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John D. Berchild, Jr. The University of Wisconsin-Superior, to me, can be defined in one word – opportunity. Graduating from high-school without funds, I felt that I had two choices – enlisting in the military or enrolling in college. I decided that college was the real key to long term opportunity and success. In the long run, the Vietnam War kept the military on the table, but a college degree provided the opportunity to serve as a commissioned officer in the Navy. The tuition at UW-Superior was doable; a little over $100 per semester with books provided free of charge. The support, both economic and emotional, gave a young and somewhat naïve 18-year-old, who had never been farther from Superior than Rice Lake, a start on a career path and the keys to take advantage of future opportunities. My professors never failed to provide advice and insight. They were accessible and more than willing to help students, not only on an academic level but they also provided a window into the possibilities available to a college graduate; what doors could be opened and what potentials could be realized. Helen Pesark, Kathryn Ohman, Sylvan Jaenke, and Wyatt Belcher, among many others, were generous with their time and showed interest by encouraging students to progress and succeed. I also happened to be at UW-Superior at a time of growth and expansion; new buildings, increases in the size of the student body and continuing expansion of the faculty. Excitement and pride in the institution were contagious and had a fundamental and positive effect on how I viewed the value of my education and increased the confidence in what I could accomplish. At the time of our high school graduation, Kathy had decided on Medical Technology as a career. Her goal was also attainable at UW-Superior which, at the time, offered one of the foremost Medical Technology curricula in the state, with an outstanding integrated hospital internship program located nearby. We are both grateful for the opportunity to have received a sound, affordable education at UW-Superior. With a continuing sense of pride, confidence and excitement, we enthusiastically endorse and support the University, its Foundation and the goals of Campaign Superior: Higher Expectations.
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