Decorated graduation cap that says, "My Future is Booked"

UWM’s Impact

UWM is Wisconsin’s only university with the dual mission of performing world-class research and ensuring collegiate access for students from all backgrounds. Located in Wisconsin’s largest metropolitan area, UWM educates a diverse student body, striving to ensure that all students have equitable opportunities to earn a degree.

We’re also a trusted community partner and a driving force for the region’s economy. More than 80% of our graduates in the last decade stay in Wisconsin to live, work and help their communities thrive.

UWM is Impacting the World

UWM students, alumni, researchers, educators and donors are working to make a difference across the globe. With over 215,000 UWM alumni living in more than 110 countries around the world, Panthers are making a difference near and far.

Class Notes

Share your success with UWM and explore what fellow Panthers are accomplishing and achieving in their personal and professional lives.

Alumni Awardees

Learn more about our notable UWM Alumni awardees.

Donors Making a Difference

Donors are critical to the mission and success of UWM. Read about the people who make a gift or lasting impact to the UWM Foundation.

Chantell JewelChantell Jewell, 2024 Distinguished Alum Awardee
In the past 10 years,81.74%of UWM alumni have stayed in Wisconsin.
UWM Foundation manages$347 millionin total assets.
Gina Stilp from Zilber Family Foundations speaking at podiumGina Stilp, Zilber Family Foundation, announcing $20M gift

Building a Legacy of Excellence

UWM alumni, employees, donors and partners are shaping the future of the university through generous contributions to the UWM Foundation.

These gifts bolster UWM’s impact by providing scholarships, advancing groundbreaking research, enhancing academic programs and supporting state-of-the-art facilities. Together, we help to empower students to achieve their dreams, equip faculty with resources to innovate, and strengthen the university’s role as a driver of community and economic growth.

Learn About Ways to Give
Darian Dixon

During my first year taking STEM classes, my scholarship was a huge help in me getting those pricey books. That was a hard year for me financially, so I know that without the John and Cynthia Jackson Scholarship, affording books would have been a lot tougher.

Darian Dixon ’15Scholarship Donor and Alumni Board Member

Stories of Impact

  • UWM alum charts her own course in medical research
    When 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 that education could change lives — starting with her own. In 2025, Parveen graduated with a …
  • Nealita Nelson is building community one Lego brick at a time
    Inside 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 creations, Nealita Nelson, the instructor behind the popular Milwaukee Recreation Lego classes, moved from desk to desk, encouraging students to …
  • Chemistry professor and UWM alum co-found a start-up to develop a breast cancer treatment
    Triple 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 to those patients. Founded by Chemistry & Biochemistry Professor Xiaohua Peng and her former PhD student Taufeeque Ali, the company …