University of Wisconsin Stout | Wisconsin's Polytechnic University

• Be spontaneous and try new things. College is a great time to try new things and spread your wings!

• Student organizations are great! Join a professional organization related to your major. Many organizations and social groups are available.

• Work on campus at something fun and unique.
  

• Organize your life, school, room and finances. By establishing good habits now in how you organize your time and spend your money, you will be better prepared for your life after college.

• Worried about a particular class? Introduce yourself to the instructor early on and voice your concerns. Stout professors tend to be incredibly helpful, but it is hard for them to help students if they don't know what's going on. Keep them informed.

• If you are taking out student loans, take out only what you need as you will have to pay it back.

• Leave your dorm room door open the first couple of weeks (when you're there) to meet your floor mates or other students passing through.

• Make a conscious effort to introduce yourself to at least one person in each of your classes. It is a huge help to have a study buddy or someone to share notes with.

• Try to avoid going home often, there are exciting things going on during the weekends!

• Don't write off studying abroad or student exchange because you think you don't have the finances to go. Student exchange is an option for students to visit another university within the country and still pay Stout's tuition. Study abroad has a variety of student aid options available.

• Explore Menomonie! There will be much more exciting things to do and see outside your dorm room. Check out the "Things to Do" tab next.
  

• Get into the game. Find a group of students that enjoy a similar sport as you (playing pick-up games of basketball, football, volleyball or racquetball can be a ton of fun).

• Get a job. Research shows that student achievement is positively related to having a job. Plus, it teaches time management and multitasking, very crucial skills in the career world. Working on campus is another great way to meet people.

• Bring your bike or rollerblades. Both are great ways to get around campus and Menomonie.
  

• Don’t bring all of your clothes — bring summer and fall clothes when you first arrive. When you go home for Thanksgiving, take those clothes home and bring back your winter clothes. It's a space saver.

• Leave your CDs at home and bring an MP3 player.

• Many things, like registering for classes, are determined by how many credits you have earned, so if you can come into the university with college credits it can be helpful.

• Stout is unique in the UW System because it is the only school named for an individual —our founder, James Huff Stout. It began as a part of the public school (Menomonie) system.

• The most active ghost on campus is purported to live in JTC Hall.

• See your adviser more than just once a semester on advisement day; they can be very helpful with more than just classes.

• The Ask 5000 (computer assistance) desks are in Millennium Hall and Jarvis Hall Science Wing.

• The UW-Stout logo is a stylized quill (a time-honored symbol for education) and is inspired by the weather vane on the Bowman Hall tower.

• If you get distracted easily, sit in the front row.

• In a hurry? The food kiosks found in several academic buildings are a great place to grab a bite when you're on the run.

• On your first day of class, look for any signs on your way into the classroom, just in case there was a room change. You don't want to be sitting in the wrong class.

• Study abroad — even for just a summer — is a great experience. College can be a great time to spread your wings and learn about a new cultural or explore you own culture in depth.

• Try and room with someone new. Contact University Housing about meeting a roommate that shares your similar interests.

Stout Adventures

Trips on weekends and week long trips over breaks — a comprehensive outdoor recreation program open to students, faculty/staff, and the local community. You'll never be at a loss for "what to do."
 

Hoffman Hills State Recreation Area

Located ten miles northeast of Menomonie, off Hwys. 12 and 29, Hoffman Hills is ideal for quiet relaxation, offering youth group camping, self-guided nature trails, hiking, picnicking and challenging cross-country skiing in season. A 60-foot observation tower offers picturesque views of the surrounding rugged hill country. 715-232-1242

 

Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts

The Mabel Tainter Memorial Center for the Arts is a fully functional Victorian era theater with a year round performing arts season featuring nationally recognized artists located in downtown Menomonie. It's a great place to impress your date.

Retail in Downtown Menomonie

In addition to our antique shops, Menomonie’s retail stores, galleries and unique boutiques provide an ever-changing variety of collectibles, one-of-a-kind crafts and art, hard-to-find items and handmade jewelry — perfect for gifts or overdue indulgences. Learn more here.
 

Rassbach Heritage Museum

The Rassbach Heritage Museum interprets the history of Dunn County through its extensive collection of artifacts and new exhibit areas. Located in Menomonie's Wakanda Park near the Wakanda Elementary School, the Lions Club Game Park, and the water park. Don’t miss the exhibits covering UW-Stout’s rich history.
 

City Parks and Beaches

The city of Menomonie offers wonderful multiple use park spaces:

• Wakanda Park: Located in north Menomonie. Boating and fishing, picnic area, water park, softball and baseball diamonds. Visit the Lions Club Game Park with native Wisconsin animals, including deer, elk, buffalo, pheasant, ducks and geese. A nature trail is also located in the same area. Located on the east end of Pine Street on Lake Menomin.

• Sanna Park: Picnic spot overlooking Wilson Creek in North Menomonie. Located on North Broadway, across from the Parkside Motel.

• Lakeside Park: Boating, fishing and playground. Located north of the Public Library on Wolske Bay Road.

• Phalen Park: Softball, football, soccer, tennis courts, playground. Located east of 9th Street and 21st Avenue.

• Elmwood Park: Softball, football, soccer, playground.

• Crescent Park: Located on 11th Street E., just north of Highway 12/29.

• Fowler Court: Softball, football, soccer and playground. Located on 14th Avenue W.

• Wilson Park: The 50-piece Ludington Guard Band performs each Tuesday evening throughout the summer months in the bandshell located in Wilson Park near downtown Menomonie. Your chances are great to enjoy this unique attraction and take part in an old fashioned cake or pie and ice cream social at intermission time.

• Cedarama Park: Gardens, benches and a beautiful view of Lake Menomin. Located along Lake Menomin on Highways 12/29.

• Point Comfort (Butch's Bay): Located on the east side of Menomonie. Swimming beach, boating and fishing playground. Located on the north end of 21st Street E.

• Riverside Park: Picnic tables and playground. Most tubers start their Red Cedar trip at Riverside Park, located on the west side of Menomonie. Tubes can be pulled out after about two hours (depending on the current) in Irvington or after four hours in Downsville. Tubes can be rented in Menomonie at various commercial outlets. Canoes can be rented across from the park. Located west of the Red Cedar River on Highway 29.

For more information on local attractions, don’t forget to visit the Menomonie visitor’s center.

Highly Ranked

In its May 2012 issue, Smithsonian magazine ranked Menomonie #15 among the “20 Best Small Towns in America.” The focus was on charming towns of 25,000 or less that had “high concentrations of museums, historic sites, botanic gardens, resident orchestras, art galleries and other cultural assets common to big cities.” We're all that and more -- read on.

Paradise Valley

Paradise Valley is a little valley with a small creek running through it, just off the Red Cedar Trail near Menomonie. You can get to there by taking Highway 29 west out of Menomonie over the Red Cedar River and then take a left onto County Road P. Once you are on CR-P, take another left on to Paradise Valley Road. If you follow this road for about a mile you will come across a small bridge with a drive- off parking spot. Park here and then hike the small trail into the woods and down into Paradise Valley. You can climb up a small waterfall (Tripp Falls) or explore the general area, which includes another small basin with clear, cool water running through it. It’s a great spot to enjoy wading around and exploring.

Red Cedar State Trail

Close to campus and easily accessible, the Red Cedar State Trail is a great location for a bike ride, jog or walk. In the winter it's a favorite of cross country skiers. An annual trail pass is required. This 14.5-mile rail trail shadows the steep walls of the Red Cedar Valley from Menomonie to its connection with the Chippewa River State Trail.

Devil’s Punchbowl

For thousands of years the underground springs, melting snow and rain have percolated their way through the sandstone bluffs seeking the Red Cedar River. This natural canyon is illuminated on a sunny day and during the frozen winter months, icicles hang from its’ pitches. The punchbowl can be found on Paradise Valley Road (410th St.) (also Rustic Road #89).

Crystal Cave

There is so much to do when you come to visit: Gem panning, Hiking, Shopping and… oh yeah, discovering Wisconsin’s longest show cave! The hour long tour will take you more than 80 feet underground and show you amazing sights that nature never intended for humans to see

Dunn County Humane Society

Missing your pets back home? Volunteer at the humane society: a cheap, fun way to take a break from homework. The animals will appreciate it too.

The Lion’s Club Game Park

features elk, deer, reindeer, and bison located adjacent to Wakanda Park. The game park includes a 20 to 30 minutes self-guided nature walk and is free.

Disc Golf

Menomonie has three disc golf courses. An 18-hole disc golf course winds its way through Wakanda Park. The course is 5,425 feet long and is open year round.

Yeshuapolooza

This is an annual music festival held on the North Lawn of Johnson Fieldhouse. Admission is free. The event is typically held in September.

Professional Sporting Events

Minnesota's Twins, Wild, Timberwolves, Lynx and Vikings are all just a quick 90 minutes away from Menomonie. Minneapolis/St. Paul is one of the very few major sports markets to have all four major professional sports leagues available. Occasionally, groups will be organized to attend an event. If you are a sports fan, there is plenty available to you.

Action City

Mini golf, mini bowling, laser tag, go-carts, bumper cars, arcade, batting cages, climbing wall and other fun in nearby Eau Claire. 715-838-9663
 

Golf

Menomonie offers three courses for golfers:

• Menomonie Country Club » 715-235-3595
• Chippewa Valley Golf Club » 1-80-494-8987
• Pinewood Golf Course » 715-235-2900

Tube the Red Cedar River

Within walking distance from campus, Roscoe’s Red Cedar Outfitters rents tubes, kayaks and canoes. And they'll pick you up at the end. 715-235-3866

The Blind Munchies Coffeehouse

A great place to catch local and alternative national acts, as well as a great cup of coffee. The Blind Munchies Coffeehouse will also occasionally show classic B-movies and wireless internet access is available.

The Waterfront Bar & Grill

All you can eat wings on Wednesdays, a Friday fish fry and live music every Thursday night and occasional Saturdays. Enjoy your meal on the deck with a vista view of Lake Menomin.

Legacy Chocolates

Carefully handcrafted truffles from the finest Venezuelan cocoa bean. The truffles (in four levels of cocoa intensity) have been featured in Newsweek magazine and other media. Also serving lunch daily, and coffee and espresso.

Jeff's Pizza Shop 

...and that is all you need to know. Across the street from campus.
 

The Raw Deal 

A socially and eco-conscious business serving innovative cuisine from raw ingredients alone. Comfortable, "living room" feel — a great place to meet your friends. Check out the organic fruit smoothies. Located halfway between north campus and the main campus.

Acoustic Café 

On the corner of Broadway and Main Street across the street from campus. Live music, great coffee, soup and one of a kind hoagies. A popular meeting place and open mic every other Thursday.