Following is a Q&A with one of the 1,379 students who received a diploma May 5 at UW-Stout.
Name: Alex Vernon
Hometown: Green Bay
Major: Hotel, restaurant and tourism management, minor in business management
Awards, honors: Recipient of Chancellor's Award, member of Honors College, Outstanding Student Leader of the Year 2016, Stout Student Association president 2018, Samuel E. Wood Medallion 2018
Why did you choose UW-Stout? The college selection process can certainly be intimidating with the decision of career path and countless institutions that fit one's needs. I was looking for an opportunity to study hospitality management in a robust and effective way. Visiting various campuses, one theme set UW-Stout apart from the rest — attention of care for the student. I started noticing trends at UW-Stout such as lower class sizes, professional development and involvement opportunities, 20 to 1 student-faculty ratio, applied hands-on learning environments and staff interactions with students. From these trends, it became apparent to me that UW-Stout was my new home.
What are the biggest obstacles you faced in earning your degree? Earning a bachelor's degree carries immense benefits and value but comes with a price. Four years on paper seems like plenty of time to engage and absorb knowledge pertaining to one's chosen field, but when reality hits it flies right on by. While I feel like I have made the most out of my time at UW-Stout through involvement, leadership, employment, service, and academics, there are opportunities that I wish I would have engaged in more to complement my degree.
What stands out among your college experiences? One word — involvement. Engaging in student organizations, on-campus employment and volunteer agencies, involvement is what made my UW-Stout experience stand out. From what started as an opportunity to get involved and make friends, to what ended as an opportunity to serve my peers as student body president, becoming involved in student government was the highlight. As students, we get involved to learn and professionally develop. The amount of lessons I've learned and skills I've acquired from involving myself in student government are countless. From strategic planning, to advocacy efforts, to organizational leadership to conflict management — I owe the majority of my professional development to my experience in student government working with peers and passionate staff who truly cared about me.
What’s next? The road ahead has led to an opportunity within the Wisconsin Restaurant Association's Educational Foundation, working as the ProStart coordinator. ProStart is a nationwide high school curriculum and mentoring program meant to introduce and train students for a career in the restaurant and food service industry. This gives me the opportunity to work with students, working to inspire and motivate; educators, working to aid in the training process; industry professionals, working to boost ProStart programs; and legislators, working to advocate for Wisconsin restaurants and food service. I couldn't feel more prepared and ready for this experience due to the education and opportunities I received at UW-Stout.
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