November 5, 2012

by Dorothy Farrell, WROF, Inc. Board member

College is also where I first met Marcy Heim, Executive Director for the WROF, Inc., and we've kept in touch over the years. When a WROF Board seat opened up last summer, she encouraged me to consider serving. She said the foundation was looking for someone with extensive marketing experience, which I have, as well as a passion for enhancing the lives of people in rural Wisconsin communities.

I knew right then that the WROF, Inc. was a perfect fit for me. I grew up in rural Wisconsin. My parents were farmers, and even though my father never graduated from high school, he had a high regard for education. I know what a struggle it was for them, having a farm and trying to put money back into their own operation while sending children to college. Additionally, my husband and I live in Sheboygan County and we cherish our quality of life there. I want to nurture and preserve that, so future generations can enjoy it, too.

I have a bachelor of science in agriculture degree from UW-Madison, and an MBA in marketing, brand management, and product development. As the Director of Demand Planning at Sargento Foods, I see first-hand how important agriculture is to the economy. In order to feed the world effectively and efficiently, we need to educate young people so they can continue to take on and embrace these tasks. I want to use my skills and experience to help the WROF, Inc. enhance awareness and support of its mission, so the foundation can continue to provide scholarships, attract new donors, and continue helping people for decades to come.

In my first year as a WROF Board member, I have helped the foundation develop a marketing plan, create new marketing materials, and enhance the website, www.wrof.org.

I am also the co-chair the WROF Marketing Committee. We are currently looking to add new volunteer members--people with marketing experience and a passion for ensuring the vitality of rural Wisconsin. If you are interested in joining the WROF Marketing Committee, please send me an email at [email protected].

 

Back: Marcy Heim, WROF Executive Director and Katie Vesperman, Edgewood College Director of Annual Giving & Special Gifts. Front: WROF nursing scholarship recipients Celeste Wilkinson and Jamie Wandry.

Since 1978, Edgewood College has been contributing to the wellbeing of rural Wisconsin. Throughout its history, 90 percent of the alumni remain to serve the people of Wisconsin. That's a tremendous statistic! From Argyle to Woodruff, more than 50 rural communities have Edgewood nurses providing exceptional care that upholds the Dominican values of the College. Edgewood College easily places its graduates within six months of graduation.

While tuition tops $34,000 annually, those pursuing a nursing degree also face hefty books bills, uniform expenses, and fees for specialized equipment. That's where the WROF, Inc. is helping out. Jamie Wandry, Merrimac, and Celeste Wilkinson, Mt. Horeb, each received $1000 from the WROF in 2011-2012. Jamie is the first person in her entire family, extended members included, to attend college. She lives with her mom in Merrimac and commutes to Edgewood to attend her classes. "This gift from the WROF paid my entire book bill!" Jamie exclaimed. Celeste agreed. "I planned for tuition and living expenses, but the scholarship helped cover the specialized extra instruments and books we need for our studies. It made a big difference for me." Celeste will be carrying on a family tradition as one of several nurses and doctors in the Wilkinson clan. 

Seventy-seven percent of Edgewood's undergraduates take out loans to help fund their education, and the average loan debt after graduation is about $35,000. Both young women are effusive in their praise for the nursing experience at Edgewood College, noting classes are small and the faculty and clinical experiences throughout the state are first-rate. One of the best parts the program is the opportunity to learn from several computer-controlled mannequins including SimMan 3G, a high-fidelity birthing mother, and a newborn baby SimNewB. 

Keeping Wisconsin's Economic Development Issues Front and Center

by Theresa Lins, WROF scholarship recipient

 

I received support for my college education from the Wisconsin Rural Opportunities Foundation in the early 1990s. I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in agricultural journalism in 1992.

After college I completed my master's degree in international agricultural development with an emphasis in community development at the University of California-Davis. As part of my graduate research, I worked in rural New Mexico helping women entrepreneurs start a business incubator.

I lived and worked overseas after completing my master's degree, working on economic development projects in Asia. I eventually returned to Wisconsin and built a career in the nonprofit industry working on economic development issues in Milwaukee.

Today I work as a marketing and project coordinator for the Biotechnology and Bioengineering Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. In addition, I am a freelance writer specializing in agricultural and environmental stories. My articles have appeared in several statewide publications including Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine, Wisconsin People & Ideas, and The Country Today. I also write for a UW-Madison publication called Grow.

I very much appreciate the opportunities support from WROF provided me. Thank you!

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Jim Caldwell Named Community Banker of the Year

 

Join us in sending heartfelt congratulations to WROF, Inc. Board President Jim Caldwell on being named Community Banker of the Year by the Community Bankers of Wisconsin (CBW). In addition to serving the WROF, Inc., Jim is also the President and CEO of First Citizens Bank in Whitewater. Read the full article (PDF), as printed in Wisconsin Community Banking News.

 

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Dr. Robert E. Walton Wins Distinguished Leader Award

 

We are happy to announce that longtime WROF, Inc. Board member Dr. Robert E. Walton is Holstein Association USA's 2012 Distinguished Leadership Award recipient. He was recognized during the final banquet at the 2012 National Holstein Convention in Springfield, Missouri. Read the full article (PDF) from the summer 2012 issue of Holstein Pulse.

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Meeting with our award recipients and our educational partners has been an amazing experience. As we approach Thanksgiving, taking time to be grateful heightens our awareness of the number of folks who impact our lives for good, directly, and behind the scenes every day. When we consider the contributions of more than 5,500 WROF award recipients in rural Wisconsin communities over the past decades the results are, indeed, staggering. These agricultural, basic science, nursing and medical students, 4-H and FFA members and beginning farmers transform the WROF support into lives of giving back to their rural communities and, really, to us all. Join me in being grateful.