Lakeshore Technical College Celebrates December Commencement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

12/19/2019

CLEVELAND, WI —

Lakeshore Technical College awarded associate degrees and technical diplomas to nearly 200 students during its 91st commencement ceremony held on December 14 at its Cleveland campus.

LTC President Dr. Paul Carlsen congratulated students and reflected on the American Dream playing out at Lakeshore Technical College.

“This commencement is the very embodiment of the American Dream,” Carlsen said. “You graduates are a group of self-made people, surrounded by the family, friends, faculty, and staff who help you become self-made.”

Joining the ceremony was Representative Glenn Grothman from the 6th Congressional District, who thanked students for earning degrees, particularly those in manufacturing and healthcare. “One thing our business community needs more than anything else is more people to work, and more people with these skills,” Grothman said.

As a guest speaker, Dr. Morna Foy, Wisconsin Technical College System president, congratulated and thanked students. “Thank you for becoming the do-ers, the makers, the caregivers, the protectors, and most importantly, the leaders who are going to keep our state humming along in the future,” Foy said.

The keynote speaker was Tim Schneider, CEO and co-founder of Investors Community Bank, who advised graduates that learning should not stop with graduation.

“Whether it be taking this degree and turning it into a further advanced degree, learning on the job to advance further, taking advantage of opportunities offered by your future employer to move your education forward, or just learning from others we have contact with every day. Learning is a lifetime journey,” said Schneider.

Sheboygan resident Nicole Graf, a graduate of the early childhood education program at LTC, was the student speaker. Graf shared how she struggled balancing college and family life as a married mother of three young children, though believed in herself and the opportunity education offers for a better life.

“Even if I reach just one person today, then I will have accomplished the goal at hand – to inspire someone to see the good in themselves so they can continue to show people throughout their life that there are things worth fighting for – like education,” said Graf.

Also attending the ceremony in support of technical education were State Senator Andre Jacques from the 1st Senate District, and State Representative Tyler Vorpagel from the 27th Assembly District.