Steve Raasch (BS 1986, Architectural Studies) is the CEO and president of Zimmerman Architectural Studio, a 120-year-old interdisciplinary architecture, interior design, urban planning, and engineering firm. Since stepping into his role in 2019, he has guided the company towards more complex, mission-driven projects that prioritize people and community impact.
A community-driven planning initiative involving UW-Milwaukee urban planning professor Dr. Kirk E. Harris received recognition at the 2026 American Planning Association–Illinois Chapter Conference on September 30. The 95th Street Corridor Plan was honored for its innovation and impactful community engagement strategy.
In a recent Wall Street Journal article by Rebecca Cadenhead and Andrew Mollica, Urban Planning Professor and Co-Chair Dr. Robert Schneider discusses factors contributing to pedestrian fatalities nationwide. The article examines the dangers of wide, high-speed urban roads designed primarily for vehicles, even as they serve pedestrians accessing nearby businesses and neighborhoods. Dr. Schneider explains that late-night work shifts, particularly among low-income Americans, can increase pedestrian exposure to dangerous conditions. Meanwhile, the growing popularity of larger vehicles poses additional risks to pedestrians, even as those vehicles offer greater protection to their occupants.
UWM’s School of Architecture & Urban Planning (SARUP) has partnered with local non-profit VIA Community Development Corporation (CDC) to design new entryways for businesses pursuing VIA CDC’s Facade and Alternative Customer Entrance (FACE) Grant after being impacted by National Avenue construction.
UWM’s Community Design Solutions partnered with North Division High School to make improvements to the school’s interior and exterior spaces. North Division is one of six Milwaukee Public Schools to receive major capital investments this year, with $2.4 million dedicated to expanding career and technical education at the high school.
Urban Planning graduate student Marybeth McGinnis was named Summer 2026 Student of the Quarter by Study Urban Planning, an organization that helps up-and-coming urban planners build their careers.
Dean of the College of the Arts and Architecture Dr. Winifred Elysse Newman is among 25 architecture education leaders sharing perspectives on how schools can prepare students for the evolving demands of the profession.
Urban planning associate professor and Co-Chair Carolyn Esswein joined the conversation on how community ties can push growth after residents gathered outside of Metcalfe Park’s recently closed Pick ‘n Save to rally support for their neighborhood.
Alum Claire Hitchcock Tilton is working alongside her father, Steven Tilton, to restore the Milwaukee Boathouse, a well-known landmark in Milwaukee’s Cambridge Woods neighborhood. Steven Tilton purchased the home in 2018, and the father-daughter team helped breathe new life into its distinctive architectural fantasy.
Students in a studio led by architecture professor Whitney Moon collaborated with FuzzPop Workshop to design larger-than-life inflatable sculptures for ArtBlaze, a free community art event hosted by Joy Engine. ArtBlaze 2026 marks the second year of the partnership among the School of Architecture & Urban Planning and FuzzPop Workshop for this creative collaboration.
