For the Gazette

STEVENS POINT – Students at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point have been honored for achievement and excellence in their field of study.

Tommy G. Thompson Leadership Scholarship

Roy Thorson, Wausau, a business administration major with minors in political science, law and policy and music, won the 2023 Tommy G. Thompson Leadership Scholarship.

The award is given to a student at each UW System campus annually.

As part of the award, Thorson attended an event Jan. 18 at the Thompson Center on Public Leadership in Madison.

In his application, Thorson highlighted his years as president of the Pointers Vote Coalition, which spreads awareness on the importance of participation in local, state and national politics.

He will graduate this May then pursue his master of business administration at UW-Stevens Point.

ROTC Northwoods Battalion

The ROTC Northwoods Battalion at UW-Stevens Point was ranked 15th out of 274 in the nation for their Order of Merit score.

This ranks ROTC cadets on academics, physical abilities and university athletics participation, campus leadership evaluations, summer training and extracurricular activities.

“Our cadets have performed exceptionally well this last year and rank among the finest in the nation. It is a real testament to their dedication and perseverance both on and off campus,” said LTC Dax Burroughs, chair of the Military Science Department.

UW-Stevens Point Collegiate Soils Team

The UW-Stevens Point Collegiate Soils Team took third place in the 65th annual Region 3 Collegiate Soils Contest.

Sixty-eight students on seven teams from Midwestern universities competed at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

By placing among the top three teams, UW-Stevens Point qualifies for the National Collegiate Soils Contest to be held in spring 2023 in Oklahoma.

The team is coached by Bryant Scharenbroch, professor of soil and waste resources.

Competition involves an intensive field study of soils and landscapes and culminates in individual and group contests on ability to accurately describe soil and landscape features and classify soil taxonomy.

The contestants also determine limitations of the soil for specific land uses, such as building sites, roads and septic systems based on soil properties, and indicate if the soil meets the criteria of hydric soil for wetland determinations.