Inaugural awards given to high-achieving first-year Blugolds

The award is a new donor-funded scholarship, unique in being based solely on faculty nominations.

Billy Felz, vice chancellor for enrollment management, announced the new scholarships and congratulated the deserving recipients at the inaugural reception.

“We know that the first year of college can be challenging, and it’s wonderful that we are able to recognize students who were identified by a professor as being successful,” Felz says.

“That success is not based only on getting the highest grade in the class; it is defined here as showing improvement over the semester, demonstrating leadership in the classroom or overcoming challenges and adversity.”

Felz further acknowledges the valuable partnerships that make support like this for UW-Eau Claire students possible.

“We are very thankful to have great partnerships in Academic Affairs and the Foundation to establish the new award and recognition ceremony,” Felz says. “It was inspiring to see the heartfelt student nominations that faculty took the time to complete and the genuine interest they took in their students’ accomplishments. Importantly, none of this would have been possible without the generosity of the Dan and Martha Wenzel family, who funded all 28 of these scholarships.”

Foundation vice president Julia Diggins says she is awed by the support of Blugold donors, shown once again through this new fund.

“The UWEC Foundation donors truly understand that persistence is one of the most essential skills for success in college,” Diggins says.

“The recipients of the Chancellor’s Spotlight Award have shown remarkable determination in overcoming challenges, and we are proud to celebrate their hard work. This scholarship is our way of recognizing them and reminding them that we believe in their potential.”

It starts with caring faculty

Shannon Collins, clinical professor of communication sciences and disorders, is pleased to have this new avenue to acknowledge students who have stepped up to the variety of ways in which new college students are tested.

“Transitioning to college is a mix of excitement and challenge that requires navigating a new living environment, new academic expectations, making connections and finding balance,” Collins says.

“As faculty, it is important for us to see their hard work, perseverance and willingness to grow in this new space — growth that takes many forms.”

For scholarship recipient Teigan Petersilka, a pre-nursing student from Eau Claire, this honor is equal to her gratitude for the support from Collins in her first year of college.

“I am very honored to be a recipient of such a thoughtful award,” Petersilka says. “This recognition only motivates me to continue excelling as a student at UWEC.

“Professor Collins took the time to truly get to know and understand each of her students, and I am beyond thankful for her dedication and support. I struggled to adjust to college life during this academic year, and she provided consistent encouragement to utilize all the valuable resources UWEC offers to its students.”

Proud reflections from the top

At the reception, Chancellor James Schmidt noted that across the many nominations and faculty descriptions of student success, these recipients all represent excellence.

“For some students, faculty highlighted the incredible strength and maturity shown as they balanced deeply personal tragedies over the course of their first semester of college,” Schmidt said. “For others, faculty wrote about students’ confidence growing immensely, and the joy of watching them emerge as leaders within the class.

“No matter why these students were nominated,” Schmidt said, “it is clear to me that each of them has already made a significant impact for exhibiting traits we admire here at UW-Eau Claire. They are all well on their way to having an exceptionally successful first year as Blugolds.”