Greetings V-Hawk parents and families,

It might be difficult to believe, but the end of the academic year is less than a month away. Special events such as the Student Recognition Awards Ceremony, the Athletics Awards Banquet, and the Senior Soirée will honor the achievements of our students in the weeks leading up to commencement, which is May 13. Personal touches such as these are one of the hallmarks of the Viterbo educational experience and are greatly enjoyed by students.

One of the biggest news items of the semester has been the appointments of two key campus leaders. Amy Schmidt was named vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer (CFO) effective May 16. She is the former vice president for finance and administration at Minnesota State College Southeast in Winona, Minn. Tonya Wagner was named vice president for academic affairs and institutional effectiveness effective immediately. She had served in the interim role since November 2022. Both are excellent administrators and will be members of the university’s senior leadership team.

I am also happy to report that a Higher Learning Commission review resulted in Viterbo meeting all five criteria for accreditation without required monitoring. This is the highest possible rating and one earned by no more than half of the HLC institutions reviewed during a given year. The members of the Viterbo HLC leadership team did an outstanding job, and I thank them for their efforts.

In other good news, Viterbo University has been designated a Top 10 Gold Military Friendly School for 2023–2024. This is the second year in a row Viterbo has earned this high distinction. It is one of only 10 schools in the “private college offering a doctorate” category in the nation to earn Top 10 Gold designation.

Thank you, parents and families, for entrusting Viterbo with your student’s education. I wish all our graduating seniors the best of luck in the future. I hope their time at the university was as special to them as it was to us. To the parents and families of students returning to campus in the fall, rest assured that we will continue to provide them the best education possible.

Have a fantastic summer.

Pace e Bene (Peace and All Good),

Rick Trietley
President, Viterbo University
608-796-3001
rctrietley@viterbo.edu

Several recently announced initiatives aim to improve life on campus for students:

►Student minimum wage will be raised from $8.25 to $11 per hour in the fall.
►A new V-Hawk Safe app will be launched Monday, April 17, to enhance campus security.
►Starting in the fall, meal plan options for students will increase from four to seven, offering more flexibility.
►Summer class options were increased and costs were reduced, with summer internships offered tuition free.
►Summer housing is now available for students on a weekly basis.
►Next fall, Canticle Apartments will be the site of a new Catholic Living Community, with 14 students signed up to "live and learn as a Catholic." (RA Tessa Arenz is pictured above.)

Viterbo's student newspaper, The Lumen, has stories with more details about the new initiatives and the Catholic Living Community and other great campus stories.

We’ve had quite a few things to cheer about on campus this semester:

►The dance team took seventh at nationals, and Nyah Brooks (pictured) was named the NAIA’s Co-Dancer of the Year, with four teammates also earning All-America honors: Erin Walters, Jessalyn Wilson, Madelyn Dibble, and Vanessa Wong.
►The women’s volleyball team compiled a 39-2 record (including a program record 32 straight victories) and had five players earn All-America honors: Miah Garant, Maya Roberts, Kenzie Winker, Katie Frohmader, and Adrianna Reinhart.
►Viterbo came through its Higher Learning Commission accreditation review with flying colors, four years after the HLC’s comprehensive evaluation.
►For the second straight year, the university was designated a Top 10 Gold Military Friendly School.
►Tonya Wagner was named vice president for academic affairs and institutional effectiveness, after serving in an interim capacity since November 2022. In addition, Amy Schmidt, who earned a Viterbo MBA in 2011, has been named chief financial officer and vice president for finance and administration.

Matt Jurvelin, Viterbo’s assistant dean of student community, oversees the areas of residence life, student orientation and engagement, and dining services. He came to the university with 20 years of higher education experience helping students.

Read Jurvelin's Q&A