Madison College regional campuses honored for serving rural students

Fort Atkinson, Portage, Reedsburg, and Watertown have been recognized by The Rural Community College Alliance (RCCA) for innovative and accessible education services for rural Wisconsin learners.

The RCCA Innovation & Access award recognized the regional campus Career Discovery Youth Camps, which offer programs in nursing, aviation, Safesitter, EMS, welding, metal fabrication, triple C, and mini-manufacturing world. These interactive summer camps allow youth in 7-12 grades to explore potential careers at Madison College's regional campuses.

Madison College's regional campuses also received the Workforce Development & Innovation award for programs that significantly impacted institutional and student success, demonstrating a commitment to excellence in workforce development and innovation.

As part of the mission and vitality of the rural campuses, Madison College implements strategies to address workforce shortages and changing demographics. These include regional contract work with English Language Learner (ELL) populations, collaborations with the Workforce Development Board for short-term trainings, and FAST Forward grant work for rural EMT training.

"We are proud to receive recognition from The Rural Community College Alliance for our impactful work at Madison College campuses in Fort Atkinson, Portage, Reedsburg, and Watertown, serving the community," said Shawna Marquardt, Madison College Dean of Regional Campuses. "These highly skilled Madison College graduates, youth and adult learners, significantly enhance the workforce and actively contribute to thriving neighborhoods by supporting their community, schools, and businesses."

More than one-third of the overall population in the Madison College District lives outside Dane County and 32% of current Madison College students live outside Dane County. Data shows that 92% of Madison College graduates stay and work in the state and 75% stay and work in the district.

Find more about Madison College Regional Campuses at Fort Atkinson, Portage, Reedsburg and Watertown campuses.