News

Falcon Futures: UW-River Falls biochemistry student gets an early start on career

When Annie Loss from Brainerd, Minn., began working on her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, she was expecting to have a bit of a wait to find work in her field. “I was well prepared for two to three years after graduation to not have a job in chemistry and still be supporting myself as a server,” Loss said. “The job market is so competitive.”  With one year to go before earning her degree, she learned that Crystal Finishing Systems (CFS) in River Falls was

Keeping an eye out for AI: UW-River Falls professor offers media literacy tips to spot fake news

What content are you scrolling through? Where is it leading you? Is any of what you see real? Those are some of the questions University of Wisconsin-River Falls Stage and Screen Arts Professor Erik Johnson would like people to think about. The idea of media literacy is not new, but fast-changing technology means we are now faced with a constant barrage of information. “I think it has only become more a part of our lives with smartphones and social media,” Johnson said.  In his media literacy classes

Falcon Futures: First-generation college student Stephanie Garcia Villagomez is making her mark at UW-River Falls, gaining experience through summer internship

Stephanie Garcia Villagomez of Rogers, Minn., a finance major at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, is not passing up any opportunity to prepare for a successful career in business. Having just completed her junior year, Garcia has already worked an on-campus job for three years, served as president of the UWRF Women in Business Club and is working this summer as a business technology intern with the Metropolitan Council, the planning organization covering Minnesota’s seven-county Twin Cities

Falcon Futures: UW-River Falls student puts finance, economics and math skills to work for internship at Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis

Mason Steele of Hudson, a triple major in finance, economics and mathematics at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, had a goal in his junior year: to land a competitive summer internship at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.  “This was something I was working toward for a while,” Steele said. “I applied last year also, but I wasn’t successful that time.”  As one of more than 5,000 students applying for around 45 positions, Steele was not alone. Fewer than 1% of applicants are accepted. Steele

Traveling with a purpose: UW-River Falls and nonprofit team up to bring speech and hearing help to children in Jamaica

 When Sarah Smits and Tonja Lesmeister first became acquainted in River Falls as parents of kids around the same age, it may have been hard to imagine that their chats would lead to bringing much needed hearing and speech services to children in need thousands of miles away.  “It literally started over a cup of coffee,” said Smits, who is director of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls Speech-Language and Hearing Clinics, graduate program director and co-chair of the Communication Sciences and

UW-River Falls staff recognized with Chancellor’s Employee Excellence Awards

Seven University of Wisconsin-River Falls staff members have been honored with the Chancellor’s Employee Excellence Awards for outstanding service to the university. The awards recognize employees who go above and beyond expectations, actively contribute outside their primary duties and demonstrate helpfulness, teamwork, customer service, a positive attitude and strong work ethic in supporting the fulfillment of the UWRF mission.   Recipients of the UWRF Chancellor’s Employee Excellence Awards

Scholarship supports internship opportunities for UW-River Falls political science and international studies students

In 2023, University of Wisconsin-River Falls Political Science Professors Moira Lynch and Davida Alperin (now retired), recognized a need.  “Political science and international studies majors recognize the important value of completing an internship while earning their degree at UWRF,” Lynch said. “Internship opportunities bridge the gap between the educational and professional work worlds, but for students in these majors, internship opportunities are often out of reach due to financial

Rockets’ red glare: UW-River Falls Falcon Rocketeers win NASA WSGC Collegiate Rocket Launch Competition

Desktop doodles chronicle 40-year history of study abroad program in Scotland

“Your life will change here if you let it” is carved into a battered, stained, antique wooden desktop. The message is one of many left by college students studying abroad in Dalkeith, Scotland over the last 40 years. Many of those former students will have a chance to reconnect this year as the Experience Scotland program, originally titled Wisconsin in Scotland, celebrates its 40th anniversary.  Launched in 1986 by a consortium including the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, UW-Eau Claire, UW-La

Chamber Insights: Support Your Team With Confidence in Today’s Workplace

At the risk of starting the year off with doom and gloom, this is a topic that’s becoming increasingly important. Whether it’s personal uncertainties leaking into the workplace or your employees have concerns about the business or their place in it, many of them are feeling like they’re operating on unstable ground. This topic, while uncomfortable, is not something to be ignored or swept under the business welcome mat.Yet for business owners, this can feel like one more thing on an exhaustive to-do list.

Chamber Insights: How to Stop Being the Best-Kept Secret in Town

If you ask a small business owner where most of their opportunities come from, you’ll usually hear some version of the same answer: referrals, word of mouth, “someone who knew someone.”Behind nearly every thriving local business is an invisible network of relationships quietly moving opportunities from one person to another. No big announcements. No flashy campaigns. Just a steady flow of trust being passed along behind the scenes.This is how local economies work.Not just through marketing. Not just through

Chamber Insights: The Best Creativity Tool for Your Small Business

The Best Creativity Tool for Your Small BusinessA beginner-friendly guide to thinking bigger without working longer    If you’ve ever stared at a blank screen trying to write a social post…Or struggled to come up with a new promotion that doesn’t feel recycled…Or wished you had a brainstorming partner who didn’t need coffee breaks…Your life is about to get easier.You probably already know the capabilities of AI as a writing tool, but it’s also a creative accelerator. And for small business owners who do

Chamber Insights: For Business Owners - A Smart QR Code Playbook

    QR codes have faded in and out of popularity over the past decade, but they’ve finally surpassed trend status and they’re here to stay. They are convenient ways to drive traffic to desired information or action platforms. When used with intention, QR codes quietly remove friction and move customers exactly where you want them to go. QR codes are great for information that could change such as daily specials. QR code stickers can also update old info on printed materials (perfect for the extremely

Chamber Insights: Is Your Business Owner-Dependent?

It’s a simple question. Slightly uncomfortable. Surprisingly revealing.If you stepped away from your business for two weeks starting tomorrow, no email, no Slack, no “just checking in,” what would fall apart?Most business owners don’t love this thought experiment. Not because they’re doing anything wrong, but because many small businesses are built on proximity. You are the system. You are the memory. You are the fixer of last resort.That works. Until it doesn’t.We’re not suggesting this asking this

Chamber Insights:One Easy Revenue Stream Most Small Businesses Don’t Know About

    Unless you’ve been on the show Survivor’s island for the last six months, you probably have gotten wind of the notion that AI can help you save time, but did you know it can also help you make money? I’m not talking about becoming an AI expert and training the masses. That would take time you probably don’t have.   In this case, I’m referring to creating a digital product for your business that you can sell and make money even when your business isn’t open. And best of all you can likely create it