Memories of Jo Arney

In memory of

Jo Arney

Coon Valley, WI, USA

January 17, 1976 - November 19, 2020

Jan 17, 1976 - Nov 19, 2020

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Please consider a gift to University of Wisconsin La Crosse Foundation - Jo Arney Scholarship Fund.

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Charlene Kuenzi

Jo, It’s two years ago today that you left us. Sometimes it seems like just yesterday, even though I realize you’ve been gone two years. I think of you often and all that you meant to so many people. You had touched countless lives in your lifetime, and even after your death, you live through your good deeds. We miss you and love you always! R.I.P. Jo. Mom and Dad

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Comments:

Therese Shepard

This is beautiful. I miss her and think of her often. Sending love to you and the family. This is beautiful. I miss her and think of her often. Sending love to you and the family. This is beautiful. I miss her and think of her often.... Read more

Jerome Krase

2009, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, WY, USA

Jo was with me when I took this photo.

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Comments:

Jerome Krase

Jo and Julie and I got up early during our AASCU's Civic Engagement in Action's The Stewardship of Public... Read more Jo and Julie and I got up early during our AASCU's Civic Engagement in Action's The Stewardship of Public Lands Seminar. Everywhere... Read more Jo and Julie and I got up early during our AASCU's ... Read more

Please consider a gift to University of Wisconsin La Crosse Foundation - Jo Arney Scholarship Fund.

$634.11

Raised by 15 people

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Jason Barrett

We were so sorry to hear of Jo's passing and want to express our most sincere sympathies from the UW System Navigate project team. Jo was a highly valuable and respected member of the project community, and the effects of her passing are already being felt. On behalf of the UW System project team, please accept our deepest condolences. We know Jo made a difference at the institution, system and national levels. Her work will not soon be forgotten.
- Sue Buth, Jason Barrett, Angela Kellogg, Lixia Qin, Vivek Deshpande and Sandy Kallio

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Eugene Gauerke

Jo was the first and only bride, who after kissing her husband at the altar when they were married, stepped up and kissed me on the cheek. A mark of affection from a real lady. Pastor Gene

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Paige Navis

I am so sorry to hear of Jo's passing. I had the privilege of working with Jo as her UWL 100 TA while I was in grad school at UWL. Her passion for helping all students was so evident in everything she did and she had this ability to connect with her students so easily. I learned so much in the short time I worked with her. My deepest condolences to her family and friends.

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Betsy Morgan

Laura Weiser Erlandson

I was blessed to spend a week with Jo for the ADP seminar at Yellowstone in 2015. She was such an inspiration to the group, not just because of her knowledge, but her passion and enthusiasm was contagious! She always had a smile and a friendly hug. I am so sad to hear of her passing; the world lost a kind and compassionate woman. My sincere prayers for comfort and healing for her family and friends.

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Betsy Morgan

Thomas Harnisch

I am so sad to hear of Jo Arney's passing. I worked with her during her time at AASCU and always talked about Wisconsin, where we are both from. She was incredibly hard-working, focused on the needs of students, and a great colleague and friend. She was incredibly kind to others and fun to be around. She will be missed. -Tom Harnisch

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Charlene Kuenzi

Betsy Morgan

Tyler Burkart

2010, La Crosse, WI, USA

Throughout life, we all have a few special people that make a monumental impact on your life. For me, one of those people was Jo Arney. It was my sophomore year at UW-La Crosse. I was planning to be a mathematics major and was in the middle of my Calculus III exam. The exam was two hours and only three problems in length. I remember thinking, "is this what I really want to be doing for the rest of my life?" After the exam, I went back to my residence hall and started researching other majors at La Crosse. Hour two into my research I came upon Public Administration. I was a Political Science minor at the time, and I just finished Introduction to Public Administration taught by Jo Arney. It truly was my favorite class. Jo taught with so much passion and showed so many real life examples on how public administration can positively impact one's life. I was hooked. I switched my major to Public Administration and never looked back. Every semester I made an effort to sign up for at least one of Jo's classes because I enjoyed her so much. Her Environmental Policy class generated so many important learning moments and fun laughs along the way. Thanks to Jo, I was also able to do an environmental policy trip to Yellowstone after graduation with other classmates. To this day, the trip to Yellowstone is one of my favorite memories of my life. If it wasn't for Jo, I wouldn't have pursued a masters in public administration nor got into municipal management. She truly was the inspiration to me switching my career focus, and I am eternally grateful for her help. I remember days before graduating she mentioned in her class that the best gift you could give someone is your time. I have always remembered this life lesson, and even though I wish I connected more with Jo after graduating La Crosse, I will continue to devote my time in the public administration profession to her as a thank you. Thank you, Jo, for everything.

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Charlene Kuenzi

Betsy Morgan

Heidi Slettedahl

Jo was a wonderful colleague, a force of nature and a true believer in student success. Her work with AASCU and at UWL was second to none. She was a connector of people--when she found out we had a place in Fort Myers, she made sure we knew about a wonderful restaurant run by a friend of hers and Jeremy. (It was wonderful). She will be missed by anyone who had the great fortune to meet her. Sending love to Jeremy and her whole UWL family and beyond.

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Charlene Kuenzi

Betsy Morgan

Kathy Thoen

Shared a heart

Betsy Morgan

Karolyn Bald

Shared a heart

Charlene Kuenzi

Comments:

Karolyn Bald

Honestly, I am not even sure what memory to share because there were so many of them. She was the glue to... Read more Honestly, I am not even sure what memory to share because there were so many of them. She was the glue to our "UWL family" and... Read more Honestly, I am not even sure what memory to share because... Read more

Teri Hinds

Jo and I both "started" at UW-L, but it's not where we really got to know each other. She took a temporary position with AASCU in Washington, DC after I'd moved there and we were connected through mutual friends. We did not see each other anywhere near as often as I'd have liked, but we shared a love of data and student success, and eventually what started as a work friendship became more personal. She was quietly passionate but never failed to find ways and reasons to smile. Her laugh was gorgeous and infectious. I will miss her brilliance in every dimension, but am so, so fortunate to have known her.

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In response to "What did you learn from Jo?"

Betsy Morgan

Charlene Kuenzi

Kerry Kuenzi

2007

She was paired with my little brother in our wedding party. She convinced him there was a special dance with steps he had to do during the grand march. He practiced. He was on the cusp of doing it and she stopped it. But we had a good laugh about it.

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Teri Hinds

Charlene Kuenzi

Comments:

Charlene Kuenzi

I had forgotten all about this. Thanks for the laugh. I had forgotten all about this. Thanks for the laugh. I had forgotten all about this. Thanks for the laugh.... Read more

Betsy Morgan

2018, Onalaska, WI, USA

My mother calls Jo "Pie Girl" - I was going through Chemo and my mom was staying with us. Jo brought a handmade rhubarb delicious pie. When I told me mom that Jo was ill... she said Jo? I said "Pie Girl"... and then she understood the depth of my concern.

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Kerry Kuenzi

Teri Hinds

Karolyn Bald

Kathy Thoen

Charlene Kuenzi

Wendy Brooke

Though I did not know Jo very long or very well, our lives touched as we were "roommates" on a trip to Argentina evaluating study abroad resources there. We had a blast, and she told me of her work in the wilderness.... RIP Jo and solace to your family.

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In response to "What act of kindness did you witness from Jo?"

Betsy Morgan

Kerry Kuenzi

Karolyn Bald

Charlene Kuenzi

Betsy Morgan

2020, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, State Street, La Crosse, WI, USA

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Jo was passionate about many things; she called herself a person of many hats.

Student Success
To honor Jo and recognize all of the hard work she has done, a scholarship fund has been set up in her name at UW La Crosse. The
Jo was an advocate for all students and she advocated for them especially those that have been historically excluded from higher education. As she would tell me all the time, if we accept students into our institution, we have the responsibility to help them be successful. She firmly believed that all students could succeed; some just needed more support in the new environment of college. She was a proponent of higher education, believing that it had the power to transform students’ lives and, in turn, impact the communities in which our students live. Jo’s own education path included being a first generation student earning an undergraduate degree from UW Steven’s Point, a MA in Philosophy from Colorado State University, and a PhD in Public Affairs from the University of Colorado, Denver in 2007.

From 2016-2018, Jo was on leave from her faculty position as an Associate Professor in Political Science/Public Administration at UW La Crosse to direct the the Re-Imagining the First Year (RFY) initiative at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). On the RFY initiative, Jo worked with a coalition of 44 colleges and universities across the country to institute leading practices in student success, particularly those aimed at first-year students. When she returned to UWL, she moved from her faculty position to be Director of Student Success.

While she loved all campuses that she worked with, no school perhaps is held in her heart higher than UWL. Her and her husband, Jeremy Arney, have shared many stories of the transformative experiences they have had while working with students there and she is and will be honored to continue for her legacy to be continued there.

Yellowstone and Land Stewardship

Yellowstone has also captured Jo's heart. She worked with AASCU as a faculty curator on their stewardship of public land course which introduced participants to some of the policy questions surrounding who should control or influence public land in the West.

In 2015, she published her book Wilderness and the Common Good: A New Ethic of Citizenship that discussed how true and lasting protection for wilderness will be borne out of a shared understanding of how protected wilderness areas enriches all of our lives.

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