The SPACE
Equity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement
Student Success Center, Room 222
400 7th Street North
La Crosse, WI 54601
Community Engagement
Throughout its history, Western Technical College has been committed to connecting the College to the needs of the community. These community partnerships are essential to the Western experience, and provides students an opportunity to connect what they are learning in the classroom to the community.
Western welcomes the opportunity to partner with your community organization. Through community-based learning experiences embedded in our academic courses, Western may be able to assist your organization with specific needs. Western has over 100 programs, providing ample opportunities to collaborate.
Faculty Award for Distinguished Service Learning
Each year, Western’s Community Engagement department awards one faculty member with the Distinguished Service Learning award. Faculty members are selected based on the standards below and receive the award at the annual Celebration of Community Engagement.
Faculty Award Standards
- Service-learning is significant to the program or course.
- Service-learning addresses several course competencies.
- Service-learning transfers theory to practice.
- Instructor’s service-learning project was a new project or significantly improved over time.
- Service-learning addresses community need.
- Community engagement can provide specific examples of the impact on community and students.
- Critical reflection occurs.
2019 Award Recipient
Deb Klug, Culinary Management Instructor
Throughout Deb’s 42 years of service to Western, she has been well-known for her creativity in the kitchen and the classroom. Her teaching has always been about growth, continuous improvement, and most importantly, compassion. In the program, students take a food sustainability course, run a restaurant called the Bistro, and become involved in community food projects, such as the La Crosse Community Thanksgiving Dinner.
During the 2019 academic year, students completed 1,150+ hours of service.
Previous Award Recipients
2018: Cindy Prindle, IT Instructor
2017: Ann Lichliter, Human Services Associate Instructor
2016: Christine Krueger, Occupational Therapy Assistant Instructor
Contact Us