Two alumni of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville graduate programs were honored with a 2021 Outstanding Alumni Award. In addition to their master's degrees, both recipients also earned bachelor's degrees at UW-Platteville.
Kenneth Mika earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering on campus in 2008 and a Master of Science in Engineering online in 2015. Mika is a Senior Project Manager with Tetra Tech, Inc., located in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He is heavily involved with the American Society of Civil Engineers and has been recognized with the 2019 Wisconsin Section Distinguished Service Award, 2016 Edmund Friedman Young Engineer Award for Professional Achievement, and the 2016 Engineering Achievement Award. Additionally, he was listed as a 2019-20 Future 15 Young Professional of the Year and received the 2017 STEM Forward Young Engineer of the Year Award.
In his community, Mika supports STEM education outreach and co-leads food drives for Hope House in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As an alumnus, he has presented to UW-Platteville students and played a large part in bringing the ASCE National Concrete Canoe Competition to the university in 2021.
"UW-Platteville helped me get to where I am today by providing me two phenomenal degrees; by encouraging me to get involved in student organizations, where I was able to make lifelong friendships and gain additional leadership experiences outside of the classroom; and the relationships I forged at UW-Platteville have turned into professional relationships at work and in professional organizations," Mika said.
Eugene Woehrle earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice with psychology and business administration minors on campus in 2009 and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice with a management emphasis online in 2013. Woehrle is a Lieutenant of Police for the Madison Police Department, where he has served since 2009. In his community, Woehrle volunteers with the Boy Scouts and serves in numerous roles. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Directors for Family Service Madison, Inc., and the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity.
Woehrle has given back to UW-Platteville and its students in numerous ways, serving as the Scholarship and Awards Committee Chairman for the WI-Theta Sigma Phi Epsilon Alumni and Volunteer Corporation for the past five years. As part of this role, he leads two of the biggest annual fundraising events, which help raise donations for student scholarships. Additionally, he helps with recruiting and does guest speaking. Woehrle was recently recognized for his contributions at the WI-Theta Sigma Phi Epsilon 20th anniversary celebration by being voted Most Virtuous Brother in the chapter's 20-year history.
"UW-Platteville set me up for future success by providing me with not only courses relevant to my field of study, but also engaging professors, leadership opportunities, and on-campus employment," Woehrle said. "Each of these experiences made me a more competitive applicant when applying to careers in law enforcement. In addition, my UW-Platteville master's degree was integral to leadership advancement within my department. I am proud to tell people that I went to UW-Platteville!"
The Outstanding Alumni Award is awarded each fall by the university's Alumni Association. It is presented to alumni who have made contributions to and are recognized within their profession and community, earned a degree from UW-Platteville in the last 15 years, and are engaged with the university. In fall 2021, five alumni were selected for the award and honored during Homecoming week. Along with an awards ceremony, recipients were featured in the Homecoming parade.
UW-Platteville offers ten undergraduate degrees, including Associate of Arts and Sciences; Associate of Science in Business Administration; Associate of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management; Bachelor of Science in Applied Computing; and Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice; plus Bachelor's of Business Administration in Finance, Human Resource Management, Integrated Marketing, Integrated Supply Chain Management, and Management. The ten master's degree programs are Applied Biotechnology, Criminal Justice, Cybersecurity, Engineering, Healthcare Administration, Integrated Supply Chain Management, Organizational Change Leadership, Project Management, Sport Administration and Strategic Management. The university also offers 16 graduate and undergraduate certificate programs.
To learn more about the University of Wisconsin-Platteville's online programs, visit Go.UWPlatt.Edu/Online.