100 reasons to celebrate: Week 16

Story by Kelsey O'Connor, Staff Writer
February 14, 2017

Each week The Spectator will showcase organizations, departments, majors or other aspects of UW-Eau Claire as a part of the centennial celebrations event known as “100 Reasons to Celebrate.”

All photos courtesy of Special Collections and Archives, W.D. McIntyre Library, UW-Eau Claire.

#57 – History

Students looking to major in history have two different options – a liberal arts history degree or public history. Along each of these routes, students have the opportunity to complete research projects, study abroad and participate in internships. According to the Eau Claire webpage, 98% of students research with department historians and 100% of public history majors complete a capstone.

Paths that history students may take include graduate school, law school, teaching, working at a museum, archives and historic sites. Some of the organizations that Eau Claire Alumni work for today are 3M, IBM, The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, Microsoft and many more.

Students who are interested in history can also get involved in Phi Alpha Theta-Lambda Omicron, History Graduate Student Association and History Enthusiasts of UW-Eau Claire. National Student Exchange and study abroad are additional options for history students to further develop their education and world views.

Pictured above is Dr. Edward Blackorby from the history department, John Jenswold, the co-author of the book “The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire a history, 1916-1976” and Chancellor Leonard Haas. This was the 1976 opening of Cornerstone in Schofield Hall.
“Liberty and Justice For All” was a historical pageant that was performed on February 11, 1918 at the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire. These pageants were intended to increase patriotism during World War I.

#58 – Institute for Health Sciences

The Institute for Health Sciences was founded through a real estate gift from James and Anne Ramsey in memory of James Ramsey’s brother, U.S. Navy Lt. Oliver Marion Ramsey who was a 1933 Eau Claire graduate according to Eau Claire’s website.

Any student looking for a career in the health sciences can participate in one of the 23 academic programs the Institute of Health Sciences has to offer. They collaborate with many other campus departments such as kinesiology, biology, nursing, social work among others.

Dr. Mel Kantor, Oliver M. Ramsey Endowed Chair of the Institute of Health Sciences has a quote on the institute’s webpage.

“My goal as chair is to promote multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary collaborations in the areas of curriculum, research, scholarship and service, as well as develop and strengthen linkages with regional health care providers,” Kantor said.

The Health Careers Center is a resource available to all students pursuing a health profession. The center offers advising, mock interviews and much more. They also keep students informed on upcoming opportunities for additional study or skill development.

This 1975 photo shows a student participating in the Medical Technology Program.
The student above is a nursing student checking an IV in 1970, 5 years after Eau Claire’s baccalaureate Degree Nursing Program was established.

#59 – Kinesiology

Students interested in the way the human body operates have five different Kinesiology options. They can major in athletic training, human performance, movement studies, physical education teaching and sports pedagogy.

On their webpage, the Kinesiology department’s mission states, “The mission of the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire is to foster purposeful learning in the science, application, and principles of kinesiology to understand the full nature of human movement across the lifespan. We live and promote this mission by developing and preparing transformative learners to lead others in the achievement of a healthy, physically active lifestyle, and an enhanced quality of life.”

Through the Kinesiology department, students can participate in different programs that concentrate on health and fitness for people of all ages and abilities. Some of these programs include: Cancer Support, Physical activity and Recreation for Individuals with Disabilities in the Eau Claire area (P.R.I.D.E) and Homeschool Physical Education.

After college, students can take enter into careers as chiropractors, athletic trainers, personal trainers, physical education teachers and among others.

Pictured is athletic trainer, Barb Jenneman taping a football player’s leg in 1979. Barb was trainer for the men’s football team, an example of a possible career for a Kinesiology student.