Stories of Impact
- UWM alum charts her own course in medical researchWhen Rashida Parveen arrived in Milwaukee in December 2021, she carried more than just two suitcases. She brought the hopes of a small Pakistani village, the resilience of a family that had defied generational norms, and an unwavering belief …
News
- UWM alum charts her own course in medical researchWhen Rashida Parveen arrived in Milwaukee in December 2021, she carried more than just two suitcases. She brought the hopes of a small Pakistani village, the resilience of a family that had defied generational norms, …
- Nealita Nelson is building community one Lego brick at a timeInside a classroom at Milwaukee Marshall High School, the sound of Lego bricks clicking together filled the room as children leaned over tables covered with colorful pieces and half-finished builds. As they pieced together their …
- Chemistry professor and UWM alum co-found a start-up to develop a breast cancer treatmentTriple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer. Patients are treated with chemotherapy, which can cause debilitating side effects. A new start-up called SynXT Therapeutics aims to bring some hope …
- UWM alum’s film shown at Milwaukee Film FestivalPowwow People is a documentary film by Sky Hopinka, MFA '16, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, that was screened during the 2026 Milwaukee Film Festival. This vérité-style documentary focuses on the events of a …
- UWM alum named first Hmong-American college president in the USPakou Yang has been named president of Normandale Community College in Bloomington, Minnesota. She has served as interim president since June 2025. With this appointment, Dr. Yang is the first Hmong American to lead a …
- Alum helping improve wastewater treatment with ‘explainable AI’Most of us never think about what happens after water spirals down a drain. But for the people who run wastewater treatment plants, keeping the promise of clean water is a race against time – …
- Criminal justice alum analyzes data to help reduce sexual assaultJayden Varline, a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee alum with a PhD from the Criminal Justice & Criminology department, worked with professors on a number of research projects each semester, but she’s most driven by her work …
UWM Report
- For father and daughter, supporting firefighters is a family affairGraduating UWM student – whose dad is the Milwaukee fire chief – finds rewards in contributing to research that aims to manage the intense stress emergency medical responders face.
- UWM guitar grad performs winner’s recital at Carnegie HallClassical guitarist Leonela Alejandro is likely the program’s first alum to perform solo at the legendary venue, part of a tour launched after she won the 2024 Guitar Foundation of America competition.
- UWM alum charts her own course in medical researchBiomedical sciences alum Rashida Parveen researches Lyme disease to make the world a better place and mentors other international students.
- UWM baseball team heads to NCAA Tournament for first time in 16 yearsJoey Spence’s walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning clinched the Horizon League title and the Panthers’ first NCAA berth since 2010.
- Ready for the world: UWM’s Class of 2026 graduates and celebratesEmotions surged – joy, relief, expectation and, most of all, pride – on Sunday at the UWM Panther Arena as more than 3,200 graduates were awarded their degrees at UW-Milwaukee’s 134th commencement.
- UWM alum brings wound care expertise to patients in needUWM alum Laura Swoboda traveled to Gaza to provide medical care. Stateside, they research regenerative medicine and wound care.
- UWM students turn degrees into jobs before graduationUWM’s strong ties to businesses and nonprofits in southeastern Wisconsin give students experiences and connections to kick-start their careers, and many leave college with full-time jobs.


















