Honorary
The
University of Wisconsin-Stout Honors College Newsletter
HONORS COLLEGE
Inspiring Innovation. Learn more at www.uwstout.edu/programs/uhp
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For more photos of our stellar Honors Grads, check out page 22.
The Honorary
Vol I, Issue II : Fall 2013
Contents
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Letter from the Director
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Students Storm UMHC
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Preview Day
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Nuclear Scientist Visits
8
Honors Colloquia
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End-of-the-Year Picnic
12
Twelfth Night & Upcoming Events
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Free Lunch?
14
Student Council
15
Student Achievements
16
Featured Alumna
18
Graduate Spotlight
21
Faculty Spotlight
22
2012-2013 Graduates
Honorary Staff
Amanda Little
Faculty Editor
Jessica Jacovitch
Editor
Jessi Goodell
Graphic Designer
A special thank-you to our contributing authors, the Honors College
staff, and everyone else involved in making this issue a success!
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Letter from the Director
Welcome to the second edition of The Honorary: The
Newsletter of UW Stout’s Honors College. In May 2013, we
graduated our largest class of 27 Honors College students.
This was an exceptionally talented group of students, and while
we celebrate their achievements, we already miss their voices
and their laughter. Several students in this cohort earned
many distinguished awards. To name a few, Callie Bernier
was named Outstanding Researcher from the College of
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Matthew
Roskowski was the Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher
from College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. He will
be graduating next year. Xanthi Gerasimo won the prestigious
Samuel E. Wood Leadership Medallion. Juliana Lucchesi,
a student in Honors College, was elected Stout Student
Association President.
Several of our graduates have chosen to pursue graduate
studies in a variety of disciplines. Callie Bernier is studying
landscape architecture at the University of Edinburgh
in Scotland. Logan Jacobson is pursuing a Master’s
in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Minnesota.
Kymberly Ludwig is training to be a pharmacist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Jessica Weinkam is at the
Adler School of Psychology in Chicago working
towards a graduate degree in Art Therapy.
Chelsea Culver is attending UW-Madison for a
Master’s degree in Social Work. Shelley Lowenhagen is off to University of Minnesota at Mankato
for a degree in Student Affairs/Advisement and
Julia Heck is starting a master’s program in Higher
Education and Student Leadership at Eastern
Michigan University. Several of our graduates have
secured very attractive job offers. Cody Lewandowski has joined the Technology Leadership
Program at Target and will be roommates with
his fellow Honors graduate Nick Werner in
Minneapolis. Nick is working for Open Systems
International at the Twin Cities. Chris Struve, a
graduate in Hotel and Restaurant Management,
is now working for Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis.
Megan Ruhlach has moved to Seattle where
she is working as a designer. Greta Hau is not
too far away in Portland, Oregon where she is
completing an internship after graduating with
a degree in Human Development and Family
Studies. You can see how far-flung our 2013
graduates already are. But wherever they may be,
I am confident they will be pursuing excellence
in their chosen professions and making the world
a better place with their talents.
Among other news, Dr. Mandy Little won a major
NSF grant and has returned full-time to the
Biology department to pursue this research.
Dr. Chris Ferguson, economics faculty in the Social
Science department has joined us as Assistant
Director of Honors College. As I write this, our
largest ever first year Honors cohort is preparing to
move into Antrim Froggatt. We look forward to an
exciting year in Honors College with them.
For all our alumni, we hope to start a column
featuring your professional and personal achievements. Please send us news items which we would
love to share with the rest of the Honors and
Stout community. You can send your news items,
questions, comments to honors@uwstout.edu.
Lopa Basu
Director, Honors College
Associate Professor of English
University of Wisconsin-Stout
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Students Storm
Upper Midwest
Honors Conference
By Richard Hoverman, Honors Student
The annual Upper Midwest Honors Conference
was held at the College of St. Scholastica in snowy
Duluth, Minnesota from April 18-20th this year. The
three day conference allows Honors students from
eight states across the Midwest to showcase their academic research and creative activity from all fields
of study.
This year, the conference featured a 12 inch
snowstorm, which prevented some schools from
attending, but not UW-Stout! Eight students from the
UW-Stout Honors College (Allie Ott, Allison Rucinski,
Claire Quade, Esuvat Mollel, Kori Klaustermeier, Nick
Werner, Richard Hoverman, and Xanthi Gerasimo)
presented at the conference and four honors
professors (Dr. Chris Ferguson, Dr. Joan Navarre,
Dr. Lopa Basu, and Dr. Mandy Little) also attended.
In addition to completing their own presentations,
the Honors students and faculty enjoyed the
beautiful sights of Lake Superior, appreciated a
performance by the College of St. Scholastica female
acapella group, Bella Voce, and attended presentations from other college students while at UMHC.
The conference served as an excellent opportunity for the Honors students to gain experience in
presenting research, as well as forming new friendships
with other students across the Midwest.
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You can find more information about each presentation, in addition to other student
research, in the “Student Achievements” article on page 15.
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Honors College
Preview Day
On April 5th, we were excited to invite many prospective
students to join us for their first Honors College experience,
the Honors College Preview Day. The students, many
of whom were accompanied by their parents, learned
about the specifics of our program. They were also able
to meet some of the Honors faculty members in a MiniColloquium held over lunch. We discussed six ethics
case studies in small and large groups. The parents were
invited to join in on the discussion with Honors College
students currently enrolled in the program.
(Left) Prospective Honors
students listening to Dr. Lopa Basu’s
introductory speech.
(Right) From Left: Maddie Medenwaldt
speaks candidly about issues of
concern to future Honors students.
Carolyn Queiser, Jessi Goodell, Ricky
Hoverman, and the other panelists also
shared their insights.
We held a panel discussion, hosted by Dr. Matt
Livesey, where our guests were able to question
current Honors College students on their experiences at UW-Stout and within Honors. The student
panel members gave personal insight and information about how Honors works, what they like, what
advantages there are, what they wish they had
known earlier, and other topics.
Maddie, an Honors College Senior, leading a
Mini-Colloquium discussion with parents.
To finish off the day, the prospective students and
their families took a tour of UW-Stout campus led
by current students. We were happy to see many of
the tours stop by the Honors office!
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Dr. Shelly Lesher (right) discusses radioactivity with Honors College
students Connor Dahlin and Christine Leonard at a Soup Lunch.
Honors College welcomed nuclear physicist
Dr. Shelly Lesher of the UW-LaCrosse Physics
Department to speak on radioactivity at the UWStout Campus on January 31. She delivered an
entertaining presentation entitled, “Going Nuclear:
Nuclear Applications” to a crowd of Honors and
Applied Science students and faculty.
Check out this website to
determine your radiation exposure.
www.ans.org/pi/resources/dosechart/
Nuclear Scientist
Visits Honors College
Dr. Lesher used bananas to help us understand
radiation exposure. Bananas, like many potassium rich foods, are naturally radioactive. Eating a
banana is equal to about 0.01 mrem of radiation
exposure. An average person in the United States
is exposed to 350-450 mrems of radioactivity each
year. It would take an exposure of 100,000 mrems
to significantly increase the risk of cancer. Radiation
is emitted from commonly known sources such as
X-rays, air travel, and nuclear power plants. It is also
transmitted from the soil via radon and even by
bodies sleeping next to us. Most of these emissions
are relatively harmless. In contrast, a large and
very dangerous source of radiation comes from
cigarette smoke and tobacco.
In her talk, Dr. Lesher also spoke about the applications of
nuclear technology in medicine, history and art. Her examples
included determining the age of wine, the cause of a historical
figure’s death, and the investigation of the layers of paint on a
“masterpiece” to determine art fraud. In addition to medical
testing and treatment, she said that nuclear science is used
for sterilization and irradiation.
The next day, Dr. Lesher participated in a soup lunch attended
by many students and staff. She shared her perspective on
our colloquium book, Radioactive, on Marie Curie, and on
being a woman in a male-dominated field like nuclear physics.
Many thanks for your visit, Dr. Lesher!
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Honors Colloquia
Students enjoy a meal and lively discussion
at the spring 2013 Honors Colloquium.
Glowing with Knowledge
By Madison Medenwaldt, Honors Graduate
Honors students met on February 5th to discuss the
spring colloquium book, Radioactive: Pierre and
Marie Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout by Lauren
Redniss. This particular book was a bit of a hybrid,
unlike any other we have ever experienced in
Honors before. It was a love story, art gallery, and
science book all in one handy dandy package!
That evening, Dr. Laura McCullough, Chair of the
Physics Department at Stout, introduced the text.
She discussed what it was like to be a female
physicist and some of the barriers that still face
women in the sciences.
A theme that arose from discussion included the ethics
and dynamics of working in a professional setting with your
significant other. Another topic discussed was how to
separate home and work life. Marie and Pierre’s love life and
professional life were one and the same. Due to their relationship, they made huge advances in science; at the same time,
they took risks that none of us would ever dream of.
Dr. Laura McCullough discusses the
importance of Marie Curie and what
it’s like to be a woman in Physics.
Radioactive provided many different angles to explore for
each small group discussion and was enjoyed by a wide
variety of students due to its multifaceted content.
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Food, Urban Farming, and Community
Next Up: Fall 2013 Colloquium!
For the first time, Honors students had the
opportunity to choose the book for colloquium.
Students could vote for one of five books related
to the topic of “food”. The top choice was Will
Allen’s The Good Food Revolution: Growing Healthy
Food, People, and Communities, which we will
discuss on Thursday, September 26th.
In this book, Will Allen, former professional
basketball player, corporate businessman, and
now urban farmer, writes about his application of
the concept of sustainable agriculture to inner city
neighborhoods. Allen and forty workers grow 160
crops and raise fish that feed thousands of people
in the inner city—on a 5 acre farm located within
the Milwaukee metro area. Not only does his farm
provide for basic needs, but it also has social value
by providing opportunities for individuals within an
economically distressed community.
Will Allen of Growing Power.
Photo by Pete Amland (UWM Photographic Services),
via Wikimedia Commons
Please let us know if you are interested in
joining our discussion as a future Colloquium
leader! We would love for you to join us!
Contact Beverly Deyo-Svendsen
(deyo-svendsenb@uwstout.edu;
(715)232-1455) to RSVP as a leader!
For more information about upcoming events, check out page 12.
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End-of-the-Year Picnic
Honors College held its traditional year-end picnic on
May 7th on the grounds of the fabulous Louis Smith
Tainter House. Students were treated to a taco bar,
a visit from Chancellor Sorensen, and some special
surprises, courtesy of Honors Student Council.
Maddie Medenwaldt and Ricky Hoverman gave
awards to students in different categories, such
as “Most likely to become a millionaire” and “Most
likely to win a Nobel Prize”. But the highlight of the
picnic was the game of Jeopardy, planned by the
Student Council, with categories like, “Menomonie
History, History of Wisconsin, About Honors College,
and About Honors Faculty”. The two faculty teams
finished strong with negative scores, while the
triumphant winning team of Lucas Feldkamp and
Carolyn Queiser won prizes of books and chocolate.
The weather was wonderful and we look
forward to next year. As always, Honors
alumni are very welcome to attend the
picnic each year!
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This page: (Top) Brian McAlister- 2nd from Left- Director of the School of Education,
chatting with Honors students. (Middle Left) Claire Quade and Claire Cink
(Bottom Left) Members of the Honors Student Council host a rousing Jeopardy game.
(Right) Carolyn Queiser claims her prizes!
Opposite: (Top) A group of Honors ladies, enjoying tacos and
good company. (Right) Lindsey Redenbaugh and Megan Collins
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Twelfth Night
By Jessi Goodell, Honors Student
The spring excursion to see Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night
performed in Minneapolis was an excellent experience.
Over thirty students and faculty traveled to the Guthrie
Theater on March 9th to attend the Propeller Company’s
magnificent interpretation of Shakespeare’s comedy.
This was the first time that several attendees had visited
the Guthrie, and they were not disappointed.
In this story of love, misdirection, and
veiled identities, there is much room for
both bitterness and uplifting hilarity. The
play begins with the tale of shipwrecked
twins Viola and Sebastian. Stranded and
alone in a strange land, Viola disguises
herself as a man and stumbles in to
the world of Duke Orsino and the lady
Olivia. The all-male cast did a stellar job,
drawing upon illusion and ripping it away
to expose the nature of love, reality, and
madness.
Upcoming Events
September & October
Saturday, 9/7
City as Text Freshmen Orientation
12-4:00pm, MSC & Elsewhere
Saturday, 9/14
Red Cedar Trail Bike Adventure
Meet @ 12:00pm in front of RSSLC
Tuesday, 9/17
Constitution Day “Panel on Privacy”
5-6:30pm, Harvey Hall Theatre
Thursday, 9/26
Fall 2013 Colloquium: The Good Food Revolution
4-6:00 & 7-9pm in MSC Great Hall
Saturday, 10/5
JazzMN concert
Hopkins High School
Tuesday, 10/8
Pizza Farm in Stockholm field trip
Wednesday, 10/9
Soup Lunch with Ann Vogl, Honors Librarian
1:15, 430 RSSLC
Saturday, 10/19
UW-Stout Homecoming
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Soup lunches bring great opportunities for stimulating conversation and
expanding the sense of community within the Honors College.
Free Lunch?
By Joy Bergstrand, Program Associate
Yes, there is such a thing as a free lunch. On the
second Wednesday of each month of the academic
school year, Honors College hosts a soup lunch for
its students, teachers and staff. It’s a great way
for students to have a hot meal and connect with
members of the university staff and administrators
in an informal setting.
• Our Valentine’s lunch in February
featured special guest Maria Alm, Dean
of College of Arts, Humanities and
Social Sciences. While enjoying lunch,
she previewed upcoming events within
her college.
• At the March soup lunch, Kevin
Pontuti, Associate Professor in the
School of Art and Design, discussed filmmaking and his experiences launching a
filmmaking career.
• Our April lunch featured Pamela
Holsinger-Fuchs, Executive Director of
Enrollment Services and Director of
Admissions. During our lunch of lo mein
noodles and eggrolls, Pam led an activity
of identifying each person’s goals. As
people shared their goals, others shared
insights and made connections.
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Introducing the
Honors Student Council
By Kori Klaustermeier, Student Council Secretary
The Honors College Student Council is a newly developed
organization that represents the student body of the
Honors College. Our goal is to create social and interactive
activities that allow Honors College members to meet and
connect with their peers. Our activities help to provide more
of a fun atmosphere for students to relieve the monotony of
everyday academic life and provide opportunities for creativity
and friendships. We are working to become more of an
“official club” through the creation of the HCSC constitution
and board members. This year the council is also hoping to
begin projects that are service based, in order for us to become
more involved in our community, while lending a helping hand.
We also provide input to our directors regarding
classes we would like to see as options for honors
courses, scheduling preferences, colloquium questions, etc. Being part of the Honors College helps
students become part of the community they have
been welcomed into. A few of our previous events
include a movie night, which showed Life of Pi and
The Prestige, games at the annual picnic, and a
“coffee hour” to offer a space for students to study
for finals, or to take a much needed break.
The Honors College Student Council is always
looking for more ideas of what events our fellow
honors students would like to see happen.
Anyone and everyone is welcome to attend our
weekly meetings or contact our board members
with their ideas!
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Honors Student
Achievements
Many Honors students continue to demonstrate dedication to academic
achievements. We would like to recognize several students for their
success in projects and presentations within the Spring 2013 semester.
Christina Basch, Brittny Douglas, & others “Microsatellite Loci for
Paternity in Brook Stickleback, Culaea inconstans.”
UW-Stout Research Day (Advisor: Michael Bessert) Applied Science
Ryan Kucksdorf & others, “The Effect of Playing Sports on Cognitive
Processing: Auditory Oddball.” UW-Stout Research Day
(Advisor: Desiree Budd, Judy Hopp) Psychology
Callie Bernier, “Wet Prairie Restoration Methods Affect Native Species
Richness and Transplant Survival. Mediated by Canada Thistle.”
National Conference of Undergraduate Research, La Crosse, WI;
Posters in the Rotunda, Madison, WI; UW-Stout Research Day
(Advisor: Amanda Little) Applied Science
Meghan Lueck & others, “Visually Evoked Potentials Sensitive to
Perceived Fat Content of Food Items.” UW-Stout Research Day
(Advisor: Desiree Bud) Psychology
Brock Bollin & others, “Influence of Anticipatory Cues on Self-Report
and Psychological Responses to Secrets.” UW-Stout Research Day
(Advisor: Sarah Wood) Psychology
Nicole Casperson & others, “Understanding Age in the Workforce:
The Teacher’s Influence.” National Conference of Undergraduate
Research, La Crosse, WI; Posters in the Rotunda, Madison, WI;
UW-Stout Research Day (Advisor: Leni Marshall) Psychology
Chelsea Culver & others, “UW-Stout Engagement and Volunteering.”
Posters in the Rotunda, Madison, WI; UW-Stout Research Day (Advisors:
Tina Lee & Inoussa Boubacar) Applied Social Science
Audrey Freischel & others, “Insight in to the Effects of Chronic
Hypertension on Organs.” National Conference of Undergraduate
Research, La Crosse WI; UW-Stout Research Day
(Advisor: Maleka Hashmi) Applied Science
Xanthi Gerasimo, “Expanding Rugby in Minnesota and Beyond.”
Upper Midwest Honors Conference, Duluth, MN; UW-Stout Research Day
(Advisor: Chris Ferguson) Applied Social Science
Greta Hau, “Relations Between Facebook and Body Esteem Comparing
College Freshmen and College Senior Women.” National Conference of
Undergraduate Research, La Crosse, WI (Advisor: Susan Wolfgram)
Human Development and Family Studies
Julia Heck & others, “The Relationship between Gender and FirstGeneration College Students.” National Conference of Undergraduate
Research, La Crosse, WI; Posters in the Rotunda, Madison, WI; UW-Stout
Research Day (Advisor: Susan Wolfgram) Psychology
Richard Hoverman, “Brazil, Its Biofuels, and Its Impact on the World’s
Energy Sector” Upper Midwest Honors Conference, Duluth, MN; UW-Stout
Research Day Engineering Technology, Computer Science
Logan Jacobson, “Characterization of Vacuum Brazed Advanced
Ceramic and Composite Joints.” UW-Stout Research Day
(Advisor: Linards Stradins, Rajiv Asthana) Manufacturing Engineering
Kimberly Kadlec, “Quantification of Microcystin Levels in Red Cedar
Watershed Utilizing MALDI-TOF MS.” UW-Stout Research Day
(Advisor: Susan Wolfgram) Applied Science
Madison Medenwaldt & others, “Attitudes of Truancy Workers Regarding
Effective Anti-Truancy Strategies.” National Conference of Undergraduate
Research, La Crosse, WI (Advisor: Susan Wolfgram)
Human Development and Family Studies
Kristine Meshak, “The Comparison of International and United States
College Students: Same-Sex Relationships.” National Conference of
Undergraduate Research, La Crosse, WI; UW-Stout Research Day
(Advisor: Susan Wolfgram) Human Development and Family Studies
Esuvat Mollel, “Connections Between Cultures: How Murals Convey
Messages in Tanzania and the Upper Midwest.” Upper Midwest Honors
Conference, Duluth, MN (Advisor: Joan Navarre)
Hotel and Restaurant Management
Alexandra Ott & Claire Quade, “What’s Buzzin’ In the Menomonie
Community Garden?” Upper Midwest Honors Conference, Duluth, MN
(Advisor: Amanda Little) Art Education, Applied Social Science
Ellie Raethke & others, “Protein Assisted Particle Self-Assembly for
Multiplex Analyte Detection.” UW-Stout Research Day Applied Science
Julie Randle, “Disney Dynamics: Language Change in Animated Films
Over Time.” National Conference of Undergraduate Research, La Crosse,
WI (Advisor: Joleen Hanson) Human Development and Family Studies
Matthew Roskowski & others, “The Effects of Higher Education on
Religiosity.” UW-Stout Research Day
(Advisor: Nels Paulson) Applied Social Science
Matthew Roskowski, “An Exploration of Place through Economics.” Upper
Midwest Honors Conference, Duluth, MN
(Advisor: Chris Ferguson) Applied Social Science
Allison Rucinski, “Charcoal Perspective.” Upper Midwest Honors
Conference, Duluth, MN (Independent Project) Business Administration
Samantha Truog & others, “Distractions in the Classroom: Effect of Cell
Phone Alerts on Student Learning.” UW-Stout Research Day
(Advisor: Katelyn Hamilton) Psychology
Nicholas Werner, “Display Case for the Human Brain and Spinal Cord.”
Upper Midwest Honors Conference, Duluth, MN (Advisor: Ann Parsons)
Computer and Electrical Engineering
Kori Klaustermeier, “Discovering UW-Stout History: The Inspirational
Mural and the Mystery Woman Within.” Upper Midwest Honors
Conference, Duluth, MN (Advisor: Joan Navarre)
Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management
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Leslie Barlow
Professional Artist
Leslie Barlow, a 2011 University Honors Program
alumna, answers our questions about her
memories from Honors at Stout and her experiences
since
her
graduation.
Leslie
received a BFA in Studio Art with a minor in
Business Administration. In her spare time, Leslie
enjoys rock climbing, skiing, and watching movies.
Where are you now?
I now live in Uptown Minneapolis, MN, working
as a Professional Artist and Art Department Lab
Assistant at Anoka-Ramsey Community College.
What does a typical day look like?
On studio days I make sure I spend at least part
of my day painting and part of my day doing
art “work”, a.k.a. working on my website,
researching other artists, or checking out art
shows in the area. I sometimes work both on
paintings for my body of work and commissions simultaneously. Even if I’m not working
on a specific project, I still like to do daily paintings,
sketches, or studies to experiment with color and
mark making.
On days where I work at Anoka-Ramsey Community College, I usually start my day answering emails and handling general tasks and
upkeep with the art department. My job really
varies day to day after that depending on what
events are happening within the department at
that time. Just recently I spent a week collecting
artwork, promoting, and installing a student
show in our building. I also regularly maintain our
websites and Facebook page as well as mentor
and supervise students in the art studios.
What is your favorite Honors memory?
I will never forget how interesting and sometimes silly the
colloquia were! I loved my table leaders- they were always
hilarious and brought new perspectives to whatever we had
read over that semester. And the SOUP was delicious! No
college student ever forgets free food that is that good.
What words of wisdom would you offer for current
students in Honors?
Get involved in anything and everything.
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Stone Arch Bridge at Night, by Leslie Barlow
What do you value most about your experience in Honors?
I really valued the different courses you could take to
fulfill the honors requirement. It really opened me up to
topics and classes I would have not otherwise taken.
I also enjoyed that honors brought so many different people
together from different majors who all really enjoyed
learning and challenging themselves. Finding this sense of
belonging in a diverse group of people with diverse interests
and majors was really rewarding. Because I challenged myself
in school with the honors classes, I find it easier to push myself
in life after college as well. There are a lot of people I stay in
contact with that I met through the honors program, so it also
created a lot of friendships and professional connections
for me outside of college.
What’s new with you?
Keep in touch with Honors College! We
would love to hear where you have been
since your graduation or about any recent
accomplishments.
Check in at honors@uwstout.edu.
Featured Alumna
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Jessica Weinkam
Studio Art with an emphasis in Life Drawing
and Minor in Psychology
I took Advanced Placement courses in High School
and felt that Honors would suit my educational
expectations and look great for graduate school.
It has honestly been great to experience professors
in multiple departments that really care about
my education and interest level in the course. I
love how discussions and assignments have been
tailored towards the student’s curiosities and abilities. The fact that Lopa, Bev, and everyone else in
the Honors offices are extremely friendly and helpful
doesn’t hurt either!
My senior show work probably wouldn’t have grown
into what it is without my Honors experiences.
I intend for it to be a product of my high expectations
for myself as an artist, an Honors student, and as an
aspiring art therapist.
Honors College has been a consistent reminder
that setting the bar high for my academic career is
something worth working towards and deserving.
Hometown: Hudson, WI
I am proud to be an Honors student at Stout
and am excited to graduate from the Honors
College. Honors Seminar: Lifespan Human Development was definitely the most meaningful Honors
course I took. Because I’m a psychology minor this
appealed to that aspect of my interests. What I
enjoyed the most, however, was the course design.
As a small discussion group, we all faced each
other in a large circle and were able to bounce
ideas and theories freely off one another. I learned
more about myself in that class than I ever would
have expected or learned elsewhere.
This fall I’ll begin my graduate studies at the Adler
School of Professional Psychology in Chicago,
Illinois for Counseling Psychology: Art Therapy.
After that I hope to work with the deaf community
or with women recently released from jail.
If my academic career at Stout was a movie,
its title would be:
Are We There Yet? Or… Trapped in Applied Arts!
Graduate Spotlight
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Logan Jacobson
Manufacturing Engineering
I joined Honors because I was excited to join a group of
students dedicated to their education. I also liked the
chance to take honors classes with vibrant discussions. Honors also connected me with various research
opportunities. My senior honors contract with Professor
Glenn Bushendorf was very useful to the advancement of my
understanding of key concepts for my major. During my last
spring semester I began a research project with Professor
Rajiv Asthana, testing alloy/composite bond hardness and
microstructure. I was also a board member of the Society
of Manufacturing Engineers and an active member of the
Society of Plastic Engineers.
Honors College has helped change my narrower understanding/worldview to a much broader and fuller one in
ways that standard classes may not have. This is in large
part due to the work of the great honors professors that
we have at Stout. In particular, Honor Seminar: Lifespan
Human Development with Professor Bob Salt was one of
my favorite honors classes. It gave me a much better understanding of human development, including women’s and
moral development. Honors Seminar in Technology with
Professor Byron Anderson was also a great class to have
participated in, especially when discussing what technology
means to our society.
Hometown: Woodville, WI
I recently married my wonderful fiancée, Meggen,
and began graduate school at the University of
Minnesota-Twin Cities in Mechanical Engineering.
I would like to teach as a professor in the engineering
field in the future, but have not entirely decided
whether to continue straight through to my Ph.D.
or to get my M.S. and go into industry for a while.
If my academic career were a movie,
its title would be:
The Invasion of the Equation:
Enthusiastic Professors + Enthusiastic Students = Great Educational Experience
Coke + Coffee = Caffeine = Less need for sleep
Work Ethic + Good Grades + Great Recommendations = Opportunities
Graduate Spotlight
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Callie Bernier
Applied Science, Environmental Science Concentration
with an emphasis in Land Resources
Minors in Sustainable Design and Development,
Geographic Information Systems, and Plant Science
I joined Honors because I was very involved in
high school and saw all of the opportunities those
experiences gave me, so I thought Honors would be
similar. I did not want to miss the opportunity to be
a part of the program even if I was unsure what the
Honors College was at first. I loved the trips most!
I remember feeling like Julia Roberts in Pretty
Woman the first time I saw the Opera in the Twin
Cities through Honors. Also, early registration is
nice!
A meaningful experience for me in Honors was my
Honors Contract. For my contract, I conducted independent research under the supervision of my
mentor, Dr. Mandy Little. We investigated whether existing vegetation is a competitor or facilitator in wet
prairie restoration projects and the effects of planted
species richness on transplant species survival in a
small degraded wetland. My research has brought
me numerous academic opportunities, such as
being accepted to four graduate schools!
Hometown: Land O’ Lakes, WI
The semester colloquia changed my perspective most.
They made me read and learn about subjects I normally
would not even want to consider. Plus, it was interesting
hearing everyone’s opinions during the discussions.
In addition to Honors College, I was a member of the
McNair Scholars Program which has helped me prepare
for graduate school and funded my undergraduate
research. Throughout my time at UW-Stout, I had been a
member of Greensense, an Applied Science Peer Mentor,
a member of the Academic Honor Society, and a Global
Ambassador for the International Office (I spent semesters
abroad in New Zealand and Scotland).
I have been accepted to four different graduate schools
to pursue a Master of Landscape Architecture degree
and have decided to attend the University of Edinburgh
in Scotland. I want to restore degraded environments
through sustainable design and restoration practices.
If my academic career at Stout was a movie, it would
be entitled, There and Back Again.
Graduate Spotlight
20
Dr. Mandy Little
Associate Professor
I am an Associate Professor and have been at Stout
for five years. Before teaching at Stout, I taught at
the University of Minnesota-Duluth and Edgewood
College. I received my PhD in Botany from UWMadison. In my spare time, I enjoy gardening, reading novels, hiking, and playing with my cats Pippin and Birkie. My husband, Dr. Matt Kuchta, is a
geologist in the Stout Physics Department and
frequent colloquium leader.
I teach the Honors section of the general education
course, Plants and People (BIO141). I also teach
courses in the Environmental Sciences. Plants and
People is an eclectic course, which interweaves
themes of global environmental sustainability,
agriculture, the conservation of biodiversity, and
climate change. We also investigate the ways in
which people across the planet use plants in different ways, including medicinal and drug plants.
In short, the course addresses the question,
“How has nature shaped culture and how does
culture shape nature?” We have done various
service-learning projects in the course, including
invasive plant species awareness and eradication, designing a nature garden for children, and
designing a pollinator garden for the Menomonie
Community Gardens. A small group of BIO141
students presented the Pollinator Gardens project
at the Upper Midwest Honors Council Conference
this spring.
Dr. Little (second from left) with Plants and People students after a
prairie restoration seeding.
I enjoy working with Honors students because they have a
strong sense of curiosity about the world and are not afraid
to share opinions or discuss controversial issues. I also
enjoy experimenting with different teaching strategies and
projects in my Honors sections, because Honors students
tend to be active participants (cheerful “guinea pigs”). I have
recently begun to add multicultural content and perspectives
to my course as part of an award-winning NTLC-sponsored
“Infusing Diversity” project. The Honors students really appreciate engaging in this type of material. I hope that students leave my course with a broader worldview than they entered with. I want them to understand that the perspectives
that they have grown up with as a citizen of the Upper Midwest are culturally-informed by their own cultures, and are
not the only valid perspectives. I also hope that they learn to
challenge false dichotomies and question statements that
are made by friends and the media about scientific topics.
Not too much to ask?
Each semester, my students bring new perspectives.
I learn about interesting new developments in science when
students do current events presentations. Most importantly,
working with Honors students has helped me generate better
strategies for discussion and emphasize the importance of
asking good questions.
Faculty Spotlight
21
Honors College Graduates
Graduated in December, 2012
Graduated in May, 2013
Megan Branstad
BS Apparel Design & Development
Christina Basch
BS Applied Science
Callie Bernier
BS Applied Science
Daniel Britts
BS Golf Enterprise Management
Mallory Cina
BS in Retail Merchandising and Management
Chelsea Culver
BS Applied Social Science
Xanthi Gerasimo
BS Applied Social Science
Matt Guida
BS Applied Science
Greta Hau
BS Human Development and Family Studies
Julia Heck
BA Psychology & BS Human Development and Family Studies
Jenessa Humphrey
BS Dietetics
Kristopher Ikeler
BS Construction
20122013
22
Logan Jacobson
BS Manufacturing Engineering
Erin Koffman
BS Dietetics
Caroline Kroner
BS Business Administration
Michelle Lange
BFA Art
Kayla Leirmo
BS Family and Consumer Science Education
Cody Lewandowski
BS Information Technology Management
Shelley Loewenhagen
BS Family and Consumer Science Education
Kymberly Ludwig
BS Applied Science
Madison Medenwaldt
BS Human Development and Family Studies
Kristine Meshak
BS Human Development and Family Studies
Michael Misfeldt
BS Information Technology Management
Robyn Pokorny
BS Hotel Management, Restaurant, & Tourism
Megan Ruhlach
BFA Art
Toni Sabelman
BS Apparel Design & Development
Beth Schmudlach
BS Business Administration
Elizabeth Sicheneder
BFA Art
Anna Siekmeier
BFA Graphic Design & Interactive Media
Christopher Struve
BS Hotel Management, Restaurant, & Tourism
Katie Thoma
BFA Art
Jessica Weinkam
BFA Art
Nicholas Werner
BS Computer Engineering
Wendy Woessner
BS Packaging
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