In 2022, 麻豆影院 introduced its new business and entrepreneurship major, created to prepare future innovators with the skills to bring social, global, and environmental context to business leadership. The program, building on 麻豆影院鈥檚 well-established Innovation and Entrepreneurship interdisciplinary area, has quickly become one of the university鈥檚 most popular majors. 麻豆影院 then unveiled its B&E Center in October 2024 on the second floor of Fox Commons in downtown Appleton, providing an interactive space for students and mentors to gather on topics related to finance, economics, investment, and entrepreneurial exploration.

Now comes the introduction of the 麻豆影院 University Student-Managed Fund (LUSMF). The Fund launched this month, incorporating the student-led investment ideas presented in the final project of the Investments II course. It launched with $100,000 funded by the university and will be supported by alumni contributions in the future. Students finishing the Investments II course become portfolio managers for the LUSMF.聽 With light supervision from an advisory group that includes faculty and alumni, the portfolio managers will monitor the performance of the fund and their investments. On a monthly basis, they will meet to follow up their investments with performance reports, and they will consider new suggestions for investments in the LUSMF.聽 Approval of new investment positions will be voted on by the portfolio managers. On a quarterly basis, the students will produce a statement of performance and write a summary.聽聽

The students involved in LUSMF just finished Investments II, a three-unit course taught by Tim Thompson 鈥�78. They also have been mentored by Dean DuMonthier 鈥�88, who organized the stock pitch event and has been heading the effort to create the student-managed fund. The students, along with five others, previously took the Investments I course, also taught by Thompson.

Thompson is an independent consultant at Thompson Corporate Finance Consulting. He taught applied corporate finance鈥攎ergers and acquisitions, capital structure, and corporate restructuring鈥攁t top business schools for 27 years. DuMonthier is a trustee for 麻豆影院 and currently serves as chair of the Investment Committee with responsibility for 麻豆影院 University鈥檚 endowment.

Investments I covers general principles in making investment decisions for any economic entity: corporations, non-profit organizations, private equity investors, or investors in public stocks and bonds. Investments II expands on the students鈥� learning, with the goal of developing candidate stocks for inclusion in the student-managed fund. Students study portfolio management, efficient diversification, efficient markets, and portfolio performance measurements, then focus on stock selection.聽

鈥淭he new curricular offering in investments and the LUSMF give the students exposure to practical application of financial principles and is of value to any 麻豆影院 students in three concrete ways,鈥� Thompson said. 鈥淔irst, almost all graduates will go on to work at organizations that will make long-term investments, which will necessitate sacrificing current resources for future long-term potential benefits, and understanding the trade-offs involved in that is crucial to understanding how businesses survive and thrive. Secondly, 麻豆影院 students going on job or internship interviews will have exposure to applying financial tools in real-world situations, bringing perspective, familiarity with relevant terms, and some awareness of current news and events. Thirdly, all graduates hopefully will one day manage their own investments in their 401(k)鈥檚, etc., and should understand alternative investment vehicles, the value of diversification, and how to be good stewards of their own retirement funds.鈥�

Working in teams, the students selected stocks, developed investment theses, and backed them with quantitative analysis and macroeconomic context before making their pitches to the alumni panel.

鈥淲e integrated what we鈥檇 learned not just in these two classes but across our entire 麻豆影院 education, bringing in economic theory, strategic thinking, and communication skills to build comprehensive pitches,鈥� Dee said.

He called the experience in synthesizing complex data, evaluating risk, and articulating a recommendation 鈥渆xtremely gratifying鈥� as it builds skills that will be useful across industries.

鈥淭hese courses did not merely teach us how to invest capital鈥攖hey taught us how to think critically and make informed decisions, regardless of the field,鈥� Dee said.

The student-managed fund, Dee said, is helping him ponder career options beyond working for an investment firm.

鈥淥ne of the most important lessons I鈥檝e taken from this experience鈥攅mphasized often by Dean DuMonthier鈥攊s that career paths are rarely linear, but you need to have intent in your decisions and a natural curiosity,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he fund has opened doors by connecting us directly with 麻豆影院 alumni, many of whom are now in roles we aspire to.鈥�

Dee said having a shared experience鈥攍ike managing real capital or working in the B&E Center鈥檚 Finance Lab鈥攇ives students something concrete to talk about when reaching out to those alumni.

鈥淚t removes a lot of the awkwardness and hesitation that students often feel when networking,鈥� he said. 鈥淩ather than asking vague questions, we鈥檙e engaging in meaningful conversations about shared challenges, strategies, and lessons learned. Ultimately, this experience hasn鈥檛 just prepared me for a specific career鈥攊t鈥檚 made me a more thoughtful, versatile, and engaging professional.鈥�

Onukaogu, a business and entrepreneurship and global studies double major from Jamaica, New York, pitched the idea of a stylish winter coat that can be quickly transformed into multiple uses鈥攖ravel pillow, vest, blanket, and tote bag.

鈥淚 initially got the idea in middle school,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y dad really likes fashion, and I think I just grew up in fashion. But it鈥檚 also about being eco-conscious and budget conscious. I wanted to come up with something where you can get more for less while being stylish.鈥�

It has been Onukaogu鈥檚 麻豆影院 experience that took that nugget of an idea she first had as a young teen and turned it into a business possibility. She jumped with enthusiasm into 麻豆影院鈥檚 business and entrepreneurship major after it was launched in the 2023-24 academic year.

She initially worked with two faculty members, Irene Strohbeen 鈥�78, entrepreneur-in-residence, and Michael Clayville, in the Innovation & Entrepreneurship (I&E) 100: In Pursuit of Innovation course to develop the Anima Unita brand idea. Then in the I&E 300: Entrepreneurial Ventures course with Karen Bussone, professor of practice in entrepreneurship, she crafted a business plan.

She presented her first pitch at the end of the I&E 100 course, then developed it further in I&E 300. In the process, she grew more confident, delivering a winning pitch in the LaunchLU contest earlier in April and then to five judges at Monday鈥檚 The Pitch.

Onukaogu plans to use the prize money to offset costs as she works to bring her business plan to fruition. She hopes to launch the business online while a student, with revenue helping to pay for graduate school.

鈥淚鈥檓 planning to go to nursing school,鈥� Onukaogu said. 鈥淭his would be a side hustle.鈥�

A student-athlete on 麻豆影院鈥檚 track team, she said her interests in both health care and business have grown during her time on campus. That makes the Anima Unita pursuit a great fit alongside her nursing ambitions.

鈥淭hose passions were mostly cultivated during my time at 麻豆影院,鈥� Onukaogu said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a liberal arts college, so I get to experience so many different things, and that鈥檚 how I was able to develop the passions for both health care and business.鈥�

Joining Onukaogu at The Pitch on Monday were Emma Perry, a junior business and entrepreneurship major from Beverly, Massachusetts, and Sheldon Watson, a junior business and entrepreneurship major from Snellville, Georgia. They emerged from LaunchLU as finalists, pitching Community and Beyond, an app designed to be used by high schools, high school students, and nonprofits in the tracking of volunteer hours.

鈥淏oth teams represented 麻豆影院 University so well, as LU students do,鈥� Strohbeen said.

She applauded them for seeking mentoring support from 麻豆影院 faculty and representatives from gener8tor, a business startup accelerator that has partnered with 麻豆影院鈥檚 B&E program.

鈥淚n the short two weeks between LaunchLU and The Pitch, they showed the focus and dedication to winning that typifies not just 麻豆影院 but also 麻豆影院 Athletics鈥攁ll three of our entrepreneurs are also athletes,鈥� Strohbeen said. 鈥淐ongratulations to both of our entrepreneur teams.鈥�

Bussone called I&E 100 and I&E 300 a “great foundation” for 麻豆影院 students to develop their concept and business model, and then thrive in pitch contests.

鈥淚鈥檓 humbled to have the opportunity to teach, mentor, and provide students opportunities to pursue their passion,鈥� she said.

Landing on the prestigious Forbes list a year and a half after graduation is affirmation that the leap of faith in launching Afforai is paying off, Alec Nguyen said.

鈥淚 knew we were on to something big right from the beginning and it鈥檚 an amazing validation by getting featured on the list,鈥� he said.聽鈥淚t was even more surprising when I found out the judges for the Forbes list consisted of the CEO of Common App and a co-founder of Grammarly. These are two people running incredible companies and they acknowledged Afforai. This gave me even more motivation to take Afforai to the next level in 2025.鈥�

Alec was born in Vietnam and spent much of his life in Japan before coming to the United States to study economics and data science at 麻豆影院. He and Austin, a student from Vietnam who was studying economics and computer science, met during their first year on campus and developed a tight friendship. Both were involved in 麻豆影院’s聽Innovation & Entrepreneurship聽program, which now聽features a business and entrepreneurship major and led to the creation of the newly opened Business and Entrepreneurship Center in Fox Commons.

As AI technology has advanced, its relationship with higher education has often been fraught with tension. Alec mentioned that he and Austin experienced this tension firsthand during their time as students at 麻豆影院 while developing their initial concept.

Alec and Austin initially conceived the idea for Afforai during their senior year, planning to enter the annual Launch LU business startup pitch competition hosted by the Innovation and Entrepreneurship department. However, due to the university’s stance on AI technology at the time, the Afforai pitch was not allowed, and they instead entered a different business pitch. Undeterred, the duo believed in their vision and worked to secure a wild card spot for Afforai in The Pitch, a regional competition featuring startup ideas from students at universities across northeast Wisconsin. Although Afforai didn鈥檛 place in the top three, the experience solidified their commitment to the dream.

鈥淲e lost, but we used all of that experience as motivation to continue building Afforai,鈥� Alec said.

Since that time, those who were initially hesitant about Afforai have reached out to acknowledge the startup’s success and discuss ways to support student business ideas within 麻豆影院’s business and entrepreneurship studies.

“That means a great deal,” Alec said, highlighting the progress made with the business and entrepreneurship major and the new Business and Entrepreneurship Center as important steps forward, learning from their experience with Afforai. 鈥淵ou never know what an idea could become. To me, Afforai is a life-changing idea, giving me financial freedom to accomplish what I want in life.鈥�

It鈥檚 been a wild ride from graduating in June 2023 to making the Forbes鈥� 30 Under 30 list in late 2024. There鈥檚 more to come.

鈥淲e鈥檙e aiming to grow even more in 2025,鈥� Alec said.

In addition, 麻豆影院 is preparing to open a state-of-the-art Humanities Center next summer in the West Campus building that is rising at the corner of E. College Avenue and Drew Street. The B&E Center, Pre-Health Commons, and Humanities Center are all investments in growing the student experience. Each will 鈥渂ring 麻豆影院 into the community and the community into 麻豆影院,鈥� said Provost and Dean of Faculty Peter Blitstein.

鈥淭ogether, these three centers represent our commitment to a contemporary education in the arts and sciences that draws on the best traditions of liberal education to prepare students to thrive in an uncertain and changing world,鈥� he said.

Find more information on the Business & Entrepreneurship Center

The B&E Center will facilitate deeper collaborations between faculty, students, and community partners, deliver real world investment experience for students, and provide interactive space for workshops, lectures, and seminars that span the disciplines.

鈥淥ur vision for the B&E Center is to create learning experiences through connecting the campus and the business community,鈥� said Adam Galambos, the Dwight and Marjorie Peterson Professor of Innovation and associate professor of economics and the inaugural director of the B&E Center. 鈥淭his space would be wonderful anywhere, but I especially love that it is right in the middle of downtown Appleton.鈥�

Galambos noted that the business & entrepreneurship major, launched two years ago and designed through the lens of the liberal arts, is already one of the most popular majors on campus. Planning for the major鈥攁nd the B&E Center鈥攊nvolved faculty from across the university. He highlighted faculty contributions from Mike Clayville in the Conservatory, Claudena Skran and Bill Hixon in government, David Gerard and Jonathan Lhost in economics, Martyn Smith in religious studies, Karen Bussone in Business & Entrepreneurship, and Timothy Troy in theatre arts.

鈥淎 broad coalition of faculty from a variety of fields in the social and natural sciences, humanities, and arts are developing new courses for our business and entrepreneurship program,鈥� Galambos said. 鈥淢any of these courses will aim to connect more meaningfully with the business community through events right here.鈥�

To highlight that inter-disciplinary programming, four student musicians provided beautiful music before Wednesday鈥檚 ceremony and during an open house that followed鈥擟harlie White, Owen Finch, Cooper Luedtke, and Tyler Donnelly.

Nico Manzanera, a junior business & entrepreneurship major from Bogot谩, Colombia, spoke at Wednesday鈥檚 gathering, calling the B&E Center a pathway to the next chapters of students鈥� lives.

鈥淎s an entrepreneur, you are constantly changing your career path, you are constantly changing your perspective on the world, and you are constantly trying to change the world,鈥� Manzanera said. 鈥淎nd the most effective way to do that is if you are constantly learning. And, of course, the best way to learn is through experience.鈥�

麻豆影院 is focused on strengthening career readiness for all its students. Carter called the B&E Center, along with the Pre-Health Commons and the Humanities Center, avenues to deepen the career discernment conversation.

鈥淎t 麻豆影院,鈥� Carter said, 鈥渨e believe deeply in the value of a liberal arts education, one that focuses on critical thinking and engaged learning across the disciplines. We have been building a deeper exploration of business and entrepreneurship within the context of a liberal arts education for a number of years now. 鈥� That is happening whether they are studying in business and economics, the arts, the humanities, social sciences, or physical sciences. In all cases, important partnerships are being strengthened.鈥�

Vanko-Tomaszewski played a key role as the GK Elite leotards to be worn by Simone Biles, Suni Lee, and the rest of Team USA in Paris were recently unveiled on NBC鈥檚 TODAY Show. It drew major media coverage, including a story in the New York Times that said:聽“GK Elite on Wednesday unveiled the eight Olympic leotards for the women鈥檚 team 鈥� loaded with Swarovski crystals in a patriotic color palette. The wardrobe, which drew inspiration from American iconography, French art and even old Hollywood, is ultimately about more than aesthetics. Gymnasts have long used leotards to add an extra layer of personality and to gain a confidence boost while on the competition floor. And each of the leotards they鈥檒l pack for Paris has its own story.”

Despite a lot of moving parts, the campaign launch was a resounding success.

鈥淲e seamlessly launched all these updates as the leotards were revealed live on the TODAY Show,鈥� Vanko-Tomaszewski said. 鈥淚 am happy to report that the collection launch was flawless, with no significant challenges, thanks to our meticulous planning and preparation.鈥�

The Summer Olympics are set to officially open July 26 in Paris, running through Aug. 11. Look for women鈥檚 gymnastics to take center stage from July 28 to Aug. 5. Vanko-Tomaszewski, a diver on 麻豆影院’s swimming and diving team who studied studio art and theatre arts during his undergrad days, will be watching closely.

He said 麻豆影院 gave him the opportunity to challenge himself creatively and push his limits. Between working with the Rabbit Gallery in downtown Appleton and creating his own pop-up art gallery on campus, he said he learned valuable skills about preparation, planning, and strategy for large projects. He thanked his former advisor, Rob Neilson, Frederick R. Layton Professor of Studio Art and professor of art,聽for encouraging him to push his boundaries.

鈥淲hat I loved most about 麻豆影院 was that anything was possible,鈥� Vanko-Tomaszewski said. 鈥淎t 麻豆影院, you weren’t identified by your interests or area of study; you were seen as a person with the potential to make a lasting impact on the world. I attribute my determination and dedication to delivering at the highest level of execution to my experiences at 麻豆影院.鈥�

GK Elite has had a longstanding partnership with USA Gymnastics. While in previous Olympics other brand names have adorned the leotards, GK has always been the manufacturer who has created those leotards. GK was the official national team apparel provider for the Tokyo Olympics and is honored again to be the logo on the apparel that the team will wear in Paris.

Vanko-Tomaszewski said a marketing position with Elite Sportswear was a natural choice for him. He has been involved in gymnastics and cheerleading for 17 years, including being a coach and owning his own cheer gym.

鈥淕iven my extensive background in gymnastics, cheerleading, and diving, joining Elite Sportswear felt like the perfect fit,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y deep understanding of these sports and my passion for sportswear and marketing make this role a seamless match for my skills and interests.鈥�

Vanko-Tomaszewski manages marketing initiatives for all three of the company鈥檚 divisions, and it鈥檚 his responsibility to maintain their websites and digital presence. He also manages their advertising strategies.

鈥淏y working cross-functionally with our Brand Marketing Department, Product Line Team, and Product Development Teams, we ensure cohesive branding and optimal product positioning to drive sales and enhance our online presence,鈥� he said.

Rolling out this collection was a huge project for everyone involved, spanning two years. Vanko-Tomaszewski鈥檚 team was more heavily involved in the past year, working to redesign certain website pages, create new video and image assets for advertising, and prepare for a surge in site traffic.

麻豆影院 students have now placed in the money five times since the competition launched in 2017.

鈥淚 have always been interested in skin care and the business aspect of the skin care industry,鈥� said Grant, who has been making her own DIY products since she was 12 years old and is now looking to launch it as a business. 鈥淛ust the opportunity to be able to start this business is great. It鈥檚 always been on par with my goals for myself.鈥�

The Pitch, held April 24 in The Fox Club at Fox Cities Stadium, is organized by Fox Connection, a collaboration of colleges and universities in the region that works to enhance entrepreneurial education and opportunity. This year鈥檚 competition featured students from聽麻豆影院,聽St. Norbert College, UW-Green Bay, UW-Oshkosh, and UW-Stevens Point.

The 10 students competing were finalists from earlier competitions held at each school. They pitched their business startup ideas to a panel of judges and an audience of students, community members, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors.聽Each pitch had a four-minute time limit, with follow-up questions from the judges.

鈥淚鈥檓 going to try starting a business, keep on the same track,鈥� Grant said.

Grant has been taking classes within 麻豆影院鈥檚 interdisciplinary聽Innovation & Entrepreneurship (I&E) program in preparation for launching Muse. She studied with Claudena Skran, the Edwin & Ruth West Professor of Economics and Social Science, professor of government, and chair of I&E, and more recently was in class with Karen Bussone, professor of practice in entrepreneurship. Irene Strohbeen 鈥�78, entrepreneur-in-residence at 麻豆影院, and Isabella Sgriccia 鈥�22 joined Bussone in mentoring Grant and Smith in the lead-up to The Pitch.

鈥淭hey were so great and so helpful and necessary in the process of preparing me for this pitch,鈥� Grant said. 鈥淭hey always had great insights. Taking classes in I&E really prepared me. My class with Professor Bussone last term helped me figure out what I need to have in a pitch, in a business plan. I don鈥檛 think I鈥檇 be here without the I&E program at 麻豆影院 because they鈥檝e been so helpful every step of the way.鈥�

Bussone called Launch LU and The Pitch contests 鈥渧aluable experiences鈥� for students who aspire to start a business.

In addition to Grant, 麻豆影院 was represented by junior Nathaniel Smith, a business & entrepreneurship and film studies double major. He pitched the startup Thrive in Humility, a聽Christian apparel brand that sells high-end clothing with built-in technology such as QR codes that take you to a website with information on featured events. Grant placed first and Smith second in 麻豆影院’s LU Launch competition, held earlier in Spring Term.

鈥淥ur Innovation & Entrepreneurship curriculum provides the foundation students need to explore their passions,鈥� Bussone said. 鈥淚鈥檓 incredibly humbled to have the opportunity to teach and coach students here at 麻豆影院 University. Safiya and Nate worked very hard to unleash their innovative passions during the competitions. It has been an honor and privilege to work with them.鈥�

Grant said she was 12 years old when she started researching skin care options鈥攂ody wash, lotions, oils.

鈥淚 started watching DIY videos and thought, this is so fun,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y skin was always really sensitive. So, when I鈥檇 use products, the popular brands at that time, it would irritate my skin, cause redness. I started making my own skin care products with natural ingredients like cocoa butter; it kind of just grew into something more.鈥�

Those pursuits sparked her interest in biology. She came to 麻豆影院 to major in biology with thoughts of studying dermatology in medical school. She has now shifted her focus to aesthetic nursing.

The Muse skin-care line will pair with that nicely, she said.

Scott Corry, the Patricia Hamar Boldt Professor of Liberal Studies and professor of mathematics, is at the table for planning spaces in the 315 building for the growing Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science Department; Beth De Stasio, the Raymond H. Herzog Professor of Science and professor of biology, is working to develop collaborative spaces for pre-health students on the third floor of Fox Commons; and Adam Galambos, the Dwight and Marjorie Peterson Professor of Innovation and associate professor of economics, is leading a group of faculty members who are helping to design a Business and Entrepreneurship Center and Finance Lab on the second floor of Fox Commons to foster student-community collaborations. Brian Pertl, dean of the Conservatory, is leading design plans in the 315 building to enhance Conservatory offerings.

鈥淲e can design the classrooms to foster active learning and create the type of rich learning environments that we want on campus,鈥� said Corry, whose department of 10 faculty members will be moving their offices and classrooms onto the second floor of the 315 building. 鈥淎nother exciting thing is creating the common space to build community among math-stats-computer science students, and really all the students who take those classes. I鈥檓 excited that we鈥檙e building that in at the outset as part of the design.鈥�

Two major developments build momentum

Fox Commons and the 315 building, both announced in summer 2023, will strengthen academic programs while enhancing career discernment for students across campus. In addition, they provide avenues for 麻豆影院 to grow its enrollment in coming years, a key piece of the college鈥檚 strategic planning.

The Fox Commons development, to house nearly 180 麻豆影院 students in modern living-learning communities in the heart of downtown Appleton, is expected to open in two phases鈥攖he second floor by fall of 2024 and the third floor a year later. And the new four-story mixed-use building at 315 E. College Avenue, in partnership with Trout Museum of Art, is expected to open in fall of 2025, transforming the west edge of campus. Both capital projects will bring career-focused collaborations woven through multiple disciplines.

“These projects speak to the future.”
– President Laurie A. Carter

Excitement for what this will bring to 麻豆影院 students鈥攊n conjunction with other strategic investments鈥攊s building on and off campus.

鈥淭he student experience includes what happens inside the classroom as well as outside the classroom,鈥� President Laurie A. Carter said. 鈥淭hese projects speak to the future. Our faculty and students will have state-of-the-art teaching and learning spaces, our students will have modern living environments, they鈥檒l have partners who can connect them with careers. And all of this will be done within the context of a deepening relationship with the community.鈥�

The mix of built-in learning, collaborating, and mentoring spaces and new housing options is a powerful combination that adds important layers to the student experience as 麻豆影院 strengthens its draw in an increasingly competitive higher education environment. As the enrollment cliff arrives鈥攁 reference to the dramatic drop in the number of high school graduates nationwide set to peak between 2025 and 2029鈥攊t is paramount that 麻豆影院 positions itself to attract the best and brightest students while continuing to lean into the lifelong benefits of a liberal arts education, Carter said. That means embracing the university鈥檚 177-year history and its commitment to the liberal arts while evolving the student experience to meet the needs of today鈥檚 students鈥攏eeds that are different than those of past generations.

The draw of these projects comes not in the buildings themselves but in what those new spaces bring to 麻豆影院鈥檚 students and faculty鈥攕tronger academic programming in areas ranging from the arts and humanities to pre-health and business and entrepreneurship, modern teaching tools, and built-in mentorship opportunities aimed at building life-after-麻豆影院 career paths.

The 315 partnership

The new building at 315 E. College Ave., at the southwest corner of College Avenue and Drew Street (adjacent to Brokaw Hall), will be 麻豆影院鈥檚 first new major building project since construction of Warch Campus Center in 2009. It will feature more than 100,000 square feet across four floors.

The nonprofit art museum will be on the first floor, with state-of-the-art academic spaces for 麻豆影院 on the second floor. The upper floors will feature market-rate apartments, space that could one day be converted to student housing to meet future needs. It will be built by Boldt and jointly owned by 麻豆影院 and the Trout Museum of Art, with 麻豆影院 controlling the upper three floors and the art museum the ground floor.

A recently announced $10 million gift from an alum and spouse is a huge initial step.

麻豆影院鈥檚 academic space on the second floor will include soundproof offices for Conservatory faculty and offices for the Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science Department. It will include an innovative teaching and co-curricular commons, where students will engage in both formal and experiential learning in varying disciplines. And it will be home to the Humanities Center, an intellectual collaborative for faculty, students, and scholars-in-residence.聽

The mathematics, statistics, and computer science faculty have outgrown their space in Briggs Hall as the department has expanded to accommodate growing student interest, including in the statistics and data science minor that was introduced in 2020. The opportunity for the department鈥檚 faculty to have offices together and share innovative teaching spaces is a game-changer, Corry said. A bonus is the alignment with the Conservatory.

鈥淭here has always been a lot of overlap between mathematics and computer science students and students interested in music,鈥� Corry said. 鈥淭hat happens here in general at 麻豆影院, but in this case it鈥檚 a really good kind of synergy for us.鈥�

“This is where we鈥檙e going to lean into creating internship opportunities and set up community partnerships.鈥�
– Constance Kassor

Kassor, meanwhile, said humanities faculty will have new opportunities to innovate. Humanities faculty have outgrown Main Hall, many with offices located in other buildings across campus.

While the humanities faculty offices will remain where they are鈥攊ncluding in Main Hall鈥攖he new space in the 315 building will allow faculty to work more in unison. That will include digital projects鈥攑odcasting, video editing, virtual reality, and more鈥攁nd collaborations across disciplines in deeper ways than is now available.

鈥淭he idea is it will allow for more interdisciplinary work between faculty, between departments, and between faculty and students,鈥� Kassor said.

There also will be several designated offices for visiting scholars, providing new opportunities to bring scholars-in-residence into the curriculum, add new punch to traditional programs such as the Main Hall Forum, and facilitate connections to the community so humanities faculty and students can spotlight the work they鈥檙e doing.

鈥淏ecause this space on the corner of College and Drew is going to be so accessible and right there downtown, it will be a place we can invite community members to,鈥� Kassor said. 鈥淲e can really work to highlight the real-world skills our students gain in humanities classes. And this is where we鈥檙e going to lean into creating internship opportunities and set up community partnerships.鈥�

Meanwhile, in the halls of the Conservatory, there is growing excitement over the possibilities that will come with the new space鈥攁 huge upgrade from office and studio space formerly housed in the Con West building.

鈥淭his will be an enormous addition to our commitment to giving our students the tools they need for a successful musical life in the rapidly changing world of today, tomorrow, and far into the future,鈥� Pertl said. 聽

Expanding campus with Fox Commons

Fox Commons, located three blocks to the west, will give 麻豆影院 new academic and student life avenues as a living-learning community that blends apartment-style student housing with built-in mentoring partnerships.

The renovation of City Center Plaza into Fox Commons began in the summer of 2023. Located at 10 E. College Avenue, Fox Commons will be a 180,000-square-foot health care, housing, retail, and mixed-use community hub. It鈥檚 a project of Dark Horse Development and Boldt. Besides 麻豆影院, other prominent tenants include Mosaic Family Health, Prevea Health, and gener8tor, a business incubator focused on sustainability.

Built-in academic and collaboration spaces include a Business and Entrepreneurship Center, a Finance Lab equipped with specialized financial industry software, a pre-health commons, a community kitchen, and lecture and meeting rooms. The living-learning spaces will allow for 麻豆影院 students interested in business and entrepreneurship and pre-health careers to collaborate regularly with professionals from Mosaic, Prevea, gener8tor, and other nearby finance and business entities.

The business and entrepreneurship piece will come first, with those spaces and the second-floor apartments opening in time for the start of the 2024-25 academic year. The pre-health spaces and third-floor apartments will open the following year.

De Stasio has been working with designers to incorporate collaborative spaces into the third floor that will facilitate partnerships with the health-focused tenants. She envisions at least two speaker series tied to 鈥淭he Future of Medicine鈥� and to career pathways within the broader field of health care as well as more casual mingling of students and health care professionals. There will be a lending library for health-related materials, and there will be robust mentorship activities ranging from internships and shadowing experiences to mock interviews.

鈥淚n addition, the inclusion of a demonstration kitchen will allow us to provide chef-led demonstrations of healthy cooking for these students living with full kitchens in their apartments for the first time, as well as for other students on campus,鈥� De Stasio said.

There also will be room to invite alumni who are Fox Valley-based health care practitioners to come in for catered meals with 麻豆影院 students.

鈥淲e want to provide space for those interactions with health professionals,鈥� De Stasio said.

On the floor below will be spaces catering to business and entrepreneurship; spaces that Galambos sees as a momentum-builder following this year鈥檚 launch of the business and entrepreneurship major and the recent growth of the innovation and entrepreneurship program.

鈥淲e will work together with gener8tor, another key tenant in the Fox Commons development, to cultivate and enhance the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Fox Cities,鈥� Galambos said. 鈥溌槎褂霸衡�檚 innovation and entrepreneurship program has engaged with the business and entrepreneurship community for a number of years, but our new business and entrepreneurship major and the new center in Fox Commons will open the door to a lot more opportunities, and we are excited to build those new collaborations.鈥�

The Business and Entrepreneurship Center will become a hub for everything from workshops and guest speakers to community events and pitch contests. And the Finance Lab will bring experiential learning opportunities for students interested in business.

鈥淎ll students will have access to the programming,鈥� Galambos said, 鈥渂ut those who will live at Fox Commons will benefit from being part of a residential community organized around their academic and career interests.鈥�

New housing options

While the focus in the Fox Commons development has been mostly on business and entrepreneurship, pre-health, and related disciplines, the apartments will also be a draw for a wide range of upper-year students. 麻豆影院 juniors and seniors will have the opportunity to live in two-, three-, and four-bedroom apartments on the second and third floors.聽A lottery system is being developed for students wanting to live in Fox Commons.

麻豆影院 senior Anders Hanhan, an environmental studies and government double major from St. Paul, Minnesota, who serves as president of the 麻豆影院 University Community Council (LUCC), said the apartment-style living option is something students have been asking for.

鈥淥ne thousand percent,鈥� he said of students wanting that option in their junior and senior years. 鈥淭here are a lot of students who are seeking more independence, and this absolutely does that in a way that 麻豆影院 hasn鈥檛 done before.鈥�

Addison Littlefield, a senior from Sidney, Maine, called the Fox Commons option a huge win because it gives upper-year students who want to explore life outside of residence halls an opportunity to do so while remaining closely connected with campus.

鈥淲e always hear about the 麻豆影院 bubble,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his is not exactly popping the bubble but rather expanding it.鈥�

The design of Fox Commons is intentional in that students will still be part of the campus environment while also having the opportunity to explore what life after 麻豆影院 might look like鈥攑ersonally and professionally.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not really viewing this as off-campus housing but rather an extension of our campus in a way that allows students to develop those transitional skills while still being very connected to the campus community,鈥� Carter said.

Bolstering the student experience

麻豆影院 leadership has been actively building on the student experience. That includes new and enhanced academic programs, a stronger and more engaged Career Center, additional support staff in Student Life, new investments in athletics鈥攏early a quarter of 麻豆影院鈥檚 students are student-athletes鈥攁nd now new opportunities in academics, residential life, and community partnerships.

In addition to the partnerships with Trout Museum of Art and Fox Commons, the university has in the past year:

• Strengthened the first-year experience, beginning with a reimagined Welcome Week and the hiring of a first-year dean.
• Introduced a new business and entrepreneurship major, built through the lens of the liberal arts.
• Introduced the 麻豆影院 Advantage to improve accessibility to a 麻豆影院 education for all academically qualified students from Wisconsin and Illinois.
• Introduced a new dance minor.
• Upgraded facilities with more than 50 separate projects, many focused on residence halls.
• Began a new facilities master planning process to assess facilities across campus.
• Built a new outdoor track and field complex at Whiting Field and a new locker room facility at Banta Bowl.
• Announced plans to fund-raise for the building of a new recreation center. The recreation center, open to all students, would include fitness spaces and indoor competition and/or training facilities for track, baseball, softball, tennis, and more. More details are expected to be released soon.

The strategic initiatives, supported by the Board of Trustees, puts a focus on enhancing the student experience in academics, student life, and career exploration. And they position 麻豆影院 to be able to transition, when the time is right, from an enrollment of about 1,500 to something closer to 1,900 while remaining a residential liberal arts campus.

Growing a stronger community

The enthusiasm surrounding these investments is palpable, in part because of the prospect of building a tighter, more connected community in downtown Appleton. That鈥檚 not lost on students.

鈥淚t helps open up 麻豆影院 to the Appleton community,鈥� Littlefield, a music performance major, said of both the Fox Commons and 315 E. College developments. 鈥淚 think the living-learning communities provide a great chance for students to interact with businesses downtown, kind of further fostering the 麻豆影院 connections to Appleton.鈥�

Those growing interactions speak to what Appleton has to offer in terms of culture, education, and career opportunities.

鈥淔or our students, it鈥檚 additional chances to get involved, to find their passion, find opportunities, get ready for life after 麻豆影院,鈥� said Chris Clarke, vice president for Student Life. 鈥淚 think Appleton will benefit from us being more in the community, and I think our students will benefit from these opportunities with our partners.鈥�

Carter calls it an important next step in the campus-community relationship, one that dates to the founding of 麻豆影院 in 1847 and the development of Appleton as a municipality in the years to follow.

鈥淭his is an opportunity to deepen that relationship in a very meaningful way,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about having our students be part of the community in a way that allows them to understand what it means to be good neighbors, to really interact with the College Avenue population a little more deeply, particularly as the downtown becomes more residential. We鈥檙e preparing them for life after 麻豆影院 while still providing them with that piece of the 麻豆影院 bubble they鈥檙e looking for.”

The leadership Galambos has provided with the new major and Fox Commons builds on work he has been doing since arriving at 麻豆影院 in 2006. Much of his research has been in microeconomic theory and game theory.聽

Galambos holds a Ph.D. in economics and a Master鈥檚 in mathematics from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in economics and German language from the University of Northern Iowa.

We caught up with him to talk about his interests in and out of the classroom.

In the classroom

Inside info:聽What鈥檚 one thing you want every student coming into your classes to know about you?

I made a deliberate choice to come to teach at a liberal arts college because I believe in the philosophy of education that we embrace here. Learning at a liberal arts college is a community experience that happens through engaging with each other鈥檚 ideas, perspectives, and opinions. So, first and foremost, I am looking for intellectual engagement, thinking, questioning, and dialogue in my classes.

Getting energized:聽What work have you done or will you be doing at 麻豆影院 that gets you the most excited?

I really enjoy teaching my courses, and I feel privileged to be able to do this work. For the past year, I have also been serving in a different role as special assistant to President Laurie Carter, and I have really enjoyed working with colleagues in the Administration and being able to contribute in a small way to the hard work that happens in the background to make it possible for the university to continue to thrive and to serve its mission for many generations of Lawrentians to come. Many of us on the faculty and staff are involved in ambitious projects to take 麻豆影院 to the next level, and I think we are at an exciting and hopeful juncture.

Going places:聽Is there an example of somewhere your career has taken you (either a physical space or something more intellectual, emotional, or spiritual) that took you by surprise?

The first time I taught First-Year Studies, Chuang Tzu (Zhuangzi) was on the reading list. Reading that and discussing it in class was a revelation, and I revisited it regularly later as well. As for physical spaces, two stand out. Seven years ago, I co-led (with Martyn Smith in religious studies and our then-colleague Dave Hall in chemistry) a group of faculty from liberal arts colleges on a 10-day trip to Silicon Valley. We discovered a lot about innovation, entrepreneurship, spaces, and culture there. Also, teaching at London Centre last year was truly a highlight of my career; I have very fond memories of exploring many fascinating places and spaces there with the wonderful group of students in my courses on markets and on socialism.

Out of the classroom

This or that:聽If you weren鈥檛 teaching for a living, what would you be doing?聽聽

I鈥檝e always been on the more, shall we say, contemplative side, and I鈥檝e always loved to learn, so an academic career was probably always in the cards. I do love baking bread, as well as cooking, and eating, of course鈥� so, who knows, maybe that鈥檚 where I would be.聽

Right at home:聽Whether for work, relaxation or reflection, what鈥檚 your favorite spot on campus?

The swimming pool is a strong contender, for relaxation, reflection, and balance. But my favorite spot is probably an armchair overlooking the river in the Pusey room, especially when there is an eagle or pelican flying by.

One book, one recording, one film:聽Name one of each that speaks to your soul? Or you would recommend to a friend? Or both?

Tom Stoppard鈥檚 play, Arcadia, is definitely one I feel close to and would recommend. I love how it plays with language and ideas. Spotify says that my top tracks recently are from a 2002 recording of Vivaldi鈥檚 Gloria, and Dixit Dominus by the Choir of King鈥檚 College Cambridge, and also from Bach鈥檚 The Well-Tempered Clavier recorded in 2012 by Andr谩s Schiff. I have listened to Sviatoslav Richter鈥檚 version a lot in the past (and I sympathize with Richter鈥檚 notion that one ought to listen to Bach from time to time, if only for 鈥渉ygienic reasons鈥�). I have always enjoyed listening to Hungarian Klezmer music, as well as Hungarian Gypsy songs, so here are two recommendations that most people at 麻豆影院 haven鈥檛 heard: the album Hit the Piano by the group Parno Graszt (White Horse), and Budapest Klezmer Band鈥檚 Gyere t谩ncolj velem (Come dance with me).

As to films, I do like some Ingmar Bergman films a lot, but recognize that they are an acquired taste. On the somewhat lighter side, I enjoy crime dramas, including British classics like Inspector Morse or the Poirot series with David Suchet, and more recent series like Only Murders in the Building.

The Yoki and SchoolFinder teams are being mentored by 麻豆影院 alumni. Irene Strohbeen 鈥�78, owner and operator of Irene Strohbeen and Associates, is coaching Nguyen and Zhang in advance of The Pitch, and Greg Linnemanstons 鈥�80, president of Weidert Group, is coaching Sipchen.

Yoki is an idea for a sustainable food container for campus living, reimagined from the current clamshell-style container used by Bon Appetit. A prototype has been developed.

鈥�Throughout my years at 麻豆影院, I have used the clamshell many times and I noticed that there are points for improvements such as the leakiness of the clamshell, along with shallow dividers that cause my food to mix up together,鈥� Nguyen said. 鈥淎s an Innovation and Entrepreneurship student, I decided to take it upon myself to redesign and improve the clamshell to provide myself and other students a better campus dining experience.鈥�

SchoolFinder is Sipchen鈥檚 vision for an app designed to match high school students with colleges more effectively by using an algorithm.

鈥淭he main reason I鈥檓 interested in SchoolFinder is due to the challenges my siblings have faced entering their college search processes,鈥� Sipchen said. 鈥淚 wanted to create a tool for them that was both easy to use and would allow them to be proactive in their college search.鈥�

麻豆影院 students have finished in the money four times since The Pitch first launched in 2017. For more information on The Pitch, visit the Fox Connection site .