{"id":9503,"date":"2013-11-12T01:37:43","date_gmt":"2013-11-12T07:37:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/news\/?p=9503"},"modified":"2015-11-12T08:20:47","modified_gmt":"2015-11-12T14:20:47","slug":"bp2w-team-unearths-uwm-gems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/news\/bp2w-team-unearths-uwm-gems\/","title":{"rendered":"BP2W team unearths UWM Gems"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Hoop House, one of three planned, is part of an effort to provide year-round campus gardening and composting. It is just south of the Sandburg Residence Halls East Tower. Inset: Volunteers from the Food & Garden Club, the Office of Sustainability, and the Institute for Urban Agriculture at UWM and community volunteers from Growing Power put up the campus\u2019 first Hoop House on Sept. 28.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Enjoy a Gem!<\/strong>
\nBe sure to check out
\nUWM Gallery Day<\/a>
\nNov. 21<\/div>\n

Tour art galleries, learn about the history of nursing, visit a geology museum, attend free arts events, cheer on the soccer team, borrow a book, plant a garden, get help with hearing loss, get a discount on your cell phone plan, do a little stargazing\u2026<\/p>\n

These are just a few of the perks of being part of the UWM community. However, many employees aren\u2019t aware of these opportunities, so the Best Place to Work (BP2W) team formed a committee to compile a list of \u201chidden gems.\u201d<\/p>\n

T\"Best<\/a>he group quickly changed its name to the Gems Committee. \u201cOur goal is to \u2018un-hide\u2019 these gems,\u201d says Ellen Friebert Schupper, director of marketing and community relations for the Peck School of the Arts, who leads the team. \u201cThese are gems that are on campus that many people don\u2019t know exist.\u201d Other members of the team are Jill Hildenbrand, Steve Burnham, Karen Beres and Joey Zafra, with guidance from Mark Mielenz of Human Resources.<\/p>\n

One of the committee\u2019s first goals was to compile a list of opportunities that are on or convenient to the campus. Some are free, some are open to the public and a few involve discounts offered by local businesses.<\/p>\n

One of Schupper\u2019s personal favorites is the College for Kids program, which her child has attended for the past three summers. \u201cAs a working parent, I really like the opportunity to have my son come to campus with me for a week or two. He loves going to college, and I appreciate getting to enjoy some extra time together, especially over lunch.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The Manfred Olson Planetarium offers AstroBreaks over the lunch hour, Friday night shows and special events.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cMy favorite gem on campus is definitely the health and wellness programs offered,\u201d says Beres. \u201cI participate in multiple programs, this fall four days a week. Not only do I know it\u2019s healthy for me to exercise but it\u2019s convenient, a low cost, and a great environment to do it with a variety of employees cross-campus and great instructors.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI may be biased \u2013 I work in the UWM Libraries \u2013 but my favorite UWM employee gem is the ability to check out materials from the Libraries\u2019 vast, varied and wonderful collection. Over 2 million books, 7,200 DVDs and 12,000 CDs,\u201d says Burnham.<\/p>\n

\u201cI especially love the many beautiful books on contemporary art and architecture, and my whole family enjoys the great collection of old and new films.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Engelmann Field, home of Panther Soccer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Among other gems:<\/p>\n