Chancellor’s Award for Students 2022 recipients: left to right, in front Joe Schlies, Chancellor Maria Gallo and Brigitte Ledferd. In back, Ian Carter, Kit Zuelke, Natalie Rodgers, Courtney Carson, Kaye Anderson and Isabella Forliti.

Eight students presented Chancellor’s Awards 
 

April 20, 2022 – Eight University of Wisconsin-River Falls students received the Chancellor’s Award for Students on Tuesday. 

The Chancellor’s Award is the highest non-academic honor students can receive at the university. It recognizes students who have shown distinguished leadership and service while on campus. 

“The honorees are a testament to our mission to prepare students to be productive, creative, ethical, engaged citizens and leaders with an informed global perspective. A review of the nomination materials submitted makes it clear our students are successfully living this mission,” said Chancellor Maria Gallo. 

Gallo congratulated the recipients and encouraged them to continue their commitment to excellence and service. 

Chancellor Award recipients are: 

• Kaye Anderson, of River Falls, a senior studying psychology and English education. Anderson is a writing tutor, Ability Services Peer Mentor, a Chancellor’s Student Ambassador, a member of Aspiring Educators and the UWF Disability Advisory Committee. In a nomination letter, Anderson was noted for her caring disposition for other students, the offices she works in and for helping others reach their goals. 
   
• Courtney Carson, of Eagan, Minn., a senior chemistry major. Carson is a member of the Women’s Golf Team, a Peer-Led Team learning leader, a WiSys Student Ambassador and a chemistry tutor. Carson was hailed for her leadership and compassion and for making the university better through her involvement. 
   
• Ian Carter, of Platteville, a senior majoring in secondary education and physics graduate school track. Carter serves as the chapter president of the Society of Physics Students, played football, is a UWRF Math Contest member, a Physics Help Center tutor and has been involved in three Undergraduate Research, Scholarly and Creative Activities research grants. Carter was lauded by a nominator for his “epitome of outstanding service, leadership and values.” 
   
• Isabella “Izzy” Forliti, of White Bear Lake, Minn., communication studies major. Forliti is the Student Voice newspaper editor, a Student Involvement events intern, Chancellor’s Ambassadors public relations officer and chair of the Student Media Committee. Under Forliti’s leadership, the Student Voice has been honored for its journalism. In the 2020 Collegiate Better Newspaper Contest sponsored by the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation, Forliti won a second-place award for a feature story about learning opportunities in the UWRF greenhouses. 

• Brigitte Ledferd, of Arbor Vitae, a junior criminology and sociology major. Ledferd is president of the Student Government Association, a member of the COVID-19 operations team and spearheaded a Safety Committee, which is focused on keeping students safe on campus as well as strengthening mental health support services. With another year at UWRF, Ledferd is looking forward to the possibility of participating in the Semester Abroad Europe Program to further expand her education. 
   
• Natalie Rodgers, of Sun Prairie, senior communication studies major. Rodgers is president of the Chancellor’s Student Ambassadors, manages the University Center’s Information Desk, has been involved in shared governance and is on the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Council. Rodgers was honored in part for her dedication to seeing other students succeed and her commitment to making UWRF an amazing university. 
   
• Joe Schlies, of Denmark (Wis.), an agricultural business major. Schlies is a member of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences Student Advisory Council, a member of the Student Government Association, a graduate of the Agricultural Business Leadership Program and serves as vice president of the UWRF Agricultural Business and Marketing Society. One nominator pointed out that Schlies is “not afraid to dedicate his time and energy to learn about issues facing UWRF students and to work collaboratively with students and staff to create solutions.” 
   
• Kit Zuelke, of Stratford, a graduate student majoring in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Zuelke is an accomplished researcher and traveled to Japan to volunteer as an English language teacher and American culture counselor and is on the College of Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee. Zuelke was lauded for his English as a Second Language Center work as a student tutor while an undergraduate and then as a student manager while a graduate student. 

The awards were presented during a reception in the Riverview Ballroom, University Center. Jamie Zamjahn, assistant chancellor for student success, introduced the recipients. 

Beth Schommer, chief of staff and Chancellor’s Award for Students Committee chair, noted students are nominated by a faculty member, staff member or a student peer. Student recipients demonstrate undergraduate research, inclusivity and service to the community and university. First awarded in 1980, the award has been presented to 310 outstanding students. 

For more information, email Schommer at beth.schommer@uwrf.edu.