District Winners

2025 District 3 Pacesetter

Bonnie Baerwald
President
Moraine Park Technical College
Fond du Lac, WI

How has President Baerwald helped advance Moraine Park Technical College? Under her guidance, Moraine Park has forged strong partnerships with business and industry, expanded and modernized academic programs, and delivered consistent enrollment growth. In 2022, President Baerwald successfully led the college through an historic referendum. The milestone unlocked critical resources to strengthen facilities, expand opportunities, and solidify the college’s role as a vital driver of workforce and economic growth in the region. This past year, Moraine Park achieved the largest enrollment growth of any technical college in Wisconsin, a direct reflection of President Baerwald’s ability to position the institution for relevance and accessibility in a rapidly changing landscape. 

How has President Baerwald’s helped advance community colleges regionally and nationally? Her leadership in passing a $55 million referendum in 2022 demonstrated how community colleges can rally broad public support. Nationally, President Baerwald’s advocacy has amplified community colleges in critical conversations about workforce development, equity and student success. Under President Baerwald’s leadership, Moraine Park was recognized by the Aspen Institute as one of the nation’s top 150 community colleges of excellence. Additionally, Moraine Park’s two-time nomination for the Department of Defense Freedom Award positioned the college among the top 30 public employers in the country.  

How does President Baerwald support Moraine Park’s marcom and PR team? A defining example of her leadership came during the 2022 referendum: Rather than treating marketing as a secondary support function, President Baerwald brought marcom to the table from the start. She positioned the team as key partners in advancing the initiative, which required gaining majority support across 10 counties. Her confidence in the team members allowed them to both execute a successful, community-wide campaign and grow tremendously in their own careers. 

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