The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program at UW-Whitewater provides free tax preparation and free electronic filing of 2022 federal and state income tax returns for low and moderate-income taxpayers.
The VITA clinic is staffed by certified student preparers and supervised by faculty in the College of Business and Economics Department of Accounting. In addition to providing hands-on experience for graduate and undergraduate accounting students, the free VITA clinic helps residents of Whitewater and surrounding communities.“We have many long-time clients who return for assistance each spring,” said Robert Meyers, accounting department lecturer and VITA program co-director. “The opportunity to apply training while working with real people is an invaluable experience for our students.”The UW-Whitewater VITA program will be open the following remaining Wednesdays from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.: March 22 and 29, April 5 and 12. Clients will be served on a first-come, first-served basis and should arrive at least one hour before closing. No appointments are needed.Tax preparation help will be located at the UW-Whitewater Community Engagement Center, 1260 W. Main Street, Whitewater, WI 53190 (next to Walmart). There is free parking in front of the UW-W Community Engagement Center for VITA participants.Important information, including a location map, program limitations and required supporting documentation, can be found at https://tinyurl.com/yn7rpjzp. For additional information, email the VITA Site Coordinator at vita@uww.edu.
Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club.
The Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club recently donated $1,400 to the Family Partnership program at the Whitewater Aquatic and Fitness Center. The Family Partnership offers reduced membership rates for low-income families and individuals.
Lorelei Brown of the Whitewater Aquatic and Fitness Center; Eric Boettcher, City of Whitewater; Patrick Taylor, President of Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club; and Nicolle LaHaie, of both Kiwanis and the Fitness Center.
Patrick Taylor, President of the Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club, said, “Kiwanis is very happy to contribute to help ensure that low-income families have access to the center. Wellness is so important, and a membership at the Whitewater Aquatic and Fitness Center will help people achieve their personal wellness goals.”
Whitewater Kiwanis is a group of dedicated volunteers who help both children of the Whitewater community and the world. Over the past five years the club raised funds to make possible the recent installation of the city’s first piece of inclusive playground equipment, a We-Go-Round, in Starin Park. Annual donations are also made to provide shoes and winter clothes for students, as well as support for organizations such as the Whitewater Food Pantry, Bethel House, The Community Space, and the Whitewater Youth Soccer Club.
If you have an interest in helping youth in Whitewater, you can check out Whitewater Kiwanis on Facebook and join our Club by contacting Patrick Taylor at Petaylor.law@gmail.com.
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improvingthe world one child and one community at a time.
Editor’s Note: The following information was provided by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Seven business students from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater traveled more than 7,000 miles to New Delhi, India in February 2023; deepening their organization’s commitment to a project impacting 400,000+ lives. A video of their experience will premier, along with a student discussion panel, on Tuesday, April 4, 2023. The event begins at 5 p.m. and is open to the public: Hyland Hall, room 2307, on the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus in Whitewater WI.
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business and Economics students take a moment to pause for a group photo on a bus ride en route to Saharanpur, India.
Shown left to right: Alan Braatz, Grayden Gruchow, Emma Agricola, Dakota Fiebranz (Dakotagraph), Kate Richmond, Lydia Coatney, Hayley Anne Potter, Arnish Gupta and Margaret Wolfgram (Combat Blindness International).
The student group is from the College of Business and Economics chapter of Enactus. Enactus is devoted to creating socially conscious CEOs. There are more than 1,700 chapters in thirty-six countries using the positive power of business to improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need. The UW-Whitewater Enactus chapter earned a National Championship for their program called Project Aadya in 2021.
Project Aadya focuses on training young women in the poorest communities of northern India to perform free, in-home vision screenings in an area with one of the highest rates of preventable blindness and visual impairment in the world. The women are trained by Dr. Shroffs Charity Eye Hospital in Delhi. The project is funded by Combat Blindness International, Madison. And the strategy and process are refined by the UW-Whitewater student team.
Dr. Choton Basu, a professor at UW-Whitewater’s College of Business and Economics and the faculty advisor for the Enactus group, said, “Project Aadya is important because it provides free and low-cost eye care to hundreds of thousands of people. More, the program provides a living wage to impoverished young women whose future prospects would have otherwise been very limited. The women become vision screeners as well as leaders in their villages. It provides them with job skills and a clear career pathway, but it also changes their communities. When you educate and empower a woman, she is able to financially support her family, demonstrate the power of education, recruit more women, and have compounded direct impact on her village. These are areas where the average income for women hovers around $2 a day. Project Aadya helps to change that—and provides the health benefit.”
“It is not only the Indian screeners who are impacted,” continues Basu. “The Whitewater Enactus students were also affected. They had the opportunity to travel to Delhi, India’s capital. But they also visited rural villages witnessing first-hand how plans made on Whitewater’s campus are literally changing lives. They learn that their college education, their career choices, can change lives around the world. At UWW we take pride in having our students apply their learning. It is about “doing” and having an impact on the world.”
High-impact practices are stressed at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Dean Paul Ambrose says, “A business degree is a milestone and is certainly something to celebrate. But an enhanced college experience elevates the power of owning and applying knowledge. Students who participate in co-curricular activities outside the classroom while at the College of Business and Economics (CoBE) or in internships or travel study programs graduate with a different outlook. They demonstrate a superior mastery of knowledge and skills and are more valuable to their future employers. That is why all classes at CoBE are taught by our faculty and staff—not teaching assistants or other cost-saving resources.” Ambrose continues, “We are Wisconsin’s largest business school for a reason. We have specialized faculty and staff with real-world experience to make classes engaging, dozens of championship-winning student organizations, and ample opportunity to foster relationships between students and our business partners. At CoBE, we offer more than a degree. We offer students the opportunity to have experiences that permanently impact their lives.”
About:
Combat Blindness International is a non-profit organization in Madison, Wisconsin. Their mission is to eliminate preventable blindness worldwide by providing sustainable, equitable solutions for sight through partnerships and innovation. Learn more at combatblindness.org.
Dr. Shroff Charity Eye Hospital was established in 1914 and is one of the oldest and largest eye care institutions in India. Learn more at www.sceh.net/
Enactus is a network of leaders committed to using business as a catalyst for positive social and environmental impact. They educate, inspire, and support young people to use innovation and entrepreneurship to solve the world’s biggest problems. Learn more at enactus.org
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business and Economics (CoBE) is Wisconsin’s largest business college. It is home to the top-ranked, single-school, online Masters of Business Administration (MBA) program in the state, graduate and undergraduate business programs, and business programs for military and veterans. It is also the only college in Wisconsin that offers an AACSB-accredited Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) degree program. CoBE is in the top 2% of the world’s business schools having earned both AACSB and AACSB Accounting Accreditation. For more information on the College of Business and Economics, visit uww.edu/cobe or email cobe@uww.edu.
Looking for a no-fail way to escape the late winter blahs? Just take in a performance of Whitewater Middle School’s production of “Seussical JR” Mar. 22, 23, and 24 at 7:00 p.m. in the Whitewater High School Auditorium.
Admission for the Mar. 22 performance is “Pay what you can,” and tickets for the Mar. 23 and 24 performances are $5 for adults, $3 for students and senior adults, and free for children 5 years old and under.
Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat, and all your favorite Dr. Seuss characters spring to life onstage in this, a fantastical musical extravaganza from Tony-winners Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.
Transporting audiences from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus, the Cat in the Hat narrates the story of Horton the Elephant, who discovers a speck of dust containing tiny people called the Whos. Horton must protect the Whos from a world of naysayers and dangers, and he must also guard an abandoned egg that’s been left in his care by the irresponsible Mayzie La Bird. Although Horton faces ridicule, danger, and a trial, the intrepid Gertrude McFuzz never loses faith in him. Ultimately, the powers of friendship, loyalty, family, and community are challenged and emerge triumphant.
“Seussical JR” teaches us the power of being unique, and the importance of fighting for your beliefs.
Under the direction of Liz Elliott, 46 students display their talents as actors or crew members, with the assistance of 4 adults and 8 Whitewater High School students.
Jim McCulloch and Alyssa Orlowski serve as Assistant Directors, with Jim also working Costume and Light Designer. Kerry Ramsden is Scenic Designer and Head of Stage Crew, and Kat Dunham is Set Designer.
6th Graders include Cam Avila, Tybalt Barbosa, Storm DePorter, Tyrelle Griswold, Rayne Levasseur, Emma Maas, Yanet Palomec-Garcia, Cora Schimming, Emma Schultz-Majkrzak, Melody Smith, and Talon Wildermuth.
7th Graders include Ian Agen, Jocelyn Alcala, Caitlin Alford, Henry Brockwell, Anna Coleman, Peyton Comfort, Maya Davis, Kora Davis, Laken DePorter, Vivian Harris, Morgan LaHaie, Izzy Lawton, Ame Lin, Ruth Lopez, Jacob McLaughlin, Genevieve Miranda, Virginia Nelson, Sophia Noonan, Alistair Ophime, Teegan Patterson, Lia Ramirez, Kendra Serrano, Letty Trautman, Jaylynn Traxler, and Sophia Walenton.
8th Graders include Esteban Diaz-Gallegos, Jimmy Kinson, Maggie Maas, Josh Nygren, Payton Peacock, Kai Peterson, Hayleigh Pond, Josie Selby, Ava Van Daele, and Zoe Zei.
The Whitewater High School students serving in the production include Anderson Waelchli (High School Assistant Director); Matt Zingsheim (High School Assistant Director/Sound); Anders Clarksen and Ayden Clark (Choreographer); Alexa Cansina-Pena, Alejandra Diaz-Gallegos, Betzy Polomac, and Claire Tourdot (Costuming)
“What a spectacular cast and crew we are lucky to have for “Seussical JR,” reported Alyssa Orlowski. “Our students are beyond talented. Many of them are new to the stage, and have worked so hard!”
Tyrelle Griswold is a 6th grader cast in three roles, including camera man and circus animal. Griswold said, “My favorite part of the musical is being a fish for one of the songs.”
7th grader Ian Agen plays one of the leading roles as Horton The Elephant. Agen shared enjoying “Working on the set with all of my friends and even with the people I wasn’t familiar with who have quickly become close friends. The musical has also quickly become my favorite part of the day. Playing the role of Horton has been extremely fun and fulfilling. I love getting to sing solos in front of people and getting to increase my confidence as a person. I’ll see you from the stage!”
Kai Peterson, an 8th grader cast as a Wikersham in “Seussical JR,” said, “Working on the show has been really fun. The work can be tiring, but the payout is worth it. Personally, I like learning the dances the most, and singing – when you put a lot of emotion into it – can be really fun as well!”
Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Six individuals who have achieved exceptional professional success or have made significant contributions to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater are being honored as the university celebrates its 155th anniversary. The 2023 class of alumni award honorees include graduates with careers in illustration, entrepreneurship, education and commercial real estate development — including the co-founder of a company that produced the world’s first crowd-sourced beer.
The awards will be presented at the Founders Day Celebration, held at UW-Whitewater at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 22.
This year’s recipient of the Outstanding Recent Alumni Award is Henry Schwartz (https://www.uww.edu/alumni/awards/schwartz ). The award recognizes the professional accomplishments of Schwartz, who earned a BBA in entrepreneurship and a B.A. in Spanish in 2011 and co-founded MobCraft Beer that same year. Schwartz continues to lead that company, which is expanding to its fourth brick-and-mortar location and generates $4.5 million in annual sales, with a team that includes several fellow Warhawks.
The recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award for Professional Achievement is Monica Kelsey-Brown (https://www.uww.edu/alumni/awards/kelsey-brown ). Kelsey-Brown, who earned a BSE in elementary education and an M.S. in curriculum and instruction, is the first superintendent of color in the School District of Brown Deer, a district of 1,600 students that is one of the most diverse in the state. Kelsey-Brown took the helm in July 2020, in the early days of COVID-19, after working in various roles at Milwaukee Public Schools since 2002.
Also receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award for Professional Achievement is Ed Steckley (https://www.uww.edu/alumni/awards/steckley ). Steckley, who earned B.A. in graphic design and a minor in art history in 2018 after an initial stint on campus in the early 1990s, is an award-winning freelance illustrator whose work has appeared on “Saturday Night Live,” in MAD Magazine, and in children’s books — including the “Rube Goldberg” series — as well as in magazines, newspapers and a range of advertising campaigns.
Byron “Chris” Chrisman and Carlene Chrismanhttps://www.uww.edu/alumni/awards/chrisman ) are this year’s recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award for Service to UW-Whitewater. After earning a B.S. in business administration with an emphasis on accounting, Chris Chrisman embarked on a career spanning tax law, commercial real estate development and diverse businesses. The Chrismans funded the Mary Poppe Chrisman Success Center with an initial gift of $1.5 million in 2016, and a subsequent estate gift in 2019 of $5 million — the largest gift to date in the university’s history — targeted four endowment funds: Student Success Fund, Warhawk Emergency Fund, Wheelchair Athletics and Rugby.
The recipient of the S.A. White for Contributions to UW-Whitewater is Therese Kennedy (https://www.uww.edu/alumni/awards/kennedy ). Kennedy has worked at the Office of Recreation Sports and Facilities for more than 30 years, serving as director since August 2020, and has left an indelible imprint on the campus and the community as a member of the Athletics Hall of Fame Board, a board member of the Tip Off Club and Quarterback Club, mentoring scores of students, and working on behalf of Wally and Rod’s Warhawk Raffle. She also serves as co-president of the Whitewater Community Foundation.
“All of these accomplished individuals speak to the breadth and the depth of the impacts that our graduates can have, both professionally and in their communities,” said Chancellor Corey A. King. “As evidenced by these individuals, our academic programs have a strong track record of producing talented, versatile graduates, and I couldn’t be more proud to recognize and celebrate the achievements of these Warhawks.”
“Our alumni and friends of the university bring a wealth of experiences to the Warhawk family,” said Amy Oeding ’90, director of alumni relations. “Like so many of our supporters, they not only give back to their communities, they continue to have a rich connection to the campus and to today’s students.”
Also being honored are the 2023 UW-Whitewater Outstanding Student Award winners, one from each of the university’s five undergraduate colleges. Each student receives a $1,000 scholarship in addition to their award:
Abdel Hamed, liberal arts major from Beloit, College of Integrated Studies
Morgan Jensen, music education from Sun Prairie, College of College of Arts and Communication
MacKenzie Lindow, special education major from East Troy, College of Education and Professional Studies
Carson Neigum, business major from Pewaukee, College of Business and Economics
Jaelyne White, entrepreneurship major with a minor in Spanish, from Poynette, College of Letters and Sciences
For more information on UW-Whitewater’s Distinguished Alumni awards, visit uww.edu/alumni/awards.
For any questions, contact Amy Oeding, director of alumni relations, at oedinga@uww.edu or 262-472-7033.
Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the City of Whitewater.
The City of Whitewater – Department of Public Works will collect bagged leaves and yard waste the: • Week of April 3 – April 6, 2023 • Week of April 10 – April 14, 2023
*Dates may be subject to change in the event we experience accumulating snow during this time.
Yard waste is defined as leaves, grass clippings, and yard and garden debris. Yard waste must be bagged in 30 gallon or smaller biodegradable, clear or transparent bags only. Yard waste will not be collected if not properly bagged or placed in non-transparent or black bags. The City offers Bio-Bags, at the Finance Department window, in the fall only.
Please place your bagged yard waste on the curb no earlier than Saturday, April 1, (for collection beginning on April 3) and April 8, (for collection beginning on April 10). All bags must be brought to the curb by 7:00 a.m., on Thursday, April 13, for collection by City staff.
Residents may also use the compost site to dispose of bagged leaves and yard waste. The compost site will on open on Saturdays starting April 1, from 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. and Wednesdays, starting on April 5, from 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. The City will provide a loader for loading chips and compost beginning Saturday, April 1. This loader will be available on the first Saturday of each month until the site closes for the season.
Residents requesting brush collection should call 473-0560 to make an appointment for pick up on Tuesdays. NOTICE: City Ordinance Chapter 12.08 – Street Obstructions, Section: 12.08.010 – Residents are prohibited from depositing any yard waste debris on city streets.
The League of Women Voters – Whitewater Area (LWV-WW) reminds voters to get ready to vote in the upcoming April 4 Spring Election. Appearing on the ballot are candidates running for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and regional judge races for the court of appeals and circuit courts. Other local races in Walworth and Jefferson counties include city councils, school boards, and boards that govern counties, villages, and towns. Some communities will also be casting their vote on referenda. The League encourages voters to start their research before casting their ballot, so they are informed whether they vote by absentee ballot or on Election Day.
One source of nonpartisan candidate information is the League’s voter guide on VOTE411.org LWV-WW asked candidates running in competitive races to participate in the Spring Election Voter Guide in which voters can read candidates’ responses to the League’s questionnaires. By visiting the site, voters can compare the answers posted verbatim of the candidates. Please note: Not all candidates chose to respond.
Questions in VOTE411 are presented in English and Spanish. Candidates were encouraged to provide answers in both languages.
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Visit our website at https://my.lwv.org/wisconsin/whitewater-area, like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram @lwvwhitewater.
Warhawk Football Coach Jace Rindahl writes, “I would like to invite you to a meet and greet opportunity that we will be hosting this week. You’ll get a chance to meet our staff, learn about our 2023 recruiting class, spring ball plans, and a look ahead to the fall. Hope to see you there!”
City of Whitewater Alcohol Licensing Committee – Monday @ 4:45 p.m. Agenda: class A liquor license applications for Whitewater Petroleum Co. (Five Points), Campus Quick Shop, Casey’s (east side), and SS Express (Main & Fraternity). IN PERSON MEETING Community Room – Whitewater Municipal Building
Whitewater Unified School District School Board – Monday (closed session) 6:00 p.m. (open session) 7:00 p.m. Whitewater High School Library 534 South Elizabeth Street, Whitewater, Wisconsin 6:00 p.m. ———————————————– 6:00 p.m. via Zoom Online – URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86971863002?pwd=RGhpTnFPKzZnUWlYTDZyaDZTZWdEdz09 – Passcode: 939544 ———————————————- – Dial-in: 1-312-626-6799 – Webinar ID: 869 7186 3002 – Passcode: 939544 ———————————————- Closed Session Agenda includes preparation for negotiations with Whitewater Education Association and consider participation in another class action lawsuit. ———————————————- 7:00 p.m. via Zoom Online – URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84712363168?pwd=WGZjc2t3dm44c2F3aklCKzFhbVZjUT09 – Passcode: 727354 ———————————————- – Dial-in: 1-312-626-6799 – Webinar ID: 847 1236 3168 – Passcode: 727354 Agenda (click on “meetings” in upper right corner) includes possible action on items discussed in closed session, recognition of service of retiring board members, staffing and program recommendations for 2023-24.
City of Whitewater Common Council – Tuesday @ 6:30 p.m. Agenda includes Library Report regarding fundraising campaign; Neighborhood Services Update on Code Enforcement; Consideration of granting the available “Class B” alcohol license to one of the below applicants: Whitewater Petroleum Co. Five Points Mobil, or Casual Joes BBQ LLC; Presentation by Clear Path Energy/Terra Focus on leasing the old Whitewater Landfill (north end of Jefferson Street) for solar energy generation. (DPW Director Request); Closed session, not to reconvene for performance evaluation of city manager. City of Whitewater Municipal Building – Community Room 312 W. Whitewater St. This will be an in person AND a virtual meeting. Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join via computer, smart phone, or telephone. Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods. Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89139306364?pwd=SlpyNDlQaWsvTXFoc1FDN2dNRUdHZz09 Passcode: 013032 Or Telephone: Dial US: 1 309 205 3325 Webinar ID: 891 3930 6364 Passcode: 013032
Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
News Flash! Women are underrepresented in lucrative STEM careers! I doubt you’re surprised by that, but did you know that you can do something about it?
Encourage your middle school daughter, niece, granddaughter, or neighbor to attend the AAUW Tech Savvy STEM Workshop on Saturday, April 15 at UW–Whitewater.
Tech Savvy is a one-day hands-on workshop for girls in grades 6– 9. Participants will select from ten sessions including Density Bottles, Explore the Universe One Ray of Light at a Time, Hands-on Construction Competition, Plasma Physics & Fusion Energy, Science of Flavors & Fragrances, Soil Bacteria: A Key to New Antibiotics, Spaghetti Car Derby, Surgical Intern for a Day, Wear your Genes, and What Can Glowing Animals Teach Us? Interested boys may attend.
Parents are invited to join their child for one of the workshop sessions and then attend “chat with” sessions designed to help them support their children’s career exploration and educational opportunities. Parents will be able to chat with professional women in a variety of STEM professions and with experts on 2-year and 4-year college programs.
The keynote will be presented by Yana Rawinski, Senior Product Manager, Medtronic Spine and Biologics. She will share her journey from middle school math competitions to a biomedical engineering degree.
Register soon for best choice of workshop sessions! Space is limited. Deadline is Wednesday, April 5. Deadline for a guaranteed t-shirt size is March 25.
