Stella DuBrava received her bachelor’s degree from UW-Milwaukee in August. But her path to that degree took longer than she originally planned.
She entered UW-Milwaukee in 2004 as an 18-year-old art history major but left in her third year to become a hair stylist, eventually opening her own salon in Fox Point.
Despite the success of her business, DuBrava began thinking about finishing her bachelor’s degree. Cutting hair is “a very physical job, and there’s no safety net if I couldn’t physically do hair anymore,” DuBrava said.
She decided to shift her major, applying to join UWM’s Information Science & Technology program.
“I really wanted to get new skills,” she said. “If I was going to spend the money and take the time to do this, I wanted new tools for my toolbox. I picked technology because there was a big gap in my knowledge and experience with it. I didn’t even know how to begin building a website, for example.”
Re-entering the classroom in September 2024, after nearly two decades away, was challenging. As a self-described “artsy type,” DuBrava felt less comfortable in a tech-focused environment. But meeting dynamic faculty members like J. Dietenberger, teaching faculty emeritus, made her feel that she belonged.
“He was so positive, a real cheerleader, and made me feel seen,” she said.
She began to see room for creativity in the field, and her mind opened to new skills and possibilities. She found project management “deeply fascinating,” and was intrigued by a user experience course she took with instructor Wonchan Choi.
She especially liked its connection to disability advocacy. “If you pick a font for your website that looks really cool but people with dyslexia can’t read it, you’ve cut those people out of your conversation,” she said. “They’re not welcome in your space. How do you make sure that as many people as possible can access that information and use it?”
This interest in digital accessibility led DuBrava to a paid internship at UWM, working on a campus-wide digital accessibility project. It involved ensuring that all PDFs used for College of Community Engagement & Professions courses are accessible to all, including people who use screen readers.
After returning to UWM, DuBrava maintained a 4.0 grade point average. She’s currently on the job market, seeking work that incorporates user-centered design and project management. She feels like she’s on the right path.
“Being cognizant of accessibility, making sure that everyone has a place at the table, has been a big part of my education,” she said.
