Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE - Growing up in a Milwaukee suburb, Matthew Lange didn't get much exposure to farming, but now the preservation of family farms is among his chief interests. For a man who said he came to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville to expand his horizons, it's safe to say he succeeded. An East Troy native, Lange has been selected to deliver the valedictory address at one of two UW-Platteville spring commencement ceremonies May 7.

Lange's interests and aspirations are diverse. He plans to graduate with degrees in political science and agri-business, and said his future work will combine these disciplines. While he is considering a number of possibilities upon graduation, including law school, graduate school and study abroad, he first plans to return to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture and resume work counseling farmers in financial distress and helping arbitrate disputes among farming entities.

One of his primary interests is the role of the family farmer in U.S. society, an interest that came as something of a surprise to family and friends. Growing up, all he knew about farming was what he could learn from the backseat of the family car. After being introduced to a farm by his brother-in-law, he realized that working on the farm was some of the hardest work he was ever likely to perform, but something he enjoyed immensely. "After that, I realized I wanted to be in a position to help independent farmers be self-sustaining. I want to bring whatever skills I have to helping people find marketing niches and ways to compete in global trade," he said.

Lange has worked at area organic and commercial farms, at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture's Farm Center, and at the Michael Fields Agriculture Institute, where he studied sustainable agriculture techniques. Lange first came to UW-Platteville in 2001, and said the university's strong academic faculty, small class sizes and inter-personal campus environment help foster the exchange of ideas. "I think of UWP as independent-minded, a place to get excellent classroom training and real-world practical experience. It's more than just the fact that we have the enormous expertise ... we also have small classroom sizes where people can have great discussions and benefit from talking to people who can approach problems from different perspectives," Lange said. "I can walk down the hall and professors know and greet me by name. If I have a problem, there's always someone, and probably several people, willing to help. I'm just not sure there are many campuses that can offer that sort of personal attention."

In addition to his major course studies, Lange also minored in international relations with a focus on Middle Eastern studies. He was involved in several student organizations and extra-curricular activities at UWP. Lange has been a member of the Alpha Zeta honor fraternity, and was selected to represent UWP as an Agri-Ambassador and as a UW System Ambassador. A member of the UWP Pre-Law Society and the American Agricultural Law Association, Lange has participated in the National Mediation Tournament. Additionally, in 2003 and 2004, he enrolled in a mediation and negotiation course at Drake University Law School where his fellow participants were practicing attorneys.

In 2004, Lange served as an on-air host for UWP's annual Wisconsin Badger Camp Telethon, a drive to raise funds for people with developmental disabilities. Also in 2004, Lange helped raise money to fight hunger when he and two friends traveled to 40 George Webb restaurants in the Milwaukee area. In three days Lange and his friends raised nearly $3,000 for the Milwaukee-based Hunger Task Force by eating more than 150 hamburgers. The son of Carol and Gerald Lange, East Troy, Lange will deliver the valedictory address at the 2 p.m. ceremony for graduates from the Colleges of Engineering, Mathematics and Sciences and Liberal Arts and Education during UW-Platteville's spring commencement May 7.

Contact: Barb Daus, Special Assistant to the Chancellor, (608) 342-1282,daus@uwplatt.edu Prepared By: Evelyn Martens and Dan Lehnherr, UWP Public Relations, (608) 342-1194,martense@uwplatt.edu,lehnherd@uwplatt.edu