Ashley Kilcoyne inspires UW-Eau Claire – Barron County ‘amazing journey’

Less than three years later, Kilcoyne will have the opportunity to post a graduation picture in front of that same Meggers Hall façade when she receives her associate of arts and sciences degree on May 14.

Grades were not Kilcoyne’s strong suit when she attended Rice Lake High School two decades earlier. She felt higher education was not an option, so she focused on a professional career.

In 2012, she started working at the local Arby’s and soon elevated herself to a managerial role. Most of that time has been spent with youth from a range of backgrounds.

“I’ve had a few kids at Arby’s that have come from difficult pasts. I just really enjoyed helping them,” says Kilcoyne, the oldest of five children raised by a single mother. “I’ve always been the person that supports people, listens, try and give advice.”

Kilcoyne mentioned to her husband that a career in school counseling would be “amazing.” One day, he suggested she pursue college, which caught Kilcoyne by surprise.

“You feel valued as a partner that your partner wants you to pursue your dreams,” she says.

Kilcoyne thought she would be the “elephant in the room” with younger classmates but has never felt out of place. She’s improved the experience by providing feedback about instruction and engaging with students and staff members. She spoke at this year’s Educational Assistance Through Scholarship fundraiser, joined the campus chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa honors society and participated in theater.

“I felt accepted here. It’s been an amazing journey, and I wish I would have done it sooner,” Kilcoyne says. “This campus is like having your own cheer squad.”

Sara Potter, UW-Eau Claire – Barron County’s retention coordinator and a 2019 graduate of the AAS program, was one of the first people to connect with Kilcoyne after she enrolled. Potter watched a nervous first-year student blossom into an influential campus leader.

“She’s who I want to be when I grow up,” Potter says.

“Ashley is exactly why we’re here,” adds Dr. Abbey Fischer, campus director at UW-Eau Claire – Barron County. “This is an access campus and our location in Rice Lake lets working adults like Ashley get their education but still have their daily lives.”

Kilcoyne, now a dean’s list student, credits a great relationship with her husband as a key to balancing school, work and home life. She also follows a stricter schedule and doesn’t cater to societal views.

“Everyone thinks your house should be clean and laundry should be done and dinner should be served every night. Just allowing yourself to let that go, that it is ok if the house is a little bit dirty,” Kilcoyne says. “I think it’s very good that not only do my kids see I’m working on homework and I’m working toward something, but that it also gives them time to be their own selves, too, and play.”

Kilcoyne says she’s always interacting with her boys, asking what they are learning in school, and sometimes they return the favor. It’s served as a case study for the information she’s learning in the classroom.

While she’s considered a student at UW-Eau Claire – Barron County, Kilcoyne has been taking classes at the UW-Eau Claire campus this semester. She has eight courses to complete next school year in Eau Claire to earn a degree in psychology with a minor in communication studies. After that, she plans to attend graduate school to obtain a master’s degree for school counseling, and at some point, wants to earn a teaching certificate.

At the end of her academic journey, Kilcoyne dreams of being a high school counselor and serving students, including the underprivileged.

“When I was in high school, it really felt to me like I couldn’t go to college because of who I was,” Kilcoyne says. “I really want to change how they feel at school and how society views those that are not privileged. They can do whatever they want to do.”