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Alumni and students came together to celebrate the Construction Management program’s record growth, connect across generations and strengthen partnerships with more than 65 industry-leading companies.
WiSys has named University of Wisconsin-Platteville alum and inventor Isaac Lange as a Carl E. Gulbrandsen Innovator of the Year. The award is bestowed annually and presented during the WiSys SPARK Symposium.
The UW-Platteville Foundation and Alumni Association raised $8.7 million in philanthropic support during fiscal year 2025, with nearly 8,700 individual gifts reflecting the growing generosity and engagement of the UW-Platteville community.
On Tuesday, February 11, regional artists and UW-Platteville alumni gathered to celebrate the third annual Nohr Gallery “Small Works Exhibition.” This juried exhibit features a variety of artworks that measure twelve inches or less in all dimensions and weigh under 45 pounds.
Kearstin Schweitzer, the first female position coach in Valparaiso University history, is redefining what it means to be a trailblazer in football. From her groundbreaking roles at UW-Platteville to her impactful work with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Schweitzer’s journey is paving the way for the next generation of female coaches in the sport.
The Milwaukee Police Department Forensics Division exemplifies the power of teamwork among graduates of UW-Platteville. Their hands-on training and strong educational foundation have positioned them as leaders in forensic investigation, showcasing the university's impact on law enforcement careers.
The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Foundation announces the merger of its Alumni Association board and Foundation board, effective July 2024, forming the unified UW-Platteville Foundation and Alumni Association, Inc.
The UW-Platteville Foundation proudly announces another historic achievement in philanthropy, raising more than $9.3 million during the 2024 fiscal year.
Terrence Ingram’s lifelong passion for nature propelled him through a celebrated career in conservationism that spanned more than 60 years. Now, his recent estate gift to the UW-Platteville Foundation will ensure opportunities for the next generation of students to continue his work in this field.
UW-Platteville announces the appointment of Stacia Stephenson as executive director of Development and Alumni Engagement and the UW-Platteville Foundation.
While growing up in rural Eastman, Wisconsin, Wyatt Fisher ’06 had interests typical of many kids—dreams of being a pilot and building with LEGOs. But, for Fisher, these interests would eventually spark a career in the aerospace field that is anything but typical, leading him to work on the launch of NASA’s most powerful rocket.
Dr. Marcus Jackson graduated from UW-Platteville in 2014 with a degree in mechanical engineering. He is currently a materials and process engineer at Blue Origin and part of a team of engineers building rocket engines.
Connor Trempe enrolled in UW-Platteville's Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s Pathway, allowing him to graduate with two degrees in just five years and excel his career as a software engineer.
On Saturday, Oct. 7, UW-Platteville will welcome the Midwest Choral Artists, an ensemble of musicians from across Central Wisconsin, with a special connection to UW-Platteville.
UW-Platteville will celebrate Homecoming the week of Oct. 1-7. With the theme “Pete’s Road Trip,” the celebration offers a week of favorite traditions for students and alumni.
As the chief executive officer of the independent consultant firm, Seely Inc., Jean Seely is a professional of many interests. Wishing to further develop her skills, she returned to school in 2017, earning a master's in project management.
Natalie Isensee's attraction to the military stemmed, in part, from the numerous leadership opportunities it presented. However, her time in service offered her much more than anticipated. Natalie has since utilized her skillset and experiences to give back to her fellow veterans, her community and the university.
For the fourth consecutive year, the UW-Platteville Foundation celebrates a record year of donations, raising $8.7 million during the 2023 fiscal year, which ended June 30.
Forty-seven years after graduating from UW-Platteville, David Ward has continued to support the university in a number of ways, including teaching, creating a scholarship, and most recently, adding an estate gift to his plans.
Like many distance and graduate education alumni, Jeffrey Hole’s educational journey hasn’t followed a traditional path. His plan of earning a master’s degree started in high school and spanned decades as he served his country and community, raised a family and built a career.
UW-Platteville will hold its Pioneers Day of Giving April 27-28, and members of the UW-Platteville Foundation Board of Directors have pledged to match any gift given throughout those two days, up to $100,000.
UW-Platteville will be celebrating female student veterans with the "I am Not Invisible" event, open to the public, on Tuesday, April 18.
In its latest show of support to the Construction Management and Construction Safety programs, Findorff donated a telehandler, to be used in the university’s Construction Lab. Officials from UW-Platteville celebrated the arrival of the new equipment last week and remarked on the impact it will have on students’ experience in the program.
The UW-Platteville Alumni Awards Committee is now accepting nominations for candidates for the 2023 awards.
When Alex Walechka and Rebecca Koble enrolled in the online Master of Science in Engineering program in 2021, they went in with the expectation to attain an advanced degree in their area of specialty to improve their current careers and future job prospects, but they also found something more than advanced learning during their time in the program.
Staff at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville congratulate the fall 2022 graduates of its distance education and master's degree programs.
When you think of project management, you likely think about the processes required to complete a project successfully. But UW-Platteville alumnus Anthony Toglia knows that the people involved are just as crucial.
With careers spanning some combined 60-plus years in the education field, Jon and Dr. Tori Erickson have had an insider’s look at higher education – both the challenges students can face and the opportunities an education can provide.
As a first-generation college graduate and often the only woman in her engineering courses, alumna Michelle (Schleusener) Rogers is continuing to break barriers through the Michelle Rogers Women in Engineering Scholarship endowed fund.
Corey Kaiser and his wife, Teah, recently made a pledge of $1 million, through the Kaiser Family Foundation Corporation, to the UW-Platteville Foundation to support facility upgrades on campus.
UW-Platteville alumnus Dr. Ronald Meissen and his wife, Eileen, are supporting engineering students through their newly established endowed Computer Science and Software Engineering Scholarship fund.
A call to serve has fueled Ray LaVoie his entire life. That need to help others has led the M.S. in Organizational Change Leadership graduate to support his country by working for the Government Accountability Office (GAO) – although his journey to this career has been unique.
The UW-Platteville Foundation was honored yesterday with the National Philanthropy Day Award by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Tri-State Chapter.
The seventh annual Pioneers Day of Giving, held Oct. 6-7, received over 675 donations totaling more than $166,000 from students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends and corporate partners.
Gerald Gunderson, a 1965 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, has been described by those who knew him as living modestly and giving generously to others.
UW-Platteville will start Homecoming week on Sunday, Oct. 9, with celebrations ending at the lighting of the “M” on Saturday, Oct. 15. This year’s theme is “Haunted Homecoming.” The week will be filled with student activities, athletic events, alumni reunions and Pioneer pride.
UW-Platteville will celebrate its 2022 Distinguished and Outstanding Alumni Award recipients at the Alumni Association Awards on Friday, Oct. 14 in the Richard and Helen Brodbeck Concert Hall, Center for the Arts at 5 p.m.
UW-Platteville alumnus Tommy Jacobs spends his days bringing people’s imagination to life. As a custom lead design engineer at Landscape Structures, in Delano, Minnesota, it’s his job to take clients’ most creative ideas for playgrounds and turn them into reality.
Tassie Crews knows there is power in words. As a licensed master social worker and certified alcohol drug counselor, she's seen first-hand how a conversation with the right person can change someone's entire life. Crews has worked hard to earn the education and training to be that right person.
When Crystal Yang started UW-Platteville's Master of Science in Organizational Change Leadership program in the fall of 2018, she was already leading a busy life. In addition to working full-time, she is mother to five children and adding graduate school while juggling the two wasn’t easy.
Originally from Platteville, Rachael Hallstrom grew up close to UW-Platteville, but once she enrolled as a student, she found that the campus provided what she describes as a different world – a separate, unique community with an engineering education that rivals any bigger school.
Andrew Ricks has always had a passion for aviation. He began taking flying lessons as a freshman in high school and earned his pilot’s license when he turned 17. But, his engineering education at UW-Platteville is what gave him the opportunity to turn his hobby into a career designing and creating airplane parts.
For the third consecutive year, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Foundation achieved a record year in donations. Thanks to the generosity of alumni, friends and corporate partners, more than $7.4 million was raised during the 2022 fiscal year, which ended June 30.
Mark your calendar for Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. UW-Platteville is hosting a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ reunion event to celebrate the 50 plus years of success of WSUP and the academic program in radio and television broadcasting.
The University of Wisconsin-Platteville is taking part in Summerfest’s Show Your College Pride Day. Students attending Summerfest who arrive at the Mid Gate Promotions Booth between noon and 3 p.m. on Friday, July 8 wearing UW-Platteville branded gear, such as a shirt or hat, will receive a free admission ticket.
When one hears the words “project management,” some may envision a profession embedded in the construction, business or supply chain fields. These assumptions wouldn’t be wrong, as project management professionals play pivotal roles in each of these industries, but they wouldn’t form the full picture either.
UW-Platteville celebrated its 208th commencement, recognizing the class of 2022 and graduates of spring 2020, summer 2020, fall 2020 and spring 2021. The two ceremonies took place on May 14 in the Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium.
To celebrate a special UW-Platteville commencement, the lighting of the M and fireworks are planned for this Saturday, May 14 around 9:15 p.m. The university will celebrate the class of 2022 and graduates of spring 2020, summer 2020, fall 2020 and spring 2021
In celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week, School of Education students have been learning from retired educators and helping to celebrate their careers.
When Baird Miller came to UW-Platteville, the Madison, Wisconsin native and former competitive swimmer described himself as feeling “like a fish out of water.” However, his love for swimming opened up new, unexpected connections for him on campus and in the greater Platteville community.
UW-Platteville alumnus and Vice President of Electric Vehicle Excellence at General Motors Tim Herrick recently visited campus and shared advice with students from his 38 years with General Motors, many of which were spent in leadership roles.
Growing up on a small dairy farm in Northeast Wisconsin, Liz Rehberg, a 2010 graduate, always knew she would be involved in agriculture. Now, in her eighth year with Pioneer, Corteva Agriscience’s flagship seed brand, she has found her own way to help farmers.
The University of Wisconsin-Platteville will celebrate the class of 2022 and graduates of spring 2020, summer 2020, fall 2020 and spring 2021 at the 208th commencement on Saturday, May 14.
In a ceremony today, Chancellor Dennis J. Shields announced a monumental gift of $10 million from Todd and Susan Johnson – the largest gift to support the university in history. This transformational gift will establish the Capstan Scholarship Program, which will allow selected students to graduate debt free, providing scholarships covering full tuition, room, and board to students every year, beginning this fall.
UW-Platteville graduates have been awarded the annual American Society of Civil Engineers Martin S. Kapp Excellence in Foundation Engineering Award for the past two consecutive years.
UW-Platteville recently hosted the 2022 Spring Construction Networking Event. Held twice a year, the event allows UW-Platteville students to network with company representatives and learn about their projects, company culture, and job and internship opportunities.
UW-Platteville is welcoming back the graduates from spring 2020, summer 2020, fall 2020 and spring 2021 who missed their commencement ceremonies due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the class of 2022, the graduates have the opportunity to walk in the 208th spring commencement on Saturday, May 14.
The University of Wisconsin-Platteville congratulates the fall 2021 graduates of its distance education and master’s degree programs. Fall 2021 commencement, which took place Dec. 11, 2021, was the first to be held in person on campus since fall 2019, due to COVID-19. The fall ceremonies included both summer and fall 2021 students.
The UW-Platteville Alumni Awards Committee is now accepting nominations for candidates for the 2022 awards.
Rural Schools Collaborative just announced its 2021-22 Celia B. Godsil Grants in Place Fellows, and among those selected was Abigail Parker, a May 2021 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, who currently teaches kindergarten at Coloma Elementary, a small, rural school in Coloma, Wisconsin.
Among the athletes invited to participate in the upcoming Olympic speedskating trials next month in Milwaukee is alumnus Brian Bullard '17.
The UW-Platteville community is coming together to give back this holiday season by stocking the shelves at Pioneer Provisions. To help raise awareness, the UW-Platteville Alumni Association is partnering with Pioneer Provisions, a free pantry and grocery service on campus for students experiencing food insecurity.
Having a passion for Division III athletics, and experiencing an NCAA Division III basketball tournament berth himself, alumnus Mike Shaw ’10 had an idea: create a NCAA Division III football bowl game to give one team from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin an opportunity to play one final game.
The 2021 UW-Platteville Pioneers Day of Giving received over 640 donations totaling more than $143,000 from alumni and friends. A record number of people participated this year, including more students than ever before.
The Distance Education Alumni Board selected students Luis Cano and Wara Pirzada as the 2021 recipients of its scholarship. The scholarship was created by the board in 2016 to help provide additional financial support to distance education students as they complete their degree.
Familiar traditions returned this year when UW-Platteville celebrated Homecoming last week – many of which would not have been able to take place without the support of the community partners who have contributed to the success of UW-Platteville’s Homecoming year after year.
It’s a celebration of lasting friendships, memories, and stories from the days spent on the UW-Platteville campus. For 40 years, Mike Kopf ’79 and his wife Kathy (Littel) Kopf ’80 have been organizing reunions for their fellow Pioneers.
UW-Platteville announces another milestone achievement for one of its distinguished alumni. Dr. Michael O’Connor, a 2006 graduate of the Master of Science in Project Management program, was recently recognized as a winner of the 2021 Project Management Institute’s Eric Jenett Project Management Excellence Award.
UW-Platteville will celebrate Homecoming week from Oct. 17-23. After celebrating Homecoming virtually last year, in-person celebrations will return this year, with the 2021 theme “Game On.”
Shawn Belling, project management instructor, regularly shares his expertise with organizations, including his most recent engagement at the PMI© Michigan Chapter’s Professional Development Day, which he attended as the keynote speaker.
When the COVID-19 pandemic prevented education students from completing their practicum hours in local elementary schools last fall, Dr. Rea Kirk, a professor of special education at UW-Platteville, suggested students go out into the community to make a difference. With the help of funding from Pioneers Day of Giving, two students implemented communication boards for playgrounds in four counties.
Reclamation, environment and conservation (REC) is a growing field continuing to bring professional opportunities to UW-Platteville students. The REC program is led by Dr.
Lakisha Clinton lives by the mottos “knowledge is power” and “pay it forward.” From her time at UW-Platteville, through her successful career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and her recent induction into a selective scholarship award program, she has been driven by her love for public service and being a champion for others.
For the second consecutive year, the UW-Platteville Foundation is celebrating record fundraising, thanks to the generous contributions from UW-Platteville alumni, friends and corporate partners.
With patience, passion and hard work, amazing things can happen. Estela DePaz discovered this fact recently when, against steep competition, her thesis paper won PMI’s ® prestigious Snyder International Student Paper of the Year award—an accolade that rewards excellence in the development of original project management concepts.
Change is always constant. For most people this statement rings true, but it’s a way of life for Jonathan Yancy. While many simply accept and react to change, Yancy is one who optimizes it – channeling change into progress on a daily basis.
Never forget where you come from is the ongoing theme running through The Midwest Girl, a Dubuque, Iowa T-shirt brand founded by University of Wisconsin-Platteville alumna Marissa (Droessler) Hoffmann and her sister Marah Odgers.
Three University of Wisconsin-Platteville student veterans will complete their college careers with more than a diploma. In addition to earning their master’s degrees this spring and summer, they will also graduate as members of the S.A.L.U.T.E. Veterans National Honor Society.
We all know earning a degree is important for enhancing one’s career, but it’s not the only step students can take to better position themselves for success. Knowledge of the workplace and the ability to make strong connections can prove just as valuable, which is why the University of Wisconsin-Platteville is pleased to offer the Alumni Mentee-Mentor Program—a resource for those seeking additional support outside of their studies.
UW-Platteville announces the launch of the Pioneering Forward Athletic Fund. This innovative fundraising initiative will enhance both the experience of donors and all 550 Pioneer student-athletes.
Ever since she was young, April Vaassen had a passion for helping people. After numerous volunteering and tutoring experiences within the education field growing up, Vaassen slowly developed this passion into a profession.
It's fair to say Scott Upton's head has always been in the clouds – or rather – above them. A passion for aerospace was sparked as a youth and has driven his career and educational journey. He received a degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Minnesota before earning a Master of Science in Project Management degree from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. He currently works for Blue Origin, a company Upton said is "paving the road to space."
Through a collaborative effort that has spanned more than a year, a couple of alumni – with the help of faculty, staff and students across campus – have been researching and identifying UW-Platteville alumni or students who were killed in action during the Vietnam War, with the hopes of memorializing the veterans on campus.
It's not often two alumni from the same university but different fields find themselves working together, yet this is exactly the case for Jeff Busch and Jane Traffalis.
Larry and Peggy Hanson recently donated $25,000 to the Dale Dixon Chair of Engineering fund, which supports UW-Platteville faculty. In recognition of their gift, the Hansons will name one of the collaboration studios in the newest engineering building, Sesquicentennial Hall.
Wishing to sharpen both her change and project management skills, Kat Damiano enrolled in the Master’s in Organizational Change Leadership program in 2018. She is now a business change manager with SoCalGas in Los Angeles, California, and works as an internal consultant on the SCG enterprise change management team, overseeing a five-year, 300-plus stakeholder initiative.
Since its creation in 2006, the Distance Education Alumni Board has been committed to supporting alumni and students of UW-Platteville’s distance education programs.
University of Wisconsin-Platteville alumna Morgan Hartman, a 2018 industrial engineering graduate, credits her experience as a student-athlete with giving her the tools to become a marketing engineer for centrifugal water-cooled chillers at
When talking to Belinda Sain-Cronin ’73, or “Bella” as her friends call her, it won’t take long before you find a connection. Cronin speaks with passion and draws stories out of whomever she’s speaking to. It’s a talent she’s spent a lifetime developing - including when she was a fine arts major at UW-Platteville.
With construction of Sesquicentennial Hall underway, the UW-Platteville Foundation is offering alumni, friends, students, faculty, staff and corporate partners the opportunity to be a visible part of its engineering legacy by sponsoring an engraved paver along the walkways and patios surrounding Sesquicentennial Hall and Busby Hall – formerly Engineering Hall
It has been less than a year since Katie Koenig graduated from UW-Platteville, and her career is already reaching new heights – from job sites in Washington and New Mexico to the occasional top of a wind turbine.
In honor of Earth Day, UW-Platteville will be hosting a virtual event, Pioneers Protecting the Planet and Transforming Campus, from 1-2 p.m. on Thursday, April 22. Faculty and staff who are actively engaged in environmental programs on and off-campus will discuss the active sustainability programs on campus as well as building renovations at Boebel Hall and Sesquicentennial Hall.
As a continuous improvement analyst at Ortho Molecular Inc., a nutraceutical company, Laucke works as a project manager in company teams, trying to reduce waste in core processes. Yet there’s more to Laucke besides an impressive STEM career. In addition to being an accomplished project manager and engineer, she’s also a self-published author of the children’s book, “Arabian Horses at Play, I Could Watch Them Every Day.”
Elizabeth Larrison always loved hearing and telling stories. When she was quite young, she realized that history was essentially the telling of others’ stories, and her interests in the subject continued to grow throughout her education. She is currently studying history in Ireland in a yearlong master’s program at the National University of Ireland-Galway.
UW-Platteville alumna Dr. Ann Schulte is impacting future Pioneer educators through her new textbook Teaching in Rural Places: Thriving in Classrooms, Schools, and Communities. Starting this fall, the School of Education will unveil its new K-9th grade, place-based rurally responsive teacher preparation program and will be using Schulte’s book.
During the COVID-19 crisis, the Continuing Education Institute has risen to the challenge by implementing new ways students can further their education. The latest result of this determination comes in the form of a new certificate program: Foundations of Project Management Practice.
UW-Platteville will host a panel of experts to discuss the latest information regarding the coronavirus and vaccine. The event – COVID-19: Vaccines, Variants and Community Health – will take place virtually on Thursday, March 11, from 5–6:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
In honor of alumnus John Boldt’s recent retirement, his wife, Barbara, and family made a donation to the UW-Platteville Foundation to name the John I. Boldt Study Space in Sesquicentennial Hall.
The win in NASCAR's biggest race came down to a few key seconds for lead engineer Chris Yerges and his team at Front Row Motorsports. But behind each of these winning seconds were countless hours of precise preparation and planning days before the rubber ever met the pavement. The work was certainly worth it for the UW-Platteville Master of Science in Engineering student, as driver Michael McDowell finished first at the Daytona 500.
Forty-two years after its first correspondence course was introduced and administered via postal mail, UW-Platteville's distance education programs surpassed 3,000 graduates.
When twin brothers Mark and Jon Hirsch walked across the UW-Platteville graduation stage in 1986, they had an experience like few others as their mother, Ardith Stark, graduated with them at the age of 45. As a single mother, with two children still at home, Ardith graduated with honors. It is this legacy that Jon and Mark hope to honor with the creation of the Ardith Stark (Hirsch) Memorial Scholarship, which will help other non-traditional students have the same opportunity.
Originally from Des Moines, Iowa, Rita Davenport’s career in education spans over 30 years and has taken her to colleges and universities throughout the region, including working at and earning her master’s degree in counseling education from UW-Platteville in 1993.
While an undergraduate student at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Christopher Jefferson fell in love with the thought of working in the space launch industry. This simple idea would launch his academic and professional career to outstanding heights.
Alumni TJ and Katie Roth are partners in Banner Ridge Farms LLC, and witness, firsthand, the benefits the new Dairy Innovation Hub is bringing to the region.
The UW-Platteville Master of Science in Organizational Change Leadership program is ranked as the fourth best value in the country, according to the 2021 BestValueCollege.org ratings.
Alumnus Paul Hemmer examines the show business era of the 20th century in his new book, titled Entertaining Dubuque: The Untold Story (1900-1999). Hemmer graduated in 1966 with a degree in instrumental and vocal music and has spent his career in the fields of broadcasting and live music.
Dr. Tom Nelson, emeritus professor of civil engineering, touched the lives of countless students during his nearly two decades at UW-Platteville. To honor Nelson, who passed away in April of 2020, his family created the Dr. Tom Nelson Civil Engineering Memorial Scholarship.
The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Alumni Awards Committee is now accepting nominations of candidates for 2021.
“I had always wanted to go back to school, but it was always either life, distance or motivation that prevented me from taking those steps,” said alumna Sara Booth. However, in 2016, Booth made the leap and returned to UW-Platteville after 22 years to complete her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, ending her final semester with a 4.0.
Dion Shaw is a strong believer in developing your mind – even as the UW-Platteville graduate fights a disease that’s attacking his. In 1991, Shaw was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, but that didn’t stop him from living an active life and giving back to others.
Ever since she was a little girl, Meredith “Mere” Dentice Johnson knew she wanted to be an engineer. Johnson’s love of math and science eventually led her to UW-Platteville to pursue a degree in industrial engineering.
UW-Platteville's online Master of Science in Project Management program was ranked as a Top 25 Best Value Online Graduate Programs for 2021 by Value Colleges. The ranking is based on the cost of the program and student-to-faculty ratios.
The University of Wisconsin-Platteville is hosting a new series titled Fireside Chats with Chancellor Dennis J. Shields where alumni from across the country can connect with the campus community. Throughout the next few months, Zoom events will be taking place in multiple states starting with Florida and Arizona on Friday, Jan. 29.
The University of Wisconsin-Platteville announces it will now award graduate-level credits for certificates earned through the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
The Continuing Education Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville is proud to offer additional opportunities for professional growth with their Professional Pathway Certificate programs.
Samantha (Rogers) Birkicht is currently in her fourth year as head volleyball coach for the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
Alumnus Lavern Nall, a 1972 civil engineering graduate, will present at the final virtual event of the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science Engineering Seminar Series on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Nall, who is the president of Strass Maguire and Associates, will discuss the topic of Protection of Buildings from the Construction of Milwaukee’s “Deep Tunnel.”
The Goldbergs credit their education at UW-Platteville with giving them the foundation to succeed. To help assist current Pioneers on their collegiate journey, the couple have established the Beth and Gary Goldberg Scholarship.
UW-Platteville has partnered with the Career Leadership Collective, a higher education solutions group, to conduct a national online survey to collect career pathway data from alumni.
Two-time UW-Platteville graduate and Criminal Justice Instructor Chris Polzer was named one of the university’s 2020 Distinguished Alumni. Recipients of the honor, which is presented by the Alumni Association, are chosen for their contributions to and recognition in their professions and communities, and continued engagement with the university.
Throughout his career, Ryan Weigel has felt the influence of UW-Platteville. From the time he graduated as an animal science major, to his own role as an educator today, Weigel acknowledges the friends, family and mentors that have helped him along the way.
The Center for Distance Learning is proud to announce the 2020 winners of the Dawn Drake Excellence in Distance Education Scholarship, Gary Apperson Memorial Scholarship, and Ruth Miller Challenge Scholarship. The scholarships, which are awarded each year to students enrolled in distance education programs, were created to provide additional financial support for UW-Platteville students.
After taking advantage of some of the classes offered through the UW-Platteville Confucius Institute, John Schaeffer recently participated – and placed – in two different international video competitions for Ba Duan Jin, a popular traditional Chinese mind-body exercise.
The College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science is hosting its third virtual event in the Engineering Seminar Series on Tuesday, Nov. 10, featuring alumna Lauren Ray, a 2001 civil engineering graduate, and Marc Ruden, both of IIW, P.C.
UW-Platteville alumni and friends celebrated Pioneers Day of Giving by raising $141,514 on Oct. 9. The university surpassed its goal with more than 290 donors.
For more than 50 years, the Busby family has helped transform and enrich UW-Platteville and the greater Platteville community. To honor their family legacy, UW-Platteville will rename Engineering Hall to the Busby Hall of Engineering.
It’s an idea that has evolved since 2019 when four engineering students and Dr. Gokul “Gopal” Gopalakrishnan, associate professor of engineering physics, discussed their passion for rock climbing and developed the first prototype of Skillzboard. Today, Gopal and his former students are now partners and have started their own company.
Two recent UW-Platteville alumni, Kathryn Bartels and Dominique Kornely, have had their research work accepted for publication in academic journals. Both alumni are former participants of UW-Platteville’s Summer Undergraduate Scholars Program and credit the program for their success.
UW-Platteville will celebrate 154 years since becoming an institution on Friday, Oct. 9. In honor of Founder’s Day, alumni and friends are invited to participate in the annual Pioneers Day of Giving. The all-day event raises funds to support student success.
The message to never give up is one that alumnus Greg Loek ’80 and his wife Kathy Rice share through their endowed Loek-Rice-Titus Family Engineering, Mathematics, and Science Scholarship. The renewable four-year scholarship is targeted to UW-Platteville students from Minnesota who have declared a major in the College of EMS. Both Loek and Rice, who have spent their careers as engineers, want to give students an opportunity to further their education.
Remembered as an “individual more concerned with making a difference than making a fortune,” Teresa Kirkeeng-Kincaid ‘80 was a leader in the engineering field, respected as much for her care and compassion as for her expertise and drive. It is this legacy that her family hopes to see carry on through others with the Teresa Kirkeeng-Kincaid Memorial Scholarship for Women in Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Nancy Ware was one of the most visible citizens in Platteville, whether at sporting competitions, at the swimming pool or taking her dog out for a walk. It was only fitting that in her will, she ensured her impact would live on in the city for years to come.
When freshmen arrive at UW-Platteville every year, many of them notice the names attached to their financial aid statements. These loyal alumni of UW-Platteville have shown their commitment to the future of the school by funding scholarships for students much like themselves, just starting out on their careers. One of these generous Pioneers is James Bade, a Wisconsin native whose long career with Shell took him far from his hometown, state, and even country.
The UW-Platteville Foundation is celebrating a new milestone, as it recently announced record fundraising for the 2020 fiscal year, which ended on June 30. UW-Platteville alumni, friends and corporate partners donated more than $4 million for the first time ever, exceeding the previous year’s total by $1 million.
Jeff Gard just finished his 11th season as head basketball coach of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. Being in athletics was always Jeff’s dream and goal as a young man growing up in Cobb, Wisconsin. He was surrounded by coaches who helped mentor and guide him along the way, and coaching was his opportunity to stay in athletics.
If you are a mathematics major at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, then odds are that some aspect of your life has been touched by either Bill or Jean Sanders. The pair taught at the university for a combined total of 56 years, and their shared love of mathematics helped inspire multiple generations of Platteville students to pursue careers in STEM. When the couple retired in 2000, they decided they weren’t done being Pioneers. By funding two scholarships, one for new freshmen and one for continuing mathematics students, the couple have ensured an ongoing impact on today’s Pioneers.
Two recent UW-Platteville graduates are pursuing their Ph.Ds. at the University of Texas at Dallas and contributing to a variety of projects that are significant to both the past and future.
Joshua Boots, assistant vice chancellor of development and alumni engagement, announced today that the UW-Platteville Foundation has received a $15,000 matching gift donation from an anonymous couple. This gift will match donations made to UW-Platteville’s $100,000 initiative in support of the Pioneers Helping Pioneers fund.
Recent graduate Caleb Dykema is taking the experiences in innovation he found at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and inspiring others to achieve the same through his new podcast, Just the Bulb.
During the COVID-19 crisis, University of Wisconsin-Platteville alumni who provide critical services and resources to those in need have risen to the challenge by adapting and innovating new ways of staying connected with their clients in ways that meet safer-at-home guidelines. To do so, they often draw upon their education and experiences at UW-Platteville.
When you ask Bill Huff what motivated him to give back to UW-Platteville, he likes to answer the question with a story. “As a veteran discharged in 1955, I was aware that education was a license for a better life,” Huff said. Founded in 2003, the Foundation allows Huff to give back in profound ways to a wide range of projects and causes.
Joshua Boots joined UW-Platteville as the assistant vice chancellor for Development and Alumni Engagement last November. He works with alumni and friends of UW-Platteville to connect them with the university and find ways they can make a difference.
When University of Wisconsin-Platteville alumnus Brett Timmerman first arrived at the university in August 2001, he was excited about beginning his college career. Despite his excitement, however, he also had some apprehension, but he proceeded into uncertainty, never imagining that someday, he would become a successful realtor and political fundraiser.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many UW-Platteville students are finding themselves facing mounting financial challenges. But in a show of Pioneer spirit, many alumni, friends, faculty and staff have already stepped in to help. Created in 2019, the Pioneers Helping Pioneers fund provides emergency financial support to students with unexpected expenses, outside of tuition. When a call for assistance went out to alumni, friends, faculty and staff last week, more than $5,500 was raised for the fund in only a few days, with donations continuing to come in.
“The older you get the more you appreciate the opportunities you had at the university because you begin to see how fortunate you are to have attended UW-Platteville,” said Robert Bates ’70. Bates credits his educational experience at Wisconsin State University-Platteville in helping him create his civil engineering firm, Bates Engineering Inc., located in Denver, Colorado. Now, he’s making a long-term commitment to his alma mater through the endowed Bates Engineering Inc. scholarship.
From the time she was about nine years old, UW-Platteville alumna Winifred (Winnie) Redfearn knew that she wanted to be a history professor. Over the years, her love of history grew, and she realized that, more than anything, she wanted to open a window to the past and share the stories of those whose voices had never been heard.
When you ask Dave Murphy to describe the goals of the UW-Platteville scholarship that bears his name, the recently-retired president of MSA Professional Services is typically modest. “I really hope that I made it easier on the students’ parents, on the families who are supporting them,” he said. “And I hope it makes a difference to the students.”
A longtime partnership between the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and Strand Associates was recently reaffirmed with a $200,000 commitment from the engineering firm, located in Madison, Wisconsin.
Following graduation from UW-Platteville, Jill Furman '03 earned her master’s degree in electrical engineering from UW-Madison and with her first pay check out of graduate school she created the Jill Pamperin and Miles Hill “Lab Rat” Scholarship, in honor of her classmate at UW-Platteville, Miles Hill.
A recent $143,000 gift from the family of Robert “Bob” and James Wright will enhance opportunities offered at UW-Platteville's Wright Center for Non-Traditional and Veteran Students.
As the oldest of four siblings, alumna Sydney Groen ’17 has in many ways always been a teacher. Her strong sense of family and home is one of the reasons why Groen lives and teaches in the rural village of Warren, Illinois, where she specializes in Agriculture Education.
Donovan Nathaniel, team captain of the 2018 Pioneer football team and winner of the prestigious George Chryst Award his senior year, made the transition from student-athlete to assistant football coach for the Pioneers.
UW-Platteville alumna Beth (Martin) Digman, recently received some very exciting news: her pottery business, Prairie Hills Pottery, will be featured in this year’s Etsy holiday advertising campaign.
UW-Platteville alumna Sakara Wages is concurrently working toward the completion of a Master of Social Work (Sept. 2017-May 2020) and a Ph.D. in social welfare (Sept. 2017-May 2022) at UW-Madison.
Higher education has been a significant part of Jon and Dr. Tori Erickson’s lives, and their recently announced planned gift to support UW-Platteville scholarships will help ensure it is also a part of the lives of future generations of Pioneers. Their estate gift is among the largest bequests the university has ever received. The Ericksons were honored during the Homecoming celebration this past weekend.
There are moments in life when a decision to explore something new turns out to be life-changing, both personally and professionally.
UW-Platteville will honor its 2019 Distinguished and Outstanding Alumni Award recipients at the University Awards and Recognition Ceremony on Friday, Oct. 18 at 4:30 p.m. in Nohr Gallery, Ullsvik Hall. The ceremony is part of the university’s annual Homecoming celebration weekend.
UW-Platteville alumna Lisa Karau is breaking down barriers as she becomes the fourth woman in Wisconsin to lead a high school boys basketball program. She will embark on her first season as the Ashland boys varsity coach in the 2019-20 school year while also teaching elementary physical education.
If you put Dayne Friday, Revalu Ronnfeldt, Hannah Frank and Tara Reber in a room together, you might be forgiven for assuming the four didn’t have much in common.
As June Dairy Month comes to a close, University of Wisconsin-Platteville alumna Charitee Seebecker ’18 received the opportunity to share her passion of agriculture and represent her home state in the National Miss United States Agriculture Queen pageant in Orlando, Florida.
Sergio Romero lives and works two hours from Platteville in Delavan, Wisconsin, but he has managed to maintain a strong tie to the campus community as an alumnus and to the online community as a current student within the M.S.
University of Wisconsin-Platteville alumnus Charlie Schoenberg '18 was initially drawn to the field of education because he wanted to walk in the footsteps of the amazing educators who had challenged him to think, grow and reflect as a learner.
When University of Wisconsin-Platteville alumnus Jason Weitenhiller had Raine Voigts as a student in his second-grade classroom his first year of teaching at Belmont (Wis.) Elementary School in 2005, he had no idea he would be inspiring a future teacher.
Dr. Michael O’Connor, a 2006 graduate of the Master of Science in Project Management program, was recognized at UW-Platteville’s 2018 Homecoming as an Outstanding Alumni.
Five University of Wisconsin-Platteville students and an alumnus gained hands-on coaching experience with individuals with varying abilities by helping coach 30 members of three Platteville Special Olympics basketball teams, including two adult teams and one youth team.
Ever since Michael Sullivan took a high school history class, he has been passionate about education.