Photos by Dan Moore, University Photographer
Editor’s Note: As of this publication, Elena will be part of the Aerospace Development program with Honeywell Aerospace in Minneapolis upon her graduation in December, 2025.
Elena Talingo didn’t just get a head start. She rewrote what a head start looks like. Before ever stepping onto the UW–Green Bay campus, she had already completed 132 college credits—enough to cover four full years of college while still in high school.
If she’d tried to earn that much through AP classes, it would’ve taken a mountain of exams, a lot of out-of-pocket fees and even then there’s no guarantee every score would transfer cleanly into college credits. Rising Phoenix made it simple: those credits were tuition-free, fully recognized and accelerated her straight into senior standing.
For her, overachieving isn’t an exception—it’s a habit. “It’s a lot to balance,” she said, “but if something matters to you, you make the time. I don’t see it as pressure—I see it as progress.”
Rising Phoenix: Turning Opportunity into Acceleration
Rising Phoenix didn’t just fast-track Talingo’s education—it transformed how she experienced college. Her drive, organization and curiosity turned opportunity into acceleration. Supported by UW–Green Bay’s student success coaches, academic advisors and early-college resources, she blew past expectations and entered the University as a senior with enough credits to graduate before many students would have even declared a major.
“By earning so many college credits early, I saved my family a lot of money,” Talingo said.* “As a first-generation college student, that meant everything. It made college more affordable and let me focus on what I wanted to do next instead of worrying about debt.”
Earning 132 college credits through Rising Phoenix didn’t just accelerate her path—it effectively cleared four full years of coursework before she ever arrived as a first-year student. According to the standard Carnegie Unit model, which most U.S. colleges use to measure academic workload, each credit represents roughly 45 hours of total learning (a combination of in-class instruction and out-of-class study). By that measure, Talingo completed nearly 6,000 hours of college-level work in high school. It’s time most students spread over eight semesters—time she gained back before her college career even began.
Tenacity in Action: A Student Who Never Settles
That same momentum carried her straight into two professional internships at Schreiber Foods, one of UW–Green Bay’s premier regional partners. The Green Bay-based, employee-owned dairy company operates worldwide, generating more than $7 billion in annual sales and employing more than 10,000 people.
Partnerships like Schreiber’s turn classroom learning into hands-on experience—and connect ambition with opportunity across the region. At Schreiber, keeping Wisconsin’s cheese on the move is both an art and a science. Among those partners is Talingo, helping track every slice, shred and curd through two fast-paced internships.
At just 18, Talingo completed back-to-back internships with Schreiber while still an undergraduate. It’s the kind of challenge she thrives on—fast, complex, and constantly evolving.
Early on, that determination caught the attention of Deanne Kusserow, a student success coach in the Rising Phoenix program. Kusserow remembers their first meeting vividly, when Talingo arrived with her high school marketing teacher. “He came in just to tell us how amazing she was,” Kusserow recalls. “In all my years, I’ve never had a teacher show up just to advocate for a student before she even started.”
Talingo’s ambition was clear from day one. “She told me right away, ‘I want to take as many credits as I can,’” Kusserow said. “We built her schedule around that. I’ve worked at UW–Green Bay for 22 years, and I’ve never seen a student take this many credits.”
Her total included 28 retroactive credits for advanced coursework in French and Spanish—a first in the program’s history. “We had to ask the registrar if it was even possible,” Kusserow said. “No one had ever done it before.”
While taking full course loads, Talingo also worked two jobs—often 35 hours a week—while studying another 20. “If something matters to you, you make the time,” she said. “That’s why I don’t stop at one goal—there’s always more to do.”
That drive led her to Schreiber Foods. She applied multiple times—rejected at first for being under 18—before finally landing the internship she wanted. “The first time she was eligible, she got hired,” said Israel Santiesteban, Schreiber’s Senior Vice President of Supply Chain. “Now she’s on her second internship and already contributing at a level far beyond her experience.”
Santiesteban describes her as “organized, disciplined and ambitious,” noting that she accomplished in six months what most interns do in two years. Her first internship focused on global transportation—helping automate tracking systems and optimize shipping routes. Her second, with the export team, advanced her experience in documentation and international logistics.
“She’s the kind of student you build exceptions around,” Kusserow said. “She’s already proven she’ll exceed every expectation.”
Looking Ahead: A Vision for Global Sustainability
Long term, she hopes to launch a business that improves efficiency and sustainability worldwide. “That’s what drives me,” she said. “The idea that business can do better for people and the planet.”
Both Santiesteban and Talingo share Mexican heritage and a strong sense of family pride—something that deepened their mentor-intern connection. “I see myself in her,” he said. “When you grow up understanding hard work from a young age, it shapes how you lead and how you learn.”
Talingo agreed. “It’s inspiring to see someone with a similar story succeed at that level,” she said. “It reminds me that where you start doesn’t define where you can go.”
As she nears graduation, Talingo is already looking ahead. After earning her bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management from UW–Green Bay, she plans to pursue a master’s in in Supply Chain Management and eventually a doctorate in operations. For Talingo, Rising Phoenix wasn’t just a head start; it was the spark that ignited everything that came after.
Q: What sparks you to reach higher?
A: “I like challenging myself. Whenever I start to feel comfortable, that’s my signal to keep pushing. Growth happens when things get uncomfortable.”
Q: How has your time at UW–Green Bay inspired you to think boldly?
A: “My professors and advisors have shown me that being young doesn’t mean you can’t lead. They encouraged me to take on challenges that seemed intimidating at first, and now I see them as opportunities.”
Q: How has education ignited your growth?
A: “UW–Green Bay taught me how to adapt and problem-solve. Every class and internship has pushed me to think differently and connect what I’m learning to the real world.”
Q: How has UW–Green Bay helped you find your superpower(s)?
A: “I think my superpower is redefining the status quo. Rising Phoenix helped me realize that just because something hasn’t been done before, doesn’t mean it’s impossible.”
Q: What advice would you offer future Phoenix?
A: “Take every opportunity you can. Ask questions, build connections, and never underestimate yourself. Rejection isn’t failure—it’s redirection.”
*Based on UWGB’s cost of attendance calculation, Talingo saved her and her family $80,000 in costs that include tuition, textbooks, housing costs and more through the Rising Phoenix program.
At UW-Green Bay, every person has the power to Rise. No matter who you are, where you’re from, or what you want to be. We invite you to read more Rise Stories about people from all walks of life who are blazing a brighter future for our region.