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Fit to a tee: New Pat Kell Golf Center perfect match for Blue Devil teams, golf management majors

polingj — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 15:06:58 +0000

Fit to a tee: New Pat Kell Golf Center perfect match for Blue Devil teams, golf management majorspolingj October 11, 2024

Gift that created facility with state-of-the-art simulators, indoor putting and chipping green honors longtime golfer, family

Women ��. and men ��. golf team members and students majoring in golf enterprise management have a new, high-tech practice and learning hub at �� — the indoor Pat Kell Golf Center.

The center, in the Recreation Complex, has two state-of-the-art monitors that provide instant swing and ball data paired with two golf course simulators for year-round practice. In an adjoining room is a putting green, about 35 feet by 12 feet, and chipping area with artificial turf.

Recently, members of the Kell family joined Mike Kell to dedicate the center, built in two former racquetball courts. Mike ��. gift in honor of his wife, Pat Kell, who died in 2021, made it possible.

Mike Kell ��. gift in honor of his wife led to the creation of the Pat Kell Golf Center. / ��

Pat Kell joins her dad for a golf outing in 1958 in Madison, where she grew up. / Contributed photo

“She would be thrilled, tickled pink about this whole complex,” Mike Kell said.

The idea grew out of Pat ��. lifelong love for golf and the multiple benefits that could be realized at ��. Along with players receiving instant swing feedback — such as ball speed, spin rate, distance — they can practice indoors during winter months and play simulated rounds of golf on holes projected onto a giant screen, a version of the game that has grown in popularity across the country as technology has advanced.

GEM majors, trained to take on management positions at top golf facilities, can use the center as a lab to learn about swing instruction, club fitting, event management and more.

In addition, the center will be available to the general student body, faculty, staff and the community to reserve.

“There are a lot of things we can do that we couldn’t do before,” said Andrew Delong, men ��. team coach and GEM program director.

A member of the �� men ��. golf team uses one of the two golf simulators at the center. / ��

He noted that Blue Devil golfers by the nature of their sport didn’t have a locker room — until now. “It ��. such a great opportunity for our kids to experience the highest level of technology.”

The facility includes player lockers and a social area with a TV and couch.

Men ��. golf team member Andrew Bauer was on hand for the dedication and was practicing his chipping and putting with other men ��. and women ��. team members. “This will allow us to improve our games and gain an edge. It looks like a Division I facility,” Bauer said after personally thanking Mike Kell.

Bauer is a sophomore from Chippewa Falls majoring in business administration.

Members of the �� women ��. golf team practice on the putting green. / ��

The women ��. team recently took second place in the conference tournament, led by first-year player Julia Imai, who won the individual title by seven shots. Imai, from Brookline, Mass., is majoring in food science and technology.

Blue Devil Coach Sophia Connett, who also attend the Kell Center dedication, was named WIAC coach of the year.

Athletics Director Duey Naatz called the center a “top tier” facility and told Kell family members at the dedication that the university was “thrilled you chose to honor Pat in this way.”

Mike Kell is the son of Paul Kell, who founded Kell Container in Chippewa Falls. In 2004, Kell Container was purchased by Great Northern Corp. Kell Container and GNC have a long history of collaborating with �� and its academic programs.

Mike Kell tries a putt at the center in the Recreation Complex. / ��

Multiple Kell family members are alumni, including most recently Charlie Pierce, a 2023 graduate and grandson of Mike and Pat. Charlie graduated in packaging and works for GNC.

“The Kell family appreciates �� and always will,” Mike Kell said. “Stout made this happen.”

The gift was coordinated through the �� Foundation and Alumni Association.

The Pat Kell Golf Center is the first of many expected changes at the Recreation Complex, where a renovation supported by students is �� . next major capital project awaiting state approval.

###

Women ��. and men ��. golf team members and students majoring in golf enterprise management have a new, high-tech playing and learning hub at ��. Kell Center simulator

University Marketing

Andrew Delong

Full Name: Andrew Delong

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College: College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Management

Department: Operations & Management Department

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Invitation to innovation: Special spring events celebrate students’ creativity, scholastics

goersab — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 13:30:15 +0000

Invitation to innovation: Special spring events celebrate students’ creativity, scholasticsgoersab March 19, 2024

Destination Weekend, April 5-6, features Fashion Without Fabric, ‘Dogfight’ musical and more for campus and community

Abbey Goers

Destination Weekend invites students, families, supporters and the community to celebrate �� . Polytechnic Advantage and its students on Friday, April 5, and Saturday, April 6, through creative displays, academic showcases and lab tours across an array of programs, visual arts exhibits and recreational events.

Anchoring the weekend ��. events are University Theater ��. production of the award-winning musical “Dogfight,” which runs April 5-13, and the annual sensation Fashion Without Fabric on April 6, which sells out each year. Tickets are required for both.

Destination Weekend is the kick-off of Stout Spring Showcase, five weeks of academic celebrations open to the public.

Unexpected couture returns to the runway

More than 250 students will present unconventional fashion designs themed around “Philias and Phobias” for the crowd-favorite runway show Fashion Without Fabric at 7 p.m. on April 6, in the Memorial Student Center Great Hall.

Join us at Fashion Without Fabric, one of �� annual signature events / ��

Student teams in the 3D Design course devote several weeks to bringing their unexpected couture to life as they prepare to walk the runway, portraying a strong attraction or excessive fear to their selected word.

Tickets for a Low Stimuli Room are also available for individuals wanting to watch a live broadcast of the show in an environment with reduced lighting and lower volume, held in the Memorial Student Center Cedar/Maple rooms.

Students compete for $3,000 in scholarships and awards given to the winners of the show, thanks to donations by industry partners, alumni and community members.

Hands-on demonstrations and displays

An Academic Open House will be held in multiple buildings and labs across campus on April 5-6, as part of Destination Weekend. The community is invited to experience applied learning and research, view laboratories and equipment, and more.

Academic events on Friday, April 5:

Printmaking Demonstration, Create a Blue Devil print: 2 to 4 p.m., Micheels Hall Atrium
Metals Jewelry Sale: 2 to 4 p.m., Micheels Hall Atrium

Academic events on Saturday, April 6:

Splash Photography Demonstrations: 10 a.m. to noon, Communication Technologies Building
Fashion Design Coat Exhibition: 10 a.m. to noon, Fryklund Hall
Social Sciences Activity: 1 to 2 p.m., Harvey Hall fourth floor
Psychology in Action: 1 to 2 p.m., Harvey Hall rooms 456, 479 and 480

Additional events are being planned.

‘Dogfight’ teaches power of love and compassion

Tickets are available online at University Ticketing for “Dogfight.” Set in San Francisco on Nov. 21, 1963, Corporal Eddie Birdlace and other young Marines plan to celebrate their last night of freedom with a bit of debauchery and play a game they call a “dogfight.”

But when Birdlace meets Rose Fenny, an awkward and idealistic waitress whom he enlists to win a cruel bet with his fellow recruits, she rewrites the rules of the game and teaches him the power of love and compassion.

‘Dogfight’ spins cruel bet into love story: �� Theatre presents award-winning musical April 5-13

Tale of Vietnam veteran dives into mental health

Performances will be held in the historic Harvey Hall Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on April 5-6, 11-13, with a matinee at 2 p.m. on April 7.

Recreation Events & Campus Activities

Friday, April 5 events; no registration is required:

Library Fun Map: Noon to 9 p.m. Explore every nook and cranny of the University Library and enjoy its unique special collections, exhibits, hands-on play areas such as the Board Game Collection and the Lego Collection. Maps are available in the lobby.
Open Video Game Lab: 3 to 5 p.m., University Library room 103. Try more than 650 vintage and new video game titles on one of 17 gaming consoles.
Free Climb: 3 to 9:30 p.m., Sports and Fitness Center room 56
GLOW Climb: 8 to 9:30 p.m., Sports and Fitness Center room 56
“Wonka,” Blue Devil Productions’ movie night: 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., Applied Arts Building room 210. Seating is first-come, first-served.
Pickleball/Yard Games: 7 to 9 p.m., Sports and Fitness Center room 41. Outdoors, weather permitting.

Check out one of University Recreation's many weekend events / ��

Saturday, April 6 events; no registration is required:

StoutProud Bingo: 10 a.m., MSC Terrace
Pickleball/Yard Games: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sports and Fitness Center room 41. Outdoors, weather permitting.
Free Climb: Noon to 4 p.m., Sports and Fitness Center room 56
Stout Amazing Race: 2 to 4 p.m., starting at the Memorial Student Center, Involvement Porch. Be the fastest team to race around campus, solving puzzles and completing tasks. The race will be moved indoors in the case of inclement weather.

Visual & Literary Arts Receptions

A number of exhibitions, receptions and art sales open to the public are scheduled in Furlong Gallery and student Gallery 209, in the Applied Arts Building, as well as in Micheel ��. Hall atrium, the Library Art Lab, Harvey Hall, and the historic Louis Smith Tainter House and Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts.

Furlong Gallery will host an exhibition by Toronto-based cartoonist and visual artist Jessica Campbell and alum Adam Umbach, of New York. Umbach, of Brooklyn, N.Y., is a biographical painter. He earned his B.F.A. in studio art in 2009.

Graphic design students, led by Professor Nagesh Shinde, are designing large-scale posters in collaboration with The BrandLab, a nonprofit that's creating more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces in marketing. The posters will be on display in the Micheels Hall Atrium April 5-6, before beginning a traveling exhibition.

Painting by Adam Umbach

Gallery 209 will feature Metals and Fashion, an Exhibition in Motion, with an opening reception from 2 to 4 p.m. on April 5.

The Library Art Lab will showcase The Entireverse, drawings and storytelling by Honors College student Dillan Olson. An opening reception will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. on April 5, on the first floor of the University Library.

A juried student art exhibit at the Louis Smith Tainter House, home of the Stout Foundation, will feature students’ works from Monday, April 1, to Tuesday, April 30. A reception will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. on April 5, at LST House, 320 S. Broadway St., Menomonie.

A drawing exhibition, Inspired by Mabel, will feature works by Bachelor of Fine Arts first-year students, with a reception at the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts from 5 to 6 p.m. on April 5, at 205 Main St. E., Menomonie. All are welcome to the exhibit and art class and to see the historic buildings.

A Made@Stout student pop-up shop will be open from 4 to 7 p.m. on April 6, in the MSC lower level. Students from multiple programs and clubs, including Ceramics Guild, metals and contemporary jewelry, Student Interior Design Organization, Industrial Designer ��. Society of America, Retail Association and the Comix Club will have designs available to purchase.

Celebrate the relaunch of ��'s student-published literary journal “Prometheus,” which features students’ prose, poetry and visual art. A reading of prize-winning pieces on this year's theme of Revival will be held from 3 to 4 p.m. on April 6, in the Harvey Hall coffee shop, first floor.

Other student showcases coming up are Research Day on Monday, April 29, in the Memorial Student Center Great Hall; Stout Game Expo on Thursday, May 2, in the Great Hall; and SOAD Senior Show on Friday, May 3, in the Applied Arts Building and Micheels Hall.

Community

All Community News

With WIAC trophy in hand, Blue Devils hockey team readies for postseason run

After first-ever outright regular season title, ‘calm and composed’ squad aims for conference tourney, potential NCAA trip

February 25, 2026

Career-connected learning: SkillsUSA brings nearly 400 middle, high school students to ��

Engineering, technical, design competitions prepare young people for future careers

February 25, 2026

Year of Design celebration central to ��'s spring 2026 event schedule

Community invited to exhibitions, civic and literary conversations, film screenings and performances

February 11, 2026

Destination Weekend, April 5-6, features Fashion Without Fabric, ‘Dogfight’ musical and more for campus and community Printmaking in the studio

University Marketing

Destination Weekend

Inviting families, supporters, alumni and others to campus April 10-12, 2026, to celebrate all things Stout!

Urec Destination Weekend Events

Fun 5K run/walk event hosted on Family Weekend

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Moving forward: Top 10 stories of 2023 highlight success for and by students

polingj — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 17:46:29 +0000

Moving forward: Top 10 stories of 2023 highlight success for and by studentspolingj January 3, 2024

Heritage Hall renovation, record gift for Recreation Complex lead the list

Student success, current and future, was at the heart of major progress made on multiple fronts during 2023 at ��.

The university ��. top 10 news stories of the year reflect that progress. The list is led by state approval for the renovation of Heritage Hall and record private support for another project, the Recreation Complex. The facility improvements will support students on their higher education journey in the classroom and on campus in the years and decades to come.

Student success, the leading goal of �� . FOCUS2030 strategic plan, also was the focus of the other top stories of the year, including new academic programs, major grants, achievements and awards.

Heritage Hall at �� will feature more glass on the exterior and state-of-the-art classrooms and labs when renovations are completed. / ��

1. Heritage Hall renovation fully funded

In the spring, $139 million in state funding for Heritage Hall, one of �� . major academic buildings, was approved and included in the state ��. 2023-25 state budget. Bidding for construction will begin in fall 2024.

Renovating the 50-year-old building will directly address Wisconsin's workforce needs in hospitality and tourism, mental health and wellness, child care and education, food science, disability and rehabilitation services. Nearly 60% of �� graduates remain in Wisconsin, and the employment rate of recent graduates is 99.4%, based on a spring First Destination report.

The project also has received $13.5 million in private funding from university supporters, industry partners and alumni made through the Stout University Foundation.

Another renovation project wrapped up in the summer at South Hall, a residence hall. The $22.5 million refresh of the 1967 building, with 356 beds, began in spring 2022.

Also last summer, the university ��. largest solar photovoltaic array to date was installed at Jarvis Hall Technology Wing, part of a multibuilding solar and energy efficiency project.

Thanks to a $5 million donation from Dallas and Edye Pankowski, a renovated Recreation Complex at �� will include a new welcome center. / ��

2. Record-setting $5M gift for Recreation Complex

In the fall, �� received more good facilities news: Alum Dallas Pankowski and his wife, Edye, a Menomonie native, committed the largest private gift in school history, $5 million, toward the planned Recreation Complex renovation.

The gift will provide one-sixth of the cost for the $30.5 million project and create a new welcome and community space named in honor of the Pankowskis. The 2,700-square-foot addition will be on the west side of the Sports and Fitness Center, just south of the adjoining Johnson Fieldhouse.

3. Major grants

In October, the U.S. Department of Education awarded �� a $2.5 million Title III federal grant over five years to provide comprehensive student support.

The STRONG — Strategic Technology, Retention and Organizational Networks and Guidance — program will holistically support students with increased support in academic advising, first-year experiences, financial wellness and mental health counseling.

Students collect macroinvertebrate samples last summer in Galloway Creek. / ��

In August, �� . environmental science and applied science programs received three research grants totaling more than $463,000 from the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin. One of the grants, $358,940 for the Red Cedar Watershed Monitoring Project, will focus on water quality in the area ��. lakes, rivers and streams.

Earlier, in April, the cybersecurity program received a $299,000 state Fast Forward grant to address workforce and infrastructure needs. The grant provides paid industry internships to students.

4. NSA cybersecurity designation

In the fall, the university received renewed designation from the National Security Agency and its partners as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity based on the strength of the cybersecurity and the computer networking programs.

The designation, through the 2028 academic year, is an extension of the university ��. 2017-2022 designation from the National Security Agency. �� was the first four-year university in the state to receive it in 2017, and the university ��. computer networking and information technology degree is the only undergraduate program in the state designated a CAE Program of Study.

A student works with a robot in a �� engineering lab. The new automation leadership program addresses advances in engineering and manufacturing technology. / ��

5. First automation leadership program of its kind

In July, �� announced a first-of-a-kind bachelor ��. program in automation leadership. Inspired by industry, it addresses the new age of manufacturing — robots, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, analytics and more, called Industry 4.0, or smart automation.

In the fall, �� began an esports coaching minor to reflect the growing interest in esports competition. �� has an intercollegiate esports — competitive video game — team, the first in the Universities of Wisconsin.

In January, the School of Management began offering a first-of-its-kind Service Excellence course with the support of Forbes Travel Guide, which is known for its independent annual ratings of luxury hotels, restaurants and spas in more than 74 countries.

6. First state apprenticeship program of its kind

In December, �� and the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development announced a first-of-its-kind state initiative to combine instruction at a four-year college with the Registered Apprenticeship program.

The Workforce Development Specialist Certificate program, also known as the Train the Trainer apprenticeship, teaches students about employment and training solutions that meet the needs of businesses and workers.

�� is the first four-year university collaborating with Wisconsin Apprenticeship since it began in 1911. The program offers classes that fulfill instruction requirements for a Registered Apprenticeship and could be credited toward an undergraduate or graduate degree program. The three-class online program teaches students ways to design, develop, implement and evaluate training and development solutions.

�� . Coding Club took first place in a Midwest computer science programming competition. / ��

7. Students shine in competitions

Student success was tangible throughout 2023 with trophies and awards in numerous competitions. They won industry-sponsored, national sustainability challenges in San Diego and Scottsdale, Ariz.; a Midwest computer science programming competition; and took second in a regional computing competition.

Areeba Ali, M.S. food science and technology, won the Wisconsin Biohealth Communications Competition for graduate students at the Wisconsin Biohealth Summit. She also won the state title and People ��. Choice Award for “Development of Eco-friendly Milk Whey Protein Isolate Biodegradable Packaging,” at the annual WiSys SPARK Symposium ��. Quick Pitch final.

Game design student Aden Weisser won two awards at the M+DEV state conference in Madison while Isabel Roberts took first in a regional graphic design competition in the Twin Cities.

Three students, two from packaging and one from video production, took first place in a 48-hour national packaging design competition sponsored by the Institute of Packaging Professionals.

High school students compete in the Make48 competition. / ��

8. First Make48 Career Pathways competition

In late October, �� hosted Make48, a long-running, 48-hour national competition television show. Students from six area high schools invented physical prototypes to solve real-world problems in maker spaces at the Fab Lab while competing for cash and other prizes in Make48 ��. first Career Pathways competition.

Another version of the Make48 competition, building on �� . applied learning focus and industry partnerships, is scheduled for fall 2024.

9. Women ��. basketball championship

In February, the Blue Devils claimed the university ��. first Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title in 16 years by defeating rival UW-Eau Claire 63-45 in a February showdown at Johnson Fieldhouse. Hannah Iverson was named WIAC Coach of the Year.

The women ��. gymnastics team finished third in the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association championships.

Athletics also announced a new men ��. soccer program. The team will begin play in fall 2024.

10. Top UW school for veterans

In November, �� was named the top public university in Wisconsin for veterans and active military students, according to Military Times as part of its national Best for Vets rankings.

In the spring, �� also earned a silver rating and made the national Military Friendly list for the 14th straight year.

Special services for veterans at �� include a peer-to-peer Veteran Mentorship Program, a Military and Veteran Resource Center, a Council on Veteran Services and a student Veterans Club.

Bonus: Top photo of 2023

The top photo of 2023 at �� features members of the women ��. conference championship basketball team in the homecoming parade. / ��

In addition to the top stories of the year, a photo of the year was chosen: Members of the women ��. basketball team taking part in the fall homecoming parade.

The university's photographers and social media manager selected their 10 favorite photos of the year. Faculty and staff were invited to vote, as well as student families and supporters through the StoutFam newsletter.

The 2023-24 academic year at �� continues Monday, Jan. 22, with the start of spring semester classes.

###

Student success, current and future, was at the heart of major progress made on multiple fronts during 2023 at ��. Heritage rendering

University Marketing

Major progress: �� highlights its top 10 stories of 2022

At �� in 2022, the word major meant more than a student ��. chosen field of study. It also described progress made and good news received.

Hero Caption: State Reps. Clint Moses, right, and Rob Summerfield speak at a news conference to celebrate the Legislature's funding of the Heritage Hall renovation project.

Marketing Communications

Leading ��'s marketing  and communications

Our Mission

We lead and implement marketing communications, strategies and research to help drive ��'s enrollment, partnerships, and fundraising initiatives.  

Marketing Communications (MarCom) works collaboratively across campus to lead campus-wide marketing strategies through:

Development and implementation of strategic marketing plans and campaigns that support a wide variety of campus goals
Oversight of branding guidelines, imagery, and our internet presence
Engagement of students, donors, and partners through the effective implementation of story-telling via news stories, web, publications, email campaigns, advertising, social media, and video
Data and research to help inform strategic decision-making
Leadership, education, and outreach with various campus committees and constituencies

Request Marketing Services

Faculty and staff can submit requests for marketing support related to following needs through MarCom's StoutCloud services page.

Design/Print Requests
Digital Marketing Requests
Email Design Requests
Photo or Video Requests
Faculty & Staff Profile Support

Visit the MarCom StouCloud Services Page

Web Production

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Marketing Communications

Office: 301 Sorensen Hall

715-232-5409

Email: marcom@uwstout.edu

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The following student positions are available on the MarCom team:

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Please email web content and page development requests to webmaster@uwstout.edu.

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Pankowskis’ record $5M gift provides major boost to Recreation Complex renovation

polingj — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 17:52:52 +0000

Pankowskis’ record $5M gift provides major boost to Recreation Complex renovationpolingj November 13, 2023

Active couple is funding addition to building project that may inspire students, others to pursue a healthy lifestyle

Staying physically fit, active and inspired by the world around them is a way of life for Dallas and Edye Pankowski, who enjoy downhill skiing, biking, hiking and adventure-based trips.

It stands to reason then that Dallas, an alum, and Edye, a Menomonie native, are supporting the upcoming Recreation Complex renovation at �� with a gift of $5 million — the largest in university history. Their hope: Inspire students and others to be active and pursue a healthy lifestyle.

The welcome and community space at the expanded Recreation Complex will be named after Dallas and Edye Pankowski. / ��

About 2,000 people a day from students to staff to community members to Athletics recruits and other potential new students could pass through the space.

“We were impressed by the overall design, the asset that it would be to the university and the community, and we have a strong interest in health, wellness and physical fitness,” Dallas said. “It ��. a fairly large atrium that would really dress up the building.”

The Pankowskis, from Plover, near Stevens Point, originally committed $4 million in 2018 to Stout University Foundation as an estate gift. However, they hadn’t decided how they wanted the gift to be used. After hearing about the funding opportunity to enhance the Recreation Complex, they chose it for their original gift and added $1 million.

“We really believe in athletics and recreation as part of the university program,” Dallas said.

A new west entrance and gathering space will be built at �� . Recreation Complex, thanks to a $5 million gift, largest in �� history, from the Pankowskis. / ��

The Pankowskis were on campus recently when their gift was announced at the Stout University Foundation ��. annual scholarship reception, and they received a standing ovation. The Foundation announced more than 400 scholarships totaling $1.2 million; the Pankowskis also sponsor two of those scholarships annually for STEM students.

“Their gift and legacy will be truly transformational in its power to attract and retain students and serve the broader community,” Chancellor Katherine Frank said.

“Dallas and Edye immediately recognized the importance of this project to our campus and to the community and stepped forward to participate in and further enhance the building and the co-curricular experience for our students,” Frank added.

The Pankowski-named space, including a lounge and retail area, will create a new, central entryway to the Sports and Fitness Center, which includes student recreation facilities, and to Johnson Fieldhouse.

Edye and Dallas Pankowski own Pankowski Associates, a real estate construction management company. / ��

Without the gift, the space would not have been included in the project. The other $25.5 million will come from student segregated fees. In 2019, students voted in a Stout Student Association advisory referendum to approve raising fees for the project. It includes:

A new, larger cardio and strength-training facility, 10,000 square feet, on the west side for students, next to the Pankowski gathering area
Renovating the old swimming pool, which was closed in 2018, and replacing it with a multiuse gym for recreation
Expanded and upgraded locker rooms for students
Moving the Athletics weight room to the former student fitness facility
Creating multiuse studio spaces in the current Athletics weight room.

The design process is underway. �� will seek formal approval for the renovation in the 2025-27 state budget. No additional state funding is needed, but inclusion in the budget allows �� to proceed with the project.

Construction could begin in 2026 and finish in 2027, according to Justin Utpadel, �� senior facilities officer.

Including the Pankowskis’ gift, private support for the project totals $7.3 million.

The north end of the building, including Johnson Fieldhouse, opened in 1965, when the university had less than half the students it does today. It was the first complete Athletics and recreation facility in school history, replacing a 1901 building called the School of Physical Culture that was east of Bowman Hall.

In 1989 a major addition to the south end of the building included the Multipurpose Room indoor track. Minor additions followed in 1997 and 2000.

Dallas and Edye Pankowski hiked to a crater in Mongolia last summer as part of a 16-day remote adventure. / Contributed photo

Pankowskis have built successful company, traveled the world

Dallas Pankowski remembers the old School of Physical Culture. “There wasn’t much for gyms and no intramurals to speak of. I envy these kids today with the things they have available to them,” he said.

The Milwaukee native earned bachelor ��. and master ��. degrees in industrial education from �� and a doctorate from the University of Missouri, then taught electronics at State University of New York-Oswego. He met Edye in Menomonie. She worked for two years at Stout because she could not afford college, then eventually earned a bachelor ��. degree in studio art at Oswego, New York, a master ��. in fashion design at Syracuse University and a doctorate in interior architecture at Penn State University. She is a retired university professor.

In the late 1970s, the Pankowskis moved to Plover and established Pankowski Associates, a real estate construction management company in the Stevens Point area. Dallas oversaw construction of their apartment buildings and single family homes; Edye handled the interior design and accounting. The company, still in business but smaller now, also owned commercial real estate properties in the Green Bay-Appleton area.

“I’ve always had a warm feeling in my heart for Stout because of what it did for me,” Dallas said, noting when he came to �� in the mid-1950s it was the first time he’d ever stepped foot on a college campus.

Dallas and Edye Pankowski traveled 800 miles above the Arctic Circle for 12 days last summer on a ship, part of a 40-day adventure. / Contributed photo

“I really believe in the Stout philosophy,” he said, adding that he strongly supports the blend of liberal arts with hands-on technology education. He cited the numerous labs he had at �� and personal interaction with professors.

The Pankowskis also have supported many projects near where they live, including an amphitheater at Schmeeckle Reserve in Stevens Point, an extensive lighted trail system at Standing Rocks Park and three state-of-the-art handicap-accessible, all-weather fishing piers in Lake Pacawa Park in Plover. Edye designed the signage for the last two projects, and Dallas oversaw construction.

Their lifelong interests have included border-to-border state bike rides, downhill skiing out West and adventure hiking. Last summer, they did three consecutive tours — 12 days of hiking in Albania, 12 days on an ice-hardened ship, 800 miles above the Arctic Circle, doing zodiac wet landings to remote islands, searching for wildlife, including polar bears, with armed guides, and 16 days of remote hiking in Mongolia. In 2022 they hiked the Azores islands off the coast of Portugal. Dallas also recently took race car driving lessons and experienced high-performance go-carts.

They have traveled to more than three-fourths of the world ��. nearly 200 countries.

With their physical activities and their career in the building industry, supporting a recreation building project at �� “ties it all together. We want to be part of a project that gets done, has the highest level of workmanship and will be used to make a difference,” Dallas said.

Foundation scholarships support 540 students

The $1.2 million in scholarships awarded in September by the Foundation went to 540 students.

Of the 410 scholarships awarded, 26 were new:

Dr. Bryan D. Albrecht Scholarship
ESG Interior Design Endowed Scholarship
Fastenal Annual Scholarship
Jay O. Fletcher Native American Higher Education Scholarship
Garrison Scholars Annual Scholarship
Allen C. Hermansen Endowed Scholarship
Janetski Family Industrial Design Scholarship
Frank Jochmann Annual Scholarship
Teri Lynn Giese Scholarship
Deborah Lancello Annual Scholarship
Marvin G. Larson Annual Scholarship
Dr. Kimberly Martinez School of Education Endowed Scholarship
Sharon Nelsen Scholarship
Newman Golf Annual Scholarship
Elizabeth Borgert Nyseth and Gary Nyseth Scholarship
Pathway for a Brighter Future Endowed Scholarship Fund
Kenneth Rouiller Annual Scholarship
Dr. Paola Sandroni M.D., Ph. D. Medical Career Endowed Scholarship
Tim Schaefer Endowed Scholarship
Sigma Sigma Sigma Beta Pi Scholarship
Society of Plastics Engineers - Student Chapter Scholarship
Sterling and Barbara Strause Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Larry Schneider Memorial Scholarship
Douglas and Jean Lindblad Sherman Annual Scholarship
Arthur William Steinhafel Memorial Scholarship
Wisconsin Institute of Packaging Professionals (IOPP) Chapter Endowed Scholarship

When the Foundation began its first scholarship fundraising campaign in 1962, two $100 scholarships were awarded. Since then, 12,390 students have received scholarships.

###

The upcoming Recreation Complex renovation at �� has received a major boost with a gift of $5 million — the largest in university history. Rec Complex 1

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Hero Caption: The $30.5 million Recreation Complex Renovation will include the addition of a new cardio and strength-training facility for �� students, at right.

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Invitation to innovation: Supporters, community celebrate students’ creative, scholarly and athletic activities

goersab — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 14:41:46 +0000

Invitation to innovation: Supporters, community celebrate students’ creative, scholarly and athletic activitiesgoersab March 23, 2023

Destination Weekend, April 14-15, features Fashion Without Fabric, polytechnic exhibition and more

Abbey Goers

�� will welcome hundreds of students’ families and supporters for Destination Weekend, a time to celebrate students and their campus.

Academic, athletic and community events will run Friday, April 14, and Saturday, April 15, including the annual sensation Fashion Without Fabric, which will return to the runway after last year ��. sold-out, exhibit-style event.

A Polytechnic Student Exhibition will highlight research by more than 70 students. And the production of “Be More Chill” will mark the first theater performance on campus in three years.

Destination Weekend

Inviting families, supporters, alumni and others to campus April 10-12, 2026, to celebrate all things Stout!

Destination Weekend is the rebranded, reimagined event, formerly called Family Weekend.

Hitting the runway in style

About 280 students in 14 sections of the 3D Design course are working in teams of two to three to design fashions for the crowd-favorite runway show Fashion Without Fabric.

The show will be held at 7 p.m. on April 15, in the Memorial Student Center Great Hall. Tickets are required and go on sale online on Monday, March 27. The show sells out each year.

Tickets for a Low Stimuli Room will also be available for individuals wanting to watch a live broadcast of the show in an environment with reduced lighting and lower volume, held in the Memorial Student Center Cedar/Maple rooms.

Fashion Without Fabric

�� and the School of Art & Design invite you one of the Midwest's premier unconventional fashion runway shows, Fashion Without Fabric.

For this year ��. theme, “Inventions and Innovations,” teams drew a random slip of paper to see which invention from across the centuries they were assigned. Their fashion creations will represent a vast array of items, including pacemakers, motorcycles, guitars, gummy bears, Lego, kites, jet engines, bubble gum, cassette tapes, and even Cheese Whiz, explained Cathie Weissman, a financial specialist for the School of Art and Design.

Students will begin planning and creating their fashions on March 27, giving them just three weeks to conceptualize and build their outfits before the runway performance.

About 280 students will model their fashions based on “Inventions and Innovations” on the runway in the MSC Great Hall. / ��

Weissman, who helps coordinate the event and secures supplies for the students’ designs, said they work with all types of media, and each instructor has a different spin on how to teach the concept.

“It ��. just one part of their semester – a very large part,” she said. “It ��. exciting to see what they do and the processes and media they use. The students are taking all the skills they’ve learned in their 2D courses and are incorporating them into 3D concepts in their sculptural outfits.”

The School of Art and Design will award two $1,000 scholarships to the winners of the show, thanks to donations by industry partners, alumni and community members.

Hands-on research on display

A Polytechnic Student Exhibition, featuring applied research posters and class projects from more than 70 students across 20 programs, will be on display in Micheels Atrium, Jarvis Hall Tech Wing hallway and Jarvis Hall main lobby.

“The multibuilding display seeks to draw connections between programs and the types of cross-disciplinary opportunities students and student research teams are able to do in their courses,” said Tamara Brantmeier, associate provost and vice chancellor of Student and Partner Engagement, event coordinator.

More than 70 students across 20 programs will display their research at the Polytechnic Student Exhibition. / ��

Student projects will include LAKES REU research, along with nine posters that were presented at Research in the Rotunda, a recent event highlighting student research at the state Capitol. Four interior design projects will line the hallway near the Construction Labs, where students take construction and architectural drafting courses to complement their design and art history work. And packaging projects researching plastic waste and sustainability will be posted near the Plastics Lab.

The exhibition will begin with the UW System Board of Regents visit on Thursday, March 30, and remain up through Destination Weekend.

First theater production in three years

Tickets are available online at University Ticketing for “Be More Chill,” a new sci-fi musical about high school, friendships and bullies, popularity and social outcasts, and what we will do to get what we want.

This is the first theater production on campus in three years because of the pandemic.

Performances will be held in the historic Harvey Hall Theatre:

Evening performances: 7:30 p.m., April 13-15
Matinees: 2 p.m., April 15-16

University Theatre

Be part of �� Theatre's cast or crew of our stage productions presented in the beautiful Harvey Theatre.

Athletic and recreation events and campus activities

Friday, April 14. These events are open to the public; no registration is required.

Free Climbing: 3 to 8 p.m., Sports and Fitness Center room 56
GLOW Climb: 8 to 10 p.m., Sports and Fitness Center room 56
Blue Devil Productions presents comedian Tommy Ryman: 8 p.m., MSC Great Hall.

Saturday, April 15. These events are open to the public; no registration is required.

Polytechnic Student Exhibition: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., multibuilding exhibition
Poker Walk: 10:30 a.m. to noon, beginning in front of McCalmont Hall, 10th Ave. E
Men ��. baseball vs. UW-Oshkosh: Noon and 3 p.m., Nelson Field
Pickleball and yard games: Noon to 3 p.m., Sports and Fitness Center Multipurpose Room
Women's lacrosse vs. College of Saint Benedict: 1 p.m., Nelson Field
StoutProud Bingo: 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., MSC Terrace
Stout Amazing Race: time and location to be announced
The Neighbors community card writing: time and location to be announced.

Urec Destination Weekend Events

Fun 5K run/walk event hosted on Family Weekend

The School of Art and Design will award two $1,000 scholarships to the winners of Fashion Without Fabric. / ��

Furlong Gallery and Gallery 209 in the Applied Arts Building will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 14, and noon to 4 p.m. on April 15. Furlong will feature three exhibiting artists Ger Xiong, textile and fiber; Corrine Teed, printmaking and drawing; and Associate Professor Erik Evensen ��. sabbatical work.

The student gallery, Gallery 209, will feature two students’ thesis shows. And the Library Art Lab, a new exhibiting space on the first floor of the University Library will also be open for viewing.

Other student showcases coming up are Research Day on Tuesday, May 2, in the Memorial Student Center Great Hall; and SOAD Senior Show on Friday, May 5, in the Applied Arts Building and Micheels Hall.

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Successful small business collaborates with class to improve operations, sales

February 20, 2026

AI reshaping industry: Advanced Machine Learning students develop impactful, competitive models

Projects result in innovative way to search course bulletin, play digital Othello board game

January 22, 2026

Breaking ground for polytechnic partnerships: �� top story highlights of 2025

Heritage Hall renovation, AI innovations, industry-sponsored focus among year ��. notable headlines

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Destination Weekend, April 14-15, features Fashion Without Fabric, polytechnic exhibition and more 20170408_Fashion_Without_Fabric

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Hero Caption: Students will hit the runway at Fashion Without Fabric, during ��'s Destination Weekend, April 14-15.

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Student bowling, disc golf club teams stand out in national meets

polingj — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 13:53:10 +0000

Student bowling, disc golf club teams stand out in national meetspolingj April 25, 2022

Bowlers second in Iowa while disc golfers take fifth in North Carolina

For hundreds of �� students, being involved in a club sport or another student organization is great way to make friends and enjoy a favorite pastime or find a new social outlet.

Two teams of students, from the Bowling Club and Disc Golf Club, took it a little more seriously this year and found out they were among the best in the country in men ��. tournaments.

The Bowling Club took second place in the nation at a tournament in Davenport, Iowa, and the Disc Golf Club took fifth at a tournament in Marion, N.C.

�� . Jacob Zondlak takes aim during the Collegiate Club National Championship bowling tournament in Iowa. / Contributed photo

“It's exciting to see our sport clubs back being active. Not only are many of our clubs competing, they are competing well amongst other clubs across the nation,” said Mackenzie Stutzman, associate director of University Recreation at ��.

“Our mission as a department is to provide an avenue for lifelong engagement, healthy activity and experiential learning as a way to enhance students’ time on campus. It's great to be seeing our students doing that.”

Like the more than 150 student organizations at ��, the two teams received funding support from the Stout Student Association through segregated student fees. Simple Sports from Menomonie also supported the disc golf team.

Bowling Club

On April 9-10 in the Collegiate Club National Championship at Leisure Lanes in Davenport, �� team members far exceeded their expectations by taking runner-up in the U.S.

�� finished second to Wright State of Dayton, Ohio, losing the fifth and deciding game of the best-of-five finals match, 202-173. �� took a 2-0 lead in the match before Wright State rallied for the title.

Bowling Club members, front row from left, Drew Dietrich, Triston Riedesel and Hunter Hintz. Back row from left, David Burnett, Alex Trowbridge, Jacob Mueller and Jacob Zondlak. / Contributed photo

“This is the first year to our knowledge that Stout has ever qualified for this tournament. We thought we would be out in the first couple of rounds,” said Briana Riedesel, a sophomore from Tomah who is the club ��. vice president and on the women ��. team.

To make the tournament finals, teams first competed in pool play. �� was seeded fifth out of six teams in its pool.

The team qualified for the national meet through conference play and tournaments hosted by Viterbo University in La Crosse and at UW-Oshkosh.

Seven bowlers went to the national meet out of about 12 on the team who play competitively. The club has about another 15 to 20 members. Club members play and practice two nights a week at Broadway Bowl in Menomonie.

Jacob Zondlak, a sophomore from Kenosha, made the All-Tournament Team, as voted on by other teams.

�� . Kyle DeVries tees off on a hole during the national meet. / Contributed photo

“The experience was definitely fun, yet stressful. We met new teams from different parts of the country and spent time with the team to destress,” Riedesel said.

Disc Golf Club

The disc golf team for �� competed in Division II and finished 13 under par, five shots behind the winner, out of 71 teams.

The College Disc Golf championship was April 6-9 at North Cove Disc Golf and Social Club. A University of Iowa team took first place, winning a playoff against Western Carolina after the teams tied at 18 under par.

The four rounds included one round with singles play and three with doubles. �� moved up each day, from 15th place to ninth, eighth and finally fifth.

“Our goal was to obviously win, but taking fifth out of 71 teams playing up a division was nothing to hang our heads about. We had no clue what scores we needed to shoot or how we would play these courses. Given the latter, we realistically exceeded our expectations,” said Alex Helbach, a graduate student from Amherst.

Disc Golf Cub members from left are Kyle DeVries, Alex Helbach, Ray Kulow, Tommy Kratz and Logan Hochstetler. / Contributed photo

The courses were challenging, team members said, more difficult than the Brickyard and Wakanda Park courses they play in Menomonie.

“The nationals course is probably in the top three most professional courses I have ever played,” said Logan Hochstetler, a junior from St. Paul. “Every hole is perfectly designed and manicured to look and play professionally.”

Before each round, team members examined the holes and planned where to try for a birdie or eagle and where to play it safe for par. “The courses are designed to be high risk, high reward,” said Ray Kulow, a junior from Sheboygan Falls.

Other team members were Tommy Kratz, a junior from DePere, and Kyle DeVries, a sophomore from Madison.

The club ��. adviser, Ryan Dolan, has seen the team “get so much better over the past couple of years by continuously practicing, competing at several noncollegiate tournaments and attending weekly leagues outside of the Stout club. These guys keep striving to get better, and they definitely showed it in North Carolina,” said Dolan, the printing manager for Printing Services at ��.

In 2017, �� took seventh place at the national Division II meet. In 2016, a �� team competed in Division I and took sixth place.

The Disc Golf Club has about 140 members this year, including a small group of competitive players.

###

Two teams of students, from the Bowling Club and Disc Golf Club, recently found out they were among the best in the country. Bowling Club team

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Hero Caption: Disc Golf Club team member Alex Helbach prepares to tee off in the national meet in North Carolina. / Contributed photo

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Urec to host free, virtual run/walk event April 19-26

goersab — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 16:14:41 +0000

Urec to host free, virtual run/walk event April 19-26goersab April 8, 2020

Run with Rec around the state promotes getting out, connecting virtually and staying safe.

Abbey Goers

University of Wisconsin-Stout ��. University Recreation, Urec, is teaming up with the Wisconsin Intramural-Recreational Sports Association, WIRSA, and campus recreation departments across the state to host Run with Rec.

Run with Rec is a free, virtual run/walk event open to students, university employees, families and community members. Online registration is open now, with the event being held Sunday, April 19, to Sunday, April 26.

When registering, participants select a predetermined distance of 1 mile, 5K, 10K or commit to a personal goal. Participants can also download a Run with Rec race bib, virtual T-shirt or logo from the WIRSA website.

Before the event, participants can encourage others to join Run with Rec by tagging WIRSA on Facebook @wirsawi and Instagram @wirsa_wi and by using the hashtags #runwithrec and #wirsa.

WIRSA encourages participants to post their distance on social media once they’ve completed their run/walk, using the same tags and hashtags. Participants can also share photos and selfies during their run/walk, while exhibiting safe social distancing.

WIRSA plans to post all participants’ distances and photos on its Facebook and Instagram after the event. To be included in WIRSA ��. post, participants must share their distances and photos by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, April 26.

WIRSA works to promote recreation, sport and wellness opportunities to its members and students. Run with Rec ��. aim is to provide people with a physical and mental release, to get people out and active. It is not a competitive race, so no list of time results will be posted.

“With our students lacking a space to recreate, we are working to provide some virtual programming for them to help stay connected as well as provide an avenue for fun physical activity,” said �� . Associate Director of Recreation Mackenzie Stutzman.

Along with �� . Urec, other institutions partnering to plan Run with Rec are UW-Milwaukee, UW-River Falls, UW-Superior, UW-Whitewater and Viterbo University of La Crosse. More campuses are anticipated to join as the event draws near.

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Student thankful for UW System Vax Up! ‘70 for 70’ scholarship — and for the vaccine

At first, Grace Pederson couldn’t believe what she was seeing. The �� student received a message that she had won a $7,000 scholarship.

November 18, 2021

UW System President Thompson helps students celebrate 70% vaccination rate

A special visitor helped make Monday, Oct. 11, a day to remember in University of Wisconsin-Stout ��. fight against COVID-19.

October 11, 2021

Knock and Talk initiative returns, welcomes back off-campus students

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Hepokoski receives November University Staff Appreciation Award

polingj — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 18:40:02 +0000

Hepokoski receives November University Staff Appreciation Awardpolingj November 26, 2019

Maintenance mechanic cited for ‘his commitment to the university’

Roger Hepokoski has received the University Staff Employee Appreciation Award for November at University of Wisconsin-Stout.

Hepokoski, of Elk Mound, is a building maintenance mechanic in Facilities Management. He has worked at �� for seven years.

Hepokoski ��. nomination said: “Roger shows his commitment to the university by working hard each and every day he comes into work to care for and maintain the two facilities he is assigned to, Merle M. Price Commons and North Point Dining and Fitness. Roger is persistent in the pursuit of fixing, replacing and troubleshooting each work order to come across his desk. Roger has a great attitude with us as customers. If he has a question on a work order, he gives a call. When you see him, he is usually walking briskly to his next task but always says hello. I know when I submit a work order, Roger will take care of it. Roger is very deserving of this award.”

Interim Chancellor Patrick Guilfoile presents each winner with a certificate of recognition, a �� travel mug and a �� blanket.

Students, faculty and staff may nominate a university staff member who demonstrates a commitment to excellence and the university community.

The award, in its 14th year, was established by the Chancellor ��. Office and is co-sponsored by the University Staff Senate.

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Roger Hepokoski received the University Staff Employee Appreciation Award for November at ��.

Roger Hepokoski has received the University Staff Employee Appreciation Award for November at University of Wisconsin-Stout. Roger Hepokoski

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Nelson Field upgrade will add artificial turf for soccer team, other users

polingj — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 16:36:31 +0000

Nelson Field upgrade will add artificial turf for soccer team, other userspolingj September 6, 2019

Sod field, the oldest on campus dating to 1930s, had drainage issues

Work is underway that will bring Nelson Field, �� . oldest recreational facility, into the modern era.

The field has been stripped of its sod in preparation for laying artificial turf, Spinturf. The project includes new LED lighting between the west side of the field and the adjacent track and a new press box. It is expected to be finished by mid-November.

The field is home to the Blue Devil women ��. soccer team. As a result of the project that began in late August, the team is playing most of its games on the road this season, with four at Menomonie High School.

The decision to install artificial turf was based on two main factors, improving the playing surface for the soccer team and providing more accessibility for other users, such as club, recreation and intramural activities.

Located at the base of a hill, the field didn’t drain well.

“When we got rain, nobody could use the field. We had a serious lack of grass,” said Duey Naatz, athletics director. “This will take our ability to use that field to a 24-7 operation.”

Naatz and Associate Director Erin Sullivan have been working on the plan for several years.

The field still had a crown — already bulldozed away — going back to its days as the main Blue Devil football field. Soccer fields, ideally, are flat. “It wasn’t very conducive to soccer,” Naatz said.

The football team moved to Williams Stadium, also with artificial turf, when it opened in 2001.

Nelson Field also was slightly smaller than a regulation soccer field, Naatz said. The new turf field will be slightly wider and longer to meet NCAA specifications.

In the past few years, artificial turf has been installed for the women ��. soccer teams at UW-River Falls and UW-La Crosse, who are part of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with ��.

“Everybody is moving this way because of the number of people who can use the field,” Naatz said. “The amount of availability just multiplies.

“This is something the students have identified as a need for many years. It ��. going to be awesome,” Naatz said.

McCabe Construction of Eau Claire is the contractor for the approximately $2.1 million project.

Nelson Field history

Nelson Field was dedicated during homecoming on Oct. 2, 1935, with its namesake, school President Burton E. Nelson in attendance.

Nelson pushed to buy 10 acres of land in 1933 that was several blocks south of the existing campus. The land became the university ��. first athletic complex, including the football field, practice football field, baseball field, tennis courts and a running track.

The project cost about $15,000, according to the book “An Idea Comes of Age: ��, 1891-2016.” The Civil Works Administration, a federal job-creation program during the Great Depression, filled and landscaped the marshy area.

Lights were added to the field in 1947, and the Blue Devils played their first night home football game Oct. 4, 1947.

###

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A �� soccer player, in white, works against an opponent during a 2017 game at Nelson Field. The field is being updated this fall, including the installation of artificial turf.

Duey Naatz

Work is underway that will bring Nelson Field, �� . oldest recreational facility, into the modern era. Nelson Field soccer

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Student association recommends $25.5 million rec renovation, addition

powersp — Mon, 13 May 2019 15:55:53 +0000

Student association recommends $25.5 million rec renovation, additionpowersp May 13, 2019

In recent referendum, students voted for the option as well

The Stout Student Association recently approved a resolution recommending adding recreational space to the university Sports and Recreation Complex that will increase student segregated fees by $11.29 per credit.

An advisory referendum held in April by the student government included four questions. Nearly half, 49.5 percent, of the 1,275 students voted for the option to recycle the unused pool area into a multiuse gymnasium and improve locker and shower facilities, providing more privacy and gender-neutral options.

The option also includes new space dedicated to fitness, including strength training, cardio and fitness studio, and a single entry point to the facility for greater security.

Fitness Center member fees would be eliminated for �� students. There also would be a new space for two second-floor multiuse courts, two studio gyms and a walking and jogging track, as well as space dedicated to open recreation.

Total cost of the project is $25.5 million.

Segregated fees would be $338.50 per year on a 30-credit load, an increase of $250 per year. Segregated fees would gradually increase until construction begins, at which point the fees would remain at maximum prices through bond repayment.

SSA President Deon Canon said he believes the result of the vote showed students wanted the Sports and Recreation Complex updated to meet the current and future needs of students.

“The current Sports and Recreation Complex is inadequate and inaccessible to the majority of the student population,” Canon said. “Renovating and expanding the building will ensure students will be able to enjoy the Sports and Recreation Complex for the future.”

With passage of the resolution supporting the increase in student fees, SSA members included some requirements:

Any committee related to the Sports and Recreation Complex renovation must have at least half student membership. Those students must be confirmed by the SSA.
The complex will comply with university procedures for waste reduction.
The complex must live up to the American College and Universities President ��. Climate Commitment by being designed to a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver level, in accordance with the Wisconsin State Building Commissioner ��. Sustainable Facilities Policy and Energy Design Guideline.
The complex must explore renewable energy, such as solar energy or geothermal, and follow university procedure to maximize opportunities for energy efficient equipment.

Sustainability, use of renewable energy and accessibility to all students, regardless of gender identity, are important to students, Canon said.

“Now that all students will be paying for it, we want to ensure the complex is accessible for every single student,” Canon said. “We want it to look toward the future and be sustainable and energy-efficient.”

The student government wants regular reports as the project commences, Canon said.

Mackenzie Stutzman, �� associate director of recreation, said the recreation department appreciates the SSA ��. support. “A project of this size in the area of recreation will benefit the university in many ways,” she said. “Our operations offer students an outlet to destress, socialize, meet new people, learn new skills and take up lifelong activities,” she said.

“Having the spatial capacity and availability for a wider population of students will benefit students both physically and mentally. This project will make us more relevant, bringing us closer in line with facilities in other UW System and surrounding institutions,” Stutzman said.

The improved facilities also will help with student recruitment and retention, Stutzman said. “We are excited that we will be able to reach more students through open recreation opportunities as well as with programming opportunities. We can expect to see more inclusive facilities and facilities that are up to date with many of the latest architectural trends.”

The building project will go through the state capital planning process and Board of Regents for final approval.

###

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Students exercise in the fitness room

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The Stout Student Association recently approved a resolution recommending adding recreational space to the university Sports and Recreation Complex that will in reccenterweb.jpg

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Hero Caption: Students work out in the Sports and Recreation Complex fitness center. The Stout Student Association has approved a resolution recommending adding recreation space to the complex. / �� photos by Chris Cooper

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Fit to a tee: New Pat Kell Golf Center perfect match for Blue Devil teams, golf management majors

Invitation to innovation: Special spring events celebrate students’ creativity, scholastics

Unexpected couture returns to the runway

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