Michele Voegele and Jacob (Jake) Ward have been named South Central College’s 2023 Outstanding Alumni. South Central College (SCC) will honor them at the College’s Commencement Ceremony on Thursday, May 11, starting at 4 p.m. at Taylor Center in Bresnan Arena on the campus of Minnesota State University, Mankato.
Michele Voegele, SCC’s Faribault Campus honoree, graduated from SCC in 2001 with her accounting degree. “I loved getting my degree with South Central College because they had the flexibility I needed and were close to where I lived,” said Voegele. She owns Michele Voegele Accounting in Faribault, where she processes taxes for businesses and individuals. She also is co-owner of the Channel Inn in Warsaw with her husband. When not running her two businesses, she serves as clerk for Warsaw Township and is involved with many organizations and non-profits, including Business Network International (BNI), American Heart Association, Rivers of Recovery and Cannon Wells Lake Association, to name a few. She also enjoys spending time with her friends and family, which includes six children and five grandchildren.
Jake Ward, SCC’s North Mankato Campus honoree, graduated from the college’s marketing management program in 2014 and currently serves as Sales Manager for Radio Mankato. Jake credits his success to the time he spent at South Central College. “SCC gave me the hunger and desire to never be complacent again,” he said. While at SCC, Jake participated in Collegiate Distributive Education Clubs of America (Collegiate DECA). While competing at DECA events, Jake won multiple first-place state awards, achieved top-three international finishes and was named the DECA Global Idea Challenge winner in 2014. He now serves as Alumni Representative and Vice-Chairperson on the Collegiate DECA Minnesota Association Board of Directors. Jake, his wife, and their three children live in North Mankato.