Prior to attending NTC, I actually studied biology at a four-year university for one year. Amidst the pandemic, being a first-year student navigating college life through this and living alone at the time was very isolating. I didn't have any sort of support system. I could go days without speaking to anybody. I was enrolled in multiple science courses with very high stakes competitive learning environments and instead of feeling supported, I felt like I was an obstacle for the other students to surpass and I became very discouraged. However, I had taken dual credit courses through NTC prior to attending college in high school and remembered how much it advanced my college experience prior to even starting college. This, along with NTC's affordability and proximity to my hometown, convinced me to transfer there. From there, I saw an immediate change in my outlook towards my education. The smaller class sizes allow me to collaborate closely with fellow students and I no longer feel like an obstacle, but more as a part of a team striving for a common goal. I now look forward going to my science labs and honing my skills, where mistakes are not criticized but instead are welcome in the spirit of making progress. This is what makes me so passionate about technical college education, a focus on high quality, hands-on experiences as well as affordability and accessibility. I have family and friends in other programs at NTC from nursing to welding, and they can attest to this as well. With my perspectives from both a four-year university as well as a technical college, I am delighted to be given this opportunity to advocate for the latter. But beyond academics, the support and community I have experienced thus far at NTC has been overwhelming. I was welcomed the minute I stepped on campus. I was provided with so many welcoming people that provided me the courage to get involved. I started a non-campus job in student life and from there, I was introduced to valuable opportunities like Wisconsin Student Government and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. I now have a plethora of great people that support me in my educational journey. I would like to thank Krista Renz for nominating me for this position. You, along with Student Life, have allowed me to see my true potential as a student, but even more so as a human being. I am proud to be representing such an amazing school and look forward to being an advocate for North Central Technical College. Thank you. Well, our final group of ambassadors, please come forward. Just before that, from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Rosa Faustino. Good evening. My name is Rosa Faustino and I'm in the Justice and Community Advocacy Program at NWTC. I hope everyone enjoyed their dinner tonight because I know I sure did. I want to start off by expressing my gratitude toward the people who have most supported me on this journey. My husband, Juan, who after working 12 to 15 hours, night shifts, he would still help me by taking all our children to school so I wouldn't miss my classes in the morning. My instructor, Kevin Rathburn, who has helped my family in unimaginable ways. Joseph in student involvement who and all the staff in NWTC have been great supporters and motivators as well. These were just a few of the many people that I am thankful for. Now, a little bit about my journey. I was a high school dropout who at the age of 14 was already pregnant and living with my now husband. I never really aspired to anything. My teen years followed by my 20s were very difficult. They were filled with deep sadness, anger and depression followed by attempt of suicide. I managed to get myself out of deep depression after that. By 2018, I had my last child that brought the total to eight children that I love and care for dearly. In the last two months of 2020, I felt that I was missing something. A part of me felt empty until I signed up for my classes at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. I started my GED classes in February of last year. At first, I felt a little bit nervous and scared. I did not know what to expect. But once my classes started, I fell in love with the environment NWTC had to offer. Then structures were very caring and helpful. I knew I was in the right place. Four months after I started, my classes, I graduated with my GED. A week later, in June, I started my college classes on campus and not learning virtually. I was even more excited and in love than before. Currently, I attend RISE, a student leadership series focused on diversity and inclusion. Student Senate meetings, sorry. I am a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and now a WTCS State Ambassador. I plan to start my career as a court interpreter and from there become an attorney. With much perseverance and optimism, I was able to prevail after many obstacles. Attending NWTC household a void that I once had. I feel more empowered and confident about myself now. Then structures and other staff make you feel as if the college is your home. I am grateful to have found NWTC in honor to be here today. Thank you again for this opportunity and enjoy the rest of your evening. From Northwood Technical College, Michael Kelly. Thank you. You know, I was reading over my bio and this just had to, I gotta get this off my chest. I don't know if it's a typo or if I was just lying to make myself feel better. I am definitely 29, not 28. I feel a lot better. No, thank you all so much. I just wanna start by getting a couple of thank yous out of the way right away, particularly to the instructors that nominated me to be here today. Greg Broatt, my program advisor. Without him, I don't think I would have found the joy in my program that I do and enjoyment in learning that I have. I'd also like to give a big thank you to one of my English teachers, Sarah Mayhak. She was there for me during a really difficult time this last year and helped me out a lot. She also helped me refine my speaking ability, so you can thank her for that if you think this is any good. So I graduated back in 2011 and I kinda hated school at the end of it, but I graduated still. I'd end up pursuing the next 10 years accomplishing kinda nothing. And I shouldn't say nothing. I tried to go to school for Luthery, which if you're not familiar with guitar building. Moved out to a small town called Red Wing, Minnesota. Spoiler, it's a lot like Rice Lake just in Minnesota. It was a nice town, though. The school was fun, very expensive. I couldn't afford it, so I dropped out. I went to work, kinda just hopping between dead-end retail job to another dead-end retail job. Doing a lot of management. I got a lot of customer service experience, but it wasn't fulfilling, nothing was enjoyable about it. After five years of living in Red Wing, I met somebody, fell in love, and we promptly moved out of Red Wing. I moved over to Menominee, Wisconsin. I had some friends in the area, no real big reason other than that. Nothing drew me there, particularly other than that. I was still kinda just living the 20-year-old lifestyle. Having fun, I didn't wanna go back to school or start my life. And then we got pregnant with our first kid, and it was quite a shock, but I was excited. I was new, I wanted to be a dad. I didn't think I was ready for it, but I think a lot of parents say that when they have their first one, they're not ready. So I kinda continued in management. I was working at a grocery store in town, and after a couple years, kid growing up, we got a place of our own, yada, yada. We got pregnant with our second one, and that I really wasn't prepared for. I finally realized I had to change something. I was not happy being a manager of the dairy department in Dick's Fresh Market. So I started looking at options for school. Being from Rice Lake, I was aware of the technical college there. I had a friend that graduated from there, and he always talked really highly of the IT program. I had never worked in IT prior to this. I had always been around computers, loved him a lot. So I just, on a whim, just kinda sent in an application, called up my mom, and I was like, hey, we're gonna be living in the area probably. You can see your grandkids a lot more. She's like, cool, wanna buy my house. I'm moving out, sweet. So I quickly became a homeowner as a place to raise my children. I started at the college and I loved it. Like I said, I hated high school towards the end of it. I almost didn't graduate, cause I screwed around so much my senior year. But this time around, I loved every bit of my class. I was super excited to get into class. COVID was kind of different. I benefited from it weirdly in a way that I was able to do my classes from home. I learned really well on my own, especially this material. My first year went off without a hitch. The program was difficult, but fun. And my second year was when mild tragedy struck. There was a electrical fire. The heat tape underneath my home started to spark and some insulation caught fire. It, not much physical damage. Home still there and everything, but I was out of electricity and water. So effectively homeless for me and my family. And this was like right at the start of my second year. And I didn't know what I was gonna do. I was pretty sure I was gonna drop out. But Sarah Mayhak, the one I had mentioned earlier, asked if she wanted me to, or wanted, if I wanted her, sorry, to reach out to student services for me and see if there's anything they could do to help. And almost immediately afterwards, somebody from the school reached out to me and without even second questioning it, I was handed gas cards to accommodate the longer distance I now had to drive from my mother's house that I was staying at. Which by the way, I went from 200 megabit download speeds at my home to two at my mother's home. Two people. You might as well not have internet if your speeds are that low. But sorry, I digress. I was amazed at the resources that Northwood Tech was able to provide for me. Between that and the small classes that I was able to feel like every bit of my time was valued and just the special treatment that each student feels like they get in these classes. I really feel like from the get go, I had the tools I needed to succeed. And I couldn't be more grateful for that. I'd also like to give a quick thank you to of course my partner Brianna for always pulling the kids away while I'm in class and trying to do work. I know it's frustrating but I appreciate you very much. I also appreciate my children for trying to help me do class. She tries. And I would also like to give a big thank you to the Wisconsin Technical College for giving me this opportunity. And thank you again to Baird for sponsoring this event. And thank you all for coming out. Thank you. From Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, Maddie Terpstra. Hello everyone. I have learned many valuable lessons throughout my life when nothing compares to the lesson that I have learned this past year, which was to follow my heart and do what makes me happy. From a young age, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in the medical field. I began a journey at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College back in 2020 when I became a certified nursing assistant. When I began working at Epio Nursing Home during the pandemic, that is when I knew for sure that this is the path I wanted to take. And I wanted to take it one step further and continue my education at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College to become a nurse. This past year, I have had to adapt to many changes within my life. One of the main changes I decided I need was to take a step back from nursing. I knew I still wanted to be in the medical field, but I realized nursing was not the right fit for me at this time. I was lost. I had no idea what I wanted to do or who I wanted to be. That was until the teachers and staff welcomed me with open arms and helped me to see all the different opportunities I still had in the medical field. Even if that meant not pursuing nursing anymore. I was nervous about what other people would think and say about me and found myself worrying about making other people happy instead of myself. I was scared I would disappoint people and their expectations of me, but I still decided to switch my major back to medical assisting. Fast forward nine months and I've never been happier with the decision I have made. I'll be graduating in May and I cannot thank Southwest Wisconsin Technical College enough for the opportunities and support they have provided me to help me follow my dreams and find myself once again. The biggest takeaway I want you all to leave with today is to follow your heart, follow your dreams and do what makes you happy. Because in the end, we all only live one life and you will come to realize that the most important person to impress in life is yourself. From Walker Shaw County Technical College, Janice Franco Gonzalez. I come from a long line of strong women who have taught me the importance of hard work, commitment, education and faith. I started working at the age of 16 to be able to afford a higher education as I knew how expensive it would be. When I was introduced to WCTC, a big stress was lifted off my shoulders when I realized just how affordable it was. My hard work throughout the years has helped me tremendously and I'm grateful for my family who has taught me its importance. I began taking online classes at WCTC last spring for the nursing program. Before I found out I had to have a hip surgery that made me rethink my career path. So instead, I fell back on my love for children and I decided to make the switch to education. Joining the education program has really fulfilled me. I can be creative and advocate for children and bring the wealth of my diverse life experiences to the classroom. The hands-on experience as well as the support from all of my amazing professors have given me the confidence to be an advocate for education. I have so many wonderful experiences in the classroom that I wanted to expand my own throughout WCTC. I did this by being involved in extracurricular activities such as being a part of the Early Childhood Education Club, a student worker in the Global Education Department. Starting WCTC's first ever International Encounters Book Club, becoming District Ambassador and being a mentor through the Multicultural Engagement Center at WCTC. Throughout my educational journey, I have leaned on my faith. In Psalms 46 verse five, it reads, "'God is within her, she will not fall.'" This verse has allowed me to accept the changes that were out of my control. As students, we know that life happens and we don't always have the answers. It can be stressful and frustrating. As District Ambassador, my challenge to myself in this position is to advocate for students to believe in themselves, even in the darkest of hours. Thank you. From Western Technical College, Helena Macharia. I just want to say, great job with my name. That was awesome. Thank you to everybody that is here tonight and for everybody that helped put on this event. I am Helena Macharia and I'm a second year student at Western Technical College. I am in the Respiratory Therapy Program. I am honored to have been nominated and selected as a Wisconsin Technical College Student Ambassador. Western offers amazing opportunities for hands-on experience, real-life application, and affordable tuition costs to students. My senior year of high school, I didn't know what I wanted to do after graduation. I applied to many colleges as an undetermined major. My high school Spanish teacher was the one who encouraged me to apply to Western. After looking through all the programs offered, I felt Respiratory Therapy sounded like the best fit for me. I have previous experience in the medical field as an Activities Aid and as a CNA at Pigeon Falls Healthcare Center. Job shadowing a Respiratory Therapist was a totally different experience. I could see the importance of this role in the hospital. I wanted to earn a degree and become the best RT I could be to help as many people as possible. In my senior year, I programmed shadowed at Western. I walked in and I was intimidated by a group of second year students that were finishing clinicals and getting ready to take their national board exam. They were practicing pre-board exams and sharpening their skills on mannequins in the labs. While I was intimidated, I was also energized because I knew this would be me one day. I am so excited to be a part of the Respiratory Therapy program and proud to be entering my second year this fall. I chose Western because of its affordability, hands-on learning experience, and transferable credits. While these are important aspects of Western, the reason other students and I stay at Western is because of the loving community Western provides. I continuously choose Western because of the supportive peers and staff, the practical application of skills and job experience, and the many ways Western offers students to get involved in our community. Western is an amazing place that offers an engaging community and skill development to anyone willing to put in a little hard work and dedication. Before I go, I would like to thank Baird for sponsoring this event. Being here today and meeting the 15 other technical colleges has been a very rewarding and unforgettable experience. I would also like to thank my family for being here today to support me. I would like to thank Leah, Dernan Hoover, because she is so supportive and I have had a great time meeting her this year and getting to experience such cool things with her, both in my work study in the student life office and this ambassador experience. I would also like to thank Western Technical College System. You have given me a great opportunity and I am so excited to see it through this year. The last person I would like to thank is Emily Erickson, my respiratory therapy teacher who nominated me for this experience. I have only known her for a short nine months, but she has been an incredibly influential person in my life and I'm so glad that I got to be here today. Thank you to everybody again that came out tonight and have a great evening. All right, one more round of applause for all of our 2022 ambassadors. The WTCS planning team would like to recognize all of the college leaders and staff here in support of the 16 students selected, including other college ambassadors, coordinators, and those who have nominated the students to this honor. As well as any district, system board members, college presidents, vice presidents, and other leaders here to support students and this program as a whole. So one more round of applause for those supportive staff and the legislative staff. Before we close, I would like to give one huge thank you to Bear. This program would not be possible without their support and the gifts that they've given us as students. Two common things we saw throughout all these speeches were perseverance and community and I think that coming here and listening to these students speak is really the best way to understand the depth of the community that we have. Something as large and as wide as the entire state of Wisconsin or something as small as a classroom. And Jordan, wherever you may be, you're now a part of that community. Welcome. We've been here a while and we continue to hope that you and Bear will also be a part of our community because quite honestly, without you guys without your support, without the support of family, administrators, teachers, instructors, adjuncts, all of it, please take this back home with you, bring it to your schools, bring it to your families, preach the praise of these technical colleges and these teachers, administrators, and students that work so hard to make nights like these and to make the world a better place. It's hard to imagine these students would be where they were with the love and support of family and friends as I said, but one more time for the staff, for the support, for the families around of applause. And with that, thank you all very much for coming. Please have a wonderful night and celebrate your ambassador today.