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.

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 | Accessible 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 | Accessible PDF

February 2022

Feature Story: Amber’s Noteworthy 10-year Challenge

Amber Patterman, a 2013 Western graduate, is currently on her second term teaching Anatomy and Physiology to Western students. Her journey started at Western as a student just over a decade ago. After branching out to acquire experience and knowledge, she’s returned to Western to stay. A life well planned and organized is a desirable thing.

Read full issue: Interactive PDF | Accessible PDF

August 2021

Feature Story: Paul Reardon—passion, artisan craftsmanship, and a good business plan

Blue Steel Bike of La Crosse, Wisconsin, is a mobile bike repair shop for most of the year and a custom frame and bike build shop in winter. Paul Reardon, the owner of Blue Steel Bike, is the brains and the talent behind the uniquely positioned and successful operation. Reardon’s motto is, “Our frames are one in a million, not one of a million.”

Read full issue: Interactive PDF | Accessible 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.