“Wheels to Whitewater” brings students and diversity to UW-Whitewater
Released: November 18, 2003
A strong multicultural recruitment effort in the Milwaukee, Madison and Beloit area has led to an increase in the number of minority students attending the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. The Wheels to Whitewater (WTW) program, which gives minority students the opportunity to visit a college campus and experience campus life for a day, is one such effort helping diversify the campus.
Over the next several weeks, high school juniors and seniors from Rufus King High School and Beloit Memorial High School will visit UW-Whitewater. On Thursday, Nov. 20, students from Rufus King will attend the “Southeast Asian Achievers” WTW program. They will tour the UW-Whitewater campus and meet with representatives from Student Retention Services, Southeast Asian Support Services, the McNair Scholars Program, the Minority Business and Teacher Programs and Financial Aid. Students will also have the opportunity to ask a panel of current UW-Whitewater students questions about the university.
On Thursday, Dec. 4, students from Beloit Memorial High School will visit UW-Whitewater, at which time they will tour the campus and meet with various representatives from Academic Support Services and other campus organizations.
“The Wheels to Whitewater program provides students who might not otherwise have the chance to visit other colleges with the opportunity to do so,” said Rob Gambsky, assistant director of multicultural student recruitment. “It’s also another way for the university and prospective students to make personal connections.”
Despite the fact that UW-Whitewater saw a decrease in fall 2003 enrollment, final admissions records indicate that the freshman class grew in diversity, with 217 students of color enrolled, up from 178 students the previous year. Students of color comprise almost 12 percent of the new freshman class.
- Melissa DiMotto,dimottom@uww.edu
