Winona State University's Newspaper since 1919

The Winonan
Signs scattered across campus encourage students to vote right in Kryzsko Commons.
Election Day 2024: College in the Midst of Election Season
Often on Winona State University’s campus students who need an accessibility accommodations are met with roadblocks. One of the most common is the accessible door open buttons not working.
Accessibility or Unacceptability: How Accessible is Winona State?
A campus flourishing with flora, Winona State has been deemed one of the greenest colleges in the nation.
Winona State Named One of the Nations Greenest Colleges
Dr. Kenneth Janz is all smiles as he celebrates his official inauguration as the 16th President of Winona State University.
Dr. Kenneth Janz as President of Winona State
Dr. Heidi Morrison’s Book Talk: “Lived Resistance Against the War on Palestinian Children”
The Warriors attempt to defend the harsh hits by the Mankato Mavericks.
Winona State Women’s Volleyball Falls to Minnesota State, Mankato
The Winona State football team displays their solid defense at the end zone.
Winona State vs. Bemidji State: The Football Experience
In a doubles match, the Warriors put their all in to achieve a win.
Women’s Tennis Completes Successful Fall Pre-Season
The Warriors display their play-to-win attitude against Concordia University.
Winning Streak Ends for the Warrior Women’s Volleyball Team
Warrior Chloe Turner (#5) battles against an opposing player for the ball, a display of the teams desire to play to win.
Winona State Women’s Soccer Takes Another Win on Alumni Day
Often on Winona State University’s campus students who need an accessibility accommodations are met with roadblocks. One of the most common is the accessible door open buttons not working.
Accessibility or Unacceptability: How Accessible is Winona State?
A campus flourishing with flora, Winona State has been deemed one of the greenest colleges in the nation.
Winona State Named One of the Nations Greenest Colleges
Dr. Kenneth Janz is all smiles as he celebrates his official inauguration as the 16th President of Winona State University.
Dr. Kenneth Janz as President of Winona State
Student actors provide spooky scenes for those moving through the haunted floor event.
Prentiss-Lucas Hall Hosts a Spooky Haunted Floor for Halloween
“Many of our LGBTQIA+ students and staff do face discrimination on campus, and with continued attacks on LGBTQIA+ people, our campus has the opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to marginalized students by updating Title IX polices to reflect the updated rules.”
Title IX: Are LGBTQ+ Students Truly Protected at WSU?
To submit a 'Letter to the Editor' please email winonan@go.winona.edu.
Letter to the Editor: A Call for the Removal of the Somsen Hall Mural
To submit a 'Letter to the Editor' please email winonan@go.winona.edu.
Letter to the Editor: Student Organizing: Why the restrictions?
To submit a 'Letter to the Editor' please email winonan@go.winona.edu.
Letter to the Editor: Crisis Pregnancy Centers
Building in Winona.
Staying in Winona – an Opinion Piece
The Poll: How do you feel about the current immigration process?
The Poll: How do you feel about the current immigration process?
To submit a 'Letter to the Editor' please email winonan@go.winona.edu.
Letter to the Editor: A Call for the Removal of the Somsen Hall Mural
To submit a 'Letter to the Editor' please email winonan@go.winona.edu.
Letter to the Editor: Student Organizing: Why the restrictions?
To submit a 'Letter to the Editor' please email winonan@go.winona.edu.
Letter to the Editor: Crisis Pregnancy Centers
The Poll: What does Martin Luther King Jr. Day mean to you?
Smiling brightly, Joe Eichele says goodbye to The Winonan.
Editor Farewell: Joe Eichele
September 9th, 2023, Jacob Gifford poses on his favorite throne in Stark Hall reading the last edition of The Winonan. Gifford has a true sense of appreciation for where he chooses to relive himself while on campus. Read to find the hot spots on campus where you should try next time you need to go.
Shine or Stink: Ranking WSU bathrooms
TV Review: “Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”
TV Review: “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”
Amala Ekpunobi, a speaker from PragerU. She returns again to Winona State University on Oct. 14 after speaking at the campus last year.
Letter to the editor: statement on Ekpunobi event
Letter to the editor
Letter to the editor
Remembering Chadwick Boseman
Remembering Chadwick Boseman
"We Live in Time” starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh, is the new romance film of the year.
Film Review: “We Live in a Time”
More Than Just Posters: “Get Out and Vote” Student Poster Event
Elizabeth "Lyz" Jaakola shares her cultural music with different instruments and song.
International Music Series: Exchanging Culture
“Chromakopia” the 8th album from Tyler the Creator received public and critical acclaim.
Music Review: Tyler, The Creator – Chromakopia
Dr. Alan Dunbar performs passionately for a captive audience at the Faculty Recital.
Story Telling Through Music: Faculty Recital with Alan Dunbar
More Than Just Posters: “Get Out and Vote” Student Poster Event
Elizabeth "Lyz" Jaakola shares her cultural music with different instruments and song.
International Music Series: Exchanging Culture
Dr. Alan Dunbar performs passionately for a captive audience at the Faculty Recital.
Story Telling Through Music: Faculty Recital with Alan Dunbar
The cast of Elephant and Piggie's "We Are in a Play!" shows off their skills on the stage.
Children’s Show Elephant and Piggie’s “We Are in a Play!” Rocks the Stage
Sanorah Goldoff, an actress and the producer of this production of "Alabaster," poses as her character, June, during a live performance. Photo Contributed by the WSU Theater Department.
“Alabaster:” Performing the Art of Healing
"We Live in Time” starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh, is the new romance film of the year.
Film Review: “We Live in a Time”
Elizabeth "Lyz" Jaakola shares her cultural music with different instruments and song.
International Music Series: Exchanging Culture
“Chromakopia” the 8th album from Tyler the Creator received public and critical acclaim.
Music Review: Tyler, The Creator – Chromakopia
Dr. Alan Dunbar performs passionately for a captive audience at the Faculty Recital.
Story Telling Through Music: Faculty Recital with Alan Dunbar
“Late night with the devil” is now available on Hulu, and it is a great movie for this Halloween season.
“Late Night with the Devil” and Commentary on AI in the Film Industry
Often on Winona State University’s campus students who need an accessibility accommodations are met with roadblocks. One of the most common is the accessible door open buttons not working.
Accessibility or Unacceptability: How Accessible is Winona State?
Dr. Kenneth Janz is all smiles as he celebrates his official inauguration as the 16th President of Winona State University.
Dr. Kenneth Janz as President of Winona State
As peers wrote words of encouragement on brightly colored post-it notes, they connected with others through their shared experiences.
A Tribute to Transfer Students
An Open Letter to Winona State University
For commuters, long drives and limited parking may inhibit their abilities to feel like an active student on the WSU campus. Sarnia St. provides some parking for students living in East Lake when the lot is full or if they do not have a parking pass.
Commuter Students Navigate Their Spot On Campus
The Warrior Cupboard booth, set up at the Warrior Game Day Experience, collects donations to fill the Cupboard.
Warrior Cupboard: Preventing Food Insecurity on Campus
“It's been very rewarding for all of us as a dining team to get such positive feedback so early in the school year. It really motivates us and it motivates our team too. We're just feeding off of what the students have been telling us," Tracy Jaquette said.
Changes to Dining on Campus: More Than Just Food
The Winona State University International Club and International Student & Scholar Services teamed up to host a celebration of culture. Pictured above is Yujiro Nakano, a kendama World Cup champion. Nakano is one of many international students who performed for the audience.
Annual International Night: Crossroads of Culture
On Wednesday Nov. 2, International Student Services hosted an international coffee hour in Gildemeister Hall. This event is typically held on the first Wednesday of each month. The events offer a chance for students to interact with other students from around the world in an educationally-focused environment. Depending on what the students decide, the events can range from very casual to quite organized.
Photo Story: International Coffee Hour
R.I.C.E. Club was formed to focus on forming bonds between people. R.I.C.E. stands for Racial Integra- tion and Cultural Enrichment.
New R.I.C.E. club promotes diversity and inclusivity
“Many of our LGBTQIA+ students and staff do face discrimination on campus, and with continued attacks on LGBTQIA+ people, our campus has the opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to marginalized students by updating Title IX polices to reflect the updated rules.”
Title IX: Are LGBTQ+ Students Truly Protected at WSU?
The Warrior Cupboard booth, set up at the Warrior Game Day Experience, collects donations to fill the Cupboard.
Warrior Cupboard: Preventing Food Insecurity on Campus
Winona State nursing students provide other students an easy opportunity to receive their vaccinations right on campus.
Pop-Up Flu Shot Clinics Provide Students Opportunities for Easy Vaccination
The “Freshman 15” is often used as a scare tactic for incoming college freshmen because of the normal bodily shifts and changes that occur during this time. How much is this affecting students?
The Freshman 15 – Factual or Fatphobia?
During Thursday night on Oct. 24., the amount of rain was so drastic, an email was sent out to students about relocating their cars in the gravel lot due to ankle high rain fall. Students stood outside of the Quad and Prentiss- Lucas hoping to get soaked from cars passing by. The next day, the volleyball courts in front of PL are proof of that. Students have called it the ‘PL Pool”.
Weather Trouble – Flooding in Prentiss-Lucas on Oct. 24
Winona State University's Newspaper since 1919

The Winonan
Winona State University's Newspaper since 1919

The Winonan
Olivia Prondzinski

Olivia Prondzinski, News Reporter

Olivia Prondzinski (she/her/hers) is a news reporter for The Winonan as of spring 2022. Prondzinski is a fourth-year mass communication student at Winona State majoring in journalism and minoring in advertising.

Besides her duties at The Winonan, Prondzinski is the director of sports broadcasting at a local TV station and a barista at a local coffee shop. After graduation, Prondzinski hopes to move to the Minneapolis/Saint Paul or Chicago area to continue her passion for broadcast journalism.

Prondzinski is originally from Kenosha, Wis. and attended a mass communication academy for high school, where she first found her passion for journalism. In her free time, Prondzinski enjoys spending time with friends and thrift shopping.

All content by Olivia Prondzinski
Najib Azad was the former spokesperson of for the last President of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani. He has also written a book about the fall of Afghanistan, “Beyond Evacuation: From the Himalayas to the Statue of Liberty”. Najib spoke about his experiences in Afghanistan and educated Winona State that its citizens are more than what news and media portray.

Winona State Hosts Najib Azad for Global Education Week

Olivia Prondzinski, News Reporter
November 30, 2022
Dr. Kimberly Blaeser, an Anishinaabe poet, read a selection of poems from her book, “Copper Yearning”, at Krueger Library on Nov. 10. The sound of rain hit the windows and created a lush atmosphere as she presented.

Kimberly Blaeser closes out Indigenous people’s month events with poetry reading and gallery viewing

Olivia Prondzinski, News Reporter
November 16, 2022
Winona State University hosted guest-speaker Bill Nye on Nov. 1. Nye blended comedy and science to explain topics like the effects of climate change and the vastness of space.

Record-breaking Bill Nye event encourages climate activism

Olivia Prondzinski, News Reporter
November 7, 2022
"The university didn’t send me to D.C., but I was representing the university as a whole because I discussed issues around campus,” Weis said.

Winona State activist invited to White House

Olivia Prondzinski, News Reporter
November 2, 2022
The 2022 Winona State University Homecoming parade ran down Huff St. on Oct. 22 and hosted a number of campus clubs and organizations.

Disco down Huff: Winona State homecoming parade brings community together

Olivia Prondzinski, News Reporter
October 24, 2022
PragerU representive Amala Ekpunobi came to speak at Winona State University on Oct. 14. Ekpunobi was invited on behalf of the Winona State College Republicans club and discussed specifically the state of higher education, among other topics.

PragerU speaker sparks controversy and discourse at Winona State

Olivia Prondzinski, News Reporter
October 19, 2022
Swiftly the Winona Duck Man hid over 100 yellow rubber ducks around Winona State’s campus, hiding them on places like windowsills and benches. When students do find a duck, they can choose to keep it, hide it again or leave it there for someone else to find.

Duck Man strikes at Winona State University

Olivia Prondzinski, News Reporter
October 10, 2022
The Winona State University Department of Music hosts an international music series every year in the fall. Each part of the series is a concert performed by an artist with a different cultural background.

Music department hosts yearly international music series

Olivia Prondzinski, News Reporter
October 5, 2022
“The Cherry Blossoms You Missed” is a new exhibit of art by Kathleen Hawkes. It opened Sept. 23 and will be on display through Nov. 13.

University of La Crosse professor’s artwork displayed at Winona History Center

Olivia Prondzinski, News Reporter
September 28, 2022
New food option, “Chaat House” is now open in Zanes's At The Corner space. The food lineup offers Indian cuisine and rotates with other foods like pasta and quesadillas.

Zane’s debuts Indian food option, “Chaat House”

Olivia Prondzinski, News Reporter
September 21, 2022
A new gathering area is being built outside of Kryzsko Commons. The new area will include stone benches, ten-foot fire table, and is planned to be ready for use by this year's homecoming.

Winona State upgrades spaces around Kryzsko Commons

Olivia Prondzinski, News Reporter
September 12, 2022
Students who isolate on campus are moved to the basement of Morey-Shepherd Hall. The isolation period lasts 5 days and meals are delivered to them from Dining Services.

Winona State’s isolation location moves to Morey-Shephard

Olivia Prondzinski, News Reporter
September 7, 2022
This year’s Winona State University senior art exhibit opened for viewing on April 25, 2022. Artwork is on display in Watkins hall and Laird Norton Center for Art & Design for students to view. The work on display attempts to show the evolution of the fourth-year students’ art and design design abilites in the program.

Senior art exhibition provides students an opportunity to express themselves

Olivia Prondzinski, News Reporter
April 27, 2022
hoto from Malorie Olson, Anya Hytry and Dylan Rieken’s Student Senate campaign. Pictured left to right: Hytry, Olson and Rieken. The trio ran for Winona State’s Student Senate leadership positions and are poised to fill those roles this coming fall.

Olson, Hytry and Rieken win Student Senate election

Olivia Prondzinski, News Reporter
April 20, 2022
After receiving student feedback earlier in the semester, WSUSS learned students who use the meditation room space do so mostly for religious practices and as a ‘safe space to decompress.’ Winona State’s Student Union approached WSUSS to ask for financial assis- tance of $25,000 to put towards renovating the meditation room.

WSUSS discusses $25,000 meditation room renovations

Olivia Prondzinski, News Reporter
April 13, 2022
Winona State University's Vice President of Finance and Adminis- tration, Scott Ellinghuysen, said the school was pleased with Cot- ter purchasing the property. Ellinghuysen said Cotter's purchase assured Winona State the buildings would be "put to good use."

Cotter Schools buys West Campus dorms for $5 million

Olivia Prondzinski, News Reporter
April 6, 2022
Contributed photo from someone who passed by the car accident.

Vehicle hits corner of residence hall at Winona State

Olivia Prondzinski, News Reporter
March 30, 2022

Winona State holds Civic Engagement Awards ceremony

Olivia Prondzinski, News Reporter
March 23, 2022
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