About COLS

UW-Stevens Point College of Letters and Science
2101 Fourth Avenue
Stevens Point, WI 54481

Phone: 715-346-4224
Email: cols@uwsp.edu

Campus Map

The College of Letters and Science office is located in the Haeni Chemistry Biology Building, number 44 on the Campus Map. The closest space for parking is Lot T, between Reserve Street and Fourth Avenue.

Our Mission and Vision

Mission: The College of Letters and Science is dedicated to providing students high-impact learning experiences across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences that create thinkers, collaborators, leaders, and innovators. The college nurtures intellectual growth, personal well-being, sustainable development, and lifelong learning.

Vision: The College of Letters and Science cultivates an inclusive community empowered to thrive in a dynamic and diverse world.

Quick Facts

About COLS Students

  • Dean’s Distinguished Achievement Award certificates for semester honors are given to all majors in the College of Letters and Science who complete at least 12 credits in any semester with a grade point average of 3.76 or above.
  • Most students are from Wisconsin, Minnesota and other midwestern states. However, we have students currently enrolled from states as far away as Hawaii and Alaska.
  • Since 2019, more than 270 students with majors or minors in the College of Letters and Science have traveled abroad and learned about other cultures as part of their undergraduate education. Biology majors and minors may study in Australia and Costa Rica. Students in our History of Psychology program travel to Europe in the summer. Majors and minors in World Languages traveled to Caen, France, Marburg, Germany, Oaxaca, Mexico, and Valladolid, Spain. Student may earn up to 15 credits while enrolled at the University of Szeged in Hungary, taking courses in history, political science, and literature offered in English. Finally, there are a variety of internships for-credit in London.
  • The Olson Museum of Natural History’s teaching collections are used by 1,350 students yearly in over 20 courses. UWSP’s ethnographic and natural science research collections total more than 450,000 artifacts. We welcome more than 20,000 annual visitors!

About COLS Staff

  • The Department of English, our largest in COLS, includes 27 instructional staff.
  • UWSP has a 1 to 20 average Faculty to Student ratio.
  • COLS includes 184 full-time and part-time faculty and academic staff. There are 36 total instructional staff in the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences, 40 in the School of Biology, Chemistry, and Biochemistry, 61 in the School of Humanities and Global Studies, and 51 in the School of Mathematics, Computing, Physics, and Astronomy.

COLS Historical Milestones

1951- Warren G. Jenkins named first dean of the College of Letters and Science

1963 – Science Building opened, constructed for $2 million.

1966 – Majors added in philosophy, psychology, and Spanish

1969 – International Programs office opened.

1970 – Reorganization and existing four colleges named. S. Joseph Woodka, previous chair in Department of Political Science, named dean after Jenkins’ retirement. Albertson Learning Resources Center opened including University Library and Museum of Natural History.

Historical photo of Science Building opened in 1963.

1980 – Math professor Howard Thoyre named third COLS dean after serving as assistant dean. Served twice as interim chancellor, in 1989 and 1995.

1986 – History professor Justus Paul named fourth COLS dean. Experienced peak enrollment of 9,555.

2009 – Professor Christopher Cirmo named sixth COLS dean. Cirmo launched a civil discourse initiative, a number of degree programs, and was involved in planning for the 2018 opening of the Chemistry Biology Building.

2017 – Professor Eric Yonke, history, named interim COLS dean. He served as study abroad director and created the peace studies minor.

Dean Joshua Hagen stands near graduating student holding up UWSP diploma.
2020 – Dr. Joshua Hagen, former dean at Northern State University, named eighth dean of the College of Letters and Science.

2020 – Reorganization for UWSP colleges. Thirteen departments in COLS organized into four schools: School of Behavioral and Social Sciences; School of Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry; School of Humanities and Global Studies; and School of Mathematics, Computing, Physics and Astronomy.

2024 –

2025 – Naming of Haeni Chemistry Biology Building in honor of alumni Frank and Kathleen Haeni, ’70.

Source- “The World is Ours: A History of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point”

Distinguished Alumni

  • Joseph Beck (Education in 1900), U.S. Congressman, International Association of Bureau of Labor Officials
  • Paul Collins (’12) pilot and Northeast Airlines president
  • C. Joseph Nuesse (History ’34), author and college dean
  • Reuben Belongia (’40) U.S. Air Force meterologist, UW-Eau Claire mathematics professor
  • Leslie Trowbridge (Education ’40), University of Northern Colorado professor
  • Marjorie Warner (’40) Alumni Association president, library director/historian
  • Art Pejsa (Mathematics ’47) U.S. Naval Academy professor of physics and mathematics, Apollo vehicle control systems designer
  • Robert Summerfelt (Biology ’53) Iowa State University, Department of Biology professor and chair
  • Frederick “Fritz” Wenzel (Chemistry ’56) Executive Director of Marshfield Clinic, Health Care UST MBA
  • William A. Bablitch (’60) Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice, Wisconsin State Senate from 1972-83. Served as the Democratic Majority Leader.
  • Franz Camenzind (Biology ’66), researcher, wildlife cinematographer
  • Patrick Fortune (Chemistry, Math minor, ’69), senior advisor at Innovation Partners Healthcare
  • Mary Markham Williams (English Teaching ’72) special assistant to UWSP Chancellor
  • Alexa Posny (Sociology & Psychology ’74) Education consultant, previously worked for U.S. Department of Education
  • Wendy Kohrt (Mathematics & Physical Education ’77) professor at the Department of Medicine at University of Colorado
  • Tom Gustafson (Biology & Chemistry ’81) physiologist, pharmacologist and biotechnology executive
  • Dr. Anthony Ogundipe, M.D. (Biology ’82), neonatology specialist
  • Michael Pucci (Biology & Natural Resources ’82) pharmaceutical sales, Oliventures Inc. CEO
  • Lt. General Scott Berrier (History ’84) U.S. Army military intelligence officer
  • Russell Wilke, M.D., Ph.D. (Chemistry minor, Soil Science major ’87) medical researcher, medical school administrator
  • Ron Breaker (Chemistry ’87), Yale University researcher
  • Chad Felch (Chemistry ’95), Technology and Innovation Manager, Siemens Energy
  • Corey Jaskolski (Mathematics & Physics ’00) Founder and CEO Synthetaic, AI designer
  • Patrick Rothfuss (English ’00) Author of fantasy novels
  • Dr. Jonathan Schiller, M.D. (Biology major, Chemistry minor ’02), Emergency Medicine and Urgent Care, Marshfield Clinic
  • Jon Greendeer (Political Science ’02) Ho-Chunk Nation Heritage Preservation, executive dir.
  • Moua Yang (Biology ’12) University of Washington School of Medicine, Assistant Professor of Medicine