Two educational institutions in Sheboygan County have been recognized for their significant contributions to the local economy. Lakeland University and Lakeshore College were both named the 2025 Economic Drivers of the Year by the Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation.
This marks the first time educational organizations have received this award, which is now in its 15th year. The honor acknowledges businesses and institutions that have positively impacted the county's economic development through employment, expansion, or notable events.
Gary Dulmes, CEO of Dulmes Décor Carpet One and a founding chair of the SCEDC, explained the selection process. "It was a hands down decision," Dulmes said, noting that the committee looked beyond traditional manufacturing companies this year to recognize the essential role of education in training local workers.
At Lakeland University, the Cooperative Education program has become a cornerstone of workforce preparation. Students like Hannah Pratsch have benefited from this initiative while pursuing degrees in computer science and mathematics.
"That made that goal a lot more achievable for me," Pratsch said about the program's ability to help her complete required credits while gaining practical experience.
Megan Hellmer, director of cooperative education and career readiness at Lakeland, described how the program operates. "They're able to be in classes that are teaching them things that they're then applying, maybe literally that same day at work," Hellmer said.
Since its launch in 2018, more than 3,500 placements have been completed through Lakeland's Co-Op program, with students working over 668,000 hours and earning more than $10 million in wages.
Pratsch's experience illustrates the program's effectiveness. While working in the IT department at Random Lake School District, she also started a robotics team at the middle school. "It helped me figure out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, and I wanted to give that experience to other kids, too," Pratsch said.
Her Co-Op experience helped secure an internship at Bemis Manufacturing, where she works in data warehouse programming. "Lakeland helping me get that first opportunity really opened a lot of doors for me, for my future," she noted.
Local companies have embraced these educational partnerships. Anne Troka, senior manager of community and workforce development at Sargento, explained their approach: "We are all working together to provide opportunities for people in our communities to have success, and to do that, we want to connect people to both companies for careers and to education to grow in their careers."
Since launching its workforce development program in 2016, Sargento has hired more than 45 employees who previously participated in student opportunities.
Lakeshore College also maintains strong relationships with area employers. Rachel Kroeplien, dean of applied technology and economic development at Lakeshore, described how the college adapts to industry needs. "Our team is very prideful in all the work that we do, so being recognized by our community really helps us get that extra boost to keep us going and figure out what the next innovation we need to be doing is," she said.
The college offers various flexible educational options, including a Competency-Based Education program launched in 2020. This approach allows students to complete coursework at their own pace toward technical diplomas and associate degrees.
Kroeplien emphasized the benefits of this model: "We have way better employees for our employers as they're moving into the industry." She added that the college provides additional training solutions for businesses, stating, "We're more than happy to go and help some of their entry level people gain the next skill and work their way through the company."
Both institutions continue to evolve their programs to meet changing workforce demands, incorporating emerging technologies and maintaining close connections with local employers to ensure graduates are prepared for current job market needs.
