THE
HONORARY
2013-2014
HONORS COLLEGE
Inspiring Innovation. Learn more at www.uwstout.edu/programs/hc
CONTENTS
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6
8
THE HONORARY
ISSUE III 2013-2014
ABOVE & BEYOND
CONFERENCES
HONORS ABROAD
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS
10
14
EXPERIENCE HONORS
ENHANCEMENT EVENTS
COLLOQUIA
16
17
18
FEATURED FACES
JIM HANDLEY
BEV DEYO-SVENDSEN
RACHEL BERNSTEIN
20
22
HONORS GRADUATES
FEATURED
ALL GRADS
DRACULA - 15
ACHIEVEMENTS - 8
ABROAD - 6
GRADUATION - 22
2
CHANCELLOR - 10
2014 is an important year for us in Honors
College. It has been twenty years since Honors
College began its existence at the University of
Wisconsin-Stout. We began as a small program
under the leadership of Dr. Robert Horan in 1994
and this year we completed our second year
since our re-designation as Honors College. In
the 2013- 2014 year, we welcomed our largest
cohort of freshmen students. In Fall 2014, the
number of students in Honors College is expected
to be above five hundred. We also graduated a
large class of over thirty students. Many of them
are leaving UW-Stout with a record of outstanding
scholastic and co-curricular achievement.
One of the exciting highlights of this year was
student participation for the first time at the
National Collegiate Honors Conference in New
Orleans that was held November 6-10, 2014.
Kori Klaustermeier and Claire Quade presented
their research posters at the national Honors
conference. We continued to make further strides
in the area of student research with five students
publishing articles in the Journal of Student
Research, thirteen students presenting at the
Upper Midwest Honors conference at Wartburg
College in Waverly, Iowa and about twenty Honors
students presenting at Stout Research Day.
As we celebrate these achievements of the year,
I would like to acknowledge the transition in
leadership of UW-Stout. We had the opportunity
to congratulate Chancellor Charles W. Sorensen
on his retirement by hosting a lunch at Honors
College in his honor. Honors College has blossomed
under his steadfast support and he will be missed
at UW-Stout. It was wonderful to be able to present
Chancellor Sorenson with an Honors stole as a
symbol of his commitment to Honors College. We
are hopeful that Honors College will achieve even
greater success and distinction under the new
leadership of Chancellor Bob Meyer.
In March, we bid goodbye to our Program
Associate of seven years, Beverly Deyo-Svendsen,
who accepted a position in Engineering Technology.
Dr. Robert Horan “Doc Bob” is about to embark on
a new adventure in his retirement. He and his wife
Debbie are in the process of selling their house in
Menomonie and moving to Ohio to be close to their
grandchildren.
This is also a time of new beginnings. We were
lucky to welcome back Xanthi Gerasimo, alumna,
as a new Program associate. We hope to add
another member to our office staff soon. On the
personal front, Dr. Chris Ferguson, our Assistant
Director became the father of his second child,
Elizabeth, in April. I remember my son Avi’s birth
in February, 2009 when Honors students had presented me with a box of ballots with suggestions
for his names. Aviroop just attended kindergarten
orientation today. As I watch Avi’s infectious enthusiasm for life, I want to capture some of that energy, vitality, and ebullience in the more mature path
of undergraduate education. Yes, college is about
professional preparation, research, and achievements, but I hope Honors College can continue to
be a place where we preserve the pleasures and
possibilities of having fun with learning.
Dr.
Lopa Basu
June 16, 2014
LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR
This year also marks the one year milestone for
Honors Student Council. They have been very
active throughout the year, organizing student
activities, breakfasts, movie nights and other
social events. Their greatest achievement was
coordinating the project of sewing sixty-five pillow
cases and donating them to the local shelters
for the homeless.
3
NCHC in New Orleans: November 6-10, 2013
Kori Klaustermeier
UW-Stout Honors College was represented by
students for the first time at this year’s National
Collegiate Honors Council conference in New
Orleans, LA. Claire Quade and Kori Klaustermeier
each presented a research poster, while Dr. Basu
and Dr. Ferguson also presented in panels
and a poster session.
Louis Cathedral, Jackson Square, the Hurricane
Katrina exhibit in the Louisiana State Museum,
Café Du Monde, Bourbon Street, and the French
Market, as well as admiring the beautiful work of
the street artists, performers, musicians, and the
entertainment on display throughout the entire
city. The lively entertainment, delicious food, and
friendly people led to a true appreciation of the
Kori and Claire explored New Orleans through City- unique New Orleans culture!
as-Text, while Chris and Lopa explored the swamp
as part of a Partners-in-the-Parks exploration.
Everyone found time to attend multiple sessions
and gather lots of new ideas for potential Honors
College projects. As officers of the Honors College
Student Council, Claire and Kori particularly
focused on topics that would benefit the HCSC
and took the opportunity to connect with students
from across the country to share new ideas as
well as explain some of our own strengths.
During their time in New Orleans, the group also
took in the sights of The French Quarter, Saint
4
HONORS
CONFERENCES
Upper Midwest Honors Conference
Megan Hondl
From April 24th to April 26th, 2014,
thirteen Honors students from UWStout traveled to Wartburg College in
Waverly, Iowa to present at the annual
Upper Midwest Honors Conference.
They were accompanied by Dr. Basu
and Dr. Ferguson, as well as Honors
anthropology professor Dr. Tina Lee and
Honors Hall Director Jennifer Parker.
Presentation topics ranged from feminism in Antigone to photochemical reactors. Students had the opportunity to
listen to other presentations as well as
meet and exchange ideas with students
from around the Midwest.
Roy Lindsay was elected as the Wisconsin student
representative to the UMHC board, joining Drs.
Ferguson and Lee who serve as the current Wisconsin faculty representatives. Additionally, the
students enjoyed utilizing Wartburg’s fitness center, taking part in activities like rock climbing and
swimming, and learning how to make a Menger
sponge out of business cards as part of a collaborative sculpture project. The weather was perfect,
and students took advantage of that by spending
breaks outside and basking in the sun.
ABOVE & BEYOND
5
Samantha Julius in Chile
Amanda Nordman on the
Hill of Muses, near the Acropolis.
My trip to Greece allowed
me to experience an entirely
different culture. It is full
of color, friendly people,
inspiring landscapes, and
deeply embedded history.
I hope to travel there again
someday for some Greek
coffee, and to pet all of the
friendly cats.
Amanda Nordman,
Greece, Winterm 2014
6
Brittany Jochman
(bottom row, on the right)
in Nicaragua.
Claire Quade and fellows in
Scotland, near the Isles of Skye
(top), and atop Arthur’s Seat
(bottom).
During my stays here I’ve
gone many places. I spent a
week traveling Italy, snowboarded on one of highest
peaks in Greece, and experienced all sorts of different
wonders.
Surrounding myself with
people of a very different
mindset has brought me to
a new level of self reflection.
Who I am, who I want to be,
and where I see myself
heading has all been
brought into question.
Connor Dahlin
Greece, 2013-2014
HONORS ABROAD
Connor Dahlin on the island of Poros,
an island right off of the Peloponnese
of Greece.
Jenna White, making a new friend during
her stay at Southern Cross University in
Lismore, Australia
Jessi Goodell (center) with CEA instructor Nahuel
Mose and Dr. Silvia Ruiz-Tresgallo at a small bodega near Mendoza, Argentina.
OUR STUDENTS ARE OUT THERE
I spent four weeks studying
the culture of food and wine
in Argentina this summer.
Hosted by families in Buenos
Aires, we were given many
opportunities to explore the
city and beyond.
I was incredibly moved by
the energy of the city, as well
as the people I met. It was
a pheneomenal experience,
and I cannot wait to return.
Jessi Goodell
Argentina, Summer 2013
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8
Beckworth, Cassandra. “Hidden Faces of Nonstandard
Employment: Understanding the Impact of Contingent,
Part-time and Temporary Work on Employees.”
Posters in the Rotunda, Madison, Wisconsin. Poster
session UW-Stout Research Day (Advisor: Nels Paulson)
Applied Social Science.
SEAN DOERING
Anderson, Jamie, Josh Laskowski and Emma Sigmund.
“Honors Living and Learning Community Service
Contract.” Upper Midwest Honors Conference, Wartburg
College, Waverly, Iowa. (Advisor: Jen Parker) Human
Development and Family Studies.
Dodge, Lara, “Music and Memory: Effects of Listening
to Music While Studying in College Students.”
National McNair Research Conference and Graduate Fair,
UW-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, UW-Stout Journal of
Student Research. (Advisor: Michael Mensick) Psychology.
Doering, Sean and others, “Separation of Phosvitin
Peptides through Chromatography “ Poster session UWStout Research Day (Advisors: Eun Joo Lee and Jennifer
Grant) ; “Antimicrobial Effect of Phosphopeptides from
Phosvitin.” Poster session UW-Stout Research Day
(Advisors: Eun Joo Lee, Jennifer Grant and James Burrit);
“Potential Antimicrobial Effect of Phosphopeptides from
Phosvitin.” Poster session UW-Stout Research Day. (Advisors: Eun Joo Lee and Jennifer Grant) Applied Science.
MARY MARCHIAFAVA
Fehlen, Phylicia. Samuel E Wood Medallion Award (highest
non-academic honor at UW-Stout)
JALAL MAGHFOUR
SHOW YOUR STUFF
STUDENT ACHIEVMENTS
It comes as no surprise,
but Honors students do a
lot of amazing things. We
would like to take a moment
to recognize their hard
work and dedication to
higher learning.
Feldkamp, Lucas and Rucinski, Allison. “Coming Out:
Is It Still Relevant?” Upper Midwest Honors Conference,
Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa. (Advisor: Tina Lee)
Applied Social Science, Business Administration.
Felton, Robert. Samuel E Wood Medallion Award ( highest
non- academic honor at UW-Stout) and Scott Griesbach
Award for Excellence in LGBTQ Advocacy.
Freischel, Audrey and others, “Comparing SNARE Protein
Distribution in SHR and WKY Rats.” Poster session
UW-Stout Research Day. (Advisor: Maleka Hashmi)
Applied Science
Gerasimo, Xanthi, “Expanding Rugby in the United
States: A Historical Analysis.” UW-Stout Journal of
Student Research. (Advisor: Chris Ferguson)
Applied Social Science.
Hau, Greta, “The Relationship Between Facebook and
Body Esteem Comparing College Women.” UW-Stout
Journal of Student Research. (Advisor: Susan Wolfgram)
Human Development and Family Studies.
Holzman, Noah. “Engineering Chemistry: Fabricating
a Photochemical Reactor.” Upper Midwest Honors
Conference, Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa. (Advisor:
Matthew Ray); “Open-Source Chemistry: Fabricating a
Photochemical Polymerization Reactor.” Poster session
UW-Stout Research Day. (Advisor: William James)
Applied Science—Materials Science.
Jacobson, Logan, “Characterization of Vacuum Brazed
Advanced Ceramic and Composite Joints.” UW-Stout
Journal of Student Research. (Advisor: Rajiv Asthana)
Manufacturing Engineering.
Klaustermeier, Kori. “Discovering UW-Stout History: The
Inspirational Mural and the Mystery Woman Within.”
Poster session National Collegiate Honors Council, New
Orleans, Louisiana. (Advisor: Joan Navarre) Hotel,
Restaurant and Tourism Management.
ELLIE RAETHKE
Lindsay, Roy. “Beowulf Comic Research.” Upper Midwest
Honors Conference, Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa.
(Advisor: Lopa Basu) Applied Science.
Loberg, Amy. “The Male Perspective On A Lasting Marriage.”
Poster session UW-Stout Research Day; National Council
on Undergraduate Research. (Advisor: Susan Wolfgram)
Human Development and Family Studies.
Lucchesi, Juliana. Samuel E Wood Medallion Award (highest
non-academic honor at UW-Stout)
Lyte-Evans, Antoinette. “The Little Things That Matter.”
Upper Midwest Honors Conference, Wartburg College,
Waverly, Iowa; Stout United Innovative Diversity
Conference, UW-Stout. (Advisors: Sir Aaron Mason
and Tina Lee) Business Administration.
Maghfour, Jalal. “SDS PAGE Analysis of Depletion of
Casein Using Ammonium Sulfate Precipitation.” Poster
session UW-Stout Research Day, (Advisors: Jennifer
Grant, Marcia Miller-Rodeberg) Applied Science.
Marchiafava, Mary. “Women of Jazz: A Profession
Predominantly Male.” UW-System Symposium, Madison,
Wisconsin, Poster session UW-Stout Research Day,
UW-Stout, Menomonie, Wisconsin(Advisor: Aaron Durst);
“Enrichment of Phosphoproteins from Phosvitin Digest by
Strong Anion Exchange.” National McNair Research
Conference and Graduate Fair, UW-Milwaukee,
Milwaukee, WI (Advisor: Jennifer Grant) ; “Separation of
Phosvitin Peptides through Chromatography “ Poster
session UW-Stout Research Day (Advisor: Eun Joo Lee
and Jennifer Grant) Applied Science.
Oliver, Ashley and others. “Resources to Help Homeless
Women & Children Find Permanent Housing.”
Poster session UW-Stout Research Day. (Advisor: Susan
Wolfgram) Human Development & Family Studies.
Oswald, Lisa. “Corpus Analysis in MICASE of Age and
Discourse Marker Use.” Poster session UW-Stout
Research Day. (Advisor: Joleen Hanson) Professional
Communication and Emerging Media.
Quade, Claire. “What’s Buzzin’ in the Menomonie
Community Garden?” Poster session National Collegiate
Honors Council, New Orleans, Louisiana. (Advisor:
Mandy Little) Applied Social Science.
KATIE SAM
Hondl, Megan and Mishler, Cassandra.
“The Honors College Student Council.” Upper Midwest
Honors Conference, Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa.
(Advisor: Chris Ferguson) Applied Social Sciences and
Hotel, Restaurant, Hospitality and Tourism Management.
Sam, Katie, “The Federal Funds Rate and Unemployment Relationship: Does Business Confidential
Matter?” UW-Stout Journal of Student Research.
(Advisor: Fantil Fassa) “Explaining the Difference in
Financial Literacy Among College Students: Gender
Effect or Family Background?” Poster session UW-Stout
Research Day; Upper Midwest Honors Conference,
Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa. (Advisor: Inoussa
Boabacar) Business Administration.
Svejda, Melinda. “Himalayan Newts: Exploration
and Rescue.” Upper Midwest Honors Conference,
Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa. (Advisor: Joan Navarre)
Applied Science.
Thomas, Michael and others. “Separation of Phosvitin
Peptides through Chromatography “ Poster session
UW-Stout Research Day (Advisor: Eun Joo Lee and
Jennifer Grant) Applied Science.
Vang, Pang, “Gender Inequity and Sexuality in Italian Art.”
National McNair Research Conference and Graduate Fair
(UW-Milwaukee) Poster session UW-Stout Research Day;
UW-Stout Journal of Student Research. (Advisors: Tom
Hollenback and Sarah Diebel) Studio Art.
Verhagen, Meghan, “Representation of Honor in Homer’s
Illiad and Contemporary Warfare.” UW-Stout Journal
of Student Research. “Representation of Feminism in
Antigone and the Mahabharata.” Upper Midwest Honors
Conference, Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa. (Advisor:
Lopa Basu) Applied Social Science and Psychology.
Weber, Tyler. “Strong Depth and Quasi Geodesics in
Finitely Generated Groups.” 2014 Joint Mathematics
Meeting, American Mathematical Association, Baltimore,
Maryland. (Advisor: Matt Horak) Applied Math and
Computer Science.
Willett, Sarah. “Physics of Triple Jump.” Poster session
UW-Stout Research Day. (Advisor: Jo Hopp)
Food Science and Technology.
Wilson, Jason and others. “Cycleptus Elongatus Effective
Population Study.” Poster session UW-Stout Research
Day, Menomonie, Wisconsin. (Advisor: Michael Bessert)
Applied Science—Biotechnology.
Raethke, Ellie. “Identification of Lead in Household
Paint: A Method Comparison.” Poster session
UW-Stout Research Day. (Advisor: Matthew Ray)
Applied Science.
ABOVE AND BEYOND
9
ENHANCEMENT EVENTS
Pizza Farm
Alex Mayhew
Picture yourself telling a group of young children
that they are going to visit a pizza farm and imagine what comes to their minds. Is it a farm where
they grow pizza? Or is it possibly where pizzas are
raised until they’re ready to be eaten? Now, of
course, a group of college Honors students know
better than that, but still when one hears the word
“pizza farm” the imagination runs a little wild.
The concept of a farm where they use their
fresh produce to make delicious homemade
pizza makes perfect sense and fit into the Fall
2013 Colloquium theme of embracing local,
sustainable, healthful food. The bus ride was a
beautiful one as we passed through Wisconsin
country in the fall. Red, orange, and yellow leaves
fluttered in the wind. Fields of grass and crops
blew around in a majestic way and all was peaceful. We arrived at the farm and everyone was
ready to get some pizza!
Our pizzas were made of fresh ingredients and
then placed into gigantic brick ovens, in which
they cooked, while we explored the farm. There
were cows grazing, farm cats running around, and
many people enjoying their evening with friends,
family, and pizza.
A TO Z PRODUCE & BAKERY
10
EXPERIENCE HONORS
We were served our pie fresh from the oven, and
our satisfaction was through the roof! Each homegrown ingredient could be tasted, from the wheat
of the crust to all of the fresh toppings, and every
bite was better than the last as we all sat together,
shared our meal, and enjoyed each other’s
stories and jokes.
Macbeth
Megan Hondl
On February 2nd 2014, sixty three students
of the Honors College attended a performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s Macbeth at the
OrdwayTheatre in St. Paul, MN. The opera was
based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth; Macbeth,
a Scottish nobleman, is not evil to begin with.
However, he is seduced by the promise of
power and falls prey to his own ambition,
committing a series of vicious deeds that
leads to a final downfall.
These themes of ambition and corruption still
resonate today. The dark stage and austere
set reflected Macbeth’s dark story. While the
opera was sung in Italian, the visual
effects and performers’ strong inflective voices
portrayed Macbeth’s anguish and fear.
JazzMN
Meghan Olson
On Saturday October 5th, over forty Honors
College students (many part of the Honors Jazz
History class) traveled to Hopkins High School to
hear the JazzMN group with guest artist Kenny
Drew, Jr., the world renowned pianist. The concert
was amazing! The band treated us to thirteen
pieces that varied in style, tempo, and timbre; a
guest vocalist joined the band for three pieces in
the first act, and Kenny Drew, Jr. took over the piano for the second act. Drew, whose father played
with famous jazz musician John Coltrane, was a
dynamite performer; described as a “hard-swinging jazz pianist, known for his bluesy sound,
big two-handed chords and fast runs along the
ivories”, he was the favorite of many attendees.
MACBETH AT THE ORDWAY
JazzMN played pieces from many well-known jazz musicians,
such as Thelonious Monk, Nat King Cole, Charles Mingus,
and Chick Corea. This concert was wonderful for the
students of the Honors Jazz history class to attend. We
were able to hear live the pieces we had been listening to
in class, all the while picking out the details that make up
different styles of jazz. The show proved to be an
engrossing experience for everyone.
JAZZMN WITH KENNY DREW JR.
11
Pillowcase Project
Megan Hondl
UW-Stout’s Honors College Student
Council sponsored their first community
service project, “The Pillowcase Project.”
The goal of this project was to create
pillowcases for families in the two local
shelters, Stepping Stones and Bridge
to Hope.
The atmosphere was filled with good music, great snacks
and even better, a sense of accomplishment. Honors students augmented their pillowcase donation with over two
hundred books and toys. The students felt that the toys
and books would help make the transition to a shelter a
little easier for families with young children.
The construction of the pillowcases took
place in the student activity area of
the Honors dorm, Antrim-Froggatt Hall,
on Saturday, February 1 and Tuesday
evening, February 4. More than twenty
students worked tirelessly, completing
the tasks of cutting, pinning, sewing and
pressing pillowcases. Sixty-five pillowcases were made!
UW-Stout Honors students
celebrate the first (of sixty-five)
pillowcases made for donation
to the local shelters.
Front row, Cassie Mishler, Kori
Klaustermeier, Ollie Pedersen.
Back row, Amanda Blough,
Megan Hondl, Abby Knott,
Claire Cink, Josh Laskowski
Honors for
Chancellor Sorenson
Claire Cink
The Honors College thanks the
Chancellor for all of his support in
the last 20+ years, and wishes him an
excellent and well-deserved retirement.
12
EXPERIENCE HONORS
Honors College staff and students gathered
on March 12, 2014, over a pasta lunch with
Chancellor Charles Sorensen to recognize his
contributions to the development of the Honors
College. Former director, Bob Horan, reflected
on the ‘early days’ when he and the Chancellor
worked together to bring the Honors Program
into fruition and how it has grown to a college
of almost 500 students. Horan credited the
Chancellor for being incredibly supportive of
the College every step of the way. He said that
without Chancellor Sorensen, there would be
no Honors College. Claire Cink, representing
the Honors College Student Council, then gave
some remarks before presenting the Chancellor
with an Honors stole.
Pie the Profs!
Abby Knott
Over the fall semester, fourteen students completed an Honors Contract that involved fundraising
for Stepping Stones, a local non-profit organization that provides resources for the Dunn County
Community.
Students sold cupcakes and cookies, and for each
product sold, the customer’s name was put in a
drawing. The Monday after the bake sale, names
were drawn from a hat and those pulled were
able to pie a professor in the face. The professors
who were pied include Dr. Mandy Little, Dr. Chris
Ferguson, Dr. David Seim, and the AFM ARC Josh
Laskowski. Through these events and generous donations, the students were able to raise
$923.75 to donate to Stepping Stones. The check
was delivered just before Thanksgiving.
A special thanks goes out to all of the
professors who participated and donated to the
fundraiser! The event was a big hit and brought
many new Honors students together.
Home is Where My Heart Is
The pie-slinging participants
gathered in the “fishbowl” of
Antrim-Froggatt-McCalmont
Hall, making a mess for a
good cause.
Maria Grzywa
Ann Peters, author of House Hold: A Memoir of
Place, and associate professor of English at Stern
College, Yeshiva University, visited University of
Wisconsin–Stout On March 27, 2014, to discuss
her memoir and joined an Honors English class.
Students were asked to write 1-2 paragraphs
about their childhood homes. Although no two
students grew up in the same house, the
responses were uncannily similar.
the audience and gave many people
there a passion for rediscovering their
roots and the importance of their
homes, structurally and emotionally.
Her reading concluded with questions
from the audience and a book drawing.
Many students were curious as to how
she went about discovering the topic
of households and the process of
writing such a personal memoir. Peters
Not only was nostalgia drifting through the
explained her passion and love of the
room with ease, but so was a sense of belonging. house she grew up in, the house her
It came easily as students spoke of their berry
father built. Slowly, the memoir evolved
bushes that grew wildly along their fence. Although into a meditation on belonging to a
those bushes grew freely for years prior to anyone place and yet never quite belonging
inhabiting that house, those berries and those
completely. All in all, the reading was a
memories were still the students’ to own, and
successful and enlightening event for
own proudly.
all involved.
Visiting author Ann Peters
enthralls Honors students
with ideas about belonging,
nostalgia and place.
Many honors students and faculty attended
Ann Peters’ public reading from her memoir in
the Robert Swanson Learning Center, later that
day. She openly discussed her years of travel
and movement in both big and small cities, and
the hardships she went through in the numerous
relocations she has endured. Peters read several
different passages from her memoir that captivated
13
GATHER ROUND
HONORS COLLEGE COLLOQUIA
The Good Food Revolution
Carolyn Queiser
For our fall colloquium we had the opportunity to read The
Good Food Revolution, by Will Allen. Allen grew up the son of
a sharecropper and initially had no wish to become a farmer
himself. After a very successful career as a basketball player, and then as an executive for both Kentucky Fried Chicken
and Proctor & Gamble, Allen cashed in his retirement fund
to purchase a two-acre plot near one of Milwaukee’s largest
housing projects. While Allen and his volunteers faced many
challenges over the years, they have become leaders of
some of the most prominent sustainable urban farming
programs in the nation. They work to help fund and educate
similar groups so that other food desert areas can experience fresh food.
Student discussion during colloquium embraced a multitude of different topics. Some focused on local applications
for the Menomonie area or other communities where the
students and staff lived. Some talked about the educational
applications of the program and related it to their own
majors and disciplines. Some even talked about a
possible global application of the program.
14
EXPERIENCE HONORS
Top, Dr. Tina Lee, Dr. Chuck Bomar, Mary McManus,
and Chad Biggers made up one of the two panels of
experts, responding to questions from the assembled
groups. The other panel may be found on page 16.
Bottom, Christine Leonard, looking forward to a
locally- produced snack of apple cider, cheese
curds, and apples with caramel dip.
It was wonderful to see everyone really get into the discussions and see so many students and leaders inspired by
Allen’s story. It also helped educate some of the students
about agriculture, not only in the Menomonie area, but in
the nation at-large. They were better able to understand
the flow of our food in and out of the region and the nation,
as well as gaining newfound appreciation for where their
food comes from.
Colloquium concluded with a panel of campus faculty, staff,
and student foodies and policy experts. The panel fielded
questions which were as varied as the topics discussed
in the groups, ranging from whether or not Allen’s urban
farming methods could be applied on a larger scale to the
likelihood our everyday diet would shift to insects in the
future! With this new knowledge, the students and staff who
participated came away from this semester’s colloquium
with a greater respect for the food in front of them and,
especially, for the people who grow and process their food.
Great Horror in the Great Hall
Roy Lindsay
Honors students, professors and staff converged on the Great
Hall February 15, 2014 to discuss Bram Stoker’s Dracula for
Spring colloquium. Students discussed and analyzed various
themes found in Dracula. Topics discussed included:
morality, ethics, science, religion, and societal views on women of the nineteenth century. To match the Dracula theme,
students were given red fruit-punch, garlic bread-sticks with
marinara sauce, and mirrors to test their “vampurity”.
After table discussion, students were given time to ask
questions from a panel of professors regarding Dracula. One
commonly revisited question was how women were represented in the novel. There was a general consensus from
the panel that the female characters of Dracula represented
different societal traits found in nineteenth century Victorian
England. In addition to this Spring’s colloquium, students had
the opportunity to expand their knowledge with a special film
screening and lecture of Nosferatu, a 1920’s vampire classic,
led by Dr. Joan Navarre on March 4, 2014.
Top left, Dr. Petre Ghenciu, Dr. Maura Dunst,
Dr. Kristin Risely, and Dr. Joan Navarre served as
panel members for the earlier Colloquium meeting.
Bottom left, Dr. Lopa Basu, Dr. Kevin Drzakowski,
and Dr. Silvia Ruiz-Tresgallo made up the evening
panel. Panel members weighed in on our queries
about the literature, female stereotypes, and
history of the vampire myths.
Top right, Do Chris and Bev look a little stranger
these days?
Bottom right, Dr. Inoussa Boubacar leads a small
group discussion, weighing in on Bram Stoker’s
story of the nefarious Count.
If you or someone you know would like to support such
events and programs in Honors College, by donating
your time, professional contacts, or making financial
contributions please contact us at honors@uwstout.edu.
EXPERIENCE HONORS
15
Jim Handley, with Dr. Nels Paulson, Claire Quade,
and Josh Laskowski lent their expertise on the
evening colloquium panel on The Good Food
Revolution this past September. To read more
about the Fall Colloquium, see p. 14.
JIM HANDLEY
HONORS COLLEGE FACULTY - SOCIAL SCIENCE
I teach Geography and Peace Studies in the Social
Science Department at Stout. I never really
considered teaching until I became a Teaching
Assistant in grad school in 1998, and realized
that I really enjoyed it. That experience started
me on this path and I have considered myself
an educator ever since. It is one of the things
in my life where the more I do it, the more
passionate I am about it.
I teach the Honors class, Geography of Food,
which is about building a just food system.
The class examines food, not as a commodity
or nutrient, but in the context of relationships.
Humans have co-evolved with food for thousands
of years, which has given rise to relationships
between people and the land. Those relationships
are changing in ways that are having a profound
impact on not only the food system, but on our
social, economic, and political systems. Issues of
food democracy, food sovereignty, and food justice
are examined in the course.
16
FACES OF HONORS
I’ve always been really interested in food and its
relationship to geography and social justice.
If there is more than enough food, why are so
many people hungry and starving? What
difference does it make where our food is grown,
under what conditions it’s grown, and what is our
relationship with the people and land that grow it?
Our current industrial food system is unsustainable, undemocratic, and unjust. So then what
does a sustainable, democratic, just food system
look like? I think these are important questions
that students can study and discuss through a
multitude of lenses. I believe that discussions
about social justice need to include food and discussions about food need to include social justice.
Additionally, I led the development of the Peace
Studies minor at Stout and teach the foundational
course, which is called Introduction to Applied
Peace Studies. This class explores the root causes of violence and the multitude of ways peace is
achieved and sustained. Because violence has
become so ingrained in our dominant culture,
people have grown to accept it as “normal,”
“acceptable,” and “inevitable.” The peace studies
program challenges these assumptions through
an academically rigorous program of study.
There are a couple lessons that I want to pass
onto students. First, if they see the world in the
same way when they leave Stout as they saw it
when they arrived, they wasted an unbelievable
opportunity. That, after all, is why we’re here.
Second, it is relatively easy to critique social
structures that lead to violence, oppression, and
injustice. But the real work – and where they
need to apply their creativity – is envisioning a
new model that eliminates the self-defeating
violence currently defining many social structures.
Third, students should understand that even when
we are learning about very serious issues of great
consequence we can still have fun!
BEVERLY DEYO-SVENDSEN
Beverly came to the Honors College more than seven and a half years
ago, and has been a huge part of the expansion and growth of the
college – so much so that it is hard to imagine the HC without her. As
she heads off to new adventures with Engineering and Technology, we
snagged her to learn a little more about the Twin Cities native and to
get some words of wisdom.
I am a Disney maniac and have been to Disneyland several times. However, I’ve made over 70
separate trips to Disney World, and now that my
daughter actually works in Orlando for Mickey
Mouse I continue to frequent the Kingdom.
My first Disney Cruise will be this coming August.
I also love good books, gardening, snowshoeing,
walking with my gal pals, hiking the Superior
National Forest Trail in Minnesota, old Simpsons
& I Love Lucy episodes, baking, learning Spanish
and teaching adult education Bible study
classes which I have done for many decades.
I have owned 4 different Toyota Priuses (or Prii,
in latin) because I am an energy/recycling
freak and love getting 65 mpgs.
Bev completed her undergrad
in St. Paul, MN, achieving a
BA in English with minors in
philosophy and religion,
magna cum laude. She went
on to do graduate work at
Luther Seminary. It seems
Bev was destined to work
with Honors.
I have loved being in the Honors College. Honors has been a very
gratifying experience for me, having helped it grow from a small
program into a robust college. I have enjoyed being a part of such a
groundbreaking effort and am proud of my accomplishments here.
I am taking with me many good memories of the students I have
met and the faculty across campus with whom I have worked.
The Honors College has not changed my perspective but has
strengthened my belief that students come first. I always tried to
make the students feel important and encourage them in their
educational pursuits. “Encourage” and “build up” are my mantras
and I hope I have made a positive difference to the students who
have crossed my path. How one does one’s work is as important
to me as what one does. I love Honors students because they
are trying to get the most from their education, not just doing the
I am a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honors
minimum to get by and get out. They are bright and have really
Society which is the oldest and most prestigious
good senses of humor. Humor is a high value for me and Honors
honor society in the country for the liberal arts
and sciences. I have always been a high achieving students are great laughers.
student. Honors was a natural fit for me, as it
My biggest piece of advice is to be gentle with yourself; try new
promoted academic curiosity. I wanted to help
things outside your educational comfort zone but don’t be hard on
UW-Stout offer this enhanced track for its own
yourself if you can’t master it all. Failure can actually teach you the
high achieving, curious students.
most and nothing is empty if you get some good take-aways from
It has been a blast!
it. So embrace the good with the bad. Always treat others well.
Remember, you are blessed, so be a blessing.
FACES OF HONORS
17
Rachel graduated from UW-Stout in May 2010,
with a B.S. in Service Management and a B.S. in
Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management. She
then attended Pennsylvania State University,
earning her M.S. in Workforce Education &
Development in May 2012.
RACHEL BERNSTEIN
HONORS COLLEGE ALUMNA
After graduating from Stout, I immediately enrolled
in the graduate program at Penn State. Continuing
education is a topic near and dear to my heart; I’m
very pleased that I was able to join the Workforce
Education & Development program to continue my
own development in my field. After finishing up my
degree, I made a cross-country move to Portland.
The relocation to the Pacific Northwest was to begin
a great job AND to be closer to my brother and sister
in law–both UHP alumni! I have been absolutely
thrilled with the decision to move out here, and am
happy to call Portland “home”, though Wisconsin
will always be home in my book.
I currently work for Schnitzer Steel, a multinational
metals recycling company based in Portland. As
their in-house Learning & Development Specialist, I
support life-long learners in getting the development
tools they need. I have a passion surrounding continuous learning, employee engagement, and promoting happiness and well-being in the workplace. I
have been with Schnitzer for almost two years based
out of their corporate office in downtown Portland.
I am also an active member of the local Cascadia
ASTD (American Society for Training & Development)
chapter. Involvement is not just limited to your time
in school!
18
FACES OF HONORS
One of the great things about my role is that I rarely have
what would commonly be considered a “typical” day. This
means my job is constantly changing and I get to work with
a number of different projects and groups of people at once.
I’m usually doing one or more of the following at any point
during my day: needs assessment/analysis, program design,
platform delivery, project management, organization development, leadership development, individual development
plans, ongoing project maintenance, system administration, you name it!....the list could go on and on and on (and
frequently does). As a side note, Stout has a great program
in Training & Development; if any of the items above interest
you, I encourage you to look into some of those courses as
possible electives.
When it comes to my experiences in the Honors Program,
I value that from the moment we set foot on campus, we
had an opportunity to come to the table with our opinions
on meaningful topics. Basically knowing that, amongst the
honors throng, we could bring up anything and receive a
thoughtful response without the judgement associated with
some college circles. From the colloquia which encourage
engaging dialog to the open-forum soup lunches, I loved having the opportunity to speak openly with peers and faculty
and gain varied perspectives on topics that really benefit
from this approach.
Honors has definitely influenced my post-university life. The
first and foremost thing that comes to mind are the many
meaningful relationships I’ve made through involvement
with the honors program. Some of my best friends are those
I met through my honors classes and involvement with the
program--truly amazing people that I very well might not have
met otherwise.
possibly could be. Whenever possible, try not to
be a bystander when it comes to your college
experience. You have the ability to shape your
time on campus and beyond! You can register with
housing to live on an honors floor. I made the mistake of not doing this my freshman year and it’s
one of the things I wish I had done differently.
I’ve also found that, since UHP, I have defaulted to taking
a more discussion-based approach to my interactions with
others. Doc Bob was always a huge proponent of the Socratic method--an approach that encourages thoughtful responses and engagement involving a number of varied viewpoints.
Think this is a beneficial method during colloquiums? It’s
equally useful in the workplace!
As a sophomore at Stout, I picked up knitting and
haven’t stopped since. I make a point to try to knit
at least a little bit each day (or, at minimum, a row
or two on the weekends). I love knitting because
it’s engaging, productive, tactile, full of options,
and provides a meditative outlet. If you’re a fellow
knitter and want to connect, feel free to add me on
Ravelry--I’m “HappilyKnit”.
My favorite Honors memories include helping plan and host
the UMHC Conference. I loved the committee meetings, the
brainstorming sessions, the planning, the logistics, and, of
course, getting to attend the conference and enjoying the
fruits of our labor! It was a fantastic experience for me.
I also enjoyed the entire Lifespan Human Development
course - I loved the structure of this seminar and the selected readings. It is rare that a month goes by without reading
an article or overhearing something that references one of
the many human development theories we covered during
that semester. Relevant content that continues to gain
meaning as I progress through different stages of my life?
Sounds good to me!
This one is a bit of an oddball, but I will never forget winning
the homecoming crown on behalf of the University Honors
Program--I was very proud to represent UHP on that day!
Of course, naps on the couch of the Harvey Hall basement
honors office will always hold a special place in my heart.
My biggest piece of advice for current students is this:
Get involved on campus! You have a tremendous opportunity to gain involvement in student organizations and grow
professionally, academically, and personally. This includes
(but isn’t limited to) involvement with Honors College. Want
specifics? Join an academic club in your field or one that
interests you. Get involved in University Housing, run for
Student Senate, write for the Stoutonia, volunteer at BDP
events, seek out a cultural or social cause that’s meaningful
to you, play in one of Stout’s music programs, explore Panhellenic, try out for a team sport or theater performance, or
seek out one of the many other options that the campus has
to offer! I can honestly say that heavy involvement in these
groups is what made my time at Stout as meaningful as it
I also love to sing!--Since graduating from Stout
and the campus ‘Symphonic Singers’, I became
a member of the Portland Symphonic Choir in
August of 2013 . We sing traditional and contemporary choral pieces and are the official chorus
of the Oregon Symphony. I absolutely love being a
member of a choir again!
If you would like to connect with
someone in the Portland area, want
to discuss UHP, adventures at Stout,
knitting, or anything else, I would
love to hear from you! The best way
to contact me is via email:
bernstein.rachel.e@gmail.com
FACES OF HONORS
19
PANG VANG
BFA Studio Art-Contemporary
Sculptural Practices
Menomonie, WI
Pang will be attending Hunter
College, CUNY for their MFA
program in Combined Media
this fall.
NOAH HOLZMAN
BS Applied ScienceMaterials Science
Fond du Lac, WI
Noah will be pursuing a Ph.D.
in Materials Science at the
University of Minnesota-Twin
Cities in the coming year.
JESSI GOODELL
HONORS
As our graduates prepare to take
the world by storm, we asked a
few of them to reflect on their
experiences as part of the
Honors College.
What do you enjoy
the most about being
involved in Honors College?
PV:
I enjoy having the ability to have
a group in which I can re-center
myself. It allows me to discuss
critical issues that I may not have
the opportunity to in other forums.
I feel that Honors College brings
together like-minded people who
are here to change and grow.
TL:
I enjoyed reading all of the books for
the Honors Colloquia. I love to read
and this helped expand my horizons
in areas outside of my major.
BFA Graphic Design
& Interactive Media
Brooklyn Center, MN
Jessi will be living and
working in the Twin Cities,
pursuing a position in
exhibition design.
TYLYNN LUDWIG
BS Dietetics
Suring, WI
This summer, Tylynn will be
an intern at the Minneapolis
VA and pursuing national
Registered Dietician status.
COLLEGE GRADUATES
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
What Honors courses were
the most meaningful to you?
English courses stand out: Dr. Kevin
NH: Two
Drzakowski’s freshman composition and Dr.
Matt Livesey’s Honors seminar in the rhetoric
of the scientific revolution. Dr. Z’s class was
special because we focused on the transition in
to a new environment by doing a project about
a historical building in Menomonie. It got me
exploring new territories and reflecting on my
past, which helped me assimilate in to college.
Dr. Livesey’s class was amazing in terms of
the content and delivery. It is one of the few
classes where I felt as if there were absolutely
no boundaries to the dialogue and no judgment
would be passed, which often led to tangential
but meaningful discussion.
JG:
I think that the course that was most meaningful
to me was the one that I failed. Last fall, I took
History of Ideas with Chris Freeman, and it was
probably one of the most enlightening, intriguing courses I’ve ever studied. It also made me
struggle, and confront myself and my pride for
the first time in a long while. School had always
been relatively easy for me, and trying to work
through these challenging concepts and my
constricted schedule pushed me beyond my
limits. It was an incredibly important experience, and I learned a lot about myself.
TL:
Honors Speech and Honors Applied Anthropology
were two of the most meaningful courses that I
have taken at UW-Stout. Speech provided me with
confidence in my speaking abilities. Before taking
the course, I had always been extremely nervous
speaking in front of others. Although I still get
nervous, the course taught me to overcome my
anxiety and deliver my message. Applied Anthropology opened my eyes to a lot of injustices in the
world. It has made me become a more critical
consumer of information and has also furthered
my interest in world hunger issues.
How has Honors College
changed your perspective?
PV:
Honors has given me a place to seek
like-minded individuals intent on changing
the world for the better; more often
than not, you feel discouraged and
isolated when trying to do great things.
Honors was a reminder that I was
not alone.
JG:
I feel that being an active participant in
the Honors College has introduced me
to a lot of opportunities to put myself in
leadership roles-something that I would
not have taken advantage of before.
I have also become much more mindful of my own thought processes and
ethical framework.
GRADUATES
21
Mackenzie Bennin
Art Education
Julia Hurtley
Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management, Busi-
HONORS COLLEGE
Mackenzie Bennin
Art Education
Jennifer Clausen
Studio Art
Lara Dodge
Psychology, History Minor
Brittny Douglas
Applied Science and Environmental
Science, Chemistry Minor
Robert Felton
Business Administration
Jessica Goodell
Graphic Design and Interactive Media,
Spanish Minor
22
Jodi Hoberg
Professional Communication and Emerging
Media, Business Administration Minor
Noah Holzman
Applied Science, Chemistry Minor
Sarah Howell
Multimedia Design, Game Design and
Development, Writing Minor
Julia Hurtley
Business Administration,
Hotel Restaurant & Tourism
Andrea Krueger
Environmental Science
Ryan Kucksdorf
Psychology, Human Resource Management Minor
Alison Gray
Packaging, Business Administration Minor
Juliana Lucchesi
Applied Science, Plant Science Minor
David Hayden
Manufacturing Engineering
Tylynn Ludwig
Dietetics
Evan Herold
Food Science
Leah Mann
Graphic Design and Interactive Media
GRADUATES
Honors College wishes the best of luck to our most
recent graduating class. We know you will experience
many exciting adventures. Our best wishes are always
with you! Please come back and visit us often.
Mary Marchiafava
Applied Science, English Writing
and Chemistry Minors
Julie Randle
Professional Communication and
Emerging Media, HDFS Minor
Brock Miller
Packaging, Sustainable Design and
Development Minor
Katherine Riedel
Graphic Communication Management,
Applied Photography Minor
Jessica Morrison
Psychology, Sociology and HDFS Minors
Tamara Riha
Packaging
Nathan Mullen
Engineering Technology,
Business Administration Minor
Joseph Stuttgen
Engineering Technology
Ashley Oliver
Human Development and Family Studies,
Spanish Minor
Eric Pasket
Manufacturing Engineering,
Business Administration Minor
Emily Tunison
Graphic Communications Management,
Photography Minor
Pang Vang
Studio Art, Art History Minor
Tyler Weber
Applied Math & Computer Science
Neal Peterson
Computer Engineering,
Mathematics & Computer Science Minors
Ashley Wentworth
Retail Merchandising & Management,
Business Administration Minor
Wyatt Purgill
Industrial Design
Jason Wilson
Applied Science­—Biotechnology
December, 2013 Graduates
May, 2014 Graduates
23
Contributing Editors
Lopa Basu
Joy Bergstrand
Chris Ferguson
Xanthi Gerasimo
Katie Wells
Graphic Designers
Jessi Goodell
Danielle Roberts
We’re looking for new stories
and photos for the next issue
of The Honorary! If you want to
get involved, contact us:
honors@uwstout.edu