{"id":202985,"date":"2025-09-05T18:32:09","date_gmt":"2025-09-05T18:32:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/202985\/"},"modified":"2025-09-05T18:32:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-05T18:32:09","slug":"a-growing-legacy-campus-connection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/202985\/","title":{"rendered":"A growing legacy – Campus Connection"},"content":{"rendered":"

Posted 12:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5, 2025<\/p>\n

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\n Bob Hetzel retired in July 2024 after four decades in higher education and 17 years of service to UWL. He continues to support UWL students, staff and faculty through his philanthropy.<\/p>\n

With new gift, Hetzel advances the future of business education<\/p>\n

Few people did more to advance UW-La Crosse than Bob Hetzel during his 17 years with the university. And he continues to have a transformational impact, even in retirement.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hetzel, who retired from his role as vice chancellor for Administration & Finance in July 2024, is giving back to UWL through a series of major gifts to the Alumni & Friends Foundation.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Last year, it was announced that Hetzel was contributing $2.5 million to support student scholarships and Athletics \u2014 first through an initial pledge of $250,000, and then through an estate gift.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now, Hetzel is expanding his support with a $1 million estate gift that will establish the Bob Hetzel College of Business Administration<\/a> (CBA) Dean\u2019s Endowment. The endowment will support faculty and staff recruitment, professional development, financial awards for excellence, faculty research stipends, strategic initiatives and other priorities identified by the dean of the CBA.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tTJ Brooks, dean of the College of Business Administration, discusses Hetzel’s impact during a gift announcement and naming ceremony in August.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very pleased to be able to establish the CBA Dean\u2019s Endowment to support the CBA\u2019s faculty and staff, and most of all, its students as they pursue degrees in business,\u201d Hetzel says. \u201cThe CBA exudes the academic excellence of UWL, and its faculty and staff have a record of accomplishment in preparing students for careers in business. The college has become a point of pride and a program of excellence for UWL. This gift will ensure its success and impact on students in perpetuity.\u201d<\/p>\n

TJ Brooks<\/a>, dean of the CBA, says Hetzel\u2019s gift will have a major impact on campus and in the community.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis fund gives us the flexibility to invest in initiatives that directly benefit our students and strengthen our connection to the business community,\u201d Brooks says. \u201cWhether it\u2019s through supporting cutting-edge research, recruiting and awarding faculty, or engaging in strategic collaborations, it is all in the service of making an impact.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

As the university\u2019s former chief business officer, Hetzel has a keen understanding of the budget limitations facing UWL, as well as the essential role philanthropy plays in supporting student success.<\/p>\n

Hetzel\u2019s generosity is the latest example of his commitment to strengthening UWL, which was the guiding focus of his work for nearly two decades.<\/p>\n

His shrewdness and sound financial stewardship allowed UWL to maintain a healthy budget despite diminished state funding, and despite Wisconsin\u2019s steadily shrinking pool of college-bound high school graduates.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In fact, owing in large part to Hetzel\u2019s leadership, enrollment grew by 1,000 students during his tenure, and the university added 200 new staff and faculty positions.<\/p>\n

A consummate \u201cdoer\u201d adept at navigating political processes, Hetzel also oversaw the conception and completion of many key building projects that enhanced services, amenities and academic opportunities on campus. He was instrumental in UWL\u2019s efforts to secure state funding to complete the Prairie Springs Science Center, which was approved this summer.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Hetzel CBA Dean\u2019s Endowment will support retention, research and professional development for staff and faculty who have a direct impact on student success.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo matter where you go on our campus, you will likely find something that Bob Hetzel touched or transformed for the betterment of the university. His legacy is that profound and prevalent,\u201d Chancellor James Beeby<\/a> says. \u201cBob represents not just the best of UWL, but the best of higher education. His commitment to the success of our students and the wellbeing of our university is impossible to quantify. We are indebted to Bob for all he has done and all he continues to do for UWL.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Honoring Hetzel<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n

In recognition of Hetzel\u2019s remarkable career and continued impact on UWL, the university is honoring his legacy in a special way.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Last year, UWL\u2019s new Fieldhouse was dedicated as the Hetzel Fieldhouse. And now, following his gift to the CBA, the lower level of Wittich Hall has been dedicated as Hetzel Commons.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Together, they stand as a fitting testament to Hetzel, who oversaw the Fieldhouse project from beginning to end, as well as major renovations that converted Wittich Hall from a physical education building to the new home of the CBA.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For his part, Hetzel says he is humbled to have UWL facilities named in his honor.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo have these facilities named for me and be part of UWL\u2019s institutional legacy, along with people like Carl Wimberly and Walter Wittich, is very, very special, humbling and overwhelming,\u201d he says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As was customary throughout his career, he is quick to share credit with his colleagues. The naming of Hetzel Commons, he says, should be seen as a celebration not of him, but of the commitment and achievements of many.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBeyond my desire to provide support for the CBA\u2019s faculty, staff and students, I also wanted to honor and recognize the staff of UWL\u2019s Division of Administration & Finance, who serve the university with commitment, dedication and excellence,\u201d Hetzel says. \u201cIt was my good fortune to work with so many talented and dedicated people during my 17 years as vice chancellor at UWL. They are the reason for everything that I was able to accomplish.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThe campus community came together to celebrate the Hetzel CBA Dean’s Endowment and the dedication of Hetzel Commons in Wittich Hall.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Posted 12:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5, 2025 Bob Hetzel retired in July 2024 after four decades in higher…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":202986,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5123],"tags":[1582,276,2961,224,5337],"class_list":{"0":"post-202985","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-los-angeles","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-california","10":"tag-la","11":"tag-los-angeles","12":"tag-losangeles"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115153125212357577","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202985","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=202985"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202985\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/202986"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=202985"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=202985"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=202985"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}