INSTITUTIONAL PROFILE

THE WISCONSIN IDEA

The University of Wisconsin-River Falls, like the University of Wisconsin System, is guided by the principles of what has been termed “The Wisconsin Idea,” which holds that “the boundaries of the campus are the boundaries of the state.” Formed in the early 19th century by a U.S. senator from Wisconsin and the president of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Wisconsin Idea has become a national model for public undergraduate education. In the spirit of the Wisconsin Idea, UWRF has worked to connect its expertise in agriculture, education, business, as well as the arts and sciences, to serve the needs of the region and the state. While it has always been committed to serving the region and state, the University of Wisconsin-River Falls has recently emerged as a leader in the economic development of the region, having hosted five regional economic summits in the last four years.