For Immediate Release
Contact: Daniel Wackershauser, Marketing and PR Specialist
Phone: 608.822.2303
Mail: 1800 Bronson Blvd., Fennimore, WI 53809
Date of Release: October 20, 2025
From cancer survivor to college graduate
Stamness turns hardship into motivation, on the verge of earning a college degree
Spring Green -After battling stage three testicular cancer and rebuilding his life from the ground up, Chris Stamness is closing another major chapter—earning his college degree. The 45-year-old Spring Green, Wisconsin, resident will graduate this December from Southwest Wisconsin Technical College’s online Business Management program, proving that it’s never too late to chase new goals.
Stamness has worked at Cardinal CG in Spring Green for 25 years, advancing from glass handler to his current role in safety. But a few years ago, he realized he wanted to expand his career options and strengthen his qualifications. “I didn’t have any intentions of changing my job,” he said. “But I felt limited. I wanted to eliminate that insecurity of never going to college.”
That motivation, coupled with encouragement from a friend who had completed a business degree, led him to Southwest Tech. “I figured I’d been in the business world long enough,” he said. “There was no excuse not to give it a go.”
Since enrolling in 2022, he has worked full time, along with his full-time class load. In addition, he and his wife have an 11-year-old daughter. He says his education immediately enhanced his work. “When I took a billing job, I was learning accounting at the same time,” he said. “When I moved into safety, I was studying mission statements and values. Everything overlapped—it was like real-time training.” That effort paid off when he earned the safety position he originally enrolled to qualify for.
His choice to enroll at Southwest Tech has been a positive one. Stamness points to the discipline he has learned while in college and credits the college’s staff. “I have had wonderful instructors,” he said. “I have built lifelong relationships from this.”
Stamness’s story stretches well beyond academics. At 30, he was diagnosed with cancer and endured years of chemotherapy and chronic pain. “But, when I stopped the medication, the pain disappeared,” he said. “I got my life back.” Determined to rebuild his health, he began running marathons and trail ultramarathons, including two races over 100 miles—one through the Black Hills and another along the west shore of Lake Superior.
Now, as an EMT and a soon-to-be college graduate, Stamness says his focus is on gratitude and growth. He went from a high school GPA of 1.9 to a college GPA of 4.0 and on the verge of graduating with a degree. “I was gifted a second chance, and I haven’t taken one moment for granted,” he said. “It’s never too late. Do the work, and you can accomplish anything.”
| 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. |