Welcome to UW-Eau Claire
Where your passions come to life
At UW-Eau Claire, we have redefined the college experience to better prepare you for the future and give you the space you need to transform yourself and the world around you.
Choosing to further your education is one of the biggest decisions — and investments — you can make. That’s why we believe you shouldn’t have to choose just one passion.
As a Blugold, your education will leap off the page. You’ll be encouraged to push boundaries and test limits. You’ll rewrite the written, achieve the unthinkable and invent the unimaginable. You’ll open doors to worlds unknown. You’ll learn that when we have compassion for others, embrace our differences and work as a team, we’re a force to be reckoned with — anything is possible.
We call ourselves Blugolds
Redefining the college experience
Building knowledge and understanding of history and cultures
While it may have looked a bit different this year, the experience was every bit as life-changing as students had hoped. From Germany to Czech Republic, Austria and Slovakia, students were immersed in European history and culture this summer.
Learn more their experience
Creating music for the Blugold Marching Band drum line
Now in his fourth year, Andrew Smits has enjoyed bringing the Blugold Marching Band's music to life during performances. This year, however, he took things a step further — he wrote and arranged the drum line music for the season.
Learn more about AndrewI chose to attend UW-Eau Claire because right when I stepped onto this beautiful campus I was struck with how kind everyone was. Everyone was so open to answering all of my questions and they all were passionate about being here. They seemed happy to be at UWEC and now I know why!
An overnight GIPHY sensation
Alissa Salzwedel quickly found what she was looking for in graphic design — a way to utilize her creativity and improve as an illustrator. While in the program, she applied to become an artist for GIPHY, which powers GIFs for social platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Her illustrations gained millions of views overnight.
“I saw the first GIF I ever made had hit the trending page; it already had 27 million views,” Alissa said. “It was unbelievable.”
At the time, she was taking an art class that required students to create branding for a made-up business. For her project, Alissa shared the work she was doing with GIPHY. Her professor and classmates’ enthusiastic reactions made her feel even better about what she was doing.
“Lots of people use GIFs, but not many people know who made them. I got a lot of recognition from my class for what I was doing, which was awesome.”
Named a
2022 Best College
in the Midwest
by U.S. News & World Report
Ranked the Best College in WI for
LGBTQIA+ Students
for three consecutive years
by Campus Pride and Best Colleges, 2018-2020
Recognized as a
national leader
in study abroad
by the 2020 Open Doors Report of the Institute of International Education
A powerful partnership with Mayo Clinic
The powerful partnership between Mayo Clinic and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire unlocks biomedical innovation in the region and allows us to make a real impact on the health of our society. Through research projects and mentorship from world-renowned Mayo Clinic professionals, students from any major have the opportunity to generate revolutionary health care solutions and solve previously unsolvable medical problems.
What we're working on now
Summer research shapes Blugolds' futures
When Sebastian Torres and Nathan Hau came to UW-Eau Claire, they knew they'd find experiences that would prepare them for future careers in the research or health care fields. Still, neither thought a research project would take them into operating rooms.
Shaping hospital protocols
UW-Eau Claire expert says suicide is not just a behavioral health issue
Anyone can become suicidal — not just patients with mental health issues — and most are looking for help. But what are the daily factors that could lead to suicidal thoughts and behaviors? A UWEC and Mayo research team are finding out.
Increasing suicide risk screening
Blugolds study alcohol's impact on older people
What started as a study of the effects of alcohol on adolescent brains led to a surprising discovery — how significantly more sensitive older brains are to alcohol. Shifting the focus of their research, students are now trying to figure out why that is.
Understanding aging brains