Dear Warhawks,

I am glad to welcome you to the spring semester at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater! The change to a new year is a time of discovery, inspiration, and fresh starts. It’s a time to reflect, reconstruct, and remember our dreams. And it’s a time to recognize poor habits that should only live in the past and to start new ones more aligned with our long-term goals. 

For our students, the long-term goal is graduation. And in my experience, long-term goals are only achieved by first completing realistic short-term goals. Here are some short-term goals I suggest for this week. Attend all of your classes on time. Read all of your syllabi word-for-word. Take time to give yourself encouragement. Take time for self-care. Get to know at least one professor and one classmate. And then, set some achievable goals for your second week.

If this is your first semester at UW-Whitewater, welcome! We are so happy you are here and honored you chose this university to advance your education and to call home. You belong here. If you are a returning student, it is great to have you back and we wish you even more success in this new chapter. And for those of you starting your last semester, congratulations! Now is a perfect time to think about what’s next, whether it is grad school or job prep. Please know we are committed to supporting you however needed on your path to joining our alumni family.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater aims to support all students and champion prosperity for all. We value collaboration, integrity, diversity and opportunity, learning and academic excellence, service and social responsibility, and shared governance. We believe in the dignity of all individuals and we work hard to cultivate an accessible, inclusive, and equitable culture where everyone can pursue their passions and reach their potential in an intellectually stimulating and respectful environment. Let us all work together this spring to achieve those ideals.

Best wishes in the new year,

John Chenoweth

Interim Chancellor