Welcome to the Winter Edition of Tech Talk!
We are adding new Alumni Association members each week and, if you are not already a registered member, we invite you to join the Association today. We also welcome your articles and news, please forward to Mari Tucker, Marketing and Foundation Director, mtucker@ncktc.edu.
50th Anniversary
We have been celebrating our 50th year of technical education during the 2014-2015 academic year and the Kick-Off event on the Beloit campus was a success! The Capstone event, on the Hays campus, will be held on Saturday, March 28, 2015 and we hope you join us for the event. We’ll start the day with a “Reconnect with Your Past” Alumni Reception, from 1 pm – 3 pm, on the Hays campus. The reception will be an excellent opportunity to reconnect with former classmates and faculty members. The “Golden Opportunities” Wine and Beer Tasting and Silent Auction begins at 4:30 pm at the Hays Ambassador Hotel. The fun continues with entertainment by Anthony and the Anamals from 7:30 – 11:30 pm. For complete details or to order tickets, please visit our website: www.ncktc.edu or contact Mari Tucker at 785-623-6167. See you there!!
Alumni Awards
Nominations are now being accepted for our Alumni Awards. These awards recognize accomplished alumni, friends, faculty and staff with awards in honor of their achievements and/or service. Categories include:
Outstanding Veteran Alumni – This award honors our alumni who have completed military service.
Outstanding Alumni –This award recognizes an individual who has shown exceptional leadership, work ethic and dedication.
Distinguished Young Alumni – This award recognizes a young alumni who have had outstanding achievements and/or recent accomplishments, based on professional and educational achievements, community activities, honors, awards or noteworthy items of merit since graduation.
Outstanding Faculty/Staff – This award is designed to honor excellence in high quality of instruction or distinguished service to the college.
If you would like to nominate an alumni for an award, please complete the online nomination form at: https://ncktc.edu/alumni/alumni-awards/ or contact Mari Tucker at 785-623-6167 or mtucker@ncktc.edu for a nomination form.
Where Are They Now?
Our graduates experience excellent employment opportunities and this section features Alumni accomplishments. Dennis Bishop graduated from the Heavy Equipment program in Beloit in 1984 and worked construction for two seasons in Texas and Kansas. He then joined the US Army in November, 1985 and served until February, 1990. Military stations included Ft Leonard Wood MO, Ft Riley KS, Honduras and Ft Greely AK. After leaving military service, Dennis decided to remain in Alaska and worked various construction jobs along with commercial fishing, farming and delivering the mail.
Dennis is currently employed with the State of Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. He began his career with DOT as a journeyman equipment operator at the Trims Maintenance Station, which is located on the Richardson Highway in the middle of the Alaska Range. Three years later, he was promoted to station foreman and, in 2006, he transferred to Tok, AK. For the last four years, he has served as the Tok District Superintendent, managing 7 maintenance stations, 6 airports, more than 600 miles of road and 45 employees. “I have a great career so far with DOT”, Dennis remarked, “and I know that the efforts of my staff make a difference. We have had to overcome many challenges, including blizzards, avalanches, forest fires, floods, earthquakes and falling budgets. Through it all, we have kept the roads safe and passable for the traveling public. It is very rewarding to know that goods and services are moving because of our efforts.”
Dennis credits his success to his education at North Central Kansas Area Vocational Technical School (now NCK Tech). “I was able to enter the workforce with a well-grounded foundation and, over the years, I have built a successful career.”
Alumni Association Regional Chapters
We have a great database of NCK Tech Alumni and we would like to establish Regional Chapters across the state. The Chapters would allow alumni in a region to meet with other alumni in the area and would be the starting point for scheduling alumni activities and social gatherings. However, to make the Chapters a reality, we need your help!! Would you please consider volunteering to serve as a Chapter Leader? Please contact Mari Tucker, mtucker@ncktc.edu, 785-623-6167, for further information or to offer your time and talent. Thanks for your consideration!