UW-Stevens Point students, faculty and staff recognized for excellence, achievement

The following University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point students, faculty and staff have been honored for excellence and achievement:

• UW-Stevens Point Director of Athletics Brad Duckworth has been named chair of the Division II and III Playing Rules Oversight Panel (PROP), a joint committee responsible for overseeing and approving playing rules across both divisions, the NCAA announced.

• Assistant Professor of Media Studies Kevin Obsatz recently won an Emmy for Outstanding Commercial - Single Spot at the 67th Chicago/Midwest Emmy Awards 2025 for his work on a commercial for the local company Gamber Johnson. Obsatz is part of the RAD Productions USA, which created the ad. He met with the client, came up with the story and script and drafted the VoiceOver dialogue and text on screen. Interns from the UWSP Media Studies program also worked on the commercial.

• UW-Stevens Point's soil judging team earned fourth place out of nine universities at the Region III Collegiate Soil Judging Contest, held Oct. 20-23, 2025 in Bad Axe, Michigan. The event was hosted by Michigan State University. With this result, UW-Stevens Point qualified to compete at the National Collegiate Soil Judging Contest in March at North Carolina State University.
  
  Collegiate soil judging competitions challenge students to apply their scientific knowledge outside the classroom. Over several days, participants evaluate real soil pits in the field, describing and classifying soil horizons, textures, colors and structures. They also interpret how soils influence land use, water movement and ecosystem health. The experience provides students with valuable hands-on training that prepares them for careers in environmental consulting, agriculture, land management and natural resource conservation.

• Three contemporary voice students placed in the Wisconsin National Association of Teachers of Singing(NATS) Fall Auditions Competition finals in the commercial music category:
  
  CM 7 (upper level SA):
  1st Place - Anna Clasen, jazz studies
  3rd Place - Becca Guth, jazz studies
  CM 6 (lower level TB) :
  2nd Place - Chris Techlin, contemporary voice
  
  
• The UWSP Opera Workshop 2024 production of Handel's "Acis and Galatea" was awarded third place from The American Prize Competition. The American Prize National Nonprofit Competition in the Performing Arts is the nation's most comprehensive series of contests in the performing arts.
  
  
• Directed by Assistant Professor of Acting Dana Dancho, UWSP's "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" received the Certificate of Merit for Ensemble Performance from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF).
  
  Joey Thuecks (Gaston), musical theatre, received a Certificate of Merit for Acting and Ethan Stokes (Einstein), musical theatre, and Luke Calaway (Picasso), musical theatre, received the Irene Ryan Scholarship nominations for their performances.
  
  
• Voice and contemporary voice area students in the UWSP Music Department had success at the WI NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) Student Auditions.
  
  Finalists included:
  • Lower Level College Contemporary Voice Tenors and Basses: Chris Techlin (Professor Tim Buchholz) - 2nd place
  • Upper Level College Contemporary Voice Treble: Anna Clasen (Professor Tim Buchholz) - 1st place, Becca Guth (Professor Tim Buchholz) - 3rd place
  • First Year College Classical Tenors and Basses: Ransom Webster (Professor Matthew Markham) - 3rd place
  • Third Year College Classical Treble: Sandra Nikolaus (Teaching Assistant Professor Natalie Cummings) - 3rd place
  • Upper Level College Musical Theatre Tenors and Basses: Jaden Richards (Professor Matthew Markham) - 2nd place
  • Fourth Year College Classical Tenors and Basses: Giovanni Anello (Professor Matthew Markham) - 3rd place
  • Fourth Year College Classical Treble: Reagan Conklin (Professor Matthew Markham) - 1st place
    
    
• Cornerstone Press recently had three titles recognized in Literary Hub's 100 Notable Small Press Books of 2025:
  • American Animism, Jamey Gallagher (short stories)
  • The Continental Divide, Bob Johnson (short stories)
  • Close to a Flame, Colleen Alles (short stories)