University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Just a few more days left to register for this summer’s 2026 WiSys SPARK Symposium, taking place from July 22-24 in Davies Center!

The three-day conference combining research, innovation and entrepreneurship will highlight the work of undergraduate students and faculty throughout the Universities of Wisconsin.

It is open to all UW students, staff and faculty, along with business and community leaders. Students can register by visiting the WiSys SPARK Symposium website by June 22.

"I’m excited to bring our WiSys SPARK Symposium back to UW-Eau Claire for the first time since 2014," says Arjun Sanga, WiSys president. "SPARK is about bringing people and ideas together, and co-hosting the symposium with UW-Eau Claire highlights a community where creativity thrives and welcomes statewide collaboration."

Key events will include a research presentation competition known as the WiSys Quick Pitch State Final, Innovation awards, student and faculty research talks and a Student Poster & Innovation Showcase.

Read more: https://www.uwec.edu/stories/registration-open-wisys-spark-symposium-uw-eau-claire

📷: WiSys

UW-Eau Claire's undergraduate elementary teacher preparation program has recently earned an “A” grade from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) for its preparation of future teachers to teach elementary students to read.

The June 9 report from NCTQ spotlights UW-Eau Claire for excellence in meeting the standards set by literacy experts for coverage of the most effective methods of reading instruction. Programs were rated for preparation of aspiring teachers in all five components of scientifically based reading instruction, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension and vocabulary.

"The NCTQ rating validates UW-Eau Claire's continued approach to establishing strong connections between the university and our school district partners from around the Chippewa Valley," says Dr. Carmen Manning, dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences. "Our grade reflects the commitment of university faculty and K-12 staff working together to improve reading outcomes for all children."

Read more: https://www.uwec.edu/stories/high-marks-national-scale-uw-eau-claires-4k-9-teacher-preparation

Congratulations to everyone who made the Spring 2026 Dean's List - over 2,400 students in total! 🎉 Your hard work and dedication have paid off, and we are so proud of you.

Check it out: https://www.uwec.edu/offices-services/academic-affairs/uwecs-deans-list

This week, we're welcoming our newest Blugolds to campus for the very first Blugold Experience Days of the summer! 🌞

First-year & transfer students - are you registered for your Blugold Experience Day yet? ⬇️ It's a great way to orient yourself with our beautiful campus and residence halls, connect with our campus community, and explore the city of Eau Claire! And the most exciting part - registering for your first semester of classes. We can't wait to see you!

Learn more & register: https://www.uwec.edu/offices-services/new-student-orientation/orientation-first-year-students/blugold-experience-days

As part of the ongoing search for the next Universities of Wisconsin President, The Presidential Search and Screen Committee will host a series of listening sessions this week designed to gather input on the qualities and priorities sought in the UWs’ next leader.

Five listening sessions will take place in-person at UW campuses across the state, and will be livestreamed at the link below. The final session will be held at UW-Eau Claire on Thursday, June 11 from 10-10:45 a.m. in the Dakota Ballroom of Davies Center.

University faculty and staff, students and the public are encouraged to engage with the committee and share their thoughts on this important search process.

More details: https://www.wisconsin.edu/presidential-search-2026/listening-sessions-across-the-universities-of-wisconsin/

While UW-Eau Claire has long been a nationally recognized top producer in the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, one student has recently become the first Blugold to earn a specific award from the prestigious international program.

Sophomore Taylor Thelen, a marketing major, has earned a Fulbright United Kingdom Summer Institute award at one of the five locations available in the program. Thelen will spend three weeks this summer in Belfast, Northern Ireland, attending Queen’s University to study the complex history, culture, politics and socioeconomics of the region.

“I plan to attend law school and find a career path in international diplomacy, so this program will be a great fit for my interests and academic goals,” Thelen says.

“I hope to see as much of the city as I can — I don’t want to waste a minute. I’m looking forward to getting the most from this experience as possible.”

Read more: https://www.uwec.edu/stories/uw-eau-claire-sophomore-uk-fulbright-summer-institute

Since graduating in 2000, alum Mark Proksch has had several interesting jobs, from an office handyman and substitute teacher, to portraying Nate Nickerson, a part of Dunder Mifflin’s warehouse team, on the NBC hit series "The Office".

It turns out all those jobs were part of the same career path for Proksch — his successful acting career. Proksch graduated with a degree in communication, with an emphasis in electronic media. Although, after graduating from high school, he says he really didn’t have a major in mind when he started looking at colleges.

“I kind of just followed some friends who were like-minded when it came to music and comedy, and followed them to Eau Claire,” Proksch remembers. “And it was honestly the best decision I ever made.”

“I think if I had gone to NYU or USC or even Madison, I think it would have been a little more overwhelming,” Proksch says. “Whereas in Eau Claire you find the right five or six people and the world’s your oyster. We were certainly encouraged to pursue what we wanted to do, whether it was comedy or music, and there were always enough outlets provided by the university or the city to move forward with those ambitions.”

Read more: https://www.uwec.edu/stories/true-blu-proksch-takes-his-energy-hollywood-office-and-beyond

When Jacob Oberg, a U.S. Marine Corps and Army veteran, prepared to graduate with a bachelor’s in professional studies, attending the commencement ceremony on May 16 was not part of the plan. He lives in Maryland with his wife and their two young sons. Making the trip as a family simply didn’t seem possible.

But thanks to the support of a fellow military veteran alumni family, the costs and logistics of travel were taken care of, and the entire Oberg family was able to take part in the glorious day of commencement at The Sonnentag.

Read more: https://www.uwec.edu/stories/veteran-navigates-winding-road-degree-completion-uw-eau-claire

Nobu appreciation post! ❤️ This fall, we captured the experience as Nobu Yasuda rehearsed for his last Holiday Concert as a music director and faculty member. Wrapping up an impactful career of over 30 years, Yasuda is retiring in Osaka, Japan this summer.

In a recent interview with Volume One, he said, "One of the things I was telling to many students and former students were that I am still learning. I am a teacher, but what I do is I learn something and in my passion of learning, I need actually the outlet. . . I am so excited about learning something because I want to share what I learned with the students. My motivation or my passion of learning is stronger because I have students or the Chippewa Valley Symphony musicians."

"Especially for students, I never say 'it's great' or anything because usually we read the music, and first thing I usually say is, 'something like that.' 'Something like that' actually kind of contains a lot of meaning. I expect them to always get better, so then they play better."

At his final Chippewa Valley Symphony concert, Yasuda was awarded the Consul-General’s Commendation by the Consulate-General of Japan in Chicago, in recognition of his long-standing contributions to promoting friendship and mutual understanding between Japan and the U.S. He has made a lasting impact on both UW-Eau Claire and the broader community through his dedication to music and cultural exchange.

Happy retirement Nobu - we already miss you! 💙 💛

The Pinnacles of Symphonic Music & 'Art In Time' - Volume One:
https://volumeone.org/articles/2026/05/18/389895-the-pinnacles-of-symphonic-music-and-art-in-time-chippewa-valley-symphony-orchestra-conductor-and-music-director-nobuyoshi-yasuda-retires

📷: #1 & 3 - Timothy Mather / Chippewa Valley Symphony

Today, eight graduates of UW-Eau Claire will accept their bachelor’s degrees in professional studies — graduates who have earned their degrees through in-person classes while incarcerated at the Stanley Correctional Institution.

While various iterations of prison-based higher education programs have been offered through Wisconsin colleges and universities for over a century, the vast majority of those have been associate or certificate programs.

The eight UW-Eau Claire graduates, alongside students graduating from UW-Stout at SCI the same day, will be among the first incarcerated people to receive bachelor’s degrees from a UW institution in 51 years.

“I never thought I would have the opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree through a UW school while I was incarcerated." says an SCI student. "This has been a very empowering experience for me. Throughout this journey my confidence has grown, my belief in myself has grown and my sense of self-worth has grown."

Read more: https://www.uwec.edu/stories/graduates-uw-eau-claire-earn-life-changing-degrees-stanley-correctional-institution