CBE Living Learning Community Peer Mentors

Blake Anderson

Major: Accounting and Economics
Hometown: Waunakee, WI

Hobbies/Interests: hiking, kayaking, canoeing, golfing, watching the packers/badgers, movie fanatic, euchre
Campus Involvement: Men’s Hockey team, Student Athlete Advisory Committee
Why did you choose a major in the College of Business and Economics?
Being an accredited business school the College of Business and Economics sets me up for great opportunities after I graduate.
What has been your favorite class at UWRF?
Political Science 110
Is your glass half-full or half-empty? Why?
Half-full, I’m always trying to see the light in every situation.
What is your favorite thing about UW-River Falls?
The teacher-student relationship. Professors are not here to just teach, they care about you as a person and want to help you succeed here so you can succeed later on.
What is the best advice you have for a first-year student?
Make a schedule each week, it will help you manage your time and relieve a lot of stress.

Rebecca Daley

Major:  Accounting
Hometown: Streamwood, IL

Hobbies/Interests: Softball, working out, Arts and Crafts, hanging out with friends, watching Netflix, baking 
Campus Involvement: Softball team, Accounting Society, Honors Program, Student Athlete Mentor, CBE Peer Mentor, CBE Tutor, SAAC
Why did you choose a major in the College of Business and Economics? 
I chose Accounting because I have always been interested in the financial part of a business and how it all works. I decided to try out some accounting classes in high school and I really enjoyed it, this helped me figure out what I wanted to major in and what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. 
What has been your favorite class at UWRF?
COMS 101, MATH 156, and ACCT 231
Is your glass half-full or half-empty? Why?
My glass is half-full because I believe that no matter what happens in life there is always some positive thing in that current situation. There are still things left to look forward to, something “left in the glass”. It is important to me to keep going and keep looking into the future because you can’t change the past. I usually try to see the good in everything. Positivity is key. 
What is your favorite thing about UW-River Falls? 
My favorite thing about River Falls is the campus and Falcon Center. The campus is beautiful, and I really like how small it is. The size of our school helps me out a lot academically because of the small class sizes, and this helps me get to know the professors and to succeed in their class as well. I am also thankful that I was able to start my freshmen year with the brand-new Falcon Center, I love the facilities that it holds and the new softball field. 
What is the best advice you have for a first-year student?
The best advice I have for a first-year student is to try in your classes, your freshmen year kind of sets the tone for the rest of the years to come and it is important to be a good student. Get to know your professors, classmates, and advisors, study and utilize the tutoring center! 

Maddy Dittel
 

Major: Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance 
Hometown: St. Paul, MN

Hobbies/Interests: Kayaking, hiking, going to UWRF Football and Hockey games, and spending time with friends and family. 
Campus Involvement: President of Finance Club, Vice President of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Treasurer of Collegiate Honors Society, member of Women in Business, and Honors Program member. 
Why I chose a CBE major: I have always been interested in the business field because I have a lot of family members that work for a variety of different companies. I chose a Finance degree because I enjoy the math and analytical side of business. I also like the wide range of career choices you can have with a Finance degree.
Favorite class at UWRF: Finance 345 (Managerial Finance) because it was my first actual finance course and it helped me solidify my decision to pursue a Finance degree. 
Half-full or half-empty: My glass is half-full because even during hard times I try and find the good things within a bad situation. I believe that the challenging times are a way for us to be forced out of our comfort zones and learn a lot about ourselves. 
Favorite thing about UWRF: The size of the campus. I think UWRF is the perfect size because it has smaller class sizes so that you can form a relationship with your Professors and classmates but also provides students with a lot of opportunities as far as clubs to join.
Best advice for a first-year student: Get involved right away. Transitioning to college and living in a new place can be challenging. Getting involved allows you to become familiar with campus and meet a lot of new people. 
 

Adam Leseman
 

Major: Business Administration- Finance 
Hometown: Champlin, Minnesota 

Hobbies/Interests: 
Binge watching TV shows, Hanging out with friends, Badminton, Hiking.
Campus Involvement: National Residence Hall Honorary Administrative Coordinator, Student Involvement office Intern, Finance Committee Student Representative, Oversight and Rules Committee Student Representative.
Why did you choose a major in the College of Business and Economics? 
Anything finance has always interested me, I believe that this is the path that is a good fit for me and something I could be successful with in the future. 
What has been your favorite class at UWRF?
Introduction to Environmental Studies. All the topics we learned and discussed were exciting and it really opened my eyes to see what is going on around the world in terms of environmental sustainability and forward thinking.
Is your glass half-full or half-empty? Why?
I would say half-full, I believe that even in the most stressful types of situations there are good things that can come out of it. There are days where I believe that the glass is half-empty but its what you make of the situation. 
What is your favorite thing about UW-River Falls? 
Meeting new people and being involved on campus, hearing about people from different backgrounds and making those connections is something that I really enjoy doing and look forward to during my time here. 
What is the best advice you have for a first-year student?
Don’t wait for people to come up to you, be active and be a part of the River Falls community.
 

Holly Mitchell 
 

Major: Business Administration and Economics with a Spanish minor
Hometown: Oakdale, Minnesota

Hobbies/Interests: I like to cook and travel.
Campus Involvement: DECA and Phi Mu
Why did you choose a major in the College of Business and Economics? 
I took an economics class my first semester at UWRF and fell in love with it. I then decided to change my major from undeclared to what it is now, and have been happy with my decision ever since.
What has been your favorite class at UWRF?
All of my economics classes and Marketing 310
Is your glass half-full or half-empty? Why?
Half full; there is always something to be grateful for and happy about.
What is your favorite thing about UW-River Falls? 
Everyone is very friendly and welcoming. No matter who you are you can find your niche.
What is the best advice you have for a first-year student?
Don’t worry about finding your major right away or having a 4.0 GPA every semester. Get involved, meet new people, create wonderful memories, and enjoy your time at college. It goes by fast and you want to spend these years having fun and getting the most out of your college experience.

Stephany Scott
 

Major: Business Administration and Management
Hometown: Hudson, Wisconsin

Hobbies/Interests: 
Hanging out with friends, playing video games, and watching movies.
Campus Involvement: 
Peer Mentoring
Why did you choose a major in the College of Business and Economics? 
I chose a major in CBE because I see my business degree as being very versatile. I like being able to change direction and explore different careers and my major allows me to do that. 
What has been your favorite class at UWRF?
Management 330 with Claire McCarty, truly great professor and insightful course. 
Is your glass half-full or half-empty? Why?
Half-full, the power of optimism can change any moment.
What is your favorite thing about UW-River Falls? 
The in-depth courses and faculty are what really make this university great. 
What is the best advice you have for a first-year student?
Always be open to new opportunities and meeting people, you’ll constantly be making important connections that will help you and others grow and succeed.