MSCTC is now M State

It's still Minnesota State Community and Technical College, it's just a lot easier to say. The lengthy "MSCTC" acronym has been changed to "M State." The new "M State" moniker applies to all four campuses of Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, Moorhead and Wadena.

Pre-nursing course offered in two locations

Interested in a nursing or healthcare career but need to increase your skills and knowledge before registering for an academic program? Then this MSCTC- and Adult Basic Education-developed pre-nursing course is just for you. It will help you:

• develop academic and personal skills for succeeding in nursing and other college courses;
• know career options, expectations and tasks of professional nurses; and
• demonstrate knowledge of nursing vocabulary, skills and ethics.

The course will be offered in both Detroit Lakes and Fergus Falls. Classes begin in February and run through May.

Learn about the Detroit Lakes pre-nursing course.

Learn about the Fergus Falls pre-nursing course.

“FastTRAC” to healthcare careers now available for CNAs

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) in west central Minnesota who are interested in advancing their healthcare careers but want to be better prepared for the academic coursework now have help through a new program.

The West Central Minnesota FastTRAC (Training, Resources and Credentialing) program will offer a pre-nursing course at two sites: Minnesota State Community and Technical College (MSCTC)—Detroit Lakes and MSCTC—Fergus Falls. The class is for individuals who have completed the CNA or pre-CNA training and want to prepare to enter more advanced college credit healthcare programs. Classes begin in February.

This course was developed jointly by MSCTC and Adult Basic Education (ABE) with input from local healthcare providers. The training targets those entering nursing or other classes, and includes units in reading, writing and math, as well as instruction in college readiness and workplace "soft" skills.

FastTRAC is funded by The Joyce Foundation, the Office of the Chancellor, the Minnesota Department of Education-ABE, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

If you would like to learn more about the pre-healthcare course or West Central Minnesota FastTRAC, please email Judy Suiter, Fergus Falls ABE Coordinator, or call her at 218-998-0544, ext. 1602.

The "art" of giving

Yesterday the Minnesota State Community and Technical College's Fergus Falls campus held its annual Empty Bowls Charity Lunch. Art students from the college and high school plus local artists donated bowls for the event, which raises funds for the local Salvation Army soup kitchen. A $12 donation gets your pick of many marvelous bowls, which is then filled with soup. The Empty Bowls lunch is held throughout the country and throughout the year. It visually demonstrates the beauty of giving!

Small Business Success Series kicks off Jan. 15

Are you in a business that strives to do more with less? That can get pretty tricky sometimes, can't it? Wouldn't it be nice if there was local training that would provide your business with current strategies and practices in marketing, management and technical advances?

There is.

Minnesota State Community and Technical College and Alexandria Technical College have teamed up to offer a Small Business Success Series in three locations, focused specifically on local business needs.

The training series includes two sessions held over the next three months on these topics:

Bottom Line Thinking is a unique approach to business owners’ and managers’ greatest challenge--getting the maximum performance from each and every employee day in and day out. MSCTC’s Debbie Johnson has been working with companies over the last 20 years to do exactly that. She has created this eye-opening, insightful session on how to inspire each of your employees to act like the owner, and what is at stake if they don’t.

10 Simple Steps to Small Business Marketing Success is presented by Brad Barth of Alexandria Technical College. In his role as ATC’s Small Business Center Director his experiences with regional businesses have shown that many businesses are not doing all of the steps necessary to achieve consistent sales and marketing success. In the workshop you will learn the 10 steps the SBC recommends that you should constantly be doing sales and marketing wise to achieve success.

Seminar Dates – Fergus Falls: Jan. 29 and Feb. 26 from 6-9:30 p.m.; Perham: Feb. 12 and March 12 from 8-11:30 a.m.; and Wheaton: Jan. 15 and Feb. 21 from 6:00pm to 9:30pm.

The cost is $25.00 per session

For more information or to register please call or email Denice Brewer at 800.426.5603 extension 6576 or denice.brewer@minnesota.edu.

The series is made possible through a grant from West Central Initiative and in partnership with the Department of Employment and Economic Development. The training will be offered in three local communities. United Community Bank is sponsoring the training in Perham, Fergus Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and Fergus Falls Economic Improvement Commission is sponsoring the training in Fergus Falls and Wheaton Economic Development Commission is sponsoring the training in Wheaton.

MSCTC president honored for professional achievement

Dr. Ann Valentine, president of Minnesota State Community and Technical College, received the Professional Achievement Award as an alumna of Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The award is presented to alumni who have made significant contributions or achievements in their field. Dr. Valentine has been MSCTC president since July, 2005. She serves on the Commission on Diversity, Inclusion and Equity for the American Association of Community Colleges.