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’s film shown at Milwaukee Film Festival
    Powwow 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 three-day powwow, capturing the reflections, relationships, and experiences of being present at the social event. Read the Full Story
  • UWM alum named first Hmong-American college president in the US
    Pakou 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 college or university in the United States. She earned her master's degree in communication from UWM in 2003. Read the …
  • 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 – and data. Treatment plant operators face a major challenge: critical water-quality tests take days to complete, while operators often need …