黑料网 is responding to the nursing home staffing shortage in Minnesota by offering nursing assistant classes at no cost to participants.

The free training is in response to Governor Tim Walz鈥檚 recently announced initiative to recruit, train and deploy at least 1,000 certified nursing assistants (CNA) for Minnesota long-term care facilities.

The classes will be offered in a hybrid format in both Hutchinson and Willmar. The 32 students, already enrolled, will complete the course in January.

This isn鈥檛 the first request for training Ridgewater has responded to during the pandemic. Ridgewater recently trained several members of the Minnesota National Guard for deployment as emergency, temporary nursing assistants. The training offered will model this initiative.

鈥淲e鈥檙e proud to answer the Governor鈥檚 call to train certified nursing assistants during the pandemic,鈥� said Sam Bowen, dean of customized training and continuing education. 鈥淥ur instructors and staff have been outstanding at adapting to the ever-changing situation.鈥�

Once trained, the CNAs will be eligible for employment at Minnesota long-term care facilities that are facing severe staffing shortages.

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Ridgewater President Dr. Craig Johnson made the announcement on Thursday. 鈥淲hile increasing the vaccination rate continues to be the priority strategy to battle COVID-19,鈥� he said, 鈥淢innesota State Chancellor Malhotra has issued a system-wide directive that every Minnesota State campus must require all individuals to wear a mask upon entering any campus building where the local county鈥檚 COVID case rate has reached or surpassed the 鈥渟ubstantial鈥� or 鈥渉igh鈥� COVID-19 transmission level.鈥�

At this time, the COVID transmission rate in both McLeod and Kandiyohi counties is at a level that requires masking for all employees, students, vendors, contractors and visitors. The only exceptions are individuals alone in enclosed spaces like individual offices or study rooms.

Although Kandiyohi and McLeod county COVID transmission levels may go up and down over time, Ridgewater does not plan to go back and forth on the mask requirement. The mask requirement will be in place until officially communicated otherwise.

Fall semester starts August 23 and 黑料网 will reopen both campuses as announced earlier despite the masking requirement. 鈥淲e look forward to being back on campus with more students in the classrooms and our Warrior athletes in action,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淲hile we must continue with requiring masks, we are focusing on the positives in our situation and we welcome the opportunity to engage once again in direct interactions with our students, colleagues and community members.鈥�

To learn more about Ridgewater鈥檚 plans for fall semester or to schedule a campus tour, visit ridgewater.edu.

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When the global COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to large group events like the popular Ridgewater SkillsFest, 黑料网 Welding instructors took their technical contests on the road to seven interested high schools. More than 30 students participated in the 2021 SkillsFest Distant Version, with 12 students earning award recognition while first-place winners also earned $1,000 黑料网 Foundation scholarships.

Participating schools included Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City (ACGC), Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa (BBE), Eden Valley-Watkins (EVW), Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg (KMS), New London-Spicer (NLS), Sauk Centre, and Willmar.

Ridgewater faculty visited the schools, provided demonstrations and instructions, distributed tacked together weldments for the competition, and shared a bit about the Ridgewater Welding program. Each school was invited to select two competitors in each welding category. Students had two weeks to perform a print reading test and complete the designated weldment. Ridgewater faculty then collected the projects for judging by Ridgewater Welding students.

Earning top welding honors were:

Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW, mig/wire): 1^st 鈥� Jake Elliott, KMS; 2^nd 鈥� Hayden Larson, NLS; 3^rd 鈥� Ben Clark, KMS

Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW, Tig): 1. Nick Rohlik, NLS; 2. Derek Lueze, Willmar; 3. Alec Larson, NLS

Stick Metal Arc Welding (SMAW): 1. Chris Stadther, Sauk Centre; 2. Charlie Haug, KMS; 3. Brad Hastling, Willmar

Oxy Acetylene Welding (OAW): 1. Gavin Johnson, NLS; 2. Dylan Medford, NLS; Caden Carlson, Willmar

鈥淭his year鈥檚 distant version of SkillsFest turned out to be a great event and way to involve both high school and college welders,鈥� said Cody Sarsland, Ridgewater Welding instructor. 鈥淗igh schoolers accepted the technical skill challenges and college welders developed their eye for excellent welding as they judged the projects.鈥�

During a typical SkillsFest event, 250-300 career and technical education students from about 20 schools compete in a wide variety of technical challenges at Ridgewater. Skills might include anything from changing tires or painting car parts to taking photographs, drafting parts, or creating electrical circuits.

Although the 2021 Distant Version of SkillsFest had about 30 welding competitors compared to the normal 60-80, Sarsland said the event was a great success. 鈥淲e had a good time making a more personal connection by visiting the students at their schools during the initial steps of the event. It was fun showing them techniques on how to set up and adjust their equipment and welding positioning, and showing them professional-looking welds made with all kinds of equipment.鈥�

鈥淭his was a great activity,鈥� said Neil Pearson, Willmar High School agriculture shop instructor. 鈥淪omething good came out of COVID. This contest also helped prepare my team for the Minnesota State FFA Agricultural Mechanics contest. Thank you, Cody!鈥�

Craig Dischinger of KMS agreed. “Students were disappointed last year when SkillsFest was cancelled,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen the opportunity arose this year for a modified SkillsFest, the students said, 鈥榊es!鈥� They were super excited to compete in the contest this year.”

Many involved said it was a real win for students.

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HUTCHINSON and WILLMAR, MN 鈥� As COVID-19 vaccination rates rise and the central Minnesota region shows signs of virus case stabilization, 黑料网 is preparing for a gradual return to normal and in-person classes over the upcoming summer and fall semesters.

鈥淲e are increasingly confident we will be able to safely return to campus this fall and provide students with face-to-face instruction and on-campus student life activities,鈥� said Ridgewater President Dr. Craig Johnson. 鈥淎s a first step, we will gradually re-open our campuses during the summer session with in-person classes and increased group activities.鈥�

Fall student life activities, including athletics, are expected to return to normal as well. Student clubs will meet face-to-face on campus and engage in off-campus meetings and events. The full range of athletic activities will resume once again, although it鈥檚 uncertain whether spectators will be allowed. Campus services such as fitness centers, the gym, test centers, and Academic Support Centers will also re-open on campus.

For the past year, Ridgewater has prioritized the safety of the college community by pausing on-campus student life interactions and limiting on-campus employees and guests. When the college did open campus for in-person prospective student visits, groups were limited to a maximum of 10 people. Many Ridgewater technical program students have been attending classes on campus with limited capacity to ensure appropriate hands-on experiences with equipment and machines. Most general education courses, however, like communications, math, and history, have been strictly online. Exceptions have been sciences that require lab work and some art courses.

Currently, about 73 percent of employees are working from home due to COVID-19. Ridgewater expects to bring employees back to campus gradually, beginning late spring and over the summer. By fall, Ridgewater expects to be back to full staffing levels on campus in most areas, with some continued telecommuting for employees on a selective basis. The college will offer a full array of face-to-face, fully online, and hybrid courses that combine both on-campus and online instruction.

鈥淲e expect to offer more online and hybrid courses than we did prior to the pandemic,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great way to apply the many positive lessons we learned through our COVID experience this past year, and respond to student demand as well.鈥�

鈥淲hile this plan for fall means a 鈥榬eturn to normal鈥� regarding activities on campus,鈥� Johnson explained, 鈥渢he health and safety of the college community will continue to be our top priority.鈥� Students, employees, and visitors should expect to begin Fall Semester with masking and distancing requirements still in place to continue to comply with Minnesota Department of Health guidelines. If COVID conditions change, the college will be prepared to adjust accordingly.

For information on summer or fall courses at 黑料网, go to www.ridgewater.edu/admission-aid/admissions-checklist/ or call 320-222-5971.

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To receive a CRRSAA Student Aid grant, a student must be actively enrolled for Spring Semester 2021 in any online, hybrid or face-to-face credit, non-credit or continuing education courses and meet these federal eligibility requirements: 

1. Must be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen (including a US National or permanent resident);
2. Have a valid Social Security number; and
3. Have a high school diploma or GED certificate. 

Students NOT eligible for the CRRSAA financial assistance include:

• high school Post-Secondary Enrollment Options or Concurrent Enrollment students
• senior citizens who already attend at discounted tuition rates
• students receiving third-party employer payment for tuition
• undocumented/DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) students

鈥淲e know the COVID-19 pandemic has created overwhelming financial and related hardships for our students these past months, far exceeding what we normally see or are equipped to handle,鈥� said Ridgewater鈥檚 Kelly Magnuson, Vice President for Advancement and Outreach and Ridgewater Foundation Executive Director. 鈥淭his latest federal funding 鈥� dedicated to students in need 鈥� is much needed and incredibly impactful in helping students persevere in meeting their educational goals during this difficult time.鈥� 

The CRRSAA student financial assistance grants may be used toward any component of the student鈥檚 cost of college attendance (including tuition, fees, books, housing, food, etc.), for health care including mental health, or for unexpected or emergency costs that have arisen due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students must be able to explain their financial situation or hardship on their application. 

For more information or to apply, go to . Questions regarding the financial assistance application process should be directed to Ashley Gabbert at Ashley.gabbert@ridgewater.edu.

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Since the start of the semester on August 24, just 6% of students 鈥� nearly all in hands-on, technical programs, science labs or art experiences – have been attending courses in fully face-to-face classes or labs.

With the expanded Ridgewater remote/online curriculum delivery beginning November 30, even fewer current students will have any in-person classes or labs, with many coming to campus as minimally as just a few days to finish the semester. Only a small percent of students learning hands-on skills with specialized equipment will be the exception, including those who are near graduation or completing certifications.

Samples of on-campus experiences have included Veterinary Technology students working with animals, Machine Tool students programming manufacturing machines, and Nursing students practicing patient care with simulation equipment. Most general education courses have been online since March.

鈥淲e anticipate that the pandemic situation will worsen rather than improve heading into the end of the semester and following the Thanksgiving holiday break,鈥� said 黑料网 President Craig Johnson.

Since August, in addition to fully face-to-face instruction on campus, about 38% of Ridgewater students have been enrolled in a blended/hybrid course format involving both on-campus and online instruction.

The possibility of shifting to a very minimal number of students learning on campus was anticipated by Ridgewater leadership at the start of fall semester. This reality is becoming more widespread as many secondary Minnesota schools are pivoting to distance learning and Governor Tim Walz has added more restrictions on gatherings of people in bars, restaurants, gyms, entertainment centers, and more.

While the safety and health of students and employees is driving the Ridgewater decision, other factors include the growing community spread and the strain on the regional healthcare systems, said Tressa Lukes, Ridgewater Safety Administrator.

Ridgewater administration, with input from faculty, identified a small number of specific courses or labs that will have some face-to-face instruction beyond November 30, including courses in Agriculture, automotive programs, Electrician, Nondestructive Testing, Welding, and Machine Tool.

鈥淏y making this decision now, prior to Thanksgiving, we believe it provides the best opportunity for all of our students to complete the semester,鈥� said Mike Kutzke, Vice President of Student Success. 鈥淚t also gives faculty and students time to prepare for the transition.鈥�

Ridgewater鈥檚 campuses will continue to be open for campus visits and tours by appointment, although strict safety protocols will continue to be followed. Essential services for students also remain accessible, including library and internet access. The campuses will remain open for essential services over the semester break, but the libraries will be closed during this time.

As of November 11, Ridgewater had reported having 44 student cases of COVID-19 and 7 employee cases since the semester started in late August. Throughout the entire Minnesota State system of 36 colleges and the system office, there have been 296 employee cases and 2424 student cases.

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To help students with these difficulties, the 黑料网 Foundation created the Ridgewater Cares Emergency Fund (RCEF) about a year ago. The fund is designed to help students with emergency needs that may have otherwise caused them to leave school. As needs have intensified during the pandemic, so has community support for educational goals. Recently, the Ridgewater Foundation received a $5,000 donation from both the Southwest Initiative Foundation to support the RCEF effort and a $5,000 donation from the CHS Foundation, an organization tied to the CHS diversified global agribusiness cooperative, to support Ridgewater agriculture students in times of need.

鈥淭he Ridgewater Cares Emergency Fund assists students who are undergoing extreme financial difficulties so they can continue their education at 黑料网,鈥� explained Ashley Gabbert, Ridgewater Foundation director of annual giving and alumni relations. 鈥淚f not resolved quickly, financial difficulties can hinder the students鈥� abilities to attend class, be successful, or remain enrolled.鈥�

During the 2019-2020 school year, the RCEF assisted eight students. Situations varied from car repairs, gas money, rent and more. While the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding assisted many students during this much larger, short-term time of need, the RCEF will remain an essential resource for students experiencing hardships.

Recently, a Ridgewater student was in a difficult situation but wasn鈥檛 eligible for the federal CARES pandemic relief funding. The local RCEF, however, was able to assist, which allowed the student to remain in school. The $5,000 SWIF grant will help maintain the RCEF to support students in need. The $5,000 CHS Foundation donation will specifically assist agriculture students to align with the mission of CHS.

The CHS Foundation contributed that same amount to all its college and university partners. 鈥淚t is important to us to continue to show our support of and commitment to students so they can stay engaged, be successful and continue their career paths in agriculture,鈥� said Nanci Lilja, CHS Foundation president.

鈥淔or several students, this has been a make-or-break situation,鈥� Gabbert explained. 鈥淭hey could either focus on the financial situation in front of them or they could keep showing up to class. We are so grateful to have donors who support these students so they can keep pursuing success in education.鈥�

Accessing Funds

To apply for funding, an eligible student in good academic standing must first meet with a college counselor. If RCEF support is deemed appropriate and is available, and no other community or campus resources are available, payment is most often made to the third party involved (i.e. auto repair shop) for the exact amount necessary to alleviate the situation (not to exceed a set cap). RCEF is a last resort.

Supporting the 黑料网 Foundation

Anyone interested in providing additional support to the Ridgewater Cares Emergency Fund can give online at www.ridgewater.edu/givenow or send checks to the Ridgewater Foundation at 2101 15th Ave NW, Willmar, MN 56201. For more information, contact Ashley Gabbert at 320-222-6098 or ashley.gabbert@ridgewater.edu. Gifts to the Foundation may be tax deductible to the extent of current law.

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Campus Tours Resume

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Ridgewater has only been open for current students to access essential technology resources, like printing and computers. Campus visits and other services have been conducted remotely. However, starting July 6, in-person tours will resume by appointment only and limited in size to no more than nine guests.

Plans for Fall Semester

Ridgewater will offer both in-person and distance learning options for fall semester. While the college had initially announced a fully online and remote instruction start to the semester, with a possible conversion to face-to-face instructions when conditions allowed, that plan has changed.

鈥淲e heard from many students and parents who wanted more certainty about our plans for fall,鈥� said 黑料网 President Craig Johnson. 鈥淐OVID-19 has made it difficult to provide concrete answers, but as conditions have been fairly stable in our area to date and with safety guidance from CDC and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), we鈥檝e developed strategies to deliver a portion of our classes via face-to-face instruction on campus for fall.鈥�

As a result, the college will now commit to a firm plan for course delivery for the entire fall semester, with final decisions on which courses will be delivered face-to-face by mid-July. According to Matt Feuerborn, Dean of Instruction for Technical Programs, decisions on course delivery will be based on the health and safety of students, faculty, and staff, along with the effectiveness of instruction and support services for students. 鈥淭he safety of our students, faculty and staff continues to be our top priority,鈥� Feuerborn said.

Distance learning, including online and remote courses, will continue to be offered. Students should expect a mix of course delivery methods, including: face-to-face, primarily for classes that have a lab or a critical hands-on or face-to-face component; online synchronous (online/remote class you attend at a scheduled time with the rest of your classmates), and online asynchronous (online/remote class with no regularly scheduled class times). The delivery method for each course will remain the same throughout the entire semester to provide consistency for students, which is a key change from the college鈥檚 original plan. 

For on-campus, face-to-face classes, Ridgewater will follow its back-to-campus preparedness plan to support a safe and healthy environment for all. Facilities staff will disinfect and clean rooms and furnishing regularly according to CDC and MDH guidelines. Social distancing guidelines will also be followed and enforced, with masks strongly encouraged. When social distancing isn鈥檛 possible, masks must be worn. Additionally, students and visitors will be screened upon entering campus.

At this time, the plan for fall is a one-semester strategy. Ridgewater leadership will adjust for Spring Semester 2021 as more information becomes available. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important that we remain flexible,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 possible Minnesota could experience a resurgence of COVID-19, at which point, we may need to adjust our plans accordingly.鈥�

Learn more

To schedule a campus tour, visit ridgewater.edu/visit. For more information about Ridgewater鈥檚 back-to-campus preparedness plan, visit Ridgewater.edu/covid-19.

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But students want to know what to expect, and hundreds of students are in the process of registering for summer and fall courses.

鈥淪afety is our top priority,鈥� explained Ridgewater President Dr. Craig Johnson. 鈥淚t is the guiding principle for all of our COVID-19 discussions and decisions.鈥�

Campus Access, Summer Semester & Summer Hours

With the transition to distance learning after spring break this past March, Ridgewater鈥檚 campuses have been closed to the public, open only for current students who need to access essential technology resources like computers and the internet. That situation will change temporarily beginning May 18 through May 29, as the college will close to both the general public and students, with the exception of a drive-up book return May 18-20.

All summer session courses will be online only this year, with sessions beginning June 1 and July 6.  To accommodate technology needs for students in online summer courses, both Ridgewater campuses will be open from June 1 to July 31, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, for students needing access to computers and the internet.

鈥淎ll staff and student services will continue to be available virtually for all current, new and prospective students. We will support our students going forward,鈥� explained Laura Kuvaas, Director of Marketing, Recruiting and New Student Experience.  

Fall Semester Flexibility

For fall courses beginning on August 24, students, faculty and staff are being asked to remain flexible, as much will depend on the pandemic status and how best to ensure safety for students and employees.

鈥淚f it is safe to resume face-to-face delivery at the start of the fall semester, we will do so; however, we don鈥檛 have any certainty at this time,鈥� Johnson said.  鈥淔or now, we are preparing for remote delivery for the start of the term so we can readily shift to face-to-face instruction as soon as reasonable during the semester. By preparing now, we will give our faculty and staff time to provide students with the best possible learning experience.  It will also be less problematic to shift back to face-to-face instruction on short notice.鈥�

Learning remotely via technology isn鈥檛 necessarily the same as online instruction. Students who register for courses that are not designated as online will still need to commit to the days/times of their scheduled classes. If face-to-face classes cannot resume at the start of fall, but can do so later in fall, students will be able to attend their classes on campus as scheduled, hopefully without having to make adjustments in their weekly routine or work schedule.

Although about 45 percent of Ridgewater鈥檚 students had taken one or more online courses prior to the pandemic and are familiar with how they work, the college is aware that online education is not the preferred choice for many students and faculty.  In particular, Ridgewater鈥檚 outstanding technical programs attract students who enjoy learning through hands-on experience. Ridgewater is committed to returning to its strong tradition of face-to-face, on-campus instruction when it is safe to do so.

鈥淲e recognize the uncertainty of the situation is challenging and may cause some anxiety,鈥� Kuvaas said. 鈥淲e want our students to know we are committed to making their experience the best it can be and will support them however we can during this time. 黑料网 is here for our students, and we will continue to be here for them.鈥� 

For the latest information about how the pandemic is impacting 黑料网, go to www.ridgewater.edu/covid-19.

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鈥淥ur college executive team is working closely with the Minnesota State system office to stay on top of the situation, but it is important for all of us to keep in mind that this is a very dynamic challenge,鈥� said Ridgewater College President Dr. Craig Johnson.

To keep students, employees and the community abreast of how this global crisis is impacting the 黑料网 community, its leadership has created a webpage at www.ridgewater.edu/covid-19 with the latest virus information, resources, and the latest college event cancellations.

黑料网 announced on Thursday, March 12 that it would be among several Minnesota State colleges that would extend its spring break by a week with no classes until March 23. Hutchinson Adult Basic Education will extend its spring break also until March 23.

Ridgewater will remain open, including student services offices, and employees will still report to work March 16-20, but college faculty and leadership will work together to plan academic scenarios to best serve students through the end of the semester.

Previously scheduled community events that have been canceled or postponed to a later date include: 

Willmar Campus:

March 17 Red Cross Blood Mobile
March 17 Nursing Careers Info session
March 18 Automotive Info Sessions
* March 19-21 Theatre production of 鈥淩adium Girls鈥� (may be rescheduled)
* March 19 Job Fair (may be relocated off campus)
March 26 Community Health Fair and Healthcare Job Fair
* March 27-28 Theatre production of 鈥淩adium Girls鈥� (may be rescheduled)

Hutchinson Campus:

March 18 Nursing Careers Info session
March 19 Coffee with the Cops
March 24 Community Health Fair and Healthcare Job Fair
* Hutchinson Adult Basic Education will extend its spring break also until March 23
April 16 Grow Your Own: Dig into Learning at the Ridge children鈥檚 event

For ongoing updates regarding other Ridgewater events, follow the latest at www.ridgewater.edu/events.

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