The Nicolet College Foundation recently presented Friends and Partners Awards for 2012 to a local business and a health care provider for the significant support they have provided to Nicolet College students and the college as a whole.

Ministry Health Care and its foundation, along with Doctors Foster and Smith, each received the honor for 2012, said Heather Schallock, executive director of the Nicolet College Foundation.

“Both organizations have demonstrated a strong commitment to advancing higher education in the Northwoods which, in the end, benefits all area residents,” Schallock said.

Ministry Health Care has a long history of working in partnership with the college in support of student learning. Activities have included a $10,000 donation from the Ministry Health Care Foundation for the purchase of a high-tech patient simulator known as Meti-Man and the recent donation of an ambulance to Nicolet’s Protective Services Department from Ministry Eagle River Memorial Hospital.

“The benefits of Ministry’s thoughtful donations are far-reaching,” wrote Jason Goeldner, Nicolet director of Protective Services, and Lenore Mangles, dean of Health Occupations at Nicolet, in their nomination of Ministry. “Through these contributions, Ministry is improving the quality of the current and future healthcare workforce, improving the quality of healthcare for citizens of the Northwoods, and ultimately giving back to the community.”

Doctors Foster and Smith was also honored for its long-standing working relationship with Nicolet by advising the college on curriculum development, serving as an internship site for Nicolet students, supporting student scholarships, and working closely with the college to develop industrial maintenance training opportunities.

“In the past year, the relationship between Doctors Foster and Smith and the college has grown even stronger,” said Sandy Bishop, Nicolet Director of Workforce Development. “The company was instrumental in assisting the college in developing the new Industrial Maintenance Fundamentals certificate which will be offered at Nicolet starting this fall.”

Current work includes expanding the short-term certificate program to include an Industrial Mechanic Technical diploma and an Industrial Mechanical Technician applied associate degree.

The Nicolet College Foundation has given its Friends and Partners Award since 1995 to recognize community businesses, groups and individuals who play key roles in helping the college achieve its mission.