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 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

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 | 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.