Name: Coltan James Schoenike
Hometown: Omro
Major: Human development and family studies, LGBTQIAP+ studies and education concentration
Awards, honors: Samuel E. Wood Medallion, multiple Qubie Awards (Fantastic Freshman, Outstanding Bisexual/Pansexual Advocate of the Year, Debra Davis Award for Excellence in Transgender Advocacy, Griesbach Award for Excellence in LGBTQIA+ Advocacy), elected chair of UW System Student Representatives
Why did you choose UW-Stout? Originally, Stout was my second choice when I was picking a program for fashion design/apparel design. However, I fell in love with Stout the minute I toured campus. Stout quickly went from being second choice to the only choice. I only applied here and was adamant to attend here. There are so many great things this institution has to offer, like a fantastic placement rate, polytechnic hands-on approach and making college more accessible with things like textbook rental and providing us with a laptop.
What are the biggest obstacles you faced in earning your degree? As a low-income, first-generation college student, I've known from day one that the cost of education would always be a substantial obstacle. In addition, the intersection of my socioeconomic status with my identities as a queer and transgender person had a large impact on my campus experience. Being in any marginalized communities, the achievement gap is a significant factor in one's ability to achieve an education. However, I was so thankful to benefit from the many support services on campus that have been instrumental in my ability to get to this point, and I hope the university continues to increase their support services in the future for marginalized students.
What stands out among your college experiences? There have been so amazing moments in my college experience and picking one would be extremely difficult. I just think that this year has been such a validating culmination of my college experience. The awards I've received and the opportunities I've been given as a student leader to really impact and facilitate change this year have been so rewarding.
What’s next? I applied to two graduate programs and was fortunate to get into both. In the fall, I will be continuing my time here at UW-Stout by pursuing my master's in marriage and family therapy and getting a certificate in sex therapy. I've also been recently elected to chair of the UW System Student Representatives; I am ecstatic to be able to serve in that role and lead the 180,000 students of the UW System into the future.
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