Nicolet College Foundation presents Friends and Partners Award

The Nicolet College Foundation recently presented its 2024 Friends and Partners Award to the Three Lakes School District, honoring the district’s dedication to enhancing educational opportunities for students through collaboration with Nicolet College.

“We partner with Nicolet College in a number of ways,” said Justin Szews, principal of Three Lakes High School. “Our transcripted credit courses have quadrupled in recent years, giving our students opportunities they wouldn’t have otherwise, especially in a smaller school setting.”

The transformation in educational offerings has been significant, as Ryan Bock, the school’s 7th-12th grade counselor, noted. “When I started about 10 years ago, we had just a few programs. Now, it’s tenfold. The partnership between Three Lakes School District and Nicolet College offers students options that go far beyond what we could provide on our own.”

“They really stood out for their Academy-type courses. When a faculty member retired, they reached out to us to grow the welding program. This partnership has allowed us to branch into other program areas and provide students with a head start on their career and college goals,” added Sarah Gruber, Academic Partnerships Coordinator at Nicolet College.

Emphasizing the importance of this collaboration, Nicolet College President Kate Ferrel said. “Three Lakes is willing to come up with an idea, work with us on operationalizing it, and then we make it happen for the students. When we are able to deliver this level of access and affordability to a rural district, we raise the level of what we’re doing in terms of workforce development for the region. That’s why it’s just really critical that we do this kind of work while students are still in K12.”

“At the Nicolet College Foundation, we believe in the power of partnerships to transform education and create pathways for success. The collaboration with the Three Lakes School District exemplifies our commitment to enhancing educational opportunities that empower students and strengthen our community,” added Nicolet College Foundation Board President John Schiek.

Emphasizing the importance of this collaboration, Szews added, “The recognition is nice, but it’s really about the connection with Nicolet College. We are grateful for the opportunities this partnership provides our students.”

For more information about the Nicolet College Foundation or the Friends and Partners Award, please contact the Nicolet College Foundation at 715-365-4518 or [email protected].