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About UWL

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UW-La Crosse) provides a challenging, dynamic, and diverse learning environment in which the entire university community is fully engaged in supporting student success. 

Information about UWL and the Surrounding Region

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UWL) embodies a commitment to student success as a highly-ranked, selective, regional, comprehensive university of approximately 10,500 students. UWL demonstrates consistently strong enrollment and fiscal stability. Located along the Mississippi River in the scenic Driftless Region of southwest Wisconsin, UWL offers a vibrant campus with modern facilities, extensive co-curricular opportunities, and a strong sense of community.

The university is recognized nationally for its student academic profile, strong retention and graduation rates, and robust undergraduate and graduate programs. UWL fosters a collaborative campus culture where faculty and staff are supported in teaching, research, and professional development. The La Crosse community provides a welcoming environment with abundant outdoor recreation, cultural events, and a historic downtown — making it an ideal place to live and work.

The UW-La Crosse campus is in the Driftless region of southwestern Wisconsin, nestled in a residential area of the City of La Crosse and positioned as part of a larger metro area with a population close to 140,000. The area, known as the 7 Rivers Region, is famous for its exceptional natural beauty which includes the Mississippi River on one side, majestic bluffs on the other, and views of rolling farmland and forested valleys in between. Abundant water, woodlands and varying terrain provide ample opportunities for year-round outdoor recreation. Only a couple of hours from Minneapolis or Madison, La Crosse enjoys the affordability and charm of small town living with larger city benefits. Three colleges, two world-class medical institutions, the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra, a restored nineteenth century downtown business district, and a number of galleries and art centers have made La Crosse a regional center for culture, entertainment, medical care, shopping, sports and recreation.

UW-La Crosse’s strategic plan continues to move our community forward. More information about the ongoing work of "UWL Forward" is available on the strategic plan website.

 

Recent news from UWL

UWL students in the Chinese Studies program engage kids in an after-school Chinese Clubs at a local elementary school. Students learned about Chinese food, among other topics. Beyond grammar Posted 3:46 p.m. Friday, April 3, 2026 Language programs connect students with culture and community Read more about Beyond grammar One highlight was a Risograph workshop held in the gallery itself, where students created pieces surrounded by Head’s exhibition. Using writing and drawing prompts, they developed paper collages that were later Risograph-printed and hand-bound into a collaborative anthology. Here Visiting Artist Travis Head examines Risograph prints with a student workshop participant. Art in action Posted 10:29 a.m. Friday, April 3, 2026 Visiting artist engages students through hands-on work as part of ArtsFest Advance! Read more about Art in action UWL Early Childhood and Elementary Middle Education preservice teachers partnered with Summit Elementary to teach hands-on lessons on Wisconsin maple syrup production. A sweet partnership Posted 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 31, 2026 Education students get taste of teaching through Summit Elementary maple syrup project Read more about A sweet partnership A bird's eye view of campus after a spring break blizzard. March at UWL Posted 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 31, 2026 Relive the month through our favorite images Read more about March at UWL
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