Retiring Corporate Training Specialist Says Blackhawk Set Her on the Right Path

Cindy Leverenz says she has the best job in Rock County. She has been in the position of Corporate Training Specialist at Blackhawk for the past five years doing a variety of work, including customized training, consulting, coaching, instructional design and helping employees become the best leaders they can be in their careers.

Cindy, who is retiring in December, is a Blackhawk graduate in the Fashion Merchandising program, which she began right out of high school. She later received her bachelor’s degree from Edgewood College before receiving a master’s with a focus on Marketing Management.

Cindy chose Blackhawk and applied for scholarships and grants while working full-time to earn her degree. She has always believed that her student experience at Blackhawk set the stage for her achievements.

“I wanted to do the same for my students and focus on the jobs skills that are needed for life. It was way more than just the content I was teaching,” she said.

When Cindy changed careers to higher education in 2000, she completed her doctoral degree at Capella University, focusing on higher education leadership, instructional design and adult learning. Her goal was to teach at the college level, specifically to come back to Blackhawk as an instructor. She began as a Marketing program instructor in 2004, and in 2012, she started working in the Workforce and Community Development Department.

The College provides a terrific foundation for lifelong learning to its students, she said. The instructors she had were excellent role models for the professional she’d eventually become.

“I have always enjoyed helping people learn,” she said. “Every job I’ve ever held had a component of training.”

In her time at Blackhawk, Cindy has seen technology be the most significant change, forcing her to stay on top of her own learning and skills to provide relevant and effective classroom instruction.

Besides teaching students from all walks of life, Cindy has really enjoyed working with faculty to help them become effective instructors and is proud of what she’s accomplished.

“I was involved in faculty development in both traditional and online settings,” she said. “I was the project manager with a team that brought the Blackboard online campus to BTC.”

While she will miss her co-workers and corporate students, Cindy hopes that students at Blackhawk take advantage of the many professional development opportunities to help them stay current with their industries and skills.

After retiring, Cindy plans on developing a slower life at home. She and her husband, Steve, hope to travel the country and abroad to experience new places and meet new people. She also plans to reacquaint herself with her creative interests, including sewing, quilting, painting, cooking, gardening and piano.