Say it in 6 competition challenges grad students to rethink communication, reflect on growth

Say it in 6 competition challenges grad students to rethink communication, reflect on growth

Few phrases ring truer than "quality over quantity" during UW-La Crosse's Say it in 6 competition.

The annual competition challenges graduate students to distill big ideas into a single image and just six words. Inspired by Purdue University's original contest, UWL's version asks students to reflect on the competition theme (in 2025, "growth") and connect it to their field of study, their education or their personal journey.

This year's winning entries highlight the creativity, compassion and purpose emerging from UWL's graduate programs.

First place was awarded to Megan Vandermause , a student in the Physician Assistant Studies program, for her entry: "Each patient teaches what textbooks cannot."

For Vandermause, the project was a chance to celebrate the human side of medical training.

"It is such an honor to win this competition," Vandermause says. "I've always loved being creative, so it was genuinely fun to plan a photo and craft a phrase that highlights the Physician Assistant program."

While the first year of PA education involves long hours of studying, Vandermause says she wanted her entry to remind classmates of their deeper purpose.

"Even though most of our first year is spent studying textbooks and learning the details of countless conditions, it's important to remember that all of our effort ultimately benefits our future patients," she explains.

The theme of growth helped her draw that connection.

"The phrase I chose reflects one of the deepest lessons I've learned so far in my training. Textbooks give us the foundation, but real patients give meaning to that knowledge," Vandermause says. "They teach us nuance, empathy, resilience and how to communicate in ways no lecture ever could. I wanted my submission to emphasize the central importance of the patient - because that's truly why we're all here! "

The People's Choice Award went to Stephanie Peitersen , a medical dosimetry graduate student and practicing radiation therapist, for her entry: "Healing grows louder with each ring."

Peitersen's image centers on the "finishing bell" in radiation oncology - the bell patients ring upon completing treatment.

"My submission came from a place very near and dear to my heart," Peitersen says. "I created it with the courage and hope I witness in radiation oncology every day in mind."

The bell, Peitersen notes, symbolizes everything patients have endured, the strength they have shown, the resilience they have built and the hope they carry forward.

Reflecting on the challenge of six-word storytelling, Peitersen says the contest taught her the importance of quality over quantity, pushing her to choose an image and message that made viewers feel seen, honored and connected.

"Knowing that those six words and that single photo resonated with so many people is the most rewarding part of this experience," Peitersen says.

View all entries for the 2025 Say it in 6 competition.

FINAL AWARD SELECTIONS - 2025

1st Place | $500
Submitter: Megan Vandermause
Program: Physician Assistant Studies
Submission Title: Each Patient Teaches What Textbooks Cannot

2nd Place | $350
Submitter: Justin Giebel
Program: Nurse Anesthesia
Submission Title: Become Who You Looked Up To

3rd Place | $250
Submitter: Lauren Ré
Program: Biology
Submission Title: Growth Comes in Beautifully Diverse Forms

People's Choice | $300
Submitter: Stephanie Peitersen
Program: Medical Dosimetry
Submission Title: Healing Grows Louder With Each Ring