Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Life After Graduation

Week in Review: A Reflection of May 20 – 26

Two days before graduation I received an email from someone who saw my resume on the Wisconsin Technical College System’s job site. Three days after graduation I had a job interview with them, and the day after that I was hired to fill the position. I can’t believe how fortunate I am to be employed so soon and to be able to start working ten days after graduation.

Even though the semester is over, the Web Developer Club members are still in contact with each other. We’re planning on seeing The Internship, a comedy about two men who become interns at Google. We’re always talking about Google and what it would be like to work at a place like that. If you haven’t seen the clip from the Travel Channel about working at Google, look it up on YouTube.

As I mentioned in my earlier posts, I was seriously thinking about enrolling in the Audio-Video certificate at MPTC in the fall. Since I’m starting work right away, I’ll have enough time to save up money to take some classes next semester. I’ve already filled out an application for the certificate program and turned it in to Student Services. I contacted someone to get more information about what I’ll need for those classes. I won’t need to worry about getting my own camera since the college has ones for the students to use. I will, however, be getting a new laptop to bring to class. Using some of the techniques I learned in my Computer Essentials class, I fixed up my old laptop and gave it to my parents. They really needed it. Their desktop computer was so old it still had a floppy disk drive.

Besides all of those things, my summer will include a lot of wedding-related events. I went to a Brewers game last Saturday for a bachelorette party, and I’ve got another bachelorette party in two weeks at the Mitchell Park Domes. My godson has his first birthday in June, and my sister’s baby shower will be in July. This is going to be my busiest summer yet!

What are your plans for the summer?

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

The End is the Beginning

Week in Review: A Reflection of May 13 – 19

There were a lot of “lasts” this past week. I had my last class and my last Web Developer Club meeting. The club has some exciting news. It looks like we will be having a prominent individual in the mobile application development industry as a speaker on campus. I’m not sure if it’ll be in the fall, but definitely keep an eye out for this opportunity if you’re in that field.

As secretary of the club, I was in charge of getting our paperwork together. Clubs have validation forms to fill out at the end of the academic year to confirm that we are an active club. We listed the activities we were involved with on campus, our community service projects, any fundraising activities we did, and any field trips we attended.

After the meeting many of us went out to dinner at a local pizza place. I called ahead for tables to be reserved so we had enough space for everybody to sit together. A couple of us were graduating, so it was going to probably be the last time we were all together; although, some are coming back to complete other programs. Speaking of future plans, my original plan was to be finished with my education this semester; however, I came across something on Moraine Park’s website.

I was given the opportunity to film and edit my own videos for a few classes and for this blog. By doing so, I have found out that I really enjoy video editing, and I would like to pursue it further. I know the basics of creating videos, but I don’t know about lighting or sound mixing. I would really like to learn from a professional and make high quality videos.

So, while I was on MPTC’s website, I found that the college has a new Audio-Video Certificate program. This is great news because this certificate means I can learn exactly what I want to learn in a short amount of time. But first I need to see whether it is plausible for me to pursue this certificate right away or to wait a semester or two. I’ve been going on interviews lately and I think one of them will pan out soon. My last interview went very well. If I can fit them into my schedule, I will start those classes this fall.

No matter what the future brings, I know that I’m a life-long learner. Whether I earn another degree, take a few enrichment classes, attend seminars or conferences, learn on my own, or learn from others, my life and my future will always include some form of education. You are never truly done learning. The end is just the beginning.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

My MPTC Graduation

Lisa and me after graduation

Step 1: Bring your cap and gown.

Step 2: Leave your house early.

Thank goodness I followed step 2, because I forgot step 1 and had to turn around half way to Fond du Lac to get my cap and gown on the morning of my graduation. Other than that, the day went on without a hitch. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect; not too hot, not too cold; just nice and sunny.

When I got into the building, I checked in at the table where I picked up my white Student Senate cord. They directed to me to my “pod,” which is another check-in table in the building. Sam and Lisa, the student life advisors from Fond du Lac and Beaver Dam campuses, greeted me there, found my name on an index card, and gave it to me. I lined up alphabetically with other graduates from my program.

We entered the gymnasium filled with family and friends. There were too many people to locate my party, but I knew they were in the crowd somewhere. The college president, Dr. Sheila Ruhland, and the commencement speaker James A. Wessing of the Kondex Corporation spoke to us before we walked across the stage.

After the ceremony there was time to socialize with family, friends, other graduates, and the instructors. I introduced my parents to some of the instructors I was fortunate enough to have during my time at Moraine Park. They were also my brother’s instructors when he attended MPTC. I hugged the friends I had made over the past couple of semesters and made tentative plans to meet up with them soon. I spotted Lee, MPTC’s Fond du Lac student blogger, and congratulated him.

Congratulations to Mary, Sarah, Tami, Paul, John, Hannah, Lee, Rochelle, Jenny, Juan, Stephanie, and all the other 2013 Moraine Park Technical College graduates!

Monday, May 20, 2013

My Last Class


Last Wednesday was my last day of class at MPTC. Since we did our presentations the week before, we were able to do a fun activity in my Team Building and Problem Solving class. My instructor used PowerPoint to create an interactive Jeopardy game board (complete with music).

There were different categories to select from all related to our class. There were team building terms, tools (such as charts), class activities, and problem solving tools. The last category was called Who’s Who, and the questions pertained to individuals in the class. These questions were derived from what we learned about each other during the many class icebreakers. My team was in third place up until Double Jeopardy where we moved up to second place.

It was a really fun way to review what we learned, and we were all pretty amused when we saw that the questions in the last category were about us. After the game, we reflected on what we would be taking away from this class. Some of class said they analyze other groups they’re in now. If they pick their own teammates, they choose people who are different from them so they have a balanced team.

What I think I will take away from the class most importantly is using critical thinking to solve problems and finding the root cause. I’m amazed that this class ended up being my favorite class of the semester, especially since it was a general required class. It is definitely a useful class that I will never forget.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Happy Mother’s Day


Week in Review: A Reflection of May 6 – 12

First of all, Happy belated Mother’s Day to all the moms, soon-to-be moms, the Mr. Moms who take on the role as both parents, and the surrogate moms who provide the same love, support, and advice to others. I spent my Mother’s Day with my extended family. Twenty of us, including the two babies in the family, went out for brunch. When did our family get so big?

I was looking through emails in my old email account I rarely use anymore, and one of them caught my attention. It was an email from one of my friends, and in the subject line it said, “It’s Last Blast here.” It jumped out at me because when I think of the words, “Last Blast,” I think about the end-of-semester parties we have at MPTC. I opened it up and sure enough, she was talking about MPTC’s Last Blast all the way back in 2006. They had free cappuccinos, caricature drawings, massages, henna tattoos, a DJ, and a grill out. It sounded like a lot of fun. She’s a graduate from MPTC, but she was a student way before I was a student here. Who knew that a few years later I’d be going to those kinds of events? I caught up with her recently and she just got an award at her work. Congratulations, Diana!

During the last week of class, we’re having a Jeopardy day in my Team Building and Problem Solving class. I’ll be going to the bookstore for the book buyback to see if I can get some cash back on books I no longer need. Our last Web Developer Club meeting is this week, and we’re going out for dinner afterword. Saturday is graduation, and then I’m officially done with my education at MPTC. How bittersweet it is to leave a place I’ve spent so much time learning, growing, meeting people, and enjoying new experiences.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Team Project Presentation Day


Throughout the semester we have learned how to work in teams and solve complex problems for my Team Building and Problem Solving class.  We’ve done lots of ice breakers and team activities; we’ve learned about ground rules and compromising; we’ve learned how to use critical thinking; and we’ve created lots and lots of different charts to analyze data, manage time, and organize thoughts. All of this semester’s work has been preparing us for our team projects. We had the opportunity to show what we’ve learned in class last Wednesday when each team presented their problem and solution.

The other groups analyzed issues such as high gas prices and roundabout intersection accidents. For my group, we chose to tackle the issue of emergency drill efficiency.

By reading books and doing lots of activities in class, we learned that the best way to solve problems is to follow a step-by-step process and never jump to conclusions. We started with a problem statement, listed our desired goals, and created flowcharts of drill procedures.

Next, we gathered real, quantifiable data. We created surveys to gather more information. We put them into tables and we made pie and bar graphs for illustration. Looking at the data, we were able to list possible causes of why emergency drill procedures weren’t 100% successful. We grouped the data into categories by using an affinity tool. From there, we were able to use other tools to identify the true root cause. Finding the root cause is important, because if you are just fixing a symptom of the root cause, you’re not solving the real problem. You’re just patching holes.

Before we started brainstorming solutions, we came up with a list of “needs” and “wants” for our solution. After all that work, we were able to come up with solutions to address the issues and improve effectiveness of emergency drills.

Our presentation to the class went really well. I think I spoke better this time than any other presentation I’ve given. I suppose since I’ve given quite a lot of presentations at MPTC, the practice is paying off. I really enjoyed this project, because I felt it was an authentic problem, and the solutions we came up with are reasonable and implementable. I’ve also gain some valuable skills in teamwork and critical thinking, which is important in the workforce and in life in general.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

The Busy Life of a Last Semester College Student


Week in Review: A Reflection of April 29 – May 5

The end of the semester is always busy, but this last semester before I graduate from MPTC has certainly been the busiest. It’s not just end-of-the-semester projects, it’s preparing for graduation, looking for employment, end of semester celebrations, and taking part in my friends’ and family’s life events.

West Bend Student Senate had their last meeting at a local restaurant. We conducted business as usual, including voting on the gift we’d like to give to the campus, and enjoyed some pizza. It was the last time we were all going to see each other as a group.

I’ve been going through my resume to make sure everything is updated. I’ve been applying for jobs in the county, some of which I’ve found through TechConnect. I may stop by the career center on campus one more time so I can have someone take a second look at my resume and portfolio. My exit portfolio has one item left and that’s the Team Building and Problem Solving project that my group has just finished but has not presented yet. I need to give recommendation forms to my previous instructors really soon, too.

My nephew was in his first play at school on Friday. He played the mayor and wore a suit and hat. It was so cute. Afterwards, we went to my brother and sister-in-law’s house for cake because it was her birthday.

On Sunday I went to a bridal shower for my friend whom I’ve known since high school. I’m one of the bridesmaids. I was asked to be the photographer of the event. It was a nice day so we got a great shot of us all outside. My other friend, who is one of the other bridesmaids, is getting married this summer, too. They are both getting married almost exactly one month apart. My sister is expecting, so she’ll be having a baby shower in July.

Needless to say, I’ve got a lot on my plate right now. The calendar is my friend; it keeps me organized and let’s me know where I need to be and why. The job search is going to consume a lot time as well. So, I’m going to stay organized and optimistic, make sure I get enough sleep and eat right, and enjoy this exciting time of my life.

Friday, May 3, 2013

Preparing for Graduation and Wrapping Up Meetings


Week in Review: A Reflection of April 22 – 28

I picked up my cap and gown from the bookstore this past week, and I found out I get to wear a high honors cord to the ceremony. My parents are planning to attend the commencement ceremony to watch me walk across the stage. One of my friends is also graduating. We’re planning to have some sort of celebration afterword, but we haven’t decided what we want to do or where we want to go.

Our last official Student Senate meeting was this past week. We used one of the ideas I learned during a conference to get more students to attend senate meetings. We had half a dozen new people show up! From what I hear, they may start doing the same thing at the other campuses and will most likely be using the idea on the West Bend campus next year. I’m so glad I attended that educational session during the conference so I could pass on useful information. I’ll be meeting with the people on the West Bend Student Senate one more time when we go out to lunch.

The team project I’m working on for my Team Building and Problem Solving class is wrapping up soon. We are currently putting together our paper and presentation for May 8. We can really see how much work we’ve put into the project now that we’re assembling all the pieces together. I’m really proud of it.

There is one more meeting for the Web Developer Club before the end of the semester. It’ll be my last meeting and last day as secretary for the club. I’m going to really miss being a part of the group, but I will definitely be in contact with many of the members after I graduate. They won’t be my classmates any longer, but they will still be my colleagues.