University Of Wisconsin–Eau Claire
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The University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire (UW–Eau Claire, UWEC or simply Eau Claire) is a
public university A public university or public college is a university or college that is in owned by the state or receives significant public funds through a national or subnational government, as opposed to a private university. Whether a national universit ...
in
Eau Claire, Wisconsin Eau Claire (; ) (French for "clear water") is a city mostly located in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, of which it is the county seat, and with a small portion in Chippewa County, Wisconsin. It had a population of 69,421 in 2020, making it the stat ...
. It is part of the University of Wisconsin System and offers bachelor's and
master's A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.
degrees. UW–Eau Claire had an annual budget of approximately 237 million dollars in the 2017–18 academic year. The campus consists of 28 major buildings spanning . An additional of forested land is used for environmental research. UWEC is situated on the Chippewa River. The university is affiliated with the
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
's Division III and the
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) is a college athletic conference that competes in the NCAA's Division III. In women's gymnastics, it competes alongside Division I and II members, as the NCAA sponsors a single champions ...
(WIAC). The student body's mascot is Blu the Blugold.


History

Founded in 1916 as the Eau Claire State
Normal School A normal school or normal college is an institution created to Teacher education, train teachers by educating them in the norms of pedagogy and curriculum. In the 19th century in the United States, instruction in normal schools was at the high s ...
, the university originally offered one-, two- and three-year teachers' courses and a principals' course. At the school's founding ceremony Governor
Emanuel L. Philipp Emanuel Lorenz Philipp (March 25, 1861 – June 15, 1925) was an American railroad executive and politician from Wisconsin, who served as the 23rd governor of Wisconsin from 1915 to 1921. Early life Philipp was born in Honey Creek, Sauk Coun ...
said the university was founded "in order that you, the sons and daughters of the commonwealth, might have better educational service." He went on to say the University would "go on benefiting the state of
Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
as long as the walls of this massive building ( Schofield Hall) last." As a college primarily focused on educating teachers, Eau Claire housed Park Elementary, a
laboratory school A laboratory school or demonstration school is an elementary or secondary school operated in association with a university, college, or other teacher education institution and used for the training of future teachers, educational experimentation, ...
. Park Elementary had an unusual architectural design that included a hidden third story balcony used by professors and student teachers to observe classes. As a result of the changing educational focus of the University, this method of teaching new teachers fell out of use and Park Elementary School was closed. Most of the building was repurposed for general university classroom use, with about a third of the space dedicated to a child daycare center. The building was demolished in 2012. In 1927, the name of the college was changed to ''Eau Claire State Teachers College'' and the school began offering a bachelor's degree program. The campus was also altered to accommodate a 300-man detachment from the
Army Air Corps Army Air Corps may refer to the following army aviation corps: * Army Air Corps (United Kingdom), the army aviation element of the British Army * Philippine Army Air Corps (1935–1941) * United States Army Air Corps (1926–1942), or its p ...
. Eau Claire's role as an educational institution underwent profound changes in the 1940s and 1950s. The university saw a significant rise in enrollment and widened its scope beyond educating future teachers. Eau Claire president W. R. Davies, speaking at a university assembly, said "the goal is a college of education that will rank as one of the best in the middlewest, with a wide enough offering to truly serve the needs of the college youth of northwest
Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
." In 1951, the Wisconsin
Board of Regents In the United States, a board often governs institutions of higher education, including private universities, state universities, and community colleges. In each US state, such boards may govern either the state university system, individual c ...
of the University of Wisconsin System authorized the school to offer bachelor of arts and science degrees in
liberal arts Liberal arts education (from Latin "free" and "art or principled practice") is the traditional academic course in Western higher education. ''Liberal arts'' takes the term '' art'' in the sense of a learned skill rather than specifically th ...
; subsequently, the name of the school was changed to the ''Wisconsin State College at Eau Claire''. During the 1960s, the University saw further expansion. Science and art buildings were erected and several dormitories were built or expanded to meet the needs of an ever-growing student population. The university began to market itself more aggressively because of increased competition from surrounding campuses. Eau Claire's nickname – "Wisconsin's Most Beautiful Campus" – was first developed during this time. Highlighting the university's aesthetic appeal, an Eau Claire poet wrote, "Through and from a shady glen / A charming streamlet hies / And rippling along its picturesque way / A campus glorifies." In 1964, the Board of Regents gave university standing to the state colleges, and the institution at Eau Claire was renamed ''Wisconsin State University – Eau Claire''. The 1960s are remembered as a "flowering of excellence on the campus." In 1962,
Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...
visited the campus and called on president
John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...
to issue a second
Emancipation Proclamation The Emancipation Proclamation, officially Proclamation 95, was a presidential proclamation and executive order issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the Civil War. The Proclamation changed the legal sta ...
. King said "the first proclamation freed us from
slavery Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
– the second will free us from
segregation Segregation may refer to: Separation of people * Geographical segregation, rates of two or more populations which are not homogenous throughout a defined space * School segregation * Housing segregation * Racial segregation, separation of humans ...
, which is actually nothing more than slavery." During the late 1960s, the University was involved in several protests against the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
, including a 42-hour vigil and several marches. Though there were numerous protests, all of them remained peaceful. After the Kent State shootings, the university community planted four trees as a memorial to the dead students. One protester, Eau Claire student John Laird, the son of U.S. Secretary of Defense Melvin R. Laird, made headlines when he announced his opposition to the war in
Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
and his intention to join his fellow students in peaceful protest. In 1971, the name of the institution was changed to the ''University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire'' following the merger of the Wisconsin State University System and the University of Wisconsin System. In subsequent years, the University would solidify its tradition as a liberal arts campus. Currently, the University's stated mission is to provide "rigorous undergraduate liberal education" alongside "distinctive professional and graduate programs that build on and strengthen our proud tradition of liberal education." Since the 1971 merger, Eau Claire has expanded its course offerings, added more faculty and students, and enlarged campus grounds. Eau Claire has also acquired hundreds of acres of forested land primarily used for environmental research and purchased St. Bede's
Monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...
in October 2011. In 1974, the Richard E. Hibbard Humanities Hall opened on campus and an addition to the Davies Center was finished three years later in 1977. The Allied Health and Clinical Services Building was constructed in 1982 on the north bank of the Chippewa River, and in 1985 an addition to the Nursing building was constructed and opened. The construction of the new W.R. Davies Center was completed in 2012 and Centennial Hall was completed in 2013, later being opened in 2014. The construction of Centennial Hall was the first building on campus to be constructed and funded by "state dollars" in 30 years, while the new Davies Center was funded completely by student fees. Towers Hall, initially built in 1966, began a renovation project in 2017 starting with Towers South renovations during the 2017-2018 school year followed by Towers North renovations during the 2018-2019 school year. This renovation project was funded completely by student housing fees with expenditures over $35 million. The University was involved in a
gay rights Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality. Notably, , 3 ...
controversy in 2016 when Tom Hilton, an information systems professor, negatively responded to a student email asking for his support for the ''Eau Queer Film Festival.'' UW–Eau Claire was the center of a controversy related to an oak tree sacred to Native Americans. Eventually, after much publicity, it was decided to scrap the old plans, despite the large added expense, and build the 48.8 million dollar building at another location.* In September 2016, a free speech board on campus had "UWEC is racist" written on it and it was promptly taken down. The board sparked a discussion about racial equity and diversity on campus. In 2018, UW-Eau Claire adopted UW-Barron College as a branch campus. The "merger" was part of a UW-System wide restructuring plan in an attempt to keep from having to shut down any campuses. The goal of merging the two campuses, and the goal of the UW System restructuring, was to expand access to college education for more students in Wisconsin. In September 2019, a student’s residence hall door decoration was vandalized with a racial slur against Indigenous people and the words “go back to the rez." In November 2019, five football players were suspended from the team for using social media to convey racist messages targeting the campus Black Empowerment Organization.


Campus

The University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire campus sits on the banks of the Chippewa River. The campus is located in an urban setting, close to Eau Claire's historic Water Street. The main academic building on campus is Schofield Hall, home to administrative offices. The building was named after Harvey Schofield, the first president of the university. Other academic buildings include the Phillips Science Hall, the Hibbard Humanities Hall, the Haas Fine Arts Center, the Schneider Social Sciences Hall, the Nursing Building, Vicki Lord Larson Hall, McIntyre Library, Human Sciences and Service, and Centennial Hall. The newest addition to campus is the Flesch Family Welcome Center, built in 2021. Residence halls on campus include Katherine Thomas and Putnam on lower campus and Horan, Governors, Murray, Bridgman, Sutherland, Oak Ridge, Chancellor's, The Suites, and Karlgaard Towers on upper campus, as well as off-campus residences such as the Priory, Haymarket Landing, and Aspenson-Mogenson. The Davies Center, a hub of the campus, is home to dining halls, a
movie theatre A movie theater (American English), cinema (British English), or cinema hall (Indian English), also known as a movie house, picture house, the movies, the pictures, picture theater, the silver screen, the big screen, or simply theater is a ...
, the office for the student senate, a coffee shop, the student
bookstore Bookselling is the commercial trading of books which is the retail and distribution end of the publishing process. People who engage in bookselling are called booksellers, bookdealers, bookpeople, bookmen, or bookwomen. The founding of librari ...
, and spaces for studying and socializing. The building was named after William R. Davies, a noted president of the University. In 2011, the old Davies Center was torn down. A new facility was completed in 2013. Sports facilities include the W. L. Zorn Arena, Hobbs Ice Center, McPhee Center, Olson Addition, Bollinger Fields and Carson Park. The University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire occupies the sacred and ancestral lands of Indigenous Peoples. The campus is on the traditional land of the Ojibwe and Dakota Nations. Before falling down in a windstorm in 1987, a tree on campus called the Council Oak stood where the Ojibwe and Dakota Nations as well as other Nations, including the Ho-Chunk, Menominee, and Potawatomi, met to share knowledge and discuss peaceful resolutions to their differences. The current Council Oak was planted and dedicated in 1990. The Council Oak is integrated into The University Seal to symbolize UW-Eau Claire’s commitment to serving as a place of meeting and exchange.


Organization and administration

Since its founding in 1916, the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire has had three presidents and six chancellors. One president, Leonard Haas, took an interim assignment with the UW System and returned as chancellor. * Harvey Schofield, President 1916–1940 * William R. Davies, President 1941–1959 *
Leonard Haas Leonard Haas (February 17, 1915 – March 14, 1998) was an American educator and president and chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He served as the university's president from 1959 to 1971 and as the chancellor from 1973 to 1980. ...
, President 1959–1971, Chancellor 1973–1980 * M. Emily Hannah, Chancellor 1981–1984 * Larry G. Schnack, Chancellor 1985–1997 * Donald J. Mash, Chancellor 1998–2005 * Brian Levin-Stankevich, Chancellor 2006–2012 * James C. Schmidt, Chancellor 2013–present


Academics

Eau Claire is organized into four colleges: the College of Business, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Education and Human Sciences, and the College of Nursing. The school offers about 109 undergraduate majors, 66 undergraduate minors, 48 undergraduate certificates, and 11 graduate programs. The university offers several master's degrees and one doctoral degree. Enrollment is approximately 10,000 undergraduate and 500 graduate students. Eau Claire's academic programs operate on a semester calendar. The University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire has been
accredited Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...
by the
Higher Learning Commission The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an institutional accreditor in the United States. It has historically accredited post-secondary education institutions in the central United States: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa ...
since 1950. Other agencies also fully accredit specific programs. Students are required to show competency in
mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...
,
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
, a
foreign language A foreign language is a language that is not an official language of, nor typically spoken in, a given country, and that native speakers from that country must usually acquire through conscious learning - be this through language lessons at school ...
and foreign cultures. Courses that deal with issues relating to diversity are also required. Students are also required to take a "
service-learning Service-learning is an educational approach that combines learning objectives with community service in order to provide a pragmatic, progressive learning experience while meeting societal needs. Service-learning involves students in service proje ...
" course where they engage in charitable work with the Eau Claire community. Service-learning "is intended to provide students with an opportunity to serve their community, apply knowledge gained in the classroom, enhance their critical thinking skills, and become informed,
ethical Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior".''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concerns ma ...
, responsible, and active citizens." The Center of Excellence for Faculty and Undergraduate Student Research Collaboration was established at UW-Eau Claire to encourage students to incorporate "research into their undergraduate experience." Students working with faculty publish papers in academic journals. Eau Claire's faculty/student research program has been nationally recognized.


Reputation and rankings

For 2022, '' U.S. News & World Report'' ranked UW-Eau Claire 41st among regional universities in the
Midwest The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four Census Bureau Region, census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of ...
out of 157 public and private colleges ranked. ''U.S. News'' has ranked Eau Claire among the top ten regional public institutions in the Midwest, and in the top third of public and private Midwestern regional universities every year since 1995.


University Honors Program

The University Honors Program’s goal is to create opportunities that will help students develop intellectually, personally, and professionally. First-semester students are invited into the program based on ACT scores, SAT scores, and their academic standing in high school, and if students do not meet the requirements for an automatic invitation, they can request to be accepted through a holistic review process. To graduate with Honors, students must complete both first-year and senior Honors Seminars, 24 credits of any combination of Honors colloquia and Honors electives (at least two of which must be 300-level or higher), and attain a total and resident GPA of 3.5 or higher upon graduation. Students can also earn credit towards their 24 required Honors credits through mentoring in Honors, Honors contracts, and departmental honors. Honors courses count toward graduation requirements for general education, major and/or university requirements. Honors colloquia are interdisciplinary courses that encourage students to make connections across disciplines and sample knowledge outside their major while engaging in discussions with their classmates. A few activities within the Honors Program include the Hanging with Honors discussion series and group dinners in the Honors Living Learning Community.


Special Collections and Archives

The Special Collections and Archives at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire houses the official and unofficial records of the university from its founding to the present. It also holds one of the nation's largest collections of jazz, which includes more than 1000 charts and 1000 recordings of artists such as
Woody Herman Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading groups called "The Herd", Herman came to prominence in the late 1930s and was active until his dea ...
,
Sammy Nestico Samuel Louis Nistico (February 6, 1924 – January 17, 2021), better known as Sammy Nestico, was an American composer and arranger. Nestico is best known for his arrangements for the Count Basie orchestra. Early life and education Samuel Luigi ...
,
Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...
,
Stan Kenton Stanley Newcomb Kenton (December 15, 1911 – August 25, 1979) was an American popular music and jazz artist. As a pianist, composer, arranger and band leader, he led an innovative and influential jazz orchestra for almost four decades. Though K ...
,
Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader known as the "King of Swing". From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. His co ...
and
Henry Mancini Henry Mancini ( ; born Enrico Nicola Mancini, ; April 16, 1924 – June 14, 1994) was an American composer, conductor, arranger, pianist and flautist. Often cited as one of the greatest composers in the history of film, he won four Academy Award ...
. Several of the charts and recordings are signed and unique. The UW-Eau Claire Archives is a member of the Area Research Center Network of the
Wisconsin Historical Society The Wisconsin Historical Society (officially the State Historical Society of Wisconsin) is simultaneously a state agency and a private membership organization whose purpose is to maintain, promote and spread knowledge relating to the history of N ...
, serving Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Eau Claire, Rusk and Taylor counties, and holds manuscripts and records pertaining to those counties.


Student life

In 2021, 61.1% of the student population was female, 11.1% were students of color, and 28.1% were First-Generation students. Additionally, 16.9% of undergraduate students were low-income. The university mainly attracted students from the Midwest, with 61.8% of students from Wisconsin, 28.8% from Minnesota, 7.5% from other U.S. states, and 1.9% being international students.


Athletics

The university's athletic teams participate in the
NCAA Division III NCAA Division III (D-III) is a division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States. D-III consists of athletic programs at colleges and universities that choose not to offer athletic scholarships to their stu ...
sports program as well as the WIAC Intercollegiate Conference. There are twelve men's varsity sports programs (
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
, cross country,
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
,
golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...
,
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
,
swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, or other liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Locomotion is achieved through coordinated movement of the limbs and the body to achieve hydrodynamic thrust that r ...
and
diving Diving most often refers to: * Diving (sport), the sport of jumping into deep water * Underwater diving, human activity underwater for recreational or occupational purposes Diving or Dive may also refer to: Sports * Dive (American football), a ...
,
tennis Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball ...
, indoor and outdoor
track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events ...
,
wrestling Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...
,
soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
, and
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
) and thirteen women's sports programs (basketball, cross country, golf,
gymnastics Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, dedication and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, shou ...
, ice hockey,
lacrosse Lacrosse is a team sport played with a lacrosse stick and a lacrosse ball. It is the oldest organized sport in North America, with its origins with the indigenous people of North America as early as the 12th century. The game was extensively ...
, soccer,
softball Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...
, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and field, and
volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...
). In terms of total wins, the Blugolds rank 14th in the entire NCAA Division III sports program. The Blugolds have been national champions in cross country (1984, 2009, 2015), softball (2008), golf (2001), swimming (1983, 1987, 1988), ice hockey (1984, 2013) indoor track and field (2015, 2016), outdoor track and field(2019), and volleyball (2021). As of August 2015, the Blugolds have been conference champions in men's swimming 25 of the past 40 years, conference champions in women's swimming for 19 of the past 32 years, conference champions in women's tennis for 10 of the last 18 seasons, conference champions in softball for seven of the last 15 seasons, conference champions in women's golf for seven of the last 13 seasons, conference champions in women's soccer for three of the last six seasons, and conference champions in women's volleyball for three of the last five seasons. The Blugolds hold nine national titles. They hold 140 conference titles and have won 36 Academic All-American Awards. The Blugolds softball team appeared in one
Women's College World Series The Women's College World Series (WCWS) is the final portion of the NCAA Division I softball tournament for college softball in the United States. Eight teams participate in the WCWS, which begins with a double-elimination tournament. In other wo ...
in 1971.


Team name and mascot

Eau Claire athletes are referred to as "Blugolds," a name coined to reflect the school colors,
navy blue Navy blue is a very dark shade of the color blue. Navy blue got its name from the dark blue (contrasted with naval white) worn by officers in the Royal Navy since 1748 and subsequently adopted by other navies around the world. When this color ...
and
old gold Old gold is a dark yellow, which varies from light olive or olive brown to deep or strong yellow, generally on the darker side of this range. The first recorded use of ''old gold'' as a color name in English was in the early 19th century (exact ...
. Previous athletic team names include the Normals and the Normalites (because UWEC was founded as the Eau Claire State Normal School), the Blue and Gold Warriors, the Blue and Gold Gridirons, the Zornmen (in honor of Willis L. "Bill" Zorn, basketball and football coach from 1928 to 1968), the Golden Zornadoes, the Blue and Gold Squad, and the Blugold Squad. The University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire has no official university
mascot A mascot is any human, animal, or object thought to bring luck, or anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name. Mascots are also used as fi ...
. However, in 2011, the student body voted in favor of a mythical bird as a mascot following a student-led initiative. The bird represents "the students of UW-Eau Claire, not the university itself."


Undergraduate Research

Eau Claire offers its students the opportunity to participate in a nationally recognized research program through its Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP). The student-faculty led, coauthored, research program has been a part of the University for more than 50 years, and continues to be part of student life. Distinctions of Eau Claire's student led research program are its growing presence on campus, as well as its financial allocation for research projects. Since the early 2000's, the total number of projects has increased by 41% and funding to the program by 60% (reaching $935915 in 2015-16). The ORSP also recognizes students who pursue their research programs with funding and scholarships. In 2020, the ORSP gifted around $10,000 in scholarships, along with funding for their projects According to UW-Eau Claire’s Factbook, 39.6% of graduates in 2020-21 were involved in research during their time at UW-Eau Claire. The University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire and the Mayo Clinic Health System partner together in a groundbreaking research agreement- only the third of its kind in the U.S. This partnership allows students to participate in innovative research opportunities across all areas of study. As part of the agreement, Mayo Clinic offers many internships and residency programs for UW-Eau Claire students. Also included in the partnership is The Blugold Biomedical Innovator Program for students who are pursuing a degree and career in the health care or biomedical field. Through this program, UWEC faculty, Mayo Clinic Health professionals, and UWEC students collaborate on innovative research projects. Students in the program interact with faculty, network with medical professionals, and may apply to be an Innovator Scholar, which includes guaranteed research opportunities, a $32,000 scholarship, one-on-one mentoring, and special event invites.


Study abroad

Some students at the university take advantage of the study abroad programs available. The program at Eau Claire holds one of the top participation rates among Universities at the Master's level in the country. With more than 40 different programs in 35 countries, students can study at colleges in many parts of the world. According to UW-Eau Claire’s Factbook, 13.4% of the Graduating Class of 2021 studied abroad during their collegiate career at UWEC.


National Student Exchange

Since 1984, the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire has been a part of the
National Student Exchange The National Student Exchange (NSE) is a member-based, not-for-profit consortium of accredited colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands that provides study away opportunities among its ...
(NSE), a program that allows students to attend a semester or full academic year at a different institution while still paying UWEC tuition. Through NSE, around 3,500 students participate at 170 universities in 48 states, Canada, Puerto Rice, Guam, and the Virgin Islands; 40-50 of those students are from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire.


Clubs

The University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire has more than 210 campus organizations for student involvement, including academic and professional organizations, campus media, club sports, Greek life, honor societies, service organizations, special interest clubs, and clubs related to culture and identity, governance and politics, recreation, performing, and spiritual beliefs. The women's
rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...
club team won the 2022
National Collegiate Rugby National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) formerly the "National Small College Rugby Organization" is a rugby union governing body in the United States. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, NCR was created in 2007 by Chip Auscavitch and Steve Cohen to supp ...
Division II
National Championship A national championship(s) is the top achievement for any sport or contest within a league of a particular nation or nation state. The title is usually awarded by contests, ranking systems, stature, ability, etc. This determines the best team, indi ...
.


Marching band

The UW–Eau Claire Blugold Marching Band (BMB) is one of the largest collegiate marching bands in the country. In 2018, the BMB reached 400 members for the first time in its history and has continued to maintain its membership of 400+ students, as of 2021. The band performs at Blugold home games, field exhibitions, parades, stage shows, and other selected events. Since 2008, the BMB has made seven international performance tours with performances in Paris, Sydney, Venice, Rome, the Vatican, Athens, Singapore, London, Tokyo, Istanbul, and Barcelona. In addition to land-based international performances, BMB has performed on six separate cruise ships for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Lines, and Costa Cruises. BMB's cruise performances have taken its members to Malaysia, Thailand, Bali, Jerusalem, New Zealand, Haifa, and Izmir. BMB has performed three times as the guest exhibition band at the Bands of America Super Regional in Indianapolis and twice at the BOA St. Louis Super Regional. BMB has performed guest exhibitions for Youth in Music in Minneapolis for 14 of the past 15 years, as well as in high school competitions such as Music Along the Chippewa, Chicagoland, and others in the Twin Cities, Milwaukee, and Chicago areas.


Jazz

UW–Eau Claire's Jazz Ensemble I is an eight-time winner of ''
Down Beat ' (styled in all caps) is an American music magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond", the last word indicating its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chi ...
s "Best College Big Band" award and has been nominated for a
Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
twice. ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' has called the jazz program one of the most "well regarded in the country." The university also hosts The Eau Claire
Jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
Festival, one of the oldest, largest and most prestigious collegiate jazz festivals in the country. The festival regularly attracts respected jazz musicians including
Gary Burton Gary Burton (born January 23, 1943) is an American jazz vibraphonist, composer, and educator. Burton developed a pianistic style of four-mallet technique as an alternative to the prevailing two-mallet technique. This approach caused him to be he ...
,
Bill Evans William John Evans (August 16, 1929 – September 15, 1980) was an American jazz pianist and composer who worked primarily as the leader of his trio. His use of impressionist harmony, interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, block ch ...
,
Rufus Reid Rufus Reid (born February 10, 1944, in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American jazz bassist, educator, and composer. Biography Reid was raised in Sacramento, California, where he played the trumpet through junior high and high school. Upon graduation ...
,
Lewis Nash Lewis Nash (born December 30, 1958) is an American jazz drummer. According to ''Modern Drummer'' magazineNashhas one of the longest discographies in jazz and has played on over 400 records, earning him the honor of Jazz's Most Valuable Player ...
,
Michael Brecker Michael Leonard Brecker (March 29, 1949 – January 13, 2007) was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He was awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Berklee College of M ...
,
Stanley Jordan Stanley Jordan (born July 31, 1959) is an American jazz guitarist noted for his playing technique, which involves tapping his fingers on the fretboard of the guitar with both hands. Music career Jordan was born in Chicago, Illinois, United St ...
,
Eric Marienthal Eric Marienthal (born December 19, 1957) is a Grammy Award-nominated Los Angeles-based contemporary saxophonist best known for his work in the jazz, jazz fusion, smooth jazz, and pop genres. Early life Eric Marienthal was born on December 19, 1 ...
,
Bobby Sanabria Bobby Sanabria (born June 2, 1957) is an American drummer, percussionist, composer, arranger, producer, educator, activist, radio show host of Puerto Rican descent who specializes in jazz and Latin jazz. Biography Sanabria was born in the South ...
, Chris Potter, Benny Green, Charlie Byrd, Ira Sullivan and Slide Hampton. The festival is composed of college bands, high school bands and invited performers. The college and high school bands compete to win awards, and UW-Eau Claire's Jazz I regularly performs with the invited guests. The festival also offers clinics,
lectures A lecture (from Latin ''lēctūra'' “reading” ) is an oral presentation intended to present information or teach people about a particular subject, for example by a university or college teacher. Lectures are used to convey critical inform ...
and master classes with the invited performers. As of 2021, the Eau Claire Jazz Festival is 54 years old.


Madrigal Dinner

The
Madrigal A madrigal is a form of secular vocal music most typical of the Renaissance music, Renaissance (15th–16th c.) and early Baroque music, Baroque (1600–1750) periods, although revisited by some later European composers. The Polyphony, polyphoni ...
Dinner is a 15th-century-style banquet. At the dinner, the Chamber Choir performs in costume as a royal court celebrating the harvest season and the holiday season. Traditionally, a student performs as a jester to add levity to the evening's festivities. Additionally, each year different students are chosen to play the roles of King and Queen. Guests attending the Madrigal Dinner often dress in period costumes, though no dress code is required. Beyond
choral music A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...
, the Madrigal Dinner also incorporates modern Christmas music. Dishes such as
wassail Wassail (, , most likely from Old Norse ''"ves heill"'') is a beverage made from hot mulled cider, ale, or wine and spices, drunk traditionally as an integral part of wassailing, an ancient English Yuletide drinking ritual and salutation ei ...
, beef vegetable soup and stuffed pork chops are served.


The Forum

The Forum lecture series invites notable speakers to share their ideas with the Chippewa Valley community. The program was founded in 1942 by President W. R. Davies to express his vision of what the college might become as a cultural center. The Forum has hosted a variety of speakers including
Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...
,
Carl Sagan Carl Edward Sagan (; ; November 9, 1934December 20, 1996) was an American astronomer, planetary scientist, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, author, and science communicator. His best known scientific contribution is research on ext ...
,
Henry Kissinger Henry Alfred Kissinger (; ; born Heinz Alfred Kissinger, May 27, 1923) is a German-born American politician, diplomat, and geopolitical consultant who served as United States Secretary of State and National Security Advisor under the presid ...
,
William F. Buckley Jr. William Frank Buckley Jr. (born William Francis Buckley; November 24, 1925 – February 27, 2008) was an American public intellectual, conservative author and political commentator. In 1955, he founded ''National Review'', the magazine that stim ...
, Maya Angelou,
Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
and
Noam Chomsky Avram Noam Chomsky (born December 7, 1928) is an American public intellectual: a linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, historian, social critic, and political activist. Sometimes called "the father of modern linguistics", Chomsky is ...
.


Ann Devroy Memorial Forum

The Ann Devroy Memorial Forum is a partnership between ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' and the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. The program was set up after the death of
Ann Devroy Ann Mary Devroy ( ; 9 October 1948 – 23 October 1997) was an American political journalist. She was a White House correspondent for 15 years, for the Gannett Company, ''USA Today'' (1979–1985), and ''The Washington Post'' (1989–1997). S ...
, the chief
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
correspondent at ''The Washington Post'' and a 1970 UW-Eau Claire graduate. Each year a noted journalist presents a keynote address at the Ann Devroy Memorial Forum, and a fellowship is given to a promising UW-Eau Claire journalism student.


Viennese Ball

The annual Viennese Ball has been a tradition for over 40 years at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. A formal event, the ball "recalls the culture, history and music of 19th-century Vienna." It is modeled on the New Year's Eve Kaiser Ball and showcases the University Women's Concert Choral and Singing Statemen ensembles, which open the evening with several pieces including the American and Austrian national anthems, University Symphony Orchestra, which performs
waltzes The waltz ( ), meaning "to roll or revolve") is a ballroom and folk dance, normally in triple ( time), performed primarily in closed position. History There are many references to a sliding or gliding dance that would evolve into the wal ...
and
polkas Polka is a dance and genre of dance music originating in nineteenth-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. Though associated with Czech culture, polka is popular throughout Europe and the Americas. History Etymology The te ...
from the Strauss Era, and the Eau Claire Jazz Ensemble I, which plays music from the
Big Band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...
Era. Other music is performed by smaller student and faculty ensembles. The ball also offers Austrian and American cuisine. Proceeds have provided more than $1.5 million in music, service and international study awards for UW-Eau Claire students.


Gatsby's Gala

The annual Gatsby's Gala is a seven-year fundraising tradition at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. The gala is a roaring 20s-themed party that supports both the Eau Claire Jazz festival and the UW–Eau Claire Jazz Studies program. Performances at this event include "swing classics, sultry ballads, and modern twists" from the UW–Eau Claire Jazz ensembles I and II, community guest artists, and "surprise vocalists." This event offers food and beverages to guests, as well as a raffle and "charity-gaming."


The Pablo Center at the Confluence

The Pablo Center at the Confluence is a building in downtown Eau Claire used for a variety of showings and performance art displays. The center is available for community use, however it is also used exclusively by the University for its music and theatre arts students. Inside of the center are the Jamf and RCU theatres, two of the largest performing spaces available to college students in the nation, light and sound projection labs, recording studios, and several art galleries. Often, the works of Blugolds are featured in their galleries.


See also

* List of University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire people


References


External links

*
UW–Eau Claire Athletics website
{{DEFAULTSORT:University Of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Eau Claire Educational institutions established in 1916 Buildings and structures in Eau Claire, Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...
Education in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin Tourist attractions in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin 1916 establishments in Wisconsin