Janie Boschma

For many Blugold alumni, UW-Eau Claire is more than just a degree on a résumé – it’s a way of life.

Twenty-three percent of all university employees earned at least one undergraduate or graduate degree from Eau Claire, according to Institutional Research. That means 279 Eau Claire faculty, administrators and support staffers can claim this university as their alma mater.

“I’m a living example of what the school could do for someone,” Judy Berthiaume said.

She graduated with her bachelor’s degree from Eau Claire in 1987 and is now director of the News Bureau.

Many Eau Claire graduates on university payroll say they work here because of the opportunity to work at a quality institution among dynamic students. Others reminisced about the changes to the university since their tenure as students and look forward to retiring at their alma mater.

“A little jewel in the heart of the Midwest”

When Vicky Crane studied at Eau Claire, she never thought she would be a teacher.

“I just thought it’d be awful,” she said.

Now the sociology professor and 1981 graduate said she loves her job and appreciates everything the university has to offer.

Putnam Hall director January Boten is another graduate who never thought she’d be back on campus, but has now spent six years in her position.

“College students are just really unique,” she said when describing why she liked her job, which is far above the RA position she held as an undergraduate, she said.

Boten said the Eau Claire community is also a great place to live.

Jack Kapfer, a 1982 journalism graduate who returned to teach 21 years later, agreed. He said Eau Claire is a good place socially, environmentally and culturally. People tend to stick around the Chippewa Valley just like UW-Madison grads often stay in Madison, he said.

English professor Jacqueline Bailey, a Chippewa Valley native, said Eau Claire offers both small town and big town culture and is great for raising a family.

“I learned to walk on this campus,” said Bailey, whose father, the late emeriti Robert Bailey, taught in the communications department. “I just can’t leave.”

Bailey completed her undergrad in 1994 and graduate degree in 2006.

The quality of the institution is a another key reason many alumni stick around, many say.

Another Housing and Residence Life alumna, 2001 graduate Nicole Wohlrab, the hall director for Chancellors Hall, said she feels lucky to still be at Eau Claire with the direction it is taking with the Davies Center and strategic planning initiative.

“Everyone is really invested,” Wohlrab said.

Dan Langlois, assistant director of University Recreation and 1975 graduate, said Eau Claire also stands out for its commitment to recreational facilities. At least 7,000 students utilize the department every year, he said.

University Police Chief David Sprick, a 1999 graduate, said several officers on the force are Eau Claire grads and enjoy making the university “outstanding.”

“(It’s) one of the finest campuses in the System,” Sprick said.

From an academic standpoint, Lorraine Smith, the assistant dean to the School of Nursing, said the collaboration between students and professors sets the university apart from many institutions. Many Eau Claire nursing staff received at least one degree at Eau Claire and have stayed on because it’s “the best nursing program in the state,” Smith added.

Smith received her BS in 1992 and MSN in 2003.

It’s a testament to the quality of the university that so many stick around, said Justin Gardner, an instructor in the Leadership Center.

“There is a real focus on helping students,” he said.

Gardner received both his undergraduate and MBA degrees from Eau Claire, in 2002 and 2006, respectfully.

“(Eau Claire) is a little jewel in the heart of the Midwest,” Bailey said with a smile.

Working with students the biggest perk

When Nancy Amdahl took the promotion from program assistant of the geology department to dean assistant of graduate studies a year ago, she said the change of scenery was traumatic. The quiet atmosphere was much different than constantly being around students, she said, but she’s has remedied it by encouraging students to stop and visit her corner of Schofield.

Amdahl started working in the registration office as a student, took a few temporary positions and eventually moved into full-time permanent employment two years after her 1993 graduation. Now she says the best part about her job is working with students – a sentiment many around campus echoed.

“I ended up where I should have been in the first place,” agreed Langlois, who said he found his niche when he took the recreation job among students.

Langlois said he finds it satisfying to work with 250 to 300 student employees every year, many of which discover a similar passion for recreation.

Mindy Merryfield, communications specialist for Publications and 2002 graduate, said she loves the energy and creativity that comes with working with students on a daily basis. When it comes to working with Web graphics and other new technology, she said the student interns challenge her to grow.

“Their enthusiasm is contagious,” agreed Berthiaume, adding that college students help her see the world in a new way.

Paula Stuettgen, director of Activities and Programs, said the best part of her job is working with students outside the classroom. She said she can help them develop real-world leadership skills through her department.

“Truly, working with students is one of the most attractive parts of working at UW-Eau Claire,” said Stuettgen, who graduated in 1976 and began working at the university in 1977.

“Back when I was a Blugold student …”

When Dennis Knutson was a student in the 1960s, he remembered Dean Zorn storming up the stairs to his apartment one night and ruining the fun of a small gathering. Back then, he said, university officials shut down many “parties” in-person.

Knutson graduated in 1966 and has been teaching accounting at the university since 1973.

Andrea Gapko and Linda Spaeth, director and assistant director of the Academic Skills Center, said they also remember the days when women students had a 10:30 p.m. curfew, but no such restrictions were placed on men. The early 1970s graduates added that many building additions took place while they were students, making the campus look like what it does today.

Sprick said while he took classes in conjunction with his job on the force, he sometimes ran into arrestees in the classroom, which he found to be an interesting dynamic.

Laura Chellman, director of Student Health Services, said she has literally spent most of her adult life at the university, starting as an 18-year-old undergrad, graduating in 1983 and taking her first Health Service position in 1988. Over the years, she said the health department has changed quite a bit. Now Health Services does a lot of monitoring of infectious diseases, she said, and has expanded from a tiny hallway to its space in Crest Wellness Center.

Many alumni mentioned the dramatic advances in technology as one of the biggest changes since they were students. From a room-sized computer in Phillips to all the computer labs scattered around campus, they said the technological culture – including cell phones and laptops – has a new face.

Getting the job

Mike Rindo, director of University Communications and special assistant to the chancellor, returned to the university after 25 years working in broadcast journalism and 23 years after his 1978 graduation. He said his familiarity with the school “didn’t hurt” when applying for the job.

“You remember people and you remember events,” Rindo said. “As an alum, you take great pride in your degree and what the university stands for.”

Gardner said his close relationship with people in his department as a student helped him secure his job, but Bailey said her Eau Claire degree didn’t contribute to her professorship at the university.

Jim Brockpahler, a Dec. 2001 graduate who started his position at Activities and Programs in Jan. 2002, said Stuettgen offered him the job after he had worked under her as a student. Many of his extra-curriculars as a student, such as UAC and the concert committee, became part of his job as coordinator of program and information management, he said.

Regardless if it was the deciding factor in securing a position, most alumni said their Eau Claire degree has helped them do their present jobs on-campus.

“If you have an appreciation of the history and the excellence that (Eau Claire) stands for … you’re able to do a better job articulating that,” Rindo said.

Retirees need replacements

According to statistics released by Human Resources, 33 percent of all UW-Eau Claire employees are 55 or older and could retire under Wisconsin benefits. And 196 employees are at least 60 years old. This means in the next 10 years, there will be an influx of hiring at the university, said HR director Donna Weber. Eau Claire graduates don’t necessarily have a better chance of securing these jobs, she added.

Soon-to-be-retirees such as Knutson said they have enjoyed their time at Eau Claire.

“Eau Claire is still a great place to be,” Knutson said. “I’m lucky to have been associated with it my whole career.”

Even Kapfer, a more recent addition to university staff, said he hopes the university is his last job.

“Why not?” he said. “This is a nice place.”

Despite a wide variety of backgrounds and circumstances, 279 university employees have a deeper tie to Eau Claire through their degrees.

“It’s been a great time,” Berthiaume said. “I’ve been glad to come back and work for my alma mater.”