Go ask Becky.

To students, faculty members and even members of the administration, that bit of advice has a familiar ring. This is due to the fact that for the last 31 years, members of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville community have been relying on Media Studies Program Assistant Becky Troy to answer their inquiries.
For example, if you want to know how far a paper airplane can fly from the seventh floor of the Pioneer Tower, just ask Becky.

“[George Smith and I] threw a paper airplane out the window just to see how far it would go,” Becky said. “It only goes out about 10 feet before it nose dives.”

Media Studies professor Robert Snyder knows that Becky can also address less-important issues, such as the year she saved Winterim.

A few years ago, Becky realized she had not received Snyder’s contract to teach his usual Winterim course. After checking his mailbox, they realized administration had not sent him a Winterim contract. Becky made a phone call and discovered that no contracts had been sent out due to the retirement of David Van Buren, who had administered the Winterim program. Courses were scheduled and contracts went out quickly after Becky’s call.

“That’s her paying attention to detail and knowing everything that goes on in this department. You can’t replace that,” Snyder said. “In so many ways she’s looked out for us.”

Media Studies professor Mary Rose Williams said that Becky has helped her be an effective instructor and adviser.

“The quality of my life here has been very good largely because of Becky,” Williams said. “She gave me a lot of on-the-job training when I was appointed department chair in 2011.”

Former department chair Arthur Ranney said he loved working with Becky.

“I especially liked it when she’d get cranky and set people straight,” Ranney said. “That kind of candor is invaluable.”

Becky is also the go-to person for many students, including those who are part of the Exponent staff.

“Anytime I have had a question about anything related to the department, the Exponent or even the whole campus, my first thought is to go to Becky Troy because I know that she always has the answer,” Sara Newquist, Exponent project manager, said. “When I asked her what she plans on doing after retirement she said, ‘never driving in the snow again.’”

Becky said that the most valuable lesson she’s learned is to always be ready for change because, “society can’t move forward without change.”
Despite the hard work and countless hours she has put in, Becky said she has had fun with the job. She said her favorite part of the job is helping all of the students and she will miss the people she works with.

Becky said her retirement plans for now are to adjust to her new lifestyle. She also plans to visit many places around the United States that she and her husband, John, have wanted to see.

Becky’s going-away party will be held on her last day on campus. The party will run noon to 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13, in 159 Pioneer Tower.

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