UW President Jay Rothman visits Rock County campus

UW President Jay Rothman visits Rock County campus

August 30, 2024

Cradling it carefully in his arms, Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman remarked about the lifelike quality of the newborn simulator doll handed to him.

"It's heavier than I expected," he said, surrounded by medical equipment and even more dolls - adult and infant. "This is so realistic. Students are going to get an exceptional nursing education in this facility."

In a few months' time, that will be the case. Rothman, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Chancellor Corey King, and Dean Tricia Clasen got a sneak peek on Aug. 16, as construction began on the new nursing simulation and skills labs on UW-Whitewater's Rock County campus.

Faculty will soon use the state-of-the-art spaces as they prepare the next generation of students to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Jay Rothman, president of the Universities of Wisconsin, holds a newborn simulator doll in a nursing education lab on the UW-Whitewater at Rock County campus in Janesville. Looking on is UW-Whitewater Chancellor Corey King.

The collaborative degree program with Edgewood College, launched in 2023, allows students to study face-to-face on the Rock County campus without traveling out of the region to earn their degrees. These graduates will be primed for high-paying jobs - and ready to fulfill a critical workforce need.

Rock County nurses report an average salary of $83,720. When the collaboration launched last year, southeastern Wisconsin experienced more than 1,500 nursing vacancies. Nationally, nursing job opportunities are expected to grow by nearly 200,000 - or 6% - in the coming decade.

UW-Whitewater Dean Tricia Clasen, left, laughs with Randy Terronez, assistant to the Rock County administrator, center, and Drew Pennington, President and CEO of the Greater Beloit Economic Development Corporation, right, during the visit.

Rock County government leaders lauded the program during Rothman's visit, including Randy Terronez, assistant to the county administrator.

"The nursing expansion will greatly benefit our county and our ability to use resources effectively," he said. "From hospitals to nursing homes, skilled nursing is in high demand."

That sentiment was echoed by other community leaders - including representatives from Forward Janesville, the Beloit Chamber of Commerce, and the Janesville School District - who see UW-Whitewater at Rock County as a critical partner in delivering educational pathways to meet the needs of the region.

A total of 696 students were enrolled at Rock in 2023-24, a 103-student increase from the year before.

Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman visits the Creative Studios lab at the Rock County campus during a tour on Aug. 16, 2024.

Since 2019, Rock County has invested $1.85 million in capital projects and operational funds to support the campus. During his tour, Rothman noted that care had been taken to keep the facilities looking great.

"I appreciate the community's support of the institution. The Rock County campus is a success story. Our public universities are focused on access and affordability, and, as we move the needle on enrollment statewide, this campus is on a positive trajectory," he said.

In addition to offering associate degrees, UW-Whitewater at Rock County has prioritized flexible pathways to a bachelor's degree that can be earned in person or online. Students can also earn an engineering degree without leaving Rock County, or pursue a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences - a flexible online degree designed for working adults with areas of emphasis as wide-ranging as criminology, marketing and occupational safety.

Jay Rothman, president of the Universities of Wisconsin, toured the electrical engineering room in the engineering building on the Rock County campus in Janesville.

"The great thing about UW-Whitewater at Rock County is accessibility," said Shar Hermanson, Forward Janesville CEO. "It's easy to get involved and to sign up for classes."

That's something alum Dave Holterman knows firsthand.

When he was a senior in high school considering his options after graduation, Holterman knew he wanted to have an opportunity to earn a four-year degree.

"Coming to URock made a lot of sense. I was a first-generation college student, working a job as a part-time bank teller. I found a support network here, learned important skills and had the mentorship of professors like George Jones and Mark Fuller. I remember how proud I was after earning an "A" in Dr. Fuller's calculus class," he said.

Alum Dave Holterman, right, shares his experience as a Rock County campus student with Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman, center, and UW-Whitewater Chancellor Corey King.

Holterman later earned a BBA in finance at UW-Whitewater in 1997 and is now a leader at First Community Bank in Milton. He and his team manage $150 million in assets and provide financial services and expertise to the region.

In his conversations with alumni, Rothman noted the importance of professors who provide transformative learning experiences.

"You see the impact of the faculty and staff who, through teaching and mentorship, had profound impacts on students in many ways," he said. "From social to economic mobility, the education we provide at the Rock County campus changes the trajectory of peoples' lives."

Jay O. Rothman looks at schematics of the nursing labs that are being built on the UW-Whitewater at Rock County campus. The labs are slated to open later this fall.

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