Campus Connection

How small classes, dedicated faculty and opportunities have helped CBA students succeed

As a high school student, UWL freshman Alex Jantz wasn’t sure what college would be like. “On TV they give you the perception that it will be these big lecture halls, and you’re basically a nobody. But it’s not like that here,” he says. “You feel welcome — like a member of the class. It’s been great so far.” Jantz, who aims to pursue a business management major, was one of many UWL incoming freshmen learning more about programs in UWL’s College of Business Administration during an annual CBA Meet & Greet Tuesday, Oct. 4, in Cartwright Center. When Jantz toured UWL he liked that it was a medium-size campus where he could get a more personalized education. Those perceptions have matched his experience, he adds. His classes have been small and his professors have been genuinely interested in his success, he says. “When I talk to professors, I’m not just a number; I’m a student,” he says. CBA senior stresses the value of a well-rounded education [caption id="attachment_47074" align="aligncenter" width="685"] UWL Senior Marketing Major Greta Stawicki, center, says the CBA’s required courses have made her a more well-rounded student who feels ready for her future. She shares her experiences during the CBA Meet & Greet.[/caption] At the event, UWL Senior Marketing Major Greta Stawicki was sharing her experience in the CBA. She was a creative student who had dreams of going into marketing as early as her sophomore year of high school. But when she started in the CBA, she was not excited to learn that earning a marketing degree would require a wide variety of courses, including plenty of math. While she struggled in some of the market research and accounting classes, they’ve paid off in the long run, she says. During her time at UWL, she landed a marketing research specialist internship for a water filtration company in California, which she wouldn’t have qualified for without her strong market research background. Approaching graduation in December 2017, those required classes have helped her feel more prepared to enter a career in advertising. “Going into internships, I’ve either out-shined the employer’s expectations, or I’ve felt more prepared than other interns there,” she says. “A lot of that has to do with the faculty and the courses we are required to take at UWL.” Along the way, she’s loved learning about the creative side of marketing. She’s loved learning alongside professors who “go above and beyond.” “I have friends in Madison who have professors who never knew them by name,” she says. “In the CBA, all of the professors have known my name, which is really nice.” Stawicki says the CBA also provides opportunities to lead and volunteer. She is the director of fundraising for UWL’s chapter of the American Marketing Association. ‘You don’t find yourself searching for opportunities’ [caption id="attachment_47078" align="aligncenter" width="685"] UWL Junior and Accounting Major Jon Barnes talks with CBA Dean Laura Milner during the annual CBA Meet & Greet. Barnes says the CBA has given him many opportunities to lead, volunteer and be part of a team.[/caption] UWL Junior and Accounting Major Jon Barnes chose the CBA because of the diversity of subjects to explore within the business field. But the CBA has brought him much more than a broad education and career outlook. “When I initially declared a major, I thought I’d get in CBA, take classes and that would be it,” he says. “But the support that I have here from all of the professors is amazing. Everyone wants you to be successful in the business world. People give you so many different opportunities to lead, volunteer and be part of a team member working on projects.” Barnes has taken on the leadership role of fundraising coordinator in the Delta Sigma Phi, a campus professional business fraternity. He’s volunteered for food drives, highway cleanup, neighborhood lawn service, and many other community service projects. He’s learned teamwork through courses offered in partnership with community businesses, which require collaboration with clients to come up with solutions to business challenges. “No matter what, in the CBA, if you get involved, the opportunities will present themselves to you,” he says. “You don’t find yourself searching for opportunities. The opportunities come to you." Learn more about the CBA at https://www.uwlax.edu/cba/.