New Traditions Keeper program celebrates campus passions, builds community

The Traditions Keeper program launched with the arrival of first-year students for the current fall semester. Designed to encourage exploration and engagement as part of UW-Eau Claire’s Vision 2030, the initiative challenges all Blugolds to complete or experience more than 125 traditions across nine categories.

A checklist maintained by the Activities, Involvement and Leadership office in Davies Center will track each student’s progress, and tokens will commemorate three milestones reached.

The journey for most students started when they moved onto campus for the semester and received one of 3,700 Traditions Keeper challenge coins. The half dollar-sized coin is a form of encouragement to rise to the challenge of exploring campus and its traditions, and to become a Traditions Keeper. Chancellor Edwin Martini now carries one in his pocket in support of the project, replacing one of his favorite coins from Western Michigan University.

Upon completing 25 traditions, students will earn the blue and gold Traditions Explorer lapel pin. After completing 50 traditions, students will earn the white and gold Traditions Explorer lapel pin, and after 75 traditions, students will receive the Traditions Keeper medallion with a certificate of accomplishment. Organizers hope students will wear their medallions at commencement.

Students will need to submit a token request form for the first two levels. A short reflection form and a photo taken while participating in a tradition will be required to earn the medallion. All forms are accessible on the Traditions Keeper Blugold Connect+ webpage.

An idea that began in Washington

Before he became UW-Eau Claire’s dean of students in 2022, Gregg Heinselman served as dean of student success at Central Washington University, which had a traditions program, complete with pins and medallions.

Heinselman felt such a program could be successful at UW-Eau Claire after reading through senior survey answers, so he pitched the engagement incentive while serving as co-chair of the vision planning that started in 2024. A committee was assembled, with representatives from the University Activities Commission, Enrollment Management, and the Student Affairs and Dean of Students office, and it spent nearly two years designing the program’s framework and preparing for launch.

“They looked at everything that was being reported on the senior survey, everything currently happening on campus and said let’s start a list,” Heinselman says. “This is the outcome of that list.”

The committee will continue to meet as suggestions for new traditions are submitted and the program is refined. Heinselman says it is important for students to lead the process to determine what traditions are as part of their experience at UW-Eau Claire. As a result, the list of choices will constantly evolve.

“The criteria is not meant to be strict, so we can keep the door open for future traditions,” says Joann Martin, coordinator of student activities, who facilitates the program through the AIL office. “It will be fun as a committee talking through how do we add, when do we add. All ideas are welcome because we want everyone to have their best experience represented here.”

Making a new mark on campus

A new tradition was established on Aug. 27, when students and staff from UW-Eau Claire’s Services for Students with Disabilities and TRIO Project AIM programs painted a colorful blue and gold mural on the walking path outside of The Suites residence hall.

Utilizing six colors, the group spent the afternoon painting circular shapes and bonding while evading some lingering bees.

“I think it turned out really great,” says Jenelle Jero, administrative assistant for SSD and TRIO Project AIM. “Students could get to know each other. They put their history out on the sidewalk here for the university."

“I wish I had this when I was a freshman on campus,” says Christine Myhre, a graduate student serving as a mentor to the group’s freshmen students. “How fun is it to have these collectables that you can have for a long time.”

The print of the mural is framed and hanging outside of Heinselman’s office, but will soon be signed by the students who brought the art to life. It will then be displayed in the SSD and TRIO Project AIM office to celebrate the group’s support of the new tradition. Heinselman says the goal is to paint a mural along the same path near The Suites each of the next four years.

Some returning students have already achieved medallion status

Any student can pick up a challenge coin by visiting the AIL office. As of Sept. 3, Martin says five returning students have already submitted for a medallion and more than two dozen others have notified her of completing 25 or 50 traditions.

“I hope the students like the gamification of the program,” she says, “while also appreciating the significance of earning a Traditions Keeper medallion to showcase their commitment to the Blugold experience.”

Addison Egnew has accepted the challenge. The fourth year integrated strategic communication-advertising emphasis major from Mount Horeb is constantly involved on campus through the Residence Hall Association and the AIL office, but her checklist is only at 66 traditions.

“I think it will really give that extra push, especially for people like me that like to collect and get that 100% and feel good about it,” she says. “It provides a standardized list of here are things students should do when they get to campus, because it’s kind of overwhelming to just already be here, first day. If you have that list, it’s a little easier to be like, ‘Oh, these are the things I should do or could do.’”

Zastrow, who has already completed 10 traditions in her first week as a Blugold, feels the checklist is not difficult as long as you remain active. She’s already seen the benefits of exploring on and off campus.

“I think it really gets us to try and be active in the Eau Claire area, which I think has helped me a lot at least make friends in the first few days,” she says. “I think it will be fun to keep doing it and seeing what I can complete.”