Kathryn Henry (BFA 2016, Music) received the Graduate of the Last Decade (GOLD) Award presented by the UWM Alumni Association at the 2026 Alumni Awards Evening. The awards recognize remarkable standouts who make new waves in the lives of countless people every day.
The campus culture that UWM fosters leaves a lasting impression on students, so much so that many graduates may not want to leave. For alum Elora Hennessey (BFA 2017, Art), she didn’t need to. Hennessey has been a Staff Photographer for UWM’s Division of Marketing, Communications, and University Relations (MarComm) since graduating. Hennessey began working for UWM in 2016 as a student intern for MarComm. She was recommended by Joseph Mougel (Associate Professor and Area Head, Photography & Imaging), who helped her apply for the internship and eventual full-time role.
Over the past 40 years, UW-Milwaukee alumni Mike Martino, Mike Sponholtz and Tom Queoff have carved blocks of snow into everything from mythical beasts to Mount Rushmore. As the members of Team USA, they’ve won awards worldwide, using their fine …
PSOA alum Evelyn Patricia Terry and lecturer and alum Yinan Wang were named among five recipients of the 2026 Mary L. Nohl Fellowship for Individual Artists. Terry was selected in the Established Artist category, and Wang was selected in the Emerging Artist category. FVANG Associate Professor Mike Gibisser was also named a finalist in the Emerging Artist category.
As a kid growing up in southern California, Pavonis Giron dreamed of being an illustrator for the likes of Pixar and Nickelodeon. “I was trying to put together the skills I needed to work at those studios one day… drawing …
Recent classical guitar alums Kevin Loh ‘25 and Chandler Dillingham ‘25 have taken the next steps in their careers by returning to teach at their alma mater. Loh and Dillingham both discovered a passion for music education while studying under …
The job of stage manager is considered one of the most challenging roles in theater. Lillian Hayward, a theatre production major with an emphasis in stage management, knows this well. From running rehearsals to facilitating communication between the director and the actors, Hayward has to do a little bit of everything as a stage manager.
Mike Driscoll, a Peck School of the Arts alum and teacher at Bay View High School, has been named one of five national recipients of the 2025 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence. The award includes $100,000 to support Driscoll’s continued impact on students through hands-on learning and skilled trades education.
Between costumes and candy, many celebrate the Halloween season by watching horror movies. Throughout the years, many students’ senior thesis films have had spooky undertones, making them perfect to rewatch this time of year. Kelly Kirshtner (Associate Professor, Film) and …
UWM alum and popular street artist Jeremy Novy (BFA 2008, Art: Photography) returned to Milwaukee as the artist selected to design and paint rainbow crosswalks in Walker’s Point, honoring the neighborhood’s historical significance to the queer community. Novy’s design also …
Geo Rutherford (MFA 2021, Art) is an artist, author, and TikTok creator with more than 1.8 million followers. She’s best known for her viral series Spooky Lake Month and for using her platform to share stories about the Great Lakes …
UWM alum Thomas Trudeau (BFA 2012, Film) joined the New York Times as a video production coordinator. Trudeau’s new position entails facilitating video production and managing NYT’s video equipment and production studios. In a warm welcome from NYT’s Solana Pyne …
Ashley Oviedo (BFA 2020, Theatre) stars in Sanctuary City at Next Act Theatre, a play exploring the experiences of young immigrants in post-9/11 America. Oviedo plays G, one of two teenagers navigating impossible choices in a country they call home. …
Kevin Loh (MM 2025, Classical Guitar; Graduate Certificate 2025), an alum and now classical guitar lecturer, was recently featured in a PBS Wisconsin interview highlighting his global career and unique perspective on the art of classical guitar. Originally from Singapore, …
The Peck School of the Arts guitar program is recognized for its distinguished faculty and the achievements of its students and alumni. Led by internationally renowned artist René Izquierdo, the program continues to produce musicians who thrive on competitive stages around the world. We recap several summer successes from students and alumni.
