Full Circle

MSC Southeast graduate returns to work at hospital where she was once a patient

When she was in high school, Emilee Agin suffered a very serious traumatic brain injury in a car accident. Following several weeks in a coma, she spent two months in the inpatient rehabilitation unit at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Rochester, re-learning everything from how to talk to how to walk.

Now 22 years old, she is back at the rehab unit every day, but not as a patient. She has returned to the facility as a Health Unit Coordinator (HUC). Today she works side-by-side with some of the same nurses and doctors who once took care of her.

Emilee earned her HUC certificate at Minnesota State College Southeast, graduating in Spring of 2015. She started out by taking general education classes in Winona, because she really didn't know what major she wanted to pursue. "Then I got the idea for the HUC program, and it was a good fit for me," she says. 

As a HUC, she's the first person you see when you enter the rehab unit. She provides administrative support for the nursing station, handles admissions and discharges, orders supplies for the unit, and helps patients get items that they need. 

There are usually between 20 and 40 patients being cared for in the rehab unit, undergoing occupational, physical and recreational therapy. Emilee's unique background can be an inspiration to patients and their families. "If they're having a bad day I'll go talk to them and share my story," she says. 

Why MSC Southeast?

Emilee was drawn to MSC Southeast because it is a small campus. "Honestly, I didn't think I could handle a 4-year college, and I was worried about finding a school that would work for me." 

Happily, she found a positive environment at MSC Southeast. "I loved the teachers - Patty, Becky and Brenda - and really bonded with them. They were so helpful and made accommodations for me because of my brain injury. For example, they let me take my tests in a separate room by myself so there would be no distractions."

Small class sizes helped her focus more on her studies and connect with the other students who were working on the same projects that she was. She also enjoyed serving in Student Senate and working in the college bookstore.

What would Emilee say to someone who has to overcome challenges to attend college? 

"I would tell them you can only be yourself, and always remember people are willing to help you if you need it."

• More information about Medical Support Careers
• Course list for Health Unit Coordinator Certificate

9^th Annual Alumni & Friends Golf Tournament 

18-hole Scramble Tournament and Picnic Dinner
Monday, August 7, 2017
New location! The Bridges Golf Course, 22852 Co. Hwy. 17, Winona, MN

10am: Tournament registration begins; Grill will be open for lunch on your own
12 noon: Shot-gun start; Dinner following golf

Minnesota State College Southeast Foundation invites you to connect with our alumni and friends for a great day of golf and fun activities. If golf isn't your game, join us for the dinner and silent/live auctions where you'll have the opportunity to support the college in a variety of ways!

The tournament will be a four person scramble. Either sign up as a foursome, or we can pair you up with another group to make a foursome. Prizes will be awarded for first, second, tenth, and "most honest" (last) place winners, giving everyone the chance to win. There will also be hole events and games throughout the tournament. 

For more information, please contact Casie Johnson at 507-453-2663 or [email protected]. Proceeds from the event help support MSC Southeast students in need through scholarships and programmatic initiatives.

Thank you to our 2017 sponsors

Event Sponsor
Winona National Bank

Minnesota State College Southeast announces Spring 2017 President's List 

Minnesota State College Southeast is proud to announce the President’s List for Spring Semester 2017.

A total of 204 students were named to the Spring President's List. MSC Southeast attracts students from all over the United States -- students from nearby Minnesota and Wisconsin, plus Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Vermont were honored on the President's List. Besides the U.S., MSC Southeast students from Australia, Canada, China, Japan, and South Korea earned this prestigious recognition.

To be eligible for the President’s List, students must complete a minimum of 12 credits at MSC Southeast during an academic term and achieve a GPA of 3.5 or above.

See the complete Spring 2017 President's List

Minnesota State College Southeast launches Engineering and Technology initiatives

New degree, facilities, partnerships with Winona State University and Milwaukee School of Engineering, and high school certificate

View the Facebook Photo Album

On June 1, Minnesota State College Southeast launched a comprehensive engineering and technology capabilities initiative, including: 

• A new 2-year degree, the Associate of Applied Science in Electrical Engineering Technology,
• Major investments in industrial automation laboratory facilities,
• Transfer partnerships with the Milwaukee School of Engineering and Winona State University, and
• A new high school-to-college engineering pipeline.

"We are collaborating with nationally renowned industrial and academic partners to help us meet the technological demands of tomorrow's economy," says Travis Thul, MSC Southeast Dean of Trade and Technology. "The bottom line is creating robust and innovative opportunities that will benefit our current and future students."

New 2-Year Degree: Associate in Applied Science in Electrical Engineering Technology 

Beginning in Fall 2017, MSC Southeast will offer a new 2-year degree, the Associate of Applied Science in Electrical Engineering Technology. This degree will prepare students to enter industry as front-line engineering technicians, ready to assist in the design, development, and implementation of systems ranging from printed circuit board assemblies to industrial robots. Graduates will also have the mathematical and analytical back ground to continue pursuit of an engineering baccalaureate degree through one of the college’s engineering university partners. 

New Industrial Controls Lab – Winona campus

A new, state-of-the-art, industrial automation and controls laboratory is now open on the Winona campus. Newly outfitted with Human Machine Interface (HMI) terminals, Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), Variable Frequency Drives (VFD), and induction machines, this lab represents one of the most advanced facilities throughout Minnesota post-secondary education. Students from Industrial Technology, Electrical Engineering Technology, Electronics Technology, and Custom Education programs will be able program and troubleshoot systems which parallel what can be found in industry. 

University Transfer Partnership Agreements 

Milwaukee School of Engineering and Winona State University have signed official transfer partnership agreements allowing Associate in Science in Electrical Engineering Technology graduates to transfer into 4-year engineering programs.* These transfer agreements are among the most ambitious AAS to BS articulations across Minnesota State and will provide students a pathway towards a career as an engineer and beyond.

Milwaukee School of Engineering: Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering

Since 1903, Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) has been working with industry and the community to provide engineering education with an applications based philosophy. Offering baccalaureate degrees spanning electrical engineering to biomedical engineering to business and nursing, MSOE is considered a leader in adapting its curriculum to meet the technological needs of tomorrow's industry. MSOE is an independent, non-profit university that has a national academic reputation, dedicated professors with real-world experience, a 97 percent graduate job-placement rate, and high average starting salaries. 

Winona State University: Bachelor of Science in General Engineering 

Winona State University is a community of learners and has long been a leader in the fields of science and engineering, pioneering the nation’s only ABET-accredited undergraduate program in Composite Materials Engineering. Adding to that repertoire, WSU was approved to offer a BS in General Engineering in 2017 - making it the only university in Southeast Minnesota to offer such a credential. This degree will offer students hands-on experience and serve the community's need for multidisciplinary engineers across the electronics, metallurgical, and manufacturing industries.   

*Must meet articulation agreement requirements. Please contact program advisor for more information.

Prototype Engineering Certificate - for High School Students 

A new certificate in Prototype Engineering, including Computer Aided Design (CAD), Computer Numerical Control (CNC) manufacturing, and precision engineering applications, will be offered to high school juniors and seniors. Students will graduate with both a high school diploma and a Minnesota State College Southeast certificate. They will be prepared to pursue entry level technical positions, transfer into a MSC Southeast program. The credential can be also used to strengthen an application to an engineering university. For more information, contact MSC Southeast Student Services ([email protected]).