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Something for everyone!

Intro

The University Staff Professional Development Conference is an annual event typically offered in early June and open to all UWEC employees. This event is designed to create a collaborative environment to encourage networking and provide ongoing learning opportunities for University Staff. Staff from other UW-System institutions, CVTC, and community partners are also invited to participate. It exists primarily to increase professional and personal development to achieve work-life balance through enhancing skills, inspiring innovation, and achieving/setting goals to improve the workplace.

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2025 Professional Development Conference Wednesday, June 4th! 

Registration Coming Soon!

Join us for a full day of Professional Development in Centennial Hall on the UWEC campus from 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM. 

This year, we embrace the theme: Spark Innovation, Illuminate the Future. In a world of constant change, we are called to face challenges head-on and navigate paths unknown. It is through bold thinking, creative problem-solving, and fearless exploration that we ignite ideas with the power to transform. Together, we light the way forward—turning uncertainty into opportunity and vision into reality.

Our keynote speaker, Michael Perry, will be presenting: "Shootin' the Breeze in Times Like These: Humor, Heart, and Humanity".                

Michael Perry Headshot
Michael Perry
Michael Perry is a farm boy turned humorist, New York Times bestselling author, volunteer firefighter/first responder, corporate speaker, and amateur snow plow driver from rural Wisconsin, known for leaving audiences laughing (and nodding, and sometimes getting misty) from his “reflective roughneck” takes on life in rural America,

Perry’s bestselling books include the volunteer firefighter memoir Population: 485 (subsequently adapted for the stage), Truck: A Love Story, Coop, Visiting Tom, and Montaigne in Barn Boots. Among his other twenty-plus titles are The Scavengers (for young readers), his novel The Jesus Cow, the essay collections Peaceful Persistence, Million Billion, and Hunker, and his most recent book, the deeply powerful novella Forty Acres Deep. Raised on a small Midwestern dairy farm, Perry put himself through nursing school while working on a ranch in Wyoming, then detoured into writing. He lives with his wife and two daughters in rural Wisconsin, where he still makes an occasional call with the local volunteer fire and rescue service. He performs widely as a humorist (his live humor albums include Never Stand Behind A Sneezing Cow and The Clodhopper Monologues), tours with his band The Long Beds, and lives online at www.sneezingcow.com.

Looking to present at our event?

Sessions are selected to promote both professional and personal development for achieving work-life balance through enhanced skills, inspiring innovation/creative thinking and establishing goals to continuously improve the workplace. This annual event is open to all UW-Eau Claire employees, as well as external attendees from other UW System campuses, Wisconsin technical colleges and community partners. It is designed as a collaborative environment of networking and ongoing learning opportunities for employees who work outside the classroom — those who work in the classroom are welcome to attend.

The event is in person on June 4th and we are requesting presentations be 60 minutes.  If you are interested in presenting, please email a topic and summary of your session proposal to Kristi Bergstrom at bergstkr@uwec.edu.

University Staff Professional Development Committee:

The Professional Development Conference is planned throughout the year by a group of thirteen University Staff. If you have questions about the event, please reach out to a committee member.

 Debbie Baier | Kristi Bergstrom | Shelby Butteris (Chair) | Hayley Clark | Audra Connell | Bobbie Gillett | Sheryl Gonzales | Dan Hillis | Cindy Nevin | Nicole Owen | Aimee Rehberg | Cathy Sievert | Kathryn Teska (Vice Chair)

Professional Development Conference 2025 Sponsors:

University Staff Council | UW-Eau Claire Foundation | University Centers | Sodexo | University Staff Council Advancement Fund

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University Staff

105 Garfield Ave
Eau Claire, WI 54701
United States