2021 Outstanding Alumni Award winner Holly Maas exemplifies technical education
Holly Maas
Holly Maas loves her job as an evidence technician.
“I’ve never had a day where I was staring at the clock wondering whether it was time to go home yet,” she says about her job with the Ashwaubenon Department of Public Safety. “On any given day, I could be pulling analysis for investigators on active cases, in the lab dusting for prints, or in the field processing a scene. That’s exciting.”
Holly got her start in this field in 2016 with an associate degree in Forensic Science. She chose Fox Valley Tech to pursue her degree because of its reputation in the field of public safety. “FVTC provided me with the hands-on skills necessary to be able to complete this job, so I was able to start out on day one knowing what to do,” she says.
But what Holly appreciates the most about FVTC is the instructors. “The amount of care the instructors have for their students and classes is amazing. They are clearly passionate about what they do,” she says. “Plus, they’re actively working in their fields, so you start to build professional networks.”
As an adjunct instructor, Holly is now one of those professionals sharing her knowledge with students; she teaches Intro to Forensic Science at FVTC. She is also the recipient of the 2021 FVTC Outstanding Alumni Award, for demonstrating the value of technical education through career advancement, community service, and personal and educational growth.
About technical education, Holly says, “I wish more people understood that you’re getting such a great, broad education. You’re getting your core sciences and mathematics, as well as the intensive, program-specific classes. It’s an incredible stepping stone to go on for a four-year degree, and further.”
Outstanding Alumni Hall of Fame
Each year, a deserving FVTC alumnus is honored for achieving a high level within their chosen field of expertise. Learn more and view all recipients >>
