Peer Haven Mentors 

Hola! The name's Katie Johnson, Eau Claire native. I love Eau Claire and am happy to call it home. I'm a senior Psychology and Women's Studies double major with an LGBTQ Studies certificate added in. I'm literally addicted to music, which entails but is not limited to: dancing, singing, and even a little karaoke. I am a self-proclaimed comedian, as well. When not busy doing school work, working, or hanging out with friends and family, you'll find me sleeping. This lady cannot get enough sleep! I've been a member/officer of a few organizations on campus, but this position definitely ranks highest as far as the level of responsibility. And you know what? I'm perfectly okay with that.! Not too many years ago, I came out at UWEC. No fireworks or dazzles, and I am now secure in my identity as a gay woman. I want to help facilitate others' identity development, and I am so very excited to do so through Peer Haven!

Hi! My name is Sam Peterson, originally from Winona, Minnesota--but no worries, you'll find no Viking fan here.  I'm happy to say I'm on my final "victory lap" at UWEC with a double major in Psychology and Public Communication; I also decided to throw in a Leadership Certificate just for fun. Most often you'll find me playing outdoors, doing whatever the weather is allowing that day: hiking, kayaking, frisbee, snowshoeing, anything to stay active and enjoy nature! Though I must say I, I equally enjoy a great novel and a warm blanket. I currently am working my summer job in Door County and look forward to traveling more after graduation. My experience at UWEC has provided countless opportunities for me to get involved with the campus and community, from freelancing for The Spectator, to a year of Varsity Women's Basketball, to joining a Leadership Circle last semester. Most recently I've been striving to become more active in the LGBT community, and I look forward to this mentoring program immensely as a way to do that. In the end I always remember that we only get one life to live and must do our best to make it enjoyable for ourselves and everyone around us.

I am going to be a junior Choral Education major.  I am very interested in doing something more administrative with that degree after i gain some experience in the classroom. My favorite color is blue, especially the more electric blues. I really enjoy going to Music in the Park throughout the summer, and I am semi-addicted to Racy's...well, and just pretty much anything coffee. I work at Bath and Body Works at the mall and absolutely love it and cannot wait to keep working there throughout the school year. My favorite food is probably the Chicken Gnocchi at Olive Garden...it's just SO good! I'm really an open-book of a person and just love to talk to and meet new people! Speaking of meeting new people, I really wanted to do this program in part for that reason, as well as just to live through more eye-opening experiences and learn about who I am, as well as help others realize and grow into the people they want to be. I think this type of program is the kind of thing that will really help its members to grow as people and understand the world through a new lens.

Heyo. I'm Serena Wagner and I'm currently of senior status here at the U. I'm originally from Eau Claire (didn't fall far from the tree) and I'm majoring in Graphic Design. I love making all sorts of art, whether it be in the 3D realm or on the computer. I also love music--singing with it, playing it, dancing to it, anything really involving music I love. I love being outside doing whatever. I like to meet new people, like really. I enjoy talking to nice strangers and picking their brain. I love conversation. I love reading. A LOT. I love thinking. I currently hold two graphic design positions through the University: one through Housing and Residence Life and the other through the University Recreation and Sport Facilities. There, I get to make publications and prints that are visible to almost everyone on campus. I'm also very actively involved with my campus here and participate in several student organizations and university programs (Peer Haven being one of them!). I'm super excited to start this wonderful program, as I think it is much needed not only in today's society but in this college community.  We as college students need strong support systems as we are all going through various self-discovery processes. I feel that especially in the Chippewa Valley, there is a huge need for LGBTQ mentoring programs such as these, so that we can all grow as a collective community. Needless to say, I'm very excited to start the Peer Haven mentoring program!

Hi! My name is Bryton Fredrick and I'm originally from Hustisford, Wisconsin. This is my final year here, and I'm happy to be graduating with a major in Sociology, a double minor in Minority Health Communication and Women's Studies, as well as a certificate in LGBTQ Studies. I stay extremely active on campus and have been involved with the Blugold Marching band, The Singing Statesmen, the Men's Volleyball team, and Sociology Organization for Students. Currently, I'm staying active by working all summer and preparing to apply to grad school in the fall. My hope is that this program is a starting point for a more inclusive campus community. I'm excited to be a part of this program because I know it will be an amazing resource for those who need it most, and it's an opportunity to build strong leadership.

Heyyo! I am Brittany Gartner, but most call me Brit! I am from Roseville, MN, which is just outside of St. Paul and a short hour and a half from the gorgeous city of Eau Claire, WI. This fall marks my 4 year anniversary with this beautiful city. Coming to Eau Claire has been a huge facilitator for many things in my life; one of the biggest has been joining the Women's Ultimate Frisbee team on campus. It has become quite a passion of mine and something I spend too much of my free time doing. I have spent most of my time in Eau Claire majoring in education (first Physical Education and then Special Education) but at the end of my 4th year decided to switch to Liberal Studies focusing on Community Development. When I am not playing Ultimate or struggling through yet another week of classes, I like to cook, read, get involved with prank wars, and of course the classic hang out with my friends and family. In the past few years I have wanted to be more involved in mentoring, so combining that with one focused on the LGBTQ community seemed like something that would be a great fit for me! I am excited to be part of a program that helps to build our community to make Eau Claire better yet!

Hey everyone! My name is Nathan Servey and I originally hail from Waupaca (sounds like alpaca), WI. I'm a senior studying Biology and Chemistry and will be graduating in the Spring from UWEC. My favorite things are watching/playing football, volleyball, grilling out, chillaxing with friends, getting into a good book, and the occasional late night/all night video game spree. Oh, and I'm also obsessed with dogs and coffee...like probably unhealthily so. After I graduate, I plan on attending Chiropractic school somewhere outside the Midwest and possibly purchasing a dog...cuz I need one. My time spent at UWEC has been an absolute BLAST which began with an amazing freshman year on Bridgman 4th floor, where I made lifelong friends. I've grown as an individual and have really come to know and love myself--faults and all. I've had the pleasure of serving as Bridgman Hall Council President, being involved in Big Brothers-Big Sisters, tutoring through Blugold Beginnings, conducting research on wetlands through the Biology department, and I am extremely excited to serve as a Peer Diversity Educator for this upcoming school year. I jumped at the opportunity to be involved in an LGBTQ mentoring program and am jacked for what it has to offer, as I'm passionate about equality and LGBTQ topics and actively promote acceptance for all people. I'm a pretty laid-back guy, so feel free to say "Hi!" if you see me around. If you want to talk, we can get coffee?!

I am from the sticks of Wisconsin, a small town in the northeast part of the state: Antigo. My education status is a Super-Senior Physics Liberal Arts major with a minor in Kinesiology-Coaching. What am I going to do with that degree? I want to work in the sustainable energy realm working to implement sustainable energy sources into factory-type settings. I was a member of the Women's Volleyball team here at UWEC for the past 4 years and have been forced to hang up my shoes. I am an extremely social person, I love going to concerts and discovering new music, people, and places. I also hope we get dumped on with snow this winter so I can snowboard as much as possible. I am thoroughly excited to begin working with other college students through Peer Haven. I think Peer Haven is a great program for support and guidance.