Note from the Director

A Message from the Director…  

Greetings and welcome to University Centers!  

My name is Kyle Burke, and it is my sincere honor and privilege to serve as the Director of University Centers and Student Engagement at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Since joining the UWL community in March 2021, I have grown to appreciate just how special this institution is. From our dedicated faculty and staff, to our passionate and committed students, UWL is a remarkable place to learn, grow, and thrive. 

I continue to be in awe of the excellent programs and services that University Centers provides to our students and greater UWL community. None of this would be possible without the hard work and expertise of the University Centers team. Together we have accomplished great things over the past year and have exciting things planned during the year to come. My sincerest appreciation to each member of the University Centers team for all your hard work and dedication. 

I would like to take this opportunity to provide you with a few highlighted achievements from the past year. With the assistance of numerous campus partners, the University Centers team successfully: 

• Produced the second annual Eagle Fest which saw over 5,000 student, staff, faculty, and local community attendees 
• Engaged 92.5% of new first-year students and 79% of second-year students in at least one activity/program/service during the first six weeks of the fall semester 
• Continued to develop our signature programs, including: the Chancellor’s Volunteer Service Award program and the UWL chapter of the National Society of Leadership and Success 
• Implemented the new residential and off-campus Dining Plans 
• Recognized students for performing 16,141 volunteer service hours on campus and in the local community (a 55% increase from the 2021-2022 school year) 
• Reached a milestone of over 75,000 OZZI reusable meal containers used at the Student Union and Whitney Center 
• Continued efforts to add energy and vitality to the Student Union through the installation of vinyl signage and photos 

Some of our goals for the 2023-2024 academic year include: continuing our efforts to focus on the engagement of our first-and second-year students, supporting student wellness initiatives, streamlining the promotion of campus activities and events, and to build upon our initiatives to engage our students in campus activities, programs, and volunteer service. As we approach our work towards these goals, it is imperative that we keep the holistic well-being of our students and their success at the forefront of our efforts.  

The University Centers department, and the buildings we operate, will continue to be safe and inclusive environments. We remain dedicated to celebrating the diversity of our community in an equitable and inclusive manner. As always, we hope that you will get involved in the many programs and services that we provide and take time to enjoy your campus living room. I hope to see you in “The U” very soon!   

Take good care!  

Kyle E. Burke

Director, University Centers and Student Engagement