Inspiring Graduate: Dawson Zibton (’24)
- Hometown: Kronenwetter
- Degree: B.S. Criminal Justice & Rehabilitation
- Specialization: Law Enforcement
Beginning his college career at the height of the pandemic was challenging for Dawson Zibton. It was not the experience he was expecting as a first-year student.
“I like to think that everyone goes through a period where they don’t know where they belong in college,” he said.
However, as the pandemic eased and campus life re-emerged, student clubs and organizations were reinvigorated. Zibton joined Phi Sigma Phi Fraternity and found a community of students he could connect with. It became the bridge between his excelling in education and living his best life at UW-Stout.
After completing two internships with the Menomonie Police Department and the Chippewa Valley Technical College Police Academy, Zibton earned his B.S. in criminal justice and rehabilitation on May 4, along with 1,037 graduates.
He believes the internships helped confirm that he chose the right major, that he is career ready and that he has an advantage over other candidates entering law enforcement.
“I look forward to utilizing all the knowledge and experiences garnered here at Stout in a law enforcement capacity to protect, to serve and to pay it back to the greater central Wisconsin community that protected and served me,” he said.
How has your UW-Stout experience changed you?
My experience at Stout has fostered me to think differently about how law enforcement can better help serve communities, with better regard for mental health, cultural competence and interpersonal communication – all of which have become prominent aspects of policing in the recent decade.
Stout has done an unbelievable job in preparing me for my future endeavors. In the classroom, learning about intricate subjects such as modern policing strategies, rehabilitation methodology, interpersonal diversity and counseling have all put me far above the curve regarding law enforcement knowledge.
What stands out about your UW-Stout experience?
What really stands out about the Stout experience is the unique balance between classroom knowledge and real-life applications.
Stout is extremely unique in the fact that part of your education comes from reaching out, building connections with employers and completing internships. There’s nowhere else I would’ve been able to get such an applicable and relevant education.
Stout’s polytechnic advantage enabled me to participate in two incredible internships which further advanced my knowledge and understanding of the law enforcement field.
My internship with the Menomonie Police Department assured me that I had chosen the right major. It gave me a chance to implement the knowledge learned in the classroom and provided me with valuable law enforcement connections.
My internship with the CVTC Police Academy assisted in my ability to perform tactical skills, increased my understanding of laws and statutes, and supplied me with the knowledge to properly and lawfully serve the community.
You can only learn so much in a classroom setting. With my internships, under Stout’s program plan and guidance, I have been able to cross-reference classroom knowledge with real-life applications to further advance my career readiness.
What challenges did you face and how did your involvement on campus help you overcome them?
The largest challenge I faced during my time at Stout was figuring out how to navigate and persevere through the pandemic. I came to Stout when the coronavirus was at its ultimate peak, which meant that many aspects of the college experience like student activities that typically guide a new student’s success were unfortunately not able to take place at first.
However, later, being able to participate in clubs and organizations was ultimately what curved my first year back into a positive experience. By actively participating in campus culture, I was able to live that true campus experience.
Student groups bring out the best in exploring creativity, finding like-minded individuals and making sure you feel at home.
I’ve been a member of Phi Sigma Phi Fraternity since my first year. This esteemed and historic organization has fostered growth, leadership, and academic excellence, and is largely responsible for giving me a sense of family away from home.
Phi Sigma Phi has instilled me with the idea that serving your community is extremely rewarding. Donating homemade dog toys to the Dunn County Humane Society, volunteering at the Wisconsin Foster Closet and raising money for various Menomonie-based organizations are some of the most tender and rewarding moments.
Phi Sigma Phi has also allowed me the opportunity to take responsibility and accountability for others through its executive board leadership positions. Being able to lead and guide the organization to success and improve upon previous ideas has given me unbelievable skills that I hope to enact in future career supervisory positions.
I was awarded with the Phoenix Seven Foundation’s Dean Rockwell Scholarship based on my commitment to embracing the ideals of my education, community and fraternity. Phi Sigma Phi provided me with unconditional support and brotherhood when I needed it most. Being surrounded by a great sense of camaraderie is something I’ll never forget about the brotherhood.
What are you most proud of as you finish your degree?
I am most proud of how much better of a man, friend and peer I have become. The relationships and experiences that Stout and its extracurriculars have fostered is unmatched to any other experience I have ever had.
This place has helped me grow in ways that were completely unimaginable and foreign to me even four simple years ago.
I am confident when I say, Stout has helped me to become the best possible version of myself.
Additional thoughts
I’d like to give thanks and pay homage to God, my parents, sister, extended family, girlfriend, friends, fraternal brothers, professors, advisers and peers for all their unconditional love, words of wisdom and support. You all mean the world to me, and I couldn’t have done this without every single one of you holding a special place in my life and in my academic endeavors.
