SWTC English 101 tackles real-world issue

Students in Southwest Wisconsin Technical College’s English Composition 1 courses played a direct role in shaping conversations about career readiness and post-graduation wages this fall, thanks to a collaborative classroom initiative tied to the college’s Capacity Building Grant.

As part of the grant’s goal to strengthen processes for consistently including student voices, English 101 faculty asked students to tackle a real-world question: How can Southwest Tech help ensure high wages for all graduates?

The group format allowed students to collaborate, debate ideas and present their findings before voting on the most compelling proposal to elevate to administration. Because of the collaborative structure, the activity was implemented in in-person courses, where group facilitation was more feasible. Among the top proposals from student presentations was expanding internships, externships and employer partnerships. The recommendation closely aligned with work already underway at the college.

Two years ago, Southwest Tech launched a Work-Based Learning model requiring programs to integrate four WBL assignments or activities into their curriculum. During the 2024-25 academic year, programs were introduced to the model and asked to implement at least two of the four components. Faculty were then asked during the August 2025 in-service to develop the remaining assignments, with full implementation expected by May.

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