This episode dives deep into what a curious prospective student needs to know about the application process, how to get in on the fun of a "Preview Day," and what to expect after being accepted into UW-Stout.
Guests:
Connor Johnson, Computer and Electrical Engineering, UW-Stout
Erin Konsela, First-Year Student Admissions Counselor, UW-Stout
Schedule a campus tour: https://www.uwstout.edu/admissions-aid/campus-tours
Follow us on social media:
www.instagram.com/uwstoutpics/
www.linkedin.com/school/university-of-wisconsin-stout
Visit our website: https://www.uwstout.edu/
This episode dives deep into what a curious prospective student needs to know about the application process, how to get in on the fun of a "Preview Day," and what to expect after being accepted into UW-Stout.
Guests:
Connor Johnson, Computer and Electrical Engineering, UW-Stout
Erin Konsela, First-Year Student Admissions Counselor, UW-Stout
Schedule a campus tour: https://www.uwstout.edu/admissions-aid/campus-tours
Follow us on social media:
www.instagram.com/uwstoutpics/
www.linkedin.com/school/university-of-wisconsin-stout
Visit our website: https://www.uwstout.edu/
Hello, everyone. Welcome to inside stout AUW style podcast that focuses on the stories of students, faculty, staff, and others from our campus community. I'm Pam
Speaker 2:And I'm Rachel Hall Grimson and we are members of the marketing communications team here to share with you, everything that makes you w stout unique. Uh, today on the episode, we are going to be talking about the admissions process and how you, whoever you are listening out there could become a part of the stout family, or even take a course on campus to improve skills and expand your world. So we have two people here from the admissions office who are obviously experts on, um, what it's like to apply to college and that whole process. So Aaron, please introduce yourself.
Speaker 3:Hi, I'm Erin can Sala. I'm a very proud UWC alum, uh, went to school at UDB stout in 2001 and got my degree in 2005 in human development, family studies. I was really fortunate to get employed at UWA still once I graduated. And so I was in athletics for seven years, and then now I'm serving as an admissions counselor in the admissions office. And my job title really, um, is pretty in-depth actually, I do a ton of recruitment for the university. I also have a territory which is mainly Minneapolis St. Paul area. And then I also host all of our on-campus events like campus preview days and stout Saturdays, where we invite prospective students and families to come on campus and check us out. And it's a really good day. So I think we're going to explain a little bit more about what that entails here, but a lot Connor kind of interdis himself.
Speaker 4:Hello, I'm Connor Johnson. I am studying computer and electrical engineering. I'm actually originally from Algonquin, Illinois, which is four and a half hours away from stout. So I have bit of a drive to get here, but it's totally worth it. Um, and among some of the things that I do on campus, um, I'm currently the vice president of the Institute of electronics and electrical engineers on campus. So we host workshops that, um, you know, do things with soldering programming, anything technology or computer related, uh, but I'm also a fabulous tour guide on campus. So I'm here on behalf of all the tour guides.
Speaker 2:I finally have that tour guide personality already going on, like just wonderful well-spoken smile.
Speaker 3:Okay. Connor, you forgot to mention what you just added last week. A double.
Speaker 4:Oh, well, okay. I guess I should mention it's a double major. So our program has computer and electrical engineering and you can choose a focus in either computer or electrical. And I just decided to do both.
Speaker 3:Yes. And admissions is really super lucky because we get Connor for a next for another semester. So
Speaker 4:Super. Maybe I'll throw more stuff on there and I'll just be here
Speaker 2:Forever. And you must really love is dramas admissions. Yes.
Speaker 1:I'm just going to say maybe he wants to come work at stout eventually after graduation. Well, let's talk about I'm, I'm thinking I want to go, go to college. Let's talk about how to get started. When is the proper time to get started? Let's talk about yeah. How to streamline that process of admissions. What do we do if we're thinking we want to get started?
Speaker 3:Sure. So, you know, I always tell high school students, it's really never too early to go and visit colleges. So we do see, you know, we've seen it as young as like seventh and eighth graders here on campus getting campus tours. But I would say it's a really good start that sophomore and for sure that junior year of high school, um, I always tell students, you know, go out and visit your top five schools that are on your list, go out and get a campus, visit, talk to an admissions counselor. And then after that junior year, when you start applying to colleges, go back to your top two, top three, that way you can, you know, get more questions answered. You can maybe, you know, see the academic side of things at that college. Maybe talk to a program director or professor, maybe sit in on a class. And then that senior year early in the fall, we always encourage students to start that application. So here at stout, actually students can start applying there August 1st of their senior year. And, um, we have rolling admissions. So there's really no deadline on the application. Students can really apply whenever they want, but we always encourage that, that fall time to apply.
Speaker 1:So Connor talk with me. What, why would you say students come here and what do you tell students when you're taking them on a tour?
Speaker 4:Sure. Um, I think I, huge reason of why our students come here is our Polytechnic aspect of our university. Um, that's one of the things we really like to mention, um, at our campus preview days as tour guides, because we all, we all say, oh, we don't really like, you know, listening to lectures for hours upon hours. So here half of it's lecture and then half of it could be, you know, working in a lab. We specifically, for my major, we work with soldering the other day, we were like programming this robot thing. Like how cool is that? So, so much better to like actually work with the stuff that you're learning about as opposed to just reading it out of a textbook. Um, so I just think that's like the main reason why people come here is for that Polytechnic aspect.
Speaker 2:Connor, is that what stood out to you when you got a tour here and applied here, when you were maybe even before you stepped on campus, what were your impressions versus like what other school, what versus your impressions of other schools that you may be applying?
Speaker 4:Sure. Yeah, that's actually one of the things, I mean, when I first heard about stout because no one in my area really knew about it back at home in Illinois. Um, but I got an email from stout saying, Hey, you should check us out. And we did some research and we're like, what is what's me and my family. We had no idea. We did some Googling and found out what it is. I saw some pictures online of like the facilities that stout had. And obviously when I came to tour, we got to see some of that. Um, and then some other things too, that stick out to me was just the community feel. So I really like stout, I guess the layout of campus to me is really convenient. Uh, some of the other schools I went to, they're super big here to take buses in between classes and stuff here everything's within walking distance. One thing I like to kind of joke about on tour as well is that I include downtown Menominee as a part of campus because we got north campus, south campus right in the middle of downtown Menominee. Everything's just together and it's, it's super nice.
Speaker 3:I love that. Yeah. And you know, being a Polytechnic university, our students, our prospective students absolutely love that, that they know that they can come here, get into their major as a freshman, get that hands on experience. But also UWC has some really unique majors, you know, over half of our majors aren't offered anywhere else in the UWC systems. So, you know, business and hospitality and management, just think of all the majors underneath that career cluster that, I mean eighth in the world for hotel restaurant and tourism management. I mean, you can't find that major really anywhere around this area, same with like real estate, property management and golf and construction. And then we have all of our engineering programs and we're the largest school of art and design and graphics in the state of Wisconsin and Minnesota. So I think for like affordability, uh, and the majors and the Polytechnic, I mean, you really were the best bang for your buck here. And so, and, you know, being a Polytechnic, we're also in that 98 percentile for job placement or continuing education. So, I mean, this is, this is definitely a great place for a lot of students. Expand a little
Speaker 1:More on that best bang for the buck.
Speaker 3:Talk with me about that. Well, you know, I do a lot of recruitment in Minnesota, so, um, it's easier for me to tell Minnesota residents, Hey, you're going to pay in state tuition if you come to school here at UWC in Wisconsin. Um, so we do have reciprocity with, uh, Minnesota, and then we also have, what's called, um, a Midwest student exchange program for students in like Michigan Dakotas, um, Ohio, Ohio. So we have some really, really great programs for even students that are out of state. Um, but also we, you know, we're the only laptop campus in the state of Wisconsin. So not only are you getting, um, your tuition and fees, your room and board, uh, you know, some services included in that, but you're also getting a brand new computer with around four to$6,000 worth of software on it. And then you also get a new one every two years and then you keep it once you graduate. So that's a good bang for your buck. And then I would say the biggest thing that I see when that, that, you know, the eyes get big and the, the jaw drops a little bit is textbooks. I think that's, that's really nice added bonus in there because a lot of the students that I recruit when they look at their, the schools in their state in Minnesota, they have to pay for textbooks on top of the tuition and fees. And so here, it's kind of, again, a good bang for your buck because those are included. I don't know, Connor, if you thought that was pretty cool, you know, with the laptop and the textbooks,
Speaker 4:The textbooks, the laptop. I, that's super amazing that we include that. And I, back at home, I'm a best buy sales associate and the computers department. And my busiest time of year is when people like college students are coming to buy a laptop for school. And they're like, what should I get? And then I tell them like, oh, I go to stout, my laptops included. And like, everyone's like, what? Like, it's, you don't have to worry about buying it. I'm like, Nope, you show up freshmen registration. They hand you one. And then every two years you get swapped out for a newer model. It's great. And then also, um, inside of the dorm rooms on campus who mini fridges, mini freezer and microwave they're included, my mom almost fell over when she found out we didn't have to buy one or bring one. Yeah. Um, so it's just super convenient
Speaker 3:And new this semester, actually a fitness center is included. And so a in years past they've had to pay for a gym membership and, uh, on top of the tuition. And so now it's included. It's really nice. Yeah. Our students can work
Speaker 2:Out. I don't even think I knew that officially. I know
Speaker 3:I didn't the first I've heard that because it is kind of a hot spot to go on the tour too. They want to see the fitness center. They want to see the rock climbing wall. And just kind of when I do my mission sessions to have that included,
Speaker 2:That is incredible. And fitness memberships are so expensive. Like Justin, I mean, I think they are, you could just go walk or run outside or do crunches in your bedroom. But,
Speaker 4:But part of that membership that's included too, is the fitness centers. They do host like different events. And because of that, membership is now free. You can go do yoga or something for free at the gym. Like they'll have like trainers and whatnot there as well.
Speaker 3:Very cool. The only thing that's not included is parking. So, I mean, we're good. We are a good bang for your buck. I love it.
Speaker 2:When I, when I was applying to schools, I dunno if I said this yet while we're recording, but I'm also an alum. I think if you're a passive listener, you would know that. But when I was applying to other colleges, I only applied to a few others in the UAW system, but what made me choose stout? I won't say what the other ones were, but, um, that I could have chosen, but I chose it out because of the reciprocity and from Minnesota and the unique program that I was in professional communication and emerging media. Cause I wanted to go into like PR or marketing, which I am now, the laptop, the textbooks, but also what Connor said earlier was the community aspect. My friend, Emily actually toured this campus before I did. And I was a late add man. Like I was, I procrastinated on it. And she was like, stout is the cutest out of the ones that I toured. You should pick this one. And she also chose to go here too. And so that was it. It was just the community feel. And that's what made me decide. So if that helps sway anyone, but I wanted to go into the preview days. I never had the opportunity to go to a preview day because I, I didn't visit until after I declared that I was going to attend here. So it was a bit different. But what happens at a preview day? What happens at a stout Saturday, a student arrives on campus? What do they do? What's the itinerary. Yeah.
Speaker 3:So campus preview days and stop. Saturdays are events that we host in the fall and spring during the academic year. And basically it it's really a sneak peek of campus. So what we do is we invite all of our prospective students and it's all over our website to when you go to admissions at UWA stout diary to you. And so students and families can register for one of the days that we have on our calendar. And so when students arrive, um, one of my favorite things about the events is we have, uh, refreshments in the great hall of the Memorial student center. And then we also have a resource fair going on. So while registration is going, families are checking in. Um, they get a bag of information, they get a free t-shirt and then they walk into the great hall and then offices like financial aid involvement study abroad, the cube athletics career services. We also have an admissions table set up there. So families and students can walk around and really ask questions. Like, what is it like to live on campus? How much is a dining plan? Which one do I choose? What if I want to get involved in intermurals or performing arts, they have about a half an hour to 45 minutes to really explore that fair. And then, um, after the Fair's done, we officially get started with an admission session. So our director of admissions, Joel Holmes actually goes up on stage and gives about a 45 minute presentation. So this is where they learn about majors. They learn about tuition, admissions criteria. They learn about a little bit more about studying abroad involvement, like just the demographics of our campus. And then, um, one of my favorite pieces is the student panel. So we bring up about four students and Connor actually is on the student panel all the time because is wonderful on the student panel. But students and families that are able to ask questions to like live like five questions about any
Speaker 1:What's the most asked question when you're either on the panel or out on a tour or both, if you want,
Speaker 4:Oh man, there's so many questions that we get asked, but like a lot of it, you know, once again, what's Polytechnic, people don't know that, but then they'll hear the presentation. We'll explain it. Um, but some of the other things too are like, what is it like living on campus? Because obviously I'm a student I live here and so are the other tour guides, even though Erin's an alumni, she doesn't live on campus. She only works here. So it's a little bit different perspective and we get to share our personal experience. And I think that's just so great because some other universities that even I toured when I was going through the admissions process, it was just some person talking. And I mean, you have no idea if what they're saying is real. Like they don't obviously interact with that, but because you're able to ask someone who literally lives in campus, I'm currently enrolled in classes. It's just really good to get that perspective from a student. So
Speaker 1:There's no big question. They all have like, how's the food,
Speaker 3:It's a big one
Speaker 4:With that one. It really gets us tour guides going because we then talk about our favorite meals. I always like to talk about the unlimited desserts and ice cream and we just get really hungry. Then we're like, you know what, we're going to stop there after the tour and have lunch with us. So
Speaker 3:Yeah, I would say that. And, and mostly, uh, parents or legal guardians, they ask, uh, internship, like what does an internship like look like for those students and what are they doing? And, um, are they paid? You know, where are they, what do they have to stay in Wisconsin to that stay in Menominee? It was. So I love listening to our tour guides, talk about their internship experiences. And then another question, we get a study abroad, like, you know, high school students want to know what their opportunity is to travel. So I think that's, uh, that's also another big one. And then we finish up the day with a campus tour. So students are able to walk around campus, see academic buildings, um, also see dining sports and fitness center. And then they also their favorite part, the dorm. So they have to see the dorm, right? So they get to walk in one and tour guide explains everything that's in there and kind of about the living situations and when they can pick their roommate and things like that. So that's, that's kind of the day, it's about a four hour visit four and a half hour visit. And then we offer them a free lunch. So in our cafeteria, at the commons, the students actually get to eat with their parents or whoever they bring their guests and, um, to eat on stout. So, so
Speaker 1:They actually get to experience dining and see what
Speaker 3:It's like. Absolutely. And we really appreciate, I mean, we have such a good relationship with dining and we appreciate that. They can give us meal tickets to give to families, to, to try out the food and kind of see how it is. Connor. What is your favorite meal on campus?
Speaker 4:I, the, well specifically this year, I've been getting the like tacos every other day. I think I have a problem. They're really good. Uh, but then also they brought back the ice cream machine and that's my favorite dessert. I'm a huge ice cream person, even though it's getting colder out, I still eat the ice cream. And then you can combine that they had apple pie for the fall. So you can put ice cream on that. You can't tell. I start combining some of the desserts too. You're a
Speaker 1:Dessert guy. I
Speaker 4:Am. That's what I tell. I like to tell the students on tour. I'm like mom and dad, can't tell you to not eat dessert before you have your meal. Cause that was like a big no-no growing up. So now I eat five cookies instead of dinner and I could be like, hi mom, I'm eating dessert, the fitness
Speaker 1:Center,
Speaker 3:The big runner. So he's like, I'll running all the time.
Speaker 4:Yeah. I'm on all the trails and Menominee red, Cedar trail, lake Mahnomen loop, all that kind of stuff. I run multiple miles to work off those desserts. So,
Speaker 2:Well, I'm glad you have a plan for that. Excellent.
Speaker 1:So how did you get started as a tour guide and what kind of attracted you to it? And I can kind of guess,
Speaker 4:So I knew that employment or on-campus employment was like a big thing. That was one of the things they hit in the admission session talking about it. And I just remember one time it was in the fall of my freshman year. Um, so fall of 2019, I was sitting in the commons, just eating lunch with a friend and I saw this tour group go by. And then I saw another one and it just like, looks like so much fun. They were just talking to these families, families were engaging with them. And I was like, I want to talk about my experience too. I like this looks like fun. You get to walk around, show what you're doing. And so then I applied, but that was basically how I got started was just seeing a tour. And then I was like, oh, I want to do that too.
Speaker 3:You know, are two students who go on tours. They, a lot of times pick their college based off of their tour guide. They really do. And so someone like Connor giving tours, I mean, families are just, they just love it. You know, when they leave stout, they're like, wow. And we want that lasting impression to stay with those students because you think about, you go to college to get that campus to where not necessarily meet with an admissions counselor like me, they want to meet Connor. You know, they want to meet with them tour guides. And so we're always looking for those really passionate stealth, proud students to come and work for us because that's who we want giving those tours around campus.
Speaker 2:Aaron, that made me think of a lot of the white paper research that I've read about higher ed and students. The biggest factors in how students choose a school and tours are number one. Like the tour experience is so important, which is daunting for your office, but also it's a group effort. I know that on some tours, students get to visit with faculty. Does that still happen?
Speaker 3:It does. Yeah. So, um, during the, during the week, Monday through Friday, we actually let students, um, right now, Monday through Friday we have different career cluster days. So for example, Mondays art and design and graphics. So students who want to do art and design and graphics come on Monday and they actually get it facility tour. They get to go on a facility tour with an art student. So they really explain all the labs and a little bit more about the program. So yes we do do the academic side, which is amazing. Yeah.
Speaker 2:That's very cool. I remember meeting with my program director at the time when I came and I knew made the right choice. So that was a huge thing for me because I'm a people person too. I was in communications where all, I feel like all of us at the table are people, people, people, yeah. We love talking with people and learning their stories. And that was a huge thing for me.
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1:Aaron, what about the, maybe the returning learner? Someone who maybe says, yeah, I wanna, I want to update my skills. Ho how do they go about that? What would you,
Speaker 3:I would recommend, so first and foremost, I'd recommend getting in touch with our career services because it's a wonderful service that we have on campus and they even help with, um, your resume resumes, cover letters. Um, they have a great connection with our alumni, um, for the return returners. Uh, one, you know, we, we do see a lot of students that want to come back for a second degree or maybe just take a few classes. We have over 20 graduate programs here at UWC stout. So, I mean, we have a lot of students that, that continue their education, but then we also have a lot of students that get a job, but then return, right? So, um, we help those students in our office. Um, it's a really easy process. And one of the awesome things about adult learners or re and returners is that we have a lot of online options. So students, students who have families, students who are working full time, do not live in Menominee. We have, we have programs set up in classes, set up for those students. So,
Speaker 2:So I am a student that just got accepted into stout, but let's say it's the fall of my senior year. What should I do to prepare what will I need to do? What can I expect in my email inbox, in my house's mailbox? What do I need to be looking for and do at this time
Speaker 3:You said one word email. We tell students all the time, check your email high school students, you know, did you check your email Connor in high school? I was actually really good about
Speaker 2:Checking my email, but
Speaker 3:None of my friends did. Okay. Yeah. So one of the things that when we talk to students is we tell them, once you apply to colleges, check your email, because that's how we communicate with you. We do send text messages, but we don't want to, uh, you know, bombard your text message inbox. So we do send emails and we do a great job of communicating with students. One thing once they've been admitted about next steps. Yeah. But let's just say you apply in the fall. Uh, one of the great things about our admissions office is our processing staff has really awesome. We actually let students know within two weeks if they're admitted. And so once they get that acceptance letter, we do send a really awesome, you know, we start blue devils acceptance letter, uh, on the, on the header of the envelope. It says we have some really good news for you. And so then they open up the letter and it's their acceptance letter. And then once they get that letter, a couple of things, uh, you know, we're gonna encourage them to do housing. Okay. So there's a housing, uh, gateway that students have to go go through and then they sign a housing contract and submit a housing deposit. So that would be like, if you know, you're coming to stout, I would say, get on your housing and start working on that contract. And then right now is, is such a crucial time or in November, uh, because we have financial aid, financial aid application opened October 1st. It opens October 1st, every year. Our scholarship application opened in October. And there's a deadline of the first Monday in February every year on that scholarship deadline. So, I mean, check your email, uh, you know, start, start doing all this next steps. And then, and then the spring is always a busy time because, you know, you, you sign up for classes and you meet with your first year advisor. And so, and then, uh, students come back on campus in the summer to actually register for their,
Speaker 1:So it sounds like you're saying, it's, it's start thinking about financial aid start thinking about scholarships in the fall already.
Speaker 3:Absolutely. Yeah. Spring is almost too late, you know, uh, especially for scholarships because you know, most colleges have a scholarship deadline. And so, uh, I always tell students start applying for scholarships in the fall. Like now you don't even have to be, you know, you don't have to know where you're going. Just start applying for scholarships within your community, within your high school, go on that college's website and start applying for those scholarships as well.
Speaker 1:Yes, I have to admit when I was looking at college, um, scholarships were a huge part of my final decision because it was between paying for college or I had enough scholarship funding to the college I went to, um, to pay for my first year. And it that's a big difference when you are.
Speaker 3:Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. We have a, we have a first year blue devil scholarship for students that demonstrate financial need. And then also have a 3.5 GPA or greater, uh, they're eligible for$2,000 first first-year scholarship. And then, uh, coming up here, we have, what's called our stout scholars scholarship. It's a$20,000 scholarship. It's$5,000 a year. And, um, it's for all of our high achieving students. So they need to submit an act score and have a certain GPA. And then they get invited on our campus to actually interview for a scholarship for that self scholar scholarship of$20,000. And so I put together a committee of staff and they interview about 90. We have about 90 students that come back every year for it. So it's, it's kind of a big deal. It's, it's super fun.
Speaker 1:I love to talk about the future. That's that's I think Rachel probably goes, Pam's always wanting to talk about the future. Where do you see the future of campus tours and admissions as we go ahead in the world, where do you see, what do you see happening?
Speaker 3:Well, one of my goals as an admissions counselor is to host more group visits, um, because we're guaranteed an audience, right? Uh, we're also high schools are looking for, uh, colleges to host them. They really are. I get a weekly emails from different high schools in Minnesota to, to come on campus. They want to bring a bus full of, of students and just get a campus tour and learn more about UWC. There's also a lot of avid groups out there, trio programs or upward bound programs that I work with. And so as an admissions counselor, to bring those students on campus and give them an experience that they might not be able to get here otherwise. And so to be able to have that audience and have those students on campus is, is super wonderful for our community here because we have 50 to 60 students that are checking out our campus. They're meeting with program directors, they're getting a campus tour, they're meeting with admissions. And so that is one of my goals in the future is to host more of those students on, on our campus, uh, along with our events that we have every fall and spring.
Speaker 4:Yeah. I could like add on to that. Like, like you said, bringing those students to campus is probably the most important part and being able to offer those options of like group visits or, you know, group high school trips coming. I think that's super awesome. I didn't particularly have any of those opportunities in high school, so that'd be really cool, like for students to just take a day off from school, take a bus, come here. Um, just because visually seeing campus and interacting with the staff and stuff, that's the best way to figure out what is home. Um, and I, I definitely decided that once I came here, like just seeing it interacting with the admission staff, um, we interacted with my program director and everything like that. Just feeling that sense of community is a big part of that.
Speaker 3:Absolutely. One of my favorite events, every, every fall is I just did one, two days ago, uh, or it's called an onsite admissions day. So I actually went to Menominee high school and went to the school and I admitted 20 seniors at Menominee high school on Tuesday. It was, it was so awesome. Like I had like five students sign up and I'm like, okay, this is, you know, it's, it's not even a mile drive, go there and check out the application and get the transcripts for the student and admit five students. Well, I had 20. And so I brought blase, blase came with, and another admissions counselor. And we were set up in this like big lecture hall and students just came in and applied and I had talked to, you know, four to five students that that was the only school that they're applying to. So those are our on-site admissions day. So I go to about three to four schools every fall and next week I'm going to be in Stillwater, Minnesota, and students can come and see me. They can apply and they can get an answer right on the spot. And then I bring them some swag. So every high school student likes swag, right. T-shirts Frisbees sunglasses, um, and, and, uh, stout bags. So yeah, it's super fun events. So, you know, doing more events like that to get students on campus, to, to, you know, tell students who we are and what we represent, I think is really important.
Speaker 4:I have a question for you, Erin, do you feel like Oprah Winfrey when you go to these events?
Speaker 3:Like[inaudible]
Speaker 2:That kind of stuff? Yeah,
Speaker 3:Absolutely. Yeah. That's just what I
Speaker 4:Picture it in my head is just you being Oprah, handing everything out. So
Speaker 3:Basically, yeah, it's, it's, it's fun. It's a happy day. That's true.
Speaker 2:Very cool. I have gone with you and the admissions team in the past to one of these and I put it on our Instagram story, the students that, you know, allowed me to do that, but that was so fun. It was, it was such a like joyful day.
Speaker 3:It is, it's so fun because the students are excited. They're a little nervous cause you know, um, you know, it's a process ahead of time. Um, I don't show up and get transcripts and then, you know, have to make the, I get the transcripts beforehand from counselors. So, um, I do all the prep work before. So when you walk in there, it's just it from when you walk into the school, when you leave, it's, it's a really, really good day. It's fun. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's fair. I never heard of anything like that from where, I mean, I grew up, I grew up right outside. I went to high school right. Outside Minneapolis and, and there was nothing like that at all.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Yeah. It's a, it's a really good day and I'm trying to get more on my calendar cause I am getting more requests from school counselors to come in and do something like it. So yeah, I'm hoping to put more on, on, on my calendar.
Speaker 4:You need a student tour guide to tag along. I know you got my number
Speaker 2:Connor. I would love to Darwin free and training. Yeah. So question for either of you, um, whoever would like to answer, but how can you schedule a visit? How can you get on campus?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so our website, uh, students can go to uwc.edu, backslash admissions, and click on admissions and aid and then go to visit campus basically. And then we actually take visitors Monday through Friday at nine and one o'clock. We also, um, can make some special, uh, requests too. So we, we don't really like turning anyone away. So, um, our office is open from eight till four 30. So we are taking visitors, um, every day, all day. And then we also just added, uh, some quick Saturdays. So I do also put on stout Saturdays, which are formal events to bring students on campus on, on Saturdays. But then we also have what's called quick-start Saturdays. And so we did three where families can come and, and come on campus on one of those three days and then get an emission session for a half an hour and then a campus tour for an additional hour. So, you know, we want to try to be as accommodating as we can to families because you know, sometimes you think back when you were in high school student, you're super busy, right? You're you're you have classes and then at night you might have something going on. So it's just an in our offices and open at night. So it's just really hard for students to sometimes get away from school. And so this allows students and families, if they're just driving by a lot of students that I see, Hey, they're just going up to their cabin. So they're just stopping by to walk campus quick. So that's why we opened up our CA our campus on those three quick Saturdays, this fall, uh, just though allow for families to reg. And we've had really great attendance. Like we have families that are, that are coming on campus they'll Saturdays. So yes, you can go on our website. You can really schedule a visit. We would love to have to have students and families come and visit us because we really do have, I I'm very biased, but I think we have one of the best visits in the UWA system right. On our campus. Uh, so we try to accommodate as many students and families as we can
Speaker 4:Actually been told that we have one of the best visits out of UWA because people will be like, oh, I just came from this school or this school. And they're like, you guys blew it out of the water.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, that's good to hear. Yeah. And that is, that is a goal of ours is, you know, um, it, we really want, when students come on campus, we want them to feel that they are very important here and that we want them on our campus. And so I think, um, feeling that sense of home and, and that community feeling, I always tell people, you know, what Menominee sucks you in. It really does. Like, I know so many alumni that are here working at the university are in Menominee. They haven't left, but it's just a great town. It's a great community. It's a fabulous university. And we have some really passionate, um, staff that work here. And so to get our prospective students in front of that, I think is really important. So we really want to make that visit experience the best that we can.
Speaker 1:Well, thank you. And we want to thank you for listening to inside stout a podcast devoted to the stories of our students, faculty, staff, and campus community. Thank you, Aaron and Connor for visiting with us today. Subscribe to us on Spotify and Google podcasts. And don't forget to tune in next time when we share even more stories that go inside stout.