Chippewa Valley Times

Representatives from 24 universities recently gathered at UW-Stout for the Phi Upsilon Omicron Conclave, organized by student members of the university's Tau Chapter. The conclave took place from October 3-5 and included presentations, workshops, a community service project, and an awards ceremony.

Lindsay Barnhart, the Program Director for early childhood education at UW-Stout, was honored with the Bachtel/Holbrook Collegiate Advisor Award during the event. Nominated by her students in the Tau Chapter, Barnhart expressed gratitude for the recognition. "Having my members nominate me was unexpected and an honor," she said. "It is a joy to be a part of this organization and lead these stellar students to do the work they do."

Abbi Williams, president of the Tau Chapter, praised Barnhart's support: “Lindsay is our biggest cheerleader when it comes to any service or planning we do. We wouldn't be able to do any of it without her support.”

The conclave also involved attendees in a community service project where they packed birthday bags for Stepping Stones of Dunn County and donated blankets and sheet sets to Sleep in Heavenly Peace. The Tau Chapter received the Region 1 National Service Project Award for their efforts within the community.

Williams highlighted the importance of teamwork in their projects: “It is a total team effort when it comes to these projects. We have 12 members in our chapter... But I think why we are so successful when it comes to service is that we all work together.”

During the conclave, eight UW-Stout students were awarded scholarships totaling over $26,000. Among them was Abbi Williams who received one of three Phyllis S. Howe Scholarships worth $6,050 each.

The conference featured workshops led by various educators including Associate Lecturer Ann Brand on mindfulness and Angela Axelrod on trauma-informed strategies. Emily Laird discussed generative AI’s role in education while Sue Halama conducted a session on Laughter Yoga.

UW-Stout’s School of Education offers numerous undergraduate and graduate programs along with certificates and certifications.