The University of Wisconsin-Platteville will dedicate a new Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. The memorial will honor the following UW-Platteville students and alumni killed in action:

University of Wisconsin-Platteville alumnus Tommy Jacobs spends his days bringing people’s imagination to life. As a custom lead design engineer at Landscape Structures, in Delano, Minnesota, it’s his job to take clients’ most creative ideas for playgrounds and turn them into reality. 

“Every day is always different,” said Jacobs. “We are building a brand-new product in some fashion each day, so it’s never stagnant. But, it’s also one of the most rewarding jobs to have – building things for communities and kids to be able to interact, grow and develop.”

Jacobs is originally from Hartland, Wisconsin and graduated from UW-Platteville in 2010 with a degree in mechanical engineering. He has worked with Landscape Structures for nearly five years and oversees a team of nine engineers. 

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Visual Arts program will present “The Figure in Multiple Dimensions,” featuring works by professional artists Amy Fichter, Jason Ruhl and Jason Briggs in Nohr Gallery, Ullsvik Hall. The exhibition will run from Sept. 7 through Monday, Oct. 17, with an opening reception on Tuesday, Sept. 13 from 3:30-4:30 p.m.

The exhibition consists of both 2D and 3D art works and runs in conjunction with the Drawing III and Clay Figure Sculpture courses being taught this semester, both of which are primarily concerned with drawing and sculpting the human figure. 

“There is nothing more familiar than the human figure,” said Scott Steder, lecturer of art at UW-Platteville. “While our courses are largely focused on working from direct observation, we want our students to see that this is only the foundation of many works. The figure can be a deeply contemplated subject that allows us to explore a wide range of concepts.” 

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science is bringing real-world engineering projects to students, faculty and friends of the university with the fall 2022 EMS Engineering Seminar Series. Free and open to the public, the series will highlight five engineering projects and insight from experts in the field.

“We will continue the hybrid format to bring speakers from near and far together to showcase exciting projects,” said Dr. Danny Xiao, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at UW-Platteville and an organizer of the event. “In a time of unprecedented challenges, engineers uphold their mission: develop and apply innovative, state-of-the-art practices and technologies to build a better quality of life for our society.”

Dr. Betzaida Vera-Heredia is the new online instructor for the Children’s Program Administrator Credential program taught in Spanish at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. This innovative college program is taught 100% online and in Spanish to meet the professional development needs of childcare directors and administrators whose first language is Spanish. Betzaida has also worked for more than 20 years in the early childhood education field in a variety of capacities. She has worked as a childcare provider, Head Start evaluator, an educator with the Educare organization, and has been a bilingual college professor for many years. Betzaida earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Puerto Rico and her master’s and doctorate degrees in human development and family studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville recently wrapped up its inaugural summer coding camps and hackathon, introducing nearly 60 high school students to the rapidly expanding computer science and cybersecurity fields. The camps – focusing on computer games programming, esports, and cyber defense – were the first of their kind to be offered in the region.

“We heard from so many parents a sense of happiness at seeing these camps offered and gratitude that they were offered in this area. They expressed that they had been looking for something like this for a long time,” said Dr. Afzal Upal, professor and chair of the UW-Platteville Computer Science and Software Engineering Department. “The students were excited and genuinely interested and engaged.” 

Tassie Crews knows there is power in words. As a licensed master social worker and certified alcohol drug counselor, she's seen first-hand how a conversation with the right person can change someone's entire life. Crews has worked hard to earn the education and training to be that right person.

She earned a bachelor's of arts in social work and criminal justice, followed by a master's degree in social work. Still, she found she wanted to better round out her knowledge base. Crews is a mother of four and worked full time, so she needed a program that offered her maximum flexibility. That led her to enroll in the University of Wisconsin-Platteville's Master of Science in Criminal Justice online program.

Dr. Danny Xiao, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville received the opportunity to learn firsthand about the inner workings of being an engineer in the private sector, through a faculty internship with Strand Associates, Inc.® in Madison, Wisconsin. During his full-time internship this summer, Xiao was assigned to assist with several projects that cover a wide range of transportation engineering. These projects included the East-West Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project in Madison, the Flex Lane project on the Madison Beltline, the I-39/90/94 Study between Madison and Wisconsin Dells, the US 51 Corridor Improvement project between Stoughton and McFarland and the West Court Street Safety Improvement project in Janesville.

Dr. Marcia J. Harr Bailey, associate professor of entrepreneurship at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville School of Business, received the WiSys Innovation Champion Award. The WiSys award recognizes UW System leaders, faculty, staff, students or community partners who have played an integral role in building a culture of innovation at a UW System regional institution. 

“I’m grateful for this recognition,” said Harr Bailey. “I know people from our campus and other campuses who have received this same award. I have seen what they do and how transformative they have been for other people; it feels great to be recognized.”

University of Wisconsin-Platteville Interim Chancellor Dr. Tammy Evetovich kicked off the 2022-23 academic year at the annual faculty and staff convocation on Sept. 1.  

“As I transition into the role of interim chancellor, I want you to know what I value,” said Chancellor Evetovich, who assumed the interim role on June 1. “I value collaboration, both internally and externally, and I believe it’s the foundation for our success.” 

Chancellor Evetovich updated the faculty and staff on other transitions in administration, including Dr. Wayne Weber’s position as interim provost and Dr. Charles Steiner as interim dean of the College of Business, Industry, Life Science and Agriculture. She introduced Dr. Hilton Kelly, who joined the College of Liberal Arts and Education as dean on June 1. Dr. Philip Parker continues to serve as acting dean of the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science. 

Dayne Friday, a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and a member of the football program, was hired for his first internship through the online job fair during the COVID-19 pandemic. He completed his first summer and impressed his supervisor at August Winter & Sons so much they invited him back for a second internship.

Doing back-to-back internships was something Friday found beneficial for him, as it allowed him to grow more as an engineer. 

"This is my second summer with August Winter & Sons," Friday said. "With playing football, I only had two months with them. That is not enough time to really grow with the company and learn a lot. With another two months, I continued to grow in the position." 

Friday's growth didn't go unnoticed to August Winter & Sons Engineering Manager and Friday's supervisor Jeff Luczak.

More than 300 members of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville community and tri-state region gathered to celebrate the opening of Sesquicentennial Hall – UW-Platteville’s newest, $55 million state-of-the-art engineering building – at a ribbon-cutting celebration on Sept. 1. 

“While showcasing our strengths in the recognition of more than 150 years of being Pioneers in education, Sesquicentennial Hall marks the beginning of a new era for UW-Platteville,” said UW-Platteville Interim Chancellor Dr. Tammy Evetovich. “Sesquicentennial Hall will not only attract more students, but most importantly, provide more hands-on learning experiences that will forever change the future of our students and university.” 

Dr. Caryn Stanley, assistant director and professor in the University of Wisconsin-Platteville School of Business, has been teaching at UW-Platteville since 2008 and is a frequent attendee and presenter at local, regional and national professional development events to hone her teaching practice. According to colleagues, whenever conversations of best-in-class teaching practices occur within the School of Business, Stanley’s name arises as an example. Stanley, who creates a space where students show up eager to learn and apply their new knowledge and skills, is being presented with the 2022 Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence.

As someone who is a Certified Professional in Human Resources, Stanley frequently publishes and presents scholarly and applied research to peers at the institutional, regional and national levels. She has been a consistent advocate for others developing their teaching practice, serving as a resource to junior faculty.

As a former international student himself, earning degrees in two different continents, Kokou Gadedji, assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville School of Business, can relate to the challenges and rewards of adapting to new countries and cultures. Gadedji is being recognized with this year’s Excellence in International Advising Award. The award is presented to a faculty or staff member who has had a significant positive impact on an international student and/or the international student population at the university.

“This recognition means a lot coming from the students. I was surprised,” said Gadedji. “I was an international student in Morocco and in Canada. I tell the international students here to be open to the [Platteville] community, to be open to the American community.”

Dr. Will LeSuer, University of Wisconsin-Platteville associate professor and interim chair of the Criminal Justice and Social Sciences Department, has always enjoyed working with students, especially at UW-Platteville, where they say they’re encouraged to spend time and energy helping students succeed.

Described by their colleagues as consistently demonstrating an unwavering commitment to student success and well-being, LeSuer is being honored with the 2022 Outstanding Faculty/Instructional Staff Advisor Award.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville is the recipient of a 2022 DRA Core Grant that will help sponsor a men’s basketball tip-off classic tournament on the UW-Platteville campus this year.

DRA Core Grants focus on people attraction – population growth, retention and tourism in the tri-state area. The tournament is anticipated to bring in more than 1,500 visitors for the weekend and will provide an opportunity to promote sites to visit in the tri-state region. As the largest public institution in Southwest Wisconsin, UW-Platteville is a driver of economic growth and athletics plays a large role in this already, hosting more than 400 home athletic events each year. UW-Platteville is home to 16 NCAA varsity programs and competes in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – one of the most recognizable conferences in Division III. 

When Crystal Yang started the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Master of Science in Organizational Change Leadership program in the fall of 2018, she was already leading a busy life. In addition to working full-time, she is mother to five children and adding graduate school while juggling the two wasn’t easy. 

“It’s a lot,” Yang said. “I know there are people who’ve tried doing school from a distance and it was hard for them to motivate themselves. There are days where you’re like, ‘I’m so sluggish, I don’t want to do homework,’ but you just have to put in your head, ‘hey, you’ve got to push yourself and keep on doing it. There’ll be rewards at the end.’”

When the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s newest engineering building, Sesquicentennial Hall, opens next week, it will be home to one of the largest makerspaces in the Midwest – the Huff Family Innovation Center – and Joe Bormann, the center’s newly appointed director, is looking forward to fostering innovation, among both students and the business community, in Southwest Wisconsin. 

With a background in technology education, Bormann brings nearly two decades of teaching experience to the position. For the past seven years, he has worked with at-risk youth in Dubuque, Iowa, as a technology education teacher at Dubuque Community School District’s Alternative Learning Center. There, in collaboration with the local business community, he helped the students imagine and develop a number of projects – from a gridless tiny house to a food truck.

Dr. Kristina Fields, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, is being honored with the 2022 Dr. Carol Sue Butts Woman of the Year Award. Named for the provost emeritus and former interim chancellor who served at UW-Platteville from 1998 until 2010, the award recognizes female employees and students who make a difference in the lives of others in the campus community. 

“To be honored with this award is humbling,” said Fields. “There are so many people who make a difference to the campus community, I am thankful to be considered one of them.”

Gary Lindahl, University of Wisconsin-Platteville technology support and lecturer in the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science, has been said to possess a helping nature that is a gift to others. Known as the go-to person for implementing new tools to make operational tasks as seamless and easy as possible, Lindahl is being honored with the 2022 Academic Staff Award for Excellence.

Lindahl’s colleagues describe him as someone with integrity, a commitment to maintaining and enhancing the college’s webpages and someone who is helpful through his willingness to research and learn how to use new technologies that will benefit others.

Originally from Platteville, Rachael Hallstrom grew up close to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, but once she enrolled as a student, she found that the campus provided what she describes as a different world – a separate, unique community with an engineering education that rivals any bigger school. 

Hallstrom graduated in 2014 with a degree in industrial engineering and used her UW-Platteville experience to propel her career. She worked more than six years at John Deere, and held a position at Mettler-Toledo, before most recently taking a position as a senior product quality engineer at Vertiv – a data center manufacturing company in Delaware, Ohio. 

“I work on the new product development process, including new product introduction and quality checks on new products, as well as looking at continuous improvement processes,” said Hallstrom. 

Through the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Summer Undergraduate Scholar Program, senior Kimberly Cummings received the opportunity to investigate the topic of psychological profiling. Cummings, a criminal justice and psychology double major, presented her research project titled, “Meta-Analysis of Psychological Profiling: Overall Accuracy and Factors that Influence Accuracy” in July at the Markee Pioneer Student Center in front of her peers, faculty and community members. She is now in the process of finalizing her manuscript. 

University of Wisconsin-Platteville senior Isaac Nollen was on the four-person American soil judging team that took first place at last month’s International Soil Judging Competition, hosted by the 20th World Congress of Soil Science in Glasgow, Scotland.

“The contest was an amazing experience for me,” said Nollen, a soil and crop science major from Pontiac, Illinois. “It feels great to be a part of the first-place team in the world.” 

Nollen became involved in the soil judging team on a college visit before even starting at UW-Platteville, because he thought it would be a good way to get a fun, educational college experience and make new friends at school. He qualified for the international team by placing third in the individual contest at the national soils contest last spring.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville will celebrate the grand opening of its newest engineering building, Sesquicentennial Hall, on Thursday, Sept. 1. The $55 million building will adjoin Busby Hall of Engineering to create a 200,000-square-foot state-of-the-art complex that supports interdisciplinary engineering and computer science. 

At the center of the building is the Huff Family Innovation Center, which is slated to be one of the largest makerspaces in the Midwest. It will provide a space for community members and students across any discipline to collaborate and create, using tools in woodworking, metals, 3D printing, robotics, textiles and vinyl, and more.

University of Wisconsin System President Jay Rothman today announced the creation of the Wisconsin Tuition Promise, a new initiative starting in fall 2023 to ensure underserved Wisconsin students can attend any UW System university without paying tuition or fees. 

The goal of the program is to increase the number of state residents who graduate with a bachelor’s degree – especially first-generation students and those from low-to-moderate income families throughout Wisconsin – thereby improving individual lives and communities and helping meet the state’s workforce needs. 

“The benefits of a college education are unassailable,” Rothman said. “A college degree needs to be within reach for every Wisconsin citizen as a path to a better life, and the Wisconsin Tuition Promise will provide these opportunities. It is also how we can close the skills gap that now limits Wisconsin’s potential to thrive in a global economy.” 

In his 30-plus years of teaching at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Dr. Samuel Owusu-Ababio, professor of civil engineering, has had a transformational impact on the education of countless students. And by instilling in students the importance of using that education to engage in community and international humanitarian service, that impact extends far beyond campus. Owusu-Ababio will be recognized at UW-Platteville’s faculty and staff convocation on Thursday, Sept. 1 with the 2022 Nimocks Family Faculty Appreciation Award. 

Dr. Jodi Prosise, assistant dean of the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science and chair of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at University of Wisconsin-Platteville, has been selected for the Class of 2022-2023 of Drexel University’s Executive Leadership in Academic Technology, Engineering and Science (ELATES) program. The ELATES program is a national leadership development program designed to promote women in academic STEM fields, and faculty allies of all genders, into institutional leadership roles.

Andrew Ricks has always had a passion for aviation. He began taking flying lessons as a freshman in high school and earned his pilot’s license when he turned 17. But, his engineering education at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville is what gave him the opportunity to turn his hobby into a career designing and creating airplane parts.

Ricks graduated from UW-Platteville in 2021 with a degree in mechanical engineering.

“I have always been really interested in aviation,” said Ricks. “I worked at an airport in high school, fueling planes. I enjoyed flying, but when I talked to some airline pilots, they told me that once you fly as a career, it loses some of the fun. So, I decided maybe I could keep flying for fun but also build airplanes.”

A group of faculty and student researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville are working to contribute solutions to the increasing threat of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure. With the help of the UW System Ignite Grant Program and several industry partners, including ABB Inc., UW-Platteville will soon be home to a smart microgrid cybersecurity testbed.

For the third consecutive year, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Foundation achieved a record year in donations. Thanks to the generosity of alumni, friends and corporate partners, more than $7.4 million was raised during the 2022 fiscal year, which ended June 30.

“I am extremely grateful for each individual who made this success possible,” said UW-Platteville interim chancellor Dr. Tammy Evetovich. “This is a true testament to the pride our alumni and friends have in this university, and their generosity enables us to fulfill our mission and ensure our students’ success on campus and as they enter their careers.” 

Beginning this fall, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s industrial engineering major will be renamed to industrial and systems engineering – a change that is driven by a growing demand for systems engineering.  

“Industrial and systems engineers are specialized in utilizing a holistic approach (systems) in engineering problem solving,” said Dr. Vettrivel Gnaneswaran, industrial and systems engineering assistant professor. “Rebranding and restructuring into the industrial and systems engineering curriculum will make our program the pioneers in performance and productivity evaluation of people, processes and products in the state of Wisconsin.” 

"Rebranding and restructuring into the industrial and systems engineering curriculum will make our program the pioneers in performance and productivity evaluation of people, processes and products in the state of Wisconsin." – Dr. Vettrivel Gnaneswaran

Ask a student of Associate Professor of mechanical engineering Dr. Thomas Zolper about their research, and the answers will be quite varied. Some have worked side-by-side with scientists from the USGS to combat invasive aquatic species. Others are helping to examine the resilience of the Wisconsin energy and information infrastructure against natural or man-made failures. And a few are getting a taste of a different kind of research, as they attempt to scientifically measure what makes people like ice cream. 

Two University of Wisconsin-Platteville Department of Health and Human Performance seniors recently presented at the National Strength and Conditioning Association's annual conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Ann Larson and Lauren Guy presented a poster presentation titled “Analysis of Hydration Practices and Sweat Rates of Division III Men’s Collegiate Basketball Players.” The goal of the research study was to help determine sweating rates and fluid ingestion practices with the men’s basketball team. The research was collected in collaboration with the UW-Platteville Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and Strength and Conditioning Coach Michael Martin.

Some career paths are easily navigated – with a clear, straight road ahead. However, for recent Master of Science in Integrated Supply Chain Management graduate Kristy Knautz, her career path included a sharp right turn.

Knautz stumbled upon her career by happenstance. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from UW-Platteville in 2010 and initially worked as a legislative assistant at the Wisconsin State Capitol. But when her now-husband had a career opportunity on the west coast, Knautz began looking for a new job. A friend suggested the supply chain field because Knautz had a strong skill set in developing working relationships.

Garrett Larsen had a passion for plant biotechnology even before he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. Thanks to the Wisconsin Youth Apprenticeship Program through BioPharmaceutical Technology Center Institute and Promega, he had his first real exposure to research before college, which validated his decision to pursue it professionally. Larsen said that UW-Platteville’s Soil and Crop Science program, especially with the plant breeding and biotechnology emphasis, aligned perfectly with these goals. 

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville TeamWorks team placed third out of 14 post-secondary schools in the Construction SkillsUSA national competition in Atlanta, Georgia. Team members are Noelle Elfering, Brennan Sullivan, Jake Gathje and Henry James. Duane Elfering, UW-Platteville’s technology education coordinator, is the TeamWorks team advisor.

Mark your calendar for Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. UW-Platteville is hosting a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ reunion event to celebrate the 50 plus years of success of WSUP and the academic program in radio and television broadcasting. If you majored in any of the iterations of the broadcasting program—even if you didn’t graduate in the major—or if you worked at WSUP, please join us for a weekend of renewed friendships, memories and fun highlighted by a business-casual dinner on Saturday evening, and a fund-raising initiative to promote the long-term health of WSUP and its students. Additional activities are planned for Friday, Sept. 16 and Sunday, Sept. 18.

University of Wisconsin-Platteville alumna Jillian Meister wrapped up her final semester student teaching in Bayfield, Wisconsin, where she received the opportunity to implement culturally responsive teaching practices in her classroom. Meister, who graduated in May with a degree in elementary education, said the partnership between the university and Bayfield School District is beneficial for students in learning about Act 31, a legislation that requires Wisconsin schools to educate students about the history, culture and tribal sovereignty of the 11 federally-recognized tribes in the state, at least twice in elementary school and once in high school.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Department of Performing and Visual Arts and the Platteville Summer Arts Festival present the musical “Once.” Winner of eight Tony Awards, the musical is based on the 2007 motion picture, written and directed by John Carney. It includes a book by Irish playwright Enda Walsh and music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, who starred in the original film. The production runs July 29, 30, Aug. 5 and 6 at 7:30 p.m. and July 31 and Aug. 7 at 2 p.m. in the Richard and Helen Brodbeck Concert Hall in the Center for the Arts on the UW-Platteville campus.

Dr. Jenna Zucker, assistant professor of psychology, is being honored with the University of Wisconsin-Platteville 2022 Early Career Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence. The award recognizes a tenure-track faculty member who has made distinguished contributions to the mission of the university as an outstanding teacher. Zucker joined the Department of Psychology in 2019 and teaches courses focused on development.

“My goal in graduate school was to teach at a teaching-focused institution like UW-Platteville. To achieve that goal and be recognized by my colleagues is such an honor,” said Zucker. “This award continues to push me to develop my skills as a teacher and to take risks within the classroom, knowing that the university and my colleagues support those efforts.”

Dr. Sara Getz, assistant professor of forensic investigation  and Dr. Patrick Byrnes, assistant professor of computer science and software engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, are collaborating on a research project titled, Clandestine Grave Documentation. Getz and her team of students are tracking local temperature, humidity, rainfall, soil moisture and temperature in undisturbed ground and monitoring mock clandestine graves with control graves at level depths of 18, 27 and 36 inches below the surface. Byrnes and his undergraduate researchers are taking a technological approach by using drone video to develop an algorithm to identify potential grave locations.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville will recognize Josh Savoy, Information Technology Services Help Desk supervisor, with the 2022 University Staff Award for Excellence. The award recognizes staff members who provide essential services to the university while demonstrating excellence of performance, personal interaction, and initiative and creativity.

Savoy has worked for UW-Platteville’s Information Technology Services for more than 20 years, beginning as a student network consultant with ResNet in 2000. In 2006, he joined the staff full time, eventually becoming ResNet Help Desk Manager and ITS Help Desk Manager. 

“I enjoy helping students, faculty and staff with their tech needs when things are not working right for them,” said Savoy. “I like seeing the student employees get that ‘ah-ha’ moment when they figure something out and are able to help fellow students or faculty and staff.”

Nine University of Wisconsin-Platteville students recently attended the 2022 annual Society for Human Resource Management Conference and Expo in New Orleans, Louisiana – the largest gathering of human resource professionals in the world. Dr. Sameer Ahmed, assistant professor of human resource management at UW-Platteville, made this opportunity possible for students – for the first time – by arranging with conference organizers the possibility for students to volunteer at the conference in exchange for admission. 

Dr. Douglas Selent, assistant professor of computer science and software engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville is bringing awareness to neurodiversity through his Wisconsin Teaching Fellows and Scholars (WTFS) Program Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) project. The program, “offers faculty and teaching academic staff a unique opportunity to collaborate with other exceptional teachers from across the UW System and from various disciplines.” As a selected teaching fellow, Selent is finalizing his research on developing a game to be used in his algorithm course this fall.

“It means a lot. Being a woman of color in America is tough, having those different intersectionalities, different ways of being oppressed, it feels good to be recognized,” said Brittany Sherman, the recipient of the 2022 University of Wisconsin-Platteville Outstanding Woman of Color Award. “It feels good to be recognized by my peers, to know what I’m doing is making an impact.”

The Outstanding Woman of Color Award recognizes women of color on campus who have shown passion for their work, outstanding university and community service and dedication to creating an inclusive and respectful environment. Sherman, who began her tenure at UW-Platteville in 2020, works in the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) as a multicultural advisor, where she supports students as they navigate their collegiate career. 

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville is taking part in Summerfest’s Show Your College Pride Day. Students attending Summerfest who arrive at the Mid Gate Promotions Booth between noon and 3 p.m. on Friday, July 8 wearing UW-Platteville branded gear, such as a shirt or hat, will receive a free admission ticket.

“UW-Platteville is looking forward to participating in Summerfest’s Show Your College Pride Day,” said Elizabeth Osterholz, UW-Platteville director of recruitment. “We are excited to be part of such an iconic event in the Milwaukee community and are looking forward to connecting with many past, present and future Pioneers.”

Joanna Muller, an academic advisor in the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Office of Professional Program Support, has earned the 2022 Outstanding Professional Academic Advisor Award for exemplifying the best qualities of academic staff advisors. 

"It's nice to be appreciated and valued. I've worked with thousands of students, and you get that individual appreciation and gratitude, which is very rewarding," said Muller. "But receiving this acknowledgment on a bigger scale is meaningful and makes me feel appreciated and motivated."

Dr. Matthew J. Fencl, associate professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Baraboo Sauk County, is one of four recipients across the UW System receiving the 2022 James R. Underkofler Excellence in Teaching Award. The $5,000 award, funded by Alliant Energy, recognizes extraordinary teachers at UW institutions within Alliant’s service area.

“I’ve always been a teacher first, and at a branch campus, I have the chance to make a real impact on students during a crucial transition period in their lives, at the beginning of their higher education,” said Fencl, who has been on the faculty of the Baraboo Sauk County campus since 2011. 

During his career, he has taught and developed multiple new courses, successfully converted many face-to-face courses to be used in online curricula, and has been an innovator in new methods to maximize student learning, growth and development.  

Dr. Chris Schulenburg, professor of Spanish at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, is one of four recipients across the UW System receiving the 2022 Alliant Energy James R. Underkofler Teaching Excellence Award. The award is funded by an endowment from the Alliant Energy Foundation, Inc. to recognize and reward extraordinary undergraduate teachers at UW System universities within Alliant Energy’s service area.

“The colleagues I know at the university who have received this award are respected people who have been at UW-Platteville for a long time,” said Schulenburg. “It means a lot to be considered amongst those people.”

The National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) Club, from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville School of Agriculture, traveled to Kansas City, Missouri to compete in the National Agri-Marketing Student Competition. There, students presented their pitch for an agricultural product, FilaMilk, not yet on the market. FilaMilk is a 3-D printing filament made from casein protein, found in dairy milk. At this event, they competed against 30 teams from around the country and Canada.