2
Cover:
Copyright © 2014 by Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical
Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical
www.southeastmn.edu
Toll Free 877-853-8324
Red Wing Campus
308 Pioneer Road
Red Wing, MN 55066
651-385-6300
Fax 651-385-6377
Winona Campus
1250 Homer Road
Winona, MN 55987
507-453-2700
Fax 507-453-2715
1950
s, 1
960s
, 197
0s20
00s
FRONT COVER BACK COVER
ACCOUNTING COSMETOLOGY AVIATION DRAFTING (CAD) HVAC AUTO MECHANIC NURSING BAND INSTRUMENT REPAIRACCOUNTING COSMETOLOGY AVIATION DRAFTING (CAD) HVAC AUTO MECHANIC NURSING BAND INSTRUMENT REPAIRACCOUNTING COSMETOLOGY AVIATION DRAFTING (CAD) HVAC AUTO MECHANIC NURSING BAND INSTRUMENT REPAIRACCOUNTING COSMETOLOGY AVIATION DRAFTING (CAD) HVAC AUTO MECHANIC NURSING BAND INSTRUMENT REPAIRACCOUNTING COSMETOLOGY AVIATION DRAFTING (CAD) HVAC AUTO MECHANIC NURSING BAND INSTRUMENT REPAIRACCOUNTING COSMETOLOGY AVIATION DRAFTING (CAD) HVAC AUTO MECHANIC NURSING BAND INSTRUMENT REPAIRACCOUNTING COSMETOLOGY AVIATION DRAFTING (CAD) HVAC AUTO MECHANIC NURSING BAND INSTRUMENT REPAIRACCOUNTING COSMETOLOGY AVIATION DRAFTING (CAD) HVAC AUTO MECHANIC NURSING BAND INSTRUMENT REPAIRACCOUNTING COSMETOLOGY AVIATION DRAFTING (CAD) HVAC AUTO MECHANIC NURSING BAND INSTRUMENT REPAIRAccounting
ACCOUNTING COSMETOLOGY AVIATION DRAFTING (CAD) HVAC AUTO MECHANIC NURSING BAND INSTRUMENT REPAIRACCOUNTING COSMETOLOGY AVIATION DRAFTING (CAD) HVAC AUTO MECHANIC NURSING BAND INSTRUMENT REPAIRCosmetology Aviation Drafting (CAD)HVAC Nursing Band Instrument Repair
ACCOUNTING COSMETOLOGY AVIATION DRAFTING (CAD) HVAC AUTO MECHANIC NURSING BAND INSTRUMENT REPAIRACCOUNTING COSMETOLOGY AVIATION DRAFTING (CAD) HVAC AUTO MECHANIC NURSING BAND INSTRUMENT REPAIRAuto Technology
Min
nesota State C
ollege - South
east Techn
ical
3
4 Logos and Name Changes
5 Leadership and A letter from the President
6 - 7 Time line
8 - 9 Minnesota and the birth of technical education, 1917 - 1948
10 - 11 Vocational education growth in Minnesota
12 - 14 Beyond high school: the Winona Area Vocational School, 1949 - 1955
15 Advisory boards: The backbone of technical education
16 - 24 A new identity and a new home: 1955 - 1970
20 - 21 New beginnings: The birth of the Red Wing campus
25 Energy center
26 - 27 A rare privilege: Red Wing’s “Class of 1971”
28 - 29 Band instrument repair: A program in demand
30 - 31 The last of the baby boomers and a new model of technical education
32 Moving toward collegiate status
33 - 35 A time of upheaval: The “mega-merger” and the “shotgun marriage”
36 The “mega-merger’s” impact on Southeast Technical
37 “Mega-merger” facilitates collaboration...
38 - 39 A new century, a solid plan for the future
40 Accreditation: Continuous quality improvement
41 Airframe and power plant mechanic (aviation mechanics)
Table of Contents42 Transfer
43 More choices and flexibility appeals to students
44 - 45 Reaching out to the community: Customized training
46 - 47 New programs for changing times
48 Online learning
49 Early online learning
50 - 51 Changing the community
52 - 53 A work ethic and a desire to learn
54 - 55 Southeast Technical Foundation: Preparing for the future
56 Technical training on a global scale
57 The changing college student
58 - 59 Present day: Passion. Purpose. Focus.
60 - 61 State-of-the-art facilities
62 - 63 Alumni Association
64 - 70 Program offerings
71 Program closures
72 - 81 Photos through the years
82 - 83 Group photo: 2014
84 Acknowledgements, contributors and special thanks
4
Logo history
5
Leadership
A Letter from the President
The staff, faculty and I are pleased to have you
peruse this document highlighting the begin-
nings of our college and taking you through
our journey of development. It is important to
know where we come from in order to better
understand who we are, and what will continue
to guide and drive this college into a bright and
promising future.
This document will span the 1948 founding of
the Winona campus, the 1972 founding of the
Red Wing campus, and the locally controlled
1992 merger of the two campuses into one re-
gional college. It also highlights the 1995 leg-
islatively required move into the newly formed
Minnesota State College and University System
and our thriving journey through 2014.
Looking back in history allows us to revisit our
significant accomplishments, all of which are
geared to help students prepare for the worlds
of work and engaged citizenship within our
communities.
There is a great deal to share over the past 65
plus years, and it is up to all of us to ensure a
future of more great stories. Enjoy.
James Johnson
6
From its humble beginnings, with three small programs and a visionary leader in 1949, Southeast Technical has come a long way. As a school
of choice for thousands of students, it has grown up into a first-class, world-renowned institution of higher learning.
Time line
7
8
Dr. Charles Prosser led Minnesota to the
forefront of the nation’s first efforts to
develop a system of vocational education.
While serving as a school superintendent
and juvenile judge in Indiana, Prosser had
encountered boys and young men who
wanted to learn to make things with their
hands. He saw in them a need for training
that would prepare them for the specific
skills of the trades they sought to enter.
His interests took him to New York
where, as the president of the
National Society for the Promotion
of Industrial Education, he began
working to pass legislation that
would provide funding for trades
programs in local school systems.
Prosser’s writings, especially his
Report of the National Commis-
sion on Aid to Vocational Educa-
tion, brought attention to his ideas.
Coupled with his efforts to persuade
schools to offer trade-specific pro-
gramming, his work eventually
led to the passage of the 1914
Smith-Lever Act, which established
extension services in the nation’s
land grant universities.
The following year took him to
Minneapolis, where he led the
Dunwoody Industrial Institute for 31
years. Through its unique philoso-
phy and trade-specific teaching style,
this privately-funded technical school
became the birthplace of many of today’s
Charles A. Prosser
tion, brought attention to his ideas.
Coupled with his efforts to persuade
Dunwoody Industrial Institute for 31
Minnesota and the birth of technical education, 1917 - 1948
The Winona-Republican Herald
July 18, 1921
The Minnesota State
Colleges and Universi-
ties (MnSCU) system
currently supports
31 institutions,
including 24 two-
year colleges and 7 state universities.
With 54 campuses located in 47
communities, MnSCU is the fifth
largest system of higher education in
the country, serving more than
430,000 students.
www.MnSCU.edu
standards and practices in vocational
education.
Within two years, Prosser was the Execu-
tive Director of the Federal Board of Voca-
tional Education, and it was this influence
that allowed him to play a lead role in the
writing and passage of a follow-up legisla-
tion to Smith-Lever. The Smith-Hughes
National Vocational Education Act of 1917
promoted job-related education that was
specific to farm workers. Its provision for
vocation-specific education separate
from other curricula, and its
requirement that each state establish a
Board of Vocational Education,
established the Act as the basis for
occupational education in the United
States.
Today, Prosser is known as “the father
of vocational education,” and his
belief that schools should help
students “to get a job, to hold
it, and to advance to a
better one” is the cornerstone
of technical education schools
throughout the country.
Dunwoody Institute
the country, serving more than belief that schools should help
students “to get a job, to hold
better one” is the cornerstone
of technical education schools
430,000 students.
www.MnSCU.edu
9
10
With unprecedented federal support for
vocational training, the state of Minneso-
ta created a Vocational Education Division
within its State High School Board. By the
1930s, the division had grown to the point
of requiring its own director. World War II
created even faster growth.
Even before the United States entered
the war, vocational educators were called
upon to provide workers such as welders,
mechanics, machinists and electricians
who were skilled in the defense industry.
With the country’s official entry into the
war in 1941, and President Roosevelt’s
creation of the War Production Board in
1942, demand for these skills grew even
higher to support the rapidly growing war
effort, both in the field and at home. The
federally-funded War Production Train-
ing programs did not require matching
funds. They were a direct investment in
the states and provided pre-employment
and supplementary training for those em-
ployed in the defense industry.
The Winona Republican-HeraldMay 3, 1941
Vocational education growth in Minnesota
11
As the end of World War II drew close,
attention turned toward home where
men and women serving overseas were
returning from the war eager to start
“normal” lives with good jobs and
growing families. They carried with them
a promise from the United States
government of a two-year education. The
federal G.I. Bill, or the Servicemen’s
Readjustment Act of 1944, was created as
a way for veterans to return to the
education they may have postponed
during the war and to obtain loans
reestablishing their lives.
An amazing 2.2 million veterans took
advantage of this G.I. bill, much to the
surprise of Congress, who quickly fed
additional funding into the program to
meet the demand.
The state of Minnesota supported the
growing trend toward vocational training
in its communities. The state conducted
a study of its training programs for
post-high school workers and found them
inadequate and too centralized around
the Twin Cities to meet the needs of the
general population. Fueled by the G.I. Bill’s
promise, the Minnesota Legislature
enacted the 1945 Area Vocational -
Technical School legislation to establish
schools that would provide much-needed
skills training in local communities. This
was further supported by the passage of
the George-Barden Act of 1946, part of
Truman’s “Fair Deal,” which, among other
things, provided funds for vocational
education.
The Winona Republican-Herald
June 22, 1944Harry Truman on April 19, 1945
Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress
LC-USZ62-70080.
Minnesota communities seized upon
these new opportunities and in 1947 the
first Area Vocational - Technical School
was established in Mankato. In this early
stage, vocational schools were considered
extensions of the existing public schools
and were placed under the oversight of lo-
cal school district boards of education.
Winona entered the race for a vocational
school early.
On April 26, 1948, high school Industrial
Arts Teacher John Fuhlbruegge led a
meeting of the General Advisory Commit-
tee. The topic of discussion: the establish-
ment of an Area Vocational - Technical
School in the Winona community.
In the agenda for that meeting,
Fuhlbruegge wrote:
“As Director of Vocational Education,
I believe that a committee should be
appointed from the General Advisory
Committee and Board of Education
to study the Area Vocational School
problem and in order to make plans
for establishment of this type of school
in Winona. I do not wish to assume
responsibility for the criticism which
is bound to be directed at the people
responsible for the administration of
education in Winona when the facts
became generally known that Winona
has been completely left out of the
Area Vocational School Organization
of the State of Minnesota.”
The committee’s discussion supported
the feasibility of establishing a vocational
school, calling attention to potential
space available in a local bus garage,
space and money available for a veterans
training program in farm shop, and the
fact that 31 high school boys had already
expressed an interest in auto mechanics
classes.
Beyond high school: the Winona Area Vocational School, 1949 - 1955 ng Students a
school early.
John and Rebecca FuhlbrueggeWinona Daily Republican
June 14, 1949
12
“My brother-in-law was a teacher of Industrial Arts at the high school,” recalls Rip Streater. “When I went to high school [in the 1930s], you had to pick a major that would prepare you for college. The trades were not really represented.” As a lifelong resident of Winona, Streater witnessed the advent of technical education, calling it “the most important thing that has happened in education since I have been in it.”
John Fuhlbruegge was married to Streater’s sister, Rebecca. Streater tells how Fuhlbruegge worked with an area business to provide a site for students to get hands-on welding experience through a federally-funded pro-gram. During WWII, many young men just out of high school sought the training as a way to beat the draft. “Everyone became a welder,” he recalls. “Working in the factory was part of the war effort. People were doing what needed to be done.”
The training Fuhlbruegge developed did not take on the traditional master/appren-tice model common in most trades, Streater explains. “They were furnishing people [to companies] who could do something and make a living.”
In the early years before the vocational school, Fuhlbruegge broadened his Industrial Arts offerings to include carpentry and auto repair, and persuaded the school board to build an addition to the high school.
Fuhlbruegge served as the first director of the Winona AVTI from 1949 until his death in 1955 at the age of 49.
What would Fuhlbruegge think of the college now? “I think he would be very proud of it,” says Streater. “I have to admit that when I went out [to the campus], I was amazed at
what’s happened out there.”
Public perception has changed, too. “I consider the vo-tech a great move in education,” says Streater. “I don’t know anyone who puts vocational education down. Originally, they
thought this was for the dropouts. I think that’s changed 100 percent.”
Of his family legacy, Streater says, “My sister was very generous. She gave substantial money for scholarships.” Minnesota State College – Southeast Technical’s Foundation now manages two scholarship funds in their names: the John Fuhlbruegge Memorial Scholarship and the Rebecca Fuhlbruegge Memorial Scholarship.
Within a month, the committee urged the
Winona Board of Education to establish
qualifying courses for a new vocational-
technical school. An auto mechanics course,
established by August 1948, gave the soon-
to-be vocational school a foothold. Adding
this course to the already well-established
machine shop class, meant the district had
two of the three vocational classes needed to
qualify Winona for a vocational school.
In 1949, Winona achieved its goal, becoming
the site of one of Minnesota’s first vocational
schools. At its head was John Fulbruegge, the
man who had pushed for its creation. As the
schools first director, Fuhlbruegge set about
determining which programs would meet the
most immediate and pressing needs in the
counties surrounding Winona.
At its inception, Winona’s vocational
school was part of the Winona Public
Schools and classes were taught at Wi-
nona Senior High School. As World War
II veterans completed their training
and entered the workforce, the
student population shifted toward
Rip Streater
1917 - 2011
Providing Students a Future
13
14
young adults, most of who were directly
out of high school.
Looking at the earliest facilities and the
schedule of any given day, one would be
hard pressed to tell the difference be-
tween the vocational school and the local
high school. Tuition was free to students
under 21 years of age, classes were held
from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and classes
ran on a strict schedule. There was little
flexibility to allow for student’s jobs,
families, or other commitments. Classes
were held anywhere they would fit, from
traditional classrooms to hallways to stor-
age rooms, and even in off-site facilities
when special equipment was needed.
In the 1949 - 50 school year, enrollment in
the first programs consisted of 225 high
school and 13 post-high school students
in day classes, along with 134 students
attending night classes. The night class
roster included 42 veterans. A total
of $15,847 in aid had arrived for four
programs — agriculture, trades and
industries, home economics, and dis-
tributive education—beyond the $260 in aid received per high school student. By
1953, the vocational school had grown so
quickly that Director Fuhlbruegge pursued
$456,000 from the local Board of Educa-
tion for an addition to the high school
campus. His request ultimately prevailed,
but it was not without its critics. In an
April 1953 meeting, the Winona Board of
Education heard objections. In the end
however, the new high school addition
opened its doors in September 1954, just
in time for the new school year.
Winona Senior High School
Southeast Technical’s first auto body shop on Orrin Street, Winona
Advisory boards: The backbone of technical educationAdvisory boards: The backbone of technical education
Advisory Boards: Staying Connected to Industry
“What helps us retain our more than 90 percent placement,”
says current President Jim Johnson “are advisory boards.”
Advisory boards are a core group of people that meet with
faculty and administrators a minimum of twice a year. Boards
include practicing technicians, business owners, alumni, and
artisans who see the trends and know what is current. “As a
result,” says Johnson, “we find out what is going on in industry
currently, what they envision in the next five years, and what
changes are needed in the skills training.”
P R E S I D E N T ’ S P E R S P E C T I V E
President’s Advisory Council
A President’s Advisory Council of community leaders exists as the president’s sounding board for regional issues affecting the college.
Long-term members include:
Winona: Dave Arnold, owner, DCM Tech; Pauline Knight, community volunteer; and Richard Mikrut, Mikrut Properties, LLLP
Red Wing: Dean Massett, retired city administrator; Joan Foot, Southeast Technical school board, 1992 – 1995; and Joe Goggin, retired CEO, Red Wing Shoes
Having seen how high school trades educa-
tion failed to provide adequate prepara-
tion for jobs, vocational school Director
Fuhlbruegge and his staff began creating
programs that went beyond the traditional
apprentice programs so that, upon gradu-
ation, students could go directly to local
employers as trained workers ready to get
started. Fuhlbruegge knew that this would
only happen if the vocational school’s staff
worked hand-in-hand with local industries
to determine which skills each program
would need to provide in order to produce
the most capable graduates.
The school’s key to success proved
to be its strong working relationship
with industries in the form of advisory
boards. A committee of practitio-
ners, managers, business owners, and
graduates in a particular field, each
advisory board provided the much-
needed link that ensured graduates
from each program would arrive on the
job ready and trained in the techniques,
equipment, ideas, and skills that each
profession demanded.
15
16
displaced an increasing number of
workers who now needed retraining in
order to seek new jobs.
It was time for vocational and technical
education to separate from the
restrictions of the traditional high school
setting that came with Board of Educa-
tion oversight. The Winona community
was beginning to see the benefits of the
vocational school on its local economy.
Director Raine wrote of the improving
earning power of graduates, “already
several hundred Winona residents and
Winona area people have doubled their
Unfortunately, Fuhlbruegge did not have
the opportunity to watch the vocational
school’s growth continue. With his un-
timely death at the age of 49 in 1955, the
institution moved into a new stage of
growth under the leadership of Director
Thomas Raine, who ushered the vocation-
al school into the baby boom era.
Under Raine’s leadership, the renamed
Winona Area Vocational - Technical School
continued to grow. In a few short years,
several new degree programs were estab-
lished, including industrial electronics in
1958, followed by machine tool and die,
and auto mechanics in 1959. In 1964,
programs in welding, clerical/secretarial,
civil engineering technology, and auto
body repair were added.
The school’s growth trend continued
through the 1960s. According to the
United States Census Bureau, the
population of Winona grew 6.2 percent
during that decade. The baby boomers,
born during the period of readjustment at
the end of World War II, were now young
adults seeking entry into the workforce.
In addition, technological advances in the
workplace of the 1950s and 1960s had
Industrial Electronics, 1968 Machine Tool and Die Student, 1968 Automotive Technology, 1969
A new identity and a new home: 1955 - 1970 ng Students a Future
17
previous income upon graduation.”
Programs such as the first course for
highway technicians created under the
Manpower Development and Training Act
were achieving 100 percent placement of
its graduates. Welding classes were being
offered to workers who had lost jobs at
Swift & Co., and 560 prospective
firefighters enrolled in fire fighting
training.
In the mid-1960s, the Minnesota Legisla-
ture recognized the need for the state’s
vocational schools to have their own
space and provided funding for the con-
struction of separate facilities to house
their programs. This momentum was also
felt at the national level with the federal
Vocational Education Act of 1963 pro-
viding funding for the expansion of the
nation’s vocational education programs.
Locally, a unanimous decision in 1964 by
the Winona City Council allowed for the
construction of a $3.9 million new high
school and requested bonding for
approximately $3.5 million so that a
separate vocational school building could
be established.
Plans for the new site brought new
energy to the vocational school, which
celebrated its first post-high school
graduating class in 1965. With this new
independence came the opportunity for
the much-needed flexibility in scheduling
that would attract more post-high school
students. In 1966, 20 percent of Winona
residents over the age of 16 had not fin-
ished high school. Through collaboration
between Director Raine and High School
Principal Robert Smith, the vo-tech
offered evening classes to make obtaining
diplomas easier.
Welding, 1969 Clerical/Secretarial, 1970 Auto Body Repair, 1971
18
A total of 32 students
ranging in age from 19
to 58 took advantage of
the evening program in
1966. Of these, 22 were
married. Each paid $5 a
month for tuition and
attended classes every
Tuesday and Thursday.
Many traveled some
distance to attend
classes.
For the new facility,
a downtown
Winona location
was considered
but ultimately
dropped because
of opposition
from down-
town busi-
nesses and
professional
groups. After
several stud-
ies, much
community discussion, and the Senate
passage of a $6 million school
bond, the $1.3 million facility
was finally located on Homer
Road where the Winona campus
still exists today.
In keeping with the vocational
training tradition, even the con-
struction process became a learning
opportunity. The land purchased for
the Homer Road facility contained a
number of old homes and barns that
needed to be removed before con-
struction could begin. Rather than raze
the buildings, however, the school gave
the Winona Fire Department a chance to
use the buildings for on-the-job
training. Firefighters used controlled
burns for training and cleared the site for
construction at the same time.
As construction of the Homer Road site
began in 1966, the vocational school
changed its identity once again when it
affiliated with a new state unit, the Min-
nesota Area Vocational - Technical School
Association. This association acted as a
coordinating body for the state’s vocation-
al - technical schools and Winona Board of
Education President Lawrence Santelman
was elected as one of nine lay directors to
the association.
Attention from area industries increased
as programs at the new area vocational-
technical school, or the “vo-tech,” as it
A total of 32 students
ranging in age from 19
to 58 took advantage of
the evening program in
1966. Of these, 22 were
married. Each paid $5 a
month for tuition and
attended classes every
Tuesday and Thursday.
Many traveled some
distance to attend
For the new facility,
a downtown
Winona location
was considered
but ultimately
dropped because
of opposition
groups. After
community discussion, and the Senate
In keeping with the vocational
training tradition, even the con
struction process became a learning
opportunity. The land purchased for
the Homer Road facility contained a
number of old homes and barns that
needed to be removed before con
struction could begin. Rather than raze
the buildings, however, the school gave
the Winona Fire Department a chance to
use the buildings for on-the-job
training. Firefighters used controlled
burns for training and cleared the site for
construction at the same time.
As construction of the Homer Road site
began in 1966, the vocational school
changed its identity once again when it
affiliated with a new state unit, the Min
nesota Area Vocational - Technical School
Association. This association acted as a Winona June 1965
community discussion, and the Senate
Road where the Winona campus
struction process became a learning
opportunity. The land purchased for
the Homer Road facility contained a
number of old homes and barns that
struction could begin. Rather than raze
the buildings, however, the school gave
the Winona Fire Department a chance to
Winona News Sunday MagazineMay 2, 1966
19
was known, grew and multiplied. By
the spring of 1967, applications to at-
tend the vo-tech averaged eight per day,
and the already popular auto mechanics
program had to be expanded into three
different sections. The school added new
faculty, and frequently hosted tours for
area employers at the new facility, which
opened its doors in the fall of 1967, ready
to accommodate more than 300 students.
Programs in the newly-opened Homer
Road site included auto body repair, auto
mechanics, agriculture, business
education, civil engineering, drafting and
design, electronics, machine tool and die,
practical nursing, and welding.
The following year, the Winona vo-tech
was selected to serve as one of three sites
for programming in aviation mechanics,
including airframe and power plant (A
& P). The school acquired leased hangar
space at the municipal airport at Max
Conrad Field to provide facilities for the
new program which began with 20
students in class five hours a day, and
quickly grew in popularity.
New programs were created and quickly
added in the 1970s. A 1970 controversy
surrounding the proposed statewide
community college system failed to
usurp the Winona vocation school and
in the midst of it, there was a change
in leadership. President Thomas Raine
was succeeded by William Hemsey, who
continued the new era of growth and
expansion begun during Raine’s tenure.
The newly-opened Homer Road facility,
immediately began to feel crowded as
the vocational school grew in popularity
and gained acceptance in the commu-
nity as a provider of professional skills.
As a result, a much-needed addition, in-
cluding two new shops, seven new class-
rooms and a large lecture hall, followed
in 1971 and nearly doubled the capacity
of the campus from its 1967 levels.
In 1976, Minnesota’s vocational schools
moved a step closer toward complete
separation from the K - 12 school
systems when the Legislature approved a
system of “shared responsibility,” where
students would pay a portion of their
tuition.
Homer Road campus construction nearly completeAugust 1967
New sign at the Homer Road campusOctober 1967
continued on page 22
20
In 1967, a group known as the Citizens
League surprised education leaders
around the state by issuing a report urg-
ing the State of Minnesota to reconsider
its distribution of educational resources
and merge the existing dual system of
junior colleges and vocational - technical
schools into a single unit of two-year
community colleges. The merger would
provide both general studies and
vocational education, even usurping the
two-year programs offered through local
four-year colleges. The report criticized
the lack of vocational education offerings
around the Twin Cities and suggested
that the two-system model “constitutes
a serious drawback to the realization of
the best educational opportunities for our
Minneapolis Star 1967
New beginnings: The birth of the Red Wing campus
and merge the existing dual system of two-year programs offered through local the best educational opportunities for our
21
youth” and recommended that the current
Junior College Board be superseded by a
new board appointed by the governor.
In 1970, the Junior College Board respond-
ed with a proposed plan for the merger
that required all existing two-year schools
to expand into community colleges, either
under the control of their local Board of
Education or the state Community Col-
lege Board, which – under the proposal –
would replace the Junior College Board.
One such area seeking to establish a
community college was
Red Wing, Minnesota. The
need for a two-year, post-
secondary campus in Red
Wing had been the subject
of conversation and specu-
lation since the early 1960s,
when the topic first surfaced
at a meeting of the Red
Wing Industrial Development
Corporation. Jack Adams, who
was brought in by the Devel-
opment Corporation to de-
termine where manufacturers
were seeking to locate their new
plants, had reported that plant
placement corresponded heavily with the
presence of vocational education cam-
puses.
Upon hearing this revelation, the Red
Wing School Board lobbied for a two-
year campus to be located in Red Wing.
It proved to be a rockier road than they
anticipated because of the volatile politi-
cal climate on the subject of education in
Minnesota. As the Legislature contem-
plated a statewide system of community
colleges, a Red Wing campus was pro-
posed. The School Board jumped at the
chance and immediately developed a Citi-
zens Education Study Committee, chaired
by retired School Superintendent L. W.
Wilke, to bring the campus to Red Wing,
regardless of whether it was a technical or
community college. Red Wing desperately
needed employment opportunities for its
citizens and any options for further
education were welcome.
Red Wing Republican EagleOctober 23, 1972
Red Wing Republican EagleJuly 26, 1971
22
At the state level, the Junior College Board
quickly began pursuing a junior college
campus for Red Wing, going so far as to
select a location — the Towerview Estates
site, owned by the Anderson family. The
demand for junior colleges exploded at
the state level, but despite the near cer-
tainty of a Red Wing campus, it didn’t
happen.
The Citizen Education Study Committee’s
recommendation for an area vocational-
technical institute was resurrected, and in
1969, Red Wing formally requested sup-
port from the State Board of Education
for an AVTI campus. With the gradual but
cautious support of Assistant Commis-
sioner of Education Robert Van Tries, and
the wholehearted support from com-
munities across the river in Pierce County,
Wisconsin, the Red Wing AVTI campus was
at last approved by the Board of Education
on April 12, 1971. The community of Red
Wing offered its resounding support by
approving a $3.2 million bond the follow-
ing December.
At the state level, Van Tries defended that
vo-techs needed to remain autonomous
and fought against the Junior College
Board plan, arguing that there was no
duplication between vo-techs and junior
colleges.
The Red Wing Area Vocational - Technical
Institute opened in 1972 with President
Edward Dunn at the helm. On its open-
ing day, it welcomed seven students into
two programs — three in secretarial/
clerical studies and four in truck driving.
The secretarial/clerical program set up a
model office within Central High School,
and truck driving classes took place in a
warehouse leased
from Monson
Trucking Enter-
prise. The follow-
ing week, a third
program in practi-
cal nursing began
with 31 students.
This program was
based in St. John’s
Hospital, where the
program had previ-
ously operated as
the Red Wing School
of Practical Nursing.
Thus began a period of rapid growth, with
new programs developed in accordance
with community and employer demand,
including farm management, auto and
truck mechanics, fashion merchandising,
and industrial machine mechanics.
In 1973, the Goodhue County Develop-
mental Activity Center began, providing
educational programs for developmental-
ly disabled children and adults, and was
followed by an infant stimulation pro-
gram. Both were funded by grants from
Red Wing Republican EagleJuly 21, 1971
23
local organizations focused on education
for people with special needs.
As with all the vo-techs, programs were
created in response to stated needs from
local communities and employers. In Red
Wing, another factor driving pro-
gram development was the site of
the school itself. One of the first
properties used by the new vo-tech
was the same site previously con-
sidered for a community college —
the Anderson family’s Towerview
Estates. The Andersons had deed-
ed the site to The Nature Conser-
vancy, which had in turn deeded
the property to the Red Wing
School District with the stipulation
that it be used for environmental
education.
In 1977, the Towerview Estate
site became home to Red Wing’s
second campus, the Energy Educa-
tion Center. Here in the midst of
an embargo-induced energy crisis
and rising fuel costs, students learned
about alternative forms of energy produc-
tion such as solar and wind, and energy
conservation techniques. The program
was ahead of its time, so much that when
the Persian Gulf embargo ended energy
costs plummeted to their pre-crisis levels,
and funding for the unique program ran
out. Students found themselves with
valuable training that unfortunately
would not be in great demand for several
decades to come.
Stemming from its programmat-
ic growth of the late 1970s, Red
Wing developed a reputation as
being the birthplace of programs
relatively unique among techni-
cal schools. At the same time as
the Energy Education Center was
established, the campus also saw
the beginnings of the band
instrument repair program. This is
one of only three such programs
in the world, making Red Wing a
global student destination.
The student population contin-
ued to grow as the Red Wing AVTI
entered the 1980s, and its program
offerings expanded to meet
students’ increasing needs.
properties used by the new vo-tech
sidered for a community college —
School District with the stipulation
Red Wing Republican EagleJanuary 5, 1975
By 1981, course offerings ranged from ag-
ricultural finance to educational develop-
ment to industrial engineering. Programs
in HVAC, musical string instrument repair,
nursing, welding, and a new program in
computer programming were already full by
the end of the 1981 – 82 school year.
The growth in the student population was
literally overwhelming for the campus. With
a roster of 530 students in 1980, the campus
had an 18 percent increase over the previous
year. With only 71 percent of the students
being Red Wing natives, housing was in
scarce supply, and the housing crunch left
many students seeking living arrangements
outside of Red Wing.
At the same time, the average age of
students increased, from 19 years in
1973 to over 25 years in 1981. Presi-
dent Edward Dunn noted in 1980 that
a rise in female students reflected
an increase in women returning to
school either to enter the work-
force or for a change of careers.
Business, office and information technology
Both campuses have a long history of providing programs in business, office and information technology. Muriel Copp was an instructor for one of the very first programs on the Red Wing campus, secretarial/clerical. During her time at Red Wing Area Vocational - Technical Institute, Copp saw many changes — especially within her own program. Technology-wise calculators were just coming out. The changes progressed through electric typewriters, word processors, and ultimately — shortly after her retirement, computers. Her program began while the college was still in the local high school. “We had a little hall,” says Copp, adding, “As people were hired, one end of the classroom became a headquarters for all the new staff members coming on.”
“When the newly-built AVTI campus was opened in the fall of 1973, it was not fully complete. “When it opened, our area wasn’t ready. I had a classroom with no office equipment. One of my students and I set up the desks one night so we could get started in the new classroom. I didn’t have a lab to work in until about Thanksgiving time.” Copp even set up a few work stations in the hall-way as construction was being completed.
“I never worked so hard in my life as I did those first years,” said Copp.
Jill Keiper was the long-serving department chair of the Winona campus business, office and information technology programs. During her time, Keiper kept the technological advances impacting the programs at the forefront. Keiper states, “The advancements in technology were amazing and sometimes challenging. I enjoyed the development of students as they pursued their careers. I couldn’t have worked with a more caring faculty, staff, or administration. I now enjoy watching the college grow with new and ever-changing programs to meet the needs of the business environment. “
Lisa Laing was a long-standing master instructor with the college who was engaged in the leadership and development of business and office program development regionally and state-wide. Laing was also an advocate at the federal level for support of her program area.
Muriel Copp1988
Lisa Laing1958 – 2010
Jill Keiper1976
Marge Frost1979
24
Lisa Laing was a long-standing master instructor with the college who was engaged in
25
Energy CenterEnergy Center The Towerview campus received the necessary state-of-the-art updates to meet the needs of these modern and very technical programs.
Unfortunately, as the energy crisis dissipated so did the interest in alternative forms of energy and the programs offered at Red Wing Area Vocational - Technical Institute’s Energy Center.
Red Wing Republican Eagle1979
Energy systems, 1988
Solar energy, 1979
Vibroacoustics, 1988
Energy conservation, 1980
The Energy Center evolved in the late 1970s and through the 1980s to train and prepare students during the energy crisis. A variety of programs offering hands-on training for alter-nate energy sources were available. Programs included solar energy, energy conservation, vibroacoustics, energy systems, wind energy, electronic piano repair, accordian repair and building energy conservation.
Electronic piano repair, 1988 Accordion repair, 1988
26
It was on April 12, 1971, that Red Wing, Minnesota, became the
34th and final site in the state of Minnesota to receive a vocation-
al - technical institute. But the story of how it happened began
in August 1969, when Dan Mjolsness came to Red Wing as super-
intendent of schools. His friend and former colleague Howard
Casmey was then the Commissioner of Education for the state
of Minnesota, and he charged Mjolsness with the task of estab-
lishing a technical college in Red Wing. “To start
a school, to start a college is a rare
privilege,” says Mjolsness.
When you start a school, he says, you
start from scratch. You build the cur-
riculum, you build the building, you
hire the staff — you start from zero.
And as a professional educator, this is
the greatest role to play.
Mjolsness developed an appreciation
for technical education while working
as an engineer’s assistant. No mat-
ter how extensive one’s education, he
believed, nearly everyone finds they
need training beyond their knowledge
to become adept at their own work. A
technical college would meet that need
for the Red Wing community.
He began by gathering an advisory
team of 43 people representing all
of the surrounding communities, the
industries that served them, and the
people who lived there. Together,
they worked with local politicians,
convincing them to author bills sup-
porting an AVTI
in Red Wing.
The community
had previously
attempted to
bring a college
to the area but
lost the prospect to another community;
they were determined not to miss an-
other opportunity.
Commissioner Casmey wanted to see
two technical colleges built on the
borders of the state in order to promote
reciprocity between states. He gave
the group four criteria to meet: bring
in 350 students, work with the
Department of Corrections to develop
programs for reintegration, build a
facility, and work for reciprocity with
Wisconsin.
lishing a technical college in Red Wing. “To start
for technical education while working
need training beyond their knowledge
to become adept at their own work. A
technical college would meet that need
porting an AVTI
in Red Wing.
The community
had previously
attempted to
bring a college
Red Wing Republican EagleMarch 15, 1972
Dan MjolsnessRed Wing Republican Eagle
June 13, 1979
A rare privilege: Red Wing’s “Class of 1971”
27
Among those involved in the effort were Ed Dunn, who would
later become the first president of Red Wing AVTI, and Judy
Christianson, a community member who later became active in
the school board. Frank Chesley was also one of the early advo-
cates who had been strongly in favor of a community college
and had fought hard for it. For their efforts, this early organiz-
ing group soon became known affectionately as the “Class of
‘71.”
“There is no more efficient, no more accountable post-second-
ary education in the USA,” says Mjolsness. “Why? Because the
teacher has to build the curriculum, recruit the students, know
the industries, adjust the curriculum to meet the needs of
employers, and place the students in jobs, or the organization
would no longer exist.”
“Though I wasn’t the founder,” he says, “I was a person who
played a part in getting everyone together to make it happen.”
Mjolsness says even the most highly educated individual needs
technical training. “This is a special place for me,” says Mjol-
sness. “This was the greatest personal achievement in my life.” “There is no more efficient, no more accountable post-secondary education in the USA.”
Dan Mjolsness, “Class of ‘71” organizer of the Red Wing campus, about technical education
Breakfast with Red Wing friends, Class of ‘71front row: Dan Mjolsness, Muriel Copp, Jerry Borgen, Judy Christianson
back row: Ben Stephani, Gene Beckwith, Dean Massett, Harris Waller, Byron Pearson, Milt Olson
2005
Try to get a band instrument repaired any-
where in the United States, not to mention
many places overseas, and you will be hard
pressed to find someone qualified to do the
work who has not heard of Red Wing, Min-
nesota. In fact, chances are good they went to
school there. The program, says founder Gene
Beckwith, “turned Red Wing into a household
word in the band music industry.”
It all started with a letter dated August 5,
1977, from Gene Beckwith to members of the
band instrument industry.
The Red Wing campus’ band instrument
repair program began and remains as one of
the very few of its kind in the world, and the
world comes to Red Wing to be part of it. It
is not your typical technical college students
who apply, but musicians and
practitioners who have likely been
performing and working in the
field of music for years and are
eager to learn a new and market-
able skill. “We always wanted to
market the tuxedo with the [shop]
apron to show both sides…the
best of both worlds,” says Beck-
with of the performing/repairing
skills that graduates have.
Students have come to Red Wing
from as far away as Europe, the Caribbean, Af-
rica, and China, and represent all colors, races,
and genders. Not too long ago, at a “Noon at
the Jimmy” concert at St. James Church in Red
Wing, two Caribbean students opened the
performance with a bit of reggae, much to the
delight of the concert goers. And they keep
in touch — always. It is a rare
but in-demand profession,
so naturally, the world of
band instru-
ment repair is
a small one,
and the group
is tight-knit.
Graduates go
on to teach,
perform, re-
cruit, partici-
pate in national industry organizations, and,
of course, repair band instruments all over
the world. And naturally, they get together
wherever they are to perform, compose, and
reconnect.
The military is a strong partner with the pro-
gram, as it sends students to Red Wing nearly
every year, particularly from the United States
Marines band. The military connected with
the program in 1986, when members of the
program made a trip to the Midwest National
Band Orchestra Clinic, an international indus-
try conference in Chicago. The Marines have
been regulars in the program ever since. Beck-
with reports meeting up with former Marine
students at conferences all over the country,
saying it is always a happy reunion.
A clarinetist by training, Beckwith now works
Band instrument repair: A program in demand
in touch — always. It is a rare
but in-demand profession,
so naturally, the world of so naturally, the world of
band instru
ment repair is
a small one,
and the group
is tight-knit.
Graduates go
on to teach,
perform, re
cruit, partici
in touch — always. It is a rare
but in-demand profession,
so naturally, the world of
Gene Beckwith (right) working with a student1979
Greg and Gene Beckwith at the historic Sheldon Theatre2005
28
mostly on bassoon repairs. He began his career in
academics, but picked up some mechanical expe-
rience from his brother and began to do repair
work on the side. “After you work on 40 clari-
nets,” he says, “you begin to understand how
they work.” Beckwith began to develop a
following among other musicians, who he says,
are bound to their repair people.
In 1984, he began a teaching exchange with
Phil Chambers of Merton College in England.
That connection not only led to a lifelong
friendship, but it helped Beckwith grow
the program over the years and across
continents. Beckwith’s professional
connections were also a resource for his
son, Greg, who was showing promise
as a horn player and was able to study
horn in New York at a particularly
young age. He eventually become
a college instructor following in
his father’s footsteps.
String instrument repair: a Red Wing legacyGuitar repair and building, originally part of the string instrument repair program, which included violin repair, is one of the oldest programs on the Red Wing campus.
It has recently added a second year to the program. “The second year of the guitar program has been really impor-tant because it has moved us much more into the modern age as to the way instruments are built,” says Guitar Instructor, David Vincent. The recently-added second year has allowed the addition of training in computer aided drafting and machining as well as “just allowing students more time to develop their skills,” says Vincent.
In the mid 1980s the programs focus changed to teaching what employers were looking for in the
field. Since that time student numbers and job placement have been consistently high. Over the years,
instructors have been brought on board who comple-ment each others’ abilities. One instructor’s specialty is
electric guitars and wood finishing, another instructor’s specialty includes acoustic sound and still another
instructor is versed in computer aided design.
“There is a good community here,” says Vincent, adding, “We help each other out and it’s pretty friendly.”
The guitar and violin programs continue to be strong and well respected programs in the field.
David Vincent (right) working with a student - 1986
29
Lisbeth Nelson - Butler (right) working with a student in violin repair - 2010
30
The outlook showed no improvement.
Eventually, the falling enrollment of
traditional students was seen as an op-
portunity for recruiting “non-traditional”
students. These older students, often in
their 20s and 30s, were seeking career
training, new skill development, and
experience with rapidly-changing tech-
nologies and techniques. With computers
just beginning to enter the mainstream,
the employment landscape was slowly
beginning a gradual changeover from a
manufacturing base to a knowledge base,
and those already in jobs were going to
need continuous training to stay current
in their fields.
Under the leadership and vision of mar-
keting director, Ted Wyman, the concept
of “continuing education” began to take
hold, and in 1983, the Winona campus
launched what is now known as custom
training. Industries partnered with the in-
stitute to provide educational “upgrades”
in order for employees to keep their skills
and industry knowledge up to date.
Red Wing adapted quickly to the new
a significant drop in enrollment. The
reason for the sudden change: The post-
World War II baby boom had ended in the
late 1960s, and the last children of that
generation were now completing their
traditional college years. As a result, the
number of high school graduates dropped
dramatically, leaving both the vo-techs
and four-year colleges short on students.
In the short term, this led to reductions
and elimination of programs and courses,
which could not be maintained with such
low enrollment.
With the early to mid-1980s came a sud-
den shift among the students at both
the Winona and Red Wing campuses.
Following a 10-plus year growth spurt,
both campuses saw a drop in what had
been considered “traditional” students —
young people aged 18 to 20 years, usually
just out of high school, seeking the skills
they would need to step into the first
job of a career. Most had been from the
immediate area around the campus, and
many still lived at home.
In the early 1980s, both campuses saw
The last of the baby boomers and a new model of technical education
Clerical Truck driving
Mary (Luhmann) Johnson graduated from the secretarial science program at Southeast Technical in 1973, when it was Winona Area Technical Institute. Shortly after graduation, she was hired on for the reception desk and admissions secretary. In her time, she has seen hundreds of changes: going from a pa-per system to computer, local school district to statewide college system, clock hours to credit hours, free classes to tuition, single campuses to merged Winona and Red Wing campuses, quarters to semesters, accreditation, and the list goes on and on.
Some of the big changes in the 2000s included MnSCU beginning to use DARS (Degree Audit Reporting System) and student records going from paper files to computer im-aging, Johnson says. “From there it’s just been constant change.” In 1993, Johnson was promoted to the newly-created role of Registrar. Shortly after her promotion, she enrolled in Southeast Technical once again to obtain a certificate in Basic Supervision.
Johnson says that she has seen the students change over the years as well. When the average student was 18 years old, there were dances complete with royalty, bus trips and regular intramural sports. In 2003, the average age of the student population on campus
was 30, more than a decade older than in 1973 when Johnson was a student. As the students aged, suddenly students had jobs and families to take care of and these extracur-ricular activities began to dissipate. In 2013, the average student age had dropped to 23 years and the campus is now beginning to see some of these activities again.
Mary Johnson: 40 years of change
Mary (Luhmann) Johnson as a student, 1973
Mary Johnson, Registrar, 2013
Mary and her peers, 1982Bonnie Lutz, Judy Trocinski, Mary Luhmann, Mary Frisch, Janice Loeffler and Shirley Mohan.
trend toward recruiting returning students
by adding three new programs in 1983,
including small business management,
microcomputer repair, and a master builder
program. This was followed in 1984 by the
opening of a small business center. By the
same token, other programs no longer in
demand, such as rural banking and industrial
engineering technology were cut.
To accommodate the growth in the number
of nontraditional students and to provide
more space for administrative offices and
support services, the Winona campus added
a 25,000 square foot student center in 1984.
By this time, the groundwork had been laid
for an important new element at the Wi-
nona technical institute — an opportunity
for the community, which was now home
to many alumni, a chance to support the
school that had given them the means
to find work and establish careers. The
college foundations were formally
established in the mid 1980s and
soon took on the role of
advocating for the vocational -
technical education system
at the state level.
31
32
In 1983, the Minnesota Legislature con-
tinued its trend toward separating the
vo-tech schools from K - 12 education
by establishing a separate agency — the
State Board for Vocational Technical
Education — with a director appointed
by the governor.
This was the first of many moves toward
administrative independence that the
vocational technical schools experienced
until the early 1990s. Tuition changed to
a collegiate model of credit hours rather
than a calculation based on the number
of days in class. Planning began to take
place at the state level rather than within
local boards of education. Campuses
began adopting collegiate standards for
associate degrees and contracting with
local state universities for general edu-
cation credits, while keeping their own
degree-granting authority. Schools
adopted a standard syllabus and course
content development model, and assess-
ment services were made available to
students. Collegiate attendance policies,
advisor policies, and student handbook
models were also adopted.
The 1990s brought more growth and
more transition toward the current
model of part-time and returning, adult
students. The state director’s title was
changed to that of chancellor and the
State Board for Technical Colleges was
established in 1990. Eventually, voca-
tional - technical institute was changed to
“technical college,” and a goal of achiev-
ing accreditation from the Higher
Learning Commission’s North Central
Association by 1995 was established.
associate degrees and contracting with “technical college,” and a goal of achiev
Winona Campus LifeAugust 24, 1986
Non-traditional student inspecting his work
Moving toward collegiate status
33
With so many rapid, administrative
changes at the state level, it was inevi-
table that some political changes would
not be as welcome at the local level. In
1991, in an attempt to streamline its
higher education system, the state man-
dated a “mega-merger” of the formerly-
independent technical college system,
state university system, and community
colleges under a single Minnesota Higher
Education Board to become effective in
1995. Of the three systems, the technical
colleges were most vocal in their disap-
proval of the merger, stating that it would
dilute their core mission of educating
students specifically for employment.
The merger process continued, and talk of
further consolidation of individual cam-
puses began. The Legislature believed
that consolidating technical school cam-
puses might be a way to avoid the need
for the mega-merger. Many campuses
were told they must merge with another
campus. A committee on the Red Wing
campus was in talks with three campuses.
After the committee made their choice,
they were told that the choice had been
made for them, calling a merger with
Winona the most appropriate fit. Thus
in 1992 the Red Wing/Winona Technical
College was established. Internally, it was
known as the “shotgun marriage,” and
got off to a rocky start.
The newly-merged campuses found
themselves in turmoil as two very differ-
ent cultures attempted to combine. Staff
on both campuses feared they would
be lost in the consolidation. The first to
make peace were the members of the two
campuses’ foundation boards, who began
to meet together shortly after the merger
and quickly found common ground. The
foundation boards formally merged their
bylaws and funding in 1999 into the
Southeast Technical foundation.Red Wing Republican Eagle
October 27, 1993
Winona PostSeptember 29, 1999
A Time of Upheaval: The “Mega-Merger” and the “Shotgun Marriage”
34
Through the early 1990s the now-com-
bined leadership began to forge new
relationships among the staff by holding
picnics and other social events for staff to
get to know one another. Meetings were
held at mid-way points between the two
cities to avoid preference for one or the
other. Staff found themselves taking on
new roles, and they worked together to
merge whole systems of communications,
management, record-keeping, and stu-
dent services.
It was not an easy process but in the end,
a stronger, united cam-
pus emerged. Looking
back, many faculty,
staff, and administra-
tors recall how difficult
the transition was, but
most agree it was worth
the effort.
With all the excitement and upheaval
of the merger, the educational mission
of the technical college continued, and
in the midst of the reorganizing, many
changes took place on the campus. In
-
tors recall how difficult
most agree it was worth Red Wing Republican Eagle
June 1995
SolidarityTaking the reins of the newly-merged Red Wing/Winona Technical College required new President Jim Johnson to start building strong cross-campus relationships in an effort to rebuild the morale and internal support that had eroded as a result of the compelled merger. There was opposition and resistance to overcome, and tackling such strong emotions would require not just delicacy and tact, but a strong presence — in person. For several years fol-lowing the merger, Johnson spent more time in Red Wing than in his home community of Winona. Having worked his way through the ranks on the Winona campus, Johnson had already built a network of support there, which freed him to spend some extra effort making connections in Red Wing, where the prevailing fear was that he would close the campus altogether.
“They’re a small campus in a tough market, having other colleges all around them,” says Johnson. “But their unique vision of delivering niche programs keeps them going.” Building on that strength allowed bonds to be rebuilt and new relationships to be formed. Johnson was as visible a figure in the Red Wing business and education community as he had become in Winona — to the point that many residents there assumed he was their neighbor. Becoming neighbors, as it turns out, was exactly what the two campuses needed, and today is the basis of their strength as a single, united team.
“Some people in Red Wing think Jim lives here.” --Judy Christianson, Red Wing’s “Class of ‘71”
P R E S I D E N T ’ S P E R S P E C T I V E
Winona, a 128-seat auditorium was added
to the campus to provide a larger teach-
ing and meeting space. Also added was a
73,000 square foot aviation training center
to accommodate the enormous growth of
353535
its aviation airframe and power plant me-
chanics programs.
In 1995, under the leadership and vision
of President Cliff Korkowski (1988 - 1995),
the goal of provisional accreditation by the
North Central Association (NCA) was finally
achieved, which opened new doors both for
the college and its students. Until this time,
the college had been accredited through
the high school, which did not allow much
flexibility in how its educational offerings
could be used. Course credits could now be
transferred between the technical college
and other institutions, allowing students to
take courses through the technical college
before moving into a four-year degree. NCA
accreditation also required that 70
percent of all faculty members hold
bachelor’s degrees, a figure that raised
the credibility of the college among
educational institutions. In 2000,
the college received its 10-year
accreditation to replace the
initial provisional status.
Program cycles“Without the support of business,” says Deanna Voth, “our programs wouldn’t be here.” As a longtime Southeast Technical employee, Voth has been given a front-row seat to the interplay between industry and the college since 1982. Always willing to try something new, Voth moved from instruction to curriculum support to human re-sources administration in the technical college system, but despite the changes she has seen, there has always been the constant connection between the industries served by the college and the programs it has developed to prepare students for their future in industry.
One of her early and most exciting roles on the Red Wing campus was the administrative assistant to the Director of the Energy Education Center, where programs allowed students to develop skills in solar, wind, energy conservation and biomass energy production. During the energy crisis of the 1970s, demand began to grow for these services, but in the con-stantly changing industry landscape, that demand dissipated when the crisis subsided, and student enrollment dropped. “You can’t put programs on hold for very long” when demand goes down, notes Voth, and so the programs were ultimately ended.
The story of the Energy Education Center characterizes the cycle of learning, teaching, and ap-plication that keeps the technical education system strong. Industry sees a demand for services
and approaches the technical colleges for programs to train students to meet the demand. Students develop the skills they need, enter industry, and continue to learn more on the job. Demands change, and the need for more skills develops, sending professionals back to school for more training and some former graduates back into the classroom as instructors to keep the cycle going. “We hire technical instructors from industry because of their expertise and support them with additional education as needed to remain current in their technical area,” says Voth. “They bring back new skills and experiences and that provides a good role model for students.”
“The technical college can be a tremendous feeder for skilled employees,” says Voth. “It has to be able to be flex-ible and to respond to what is happening now.”
Deanna Voth
Voth explores ones of the semi tractors during the Transportation Center Open House
March 2013
36
The “mega-merger’s” impact on Southeast Technical
Many articles in 1995 decried doom and gloom for
technical education as the three separate public
higher education systems merged together into
the Minnesota State College and University System
(MnSCU) on July 1, 1995. Red Wing campus CEO,
Ron Matuska disagreed with the prevailing negative
musings, “It’s leveled the playing field, as we have
been thought of as an outcast...we are now equal
partners.” Matuska stated that developing transfer agreements
with other higher education institutions was one of the big
reasons for the merger. “Our programs are as difficult as any
collegiate program and the need for math and science capabil-
ity is prominent within programs.”
From the beginning of the “mega-merger” in 1995, under the
leadership of Interim President James Johnson, Red Wing/Wi-
nona Technical College embraced the vision of the
newly formed system that would transition the
college from the “high school” image into being a
true member of the public higher education com-
munity. Other benefits significant to a small rural
college included the ability to have state legal
services, compliance officers, facilities and con-
struction planning support, federal/state legisla-
tive advocacy, plus human resources and financial operations
support. The ability to access these types of services without
the need to hire full-time experts allows smaller colleges to
significantly stretch their limited budgets towards betterment
of college programs. This type of support system allows institu-
tions to attain a competitive advantage at a reasonable cost.
President Johnson has worked closely with the various MnSCU
Chancellors and their staffs over the 19 years of his presidency
and has witnessed firsthand how the Chancellor’s office has
evolved to become a supportive branch of each institution and
still maintain the statewide focus of the system. Success for
Southeast Technical since the “mega-merger’s” implementa-
tion has been through the hard work of staff and faculty at the
college, but also the supportive infrastructure and service by
the MnSCU system personnel has been a critical cog of that
college success. Small rural colleges need the support of the
available services of the MnSCU system.
August 1995
37
dent counseling, security,
human resources, diversity
programming, compliance
support and intramural
opportunities. These ex-
amples of shared services
are a significant part of
the success story of South-
east Technical over the last
few decades.
Naturally, since WSU and
Southeast Technical are
part of a single state sys-
tem, there are significant
opportunities for collabo-
ration development. That said, it has not stopped Southeast
Technical in seeking out other partners such as Saint Mary’s
University. There is a long history of the college collaboration
between Southeast Technical and Saint Mary’s University in
development of transfer agreements after the “mega-merger”
in 1995, Saint Mary’s University also partnered with WSU and
Southeast Technical in the 2005 Tri-College agreement. There
have been various custom training initiatives launched be-
tween Southeast Technical and Saint Mary’s University. In
addition, there is a 2014 collaboration with Saint Mary’s Uni-
versity – Twin Cities to deliver a baccalaureate degree on the
Red Wing campus of Southeast Technical.
dent counseling, security,
human resources, diversity
programming, compliance
support and intramural
opportunities. These ex-
amples of shared services
are a significant part of
the success story of South-
east Technical over the last
few decades.
Naturally, since WSU and
Southeast Technical are
part of a single state sys-
tem, there are significant
opportunities for collabo-
ration development. That said, it has not stopped Southeast
Technical in seeking out other partners such as Saint Mary’s
University. There is a long history of the college collaboration
between Southeast Technical and Saint Mary’s University in
development of transfer agreements after the “mega-merger”
in 1995, Saint Mary’s University also partnered with WSU and
Southeast Technical in the 2005 Tri-College agreement. There
have been various custom training initiatives launched be-
tween Southeast Technical and Saint Mary’s University. In
addition, there is a 2014 collaboration with Saint Mary’s Uni-
versity – Twin Cities to deliver a baccalaureate degree on the
Red Wing campus of Southeast Technical.Winona State UniversityIntegrated Wellness Center
Saint Mary’s Hall - Winona Campus
Another significant impact of the “mega merger” has been the
growth of many collaborative relationships developed with
partners within the MnSCU system. A powerful and enriching
partnership for Southeast Technical has been the ever evolving
relationship with Winona State University (WSU). The part-
nerships over the years, have ranged from small to full-blown
initiatives and have involved many WSU Presidents’ Tom Stark,
Darrell Krueger, Judith Ramaley, and Scott Olson. These giving
leaders have seen the benefits of the communities we both
serve and have offered supportive services and programs to
Southeast Technical that have enhanced both institutions
footprints in our region.
The many projects, services and initiatives that compile the
following list are just a sample of the years of collaborative
work between these two state-supported higher education
institutions striving to better serve our students and communi-
ties by leveraging
resources. The
following services
are supplied by
WSU to Southeast
Technical: phone
system, institu-
tional research,
health services,
Integrated Well-
ness Center, stu-
“Mega-merger” facilitates collaboration...
38
As the new century dawned on what in
1999 finally became Minnesota State
College – Southeast Technical, as it is
known today, its growth only continued.
By 2001, the staff had grown to 125, and
there were more than 70 active programs
on the campus. Enrollment for the 2001
- 2002 school year was up 25 percent
from the previous year, and students now
had new resources, including a new truck
driving facility, new programs in network
administration and technology, massage
therapy, and industrial automation.
The first decade of the new century also
brought on two recessions — the second
much deeper than the first — and was
marked by steadily decreasing support
from state and federal governments, job
shortages in several fields, and employers
struggling to provide the wages and ben-
efits their employees had come to expect.
But this proved to be a time for Southeast
Technical to shine, a time when it could
finally break free of the “second choice”
label, declared by its own students, and
where credibility came in the form of
record enrollment levels, ground-breaking
new directions, and a stronger-than-ever
relationship with the community and its
businesses.
These successes were intentional, because
Southeast Technical had earlier deter-
mined that this new decade would be one
of planning. Starting in 2000, the col-
lege turned its focus inward, talking with
students, business partners, community
leaders, and staff to learn more about
how it serves the region and how it could
improve. They embarked on a five-year
Stability“There is not much turnover among staff here,” notes President Jim Johnson. “Many staff members stay for their whole career.” Johnson knows, because he hired a lot of those who have stayed, some for 30 years or more. “We are lucky to be able to match people with their trade and passions, but also their ability to teach,” he says. Some have had to leave because their program could not be sustained due to changes in the economy or in a particular field, but “because we are a technical college, we change for what is needed,” says Johnson. Ironically, that constant change leads to an overall stability. It keeps things fresh.
One secret to program longevity, he says, is to treat each one like a small business. “A program has to be solid and growing —or at least stable — for it to survive,” he says, just like businesses in the community. The principle is the same. If programs are tended to like businesses, they will thrive, he notes. “You can’t just come in and teach and go home.” That is part of the culture of a technical college and what makes it a viable organization.
Like businesses, uniqueness in the field is a plus—being able to offer something that no one else does. That’s one of the secrets of many of the Red Wing programs, like band instrument repair, solar energy, vibroacoustics, guitar, and violin. By filling a niche that others do not, the program has a lasting presence in the industry it serves.
Presence and stability are part of what makes a technical college an integral part of the community. As an example, he notes that “faculty attend graduations; they sit right up front, right to the side of the audience.” “As students come up,” he describes, “faculty shake their hands and see the success of their own students by watching them graduate.”
“It is a worthy endeavor in which we are involved,” says Johnson. “You can count on people being here.”
P R E S I D E N T ’ S P E R S P E C T I V E
A new century, a solid plan for the future
strategic plan, significant especially for
its commitment to a process of continu-
ous improvement, spearheaded by fac-
ulty member John Huth and Provost Amy
Nelson. This process involved a constant
series of self-reflection and self-evaluation
for the college community and would
form its decision-making going forward.
In 2003, through the Higher Learning
Commission of the North Central Associa-
tion the college adopted the Academic
Quality Improvement Program or AQIP.
This formally kicked off the college’s
continuous improvement efforts and
established nine categories ranging from
helping students learn to build collabora-
tive relationships to supporting opera-
tions that the college would keep at the
forefront of its work. This constant evalu-
ation has helped the college to detect and
prioritize improvement opportunities.
In 2006, the college launched a second
phase of strategic planning to carry it
through 2011 and beyond that focused on
increasing access, promoting programs,
measuring services, meeting regional
economic needs, and supporting in-
novation for future education needs.
The new plan was based in its “IDE-
ALS 2011,” a set of six core values that
would drive the college into the future:
integrity, diversity, excellence, access,
learning, and stewardship.
Despite drastic changes in technology,
business models, and teaching tech-
niques, the college repeatedly found
success by staying true to what had
kept it nimble all these years — building
partnerships. With tighter budgets
and a steady decline in state appropria-
tions for higher education coupled with
a tougher business economy in the
region, collaboration would move the
college forward. This concept was
only now taking hold in the rest of
the world, where it was seen
as an innovative way to
increase efficiency, but it
had been a cornerstone of
Southeast Technical’s way
of working since its earliest
days.
economic needs, and supporting in-
novation for future education needs.
The new plan was based in its “IDE-
ALS 2011,” a set of six core values that
would drive the college into the future:
integrity, diversity, excellence, access,
learning, and stewardship.
Despite drastic changes in technology,
business models, and teaching tech-
niques, the college repeatedly found
success by staying true to what had
kept it nimble all these years — building
partnerships. With tighter budgets
and a steady decline in state appropria-
tions for higher education coupled with
a tougher business economy in the
region, collaboration would move the
college forward. This concept was
only now taking hold in the rest of
the world, where it was seen
as an innovative way to
increase efficiency, but it
had been a cornerstone of
Southeast Technical’s way
of working since its earliest
Kathy Holthe1986
New BeginningsRetired admis-
sions staff Kathy Holthe knew how to make a con-nection with non-traditional students — she already walked a mile in their shoes. Holthe first came to the Red Wing campus as a student in 1983, taking sec-retarial/clerical classes. She was going through a divorce and needed a job. Having worked as a secretary, she was skilled but wanted more. The program gave her the new skills she sought, and she graduated after only a year.
To help pay her way through school, Holthe worked in Red Wing’s admissions office and
occasionally spent time at the reception desk. She enjoyed working with students. At first, they
were mostly high school age, but later, the new students were older. “I know how scared I was
when I came back,” says Holthe, and she put that experience to work building bonds with the new students.
Through the years, she made many friends among the students at Red Wing, and few can forget the friendly welcome they received from her when they first arrived.
New Beginnings
Kathy HoltheKathy Holthe
Kathy Holthe1986
James Johnson & Kathy HoltheHolthe retired in 2013
39
40
Accreditation: Continuous quality improvement
Feedback from our
regional constituents
has been a key to the
success of this col-
lege. Accreditation is a
required and valuable
tool in demonstrating
to students, regional
communities and local,
state and federal deci-
sion-makers that our college meets rigid
quality standards established by a nation-
al accrediting agency. This accreditation is
also critical to the ability of the college to
facilitate transfers of credits and degrees
within the higher education arena, as well
as to secure federal funds and grants.
Southeast Technical is accredited through
the Academic Quality Improvement Pro-
gram (AQIP), a path offered by the Higher
Learning Commission of the North Central
Association of Colleges and Schools. In
2003, Southeast Technical President James
Johnson looked for a model of continu-
ous improvement to adopt for the college.
The “new” AQIP accreditation process was
embedded in continuous improvement
philosophy and process. President John-
son approached Band Instrument Repair
Instructor John Huth, to partner with him
in leading the college through its initial
AQIP accreditation. John has been the
resident “guru” behind both the college’s
continuous improvement movement and a
successful reaccreditation in 2010.
John’s dedication to creating a better sys-
tem for students began when he was just
a student himself.
Just out of college,
he started his career
as a freelance trum-
pet player in Cincin-
nati, where he met a
graduate of the band
instrument repair
program. After
contacting the col-
lege, he was hired as
an instructor. John
stated, “I gave my-
self three years and
have been here ever
since.” The college
as a whole, he says,
is a pathway. During a recent visit from
MnSCU Chancellor Steven Rosenstone,
John discussed students which come to
the college and, “if we don’t do something
for them, that’s it for them.” As a faculty
member, he says, “we have to teach them
to read or to problem-solve. We can’t
complain about what they can’t do… we
need to teach them what to do. If you bet
on their talent and brilliance, you will do
fine.”
John HuthAQIP coordinator/band
instrument repair instructor
4141
Airframe and power plant mechanics (aviation mechanics)
From 1970 – 1988, William Hemsey was
the Director of Winona AVTI. Hemsey was
a journeyman machinist by trade who
knew the value and importance of voca-
tional/technical education to the Winona
economy and regional economic develop-
ment. It was his visionary work in support
and development of the aviation mechan-
ics program that made possible one of the
largest and most successful Winona AVTI
programs of the institute’s long history.
The airframe and power plant mechanics
(aviation mechanics) program thrived at
Southeast Technical from 1967 until 2006.
Unfortunately, the
nature of aviation
mechanics changed
over the years.
Tim VanLoon, a 1977
graduate of the pro-
gram, taught aviation
mechanics at Winona
Area Technical Institute
starting in 1980. “In the late 1980s avia-
tion just really took off,” he said. In 1990,
the Minnesota Technical College system
approached the college about building
an Aviation Center to meet the needs of
the ever-growing program and the needs
of the local industry for new FAA certi-
fied aviation mechanics. By the time the
Airport Campus opened in 1992, the
program had grown from two sections
to five sections and by the mid-1990s the
program had expanded to eight sections.
For many years, it was the biggest pro-
gram on campus.
To provide additional training to faculty
members and students, the program
had an ongoing partnership with North-
west Airlines. Unfortunately, Northwest 1968
Tim VanLoon1982
Pat Gregory (middle) - 2002
filed for bankruptcy in 2005 and a few
short years later the airline merged with
Delta,who ultimately moved out of Min-
nesota. The downfall of Northwest along
with the downturn in the economy and the
change in the nature of aviation mainte-
nance following September 11, 2001 led to
the dismantling of the aviation mechanics
program at Southeast Technical.
Pat Gregory, a 1985 alumnus and final
instructor for the program, mentions that
planes do not require the maintenance that
they used to: “rather than repair the com-
ponents, it was exchanged” with the factory
where the parts came from. “We always
had a high quality of students,” said Greg-
ory, adding, “It was a wonderful program; I
enjoyed working as an aircraft mechanic, I
miss it.”
In 2003, Southeast Technical began
offering 10 Liberal Arts and Scienc-
es courses. Over the next 10 years
enrollment soared, and by 2013,
there were 79 associate degree
courses available, with 10 percent of
the student population enrolled in
this curriculum. Offering Liberal Arts
and Sciences courses gave students a
lower cost option toward transition-
ing into a four-year degree.
One of the more recent benefits to
students has resulted from the
Minnesota Transfer Curriculum, a
collaboration which allows credits to
transfer more easily between techni-
cal colleges, community colleges, and
four-year universities. In 2005, the
Tri-College Agreement was formed, in
which Southeast Technical, Winona
State University, and Saint Mary’s Uni-
versity created a partnership to ease the
transition of students from one campus
to another. This allowed students the
flexibility to follow the programs that
provided them with their best possible
outcome.
the student population enrolled in
this curriculum. Offering Liberal Arts
and Sciences courses gave students a
lower cost option toward transition
ing into a four-year degree.
One of the more recent benefits to
and Sciences courses gave students a
lower cost option toward transition
ing into a four-year degree.
What is Nanotechnology?
Nanotechnology is not some
sci-fi futuristic tale. It’s here
now, shaping our lives in ways
that one might not expect. Na-
noscience is reshaping almost
every industry today, including
healthcare, pharmaceutical,
automotive and manufactur-
ing.
“If you took a hair and sliced
it 100,000 times, that’s about one nanometer,”
says Marc Kalis, Electronics and Nanotechnology
Instructor. “By making things smaller, they can
control the development of it a little better and
eliminate inconsistencies and unwanted elements.”
Students learn about Nanotechnology on campus.
Curriculum was developed through a National
Science Foundation grant and is now offered to
students at no cost. Staff members are not just
training students, they also work with local business
leaders to help them to understand how nanotechnol-
ogy can improve their production. “I have heard some
say ‘I don’t need to know anything about nano, it’s not
going to affect me,’ ” says Kalis, “well, it’s going to pass
them by and someone is going to come up and be able
to do things cheaper because they’re much more
efficient.”
Marc Kalis
Red Wing
Winona
Transfer
42
43
The term “vo-
tech” once con-
jured up visions
of young people
caught between
their inability to
get into a four-
year university
and a difficult job
market. It was
a last-chance place for those with no other
options, a place where people went to “work
with their hands.”
But, in the words of math instructor Alice
Zimmer, “why would your hands know what
to do?” Since joining the faculty of the Wi-
nona campus in 1976, Zimmer has seen the
profound effect that a little flexibility can
make. “Before, it was more of a tight ship,”
she says of the campus in her early days,
where schedules were tight — Monday
to Friday, 8 to 3 — and 8:01 was not good
enough. It was a time where students had
only a few options upon coming out of high
school.
In the years that passed, students and
Zimmer1982
Alice Zimmer
faculty sought out new opportunities,
and created more paths for themselves.
“Students say what a difference it makes,”
notes Zimmer of the more open campus
climate. “Now people are making this a
place of choice.” There are more options,
more choices, and more flexibility to ap-
peal to a wider variety of students. As a
result, today’s student averages 24 years of
age and ranges from the young adult out
of high school to the retired profession-
als seeking to learn more. In between are
young parents seeking re-entry in the work
world, university graduates seeking practi-
cal skills, and professionals looking for a
new direction in their careers.
As for faculty and staff, says Zimmer, “ev-
eryone likes the schedule.” It encourages
personal growth and involvement in the
community. It allows students to com-
plete their work and then return later for
more. It encourages relationships where
faculty members can see their students in
the community, catch up, and stay updated
over the years. “There is more of a profes-
sional casualness now,” says Zimmer, but
does not think that
means less work. With
a more open schedule,
she has found, “people
work harder and get
more done.”
“The quality is still
here,” she says, “and
getting better.” Zimmer does not mind stay-
ing late to meet with students who have to
come in later, because tomorrow she can
find time for herself if she needs to. “They
may be getting more hours from us,” she
laughs, “but we are happier about it.”
More choices and flexibility appeals to students
2012
44
The key to successful technical educa-
tion has always been partnerships with
industry, and the college formalized this
relationship with its Center for Custom
Training, Collaboration and Partnerships
program. By 2003, the center had estab-
lished partnerships with more than 300
businesses and trained more than 5,000
students in the region in such fields as
vided placements for Southeast Technical
graduates grew into the Fastenal School
of Business and the unprecedented of-
fering of a specialized associate in ap-
plied science (A.A.S.) degree in industrial
distribution for Fastenal employees. This
is a collaboration between Fastenal and
Southeast Technical that was endorsed by
the Higher Learning Commission in 2005
and served as a model for technical col-
leges around the state.
nursing, robotics and lean manufacturing.
The Tandeski Center, the college’s state-
of-the-art teaching and conference center
named in honor of friend, supporter, and
lifelong teacher George Tandeski, was the
location of many of these courses.
Some of the major partners in the cus-
tom training program over the years
have included: Treasure Island; Schwan’s;
Red Wing Shoes; Wenonah Canoe; Val-
ley Craft, Inc.; Mississippi Welders Sup-
ply; Fairview, Lake City and Cannon Falls
medical centers; Federal
Mogul; and hundreds
of others in need of
specialized training for
their employees. Most
prominent, perhaps, was
the unique relationship
with an area business
and national leader in
the fastener industry,
Fastenal. What began
as a series of education
programs that attracted
new workers and pro-
Reaching out to the community: Customized training
Crane OperatorCustom Training, 2006
Red Wing Republican Eagle2013
The demand for custom training grew steadily
through the 2000s. Most of these partnerships
were with employers in the region and some
formed consortia with other businesses having
similar needs to pursue shared funding through
grant programs like the Minnesota Job Skills Part-
nership Program. As a collaborator in this program,
Southeast Technical has been awarded multiple
grants. Since 1989, over 42 grants have been
awarded to Southeast Technical with 51 business-
es. Six thousand students were trained and over $7
million dollars were awarded to the college and its
participating businesses for training in areas such
as lean manufacturing, healthcare, supervisory
management, industrial safety, and maintenance.
In addition to serving businesses in the
community, the college reached out to help
form new businesses in 2004, with the
establishment of a Small Business Develop-
ment Center (SBDC) on both campuses. The
SBDC provides business training and start-
up consultation for entrepreneurs in Red
Wing, Winona and some neighboring
counties.
Calli Ekblad: Writing grants to serve the local economy
Ask Calli Ekblad, Southeast Technical director of business
relations, about grant writing and her face lights up with
enthusiasm. “I love to write grants because each business
has a unique story. In writing grants, I discover and then
tell their stories, and how the particular needs of each
company can best be served.”
Since 1981, Ekblad’s hard work has helped the college
connect with area businesses. In 2013, six new grants,
totaling more than $1.2 million, were awarded to Min-
nesota State College – Southeast Technical to provide
state-of-the-art employee training for Cytec Industries,
Northern Engraving Corporation, ProAct, Inc. and Winona Occupational Rehabili-
tation Center (WORC).
The grants were awarded by Minnesota Jobs Skills Partnership (MJSP), a program
that works with businesses and educational institutions to train workers, expand
work opportunities, and keep high-quality jobs in the state. Training grants are
used to offset the necessary training-related expenses that are incurred by business,
industry and educational institutions to meet future workforce needs. These unique
opportunities help businesses stay competitive and expose Southeast Technical to the
current and future trends that affect college curriculum and programs.
She says, “At Southeast Technical, we are committed to helping local employers develop
a well-trained, skilled workforce. Our training grants offer businesses the opportunity to
sharpen the skills of their workforce during a time when training budgets may be minimal
or non-existent. We are here to help our local businesses succeed.” She continues, “It’s im-
portant to give businesses the opportunity to get the additional funding when they are not
able to do that on their own. As they’re expanding their workforce, we can create customized
training unique to their particular needs. The outcome is so positive and rewarding — and I am so
proud of all of our partners!”
Calli Ekblad
45
46
New programs for changing times
When the new decade began, the college
had more than 70 academic program de-
gree offerings. This has now grown to more
than 80 potential degrees in 33 program
areas. It is not just the addition of
programs that has allowed the college to
succeed; it’s choosing the programs that
students need and industries demand.
Part of being flexible and ready to take
on changes in the business community
means entering new territory, and the
2000s opened new doors for both stu-
dents and faculty, including new programs
in broadband delivery, nanotechnology,
and biomedical equipment technology.
Some changes were driven not by industry
but by government. In 2006, the college
began offering crane operator certifica-
tion through Continuing Education to
accommodate new Occupational Safety
& Health Administration (OSHA) safety
standards that required the recertification
of crane operators industry-wide.
But the flagship programs were still there,
and many were growing. Nursing, one of
the first programs to be established back
Biomedical Radiography Nursing simulation lab
in 1950, remained one of the most popu-
lar majors at Southeast Technical, and its
growth spawned many new programs in
allied health and medical administration.
In 2002, because of the rising demand
for registered nurses, the college began
a two-year nursing degree that would
transfer to a Bachelor of Science in Nurs-
ing at WSU and many other universities.
Credit hours in allied health fields nearly
doubled between 2000 and 2005, and
they continue to rise as the healthcare
field grows. Advance simulation labs
Caring for caregiversAs one of the first programs of the Winona AVTI in 1950, the Practical Nursing Program
remains one of the college’s cornerstones. Originally under the joint responsibility of Winona
Public Schools and the Winona General Hospital Association, the fledgling Practical Nurs-
ing Program consisted of one course with only 12 students led by a single teaching director.
The program has grown steadily to
support hundreds of students and
dozens of faculty today.
Training someone to be a caregiver
means caring for them first. “No
matter how many students there
are,” says former program director,
Betsey Woodward, “each one has a
heart and needs support.” Since the
program’s beginning, and even today,
most students arrive with the goal
of becoming a bedside nurse. But
the career possibilities available to
today’s nursing graduates have multiplied since the 1950s, with students having an enormous
range of career options to choose from, ranging from Nursing Assistant to Doctor of Nursing
Practice.
The curriculum has continued to diversify since its early affiliation with St. Joseph’s Hospital in
Saint Paul, when learning experiences included courses such as “Care of the Ill Child” and “Care of
the Emotionally Ill Patient.” Mental health, pediatrics and geriatrics remain strong components of
the curriculum.
In 1986, a part-time program was offered that allowed students with jobs and families to complete
the program over an extended period of time. Most of today’s students have families, says Wood-
ward, and although the average age is in the late 20s, many students are in their 40s. They have
families and careers and are seeking a return to nursing — what had initially been their life goal, but
which had been set aside for the sake of their families.
Like physicians, nursing students today are drawn to the specialties, and many go on to pursue addi-
tional educational opportunities beyond their Southeast Technical experience, leading some to careers in
administration, advanced practice, and nurse leadership.
were added to assist nursing students in
their hands-on training. As baby boom-
ers began to retire, it became clear that
there would be a great need for health-
care workers. New allied health programs
emerged in medical laboratory technician,
radiography and phlebotomy. Southeast
Technical began collaborations with WSU
and other education and healthcare part-
ners in the state to launch a statewide
Center of Excellence for Healthcare based
in Winona.
With a $10 million state appropriation,
this new entity was designed to serve
both as a collaborative funder and a
common ground for new partnerships
between higher education and the
healthcare industry. The Center for
Integrated Health Science Education
and Practice, as the Center of
Excellence was known, continues
today as HealthForce Minnesota,
funding innovative healthcare
education projects around the
region.
47
Nursing faculty - early 2000’s
In the 2000s, online learning became
more of a norm than a novelty, both for
traditional students and for employees
gaining new skills. The ability to connect
with students outside of the classroom,
whether at home or a work site, made
online learning a certain success, as is
evidenced by its rapid growth. Learning
that began with just under 800 credit
hours taken online in 2001, quadrupled to
more than 3,200 hours in just five years.
In 2013, the number of hours was more
than 15,000.
This growth showed that online was
quickly becoming the second classroom
and the college responded by making it
possible to take classes, earn certificates,
and even earn degrees entirely online.
Under the vision and leadership of Dr.
Amy Nelson, Red Wing campus Provost,
Southeast Technical became the second
college in the MnSCU System to be award-
ed distance learning accreditation by the
Higher Learning Commission.
To further encourage the development of
new uses for online programs and other
technologies, the college awarded Tech-
nology Innovation Grants to faculty in the
mid-2000s to stimulate the creation of
projects that provide students with access
to opportunities they might not have had
available previously.
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Online Credits
Online LearningLiberal Arts and Individualized Studies
In 1992 when the
campuses merged,
“The liberal arts
merger went
beautifully,” said Jo
Poncelet, dean of
liberal arts and sci-
ences. The program
chairs from both
campuses worked together to build the
department. It continued to grow and
develop over the years.
The recently-established individualized
studies program is designed for students
who intend to focus on a specialized
interest, those who wish to combine and
integrate multiple areas into a single
degree, those who would like to complete
the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum Package
(liberal arts and science courses that transfer
to any MnSCU institution) and/or those who
wish to build on current areas of expertise.
The associate degree in individualized studies can
lead directly to employment; it is also a transferable
degree accepted at other institutions of higher
learning.
Jo Poncelet
48
boards and upload their assignments. These early online classes
did not have any administrative support as the school was not
yet prepared to offer classes online for credit. When other pro-
grams began going online, Swanson was way ahead of the curve
and had already worked out many of the bugs in his own online
programs.
Without a doubt this program will continue to change year after
year for a very long time. One hundred percent of Swanson’s
classes are online, though he remains on campus if students
want to get help in person. The program continues to evolve year
after year to keep up with the ever-changing demands of the
field.
Computer Programming
Retired computer instructor, Neva
Burdick has witnessed an entire in-
dustry as it emerged, grew, and then
completely changed the world in her
time at Southeast Technical. Before
the Internet, computer instruction
was very personal. “We were all in
the same room all day,” says Burdick,
“and we got to be friends.” Early
on, students entered the programming or operations programs
as uncharted territory. Students did not always know what to
expect, but Burdick says she knew learning programming would
take students to the next level.
Early online learning
“When I first came here, there was
one computer and it had 25 ter-
minals. The administrative office
didn’t have any computers, they
had a couple of terminals con-
nected to a mainframe,” reports
computer instructor Mark Swan-
son. He offered online learning far
before it was in vogue, or really even possible for the average
student.
In the mid-1990s, at the outset of the Internet, he created a
webpage with information on his program. Computer savvy
students from around the world found the page and started
taking classes online. Swanson worked hard to stay ahead of
the game and
offered classes
to professionals
around the world
on topics such as
new computer
languages. He
sent them their
assignments in the
mail on a disk, they
would then dial up
his online bulletin
Mark Swanson
Neva Burdick
49
Computer careers
50
Research, using 2011 data states:
The annual economic impact of the
Minnesota State College – Southeast
Technical in the Southeast region
reaches $69 million. Based on the
Southeast region economy of $22.6
billion, this means that for every
$1,000 produced in the South East
region, $3 are directly or indirectly
related to Minnesota State College –
Southeast Technical. The sources of this
impact are the institution’s operations
($30.1 million), student expenditures
($39 million).
During 2011, Minnesota State College
– Southeast Technical generated an
estimated 848 jobs in the Southeast
region. These jobs include 666 direct
jobs generated by the college and its
students, and 182 additional indirect
jobs created by vendors, contractors,
and businesses supplying inputs to the
college and its students.
Winona campus, clients of the Workforce
Center can obtain the specialized train-
ing they need to progress in their jobs or
job search, and staff duties can be shared
with Southeast Technical.
Under the leadership and vision of Mo-
hamed Elhindi, Director of Information
Technology, the on campus classrooms in
particular had become much more high-
tech, offering Tegrity Notes for recording
lectures and sharing materials online and
Desire2Learn (D2L) for faculty to post as-
signments, readings, handout, and even
grades online. Dr. Elhindi was instrumen-
tal in the 2006 collaboration with Micro-
soft to develop new software that would
provide its nursing programs with a com-
petency tracking system, funded in part
by the Center of Excellence for Healthcare.
As one would imagine, the economic
impact of well-prepared students, cus-
tomized on-the-job training, and modern
facilities is tremendous. With 91 percent
job placement for students seeking em-
ployment in their field of study, an Eco-
nomic Impact study completed by Wilder
The face of education is always chang-
ing, and, like its programs, each campus is
continually upgrading its facilities to meet
the changing needs of its students and
their employers. From new science labs
and a multimedia auditorium in 2003 to
the addition of “smart classrooms,” and
bookstore, common areas renovations,
change is constant.
It is not just students who benefit from
these changes. The community has also
made use of conference facilities, meeting
rooms equipped with video conferencing
and auditoriums for public meetings and
gatherings. In 2005, the college focused
on increased collaborations with other
facilities to share space, and the following
two years saw major renovations — first
in Winona and then in Red Wing — to
create a more collegiate environment
and provide newer, state-of-the-art class-
rooms, labs, and meeting areas. One of
the most visible, and most successful,
community partnerships has been be-
tween the college and the local Workforce
Center. By co-locating the center on the
Changing with the community
According to the study, Southeast Techni-
cal contributed $69 million to the regional
economy and 848 jobs. Nonetheless,
state appropriations dropped more than
16 percent in the 2000s, providing less
than 50 percent of total operations for
the first time. As a result, students faced
double-digit tuition increases in the early
2000s, tuition costs per credit has now
swollen to more than 250 percent what
it was in 2000, and student borrowing for
college has reached an all-time high.
The value of hosting a technical college
campus has not been lost on the com-
munities of Winona and Red Wing, who
take time to celebrate their investment
in Southeast Technical each year during
National Career and Technical Education
Week. The state has also taken notice;
Southeast Technical was awarded the
Excellence in Financial Management
award from MnSCU for two con-
secutive years, 2004 and 2005, and
again in 2010 for its responsible
and efficient financial planning in
lean times.
Workforce CenterMike Haney is the director of the Minnesota Workforce Center –
Winona and a long-time friend of Southeast Technical. “Our goal is to help dislocated workers and people on public assistance to get back into good tax-paying jobs,” he says. “We’ve found that Southeast Technical provides the best ‘bang for the buck’ to get people back to work. Our funding comes from Minnesota taxes and we invest it in a state institution for training. The workers that are trained get good paying jobs and are able to contribute taxes back to the state. It’s a positive cycle.”
Originally the Workforce Center’s offices were in downtown Wi-nona, but the organization moved to Southeast Technical’s Winona campus in 1997. “Jim Johnson and I kept running into each other at the same meetings, like the Chamber of Commerce, employer manufacturing groups, and City Hall. Meanwhile both of our staffs were dealing with the same clients — both job seekers and employers— so we realized it would make sense to co-locate and collaborate.”
Having the Workforce Center right on campus has made it easier for their clients to enroll in college. “People who haven’t been in school for a long, long time are intimidated by the idea of going to college for training. We can walk them right down the hall and help them meet with admissions and faculty.”
Haney says the college has a proven track record of delivering good programs, and the flexibility to tailor courses to meet the Workforce Center’s needs. “For example, a few years back a company
in our area had a large layoff in the spring. The college quickly customized programs so that our clients could do an entire year of college in just one summer. By September they were already en-
tering their second year of training.”
Most importantly, Haney emphasizes that the college is not just located in Winona but truly a part of the community. “Southeast Technical faculty and staff are not just state employees who come to work here and go back home somewhere else. They live right in the community. We see each other at the grocery store, at church, at community meetings — I can’t emphasize enough how valuable they are and how much that means to our clients.”
Mike Haney2014
51
52
help his students develop the work ethic they would need to keep
going once they landed a job. “Sometimes you have to be hard,”
he explains with a smile.
Mechanics is a field that is always changing. Automobile dealers,
the future employers of Abts’ graduates, needed workers with
skills but also the dedication to keep up with the latest develop-
ments in the field. “We give basic skills in the classroom,” says
Abts, “the rest comes on the job.” Learning does not stop once
students leave school. “I loved going to classes in the summer,”
says Abts, where he stayed current on the latest trends that he
would teach to his students come fall.
A desire to learn was a key characteristic that separated out the
successful students. During the Vietnam War, he points out,
there was an influx of students in his program, eager to avoid
combat by returning to school. But they soon learned that tech-
As the first faculty mem-
ber for the Winona Area
Vocational School’s new
diploma program in auto
mechanics in 1959, Norris
Abts quickly learned how
to tell which students were
likely to succeed.
“You saw students who
could not diagnose,” he
says, “and if you can not
diagnose you are not a
true mechanic.” He should
know. “When I started in
the business, working for
the Ford dealer,” he says, “I couldn’t diagnose. I was a parts
replacer.” “But then,” he says, “the Army sent me to the finest
tech school in the world — Vietnam.”
There, working as a mechanic on Army vehicles, Abts had to
learn to troubleshoot, and quickly. “No matter what your
trade,” says Abts, “you are a troubleshooter...you have to assess
and then solve the problem.” It was there that Abts developed
his lifelong appreciation for learning.
Abts’ Army experience also gave him another important ele-
ment of success — a work ethic. He would be the first to tell
you that he was pretty tough as an instructor, but it was all to
Norris Abts1975
Pete Roehl, Ron Wenzel, Norris Abts
A work ethic and desire to learn
53
nical school was not as easy as they might have thought, and
those who were not up to the work expectation quickly left the
program.
In fact, he says, “Those who succeeded [in the program]
sometimes went into the military at a higher level” be-
cause of their skills. Many, because of their abilities,
avoided the front lines and went directly into more skilled
positions. Others went to work for local dealers.
Abts knew the importance of community-building in the
industry. “It was our responsibility as employees to go
around and speak with people in the organizations that
we belonged to [about the program],” Abts explains.
“Dealers appreciated their relationships with us.” He
speaks highly of his Advisory Board — “all car lovers,” he
says, who provided him with specific information about
changes in particular brands and shared training materi-
als that would benefit the students upon employment.
“This helped with placement at graduation,” he notes.
And the auto mechanics program always had good placement.
As his career progressed, Abts’ dedication to student success
and employer satisfaction soon took him out of the classroom
and into the ranks of the administrative team at the vocational
school. As the assistant director under then Director Bill Hemsey
in the 1970s, he hired a young Jim Johnson as his assistant, on
whom Abts made a lasting impression. His advice to his new as-
sistant, “Stay close to the professions. They will tell you what the
needs are.”
Today, Southeast Technical’s brand new state-of-the-art Transpor-
tation Center is named for Abts.
“Kids now have to get the basic skills and then be a learner for the rest of their lives. If they aren’t willing to do that, they aren’t going to be able to stay in that trade.” —Norris Abts
54
Southeast Technical Foundation: Preparing for the future
In 2001, Southeast Technical lost one of
its best friends in former tutor George
Tandeski. A lifelong teacher, Tandeski
saw the benefit of technical education in
the region and encouraged its growth by
supporting scholarships for students to
pursue technical studies at the college,
both in life and again through a generous
bequest.
Dedication to student success by the local
community, by faculty and staff, by area
business partners, and by former
students and their families led to the
formation of the Southeast Technical
Foundation. Each year, the foundation
encourages gifts to its endowment to pro-
vide scholarships to its students. In 1999,
when the foundations merged, there
were no scholarship endowments. That
year they successfully established four;
the endowment has now reached nearly
2.4 million dollars and has awarded
scholarship dollars in excess of 1.4 mil-
lion dollars. 1,500 scholarships have been
awarded since the foundation’s inception.
Scholarships have dominated the focus
of the foundation since its inception. The
foundation became the avenue to accept
gifts from the community and distribute
them in a manner that maximized the
benefit to the college. The mission of
the foundation is to “assist the college in
the fulfillment of its mission and vision
— achieving excellence in education for
employment.”
Winona Daily NewsNovember 16, 1999
Foundation Board Presidents(since merging Foundations)
1999 – 2000 John Christianson
2000 – 2001 Bob Andraschko
2002 – 2004 Tom Thompson
2004 – 2006 Eric Lawrence
2006 – 2007 Pete Roehl
2007 – 2010 Stan Slessor
2010 – 2013 Dan Matejka
2013 – 2014 Jack Richter
“The foundation has been a critical partner with the college since its inception. That partner-ship is more important than ever as the need for scholarships and program support from non-public sources grows every year. As a volunteer board member I recognize the importance of a strong and vibrant college to the health of both the Red Wing and Wi-nona communities. Therefore, supporting the foundation supports and maintains this critically important community asset.”
Jack J. Richter
2013 - 2014 Foundation Board President,President and CEO, Winona National Bank
“The foundation has
55
A Note from Chris Schabow, Foundation Director
Each of us is empowered to make a difference in the life of another. Top economists
continue to show that there are few investments that pay higher dividends than that of
a quality education. The investments we make as a community today will have a lasting
impact on tomorrow.
The Foundation is dedicated solely to the advancement of Minnesota State College –
Southeast Technical. It serves the college by helping acquire and manage the private
financial contributions, gifts and grants that are so critical to preserving the educational
experience that Southeast Technical provides. Our donors and partners in the commu-
nity recognize the important impact of the college. They understand the difference it
makes in the lives of others and the role it plays in providing future economic growth
and opportunity in the region.
The Minnesota State College – Southeast Technical Foundation makes it possible for
students to turn a lifelong interest into a career with purpose. However, the Foundation
is only able to meet the needs of our students through the generous contributions of oth-
ers. As we sit here today, the Southeast Technical Foundation is valued at over two million
dollars. The generosity of southeast Minnesota has truly allowed this Foundation to grow
and give back more than any of the founders could have ever imagined, and we are just
getting started.
Each year, the gap between projected costs for critical operations of the college and antici-
pated revenue from traditional sources is broadening. The success of the foundation and
the partnership with the college has never
been so vitally important. Foundation vol-
unteers and staff recognize this opportunity
and are determined to support the college
at the highest level possible. In 2014, founda-
tion staff, volunteers and college administrators
will participate in a strategic planning summit
where we will ask ourselves: “how we can do bet-
ter for the college?” It is this continued, purposeful
analysis of the foundation that has helped us remain
relevant in the past and will for years to come.
It was determined, that the best way to
assist the college is to encourage enroll-
ment through the scholarship program.
Currently the Southeast Technical Foun-
dation receives and distributes scholar-
ship funds from three primary channels:
endowments, grants and named scholar-
ships. Current funding of the scholarship
program relies heavily on our endowed
funds, while being supplemented each
year with grants and named funds. As
you can see from the graph approximate-
ly 80 percent of awards are generated
from long term (permanently restricted)
funds.
Chris Schabow (far right)2013 Winona Golf Tournament
56
Brad AlsopSoutheast Technical Biology instructor
Wang Pei HuiQuzhou College of Technology
English instructor
Fang XiaofenQuzhou College of Technology
Automotive instructor
Faculty Exchanges
Tao Peng
Tao Peng, who is not only a staff member of the college,
but also chair of the Red Wing Sister Cities Commission,
was born in China and left when he was 13 years old.
Peng said, “To see China through the eyes of this delega-
tion was priceless; I know how they felt before they left for
China and I know how they felt when they were in China.
This gave me a better understanding of my own culture.”
In 2012, President James Johnson led a group
of Southeast Technical representatives to
our Red Wing sister city – Quzhou, China.
While in China, Southeast Technical President
Johnson and Quzhou College of Technology
Vice-Principal Wu Jian signed an agreement of
understanding to start exploring student and
faculty exchanges between the two colleges.
In addition, it is intended to begin online
language and culture trainings in which stu-
dents would learn from faculty in the other
country. This will allow for a greater number
of students and faculty to reap the benefits
of this cultural exchange. “We, as a college,
Delegation members were invited to participate in the Confucius Memorial Ceremony.
deal in training people for a global workforce.
We strive to put forth well-rounded students
with good skills who understand that dealing
with other cultures is part of being a global
citizen,” said President Johnson. “The ability
to have experiences to understand another
culture is valuable not only in values learned
but also in technology.” Southeast Technical
shares many programs with Quzhou College
of Technology, including electronics, sciences,
automotive and nursing.
In Spring 2013, faculty exchanges began with
Southeast Technical biology instructor Brad
Alsop. His visit was followed up with two
Quzhou faculty members – English and
automotive instructors – visiting Southeast
Technical in the fall of 2013.
Technical training on a global scale
57
In the end, whether Southeast Technical
is creating new programs, forging new
partnerships, or building new facilities,
the priority is the students. Students
have responded in kind, making South-
east Technical their college of choice year
after year. Enrollment was strong and on
the rise at the beginning of the decade,
and that trend only increased through the
2000s, reaching an all-time record high
in 2010 with 1,988 Full Year Equivalent
Students (30 credits=1 FYE) — 87 percent
higher than in 1998 — and making South-
east Technical one of the fastest growing
technical colleges in the state and in the
upper midwest.
So who are the students of Southeast
Technical? A 10 year average shows that
72 percent are from
Minnesota; the aver-
age age is 28; about
60 percent are fe-
male; and about 35
percent come from
other schools, 3
percent with a de-
gree or certificate already in hand. When
asked, they say the reason for choosing
Southeast Technical is the availability of
the programs they want to study, the af-
fordable costs, location, the reputation of
faculty, as well as it being a quality school.
“Each student has a unique history before
arriving at Southeast Technical. Our staff
and faculty recognize the challenges and
successes students endure before, during
and after they become a part of our cam-
pus community. We are diverse in regards
to age, race, academic background, and
needs,” says Nate Emerson, Vice President
of Student Affairs. “As a result, we do all
that we can to serve the needs of each
student, while providing an education
that will prepare them for advancement
and ideally long term success no matter
what road they travel down.”
The student population has gone from 6
percent of all students being non-Cauca-
sian in 2004 to 11 percent in 2012, due in
part to the cultural awareness opportuni-
ties for faculty, staff, and fellow students. Nate Emerson,Vice President of Student Affairs 20
21222324252627282930
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Average Age
0500
1000150020002500300035004000
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Ethnicity
Caucasian Minority
0500
1000150020002500300035004000
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Geographic Population
Winona County Goodhue County Other MN Counties WI Other
0500
1000150020002500300035004000
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Headcount
Male Female
The changing college student
58
Present day: Passion. Purpose. Focus.Published in May of 2014, this first-ever Southeast
Technical College history book is distributed at a
time when students and staff are winding down
another academic year. Close to 650 graduates
are leaving campus to find success in their chosen
fields. The success of the students now rests on
their shoulders and they have the skills and
knowledge attained from Southeast Technical
to support them on their journey.
This section is dedicated to the professionals work-
ing behind the scenes who have been central to
the success of the college’s 21,000 plus graduates
dispersed throughout the world. The first Min-
nesota State College – Southeast Technical history
book comes to a pause, without actually coming to
an end — as over 150 faculty and staff members
are ready to devote another one, ten or maybe
even twenty plus years to students, community,
alumni, business partners and the college.
Student Services In many cases, these pro-
fessionals are the first and the last people that
students interact with as they spend their time
with the college. The student-centered services
of this department include: veteran’s services,
health services, college/program marketing ser-
vices, financial aid assistance, career counseling,
recruitment, general information, job placement
assistance, new program ideas, registration, and
just listening to students.
Learning Resource Center The Learning
Resources Center (LRC) of each campus is the focal
point of resources to help our students succeed
academically. A variety of resources for both
students and faculty are offered by these willing
and talented professionals. Services include basic
skills/placement testing, library services, com-
puter access, assistance with personal counseling,
and services for students with disabilities/special
needs such as: adaptive testing, special equip-
ment, note takers, tutors, etc.
The College Foundation The success of this
community volunteer group over the years is a tes-
tament to the value of community partnerships…
this organization’s relationship to the college is
another reason we have thrived. Contributions to
the Foundation permit and provide scholarships,
special donor-specified expenditures for equip-
ment, property, supplies, etc. Also, within their
mission is support of faculty and staff in program
support and operational costs as authorized by the
Student Services WinonaStudent Services Winona
Student Services – Winona CampusStudent Services – Red Wing Campus Learning Resource Center
59
board of directors and within the constraints set
forth by the donors.
Continuing Education and
Workforce Training This division excels at
delivering high-quality technical and professional
education in career-orientated programs tailored
to individual or sector business needs. This divi-
sion serves as the critical outreach component of
college programming and those services include:
training assessment, program development,
facilitating/delivery of training, on-site delivery
and customization of training to individual needs.
These dedicated employees help businesses ef-
fectively train employees, strengthen competitive
edges, and retain quality employees.
Administrative Services This division excels
and takes pride in maintaining order and control
of the significant fiscal resources entrusted to the
college from the tax payers of this state. This team
of professionals helps faculty, staff and students
make sure the financial resources of the college
are distributed to their proper and planned uses
and been recognized by the state of Minnesota for their excellence.
Information Technology Resources for
students and instructors exist at the campus, the
state, and at a global level. Tools like D2L, the col-
lege website and Tegrity are interconnected and
are used by people on campus or at home 24 hours
a day. Service to our students, faculty and staff,
stability of the tools we are using today, and readi-
ness for the tools that come tomorrow defines IT
at Southeast Technical.
college from the tax payers of this state. This team
are used by people on campus or at home 24 hours
Information TechnologyAdministrative Services Continuing Education and Workforce Training
Foundation Office
60
Red Wing Campus
State-of-the-art facilitiesAll of Southeast Technical’s facilities boast state-of-the-art classrooms, many complete with ITV capabilities, top-of-the-line computer equipment, and multiple fully-equipped workshops and lab space specifically designed for each program. The newly expanded Norris P. Abts Transportation Center provides students with leading-edge technology to allow students to graduate at the top of their game.
Tom Hoffman, building maintenance supervi-sor for the Winona campus and 1981 carpentry alumnus, has worked on campus for 27 years. Since 2006 Hoffman estimates that about 80 percent of the campus has been updated since 2006 and the last 20 percent is in the works right now.
“Since I started here, we’ve taken on a lot more of the projects ourselves in-stead of outsourcing,” says Hoffman. Hoffman points out that it is his job to provide for the facility needs of staff and faculty on campus — whatever that may be. They do a little bit of everything.
Former building maintenance supervisor for the Red Wing campus, Don Mikitta states, “It takes a person who understands the system to do the work.” As the campuses changed and grew, Mikitta kept one eye on the lead-ing edge and one on reality. Having a “smart room” that automatically adjusts the temperature according to whether the room is occupied is wonderful, as-suming everyone likes their rooms at the same tempera-ture. “Maintenance is not without challenges,” says Don, adding “You just have to be flexible.”
The college’s facility management teams have been awarded numerous Excellence in Facility Management over the years.
Red Wing Facilities Staff 2008front row: JoAnne Schmidt,
back row: Robert Oglesby, Ed Kvestad, Mark Thompson, Don Mikitta
Winona Facilities Staff 2008front row: Mike Kappmeyer, Ryan Kowalski
back row: Russ Sobotta, Kelly Kluver, Scott Jensen, Dave Korder, Tom Hoffman
61
Winona Campus
Tandeski Center
Transportation Center
Today
62
The Southeast Technical College Alumni
Association provides ways in which alum-
ni can stay connected with the college as
well as to support their growth personally
and professionally. While the formal as-
sociation is relatively new, it encompasses
alums of both campuses as far back as the
first graduating classes. There are more
than 21,000 alumni living all over the
world today.
Steering the association in its endeavors
is the Alumni Committee (comprised of
volunteers and the alumni director of the
college), with financial assistance from
Alumni Association
the college’s Foundation. The goal of the
committee is to connect with alums, busi-
nesses and industry in ways that benefit
both groups. Some of the many events
the association hosts include golf outings,
reunions, business partnerships, career
and networking fairs, and picnics. The
Alumni Association’s strength can be wit-
nessed by the growth of such events, as
nearly $150,000 has been raised from the
Red Wing and Winona golf tournaments
since their inceptions (Red Wing – 2006;
Winona – 2009).
In 2005, the association began awarding
the Outstanding Alumni Award to recog-
nize alumni who have made personal and
professional contributions to the college
and community. This award, given during
the annual graduation ceremonies, also
highlights the accomplishments alums
have had in their lives since graduating
from Southeast Technical. To date eigh-
teen Outstanding Alumni Awards have
been awarded.
Most recently in 2013, the association
held its first all-school reunions on each
campus with over 300 people in atten-
dance. In the future, all school alumni
reunion events are planned to be held
every 5 years.
Separate programmatic alumni reunions
have also been heldin areas such as:
• Automotive Technology/Auto Body
Collision Technology
• Band Instrument Repair
• Electronics Technology
• Farm Operations and Management
• Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning
and Refrigeration (HVAC)
• Legal Secretary
Business Partnerships - Southeast Technical alumni employed at Fastenal, 2008
A Lifelong CommitmentFormer alum, Foundation board member and co-founder of Riverside Electronics, Ron Wenzel.
“In the early days,” says 1967 electronics program graduate Ron Wenzel, “no one took on the role of training.” As a mem-ber of the first graduating class following the split with the Board of Education, Wenzel experienced firsthand the AVTI’s evolution into a collegiate learning environment.
As Wenzel left high school, then-AVTI Director Thomas Raine became his counselor, and in 1966, encouraged the young Wenzel to seek his future in a new field: electronics. Classes were held in the Jonway Tool building on Main and Front streets in Winona, which had previously been a freight building. “You could see through the floorboards below you,” he remembers.
Changing careers was a popular notion at the time, and although the classes were small, they were effective and provided a good learning experience.
At last, Wenzel and some friends decided to start a company of their own, and they made sure to hire plenty of graduates from the technical college. In fact, they now employ 600 people.
As a Founder
In 1984, Wenzel and five others were called upon to help start a foundation for the techni-cal college which now gives out more than $120,000+ per year in financial support to stu-dents and programs. He also went back to work for the college in customized training. Says
VP of Student Affairs Nate Emerson, “Ron has given back — financially, through his time, at the foundation, and through scholarships.”
As an Alumnus
From all of his experiences, Wenzel says, he is able to see both the need for and the supply of technically-trained graduates. He knows better than most how important Minnesota State
College – Southeast Technical is, “Without it, the community would be in bad shape.”
Ron Wenzel
• Retail and Sales Management
• String Instrument Repair
Aside from the reunions being held on our
campuses, a more “non-traditional” re-
union has been hosted by the alumni as-
sociation at three area businesses known
as our Business Partnerships. Many of
the businesses in the communities of Red
Wing and Winona, as well as close sur-
rounding communities, have graduates
from multiple programs employed at
their business. The Business Partnership
reunions highlight the impact Southeast
Technical can have on business.
For more information or to join the
Alumni Association, please contact:
www.southeastmn.edu/alumni
Casie Johnson, President’s Assistant and Alumni Director
63
64
Business, Office and Information Technology
Accounting - A.A.S./D
Accounting and Networking Specialist - A.A.S.
Accounting Clerk - D
Bookkeeping Clerk - C
Administrative Assistant - A.A.S.
Office Specialist - D
Office Assistant - C
Receptionist - C
Computer Programming and Web Development - A.A.S.
Microcomputer and Web Support - A.A.S./D
Web Applications Programming - C
Legal Administrative Assistant - A.A.S.
Legal Office Assistant - D
Legal Assistant - C
Medical Administrative Secretary - A.A.S.
Medical Coding Specialist - A.A.S./D
Medical Secretary - D
Medical Secretary Transcriptionist - D
Health Unit Coordinator - C
Network Administration & Technology - A.A.S./D
Network Administration & Technology-Cisco - C
Network Administration & Technology-Microsoft - C
A.A.S. - Associate in Applied Science Degree A.S. - Associate in Science Degree D - Diploma C - Certificate
65
Health and Human Services
Biomedical Equipment Technology - A.A.S
Cosmetology - A.A.S. /D
Estheology - C
Estheology-Wisconsin - C
Nail Care Technology - C
Nail Care Technology-Wisconsin - C
Massage Therapist - A.A.S/D/C
Medical Laboratory Technician - A.A.S.
Phlebotomy - C
Nursing Mobility - A.S.
Practical Nursing - D
Introduction to Health Careers - C
Radiography - A.A.S.
A.A.S.=Associate in Applied Science Degree A.S.=Associate in Science Degree D=Diploma C=Certificate
66
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Criminal Justice - A.S.
Early Childhood Education - A.S./A.A.S.
Early Childhood Development - C
Individualized Studies - A.S.
A.A.S.=Associate in Applied Science Degree A.S.=Associate in Science Degree D=Diploma C=Certificate
67
Musical Instrument Repair and Building
Band Instrument Repair - D
Guitar Repair and Building - D
Guitar Development and Production - D
Electric Guitar Building - C
Violin Repair - D
A.A.S.=Associate in Applied Science Degree A.S.=Associate in Science Degree D=Diploma C=Certificate
68
Broadband Delivery Technician - A.A.S.
Computer Aided Design (CAD) Drafting Technologies - A.A.S./D
Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) Technologies - C
Basic Drafting Technologies - C
Electronics Technology - A.A.S./D
Electronics Lab Assistant - C
Nanoscience Technician Assistant - C
A.A.S.=Associate in Applied Science Degree A.S.=Associate in Science Degree D=Diploma C=Certificate
Technical
69
Trade and Industrial
Auto Body Collision Technology - A.A.S./D
Auto Body Refinishing - C
Auto Body Sheet Metal Repair and Replacement - C
Automotive Technology - D
Undercar Specialist - C
Carpentry - A.A.S./D
Diesel Maintenance Technician - D
Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration - D
Industrial Technology - A.A.S./D
Industrial Technology Welding Specialist - C
Outdoor Power-Small Engine Equipment Technician - C
Computerized (CNC) Precision Machining Technology - D
Basic Machinist - D
Machining Basics - C
Truck Driving - C
Welding Technology - D
A.A.S.=Associate in Applied Science Degree A.S.=Associate in Science Degree D=Diploma C=Certificate
70
Sales and Management Programs
Retail Management - A.A.S.
Sales Management - A.A.S.
Retail Merchandising Sales Associate - D
Sales Representative - D
Supervisory Management- A.A.S.
Basic Supervision - C
A.A.S.=Associate in Applied Science Degree A.S.=Associate in Science Degree D=Diploma C=Certificate
71
RW Accordion and Concertina Repair
RW Arena and Recreational Facility Management
W Aviation Maintenance Technician
W Civil Engineering Technology
W Composites Technology
RW Electronic Musical Technician
Program closures
RW Energy Engineering Technology
RW/W Farm Operation and Management
RW/W Farm Business Management
RW Fashion Merchandising
W Industrial Automation
W Industrial Distribution
RW Jewelry Manufacturing and Repair
W Marine and Outdoor Power Equipment Technology
Arena and Recreational Facility Management
RW Motorcycle Mechanics
RW Piano Technology
RW Rural Banking and Agricultural Finance
RW/W Small Business Management
W Soil Conservation Technology
RW Solar Energy Technology
W Vibroacoustics Technology
RW Wind Technology
A major part of the college’s long-term success has been the knowledge and will to close programs when there is limited need by business and industry graduates. Program closures over the years:
Fashion Merchandising Jewelry Manufacturing and Repair
72
A photo history: 1960s
73
74
1970s
75
76
1980s
77
78
1990s and 2000s
79
80
2010 - present
81
82
2014 faculty/staff meeting
This photo was taken one week before
this history book was sent to press. The
staff and faculty in this photo represents
Minnesota State College – Southeast
Technical on April 3, 2014.
83
84
Acknowledgements
Alice Zimmer
Becky Alsop
Betsey Woodward
Bob Andraschko
Calli Ekblad
Chris Schabow
Dan Mjolsness
David Vincent
Deanna Voth
Deborah Niebuhr
Don Mikitta
Evy Wedde
Gene Beckwith
Gregory Beckwith
Jack Richter
Jill Keiper
Jo Poncelet
John Huth
Josh Bublitz
Judy Christianson
Kathy Holthe
Marc Kalis
Marge Frost
Mark Swanson
Mary Johnson
Mary Schoeder
Michael Kroening
Mike Haney
Muriel Copp
Nancee Wozney
Special Thanks
Nate Emerson
Neva Burdick
Norris Abts
Pat Gregory
Peggy Whalen
Pete Roehl
Rick Nahrgang
Rip Streater
Robert Leifeld
Ron Wenzel
Tao Peng
Tom Hoffman
Timothy VanLoon
Torry Jeranek
Valarie Bere
Casie Johnson
Catherine Kolkmeier
Heather Dutcher
James Johnson
Joanne Thompson
Katryn Conlin
Ted Wyman
Contributors
Senator SharonErickson-Ropes
Senator John Howe
Senator Bob Kierlin
Senator Jeremy Miller
Senator Steven Morse
Senator Steve Murphy
Senator Matt Schmit
Rep. Lyndon Carlson
Rep. Greg Davids
Rep. Jerry Dempsey
Rep. Steve Drazkowski
Rep. Virgil Johnson
Rep. Tim Kelly
Rep. Gene Pelowski
Rep. LeRoy Stumpf
Rep. Steve Sviggum
Rep. Ken Tschumper
A special thanks to the Minnesota local legislators for their tireless support and advocacy during recent decades.
Arne Dufseth
Dunnwoody Institute
Intech
Louise Streater
Mediascope
Minneapolis Star
MnSCU
Red Wing Republican Eagle
Saint Mary’s University
William Morris
Winona Campus Life
Winona Daily News
Winona Post
Winona State
University
This is not the end of the story... stay tuned...