MILWAUKEE _ The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will award more than 3,000 degrees at its 114th commencement on Sunday, May 22, at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, 400 W. Kilbourn Ave.
Degrees will be awarded at two ceremonies, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Scott Noegel, a professor at the University of Washington in Seattle, will be the featured speaker at the 9 a.m. “black” ceremony. Jose Vasquez, president of St. Anthony School in Milwaukee, will speak at the “gold” ceremony at 1:30 p.m.
The university will present 2,182 bachelor’s degrees, 703 master’s degrees, 165 doctoral degrees and nine flexible option degrees. UWM encourages lifelong learning. The oldest degree recipient this spring is 66, while the youngest is 20.
The closure of 6th Street in downtown Milwaukee will affect commencement traffic as UWM Panther Arena is located between 6th and 4th Streets. Traffic going to the arena would typically take the McKinley Ave. exit off of Interstate 43 and turn right on 6th Street. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has advised that drivers should continue east on McKinley, passing 6th Street, and take a right on 4th Street.
Parking is available in the Wisconsin Center District parking lot, 500 W. Wells St., or the Federal Plaza parking garage, 747 N. Old World 3rd St. Drivers going to the Wisconsin Center District parking lot can turn right off of 4th Street onto Wells Street. Those going to the Federal Plaza parking garage should continue east on McKinley, passing 4th Street, and take a right on Old World 3rd Street.
NOTE TO EDITORS: Six UWM students will be featured in videos during commencement. Reporters who wish to interview them should contact Michelle Johnson at (414) 229-7490.
Kathryn Henry, vocal performance, was one of nine finalists chosen from more than 1,500 singers in the 2015 Metropolitan Opera Competition in New York. She also performed the national anthem at the Democratic presidential primary debate held at UWM in February. Henry has received a scholarship to The Julliard School, where she will continue her vocal performance studies.
Steven DeVilbiss, freshwater sciences, grew up boating, fishing and appreciating Wisconsin’s lakes. Hoping to help future generations enjoy our nation’s natural resources, DeVilbiss will move to Virginia to gather data to help protect the bodies of water in that region. He will be working with The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality as a water quality monitoring and assessment senior scientist.
Alexis Nash, human resources and labor relations, is interested in helping people achieve economic independence. That led the master’s students to create Popspace, a web-based marketplace for affordable temporary retail and event space. The idea won both the UWM Student Startup Challenge and the New Ventures Business Plan Competition.
Leah Letson, psychology and criminal justice, is an airman in the Wisconsin Air National Guard who found her passion for mixed martial arts and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu while taking a cardio kickboxing class at UWM. Letson is now a professional MMA fighter scheduled to compete the night before accepting her UWM diploma.
Timothy Steen, secondary education, is a scholarship recipient who wants to give back to the community where he grew up. He plans to teach history in the Milwaukee Public Schools.
Bryan Weichelt, biomedical and health informatics, works full-time at Marshfield Clinic and advocates for Human Parechovirus Type 3 awareness after his newborn identical triplet boys were diagnosed with the rare virus. Weichelt is an Army veteran who has received help from UWM’s military support services while working remotely to earn his doctorate.
COMMENCEMENT SPEAKERS
SCOTT NOEGEL
Scott Noegel received his bachelor’s degree from UW-Milwaukee in Hebrew studies, medieval history and Modern European intellectual history. Noegel completed his master’s and doctoral degrees at Cornell University in ancient Near Eastern languages and cultures.
Noegel currently teaches biblical and ancient Near Eastern studies at the University of Washington in Seattle. He has given more than 100 lectures, contributed as an author, co-author, or editor to 10 books and more than 70 articles related to the ancient world.
Noegel has been received numerous grants for his digital and film work and been nominated for the Rockefeller Foundation National Film/Video Fellowship and the National Endowment for the Arts. Noegel received the City of Seattle Distinguished Citizen Medal in 2002.
JOSE VASQUEZ
Jose Vasquez received his bachelor’s degree at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio before earning his master’s degree at UW-Milwaukee in educational rehabilitation counseling.
Vasquez currently serves as president of St. Anthony School in Milwaukee. The Catholic school educates more than 2,000 students from nursery to high school with five campuses on the south side of Milwaukee. St. Anthony School is the largest parish-affiliated Catholic school in the United States.
Vasquez previously has worked for the private sector and in county government and education at the technical college and university level. He has been involved in organizations that serve people from early childhood to old age.
HONORARY DEGREES
DANNI GENDELMAN
Danni Gendelman was the founder of InterPlan Office Products Inc., a contract design and furnishings firm focused on offices and healthcare facilities. InterPlan was one of the largest woman-owned businesses in Wisconsin and had offices in Milwaukee and Appleton.
Gendelman also founded Great Lakes Future, a nonprofit organization that fostered awareness of freshwater issues and advocates to protect the Great Lakes. GLF partnered with the Wisconsin Lake Schooner Education Association and to create the new Discovery World. Gendelman continues to support the Milwaukee community through new projects.
SCOTT NOEGEL
Scott Noegel is a professor at the University of Washington in Seattle. Please see his biography above.
SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES
The numbers of degrees awarded by UWM schools and colleges are below. The numbers include bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and flex degrees.
- College of Letters and Science: 883
- Lubar School of Business: 549
- School of Education: 279
- College of Engineering & Applied Science: 268
- College of Health Sciences: 207
- Peck School of the Arts: 199
- College of Nursing: 176
- Helen Bader School of Social Welfare: 164
- School of Information Studies: 158
- School of Architecture & Urban Planning: 129
- Zilber School of Public Health: 18
- Global Studies Interdisciplinary: 16
- School of Freshwater Sciences: 10
- Joint Programs L&S and CEAS: 3
MEDIA ACCESS
Members of the media wishing to cover the commencement ceremonies should enter through the Panther Arena’s main doors and ask for assistance from an usher.
ABOUT UWM
Recognized as one of the nation’s 115 top research universities, UW-Milwaukee provides a world-class education to more than 27,000 students from 81 countries. Its 14 schools and colleges include Wisconsin’s only schools of architecture, freshwater sciences and public health, and it is a leading educator of nurses and teachers. With a budget of $667 million, UW-Milwaukee partners with leading companies to conduct joint research, offer student internships and serve as an economic engine for southeastern Wisconsin. The Princeton Review named UW-Milwaukee a 2016 “Best Midwestern” university based on overall academic excellence and student reviews.