Posted 3:37 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020
Return to Wisconsin program helps families reconnect with campus
Jared Moran came a long way to walk in his parents’ footsteps.
Moran traveled 1,000 miles from his native New Hampshire to begin his first year at UW-La Crosse, a school with strong ties to his family.
“I came to UWL because my parents went here,” explains Moran, who enrolled through the Return to Wisconsin program, which offers discounted tuition to out-of-state students (excluding Minnesotans) whose parents or grandparents graduated from UWL.
“Not in the sole idea that this is where they went, but because when we were touring colleges, they decided to bring me here to check out their old school, and I thought it was great,” Moran says. “So I applied here and I got in.”
While his parents — Wes Moran, ‘96 & ‘98, and Laura (Hesse) Moran, ‘98 — were a big influence, the family’s UWL roots reach even deeper. Moran’s grandparents on his dad’s side also attended UWL.
All these ties meant Moran had plenty of places to turn for stories and advice.
“I was able to hear a lot about the school, and they proved to be a good resource in helping me learn about what UWL has to offer,” says Moran, a political science major and archaeology minor. “So far, my experience has been great. (Despite COVID), I've still been able to meet people, and I've been able to adjust to online classes easily. I think campus is a wonderful place, and I'd really like to come back in non-COVID times, as it seems like it will be even better then.”
About the program — tell your out-of-state classmates!
Did you know students with parents and grandparents who are UWL graduates can receive discounted tuition?
Non-resident undergraduate students, except residents of Minnesota who have reciprocity, are eligible for the Return to Wisconsin program, which offers a 25% discount on the difference between resident and non-resident tuition rates for eligible students whose parents, stepparents or grandparents graduated from UWL. For 2020-21, the estimated discount is $3,780 for the academic year.
Students can apply to the Return to Wisconsin program online at www.uwlax.edu/admissions/non-resident-tuition-programs. Completed forms should be sent to the Admissions Office to establish eligibility. Participation continues as long as a student remains in good standing and makes satisfactory academic progress. Full-time status (12 credits or more) is required on the first day of the fall and spring semesters. Full-time status is not required for the winter or summer sessions.