University of
WELCOME STUDENTS
WISCONSINWHITEWATER
Published by the
2021-22
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UW-W WELCOME STUDENTS 2021-2022
Ladies, do you need a local doctor while attending UW-Whitewater? William C. Leach, Jr., DO, FACOG Dr. William Leach, board certified OB/GYN at Mercyhealth Whitewater, is here to provide compassionate expert care while you are at school. Conveniently located just two blocks from campus, Dr. Leach can see patients for:
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Mercyhealth Whitewater also offers: • Family medicine services • Sports medicine services • Orthopedic care • Urgent Care • Physical therapy • And more 400054
UW-W WELCOME STUDENTS 2021-2022
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University Of Wisconsin-Whitewater 800 W. Main St., Whitewater • (262) 472-1234 • www.uww.edu
The University of WisconsinWhitewater, founded in 1868, is known for its award winning programs, students organizations and athletic achievements, including national championship football, men’s basketball, men’s wheelchair basketball and rugby teams. UW-Whitewater provides 50 undergraduate programs and 15 graduate programs to a campus of more than 12,500 students. The campus, voted one of the Top 100 Workplaces in southeastern Wisconsin, is on 404 rolling acres with 40 major buildings, a nature preserve and an arboretum. The university maintains institutional accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission, and holds a variety of specialized accreditations at academic college and program levels. The institution’s teacher education programs are also approved by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. The University of WisconsinWhitewater is a Colleges of Distinction for its business, education and career development program. The national honor recognizes campuses for exceptional teaching and dedication to student success. Colleges of Distinction’s selection process consists of a review of each institution’s freshman experience and retention efforts alongside its general education programs, alumni success, strategic plan, student satisfaction, and more. Schools are accepted on the basis that they adhere to the four distinctions: engaged students, great teaching, vibrant community and successful outcomes.
University Contacts The Crossman Gallery (262) 472-1207 Irvin L. Young Auditorium (262) 472-2222 Recreation Sports & Facilities (262) 472-1544 University Bookstore (262) 472-1280 University Center (262) 472-1170 Warhawk Alley in the University Center (262) 472-1164 The university serves the community and region through various cultural events and volunteer efforts. These events include theatrical and musical productions, art and cultural exhibits, visiting artists, speakers and lecturers. On and off campus, students have donated thousands of hours of volunteer time over the past year to help improve the lives of others in Whitewater and its surrounding communities.
Warhawks are Back
The health and safety of students,
employees and community members is the utmost priority as the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater prepares for the new academic year. The website at www. uww.edu/warhawks-are-back outlines operating practices for the Whitewater and Rock County campuses. Note that COVID-19 is an ongoing global pandemic, and modifications of these practices should be anticipated. UW-Whitewater will continue to use information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the State of Wisconsin, county health departments and the University of Wisconsin System to guide the decision-making processes across campuses. For questions or comments related to the UW-Whitewater COVID-19 response, contact the COVID-19 Hotline at 262-4721362 or covid19info@uww.edu. This plan is effective starting June 27. It was approved by the Emergency Operations Center on June 23 and by the Chancellor’s Cabinet on June 25. Individuals are no longer required to maintain social distance or wear a face covering indoors or outdoors, but may continue to do so if they prefer. Unvaccinated individuals are strongly encouraged to wear a face covering and to social distance as precautions against contracting COVID-19. Do not come to campus if you are ill.
Vaccinations and testing
UW System campuses, including UW-Whitewater and UW-Whitewater at Rock County, are not requiring students,
faculty or staff to be vaccinated for COVID-19 as a condition of enrollment or employment. However, individuals are highly encouraged to get vaccinated and to provide the COVID-19 Hotline with proof of vaccination. Following the guidance of the Walworth, Jefferson and Rock County health departments, and with the support of the Emergency Operations Committee and the Chancellor’s Cabinet, UW-Whitewater will be requiring COVID-19 testing for unvaccinated students, faculty and staff upon return to campus in order to best protect the campus community. Students, faculty and staff who return to the Whitewater or Rock County campuses between Aug. 27 and Sept. 10 (and also those who have been on campus over the summer) who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 – meaning two weeks after receiving the one-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine or the second dose of the two-dose Moderna or Pfizer vaccines – will be required to be tested for COVID-19 upon return to campus on the following schedule: • Once between Aug. 30 and Sept. 10; and • Once between Sept. 10 and 17, with at least five days between the first and second tests. This testing is required for unvaccinated students, faculty and staff who visit campus for any reason; students, faculty and staff who engage with campus 100% online are exempt. Vaccinated Warhawks • CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
UW-Whitewater Welcome Students 2021-2022 A special publication of the Whitewater Register and Southern Lakes Newspapers, LLC 1102 Ann St., Delavan, WI 53115
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Website: www.mywalworthcounty.com Special Sections Editor: Tracy Ouellette Creative/Production Director: Heidi Schulz Page Design: Jen DeGroot Special Sections Advertising: Vicki Vanderwerff Sales: Pete Hanson
For advertising opportunities, call (262) 723-2250
Sam Craden, right, helps Alexis Orkfritz to put her mortarboard in place. The two are in the first cohort of the UW-Whitewater Learning Is For Everyone (LIFE) program. Graduating seniors in spring were recorded receiving their degrees for audiences who watched May 14. CRAIG SCHREINER FOR UW-WHITEWATWER UW-W Welcome Students
ON THE COVER: Clockwise from top: Graduates from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater gather for a photo; students on campus; Perkins Stadium is home to the Warhawks; students enjoy an outside class during the fall semester; and Willie the Warhawk is the university’s mascot. PHOTOS BY CRAIG SCHREINER OF UW-WHITEWATER
Watson named UWWhitewater dean of students
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UW-W WELCOME STUDENTS 2021-2022
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Artanya Wesley announced in June the appointment of Elizabeth Watson as the next dean of students at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. “Dr. Watson brings a great combination of leadership skills, knowledge and experience, as well a passion for enhancing the educational outcomes for students,” Wesley said. “She has a demonstrated commitment to collaborating with university and community stakeholders to ensure students are positioned to thrive within campus life. She works tirelessly at local, state and national levels advocating for students’ success and accessibility in higher education. I look forward to the continued efforts and work Dr. Watson will engage in with the Dean of Students Office staff and the campus and local community. I am delighted to welcome her to this new role.” Since July of 2019, Watson has served in two critical leadership roles on campus. As interim dean of students, she is responsible for strategic planning, supervision and implementation of student conduct,
Elizabeth Watson
community standards, student retention programming and safety. As interim assistant vice chancellor for student affairs, she provides senior level administrative leadership, strategic planning, vision and direct supervision of the Dean of Students Office, Student Involvement and Leadership, Career Services, University Health, Counseling and Wellness Services, Children’s Center, and Center for Inclusive Transition Education and Employment. Watson took on the role of dean of students July 1. “The opportunity to serve students, the campus community and the larger community of Whitewater is truly a privilege. Serving as the dean of students allows me to transition the leadership and experiences I have had within the Division of Student Affairs to all students and stakeholders,” Watson said. “My commitment to social justice and equity aligns with UW-Whitewater’s values and I look forward to being an active partner across the university to support student success, safety and lifelong learning.” After serving as director of disability
services and ADA coordinator at Edgewood College in Madison, Watson came to UWWhitewater in 2006 and served as director of the Center for Students with Disabilities for nearly 13 years. A prolific grant writer, Watson has secured about $7 million in awards during the past five years for university and community programming targeted toward improving the student experience at UW-Whitewater and quality of life for individuals with disabilities in the state of Wisconsin, from health services to technology to employment assistance. A licensed professional counselor and certified rehabilitation counselor, she earned a B.A. and M.Ed. from Stephen F. Austin State University and a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “I would like to express my appreciation to Terry Tumbarello for his leadership of the search as well as Erica Johnson and Katrisa Hillard for support throughout the process,” Wesley said. “Also, I would like to extend my gratitude to each search committee member for their time and commitment to the process.”
Nine tips for college students to avoid ID theft As college students prepare to head back to campus in the next few weeks, fighting fraud may not be at the top of their list of priorities. However, college students are very susceptible to identity theft; by establishing good habits for monitoring and detecting fraud, students can lay a path for healthy financial practices for the rest of their lives. The Better Business Bureau recommends that college-bound students take the following nine steps to fight identity theft on campus: • Send sensitive mail to your permanent home or a post office box. School mailboxes are not always secure and often can be accessed easily in a dorm or apartment. • Important documents should be stored away safely. This includes your U.S. Social Security card, passport, and bank and credit card statements. Shred credit card offers and any paper documents that have sensitive financial information rather than just tossing them out. • Never lend your credit or debit card to anyone. Just
UNIVERSITY
say no if your friend wants to borrow your card or asks you to co-sign for a loan or financing for items like a TV. When using an ATM or credit card machine, don’t let anyone ‘shoulder surf’ your personal identification number (PIN). • Guard your passwords and don’t give them out to anyone. Use strong passwords and don’t use the same password for all sites. • Watch for phishing. Be vigilant and be careful of clicking on links in emails and texts; verify the content with the website. More on phishing scams. • Make sure your computer has up-to-date antivirus and spyware software. Always install any updates and patches to your computer’s operating system or browser software, which help keep your computer safe from any new advances by identity thieves online. • Always check your credit or debit card statements closely for any suspicious activity. The sooner you identify any potential fraud, the less you’ll suffer in the
long run. • Be careful when shopping online. Check out businesses on BBB.org. Look for the BBB Accredited Business seal; click on the seals to confirm that they are legitimate. See BBB’s tips for smart shopping online. • Check your credit report at least once a year. You are entitled to one free report a year from each of the three reporting bureaus: TransUnion, Experian and Equifax. Look for any suspicious activity or inaccuracies. You can do this for free by visiting www.annualcreditreport. com. For more advice on fighting fraud and managing personal finances, visit BBB.org/news. For more information or further inquiries, contact the Wisconsin BBB at www.bbb.org/wisconsin, 414-8476000 or 1-800-273-1002. Consumers also can find more information about how to protect themselves from scams by following the Wisconsin BBB on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
• CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
are strongly encouraged to submit their vaccine information. Those who do not comply with the testing requirement will be contacted by the Dean of Students Office, University Housing or their supervisor, as appropriate.
Classes and campus life
Classrooms will return to pre-pandemic densities. Campus has an ample store of cleaning stations/supplies, which will continue to be provided until further notice. Drinking fountains will remain bottle-fill only until further notice. Intercollegiate Athletics will continue to
follow NCAA regulations as required.
and must follow CDC guidelines.
Events and travel
Positive cases and response
There are no COVID-19-related attendance or logistical restrictions on meetings, events or gatherings. All students and employees are encouraged to limit nonessential personal travel. Visit the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention prior to travel for the latest travel guidance. Students, faculty and staff who have traveled internationally in the two weeks prior to arriving on campus should review
Notify the COVID Hotline at 262-4721362 if you test positive for COVID-19 or if you are a close contact of an individual who is positive for COVID-19. Follow your medical provider and public health department instructions on isolation or quarantine protocols. University Health and Counseling Services will coordinate healthcare response and contact tracing with local health departments. UHCS has full
authority to request activation of the UWWhitewater Emergency Operations Center/ Unified Command if needed. Faculty and teaching academic staff may be required to ensure a class can change modularity to remote/virtual learning as necessary. Any symptomatic or positive incident in a classroom environment may require unvaccinated individuals to isolate/ quarantine. University Housing will provide accommodations in the residence halls for isolation/quarantine of positive cases and close contact individuals. Dining Services will coordinate meals as needed.
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UW-W WELCOME STUDENTS 2021-2022
Recent grad is UW-W’s first Truman Scholar By Craig Schreiner UW-WHITEWATER
Thor Manson, an Army veteran who enrolled at the University of WisconsinWhitewater after serving in Iraq, is the first Warhawk to be named a Harry S. Truman Scholar. Manson recently joined 61 other graduates from Stanford, Howard, Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Notre Dame and other institutions in winning a 2021 Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation award for graduate studies. Manson, who graduated with a degree in geography in 2020, is a native of Fall River in Columbia County. The $30,000 scholarship secures his dream of graduate studies in international development at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where he will attend beginning in fall 2021. Manson is among students of his generation who, tempered by war, the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic, have a clear-eyed view of making the world a better place and are using the opportunities that higher education provides to get there. The U.S. Army was a pathway to higher education for Manson. After serving, he enrolled at UW-Whitewater to study with outstanding faculty like Eric Compas, professor of geography, geology and environmental sciences. Compas leads the GIS Center, where students learn geographic information systems by using them in the field. “Dr. Compas is one of the kindest people I’ve ever met,” said Manson. “He approached me when I was still a freshman. It was in my second semester. He offered to be my mentor and to let me work on research with him.” “I had challenges in college,” said Manson. “There were times when it would have been easy for me to give up on academic life and let it go by the wayside. But he really kept me involved.” Manson was formed by teachers who kept him on track. He credits his junior high school teachers Kevin Book in social studies and Nathan Wenzel in science as early inspirations. At UW-Whitewater, Manson credits his boss Justin Dickerson in University Housing as his model for serving others selflessly.
Thor Manson holds one of the drones used in the GIS research lab at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. CRAIG SCHREINER/UW-WHITEWATER UW-W Welcome Students
the fall as Manson wrote his application, crafted a policy proposal and, as a finalist, prepared to be interviewed by a panel. Burkham said there were 845 applications for scholarships, which led to 193 finalists and 62 winners. “I was thrilled for him,” said Burkham. “I’m happy for UW-Whitewater to get that recognition too. Most of the other finalists come from pretty big institutions. And I’m happy to see us get our due.” Manson met some of the other Truman Scholar applicants during a virtual dinner for the finalists. He came away with a sense of awe from the stories of finalists like the young woman at his table who had fled as a war refugee with her family and who had become a scholar and finalist. She later became one of the winners. “I would have had to put off graduate school, if not for one year, maybe for many years,” without this scholarship, said Manson. “And then, I really hoped that I showed who I am. I was hoping that I was sort of good enough. I was like, ‘I hope I belong with this group of people.’”
Enlisting at 17 Enlisting in the U.S. Army at age 17, Manson trained as a geospatial engineer, which involved him in planning and resettling some 3.5 million refugees who were fleeing ISIS in Mosul, Iraq. That work introduced him to international development and to a United Nations organization in the region, the United Nations Human Settlements Program, or UN-Habitat, with whom he worked on mapping and planning. “I really want to work either with the U.S. State Department or with the UN-Habitat group because they both are working on the New Urban Agenda,” said Manson. “The New Urban Agenda is a set of guidelines and goals for infrastructure, environmental conservation and education and overall health of communities.” “I’d like to serve in Sub-Saharan Africa,” he said. “Through my minor (at UW-Whitewater), my expertise was SubSaharan Africa. It’s where most of the growth is going to happen, certainly in my
U.S. Army veteran Thor Manson stands during the “The Star-Spangled Banner” at a Veterans Day Ceremony at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. CRAIG SCHREINER/UW-WHITEWATER UW-W Welcome Students
lifetime.” Until Manson enters Georgetown, he is working as a foreign policy analyst in Washington, D.C. During his undergraduate years at UW-Whitewater, Manson completed two internships as a policy analyst. At the start of his final semester at UW-Whitewater last fall, Manson came across the Truman Scholarship application. He chose one of his professors, Jonathan Burkham, associate professor of geography
and coordinator of the international studies program, as his faculty mentor, a requirement for the scholarship. Burkham had grown up in Appleton, 80 miles from Manson’s home in Fall River. He had studied international development, lived in Peru and focused his scholarly research on how migrant workers in Wisconsin influenced economic development in their home communities in Mexico. Manson and Burkham consulted through
About the scholarship Established by Congress in 1975 as the living memorial to President Harry S. Truman and as a national monument to public service, the Truman Scholarship carries the legacy of the 33rd president by supporting and inspiring the next generation of public service leaders. The unassuming Manson now finds himself in the company of such prior Truman Scholars as Stacey Abrams, a lawyer, politician and voting rights activist, Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and the current U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
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UW-W WELCOME STUDENTS 2021-2022
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is renaming Starin Hall to honor Roger Pulliam, who died in 2020. Pulliam was served as assistant vice chancellor of academic support services, director of advancement and, most recently, interim chief diversity office at the university.
Starin Hall to be renamed in honor of Roger Pulliam CRAIG SCHREINER FOR UW-WHITEWATER UW-W Welcome Students
By Jeff Angileri and Kristine Zaballos UW-WHITEWATER
With a selfless grace and steady determination, Roger Pulliam championed generations of students at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater – promoting diversity and inclusion to create education pathways for everyone. In recognition of Pulliam’s contributions, Starin Hall, the residence hall located at 901 W. Starin Road, will be renamed in his honor. The university is planning to hold a public celebration during the upcoming academic year and more information about the event will be shared in the coming months. Opened in 2010, Starin Hall is a 207,900-square-foot residence hall located near the central academic zone of UW-Whitewater’s 400-acre campus. The building holds suite-style units with a 446-bed capacity, two staff offices, one faculty office, and a common kitchen, laundry room and computer lab. It was the first state-owned LEEDcertified residence hall in Wisconsin. The UW System Board of Regents approved the naming resolution at its meeting July 8. The request was previously approved by all of UW-Whitewater’s shared governance groups – Academic Staff Assembly, Faculty Senate, University Staff Council and Whitewater Student Government. Pulliam, who passed away in February 2020, had a 60-year career in education in which he showed an unrelenting devotion to representing, including, and advocating for diverse students and educators and promoting the success of his students and community. At UW-Whitewater, he worked in various roles from 1989 to 2018. During his tenure, he served as assistant vice chancellor of academic support services, director of advancement and, most recently, interim chief diversity officer. “Dr. Pulliam’s impact on UW-Whitewater is immense, and he lives on in the hearts and minds of all who were
Roger Pulliam
fortunate enough to learn from and work with him,” said Interim Chancellor Jim Henderson. “The naming of Roger Pulliam Hall is a welcome tribute to a wonderful man who exemplified the Warhawk family values. I offer my sincere
appreciation to all who have supported this effort to honor Dr. Pulliam, including students, faculty, staff, Warhawk alumni, the greater campus community, and the UW System Board of Regents.” The first person in his family to graduate from high school and college, Pulliam won state and federal funding to enhance the achievement of first-generation, lowincome and multicultural students at UW-Whitewater. He also succeeded in helping hundreds of students participate in travel-study experiences. These efforts extended to his work as a founding member in 1998 of the Office of National Black Student Union, fostering numerous cocurricular experiences for students. “I knew that regardless of the high school they attended, if students came to UW-Whitewater, we had the resources and the determination to get the best out of them,” he said in a 2019 interview. His efforts were so remarkable that he was the inaugural recipient of the Lifetime of Service Award from the Wisconsin State Council on Affirmative Action, an achievement celebrated at the Wisconsin State Capitol in October 2019. Alumni spanning several decades credit Pulliam as their guiding light and hero who compelled them not just to complete an undergraduate degree, but to seek advanced degrees. Many of his students have gone on to make tremendous contributions to the State of Wisconsin and the country at large. He inspired students and alumni – especially those from diverse and first-generation backgrounds – to contribute to the growth and success of the university. The PulliamDunlap Scholarship at UW-Whitewater includes the name of the aunt who raised him and his eight brothers and sisters. The Roger L. Pulliam Memorial Scholarship endowed fund was created in his honor and memory as a place to direct memorial donations.
UW-W WELCOME STUDENTS 2021-2022
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UW-W WELCOME STUDENTS 2021-2022
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Season at a glance
UW-W WELCOME STUDENTS 2021-2022
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Young Auditorium announces 2021-22 performances The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s has released the schedule of performances for the upcoming school year. In-person tickets for all Young Auditorium performances go on sale to the general public on Sept. 23. An exclusive “Member Presale” will run Sept. 7 through Sept. 22. Once on sale, tickets for all Young Auditorium 2021-2022 performances can be purchased online at www.youngauditorium.com. Limited UW Ticket Services hours are also available for phone/in-person purchases by appointment. Make an appointment by emailing Ticket.uww.edu or calling the UW Ticket Services, in the Greenhill Center of the Arts atrium on the UW-Whitewater campus, at 262-472-2222. For complete event listings, performance descriptions, purchasing instructions and more, visit youngauditorium.com. Performances scheduled for the 2021-22 school year include:
Marquee performances • Opening Night Celebration with The Fabulous Equinox Orchestra, Saturday, Oct. 2, 7:30 p.m. • Emi Sunshine, Thursday, Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m. • Catapult: Magic Shadows, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 7:30 p.m. • Charlie Berens, Saturday, Nov. 6, 7:30 p.m. • Griffin Theatre: Letters Home, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m. • Lightwire Theater: A Very Electric Christmas, Sunday, Dec. 12, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. • Mamma Mia! Sing Along Film, Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, 3 p.m.
• John Mueller’s Winter Dance Party, Friday, Feb. 11, 2022, 7:30 p.m. • Church Basement Ladies: 20th Anniversary Tour, Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022, 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. • Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Thursday, March 31, 2022, 7:30 p.m. • That Golden Girls Show, Sunday, April 10, 2022, 7:30 p.m. • Borealis Dance: id.ego, Tuesday, April 12, 2022, 7:30 p.m. • National Players Theatre: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Tuesday, April 19, 2022, 7:30 p.m. • National Players Theatre: A Raisin In The Sun, Wednesday, April 20, 2022, 7:30 p.m. • The Hit Men, Saturday, April 30, 2022, 7:30 p.m.
Family shows Family shows scheduled for the 2021-22 season include: • Magic Morgan and Lilliana, Saturday, Oct. 9, 3 p.m. • The BFG (Big Friendly Giant), Sunday, Nov. 14, 3 p.m. • Florentine Children’s Opera: Hansel and Gretel, Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022, 3 p.m. • Missoula Children’s Theatre Residency and Show, Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022, 2 p.m. • Family Fun Day, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, 1 p.m. • School House Rock Live!, Friday, Feb. 18, 2022, 6:30 p.m. • Tweet Tweet, Saturday, April 9, 2022, 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. • The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Saturday, April 23, 2022, 3 p.m.
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UW-W WELCOME STUDENTS 2021-2022
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Former Warhawk wins ESPY Award Page 11
UW-W WELCOME STUDENTS 2021-2022
By Craig Schreiner CONTRIBUTOR
Becca Murray, a University of WisconsinWhitewater alumna and national champion women’s wheelchair basketball athlete, was named Best Athlete with a Disability in Women’s Sports at the 2021 ESPY Awards. The ceremony was held July 10 at Pier 17 in New York City. Murray was picked from four finalists, all of them Paralympians: Sam Bosco, cycling; Oksana Masters, Nordic and cycling; and Leanne Smith, swimming. “I guess I never took myself to be one of those athletes,” Murray said of other wheelchair basketball athletes who have been ESPY nominees. “So I was super excited to find out I was nominated.” The ESPY Award is presented by the American broadcast television network ABC, and previously by ESPN, to recognize individual and team athletic achievements and other sports-related performances. Nominees in other sports categories in 2021 included Simone Biles, Tom Brady, Aaron Rogers, Naomi Osaka, Phil Mickelson and LaMelo Ball. After a tumultuous year for sports, catharsis was in the air and a sense of purpose in the speeches at the 2021 ESPYs. Like many nominees, Murray did not travel to the event and instead posted a 19-second video on the National Wheelchair Basketball Association Facebook page thanking her wheelchair basketball “family.” “Being good at basketball gets your name out there, but I’ve always wanted to be that athlete who brought their teammates along with them,” said Murray, several days after the awards ceremony. “That makes the difference between a good basketball player and a player who is remembered.” The quiet athlete from Germantown came to UW-Whitewater as a freshman in 2008, already a member of Team USA,
Becca Murray, an alumna of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and a national champion women’s wheelchair basketball, was recently named the Best Athlete with a Disability in Women’s Sports at the 2021 ESPY Awards. Murray is shown in a Warhawks practice. CRAIG SCHREINER/UW-WHITEWATER UW-W Welcome Students
which had gold-medaled that September at the Paralympic Games in Beijing. Murray, a special education major, became a cornerstone of a newly established women’s wheelchair basketball team at the university. The UW-Whitewater men’s wheelchair basketball team had sprung from the university’s mission to serve students with disabilities, established in the 1970s. By the early 2000s, the men’s program was enjoying both national respect and support from the campus and community, propelled first by former head coach Tracy Chynoweth. It was time to expand the wheelchair basketball franchise to a women’s team. What followed was a remarkable teambuilding effort that resulted in three straight
collegiate women’s wheelchair basketball national championships, international competitions and, for Murray, two more Paralympic Games including a gold medal in 2016 at Rio de Janeiro. Through those years, the UW-Whitewater wheelchair basketball program added athletes from the U.S. and around the world, attracted by the reputation of its program, and talent developed in summer camps on campus. By 2014, UW-Whitewater was the national capital of collegiate wheelchair basketball when both the women’s and men’s teams won national titles under head coaches Dan Price and Opie Lade, respectively. “I have tons of role models,” said Murray, laughing when asked to cite only one. “I
couldn’t name them all. That Whitewater family is where a lot of that came from. Opie has always been a big influence, like a brother. Tracy Chynoweth is the reason I got to play at Whitewater. He asked me to help start a team. I’m forever grateful to him for starting that women’s team.” As a player for the Warhawks, Murray is described as being patient, unflappable and as essential to the team as the hub is to a wheel by coaches and teammats. Her individual statistics confounded one coach, who noticed she posted higher percentages in games, where she had real opponents, than in practices, where she did not. Murray didn’t fold under pressure – she got better. One close friend, another Warhawk athlete, at first felt intimidated by all of that talent, which surprises Murray. “It is funny when I hear those stories because I don’t see myself as intimidating,” she said. “No one is better than another person. And so I take the time when people approach me and want to talk. And they see I’m just a down-to-earth person.” Murray, who graduated in 2014, works as a clinical assistant at Rogers Behavioral Health in Brown Deer. For the 2021 Paralympic Games, which will be held in Tokyo Aug. 25 to Sept. 5, she plans to take a two-week vacation just to view the live broadcasts of Team USA, which will likely air in the middle of the night, local time. In the fall she will return to basketball, playing for the Division 1 Milwaukee Bucks men’s wheelchair basketball team and the women’s counterpart, the Lady Bucks. Retired from playing basketball on the world stage, she recently bought a condo in New Berlin to be closer to the Whitewater campus, where both Bucks teams practice at the Roseman Building. The move also brings her closer to Edgerton, where her • CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
Warhawk selected by Broncos in NFL Draft Quinn Meinerz becomes highest NFL Draft pick in UW-Whitewater history
Quinn Meinerz, a guard for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks from 2017 to 2019, is the university’s highest NFL Draft pick in program history. He was the 98th pick in the third round of the draft. The previous high was Vilnis Ezerins, who was taken with the 112th pick (eighth round) in the 1966 draft by the Los Angeles Rams. Meinerz was a consensus All-American as a junior in 2019, picking up first team accolades from the Associated Press and the American Football Coaches Association and second team honors from D3football.com. His performance helped UW-Whitewater claim its second straight WIsconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship and reach the Stagg Bowl, the NCAA Division III national championship game. He was elected as a captain by his teammates heading into the 2020 season.
Following the cancellation of the campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Meinerz continued to train and impressed scouts and coaches at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, which took place Jan. 30 in Mobile, Ala. Meinerz’s style of wearing his jersey to expose “The Gut” made headlines on social media, but it was his play on the field that wowed football personnel. Over the last three months, he soared up the boards in mock drafts all over the internet and was the subject of stories that appeared in local, regional and national media outlets. Meinerz has regularly appeared on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football,” and recently led the debut of Fox Sports’ “The Big Boys Club” with former NFL offensive lineman and current Fox Sports analyst Geoff Schwartz. He is the first UW-Whitewater player taken in the NFL Draft since 2007 and the seventh in program history.
Quinn Meinerz, a guard for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks from 2017 to 2019, was selected by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He is the university’s highest NFL draft pick in program history. SUBMITTED IMAGE UW-W Welcome Students
Opening doors for others to excel
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Recent grad takes full advantage of college offerings By Kristine Zaballos UW-Whitewater Thomas “TC” Hamilton has had the kind of college experience that many students dream about. A senior psychology major at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater last school year, he studied abroad, was a Warhawk Ambassador, received a college scholarship, held an on-campus job related to his major, and participated in the kinds of off-campus internships and employment sure to catch the attention of future employers. But that rich college experience was never guaranteed for Hamilton, who grew up in Gillett, Wisconsin – population 1,300 – a town in Oconto County near Green Bay. Hamilton has dyslexia. As a child, his reading level was zero until he was in seventh grade. He was fortunate to have a mom who is a special education teacher to support and encourage him: by the time he was a freshman in high school, he could read at a middle school level and he eventually graduated high school in the top 15 percent of his class. Along the way he had another lucky break – his high school special education teacher was Brian Grill, a 2005 UWWhitewater special education graduate who brought Thomas and some of his classmates to campus for a special tour for students with disabilities, called Opening Horizons, at UW-Whitewater. “Being an alum, I was aware of the Horizons program,” said Grill. “ I wanted to show my students that, if they wanted a four-year degree, it is possible – there are supports that can make it happen. We took two vans full of students to campus, and there were two or three of the students who said ‘I can go here? I can do this?”’ Thomas was one of them.” As he considered college, Hamilton looked at other campuses, and was even recruited by some given his high school success as a track and field athlete specializing in the shot put. “But I knew this was the place for me when I toured campus,” said Hamilton. When the Center for Students with Disabilities at UW-Whitewater reviewed his application, they recommended he be conditionally admitted, pending his successful participation in the Summer Transition Program, a program designed to both give students an early and thorough orientation to campus and to bolster their academic skills. Hamilton did the month-long program, living in Starin Hall with about 50 other incoming students in July before his freshman year. The students completed classes together, packing six credit’s worth of learning into four intensive weeks. Soon after starting classes in last fall, he started working at the Center for Students with Disabilities, eventually holding various jobs including working at the desk
left: Thomas Hamilton in the office of the Center for Students with Disabilities, where he was a student worker and an intern before graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in May. below: TC Hamilton (left) works as a job coach in fall 2020 at PetCo in Delafield with a worker, center. Hamilton observed the young man, who was living with the effects of a seizure disorder, during training sessions like the one in the photo where workers are trained in cricket care. Hamilton helped the worker achieve independence on the job, watching as the worker stocked inventory and consulted with management and offering feedback. CRAIG SCHREINER FOR UW-WHITEWATER UW-W Welcome Students
and driving the service vans for students who need a lift. “TC is the salt of the earth,” said Betsy Brandt, disability services coordinator at the CSD. “He’s served in a number of positions in our office. Often when we hire students who also use our services, a lot of
the times they want to stay in their comfort zones. I love that TC reached outside of his comfort zone, like becoming a Warhawk Ambassador and studying abroad.” Hamilton studied for a semester at the University of Limerick in Limerick, Ireland. And he’s also been a peer mentor
in the same pre-college program he participated in, helping students learn how to write papers and how to deal with roommate problems. “He follows through on every single thing he needs to do,” said Graciela ColinDealca, a senior counselor at the CSD.
“He’s extremely responsible and proactive – always checking in with me to see how he’s doing. I’ve seen him take advantage of every opportunity that comes his way, from jobs to service opportunities.” “He’s a very caring person,” she added. “When we moved our CSD application online, Thomas learned how to use the program so he could navigate it, to be able to help students who run into problems using it. Because of his own experiences here, he wants to help others. He’s going to go very far in life with that attitude.” One of the ways Hamilton has put his desire to help others into practice is through Employment Connections, a program under the Center for Inclusive Transition, Education and Employment at UWWhitewater that serves as a provider for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation of the State Department of Workforce Development. As part of Employment Connections, which collaborates with campus and community partners in assisting students with disabilities to prepare for their career goals, Hamilton coaches workers in the field, with the goal of helping them to achieve independence on the job. In one such job helping a young man with a seizure disorder at a Petco in Delafield in fall 2020, Hamilton observed the worker stocking shelves and interacting with store management. “Having worked so many different jobs in the CSD, I believe Employment Connections has been one of my most educational. I have had the opportunity to work with a really diverse group of individuals. Some were just out of high school and others are older and looking for a new opportunity. Every day I get to learn new skills that I will be able to apply to my future employment.” As his time at UW-Whitewater was nearing an end when this article was written, Hamilton thought about providing more opportunities for students who use CSD such as himself. He spoke to the UW-Whitewater Foundation, Inc. about how to set up a scholarship for students who use the services of CSD who are also interested in a career helping students with disabilities. They helped him set up a foundation account for the Warhawk Inspired Scholarship, and he became the first Warhawk ever to set up such a scholarship – to benefit students using the CSD – while still a student. “The scholarship can be used for tuition, or it can be used for things like CSD services, assistive devices, and tools,” said Hamilton. The first scholarship was awarded in April to Jacquelyn Bays, a special education major from Poplar Grove, Illinois. “The staff here donated enough this year to start giving out an award for fall 2021. We donated in honor of Pam Albert, our beloved financial specialist of 13 years who we lost to a health condition this past fall,” said Debbie Reuter, director of the CSD. Hamilton’s dream is to go to graduate school for higher education counseling and eventually work in a CSD-like environment, advising and mentoring students such as himself. “I want to help students further their education, to help them push the limits of what they think they can do and what they want to do,” said Hamilton, who graduated in May 2021 with a Bachelor of Science. “We try to give each student a springboard,” said Brandt of the CSD. “It’s great to see TC’s growth and development. His story isn’t any different than that of other students, and at the same time, as a student with a disability, it is different. And he’s going to go out into the world and be
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from top: TJ Hamilton (left) listens to a worker he is coaching at PetCo in Delafield in fall 2020. Hamilton’s goal was to help the worker achieve independence on the job.; Thomas Hamilton (in black) in a class discussing psychology in the news media led by Assistant Professor Olivia McLaughlin at Upham Hall on Oct. 7, 2020. CRAIG SCHREINER FOR UW-WHITEWATER UW-W Welcome Students
able to do some great things.” “Knowing him, I knew he had the drive to succeed in college, but for him to go above and beyond and do all these things? He’s surpassed my expectations,” said Grill, his high school teacher. “Holy cow, to see all this? To see how involved he’s
been?” “I told him ‘I’m proud to have you as a Warhawk alum. You’ve done so much for that university and been such a part of it.’” Those interested in contributing to the Warhawks Inspired Scholarship should visit the Give Now page on the UW-
Whitewater Foundation, Inc. website and select “Warhawk Inspired Scholarship” on the drop-down menu. For questions or assistance with the online form, please contact the UW-Whitewater Foundation, Inc. at 262-472-1105 or send an email to foundation@uww.edu.
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UW-W WELCOME STUDENTS 2021-2022
UW-Whitewater football announces 2021 schedule
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The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team has announced its 2021 schedule, which kicks off Saturday, Sept. 4, at Perkins Stadium against Carthage. The Warhawks will play six home games and four away games this fall. Information on renewing and purchasing season tickets and parking will be announced after July 1. Fan protocols, including tailgating policies, will be released in the weeks leading up to the start of the season. UW-W’s three-game non-conference slate begins against Carthage, which competes in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin and finished with a 4-6 record in 2019. The Firebirds defeated North Park (Ill.) and Millikin (Ill.) during the spring season. UW-Whitewater will recognize its 2021 senior class prior to kickoff. The Warhawks travel to Salisbury, Maryland, for a non-conference game on Sept. 11. The Sea Gulls reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Playoffs in 2019 after earning the New Jersey Athletic Conference championship. They defeated Wesley and Christopher Newport in contests this past spring. UW-Whitewater closes the nonconference schedule Sept. 18 by hosting Berry (Georgia), a 2019 NCAA qualifier out of the Southern Athletic Association. The Vikings finished 9-2 that season and were unbeaten in four 2021 spring games. Following a bye week, the Warhawks begin the WIAC schedule Oct. 2 at home against UW-Stout for Alumni Day at Perkins Stadium. The team hosts UW-
Platteville one week later during UW-W’s annual Family Fest. After road trips to UW-Oshkosh (Oct. 16) and UW-River Falls (Oct. 23), UWWhitewater returns to Perkins Stadium Oct. 30 for Homecoming 2021 and Hall of Fame Day against UW-Eau Claire. The Warhawks welcome UW-La Crosse to Whitewater one week later for Shriners Day and Military Appreciation Day. UW-W closes the regular season Nov. 13 at UW-Stevens Point. The Warhawks posted a 13-2 record in 2019, claiming a share of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with a 6-1 league mark and finishing as national runner-up after reaching the Stagg Bowl (NCAA Division III national championship game) for the 10th time in program history.
AWARD • CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 friends AJ Messmer, a former wheelchair basketball athlete who just succeeded Lade as head coach, and Lydia Messmer, a former teammate and women’s assistant coach, have their home. It would never do to be too far from your family. “I enjoyed my time at UW-Whitewater and being a part of that wheelchair basketball family,” said Murray. “There was something special about that team. There are always your highs and lows. But we would always pull together, and that would make us stronger.” For more information, visit espn. com or uww.edu.
Craig Schreiner is on staff at UW-Whitewater.
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UW-Whitewater a top-5 mobilityfriendly campus in the nation
By Craig Schreiner UW-WHITEWATER
It was one of those February days when the crunch of the snow beneath your feet tells you it’s very cold. The temperature might have edged above 10 degrees that day. No love from the weather, but still it was Valentine’s Day. At the Center for Students with Disabilities on the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus, Interim Director Debbie Reuter was expecting a visitor – but not the kind who would bring roses. Mike Ervin, a journalist from New Mobility magazine, was on his way from Chicago to evaluate UW-Whitewater for the magazine’s national survey and ranking of wheelchair-friendly campuses published as Wheels on Campus. Reuter and Student Services Program Manager Amy DiMola had worked to schedule a day’s worth of appointments for the writer. Ervin isn’t just any writer. He is a wheelchair user, a veteran disabilities reporter, blogger, disability rights activist, and a no-nonsense Chicagoan who was inspired by Sun-Times columnist Mike Royko to take up writing and advocacy. While UW-Whitewater would eventually be ranked fifth among the top 10 wheelchairfriendly campuses in the nation, and the only Division III college to make the list, this day would not be a free pass. On the road to Whitewater, Ervin was getting vibrations from his van as well as from the barren snow-covered farm fields beyond Chicago. The “check engine” light began to glow on the dashboard. With nowhere to stop, Ervin and his passenger, a friend he had brought with him, decided to “put the pedal to the metal.” “He (Ervin) made it here, but his van had broken down,” said Reuter. “We found a local shop, and his friend took it over there. It ended up being a mouse that had eaten through an electrical wire. It was an adventure.” The adventure set in motion the visible workings of a wheelchair-friendly campus. Ervin said he wanted to visit campus in the dead of winter, the most adverse time for wheelchair users, for the most realistic view and to see how legitimate UW-Whitewater’s commitment to accessibility really was. With Ervin’s van in the shop, Reuter summoned one of the white Warhawk Wheels vans for the journalist to tour the city and campus. Driving the van was student worker Parker Feely, an occupational safety major from Muskego whom Reuter calls “a key player” for CSD. “Debbie called Warhawk Wheels, which was good because one of my questions was how do they get around,” said Ervin. “It was very cold and very snowy, and I got the feeling that the experience I had was the experience anyone would have, at least on that particular day.” Ervin connected with other people to campus who are wheelchair users to hear their perspectives. Recent alum Lydia Dawley ’19 of Decorah, Iowa, first made the four-hour trip to Whitewater as a high school junior to attend a summer camp on technology for students with communicative disorders. There would be many more trips. In her Warhawks Rising graduation post last spring, Dawley wrote that her proudest accomplishments were being the first person to go through the communication sciences and disorders program at UW-Whitewater using a communication device, returning
Elementary education major Andres Holm of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity gives a green paper heart to social work major Madeline Schott of DREAM (Disability Rights, Education, Activism, Mentoring). CRAIG SCHREINER FOR UW-WHITEWATER UW-W Welcome Students
to school nine days after her father passed away and getting to show people with disabilities that they can go to college and be independent. Ervin also interviewed two wheelchair basketball Team USA members, John Boie and Lyndsey Zurbrugg, who hope to compete in the upcoming Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Boie is an alumnus from Milton, Wisconsin, who earned a BBA in human resource management in 2014 and stayed to become an academic advisor and earn an MBA in 2019. He played wheelchair basketball on the Warhawk men’s team. Zurbrugg came to UW-Whitewater from the state of Oregon, bypassing larger schools, to study physical education and play basketball. In addition to earning a spot on the Dean’s List seven times, Zurbrugg earned the Sam Welty Memorial Scholarship for wheelchair athletics in 2019 In Wheels on Campus, Ervin wrote that colleges and universities have steadily improved basic accessibility in the 50 years since the Americans With Disability Act became law. Sixteen of the top 20 schools in the survey could claim all buildings on their campuses could be entered by an independent wheelchair user. Top-tier schools in the survey have made steps toward creating a wheelchair culture on campus by including athletics, access to appropriate physical therapy and even availability of repair facilities. At Whitewater, students living on campus can request any of the residence halls on campus, just like their peers. The accommodations are there. Ultimately, New Mobility ranked UW-Whitewater fifth among the top 10 wheelchair-friendly campuses in the nation. “We are delighted that New Mobility is honoring the dedication UW-Whitewater has to our students with disabilities. In 2021, we
In 2019, John Boie displayed the gold medal he won as a member of Team USA at the Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru, in Roseman Gym, where he practiced as a student with the UW-Whitewater Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Team. CRAIG SCHREINER FOR UW-WHITEWATER UW-W Welcome Students
celebrate the 50th anniversary of our Center for Students with Disabilities. We are proud of our legacy to serve students with a wide range of disabilities, but especially those who use wheelchairs,” Chancellor Dwight C. Watson said. “Our work to improve our accessibility is an ongoing concern. For instance, we are in the process of asking the State of Wisconsin to allow and fund the renovation of Winther Hall. Among the many issues related to that 1970s-era building is that it creates accessibility issues for our students who use wheelchairs. Our commitment to eliminating barriers to access at UWWhitewater is deep.” In his assessment, Ervin gave UW-
Whitewater high marks for: a compact campus ideal for wheelchairs; transportation on days when it’s not so ideal; buildings designed or modified for access; more than 50 years of experience as a campus with an accessibility mission; athletics, especially a storied wheelchair basketball program; physical therapy services and a workout room with wheelchair accessible exercise equipment; and a good education at a reasonable price. Ervin credited the CSD as a focal point for students and partners across campus. Along with his observations, Ervin mentioned what he couldn’t see, but was told by the students.
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