Probably the most important thing any student can do is graduate! That’s why I spend so much time talking with our new freshmen and urging them to make the commitment to finish what they start. I was delighted to hear my sentiments echoed in a beautifully written essay by Kathy J. Doering-Kilkenny, a UW-Whitewater employee who will be graduating this May – alongside her daughter, Kathleen.
In Forks (Or How I Completed My College Degree) Kathy wrote: “Either because of my age or in spite of it I became determined to finish what I started…The confidence that comes with age helped me, I think, to stay the course. The nights and weekends that I devoted to sitting on my porch reading, studying, preparing reports, participating in an on-line course discussion, or memorizing Japanese vocabulary was time spent doing exactly what I wanted to. I have no regrets.”
Well said, Kathy, and well done.
It was my great pleasure to attend the dedication of the Florence Kopas Special Education classroom today in Winther Hall. The newly renovated high tech classroom gives us a reason to celebrate the progress we have made in educating special needs individuals. The naming of the room for Mrs. Kopas reminds us of the legacy of UW-Whitewater. Florence Kopas worked as department secretary for 34 years. The room was donated by Quint Studer, a grateful former student whom she lovingly mentored.
One hundred years ago, the City of Whitewater celebrated its birthday with a homecoming festival led by President/Chancellor Albert Salisbury. This year, from July 1 – 4, we will be collaborating with the city to celebrate its 170th birthday. Expect four days of old-time fun including parades, speeches, dances, and a possible UW-W faculty-staff-administration reunion. Check the City of Whitewater website for updates.
The Social Work Student Organization (SWSO) is one of the largest student organizations on campus and one of the most active. The organization is run by students who have contributed more than 10,000 volunteer hours over the past decade to a variety of projects, including help for the homeless.
I had the pleasure of attending SWSO’s 30th "Birthday Party" yesterday. What an impressive group of dedicated young people! Rep. Kim Hixson was on hand as well to read a proclamation in support of the club.
Congratulations SWSO (and Advisor, Mike Wallace) for your incredible accomplishments.
I was at the Detroit Airport last evening, struggling to get back to Wisconsin along with hundreds of other displaced travelers, when something wonderful happened. A nice gentleman noticed the UW-Whitewater shirt my traveling companion was wearing, and came over to talk with us. He introduced himself as someone very interested in economic development and said he had heard of us. He said, "Someone at your university developed an invention that is most certainly going to stimulate manufacturing in Wisconsin." He was referring to UW-W art professor Dan McGuire’s invention for scaling back the time required to produce ceramic shells. I was quick to tell him that not only is Dan a great inventor, he’s a great teacher who was inspired to develop this process in order to keep his students better engaged in the creative process.
We really do make a difference.
