It’s a love story that dates back four decades. Jane Dolan and Randy Grippe married, attended UWM, grew a family, and through it all, shared a passion for the transformative power of education.
Jane (’89 BBA Industrial Relations) became a human resources executive as well as an instructor at area universities, including UWM’s executive MBA program. She was also an active volunteer and started a successful consulting and coaching business that taught leaders how to achieve the best results for themselves and their teams.
Randy (’04 BA Political Science, ’09 MS Education) built a career in the hospitality industry, and launched a successful specialty bakery and deli. Then he taught the hospitality curriculum for students at Waukesha County Technical College, where he remains a hotel and restaurant management instructor.
Now, Jane and Randy’s legacy of educating future students will live on through the Jane E. Dolan Administrative Leadership Fund. It’s funded through a planned gift made by Randy in honor of Jane, who passed away in 2024.
“We both had a philosophy: Learning is a constant, with no holy grail,” Randy says. “With that mindset, we were always working with people to become more skillful in what they did.”
The fund will support students who are pursuing careers in educational leadership positions, as well as those who have a strong desire to enhance their teaching skills. In making the gift, Randy acknowledged the challenges that many students face, and says he wants to provide opportunities for those who might not otherwise have access.
“The motivation for the donation, and in particular in Jane’s name, was to give back to the community,” Randy says. “We were both so dedicated to education. Our connection to UWM is strong, as graduates and through what UWM did for us in our education.”
Jane and Randy dedicated their lives to teaching and coaching people to their full potential. In that spirit, the gift comes with a hope that it nurtures talent and fosters a love of learning for generations to come.
“Jane constantly talked about her experience at UWM,” Randy says. “She felt it was her best learning experience without a doubt, and same with me. So, this gives back to UWM to help others grow.”