“To be honest, much of my younger years were a struggle with my mental health, and looking to my future wasn’t something I was doing at that time,” Sattler says.
“Everyone was encouraging me to go to college, so I needed to figure out how I could want to go, how to make it something to care about,” Sattler says.
Sattler, who grew up in the small town of Butternut in far northern Wisconsin, decided that one factor holding him back was anxiety over moving, so being near family would make the move more appealing. As a young adult on the autism spectrum, Sattler understood that having people in his corner might make all the difference.
“UW-Eau Claire – Barron County is near my aunt’s home, so it seemed like a good place to start,” Sattler says, noting that having his aunt’s support nearby did indeed prove to be needed occasionally.
As of this semester, Sattler has fulfilled the requirements of an associate of arts and sciences degree, with a focus on both psychology and creative writing.
“My initial plan was to pursue a career related to mental health counseling, and I have learned so much in my psychology classes, but my passion really is writing. I now look forward to furthering my education in creative writing,” Sattler says.
With the right combination of small class sizes, faculty and staff support, options to explore course interests and that important family proximity, Sattler now says that beginning his higher education path at the Rice Lake campus was the perfect choice.
Next up? A bachelor’s degree in professional studies at the main campus of UW-Eau Claire
Dr. Abbey Fischer, campus director at UW-Eau Claire – Barron County, says that while campus will miss the “positive presence Cinny has brought since 2023,” seeing students move on from Rice Lake to completing a bachelor’s degree is an exciting outcome.
“We have made the process of changing location from Rice Lake to Eau Claire easy for students,” Fischer says. “Some opt to change location as early as their second semester; others remain UWEC-BC students for as long as they can to save money and retain access to UWX [online] courses. Cinny waited until his degree completion to change campus. He will complete his AAS degree next week and when classes begin at the end of January, he’ll be an Eau Claire student pursuing his bachelor’s degree in professional studies with a creative writing focus.”
Within that professional studies program, Sattler can give a name to his area of emphasis, an academic freedom he is grateful to have.
“I’ve titled my degree plan ‘fiction and nonfiction writing,’ which will let me take more journalism courses along with creative writing. My minor will be art,” Sattler says, as art classes have been enjoyable and therapeutic in Sattler’s student journey.
Once arriving in Eau Claire, Sattler looks forward to resuming work on a fictional story series he has been working on for quite a while, a series he describes as “dark fantasy with elements of realism and romanticism.”
He calls the works a “journey of self-love.”
“I wanted to do some self-reflection and self-healing; the story shows that we can all go through negative things and experiences but still be worthy of love,” Sattler says.
Supported for success
When asked what the greatest parts of the UWEC-BC experience were, Sattler said that for him, it’s been a campuswide atmosphere.
“Everyone is so nice, even if you don't interact with them often. There is just such a field of love and understanding that is built into campus. I would say that I don’t always trust people easily, but there were immediately faculty and staff who I knew I could go to with any problems,” he says.
One such trusted staff person for Sattler is Sara Potter, a retention specialist for the Rice Lake campus.
“When I was brand new and I was very nervous and scared, she always understood and gave me grace,” Sattler says. “She listens and always asks the right questions — she has a great approach to her work.”
Potter, like Fischer, says Sattler will be missed on campus, and adds that Sattler stood out with authenticity and a creative spirit.
“From the moment I met Cinnamon during his first visit to our campus, I knew he was someone special. He carried himself with confidence and openness that immediately stood out,” Potter says, adding that her chats with Sattler about his writing were often a highlight of her week.
“I’m so excited to see what he accomplishes next. Cinny will be a wonderful addition to the Eau Claire campus and beyond.”
Beyond the academics, Sattler says life in a larger campus and city will be exciting. He is hoping to get involved on campus and meet friends through student organizations or clubs around his creative interests.
Top image caption: Cinny Sattler, left, displays a painting created for an art class where the assignment was to represent the "circle of life." Sitting with Sattler is Barron County campus retention specialist Sara Potter, who Sattler credits with much of his successful student experience and the desire to continue on to a bachelor's degree. Sattler wears headphones to manage sensory processing challenges.
