This Spotlight series recognizes a student’s academic achievements and personal story. Students are nominated for this spotlight by faculty and staff.

Name: Taisto V. Oney
Age: 21
Hometown: Appleton
Career program/major: Political Science
High School Attended: Kimberly High School

UW-Fox Valley student clubs/organizations: UW-Fox Valley Student Government Association (President) and Political Science Club of UW-Fox Valley (Chief of Staff)

What led you to choose your program or major?

I joined Student Government Association during our freshman orientation on campus. After falling in love with the organization and what we do, I decided to take a political science course. I was so intrigued with the topic. Professor Waller was so passionate about the content, and I just knew this was what I wanted to study.

Why did you decide to become a student at UW-Fox Valley?

After taking two years off between high school and college, due to not knowing what I wanted to do, I decided to enter higher education at UW-Fox Valley. I knew that at some point I would pursue a degree in higher education, but as I had been out of school for a while, I wanted to start small.

Is there a professor or staff member at UW-Fox Valley who made a difference in your life or inspired you?

The number one person who comes to mind is Professor George Waller. I would not be where I am now without his passion for political science and his work in campus shared governance. He has been an incredible guide and mentor, not only for my degree, but also for my work in shared governance.

What is one piece of advice you would give to an incoming UW-Fox Valley student?

Work in small, achievable goals. Keep track of all your assignments, and focus on the small, quicker tasks first. When you get to the larger assignments, like papers, you will feel much more confident in completing them without the weight of all the other tasks looming over you.

Describe something unexpected that happened here at UW-Fox Valley.

I think the most unexpected thing was getting deep into the work of student government. I was never really involved at my high school, and going into college, I always heard about how important it is to get involved to have a more successful experience. I never really knew how true that was until I had an active presence in the organization. It has been a part of my college experience as much as my academics.

When not in class or studying, what keeps you busy?

Student government work is the big one. If I’m not in class, I’m still on campus in meetings with other shared governance members or working with students. When I’m not doing that, I’m usually playing games with friends, either board games or video games.

What are your plans after UW-Fox Valley?

My first choice is to get a bachelor of arts in government at Lawrence University. Lawrence has been a large part of my family, with most of my aunts and uncles graduating from there; I would like to follow in their footsteps, and carry on a relatively small, and new legacy of Lawrence alums.

UW-Fox Valley is a campus of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. Learn more about the student life on our campus and the options for beginning one of more than 200 majors at UW-Fox Valley. Call (920) 832-2620 to schedule an appointment with an adviser.