Cold day, bright futures: Titans take the stage at midyear commencement

Amelia Petersen of Fond du Lac earns a Master of Educational Leadership degree and serves as principal of Shepherd of the Hills, a Catholic elementary school in Eden. A former teacher of 16½ years, Petersen is driven to help students understand the value of education and achieve college degrees.

Petersen, who has a daughter in high school, celebrated her academic success with the support of several family members.

Brandon Poellot of Mayville graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, continuing a family legacy at UW-Oshkosh shared by his older brother and sister. A U.S. Army veteran, Poellot served eight years as a trauma resuscitation nurse, including overseas deployment and activation to serve in a COVID ICU in New Jersey in 2020.

His military experience also included advanced trauma training at the Ryder Trauma Center in Miami, where he worked alongside Special Forces and Ranger medics. At nursing convocation, Poellot received a military honor cord in recognition of his service. After graduation, he will begin work as an ICU nurse at ThedaCare-Neenah.

Sam Jastronsky of Amherst graduates with a degree in secondary education, social sciences. Her graduation cap features photocopied letters from students she worked with during clinical and student teaching experiences, along with a childhood photo of herself "playing school." Her stole is signed by students from her placements, including Appleton East High School, where she completed her student teaching.

After commencement, Jastronsky will work as a long-term substitute teacher in the Neenah and Appleton area and plans to apply for full-time middle or high school teaching positions in the fall. "I told my students they were a big part of my journey," she said. "They get to walk the stage with me."

Mansimran "Manu" Singh Balli of Neenah graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a milestone reflecting years of family support and a growing desire to help others. Originally from India, Balli moved to the United States in 2009 and found his calling in nursing, drawn by the opportunity to care for others.

He credits his wife, Kiara Vandenlangenber, a labor and delivery nurse and current Doctor of Nursing Practice student at UW-Oshkosh, with helping him through the rigors of the program. "From the very beginning, she played the most essential role in helping me succeed," Balli said. "She tutored me, sent me Quizlets, helped me manage stress and was my pillar of stability when the program felt extremely tough."

Ruby Hoffman of Appleton graduates with a degree in political science and plans to pursue a career in law. After commencement, she will continue her work in civic engagement through an internship and fellowship with the Wisconsin Alliance for Civic Trust, housed within UW-Oshkosh's Whitburn Center.

Hoffman chose UW-Oshkosh because of strong family ties and says she will miss her professors most, especially Jerry Thomas, professor of political science, who served as a mentor. As she prepares for law school, Hoffman said her time at UWO reinforced the importance of persistence, patience and steady progress toward long-term goals.

Rachael Guglielmi of Greendale graduates with a Bachelor of Science in education and teaches science to middle and high school students at Greendale High School. "They love it-they are excited to get their hands on things. It's awesome to see when things 'click' in their brains," she said.

Guglielmi was inspired by her mother, Lisa Guglielmi, a UW-Oshkosh biology alumna who worked 32 years at the Milwaukee County Zoo, to pursue a career in science education.

Riley C. Tiedt of Appleton graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing while continuing his service in the Army National Guard. A staff sergeant (E-6) and 68W health care noncommissioned officer, Tiedt has served for six years, including activation during the COVID-19 pandemic and operations related to the Afghanistan withdrawal at Fort McCoy.

Tiedt said his interest in nursing grew while helping care for his grandfather during end-of-life treatment. "My service taught me accountability, discipline and how to stay calm under pressure," he said. "Those skills translate directly into caring for patients."

After graduation, Tiedt will work as an intermediate care unit nurse at Aurora BayCare Medical Center in Green Bay and plans to pursue intensive care nursing.

Margaret Kleier of Milwaukee transferred into UW-Oshkosh's nursing program and said her professors were great and easy to work with. A pediatric nurse, Kleier has accepted a position with Children's Hospital of Milwaukee. "I have a soft spot for kids," she said.

Her family, including siblings, parents and her boyfriend, will be cheering as she walks across the stage at commencement.

Karson Balz of Stratford graduates with a Bachelor of Music in audio production and is excited to begin an eight-week internship in Stevens Point with a marketing firm and client. A former member of Titan Thunder Marching Band and UW-Oshkosh choir, Balz said he knew he didn't want to be a music teacher but found his place in audio production.

"I had very good professors and I'll miss them, the choir community and all the other music students," he said. Balz credited the support and inspiration of his former and current choir directors and the director of Titan Thunder Marching Band.

Alina Reithofer-Conrad of New Holstein, a native of Vienna, Austria, graduates with a degree in psychology and is "psyched" for her next adventure. A former foreign exchange student at Kiel High School, she met her future husband while in the program. Now married with a toddler, Reithofer-Conrad has a position with Sheboygan County helping people struggling with mental illness.

She wore honor cords for her work with a national leadership society and Psi Chi, the international honor society in psychology, and gave special recognition to her UW-Oshkosh professor Alese Nelson, "who was amazing."