{"id":10572,"date":"2024-02-20T09:18:06","date_gmt":"2024-02-20T15:18:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin-new\/?post_type=campus_story&p=10572"},"modified":"2024-02-20T09:18:06","modified_gmt":"2024-02-20T15:18:06","slug":"tumbarello-recognized-as-uw-whitewater-housing-keeps-students-feeling-at-home","status":"publish","type":"campus_story","link":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/story\/tumbarello-recognized-as-uw-whitewater-housing-keeps-students-feeling-at-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Tumbarello recognized as UW-Whitewater housing keeps students feeling at home"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Photo<\/a>
Terry Tumbarello, director of University Housing, is shown is shown in the sixth floor lobby of Ma’iingan Hall with Goodhue Hall and Wells East and West residence halls in the background. Tumbarello is the recipient of the William B. Sweet Distinguished Service Award presented by the Upper Midwest Region of the Association of College and University Housing Officers. (UW-Whitewater photo\/Craig Schreiner)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Terry Tumbarello\u2019s typical day at the office is often atypical to any other day he\u2019s had in his 26 years on the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus.<\/p>\n

On a November morning following the Thanksgiving break, his meeting topics included esports, university dining, budget, and a discussion with a student about the heating in their residence hall room.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn any given week, you could look at my calendar, and I think you\u2019d be shocked at the types of meetings I have,\u201d said Tumbarello, who is in his second year as executive director of\u00a0University Housing<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery day is different, and I love that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thanks to his knack for tackling a vast array of situations and challenges, coupled with his ability to lead a department that continues to evolve to meet student needs, Tumbarello earned one of the highest honors given to housing and residence life professionals in higher education.<\/p>\n

In November, he was announced as winner of the William B. Sweet Distinguished Service Award from the\u00a0Upper Midwest Region-Association of College and University Housing Officers<\/a>\u00a0(UMR-ACUHO) at the organization\u2019s annual conference. The Upper Midwest Region includes Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and the Canadian province of Manitoba.<\/p>\n

\"Terry<\/p>\n

Pictured, right: Terry Tumbarello, executive director of University Housing, is the recipient of the William B. Sweet Distinguished Service Award presented by the Upper Midwest Region of the Association of College and University Housing Officers. He is shown at Ma’iingan Hall on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023. (UW-Whitewater photo\/Craig Schreiner)<\/em><\/p>\n

The organization\u2019s most prestigious honor, the award is given to an individual who represents a standard of excellence through contributions and dedication to the regional and international housing association and profession. The winner\u2019s service should leave a positive and lasting impact, and they should be viewed as a role model for colleagues and new professionals.<\/p>\n

Tumbarello received nominations from four different people on four different campuses in three different states, including former UW-Whitewater colleague Greg Thompson, who now works as director of residence education at the University of Iowa.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s humbling and flattering \u2014 a tremendous honor,\u201d Tumbarello said. \u201cI was thrilled that it was done at the conference when I could have some of our staff present.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thompson met Tumbarello at a UMR-ACUHO conference and worked with him as a coordinator for leadership and academic initiatives at UW-Whitewater during the 2006-07 academic year.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I reflect on the legacy of Bill Sweet, and the intent of this prestigious award, I can think of no one more deserving than Terry,\u201d Thompson wrote in the nomination. \u201cHe has dedicated his life, his passion and his time to the advancement of housing as a professional field.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Housing that supports academic success and personal growth<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Terry
Terry Tumbarello, then the director of Residence Life, participated in a LEAP conference with students and staff on Jan. 10, 2019. (UW-Whitewater photo\/Craig Schreiner)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

As executive director, Tumbarello\u2019s main responsibilities include planning and directing the administrative operation, financial affairs, and programmatic aspects of University Housing, including room assignments, support services, staffing and training, educational programming, facility renovation, policy\/procedure development, and central office management team supervision. Tumbarello is no stranger to university leadership positions \u2014 he served as interim dean of students in 2015-16.<\/p>\n

While the upkeep, maintenance and renovation of each residence hall remains a priority, University Housing supports student success on a day-to-day basis through a robust slate of programming.<\/p>\n

Tumbarello and his team oversee UW-Whitewater\u2019s\u00a0Boxes and Walls<\/a>\u00a0program, an interactive diversity experience created for the campus community that encourages people to think outside of the box by throwing away stereotypes and tearing down walls of oppression.\u00a0Boxes and Walls was recognized in 2020<\/a>\u00a0by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) with the Region IV Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Award.<\/p>\n

The 2023 programming, which was held Oct. 15-19 at Esker Hall, showcased Black, LGBTQ+, mental health, physical disability and LatinX experiences. Each experience was designed to allow participants to feel and\/or sense what life is like from those various diverse perspectives.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt continues to evolve every year to meet the needs of students,\u201d Tumbarello said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"People
Learning community members and advisors are introduced at halftime of the Warhawks\u2019 football game against UW-Stout on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2023. (UW-Whitewater photo\/Craig Schreiner)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

UW-Whitewater\u2019s\u00a0Learning Community program<\/a>, a collaboration among University Housing, the\u00a0First Year Experience<\/a>\u00a0office and several academic programs, invites first-year students to live and study with peers who share similar interests and includes 17 communities in 2023-24.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a tremendous experience for those students,\u201d Tumbarello said of the program.<\/p>\n

The Learning Community concept was also recently developed for students who are enrolled at\u00a0UW-Whitewater at Rock County<\/a>\u00a0and living in the residence halls on the Whitewater campus.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost years we have anywhere from 100 to 115 students from Rock,\u201d Tumbarello said. \u201cThis year, for the first year ever, we created a special living option for those students to live together in a particular residence hall so we could put targeted programming and support services to better meet their needs.\u201d<\/p>\n

University Housing also supports academic success center programming in Wells Hall, where more than 1,200 students live;\u00a0Jitters<\/a>, a coffee house run by student volunteers that\u2019s open 5-6 nights per week; and the campus\u2019s recently-launched\u00a0esports studio<\/a>, which is located in Wells and is also supported by the university\u2019s\u00a0Center for Inclusive Transition, Education, and Employent<\/a>\u00a0(CITEE).<\/p>\n

According to recent surveys, residents are consistently satisfied with their on-campus housing experience at UW-Whitewater. University Housing rated highly when compared to its peer institutions, and residents were particularly satisfied with the department\u2019s ability to:<\/p>\n