WINONA, Minn. (February 20, 2014) - Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical is pleased to announce the President's List for Fall semester 2014. To be eligible for this honor, students must complete a minimum of 12 credits at Southeast Technical during an academic term and achieve a GPA of 3.5 or above.

Evan White from Moline has been honored.

About Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical
With a clear mission of "Education for Employment," Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical provides students a strong foundation for acquiring the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they will need for a lifetime of learning. Its Winona and Red Wing campuses merged in 1992, becoming Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical in 1999. For more information, visit www.southeastmn.edu.

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DES MOINES, IA (02/19/2015)(readMedia)-- "We can all be proud of the hundreds of student athletes gathering in Des Moines this week for the IHSAA State Wrestling Tournament. Their hard work and efforts in reaching this gold standard is cause for celebration in their schools and communities. But back home, in the school districts they represent so proudly, budget decisions are forcing administrators to make untenable decisions pitting academic programs against athletics. Both programs are equally important to a student's successful development and growth.

Faced with the Iowa House Republicans passage and Governor Terry Branstad's support of 1.25 percent in State Supplemental Aid, the Clinton Community Schools, sending three student athletes to the state wrestling tournament, is proposing cutting one middle school wrestling coach; Tripoli, sending two student athletes, first proposed a $12,000 cut to their wrestling program, and is now proposing fewer student contact days in the 2015-16 school year going from 180 down to 170 and cutting the wrestling cheerleading program; and Waverly-Shell Rock, sending six student athletes and facing over $750,000 in budget cuts, is proposing slicing the librarian/media specialist, an integral position in our schools in the overall health and well being of academic development and success, among other drastic cuts.

Schools across the state are facing dire budget decisions because Governor Branstad and state legislators are not listening to their needs and have continued to support an anemic SSA proposal. We simply cannot have excellence in education and support our athletics and academics without a true commitment to that effort.

So while Governor Branstad is most likely following the wrestlers at this week's state tournament, we would like him to consider that schools should not have to decide between athletic or academic programs. We believe students deserve a well rounded education which includes an ample supply of both athletics and academics in order to truly give them what they need to succeed. Increasing SSA will help schools reach this goal."

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MOLINE, Ill. - Midwest Technical Institute will host an open house for prospective and incoming students from 5 to 8 p.m. Feb.26 at MTI's Moline campus, 3620 Avenue of the Cities, Moline.

MTI offers a variety of career-training programs designed to assist students in securing employment in a number of today's most in-demand industries, including welding, HVAC, cosmetology and transportation. Open house attendees will have the opportunity to tour MTI's classrooms, labs and other facilities, as well as meet with admissions, financial aid and faculty representatives to gain a better understanding of MTI's hands-on, workforce training programs.

There is no cost to attend the open house, which will also feature a live radiocast from 101.3 Kiss; ticket raffles to see the Quad Cities Mallards and WWE wrestling; $5 haircuts courtesy of MTI's Student Salon; MTI merchandise giveaways; food and beverages; and more.

Thursday's event is just the first in a year-long series to educate area students on the importance of a skills-based education in today's economy. But the value of MTI's open houses extends far beyond giving prospective students a close look at the school and its programs. MTI Director of Marketing Stacey Wierman believes events like these benefit both MTI personnel and the surrounding communities at-large.

"A MTI open house is valuable not only to the attendee, but to our faculty, staff and community because it is a unique opportunity for all involved to interact and learn more about our school and the programs we have to offer," Wierman says. "We're building futures that will ultimately impact our communities one person at a time."

In addition, Wierman feels faculty and staff enjoy interacting with prospective students one-on-one in helping them select a rewarding career path.

"MTI faculty and staff love this time to be able to talk to our prospective students and hopefully help them in making a major decision that will not only change their lives, but the lives of those around them," Wierman added.

Many of MTI's courses and programs can be completed in as little as nine months, and job placement and financial aid opportunities also help students enter the workforce quickly with the skills to develop into industry-leading professionals.

The Moline campus will host additional open houses on April 30; May 2; July 16; Sept. 10; Sept 12; and Nov. 19. For more information about upcoming open houses, contact the Moline campus at (309) 277-7900. Media inquiries and interview requests can be directed to Stacey Wierman at (309) 427-2750, ext. 1228.

About Midwest Technical Institute

Midwest Technical Institute offers hands-on training in a number of mechanical trade and allied health career fields to help students succeed as a member of today's rapidly-changing workforce. MTI, along with its sister school, Delta Technical College, operates seven campuses across the Midwest and Mississippi Delta regions. For more information, visit www.midwesttech.edu.

 

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BOURBONNAIS, IL (02/18/2015)(readMedia)-- Olivet congratulates all students named to the dean's list during the fall 2014 semester. To qualify for inclusion, a student must have been enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student and must have attained a semester grade point average of 3.50 or higher on a 4.00 grading scale. Area residents honored with this achievement are:

Liza Dollenbacher of Bettendorf

Rachel Jones of Davenport

Emily Mills of Milan

Steven Nowinski of Rock Island

Maggie Schmidt of Eldridge

Sonia Smith of Bettendorf

Hannah Williams of Moline

Seth Wilson of Geneseo

Olivet Nazarene University is an accredited Christian, liberal arts university offering more than 120 areas of undergraduate and graduate study, including the Doctor of Education in ethical leadership. Olivet's main campus is in Bourbonnais, Illinois, 50 miles south of Chicago. Additional sites are in Rolling Meadows and Oak Brook, Illinois; Indianapolis, Indiana; Grand Rapids and Grand Ledge, Michigan; Hong Kong; and more than 100 School of Graduate and Continuing Studies learning locations throughout Chicagoland and the Midwest. From Oxford to Tokyo, hundreds of Olivet students also experience the global classroom each year through study abroad opportunities, internships and worldwide mission trips.

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PLATTEVILLE, Wis. (February 18, 2015) - The University of Wisconsin-Platteville awarded diplomas to more than 500 graduates after the fall 2014 semester.

The College of Business, Industry, Life Science and Agriculture ceremony was in the morning of Dec. 13, while students in the College of Liberal Arts and Education and the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science graduated in the afternoon.

Founded in 1866, UW-Platteville is in Southwest Wisconsin, fewer than 30 miles from both the Illinois and Iowa borders. With 8,900 undergraduate and graduate students, UW-Platteville is the fastest-growing comprehensive institution in the UW System. Students may choose from 41 majors, 76 minors and 17 pre-professional programs. The Distance Education program offers two undergraduate and six graduate programs.

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HOMETOWN, STATE; NAME, ACADEMIC PLAN

Davenport, IA

Bradley Frick, Criminal Justice

Moline, IL

Jenna Zimmerman, Geography

CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE SECOND QUARTER HONOR ROLL STUDENTS

GRADE 6 PRINCIPAL'S LIST

Sydney Andersen

Lily Beardsley

Annabelle Bishop

Ella Darrow

David Dierickx

Anna Do

Joseph Dockery-Jackson

Dana Egan

Anthony Guzzo

Errin Hoffman

Jack Janssen

Emily Klauer

Luke Lofgren

Casey Magee

Janie Martens

Jackson Marx

Margo Maynard

Morgan Moore

Jacob Morel

John Nonnenmann

Zachary Otten-Thoms

Jack Patting

Miriana Peterson

Brook Pickslay

Audrey Reynolds

William Taylor

Brianna Waller

GRADE 6 HONOR ROLL

Caleb Habel

Stephanie Ruiz

GRADE 7 PRINCIPAL'S LIST

Tyler Estes

Jaylen Gore

Adam Hyder

Gianna Jewhurst

Madilynn Klauer

David Moens

Tony VanDeWalle

Alexis Wilkens

GRADE 7 HONOR ROLL

Alexandra Amacher

Anthony Bullock

Samantha Coleman

Emma Cowles

Ted Fogel

Mady Freyberger

Daniel Smith

Megan Tanghe

Collin Snyder

Vanessa Verschoore

GRADE 8 PRINCIPAL'S LIST

Emma Beardsley

Gabe Beardsley

Chloe Boyd

Anna Darrow

John Do

Tony Dockery-Jackson

Sydney Elliott

Jonathan Fernandez

Grant Florence

Parker Georlett

Lauren Hird

Hannah Luppen

Olivia Manternach

Aaron Mickelson

Haley Mosley

Paige Nimrick

Taylor Parker

Faith Pickslay

Mary Powers

Vanessa Reger

Ava Reynolds

Lily Schoeck

Kaitlyn Zonnevylle

GRADE 8 HONOR ROLL

Jonathan Berry

Nate Maynard

Claudia Ruiz

Lily Steffen

Logan Swartz

Natika Woods

The Principal's List requires a GPA of 3.5 to 4.0. The Honor Roll requires a GPA of 3.0 to 3.49

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. (February 18, 2015) - The University of Wisconsin-Platteville announces its chancellor's list for the fall 2014 semester. To make this prestigious list, full-time students must earn a perfect 4.00 grade-point average.

Founded in 1866, UW-Platteville is in Southwest Wisconsin, fewer than 30 miles from both the Illinois and Iowa borders. With 8,900 undergraduate and graduate students, UW-Platteville is the fastest-growing comprehensive institution in the UW System. Students may choose from 41 majors, 76 minors and 17 pre-professional programs. The Distance Education program offers two undergraduate and six graduate programs.

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HOMETOWN, STATE; NAME, MAJOR

Davenport, IA

Ariel Schlue, Biology

Riverdale, IA

Stacy Clark, Elementary Education

Omaha, NE, February 10, 2015: AIM, a not-for-profit organization focused on building the IT community, is launching a new online experience to explore opportunities in the field of IT. The "Set Your AIM" site takes an innovative approach to describing IT in 6 I's: Integration, Investigation, Illumination, Imagination, Innovation, and Inspiration Technologies.

Set Your AIM links directly to IT educational programs and real IT jobs available in the community right now. Dr. Levi Thiele, Director of Research at AIM Careerlink, states that "by redefining IT and linking to community opportunities, this site will help facilitate more people entering the IT pipeline."

While IT is the 4th fastest growing career field, it is also one of the fields with the greatest shortage of  workers as the number of IT graduates across the United States is only half the number needed to grow the economy. Thiele states that the workforce is" facing an IT talent shortage and it's only going to worsen in the coming years. If we want to fill those IT jobs, we need to get more students in the IT pipeline now."

AIM's Set Your AIM campaign explores the various components of information technology through the 6 I's. Watch the following video to learn more!

About AIM

AIM is a not-for-profit community organization that promotes technology to empower people, enhance organizations, and create brilliant communities. AIM's signature services include : Careerlink - the region's leading career development website, Infotec - the Midwest's premier business and IT conference, and Hatchfund - a crowdfunding source for artists. For more information about our services - training, youth programs, research and more - visit www.careerlink.com.

KENOSHA, WI (02/18/2015)(readMedia)-- Megan Horst of Bettendorf, IA participated in a study tour to India with Carthage College in January.

In the Religion and Society in Modern India course, students encountered three contemporary Indian religious communities: Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs. In India, students examined the life and interactions of these groups and analyzed how these interactions have been shaped by their historical and cultural context.

James Lochtefeld, professor of religion and Asian studies, led the tour. It came during J-Term, a monthlong period of study when Carthage students explore subjects outside their majors or minors, discover new interests, and test their creativity on campus and around the world. Carthage is ranked No. 7 in the nation among baccalaureate institutions for student participation in short-term study abroad, according to the Institute of International Education.

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WASHINGTON, D.C., Feb. 18, 2015 - For the second time in three years, schools in the state of Washington produced the most Peace Corps volunteers across small, medium and large-sized undergraduate colleges and universities nationwide. The University of Washington reclaimed the top spot among large schools with 72 alumni currently in service, and Western Washington University and Gonzaga University again topped medium and small schools with 47 and 20 currently serving alumni, respectively. Washington is the only state to top all three of Peace Corps' undergraduate school ranking categories, and the state has long appeared on the agency's rankings of the top volunteer-producing states and metropolitan areas.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison - which topped last year's list - came in second this year among large schools with 69 alumni in service, followed by the University of Florida with 66 alumni in service. Among medium-sized schools, American University climbed to the No. 2 spot with 41 alumni currently serving, and George Washington University and the University of Virginia tied for third place, each with 36 alumni in service. Carlton College jumped to second place among small schools with 17 alumni in service, and Middlebury College and the University of Puget Sound both moved up from No. 14 last year to No. 3 this year - tying for the biggest jump in ranking over last year - each with 16 alumni in service.

"The Peace Corps provides an indispensable opportunity for young people out of college to put their unique skills to work making a difference for communities around the world," Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet said. "Volunteers make lasting change by living and working at the grassroots level in their communities of service and using their talents to tackle some of the most critical challenges in international development."

Among graduate schools, the University of Denver again held the top spot but this year tied with Tulane University, a new addition to Peace Corps' graduate school rankings, with 18 alumni in service. The University of California, Berkeley remained the all-time highest producer of Peace Corps volunteers in the country, with nearly 3,600 alumni who have served since the Peace Corps was founded in 1961.

This year's rankings follow historic reforms to Peace Corps' application and selection process, led by Hessler-Radelet, that resulted in a 22-year application high for the agency in 2014. Applicants will now find a simplified, more personal application process, and can learn more about Peace Corps service opportunities by contacting their local recruitment office.

Below find the top five colleges and universities in each category and the number of alumni currently serving as Peace Corps volunteers. View the complete 2015 rankings of the top 25 schools in each undergraduate category here. Digital content including a video featuring the top schools and an infographic about volunteers' educational backgrounds can be found here.

Large Colleges & Universities - Total Volunteers:
More than 15,000 undergraduates

1. University of Washington (72)
2. University of Wisconsin-Madison (69)
3. University of Florida (66)
4. The Ohio State University (64)
5. University of Minnesota Twin Cities (63)

Medium Colleges & Universities - Total Volunteers:
Between 5,000 and 15,000 undergraduates

1. Western Washington University (47)
2. American University (41)
3. George Washington University (36)
3. University of Virginia (36)
5. Cornell University (33)

Small Colleges & Universities - Total Volunteers:
Less than 5,000 undergraduates

1. Gonzaga University (20)
2. Carleton College (17)
3. Middlebury College (16)
3. University of Puget Sound (16)
5. Macalester College (15)

Graduate Schools - Total Volunteers:

1. University of Denver (18)
1. Tulane University (18)
3. University of Minnesota Twin Cities (14)
4. Portland State University (13)
5. University of Michigan (12)
5. Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (12)

Historical, Since 1961 - Total Volunteers:

1. University of California, Berkeley (3,598)
2. University of Wisconsin-Madison (3,145)
3. University of Washington (2,888)
4. University of Michigan (2,596)
5. University of Colorado Boulder (2,411)

*Rankings are calculated based on fiscal year 2014 data as of September 30, 2014, as self-reported by Peace Corps volunteers.

The Peace Corps ranks its top volunteer-producing colleges and universities annually according to the size of the student body. See the 2014 Top Colleges and Universities here.

About the Peace Corps: The Peace Corps sends the best and brightest Americans abroad on behalf of the United States to tackle the most pressing needs of people around the world. Volunteers work at the grassroots level to develop sustainable solutions that address challenges in education, health, economic development, agriculture, environment and youth development. Through their service, volunteers gain a unique cultural understanding and a life-long commitment to service that positions them to succeed in today's global economy. Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, nearly 220,000 Americans of all ages have served in 140 countries worldwide. For more information, visitwww.peacecorps.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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