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Championship �� esports program levels up with new $1M arena

giffeyt — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 15:00:00 +0000

Championship �� esports program levels up with new $1M arenagiffeyt October 1, 2025

Teams begin play in state-of-the-art space funded with Foundation gift

�� . new $1 million Esports Arena is a real-world example of the expanding impact and importance of virtual sports.

In just five years, �� . esports program has grown into a championship-caliber varsity sport with a highly visible, state-of-the-art space for competitors and fans alike. Previously located in a former classroom in Heritage Hall, the esports program now practices and competes in a brand-new arena on the first floor of the Robert S. Swanson Library & Learning Center.

The arena, which was made possible by a $1 million donation from the �� Foundation & Alumni Association and donors, will be celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 2.

“Our esports teams have already experienced significant success and growth, and I know that this amazing facility will continue to support our student athletes and the education of other students from a range of academic programs,” Chancellor Katherine Frank said.

The new 1,900-square-foot space is designed for gamers and spectators alike. In addition to rows of 34 high-end gaming PCs — 10 of which are on a competition stage at the front of the room — the area features comfortable seating for teammates and spectators, stylish design features such as recessed lighting and textured walls, huge monitors to watch the action, and a streaming booth where hosts can provide commentary for online audiences (who can follow the team at twitch.tv/StoutEsports).

Coach Aaron Froelich congratulates a competitor in the new Esports Arena.

�� is an esports trailblazer

�� esports is part of the Wisconsin Esports Conference, which includes teams from 22 Wisconsin schools, including public and private universities and technical colleges. The program has just under 40 students on its roster, divided into five varsity teams — competing in Overwatch, Valorant, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros. and Marvel Rivals — and one “Academy” team, the equivalent of a junior varsity squad.

Head Coach Aaron Froelich, who is starting his third academic year with the esports program, said the new arena raises the program ��. profile on campus and among peer institutions.

“Something that ��. really special about this new place is that it allows us to have more team camaraderie within our different game titles,” Froelich said. “I like to compare it either to an athletic department or a track and field team, where you’ve got all these subdivisions within it. Previously we didn’t have a lot of cross-pollination between those rosters.”

In 2020, �� became the first public university in Wisconsin to launch a varsity esports program, which since then has built a tradition of success: Last spring, the Marvel Rivals team won the Wisconsin Esports Conference Championship and placed fifth in the nation across all divisions, while the program won the Wisconsin Valorant Summit LAN championship in 2024. Starting this fall, �� has a new and thriving Esports Club with more than 100 members.

Gaming and esports are also represented academically at ��, which offers a B.F.A. game design and development-art, a B.S. computer science with a game design and development concentration, a minor in esports coaching, and certificates in both esports management and esports production.

Assistant Professor Michael Bird of the kinesiology, health, food and nutritional sciences department said he expects the new arena will give the esports coaching minor a boost.

“The new Esports Arena allows our esports coaching students the ability to interact and coach with the teams, therefore aligning with �� . polytechnic mission,” said Bird, who serves as advisor for the esports coaching minor.

“Recruitment of students and esports athletes will be enhanced by the new facility,” Bird added. “It will provide opportunities to showcase the student athlete experience and also attract nongamers who want to work on the production and sports management side of the events.”

�� esports competitors practice inside the new arena.

Reaching the top of the leaderboard

Also launching this fall is a B.S. game and media studies program, which will give students the communication, research and leadership skills to work with cross-disciplinary teams creating interactive multimedia experiences, said Associate Professor Cody Reimer, the program director.

“Our program acts as the third leg of a tripod alongside game design and development programs in art and computer science,” Reimer said. “Whereas the B.F.A in art trains artists and animators, and the emphasis in game design in the B.S. in computer science trains programmers, our program focuses on all the other knowledge necessary to study, create and understand games and other media.”

Reimer called the new Esports Arena a “natural extension” of �� . efforts to grow and support a culture of gaming that aligns with the university ��. polytechnic mission.

“The gaming industry, including esports, is not a fledgling subculture anymore,” he said. “The creation of this arena represents institutional recognition and investment that puts Stout and our esports teams at the top of the leaderboards. It means opportunities for not just student athletes and coaches, but also for academic programs.”

The esports industry is growing in terms of both spectators and financial impact. According to recent research, the global esports audience is expected to reach 640 million people this year, while global esports revenue is estimated to be $4.8 billion.

Head Coach Aaron Froelich cuts a ribbon at the formal unveiling of the Esports Arena on Oct. 2, 2025.

Championship-level environment

Esports team members say their new hub will help the program level up by providing a more spacious, welcoming and visible environment.

“I think it ��. going to help a lot with the recruiting side,” said Trey Johnson, a junior from Barron and a member of the Rocket League Academy team. “We’re going to have more people here in person. It ��. going to be a lot more inviting to have people come in and practice.”

The esports program ��. previous space didn’t have enough computers to accommodate multiple teams at one time, which meant players sometimes had to practice in their residence halls instead of building strategy side by side with teammates.

Likewise, the new space makes hosting esports competitions easier:It will be the site of an Oct. 18 Rocket League tournament, the Red Cedar Rumble, whose eight teams will include Michigan State and the University of Minnesota. The arena will also host the WEC State Championship in December, which will draw as many as 20 teams.

“One of my goals is to become one of the premier hosting sites in Wisconsin but also in the Midwest,” explained Froelich.

Cody Larkin, a junior from Hanover, Minnesota, and a member of �� . Overwatch team, agrees that the new arena raises the program ��. profile. Larkin has witnessed this firsthand as a campus tour guide. “We actually get to walk through the arena, and so many people are interested in it,” he said. “They get to see it and say, ‘Oh my gosh, this is cool.’”

Froelich said the new arena helps dispel any lingering stereotypes about esports athletes being little more than casual gamers. “We’re out here, we’re competing and representing the university,” he said. “Our players practice as a team for 15 to 20 hours a week and put in a ton of time on their own to hone their craft.

“They take it extremely seriously,” he concluded. “They’re highly competitive.”

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The esports program at �� had a banner year in 2023-24, winning a state championship and qualifying for two national tournaments.

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Teams begin play in state-of-the-art space funded with Foundation gift Coach fist bumps esports player in Esports Arena

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Hero Caption: ��'s Rocket League Academy team competes against a UW-Eau Claire squad at ��'s new Esports Arena on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025.

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Surging �� esports program scores new arena for 2025, thanks to $1M gift from Foundation

polingj — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 19:20:41 +0000

Surging �� esports program scores new arena for 2025, thanks to $1M gift from Foundationpolingj September 12, 2024

Lab in University Library to be converted into ‘state-of-the-art’ home for team ��. matches and academic opportunities

The esports program at �� had a banner year in 2023-24, winning a state championship and qualifying for two national tournaments.

Along with a record roster this fall of nearly 50 players, some nationally ranked, and high hopes for more competitive success, the Blue Devils are excited about what lies just ahead: A new $1 million arena in fall 2025.

The �� Foundation and Alumni Association is donating the money to create the arena on the first floor of the University Library. The project will include renovating a lab space and equipping it with state-of-the-art technology to build out a new home for Blue Devil esports.

A rendering shows a potential interior of a new $1 million arena for the �� esports program on the first floor of the University Library / Contributed photo

“The �� Foundation Board is delighted to further the athletic and academic innovation and achievement of our student athletes with a new, state-of-the-art esports arena. As we say at Stout, this is a very ‘Stout Proud’ moment for our board,” said Linda Funk, president of the Foundation Board of Directors.

Construction is expected to start in March and finish prior to the 2025 fall semester.

“��'s continued leadership in esports is impressive — forming the first varsity team among the Universities of Wisconsin; launching the first associated academic program, a minor in esports coaching, in the state; and winning a collegiate championship,” Funk added.

The coed esports team, part of �� Athletics, is competing from a retrofitted classroom in Heritage Hall, but the space only is large enough for 12 computer stations — meaning many team members still must practice and compete from their residence halls or apartments.

Blue Devil esports players have new jersey tops for the 2024-25 season. / ��

“The current space is not viable for the future,” said Coach Aaron Froelich. “The university is really invested in esports, and with this Foundation gift we’re headed in the right direction.”

Having the arena in a central campus location also will help bring the sport to the forefront on campus. “The accessibility and visibility will be great,” Froelich said.

Heritage Hall will be shut down for a $139 million renovation project beginning in spring 2025. “It ��. good timing to find a new home for the esports team,” said Justin Utpadel, senior facilities officer.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with the �� Foundation on this project that supports our esports athletes and reinforces our connection between athletics and academics, enabling us to utilize this space to its fullest potential. I am excited to see how this new space will transform our esports program,” Utpadel said.

The �� Valorant team won the 2024 state title last spring, going undefeated in tournament play. / ��

The site plan aligns with the university ��. long-range plan to make the library a campus hub. The space also could be used as an applied learning lab for students in �� . esports coaching minor, game design and development program and other academic programs and uses.

Many esports team members are majoring in game design, computer science, and computer networking and infrastructure engineering.

“It ��. definitely going to be an esports arena, but there ��. an opportunity to have academic instruction there too,” Utpadel said.

Arena to feature ‘state-of-the-art’ equipment

The room, on the first floor of the library near the lobby, is about 2,000 square feet. It has been used as a computer lab and is divided into two spaces, but it will be opened up and brightened up with esports team branding, special effects lighting, a spectator area, windows and a production room to broadcast matches to online fans.

Noah Filtz was on �� . state championship team in spring 2024. / ��

About 75% of the budget will be for renovation and 25% for new computers, monitors, broadcast technology and special tables and chairs designed for esports.

Space will exist for up to 34 computer stations — nearly three times the current arena — along with overhead TV screens. The arena will give �� the ability to host matches and regional events.

“A state-of-the-art broadcasting system will be the best in Wisconsin and one of the best in the nation,” Froelich said. “This will be the future for Stout esports for many years. We can continue to grow into this space, and it will be a highlight for recruiting.

“The team members are really excited to have a space to call their own. Right now they don’t have a communal place to play, socialize and build camaraderie. It will be nice to get everyone under one roof,” Froelich said.

After winning the Wisconsin Valorant Summit LAN championship last spring, defeating UW-Madison in the title match, �� will transition to the new Wisconsin Esports Conference this year with teams from public and private universities and colleges. Froelich helped found and is co-director of the conference.

�� also is a member of NACE — National Association of Collegiate Esports. The Blue Devils have four varsity teams, Overwatch, Valorant, Rocket League and Super Smash Bros. that compete in the fall and spring, along with three Academy or junior varsity teams.

###

The esports program at �� had a banner year in 2023-24, winning a state championship and qualifying for two national tournaments. esports arena 1

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�� industrial design students handcraft furniture using historic brass fixtures

goersab — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 17:14:17 +0000

�� industrial design students handcraft furniture using historic brass fixturesgoersab July 24, 2024

Harvey Hall grate project highlighted at public unveiling event July 30

Abbey Goers

Four students at �� helped breathe new life into 108-year-old architectural fixtures.

Over the course of a year, they handcrafted new furniture pieces, incorporating brass register grates – components from the university ��. historic Harvey Hall – into two side tables.

The Harvey Hall grate project was a cross-campus collaboration, as industrial and product design Program Director Jennifer Astwood guided the students, with support of Dean of College of Arts and Human Sciences Maria Alm and University Archivist Heather Stecklein.

“When trying to figure out ways to honor the legacy of the building, we wanted to offer students a special project, something outside of the scope of what could be accomplished in classroom time,” Alm said. “With the polytechnic nature of the project, we could also be true to that legacy of Stout and our mission of hands-on learning. Making furniture aligns with that. This was a major learning experience that echoes the history of design at the university.”

A close-up of a hand-turned white oak table leg, designed by Annamarie Burch / ��

Industrial and product design students involved in the project were:

Annamarie Burch, ideation team, a senior from Plover
Jordan Jentsch, ideation team, a spring 2024 graduate from West Bend
Amelia Dobbratz, fabrication team, a senior from Waupun
Ethan Romo, fabrication team, a senior from Minneapolis

Through research, several ideation designs, hours in the fabrication process and collaboration with local businesses, they delivered professional-level, quality products.

Astwood appreciates Alm ��. and Stecklein ��. support. “We couldn’t have done this without Maria and Heather. It takes good mentors like them who trust in the possibility of what could happen, especially since we hadn’t done a project like this before,” she said.

Stecklein believes the students’ applied research and hands-on fabrication process is a direct continuity of history at ��.

“It echoes the designs and experiences of their academic ancestors. Our students today are engaged in their education, just as they have been since the founding of the university,” she said.

Annamarie Burch's ornate design includes eight uniquely shaped legs and glass top to accentuate the brass grate / ��

The grates were in the university ��. original library, which was on the first floor of Harvey Hall from its opening in 1916, to 1954 when a separate library building opened.

The finished tables are now fixtures in the CAHS dean ��. conference room—a space rich in history, as it once served as President Lorenzo Dow Harvey's office.

An unveiling event, open to the public, will be from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 30, in Harvey Hall 355. Astwood and Stecklein will introduce the project and student teams. The dean ��. conference room, Harvey Hall 170, will be open before the event from 3 to 3:30 p.m. and after from 4:15 to 4:30 p.m. for viewing of the project. Alm will be available to answer questions. Those unable to attend in person may join virtually via Microsoft Teams.

The pieces will also be on display at the Polytechnic Summit, when the global event returns to �� May 18-21, 2025, kicking off the university ��. Year of Design celebration.

The project was funded by donations to the CAHS, including gifts made at the time of the building renovation to highlight historic projects related to Harvey Hall. Contact the dean ��. office to schedule a viewing: cahs@uwstout.edu.

Echoing their academic ancestors

Last fall semester, Burch and Jentsch researched different eras of furniture and design concepts and how aesthetics have changed. They visited Design Within Reach, a modern furniture company in Edina, Minn., to see recent and upcoming trends.

Jordan Jentsch's design is mid-century modern. Resembling a small podium, it displays the brass grate in front / ��

Referring often to Stecklein ��. expertise, they viewed archival photographs of furniture at ��, including student-designed, custom-made furniture crafted for specific spaces and purposes on campus.

Examples included tables used in a millinery classroom, with custom drawers and leaves that folded out; as well as the circulation desk in the Harvey Hall library and two tables that are now in the Archives’ reading room.

More recently, in 2019, students built five historic-themed benches that now adorn Harvey Hall corridors, each inscribed with one of the university ��. five historic names: Stout Manual Training School, Stout Institute, Stout State College, Stout State University and ��, with fonts appropriate for the time periods. The project was funded by private donations.

“Students have designed and fabricated a prolific number of products to be used by their fellow students in various campus spaces,” Astwood said. “One set of students might say, ‘We need this piece to help us do this,’ and another set of students creates it just so.”

Annamarie Burch's side table ideations / Annamarie Burch

For the side table designs for the dean ��. conference room, Burch and Jentsch noted the golden yellow and cream color palette, oaken structures and geometric floor patterns, and the shape of light fixtures in Harvey Hall.

Burch ��. research delved into the ornateness of the historical pieces she viewed from the turn of the century and early 1900s. Her digital design iterations included eight uniquely shaped legs – four to serve as the base and support the lower shelf and grate and four to support the glass tabletop. The glass allows the grate to be viewed from above.

“It was obvious from the get-go that Annamarie ��. initial design was going to be the final one crafted, with some small adjustments in her renderings. She played off the rules of design and had fun with it,” Astwood said.

Jentsch was interested in what art and design looked like at �� in the 1950s and 1960s. Her iterations were more contemporary, featuring a mid-century modern look, similar to aspects from the university ��. second library space in what is now the Vocational Rehabilitation building.

Jordan Jentsch's side table ideations / Jordan Jentsch

Her design, which resembles a small podium, originally had a front frame to hold the grate. The front stood parallel with the back frame. But if the frames were left parallel, the weight of the grate would tip the table forward on its face.

They worked to tilt the front frame so the grate would sit at an angle, adjusting the table ��. center of gravity to keep it from tipping. Her table would include a glass top to celebrate the grate.

With the digital renderings complete, the project was ready for the next step.

Turning the tables to bring history to life

Dobbratz and Romo began the build process at the start of the spring 2024 semester.

As lab monitors in the university ��. Materials and Process Lab in Applied Arts, assisting their peers with woodworking and metalwork machinery, tools and projects, Dobbratz and Romo are familiar with the shop.

“Amelia spearheaded the fabrication process and sourcing to make sure that Annamarie ��. and Jordan ��. designs became reality,” Astwood said.

Amelia Dobbratz gluing and clamping oak frames in the Process Lab / Jennifer Astwood

“As third-year industrial design students, we have skills and experience in prototyping. But I had never built something from raw material before. This was my first experience making a professional-level piece,” said Dobbratz, for whom the project served as an independent study.

Dobbratz and Romo worked with three local companies to source their materials:

Schmitt Timber, in Spring Valley, provided raw-cut white oak lumber.
White City Glass, in Menomonie, produced the glass panes for the tabletops.
Steel Towne, in Elk Mound, produced the brass feet needed for Jentsch ��. design.

They jointed and planed the raw-cut oak to quarter-inch boards. But they didn’t realize how the shop humidity would affect the wood, which warped and needed to be jointed and planed again to re-create a flat face before being cut to length, glued and clamped.

Dobbratz created eight stencils for the legs of Burch ��. design. She turned the legs individually on a lathe, using a caliper to measure the progress as the wood rounded under the blade.

“My hands were cramping while gluing and clamping oak blocks together,” she said. “And turning takes time. The bigger base legs took two hours each to turn. Oak is a very hard wood, and I had to continually sharpen the tools.”

Jentsch ��. design was more difficult to construct because of the tilted angle of the front face. Romo re-created the curve with a router and used heavy brass feet to weigh down the bottom of the table.

“This project helped us learn to advocate for ourselves, connect with local businesses, learn to do through mistakes, ask questions and research,” Dobbratz said. “Where now so many things are prefabricated, we got to start from scratch and live the whole process. I enjoyed it all.”

Ethan Romo planing oak boards in the Process Lab / Jennifer Astwood

“All the students were wonderful to work with,” Astwood said. “What ��. great about a student-teacher relationship is that we trust each other and can push back and forth on ideas. Here at Stout, we’re trying to make people that can work and solve problems together. It ��. one thing to design something; it ��. another to manufacture it. These students made it happen.”

Dobbratz received the Merit Award at �� . third annual Design Wisconsin event, held at Milwaukee Tool this spring. Dobbratz presented three products she designed, a lamp, a hearing device and a table. The award is sponsored by the Milwaukee chapter of the Industrial Designers Society of America.

Honoring the Harvey Hall legacy

The basis for the grate project began more than a decade ago during the Harvey Hall renovation, when they were nearly discarded. The renovation ��. aim was to update building systems and create classrooms with modern technologies to encourage applied learning, while preserving historic spaces, such as the theater.

Before the building was emptied for renovation, Alm and Facilities Management Associate Director Zenon Smolarek walked through to decide what nonessential items should be salvaged. The brass grates were two of the items.

John Walter, a custodian lead in Harvey Hall, took the grates home and painstakingly removed layers of white paint that had covered the brass, and cleaned and polished them in his free time. He returned one grate to Alm when the renovation was completed in 2016, the building ��. 100th anniversary.

Walter retired from �� in 2020 and returned the second grate in spring 2023.

“The Harvey Hall grate project would never have happened without John. Cleaning the historic pieces was a labor of love. It held a personal meaning for him with his ties to the building and deep roots in the community,” Alm said.

Further details on the project can be found in the University Library ��. Institutional Repository, an online collection of theses, capstone projects, research and design projects available freely to the public.

A QR code to a permalink for the repository record will be engraved on a brass plate on each piece of furniture and will include the design records, photographs and this article, available to anyone who scans the code for years to come.

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Hero Caption: Students designed and fabricated two side tables, incorporating brass register grates from historic Harvey Hall.

Jennifer Astwood

Teaching Interests: DES 331 – ID3: Product Interface Design (2 sections) DES 231 – ID2: Ergonomics DES 205 – Design Drawing and Concept Visualization ART 256 – Slip-Casting for Designers and Artists DES 231 – ID1: Product Form and Visualization DES 333 – Professional Practice DES 405 – Advanced Presentation Techniques DES 431 – System, Environment, and Context DES 432 – Theory, Society, and Application DES 712 – Sustainable Design Practice SUST 432/632 – Global Sustainability Experience in Design & Manufacturing

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Degree: M.F.A. Art & Design

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Honoring their sacrifices: WWII, Iraq veterans who died while serving to be recognized

polingj — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 20:28:39 +0000

Honoring their sacrifices: WWII, Iraq veterans who died while serving to be recognizedpolingj November 3, 2023

Hall of Heroes ceremony Nov. 10 for Jones, Bossert at Memorial Student Center; other veterans events planned

Two �� alumni who died while serving their country more than 60 years apart will be recognized in a special ceremony Friday, Nov. 10, to honor their sacrifices.

U.S. Army veterans 2nd Lt. Reed W. Jones, a Nebraska native who lived in Groton, N.Y., and died in 1944 during World War II, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Bossert, a Wisconsin native who died in 2005 during the Iraq War, will join the university ��. Memorial Wall to fallen service members, also known as the Hall of Heroes.

In advance of Veterans Day, Saturday, Nov. 11, the ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. Friday in the Memorial Student Center, in Huff ��. Lounge on the first floor. A livestream of the event on the �� YouTube channel will be available beginning at 10:55 a.m.

Reed W. Jones, a �� alum, left, died in 1944 during WWII. Andrew Bossert, a �� alum, died in 2005 during the Iraq War. / Contributed photos

Plaques with photos of Jones and Bossert will be unveiled as part of the program. Relatives of Jones from Nevada and Arizona plan to watch the ceremony remotely. Bossert ��. father and mother, Steve and Diane, of Fountain City, and nephew, Reese, plan to attend, and other relatives will watch remotely.

Jones’ induction plaque will be read by retired Army Lt. Col. Brian Hackner, �� military education benefits coordinator. Bossert ��. plaque will be read by his mother.

Chancellor Katherine Frank will provide opening remarks. Student Centers Director Darrin Witucki will provide background information on the 11-year-old project. �� Archives Director Heather Stecklein will explain the research process involved in documenting Jones’ and Bossert ��. enrollment at ��, time in the service and locating relatives.

“We are proud that our campus has a permanent display to honor these individuals and educate future generations of �� students about who they were and the sacrifices they made,” Frank said.

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Other veterans-related events during the week include:

All week, world map in the Memorial Student Center on which veterans can mark the places where they have served
Monday, Nov. 6, flags to honor service members past and present will be placed outside the east entrance to the student center by the Stout Veterans Club
Tuesday, Nov. 7, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and Dunn County Veteran Services officials will visit the student center White Pine room Veterans and current military can learn more about benefits and services available
Wednesday, Nov. 8, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Military and Veteran Resource Center Open house; military-connected students are invited to visit the center, Bowman Hall room 305, and enjoy hot dogs, chips and refreshments
Saturday, Nov. 11, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Stout Veterans Club 5-kilometer run, starting south of Johnson Fieldhouse, with proceeds going to the Dunn County VA and earmarked for noncombat veterans.

�� has 236 veterans and current military among its approximately 7,000 students, along with 37 employees who are veterans.

The �� Memorial Wall, or Hall of Heroes, is on the first floor of the Memorial Student Center. / ��

46th and 47th alum to be honored

Bossert and Jones are the 46th and 47th alum to be honored on the Memorial Wall. Recently, archival information about their time as students at �� and military service became more readily available.

Stecklein and Archives Student Assistant Ingmar Amberson reviewed a list of potential Hall of Heroes honorees and identified the additional substantiation needed to establish the full biography necessary for formal inclusion. Amberson, of Menomonie, is a second-year student.

Jones attended ��, then called Stout Institute, from 1939 to 1941 before enlisting in 1942. He died during a combat aircraft training exercise in 1944 in Kansas.

Bossert, a 1999 Cochrane-Fountain City High School graduate, attended �� for one semester in 1999 before joining the service. He initially served in Korea and was killed by a car bomb at a checkpoint in 2005 in Ramadi, Iraq.

“The Hall of Heroes recognizes each individual as an eternal member of our campus community. Every honoree in the Hall of Heroes built friendships, experienced personal growth and connected with their contemporaries on campus in countless ways,” Stecklein said.

“As members of the current Stout community, we are called to recognize those who lost their lives serving our country. They contributed to the enduring effort that sustains our freedom and security. It is an honor to identify and memorialize these individuals,” she added.

With the new inductees, the wall includes one veteran of the Spanish-American War, six from World War I, 28 from World War II, two from the Korean War, eight from the Vietnam War, and two from the Iraq War.

To inquire about veterans who could be added to the Memorial Wall, contact Stecklein, steckleinh@uwstout.edu, 715-232-5418.

Memorial Student Center

The Memorial Student Center is named in honor of those from the university community who died as a result of combat, disease or accident while serving in the U.S. military during times of war or crisis.

The original Memorial Student Center, now the Communication Technologies Building, opened in 1959 when the university was called Stout State College. It included an engraved stone honoring fallen alumni.

The current student center opened in 1985. The engraved stone was saved and can be found outside of the lower level, south entrance of the building, near the memorial wall.

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Two �� alumni who died while serving their country more than 60 years apart will be recognized in a special ceremony Friday, Nov. 10. Memorial Wall 2023

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Fallen Spanish-American War alum to be honored on Veterans Day

A special ceremony to honor the sacrifice of a Menomonie native and alum who graduated more than 125 years ago will highlight Veterans Day events at ��.

Darrin Witucki

Full Name: Darrin Witucki

Job Title: Director, Student Centers

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Koss recognized with April University Staff Employee Appreciation award

polingj — Fri, 12 May 2023 16:42:53 +0000

Koss recognized with April University Staff Employee Appreciation awardpolingj May 12, 2023

Academic custodian honored for ‘excellent customer service’

Melissa Koss received the University Staff Employee Appreciation award for April at ��.

Koss, of the Menomonie area, is a custodian with Academic Custodial. She has worked at �� for 15 years.

Melissa Koss, right, receives the April University Staff Employee Appreciation award from Chancellor Katherine Frank. / ��

The person nominating Koss stated: “Melissa goes above and beyond all the time. Not only does she keep the library building sparkling clean, she also demonstrates excellent customer service to everyone she comes in contact with. She is friendly and welcoming and takes time to ask people how they are doing. She takes pride in her work and ensures that our spaces are clean and organized so students and visitors are comfortable and can effectively use our spaces to study or have meetings.

"Sometimes our staff holds events or special projects that increase Melissa's work. She never complains and is willing to do extra because she understands that it ��. for students. One example of this is our Halloween Window Decorating contest, which brings more than a dozen student organizations into the library. This event would not be possible without Melissa's help and support.

"She is always smiling and welcoming to everyone in the library. She takes time to ask students how they are doing, and I think they appreciate having a friendly and familiar face here. She is truly a great asset to Stout."

Each employee of the month receives a certificate of recognition and a gift presented by Chancellor Katherine Frank.

The award, in its 17th year, was established by the Chancellor ��. Office and is co-sponsored by the University Staff Senate.

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Melissa Koss received the University Staff Employee Appreciation award for April at ��. Melissa Koss

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MFA design graduate rediscovers his Hmong culture through traditional art of story cloths and Paj Ntaub

goersab — Mon, 01 May 2023 19:02:38 +0000

MFA design graduate rediscovers his Hmong culture through traditional art of story cloths and Paj Ntaubgoersab May 1, 2023

Jackson Yang ��. ‘spiritual journey’ of transforming textiles into modern-day storytelling exhibited at new Library Art Lab

Abbey Goers

Jackson Yang ��. education at �� has given him confidence in himself and his artwork, but his journey was deeper than his degrees.

While earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design and interactive media, he struggled with the concepts and there were times when he wanted to break down and drop out.

MFA design graduate Jackson Yang / ��

“My family, friends and girlfriend, Amy, helped me through some rough times,” said Yang, of Wausau. “They had my back. And Amy is constantly here for me. Her love and compassion keep me going. She reminds me, ‘Don’t compare yourself to other people. Just be better than yourself.’”

Yang earned his undergraduate degree from �� in 2019, but he felt he hadn’t reached his full potential. He will graduate with his Master of Fine Arts in design from �� on Saturday, May 6.

“I’m proud of how my art and design improved and seeing where I am now,” he said.

“For a long time, I was selling myself short. My family and Amy helped me to keep going. You need that support system. I want to make them proud and keep pushing myself. I want to help other students know that tomorrow you’ll be better than you are today.”

Yang ��. education also led him on a spiritual journey of rediscovering his Hmong culture through the arts.

MFA design inspiring graduate Jackson Yang receiving his master's hood from Program Director Erik Evensen / ��

Finding a gateway back into his culture

Yang struggled to embrace his culture for much of his life, until the second year of his undergrad.

“I grew up rejecting that part of my identity, and Stout helped me find love for my community again and to dive into and re-embrace my culture,” he said.

Yang's book art concepts, inspired by traditional Hmong artwork / Jackson Yang

During his undergrad, Yang joined Hmong Stout Student Organization, and his cousin Kalvin, a student team member in the Multicultural Student Services office, helped him learn about traditional Hmong arts.

“It was the art and wanting to make my mom proud that was my gateway back into the Hmong culture. I want to pay respect to my culture,” Yang said.

And for students who want to re-embrace their culture, he thinks, “You have to find something that you can connect with. It could be something simple or big. It all comes down to who you are as a person.”

Transforming tradition into modern-day storytelling

As a graphic designer and illustrator, Yang ��. dream is to work with the Hmong community, teaching the next generation about the traditional arts through design, children ��. book illustrations or comics.

Kalvin, who had pointed Yang in the creative direction for his undergrad senior show, was also instrumental in helping Yang establish the theme for his master ��. thesis: “A Thread Through History: How Interlinking Contemporary Art with Paj Ntaub Can Connect Generations.”

His graduate research is dedicated to Hmong culture, bringing elements of traditional story cloths and flower cloths – Paj Ntaub – and their embroidered motifs and aesthetics into contemporary digital storytelling.

Yang's characters Ben and a leaf frond spirit meet in 'To Broken Souls,' a story illustrated in Yang's thesis, 'A Thread through History.' / Jackson Yang

“Jackson explored these themes through the lens of a children's book for kids who find themselves navigating between two cultural identities,” said Erik Evensen, MFA in design program director and Yang ��. thesis adviser. “Working with Jackson has been nothing short of delightful. He is incredibly thoughtful and motivated, and his work is well-crafted and quite beautiful.”

While sharing the history of Paj Ntaub, Yang also illustrates the story of “To Broken Souls,” using the story cloth style, telling the story of Ben, a young Hmong man, and a leaf frond spirit and the connections they make.

Yang ��. mother played a role in his educational journey as well. “A large portion of why I wanted to reconnect with my culture was for my mother. I wanted to make her proud and show her just how much she means to me, which was one of the reasons why I pursued the MFA and focused on the Hmong arts.

“She loved making flower cloths, so her eyes would always light up when I showed any kind of interest in it, especially for my education,” Yang said.

Yang learned the story cloths and Paj Ntaub were art forms pioneered by women. He studied their selection of colors used in the textiles, the spacing of images and texture. “The embroidery creates a natural texture, even in the placement of the direction of the stitches,” he said. “I admire the intricate designs of the folding and sewing techniques they use. It ��. very difficult.”

Yang always thought story cloths were an older art form, but in learning more about them, he found that they are relatively new in terms of Hmong history, dating back only to the 1970s. As a way to remember their lives in Laos and share their memories with future generations, women began to sew their family stories while refugees after the Vietnam War.

Paj Ntaub are a more ancient art form, with several legends of their own. One legend, Yang said, tells of the books of knowledge said to contain the entire Hmong written language. Under the oppression of Chinese rule, it was made illegal to speak or write in the Hmong language and the books were destroyed. Hmong women used their skills in needlework to sew their language into their clothing, secretly preserving it, developing Paj Ntaub.

Ben and a leaf frond spirit dance in 'To Broken Souls,' part of Yang's master's thesis / Jackson Yang

“Whether the legend is true or not is debated – but it speaks to the importance of the art form,” Yang said. “Paj Ntaub became a way for women to communicate and preserve their language and culture.”

Yang is thankful for the support he received during his time at ��, naming mentors Tanya Gunkel, Educational Materials Center librarian; Aubrey Huff, former librarian; as well as his thesis committee members – Evensen; Associate Professor Mitchell Ogden, English, philosophy and communication; and Assistant Professor Mary Climes, of comics.

Yang ��. mother died a little over a year ago from COVID.

“I had originally wanted to include my mother in some capacity for my thesis. She unfortunately will never be able to see what I had planned for the future after graduation,” he said. “My brother, sister-in-law and sister have supported me in my mother's place.”

New Library Art Lab

Yang ��. thesis show was recently displayed in the new Library Art Lab, on the first floor of the University Library.

The exhibit space was created in collaboration with faculty and staff of the library and the School of Art and Design, led by Sue Lindahl, assistant director of Cataloging and Access Services; Professor Charlie Lume; and Renee Carrell, Furlong Gallery assistant director.

“There was a need on campus for more art exhibit space for students, and since the library has such a solid history of supporting art and design, the partnership was a logical fit,” Gunkel said. “Art is a universal language. The library is a place that breaks down barriers and is accessible no matter someone ��. background.”

Yang is a graduate assistant at the library and also serves on the Library Public Relations Committee, chaired by Gunkel. He creates book displays and posters, some of which have been accepted into the University Archives, an exciting accomplishment for any student, Gunkel said.

Samples of posters Yang designed for the University Library / Jackson Yang

“Tanya and Aubrey played a huge role in allowing me to push the boundaries of what I was able to design for my graduate assistant position,” Yang said.

A large portion of Yang ��. portfolio that he shows to potential employers comes directly from projects he created in his role as a library graduate assistant.

“Jackson has been an important part of our team and has built a sense of belonging through his artwork,” she added. “He ��. helping other students see themselves in the displays and posters he creates. This can make a difference in a person ��. day. He probably never stops to think about it, but he ��. helping build student retention.

“He ��. original, innovative, has a strong work ethic, is talented and creative. I don’t know who would be better in a new design role than Jackson,” Gunkel said.

Along with design and graphic design, the School of Art and Design has five other BFA programs, including animation and digital media and studio art. It offers two Bachelor of Science degrees in arts administration and entrepreneurship and video production.

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Jackson Yang ��. ‘spiritual journey’ of transforming textiles into modern-day storytelling exhibited at new Library Art Lab MFA design inspiring graduate Jackson Yang at commencement

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Combine your passions for practical problem-solving and innovative teaching.

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Three commencement ceremonies on May 6 at �� celebrated the progress, perseverance and success of 1,173 graduates.

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Students from ��'s Master of Fine Arts in design program spent the spring semester collaborating with the Dunn County Historical Society to find design op

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Hero Caption: Jackson Yang with his favorite artwork from his master's thesis, 'A Thread through History,' displayed at the University Library Art Lab.

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American humorists bring levity to ��'s Reading Across Campus events

goersab — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 14:08:33 +0000

American humorists bring levity to ��'s Reading Across Campus eventsgoersab February 24, 2023

Public invited for readings by Professor Julie Schumacher on March 1, area author Elise Gregory on April 5

Abbey Goers

This year, �� . annual Reading Across Campus is not centered around one book but rather on a theme – humor – with selections featuring a variety of authors and readings.

“Coming out of the pandemic, we felt we needed something to make us laugh and regain our joy of reading,” said Literature Committee co-chair Professor Lopa Basu.

Thurber Prize recipient Julie Schumacher / Julie Schumacher

As part of the event, the committee will welcome award-winning author Julie Schumacher, the first woman to receive the Thurber Prize for American Humor, to present “How to Enjoy the Writing Process Even If You're on a Deadline and Your Dog Needs to Go to the Vet.”

Her presentation is free and open to the public and will be held from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 1, in the University Library ��. Educational Materials Center, second floor. Books will be available for purchase and signing after the event.

“I hope people will think about ways to infuse joy into the writing process and to see it as a terrific experiment,” said Schumacher, a Regents professor of creative writing and English at the University of Minnesota.

Schumacher ��. first novel, “The Body Is Water,” was an ALA Notable Book of the Year and a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award. She is the author of national best seller “Dear Committee Members;” as well as “The Shakespeare Requirement;” “Doodling for Academics,” a satirical coloring book; and five novels for younger readers.

Ellsworth-based author Elise Gregory will be reading from her debut novel “The Clayfields” from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 5, in the library ��. EMC. Her reading is also open to the public. “The Clayfields,” set locally, is the story of three modern women who must decide whether or not to leave their farming community behind. Gregory will also be visiting a creative writing class on campus.

Elise Gregory will read from her novel “The Clayfields” from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 29. / Elise Gregory

Reading Across Campus encourages instructors to incorporate readings in their courses or as extra credit opportunities. Humor-themed readings this year include:

“Furiously Happy” by Jenny Lawson
“A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian” by Marina Lewycka
“Born a Crime” by Trevor Noah
“The Innocents Abroad” by Mark Twain

There will also be a faculty and staff reading from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 27, at Dragon Tale Books, Menomonie's new downtown bookstore. This reading will continue the annual tradition of featuring instructors and staff members from units across campus. In keeping with the Reading Across Campus theme, readers will be encouraged to share pieces with a touch of humor.

Humor is crucial to our daily lives

Schumacher believes humor is “crucial, crucial, crucial” to our daily lives. She thinks of humor as a lens through which she looks at the world and her experiences.

Julie Schumacher will present from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 1. / Julie Schumacher

“There are things that we don't – and will never – laugh about, but these things are few and far between,” she said. “In 97% of life, there is something to be found that can make us laugh. Laughter is a release; it allows us to breathe and go on with our lives.

“Things that, to me, might seem embarrassing or strange or infuriating when they occur, often start to seem funny in retrospect. That's the way my mind works. I like to look back on things and see the wacky appeal in them.”

Schumacher has always written, and writing is something she feels she needs to do. “Some people need to play the piano or cook or play basketball. I need to put words onto the page. That's the way I process my thoughts. As the saying goes, ‘How do I know what I think until I see what I say?’” she said.

Some of her favorite humorous reads are Jane Austen, although she said most people wouldn't think of Austen as a humorist. “But I find her dialogue to be hilarious. On the other side of the spectrum, I'm a devoted reader of the comics in the daily paper. I don't start my day without first reading ‘Dilbert’ and ‘Pearls Before Swine.’”

Reading Across Campus is a collaboration between the English and philosophy department, the University Library and the Menard Center for the Study of Institutions and Innovation. It is made possible by a grant from the Provost ��. Office.

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Public invited for readings by Professor Julie Schumacher on March 1, area author Elise Gregory on April 5 Julie Schumacher's publications

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About the Literature Committee

Reading and discussing literature are vital activities that expand our ideas and provide insights into a dynamic and diverse world.

Our Mission

The Literature Committee serves as a source of information on current literary pedagogies, practices, and theories and to actively promote, on campus and throughout the community, the value of creative writing, literature, literary studies, and literary culture via course offerings, outreach programs, involvement in curriculum and assessment, and the English minor.

Our Vision

The Literature Committee supports an appreciation of reading, engaged discussion, reflective considerations of literature, and creative writing as activities that have valuable effects for society. Reading and the many forms of literacy—information, literary, textual, and visual—are applications of active learning and critical thinking skills and have transformative potential in their demonstrated ability to improve communication, rhetorical acumen, and intercultural understanding in a complex, diverse, and ever-changing society.

Statement of Purpose

The Literature Committee, functioning under the aegis of the Department of English & Philosophy, seeks to actively promote the value of literature, literary studies, and literary culture across campus and throughout the community.

We recognize the importance of the literary arts—creativity, film, language, literature, publishing, and reading—within the broad spectrum of the humanities and liberal education. We believe that in order to cultivate a more engaged and informed society we need to recognize and encourage a commitment to reading and literacy as fundamental modes of active reflection and cultural transformation.

We view reading and the knowledge of various forms of literacy—information, literary, textual, and visual—as primary applications of active learning and critical thinking. Literacy transforms individuals by preparing them to deal with complexity, diversity, and change.

Moreover, as fundamental to the humanities and the liberal arts, literature and literacy supports analysis, synthesis, and problem-solving skill development. Reading has a demonstrated and positive effect on an increased ability to apply knowledge and skills in new real-world settings. Reading promotes effective communication, rhetorical skill, and the understanding of intercultural dialogue.

Literature Committee Programming

As part of its vision, the Literature Committee hosts two important campus programs that demonstrate the importance of literature and literary culture across the campus community.

The Reading Series

Each semester the Literature Committee invites recognized writers, poets, and literary specialists to lecture, discuss literary issues, and read from their works. We strive to collaborate with campus and community organizations such as the Robert S. Swanson Library & Learning Center, the Honors College, Multicultural Student Services, and the Menomonie Public Library.

Reading Across Campus

Each year the Literature Committee promotes a campus-wide reading program featuring a significant book reflecting cultural ideas relevant to all students and faculty, and an associated film that encapsulates the grounds the reading event. We present the film with a reception featuring a campus leader, and tap into faculty expertise in three related lecture events.

Function of the Literature Committee

The Literature Committee encourages engaged discussion and reflective consideration of literature and creative writing course offerings in the Department of English and Philosophy. As such we act as a source of information on current literary pedagogies, practices, and theories. Moreover, we are concerned with literary opportunities for students in classes, programs, the English minor, and curriculum and assessment. The Literature Committee guides the university in continuing improvement of literary activities, literature and creative writing courses, and literary outreach programs.

We believe that reading and discussing literature are vital activities that expand our ideas and provide insights into a dynamic and diverse world. Each year, the Literature Committee—part of the Department of English & Philosophy—promotes the value of literary studies through events that emphasize literary culture across the campus community.

The Literature Committee is charged by the Department of English and Philosophy (CAHSS) accordingly:

The Committee on Literature, which has three fundamental purposes:

to develop strategies for increasing enrollment in literature and creative writing courses;
to inform �� administrators, faculty, and students of the values of literary studies;
to establish guidelines for revising, expanding and improving literature and creative writing courses and the literature program in general.

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Fallen Spanish-American War alum to be honored on Veterans Day

polingj — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 16:30:04 +0000

Fallen Spanish-American War alum to be honored on Veterans Daypolingj November 7, 2022

Memorial wall ceremony planned Nov. 11 at student center; Veterans Service office, Veterans Club to hold special events

A special ceremony to honor the sacrifice of a Menomonie native and alum who graduated more than 125 years ago will highlight Veterans Day events at University of Wisconsin-Stout.

Cpl. Charles V. Cummings, an 1895 graduate of Stout Manual Training School, died of typhoid fever Nov. 8, 1898, while serving in the U.S. Army during the Spanish-American War in Puerto Rico. Born in 1876, he was 22.

A ceremony at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 11, Veterans Day, will be held in the Memorial Student Center, in Huff ��. Lounge on the first floor. A plaque with a photo of Cummings will be added to the university ��. memorial wall to fallen service members. A livestream of the event also will be available.

A community send-off for 68 Company H soldiers, including Cummings, was held April 27, 1898, on Main Street in Menomonie on the steps of the Mabel Tainter theater. / Contributed photo

Other events during the week include:

All week, world map in student center where veterans can mark where they have served
Monday, Nov. 7, flags to honor service members past and present will be placed outside the east entrance to the student center by the Stout Veterans Club
Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 8, Veterans Service Office presentations on benefits and services by Chris Engen, Veteran Services coordinator
Wednesday, Nov. 9, benefits and medical care presentations by a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs official
Friday, 12 to 4:30 p.m., Stout Veterans Club dunk tank, on the student center south lawn, with proceeds going to the �� Helping Hand Food+ Pantry.

45th alum to be honored

Cummings is the 45th alum — 43 students and two staff — who died serving their country to be honored since the wall was dedicated in 2013.

Scheduled to attend the ceremony are Cummings’ great-great nephew, Chris Steensland, of Hugo, Minn., and his father, Kurt Steensland, of Burnsville, Minn. Viewing the livestream will be Michael Steensland, great-great-nephew, of Las Vegas, and Michelle Hampton, great-great-niece, of Orlando, Fla.

University Archivist Heather Stecklein conducted initial research into Cummings and in 2021 verified that he was an alum after finding names of graduates from 1892 to 1905.

From left, University Archivist Heather Stecklein, Cpl. Charles V. Cummings and student DJ Walker. / ��

However, she didn’t have a photo of him; all other plaques on the wall include photos.

This past spring, student DJ Walker began a work-study research experience on Cummings’ unit, U.S. Army Company H of Menomonie. Stecklein asked Walker to keep an eye out for a photo of Cummings.

“A few weeks into the internship, DJ walked into my office with the newspaper supplement that included Cummings’ image. It was an archival miracle,” Stecklein said.

Walker ��. research on the history of Company H, which began as the Ludington Guard militia and was renamed Company A in 1921, includes a historical display outside the entrance to Archives on the fifth floor of University Library.

“In the process of researching the unit's early history, I came across a newspaper article that discussed members of the unit who died while serving in the Spanish-American War. There were photos of some of the men, including one of Charles V. Cummings,” Walker said.

Cummings is buried in the Forest Center Cemetery in the town of Spring Brook, southeast of Menomonie. / ��

“I am extremely excited that on this Veterans Day we will be able to give proper recognition to him, as �� has done for many of its other alumni, for his service and sacrifice to this country. I am fortunate to have played a minor part in this process and am thankful to so many other people, like Heather Stecklein, who have made it a reality,” he added.

Walker, from Menomonie, is a senior majoring in applied social science with a minor in military leadership as part of his involvement with the Northwoods Battalion of �� . Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program.

Cummings was valedictorian of his 1895 Stout class. Classmates, who called him “Charley,” predicted he would become a professor.

Cummings’ body was returned by steamship and train to Menomonie, where members of Company H, the Ludington Guard Band and community gathered. He is buried in Forest Center Cemetery in the town of Spring Brook, southeast of Menomonie.

“Every individual that we recognize in the Stout Hall of Heroes is memorialized as a loss to our entire campus community. While our nation and our liberties are protected by their sacrifices, the personal losses that these individuals and their loved ones have experienced is staggering,” Stecklein said.

“These absences echo throughout the continuum of our campus. As long as we have a Stout community, we need to reflect on those who have left us in an effort to sustain our freedom and security. It is an honor to identify and recognize these individuals,” she added.

Stecklein will speak at the ceremony, along with Darrin Witucki, student centers director. Chancellor Katherine Frank will provide opening remarks.

The wall ��. 45 inductees include five men from World War I, 28 from World War II, two from the Korean War, seven from the Vietnam War and now one from the Spanish-American War.

To inquire about veterans who could be added to the memorial wall, contact Stecklein, steckleinh@uwstout.edu, 715-232-5418.

Memorial Student Center

The Memorial Student Center is named in honor of those from the university community who died as a result of combat, disease or accident while serving in the U.S. military during times of war or crisis.

The current student center opened in 1985. The engraved stone was saved and can be found outside of the lower level, south entrance of the building, near the memorial wall.

###

A special ceremony to honor the sacrifice of a Menomonie native and alum who graduated more than 125 years ago will highlight Veterans Day events at ��. Company H send-off 1898

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University moves up in national Military Friendly ranking

For veterans and active military members, �� is a great place to get an education, according to a national organization.

Hero Caption: The memorial wall in the Memorial Student Center was dedicated in 2013. / ��

Darrin Witucki

Full Name: Darrin Witucki

Job Title: Director, Student Centers

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Award-winning author Owusu presents at Chippewa Valley Book Festival event co-hosted by ��

goersab — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 15:45:52 +0000

Award-winning author Owusu presents at Chippewa Valley Book Festival event co-hosted by ��goersab October 13, 2022

Virtual talk Oct. 27 based on memoir ‘Aftershocks,’ which touches on identity, trauma and resilience

Abbey Goers

Award-winning Ghanaian and Armenian American writer Nadia Owusu has always turned to reading and writing as ways to process the world and the events of her life.

Nadia Owusu / Nadia Owusu

“Writing rigorously requires us to complicate the often too-easy stories we subconsciously create for ourselves. I believe that every person has work to do in interrogating the stories we’ve been given, particularly the ones that cause harm. We can revise those stories so that they’re more truthful and full of possibility,” Owusu said.

Owusu, the 2019 Whiting Award winner, confronts her stories in her acclaimed debut memoir, “Aftershocks,” which is part of the 2022 Chippewa Valley Book Festival.

“Aftershocks” was listed as a best book of 2021 by Time, Vogue, Esquire, the Guardian, NPR, BBC and others. Former President Barack Obama named it one his favorite books of the year, and it was selected by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai for her Literati book club.

University of Wisconsin-Stout ��. Literature Committee and the book festival are co-hosting Owusu ��. virtual presentation, “Reclaiming Our Stories,” from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27. Registration is required.

"Aftershocks" / A memoir by Nadia Owusu

In her presentation, Owusu will discuss how people are often fed stories about themselves and how writing can help people reclaim themselves by processing trauma, grief, isolation, dislocation and disconnection, and remake their stories toward healing, self-love and a radically reimagined world.

A question-and-answer session will follow the presentation, moderated by Lopamudra Basu, Literature Committee co-chair and professor in the English, philosophy and communication studies department.

Basu thinks “Aftershocks” will resonate with participants, as Owusu ��. memoir “touches on her biracial identity, her in-between status in American and African culture, the childhood traumas of losing her parents and her ultimate resilience,” she said.

“‘Aftershocks’ was a timely choice for �� to focus on, given our emphasis on equity, diversity and inclusion. Nadia is truly a world citizen writer. Having lived in many countries and having a unique heritage, she brings a truly cosmopolitan sensibility into her writing and presentation,” Basu added.

“Reclaiming Our Stories” is made possible with technology assistance from L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library. “Aftershocks” is available at Bookends on Main in downtown Menomonie and may be ordered via email at info@bookendsonmain.com or phone, at 715-233-6252. It is also available electronically from the University Library.

Writing allows us to ‘move differently in the world’

Owusu began “Aftershocks” as a private project to help make important changes in her life and to better understand the histories that have shaped her and to reckon with her past, she said.

“I didn’t think about it as a book for a long time. I was working on a novel. But eventually, I realized that this was a story I needed to tell,” Owusu said.

Margo Jefferson, author of “Negroland: A Memoir” and winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, said in a review that Owusu ��. “task and burden are threefold: to chronicle the historical wounds and legacies of each country; to chart her own descent into grief, mania and madness; to begin the work of emotional reconstruction. She does so with unerring honesty and in prose that is both rigorous and luminous.”

Owusu was grateful for Jefferson ��. words as she is an inspiration to her. “It wasn’t about coping, exactly. It was more about facing my grief and trauma, which I’d avoided doing for so long. If we are not honest about the past, we have little chance of shaping a better future. Doing the work of reckoning on the page allowed me to move differently in the world.”

Owusu teaches creative writing at Columbia University in New York City and in Southern New Hampshire University ��. Mountainview MFA program. She loves doing events at colleges and universities.

“I remember that time in my life as so rich with discovery and passion. Writing during that time can help students figure out what they’re passionate about, what moves them and what they think. Creating processes for self-knowledge can be an important part of a healing journey,” she said.

Youth Make-and-Take workshops

A one-page wonder by Brianna Capra / Mary Climes

The festival is also offering two Make-and-Take workshops for children interested in writing and bookmaking, led by comic artist and �� School of Art and Design Assistant Professor Mary Climes and illustrator, artist and alum Brianna Capra.

The workshops will be on Saturday, Oct. 22, at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library ��. Dabble Box Room, 400 Eau Claire St., Eau Claire.

9:30 to 11:30 a.m.: Book Making Workshop for Young Writers. Children third to eighth grade are invited to a unique and creative book-making workshop. Students will learn how to turn their writing into a physical bound book. Registration is required.
1:30 to 3:30 p.m.: Children of all ages will create a simple “one-page wonder” book that can be filled with anything they can imagine. Instructions will be provided. Caregiver supervision and assistance is required. Preregistration is not required.

Inclusive excellence is a part of �� . FOCUS2030 goals. It aims to invest in, and ensure access to, equitable, diverse and inclusive learning, student living and work environments that reflect regional and global connections.

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Literature Committee

Reading and discussing literature are vital activities that expand our ideas and provide insights into a dynamic and diverse world. Each year, the Literature Co

Lopa Basu

Lopamudra (Lopa) Basu is Professor of English at University of Wisconsin-Stout. She earned her BA (Honors English) and MA degrees from the University of Delhi in India and a Ph.D. from the Graduate Center, City University of New York. Her doctoral work was on Postcolonial Literatures, particularly the novel in South Asia. Since then, her research interests have focussed on transnational women ��. literature, trauma studies, post 9/11 literature, and Postcolonial poetry.

She is the author of Ayad Akhtar, the American Nation and its Others After 9/11: Homeland Insecurity (Lexington Books, December, 2018) and the co-editor of Passage to Manhattan: Critical Essays on Meena Alexander, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, UK, 2009. Her articles have been published in journals like Humanities, Women ��. Studies, Studies in the Novel, South Asian Review, Nebula, Social Text, Journal of Commonwealth and Postcolonial Studies, and in various scholarly anthologies.

She teaches courses in Composition, Honors Composition, and Multicultural American Literature. She created the course “After 9/11: American Literature of Public Crisis and Trauma” and has offered it almost every year since 2014. Other courses she has created and offered include “Multicultural Shakespeare” and “Graphic Narratives.”

Lopa served as Director of �� . Honors College from 2011-2016 before returning to full time teaching. She was elected to the Board of the National Collegiate Honors Council and served from 2013-2016. Lopa was honored with the �� Dahlgren Professorship in 2016-2017. She was awarded the Senior Outstanding Research award in 2019 and the Outstanding Teacher Award in 2020 from the CAHS College.

Since 2016, she has been writing and publishing creative work, particularly poetry in journals like in Postcolonial Text, Barstow and Grand, the Poetry Calendars of the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets and in anthologies like Modern English Poetry by Younger Indians (Sahitya Akademi) and Best Asian Poetry 2021-2022 (Kitaab). She reviews literary works for World Literature Today, India Currents, Wasafari and Volume One. As chair of the Literature Committee, at �� and the Humanities representative in the Stout Core Committee, she is an ardent advocate for literature in Wisconsin ��. ��.

Lopa ��. life outside of the university is spent with her family in Eau Claire, and family in India. She enjoys cooking and volunteers to cook meals at the Community Table. She plays the New York Times Spelling Bee and Connections every day. The newest member of her family is her Shihtzu Bichon dog Mochi.

Full Name: Lopamudra Basu

Job Title: Professor

Include in Directory: Yes

Area of Expertise: Postcolonial Literature Transnational Women's Literature 9/11 Literature Trauma Studies Poetry

College: College of Arts & Human Sciences

Department: English, Philosophy & Communication Studies Department

Curriculum Vitae: Lopa Basu CV (381.8 KB)

Website: Author Website

Education:

Degree: Ph.D. English

University: City University of New York

Degree: M.A. English

University: University of Delhi

Degree: B.A. English

University: Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi

CACHSS

Exclude from Internal Site Search: No

Include in Directory: Off

Exclude from Internal Site Search: No

Banned Books event to feature national expert Friedman from PEN America

polingj — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 14:52:46 +0000

Banned Books event to feature national expert Friedman from PEN Americapolingj September 27, 2022

Banned Books and Silencing the Classroom scheduled Oct. 3 at University Library

A national expert on free speech and book bans will be a guest speaker Monday, Oct. 3, at ��.

Jonathan Friedman, director of Free Expression and Education Programs at PEN America, based in New York, will lead the event Banned Books and Silencing the Classroom from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the University Library, second floor north.

The event, free and open to the public, is sponsored by the Menard Center for the Study of Institutions and Innovation, University Library, Literature Committee, Center for Applied Ethics, and Women ��., Gender and Sexuality Studies.

Jonathan Friedman, director of Free Expression and Education Programs at PEN America, will speak Oct. 3 at ��. / Contributed photo

National Banned Books Week was Sept. 18-24. PEN America, the Authors Guild and the National Coalition Against Censorship oversees Banned Books Week.

Friedman helped produce PEN America ��. Campus Free Speech Guide, published in 2020. He has been lead author on many PEN America reports, including Banned in the USA: Rising School Book Bans Threaten Free Expression and Students’ First Amendment Rights, which was published this year.

The American Library Association reported Sept. 16 that through August there were 681 book challenges in the U.S. that involved 1,651 titles. That ��. more than at the same time in 2021, which had the most challenges in decades. A total of 729 challenges were filed in 2021.

Speaking to the Associated Press, Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the ALA ��. Office for Intellectual Freedom, said, “I’ve never seen anything like this. It ��. both the number of challenges and the kinds of challenges. It used to be a parent had learned about a given book and had an issue with it. Now we see campaigns where organizations are compiling lists of books, without necessarily reading or even looking at them.”

Books with LGBTQ matter and about racism are frequently challenged, Caldwell-Stone said.

The �� event will be moderated by Tim Shiell, Menard Center director. Respondents will be Lopa Basu, professor of English; and Rickie-Ann Legleitner, associate professor of English, interim director of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Office and adviser for Women ��., Gender and Sexuality Studies.

“Having a Banned Books Week event every year is important because most people think the age of book banning is over,” Shiell said. “It ��. not. Book bans and attempts to ban books still occur frequently. With MCSII ��. focus being on the study, discussion and defense of civil liberties, we want people to be aware of and resistant to censorship.”

Upcoming Menard Center programs include:

Wednesday, Oct. 19, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., Free Speech Day, with keynote speaker Chris Finan, Memorial Student Center, Cedar/Maple Room
Tuesday, Nov. 15, 5 to 6 p.m., Black Entrepreneurship Panel, 205 Sorensen Hall.

###

A national expert on free speech and book bans will be a guest speaker Monday, Oct. 3, at ��. Jonathan Friedman

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Menard Center director, professor contribute to new civil liberties book

A University of Wisconsin-Stout Civil Liberties Symposium sparked the idea for a new book “Civil Liberties in Real Life: Seven Studies.”

Tim Shiell

Professional Interests: Areas of Specialization: Philosophy of Law, Ethics Areas of Competence: Political Philosophy, History of Philosophy, Eastern Philosophy

Full Name: Dr. Tim Shiell

Job Title: Professor

Include in Directory: Yes

Department: Menard Center for the Study of Institutions & Innovation

Curriculum Vitae: Dr. Tim Shiell (590.57 KB)

Education:

Degree: Ph.D. Philosophy

University: University of Iowa

Degree: B.A. Philosophy

University: Moorhead State University

CACHSS

Exclude from Internal Site Search: No

Include in Directory: Off

Exclude from Internal Site Search: No

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