Alumni Awards

Congratulations to the 2023 College of Liberal Arts and Education Distinguished Educator Award recipient, Joëlle Doye. Joëlle graduated from UW-Platteville in 2006 with a degree in secondary education, social studies. She spent more than a decade as a sports reporter for the Dodgeville Chronicle and eight years as editor of the Democrat Tribune in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, winning several photography and writing awards from the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, including being named a Future Headliner. In 2014, she became Communications Director for the Mineral Point School District, trailblazing rural school public relations at a time when few others were doing this work full-time in small schools. To date, Joëlle has been honored with 20 awards from the Wisconsin School Public Relations Association (WSPRA) and is a recipient of the WSPRA Past President’s Award. In 2023, she was honored as one of only four National School Public Relations Association Front Runners in the nation. She is also a previous recipient of the NSPRA 35 Under 35 Award. She volunteers her time serving professional and community organizations, including speaking at various educational conferences and writing articles for education publications. She is currently in her second year as President of the Wisconsin School Public Relations Association.

Congratulations to the 2023 College of Liberal Arts and Education Professional Achievement Award recipient, Dr. Sakara Wages. Sakara graduated from UW-Platteville in 2017 with a degree in psychology and then earned a Master of Social Work from UW-Madison. She received her Ph.D. from the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work at UW-Madison in August 2023. Her dissertation, entitled “Remembering, Relating, and Recording the Legacy of Black Women Social Welfare Providers,” identifies Black women in America as the first social workers because of the care, finances, and material goods, all ensuring the survival of Black people enslaved by early American colonizers. Not only does her dissertation define Subversive Social Work in the U.S. context, but it also articulates theoretical underpinnings for the organization she founded in 2020, Subversive Social Work. This organization supports, empowers, and centers the voices of Black women in social work education and research. Sakara co-founded the Black Platteville Community Network - BLKPlattCom. Subversive Social Work and the Black Platteville Community Network are housed inside of Our Spot Pville, a hub of community programming and gathering space that Sakara provides for minoritized individuals in Platteville. She remains involved with UW-Platteville by mentoring students, supporting Black students in the broader community, and teaching courses in social work, women and gender studies, and psychology.

Congratulations to the 2023 College of Liberal Arts and Education Friend of the College, Driftless Market! Driftless Market is located on Main Street in downtown Platteville and specializes in fair trade, organic, and locally grown foods. It offers a wide variety of healthy and sustainable foods all year. Driftless Market also offers a complete selection of environmentally friendly household products. Most importantly, Driftless Market is about community. Owners Chad Cline, Robin Cline, Anthony Palmer, and Royal Palmer are committed to celebrating and caring for their neighbors in the Driftless region. Driftless Market is this year’s College of Liberal Arts and Education Friend of the College Award winner because of its exceptional support of the faculty, staff, and students of the college. They display posters of College of LAE events with pride and spread the word about the great work of the college. Driftless Market regularly hosts student art exhibitions, giving UW-Platteville students a chance to showcase their works off campus. Driftless Market also supports the mission of the College of LAE by being an example of an organization that leads and serves its community, providing the community with a welcoming space for creativity and reflection, and exemplifying stewardship of place.

Kalee Crist is embarking on her 11th year in the education field. She is an English as a Second Language/Bilingual Teacher for the Darlington Community School District. She previously taught Spanish at Lancaster High School. Crist graduated from UW-Platteville in 2012, earning degrees in K-12 Spanish education and elementary education. She received her master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages in 2017 from Edgewood College. Throughout her teaching career, Crist has been recognized for her leadership by participating in committees such as the Trauma Sensitive Team as well as the Curriculum Team. She has served as choreographer for the fall musicals and has also coached Cross Country, Cheerleading, and Forensics at Darlington High School. Crist has presented multiple workshops for the Darlington employees as well as neighboring districts regarding ESL education. She was also nominated for the Herb Kohl Teacher Fellowship Scholarship. Most recently, she was hired as an adjunct Adult Basic Education/ESL teacher through Southwest Tech for the Darlington Outreach Center to meet the growing needs of her beloved community. Outside of the classroom, Crist is an active member of her community. She is a member of the Cinco de Mayo committee, her church choir, Pop Factory Players, and was a board member for the Driver Opera House Restoration Committee. She can be seen interpreting at events throughout her community. Crist has remained close to her alma mater by hosting a multitude of pre-student teachers completing their diversity hours and organizing several campus visits for her students. Last year alone, she brought 35 of her Spanish-speaking students to the UW-Platteville campus to observe the classroom of Dr. Chris Schulenburg, Professor of Spanish. She has worked closely with the Precollege Club over the years and values the relationships she has fostered with university personnel to help connect her students to secondary education.

Kathleen Hughes graduated from UW-Platteville in 1986 with a degree in elementary education. She began her career teaching middle school and serving in different educational roles in Northern Illinois from 1986–2000. She then took on a new passion advocating, fundraising, and leading nonprofit cancer organizations. Hughes held positions with the American Cancer Society, Ogle (Illinois) County Health Department, Home of Hope Cancer Wellness Center, and Healing Pathways Cancer Wellness Center. Hughes is currently the Owner and Floral Designer of Stems and Stuff Design in Stillman Valley, Illinois. Hughes earned her degree in floral design from Ashworth College. As a florist, Hughes continues to help others through her arrangements, including making bouquets for patients at different hospice facilities. Hughes remains close to UW-Platteville, serving on the College of LAE Alumni Board. Kathleen’s husband along with two of her children also attended and graduated from UW-Platteville.

Dr. Tammy Wehrle graduated from UW-Platteville in 1994, with a degree in political science. She found a passion for teaching and later earned her master’s in education and eventually a doctorate in education. Wehrle’s passion for education led her to a 20-year teaching career, the majority of which was spent at Dodgeville (Wisconsin) High School, before taking a position with the Wisconsin Senate. She is currently the Legislative Education and Outreach Officer for the Wisconsin State Senate and works to educate and promote civic education in Wisconsin. She coordinates visits to the capitol for people of all ages from across the state, the nation and around the world. She was the first full-time director of the Wisconsin Senate Scholar Program, a highly competitive, non-partisan program that brings 33 Wisconsin high school juniors and seniors to the Capitol for an intensive weeklong experience. Wehrle has been featured in state and national media stories and has spoken at numerous state and national conferences, including the National Conference of State Legislatures and the American Society of Legislative Secretaries and Clerks National Professional Development Conference.

Sandra Brick-Margelofsky worked at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville for eight years. She was the Senior Development Officer for the College of Business, Industry, Life Science and Agriculture, and previously served as the first director the Wright Center for Non-Traditional and Veteran Students and the Doyle Center for Gender and Sexuality. During her time at UW-Platteville, she secured some of the largest major gifts for the UW-Platteville Foundation. She supported non-traditional students, veterans, women, and the LGBTQ+ community through the creation of spaces and programs on campus. Brick-Margelofsky created the first lactation station on campus, helped revise Safe Zone training, hosted two UW System meetings, mapped and labeled all-gender restrooms, authored the first draft of the preferred name policy, served on the UW System Military Friendly criteria committee, and coordinated a successful Women in Leadership speaker series. Prior to coming to UW-Platteville, Brick-Margelofsky was a counselor for the Dodgeville School District, where she received the ARC Outstanding Educator Award. She earned her Master of Science in Education from UW-Platteville in 1995. Brick-Margelofsky has been the recipient of several honors and awards, including the Dean’s Merit for Excellence in Teaching and Overall Performance three times during her career. She is currently the Managing Director of Student Affairs Advancement at UW-Madison.

Greg Gard is a 1994 graduate of UW-Platteville and has coached basketball for over 30 years. He served as an assistant coach at UW-Platteville from 1993–1999, during which the Pioneers won three NCAA Division III titles, five straight Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) championships, and appeared in six consecutive NCAA tournaments. Gard moved on to serve as assistant coach for the UW-Madison men’s basketball team for 14-plus seasons, including the final seven he served as the associate head coach. Gard helped pilot the Badgers to four Big Ten regular season titles and three Big Ten tournament championships. He has been on the bench for each of the top 13 winningest seasons at Wisconsin and owns the third-best win percentage in UW history. Gard was the Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year for the 2015–2016 season, the 2020 Big Ten Coach of the Year, and has appeared in numerous NCAA tournaments, helped guide his team to several sweet 16, elite eight, and final four appearances. Gard and his wife, Michelle, launched Garding Against Cancer, a fundraising initiative, in partnership with UW-Madison and the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association, which raises funds and awareness for cancer research and care within the state of Wisconsin.

Jack Melvin III is a 1997 graduate of UW-Platteville, having earned a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and History. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from Marquette University School of Law in 1999. Melvin is currently a Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge. Prior to this, he served as staff attorney at the Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Commission and as the division administrator for the Division of Gaming. Melvin has been a member of the Wisconsin National Guard since 2004, and is currently a Major, serving in the Judge Advocate’s General Corps. He has been deployed in missions overseas to Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq. Melvin has earned a number of awards, including the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (two awards), Joint Service Achievement Medal, and the Army Achievement Medal.

Erin Edgington is an Assistant Professor in the School of Education at UW-Platteville. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary and Middle Level Education from Illinois State University and her Master of Science in Education from UW-Platteville. She is a current Ph.D. candidate in the Urban Education program, with an emphasis in Mathematics Education, at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Edgington worked for the Dodgeville School District in elementary, middle, and high school for 17 years prior to joining the UW-Platteville School of Education in 2014. Since then, she has been involved in a number of initiatives that advance the School of Education and enhance the student experience. She was instrumental in working collaboratively across campus to develop and gain approval for the middle childhood through early adolescence teaching major in STEM. Edgington has also contributed to projects that build relationships in the Platteville community and beyond. She has organized Family Math Nights in Dodgeville and Mineral Point, as well as leading a collaboration between the School of Education, Animal Share students, faculty from the biology department and Family Connections of Southwest Wisconsin, bringing School of Education students and local families together.

The Platteville Chorale is a nonprofit organization, founded in 1975 by emeritus music faculty member Dr. Gerald Darrow and Allen Schaver, a Platteville community member. It is currently directed by Gregory Dennis, an emeritus instructor of music, and accompanied by Rob Shepherd. The ensemble includes members from the Platteville community, as well as many surrounding communities, and is open to UW-Platteville students. The Platteville Chorale administratively supports three children’s choirs, which have provided internship experiences for dozens of UW-Platteville music education students over the years. Through these internships, students have had the opportunity to assist with rehearsals, performances, and area tours, working side by side with the choir directors. These experiences provide UW-Platteville students with important skills they will need as elementary and secondary music educators. Members of the Platteville Chorale have been enthusiastic supporters of UW-Platteville’s Department of Performing and Visual Arts for many years, taking part in productions, such as the annual Holiday Gala, and supporting the department with financial donations.