 to the WTCS Ambassador Recognition. My name is Alyssa Anderson and I'm the 2020 WTCS Ambassador from Waukesha County Technical College. Congratulations to the 16 ambassadors for their academic achievements as well as their commitments to their communities in their various colleges. I know during my time as ambassador I've learned so much. I learned how to become a better communicator and a stronger leader through the ambassador program. I learned how to engage students in campus life virtually through my student government work. I've also been inspired by my peers. Because of my role I've been able to meet students from various programs and I've always been impressed by their commitments to their educations while also holding full-time jobs supporting family members and just navigating lives during a pandemic. I've also loved getting to know my fellow ambassadors from across the state. It's always something that I have looked forward to. WTCS did such a good job getting a community for us in a time that felt so dividing. I'd like to thank everyone at WTCS for making us feel heard and remembering little details about our lives while also teaching us critical life skills. Thank you so much. Before we hear from our 16 ambassadors we have two special guests who would like to extend their congratulations and best wishes. The Wisconsin Technical College System plans the ambassador program. Dr. Morna Foy is the system president and we'll share a few words with the 2021 WTCS ambassadors. Good evening everyone and welcome to our celebration of the 2021 WTCS ambassador. Ambassadors you are an inspiration to all of us who work within the Wisconsin Technical College System and to your family and friends your reminder that through our collective and individual efforts we can make our community stronger. You know like most things in life your WTCS ambassador experience is going to be what you make of it. This past year you've proven you're a determined and resilient bunch. Now it's time to be creative and persistent in making those connections maintaining your network and finding opportunities to share your technical college story. To Lisa and your team at Baird thank you so much for your ongoing support of this program and for our colleges and students throughout the state and to the family and friends of our ambassadors and to the college leaders here with us tonight thank you not just for making these students success a possibility but for helping them and supporting them turn it into reality. Now it's time to hear from our ambassadors and their stories. You are a reminder of the power of possibility. Having been leaders in your classes and on your campuses you'll soon be leaders in a workplace and in your communities and champions for technical college education. Now that you've spent the day building your network and finding your voice we're ready to hear your stories. Before we do that I just want to introduce a very important partner to the Wisconsin Technical College System. Lisa Voysen is a managing director of Baird Public Finance. Robert W. Baird has been a longtime sponsor of the WTCS ambassador program and I'm excited to hear Lisa's thoughts about the program tonight. Lisa thanks for joining us. Hello everyone and congratulations on your honor of becoming the ambassador for your technical college. Baird has been sponsoring this program for as long as I've been at Baird which has been 33 years. I am Lisa Voysen. We're a financial firm that is headquartered in Milwaukee and we help technical colleges finance infrastructure so when you see those building projects going on in your college we've been financing them through the issuance of municipal bonds. So I just want to again say congratulations the Wisconsin Technical College System is such a pillar of the economy in Wisconsin and you represent that and your leadership is going to go a long way to support the economy in Wisconsin so thank you for that. I have to admit this is one of my very favorite programs and sorry it has to be virtual but I do enjoy listening to your journeys. You have all worked so hard to get where you're at and you have bright futures so when I think about you know just how hard you've worked I think about something my dad said to me once he said Lisa we are all just pennies on the earth and some are shiny and some are dirty some are have been through the mud or even worse some are Canadian some are you know they all have different years and some have been squished beyond recognition but the truth is that we're all the same on the inside pennies are all the same on the inside they have a hard core they're valued all the same and we all work to try to shine our pennies so with that I'll say go out do well in your future keep your pennies as shiny as possible um because your futures are bright and I wish you nothing but success thank you and good luck thanks to Lisa and Barrett for the best support of our students and this program now it's my pleasure to introduce you to the first 2021 WTCS ambassador the Blackhawk Technical College Amy Powell hello everyone my name is Amy Powell currently I am working on my associate's degree in human resources at Blackhawk Technical College and anticipate on graduating in 2023 it is such an honor to be chosen to represent the WTCS ambassador program at BTC for the 2021 2022 school year I am looking forward to working with my fellow ambassadors across the state and I realized that I am following in some big footsteps being one of the 16 students to be recognized in the Wisconsin Technical College system is such an amazing feeling thank you for allowing me to represent Blackhawk with the recent pandemic changing our community that also included my job situation I found myself feeling it was time to get a degree but I did not want to go to school for four years or to school with so many students that the professors did not know who they were teaching therefore I asked myself what were the main items I would need to go back to school flexibility availability and unity were the three items I came up with by looking online I found that Blackhawk had the flexibility of learning and program availability for me a bonus was that the location was convenient and tuition was affordable I wondered if Blackhawk would have unity though speaking with past graduates and current students all I heard repeatedly was that Blackhawk offered small class sizes had great professors and a friendly and helpful faculty this was all I needed to hear so I signed up to begin my degree after starting classes I found that my professors took the extra time to reach out to their students with notes or personal emails on a weekly basis when I needed help my questions were answered right away with such positive reinforcement that I found I had the courage to apply for the ambassador position being an ambassador will allow me to give back what I have received from Blackhawk Blackhawk is not just my college of choice Blackhawk is my extended family from triple of alley technical college Cameron villain my life has changed a lot over these last few years three years ago I was in my first spring semester at a four-year institution studying English education and while I didn't return in the fall I knew I wanted to go back to school in the future but my life goals had shifted enough that continuing in that major was just no longer the best fit for me I spent some time working in various roles in Wisconsin farmers union which is an agriculture advocacy organization and I have done co-op education camp programming and political advocacy work my internship within this organization cemented my decision to work in national agricultural policy and advocacy and this is where CBTC came in I'm in my first year in the agronomy management program and loving it and loving it to walk into a class and know I'm not just another face in the crowded lecture hall and while we are a small program the quality of my education has not changed we have fields around campus and are partnered with a variety of farms in the area to ensure that we have the different fields to practice on and learn from as well and beyond our capstone project which is actually a cultivating fields all the way from plant to harvest with a group of people we are consistently taught the practical skills that are needed to be successful in this field studying at CBTC has given me the opportunity to take charge of my future I plan on earning my political science degree before I settle on a farm but the knowledge I've gained within these two years at CBTC will provide me with a strong foundation for that. So Fox Valley Technical College Justin A. Scooball. Hello my name is Justin Scooball and I am honored to be the WTCS 2021 ambassador for Fox Valley Technical College. My journey at Fox Valley Tech began in 2018 when I enrolled in the business management with marketing program I was new to the Appleton area an area with nearly 25 times the population of my home town of Tomahawk, Wisconsin. Immediately upon visiting FETC for the very first time I knew it would be the perfect place where I could grow personally and professionally. In contrast to the large four-year universities I looked at FETC had everything I was looking for and more including small class sizes, a more diverse learning environment, credit transferability and well educated and informed advisors and instructors to help with almost anything I could ever need while attending college. The past three years at FETC has allowed me to become a unique and resilient leader. The time spent within this establishment has helped me become more confident, outgoing and enthusiastic. When I first started at the tech I wasn't necessarily seeking involvement on campus as I didn't believe that in a busy school full of people that I could be the one to actually make an impact. I quickly learned I was wrong. I began to overcome my insecurities and shyness thanks to the wonderful welcoming environment that FETC offers to each of its students. I felt so welcome that I didn't want to leave after my first degree. I am now completing my second associate's degree in accounting. In addition to my studies I have had the honor of serving other students through various roles at FETC including serving as a vice president and acting treasurer of the student government association, the administrative financial officer for the Wisconsin student government, a two-year student representative for the diversity and inclusion committee on campus and so much more. I never imagined I would ever be so involved with all of these leadership responsibilities. The incredible hands-on experiences I have had at FETC have definitely shaped me into the leader and the person I am today. Going forward my main goal as an ambassador is to educate as many others as possible about the benefits of a technical college education. A technical college is a perfect place to find your worth, what you're passionate about and to help you develop into the best person you can be. I am extremely proud to be representing FETC as a student ambassador. Thank you. From Gateway Technical College, Jesus Vega Jr. Hello my name is Jesus Vega Jr. JJ and I'm a recent graduate of Gateway Technical College's nursing program located here in Kenosha. Gateway and I have a long history spanning my almost six-year healthcare career. I'm a first-generation college graduate, second-generation immigrant and I worked third shift full-time throughout nursing school to fund my education. While attending Gateway, I was a part of the Student Nursing Association, shared governance through work and helped coach the Little Red Hotsuit Thirstyling team. Throughout my life and journey at Gateway, my passion has been outreach. I chose to attend Gateway because I just failed at a very expensive four-year college, but I still had a passion and drive to help people. And Gateway had an EMT program that I was interested in. After that, I fell in love with the values that Gateway helped here. Financial aid programs are important to me because during my time at Gateway, I received emergency grants, federal Pell grants, as well as scholarships. With the credits I received through Gateway, I'm continuing toward my bachelor's degree through WGU. As I complete my degree, I plan to come back to Gateway and give back to the school and student community that truly helped me reach so many people and will continue to do the same. But this isn't really the way I like to do it. Just because you're in first place doesn't make you a leader. Leaders are the ones who move everyone forward, making sure that we succeed as a whole. That is who I am striving to be. The person who will give support, offer encouragement and instill confidence. My community and outreach is at the center of my career path, inspired by the staff here at Gateway. It is my honor to be one of the WTCS district ambassadors, and I thank you for taking the time to listen to me. From Lake Shore Technical College, Leandra Quack. Are you sure you can do it? What will be your response? Will you go, I'll show you, or do you second-guess yourself? My name is Leandra Quack and I'm currently in my second semester at LTC's Early Childhood Education Program. To answer the question, I'm the latter, until about half a year ago. I was born and raised in Singapore where the education system was competitive. Being the oldest of ten grandchildren, I felt that I had to meet by example. In 2019, I moved to the U.S. to get married to my wonderful husband. Immigration takes a big toll on me when it's halfway across the world in a completely new culture. Looking for an affordable college, my husband recommended LTC. So at the orientation, they helped me to transfer my credits, apply for a scholarship, and sign up for classes. This was the start of something new in my life, and not once here did I feel that I did not belong. The teachers were so encouraging, I enjoyed learning, and because of LTC, I was able to take a step forward every day. I wanted to learn and grow, even applying to be a student worker at the LTC Daycare. It was fascinating to learn new things that I could apply to my professional and personal life. Everyone was so friendly and open, and I always felt welcome, included, and heard. I never once thought about teaching adults, but I'm inspired to consider that to be an option. In the future, I would love to return to LTC to teach and share my knowledge and experience about this. Because of LTC, I want to speak up and encourage others that if this girl can reach our goals, then so can anyone else. LTC welcomes, listens, and cares. The next time someone asks me, are you sure you can do it? My reply would be, I can, and I'll show you, all because of LTC. From Madison College, Nikki Rattell Hardin. Hi, my name is Nikki Rattell Hardin. I am the WTCS Ambassador at Madison College. I am also the mother of two teenage boys. I work full-time at an elementary school. I work summers at a golf course. I am the head coach of a seventh grade girls basketball team, and I am a student. I am proud to say I am a student. School was never the easiest place for me, and as I went through high school, I didn't have the best grades. Moving forward into my adult life, I always felt like I couldn't go back to school. I would give myself the excuse after excuse of why I couldn't go back. My grades were not good enough. I didn't have time, and above all else, I was not smart enough. After having kids in my own, and now being teenagers, I decided to be that example that I was trying to instill in them, that going to college was important, going to college was a must. So I made that big leap, and I made a phone call to Madison College. Through my journey at Madison College, I have had nothing but support from the students and staff. One experience I had on my first day with my first instructor, in my first class, in my first college experience, was him emailing me and saying, what do you need to be successful? I want you to be successful. That will stick with me for the rest of my life. Madison College has not only been that rock for me to be who I want to be, but they have also shown me that I can do it. I can do it even on my busy schedule. I can do it even when I think I'm not good enough. I can do it even when I think I'm not smart. They have done so much for me and so much for my family, and now they have become my second family. From Mid-State Technical College, Adrienne G. Rodriguez. My name is Adrienne Rodriguez, and I'm the student ambassador for Mid-State Technical College. You see, college for me was always a weird subject. In high school, I was always asked what college I was going to attend, and I knew that I always wanted to continue with my education, but like many other students, I never knew how I was really going to afford it. But that was before I heard of Mid-State. With its affordability and its hands-on learning, it only made sense to stay local and to take that very first step at Mid-State post-high school. Since my education has remained very affordable, I have been able to take on unique and inspiring roles at Mid-State, such as a campus representative, a student ambassador, and even a tutoring position, which these roles have opened my eyes to different issues, challenges, and opportunities students have faced. Ultimately, I just wanted to say a huge thank you to Mid-State for gifting me this experience and giving me the confidence and a solid foundation as I pursue a four-year degree. Thank you. From Milwaukee Area Technical College, Marilyn Reyes. Hello, my name is Marilyn Reyes. I currently attend Milwaukee Area Technical College, and I am pursuing an international business degree. I will be transferring over to Lakeland College to finish my degree. Today, I'm going to be talking about why I decided to go to the Technical College route in comparison to the four-year college that most high school seniors tend to go with. In my last year of high school, I was talking to my counselor about how I really wanted to attend college. I told him how I was under the impression that I wasn't going to be able to go because my family members weren't able to go either. They weren't able to go because of our financial situation. He told me that that wasn't going to be a problem because there was scholarships and there was technical college. Technical college was like regular college. It was just a lot smaller and a lot cheaper. He said, but it's the same education and in my opinion, it's a lot better. So I went with his advice and I attended MATC. As soon as I enrolled, I loved it. My first day of class, all my teachers were super helpful and super friendly. I was able to meet much more faculty because I was under another scholarship. For that same scholarship, I became ambassador. I was also able to attend student government and a lot more clubs. I believe that networking is something really important that everyone should really focus on when it comes to trying to look for opportunities that sometimes we don't really know of. If it wasn't for my counselor, I wouldn't really know about technical colleges. If it wasn't for my promise advisors, I wouldn't be able to know that there was a state ambassador scholarship either. It was because of the people that I knew and the people that I formed bonds with that I was able to get where I am right now. I believe that is something really important that everyone should follow as well and nobody should let their backgrounds influence their future decisions. Because of that, I am now more motivated than ever and I love my school. Thank you. From Marine Park Technical College, Amanda Cole Morgan. You can. More about that in a minute. Hello. My name is Amanda Cole Morgan and I am the 2021 student ambassador for Marine Park Technical College with campuses in Fond du Laif, Beaver Dam, and West Bend. I graduate the leadership and organizational development program this spring, making my mother and I the only people in our family with degrees and returned to MPTC to begin the accounting program in the fall. Overcoming obstacles has been instilled in me from an early age, including three step dads, six schools, and a family primarily consisting of felons to name a few. In 2010, after returning from my deployment to Iraq, I attended the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay but failed out, making me feel unworthy and fearful of continuing my education. Fast forward a decade and in my 30s as an active duty communication security manager for the Wisconsin Army National Guard, a mother, a wife, and an aspiring triathlete, I chose to fulfill my goal of finally finishing my degree. Out of the many school options available, I chose MPTC because of their reputation of being so community oriented. I am beyond happy with that choice. Especially as someone who grew up in a broken home and moving around, I am grateful for the family and friends that I have gained during my time at MPTC. The thing I most hope to impart to anyone who sees this video is that you can succeed no matter your circumstance if you choose to rise above. It takes resilience and dedication, but you can. I chose to fight against my circumstance instead of fall victim to it. I would like to thank all of the members of my support system, especially my children and my husband. I would also like to thank the faculty who have pushed me and believed in me, and Mary Bobo Rauscher for nominating me for this prestigious award. MPTC and the WTCS has reignited a passion for excellence in me that has felt dormant for a long time, to the extent that I now hope to someday become faculty at MPTC with the goal of impacting another the way that so many of this organization have impacted me. From Nicolle College, Lisa Hunt. Hi, my name is Lisa Hunt and I'm the WTCS student ambassador for Nicolle Technical College in Rhinelina, Wisconsin. I first started my journey there in January of 2018 where I found myself living in a domestic abuse shelter with six children and had soon become a single mom and needed to find my way in the world and find out who exactly I was after spending 27 years at home as a stay-at-home mom. So I started my journey there at Nicolle in 2018 and I went into the substance use disorder counseling and soon after that they had started the human services program there. So I actually jumped into that because it was just five extra classes and so I took on that as well and then since I've also added the nursing assistant. I'll be graduating in April with those three degrees and I have since jumped into nursing for the fall so I'll continue my education at Nicolle for the next couple of years. Where my journey will lead after that I'm not sure but I've joined up for the nursing program and so I'll be there a little longer. So the thing that brought me there was I was just going to be a single mom. I'd been at home for 20 some years. All of my education and work experience was like ancient and so I had to update those things and what better way than to go to Nicolle and gain some new skills. It was close to home. It was affordable. They have many scholarship opportunities and such a family-like environment there on a smaller campus. I felt if I went to a larger college I wouldn't have been able to do that with the kids. The distance, the cost. So Nicolle was just the thing I needed at that moment in my life and it's been an amazing journey. The staff are so helpful. The instructors they have a great academic success program. I've been an advocate for the Nicolle foundation as far as scholarships and getting people to put that application in. You can't get a scholarship if you don't apply and just advocating for others to go to school there even if you don't know what you want to do to just take your gen eds and get that feel of that family-like environment there and get your gen eds somewhere where it's going to be cost effective. They have a great academic success program. So my feeling and my journey there has been if you fail you choose to fail because if you put forth any efforts you will succeed there. So as I get ready to start my next journey there and my student ambassador spot here at the school I'm excited to advocate for others to come to Nicolle and to continue to advocate for people to fill out those scholarship forms and just come check out Nicolle. And so with that I just like to thank everybody that's involved in the ambassador program and puts this together and makes it possible. I'd like to thank our community sponsors and the Nicolle foundation. The teachers, the staff have all been amazing on my journey and I just want to thank you all for that. From North Central Technical College Alex Brzezinski. Hi I'm Alex Brzezinski. I'm currently pursuing an associate's degree in agribusiness at North Central Technical College. Even at a young age agriculture played an important role in my life. I enjoyed raising chickens in the summer helping out in the garden and tapping maple trees in the spring. In high school I joined FFA giving me so many opportunities to strengthen my passion for agriculture and build my leadership skills. As I neared my senior year I faced a difficult decision of where I was going to continue my education. After attending an FFA field trip to the North Central Technical College farm I decided it was a school for me. NTC offered an ag program that would allow me to strengthen my agriculture skills and prepare me for a future agriculture career. Being a student who strives in a hands-on learning environment I knew I could be successful in the program NTC offered. Having a farm right on campus allows students to complete labs and learn about agriculture content directly in an agriculture environment. Not only does the technical college offer leadership and hands-on experiences but it also offers it at an affordable price. Learning about the NTC foundation gave me the opportunity to earn a scholarship making my education even more affordable. The faculty and staff at NTC have been so helpful and encouraging since day one. They have pushed me out of my comfort zone helping me to gain and strengthen additional employability skills. I look forward to continuing my education with North Central Technical College and would like to thank the students and staff of NTC along with the Wisconsin Technical College system for helping me reach my educational goals. I appreciate this honor and look forward to sharing my story with others. From Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Alma Lopez. Hi I'm Alma Lopez and I'm this year's WTCS student ambassador for Northeast Wisconsin Technical College located here in Green Bay. I am a mother of three one of which is special needs a proud Latina and a daughter of Mexican immigrant. My major is respiratory therapy and I've been attending NWTC since January of 2020. My college journey began in 2018 when I was providing cares for my then 92 year old grandfather-in-law who was a World War II and Korean War vet. He really changed my perspective on a lot of things in the world and really made me think about who I wanted to be and what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. As my love for the elderly grew so did my urge to pursue a career in nursing. At that time I decided to look at my options. The things I thought about were how far I was willing to drive what I could do with my busy schedule and how affordable college would or wouldn't be. Fortunately for me I reached out to NWTC and I decided to pursue my career here. During my time here I suffered a significant loss. I survived the COVID quarantine and through it all I was supported along the way by my instructors, the student support services as well as my amazing guidance counselor and my fantastic student disability services advisor. They helped me keep my eye on the prize and encouraged me so much along the way. Although I thought my heart was set on nursing everything changed for me when COVID-19 hit and after an amazing experience in anatomy and physiology I decided to change careers and go into the respiratory therapy program instead. At that time my advisor introduced me to my new advisor and made sure that all of my questions and concerns were answered. As a current student I highly recommend NWTC and am proud to represent such a supportive school. This journey has not been easy but it's definitely been worth it. I've formed great relationships with my instructors and for peers and I've made some amazing friends. Thank you NWTC for your support and for selecting me to be your ambassador. From Southwest Tech, Hannah Masters. Hello everyone, I'm Hannah and I'm the state student ambassador representing Southwest Tech. Southwest Tech is located in Fennimore, Wisconsin. I was at a university when I first heard about Southwest Tech through my best friend. I wanted to be a police officer ever since I was little so I was really excited to see Southwest Tech's law enforcement program which had a built-in option of applying to attend a law enforcement academy. Southwest Tech's mission is to provide education and training opportunities responsive to students, employers and communities. On all fronts I believe this mission has been fulfilled. I have been provided many opportunities while at Southwest Tech. I have acquired two student jobs as a student ambassador and as a student security officer. In addition I have obtained an internship in my field of study that not only gives me real-life experience but also earns me college credit. Furthermore I have had the opportunity to focus solely on my career with classes that are better designed to match my life goals. At Southwest Tech there are many areas of study such as culinary arts, agronomy, graphic and web design and more. At Southwest Tech you can be anything you want to be. You can be a midwife, a cosmetologist, a golf course manager, a clinical laboratory scientist. Southwest Tech prepares students for the real world. None of this would be possible without the welcoming energy that the college provides. I have especially seen this welcoming energy with the instructors. To me there is a difference between an instructor and a great instructor. My instructors, Gary Roberts and Tom Kutchman are my biggest role models. They demonstrate patience, empathy and dedication to their students because they want them to be the best that they can be. I couldn't ask for better instructors to help me to succeed. I believe that Southwest Tech is preparing me for the real world in the best way possible and I've grown as a person due to it. If you are a student listening to this I think Southwest Tech is a great option if you want life experience with amazing education while building lifelong relationships along the way. For Waukesha County Technical College, Kiva Rose Estlana. Hello, my name is Kiva Rose Estlana and I am honored to represent Waukesha County Technical College as district ambassador. I am in the Human Services program and participate in many campus activities that promote diversity, community service and leadership. I am president of the Multicultural Student Union, Student Mentor and member of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Compliance Committee. Prior to enrolling, I was concerned about juggling work and school while still being able to care for my two children, one of whom has autism. Thankfully, the online flexible program that I am in allows for extended family time that I didn't think I would get. At the age of 34, I thought it was too late to go to college. Then I realized that education does not expire. More does it judge us. Education does not discriminate against age, socioeconomic status, race, language or gender identity. I am going to college for me. I am going to college for my family, for future clients and colleagues and I am here to serve as a role model and cheerleader for those who think that furthering education is out of their limits. WCTC has opened up a whole new world for me and I am so humbled and grateful for it. I think my family, my friends, my advisers and mentors and I want everyone to know that it is possible to further your education and not sacrifice as much as you think. It's always possible to continue learning. From Western Technical College, Allison Graff. My name is Allison Graff. I am a student here at Western Technical College here in La Crosse. I recently just graduated with my criminal justice degree here as well but right now I'm working as an applied science student to move on to my bachelor's. I chose Western mainly because it advertises a hands-on school and I needed that. I have a very short attention span and so sitting in the lecture room for hours did not seem like my thing so Western was able to provide that for me or a hands-on program and I love that and I was actually able to graduate with high honors. I also fell in love with the staff here. When I was in high school, my teachers constantly told me your teachers and your instructors are not going to care about you so you need to be the one to push yourself and I didn't experience that instructors didn't care about us here at Western because they did. They treated us as one of their own. I had instructors email me constantly if I missed a day or if I wasn't maybe looking too well in class or hey you should do this assignment a little better like they were always looking out for us and I loved that and also working here as a security officer I was able to fall in love with other staff who weren't an instructor like the cooks somebody who we may have been but I never met. I was able to enjoy them the bakers HR even like staff custodians I was able to create such a bond with them and even other security officers I had such the opportunity to grow with them and help them learn and also they helped me learn and it was very helpful. From Wisconsin Indian Head Technical College John Fritchie. Hello everyone glad to be here with you all my name is John Fritchie I'm the WTCS ambassador representing Wisconsin Indian Head Technical College in Superior Wisconsin. I'm currently a two-year IT system administration student on track to graduate this May. What brought me to WITC was a passion for technology everything about technology is always changing what I enjoy most about the field is it's always like a big puzzle you have to find the pieces and you have to find the pieces that fit together to kind of build yourself a map and I really enjoy the hands-on learning that WITC and Superior has provided me with this and to speak to the level of quality of education that I've had at WITC I'm already employed part-time as an IT support specialist for a company who's expecting me to start full-time after I graduate that's fantastic there's a lot of students I know out there still looking for their job I'm still unsure what after graduation looks like for them and here I am already mapped it out the flexibility that WITC has offered someone like myself who has a family and some businesses on the side that take up a lot of time is really really valuable and everybody from the staff to the professors themselves have really made it easy for me to come in and get the education that I'm looking for without having to make any sacrifices on my current lifestyle so what I would recommend to people in a technical college system is take part in the extracurriculars if it's one thing that I've learned at WITC through the student senate or even this ambassador program is that there are a lot of different stories out there and I think listening to those stories and seeing where everyone comes from and seeing what I can do as my part in my role as ambassador to help that person achieve their goals I cherish every one of those moments it's very special to me I do plan on joining the alumni association after graduation so I can continue my service with WITC as my future progresses I'm making sure that I can give back what I feel that the school itself is given to me in that retrospect I would like to thank all of the staff at WITC Superior especially Leslie for the nomination for this ambassador position I also want to thank my family because they've also gone through a lot of ups and downs with me through the last two years a lot of patience has been needed just with juggling multiple things all at the same time so if I could sum up my college experience at WITC I would tell you it's worth it the WTCS planning team would like to recognize all the college leaders and staff who have supported these students and our program this includes the ambassador coordinator from every college and the president vice president and other leaders staff and faculty and finally it's hard to imagine these students would be where they are without the love and support of their friends and family please give each other a hug a high five or a call to recognize your role in their success thank you all for joining us for this special occasion