Students and staff from the University of Wisconsin-Superior, along with a group of alumni and Superior community leaders, recently testified before the Wisconsin Joint Committee on Finance (JCF) to advocate for funding to support the university and UW System.

The group spoke about how the university is the “Anchor of the North” and the importance of supporting tuition reciprocity, the UW System’s budget request, the Tuition Promise and capital planning investment for the campus.

UW-Superior students joined Chancellor Renée Wachter to educate the JFC on the important role of UW-Superior in meeting the educational, workforce, community and regional needs. Students shared personal accounts of how UW-Superior helped them find success, grow confidence and thrive as a student, preparing them for their future careers.

“Students at our university have the same potential as others but are often less represented due to our location” said Zoe Tietz, UW-Superior broad field social studies education student and TRIO McNair Scholar. “The close-knit environment of our campus allows us to form connections easily with our professors, who are always available as a support system. Funding for our university is important, and I appreciate the unique opportunities this university has given me. This reasoning led me to testify to the JCF.”

The students were joined by Nick Alexander, Chief of Police for the City of Superior; Taylor Pedersen, President and CEO of Douglas County Chamber of Commerce; Peter Nordgren, UWS alumnus and Professor Emeritus; and Paul Kienitz, UWS alumnus and engineer/entrepreneur.

Chief Alexander shared the following statement in his testimony to the JCF.

“The Superior Police department currently employs 26 UWS graduates and in the past eight years, 15 of the officers hired have been UWS alumni,” said Chief Alexander. “At a time when the national climate on law enforcement is tenuous, if not divisive, here in Superior we are winning over the hearts and minds of some of our most marginalized populations largely due to the help of UWS.”

Previously in April, another group of UW-Superior staff and community members also testified to the JFC in Eau Claire.