Blackhawk Technical College is pleased to honor Shawn Lerch with the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award. Lerch is currently the CEO of Sauk Prairie Healthcare located in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin. He is a living testimony to the foundation for success that is provided by a Wisconsin Technical College System education. A native of Albany, Wisconsin and a veteran of the United States Navy, Lerch has used his degree in Physical Therapy Assistant to launch him into a lifelong career in rural healthcare.

As three classes of Nancy B. Parker Scholars celebrate the end of finals week, Blackhawk Technical College is celebrating the announcement of a large gift to the scholarship program. The JP Cullen Foundation, the charitable arm of the nationally recognized construction company headquartered in Janesville, has pledged $50,000 to the Nancy B. Parker Nursing Scholars Program.

The first live burn in the Fire Protection Technician program can be a little scary. Handling equipment and battling a live blaze for the first time can make first-year students a bit nervous. For student Keegan Mickey, his experience was no different. “I’ve never had the experience of being that close to a fire. We were able to put together all we have learned to put it out,” said Keegan.

Blackhawk will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at the Blackhawk Monroe Campus to celebrate the construction of a 3,200 sq. ft. lab facility for its Agribusiness degree program. The $650,000 project provides a new home for the program giving students space and opportunity to have important hands-on training regardless of weather conditions. The building opened for students earlier this fall.