The Western Connect newsletter is sent twice a year. It provides updates on what is happening at the college and features stories about our alumni. Connect is sent electronically. If you would prefer to have a printed version of Connect mailed to you, please fill out this form.

See the the most recent Connect issues below, and add your name to the mailing list by completing the "Update Your Information" section above.

September 2024

Feature Story: More Than Mechanics: The Heart of Western Diesel Program

At Western, the Diesel and Heavy Equipment program is about more than just engines and transmissions; it’s a community where students and instructors form bonds that last a lifetime. Guided by dedicated educators like Casey Eglinton ’94 and his fellow instructors—Cody Bork ’15, Jason Lewis ’95, and Chad Hofslien ’89, ’18—this program thrives on inclusivity, collaboration, and a full commitment to supporting one another.

Read full issue: Interactive PDF | Printable PDF

February 2024

Feature Story: Roots, Resilience, Community

Just outside of Spring Grove, Minnesota, Moriah Cody spent the best years of her childhood. Now, Moriah is not your average mother, daughter, musician, Western graduate, community volunteer, and busy professional. She is all that, and so much more! She has 23 years of finance experience and is currently the Vice President of Hanson & Associates, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC here in La Crosse. So, how did she become the trusted, go-to woman at work—and in the community? Let’s get to it! 

Read full issue: Interactive PDF | Printable PDF

September 2023

Feature Story: Natasha Normand is Redefining Roles

Once upon a time in the town of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, there lived a remarkable woman named Natasha Normand. However, Normand’s current reality is one of an Army veteran living with PTSD, and a single parent to a lovely 5-year-old daughter, Aurora, and the world’s greatest dog, a black lab named Diesel. After serving with bravery and dedication for six years, she has been discharged and found herself at a bit of a crossroads. Normand is not one for fairy tales, but she has thoughtfully organized her life in an enviable fashion.

Read full issue: Interactive PDF | Printable PDF

February 2023

Feature Story: Luke loves to Go Big

Wisconsin native Luke Achterberg ’05 is a successful working artist. His chilly, utilitarian Northside La Crosse studio is where the artistic magic happens. Luke is a sculptor; his medium is metal, his method is welding, and he loves to “go big.”  We must ask, where would he be without his Western Welding Degree? 

Read full issue: Interactive PDF | Printable PDF

August 2022

Feature Story: Amanda Heintz - Great Misfortune; Beautiful Closure

The universe was in an irritable mood the day it intervened in Amanda’s life in a terrible way. A gentler nudge in the right direction would have been appreciated, but we don’t get to choose these things. On a stormy gray morning, Amanda Heintz—at the time a Western nursing student—was driving to church, like she always did. This trip left Amanda with a crumpled car and a cleanly broken femur. The accident was tailor-made for a pain killer habit. She unwittingly entered a darkly lit pattern of addiction—a place notoriously difficult to come back from. However, lots has happened since.

Read full issue: Interactive PDF | Printable PDF

Our Interactive Alumni Map shows where Western alumni settle after graduation. 

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Get involved! Apply to be an Alumni Association Board Member! If you are an alumni of Western Technical College and looking for a way to help drive forward the mission of the college, this could be the perfect opportunity for you.