Chris Walter

Walter grew up in Sunbury, Penn., where he started his wrestling career and graduated from the local high school. He then moved to the Midwest to wrestle for UW-Madison, where he wrestled for five years. Along with wrestling at UW-M, he received a degree in history.

“I came to UW-Platteville for a teaching degree, and to test the waters in the coaching department. I was the assistant coach for the wrestling team for one year, and then was promoted to head coach,” said Walter.

“I enjoy coaching at UW-P for one of the same reasons that most people like going to school here for, the close-knit community, where it is easy for everyone to get to know each other,” Walter said. “I like not just being confined to the wrestling department. I know teachers and staff from many departments on campus, and have gotten to know a lot of students, not just athletes.”

Walter has many hobbies outside of wrestling.

“I love reading, especially civil war books, since I was a history major,” Walter said. “When I want to sit and relax in front of the TV, I usually find an episode of “48 Hours,” or “Bones” to watch.”

“I also enjoy playing cards and most importantly, spending time with my boys. Cole is 7 years old, and Dain is 5 years old,” Walter said.

“I have a few career goals left I would like to accomplish, such as a WIAC Championship or a National Championship,” Walter said. “But the most important goal to me personally, is to be a better daddy to my boys.”

Tina Kuhle

“Growing up, I always knew that sports would play a role in my life, but I never knew I would get so lucky to be where I am today,” women’s basketball head coach Kuhle said. “I have fallen in love with the relationships built over the years coaching, and have established an amazing network of friends.”

Kuhle grew up on a small farm in Hazel Green, the youngest of 11 kids. She helped out her dad with the chores, while enjoying many games with the family on weekends. Sports was a major part of Kuhle’s family life which she took with her to college. Kuhle attended Southwestern High School, and went on to graduate from Clarke University with a major in biology and accounting.

“I was recruited to Clarke to play softball, and also joined the basketball team,” Kuhle said. “Immediately after graduation, I was named the head coach of the women’s softball team, and later the assistant head coach of the women’s basketball team.”

Kuhle didn’t always have a gameplan for her life, but she embraced the coaching jobs and quickly fell in love with it.

“I knew I wanted to have something to do with coaching, but I needed other career choices to fall back on, and lucky for me, my double major is helping me now in pursuing my masters degree,” said Kuhle. “It was really a perfect situation, all the pieces just fell into place.”

With her husband, two step-daughters, friends, family and her hobbies there is never a dull moment. She has a passion for landscaping and gardening around her house, playing golf with her friends or anything else she can do outdoors. Kuhle seems to have been destined to end up at UW-P, her favorite colors just happen to be blue and orange.

“I am a very lucky woman in so many ways. I have an amazing career, a great network of family and friends, and a husband who likes to cook,” said Kuhle.

Todd Riley, left, spoke on Oct. 28 for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

UW-Platteville physician Todd Riley spoke in the Women’s Center on Oct. 28 about breast cancer to help promote awareness during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.   He discussed what breast cancer is, risk factors, how to diagnose it and treatment options.

“Some of the risk factors include:  Sex, age, genetics, family history, previous radiation to the chest as a young woman and obesity,” Riley said. “If you are obese, losing weight is the most widely accepted way to reduce your risk for breast cancer.”

According to the American Cancer Society, there are 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer in 2009 alone, more than 40,000 deaths that are breast cancer related this year.

According to the American Cancer Society, “Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that starts from the cells of the breast.  There are a few different types of breast cancer:  Ductal carcinoma, lobular carcinoma, and invasive carcinoma.  Invasive ductal carcinoma makes up about 90 percent of all breast cancers.  Invasive means it has already grown beyond the cells that it started from.”

When we think of breast cancer, many of us think of discovering a lump on our breast.

“A lump is an extremely common way of detecting breast cancer, but most lumps are benign, meaning they are not cancerous,” Riley said. Other ways to detect breast cancer are mammograms or changes in your breast.  The size of your nipple, redness, a new dimple or a bloody discharge are common indicators that you should get it checked out.

“A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast that is usually discomforting for many women,” Riley said. “The X-ray is looking for calcium deposits that are either benign or malignant.”

Once you have identified that the breast cancer is malignant, there are different types of treatment you can undergo. Some of the treatments include a lumpectomy and a mastectomy.

“A lumpectomy removes the lump from the breast and a mastectomy removes the whole breast,” Riley said. “You have to be aware that even if you are diagnosed with the same type of breast cancer and in the same stage of breast cancer as someone else, it does not mean you will have the same treatment plan.  Every case of breast cancer is treated individually.”

If you are unsure of a lump or change that you may have, contact your doctor, even if you think it’s nothing. “According to the TNM staging system, there is a 100 percent five year survival rate,” Riley said.

To find out more on breast cancer, visit cancer.org.

Photograph by Jodi Krautkramer
UW-Platteville alumnus Lyle Novinski spoke on Sept. 15 about attending UW-P and his experiences in Korea during the Korean War.

Novinski has been in Platteville since July and spoke on Tuesday about his journey through school, his experience in the Korean conflict and how he became the artist he is today.

His education began at UW-P.

“When I came here, I was one of the students identified as an artist,” Novinski told listeners while sharing a story about drawing a simple picture of people.

Novinski’s education was interrupted by the Korean War, but immediately after returning from Korea, he resumed his education.  This is when Novinksi really became active in the art department.  He started by decorating backdrops for campus musicals and painting murals on the cafeteria walls.  He graduated from UW-P in 1956 and then went to UW-Madison for graduate school.  Novinski’s artwork became more serious, and he sold his first piece, a painting of violin for $25.

Novinski moved to Texas at the request of a friend and fellow classmate, in 1960, to be the head of the Art Department at a new Catholic University.  Novinski said he accomplished much in the 40 years he was at the university.

“He emphasizes that there are so many opportunities and many things a student can do in order to become an artist, and if they are open minded, there is so much an artist can do with their life,” Denee Hirsch, UW-P Foundation director of development, said.

“It was exciting and gratifying to hear about the career of a creative, talented and dynamic man whose first true exposure to the possibilities of art was the UW-P in the 1950s,” Linda James, art history professor, said.

Participants can take introductory classes that go over the basics of the Chinese language and culture, or in-depth classes strictly on the Mandarin language. In addition, classes on culture and etiquette will be offered, covering topics such as the proper way to pour tea and how to craft calligraphy.

The classes range in cost from $5 to $45, which includes any textbook needed for the class. Most of the classes will take place in Ullrich Hall, Doudna Hall or Royce Hall and do not count for university credit. Many of the classes will often meet the course requirements for a multicultural experience.

The two instructors of these classes are from the South Central University for Nationalities in Wuuhan, China.  They recently arrived in Platteville and have been spending their time getting acquainted with everyone on campus before the classes start. Potential students worried about the language difference may be relieved to know that both instructors speak English fluently.

Anyone interested in participating in the courses still has time to register. They can do so online or by calling Confucious Institute office assistant Nancy Hammermeister at 608-342-1310.