STEVENS POINT, WI (WSAU) — UWSP Chancellor Thomas Gibson joined Mayor Mike Wiza for a special Mayor’s Monday from Freshmen Move-In Day on campus.
Both Wiza and Gibson said the day comes down to possibilities. “One of the things we pride ourselves on at UWSP is helping students discover their purpose. And in that purpose, we invite students to explore a good number of possibilities. That’s part of the excitement of the journey of attending college,” said Gibson.
The duo also spoke about the working relationship between the city and the University, which helps enhance both communities in many ways. “Part of the reason that we have such great diversity, creativity, and a vast amount of knowledge is mostly, in part, due to UWSP,” said Wiza. Having those people in our community throughout the year gives us more of an exchange of ideas than we would have if we didn’t have a campus here.”
Wiza and Gibson also discussed the collaboration that has to take place between the city and the college to develop the areas around campus with dining, housing, and other entertainment options. “Development is important because the students that are here are going to want jobs while they are here on campus. Student housing is well accommodated on campus, but not everyone wants to live on campus, they want to experience the community more. So developing appropriate housing is critical,” said Wiza.
“The city has been an amazing partner. [Mayor Wiza] understands the importance of having an institution of higher education in our community. When we do well, the city does well, and when they do well we do well. It’s a really good symbiotic relationship,” added Gibson.
Wiza encouraged students to get active in the Stevens Point community outside of the campus by exploring the city’s parks system or getting involved in a community band. He also touted the city’s live music lineup.
On the other side, Gibson encouraged the community to come to campus for athletic, fine arts, or continuing education opportunities.
See or hear the complete conversation in the attached video or audio file.
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