A century and a half-plus of excellence: Fall classes begin at UW-Platteville

Thousands of students began fall classes at UW-Platteville on Wednesday, continuing the university's proud 160-year tradition of educating engineers, teachers, agricultural leaders and other professionals. 

Complete enrollment numbers won't be available until later this month, but Chancellor Tammy Evetovich said the students already have re-energized the campus after a quiet summer. 

"There's something about the start of a new academic year," Evetovich said in her video welcome address. "Our campus is filled with new energy, fresh opportunities and the excitement of what's ahead."

Fall athletes have been on campus for several weeks already preparing for their seasons. First-year students moved in Saturday and spent the last few days acclimating, walking class schedules, figuring out dining hall hours and joining in icebreaker activities, including petting therapy dogs, seminars on how to develop study and time management skills, and even an outdoor showing of the movie "Step Brothers."

"It's a nice campus. There's some good people around," Devon Kaszubski, an 18-year-old freshman from Verona, Wisconsin, said after churning a smoothie blender by furiously pedaling a stationary bike at the Be Well Bash in Williams Fieldhouse on Monday.

Kaszubski said he wants to pursue mechanical engineering and chose UW-Platteville over UW-Madison because it ...