Blugold Dining Awards $5K in New Scholarships, $500 in Food to 4 UWEC Students

Blugold Dining has awarded newly created scholarships to two of its student employees at UWEC, each in the amount of $2,500, and Blugold Dining also has awarded two other student workers with $250 apiece in food.

Ali Betz and Courtney Weihing netted $2,500 apiece as the inaguaral recipients of Blugold Dining’s scholarships, now presented annually to two UWEC students. Dier Pulatov and Thao Tran each received a $250 Blugold Dining gift card as runner-ups. Thirty applicants were evaluated based on their contributions to Blugold Dining and the campus community; their GPA, work experience, extracurricular activities and community service; and essays on their personal goals and the importance of food in campus life.

A junior theater major, Betz, of Verona, has worked at Marketplace at Davies Center for three years, taking orders and preparing food at numerous stations. She carries a 3.2 GPA. “Each day, I make sure to be at my best and make sure that each customer has the best experience they can have,” said Betz, who aspires to become an actress and eventually a teacher. “I work my absolute hardest at all times and make sure each customer gets the care and attention they deserve.”

In three years with Blugold Dining, Weihing, a junior biology major from Seymour, has been a regular face at Riverview Cafe at the Hilltop Center. As a student manager, Weihing helps with the production of food, the opening and closing of the cafeteria and the hiring of student staff. She has a 3.4 GPA. Working for Blugold Dining “has not only shaped me as a driven individual, but it has taught me about having responsibilities other than my own,” said Weihing, who wants to become a physician’s assistant in pediatric oncology. “I have demonstrated a will to work and the ability to continually take on more responsibility.”

From Uzbekistan, Pulatov, a finance junior with a 3.7 GPA, has worked as a Blugold Dining cashier for two years. He also fundraises for the university, securing more than $11,000 in donations from alumni. “Coming from a different country, Sodexo was my first friend on campus,” Pulatov said. “I decided to join the dining team to get exposed to various aspects of university life. I made so many friends just by talking to my colleagues and customers. I truly enjoy my work and delivering excellent service on campus.”

A senior business finance major, Tran, from Vietnam, has worked the past three years at The Dulany Inn at Davies Center and as a catering student manager. Tran regularly interacts with customers, providing information, offering suggestions and answering questions. She boasts a 3.8 GPA. “I have worked hard to make a positive difference in the dining experience and customer service,” said Tran, who wants to become a statistician. “Food plays an important role in the academic performance of students and in campus life.”