McNaughton inmates celebrate accomplishments at Nicolet College

By Eileen Persike, editor

RHINELANDER – The graduating class was small; just 10 men with different backgrounds, ages and stories. They had at least two things in common, however. All of them, gathered at the Lakeside Center on the Nicolet College campus, wearing black gowns and donning mortarboards with tassels, recently completed the heavy equipment operator program and all of them are inmates at the McNaughton Correctional Center.

Collaboration between the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, state and regional departments of workforce development, the governor’s Worker Advancement Initiative and Nicolet College created the opportunity for these men to head back into society with new skills and education that could change the path of their lives.

Deputy Secretary of Wisconsin DOC told the graduates their efforts are inspirational.

“We opened the door for you, but that’s the easy part,” said Jared Hoy of the DOC. “You guys did the hard work. You took the bull by the horns and completed that program.”

Three Lakes native Dylan Laux was one of two student speakers at the graduation ceremony. He said the men were given a good starting point for their futures.

Graduate Dylan Laux, left, receives his certificate from Jared Hoy, deputy Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. Also pictured is Nicolet College President Kate Ferrel and Dean of Technology, Jeff Labs.

“The ten of us in this program are incarcerated, meaning at one point in our lives we made a mistake,” Laux told the audience. “But I think I can speak for all of us when I say that mistake doesn’t define who we are. We are all somebody’s son, brother, father or husband. We took this program to better ourselves and our futures. With the skills and knowledge from this program we’ll be able to start a career and support our families.”

Classes for the heavy equipment operator certificate required the students to learn basic welding, construction, hydraulics, fabrication, first aid and CPR, among other skills. Nicolet College President Kate Ferrel said though the roads they travel in society “will not necessarily be easier because they walked across the stage, they will be smoother” for having taken the step. Completing the program, Ferrel added, telegraphs positive information to potential employers.

“[That] you have a depth of knowledge in your area of expertise; that you think of yourself as a lifelong learner, that you finish what you start, and that you think enough of yourself to invest in you, your families and your future,” Ferrel said.

After the ceremony, Laux, who said he will be released in May 2023, said he is happy because it was a “great program,” sad because it is over and relieved from having accomplished something good.

“I learned that if I put my mind to something I can do it,” Laux said. “I found that I’m a decent welder, also pretty good at operating heavy equipment. I feel like I was given the skills to move onto something greater, more than working a minimum wage job. Now I have the skills to possibly support my family – and then some.”

Speakers encouraged the graduates to lean on their support networks as they navigate life in society and face inevitable challenges, continue to learn and take pride in what they have accomplished so far.

“Although today might mark the end of this training at Nicolet College, it’s not the end goal of your journey,” Jeff Labs, dean of technology at Nicolet said to the graduates. “The opportunity to make an impact, being a difference maker in our society, that’s just a small part of what lies ahead in life’s journey. Take pride in how far you’ve come, have confidence in how far you can go. However, don’t forget to stop once in awhile to enjoy the journey.”

Student speaker Pierre Page told the story of second-guessing himself once the program started. It had been, he said, 20 years since he’d been in school. He persevered and now wants to motivate others at the camp to take advantage of opportunities to achieve what the 10 graduates have.

“A little support can turn into something big,” he said.