On 4/14, 5 reasons we love going to school in Milwaukee

How thoughtful of those Gregorian calendar inventors to include a day that perfectly pairs with Milwaukee’s area code. Because a city deserves its own day when it has a beautiful lakefront, big-league sports, a vibrant arts culture and an economy focused on innovation. So on this Milwaukee Day, here are five reasons we love going to school in the 414.

Lake Michigan

Bradford Beach is one of Milwaukee's top attractions and just a short walk from UWM. (UWM Photo/Derek Rickert)
Bradford Beach’s sand and waves are just a short walk from UWM. (UWM Photo/Derek Rickert)

Lake Michigan is one of Milwaukee’s top attractions, and Bradford Beach is one of the best places to enjoy it. USA Today and 10Best readers recently voted it the No. 3 Best Urban Beach and No. 8 Best Freshwater Beach. With UWM less than a mile from the lake, you’ll find students biking, running, playing sports and catching rays there throughout the summer.

Summerfest and PantherFest

Twenty One Pilots performing at the Marcus Amphitheater for PantherFest 2015. (UWM Photo/Kenny Yoo)
Twenty One Pilots performing at the Marcus Amphitheater for PantherFest 2015. (UWM Photo/Kenny Yoo)

It’s billed the “World’s Largest Music Festival,” an 11-day summer extravaganza of music and art with more than 800 acts and hundreds of thousands of people. And after Summerfest comes PantherFest. Each fall, UWM hosts its own free, private concert for students on the 75-acre Summerfest grounds, kicking off the school year and showcasing our Panther Pride.

Fortune 500 companies

Several Fortune 500 companies welcome UWM students into their Downtown Milwaukee offices. (Photo courtesy of Visit Milwaukee)
Several Fortune 500 companies welcome UWM students into their Downtown Milwaukee offices. (Photo courtesy of Visit Milwaukee)


Home to several Fortune 500 companies, Milwaukee is a great place to start your career. UWM students earn practical experience with eye-opening internships at Johnson Controls, Northwestern Mutual and Harley-Davidson, as well as many other top firms. It often leads to full-time jobs, part of why 75 percent of UWM alumni stay in Wisconsin.

Milwaukee Public Market

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The Milwaukee Public Market has plenty of tasty reasons to take a short trip to the Historic Third Ward. (UWM Photo/Kenny Yoo)

You’ll find a variety of ethnic food, sandwiches, seafood and artisan options in the Milwaukee Public Market, the hub of the Historic Third Ward. Most of it is freshly made, and all of it is just a short, free bus ride from UWM. Some of our top picks are the arugula pesto chicken sandwich from The Green Kitchen and hand-dipped chocolate from Kehr’s Candies.

Big city, small campus feel

UWM’s campus is small enough to get around in 10 minutes, yet big enough to meet new people. (UWM Photo/Derek Rickert)
UWM’s campus is small enough to get around in 10 minutes, yet big enough to meet new people. (UWM Photo/Derek Rickert)

Milwaukee may be a large, diverse city, but it still has that homey feel. You can walk across UWM’s campus in 10 minutes, making it easy to stop at the residence halls, grab a bite to eat at the Union or meet up with a friend between class. Don’t forget to snatch some coffee from the student-run coffee shop, The Grind, to keep your energy going for the day.

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