A letter from Dr. Joshua Kutney, Vice President for Academic Affairs
Dear Families:
Greetings from the classrooms of Lakeland University!
We are eager to welcome new and returning students to our community. I write to share a few updates about what students can expect as they participate in our learning environment.
Due to the sound safety measures that Lakeland has put in place, we will be able to return to face-to-face classes this Fall. As in previous semesters, we will provide temporary online instruction to any student who is required by the University to self-isolate or quarantine.
At the same time, our classrooms remain spaces where students can take intellectual risks – investigating existing ideas, trying out new ones, and pursuing questions that bring them to a deeper understanding of themselves, their programs of study, and the people and communities around them. Our experiential learning curriculum provides students with real-world opportunities to test and refine their thinking, in addition to building a resume and earning money for their education.
I am fond of saying that it is difficult for students to get lost at Lakeland…because I know it is true. We remain committed to small class sizes with an average student-to-teacher ratio of 15-1. Teachers will know their students by name and will notice when they succeed and when they need assistance. We have a range of academic resources and other support available to students, including tutoring, study tables, skills workshops, and counseling and health services. Additionally, the instructor of your student’s first-year seminar also serves as her or his academic advisor for at least the first semester. As a result, students can connect regularly with their advisors about the college transition.
Nearly twenty-five years ago, my parents dropped me off at a small residential college campus in Gorham, Maine. I was a first-generation college student who had no real context for the journey I was undertaking. I called home almost daily until my parents wisely suggested I might build some confidence by limiting the calls to weekly check-ins. I made friends, mistakes, and changed my major a few times. I also found inspiration, mentorship, and success – all of which came to me over time, just as they will to your students.
Thank you for entrusting your students and their education to us.
Sincerely,
Joshua P. Kutney, Ph.D.
Vice President for Academic Affairs
Fall Semester Brings Many Events for Students!
Lakeland has planned for Fall 2021 to be full of great events for students to get involved and enjoy! The Student Life team has several events on the calendar, big and small, to welcome students back to campus over the first few weeks of the semester. September 2 will be a big day as the Opening Convocation and Involvement Fair will be taking place. Below is a list of other events to make note of.
- Aug. 29- Back to School Bash- A welcome back to school extravaganza!
- Aug. 29 – Think Fast Trivia Game
- Aug. 30 – Shot of Reality
- Sept. 3 – Comedian/Magician Ben Sediman
- Week of September 13 – Homecoming!
- Sept. 16 – Karaoke
- Sept. 18 – Glow Paint Party
- Oct. 23 - Fall Ball: A College Prom
Career Events Are Returning to Campus this Fall!
The Cooperative Education team is excited to host several career events this semester, including our Career Opportunities Fair, which will be held in-person! This fair will take place on October 21 from 12:15-2 p.m. and is open to all Lakeland students. A Career Exploration Event will be hosted the same day in the Younger Family Campus Center from 10-11:45 a.m. This event will give students the opportunity to meet with faculty members and other students to learn about degree programs and the career paths they can offer. We look forward to seeing our students in-person. Registration for students is open now on Handshake, so encourage your student to sign up!
Homecoming Registration is Live!
We can’t WAIT to bring our alumni and friends back to campus for this year’s Homecoming on September 18! We have missed you all. There is a lot to celebrate, so mark your calendars and register now at lakeland.edu/homecoming
New LU Wireless Networks Addresses User Concerns
Based on feedback from students and employees, Lakeland has created a new self-service wireless access network for your personal device.
This new wireless connection is for anyone in the Lakeland community with a valid Lakeland account. Once your personal wireless device is registered, it will have access throughout your time with Lakeland (as long as it is seen on the network once a year). No more wireless password changes! This will also lead to quicker resolution when issues arise.
Students and employees can access it now by connecting to the LakelandOpen wireless network. Open a browser, sign in with your LU account and your device will be registered. For Lakeland guest access, simply fill in the form and your device will be registered. You will receive an email with your logon information that can be used for other devices.
This new wireless access is a response to surveys that showed frustration with having to reconfigure wireless devices each time the password was changed. It will help ensure network resources are reserved for the Lakeland community and guests and help serve users better if issues arise.
If you have questions or need some help, contact Lakeland’s IT Help desk at 920-565-1143 or HelpDesk@lakeland.edu.
Get to Work for Free!
The Lakeland Shuttle can get our students to and from work, anywhere in Sheboygan, for free! Students should see the transportation desk in the Younger Family Campus Center for details.
Shop Online Now!
Launch is excited to announce Musko’s Campus Shop online store is now live! Last year, Launch was approached by the university to open a student-run campus shop and Launch is making that a reality.
The goal of the new campus shop is to provide the Lakeland community with quality, Lakeland University-branded merchandise at approachable prices building LU pride, university connection and Launch financial security. There is newly designed merchandise for every Muskie fan.
Make sure to watch out for the opening of the on-campus store closer to the start of classes. The store is a 1,000-square-foot shop located inside the Wehr Athletic Center main lobby featuring glass walls and mobile merchandise displays.
Follow the Shop’s Facebook and Instagram pages to get the latest updates!
Employer Spotlight
Pam Gamb- Human Resources Director at Advocate Aurora Healthcare
Tell me a little about yourself.
I’m the human resources director for the Advocate Aurora Sheboygan hospital and clinic sites. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Leadership and Organizational Development from Lakeland University. I live in Sheboygan with my husband and have two grown daughters.
What is Advocate Aurora Healthcare and what is your role in the local community?
Advocate Aurora Health is a not-for-profit health care system with dual headquarters located in Milwaukee, Wis., and Downers Grove, Ill. The system has 26 hospitals and more than 500 sites of care. Advocate Aurora Health has 75,000 employees and 10,000 employed physicians. I lead the strategic human resource efforts in the Sheboygan Area, specifically, team member and leadership development and team member engagement.
Tell me about your current partnerships with Lakeland University, what does it look like?
Currently, we are working to identify as many Co-Op positions as possible for Lakeland students. We have opportunities within patient access, food service and environmental services, to name a few. In the past, we have also hosted interns. Our chief nursing officer also currently sits on Lakeland’s board of trustees.
Tell me about your experiences with Lakeland University students.
I have found Lakeland University students to be very well-prepared for work in health care. They understand the dynamics of healthcare, being a service industry, and the flexibility required.
How has the partnership with Lakeland University benefited your organization?
With one of our senior leaders currently on the board, we have had an opportunity to help develop Lakeland’s new nursing program which will benefit all healthcare organizations within Lakeland’s footprint. Knowing that there are Lakeland students looking for employment while in school gives us another pipeline of talent to pull from for open positions.
Professor Spotlight
Cynthia Lindstrom - Professor of Computer Science
Please introduce yourself and your area of expertise.
My name is Cynthia “Cindy” Lindstrom, and I am an associate professor of computer science. Before coming to Lakeland, I worked in the computer science industry for 20 years. I have experience as a project analyst, systems analyst, programmer analyst and computer engineer.
Tell me about Lakeland’s Computer Science program What makes us unique from other schools?
Lakeland’s Computer Science program allows our students to take courses across a wide spectrum. They are able to have experience in at least 10 programming languages, data analytics, cybersecurity, game and application develop and more. Our students are very well rounded and are ready to start work when they graduate.
How has Co-Op impacted your program?
Experience is often one of the best teachers. When my students can couple their classroom work with the tasks they are assigned on a Co-Op experience, they understand how the knowledge cycle works. Putting classroom experience to work with an employer is valuable. These experiences have given my students an edge in the job market.
If you could reach out to parents about the Computer Science program, what would you say to them?
I would stress that our computer science program is constantly changing. New courses are added every year, and older courses are continually updated to reflect the current industry. Another great opportunity my students have is the ability to work in the Computer Science Lab. This lab allows the student to develop and design using five 3D printers. They can develop virtual reality programs using our VR systems or just have fun playing with them.
Many of my students have been in the news lately because of their work with five humanoid robots. These students have started ground-breaking research, including how the robots can help young adults on the autism spectrum. Previous students have also implemented machine learning on the robots with some very successful results.
Upcoming Events
The safety of our students, faculty and staff is always our top priority. Your cooperation and collaboration will help to ensure an appropriate response across our institution to this rapidly changing matter.
Aug. 28-31
Student Move-In Weekend
Aug. 29
Back to School Bash
Aug. 29
Think Fast Trivia Game
Sept. 1
First Day of Classes
Sept. 2
Opening Convocation and Involvement Fair
Sept. 3
Comedian/Magician Ben Sendiman
Sept. 8
Last Day to Add/Drop Classes
Sept. 8
Win-It Wednesday with Career Services
Younger Family Campus Center
Sept. 13-18
Homecoming Week Activities
Sept. 18
Homecoming
Oct. 12 | 1 p.m.
Lakeshore Community Job Fair
Blue Harbor Resort & Conference Center
Oct. 21 | 12:30-2 p.m.
Career Opportunities Fair
On Campus
Oct. 23
Fall Ball: A College Prom