My UWEC

I came into college knowing that I wanted to be a nurse and I knew it was going to take a lot of work to get in the UWEC Nursing program. A lot of my time during my first year was spent in the library studying for Anatomy and Physiology exams. Luckily, I had Blugold Beginnings! Going to the schools and mentoring the kids was always a nice way to take my mind off school for a while. The Blugold Beginning Office provided me with a lot of support and gave me the opportunity to go on the Civil Rights Pilgrimage, which was an experience I will never forget! I learned so much on this trip and made some new friends along the way!

At the end of my first year I was able to apply to the nursing program and I was accepted to start the program the following year. I was excited and nervous at the same time, but most of all I was ready to start my journey to become a Registered Nurse. Nursing school lived up to all the rumors I heard prior to coming to UWEC. It proved to challenge me in ways I had never been challenged before. I’m not going to lie, there were times where I thought to myself, “Am I really cut out to be a nurse?” But I reminded myself why I wanted to become a nurse and it gave me the motivation to get through whatever obstacle was in my way. The first semester was probably the most difficult for me since I had no idea what I was doing and had never really learned the material before. It took me awhile to adjust, but once I got into a groove, I was able to gain confidence in what I was doing.

Between my junior and senior year of college I had the opportunity to go on an immersion trip to Taiwan. In Taiwan we were able observe in three different cities in three different healthcare settings. It was really cool to see the healthcare system there compared to what we have here. In Taiwan they follow more of the traditional Chinese medicinal practices, so we got to see how they cared for wounds using different herbs or how they cared for pain using acupuncture. I was able to try acupuncture out on my face to help with headaches, it was kind of scary when they put the needles in by my nose. The needles were so small I barely felt them. I learned so much about the culture and met so many wonderful people, I’m so glad I was able to participate in such a wonderful trip. While in Taiwan we were able to travel as well and do some sight-seeing. We also got to eat some interesting food, that I am even surprised I was able to eat. This trip helped me grow as a future nurse by showing me alternative medical treatments, but also by learning about a new culture! Taiwan is a place I would highly recommend traveling to! I chose just a few of the pictures from Taiwan to share with you, there are many more!

Our group visited a small village and participated in a tribal dance and had the chance to eat a traditional meal in their village.

I found a great group of friends in the program, in which we all supported each other and made the best of it. I don’t think I would have made it through the program if I didn’t have these people to look to for help and guidance. We often had study groups in the library and would study for our skill check offs or for exams, which helped tremendously! It’s crazy to think that our five semesters in the program brought us so close and I’m not quite sure how I’ll be able to leave these awesome friends in less than a month. We’ve made so many memories together that I will always be thankful for them.

I must also thank my family for their continuous support throughout the journey of my entire program. They allowed me to use them as my “practice dummies” when I needed to practice taking blood pressures or practice other skills we were learning. I especially need to thank my mom as she took many phone calls from me asking for help or just simply complaining about classes. My family has always believed in me (even when I didn’t believe in myself) and they have always pushed me to be a better person and follow my goals. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them, so for that I thank my family!

As my time here at UWEC is coming to an end, I can’t help but think of all the memories I have made here. It’s hard to say which of those are my favorite because I feel that all of them played an important role in where I am today. I am really sad to be graduating as these last four years have truly been the best four years of my life. I can’t wait to see where the lessons I have learned take me in life. I am forever grateful for all the people I have met here at UWEC and I will always keep them close to me. I am so glad to have been a Blugold. Thank you to everyone who has impacted my life and has helped me along this journey, I am forever grateful for you! Here’s to becoming JoAnn Harris BSN, RN!

As a senior that just started my last semester at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, I have been reflecting on all of the opportunities I had in my past four years. I know, as I look back, that I have made a positive difference in the community I am a part of on campus and in the greater area. When I first came to Eau Claire, I was very eager to become involved and find my niche; thankfully, I was a part of the Blugold Beginnings Learning Community (BBLC) that provided support and guidance that helped me find my role on campus.

At the end of my first year, I applied for an internship with Blugold Beginnings to organize and execute JumpStart Camp in August of 2015 for incoming freshmen. At the same time, I also became an intern for the Department of Public Instruction for the Wisconsin Equal Opportunity Program. Both internships aimed to prepare first-generation students of color for success in their college careers by providing support along the way. Support ranged from financial aid counseling to assisting them in registering for classes. This is when I realized that my passion was in being a resource for students just like me.

During my second year as an intern for the BBLC, I was able to plan events such as inviting multiple offices on campus to present during our monthly cohort dinners about the different resources they offered. I felt very lucky to have gotten to know some of my first year cohort members and seeing them explore their interests and succeeding in their academics. At the end of my second year, I knew that I wanted to continue working in this capacity and applied to be the Opening Doors Precollege Camp Intern for the Office of Multicultural Affairs.

My previous internships had given me the experience that allowed me to excel within my new internship with the Office of Multicultural Affairs. I was tasked with planning a weeklong precollege camp specifically for 7th-11th grade Latinx students. The purpose of the camp was to provide student the experience of being a college student at UWEC, so I planned sample classes, different activities on campus and larger community. What I loved the most was that I was able to recruit students from my high school in Madison, Wisconsin. The camp was very inspirational for me personally because I was able to give an experience to students that I never had while I was in high school.

These internships gave me experience in the field of Student Affairs and shaped my career goals into what they are today. I am going to pursue a Masters in Higher Education and I hope to work at a university within an office that provides support for underrepresented students.

Being at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire has helped solidify my understanding that in life it is essential for things to be equitable instead of just striving for equality. I have encountered multiple experiences before college, but Blugold Beginnings helped deepen my knowledge in a broader context.

My older sister currently is wheelchair bound and has gone through hell and back to survive with her insurmountable medical issues that have plagued her for the last ten years. During this time she missed her middle school, high school, and college years, and gone through numerous major surgeries, which prompted my parents to do everything they could to support her. Meaning much of their time, and efforts were put towards my older sister. What this also meant was when they were unable to do those things for her my younger sister, and I would assume that responsibility. Some of those things included taking her to the ER, doctor appointments, and visiting her on her sometimes month-long stays in the hospital. All of this equated to an unequal share of time, but it was a much more equitable version.

I was taught that when things are more equitable, the playing field is level and things are equal. Chances are given, but perhaps the individual needed a little extra to execute their chance fully. Referring to the image below, “equitable” accommodates the obstruction to the kids’ views by giving boxes to adjust each of their heights so they can see over the fence. “Equal” is to provide them with the same boxes with the same measurements. The equal option does not fix the problem. 

I then began to see how my experiences with my sister overlapped with my experiences in Blugold Beginnings. Working as an intern and mentor at one of the Eau Claire High Schools revealed to me the struggles my parents had when managing their time with my sisters and me. I often found myself sacrificing time with some mentees over others because of their different needs/situations. For example, during one hour of the school day we were low on numbers of mentors and I had to switch between 7 different mentees. Although I wanted to help them all at once, I gave my time to the students who needed more attention.

Originally, I did not fully understand what it meant, “to educate and inspire students, especially underrepresented, low income or first generation students, to believe that a post-secondary education is important, attainable, and available at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and other institutions.” It just seemed logical that everyone should have the opportunity to go to school. What became clear to me were the obstacles. The obstacles that must be overcome by a lot of the people that are involved in the Blugold Beginnings program. Many of the program participants may have had equal opportunities, but they most likely were not equitable versions. What the Blugold Beginnings team has done is come together to make the world a more equitable place, similar to how my parents worked with my siblings to create a more equitable lifestyle.

The most important thing I began to understand, is everyone else must engage in the kind of social justice work the Blugold Beginnings team is doing in order for equitable options to exist in all areas of our world. It is especially important for those that have the opportunities I had to know their privilege. People like my sister and other individuals in the Blugold Beginnings Program work hard to get through the day like everyone else, but the difference is they are often required to go above and beyond what others have to in order to achieve what is expected of them.

On the eve of my graduation, it seems fitting to take some time to reflect back. When I first stepped foot on the UWEC campus, I knew what I wanted to do- become a veterinarian. At the time, I did not know I would end up changing my major to psychology and become passionate about issues that I didn’t even knew existed. It’s hard to believe how 5 years can change you, but I am so grateful for it. One of the biggest influences that would end up changing my life would be Blugold Beginnings.

My freshman year is where all the doors opened for me. I was part of the Blugold Beginnings Learning Community (BBLC) and I loved every minute of it. I did as much as I could to contribute to an organization that values community and education. By Spring of my freshman year I was president of the Blugold Beginnings student organization and was confirmed to be a camp counselor to the next cohort of BBLC members. Being a camp counselor for the next group was so exciting for me! In doing this position, I found an unknown passion for guiding people into the next phase of their life, but it would be the Civil Rights Pilgrimage that would give me the final shove to make a career change.

The Civil Rights Pilgrimage was an eye-opening experience for me. I thought about topics that I never thought about before, I saw perspectives on issues that I didn’t see before, and I experienced things like I never did before. The Civil Rights Pilgrimage taught me to be the person I should strive to be everyday; a person that advocates for the opportunities and outcomes of others. I loved my experience so much that I applied and became a coordinator for the trip. The to-do list to make the trip happen was exhausting, but finally loading the bus and seeing the eager participants made it all worth it. The lessons I learned on this trip and the new interests that I developed finally made me reconsider being my major and pre-veterinarian emphasis. After a semester of searching for the right major, I finally declared psychology spring of my junior year.

I’ve been very involved in my major and internship so I have not spent much time with Blugold Beginnings or the Civil Rights Pilgrimage in the last year. Even though I haven’t been involved, I keep a quote from Mary Church Terrell, that I learned through those experiences, close to my heart- “Lift as you climb.” If there is one lesson that I have learned it is to help others reach their goals and aspirations as you do for yourself. When I graduate on Saturday, I will be thinking about all that I have learned at UW-Eau Claire. I know that most of all, I’ll keep this lesson with me into my career and life. 

Beginning college at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire was challenging as a first-generation college student. Although my undergraduate experience took longer than anticipated I was able to get my Bachelor’s degree in English Literature. It was an incredibly proud moment for myself and my family. I remember celebrating my achievements for weeks after graduation. Mentors were instrumental in getting me through college. Not only was I able to finish my degree I had a new hunger for more. Only a few short weeks after graduation I began graduate classes at UWEC. It was a whole new set of challenges for me but with constant encouragement and guidance I was not afraid of this new venture.

Being around so many encouraging mentors and other students with similar struggles was instrumental to my success. When you see those around you succeed and accomplish their goals it helps you to dream bigger. The motto for Blugold Beginnings is “dreaming big, making it happen” and that it certainly what can happen with so much support from staff and fellow students. 

As 2017 comes to a close and finals fast approaching it is hard to believe that I have now registered for my last classes in graduate school and begun the thesis process. Not only have classes been successful but I have accomplished things I couldn’t have dreamed of. I have had internships, helped a professor edit one of their books, done research with a professor and am now preparing for an amazing study abroad opportunity over the summer. My one regret from my time as an undergraduate was not studying abroad and now I am happy to say that I am preparing for a trip to Berlin, Germany, Prague, Czech Republic, Vienna, Austria, Budapest, Hungary and Krakow, Poland. To be able to travel to these places is something I would not have access to without UWEC.  

In the fall of 2018 I will be finishing my thesis and applying to Ph D. programs. With so many people believing in my dreams I know that I can accomplish them and continue to find bigger and better dreams. No matter what obstacles have been in my way the continued support and encouragement from Blugold Beginnings has allowed me to have a life I wouldn’t have imagined several years ago. 

In 2018 I am also preparing to marry a fellow Blugold Alum and graduate student and I truly cannot think of what would have happened without UWEC and Blugold Beginnings. Thanks to all of the support and encouragement, I think I will always be hungry for more learning.

As I near the half-way point of my college career, it provides a good opportunity for me look back on what I have been able to experience at this institution. Coming five and a half hours north to Eau Claire from my hometown of Chicago, I had no idea to what to expect. Quickly after my arrival on campus, I knew I made the best decision of my life. I was connected with Jodi Thesing-Ritter, Dennis Beale and the Blugold Beginnings program, which set me up for success right away. Having resources on campus who truly cared about me like those two, a great group of men around me and the opportunities the program afforded me made me feel right at home.

I’ve been playing football since I was five years old and I have loved the game for as long as I can remember. UW-Eau Claire allowed me not only to get a top-notch education, but has also let me live out a life-long dream of being a college football athlete. As I wrap up my third year of football, I have met awesome teammates who will surely be brothers for life, already made countless memories and have become a tougher, better-rounded individual. If I wasn’t recruited to this university as an athlete, I would’ve never been exposed to the resources that have helped me excel as a student.

I am currently studying journalism as I hope to have a career as a sports writer. Another opportunity this university has allowed me to take part in is The Spectator, our school’s newspaper. Now in my second semester as a Staff Writer for the paper, I have written stories ranging from opinion pieces on local and national topics, game recaps to student feature stories and much more. This has helped me gain valuable experience and get weekly practice in the field I wish to pursue after graduation.

Another aspect of my college experience that I hold dear to my heart is the formation of a group I helped found, Black Male Empowerment. Along with five of my best friends and our mentor, Dennis Beale, we decided to form a group to expand on our brotherhood, improve the perception of black males on our campus and have a positive impact on our community. As of now, we are 18 members strong, meeting every Wednesday night in business professional attire and planning and taking part in events in the community to get our name out there. We have plans in place to travel as a group to the United Kingdom to do research related to the role and dynamics of the black man in the world.

All these experiences have made me not only grateful for Blugold Beginnings and people like Beale and Thesing-Ritter, but also very excited for what my future holds. The opportunities presented to me from the moment I stepped on campus have undoubtedly helped shape the course of my college career. I am eager to see where the second half of my college career takes me.

At UW-Eau Claire, I get to experience all that the campus and the surrounding communities provide to us as students, and I’m able to give back through service learning opportunities. Service learning, unique to UWEC, is a 30-hour volunteer requirement that all Blugolds complete before we graduate. Basically, it’s how we give back to the community, while test-driving our future career paths.

It’s amazing to think that Blugolds give 360,000+ hours of their time every year to service! Here are the three ways I chose to make a difference ...

My first experience came during the spring semester of my freshman year. On a cold January morning I walked through the campus’ volunteer fair and came across the Reading Fellowship Program. After talking with the coordinator of the Reading Fellowship Program, I began working with a local fifth-grade student, who had fallen behind his peers in reading levels. For over a year I met with this particular student every Friday for an hour. Initially my student was very apprehensive about reading and spent most of the time trying to get out of it. Although this made our meeting a little more difficult, I knew he was capable of reaching our goals. Through continued meetings and a strong effort I was able to see my student catch up to his peers in reading level and finish a 300-page novel by himself. This particular experience was well outside my area of study, kinesiology, but it played a major role over my intended career path by showing me that I had a passion for working with children. This ultimately led to my desire to pursue pediatrics physical therapy in my future career path.

My second and third experience were actually presented to me through my major. As a kinesiology student in the Human Performance major, I was lucky enough to find some outstanding service learning opportunities through my course work. The two courses that qualified for service learning were the community fitness program course and the cancer recovery course. From both of these curriculum-based service-learning experiences, I’ve been able to further develop skills that will translate over to my intended career path. I worked one-on-one with clients to help them exercise to improve limitations set on by injury or disease. The community fitness program course and the cancer recovery course allowed me to give my knowledge of health and fitness to community members in an effort to change the lives of individuals who may be limited by disease or injuries.

While I was uncertain of many things coming to college, one thing I knew for sure was that I was going to study abroad - and I’m so grateful that I did. Even though it’s scary to leave everything and everyone behind for four months, I would do it again in a heartbeat. 

One of the many reasons I chose UWEC is because 1 in 5 students study abroad. This stat is amazing because it shows how much UWEC supports students who decide to study abroad! And since I planned early with my academic advisor, studying abroad for a semester in Harlaxton, England, didn’t put me behind schedule towards graduation.

I spent the semester living and going to school at Harlaxton Manor (above)

My time abroad also made me more confident and independent. On the weekend I was supposed to take a weekend trip to Barcelona, the UK was hit by a strong wind storm. All of the trains were shut down and there was stand still traffic the entire way to the airport.  We missed our flight, but “the time I almost went to Barcelona” really taught me how to problem solve and accept the things I cannot control (a wind storm being one of them). I never realized how much I had grown in these areas until I was back in the states facing unpreventable problems.

I’m looking forward to using the skills I learned abroad with me outside of college. As a Human Resource Management major, diversity and inclusion are important topics addressed in today’s hiring processes. Having experienced many cultures outside of our own, I have a new respect and understanding for those who come from different backgrounds. I hope to use my new found understanding to relate and attract unique individuals in the future.

I finished my last final of my freshman year around 3 pm last year on a Friday. By early Sunday morning I was boarding a plane to fly off for my summer job. It was a long day; there were multiple delays, lots of rushing, one unfortunate missing luggage incident, and lots of time for me to reflect on my first year of college; so between the flights and the boarding and terminals I did just that- reflect.

If I’m being quite honest I’m not exactly sure how I ended up here at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire; but I did. I never pictured myself going to school in Wisconsin; I had dreams of attending of Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana but as it got closer and closer to the first day of school it looked like that wasn’t going to come true. I waited till the last second hoping that it would work out at Butler but it didn’t and instead found myself enrolled not only in the University but the Blugold Beginnings Learning Community.  I attended the Blugold Beginning Jumpstart Camp and was surprised at how well I seemed to fit in there. Throughout the week I was able to meet various program directors, second year mentors, college coaches, and other first year students. I was surprised to see how easily I found a place not only within the learning community but on campus.

As the year went on, I began to see how I fit on campus and became grateful for my plans falling through. I met a network of people who not only want me to succeed as a student but as an individual as well. I took the course- Women of the Civil Rights Movement. It was eye opening. The last thing we did as a part of the class was our social change project; where myself and a group of students focused on a social injustice cause that occurs within the Eau Claire Community. My group focused on environmental issues and how we can reduce our carbon imprint on our campus but other groups chose issues such as poverty, racism, and inequality. One of the groups specifically chose to look at poverty rates in a small towns, much like Eau Claire. It made me realize how often and easy it is to overlook the problems in our own home; we think that we need to go somewhere far and extravagant to make a meaningful impact.

This past summer I took of leap of faith and decided to apply for a summer job running volunteer trips for youth and young adults. Each week we had anywhere from sixty to eighty individuals coming onto our cite in Benton Harbor, Michigan. When I applied for this job I had dreams of going far away and working possibly internationally this summer. Benton Harbor wasn’t what I had in mind; it’s a town a little bit smaller than Eau Claire located just five minutes off the Southwest part of Lake Michigan. I wanted to be upset but then I thought of the social change projects that I had done and heard about and it all seemed to make sense. I didn’t have to go to some other country to make an impact. There was no better way to spend my summer than in the beloved Midwest helping a community that had been undermined and taken advantage of.

This past summer was one of the most difficult summers both mentally and physically. In the end we painted over twenty four houses, renovated an old school building, raked countless yards, spent hundreds of hours on community clean up, helped local food pantries/outreach programs and built relationships with the local community members. I know for a fact that this summer has changed me; the person leaving the cite wasn’t the same one that came. Two times in the past year I had put up expectations of what my future and plans were going to be and when they fell through I wasn’t prepared for how great it turned out to be.

I am currently in my second year at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire and a declared double major in Accounting and Information Systems. Life is an ever-changing process and lots of the change that happens I have no control over. I’m learning to just roll with whatever life throws at me and take every opportunity possible to better myself.

What opportunities will you be open to this year?

There's something about traveling that makes me smile. Whether it's a two hour drive up north, or a trip to the ends of the world, it always seems to be a wonderful experience. Unfortunately, I've never really had the resources to travel growing up. School trips and family occasions were the only times I got out of the Twin Cities. So, jumping into UWEC as a freshman, I wasn't really focused on or expecting any traveling experiences during my college career.

I was content, until Blugold Beginnings took me under their wing and exposed me to all the opportunities of college that I didn't see before. They sent me off on the Civil Rights Pilgrimage and my first winter break I found myself exploring the warm southern states and diving into the rich history there. We got to hear living stories of the civil rights movement, roam the active streets of major cities, and wade in the salty waters, all while enjoying the weather away from Eau Claire.

Now plugging into my second semester, I found a hunger for traveling. I found myself looking into volunteering abroad and summer jobs away from home. And as I was wandering the halls of Haas, I was presented by an opportunity I couldn't pass up. An opportunity to see the world. With a little encouragement and support, plus the money it took to buy travel shots and a passport, I jumped at the chance to have a research trip to across the world.

In Senegal, Africa our team of seven (two professors, five students) spent three weeks exploring the country, attempting to speak French, and taking in the culture and life of the Senegalese people. As a student/ faculty research team, we studied Senegalese rap and hip hop music and its effect on the community. We spent time in the busyness of Dakar, enjoying the calm villages of Tambacounda, and interviewing musicians and community members along the way. It felt like the shortest three weeks of my life and I loved every second of it.

Experiences shape who you are and whether it's a drive around the United States or a trip across the world, the experience of traveling is something you can't miss. I once thought that traveling was something for the wealthy but that's not true. At UWEC the opportunities are endless. I don't know about you, but I fully intend to take advantage of the opportunities presented. Will you?

Glad to hear you will be visiting our fine campus! I toured UWEC myself as a senior and I’m a tour guide here these days—here are some tips for making the best of your time on campus!

1.  Have an open mind –  Whether this is your first college visit or your 20th, it’s best to set foot on each campus with an open mind. Leave all expectations at the door and enjoy your visit!

2.  Be imaginative - As you walk around campus, try to picture yourself living and learning here! The tour is designed to follow in the footsteps of a current Blugold; don’t only listen to the activities that happen on campus, but imagine yourself doing them!

3.  Use the resources –  So. Many. Handouts. Take them! They have lots of info about academic programs and high-impact practices like study abroad, which you can use when you’re comparing schools.

4.  Ask questions –  This is your opportunity to spend ninety minutes with a current UWEC student. It’s the perfect time to ask them questions about what it’s like. Don’t know what kind of questions to ask? Here are some:

o    Where is your favorite place on campus?

o    What is the food like on campus? Is there a variety of options?

o    What do students do on the weekends? Do they stay on campus or go                 home?

o   What is residence life like? How are roommates assigned?

o   What opportunities are there for student professional development?

o   How can I get involved on campus?

o   Why did you choose this school?

5. Reflect on your experience -  After the tour, take some time to reflect about your time on campus. Make a list of pros and cons and determine if you have any follow up questions. Once you have visited additional schools, these reflections will make it easier to compare UWEC to the other schools you visit. Hopefully this helps you make the most of your campus visit. Choosing a school can be overwhelming, but also very exciting! Enjoy your college search and know the admissions staff at UWEC is here to support you.

People have a hard time understanding when I say I am Latinx. They ask me if I meant Latina, since I appear female. That isn’t true. I have been called sir and have had people use he/him/his pronouns with me. Those are not my pronouns. I am genderfluid. No one has the right to determine what gender I am, except for myself. I am bi-pansexual (it fluctuates). I am Latinx. And if you were wondering, my pronouns are: they/them/theirs.

This was certainly not a process that happened overnight. It really started in my high school years. I was a sophomore in high school when I realized when I was falling for my best friend, who is a female. At this point of time, I hadn’t realized my gender-fluidity; I still used she/her pronouns. Eventually, I started to fluctuate between what was considered male standards and female standards of mannerisms and physical identity. As a kid with no resources to help them understand what is happening, you could probably guess what kind of kid I was.

So, now here I am at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. I’m about two hours away from home in Shakopee, Minnesota, and I was mortified. I didn’t know anyone, and I didn’t know what I was going to do in regards to a social life. Luckily, I broke down the awkward tension really fast with my roommate. I didn’t know how to come out to my roommate, so I made a pretty bad statement (My words verbatim: “Let’s get something straight, I’m not”). My roommate understood that I’m on the bisexual-pansexual scale and that I didn’t necessarily fit into one pretty little box in regard of gender because gender is a sliding scale for me.

I can say I am so grateful for meeting so many wonderful people who are LGBTQIA+ people here at the university. I feel so much more comfortable knowing and meeting my fellow peers. I also feel comfortable knowing that there are so many amazing faculty and staff who are willing to listen to my story and are willing to take the time to understand me. These people are the reason I feel so comfortable and at home at UWEC because otherwise I would honestly feel like an outsider to this university.

I constantly encourage people who are wanting to be allies to do some research and ask questions. It is better to ask an uninformed question rather than to live in the ignorance of your own mind. There is a wonderful tumblr post that will be linked at the end that really goes over the spectrum of sexualities and genders that a person can identify as. Regardless, I still cannot thank the wonderful people who have accepted this awkward, genderfluid, bi-pan kid from a relatively conservative town in Minnesota.

http://mmikan.tumblr.com/post/125794304036/heres-information-about-sexualromantic

Hello Blugolds! So, recently I’ve been thinking about my Power of [AND] and how it has changed over the past couple of years while studying here at UWEC. In what ways has my [AND] changed? And it what ways has it stayed the same? When I look back at who I was when I first started college, I cannot believe how much I’ve changed. I’ve become more mature, more organized, more studious (hehe), more outgoing, and more knowledgeable, but most importantly I’ve been able to find my niche here at UWEC. I can see aclear path that will lead me to my future career, and will allow me to reach my future goals. I not only accredit this university for how it has shaped me into the person that I am today and hope to be, but I also accredit my Power of [AND] in this personal journey of discovery.

 I think that as young adults it is crucial that we realize our potentials and acknowledge the difference that each of us can truly make. Here at UWEC, I have found a family on campus full of faculty and friends, and I’ve made many memories that I wouldn’t have been able to make anywhere else, like singing in organic chemistry lab after hours, or having chair races in the Breezeway on the second floor of the library around midnight! I remember when I first came to Eau Claire, and thinking that this campus will forever be etched in my heart because of the friends I’ll make, the classes I’ll take, the experiences I’ll have, and most importantly for the person who I will become four years in the future. Now I am 3/4 of the way there to finishing my time here at UWEC, and it is quite sad for me to think about. I’ve had so many wonderful opportunities, and since I am a huge fan of trying new things (even if it’s only for a semester- HA!) I feel I’ve been able to really experience a lot and do things that I never imagined I would ever be brave enough to do. As a freshman I was encouraged to think about my Power of [AND], and as a Campus Ambassador, I was encourged to share that [AND] with other prospective students and their families. Now, as a junior I am realizing how special that Power of [AND] really was and is, and though it has changed a little for the most part it’s stayed the same. I’m still a hopeful dental applicant and lover of life, plus my music is a huge part of who I am. I wouldn’t be where I am today without UWEC or my Power of [AND], It truly has the ability to change one’s life. Really think about your Power of [AND] Blugolds, you never know where it’ll take you!

Until next time! 

Guess what I purchased today? I bet you can’t guess… okay I will tell you I bought a ticket for the Jesse McCartney concert that will be held on campus in April.  I’m super excited and best part about it is that it only cost $10 which is super cheap compared to other concerts.  UWEC is always bring artists to campus for bigger concerts in Zorn Arena.  My freshmen year I attended the Ingrid Michelson concert and let me tell you it was amazing and it was even better because it was on campus so I didn’t have to worry about driving and finding parking; it was super easy to just walk from the residence hall down to lower campus.  In addition to big concerts there are a lot of smaller concerts and music performances held on campus in either the Davies Center or in the Cabin.  It is great to be able to hear a such a wide range of music and some of the performances are even free to attend.

There are so many music groups on campus and many of them also put on concert for students.  One of my favorites is held every year in October and it is called Varsity Night Live.  You may be wondering what is this interestingly named event.  Well it is a music event where many of the acapella groups and music groups perform ALL on the SAME night! So you buy a ticket for the event and then you get to hear such a variety of music performed by Blugolds. This event has to be one of my favorites and I advise everyone to go!

I hope… wait I know that everyone can find an event on campus to participate in or attend. Happy eventing (yes I made that word up but I think it works.)

Hi friends - Happy Tuesday! I don’t know how you feel about the snow that we got recently (or that Eau Claire got at least - almost nowhere else got snow, but we got pounded!) but I’m PUMPED about it because it means that ski season gets to continue! :)

This past weekend was supposed to be the peak of the Nordic ski season, which culminates in the American Birkebeiner, a 50k race that takes skiers from Cable to Hayward, WI. Unfortunately, due to the crazy spring-like conditions we’ve been having [AND] the lack of snow, the race itself was cancelled. BUT the race organizers and volunteers did a great job of keeping everyone updated, and they did all they could to make sure that there’d still be something for the 10,000+ skiers to enjoy this weekend, which introduced BirkieFest 2017. Though my fellow skiers and I were disappointed that the race didn’t happen, most of us still made the trip up to the Northwoods for BirkieFest, which was a blast! It went from a 50k ski race to a 5.0k open ski on a single loop, which also included various Birkie traditions and lots of free stuff! And though I always love to Birkie because it brings the ski community together, it did a really great job of bringing us Blugold skiers who were up there together! I saw Blugold skiers old and new up there, including alumni, my friend who transferred from UWEC this semester, and even the people who own the cabin we always rent for our team trip! So despite the conditions and the uncertainty, BirkieFest 2017 helped bring together the ski community and, more specifically, the Blugold ski family, which made it that much more fun and special! Fingers crossed for more snow next year!

This just goes to show that the Nordic Ski Club here always has been and continues to be one of my homes here on campus, and it’s always fun to get involved with the club with off-campus events too! Now go out there and find your home on campus! :)

I am so excited to share that I have officially purchased my ticket to go and support the Blugold theater team in their performance of Sweeney Todd this coming Sunday! I have heard nothing but amazing comments and reviews of the performances and cannot wait to share my input. The group has been working tirelessly on the production, including rehearsing during a storm in which knocked out all of the power in the building. The last time I have seen Sweeney Todd was my high school performance my freshman year in high school. It will be interesting to compare and contrast the productions between my first year of high school and my final year of college. It is also great that my friend Matt is in the performance as well, and I plan to get a picture with him after the show with all of his show makeup on! I am excited to witness this amazing musical on Sunday. Break a leg Blugolds!....not literally!

-Gunther

So professors are always talking about their office hours letting students know when they are, where their office is etcetera. I think that it is really important to know this information in case you need help with an assignment or if you have questions.

Earlier this week I took my first Finance Exam of the semester I was nervous about this exam because I did not know the test style my professor had and I was worried about the amount of content for the exam.  Tuesday came around and I had that exam, we then got our scores back and I did okay but not as well as I wanted to do so I decided I should talk to my professor to see what I should do to change the way that I study, but also ask what I got wrong on the exam so that I don’t make the same mistakes on the next exam.  I emailed my professor to let her know that I was planning on stopping by during her office hours.  You do not have to send an email saying that you are going to stop by during open office hour times but it’s a good Idea so that they already know what you need help with and it ensures that they will have time set aside for you.  I was able to talk with my finance professor for over an hour about my exam.  I think that it is really great that the Professors at UWEC will take so much time to help the students succeed.  

 I’ve gone and talked with almost all of my professors during office hours this semester and it has been really helpful, but I’ve also had to schedule meetings with them outside of their office hours because of class conflicts.  Guess what never was I not able to find a time to meet with them, they have all been willing to stay a little later on campus or meet with me during their lunch hour.  I hope everyone takes advantage of this opportunity to better understand the materials in their classes and also make that connection with their professors, go visit those professors during their open office hours!!