I would not be the person I am today if it were not for UWL and the ResLife Department.

I came to La Crosse by a series of happenstances.

I guess we can all say them same if you really take the time to think about it. I can’t tell you exactly how I heard about UW- La Crosse, or even how I came to be on a tour here, but I can tell you everything that happened after that with concerning detail. When people ask me why I chose UWL, I always ask them if they have seen the show ‘Say Yes to the Dress.’ Every time someone tries on the dress of their dreams, they have this moment where they start to tear up because they know that it’s the one. That’s how I felt coming on campus here, like I had found the one, like I had found home. There is no better way to describe how I ended up here other than to say it just felt right. And so my journey at UWL began, and as it comes to a close this May I cannot help but look back and be thankful for every moment I have been here.

                As a first year student, I felt like I desperately needed to find my place. 

          I wanted to have the amazing friends you always hear about making in college, the roommate that would be my best friend for life, and the memories that they say make these the best four years of your life. Some days I felt like I had it all, but looking back now I realize that I was a bit more lost than I realized at the time. I felt like I was going through the motions, hopelessly looking for a passion that I could make a career out of, something to major in, someone to be. I became a part of the front desk team, and that is the moment that sparked me wanting to be more involved as the years went on. The next year I kept my desk position, became the President of my hall, joined every committee I could be a part of, and really got my foot in the door of Residence Life. It was at the end of that year that I realized something important: I had been getting involved and joining things in an effort to find things or people I was passionate about. What I didn’t know at the time is that Residence Life and the students and professionals I got to work with is what I am passionate about.

I made a decision that, cliché as it may sound, has been one of the greatest of my life: I applied to be a student staff member.

                I know, I know. 

        That sounds like something they make you say when they want you to get your residents to apply for the next year, but I am not one for scripts. Over the course of my year as a Desk Coordinator, I met people and made memories that pushed me toward a career in Student Affairs, so I don’t take this stuff lightly, I can promise you that much. When I think about Residence Life at UWL, I think about friends, home, and a place where I feel I belong more than I ever have before. The support that I have here is indescribable, it was like I was walking into a room of old friends, even if they didn’t know me yet. 

That sounds so cheesy, I know, but I swear it’s true. I feel like I have finally found my place, and it breaks my heart to have to leave it so soon.

                I am currently going through my search for a graduate position that will help make me the professional I want to be.

        In every interview people ask me hard questions about what I know, what I can do, and what I have experienced; what I find is that I can answer each one with ease and confidence. That isn’t just based on me as a person, that is truly based on all of the wonderful work that I have done with Residence Life to make me the well-equipped candidate I am today. If you are looking for an opportunity to be better or make a change, there is not a person in this department who won’t try their hardest to help you get there. This is the kind of place where chances come to you because someone says, ‘Hey, I think you would be really great for this,’ and they mean it because they have taken the time to be personally interested in who we are as individuals. 

I can say with confidence that the people in Residence Life know me, and more than just by the fact that I am a Student Staff member.

                In my grad search, I spent a weekend at the Oshkosh Placement Exchange.

         Anyone who has gone through it understands the exhausting nature of a weekend full of interviews and having to be “on” for three days straight. I would be lying if I didn’t admit I had a small breakdown or two…or three. Yet, I have never felt as supported as I did that weekend. The professional staff that was there to interview candidates were constantly checking in to see how I was doing, making coffee, and offering words of encouragement in times of need. I had a mailbox full of encouraging notes from fellow staff members, Desk Assistants, and professional staff in UWL ResLife, many of which weren’t even people from my own building. I would also be lying if I didn’t tell you that these made me cry more than I already had, but in the best way possible. I’m a cryer, what can I say? The fact that I had so many people in my corner that cared about my well-being and success is just a testament to the wonderful people I have been fortunate enough to work with in my time at UWL. 

I am going to say something, and it is going to be cliché enough that you may cringe, but stay with me here: I would not be the person I am today if it were not for UWL and the ResLife Department.

                Okay, I’m sorry, but it’s true. 

        When I think about who I was when I started my time here, I don’t know if I can say that I like that girl. The growth that I have had, both professionally and personally, is something I don’t think I could have gotten anywhere else. I tell my Desk Assistants all the time, and I don’t think that they take me seriously, but I tell them ‘You make me a better person.’ And they do. Every single day, in more ways than I can count. I am stronger, kinder, more confident, and just more of the person that I want to be based on the people I have come to know here. Leaving in May will be the hardest thing I will ever do (I’m crying now, told you I was a cryer). Leaving behind all the amazing people I have met, all the friendships that really will last forever, and all the memories that I hold so closely will be devastating. I’m not ready for it, but I am well prepared. The thanks for that goes to UWL, to Residence Life, to my incredible staff team and supervisor, to my Desk Assistants, and to every person who has left their fingerprint on my life. 

I hope I have left a few of my own. Life is just a series of happenstances, I could not be more thankful that mine have lead me here. 

-Amolia Schumacher

Sanford Hall Desk Coordinator

National Residence Hall Honorary- Vice President

My story

Talkative, outgoing, and highly energetic.

These are three things that hardly describe me. Growing up, the words ‘introvert’ and ‘leader’ were not anywhere close to being synonymous in my eyes. To me, leaders were the kinds of people who spoke first and for the longest, who had constant enthusiasm, and whose favorite hobby was social interaction. Being the introverted person that I have always been, there were only a few times when I was younger at which I felt as though “leadership positions” were a good fit for me.  

During my sophomore year was when I had first considered applying to become a Resident Assistant. 

However, I was under the belief that my introverted personality did not match the stereotypical image of an extroverted RA, so I turned to my Assistant Hall Director, Marissa, for assistance. I would ask, “Are people like me meant for Residence Life?” and each time she would respond with a big “YES!”  It took quite a bit of convincing for me, but Marissa was persistent on insisting that Res Life is in need of people who choose to listen over talk and who bring a calming-type of energy just as much as they need the high-energy, ‘let’s have a 24/7 dance party’ type of people.  Even after applying and later being hired, I was still concerned that I was not extroverted enough for the position. However, I quickly found out that I was mistaken. 

UWL’s Residence Life has made me truly believe for the first time that you can be an introvert and a leader. 

The acceptance of differing personality types that I have observed from Res Life has given me the confidence to pursue what I truly want, despite maybe not seeming like the “perfect fit” for it. And it has definitely paid off. My involvement through my RA position has helped me come to the decision to pursue a future career in Student Affairs, specifically starting out in a Residence Life Department. So as I prepare to go into my fourth and final year at UWL, I can say that I now have more self-confidence and a newly found passion largely thanks to Res Life. In addition to the free room & board, I’d say that’s a pretty good deal. 

-Laura Drake, Interpersonal Communication Major, Resident Assistant - Reuter Hall University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

UWL Has a Very Special Place in My Heart

Well, we’re now on the other side of Spring Break, and the end of the semester feels right around the corner. This time of year can always feel bittersweet, but for me especially, I know that closing the residence hall this year will be harder than any other time before. My name is Becky Schwartz. I am a Senior Staff RA in Eagle Maroon, and this May will be my graduation and my last closing as an undergraduate student staff member. As I approach my final weeks at UWL, I reflect on my time here and the impact this department has had on me. And let me tell you, it’s a big one…

From my freshman year roommate and RA, I learned college is what you make of it, and to take advantage of opportunities that come your way. Without her, the past 4 years of my life would have been very different. From my residents from each of my three years on staff, I learned that there is much more going on underneath the surface. The students at UWL are so dynamic and hard working. I’ve had the pleasure to make pancakes, comfort them with Kleenex and hugs, get pied in the face for charity, clean up messes, and go on countless bluff hikes, just to name a few.

From my Laux Hall Director and Staff Team, I learned to ‘embrace the awkward’ and that courage can take many forms. I learned to be vulnerable. During that year, I had felt like I had truly found ‘my people’ in Residence Life. I learned that we grow the most when we aren’t the most comfortable, and I learned to embrace my individuality and vulnerability.To my Hutch Hall supervisors and the Hutch Team, thank you for teaching me grace. (Both getting and giving.) I learned that sometimes the hardest thing to be is yourself, and that there is insurmountable strength in being soft. I also learned that it’s important to take a break- you can’t pour from an empty glass.

From my summer staff team, I learned that La Crosse during the summer is possibly one of the most beautiful places, with some of the most wonderful people. I also learned that exactly how much work the Residence Life department puts into ensuring that pro-staff, student staff, and residence get the most out of their training and experiences at UWL. (And let me tell you, it’s a lot!)

From my current Eagle Maroon Staff Team, Core Team and Hall Director, I’ve learned that Residence Life is the place where I’d like to be for a long while. I found my footing in my Senior Staff position, and I learned how to be adaptable and embrace changes. I’ve been so touched by the family we’ve created, and I’d hope more than anything that I’ll be able to provide those feelings and opportunities for my future work teams.

So, dear Reader, if there’s one takeaway from this post, it’s that UWL has a very special place in my heart. The care that the students, administrators, and staff put into this department is like no other. For them, I am forever grateful. If you ever get the chance to be a part of the UWL Residence Life Department, I would tell you without hesitation to take the opportunity. You might just find ‘your people’ here too. 

-Becky Schwartz

Senior Staff-Resident Assistant, Eagle Maroon 2016-2017

What are you going to do with that?

I get asked this a lot. By relatives, parents, and friends back home. 

Whether it’s about my Communication major or how my job as an Resident Assistant will “help me in the future”. What they don’t understand is that I’m not just enforcing policy, I’m not just doing arts and crafts, I’m not just holding floor meetings and doing ice breakers - I’m building a community.

Community is a word Residence Life throws around without much context. In short, it’s my job and privilege to help residents create strong and healthy relationship with one another. Whether it’s having Bachelor watch parties or just spending a night doing homework together in the common space. I get to see student grow into independent young adult over the course of the year, and if you think we don’t notice, trust me- we do. I’ve seen you get more serious about your homework, I’ve seen you make friends with the room down the hall, I’ve seen you become invested in your intramurals team, I’ve seen you get connected with a student organization, I’ve seen you hanging out with friends from across campus, I’ve seen you. We have seen you.

 If you ever feel like no one see you, just remember - we do.

-Emmi Infante, Resident Assistant

Speed Mentoring!

In November, we spent some time connecting with professionals on campus in a Speed Mentoring style round robin. 

Each Hall Director and Assistant Hall Director had 4-5 minutes to connect with these campus partners to talk about their own professional development goals and ways we can enhance collaboration for the benefit of our students and our own professional growth.  

Our Campus Partners included:

Dr. Bob Hetzel - Vice Chancellor of Finance

Kirstin Stanely - Financial Specialist

Erin Thacker - Athletics Event Coordinator

Dr. Ryan McKelly - Psychology Professor

Brad Quarberg - Director of University Communications

Becky Viandan - Director of Career Services and Academic Advising

Charlene Hoeller - Counselor in Counseling and Testing

Chef Rob - Lead Chef for Chartwells and UWL Dinning

Mic Naumann - Student Support Services

Jaralee Richter - Assistant Director of Leadership and Involvement

Corey Sjoquist - Director of Admissions

Detective Chris Schuster - University Police

Andy Oliver - Assistant Director of the ACCESS (Disability Resource) Center

Richard Sims - Office of Multicultural Student Services

Why La Crosse?

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Nestled between bluffs and the majestic Mississippi River, the city of La Crosse offers an almost endless variety of activities and natural beauty. Situated at the heart of the city, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's unique location means its students, staff, and faculty are within walking distance of most services and businesses. Historic downtown La Crosse is a short 10 minute walk away.

Whether it's the breath-taking view from Grandad's Bluff, walking the winding marsh trails, getting in touch with the German heritage during Oktoberfest, or visiting the World's Largest Six Pack; there is always something to do to help you connect with this beautiful area! We encourage you to explore the two links below to learn more about what La Crosse has to offer you!

More Reasons to Love La Crosse

Hear from student body president, Jacob Schimmel and students around campus talk about why they love the University of Wisconsin La Crosse