Parting Thoughts from Board Chairman Bill Berg

Writing this article will be one of my last official acts as president of the Viterbo board of advisors, a position I have held since 2013 when I succeeded Patt Boge. As I look back over those years and the nearly 30 years I have been on the board of advisors, I see a university that is positioning itself well to face the higher education challenges of the future. I trust that input from the board of advisors has contributed to that effort. We are a vehicle by which the administration can receive community feedback and identify local needs.

The board of advisors has provided me with an opportunity to meet and work with many dedicated and talented community leaders who understand the value of Viterbo to our community. I also am grateful for the experience of working with members of the Viterbo administration and have been impressed by their vision, resourcefulness, and commitment.

I have seen firsthand the vital role that Viterbo plays in our community, providing a welcoming and nurturing place to receive an excellent, challenging, and meaningful education, all in the context of our Christian faith.

Over the past few years, we have revised our articles and bylaws to better specify terms for the members of the board of advisors, as well as for its officers and executive committee. I believe that this will have the advantage of letting prospective members know the extent of their commitment before joining the board or becoming one of its officers. Our hope is that this will facilitate attracting new members and officers.

Although my term as president is ending, I will still serve one more term as a regular member. To my successor, who will be elected by the whole board at its March meeting, my advice is to continue to encourage open and honest discussion of the issues that affect Viterbo. I have always found the administration to be open to and appreciative of our input.

I am truly thankful for my time on the board and as president. I have learned much about Viterbo, its excellent staff, and commitment to its students. I will always hold this valued institution in the highest regard. 

Innovative Partnership Between Viterbo University, Boys & Girls Clubs Opens New Pathways for Youths

Danessa Brocks has earned the chance to attend Viterbo University—her “dream school”—with four years of fully paid tuition, thanks to a new program in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater La Crosse. A senior at La Crosse Central High School and a longtime member at the Mathy Center Boys & Girls Club branch on the Viterbo campus, Brocks earned the scholarship by being named the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater La Crosse Youth of the Year.

In addition, Viterbo has begun raising funds to offer additional scholarships meant strictly for Mathy Center club members as well as starting free summer college credit classes for club members. The scholarships offer recipients the choice of starting their studies at Western Technical College before completing their four-year degree at Viterbo. Both the scholarship and college course initiatives are part of the Pathway to a Bachelor’s Degree program.

Viterbo’s VOICE Program Takes Aim at Opioid Crisis

A $741,201 federal grant and a history of being on the cutting edge of substance abuse treatment are vital to Viterbo’s effort to squelch the opioid epidemic.

The first batch of graduate-level Viterbo mental health counseling students are doing internships, and other elements of the VOICE program are being rolled out, including two events on campus: a Thursday, March 12, town hall event and a daylong Friday, March 13, VOICE Opioid Recovery Summit.

On top of those initiatives, Viterbo is poised to offer parents, school staff, and concerned community members free training on how to recognize early signs of mental illness in children and teens.

“It’s kind of an exciting thing,” said Deb Murray, director of Viterbo’s Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling program. “We’re trying to leverage all of our resources for a better community and quality of life.”

Read More About the VOICE Program

Viterbo, Western Blaze Trail with Co-admission Pact

For the first time this year, students can enroll simultaneously in Viterbo University and Western Technical College, thanks to a recently signed co-admission agreement.

The initiative aims to get more students on the pathway to a four-year degree, making that path as smooth as possible. The co-admission agreement allows students to start college at Western with the aim of completing work on a bachelor’s degree at Viterbo after completing a two-year Western program.

Read more about the co-admission agreement.

Dick Record Shares His Appreciation for Viterbo

When Viterbo University expressed its appreciation for Dick Record’s nearly 50 years of support and service by naming the western entrance to the Fine Arts Center in his honor, Record had some words of appreciation of his own. Listen to the remarks he made at the Feb. 6 dedication ceremony for the Dick Record Entrance.

Upcoming Meetings and Events

Feb 19: Executive Committee, 3:30–5 p.m., Fine Arts Center 127
March 26: Board of advisors, 3:30–5 p.m., Reinhart Center 134
April 2: Board of advisors reception with Holocaust survivor Peter Feigl (lecture to follow), 5:30 p.m., Skogen Family Welcome Center in Reinhart Center
May 28: St. John XXIII Dinner and Awards (invitations coming)

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Check out the inaugural edition of the board of advisors newsletter