Authentic names and pronouns: How NWTC is creating space for students to be themselves 

At Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, we believe that everyone has worth and deserves to have access to the resources and services they need to succeed. As part of this belief, we want to ensure that all of our community members can come to an NWTC location as their authentic selves, knowing they are welcomed and belong.  

A big part of this is being able to show up and be called by your authentic name. A name is crucial to every individual’s identity, and the College recognizes the importance of that. We are happy to roll out changes to our software to allow you to enter your authentic name and pronouns in our systems.  

Want to update your name and/or pronouns? Here is how you can do it:  

1. When you first create an account, you can enter a “preferred name” and pronouns. These fields allow you to share how you would like to be addressed by our faculty and staff.  
2. Current students can update their information in my.NWTC (the student portal) under the personal information section. 
3. If you need assistance with this process, you can reach out to the Customer Contact Center and they will be able to direct you to reset or change your name fields. 

For more instructions on how to enter your preferred names and pronouns, find more information here: https://nwtc.libanswers.com/faq/362846. 

As you walk around campus you’ll see staff members with stickers on their name badges that include their pronouns. These stickers are meant to help create visibility, safety, and an easier interaction for you, the student.  

In addition to name and pronouns, you can confidentially enter your sexual orientation and gender identity to help us better collect, understand, and serve the needs of our students and the broader LGBTQ+ community. Your information will not be viewable by individuals but will be used collectively to capture the LGTBQ+ population as a group.   

Get involved! 

Are you interested in getting involved in LGBTQ+ community events or groups? The NWTC Sexuality and Gender Alliance club meets on the first, third, and fifth Friday of every month in the Unity Longue on the Green Bay campus. You can learn more about the club by visiting the SAGA website or reaching out to Shirley Zepnick, the club advisor, at shirley.zepnick@nwtc.edu.