Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE - The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Residence Hall Association won nine awards at the 2008 Wisconsin United Residence Hall Association annual conference held at St. Norbert College, DePere.

WURHA is a state organization that has 17 affiliate schools and holds a conference every spring. This year's WURHA had a Hollywood theme and UWP's theme was James Bond. Because of the Hollywood theme, all awards handed out were mocked up like an Oscar.

UW-Platteville's RHA bid for five awards and won all five. Winning were Kenny Brotheridge for Student of the Year, Jessica Vretenar for Wisconsin Communication Coordinator of the Year and Jeremy Pietkauskic for NRHH member of the Year. The UW-Platteville NRHH Chapter won Chapter of the Year and the bid to host next year's conference. A bid is a document prepared by each school following requirements set out by the WURHA constitution.

In addition, they won four awards that they didn't bid for. Jay Geis and Vretenar won the STAR award given out by the president of WURHA. The National Residence Hall Honorary Chapter won gold status for their participation in the state and the chapter won the Large School Banner award.

"The students of these organizations work so hard and for them to be recognized in this way is icing on the cake," Andrea Thede, RHA advisor, said. "It is great watching them learn and develop into these unbelievable adults."

For the second time in WURHA history, UWP will be hosting the WURHA conference. The only other time this happened was back in 1990, when the organization formed.

"It was an amazing [awards] night. I was extremely proud of everyone who participated in the bid writing and who represented UWP in the delegation," Vretenar, UW-Platteville's WCC, said. "It's a huge honor to host this conference next year. The date for the conference is Feb. 6 to 8, 2009."

UW-Platteville's RHA submitted six program proposals, all of which were accepted. A program proposal is registering to present a program for the conference. Delegates from different schools with different perspectives present all programs on one day of the conference.

"A lot of times the students that go to these conferences end up becoming student leaders on the UWP campus," Thede said. "They get a taste of what leadership can bring to their lives and they are hooked into making the experience at college the best."

Contact: Jessica Vretenar, RHA Wisconsin communication coordinator, vretenarj@uwplatt.edu Written by: Kolina Stieber, UWP Office of Public Relations, (608) 342-1194, stieberk@uwplatt.edu