https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/Campus ConnectionPosts tagged with 'Light Reads May 2022':2022-06-03T15:13:54.147Zhttps://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/brian-gutekunst/Leader of the Pack2022-05-02T10:29:06.987Z2022-04-24T08:06:00ZKyle Farrishttps://uwlax.edu/profile/kfarris/kfarris@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8:06 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Sunday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>April</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>24</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></p>
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<figcaption>UW-La Crosse alum Brian Gutekunst is entering his fifth season as general manager of the Green Bay Packers. His time at UWL, including a stint as a student assistant football coach, was crucial to his development as a talent evaluator. PHOTO CREDIT: Evan Siegle, packers.com</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">Brian Gutekunst’s path from UW-La Crosse to general manager in Titletown </h3>
<p><span data-contrast="none">In 1994, a shoulder injury seemed to spell the end of Brian Gutekunst’s time with the UW-La Crosse football team.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Coach Roger Harring had other ideas.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">“It was evident my career as a player was over. I was thinking about transferring to a school in North Carolina, so I could be closer to family,” Gutekunst says. “Coach Harring told me I wasn’t leaving, that I owed him. So I came back to help him coach and recruit. It was the biggest turning point in my life.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Harring’s encouragement and Gutekunst’s loyalty paid major dividends — some of which continue to be seen nearly three decades later, at the highest level of the sport.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">The Eagles went 14-0 in 1995, a dominant season capped by a 36-7 rout of Rowan University in the NCAA Division III National Championship Game.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Gutekunst thrived as a coach and recruiter, cultivating skills that led to a scouting internship with the Green Bay Packers and, ultimately, his rise to general manager.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Now, after playoff heartbreaks the past few years, the former UWL student assistant coach is determined to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to Titletown.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><h3><strong><span data-contrast="none">A blessing in disguise</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></h3><p><span data-contrast="none">Like personality or eye color, a fixation with football is coded in Gutekunst’s DNA.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">His father, John Gutekunst, played defensive back for Duke University and went on to coach for a half-century, including seven seasons leading the Minnesota Golden Gophers.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">“Growing up around football, and around competition in general, just made me fall in love with it,” Gutekunst explains. “I learned a lot by osmosis, being around my dad. I grew up in football offices and locker rooms. I knew pretty early that I wanted to do something in sports.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Working in Minnesota in the late ’80s and early ’90s, the older Gutekunst had taken notice of a Division III powerhouse just across the Mississippi River.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">When his son expressed interest in playing college football, UWL was a natural fit.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">“My dad knew Coach Harring vaguely and knew about the program. They had had a ton of success,” Gutekunst remembers. “I drove down there one day and met with Coach Harring. It was my first time in La Crosse, in the summer, and it was beautiful. From that moment, I was hooked.”</span><span id="_mce_caret" data-mce-bogus="1" data-mce-type="format-caret"><span data-ccp-props="{"></span></span></p>
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<figcaption>UWL coaching legend Roger Harring recognized Gutekunst's knack for the game and gave him plenty of opportunities to learn.</figcaption>
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<p><span data-contrast="none">Gutekunst jokes that he was hardly a standout on the gridiron, although injuries played a significant role.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">A defensive back like his father, Gutekunst twice had reconstructive surgery on his shoulder. Eventually, the injury was too much to overcome. It forced him off the field for good.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Harring, recognizing his knack for the game, gave him plenty of opportunities to learn from the sidelines.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Gutekunst spent considerable time studying film, which allowed him to share insights about high school and transfer players Harring might want to recruit. He also helped the coaching staff devise game plans for upcoming opponents.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">“He was a very outgoing and confident young man. He knew exactly where he wanted to go in the career field of football,” says Mike Anderson, UWL’s current associate head football coach. “His greatest talent and love of the game was the evaluation of a player’s skill level. He had a unique ability to evaluate the skill set of a prospective player and the level where this individual would succeed.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">“Working under Roger Harring, (Defensive Coordinator) Roland Christensen and the other coaches on the staff really helped me develop a passion for coaching and recruiting,” Gutekunst adds. “I look back on all the fabulous mentors I had, and it was such a blessing.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">The Eagles followed their national championship with strong campaigns in 1996 and 1997, Gutekunst’s final season with the team.</span></p>
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<figcaption>Brian and Jennifer (Banda) Gutekunst outside The Freighthouse Restaurant in La Crosse. The couple met at UWL during their senior year.</figcaption>
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<p><span data-contrast="none">That year was significant for another reason. During a group project in one of his courses, Gutekunst met the woman who would become his wife.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Jennifer (Banda) Gutekunst, ’98, was a four-year letter winner on the women’s soccer team. Despite the fact they shared a major — exercise and sport science: sport management — the pair didn’t cross paths until their senior year.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">“UWL gave me so many things,” Gutekunst says, noting the couple now has four children. “It was a huge part of my development not only professionally, but as a person.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">In 1997, after two years coaching for the Eagles, Gutekunst was looking for a new challenge. Harring recommended him for a highly competitive scouting internship with the Packers.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">He got the job.</span></p><h3><strong><span data-contrast="none">Rising the ranks</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></h3><p><span data-contrast="none">During his internship with the Packers, Gutekunst was half scout, half sponge.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">He absorbed everything he could from General Manager Ron Wolf and his esteemed staff of lieutenants, which included future NFL general managers Ted Thompson, John Dorsey, John Schneider, Reggie McKenzie and Scot McCloughan.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">A year later, Gutekunst followed Schneider to the Kansas City Chiefs but was soon back in Green Bay as a full-time scout.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">He spent two years scouting the Northeast and 11 years scouting the Southeast — the latter widely regarded as a hotbed for future NFL talent.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Gutekunst’s time on the road allowed him to bolster his </span><span data-contrast="none">résumé</span><span data-contrast="none"> while gaining a deeper understanding of how to manage a football team.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">“Being on the road 180 days a year gave me a great education — just being at these major schools and seeing how their programs are run,” he notes. “It was a wonderful time in my career, and it was really the foundation for how I approach my job.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">In 2012, a year after the Packers’ victory in Super Bowl XLV, Gutekunst was promoted to director of college scouting.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Four years after that, he was named director of player personnel.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Two years after that, Gutekunst was at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, on his way to interview for the Texans’ general manager position, when he received a phone call.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">It was the Packers, asking if he would return to serve as the team’s general manager.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">“I don’t know if it hit me right away,” Gutekunst says. “From the moment I started working with the Packers, I always felt this humbling experience of what the organization is — the history of it and my role in keeping that going. That’s what is special about this place. You feel that weight and responsibility. This is the cornerstone franchise of the National Football League.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">And he was being handed the keys.</span></p>
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<figcaption>In January 2018, Gutekunst became the 10th general manager in Packers history, joining the likes of Vince Lombardi, Ron Wolf and Ted Thompson. PHOTO CREDIT: Evan Siegle, packers.com</figcaption>
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<h3><strong><span data-contrast="none">Unfinished business</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></h3><p><span data-contrast="none">While UWL provided Gutekunst a solid foundation on which to build his career, there was one thing he left unfinished.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">UWL’s exercise and sport science program required a capstone internship. Because Gutekunst began his internship with the Packers before he had completed the program, the internship wasn’t recognized by the university, and he never received his degree.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Gutekunst reached out to UWL in 2016, hoping to change that.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">UWL worked with the Packers to create an internship within the framework of Gutekunst’s then-role as director of player personnel. The 560-hour internship required Gutekunst to submit timesheets and quarterly reports tracking his progress — something that could have seemed beneath someone of his professional experience.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">“I’ve had conversations with people looking to finish their degree where they say, ‘This is a hassle. Do I really need to jump through these hoops? Can’t I get credit for the work I’ve already done?’” says Guy Herling, academic services director for the College of Science &amp; Health. “Brian was a class act through the entire process.</span>&nbsp;He was willing to do whatever it took, which was impressive because of his high-ranking position with an NFL franchise.”</p><p><span data-contrast="none">By December 2016, Gutekunst had completed his internship and received his degree. That moment was heavy with meaning, he says, for several reasons.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-ccp-props="{">“It was very important to my mother — it meant a lot to her,” Gutekunst notes. “It meant a lot to me, too. The time I spent at UWL, with Roger and Roland and everyone else, was very influential for me. To earn my degree and make that a more permanent thing, that was really special."</span></p>
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<figcaption>Gutekunst (back row, center) was a student assistant coach during UWL's undefeated 1995 season, which culminated in a national championship. After leaving school in 1998, he returned to finish his degree in 2016.</figcaption>
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<h3><strong><span data-contrast="none">Building a winner</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></h3><p><span data-contrast="none">With four seasons under his belt, Gutekunst says he feels increasingly comfortable as general manager.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">He leans on his experiences from UWL and his two-plus decades with the Packers. He is also quick to credit his staff.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">“Evaluating players is difficult. There’s much more art to it than science,” he says. “We have a great personnel staff that puts a ton of work into it. At the same time, players are human beings. And human beings react differently when put into different environments. You never really know how a player will react until you get him out there.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Over the past year in particular, managing the team has meant managing relationships.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Last offseason, Aaron Rodgers’ frustrations with the front office boiled over into a months-long media storm in which Rodgers and Gutekunst were often painted as adversaries. Many fans and reporters blamed Gutekunst for running the future Hall of Fame quarterback out of Green Bay.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Through it all, Gutekunst remained focused on molding the Packers into a Super Bowl contender. When Rodgers ultimately returned to the team, Gutekunst made a concerted effort to reconcile their differences.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">By the end of the 2021-22 season, things had improved so much that Rodgers openly praised Gutekunst for not only constructing a competitive team, but being willing to enhance communication and grow their relationship.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Gutekunst’s humility, paired with his ability to concentrate on what he could control, helped him turn a potentially messy divorce with the team’s star quarterback into an opportunity for growth.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">“For the most part, you continue to focus on what matters, which is building the team,” he explains. “I also think conflict can be a good thing if you approach it the right way. It can lead to more trust and strengthening of bonds. It was difficult, no doubt. But it was also something our team needed to go through.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">With Rodgers back for another season, and with a deep supporting cast that has helped the Packers secure a top playoff seed the past two years, Gutekunst hopes this is the year they get over the hump.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">He has proven he can build a winning team. He has shown he can regain the trust of his MVP quarterback. Now, there is one more step to take.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">“If you look back over the past three years, we’ve had good football teams that have accomplished a lot, but we have to play better in those big moments,” Gutekunst says. “The competitive aspect, for me, is the most enjoyable part of it. Whether it’s our coaches, players, scouts or anyone else in the building, everyone is focused on one goal, which is winning a championship.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p>
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<figcaption>The Packers have won 39 regular-season games over the past three years — most in the NFL. But the team has so far fallen short of its championship aspirations — something Gutekunst hopes to change in 2022-23. PHOTO CREDIT: Evan Siegle, packers.com</figcaption>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/brian-gutekunst.jpg/Medium" alt="UW-La Crosse alum Brian Gutekunst is entering his fifth season as general manager of the Green Bay Packers. His time at UWL, including a stint as a student assistant football coach, was crucial to his development as a talent evaluator. PHOTO CREDIT: Evan Siegle, packers.com" />
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<span class="title">Leader of the Pack</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8:06 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Sunday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>April</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>24</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></span>
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Brian Gutekunst’s path from UW-La Crosse to general manager in Titletown
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/photos-a-slow-thaw/Photos: A slow thaw2022-05-02T10:29:20.393Z2022-04-24T08:05:00Zhttps://uwlax.edu/profile//
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<h2 class="head">Photos: A slow thaw</h2>
<h3 class="subhead">Photos of campus life after several false starts teasing us with spring, only to flip back to bitter cold and snow</h3>
<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8:05 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Sunday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>April</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>24</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></p>
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<p class="figcaption">Students walk through campus with Grandad Bluff in the background</p>
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<figcaption>Students hang out near Centennial Hall.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Students study on picnic tables near Wittich Hall. </figcaption>
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<figcaption>Students catch some rays on the patio of the Student Union.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Students play volleyball on Coate Field. </figcaption>
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<figcaption>Students walk down Badger Street on a sunny day. </figcaption>
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<figcaption>Students play football on Drake Field.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>A spring snow falls on Hoeschler Tower.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>The UWL men's track team practices in the snow. </figcaption>
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<figcaption>Students walk to class on a gloomy spring day. </figcaption>
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<figcaption>A reflection of Hoeschler Tower in a rain puddle.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Students and faculty find some warm rays of sunlight during an outdoor lecture.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Students enjoy the afternoon outside near Eagle Hall.</figcaption>
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<figcaption> Students study next to Wimberly Hall. </figcaption>
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<figcaption>Signs of spring blooms near Cowley Hall. </figcaption>
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<span class="title">Photos: A slow thaw</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8:05 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Sunday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>April</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>24</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></span>
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Photos of campus life after several false starts teasing us with spring, only to flip back to bitter cold and snow
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/a-sound-creator/A sound creator2022-06-03T15:13:54.147Z2022-04-24T08:04:00ZNhouchee Yanghttps://uwlax.edu/profile/nyang2/nyang2@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8:04 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Sunday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>April</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>24</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></p>
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<figcaption>Justin Schmitz, ’11, is the recipient of the 2022 Rada Distinguished Alumni Award. Schmitz has established himself as a leading innovator in theatrical sound design, particularly when it comes to deaf theater. </figcaption>
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<h3>Justin Schmitz is a fast-rising star in theatrical hotbed of D.C.</h3>
<p><em><span data-contrast="auto">Editor’s note: This is the second of a series of five articles introducing recipients of the UWL Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Awards. </span></em><a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/distinguished-alumni-2022/" data-mce-href="/news/posts/distinguished-alumni-2022/"><em><span data-contrast="none">See all 2022 award recipients.</span></em></a></p><p>He’s impressive with his creative, cutting-edge sound design for theater. In fact, he’s so creative that he’s even making waves with those who are deaf, allowing them to experience and enjoy audible theatrics in new, bold ways.</p><p>Justin Schmitz, who started his early theatrical profession fine-tuning sound on the stage of UW-La Crosse’s Toland Theatre, has taken his talents to Washington, D.C., the country’s second largest theater city.</p><p>David Kilpatrick, director of education programs and productions for D.C.’s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, says Schmitz stands out for his distinction in sound design, as well as his fearless and collaborative exploration of how sound design affects audiences and storytelling. He says Schmitz’s bridge-building savviness is helping him shape what’s ahead for the creative theater field.</p><p>“He has emerged as a young leader on a national scale in theatrical sound design,” notes Kilpatrick. “He is one with the right mix of professionalism and intelligence to make a difference in shaping the field’s future.”</p><p>Schmitz is also known for his innovative and heartfelt work with the theater and dance program at Washington, D.C.’s Gallaudet University.</p><p>Ethan Sinnott, professor and director of the program, says Gallaudet is fortunate to have Schmitz, whom he calls a fast-rising star in the theatrical hotbed of D.C., be so supportive of its programming. He appreciates Schmitz’s keen interest in developing strategies to synthesize sound design for deaf theater.</p><p>“As an artistic collaborator, Mr. Schmitz has always exhibited a sensitivity to the deaf-oriented nature of Gallaudet and its community in his pursuit of the seemingly paradoxical challenge of designing sound for deaf theatre,” explains Sinnott.</p><p>As a freelance sound designer and composer, Schmitz has earned numerous awards. He takes his craft to numerous theater projects in many states.</p><p><strong><em>Rada Distinguished Alumni Award</em></strong></p><p>Recognizes alumni who have graduated within the last 20 years, achieved professional distinction and taken part in humanitarian activities. Professor emeritus Ron Rada and his wife, Jane, created the award in 2002.</p><p><strong>Justin Schmitz, ’11</strong></p><ul><li>Innovator, leader in theatrical sound design, valued partner and collaborator for Gallaudet University theater and dance programs.</li><li>Freelance sound designer and composer in the Washington, D.C. area and regionally across the nation including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.</li><li>Awarded John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Kenan Institute Fellowship 2015-16; Carnegie Hall performer; Helen Hays nominations; others.</li><li>Bachelor’s in theater design and technology, 2011; Master of Fine Arts, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, 2015.</li></ul><p><strong>Nominate deserving alumni</strong></p><p>Nominate deserving UWL alumni for the university’s distinguished alumni awards. Simply fill out the <a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/alumni/about/awards/nomination/" data-mce-href="/alumni/about/awards/nomination/">nomination form</a>; the Alumni Office will contact nominees.</p><p>Nominations are accepted throughout the year. They must be received by Oct. 1 to be considered for the award the following year.</p><p>See all <a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/alumni/about/awards/past-recipients/" data-mce-href="/alumni/about/awards/past-recipients/">past recipients </a>.</p><p>Here are the <a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/alumni/about/awards/" data-mce-href="/alumni/about/awards/">award criteria</a>.</p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/justin-schmitz.jpg/Medium" alt="Justin Schmitz, ’11, is the recipient of the 2022 Rada Distinguished Alumni Award. Schmitz has established himself as a leading innovator in theatrical sound design, particularly when it comes to deaf theater. " />
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<span class="title">A sound creator</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8:04 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Sunday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>April</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>24</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></span>
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Justin Schmitz is a fast-rising star in theatrical hotbed of D.C.
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/research-lasts/'Research lasts'2022-05-02T10:29:51.393Z2022-04-24T08:03:00ZNhouchee Yanghttps://uwlax.edu/profile/nyang2/nyang2@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8:03 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Sunday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>April</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>24</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></p>
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<figcaption>In 2005, UWL Associate Professor of English Susan Crutchfield published an article about Helen Keller's short-lived career in vaudeville. Surprisingly, Crutchfield was contacted this spring by one of the most popular radio shows in America — Radiolab, which wanted to interview her for an upcoming episode.</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">UWL’s Susan Crutchfield shares expertise on Helen Keller with popular radio show </h3>
<p>In 2005, Susan Crutchfield used a UW-La Crosse research grant to produce and publish an article about Helen Keller’s short-lived career in vaudeville.</p><p>The article generated some initial buzz, but in the 17 years since, Crutchfield assumed it had gone to rest in a quiet, mostly forgotten corner of the internet.</p><p>Then she received a call from one of the most popular radio shows in America.</p><p>“The call was totally out of the blue,” says <a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/profile/scrutchfield/" data-mce-href="/profile/scrutchfield/">Crutchfield, an associate professor of English at UWL</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>She was contacted by a writer from Radiolab, a show produced by WNYC and heard by hundreds of thousands of people each week. "I told them I would answer their questions, but since it was going back almost 20 years, I wasn’t sure how useful it would be.”</p><p>Crutchfield’s research and clips from her interview were featured in the show’s March 11, 2022, episode, <a href="https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/articles/helen-keller-exorcism" data-mce-href="https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/articles/helen-keller-exorcism">“The Helen Keller Exorcism.”</a> The show explores one deafblind woman’s complex relationship with the memory of Helen Keller.</p><p>Crutchfield’s expertise — which extends beyond Keller and into the broader portrayal of people with disabilities in literature, drama and film — was particularly useful during the portion of the show reflecting on Keller’s time as a performer.</p><p>Most people are familiar with the story of Keller’s childhood: a young girl, deaf and blind, learning to read and write with the assistance of her teacher and companion, Anne Sullivan.</p><p>Fewer know that, as older women in need of money, Keller and Sullivan performed their story in theaters across the United States and Canada — a topic examined in Crutchfield’s 2005 article, <a href="https://dsq-sds.org/article/view/577/754" data-mce-href="https://dsq-sds.org/article/view/577/754">“‘Play[ing] her part correctly’: Helen Keller as a Vaudevillian Freak.”</a></p>
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<figcaption>Helen Keller and her longtime caregiver, Anne Sullivan, developed a vaudeville routine in the 1920s to supplement their modest income.</figcaption>
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<p>Crutchfield concludes that, because prevailing socioeconomic conditions limited career opportunities for women and people with disabilities, Keller had to abandon her political aspirations and embrace a theater circuit she may have otherwise avoided.</p><p>“One of the more important things about her adulthood is her political activism. She was very much on the side of workers' rights, unionism and even socialism,” Crutchfield explains. “Vaudeville was this job that she and Anne Sullivan Macy took because they didn’t have another way to make a good living. They were both getting older. Anne’s health had never been great. And the lecture tours they had done in the past were too draining.”</p><p>Crutchfield says she was delighted to see that her article and insights proved useful to a show with so many listeners and so much name recognition. She was impressed, she says, by the way producers wove her contributions into the fabric of the larger, more complicated story.</p><p>The overall experience can offer lessons for researchers from other subject areas, Crutchfield says.</p><p>First, note-taking and documentation is vitally important. While the physical documents Crutchfield collected during her original research were long ago discarded, the notes she had saved on her computer allowed her to bridge gaps in her memory.&nbsp;</p><p>Second, good research is valuable, even if the payoff isn’t obvious or immediate.</p><p>“I’m thrilled that it got this kind of public audience — not just scholars, but other folks who listen to the show,” Crutchfield notes. “It’s gratifying to know that, when I published this, it didn’t just sit there with nobody reading it. The thing this really impressed upon me is that research lasts.”</p><p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/2022-uwl-susan-crutchfield-helen-keller-research-0044.jpg/Medium" alt="In 2005, UWL Associate Professor of English Susan Crutchfield published an article about Helen Keller's short-lived career in vaudeville. Surprisingly, Crutchfield was contacted this spring by one of the most popular radio shows in America — Radiolab, which wanted to interview her for an upcoming episode." />
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<span class="title">'Research lasts'</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8:03 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Sunday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>April</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>24</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></span>
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UWL’s Susan Crutchfield shares expertise on Helen Keller with popular radio show
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/healing-through-history/Healing through history2022-05-02T10:30:23.113Z2022-04-24T08:02:00ZNhouchee Yanghttps://uwlax.edu/profile/nyang2/nyang2@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8:02 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Sunday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>April</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>24</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></p>
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<figcaption>Yoli Ngandali, ’14, is a co-host of the popular podcast “SAPIENS,” in which anthropologists from around the world uncover what it means to be human.</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">Yoli Ngandali explores Black, Indigenous history through archeology podcast</h3>
<p>Yoli Ngandali, ’14, developed her skills as a researcher and archeologist through <a data-mce-href="/archaeology/" href="/archaeology/">UWL’s Archaeology &amp; Anthropology Department.</a></p><p>Today, she is sharing her expertise through the popular SAPIENS podcast, while working toward her doctorate degree in archeology at the University of Washington.</p><p>Ngandali is a member of the Ngbaka tribe from the Democratic Republic of Congo — an identity that has informed her interests in archaeology and inspired her to connect with other archeologists of color.</p><p>Read on to learn more about the podcast, her passions and her time at UWL.</p><p><strong>Q: What are you up to? What projects are you currently working on?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> I recently finished a 1-year fellowship with SAPIENS as the Media and Public Outreach Fellow. SAPIENS (<a data-mce-href="https://www.sapiens.org/" href="https://www.sapiens.org/" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">https://www.sapiens.org/</a>) is a digital magazine about the human world. It’s about humans and how we communicate with each other, why we do what we do, how we evolved in the past and how we live today. In that position, I was a graphic designer, event coordinator and online video host. I hosted a short run series called “5 Questions,” where I live-interviewed authors about their new books. I enjoyed the fellowship with SAPIENS, but my main focus now is completing dissertation research and writing.</p><p>My dissertation uses emerging non-destructive archaeological methods to contribute to Indigenous communities’ capacity to reclaim and reinterpret knowledge gained from museum collections. In partnership with cultural advisors from the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, I utilize archaeological methods such as archival research, use-wear analysis and photographic imaging techniques (multispectral imaging, Reflective Transformation Imaging, photogrammetry and 3D printing) to expand the context-sensitive care for tribal heritage and contribute to art revitalization efforts ongoing in Grande Ronde today. In plain English, I basically travel from museum to museum taking scientific photographs of artifacts with and for Indigenous communities.</p><p><strong>Q: How did you get involved with the SAPIENS podcast?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> I was asked to join the SAPIENS podcast as a co-host because of my research interests and involvement in anti-racist activism. I am co-hosting season 4 of the SAPIENS podcast (<a href="https://www.sapiens.org/podcast-season-4/" data-mce-href="https://www.sapiens.org/podcast-season-4/">https://www.sapiens.org/podcast-season-4/</a>) with Ora Marek-Martinez from Northern Arizona University. I am so grateful to be connected with so many other Black and Indigenous folks doing such groundbreaking work in archaeology!</p><p><strong>Q: What have you enjoyed about working on the podcast?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> My favorite part of the podcast was developing the script with the team and recording! The recording sessions were cathartic and brought us a lot of healing. The ability to speak freely as Black women in that space was significant for me.</p><p>In this podcast, I’ve been able to hear and discuss so many beautiful, uplifting and tragic stories. What is so important is that we are bringing to light and centering stories and narratives that have been long oppressed or destroyed. Understanding the past through an intersectional lens, we can recognize how the overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination that we face due to our race, gender, sexuality, gender identity or ability can be properly centered and highlighted as valuable. <br></p>
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<figcaption>Ngandali says she enjoys doing the podcast, in part, because it connects her with many other Black and Indigenous archaeologists doing outstanding work.</figcaption>
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<p><strong>Q: What can listeners expect from the podcast? What topics do you explore?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> Even if you are not an archaeologist, you will enjoy season 4 of the SAPIENS podcast — and learn something new! We have episodes about scuba diving for African history on the Caribbean islands, how museum curators care for the past and how a mountain has become a site of resistance. I love all of the topics we discussed in this season, but the one that stands out to me the most is the final episode, “Repatriation Is Our Future.” Rachel Watkins from American University talks about the New York African Burial Ground — and what repatriation looks like for African American communities. Repatriation is the process of returning human remains, artifacts and cultural items to the communities to which they belong. This episode shows us how we can think ethically, creatively and expansively about our methods and practices as researchers in any discipline.</p><p><strong>Q: During your time at UWL, you were part of the McNair Scholar program, which supports low-income, first-generation students, as well as students from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in graduate education. How was that experience?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> <a data-mce-href="/mcnair-scholars/" href="/mcnair-scholars/" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">UWL's McNair program</a> was a productive and enriching community environment for me. I learned how to conduct and present research. I started developing my research skills, gathering a broad range of experiences studying, working and conducting independent studies alongside an honors-thesis in the Archaeology &amp; Anthropology Department. I presented my research at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) and the Society for American Archaeology (SAA). As a McNair scholar I also contributed to the First Year Research Exposure (FYRE) cohort of students of color. It was such a great experience connecting with other scholars of color, which was integral to my growth as a researcher. If you are a student of color reading this now, find your community and you will thrive.</p><p><strong>Q: You were at the Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center for several years. What kind of work did you do there, and how did it prepare you to take the next step?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> From 2012 to 2014, I worked on a variety of projects at the Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center (MVAC). At MVAC, I learned scientific laboratory analyses focusing on the late prehistoric farmers who lived in the La Crosse locality of the Upper Mississippi Valley (known to archaeologists as the Oneota). MVAC provided for me a solid understanding of archeological processing, analysis and interpretation of the past. At MVAC, I also created a few maps, digitized 35mm film photographs and used my graphic design skills to create a public archaeology exhibit. Thank you, Connie Arzigian and the MVAC staff, for the exceptional opportunity to do research at the undergraduate level.</p><p><strong>Q: What are your plans for the future?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> My plans for the future are to continue speaking up and out about Black and Indigenous archaeology. I hope one day to work on archaeological research projects with my own Ngbaka community. I plan to be a museum curator, activist, artist, professor and small business owner. I am currently developing my digital methodologies into a consulting business, so some museum consultation is on its way very soon. There is still so much to learn and do, but for now, my only focus is to finish my dissertation!</p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/sapiens-podcast.jpg/Medium" alt="Yoli Ngandali, ’14, is a co-host of the popular podcast “SAPIENS,” in which anthropologists from around the world uncover what it means to be human." />
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<span class="title">Healing through history</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8:02 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Sunday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>April</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>24</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></span>
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Yoli Ngandali explores Black, Indigenous history through archeology podcast
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<span class="read">Read<span class="sr-only"> more about Healing through history</span></span>
</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/prairie-preservation/Prairie preservation2022-05-02T10:30:36.55Z2022-04-24T08:01:00ZNhouchee Yanghttps://uwlax.edu/profile/nyang2/nyang2@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8:01 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Sunday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>April</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>24</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></p>
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<figcaption>Taylor Prill, '20, is restoring a retired, three-acre hayfield near her hometown of Clintonville, Wisconsin, into native prairie. “I am very passionate about the restoration of native environments and am thrilled to be involved in a project like this,” she says.</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">Taylor Prill puts her degree to work through restoration project</h3>
<p><em>By <a data-mce-href="/profile/kozel0126/" href="/profile/kozel0126/" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">Maddie Kozel, English student</a></em></p><p>UW-La Crosse alum Taylor Prill has returned to her hometown to make her geography degree flourish.</p><p>Prill is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to restore a retired, three-acre hayfield in Clintonville, Wisconsin, into a native prairie. It will have a public walkway where people can learn more about the plant and animal species that can be observed in the area.</p><p>The goal of the project is to raise awareness of decreasing pollinator populations and habitats in Wisconsin, Prill says. The update will also work to educate community members about how they can help mitigate stressors and aid populations.</p><p>“I am very passionate about the restoration of native environments and am thrilled to be involved in a project like this,” Prill says.</p><p>Prill graduated in December 2020 with a <a data-mce-href="/geography-and-earth-science/" href="/geography-and-earth-science/">bachelor’s degree in geography</a> with a concentration in environmental science and a minor in earth science.</p><p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p>
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<figcaption>“UWL has provided me with the strong foundation in research, planning and knowledge needed to be where I am today,” Prill says.</figcaption>
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<p>She has started to conserve and restore the three-acre portion of land at her long-time job at Memory Lanes Bar &amp; Grill in her hometown, 40 miles west of Green Bay. Her plan is to convert the unused land into a beautiful public space that can be used for photography, weddings and outdoor classes.</p><p>Prill says she is “the sole person responsible for this project” — a big undertaking for a recent graduate.</p><p>Even Clintonville High School students have taken an interest in the restoration. The students have helped build benches and birdhouses, as well as researched information on pollinator species to include in the brochures. Prill says they have future plans for the area, too.</p><p>Prill says the most interesting aspect of their involvement is their proposal to have students learn about and install a solar-powered pond.</p><p>“That’s the part that I am personally very excited about,” she explains.</p><p>Prill says that, despite the large scope of undertaking the restoration project, she’s confident her college education set her up for success.</p><p>“UWL has provided me with the strong foundation in research, planning and knowledge needed to be where I am today,” she says. “From designing and writing the project proposal to working with experienced professionals in a professional setting, I have been able to succeed and start making those critical connections required to define my future career and success.”</p><p>&nbsp;Prill plans to incorporate native Wisconsin prairie species of plants and animals into the area, along with some endangered pollinators.</p><p>The project will be completed in fall 2022 and Prill says the space will look bare for the first few years. But, by the fourth and fifth years, she predicts it will be fully restored into a beautiful and flourishing space.</p><p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p>
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<figcaption>Clintonville High School students are assisting Prill on the project by building benches and birdhouses, and researching information on native pollinator species.</figcaption>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/prill-12.jpg/Medium" alt="Taylor Prill, '20, is restoring a retired, three-acre hayfield near her hometown of Clintonville, Wisconsin, into native prairie. “I am very passionate about the restoration of native environments and am thrilled to be involved in a project like this,” she says." />
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<span class="title">Prairie preservation</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8:01 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Sunday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>April</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>24</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></span>
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Taylor Prill puts her degree to work through restoration project
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/barrels-and-bites/‘Barrels and Bites’2022-05-02T10:30:02.33Z2022-04-24T08:00:00ZBrad Quarberghttps://uwlax.edu/profile/bquarberg/bquarberg@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Sunday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>April</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>24</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></p>
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<figcaption>- Barrels & Bites — a fun night to support the UWL Alumni Association — runs from 6-8 p.m. Friday, May 20, at the Cleary Alumni & Friends Center. </figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">Alumni event puts a twist on traditional fundraisers</h3>
<p>You can imbibe on special Wisconsin spirits. How about devouring some neighborhood cuisine? Maybe listen to some live music?</p><p>It’s all on tap for the UWL Alumni Association’s annual Barrels and Bites event Friday, May 20.</p><p><a data-mce-href="/profile/mpierce/" href="/profile/mpierce/">Megan Pierce, alumni outreach coordinator</a>, says the growing event is resuming after a COVID-19 hiatus because it has been a fun way to collaborate with local establishments, connect with alumni and friends, and raise funds for the Alumni Association.&nbsp;</p><p>“It will be a perfect evening to sit in the Cleary Alumni &amp; Friends Center courtyard and sip on a beverage while listening to live music,” says Pierce.</p><p>The evening’s menu includes a variety of local beer, wine, whiskey, food and dessert along with live music from REMIX, sponsored by Bus Bros Tour Co., a photobooth, and yard games, sponsored by Trust Point.</p><p>“We have partnered with some awesome vendors that have generously donated samples,” says Pierce. “We hope all guests will have the opportunity to not only enjoy samples, but get to know the amazing people who own businesses in our area.”</p><p>Pierce says Barrels &amp; Bites is unique from other fundraising events because it intentionally keeps the guest list to 100. And, if participants visit every vendor, they will have the opportunity to win exclusive UWL alumni apparel.</p>
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<figcaption>Barrels and Bites’ menu includes a variety of local beer, wine, whiskey, food and dessert along with live music from REMIX and more.</figcaption>
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<p>There’s even more for collectors. Those who attended Barrels &amp; Bites in 2018 or 2019 will add to their unique Barrels &amp; Bites tasting glass collection. First-timers can start their unique collection because all attending receive the 2022 Barrels &amp; Bites tasting glass sponsored by Thorson Graphics.</p><p>Proceeds from Barrels &amp; Bites will support the ongoing initiatives of the UWL Alumni Association. The Association provides legacy scholarships, organizes networking opportunities, keeps alumni informed of campus happenings through e-newsletters and the Lantern, honors distinguished alumni, and helps foster lifetime connections to campus long past graduation.&nbsp;</p><p><strong><em>The menu</em></strong></p><p><strong>What:</strong> <strong>Barrels &amp; Bites — </strong>A fun night to support the UWL Alumni Association</p><p><strong>When:</strong> 6-8 p.m. Friday, May 20<br><strong>Where:</strong> Cleary Alumni &amp; Friends Center</p><p><strong>Cost:</strong> $40 for Alumni Association members; $45 for general admission (non-Alumni Association members)</p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/2018-uwl-alumni-barrels-and-bites-0002.jpg/Medium" alt="- Barrels & Bites — a fun night to support the UWL Alumni Association — runs from 6-8 p.m. Friday, May 20, at the Cleary Alumni & Friends Center. " />
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<span class="title">‘Barrels and Bites’</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Sunday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>April</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>24</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></span>
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Alumni event puts a twist on traditional fundraisers
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