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Inspiring Graduate: Luke Zuiker, M.S. School Counseling

giffeyt — Tue, 13 May 2025 19:12:27 +0000

Inspiring Graduate: Luke Zuiker, M.S. School Counseling giffeyt May 13, 2025

‘I’m proud of the authentic conversations we got to have in and out of school.’

Inspiring Graduate: Luke Zuiker (’25)

Hometown: Marshfield
Degree: M.S. School Counseling

Even before he started his internship – let alone his forthcoming job as a school counselor – Luke Zuiker says his University of Wisconsin-Stout coursework prepared him to address the social, emotional and academic needs of high school students.

Zuiker, of Marshfield, holds a bachelor ��. degree in English education and health education, but worked for a credit union for a few years before deciding to pursue an M.S. in school counseling at ��.

“The main thing that stands out to me about my �� experience is the family-like feel of our cohort,” said Zuiker, reflecting on his two years in the graduate program. “Our professors have done a fantastic job of fostering that environment. I’ve also appreciated the fact that every professor I’ve had in my program has been a full-time counselor or working professional in a K-12 school at one point during their career. They have the experience of working in schools, which lends credibility to their lessons and to the program in general.”

Luke Zuiker receives his �� degree May 10, 2025.

Zuiker, who has accepted a position as a school counselor at Poynette High School, was one of 1,174 �� students who took part in the university ��. spring commencement ceremonies May 10.

“I have been inspired by many professors, fellow students, mentors and friends in my two years here at Stout,” he said. “I would like to thank them for their work and dedication alongside me during my time here.”

What brought you to ��?

I came to �� after working in the lending industry for a credit union for four and a half years following my undergraduate graduation. I originally went to UW-Stevens Point and received my degree there in English education and health education. I did not pursue education initially as I went into the lending industry, but I wanted to get back into it and �� had a program that offered a two-year timeline which appealed to me. It took me a little time to realize that school counseling was a good fit for me, but I am extremely happy with my decision and for my experience at Stout.

How do you hope to make an impact in your field?

I hope to help students navigate the landscape of high school, help with their social-emotional and academic learning, and also to help them find opportunities in post-secondary life for what they are passionate and excited about.

M.S. school counseling program to go online to help meet high state demand for trained professionals

Wisconsin projected to need 1,500 more counselors within five years; need in rural schools is critical, professors’ research shows

How has �� prepared you to work in your field?

�� has given my cohorts and I a lot of experience in counseling even before we started our internships in the schools. Some specific classes that come to mind are Play Therapy, School Counseling Lab and Group Dynamics. Each of these classes gave us experiences where we could actually practice counseling skills in a live setting.

Additionally, I have had two fantastic field experiences during my internship at both the schools I’ve been placed in. My role has varied at both sites but consists mainly of counseling students individually and in small groups as well as teaching classroom lessons at the elementary level.

How did your involvement on campus impact your experience?

I was the president of our School Counseling Organization in the spring 2024 and fall 2024 semesters. My involvement in this club really bolstered my experience at ��. As a group, we raised just over $4,500 to fully pay for every first- and second-year school counseling student to attend the Wisconsin School Counseling Association state conference in Wisconsin Dells. I was also a graduate assistant during my second year at the Financial Wellness Center on campus. My supervisor there was invaluable and served as a great mentor to me during my time at ��.

Luke Zuiker takes part in a fundraiser as part of ��'s School Counseling Organization. / Submitted photo

What challenges did you face in earning your degree and how did you overcome them?

I faced some new professional leadership challenges during my time here. I leaned on trusted professionals for help. They were immensely supportive. They also helped remind me not to forget that we are never on an island in education and to not be too stubborn to ask for help when it is needed.

What are you most proud of as you finish your degree?

I’m really proud of my fellow cohorts and growing up professionally alongside them during our time together in the school counseling program.

I’m proud of the authentic conversations we got to have in and out of school. I’m proud that I had a part in creating an environment for them to find their own professional identities.

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‘I’m proud of the authentic conversations we got to have in and out of school.’ Lucas Zuiker receives his �� degree on May 10, 2025.

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Educators find creative work-arounds to new laws that restrict what they can teach

hugginsm — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 12:50:28 +0000

Educators find creative work-arounds to new laws that restrict what they can teachhugginsm April 15, 2025

Professor Riley Drake recounts how teachers are continuing to support their students without violating executive orders or the law.

Dr. Riley Drake

This article appeared in SmartNews, Phys.org, Newsify, and others, and originated from The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.

An onslaught of executive orders from President Donald Trump aim to restrict how and what educators can teach America ��. children.

Since taking office in January 2025, Trump has attempted to bar teachers from discussing racism and sexism in K-12 schools and order all schools that receive federal funding to recognize only two gender identities – male and female – potentially barring teachers from acknowledging the existence of nonbinary, gender queer and transgender people, including among their students.

Educators say the orders are having a chilling effect in classrooms, with some teachers censoring themselves by minimizing dialogue about race, gender and other topics. Other educators, however, are finding ways to resist what they see as federal intrusion into the classroom.

In March 2025, Sarah Inama, a sixth grade history teacher in Meridian, Idaho, refused to remove a classroom poster reading “Everyone is Welcome” when school district officials claimed the message was too controversial.

“There are only two opinions on this sign. Everyone is welcome here or not everyone is welcome here,” Inama said in a March 2025 interview with Today.com.

I am a scholar and former elementary school counselor. My research explores how educators act alongside young people and community organizers to challenge laws, policies and ways of controlling society that they see as harmful in schools.

In my studies, I’ve encountered some educators who have found clever ways to support their students and have difficult conversations without violating executive orders or the law.

Modeling transformative justice

The Trump administration ��. restrictive federal orders for schools are new, but some U.S. states have been limiting what educators can tell their students for several years. And educators in those places have found quiet, creative ways to push back.

In 2022 I led a study of how educators in one Midwestern state were teaching social emotional learning – that is, the attitudes, skills and knowledge to develop healthy relationships and manage their emotions.

The state – research ethics prohibit me from precisely identifying it – had recently passed legislation that prevented teachers from openly discussing the harms of racism, slavery, colonialism and gender violence in the U.S. Critics felt the law not only erased Black and Indigenous history but also banned truth-telling and accountability.

One second grade teacher I observed in my study felt it was essential that her students learn to tell the truth, even in uncomfortable situations, and take accountability for their actions. She partnered with local community organizers to practice transformative justice in her classroom.

Transformative justice seeks to address the root causes of people ��. harmful behavior rather than merely punishing it. When communities can get to the core of the conditions that caused the harm, this theory holds, they can better address it.

Rather than craft a lesson plan that might run up against the state ��. restrictive new laws, the teacher in my study demonstrated the values of truth-telling and accountability in her approach to everyday conflicts.

For example, one day after afternoon recess, two students refused to come back inside. The teacher waited patiently, and when eventually they returned to the classroom, she asked them what had been bothering them. The students said they were mad their classmates hadn’t allowed them to play a specific character in a game at recess.

The teacher invited the rest of the class to discuss the incident. They acknowledged that those students had been excluded. Together, the class brainstormed ways to better include everyone next time. The upset students calmed down and listened actively, then began chiming in with their own ideas about solving the problem constructively.

When schoolyard games go wrong, teachers can model different ways to resolve conflict. Peter Cade/Stone via Getty Images

Finally, the teacher asked the class to reflect on how she had handled the situation.

“What would have happened if I had called the principal on the students who wouldn’t come inside?” she asked.

“They would have gotten in trouble!” the students said.

“Yes, and would that have solved anything?” the teacher responded.

“No, it would have made things worse,” one student remarked.

In her actions and words, this teacher taught her students that punishment isn’t the only or best way to deal with conflict. And she showed them that when people tell the truth and take responsibility for their actions, they have an opportunity to build connections and repair relationships.

In doing so, my research finds this teacher challenged her state ��. policy of silencing certain conversations. Other educators in this study found other ways to challenge the law, including one who invited community organizers into her classroom to support immigrant students in learning about their rights.

Solidarity with LGBTQ students

I led another study in 2023 and 2024 following legislation in Iowa and other states banning books and restricting classroom discussion about gender identity and sexual orientation. In it, I documented how one middle school counselor supported student activists who’d been retaliated against after leading a school walkout protesting the state ��. anti-LGBTQ bill.

The student activists had been taunted by their peers during the walkout. Some had Pride flags torn from their hands and stomped on. Money the students had been collecting to donate to an LGBTQ organization was stolen.

“I wish we didn’t have to be quiet to be safe,” one of the students told the counselor when debriefing after the incident.

The counselor arranged a meeting with the school principal to share how their peers had hurt them and how disconnected it made them feel from their school. When administrators did only minimal follow-up afterward, the counselor partnered with a community arts organization outside school to create LGBTQ-affirming spaces for students to make art together.

In my assessment, her actions demonstrated that people can come together to care for one another and showed that LGBTQ young people matter. First as an educator and then as a community member, she delivered a meaningful message to the students through showing rather than telling.

Sometimes art can deliver a message as clearly as words. VeeStudio89/E+ via Getty Images

Resistance in the classroom

These are just a few examples of the many creative ways I’ve documented that educators from Iowa, Michigan, Indiana and Florida and other states are trying to offset the impacts of recent restrictions on what teachers can say and what topics curricula can address.

Educators in the U.S. have long found ways to resist laws they feel are unjust.

In the 1940s, a Black teacher named Madeline Morgan fought alongside hundreds of other Black women teachers and parents for Chicago Public Schools to include Black history in its curriculum. The curriculum she created later became a model for districts across the U.S. to teach Black history.

Septima Clark is another Black educator who fought racism through teaching. After she was fired from her teaching position in South Carolina due to her connections with the NAACP, she dedicated her life to teaching, organizing and training civil rights activists in defiance of laws that attempted to keep her out of the classroom.

Collaborating with others, today ��. educators are finding creative ways to ensure that their classrooms demonstrate justice, in actions if not in words.

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Professor Riley Drake recounts how teachers are continuing to support their students without violating executive orders or the law. Classroom Teaching Illustration

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Dr. Riley Drake

Riley Drake is an Assistant Professor of School Counseling in the Department of Counseling, Rehabilitation, and Human Services. Riley ��. vision for educational justice is grounded in education as the practice of freedom, and her research explores how educators honor and struggle alongside young people, families, and community organizers in the movement for abolition.

Riley is a former elementary school counselor and holds a B.S. in Psychology from Truman State University, M.S. in Counseling from Drake University, M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Iowa State University, and Ph.D. in Social and Cultural Studies of Education from Iowa State University.

Full Name: Dr. Riley Drake

Job Title: Assistant Professor

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Area of Expertise: Abolition in School Counseling Critical Carceral Studies Education in movement spaces Pedagogies of Solidarity

College: College of Arts & Human Sciences

Department: School of Education Counseling, Rehabilitation & Human Services Department

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Curriculum Vitae: Dr. Riley Drake Curriculum Vitae (296.38 KB)

Education:

Degree: Ph.D. Social and Cultural Studies of Education

University: Iowa State University

Degree: M.Ed. Educational Leadership

University: Iowa State University

Degree: M.S. School Counseling

University: Drake University

Degree: B.S. Psychology

University: Truman State University

Degree: A.A. General Education

University: Indian Hills Community College

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M.S. school counseling program to go online to help meet high state demand for trained professionals

goersab — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 13:26:08 +0000

M.S. school counseling program to go online to help meet high state demand for trained professionals goersab October 16, 2024

Wisconsin projected to need 1,500 more counselors within five years; need in rural schools is critical, professors’ research shows

Abbey Goers

School counselors provide a variety of services for students in the prekindergarten to grade 12 setting, supporting both students’ mental health and academic achievement.

However, ongoing challenges across the nation to recruit, hire and retain qualified school counselors have caused a massive shortage, particularly in rural schools, impacting students, their families and communities.

�� . M.S. in school counseling program “aims to increase the number of school counselors in Wisconsin, which will increase student achievement and create stronger communities,” said Assistant Professor Riley Drake, who, with Assistant Professor Molly Welch Deal, researched the shortage of school counselors in rural Wisconsin areas and how it is affecting children ��. access to mental health care.

Assistant Professor Riley Drake, center, with master's students in a practice and theory course / ��

Through a Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Federal School Based Mental Health Professionals grant, the program is shifting from on-campus to 100% online beginning in fall 2025 to make it more accessible and meet the needs of prospective graduate students.

“We know there ��. a high demand for school counselors in rural areas and educators who would love to get a license but can’t make the trip to campus for classes,” Drake said. “The online degree program will help them achieve their career goals.”

According to the National Education Association, U.S. schools are facing a shortage of approximately 300,000 educators and staff. In Wisconsin, 30% of the population lives in rural areas, where the shortage is pronounced.

At the beginning of the 2022-23 academic year, there were 56 school counseling vacancies across the state. Wisconsin is projected to need to fill 1,500 school counseling positions within the next five years, Drake said.

Assistant Professor Molly Welch Deal, third from left, with master's students in a practice and feedback course / ��

The WDPI grant covers the period of July 1, 2024, to Sept. 30, 2025, in the amount of $156,000. The grant also supports the development of a post-master ��. certificate leading to Wisconsin endorsement for licensure in school counseling designed for people with clinical mental health and general education backgrounds to help strengthen the number of school counselors available to young students. It will also support to diversify applications and enrollment to �� . Ed.S. in school psychology specifically, and into Wisconsin graduate programs more generally.

Joining the helping field and positively impacting young students

�� . polytechnic focus gives graduate students experience working with volunteer clients from childhood to adulthood through clinical experiences beginning in their first year of the program.

Students learn culturally sustaining practices in school counseling, legal and ethical issues, the psychology of development, assessment, school consultation and more, earning their master ��. degree in four semesters, with graduates working in the profession in just two years.

The school counseling master's program aims to increase the number of school counselors in Wisconsin / ��

Lucas Zuiker, the university ��. School Counseling Organization president, chose the program because he had strong leaders and role models in his schools growing up in Marshfield. “They dedicated themselves to education and took the profession very seriously. I hope to emulate that, while also carving out my own identity as an educator,” he said.

By providing his future students with authentic information and practical experience, “whether they want to pursue higher education, the workforce or another path, my goal is to work with them to see what that looks like and help them navigate the challenges and truths of post-secondary life after high school,” he added.

Since arriving at �� two years ago, Drake and Welch Deal have revised the school counseling program to emphasize culturally responsive and sustaining practices, with a focus on equity and justice.

School counselors help boost student achievement and create stronger communities / ��

This focus was the reason Abigail Smith, of Marshfield, chose the program.

“I always wanted to work in the helping field. I chose school counseling because I am passionate about helping underrepresented and marginalized youth and want to be a positive influence to as many students as possible. I want to keep equity and justice at the center of my work so that all students can access the necessary resources,” Smith said.

School counseling incorporates equity and justice more so than other mental health professions, she added, and it uses a holistic approach to help students by incorporating their school, community and family.

“Dr. Drake and Dr. Welch Deal do a fantastic job of incorporating discussions on equity and justice in all aspects of the program. We are pushed to analyze critically the information presented to us and use a social justice framework in our work. The program truly emphasizes the importance of supporting all students we will work with,” Smith said.

Students are required to complete a 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship with supervision from licensed professional school counselors and �� faculty, per Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction guidelines.

Smith ��. practicum will be at Chippewa High School. She will graduate in May 2025 and plans to work at an inner-city school in the Madison-Milwaukee area.

Difficulty retaining school counselors in rural areas

Drake and Welch Deal ��. research, titled “School Counselors and Rural Cultural Wealth: Exploring Resistance to Abandonment,” incorporated findings from several national and state organizations.

The national Youth Risk Behavior Survey, administered to students in Wisconsin schools every two years, indicated in 2021 that a significant number of youths are struggling with potentially undiagnosed anxiety, depression, self-harming behaviors and suicidal ideation.

Students experience working with volunteer clients from childhood to adulthood through clinical experiences / ��

In 2022, WDPI noted several factors that affect the retention of school counselors in rural areas, including unmanageable caseloads.

The average school counselor is assigned to nearly 390 students, a number significantly higher than the American School Counselor Association ��. recommended ratio of one school counselor to 250 students.

Often in rural areas, the school counselor is the only mental health provider available to prekindergarten through grade 12 students, and their mental health needs are not adequately addressed, Drake said.

“When school counselors are not available, students’ mental health suffers. They also won’t benefit from the advocacy for equitable educational access that school counselors are ethically obligated to provide,” she added.

Cooperative Educational Service Agency – CESA #12, for example, located in Ashland County, includes 17 rural school districts with approximately 14,000 students in prekindergarten through grade 12.

In their research, Drake and Welch Deal found that school counselors are chronically unavailable in CESA #12, where at least six of the school districts have only one or no school counselor available to students.

CESA #12 Director of Special Education and Pupil Services Jennifer Ledin noted that students in two-thirds of school districts need additional mental health support and referrals for counseling. Also, special education services have increased in most of the districts.

Because of the rurality of the area, there are few, if any, community-based mental health services, making the need for school counselors even more critical, Ledin said. Often, school personnel with no specialized training help address the mental health needs of students, including those with alcohol and other drug abuse-related or those who need behavioral discipline referrals.

Welch Deal, Drake and school counseling graduate students will be presenting on Rural Cultural Wealth in School Counseling at the Wisconsin School Counselor Association ��. annual conference on Thursday, Nov. 7, in Wisconsin Dells.

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Inspiring Graduate: Luke Zuiker, M.S. School Counseling

‘I’m proud of the authentic conversations we got to have in and out of school.’

May 13, 2025

Educators find creative work-arounds to new laws that restrict what they can teach

Professor Riley Drake recounts how teachers are continuing to support their students without violating executive orders or the law.

April 15, 2025

M.S. school counseling program to go online to help meet high state demand for trained professionals

Wisconsin projected to need 1,500 more counselors within five years; need in rural schools is critical, professors’ research shows

October 16, 2024

Wisconsin projected to need 1,500 more counselors within five years; need in rural schools is critical, professors’ research shows M.S. school counseling, practice and theory course

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Dr. Molly Welch Deal

Dr. Welch Deal is an assistant professor of school counseling at UW Stout. Although she is new in her current role, Dr. Welch Deal has been teaching full time at Stout since 2005, primarily in the Psychology Department. Prior to 2005, Dr. Welch Deal was a High School Guidance Counselor. Dr. Welch Deal's research interests include trauma-informed care, culturally responsive practices, gender difference, and positive psychology.

In addition to her work at ��, Dr. Welch Deal is also a mental health consultant for Head Start CESA 11. In her role as a mental health consultant, Dr. Welch Deal supports teachers, staff, students, and families. She also provides regular trainings on topics including the impact of trauma and secondary trauma on behavior and development, care strategies for effective leaders, effective communication strategies, and optimism and well-being.

On a personal level, Dr. Welch Deal is passionate about the outdoors and enjoys biking, camping, fishing, and exploring with her husband, her three boys, and her dogs.

Full Name: Dr. Molly Welch Deal

Job Title: Assistant Professor / Program Director

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Area of Expertise: Culturally Responsive Practices Counseling & Consultation Trauma-informed practices Leadership & Communication Training

College: College of Arts & Human Sciences

Department: School of Education Counseling, Rehabilitation & Human Services Department

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M.S. School Counseling

Education:

Degree: Psy.D. Clinical and Counseling Psychology

University: University of St. Thomas

Degree: M.S. K-12 School Counseling

University: University of Wisconsin-Stout

Degree: B.A. Psychology

University: University of Wisconsin-Stout

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Dr. Riley Drake

Full Name: Dr. Riley Drake

Job Title: Assistant Professor

Include in Directory: Yes

Area of Expertise: Abolition in School Counseling Critical Carceral Studies Education in movement spaces Pedagogies of Solidarity

College: College of Arts & Human Sciences

Department: School of Education Counseling, Rehabilitation & Human Services Department

Program

All Degree Programs

M.S. School Counseling

Curriculum Vitae: Dr. Riley Drake Curriculum Vitae (296.38 KB)

Education:

Degree: Ph.D. Social and Cultural Studies of Education

University: Iowa State University

Degree: M.Ed. Educational Leadership

University: Iowa State University

Degree: M.S. School Counseling

University: Drake University

Degree: B.S. Psychology

University: Truman State University

Degree: A.A. General Education

University: Indian Hills Community College

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Inspiring Graduate: Megan McIlheran, M.S. School Counseling

goersab — Fri, 12 May 2023 15:44:55 +0000

Inspiring Graduate: Megan McIlheran, M.S. School Counselinggoersab May 12, 2023

‘�� gave me the opportunity to grow in ways I didn't imagine I could.’

Inspiring Graduate: Megan McIlheran (‘23)

Hometown: DePere
Degree: M.S. School Counseling

Megan McIlheran never considered graduate school as an undergraduate. But with continuous support and encouragement from others, she graduated with her master ��. in school counseling from �� on May 6.

McIlerhan earned her bachelor's degree in human development and family studies from �� in 2021. She is applying for school counselor positions in Wisconsin and hopes to begin her career this fall.

“I am most proud of my growth as an individual and to take what I have learned and teach the next generation of children,” she said. “My passion and heart is working in an elementary school. �� gave me the opportunity to grow in ways I didn't imagine I could."

Megan McIlheran receiving her master's hood / ��

Assistant Professor Molly Welch Deal said, “Megan is an empathetic leader and an advocate for all students. She is committed to cultivating environments that foster and promote diversity, equality, inclusion and accountability. She works tirelessly to create an open and safe space for all.”

How well has �� prepared you to work in your field and why?

�� gave me the skills to grow personally and professionally to become a school counselor through hands-on experiences in the Counseling Center on campus, practicum and internship experiences and friendships.

The continuous support and encouragement from professors made me eager and prepared to enter my field.

�� has adjunct professors who are current school counselors, and who were able to provide me with knowledge of current school counseling standards and practices. This can lead to future job opportunities in school districts.

What stands out about your �� experience?

When reflecting back on my undergraduate and graduate experience at ��, what stands out to me is the support from professors and the practicum and internship experiences. I received continuous support from Dr. Welch Deal, my university supervisor, throughout my practicum experience.

Dr. Welch Deal, who advocated for improvements to the program as it made transitions through program directors and professors, supported each and every one of my classmates with a growth mindset. This has greatly impacted my view of �� and my eagerness to create positive change for future school counseling cohorts.

Megan McIlheran and friends / Megan McIlheran

I am proud looking back at my growth mindset and grit when faced with challenges throughout college and working through the uncomfortable. It is easy to give up when a situation is intimidating or uncomfortable, but that is usually when you grow the most.

How did your involvement at �� impact your experience?

I was able to be a part of the School Counseling Organization. This created camaraderie between me and my classmates. School settings are very team-oriented and collaborative, and the organization gave us all a look into the camaraderie of a school setting. This added to my experience and growth professionally.

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Inspiring Graduate: Luke Zuiker, M.S. School Counseling

‘I’m proud of the authentic conversations we got to have in and out of school.’

May 13, 2025

Educators find creative work-arounds to new laws that restrict what they can teach

Professor Riley Drake recounts how teachers are continuing to support their students without violating executive orders or the law.

April 15, 2025

M.S. school counseling program to go online to help meet high state demand for trained professionals

Wisconsin projected to need 1,500 more counselors within five years; need in rural schools is critical, professors’ research shows

October 16, 2024

‘�� gave me the opportunity to grow in ways I didn't imagine I could.’ Megan McIlerhan, 1

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1,173 points of pride: Chancellor Frank congratulates graduates on their ‘well-earned achievement’

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

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�� . Child and Family Study Center looks to strengthen Wisconsin ��. child care workforce

goersab — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 20:50:46 +0000

�� . Child and Family Study Center looks to strengthen Wisconsin ��. child care workforcegoersab March 10, 2023

Center at the heart of Heritage Hall project provides critical career training through community service

Abbey Goers

Families from around Wisconsin are facing significant shortages of quality child care programs, caused in large part by a shortage of licensed early childhood staff.

�� is committed to building the state ��. child care workforce through its Child and Family Study Center, School of Education programs and collaborative programs within Heritage Hall and across campus.

The Child and Family Study Center helps train future teachers, counselors and dietitians to build Wisconsin's child care workforce and support families. / ��

Recently, Child Care Partnership conducted a survey on child care capacity related to the early childhood teacher shortage and the impacts in western Wisconsin. Of the 116 licensed group child care centers in the 10-county area, 70% responded to the survey.

They reported having to adjust their capacity because of a shortage of qualified staff. And although the group centers reported hiring almost 600 times in the last 12 months, there are still more than 300 staff positions open. In addition to adjusted capacity, more than 50 classrooms closed, resulting in a loss of more than 1,600 child care slots.

In these counties, waiting lists for families outweigh availability, with 90% of programs reporting a waiting list of more than 4,000 children. And across the state, three or more children compete for every available child care spot, with 54% of Wisconsin residents living in child care deserts.

Without support around the child care staffing crisis, 16% of CCP group child care programs reported they were facing closure due to the ongoing issue of not having qualified staff.

As part of Gov. Evers proposed 2023-25 budget, $340 million would be invested in the Child Care Counts: COVID-19 Stabilization Payment Program, along with $22 million to support the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families’ Partner Up! Program.

Without ongoing financial support through programs like Child Care Counts and Partner Up!, 44% of CCP programs were unsure they would remain in business, and 21% felt they would close in the near future.

Child Care Partnership, a Western Dairyland Community Action Agency program, serves Buffalo, Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, St. Croix, and Trempealeau counties and the Ho-Chunk Nation. Its goal is to increase access to consistent, affordable and quality child care services.

University center helping to make a difference

The Child and Family Study Center practices the university ��. polytechnic mission of providing hands-on experiences to undergraduate and master ��. students to prepare them for careers in child care and early childhood education. The CFSC also helps train future teachers, counselors and dietitians through academic instruction, research, classroom observations and service-learning.

This year, 63 children of university students, faculty, staff and community members are participating in CFSC programming. / ��

The CFSC is licensed by the state. Instructional staff teach in five classrooms and labs in two locations on campus: the Infant/Toddler Lab in Heritage Hall, with children 6 weeks through 3 years of age; and the Preschool, with children 3 to 6 years, including the 4K program, in partnership with the School District of the Menomonie Area.

As a National Association for the Education of Young Children accredited program, the CFSC is held to guidelines regarding teacher preparation. It holds a five-star rating in the YoungStar system, which ensures the health and safety of child care in Wisconsin.

“We have a reputation of quality and intentional programming to support children's success,” said Director Allison Feller. “Our qualified staff exemplify excellence and directly impact our program's success. By staying abreast of current research and developments in the field of early childhood education, they mentor future educators who are prepared to enter the workforce.”

This year, 63 children of university students, faculty, staff and community members are in CFSC programming. They represent diverse cultural backgrounds and receive care and learning opportunities for up to 10 hours each day, 50 hours each week.

Each year, the CFSC collaborates with more than 20 programs across campus, with more than 650 university students engaging in professional development practices.

Undergraduate programs represented include early childhood education; art education; and human development and family studies; and master ��. programs include school counseling; school psychology; clinical mental health counseling and nutrition and dietetics.

The Heritage Hall renovation will support new state-of-the-art programming in a new CFSC space. / ��

“We're educating highly qualified candidates for programs when children are at the most critical stage of development,” Feller said.

Kayla Hewitt, an early childhood education alum, is a behavioral therapist with an early intervention program. She works one-on-one with children ages 2 and older, who are on the autism spectrum. Using applied behavior analysis, Hewitt guides children to understand their abilities to their best advantage, so that they may have the most independent life they can.

“My education from Stout has given me the best tools to excel in my position,” Hewitt said. “I use individualization and differentiation every single day. I also utilize the training I received at Stout to create plans for programming, thinking outside the box for creatively presenting new learning objectives while aiming for the most multimodal experience for the child. The skills I learned to help manage classrooms and learning environments, as well as building family relationships and rapport, has helped me to be the best behavior therapist I can be.”

The Preschool building opened in 1971; the Heritage Hall Infant/Toddler Lab opened in 1973.

The Heritage Hall renovation will support building a new CFSC, strengthening state-of-the-art programming and curriculum to keep �� students at the forefront of innovative and evidence-based early childhood services. A newly designed center will also include a common space for faculty, staff, community partners and families to expand existing collaborations and campus initiatives.

The renovation of Heritage Hall, which received priority approval from the UW System Board of Regents, is ranked No. 1 in the Chippewa Valley and No. 3 for major academic building renovation projects. Renovation is slated to begin in 2026.

Heritage Hall Renovation

This project creates a new, unified home for workforce-critical degree programs in the College of Art & Human Sciences and more.

Community partnerships, campus collaborations benefit multiple stakeholders

The collaborations between the Child and Family Study Center and cross-campus programs offer university students – who are preparing to enter Wisconsin ��. child care workforce – multiple experiential learning opportunities to work with children and families.

Professor Christine Peterson believes the CFSC positively impacts M.S. and Ed.S. school psychology students. They assess 3K students for their clinical practicums to profile preacademic skills at the beginning and end of each academic year.

This collaboration benefits multiple stakeholders, Peterson explained, including the graduate students who receive applied learning experience; and CFSC instructional staff and parents who receive meaningful information about instruction and a benchmark measure of progress. CFSC submits this data annually to the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Each year, the CFSC collaborates with more than 20 programs across campus, with more than 650 university students engaging in professional development practices. / ��

“The CFSC stands out on our campus as a model for lab-based programming; it simultaneously serves multiple programs, enhances the applied student experience for not only preservice teachers but multiple other disciplines, and provides a critical community service,” Peterson said.

Clinical mental health counseling Professor Julie Bates-Maves believes �� . labs, like the CFSC, are at the heart of the university ��. polytechnic distinction.

“This indispensable lab brings life to the developmental considerations, attachment theory, and social and emotional development we teach in our courses,” Bates-Maves said. “Having the opportunity to try on one ��. counseling skills with young populations is critical, as is the opportunity to observe developmental expression in person versus simply reading about it.

“The center provides a model of healthy caregiving, allowing our students to further observe interactional styles between adults and children that support emotional development. As emerging professional counselors, our students will educate parents and caregivers on how to support children in the midst of normal development, but also those experiencing developmental crises,” Bates-Maves said.

This spring semester, Assistant Professor Lindsay Heidelberger, program director of M.S. nutrition and dietetics, has connected Professor Deb Sheats to collaborate with CFSC staff to provide master's students in the Nutrition Education and Counseling course with hands-on, polytechnic learning. Students will observe meal times at the CFSC, conduct needs assessments with staff and create nutrition education video lessons for children and their families.

“Having access to the CFSC has been integral to the students’ learning by providing experiential learning in a real-world setting as a nutrition educator,” Heidelberger said.

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Chancellor, lawmakers, community and campus leaders join to highlight project that will boost Wisconsin workforce

September 10, 2025

Wisconsin representatives Moses, Summerfield celebrate ��'s Heritage Hall funding, workforce impact

Project addresses workforce needs by producing dedicated, skilled graduates across multiple disciplines

July 11, 2023

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June 2, 2023

Center at the heart of Heritage Hall project provides critical career training through community service Child and Family Study Center, 2022, 3

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Child & Family Study Center

Helping children develop intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally.

The Child & Family Study Center (CFSC) focuses on the "whole child" representing all areas of development: intellectual, physical, social, and emotional. The program goals are to develop: self-concept and self-worth, language skills, social interaction skills, independence, curiosity, self-expression, appreciation, problem-solving, large and fine motor coordination, creative expression, along with awareness and respect for other's experiences and backgrounds as well as their own.

Alumna ��. focus is on children with $1 million donation

Mary Ross Denison knows firsthand that an investment in someone ��. future can make a difference.

Educational Theory & Hands-On Practice

The Child & Family Study Center is a university education laboratory school committed to creating a link between educational theory and hands-on practice. Students from undergraduate and graduate courses across campus can observe, participate, develop research, and execute lessons under the guidance of experienced and highly qualified educators.

Laboratory access at the CFSC allows for cross-campus collaborations with other departments and programs, implementation of class projects, observation, service-learning and increased demand for meaningful and related student work experience which is in line with UW Stout ��. polytechnic mission. The polytechnic approach to education is hands-on and career-focused, supporting state-of-the-art programming and curriculum to keep college students at the forefront of innovative and evidence-based early childhood services.

The center serves as a catalyst for excellence and innovation in early learning and the preparation of future educators. The center creates a common space for faculty, staff, community, and families to not only collaborate to train future teachers but also as a facility for professional development and academic research while modeling best practices in many fields of study.

Infant & Toddler Education Lab

��'s Infant & Toddler Education Lab is a certified childcare center for the university staff, students, and the Menomonie community. Students in the School of Education's B.S. Early Childhood Education program provide childcare for children ages 0-3. Aaron Wisecup, a senior in ECE, assists in and teaches children for nine weeks during the semester.

"We really focus on teaching the children self-help skills and social and emotional skills, like learning to share toys, take turns, and asking friends if they are hurt," Wisecup said.

Working alongside other student staff and experienced faculty, and watching the children progress gives students the necessary experience to benefit in their future teaching careers.

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Symphony Band students at the CFSC

Contact Information

Allison Feller

108 Child & Family Study Center

715-232-2554

fellera1995@uwstout.edu

Enrollment Inquiries

Please contact 715-232-1478.

Locations

The Child & Family Study Center operates in two separate locations:

The Infant/Toddler Lab 1 serves children six weeks through three years of age.
811 6th St East

The Toddler 2 and Preschool location serves children two years through six years, including the 4K program operated in conjunction with the School District of the Menomonie Area.
1412 6th St East

Hours of Operation

Full-Day Program: 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
4K Program: 8:30 - 11:45 a.m.

The center operates in accordance with the University Calendar. For your convenience, we also provide a Center Calendar for parents and families.

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Master's in school counseling program, centers meet a critical need in Wisconsin, community

goersab — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 17:11:15 +0000

Master's in school counseling program, centers meet a critical need in Wisconsin, communitygoersab December 5, 2022

Heritage Hall renovation to offer interdisciplinary learning, better accessibility to services

Abbey Goers

With Wisconsin facing a shortage of licensed professional school counselors, the value of graduates from �� . Master of Science in school counseling program has never been greater for communities throughout the state.

Over the next five years, Wisconsin is projected to need nearly 1,500 additional school counselors and psychologists, with job growth expected to increase by 11% over the next decade.

The need for licensed professional school counselors is being heightened by increased student social and emotional needs, which rose exponentially during the pandemic. There is also a dramatically disproportionate ratio of counselors available to students across the state.

The ideal caseload recommended by the American School Counselor Association is a ratio of 250-to-1, students to counselor. However, school counselor ratios in Wisconsin were 387-to-1 during the 2020-21 academic year, the most recent year for which data is available. The national average that year was 415-to-1.

Graduate students Alexandra Lee and Kaitlyn Eyerly, reflected in the mirror, in the Counseling Lab. / ��

“School counselors are often the first, and sometimes the only, mental health providers students may have,” said Program Director Sharon Hansen. “Our graduates are equipped with the skills necessary to help elementary, middle and high school students succeed.”

As vital members of school leadership teams, school counselors promote equity and access for all students, helping with academic strategies, emotional support, interpersonal skills and postsecondary goals. They offer short-term counseling to students and make referrals for long-term support, while collaborating with families, teachers, administrators and community agencies to help with student success, needs and challenges.

Renovation to support interdisciplinary learning between counselors and educators

�� . master ��. programs in school counseling; clinical mental health counseling; marriage and family therapy; and school psychology are in the Vocational Rehabilitation Building but are scheduled to relocate to Heritage Hall.

Heritage Hall, a near-50-year-old building, is scheduled for major renovation after receiving priority approval from the UW System Board of Regents. The project is ranked No. 1 in the Chippewa Valley and No. 3 for UW System academic buildings. The project includes the demolition of the 1954 portion of the Vocational Rehabilitation Building, where the four programs are housed.

M.S. school counseling Program Director Sharon Hansen with graduate students in the Counseling Lab. / ��

Heritage Hall is also home to the School of Education. Hansen believes that having all of �� . mental health professions and School of Education under one roof will allow for more interdisciplinary learning.

“School counselors often have to network with other school-based and community resources, so having the ability to interact with those programs within Heritage Hall will provide for better consultation and collaboration between professions,” she said.

Meeting a critical community need

Maria Alm, dean of the College of Arts and Human Sciences, believes the Heritage Hall renovation will have a significant impact on the programs, labs and centers that will relocate there.

Also anticipating relocation is the Clinical Services Center, which has offered community members affordable counseling services by graduate students since 1974. It serves approximately 1,000 clients a year.

Graduate student Caleb Schauf observes a session in the Counseling Lab from behind the mirror. / ��

“We are hoping to expand services in the new Clinical Services Center by offering not only play therapy, relational couple and family therapy, and psychological assessments and testing, but also branch into new areas such as nutrition education,” said Associate Professor Candice Maier, director of the center.

The center is currently in a facility that was not originally intended to serve as a counseling center and lacks easy parking access.

“The new location in Heritage Hall will provide a welcoming, clearly marked exterior entrance with convenient parking, professional quality check-in and waiting areas, and state-of-the-art equipment and counseling spaces,” Alm said. “The need for counseling services, and in particular low-cost services, is critical to our community, and we look forward to continuing and enhancing our offerings in the newly designed space.”

Graduate student Michaela Blomberg in the Counseling Lab. / ��

The university ��. Disability Services, Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute and Counseling Center, which offers free services to students, are also planning to move to Heritage Hall. Disability Services is in the University Library; SVRI in the Vocational Rehabilitation Building; and the Counseling Center in Bowman Hall.

“The intention for moving these centers is to centralize services and make them more accessible for students and the community,” Associate Professor Andy Felton said. “While still respecting privacy and confidentiality, the centers will have a visible presence in Heritage Hall, with a further hope to broach stigmas and raise awareness around different student and community services.

“�� is giving a lot of attention to mental, emotional and behavioral health. We are ready to show we are working together to help students and the community thrive, making sure individuals seeking any services on campus can get proper, well-rounded support, and students get practical experience to prepare them for their careers,” Felton said.

Heritage Hall

All Heritage Hall News

‘Power of Partnership’: �� celebrates groundbreaking for $144M Heritage Hall renovation

Chancellor, lawmakers, community and campus leaders join to highlight project that will boost Wisconsin workforce

September 10, 2025

Wisconsin representatives Moses, Summerfield celebrate ��'s Heritage Hall funding, workforce impact

Project addresses workforce needs by producing dedicated, skilled graduates across multiple disciplines

July 11, 2023

Chancellor's Statement on Heritage Hall Funding

Chancellor Katherine Frank issues a statement following funding approval of Heritage Hall by the Joint Finance Committee.

June 2, 2023

Heritage Hall renovation to offer interdisciplinary learning, better accessibility to services Counseling Lab, student Alexandra Lee

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Graduate student Prokosch supporting children, futures at Boys & Girls Club

polingj — Wed, 03 Aug 2022 17:32:18 +0000

Graduate student Prokosch supporting children, futures at Boys & Girls Clubpolingj August 3, 2022

Her school counseling studies, work also boosting efforts to add middle school program at Menomonie facility

When she graduates in spring 2023 with a master ��. in school counseling from University of Wisconsin-Stout, Tana Prokosch already will have multiple professional experiences working with children.

In addition to two program-required field experiences scheduled during the 2022-23 academic year at area schools, including a full-time internship in the spring, she will have benefited from more than three years of full time experience at the Boys & Girls Club in Menomonie.

Since November 2019, she has been a full time program coordinator and since October 2021 the interim director and program coordinator at the club, which is at River Heights Elementary school.

Tana Prokosch is a �� graduate student in school counseling, as well as interim director and program coordinator at the Boys & Girls Club in Menomonie. / Boys & Girls Club

The experience has given her a chance to put into practice some of the skills she has learned in the classroom. “One of the biggest things I have learned in the counseling program is how to be a better advocate for students. All students should have the opportunity to succeed,” Prokosch said.

Plus, Prokosch isn’t just helping children succeed, she ��. helping the club grow. Recently, the club held a breakfast event at �� . Memorial Student Center to highlight its efforts to expand services from elementary to middle school students in the city.

The Menomonie club is part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Chippewa Valley, which includes clubs in Eau Claire, Altoona, Chippewa Falls and Black River Falls. Menomonie is the fastest-growing of the five locations.

The club recently received an $80,000 grant, renewable for up to five years, from the state Department of Public Instruction to expand in Menomonie. However, another $160,000 must be raised to meet all expansion needs, said Ann Kaiser, CEO.

Learn more at the club ��. Capital Campaign webpage.

Families pay a fee for children to attend, and 25% to 30% of children receive financial support.

Tana Prokosch and club member Teagynn Englund enjoy a moment together. / Boys & Girls Club

“We know there are families that appreciate the resource and know their kids are at a safe space,” Kaiser said. “We know that clubs work.”

About 50 students attend the Menomonie club daily during the school year and in the summer. Programming helps children develop a healthy lifestyle and builds character, said Angela Payne, director of resource development and a 2004 �� graduate in hotel, restaurant and tourism management.

“These are the future leaders of Menomonie,” she said.

School officials are seeing a greater need to help children with social and emotional issues, something the club can provide. “Kids need different outlets in addition to sports,” said John Samb, the school district director of academic support and a high school assistant principal.

Chancellor Katherine Frank is a board member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Chippewa Valley. She supports the effort to provide middle school programming at the Menomonie facility.

Tana Prokosch loves working with children at the club, like Jason McCracken. / Boys & Girls Club

“Middle school is when futures are shaped. It ��. critical to the development of an individual. There ��. a transformational power of being a club member,” she told the breakfast gathering.

She drew a parallel between �� and the Boys & Girls Club. The mission of both is providing access and ensuring that every student has quality programming and an equitable space for success.

“We are a dedicated partner to helping the Boys & Girls Club achieve even greater success,” Frank said. “We are both in the business of seeing students succeed all the way along the pipeline of learning.”

Providing support for children

Prokosch, a native of Pepin, graduated from UW-Eau Claire in psychology in 2018 and started the master ��. program at �� in 2020.

She first became involved with the club while at UW-Eau Claire, realizing then that she wanted to work with children. With her additional experiences at the club in Menomonie, she hopes to work as a counselor in an elementary school when she finishes her master ��..

“Research has shown that having a consistent role model is missing from a lot of kids’ lives,” Prokosch said. “We do our best to give one-on-one attention at the club.”

She enjoys the flexibility at the club to be creative with programming. Children have daily academic lessons and discuss a variety of topics, such as diversity.

“We talk about how we include everybody at the club. It ��. a unique situation to have those conversations and rewarding to see kids open up,” Prokosch said. “It ��. been eye-opening for me and great to support the kids. I’ve had kids tell me their life story because they feel safe enough in our space to do so.”

�� . school counseling program has helped Prokosch develop higher quality programming at the club through exposure to new tools and resources and helped her improve her communication skills with children.

“In addition, it has helped me learn how to remove barriers to students’ success. It has really allowed me to help kids recognize their strengths and challenges,” she said.

“I am all about supporting kids, but I want to teach them the skills they need to succeed on their own,” she added.

Prokosch also has helped mentor other �� school counseling graduate students who have worked and volunteered at the club.

###

When she graduates in spring 2023 with a master ��. in school counseling, Tana Prokosch already will have multiple professional experiences. Tana Prokosch 2

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M.S. School Counseling

You can help your students reach their full potential with your active role in their lives, with their families, teachers, psychologists and community agencies.

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Katherine P. Frank

Katherine P. Frank became the eighth chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Stout, after a distinguished career as an administrator and faculty member.

Before her appointment as chancellor, Chancellor Frank served from 2016 in two roles at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Wash., as Provost and Vice President of Academic and Student Life and Vice President of Academic Innovation. She also held the rank of Professor of English.

From summer 2014 until spring 2016, she was Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Northern Kentucky University. Frank served as Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences at Indiana University East, Chair of English and Foreign Languages at Colorado State University-Pueblo, and a faculty member and administrator of programs involving student writing, faculty professional development, and student success.

Chancellor Frank, the first female leader of ��, grew up in Colorado and has a bachelor ��. degree in English from Bates College, Lewiston, Maine. She has master ��. and doctorate degrees in English from the University of Washington, Seattle. Frank ��. research interests include Romantic and Victorian English Literature, rhetoric and composition, the scholarship of teaching, and academic leadership.

“I am delighted to join ��,” Chancellor Frank said. “Throughout the search process, I became increasingly impressed by the high-quality work and creative thinking exhibited by faculty, staff, and students at ��, as well as the strong, reciprocal relationships among the university, community, and regional partners. Everyone demonstrated dedication to the university and exhibited true focus on ensuring student success.

“As beautifully stated by one alumna, ‘Stout is where you need to be.’ I could not agree more and am honored to join this exceptional community of educators, learners, partners, and friends.”

“Dr. Frank has demonstrated throughout her academic career that she is a strategic, dynamic leader,” said UW System President Ray Cross. “She handles challenges extremely well. Her visionary perspective on the future of �� will serve the institution and the state of Wisconsin very well.”

Chancellor Frank and her husband, Joe Dvorsky, live in Menomonie with their three rescue cats. She is an outdoor activities enthusiast, including running, road cycling and mountain biking, and has a love of animals, travel, and adventure.

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McNair Scholars Program provides first-generation students resources for greater opportunities

goersab — Tue, 02 Nov 2021 14:09:02 +0000

McNair Scholars Program provides first-generation students resources for greater opportunitiesgoersab November 2, 2021

Student, recent alum thankful for support; university to hold first-generation celebration Nov. 8.

Abbey Goers

It can be difficult for first-generation, limited income and underrepresented college students to reach their goals. Without family members’ experience or financial resources, the road to a degree and potentially a graduate degree can be unpredictable and rough.

University of Wisconsin-Stout ��. McNair Scholars Program provides students a support system, with dedicated advisers who equip students with the means to achieve their goals. McNair, a federal program, has helped change thousands of lives since its inception in 1989, including those of �� student Chueseng Lo and recent graduate Mai Lia Vang.

McNair has been offered at �� since 2009 and encourages all eligible students to apply. The program offers:

Undergraduate research opportunities
Faculty advisement and mentoring
Fee waivers for graduate school application fees
Free Graduate Records Examination preparation
Funds for conferences, graduate school visits and interviews

National First-Generation College Celebration Day is Monday, Nov. 8. �� . annual celebration, hosted by TRIO SSS, will be held that day, from 11:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. in the Memorial Student Center ballrooms.

The campus-wide event celebrates the successes of first-generation students, staff and faculty. Registration is required. Thirty-three percent of �� students identify as first-generation this academic year.

‘Keep going no matter what’

As a first-generation college student, Lo feels very accomplished. He’ll graduate from �� in human development and family studies, with an emphasis in school counseling, in the spring.

Chueseng Lo, McNair Scholar / ��

Friends introduced Lo to the HDFS program, and he learned he could branch off to a career in education or psychology. “The HDFS classes helped me with skills for the future,” he said. “I want to help people and be a student counselor.

“I think counseling is an important aspect to get kids through secondary education. Counselors can help kids with their problems and help them find resources to go to college.

“Once students know you can help them, they come to you a lot. You can build a relationship of support,” said Lo, who remembers visiting his high school counselor in Schofield once or twice a week.

Lo is applying to graduate programs, including �� . Master of Science in school counseling. His parents believe education is key. “They say to keep going no matter what,” he said. “I want to live up to those goals and further my education in grad school to be successful in life.”

McNair is helping Lo reach his goals. Coming from a limited income family, the program provides him with financial aid, including for rent so he can live on his own.

It ��. also helping Lo with scholarship applications and covers application fees for graduate school. His advisers aid him in applying to different school counseling programs, while he explores his range of interests in attending in-state or out-of-state schools.

Lo also enjoys the additional research projects into areas outside of his field. With the ability to choose a research topic in any area, Lo studied video games. Knowing how to conduct research prepares him for what it ��. like to be a graduate student, he said.

But what Lo likes best about being involved in McNair is the advisers. “I’m very glad I met them. The program wouldn’t be itself without them.

“If you’re a first-generation, limited income or underrepresented student looking to go further with your education – if you want to make a better life for yourself, this is the first step to help you get there,” Lo said. “McNair sets you up for success.”

Obtain greater opportunities

Vang was a very curious kid, always asking her older siblings and cousins to explain why the leaves change colors; why the sky is blue; or how a rainbow is made.

Mai Lia Vang / ��

“I’m so thankful that they also loved science and were able to quench and ignite my curiosity for the natural world. Science has answers to those tough questions,” Vang said.

Vang, of Eau Claire, is a former McNair Scholar. She graduated from �� in environmental science in fall 2018. She immediately went on to pursue her Professional Science Master ��. in conservation biology and graduated in fall 2020.

She is a research analyst at the university ��. Center for Limnological Research and Rehabilitation, which researches eutrophication issues in the region ��. waterways and aquatic ecosystems. Vang runs the lab operations and uses the knowledge she gained in her degrees every day.

But Vang began her college career in a different field. She started in graphic design because she didn’t think she was smart enough to pursue science. She enjoyed art, but she wasn’t passionate about it and dropped out after her third semester. She took time off of school to figure out what interested her most and what she really enjoyed.

“Nature checked both boxes,” she said. “I knew that I enjoyed science and nature enough to be willing to put in the hard work.”

Vang thinks that others who struggle with self-doubt should try their best to believe that they are better than they think. “Our inner dialogues are very influential, and we should be more mindful of the things we tell ourselves,” she said.

Her second time around, she started her degree in environmental science, with an emphasis in aquatic biology and a minor in geographic information systems.

As a first-generation, limited income and underrepresented student, no one in Vang ��. immediate family could help her navigate her college experience.

“The McNair program helped me tremendously,” Vang said. “It not only helped me navigate the process of applying to graduate school but helped financially by taking care of application and test fees.”

Vang was hesitant when she was first given the opportunity to join the program. She didn’t think she wanted to go to graduate school and wondered why she should join.

“My adviser told me – and this is the advice I give to everyone – ‘Give it a try. You can be in the program and not apply to graduate school. But if you change your mind and want to go to graduate school, then at least you’ll know how to,’” she said.

“The McNair program provided me an opportunity to obtain greater opportunities,” Vang added. “I know that I would not have pursued a graduate degree if I was not in the McNair program.”

Vang helps with the program when she can, serving on panels answering questions from students who are in the process of searching and applying for graduate school.

“I enjoy being a resource for others. I’ve been helped when I needed help and only hope to pass that on.”

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School counseling alum named finalist for national award; first Wisconsin counselor recognized in more than 10 years

goersab — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 12:36:13 +0000

School counseling alum named finalist for national award; first Wisconsin counselor recognized in more than 10 yearsgoersab August 31, 2021

Flier ensures her ‘students feel seen, safe and successful’

Abbey Goers

Sarah Flier worked as a special education paraprofessional for the Minneapolis School District after earning her undergraduate degrees in psychology and studio art from St. Olaf College in 2004.

Sarah Flier, Willow River Elementary school counselor / Sarah Flier

She loved working with the students but wanted to use her psychology degree. “A family friend who was a school counselor encouraged me and helped steer me into applying to University of Wisconsin-Stout ��. master ��. in school counseling program.”

Flier earned her master ��. from �� in 2007. Based on recent events, she made the right career choice.

Flier is beginning her eighth year this fall at Willow River Elementary in Hudson as one of the nation ��. top school counselors. She was named by the American School Counselor Association as one of five finalists for the 2021 National School Counselor of the Year award.

She is the first Wisconsin school counselor to be recognized as an ASCA finalist in more than 10 years.

“My mission as a school counselor is to ensure all of my students feel seen, safe and successful,” Flier said in a statement to ASCA.

Collaboration for student success

In fall 2019, Willow River Elementary set a goal for 65% of students to meet their English/language arts target goal on the Measures of Academic Progress state exam.

When the school noticed an achievement gap for students who were socio-economically disadvantaged – only 45% of third-graders met the ELA target – Flier collaborated with her School Counseling Advisory Committee, the Willow River Parent Group and staff to develop the Literacy Toolbox Book Club, a program which ensures home access to books for all WRES students.

Flier with Book Club books / Sarah Flier

“The Literacy Toolbox is a program we use to provide books for students whose families may not be able to afford to purchase books from the Scholastic Book flyers that go home each month,” Flier said. “The idea is to build home libraries for students to increase their love of reading and books.”

The Book Club is administered through the school counseling program. With donations accepted through the Literacy Toolbox Go Fund Me, 25 students in kindergarten through fifth grade signed up to select and receive a book each month.

Books were purchased through the fund and delivered to the students’ lockers. And in spring 2019, 76% of third-graders had reached their target goal in the ELA assessment.

In the 2020-21 school year, 20 students participated in the Book Club, with many of these students improving their reading scores over the year, Flier said.

“Ms. Flier has an abundance of energy, natural ability, magnificent rapport with students and staff, and no end to creative ideas,” said Willow River Principal Kimberly Osterhues.

A nationwide need

Flier with her students at WRES / Sarah Flier

According to ASCA, about 111,000 school counselors serve 50.59 million K-12 students across the country, approximately one counselor for every 455 students. At Willow River, Flier serves 320 students, kindergarten through fifth grade. Previously, she was a middle school counselor in the Cumberland School District for seven years.

Carol Johnson, professor emerita with �� . School of Education, believes “school counselors are needed more than ever to help students who may be facing many challenges. School counselors offer the support for academic, social-emotional and career planning to help students this coming year and beyond. Counselors make a difference.”

��'s school counseling program is approved by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and is ranked one of the top six programs in the nation. Its on-campus facilities offer hands-on experiences in the Clinical Services Center and Play Therapy Lab. Students may enroll full-time or part-time, and daytime, evening, online and summer courses are available.

Adreanna Johnson had Flier as a counselor and has known her for 10 years. “Mrs. Flier shows all of her students that life should be a ride that you love, and you never want to get off of, so do all things that make you happy and let your light shine. I am proud to say that she has helped me grow into the person I am today.”

No two days are ever the same, said Flier. But that ��. one of the things she likes best. She loves connecting with students, families and staff.

“I feel fortunate to have a career that is so fulfilling. I get to greet students in the morning and hear their stories of lost teeth or new pets, be silly teaching classroom lessons and be the one that students come to when they need a safe space,” she said. “The most challenging part of the job is the emotional stories I hear and the lack of control to change the situations some students are in.”

Flier celebrating her award at home / Sarah Flier

Flier has worked with several university interns in their school counseling practicums, including from ��. They bring fresh ideas for lessons and groups to benefit her students, she said.

“As a professional, I tend to forget why I do some of the things I do – it becomes a natural part of how I operate,” she added. “To consciously think and explain my method and theory to interns helps me become an even better counselor.”

“We are deeply appreciative of the mentoring Sarah has provided,” Johnson said. “Practitioners in the field are the best mentors, as they provide our interns with the experiences needed to develop into full-time professionals.”

Acknowledging support and compassion

Olivia Carter, of Jefferson Elementary School in Cape Girardeau, Mo., was named the 2021 School Counselor of the Year. Other finalists along with Flier were Vanessa Goodman Barnes, Millbrook Magnet High School, Raleigh, N.C.; Megan Bledsoe, Discovery Middle School, Vancouver, Wash.; and Barbara Truluck, Palmer Middle School, Kennesaw, Ga.

Because of COVID-19, Flier and the finalists celebrated their nominations from their homes in a series of virtual events, briefings and webinars during National School Counseling Week last February.

Flier, Carter, Bledsoe and Truluck at the national conference / Sarah Flier

“It's been a pretty incredible past year with the recognition. Getting the call to let me know I was a finalist was unreal,” Flier said. “The First Lady Dr. Jill Biden said my name in the online gala. That was pretty incredible, and I did not see it coming.

Flier was able to celebrate with Carter, Bledsoe and Truluck in July at the national conference in Las Vegas.

“Making connections with passionate counselors has been incredible, and the recognition has given me a platform to speak from on the important role of school counselors,” she added.

“Our work is often misunderstood because so much of what we do is behind the scenes or cannot be shared publicly due to confidentiality. In being recognized, I hope it starts more conversations about what key players should be at the table when we are considering our students' mental health and well-being.”

ASCA, founded in 1952, has a network of 50 state and territory associations, including the Wisconsin School Counselor Association, and a membership of nearly 40,000 school counseling professionals.

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Flier ensures her ‘students feel seen, safe and successful’ sarahflier_schoolcounselor_willowriverelementary.jpg

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Internships at Boys and Girls Club helped guide graduate to next step in career

polingj — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 18:17:37 +0000

Internships at Boys and Girls Club helped guide graduate to next step in careerpolingj December 22, 2020

Roux, football team captain, plans to get master ��. from �� in school counseling

After earning his bachelor ��. degree Dec. 19 from University of Wisconsin-Stout, Bailey Roux can look back on numerous highlights and proud moments that were packed into four years on campus.

He graduated with honors from the criminal justice and rehabilitation program, making the dean ��. list six times, and he played three years and was a captain of the Blue Devil football team this season, which was canceled because of COVID-19.

Squeezed into those busy college days as a student athlete, Roux was doing something else that he’ll never forget. During the spring of 2019 and 2020, he interned at the Boys and Girls Club in Menomonie. There, he fell in love with helping young people.

He enjoyed it so much that in fall 2021 he will enroll in �� . Master of Science program in school counseling.

Bailey Roux / ��

As part of his major, he took a counseling class “and absolutely loved doing it. I really want to be in a school setting and make a difference, so what better career than a counselor?

“I plan to use the skills I learned both in the classroom as well as my internships to make me a better school counselor,” said Roux, who is from Rice Lake. “I feel it really geared me to want to be in a school setting in the future.”

Roux believes he found his true calling working with youth.

"It is really easy to talk to someone your own age, but when you're talking to a child who ranges from eight to 12 years old, it is a big difference," Roux said. "You almost have to look from their point of view and explain what you're trying to convey to them in a way that gets them to understand.”

During his internships, 200 hours each spring, he enjoyed being a role model while developing educational and recreational activities for club members. The club meets at River Heights Elementary in Menomonie and is part of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Greater Chippewa Valley.

Bailey Roux, who played center for the Blue Devil football team, prepares to snap the ball. / ��

"It was an awesome experience to be able to come to the club everyday as a 'big football player' and be a positive role model for a lot of these children. It is amazing how kids look up to athletes and how it helps them learn things,” said Roux, who is 6-foot-1 and 300 pounds.

Roux played center for the Blue Devils, starting every game beginning in his first year. He made the all-conference second team twice and was one of 199 national semifinalists for the prestigious Campbell Trophy, which recognizes the best scholar athlete football players in the nation.

He was one of just three players from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and one of just 40 from NCAA Division III to be named a semifinalist.

Clayt Birmingham / ��

“He is among the first to volunteer for the many opportunities to serve our community and campus. He understands the big picture of getting involved and helping others, all while carrying a good GPA,” said Clayt Birmingham, head football coach.

Roux, whose grade-point average is nearly 3.8, also has a chance to play professionally, drawing the attention of NFL scouts for the spring 2021 player draft.

Learning how to balance school and athletics was a challenge, Roux said, “but once I got the hang of it, it was easy. The coaches were very understanding and let me choose to pursue my academics first if there were any conflicts.”

Playing center, a position responsible not just for hiking the ball to the quarterback but calling out offensive signals at the line of scrimmage, was “stressful at times, but it helps you grow into a leadership role,” he said.

He has been working full time since summer, while finishing his degree, and plans to continue his job until next fall, when he begins the master ��. program. He works in the warehouse at Serenity Health and Home Décor in Eau Claire.

###

Bailey Roux can look back on numerous highlights and proud moments that were packed into four years on campus. Bailey Roux 1

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