Falcon Features Fall 2021

FALCON F E A T U R E S THE MAGAZINE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-RIVER FALLS

Fall 2021

Falcons Forward A time for new beginnings! beginnings!

Chancellor Maria Gallo FALCON FEATURES FALL 2021

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New tradition takes flight A 13-foot metal falcon is now perched outside Rodli Hall, home to UWRF’s Admissions Office and Student Success Center. The galvanized silver bird (it will oxidize to gray over a decade) garners the attention of all who pass by.

Connecticut artist Peter Busby was commissioned in 2020 to create a sculpture that would launch a legacy for UWRF and, in turn, create a new campus tradition.

Next time you’re on campus, rub the falcon’s talon and make a wish for good luck.

As falcons soar the sky, Falcon wishes, dreams and ideas will take flight.

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in this issue

PROFile Earl Blodgett, a full circle Falcon................ 5

Science and Technology Building A science success story in the making............. 14

Lexi LeFever an All-American NCAA & WIAC track and field champ...... 21

David and Patricia Stone Donors of generous spirit..........................30

Sections Up Front...............................................4 Along the South Fork....................... 5 Falcon Sports................................... 20 Alma Matters.....................................24 FALCON FEATURES FALL 2021

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up front With Chancellor Maria Gallo

along the south fork A summary of noteworthy events, milestones, programs

FALCON FEATURES Volume 69, Fall 2021 University of Wisconsin-River Falls 410 S. 3rd St. River Falls, WI 54022 715-425-3505 or 1-877-258-6647 falconfeatures@uwrf.edu www.uwrf.edu/alumni

I’ve experienced an exciting and fast-paced two months since arriving on the UW-River Falls campus to begin my role as the university’s 20th chancellor.

I knew this position would be an ideal fit as my values align so well with those of the university. I hope to engage with many of you soon to hear firsthand how UWRF impacted your personal and professional success. You know perhaps better than anyone the value of a UW-River Falls education and I am confident that, together, we can continue moving the institution forward.

This promises to be an exciting year for UW-River Falls with renewed momentum toward our Science and Technology Innovation Center (SciTech) project following $111M in capital funding from the State of Wisconsin. A heartfelt thank you to the many of you who have been advocating for this project on our behalf. Your involvement is incredibly important to the future of UW-River Falls.

Fall semester will bring us back to traditional classroom settings and college experiences as we move, safely, through the struggles of the COVID-19 pandemic. UWRF is committed to mitigating risks on our campus. We will remain dedicated to fulfilling our institutional mission while also striving to keep our students, the campus and the community safe.

Sincerely,

Maria

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Falcon Features is published annually by the University Advancement and University Communications and Marketing offices and the Alumni Association.

Generating content is a team effort.

Postmaster: Send form 3579 to Falcon Features, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, River Falls, WI 54022

EDITORIAL TEAM Assistant Chancellor, University Advancement Rick Foy Executive Editor Dina Fassino Art Director Tony Bredahl, ’86 Copy Editor Deb Toftness Feature Writer Kelsea Wissing Photography Pat Deninger Victoria Kosel Graphic Design/Illustration Kathryn Falde Karen Zander

and happenings.

Grateful Good-Bye

Hometown healthcare alive and well in River Falls In February 2021, months before COVID-19 vaccines were readily available, UW-River Falls was one of the only locations in the area where the vaccines could be found, all thanks to an unlikely partnership.

Freeman Drug, a family drug store serving the River Falls community for over 100 years with a legacy of loyalty to its customers, had secured a supply of COVID-19 vaccines but had no space to administer them.

The small downtown store did not have adequate room for a make-shift clinic during a time when demand for the vaccines was growing.

The university was currently re-purposing spaces on campus to accommodate COVID-19 testing, so the idea to collaborate with Freeman Drug to provide a space for vaccinations was brought forward.

UWRF welcomed the opportunity to work together in support of community health and after a careful assessment of needs, identified space in Hagestad Hall where Freeman Drug and clinic volunteers could serve community members seeking vaccinations.

During the time it operated a vaccination clinic on campus, Freeman provided vaccines to more than 2,500 community members.

Connie Foster visits at her farewell gathering on the North Hall lawn.

While it may have started as an unusual partnership, Freeman Drug and UWRF’s shared commitment to meeting community needs turned out to be a perfect fit for the River Falls community in a time of need.

In appreciation for her service as UWRF’s interim chancellor for the past year, well-wishers gathered in June to bid a fond farewell to Connie Foster. Foster served in this interim role following the departure of Dean Van Galen in July 2020.

Foster was a familiar face on campus, with more than 25 years in leadership roles, including terms as both interim provost and interim chancellor. During her most recent period of service, she led UWRF during one of its most difficult periods - the COVID-19 pandemic.

As interim chancellor, Foster was positioned as UWRF’s emergency operations chief, leading the university through numerous challenging moments, including declaring a shelter-in-place and temporary move to online delivery of classes after the university experienced a spike in COVID cases in September 2020.

Foster’s leadership during the pandemic earned respect from the River Falls business community, which recognized UW-River Falls as the 2020 Large Business of the Year. During the pandemic, the university not only implemented proactive health and safety measures on campus but added community testing operations to help limit the spread of the virus in the surrounding area.

Freeman Drug store in downtown River Falls.

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Major WEDC grant supports Dairy Pilot Plant

Marcella Field, wife of former UWRF Chancellor George Field, views her family’s donated historical collection at the recently relocated University Advancement and Alumni Relations Office in 112 South Hall. Alumni are invited to visit the new office and see the display.

Field family donates pieces of falcon history The family of former Chancellor George Field recently donated several UWRF historical items to the university, including a 1920 letter sweater and photographs of River Falls State Normal championship football and basketball teams.

Chancellor Maria Gallo expressed appreciation to the Field family during a commemoration of the collection in South Hall on August 20.

George Field first served as president of Wisconsin State University-River Falls and chancellor of UW-River Falls from 1968-85.

Field died in 2012.

The Field historical collection is on display in the University Advancement and Alumni Relations Office in 112 South Hall.

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Representatives of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation met recently with UWRF leadership and toured the UWRF Dairy Pilot Plant, now under renovation.

The UW-River Falls Dairy Pilot Plant’s renovation has moved one step closer to completion thanks to a $250,000 Targeted Industry Projects (TIP) Grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) to the UWRF Foundation.

The renovated 30-year-old dairy plant will provide teaching and training opportunities that will give graduates a competitive edge.

“The project to transform our Dairy Pilot Plant has been an important university priority,” said Maria Gallo, UWRF Chancellor. “Our students need facilities that offer modern, high-quality, hands-on experiences, better equipping them to become tomorrow’s leaders in Wisconsin’s signature industry. We are grateful for the philanthropic support of WEDC, other state agencies and industry partners for their collaboration in this renovation process.”

UWRF is one of a few campuses in the nation that delivers an opportunity for undergraduates to work in a dairy plant production environment and participate in new product development. From testing to marketing, production to final retail, students have access to key immersive learning experiences right in the classroom.

“Farmers and small dairies are always under pressure to come up with unique products,” said Missy Hughes, WEDC secretary and CEO. “This facility will enable these entrepreneurs to develop and test new products that could increase demand for Wisconsin’s milk.”

along the south fork New fund, renamed lab to honor long-time professor and leader Michael Harris Michael Harris, Ph.D., a UW-River Falls alumnus who went on to dedicate more than four decades to UWRiver Falls as an admired and respected professor, researcher, department chair and dean, is being recognized in two significant ways: a new fund and a lab renamed in his honor.

The Dr. Michael Harris Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) Opportunity Fund will provide critical resources for a variety of CSD priorities and needs. In addition, one of CSD’s research areas is being renamed as the Dr. Michael Harris Augmentative and Alternative Communication Lab.

Harris said there were many UWRF mentors and colleagues who influenced him, but he reserved special praise for CEPS Dean’s Assistant Kay Corey, who was “so instrumental in the success of our programs.”

In retirement, Harris has enjoyed attending sports events, golfing and working out. Asked to reflect on his four decades of UWRF service, Harris didn’t hesitate: “I’m grateful to so many and I wouldn’t change a thing.”

“I’m very surprised and honored,” Harris said. “I knew I would go on to college, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. A friend recommended an introduction to communications disorders class. I loved it and it was the start of my career.”

Harris, a native of Ellsworth who arrived at River Falls as an undergraduate in 1974, earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UWRF. He earned his doctoral degree in educational psychology-special education from the University of Minnesota. During his UWRF career, Harris became a respected and recognized leader in the field of communication disorders as he served as professor, chair of CSD and dean of the College of Education and Professional Studies (CEPS).

He retired Dec. 30, 2020.

“Day in and day out, Mike put the needs of his students, faculty, staff and the university above his own needs,” said UWRF Administrator and Professor Emerita Faye Perkins, who has led the Harris campaign’s fundraising effort. “He humbly exemplified the meaning of ‘servant leader’ and his integrity is beyond reproach.”

“It’s impossible to capture the impact that Mike’s service, skills and leadership have had on so many,” said UWRF CSD Clinical Professor Sarah Smits. “In his work as a speech pathologist specializing in augmentative and alternative communication, he has literally given voices to those who had none. Our program and college were fortunate to have had his guidance for 40 years.”

To support the Harris fund, donors may submit contributions to the UWRF Foundation at https://www. uwrf.edu/give/csdfund.cfm. Checks should be made payable to the UWRF Foundation (with Michael Harris CSD Fund indicated on the memo line) and mailed to: UWRF Foundation, 118 North Hall, 410 S. 3rd Street, River Falls, WI 54022.

For more information, call University Advancement Officer Kellie Burrows at 715-425-4427 or email kellene. burrows@uwrf.edu.

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profile

PROFile Earl Blodgett A Full Circle Falcon

by Kelsea Wissing

When Earl Blodgett was three years old, he made a decision: he was going to attend UW-River Falls. He was going to enroll right then and there, as a matter of fact. Why waste his time on grade school when he knew where he wanted to end up?

Turns out, Blodgett’s declaration was a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy. He made good on his plans to become a Falcon – but not before graduating elementary and high school.

Blodgett, a Boyceville native, was born into a family of Falcons. His mother enrolled at the River Falls State Teacher’s College in 1938 and completed her degree in 1968 at what was then Wisconsin State UniversityRiver Falls, often bringing Earl along to her summer school classes. His older brother’s decision to attend UWRF is what originally prompted three-year-old Blodgett’s college decision, while his older sister’s field of study helped him pick an eventual major.

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“I was a pretty nerdy little kid. I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to be a paleontologist or chemist. Then I was in the third grade and my sister Beth was a physics major at UW-River Falls. She came home and as little brothers are wont to do, I was pestering her,” he recalls. “So, she showed me the equations for projectile motion and how you could calculate and predict exactly where something would hit.

I just fell in love with that and I said ‘yep, I’m going to be in physics’ and I actually stuck with that.”

Class valedictorian and National Merit Finalist, Blodgett could have likely had his pick of schools. But he only ever applied to one – UWRF. A standout cross country runner in high school, he wanted to join the Falcon cross country and track teams, a goal for himself that he also made good on. Blodgett graduated in 1980 and after taking a few years away to earn his master’s and doctorate from Washington University in St. Louis, he returned to

campus and proceeded to spend the entirety of his career teaching in the UWRF Physics Department. After 35 years, his chapter at UWRF came full circle as he officially retired June 30, marking the end of a journey that was sparked when he was just three years old.

Blodgett will still be a presence on campus.

He’s volunteered to continue organizing the Science Olympiad tournament each year and is part of two National Science Foundation grants in progress.

He’s continuing as the director of the STEMteach graduate program and also says he has good intentions of spending time in the Physics Department sorting, organizing and writing up instructions for the demonstrations he’s helped developed over the years. And just in case he’s not busy enough, he also says he may just get his substitute teaching license and “walk the walk” after spending three decades urging physics students to consider becoming teachers. Needless to say, a lack

of motivation has never been a defining factor in Blodgett’s life.

Another full circle moment for Blodgett?

“Between my freshman and sophomore years [at UWRF], my summer job was to schlep equipment from North Hall to Centennial Science Hall, the new science building that was still under construction,” he recalls.

Now, as campus prepares to move forward into a new era of science education with the construction of SciTech, he says he may just stop by to help move a few pieces of equipment out of Centennial when the time comes.

“I’m sure they’ll dig something out of a storeroom and they’ll say ‘what on earth is this? Let’s ask Earl, maybe he remembers’,” he says with a laugh. “’He might have put it there!’”

A Falcon through and through, UWRF has permeated Blodgett’s life in a way unlike most others. He met his wife on a blind date to the Falls Theatre near the end of his freshman year, all three of their children are UWRF grads. But just the same, Blodgett has left an impact on campus that most others will never match.

He’s earned numerous awards, including the Distinguished Teacher Award, the highest honor bestowed at UW-River Falls and scores of students and fellow faculty praise his influence. It’s those people, he says, that are the reason why his UWRF chapter has spanned so many decades.

“My personal take on why River Falls is such a great place? It’s the people. It’s the students that you get to interact and work with. It’s the colleagues that are there because they are passionate about the students,” he explains. “For me, that’s the big picture of why I stayed at River Falls so long and why I enjoyed it so much – the people.”

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falcon feature

First Impressions

By Kelsea Wissing

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New UW-River Falls Chancellor Maria Gallo is having no trouble adapting to her new surroundings in Wisconsin. An avid hiker and kayaker, she says she’s loving visiting state parks and rivers and as a self-proclaimed foodie, she’s had no trouble finding delicious surprises in the culinary scene.

But since taking the helm as UWRF’s 20th chancellor on July 15, Gallo’s focus has been squarely on the university.

From her day one meeting with Freddy Falcon to kicking off a new semester just weeks ago, her days have been packed. Still, she found some time to share her first impressions of her new role (and new favorite snack!).

the university. It was a fantastic way to connect and begin developing relationships.

Q: What was your first day (or week) on campus like?

A: It was fun and exciting. I was warmly welcomed by the campus community. I was greeted by Freddy Falcon at North Hall on my first morning, had a welcome breakfast, spoke with many university colleagues and took pictures across campus. [UW System] President Tommy Thompson also called to welcome me. The Friday of my first week was River Falls Days and I was part of the “reverse parade.” That was fantastic as people came out in great numbers. I met many River Falls community members as well as UWRF students, employees, alumni and friends of

Q: Favorite place on campus (so far)?

A: I don’t have a favorite place, but I do enjoy walking on campus. I adore the falcon sculpture in front of Rodli Hall. It is amazingly beautiful and will be iconic in no time.

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Q: How would you sum up your first impression of campus as chancellor?

A: It is gorgeous. The campus grounds are beautiful, and the buildings are well-maintained. The staff and faculty are passionate about providing the best education for our students. And speaking of our students, I am so impressed by those I have met so far. They are enthusiastic, bright and articulate.

Q: Favorite thing about River Falls?

A: The Kinni is a treasure to have in River Falls. Also, the people are so friendly and helpful. For example, my Golden’s prescription dog food was delivered to the wrong address. The person who incorrectly received it found out where I was living and drove over to deliver it to

me! How kind was that? River Falls is a small town with a big heart.

Q: What excites you the most about being chancellor?

A: I am most excited to work collaboratively with dedicated professionals to make UWRF even stronger so that we can serve more students and help them reach their full potential.

Q: What are some of your goals as chancellor?

A: It is important that UWRF remain committed to our tradition of academic excellence and innovation, with a focus on student success and student-centered learning in a caring, inclusive and engaged environment. I also want to focus on telling our story by highlighting the accomplishments of our faculty, staff and students. UWRF is a fabulous university located in a beautiful part of the country and in a region of the state that is the fastest growing - our future is bright!

Q: What’s been the most surprising thing you’ve encountered?

A: Just how good fresh cheese curds are here! I am addicted.

Chancellor Gallo Quick Facts • B.S., Agronomy, Cornell University • M.S., Crop Science, North Carolina State University • Ph.D., Genetics, North Carolina State University • President, Delaware Valley University, 2016-21 • Dean and Director of Research and Cooperative Extension, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, 2012-16 • Professor and Chair of Agronomy Department, University of Florida, 1996-2012 • Plant Molecular Biologist • Fulbright Scholar • Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy and the Crop Science Society of America

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Returning students enjoy the Residence Hall Association Mini Fair during Week of Welcome.

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Campus Comeback Fall semester 2021 is off and running! New and returning Falcons were welcomed back to campus August 28-29 in a scene that much more closely resembled the typical move-in ritual. After COVID-19 precautions significantly disrupted move-in and Week of Welcome in 2020, many traditional activities returned, including in-person academic days and events such as the Involvement Fair.

The Fall 2021 COVID-19 Operations Transition Team provided planning and oversight for the transition to a primarily in-person learning community for the fall. Made up of leaders from across campus, the team worked to balance plans for in-person learning with ongoing COVID-19 mitigation needs. Vaccinations are not required but encouraged for students and employees and the university’s Protect the Nest and UW

System’s 70 for 70 campaigns are providing incentives for vaccinated students.

Learn more about UWRF’s current COVID-19 mitigation efforts at www.uwrf.edu/FalconsForward/.

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Bigger than a

building

by Kelsea Wissing

When Centennial Science Hall was dedicated in April 1979, then Chancellor George Field remarked that the new building was a “milestone for the sciences at UW-River Falls, which have always been strong areas of study here.” Forty-two years later, the sciences remain a cornerstone of UWRF’s academic offerings. The facilities, though? They’ve been outpaced by both technological advancements and increased growth on campus. So now, four decades after Chancellor Field’s observation, the sciences at UWRF are on the brink of a new era, all thanks to years of advocacy and planning.

In July, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers signed into law the 2021-23 state budget. In it was $111.73 million in capital funds earmarked for the newest addition to UW-River Falls: the Science and Technology Innovation Center. Better known as SciTech, the building is a marvel nearly two decades in the making. It’s envisioned as an innovative space that won’t just change the campus landscape and elevate student learning

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but will serve as a linchpin for regional partnerships and economic growth.

In 2000, the university initiated a comprehensive campuswide space needs assessment to address UWRF’s future science, engineering and technology needs. The 2011 Campus Master Plan confirmed the need for expanded science facilities and in 2014, alumni and entrepreneurs Jeff and Kristi Cernohous donated $250,000 to fund an initial design/feasibility study for what would become SciTech. That study identified significant gaps in science and technology education at UWRF, particularly in facilities.

“Our facilities in the STEM areas have become a limiting factor in some ways. The buildings were designed in the mid60s and mid-70s when campus was significantly smaller,” explained Karl Peterson, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and member of the SciTech Project Leadership

Team. “Not only have we seen growth in the core STEM areas, but we have also added successful programs in biotechnology and more recently, neuroscience. Additionally, there has been significant growth in many of the agricultural sciences programs that are supported through core coursework from the traditional STEM programs.”

The numbers support Peterson’s observation. Demand at UWRF for STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and health fields grew over 30% between 2014 and 2019 and 44% of all fall 2021 applications were in STEM and health fields. Animal science, the largest major on campus, nearly doubled over that same time frame. In an effort to meet demands, the university has added nine STEM-related programs since 2012, including graduate programs in clinical exercise physiology and health and wellness management and undergraduate programs in areas ranging from data science to environmental engineering.

The state allocated $2 million to the university for SciTech planning and design work in June 2019. BWBR, an architecture firm based in Madison, was selected to lead the design process and visions for the building were finally put to paper. SciTech won’t add to the campus footprint, instead it will replace Hagestad Hall, an obsolete building that can’t be renovated. Plans call for 131,300 gross square feet, 22,240 of which will house 32 undergraduate research spaces while 12,590 square feet will be dedicated to shared/ interdisciplinary space. The building will also be home to 12 instructional labs and the UW-River Falls/Business Collaboration Innovation Space, a distinct space designed to elevate partnerships between campus and private businesses.

Parallel to the firm’s planning, partners on and off campus were working hard to articulate the best possible vision for the building. Former Chancellor Dean Van Galen and the Cernohouses formed the SciTech Collaborators Council with

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the intention of leveraging business and industry leader input regarding planning and design of the University/ Business Collaboration Innovation Space. Nearly two dozen representatives from local and regional businesses came together to both make recommendations for the space and to advocate for the project to UW System and state leaders. For many on the council, SciTech will be an extension of already existing partnerships with UWRF, while for others, the project will help connect them to students and faculty and strengthen the talent pipeline.

Anu Green, senior talent acquisition lead at DiaSorin Inc., a medical device and diagnostics company, serves on the SciTech Collaborators Council and understands what a gamechanger SciTech could be for the broader business community.

“DiaSorin’s partnership with UWRF has been instrumental in providing the foundation for critical training for today’s workforce and allowed them to be competitive not only in the market, but to remain in the region,” she continued.

State Representative Shannon Zimmerman, Wisconsin Assembly District 30, helped advocate for the project at the state level and, like Green, recognizes the impact SciTech will have for both graduates and employers.

“I’ve really always looked at this project through the lenses of an employer and employee. Education is not the end, it’s what can help get one to their destination. Science, technology and engineering are in demand,” he explained. “The geographic benefit of River Falls is our proximity to the Twin Cities. Numerous companies are expanding across Western Wisconsin and need top technology talent. This investment will help us address our workforce needs, while creating a great local feeder system for employer and employee.”

Jeff Cernohous has also envisioned SciTech through an employer’s lens. He founded Interfacial, a tech and production company that specializes in making advanced plastic materials and manufacturing processes, and now serves as Chief Operating Officer for the Prescott based company. He’s acutely aware of the need for top-tier STEM education, one where students are immersed in high-impact experiences designed to prepare them for the workforce.

“We [DiaSorin] have always had a strong partnership with UWRF through our internship program and recruiting efforts.

We value the background and experience the students and graduates bring to the table. To date, we have hired and retained 22 graduates from UWRF who have grown in their “At the end of the day, our goal is to attract, train, hire and leadership and responsibilities with DiaSorin,” she explained. retain the best talent locally,” he said. “We are a people “I feel strongly about this project and DiaSorin’s partnership photos focused company and the competition for talent is crazy. with UWRF and believe that advocacy and support Submitted is SciTech is a means to help address that issue while providing just a step in the bigger picture of supporting economic students with a highly differentiated educational experience.” development in the St. Croix Valley.”

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The Cernhouses, who both earned chemistry degrees from UWRF, give credit to the education they received on campus.

And while there are substantial benefits to supporting SciTech from a business perspective, personal experience also comes into play for them.

“Kristi and I have always felt that we received an outstanding educational value at UWRF. We also firmly believe in giving back locally where we can have the greatest impact,” explained Jeff.

“SciTech was the perfect opportunity to do so and we are really excited to see it come to fruition.”

As SciTech moves towards reality, the Cernohouses have continued to champion all facets of the project – and the sciences – at UWRF. In 2018, in collaboration with Van Galen and Peterson, they created the first Joint Visiting Professorship, a venture where a member of the chemistry faculty split time between the classroom at UWRF and Interfacial, Inc. The collaboration resulted in the hire of two UWRF students to intern with the company. They have similar visions once SciTech is complete, including four-year scholarships/internships with local businesses designed to help students experience what their job will be like and to connect employers with employees the moment they finish their degree, if not before. They dream of year-round faculty and industry collaborative projects, ones that aren’t relegated to summer or winter breaks.

To help make all those dreams a reality and demonstrate industry commitment, in January, the couple announced a $1 million challenge gift to support SciTech. The funds complement the state’s investment in SciTech but ultimately, for the Cernohouses and so many others involved in bringing SciTech to fruition, the project isn’t just about the physical building. It’s what the building represents and what it will someday house – ideas,

partnerships, breakthroughs and experiences.

“This is not about the building, this is about an environment that induces collaboration,” said Jeff. “We hope to break new ground and blur the academic and industry lines in order to drive collaboration, a deeper educational experience and better outcomes locally.”

Support SciTech!

We’re almost there. Let’s secure our future. Let’s move the Falcons forward.

Let’s support SciTech.

After years of planning and advocacy, UWRF’s Science and Technology Innovation Center (SciTech) will soon be a reality. In July, Gov. Tony Evers signed the state budget bill which included $111.73 of the $116.73 million needed to complete SciTech and transform the campus, community and entire region.

To make SciTech all we need it to be, we need your help. Please join the Campaign to Secure SciTech as we work together to raise the remaining $5 million for a project which will provide immersive high-impact learning experiences for our students while, at the same time, support productive collaborations with regional businesses and industries.

SciTech is not about a building – it’s about building the future. Be a part of one of the most transformational projects in UWRF history. Give now to the SciTech Fund at https://www.uwrf.edu/give/SciTech.cfm. Checks should be made payable to UWRF Foundation (with SciTech indicated in the memo line) and mailed to: UWRF Foundation, 118 North Hall, 410 S. 3rd St., River Falls, WI 54022 “This is not about the building, this is about an environment that induces collaboration and blurs the lines between academia and industry. SciTech is the future. Let’s secure it … now.”

- Jeff Cernohous, ‘93 FALCON FEATURES FALL 2021

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Science the

behind

Success

by Kelsea Wissing

Ian Carter knew he wanted to study physics at UW-River Falls the first time he visited campus.

“I was taken around the Physics Department in Centennial Hall with Dr. Earl Blodgett. We toured the physics labs and classrooms and I felt a giddy need to learn about and use all the cool equipment in several of the labs,” he recalled.

“The entire department struck me as being extremely supportive and it was cool to see students collaborating in the physics lounge while we were there.”

For Carter, a Platteville native, the visit solidified his decision to become a Falcon but the atmosphere on campus was just a bonus.

“I chose River Falls because this university offered me a great opportunity to study physics in a supportive environment where I could do undergraduate research and study abroad,” he said.

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A physics education major who opted to pursue the graduate school track (he’s also pursuing a minor in mathematics), Carter has more than made the most of his experience at UWRF. Now a senior, he’s fully immersed in all that the university has to offer. He was elected president of the Society of Physics Students last year, is a physics tutor, has participated in the Mathematical Contest in Modeling, volunteered with Shoe Away Hunger and is a varsity athlete.

That’s not all. He’s written and been awarded multiple grants for physics research. This summer, he was awarded a UWRF/SPIE (the International Society for Optics and Photonics) grant to study bi-nodal astigmatism in the Hilbert Telescope. Among his other grants, Carter’s currently working on a project that was awarded funding in October 2020 and will directly affect current and future UWRF students. An Ultrafast Pulsed Laser was built in previous semesters, but Carter received funding to test the laser for future uses.

“I have aligned the fiber laser, done preliminary testing and will use an autocorrelator to determine the duration of the pulses generated,” he explained. “With the completion of this project, future students will have the opportunity to do experiments that are not possible without an ultrafast laser.”

All these opportunities, said Carter, wouldn’t be possible without the support of UWRF and the Physics Department. He has high hopes that other students will be able to experience the kinds of high-impact experiences he’s had – but on a much larger scale – with the completion of the Science and Technology Innovation Center (SciTech).

Carter is just one example of the hundreds of students benefitting from UWRF’s STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs every year. Whether it’s participating in undergraduate research (37% of seniors in 2019-20 reported engaging or planning to engage in research with faculty), taking labs (nearly 1,500 students took at least one lab in 2020-21) or taking advantage of other academic opportunities, students are routinely offered innovative, impactful experiences.

Among those opportunities are affiliation agreements.

According to Betsey Gerbec, biology senior lecturer, UWRF offers several affiliation agreements, contracts between the university and external colleges to provide academic credit for students. Most notable is an agreement between UWRF and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Pharmacy, and Dentistry (LECOM).

Students must be academically eligible and pass an interview, typically after their sophomore year, then they’re provisionally guaranteed acceptance to LECOM upon graduation from UWRF. They must maintain their standing academically but one huge advantage to the program is that students with early provisional acceptance aren’t required to take the entrance exam (MCAT, PCAT or DAT) for their intended college.

Other affiliation agreements include a 3+1 agreement with the University of Minnesota Medical Lab Scientist (MLS) Program that allows students to fast track their education. Students complete three years of courses at UWRF before attending the MLS program at the University of Minnesota. Once they’ve completed required classes and clinicals, students receive a B.S. in biology from UWRF and a certificate from the U of M MLS program, allowing them to sit for the board exam.

These programs, said Gerbec, give students an exceptional leg up in fields that are in high demand.

Also giving UWRF students an incredible leg up is their routine involvement with undergraduate research.

Thanks to a faculty that’s exceptionally active in externally funded research, Falcons benefit from those opportunities as early as their first semester. In 201920 alone, $2.3M in grant funding was received from agencies including the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the USDA. Rebecca Haley, assistant professor in chemistry and biotechnology, was recently awarded a highly competitive research grant from the American Chemical Society – Petroleum Research Fund. The two-year $55,000 grant requires that at least 40% of the budget support undergraduate students to enable a compelling educational experience, allowing for a robust summer research program in her lab. Awards like these allow UWRF students to continually experience meaningful research work as undergraduates, research that has taken Falcons to seven continents over the years.

Students and faculty alike praise the impact that participation in undergraduate research and other innovative programs have on the outcome of a UWRF education but both groups also acknowledge the limits that aging science facilities cause.

“We have been getting by in our undersized facilities that are, quite honestly, showing their age,” explained Karl Peterson, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “I am looking forward to the teaching and learning experiences that will take place in the state-of-the-art SciTech building.”

For his part, Carter doesn’t just have high hopes for the physical potential of SciTech but for the other benefits an expanded space could bring students.

“I hope that the new building will allow UWRF students to be able to conduct research and use learning methods that aren’t currently feasible in Centennial Science Hall,” he remarked. “The greatest thing about UWRF physics, though, is the atmosphere of support and teamwork and that is something I hope will carry over and only grow with the addition of a new building on campus.”

FALCON FEATURES FALL 2021

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falcon athletics

The year the crowds went

1 year, 9 months, 19 days. That works out to 658 days. That’s how much time elapsed between Nov. 16, 2019, and Sept. 4, 2021. November 16 was the last time the UW-River Falls football team took the field – a victory over UW-Platteville at Ramer Field on Senior Day 2019.

September 4 marked their return to intercollegiate play, just under two years from their last game.

Women’s soccer, volleyball and the men’s and women’s cross country teams all had similar hiatuses.

Winter sports had abbreviated seasons, spring teams – many of whom had the rug pulled out from under their seasons in 2020 – competed in front of virtually empty stands.

The 2020-21 athletic season was unlike any in school history.

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Cancelled games and seasons, masked competitors and spectator bans all combined to create an unusually quiet year in the Athletic Department. Or so it seemed.

Despite all the disruptions, most Falcon student-athletes and coaches spent the year working as hard as ever. Teams adapted to COVID-19 restrictions. They worked out in small pods and were forced to spread out their strength and conditioning workouts, meaning student-athletes started sessions early in the morning and timeslots continued all day. Many headed outside, even in poor weather, so that social distancing could more easily be achieved. Most had to learn how to manage working out and staying in shape, despite virtual settings and a lack of organized competition. All had to deal with the

“will we, won’t we?” questions that plagued the entire year.

“Not having a season last year was very difficult in a lot of ways. It was obviously frustrating because we wanted to play but the pandemic also hindered our ability just to see each other,” said Andy Metcalf, a senior from La Crosse who plays linebacker for the Falcon football team.

Athletes weren’t the only ones whose routines were disrupted.

Coaches were forced to pivot in ways they hadn’t anticipated.

Schedules they spent hours developing were tossed out the window, familiar practice plans were scrapped and replaced with new ones that were constantly being adjusted to adapt to ever evolving COVID-19 restrictions. Recruiting

LeFever earns All-American status

quiet

UW-River Falls track and field athlete Lexi LeFever finished an outstanding season in May with an All-American performance at the NCAA

by Kelsea Wissing

efforts went fully digital for many months, with in-person visits and trips to visit recruits replaced with virtual visits and tours. They worked overtime on retention efforts for their current teams, working hard to keep athletes engaged and in school, supporting them through the numerous challenges COVID-19 threw their way.

While the changes were at times hard to keep up with and cancelled seasons were frustrating and heartbreaking for everyone, Falcons made the best of it and managed to find the positives.

“Adjusting to COVID and COVID restrictions was really difficult at first, however we made the best of the situation and grew as a team in many ways,” explained Head Volleyball Coach Patti Ford. “The

114 practice opportunities we had were so beneficial for our team and team growth. I love practice and developing our team and this past year we did just that, we practiced and got stronger as a team.”

Metcalf believes the season that didn’t happen will serve as motivation, having taught teams that they can’t take their athletic careers for granted. They’ve also learned a valuable lesson in overcoming obstacles.

“If there were any positives that came out of the past year and a half, it is that we know how to face adversity and are extra motivated to finally play football again in the 2021 season,” he said.

Division III Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships. LeFever, a junior from Hudson, finished second in the long jump with a leap of 5.78 meters. She is the first Falcon All-American since 2013.

The NCAA Championships capped a decorated season for LeFever. In addition to the long jump, she also competed in the 200-meter dash at the national championships where she finished 15th with a time of 25.23 seconds. She was the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) outdoor champion in the long jump with a jump of 5.81 meters, her second-best distance of the season. She also finished 3rd in the 100-meter dash and 2nd in the 200-meter dash at the WIAC Championships and was named All-Region.

During the indoor season, LeFever was named the WIAC Track Performer of the Year and won every open event she was entered in. She established indoor school records in the 60-meter dash, 200-meter dash and long jump and was named to the All-WIAC Team in all three events. She was named the WIAC Athlete of the Week three times and was twice named the Division III National Athlete of the Week.

FALCON FEATURES FALL 2021

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falcon athletics

UWRF grad wins big with Bucks

by Kelsea Wissing

The Milwaukee Bucks celebrate their 2021 NBA championship. Insert photo: Jack Herum, ’16. Submitted photos.

Jack Herum will never forget July 20, 2021. “No doubt, it was the most incredible sports moment of my life,” Herum says. “Completely surreal.”

The moment he’s referring to would be the night the Milwaukee Bucks claimed the 2021 NBA Championship.

On their homecourt at Fiserv Forum, the Bucks ended a 50-year title drought, topping the Phoenix Suns 105-98 in game six of the NBA Finals. Herum, a player development and video assistant for the Bucks, was right in the thick of the celebration, soaking up the culmination of so much hard work. The team had gone down 0-2 early in the series before battling back to earn four straight wins and cement their place in history.

For Herum, it was a dream fulfilled. A River Falls native and standout multisport athlete in high school, he chose to pursue basketball in college. He followed his older brother Marty to UW-Whitewater, where he spent

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three years as a student athlete before transferring to UW-River Falls. Marty had been drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks and Jack decided he wanted to be close enough to his parents to tag along to watch his brother play baseball. That was the first spark, he says, when explaining how he ended up back in River Falls.

“Ultimately, I’m a Wisconsin kid at heart. But truly I’m a River Falls, Wisconsin, kid. River Falls above everything,” he says enthusiastically.

After transferring to UWRF, he was welcomed with open arms and quickly realized that he was truly at home.

An exercise and sport science major, Herum spent two seasons on the basketball team before graduating in 2016.

“I am very happy with the route I took. I only have wonderful things to say about River Falls because I

really did have such a great experience,” he explains. “Hands down, some of my best friends today were on that basketball team.

But it wasn’t just them.”

Herum quickly rattles off a list of folks who had an impact during his time as a Falcon.

Crystal Lanning, current Falcon athletic director was an associate AD at the time and helped him adapt to UWRF after transferring in. Carmen Pata, strength and conditioning coach, guided Herum as he interned in the weight room, giving advice and becoming a lifelong mentor. Head basketball coach Jeff Berkhof, professors in his major, coaches throughout the Athletic Department, even former UWRF staff all had a significant impact on his life, he says.

“Everyone is willing to help, no matter what your goals are,” he says. “The UWRF community really has an impact on people.”

That community is what helped launch Herum to where he is today – on the bench with the world champion Milwaukee Bucks organization. He says a conversation with Rick Bowen, former UWRF men’s basketball coach, led to a connection with the University of Minnesota-Duluth basketball program, where Bowen’s son Matt was the head coach. After graduating from UWRF, Herum served as a graduate assistant for the Bulldog program before taking a coaching gig at IMG Academy in Florida. It was connections made there that led him back to his home state.

Herum returned to Wisconsin in 2019 as a player development coach for the Wisconsin Herd, the Bucks’ G League affiliate. He spent a season working with the Herd in Oshkosh before landing a position with the Bucks this season.

Now he’s made it to the ultimate basketball stage and he couldn’t be happier. He loves what he does in his “do it all role” where he helps the video coordinator with video for

everything from scouting reports to personnel breakdown. He goes wherever the need is – he spent the playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks sitting on the bench assisting a scout coach. He also helps run pregame workouts for players and often serves as a scout player.

“Sometimes we don’t have enough guys because of injuries or whatever, so we have to step in and act as a player for the day,” he explains. “Or there’s a player coming in to work out before practice, we guard them for the entire workout. At night, we’re in charge of all shooting workouts so we’ll come in and rebound for them. It’s a lot of responsibility – you never know what’s coming at you.”

The season culminated in the ultimate highlight for an athlete or coach – a championship. In a season played under the cloud of COVID-19 – one where no fans were allowed early on and Herum says they constantly prayed no one would test positive – to end with a title celebration and parade was a dream come true.

“It was all a bit of a blur. It just went by so quick that it was tough to soak it all in. I’m still not sure it’s sank all the way in that the Milwaukee Bucks did it. We won a world championship!” he says with palpable exuberance.

And while Herum’s just getting started, the fact that he’s accomplished so much in his short career is in no small part thanks to his time at UWRF. “Being a Division III athlete prepared me so much. It’s for the love of the game. You really figure out who you are and what it takes to get to where you want to be. You learn how to work hard,” he explains. “The mentors I had at UWRF took me and helped sculpt me into a leader and who I am now. River Falls is just a place where you want to be because that’s what they do for you.”

Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2021 Six individuals and one team will be inducted into the UW-River Falls Athletic Hall of Fame during Homecoming weekend.

The class of 2021 will be recognized at halftime of the football game on Saturday, Oct. 2, while the induction ceremony will be held later that evening.

2021 inductees are: Derek Hansberry (Hockey, 2005-09) Nina Petersen Kreofsky (Volleyball, 2001-04) Kathy Lindahl (Basketball/Volleyball/Field Hockey/Softball/Track and Field, 1969-73) John Peterlik (Football, 2001-04) Shannon Zweifel (Track and Field, 2005-08) Larry McKenzie (Positive Contributor) 2008 Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Team The recognition event is Saturday, Oct. 2, at halftime during the Falcon football game against UW-La Crosse. Game time is 1 p.m.

The induction ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. in the University Center.

Tickets for the induction ceremony are available by calling the University Advancement Office at 715425-3505.

FALCON FEATURES FALL 2021

23

alma matters Class Notes. Weddings. Future Falcons. Falcon Farewell.

Class Notes

A time to say thanks A few weeks back I was experiencing one of those challenging, overwhelming days with which we’re all too familiar over the past couple of years. I was trying to prioritize a list of “to-dos” that all seemed top priority. It was then I received a text from a dear friend: “Hey, I thought of you when I read this. Thanks.” It was a quote from John F. Kennedy:

Note: Cities listed without a state are in Wisconsin.

1950 Ollie Lerum, 1950 escorted the flag at the nation’s oldest Flag Day Parade in Appleton. He is a World War II veteran and retired Fox Valley Technical College instructor.

1960

Rick Foy

“We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.”

My day turned on a dime. A feeling of gratitude can do that. So, I’m taking this opportunity to stop and thank the people who make a difference in the lives of all of us at UW-River Falls: you – our alumni, donors, friends, advocates and corporate partners of this great university.

Thanks to you, UWRF registered the third best fundraising year in UWRF history: $2.8 million, much of it for student scholarships. Thanks to you, more than $268,000 was contributed to the Falcon Annual Fund – a near 20% increase over last year. Thanks to the remarkable lead gift from UWRF alumni Jeff and Kristi Cernohous and support from you and so many key advocates, we gained critical state funding for the Science and Technology Innovation Center (SciTech), a project that will transform our campus, our community and our entire region.

Behind each gift, there’s a story. Among this year’s most memorable is that of Oliver Lerum, who grew up on a farm near Nelson and attended Pepin High School. He graduated from River Falls State Teachers College in 1950. He devoted his career to teaching agriculture at what’s now Fox Valley Technical College. Oliver, a World War II veteran who’s now 96 years old, collaborated with Advancement Officer Kellie Burrows to establish the endowed Adeline & Oliver Lerum Family Scholarship, noting: “I’m grateful (UW) River Falls made me a dedicated learner. It’s never too late to give back and make a difference.”

So, thanks to Oliver, and thanks to you for making a difference in the lives of so many in the Falcon family. We’re grateful for all you’ve done – and continue to do – to move the Falcons… Forward.

Rick Foy Assistant Chancellor for University Advancement richard.foy@uwrf.edu

24 WWW.UWRF.EDU/ALUMNI

Selmer Nelson, 1964 retired from the Barron Electric Cooperative Board after serving the cooperative board for 46 years, 35 as president.

1970 Rosanne Schleif, 1974 retired as a professor from UW Extension specializing in 4-H Youth Development, Merrill.

Dave Coggins, 1975 is vice chair of the American Bankers Association Ag and Rural Bankers Committee, Manitowoc.

Jill Smith Johnson, 1976 retired from Winona County Public after 32 years of service in a variety of positions, including environmental services director and public heath supervisor.

1980 Andrew Johnson, 1981 is professor of education and distinguished scholar at Minnesota State University in Mankato. He specializes in literacy instruction, RTI for reading and writing, strategies for the inclusive classroom, and advanced pedagogy. He has authored 14 books and is the host of the podcast, The Reading Instruction Show at https://rss.com/podcasts/ drandy Janet Y. Murray, 1984 was named Woman of the Year by Women in the Academy of International Business, Ballwin, Mo. Tony DiSalvo, 1985 was recently honored as the District VII Coach of the Year by the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association. He resides in Hammond.

Find out the latest news from your classmates — career changes, recent honors, retirements and more.

Scott Gunderson, 1985 recently retired after 33 years as the Manitowoc County ag agent.

Chris Willett, 1986 has retired from the Osceola School District where he taught math and coached for 29 years.

Rollie Hall, 1989 has retired as River Falls High School activities director.

1990 Michael Lasee, 1985, 1990 has retired after 31 years as a school psychologist in West De Pere.

Brian Madigan, 1992 was named vice president of agronomy for Country Visions, Rosendale.

Jacquie Graham, 1993 is a social worker in the River Falls School District.

Mitch Rowe, 2006 is the CEO of a small company, SureFlex Hybrids, in its third season selling old fashioned corn seeds in a new way and promoting $97 per unit. He resides in Jackson, Minn.

Kara Vier, 2007 is a health coach for Noom, Woodbury, Minn.

Darcy Bakkegard, 2008 recently co-authored a new book “The Startup Teacher Playbook.” Darcy resides in Fargo, N.D.

2010

Jeremy Robbins, 2004 is vice president of enterprise sales for Chili Piper, Stillwater, Minn.

Troy Talford, 2005 was named among 100 educators to receive the Herb Kohl Fellowship Award. He resides in Sauk Prairie.

Katie VanderBloomer, 2016 is a fifth grade teacher in the Hudson School District.

Brock Irwin, 2020 joined the Vita Plus Columbus team as a dairy specialist providing nutrition and management expertise to dairy producers, Madison.

Grace Birdseye, 2018 is a first grade teacher in the Hudson School District.

Brady DeGross, 2019 teaches high school social studies in the Hudson School District, Hudson.

Anita Horne, 2012 teaches early childhood education in the Hudson School District, Hudson.

Brian Johnson, 2004 is the assistant principal and the athletic director in the St. Croix Central School District, Roberts.

Kali Gorman, 2020 is a second grade teacher in the St. Croix Central School District, Roberts.

Kati Matuseski, 2010 was promoted to assistant director of Holistic Review at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Christopher Beskar, 1997 is founder and CEO of Stavatti Aerospace, Ltd. Reconstruction of the Stavatti Plant has begun on aerospace site expected to employ hundreds, Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Patty Skinkis, 2002 is president of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV), Monmouth, Ore.

Rebecca Wampfler, 2016 is a third grade teacher in the St. Croix Central School District, Roberts.

Aaliyah Burgess, 2018 is a teacher in the New Hanover County School District, Wilmington, N.C.

Nancy Sommerfeld, 2010 is a high school English teacher in the Hudson School District.

2000

Nathan Altendorf, 2020 is a financial adviser with North Star Resource Group.

Heather Campbell, 2010 is the farm manager at Mann Valley Farm at UWRF.

Mary Hoffman, 1995 received the 2021 WEM Outstanding Educator Award. She is one of six educators honored by the WEM Foundation and Synergy & Leadership Exchange for outstanding accomplishments and contributions to student learning in Minnesota. Sleepy Eye, Minn.

Roger Beers, 1999 is global director of food safety at Arm and Hammer, Memphis, Tenn.

Michaela Becker, 2016 was recently promoted to lead laboratory scientist at DiaSorin Inc, Stillwater, Minn.

Shaun Mattson, 2019 is a physical education teacher in the Hudson School District, Hudson.

2020

Hallie Kazcmarski, 2020 is a COVID-19 contact tracer with Pierce County (Wis.) Public Health.

Elizabeth Larson, 2020 is a recruiter specializing in engineering and sciences at Aerotek, Shoreview, Minn.

Morgan Wilson, 2020 teaches elementary physical education in the Hudson School District, Hudson.

Kellie Claflin, 2011 completed her Ph.D. in agricultural education from Oregon University and is an assistant professor in agricultural education at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Paul Lippert, 2012 was recently elected to the Board of the Professional Dairy Producers, Pittsville.

David Lostetter, 2012 is a principal in the Inver Grove Heights (Minn.) School District.

Taylor Rieck, 2013 recently completed her Doctor of Chiropractic from Northwestern Health Sciences University and is employed at Seven Acre Chiropractic, Woodville, Minn.

Jeremy Singleton, 2013 is a corporate counsel at Wings Financial, Apple Valley, Minn.

Sean Sauter, 2014 is a high school art teacher in the Hudson School District, Hudson.

Joe Hames, 2015 is a school psychologist in the River Falls School District.

About Alma Matters

Send us your latest news.

We will print your notes in the next issue.

Here’s how: 1) e-mail falconfeatures@uwrf.edu or 2) submit a form located on our website at www.uwrf.edu/alumni/ and click Update Profile.

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 about Alma Matters may be directed to Kjisa Munson at 715-425-3505 or kjisa.munson@uwrf.edu

FALCON FEATURES FALL 2021

25

alma matters Falcon Farewell 1930 Vernon Mathison, ‘39, died Aug. 24, 2020.

1940 Naoma Nelson Falde, ‘41, died Feb. 28, 2021.

Irene Nelson Hilden, ‘42, died July 4, 2020.

Paul Satterlund, ‘43, died April 27, 2021.

Marjorie Dempsey Short, ‘43, died April 1, 2021.

Sylvia Haugen, ‘45, died May 6, 2021.

Jean Larson, ‘45, died Aug. 26, 2020.

Harlan “Craig” Seyforth, ‘48, died March 24, 2021.

Helen Hillestad Beestman, ‘49, died Dec. 11, 2020.

Joe Cigan, ‘49, died Dec. 22, 2020.

Harland Gilbertson, ‘49, died Jan. 5, 2021.

Carl Penno, ‘49, died Dec. 28, 2020.

1950 Elmer Mabry, ‘51,

died March 20, 2021.

Willard Morgan, ‘51, died May 1, 2021.

Patricia Greenfield Patty, ‘51, died Aug. 3, 2020.

Gene Gilbertson, ‘52, died Jan. 3, 2021.

Donald Krause, ‘52, died Dec. 22, 2020.

Hubert Smith, ‘52, died June 2, 2021.

Eldon Hight, ‘53, died Nov. 3, 2020.

Marilyn Haglund Laramy, ‘53, died Aug. 24, 2020.

Duane Westerberg, ‘53, died Feb. 28, 2020.

Lavona Klecker Wiff, ‘53, died Feb. 9, 2021.

Donald Fick, ‘54, died Jan. 29, 2021.

Allen Nelson, ‘54, died Oct. 8, 2020.

Darlene Zielkie Ecker, ‘55, died March 1, 2021.

Joan Hanson Erickson, ‘55, died May 25, 2021.

Roger Hammer, ‘55, died Jan. 28, 2021.

Robert Krueger, ’55 died Aug. 25, 2021.

Sylvia Anderson

The Benefits of a

Charitable Bequest A charitable bequest is an easy way to help future generations of UWRF students.

Richardson, ‘55, died Oct. 11, 2020.

Jerry Route, ‘55, died Aug. 3, 2020.

James Shock, ‘55, died Dec. 24, 2020.

Matthew Shubat, ‘55, died May 20, 2021.

Gerald Carter, ‘56, died Dec. 20, 2020.

Gloria Styer Mulheron, ‘56, died Jan. 23, 2021.

Marie Nord Olsen, ‘56, died Jan. 20, 2021.

Carol Krantz Kellerman, ‘57, died Dec. 1, 2020.

Betty Korb Miller, ‘57, died Jan. 12, 2021.

Albert Sirek, ‘57, died Sept. 2, 2020.

William Werbecks, ‘57, died Oct. 27, 2020.

Gary Baillargeon, ‘58, died June 6, 2021.

Robert Lane, ‘58, died March 21, 2021.

James Mcnamara, ‘58, died June 13, 2020.

Marvin Casperson, ‘59, died Nov. 30, 2020.

Jane Aide Dosedel, ‘59, died Dec. 13, 2020.

Esther Skoug Gunderson, ‘59, died Jan. 17, 2021.

Janet Butterfield Klemme, ‘59, died Sept. 12, 2020.

Allen Libby, ‘59, died March 11, 2021.

David Richardson, ‘59, died July 28, 2020.

1960 Jean Biederman Brown, ‘60, died March 14, 2021.

Neil Jorgensen, ‘60, died Dec. 22, 2020.

Dale Mahlum, ‘60, died Jan. 19, 2021.

Francis Meacham, ‘60, died April 16, 2020.

David Peterson, ‘60, died Jan. 12, 2021.

William Shaw, ‘60, died Dec. 18, 2020.

Joseph Alms, ‘61, died March 1, 2021.

Richard McMaster, ‘61, died May 6, 2021.

Marlene Northup Nybo, ‘61, died Nov. 15, 2020.

Dale Edlin, ‘61, ‘74, died June 2, 2021.

George Berger, ‘62, died Jan. 8, 2021.

Helen Ewing, ‘62, died Aug. 29, 2020.

Stewart Isaksson, ‘62, died June 16, 2020.

Larry Julien, ‘62, died Aug. 27, 2020.

Darrel McGillis, ‘62, died Feb. 24, 2021.

Christine Jelen Rogers, ‘62, died July 4, 2020.

Joseph Schimml, ‘62, died Jan. 31, 2021.

John Tomhave, ‘62, died Jan. 19, 2021.

Roger Hilde, ‘63, died Aug. 6, 2020.

Connie Larson Isernkagen, ‘63, died June 19, 2020.

James Lukas, ‘63, died July 28, 2020.

Gerlad Newcomb, ‘63, died July 5, 2020.

Rochelle Jensen Painter, ‘63, died Sept. 9, 2020.

Sheldon Schneider, ‘63, died Nov. 18, 2020.

Laurence Sutten, ‘63, died Aug. 3, 2020.

Ronald Anderson, ‘64, died Feb. 21, 2021.

John Boortz, ‘64, died Sept. 24, 2020.

Benefits of bequest giving include: • It costs you nothing today to make a bequest.

• A bequest is free of federal estate tax.

• Your bequest can be changed down the road.

• You can still benefit your heirs with specific gifts.

• A bequest may produce estate tax savings.

• You can leave a legacy through a bequest.

To learn more about bequest giving to UWRF, contact Kimberly Gould Speckman at 715-425-4212 or advancement@uwrf.edu. Ask for your free Guide to Planning Your Will or Trust. We are happy to assist you!

26 WWW.UWRF.EDU/ALUMNI

Wayne Laschinger, ‘64, died Feb. 5, 2021.

Thomas Olson, ‘64, died Sept. 29, 2020.

Carol Cahanes Kriegl, ‘65, died July 21, 2020.

Loyal Monson, ‘65, died April 9, 2021.

Faye Frank Neuenfeldt, ‘65, died Oct. 13, 2020.

Reno Rizzo, ‘65, died March 1, 2021.

Wayne Stevenson, ‘65, died Nov. 27, 2020.

Arlen Burke, ‘66, died Sept. 29, 2020.

Eugene Doucette, ‘66, died Sept. 22, 2020.

Ina Hill, ‘66, died Dec. 27, 2020.

Linda Lemere Hoffman, ‘66, died Aug. 2, 2020.

Herbert Japs, ‘66, died Nov. 28, 2020.

Thomas Langham, ‘66, died Jan. 17, 2021.

John Marino, ‘66, died Sept. 11, 2020.

Kenneth Olson, ‘66, died Sept. 24, 2020.

James Rohrer, ‘66, died Sept. 5, 2020.

Karen Koeser Sodemann, ‘66, died Oct. 27, 2020.

Lyle Bellin, ‘67, died Nov. 8, 2020.

Mary Shaw Bellin, ‘67, died July 13, 2020.

Samuel Engdahl, ‘67, died Dec. 22, 2020.

Raymond Johnson, ‘67, died Jan. 16, 2021.

Wayne Larson, ‘67, died Nov. 25, 2020.

Robert Luck, ‘67, died July 1, 2020.

David Maves, ‘67, died July 18, 2020.

Robert Niederkorn, ‘67, died Feb. 22, 2021.

Melvin Schrimpf, ‘67, died Jan. 13, 2021.

Joanne Prell Coleman, ‘67, ‘77, died Nov. 11, 2020.

Ben Broberg, ‘68, died Sept. 20, 2020.

Daniel Filkins, ‘68, died Jan. 27, 2021.

Elizabeth Manion Friedenauer, ‘68, died Sept. 14, 2020.

Lance Hittman, ‘68, died Aug. 8, 2020.

Orville Meland, ‘68, died Nov. 11, 2020.

Lyle Mercer, ‘68, died Jan. 19, 2021.

Kay Millinczek Olson, ‘68, died Feb. 9, 2021.

Gerlald Yaritz, ‘68, died March 18, 2021.

Margaret Baker, ‘69, died Aug. 31, 2020.

Elizabeth Macphail Berkholtz, ‘69, died Feb. 26, 2021.

James Kiesow, ‘69, died July 13, 2020.

Jerome Neve, ‘69, died Jan. 29, 2021.

1970 Roger Burdick, ‘70, died Dec. 25, 2020.

Robert Finger, ‘70, died Nov. 5, 2020.

William Heffron, ‘70, died Feb. 7, 2021.

Jack Olson, ‘70, died Dec. 4, 2020.

Gary Sackmann, ‘70, died Feb. 15, 2021.

Scott Wood, ‘70, died Oct. 25, 2020.

Judith Anderson Bellile, ‘71, died Nov. 27, 2020.

William Johnson, ‘71, died Oct. 19, 2020.

Audrey Johnson, ‘71, died Aug. 5, 2020.

Jane Lightbourn, ‘71, died July 10, 2020.

Mary Lund, ‘71, died Sept. 27, 2020.

Robert Marker, ‘71, died May 23, 2021.

Patricia Bauer Martin, ‘71, died Nov. 4, 2020.

Richard McKoskey, ‘71, died Jan. 15, 2021.

Bruce Reynolds, ‘71, died Dec. 1, 2020.

Phyllis Goldin died Oct. 3, 2020, in Prescott. A Winnipeg, Manitoba, native, Goldin was a longtime friend, volunteer and donor to UW-River Falls. She authored the UW-River Falls spirit song, “Our Chance to Fly,” which is typically played at each commencement ceremony.

Gorden Hedahl, 75, died July 24, 2021, at his home in River Falls. Hedahl was dean emeritus of the College of Arts and Sciences and also served as a theatre arts professor. A native of Minot, N.D., Hedahl earned a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota and taught at UW-Whitewater and the University of Alaska Fairbanks before spending a decade as a dean at UWRF. He was passionate about international education, ending his career with UWRF’s International Traveling Classroom, and was active in the local theatre community throughout his life and retirement. Memorials to the Hedahl Scholarship may be made at https://www.uwrf.edu/Give/Waystogive/GiveNow.cfm.

Imtiaz Moosa, 63, died Dec. 12, 2020. Moosa taught philosophy at UWRF from 1989 until his unexpected passing.

The Dr. Imtiaz Moosa Philosophy and Ethics Symposium Series Endowed Fund has been established at UWRF in memory and honor of Moosa. The fund will provide resources for an annual symposium featuring a leading expert or thought leader who will discuss a pressing philosophical, social justice or contemporary ethical issues. Memorial contributions to the fund may be made by visiting https://www.uwrf.edu/give/ MoosaMemorial.cfm

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alma matters

Mike Norman, 74, died Aug. 6, 2021. A 1969 graduate of UWRF, Norman returned to campus and joined the journalism faculty in 1973, where he spent 30 years teaching until his retirement in 2003.

He spent 18 years as department chair and helped found the marketing communications major.

He authored numerous collections of ghost stories, including “Haunted Wisconsin,” “Historic Haunted America” and “Nearly Departed: Minnesota Ghost Stories.” Memorials in Norman’s memory will help support the Freshman Journalism Scholarship Fund at UWRF. For more information, visit www.uwrf.edu/give/Mike-Norman-Memorial.cfm.

Margaret Odegard, 95, died Feb.19, 2021.

Odegard served UWRF for 24 years, retiring in 1992.

She spent two years at UWRF beginning in 1966 before spending time teaching at Moorhead State. She returned to UWRF in 1970 and spent another 22 years at the university, 10 of which she spent as Chair of the English Department. In 1985, she earned the first Outstanding Teacher Award in the Humanities. Upon her retirement, Odegard established the Margaret Odegard Scholarship. Memorials may be made to support the scholarship at https://www.uwrf.edu/Give/Waystogive/GiveNow.cfm

Virginia St. Ores, ‘71, died Nov. 8, 2020.

David Arneson, ‘72, died May 24, 2021.

Roger Kok, ‘72, died Jan. 18, 2021.

Lawrence Rufledt, ‘72, died Aug. 17, 2020.

Kenneth Schoettle, ‘72, died Dec. 7, 2020.

Patricia Ferguson, ‘73, died Dec. 18, 2020.

Ellen Haual-Julino, ‘73, died March 26, 2021.

David Janisch, ‘73, died Dec. 9, 2020.

Dennis O’Keefe, ‘73, died Jan. 27, 2021.

Steve Thoma, ‘73, died Sept. 6, 2020.

Larry Christenson, ‘74, died June 19, 2020.

Carl Heise, ‘74, died Aug. 17, 2020.

Jack Redmann, ‘74, died Sept. 27, 2020.

James Reid, ‘74, died Aug. 31, 2020.

William Maurina, ‘75, died July 3, 2020.

Donald Swanson, ‘75, died Dec. 11, 2020.

Richard Swensen, ’75, died May 5, 2021.

Steve Traynor, ‘75, died Sept. 4, 2020.

Roger Larson, ‘76, died Sept. 5, 2020.

Donald Lindstrom, ‘76, died May 28, 2021.

Edwin Rudd, ‘76, died Dec. 17, 2020.

Katherine Burke Moore, ‘77, died Jan. 29, 2021.

Lori Larsen Cullen, ‘77, died July 13, 2020.

Jack Gauthier, ‘77, died Feb. 8, 2021.

Jeff Reeder, ‘77, died Nov. 5, 2020.

Mary Sather, ‘77, died April 5, 2020.

Christopher Lennon, ‘78, died Aug. 9, 2020.

Mitchell Ogi, ‘78, died Nov. 18, 2020.

Teresa “Terri” Doerrer Cleaver, ‘79, died June 1, 2020.

John Graf, ‘79, died May 15, 2021.

Eleanore Hosticka Kolar, ‘79, died Feb. 6, 2021.

Donald Teronde, ‘79, died Oct. 28, 2020.

1980 Sherry Akins, ‘80, died Aug. 24, 2020.

Claudia Graske Bannon, ‘81, died Dec. 27, 2020.

Jeffrey Lerum, ‘81, died Dec. 8, 2020.

Judith Sonstegard, ‘81, died Feb. 5, 2019.

FALCON ANNUAL FUND Each year UW-River Falls reaches out to our alumni and friends via mail, phone and text and asks for a gift to the Falcon Annual Fund.

As proud Falcons, together we rise. Now is the time to support UW-River Falls like never before. Many of you designate your contribution to a preferred fund. We understand, it is important to you. This year, we ask that you consider making an additional gift, no matter the size, to support your university through the Falcon Annual Fund.

Why the Falcon Annual Fund?

• Your contribution gives UWRF leadership the flexibility to address the most pressing and critical needs.

• Falcon Annual Fund support will have immediate impact.

• What can your contribution do? Everything and anything.

Follow this link today! https://www.uwrf.edu/Give/

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WWW.UWRF.EDU/ALUMNI

Dean Sanders, ‘81, ‘88, died Nov. 11, 2020.

Richard Watermolen, ‘82, died Sept. 5, 2020.

Bruce Allan, ‘83, died Nov. 10, 2020.

Bette Youso Haak, ‘83, died May 21, 2021.

Eugene Hornung, ‘83, died Nov. 23, 2020.

Kelly Candell Schuster, ‘83, died June 3, 2021.

Kent Wheelock, ‘84, died May 3, 2021.

Lance Benishek, ‘85, died June 26, 2020.

James Connolly, ‘85, died Dec. 21, 2020.

James Scharman, ‘85, died Dec. 22, 2020.

Martin Eibs, ‘86, died Sept. 24, 2020.

James Gabower, ‘86, died Feb. 1, 2021.

Paul Rebholz, ‘86, died Aug. 12, 2020.

Scott Ringelstetter, ‘86, died May 31, 2021.

Steven Anderson, ‘87, died Aug. 3, 2020.

Blaine Delzer, ‘87, died May 25, 2021.

Brad Boldon, ‘88, died May 1, 2021.

Scott Boles, ‘88, died July 18, 2020.

John Froom, ‘88, died Nov. 19, 2020.

Ron McElmurry, ‘89, died March 9, 2021.

1990 Heath Gilkes, ‘90, died Feb. 13, 2021.

John McLagan, ‘90, died April 23, 2021.

Sandra Ebert Heikkila, ‘91, died Dec. 10, 2020.

Milka Miller, ‘91, died May 4, 2020.

Lynnette Hess Hansen, ‘92, died April 21, 2021.

Clay Haunschild, ‘93, died April 15, 2021.

Melanie Schoeder, ‘93, died Nov. 26, 2020.

Elsbeth Bieraugel Burns, ‘94, died April 25, 2021.

James Rohl, ‘94, died Aug. 27, 2020.

Peter Rubenstein, ‘94, died Sept. 24, 2020.

Scott Elliot, ‘95, died May 15, 2021.

Chad Lizakowski, ‘95, died Aug. 21, 2020.

Melissa Melander, ‘95, died Dec. 5, 2020.

Charles Ostermeier, ‘95, died Aug. 10, 2020.

Mike Richardson, ‘96, died Feb. 19, 2021.

Paul Bladl, ‘97, died Sept. 1, 2020.

David Warner, ‘97, died May 19, 2021.

Jeff Hicken, ‘98, died May 28, 2021.

2000 Michael Bonn, ‘00, died Feb. 17, 2021.

Cynthia Johnson, ‘06, died Aug. 30, 2020.

Jeffrey Devlin, ‘08, died July 20, 2020.

Judith Gulcynski, ‘09, died Oct. 21, 2020.

2010 Amanda Conrad, ‘10, died Oct. 19, 2020.

Wiliam Prindle, ‘10, died Sept. 13, 2020.

Sarah Freedlund, ‘12, died March 22, 2021.

Roy Zeman, ‘12, died Nov. 14, 2020.

Sydney Grell, ‘13, died Oct. 12, 2020.

Nicholas Parmeter, ‘13, died Sept. 7, 2020.

Kenneth Olson, 80, died Aug. 18, 2021. Ken was the director of housing at UWRF from 1976 until 1998 when he shifted gears to teach English at the university until his retirement in 2014.

Olson made many study abroad trips with students to Ireland. In his honor, Residence Life has created the Kenneth Olson Cornerstone Award. The award recognizes a seasoned student leader in Residence Life who takes pride in the UWRF Residence Life Program, is a scholar, an excellent decision-maker and embraces inclusivity.

David Swensen, 67, died May 5, 2021, after a long battle with cancer.

The 1996 UW-River Falls Distinguished Alumnus, Swensen was a 1975 graduate of the university. He was the son of Grace and Richard Swensen, former UWRF dean and professor emeritus, and was one of six Swensen children who attended UWRF. He later earned two master’s degrees and a Ph.D. from Yale University, where he spent 36 years managing the university’s multi-billion-dollar endowment and serving as chief investment officer.

Judy Wilson, 85, died Sept. 7, 2021. Judy played a key role in starting intercollegiate athletic competition for women at UWRF. She coached, administered and taught at UWRF from 1966-96. Wilson coached nearly every women’s sport while at UWRF and also served for several years as the senior women’s administrator for the Falcon Athletic Department. Wilson was one of the original founders of the Wisconsin Women’s Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. She was inducted into the UW-River Falls Hall of Fame in 1993 and into the WIAC Hall of Fame in 2015. Faye Perkins (faye.j.perkins@uwrf.edu) is organizing an informal gathering to celebrate Judy’s life on Wednesday, Sept. 29, at 4 p.m. at Junior’s Restaurant & Tap House, River Falls.

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donor profile

of leadership positions, including the director/ vice president of North American Exploration.

GENEROUS SPIRITS:

David & Patricia Stone

By Kelsea Wissing

After retiring from Marathon, he served as chief operating officer of Ward Energy. After retirement from Ward Energy, he now serves the company on a part-time basis as executive director. Pat spent several years as a preschool teacher, naturalist at the Houston Arboretum, and presently holds leadership responsibilities with Savannah Station Therapeutic Riding Program.

Nowadays, the Stones devote much of their time to philanthropy and multiple Christian endeavors. They’re deeply involved with organizations that support special needs children, including therapeutic equine programs, their church’s preschool/special needs facility and the Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma, among others.

The Stones say they’ve been blessed with the opportunity to impact others and believe it’s their responsibility to give back. As such, they have supported the UWRF Geology Department and Falcon Scholars for many years and in 2017, they established the Stone Geology Fund with a $100,000 gift to support scholarships, equipment, recruitment and program activities in geology. They are also leading proponents for the return of the UWRF Marching Band. Pat was a member of the Marching Falcons during her time at UWRF and music remains very important to her. What started as “friendly bantering” between her and former Chancellor Dean Van Galen has progressed and concerted discussions about the band’s return are now underway.

David and Patricia Stone have a simple piece of advice for anyone considering giving back to UW-River Falls: “We all have an opportunity to make a difference in today’s students. Take the step and engage, make it happen.”

The Stones have indeed taken the steps to become difference makers. Their extensive support of UWRF initiatives, notably via the Stone Geology Fund, has already made an impact for current students and will continue to elevate Falcons’ educations for years to come.

For Dave, the path to UWRF was set in motion early. His parents attended the university

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and he was always drawn to the location and academic offerings. The small-town environment of campus attracted Pat, as did the Falcon Marching Band, a passion from high school she was eager to continue. The couple met at UWRF and their experiences as students, says Dave, were fantastic, thanks in large part to excellent faculty in the Plant and Earth Science Department.

After Dave graduated from UWRF, the couple headed to the University of MinnesotaDuluth, where Dave earned his master’s in geology and Pat, her bachelor’s in the same field. Dave began his career as a petroleum geologist in 1980 and eventually spent 31 years at Marathon Oil, where he held a variety

In addition to their financial support, the Stones have been generous with their time.

Both Dave and Pat still enjoy geology and in the essence of a “never stop learning” mantra, Dave has served as an adjunct geology instructor at UWRF, teaching applied petroleum geology to upperclassmen. The engagement of the students was a driving force behind the creation of their namesake geology fund. After all, they say, “it’s all about the students.”

“We so enjoy seeing the fruits of these specific initiatives and it provides us additional momentum in making the difference,” says Dave. “Sometimes these areas need the ‘push’ to get them going and then you see the passion of others take off and leadership is developed with passion and vision. It’s very rewarding.”

alumni recognition

Award-Winning Alumni - 2021 Distinguished Alumna

Lifetime Achievement

Carole Mottaz

Richard Vilstrup

Carole Mottaz, a lifelong educator and graduate of UWRiver Falls is the 2021 Distinguished Alumni award winner. The 85th recipient of the award, Mottaz earned her B.S. in elementary education, physical education in 1976 and an M.S.T in reading in 1978. She received an educational doctorate in educational leadership from the University of St. Thomas in 1999.

Richard Vilstrup, a 1951 graduate of UWRiver Falls, was named the 2021 Lifetime Achievement award recipient. Vilstrup earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture education from UWRF in 1951 and a Ph.D. from UW-Madison in 1963. He spent 27 years as a professor of agriculture economics, agribusiness and marketing at UW-Madison.

Having taught every grade from K-12, special education and at the university level, Mottaz’s passion for education is clear. She designed the Renaissance Charter Academy high school in River Falls and served as it’s principal from 1999 to 2008. She has presented on many subjects including innovative reading strategies, mainstreaming alternative education students, positive discipline, middle school program assessment and innovations in environmental and alternative education programs. She was a Senator Herb Kohl Fellow – Wisconsin Teacher of the Year candidate and was previously recognized as a Stephen Skank Exemplary Mentor.

In addition to her teaching, Mottaz is an accomplished author and is passionate about community service. She previously served as assistant chief of the River Falls Ambulance Service, where she was the construction manager for the new ambulance building and taught CPR/first aid courses for the community. She is a co-founder of Our Neighbor’s Place homeless shelter in River Falls and she designed and manages Sporting World, the first Big Brothers Big Sisters retail store in North America.

Mottaz is a longtime member and president of the River Falls Rotary Club, regional board chair of Big Brothers Big Sisters and chair of the River Falls Police and Fire Commission and EMS Advisory Board. She is also a member of the American Association of University Women and the River Falls Lions Club and was named the 2020 Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Wisconsin Volunteer of the Year.

Vilstrup founded the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives whose initial focus was international cooperative education.

He developed the National Cooperative Leadership program used by nearly all major co-op councils and was inducted into the National Cooperative Hall of Fame in 1998.

He served as a board member for numerous organizations including the Central Livestock Association, Land O’ Lakes and Farm Credit Services.

Vilstrup received the Superior Lifetime Service Award from the United States Department of Agriculture and was inducted into the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame in 1999.

Young Alumni Brian Allen Brian Allen is the 2021 Young Alumni award recipient.

He graduated from UWRF in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing communications.

After graduation, Allen moved to California where he began working in the solar energy business. He returned to the area in 2009 and started All Energy Solar with his brother. Allen currently serves as the company’s vice president. All Energy Solar is headquartered in St. Paul and has grown their support of solar energy to Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York, in addition to Minnesota and Wisconsin.

In addition to his work in solar energy, Allen has given of his time and energy to UWRF as well community and nonprofit organizations. He attends Alumni Day for the communication studies program, advising faculty on current trends in hiring and has hired UWRF students as interns. Additionally, he has supported a Jamaican orphanage, Random Acts, the St. Croix Valley Foundation and the Steger Wilderness Center.

Outstanding Service Award First National Bank of River Falls and Smith Family First National Bank of River Falls and the Smith family were recipients of the 2021 Outstanding Service Award.

FNBRF has a longstanding relationship with UWRF and the bank and George Theodore Smith were instrumental in the survival of the River Falls Normal School, which evolved into the UWRF we know today.

One hundred fifteen years of employee involvement and five generations of the Smith family have passionately served UWRF and the community. Over the years, FNBRF and the Smith family have generously supported UWRF’s people, programs and projects. In the late 1990s, the bank established a scholarship to attract high achieving high school graduates. An example of transformational support occurred when the Smith family donated a lead gift of $500,000 for the renovation of the university’s athletic field complex and the establishment of David Smith Stadium at Ramer Field. David served as CEO, president and board chair of FNBRF and was the first recipient of the UWRF Outstanding Service Award.

First National Bank and the Smith family were instrumental in the purchase of the Don Page Arena scoreboard and made significant donations in support of the Robert Bailey Semester Abroad experience and in renaming offices in the newly-renovated Rodli Hall.

Locally, FNBRF and the Smith family have partnered with organizations and given donations that have helped launch and support the River Falls Area Hospital, River Falls Public Library, ballparks in River Falls and Prescott and numerous school programs.

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UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT 112 South Hall 410 S. 3rd St. River Falls, WI 54022

UWRF Alumni Events UWRF Rock the Block - Habitat for Humanity, Sept. 22 Falcon Book Club Discussion, Sept. 23 Dr. Mike Harris Recognition, Sept. 30 Falcons 4 Ever Dedication, Oct. 1 Homecoming, Sept. 27-Oct. 3 St. Croix Boat Cruise, Sept. 30 UWRF Athletic Hall of Fame, Oct. 2 Madison Area Alumni and Friends Meet Chancellor Maria Gallo, Oct. 15 Fall Commencement, Dec. 18 Feed My Starving Children, March 2022 TBD WI Day in Florida, February 2022 TBD WI Day in Arizona, March 10, 2022 Evening of Excellence, May 6, 2022 Spring Commencement, May 7, 2022 Please visit our alumni page for up-to-date events and times. www.uwrf.edu/Alumni/AlumniEvents.cfm For additional event information contact University Advancement at 877-258-6647 (toll free), alumni@uwrf.edu or visit www.uwrf.edu/alumni

Alumni Get-Togethers Getting together with Falcon alumni friends for a gettogether or special cause? Let us know ahead of time and we will send a little Falcon swag to help you celebrate. Snap a picture of the gathering, send it to us and you just might end up on our UWRF Alumni Facebook page!

Donor List Our donor list has moved online.

For a full list of our generous donors, visit go.uwrf.edu/donorlist

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