For Immediate Release
Contact: Daniel Wackershauser, Marketing and PR Specialist
Phone: 608.822.2303
Mail: 1800 Bronson Blvd., Fennimore, WI 53809
Date of Release: May 21, 2025
Students complete duplex construction on campus (with video)
Fennimore -Students in the Building-Trades Carpentry program wrapped up construction of the newest student housing duplex on campus ahead of schedule. An open house was held May 7 to celebrate the completion of the project. “It went really good,” said Andy Reynolds, Building Trades – Carpentry instructor. “We had a lot of good students this year.”
The project began in June 2024 and was completed within the last week, ahead of schedule. “This is the first duplex built on campus that was done before graduation,” said Reynolds. “Most times we have to hire a contractor to complete the finishes.”
Over the course of the construction, the students learned a great deal about the process. Reynolds noted, the biggest struggle was drywall. “No one had touched a trowel before,” he said. “By the end of the project they were up to snuff and doing a really great job.”
“I think I’ve made a lot of improvements,” said Scott Bendorf, a Building Trades – Carpentry student from Lancaster, Wisconsin. “I wasn’t good at drywall coming in, and now I’m really confident in my drywalling. When I started, too, with mudding, I wasn’t the best, but now I’m fairly good at it.”
The students were responsible for a majority of the construction. “They did everything from trim, finish, framing,” said Tim Hoffman, Building Trades – Carpentry instructor. “They did the roofing. They did the siding; windows, everything. Whatever came with the house, they learned how to do it. The only things we didn’t do were electrical and plumbing.”
Another duplex construction is planned next year. It will be built next to the one that was just completed. “It’s a win-win situation for everyone,” said Reynolds. “Students get a heck of an experience, and they learn a lot more, and it’s good for the campus.”
Reynolds and Hoffman have spots open in the program for the 2025-26 academic year. Learn more: https://www.swtc.edu/academics/programs/trades-industry/building-trades-carpentry
| Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is one of 16 institutions that comprise the Wisconsin Technical College System. The college was recently named the winner of the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. Southwest Tech offers more than 60 programs in a wide variety of disciplines. Courses are offered on campus, online, HyFlex and in a blended format. The college provides apprenticeship, certificate, technical diploma, and associate degree programs that respond to district workforce needs and prepare student for family-sustaining jobs and career advancement. |