6.9 The Wonderful Professional Communications Program

Professional Communications Overview

Chippewa Valley Technical College's Professional Communications Program focuses on technical and professional writing for a variety of industries. This program prepares individuals for careers such as technical writers, copywriters, editors, and many others. This program provides you with endless career options.

Courses Include:

• Theories of rhetoric
• Digital literacy
• Document design
• Management
• Editing and proofreading 
• Web writing
• Publishing

You'll learn valuable skills such as:

• Document design, production, and management
• Documentation development
• Publishing in print and electronic media
• Rhetoric, writing, and digital literacy theories
• Social media content creation
• Usability testing
• Visual rhetoric and multimedia composition
• Web content writing

Each course is eight weeks long and at your convenience with this course being 100% online!

Why Italy Is Worth the Trip

In every movie, the couple always jets off to Italy on a romantic trip. Sometimes movie magic makes us feel like we can't have as much fun as they are. Italy can be great for a romantic getaway, an educational trip for the kids, or a nice relaxing beach trip. I've always wanted to visit!

Here are the top 5 reasons why Italy is worth the trip.

•   Preserved History

Visiting Italy is like bringing a history book to life! According to Civitatis Rome, the Roman Empire was officially established by Augustus Caesar in 31 BC. Through the years Italy has changed and grown, but luckily a lot has been preserved. Stop at The Collesuem, Pompeii, or the Leaning Tower of Pisa. There is a lot to learn about, and there's no better way than to immerse yourself in the environment.

• Amazing Food

Surely I can't be the only one who plans their trips around food? There is no better place to go for delicious meals! Fresh vegetables, delicious pasta, and of course the legendary wine. Every meal in Italy feels like grandma's good cooking and is sure to be a favorite food destination.

• Beautiful Culutre

I checked out Espresso Translations which really highlighted the unique culture that encompasses the country. It is a wonderful mix of family, religion, food, language, art, and many more. Together it blends to make a country that is fiercly loyal. With the article mentioning, "Italy is home to over 62 million people and of that population around 96% are of Italian heritage." Their culture is so appealing because they have maintained a very traditional culture. 

• Religion

As mentioned in their culture, religion is a big part of the country. Christianity, Catholism specifically, is a very important belief system. If you are religious, Italy is a very spiritual place to connect with your faith. If you aren't, the cathedrals are a beautiful sight that is a must-see. 

• Art 

A constant you may have noticed in the rest of the list, is the beautiful architecture. Spending time walking around can be a unique experience if you are visiting from a younger country. The age of the country allows for much of the architecture to highlight a time that we aren't firsthand familiar with. Some of the best artists have come from Italy, so this is a great trip for all the art lovers out there. 

I hope to someday visit Italy, and learn even more about the beautiful country. There's breathtaking art, a long history, deep culture, and faithful experiences. This would be the ultimate trip for everyone!

4.6 The Best Meal If You're in a Hurry

Everyone has rushed to get a meal in before they continue a busy day. Sometimes it feels like we have to give up a good meal to stay on schedule. However, if I've learned anything from my father its how to make a good meal in under an hour. Growing up Tuesdays was one of the busiest, this kid going here and that kid going there. My father would have a short amount of time after work to get everyone fed before we went off to do our respective activities. The best meal by far was his pork chops and mushroom rice. It's a quick meal that takes approximately an hour to make. It's sure to become of a favorite in your house!

Ingredients:

• Pork chops
• Minute rice
• 2 cans of mushroom soup
• Milk (can also use water or your preffered milk substitute)
• Butter
• Lawry's Seasoned Salt

Have Ready:

• Frying pan
• Pot and lid
• Fork 
• Stirring spoon
• Measuring cup
• Tablespoon 

Lets Get Cooking!

1. Drop a tablespoon of butter into your warming frying pan, and place the fork chops flat on the surface. This is a great time to sprinkle on your seasoning. You will season the other side of the meat when you flip them.
2. Take your pot and fill it up with the appropriate amount of water, according to the directions on the Minute rice box. It will take just a few minutes for the water to boil.
3. Keep an eye on your pork chops, you want each side to be a golden brown. When its lightly browned with a few crisp areas, its time to flip. Once flipped, season the other side of your meat.
4. Measure out your desired amount of rice and drop into your boiling pot of water. Put the lid on and take off the hot burner. The directions on the box can further guide you.
5. Check your pork chops to make sure they are evenly cooked. This can be done by cutting into one and make sure the meat is evenly white, it is important they aren't at all pink.
6. Remove the cooked pork chops and put them onto a plate off to the side for now.
7. Turn the burner to low heat and add in each can of mushroom soup, adding your milk to each empty can to get the extra soup out. In total you'll add about half a can of milk.  
8. Slowly mix soup, milk, and the pork chop grease leftovers together. The leftovers from cooking the pork chops is what will give the sauce mixture a rich flavor.

We like to serve the mushroom sauce drizzled over a bed of rice and the pork chops. This is a meal that is perfectly coupled with sauteed green beans. A great meal for someone looking to make a meal in an hour!

3.6 Ten Feet Away

Normally I’d say traveling four hours away for one concert is a bit crazy, but lucky for me I have my friend Madisen who has always been down for a little craziness. The kind of friend who will pack their bags with no idea where we’re even going. Everyone needs someone in their life who will push them because leaving your comfort zone seems to be when life’s best moments occur. Looking back now, I must give her some credit. She listened to me all morning as we were getting ready for the concert. 

Now standing in line at the venue I could tell she was preparing herself for a day filled with music she couldn’t care less about. We found ourselves in a conversation about McDonald's of all things when I turned to face the back of the line to turn away from the beating down the hot sun. Looking up, I saw her face turn from relaxed to scrunch in confusion. Finally, she uttered, “Isn’t that the band we’re seeing?” I completely froze. Did she just say what I thought she said? “Lydia isn’t that The Maine?” she asked again this time firmly. Suddenly she grabbed my arm and pulled me around. There they were. Maybe ten feet away. The band I had been embarrassingly obsessed with since middle school. That’s when the existential fear set it.

What was I supposed to do? Speak to them? Take a picture with them? Pretend as though I’m a normally functioning human seemed impossible at that moment. Madisen interrupted my internal freak-out and stated, “Give me your phone. I’ll take a picture of you with them when they get down by us.” What was she implying? That I stop this internal monologue to live in the moment? She couldn’t be, because she should know me better than that. I suddenly forgot what language I spoke. Was it English? French? I was sure I knew how to speak, but there weren’t any words coming out of my mouth.

Just as they approached, I heard, “Hey could I take a picture with you guys?” Wait did that come from me because the amount of eye contact I was now having with the drummer would imply that words must have escaped my mouth somehow. Madisen quickly grabbed my phone and nudged me forward. In the twenty-second interaction with them, I’m not even sure I was breathing. 

As a loyal friend she is, she took approximately seven hundred pictures of us. Every one of them showing an increasingly more shocking version of my face. Looking back now it seems so foolish, they’re just humans like the rest of us. However, it can be a little shocking when the people you’ve looked up to turn out to be decent people. It’s even crazier when you have a full panic attack, and then against all odds, everything turns out to be okay. The panic shocked kid got her happy ending. Thankfully I had someone to document the moment, as I managed to tiptoe outside my comfort zone in a very unexpected way. I will always remember this day.

3.4 Ten Feet Away

Normally I’d say traveling four hours away for one concert is a bit crazy, but lucky for me I have my friend Madisen who has always been down for a little craziness. The kind of friend who will pack their bags with no idea where we’re even going. Everyone needs someone in their life who will push them, because leaving your comfort zone seems to be when life’s best moments occur. Looking back now, I must give her some credit. She listened to me all morning as we were getting ready for the concert. 

Now standing in line at the venue I could tell she was preparing herself for a day filled with music she couldn’t care less about. We found ourselves in a conversation about McDonald's of all things, when I turned to face the back of the line to turn away from the beating down sun. Looking up, I saw her face turn from relaxed to scrunched in confusion. Finally, she uttered, “Isn’t that the band we’re seeing?” I completely froze. Did she just say what I thought she said? “Lydia isn’t that The Maine?” she asked again this time firmly. Suddenly she grabbed my arm and pulled me around. There they were. Maybe ten feet away. The band I had been embarrassingly obsessed with since middle school. That’s when the existential fear set it.

What  was I supposed to do? Speak to them? Take a picture with them? Pretend as though I’m a normally functioning human seemed impossible in that moment. Madisen interrupted my internal freak out and stated, “Give me your phone. I’ll take a picture of you with them when they get down by us.” What was she implying? That I stop this internal monologue to live in the moment? She couldn’t be, because she should know me better than that. I suddenly forgot what language I spoke. Was it English? French? I was sure I knew how to speak, but there weren’t any words coming out of my mouth.

Just as they approached, I heard, “Hey could I take a picture with you guys?” Wait did that come from me, because the amount of eye contact I was now having with the drummer would imply that words must of escaped my mouth somehow. Madisen quickly grabbed my phone and nudged me forward. In the twenty second interaction with them, I’m not even sure I was breathing. 

As the loyal friend she is, she took approximately seven hundred pictures of us. Every one of them showing an increasingly more shocked version of my face. Looking back now it seems so foolish, they’re just humans like the rest of us. However, it can be a little shocking when the people you’ve looked up to turn out to be decent people. It’s even crazier when you have a full panic attack, and then against all odds, everything turns out to be okay. The panic shocked kid got her happy ending. Thankfully I had someone to document the moment, as I managed to tip toe outside my comfort zone in a very unexpected way. I will always remember this day.