Following is a Q&A with one of the 1,379 students who received a diploma May 5 at UW-Stout.
Name: Haley Wentz
Hometown: Naperville, Ill.
Major: Hotel, restaurant and tourism management, minor in human resources management
Awards, honors: Samuel E. Wood Medallion, Scholar Athlete
Why did you choose UW-Stout? I chose UW-Stout because of its reputation for providing students with a hands-on educational experience. I wanted to be taught about my employment field, but I also wanted to be able to practice it first-hand. I knew that UW-Stout was the perfect place to do so.
What are the biggest obstacles you faced in earning your degree? They included the stress of balancing school, sports and extracurricular organizations while maintaining a social life. However, all of the hard work that I put into my college experience paid off, and I am so happy with everything that I was involved in throughout the years.
What stands out among your college experiences? They include the exhilarating soccer games that I played in, the amazing events that I helped to plan with my student organizations and the trips that I’ve been able to go on as a result of being involved in student organizations. For example, last year I was able to go to New York City with my student organization to attend the annual national chapter awards show.
What’s next? After graduation I will be moving to Nashville, Tenn., to work for White Lodging Services. I will be a market recruiting manager at one of their properties in the city. I am so excited for this opportunity to use the skills and abilities that UW-Stout helped me to develop.
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