UW-River Falls

Exploring Student Life

"UW-River Falls offers great academic programs while giving its students the opportunity to get involved with so many different campus organizations, clubs, and events." - Jeff Ginter

Name: Jeff Ginter
Hometown: White Bear Lake, MN
Year in School: Junior
Major: Elementary Education
Minors: Early Childhood Education & Early Childhood Special Education

Why I decided to attend UW-River Falls: The feeling I got when I visited River Falls is the reason I decided to come. It just felt right! I love the campus; it is so beautiful and it is not too big. Also, there is an atmosphere and campus community that is very unique. I love that you can stop and have a friendly conversation about anything with anyone you see. Everyone is really friendly and nice! Finally, there is a lot of diversity here at River Falls. Besides a growing population of culturally diverse students, the students that attend River Falls come from so many different walks of life. With so many different people on campus it offers a great learning environment, inside and outside of the classroom.

Favorite food served on campus: We have the best smoothies!

Favorite feature of UW-River Falls: Like I already mentioned, I love the atmosphere at River Falls. It is so easy to meet new people and you can talk with anyone. Also, I love learning new things. River Falls not only offers great academic programs, but you can learn a lot from the people who go here. Our students come from all different walks of life. We have students coming from both MN and WI, and out of state; students coming from the big city and rural parts of MN and WI; students from small farming communities and those who have never seen a cow before; and we have a growing population of culturally diverse students. With so many different students at River Falls, it offers a great opportunity to learn about different people and where they come from.

Campus groups I am involved with include: First-Year Experience Student Manager, UWRF Tour Guide, Early Years Enthusiasts, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and UWRF Men’s Lacrosse, and many more!

Favorite professor: I like most of my professors, but I do have a few favorites. My first is Travis Tubre, who is a professor in the Psychology Department and taught my general Pyschology course. He was a great professor and kept me interested for the three hours one day a week that I spent in his class. My second is Molly Garish, who is a professor for Early Childhood and taught 3 of my courses so far. She was also a great professor and really worked hard to teach her material effectively. Plus, I got all A’s in her classes!

Favorite spot on campus: The CHILD Care Center. This is a daycare center that is located on the east end of campus and it is where I do a lot of my observation for my Early Childhood Education minor.

Favorite event on campus: My favorite event on campus, besides UWRF Men’s Lacrosse games of course, would be Unity in the Community. Unity in the Community is an event held every year and it is designed to promote and celebrate cultural diversity. It is usually one of the first nice days of summer and it is right before finals week. It is a great opportunity to take a load off and relax for a few hours.

Best reason to live on/off campus: I have lived both on campus and off and I have loved both. First off, living on campus is a great opportunity to meet new people and become involved within the University. I really recommend living on campus, at least for your first year, because you really do miss out on a lot if you don’t. Living on campus keeps you “in the loop” of things. Secondly, living off campus is also a great experience; only after your first years though. You can really learn a lot from supporting yourself, living with others, doing your own laundry, cooking your own food, and paying rent and the dreaded utilities! My advice would be to live on campus your first two years and then move off, but make sure you pick your roommates wisely!

Best thing about being a student at UW-River Falls: The best thing about being a student at River Falls is learning both inside and outside of the classroom. River Falls offers great academic programs while giving its students the opportunity to get involved with so many different campus organizations, clubs, and events. At River Falls the possibilities are truly endless; college is what you make it!

Advice to incoming students would be: College is really one of the greatest opportunities of your lifetime. All “boards” are wiped clean and you have an opportunity to start fresh. There are so many opportunities that college offers that you may never again have the chance to do again. Take every opportunity to get involved, expand your learning, and volunteer. Learn all you can while in the classroom, but also learn everything that you can while outside of the classroom. College is a time of discovering yourself and deciding who you want to be, so make the right choices and learn from mistakes. Most of all, HANG IN THERE! Good luck in all of your collegiate endeavors.