1982 Alumni Stay Friends for Nearly 40 Years

Diane (Moeller) Kraft, Sandy (Gnan) Panek, Char (Wagner) Nygaard, Donna (Karnick) Ackerman, Teri (Rischmiller) Springer & Ruth (Burmeister) Tix play cards monthly

In 1982,  a gallon of gas cost 91 cents, the average new car price was just under $8,000, and the typical house sold for roughly $27,000. That same year, Michael Jackson released Thriller, the best-selling album of all time, Late Night with David Letterman debuted on NBC, Kelly Clarkson was born, Gandhi won the Oscar for “Best Picture,” and Tom Watson took home $60,000 for winning the U.S. Open. In contrast, Bryson DeChambeau walked away with $2.25 million as the 2020 tournament champion.

Nineteen eighty-two was also the year Diane (Moeller) Kraft, Sandy (Gnan) Panek, Char (Wagner) Nygaard, Donna (Karnick) Ackerman, Teri (Rischmiller) Springer and Ruth (Burmeister) Tix graduated from Dakota Count Technical College.¹ All six alumna have stayed friends for more than 38 years.

1982 ALUMNI GROUP: Back row: Diane (Moeller) Kraft, Teri (Rischmiller) Springer, Ruth (Burmeister) Tix | Front row: Donna (Karnick) Ackerman, Sandy (Gnan) Panek, Char (Wagner) Nygaard

Diane Kraft related that common interests were a key reason the alumni group originally formed. “We played cards in the college cafeteria during lunch,” Diane said. “We were also members of OEA, or the Office Education Association.² Some of us also traveled together to Nashville, Tennessee, for the OEA National Convention.”

Today, the alumni group meets once a month during the winter to play a card game called Hand and Foot. Some members of the group camp together at least once during the summer around Minnesota and Wisconsin, including St. Croix Bluffs in Hastings, Minnesota, Voyager Village in Park Rapids, Minnesota, and Lake Byllesby in Cannon Falls, Minnesota.

“Having DCTC in common is great,” Diane added. “Our time at the college brings back so many memories when we get together. We always have a good laugh when we look at pictures or reminisce about the days at DCTC. Many of us have children that have attended DCTC or are attending now. I also believe one or two may have met their husband at the school.”

DCTC 1982 alumni gallery


Diane (Moeller) Kraft

Diane Kraft

Dakota County Technical College Class of 1982

  • Age: 57
  • Hometown: Rosemount, Minnesota
  • Current residence: Rosemount, Minnesota
  • High school and year graduated: Rosemount High School Class of 1981
  • Extracurricular activities at DCTC: OEA (Office Education Association)
  • DCTC major: Word Processing
  • DCTC graduation date: Summer 1982

Diane Kraft has worked as a project manager at New York Life Insurance for 38 years. Diane will be retiring in February 2021.

She has been married 24 years. Her husband, Brett, works as a warehouse person at Bluestone Products in Rosemount. Diane and Brett have one son, Mason, 18, who is majoring in Graphic Design Technology at DCTC.

In her free time, Diane enjoys camping, traveling, playing cards, spending time with friends and family, and watching Minnesota Twins, Vikings and Wild games.

Diane with husband, Brett, and son, Mason

One word that best describes your experience at DCTC:

REWARDING

Diane Kraft Q & A

How did your education at DCTC help you advance your career?

I started my career right after I attended DCTC.  I have been with the same company for 38 years. DCTC gave me the skills I needed to find a job and stay with it.

Why should alumni stay engaged with each other and the college?

Maintaining friendships from all walks of life is important. It’s also important to have diverse groups of friends from different parts of your life. There is nothing better than having friends you can laugh with and have so much in common with. My DCTC friends will be lifelong friends.

What advice would you give college students today?

Pick a degree you are passionate about. Work hard and you will be rewarded. Start saving early.

What is the greatest challenge facing your generation?

One of the challenges facing our generation is aging parents. Some of us are taking care of parents and helping with grandchildren or children. Another challenge for some is retirement. I have a pension, which is one of the reasons I can retire at 57. Most companies now do not offer a pension. Employees need to save through their 401k.

Healthcare, as you age, is also a challenge and is another reason why retirement is not always an option at a young age. These things will only get more challenging as the younger generation advances through their careers, and that is why I advise everyone to start saving early.


Sandy (Gnan) Panek

Sandy Panek

Dakota County Technical College Class of 1982

  • Age: 57
  • Hometown: Newport, Minnesota
  • Current residence: Cottage Grove, Minnesota
  • High school and year graduated: Woodbury Senior High School Class of 1981
  • Extracurricular activities at DCTC: Student Council, OEA (Office Educational Association)
  • DCTC Majors:
    • Clerk Typist
    • Clerical Skills Specialist
    • Word Processing: Correspondence Specialist
    • Legal Secretarial

Sandy Panek works as a legal administrative assistant at Bassford Remele, PA, in Minneapolis. Sandy has been married for 36 years. Her husband, George, graduated from DCTC in 1982 with a degree in graphic communications. Sandy and George have two children. Ericka, 32, graduated from Ohio State with her PharmD; Brian, 29, graduated from UW–Stout with a degree in facilities management. Sandy and George also have an 18-month-old grandson named.

When she’s not working, Sandy likes to go camping in the family RV. She also enjoys reading and gardening.

One word that best describes your experience at DCTC:

FUN

Sandy Panek Q & A

How did your education at DCTC help you advance your career?

DCTC gave me the baseline to get started. I’ve learned more with job experience. There is not much advancement in the legal secretarial field.

Why should alumni stay engaged with each other and the college?

Friends made in college form lifelong relationships. You can connect with college friends and bounce work issues off of each other when different situations present themselves in your career and/or blending work and family life.

What advice would you give college students today?

Work hard, but have fun and make lifelong friendships as well.

What is the greatest challenge facing your generation?

Medical care. Also, employer loyalty no longer exists. Although most of us have worked for the same employer for more than 25 years, I do not see that being the case in the future.


Donna (Karnick) Ackerman

Donna (Karnick) Ackerman

Dakota County Technical College Class of 1982

  • Age: Old enough to still be working
  • Hometown: Coates, Minnesota
  • Current residence: Mounds View, Minnesota
  • High school and year graduated: Rosemount High School Class of 1981
  • Extracurricular activities at DCTC: OEA (Office Education Association) member and treasurer; the college did not have extracurricular activities such as sports when I went.
  • DCTC Majors:
    • Legal Secretary
    • Word Processing
    • Secretary
    • Clerk Typist
    • Clerical Technical degrees from the Office Occupations program

Donna (Karnick) Ackerman went on to take numerous courses at Inver Hills Community College, focusing on business management and liberal arts. Donna has worked as a legal secretary at the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office for the past 14.5 years.

She has been married to her husband, Gary, for the past 30 years. Donna and Gary have two sons. Dan, 26, attended Iowa State University and is a project design engineer. Isaac, 24, attended St. John’s University, where he majored in finance and played football for the Johnnies.

Donna enjoys crafts, gardening, fishing, camping and biking. She also likes serving as a sports mom for her sons’ activities.

One word that best describes your experience at DCTC:

EXCEPTIONAL

Donna Ackerman   Q & A

How did your education at DCTC help you advance your career?

The Office Occupations program prepared me for real-life experiences of working in a law office, including the stress, demanding projects and time deadlines as well as background knowledge in many areas of the law.

Why should alumni stay engaged with each other and the college?

My DCTC friends were all in the Office Occupations program. We have supported each other through some of our job changes and challenges, weddings, births of our children, growing families, camping, and lately a card club since many of us are now empty-nesters.

Professionally, it’s the networking among the peers and discussing different situations that you encounter in the corporate world—keeping up with technology to keep yourself marketable, dealing with difficult co-workers or supervisors, talking through different scenarios. When switching jobs, it was always nice to have someone to seek out for possible job leads and just bouncing ideas off of.

What advice would you give college students today?

The advice I would give to college students today is the same I have given my boys the past few years as they maneuvered their way through college and are beginning their careers. Gain the knowledge through the classroom. Education is something that no one can take away from you.

Go after those internships; take those temp jobs to gain experience. At this step, you’re building your resume for the future. It might be job skills in your chosen field. It might be learning customer service, which is huge. It might be learning about the environment you thrive in, or the boss you enjoy working with or one to avoid.

Perhaps you even learn that you want to try a different occupation. There are many skills you develop and take from job to job. There are many jobs you can seek out between now and retirement. One door may close, but another will open.

What is the greatest challenge facing your generation?

Keeping up with ever-changing technology—Producing more with less.


Teri (Rischmiller) Springer

Teri Springer

Dakota County Technical College Class of 1982

  • Age: 57
  • Hometown: Bloomington, Minnesota
  • Current residence: Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota
  • High school and year graduated: John F. Kennedy Senior High School Class of 1981
  • Extracurricular activities at DCTC: Secretarial program yearbook; attended state OEA convention as a DCTC representative
  • DCTC Major: Occupational Proficiency

Teri Springer serves as a supply chain analyst at 3M. Teri and her husband, Steve, have two children, a daughter, Kate, 31, and a son, Scott, 28, and one granddaughter, Jae, 9. Kate has finished degrees in both culinary and equine sciences and is looking into careers where she can utilize both, such as equine feed development. Scott attended DCTC and is now a lead operator at Andersen Windows in Bayport, Wisconsin.

Teri and Steve have been married 37. Steve is a retired operating engineer, having done road construction for more than 20 years. In her free time, Teri enjoys crafting, fishing and traveling.

Teri 1982 Steve and Teri 1982 Teri and Steve

One word that best describes your experience at DCTC:

REWARDING!

Teri Springer Q & A

How did your education at DCTC help you advance your career?

I began as a legal secretary at a personal injury law firm, then transitioned to secretary in the intellectual property division at 3M. My learning at DCTC prepared me for these positions.

The college also taught me perseverance as my goal at DCTC was to finish all five secretarial programs offered: Clerk Typist, Correspondence Specialist, Clerical Skills Specialist, Secretarial and finally Legal Secretarial. That perseverance led me to expand my secretarial job at 3M and morph it into the supply chain analyst I am now.

Why should alumni stay engaged with each other and the college?

The ‘girls’ I met at DCTC became good friends during our time there. Over the years, we’ve kept in touch, spent time together, discussed our career paths, and grew as individuals and families. Some have kept in touch with our instructors, and I have referred students to DCTC over the years. I graduated 38 years ago and am lucky to still have these ‘girls’ as my friends!

What advice would you give college students today?

If at all possible, pay your tuition as you go so you can start your career without a lot of debt. Find a career path that makes you happy because you have many years of professional life ahead of you. Enjoying what you do makes all the difference between a job and a career.

What is the greatest challenge facing your generation?

Unfortunately, at my age and working in a large corporation, layoffs are the greatest challenge. Restructuring can eliminate experience in favor of less experience with lower salaries and less benefits. The work ethics I learned at DCTC together with a true enjoyment of my career has made me an integrated part of my company, and I continue to remain through several restructures in the past few years.

DCTC Alumni Association

Stay connected and involved long after you earn your degree

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Ruth (Burmeister) Tix

Dakota County Technical College Class of 1982

Ruth Tix

  • Age: 57
  • Hometown: Hastings, Minnesota
  • Current residence: Park Rapids, Minnesota
  • High school and year graduated: Hastings High School Class of 1981
  • Extracurricular activities at DCTC: OEA (Office Education Association)
  • DCTC Majors: Secretarial and Word Processing
  • Other degrees and/or certifications:
    • Associate in Science (A.S.) in Individualized Professional Studies from Inver Hills Community College in 2013
    • Master’s degree in business from Saint Mary’s University in 2015

Ruth Tix works as a sales support associate at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. Ruth graduated from DCTC April 2, 1982, and started at Blue Cross April 12, 1982. She has been with Blue Cross ever since in various positions.

Ruth’s husband, Ken, is a DCTC graduate with a degree in Accounting. Ken works in accounting for Minnesota Coaches. Ruth and Ken have been married 35 years. They have two sons, Richard, 32, and John, 29.

Richard has a bachelor’s degree from Winona State University in accounting and currently works for an employer that audits home mortgages. John has a master’s degree from Illinois State University and works as a fish biologist for Wetlands Protection and Restoration. Ruth and Ken one cat, 14-year-old tortoiseshell named Shelby.

When she’s not working, Ruth enjoys reading, crocheting, kayaking, fishing and hiking.

One word that best describes your experience at DCTC:

EMPOWERING

Ruth Tix Q & A

How did your education at DCTC help you advance your career?

DCTC gave me the job skills necessary to get hired in word processing. I actually attended a job fair at DCTC and spoke with the human resources rep from Blue Cross and applied for the job right then.

Why should alumni stay engaged with each other and the college?

The friendships I made while at DCTC have been an important part of my adult life. Staying connected to what is going on in their families and careers has made my life richer.

Blue Cross has offered multiple opportunities through LinkedIn and onsite continuing education classes to advance my knowledge. I took advantage of tuition reimbursement through Blue Cross and obtained an A.S. in Individualized Professional Studies from Inver Hills in 2013. I focused on business-related courses. In 2015, I earned a master’s degree in business from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.

What advice would you give college students today?

You are never too old to go back to college and advance your education. The good thing about going to college after my kids graduated from college was that they were able help me with tutoring and mentoring.

No matter when you go to college, either right out of high school or later in life, it is so worth it. I would encourage students to be aware how repetitive work can have negative impacts on your body. I have suffered over the years from repetitive work on a computer. DCTC should provide education on how to prevent work-related injury due to repetition. Taking breaks throughout the workday and stretching are important during your entire career to prevent injury.

What is the greatest challenge facing your generation?

Retirement—when can I afford to retire.


Char (Wagner) Nygaard

Char Nygaard

Dakota County Technical College Class of 1983

  • Hometown: Hastings, Minnesota
  • Current residence: Hastings, Minnesota
  • High school and year graduated: Hastings High School Class of 1981
  • DCTC Major: Administrative Assistant

Char Nygaard has worked as a title examiner at DCA Title in Hastings, Minnesota, since she graduated from DCTC. Title examiners review deeds, deeds of trust, liens, judgments, easements and more to determine ownership and encumbrances while verifying legal descriptions of property.

Char and her husband, Kevin, have been married 33 years. Kevin works at Century Link as a supervisor for broadband services. Char and Kevin have one daughter, Jaci, 32, and one son, Alex, 26. Both Jaci and Alex are DCTC graduates. Jaci majored in Early Childhood & Youth Development and works as a preschool teacher; Alex majored in Electrical Lineworker and works as a lineman for Xcel Energy. Char and Ken have two grandchildren, Maximus, 3, and Octavia, 1.5.

For pastimes, Char likes to sew, garden, crochet, camp, craft and spend time with her grandkids. She plans on retiring in December 2021.

Char and Kevin with family Char with Jaci and Alex Char and Kevin Char and Kevin with Octavia and Maximus

One word that best describes your experience at DCTC:

ENJOYABLE

Char Nygaard Q & A

How did your education at DCTC help you advance your career?

DCTC helped me get my job and then I learned more and advanced more with years of work

What advice would you give college students today?

Keep up your studies and you will get further in your job.



Learn more about the Alumni Association at DCTC by contacting:

Amy Eppen
Foundation Development Director
651-423-8265

¹ Founded in 1970, the Dakota County Area Vocational Technical Institute was renamed Dakota County Technical College in 1989 in accordance with a legislative mandate.
² Officially formed in 1966, the Office Education Association (OEA) became Business Professionals of America (BPA) in 1988.