Group IX – Education Seminar

The fourth in-state seminar, EDUCATION, was held in LaCrosse, January 23-26, 2001, sponsored in part by Karen Dahl, Group VII, Dahl Pharmacy Ltd, the National Bank of Viroqua, the UW-LaCrosse Foundation and Western Wisconsin Technical College. Organizers of this seminar were Co-Chairs, Gerry Campbell and Cheryl Hancock. Gerry is a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at UW-Madison and Extension Specialist at UW-Extension, Center for Community Economic Development. Cheryl is an alumni of Group VIII and Director of Collegiate Development, UW-LaCrosse.

The theme of the Education Seminar was exercising leadership in education issues for you and your community. Participants had the opportunity to:

• Understand the variety of approaches available for transmitting, culture/values/knowledge/skills and preparing a new generation for learning and leading in a changing world.
• Understand current and future issues in pre-K to post graduate education and the role of local leaders in defining and resolving those issues.
• Understand leadership opportunities and roles in education issues.

In the LaCrosse area there are three institutions of higher education-UW-LaCrosse, Viterbo University and Western Wisconsin Technical College. To begin the seminar, Group IX participants discussed the impact of leadership on the current issues facing higher education and these institutions in general.

Pictured from left to right are Group IX participants: Mark Brodziski (moderator), Neillsville; Marty Stanton, Reeseville; Lynn Thompson, Fall Creek; Doug Mueller, Fall Creek. With backs to you on left, Cheri Johnson, Fort Atkinson and right, Rebecca Zahm, LaFarge.

Pictured left to right: Jeff Butteris, Group IX participant/moderator; Lee Rasch, President, Western Wisconsin Technical College, William Medland, President, Viterbo University, and Douglas Hastad, Interim Chancellor, UW-LaCrosse.

Mayor John Medinger of LaCrosse welcomed Group IX participants to the city.

Participants were exposed to several levels and forms of education including exhibits and presentations of Alternative Adult Educational Opportunities. Pictured from left to right: Group IX participants Peggie James, Dodgeville and Mark Brodziski, Neillsville, listening to Faye Thunder Begay (Group II) who spoke with participants about the Native American Adult Learning Program of the Ho-Chunk Nation.

Russ Allen from the Wisconsin Education Association Council engaged participants in a discussion via videoconference about the future of public education in Wisconsin.