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w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m J u l y 2 0 15 • I NSIGH T | 11 An Oshkosh Defense M-ATV is shown in the field. The company won a contract extension to rehab the vehicles and extend the service life for the U.S. Army. REGIONAL ROUNDUP U P F R O N T For links to economic development groups in the New North, visit www.thenewnorth. com/partners. Development in the New North B y S e a n P. J o h n s o n » INTERSTATE 41 CORRIDOR Brown, Calumet, Outagamie, Winnebago, Fond du Lac Counties Oshkosh Defense wins rehab contract Oshkosh Defense's long history of building vehicles for the military continues to help the company compete for new government contracts. In this case, it's a bit of a turn on the phrase "what's old is new," as the company was recently awarded an extended contract to rehab 360 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicles. Oshkosh Defense was the original equipment manufacturer. e M-ATV Reset program allows the U.S. Army to extend the life of its vehicles and upgrade them with the latest protective technologies. Oshkosh Defense was awarded an initial contract to refurbish 500 M-ATVs in 2014. Another 300 vehicles were added in an initial extension. is latest addition to the contract brings its value to more than $115 million for 1,160 M-ATVs and options for an additional 1,440. While not nearly as large as the contracts the company fulfilled before U.S. defense cutbacks, the latest expansion demonstrates the company's experience and workforce enable it to succeed in a competitive marketplace, company officials say. "Oshkosh's operational [continued ] » C O U R T E S Y O F O S H K O S H D E F E N S E freshmen. We tried to plant those seeds," says Kim Donat, director of financial aid at UW-Oshkosh. "We want them to see the real costs of borrowing and get an idea of the responsibilities." Like Golembeski, Donat's not sure it's the debt alone that's the problem, rather the challenges of aligning student debt with opportunities in the economy. "ere is no magic bullet to the problem, but students do need to understand this is an obligation." While it has not launched a formal program, UW-Green Bay has stepped up its efforts to educate students about debt and their obligations. at information is part of freshman orientation and involves educating the student's family as well, says Sue Steeno, assistant director of financial aid at UW-Green Bay. Even UW-Fox Valley, one of the lower cost options in the state college system, initiated a program in conjunction with Prospera Credit Union to better educate students and families about using loans to finance a college education. e four-session primer, Financing a College Education: e Entire Process, will be offered through the college's continuing education program this fall. "It's a time in life that really fits well with our LIFEstages concept," says Kristi Flores, marketing director for Prospera. "It's important to get a good start to this stage." While the colleges are trying to make sure students understand the strategies and consequences of borrowing to pay for school, groups such as We Are HOPE will also be working with the K-12 systems to help match student career interests with career options — including those that do not require a traditional college education. "We formed the Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance to change the perceptions about working in manufacturing," Golembeski says. "We may need to use that same model to change that perception that a college degree is the only career path."