https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/Campus ConnectionPosts tagged with 'College of Arts, Social Sciences & Humanities':2024-03-06T12:57:51.96Zhttps://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/learning-and-language/Learning and language2024-03-06T12:57:51.96Z2024-03-06T12:53:00ZChloe Harthttps://uwlax.edu/profile/chart/chart@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">12:53 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>March</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>6</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2024</span></p>
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<figcaption>Hongying Xu has added two more publications to her resume.</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">UWL's Hongying Xu shares expertise, best practices in two new publications</h3>
<p><span data-contrast="auto"><a data-mce-href="/profile/hxu/" href="/profile/hxu/">Hongying Xu</a>, an associate professor in <a data-mce-href="/academics/department/global-cultures-and-languages/" href="/academics/department/global-cultures-and-languages/">UWL’s Department of Global Cultures &amp; Languages</a>, has added two more publications to her </span><span>résumé</span><span>.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">Xu co-authored a chapter titled “Retaining Students with Shared Courses and Meaningful Credentials” in the book “Language Program Vitality in the United States.” Kaishan Kong, associate professor at UW-Eau Claire, and Lauren Rosen, director of the <a data-mce-href="https://www.wisconsin.edu/collaborative-language-program/" href="https://www.wisconsin.edu/collaborative-language-program/" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">UW Collaborative Language Program</a> (CLP), contributed to the chapter alongside Xu. </span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">“In this article, we shared our practices and plans for further collaboration via CLP,” Xu says. “In order to retain students in Chinese, CLP created the badges system, which acknowledges students’ proficiency level in different language skills.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">CLP, established in 1998, uses blended and online learning methods to share language courses across various UW campuses. It measures student success through the nationally recognized Avant STAMP 4S assessment, which gauges students' skills in listening, reading, speaking and writing</span><span>.</span><span data-contrast="auto">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">“It is our hope that the badges will give students incentives to stay in the Chinese programs and take higher-level courses,” Xu says.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">To meet the need for more high-level courses in the future, the Chinese programs at UWL and UW-</span> <span data-contrast="auto">Eau Claire are planning to share 300-level courses across campuses, through CLP.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">Xu has seen the positive impacts of the program through being an active participant in the professional development activities hosted by CLP since 2012. Xu officially became part of the system-wide program in Fall 2023, sending her CHI101 class to UW-Stevens Point.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">“It provides more options for students to learn a language that is either not offered on their own campus or stops at lower levels,” Xu explains. “It also gives students exposure to different instructors, especially for the programs run by a single instructor.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">Students are not the only group to benefit from the program. CLP helps retain positions for instructors who otherwise may not have enough students to keep their courses. In addition, Xu shares that it enhances the collaboration between different, less commonly taught languages across campuses and helps create community among the instructors.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p>
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<figcaption>Xu published a sole-authored book on how learners of Chinese acquire the difficult grammar structure used in the language, referred to as BA construction.</figcaption>
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<p><span data-contrast="auto">One example of collaboration between instructors is collecting data for research. In order to explore how Chinese learners acquire relative clauses (a clause that modifies a noun phrase) in Chinese, Xu plans to reach out to instructors on other campuses to collect data from more advanced learners.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">Another research area Xu intends to investigate is language instruction pedagogy, focusing on exploring ways to help students develop their intercultural communicative competence (ICC) in language classrooms.</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 been doing research along this line in recent years because I realized that ICC is a skill that needs to be developed and can be developed among college language learners,” Xu says. “I also firmly believe that this skill can be transferred to their communication with people who are different from themselves in various ways.”</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">On top of ICC, Xu has done extensive research surrounding second language acquisition (SLA), which was the area of her doctoral studies, in addition to curriculum and instruction.&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 November, Xu published a </span><a href="https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781793641427/The-Instruction-and-Acquisition-of-the-BA-Construction-by-Students-of-Chinese-as-a-Foreign-Language" data-mce-href="https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781793641427/The-Instruction-and-Acquisition-of-the-BA-Construction-by-Students-of-Chinese-as-a-Foreign-Language"><span data-contrast="none">sole-authored book</span></a><span data-contrast="none"> on how learners of Chinese acquire the difficult grammar structure used in the language, referred to as BA construction. Xu delves into theoretical framework that suggests the difficulties learners face comes from the intersection of different linguistic modules, such as structure, arrangement of words and meaning. Xu suggests that Processing Instruction, an approach focusing on learners’ processing of grammatical structures, can possibly address the biggest challenges Chinese learners face while trying to understand BA construction.</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">“There have been numerous studies on learning and teaching the BA construction in the field,” Xu says. “However, my research, to the best of my knowledge, is among the few that explore these issues under SLA frameworks.”&nbsp;&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">Xu has written or contributed to several other books and publications, which can be found on her </span><a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/profile/hxu/" data-mce-href="/profile/hxu/"><span>professor profile.</span></a><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Xu’s sole-authored book, “The Instruction and Acquisition of the BA Construction by Students of Chinese as a Foreign Language,” can be </span><a href="https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781793641427/The-Instruction-and-Acquisition-of-the-BA-Construction-by-Students-of-Chinese-as-a-Foreign-Language" data-mce-href="https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781793641427/The-Instruction-and-Acquisition-of-the-BA-Construction-by-Students-of-Chinese-as-a-Foreign-Language"><span data-contrast="none">purchased online</span></a><span data-contrast="none">.</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">The book containing Xu’s co-authored chapter can be </span><a href="https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-43654-3?page=2#toc" data-mce-href="https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-43654-3?page=2#toc"><span data-contrast="none">accessed or purchased online</span></a><span data-contrast="none">.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p>
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<span class="title">Learning and language</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">12:53 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>March</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>6</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2024</span></span>
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UWL's Hongying Xu shares expertise, best practices in two new publications
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/hometown-heroes/Hometown Heroes2024-02-16T09:05:24.68Z2024-02-16T09:00:00ZKyle Farrishttps://uwlax.edu/profile/kfarris/kfarris@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">9 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Friday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Feb.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>16</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2024</span></p>
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<figcaption>Rep. Jill Billings (center) presents Joe Anderson and Mary Leonard with the Wisconsin Assembly Hometown Heroes Award. The award honors those who have made a difference through their dedication to helping others. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">Longtime theater professors Anderson, Leonard honored for years of service</h3>
<p><span>A pair of longtime UW-La Crosse theater professors are being recognized for their service to the campus and the community.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>On Thursday, Feb. 15, Rep. Jill Billings presented <a data-mce-href="/profile/janderson/" href="/profile/janderson/">Joe <span class="markzjj4by6kp" data-markjs="true" data-ogac="" data-ogab="" data-ogsc="" data-ogsb="">Anderson</span></a> and Mary Leonard with the Hometown Heroes Award for Wisconsin’s 95th Assembly District — an award honoring those who have made a difference through their dedication to helping others.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span><span class="markzjj4by6kp" data-markjs="true" data-ogac="" data-ogab="" data-ogsc="" data-ogsb="">Anderson</span> has taught in <a data-mce-href="/academics/theatre-arts/" href="/academics/theatre-arts/">UWL’s Department of </a></span><a data-mce-href="/academics/theatre-arts/" href="/academics/theatre-arts/"><span>Theatre</span></a><span><a data-mce-href="/academics/theatre-arts/" href="/academics/theatre-arts/"> &amp; Dance</a> for 33 years, including 12 as chair.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>Leonard spent more than 20 years teaching in the same department, retiring last spring after <a data-mce-href="https://www.wizmnews.com/2023/04/20/uw-la-crosse-professor-mary-leonard-directs-70th-and-final-show/" href="https://www.wizmnews.com/2023/04/20/uw-la-crosse-professor-mary-leonard-directs-70th-and-final-show/" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">directing 70 shows on campus</a>.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>“Since Joe and Mary moved to La Crosse three decades ago, their work for our community has been invaluable,” Billings says. “Beyond their work as professors, Joe and Mary have worked diligently in the La Crosse community by providing workshops and directing, designing and consulting for local productions.”&nbsp;</span></p><p><span><span class="markzjj4by6kp" data-markjs="true" data-ogac="" data-ogab="" data-ogsc="" data-ogsb="">Anderson</span> and Leonard were recognized during a ceremony at the state Capitol on Thursday.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p>
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<figcaption>Anderson applies makeup on a performer before the 2017 Creative Imperatives festival, now known as ArtsFest.</figcaption>
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<p><span><span class="markzjj4by6kp" data-markjs="true" data-ogac="" data-ogab="" data-ogsc="" data-ogsb="">Anderson</span> says the award is affirmation of the importance of the arts, as well as the role of teachers and artists in higher education.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>“We are in a time when higher ed, and always the arts, are being scrutinized and minimized,” he explains. “The four years students are with us are incredibly formative. I think it's important to recognize that we have changed the trajectory of many lives for the better through the work we've done with students over the years. Teaching them the importance of being happy and passionate about what they do in the world has always been more important than any class I've taught or show I've designed. I want my students to be people I'd want to know if I met them out in the world. I think we do that.”&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>Leonard says she is grateful life’s path brough her to theater and to UWL. She has met countless students, staff and faculty who made a lasting impact on her through a shared appreciation for the arts.</span></p><p><span>“I have seen people&nbsp;of all ages find their voices and believe in themselves,” she says. “I have seen the healing powers of all the arts, and come to understand the significant impact the arts have on all of us.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>“Simply put, the arts nourish, inspire and make us think.&nbsp;Throughout my 32-year career, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power that theater has had on students, audiences and the community. It is so much more than entertainment!”&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>What is most impressive about <span class="markzjj4by6kp" data-markjs="true" data-ogac="" data-ogab="" data-ogsc="" data-ogsb="">Anderson</span> and Leonard, Billings says, is the passion they show and the pride they take in mentoring aspiring artists. It’s the type of legacy for which all educators should strive.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>“By providing a welcoming and caring environment for their students and other participants in their productions, they have provided empathetic and attentive guidance and support for countless La Crosse residents and students,” Billings says. “Their passion for artistic expression and care for their students is clear from their work both in and out of the classroom. I am proud to honor Joe and Mary with this award.”&nbsp;</span></p>
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<figcaption>Anderson and Leonard were recognized at the state Capitol Thursday, Feb. 15. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO</figcaption>
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<span class="title">Hometown Heroes</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">9 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Friday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Feb.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>16</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2024</span></span>
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Longtime theater professors Anderson, Leonard honored for years of service
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<span class="read">Read<span class="sr-only"> more about Hometown Heroes</span></span>
</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/ink-innovation--collaboration/Ink, innovation & collaboration2024-02-02T09:04:56.673Z2024-02-01T15:12:00ZKjerstin Langhttps://uwlax.edu/profile/klang/klang@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">3:12 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Thursday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Feb.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>1</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2024</span></p>
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<figcaption>Zachary Stensen, UWL assistant professor of art, teaches drawing and print media classes. He was the visionary behind renovations to UWL’s printmaking studio. “I always think of myself as a coach with a team of students who are competing with students at other schools. Your team is at a disadvantage if they don’t have access to modern ways of working.”</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">Renovated print studio grows as a vibrant hub for creativity and community post COVID </h3>
<p>Art doesn’t make itself. To develop as an artist, one needs to invest time and energy.&nbsp;</p><p>For printmakers, that means showing up at the print shop, explains <a data-mce-href="/profile/zstensen/" href="/profile/zstensen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zachary Stensen, UWL’s printmaking instructor.</a>&nbsp;</p><p>“You need to use the facilities to make the work. If you are not here, you’re not making the work,” he says as he looks around the recently renovated print studio on the third floor of <a data-mce-href="/campus/lowe-center-for-the-arts/" href="/campus/lowe-center-for-the-arts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">UW-La Crosse’s Truman Lowe Center for the Arts.&nbsp;</a></p><p>When he arrived on campus in fall 2020, Stensen did a great deal to make the studio a space students would want to come and create. Bright lights illuminate colorful prints decorating nearly every inch of wall space. New digital printmaking tools and lithographic presses allow students to experiment with blending traditional and modern printmaking techniques.&nbsp;</p><p>But, as the pandemic shut down public gathering spaces in early 2020 as Stensen had just started his UWL teaching career, no one did much gathering. The printmaking classes, along with the rest of campus, moved to entirely remote instruction. &nbsp;</p>
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<figcaption>Marlie Voigt is one of the printmaking students who has found a strong sense of community at the studio. Stensen is an “incredible professor who truly cares about his students," says Voigt.</figcaption>
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<p>“Finding a community was something I had been worried about coming in as an undergraduate because it's one of those concepts that's much easier said than done,” says Marlie Voigt, who was a UWL freshman in early 2020.</p><p>But as the pandemic subsided and in-person classes resumed, Voigt and other classmates have tried to put COVID’s isolating experience behind them. The print studio has played a big role in that.</p><p>“Last semester was the first time I felt truly a part of a community, and I recognized it through my intrinsic need to be in the studio,” explains Voigt, who is now an art education major. “I find that having that support system truly influenced my work because I was no longer afraid to come to the studio with an underdeveloped idea, because it means that I can talk among my peers and receive constructive feedback about the different paths I can take it.” &nbsp;</p><p>Senior Art Major Ellen Cervantes concurs. Through the feedback from peers, friends, and instructors, she has been able to reevaluate and deepen her understanding of her own work. She describes the print studio community as a “small and close knit” community.&nbsp;</p><p>“We spend a lot of time together and often discuss ideas for projects with a degree of candor I haven’t really seen in a studio course before,” she says. “As a handful of introverts, I think we’re still learning how to form and maintain strong connections with other art-makers, but there’s a tacit understanding that we’re all working toward similar goals.”&nbsp;</p><p>About ten dedicated art students including Cervantes and Voigt consistently work in the print studio outside regular classes and over semester breaks. Stensen has fostered that kind of dedication to community and collaboration by referring students to ask each other for help when one has expertise in a particular area of printmaking, explains Voigt. &nbsp;</p><p>“I wouldn’t have a fraction of the drive to integrate myself into this community if I hadn’t met such passionate and driven artists here,” adds Cervantes.&nbsp;</p>
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<h3>Space blends modern and traditional </h3>
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<figcaption>The art on the walls of the printmaking studio represents a wide selection of prints produced using different media and technical processes such as wood cuts, screen prints, lithographs and etchings. Overall, the walls represent everything that can be made in the shop. This particular art is on the walls in a new merit studio, a special studio space where eight students get their own private printmaking studio space based on their seniority and time in the studio. </figcaption>
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<p>Students say they also feel supported through Stensen’s attention to renovating the print studio, which has allowed them to expand their perspective and practice. Removing old cupboards and wooden benches from the 1970s, he transformed the space into cutting-edge hub where traditional printmaking from the 1400s converges with more modern digital tools. &nbsp;</p><p>The studio now houses a digital print lab where students experiment with modern printmaking techniques like laser cutting, which focuses a laser beam for a quick and precise cut of a design. The Laser cutting has allowed Cervantes to combine print and sculpture, inspiring plans for future 3D pieces.&nbsp;</p><p>“By bringing in this new equipment, Zach is also bringing in the ability to experiment,” explains Voigt. “This allows us to find new ways to blend the gap between antiquity and modernity.”&nbsp;</p><p>Stensen’s efforts to improve the printmaking space didn’t stop with the digital lab. When his alma mater, UW-Eau Claire, sought to donate two lithography presses, he successfully advocated for their relocation to UWL, a value of $40,000.&nbsp;</p><p> Voigt says Stensen’s passion for art, and specifically printmaking, is one that truly translates into the printmaking space he created. &nbsp;</p><p>During the spring 2024 semester, students will have not only the tools but also the help of professional artists to refine their skills. Stensen’s printmaking students will assist six professional artists in producing their prints with help from a small grant from the College of Arts Social Sciences and Humanities. The idea came from a program he led at a previous position at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar). </p><p>"That program demystified the printmaking creation process for students and my goal is to create the same experience for UWL students,” he says. “I think it will be a good way for students to network and meet other artists and look at their work in a different way.”</p>
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<h3>Growing roots in a new community</h3>
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<figcaption>Interim Chancellor Betsy Morgan purchased two of Stensen’s prints featuring nature scenes for her office in Graff Main Hall.</figcaption>
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<p>Stensen grew up on a dairy farm in the Eau Claire, Wisconsin area, attended UW-Eau Claire and then went on to graduate school for printmaking at the University of Iowa, one of the top programs in the U.S. for printmaking. He then taught printmaking for nine years at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar).&nbsp;</p><p>“I always had an interest in getting out and seeing other things and traveling, but nine years is a long time to live away,” he says. “In Qatar, I craved living in a place where I could put down roots, creating a community and network.” &nbsp;</p><p>Now, making a home in La Crosse, he is putting down those roots. Stensen is excited about the art community at UWL, encompassing not only his department colleagues but also a supportive administration. He has received funding from the dean’s office for various improvements to the studio space, a CASSH small grant to support his plans for a student collaboration with guest artists this spring, and even received support for his own artwork.&nbsp;</p><p>Interim Chancellor Betsy Morgan was taken with two of Stensen’s prints featuring nature scenes at a UWL gallery show and recently decided to purchase them. “After I was appointed as interim chancellor, I found it the perfect excuse to buy them and have them in the office while I served and then at home afterwards,” she says. “They are extraordinary pieces.” &nbsp;</p><p>Beyond his UWL role, Stensen is deeply involved in promoting the arts in the La Crosse area as the Chair of the <a data-mce-href="https://www.cityoflacrosse.org/your-government/boards-committees/arts-board" href="https://www.cityoflacrosse.org/your-government/boards-committees/arts-board" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">City of La Crosse Arts Board</a>. His community connections have also led to different opportunities for students to get involved in the local community and beyond, notes Voigt. Stensen’s frequent encouragement for students to consider their career and lives as artists outside of academics and to participate in events both on and off campus has been indispensable to his students development, says Cervantes.&nbsp;</p><p>“Having this amazing quality of guidance as a student artist is something truly remarkable,” says Voigt. “As an art educator myself, I have taken so much away from his teaching style that I hope to incorporate one day into my own practices.”&nbsp;</p>
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<span class="title">Ink, innovation & collaboration</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">3:12 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Thursday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Feb.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>1</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2024</span></span>
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Renovated print studio grows as a vibrant hub for creativity and community post COVID 
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/advising-abroad/Advising abroad2024-01-08T09:34:16.597Z2024-01-02T11:00:00ZChloe Harthttps://uwlax.edu/profile/chart/chart@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">11 a.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>Ally Hetto, ’21, center, recently returned to the U.S. after teaching in South Africa.</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">UWL alum shares Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in South Africa</h3>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Ally Hetto, ’21, recently returned to the U.S. after spending an extended time in South Africa, courtesy of a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">Graduating with</span><span data-contrast="none"> degrees in Spanish and Education, accompanied by a minor in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (<a data-mce-href="/academics/department/educational-studies/undergrad/tesol/" href="/academics/department/educational-studies/undergrad/tesol/">TESOL)</a>, Hetto credits her positive experiences abroad to the invaluable lessons she learned in the TESOL Program, which prepared her to teach in multicultural classrooms.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">Through the Fulbright program, Hetto served as an advisor for the <a data-mce-href="https://collegeofcapetownjournalists.com/" href="https://collegeofcapetownjournalists.com/" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">College of Cape Town Journalists</a>. The College of Cape Town is a technical and vocational education and training school, located in the heart of the central business district in Cape Town, South Africa.</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">Reflecting on her time abroad, Hetto shares, “One of my favorite experiences in South Africa was creating a program for my adult students to learn about journalism, technology, sustainable tourism, as well as marine and wildlife conservation.”</span></p>
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<figcaption>Hetto served as an advisor for the College of Cape Town Journalists.</figcaption>
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<p><span data-contrast="none">The program was created to target gaps in student knowledge regarding technology proficiency, professional English speaking and writing, and public speaking confidence.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">“It was incredibly rewarding watching students grow in multiple disciplines including English language skills, digital literacy and confidence levels,” Hetto says.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">In addition to academic growth, the College of Cape Town Journalists sought to provide exposure to wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism experiences that are out of reach for many South Africans. A highlight was the advisor and student trip to the Dyer Island Conservation Trust in Gansbaai, South Africa, where students were able to interview marine biologists and conservationists.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">“It was exciting to share numerous first-time experiences with my students, including encountering a great white shark during cage diving, feeding the endangered African penguin and embarking on a safari,” Hetto says.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">A significant takeaway for Hetto was learning how to bridge cultural differences between students in the U.S. and South Africa.</span></p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/img_26115.jpeg/Large" alt="" />
<figcaption>Hetto recommends the Fulbright program to anyone interested in teaching abroad.</figcaption>
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<p><span data-contrast="none">“Before beginning my contract in South Africa, I was a long-term substitute teacher for a second-grade classroom in Kimberly, Wisconsin,” Hetto explains. “As an extension of the College of Cape Town Journalists, I created a Pen Pal Program with that second-grade classroom to promote cultural exchange through global connectivity.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Hetto shared that both the second-graders in Wisconsin and the adult learners in Cape Town showed an equal level of curiosity and engagement in the exchange of cultural knowledge.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">“I am so grateful to have created lasting mentorships and friendships with students in the Journalism Program and my English classes,” Hetto says.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Hetto is no stranger to traveling abroad. Before embarking on her assistantship in South Africa, she spent six months in Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia to build on her appreciation for the Spanish language and Latin American cultures. That experience, coupled with her UWL education, prepared her for the challenges of teaching abroad.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none"><a data-mce-href="https://us.fulbrightonline.org/" href="https://us.fulbrightonline.org/">The Fulbright Program</a> is an international exchange program designed to expand perspectives through academic and professional advancement and cross-cultural dialogue. Its programming includes grants, assistantships, fellowships and other research opportunities in 140 countries.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Hetto was inspired to apply for an assistantship by <a data-mce-href="/profile/hlinville/" href="/profile/hlinville/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UWL Professor Heather Linville</a> and former UWL Lecturer Melissa Collum, both Fulbright alumni. Hetto recommends the Fulbright program to anyone interested in teaching abroad.</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">To see Hetto’s student’s work, visit </span><span><a href="http://www.collegeofcapetownjournalists.com" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary"> www.collegeofcapetownjournalists.com</a></span><span>.</span></p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/img_44082.jpeg/Medium" alt="Ally Hetto, ’21, center, recently returned to the U.S. after teaching in South Africa." />
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<span class="title">Advising abroad</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">11 a.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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UWL alum shares Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in South Africa
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/sustainable-snow-solution/Sustainable snow solution2023-12-11T10:27:43.213Z2023-11-28T16:15:00ZKjerstin Langhttps://uwlax.edu/profile/klang/klang@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">4:15 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Tuesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Nov.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>28</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></p>
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<figcaption>From left, Scott Brown, Andrew Ericson and Casey Christ with the new brine equipment.</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">Student’s brine research ushers in a greener winter on campus</h3>
<p>A UW-La Crosse student’s research on brine has led to a more budget-friendly and earth-friendly snow removal solution for campus this winter.</p><p>Casey Christ, ’23, learned of the impact of salt contamination on aquatic life during a fall 2022 class project. In this Communication and Civic Engagement class, she also learned about using brine as an alternative to rock salt, one of UWL’s primary method for removing snow and ice in winter months. Switching to brine reduces the amount of salt that is needed on sidewalks, parking lots and roads, saving money and reducing water contamination from salt runoff. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“All my life I’ve grown up thinking salt was a normal and necessary part of midwestern winters. But the more I learned about the long list of issues its use creates, the more I knew something needed to change in La Crosse, and that I had to take this a step further than a class research project,” says Christ.</p><p>Although salt is a natural part of the environment, too much salt comes with an environmental cost. Salt applied to roads and sidewalks hangs around after the snow melts, leaching into lakes, rivers and groundwater. Over the years, these freshwater systems have become saltier, and that’s a problem for wildlife. It takes only one teaspoon of salt to pollute five gallons of water to a level this is toxic to native aquatic organisms.</p><p>“The Mississippi River and the marsh are home to hundreds of unique species that are harmed every winter we continue to overuse road salt, not to mention the havoc it wreaks on infrastructure and human health,” says Christ. “La Crosse County and the UWL campus use a lot of it. Through my extensive research I discovered the steps that other universities in Wisconsin had implemented to mitigate salt use, and I knew La Crosse needed to follow suit.”</p><p>Christ's research is just one example of research that emerges from the Communication Studies course, <a data-mce-href="https://catalog.uwlax.edu/undergraduate/coursedescriptions/cst/" href="https://catalog.uwlax.edu/undergraduate/coursedescriptions/cst/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">CST 211</a>, where students complete a civic engagement project. They are tasked with identifying a community problem, conducting extensive community research on the problem and developing a plan to address it. At the culmination of the semester, students present their plan to community stakeholders.</p>
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<h3>Campus embraces brine</h3>
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<figcaption>From left, Andrew Ericson, Casey Christ and Scott Brown. UWL Facilities Management purchased two Hilltip Spray Strikers, which have GPS tracking that controls the rate that brine comes out. </figcaption>
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<p>Christ shared her findings about rock salt contamination with stakeholders on campus including UWL’s Sustainability Manager Andrew Ericson and Director of Facilities Management Scott Brown. The group looked into brine as a less-salty alternative. And, in the spring of 2023, UWL Facilities Management invested in new brine equipment.</p><p>“We have very driven students on this campus who are looking for ways to make a difference for their community and for the environment,” says Ericson. “It was so impressive to see how Casey championed this initiative that she cared about.”</p><p>Facilities management purchased two Hilltip Spray Strikers, which have GPS tracking that controls the rate that brine comes out, along with a 1,200-gallon storage tank where brine will be stored in bulk. Brine will be purchased from La Crosse County, an early adopter of brine.</p><p>“Facilities Management is always trying to improve the sustainability of our operations. Brine was a win both financially and environmentally,” says Brown. “We are looking forward to the challenges and opportunities of this new method of winter maintenance.” &nbsp;</p><p>Ericson says the initiative to bring brine to campus is an example of how sustainability, an important and long-term initiative at UWL, intersects with UWL’s strategic plan to provide transformational education and community engagement. &nbsp;</p><p>“We are always looking to improve sustainability efforts across the campus as UWL aims to be a leader in sustainability in our region,” says Ericson. “When it comes to sustainability, we can think of campus as a living lab to apply what’s taught in our classrooms. But sometimes we need a champion for those efforts, and we are very grateful that Casey stepped up.”</p>
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<h3>What is brine?</h3>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/brine-photo-3.jpg/Large" alt="" />
<figcaption>UWL Facilities Management purchased a 1,200-gallon storage tank where brine will be stored in bulk.</figcaption>
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<p>Brine is salty water that is used for snow removal. If you have ever seen faint white stripes on driving lanes, then you’ve seen brine in action. A 23.3% NaCl solution, brine works in the same way that rock salt does, but it has many added benefits.</p><h3>Why brine?</h3><ul><li>Reduces the amount of salt applied, which saves money and prevents water contamination. </li><li>Sticks to where it is placed and is not subject to being moved around like rock salt </li><li>Prevents snow/ice from adhering to the pavement surface if applied before a winter storm. This makes removal easier. </li><li>Works quicker than rock salt. Rock salt needs to become brine on the pavement surface, and then it will start working. Using brine from the start accelerates the process. &nbsp;</li></ul>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/brine-photo-2.jpg/Medium" alt="From left, Scott Brown, Andrew Ericson and Casey Christ with the new brine equipment." />
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<span class="title">Sustainable snow solution</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">4:15 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Tuesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Nov.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>28</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></span>
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Student’s brine research ushers in a greener winter on campus
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/capstone-fall-23/Capstone2023-11-17T15:10:26.927Z2023-11-17T15:09:00ZKyle Farrishttps://uwlax.edu/profile/kfarris/kfarris@uwlax.edu
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<span class="title">Capstone</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">3:09 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Friday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Nov.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>17</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></span>
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Read the fall issue from the College of Arts, Social Sciences, & Humanities
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/learn-how-to-learn/Learn how to learn2023-11-13T09:39:22.287Z2023-11-09T16:19:00ZKjerstin Langhttps://uwlax.edu/profile/klang/klang@uwlax.edu
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<span class="title">Learn how to learn</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">4:19 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Thursday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Nov.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>9</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></span>
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Educational psychology expert creates Audible series for anyone who wants to boost learning skills
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/caml-grand-opening/CaML grand opening2023-10-20T10:27:33.753Z2023-10-20T10:00:00ZKjerstin Langhttps://uwlax.edu/profile/klang/klang@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">10 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Friday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Oct.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>20</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/2023-uwl-communication-and-media-lab-2.jpg/Large" alt="" />
<figcaption>CaML Director Taylor Cole Miller giving a tour of the new media lab space. </figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">New media lab gets students over the humps of working with the latest A.I., virtual reality and more </h3>
<p>The metaverse. Augmented reality. Artificial intelligence. The rapidly-changing world of communication can be either feared or embraced. &nbsp;</p><p>UW-La Crosse students will be doing the latter in a new eight-room media lab suite called the <a data-mce-href="/academics/department/communication-studies/caml/" href="/academics/department/communication-studies/caml/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Communication and Media Lab</a> (or the CaML for short). The CaML provides <a data-mce-href="/cassh/" href="/cassh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UWL College of Arts, Social Sciences, &amp; Humanities</a> students and faculty a space for research and production using new and emerging digital media technologies and forms including podcasting, digital filmmaking, virtual reality, generative A.I., &nbsp;augmented reality, media research, A.I.-assisted participant observation, and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
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<figcaption>CaML Director Taylor Cole Miller</figcaption>
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<p>“We are practicing with new technology because it is here whether we like it or not and understanding how it works and how to incorporate it into work will make our students more competitive in the professional world,” says CaML Director Taylor Cole Miller, an assistant professor of <a href="/academics/department/communication-studies/" target="_blank" data-mce-href="/academics/department/communication-studies/" rel="noopener">Communication Studies</a>. &nbsp;<br>A grand opening, ribbon cutting celebration, and open house for the &nbsp;CaML will be from <strong>4-5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 24, in 165 Murphy Librar</strong>y, a lab suite located in the northwest wing of the first floor. To learn more about how a class or student could use CaML resources, attend the grand opening event or view the <a href="/academics/department/communication-studies/caml/" target="_blank" data-mce-href="/academics/department/communication-studies/caml/" rel="noopener">website</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>UWL Junior Ellie Davis, who wants to become a news anchor or reporter, says the new lab was one of the reasons she wanted to attend UWL. The technology in the lab makes the campus competitive with larger research universities, yet she can still have the small class sizes and connection with professors that she wanted in a university campus.&nbsp;</p><p>“It is a very welcoming space,” says Davis regarding the lab. “I definitely feel like I have a place on campus where I belong.”&nbsp;</p><p>During the open house, stations will be set up for public demonstrations of the technology and equipment available — including some Halloween-themed activities.&nbsp;</p><ul><li>Evil laugh competition using podcasting equipment&nbsp;</li><li>Practice with the “vertigo effect” or dolly zooms -- a filmmaking technique made famous by Alfred Hitchcock's “Vertigo.”&nbsp;</li><li>Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences&nbsp;</li><li>Storyboarding practice&nbsp;</li><li>Student showcase in Media Production Classroom&nbsp;</li></ul>
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<h3>Space sparks teaching innovation</h3>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/cst338-mediaandsexuality.jpg/Large" alt="" />
<figcaption>Media Production Classroom in CaML.</figcaption>
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<p>Miller says the lab space energizes him to be more innovative with his teaching and hopes it will do the same for other CASSH faculty — even ones not teaching media production-focused classes. For example, with advancements in A.I.-generated content from platforms like ChatGPT, professors are looking for alternative ways to assess their students’ mastery of course concepts and meeting learning outcomes. In his course Media and Sexuality, for instance, not traditionally a media production course, students are creating podcasts and videographic essays.&nbsp;</p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/camel-neon3.jpg/Large" alt="" />
<figcaption>This neon camel generative A.I. art decorates the lab suite.</figcaption>
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<p>“It is really hard to let my teaching stagnate while I’m rushing to keep up with a professional world that is moving faster than it ever has before,” he says. &nbsp;</p><p>While the lab is futuristic — down to the generative A.I. art and drone photography decorating some walls — the CaML also pays homage to the robust media production history on campus with a curated display. For more than 40 years, broadcasting students earned their reporting chops through a student-run TV station, WMCM, located in Wing Technology Center. While that television and broadcasting program ended in 2019, its call letters are housed in a glass case in the lab entrance, along with other memorabilia documenting the history of media education on campus from Polaroid cameras to floppy disks, Camcorders to VHS tapes. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
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<h3>Who is the lab for? </h3>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/2023-uwl-communication-and-media-lab-92.jpg/Large" alt="" />
<figcaption>CaML pays homage to the robust media production history on the UWL campus with a curated display</figcaption>
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<p>The CaML is a resource for College of Arts, Social Sciences, &amp; Humanities faculty to enrich their classroom experience and research with new media projects. The lab offers both media production and research facilities and equipment. &nbsp;Anyone within CASSH can inquire about use of the space for a course or for an individual student during the open house or through a website form. &nbsp;</p><p>While the lab is currently used for various Communication Studies courses such as Digital Media Production, Interactive and Experiential Media, and Documentary Production, Miller envisions the CaML being used by a much broader group to improve digital media literacy, which could help in diverse careers from photography to nursing. &nbsp;</p><h3>What’s available in the space? &nbsp;</h3><ul><li>4K cameras&nbsp;</li><li>Professional podcasting equipment&nbsp;</li><li>Glasses with eye tracking software&nbsp;</li><li>Virtual reality and augmented reality equipment&nbsp;</li><li>Other cutting-edge research equipment &nbsp;</li><li>30 work stations new Mac computers for student projects including Adobe Creative Suite. &nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>A Research and Conference Room featuring a camera and omni microphone that use AI to find a specific speaker and capture sound and video. &nbsp;</li><li>Activity in the Research and Conference Room can be viewed in a separate observation room for participant observation research. &nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul><p>“I’m so pleased that UWL, as a student-centered institution, is really investing in the professional readiness of its students with an incredible lab on par with major research universities,” says Miller.&nbsp;</p><h3>If you go — &nbsp;</h3><p><strong>What: </strong>CaML grand opening event with a ribbon cutting, cake, and demonstrations for the campus community to see how they might incorporate it into their CASSH classrooms or CASSH student projects.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>When:</strong> 4-5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Where:</strong> CaML, 165 Murphy Library&nbsp;</p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/2023-uwl-communication-and-media-lab-2.jpg/Medium" alt="CaML Director Taylor Cole Miller giving a tour of the new media lab space. " />
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<span class="title">CaML grand opening</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">10 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Friday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Oct.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>20</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></span>
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<span>
New media lab gets students over the humps of working with the latest A.I., virtual reality and more 
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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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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/hleeda-vang.jpeg/Large" alt="" />
<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>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/take-a-listen-to-new-albums/Take a listen to new albums2023-10-17T13:53:40.773Z2023-09-26T16:22:00ZKjerstin Langhttps://uwlax.edu/profile/klang/klang@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">4:22 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Tuesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Sept.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>26</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></p>
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<figure><div class="video-container"><iframe data-src="https://youtu.be/TAmjXV0rIx8?si=8dcHpGHKhLi9K44x" loading="lazy" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TAmjXV0rIx8?rel=0" title="Jon Ailabouni's "Fraught Hope Blues."" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen></iframe></div><figcaption aria-hidden="true">Jon Ailabouni's "Fraught Hope Blues."</figcaption></figure>
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<h3>Ailabouni’s jazz debut album is musical storytelling&nbsp;</h3><p>“You Are Not Alone” is the debut album from trumpeter, composer, and educator Jon Ailabouni, UWL Assistant Teaching Professor of Music. The album features eight of Ailabouni's original compositions and his arrangement of the American folk hymn "What Wondrous Love Is This."</p><p>The album speaks to the challenges of our times and offers hope and solace through the cathartic power of music. Ailabouni is joined on the album by saxophonist Simon Harding, pianist Michael Conrad, bassist Karyn Quinn, drummer Chris Jensen, and percussionist Ryan Frost on doumbek. In each piece, the musicians collectively meditate on a specific challenge or theme, such as parenting in the pandemic, the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, the human cost of America’s foreign wars or his identity as a Palestinian-American.</p><p>“My compositions use the jazz tradition as a vehicle for musical storytelling that is both moving and uplifting, personal and communal,” Ailabouni says.</p><div class="list-item-1">
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<figcaption>Album cover for Jon Alaboundi "You Are Not Alone."</figcaption>
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<p><strong>About Ailabouni</strong></p><p>Ailabouni is an in-demand trumpeter, composer and educator based in La Crosse. At UWL, Ailabouni teaches the trumpet studio and music appreciation classes and directs the Jazz Ensemble and Hoefer Brass Quintet. With a background steeped in Western European classical and Black American jazz traditions, his work focuses on instrumental composition and improvisation that uses deeply felt stories as a focal point for expression. Ailabouni is also a national leader of jazz and liturgical traditions. He regularly serves as a guest worship director, bringing the jazz tradition into familiar hymns and liturgy in churches across the Midwest, Colorado and Texas. He has self-published over 50 arrangements of hymns and an original jazz setting of the liturgy. <a href="https://www.jonailabounimusic.com/" target="_blank" data-mce-href="https://www.jonailabounimusic.com/" rel="noopener">More on Ailabouni.</a>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>How to get it</strong></p><p>Released in May 2023 on SkyDeck Music, the album is available for purchase at <a href="https://jonailabouni.bandcamp.com/album/you-are-not-alone" target="_blank" data-mce-href="https://jonailabouni.bandcamp.com/album/you-are-not-alone" rel="noopener">Bandcamp</a> and streaming on all platforms. <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/2YJTa5lklZFNkwr80RZKok" target="_blank" data-mce-href="https://open.spotify.com/album/2YJTa5lklZFNkwr80RZKok" rel="noopener">Listen on Spotify.</a></p><p><br></p>
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<h3>Borja releases ‘Flute Music from Mexico’ </h3>
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<img data-src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/2016_uwl_jonathan_borja_001.jpg/Large" alt="" class="lazy" />
<figcaption>Jonathan Borja performing flute music.</figcaption>
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<p>Jonathan Borja released a new album, “Flute Music from Mexico,” on the Albany Records Label in July 2023. For this recording, Borja paired up with Mexican pianist, Héctor Landa, associate professor of Piano at UW-Superior. &nbsp;</p><p>The album includes selections for flute and piano by some of Mexico’s most significant composers, such as Arturo Márquez, José Pablo Moncayo, Diana Syrse, Eduardo Gamboa, Juanra Urrusti, Samuel Zyman, and Arturo Rodríguez, who will be the featured guest artist at the La Crosse New Music Festival in November 2023. &nbsp;</p><p>Borja worked closely with the composers during the recording process. This recording was made possible through a UWL Faculty Research Grant and a College of Arts Social Sciences and Humanities (CASSH) Small Grant.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>About Borja&nbsp;</strong></p><p>Borja enjoys a varied career as a performer and educator. In addition to teaching at UWL, he is a member of the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra. He holds degrees from the UMKC Conservatory of Music, Principia College, and the National Conservatory of Music in Mexico City. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p><strong>How to get it</strong></p><p>The album is available both as a CD and digitally on all platforms. <a data-mce-href="https://albanyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/flute-music-from-mexico" href="https://albanyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/flute-music-from-mexico" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Find it at Bandcamp</a>. <a data-mce-href="https://open.spotify.com/album/42I994F1kQPKmXKiGsIBpk?si=hdjJhdDuRYaUZN0y0r3H7Q&amp;nd=1" href="https://open.spotify.com/album/42I994F1kQPKmXKiGsIBpk?si=hdjJhdDuRYaUZN0y0r3H7Q&amp;nd=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Listen on Spotify</a>. &nbsp;</p>
</div><div class="video"><figure><div class="video-container"><iframe data-src="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0aVTEKyEVo" loading="lazy" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C0aVTEKyEVo?rel=0" title="Danzón No. 5 "Portales de madrugada" arrangement for flute and piano by Jonathan Borja." allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen></iframe></div><figcaption aria-hidden="true">Danzón No. 5 "Portales de madrugada" arrangement for flute and piano by Jonathan Borja.</figcaption></figure></div></div>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/album-art.jpg/Medium" alt="Trumpeter, composer and educator Jon Ailabouni  released the album, “You Are Not Alone.” Performer and Educator Jonathan Borja released, “Flute Music from Mexico." />
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<span class="section details">
<span class="title">Take a listen to new albums</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">4:22 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Tuesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Sept.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>26</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></span>
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Music faculty release jazz originals and flute from Mexico
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