Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Alumni, business award named ahead of CVTC Gala
Chippewa Valley Technical College trains the workers of tomorrow, often with help from business partners. Delta Dental of Wisconsin, announced CVTC’s Proven Business Partner for 2026, has been instrumental in partnering with CVTC to train and upskill the dental workforce.
In 2023, CVTC was awarded a grant to construct the Delta Dental of Wisconsin Dental Simulation Lab, created to provide students with consistent learning experiences. It was the first of its kind in the Wisconsin Technical College System.
Thanks to years of strong collaboration and continued support, Delta Dental of Wisconsin has been named CVTC’s 2026 Proven Business Partner of the Year.
Also honored will be Steve Hollingsworth, Elk Mound Marine Owner, as the Outstanding Recent Alumni; and Melissa Henderson, CVTC Radiography Instructor, as the Distinguished Alumni, during CVTC’s Gala event on Thursday, Feb. 26, at the College’s Business Education Center.
Delta Dental of Wisconsin, Proven Business Partner
Shannon Semmerling, Delta Dental of Wisconsin Executive Director of Philanthropy and Public Benefit, said she was honored to learn the business was chosen for the award.
“Delta Dental of Wisconsin Foundation is committed to ensuring that every Wisconsinite has access to and can afford quality dental care, regardless of income, geography, or special need,” Semmerling said. “That happens through a strong workforce, like those educated here at Chippewa Valley Technical College and the individuals who are served at this dental clinic.”
Semmerling said individuals attending CVTC likely will stay in the area to practice dental care, which improves dental health in west-central Wisconsin – a goal Delta Dental of Wisconsin has for all areas of the state.
“We have been incredibly proud to partner with CVTC for decades, really, in strengthening the next oral health workforce,” she said. “Filling that pipeline of students who might have the desire to enter a field that cares for their neighbors and really helps ensure that we all have these beautiful smiles and can take care of each other.
“Chippewa Valley Technical College is doing good work. They’re ensuring that our neighbors have access to care.”
Melissa Henderson, Distinguished Alumni
Melissa Henderson, CVTC Radiography Instructor and 2006 alumna of the College, said her experience as a student set her on a path that shaped both her career and her life.
“When I graduated, I had the skills necessary to pursue a career with job stability, job security, and higher wages that I knew I wanted.”
After graduating, Henderson spent nearly a decade working in the field for several hospitals doing X-ray, CT and mammography. In 2011, Henderson returned to CVTC as an instructor, an opportunity she described as both meaningful and full circle.
“It was life-changing to have the opportunity to come and start teaching,” she said. “I worked with many of my former instructors, and it was just a really amazing opportunity. Being an instructor has absolutely allowed me to pay it forward by helping others realize their dreams.”
Henderson emphasized the broader impact the College has beyond the classroom.
“The work we do at CVTC is so important because we are touching every aspect of our community,” she said. “CVTC not only provides opportunities for individuals, but it also impacts their families, and it impacts our community at large.
“To be part of an organization that really impacts our community is so important to me,” Henderson said. “I feel so honored and grateful to be here and to be recognized for my work.”
Steve Hollingsworth, Outstanding Recent Alumni
Steve Hollingsworth’s connection to Chippewa Valley Technical College spans multiple decades and programs, each helping him build new skills and confidence.
The Elk Mound Marine Owner’s first foray into classes at the College was from 1980 to 1982 for an associate degree in what was called Police Science – now Criminal Justice. Years later, he returned to CVTC for a new career path: Motorcycle, Marine and Outdoor Power Products.
Hollingsworth said deciding to return to school later in life pushed him to take action.
“It was just the fear of not getting in,” he said. “I’ll be 60. I don’t have a lot of years to screw around here. I kind of got to get this figured out.”
Hands-on learning and access to industry equipment helped turn uncertainty into skill. He was accepted into the program. And after graduating with his certification in 2025, Hollingsworth said there’s nothing better than applying what he learned by working on engines as the mechanic for his own business.
Today, Hollingsworth gives back by working with students.
“I’m helping out at the school right now,” he said. “I’ll continue to do it, because it’s kind of fun. Now I have specific knowledge that not everybody knows. That not everybody understands.”
Delta Dental of Wisconsin, Henderson and Hollingsworth, will be recognized at the CVTC Gala “Continuing the Legacy” event. Help the College celebrate the Proven Business Partner and alumni by attending the Gala. Find more information here.
