| A Message from Kirsten Gabriel |
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Greetings V-Hawk parents and families,
There are few things better than summer in Wisconsin. We’re enjoying the long summer days, the many local festivals and celebrations, time on the Mississippi River and in the bluffs, hearing about our students’ Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) projects, and spending time with our newest V-Hawk students and families at STAR. (Remember all the energy and excitement of your STAR week? Visit our Viterbo University Flickr account for a trip down memory lane! We hope summer has been energizing and restorative for you and your family as well.
The start of the fall semester will be here before we know it, and we’re incredibly excited about our plans and ideas for the new academic year and the return of our students. While we recognize your students are on break for a portion or all of the summer, know we’re here and happy to support you and your student in any way we can! Please don’t hesitate to reach out if there’s anything you or your student needs as they prepare for the upcoming academic year.
You’ll also want to save the date for this year’s Family Day on Saturday, Sept. 16. We are so looking forward to having you, our V-Hawk families, on campus to celebrate Family Day 2023! We have all sorts of great family-friendly events and activities in store, including the ever-popular mentalist Brian Imbus, our cornerstone Family Day Service Saturday starting at 8:30 a.m., and a special family-friendly event at Ferguson’s Apple Orchard, a regional favorite fall outing. Check out our Family Day website for more details (and consider booking that hotel room now—they tend to fill up fast!).
I hope you enjoy perusing this edition of our quarterly parents and family newsletter and exploring articles on dining services, study abroad and away, residence life, and President Rick Trietley’s annual report; learning about two of our fantastic community members, Chris Mayne and Marcia Taddy; and checking out links to photo galleries and resources. Happy reading!
Lastly, thank you—from all of us—for sharing your student with us. Viterbo is a special place because of the community we’ve created, and your student is a unique and important part of that community. Enjoy the rest of your summer, and we can’t wait to see you and your student back on campus in August!
All the best,
Kirsten Gabriel
Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students
Murphy Center, #226
608-796-3840
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Important Dates
►Aug: 1: First day to charge books at the bookstore
►Aug. 8: College Advance Care Planning webinar
►Aug. 25–27: Returning student move-in dates
►Aug. 28: First day of classes
►Sept. 1: Last day to add full semester classes or change sections
►Sept. 4: Labor Day (no classes)
►Sept. 8: First day for fall refund checks to be issued
►Sept. 16: Family Day |
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News from Far and Near
As the school year ended, faculty-led international study excursions fanned out across the globe, with groups going to South Africa, Spain, Peru, and, for the first time, Thailand (pictured above). Faculty also led study-abroad experiences this year in Austria, Costa Rica, Belize, and Guatemala.
Meanwhile, closer to home we've had the usual bursts of summer activity around campus. The incoming first-year students came to campus for day-long introductions during STAR week (check out the photo gallery). At the end of June, Viterbo hosted its 20th annual Servant Leadership Conference,
The numerous campus improvement projects this summer include new concrete walkways, an additional dance studio in the Fine Arts Center, upgraded humidity controls for the Varsity Athletics Center gym, an upgraded kitchen for the Sr. Thea Bowman Center, partial roof replacement on Murphy Center, and many student housing projects. |
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Summery Summary
It's July, and that means Viterbo University’s annual President's Report is out, with a rundown of highlights from the past school year and a message from President Rick Trietley. Check it out.
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Keep up with campus happenings and stories about the Viterbo family on our Viterbo in the News page, |
Food Service Director Always Puts Students First |
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As Viterbo's food service director, Havin Rehwinkel strives to be responsive to student needs, instituting innovative changes that give students more flexibility in meal plans, cafeteria hours, and food choices. “If there’s something special, they can just go ahead and ask,” he said. “We treat the kitchen as if it belongs to the students."
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For Tammy Gilkes, Listening to Students Is Job One |
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In her new position as first- and second-year experience coordinator in Viterbo’s student life division, talking (and listening) to students is a huge part of Tammy Gilkes' job. In a nutshell, Gilkes is on a mission to ensure that Viterbo students get the most out of their first two years of college, and that means a lot more than academics.
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Staff Focus:
Marcia Taddy
As a much-decorated high school and collegiate athlete, Marcia Taddy pursued her passion for running with fierce determination. As Viterbo’s new cross-country coach, Taddy continues her career as a coach and teacher, another arena about which she is passionate.
Read Taddy's Q&A |
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Faculty Focus:
Chris Mayne
Chris Mayne, an associate professor of biology at Viterbo since 2014, is known for his “super science-dorky sense of humor,” his enthusiasm, his passion for sports, and his research on autoimmune diseases and the genetics of the immune system.
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Make the Fall Semester Move-in Smooth
We’re hard at work ensuring campus housing is ready when students return six weeks from now. You can help your student be prepared for move-in day by keeping the following information in mind.
Returning students can move in from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Friday–Sunday, Aug. 25–27. Clare residents will check in directly at the Clare front desk. All other residents should stop in the Hawk’s Nest to check in.
Students desiring an early move-in for any reason can apply online. A charge of $30 per day may apply.
Returning students can move in early at no charge on Wednesday, Aug. 23, in exchange for volunteering during new student move-in, which runs from 8 a.m.–noon Thursday, Aug. 24.
For more information, email the residence life staff. |
Thinking About the Unthinkable
Your students no doubt have much to do before coming back for fall semester. Most likely, though, their to-do list doesn't include filling out an advance directive indicating their health care wishes should they become incapacitated and unable to express their preferences themselves.
Why is an advance directive important for college-aged people? Our upcoming College Advance Care Planning Webinar, set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8, will explain that and more. The virtual presentation will feature advance care planning experts from Mayo Clinic Health System and Gundersen Health System, who will cover everything from definitions of "power of attorney for health care" and selection of health care agents to tips on properly completing the necessary paperwork.
Register online by Friday, Aug. 4. A link for the Zoom session will be sent after registration.
If special accommodations are needed, please email jsandvick@uwlax.edu as soon as possible. |
Viterbo launched two new phone apps this spring. Viterbo App offers organizational, communications, and social features that will help them stay on top of their classes, campus happenings, and more. V-Hawk Safe boasts numerous features to ensure personal safety and security, including instant connection to campus security officers and a "Virtual Walk Home" that allows friends or family to monitor your walk home in real time. Students and parents alike are encouraged to download and use these new apps.
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Stay in Touch — Keep Your Contact Info Up to Date with Viterbo
Email us | 608-796-3841
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Viterbo University, 900 Viterbo Drive, La Crosse, WI, 54601 |
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