The Blugold Spirit Award is the university’s newest alumni award, established in 2018. The award recognizes a UW-Eau Claire alum who continues to support the university and shares their love for the campus after they graduated. This year the recipient of the Blugold Spirit Award is Eric Wan.

The UW-Eau Claire Alumni Association, which has served the university’s alumni, students, faculty and staff since 1921, selects the award’s recipient each year. The association said that “nominees must be alumni of the university, demonstrate a true pride for UW-Eau Claire and ‘bleed’ blue and gold.”

Kimera Way, the former president of the UW-Eau Claire Foundation, praised the award for its emphasis on celebrating alumni who love being Blugolds.

“It celebrates individuals who embody the Blugold spirit and who are the university’s most enthusiastic and dedicated alumni,” Way said. “While the Alumni Association recognizes alumni for their personal and professional accomplishments post-graduation, the Blugold Spirit Award honors enthusiastic and loyal alumni who simply love being Blugolds.” 

Wan graduated from UW-Eau Claire in 1996 with a degree in management information systems. Originally from Canada, Wan was drawn to attending the university because it gave him the opportunity to play hockey.

“I was a good student-athlete in Canada that wanted to play U.S. college hockey,”  Wan said. “When the opportunity became available to play hockey at a good academic institution, UW-Eau Claire, I jumped at the chance.”

Wan said that though he holds onto many fond memories from his four years at UW-Eau Claire, there are a few main ones that stand out.

“Meeting my roommates in Sutherland Hall, playing in my first hockey game and attending homecoming for the first time are some standouts,” Wan said. “For a kid from Toronto, it was such a different experience.”

After graduating, Wan stayed involved in the happenings of the university, holding positions of Alumni Association board member, College of Business advisory board member, UW-Eau Claire Foundation board member and of the UW-Eau Claire Foundation Board of Trustees vice chair and chair.

Among the reasons why he stayed involved with university, Wan said that it was a way for him to give back.

“It was my first opportunity to get directly involved and give back to UWEC,” Wan said. “When I moved from Dallas to Minneapolis, I was excited that I was a short one-and-a-half hour drive to UWEC. It was a great opportunity to reconnect with UWEC and get involved.”

Jane Larson, the Alumni Associations alumni relations officer, said the recipient of the Blugold Spirit Award has to meet specific qualifications for the association to see.

“The person that is nominated or self-nominating has to be an alum of UWEC,” Larson said. “They have to answer some specific questions and the alumni board makes the selection from the nominations.”

Larson shared that Wan and all past recipients of the award are representations of having Blugold pride.

“[Wan] has shown he has Blugold Spirit, shares and encourages others to show their Blugold spirit and he is proud to be a Blugold,” Larson said. “I think Eric Wan and all the past Blugold Spirit Award recipients are prime examples of showing their Blugold pride in everything they do.”

Wan said he didn’t expect to receive the award. 

“I was surprised and humbled, but also very excited to attend homecoming again and reconnect with all my UWEC friends,” Wan said. 

Way, who collaborated with Wan in their work for the foundation, said Wan’s continual support in the university is clear.

“When you think of an ‘ideal’ Blugold, Eric comes as close as possible to that ideal — thoughtful, inquisitive, committed to whatever he’s involved in, loyal and fun,” Way said. “The past two homecomings, Eric has ridden in the homecoming parade representing the UWEC Foundation. I had the privilege of driving the car he was in. I know deep in his heart he loves being a Blugold.”

Wan celebrates all that he got out of attending UW-Eau Claire and recommends that past, present and future students do the same.

“When I go back to UWEC campus, it grounds me and reminds me of the important things in life — experiences, relationships and gratitude,” Wan said. “Remember the great college experience that UWEC provided. Pay it forward to current and future UWEC students.”

Braun can be reached at [email protected].