FALCON F E A T U R E S THE MAGAZINE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-RIVER FALLS
Fall 2015
Innovation:
THE ART OF ILLUMINATING IDEAS
Campaign Progress UWRF Profile of Marina Onken, Ph.D. Donor SocietiesKeep on Giving! Engaging Alumni
FALCON FEATURES FALL 2015
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in this issue
Profile Marina Onken.............................................. 8
Campaign Highlights Accomplishments abound............................9
Students Gain State-of-the-Art Filming Equipment Innovations on Campus Ideas in action.............................................14
Alumni Engagement
Upgraded equipment and a redesigned sound stage mean that UW-River Falls students in the revamped Stage and Screen Arts major (comprising the previous majors of Theatre, Digital Film and Television, and Film Studies) will now have more high-definition TV tools at their disposal. Up until now, the studio in Kleinpell Fine Arts had only cameras that were about 20 years old for students to work with, making it challenging for them to be relevant in a rapidly changing professional market. Over the summer, Manager of Production Operations Joe Blum and a group of students installed new high-definition cameras, constructed a new studio set and installed a digital TV editing machine. The machine, a Tricaster 410, is valued at about $14,000 and allows students in Stage and Screen Arts classes to control TV cameras, add green-screen effects and edit video.
Reaching out, coming back.......................38
Sections Up Front...............................................4
In addition to this strategic investment by the College of Arts and Sciences, Nikon donated ten D600 cameras and ten 50mm lenses (about $13,000 worth of equipment) and RED Camera has loaned the department a camera, worth about $43,000, for use by film students for their senior projects.
Along the South Fork....................... 5 Sports.................................................22 Alma Matters.....................................24
“We upgraded to hi-def, something we’ve never had before,” Blum said. “In my opinion, the new equipment allows students to be more versatile once they graduate.”
2014-15 Donors.................................32
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Front cover: Physics student Nick Jensen paints with light in front of the LEDs on the Ice Cube model research project. www.uwrf.edu/PHYS/IceCube/Index.cfm
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up front with Chancellor Dean Van Galen Greetings Falcon Alumni and Friends, While we all may be familiar with the definition of innovate – to make changes in something established – you may not realize how deeply the drive to innovate is being lived out at UW-River Falls. The past year has been a time of monumental change at our campus, a year in which we have seen state funding of the UW System reduced, tuition once again frozen, programs consolidated and enrollments under pressure. This, however, has also been a year of great innovative accomplishments on the part of our students, staff and faculty. Since last fall, we have seen UWRF students take top honors at state and international competitions focused on innovation in the business idea development process. Together with the City of River Falls and the River Falls Economic Development Corporation, UW-River Falls will play a key role in running the new business incubator that will serve the St. Croix Valley by contributing to local economic development and catalyzing the knowledge and resources of our campus. UW-River Falls recently gained approval for two new majors: Data Science and Predictive Analytics, and Agricultural Engineering, both in high demand. Our faculty are involving our students more than ever in undergraduate research projects on everything from honeybees to hops. This past summer, we hosted a record-breaking state science and technology symposium, bringing UW undergraduate researchers and industry leaders together. We have been recognized for having the greatest number of intellectual disclosures to the WiSys Foundation, the designated technology transfer office for the UW System comprehensive campuses. There is a new press box for the David Smith Stadium at Ramer Field, and construction on the long-awaited $63 million Falcon Center is well underway. Last, but not least, with nearly a year left to go, we are already very close to the $20 million goal of our first comprehensive fundraising campaign. As you can see “innovation” has become a recurring theme at UW-River Falls, and that is no coincidence. “Innovation and Partnerships” is a core element of our campus’s strategic plan goals: “UW-River Falls will incentivize and support innovation, often in collaboration with others, to support student learning, enhance the distinctiveness and stature of the university, and catalyze economic and sustainable community development.” We are on track to achieve this goal, as seen through the increasing amount of funding our supporters invest in scholarships and programs like Falcon Scholars. Our Hudson Center is thriving, serving ever-increasing numbers of adult learners and we have almost doubled the numbers of our students engaging in internships and practica with local
FALCON FEATURES Volume 63. Number 1. Fall 2015 University of Wisconsin-River Falls 410 S. 3rd Street River Falls, WI 54022 715-425-3505 or 1-877-258-6647 falconfeatures@uwrf.edu www.uwrf.edu/alumni Falcon Features is published once a year by the UW-River Falls Foundation and the UW-River Falls Alumni Association. Parents: If this issue is addressed to your son or daughter who no longer lives at home, please contact the Advancement Office at the address above and provide a correct mailing address. If you prefer to call, the number is 715-425-3505 or 1-877-258-6647. We appreciate your assistance. Postmaster: Send form 3579 to Falcon Features, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, River Falls, WI 54022. Falcon Features strives to: • educate readers on significant challenges facing the campus, the region, the nation and the world; • enlighten readers on the wealth of expertise represented by faculty, staff, students and alumni; • encourage readers to take an active role in the mission of UWRF; and • entertain readers with stimulating writing, striking photography and dynamic design. We welcome your reactions and input. You are encouraged to contact us at the address above. EDITORIAL TEAM Assistant Chancellor for University Advancement Chris Mueller Editor
Beth Schommer
Art Director
Tony Bredahl ’86
Contributors Amber Dohlman ‘08 Adam Folk Beth Schommer Deb Toftness Jacob Wissing Photography Kathy Helgeson Design and Illustration Tony Bredahl ’86 Ritch Ellingson ’87 Karen Zander UW-RIVER FALLS ADMINISTRATION Chancellor
Dean Van Galen
Provost
Fernando Delgado
Assistant Chancellor for Business and Finance Elizabeth Frueh Assistant Chancellor for University Advancement Chris Mueller
businesses.
Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Gregg Heinselman
In this issue of Falcon Features you will learn more about the power of innovation at UW-
Executive Assistant to the Chancellor Beth Schommer Dean, College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences Dale Gallenberg
River Falls and our strategic partnerships. And remember, you are a key partner in our success as well. UW-River Falls is your university and you are welcome to come and see firsthand the exciting things our students are doing. Until then, enjoy reading about all of the ways UW-River Falls is fostering a culture of innovation on campus and in the region.
Dean, College of Arts and Sciences Brad Caskey ‘80 Dean, College of Business and Economics Michael Fronmueller Dean, College of Education and Professional Studies Larry Solberg
Dean Van Galen, Chancellor
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along the south fork A Summary of Noteworthy Events, Milestones, Programs, Happenings. Montessori Program Expands to Appleton The University of Wisconsin-River Falls is now developing Montessori educators in eastern Wisconsin, offering its graduate Montessori teacher education program in Appleton. Students can take the courses for professional development, earn teaching credentials for Montessori early childhood and elementary classrooms and have the option to earn a master of science in education degree. “This new collaboration with the Appleton Public Montessori School will provide a wonderful opportunity for new and current Montessori teachers in central, eastern, and southern Wisconsin,” said Larry Solberg, dean of the College of Education and Professional Studies. Based on the education model developed by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori, the program offered in River Falls is accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE) and affiliated with the American Montessori Society (AMS). There are currently thirty students enrolled and 17 graduates. There are an estimated 20,000 Montessori schools worldwide, 5,000 in the United States and a growing number in Wisconsin, mostly serving the educational needs of children age three years to 12 years. UW-River Falls is the only university in the UW-System offering a graduate pathway to earn Montessori credentials and one of only two public universities in the country, said Solberg. It is expected that the program in Appleton will draw students from the Milwaukee and Madison areas, as well as Green Bay and surrounding cities. The program accommodates working adults by offering classes in a blended learning format of online coursework and face-to-face meetings on just one weekend per month. Montessori instructor Maggie Watson with students in class at River Falls Montessori in the River Falls Academy building.
Record Number of Adult Degree Completion Students Receive Degrees A record number of Adult Degree Completion program students received their degrees during spring commencement.
also offers condensed-format courses held at the conveniently located UWRF Hudson Center, just off I-94 in Hudson.
Twenty-one non-traditional students received their bachelor’s degree in business administration, the highest number in the five years of the program and nearly double the number of graduates compared to last year.
“We get people only what they need, which saves them time and money,” Bilden said. “The program lets applicants use the credits they already have to get them to the degree.”
The UW-River Falls program’s success is due to its unique ability to provide adults with individualized attention, strategic program advising, prior learning assessments and flexible class formats, according to Michael Bilden, ADC director and assistant dean for adult students. The program
By providing unique services and academic support, ADC meets the needs of adults in the St. Croix Valley and makes achieving an undergraduate degree in business administration as a non-traditional adult student possible. FALCON FEATURES FALL 2015
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along the south fork
Research Collaboration at UW-River Falls Testing ‘Living Biopsy’ Approach to Cancer Treatment A University of Wisconsin-River Falls research project has the potential to improve upon current cancer therapies by increasing a physician’s knowledge of tumor biology. The project is blending basic science cancer research on artificial tissues conducted at the UW-River Falls Tissue and Cellular Innovation Center (TCIC) with an existing technology from Microscopy Innovations, LLC, in Marshfield. It holds significant potential for enhancing already effective cancer therapies by improving a physician’s knowledge of the specific biology of the tumors being treated. Faculty and undergraduate students have been studying cancer at the TCIC, using a variety of 3D artificial tissue engineering approaches in collaboration with physicians at Marshfield Clinic and elsewhere in the region. This new approach to personalized cancer medicine, a so-called
“living biopsy” technology, uses an individual patient’s tumor to build a library of 3D artificial tumor tissues in the laboratory. These tissues are then used to study and evaluate the patient’s tumor for growth, invasion and treatment responses during an extended period of culture. In recognition of the importance and potential impacts of this work, TCIC Director and UWRF biology Professor Timothy Lyden was recently awarded Regents Scholar funding from the University of Wisconsin-System Board of Regents. The TCIC and Microscopy Innovations collaboration is also expected to generate the necessary foundational technology for a new startup company, Artificial Tissue Systems, LLC, which will focus on the commercial development and application of the “living biopsy” toolset approach to cancer diagnosis and therapy design.
UW-River Falls Earns STARS Silver Rating for Sustainability Efforts UW-River Falls has earned a STARS Silver Rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements. The award comes from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education. Campus sustainability initiatives include: alternative fuels and transportation; energy and water conservation; and recycling, composting, and waste reduction. UW-River Falls was one of the original institutions that participated in the beta testing for the initial development of the STARS ranking tool. “This marks the third year that UWRF has been recognized at the silver
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level, building on our score each consecutive year,” said Mike Stifter, UWRF executive director of facilities planning and management. “While the recognition of a silver rating is notable, it really is more of a tribute to the many hard-working faculty and staff who make contributions, as well as the students who come with an expectation for, as well as lead in their own right, our great work in this area.” With more than 650 participants on six continents, AASHE’s STARS program is the most widely recognized framework in the world for publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college or university’s sustainability performance. Participants report achievements in four overall areas: operations, academics, engagement, and planning/ administration.
Professor Honored for Work on LGBTQ Issues Todd Savage, a University of Wisconsin-River Falls associate professor in the school psychology program, is being honored by the UW System for his work on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues, with the 2015 Dr. P. B. Poorman Award for Outstanding Achievement on Behalf of LGBTQ People. The award recognizes Savage for his “consistent and important achievements in service to LGBTQ people within the UW System,” according to a letter from UW System President Ray Cross, and David J. Ward, interim senior vice president for Academic and Student Affairs. “We applaud your passion, skill, and commitment, and your role as a tremendous resource to, and advocate for, the LGBTQ community,” they wrote. Savage said the award came as a surprise. “I had no idea I had been nominated for the Poorman Award, and I must say I am overwhelmed and honored to be recognized in this manner,” he said. “I am passionate about making schools and the community, in general, safer places for LGBTQ persons and I feel privileged to be able to work toward this goal at UWRF.” The award comes just a month after Savage began his term as president of the National Association of School Psychologists, representing more than 25,000 school psychologists throughout the United States and abroad. During his tenure, Savage said he’d address issues like bullying, stress and depression — all of which greatly affect both LGBTQ and special needs students.
Kofiro honored by the College of Education and Professional Studies Ali Kofiro received the University of Wisconsin-River Falls College of Education and Professional Studies (CEPS) Outstanding Recent Alumnus Award at the college’s spring awards reception. Kofiro, of Shakopee, Minn., is both the first Somali school counselor in Minnesota and the first Somali graduate of UWRF’s Counseling program. He graduated in 2010. Mark Gillen, chair of the UWRF Counseling and School Psychology Department, called Kofiro a passionate school counselor and a role model for his students and colleagues. “It is his passion for encouraging others to pursue school counseling training that sets him apart,” Gillen said. “I honestly can’t say how many students he has encouraged to apply to our school counseling program, but his influence on others is without parallel.” Kofiro and his family fled Somalia in 1991, shortly after the civil war broke out. The family lived in African refugee camps before Kofiro immigrated alone to the United States in 1996. He enrolled at Minneapolis Community and Technical College before transferring to the University of Minnesota. In 2006, he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics. Kofiro worked at Wellstone International High School, where UWRF alumni encouraged him to consider the university’s counseling program. In his remarks, Kofiro gave credit to Gillen and other faculty who pushed him to succeed. “It means a lot to be honored by a university that has given me such a solid foundation,” Kofiro said. “From this experience, I learned that perseverance and persistence pay off. I also learned that no matter how hard we work, every once in a while we need a helping hand to help us cross the bridge and reach our goals. Kofiro continues to counsel students at Wellstone International High School in Minneapolis.
What does it mean to be an inclusive campus? Cyndi Kernahan, University Fellow for Diversity and Inclusivity and Professor of Psychology Sitting in the circle of faculty, I realized just how uncomfortable I was becoming. In the group of ten, there were two people that I really wished would just “get it.” I could feel myself doing a mental “eye roll” as they “misinterpreted” the poem we were discussing. I really could not understand it: how could they be so upbeat about something so obviously negative? This, Cyndi Kernahan of course, was exactly the experience I was meant to be having and learning from as part of the UW System’s “Faculty College.” Since that training, I have found myself revisiting that experience, especially as I consider my work on campus. As the University Fellow for Diversity, my job is focused on increasing diversity in our workforce and helping to create a more positive campus climate. But what does it mean to be inclusive? All of us know how it feels to disagree. It’s uncomfortable. At its most basic level, disagreement invalidates our experiences. My interpretation of the poem was obviously not the only one, but their differing interpretations made my perspective feel wrong. Luckily for me, the discussion was deliberately paced to help me see that. Rather than racing forward to get my point across, I had to sit with it. I had to think about why it was upsetting. The reality of life in our society is that we will disagree. By virtue of our different life experiences and positions, we come to see things differently. At times others will validate our experiences, seeing things our way. At other, more painful times, they may not. If we have more of these painful times in a given setting, we are not likely to feel that we belong. A student of mine recently confided in me that she had felt discriminated against while shopping in town. As a young woman, she felt that the men in a local hardware store repeatedly talked down to her and inappropriately commented about her clothing. I didn’t want to believe this about my town, it was tempting to disagree. But the trick of inclusivity, in helping that student to feel that she belongs, lies in hearing her and trying to understand her point even if it has not been my experience. There is something powerful in truly hearing another person’s perspective, both for the listener and the speaker. This is especially the case for those who are routinely dismissed, those with less social power, those in the minority, those easily stereotyped. The simple act of listening and taking that person’s concerns seriously could be an easy gift to give. A gift that communicates inclusion: if I take your concerns seriously, it means that you matter. FALCON FEATURES FALL 2015
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PROFile
Q: What made the team you advised, SoPOD, so successful?
A: “I think the key factor for SoPOD’s success is that it was a multidisciplinary team. They built on each other’s strengths. There are also resources on campus now that weren’t in place a few years ago and that has created the perfect storm to encourage innovation.”
Q: What kinds of resources? A: “The SoPOD team was inspired in Joy Benson’s decision-making class to create a product. The Center for Innovation and Business Development was created a few months before that, and Danielle Campeau was instrumental in bringing the New Venture Competition to campus. As SoPod followed the lean business model methodology, (the SoPOD team) realized they had to develop a prototype so they contacted the Chemistry Department. That got them in touch with An Trieu, a chemistry student. Then they were able to get an Undergraduate Research, Creative and Scholarly Activity (URSCA) grant, and they developed a prototype in the chemistry laboratory over J-Term. Without URSCA, SoPOD would not have been nearly as successful.”
Q: What makes the New Venture Competition different from other business-development models?
Marina Onken Associate Professor Management and Marketing Education: B.S., News-Editorial Journalism, South Dakota State University M.B.A., North Dakota State University Ph.D., Business Policy and Strategy, University of Nebraska Interests include: Strategic Management and International Business Pedagogical Research
A: “It applies the scientific method to business and uses evidence-based decision making. Business modeling challenges all of your assumptions. The idea is not to do library research, but to get out of the building and to talk to customers and manufacturers — to meet your whole supply chain. It’s all about digging down further (into your business idea) and getting a clearer understanding about the customer and about how the product is made.”
Q: What’s next for the SoPOD team and the competition? A: “We’re still advising SoPOD as they participate in
When Management and Marketing Associate Professor Marina Onken became a faculty adviser for the New Venture Competition, she felt confident this novel approach to teaching entrepreneurship would be a game-changer. But even Onken was surprised by the speed at which her team, which created a biodegradable soap product called SoPOD, has garnered awards, funding and inquiries from the business community.
the Ideadvance grant to earn the $25,000 they won in the Wisconsin Big Idea Tournament. They will also apply for a $50,000 grant to help them further commercialize the product. With the New Venture Competition, the challenge is to bring everyone together on campus into a multidisciplinary effort. Without multiple departments working together, SoPOD wouldn’t have been so successful. It’s the blending of everyone’s talents that will truly make this an innovative campus culture.”
We talked to Onken about the new approach to teaching innovative business development models and about the team that created the SoPOD.
You may find more information about SoPOD on page 16.
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2015 Scholarship Benefit Featuring Daymond John Daymond John, founder and CEO of the global lifestyle brand FUBU and star of ABC’s “Shark Tank,” headlined the Fourth Annual Scholarship Benefit Dinner April 24. A sold-out audience heard lessons from Daymond on entrepreneurship, marketing, and personal branding. The UW-River Falls Annual Scholarship Benefit raises funds to support student scholarships. The next scholarship benefit will be part of the Rising to Distinction Campaign celebration on Sept. 23, 2016. Mark your calendars!
FALCON FEATURES FALL 2015
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rising to distinction
David Smith Stadium Rededication After more than eight years of planning, fundraising and construction, David Smith Stadium at Ramer Field was officially rededicated Sept. 19. More than 250 donors supported the project that was fully funded by private gifts and student fees. The lead gift for the project was provided by the David Smith family and First National Bank of River Falls where Smith was president and CEO until his death in 1994. The $1.9 million renovation project included the installation of AstroTurf in 2014 and construction of a new press box and entrance plaza in 2015. The new press box has spaces for coaches, media, game operations, video and a hospitality suite. Ayres and Associates of Eau Claire was the lead architect along with Lien Peterson Architects of Eau Claire. The general contractor was Miron Construction of Neenah. Fundraising efforts resulted in the naming of several additional new spaces including:
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• Champions Gate: in recognition of a fundraising effort led by the offensive line of the 1980s who won four straight conference championships. • Fran Polsfoot Gate: in recognition of contributions made during the original 2008 fund drive in memory of former Coach Fran Polsfoot. • Mike Farley Home Coaches Box: in recognition of Coach Farley and his many years of service to UWRF. • Zimmerman Gateway: recognizes a significant gift to Smith Stadium from Shannon and Angel Zimmerman of River Falls. The entrance plaza leading into the stadium includes engraved bricks recognizing those who made significant contributions to the project. Bricks may still be purchased by visiting www.uwrf.edu/Give/ GivetoBrickCampaign.cfm.
Dairy Pilot Plant Renovation The Dairy Pilot Plant Renovation project has received more than $1.6 million in private support through the generosity of dairy processing industry partners, both large and small. Each gift is a commitment to educating UW-River Falls students to be industry ready, equipped with the knowledge, skills and experience they need to assume production and management positions upon graduation. We would like to recognize the members of the Dairy Pilot Plant Advisory Committee who have stepped forward and made a gift of $100,000 or more. We are grateful for their generosity and commitment to UWRiver Falls.
Falcon Center The Falcon Center project received a boost with two significant gifts in 2015. The Falcon Center is still under construction and expected to open in summer 2017. The DeLonais Foundation provided a gift to install an expansive garden area near the main entrance to the Falcon Center (concept above). The DeLonais Foundation Garden will include a water feature, a canopy of trees for natural shade, and seating areas which will serve as a compliment to the expanded food service options at the Falcon Center. The Royal Credit Union Foundation provided significant support for the project. In recognition, the hospitality/community room overlooking the Don Page Arena will be named the Royal Credit Union Foundation Community Room. For project updates and more information, visit www.uwrf.edu/FalconCenter.
Rising to Distinction Campaign Goal: $20,000,000 Through September 30, 2015: $19, 230,377.88
For more information about the Dairy Pilot Plant Renovation and a complete list of donors, visit go.uwrf.edu/dairyplant. If you are interested in supporting this project with a contribution, contact Julie Stucky, UWRF Foundation advancement officer, at 715-425-3505.
$8 Million
$6 Million Dairy Pilot Plant Advisory Committee Agropur, Inc. AMPI, Associated Milk Producers, Inc. Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery
$4 Million
Foremost Farms Grassland Dairy Products, Inc. Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc. Loos Machine
FUND FOR DISTINCTION
COLLEGES, UNITS AND PROGRAMS
CAPITAL
Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association
FACULTY SUPPORT
Welcome Dairy
SCHOLARSHIPS
Mullins Cheese, Inc.
FALCON ANNUAL FUND
$2 Million
Milk Specialties Global
Scholarships - One of our campaign’s highest goals is to continue to help students financially through established and new scholarships. Faculty Support - Provide endowed faculty positions and awards to continue the development of our excellent faculty and staff. Capital - Building projects being funded during the campaign include the new Falcon Center, renovation of the David Smith Stadium at Ramer Field and other strategic facilities updates on campus. Colleges, Units and Programs - Enhancing the university’s four major colleges along with athletics and university programs. Falcon Annual Fund - Support for our unrestricted fund used to meet the university’s priorities in academic programs, alumni communications, technological improvements and scholarship management. Fund for Distinction - Supporting the planning, development and implementation of the university’s stratgic plan, Pathway to Distinction.
GOAL
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rising to distinction
A Million More Reasons to Support Falcon Scholars
Meet the Donors Who Created the
UWRF’s signature scholarship program, Falcon Scholars, received a substantial boost when five donors joined forces to help create a new Falcon Scholars Endowment, offering a combined $1,000,000 in matching gifts. This generous match will allow the first $1,000,000 in new gifts to the endowment to be matched 1:1. “One million dollars in matching funds for a school the size of UWRiver Falls is really quite incredible,” said Chris Mueller, assistant chancellor of University Advancement and UWRF Foundation president. “This significant investment in our students makes UWRF an even more special place to be.” Each year, 80 incoming freshmen with high academic potential are competitively selected as Falcon Scholars and receive a $1,000 per year, four-year scholarship funded by donors. In their junior or senior year, each Falcon Scholar also receives a $2,000 stipend, provided from student differential tuition, to be used for undergraduate research or study aboard. This combination of support is unique in higher education. “The partnership between our students and our donors in supporting Falcon Scholars is what makes this program so unique,” said Chancellor Dean Van Galen. “The investment by so many donors is having a significant impact on UWRF.” Falcon Scholars has also been impacting retention rates on campus. Falcon Scholar freshmen return for their sophomore year at an 89 percent rate compared to 76 percent for the entire freshmen class. To the students, however, Falcon Scholars mainly means recognition. For senior Moriah Main, receiving the Falcon Scholar award was the difference in her decision to attend UWRF. “I wasn’t sure if I would even attend college, but having the opportunity to become a Falcon Scholar created the opportunity for me. As a first-generation student, the support system provided through the Falcon Scholars Office, the faculty and the staff has helped me achieve at a high level as a student,” she said.
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Greg and Donnette Wheelock The seed for giving back was planted in a Stratton Hall mailbox in 1980, where sophomore Donnette Diers found a receipt saying her tuition and expenses for the following two quarters were paid in full. An anonymous donor had contacted UWRF to find out the exact amount Donnette owed, then paid her bill. “What an amazing thing it was knowing someone believed so much in my future, they would help pay for my college!” Donnette remarked. Donnette and her husband Greg, also a student at the time, were both firstgeneration college students, paying for it with a combination of jobs, oncampus work study positions, scholarships, financial aid, and student loans. The generosity of that anonymous donor so impacted the couple that they began donating to UWRF as soon as they could after graduating. Over the years, they have established a named endowed scholarship, supported the Falcon Center project, and were the first to answer the Albrecht Challenge for Falcon Scholars when the program was created. As they look back on their time at UWRF and reflect on their success in life, they give much credit to their UWRF education and the professors who knew their students as well as their subjects, and were willing to provide individualized attention in small classes. Knowing that many of today’s UW-River Falls students are still firstgeneration college students from lower- to middle-income families, Greg and Donnette are happy to assist other young people in succeeding. A few years ago, the Wheelocks discovered whom the anonymous donors were so they sent them a thank you letter, informing them how their gift had grown exponentially over the years as the Wheelocks went on to support education and UWRF in particular. “It is a privilege to share the results of our hard work and successful business by donating to help others get a good education,” Donnette said. Greg is happy to “pay it forward.” They challenge you to do the same!
$1,000,000 Match
Arlin and Marilyn Albrecht
Wayne Peterson Estate
Arlin and Marilyn Albrecht funded the first challenge when the Falcon Scholars program was inaugurated in 2012. Within months, more than 100 donors responded to the challenge to fully fund the first four years of the Falcon Scholars program.
Wayne Peterson lived on his family’s farm and was a regular contributor to the UWRF Foundation. He supported scholarships for many students from his local high school to attend UWRF and other UW campuses.
Each year, Arlin and Marilyn attend the Falcon Scholars reception on Academic Day to be able to meet these students.
“Wayne had a real passion for the kids of Glenwood City and wanted them to succeed,” said his friend and financial advisor Joan Bartz.
“The quality of the students is simply amazing,” Arlin said. Marilyn, recipient of the first scholarship ever awarded by the UWRF Foundation in 1954, echoes the sentiment and adds, “I’m always touched by the gratitude shown by the students.”
When Wayne passed away in February, he left a large portion of his estate to the UWRF Foundation. His estate representatives requested that the proceeds be used to continue to support UWRF students through Falcon Scholars. Bartz noted that “joining with the Wheelocks and the Albrechts in creating the Million Dollar Match is exactly the kind of thing Wayne would have done. He always wanted to be part of something big and bold, but he never wanted to be in the limelight. How wonderful that his legacy will always exist at a university that he loved so much.”
Their second major gift to Falcon Scholars to help create an endowed fund that will award these scholarships in perpetuity is a reflection of their belief that an investment in a UWRF education is a solid investment in the future.
Want to know more about Falcon Scholars, the students, or how to participate in the Million Dollar Match? Visit www.uwrf.edu/ FalconScholars.
All Scholarships Awarded by Academic Year Year
Total Scholarship Dollars
2011-2012
$588,980.52
607
$970.31
2012-2013
$675,642.45
695
$972.15
2013-2014
$797,262.99
806
$989.16
2014-2015
$951,402.66
878
$1,083.60
2015-2016* $1,202,106.38 972
$1,236.73
*Figures are estimated
Number of Average Scholarships Award
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innovation
Innovation: by Adam Folk
it’s more than a buzz word at UWRF
It’s a cool May morning and Brad Mogen’s bees aren’t pleased. The hive, like the UW-River Falls summer interns working in the nearby barn, is eager for the weather to warm. Then, there’s the noise. The interns use mallets to assemble pine boards for beehive boxes and the pounding is rhythmic over the radio that blares nearby. The bees, spooked by the weather and the activity, decide to stay inside a little while longer. Brad and his wife, Kim, both UW-River Falls biology professors, aren’t too concerned. The heat of the summer
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is just around the corner, and there are much more pressing bee-related issues to be addressed. All over the country, bee colonies are dying. The reasons vary — insecticides, changes in farming practices and parasites are some of the likely culprits. Because nearly all of the nation’s fruits and vegetables require bees for pollination, it’s an issue that affects everyone, not just bee-loving biologists like the Mogens. “They estimate that (bees) are responsible for 30 percent of the food we eat through pollination,” Brad said. “We’d have a very boring diet if we didn’t have bees.” The plight of the American honeybee is a big reason the Mogans started their research. With the help of their UWRF summer interns, the Mogens will extract and examine honeybee blood, called hemolymph, to better understand bee immune systems. They’re also testing whether an African yellow daisy called nyjer thistle, which interns planted in a field behind the Mogen’s
home, can help bee populations. In a project that holds special significance for Wisconsin farmers — the nation’s top cranberry producers — they’ve partnered with the University of Wisconsin-Stout to find out why bee health seems to decline after pollinating a cranberry bog. In the meantime, their UWRF summer interns learn beekeeping practices, real-world data collection and even a bit of woodworking. “Our student interns are all very passionate about it,” Brad said. “They want to learn, and that’s the kind of student you want to have.” On the Mogen farm, intern Austen Hayes is busy pounding together bee boxes. Hayes is a biomedical major from New Richmond who volunteered for a research internship after taking a class with Kim. Before coming to UW-River Falls, Austen was an F-15 Crew Chief for the U.S. Air Force who did a tour in Afghanistan. When he discovered his hands-on research involved bees, he initially had second thoughts about the work. “I used to have a crazy fear of bees,” he said. “I just got out of the military, and I’d have rather taken a bullet than a bee sting.” But that fear quickly passed. Hayes said he’s thrilled to be working on the hemolymph and cranberry projects, where he hopes he can help define what a healthy honeybee looks like. That way, the team can determine whether it’s the cranberries, or some other factor, that’s hurting the bees.
Nearby, Jared Fitzemberger of Hudson is stacking the finished bee boxes. Rows of them fill the back of the barn. Fitzemberger hopes to one day work for the Natural Resources Defense Council. He’s seen the warnings about bee colony collapses in the press and wants to be part of the solution. “I thought, ‘Maybe we can do something here to fix it,’” he said. Fitzemberger said the project is a perfect complement to his studies at UW-River Falls. “This is why I’m into conservation,” he said. “I like the outdoors and working with my hands. Beekeeping checks all of those boxes.” Biology major Randi Martin of Eagan, Minn. feels the same way. As she glues the ends of the bee boxes together so they can be stapled, Martin said she thinks bee research is an area that is rich with potential discoveries. She’s responsible for drawing the hemolymph from the bees and determining the number of immune cells using a device called a flow cytometer. “There isn’t a lot known about (their immune cells),” she said. “It could help us understand what’s going on with bees all over.” While the research team still doesn’t know what the outcome of their work will be, Brad said it doesn’t matter in the long run. They are doing basic research, the kind that may lead to big discoveries, or nothing at all, and the students are learning. By encouraging this kind of summer internship, Brad said UWRF is creating better scientists. “UWRF has been great,” he said. “I think (the university) is seeing the benefits of getting these undergraduates involved in research as early as they can.”
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innovation
SoPOD
a biodegradable soap pod earns a top spot at international competition The plan developed by a group of UWRF students to create and market a biodegradable soap pod earned them a top spot at an international competition May 2. The students and their creation, the SoPOD, reached the semifinals of the International Business Model Competition (IBMC) in Provo, Utah, placing among the top 22 contenders in a field of more than 3,800 teams from 276 schools and 15 countries, including Ivy League schools like Harvard and MIT. Team leader and recent graduate Eric Wenz called it “the trip of a lifetime.” “The experience was amazing,” Wenz said. “There’s really no other way to explain it.” The team, which included Andrew Lind, who also graduated in May, and An Trieu, then a junior chemistry major, was formed to compete in the first edition of the UW-River Falls New Venture Competition. Developed as a way to foster a culture of innovation on campus, that competition, now rebranded as the UWRF Innovation Challenge, was modeled around recent research in Lean Startup guiding entrepreneurs to utilize tools such as the Business Model Canvas. The SoPOD team took first place in the campus competition, earning them a $3,000 business stipend, a
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$1,000 cash prize, as well as a slot in the statewide Wisconsin Big Idea Tournament. They went on to win the state competition as well, which included a $25,000 Ideadvance seed grant from UW-Extension. SoPOD began with the idea of developing biodegradable pod technology that would allow travelers to carry body wash, shampoo, and conditioners in carry-on luggage while avoiding TSA 3-1-1 restrictions. After speaking with potential customers, the team quickly learned that their most promising customer segment was hotels seeking to reduce their carbon footprint. By replacing small plastic shampoo and conditioner containers provided in hotel rooms with biodegradable pods, hotels could significantly reduce their dry waste production. Wenz said they have been in talks with several large hotel chains to feature the SoPOD in their hotels. Danielle Campeau, director of the UWRF Center for Innovation and Business Development, said she was incredibly proud of the team, and the inaugural innovation competition at UWRF. “This was UWRF’s first year creating a competition of this sort and we not only won the state tournament, but also moved on to the semifinals at the international competition,” Campeau said. “With the revised UWRF Innovation Challenge we plan to continue expanding the culture of innovation on campus, adding entrepreneurial support for students interested in taking their business idea to the next level.”
St. Croix Valley Business Incubator The City of River Falls in conjunction with the River Falls Economic Development Corporation (RFEDC) and University of Wisconsin-River Falls was recently granted $1.4 million from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to construct a business incubator that will serve the St. Croix Valley. Through the incubator, mixed-use businesses and entrepreneurs will be able to be part of a growing entrepreneurial culture in the region, accelerating the growth of their new, existing or spin-off businesses. UW-River Falls has signed on as a partner in the initiative and has agreed to provide a director for the facility along with access to resources like faculty,
facilities and students. It is hoped that the incubator will become a platform for commercializing university research as well as a way for the university to reinforce partnerships within the local business community. The fast-growing area around River Falls is poised for a facility like the incubator, with its demonstrated high number of business start-ups coupled with a significant percentage of small business failures. These findings led to the establishment of a working group composed of representatives from the City of River Falls, UWRF, the River Falls Economic Development Corporation and Chippewa Valley Technical College and others.
Support for the Innovation Challenge comes thanks to generous donations from UW-Extension, WiSYS and Fiberstar BIO.
The St. Croix Valley Business Incubator will be owned and operated by the RFEDC, with governance from an advisory board. The advisory board will have representatives from the City, UWRF, RFEDC, and others as deemed appropriate by the partners. The St. Croix Valley Business Incubator will be located in the newly developed Sterling Ponds Corporate Park on the city’s north side and will have approximately 13,000 square feet dedicated to general manufacturing and about 18,000 square feet occupied by offices and common areas. FALCON FEATURES FALL 2015
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innovation
PROGRAMMING The University of Wisconsin-River Falls is leading the region by offering two novel programs in the fields of education and business. The UW System Board of Regents recently approved bachelor’s degrees in agricultural engineering and in data science and predictive analytics. The graduate-level STEMteach program has also recently been launched.
Agricultural Engineering Set to open in fall 2016, the new agricultural engineering program at UW-River Falls is the only one of its kind in a nearly 200-mile radius. The program, approved at the September Board of Regents meeting, is in line with UWRF’s strategic goals and was inspired by industry demand and student interest. The demand for more engineers is in line with research demonstrating an 8-9 percent job growth rate in the field between 2010-2020. Student interest in a high demand and solid job and graduate school prospects is
Math Standards Grant Eight UWRF math education students are participating as apprentices in this new three-year math grant, which works with grades 2-9 math teachers on the implementation of the Common Core Math Standards. The project kicked off on campus with approximately 115 participants. The federally funded grant was awarded to Erick Hofacker, Kathryn Ernie, Sherrie Serros (UW-Eau Claire), and Susan Ahrendt through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
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bolstered by the prestige and reputation of the applied science programs already offered in CAFES. The new degree will run parallel to the existing undergraduate program in agricultural engineering technology, though requiring higher-level mathematics, more theoretical work, and a focus on conceptual design. The program will be teaching-focused, student-centered, and industryrelevant, while also meeting accreditation requirements outlined by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, making graduates eligible to become licensed professional engineers. “This is a logical next step for CAFES to add to our highly respected agricultural engineering technology program,” said CAFES Dean Dale Gallenberg. “Together the two programs will allow us to better partner with industry through education and training of quality students.” Many UWRF ag engineering technology graduates are employed in the region by small to mid-size companies or local operations of national corporations. These same companies need professional engineers, but have difficulty attracting and retaining graduates of engineering programs from outside the region. Terry Sizemore, vice-president of engineering with Oxbo International in Clear Lake, said, “Oxbo is extremely pleased to hear that the UW Board of Regents has approved a new agricultural engineering degree. We feel this program will further develop and prepare UWRF students for a rewarding and challenging career. As a global company with key engineering teams located in western Wisconsin, we look forward to partnering and collaborating with the faculty, staff, and students to ensure the program’s success.” UW-River Falls is committed to the success of the new program and will upgrade laboratory space in the Agricultural Engineering Annex and hire additional faculty and staff. The degree is part of the Northwest Wisconsin Engineering Consortium, a collaborative effort between UWRiver Falls, UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stout to bring more engineering programs to this part of the state, allowing students flexibility between campuses and increased exposure to a broader array of industry partners.
for the Future Data Science and Predictive Analytics STEMteach Program Beginning in spring 2016, UW-River Falls will become one of only a handful of universities nationwide to offer this cutting-edge degree. As society increasingly tracks and accumulates data with the aid of modern technology, there is a growing need for individuals who have the skills to effectively collect and analyze data to make informed decisions. Jobs for data scientists, business intelligence analysts, data mining analysts and other data science professions have emerged across many sectors of the economy, including government, business, healthcare, online commerce and more. According to the US recruitment agency, Glassdoor, the average salary of a data scientist is over $118,000. While jobs in the area of data science are expected to grow throughout the region, the growth of careers in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area is especially notable because UWRF is located just 30 minutes from the metro area. “The field of data science will bring about a new wave of change and will impact every industry in ways not imagined. Its potential is often compared to that of the dot-com boom of the 1990s,” said Hossein Najafi, professor and department chair for the Computer Science & Information Systems Department. “Graduates will have unique skills, offering them opportunities to build lucrative careers and have longlasting impact on the future of humanity. We are so excited to be one of the very first undergraduate data science programs in the region and in the country.” The program will involve coursework in areas such as machine learning, data visualization and data storage. Electives in accounting, finance, management, marketing and economics are also available to provide students with a comprehensive business education. “The data science program puts UWRF on the leading edge and will provide a wonderful educational opportunity for undergraduates,” Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Fernando Delgado said. “The program synergizes well with industry partnerships as well as has the potential for further international partnerships.”
Classes are underway for students with expertise or training in mathematics, biology, physics, or chemistry, some of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields, who wish to become middle and high school teachers. The STEMteach program offers an efficient route to become a teacher with a highly marketable license within one year. It’s based on the UTeach model of STEM teacher preparation developed at the University of Texas at Austin and replicated at 44 universities across the country, but not previously in Minnesota or Wisconsin. Because of a nationwide shortage of qualified teachers for STEM classrooms, many school districts must hire teachers with temporary or emergency teaching licenses to fill the void, especially in economically distressed parts of the country. Organizers hope STEMteach will help to ease that burden. “The goal of this program is to enable talented and enthusiastic STEM professionals and recent graduates to become excellent teachers,” said Larry Solberg, dean of the College of Education and Professional Studies. In August 2014, UWRF was awarded nearly $300,000 by the National Science Foundation Robert Noyce Scholarship Program to create the graduate program. Its development fulfills one of UWRF’s strategic initiatives for the past year, Solberg said. STEMteach students have opportunities for mentored teaching beginning their first term and will complete a full semester of apprentice teaching their final term. Those who wish to complete a master’s degree in secondary education may do so by taking additional graduate credits. Funds from the NSF award will be used to provide partial tuition scholarships to the first two cohorts of students after they have successfully completed the first two terms of the program.
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innovation Kyle Willfahrt and his fellow University of WisconsinRiver Falls agricultural engineering students were confronted with a problem last spring: can they build an affordable, easy-to-use machine to pick hops? Willfahrt, who graduated in May, and his team were inspired by the egalitarian nature of Henry Ford’s groundbreaking Model T automobile to construct an affordable, easy-to-use machine for the small farmer.
“It’s built for the
common man”
by Adam Folk
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- Henry Ford
The idea for a small-scale hops thresher started with Veronica Justen, assistant professor of crop science, after she discovered the difficulty of harvesting hops, a crop whose popularity is being fueled by the nation’s craft beer-brewing boom, at the university’s Mann Valley Farm. She brought the idea to Joseph Shakal, associate professor and chair of the Agricultural Engineering Technology Department, and soon teams of agricultural engineering technology students were hard at work. Along the way, they overcame some of the biggest hindrances to small-scale hops production. They couldn’t have picked a better time to get started. Across the nation, the surge in popularity for craft beer continues unabated. Production increased 16 percent this year, meanwhile the number of craft breweries increased by 700 since mid-2014, according to statistics from the Brewers Association. The increase is good news for the nation’s farmers. Craft beers, with their emphasis on new and fuller flavors, typically require more malt and hops than mass-market lagers. All of this makes hops production more important and more lucrative. Farmers are taking note and planting hops in new areas across the country, including in Wisconsin, which saw its last hops heyday in the midnineteenth century in the areas around Sauk County.
They built the thresher to be both small and lightweight, so it’d be simpler to transport than existing machines, which often weigh thousands of pounds and are roughly the size of a pickup truck. Recently, they added a circular tube to separate the valuable hops cones from the leaves and stems. These two designs, along with the speed of the harvester, the torque and other minor tweaks, were born out of the challenging design process UWRF agricultural technology students must undergo — part of which involved submitting the machine’s design to actual hops growers for their opinions.
The boom is not without its challenges. Because hops can grow upwards of 20 feet tall, the stalks of hops, called bines, require a tall and sturdy trellis system. That translates into high upfront costs for farmers. Hops also have a short window of time when they need to be picked and dried for preservation, both of which add difficulty to their cultivation. To fix that problem, Willfahrt said the hops thresher team talked with growers and examined existing designs to ensure they made their machine better than the competition. The result is a machine that builds upon, and even surpasses, many production models on the market today. “What’s most unique is the simplicity of it,” Willfahrt said. “There are very few moving parts, so for a grower with a small plot that grows more than hops, it’s perfect due to needing little maintenance on the machine itself.” Since hops are a specialty crop, they aren’t grown like corn or soybeans, Willfahrt explained. By talking to farmers, the team learned that hops are often grown along with other crops, and that farmers needed a machine that has minimal overhead and requires little attention.
“It’s part of the engineering process, to meet with stakeholders for design review,” said Shakal. “Basically you stand up there and take bullets — take the slings and arrows. You need a process like that while the project is in the design stage.” Shakal said the machine is a testament to the challenging engineering process at UW-River Falls. With the aid of a $1,000 Falcon Promise grant, separate teams of students have been working on the project since 2012 — some in designing and testing it, others in refining its construction based on the earlier team’s findings. It is Shakal’s hope that it could one day come to market. Until then, the latest team is waiting on the result of the patent draft they submitted to the WiSys Technology Foundation, the UW System comprehensive campus technology transfer office – a notable achievement in itself. FALCON FEATURES FALL 2015
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falcon sports
Falcon Athletes Represented Abroad This past summer, Falcon athletes spent time manifesting the university’s strategic priority of “global education and engagement” as they represented both their sport and the university abroad. Men’s basketball player Grant Erickson, a junior from Lakeville, Minn., had a once-in-a-lifetime experience playing on Team USA as part of the USA Div. III Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams 2015 Brazil Tour. Teams consisted of invited NCAA Div. III basketball players from across the United States who had been recognized at the national, regional or conference levels. The players, from nine states and 14 colleges and universities, were high achievers both on the court and in the classroom, representing the best of the scholar-athlete model of NCAA Div. III athletics. In August, the Falcon women’s soccer team took an eight-day trip to Barcelona, Spain, where they experienced international soccer on all levels. The team not only attended a match of one of the best premier soccer clubs in the world, FC Barcelona in their game against AS Roma, they also immersed themselves in the local community and held a soccer clinic for underprivileged youth. The Falcon athletes also worked with Spanish coaches and played against Spanish soccer teams.
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UWRF Athletics Updates With 101 years of combined experience, the Falcon Athletic Department marked three important retirements this year: Athletic Trainer Gary “Stump” Eloranta, Sports Information Director Jim Thies, and Softball Coach Faye Perkins.
Gary “Stump” Eloranta
Faye Perkins
Eloranta retired Aug. 4 after more than 40 years as the face of UW-River Falls athletic training. He first came to UWRF in 1968 as a student and later made it his career home. During his time at the university, he had been not only an athletic trainer but also a mentor, role model, and friend to thousands of students and staff. Eloranta is also well known and respected in the community, serving as a longtime member of the River Falls Fire Department and as an emergency medical technician with the River Falls EMS.
Following the conclusion of the 2015 softball season, Faye Perkins stepped down from her role as head softball coach, a position she has held for the last 22 years. She will remain at UWRF, however, as the chair of the Health & Human Performance Department.
Eloranta was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame in 2010 and to the UWRF Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007. He earned the UWRF Chancellor’s Award for Excellence for Academic Staff in 1990. The UWRF Athletic Department’s “Gary Eloranta Falcon Award” is given each spring to a student who exhibits the department’s core values: strong work ethic, integrity, leadership, national recognition and overall impact on the team, all of which Eloranta personified during his time on campus.
Jim Thies Jim Thies retired from UWRF June 10, having served as Sports Information Director (SID) for 39 years. His career at UWRF began in 1976 when he became UWRF’s second SID in school history, having replaced his predecessor after one year. During his time at UW-River Falls, Thies mentored hundreds of students and student-athletes and, with help from a student, created the first website for the UWRF Athletic Department in 1995 -- the first of its kind in the state. Athletics at UW-River Falls has been greatly enriched by the stats, games and events Thies has documented over the years. Thies also worked with the national media during the Kansas City Chiefs Summer Training Camp held at UW-River Falls from 1991-2009. He was responsible for the Summer Training Camp intern program and assigning stories, editing and mentoring of the students’ work. Thies was also responsible for the university’s national award-winning Kansas City Chiefs Summer Training Camp website. In 2012, Jim was recognized with the Chancellor’s Award for Academic Staff for his exceptional service to the university community. Jim has served on several College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) committees over the years. He has also been active in organizations in the local community including Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Northwest Wisconsin, American Diabetes Association, Hudson Hockey Association, Hudson Lion’s Club, and St. Patrick’s Church.
No one has had a bigger influence on UW-River Falls Falcon softball than Perkins, who led the team to some outstanding achievements during her tenure. Perkins is the winningest coach in UWRF softball history, finishing with a 479-402-2 record. With a 523-422-2 career coaching record, she won her 500th career game in the team’s 9-1 win over UW-Platteville in the spring of 2014. Her teams have competed in WIAC division championships, won WIAC championships and WIAC playoff championships, and competed in the NCAA Div. III National Playoffs. Perkins was named the WIAC Coach of the Year in 1996, set a record number of wins in 2012 (with a 34-15 season) and, along with the rest of the Falcon coaching staff, was named as part of the NFCA Great Lakes Regional Coaching Staff of the Year in 2012. Perkins has coached 65 All-American Scholar-Athletes and her 1993-94 team had the second highest overall grade point average in all of Div. III softball. Most importantly to Perkins, six of her athletes have won the coveted WIAC Scholar-Athlete award: Kim Zarling, ’91; Amy (Stenson) Kujawski, ’97; Amy (Brooke) Shafer, ’03; Anna Poulter-Hendrickson, ’05; Rose Tusa and Ashley (Goettl) Hanley, ‘13. Perkins has coached two AllAmericans and 16 Regional All-Americans and 68 of her student-athletes have been named to All-WIAC teams. “It’s developing life-long relationships with my student-athletes and coaching staff that I am going to miss the most,” said Perkins. “I am especially proud of all my players who have become coaches. I hope that my passion for softball and the life lessons they have learned from Falcon softball have carried over to their lives and into the lives of their players.” On June 11, U.S. Representative Ron Kind (Wisconsin) made remarks on the congressional floor honoring Perkins’ service as softball coach at UWRF. The new softball head coach is UWRF alumna Amber Dohlman.
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alma matters
Class Notes. Weddings. Future Falcons. In Memoriam.
Find out the latest news from
Class Notes 1960 Byron Gorres (1960) completed his autobiography, “The Hunt for Competence.” He resides in Amery. John Butler (1961) was named the 2015 University of WisconsinRiver Falls Distinguished Alumnus. He is an immunologist and professor emeritus of microbiology at the University of Iowa’s Carver College of Medicine, in Iowa City, Iowa.
1970 Glenn Linder (1970) was inducted into the Wisconsin Association of FFA’s Hall of Fame. He graduated with a degree in education and is an ag teacher in the Pecatonica Area Schools. Nancy Cleveland (1971) retired after a 44-year career in education in Spring Valley. She had taught all of the Spring Valley grades, kindergarten to sixth, at various times during her career, with the exception of fourth grade. She plans to travel to Europe for two weeks and take a bus tour in November. Edward Clennan (1973) has received the University of Wisconsin’s highest faculty honor. He lives in Laramie, Wyo. Dianne Anderson (1975) retired as a speech and language teacher after 30 years, the last 12 years in the Plum City School District. She resides in Ellsworth.
Duane Wilcox, ’50, conducts the Lancaster community band during the dedication of the “Duane Wilcox Stage” at the Lancaster Library/ Community Center. The stage recognizes his 30plus years as a music educator in Lancaster. Wilcox was UWRF’s first music graduate in 1950.
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Duane Danielowski (1975) was named the Executive Director of Theatre Operations for Time Lake Playhouse in Mount Carroll, Ill. He is also the founder and president of the board for Byron Civic Theatre, celebrating its 20th season. Jim Holte (1975) was elected to the American Farm Bureau Federation Board of Directors. He was also named UWRF’s 2015 Distinguished Agriculturalist. Owners of Riv-r-vale Farms in Elk Mound, Jim and his wife, Gayle, raise 350 head of beef cattle and grow corn, soybeans and alfalfa on 460 acres.
your classmates—career changes, recent honors, retirements and more David Swensen (1975) was awarded the Frankel Fiduciary Prize. The prize was established in 2013 to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the preservation and advancement of fiduciary principles in public life. Keith Klanderman (1976) recently celebrated his 30 year anniversary at Nutriad, the global producer of animal feed additives for livestock and aquaculture. He resides in Madison. Philip Peloquin (1976) is an affiliated professor at Ohio Christian University. He resides in Circleville, Ohio. Renee Whipple (1978) is retiring after 37 years of teaching special education at Prescott High School. She plans to spend retirement reading, camping, kayaking, and being with grandchildren. She resides in Prescott.
1980 Kevin Buttles (1980) is a dairy tech specialist at Angri-Nutrition Consulting. He resides in Black Creek. Tim Foster (1980) is retiring after 40 years at Lily Lake Elementary in Stillwater, Minn. He plans to travel with his wife and spend time with his two grandchildren. He resides in Stillwater. Mary Bjurquist (1981) is retiring after teaching 34 years, 30 of them in Prescott. She resides in Prescott with husband, Mike. Kathy Zuehl (1982) is retiring after 32 years teaching in the Hudson School District. She looks forward to spending time with her family, especially her first grandchild. Mark Behrends (1983) sang Vivaldi’s “Gloria” and several other seasonal pieces in Opus 24, the Decatur, Ill., auditioned choir. Kelly Busse (1984) is retiring after teaching 31 years in River Falls and Prescott. She resides in Prescott with husband, Steve.
Boyd Huppert (1984) was a 2014 Upper Midwest Regional Emmy recipient. Dennis Erickson (1985) is vice president at Infogroup Media Solutions, a provider of innovative business data and marketing solutions. He resides in Maple Grove, Minn., with wife, Melissa. Pam Jahnke-Welch (1985) was named one of the country’s most fascinating women by Country Woman magazine. She lives in Madison with husband, Randy. Dawn Koch (1985) is celebrating three decades of teaching at St. Francis Catholic School, Ellsworth. She resides in Ellsworth. Ray Rivard (1985) Is the editor of the New Richmond News. He resides in Arbor Vitae with wife, Lorraine. Mary Czaja (1986) is serving on the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee.
Paul Nuttelman (1989) is working in the outside sales department of the Dairy and Livestock Division of Animart. He resides in West Salem. Dan Root (1989) was elected to the Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) State Board of Directors. He resides in Hayfield, Minn. Ruby Westlund (1989) is retiring after 32 years as a special education teacher in the Plum City School District. She resides in Inver Grove Heights, Minn.
1990 Larry Bengtson (1990) is a licensed professional clinical counselor and owner of Lighthouse Counseling in Hutchinson, Minn, He resides in Hutchinson. John Galgowski (1990) received the Duncan MacKenzie Award at the 2014 World Dairy Expo in Madison. He is a recently retired herdsman.
Bob Medcraft (1986) was a 2014 Upper Midwest Regional Emmy recipient. He resides in St. Paul.
Darren Soland (1990) was appointed to the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy Board. He lives in Gallup, N.M.
Jody Speer (1986) is a director at CliftonLarsonAllen. She resides in Hudson.
Shelley Tougas (1992) has a third book, “Finders Keepers,” coming out in September. She resides in Hudson.
Monica Crowder (1988) is a finalist for a STEM Superhero Award in Arizona. She resides in Phoenix with husband, Jeff.
Katie Lecy (1993) was named Teacher of the Year in Cannon Falls (Minn.) School District. She resides in Cannon Falls.
Stephanie Bodeen (1989) published her fourth book in July 2015. She has written five picture books and four young adults novels since the early 2000’s. She resides in Hudson.
Al Gathje (1994) is a business and ag banker at Merchants Bank. He lives in Lanesboro, Minn.
Gregory Corning (1989) is the superintendent in the Mondovi School District. He resides in Menomonie. Deb Henton (1989) was named Administrator of Excellence by The Minnesota Association of School Administrators. She resides in Stillwater, Minn.
Kelly Sisk (1994) has received her master’s degree in information technology from Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY. She resides in Hugo, Minn. Tiffany Meyer (1995) is the director of the Ellsworth Public Library. She resides in River Falls with husband, Kevin.
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alma matters Brian Becker (1996) has been promoted to manager of Grain CoProducts for Kent Corporation Enterprise Services. He lives in Muscatine, Iowa. Jay Heeg (1996) is on the Board of Directors of the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin. Michael Kulstad (1996) is a public affairs advisor with the FBI in Washington D.C. He resides in Stafford, Va. Tricia Braun (1997) is Deputy Secretary / Chief Operating Officer at Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. She resides in Madison.
Scott Hertting (1997) is one of the top science and math teachers in the US, as awarded by President Obama. He has taught at Neenah High School for 22 years, teaching general and advanced physics and advanced physics concepts to juniors and seniors. Adam Knowles (1997) has received a Star Excellence Award from the Education Foundation of Hudson. He is an algebra and pre-calculus teacher. He resides in Hudson with wife, Tammy, and their three children.
About Alma Matters Send us your latest news. Here’s how: 1) complete, then mail the form on this page to Falcon Features, 120 North Hall, UW-River Falls, 410 S. 3rd St., River Falls, WI 54022; or 2) fax a letter to the Falcon Features editor at 715-425-4486; or 3) submit a form located on our website at www.uwrf.edu/alumni and click “Update Profile”; or 4) e-mail us at falconfeatures@uwrf.edu . We will print your notes in the next issue. In the interest of accuracy, encourage classmates to send us their news directly—don’t do it for them. We will not print a death announcement unless accompanied by a copy of a published obituary (such as an announcement from a local newspaper). Questions on Alma Matters submission policies may be directed to Beth Schommer at 715425-0662 or beth.schommer@uwrf.edu .
Renee Dykhouse (1998) has received the Herb Kohl Foundation Award. Aaron Polkoski (1998) has been promoted to vice president at The Segal Group. Tammy Chapman (1999) started her own business, Avanti Aging Life Care Management, helping seniors move forward in their lives. She resides in Somerset. Jennifer McNeil (1999) continued her education at Universal Accreditation Board and received her accreditation in public relations in June 2012. She is the manager of advancement communications at Dunwoody College of Technology. Hope Rahn (1999) will serve as director of learning and innovation and will oversee curriculum and instruction, school innovation and improvement, learning analytics and learning technology for the Spring Lake Park (Minn.) schools.
2000 Bryan Benedict (2000) is the vice president and commercial banker for Minnesota Bank & Trust (MBT). He resides in Minnetonka, Minn. Ryan Lins (2000) is on the Acuron Corn Herbicide Technical Team at Syngenta. He resides in Rochester, Minn. Max Neuhaus (2000) is a special investigator to the Office of Lawyer Regulations with the Wisconsin Supreme Court. He resides in River Falls.
We’d really like to hear from you! ____________________________________________________________________________ name ____________________________________________________________________________ name while a student ____________________________________________________________________________ address ____________________________________________________________________________ city state zip _____________________________________________________________________________ class year phone number _____________________________________________________________________________ e-mail address NEWS:_______________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ 26 WWW.UWRF.EDU/ALUMNI
Troy Noble (2000) was named Wisconsin’s Distinguished Young Holstein Breeder. He operates Nobland Farms with his wife and three children. They reside near Platteville. Jessica Cremer (2001) is a research chemist at Nachurs-Alpine Solutions, NASi. She resides in Marion, Ohio. Rebecca Kruger (2002) is a deputy clerk III at Contra Costa County Superior Court. She resides in Livermore, Calif. Molly Montag (2002) is a reporter at the Globe Gazette. She resides in Clear Lake, Iowa. Lori Sandvig (2002) is retiring after teaching 26 years in Prescott. She plans to move to a cabin in Grantsburg and work in an antique store in St. Croix Falls.
Two UWRF Alumni win National Football Coaching Honors Eric Tronrud (2002) is a merchandiser at Menards, Eau Claire. He resides in River Falls. Wynn Davis (2003) had artwork displayed at the Stillwater (Minn.) Public Library Gallery during January and February. He resides in Stillwater. Wendy Kannel (2003) has been promoted to oversee the Young Farmer and Agriculturist Program at the Wisconsin Farm Bureau. She serves in an advisor role for Wisconsin’s three collegiate Farm Bureau chapters. She resides in Sauk City. Kyle Latch (2003) is the principal at Kennedy Elementary School, Hastings, Minn. Jake & Tolea Peissig (2003) hosted a UWRF alumni gathering at their farm in Dorchester. They gave tours of their dairy operation which included their robotic milker system.
John Hoch, ’81, of Lancaster and Bruce Larson, ’87, of Somerset received distinguished football coaching honors in 2015. John Hoch has been named the 2015 National High School Football Coach of the Year by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association (NHSACA). He was inducted into the NHSACA Hall of Fame in 2014, and is also a member of the UW-River Falls Athletic Hall of Fame and the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Hoch has led Lancaster to seven state championship titles, four state runner-up titles, and has accumulated a career coaching record of 283–96. He currently sits seventh among the state’s winningest football coaches, and is fourth on the list among active coaches. He has a career conference record of 153–50 with 17 conference titles, and in 82 playoff games, has a postseason record of 65–17. Bruce Larson has been named the 2015 recipient of the NFL’s Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award. He was nominated by the Green Bay Packers after being named the 2014 Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year and the Green Bay Packers Head Coach of the Year. Larson was inducted into the 2013 UW-River Falls Hall of Fame. He has led Somerset to three state championship titles, three state runner-up titles, and has accumulated a career coaching record of 163-37.
Maria Emmerich (2004) is the author of seven cookbooks. She resides in Hudson. Ryan Greseth (2004) is the product line sales manager at Indian Motorcycle. He resides in Minneapolis. Mike Longaecker (2004) is an editor at the Woodbury (Minn.) Bulletin. He resides in Woodbury. Jason Marks (2004) purchased the former Coach’s Bar and Grill in River Falls and opened Broz Sports Bar. This is his third location. He resides in Ellsworth. Linnea (Beckel) Wencl (2005) was named MCWA Cattlewoman of the Year during the Minnesota State Cattleman’s Association convention in December 2014. She resides in Blooming Prairie, Minn. Jena Swanson (2006) is a senior marketing manager for Filament Marketing, LLC. She is the president-elect of the Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association and serves as winter conference committee co-chair and communications/membership committee chair. She is also an active member of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and has served on the Young Producer Council public relations committee. She resides in Belleville. Heather Vierling (2006) is St. Croix County’s 4-H youth development agent. Joe Fisher (2007) is vice president of commercial lending at Citizens State Bank.
Larson (left) and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell
Laura Haugen (2007) is a business development specialist at Rivertowns Multimedia in River Falls. She works with existing and new customers updating products like Rivertowns service specialists, wellness and childcare directories, as well as the St. Croix Valley Tourism Alliance publication and other special projects. She resides in River Falls. Ryan Umlauft (2007) is an agronomy manager at Northside Elevator. He resides in Spencer. Tyler Cramer (2008) is a business systems specialist at American Family Insurance, Madison. He resides in Waunakee. Jeanna James (2008) won the state level award by the National
Association of Agriculture Educators (NAAE), automatically advancing her to the NAAE competition. She lives in Sturgeon Bay. Evan Loenser (2008) is serving on the Lakeland City Council. He resides in Clayton. Hayley Moe (2008) received a master’s degree in social work at UW-Milwaukee in 2009. She is a future center advisor at La Crosse Promise. She resides in LaCrosse, with husband, Jacob. Danielle Endvick (2009) is communications director at Wisconsin Farmers Union. She resides in Holcombe. Krista Weiler (2009) is an account manager at BI Worldwide in Edina, Minn. She resides in St. Paul. FALCON FEATURES FALL 2015
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alma matters 2010 Johnathan Cady (2010) is working in finance at General Mills. He resides in Hopkins, Minn., with wife, Trista. Kristin Klossner (2010) was an Alice in Dairyland finalist. She is a substitute teacher for the Monticello School District. She resides in New Glarus. Raymond Moore (2010) is an informatics specialist in NextGen Sequencing Analysis at Mayo Clinic. He recently received a degree in biomedical informatics and computation biology from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Trista Cady (2011) is an account executive at Harvest PR & Marketing, Minneapolis. She resides in Hopkins, Minn., with husband, Johnathan. Storm Harmon (2011) is head girls basketball coach at Menomonie High School for the 2016 season. He is a physical education teacher at Menomonie Middle School. Dylan Hubin-Burrows (2011) is an analytical process engineer at 3M. He resides in Cumberland. Laura Krawczyk (2011) is a client relationship manager at EnergyPrint. She resides in Ogema. Ross Kruger (2011) is diversifying into swine production instead of expanding his dairy herd in Eleva. Danielle (Hammer) Clark (2012) manages the Clean Fuels and Vehicle Technologies Program at The American Lung Association in Wisconsin. She resides in Beaver Dam. Kari Heisler (2012) has received a Star Excellence Award from the Education Foundation of Hudson. She is a choir teacher and lives in Hudson with her husband, Rico, and their five children. Jennifer Hundt (2012) is a fresh and hardgood sales representative at Koehler and Dramm Wholesale Florist. She resides in Eau Claire. Ashley Zezza (2012) is marketing coordinator with EXACT Dispensing Systems. She resides in Hudson. Emily Dressler (2013) is a technical-support specialist at AgSource. She resides in Linden. Brent Jones (2014) is the planning and zoning administrator for Nisswa, Minn. He resides in New Prague, Minn.
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Douglas Winfrey (2014) is a quality manager for Pace Industries. He resides in Hudson with wife, Theresa. Luke Vang (2014) is an associate application engineer at Thrivent Financial. He resides in St. Paul. Amy Graham (2015) is teaching elementary school children at a fly-in village in Alaska. She has lived in River Falls the past five years.
co-owns and operates the 4th generation family farm. They are in the process of installing robotic milkers and should have everything up and running in February. Jennifer Elstran (2010) and Kurtis Weber (2010) were married June 14, 2014. Jennifer is a paralegal for The Center of Parents with Disabilities in Windsor, Colo. Kurtis is employed at Aquatic Associates-Fisheries and Lake Management in Fort Collins, Colo. They reside in Milliken, Colo.
Erica Reierson (2015) is an inside sales representative at ANIMART, working closely with territory managers in Michigan to build and maintain customer relationships.
Raymond Moore (2010) and Caitlin Reikowski (2010) were married June 29, 2013. They reside in Rosemount, Minn.
Weddings
Dylan Hubin-Barrows (2011) and Erica (Flettre) Hubin-Barrows were married Aug. 20, 2011. They reside in Cumberland.
Brian Wille (1988) and Sue (Larson) Wille were married July 29, 2011. Theresa (Danovsky/Kohl) Hamman (1994) and Ernie Hamman were married Sept. 20. Amy Sweeney (2002) and Lynn Blankenship were married Sept. 20, 2013. Matt Klismith (2004) and Paula Schmid were married Sept. 19. Matt works in IT for the State Department in the Foreign Service. Paula is employed with SR Harris Fabric Outlet.
Stacey Reetz (2011) and John Swanson (2011) were married June 14, 2014. Stacey is a professional gardener at Sarah’s Cottage Creations, Stillwater Minn. John is an associate examiner at Farm Credit Administration in Bloomington, Minn. The couple lives in Hudson. Steve Lopez (2013) and Katherine (Ginnell) Lopez (2013) were married July 19. They reside is Seattle, Wash.
Ryan Umlauft (2007) and Ashley Umlauft (2007) were married Oct. 17, 2009. They reside in Loyal.
Amy Jo Poppe (2013) and Jason Stuttgen were married July 26. Amy is a kindergarten teacher in the Stanley-Boyd School District. Jason is a sixth-grade math teacher in the Altoona School District.
Melissa (Fischer) Guimarais (2009) and Jose Guimarais were married April 16, 2012. They reside in Waupun.
Nick Werner (2014) and Andrea Irvine were married Oct. 11, 2014.
Caitlin (Conley) Perszyk (2009) and Brian Perszyk were married July 7, 2012.
Future Falcons
Johnathan Cady (2010) and Trista Gropp (2011) were married Aug. 23, 2014. They reside in Hopkins, Minn.
Ryan (2007) and Ashley Umlauft (2007) welcomed Noah Parker Umlauft Sept. 4, 2012. The family resides in Spencer.
Angie (Dieringer) Eloranta (2010) and Justin Eloranta (2009) were married Oct. 11, 2014, in Marshfield. Angie is the executive director of Main Street Marshfield and Justin
Heidi (Chirhart) Janssen (2013) and husband, Randy, welcomed a son, Parker Dayton, on July 2. They reside in Maple Grove, Minn.
UWRF’s 1982 Distinguished Alumnus A. Duane “Andy” Anderson died Oct. 13 at age 97. Anderson was past chief of surgery at Madison General Hospital, past president of the Madison Surgical Society, past president of the Wisconsin Medical Foundation, past grand master of the Masonic Fraternity of Wisconsin, and held various offices in the Madison Rotary and the Lutheran church. He also served as clinical professor of medicine at the UW-Madison School of Medicine.
In Memoriam Jane Alfonse, 1930 Died Feb. 21 Ruth Burkholder, 1934 Died Jan. 18, 2014 Lois Hanson, 1934 Died Oct. 18, 2014 Elsie Johnson, 1938 Died June 16 Thomas Ronningen, 1939 Died Aug. 11, 2014 Florence Hanson, 1939 Died Jan. 29 Mildred Cain, 1940 Died Oct. 15, 2014 Marlys Wilhelm, 1941 Died March 9, 2014 Arild Nielsen, 1941 Died Aug. 13, 2014 John Frank, 1941 Died Nov. 27, 2014 Father Francis Prucha, 1941 Died July 30 Harold Zercher, 1942 Died July 3, 2014 Eleanor Brown, 1942 Died Sept. 4, 2014 Mildred Hanson, 1942 Died March 4 Vernice Johnson, 1942 Died May 29 Lawrence Klug, 1943 Died March 14, 2014 John Andrea, 1943 Died Sept. 6, 2014 Gertrude Geraets, 1943 Died Nov. 3, 2014 John Jarolimek, 1943 Died May 10 Betty House, 1944 Died March 31 Marie Squires, 1945 Died July 21 Virgil Byng, 1947 Died March 10 Fred Ubbelohde, 1947 Died June 1 Paul Curtis Lindholm, 1948 Died Feb. 1, 2014 Norman Helgeson, 1948 Died March 20, 2014 Ferdinand Fosmo, 1948 Died June 26, 2014 Verne Kolba, 1948 Died July 23, 2014 Edward Hora, 1948 Died Aug. 27, 2014 Leslie Knudsen, 1948 Died Nov. 20, 2014 William Crommett, 1949 Died Aug. 3, 2014 James Vankeuren, 1949 Died Sept. 12, 2014
Marilyn Ringstad, 1949 Died May 12 George Klingelhiets, 1949 Died May 14 Kenneth Johnson, 1949 Died May 15, Elaine Skrupky, 1949 Died July 10 Sylvan Thompson, 1949 Died July 23 Robert Grefe, 1950 Died Dec. 16, 2014 Paul Sylla, 1950 Died Dec. 31, 2014 Robert Kinney, 1950 Died Jan. 2 Gordon Olson, 1950 Died March 10 Charles McJilton, 1950 Died April 4, Daniel Demulling, 1950 Died June 13 Emerson Hyde, 1950 Died July 22 Edward Holdorf, 1951 Died Feb. 12, 2014 Kirby Symes, 1951 Died Sept. 28, 2014 Edith Durst, 1951 Died Oct. 24, 2014 Everett Roberts, 1951 Died Nov. 20, 2014 Richard Justice, 1951 Died Jan. 9 John Ringstad, 1951 Died Jan. 20 Donald Tripp, 1951 Died June 15 Robert Maveus, 1951 Died July 9 Omar Hubbard, 1952 Died Nov. 8, 2014 Willis Johnson, 1952 Died March 15 Allan Rydmark, 1952 Died April 17 Charles Braun, 1953 Died Feb. 25, 2014 Royce Larsen, 1953 Died April 21 Gene Hartman, 1953 Died July 6 Wayne Reichert, 1953 Died Aug. 4 Francis Enders, 1954 Died July 29 Harley Harkness, 1955 Died Oct. 9, 2014 Roy Riebe, 1956 Died Jan. 7, 2014 Patricia Graven, 1956 Died Jan. 9, 2014 James Vance, 1956 Died Dec. 19, 2014
Roger Ekstrand, 1957 Died Sept. 23, 2014 Bruce Harrison, 1957 Died Oct. 18, 2014 Wayne Peterson, 1957 Died Feb. 28 Joseph Hornick, 1958 Died Aug. 25, 2014 Donald Brue, 1958 Died Oct. 1, 2014 Marvin Schrader, 1958 Died Dec. 27, 2014 Martha Meister, 1959 Died Aug. 31, 2014 Martin Stelter, 1959 Died April 21 David Ohrt, 1959 Died July 15 Mona Pett, 1959 Died July 20 Gerald Marlette, 1960 Died Jan. 2 William Clark, 1960 Died Jan. 5 Judith Boysen, 1960 Died Jan. 18 Nellie Rogers, 1960 Died Feb. 16 Dale Henning, 1960 Died Feb. 21 Donald Nolter, 1960 Died March 6 Corrine Drost, 1961 Died March 15 Lowell Mathison, 1961 Died May 18 Roberta Karls, 1962 Died Aug. 24, 2014 Karen Berkner, 1962 Died Oct. 9, 2014 John Overman, 1962 Died Nov. 7, 2014 Betty Saari, 1962 Died Nov. 16, 2014 Betty Feske, 1962 Died Nov. 22, 2014 Garry Blomberg, 1962 Died Jan. 4 Mabel Bernhardt, 1962 Died March 21 Ariel Mckenzie, 1964 Died Jan. 4 Donald Mastaglio, 1964 Died Jan. 7 Richard Hendricks, 1964 Died June 18 Thomas Knutson, 1965 Died Oct. 1, 2014 Kenneth Larson, 1965 Died March 25 Jerry Knapmiller, 1965 Died April 18 Bruce Thiemke, 1965 Died May 12
Jerald “Jerry” Carstens, former Speech Communication and Theatre Arts professor and department chair, passed away at home in Sarasota, Fla., Sept. 17. Carstens retired from UW-River Falls in 1996 after a 31-year career where he served as forensics director, chair of the Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts, and chapter president of the Association of University of Wisconsin Professionals. He also served on the Faculty Senate, chaired its Curriculum Committee and served on many other committees. Carstens regarded his work advising students and interns as one of his most significant accomplishments at UWRF. He moved to Sarasota when he retired and had lived there ever since.
Robert “Bob” Pionke, former sociology professor, passed away in Marietta, Ga. on Oct. 13, 2015. Pionke retired from UW-River Falls in 1995 after a 32 year career. He was born and raised in central Wisconsin and served in the army for two years before earning a bachelor’s degree in sociology and English from UWStevens Point . Pionke is pictured above in 2013 with Donna Arne (left) and Monica Wheeler in 2013. Monica was the recipient of the Annette Harrison and Dr. Robert Pionke Scholarship.
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alma matters
UWRF’s 1991 Distinguished Alumnus Rev. Paul Prucha, S.J., died July 30 at age 94. Prucha, ’41, was the oldest member of the Wisconsin Province, a Jesuit for 64 years and a priest for 58 years. He was assigned to Marquette University in 1960, he remained there for 50 years, even after he officially became professor emeritus in 1988. Prucha trained generations of doctoral students in history, published more than 25 books and many scholarly articles, and was a major force in establishing Marquette’s rich research archives documenting Catholicism among Native Americans. Prucha’s two-volume “The Great Father: The United States Government and the American Indians,” published in 1985, is regarded as a classic among professional historians.
Gifts
ANYONE
Can Afford
Sandra Johnson, 1972 Died Sept. 17, 2014 Bernard Doucette, 1972 Died Oct. 3, 2014 Beverly Sergo, 1972 Died Jan. 24 Myrtle Conley, 1972 Died Feb. 18 Jean Wirsig, 1972 Died June 25 Mervyn Swanson, 1972 Died Aug. 4 Victoria Harter, 1973 Died Nov. 20, 2014 Dennis Euler, 1973 Died March 2 Frances Cohler, 1974 Died Jan. 19 James Milton, 1974 Died April 13 Mark Levezow, 1976 Died March 22 Daniel Johnson, 1976 Died June 29 David Carr, 1977 Died Feb. 12 William Schultz, 1978 Died March 10 Stuart Samsel, 1978 Died July 2
Judith Durand, 1965 Died June 6 Bernice Nyhus, 1966 Died May 27 Larry Schleusner, 1967 Died Oct. 30, 2014 Eric Buhr, 1967 Died Dec. 20, 2014 Arthur Downing, 1967 Died July 9 Mary Rivard, 1967 Died July 13 Rosemary Lynch, 1968 Died Jan. 15 John Ruby, 1968 Died May 11 Larry Ackerson, 1968 Died June 16 Ward TeWinkel, 1968 Died July 19 Eugene Cook, 1970 Died Oct. 18, 2014 Ruby Koski, 1970, 1986 Died May 16 Philip Miller, 1970 Died Jan. 30 Terrence Gherty, 1971 Died Oct. 7, 2014 John Quade, 1971 Died June 12
Have You Ever Wished You Could Help? But thought you couldn’t afford to give? There are ways you can give today while still preserving your assets for retirement and providing for your family. There is good news! You can support our mission without impacting you or your family. Please contact us to learn more about these types of charitable gifts and how you can help further our mission.
Here are some gifts anyone can afford to make: • • • •
Gifts from a Will or Trust Beneficiary Designations Life Insurance Appreciated Securities
• • • •
Real Property Tangible Personal Property Life Estate Business Interests, Closely Held Stock and Partnerships
Colleen Peterson, Senior Director of Development University of Wisconsin-River Falls Foundation Phone: 715-425-3505, colleen.peterson@uwrf.edu Copyright 2015 Crescendo Interactive, Inc. Used by permission. HP-2015-149.1.cp
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Cheryl Gilles, 1978 Died Aug. 2 Susan Hayes, 1979 Died March 23 Peter Ezinkwo, 1980 Died Dec. 26, 2014 Jon Roberts, 1980 Died Feb. 13 Douglas Samuelson, 1980 Died March 24 Carl Nachreiner, 1980 Died Aug. 13 Lisa Dotzenrod, 1981 Died March 20 Teresa Harrell, 1981 Died June 26 Mary Krubsack, 1985 Died Nov. 28, 2014 Francis Sagert, 1985 Died Feb. 22 Ronda Baumgartner, 1985 Died June 20 Wendy Bruce, 1986 Died Feb. 1 Colleen Knee-Kirby, 1987 Died Aug. 10, 2014 James Olson, 1987 Died Aug. 26, 2014 Sherri Pfaff, 1987 Died March 6 Michael Vangsness, 1988 Died Sept. 30, 2014 Bruce Webster, 1990 Died Nov. 30, 2014 Allen Borman, 1990 Died March 6 Charles Kinkade, 1991 Died May 14 Pamela (Pam) Weller, 1992/1999, Died Aug. 2 Cynthia Kent-Frohnauer, 1992 Died May 29, 2014 Lois Parker, 1992 Died March 16 David Frigaard, 1993 Died Jan. 24 Todd Cavanaugh, 1995 Died Nov. 2, 2014 Mary Francis, 1996 Died Aug. 18, 2014 Jacob Holt, 1999 Died July 5, 2014 Daniel Weber, 1999 Died Nov. 2, 2014 Deanne Bauer, 1999 Died Feb. 9 Jeremy Meissner, 2005 Died Jan. 14 Bethany Mazur, 2014 Died July 18
UW-RIVER FALLS ALUMNI AWARDS
Butler
Dobson
Staszko
Distinguished Alumnus Award 2015
Lifetime Achievement Award 2015
Outstanding Young Alumnus Award 2015
John Butler, an internationally renowned researcher, immunologist and professor emeritus of microbiology at the University of Iowa’s Carver College of Medicine, was honored as the 2015 recipient of the UW-River Falls Distinguished Alumnus Award at spring commencement May 16. Butler graduated from UW-River Falls in 1961 with degrees in chemistry and biology.
William Dobson, an economic advisor to President Ronald Reagan, is the recipient of the 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award for the UWRF Alumni Association. Dobson, of Waunakee, is emeritus professor of agricultural and applied economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has served as an agribusiness economist with the Babcock Institute for International Dairy Research, been professor and chair of agribusiness at Massey University in New Zealand and served as a senior staff economist with President Ronald Reagan’s Council of Economic Advisors.
Dr. Jason Staszko, a former U.S. Marine combat physician, is the recipient of the UWRF Alumni Association’s 2015 Young Alumnus Award. Dr. Staszko, of Grafton, graduated from UWRF with a degree in biology in 2000. He currently serves as the associate medical director for Emergency Services and co-director of Trauma Services at Columbia St Mary’s Hospital, Milwaukee.
Butler pioneered groundbreaking research on the antibodies of cattle and swine, mucosal immunology and solid phase immunoassay — a procedure for measuring or detecting proteins and other substances through antigens or antibodies using a solid surface. He is the author of more than 250 published articles and has received two distinguished veterinary immunologist awards. Butler was raised on a farm in Rice Lake, the youngest of seven children. Like nearly half of today’s UWRF students, Butler was the first of his family to attend college. Butler became a leader in antibody research and mucosal immunology while working at the Agriculture Department in Washington, D.C. He also spent three years in Germany performing research funded by the Max-Planck Society and the Fogarty Foundation. Butler maintains a variety of foreign scientific collaborations throughout Europe, primarily in Germany, France, Sweden, Hungary and the Czech Republic. He is a strong advocate of comparative immunology/biochemistry, basic research in veterinary immunology as well as the use of swine in biomedical research.
He graduated from UW-River Falls with a bachelor’s of science degree in 1959 before receiving his master’s of science degree from Iowa State University in 1961 and his Ph.D. from Purdue University in 1969. Dobson has received numerous professional awards recognizing teaching excellence and has authored or co-authored 200 professional publications and articles.
While in medical school he was awarded a full scholarship from the U.S. Navy and rose to the rank of lieutenant. In 2006, he was deployed to Ramadi, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom where he cared for soldiers and was responsible for the staffing and daily operations of his battalion aid station. The Outstanding Young Alumni Award recognizes the accomplishments of individuals who have excelled in professional and civic accomplishments and have graduated from UW-River Falls within the last 15 years.
The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes the accomplishments of alumni who have provided long-time exceptional service and leadership in their profession, community and a continuing interest in and loyalty to UWRiver Falls.
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2014-15 donors UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-RIVER FALLS
Donor Societies July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015
We appreciate the generosity of our donors, and there are many ways we thank you as members of our giving societies. Here are just some of the many benefits and thanks that are bestowed upon our generous donors: • Annual Donor Recognition event, featuring time with the Chancellor. • Early purchase options for tickets, such as for the Annual Scholarship Benefit. • Reception with the speaker at the Annual Scholarship Benefit. • Newsletter, featuring news of students, faculty, and the impact of recent gifts. • Football and basketball VIP room access (Smith Stadium available in 2015, Falcon Center available in 2017). • Invitation to events at the Chancellor’s home. • Special seating at Commencement** and select campus events. • And more! **please contact the UWRF Foundation at least 15 days prior to Commencement.
Legacy Society Major Gifts
Donors with contributions totaling $10,000 or more during Fiscal Year 2014-2015 3M Foundation for the 3M Leadership Scholarship Agropur, Inc. for the Dairy Pilot Plant Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation for the Fred C and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation Scholarship An anonymous gift for the Pre-Vet Star Scholarship An estate gift from Annette Blanchette for the Irene L. Blanchette Memorial Sophomore Achievement Award and Sally Margis University Staff Development Award Bill and Debbie Boehm for the Falcon Annual Fund, the Falcon Scholars Program Scholarship, the Dairy Pilot Plant, and the CBE Financial Trading Room Fund John Butler for the J.E. Butler Molecular Biology Scholarship Stanley and Susan Cernohous for the Falcon Scholars Endowed Scholarship CHS for the Center for Agricultural Business Management and Engagement and Agronomy/Crops and Soils Admissions Program Fund Dairy Connection, Inc. for the Dairy Pilot Plant Kathy DeLonais & Virgil Drusch and the DeLonais Foundation for the Undergraduate Research, Scholarly and Creative Activity (URSCA) and Falcon Center Garden Dale Dopkins and Pam McDaniel-Dopkins for the Dale A. and Pamela A. Dopkins Scholarship
Stanley Hubbard, Kari Hubbard Rominski, and Hubbard Broadcasting Foundation for the Chancellor’s Strategic Initiatives Mary Ella Jerome and the Mary Ella Jerome Family Foundation, Inc. for the Wallace Henry Jerome Agriculture Scholarship, the Marion Estenson Jerome Elementary Education Scholarship, the Lola Estenson Yde Instrumental Music Scholarship, the Mary Ella Jerome Vocal/Choral Music Scholarship, and the Constance Rogneby Schollmeier Psychology Scholarship Nick and Inga Karolides for the Inga and Nicholas J. Karolides Education Abroad in Europe Scholarship, the Nicholas J. and Inga Karolides English Education Senior Excellence Award, the Karolides Music Fund, and the Coffee Concert Fund Kraft Foods/Oscar Mayer for the UWRF Animal Welfare Program Marcel K. Lynum Scholarship Trust for the Marcel K. Lynum Scholarship Brad and Joanne Martin for the Dr. B. H. (Benny) Kettelkamp Scholarship, the Wayne B. and Iva E. Martin Scholarship, the John E. Butler International Research Scholarship, and the Falcon Scholars Endowed Scholarship Kathryn Melsted for the Kathryn Dvarishkis Melsted Chancellor’s Scholarship Jack and Gretchen Norqual via the Minnesota Community Foundation for the Jack and Gretchen Norqual Semester Abroad Scholarship Mullins Cheese, Inc. for the Dairy Pilot Plant
Paul Dykstra & Karen Kracher Dykstra via the Ayco Charitable Foundation for the Paul B. Dykstra Men’s Hockey Locker Room at the Falcon Center and the Paul Dykstra Academic Wisconsin Excellence Scholarship
Nasonville Dairy, Inc. for the Dairy Pilot Plant
Jennifer Easton via The Saint Paul Foundation for the BrainardKasten Colt Barn
St. Croix Orthopaedics for the St. Croix Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Athletic Training Room at the Falcon Center
Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery for the Dairy Pilot Plant
Stan Schraufnagel and Mary-Alice Muraski for scholarships
Roxanne Emmerich and David Duhaime and The Emmerich Group, Inc. for the Roxanne Emmerich Academic Wisconsin Excellence Scholarship
Sentry Insurance Foundation, Inc. for the Sentry Insurance Student Leadership Scholarship
Foremost Farms USA for the Dairy Pilot Plant An estate gift from Jim Grantman for unrestricted purposes Grassland Dairy Products, Inc. for the Dairy Pilot Plant Sang Hahn and Hyeong Hahn for the Hahn International Scholarship Brad and Sue Hewitt via Thrivent Financial for the Falcon Scholars Program Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc. for the Dairy Pilot Plant
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Nelson-Jameson, Inc. for the Dairy Pilot Plant An estate gift from Wayne Peterson for unrestricted purposes
Susan Vento via The Saint Paul Foundation for the STEMteach Program and the Bruce F Vento Science Educator Scholarship Greg and Donnette Wheelock for the Falcon Annual Fund and the Falcon Scholars Program Scholarship Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association for the Dairy Pilot Plant Bry Wyman for the Walker D. & Helen Bryant Wyman Visiting Professorship, the Walker D. and Helen Bryant Wyman Endowment, the Art Department, and the Falcon Annual Fund Shannon and Angel Zimmerman and the River Valley Business Center for the Zimmerman Gate at Smith Stadium
Members of the Legacy Society have expressed their commitment to UW-River Falls through a very special and important form of financial support. These friends have remembered the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in their estate plans through wills, trusts, life-income gifts, gifts of property, or named the university as a beneficiary of a retirement plan or life insurance policy. Linda Alvarez Sue Ammerman Wayne Lafferty and Robert Amos Andy* and Phyllis Anderson Bob and Kathleen Armitage Mary Barrett George and Donna Beestman Brad Bittorf and Deb Austin Annette Blanchette* Rick and Sandy Bowen Carolyn Briggs and Dale Condra Frank and Kris Briski Mary Ellen and Don* Brue John Butler Kristine Butler Jerry Carstens Alan Case Shirley Christenson Harriet Chirstianson Charles and Joanne* Connelly Gregory and Sandra Dickerman Marilyn and Erling Eibs Larry and Pat Gansluckner Phil and Judy George Phyllis Goldin and Wanda Brown Gaylon and Hannah Greenhill Margaret Gruba Barbara and Bill Hanley Dick Huston Dennis and Carolyn Johnson Wyman and Marjorie Julius Margaret Keating and Daniel Turkisher Robert and Pauline Koenig Douglas Krant DeAn and Robert Krey David Lackey and Paige Olson Jim and Susan L’Allier Marv Lansing and Nancy Kraft
Curt and Dee Larson Marilyn and Dan Lightfoot Palma Linnerud Bill and Nancy* Maurina Jeff and Mary McCardle Marcia and Donald Meracle Randy Moog and Mary Gable-Moog David and Illa Moore Janelle and Dabrien Murphy Lois and Al Murray Anne Nelson Shelby and Charles Obershaw Margaret Odegard Rick Oebser Tom Olson Grace Oskey Nancy Parlin Bob Pionke Raymond Polzin Lucille Dahm Ramshaw and Charles Ramshaw John Rice Karma and Donald Roberts Dora Marie Rohl Swami and Mary Schlumpf Ellen and Brian Schultz Judith Skow Chuck Steward and Shirley Chartland Shirley Stone Gary and Emogene Thibodeau Dean and Mary Van Galen Shannon Wall Peter Ward Michael and Jeri Weiser Greg and Donnette Wheelock Chuck White and Ruth Anne Benson White Ruth Wild Melissa and Justin Wilson Valerie and Mike Woiak * indicates deceased Bold indicates new to society
1874 Founders Society
The 1874 Founders Society recognizes the founding of the University and the donor’s whose cumulative giving over a lifetime has reached $25,000 or more. Benefactor ~ $500,000 lifetime giving Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation Charles and Ann Kao Marcel K. Lynum Scholarship Trust Ab Nicholas Bry Wyman Leader ~ $250,000 lifetime giving 3M Foundation Arlin and Marilyn Albrecht Jennifer Easton First National Bank of River Falls Mary Ella Jerome Mary Ella Jerome Family Foundation, Inc. Partner ~ $100,000 lifetime giving Hugh J. Andersen Foundation John Butler Cho Chang Tsung Foundation of Education CHS CHS Foundation Kathy DeLonais and Virgil Drusch DeLonais Foundation Grassland Dairy Products, Inc. Sang Hahn and Hyeong Sik Hahn Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc. Nick and Inga Karolides Bob and Jennifer Kotecki Lilly Endowment, Inc. Bill Lydecker Brad and Joanne Martin Jim and Stacy Musel Jack and Gretchen Norqual Grace Oskey Wayne Peterson* Principal Financial Group Sentry Insurance Foundation, Inc. Grace Guey-fen Shieh Gary and Emogene Thibodeau Thrivent Gift Multiplier Tozer Foundation Greg and Donnette Wheelock Chuck White and Ruth Anne Benson White Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association Wisconsin Livestock & Meat Council Associate ~ $50,000 lifetime giving AgStar Financial Services Sue Ammerman
Andersen Corporation Andy* and Phyllis Anderson Anonymous Ayco Charitable Foundation Bayport Foundation Annette Blanchette* Bill and Debbie Boehm Burlington Northern Santa Fe Foundation Jerry Carstens Christ The King Lutheran Church Shirley Christenson City of River Falls ConocoPhillips Bill and Janet Cordua Dale Dopkins and Pam McDaniel-Dopkins Paul Dykstra and Karen Kracher Marilyn and Erling Eibs Roxanne Emmerich and David Duhaime Brad and Sue Hewitt Dick Huston Kraft Foods/Oscar Mayer Melvin and Carole Laird Marv Lansing and Nancy Kraft Jerry and Faye Matteson Lois Michaelson Minnesota Community Foundation Ralph K. Morris Foundation Mullins Cheese, Inc. Northwest Feed Manufacturers Association Bob Pionke Reader’s Digest Foundation Bill Romoser The Saint Paul Foundation Patti Smith Neir and Francis Neir Stephanie Smith David Swensen Tampa Electric Company University of Wisconsin Foundation Viking Coca-Cola of River Falls Welcome Dairy, Inc. Wells Fargo WESTconsin Credit Union Wisconsin Agri-Business Association Shannon and Angel Zimmerman 1874 ~ $25,000 lifetime giving 1 3M Microbiology Labs Catherine Abbott Millie Addy Agropur, Inc. Gene and Molly Ahlborn
Loren Albert Phyllis and Dean Albert Jane Alfonse* American Association of University Women American Center for Philanthropy American Endowment Foundation Daniel and Caroline Anderson Anoka County Gem and Mineral Club Badgerland Financial David and Kathleen Barnard Mary Barrett Andrew Beagle JoAnne Chao-An Beckman Jason and Kristin Beeler George and Donna Beestman Jon and Metta Belisle Lyle and Mary Bellin Lori Bents BioDiagnostics BioMerieux, Inc. Brad Bittorf and Deb Austin Ken and Hee Dong Blanford BMC Foundation Dave Boatman Barbara Boddy and Donald Salwoski Jim Bohn and Linda Zelig Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts Rick and Sandy Bowen Dan and Jane Brandenstein Betsy Brandt Kyle Brokken Charlene Brovold Ruth Brown Josh and Irene Burbul Gary and Faye Burke Janet and Tim Burns Nancy CarmichaelStoner and Craig Carmichael-Stoner Central Wisconsin Cheesemakers & Buttermakers Jeff and Kristi Cernohous Stanley and Susan Cernohous Derek and Michelle Cherne Chevron Corporation Neil and Patty Jo Christenson Margaret and Paul Church John and Arla Clemons Colgate-Palmolive Company Community Funds, Inc. Charles and Joanne* Connelly Bill and Loris Connolly Carolyn Cook Robert and Barbara Coyle James and Barbara Cropp Alice Curler
Corrine Curtis Sarah and Mark Dahlke Dairy Connection, Inc. Gigi Daniel Davison Scholarship Fund Bob and Merrelyn Dawson Conrad and Susan DeJong Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation LaVerne Delorit Larry and Darcy Dorau Yunge Dutton Bob and LouAnn Dykstra Ecolab Foundation Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery The Emmerich Group, Inc. Equitable Life Insurance Company of Iowa Ethel McDonald Ellis Trust Rob and Michelle Everson Falcon Faceoff Club Mike and Rae Farley Farm Credit Wisconsin Fastenal Company FedEx Ground Marilynne Felderman Marcella Field Bev and Eugene Finn Carl Finstad FirstMerit Bank Dan and Jennie Florness Ford Motor Company Foremost Farms USA Katy Forsythe Connie Foster and Fred Roethlisberger Blake and Michele Fry Wayne and Patricia Funk Janice Gaalaas Larry and Pat Gansluckner Carl and Brenda Gaulke General Mills Community Action Phil and Judy George Roger Gerrits Tom and Anne Goerke Phyllis Goldin and Wanda Brown Ron Gondeck David and Nancy Grabarczyk Great Northern Oliver Collectors Gaylon and Hannah Greenhill Growmark, Inc. H.B. Fuller Company Foundation Mary and Tom Halada Duane and Fran Hall Percival Hamilton Karen Handorf George Hansen and Emily Lyon Hansen John Hansen Deborah and Steve Hanson Hartung Brothers, Inc. Ed and Janet Hayes HealthPartners Heart of America Management
Gorden Hedahl and Jean Loudon Tim Hein Dean and Linda Henderson Melissa Herskowitz John and Ina Hill Glenn Hoberg Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi John and Helen Huang Hubbard Broadcasting Foundation Kari Hubbard Rominski Stanley Hubbard Sam and Midge Huffman Tim Huston IBM Corporation David Imrie Indianhead Polled Hereford Association Ingersoll-Rand Bruce and Patricia Jacobson Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies Connie Johnson Doug and Margel Johnson Jim and Colleen Johnson Lew and Dianne Johnson Dean and Tammie Junkans Tom and Cynthia Keup Kenneth and Deneen Kickbusch Helen Klink* Jerome and Shirley Knode Don and Beverly Knudtson Robert and Pauline Koenig Tom and Sarah Kolar Skip and Susan Koosmann Kraft Foundation Bob and Mary Jo Krueger Nancy and Jimm Kruger Alan Kruizenga and Katrina Schleitwiler Kruizenga Linda and Phil Lago John and Nancy Laird Land O’Lakes Foundation Marilyn Laramy Curt and Dee Larson Margo Daggett Lessard Kathy Lindahl Lockheed Martin Corporation Viola Lundeberg Trust Michael and Susan Lussenden Lynn Dairy, Inc. Marcel & Edith Lynum Scholarship Trust Madison Community Foundation Jim and Linda Madsen Steve Mageski Marathon Oil Company Dan Marchand and Michelle Roesler Marcia and David
Marquardt George and Karen Marx Bill and Nancy* Maurina Mayo Foundation Sylvia and John McCallister Jeff and Mary McCardle Mickey McDermott Scholarship Fund Dan and Lori McGinty Kathryn Melsted Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Mark Meydam and Katrina Larsen Scott and Lisa Miller Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association Steve and Kathleen Mooney Motorola Foundation Edna Mumm Nasonville Dairy, Inc. Jerry and Susan Nechville Lanny and Joni Neel Allen and Mary Ann Nelson James and Barbara Nelson Marlys Nelson Nelson-Jameson, Inc. North Central Cheese Industries Association Northwestern Mutual Life Virgil and Gayle Nylander Margaret Odegard Kristina Ogland Craig and Mary Louise Olson Manley and Ann Olson Marvin and Myrna Olson Liz Oostendorp David and Alison Page Jo Page* Verne and Raima Palmberg Chuck and Debra Palmer Nancy Parlin Doug and Elizabeth Patin Maureen Pechacek and Maynard Howe Wu Peng Faye Perkins and Joe McIntosh David and Lois Peters John and Sandra Petersen Laura Carlson Peterson and Thomas Peterson Ursula Peterson Don and Aline Petzold Phillips Plastics Corporation Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. Trudy and Lloyd Popenhagen Barb Preston-Broesder and David Broesder Bea Pronley Renee Radcliffe Lucille Dahm Ramshaw and Charles Ramshaw Paul and Laurie Rebholz *Deceased
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2014-15 donors University of Wisconsin - River Falls
FOUNDATION
Statement of Financial Position June 30, 2015 ASSETS Cash & cash equivalents $1,293,459 Investments 21,077,470 Accounts receivable, net Pledges receivable, net 1,187,475 Prepaid expenses 33,987 Gift annuities 153,686 Beneficial interest in charitable remainder trust 97,091 Property and equipment, net 78,460 TOTAL ASSETS $23,921,628 LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS Liabilities: Accounts payable $35,091 Accrued wages payable and related taxes 23,585 Gift annuity payables 119,770 Total liabilities 178,446 Net Assets: Unrestricted: Undesignated 2,168,363 Board designated endowment 1,913,943 Temporarily restricted 10,631,855 Permanently restricted 9,029,021 Total net assets $23,743,182 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS $23,921,628 UW-RIVER FALLS FOUNDATION 2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Derek Cherne ’93, chair Bob Casey ’86, vice chair Barbara Butler ’86, treasurer Mark Gherty ’75, secretary Bob Kotecki ’86, past chair Bill Boehm ‘70 Laura Carlson Peterson ‘87 Jeff Cernohous ‘93 Kathy DeLonais ‘73 Suzanne Hagen Karen Handorf ‘72 Deborah Hanson ‘03 Margaret Keating ‘75 Jim Musel ‘88 Brent Niccum ‘91 John Rosenow ‘72 Greg Wheelock ‘83 Bill York ‘78 Shannon Zimmerman
Ex-Officio Members Dean Van Galen, Chancellor James Graham, Faculty Senate Chair Daniel Robinson, student representative Chris Mueller, UW-River Falls Foundation President
Red Wing Publishing Company Brad and Lori Ribar John Rice Don and Ellie Richards Duane and Evelyn Rivard River Falls Garden Club River Falls State Bank River Falls Tuesday Club River Valley Business Center RiverTown Newspaper Group Keith and Katherine Rodli Dora Marie Rohl Robert and Dee Rosenbrook John and Nettie Rosenow Tom and Suzanne Sackett St. Croix Orthopaedics Saint Croix Valley Foundation
Saint Croix Valley Music Teachers Association Sajan, Inc. Sal Salmonsson Andrew and Gina Sandvik Jim and Frankie Saxton Swami and Mary Schlumpf Stan Schraufnagel and Mary-Alice Muraski Ellen and Brian Schultz Bob Smith Clyde and Ellen* Smith Connie and Steve Smith Polly Smith Stafford and Mark Stafford Sandy Smith Wurm and Mike Wurm Emery and Doris Sobottka Rosemary Soli Russ and Laurel Spence Bill and Jennie Sperling
Bonnie Starkey State Farm Companies David and Pat Stone Strategic Diagnostics, Inc. Muriel Svec Meg and Stephen Swanson Dick and Grace Swensen Stephen and Lynn Swensen Lillian Tan Scott and Arline Taylor Jeff and Ann Thiel Joe and Karla Tobola Marshall and Gretchen Toman Trane David Trechter University Women’s Club Dean and Mary Van Galen Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program Susan Vento
Viad Corp Fund Vibrant Health Family Clinics Arden and Patti Virnig Dik and Joan Waak Ed Walter Peter Ward David and Sandra Wardwell Steve and Terri Wilcox Ruth Wild Brian and Jen Williamson Bruce and Jeanine Williamson Judy Wilson WinField Solutions, LLC Jean Wirsig* Wisconsin Florists Foundation Wisconsin Nursery Association Wisconsin Pork Producers Association
Wisconsin Public Service Foundation Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association Warren Wolfe and Sheryl Fairbanks Ruth and Dave Wood Christian Wurm Mark and Eva Wyman Xcel Energy Services, Inc. Bill and Vicki York * indicates deceased Bold indicates new to society 1 Includes grandfathered donors with a cumulative lifetime giving is $10,000 or more prior to 6/30/2015
Chancellor’s Circle
The donors represented in the lists below have given $1,000 or more to the UW-River Falls Foundation in 2014-2015 fiscal year. Platinum Circle ~ $10,000 annual giving 3M Foundation Agropur, Inc. Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation Ayco Charitable Foundation Anonymous Annette Blanchette* Bill and Debbie Boehm John Butler Stanley and Susan Cernohous CHS Dairy Connection, Inc. Kathy DeLonais and Virgil Drusch DeLonais Foundation Dale Dopkins and Pam McDaniel-Dopkins Paul Dykstra and Karen Kracher Jennifer Easton Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery Roxanne Emmerich and David Duhaime The Emmerich Group, Inc. Dan and Jennie Florness Foremost Farms USA Jim Grantman* Grassland Dairy Products, Inc. Sang Hahn and Hyeong Sik Hahn Brad and Sue Hewitt Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc. Hubbard Broadcasting Foundation Kari Hubbard Rominski Stanley Hubbard Mary Ella Jerome Mary Ella Jerome Family Foundation, Inc. Nick and Inga Karolides Kraft Foods/Oscar Mayer Marcel K. Lynum
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Scholarship Trust Brad and Joanne Martin Kathryn Melsted Minnesota Community Foundation Mullins Cheese, Inc. Nasonville Dairy, Inc. Nelson-Jameson, Inc. Jack and Gretchen Norqual Wayne Peterson* River Valley Business Center St. Croix Orthopaedics The Saint Paul Foundation Stan Schraufnagel and Mary-Alice Muraski Sentry Insurance Foundation, Inc. Thrivent Gift Multiplier Susan Vento Greg and Donnette Wheelock Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association Bry Wyman Shannon and Angel Zimmerman Gold Circle ~ $5,000 annual giving Aladtec, Inc. Loren Albert American Center for Philanthropy American Endowment Foundation Badgerland Financial David and Kathleen Barnard BioDiagnostics Judith Bohn Trust Betsy Brandt Bremer Bank Central Wisconsin Cheesemakers & Buttermakers
Jeff and Kristi Cernohous Neil and Patty Jo Christenson Shirley Christenson Bill and Janet Cordua First National Bank of River Falls Janice Gaalaas Tom and Anne Goerke Gaylon and Hannah Greenhill Karen Handorf Hartung Brothers, Inc. Glenn Hoberg Kemps, LLC Tom and Cynthia Keup Kathryn Lindahl Lynn Dairy, Inc. Bill and Nancy* Maurina Mickey McDermott Scholarship Fund Jo Page* Sal Salmonsson Clyde and Ellen* Smith Stephen and Lynn Swensen Gary and Emogene Thibodeau Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program WESTconsin Credit Union Bruce and Jeanine Williamson Bill and Vicki York Silver Circle ~ $2,500 annual giving Sue Ammerman Anonymous Mary Barrett Andrew Beagle George and Donna Beestman Ken and Hee Dong Blanford Bridgewater Associates, LP
Derek and Michelle Cherne Terry and Ronald Ferriss Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Troy Fohrman Connie Foster and Fred Roethlisberger Blake and Michele Fry Cathy and Daniel Furseth Carl and Brenda Gaulke George Hansen and Emily Lyon Hansen John Hansen Harvest Tec, Inc. Henning’s Cheese Linda and Phil Lago Perry Larson* Viola Lundeberg Trust Jim and Linda Madsen Jerry and Faye Matteson Brent and Julie Niccum Bob Parker Maureen Pechacek and Maynard Howe Faye Perkins and Joe McIntosh Laura Carlson Peterson and Thomas Peterson Trudy and Lloyd Popenhagen John and Nettie Rosenow Andrew and Gina Sandvik Grace Guey-fen Shieh Meg and Stephen Swanson Joe and Karla Tobola University of Wisconsin Foundation Wells Fargo Larry and Virginia Williams Wisconsin Agri-Business Association Wisconsin Livestock & Meat Council
Chancellor Circle ~ $1,000 annual giving Arlin and Marilyn Albrecht Brian and Bonnie Alton Torrion Amie Andy* and Phyllis Anderson Anne Anderson Daniel and Caroline Anderson Associated Dentists of River Falls Associated Insurance Counselors Beth Barnett Mary Baumgartner Jason and Kristin Beeler Lyle and Mary Bellin The Benevity Community Impact Fund Lori Bents Heidi and Tracy Bergh Big O’s Trailers, Inc. Gary and Kaye Bird Brad Bittorf and Deb Austin Bletsoe Cheese, Inc. Charles and Linda Bostrom Rick and Sandy Bowen Jeff and Mary Bradley Dan and Jane Brandenstein Mary Ellen and Don* Brue Dean and Beth Buchholz Bumper to Bumper School of Driving LLC Denny and Jacolyn Burich Janet and Tim Burns CareFusion Foundation at The San Diego Foundation Dixie Carroll and William Menne Bob and Dena Casey Brad and Wanita Caskey Garth Christenson and Mary Stuesser *Deceased
Gene Church Colgate-Palmolive Company Bill and Loris Connolly Robert and Barbara Coyle Cranston Concessions Corrine Curtis Mike and Lorraine Davis Bob and Merrelyn Dawson Conrad and Susan DeJong Deloitte Foundation Michelle Donovan and Juan Santiago Yunge Dutton Bob and LouAnn Dykstra Ecolab Foundation Marilyn and Erling Eibs Craig Emerson Gary Eppling Mike and Rae Farley Marilynne Felderman Marjorie and Ralph Fessler Carl Finstad John and Allison Flynn Four Corners Elizabeth and Rick Frueh Kurt and Liz Fuhr General Mills Community Action Roger Gerrits Mark and Maeta Gherty Mark Gillen and Katherine Smith Phyllis Goldin and Wanda Brown Kimberly Gould Speckman and Jeff Speckman David and Nancy Grabarczyk Great Northern Oliver Collectors Patricia GroskoppLiebich and William Liebich Growmark, Inc. Jay and Deb Gunderson Tom and Laura Gust H.B. Fuller Company Foundation Suzanne and Waldo Hagen Mary and Tom Halada Natalie Halfman Duane and Fran Hall Deborah and Steve Hanson Rusty and Peggy Helland Russell and Karen Helwig Daryl and Wendy Herrick Gordon and Sue Hoff Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi Sam and Midge Huffman Deb Hulbert Dick Huston Indianhead Polled Hereford Association Robert Jackson Craig and Diane Jameson Gene and Mary Janicke Jamie and Leanora Jankowski Susan and Steve Jasinski Michael and Cynthia Jensen
Melissa Johansen Lew and Dianne Johnson Jane Kasper Margaret Keating and Daniel Turkisher Mike and Sheue Keenan Kenneth and Deneen Kickbusch Laura and Randolph Kimpfbeck Carolyn Klecker and Jackie Kieser David Knoke Gloria Knott Tom and Sarah Kolar Skip and Susan Koosmann Bob and Mary Jo Krueger Alan Kruizenga and Katrina Schleitwiler Kruizenga Mark and Susan Lacek Marv Lansing and Nancy Kraft Bruce and Kelly Larson Curt and Dee Larson Kevin and Gail Larson Scott and Susan Larson Ken and Ruth Lee Margo Daggett Lessard Wen Li Marilyn and Dan Lightfoot Dale Lindquist Michael and Susan Lussenden Marcel & Edith Lynum Scholarship Trust Madison Community Foundation Dan Marchand and Michelle Roesler Dale and Wendy Marcott Marcia and David Marquardt Sylvia and John McCallister Dan and Lori McGinty Richard and Joann McNamara Chad and Tricia Meschke Mark Meydam and Katrina Larsen Leroy Miles Scott and Lisa Miller Elliott and Susan Moeser Steve and Kathleen Mooney Chris and Lynnea Mueller Lois and Al Murray Roderick and Pamela Nelson Randy and Donna Niekamp Northern Trust Charitable Giving Program Northwest Feed Manufacturers Association Virgil and Gayle Nylander Rick Oebser Manley and Ann Olson Liz Oostendorp Chuck and Debra Palmer David and Lois Peters Robert and Sharai Pollock Lucille Dahm Ramshaw and Charles Ramshaw
Raytheon Company Paul and Laurie Rebholz Matt and Ann Renn Brad and Lori Ribar John Rice Don and Ellie Richards Scott Ringelstetter River Falls Garden Club River Falls Municipal Utilities River Falls State Bank RiverTown Newspaper Group Karma and Donald Roberts Dora Marie Rohl Santa Fe Community Foundation Swami and Mary Schlumpf Todd Schmit Raymond and Elizabeth Schofield Ellen and Brian Schultz Schwab Charitable Fund Mary Simonson Clark Bob Smith Connie and Steve Smith Emery and Doris Sobottka Larry Solberg Jennifer and Jerome Sorensen Jason and Jennifer Staszko State Farm Companies Mike and Tammy Stifter David and Pat Stone Julie Stucky and Dave Simpson Muriel Svec Lillian Tan May Tao Kathy and Bill Terry Theisen Infinity Foundation Marshall and Gretchen Toman David Trechter UBS Financial Services UWRF Agricultural Industry Club Dean and Mary Van Galen Voya Dik and Joan Waak Gary and Linda Wagenbach Gordon and Joyce Waller James and Linda Walsh Ron and Stephanie Ward Wayne and Suzanne Weiss Brad Welle and Susan Thompson-Welle Chuck White and Ruth Anne Benson White Don and Chong White Steve and Terri Wilcox Heather Willert Judy Wilson Wisconsin Florists Foundation Ruth and Dave Wood Mark and Eva Wyman Xcel Energy Services, Inc. * indicates deceased Bold indicates new to society
New Donors
A special thanks to the donors who made their first gift to UW-River Falls in 2014-15. A & M Concessions Mary Abel Orland and Judith Abel Leah Addington Agropur, Inc. Danielle Ailts Campeau Aladtec, Inc. Kim Alber Anne Allen-Wyman AmazonSmile Foundation Nic Ambroz Torrion Amie Marius and Krisztina Andahazy Jessica Anderson Randy and Eloise Anding AstroTurf Derek Auchterlonie Erin Bachaus Trevor Baier Susan Banie Ivana Bartulovic Mary Baumgartner Matthew Baumgartner Jack Beal Thomas Beatty Rod and Lisa Beckman Bailey Bednarek Anne Behan John Behling Daniel Bennett Michael and Carla Benning Jamie and Jan Benson David and Lynn Berg Craig and Sue Bergstrom Michelle Betthauser Chris Bevington Big O’s Trailers, Inc. Teresa Bjorklund Neil Bland John Blase and Cynthia Smith Blase Bletsoe Cheese, Inc. David Bodart Kelly Bode Gary and Barbara Bohlken Robert and Danette Bohlken Judith Bohn Trust Steven Bohn Richard Boniface Antone and Carole Bossert Shari Botz Bryan Braccini Nancy Brandes Jane Brem Bremer Bank
Colleen Brenner Bridgewater Associates, LP Broad Street Bar & Grill Dianne Brown Sarah Brown Erin Broy Paul Budde Susan Bukowski Bulldog Baseball Camps Bumper to Bumper School of Driving LLC Mary and Richard Bunnell Deb Burghardt Sandra Burton James and Renee Bush Roger and Marlyn Buswell C L Recycle Valerie Calhoun Ronald Cardo CareFusion Foundation at The San Diego Foundation Shirley Cari Teresa and Samuel Cari Rick Carlson Michael and Jill Carter Helen Mae Casey Christopher Castille Courtney Celt Jayne Cernohous Stanley and Susan Cernohous Tammy and Kevin Chilson Jeanette Chrouser Gene Church Lawrence Cipov Barb Clark Edward Claycomb Donald and Teresa Cleaver Travis Cordie David and Marsha Cornelius Cranston Concesions Rebecca Crichton David and Janice Crosmer Jessica Cross Susan Dau Jared Dauk Maggie Davidson Beverly and Fred Deangelis Julie DeBace Donna Deiss Jodie DeKam
Deloitte Foundation Lynette Dempsey Steve and Melinda Derloshon DeVine Liquors Joy Marie Dick Pamela Dietrich Mike and Marsha Dinse Robert Dirkman Division V Sheet Metal Bill Dobson Harvy Dorn Casey Doten Edwin and Linda Drake Lindsay Draz Dawn Duerre Wade Durbin Thomas Dusek Bryan Edwards Susan Eidahl Paula Elem Nancee Emmerich Lyle Erickson Martha Erickson Todd Erickson Patricia Erlandson Virginia Estridge Dru Faith Julie Fazio Jessica Feidt Feuerhelm, Langer & Nelson CPA’s, LTD Tom Fisher James Fleming Geraldine Floyd Troy Fohrman Adam Folk Richard and Ramona Foore Foremost Farms USA Four Corners Brian and Lori Fox Frantl Industries, Inc. Fredrickson and Associates Eldon and Jo Ann Freese Mark and Pamela Friede Michael and Bernice Frisch Karian Furois Cathy and Daniel Furseth Ashley Gausman Rita Gavle Andy and Glenda Gehl Kathy Gehling Lawrence and Margaret Geisler Terry George Bob Germer Amy Gialdini
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our recognition lists. If you have any questions about your listing, please contact the UW-River Falls Foundation at 715-425-3505 or e-mail alumni@uwrf.edu.
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2014-15 donors Georgianna GimpelNess Kevin Ginnever John and Anne Glasenapp Nancy Goeppner J.O. Granger David and Tricia Grant Christopher Gray Mary Kay Greczyna Thomas Groom Kenneth Gross James Grymala Guinn, Vinopal, and Zahradka, LLP Peggy Hagberg Elliott Hagenbucher Laurel Hague David Hall Rollie Hall Turi Halvorson Todd Hamburg Ashley and John Hanley Natalie Hansen Brian and Jennifer Hanson Dawn Hanson James Hanson Jane Hanson Marcia Hanson Robert Hanson Jack Haren Rachelle Haroldson Sally Haskins Donald Hauber Heidi Hauck Myron Hauge Lora Hausladen Dan and Ruth Heflin Lynn Heggen Daniel Hegman Nate Hendrickson and Anna PoulterHendrickson Henkemeyer Coatings, Inc. Henning’s Cheese Lori Henthorne Sue and Tim Herbrand Lu Ann Herzog Russell and Linda Hiatt Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc. Dar Hintz Lorayne Hinzman Nancy Hoff Jane Holasek Cathleen Holmes Tony Hommerding Charles and JoAnne Horak Tiffany Hove Daniel Hoverman Hubbard Broadcasting Foundation Kari Hubbard Rominski Stanley Hubbard Barb Hunter John Huppert Robert Huppert Roger Huser Jason Iannazzo Steve Incha Indianhead Federated Library System Innate Chiropractic Louis and Susan Intili
Investors Community Bank Richard and Cammy Iverson Nick Jackson Walter and Jill Jaeger Dean and Rebecca Jantz Keith Jardine Brenda Java Roger Jenni David Johnsen Benjamin Johnson Betsy Johnson Bradley and Lindsay Johnson Gerald and Jane Johnson Jodea Johnson Kelei Johnson Lynn Johnson Michael Johnson Renee Johnson Sean Johnson Susan Johnson Daniel and Helen Jonas Richard and Barbara Junker The K Foundation Kevin and Jodi Kaduce Erin Kamm Wendy Kannel Teresa Kay Diane Kaznowski and Sharon House KBK Services, Inc. Barbara and Dennis Keicher Christine and Mark Kelleher Karen Keller Ronald Keller David Kelley Kemps, LLC Risa Kessler Kiefer Specialty Flooring, Inc Michael Kilmer Paul and Mary King Richard and Lois King Kathy Knobloch Michael Knoll Joshua Knutson Jody Koch Katie and Steve Koets Tim and Lori Kohn Robert and Gail Kokett John Kontny Richard and Susan Krueger Donald and Beth Krusemark Merna Kuxhausen Greg LaMair Jamee Lamm Margaret and Emmett Langness MJ Lant Development, Inc. Deb Larsen Delores Larsen Kevin Larsen Gary Larson Jean Larson Kay Francis Larson Lynn Larson Patricia Lauritzen James and Kathryn Ledwein
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Richard Leebens Lisa Lehman Richard and Ronda Lehman Tammy Leininger Nancy Lemaster Caroline and Gary Lenselink Shelly Link Steven Linzmeier Jean and Raymond Livermore Mauretta Longsdorf Thomas and Nita Looft Brenda Luedeman Christine Lundgren Karen Lutz James Lynch Barbara Mahan Melinda Mahr Jim and Lynda Malaske Mike and Lynall Malecha Peter and Virginia Malvey Annie Marek Paulo Martins Sheann Mattingly Katie Mattison Janet Mattox Traci Maxwell Robert and Patricia Mc Dowall Carrie Mc Elvogue Kelsey McLean Cody and Sheila Meddaugh Joseph and Cynthia Mee Mitchell Melum and Emilee Scott Melum Lisa Mershon Elliott Metcalfe and Becky Titus Paul Meuwissen Anthony Milanko Leroy Miles Jane Miller Kathy Miller Patricia Miller Bill Millinczek Tony and Sue Milliron Terri Moen Doris Monroe and Janet Duncan Jan Monson Gina Montilino Maria Monturiol Carrie Moore Caroline Moran Jeff Moreno Morgan Stanley Diane Murphy James and Judith Murphy M.D. Nady Mindy Naef Nasonville Dairy, Inc. Katherine Neate Michelle Nechuta Darin Nei Billy Nelson Glen and Lois Nelson Mary Nelson David Nicolai Lucas Niebur Nathan Norby Northern Trust Charitable Giving Program Alan and Crystal Nutt and Family
NW WI Managers/ Fieldmans Association Kenneth and Marilee Oberheu Cheryl and Kenneth O’Brien Kristine O’Brien Thomas and Janet O’Connell Theresa Oestreich Alissa Ohmann Frank and Louise Okicki Steven Olsen Andrew and Diane Olson Courtney Olson Dan and Andra Olson David Olson Jacquelyn Olson Jennifer Olson Warren Olson Marilyn Joan Olson-Lear Constance and Roger Olstad Allen and Lyla Omernik Dennis and Kathleen Opland Sara and William Owen P.E.O. Chapter T Mark and Sonya Painschab Valarie Paras Richard and Barbara Parker Michelle Parkinson McKenzie Payne Jennifer Pearson Sandra Pecoraro Robin Pedek Anna Peebles Jennifer Pengra Rane Peppard William and Karen Peters Eric Petersen Ewald Petersen Shirley Peterson Connie and Brian Phillips Walley and Debra Pingel Robert and Patricia Pinkston Jeff and Jill Pinter Stephanie Pistohl Vicky Plekkenpol Elizabeth Pope George Pope Jeannine Poulin Richard Prahl Precision Concrete Cutters, Inc. Q & M Enterprises Bruce Quinton David and Jeanne Rabas Michelle Radtke William and Barbara Read Traci Reimann Mark and Connie Reuter Shelly Richard Bill Ringelstetter Alicia and Jessy Rivard River Valley Business Center Jay Rizza David and Maria Roberts Linda Rochester Rebecca Rogalla Michael and Eva Rogness Megan Rogus Gerald and Cynthia Ross
David and Kathleen Rothenberger Alberta Rupert Jeffrey Rupert Gerard and Carolyn Rushton Bill and Roberta Russell David and Nancy Russell James Rustad and Kay Thomas Jill Samson Jacob Schaffer Richard and Mary Schieck John and Barbara Schleppenbach Lynn Schmeling Cheryl Schmidt Lynette Schmitz Nancy Schnable School District of Elmwood Katelyn Schramke Paula Schreifels Schuette, Inc. Jennifer Schuetz Robert Schulz Debra Schwab Elizabeth Schwertel Micall Searles Dag and Heidi Selander James Seppala Signart Co., Inc Daniel and Elizabeth Siroin Ila Sittlow Jennifer Skog Carolyn and Edwin Smith Lisa Smith Nancy Smith Joseph Smithwick Eric Smoczyk Roland Snyder Eliot and Marsha Solomon Somerstar Entertainment LLC Arne and Patricia Sorenson South Fork Cafe Steve and Janet Sparks SpartanNash Andrew and Sherri Spellar Rachel Sproul Corrine Staeheli Camie Steiner William and Karen Stimeling Walter Stolarzyk Brian Stone Becky Strabel Laura Strumberger Kevin and Julie Studnicka Mary Lou Studnicka Godfred Svir and Rebecca Rogalla Jean Svir Doug Swanson Teresa Swanson Bill and Genny Taevs May Tao Tauchen Harmony Valley, Inc. James R. Taylor and Sons, Inc.
Tennis Bums, LLC Jim and Jill Tentis Robert Tess Jody Thesing-Ritter Theta Chi Fraternity Christina Thomas Kevin and Betsy Thomas Kristi Thompson Jeff Thoreson Eric Thorson Patricia Thraen Susan Thurston Donna Timlin John Titcomb TNT Bushing Billy Todd Dan and Laurie Torgeson Chad and Sarah Trowbridge Hugo Tscharnack Dana Tubbesing U.S. Targhee Sheep Association UBS Financial Services Cheryl Urbanek Karen Utnehmer UWRF Agricultural Industry Club UWRF Glass Club Paula and Luis Valencia Greg and Bonnie Van De Mark Jean VandeBerg-Burke Hli Vang and Lyvong Vue Richard and Virgene Vatthauer Sue Vento Bailey Vikstrom David Voller Jennifer Vorwerk Georgia Wagner Dave and Doris Wait Mary Wallin Dennis and Diane Walters Marlin and Debra Walters Thomas and Sandra Walters Brittany Warren Amy Wasielewski Noah Weiss Wellspring Hills, LLC Carla Wenning Brent Wertish Michael and Karen Wertish Thomas and Bonnie Wertish Vallalee Wertish Annika Wichmann J.D. and Cherlyn Wichser Earl Williamson Jessica Willyerd Theresa Wilson Michael and Diane Witt Kayla Worden Kristen and Timothy Workman David and Leslie Wurst Alexandra Yarke Denise Yaron Jan Yee Brenda Yorek Robert Yost Amy Young Kathleen and Timothy Zeglin Tom and Mary Zettell
donor profile
Steve and Terri Wilcox UWRF Degrees: Steve, ’74, BA Biology; Terri. ’77, BS English, Secondary Education and ’85, BS Physical Education UWRF Giving: Members of the Chancellor’s Circle and the 1874 Society Why they support UWRF: “Because we want students of today to have the same opportunities that we had.” Children: two adult children, Chris, who is production manager for Creative Homes in Woodbury, Minn., and Kiira, client account manager for Resultants for Business. Business: Co-owners, Resultants for Business, Hudson, a non-traditional business consulting organization focusing on facilitating the planning process, coaching leadership and implementing growth strategies and business systems for growing companies. Previous entrepreneurial activities: Wilcox Services, Environmental Landscape, Invisible Fence, and Sport Court.
Community Activities: Steve - past member of UWRF Foundation Board of Directors, active with Boy Scouts and Rotary International and board member of more than 10 other not-for-profits in the greater St. Croix Valley. Terri – Junior Achievement, Hudson Schools, Relay for Life and Bethel Lutheran Church. Little known facts: Terri was Coach Mike Farley’s administrative assistant while she attended UWRF. As a student, Steve got ticketed on Cascade Avenue for going 38 on his bicycle. Terri and Steve’s parents are all UW-River Falls alumni. Terri’s father, Gordon Olson, graduated in 1950 and her mother, Lorraine (Thannum) Olson, received her bachelor’s degree in 1948. Joan (Johnson) Wilcox graduated in 1949 and Duane Wilcox graduated in 1950. [See the class notes section for an interesting update on Duane Wilcox, UWRF’s first music education graduate!] Words to live by: Always strive for a life of significance and purpose.
Self-description: Risk-taking serial entrepreneurs.
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Alumni Engagement Strategy The objective of the UW–River Falls Alumni Association is to engage our alumni in the life of the institution as valued supporters, event participants, advocates, and lifelong learners who contribute to and benefit from connections to each other and to the university. Our alumni play critical roles, serving as volunteers, ambassadors, donors, and mentors to our students. We take seriously our responsibility to engage them in the most meaningful ways possible, keeping them connected to the university and to each other. Alumni are a vital part of the extended UW-River Falls community. UWRF gains a great deal from their involvement and support. Our alumni have told us that they gain from networking, from opportunities to serve the institution that once served them, and from a heightened awareness of the vibrant university community whose reputation ultimately affects theirs. In recent years, the Alumni Association has implemented an intentional strategy to better engage alumni by: • Providing opportunities where alumni, students, faculty, staff, parents, prospective students and friends can meet on a regular basis for intellectual and social enrichment. • Encouraging support for UW-River Falls through programs focused on development, student recruitment, career placement, community service, professional expertise, and advocacy. • Ensuring continued two-way communication between UW-River Falls and its graduates. • Assisting and supporting UWRF students.
Alumni Engagement The UW-River Falls Alumni Association has recently begun utilizing an alumni engagement model to track levels and forms of alumni engagement. Figure 1 illustrates the core areas that are analyzed annually in our alumni database: event attendance, volunteering, board involvement, donors, affinity programs, and electronic newsletters. Each of these core areas is assigned a point assessment, allowing us to track varying levels of engagement and make more tactical and sound decisions in our outreach efforts. Fourteen points is the most that an individual can earn in our engagement model. The chart on page 39 indicates how points are attributed.
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Over the 2014-15 fiscal year, we had more than 11,000 alumni earn at least one point, thus demonstrating some type of engagement with UWRF. The highest point total earned to date has been ten points.
Engagement Model Point Criteria Event Attendance (up to 4 points)
1 point each event
Board Involvement (up to 2 points)
1 point each board membership
Volunteers (up to 2 points)
1 point each volunteer opportunity
Electronic Newsletters
1 point
Affinity Programs
1 point
Current or Last-Year Donor
1 point
Chancellor’s Circle Donor
1 point
1874 Society Donor
1 point
Legacy Society Donor
1 point
Total possible points
14 points
Engaging Alumni with Current Students It is often UW-River Falls faculty and staff who most effectively and creatively engage our alumni, getting them involved as classroom guest speakers, volunteers, advisory board members, mock interviewers, networking contacts, faculty/staff recruitment resources, and much more. Jennifer Willis-Rivera, professor of Communication Studies and Theater Arts, was asked how valuable alumni volunteers are in her classroom. How do you utilize alumni volunteers in your curriculum?
This model is allowing us to get to know you and your interests better and ultimately will drive the creation of stronger alumni programs. We want to provide more and better opportunities for you to connect with one another, with students, and with our institution. This engagement model is one tool we have chosen to implement towards this goal. We are continuously looking for ways to better serve and engage our alumni. We understand that there are a lot of demands for your time, so we want to provide opportunities and resources that support you and your personal and professional priorities. If you are looking for ways to become more engaged at your alma mater or have suggestions for programming activities, contact Dan McGinty, director of Alumni Relations, at 715-425-3505 or daniel.e.mcginty@uwrf.edu. If we do not have your email address, please update your alumni profile at alumni@uwrf.edu to stay connected to UWRF.
Alumni Engagement Model Donor
We have alumni come speak in our COMS 286 course (Intro to Communication Studies) every semester. During that day, they often go to one or two other courses depending on the schedule. We also take them to lunch at Riverside Commons. How do you communicate with alumni? We target alums who are on our Facebook alumni group https://www.facebook.com/ groups/130962440312963/, where we have about 180 members. Every semester we post a notification about the alumni day - typically we have about 10 alumni who participate each time this is offered. What has been the response from students?
Affinity Programs
Volunteer
Alumni Engagement Board Involvement
Electronic Newsletters
Event Attendance
The students LOVE this day - they are very excited to ask “real life” questions to our graduates, and our alums are very excited to give “real life” answers. Can you cite an example of a meaningful engagement opportunity that occurred for either a student or alumni volunteer? We have had at least three students internships through the interaction with alumni, and often they connect with our alumni for informational interviews.
Figure 1
FALCON FEATURES FALL 2015
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410 S. 3rd Street River Falls, WI 54022
NEW!
Scholarship Guarantee UW-River Falls is committed to investing in the future of our students. Beginning with the fall 2016 semester we will provide an automatic scholarship to students demonstrating strong academic potential. All new freshmen with an ACT score of 22 or higher and class rank in the top 40% will be guaranteed $1,000; those with an ACT of 25 or higher and rank in the top 25% of their class will be guaranteed $2,000, renewable for a second year. Details are available at go.uwrf.edu/guarantee.
UPCOMING ALUMNI EVENTS Twin Cities Speaker Series (UWRF Distinguished Alumnus Boyd Huppert) UWRF Undergraduate Research Fall Gala
November 12 December 3
“The Sound of Music� at the Ordway
December 19
Fall Commencement
December 19
Wisconsin Dells Alumni Event at Kalahari Resort Golden Jubilee Reunion (Class of 1966) Spring Commencement Coastal Alaska Cruise
January 8-10, 2016 May 13-14, 2016 May 14, 2016 August 4-11, 2016
For additional UWRF alumni events information, contact the Office of University Advancement tollfree at 877-258-6647, by e-mail at alumni@uwrf.edu, or visit our website at www.uwrf.edu/alumni.