MILWAUKEE, December 7, 2016– Senior Student Association President Mike Sportiello (Brookfield, Wis.) spoke at length in the Union Ballroom Tuesday evening describing fifteen current initiatives currently underway at UWM, sponsored by student senators and their colleagues. The president’s remarks and slides came as the keynote highlight of the annual State of the Students event.
Sportiello launched his descriptions by introducing a Sexual Assault Prevention effort led by Sophomore At-Large Senator Bailey Flannery (Racine, Wis.). “One of the ways she’s been doing this is by trying to start implementing a bystander intervention training,” reported Mike, “This is a training that when done at other schools, has been shown to decrease the amount of sexual assault by up to 50 percent.”
President Sportiello concluded his words by sharing details of a campus-wide student survey, released via email Tuesday night, on Fighting Food Waste – Food Insecurity. Spearheaded by Senior At-Large Senator Dakota Crowell (Wittenberg, Wis.), this work will help to measure the current state of food waste at UWM and gain some insights into the nature of food insecurity among current students.
“I’ve always known where my next meal may be coming from… there are actually a large number of students on this university where that is not the case,” stated Mike, wrapping up extensive descriptions and slides of all 15 Student Senate projects.
Mike Sportiello will conclude two consecutive terms as UWM student body president in May, and will complete his undergraduate work in Chemistry and Philosophy. Sportiello was recently admitted to medical school at the University of Rochester, in New York state.
This year’s State of the Students was kicked-off by Senior Student Association Outreach and Recruitment Director Brandi Hernandez (Milwaukee, Wis.), who welcomed students, guests, and staff. To preface President Mike Sportiello’s presentation, Director Hernandez introduced Junior Student Association Vice President of Academic Affairs Emily Kuester (Avoca, Wis.) and Junior Vice President of Student Affairs Trevor Jung (Racine, Wis.), both of whom spoke regarding the focus of their work with the leadership of their corresponding UWM university divisions, and how each vice president connects with their designated student senators.
Members of the Peck School the Arts Guitar Performance program shared music before and after the informational portions of the event, and a brief behind-the-scenes film about TEDxUWMilwaukee was also featured, produced by students from Film, Video, Animation, & New Genres program. A cross section of student organizations participated with informational tables, with an informal light kosher buffet also available for students, guests, and staff.