https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/Campus ConnectionPosts tagged with 'Sociology & Criminal Justice':2024-01-24T12:43:00.783Zhttps://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/uwl-western-transfer-pathways/Paving the way2024-01-24T12:43:00.783Z2024-01-24T12:41:00ZKyle Farrishttps://uwlax.edu/profile/kfarris/kfarris@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">12:41 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Jan.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>24</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2024</span></p>
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<figcaption>Interim Chancellor Betsy Morgan discusses how new transfer agreements between UW-La Crosse and Western Technical College will benefit students.</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">UWL, Western create new pathways for students to launch careers</h3>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">New agreements between UW-La Crosse and Western Technical College have created pathways for students to continue their education and launch successful careers.</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">On Tuesday, Jan. 23, leaders from the two colleges finalized agreements that will allow students to transfer major credits from Western to UWL in five fields: early childhood education, sociology, philosophy, history, and race, gender and sexuality studies.</span><span id="_mce_caret" data-mce-bogus="1" data-mce-type="format-caret"><span data-ccp-props="{"></span></span><span data-contrast="auto"></span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p>
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<figcaption>Interim Provost Karl Kunkel and Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Sandy Grunwald add their names to the agreements.</figcaption>
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<p><span data-contrast="auto">“This is a win-win, and that’s why you see so many happy faces here today,” said Betsy Morgan, interim chancellor of UWL. “It benefits the students, it benefits (Western) and it benefits UWL because it creates more students with degrees. And that’s what we’re about.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">These agreements build upon an already strong partnership between UWL and Western. While past transfer agreements have centered on general education courses, Tuesday’s signing permits students to transfer credits within their major, shortening their path to earning a degree.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">While most transfer students move from a two-year college to a four-year university, credits earned at UWL can also be transferred to Western.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">Roger Stanford, president of Western, says a smoother experience for students will help boost workforce development efforts and lead to a stronger local economy.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">“In the end, for all of our taxpayers and all of our community, the quicker we can get (students) out in the workforce, the less debt they will have to borrow,” he says. “That’s economic mobility, and that helps our students move better in this community.”</span></p>
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<span class="title">Paving the way</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">12:41 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Jan.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>24</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2024</span></span>
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UWL, Western create new pathways for students to launch careers
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/dedicating-a-degree/Dedicating a degree2023-12-11T08:36:42.093Z2023-12-11T08:33:00ZKjerstin Langhttps://uwlax.edu/profile/klang/klang@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8:33 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Monday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Dec.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>11</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></p>
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<figcaption>Ka Zang Lee with her mother, Susan Xiong.</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">Mother conquers college doubts, pandemic parenting to graduate in December </h3>
<p>Ka Zang Lee's upcoming walk across the commencement stage <a data-mce-href="/commencement/" href="/commencement/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">this December</a> is more than a personal triumph; it's a profound dedication to her mother.&nbsp;</p><p>“I want to show her that it doesn’t matter how old you are or where you are in life, you can do it,” says Lee. &nbsp;</p><p>Her mother, Susan Xiong, was a constant presence in the back of her mind during her four years on campus. Xiong came to the U.S. as a Hmong refugee from Thailand in the early 1980s. Despite Xiong's fervent desire for education and English proficiency, the demands of raising children prevented her from realizing her dream. Lee and Xiong’s other children became her interpreters, bridging the language gap, but her mother's educational aspirations remained unfulfilled.&nbsp;</p><p>"On the days when I really wanted to quit, I’d think about her story, her struggle,” says Lee. “Sometimes I think I take my English language for granted … It hits me hard.”&nbsp;</p><p>Lee, a mother herself, understands the challenge of pursuing educational goals while raising children. She was married during her junior year of high school, and moved to La Crosse with her husband her senior year. &nbsp;</p><p>She found odd jobs in La Crosse after high school working at nursing homes, retail stores and factories. It wasn’t what she wanted to do, but it met the expectations for herself she'd heard growing up, particularly from a high school guidance counselor who said she didn’t stand a chance at earning a four-year degree.&nbsp;</p><p>It was a pivotal moment in a factory job with its physical strain, repetitive tasks, and low pay that prompted Lee to shift her trajectory towards higher education despite the naysayers.&nbsp;</p><h3>Going back to school&nbsp;</h3><p>Her first year back at school at Western Technical College was difficult. After enrolling, she learned she was pregnant with her first child, and she felt a rollercoaster of emotions as her pregnancy progressed during her first semester. On top of that, new classes in medical terminology and other topics proved complex and she didn’t know where to turn for help. Despite the challenges, she earned a medical assistant degree four years later in 2008 and went on to work as a medical assistant at Gundersen Health System.&nbsp;</p><p>Fast forward twelve years and Lee had two more kids and a desire to continue her education at UW-La Crosse. But, as she started classes, her husband was deployed to Ukraine, and she found herself simultaneously managing classes and caring for three children at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Zoom classes became a family affair, with Lee and her six-year-old daughter sharing a workspace while her boys tackled school upstairs. Even as the pandemic's grip lessened, new challenges emerged. &nbsp;</p><p>When she sought clarification on course material for one class, someone insensitively attributed her struggles to English being her second language, triggering anxiety about her identity.&nbsp;</p><p>“It affected me so much that I thought I had a learning disability. &nbsp;I googled all the symptoms, asked friends and professors —They all assured me that I didn’t,” she recalls. &nbsp;</p>
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<h3>Reclaiming identity </h3>
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<figcaption>Ka Zang Lee will graduate in December with a degree in sociology.</figcaption>
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<p>Throughout these trials, Lee was guided by the thought of her mother and the support of several UWL mentors who helped her reshape her narrative.&nbsp;</p><p>Lee credits former UWL Advisor Tammy Reed, of Student Support Services, with helping her transform her challenges with education into sources of strength. &nbsp;She discovered that her struggles allowed her to empathize with others facing similar obstacles and that understanding would pay dividends in her future work. &nbsp;</p><p>“She put positivity in my mind and goals, and motivated me to continue my education” says Lee. “She understood. She had been a non-traditional student herself.”&nbsp;</p><p>Lee's dedication to inspiring others through sharing her own struggle was apparent during her second semester on campus when she wrote <a data-mce-href="/college-tips/my-identity-as-a-bilingual-learner/" href="/college-tips/my-identity-as-a-bilingual-learner/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an essay </a>in a first-year English class that was recognized as one of the best and selected for republication in the local paper. Olivia Stoltman, assistant teaching professor of English, describes Lee's narrative as an exemplary piece discussed in many College Writing courses, noting that her story continues to inspire students years later.&nbsp;</p><p>Stoltman and Sara Heaser, also in English, helped Lee begin to see her strong ability to write compelling stories and connect concepts from class to her own identity and aspirations.&nbsp;</p><p>“She was incredibly adept at focusing on why we were discussing the concepts we were, and how they mattered in her own life,” says Heaser. “She's incredibly studious, dedicated to a life of learning and curiosity.”</p><p>In later years at UWL, Lee became a standout sociology student as well. <a data-mce-href="/academics/sociology/" href="/academics/sociology/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sociology</a> faculty describe her as “outstanding" and one who has done a great deal to excel, despite balancing school, work and family obligations.&nbsp;</p><p>Lee credits Sociology Professor Dawn Norris with helping &nbsp;her understand her identity as a non-traditional student, which led to her pursuit of undergraduate research interviewing numerous non-traditional students about their experience in higher education.&nbsp;</p><p>“As a nontraditional-age student, she brought a unique perspective to class discussions and asked questions that made us all think,” says Norris.&nbsp;</p><p>To have professors recognize her intelligence was powerful, says Lee, as it contradicted earlier ideas she believed about herself.&nbsp;</p><p>"It was amazing to learn that there are people out there who do believe in me besides myself and my little family,” she says. &nbsp;</p><p>This December, Lee will graduate from UWL with a degree in sociology with plans to pursue a non-profit career helping youth pursue their future dreams.&nbsp;</p><p>“I want to guide youth to what they want to achieve in life. I think it makes a big impact when you start at a young age,” she says. “I want to give them something positive to focus on. In my own experience, I didn’t have that kind of guidance.”&nbsp;</p><p>Lee hopes her graduation day sends a message not only to her mother, but to future generations.&nbsp;</p><p>“I imagine her children and her family watching her walk across that stage, and I imagine what a powerful memory it will be for her kids,” says Heaser. “Yes, she's a full-time student, but she's also a fantastic, full-time parent, and she is acutely aware of the generational impact her education has on the people she loves most."&nbsp;</p>
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<span class="title">Dedicating a degree</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8:33 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Monday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Dec.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>11</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></span>
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Mother conquers college doubts, pandemic parenting to graduate in December 
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/writing-in-sociology/Writing in sociology2023-09-05T14:39:05.803Z2023-09-05T14:39:05.803ZKjerstin Langhttps://uwlax.edu/profile/klang/klang@uwlax.edu
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<span class="title">Writing in sociology</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">2:39 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>5</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></span>
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The Write Here, Write Now blog invites writers to respond to a series of questions that shed light on their writing lives
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/making-a-difference-with-data/Making a difference with data2023-09-19T09:34:15.827Z2023-06-23T12:47:00ZKyle Farrishttps://uwlax.edu/profile/kfarris/kfarris@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">12:47 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Friday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>June</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>23</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></p>
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<figcaption>La Crosse County Circuit Judge Scott Horne and UWL Associate Professor Lisa Kruse. This spring, Kruse's Methods of Social Research I students developed a system for tracking the effectiveness of the county's Drug Treatment Court, which seeks to help those who have committed drug-related offenses successfully reintegrate into society.</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">Sociology students assist La Crosse County program tackling substance abuse</h3>
<p><span data-contrast="none">A La Crosse County program designed to&nbsp;identify&nbsp;and address root causes of drug-related crime is gaining momentum — with an assist from a UW-La Crosse <a data-mce-href="/sociology/" href="/sociology/">sociology class</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-ccp-props="{"><span class="TextRun SCXW118605284 BCX0" lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW118605284 BCX0 ContentPasted0">The county’s Drug Treatment Court was&nbsp;</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW118605284 BCX0 ContentPasted0">established</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW118605284 BCX0 ContentPasted0">&nbsp;in 2002 with the goal of breaking a cycle of repeat offenses. Using a combination of substance abuse treatment, rehabilitation services and community supervision, it&nbsp;</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW118605284 BCX0 ContentPasted0">seeks</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW118605284 BCX0 ContentPasted0"> to help those who have committed drug-releatd offenses successfully reintegrate into society</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW118605284 BCX0 ContentPasted0">.</span></span></span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">This spring, La Crosse County enlisted students in <a data-mce-href="/profile/lkruse/" href="/profile/lkruse/">Associate Professor Lisa Kruse’s</a> Methods of Social Research I course to develop a system for tracking the effectiveness of the program year to year.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="none">Kruse calls the project an impactful experiential learning opportunity — one that allows students to engage with the community while developing skills that will serve them well in their careers.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">“It’s all about giving students a work-integrated learning experience, bringing the type of project they might eventually do for work into the classroom,” she explains. “Not everyone will go on to do data analysis. But my hope is to show them that, even if their primary responsibilities have nothing to do with research, they could still be a competitive job candidate if they can do basic analyses and write reports on how well a program is working.”</span></p>
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<figcaption>Kruse says it's critical for students to be comfortable working with data, even if their future career isn't directly related to data analysis.</figcaption>
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<p><span data-contrast="auto">Kruse incorporated the project into the existing structure of the course, which begins with a review of foundational concepts such as mean, median and mode.&nbsp;The class then&nbsp;builds toward more advanced tasks such as analyzing data&nbsp;through Excel or SPSS,&nbsp;and reporting&nbsp;findings through formal write-ups.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">In developing their report, students analyzed outcomes for those who had completed all or some of the yearlong treatment program, including whether they had gone on to reoffend, the amount of time it took them to reoffend and the severity of the repeat offense. </span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">To avoid inconsistencies in their analysis, the class compared pre-COVID data from 2018 and 2019. During that span, the Drug Treatment Court graduation rate increased from 36% to 47%, and the new conviction rate dropped slightly, from 50% to 47%. </span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">While it’s too early to draw meaningful conclusions, the students’ work was key in establishing a method and baseline for annual evaluation.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">Kruse hopes to continue the project in future sections of her Methods of Social Research I course, which is offered each spring semester. La Crosse County Circuit Judge Scott Horne, who oversees the Drug Treatment Court, sees value in that, too.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">“The work of Dr. Kruse and her students was thorough and of high quality,” says Horne, who also serves on the UWL Foundation Board. “This partnership is a good example of the Wisconsin Idea at work — the knowledge and expertise of the university is applied to practical challenges faced by community organizations, benefiting the community as a whole. I look forward to continuing the collaboration with the goal of helping the drug court achieve its full potential.”&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">The partnership — part of UWL’s <a data-mce-href="/community/community-partners/" href="/community/community-partners/">Community Engaged Learning program</a> — also promises to send ripples into the workforce, preparing the next generation of sociologists and criminal justice professionals.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">One such student, Katie Last, recently completed her first year at UWL. Last, a West Bend native with a double major in sociology and theatre arts, says she enjoyed the project for a few reasons.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">It allowed her to develop a variety of new skills in research and data analysis.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">It laid the groundwork for her prospective career as a school social worker.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">And it dealt with a local, real-world problem rather than a hypothetical one, empowering Last and her classmates to make a positive difference.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">“I grew up in a family of educators, and their stories about kids who struggle at home and how it impacts them in school have always hurt my heart,” she says. “The lessons I learned in this class will significantly apply to my future career, whether I decide to pursue school social work or not. It taught me how to take a step back and think critically about how real socioeconomic issues affect others and how we, as aspiring sociologists, can help find solutions.”&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">About the program&nbsp;</span></strong><span data-contrast="auto">&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">UWL’s Community Engaged Learning program matches local businesses and organizations with faculty experts seeking real-world experiences and skill applications for their students.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">Organizations can submit project ideas through the </span><a href="/community/uwl-community-idea-exchange-submission/" data-mce-href="/community/uwl-community-idea-exchange-submission/"><span data-contrast="none">UWL Community Idea Exchange</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><span data-contrast="auto">Faculty </span><a href="https://uwlax.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_43otpnkF6BSGtRX" data-mce-href="https://uwlax.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_43otpnkF6BSGtRX"><span data-contrast="none">can apply</span></a><span data-contrast="auto"> to have their course designated for Community Engaged Learning.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p>
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<span class="title">Making a difference with data</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">12:47 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Friday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>June</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>23</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></span>
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Sociology students assist La Crosse County program tackling substance abuse
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/inspiring-students-to-challenge-themselves/Inspiring students to challenge themselves2023-06-01T12:17:13.803Z2023-06-01T12:00:00ZKyle Farrishttps://uwlax.edu/profile/kfarris/kfarris@uwlax.edu
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<figcaption>Enilda Delgado, a professor in the Sociology & Criminal Justice Department, is one of seven UWL faculty to earn a 2023 Eagle Teaching Excellence Award.</figcaption>
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<h3>Enilda Delgado wins 2023 Eagle Teaching Excellence Award </h3>
<p><span data-contrast="none">UW-La Crosse is home to many outstanding instructors who make a difference in students’ lives inside and outside the classroom. This year, UWL’s Provost Office received hundreds of nominations from students hoping to recognize their favorite faculty. From these nominations, a university committee selected seven faculty to receive 2023 Eagle Teaching Excellence Awards. The winners will be honored during Chancellor Joe Gow’s opening remarks for the fall semester.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p>They are:&nbsp;</p><ul><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/profile/mbarbknecht/" data-mce-href="/profile/mbarbknecht/">Marisa Barbknecht, Microbiology</a>&nbsp;</li><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/profile/edelgado/" data-mce-href="/profile/edelgado/">Enilda Delgado, Sociology &amp; Criminal Justice</a>&nbsp;</li><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/profile/tfisher/" data-mce-href="/profile/tfisher/">Tammy Fisher, Music/SOE</a>&nbsp;</li><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/profile/tgabbard-rocha/" data-mce-href="/profile/tgabbard-rocha/">Tyler Gabbard-Rocha, Global Cultures &amp; Languages</a>&nbsp;</li><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="5" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/profile/dmaynard/" data-mce-href="/profile/dmaynard/">Deanna Maynard, Educational Studies</a></li><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="5" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/profile/lmiller2/" data-mce-href="/profile/lmiller2/">Laurie Miller, Economics</a> </li><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="5" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/profile/krees/" data-mce-href="/profile/krees/">Keely Rees, Public Health &amp; Community Health Education</a>&nbsp;</li></ul><p>This is the third of seven stories highlighting the winners.&nbsp;</p><p><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><h3><strong><span data-contrast="none">Enilda Delgado, Sociology &amp; Criminal Justice</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></h3><p><strong><span data-contrast="none">Started at UWL: </span></strong><span data-contrast="none">2001</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><strong><span data-contrast="none">Courses:</span></strong> <span data-contrast="none">I teach in the Department of Sociology &amp; Criminal Justice. My teaching rotation includes Demography, Social Stratification, the first and third courses in the Quantitative Methods sequence, and Introduction to Sociology. This next term, I will also teach Health Care and Illness.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><strong><span data-contrast="none">Background: </span></strong><span data-contrast="none">Prior to teaching at UWL, I was a sociology doctoral student at UW-Madison, and I taught part-time at UW-Stevens Point.</span><span data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;</span></p><p><strong><span data-contrast="none">Favorite part of teaching: </span></strong><span data-contrast="none">My favorite part of teaching is connecting the relevance of current events and scholarship to students’ lives. I enjoy modeling discussions and engaging students in productive and respectful conversations on social issues. It is always exciting to observe students, in and out of the classroom, effectively and curiously challenge others’ thinking as they question their own stance on controversial sociological topics.</span></p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/2023-uwl-enilda-delgado-eagle-excellence-teaching-award-2.jpg/Medium" alt="Enilda Delgado, a professor in the Sociology & Criminal Justice Department, is one of seven UWL faculty to earn a 2023 Eagle Teaching Excellence Award." />
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<span class="title">Inspiring students to challenge themselves</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">noon</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Thursday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>June</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>1</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></span>
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Enilda Delgado wins 2023 Eagle Teaching Excellence Award 
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/magic-man/Magic man2022-08-30T09:54:09Z2022-08-28T08:00:00ZNhouchee Yanghttps://uwlax.edu/profile/nyang2/nyang2@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Sunday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Aug.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>28</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></p>
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<figcaption>Chris Jones, '08, is a world-renowned hypnotist and comedian who had his big break hypnotizing Howie Mandel during a 2015 episode of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.” Jones got his start performing card and magic tricks at UW-La Crosse.</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">Renowned hypnotist Chris Jones got his start at UW-La Crosse</h3>
<p>Chris Jones remembers one of his first times performing in front of an audience.</p><p>It was the mid-2000s, and he was representing the now-defunct Baird Hall in the Mr. UW-La Crosse competition.</p><p>His mind-reading trick failed. His card trick flopped. Then it was time for his final act: levitation.</p><p>“I tried to levitate a woman’s driver’s license, and I did,” Jones, ’08, recalls. “Unfortunately, with the spotlight, everyone could see the shadow of the string.”</p><p>From inauspicious beginnings, Jones applied himself and slowly but surely learned to captivate an audience. Today, he is a <a href="https://www.hypnotistchrisjones.com/" data-mce-href="https://www.hypnotistchrisjones.com/">world-renowned hypnotist and comedian</a>, who had his big break <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6EP-KKHf1c" data-mce-href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6EP-KKHf1c">hypnotizing Howie Mandel</a> during a 2015 episode of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.”</p><p>“Life is fascinating to me,” says Jones, reflecting on his rise from failed magician to rising star. He even had his own prank show, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/DoubleTakeSeries/2098683943763999/" data-mce-href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/DoubleTakeSeries/2098683943763999/">“Double Take,” on Facebook Watch</a>.</p><p>“With hypnosis, you can’t really practice,” he explains. “You can try practicing with a friend, but you’re always going to wonder: ‘Did I really hypnotize you? Or were you just pretending?’ The only way to get better is to go out and do it.”</p><p>Over the past decade, Jones has done exactly that, reaching a level of success many up-and-coming entertainers only dream about.</p><p>All that time on the road has afforded Jones the luxury of spending more time with his family, while doing fewer shows and focusing on bigger projects. It has also allowed him to give back — in the form of a $10,000 donation to the UWL Foundation, which will be used to create a scholarship program for underrepresented students.</p><p>The scholarship honors Ron Rochon, a former faculty member who mentored Jones during his time at UWL and went on to become president of the University of Southern Indiana.</p><p>Jones, who holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology, didn’t set out to be a hypnotist.</p><p>As a member of the UWL men’s cross-country team, he had dreams of following in the footsteps of Andrew Rock, ’04, and competing in the Olympics.</p><p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p>
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<figcaption>Jones studying a book on magic in Murphy Library.</figcaption>
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<p>Jones had always been interested in skillful deception. In college, rather than studying, he would go to Murphy Library to read books about magic. As a resident assistant, he used card tricks to connect with his peers.</p><p>But it wasn’t until hypnotist Fred Winters performed at UWL’s Cartwright Center that he saw a career path emerge.</p><p>“I chased him to his car after the show, and he told me what books to read if I wanted to get good at hypnotism,” Jones remembers. Winters’ performance, paired with the disastrous Mr. UWL competition, “encouraged me to stop doing magic and move toward hypnosis.”</p><p>After earning his degree, Jones polished his craft by doing shows all over the United States, night after night after night.</p><p>There were nights he failed to hypnotize anyone.</p><p>And there were nights he was so effective that he had to work overtime.</p><p>“Once, I was driving back from a show, and I got a phone call,” he recalls. “Someone was still a little bit hypnotized. I had to get them on speaker phone and guide them out of it.”</p><p>In 2015, Jones received another phone call — one that changed the trajectory of his career.</p><p>“America’s Got Talent,” one of NBC’s most popular programs, was looking to feature a hypnotist.</p><p>Jones jumped at the opportunity and immediately began brainstorming ways to impress the judges.</p><p>“I didn’t watch the show, but I knew Howie Mandel was one of the judges, and he is famously afraid of germs,” Jones remembers. “I thought, ‘OK, I’ll hypnotize him, and I’ll get him to shake my hand.’”</p><p>During his audition, Jones used several techniques, including turning back an invisible clock, to hypnotize Mandel. NBC was not allowed to air the complete act, but producers did show one audience member who was so affected by Jones’ performance that she also became hypnotized.</p><p>Jones convinced Mandel to shake not only his hand — but the hands of fellow judges Howard Stern, Heidi Klum and Mel B.</p><p>The panel was equal parts stunned and impressed. And while Jones was ultimately eliminated during the Judge Cuts round, his viral performance was a major career boost.</p><p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p>
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<figcaption>Through hypnosis, Jones was able to shake hands with Howie Mandel, who famously struggles with a fear of germs.</figcaption>
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<p>He was able to raise his rates. He was invited to perform at bigger venues and overseas. And he was offered his own show on Facebook Watch, in which he demonstrated the power of hypnotism by working with celebrities such as John Cena, Pamela Anderson and Gabriel Iglesias.</p><p>Of course, Jones is aware of the skepticism that colors many people’s perception of hypnotism.</p><p>There’s a scientific explanation, he says, that has nothing to do with magic. And it is supported by numerous studies, including a 2016 study by Stanford University.</p><p>When a person is hypnotized, researchers say, parts of their brain experience altered activity and connectivity. This affects their ability to perceive what is happening around them. Sometimes, a disconnect will even form between the brain and the body, making them highly suggestible to instructions or commands.</p><p>“I don’t mind if people are skeptical. In fact, I encourage it,” Jones says. “Our opinions are our opinions, and they can change. I love when, after a show, someone says they started off skeptical, but now they see that it’s real.”</p><p>As his career has progressed, Jones has used his platform not just to share his passion for hypnotism, but to be a positive role model.</p><p>When he performs at colleges, he encourages students to look out for one another, to drink or party responsibly, and to treat others with kindness and respect.</p><p>If he could hypnotize humanity and issue one command, he says, he would tell people to get a passport, travel the world and experience different cultures.</p><p>He established the scholarship for the same purpose: enriching lives and communities through education.</p><p>“I want to support students who will get their education and go on to help people,” Jones says. “It’s like an elevator. Once you make it up, it should go back down for the next person.”</p><p><strong>Upcoming show</strong></p><p>Jones will be performing at UWL Saturday, Sept. 3, as part of New Student Orientation. The event is scheduled for 8 p.m. in The Bluffs inside the Student Union.</p><p><a href="/new-student-and-family/nso/schedules/" data-mce-href="/new-student-and-family/nso/schedules/">Learn more about New Student Orientation event offerings.</a></p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/chris-jones-feature-image.jpg/Medium" alt="Chris Jones, '08, is a world-renowned hypnotist and comedian who had his big break hypnotizing Howie Mandel during a 2015 episode of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.” Jones got his start performing card and magic tricks at UW-La Crosse." />
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<span class="section details">
<span class="title">Magic man</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Sunday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Aug.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>28</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></span>
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Renowned hypnotist Chris Jones got his start at UW-La Crosse
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/a-czech-experience/A Czech experience2022-06-08T10:15:00.757Z2022-06-08T10:15:00.757ZNhouchee Yanghttps://uwlax.edu/profile/nyang2/nyang2@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">10:15 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>June</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>8</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></p>
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<figcaption>UWL Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice Associate Professor Dawn Norris has been named a Fulbright Scholar. She will travel overseas during the spring 2023 semester to study job impacts in the Czech Republic. </figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">UW-La Crosse associate professor becomes Fulbright scholar</h3>
<p>A European trip to celebrate a 10<sup>th</sup> wedding anniversary sparked the dream of a Fulbright scholarship— which will soon become a reality.</p><p><a data-mce-href="/profile/dnorris/" href="/profile/dnorris/">UW-La Crosse Associate Professor Dawn Norris</a> and her husband visited Prague, Czech Republic, in 2019 upon the recommendation of a student in one of her courses. They loved the culture, architecture and history.</p><p>The trip left Norris, a Sociology and Criminal Justice Department faculty member, hungry to learn more about the central European country. She had many questions about how Czechs, who only exited a communist economy and entered a market economy about 30 years ago, might think about work today.</p><p>“A great deal of my existing research has focused on how job loss affects identity and mental health in the U.S.,” Norris notes. “So, I became curious about whether it would have the same effects in the Czech Republic, given their very different economic history and their fairly recent economic transition.”</p><p>That excitement propelled Norris to apply through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program from the U.S. Department of State. In May, she learned her proposal was accepted and she will travel overseas during the spring 2023 semester.</p><p>Fulbrighters engage in cutting-edge research and expand their professional networks, often continuing research collaborations started abroad and laying the groundwork for future partnerships. Upon returning to their institutions, labs and classrooms, they share stories and often become active supporters of international exchange, inviting foreign scholars to campus and encouraging colleagues and students to go abroad.</p><p>While her students won’t directly be involved while she is overseas, Norris has already been incorporating her firsthand experience of the Czech Republic into some of her sociology courses. That, in turn, has sparked students to brainstorm questions Norris can ask Czechs when she interviews them during her research. Students are especially interested in Norris asking Czech students about what it's like to be a college student there.</p><p>When she returns, Norris plans to engage students and colleagues on the importance and excitement of cross-cultural learning by presenting her research at an open forum. She also plans to integrate what she learns into her courses.</p><p>“I hope to directly connect Czech and U.S. students in virtual and in-person formats,” Norris explains. “For example, I am considering leading a study abroad tour in the Czech Republic for UWL undergraduates. There is&nbsp;so&nbsp;much for students to learn about how the way society is set up influences our opportunities, choices and ever our identities and mental health.”</p><p>Norris is also prepping for the Fulbright visit by studying the Czech language — something she’s done for almost two years.</p><p>“It is a beautiful language,” she notes. &nbsp;“Although I'm far from fluent, I can make myself understood in most common situations.”</p><p>Norris admits she’s only at the "beginner/intermediate" level, studying with an instructor who conducts the entire lesson in Czech.</p><p>“It's very exciting to be able to communicate in another language,” she notes. “It really opens up new worlds and I highly recommend that all undergraduates take at least one foreign language course.”</p><p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://eca.state.gov/fulbright" data-mce-href="https://eca.state.gov/fulbright">Fulbright Program</a>&nbsp;is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program and is supported by the people of the United States and partner countries around the world. The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.</p><p>More than 800 U.S. citizens will conduct research and teach abroad for the 2022-23 academic year. Norris is the 12<sup>th</sup> UWL faculty member to earn a Fulbright scholarship since 1999. See the others at: <a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/international-education/community-and-global-partners/fulbright/#tab-fulbright-scholar-program---facultystaff" data-mce-href="/international-education/community-and-global-partners/fulbright/#tab-fulbright-scholar-program---facultystaff">https://www.uwlax.edu/international-education/community-and-global-partners/fulbright/#tab-fulbright-scholar-program---facultystaff</a></p><p>Additionally, UWL May 2021 graduate Ally Hetto was recently selected for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship. Hetto will teach English as a Second Language to students in South Africa.&nbsp;</p><p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p>
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<h3>Dawn Norris</h3>
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<figcaption>Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice</figcaption>
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<p><strong><em>Years at UWL:</em></strong> 9</p><p><strong><em>Current courses: </em></strong>“Sociological Aspects of Work and Life,” “Sociology of Mental Illness,” “Generations and Age,” “Introduction to Sociology,” “Sociological Theory” and “First-Year Seminar on Freedom vs. Security.”</p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/2022-uwl-dawn-norris-fulbright-sociology-0024.jpg/Medium" alt="UWL Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice Associate Professor Dawn Norris has been named a Fulbright Scholar. She will travel overseas during the spring 2023 semester to study job impacts in the Czech Republic. " />
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<span class="title">A Czech experience</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">10:15 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>June</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>8</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></span>
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UW-La Crosse associate professor becomes Fulbright scholar
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/research-in-the-rotunda/Research in the Rotunda2022-03-03T12:24:06.023Z2022-03-02T15:26:00ZBrad Quarberghttps://uwlax.edu/profile/bquarberg/bquarberg@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">3:26 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>2</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></p>
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<figcaption>UWL students will join students at the state capitol for the 18th “Research in the Rotunda” from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 9. The event, pictured, was last held in 2020. </figcaption>
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<h3>UWL students sharing their outstanding research</h3>
<p>UW-La Crosse students will join dozens of undergraduates from all UW campuses Wednesday, March 9, when they display and discuss their research findings at the state capitol.</p><p>The outstanding undergraduate student researchers and their faculty advisers will showcase their work when Research in the Rotunda returns to mark the 18th annual event from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Capitol Rotunda. UW System President Tommy Thompson will give brief remarks at noon. It is free and open to the public.</p><p>Research in the Rotunda is sponsored by Kwik Trip, Wisconsin Manufacturers &amp; Commerce, the Wisconsin Technology Council, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, and the UW-Milwaukee Research Foundation. The event is supported by the Wisconsin Department of Administration and the UW-Madison Memorial Union.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The UWL students and their projects include:</p><ul><li><strong>Kassidy Leannais</strong>, Franklin, Wisconsin, Sociology Department, “How Political Efficacy Impacts Support for Redistributive Policies,” the study aims to find the potential correlation between political efficacy and support for government intervention of wealth inequality. Mentor: Carol Miller.</li></ul><p><br></p><ul><li><strong>Lauren Brewer</strong>, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Archaeology and Anthropology Department, “Collaborative Archaeological Analysis of Early 20th Century Tourism in Red Cliff, Wisconsin,” the project investigates the roles of the local Indigenous community in early tourism and its overall impact on the history of Red Cliff, which is of interest to modern tribal members. Mentor: Heather Walder.</li></ul><p><br></p><ul><li><strong>Mason Faldet</strong>, Waupaca, Wisconsin, Mathematics and Statistics Department, “Thickening the Figure-Eight Knot,” the project uses topology, a field of math often referred to as “rubber sheet geometry,” to study three-dimensional spaces and objects contained within them. Mentor: Whitney George.</li></ul><p><br></p><ul><li><strong>Halle Pavelski</strong>, Stevens Point, Wisconsin, Microbiology Department, “Determination of HPIV3 M Protein Regions Involved in Assembly and Release of Virus Particles,” the project aims to aid in developing antivirals for human parainfluenza virus III (HPIV3) that can cause lower respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia, croup and bronchiolitis — the leading cause of death in children under five. Mentor: Michael Hoffman.</li></ul><p><br></p><ul><li><strong>Hunter Charles</strong>, Spring Valley, Wisconsin, Microbiology Department, “Development of Yeast-coated Beads for the Inactivation of Tulane Virus, a Human Norovirus Surrogate, in Water,” the project aims to evaluate the efficacy of beads coated with yeast using chitosan or zein as the binding agent in inactivating Tulane virus, a surrogate for human norovirus, in water. Mentor: Xinhui Li.&nbsp;</li></ul><p><br></p><ul><li><strong>Annie Panico</strong>, Downers Grove, Illinois, Biology Department, “The Effects of Nitrate Exposure on Chlamydomonas reinhardtii,” the project addresses whether drinking water that contains excess nitrate leads to cancer. Mentor: Tony Sanderfoot.</li></ul><p><br></p><ul><li><strong>Sara Duffy,</strong> Greenville, Wisconsin, Biology Department, “Examining the Neurobehavioral Toxicity of the Emerging Contaminant Imidacloprid,” the project addresses the impact of an insecticide on fish development. Mentor: Tisha King-Heiden.&nbsp;</li></ul>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/2020-uwl-research-on-the-rotunda-madison-capitol-0253.jpg/Medium" alt="UWL students will join students at the state capitol for the 18th “Research in the Rotunda” from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 9. The event, pictured, was last held in 2020. " />
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<span class="title">Research in the Rotunda</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">3:26 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>2</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></span>
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UWL students sharing their outstanding research
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/reimagining-law-enforcement/Reimagining law enforcement2022-02-21T09:25:25.223Z2022-02-20T08:00:00ZNhouchee Yanghttps://uwlax.edu/profile/nyang2/nyang2@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Sunday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Feb.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>20</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></p>
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<figcaption>A course taught by UW-La Crosse Associate Professor Peter Marina and his father, longtime New Orleans Police Officer Pedro Marina, is designed to teach law enforcement to uphold each person's human rights.</figcaption>
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<h3>UWL human rights policing course building compassion among officers</h3>
<p>When Wisconsin Capitol Police Officer Andrew Hyatt crosses paths with someone who is homeless, he doesn’t see a person who is a problem.</p><p>He sees a person who has a story.</p><p>“Maybe some police officers are used to looking the other way when it comes to a problem that may be difficult to deal with, like a homeless person who needs resources and medical attention and all kinds of things,” Hyatt says. “For me, storytelling is something I'm really promoting to my coworkers: asking people how they ended up homeless or in and out of jail, where they came from, what their family was like, where they went to school. I think it gives them a new perspective and helps humanize us (as police officers), and certainly, hearing their stories humanizes them to me.”</p><p>Hyatt has always tried to take this approach in his police work, but it wasn’t until he took a human rights policing course led by <a data-mce-href="/profile/pmarina/" href="/profile/pmarina/">UW-La Crosse Associate Professor Peter Marina</a> that it really sank in.</p><p>The course, which Marina co-teaches with his father, Pedro Marina, a longtime New Orleans police officer, addresses systemic issues in policing by training law enforcement to uphold each person’s human rights. These include the right to life, liberty and security of person; and freedom from arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.</p><p>“Human rights is a relatively new concept in human civilization, and upon closer inspection, a radical concept,” Peter Marina explains. “Unfortunately, human rights remain just that — a concept, rarely practiced throughout the world. This human rights policing class teaches police officers and criminal justice professionals how to apply human rights to their interactions with community members while conducting police work. I believe that human rights policing can serve as a harbinger of social change in a world that desperately needs it.”</p><p>In creating the course, Marina combined human rights values with his knowledge and firsthand observations of law enforcement. He has participated in dozens of ride-alongs with police, at all times of day.</p><p>Working with police officers in the classroom — this is Marina’s third year offering the course — has also provided many valuable insights.</p><p>The time Marina has spent researching for the course and interacting with police officers inspired his new book, “Human Rights Policing: Reimagining Law Enforcement in the 21st Century,” which will be released in August.</p><p>The book explores Marina’s intellectual pursuits, policing research and overall experiences teaching law enforcement to embrace human rights policing in the communities they serve.</p><p>"Working closely with police officers allows one to gain unique insights into the world of law enforcement and the lives of police officers,” Marina says. “My research with police officers and experiences teaching them human rights served as important paths to writing what I hope to be a book that inspires us toward a path where human rights can become a reality in policing, and perhaps, the world."</p><p>The course provides both research-based and experiential perspectives on human rights policing, and pushes participants to reflect on their experiences in law enforcement. Assignments are designed so participants can incorporate human rights policing into their daily work.</p><p>Those who have completed the course say they gained an improved perspective of police work, as well as a deeper understanding of why some communities are historically distrusting of law enforcement.</p><p>“I enjoyed being exposed to more information I wouldn't necessarily have searched out and read,” one participant said. “As a person who is pretty new to this career field, I think it is important to be immersed in as much information and different options as possible. This will make me a better correctional officer and person in general.”</p><p>“It has helped me to think about police contacts from the perspective of the subject,” another participant added. “I have attempted to understand what the subject may be going through and to utilize empathy to understand how they may feel during the contact.”</p><p>For Hyatt, the knowledge he drew from the course has led to more meaningful and productive encounters with people he meets around the Capitol. That’s the best way to build trust, he says — one positive interaction after another.</p><p>“We have the ability to use our human agency to make a difference, help that person out, change the culture within our agency and set a new tone,” he says. “It’s not an outlier that we want to help people. It’s something we can do and should do.”</p><p><strong>Take the course</strong></p><p>UWL Graduate &amp; Extended Learning is offering the human rights policing course twice in the coming months: April 4-May 13 and June 20-July 29. To learn more or to register, visit <a href="http://www.uwlax.edu/ex/human-rights-policing" data-mce-href="http://www.uwlax.edu/ex/human-rights-policing">www.uwlax.edu/ex/human-rights-policing</a>.</p><p><strong>About UWL Graduate &amp; Extended Learning</strong></p><p>Graduate &amp; Extended Learning connects the university to the community by offering innovative educational opportunities including degree programs, professional development, youth programs, conference and event services, and test preparation.</p><p>For more information, visit <a href="https://www.uwlax.edu/gel/" data-mce-href="/gel/">www.uwlax.edu/gel</a>.</p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/2017_uwl_peter_marina_00372.jpg/Medium" alt="A course taught by UW-La Crosse Associate Professor Peter Marina and his father, longtime New Orleans Police Officer Pedro Marina, is designed to teach law enforcement to uphold each person's human rights." />
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<span class="title">Reimagining law enforcement</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">8 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Sunday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Feb.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>20</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></span>
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UWL human rights policing course building compassion among officers
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/ive-really-come-out-of-my-shell/‘I’ve really come out of my shell’2023-05-12T15:25:26.173Z2021-05-04T14:53:00ZBritney Heinemanhttps://uwlax.edu/profile/bheineman/bheineman@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">2:53 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Tuesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>May</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>4</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2021</span></p>
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<figcaption>Faith Fisher, a sociology major and psychology minor, is one of more than 1,500 soon-to-be graduates who will be honored at UW-La Crosse’s commencement Saturday, May 15. “I’ve grown a lot since my freshman year, when I was sometimes scared to put myself out there," she says. "I’ve really come out of my shell and stood up for what I believe in.”</figcaption>
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<h3>UWL May graduate reflects on transformative college experience</h3>
<p>Faith Fisher can sum up her college transformation in one word: confidence.</p><p>“The thing I’m most proud of is how much more comfortable I am in front of people, how much more comfortable I am in my beliefs,” says Fisher, a sociology major and psychology minor — one of more than 1,500 soon-to-be graduates who will be honored at UW-La Crosse’s commencement Saturday, May 15. “I’ve grown a lot since my freshman year, when I was sometimes scared to put myself out there. I’ve really come out of my shell and stood up for what I believe in.”</p><p>The Burlington native has been a stellar student and highly involved on campus.&nbsp;</p><p>She holds a 3.45 GPA, 3.5 in her major.</p><p>She has served in a variety of roles on campus, including resident assistant in Wentz Hall and several positions with the Student Association, most recently director of staff.</p><p>And she has devoted time to helping the broader community, interning at a La Crosse County Systems of Care camp for at-risk youth.</p><p><a data-mce-href="/profile/lkruse/" href="/profile/lkruse/" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">Lisa Kruse, associate professor of sociology and criminal justice</a>, says Fisher has been a model student, using her knowledge and experiences to enrich classroom discussions.</p><p>“She truly embodies the spirit of sociology in speaking truth to power,” Kruse says. “There are some students whose presence you know will increase the quality of your sociology classes because of their capacity for critical reflection, dedication to learning, and willingness to take on and challenge cultural narratives. Faith is one of those students. Her compassion and unwavering dedication to social justice is inspiring, and I have no doubt that we will be proud of the work she does.”</p><p>Fisher’s most fulfilling work on campus has been with the Student Association, which she joined as a freshman, representing the Asian Student Association. She remembers the first meeting being “long and intense,” but she quickly realized the group could make a positive difference.</p><p>As a junior, Fisher became the Student Association’s inclusivity director. In this role, she and her peers created a campaign bringing attention to sexual assault and domestic violence.</p><p>She also helped spearhead fundraising efforts for the Student Association’s Womxn of Color Scholarships. This year, the team exceeded their goal by raising $3,700 toward the scholarship program.</p><p>“That’s probably the thing I’m most proud of,” Fisher says. “Especially during COVID, money is tight and times are hard. I wasn’t expecting people to have this as their priority, but it was really exciting to see so much support and generosity.”</p><p>Fisher also left her mark on the La Crosse community.</p><p>The summer before her junior year, Fisher interned with the La Crosse County Systems of Care camp for at-risk youth. She and two other camp counselors spent the summer getting to know the children, taking them on trips and teaching them cooking, money management and other life skills.</p><p>“It was super fun, but it was also stressful and hard work at times,” Fisher says. “It was fun to build relationships with kids and figure out what works and what doesn’t work in terms of communication.”</p><p>Much of Fisher’s efforts have involved diversity and inclusion. Growing up in a predominantly white community, she learned at a young age to get off the sidelines and advocate for her beliefs.</p><p>“When it comes down to it, I’m a person of color, and I’ve seen how racial injustice not only affects the Asian community — but the Black community, the Native community and the Latinx community,” she says. “Hopefully we can inspire more people to be a part of the cause, and people will realize that we don’t only have racist people in our society, but racist infrastructure as well. Those structures won’t just go away — we have to change them.”</p><p>Fisher plans to continue doing her part.</p><p>After graduation, she and some friends are moving to Chicago. There, she will spend a year with City Year, an education nonprofit, working with at-risk children in the local school system.</p><p>“I’ve really liked UWL and La Crosse, but I’m excited to see a different atmosphere, different people and a different culture,” she says. “I’m a little nervous, but I’m definitely far more excited than nervous.”</p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/faith_fisher_feature2.jpg/Medium" alt="Faith Fisher, a sociology major and psychology minor, is one of more than 1,500 soon-to-be graduates who will be honored at UW-La Crosse’s commencement Saturday, May 15. “I’ve grown a lot since my freshman year, when I was sometimes scared to put myself out there," she says. "I’ve really come out of my shell and stood up for what I believe in.”" />
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<span class="title">‘I’ve really come out of my shell’</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">2:53 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Tuesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>May</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>4</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2021</span></span>
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UWL May graduate reflects on transformative college experience
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