Delegates from Poland welcomed by UW-Eau Claire

This unique exchange of ideas was part of a weeklong visit by a delegation of five municipal leaders and professionals representing towns in rural Poland, a collaboration sponsored by the Open World Program of the Congressional Office for International Leadership.

The stated mission of the Open World Program is “to inspire congressional and citizen diplomacy with global civic and political leaders, connecting delegates with their peers in U.S. communities to exchange best practices and strengthen mutual understanding.”

The Chippewa Falls Rotary Club is the official local host, and details of the 10-day delegation visit have been coordinated by Allyson Wisniewski, president of the Chippewa Falls Area Chamber of Commerce. 

“It’s been a pleasure to meet and host these mayors from Poland here in Chippewa Falls,” Wisniewski says. 

“This is a collaborative effort that will strengthen our professional and legislative networks while offering a vital exchange of ideas between these delegates and Chippewa Valley facilities and institutions.”

Seeking to learn from UW-Eau Claire expertise

The focus this delegation selected for their Chippewa Valley itinerary was economic development, a topic covered in a variety of locations throughout the region, including:

• Meeting elected officials and local leaders in Bloomer, Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire.
• A meeting with U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District.
• Sessions with area chambers of commerce, economic development corporations, area industries and business associations.
• Discussions with Chippewa Valley Technical College and  UW-Eau Claire.

In planning the visit, Wisniewski, who worked at UW-Eau Claire prior to her role with the Chippewa Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, knew she could rely on campus to deliver on some of the goals for the delegation visit.

“The opportunity for these delegates to tour The Sonnentag Center and meet with faculty and leadership from UW-Eau Claire was a key itinerary item. These meetings gave insight into the university’s economic contributions and the possibilities that can come from collaborative partnerships among academia, the business community and the broader region,” Wisniewski says.

For Dr. Lisa Jepson, dean of the College of Business, the morning was a unique opportunity to network with international leaders eager to share best practices and ideas about the future. 

"We enjoyed hearing about the different responsibilities of the leaders. We shared some common challenges and discussed the possibilities of future collaborations," Jepson says. "It was also nice to see that this delegation includes so many women in leadership." 

The delegates had many questions for the leadership in UW-Eau Claire's Small Business Development Center, leading to a useful discussion around entrepreneurship and shared challenges among small businesses. SBDC director Harlie Juedes was encouraged by the flow of ideas and the realization of much common ground on these business topics. 

"It was encouraging to see how committed we all are to helping small businesses thrive, even across different countries," Juedes says. "We share more similarities than differences when it comes to the challenges entrepreneurs face."