Inspiring Graduate: Rosey Silvano (’25)
- Hometown: Blaine, Minnesota
- Degree: B.S. Business Administration
- Minor: Human Resource Management
Rosey Silvano first visited UW-Stout on a campus tour during her junior year in high school. She had tagged along on her older sister’s tour of the university. Other schools closer to home felt too big for her and the campus atmospheres didn't feel right.
“I felt very comfortable at UW-Stout during the tour, and from that day, I decided Stout was the school for me. I really loved how small the school is and it is easy to navigate,” Silvano said. “Bonus was that my sister was attending the school as well.”
For her leadership on campus, Silvano was awarded the Samuel E. Wood Medallion, the highest nonacademic award for students at UW-Stout. Less than 1% of full-time students receive the award.
Silvano, of Blaine, Minnesota, is a first-generation student and the youngest in her family to graduate from a university. She earned her bachelor’s in business administration on May 10, along with 1,174 UW-Stout graduates.
“It means a lot to my family,” she said.
Silvano plans on gaining more experience working for an event planning and coordination company and will begin to build her own event planning company for birthdays, graduation parties, and small-scale weddings and gatherings.
“I hope to show people that success comes from believing in yourself and doing what you can to succeed. I want people to learn from me and apply what they have learned to benefit themselves,” she said.
How has UW-Stout prepared you to work in your field?
My favorite course was my entrepreneurship capstone. I got to make a company from scratch and test my management skills. We also got a chance to get some insight from business professionals about owning a business and how to be successful, which was such a delight.
Stout’s internship requirement to graduate has really helped me. Now that I have my internship experience, I am more likely to land a job I enjoy. It is great to have a school that does this because it prepares us for what we want to do for a career.
I was a design and sales intern at Festivities, an event rental company. I worked in the main office with the sales team and made sales for our equipment and also stepped out in the field to set up all kinds of events. I really enjoyed working there because of the experiences that taught me about management roles and what I would potentially be doing when I own my own business.
How did your involvement on campus impact your experience?
My involvement played a huge role in my college experience. I got to learn and grow as an individual and a leader. I got me to step out of my comfort zone and take risks. I have become a very confident individual and with the involvement I have been a part of, I can say it has prepared me for the future outside of college.
The relationships I have built here - getting the chance to be a part of a community are memories that stand out to me.
I was a part of Black Student Union and was the event coordinator in my sophomore year. I was part of Igniting Campus Engagement, Leaders Igniting Transformation, and I was the founder and president of A1 Dance. I was also a tour guide for three years, a resident advisor for two years, a project assistant for University Housing, and volunteered for Helping Hand Food+ Pantry and Dunn County Humane Society.
I received the Carl and Laura Seitz Endowed Business Administration Scholarship and Steve C. Olmstead Endowed Memorial Scholarship. I have been awarded the Individual Excellence in Leadership Award from Multicultural Student Services and the Samuel E. Wood Medallion Award.
What challenges did you face in earning your degree and how did you overcome them?
I had the common challenges of being overwhelmed with the workload and assignment confusions. I did have times when classes were frustrating for me, and I would be stressed about not knowing the curriculum.
I have learned to ask for help when I am struggling. Having professors to speak to personally and get the help I needed has been a tremendous help.
What are you most proud of as you finish your degree?
I’m proud to have stuck it out through college and be my own person. I have always followed in my sister’s footsteps and was contemplating if I should leave Stout when she left her sophomore year. But I decided to stay because I liked this school and wanted to see my journey through.
