College Tips

UWL student discovers confidence, connection and the support to reach her potential

In high school, Lucy Trainer learned to make herself smaller. 

When friends didn't invite her into their group chats or ask her to attend their parties, she began to wonder if something was wrong with her. Rather than risk standing out, she held back. She became less outgoing and stopped doing some of the things she wanted to do, believing she needed to show less of her true self to fit in. 

College brought a different experience. 

“UW-La Crosse helped me to become more of myself instead of the person I thought others wanted me to be,” she says. “I found the right people here and liked it so much I'm a Vanguard trying to get other people to come here.” 

Trainer's positive first-year experience reflects something happening across campus. Eighty-seven percent of UWL's first-year students in her entering class returned for their second year — the university's highest first-to-second-year retention rate in 20 years. The milestone builds on a long-standing strength: UWL already has the highest first-year retention rate among public regional universities in the Midwest, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings.  

Retention is ultimately an outcome of how well UWL fulfills its academic mission, says Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor Sandy Grunwald. 

“At UWL, student recruitment, retention and graduation are not the responsibility of any one office or individual; they are woven into the work of the entire university,” Grunwald says. “Through our coordinated care network, supported by the Navigate360 platform, we can identify students who may be experiencing challenges and connect them quickly with the people best positioned to help, whether that's an academic advisor, athletic coach, faculty member or residence life professional.” 

UWL's intentional focus on engagement and belonging also helps create an environment where each student can thrive, Grunwald says. 

“The result is an environment where students are supported academically and personally as they pursue their educational goals.” 

Finding her people

For Trainer, one of the biggest reasons she wanted to stay at UWL was the people she met during her first weeks on campus. 

She quickly built a support system by joining the dance team, a student organization that performs at men's and women's basketball games and competes at regional and national events. 

“I have a routine of going to practice every day and working toward a goal of competing in regionals and nationals,” she says. 

The team has given her more than a place to dance. It has introduced her to friends who encourage her to try new things, take on challenges and recognize abilities she hadn't seen in herself. 

Learning to advocate for herself

Another important part of Trainer's transition to college was learning to embrace the support available to her as a student with a reading disability. 

During UWL's orientation events, Trainer and her mother met with staff from Disability Resource Center about the services they could offer, and she later applied for accommodations at the beginning of her first semester. 

“I came into college feeling a little discouraged about not being as fast at completing assignments and reading in general, but now I see that I'm not the only one,” she says. “So many students use the Disability Resource Center for what they need. I no longer feel ashamed about it.” 

Trainer is correct — many UWL students use DRC services. A total of 626 unique students used academic accommodations during the 2025-26 academic year, notes Andrew Ives, the center’s director.  

Trainer appreciates the welcoming staff at DRC and the resources that help her succeed, including a quieter space and additional time for exams. She has also been able to access digital textbooks that allow her to listen to the material. 

“The way I learn and study will be different from my roommate’s or the person next to me in class,” says Trainer. “I don't have to be the same to be my best.” 

During her first year, she learned to take greater ownership of her academic progress. In high school, she had a teacher who could sit down with her after exams and walk through what went wrong. In college, she has become more responsible for identifying where she needs help, finding resources and putting new strategies into practice. 

After earning a C on her first math exam, Trainer sought help from the Tutoring & Learning Center and DRC. She learned new ways to prepare for exams and adapted her study habits to better meet her needs. 

Trainer wasn’t alone in seeking out these services. One third of the students in her cohort used UWL’s Tutoring & Learning Center services last year. The center had 775 unique new first year students check in for tutoring or a consultation with the Public Speaking Center in fall 2025 and spring 2026, notes Grunwald adding that, on average, these students checked in 2.7 times throughout the academic year. 

And the assistance helps. Trainer’s next math exam was an A minus — a result that felt especially rewarding because she knew how much work she had put into it. 

Looking back on her first year, Trainer says she is more confident in who she is and no longer feels the need to hold back. 

“I'm outgoing and able to meet new friends. Walking across campus, I typically see several people I know,” she says. “I'm being big. I don’t have to be small.” 

After 17 years of dancing, Trainer says it's easy to become comfortable with familiar routines and skills. But her college experience has pushed her to step beyond what she once thought she could do. With encouragement from her teammates and her dance coach, she's challenging herself to master new moves, including aerials. In the classroom, she's bringing that same willingness to push herself, work hard and try new strategies to overcome challenges. 

At UWL, Trainer has found more than a place to continue dancing and pursue her education. She's found a community that encourages her to take chances, embrace who she is and recognize her own potential. Rather than making herself smaller to fit in, she's learning just how far she can go. 

This story is the first in a series of UW-La Crosse features highlighting students from the fall 2025 entering class who decided to stay, contributing to UWL’s record retention rate.