Oh my. The first semester of the podcast is coming to an end. It's fitting that in this episode of Inside Stout, we'll hear from two people that know the "in's and out's" of the college experience. Commencement is important because it not only celebrates all of a student's hard work, but it gives closure to a chapter in everyone's life and opens the next one. Join us as we discuss!
Guests:
Britta Miller, the new student orientation and commencement coordinator
Sophie Bernstorf, graduating senior
Follow us on social media:
www.instagram.com/uwstoutpics/
www.linkedin.com/school/university-of-wisconsin-stout
Visit our website: https://www.uwstout.edu/
Oh my. The first semester of the podcast is coming to an end. It's fitting that in this episode of Inside Stout, we'll hear from two people that know the "in's and out's" of the college experience. Commencement is important because it not only celebrates all of a student's hard work, but it gives closure to a chapter in everyone's life and opens the next one. Join us as we discuss!
Guests:
Britta Miller, the new student orientation and commencement coordinator
Sophie Bernstorf, graduating senior
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, a UW stout podcast that focuses on the stories of students, faculty, staff, and others from the campus community. I'm Pam powers with the marketing community occasions team here to share with you everything that makes UW stout unique. My co-host Rachel Rimson was unable to be here today. In this edition of inside stout, we are going to talk about commencement and what it is like to prepare for graduation and to leave your UW stout family and set on out on new adventure. I'm gonna ask my two guests today to introduce themselves.
Speaker 2:All right. Well, I will start us off here. Uh, my name is Sophie bettor. I am from a small town in Southern Minnesota, just south of the cities called Northfield, Minnesota. Um, I am a graphic design and interactive media major here at UW stout as well as, uh, I'm earning a photography minor. Um, and I would have to go with two fun facts about me. Are I love skydiving? It is one of the most amazing things I've ever done. No roller coaster can top skydiving. Um, and another fun fact would be that I hope to have a Wiener dog and a great Dan. Some
Speaker 3:I like it. That's very diverse, a Wiener dog and a great Dane. Wow. My name is beta Miller. I coordinate commencement, but I also plan orientation. So I am the book ends coordinator. I coordinate all of our large scale welcome events and see you later events. Um, it is my great pleasure to be here today. I've worked at stout for 13 years, so I have been here for quite a long time. My first commencement ceremony was actually, I think it was December of 2015. I did not go back and look, but I'm pretty positive. It was December of 2015. It was a long time ago. So I've been doing this for a little while.
Speaker 1:Sophie, you should know. I have two Doxies two little mini Doxies about eight pounds each Isabella and Otis. That's a fun fact about me. That's awesome. And I am never going skydiving. How about you, Brita? You going skydiving? No, ah, ah, you're on your own with that one. Sophie. That's
Speaker 2:Fair. That's fair. I do. I do have, have a Wiener dog at home as well. So that's why I, that's how I got my love for them is having one growing up.
Speaker 1:Fantastic Britta. Talk with me what it is like to be that bookends person, what it's like to see students like Sophie as they're coming in the UW stout. And then as they're going out the door, just start their new lives.
Speaker 3:It is the best job ever because I see students at the highest points in their time here at stout when they are the most excited, but scared out of their minds to start here. And when they are the most excited, yet scared out of their minds to leave here. It is so fun to have those families and those guests and those support persons here, and to be able to start their journey with them. And for some of them, I get to see them during the, during the time that they're here and get to, uh, be part of their any while they're here. But then I get to see them again when they leave the two times that a class is together in one space is in the Johnson field house. So we are together during blue RA, which is our big kickoff event at orientation. And then they come back together at graduation and I get to be there for both of those moments. And it's really special.
Speaker 1:Sophie, talk a little bit about what it was like when you started at stout. And I know you're gonna be one of our speakers at commencement. So talk with me about what you're gonna say it
Speaker 2:Well, um, thinking about kind of that first orientation coming in freshman year, it's a lot, it's a lot emotionally. Um, but I also feel on it really refreshing because it was exciting for me to come into a space where I could kind of start over. Um, I was in a place when I came to stout that I wanted a lot of new friendships. I kind of left my high school in the dust, to be honest, I was like, never coming back. Don't wanna think about it. I want something new. And I was cited to, uh, build relationships with people from other places and other cities and also put, um, you know, concrete effort into those relationships and be confident that I would receive the same amount of effort back. That was like a huge thing for me and stout, I think set me up for success in that regard, which is really exciting. Um, I became very close with girls on my floor my freshman year, and I got close to them because we were forced to be together for four days straight. Um, so orientation was a good, um, uh, experience for me and the fact of, you know, what we, we can complain that we have to get up early, but at least I get to put myself out there in a controlled environment. So I really love that. And on the other end, the second book end, if you will, um, it's exciting to graduate. I have, it's this weird thing of you have a vision of what it's gonna be like, what the day is gonna feel like. Um, but the fact that it's coming this soon and this fast and, um, it's, it's a lot, uh it's uh, I wouldn't say I have necessarily the clearest vision on it because I'm still in school. I'm still doing all the things that, uh, I need to do to graduate. Um, but in regards to speaking at commencement, I've never been more excited to, to speak to a and I, um, public speaking hasn't necessarily been a, a fear of mine. I've been lucky in that regard. Uh, so yeah, I'm, I'm excited to, to share, uh, a positive message with my graduating class.
Speaker 1:So can you give us any little stink previews, what you're gonna say? Um,
Speaker 2:You know, what I think to kind of summarize my message, um, is that I, when doing my research for this, uh, speech, you know, looking at previous years, especially the recent ones, you know, COVID has played a huge role in graduation and celebrations in his past year and a half, two years. And while I wanna touch on that, I think my main message goes into this place of uncertainty in general. I think, um, the uncertainty of, uh, graduating college is that you, you got to this step, you made the milestone, but what is the jump you take afterwards? And I really wanna ample that stout students have really been set up for success to get to the end of the cliff, if you will, to make the jump. Um, and, uh, I also really want to acknowledge the hardships and the, the experience students had during COVID, um, is significant and unique, um, to you previous graduating classes, as well as mine. Um, but this uncertain state that we're in is a perfect time to use the things that you have learned here and what you've been set up to do. Um, so that, that's probably the, the big key message for me. Um, just because I feel that sta has really set me up for success, it's probably
Speaker 1:Pretty appropriate it that you talk about making that jump since you like the skydive, correct? Correct.<laugh> Brita. I have to ask you this. You're seeing the book ends. We keep talking about the book ends. Uh, what do students often misunderstand about the college experience? What would you love for students coming in graduating? Just getting started, looking at stuff. What, what would you like to say to'em? What should they do? How should they prep
Speaker 3:Be yourself, be genuine and be yourself. This is a time to reinvent yourself and become who you want to be. I loved my freshman year of college. That's probably why I do the things that I do. And I loved my senior year of college. That time in between was, is hard. It was hard to figure out who you are, who you wanna be, what you wanna major in, where the rest of your life is going. And I think that it is hard, but it is hard in a good way. It is hard in that you get this opportunity to really find yourself. And as said, you know, she ran away from her high school experience. I was the same way I was ready to be done. I was ready to move on and start my journey. And it is a time for students to grow and develop in a way that they haven't had in the past. And I just love, I love seeing these students and seeing them develop them, kind of grow in their personalities and in their experience and in their, um, what is the word I'm looking for in themselves in their leadership? Um, it's just really, I love college. I, I really do. I think that that's why I work at a col at a university is that I love college. It is just so much fun. And I just wish that students recognize that as they started out that freshman year, that that year was gonna, is so impactful in the rest of their lives that year and their senior year are probably the most impactful. So
Speaker 1:Sophie, what would you tell your first yourself, if you could go back in time or jump back in time, I should say. And what do you wish you, you knew that you don't didn't at that time in your life?
Speaker 2:I mean, there's a lot. Um, I think I definitely would've put myself at ease if I could. I mean, there's a, a lot of stress starting in a new city with new people in an environment that you've never been in. So obviously there was a lot of anxiety and a lot of questions I had back then. Um, but to be honest, if I could go back and just tell myself, I, I would probably say something along the lines of, you know, you're going to do a lot more thing is that you haven't even imagined yourself doing, um, including giving your graduating college commencement speech. If you would've asked me four years ago, that I would even think about applying, I would've shooken my head and said no way. Um, so I, I would go back and I'd tell myself to, to get excited about those things. And also remind myself that I was on the right track all along. I think that when you're a freshman, you kind of have these questions of, because nothing feels concrete. You think about, is this right? Am I doing the right things? Am I going the right way? Am I with the right people? And I, uh, would give myself that reassurance in the, at ease of, no, you did everything you were supposed to do with the people you were supposed to. Um, so yeah, I would, I would just encourage former Sophie.
Speaker 1:Okay. Sounds good. I
Speaker 3:Love that. Giving yourself grace. Yeah, exactly. Yep.
Speaker 1:Love it. Brita. You say you love college. So if you could go back, what would you do different with your college experience? Uh,
Speaker 3:Go to stout.<laugh>
Speaker 2:Good answer. Can't argue with that.
Speaker 3:My undergraduate was from the university of Wisconsin river falls. So I can't say anything bad about my experience there, but knowing what I know now about the university, I think, think that there would've been a better fit for me here at stout. And I did get my master's degree from here. So I am a proud stout alum. I do have a degree from stout, but I think that would be something that I would do different. I think that I would come to stout.
Speaker 1:Why, tell me why.
Speaker 3:Uh, the reason I didn't come here is that my sister went here and there was no way I was gonna go to the same school that my sister went to. That was not going to happen as I've developed in my career. There are just things that I wish I had learned as an undergraduate student that I didn't get out of my degree. My degree was actually in marketing communications. So my, my background is in the communications field. I think at the beginning of my career, I think that something like digital marketing or graphic communications probably would've been a better fit. Uh, but as I've grown in my career and I've developed my undergraduate experience did fit that, but I just, I have this love first out. I have this love and this pride for our university and I'm really proud to work here. So I think that that is kind of my reasoning is just that I kind of love it.
Speaker 1:Commencement is going to be back in person. Although I know it's going to be limited, the number of people who can at tan, but what's it like to have to, to how long has it been since it's been in person and what's it like to have it back in person and I'm hoping both of you will dress up.
Speaker 3:Yeah. So we were back in person sort of in may of 2020, it was without guests. So students did have that opportunity to walk across the stage and celebrate. But the last commencement that we had in person with full guest was December of 2019. And I actually had to miss it. I was in a wedding that day, so I was not able to attend. I had a backup that filled in for me and I watched it virtually as I was getting my hair done and things went wrong. And of course it was things that I noticed, but else would, so I'm panicking. But so the last commencement I was at was actually may of 2019, but the last one in person was December of 2019. It's been hard. It's been really hard. I have missed that celebration, that opportunity to see the students and the families at that culinary to an event. Um, that was a, that was difficult. We handled it very well. We had wonderful virtual experiences for our students, but it's not that same feeling and that same energy that you get when you're in person and you see these families and these students and the, the pride that comes out energy in that room just cannot be beat and cannot be matched.
Speaker 1:Sophie, similar for you. I mean, what's it like knowing that it's finally back?
Speaker 2:Yeah. I mean, number one, it's been something I've looked forward to, um, you know, when, when COVID first arise, um, I was thinking it'll be a couple of months will be fine. And I assume most people thought that way as well. Um, but the realization of just what my graduation could look like really hit me when my brother did not have a traditional high school graduation. And that was immensely hard, uh, specifically on my dad. Um, that was really hard to see he, um, also graduat from stout and, um, he was excited for his, for his son and his, his last kid to reach that milestone. And so it hit me, um, really hard when I was like, I really don't want a virtual graduation. I want to celebrate because my brother had missed out on that opportunity. So it was a feeling of relief when I realized it was in person. And then I could at least have my initial family. Um, my dad, my mom and my brother. So, um, yeah, a major sigh of relief, uh, but also just excitement that I get to celebrate with people with, um, everyone else who has worked just as hard as I have to get to that moment. Um, and as, um, you know, odd as it may feel, but walking across that stage is huge, you know? Um, I think when people think of walking and grab, it doesn't feel like a, oh, it's just a walk. You know, you're not actually getting the diploma that day, you know, but I see it as that is a walk that I'm gonna remember for a really long time. And it also adds to the fact that my dad also graduated from here. So there's a, there's a sentimental piece, uh, in regards to my family as well. So your father's in the alum, he is an alum mm-hmm<affirmative>
Speaker 1:Do, do you happen to know when and what he made
Speaker 2:You do? Um, he was a hospitality major and he, um, was fr, uh, he graduated in December as well. Um, either December of 96 or 97, but I think it was 97. Um, so yeah, he loves stout. Um, he was in a fraternity here. Um, he still sees his college friends. Um, but yes, my dad is also a big lover of
Speaker 1:South. Okay. Brita, I want, if this podcast is being heard by other students who may be planning ahead for future commencements, give us some tips. What should students do to make sure they are prepared to graduate,
Speaker 3:Apply for graduation by the deadline, we have a deadline for graduation, for students to be listed in the commencement program. And that program is so meaningful to some students and some families. And I get anxiety about students missing their name, being printed in that program. So apply early, the registration and records office will send out multiple emails reminding you to apply. And when the deadline is to have your name printed in that program apply to be the student commencement speaker. We love that committee Pam on it. We, it is
Speaker 1:One of the best C as I am on.
Speaker 3:Right. We love hearing these student stories and being able to read them and interview them and just listen. It is impactful for us as, as employees here to be able to hear these student experiences, it really shows us that we did something and we did something right. So a apply to be a graduation or a student speaker, um, check the website, check the FAQs and just look forward to it. It's an exciting time.
Speaker 1:The graduation commencement speaker committee, Sophie, you told a story that absolutely just made me laugh. Do you remember? And will you share it? Um,
Speaker 2:I feel like I told multiple stories
Speaker 1:That day, but please it was about airplanes and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. You have to tell that story because it is one of the best stories and it absolutely. I rare, you know, I, it just made me laugh.<laugh>
Speaker 2:Well, I will being that. I definitely went over time for that question. I will, I will cut to kind of the middle of the story. Um, so this was back of one of my first plane rides that I remember. Um, I was a toddler and, um, the most exciting thing or me about getting on that plane was that I was going to get an Uncrustable sandwich. I was not allowed to have them at home. My mom rarely bought them. Um, you know, we tried to eat as healthy as possible, but sugary treats and snacks were not a thing in the burn store household. So on plane ride, I got to have a grape jelly Uncrustable on white bread, which was also not allowed in the house. So as a little toddler, I am so excited and I am just patiently waiting to open that box cuz she brought the whole box with her, which was super exciting because I was like, I'm gonna get the opportunity to eat all of these, you know, like this is, this is my big moment here. And so I wanted to carry the box on the plane. She handed me the box and walking on that, um, I don't know what you call it. That strip from the gate to the plane. I clung to that box of Uncrustables. It was, it was my moment of when I sit down, I get to eat one. I get out in my spot. I of course had the window I observed. I was, I was very excited to fly and before I even got my seatbelt on, I said, okay, mom, I get my Uncrustable now. And she goes, no, they're for the plane ride. And I'm like, well, we're on, we're on the plane. We're ready to go. And so she wanted me to wait until we took off. And of course by the time we were safely in the air all ready to go, I got to have an Uncrustable and it was delightful and delicious and everything I wanted as I, I think I was three or four years old. Um, and I, and I wanted another one. I did not get another one though. They had to be saved for the flight back. And on that flight back, I, I only also got one and the rest were either eaten by my father or eaten by other children when I got home.
Speaker 1:Okay. Britta, what's your Uncrustable? Um,
Speaker 3:<laugh> I prefer strawberry jam versus the grape jelly. I relate though, because I feel like we grew up with the same mother. Yeah. My mom would call white bread. That came from the store that wasn't from a bakery,
Speaker 2:Chemical bread. My mom thinks the same thing too. Yeah. She goes, this isn't real bread. Right? The ingredients list is far too long<laugh> so
Speaker 3:We had chemicals. So it was a huge thing. When we got to have chemical bread and sugary cereal or sugary things were only for an after school snack or a car ride. I did not go on a plane until I was in college. I was 21 the first time I flew. But I think that my mom would've had the same philosophy if she had taken us on a plane. So I love it, girl. I'm right there with you. I had the same childhood.
Speaker 1:Well, I absolutely love that story and I still love it. And I'm still laughing by the way. Um, now I'm gonna, what are your future plans, Sophie? What are your plans?
Speaker 2:Well, I, uh, actually interned at, uh, Cambria in Eden Prairie, Minnesota over the summer. And by week three, um, my boss came to me and he goes, Sophie, I'm upset with you. And I said, why? He goes, you haven't graduated yet. And I was like, I graduate in December and he goes, I know, but I wanna offer you a job. And so I said, well, what, what is, what, how can we compromise this? And so right now I am working part-time for K embryo remotely. And I actually signed my full-time paperwork just a couple weeks ago to start January 3rd as a digital designer there. Um, so I do not have the stress of interviewing or job prepping or updating my resume or LinkedIn, um, because I actually had things already to go basically before I even started this semester. So I am very excited. It has, uh, taken a lot off of my plate. And um, I'm just, I'm really lucky in that regard.
Speaker 1:How do you credit start with that?
Speaker 2:You know, in terms of, uh, preparation, uh, in terms of design skills, they definitely helped me out. Uh, there are other stout alum that work at Cambria, uh, and they are all well loved and respected. So, um, you know, stout produces really awesome individuals and skillful employees. So, um, yeah, I do. I do credit stout, um, for that. So, um, yeah, they've prepared me well,
Speaker 1:Well on that note, thank you for listening to inside stout a podcast devoted to the stories of our students, faculty, staff, and campus community. I wanna thank Sophie and Brita for visiting with me today and sharing their thoughts on commencement. Subscribe to us on Spotify and Google podcasts. And don't forget to tune in next, when we share even more stories that go inside stout.