Organized by students, a recent event at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville welcomed a panel of local teachers to share experiences and offer advice to future educators. The event was sponsored by Aspiring Educators at UW-Platteville – a student organization that aims to provide a safe and welcoming place for future educators to collaborate with other future educators.

“The main goal I had for running this panel was to give students the opportunity to speak with teachers in the field and offer them a chance to hear about real-world experiences that teachers are having in the classroom and insight into what a day as a teacher looks like,” said Carly Jacquart, a junior elementary education major from Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and vice president of Aspiring Educators. According to Jacquart, 80 members of the organization attended the panel.

A call to serve has fueled Ray LaVoie his entire life. That need to help others has led the M.S. in Organizational Change Leadership graduate to support his country by working for the Government Accountability Office (GAO) – although his journey to this career has been unique.

LaVoie first heeded the call to serve after earning a master's degree in theology. He began his working career as a minister, providing spiritual care to his community for more than a decade. Still, he felt he could be doing more.

"It was important for me to serve my country," LaVoie said. I felt that call to serve others in that unique role of being a chaplain."

As a chaplain, LaVoie helped facilitate the religious needs of his unit. Chaplains also serve as staff officers, providing support to the command team, crisis management, counseling and much more.

Yesterday, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and the University of Wisconsin-Platteville  announced the Beginning a Career in the Meat Industry programming, a half-day course designed for college and high school students who want to learn more about careers in the meat sector.

Dozens of students from across all three colleges at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville came together for the fifth annual Holiday Toy Hack, to modify electronic toys for children with special needs. The three-hour event took place on Nov. 19, at the new Huff Family Innovation Center in Sesquicentennial Hall. According to Dr. Hal Evensen, professor of engineering physics and Holiday Toy Hack organizer, 50 students participated and ‘hacked’ 55 toys which will be donated to area families, organizations and clinics.

Faculty from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville School of Education delivered three presentations at the 2022 National Rural Education Association’s (NREA) Convention and Research Symposium held in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Oct. 20-21. Seven instructors from the School of Education attended the event, including Dr. Douglas Adams; Dr. Erin Anderson; Dr. Joshua Anderson; Jessica Brogley; Dr. Edina Haslauer; Dr. Lindsay Hollingsworth and Dr. Austin Rickels.

“I love my job. I love counseling,” said Brittany Howell, multicultural specialist and counselor at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. “Being a former student of color on campus and to now help current students navigate the same journey, it’s full circle.”

Howell, a licensed professional counselor, earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UW-Platteville and returned to her alma mater in December 2021, with the focus of providing counseling services to minority student populations. In her role, Howell facilitates programming including Mental Health Monday, a weekly multicultural support group and is the liaison for the athletics department in providing mental health resources to student-athletes. Howell explains how the outreach programs allow students to have a safe place to engage in open dialogue about mental health topics.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville School of Education students enrolled in Community Based Learning recently traveled to architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin, near Spring Green, Wisconsin, for a tour and lab day. The experience was a lesson in place-based education – a foundational component of UW-Platteville’s School of Education that focuses on using students’ own communities, including the history, culture and environment, as a primary resource for learning.

“The tour and lab day really opened my eyes to how much hands-on experience you can get from the things around you,” said Carly Jacquart, a junior elementary education major from Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. “Working with the community, like we are doing for this class, is an amazing way to gain experience and generate new ideas.”

The Clay Club at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville is hosting the fourth annual Platteville Empty Bowls and Chili Cook-Off event on Saturday, Nov. 19 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Platteville City Hall Council Chambers. All proceeds from the event will support the Platteville Food Pantry and Pioneer Provisions, the free pantry and grocery service on campus for students experiencing food insecurity.

Empty Bowls is a grass roots movement that originated at a Michigan high school in 1990. Since then, thousands of clubs, schools, studios and home potters across the globe have worked to support food-related charitable organizations and have raised millions of dollars to help end hunger. According to its website, Empty Bowls is recognized worldwide for the contributions they make to their local communities.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Foundation was honored yesterday with the National Philanthropy Day Award by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Tri-State Chapter.

“This award is a notable and appropriate recognition of the extraordinary efforts and accomplishments of the staff of the UW-Platteville Foundation,” said Joe Denk, chair of the foundation. “I am pleased to express heartiest congratulations on behalf of the board of directors.”

Coming off its third consecutive year of record fundraising, the UW-Platteville Foundation was recognized in the category of Outstanding Philanthropic Organization. According to its website, “the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Tri-State Chapter honors donors and volunteers whose gifts of time, expertise and resources make a significant contribution to the success of the nonprofit agencies and institutions they serve.”

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville's highly-regarded Master of Science in Criminal Justice program has earned more accolades. Recently, the program was recognized as one of the Top 10 Online Criminal Justice Master's programs in the nation by Online Schools Guide. The rankings were based on affordability and reputation.



The Criminal Justice master's program is specifically designed to provide foundational knowledge and a solid foundation for students looking to advance their careers in countless fields, including law enforcement, private security and human services. The master's program has opened new doors to many students by providing advanced knowledge through its three distinct emphasis areas: Criminal Justice Theory, Criminal Justice Management and Victim and Offender Services.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville dedicated a Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2022. The memorial honors 12 UW-Platteville students and alumni who were killed in action in the Vietnam War. Nearly 300 people were in attendance at the dedication ceremony, including next of kin and friends of the 12 veterans being honored.

“It is with great privilege to be here today, to honor our veteran students and alumni and to pay respect to our fallen students who gave their lives in Vietnam,” said Interim Chancellor Dr. Tammy Evetovich. “As Pioneers, I know we all recognize the importance of today, the impact this will have on us tomorrow and the true value of freedom that is our future.”

The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program is one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students, recognizing up to 161 students each year. Among the 2022 honorees is Cameron Pokorny, now a freshman software engineering major at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

“Being recognized as a U.S. Presidential Scholar was a tremendous honor,” said Pokorny. “I was proud to represent my family and community on the national level as a student who has achieved greatly in scholastic and service-based endeavors.”

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville's Department of Performing and Visual Arts-Theatre and Pioneer Players will present William Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, “Macbeth.”  Performances are Nov. 16 at 11 a.m., Nov. 16-19 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 20 at 2 p.m.  All performances are in the Center for the Arts Theatre. The Nov. 16 performance at 7:30 p.m. is also the Benefit Wednesday performance.  All tickets for Benefit Wednesday are $7, and the proceeds go to the Platteville Food Pantry and Pioneer Provisions, a free pantry/grocery service on campus which all currently enrolled students experiencing food insecurity are eligible to utilize.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Department of Performing and Visual Arts and the Performing Arts Series will present Duke Ellington’s "The Nutcracker Suite" on Thursday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. in the Richard and Helen Brodbeck Concert Hall. Performed by Madison’s Darren Sterud Orchestra, the event will feature legendary jazz musician, LeRoy Jones. The Nutcracker Suite album was released in 1960 and features jazz interpretations of Tchaikovsky’s 1892 ballet arranged by Ellington and Billy Strayhorn.

“We are very excited to bring this Madison holiday tradition to Platteville,” said Ann Farrelly, professor of theatre at UW-Platteville and coordinator of the Performing Arts Series.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville has long been known as a pioneer in the field of distance education. That reputation and experience were recognized again, as UW-Platteville was named as offering the best online student services in the state by Intelligent.com.

Intelligent based the rankings on six categories: tuition costs, admission, retention and graduation rates, faculty and reputation, as well as the student resources provided for online students. UW-Platteville earned its ranking, in part, because of its student advisory board, mentorship program, student support opportunities and abundance of other online student resources.

In 2020, four University of Wisconsin-Platteville senior design civil engineering students were tasked with the project of solving the parking lot concerns at the American Players Theatre (APT) in Spring Green, Wisconsin. Together Ryan Henning, Drew Archie, Keegan Flynn and Josh Hendrickson presented their findings to the company, not realizing a couple years later APT would be receiving a nearly $1 million Tourism Capital Investment Grant from the state to embark on those parking lot improvements.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Department of Performing and Visual Arts will host its annual November Show in the Art Building from Nov. 6 through Dec. 16, with an opening reception on Wednesday, Nov. 16 from 4-6 p.m.

The November Show is the annual exhibition of student works of art from the past year. This exhibition showcases the work that has been created by all students – first-year through graduating seniors – and features all disciplines: drawing and painting, design, illustration, printmaking, sculpture and ceramics.

The former University of Wisconsin-Platteville Chancellor House, located at 895 W. Main St., is now listed for sale. 

The university received permission from the UW Board of Regents last month to sell the 1.028-acre property, which the university has owned since 1997. The colonial-style house contains 4,742 square feet and includes four bedrooms and three full and one-half bathrooms. 

The house was not only home to the leader of the institution, but also served as a social gathering place for various campus groups, such as student organizations, faculty and staff.  

The home was originally built in 1934 and was purchased by UW-Platteville from an alumnus in 1997. 

The listing may found here.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville chancellor search and screen committee has added listening sessions on each branch campus, adding to those already announced on the main campus.

The branch campus listening sessions are:

Thursday, November 3, UW-Platteville Richland

Campus Listening Session

1:30-2:30 p.m.

Pippin Conference Room, Melvill Hall

 

Community Member Listening Session

3-4 p.m.

Pippin Conference Room, Melvill Hall

Wednesday, November 9, UW-Platteville Baraboo Sauk County

Campus Listening Session

1:30-2:30 p.m.

Rodems Room, Aural Umhoefer Building

Community Member Listening Session

3-4 p.m.

Rodems Room, Aural Umhoefer Building

 

The previously announced main campus sessions are:

Monday, October 31

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville College of Liberal Arts and Education Faculty Forum Series will continue on Thursday, Nov. 3 with a presentation by Dr. Douglas Adams and Dr. Edina Haslauer titled “Building a Rurally Responsive Place-Based Education Program.”

Adams and Haslauer aim to respond to the Wisconsin Idea and the teacher shortage through their qualitative longitudinal Quality Improvement study.

The presenters stated that, “For our new kindergarten through ninth grade major, we engage with cutting edge, rurally responsive, place-based and critical pedagogies with social justice emphasis. This study allows us to assess what works and what can be improved as we train teachers for our ever-changing rural schools and classrooms.”

Open to the public, the forum will take place in Room 136, Doudna Hall from 5-6:30 p.m. Refreshments will be provided.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Department of Industrial Studies will host Mike Bellaman, president and CEO of the national Associated Builders and Contractors organization, on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. in Room 103, Doudna Hall.

ABC is a national trade association representing more than 21,000 members from 68 chapters across the United States. Bellaman has served in the role of president and CEO since 2011, in which he helps members develop people, win work and deliver that work safely, ethically and profitably. Bellaman will discuss his career path.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville has a big supporter in Hensel Phelps – a commercial contractor and construction company headquartered in Colorado. The company comes to construction events, career fairs and has partnered with the university to speak to classes and host alumni Zoom events, providing faculty and students with insight into the construction industry and what the changes and challenges are.

“The benefits of partnering with Hensel Phelps are endless,” said Gretchen Bockenhauer, program coordinator and assistant professor in the construction management program at UW-Platteville.

UW-Platteville alumni at Hensel Phelps are part of UW-Platteville’s advisory boards, which help give direction for changes in the construction management and construction safety management programs.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Collegiate Soils Team took first place overall in the 65th annual Region 3 Collegiate Soils Contest, held Oct. 18-21. The event was held in Champaign, Piatt and McClean counties in Illinois and was hosted by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Participating in the event were 68 students from seven universities: UW-Platteville, UW-Stevens Point, Purdue University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Southern Illinois University, Grand Valley State University and The Ohio State University.

Two University of Wisconsin-Platteville environmental horticulture students, Kassidy Kleeber and Braden Meyers, attended the ELEVATE conference last month in Orlando, Florida, as student ambassadors.

“This was an amazing opportunity for our students to assist with educational sessions, interact directly with top leaders in our industry and develop mentor relationships to help them as they start their own careers,” said Dr. Donita Cartmill, environmental horticulture program coordinator and professor at UW-Platteville.

UW-Platteville Community, this message provides an update regarding the Chancellor search. Below is a short description of the essential duties of a Chancellor in the UW-System. We thought it would be helpful to share this foundational information so that our campus community started with a shared understanding of a Chancellor’s required role before we start collecting thoughts and ideas specific to the next UW-Platteville Chancellor.  

University of Wisconsin System Chancellor Position Description 

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville recently rolled out its first women-focused mentoring program for criminal justice majors, in collaboration with the Wisconsin Department of Justice and the UW-Madison Center for Law, Society, and Justice. The University of Wisconsin Women in Criminal Justice Mentoring Program provides students with mentors from multiple agencies at the federal, state and local levels. 

The program kicked off with a virtual speed mentoring event that introduced students to the participating mentors, so they could get to know them before selecting the mentor-mentee pairings. 

Twenty-two UW-Platteville students are participating in the program, including Hannah Christian, a current student in UW-Platteville’s Master of Science in Criminal Justice online program.   

University of Wisconsin-Platteville senior Beck Hanner is being honored with the 2022 Dr. P.B. Poorman Award for Outstanding Achievement on Behalf of LGBTQ People. The annual award recognizes UW System faculty, staff, students or community members for their excellence in advocacy, research, teaching or service on behalf of the LGBTQ+ communities. Hanner is the first UW-Platteville student to receive this award.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville is the recipient of a highly-selective McNair Scholars Program Grant that will award a total of more than $1.3 million over a five-year period. The U.S. Department of Education’s Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program provides grants to institutions of higher education for projects designed to support diverse, first-generation, low-income students with effective preparation for doctoral studies. 

The seventh annual University of Wisconsin-Platteville Pioneers Day of Giving, held Oct. 6-7, received over 675 donations totaling more than $166,000 from students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends and corporate partners. This year’s largest gift was $25,000 for the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering.

“Many thanks to the donors who made the Pioneers Day of Giving another worthy and successful initiative of the UW-Platteville Foundation,” said UW-Platteville Foundation Board of Directors Chair Joe Denk. “An increase in donors over the previous year led to an increase in funds raised and will enable the Foundation to grow the support it provides to the university.”

Gerald Gunderson, a 1965 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, has been described by those who knew him as living modestly and giving generously to others. Gunderson passed away in 2021, but his generosity will continue to impact UW-Platteville students for generations to come, thanks to a more than $1 million estate gift – one of the largest estate gifts in the UW-Platteville Foundation’s history.

With a lifelong passion for nature and science, Gunderson earned a general science degree from UW-Platteville and later received his master’s degree in biology from Northern Michigan University. He taught middle school science for 30 years and had an interest in collecting fossils, which began in his early teens and continued well past retirement. His interest took him on fossil digs across the country. He was instrumental in major fossil discoveries, wrote or contributed to a dozen papers and even had three fossils named after him.  

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville and Northeast Iowa Community College recently signed three new articulation agreements that will streamline transfer opportunities for students pursuing agriculture. 

“UW-Platteville and NICC have an established history of transfer agreements providing clear academic pathways for students continuing their education,” said Dr. Charles Steiner, interim dean of the UW-Platteville College of Business, Industry, Life Science and Agriculture. “These new pathways provide additional opportunities for students in critical areas of need within agribusiness, soil and crop science and dairy science.” 

The agreements establish pathways of transfer for NICC’s Associate of Applied Science degrees in Agriculture Business, Conservation Agronomist and Dairy Science Technology to UW-Platteville’s Bachelor of Science degree programs in Agribusiness, Soil and Crop Science and Dairy Science, respectively. 

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Department of Performing and Visual Arts will welcome ceramic artist Jason Briggs on Thursday, Oct. 6 and Friday, Oct. 7 for two days of live demonstrations, an artist lecture and discussions with students about their work and ideas. 

“Having access to an internationally recognized artist at the top of his game is an invaluable opportunity for our students,” said Scott Steder, lecturer of art at UW-Platteville. “The demonstrations give an in-depth look into technical processes, and the lecture will breathe life into the concepts he explores.”

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville has been named a 2022-23 Military Friendly School. The university has participated in the Military Friendly survey for the past three years, each year being granted the designation of Military Friendly School.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science is now offering a new undergraduate degree in computer engineering. The program launched this fall with several students already declaring the major. Previously, computer engineering was only offered as an emphasis under electrical engineering. According to Dr. Asad Azemi, professor and chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the new program supports major themes in the university’s strategic plan. 

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville will start Homecoming week on Sunday, Oct. 9, with celebrations ending at the lighting of the “M” on Saturday, Oct. 15. This year’s theme is “Haunted Homecoming.” The week will be filled with student activities, athletic events, alumni reunions and Pioneer pride.

The first student event will be a kickball tournament on Oct. 9 at East Turf Practice Field from 1-4 p.m. Other campus events will include a banner ceremony and team trivia, tug of war, house decorations, yell night and coronation. Yell night will take place on Oct. 14 as the UW-Platteville women’s volleyball team hosts UW-La Crosse. The match starts at 7 p.m. at Bo Ryan Court.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville College of Liberal Arts and Education opens the 2022-23 season of the LAE Faculty Forum Series on Thursday, Oct. 6 with Dr. Adam Stanley’s presentation of “How the Undead Came Alive: The Vampire in European Culture” with Dr. David Gillota, associate professor in the English department, as the respondent.

“European folklore has long included myriad tales of various monsters and evil creatures, but the vampire as a particular phenomenon has arisen and gained wide currency only in the past few centuries,” said Stanley, professor and chair of the Department of History at UW-Platteville. “This presentation will be a historical examination of the emergence of the vampire image in European culture, culminating with the publication of Bram Stoker's ‘Dracula’ in 1897.”

Dr. Risper Nyairo is working to change the future of sustainability in the Platteville area, which starts in part by reconstructing the past. Nyairo, a postdoctoral scholar in the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Environmental Sciences and Society program, is conducting a feasibility study on the potential of linking more local producers to the university’s Dining Services, in order to increase local food offerings and promote sustainable practices within the local watershed. 

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville will celebrate its 2022 Distinguished and Outstanding Alumni Award recipients at the Alumni Association Awards on Friday, Oct. 14 in the Richard and Helen Brodbeck Concert Hall, Center for the Arts at 5 p.m. The event recognizes individuals for accomplishments in their careers, contributions to the community and service to the university. The ceremony is part of the university’s annual Homecoming celebration weekend.

The Distinguished Alumni Award winners are Jim Ryan, Lana Wiese, Jill Furman, Kevin McMullen, Richard H. Weber and Dr. Tori Erickson. The Outstanding Alumni Award winner is Aaron Athas.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville invites the campus community and the public to the eighth annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day Lecture, featuring Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Daniel who will share the message of “Running for Justice.” The event will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 6 p.m. in Nohr Gallery, Ullsvik Hall.

“Since 2015, the goal of the UW-Platteville Indigenous Peoples’ Day Lecture is to amplify Native American voices at this institution,” said Dr. Eugene Tesdahl, associate professor of history and founder of this event. “Even today, these speakers connect with community members, students, staff and faculty. Observing Indigenous Peoples’ Day makes UW-Platteville a stronger and more welcoming university.”

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Department of Performing and Visual Arts-Theatre and Pioneer Players will open their 2022-2023 season with Madison-native Aaron Posner’s “Life Sucks.” Performances are Oct. 5 at 11 a.m., Oct. 5-8 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 9 at 2 p.m. in the Center for the Arts Theatre. The performance on Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m. is also the Benefit Wednesday show. All tickets for Benefit Wednesday are $7, and the proceeds go to the Platteville Food Pantry and Pioneer Provisions, a free pantry/grocery service on campus which all currently enrolled students experiencing food insecurity are eligible to utilize. 

Dr. Lindsay Hollingsworth, interim director of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville School of Education, was invited to serve as a member of the Advisory Council on Rural Schools, Libraries and Communities on behalf of Wisconsin State Superintendent Dr. Jill K. Underly. 

The Advisory Council focuses on a range of community concerns that affect rural areas, including education and overall quality-of-life issues. The council will examine the increasing challenges facing rural school districts, including revenue caps, declining enrollments, high-cost programs, reductions in categorical aids and increasing transportation expenses. The council, with input from rural school and community leaders, will identify the array of services and financial resources needed to support rural schools and communities. 

MADISON, Wis.—Karen Walsh, President of the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents, and Jay Rothman, President of the UW System, today appointed a 14-member Search and Screen Committee to help identify the next UW-Platteville chancellor.

Regent Cris Peterson will chair the Search and Screen Committee. Christina Curras, Professor and Department Chair, Civil and Environmental Engineering, will be vice chair. Other members of the committee are:

There’s more to Becca Bartusewich than meets the eye. 

In addition to being an instructor, most know her as the advising manager for the Office of Professional Program Support at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville – but these titles only form part of the picture. Outside of overseeing a team of advisors and their 1,100 distance students, both graduates and undergraduates, Bartusewich maintains a different educational passion. One that doesn’t involve the people of the present, but those of the past.

Bartusewich is an archaeologist at heart. A quick glimpse at her educational background reinforces this fact, as she’s earned two master’s degrees – one in ancient history, the other in ceramic and lithic analysis – and a Ph.D. in anthropology over the past 14 years. Hers is a long journey filled with many highlights, yet most don’t know it all began with a single misstep.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville recently awarded five faculty research fellowships to help increase dairy-related research capacity through the Dairy Innovation Hub initiative. Known as the Dairy Industry Impact Innovation Faculty Fellowships, or “DI3 faculty fellowships,” selected faculty members will tackle research projects in the Hub’s four priority areas: stewarding land and water resources; enriching human health and nutrition; ensuring animal health and welfare; and growing farm business and communities.

The Dairy Innovation Hub, which launched in 2019, harnesses research and development at UW-Madison, UW-Platteville and UW-River Falls campuses to keep Wisconsin’s dairy community at the global forefront in producing nutritious dairy products in an economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable manner. It is supported by a $7.8 million annual investment by the state of Wisconsin.

For 20 years, Academic Advisor Joanna Muller has helped students reach their educational goals. On Sept. 29, that hard work will be officially recognized on the statewide stage when the Wisconsin Academic Advising Association (WACADA) awards Muller the Advising Excellence Award.

Muller advises undergraduate distance students across various academic areas for the Office of Professional Program Support. The Advising Excellence Award is granted to advisors with strong interpersonal skills, mastery of institutional regulations and procedures, and the ability to build strong relationships with their advisees. Muller said she is honored to receive this recognition and play a role in helping thousands of students navigate their educational journey.

They say good things come in threes. If that's the case, students at Madison College and UW-Platteville will be happy to learn about three new transfer agreements between the schools. They involve programs in business management, construction management and criminal justice. 

"For our collective students, these agreements provide a clear path toward a bachelor’s degree, or higher, in these exciting and high demand fields," said Dr. Turina Bakken, provost of Madison College. 

The agreements will allow Madison College students to transfer their associate degree credits directly to UW-Platteville's bachelor's degree programs.

Caleb Christiansen, a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and member of the cross country and track and field programs, has always been interested in renewable energy. As an engineering physics major with an emphasis in electrical engineering and minor in sustainability and renewable energy systems, his summer internship at Pierce Manufacturing gave him hands-on experience with a company that is investing heavily in the electrification of their vehicles. 

Pierce Manufacturing is a part of the Oshkosh Corporation, with four manufacturing sites in the Appleton, Wisconsin area and one in Bradenton, Florida. Being the technological leader in the firefighting apparatus industry, Pierce designed and built the first electric fire truck in North America. This technology demonstrator is currently in front-line use at the Madison Fire Department in Madison, Wisconsin. 

Megan Maddaleno is beginning her first full academic year as director of orchestral activities at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and said she is looking forward to expanding the UW-Platteville Symphony Orchestra and enhancing its presence in the Platteville community. 

Maddaleno joined the UW-Platteville Department of Performing and Visual Arts last February. As a trained violinist, she earned her undergraduate degree in music education from Webster University, in St. Louis, Missouri. She served as director of orchestras at Columbia Public Schools in Missouri, before eventually continuing her education. She earned her master’s degree and is in the process of finishing her doctoral degree – both in orchestral conducting — from the University of Iowa.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville announced its preliminary fall enrollment estimates, which include 1,430 students in the new freshman class – a 13% increase over last year.

"I am encouraged by this tremendous increase in the freshman class, and I look forward to building on this momentum by continuing to focus on improving recruitment, as well as retention rates,” said UW-Platteville Interim Chancellor Dr. Tammy Evetovich. “Everyone at the university plays a role in recruitment. This achievement is a testament to the tireless work of all of our faculty and staff, whom I thank for their commitment to serving our students and providing them with the best education." 

Total projected enrollment at UW-Platteville for the 2022-23 academic year is 6,462. 

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville is the recipient of a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation, which will create a unique scholarship program for civil and environmental engineering students and help bring an increased focus on equity in infrastructure to the field.

The Sociocultural and Place-Aware Civil and Environmental Scholars, or SPACES, program will establish two cohorts of 12 students each, for incoming civil and environmental engineering students entering in fall 2023 and fall 2024. Eligible participants will be from low-income backgrounds and will receive a scholarship of up to $10,000, renewable each year. The program’s focus is on developing engineers who have a holistic community and place-based perspective and influencing the future civil and environmental engineering workforce to produce solutions that appropriately address justice, equity and inclusion.