WCTC Students Participate in Showcase at State Capitol

Editor's Note: The following information was provided to Patch via a news release from Waukesha County Technical College.

Twenty Waukesha County Technical College students participated in “A Celebration of Student Engagement” on Jan. 31 at the State Capitol in Madison. The showcase focuses on Wisconsin Technical College students from around the state and highlights the incredible work they do, both in and out of the classroom.  

Five WCTC students showcased their work in the Co-op/Internship program, Instructional Assistant Associate Degree program and the Diversity Club at WCTC. The students who presented are: Jon Rzeznik, Natalie Cruz, Katherine Martin, Dasha Melnikova and King Ibraheem Akanqi.

“I feel that this opportunity helped show the public-at-large and more importantly, our state legislators, the important roles the students in the Instructional Assistant program are playing in their community,” said Natalie Cruz, who showcased a sampling of service-learning projects, including her work preparing and presenting science activities to elementary and middle school students involved in the after-school Program.

“I enjoyed highlighting the different projects, educating others on the meaningful ways that the students are serving the children in their communities, and showing the pride that Instructional Assistant students take within the field of education,” Cruz said.

Joan Hader, associate dean of Family and Consumer Services, said the showcase demonstrates how WCTC students make “making a difference” a priority in their educational journey. 

“The unique blend of outreach and service work combined with traditional classroom learning provides students the opportunity to give back to their communities while developing skills around advocacy and social responsibility, all while learning industry specific job skills,” Hader said.  “The experience, which is powerful for the student and directly benefits the community, also molds a better-rounded graduate.”  

The showcase kicked off Career and Technical Education Month (CTE) Month in Wisconsin, which runs through February. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the Wisconsin Technical College System are using CTE Month to highlight the wide range of exciting opportunities available to youth in the state who wish to explore their career options, and the benefit of those programs to Wisconsin industry and communities.