https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/Campus ConnectionPosts tagged with 'Light Reads February 2022':2022-03-29T13:58:01.52Zhttps://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/light-reads/Light Reads2022-02-03T14:53:32.907Z2022-01-26T07:06:00ZKyle Farrishttps://uwlax.edu/profile/kfarris/kfarris@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">7:06 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Jan.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>26</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></p>
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<figcaption>UWL's monthly alumni newsletter has a new name and a new look, inspired by the "Hanging of the Lantern" tradition started by English Professor O.O. White in 1931.</figcaption>
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<h3>Introducing new name, new look for our monthly alumni newsletter </h3>
<p><span data-contrast="none">Shakespeare once asked, “What’s in a name?”&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">In my view, a lot.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Names are how we categorize and attempt to understand our big, bustling world. They also reflect who we are and what we value.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Think of a child named after a grandparent, a street named after a president, a campus building named after a beloved and impactful educator. Names hold meaning, in more ways than one.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">For years, we have referred to our monthly alumni newsletter and our twice-yearly alumni magazine by the same name: The Lantern.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">This has led to confusion and occasional mix-ups in our office. Maybe it has confused you, too.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">To achieve clarity while keeping in touch with our roots, we are excited to announce the new name and new look of the monthly alumni newsletter you’re reading now: “Light Reads.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">We chose this name for a few reasons:</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">It calls to mind a lighter publication, something like the Lantern’s little brother or sister.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">It evokes a familiar image — the time-honored tradition, started by English professor O.O. White, of hanging a lantern to welcome returning alumni during homecoming.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Finally, it gives our alumni publications complementary but distinct identities — enough of a connection to illustrate their common goals, but enough room for each publication to grow and thrive independently.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">We should point out: Only the name and design of the newsletter have changed. </span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">If you’re on our mailing list, you will continue to receive this newsletter on the first full week of each month. </span><a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/alumni/about/whats-new-with-you/" data-mce-href="/alumni/about/whats-new-with-you/"><span data-contrast="none">(Please encourage your classmates to join our mailing list.)</span></a><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">And twice a year, in summer and winter, you will receive the Lantern magazine and all of its in-depth storytelling directly in your mailbox.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"> <a class="Hyperlink SCXW171611833 BCX0" href="https://www.uwlax.edu/alumni/lantern/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-mce-href="/alumni/lantern/"><span class="TextRun Underlined SCXW171611833 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW171611833 BCX0" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">(Lantern stories and exclusive content can also be found online.)</span></span></a></span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">As we begin a new year, we look forward to telling new stories under our new name, but with the same commitment to serving UWL alumni, donors and friends.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Thank you for your continued support. Your generosity, achievements and love of our university allow us to share the UWL story across the country and around the world.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><em><span data-contrast="none">Kyle Farris, UWL University Relations Specialist</span></em><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Feeling nostalgic?</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">To view past alumni newsletters and magazines, visit </span><a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/murphylibrary/collections/digital-collections/" data-mce-href="/murphylibrary/collections/digital-collections/"><span data-contrast="none">Murphy Library’s digital collections</span></a><span data-contrast="auto"> and type “Lantern” or “Alumnus” in the search bar.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/light-reads.jpg/Medium" alt="UWL's monthly alumni newsletter has a new name and a new look, inspired by the "Hanging of the Lantern" tradition started by English Professor O.O. White in 1931." />
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<span class="title">Light Reads</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">7:06 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Jan.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>26</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></span>
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Introducing new name, new look for our monthly alumni newsletter
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/committed-to-community/Committed to community2022-03-07T11:39:25.937Z2022-01-26T07:05:00ZKyle Farrishttps://uwlax.edu/profile/kfarris/kfarris@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">7:05 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Jan.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>26</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></p>
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<figcaption>Antoiwana Williams, director of the Office of Multicultural Student Services at UW-La Crosse, is this year's recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award. The award is given annually to a La Crosse community member who demonstrates King’s legacy of creating positive change from one generation to the next.</figcaption>
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<h3>UWL’s Antoiwana Williams receives 2022 MLK Leadership Award </h3>
<p><span data-contrast="none">The importance of community service was drilled into <a href="/profile/awilliams/" data-mce-href="/profile/awilliams/">Antoiwana Williams</a> for as long as she can remember.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Growing up in inner-city Milwaukee, Williams often accompanied her mother to food shelters or the Ronald McDonald House, where the family would give their time to serve those less fortunate.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">“She reminded us to never forget where you come from,” remembers Williams, ’00 &amp;’04, now the director of the <a href="/multicultural-student-services/" data-mce-href="/multicultural-student-services/">Office of Multicultural Student Services (OMSS)</a> at UW-La Crosse. “No matter your degree attainment, your career aspirations or whether you become a millionaire, she told us that we all have a responsibility to make the world a better place.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Williams has carried that lesson into her work on campus and in the community, where she has played a key role in countless diversity, inclusion and social justice efforts over the past 20 years.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p>
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<figcaption>Antoiwana Williams</figcaption>
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<p><span data-contrast="none">On Monday, Jan. 17, Williams was recognized as this year’s recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award, highlighted by the La Crosse-area Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration at Viterbo University.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">It’s an honor, Williams says, she never expected.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">“Folks who know me know that my intent behind doing what I do is not for public accolades. I do it because I have a responsibility as a citizen of this country,” she notes. “This really is a community effort. It’s not an award just for Antoiwana Williams. It’s also an award for all the family, friends and&nbsp;community leaders who have helped mold me into the person I am today.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">To Williams, being a leader doesn’t mean being the loudest or most authoritative person in the room. She believes each situation calls for a unique approach.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">“Sometimes, I have to put my servant leadership hat on. Sometimes, I have to be more transactional. Sometimes, I have to be more transformative. And sometimes, I have to be a good listener, which can be hard for me because I always have thoughts and opinions about things,” Williams explains. “Leadership is never one-size-fits-all. You have to be willing to adapt your style to the situation and the group of people you’re trying to serve.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">The UWL community knows Williams through&nbsp;her work with OMSS, but she has also given her time to many community organizations.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Like her mother did before her, Williams often brings her children.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">“My family has been so supportive of all my ideas when it comes to the giving of my time,” she says. “They’ve really given me the time and space to be my authentic self.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Reflecting on her time at UWL, Williams says she is proud of institutional changes such as the creation of the Office of Campus Climate (now the <a href="/center/transformative-justice/" data-mce-href="/center/transformative-justice/">Center for Transformative Justice</a>) and a&nbsp;reorganization of OMMS that made it easier for staff to advance in their careers.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-ccp-props="{"><span class="TextRun SCXW14140703 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW14140703 BCX0">She also </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW14140703 BCX0">says she </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW14140703 BCX0">owes a debt of gratitude to many people — Barbara Stewart, Thomas Harris, James Parker, Ron and Jana Rada and&nbsp;others — who inspired her while she was a student or just beginning her career.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW14140703 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">While there is much more work to be done, Williams says she is perhaps most proud of the continued partnerships between the campus and the community, and the fact that so many people share her passion for social justice.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">“In small regional cities, sometimes there’s this disconnect between the campus and the community,” she says. “But here, it’s not about helping the campus or the community — it’s about helping the campus and the community. We’re doing a lot of transformative things that I hope we’ll be able to build on.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">About the award</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award honors the extraordinary contributions of La Crosse community members who demonstrate King’s legacy of creating positive change from one generation to the next.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">In addition to Williams’ recognition, Thomas Harris, retired assistant director of OMSS, was honored for his longtime service on the La Crosse Community Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration committee</span><span data-contrast="auto">.</span>&nbsp;</p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/2022-uwl-mlk-day-celebration-at-viterbo-0002.jpg/Medium" alt="Antoiwana Williams, director of the Office of Multicultural Student Services at UW-La Crosse, is this year's recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award. The award is given annually to a La Crosse community member who demonstrates King’s legacy of creating positive change from one generation to the next." />
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<span class="title">Committed to community</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">7:05 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Jan.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>26</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></span>
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UWL’s Antoiwana Williams receives 2022 MLK Leadership Award 
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/their-uwl-home/Their UWL home2022-02-03T14:55:16.363Z2022-01-26T07:04:00ZNhouchee Yanghttps://uwlax.edu/profile/nyang2/nyang2@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">7:04 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Jan.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>26</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></p>
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<figcaption>From left: Adam, Sandy, Kurt, Andrea and Alex Grunwald. Kurt, UWL’s radiation safety officer, plans to retire in June after 28 years working for UW System. He and wife, Sandy, associate vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, have raised their children at UWL. All three kids — Andrea, Adam and Alex — are current or former UWL students.</figcaption>
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<h3>Born out of biochemistry research and two-step country dancing, Grunwald family has been teaching and learning on campus for a quarter century</h3>
<p>Back in the late 1990s, <a data-mce-href="/profile/kgrunwald/" href="/profile/kgrunwald/" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">Kurt Grunwald</a> decided to solve derivatives just for fun as a stay-at-home dad. He was looking for some intellectual stimulation between diaper changes and bottle feedings. Taking UWL calculus classes was just the ticket. He didn’t need the credit. Grunwald had already earned two degrees at UW-Madison in biochemistry and genetics.</p><p>But his new math hobby led to enrolling in UWL physics classes, and then taking one class every semester for 10 years until he earned two additional degrees from UWL in math and physics. He eventually became<strong> </strong>UWL’s biology lab manager and then, the university’s radiation safety officer in 2004.&nbsp;</p><p>While Grunwald plans to retire from UWL in June, his family will continue to make their mark on campus. His son Alex, ’19, is a computer science alum and his wife, <a data-mce-href="/profile/sgrunwald/" href="/profile/sgrunwald/">Sandy, is associate vice chancellor for Academic Affairs</a>. Their other two kids, Andrea and Adam, are current students.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Planting UWL roots</strong></p><p>Kurt and Sandy were two Wisconsin farm kids who both made their way to UW-Madison for higher education. They met on the second floor of the biochemistry building where several other familiar UWL faces were earning graduate degrees including Biology Professors Scott Cooper and Jennifer Miskowski.</p><p>Kurt was a lab technician in one lab while Sandy was doing graduate research in another down the hall. When a fellow grad student asked Kurt if he wanted to go two-step country dancing with him and his wife, he poked his head in Sandy’s lab to see if she would be his partner. Neither had two-stepped before, but, after an evening of dancing to ’90s hits like “Boot Scootin<u>’</u> Boogie,” they went out and bought cowboy boots to do it again. They kept on dancing, got engaged eight months later, and had baby Alex about three years after that.</p><p>They came to UWL in 1997 when Sandy finished her doctoral degree in biochemistry and was offered her first teaching job on campus. Sandy would plan her next two pregnancies to fall at the end of semesters, so she could care for her new babies during the breaks.</p><p>She recalls proctoring one final exam while nine months pregnant with Adam. When the last student came up to turn in her final exam, she asked Sandy when she was going to have her baby. The student was shocked by the reply.</p><p>“Well, I’m timing contractions right now, so I’d say tonight or tomorrow morning!” said Sandy.&nbsp;</p><p>Adam was born the next day. He, Andrea, and Alex grew up at UWL, marching in the Child Center Oktoberfest parade, riding three-wheeled bikes during daycare recess and coloring their mother’s blank biochemistry tests as she busily graded a large stack on her desk. Alex remembers following his dad around campus and asking him about how scientific equipment worked. UWL was a natural college choice because the campus was familiar, he says. The same was true for Andrea.</p><p>“I think the biggest part of my wanting to go to UWL is that it felt like home to me,” says Andrea, who is majoring in art with a minor in archeology.</p><p>For their third child, Adam, the college decision wasn’t so clear. He ultimately chose UWL because he was offered a <a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/urc/eagle-apprentices/" data-mce-href="/urc/eagle-apprentices/">UWL Eagle Apprenticeship</a>, an opportunity for a select group of 25 incoming freshmen who work side by side with a faculty member on special projects or collaborative research while earning a $1,000 stipend. Adam was placed with UWL Computer Scientist Elliot Forbes, conducting research related to debugging and comparing the differences between processors.</p><p>“Ultimately, I chose UWL because of the good <a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/academics/computer-science/" data-mce-href="/academics/computer-science/">Computer Science program</a>, relatively cheap tuition, as well as the Eagle Apprenticeship I was offered,” he says.</p><p><strong>The perks of having family on campus</strong></p><p>Sandy and Kurt say their kid's involvement on campus with Andrea’s art exhibitions and Alex’s jazz band performances, has made them appreciate UWL even more.&nbsp;</p><p>“We have broadened our horizons and done things that we wouldn’t have done as employees, but we do them as parents supporting our UWL kids,” says Sandy.</p><p>Adam says it is convenient to have his parents so close. “I never have to worry about getting a ride anywhere,” he says.</p><p>Alex says a major perk to having parents around throughout school was having access to someone who could act as a pseudo-advisor — one he already knew and trusted. In addition to helping her navigate campus and buying her lunch on occasion, Andrea says her parents' presence guaranteed she knew at least two people when she started school.&nbsp;</p><p>As to whether she and her siblings will follow her dad’s footsteps, returning to take math and physics courses one day, they say, maybe — if cost was not an issue.&nbsp;</p><p>“Nowadays, I think it is bonkers how much he enjoys math to want to go back and take more classes on it,” says Andrea. “But if I was able to take any classes I wanted without consequence, I think I'd go back too.”&nbsp;</p><p>“School can be that fun — if you have the right teachers,” adds Alex.</p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/2022-uwl-grunwald-family-0025.jpg/Medium" alt="From left: Adam, Sandy, Kurt, Andrea and Alex Grunwald. Kurt, UWL’s radiation safety officer, plans to retire in June after 28 years working for UW System. He and wife, Sandy, associate vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, have raised their children at UWL. All three kids — Andrea, Adam and Alex — are current or former UWL students." />
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<span class="title">Their UWL home</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">7:04 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Jan.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>26</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></span>
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Born out of biochemistry research and two-step country dancing, Grunwald family has been teaching and learning on campus for a quarter century
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<span class="read">Read<span class="sr-only"> more about Their UWL home</span></span>
</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/photos-a-look-back-at-2021/Photos: A look back at 20212022-02-03T14:56:04.103Z2022-01-26T07:03:00Zhttps://uwlax.edu/profile//
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<h2 class="head">Photos: A look back at 2021</h2>
<h3 class="subhead">Moments in time by University Photographer Michael Lieurance</h3>
<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">7:03 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Jan.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>26</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></p>
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<p class="figcaption">The Eagle L on the Roger Harring Stadium surrounded by frosty tree limbs.</p>
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<p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p><p>Say what you will about 2021, but the year brought new beginnings, incredible campus views and plenty of examples of resilience. <span dir="ltr" role="presentation">Students, faculty and staff emerged from pandemic cocoons, coming </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation">back to campus sans pajamas and webcams.</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation">&nbsp;</span>As we start a new year, UWL photographer Michael Lieurance takes you through some of 2021's most memorable moments — in photos.</p><div class="list-item-1 ">
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<img data-src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/2021-uwl-rime-frost-snow-campus-bluffs-0071-13.jpg/Xlarge" loading="lazy" alt="" class="lazy" />
<figcaption>A scene from Disney's Frozen? A weather phenomenon called rime frost adorned the region in early January.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Rime frost coats a cedar on top of Miller Bluff looking over the city.</figcaption>
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<img data-src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/2021-uwl-snow-shoveling-track-eagle-l-logo-0018-22.jpg/Xlarge" loading="lazy" alt="" class="lazy" />
<figcaption>A student shovels the Eagle L on the football field.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>A view or Roger Harring Stadium after a snowfall in January.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>A drone image of campus looking west.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Students were welcomed back to campus in January with social distancing and masking protocols.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>A student finds a quiet spot to study in Wittich Hall.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Students chat in between classes in Centennial Hall.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Shorts weather? A student walks down Badger Street in shorts during a February snowstorm.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>A student walks to class near Wittich Hall.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Students study in Murphy Library.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>The ROTC Eagle Battalion placed first in the Warfare Challenge hosted in La Crosse.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>A student studies in Prairie Springs Science Center.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Aric Opdahl, Chemistry, leads a lecture in the Student Union.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Students enjoy an early warm, spring day in March by hanging out in hammocks near Murphy Library.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>UW System Interim President Tommy Thompson, left, and Gov. Tony Evers, right, visit the Cleary & Friends Alumni Center, the site of a regional Covid19 vaccine clinic prior to its opening March 9.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Student Shayla Michel checks on her fish tanks in the River Studies Lab in Prairie Springs Science Center.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Spring flowers bloom near Hoescher Tower.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>UWL partnered with city stakeholders to build a new tennis complex at Green Island Park.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Students pose for a photo in front of the La Crosse Center. UWL hosted an in-person commencement ceremony for graduates only in May. </figcaption>
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<figcaption>A U.S. Navy Blue Angel jet flies over campus. The Blue Angels were in the area for the Deke Slayton Airfest in June. </figcaption>
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<figcaption>A south view of the construction of the field house.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>UWL officially recognized Juneteenth by raising the holiday’s flag.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Archaeology students at a dig site near Holmen. </figcaption>
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<figcaption>UWL hosted the WIAA State Track Meet in June with limited capacity for each division. </figcaption>
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<figcaption>A view of the campus during the WIAA State Track Meet. </figcaption>
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<figcaption>A view of the construction progress of the field house looking west.</figcaption>
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<figcaption> UW System Interim President Tommy Thompson addressed campus and student athletes during a Vax Up pep rally in August.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Students hang out on Coate Field during move-in week.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>A student carries a futon mattress on his head during move-in week.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>A student and parent move a futon into Angell Hall.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>A twirler for the Screaming Eagles Marching band shows off a UWL hair clip during a welcome ice cream social for international students.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>UWL welcomed 2,207 students — a record for an incoming class — to campus in the fall. </figcaption>
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<figcaption>Students were welcomed back to campus with everything from music to smores during the first-ever Eagle Fest Friday, Sept. 10, 2021.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>A lit L on Grandad Bluff welcomes students and family during the first week of school.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Community Engagement Coordinator Lisa Klein collects donated toys for Afghan evacuee children at Fort McCoy.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>A family tailgates before the UWL football game during family weekend. </figcaption>
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<figcaption>The ROTC Eagles Battalion rebuild bridges in Hixon Forest.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Fall colors start to pop across region in October.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>A view of the center of campus looking west.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Biology students collect insect samples and measure the biodiversity at the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration land near St. Joseph's Ridge.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Sun peeks through a maple tree near Murphy Library.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Students practice speaking foreign languages with a partner at Language Resource Center in Graff Main Hall.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>A fall view of campus looking east.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>UWL students hosted a speak out and march to support sexual assault survivors at Hoeschler Tower.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Families and friends were welcomed back with limited numbers during the winter commencement ceremonies.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>A student smiles for photos on Pearl Street after the commencement ceremony.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Trees around Hoeschler Tower are adorned with holiday lights. </figcaption>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/2021-uwl-rime-frost-snow-campus-bluffs-0066-12.jpg/Medium" alt="The Eagle L on the Roger Harring Stadium surrounded by frosty tree limbs." />
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<span class="section details">
<span class="title">Photos: A look back at 2021</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">7:03 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Jan.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>26</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></span>
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Moments in time by University Photographer Michael Lieurance
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<span class="read">Read<span class="sr-only"> more about Photos: A look back at 2021</span></span>
</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/inspired-to-give/Inspired to give2022-03-29T13:58:01.52Z2022-01-26T07:02:00ZNhouchee Yanghttps://uwlax.edu/profile/nyang2/nyang2@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">7:02 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Jan.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>26</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/2022-uwl-brad-and-gail-quarberg-mondovi-scholarship-0028.jpg/Large" alt="" />
<figcaption>UWL alums Brad and Gail Quarberg have established a scholarship fund for Mondovi High School seniors who plan to attend UWL. “I look forward to meeting some of the students who get the money, finding out what they want to do, and teaching them a lesson about the importance of giving back,” Brad says.</figcaption>
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<h3>With scholarship, Quarbergs hope to support, inspire future students</h3>
<p>After his first semester at UW-La Crosse, Brad Quarberg cashed in a scholarship from an anonymous donor received upon graduating from high school.</p><p>“I was a kid from rural Wisconsin, a first-generation college student, and didn’t really know what was going on,” says <a data-mce-href="/profile/bquarberg/" href="/profile/bquarberg/" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">Quarberg, ’85, now the director of news and marketing at UWL</a>. “The scholarship was $100 or $200 — I can’t remember. But it was reassuring to know that someone trusted and believed in me as a student, and they were willing to give that money to help a student’s dreams come true.”</p><p>Now, Quarberg and his wife, Gail, ’89, are paying it forward, supporting future UWL students in the pursuit of their dreams.</p><p>The newly established Brad and Gail Quarberg Scholarship Fund will provide a $1,000 scholarship to a graduating senior from Mondovi High School (Quarberg’s alma mater) each year. Special consideration will be given to students with a financial need.</p><p>The first scholarship through the UWL Foundation will be awarded in 2022. A future estate gift will fully endow the fund, ensuring scholarships for future generations.</p><p>Quarberg, who grew up on a farm in rural Modena and graduated from Mondovi High School in 1981, says he had the idea of creating a scholarship several years ago. When he returned to be inducted into the school’s alumni hall of fame in 2019, he decided to put his plan into motion.</p><p>“Mondovi is a community that, over the years, has always supported education,” says Quarberg, who also serves on the La Crosse public school board. “They’ve built onto the school, upgraded things and have always been a good community with a good education. That means a lot to me, and it’s something I want to support.”</p><p>Quarberg hopes Mondovi High School students will see UWL as a top choice when considering which college to attend.</p><p>Coming from a small town, Quarberg says UWL felt like home — not too big and not too small. He also enjoyed the rigorous academics, the variety of student activities and the opportunity to play in the marching band — a passion he had developed in high school.</p><p>“Band is an important part of extracurriculars, rather than just sitting in a classroom,” Quarberg notes. “It makes you a more well-rounded person, it introduces you to friends, and it gives you something in common with people who love music or love performing.”</p><p>Quarberg has even supported band and choir programs in the School District of La Crosse, using his school board stipend to establish an endowment through the La Crosse Public Education Foundation supporting each.</p><p>He’s excited to extend his philanthropy to Mondovi, and to see the lives that will be helped by this gift.</p><p>“I look forward to meeting some of the students who get the money, finding out what they want to do, and teaching them a lesson about the importance of giving back,” he says. “If I can inspire them to give back when they’re older and a little more established, then it will be well worth it.”</p><p><strong>How to apply</strong></p><p>To apply, students must complete a <a href="https://uwlax.academicworks.com/" data-mce-href="https://uwlax.academicworks.com/">general scholarship form</a>. They will be auto-matched to the Brad and Gail Scholarship if they are eligible.</p><p>Mondovi High school seniors planning to attend UWL should contact the school's guidance counseling office with any questions.</p><p>The deadline to apply is Feb. 1 annually.</p>
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<span class="section photo">
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/2022-uwl-brad-and-gail-quarberg-mondovi-scholarship-0028.jpg/Medium" alt="UWL alums Brad and Gail Quarberg have established a scholarship fund for Mondovi High School seniors who plan to attend UWL. “I look forward to meeting some of the students who get the money, finding out what they want to do, and teaching them a lesson about the importance of giving back,” Brad says." />
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<span class="section details">
<span class="title">Inspired to give</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">7:02 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Jan.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>26</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></span>
<span class="subhead">
<span>
With scholarship, Quarbergs hope to support, inspire future students
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<span class="read">Read<span class="sr-only"> more about Inspired to give</span></span>
</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/praiseworthy-principal/Praiseworthy principal2022-02-03T14:57:51.503Z2022-01-26T07:01:00ZNhouchee Yanghttps://uwlax.edu/profile/nyang2/nyang2@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">7:01 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Jan.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>26</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></p>
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<figcaption>Tina Miller, '03, (left) and her mother, Donna Weber (second from right), have a unique mother-daughter tradition: Both women have served as principals in the Wisconsin Rapids public school district. Last year, Miller was named the 2021 Wisconsin Elementary Principal of the Year.</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">Alum Tina Miller is the 2021 Wisconsin Elementary Principal of the Year</h3>
<p>Tina Miller and her mother, Donna Weber, hold the unique distinction of being the only mother-daughter pair to serve as principals in the Wisconsin Rapids public school district.</p><p>“Continuing that legacy,” Miller, ’03, says, “has been really important to me.”</p><p>Now, Miller can add another exclusive honor to her resume: 2021 Wisconsin Elementary Principal of the Year.</p><p>She was nominated by several staff members and parents in her district. Representatives from the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators, the Department of Public Instruction, the Wisconsin Association of School Boards and the Wisconsin Parent Teacher Association selected her for the honor.</p><p>“It’s still unbelievable to me that I was chosen. I just shake my head and say, ‘Is this real?’” says Miller, who holds a master’s degree from UW-La Crosse. “To be recognized by my staff, my administrative peers and parents in our district, it’s such a great feeling.”</p><p>Receiving the award was a full-circle moment for Miller, who grew up in Wisconsin Rapids and attended the district where she now works.</p><p>She earned her bachelor’s degree from UW-Stevens Point and soon returned to Wisconsin Rapids to teach second grade at Mead Elementary School.</p><p>A year in, Miller and several of her colleagues decided to pursue their master’s degrees. They chose <a data-mce-href="/grad/professional-studies-in-education/" href="/grad/professional-studies-in-education/">UWL’s professional studies in education program</a>, which included a cohort that met in Sun Prairie one weekend a month for two years.</p><p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p>
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<figcaption>Tina Miller</figcaption>
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<p>For Miller, the program was about much more than furthering her education and setting her up to become an administrator. It was also a time of personal growth and the foundation for long-lasting friendships.</p><p>“The biggest benefit of the program was having 40 to 50 people in this little community, helping each other through the process,” she explains. “These people become your biggest cheerleaders and champions. You go through life with them for those two years. I still keep in touch with a lot of them, even though we all graduated in 2003.”</p><p>Shortly after earning her degree, Miller took on a new role in her district, splitting time as a classroom teacher and a professional development facilitator.</p><p>In 2008, when her school became a charter school, Miller became a charter school grant coordinator in addition to her professional development work.</p><p>Finally, she became the principal of Howe Elementary in 2016.</p><p>Being a principal, and being named the Elementary Principal of the Year, has allowed Miller to share her passion and teaching philosophies with a wider audience. Teaching, she says, is about much more than pushing students to excel in the classroom.</p><p>“I have always believed that happy kids learn,” she says. “Teaching isn’t just an exercise in regurgitation; we need to get students in the right brain setting to learn. This means understanding the challenges kids carry in their invisible backpacks and creating a safe and structured environment for them every single day. It goes back to having empathy, working together as a staff and making sure we’re serving the whole child.”</p><p>Miller had an excellent role model mentoring those characteristics — her mother. Even now, two decades after her mother’s retirement, Miller still calls her at the end of most school days.</p><p>Their relationship, Miller says, has made her success as a principal even more meaningful.</p><p>“It’s so cool to have that connection with her and to be able to talk about the challenges of the job, even though they’re very different from back in the ’90s when she was a principal,” Miller says. “To share this award with my mom and the rest of my family has been really special.”</p><p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/tina-miller--donna-weber.jpg/Medium" alt="Tina Miller, '03, (left) and her mother, Donna Weber (second from right), have a unique mother-daughter tradition: Both women have served as principals in the Wisconsin Rapids public school district. Last year, Miller was named the 2021 Wisconsin Elementary Principal of the Year." />
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<span class="title">Praiseworthy principal</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">7:01 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Jan.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>26</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></span>
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Alum Tina Miller is the 2021 Wisconsin Elementary Principal of the Year
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/take-an-eagle-to-breakfast/Take an Eagle to Breakfast2022-02-04T14:23:00.03Z2022-01-26T07:00:00ZKyle Farrishttps://uwlax.edu/profile/kfarris/kfarris@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">7 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Jan.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>26</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></p>
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<figcaption>UWL's Take an Eagle to Breakfast event is set for Wednesday, Feb. 23, at the Cleary Alumni & Friends Center.</figcaption>
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<h3>Event to connect UWL students with local businesses</h3>
<p><span data-contrast="none">La Crosse area businesses are invited to UWL’s 2022 Take an Eagle to Breakfast event, a networking opportunity connecting College of Business Administration students with local employers.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">The event is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 23, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. in Strzelczyk Great Hall inside the Cleary Alumni &amp; Friends Center. Organized by the Silver Eagles CBA alumni group, it will be held in conjunction with the UWL Spring Career &amp; Internship Fair.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">“This event joins present employers with UWL’s best and brightest students, providing the opportunity to discuss future internship or employment opportunities in a less formal environment,” says Joe Chilsen, president of the Silver Eagles. “Students who participate in this event have the opportunity to open doors to their futures, and I am hopeful they will take full advantage.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Chilsen says Take an Eagle to Breakfast can help businesses identify and ultimately hire young, skilled workers, which is critical at a time when employers are struggling with hiring.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Businesses can participate by becoming an event, program or table sponsor, which also gives the business increased visibility. They can do so at this link: </span><a href="http://www.uwlax.edu/alumni/events/silver-eagles/" data-mce-href="http://www.uwlax.edu/alumni/events/silver-eagles/"><span data-contrast="none">www.uwlax.edu/alumni/events/silver-eagles/</span></a><span data-contrast="none">. Space is limited, and early registration is encouraged.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Businesses can take advantage of any education matching gift programs their company offers to increase the value of their donation.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">All proceeds from the event will be applied to the Silver Eagles Endowment Scholarship Fund, which has provided 50 scholarships totaling nearly $50,000 over the past 20 years.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">The featured speaker during Take an Eagle to Breakfast will be Joanna Binsfeld, ’01, who was the Silver Eagles' first scholarship recipient. </span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">After college, Binsfeld spent 12 years working at the University of Wisconsin Law School, mostly in student affairs and curriculum planning. She is now a licensed business education teacher in Columbus, Wisconsin.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><strong><span data-contrast="none">About Take an Eagle to Breakfast</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Take an Eagle to Breakfast is the most recent iteration of the Take an Eagle to Lunch and Take an Eagle to Dinner programs, which have connected CBA students with local employers for two decades.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">For more information, visit </span><a href="http://www.uwlax.edu/alumni/events/silver-eagles/" data-mce-href="http://www.uwlax.edu/alumni/events/silver-eagles/"><span data-contrast="none">www.uwlax.edu/alumni/events/silver-eagles/</span></a><span data-contrast="none">.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><div><u>Presenting Sponsor</u></div><div>Citizens State Bank</div><div><br aria-hidden="true"></div><div><u>Event Sponsors</u></div><div>Joe, '87, and Pat, '95, Chilsen</div><div>Marlin, '78, and Julie, '76 &amp; '93, Helgeson</div><div>Kwik Trip</div><div><br aria-hidden="true"></div><div><u>Program Sponsor</u></div><div>Karla, ’75 &amp; ’80, and John, ’76, Stanek</div><div><br aria-hidden="true"></div><div><u>Table Sponsors</u></div><div>Richard Graw, '65</div><div>Joe (emeritus faculty) and Linda, '91, Kastantin</div><div><span data-ccp-props="{">Ashton, '70 and Norma, '71, Veramallay</span></div><div><br></div>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/2022-taeb-final.png/Medium" alt="UWL's Take an Eagle to Breakfast event is set for Wednesday, Feb. 23, at the Cleary Alumni & Friends Center." />
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<span class="section details">
<span class="title">Take an Eagle to Breakfast</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">7 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Jan.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>26</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></span>
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Event to connect UWL students with local businesses
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