MSC Southeast honored with Winona Area Chamber of Commerce 2021 Innovation Award
Minnesota State College Southeast was honored by the Winona Area Chamber of Commerce with the 2021 Innovation Award at its Annual Banquet and Awards Ceremony on January 28, 2022. The award recognized the most innovative ways that business have adapted to the new challenges, new opportunities, and new ways of working brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Innovation Award is sponsored and selected by Watlow. The school won the award for "finding innovative ways to service the rapidly changing needs of their students and business partners and for developing new courses and new machinery to assist with those changing needs."
"The Innovation Award is a testament to all the hard work put in by the faculty and staff at MSC Southeast to be more flexible for our students as a result of the pandemic," said President Marsha Danielson in accepting the award.
Minnesota State College Southeast has been responsive to the changes in business and industry by continually developing training and learning opportunities. For example, in the last two years the college has launched partnerships with area businesses to offer training in mechatronics. A new certificate in electronics is now available for high school students. Additional investments in the college over the last year have increased the college's potential to offer state-of-the-art learning in updated shops and labs.
The Admissions staff has developed new recruiting processes, such as offering virtual open houses, admissions meetings, and financial aid information sessions via Zoom. These practices have proven so effective that they will be continued going forward, regardless of the status of the pandemic. Simulations developed by instructors and an enhanced online presence have offered greater flexibility for all students, including hy-flex class delivery where students can attend virtually or in the classroom.
"We've grown into a comprehensive community and technical college that really supports students across the Southeast area and is vitally connected to the workforce in our area," said Chad Dull, Vice President of Student Success, in a video that was produced especially for the Chamber banquet. "There is a sense of community here. People believe in one another, people support one another, and there is a lot of energy around making it a very vital, special place."
Watch the video produced by Mallard Productions, Winona