School of Education Spring/Summer 2024

Students’ Experiential Learning

Student Teacher Seminars To help student teachers be prepared for the job search process, we provide professional development sessions related to the job search. In February, student teachers learned from a panel of school administrators about their expectations during the job application and hiring process. This

was followed by sessions with UW Stout’s Career Services staff to learn how to prepare for interviews. During the April seminar, student teachers participated in mock interviews with area school district administrators. Exploring Innovation & Entrepreneurship Marketing and Business Education student Mikayla Obsuzt was a member of the cross-disciplinary Safe Skin team that participated in UW-Stout’s Ideation Jam and qualified for the WiSys Big Idea Tournament held in LaCrosse April 19, 2024. Ideation Jam allows UW-Stout students to develop an innovative idea and pitch it to judges who are experts in business. The statewide WiSys Big Idea Tournament is an event for students at all UW campuses to present their ideas and winners earn funds to use as seed money for their winning idea. Three Family and Consumer Science Education students - Anna Johnson, Hannah Timm, and Josie Finocchiaro - were recipients of the Samuel E. Wood Medallion Award. This is the highest award given to seniors who demonstrate scholarship, leadership, and contributions to student activities. Alumni Honors Emily Larson, a 2003 Family and Consumer Sciences Education graduate, was recognized as an American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences National Teacher of the Year Merit Finalist. This award recognizes “exemplary teachers who utilize cutting edge methods, techniques, and activities to provide stimulus and visibility to family and consumer sciences (FCS) in elementary and secondary education.” Emily teaches at Amery High School and has been able to turn her classroom into a state-of-the-art FCS suite that includes a textile fabrication lab and commercial culinary facility. Emily also developed a FCS Leadership Academy which incorporates service learning, youth centered leadership, and post-secondary options into the FCS program.

Student teacher meeting a school principal during a mock interview. Read more about these events and the innovative Safe Skin idea online at: Dressed for success: Students’ Safe Skin clothing idea advances to state Big IdeaTournament.

Student teachers discussing how they would answer a typical interview question.

UW-Stout Students Lauren Arenz, Early Childhood Education senior, was selected as one of three Outstanding Student Leaders of the Year. Lauren was also a member of the UW-Stout women’s basketball team that won the 2024 WIAC championship and made the NCAA Division 3 Sweet 16. As a senior student athlete, Lauren was recognized with a Scholar Athlete Award for earning a cumulative 3.5 GPA or higher. Honors and Awards

Brandon Napoli, a 2023 Ed.D. in Career and Technical Education Leadership graduate, received the University Council for Workforce and Human Resource Education (UCWHRE) 2024 Dissertation of the Year Award. UCWHRE is an organization of 18 universities from across the U.S. that offer graduate programs in workforce education or human resource development. Each institution can submit one dissertation for consideration for this award and the dissertations are reviewed by UCWHRE council members. Brandon’s award winning dissertation was titled Attracting Entrepreneurs to Community College Through Self-Determination Theory Informed Educational Practice and is available online with this link.

Lauren Arenz, Outstanding Student Leader of the Year Award recipient

Hannah Timm, Samuel E. Wood Medallion Award recipient

Emily Larson, AAFCS Teacher of the Year Merit Finalist