College of Business Administration (CBA)
Alumni
Silver Eagles Logo
Silver Eagles
As a part of the College of Business Administration’s 25th Anniversary celebration, the Silver Eagles Alumni Organization was created in 1996. The Silver Eagles uphold a tradition of duty to the College of Business Administration and service to the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse.
The organization provides scholarships along with various networking opportunities to the College of Business Administration students as they prepare for their career in business.
Mission
The mission of the Silver Eagles is to serve, support, and advance the goals of students, faculty, alumni, and friends of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse College of Business Administration.
Take an Eagle to Breakfast 2026
Message from the President
UWL Silver Eagles Newsletter (January 2026)
Happy New Year Silver Eagles!
We hope you all had a wonderful holiday season, filled with fun and family. As we move into 2026, the Silver Eagles are already busy planning this year’s events and activities. We are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Silver Eagles and are working to make this the best year yet!
First up for the Silver Eagles and the CBA students is the annual Take an Eagle to Breakfast event, scheduled for Thursday, March 5th, 7:30 a.m. in The Bluffs – UWL Student Union. This event presents an excellent opportunity for Silver Eagles, our business community members, and CBA students to meet, network, and grow professional relationships. We will also be presenting the SILVER EAGLES SCHOLARSHIP and the MARLIN & JULIE HELGESON SILVER EAGLES SCHOLARSHIP to the 2025-2026 recipients. Don’t miss this exciting event! You can sign up to attend and/or sponsor students at TAETB
Other events are in the planning stages, with the year wrapping up with the Silver Eagles Annual Meeting. This event will take place in October and is scheduled to correspond with the UWL Family Weekend. We would love to see all of you there, so watch your email for further information!
As we know, change is constant and 2025 brought changes to the Silver Eagles Board membership. Mandi Hinnrichs completed her term as President but will remain on the Board as a Director. Thank you, Mandi, for your strong leadership during your term as President! We are certainly happy we will be able to continue to work with you on the Board! After several terms, Greg Curti retired from the Board, and from his role as Treasurer. We will miss seeing Greg and thank him for his many years of hard work!
Prior to 2025 Annual Meeting, the President role was appointed to Mary Hericks, and Jennifer Walkowiak transitioned from Secretary to Vice-President. Sarah Pesch was elected Secretary, and newcomer Liam Sjoquist became Treasurer. Liam is a 2024 CBA graduate, and we’re happy to give him this opportunity to display his professional skills! All Board appointments were approved at the Silver Eagles annual meeting in October, 2025. The annual meeting also included an update on the CBA from Dean TJ Brooks.
There is much value in being a Silver Eagle for students, alumni, and the business community. Our continued focus will be to increase membership and membership engagement to build out our mission. While membership is free, we rely on donations from alumni and the business community, as well as the Take an Eagle to Breakfast event. Any donation, big or small, can help a student. We appreciate your consideration!
Please continue to spread the word about the Silver Eagles. The more engagement and the larger our membership, the more impactful we can be to the College of Business Administration, students, alumni, and employers. Stay connected with your Silver Eagles. Follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook. Our website is continually updating, you can visit us HERE. If you wish to get involved with the Silver Eagles, drop us an email at uwlsilvereagles@gmail.com. As a Silver Eagle there are several ways to support the CBA and UWL students, from near and far. To date, the Silver Eagles have awarded nearly $70,000 in scholarships!
Mary Hericks (’81 & ’89)
Board President
News & Events
SILVER EAGLE MEETING CALENDAR
January 22, 2026: Board Meeting
UWL Wittich Hall 1102 & 1104
March 5, 2026: Take an Eagle to Breakfast (TAETB)
April 23, 2026: Board Meeting
UWL Wittich Hall 1204, 4:00pm
August 27, 2026: Board Meeting
UWL Wittich Hall 1204, 4:00pm
Annual Meeting: TBD (will coincide with UWL Family weekend)
Scholarship Information
2023-2024 Daniel Thiem $1,000 Helgeson SE CBA Scholarship
2023-2024 Alissa St. Louis $1,000 Silver Eagles Scholarship
2023-2024 Journey Malacina $1,000 Silver Eagles Scholarship
2023-2024 Zeina Battah $1,000 Silver Eagles Scholarship
2023-2024 Amanda Marshall $1,000 In Honor of Sara Olson
2022 Progress Report to Members on our Scholarship Efforts.pdf
2022-23 Scholarship Recipient Testimonials.pdf
Silver Eagles Guidelines
Board of Directors
Silver Eagles Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Mary Hericks, ’81 & ’89, President
Jennifer Walkowiak, ’95 Vice President
Sarah Pesch, ’19, Secretary
Liam Sjoquist, '24, Treasurer
Mandi Hinrichs, '03, Past President
TJ Brooks, Dean
Additional Board Members
Dan Braund, '72
Joe Bucheger, '73
Steve Fleis, '74
Jeff Jensen, '70
David Ring, '84 & '95
Casey Severson, '19
Dan Wettstein, '73
Ex-officio
Taggert Brooks, Dean CBA
University Contacts
Taggert Brooks, CBA Dean
Jeff Meyer, Development Officer, Dean's Office - CBA
Silver Eagle Committees
Silver Eagles Committees
Governance Committee
This committee is a combination of the former bylaws and nominations committees and shall consist of at least three members of the Board, vice-president and the dean. The vice-president shall serve as the chairperson of the governance committee.
Jennifer Walkowiak, ’95, Chair
Taggert Brooks
David Ring
Marketing Committee
This committee shall consist of a chairperson from the Board, and at least two additional members of the Board, and a webmaster (does not have to be a member). This committee shall have membership, engagement, development and website subcommittees.
Mandi Hinrichs - Chair
Joe Bucheger
Joe Chilsen
Sarah Pesch, ’19
Casey Severson
Jennifer Walkowiak, ’95
Dan Wettstein, '73
CBA Staff- Webmaster
Scholarship Committee
This committee shall consist of the dean (or designee), the Board president (or designee), and at least three members of the Board of directors. The dean (or designee) shall chair the committee. The Silver Eagles Scholarship Committee only makes recommendations regarding awarding scholarships and the Alumni & Friends Foundation has the final approval for all scholarships.
Taggert Brooks - Chair
Joanna Binsfeld
Steve Fleis
Mary Hericks
Jeff Jensen
Follow Us on Social Media!
We want you to be as updated as possible on what is happening with the CBA and Silver Eagles. Be sure to follow us on Facebook @UWLCBASilverEagles
Events
Past Events
2023 Annual Meeting
2022 Annual Meeting
Please join the Silver Eagles for our 2022 annual meeting on Saturday, October 22 at the Cleary Alumni & Friends Center. If you are unable to attend in person please join us on Zoom. HERE.
Below you will find our 2022 Annual Meeting Agenda:
THE UWL SILVER EAGLES
Annual Meeting
Allen Conference Room
Cleary Alumni & Friends Center
October 22, 2022
AGENDA:
I. Call to Order 10:00 am
II. Approval of the Minutes
III. Treasurer’s Report
IV. Dean’s Comments
V. Report from the President
VI. Strategic Planning Report
- Approval of Strategic Planning Recommendations
VII. Report From Committees
- Scholarship Committee
- Ashley Butt - Silver Eagle Scholarship
- Esbeidy Guevara – Silver Eagle Scholarship
- Nicholas Litterer – Silver Eagle Scholarship
- Annika Zillisch – Marlin and Julie Helgeson Scholarship
- Nicholas Litterer – In honor of TJ by Marlin and Julie Helgeson
- Marketing Committee
- November Mixer
- Nominations(Governance) Committee
- Bylaws(Governance) Committee
- Discussion and Approval of Bylaw Changes
- Executive Committee
VIII. Election of New Board Members
- Mary Hericks
- Susan Pham
- David Ring
- Jennifer Walkowiak
IX. Discussion and Approval of Spring TAETB
- Ad-Hoc Committee Establishment
- February 22, 2022 (Ash Wednesday)
X. For the Good of the Order
XI. Adjournment
Other Past Events
Milwaukee Area – CBA Alumni Event
When: Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Where: Colliers International
CBA Golf Challenge
When: Friday, June 10, 2016
Where: Trappers Turn Golf Club, Wisconsin Dells, WI
Distinguished Lecture Series - Bryan R. McKeag
When: Monday, April 11, 2016
Where: Stzrelczyk Great Hall, Cleary Alumni & Friends Center
Madison Area - CBA Alumni Event
When: Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Where: The Craftsman Table and Tap
Chicago Area - CBA Alumni Event
When: Thursday, April 14, 2016
Where: Formento's
Milwaukee Area - CBA Alumni Event
When: Thursday, November 12, 2015
Where: Wicked Hop
Twin Cities Area - CBA Alumni Event
When: Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Where: Surly Brewing Co.
The Greater UWL CBA Golf Challenge
When: Friday, June 5, 2015
Where: Trappers Turn Golf Club, Wisconsin Dells, WI
Alumni Chicago - After Work Social
When: Thursday, March 26, 2015, 6:00-8:00 PM
Where: The Bedford - 1612 West Division Street (at Ashland Avenue) - Chicago, IL 60622
Alumni Milwaukee Area - After-Work Social
When: Wednesday, March 25, 2015, 6:00-8:00 PM
Where: Delafield Brewhaus - 3832 Hillside Drive - Delafield, WI 53018
Alumni Twin Cities Area - After Work Social
When : Wednesday, November 12, 2014, 6:00-8:00 PM
Where: The Liffey - 175 7th St W - St. Paul, MN 55102
Alumni Madison - After Work Social
When : Wednesday, November 5, 2014, 6:00-8:00 PM
Where: Old Sugar Distillery - 631 East Main Street - Madison, WI
Distinguished Lecture Series - Dan Saftig
When : Thursday, October 16, 2014
Where: Cameron Hall of Nations, Centennial Hall
The Greater UWL CBA Golf Challenge
When: Friday, June 6, 2014
Where: Trappers Turn Golf Club, Wisconsin Dells, WI
Alumni Twin Cities Area - After-Work Social
When: Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Where: Kieran's Irish Pub - 85 6th St. N. - Minneapolis, MN 55403
Alumni Chicago - After Work Social
When: Thursday, March 27, 2014
Where: Richter Studios - 1143 W. Rundell Place - Chicago, IL 60607
Alumni Milwaukee - After Work Social
When: Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Where: TGI Friday's in Miller Park - 1 Brewers Way - Milwaukee, WI