(Wisconsin Rapids, WI) MARCH 2023 – Visit Rome, Inc. continued to show unwavering for support for its community with a donation of $100K towards financial assistance of the Culinary Arts Certification Program at Mid-State Technical College in central Wisconsin. Last year, Visit Rome, an organization dedicated to helping businesses in the area grow and prosper, funded 100% of the program costs with a grant allocated through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the federal program enacted to boost the sluggish economy affected by the COVID pandemic.
“Supporting the culinary arts program has opened the doors for people who have an interest in a food service career but may not have had the financial means to do so,” said Will Beckstrom, Treasurer of Visit Rome. “We were honored to support last year, and we’re happy to announce continued assistance in 2023 with $100,000 allocated funding from Visit Rome for similar workforce development initiatives,” he added.
The program has already been deemed a success and is paying dividends. Last week, the first group of certificate recipients funded by Visit Rome were honored in the Gourmet Café at Mid- State’s state-of-the-art culinary teaching facility in Wisconsin Rapids. As a thank you to Visit Rome and other supporting partners, Chef Ryan Petrouske and the students prepared a gourmet meal that showcased their newly gained skills. From the bourbon glazed pork belly bites to the deconstructed Grasshopper cheesecake, each course received rave reviews from attendees, which included representatives of North Central Wisconsin Workforce Development Board and Forward Service Corporation.
“We are so proud of the students and very thankful to our partners for helping to make it happen,” remarked Dr. Shelly Mondeik, Mid-State’s president, during the celebration. “Programs like this are so beneficial to the area as many of our graduates find a rewarding career right here in central Wisconsin. In fact, 91 percent of our graduates are employed within six months of receiving their degree,” she added.
In addition to mastering culinary techniques for a wide variety of cuisines , certificate recipients studied recipe and menu planning, supervising and training kitchen staff, managing food supplies and kitchen resources, and aesthetics of food presentation. All-important skills that give graduates an edge in this highly competitive yet rewarding field.
“I’m proud to be involved with this workforce development initiative. I never doubted for a minute that this program would be a huge success,” says Lisa Kubis, Executive Director of Visit Rome.
To find out more about Mid-State’s Culinary Program, or to see if you qualify for the program and support from future grants, contact recruitment@mstc.edu or call 888.575.6782.
