Pointing upward
www.uwsp.edu/upbound
May 2016 Newsletter
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Upward Bound Program
Upward Bound Summer Program 2016
Packed itinerary includes Elvis, Civil Rights Museum, WI Governor’s
Mansion, YMCA Camp Glacier Hollow … and ACADEMICS!
What do Elvis and algebra have in common? They’re
both part of Upward Bound’s 2016 summer session!
Inside this issue:
Judy Says …
2
(continued from page 1)
Honor Roll
2
Letter From the
Interim Director
3
Paraprofessionals
3
Alumni Profile:
4
Viengneesee Thao
Featured Career:
5
Computer Network
Architect
Spring Workshop
5
Schools We Serve
5
Approximately 65 UB high school students from our
target schools across central and northern Wisconsin
will once again come to live and study on the UWStevens Point campus from June 19 to July 26. Our
staff of nine teachers will keep the students busy during the weekdays with a full schedule of academics to
better prepare them for their next year in high school.
On weekends, we have planned purposeful field trips
to enhance students’ cultural awareness and help
them develop social and leadership skills.
2016 summer trips/activities:
 Madison, WI (June 24-26) — Madison Mallards
baseball game, Vitense mini golf/team building,
Capitol Tour, UW-Madison campus tour, UW Biotechnology Center activity, WI Governor’s Mansion tour, House on the Rock (Spring Green), UW
Arboretum.
 YMCA Camp Glacier Hollow in Nelsonville (July 810) — archery, campfire songs, swimming, kayaking/canoeing and nature hikes.
 Memphis, TN (July 23-26) — Elvis’ Graceland tour, National Civil Rights Museum, Mud
Island. NOTE: The Memphis trip is a reward trip for 35-40 students who excel both academically and behaviorally during the summer session.
Judy Says ...
Happy Spring! The spring
season is traditionally looked
upon as the time for renewal
and new growth. So in honor
of spring and the spirit of
“out with the old and in with
the new,” let me catch you
all up on what’s new at
Spring College Visits 6
Graduating Seniors
7
Calendar of Events
8
Upward Bound.
In addition to our new leadership under the
Interim Director, Susan Crotteau, the Upward
Bound staff has been working hard the past
few months to develop some new policies
and set activities in motion for the upcoming
summer session. Some of the major changes
coming your way during summer session will
include a new way of administering the
(Continued on page 2)
PAGE 2
Judy Says … Continued
summer stipends, new photo ID cards,
new T-shirt design, new study session
structure, and new criteria for selecting
students to participate in the summer end
trip from July 23 to 26.
students in the upper classes, newly selected freshmen will not be starting their
UB participation until September.
From the “out with the old” side of the
ledger, students will no longer be eating
As you will note on the cover of this news- meals off campus (breakfast at Jefferson
letter, we will be going to Memphis, TN
School being the exception), the dreaded
for the final trip. But besides working on “cuss box” will be replaced by a chore box
their Elvis impersonations, students who
(students who do not watch their mouth
want to travel on this trip will have to earn may be cleaning the fridge!) and our antheir spots by performing at their best in
nual camping trip is being replaced with a
classes, following rules consistently, and
weekend adventure at the YMCA’s Camp
demonstrating leadership.
Glacier Hollow (indoor plumbing, people!).
One of the biggest changes for summer
2016 is that new freshman will not be in
I am confident that Upward Bounders will
attendance. Due to a low number of pro- adjust easily to these changes and whatgram graduates and a high number of
ever other ones are coming down the pike
before summer is here. Embracing
change can sometimes be difficult, but the
Upward Bound staff is a hard-working
group, dedicated to making the program
grow in positive ways.
Until summer session is here, keep working hard at your studies and engage in
healthy activities. Go be awesome!
Judy Young is the Coordinator/Academic
Advisor at Upward Bound. Contact her at
715-346-2940 or jyoung@uwsp.edu
Congratulations to the following Upward Bound students for their hard
work and academic achievements during first semester:
4.00
3.00-3.59
Doua Xiong
Mai Zoua Yang
Kaitlin Bianga
Megan Biedermann
Mikaela Calix
Ryan Condon
Lisa-Coryse Driver
Caitlin Eisner
Collin Gardner
Joseph Gjovik
Haylee Glauner
Marilyn Graveen
Kayla Greguire
McKenzie Hilmer
Cierra Hurlbert
Connor Jackman
Emma Kane
Chong Khang
Kao Ah Khang
Dennessa Kohel
Adam Kong
Mai Xe Lee
Xiong Lee
3.60-3.99
Ariana Allen
Kiana Callahan
McKenzie Ebert
Miguel Gonzalez
Reyna Gonzalez
Nou Qou Her
Quan Higdon
Mai Her Khang
Julia Kunz
Mai Chong Lee
Nou Lee
Gabrielle Rehm
Amanda Rusch
Pa Chee Thao
Olivia Weber
Gaola Xiong
Soa Yang
Caleb McDonald
Phoua Moua
Dylan Schmidt
Emily Strong
Andy Thao
Kao Lee Thao
Kong Thao
Yee Leng Thao
Yer Thao
Chai Vang
Cody Walters
Changyeng Xiong
Eric Xiong
Alena Yang
Chia Neng Yang
Dang Neng Yang
Khou Yang
Nancy Yang
Pang Yang
Pang Nhia Yang
PAGE 3
Letter From the Interim Director
What an adventure this has been. In Jan- Upward Bound staff members are comuary I was asked to serve as the Interim
mitted to our students’ success, and they
Director of the UWSP Upward Program.
work hard every day to create opportuniMy knowledge of the program was pretty ties to help participants achieve their goal
limited even though I have worked on
of a college education. I’ve learned that
campus for 28
all of the
years and now
students in the
I’ve learned that all of the students in
serve as the
program are
the program are high achievers who are
Associate Direchigh achievers
working hard … to change their lives and
tor of the Uniwho are working
get that college education.
versity Centers.
hard, sometimes
in some pretty
On my first day, I headed over to the offic- difficult situations, to change their lives
es in Nelson Hall and met the UB staff —
and get that college education.
Heather Morgan, Cindy Jordan and Judy
Young. These women quickly educated
I’ve also learned some fun things about
me on all of the great programs, services you, the UB students: snacks are really
and incredible people we serve. The
important, many of you name pizza as
your favorite food,
you like country
and rock music,
and you enjoy sports and activities like
soccer, rugby and football.
I am honored to be working with Judy,
Heather and Cindy — and I am grateful to
have the opportunity to get to know all of
you.
Susan Crotteau is the Interim Program
Director at Upward Bound. Contact her
at 715-346-4017 or scrottea@uwsp.edu.
Thank You, Upward Bound Paraprofessionals!
Throughout the 2015-16 school year,
three dedicated UWSP students worked
with Upward Bound as paraprofessionals, or student interns. The parapros
travelled across central and northern
Wisconsin to visit UB participants at their
high schools, providing important career
and academic advising services.
JESSICA ROCHA, an Upward Bound alum
herself, will be graduating from UWSP
next December with degrees in Psychology and Child, Youth and Family Studies.
HALEY ROENNEBURG is graduating from
UWSP this month and will be pursuing a
Ph.D. in counseling psychology at the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the fall.
I would want (UB students) to remember
that they are not alone and that no
matter what it is, they'll get through it
and they'll come out of it stronger.” —
Jessica
“My favorite memories as a UB parapro
happen every time I meet with students
to talk about how their lives are going
and what they want to do in their futures. If I had to pick my favorite
memory, I would pick the fall workshop
when we all came back to the hotel and
hung out after roller skating.
I hope my UB students remember that
they have the abilities and resources to
reach their goals, whether those goals be
academic, extracurricular or career.” —
Haley
One thing I taught (UB students) is to just
write something down; some effort is
better than nothing! Most of the time
teachers will still give you points if you
write something down.” — Alyssa
“One of my favorite memories involves
visiting the schools and just seeing how
much the kids have changed.
ALYSSA MORRIS is graduating from
UWSP this month with a degree in Child,
Youth and Family Studies. She is searching for a job in Stevens Point and Kenosha and plans to take a course or two
next fall at a technical school to pursue
other interests and complement her degree.
“My favorite memory was from roller
skating during our fall workshop. Orion
still beat me, but that's only because he
is taller!
Left to Right: Jessica Rocha, Haley
Roenneburg and Alyssa Morris.
PAGE 4
Viengneesee Thao
Where Are They Now?
Upward Bound Alumni Profile
Which high school did you attend, and
what years were you a participant in the
UW-Stevens Point Upward Bound Program?
DC Everest Senior High School
2001-2005
Please describe your journey through UB
and how the program impacted your life
path and helped you achieve your current success.
The Upward Bound program taught me
about grit. It other words, it taught me to
set long-term goals (graduate from high
school, apply to college, graduate from
college) and kept me on track by having
me achieve smaller goals (doing well on
exams, completing homework assignments) which ultimately lead me to my
end goal. I graduated from the University
of Wisconsin, Madison in 2009 with my
BS. I graduated from the University of
Minnesota, Twin Cities in 2011 with my
MS. I’m currently in my 2nd year of the
Doctorate in Health Services Research,
Policy and Administration program at the
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
gram . I enjoyed watching and performing.
I performed with The Guys, and we
danced to “When the Lights go Out” by
Five. We had practiced for about a week
and it was exciting to finally show everyone what we were working on. My favorite performance from that night was from
a student in the other program. He sang a
song by Destiny for his girlfriend
After I receive my Doctorate I will work for (adorable!). Overall, there were a lot of
the industry to conduct cost-effectiveness good performances that night.
analyses for health-related therapies inIf you could give one piece of advice to
cluding new drugs, medical devices, or
current Upward Bound students, what
screening strategies.
would it be?
What is your favorite Upward Bound
Set goals and surround yourself with peomemory?
ple who want to see you succeed. Find
mentors.
It’s difficult to pick just one, but I’d have
to say the joint Talent Show that we had
with students from a neighboring pro-
She Was Once Just Like You!
Right: Viengneesee striking a pose during a career exploration field trip at Sentry Insurance in Stevens Point.
Below: Viengneesee (right) having fun with some Upward Bound pals.
PAGE 5
Spring Workshop, April 22-23
Featured Career
Computer Network
Architect
Job Description:
Computer network architects design
and build data communication networks, including local area networks
(LANs), wide area networks (WANs),
and intranets. These networks range
from small connections between two
offices to next-generation networking
capabilities such as a cloud infrastructure that serves multiple customers.
Network architects have extensive
knowledge of an organization’s business plan to design a network specific
to the organization.
Work Environment:
Computer network architects spend
most of their time in offices, but occasionally work in server rooms where
they have access to the hardware
that make up an organization’s computer and information network. Computer network architects held about
146,200 jobs in 2014.
Making anti-stress balls with balloons and flour!
Left to Right: Amanda Marcotte, (Finlandia Upward Bound),
Abbey Helppi (Finlandia Talent Search), Olivia Weber (UWSP
Upward Bound), Lisa-Coryse Driver (UWSP Upward Bound).
Nearly 80 UWSP Upward Bound students, as well as 20 TRiO program students from
Finlandia University (Michigan), came together April 22-23 for a Spring Workshop on the
UWSP campus. With a theme of “Awakening Your Inner Greatness,” the event featured
guest motivational speaker, Victor Schueller, and breakout sessions on topics such as
Stress Management, Diversity, Careers, Art & Media Exploration, Resume Writing/Job
Interviewing, and a panel of UWSP Upward Bound alumni.
A special thank you to Finlandia University TRiO programs and our dedicated UWSP UB
volunteers and alumni who helped make this event a success!
Schools We Serve
Did you know that the UW-Stevens Point Upward Bound program serves nearly 100
college-bound students from nine high schools in central and northern Wisconsin?
Education:
Most computer network architects
have a bachelor’s degree in a computer-related field and experience in
a related occupation.
Job Outlook and Salary:
Employment of computer network
architects is projected to grow 9 percent from 2014 to 2024, faster than
the average for all occupations. Demand for computer network architects will increase as firms continue
to expand their information technology (IT) networks. The median annual
wage for computer network architects was $98,430 in May 2014.
Taken from the Occupational Outlook
Handbook.
1 D.C. Everest High School
(Schofield)
2 Lakeland Union High School
(Minocqua)
3 Lincoln High School (Wisconsin
Rapids)
4 Tomahawk High School
5 Northland Pines High School
(Eagle River)
6 Stevens Point Area Senior High
School
7 Tri-County Area High School
(Plainfield)
8 Wausau East High School
9 Wausau West High School
5
2
4
9
8
1
6
3
7
WISCONSIN
PAGE 6
Spring College Visits, April 7
UW-Oshkosh * St. Norbert College
A tale of two campuses
The weather wasn’t exactly spring-like, but 26
Upward Bound sophomores and juniors recently got a
chance to tour two very different college campuses —
St. Norbert College in De Pere and UW-Oshkosh. In
the morning, students toured the picturesque and
intimate campus of St. Norbert, a private Catholic
school with 2,200 students. The stately red brick
buildings and manicured grassy areas along the Fox
River invoked the ambiance of an East Coast Ivy
League campus. Two of UB’s alumns and current St.
Norbert students — Morgan Lanahan and Kahlo Vue
— greeted our high schoolers and shared their college
experiences and words of advice.
The afternoon brought a change of pace and scenery,
as students ate lunch in the bustling student center at
UW-Oshkosh and then took a campus tour. With an
undergraduate enrollment of more than 13,000, UWOshkosh showed UB students a decidedly more urban
and quick-paced college atmosphere. A panel of students from UW-Oshkosh’s Student Support Services
(SSS) program talked with our UB students about why
they chose UW-Oshkosh and how they got involved
with the many clubs and resources available on the
larger campus. UB alum Nathan Ochocinski was a
member of the panel.
the
PAGE 7
GRADUATES
Congrats to our 2016 Upward Bound graduates! Go conquer college!
Ryan Condon
Hannah Consolver
Collin Gardner
College attending in
fall: UW-Stevens
Point
College attending in
fall: Mid-State
Technical College
College attending in
fall: Nicolet College
Degree: English
Degree: Early Childhood Education
Degree: Dental
Hygiene
Jake Kramer
Rebecca Lawrence
Mai Chong Lee
College attending in
fall: Ripon College
College attending in
fall: UW-Parkside
College attending in
fall: UW-Milwaukee
Degree: Business
Administration
Degree:
Psychology
Degree: Accounting
Xiong Lee
Alex Martin
College attending in
fall: UW-Stevens
Point
College attending in
fall: UW-Stevens
Point
Degree: Accounting
Andy Thao
Degree: Biochemistry or Microbiology
Yer Thao
Gabby Rehm
College attending in
fall: UW-Green Bay
Degree: Pre
Veterinary
Medicine
Chai Vang
College attending in
fall: UW-Platteville
College attending in
fall: UW-Eau Claire
College attending in
fall: UW-Stevens
Point
Degree: Software
Engineering
Degree: Nursing
Degree: Nursing
UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM prj95rt
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
204 Nelson Hall
1209 Fremont Street
Stevens Point, WI 54481-3897
DATES TO REMEMBER
MAY
JULY
18: New Student Orientation (UWSP)
2-4: Holiday Break
19: New Student Orientation/Parent Workshop
8-10: YMCA Camp Glacier Hollow
(Minocqua Library)
16: Community Service Saturday
25: Parent Workshop (UWSP)
17: Family Day
18: Annual Sweaty Four Hockey Tournament
JUNE
21: Awards Banquet
17-18: Summer Staff Orientation
22: Last Day of Classes
19: Students Arrive for Summer Program
23: Field Trip to Memphis, TN Departs
20: Classes Begin
26: Memphis Trip Returns
24-26: Fieldtrip to Madison, WI
Facebook.com/UWSPUpwardBound