https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/Campus ConnectionPosts tagged with 'Student Affairs Administration':2024-01-18T11:04:09.123Zhttps://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/a-craft-of-love/A craft of love2024-01-18T11:04:09.123Z2024-01-18T11:03:00ZKjerstin Langhttps://uwlax.edu/profile/klang/klang@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">11:03 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Thursday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Jan.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>18</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2024</span></p>
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<figcaption>UWL Alumna Renee Smith is the founder and owner of PartyHappier, a business she launched that sells cards, stationery and more. Smith graduated in 2008 communication studies major and professional writing and psychology minors. She went on to earn her M.S.Ed. at UWL in 2010. </figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">Alumna creates made-to-order cards and more, turning childhood craft hobby into a full-time job  </h3>
<p>As Valentine’s Day nears, one UW-La Crosse alumna is using her skills with paper, scissors and glue to build stronger connections between people. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Renee Smith,’08 &amp; ’10, has about 500 different cards and crafts to share with someone you care about in her <a data-mce-href="https://partyhappier.com/" href="https://partyhappier.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online store</a>, including greeting cards, Valentine’s Day decor and a set of 52 date night cards featuring a different date idea for every week of the year. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>But Smith's shop, PartyHappier, isn’t all about celebrating holidays. Instead, it’s about the simple joy she finds in creating connections through art. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“I try to send a card when someone is not expecting it. Something to say ‘Hey, I’m just thinking about you,” she says. “And I think that is what most of my customers look for as well. I hope that what I create will brighten someone’s day.” &nbsp;</p>
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<figcaption>This stationery set is the first thing Smith started making when she launched PartyHappier. “I've always loved snail mail, so I started by making pretty cards and envelopes for family and friends and eventually started selling them,” she says. </figcaption>
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<p>About three years in, Smith’s Etsy shop began to take off with orders piling up, particularly around Christmas and graduation time. Even though she’d spent a full day at work and was often tired as she walked in the door to her apartment, she always looked forward to digging into her crafts at night. Despite her love for working in higher education, she realized this hobby should be a full-time business when it became difficult to balance the two and orders began to produce more money than she was making in her day job. In March 2022, she quit her career in advising and became a full-time entrepreneur. &nbsp;</p><p>Smith says her educational experience at UWL — with an undergraduate degree in <a data-mce-href="/academics/communication-studies/" href="/academics/communication-studies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Communication Studies</a> and a graduate degree in <a data-mce-href="/academics/department/student-affairs-administration/" href="/academics/department/student-affairs-administration/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">Student Affairs Administration</a>— factored into her entrepreneurial abilities. She had a well-rounded education with classes that spoke to diverse interests in writing, psychology, advising, and more. She has a great mentor in Communications Studies Professor Linda Dickmeyer, who has always supported and encouraged her along the way, even after she graduated. &nbsp;Most of all, her educational path helped her find and fully explore her love of communication, which is at its root, is all about connection. &nbsp;</p><p>“I interact with people all the time through my business — communicating effectively and understanding people's needs has played a huge role in PartyHappier’s success,” she says. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
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<figcaption>Conversation hearts banner from PartyHappier</figcaption>
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<p>Smith’s shop grew out of a childhood passion for paper crafts. The youngest of three, she would sit at her desk in the bedroom of her Colby, Wisconsin, home building scrapbooks, coloring and journaling. That childhood hobby emerged again after college when she started working full time. She would stay up late after work mixing and matching paper colors and patterns to create cards for friends and family. &nbsp;</p><p>“You can do a lot with a single sheet of paper. Manipulating it, it becomes something original ... something exciting,” she says. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>In August 2014, Smith opened a shop on Etsy as a hobby filling orders for her various products such as stationery, cards, envelopes, banners, bookmarks, calendars, confetti, magnets and more. Over the years, the orders continued to grow, and it eventually became another full-time job outside of work. &nbsp;</p><p>At the time, Smith was working as a college career advisor, including a stint in UWL Career Services. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“I was often meeting with students and asking them, ‘what your goals and passions and where do you see yourself?,’” she recalls. “As I was having these conversations, I realized maybe I needed to be having them with myself too. It helped me uncover the things I was most passionate about.” &nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
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<h3>Looking for a Valentine?   </h3>
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<figcaption>Date Night cards. The set of set of 52 date night cards feature a different date idea for every week of the year.   </figcaption>
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<p>Check out date night cards and conversation hearts banner on the <a data-mce-href="https://partyhappier.com/" href="https://partyhappier.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PartyHappier website</a>. Her goods are also available at <a data-mce-href="https://partyhappier.com/pages/find-us-locally" href="https://partyhappier.com/pages/find-us-locally" target="_blank" rel="noopener">physical locations.</a> &nbsp;</p><p><strong>Store Locations:</strong></p><ul><li>The Vintage Flip: 400 N Main St, Lake Mills, WI </li><li>Lake Milled Crafts: 107 N Main Street, Lake Mills, WI </li><li>Booth 121: 6203 Monona Dr, Monona, WI </li><li>The Coffee Coop: 608 N Division St, Colby, WI </li><li>35:35 Makers Collective: 265 W Peace Rd, Sycamore, IL&nbsp;</li></ul>
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<span class="title">A craft of love</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">11:03 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Thursday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Jan.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>18</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2024</span></span>
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Alumna creates made-to-order cards and more, turning childhood craft hobby into a full-time job  
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/say-it-in-6-2023/Say it in 62024-01-08T09:15:01.303Z2024-01-02T13:00:00ZChloe Harthttps://uwlax.edu/profile/chart/chart@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">1 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Tuesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Jan.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>2</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2024</span></p>
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<figcaption>Hleeda Vang won the Say it in 6 competition, put on by Graduate & Extended Learning.</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">Hleeda Vang wins Say it in 6 competition themed "my community"</h3>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">How much can six words express?&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">Hleeda Vang, a graduate student in the <a data-mce-href="/grad/student-affairs-administration/" href="/grad/student-affairs-administration/">Student Affairs Administration master’s program,</a> found a way to capture her program in just six words: “fostering identity and belonging in students.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">Vang’s concise communication was part of the fourth-annual Say it in 6 competition hosted by <a data-mce-href="/gel/" href="/gel/" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">UWL Graduate &amp; Extended Learning</a>. The event is designed to help graduate students develop visual communication skills by limiting contributions to six words and an original image.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">“The Say it in 6 competitions allows all graduate students, in-person or online, to compete,” says Ania Meier, graduate program specialist with Graduate &amp; Extended Learning. “It’s a great opportunity since some grant or award options are only available to in-person students.”</span></p>
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<figcaption>Hleeda Vang is a graduate student in the Student Affairs Administration master’s program.</figcaption>
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<p><span data-contrast="auto">Following the competition’s “my community” theme, Vang wanted to focus on the sense of belonging and how it relates to her and her graduate program. Vang decided to apply a concept she’s studying in her program: how college students’ sense of identity — something that students often explore in college — is crucial to their success.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">“I strongly believe that culture and diversity directly impact one's sense of identity and belonging,” Vang says. “When I think about our communities, I see that they are colorful, vibrant, and beautiful. It was important that my image displayed these elements as well as incorporated my own individual Hmong identity.”</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">Before crafting the six words for her submission, Vang focused on the image. After looking through her photos and not finding the inspiration she was looking for, she started to draw.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">“I grabbed some paper and markers and began drawing elements from the Hmong culture,” Vang says. “The food, the clothing, the colors, the instruments, our story of crossing the Mekong River, and dance. Eventually, I filled up the page with several Hmong elements and colors.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">Once Vang was happy with her image, she started writing sentences, eliminating words, and finally settled on her winning title.</span></p>
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<figcaption>Vang in traditional Hmong clothing.</figcaption>
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<p><span data-contrast="auto">“After submitting and the voting period began, I looked through the entries and saw so</span><span data-contrast="none"> many amazing submissions,” Vang says. “I</span><span data-contrast="auto"> am very grateful and honored to be selected by the judges and will put the funds to good use.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">As the first-place winner, Vang was awarded $400. She competed alongside 46 other submissions from students spanning 12 graduate programs.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">“I’d say what made Hleeda’s submission stand out was the work that went into her image,” says Meredith Thomsen, Dean of Graduate &amp; Extended Learning. “We found her drawings interesting and engaging, and we saw a strong connection between them and the message of her entry. Furthermore, we understood the connection between her entry and her specific field of study in Student Affairs Administration.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">Second place and People’s Choice went to Danielle Hudson, <a data-mce-href="/grad/biology/" href="/grad/biology/" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">a graduate student studying biology</a>. Hudson’s image was a compilation of photos showcasing biology students presenting to various groups, accompanied by the words “building community through outreach and advocacy.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">“I was most eager to highlight my community’s excitement towards insect-related environmental education events,” Hudson says. She felt that using a variety of communication strategies including text, photographs, and illustrations allowed her to convey a deep message while being limited to six words.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">Entries are reviewed by a five-person committee&nbsp;with members who&nbsp;represent a diversity of perspectives on graduate education. Online voting was open to the public to determine the People’s Choice recipient.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">Check out all this years’ entries by visiting <a href="/gel/graduate-education/say-it-in-6-winners/" data-mce-href="/gel/graduate-education/say-it-in-6-winners/">https://www.uwlax.edu/gel/graduate-education/say-it-in-6-winners/.</a></span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p>
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<span class="title">Say it in 6</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">1 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Tuesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Jan.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>2</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2024</span></span>
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Hleeda Vang wins Say it in 6 competition themed "my community"
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/recruiter-on-the-rise/Recruiter on the rise2023-10-23T08:26:27.927Z2023-10-23T08:26:27.927ZKyle Farrishttps://uwlax.edu/profile/kfarris/kfarris@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8:26 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Monday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Oct.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>23</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></p>
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<figcaption>As associate director of Admissions, Sam Pierce coordinates the STudent Advising Registration and Transition program, oversees campus visits, advises Admissions counselors and the Vanguard Organization, and spearheads recruitment efforts at high schools and college fairs.</figcaption>
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<h3>Sam Pierce named Rising Star for campus, community leadership</h3>
<p><span>In helping others take the next step in their lives and careers, <a data-mce-href="/profile/spierce/" href="/profile/spierce/">Sam Pierce</a> took a big step of his own.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>Pierce, associate director of <a data-mce-href="/admissions/" href="/admissions/">Admissions</a> at UW-La Crosse, has been a key contributor to the university’s recent success in student recruitment — including record-setting classes at a time when many universities are experiencing enrollment declines.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>For his service to campus and commitment to the community, Pierce was named a Rising Star Under 40 by the 7 Rivers Alliance in partnership with River Valley Media Group. The award recipients were recognized at a reception Thursday, Oct. 19.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>“I struggle with receiving this kind of recognition, but it’s an honor to be recognized,” says Pierce, ’15 (Student Affairs Administration). “It’s great to know that the people I work with think I’m doing a good job.”</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>In his role, Pierce coordinates the <a data-mce-href="/admissions/start/" href="/admissions/start/">STudent&nbsp;Advising Registration and Transition program</a>, oversees campus visits, advises&nbsp;Admissions counselors and the <a data-mce-href="/vanguard/" href="/vanguard/">Vanguard Organization</a>, and spearheads recruitment efforts at high schools and college fairs.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>Often, Pierce and the teams he supervises serve as one of the first connection points between new and prospective students and UWL.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>It’s&nbsp;an opportunity Pierce does not take for granted.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>“I really enjoy the energy of a college campus,” he says. “It’s just an exciting place where people are ready to take that next step, and it’s fun to be a part of each student’s story.”</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>In his time at UWL, Pierce has seen some students make significant strides in school and in life — from new student, to Vanguard, to proud alumnus.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>“You see them come in as first-year students, and then you see them graduate, and then, sometimes, you’re invited to their wedding&nbsp;or you find out they have kids,” Pierce says. “It’s a great reminder of why we do what we do.”</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>As much as UWL benefits from Pierce and the rest of the outstanding Admissions team, the Admissions team also benefits&nbsp;from UWL’s stellar reputation.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>“We have great staff, great faculty, great students and great buildings,” Pierce says. “That makes it easy to do our job sometimes.&nbsp;We just want to take good care&nbsp;of people — be available, answer questions and help people figure out whether this is the right fit.”</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>Pierce also credits his time in the Student Affairs Administration master's&nbsp;program for enriching his understanding of professional relationships and university operations.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>“It really taught me to empathize with other people in other positions and understand that everyone has a unique role in making the university go,” he says. “You don’t&nbsp;need to be everything for everyone.&nbsp;You just do what you need to do and do it well, and then there are people, offices and programs that are there to help.”</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>Before his work as associate director of Admissions, Pierce served as an Admissions counselor, hall director of Eagle Hall and assistant director of Retuer&nbsp;Hall.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>In addition to his role on campus, Pierce and his wife, Megan, ’16 (<a data-mce-href="/grad/student-affairs-administration/" href="/grad/student-affairs-administration/">Student Affairs Administration</a>), are extremely active in the community.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>They volunteer their time with Rotary Lights, the Grandad Marathon, local Juneteenth festivities and other local events.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>This year, they joined the Oktoberfest Grenadiers, a group of couples who escort the Oktoberfest Royal Family to parades and events throughout the year.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>“Sam has a wonderful ability to connect with families in a way that establishes trust and a sense of belonging,” says <a data-mce-href="/profile/csjoquist/" href="/profile/csjoquist/" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">Corey Sjoquist</a>, assistant vice chancellor for Admissions and Recruitment. It’s&nbsp;a skill that serves Pierce well on campus and in the community, Sjoquist says, and that stems from Pierce’s upbringing on a Monroe County farm.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>“He learned that work and projects needed to be completed, and his family demonstrated the importance of serving the community,” Sjoquist says. “Those priorities are displayed daily in his current position as associate director of Admissions at UW-La Crosse and his community activities.”</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/2023-uwl-sam-pierce-fw-.jpg/Medium" alt="As associate director of Admissions, Sam Pierce coordinates the STudent Advising Registration and Transition program, oversees campus visits, advises Admissions counselors and the Vanguard Organization, and spearheads recruitment efforts at high schools and college fairs." />
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<span class="title">Recruiter on the rise</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8:26 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Monday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Oct.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>23</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></span>
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Sam Pierce named Rising Star for campus, community leadership
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/student-affairs-administration--by-the-numbers/Student Affairs Administration – by the numbers2023-10-11T16:19:17.107Z2023-09-27T11:43:00ZKjerstin Langhttps://uwlax.edu/profile/klang/klang@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">11:43 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Sept.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>27</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></p>
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<figcaption>Students in the Student Affairs Administration program with Tori Svoboda, associate professor of Student Affairs Administation.</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">A tradition of scholarship + practice</h3>
<p>In UWL’s Student Affairs Administration master’s and doctoral program, students prepare for careers in higher education administration whether working in university leadership; housing; advising; equity, diversity, and inclusion; and <a data-mce-href="https://www.cas.edu/standards.html" href="https://www.cas.edu/standards.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">many other university co-curricular activities</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>UWL’s program has strong roots as one of the first programs in the Midwest. It has continually innovated, becoming an early adopter of online learning in 2007. Even in a remote learning environment, the program blends scholarship with practice. Students must work in higher education at least half-time while in the master’s program and full-time in the doctoral program. Master’s students complete a two-semester capstone project, while doctoral students complete a full dissertation. Both represent scholarship and practice put together.&nbsp;</p><p>Capstone projects often result in changes at students’ home campuses. In the last year, capstone projects that have been implemented led to:&nbsp;</p><ul><li>Revamped emergency loan process at a technical college&nbsp;</li><li>New campus bereavement policies at a public university&nbsp;</li><li>New mentorship program for diverse students at a private university&nbsp;</li></ul><p>“Students should be able to apply what they are learning to their everyday practice at work,” says Tori Svoboda, Student Affairs Administration department chair. “It’s fun to see when students become really invested and they can see the payoff of this scholarship and practice coming together. Students’ work towards improving access to and experiences in higher education gives me hope about the future of our field.”&nbsp;</p><p>While students are able to make important contributions to their workplace through SAA projects, the program instructors do not presume the SAA program is a student’s No. 1 priority. Instead, family, community, personal health and working career are priorities. &nbsp;</p><p>“Students routinely describe the level of support they receive from our faculty to be much higher than expected, and I think that’s why we have such high graduation rates," says Svoboda.</p>
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<h3>About the program</h3>
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<figcaption>Infographic on SAA program.</figcaption>
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<h3><strong>Time to degree&nbsp;</strong></h3><p><span>Master’s = 2 years&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>Doctoral = 3-4 years&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><h3><strong>Flexible for working professionals&nbsp;</strong></h3><p><span>The master’s program is offered hybrid or fully online.</span></p><p><span>The doctoral program is offered fully online (plus optional on-campus summer writer’s retreat after the first year).</span></p><h3><strong>4th in the nation to offer an online SAA master’s</strong></h3><p><span>UWL’s online master’s program started in 2007; the online doctorate began in 2017.</span></p><h3><strong>Strong staying power&nbsp;</strong></h3><p><span>82% — retention rate for doctoral students who began in 2017-2020&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><h3><strong>Small cohorts = tighter bonds&nbsp;</strong></h3><p><span>Total fall 2023 enrollment&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><ul><li aria-level="1"><span>48 master’s students&nbsp;</span></li><li aria-level="1"><span>54 doctoral students&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></li><li aria-level="1"><span>Average cohort size = 14&nbsp;</span></li></ul><h3><strong>Racial and geographic diversity&nbsp;</strong></h3><p><span>Average enrollment of students of color, 2018-2023&nbsp;</span></p><ul><li aria-level="1"><span>25% master’s students&nbsp;</span></li><li aria-level="1"><span>40% doctoral students&nbsp;</span></li></ul><p><span>Total states that online students join from, 2018-2023</span></p><ul><li aria-level="1"><span>29 states&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></li></ul><h3><strong>Students learn at all ages&nbsp;</strong></h3><ul><li aria-level="1"><span>Master’s age range 21-50</span></li><li aria-level="1"><span>Doctoral age range 27-57</span></li></ul><h3><strong>First in their families&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></h3><ul><li aria-level="1"><span>&nbsp;42% — first-generation students as undergraduates&nbsp;</span></li></ul><h3><strong>Learn from experienced professionals&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></h3><ul><li aria-level="1"><span>4 full-time faculty who averaged 20 years in field before becoming faculty&nbsp;</span></li><li aria-level="1"><span>16 ad hoc faculty working at institutions nationwide&nbsp;</span></li><li aria-level="1"><span>50+ graduate faculty nationwide who serve on dissertation committees</span></li></ul><p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p>
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<h3>Student launches speaking career based on SAA research</h3>
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<figcaption>Lo Klink completed the UWL’s master’s SAA program in 2021 and is now in the doctoral program with an anticipated graduation date of May 2025.</figcaption>
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<p><span>Student Affairs Administration graduate student Lo Klink has become an educator locally and nationally on implicit bias after completing her capstone research in UWL’s Student Affairs Administration program in 2021. &nbsp;</span></p><p>Her research on how implicit bias impacts scholarship awarding was published in the <a href="https://ir.library.louisville.edu/jsfa/vol51/iss2/3/" target="_blank" data-mce-href="https://ir.library.louisville.edu/jsfa/vol51/iss2/3/" rel="noopener">Journal of Student Financial Aid</a>. In the last two years, Klink has presented to over 2,000 people.&nbsp;</p><p>"Having concepts of social justice incorporated into every class really helped me advance my work relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion, which launched my speaking career as an expert in implicit bias,” says Klink.</p><p>Her research has also led to many positive changes at the institution where she works, UW-Madison, where they have continued to remove barriers in the scholarship application process.</p><p>Changes include reducing the need for review committees, leveraging existing data versus asking students to submit supplemental scholarship materials, and providing campus unites with the ability to examine scholarship applications with tools to remove bias in the wording as well as review processes.&nbsp;</p><p>Now in the SAA doctoral program at UWL, Klink will continue examining the impacts of implicit bias in funding higher education.</p><p>“I've been incredibly grateful to the professors and my peers in the program. I attribute much of my success to all of them,” says Klink. “My professors will tell me I always had it in me, but they were instrumental in my ability to find my passion and voice through research.”&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;After graduation, Klink would like to continue to educate people on implicit bias and other ways to reduce inequality in our society, particularly at the college level. &nbsp;</p><p>"This work is truly never done, but if I can be a guide or someone who helped someone else along in their journey, that is something that truly makes an impact,” says Klink.&nbsp;</p>
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<h3>Student grows in her current student affairs role through SAA </h3>
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<figcaption>First-year SAA student Hleeda Vang.</figcaption>
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<p>Hleeda Vang has been applying student development theories and other knowledge from the SAA program into her everyday work supporting students as a student success coach for the Rising Phoenix program at UW-Green Bay. &nbsp;</p><p>"I have been using student development theories to help better understand and develop learning outcomes that strengthen purpose in course lectures and assignments for the courses we teach our students within the Rising Phoenix program” she says. &nbsp;</p><p>Now in her first year of the SAA program, Vang aims to use her degree to continue to grow as a leader in student affairs roles. Learning more about the professional competency areas within higher education have helped her recognize areas for professional strength and growth. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“My colleagues and I are working to incorporate these competencies into the continued development of our team and build more awareness of these competencies,” she says. “I'm excited to continue in this SAA program and to see the value it brings to the work we do within student affairs.”&nbsp;</p><h3>Recent faculty awards and service in SAA&nbsp;</h3><ul><li>Tori Svoboda, SAA department chair, received the Wisdom Award from the Commission for Women’s Identities, one of many entity groups within ACPA - College Student Educators International, one of two leading international professional associations for those working in student affairs/higher education. &nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Becki Elkins, an associate professor in UWL’s SAA Program, received the CASSH Faculty Recognition of Excellence service award, recognizing outstanding contributions by the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities (CASSH)/Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) faculty, staff, and students.&nbsp;</li><li>Adele Lozano, associate professor of SAA, received the 2021 NASPA Region IV-East Research and Practice Grant from NASPA (National Association of Student Personnel Administrators) Region IV-East. She also has a publication coming out, “Reimagining Validation Theory Through a ‘Space and Place’ Lens.”&nbsp;</li><li>Dre Domingue, lecturer in SAA, served as president of ACPA College Student Educators International.</li><li>Charlotte Davidson, lecturer in SAA, is the NASPA Indigenous Relations chair. &nbsp;</li></ul>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/2017_uwl_fall_saa_classes_0040.jpg/Medium" alt="Students in the Student Affairs Administration program with Tori Svoboda, associate professor of Student Affairs Administation." />
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<span class="title">Student Affairs Administration – by the numbers</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">11:43 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Sept.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>27</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></span>
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A tradition of scholarship + practice
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<span class="read">Read<span class="sr-only"> more about Student Affairs Administration – by the numbers</span></span>
</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/top-grads-spring-2023/Top grads2023-06-05T15:25:30.917Z2023-04-27T08:17:00ZYoo Mee Howardhttps://uwlax.edu/profile/yhoward/yhoward@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8:17 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Thursday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>April</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>27</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></p>
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<figcaption>UWL’s 2023 outstanding graduates named</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">UWL’s 2023 outstanding graduates named</h3>
<p>The university’s top graduates, along with those who wrote the best master’s thesis and dissertation have been named. The awards and recipients include:<br><br></p><p><strong>The Murphy Award for Academic Excellence </strong></p><p>recognizes the university’s top graduating scholar, as chosen by the Scholarship and Awards Committee. A Murphy Foundation grant created the award in 1980 to recognize outstanding and exceptional scholastic ability.</p>
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<figcaption>Kaitlyn Michalek</figcaption>
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<p><strong>Kaitlyn Michalek</strong> graduates with a Bachelor of Science majoring in biology with a biomedical science concentration and pre-dentistry track. She has minors in chemistry and Spanish. Michalek competed on the women’s swim and dive team for four semesters and participated in badminton, tennis and bag toss in intramurals. She was the women’s intramurals doubles badminton champion in October 2022. Michalek served as vice president and president of the UWL Pre-Dentistry Club. She attended a volunteer dental mission trip to Guatemala to work alongside a bilingual dentist to provide free dental care and education to underserved communities. Michalek has been a Spanish conversation partner, a chemistry tutor and a teaching assistant for human anatomy and physiology. She has volunteered in the community at Hintgen Elementary School, served meals for homeless families and supervised children at the warming center. Michalek plans to attend Marquette University School of Dentistry and hopes to work as a general dentist in a rural setting. She is from Waukesha, Wisconsin.</p><p><strong><br>The Jake and Janet Hoeschler Award for Excellence </strong></p><p>recognizes a College of Business Administration graduate for academic accomplishment and leadership on campus and in the community. Janet Hoeschler, a 1940 graduate, established the award in 1992 to signify a business-university partnership.</p>
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<figcaption>Julia Lewis</figcaption>
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<p><strong>Julia Lewis</strong> graduates with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in international business and minoring in Spanish. Lewis earned numerous credits studying in Prague, Czech Republic. She served as a scholarship researcher on campus for nearly three years and worked with Residence Life as a resident assistant and senior resident assistant. Lewis was a member of the Latin American Student Organization, Beta Gamma Sigma and the International Student Organization. She also volunteered as a Spanish conversation partner on campus. Lewis was a communications intern with the UWL Student Research, Creativity and Experiential Learning Office, as well as with River Bank. She received numerous scholarships, including the Joe Laux Family CBA Top Scholar Award. Lewis received an Academic Advising Center &amp; Career Services Certificate of Recognition for outstanding achievement during an internship experience in spring 2023. She plans to attend graduate school and work in international marketing. Lewis is from Waupaca, Wisconsin.</p><p><strong><br>The Strzelczyk Award in Science and Health</strong></p><p>recognizes an outstanding senior in the College of Science and Health for academic achievement, along with campus and community service. Robert, ’54, and Judy Strzelczyk, who funded many physical therapy projects and scholarships, endowed the award in 1996.</p>
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<figcaption>Hannah Soczka</figcaption>
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<p><strong>Hannah Soczka</strong> earned a Bachelor of Science summer 2022, majoring in biology and public health-community health education. She completed an undergraduate research project in public health, studying UWL students’ exposure to health literacy within their pre-health curriculums. Soczka was a member of the Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children (FIMRC) student organization, a non-profit that advocates for global health awareness. She was president of the club her senior year. She was also a member of UWL Pre-Med Club. Soczka volunteered at Mayo Clinic Health System and New Horizons. Since graduating, Soczka has taken a gap year to acquire her Certified Health Education Specialist certification. She is working as a clinical research assistant at the Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee's Cancer Center. She will attend the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee to earn a doctor of medicine degree. She is from Franklin, Wisconsin.</p><p><strong><br></strong><strong>The John E. Magerus Award for the Outstanding Graduating Senior from the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities</strong></p><p>recognizes an outstanding graduate for academic accomplishments, leadership, and campus and community involvement. The award is named for Magerus, who retired in 2004 after 28 years as a professor and administrator in the college.</p>
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<figcaption>Grant Mathu</figcaption>
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<p><strong>Grant Mathu</strong> graduates with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in political science and public administration. He has been actively involved on campus and in the community since arriving in 2019. Mathu was elected in 2020 to a nonpartisan seat on the La Crosse County Board of Supervisors representing much of campus. He was re-elected in 2022. While advocating for young people in financial and social policy, he has served on many committees, including as the vice chair of the Veterans, Aging and Long Term Care Committee. Mathu also served in UWL student government. In 2020-21, he worked as the Student Association's state affairs director, advocating for student needs to elected officials. He was elected to serve as the Student Association president in 2022-23. Mathu earned numerous scholarships, including the statewide Tommy G. Thompson Leadership Award, recognizing those who have shown public leadership in a way that reflects the general legacy of Gov. Thompson. He is interested in pursuing a career in local government or higher education. Mathu plans to begin UWL's Student Affairs Administration M.S.Ed. program. He is from Wrightstown.</p><p><strong><br>The Alice M. Svec Excellence Award</strong></p><p>recognizes an outstanding graduate in the School of Education. Svec, ’59, went on to earn a master’s in education media and post-graduate studies. She taught elementary education before becoming a visiting nurse for 51 years.</p>
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<figcaption>Alexis Burgos</figcaption>
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<p><strong>Alexis Burgos</strong> graduates with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Middle Childhood-Early Adolescence and Spanish Education. She is minoring in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). During college, Burgos was a member of the women’s swim and dive team, serving as team captain in 2021-22. She participated in Aspiring Educators, Kappa Delta Pi, NSLS, TESOL Club and Spanish Club. Burgos also worked as a Spanish conversation partner in the Language Resource Center for two semesters and was a desk assistant in the College of Business Administration for four years. She volunteered for numerous campus and community groups, including trash pick-ups, tutoring and athletic events. Burgos received numerous scholarships and awards, including the UWL First! Scholarship, among others. Burgos plans to teach full-time in the Milwaukee area, utilizing her Spanish-speaking skills. She is from West Bend, Wisconsin. </p><p><strong><br>The Rosandich Graduate Thesis and Dissertation Award</strong></p><p>recognizes the best graduate thesis, based on originality, impact and writing quality.&nbsp;The award is funded by Thomas P. Rosandich, ’54, founding president of the U.S. Sports Academy in Daphne, Alabama.</p>
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<figcaption>Thomas Roehl</figcaption>
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<p><strong>Thomas Roehl</strong>, who earned a master’s degree in biology in December 2022, received the award for his master’s thesis, “Examining the genetics of mushroom development in the cultivated edible mushroom <em>Flammulina </em><em>velutipes</em>.” Roehl’s project involved growing his study organisms and sampling tissues from specific parts of the mushroom (cap, stem, and gills) during its stages of growth from a primordial cell mass to a mature mushroom. From these tissues, Roehl extracted RNA, the genetic material produced when a gene is activated in the cell. By obtaining the sequences of the RNA and comparing between tissues and timepoints, Roehl deciphered the pattern of genes that are turned “on” or “off” during different parts of development. His work provided the most comprehensive picture of the developmental genetics of <em>Flammulina velutipes</em> generated to date. He is currently a doctoral student at Clark University.</p>
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<figcaption>Joseph Quintana</figcaption>
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<p><strong>Joseph A. Quintana</strong>, who earned his Ed.D. in Student Affairs Administration and Leadership (SAAL) in May 2022, received the award for his dissertation, “Adult Online Learners and Their Learning Spaces: A Phenomenological Inquiry.” The SAA Department voted unanimously to nominate Quintana’s dissertation for the award. Combining his work in online education through UW’s Extended Campus and his background in geography, Quintana used concepts and language from the field of geography to examine and understand how adult online learners experienced learning spaces. He argued that his study supported students’ space-related practices by helping them assess their needs and make good decisions about their learning spaces. Further, his research helped colleges and universities better consider the needs of online learners and develop structures to meet those needs.</p>
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<span class="title">Top grads</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8:17 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Thursday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>April</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>27</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></span>
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<span>
UWL’s 2023 outstanding graduates named
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<span class="read">Read<span class="sr-only"> more about Top grads</span></span>
</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/overcoming-fears-preparing-for-careers/Overcoming fears, preparing for careers2023-04-20T08:26:13.467Z2023-04-20T08:00:00ZYoo Mee Howardhttps://uwlax.edu/profile/yhoward/yhoward@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>Thursday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>April</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>20</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></p>
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<figcaption>Nicole Fry, a UWL graduate student studying physical therapy, presents during the 3 Minute Grad Project event March 22. The event, hosted by UWL Graduate & Extended Learning, challenges graduate students to condense months of work into a three-minute presentation for a general audience and panel of judges.</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">Graduate students thrive during 3 Minute Grad Project event</h3>
<p>Nicole Novak has long been terrified of speaking in front of a crowd.</p><p>So that’s exactly what she did.</p><p>Novak, the academic department associate for UWL’s Music Department and a graduate student in the university’s <a data-mce-href="/student-affairs-admin/" href="/student-affairs-admin/">Student Affairs Administration master’s program</a>, was one of 10 participants in this year’s 3 Minute Grad Project (3MGP) event. (Novak will soon begin a new role as an advisor with the Academic Advising Center &amp; Career Services.)</p><p>The event, hosted by <a data-mce-href="/gel/" href="/gel/">UWL Graduate &amp; Extended Learning</a>, asks graduate students to condense months of work into a three-minute presentation for a general audience and panel of judges.</p>
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<figcaption>Nicole Novak faced her fear of public speaking by signing up to present. “I am proud,” she says, “that I was able to put myself out there and talk about a topic that is important to me.” </figcaption>
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<p>“I chose to apply to present at the 3MGP event to challenge myself to face that fear of public speaking,” says Novak, whose presentation explored resources and support systems for students with undiagnosed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Novak herself was diagnosed with ADHD at age 30.</p><p>“I am proud,” she says, “that I was able to put myself out there and talk about a topic that is important to me.”</p><p>For Wylie Jackson, from <a href="/grad/school-psychology/" data-mce-href="/grad/school-psychology/">UWL's School Psychology graduate program</a>, the most difficult part of the project occurred long before she took the microphone.</p><p>“The most challenging part about preparing for the competition was selecting which aspects of my research I wanted to share in the short three-minute time limit,” she explains. “I had a lot of great data from my study but needed to greatly condense it. I also worked with my research advisor, Jocelyn Newton, to help ensure the language and results were engaging for the audience and not too school psychologist-oriented.”</p><p>Jackson discussed how a teacher’s rational and experiential system can interfere with their ability to implement crisis intervention plans at their school during stressful situations.</p><p>“Unfortunately, we know that school crises are not going to go away anytime soon, so that is why I wanted to continue studying how we can best support our educators in these difficult times,” she notes. “I am excited to begin implementing my findings in my first full-time position as a school psychologist starting this fall.”</p><p>Kelsey Berna, from <a data-mce-href="/grad/physical-therapy/" href="/grad/physical-therapy/">UWL's Physical Therapy doctoral program</a>, took first place for her presentation on reducing pain associated with Achilles tendinopathy, a common injury especially among athletes.</p><p>Berna’s research explored how a combination of blood flow restriction and exercise could improve painful symptoms.</p><p>“Throughout my graduate career, I have started to learn more about understanding pain and using non-pharmacological interventions in addressing pain,” Berna says. “As something that is already used in the clinic, I was interested in seeing how blood flow restriction could be further utilized in the field to help a wider variety of patients.”</p><p>Earning first place, along with the $500 prize, was rewarding — but not the most fulfilling part of the experience, she says.</p><p>“It was exciting to hear that I had won,” she explains. “However, the part that was most meaningful was having an incredible group of classmates and professors there supporting my classmate, Nicole Fry, and I as we took part in this event.”</p><p>It wasn’t just the presenters who had a memorable experience.</p><p>Jane Rada, a retired faculty member at Western Technical College and a former member of the UWL Foundation Board of Directors, says she had a “delightful experience” serving on the panel for the first time.</p><p>“I was impressed by the quality of the student presentations and the scope and complexity of research occurring throughout the campus,” she says. “The event was definitely high-energy and fast-paced and was an excellent opportunity for graduate students to thoughtfully and concisely explain their research to a general audience. It was evident they were thoroughly prepared to present well-organized, relevant information within the short time available.”</p>
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<figcaption>Panelists discuss the presentations before holding a final vote.</figcaption>
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<p><strong>3MGP results</strong></p><p>First place: Kelsey Berna, Physical Therapy<br>First runner-up: Madison Moore, Clinical Microbiology<br>Second runner-up: Nicole Fry, Physical Therapy<br>People’s choice: Wylie Jackson, School Psychology<br><br><strong>About UWL Graduate &amp; Extended Learning</strong></p><p>UWL offers more than 20 graduate programs, including online, on-campus and blended programs in the areas of business and management; higher education; K-12 education; science, engineering and math; clinical fields; and health and wellness. <a href="http://www.uwlax.edu/graduate-studies/graduate-programs/" data-mce-href="http://www.uwlax.edu/graduate-studies/graduate-programs/">Learn more about UWL’s graduate </a>offerings.</p><p><a href="/gel/graduate-education/3-minute-grad-project/#tm-160428" data-mce-href="/gel/graduate-education/3-minute-grad-project/#tm-160428">Support the 3 Minute Grad Project award fund.</a></p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/feature-image.jpg/Medium" alt="Nicole Fry, a UWL graduate student studying physical therapy, presents during the 3 Minute Grad Project event March 22. The event, hosted by UWL Graduate & Extended Learning, challenges graduate students to condense months of work into a three-minute presentation for a general audience and panel of judges." />
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<span class="section details">
<span class="title">Overcoming fears, preparing for careers</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Thursday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>April</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>20</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></span>
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Graduate students thrive during 3 Minute Grad Project event
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<span class="read">Read<span class="sr-only"> more about Overcoming fears, preparing for careers</span></span>
</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/award-winning-dissertation/Award-winning dissertation2023-04-11T09:06:53.763Z2023-03-31T08:05:00ZKyle Farrishttps://uwlax.edu/profile/kfarris/kfarris@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8:05 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Friday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>March</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>31</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></p>
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<figcaption>Andrew Ives, '16 & '22, director of the ACCESS Center at UWL, has received the Marylu McEwen Dissertation of the Year Award from the American College Personnel Association.</figcaption>
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<h3>Andrew Ives recognized for work exploring experiences of LGBTQ students with disabilities</h3>
<p><span data-contrast="none">Supporting and empowering students is at the heart of Andrew Ives’ work as director of the ACCESS Center at UWL.</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">It was also the focus of Ives’ dissertation, which received the Marylu McEwen Dissertation of the Year Award in late March from the American College Personnel Association.</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">“It feels amazing, and in a lot of ways, it’s surreal,” says </span><a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/profile/aives/" data-mce-href="/profile/aives/"><span data-contrast="none">Ives, ’16 &amp; ’22</span></a><span data-contrast="none">, who holds a master’s in student affairs administration and a doctorate in student affairs administration and leadership, </span><a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/student-affairs-admin/" data-mce-href="/student-affairs-admin/"><span data-contrast="none">both from UWL</span></a><span data-contrast="none">. “It’s nice to think that your ideas are being read and thought about by other people. To know that the things I thought were important and interesting are also important and interesting to other people, it’s really validating.”</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">In his dissertation, Ives explored the college experiences of LGBTQ students who identify as Mad, mentally ill, neurodivergent or disabled. He met with 10 such students across the country, learning about their lives and identifying common themes among their college experiences.</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">“I wanted to look at college student mental health partially because of my previous work in UWL’s Student Life Office and also because of my own struggles with mental health,” Ives explains. “Reflecting on my own experiences as a college student and identifying as a gay man, it’s hard to separate them. They’re both important and they both have an effect on one another. So I wanted to see whether other people have had similar experiences.”</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">After interviewing the students — whom Ives described as his co-researchers — he concluded that creating a sense of community is crucial to the success of LGBTQ college students navigating mental health issues.</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">“For me, it was so important to connect with friends and chosen family who were like me,” Ives notes. “In my own experiences and in my research, I found that having a connection to the community, feeling like you belong, is so important.”</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">Ives shared this and other takeaways during his presentation at the ACPA Convention March 26-29 in New Orleans. He hopes other higher education professionals can learn from his dissertation and incorporate its lessons into their own work, much like Ives learned from faculty in his doctoral program.</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">“With the dissertation, I had an incredible amount of support from the Student Affairs Administration and Leadership program, especially my </span><a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/profile/belkins/" data-mce-href="/profile/belkins/"><span data-contrast="none">Dissertation Chair Becki Elkins</span></a><span data-contrast="none">,” he says. “All the faculty were great, and they had opportunities to read, edit and provide feedback. The program also has a writing specialist, </span><a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/profile/hdovalina/" data-mce-href="/profile/hdovalina/"><span data-contrast="none">Hanna Dovalina</span></a><span data-contrast="none">, who helped me edit my writing and learn and really explore what I was writing about.</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">“I might be receiving this award, but it was the whole community who set it up and deserves the recognition.”</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">Ives has carried a passion for serving students, particularly those from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds, throughout his career.&nbsp;</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">He came to UWL as a graduate assistant advisor in 2014 and held a number of positions in UWL’s Student Life Office over the next several years.&nbsp;</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">In June 2022, Ives began his current role as director of the </span><a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/center/access/" data-mce-href="/center/access/"><span data-contrast="none">ACCESS Center</span></a><span data-contrast="none">, which promotes equal access and educational opportunity for students with disabilities.</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">“I have the opportunity to change the lives of students, oftentimes in really simple ways,” Ives says, mentioning a recent case where the ACCESS Center helped a student who was struggling with test-taking. “We discovered that they had a documented disability, and they were eligible to take the test in our office with extended time. We were able to accommodate that, and then the student reached out and said they passed.</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">“To me, that’s the coolest thing. Once you get the barriers out of the way and get the right support in place, it really allows them to thrive.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p><strong><span data-contrast="none">Additional ACPA accolades</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Ives wasn't the only UWL staff or faculty member recognized at this year’s ACPA Convention.</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">Tori Svoboda, chair of the Student Affairs Administration Department, received the Wisdom Award from the APCA’s Commission for Women’s Identities. The award honors those with a history of contributing toward woman- or female-identified individuals in student affairs and promoting the professional and personal development of woman- or female-identified individuals.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/2023-uwl-andrew-ives.jpg/Medium" alt="Andrew Ives, '16 & '22, director of the ACCESS Center at UWL, has received the Marylu McEwen Dissertation of the Year Award from the American College Personnel Association." />
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<span class="title">Award-winning dissertation</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8:05 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Friday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>March</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>31</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></span>
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Andrew Ives recognized for work exploring experiences of LGBTQ students with disabilities
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<span class="read">Read<span class="sr-only"> more about Award-winning dissertation</span></span>
</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/determined-degree-seeker/Determined degree-seeker2022-12-29T09:39:09.71Z2022-12-08T08:00:00ZYoo Mee Howardhttps://uwlax.edu/profile/yhoward/yhoward@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>Thursday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Dec.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>8</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></p>
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<figcaption>Kathryn Suwa will receive her master's degree in student affairs administration at UWL's winter commencement Sunday, Dec. 18. The ceremony has special significance to Suwa, who will be visiting La Crosse for the first time from her native Nigeria.</figcaption>
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<h3>UWL’s Kathryn Suwa navigated several obstacles — and thousands of miles — to receive her degree</h3>
<p>Hundreds of students will walk the La Crosse Center stage Sunday, Dec. 18, at UW-La Crosse’s <a data-mce-href="/commencement/" href="/commencement/">winter commencement</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>But few had a longer road than Kathryn Suwa.</p><p>Suwa, who will receive her master’s degree in <a data-mce-href="/student-affairs-admin/" href="/student-affairs-admin/">student affairs administration</a>, is traveling from her native Nigeria to attend the ceremony, and to see her classmates and instructors face-to-face for the first time.</p><p>But Suwa's journey cannot be measured by physical distance alone. She also overcame several logistical obstacles — including scrapping her original plans to take in-person courses — due to the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p>Commencement, she says, “will serve as the culmination of all of my efforts over the past two years. I expect to feel a sense of accomplishment, a connection with the university and the people, and a sense of belonging that comes with in-person learning and interaction.”</p><p>Suwa works for EducationUSA, a network run by the U.S. State Department that promotes U.S. higher education in more than 175 countries and territories. She was drawn to UWL’s student affairs administration program, she says, because of the high-quality faculty and robust curriculum.</p><p>Suwa wanted the complete UWL experience. She planned to live in La Crosse, take classes on campus and work in <a data-mce-href="/international-education/" href="/international-education/">UWL’s International Education &amp; Engagement office</a> as a graduate assistant.</p><p>But COVID-19 and delays in visa processing made travel from Nigeria to the United States nearly impossible.</p><p>Instead, Suwa took advantage of the program’s online offering, which also had an asynchronous option allowing her to take classes on her own schedule.&nbsp;</p><p>That flexibility was key, she says. It not only mitigated the seven-hour time difference — it helped her juggle all the other priorities in her life, including raising two children and continuing to work full time.</p><p>“I refer to the last two years as the most challenging time of my life,” Suwa says. “I realized during this time that balance must be looked at long-term because at every point, you prioritize one thing over another, and at that point, it’s not balanced. It took a lot of discipline and adaptability because I kept refining my schedule until my final semester. I focused on school at night and everything else during the day.”</p><p><a data-mce-href="/profile/tsvoboda/" href="/profile/tsvoboda/">Tori Svoboda, chair of the Student Affairs Administration Department</a>, says Suwa “triumphed over several challenges these past few years,” impressing her instructors along the way.</p><p>“Through it all, Kathryn remained incredibly positive, completing an online practicum with the International Education &amp; Engagement office, as well as a terrific capstone paper on developing student services in higher education in Nigeria,” Svoboda says.</p><p>While Suwa plans to soak in every moment of her trip to La Crosse, she is already excited about what’s next.</p><p>Short term, she wants to gain experience working in higher education, so she can contextualize everything she learned in the program.</p><p>Long term, she hopes to bring the experiences students have in U.S. higher education to Nigerian universities.</p><p>“Education is the bedrock of society and the key to meaningful national development; this has proven true in every country with an excellent educational system,” Suwa says. “Working in the field of education, I have the opportunity to contribute to building lives that will go on to build nations in a way that creates a never-ending ripple effect.”</p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/kathryn-suwa-feature-image.jpg/Medium" alt="Kathryn Suwa will receive her master's degree in student affairs administration at UWL's winter commencement Sunday, Dec. 18. The ceremony has special significance to Suwa, who will be visiting La Crosse for the first time from her native Nigeria." />
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<span class="section details">
<span class="title">Determined degree-seeker</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Thursday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Dec.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>8</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></span>
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<span>
UWL’s Kathryn Suwa navigated several obstacles — and thousands of miles — to receive her degree
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<span class="read">Read<span class="sr-only"> more about Determined degree-seeker</span></span>
</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/graduate-school-at-uwl-one-students-journey/Graduate school at UWL: One student's journey2022-08-12T14:31:56.877Z2022-08-30T14:26:00ZKjerstin Langhttps://uwlax.edu/profile/klang/klang@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">2:26 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Tuesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Aug.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>30</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></p>
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<figure><div class="video-container"><iframe data-src="https://youtu.be/YSB5zbgGMV0" loading="lazy" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YSB5zbgGMV0?rel=0" title="International student shares experience earning master's degree in the U.S.A." allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen></iframe></div><figcaption aria-hidden="true">International student shares experience earning master's degree in the U.S.A.</figcaption></figure>
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<p>University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Graduate Student Jesimiel Banjiram is an international student from Nigeria. He came to study at UW-La Crosse in 2016, earning his undergraduate degree and then continuing on with UWL's master's program in <a data-mce-href="/student-affairs-admin/" href="/student-affairs-admin/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Student Affairs Administration</a>. He was initially attracted to UWL because of its strong reputation as one of the best schools in Wisconsin.<br>&nbsp;<br>"So the first time I got here, I was very shy. I did not want to engage in the community or engage in any sort of activities that they had going on," says Banjiram. "But after my sophomore year, I started to get to know more people, get my different networks ... That really changed my trajectory, especially for what I would like to study."<br>&nbsp;<br>Banjiram was admitted into the two-year Student Affairs Administration graduate program. He is learning skills in areas such as leadership, assessment and evaluation of student support programs. As part of the program, he serves as a graduate assistant in <a data-mce-href="/international-education/" href="/international-education/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UWL's Office of International Education and Engagement</a> where he advises students who want to study abroad and also assists with activities of the office such as organizing international student orientation and educating others about the visa process.<br>&nbsp;<br>Professors have been interested in his development as a student and truly care for students, he says. "They're interested in your whole life, not just the academic piece of things," he says.<br>&nbsp;<br>He calls UWL's campus a "friendly environment" where he feels comfortable to ask questions and get help finding the resources he needs.<br>&nbsp;<br>"I've been able to develop a lot of connections -- a lot of networks. I've met my best friends here, so just having that support group is really nice."<br>&nbsp;<br>He calls UWL his second home.<br>&nbsp;<br>"So looking back, I'll just be thankful for the experiences, the friends I was able to make, the networks I was able to establish, and knowing that these people would always reach out to me and make sure that — wherever I am in ten years — I'm doing great."<br>&nbsp;<br><strong>About UWL Graduate Studies</strong><br></p><p>UWL offers more than 20 graduate programs, including online, blended and on-campus programs in the areas of business and management; higher education; K-12 education; science, engineering and math; clinical fields; and health and wellness. Learn more about <a data-mce-href="/graduate-studies/graduate-programs/" href="/graduate-studies/graduate-programs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">graduate programs at UWL</a>.&nbsp;</p></div>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/screen-shot-2022-08-12-at-2.04.59-pm2.png/Medium" alt="UWL graduate student Jesimiel Banjiram calls UWL his second home." />
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<span class="title">Graduate school at UWL: One student's journey</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">2:26 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Tuesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Aug.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>30</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></span>
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International student found networks and new skills in leadership through his graduate program
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<span class="read">Read<span class="sr-only"> more about Graduate school at UWL: One student's journey</span></span>
</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/2022-outstanding-grads/2022 outstanding grads2022-05-10T10:05:47.913Z2022-05-10T10:05:47.913ZNhouchee Yanghttps://uwlax.edu/profile/nyang2/nyang2@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">10:05 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Tuesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>May</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>10</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></p>
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<figcaption>UW-La Crosse graduates from 2021-22 are being recognized for academic excellence during their collegiate studies on campus.</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">Seven earn academic honors</h3>
<p>Seven UW-La Crosse graduates from 2021-22 are being recognized for academic excellence during their collegiate studies on campus. The awards and honorees include:</p>
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<h3>The Murphy Award for Academic Excellence</h3>
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<figcaption>Tommy Friday</figcaption>
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<p>recognizes the university’s top graduating scholar, as chosen by the Scholarship and Awards Committee. A Murphy Foundation grant created the award in 1980 to recognize outstanding and exceptional scholastic ability.</p><p><strong>Tommy Friday </strong>graduates with a Bachelor of Science majoring in exercise and sport science - physical education teaching, with a minor in adapted physical education teaching. Friday was on the Dean’s List every semester and holds a 4.0 GPA. He earned numerous scholarships; among them: Charles Ben and Marian Ford Scholarship, Pam Mouchka Family Memorial Scholarship in Physical Education &amp; Health, Leon &amp; Ruth Miller Scholarship in Exercise &amp; Sport Science, Genevieve Carnes Memorial Scholarship, John Castek Sr. Memorial Scholarship, and the Eric and Kristin Jungbluth Scholarship in Education. Friday received the Wisconsin Health and Physical Education Future Professionals Leadership Award and was named 2021 Physical Education Major of the Year. He was involved in numerous campus clubs and volunteered in the community. Along with teaching field experience, he has coached at local high schools. Friday, who plans to teach in K-12, intends to attend graduate school at UWL for a master’s in physical education teaching with an emphasis in adventure education. Friday is from Pine River, Wisconsin.</p>
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<h3>The Jake and Janet Hoeschler Award for Excellence </h3>
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<figcaption>Derek Poggemann</figcaption>
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<p>recognizes a College of Business Administration graduate for academic accomplishment and leadership on campus and in the community. Janet Hoeschler, a 1940 graduate, established the award in 1992 to signify a business-university partnership.</p><p><strong>Derek Poggemann </strong>graduates with a Bachelor of Science in information systems. He has made the Dean’s List each semester and holds a 4.0 GPA. In April of 2021, Poggemann was awarded a scholarship from the Ben A. Sylla and James R. Sylla Fund for having high academic standing. On campus, Poggemann has been involved in the Information Systems Association, Collegiates Entrepreneurs' Organization and Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society. He has been involved in intramural men's soccer, co-ed soccer and co-ed volleyball. Poggemann participated in four internships. In spring 2020, he studied abroad in Aberdeen, Scotland. He hopes to work as a software engineer or data analyst and pursue an MBA. He aspires to own his own IT business. Poggemann is from Appleton, Wisconsin.</p>
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<h3>The Strzelczyk Award in Science and Health</h3>
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<figcaption>Kaylan Marshall</figcaption>
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<p>recognizes an outstanding senior in the College of Science and Health for academic achievement, along with campus and community service. Robert, ’54, and Judy Strzelczyk, who funded many physical therapy projects and scholarships, endowed the award in 1996.</p><p><strong>&nbsp;</strong><strong>Kaylan Marshall </strong>graduates with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in microbiology and minoring in chemistry. She was on the Dean’s List each semester and earned a 4.0 GPA. Marshall earned an Eagle Apprenticeship when coming to campus, and went on to receive the Charles and Lillian Gay Academic Scholarship, Catholic Order of Foresters Scholarship, Wisconsin Academic Excellence Scholarship, Undergraduate Research and Creativity Grant, Department of Microbiology Scholarship, Drs. Michael H. and Timothy J. Mader Pre-Med Endowment Scholarship, Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Judy Kruckman Scholar Athlete Award, Dr. C. W. Lighthizer Pre-Med Scholarship and Allen C. Nelson Scholarship Endowment Fund in Mycology. She ran with the cross country and track teams, and volunteered and worked at local healthcare facilities. Marshall plans to spend a year with Mercy Volunteer Corps. in Georgia to serve those without health insurance before applying to medical school. She is from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.</p><p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p>
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<h3>The John E. Magerus Award for the Outstanding Graduating Senior from the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities</h3>
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<figcaption>Signe Aspengren</figcaption>
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<p>recognizes an outstanding graduate for academic accomplishments, leadership, and campus and community involvement. The award is named for Magerus, who retired in 2004 after 28 years as a professor and administrator in the college.</p><p><strong>Signe Aspengren </strong>graduates with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in archaeology and minoring in French and biology. She was on the Dean’s List each semester and earned a 3.97 GPA. Aspengren earned an Eagle Apprenticeship when coming to campus, and went on to receive the Soaring Eagle Scholarship, Oren E. Frazee Community Scholarship, the iEngage Study Abroad Scholarship and the Archaeology Scholarship. She was a research assistant with the Archaeology Department throughout college. Aspengren participated in numerous campus internships, and was a teaching assistant for anthropology and archaeology classes. She volunteered as a French conversation partner, as well as with Archaeology Department activities. Aspengren plans to work in the cultural resource management industry before pursuing a doctorate in bioarchaeology. She is from New Richmond, Wisconsin.</p>
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<h3>The Alice M. Svec Excellence Award</h3>
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<figcaption>Carlisle Mead</figcaption>
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<p>recognizes an outstanding graduate in the School of Education. Svec, ’59, went on to earn a master’s in education media and post-graduate studies. She taught elementary education before becoming a visiting nurse for 51 years.</p><p><strong>Carlisle Mead</strong> graduates with a bachelor’s in middle childhood through early adolescence education, minoring in social studies. She was on the Dean’s List each semester, attaining a 3.98 GPA. Mead received the Marcie Wycoff-Horn Education Scholarship, the Twyla &amp; Robert McFee Scholarship in Elementary Education, the Darrell S. Larson Endowment Fund, Student Loan Hero Scholarship, the Alice M. Svec Endowed Scholarship in Education, the Charlie Burbach Education Scholarship and the Kristine A. Mason Scholarship. She was involved with Chinese Culture Club, Campus Crusade for Christ, tutoring and local handbell choirs. Mead plans to become a middle school teacher following graduation. She plans to continue learning Mandarin Chinese and hopes to travel to China to teach. She is from Eau Claire, Wisconsin.</p>
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<h3>The Rosandich Graduate Thesis and Dissertation Award</h3>
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<figcaption>Mai Chao Duddeck</figcaption>
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<p>recognizes the best graduate thesis, based on originality, impact and writing quality.&nbsp;The award is funded by Thomas P. Rosandich, ’54, founding president of the U.S. Sports Academy in Daphne, Alabama.</p><p><strong>Mai Chao Duddeck</strong> graduated with a Doctorate in Education in Student Affairs Administration and Leadership in May 2021. Mai Chao’s dissertation, “Redefining Hmong American Woman Identity in Higher Education: A Scholarly Personal Narrative,” is significant for two reasons. It is one of the few qualitative research studies that focuses on the Hmong American educational experience. And, her study is likely the first higher education/student affairs dissertation grounded in Hmong cultural knowledge and epistemology, merging a specific form of narrative methodology (scholarly personal narrative) with a conceptual framework she created from the tradition of the Hmong Story Cloth. Mai Chao holds three degrees from UWL. Along with the doctorate, she earned a Bachelor of Science in art education in 2006 and a Master of Education-Professional Development in 2008. She currently works with Gundersen Health System in La Crosse.</p>
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<figcaption>Shayla (Michel) Victoria</figcaption>
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<p><strong>Shayla (Michel) Victoria</strong> earned a Master of Science in Biology in May 2021. Her research explored how two fish species — zebrafish and fathead minnows — are being affected by Thiamethoxam, an insecticide often used in agriculture. She compiled a well-organized thesis that could be submitted as a peer-reviewed journal article, and was accepted into “The Journal of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.” Her work was primarily self-directed and original with exceptional integration of primary literature and represents a novel contribution to the field of environmental toxicology. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of Mississippi.</p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/2019-uwl-spring-campus-life-0751-1.jpg/Medium" alt="UW-La Crosse graduates from 2021-22 are being recognized for academic excellence during their collegiate studies on campus." />
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<span class="title">2022 outstanding grads</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">10:05 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Tuesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>May</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>10</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></span>
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Seven earn academic honors
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<span class="read">Read<span class="sr-only"> more about 2022 outstanding grads</span></span>
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