Lawrence University in Appleton has announced that Cora Linos of Whitewater has attained Dean’s List distinction for the 2023-2024 academic year.
This distinction is earned by achieving an honors grade point average of 3.5 or above with no current unsatisfactory, incomplete or unreported grades recorded for this past year.
Linos plays volleyball for Lawrence and is a government major with a Spanish minor. She is the daughter of Jim and Jean Linos.
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh officials and University of Wisconsin-Platteville have released the names of students who qualified for the Dean’s List and Honor Roll in spring 2024.
UW-Oshkosh:
The term grade-point average (GPA) requirement for University Honor Roll is 3.3; the term GPA requirement for Dean’s List is 3.75 out of a possible 4.0. To qualify, a student must have been enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits. There can be no individual grades below a “C” and no incomplete or non-reported grades at the time the process is run.
UW-Platteville:
College of Business, Industry, Life Science and Agriculture and the College of Liberal Arts and Education require grade-point averages of 3.75 and above for Dean’s List honors, while the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science requires students to reach at least a 3.50.
UW-Oshkosh
Julia Feit, Dean’s List
Fabian Gonzalez, Dean’s List
Martin Gonzalez, Honor Roll
Allison Martens, Dean’s List
Jazmine Peterson, Honor Roll
Lizbeth Rodriguez, Dean’s List
Dalia Velazquez, Dean’s List
UW-Platteville
David Cushman, Mathematics BS, Dean’s List
Rachel Mason, Civil Engineering BS, Dean’s List
Sam Mckelvey is a vibrant young artist known for their dynamic mixed media creations. With a distinctive abstract style that bursts with color and energy, Sam explores the intersection of reality and imagination.
Born with a passion for creativity, Sam began experimenting with different mediums from a young age. Their artistic journey is marked by a fearless exploration of unconventional techniques and materials, resulting in surrealist artworks that evoke and inspire viewers to go beyond their bounds and create their own sense of beauty.
Editor’s Note: The following interview with Mr. Shabani was written by Marjorie Stoneman on behalf of Whitewater Unites Lives (WUL).
Ilmi Shabani is well-known in Whitewater as the owner of Jessica’s Restaurant. He and his family have nourished the community from Jessica’s for 33 years.
Born in Macedonia, Ilmi came to the United States at age 13, where he attended school in Illinois and learned English. He said, “I am more comfortable speaking English than Albanian.” He is fluent in English and Albanian and also knows some Macedonian and Spanish.
As a young man, he journeyed back and forth from Macedonia and eventually worked as a waiter in Chicago. The owner of the Chicago restaurant, Leonardo, had a home at Whitewater Lake, and Ilmi often visited with his family.
Leonardo told him, “You are capable to be on your own. You should start a business.” He decided Whitewater was the place to be.
He said, “Whitewater is a friendly town. Dave Kachel and Harry Leffingwell welcomed me and said it would be a great idea to start something here.” He opened Jessica’s with $400 of his own and a loan from Leonardo, which has long since been paid back.
Ilmi has traveled back and forth from Macedonia throughout his life. He met his wife there and had to leave her in Macedonia with his son and daughter for several years until they could file for amnesty in 1989. It took three years to be able to bring his family here. “I wanted a better life here,” said Ilmi.
At ages 6 and 7, Ilmi’s children attended Washington Elementary School, where the teachers and principal welcomed them. They learned English at the school. His youngest daughter was born here.
“This is my home. I am a part of Whitewater. I am committed to the downtown. I thank the community for all the support,” said Ilmi.
Ilmi is very grateful to his family and staff who stood by him and supported him. He said that the business suffered during the Pandemic. “I wouldn’t be here if not for them. We work together as a team.”
When he isn’t working, Ilmi enjoys planting his garden, raising chickens and spending time with his seven grandchildren.
“I worked 16 hours a day, seven days a week to be where I am today. I love work,” he said.
Ilmi’s son, Urim, is learning the business from his father, and will take over once Ilmi retires. “I am committed to Whitewater. My son is taking over but it’s hard to let go. I tell my son I will work until I am 92,” said Ilmi.
His dream is for his grandchildren to thrive in the United States, and he would love to have Jessica’s stay in the family for generations to come.
It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society.
We are celebrating “50 Years at the Depot” at the museum and here is a look at the museum’s display space from when it first opened in 1974 along with a recent photograph of our display space today. The Whitewater Historical Society has spent the last 50 years interpreting the history of Whitewater in the depot museum with our varied collections. Fifty years ago we had an eclectic approach, showing our many artifacts in a variety of settings. Today, we use our artifacts and copies of our photographs to present a thematic history of Whitewater. Both approaches have brought Whitewater’s history to our thousands of visitors over the years.
Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.
(5166P and 2023 Photo by Carol Cartwright, Whitewater Historical Society)
Out & About Mom Walks this summer for grandmothers, foster moms, adoptive moms, stepmoms, surrogate moms, mother figures, and moms-to-be!
Calling grandmothers, foster moms, adoptive moms, stepmoms, surrogate moms, mother figures, and moms-to-be …
Join the Tree House and fellow moms as we walk and talk about the ins and outs of parenthood and babies! Each free Out & About Mom Walk will include medical providers walking alongside participants to answer questions about child development, immunizations, nutrition, and more. Walk participants will be provided with water, giveaways, and community resource information.
Bring your strollers and/or kiddos of all ages!
REGISTER FOR ONE, TWO, THREE, OR ALL FOUR WALKS!
REGISTER
Saturday, August 17, 11am-Noon
Starin Park, Whitewater
Saturday, September 14, 10-11am
Sunset Park, Elkhorn
Questions about Mom Walks? Please contact 262-374-2242 or madeline@treehouseforkids.net.
Funding for Mom Walks is provided by a grant from the Wisconsin Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board (CANPB).
Whitewater, Wisconsin (July 8, 2024)—AACSB International (AACSB) has announced that the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater has earned five more years of business and accounting education accreditation. This marks the 50th year of consecutive AACSB business accreditation for the university and its College of Business and Economics (CoBE).
AACSB has 1,026 accredited institutions in over 65 countries and territories and 194 institutions with AACSB accreditation for accounting programs. Achieving this milestone ensures greater access to high-quality business education for learners and for businesses seeking top talent.
“AACSB congratulates the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater on achieving AACSB accreditation,” said Stephanie Bryant, executive vice president and global chief accreditation officer at AACSB. “The commitment to earning accreditation is a true reflection of the school’s dedication—not only to its students, alumni network, and greater business community—but to society as a whole.”
Achieving AACSB accreditation is a mission-driven, rigorous process that includes an in-depth assessment of internal activities. It is a peer-reviewed evaluation focused on continuous improvement. During this multiyear path, schools focus on developing and implementing a plan to achieve their mission and align with AACSB’s accreditation standards. These principles-based standards require excellence in areas relating to strategic management and innovation, research, teaching and learning, and making the region better through business education.
“This year UW-Whitewater’s College of Business and Economics is celebrating 110 years of business education, 25 years of online education, and now 50 years of continuous AACSB business accreditation. Whether online or on-campus, freshman to doctoral students, the College of Business and Economics helps students achieve their dreams for a better future” said Dean Paul Ambrose. “Being Wisconsin’s largest business school is no coincidence. With AACSB accreditation in both business and accounting, CoBE ranks in the top 2% of business schools globally for program quality. Whitewater proudly accepts 97% of applicants, and CoBE graduates boast a 99% job placement rate.”
“It’s been an incredible year of milestones for our College of Business and Economics,” said UW-Whitewater Chancellor Corey A. King. “Dean Ambrose and the faculty and staff work hard to create a world-class experience for our students, and our 50 years of AACSB accreditation are proof of the college’s continued culture of transformative education. I’d like to congratulate our business school students, faculty, and staff – past and present – who made this achievement possible. We see you, and we thank you.”
Per 2022 data, of all Wisconsin public comprehensive universities, UW-Whitewater has the largest population of underrepresented minority students, is number one in total aid, and graduates the greatest percent of students in six years or less (Universities of Wisconsin standard graduation measure).
About the College of Business and Economics
The college ranked No. 1 in the state in the 2024 U.S. News and World Report review of online programs. UW-Whitewater is home to Wisconsin’s top-ranked single school in the following categories:
For more information on the College of Business and Economics, visit uww.edu/cobe or email cobe@uww.edu.
Erika Dugger
Hyland Hall 4300H
Phone: (262) 472-4924
Email: duggere@uww.edu
URL: https://www.uww.edu/cobe
According to Fox 6 Milwaukee, “A Walworth County judge sentenced Yefferson Guzman Rodriguez to two years in prison for each of two counts in connection with an incident in which officials said he was wielding several rifles after holding a victim against her will for multiple days in October 2023. Guzman Rodriguez pleaded guilty in March to felony counts of false imprisonment and strangulation/suffocation.”
Read the full article here.
Shirley M. Messier, 86, of Whitewater, Wisconsin, passed away on July 8, 2024. Shirley was born to Erwin and Leona Reese on May 20, 1938, in Farmington, Wisconsin. Shirley (“Shirttail”) attended the local country school, then set out on her own, taking a job doing factory work.
On August 24, 1957, she married Blaine Messier in Jefferson, Wisconsin. They had three daughters, Michele (Shelly), Terry, and Karen. Shirley spent many years being a working wife and mother, finally retiring from Polymer Technologies / MacLean Fogg in Whitewater.
Shirley loved country music and spent her retirement years going to George Jones and Daniel O’Donnell concerts along with her concert friend, Edy Oldenberg. She joined fan clubs so she could go behind the scenes and meet the performers. She proudly had numerous photographs taken with George and Daniel and made many duplicates of those photos so she could share copies with relatives and friends. Shirley had a terrible fear of bodies of water, but conquered her fear so she could attend a concert on a boat in Branson, not knowing there would be a huge storm while she was on the boat.
When Shirley became a Grandma in 1986, she focused most of her attention on her only grandchild. The two became inseparable, with Shirley making herself available for her granddaughter every possible moment. Shirley also had a passion for decorated cut-out cookies and would bake and frost hundreds of them at Christmas time. She especially loved to give cookies to her adopted family member, Bruce Fletcher, who loved the cookies as much as she did. Turkey dinners were her favorite, and she would talk about them for days before the holiday dinner. Family members would report to Shirley when “the turkey was in the oven.” Shirley bravely fought and won battles with both lung cancer and colon cancer, surviving both without the need for either chemotherapy or radiation treatments.
Shirley loved her three daughters, often saying that even though she raised them all the same, the three girls had completely different personalities. Shirley always stepped up when one of her children needed her, being a Mother that could be counted on in times of trouble. Tragedy struck when Shirley’s middle daughter became ill with a rare and fatal form of Parkinson’s disease. The first time Shirley went to her daughter’s new home, she took a turn onto the bike path, thinking it was the road. After driving awhile, she struggled to turn the car around and go home, saying she was “not going out there again because the roads were too narrow.” She never lived down the teasing and laughter about taking the wrong turn. At this point in her life, Shirley could not help with many physical tasks, but that did not deter her. She conquered the fear of that “narrow road” plus another fear – winter driving. She drove almost daily to spend time with her very ill daughter, knowing how lonesome her daughter was. The death of her daughter deeply devastated Shirley, and she never recovered from that loss.
Shirley is survived by her daughters, Michele Smith (Bill) of Whitewater and Karen Messier of Jefferson (Mark Simdon); her granddaughter, Alaina Smith (Jason Barajas) of Whitewater; her brother, John Reese (Leah) of Watertown; Yvonne Schuett (Larry) of Watertown, and Angie Vick of Watertown.
She was predeceased by her parents, her daughter, Teresa Messier; her former husband, Blaine Messier; her brother, Howard Reese (Doris); and her sisters, Myrtle Scheel, (Irwin); Marilyn Hertel (William); Norma Schlesner (Art Schlesner); Lorraine Pierick (Raymond); all from the Watertown area.
Services will be held on July 18, 2024, at the Olsen-Gibson Funeral Home, 221 S. Center Street in Jefferson. Visitation will begin at the Funeral Home at 10:00 a.m., with the service beginning at 11:00 a.m. Burial will occur immediately after the service. Burial will be at Melendy’s Prairie Cemetery, Township of Eagle, Wisconsin.
The family would like to thank those who were able to visit Shirley while she spent her last months in the nursing facility. It meant so much to her. They would also like to thank the staff of Rainbow Hospice for their compassionate care of Shirley; Dr. Roberta Wedl of SSM Health; and staff at Bedrock Health Care Center. Particular thanks to Bedrock’s former “Nurse Eric,” who brought an incredible amount of joy to Shirley’s last days.
Do you and your young kids love to sing, dance, and play musical instruments? Do you wish you had new parenting strategies to handle stress, meltdowns, and challenging behaviors?
Children ages zero to six and their caregivers are invited to “Sing, Dance, Thrive,” a free class at the Irvin L. Young Memorial Library on Saturday, July 11 at 9:45-11:00 a.m. Participants will engage in imaginative music and movement adventures, playfully dance with colorful ribbons and parachutes, and nurture relationships by deepening emotional awareness and learning coping strategies for home and school.
The class is taught by Noelle Larson, a Board-Certified Music Therapist, graduate of Whitewater High School and Berklee College of Music, and the owner of Circle of Song Music Therapy, LLC. Noelle has a passion for helping clients and participants to “Connect, Thrive, and Come Alive Through Music”, strengthen family relationships, learn adaptive coping strategies, and experience wonder and joy through the delight of participating in live music making.
There is no cost or registration required to attend. While the class is best for ages 6 and under, all ages are welcome to attend. Contact Sarah French with any questions at sfrench@whitewater-wi.gov or 262-473-0530.